Ask for the print of the nails
St. Thomas Aquinas labored long and hard over his Catena aurea [Golden Chain], a verse-by-verse commentary on the four Gospels drawn entirely from patristic and medieval sources, both western and eastern. [It can be found in English at several sites on the web.] I often consult it along with contemporary commentaries, in preparing homilies. It was reprinted a few years back, with a brief introduction by Aidan Nichols, O.P., who ends his piece, with the lovely story with which John Henry Newman closed the chapter on St. Martin of Tours in his The Church of the Fathers. While the saint was praying, an evil spirit appeared to him in “glittering radiance” and claiming to be Christ. After a moment of silence, St. Martin replied: “Jesus, the Lord, announced not that He should come in glittering clothing, and radiant with a diadem. I will not believe that Christ is come, save in that state and form in which He suffered, save with the show of the wounds of the Cross.” At those words the evil spirit vanished like smoke. Newman commented:
The application of this vision to Martin’s age is obvious; I suppose it means in this day, that Christ comes not in pride of intellect, or reputation for philosophy. These are the glittering robes in which Satan is now arraying. Many spirits are abroad, more are issuing from the pit; the credentials which they display are the precious gifts of mind, beauty, richness, depth, originality. Christians, look hard at them with Martin in silence, and ask them for the print of the nails. (Newman, Historical Sketches, II, 205-206)
That’s a good reflection as we await the WHO that will come to the faithful’s rescue in this time of need. Watch for but verify is good advice.
WHO?
Or maybe, the idea that Christ (and by extension, those who represent him well) will not come in glittering robes ought to be applied more literally–to the prelates –including the Pope–who have a particular penchant for glittering robes.
This has all gotten to be over the top.
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/07/31/sex-abuse-critic-to-pope-swap-white-cassock-for-black-lose-the/
I must say, I think Anne Burke has a point here.
I read that Ion Bria, a Romanian Orthodox missiologist, said, “[Evangelism] is not only oral proclamation of the gospel but also martyrdom, the following in the steps of the crucified Christ”.
I am skeptical of prophets who have not suffered.
The WHO or maybe multiple Who s are sure to come to the rescue …That is how I believe/hope the Holy Spirit works for us.. But Just like Cathleen K. I say no to the glittering robes..the WHO will be more likely be a poorly dressed Francis as when he brought his reform front and center. And since there may be so many popping up, [not popeing up :) ] that why I like the counsel you posted … to ‘see the print of the nails’ We await.
Ed: I still don’t understand your post….
Here is how Newman described St. Martin: “He was made Bishop of Tours in the year 372, about the time that Ambrose and Basil were raised to their respective sees, and that Athanasius died. There were parties who opposed Martin’s election, alleging, as Sulpicius tell us, that ‘he was a contemptible person, unworthy of the episcopate, despicable in countenance, mean in dress, uncouth in his hair.” Such were the outward signs of a monk; and a monk he did not cease to be, after that he had become a bishop. Indeed, as far as was possible, he wished to be still what he had been, and looked back to the period of his life when he was a private man, as a time when he was more sensibly favoured with divine power than afterwards” (188-89).
No glitering clothing, then. But both in Sulpicius’s account of the vision, and in Newman’s application to his age, the glittering clothing is a metaphor.
Fr, Joe; To be clear, I hope that someone filled/sent by the Holy Spirit shows up and leads us [the faithful] out of the mess almost eveyone knows we are in. I don’t look hopefully to the hierarchy.My personal experience with hierarchs and church leaders is that they were not skilled in spotting or vetting frauds they allowed into their inner Chanceries’…. . He/she sent will not be put forth by a hierarch either. . But we, the faithful will have to be really carefull to vett those that ‘show up’. ‘show us the nails’ .maybe there is a Francis praying somewhere..
e.g 1. an Italian peasant woman would have spotted Maciel as a fraud e.g. 2. when the Eastern church needed reform they sent away for St John Chrysostum [same dates as St Martin...HS Busy?]
“Christ comes not in pride of intellect, or reputation for philosophy…the credentials which they display are the precious gifts of mind, beauty, richness, depth, originality.”
Newman seems to be offering a scathing critique of theologian ivory-tower intellect even more than he is glittering robes.
Like Ed, I thought that the application of the vision to this day was in our acute need for a leader to guide the church out of the present crisis.
Pope Benedict is a brilliant thinker, many people here display “the precious gifts of mind”, and would-be prophets are numerous in this country. But they do not speak for Christ “save with the show of the wounds of the cross”– unless they have scars showing that they took up their cross and are suffering (or have suffered) for their faith.
That’s what I thought this post was about.
Thanks, Ed. I guess I’ve been a little slow on the uptake. I agree with what you and Claire say, with the exception maybe that we have to wait for someone else and then ask to see the print of the nails. Maybe it won’t be a single leader, and maybe we have to begin by asking whether our hands show the print of the nails, and if so, maybe we have to be among the leaders.
I think we have to be the leaders,right where we are. We have been suffering and will suffer further. We have to prepare ourselves and others for the potential consequences of the thoroughly irresponsible leadership revealed by the sex abuse crisis. This isn’t over and the call and challenge is to remain close to
Christ while our leaders mock him (knowingly or not) with their incomprehension.
