The Divine Lamp

HOW WE MUST WORK ACCORDING TO THE EXAMPLE OF
ST. JOSEPH. 

Joseph , her husband, being a just man . . . was minded to 6ut her 
away privately. Matt. 1:19. 

St. Joseph, whose feast we celebrate to-day, is a glorious saint,
who shows us by his example how all, and especially those who
have to labor constantly throughout their lives, can work out
their salvation. His sanctity cannot be doubted, for if he had
not been holy in an eminent degree, God would not have chosen
him to be the virgin-spouse of Mary, and foster-father of his Incarnate
Son ; neither would Holy Writ call him a just man, for
only those are just, in the sense of Sacred Scripture, who conscientiously
observe the commandments of God and perseveringly
walk in the path of virtue. But how did St. Joseph become a just
man? Did he, perhaps, perform extraordinary deeds? Did he,
like the Apostles, preach the gospel ? Did he work miracles ?
Did he die a martyr for the holy faith ? No, the gospel relates nothing
of him in regard to such things; he was simply an artisan
who spent the greater part of his life in the shop, working hard
to gain an honest livelihood for himself, and for Jesus and Mary.
It was by work principally that Joseph became holy and secured
his salvation. Thus, we also can become holy and be saved, if,
following the example of St. Joseph, we work 

I. With God, and
II. For God. 

PART I. 

i. St. Joseph worked with God in the proper sense, because he
worked with Jesus, his divine Foster-Son, and in his presence.
Joseph lived under the same roof with Jesus at Nazareth up to
the time of his death. There can be no doubt that the Child often
came into the shop, watched Joseph at his work, and when he
became older himself assisted his foster-father. For this reason
the Jews of Nazareth believed our divine Saviour to be the son
of the carpenter Joseph. We can easily imagine that Joseph,
through reverence for Jesus, whom he knew to be the Son of
God, worked with great diligence, preserved patience in all the
hardships incident to his state of life and, in general, so conducted
himself that God looked down upon him with pleasure and
rewarded his labors with heaven. Herein you must imitate St.
Joseph. Although you do not see God with your corporal eyes,
as Joseph saw Jesus, he is, as faith teaches you, invisibly present
and sees all you do. You must, therefore, have God before your
eyes in all your works, and this no doubt will enable you to work
diligently and preserve patience. If the presence of an earthly
employer banishes indolence and animates your zeal, will not
this be done the more effectually if in all our employments and
labors we vividly represent to ourselves the presence of God,
the Lord of heaven and earth? How can any one be negligent
in his occupations when he considers that God is near him, sees
all his actions and desires him to work diligently. This thought
is the strongest incentive to zeal in our vocation, and, as it were,
the power that puts the wheels of our activity in motion. There
fore, God himself said to Abraham : "Walk before me, and be
perfect." Gen. 17:1. Because Abraham conscientiously complied
with this commandment and always had God before his eyes, he
fulfilled all his duties most zealously and was perfect in his conduct.
In all your works and business transactions often think
that God, your Lord and Father, is near you. Place yourselves
in his presence, particularly when you are obliged to do some
disagreeable and laborious work; say even then: "God sees
me, it is his will that I do this." This remembrance of God will
certainly banish every temptation to indolence and impatience
from your heart, and urge you to perform all your works with
zeal, patience and perseverance. 

2. Because he united prayer with labor. "Ora et labor a" pray
and work. There is no doubt that Joseph not only worked diligently,
but that he also prayed with great fervor and constancy.
How could the gospel call him a just man if he had been slothful
in prayer? A man who will not hear of prayer is not just. The
fact related of him in the gospel, that he annually went to Jerusalem
at Easter to pray there in the temple, leads us to infer that
he loved prayer and consequently performed his daily devotions
with great fervor and perfection. I imagine I can see him
on his knees early in the morning, praying with ardent devotion,
and frequently during the day raising his heart to God in pious
ejaculations, and again in the evening casting himself on his
knees to conclude the day with devout prayers. Thus St. Joseph
sanctified his work by prayer, drew God s blessing upon it and
rendered it meritorious for eternity. You also should unite your
labors with prayer, for on prayer depends your success and the
blessing you wish for your labors. He who believes himself able
to accomplish everything by his own power and ingenuity is
greatly deceived, for "unless the Lord build the house, they
labor in vain that build it." Ps. 126:i. Many are zealous and
active in their calling, they perform everything with prudence
and circumspection and are busily occupied from morning till
night. One would suppose that everything prospered with them;
but such is not the case ; on the contrary, nothing succeeds;
untoward circumstances frustrate all their labors and pains. Whence
comes this? Perhaps, from a neglect of prayer. They do not say
their morning or evening prayers; they neglect to hear mass on
Sundays and holidays ; at their work they never raise their
hearts to God ; they do not value prayer much under any
circumstances, and when pressed by the cares of business they
find no time for it at all. Thus it happens that God with
draws his blessing from them, giving them an unmistakable
proof that without him they can do nothing. Do not act like
these slothful, lukewarm Catholics, but always unite your
work with prayer. Say not only your morning and evening
prayers, but frequently during your work raise your heart and
mind to God and ask his blessing. If you have a task of importance
before you, do not fail to recommend yourselves to God
in prayer that he may bless your undertaking and grant you a
favorable issue. If you observe this rule, God s blessing will
never be wanting to you, and, what is more important still, he
will look with favor upon your work and reward you hereafter
in heaven. 

