Truth Arrogance and Saint Augustine

Saint Augustine, writing to an opponent in 397 AD, counseled mutual understanding. He did not call for an easy tolerance but asked for care-filled mutual respect.

There has been a lot of discussion in the blog-sphere, often filled with invective. Fr. Thomas Rosica has warned about the toxicity that can be found on some sites, especially in the comments. This past week, a national catholic [sic] newspaper has fired at least two of its regular contributors.

But what did Augustine write to a heretic? “Lay aside all arrogance.”

“On the other hand, all must allow that you owe it to me, in return, to lay aside all arrogance on your part too, that so you may be the more disposed to gentleness, and may not oppose me in a hostile spirit, to your own hurt. Let neither of us assert that he has found truth; let us seek it as if it were unknown to us both. For truth can be sought with zeal and unanimity if by no rash presumption it is believed to have been already found and ascertained.”

Augustine calls for a mutual search for the truth, recognizing that Truth is beyond us. This is not to deny Truth but to recognize that our way of expressing or explaining it may be different.

Augustine refuses to agree to the position of Manichaeus and if he remains unconvinced, he wants nothing to do with their worship or dogma.

“But if I cannot induce you to grant me this, at least allow me to suppose myself a stranger now for the first time hearing you, for the first time examining your doctrines. I think my demand a just one. And it must be laid down as an understood thing that I am not to join you in your prayers, or in holding conventicles, or in taking the name of Manichaeus, unless you give me a clear explanation, without any obscurity, of all matters touching the salvation of the soul.”

Augustine is clear that he would not accept and tolerate merely accepting what another said, but he was also open to searching for the truth with another with whom he did not agree. (However, Augustine – in contrast to theSecond Vatican Council – was not adverse to using force against heretics.)

Maybe we all should take this quote of Augustine a little more seriously and put aside arrogance and be more disposed to gentleness – seeking Truth, not scoring points.

 

Ephrem, the mad deacon

[Ephrem] remained a deacon all his life,
and to escape episcopal consecration
he is supposed to have feigned madness.
Joseph N. Tylenda, S.J.

Today the Catholic Church celebrates the Syrian deacon and doctor of the Church, Ephrem.

Ephrem is noted for his many hymns in which he used to teach the faith and to combat heretics, some of whom had written hymns for their cause.

He wrote commentaries on much of scripture and was renowned for his preaching – so much so that he was called the Harp of the Holy Spirit.

Though he lived in a cave outside Edessa, he did not separate himself completely from the world. In fact a few months before he died he organized a major relief effort for famine victims.

In many ways, his service of the Altar with his hymns, his service of the Word with his preaching and commentaries, and his service of Charity with his care for famine victims and others exemplify what a deacon is and what a deacon does.

He did not seek higher “rank” within the Church, finding his service as a deacon – as a servant – was his calling, his vocation.

He wrote a prayer which is used during Lent among the Orthodox and which expresses the spirituality of a servant of God:

O Lord and Master of my Life,
give me not a spirit of sloth, lust for power,
and idle talk.
But give me, your servant,
a spirit of charity, humility, patience, and love.
O Lord and King,
grant me to see my own faults
and not judge another,
for blessed are you forever.

There is not madness in such a prayer – but much wisdom.

Rather dead than a bishop

Yesterday was the feast of St. Albert the Great, a great philosopher, scientist, and theologian. For him, no aspect of knowledge could not be recognized by a reasoned faith.

As a Dominican master of studies he taught the young Dominicans. One of his students was Thomas Aquinas, whose quiet disposition and body size had earned the name of “The Dumb Ox,” among Thomas’ fellow students. (Nastiness of students to each other is not a new phenomenon.)

St. Albert, though, rightly prophesied that “the lowing of this dumb ox will be heard throughout the world.”

Albert was later chosen to be bishop of Regensberg – a post he held for about two years. It was too much for him.

Today a Benedictine priest friend of mine, Father Albert, sent me this quote that Blessed Humbert of Romans, the Master of the Dominicans, wrote to Albert the Great about his elevation to the episcopacy:

“I would rather you were dead than a bishop…  Why ruin your reputation and that of the Order by letting yourself be taken away from poverty and preaching?  However troublesome you find the brethren, don’t imagine things will be better once you have secular clergy and powers to deal with … Better to be in a coffin than sit in a bishop’s chair!”

I could not stop laughing when I read it. St. Albert should have listened to Master Humbert.

It got even more hilarious when I discovered that the quote was cited by the new Archbishop of Sydney, Australia, Anthony Fisher, O.P., in the homily of his installation Mass on November 12.

We need more bishops like him. And we would have a better world and a better church if we would be able to laugh at ourselves.

 

Tried for love of the poor

Today is the feast of St. John of Avila, a sixteenth century Spanish diocesan priest who was declared a doctor of the church in 2012.

He is known for his close to connection to many Spanish saints of his age, including the Carmelite reformer and mystic Teresa of Avila, the Jesuit Francis Borgia, and John of God, the founder of an order that cares for the sick.

He was involved in education and wrote at least one major work on theology and mysticism. He was also a great preacher, known as the apostle of Andaluisa

He had come from a fairly rich family, of Jewish descent. After he was ordained he gave most of his wealth to the poor

But what struck me this morning as I read Richard McBrien’s Lives of the Saints was his arrest by the Inquisition in 1532.

What was his crime?

He had denounced the crimes of the rich and he was accused of unduly favoring the poor and excluding the rich from heaven.

He was found not guilty and released.

It strikes me that when someone speaks clearly about the dangers of wealth, that person is touching fire.

It is all too easy for people of faith to make broad condemnations of injustice. You can condemn corruption and injustice all you want, but unless you make clear what are the real instances of corruption and injustice around you, I think we might be missing the point.

We can “spiritualize” our commitment to justice – merely praying. Or we can make it real by our words and our lives.

When we do this we may earn the condemnation of the rich and powerful. But we have great examples of persons, like Saint John of Avila, who suffered for their commitment to God and to the poor.