Memorial of Saints (September 11)

Blessed John Gabriel Perboyre joined the Vincentians at 15 years of age. In 1826 A.D., he was ordained and worked well as a seminary professor, a rector and an assistant to the novice master in Paris. When his request to be a missionary to China was approved, he went with great zeal and upon establishing himself there, led many in Hunang, China, to conversion. When persecutions broke out, John Gabriel was arrested, imprisoned and tortured. He died by being strangled to death when he refused to reveal the hiding places of his companions (died ca. 1840 A.D.).

Sts. Protus and Hyacinth are martyrs mentioned in the fourth century list of martyrs, the Depositio Martyrum. They are also mentioned in the Gelasian Sacramentary and the Martyrology of Jerome. St. Hyacinth's tomb was discovered in 1845 A.D. on the Salarian Way. St. Protus' tomb was close to St. Hyacinth's. Inscribed was the name Protus, but his tomb was empty; the relics were transferred to another location in Rome (in the church of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini). Not much is known of the two martyrs. But their full length images can be found in the mosaics of the basilica of Sant' Appollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, Italy (year of martyrdom unknown).

St. Theodora of Alexandria is the wife of Gregory, prefect of Egypt. Tradition says Theodora left her husband to do penance for a sin she had committed. Then she lived as a monk at a monastery in the Thebaid area of Egypt. She lived there until her last years. Only upon her death did the people discover her to be a hermitess and not a monk (year of death unknown).

St. Paphnutius the Great served as a monk under St. Antony of the Desert. He was then named bishop of Upper Thebaid. Because of the persecutions during the time of Emperor Maximinus, Paphnutius was arrested, tortured and through all this, lost his right eye. He was then condemned to labor in the mines together with other captured Christians. Upon his release, he became a strong influence in the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.) and in the Council of Tyre (335 A.D.). He was also instrumental in converting Bishop Maximus of Jerusalem to orthodoxy from his erroneous belief in Arianism (died ca. 350 A.D.).

St. Patiens of Lyons was named bishop in ca. 450 A.D. When the invading Goths ravaged Burgundy in France, a famine resulted. St. Patiens helped many by feeding thousands of his people. Afterwards, he did a lot of things: he built and repaired many churches, fought the Arian heresy, and helped restore peace to the diocese of Chalon-sur-Saône. He also ordered a priest in his diocese, by the name of Constantius, to write on the life of St. Germanus of Auxerre (died ca. 480 A.D.).

St. Deiniol (his Welsh name for the name Daniel) founded a monastery in 514 A.D. at Bangor Fawr, Carnarvonshire. Around the monastery developed the diocese of Bangor in which St. Deiniol was consecrated bishop either by St. Dyfrig or St. David. St. Deiniol then persuaded St. David to attend the synod of Brefi. The tenth century Annales Cambriae give the date of Deiniol's death at 584 A.D.

St. Peter of Chavanon St. Peter of Chavanon was ordained in his hometown of Langeac, Haute-Loire, France. He was given land at Pébrac, Auvergne, wherein he built a monastery for canons regular - following the rule of St. Augustine. When the success of his monastery became known, he was named to reform several cathedral chapters (died ca. 1080 A.D.).

St. Bodo was a native of Toul in France. His brother, St. Salaberga, persuaded him to become a monk. Salaberga also persuaded Bodo's wife to be a nun at Laon. Years later, St. Bodo became bishop of Toul and founded three monasteries (died ca. 670 A.D.).

A Study of Contextual Theology According to Robert Brown

This is a cursory examination of the meaning of contextual theology as explored by Robert McAfee Brown in his article "What is Contextual Theology?" Question: How can this theology be integrated in John Paul II's spirituality of mission in diverse cultures and beliefs?

According to Robert McAfee Brown, the basic stance is to accept that no theological position is normative, and that there is a need to accept all theologies as a product of factors in the many cultures theologians have been immersed. If this is the basic theological position, then all theologians will be open to learn other theological perspectives, and be open to dialogue and learn from one another.

Theology in context

Brown writes that Jesus is God, and he was incarnated in a specific time, in a specific culture, and in a specific geographic place in the world. Jesus was born two millenia ago as a Jewish man who healed the sick, taught people, and preached itinerantly about the Kingdom of God. This is the context which many have come to learn about Jesus. God came as man through the Jewish culture and during the time when Rome ruled over Israel. It was also a time when the Jewish people were awaiting and expectant of the coming of a Messiah to save them.