3. Because he labored in a state of grace. As already mentioned,
the gospel says that Joseph was a just man ; but justice in
the sense of the gospel excludes at least every mortal sin. Joseph,
therefore, was free from every mortal sin ; and it is also a
pious belief that by a special grace of God he also preserved
himself from every venial sin. Hence he always worked in a
state of grace, for which reason God looked down upon his labors
with pleasure, blessed them and rewarded them eternally in
heaven. You should also be solicitous to perform all your labors
in a state of grace. He who lives in a state of sin is an
enemy of God and has every reason to fear that his undertakings
will prove a failure. As an evidence of this, call to mind the
history of Saul When he had sinned and apostatized from God,
prosperity and glory departed from him, and his end was one of
misery. Add to this, that those who live in a state of sin need
not expect any reward hereafter for all their labors and exertions;
they are separated from Christ, and resemble a branch severed
from the vine, which can bring forth no fruit. How deplorable
the state of such persons ! They labor early and late in the sweat
of their brow, and never enjoy any comfort so long as they live.
If they would walk in the fear of God and at least avoid mortal
sins, they would daily have opportunities of acquiring treasures
for heaven ; but spending as they do the years of their
life in sin they labor in vain, and whatever they accomplish is of
no value for eternity. Their lot is a hard one in this world, but
a sadder one awaits them hereafter ; for unless they are thoroughly
converted they will be delivered to eternal perdition. Guard,
therefore, against every mortal sin, and if unfortunately you
should commit one, make a sincere confession immediately in
order to recover sanctifying grace, and thus you will render your
labors and concerns meritorious for heaven. 

PART II. 

i. St. Joseph also gives us a beautiful example, teaching us
to labor for God. As foster-father of Jesus, he considered it his
most important duty to take care of the divine Infant, and to
provide all that was necessary for his support. All his toil was
devoted to his divine Foster- Child. When busy in his shop from
early morn till late at night, planing boards and performing all the
work incident to his trade, he did all for the love of Jesus ; when
he became fatigued and the sweat poured from his brow he thought
of Jesus, and said to himself: For the love of my Jesus. When
he was obliged to do work which involved danger, as is often
the case with carpenters, he did it calmly and fearlessly, because
he labored for Jesus, and for love of him feared no danger. We
find St. Joseph in different places: in Bethlehem, where the divine
Infant was born; in Egypt, whither he had to flee in order
to place the Child beyond the reach of Herod ; and finally at Nazareth,
where Jesus grew into youth and manhood and remained
to his thirtieth year. In all these places Joseph devoted himself
to the fulfillment of his duties as foster-father of Jesus, every
where laboring for Jesus, his Lord and God. 

2. We also must labor for God for two reasons: 

(a.) Because all works, even the best, which are not done for God,
are without value in his sight. For this reason many labor in vain ;
the sufferings and hardships which they undergo do not merit
for them any reward hereafter. Shopkeepers, farmers and la
borers work hard in the shop and in the field from week to week,
and why ? Only for the sake of temporal prosperity. We find
servants who labor diligently ; why ? To please their employers,
to be praised and rewarded. What shall we say of these and all
other laborers who do not work for God ? What benefit will accrue
to them from all their anxiety and labors ? At most a temporal,
but in no case an eternal, gain. As a master will not pay
wages to those servants who do not work for him, but for some
one else, so God will not reward the efforts which one makes
purely from worldly motives. When such laborers appear before
the judgment-seat of God, they will hear to their consternation
that all they have done merits no reward. A noble descendant
of the royal family of Poland, who had labored long and zealously
for the welfare of his country, but who in all those long
years had done nothing for the honor of God or the salvation of
his own soul, one night had a most remarkable dream. He
seemed to be in a beautiful country peopled with a great number
of heavenly spirits, who were all writing very rapidly. He
approached one of them and asked him what he was writing
down so carefully. He replied : "We are angels of God, and upon
these leaves we write the merits of men." Whereupon the man
hesitated not to ask if he could see what was written upon his
leaf. "Certainly," replied the angel, and searching among the
numerous leaves he showed him the page which contained his
merits. But what terror seized him when he saw that the whole
leaf was almost entirely blank, though he had labored and toiled
so long and zealously. "How is it possible," he said, "that I have
scarcely any merits for eternal life?" "My friend," replied the
angel, "on these leaves, which form the book of life, nothing is
written except what men do for God and for love of him" This
dream made a deep impression upon the man, and from that
time he labored earnestly, not for himself or for the world, but
for God and the honor of his holy name. 

(3.) Oh, that the dream of this nobleman would produce the
same effect in you. Never forget that only those works which
are done for God and for the love of him will be rewarded in eternity.
How happy therefore you will be, if in all your works you
think of God and perform them for love of him. Not the smallest
action, however insignificant, will then be lost; each one will
find its reward before the throne of the divine Judge. In heaven
there are many saints who belonged to a lowly state, and who
during their whole life could do nothing great in the eyes of the
world. St. Isidore was a farmer, St. Deodatus a shoemaker, St.
Florus a mason, St. Onesius a servant, St. Nothburg a servant.
How did these, and with them millions of others of low extraction,
save their souls and become saints ? Chiefly through the good
intention with which they labored ; it ennobled their most menial
and insignificant works and rendered them meritorious before
God. Here, then, is an easy way for you to labor with fruit; do
all for God. "A good intention," says a renowned spiritual writer,
"is a heavenly alchemy by which iron is changed into gold, that
is, by which the most insignificant and lowly actions, such as eating,
sleeping, walking, working, are changed into the purest
gold of holy love, which acquires for us the joys of heaven. Since
so much depends on a good intention, all the saints paid the great
est attention to this matter. (St. Benedict, St. Ignatius, St. Mary
Magdalene of Pazzi.) A pious hermit had the habit of standing still
and looking up to heaven as often as he began work. On being questioned,
he said: "I must take good aim that I may not miss
the mark." For, as the hunter before he shoots stands still and
aims at the object, so that he may not miss it, so before every
work you must direct your thoughts to God and make him the
end of all your actions. 

