DEDICATION OF THE BASILICA SAINT SAVIOUR-and 22rd Sunday after Pentecost

'Glory to the Almighty! Glory to the Redeemer of our souls!' Eusebius wrote this at the opening of the tenth and last book of his History. Himself a witness of the triumph, he describes the admirable spectacle everywhere displayed by the dedication of the new sanctuaries. In city after city the bishops assembled, and crowds flocked together. From nation to nation the goodwill of mutual charity, of common Faith, and of recollected joy, so harmonized all hearts that the unity of Christ's Body (the Church) was clearly manifested in these multitudes animated by the same inspiration of the Holy Ghost. It was the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies: the living city of the Living God, where all, whatever their age or sex, praise together the Author of all good things. How solemn were then the rites of the Church! The complete perfection therein displayed by the pontiffs, the enthusiasm of the psalmody, the inspired readings, the celebration of the ineffable mysteries, formed a divine pageantry. In a series of dedications, to the glory of the holy Apostles and Martyrs, Pope Sylvester, the pontiff of peace, took possession of the eternal city in the Name of the True God. Persecution had pretty much ended, and the Church claimed its true position in the world.

The emperor Constantine had received health of body and soul by the Sacrament of Baptism. Thus, in his Lateran palace he dedicated a church to our Saviour; and founded the adjoining baptistery in honor of St. John the Baptist, on the very same spot where he himself had been baptized by St. Sylvester and cleansed from the leprosy of infidelity. St. John Lateran is the Holy Father's Church, where all pronoucements are made. Today we celebrate this great Basilica, which is in honor of our Saviour Jesus Christ, the first to be dedicated as such. Such as the pope is our pope and leader, his church is our Church, to be revered forever by us. Following is the Roman pontifical dedication:

The house of the Lord is founded upon the summit of mountains, and raised up above all hills, and all nations shall come to her. And they shall say: Glory be to thee, O Lord.

Coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves. And they shall say: Thou, O Lord of all things, Who hast no need, hast willed that this Thy temple should be in the midst of us. Preserve this house spotless forever, O Lord.

Thou, O Lord, hast chosen this house, that Thy Name may invoked in it: that it may be a house of prayer and supplication for Thy people. Preserve...

Peace eternal from the Eternal be to this house! May the unending Peace, the Word of the Father, be peace to this house! Peace may the loving Consoler grant unto this house.

Oh, how awful is this place! truly it is naught else but the house of God, and the gate of heaven.

This is the house of the Lord, strongly built: it is firmly founded on the solid rock.

Jacob beheld a ladder, the top whereof touched the heavens; and angels coming down; and he said: "Truly this place is holy."

This is Jerusalem, the great and heavenly city, adorned as the bride of the Lamb. For she has become the true tabernacle, alleluia!

Her gates shall not be closed by day, and there shall be no night in her. For she has become...

Thy streets, O Jerusalem, shall be paved with pure gold, alleluia, and there shall be sung in thee the canticle of joy, alleluia, And all along thy streets every one shall say: Alleluia, Alleluia!

Thou shalt shine with a glorious light; and all the ends of the earth shall worship thee. And all along...

Surround Sion and encompass her, tell ye her wonders in her towers.

Great is the Lord and exceedingly to be praised, in the city of our God, in His holy mountain.

The Lord hath clad thee with a garment of joy, and hath set a crown on thy head. And He hath adorned thee with holy ornaments.

Thou shalt shine with a glorious light, and all the ends of the earth shall worship before Thee. And He hath adorned...

Nations from afar shall come to thee, and bringing gifts shall adore the Lord; and they shall esteem Thy land as holy, and shall call upon the great Name in Thee. And He hath adorned...

Blessed shall they be that built Thee up; but Thou shalt rejoice in Thy children, because they shall be all blessed, and shall be gathered together to the Lord. And He hath adorned thee with holy ornaments.

O Almighty, Eternal God, Who through Thy Son, the Cornerstone, hast joined the two walls coming from opposite directions, to wit, from the circumcision and the uncircumcision, and hast united the two flocks of sheep under the one same pastor; give to Thy servants, through these functions of our devotion, the indissoluble bond of charity, so that no division of opinions, no sort of perverse disagreement, may separate those, who are all one flock under the guidance of one shepherd, and are enclosed in one fold under Thy protection. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit forevermore. Amen.



