Ecce Verbum

Adelphos: denotes a brother, or near kinsman; in the plural, a community based on identity of origin or life. It is used of: 1. male children of the same parents.. 2. male descendants of the same parents, Acts 7:23, 26; Hebrews 7:5; .. 4. people of the same nationality, Acts 3:17, 22; Romans 9:3 .. 5. any man, a neighbour, Luke 10:29; Matthew 5:22, 7:3; 6. persons united by a common interest, Matthew 5:47; 7. persons united by a common calling, Revelation 22:9; 8. mankind, Matthew 25:40; Hebrews 2:17; 9. the disciples, and so, by implication, all believers, Matthew 28:10; John 20:17; 10. believers, apart from sex, Matthew 23:8; Acts 1:15; Romans 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:4; Revelation 19:10 (the word sisters is used of believers, only in 1 Timothy 5:2) ..202 [202 Vine, An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vol. 1, 154-155.]

This is not expressly declared in Scripture, but is yet piously believed with human faith from the consent of the ancient church. Thus it is probable that the womb in which our Savior received the auspices of life (whence he entered into this world, as from a temple) was so consecrated and sanctified by so great a guest that she always remained untouched by man; nor did Joseph ever cohabit with her. Hence Helvidius and the Antidicomarianites (so-called because they were opponents of [antidikoi] Mary) are deservedly rebuked by the fathers for denying that Mary was always a virgin (aei Parthenon). They held that she cohabited with Joseph after delivery; yea, also bore children from him. As Augustine remarks, they rely on the shallowest arguments, i.e., because Christ is called the ‘firstborn’ of Mary (cf. De Haeresibus 56, 84 [PL 42.40, 46]). For as Jerome well remarks, she was so called because no one was begotten before him, not because there was another after him. Hence among lawyers: ‘He is the first whom no one precedes; he is last, whom no one follows.’ The Hebrews were accustomed to call the firstborn also only begotten; Israel is called ‘the first-born of God’ (Ex 4:22), although the only people chosen of God. Thus ‘the firstborn’ is said to be ‘holy unto God’ (Ex 13:2), who first opened the womb, whether others followed or not. Otherwise the firstborn would not have to be redeemed until after another offspring had been procreated (the law shows this to be false because it commands it to be redeemed a month after birth, Num. 18:16). Not more solidly have they been able to elicit this from the fact that in the New Testament certain ones are called ‘the brothers of Christ.’ It is common in Scripture not only for one’s own and full brothers by nature to be designated by this name, but also blood relatives and cousins (as Abraham and Lot, Jacob and Laban). Thus James and Joses, Simon and Judas are called brothers of Christ (Mt. 13:55) by a relation of blood. For Mary (who is called their mother by Matthew and Mark) is called by John the sister of the Lord’s mother. However what is said in Jn. 7:5 that ‘neither did his brethren believe him’ must be understood of more remote blood relations. Nor is it derived better from this-that Joseph is said ‘not to have known Mary till she had brought forth her firstborn son’ (Mt. 1:25). The particles ‘till” and ‘even unto’ are often referred only to the past, not to the future (i.e., they so connote the preceding time, concerning which there might be a doubt or which it was of the highest importance to know, as not to have a reference to the future-cf. Gen 28:15; Pss 122:2; 110:1; Mt.28:20, etc.). Thus is shown what was done by Joseph before the nativity of Christ (to wit, that he abstained form her); but it does not imply that he lived with her in any other way postpartum. When therefore she is said to have been found with child ‘before they came together’ (prin e synelthein autous), preceding copulation is denied, but not subsequent affirmed. Although copulation had not take place in that marriage, it did not cease to be true and ratified (although unconsummated) for not intercourse, but consent makes marriage. Therefore it was perfect as to form (to wit, undivided conjunction of life and unviolated faith), but not as to end (to wit, the procreation of children), although it was not deficient as to the raising of the offspring. Institutes of Elenctic Theology, vol. 2, 345-346