PERORATION. 

Take St. Joseph for your model, and like him work with Goa
and for God. Work with God: in your occupations at home, in
the shop, in the field, often think of God ; guard against every
mortal sin and pray fervently ; especially begin and end your
work every day with devout prayer. Work for God, and have a
good intention in whatever you do. Never begin to work in the
morning without saying. "Lord, all that I do to-day, I do for the
love of thee, for thy glory." Renew this intention frequently~Johannes Evangelist Zollner

You can find it online HERE.  The site may take several seconds to appear.  An easier format to read the text in is HERE.  Find the window with the page numbers located at the bottom of the page and clear it, then type in the page number 427 and push the Enter key on your computer keyboard.

or, rather,  I’m about to read ROME HAUL, by Walter D. Edmonds.  The book is about a man and a woman who meet and fall in love as they work on the Erie Canal.  The work was published in 1929 and was Edmond’s first novel.  In 1934 it was adapted into a play entitled “The Farmer Takes A Wife.”   In 1936 it was made into a movie which brought Henry Fonda to the big screen for the first time (he had the lead role).   In 1953 it was again adapted, this time into a musical starring Betty Grable and Dale Robertson.

Edmond is widely considered to be the greatest regional writer America has ever produced.  His historical novels received much acclaim and were very popular.  His most famous and enduring work is DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK,  which was a national best seller when first published in 1936; in fact, it was the second best selling book of that year, bested only by GONE WITH THE WIND.

Here is some of the critical acclaim from the back of my copy:

Rome Haul would be a notable book in any season.  As the first novel of a man born in 1903 it is extraordinary-NEW YORK HERALD TRIBUNE (1929).

A Richly colored addition to the panorama of American fiction-Allen Nevins-SATURDAY REVIEW OF LITERATURE.

Walter D. Edmond’s Rome Haul has given to the Erie Canal of the 1850’s a fine and graphic resurrection.  We think this is one of the best of all the better historical novels-NEW YORK EVENING POST.

Assiduous research, restraint in treatment, and a great deal of fine, lucid writing distinguish this first novel by Mr. Edmonds.  The author has been extraordinarily successful in recapturing the currents and cross-currents of life among ‘canawlers’-THE NEW YORK TIMES (”canawlers” is not a misspelling, it’s regional slang).

This post appears on my other site with a video included.
Oh, and this town
is my town–alright?
Love or hate it–it don’t matter
’cause I’m gonna stand and fight
This town–is my town
She’s got her ups and downs
But love or hate it–it don’t matter
’cause this is my town.

At a Tuesday evening Oneida common council meeting a local business owner told the council: Downtown is falling apart.  If everyone goes home there wont be a downtown.  Letting people work from home is not getting a business space donwtown rented.”  She was at the meeting to voice her concern over a re-zoning plan that would allow city residents to use their homes in residential areas as places of business.   The woman owns and works at a hair and beauty salon on Main Street.  In order to help cover the cost of running the building which houses her livelihood she rents out space to other hair stylist who cannot afford to open their own business’s downtown, and she is concerned that the proposed zoning changes will make it harder for her to rent those spaces.   Losing any of the five people who rent space from her will place her own business and her ability to maintain the building in jeopardy.  All of this seemed to be lost on one councilperson who said: We’ve already pretty much destroyed downtown.”

So I guess if the zoning changes become a reality we should consider it a coup de grace for for downtown; the illogical finish by the present city elders who have chosen to continue the decades old tradition of political mismanagement.

Oneida used to be a beautiful, thriving, pleasant place to live, with attractive buildings in late nineteenth and early twentieth century style, as this series of old photos I once posted helps to show.  Now, however, the entire north side has exactly three retailers; a convenience store, a drug store, and a dollar store, though there is also a fish shop and diner as well.  A number of the old (an often historic) buildings are now gone, having fallen victim to fires.  They’ve been replaced- not with new buildings-but with parking lots.  Almost all business is now located at the extreme end of the south side, near the city boundaries, and sometimes people find it necessary to travel 1 or 2 miles just to buy a lousy loaf of bread.  A fine lot of good those parking lots are going to be now.  They’ll become just another place for late night riff-raff to congregate, dump their garbage, and harass decent people who are unfortunate enough to have to brave walking through downtown at night for some reason.

It’s currently illeagal for kids to roller-blade and and skateboard on city streets and lands,  so I suppose one of the parking lots could be converted into a place for kids to do such things; but inasmuch as the city elders have been so proactive in destroying downtown, while at the same time giving the bum’s rush to those parents and kids who seek such a place, I’m not holding my breath.

Why Study Philosophy? is a short excerpt from Fredrick Copleston’s famous multi-volume History of Philosophy.  As I’ve noted previously, this work by Copleston (the first volume anyway) is available online.  I’ve embedded that document on the site.  The second post contains three embedded book, THE SPIRIT OF ST FRANCIS DE SALES, the classic study of the Saint’s spirituality by Pierre Camus; THE ART OF DYING WELL, by St Robert Cardinal Bellarmine, and THE CATECHETICAL INSTRUCTIONS OF ST THOMAS AQUINAS, which he preached to Joe Pewsitter shortly before his death.

