In this episode of the Council of Catholic Men, we open with prayer and begin our study of 2 Corinthians from the Douay-Rheims english translation of the bible, covering chapters 1–4. We reflect on Paul’s consolations amid tribulations, his integrity in ministry, the forgiveness shown to the repentant sinner, and the call to authentic penance. We highlight Paul’s defense of consistent apostolic teaching centered on Christ as the unchanging “Yes,” the meaning of indulgence and mercy for the penitent, and the “odor of life” versus “odor of death” as responses to the Gospel. In chapter 3, we consider the veil over hearts apart from Christ, the surpassing glory of the New Covenant, and “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life,” then move to chapter 4 on persevering through suffering, carrying the death of Jesus in our bodies so that His life may be manifest, fixing our eyes on the eternal rather than the temporal.
We then read from St. Peter Canisius’s Catechism on the purging of sins, the sacrament of penance, the power of almsgiving, forgiveness of others, fraternal correction, contrition, and the serious dangers of “small” or venial sins that cool charity and dispose us to greater sins—touching on immoderate jesting and idle talk as gateways to temptation. We close with a reading on the martyrdom of St. Januarius and companions and a brief note on the enduring tradition of his miracles, ending in prayer and an invitation to continue next time with 2 Corinthians 5.
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Welcome to the Council of Catholic Men. Today is Wednesday, 09/17/2025. Let's begin with a prayer. In the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen. Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done upon earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. In the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen. Tonight, and this evening, or this morning, wherever you may be, we're going to beginning the second epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians.
And I'm gonna read from the forward in this. We're reading from the Douay Rheims version of the Bible which is, an older form of English. It's probably from the sixteen hundreds. In this epistle, Saint Paul comforts those who are now reformed by his admonitions to them in the former, and absolves the incestuous man on doing penance, whom he had before excommunicated for his crime. Hence he treats of true penance and of the dignity of the ministers of the New Testament. He cautions the faithful against false teachers and the society of infidels.
He gives an account of his sufferings and also of the favors and graces which God bestowed on him. This second apostle was written in the same year as the first. And was sent by Titus from some place in Macedonia. Chapter one. He speaks of his troubles in Asia. His not coming to them was not out of levity. The consistency and sincerity of his doctrine. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of god, and Timothy, our brother, to the church of god, that is at Corinth, with all the saints that are in all Achaia. Grace unto you and peace from god, our father, and and from the lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the god and father of our lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies, and the god of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we also may be able to comfort them who are in all distress. By the exhortation wherewith, we also are exhorted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so also by Christ doth our comfort abound. Now, whether we be in tribulation, it is for your exhortation and salvation. Or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation. Or whether we be exhorted, it is your, it is for your exhortation and salvation which worketh the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.
That our hope for you may be steadfast knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall you also be of the consolation. For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, of our tribulation, which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure above our strength. So that we were weary even of life. But we had in ourselves the answer of death. That we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead. Who hath delivered and doth deliver us out of so great dangers. In whom we trust that he will yet also deliver us. You helping with all in prayer for us that for this gift obtained for us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many in our behalf.
For our glory is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity of heart and sincerity of God, and not in carnal wisdom, but in the grace of God, we have conversed in this world, and more abundantly towards you. For we write no other things to you than what you have read and known. And I hope that you shall know unto the end. As also you have known us in part, that we are your glory. As you also are ours in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. And in this confidence, I had a mind to come to you before that you might have a second grace.
And to pass by you into Macedonia and again from Macedonia to come to you. And by you to be brought on my way towards Judea. Whereas when I was thus minded, did I use lightness? Or the things that I propose, do I propose according to the flesh, that there should be with me, it is, and it is not. But God is faithful, for our preaching which was to you, was not, it is, and it is not. For the son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, and by Sylvanius, and Timothy was not, it is, and it is not, but it is, was in him.
For all the promises of God are in him, it is, therefore, also by him, amen, to God, unto glory, now he that confirmeth us with you in Christ, and that hath anointed us in God, is God. Who also hath sealed us and given the pledge of the spirit in our hearts. But I call God to witness upon my soul, that to spare you, I came not anymore to Corinth. Not because we exercise dominion over your faith, but we are helpers of your joy. For in faith, you stand. That's the end of chapter one. Let's go to the footnotes. The references. We're referencing verse 19 Verse 19 is, for the son of god, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, and Sylvanus, and Timothy, was not, it is, and it is not, but it is, was in him.
It is, was in him. There was no inconsistency in the doctrine of the apostles. Sometimes, like modern secretaries saying, it is, and at other times saying, it is not. But, their doctrine was ever the same, one uniform, yea, in Jesus Christ, one amen, that is one truth in him. So it's representing that truth comes through Jesus Christ, who is true god and true man, who is with the father at the beginning of creation, and they share in one nature, which is god, the nature of god supernatural. So natural, it's supernatural. Let's begin with chapter two here for the next segment.
Chapter two. He grants a pardon to the incestuous man upon his doing penance. No. Later in the catechism, we're gonna be talking about penance. But I determine this with myself not to come to you again in sorrow. For if I make you sorrowful, who is he then that can make me glad? But the same who is made sorrowful by me? And I wrote the same to you. That I may not, when I come, have sorrow upon sorrow, from them of whom I ought to rejoice. Having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote to you with many tears.
