If it were not Sunday..
today would be the feast of Sts. John Fisher, Bishop, Cardinal, and Martyr, and St. Thomas More, Martyr. There is information on them here.
"Did You find many stones, that is to say, many constant people when You began to build Your Church ? Were not those You set in the foundation soft and unstable earth ? Yes, truly, until the time You made them hard as stones by the virtue and strength of Your burning charity. Did not Peter, the head of all the others, out of fear of one handmaid or woman servant, give place and deny Your Son Jesus Christ his Master ? Was there not also contention and debate among others of the apostles which of them should be chief and have the sovereignty among them ? Furthermore, they all fled for fear when their Master Christ was taken and brought to judgement. See what great pusillanimity, cowardice, and unsteadfastness was in them. But as soon as the heat of Your charity descended on them in the similitude of fire, they were then made so constant and sure in their minds that from that time forward no dread, threatening, or persecution could make them afraid to declare You message and commandment. They pronounced and expressed Your Gospel to kings, princes, and other wise men of this world, overcoming them by the virtue of Your word, and turned innumerable to the Faith and to the acknowledgement of Your Holy Name.
So, good Lord, do now in like manner again with Your Church Militant. Change and make the soft and unstable earth into hard stones. Set in Your Church mighty pillars that can suffer and endure great labours, watching, poverty, thirst, hunger, cold, and heat, and who will not fear the rebukes of princes, persecution, or death but always persuade themselves and think with a good will to suffer slanders, shame, and all kinds of torments for the glory and praise of Your Holy Name. In this manner, Good Lord, the truth of Your Gospel will be preached throughout all the world: et timebunt gentes nomen tuum, Domine, et omnes reges terre gloriam tuam, by this not not will the ordinary common people fear Your Name but also the kings and princes of this word dread Your magnificence and glory. " - From Exposition of the Seven Pentitential Psalms, by St. John Fisher (The language has been somewhat updated from that of the original edition published in 1508, for the sake of readability.)
today would be the feast of Sts. John Fisher, Bishop, Cardinal, and Martyr, and St. Thomas More, Martyr. There is information on them here.
"Did You find many stones, that is to say, many constant people when You began to build Your Church ? Were not those You set in the foundation soft and unstable earth ? Yes, truly, until the time You made them hard as stones by the virtue and strength of Your burning charity. Did not Peter, the head of all the others, out of fear of one handmaid or woman servant, give place and deny Your Son Jesus Christ his Master ? Was there not also contention and debate among others of the apostles which of them should be chief and have the sovereignty among them ? Furthermore, they all fled for fear when their Master Christ was taken and brought to judgement. See what great pusillanimity, cowardice, and unsteadfastness was in them. But as soon as the heat of Your charity descended on them in the similitude of fire, they were then made so constant and sure in their minds that from that time forward no dread, threatening, or persecution could make them afraid to declare You message and commandment. They pronounced and expressed Your Gospel to kings, princes, and other wise men of this world, overcoming them by the virtue of Your word, and turned innumerable to the Faith and to the acknowledgement of Your Holy Name.
So, good Lord, do now in like manner again with Your Church Militant. Change and make the soft and unstable earth into hard stones. Set in Your Church mighty pillars that can suffer and endure great labours, watching, poverty, thirst, hunger, cold, and heat, and who will not fear the rebukes of princes, persecution, or death but always persuade themselves and think with a good will to suffer slanders, shame, and all kinds of torments for the glory and praise of Your Holy Name. In this manner, Good Lord, the truth of Your Gospel will be preached throughout all the world: et timebunt gentes nomen tuum, Domine, et omnes reges terre gloriam tuam, by this not not will the ordinary common people fear Your Name but also the kings and princes of this word dread Your magnificence and glory. " - From Exposition of the Seven Pentitential Psalms, by St. John Fisher (The language has been somewhat updated from that of the original edition published in 1508, for the sake of readability.)
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