The Crescat is holding a blogger’s award contest and, not surprisingly, I’m not nominated.  To correct this atrocious oversite I’ve decided to run my own contest.  I’d appreciate your vote.

The nominees for BEST DAMNED BLOG EVER BY A MEGALOMANIAC are: (Please vote in the combox)

1. The Divine Lamp
2. Hitler Was A Nice Guy Blog.

On my sister site thedivinelamp.wordpress.com I have posted in the iPaper format a document which contains the English text of the Epistle used in the Extraordinary Form of the Rite (the so-called Latin Mass). In addition it contains-also in English- St Thomas Aquinas’ sermon notes on that Epistle. Finally, I’ve included an old-time sermon from Bishop Bonomelli (1831-1914) who, in his day, was a famous preacher.

As readers of this blog may be aware, I’ve established this sister site because it allows me certain publishing features not availble to me on this blog.  The content of both blogs will be substantially the same, and whenever I post something on the sister site that cannot be posted here, I will post a notice and link to it on this blog.

UPDATE: I’ve also posted St Thomas’ sermon notes for the third Sunday after Easter (That’s tomorrow), which also includes a sermon by Bishop Bonomelli

St Thomas Aquinas was by all accounts an outstanding preacher; not surprising since he belonged to the Order of Preachers (i.e., the Dominicans).  Thomistic Philosopher Ralph McInerny, in the foreward he wrote for the book ST THOMAS AQUINAS: THE THREE GREATEST PRAYERS, Commentaries on the Lord’s Prayer, the Hail Mary, and the Apostles Creed writes: “We are told by a contemporary Neopolitan (john Coppa) that ‘almost the whole population of Naples went to hear his sermons every day.’  And Willian of Tocco writes that ‘he was heard by the people with such revrence that it was as if his preaching came forth from God.’”   Sadly, Aquinasleft behind very few of his actual sermons, however, fortunately for us, he did leave behind about one hundred of his sermons notes.  In the near future I would like to begin posting a series of my own notes on those notes of his.  They were published in English in 1867 by their translator, John M. Ashley, B.C.L., who also wrote a preface to that translation; it is this that I reproduce here.

St Thomas Aquinas was by all accounts an outstanding preacher; not surprising since he belonged to the Order of Preachers (i.e., the Dominicans). Thomistic Philosopher Ralph McInerny, in the foreward he wrote for the book ST THOMAS AQUINAS: THE THREE GREATEST PRAYERS, Commentaries on the Lord’s Prayer, the Hail Mary, and the Apostles Creed writes: “We are told by a contemporary Neopolitan (john Coppa) that ‘almost the whole population of Naples went to hear his sermons every day.’ And Willian of Tocco writes that ‘he was heard by the people with such revrence that it was as if his preaching came forth from God.’” Sadly, Aquinasleft behind very few of his actual sermons, however, fortunately for us, he did leave behind about one hundred of his sermons notes. In the near future I would like to begin posting a series of my own notes on those notes of his. They were published in English in 1867 by their translator, John M. Ashley, B.C.L., who also wrote a preface to that translation; it is this that I reproduce here.