Not that you should be made sorrowful, but that you might know the charity I have more abundantly towards you. And if anyone have caused grief, he hath not grieved me. But in part, that I may not burden you all. To him who is such a one, this rebuke is sufficient, which is given by many. So that on the contrary, you should rather forgive him and comfort him. Lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with over much sorrow. Wherefore, I beseech you that you would confirm your charity towards him. For to this end also did I write that I may know the experiment of you whether you be obedient in all things.
And to whom you have pardoned anything, I also. For what I have pardoned, if I have pardoned anything, for your sakes, I have done it in the person of Christ. That we be not overreached by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his devices. And when I was come to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and a door was opened unto me in the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit. Because I found not Titus, my brother, but bidding them farewell, I went into Macedonia. Now, thanks be to God, who always maketh us to triumph in Christ Jesus and manifesteth the odor of his knowledge by us in every place.
For we are the good odor of Christ unto god. In them that are saved and in them that perish. To the one indeed the odor of death unto death, but to the others the odor of life unto life, and for for these things who is so sufficient? For we are not as many adultery, adulterating the word of God, but with sincerity, but with, but as from God, before god, in Christ, we speak. Okay? So, here the reference, the footnotes, follow verse 10. Verse 10 was, and to whom you have pardoned anything, I also, for what I have pardoned, if I have pardoned anything for your sakes, have I done it in the person of Christ? So, verse 10, I also the the apostle here granted an indulgence or pardon in the person and by the authority of Christ to the incestuous Corinthian whom before he had put under pendants which pardon consisted in a releasing of part of the temporal punishment due to his sin.
That must have been from first Corinthians. I'll have to go back and recall what exact verse that was from. But not now. I'm not gonna go through that at the moment. I'm gonna go to the next verse, which is verse 16. Verse 16. To the one indeed the odor of death unto death, but to the others the odor of life unto life, for these things, who is so sufficient? The odor of death, the preaching of the apostle, which by its fragrant odor, brought many to life, was to others through their own fault, the occasion of death, by their willing, opposing, and resisting the divine call.
So we're gonna move on here to chapter three. He needs no common commend the Toreid letters. The glory of the ministry of the New Testament. Do we begin again to commend ourselves or do we need as some do epistles of commendation to you or from you? You are our epistle written in our hearts which is known and read by all men. Being manifested that you are the epistle of Christ ministered by us and written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in the fleshy tables of the heart, of the heart. And such confidence we have through Christ towards God, Not that we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves as of ourselves.
But our sufficiency is from God. Who also hath made us fit ministers of the New Testament. Not in the letter but in the spirit. For the letter killeth and the spirit quickeneth. Now, if the ministration of death engraven with letters upon stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his continents which is made void. How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather in glory? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more the ministration of justice abounded in glory.
For even that which was glorious in this part was not glorified by reason of the glory that excel it. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is in glory. Having therefore such hope, we use much confidence. And not as Moses put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the face of that which is made void. But their senses were made dull. For, until this present day, the self same veil, in the reading of the Old Testament, remaineth not taken away, because in Christ, it is made void.
But even until this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon our heart, on their heart. But when they shall be converted to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. Now the Lord is a spirit. And where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all beholding the glory of the Lord with open face are transformed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. Now, what he's referencing there is in the Old Testament, the children of Israel, when they saw Moses after he had spoken face to face with the Lord, with God, his face was so radiant that they couldn't even behold it. So they he Moses put a veil on so that they could talk with him. And but at the same time behind that veil was a face that was so bright that to remove the veil it was too bright for them. And I think what is being said in this chapter is that when you learn about Christ and you you glory in his grace and his sacrifice and his his justification of your your, behavior, Just like the 10 commandments give us justification of our behavior.
He we then are given eyes to see God like Moses saw God, and we're able to see Christ and behold Christ for his glory and for all of the things that he did in this in this life and then all of the promises to come. And all of the things in the Old Testament, in the Old Covenant are made perfect and the certain things of the law were taken away and the things that remained, like it says, they're even more glorious than the things that were taken away. So let's begin with the next chapter. We're moving quickly through this one. There are less footnotes. There aren't any footnotes for this one except, says chapter three verse six.
Verse six. Who also hath made us fit ministers of the New Testament, not in the letter, but in the spirit. For the Testament, not in the letter, but in the spirit, for the letter killeth, but the spirit quickeneth. Quickeneth means brings to life. So the letter kills the letter of the law, Like all the little things in the law of Moses, you know, all the commandments. Those those unimportant commandments about, I would say like ritual purification. You know, things that I would say the modern Jews of this day hold to as kind of a superstition. That you gotta follow those exact laws as they were written, such as circumcision, circumcision of infants, and all this thing.
Those things kill, those things destroy, they're not part of the new law that Christ gave us. He gave us a new law, a new circumcision of the heart. It comes from what you believe more than what it comes from what you physically do. Those things are almost now, I would say those are superstition. Because they're not commanded by God to be fulfilled. It says, not rightly understood and taken without the spirit, the letter. And and that's another thing. What did what did God mean in giving his instructions to Moses? What What was the most meaningful thing? Was it all these little details, the cultural details of, you know, how you wash dishes and that kind of thing which really have little influence on how you treat other people?
I think that's what he's getting at. Chapter four. The sincerity of his preaching. His comfort in his afflictions. Therefore, seeing we have this ministration, according as we have obtained mercy, we faint not, but we renounce the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor adulterating the word of God, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And if our gospel be also hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of unbelievers, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine unto them.