“The unspeakable doctrine of Communism, as it is called, [is] a doctrine most opposed to the very natural law” (Pius IX, Qui Pluribus)

“There is nothing in common between Social and Christian Democracy. They differ from each other as much as the sect of socialism differs from the profession of Christianity” (Leo XIII, Graves de Communi Re)

“The audacity and frivolity of men who call themselves Catholics and dream of re-shaping society… and of establishing on earth, over and beyond the pale of the Catholic Church, ‘the reign of love and justice’ … A mere verbal and chimerical construction in which we shall see, glowing in a jumble, and in seductive confusion, the words Liberty, Justice, Fraternity, Love, Equality, and human exultation, all resting upon an ill-understood human dignity... Yes, we can truly say that the Sillon, its eyes fixed on a chimera, brings Socialism in its train” (Pius X, Notre Charge Apostolique)

“It is not our intention here to repeat the arguments which clearly expose the errors of Socialism and of similar doctrines. Our predecessor, Leo XIII, most wisely did so in truly memorable Encyclicals; and you, Venerable Brethren, will take the greatest care that those grave precepts are never forgotten” (Benedict XV, Ad Beatissimi Apostolorum)

“Socialism, if it remains truly Socialism, even after it has yielded to truth and justice on the points which we have mentioned, cannot be reconciled with the teachings of the Catholic Church because its concept of society itself is utterly foreign to Christian truth… Religious socialism, Christian socialism, are contradictory terms; no one can be at the same time a good Catholic and a true socialist” (Pius XI, Quadragesimo Anno)

“Communism is intrinsically wrong, and no one who would save Christian civilization may collaborate with it in any undertaking whatsoever” (Pius XI, Divini Redemptoris)

“The Church has condemned the various forms of Marxist Socialism; and she condemns them again today, because it is her permanent right and duty to safeguard men from fallacious arguments and subversive influence that jeopardize their eternal salvation” (Pius XII, Evangelii Praecones)

“Pope Pius XI further emphasized the fundamental opposition between Communism and Christianity, and made it clear that no Catholic could subscribe even to moderate Socialism” (John XXIII, Mater et Magistra)

“Too often Christians attracted by socialism tend to idealize it in terms which, apart from anything else, are very general: a will for justice, solidarity and equality. They refuse to recognize the limitations of the historical socialist movements, which remain conditioned by the ideologies from which they originated” (Paul VI, Octogesima Adveniens)

“The fundamental error of socialism is anthropological in nature… The sincere desire to be on the side of the oppressed and not to be cut off from the course of history has led many believers to seek in various ways an impossible compromise between Marxism and Christianity” (John Paul II, Centesimus Annus)

“An objection has been raised to the Church's charitable activity, subsequently developed with particular insistence by Marxism: the poor, it is claimed, do not need charity but justice… Marxism had seen world revolution and its preliminaries as the panacea for the social problem… Christian charitable activity must be independent of parties and ideologies. It is not a means of changing the world ideologically, and it is not at the service of worldly stratagems… [Marxism] is really an inhuman philosophy. People of the present are sacrificed to the moloch of the future” (Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est)

"The central request of the priestly prayer of Jesus dedicated to his disciples of all epochs is that of the future unity of those who will believe in him. This unity is not a worldly product. It comes exclusively from the divine unity and reaches us from the Father, through the Son and in the Holy Spirit. Jesus invokes a gift that comes from Heaven and has its effect — real and perceptible — on earth. He prays “that they may all be one; even as you, Father are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (Jn 17:21). Christian unity, on the one hand, is a secret reality that is in the heart of believers. But, at the same time, it must appear with full clarity in history, it must appear so that the world may believe, it has a very practical and concrete purpose, it must appear so that all may really be one. The unity of future disciples, in being united with Jesus— whom the Father sent into the world — is also the original source of the efficacy of the Christian mission in the world. “We can say that the founding of the Church takes place” in the priestly prayer of Jesus... In this very place, in the act of the Last Supper, Jesus creates the Church. “For what else is the Church, if not the community of disciples who through faith in Jesus Christ as the one sent by the Father”, receives his unity and is involved in Jesus’ mission to save the world, leading it to knowledge of God? Here we really find a true definition of the Church. “The Church is born from Jesus’ prayer. But this prayer is more than words; it is the act by which he ‘sanctifies’ himself, that is to say, he ‘sacrifices’ himself for the life of the world” (cf. Jesus of Nazareth, II, p. 101). Jesus prays that his disciples may be one. By virtue of this unity, received and preserved, the Church can walk “in the world” without being “of the world” (cf. Jn 17:16) and can live the mission entrusted to her so that the world may believe in the Son and in the Father who sent him. Therefore the Church becomes the place in which the mission of Christ itself continues: to lead the “world” out of man’s alienation from God and out of himself, out of sin, so that it may return to being the world of God."

