Ambrosia

Today is the feast of St. Ambrose, the fourth-century bishop of Milan who played a vital role in the conversion of St. Augustine.

Ambrose, as you probably know, was only a catechumen when he was elected, by acclamation, the bishop of Milan. He was at the time the popular prefect of the region, and when the see opened, he was seen as an acceptable candidate by both the orthodox and by Arians, who were very strong at the time - the Arians didn't object because he was perceived as neutral, given his role as a politician. He was baptized on November 30 and consecrated as bishop today, December 7.

Neutral he was not, however, and reading the history of the period, as is the case with the entire history of the Arian conflict, again, gives one pause before bewailing the current state of the Church too much. Sure, it's bad in a way, but it's been just as bad or worse in the past. We remember Ambrose today for his role in regard to the Arians, his conflicts and victories over imperial power, his writings and his pastoral concern.

MIke Aquilina's Ambrose post

From the Office of Readings today:

(A letter of St. Ambrose)

You have entered upon the office of bishop. Sitting at the helm of the Church, you pilot the ship against the waves. Take firm hold of the rudder of faith so that the severe storms of this world cannot disturb you. The sea is mighty and vast, but do not be afraid, for as Scripture says: he has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters.

The Church of the Lord is built upon the rock of the apostles among so many dangers in the world; it therefore remains unmoved. The Church’s foundation is unshakeable and firm against the assaults of the raging sea. Waves lash at the Church but do not shatter it. Although the elements of this world constantly beat upon the Church with crashing sounds, the Church possesses the safest harbour of salvation for all in distress. Although the Church is tossed about on the sea, it rides easily on rivers, especially those rivers that Scripture speaks of: The rivers have lifted up their voice. These are the rivers flowing from the heart of the man who is given drink by Christ and who receives from the Spirit of God. When these rivers overflow with the grace of the Spirit, they lift up their voice.

There is also a stream which flows down on God’s saints like a torrent. There is also a rushing river giving joy to the heart that is at peace and makes for peace. Whoever has received from the fullness of this river, like John the Evangelist, like Peter and Paul, lifts up his voice. Just as the apostles lifted up their voices and preached the Gospel throughout the world, so those who drink these waters begin to preach the good news of the Lord Jesus.

Drink, then, from Christ, so that your voice may also be heard. Store up in your mind the water that is Christ, the water that praises the Lord. Store up water from many sources, the water that rains down from the clouds of prophecy.

Whoever gathers water from the mountains and leads it to himself or draws it from springs, is himself a source of dew like the clouds. Fill your soul, then, with this water, so that your land may not be dry, but watered by your own springs.

He who reads much and understands much, receives his fill. He who is full, refreshes others. So Scripture says: If the clouds are full, they will pour rain upon the earth.

Therefore, let your words be rivers, clean and limpid, so that in your exhortations you may charm the ears of your people. And by the grace of your words win them over to follow your leadership. Let your sermons be full of understanding. Solomon says: The weapons of the understanding are the lips of the wise; and in another place he says: Let your lips be bound with wisdom. That is, let the meaning of your words shine forth, let understanding blaze out. See that your addresses and expositions do not need to invoke the authority of others, but let your words be their own defence. Let no word escape your lips in vain or be uttered without depth of meaning.

Comments

[ignorant redneck]

I was struck by the phrase "charm the ears off your people". I'll be wondering about it all day.

I often am impressed by the readings in the brievery, of the saints, doctors and fathers. But this is the first one that made want to sit down and have a beer with a Doctor of the Church! I bet he would be an engaging conversationalist, down to earth and pointed as well as eloquent and deep.

BTW--I hate the verification system for comments. I realize that it's necessary, but I lake some visual aquity and can't always make out the letters!

[Ambrosius]

We've a reflection on this Bishop as a model for bishops up on our blog today.

Happy Feast Day, lovers of St. Ambrose, and to the Diocese of Milan!