For we preach not ourselves but Jesus Christ our lord and ourselves, your servants through Jesus. For god, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of god, in the face of Jesus, Christ Jesus. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels. That the excellency may be of the power of God and not of us. In all things we suffer tribulation. But are not distressed. We are straightened but we are not destitute. We suffer persecution but are not forsaken. We are cast down but we perish not. Always bearing about in our body, the mortification of Jesus.
That the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodies. For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake. That the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us but life in you. And but having the same spirit of faith as it is written. I believed for which cause I have spoken. We also believe for which cause we speak also. Knowing that he who raised up Jesus will raise us up also with Jesus and place us with you. For all things are for your sakes. That the grace abounding through many may abound in Thanksgiving unto the glory of God.
For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man is corrupted, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For that which is at present momentary, and light of our tribulation, worketh for us above measure accordingly, exceedingly, excuse me, at an eternal weight of glory. Let me turn the page here. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. And that ends that chapter. Chapter four. I'm gonna leave it here for next week. We'll begin with chapter five.
Let's go through just a little bit of review. Chapter four. So, it talks a lot about afflictions. And we know Jesus was afflicted in this life, toward the end of life. He was afflicted by having to be crucified for preaching the truth. And that's what we do. We preach the truth by the example of Christ. Because just like the sun, you can't take away the nature of light from the sun and expect it to still be the sun. Because light is the nature of the sun. Just like the nature of God is the nature of Jesus. So when he's preaching here, Saint Paul is saying things like, in all things, we suffer tribulation, but are not distressed.
We are straightened, but not destitute. We suffer persecution, but are not forsaken. We are cast down, but we perish not. We are always bearing in mind in our body the mortification of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodies. For we, who live, are always delivered unto death for Jesus's sake. That the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So that then death worketh in us, but life in you. So, by following Jesus, we know that we're gonna suffer. We're gonna even die someday. We're going to be resurrected in the resurrection of the body after our death. So we have hope that this life isn't all there is, and that we have life continuing even beyond our death, that Christ has conquered death and shown us not to be concerned overly about this world and the things that happen here and the suffering we go through, That we have a greater hope in what comes after this life than we do in the pleasures of this life.
And that's what I take from that. And we're gonna continue next week. I'm gonna bookmark it in the Bible. And then I'm gonna switch to the catechism, open up where we left off. We're reading here now from the Catechism of Saint Peter Canisius, who's a doctor of the Catholic Church. He's been proclaimed a doctor. Which there I think there are only about 33 Doctors of the Church. There might be more, because they keep adding doctors. The number is only going to grow. And what we're reading now is about the sacraments. We're on penance.
This is the large catechism of the Catholic Church. And I'm reading from if you ever want to get this book, it's put out by Sophia Institute Press of Manchester, New Hampshire. And it was written in 1622. 1622. Let's begin. Of the purgings of sins. Question one seventy five. And by what means are sins purged? Here, first of all, it is out of controversy that Christ is unto us a propitiary excuse me, propitator, the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world, who only could deserve for us remissions of sin and make purgation of the same.
Then it is most certain that God doth purify men's hearts by faith. Faith is another word for understanding. Just remember that. In Hebrew, faith means understanding. This is me talking. As Saint Paul saith, because that without faith, which is the door and foundation of man's salvation, none can obtain or hope for remission or purging of their sins. And as touching faith, they are utterly destitute thereof who, not consenting with the faith of the church, do with a certain vain confidence, promise unto themselves and others remission of sins and grace of justification through Christ.
But they that preserving, persevering in the faith and unity of the church do desire to be delivered from their sins have many ways proposed unto them in scripture for the taking away of their sins, amongst which the principle is the sacrament of penance. That's all in most people know this sacrament as this Catholic sacrament of confession. Confessing your sins to a priest. Which being despised, it is to no purpose to use any other remedies for deadly sins. For this hath Christ, the physician of our souls ordained, not only as a present, but also as a necessary medicine to be a force against any leper of sin whatsoever in commending the same he hath said to the priests, whose sins you shall remit, they are remitted them.
Secondly, sins are cleansed and purged by alms because it is written, alms deliver delivereth from all sin and from death and will not suffer a soul to go into darkness. Therefore, the prophet giveth this admonition Redeem thy sins with alms. And thy iniquities with the mercies of the poor. Thirdly, sins are remitted when although we have never been never so much wronged, yet we do forgive our brother the offense. Our lord, having said, if you will forgive men their offenses, your heavenly father will forgive you also your offenses. Fourthly, the same effect is wrought when by admonishing our brother that sinneth, we do win him and bring him to amendment.
As it is written, he which maketh a sinner to be converted from the error of his way shall save his soul from death and covereth a multitude of sins. Fifthly, hereunto belongeth the abundance of sincere charity which is very puissant and mighty to obtain and accomplish all good things. For witches said of Mary Magdalene. Many sins are forgiven her because she loved much. For charity covereth the multitude of sins. Sixthly, hereunto is available the sacrifice of a contrite heart, which God never despiseth, and a humble knowledge of a man's self, and confession of his sins. For our Lord hath respect upon the prayer of the humble, and doth not despise their petitions.
In so much that here upon holy David also testifieth of himself I have said, I will confess against myself my injustice, injustice unto our lord, and thou hast remitted the impiety of my sin. And Saint John generally to all that do truly confess, promises this grace. If we confess our sins, saith he, he is faithful and just for to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity. Therefore, the Ninevites, when they did earnestly persevere in works of humility and penance, appease the present wrath of God, and turned away the imminent destruction of their city and country.
