Christ's wounds bring healing and life

Christ's wounds bring healing and life

"The Lord of hosts was not signaling weakness as he gave sight to the
blind, made the crooked to stand upright, raised the dead to life
(Matthew 11:5), anticipated the effects of medicine at our prayers,
and cured those who sought after him. Those who merely touched the
fringe of his robe were healed (Mark 6:56). Surely you did not think
it was some divine weakness, you speculators, when you saw him
wounded. Indeed there were wounds that pierced his body (Matthew
27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:33; John 19:18, 31-37), but they did not
demonstrate weakness but strength. For from these wounds flowed life
to all, from the One who was the life of all."
 by Ambrose of Milan(excerpt from ON THE CHRISTIAN FAITH 4.5.54–55.16)

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February 13th - Bl. Jordan, OP

(d. 1237)
Christendom was badly mixed up in the 13th century. People were
getting greedy and their faith had become clouded by false ideas. God
therefore sent two great saints to straighten things out. St. Francis
countered greed by preaching: “You can’t take it with you.” St.
Dominic countered false ideas by preaching: “Listen again to the
truths that matter.”

Like St. Francis, St. Dominic founded a religious order to carry on
his message. One of the most notable members of the early Dominicans
(or “Order of Preachers”) was Blessed Jordan of Saxony, the brilliant
thinker and orator who succeeded St. Dominic as general superior of
the Dominican friars. Jordan had not only a sharp and golden tongue;
he also had wonderful common sense.

Blessed Jordan was a native of the German kingdom of Saxony. As a
promising theological student, he was sent to the University of Paris.
It was there in 1219 that he made the personal acquaintance of St.
Dominic. So attracted was he to the founder of the Order of Preachers
that in 1220 he asked to be admitted as a member. His ability and
eloquence were already so obvious that in the very same year this
young new friar was summoned to Bologna, Italy, to take part in the
first general convention of the Dominican order. Not long after that,
he was chosen head of the order’s Lombard province. And, when St.
Dominic died in 1222, the community elected Jordan to succeed as
father general, even though he had been a member for only two years.

Friar Jordan’s generalate saw the rapid extension of the order,
especially throughout the Germanic countries, and from there north
into Scandinavia. The master general did much traveling himself,
particularly to university cities like Oxford in England.

By his own powers of persuasion and oratorical skill, he succeeded in
attracting several outstanding candidates to his order. One of them
was the great theologian and bishop, St. Albert the Great. But Jordan
was no intellectual snob. At Paris some of his confreres once
expressed concern because their 60 novices were proving slow-witted in
their studies. “Let them be,” he replied. “Despise not these little
ones: I tell you that many among them will become excellent
preachers.” And so they did. (Some persons bloom later than others.)

Blessed Jordan also allowed for human frailties. One evening when he
was beginning to recite the community night prayer with a group of
young aspirants, one of them started to giggle nervously, and the
giggling spread to the rest. An older friar was shocked at the levity
and wanted to stop it. Not Friar Jordan. After they had finished the
prayer, however imperfectly, he reproved the shocked brother. “Who
made you novice master?” he asked him. Then he said to the youngsters,
“You may well laugh, for you have escaped from the Devil, who formerly
held you in bondage. Laugh away, dear sons!”

Father Jordan also had wise answers for fussy questions. A proud friar
once asked if an “Our Father” could possibly please God as much when
prayed by an uneducated layman as it would when prayed by a learned
priest who fully understood it. Jordan replied, “A jewel in the hand
of one who cannot appreciate its worth loses none of its value!”

To another who asked whether reading the Scripture or praying was
better, he said, “You might as well ask me which is better – eating or
drinking!’ “What is the best way to pray?” asked a third person. “The
way in which you can pray most fervently,” he answered.

Father Jordan and two other Dominicans were drowned off the coast of
Syria in 1237. They had been bound for the Holy Land. His body, washed
up on the beach, was buried at Acre. A young Carmelite of Acre who was
troubled about his own vocation commented “This Friar Jordan was a
good man and all he got for it was to be drowned!” It is said that
Blessed Jordan appeared in a vision to this doubter and said, “Don’t
fear, Brother. Everyone who serves Jesus Christ to the end will be
saved.” That’s a reminder we can all find reassuring.
–Father Robert


Saint Quote:
To throw yourself before God, not to measure your progress, to leave
behind all self-will; these are the instruments for the work of the
soul.
--St. Poemen

Bible Quote:
  Give glory to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for
ever. Let them say so that have been redeemed by the Lord, whom he
hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy: and gathered out of the
countries. [Psa 107: 1-2]


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An Evening Prayer # 12

O God, I thank You
for all the gifts and graces bestowed on me this day.
I believe; help my unbelief.
I hope in you; take away all doubt and fear.
I love you; give me an undivided heart.

[Here examine your conscience]

O my God, I am truly sorry for each and every sin I committed today;
and for all I have left undone.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!
Dear God, if it is your will,
may I awaken tomorrow to another day,
a day to praise You, love You and do Your will.
Watch, O Lord,
with those who wake or weep tonight,
and give Your angels and saints
charge over those who slumber.
Tend Your sick ones, O Lord Christ,
Rest Your weary ones,
Bless Your dying ones,
Soothe Your suffering ones,
Pity Your afflicted ones,
Shield Your joyous ones,
And all for Your love's sake. Amen.