>> A READING FROM THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. AT THE TURN OF THE YEAR, WHEN KINGS GO OUT ON CAMPAIGN, DAVID SENT OUT JOAB ALONG WITH HIS OFFICERS AND THE ARMY OF ISRAEL, AND THEY RAVAGED THE AMMONITES AND BESIEGED RABBAH. DAVID, HOWEVER, REMAINED IN JERUSALEM. ONE EVENING DAVID ROSE FROM HIS SIESTA AND STROLLED ABOUT ON THE ROOF OF THE PALACE. FROM THE ROOF HE SAW A WOMAN BATHING, WHO WAS VERY BEAUTIFUL. DAVID HAD INQUIRIES MADE ABOUT THE WOMAN AND WAS TOLD, SHE IS BATHSHEBA, DAUGHTER OF ELIAM, AND WIFE OF JOAB'S ARMOR BEARER URIAH THE HITTITE. THEN DAVID SENT MESSENGERS AND TOOK HER. WHEN SHE CAME TO HIM, HE HAD RELATIONS WITH HER. SHE THEN RETURNED TO HER HOUSE. BUT THE WOMAN HAD CONCEIVED, AND SENT THE INFORMATION TO DAVID, I AM WITH CHILD. DAVID THEREFORE SENT A MESSAGE TO JOAB, SEND ME URIAH THE HITTITE. SO JOAB SENT URIAH TO DAVID. WHEN HE CAME, DAVID QUESTIONED HIM ABOUT JOAB, THE SOLDIERS, AND HOW THE WAR WAS GOING, AND URIAH ANSWERED THAT ALL WAS WELL. DAVID THEN SAID TO URIAH, GO DOWN TO YOUR HOUSE AND BATHE YOUR FEET. URIAH LEFT THE PALACE, AND A PORTION WAS SENT OUT AFTER HIM FROM THE KING'S TABLE. BUT URIAH SLEPT AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE ROYAL PALACE WITH THE OTHER OFFICERS OF HIS LORD, AND DID NOT GO DOWN TO HIS OWN HOUSE. DAVID WAS TOLD THAT URIAH HAD NOT GONE HOME. ON THE DAY FOLLOWING, DAVID SUMMONED HIM, AND HE ATE AND DRANK WITH DAVID, WHO MADE HIM DRUNK. BUT IN THE EVENING URIAH WENT OUT TO SLEEP ON HIS BED AMONG HIS LORD'S SERVANTS, AND DID NOT GO DOWN TO HIS HOME. THE NEXT MORNING DAVID WROTE A LETTER TO JOAB WHICH HE SENT BY URIAH. IN IT HE DIRECTED: PLACE URIAH UP FRONT, WHERE THE FIGHTING IS FIERCE. THEN PULL BACK AND LEAVE HIM TO BE STRUCK DOWN DEAD. SO WHILE JOAB WAS BESIEGING THE CITY, HE ASSIGNED URIAH TO A PLACE WHERE HE KNEW THE DEFENDERS WERE STRONG. WHEN THE MEN OF THE CITY MADE A SORTIE AGAINST JOAB, SOME OFFICERS OF DAVID'S ARMY FELL, AND AMONG THEM URIAH THE HITTITE DIED. THE WORD OF THE LORD. >> THANKS BE TO GOD. >> BE MERCIFUL, O LORD, FOR WE HAVE SINNED. >> BE MERCIFUL, O LORD, FOR WE HAVE SINNED. >> HAVE MERCY ON ME, O GOD, IN YOUR GOODNESS; IN THE GREATNESS OF YOUR COMPASSION WIPE OUT MY OFFENSE. THOROUGHLY WASH ME FROM MY GUILT AND OF MY SIN CLEANSE ME. >> BE MERCIFUL, O LORD, FOR WE HAVE SINNED. >> FOR I ACKNOWLEDGE MY OFFENSE, AND MY SIN IS BEFORE ME ALWAYS: AGAINST YOU ONLY HAVE I SINNED, AND DONE WHAT IS EVIL IN YOUR SIGHT. >> BE MERCIFUL, O LORD, FOR WE HAVE SINNED. >> I HAVE DONE SUCH EVIL IN YOUR SIGHT THAT YOU ARE JUST IN YOUR SENTENCE, BLAMELESS WHEN YOU CONDEMN. TRUE, I WAS BORN GUILTY, A SINNER, EVEN AS MY MOTHER CONCEIVED ME. BE MERCIFUL, O LORD, FOR WE HAVE SINNED. LET ME HEAR