And therefore, of them we read it was thus written. God saw their works because they were turned from their evil ways, and God took compassion on the evil which he had spoken that he would do to them, and did it not. Thus, finally, we learn by the testimony of holy scripture that by these and other means and offices of true piety done by the grace of Christ, this effect is wrought, that the sins of faithful penitence in the church, as we said before, are purged and taken away. In regard whereof, the apostle warneth, having, therefore, these promises, my dearest, let us cleanse ourselves from all in iniqui iniquination of the flesh and spirit.
Perfecting sanctification in the fear of god and with no less vehemently speaking Saint James, cleanse, saith he, your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double of mind. Be miserable, and mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and joy into sorrow. Be humble in the sight of our Lord, and he will exalt you. For it is not sufficient for a man to amend his manners and to leave his misdeeds, that we may again use the words of Saint Augustine, unless by the sorrow of penance, by the sighings of humility, and by the sacrifice of a contrite heart, together with the cooperation of alms, satisfaction be made to God.
For those things also that have been committed otherwise, who so shall know that any mortal sins do bear sway in him. As the same saint writeth, except he worthily amend himself, and if he have space, do penance alongside, and give large alms, and refrain from the sins themselves. He cannot be purged with the transitory fire whereof the apostle hath spoken, but shall be tormented without any redress in the everlasting flame, for not deadly sins, but little sins are purged and cleansed after this life. It's about purgatory. So, this is quite something.
We're talking about the forgiveness of sins, and in the second letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul mentions forgiving the incestuous man, just as a brief side note, this kind of reminds me of what just happened. I've read, or I listened to, a debate, the last debate that Charlie Kirk had, supposedly with his killer, and they were talking about abortion, And the killer the alleged killer, excuse me. He's not I don't know if he's the killer or not. And if this person is even the alleged killer. But this person had a megaphone and was talking to Charlie Kirk. And Charlie Kirk talked to him. Charlie, Charlie Kirk defended against abortion, saying even in cases of rape and incense, incest, that the life of the child is worthwhile, and that it's murder to kill an unborn child in the womb, which is what people call abortion.
And the person debating him mocked him, made fun of him, and didn't listen to him. He kept speaking over him. But it reminds me of what Saint Paul said about the forgiving the incestuous man, because I think that's what it means, is that there's life that came from that, and that's a man's life, even if they're born of incest or rape, or some god awful, miserable sin that someone committed, that that life is worth as much as Christ giving his life on the cross. That's that's just a side note. So let's read the next question.
Question 176. And what conception ought we to have of little sins? This surely, that such lighter sins as wandering of the mind, an idle word, immoderate laughter, and such like which are called or venial sins. And without the witch, this life is not passed over. For in many things, we offend all. As we also noted before, although they are not deadly. But do seem little in outward appearance. Yet, they are to be condemned. For so much as they displease god or as Saint Paul speaketh, they const contrast state the Holy Ghost. They darken and obscure the conscience.
They diminish the fervor of charity. And they do hinder the pro set say attending pro set attending of virtues, and draw a man oftentimes to greater vices and dangers For which cause it is written, he that despiseth little things shall by little and little fall. He that loveth danger shall perish in it. He that shall sin in one thing shall lose many good things, shall lose many good things. Therefore, these blots and filts of the soul, as much as may be, are to be eschewed. For, as we read, there shall not enter into the heavenly Jerusalem any polluted thing.
And except they be washed away in this life, they do burden a man after his death, and cannot certz be cleansed without the bitter pains of purgatory fire, which fire, although it be not everlasting, yet, if we believe St. Augustine, it is more sharp and grievous than whatsoever a man can suffer in this life. And I'm gonna end this part of the catechism here. So, these little sins lead to big sins. And just like great works start by many little works, you don't get to do something great until you do lots of little things, lots of little good things, in order to come to greatness.
You also have to practice virtue to avoid the little things. I found it interesting here, I'm just gonna reiterate one point, because it lately I've been reading about the Greek word utripalia, which means jesting or buffoonery. And it talks here about that sort of thing. It talks about that in the beginning of this, this little, this chapter, about immoderate laughter, Imoderate idle words, wandering of the mind, and immoderate laughter. Because ever since I learned about Utropalia, and Saint Paul warns against it, the jesting, that leads to bigger sins, and if you catch yourself, you'll actually be a happier person, because all these little things that people do to make light conversation, it leads to what Saint Paul says fornication.
It leads to to temptation. And you wander and you don't you don't take seriously avoiding temptations. It leads to greater temptation, greater sin, because you don't take things seriously when they're presented to you. And that's not to say that you don't find something funny, but it means you don't extend yourself into jesting, into making fun of other people, because it leads to greater sins. You don't realize that sometimes those little sins provoke greater sins in people. Just like teasing somebody can lead to somebody punching you in the face, which might lead to greater sin. Which then you get into a fight and you could end up killing somebody over that. It's those little things you have to watch out for, because you'll fall into the greater things more easily when you allow the little things to take place. And just say, oh, they're little, don't worry about it. So you want to take everything seriously, and and yet at the same time you find happiness in being good and doing good works and giving alms, that's another thing I take from that because that's something I don't I don't focus on enough, is giving alms to other people in need.