This Sunday is also the 22nd Sunday after Pentecost, if you are to get that Mass. According to Honorius of Autun, a Theologian, Philosopher, and encyclopedia writer of the 12th century, today has reference to the days of Antichrist. The Church, foreseeing the reign of the man of sin, and as though she were actually undergoing the persecution which is to surpass all others, takes her Introit of this Sunday from Psalm De profundis, from the 129th psalm.

Introit: If thou shalt observe iniquities O Lord: Lord, who shall endure? for with thee is propitiation, O God of Israel. From the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice. (Ps. CXXIX.)

Does anyone else think that we are in the end times as I do? Evil is everywhere; anti-Catholic thinking is everywhere; the Bilderbergers control all of the world's money (especially with useful idiots such as our POTUS helping lead the charge); the US is tanking (middle-class disappearing); and, moreover, everything seems to be in shambles. We are just ripe for the entire takeover of everything. Especially with idiots in charge. Even leaders in the Church want the one-world religion, which is NOT Roman Catholicism, but more resembling the way of the masons!

These things only makes sense, since towards the end of the liturgical year, we are to focus on the end of the world as we know it to be. We have witnessed His Birth, Life, and Death. We have heard numerous times how we are to live before the Judgement, to look now toward the 'end things'. We are to suppose to be the light of the world, not hiding under the proverbial basket. St. John Chrysostom says that the "stars shine in the night; they glitter in the dark; so far from growing dim amidst the gloom that surrounds them, they seem all the more brilliant. So will it be with thee, if thou art virtuous amidst the wicked; thy light will shine so much the more clearly." St. Augustine says: "As the stars keep on their course in the track marked out for them by God, and grow not tired of sending forth their light in the midst of darkness, neither heed they the calamities which may be happening of earth; so should do those holy ones whose conversation is truly in heaven; they should pay no more attention to what is said or done against them, than the stars do."

Therefore, in light of what is happening in the world today, no matter how difficult it is to speak the Truth, no matter the persecutions we endure in this life, we are still seeking the Kingdom of God with all of the great promises attached to it!

Our Gospel for this week:

(Matt. XXII. 15-21.) At that time, The Pharisees went and consulted among themselves how to ensnare Jesus in his speech. And they send to him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying: Master, we know that thou art a true speaker, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man, for thou dost not regard the person of men: tell us, therefore, what dost thou think? Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not? But Jesus knowing their wickedness, said: Why do you tempt me, ye hypocrites? Show me the coin of the tribute. And they offered him a penny. And Jesus saith to them: Whose image and inscription is this? They say to him: Caesar's. Then he saith to them: "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

In this Christians ought especially to follow the Saviour, and not permit themselves to be deterred from piety, and the practice of virtue by fear or human respect. What matters it, what people think and say of us, if we only please God? He alone can truly benefit or injure us; therefore he alone is to be feared, as Christ says: Fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matt. X. 28.)

How foolishly, therefore, do we act; through fear of displeasing certain people, are afraid to serve God and practice piety (even saying grace in restaurants); who even go so far as to commit sin; who in order to be pleasing to others, oppress innocent, poor and forsaken people; who adopt the latest and most scandalous fashions and customs (we even see these in Church during the summer); those who eat meat on days of abstinence (even Vat. II didn't change these), or give it to others; those who sing sinful songs, or what is still worse, do not hesitate to ridicule sacred things to give others occasion to laugh, or in order to be considered strong-minded. Implore God daily and sincerely, that He may take from you this vain fear of men and give you instead the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. This phrase is ALL through Scripture.

One of the sayings that I have on my desk is this from St. Augustine:

"The True God will let not sheep be deceived that does not want to be deceived. Nor will He abandon any soul that has not first abandoned Him."

Another saying I have is this: "It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds." Samuel Adams

The million dollar question is this: Will we be with Christ when He triumphs, or will we bulldozed over by the world, and thus lost forever?

Lord, grant us perserverence! Please?!