"I chose you out of the world"

Jesus' demand is unequivocal and without compromise. Do not love the
world or the things in the world. If any one loves the world, love for
the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15). We must make a choice either
for or against God. Do you seek to please God in all your intentions,
actions, and relationships? Let the Holy Spirit fill your heart and
mind with the love and truth of God (Romans 5:5).

Prayer
"Lord Jesus, may the fire of your love fill my heart with an eagerness
to please you in all things. May there be no rivals to my love and
devotion to you who are my all."

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June 9th - St. Ephrem of Edessa, Deacon, Doctor (RM)

Many wonderful lessons can be derived from the life of this Saint,
known in particular for his unfailing and remarkable humility. Born at
Nisibe in Syria, his forebears were poor folk, and he as a child
tended the herds in the fields. St. Ephrem would be baptized only as a
young adult.

One day, while still an adolescent, he pursued the only cow of a
neighbor, throwing stones at the poor beast to see it run, until it
fell exhausted and died. To add to his fault, he denied having seen
the animal when its owner came to look for it. All his life he wept
over this double prevarication, and later he related to the religious
who were his followers how he was punished for it: About a month
later, he was with a shepherd who drank too much one evening, and
through neglect lost the sheep of the owner’s flock when wolves
entered into the fold. Ephrem was taken to prison with the shepherd
and confined there. From the stories his companions there narrated, he
realized that they too were detained for crimes not committed, but
that they had committed others which had remained unpunished.
Recognizing in these facts the effects of Divine Justice, he was
warned to do penance by a severe Angel who appeared to him several
times, helping him also to accept his chastisement. He was released
after two months, but never forgot the lessons in humility he had
received.

Never did St. Ephrem think himself anything other than a great sinner;
we can read in his various writings his self-accusations and his
confessions. He had the gift of tears and for years he wept, literally
without ceasing, according to the testimony of St. Gregory of Nyssa,
who wrote: “At times he was weeping over the sins of men, and again
over his own. His sighs succeeded his tears, and then brought them
forth again.” It was also said that the tears he shed so profusely,
instead of disfiguring his face, seemed to augment its serenity and
grace; all who had seen or heard St. Ephrem were inspired to venerate
his holiness.

The death of St. James of Nisibe and of another Saint. who had lived
in a cell near his own solitary dwelling, decided him to make a
pilgrimage to Edessa, a very Christian city, to honor the relics of
the Apostle St. Thomas, venerated there. While in Edessa he was
ordained a deacon and attached permanently to the church of Edessa,
then obliged under obedience to preach. The ministry of preaching is
not usually that of deacons, but his virtue and capacities were
recognized at once. He had not studied and knew only his own language,
but he had absorbed Holy Scripture and profited from his intelligence
of it. It is he who wrote: “You do not understand all that you read
there? If you were traveling and, being thirsty, came upon a spring of
fresh water, would you be incensed because you could not drink all of
it? No, you would be happy that, on another journey, the spring would
still be there to quench your thirst.”

St. Gregory of Nyssa remarked of the preaching of St. Ephrem:
“Although his tongue was prompt and the words flowed from his mouth
like a torrent, these were too slow to express his thoughts. For this
reason he prayed to God: ‘Hold back, Lord, the waves of Your grace!’ The sea of understanding which was seeking an outlet through his tongue
bore heavily upon him, because the organs of speech did not suffice
for what his mind presented to him, for the benefit of others.” In the
Syrian Liturgy, St. Ephrem still is called the Harp of the Holy
Spirit.

After many years of good works, preaching and writing, for he also had
great gifts of poetry and written discourse, he died a holy death in
the year 378. This occurred one month after the death of St. Basil,
whom he had visited in Cæsarea, wanting to profit from the renowned
bishop’s conversation and sermons. They had found great consolation in
one another’s company. St. Ephrem was declared a Doctor of the Church
by Pope Benedict XV in October of 1920.

Source: Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul Guérin
(Bloud et Barral: 1882), Vol. 2.


Comment:

Many Catholics still find singing in church a problem, probably
because of the rather individualistic piety that they inherited. Yet
singing has been a tradition of both the Old and the New Testament. It
is an excellent way of expressing and creating a community spirit of
unity as well as joy. Ephrem's hymns, an ancient historian testifies,
"lent luster to the Christian assemblies." We need some modern
Ephrems--and cooperating singers--to do the same for our Christian
assemblies today.


Quote:
Lay me not with sweet spices,
For this honor avails me not,
Nor yet use incense and perfumes,
For the honor befits me not.
Burn yet the incense in the holy place;
As for me, escort me only with your prayers,
Give ye your incense to God,
And over me send up hymns.
Instead of perfumes and spices,
Be mindful of me in your intercessions.
(From The Testament of St. Ephrem)

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Prayer of St. Ephrem to the Blessed Virgin Mary

O Immaculate and wholly pure Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Queen of the
world, hope of those who are in despair, thou art the joy of the
Saints; thou art the peacemaker between sinners and God; thou art the
advocate of the abandoned, the secure haven of those who are on the
sea of the world; thou art the consolation of the world, the ransom of
slaves, the comfortress of the afflicted, the salvation of the
universe. O great Queen, we take refuge in thy protection: 'We have no confidence but in thee, O most faithful Virgin.' After God thou art
all our hope. We bear the name of thy servants; allow not the enemy to
drag us to hell. I salute thee, O great Mediatress of peace, between
men and God, Mother of Jesus our Lord, who is the love of all men and
of God, to whom be honor and benediction with the Father and the Holy
Ghost. Amen.

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