[Father Elijah]

There are just so many aspects to this wonderful saint and Father/Doctor of the Church. Known more for his pastoral solicitude to Saint Monica weeping over her 'lost son', Augustine and finally for drawing that same prodigal into the embrace of Holy Mother Church, there are aspects of his life and ministry that could be easily overlooked or forgotten. If I may put forward just a few....

As a bishop he fulfilled his ministry of being both Liturgist and Mystagogue. We are so endebted to him that it is almost impossible to count the ways.
-he brought about a tremendous 'reform of the Liturgy' which has given us the lasting "Ambrosian Rite" of the Western Church
-he has given a fantastic mystagogy-drawing us with the newly baptized of his day into the Sacred Mysteries celebrated in the Liturgy
-in his writings we have the earliest witness to the Latin-Roman Anaphora [Eucharistic Prayer] which with only some changes remains the same in what is now known as the Roman Canon or Eucharistic Prayer I
-Augustine himself in his Confessions writes not only about the power of the preached words of Ambrose but the power of the sacred music which Ambrose promulgated and had all singing in his Cathedral in Milan-even all night to prevent the take over of the Cathedral by the Arians. Many of these songs are sill with us and used especially in the Liturgy of the Hours.

But perhaps for us today, the greatest treasure that Ambrose leaves to us is how to be Catholic, how to be Church precisely as socio-political and cultural forces seemingly contradict and counter the Gospel.

Arianism, defeated at the Council of Nicaea in 325 still had a hold on certain cultural elites especially in the Imperial Court. In Ambrose's day, one emperor would rise and support the Catholic cause; another Emperor would arise and support the Arian.

The Arian ideology declaring that Jesus was indeed the Word but that the Word was created by God Who is One and Utterly Transcendent-that there was a time in which the Word did not exist.....this ideology, more closely allied with the philosophical-rationalist ideas of the day sought to rationalize and secularize the Catholic faith.

Secularism, as an ideology is merely a form of arianism re-born!

But arianism also had another side to it. Since the Word was not God, the bishop(s) who embodied the authority of Christ were no longer 'in charge' of the Church in any real sense. The Emperor (the State) now represented "God" as source of authority

Thus Ambrose's struggle with the various emperor's attempt to enforce Arianism, neo-paganism and yes even calling the very Catholic emperor to task for a massacre he had orchestrated...

There is just so much to Saint Ambrose.

Saint Ambrose pray for us

[Ferde Rombola]

I hope everyone here has linked to Ambrosius' site and read his remarks about Saint Ambrose and our bishops. There is the battle cry for our generation! I trust Ambrosius has e-mailed his message to every bishop in the country. Could start a revolution.

Which, btw, may have already started. The bishops' last get-together produced a statement which actually contained the word 'sin.'

[Ambrosius]

Thank you for the kinds words, Ferde.

[Nate Wildermuth]

Unfortunately, St. Ambrose (for all the good he did in fighting Arianism), also formulated one of the earliest Catholic just-war theories. St. Augustine picked up where Ambrose left off, and ever since then Catholics have been killing people in holy wars.

More than a thousand years later, we are finally getting to the point where soldiers aren't condemned by the Church for refusing to fight. It is only a matter of time before the just-war theory is disproven as its criteria are intrinsically impossible to meet - a catch-22:

"Only crazy people can get out of this war," the doc says.
"Okay, send me home," replies the soldier
"But you're not crazy."
"Why not?"
"Because you want to leave."
"What?"
"We can only send you home if you're crazy."
"And I'm only crazy if I don't want to be sent home?"
"Right."
"Go away."

And that's exactly what the just war theory is about to do. It's about to go away.

[Melody]

I like this prayer by St. Ambrose, for anyone who has been separated from loved ones, by life or death:

"Lord God, we can hope for others nothing better than the happiness we desire for ourselves. Therefore, I pray you, do not separate me after death from those I have tenderly loved on earth. Grant that where I am they may be with me, and that I may enjoy their presence in heaven after being so often deprived of it on earth. Lord God, I ask you to receive your beloved children immediately into you life-giving heart. After this brief life on earth, give them eternal happiness."