FOR the large circulation which has fallen to the lot of the several portions of these Homilies, now collected into one volume, for the favourable criticism accorded to them by the press, and for the number of private expressions of approval which the Editor has received from fellow Priests, he feels deeply grateful ; yet his gratitude is not so much on his own account, or on that of his little book, a^ that this portion, at least, of the writings of S. Thomas Aquinas is allowed to be capable of supplying one of the wants of the present day a really sound help to sermon- making. It is a most cheering and encouraging fact, that the men of the present day are willing in any degree to acknow- ledge, that they can learn something of value from the great Schoolman. Despite all the undeserved contempt and obloquy heaped upon the Schoolmen, both at the time of the so-called revival of letters and ever since ; despite the vast advances which have been made during the last half century in every department of theological learning and criticism ; and, lastly, despite the growth of that spirit of infi- delity, a combined product of the nominalism which accompanied the religious convulsions three hundred years ago, and of the Protestant dogma of right of private judgment the sermons of the “Angelical Doctor” are
being not only read, but preached, in substance, if not in form, in many churches, both at home and in the Colo- nies. The Translator’s work has been indeed a labour of love, sweetened by the thought and strengthened by the belief that this little book must contribute, in some small degree, to a revival amongst us of the Scholastic Theology. There are many reasons which render such a revival desirable, and at the present time especially so ; but there is one reason above all others which claims to be stated here. In so far as things divine have an intellectual basis, and can be shadowed forth by any operation of the mind, they must be represented to us by conceptions which far surpass any possible earthly manifestation of them. The ” hypos- tasis of things hoped for’ r can only spring from the abiding conviction, that we are now to rest upon certain ideas which hereafter shall be exchanged for their realities. Now, we can form but an idea of what the absolutely good, and true, and beautiful may be like; by-and-by we expect to see these ideas realized, in God, and in our glorified selves. Yet perfect goodness, and truthfulness, and beauty, and holiness are not mere ideas; they are realities, finding their true archetype in the mind and being of God realities of which, by our union with Him through our Blessed Lord, we may hope to be partakers. The teaching of the four great Schoolmen, of Abert the Great, as well as of the Seraphic, Angelical, and Subtle Doctors, was, in common with that of Plato and the New Testament, essentially and entirely realistic. However the Scotists differed from the Thomists on some questions of Theology, they were quite agreed upon this point. However Luther may have differed from Zwingle, and Zwingle from Calvin, in their “views” of
Sacramental grace, they were ” consented together ” in support of that nominalism which would reduce the deep mysteries of the Kingdom of Grace to mere names, and would limit our conceptions of them, and endeavours after them, to what it seems now possible to attain. It is not too much to say, that the Sadduceeism which is now sapping all the vitality of our faith and morals, is but the legitimate product of that nominalism which has lain at the root of all religious belief ever since the religious movement of the sixteenth century. Because the Scholastic Theology is realistic in its teaching, it is the only antidote which will be powerful enough to counteract the effects of that pernicious influence which the Teutonic Upas-tree has cast over so large a por- tion of Christendom. In these skeleton sermons, the realistic teaching is, with one single exception (Epiph. Horn. I., iii.), indirect, giving to them an anti-monastic tone and temper, at the same time not leading to the sacrifice of any portion of their practical bearing. Short and unpretending as they are, they admit of a threefold use. Firstly, they can be taken as profitable guides in directing private or devotional reading ; for they are full of vigorous and condensed thoughts they bring things new and old together in a striking relationship. We notice a few such thoughts. In the Advent Homilies (I.) the sevenfold benefit of our Blessed Lord’s second coming; and the moral aphorism, that “a man is in the judgment by thinking upon the judgment ;” that goodness has its precepts, counsels, and promises (Horn. IV.); the threefold cry of Christ (Horn. IX.) In the Lenten Homilies, the fast in Paradise, and our Lord’s fasting as joined with His Baptism (Horn. I.) ; the seven things that our Lord did upon the Mountain (Horn. VIII.) ; and the threefold nature of the Word of
God (Horn. X.) The Easter Homilies explain the three kinds of flowers in our Lord, and the three typical Maries (Horn. II.) ; what it is for a man to be at peace with him- self (Horn. V.) ; the three gifts of Christ His Body, His Blood, His Soul (Horn. VI.) ; three reasons why the Ador- able Son came forth from the Father (Horn. XIII.) In the Trinity Homilies, we read of the Heavenly Feast, its makers, ministers, and guests (Horn. IV.); how the Holy Angels stand before God in contemplation, love, and praise (Horn. VI.) ; why the Holy Angels desire the creature’s future glory (Horn. VII.) ; the seven loaves with which she feeds the faithful (Horn. XIV.) ; three witnesses against the sinner in the Judgment God, conscience, creation ; it is a momentary thing which delights, an eternal thing which crucifies (Horn. XX.) ; unity of the intellect, of the affec- tions, of the life (Horn. XXXIII.) ; the security, the pleasantness, and abundance of the City of God (Horn. XXXVII.); the translation of the Saints (Horn. XL VII.) Such as these are the lines of reflection which S. Thomas offers to the contemplation of the thoughtful and devout reader, ^presenting the subject in germ, leaving its develop- ment to the effort of individual minds. As neither moral nor spiritual truth affects any two persons in precisely the same way, such a method of presenting truth as this is, leaves for the initiated mind nothing to be desired; whilst the uninitiated soul would scarcely be capable of receiving the generalizations of S. Thomas in any form. * Secondly, these Homilies are valuable as giving the scholastic interpretation of many texts of Holy Scripture; valuable as shewing how the Schoolmen saw our Blessed Lord as shadowed forth in type and prophecy in God’s
servants of old. Amongst a vast number of explained texts, we select the following, as worthy of special notice : In the Advent Homilies, Joel iii. 18, a prophecy of the Incarnation (Horn. I.); Hos. xiii. 14, the spoliation of Hades ; Eph. i. 18, the reparation of Heaven ; Isa. Ixi. 1 fully commented on ; 2 Sam. xxii. 36 applied to our Blessed Lord (Horn. II.) ; Ps. cxlviii. 6, universal service of God by creation (Horn. ILL.) ; Ps. xxxix. 3, the fire that burned, that of contrition. In the Lenten Homilies, Heb. ix. 10, the ” reformation,” as of the Jew ; Prov. i. 8, the ” mother ” is Holy Church (Horn. I.) ; Rev. xvi. 13, the frogs are spirits of detraction (Horn. IV.) ; Job xvi. 22, the walk of death (Horn. V.) ; Ezek. xxviii. 16, interpreted of a devil (Horn. VI.) ; Ps. xxxi. 21, the “shining city” is the City of God; Isa. xxxi. 9, fire and furnace symbols of charity (Horn. VH.) ; S. John xiv. 30, our Blessed Lord walking dryshod over the sea of this world ; Exod. xxxv. 30 gives the twelve breads with which our Lord feeds the faithful (Horn. VIH.); Zech. ix. 11, the deliverance of the Saints from Hades (Horn. IX.) ; Job iv. 12, the mental word (Horn. X.) ; Coloss. i. 30, recruiting of the Heavenly Ones (Horn. XII.) In the Easter Homilies is noted Ex. xii. 21, Numb. ix. 3-5, Jos. v. 10, the three mystical Passovers (Horn. I.); Cant. ii. 12, flowers are the splendour of the Lord’s glorified Body ; S. Matt, xxviii. 2, the earthquake a leaping of the earth for joy (Horn. II.) ; Ezek. xxxvi. 25, clean water of Holy Baptism (Horn. III.) ; Jer. xi. 19, our Blessed Lord the Lamb brought to the slaughter (Horn. V.); Ezek. iv. 14, the Lord feeding His flock (Horn. VI.) ; Judges ii. 1 proves sadness of this present world ; Nah. i. 13 applied to eternal