THE SOUNDS OF JOY AND GLADNESS; THE BONES YOU HAVE CRUSHED SHALL REJOICE. TURN AWAY YOUR FACE FROM MY SINS, AND BLOT OUT ALL MY GUILT. >> BE MERCIFUL, O LORD, FOR WE HAVE SINNED. (ORGAN) >> ♪ ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ BLESSED ARE YOU, FATHER, LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH; YOU HAVE REVEALED TO LITTLE ONES THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM ♪ >> ♪ ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ DOMINUS VOBISCUM ♪ >> ♪ ET CUM SPIRITU TUO ♪ >> ♪ LECTIO SANCTI EVANGELII SECUNDUM MARCUM ♪ >> ♪ GLORIA TIBI, DOMINE ♪ >> JESUS SAID TO THE CROWDS: THIS IS HOW IT IS WITH THE KINGDOM OF GOD; IT IS AS IF A MAN WERE TO SCATTER SEED ON THE LAND AND WOULD SLEEP AND RISE NIGHT AND DAY AND THE SEED WOULD SPROUT AND GROW, HE KNOWS NOT HOW. OF ITS OWN ACCORD THE LAND YIELDS FRUIT, FIRST THE BLADE, THEN THE EAR, THEN THE FULL GRAIN IN THE EAR. AND WHEN THE GRAIN IS RIPE, HE WIELDS THE SICKLE AT ONCE, FOR THE HARVEST HAS COME. HE SAID, TO WHAT SHALL WE COMPARE THE KINGDOM OF GOD, OR WHAT PARABLE CAN WE USE FOR IT? IT IS LIKE A MUSTARD SEED THAT, WHEN IT IS SOWN IN THE GROUND, IS THE SMALLEST OF ALL THE SEEDS ON THE EARTH. BUT ONCE IT IS SOWN, IT SPRINGS UP AND BECOMES THE LARGEST OF PLANTS AND PUTS FORTH LARGE BRANCHES, SO THAT THE BIRDS OF THE SKY CAN DWELL IN ITS SHADE. WITH MANY SUCH PARABLES HE SPOKE THE WORD TO THEM AS THEY WERE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND IT. WITHOUT PARABLES HE DID NOT SPEAK TO THEM, BUT TO HIS OWN DISCIPLES HE EXPLAINED EVERYTHING IN PRIVATE. ♪ VERBUM DOMINI ♪ >> ♪ LAUS TIBI, CHRISTE ♪ >> IT WAS ON JANUARY 28, 1998 THAT MOTHER ANGELICA RECEIVED THE REMARKABLE HEALING HERE. DOWN AT THE STUDIO. THE CRUTCHES AND BRACES THAT HAD ACCOMPANIED HER FOR SO MANY YEARS OF HER LIFE SHE NO LONGER NEEDED. SHE WAS HEALED AND ABLE TO WALK AND SHE DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO BUY HER 1ST PAIR OF SHOES WITHOUT THE ACCOMPANYING BRACE AND SO ON AND SHE BROUGHT THEM HERE BEFORE JESUS TO THANK HIM. AND TO SHOW HIM HER NEW SHOES. I COULD NOT HELP BUT THINK OF THE CONNECTION WITH TODAY'S GREAT ST. ST. THOMAS AQUINAS. WHENEVER WE SING AT ADORATION, THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, WE HAVE A VESTMENT WITH ANGELS AND ADORATION AND WE HAVE ANGELS HERE DEPICTED IN ADORATION. WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT 365 DAYS OF THE YEAR. AND WHENEVER WE HAVE BENEDICTION, WE ARE SINGING A HYMN THAT ST. THOMAS AQUINAS WROTE. DOWN IN ADORATION KNEELING. THIS GREAT SACRAMENT WE HALE. HE WAS COMMISSIONED BY POPE URBAN THE 4TH WHEN HE WAS GOING TO INSTITUTE THIS FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI HE COMMISSIONED ST. THOMAS AQUINAS TO