Let charity be exercised by your living good lives

[Rich]

Let charity be exercised by your living good lives

The heedless person forgets to put an end to a quarrel; the stubborn
one is loath to grant pardon when asked; the person who is proudly
ashamed disdains to beg pardon. Animosities live on in these three
vices, but they kill the soul in which they don't die. Let a spirit of
recollection keep watch against heedlessness, of compassion against
vindictive stubbornness, of gentle good sense against proud shame. If
you recall that you have neglected to make it up with someone...
--Augustine of Hippo*

<<>><<>><<>>
10 March – Saint Macarius
Also known as Macario

(Died c 335)
Bishop of Jerusalem from 312 until his death, Defender of the Faith
against Arianism, founder of the True Cross with St Helena, organiser
and manager of the building of the Sacred Basilicas, including the
Church of the Holy Sepuchre in Jerusalem, paid for by St Constantine
the Great, St Helena’s son. Also of great import is the fact that
Bishop Macarius was one of the two main authors of the Nicene Creed,
that is, of the Creed that we still pronounce in Mass today,
professing faith “In one God, the Father Almighty” and “In one Lord,
Jesus Christ. .. True God from true God.” Died c 335 of natural
causes.

The Roman Martyrology states of him today: “The commemoration of St
Macarius, Bishop of Jerusalem, on whose exhortation the holy places
were brought to light by Constantine the Great and his mother, St
Helena and ennobled with, the construction of the Sacred Basilicas.”

St Athanasius, in one of his orations against Arianism, refers to
Macarius as an example of “the honest and simple style of apostolic
men.” The date 312 for Macarius’s accession to the Episcopate is found
in St Jerome’s version of Eusebius of Caesarea’s Chronicle. And
Macarius is listed as one of the Bishops to whom St Alexander of
Alexandria wrote warning against Arias.

Macarius accompanied St Helena Augusta, the mother of St Constantine
I, in her search in Jerusalem for relics of the Passion of Jesus,
including the Sacred Cross on which Jesus was Crucified. According to
Eusebius, he received a long letter from Constantine with reference to
the building of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem:

“Such is our Saviour’s grace, that no power of language seems adequate
to describe the wondrous circumstance to which I am about to refer.
For, that the monument of His most holy Passion, so long ago buried
beneath the ground, should have remained unknown for so long a series
of years, until its reappearance to His servants now set free through
the removal of him who was the common enemy of all, is a fact, which
truly surpasses all admiration … And as to the columns and marbles,
whatever you shall judge, after actual inspection of the plan, to be
especially precious and serviceable, be diligent to send information
to us in writing, in order that whatever quantity or sort of materials
we shall esteem from your letter to be needful, may be procured from
every quarter, as required, for it is fitting that the most marvellous
place in the world should be worthily decorated.”

Macarius took part in the Council of Nicaea (325), and two
concl;usions as to the part he played there are worth mentioning. The
first is that there was a passage of arms between him and his
Archbishop, St Eusebius of Caesarea, concerning the rights of their
respective Sees. The seventh Canon of the Council — “As custom and
ancient tradition show that the Bishop of Ælia [Jerusalem] ought to be
honoured, he shall have precedence; without prejudice, however, to the
dignity which belongs to the Metropolis” — by its vagueness suggests
that it was the result of a drawn battle. The second conclusion, is
that Macarius, together with St Eustathius of Antioch, had a good deal
to do with the drafting of the Nicene Creed finally adopted by the
First Council of Nicæa in 325 and which was introduced into the Mass
by St Leander (534-600).

The vigour of his opposition to the Arianists is suggested by the
abusive manner in which Arias writes of him in his letter to Eusebius
of Nicomedia. Macarius’s name appears first among those of the Bishops
of Palestine who subscribed to the Council of Nicæa. Athanasius, in
his encyclical letter to the Bishops of Egypt and Libya, places the
name of Macarius (who had been long dead at that time) among those
Bishops renowned for their orthodoxy. Macarius here at the Council,
also appointed Maximus, who afterwards succeeded him, Bishop of Lydia
and that the appointment did not take effect because the people of
Jerusalem refused to part with Maximus. He also gives another version
of the story, to the effect that Macarius himself changed his mind,
fearing that, if Maximus was out of the way, an unorthodox Bishop
would be appointed to succeed him. The fact that Macarius was then
nearing his end would explain the reluctance, whether on his part or
that of his flock, to be deprived of Maximus.

After the Council Constantine requested Macarius to search for the
sites of the Resurrection and the Passion and the True Cross. It is
likely that this is what happened, for excavations were begun very
soon after the Council and, completely under the management of
Macarius.

The huge mound and stonework with the temple of Venus on the top,
which in the time of Hadrian had been piled up over the Holy
Sepulchre, were demolished, and “when the original surface of the
ground appeared, forthwith, contrary to all expectation, the hallowed
monument of our Saviour’s Resurrection was discovered”. On hearing the
news Constantine wrote to Macarius giving lavish orders for the
erection of a Church on the site. Later on, he wrote another letter
“To Macarius and the rest of the Bishops of Palestine” ordering a
Church to be built at Mambre, which also had been defiled by a pagan
shrine. St Macarius also oversaw and arranged the building of the
Churches n the sites of the Nativity and Ascension.

https://anastpaul.com/2022/03/10/


“Go courageously to God,
along the way He has traced out for you,
steadfastly embracing the means
He offers you.”
--St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690)


“When the sister of St Thomas Aquinas
asked him how to become holy,
he replied that it needed only one thing –
a firm act of the will,
for God will certainly supply
the necessary grace.
The grace of God is the principal weapon
upon which we must depend
in order to gain our victory.
We should pray for it humbly and perseveringly.
There will be victors and losers
in the battle for Heaven,
as well as in earthly contests.
We must make sure,
that we are on the winning side!
For this purpose, we should combine
fervent and constant prayer
with generous co-operation
with the grace of God.”
--Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)


“But she said, Yes, Lord; for even the dogs eat of the crumbs that
fall from their masters’ table.” – Matthew 15:27

“See her humility as well as her faith!...
Do you see how this woman, too, contributed not a little to the
healing of her daughter? For note that Christ did not say, “Let your
little daughter be made whole” but “Great is your faith, be it done
for you as you desire.” These words were not uttered at random, nor
were they flattering words, but great was the power of her faith and
for our learning. He left the certain test and demonstration, however,
to the issue of events. Her daughter accordingly was immediately
healed.”
– St John Chrysostom (347-407) Archbishop of Constantinople, Father
and Doctor (The Gospel of Matthew – Homily 52).

PRAYER – We beseech You, O Lord, look graciously upon the fervour of
Your people, who mortify themselves in the flesh through abstinence:
that they may be refreshed in mind by the fruit of these good works.
Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with
Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen
(Collect).


<><><><>
Thy Grace – a Lenten Prayer
By Blessed John Henry Newman

O my God,
suffer me still,
bear with me in spite of my
waywardness,
perverseness
and ingratitude!
I improve very slowly
but really, I am moving onto heaven,
or at least I wish to move.
Only give me Thy grace
meet me with Thy grace,
I will, through Thy grace, do what I can
and Thou shall perfect it for me.
Then shall I have happy days, in Thy Presence
and in the sight and adoration of
Thy five Sacred Wounds.
Amen