This reminds me of one of my favorite bluegrass songs. “By the Mark” by Gillian Welch. I’m not enthralled with the soteriology (vicarious atonement), but it’s a beautiful song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e_trwQLORI
When I cross over
I will shout and sing
I will know my savior
By the mark where the nails have been
CHORUS:
By the mark where the nails have been
By the sign upon his precious skin
I will know my savior when I come to him
By the mark where the nails have been
A man of riches
May claim a crown of jewels
But the king of heaven
Can be told from the prince of fools
CHORUS
On Calvary Mountain
Where they made him suffer so
All my sin was paid for
A long, long time ago
CHORUS
“I think we have to be the leaders,right where we are.”
If we all have to lead, no one will lead.
If we all are guilty, no one is guilty.
Will we actually be able to recognize one of the “who” when (s)he arises? If it is a she, good luck to her! There are entirely too many Catholics who don’t accept anything/one unless it/they have the official imprimatur of “The Church.” If a modern-day Martin Luther arose, (s)he would be vilified and ignored by the mass of the faithful because (s)he would be challenging the much-ballyhooed “unity” that is so often used as an excuse to NOT do what needs to be done. Unity of failure not a virtue, but a vice.
Somewhat off-topic riff down memory lane:
Aside from the Christmas story, which was presented to my brother and me by our parents as on a par with Santy Claus–a pretty fiction–the first story I ever learned about Jesus was about Doubting Thomas when a neighbor dad who caught me standing on a chair to look at the family’s crucifix when I was about seven.
He took it down and explained that Jesus was on the cross and why. It made no sense and it didn’t sound very plausible. He told me that one of Jesus’s friends held similar views and explained about Doubting Thomas. I was really excited to think that God would provide actual proof of his existence (because my parents said there was none).
The point of the story was pretty much lost on me; at the time, I just wanted proof, perhaps even prayed for it, so I could believe and have a beautiful bride dress for First Communion like my friends.
I’ve seen a lot of nail marks since then, and I’ve also learned if you’ve got no nail marks yourself, it’s hard to recognize them when you do find them.
Proof is painful. Those who can believe without it are lucky, indeed. But some of us have to be nailed before we get it.
I wish this was more specific.
Example 1: John Dear who believes that his faith calls him to publicly resist war, and has spent time in prison as a result of his actions. Is he inspired by the Holy Spirit? Shouldn’t we listen to what he has to say about peace and war?
Example 2: Some people who spend years taking care of elderly relatives who are ill. They do it out of love and it empties them of all their strength, so that’s a form of nailing. Shouldn’t we listen to what they have to say about health care?
Claire, our old priest was fond of talking about the “martyrdom” of parents, who “die” a little every day to make sure their kids are taken care of and have good direction in life. (My son is now at the age where he would be happy to talk of the “martyrdom” of children who have to put up with their parents’ lectures and rules …)
Fr. Paul had a way of lending dignity to the things you mention and more, and tying them with the greater love of Christ crucified.
He was always one you could trust to see the nails.
I was in church once and watched a couple firmly but lovingly try to keep control of twins, early teens, both with Down’s Syndrome. What love requires of them 24/7!
I think Newman may have had especially in mind proponents of an easy Christianity, neglect of “the cost of discipleship,” a Christianity without the cross.
“I think Newman may have had especially in mind proponents of an easy Christianity, neglect of ‘the cost of discipleship,’ a Christianity without the cross.”
Perhaps so.
I’ve certainly taken up a lot of space on this blog making the point that conversion means picking up any number of crosses that in your old life you’d just step over happily.
Conversion doesn’t make your life more pleasant or fun. You don’t always get the grace to see what you’ve gained by hanging there by your nails for a time. Certainly you don’t get any positive signs that heaven has noticed.
You have to take it on faith that what you’re doing makes a difference to someone anyway. And sometimes that in itself is a cross.
Jean: I agree with you. There is a large element of un-seeing trust involved in being a serious Christian, which often enough does indeed mean hanging on by one’s fingernails. St. Paul said it first: faith is not sight, and neither is hope. “I know whom I have trusted, and I am confident that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that Day” (2 Tim 1:12).
Where we probably don’t agree is how much more difficult it is to do your best to get up on that cross when the Church or its heirarchs tell you that you’re still unfit to receive because of your sins, which might include anything from having a tubal ligation to avoid more miscarriages to voting for Obama.
So, fine, I’ll get out of the line so as not to upset the Keepers of the Rules.
But one can continue to hope that perhaps heaven’s mercy transcends that of its stand-ins down here. Either that or hell won’t really be that bad, given that an awful lot of good people seem to be headed that way.
Done now. Hugs to the puppies.
Down syndrome twins! There’s a good example if there ever was one.
I’ll get out of the line so as not to upset the Keepers of the Rules: who knows how many people are reading this blog. It seems to me that you’re fighting a good fight: obeying bad rules, but, by being vocal about it, showing the world the needless suffering that results. Maybe some “Keepers of the Rules” will be shamed by your texts and it will cause them to change. Perhaps you are a leader without knowing it!
Of course, heaven’s mercy transcends that of its stand-ins, or we’re all in deep trouble. As long as there have been excommunications (almost), there have been discussions of what happens if the excommunicator is mistaken. We’re never hopelessly at the mercy of the hierarchy.