COMMEMORATION OF BEDE THE VENERABLE
27 May Anno + Domini 2009
"The Glory Which Awaits Us"
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Venerable Bede, who is recognized as the last of the early church fathers, and the only English-speaking of the bunch, died on Ascension Day in 735 A.D. He spent his entire life in service to God, entering the monastery, at the behest of his parents, at the ripe old age of seven. And, we are thankful for the many blessed contributions he made to the Church, for his Church History of the English-speaking Church is priceless, as are the many commentaries, translations, and hymns that came from his faithful hand. To give you a taste of how this beloved saint blessed the church, here is an excerpt from one of his homilies on the occasion of All Saints Day:
"Dearly beloved: Today we keep holy-day, with one great cry of joy, in memory of all the Saints whose presence is a gladness to heaven; whose prayers are a blessing to earth; whose victories are the crown of the holy Church; whose testimony is now to be honored in proportion to the glory imparted to it by the agony which was endured in the giving of it.
"For the greater the torment, the richer the reward; and the fiercer the battle, the brighter the glory of the fighters whose triumph in martyrdom was in this wise adorned with more sufferings.
"Our mother the Catholic Church, which is spread far and wide throughout all this planet, hath learnt, from Christ Jesus her Head, to fear neither shame nor cross nor death, but to increase in strength by enduring suffering rather than by resisting it. Therefore she was able to breathe into each one of that noble band, which persevered under condemnation to suffering, a spirit of courage like unto her own, even the hope of conquest and glory, whereby they were invigorated to persevere manfully in conflict to the very end.
"O TRULY blessed mother Church, whom God's mercy doth so illumine! Whom the glorious blood of victorious Martyrs doth adorn! Whom the inviolate virginity of so many pure souls doth clothe with raiment white and glistering! Neither roses nor lilies are wanting to thy garlands.
"Therefore dearly beloved, let us each one strive to attain the goodly crown of one or the other of these dignities, either the glistering whiteness of chastity, or the red dye of suffering. In the heavenly army both peace and war have chaplets of their own, to crown Christ's soldiers withal.
"MOREOVER, the unutterable and infinite goodness of God hath provided this, namely, that the time of working and wrestling is not over-long, much less everlasting, but as it were a moment. That is, only in this short and scanty life is there wrestling and working, but the crown and the prize endureth for a life which is eternal. The work is soon over, but the wage is paid for ever.
"And when the night of this world is ended, the Saints see the clearness of the essential light, and receive a blessedness outweighing the pangs of any torment, as testifieth the Apostle Paul: The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.â€
Yes, indeed, dear friends, the Venerable Bede, whom we commemorate today, was a true theologian of the cross. He preached and taught the truth, that we will suffer in this world, but that the glory that awaits us far surpasses what we suffer here. And, that glory awaits us because our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and was made Man to live, die, rise, and ascend for us. He has completed all the work of our salvation. He has suffered all that needs to be suffered for every one of our sins. And so, we rest securely in the sure and certain promises He lays before us - that He fills us with the Spirit in His Word and with His very Body and Blood in the Holy Supper, forgiving our sins, strengthening our faith, and keeping us in the ark of His glorious Church until that great and glorious Day when He shall dispense His holy angels to the four corners of the earth to gather up all people to stand before His throne and receive His eternal judgment. We know that that Day will be the most glorious Day ever for we who believe in Christ, for then we shall see Him as He is, and join in the Wedding Feast He has prepared for us, never again knowing the pain and suffering which come from living in this sin-filled world.
Until that Day, we abide in His Word as we gather in His Holy House, just as the Venerable Bede, and all the saints who have gone before us, did. And like them, we shall receive our reward and experience the glory that simply cannot be described with human language. Amen to that! In Jesus' Holy and Precious Name. Amen.
Now the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.