WRITE THE HYMNS IN THE OFFICE, THE MASS FOR THAT CELEBRATION. AND IN HIS WRITING YOU HAVE THIS CLEAR DOCTRINE BUT ALSO YOU HAVE THIS GREAT WARM DEVOTION YOU SEE BOTH OF THOSE AND THOMAS AQUINAS. TODAY FOR THE COMMUNION HIM TODAY, OUR CHOIR IS GOING TO BE SINGING A HYMN WRITTEN BY ST. THOMAS AQUINAS, ADORO TE DEVOTE. LET ME READ A TRANSLATION BY HOPKINS. THIS IS THE 1ST AND LAST VERSE OF THIS HYMN WRITTEN BY ST. THOMAS AQUINAS. YOU GET A SENSE OF HOW CLEAR HE IS IN HIS TEACHING BUT ALSO THE WARMTH OF HIS DEVOTION. "GODHEAD HERE IN HIDING WHOM I DO ADORE. MASKED BY THE SHADOWS, SHAPE AND NOTHING MORE. SEE LORD AT THY SERVICE LOW LIES HERE THE HEART LOST ALL LOST IN WONDER AT THE GOD THOU ART. IN THE LAST VERSE, JESUS WHOM I LOOK AT SHROUDED HERE BELOW I BESEECH THE SEND ME WHAT I THIRST FOR SO. SOMEDAY GAZE ON THE FACE TO FACE IN LIGHT AND BE BLESSED FOREVER WITH THY GLORY SITE. AMEN." SO THIS BEAUTY OF WHAT HE WROTE AND I HOPE YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO SEE THE MASS WE TELEVISED FROM THE BASILICA OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION IN WASHINGTON DC. IT WAS A MASS FOR THE STUDENTS OF CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY BECAUSE THE PATRONESS OF ST. THOMAS AQUINAS. FATHER DOMINIC GAVE A BEAUTIFUL HOMILY ON ST. THOMAS AQUINAS AND HOW HE IS AN EXAMPLE FOR STUDENTS IN THEIR OWN DEVOTION BUT IN THEIR SEEKING WISDOM. HE SAID WHAT ARE OUR MINDS MADE FOR? TO GROW IN KNOWLEDGE AND TRUTH AND WISDOM AND THIS BRINGS US HAPPINESS. WHEN WE COME TO DISCOVER NEW INSIGHTS. NEW TRUTHS. BUT HE SAID THAT HIS FAVORITE STORY REGARDING ST. THOMAS AQUINAS WAS ONE THAT WAS ATTESTED TO BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE INCLUDING THE MAN WHO WAS THE SACRISTAN AT THE NAPLES PRIORY. AND THOMAS AQUINAS WOULD LIKE TO GET UP EARLY IN THE MORNING AND PRAY BEFORE THE CRUCIFIX. AND THE SACRISTAN, HIS NAME WAS BROTHER DOMINIC, THAT HE OVERHEARD A VOICE IT SOUNDED LIKE THE LORD. THOMAS YOU HAVE WRITTEN WELL OF ME. WHAT WOULD YOU ASK IN RETURN? AND THOMAS REPLIED ... NONE OTHER LORD BUT THYSELF. NOTHING BUT YOU. THAT IS MY REWARD. NOTHING BUT YOU. AS YOU SEE THIS WARM DEVOTION. IT IS FITTING TODAY WHEN WE THINK ABOUT TODAY'S 1ST READING HOW WE ARE ALSO TALKING ABOUT A VIRTUE THAT WAS EVIDENT IN ST. THOMAS AQUINAS'S LIFE THE VIRTUE OF PURITY. TO A REMARKABLE DEGREE. IN FACT SOME SAID IN THOMAS IT WAS REALIZED THE BEATITUDE BLESSED ARE THE PURE OF HEART. FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD. HE WAS ABLE TO WRITE SUCH CLEAR DOCTRINE. HE WAS ABLE TO SEE SO FAR. HE WAS ABLE TO WRITE SO CLEARLY THAT WE STILL USE HIS UNDERSTANDING AND TEACHING. HE SHOWED US THAT OUR FAITH IS REASONABLE. UNDERSTANDABLE. CREDIBLE. HE SHOWED HOW THAT IS TRUE. HE WAS ABLE TO SEE SO FAR BECAUSE OF HIS PURITY. DONALD DIMARCO HAS WRITTEN A COUPLE OF BOOKS CALLED THE HEART OF VIRTUE. 