You have heard a word from an angry man, from someone who's been deeply hurt, who has flared up in a temper. Let it die in you. Why disclose it, why pass it on? After all, if it stays in you, it won't burst you.

Anger is a speck, hatred is a beam. But nurse a speck, and it becomes a beam. Anger grown chronic becomes hatred, the speck that is nursed becomes a beam. So to prevent the speck becoming a beam, do not let the sun go down upon your wrath (Eph 4:26). You can see, you know perfectly well that you are riddled with hate, and you find fault with someone for being angry? Eliminate the hatred, and you are quite right to reproach anger.

There's a speck in his eye, a beam in yours. After all, if you are busy hating, how can you see what you are to pull out? There's a beam in your eye. Why is there a beam in your eye? Because you made light of the speck that was planted there. You went to sleep with it, you got up with it. You cultivated it in yourself, you watered it with groundless suspicions; by believing the words of flatterers and people telling you nasty tales about your friend you nursed the speck instead of whipping it out. Are you getting very frightened, or aren't you? I'm telling you: Don't hate, and you've nothing to worry about. And you answer me and say to me, "What does hating matter? And what's wrong with a man hating his enemy?" You are hating your brother. But if you make light of hatred, listen to something you are failing to take into account: Whoever hates his brother is a murderer (1 Jn 3:15). Whoever hates is a murderer.10 Can you now say, "What do I care about being a murderer?" Whoever hates is a murderer. You haven't prepared any poison, you haven't gone so far as to strike your enemy with a sword, you haven't hired a hit-man for the crime, or worked out a place and a time. Finally, you haven't committed the crime yourself. You have only hated — and you have killed yourself before him. So learn justice, to hate only vices, and to love people. If you stick to this, and practice this sort of justice, so that you prefer even vicious people to be cured rather than condemned, then you have been doing good work in the vineyard. But mind you work at this, my brothers.

Look at yourself, observe yourself. You are shortly going to pray; forgive with all your heart. If you want to quarrel with your enemy, quarrel first with your own heart. Quarrel, I tell you, quarrel with your own heart. Tell your heart, Don't hate. But that heart of yours, those feelings of yours — are still hating. Tell your soul, "Stop hating. How will I pray, how will I be able to say Forgive us our debtsl Well, I can say this, of course, but how can I say what follows? Just as we too." We too what? "Just as we too forgive." Where is your faith? Do what you say: Just as we too. But your soul doesn't want to forgive, and is made miserable by your saying to it, Stop hating. Answer it, "Why are you miserable, my soul, and why do you upset me? (Ps 42:6). Why are you miserable? Stop hating, or you will destroy me. Why do you upset me? Hope in God. You are very ill, you are gasping, you're crippled with disease. You're unable to rid yourself of hatred. Hope in God, he's the doctor. For your sake he hung on the cross, and he hasn't yet avenged himself. Why do you want to avenge yourself? That's what your hating means, you see, a desire for revenge. Look at your Lord hanging, look at him hanging, and giving you a directive from that kind of judicial bench which is the cross. Look at him hanging there, and concocting a medicine for you in your illness from his own blood. Look at him hanging there. You want revenge? You want to get even? Look at him hanging there, and listen to him praying, Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing (Lk 23:34).