You see somebody who needs who's poor or somebody who is in need of a kind word and may feel depressed. Your little kindness can make a big difference to that person, and it leads to greater good, and it leads you from creating greater sins because if you neglect those little things, it can lead to greater problems in the future. No. I'm gonna look up here. Today is Wednesday, September 17. I'm gonna look in we're gonna go to the lives of the martyrs, the victories of the martyrs, the lives of the most celebrated martyrs of the church by Saint Alphonsus de Ligori, doctor of the church.
I'm going to go to the table contents, because it gives the dates. Let's see where we got. We got the dates here. We're in September. Who's the closest saint to today that we haven't covered yet? The nineteenth. Saints generius. Okay. So, 02/1980. Hope I have enough time. Looks like a big list. 02/1980. Oh, this is a long one. Oh. Yeah. I don't know if I'm gonna finish this one. I should have started earlier. But there's a spot where we can end. I'm just gonna Oh, that's tough. Alright, let's do it. So here we go. Probably gonna go over time with this one. I'm gonna turn off our backup here. So Saints, January is bishop of Benevento, Solcius, Procolle Louis, Festus, Deacons, Didier Lechter, Utiches, Akutias.
September 19. September 19. Naples and Benevento both claim the honor of having given birth to Januarius. He is said to have been descended of the ancient family of the San Iti, who had made war with the Romans and were masters and dukes of Benevento. There are no historical records of the first years of Saint Genaivarius. But it is certain that his parents were Christians, and that he was esteemed the most learned and pious of the clergy, for which reason he was unanimously chosen Bishop of Benevento upon a vacancy having occurred in that sea. The humility of the saint induced him most resolutely to refuse that dignity until he was obliged to accept it by a command from the Pope, who was at that time saint Caius or saint Marcelinius.
Our saint undertook the government of his church during the persecution of Diocletian and Maximian. With which circumstance gave him noble opportunities of manifesting the extent of his zeal for the faith of Jesus Christ. Not content with propagating and maintaining the faith in his own diocese, he ran through the neighboring cities converting pagans and consisting and encouraging the faithful. In the discharge of his these duties, he became acquainted with a holy deacon of the city of Mycenae named Sosius, with whom he formed a most intimate friendship, For as, so as was one day reading the gospel to the people, Saint Jen Euerus saw a most resplendent flame upon his head, from which fact he predicted that the pious deacon would be crowded, crowned with martyrdom.
The prophecy was soon fulfilled. For after a few days, Socius was arrested as a Christian, brought before Dracon Theus, governor of the district, who having in vain endeavored with promises and threats to make him prevaricate, caused him to be cruelly scourged, tortured, and sent to prison. He was here frequently visited by the Christians, but the deacon Proclus and his fellow citizens Uticus and Acutius were particularly attentive to him, and Saint Januarius was no sooner appraised of his arrest than he repaired to the prison to comfort and encourage him.
Meanwhile, Tricontis was removed to another place by the emperor. And succeeded in the government by Timothy who upon his arrival at Nola, having heard of the preaching of Saint Januarius, and the assistance which he afforded to the faithful in the neighborhood, ordered him to be arrested and brought before him, bound hand and foot and being presented to the new governor, our saint was commanded to sacrifice, but immediately rejected the iniquitous proposal with horror and contempt, whereupon Timothy ordered him to be thrown into a furnace. The order was instantly executed, but the saint received not the least hurt and although this miraculous preservation excited the wonder of all present, It was so far from making any salutary impression on the tyrant that it rendered him more furious, more furious, and cruel than before.
And he accordingly ordered that the saint's body should be stretched upon the rack until his every nerve should be broken. As soon as these proceedings were known at Benevento, Festus, the Bishop's deacon, and Desiderius, his lector, forthwith departed to visit their holy prelate in the name of his entire flock, but Timothy being informed of their arrival at Nola caused them to be arrested and their depositions to be taken regarding the motives of their journey. They answered that, holding as they did, subordinate offices in the Church of the Good Bishop, they thought it their duty to visit their superior in prison, and minister to him whatever assistance it might be in their power to afford.
Upon hearing this declaration, the tyrant commanded that they should be loaded with chains, and made to walk before his chariot to Puzoli, to be there delivered to wild beasts together with their pastor. Immediately after their arrival, they were exposed in the amphitheater when Saint Januarius said to the rest, Be of good heart, brethren. Behold, the day of our triumph has arrived. Let us confidently give our lives for Jesus Christ, who vouched safe to give his for us. The beasts were let loose upon them, in the presence of the great multitude, but although they ran towards the martyrs, as it were to devour them, they cast themselves before them and licked their feet.
The miracle was evident to all, and a deep murmur was heard to run through the amphitheater. The God of the Christians is the only true God. The effect produced by this miracle made Timothy fear a general sedition, and he accordingly gave orders that the martyrs should be led to the public square and beheaded. But Saint Januarius, in passing the governor, prayed that the Lord might strike him blind for his own confusion and the conversion of the people. This prayer having taken instant effect, the tyrant delayed the execution of the sentence, and besought the holy bishop to forgive the maltreatment he had received, and to pray for the restoration of his sight.
St. Januarius did so, and the miracle was followed by the conversion of 5,000 pagans. But Timothy, fearing lest he should lose the favor of the Emperor, ordered his officers to have the last sentence privately but instantly executed. While our saint was being led to Volcano, the place selected for his last struggle, an aged Christian followed him, imploring with many tears that he would give him something to keep for his sake. The good bishop moved by the devotion of the old man, told him that he had nothing to give except his handkerchief, which as he needed it to bandage his eyes in receiving the stroke of death, He could not let him have it until after his martyrdom.
