Withered hands - withered minds

[Weedy]

Withered hands - withered minds

"In the synagogue of the Jews was a man who had a withered hand. If he
was withered in his hand, the ones who stood by were withered in their
minds. And they were not looking at the crippled man nor were they
expecting the miraculous deed of the one who was about to work. But
before doing the work, the Savior ploughed up their minds with words.
For knowing the evil of the mind and its bitter depth, he first
softened them up in advance with words so as to tame the wildness of
their understanding, asking: 'Is it permitted to do good on the
sabbath or to do evil; to save a life or to destroy one?' For if he
had said to them, 'Is it permitted to work?' immediately they would
have said, 'You are speaking contrary to the law.' Then he told them
what was intended by the law, for he spoke as the One who established
the laws concerning the sabbath, adding, 'except this: that which will
be done for the sake of a life.' Again if a person falls into a hole
on a sabbath, Jews are permitted to pull the person out (Matthew
12:11). This not only applies to a person, but also an ox or a donkey.
In this way the law agrees that things relating to preservation may be
done, hence Jews prepare meals on the sabbath. Then he asked them
about a point on which they could hardly disagree: 'Is it permitted to
do good? (Matthew 3:4, Luke 6:9) But they did not even so much as say,
'Yes,' because by then they were not in a good temper."
--Athanasius of Alexandria (295-373 AD)(excerpt from HOMILIES 28)

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September 16th - St. Ninian

St. Ninian is a shadowy figure in history. He is acknowledged as
Scotland's first saint with the date 397AD celebrated as the beginning
of his mission to his people.

There is very little that we know about him. No written references to
St Ninian from the period he was alive have been found. We can only
refer to works written many years after his death. Historians now read
these texts carefully trying to separate the truth from tradition and
embroidery from fact.

Whithorn's history as an Early Christian centre cannot be doubted.
Archaeologists have uncovered clues from the earliest settlement in
the 5th century. The people were trading and importing luxury goods
from the Mediterranean and were working the land to produce food
together. The Latinus Stone, which is the earliest Christian monument
in Scotland shows that the community was Christian. Historically we do
know that from the 7th century people have made a pilgrimage to visit
the shrine of St Ninian in Whithorn believing in his power to cure
illness and perform miracles. The town became a cult centre and over
many centuries both kings and commoners made the journey and the fame
of Ninian and Whithorn spread.

In the 7th century Whithorn came under the control of the Northumbrian
church. In AD731 Bede, a famous historian completed his book “History
of the English Church and People”. In this book he said that Ninian
was ‘a most reverend bishop and holy man of the nation of Britons’ who
had been trained in Rome. The Episcopal see was named after St Martin
and his church was known as Candida Casa because it was built from
stone in a way unknown to the Britons. At this time there were
arguments between the Celtic Church and the Roman Church. The
Northumbrian church supported the Roman Church and Bede made much of
Ninian receiving training in Rome. The complex of buildings revealed
from this time was able to feed and house visitors to the shrine. One
of a probable range of churches was also discovered with a burial
chapel decorated with stained glass windows.

In the 8th century a Latin poem ‘Miracula Nynie Episcopi’ was written
by a monk at the monastery at Whithorn. In the 12th century Ailred of
Rievaulx wrote his “Life of St Ninian”. Some stories in the books tell
of the life, good works and goodness of the saint and some tell of
cures and conversion of people to Christianity. Churches and altars
across Scotland and further away in Europe were dedicated to St
Ninian.

Archaeology shows that new churches are constantly being built and
altered in Whithorn. By the 12th century a huge cathedral was on the
hillside with a thriving town around it. The many people visiting the
shrine needed food and other trades in the town, much like a visitor
to the town today.

It was only after the Reformation that Whithorn’s fortunes began to
fail. Pilgrims still visit Whithorn and others come to discover the
history of the town and its role in shaping the history of Scotland.

This stained glass window in the Whithorn Story Exhibition by Richard
LeClerk is a copy of a Douglas Strachan window in St Margaret’s
Chapel, Edinburgh Castle.


Saint Quote:
Liberalism in religion is the doctrine that there is no positive truth
in religion, but that one creed is as good as another. . . . [it holds
that] Revealed religion is not a truth, but a sentiment and a taste;
not an objective fact, not miraculous; and it is the right of each
individual to make it say just what strikes his fancy.
-- Blessed John Cardinal Henry Newman

Bible Quote:
Wherefore you are witnesses against yourselves, that you are the sons
of them that killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your
fathers. You serpents, generation of vipers, how will you flee from
the judgment of hell? (Mt. 23:31-33) DRB


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God alone is enough.

Let nothing upset you,
let nothing startle you.
All things pass;
God does not change.
Patience wins
all it seeks.
Whoever has God
lacks nothing:
God alone is enough
-- St Teresa Avila