From USCCB and americancatholic.org:
December 11, 2010
Saturday of the Second Week of Advent
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Today, we remember St. Damasus I, a pope who led the Church through some difficult times in its early history. Learn more about St. Damasus I, and another saint—St. Jerome, to whom his story is linked.
December 11
St. Damasus I
(305?-384)
To his secretary St. Jerome, Damasus was “an incomparable person, learned in the Scriptures, a virgin doctor of the virgin Church, who loved chastity and heard its praises with pleasure.”
Damasus seldom heard such unrestrained praise. Internal political struggles, doctrinal heresies, uneasy relations with his fellow bishops and those of the Eastern Church marred the peace of his pontificate.
The son of a Roman priest, possibly of Spanish extraction, Damasus started as a deacon in his father’s church, and served as a priest in what later became the basilica of San Lorenzo in Rome. He served Pope Liberius (352-366) and followed him into exile.
When Liberius died, Damasus was elected bishop of Rome; but a minority elected and consecrated another deacon, Ursinus, as pope. The controversy between Damasus and the antipope resulted in violent battles in two basilicas, scandalizing the bishops of Italy. At the synod Damasus called on the occasion of his birthday, he asked them to approve his actions. The bishops’ reply was curt: “We assembled for a birthday, not to condemn a man unheard.” Supporters of the antipope even managed to get Damasus accused of a grave crime—probably sexual—as late as A.D. 378. He had to clear himself before both a civil court and a Church synod.
As pope his lifestyle was simple in contrast to other ecclesiastics of Rome, and he was fierce in his denunciation of Arianism and other heresies. A misunderstanding of the Trinitarian terminology used by Rome threatened amicable relations with the Eastern Church, and Damasus was only moderately successful in dealing with the situation.
During his pontificate Christianity was declared the official religion of the Roman state (380), and Latin became the principal liturgical language as part of the pope’s reforms. His encouragement of St. Jerome’s biblical studies led to the Vulgate, the Latin translation of Scripture which the Council of Trent (12 centuries later) declared to be “authentic in public readings, disputations, preachings.”
Comment:
The history of the papacy and the Church is inextricably mixed with the personal biography of Damasus. In a troubled and pivotal period of Church history, he stands forth as a zealous defender of the faith who knew when to be progressive and when to entrench.
Damasus makes us aware of two qualities of good leadership: alertness to the promptings of the Spirit and service. His struggles are a reminder that Jesus never promised his Rock protection from hurricane winds nor his followers immunity from difficulties. His only guarantee is final victory.
Quote:
"He who walking on the sea could calm the bitter waves, who gives life to the dying seeds of the earth; he who was able to loose the mortal chains of death, and after three days' darkness could bring again to the upper world the brother for his sister Martha: he, I believe, will make Damasus rise again from the dust" (epitaph Damasus wrote for himself).
Pray
Pope John Paul II’s Prayer for Peace
O God, Creator of the universe, who extends your paternal concern over every creature and guides the events of history to the goal of salvation, we acknowledge your fatherly love when you break the resistance of mankind and, in a world torn by strife and discord, you make us ready for reconciliation. Renew for us the wonders of your mercy; send forth your Spirit that he may work in the intimacy of hearts, that enemies may begin to dialogue, that adversaries may shake hands and peoples may encounter one another in harmony. May all commit themselves to the sincere search for true peace which will extinguish all arguments, for charity which overcomes hatred, for pardon which disarms revenge.
Reflect
In preparation for the World Day of Peace, use this reflection guide and reflect on the peace canticles of Isaiah (Is 2:2-5, Is 11:1-10), and how the words of the great prophet relate to our world today
Isaiah
Chapter 2
1
1 This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2
2 In days to come, The mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it;
3
3 many peoples shall come and say: "Come, let us climb the LORD'S mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, That he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths." For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
4
He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.
5
O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!
6
4 You have abandoned your people, the house of Jacob, Because they are filled with fortunetellers and soothsayers, like the Philistines; they covenant with strangers.
7
Their land is full of silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; Their land is full of horses, and there is no end to their chariots.
8
Their land is full of idols; they worship the works of their hands, that which their fingers have made.
9
But man is abased, each one brought low. (Do not pardon them!)
10
Get behind the rocks, hide in the dust, From the terror of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty!