On arriving at Volcano, Saint Januarius tied the handkerchief over his eyes and repeated the words, Into thy hands, oh Lord, I commend my spirit. He was decapitated on the September 19, towards the close of the third century, together with his companions, Soius, Festus, Proclus, Dsidarius, Uticus, and Acutius. The relics of these holy martyrs were afterwards translated to different cities. Puzzoli was favored with the bodies of saints Proclus, Utichis, and Acutius, while Benevento was honored with those of saints Festus and Desiderius.
That of saint Sosius was removed to Mezzeno. The body of Saint Januarius was first deposited at Benevento, and afterwards at the monastery of Monte Vergine, until during the pontificate of Alexander the fourth, Saint Severus, Bishop of Naples, accompanied by the Neapolitan clergy and a great conqueror of the laity, translated it to Naples, and placed it in a church dedicated to God in his honor. From this church, however, which was without the city, the relics of St. Januarius were again translated to the cathedral, together with two vials of his blood, and have been there objects of great religious veneration for fourteen centuries.
The Neapolitans honor the saint as the principal patron of their city and nation, and the Lord himself has continued to honor him by allowing many miracles to be wrought through his intercession, particularly when the frightful eruptions of Mount Vesuvius have threatened the city of Naples with utter destruction. While the relics of St. Januarius were being brought in procession towards this terrific volcano, the torrents of lava and liquefied fire, which it emitted, have ceased or turned their course from the city. But the most stupendous miracle and that which is greatly celebrated in the church is the liquefying and boiling up of his blessed martyr's blood whenever the vials are brought in sight of his head.
This miracle is renewed many times in the year, in presence of all who desire to witness it. Yet, some heretics have endeavored to throw a doubt upon its genuineness by frivolous and incoherent explanations. But no one can deny the effect to be miraculous unless he be prepared to question the evidence of his senses. All the facts related about Saint Januarius are drawn upon trustworthy sources, such as the acts possessed by Berenice, the Greek acts of the Vatican, the Greek Menology of Basil, the writing of Saint John Dio Kona, an author of great credit, who lived in the ninth century, and who Muratori himself praises.
To this must be added the very ancient offices of Naples, Salerno, Capua and Puzolia. And finally, the tradition of Nola, where is yet shown at the present day the prison in which the saint was shut up, the place where his bones were dislocated, and the furnace from which he came forth unhurt. These records contain nearly all we have related. All, or nearly all, are written in the acts of Berenice, which, resting on other records, deserve our entire confidence. I repeat here what I have said at the beginning of this book, that it seems to be a kind of temerity to wish to doubt positively about the truth of the facts related by several ancient authors.
Though they may not be contemporary contemporaneous authors, grave and careful to examine into things, especially when these facts are supported by the uncontroverted and ancient tradition. It is true that we should justly doubt ancient facts against the authenticity of which we may allege some solid reason. But I ask here, which are the arguments of Tillamont, Belet, and some other modern authors opposed to the facts of the martyrdom of Saint Januarius. They say that this antiquity removes them too far from our time, that the tortures related are too violent and therefore incredible, that these similar these facts are too numerous.
They also add other similar objections, which are groundless, and which I pass over in silence for brevity's sake. To all these difficulties I reply that by following this method, we shall we should have to reject many acts that are commonly regarded as genuine, such as those of Saint Felix of Nola, Saint Carpus, Saint Theodotus, and of Saint Terracus, and many others that we read of in the celebrated Ruin Art, and in a host of other good authors. Some of our writers have approved of what is said by Telamon and Bellet because of certain acts of Saint Januarius that were found in at Bologna with the Celestin fathers in the Monastery Of Saint Stephen.
Or Stephan. But I do not see why we should put faith in these acts. And not in those of Berenice, another of other authors mentioned above. They say with Telemont that the acts of Bologna are more simple, because in them no mention is made of the miracles ascribed to the acts of Berenice, and should therefore the former be preferred to the later? Allow me to make a painful reflection. The present age is called the Age of Light, because it has a better taste and a more correct judgment of things. But would to God that it had not degenerated in many things, and that it were not growing worse by wishing to subject subject divine things to be estimated by our feeble intelligence.
Some of these who are learned in this fashion deny or call in question most of the miraculous miracles related in the lives of the saints. They say that the account of these miracles only make heretics laugh at the two great credulity of the Catholics, and for this reason, refuse to be united to our church. I answer, heretics do not wish to believe our miracles, Not because they esteem us too credulous, but because among them no miracles are ever seen. This explains why they despise our miracles. And it is by no means true that our too great facility in believing the miracles hinders them from being united to our church.
For it is precisely because they do not wish to unite with our church and to submit to her that they refuse to believe in miracles. These unfortunate people do not see that in refusing to submit to the church, they reduce themselves to a state of believing in nothing, as evidently appears from the books that often reach us from the so called reformed countries. Moreover, they know that the Christian faith was propagated and maintained by means of miracles, just as Jesus Christ and the apostles propagated it, and the reason of this is clear, For as the revealed truth, which are the object of our faith, are not of themselves evident to the minds, to the eyes of our mind, it was necessary to induce us to believe them by means of miracles, which surpassing the forces of nature, aid us to know clearly that it is God who speaks to us in the midst of these prodigies.
