Lives of the Saints
1. THE PROPHET MALACHI
Malachi was the last of the prophets in time. Malachi was born after the return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity. Malachi was unusually handsome in face. According to tradition, the people called Malachi an angel, perhaps because of his outward beauty or because of his spiritual purity, or perhaps because of his fellowship with the angel of God. Malachi often spoke with the angel face to face. When this happened, some others also heard the angelic voice, but they were not deemed worthy to see the angelic face. What the angel announced to Malachi, the young prophet also prophesied. Malachi cried out against ungrateful Israel and against lawless priests. Five hundred years before Christ Malachi clearly foretold the appearance and ministry of John the Baptist. But mainly, Malachi is the prophet of the day of the Dread Judgment. Malachi presented himself to God in his youth and after him there were no more prophets in Israel until John the Baptist.
2. THE HOLY MARTYR GORDIUS
Gordius was born in Caesarea in Cappadocia. Gordius was an officer in the Roman army in the time of Emperor Licinius. But when a terrible persecution of Christians began, Gordius abandoned the army and his rank and withdrew into the Sinai desert. Alone on Mount Horeb, Gordius spent his time in prayer and contemplation about the mysteries of heaven and earth. In particular, Gordius pondered the vanity and nothingness of all that over which people struggle and fight so much on earth, and finally Gordius desired to die and pass into imperishable and incorrupt life. With that desire Gordius descended into the city at the time of some pagan races and games. Gordius presented himself to the governor as a Christian. In vain the governor tried to dissuade Gordius from the faith, with flattery and threats. Gordius remained unshaken and firm as a diamond and said: "Is it not obvious madness to purchase with this short-lived life eternal torment and spiritual destruction?" Condemned to death, Gordius hastened joyfully to the place of execution and along the way spoke to the executioners about the wondrous and sweet teaching of Christ. And with the name of Jesus on his lips Gordius gave up his young body to the sword and his righteous soul to God in the year 320.
3. SAINT GENEVIEVE
Genevieve was the protectress of the city of Paris. By fasting, prayer and almsgiving Genevieve was deemed worthy of the Kingdom of God and reposed on January 3, 512 in the eighty-ninth year of her life.
Hymn of Praise
Malachi announces what the angel tells him:
"A day, a day, O a day comes! A day that burns like a furnace.
Who shall endure it? Who shall stand?
Who with his own righteousness shall stand before the Judge?
All the godless shall be like dry stubble,
Food for the hungry fire. Weeping, sighing and wailing!
The fire overflows and flows like a river—
What can the tongue of a sinner say then?
My priests, my blasphemers,
Why does your tongue not sing the Lord's glory?
You became despised among all people everywhere,
For you despised my judgment, and my law, and my wonders.
I the Lord speak, the Lord of hosts,
O heavy judgment upon hateful sorcerers!
When the fire rushes forth with smoke and terrible roar,
Then the Lord's hand caresses no more.
Repent, O people, while there is yet day,
Return to me, and I will return to you.
I the Lord speak, the Lord of hosts:
Return to me, and I will return to you."
Malachi announces what the angel tells him:
"A day, a day, O a day comes! A day that burns like a furnace!"
“When the fire rushes forth with smoke and terrible roar, then the Lord's hand caresses no more.”
Reflection
Humiliation and destruction God allows upon a proud person when he thinks his power is secured forever. When the evil Roman eparch Tarquinius beheaded blessed Timothy, Tarquinius summoned Saint Sylvester and threatened him with death if Sylvester did not disclose Timothy's inheritance and if in addition Sylvester did not immediately offer sacrifice to idols. Without fear and trembling the clairvoyant saint answered him with Gospel words: fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee, and what you boast you will inflict on me (that is, death) will happen to you. The proud eparch bound Sylvester in chains and threw Sylvester into prison with the intention of soon executing him. Having done this the eparch sat down to dine. But a fish bone lodged in his throat. From noon until midnight the doctors struggled to save his life, but all in vain. At midnight Tarquinius released his proud soul in the greatest torments. And thus was fulfilled the prophecy of Saint Sylvester, and also the biblical word: pride goeth before destruction (Prov. 16:18).
“Humiliation and destruction God allows upon a proud person when he thinks his power is secured forever.”
Contemplation
Contemplate the guardian angel, namely:
1. How he stands at my right side supporting me as long as I do not abandon God's law;
2. How I have many times offended him and driven him away from me, sinning against God's law.
Homily
on how the Kingdom of God is won by the heart and not by the tongue
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 7:21)
By the tongue, brethren, the Kingdom of God is not won but by the heart. The heart is the treasury of that treasure by which the kingdom is purchased, the heart and not the tongue. If the treasury is full of God's treasure, that is, strong faith, good hope, bright love and good deeds, then the herald of that treasure, the tongue, is also faithful and dear; but if the treasury is empty of all that treasure, then its herald is also false and insolent. What kind of heart, such also the words. What kind of heart, such also the deeds. All, all depends on the heart. Pretense is powerless even before people, still more powerless before God. If I am a father, says the Lord through the prophet Malachi, if I am a father, where is mine honour? And if I am a master, where is my fear? That is: I hear that you call me father, but I do not see that you honor me with your heart. I hear that you call me master, but I do not see fear toward me in your hearts. Our prayer: Lord! Lord! is beautiful and useful only when it springs from a prayerful heart. The Lord Himself commanded that we pray unceasingly, but not only with the tongue, that people might hear us, but shut in the chamber of the heart, that the Lord might hear and see us.
O magnificent and wondrous Lord, deliver us from hypocrisy and pour Thy fear into our hearts, that our heart might stand unceasingly upright in prayer before Thee. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“By the tongue, brethren, the Kingdom of God is not won but by the heart.”