- Matthew 6:12 -
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
_________________________________________________________
He drew a circle to shut me out,
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout;
But love and I had the wit to win,
We drew a circle take him in.
- Edwin Markham
Forgiveness is a healing experience, not just because it frees the
offender,
but because it can free you from anger and hurt.
What Must I Do To Be Saved?
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November 4th - St. Joannicius The Great
Every now and again critics have accused Christians of idol-wor****p
because they
venerate sacred statues and pictures. At first glance, those who criticize
seem
to have a point. Does not the First Commandment say, You shall not carve
idols
for yourself. You shall not bow down before them or wor****p them. (Exodus,
20:4,5)? Yet you and I hold images of Jesus, the saints, the cross, etc.
in
traditional reverence. There will always be a possibility that some
Christians,
in using sacred images, will fall into idolatrous notions, or at least
superstitious ones. In the earliest centuries of Christianity, Church
leaders
were careful not to emphasize image use for this reason. But as the
ancient
world became more Christian, the danger lessened. Even the Old Testament
did not
totally forbid images, nor did Jesus renew, in the New Testament, the
strict
condemnations of the Old Law. By the fourth and fifth centuries,
Christians were
already accustomed to using images for illustrative purposes: (the cross,
Scripture scenes, for instance, in the wall decorations of churches and
the
catacombs). They were also beginning to use images for veneration (praying
before them, surrounding them with lights, etc.). It was the
eighth-century
heresy called iconoclasm (destruction of ikons) that brought forth a
defense of
Christian image use. St. Joannicius, as we shall see, was a symbolic
figure in
this strange controversy. By the eighth century, especially in Asia Minor,
there
were people, especially in the Mideast, who still criticized this image
devotion. Jews, Muslims, and some Christian heretics were among them.
Emperor
Leo the Isaurian, though a Christian, took a strong dislike to images, for
puzzling reasons; and in 726 issued an edict forbidding their use. Because
of
the decree, there was an international reaction against him, but he stuck
by his
meddlesome decision even though it produced armed revolts. Meanwhile, the
monk
St. John of Damascus replied with three treatises explaining why it is
permissible to venerate images. Praising them as tools for instruction, as
reminders of holy things, and as incentives to holy deeds, he pointed out
that
in venerating an image, we do not adore it; in its presence we simply
address
the person it represents. Emperor Leo died in 740. His son Constantine V
wickedly picked up the tyrannous battle for iconoclasm, and convoked a
phony
church council at Hieria in 753, which completely outlawed the use of
images. He
was even bent on aboli****ng the veneration of relics and the invocation of
Our
Lady and the saints. The job of enforcing his decrees was put into the
harsh
hands of his soldiers. Thus, several Christians who upheld the true
doctrine
were martyred. The ikon war lasted until 842. But the official answer of
the
church came under Empress Irene. In 787 she summoned the Second E***enical
Council of Nicaea. Representing the pope and all the bishops East and
West, this
council defended the use of images, and said that the honor we pay to them
and
relics is not idolatrous, but p***** over to the holy person whom they
represent
or symbolize. These decrees became the Magna Carta of Christian art. Now
for St.
Johannicius: an iconoclast and sinner who turned saint. A native of Asia
Minor,
he joined the army of Emperor Constantine V, became a rowdy, and played
his part
as a soldier in violently imposing iconoclasm. But finally he met a holy
monk
who instructed him in correct Catholic belief and won him back to decent
behavior. When this soldier left the army at 40, he became a hermit noted
for
strict life, wise counsel, miracles and prophecies. Johannicius eventually
joined a monastery at Eraste. Eastern monks were in the vanguard of those
who
fought iconoclasm; and our saint, who had once upheld it, defended
orthodoxy
staunchly against the iconoclastic Emperor Leo V. He likewise strongly
rebuked
Emperor Theophilus, who had ordered that the word holy no longer be used
of
saints. Eventually, as Johannicius had foretold, the widow of Theophilus,
Empress Theodora, restored images to the Church. Sacred images thus retain
to
this day their just position in both Eastern and Western orthodox
Christianity.