1 AND 2. HE HAS DIFFERENT VIRTUES HIGHLIGHTED THEN HE HAS AN EXAMPLE TO ILLUSTRATE THAT PARTICULAR VIRTUE. SO FOR THE VIRTUE OF CHASTITY HE CHOOSES ST. THOMAS AQUINAS. AND DR. DIMARCO TALKS ABOUT THE HERITAGE OF ST. THOMAS AQUINAS. HE SAID HIS GREAT UNCLE WAS THE BEARDED TERROR BARBAROSSA. AND HIS 2ND COUSIN WAS THE BRUTAL EMPEROR FREDERICK THE 2ND OF GERMANY. HIS FAMILY WAS RELATED TO HENRY VI, AS WELL AS TO A GOOD HALF OF THE RULING HOUSES OF EUROPE. HE WAS OF NOBILITY. AND THIS WAS THE PLAN HIS FAMILY HAD FOR HIS LIFE UNTIL THOMAS ANNOUNCES HE IS GOING TO JOIN THIS NEW GROUP OF PREACHERS THAT HAVE JUST BEGUN. THE ORDER OF PREACHERS WE CALL THEM THE DOMINICANS. FOUNDED BY ST. DOMINIC. THEY WOULD HAVE NOTHING OF THIS. SO WHEN HE WENT OFF TO JOIN THEM HIS MOTHER ASKED 2 OF HIS BROTHERS WHO WERE SOLDIERS TO BRING HIM BACK. LOCK HIM UP FOR 18 MONTHS. HE IS LOCKED UP. THEY'RE TRYING TO CONVINCE HIM THAT THIS IS NOT WHAT HE NEEDS TO BE DOING. SO DONALD DIMARCO SAID, EVERY MEANS FAIR AND FOUL WAS USED TO SHAKE HIM FROM HIS RESOLVE TO BECOME A DOMINICAN PREACHER. MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY TOOK TURNS AND RESORTING TO A WIDE ASSORTMENT OF STRATEGIES. KINDNESS, AND HARSH TREATMENT. BLANDISHMENTS AND THREATS. DEPRIVATION OF FOOD AND BOOKS. HIS ELDEST SISTER WAS SENT TO CONVERT HIM AND SHE HERSELF WAS CONVERTED BY HIM AND JOIN THE ORDER OF ST. BENEDICT. THE FAMILY'S PATIENCE MUST'VE BEEN AT THE POINT OF EXHAUSTION WHEN HIS BROTHER ADOPTED A DEVILISH PLAN TO LOWER HIM SO WHILE HIS YOUNG BROTHER ABOUT 19 WAS SLEEPING, HE PUTS A YOUNG BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN HIS ROOM TO ENTICE HIM. WHEN THOMAS WAKES UP AND RECOGNIZES HER INTENTIONS HE GRABS A BRAND OUT OF THE FIREPLACE AND DRIVES HER OUT. AND CLOSES THE DOOR AND MARKS A CROSS ON THE DOOR. LATER TOWARD THE END OF HIS LIFE HE IS RELATING THIS TO HIS COMPANION REGINALD AND HE SAID AT THAT MOMENT HE EARNESTLY IMPLORED GOD TO GRANT HIM INTEGRITY OF MIND AND BODY AND HIS PRAYER WAS ANSWERED THAT HE NEVER AGAIN HAD ANY TROUBLE WITH THE DISTURBANCES OF THE FLESH. HE WAS ABLE TO PURSUE TRUTH. THAT IS WHY WE CALL HIM THE ANGELIC DOCTOR. SO LET US LOOK AT THIS IMPORTANT VIRTUE SO EVIDENT IN THE LIFE OF ST. THOMAS AQUINAS AND CERTAINLY IS AN INTERCESSOR WE NEED FOR OUR TIMES AND FOR OURSELVES TO LIVE THIS VIRTUE IN A SOCIETY THAT IS SO FULL OF SO MUCH POISON. SO MUCH POISON. AND AS WE KNOW AND HAVE BEEN HIGHLIGHTING ALICE VON HILDEBRAND, DR. ALICE, SHE ADMIRED AND LOVED HER DEAR HUSBAND HER LATE HUSBAND DIETRICH. DIETRICH, I WAS LOOKING THROUGH HIS BOOK ON PURITY THAT HE WROTE