happiness (Horn. VIII.) ; Lam. iii. 26, the elevation of the mind to God. The Trinity Homilies are very rich in deep and thoughtful readings of Holy Scripture. Isa. xxv. 5, the feast of the new Creation (Horn. IV.) ; Isa. vi. 5, seraphims of purifica- tion (Horn. VI.) ; Ps. cv. 6, the reparation of the Heavenly City (Horn. VII.) ; Isa. xxvi., the lost gift of glory (Horn. IX.); Isa. iii. 14 explains the “council” of S. Matt. v. 22 (Horn. XII.) ; Ps. cxxxii. 15, the Eternal Bread (Horn. XIV.); Job xx. 27 referred to final Judgment (Horn. XVIII.) ; Isa. xxx. 1-8, shews the nature of the trust of the wicked (Horn. XXIII.); S. Mark vii. 33, mystical fingers put into ears (Horn. XXIV.) ; Ps. Ivii. 3, healing power of Holy Baptism (Horn. XXVI.); Ps. Ixxvi. 2, Salem, the Tabernacle of Peace (Horn. XXVII.); Isa. xxxiii. 20, a description of the City of God (Horn. XXXVIII.) ; Isa. iii. 14, army of Saints final ministers of punishment (Horn. XL.); Prov. xviii. 4, “deep waters” represent the Old Testament, the “flowing brooks” the New Testament (Horn. L.) These Homilies are, to a limited extent, a commentary upon many difficult passages of the Inspired Canon. Thirdly, the great use of these Homilies is for sermon- making. They bring a text of Holy Scripture to bear upon each statement ; they adopt a natural division of the subject ; they take up minute details which signify much, but which at first sight seem to be wholly unworthy of notice; they con- trast in the strongest possible way nature with grace. These four statements can be proved with the utmost ease by a careful reading of only a few of the Homilies. There are two methods by which these outlines can be expanded into a sermon of the required length for the present
day : by enlarging upon the divisions of each and every head, lengthening the whole sermon equally. But by far the most telling result is obtained, in the majority of cases at least, by confining the expansion to only one head. Take, for example, Homily X., for Lent: “The Word of God and its Hearers.” Omitting the first head, the three ways in which the Saints are of God ; the third and fourth heads, the foolishness and misery of those who hear not ; we treat alone of the second head, the Threefold Word of God which the Saints hear. ” 1. Eternal: S. John i. 1, ‘In the beginning was the Word.’” This naturally leads to the mention of all the utterances of God the Son, whether as the Word creative or prophetical, before the Incarnation ; of what our Lord did in that infinite abyss of past time, in that eternal to-> day of God when the Son went out to create the worlds. The pre-Incarnate naturally links itself on to the Incarnate Word, to our Lord’s eternal words which He spake in time ; eternal in import, containing an eternal consequence either for life or for death. These eternal words He is speaking in His Body the Church now ; as He spake, so speaks the Church, proclaiming those words of truth and life, which became as wells of water in the souls of the faithful, springing up into everlasting life. So for ever to His Elect will the Saviour speak words of encouragement, and hope, and love ; at the end of all things of love only, when charity alone remains. The Eternal Word, “I am Alpha and Omega.” Abel heard His voice ; all the Patriarchs and Prophets of the Elder Church all the Saints, Virgins, Martyrs, Con- fessors of the New Covenant; the Voice of the Beloved, eternal as His own nature is, eternal in power and action upon ourselves. The Saints “hear by faith.” He it is Who
is speaking in His Holy Sacraments, by the mouths of His Priests. Meet it is that the Eternal High Priest should speak in the Eternal Mysteries of His Church and Kingdom. “We need faith in these Mysteries, in order that we may hear His ” Eternal Word.” 2. Mental: Job iv. 12, “A thing [word, Vulg.] was secretly brought to me.” Not that secret word which, as S. Gregory says, the heretics pretend to hear, who represent the Woman of Solomon saying (Prov. ix. 17; Vulg. 7), ” Stolen waters are sweeter, and bread eaten in secret is more pleasant.” Not that secret word which would lift some above others, and which can only be obtained by secret means, but that communication of inward inspiration when the secret word is delivered to the minds of the Elect, of whom S. John says (1 S. John ii. 27), “His anointing teacheth you all things.” This is that mental word which is received in the heart by the utterance of the Holy Ghost ; secret, to be felt, not expressed in the noise of speech ; it sounds secretly in the ear of the soul. Seek we to have our souls silent before God, freed from pleadings of all emotion, to catch the accents of the mental word. This mental word is the fruit of contemplation ; and, by the chinks of such con- templation, God speaks to us, not in voice, but through mind ; not fully developing Himself, yet revealing something of Himself to the mind of man. As we bore through the strata of earth to find that water which is silently circulating through its crust, so we, by contemplation, boring through the strata of the letter, find the ever-flowing grace which reveals itself as a mental word : the Saints hear this ” by inspiration (Ps. Ixxxv. 8), ‘ I will hear what God the Lord will speak ‘ ” (p. 18). 3. Vocal : S. Matt. iv. 4, ” Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that proceedeth,” &c. Vocal words: God’s commands, His promises, the dogmatic teaching of the Catholic faith this the Saints learn and hear ” by preaching (S. Luke viii. 8), ‘ He that hath ears to hear, let him hear’ ” (p. 19). Take heed how ye hear. Office of preaching in the Church. Duty of hearers and of preachers. Sum up these words : Incarnate Word, to be believed on ; Inspired Word, to be felt ; Preached Word, to be lived upon. After all, it must be left to the preacher’s own peculiar habit of thought to determine which of the heads shall be expanded ; and the manner in which this is to be done. The Homily upon which the attempt has been made is not as favourable as some others for the experiment; it seemed fairer to take a more unlikely one to illustrate in the process, as far as the translator had the power to do so. Almost a course of Sermons could be founded upon Homily XLV., for the Twenty-third Sunday after Trinity. In regard to the Author of these Homilies, he was born A.D. 1224, in the castle of Aquin, in the territory of Lahore, in Italy, being descended from the Kings of Sicily and Aragon. Educated firstly in the Monastery of Mount Cassino, afterwards at Naples. In 1244, studied at Cologne under Albertus Magnus. Doctor of Paris, 1255. Returned into Italy, 1263. Professor of Scholastic Theology at Naples. Died 1274, in the Monastery of Fossanova, near Terracina. An old distich prefixed to his portrait runs thus : Nobilibus Thomas generatus utroque parente Terrarum scriptis claret ubique suis. And he will shine as long as profound Scriptural
Theology shall continue to hold its own in the world. May this little book be but a first fruit of the revival amongst us of the study of the writings of S. Thomas Aquinas. S. Peter Mancroft, Norwich, Feast of S. Matthew, 1867.