St. Joannicius died at 92. In later years he had more than made up for his
false
doctrines and evil ways. Let us thank him for helping us to retain those
holy
images that lift up our hearts to holy things.
Joannicius was born in Bithynia in c. 754 and died at Antidium c. 846.
After
being in the service as a soldier of the Byzantine Army, he left the
service to
become a monk and hermit at the age forty on the mount Olympus near
Prussia
(modern Bursa, Turkey). While he was at a monastery near Bursa, second
iconoclastic movement came in 818, although Joannicius earlier sup****ted
the
iconoclasts, but this time we see him as a strong opponent of them. He was
a
respected saint along with other saints of his time, and on occasions
consulted
by St. Theodore the Studite and St. Methodius of Constantinople.
Taken from:
http://joannicius.sovereign.us/
Troparion of St Joannicius the Great Tone 5
Thou didst abandon earthly glory
/ and wast illumined by the light of God's inspiration.
/ Wherefore thou didst ****ne on earth like a fadeless star.
/ For thou wast found worthy to hear the divine voice
like Moses/ and wast also like the Angels and a treasury of grace,
/ O holy Father Joannicius.
Saint Quote
Pray that neither self indulgence nor pride, nor any other evil passion,
prevent
me from seeing in my patients Jesus who suffers, and from healing and
comforting
Him.
-Saint Richard Pampuri in a letter to his sister, a missionary nun
Bible Quote:
I know how to live humbly, and I know how to live in abundance. Phil.
4:12
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Litany of November Saints
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy, Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Christ the King of glory and Crown of all saints, have mercy on us
Holy Mary, pray for us.
*Pray for us
All the Saints in Heaven, pray for us*
Holy Souls when you enter the Church Triumphant *
St. Malachy More *
St. Sylvia, mother of Pope St. Gregory the Great *
St. Charles Borromeo, Protector of Trent * Sts. Vitalis and Agricola, Holy
Martyrs *
Sts. Zachary and Elizabeth, Parents of the Baptist *
St. Bertilia, Virgin *
St. Leonard of Limoges, Patron of Captives *
St. Willibrord, Bishop and Patron of Holland *
Sts. Carina, Melasippus and Antony, Holy Martyrs *
St. Engelbert, Archbishop *
St. Severus, Severian, Carphophorus and Victorinus, Four Holy Crowned
Martyrs *
St. Godfrey, Bishop *
St. Theodore the Recruit, Martyr *
St. Andrew Avellino, Confessor *
St. Tryphon, Respicius and Nympha, Martyrs *
St. Martin of Tours, Patron of Soldiers *
St. Mennas, Martyr *
Pope St. Martin I, Martyr *
St. Didacus, Bishop, Missionary and Martyr *
St. Stanislaus Kostka, Patron of Poland *
St. Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr *
St. Lawrence O'Toole, Archbishop *
St. Sidonius, Abbot *
St. Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church *
St. Gertrude the Great, Abbess and mystic *
St. Mechtilde of Helfta, Benedictine nun *
St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, Bishop *
Sts. Peter and Paul whose basilicas we honor *
St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Widow, Patroness of the Third Order of St.
Francis *
Pope St. Pontianus, Martyr *
St. Felix of Valois, Religious *
St. Bernward, Bishop *
Blessed Virgin Mary, we observe thy Presentation *
St. Cecilia, Martyr and Patron of Musicians *
Pope St. Clement I, Martyr *
St. Felicitas, Martyr *
St. John of the Cross, Confessor and Doctor of the Church *
St. Chrysogonus, Martyr *
Sts. Flora and Mary, Virgin Martyrs *
St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin, Martyr and Patron of Philosophers *
St. Sylvester, Abbot *
St. Peter of Alexandria, Bishop and Martyr *
St. Leonard of ****t Maurice, Confessor and Patron of Parish Missions *
St. John Berchmans, Confessor and Patron of Altar Boys *
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal *
St. Catherine Laboure, Virgin and Saint of the Miraculous Medal *
St. Saturnius, Confessor and Martyr *
St. Andrew, Apostle and Martyr, Patron of Fishermen, Russia and Scotland *
All you holy saints and angels, pray for us.
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