[10] Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." [11] So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, "Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved." Nehemiah 10:31 and if the peoples of the land bring in wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the sabbath or on a holy day; and we will forego the crops of the seventh year and the exaction of every debt.

2 Maccabees 6:11 Others who had assembled in the caves near by, to observe the seventh day secretly, were betrayed to Philip and were all burned together, because their piety kept them from defending themselves, in view of their regard for that most holy day.

Romans 14:5-6a One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike. Let every one be fully convinced in his own mind. [6] He who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. . . .

Exodus 16:23 he said to them, "This is what the LORD has commanded: 'Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy sabbath to the LORD . . . Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy Exodus 31:15 Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD (cf. 35:2; Lev 23:3; Deut 5:12-13; Neh 13:22; Is 58:13; Jer 17:22, 24, 27) Leviticus 23:8 . . . on the seventh day is a holy convocation . . .

Leviticus 23:15-16, 21 "And you shall count from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven full weeks shall they be, [16] counting fifty days to the morrow after the seventh sabbath; then you shall present a cereal offering of new grain to the LORD. . . . [21] And you shall make proclamation on the same day; you shall hold a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work: it is a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. Leviticus 23:24-25 "Say to the people of Israel, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation. [25] You shall do no laborious work; and you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD." Leviticus 23:27-28 "On the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present an offering by fire to the LORD. [28] And you shall do no work on this same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God. Leviticus 23:33-37 And the LORD said to Moses, [34] "Say to the people of Israel, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the feast of booths to the LORD. [35] On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work. [36] Seven days you shall present offerings by fire to the LORD; on the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the LORD; it is a solemn assembly; you shall do no laborious work. [37] "These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim as times of holy convocation, for presenting to the LORD offerings by fire, burnt offerings and cereal offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its proper day; Leviticus 23:39-41 "On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall keep the feast of the LORD seven days; on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. [40] And you shall take on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. [41] You shall keep it as a feast to the LORD seven days in the year; it is a statute for ever throughout your generations; you shall keep it in the seventh month. (cf. Num 28:18, 25-26; 29:1, 7, 12) Nehemiah 8:9-11 And Nehemi'ah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.

It is, moreover, Our will that Catholics should abstain from certain appellations which have recently been brought into use to distinguish one group of Catholics from another. They are to be avoided not only as "profane novelties of words," out of harmony with both truth and justice, but also because they give rise to great trouble and confusion among Catholics. Such is the nature of Catholicism that it does not admit of more or less, but must be held as a whole or as a whole rejected: "This is the Catholic faith, which unless a man believe faithfully and firmly; he cannot be saved" (Athanas. Creed). There is no need of adding any qualifying terms to the profession of Catholicism: it is quite enough for each one to proclaim "Christian is my name and Catholic my surname," only let him endeavour to be in reality what he calls himself.(Pope Benedict XV, Ad Beatissimi Apostolorum 24)

of fathers upon children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.' [19] Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray thee, according to the greatness of thy steadfast love, and according as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now." [20] Then the Lord said, "I have pardoned, according to your word;

So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham still stood before the Lord. [23] Then Abraham drew near, and said, "Wilt thou indeed destroy the righteous with the wicked? [24] Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt thou then destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? [25] Far be it from thee to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from thee! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" [26] And the LORD said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake." [27] Abraham answered, "Behold, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. [28] Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Wilt thou destroy the whole city for lack of five?" And he said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." [29] Again he spoke to him, and said, "Suppose forty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it." [30] Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." [31] He said, "Behold, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it." [32] Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it."

Now then restore the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you shall live..

And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes; and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. [2] Then the people cried to Moses; and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire abated.