It has the same name as this one and, also, like this one, it is in the WordPress format.  The content is essentially the same as here, but it has publishing features not available to me on this site.  Whenever I post something there that I cannot reproduce here, I will place a notice on this blog on the off-chance that it might interest some members of  my not so vast readership.  For example, I currently have posted on that site St Thomas Aquinas’ commentary on Psalm 7.  The translation is copyrighted but the owner allows its reproduction provided one doesn’t change the format.  That format has the Latin and English texts side by side, which I cannot reproduce here.  Also, it allows me to upload my iPaper documents to the blog rather than just providing a link.  For an example of this click HERE.  And for the main blog go HERE.

Daryl was a relative of mine by marriage, and he died recently as the result of complications due to diabetes.  He was just 53 years old.

He graduated from High School in the early 70’s and served his country as a member of the US military.  Upon reentering civilian life he worked at a series of odd jobs, but his first and greatest passion was working on gas engines and car bodies.  Eventually he co-founded, co-owned and co-operated a successful engine repair shop, but at the age of 44 he suffered a stroke which effected his speech and motor skill to the point where he was forced into disability retirement.

In his relationships Daryl was often his own worst enemy, even when those relationships involved members of his immediate family.   I managed to get along with him quite well, though in fact he did on occasion rub me the wrong way.  I get  angry just as easily and just as often as anybody, and I may not be the smartest person in the world but I know for certain that I am much happier for choosing to remember the fact that when I was twelve years old Daryl, out of the goodness of his heart, and at his own expense, took my ancient, beat up and broken mini-bike and fixed it for me.   For the life of me I cannot figure out why adults insist on holding grudges for so long; for months, years, decades, and even lifetimes! how absurd!   A moments reflection will show that, if you’re bitching about someone it means two things: you aren’t happy with that person, and you aren’t happy period.  So what’s point?  It’s better to write the faults of those around us on shifting sands, rather than on a heart of stone.

So long Daryl.  Thanks for fixing my mini bike that time.  May God grant you eternal rest.

This photo was taken from the official Moving Wall website which I have linked to below.  Most, but not all of the photos on the site are in the public domain.  Posting of the photos are subject to the following restrictions: Permission is granted to use these photos for programs, posters, newsletter, web pages, or newspaper articles concerning The Moving Wall. Do not use these photos for commercial purposes, and do not sell them. Several more photos are found below.

“IN HONOR OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES WHO SERVED IN THE VIETNAM WAR. THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES AND OF THOSE WHO REMAIN MISSING ARE INSCRIBED IN THE ORDER THEY WERE TAKEN FROM US.”

So read the preamble of the Vietnam Veteran’s War Memorial in Washington D.C.

Many cities, villages, and even towns and hamlets in this country have war memorials to veterans of this countries various conflicts, but few have monuments to the Vietnam conflict.  There is, of course, the national monument to these honored men and women in our nation’s capital, but many people, for a variety of reasons, will never be able to lay eyes on it.  Enter the Traveling Wall.

“‘The Moving Wall’ is the half-size replica of the Washington, DC Vietnam Veterans Memorial and has been touring the country for more than twenty years. When John Devitt attended the 1982 dedication in Washington, he felt the positive power of “The Wall.” He vowed to share that experience with those who did not have the opportunity to go to Washington.

John, Norris Shears, Gerry Haver, and other Vietnam veteran volunteers built The Moving Wall. It went on display for the first time in Tyler, Texas in October of 1984. Two structures of The Moving Wall now travel the USA from April through November, spending about a week at each site.

A “Sponsor” is any organization or group of individuals that wants The Moving Wall to visit their area and is willing to do the work to make the local arrangements as described in “Scheduling a Visit of The Moving Wall.” Sponsors are frequently civic groups, schools, or veterans’ organizations. Sponsoring normally requires months of planning by dozens of local volunteers.”

The logistics of having the wall in our County for four days is complex, and a huge number of volunteers are needed.

