Friday of the First week of Advent
Saints of the day:
St. John of Damascus
Syrian monk and priest
(c. 675-749)
Saint John Damascene has the double honor of being the last but one of the fathers of the Eastern Church, and the greatest of her poets. It is surprising, however, how little that is authentic is known of his life. The account of him by John of Jerusalem, written some two hundred years after his death, contains an admixture of legendary matter, and it is not easy to say where truth ends and fiction begins.Syrian monk and priest
(c. 675-749)
The ancestors of John, according to his biographer, when Damascus fell into the hands of the Arabs, had alone remained faithful to Christianity. They commanded the respect of the conqueror, and were employed in judicial offices of trust and dignity, to administer, no doubt, the Christian law to the Christian subjects of the Sultan. His father, besides this honorable rank, had amassed great wealth; all this he devoted to the redemption of Christian slaves on whom he bestowed their freedom. John was the reward of these pious actions. John was baptized immediately on his birth, probably by Peter II, bishop of Damascus, afterwards a sufferer for the Faith.
The attainments of the young John of Damascus commanded the veneration of the Saracens; he was compelled reluctantly to accept an office of higher trust and dignity than that held by his father. As the Iconoclastic controversy became more violent, John of Damascus entered the field against the Emperor of the East, and wrote the first of his three treatises on the Veneration due to Images. This was probably composed immediately after the decree of Leo the Isaurian against images, in 730.
Before he wrote the second, he was apparently ordained priest, for he speaks as one having authority and commission. The third treatise is a recapitulation of the arguments used in the other two. These three treatises were disseminated with the utmost activity throughout Christianity.
John devoted himself to religious poetry, which became the heritage of the Eastern Church, and to theological arguments in defense of the doctrines of the Church, and refutation of all heresies. His three great hymns or "canons," are those on Easter, the Ascension, and Satin Thomas's Sunday. His eloquent defense of images has deservedly procured him the title of "The Doctor of Christian Art."
http://www.ccel.org/d/damascus/
St. Barbara, Virgin and Martyr (3rd century)
Dioscorus, on discovering his daughter's conversion, was beside himself with rage. He himself denounced her before the civil tribunal. Barbara was horribly tortured, and at last was beheaded, her own father, merciless to the last, acting as her executioner. God, however, speedily punished her persecutors. While her soul was being borne by angels to Paradise, a flash of lightning struck Dioscorus, and he was hurried before the judgment-seat of God.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Friday of the First week of Advent
The Book of Isaiah 29:17 In but a little while the L’vanon
Friday of the First week of Advent
Commentary of the day:
Saint Anselm (1033-1109), monk, bishop, doctor of the Church
Proslogion, 1
"My heart has said of you, "Seek his face". O Lord, I do seek your face" (Ps 26,8)
Lord, how long will it be? (Psalm 6:4). How long, Lord, will you forget us? How long will you hide your face from us? (Psalm 12:2). When will you look upon us and hear us? When will you enlighten our eyes and show us your face? When will you come back to us? Look upon us, Lord, hear us and enlighten us, show us your very self. Return us the good of your presence amongst us, whose life is so weary without you. Take pity on our efforts and our striving toward you, for we may do nothing without you. Since you invite us, therefore help us.
SAINT BARBARA
Virgin and Martyr
(3rd century)
St. Barbara was brought up a heathen. A tyrannical father, Dioscorus, had kept her jealously secluded in a lonely tower which he had built for the purpose. Here in her forced solitude, she gave herself to prayer and study, and contrived to receive instruction and Baptism by stealth from a Christian priest.Virgin and Martyr
(3rd century)
Dioscorus, on discovering his daughter's conversion, was beside himself with rage. He himself denounced her before the civil tribunal. Barbara was horribly tortured, and at last was beheaded, her own father, merciless to the last, acting as her executioner. God, however, speedily punished her persecutors. While her soul was being borne by angels to Paradise, a flash of lightning struck Dioscorus, and he was hurried before the judgment-seat of God.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Friday of the First week of Advent
The Book of Isaiah 29:17 In but a little while the L’vanon
will be turned into a fruitful field,
and the fruitful field regarded as a forest.
18 On that day the deaf
will hear the words of a book,
and out of gloom and darkness
the eyes of the blind will see.
19 The humble will again rejoice in Adonai
and the poor exult in the Holy One of Isra’el,
20 for the tyrant is now nothing, the scoffer is finished,
and all alert to do evil are cut off —
21 those whose words make a man out to be a sinner,
those who set traps for the arbitrator at the city gate,
and those who groundlessly deny justice
to the one in the right.
22 Therefore, here are the words of Adonai, who redeemed Avraham, concerning the house of Ya‘akov:
“Ya‘akov will no longer be ashamed,
no longer will his face grow pale.
23 When his descendants see the work of my hands
among them, they will consecrate my name.
Yes, they will consecrate the Holy one of Ya‘akov
and stand in awe of the God of Isra’el.
24 Those whose spirits stray will come to understand,
and those who complain will learn their lesson.
Psalm 27:(0) By David:
(1) Adonai is my light and salvation;
whom do I need to fear?
Adonai is the stronghold of my life;
of whom should I be afraid?
4 Just one thing have I asked of Adonai;
only this will I seek:
to live in the house of Adonai
all the days of my life,
to see the beauty of Adonai
and visit in his temple.
13 If I hadn’t believed that I would see
Adonai’s goodness in the land of the living, . . .
14 Put your hope in Adonai, be strong,
and let your heart take courage!
Yes, put your hope in Adonai!
The Holy Gospel of Yehua the Messiah according to Saint Matthew 9:27 As Yeshua went on from there, two blind men began following him, shouting, “Son of David! Take pity on us!” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came up, and Yeshua said to them, “Do you believe that I have the power to do this?” They replied, “Yes, sir.” 29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it happen to you according to your trust”; 30 and their sight was restored. Yeshua warned them severely, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But instead, they went away and talked about him throughout that district.Friday of the First week of Advent
Commentary of the day:
Saint Anselm (1033-1109), monk, bishop, doctor of the Church
Proslogion, 1
I beg you, O Lord, do not leave me sighing of desperation; but rather let me breathe hope...May I at least be allowed to catch a glimpse of the light, even from faraway, even from the depths of hell. Teach me to seek you, and when I seek you show yourself to me, for I cannot seek you unless you guide me, nor may I find you unless you show yourself to me. I will seek you in desiring you and desire you in seeking you, find you in loving you and love you in finding you.
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