Thus, in proportion to the persecutions raised against the church has the Lord multiplied miracles. In short, the miracles wrought more or less frequently by God, through his servants, have never been wanting in our church. Let us return to our subject. It is not, therefore, just to prefer the acts of the monastery of Bologna to all those that we have quoted because they are more simple and because they do not comprise all the miracles related by Berennis, Diacono, and other authors. Besides, these acts of Bologna, if carefully examined, date only from the sixteenth century.
Again, another well informed author, Xavier Rossi, in a learned dissertation, assures us that these acts should be regarded as less trustworthy than those that we have followed since they are encumbered with other narratives that are false and at least improbable. And since it has become known that they were written by an ignorant person who collected them without discretion and in writing, committed many faults against the Latin grammar. So, I'm gonna end it there. Let's end with a prayer. In the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of god, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. I'm gonna go and look up Saint Januarius, and this blood and volcano erupting. It sounds very interesting. So thank you for joining me wherever you may be, whether it's night or day. Today is Wednesday, 09/17/2025. And God bless you all. Thank you for joining us.
Welcome to the Council of Catholic Men. Today is Wednesday, 09/17/2025. Let's begin with a prayer. In the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen. Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done upon earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. In the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen. Tonight, and this evening, or this morning, wherever you may be, we're going to beginning the second epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians.
And I'm gonna read from the forward in this. We're reading from the Douay Rheims version of the Bible which is, an older form of English. It's probably from the sixteen hundreds. In this epistle, Saint Paul comforts those who are now reformed by his admonitions to them in the former, and absolves the incestuous man on doing penance, whom he had before excommunicated for his crime. Hence he treats of true penance and of the dignity of the ministers of the New Testament. He cautions the faithful against false teachers and the society of infidels.
He gives an account of his sufferings and also of the favors and graces which God bestowed on him. This second apostle was written in the same year as the first. And was sent by Titus from some place in Macedonia. Chapter one. He speaks of his troubles in Asia. His not coming to them was not out of levity. The consistency and sincerity of his doctrine. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of god, and Timothy, our brother, to the church of god, that is at Corinth, with all the saints that are in all Achaia. Grace unto you and peace from god, our father, and and from the lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the god and father of our lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies, and the god of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we also may be able to comfort them who are in all distress. By the exhortation wherewith, we also are exhorted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so also by Christ doth our comfort abound. Now, whether we be in tribulation, it is for your exhortation and salvation. Or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation. Or whether we be exhorted, it is your, it is for your exhortation and salvation which worketh the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.
That our hope for you may be steadfast knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall you also be of the consolation. For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, of our tribulation, which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure above our strength. So that we were weary even of life. But we had in ourselves the answer of death. That we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead. Who hath delivered and doth deliver us out of so great dangers. In whom we trust that he will yet also deliver us. You helping with all in prayer for us that for this gift obtained for us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many in our behalf.
For our glory is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity of heart and sincerity of God, and not in carnal wisdom, but in the grace of God, we have conversed in this world, and more abundantly towards you. For we write no other things to you than what you have read and known. And I hope that you shall know unto the end. As also you have known us in part, that we are your glory. As you also are ours in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. And in this confidence, I had a mind to come to you before that you might have a second grace.
And to pass by you into Macedonia and again from Macedonia to come to you. And by you to be brought on my way towards Judea. Whereas when I was thus minded, did I use lightness? Or the things that I propose, do I propose according to the flesh, that there should be with me, it is, and it is not. But God is faithful, for our preaching which was to you, was not, it is, and it is not. For the son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, and by Sylvanius, and Timothy was not, it is, and it is not, but it is, was in him.
For all the promises of God are in him, it is, therefore, also by him, amen, to God, unto glory, now he that confirmeth us with you in Christ, and that hath anointed us in God, is God. Who also hath sealed us and given the pledge of the spirit in our hearts. But I call God to witness upon my soul, that to spare you, I came not anymore to Corinth. Not because we exercise dominion over your faith, but we are helpers of your joy. For in faith, you stand. That's the end of chapter one. Let's go to the footnotes. The references. We're referencing verse 19 Verse 19 is, for the son of god, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, and Sylvanus, and Timothy, was not, it is, and it is not, but it is, was in him.
It is, was in him. There was no inconsistency in the doctrine of the apostles. Sometimes, like modern secretaries saying, it is, and at other times saying, it is not. But, their doctrine was ever the same, one uniform, yea, in Jesus Christ, one amen, that is one truth in him. So it's representing that truth comes through Jesus Christ, who is true god and true man, who is with the father at the beginning of creation, and they share in one nature, which is god, the nature of god supernatural. So natural, it's supernatural. Let's begin with chapter two here for the next segment.
Chapter two. He grants a pardon to the incestuous man upon his doing penance. No. Later in the catechism, we're gonna be talking about penance. But I determine this with myself not to come to you again in sorrow. For if I make you sorrowful, who is he then that can make me glad? But the same who is made sorrowful by me? And I wrote the same to you. That I may not, when I come, have sorrow upon sorrow, from them of whom I ought to rejoice. Having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote to you with many tears.
Not that you should be made sorrowful, but that you might know the charity I have more abundantly towards you. And if anyone have caused grief, he hath not grieved me. But in part, that I may not burden you all. To him who is such a one, this rebuke is sufficient, which is given by many. So that on the contrary, you should rather forgive him and comfort him. Lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with over much sorrow. Wherefore, I beseech you that you would confirm your charity towards him. For to this end also did I write that I may know the experiment of you whether you be obedient in all things.