I’ll post more on the Wall latter today.   Here is the website for the Traveling Wall.

UPDATE: I could find very little information concerning the Moving Wall beyond the website link given above and this brief history on Wikipedia, which is a sub-section of its entry concerning the national monument in D.C.  I did find this story on the website, which grants permission for its republication provided the author (Gerry Stegmaier Maggsm) is given attribution.

The Wall is solid, its granite face designed to resist the elements for all time. Yet, as visitors touch its surface, the Wall becomes almost fluid. Small ripples of hope and healing spread ever out-wards. Like the concentric circles created when a stone is tossed into a pond, the impact of the Wall grows and grows.

In 1982 John Devitt, a former helicopter door gunner and Army veteran, visited Washington, DC for the dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and to participate in the National Salute to Vietnam Veterans. This visit and experience changed Devitt’s life and led to the creation of the “Moving Wall,” which has since moved millions of people.

His story is one of thousands spawned by the Memorial. As Devitt explains, “When you approach the Memorial, you don’t recognize what’s going on. It’s a visual experience that words cannot describe. . . Then suddenly, as the words inscribed on the Wall come into focus, it’s so subtle, you’re drawn in and it’s too late. . . You’re riveted and the emotions just pour forth.”

This emotional outpouring and the pride of having participated in a parade honoring Vietnam veterans inspired Devitt to dedicate the next eleven years of his life to giving people all across the nation a chance to experience a similar catharsis. Originally, Devitt and his friends had hoped to create a photo mural of the Wall, but when the negatives proved unusable, they came up with another solution. The concept was simple: build a replica of the Wall in Washington which could travel across the country, so that everyone who couldn’t visit the Wall could share the experience and emotion which it evokes.

Devitt’s idea was deeply personal. He had been out of work when the Wall was dedicated, and had made the trip with financial help from family and friends. “There were millions of people who would never be able to come to Washington,” he realized, “I wanted them to be able see and feel what I had.”

His emotions ran deep. “Before 1982 I never felt like I needed a parade or a memorial,” he says. He had come to the Wall expecting to dislike it, anticipating it would be as some media stories had said, “a black gash of shame.” Instead, the Wall changed his life; it gave him a new mission and sense of pride in his military service. With the help of a few friends, Devitt set out to build a movable wall. They estimated it would take $40,000, however, pooling their savings they could only come up with $2,500.

They decided to seek assistance in raising the necessary funds. “We had a tough time in the beginning, convincing people about what we were trying to do,” explains Devitt. “The Wall is a visual thing. When you tell people you want to build a half-scale replica, they think miniature and model; they don’t realize the power of Maya Lin’s design.” Searching for a way for the work to be completed, they sought contributions of goods and services. If they couldn’t get the material donated, they could at least arrange credit terms and discounted pricing.

“We were totally surprised by the reaction of the businesses we approached. I didn’t even have a credit card at the time, but when we talked to various companies and explained what we were trying to do, they were very sympathetic. Many took the job on our word.” Devitt says, “I knew that once we got started, it would pay for itself…and if it didn’t, we were prepared to pay for it ourselves.” He was convinced of the need for the Moving Wall.

The first Moving Wall was built of plexiglass, with each name silk-screened onto the panels. The photographic negatives of the names were made available by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, the organization responsible for building the Memorial. When new names are added to the Wall, they are also added to the Moving Wall at the end of its season. In its present form, the third generation, the Moving Wall consists of aluminum panels and is a half scale replica of the original.

In the eleven years since the Moving Wall has been in existence, it has been visited by millions of people, in over 410 locations. While the material of the Moving Wall has changed, its impact remains the same.

The Moving Wall was first displayed in 1984 in Texas as part of the Tyler Rose Festival. “We hadn’t even put up the fifth panel when a Gold Star Mother placed a beautifully decorated candle at the base of the panel where her son’s name was inscribed,” Devitt recalls. Just like the Wall in Washington, people began to leave mementoes, so many, in fact, that Devitt decided to have them shipped to the Moving Wall’s off season home in San Jose, CA. He hopes to build a museum to display the items, but for now concentrates on making sure the Moving Wall travels to as many cities as possible.

“When you think about it,” he says, “two or three million people visit the Wall every year. There are ten or twenty times that many people, who, for whatever reason, will never be able to make the trip to Washington.” Scheduling the route of the Wall is a tough job and Devitt tries to be as objective as possible. Dates fill up quickly, almost a year in advance, and there are often schedule conflicts which prevent visits to certain events and locations. “When we started, it was much simpler,” he says. “Someone would call and if I wasn’t going to be somewhere else at that time, we would load things up and go.”

While the costs involved were greater than expected, Devitt was opposed to any kind of charge to visit the Moving Wall. “Originally, we thought we could put out a donation box and that would cover our expenses,” he explains. Convinced that there should be no charge to have the Wall come to a community, someone came up with the idea that local host committees be formed to sponsor the Moving Wall’s visit. This solution has worked well, and the schedule of the Moving Wall remains crowded as it journeys across the country.

Many people have not heard about Devitt or the Moving Wall; his humble and hard working attitude are partially responsible. “When the Wall comes to a town, it brings people out from all over. We try to play it low key because the Wall speaks for itself.” He continues, “This isn’t about me. It’s not about John Devitt. Its about remembering 58,000 people who died in service to their country.”

A tribute to missing MIA and POW servicemen and women (above).

Below is a tribute to the 56 civilian women killed during the war.