IN 1925. BUT HE HAD SUCH A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING REALLY OF THE VALUE OF THIS VIRTUE THAT WE NEED TO STRIVE FOR AND TO PRAY FOR. AND HE SPEAKS OF IT IN 1 OF HIS CHAPTERS CHAPTER 3 PURITY AS A POSITIVE VIRTUE. SO DO NOT THINK OF THIS AS JUST WELL YOU CANNOT DO THIS OR YOU CANNOT DO THAT. IT IS SOMETHING THAT ENABLES US TO LOVE. IT ENABLES US TO BE FREE AND HAVING INTEGRITY A UNITY WITHIN OURSELVES AND OUR BODIES AND SOULS. IN GIVES US A POWER TO LOVE WITHOUT LOOKING TO GRASP BUT RATHER TO GIVE OUR SELF AND SELF GIVING LOVE. THAT IS WHAT THIS VIRTUE ENABLES US TO DO. IT IS A POSITIVE STRENGTH. IT IS A POSITIVE VIRTUE. AND SO HE SAYS THE PURE MAN IS ONE WHO AVOIDS THE DEADLY POISON. THE DEADLY POISON OF IMPURITY. WHICH HE UNDERSTANDS IS GOING TO BRING A DEFILEMENT AND SEPARATE THAT PERSON FROM GOD. WHENEVER IMPURITY, SEXUALITY IS TREATED AS ITS OWN END. I LOVE WHAT HE SAYS THAT PURITY IS REFERENCE. REVERENCE. REVERENCE FOR GOD. REVERENCE FOR THE OTHER. REVERENCE FOR GOD'S CREATION. A CERTAIN AWE AT THIS MINISTRY FOR MARITAL LIFE. THERE IS IN AWE STANDING BEFORE THIS MYSTERY. I OFTEN SAY THAT THE CHURCH'S TEACHINGS ON CHASTITY IMPURITY ARE BECAUSE GOD LOVES CHILDREN. AND HE WANTS WHAT IS BEST FOR THEM. WHAT WILL LEAD TO THEIR FLOURISHING. A MOTHER AND FATHER UNITED IN MARITAL LOVE. THEN BEING THE FRUIT OF THAT LOVE. IT IS SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL. SOMETHING GOOD. OUR TEACHINGS ARE BASED ON THE FACT THAT GOD WANTS WHAT IS BEST FOR CHILDREN'S FLOURISHING. SO DIETRICH SAID THERE IS THIS CERTAIN REVERENCE THAT WE HAVE FOR THE OTHER. FOR OURSELVES. FOR GOD. FOR GOD'S CREATION. THIS IS A FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT OF PURITY. HE SAYS THAT PURITY IS FURTHER CHARACTERIZED BY HUMBLE SINCERITY. THE PURE MAN FEELS HIMSELF A SINNER CAPABLE BUT FOR THE HELP OF GOD'S GRACE OF BEING SUBMERGED AT ANY MOMENT BY THE FLESH. SO YOU HAVE THIS REVERENCE BUT YOU ALSO HAVE THIS HUMILITY AWARE THAT WITHOUT GOD'S GRACE I AM GOING TO BE SWEPT AWAY WITH WHERE OUR CULTURE IS HEADED. SO HERE IS THAT COMPONENT THAT IS THIS LIFE OF PRAYER. GIVE ME THE GRACE TO HAVE THIS INTEGRITY AND UNITY WITHIN MY SELVES. SO THAT I'M ABLE TO BE FREE TO LOVE. THAT I MAY HAVE THAT BEATITUDE SAID OF ME ALSO. BLESSED ARE THE PURE OF HEART FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD. ST. THOMAS AQUINAS MAY HE ASSIST US IN GROWING IN THIS VIRTUE. AND ALSO ANOTHER ELEMENT OF HIS BEING ABLE TO LIVE OUT HIS LIFE SO DEVOUTLY LOVINGLY AND IN A HOLY WAY WAS HIS PROFOUND DEVOTION TO THE EUCHARIST. MAY JESUS THIS DAY GIVE US THAT VIRTUE OF PURITY TO OUR COUNTRY TO THE WORLD, SO THAT WE MAY APPRECIATE IT ANEW AND GROW AND STRIVE FOR THIS VIRTUE ALWAYS.
