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The Christmas Cycle
We look at the light which the Lord has placed on the candlestick in His holy Church, and
we come to this light to enkindle and replenish our own little light. St. Francis de Sales is one
of the great saints in the kingdom of heaven, one of the masters and teachers of the Christian
life. He is one of those who “do and teach” (Gospel).
“The just shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus”
(Offertory). In the same spirit of resignation to God in which St. Francis de Sales once
approached the altar and now continues to offer to the Lord in heaven, we bring to the
altar our own offering — ourselves. We are like branches and twigs of the palm tree striving
for heaven, nourished by the strength, teaching, example, and intercession of this saintly
bishop, Francis de Sales. Thus he grows as a cedar of Libanus and bears us up with himself
as an offering to God. Thus are we, in the thoughts of the liturgy, one in spirit with the
communion of saints.
At the sacrificial meal of Holy Communion, we see in the priest who distributes
Communion the bishop and high priest, Francis de Sales. As the trusted servant of Christ,
whom the Lord has placed as father over us, he dispenses to us “in due season,” today, the food
of doctrine and the Holy Eucharist (Communion).
Prayer
O God, who for the saving of souls didst will that blessed Francis, Thy confessor and bishop,
should become all things to all men, be pleased to grant that we, being filled with the sweetness
of Thy love, guided by his teachings, and helped by his merits and prayers, may attain to the joys
of everlasting life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
February 1, St. Ignatius of Antioch
In St. Ignatius, bishop of Antioch in Syria, who shed his blood, we have an example of a hero
burning with true love for Christ. He died at Rome about the year 107, torn to pieces by lions.
In his Epistle to the Romans St. Ignatius expresses his great desire to suffer and die for Christ:
Suffer me to become food for the wild beasts, through whose instrumentality it will be
granted me to attain to God. I am the wheat of God, and am ground by the teeth of the wild
beasts, that I may be found the pure bread of God. . . . I pray that they may be found eager to rush
upon me, . . . and not deal with me as with some, whom, out of fear, they have not touched. But
if they be unwilling to assail me, I will compel them to do so. . . . Now I begin to be a disciple,
and have no desire after anything visible or invisible, that I may attain to Jesus Christ. Let fire
and the cross; let the crowds of wild beasts; let breakings, tearings, and separations of bones;
let cutting off of members; let shatterings of the whole body; and let the very torment of the
devil come upon me: only let me attain to Jesus Christ. 8
Here we find an echo of those glorious words of St. Paul: “God forbid that I should
glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me,
and I to the world” (Introit). “According to my expectation and hope, that in nothing
I shall be confounded, but with all confidence as always, so now also, shall Christ be
8
Chaps. 4 f.; trans. from The Ante-Nicene Fathers, I, 75.
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