The Feast of St John of the Cross, O'CARM. Priest and Doctor of the Church.

Feast of St John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church. 

"Jesus said to the crowds:

“Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

"From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. 

"All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. Whoever has ears ought to hear.” (Matthew 11: 11 - 15).

Thursday 14th December 2023 of the 2nd Week of Advent is the feast of St John of the Cross. (1542 - 1591). Spanish. Priest, Mystic and Doctor of the Church. 

Called Doctor of Mystical theology because of the depth of his understanding and writings on mysticism. Author of the classic: "The Dark Night of a Soul."

Our key Scripture from Matthew 11: 11 - 15 addresses a truth which every Christian is very aware of: "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force."

Why is this so? 

Because at the heart of Religion is Worship. 

At the heart of Worship is Sacrifice.

At the heart of Sacrifice is Blood. 

Tertulian the great third century African Theologian wrote that the "Blood of martyrs is the seed of Christianity." No doubt about this. One of the most powerful devotions of the Church is the Precious Blood of Jesus.

Our saint of today, St John of the Cross suffered much terrible and inhumane persecution and torture from his own confreres, fellow Carmelites. If John of the Cross had asked Jesus: Lord, why is this happening? Jesus would have answered St John of the Cross: "Read the Signs. What am I doing? What am I saying?"  The Signs shall lead to the truth. 

St John of the Cross, a Mystic and Doctor of the Church did not possess the fullness of Revelation. Only Jesus Christ possesses the fullness of the truth. It is His gracious will to communicate this fullness of the truth to His Church.

“The endurance of darkness is the preparation for great light.”  (St John of the Cross, Mystic and Doctor of the Church). 

Happy Advent!

December is the Month the Church honors the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

"Mary was conceived without original sin. This grace and privilege are fitting in view of the birth and death of her Son Jesus Christ, who is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. 

"O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You."

For the Immaculate Conception Devotions and Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/11/novena-of-immaculate-conception.html?m=1

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com