A mind closed to God's wisdom

Jesus goes on to warn his disciples about the problem of the "closed
mind" that refuses to learn new things. Jesus used an image familiar
to his audience--new and old wine skins. In Jesus' times, wine was
stored in wine skins, not bottles. New wine poured into skins was
still fermenting. The gases exerted gave pressure. New wine skins were
elastic enough to take the pressure, but old wine skins easily burst
because they became hard as they aged. What did Jesus mean by this
comparison?
--The unity of the new and the old  Luke 5:33-39

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February 19th – Bl. Alvarez of Cordova

THE birthplace of Bl. Alvarez is uncertain: some authorities give it
as Lisbon and others Cordova, where the greater part of his life was
spent. He entered the Dominican convent of St Paul there in 1368. He
became a wonderful preacher and laboured with great success first in
Andalusia and afterwards in Italy. On the death of King Henry II of
Castile, Alvarez became confessor and adviser of the Queen-mother
Catherine (who was the daughter of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster),
and directed the early training of the young King John II. He
completely reformed the court, but when, owing to political
dissensions, the regency was divided he withdrew from court and
resumed his former work as a preacher.

Bl. Alvarez had long formed the design, which he proceeded to carry
out, of founding a Dominican house which, in accord with the reform
already begun by Bl. Raymund of Capua, should follow strictly the rule
of St. Dominic. He chose a mountainous region not far from Cordova,
and there he erected the Escalaceli, Ladder of Heaven, which became a
centre of piety and learning, to which men flocked from all parts of
Spain.

Alvarez exercised a great influence in resisting the papal claimant
“Benedict XIII”, Peter de Luna, and in bringing the people and--what
was much more difficult--the grandees, to acknowledge the legitimate
pope.

In spite of advancing age Bl. Alvarez continued his work of
catechizing, teaching and preaching: he would spend his whole day in
such tasks, and when he returned at night to his monastery he would
devote nearly all the night to prayer. He and his brethren depended
upon alms for their food, and sometimes he went to the market-place in
Cordova and addressed the people, ending up by saying, “My dear
brethren, the poor friars of St. Dominic in the mountain recommend
themselves to your charity”. His practices of penance grew ever more
severe; he crawled on his knees to a chapel dedicated to our Lady of
Pity, taking the discipline as he went, and a picture still at Cordova represents him thus kneeling, his shoulders covered with blood and
accompanied by angels, some of whom are clearing away little rocks
from his path. He built several chapels in the monastery grounds, each
one representing a “station” or scene of our Lord’s passion, doubtless suggested to him by his experiences as a pilgrim in Jerusalem. It was
told that one night when he had been praying in one of these, a
violent storm made the brook which separated it from the monastery
quite impassable. When the bell rang for Matins the holy man lifted
his eyes to God, took off his black cloak, spread it on the water and
walked safely across to dry land; he retrieved his cloak and returned
to his place in choir as usual. The cultus of Bl. Alvarez was
confirmed in 1741.

See Touron, Les Hommes illustres de l’Ordre de St Dominique, vol. iii,
pp. 98-110 Procter, Dominican Saints, pp. 42-44; Mortier, Maîtres
Généraux OP., vol. iv, pp. 210-214. Mortier points out that the date
1420 usually assigned for the death of Alvarez cannot possibly be
correct, for documentary evidence shows that he was living in 1423.
The same historian seems to claim for Bl. Alvarez that he was the
originator in the West of the devotion of the Stations of the Cross.
But the idea of a series of such shrines may be traced as far back as
St. Petronius of Bologna in the fifth century, and the Augustinians,
Peter and John da Fabriano, erected similar stations shortly before
the time of Alvarez. The idea at this period was becoming very
general.


Saint Quote:
"Love sinners, but hate their works, and do not despise them for their
faults, lest you be tempted by the same. Remember that you share the
earthly nature of Adam and that you are clothed with his infirmity."
--St. Isaac the Syrian.

Bible Quote:
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength
is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory
in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  (2
Corinthians 12:9) DRB


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Rise, glorious Victor, rise
Into Thy native skies,--
Assume Thy right;
And where in many a fold
The clouds are backward rolled,
Pass through those gates of gold,
And reign in light.

Enter, Incarnate God;
No feet but Thine have trod
The serpent down;
The full-voiced trumpets blow,
Wider the portals throw;
Saviour, triumphant go,
And take Thy crown.

O Lord, ascend Thy throne;
For Thou shalt rule alone,
Beside Thy Sire
And blessed Paraclete,
The Three in One complete,
Before Whose awful feet
All foes expire.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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