11
5 The haughty eyes of man will be lowered, the arrogance of men will be abased, and the LORD alone will be exalted, on that day.
12
For the LORD of hosts will have his day against all that is proud and arrogant, all that is high, and it will be brought low;
13
6 Yes, against all the cedars of Lebanon and all the oaks of Bashan,
14
Against all the lofty mountains and all the high hills,
15
Against every lofty tower and every fortified wall,
16
7 Against all the ships of Tarshish and all stately vessels.
17
Human pride will be abased, the arrogance of men brought low, And the LORD alone will be exalted, on that day.
18
The idols will perish forever.
19
Men will go into caves in the rocks and into holes in the earth, From the terror of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he arises to overawe the earth.
20
On that day men will throw to the moles and the bats the idols of silver and gold which they made for worship.
21
They go into caverns in the rocks and into crevices in the cliffs, From the terror of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he arises to overawe the earth.
22
As for you, let man alone, in whose nostrils is but a breath; for what is he worth?
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Footnotes
1 [1] An editorial addition introducing Isaiah 2-5.
2 [2-4] The messianic destiny which ensures Judah's later restoration. In the messianic kingdom the prophets generally see the Lord's house as the seat of authority and the source of clear and certain doctrine; also, its rule willingly accepted by all peoples, maintained by spiritual sanctions, and tending to universal peace. This passage is found substantially unchanged in Micah 4:1-3; it probably, although not certainly, has Isaiah as its author.
3 [3] Zion . . . Jerusalem: types of the earthly center of the messianic kingdom.
4 [6] Fortune-tellers and soothsayers: divination was strictly forbidden; cf Deut 18:9-14.
5 [11] That day: the day of the Lord, a day of retribution, often referred to, especially by the minor prophets, and described in terms of natural phenomena: earthquake, fire, storm.
6 [13] Lebanon: Mount Lebanon in Syria, famed for its cedars. Bashan: the wooded uplands east of the Jordan River.
7 [16] Tarshish: cf note on Psalm 48:8.
New American Bible Copyright © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
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Isaiah
Chapter 11
1
1 But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
2
2 The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
3
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide,
4
But he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land's afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
5
Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.
6
3 Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; The calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them.
7
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
8
The baby shall play by the cobra's den, and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair.
9
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea.
10
On that day, The root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, The Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious.
11
4 On that day, The Lord shall again take it in hand to reclaim the remnant of his people that is left from Assyria and Egypt, Pathros, Ethiopia, and Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the isles of the sea.
12
He shall raise a signal to the nations and gather the outcasts of Israel; The dispersed of Judah he shall assemble from the four corners of the earth.
13
The envy of Ephraim shall pass away, and the rivalry of Judah be removed; Ephraim shall not be jealous of Judah, and Judah shall not be hostile to Ephraim;
14
5 But they shall swoop down on the foothills of the Philistines to the west, together they shall plunder the Kedemites; Edom and Moab shall be their possessions, and the Ammonites their subjects.
15
6 The LORD shall dry up the tongue of the Sea of Egypt, and wave his hand over the Euphrates in his fierce anger And shatter it into seven streamlets, so that it can be crossed in sandals.
16
There shall be a highway for the remnant of his people that is left from Assyria, As there was for Israel when he came up from the land of Egypt.
Table of Contents Previous Chapter Next Chapter
Footnotes
1 [1] Jesse: David's father. Shoot . . . stump: after the Babylonian Exile only a stump of the Davidic dynasty will remain; from it will arise the new shoot, the messianic King.
2 [2-3] The source of the traditional names of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Septuagint and the Vulgate read "piety" for fear of the LORD in its first occurence, thus listing seven gifts.
3 [6-9] This picture of the idyllic harmony of paradise is a dramatic symbol of the universal peace and justice of messianic times.
4 [11] Pathros . . . sea: where God's people lived in exile. Pathros: upper Egypt. Elam: east of Babylonia. Shinar: Babylonia. Hamath: on the Orontes River in Syria. Isles: or coastlands, in the Mediterranean.
5 [14] Kedemites: tribes in the Arabian Desert.
6 [15] Tongue . . . Egypt: the body of water between Egypt and Palestine.
New American Bible Copyright © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Act
St. Damasus lived in a time of political turmoil but maintained true to his faith. Learn how Catholic teaching can help form our consciences and help us to be faithful citizens in our country and our world.
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