And the Lord said to Moses, "How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs which I have wrought among them? [12] I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they." [13] But Moses said to the Lord, "Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for thou didst bring up this people in thy might from among them, [14] and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that thou, O Lord, art in the midst of this people; for thou, O Lord, art seen face to face, and thy cloud stands over them and thou goest before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. [15] Now if thou dost kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard thy fame will say, [16] Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore to give to them, therefore he has slain them in the wilderness.' [17] And now, I pray thee, let the power of the Lord be great as thou hast promised, saying, [18] The Lord is slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity

(1) In the first place to love the Lord God with the whole heart, the whole soul, the whole strength (2) Then, one's neighbor as one's self (cf Mt 22:37-39; Mk 12:30-31; Lk 10:27) (3) Then, not to kill (4) Not to commit adultery (5) Not to steal (6) Not to covet (cf Rom 13:9) (7) Not to bear false witness (cf Mt 19:18; Mk 10:19; Lk 18:20) (8) To honor all men (cf 1 Pt 2:17) (9) And what one would not have done to himself, not to do to another (cf Tob 4:16; Mt 7:12; Lk 6:31) (10) To deny one's self in order to follow Christ (cf Mt 16:24; Lk 9:23) (11) To chastise the body (cf 1 Cor 9:27) (12) Not to seek after pleasures (13) To love fasting (14) To relieve the poor (15) To clothe the naked (16) To visit the sick (cf Mt 25:36) (17) To bury the dead (18) To help in trouble (19) To console the sorrowing (20) To hold one's self aloof from worldly ways (21) To prefer nothing to the love of Christ (22) Not to give way to anger (23) Not to foster a desire for revenge (24) Not to entertain deceit in the heart (25) Not to make a false peace (26) Not to forsake charity (27) Not to swear, lest perchance one swear falsely (28) To speak the truth with heart and tongue (29) Not to return evil for evil (cf 1 Thes 5:15; 1 Pt 3:9) (30) To do no injury, yea, even patiently to bear the injury done us (31) To love one's enemies (cf Mt 5:44; Lk 6:27) (32) Not to curse them that curse us, but rather to bless them (33) To bear persecution for justice sake (cf Mt 5:10) (34) Not to be proud (35) Not to be given to wine (cf Ti 1:7; 1 Tm 3:3) (36) Not to be a great eater (37) Not to be drowsy (38) Not to be slothful (cf Rom 12:11) (39) Not to be a murmurer (40) Not to be a detractor (41) To put one's trust in God (42) To refer what good one sees in himself, not to self, but to God (43) But as to any evil in himself, let him be convinced that it is his own and charge it to himself (44) To fear the day of judgment (45) To be in dread of hell (46) To desire eternal life with all spiritual longing (47) To keep death before one's eyes daily (48) To keep a constant watch over the actions of our life (49) To hold as certain that God sees us everywhere (50) To dash at once against Christ the evil thoughts which rise in one's heart (51) And to disclose them to our spiritual father (52) To guard one's tongue against bad and wicked speech (53) Not to love much speaking (54) Not to speak useless words and such as provoke laughter (55) Not to love much or boisterous laughter (56) To listen willingly to holy reading (57) To apply one's self often to prayer (58) To confess one's past sins to God daily in prayer with sighs and tears, and to amend them for the future (59) Not to fulfil the desires of the flesh (cf Gal 5:16) (60) To hate one's own will (61) To obey the commands of the Abbot in all things, even though he himself (which Heaven forbid) act otherwise, mindful of that precept of the Lord: "What they say, do ye; what they do, do ye not" (Mt 23:3) (62) Not to desire to be called holy before one is; but to be holy first, that one may be truly so called (63) To fulfil daily the commandments of God by works (64) To love chastity (65) To hate no one (66) Not to be jealous; not to entertain envy (67) Not to love strife (68) Not to love pride (69) To honor the aged (70) To love the younger (71) To pray for one's enemies in the love of Christ (72) To make peace with an adversary before the setting of the sun (73) And never to despair of God's mercy

Behold, these are the instruments of the spiritual art, which, if they have been applied without ceasing day and night and approved on judgment day, will merit for us from the Lord that reward which He hath promised: "The eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him" (1 Cor 2:9). But the workshop in which we perform all these works with diligence is the enclosure of the monastery, and stability in the community.