Acceptance of diversity

Author Robert Brown writes that when theologians meet, there is an impulse for some to make their theology normative; then they consider the others as relative to their absolute position. This creates a problem for theologians who live in contexts that experience much oppression and repression. The solution therefore would be not to make one's theology normative over the others, because only Christ is the "same yesterday, today, and forever". And any theology, which may predominate others because of influence, trend or popularity, is in reality also contextualized. Jesus is understood always according to the context a believer comes from - a context with a specific time, culture and place. "We hold God's treasures in earthen vessels."

Unity in diversity

Theologians can still be united even with the diversity of contexts each theology is born. What would lead to unity is the person of Jesus Himself whose historicity was revealed in Scripture and in the many archaeological studies that give evidence of His Jewish cultural context. As long as theologians have a basic accepting attitude of one another's differences in theological thinking, and focus instead on the person of Jesus, then a level of dialogue can be achieved. Through this dialogue, each theologian will get a richer understanding of the person of Jesus because of his openness to the others' theologies.

Openness brings in understanding

When a certain level of dialogue is achieved, there is a degree of unity experienced because of the acceptance of each other's differences in theological thinking. If this thinking were to overflow into one's context, there would be a new attitude of understanding mission. Instead of bringing one's understanding of the Gospel and imposing it on others, one would be wiser to have a listening ear for understanding the context of the people. One will see how others already have a seed of the gospel born in their way of thinking.

John Paul II's mission of life

John Paul II has shown all that every human culture is worthy of respect in its life-giving elements. He concretely exemplified this thinking through kissing the ground whenever he travels to visit a country and comes down from the airplane. John Paul II's mission was to bring the gospel of life and peace to other cultures through an attitude of dialogue, respect and openness. This mission was successful since people of different cultures and beliefs feel that this gospel
of life and peace gives an experience of freedom - which
is important in being human. 

23rd Sunday of the Year (A)

(Edited) Sunday reflections: (From) Years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

September 7, 2014
Liturgical readings
Ezekiel 33:7-9
Psalm 95
Romans 13:8-10
Matthew 18:15-20

"Where two or three are gathered in Christ's name, Christ is with them."

This Sunday's passage from Matthew's gospel is divided into two themes in the Jerusalem Bible translation: fraternal correction (Mt 18:15-18) and prayer in common (Mt 18:19-20). Three passages previous to Mt 18:15-20 speak on the themes of God's kingdom, avoiding sin, and compassion for the sinner. Then the two succeeding passages to Mt 18:15-20 speak on forgiveness of injuries and the practice of mercy. The three previous passages and the two succeeding passages act as a framework for Mt 18:15-20 and provide the context to help hearers and readers understand the social implications of this Sunday's gospel - social implications that require compassion for the sinner, forgiveness of injuries and fraternal correction.

Misunderstanding one another is part of political, economic and social life. Even St. Jerome and St. Augustine of Hippo had their differences. They corresponded angrily with one another over just one scholarly detail in their understanding of the faith. But despite the mutual suspicion between the two, both Saints worked out their differences. And it was their desire for reconciliation and peace in Christ that earned them their haloes. Eventually, both were able to discern what God wanted of them. All the faithful can learn from their good example: how both hurdled their intellectual feud and managed to reconcile in Christ. All Christians can work out differences in any conflict by focusing attention on Jesus as the source of reconciliation. Peace is possible in Christ Jesus. Time, prayer, and the wisdom from above are important.

"Where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them". Prayer unites minds, hearts and souls in Christ. And this is the very reasons the Eucharist is a very important Sacrament. In religious communities, members often take time for retreats and recollections to help iron out the differences among themselves. And the Eucharist often is the ultimate antidote to the spiritual poison that divides communities into factions and cliques. Families also do the same in their own creative ways. And parishes also take time to form their members of the process needed to forgive one another and to correct one another with charity. It is done without force, anger or pride. Christ is present in the Eucharist. He is the source of all correction from vices; He heals all hearts from the cause of war.

Scripture quote:
"If two of you join your voices on earth to pray for anything whatever, it should be granted you by my Father in heaven. Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst."(Matthew 18)