Sunday 10 July 2016 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

From the beginning of the treatise On the Mysteries by Saint Ambrose, bishop

Catechesis on the rites preceding baptism

We gave a daily instruction on right conduct when the readings were taken from the history of the patriarchs or the maxims of Proverbs. These readings were intended to instruct and train you, so that you might grow accustomed to the ways of our forefathers, entering into their paths and walking in their footsteps, in obedience to God’s commands.

  Now the season reminds us that we must speak of the mysteries, setting forth the meaning of the sacraments. If we had thought fit to teach these things to those not yet initiated through baptism, we should be considered traitors rather than teachers. Then, too, the light of the mysteries is of itself more effective where people do not know what to expect than where some instruction has been given beforehand.

  Open then your ears. Enjoy the fragrance of eternal life, breathed on you by means of the sacraments. We explained this to you as we celebrated the mystery of “the opening” when we said: Effetha, that is, be opened. Everyone who was to come for the grace of baptism had to understand what he was to be asked, and must remember what he was to answer. This mystery was celebrated by Christ when he healed the man who was deaf and dumb, in the Gospel which we proclaimed to you.

  After this, the holy of holies was opened up for you; you entered into the sacred place of regeneration. Recall what you were asked; remember what you answered. You renounced the devil and his works, the world and its dissipation and sensuality. Your words are recorded, not on a monument to the dead but in the book of the living.

  There you saw the levite, you saw the priest, you saw the high priest. Do not consider their outward form but the grace given by their ministries. You spoke in the presence of angels, as it is written: The lips of a priest guard knowledge, and men seek the law from his mouth, for he is the angel of the Lord almighty. There is no room for deception, no room for denial. He is an angel whose message is the kingdom of Christ and eternal life. You must judge him, not by his appearance but by his office. Remember what he handed on to you, weigh up his value, and so acknowledge his standing.

  You entered to confront your enemy, for you intended to renounce him to his face. You turned toward the east, for one who renounces the devil turns toward Christ and fixes his gaze directly on him.

PLEASE HELP

 

This young lad has malaria and has nearly passed out

Tuesday, June 28……It is 12:45 in the morning and the lightning is flashing, the thunder is thundering, the wind is blowing and the rain is pouring down. This is pretty early for the rains and perhaps it is just a warning of what will be happening over the next three months. The mosquitoes are here already but soon there will be hordes of them after the rain forms puddles everywhere. They breed in discarded bottles, broken pots and in old sardine cans that folks often just toss into the bush; in potholes in the dirt roads or even in the holes in the cement blocks used in construction and anywhere else where water collects and there is no drainage.
BUT...I believe it is also a warning for me to swallow my pride and let you know that we are seriously needing your help in order to procure the medicine so necessary for the cure of Malaria .Just last Thursday we treated 6 patients with malaria and this; even before the rains began.

 

This young man has malaria and collapsed just as he came into Nazareth hermitage

 In Africa, over a million people die each year because malaria is a killer. When folks having malaria come to Nazareth hermitage and we have the curative medicine, the malaria attack will be over during the 3 day dosage period. Usually after the day 1 the patient will feel much better but malaria parasites remain in the body until the last dosage is taken on day 3. I can certainly attest to this as I nearly died from malaria last year which put me into the hospital for a week. 
People were so generous when I went to the U.S. for a 3 week retreat and during the remaining time, because of your kindness, I was able to purchase medicines
and supplies which are not available here. For this reason I felt ashamed to ask for your kind help again but I must as the sick poor need our help…instructions follow below:

1. People make checks payable to "Monastery of Christ in the Desert"

2. Memo must read: Nazareth Hermitage - sick poor or Nazareth Hermitage
 Gambia sick poor

3. Address envelope to: Monastery of Christ in the Desert,
                                     St. Paul's Hermitage
                                      P.O. Box 270
                                     Abiquiu NM 87510

 4. My name should not appear anywhere on the check.

Thus the Monastery receives the donation and will send you an acknowledgement for tax purposes (should you need it) and then the check will be taken over to to St. Paul's hermitage and your donation for medicines for the sick poor will be deposited in my bank account in Santa Fe by the hermit at Christ in the Desert.

May our merciful Lord bless your kindness and shine His face upon you,

brother dismas Mary