Author: Jeff Cassman
Perseverance
Pope Saint Alexander the First
A few comments about Alexander, courtesy of ChatGPT4:
According to the Liber Pontificalis, Pope Alexander I was responsible for incorporating the narration of the Last Supper (the Qui pridie) into the Mass liturgy. Nevertheless, the 1907 Catholic Encyclopedia article on Saint Alexander I, authored by Thomas Shahan, disputes this tradition, a perspective that is endorsed by both Catholic and non-Catholic scholars[. This viewpoint suggests that the inclusion of this narrative in the Liber Pontificalis, which was likely written in the late 5th century, serves to advance the book’s agenda of portraying an ancient pattern of the earliest Roman bishops governing the church through papal decree.
Pope Alexander I is also credited with introducing the practices of utilizing blessed water mixed with salt for the purification of Christian homes from malevolent influences and blending water with sacramental wine. However, some sources cast doubt on these attributions. Despite these uncertainties, it remains plausible that Alexander played a significant role in the nascent development of the Church of Rome’s liturgical and administrative traditions.
A subsequent tradition asserts that during Emperor Hadrian’s reign, Alexander I miraculously converted the Roman governor Hermes, along with his entire household of 1,500 individuals. Quirinus of Neuss, who is believed to have been Alexander’s jailer, and Quirinus’ daughter, Balbina of Rome, were also among his converts.
It has been reported that Alexander experienced a vision of the infant Jesus[4]. Moreover, his remains were allegedly transferred to Freising, Bavaria, Germany, in AD 834.… Read the rest
When the Whole World Groaned
In the throes of Alexandria’s ancient breath, There lived a bishop, his name Athanasius, bound to faith. A man of cloth, of spirit and divine intellect, A sentinel of truth, the Arian heresy to intercept.
Verses of rhythm, in his honor, we write, To celebrate the shepherd, who brought forth light. Holding fast to Nicene truths with all his might, His wisdom, a beacon, piercing the theological night.
St. Athanasius, bishop bold, In Alexandria’s streets, his tale was told. In the echoes of church bells, in the whispers of prayer, His legacy lives, in the incensed air.
Against the grain, he dared to tread, His strong belief, like golden thread, Interwoven in the fabric of our creed, Planting firm the Trinitarian seed.
Metaphors of his life, like an oasis in sand, Guide us through, the spiritual wasteland. His words, the compass, that guide our soul, To reach faith’s zenith, our eternal goal.
Oh, Saint Athanasius, voice firm and clear, Your legacy of devotion, we hold dear. In times of turmoil, in times of strife, Your writings remind us, of the essence of life.
A stanza for your courage, a verse for your faith, Rhymed in the annals, of the human wraith. Your life, a sonnet, your faith, a song, Your truth, a chorus, to which we belong.… Read the rest
Working from Home
In a humble carpenter’s guise did he live,
Saint Joseph, strong and silent, much to give.
Guardian of the Infant, God’s decree,
Foster father to the Child, in Galilee.
Beneath the gentle splendor of the moon,
To the rhythmic chant of nature’s tune,
He whittled wood in the soft twilight,
A protector in the day, a shield in the night.
His hands, once raw and rugged, tenderly caressed,
The Savior of the world, to his chest he pressed.
In quiet faith, he lived his role,
Nurturing a young Child, destined to console.
He heard the angels’ whispers on the breeze,
Felt the divine echo in the rustling trees.
Unquestioning, he carried out his part,
In God’s grand story, etched in every heart.
Tales of this holy man, in scriptures we find,
His courage, his virtue, a testament to mankind.
He showed us, through his humble mortal quest,
The sacredness of duty, love manifest.
He, who carried the light, in a world bereft,
Took Mary and her Child, when from home they left.
To Egypt’s distant sands, under starry sheath,
He led them, guided by faith, beyond belief.
A silent figure, in a story loudly told,
His life, a testimony, courageously bold.
Through Joseph’s eyes, we see a world anew,
With every sunrise, a promise to pursue.
For he is not just the carpenter, austere,
But the guardian of God’s son, holding dear.
The lullabies of Bethlehem, in his memory,
Echo the love of a father, through eternity.
To Saint Joseph, … Read the rest