And to whom you have pardoned anything, I also. For what I have pardoned, if I have pardoned anything, for your sakes, I have done it in the person of Christ. That we be not overreached by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his devices. And when I was come to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and a door was opened unto me in the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit. Because I found not Titus, my brother, but bidding them farewell, I went into Macedonia. Now, thanks be to God, who always maketh us to triumph in Christ Jesus and manifesteth the odor of his knowledge by us in every place.
For we are the good odor of Christ unto god. In them that are saved and in them that perish. To the one indeed the odor of death unto death, but to the others the odor of life unto life, and for for these things who is so sufficient? For we are not as many adultery, adulterating the word of God, but with sincerity, but with, but as from God, before god, in Christ, we speak. Okay? So, here the reference, the footnotes, follow verse 10. Verse 10 was, and to whom you have pardoned anything, I also, for what I have pardoned, if I have pardoned anything for your sakes, have I done it in the person of Christ? So, verse 10, I also the the apostle here granted an indulgence or pardon in the person and by the authority of Christ to the incestuous Corinthian whom before he had put under pendants which pardon consisted in a releasing of part of the temporal punishment due to his sin.
That must have been from first Corinthians. I'll have to go back and recall what exact verse that was from. But not now. I'm not gonna go through that at the moment. I'm gonna go to the next verse, which is verse 16. Verse 16. To the one indeed the odor of death unto death, but to the others the odor of life unto life, for these things, who is so sufficient? The odor of death, the preaching of the apostle, which by its fragrant odor, brought many to life, was to others through their own fault, the occasion of death, by their willing, opposing, and resisting the divine call.
So we're gonna move on here to chapter three. He needs no common commend the Toreid letters. The glory of the ministry of the New Testament. Do we begin again to commend ourselves or do we need as some do epistles of commendation to you or from you? You are our epistle written in our hearts which is known and read by all men. Being manifested that you are the epistle of Christ ministered by us and written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in the fleshy tables of the heart, of the heart. And such confidence we have through Christ towards God, Not that we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves as of ourselves.
But our sufficiency is from God. Who also hath made us fit ministers of the New Testament. Not in the letter but in the spirit. For the letter killeth and the spirit quickeneth. Now, if the ministration of death engraven with letters upon stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his continents which is made void. How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather in glory? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more the ministration of justice abounded in glory.
For even that which was glorious in this part was not glorified by reason of the glory that excel it. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is in glory. Having therefore such hope, we use much confidence. And not as Moses put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the face of that which is made void. But their senses were made dull. For, until this present day, the self same veil, in the reading of the Old Testament, remaineth not taken away, because in Christ, it is made void.
But even until this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon our heart, on their heart. But when they shall be converted to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. Now the Lord is a spirit. And where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all beholding the glory of the Lord with open face are transformed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. Now, what he's referencing there is in the Old Testament, the children of Israel, when they saw Moses after he had spoken face to face with the Lord, with God, his face was so radiant that they couldn't even behold it. So they he Moses put a veil on so that they could talk with him. And but at the same time behind that veil was a face that was so bright that to remove the veil it was too bright for them. And I think what is being said in this chapter is that when you learn about Christ and you you glory in his grace and his sacrifice and his his justification of your your, behavior, Just like the 10 commandments give us justification of our behavior.
He we then are given eyes to see God like Moses saw God, and we're able to see Christ and behold Christ for his glory and for all of the things that he did in this in this life and then all of the promises to come. And all of the things in the Old Testament, in the Old Covenant are made perfect and the certain things of the law were taken away and the things that remained, like it says, they're even more glorious than the things that were taken away. So let's begin with the next chapter. We're moving quickly through this one. There are less footnotes. There aren't any footnotes for this one except, says chapter three verse six.
Verse six. Who also hath made us fit ministers of the New Testament, not in the letter, but in the spirit. For the Testament, not in the letter, but in the spirit, for the letter killeth, but the spirit quickeneth. Quickeneth means brings to life. So the letter kills the letter of the law, Like all the little things in the law of Moses, you know, all the commandments. Those those unimportant commandments about, I would say like ritual purification. You know, things that I would say the modern Jews of this day hold to as kind of a superstition. That you gotta follow those exact laws as they were written, such as circumcision, circumcision of infants, and all this thing.
Those things kill, those things destroy, they're not part of the new law that Christ gave us. He gave us a new law, a new circumcision of the heart. It comes from what you believe more than what it comes from what you physically do. Those things are almost now, I would say those are superstition. Because they're not commanded by God to be fulfilled. It says, not rightly understood and taken without the spirit, the letter. And and that's another thing. What did what did God mean in giving his instructions to Moses? What What was the most meaningful thing? Was it all these little details, the cultural details of, you know, how you wash dishes and that kind of thing which really have little influence on how you treat other people?
I think that's what he's getting at. Chapter four. The sincerity of his preaching. His comfort in his afflictions. Therefore, seeing we have this ministration, according as we have obtained mercy, we faint not, but we renounce the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor adulterating the word of God, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And if our gospel be also hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of unbelievers, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine unto them.
For we preach not ourselves but Jesus Christ our lord and ourselves, your servants through Jesus. For god, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of god, in the face of Jesus, Christ Jesus. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels. That the excellency may be of the power of God and not of us. In all things we suffer tribulation. But are not distressed. We are straightened but we are not destitute. We suffer persecution but are not forsaken. We are cast down but we perish not. Always bearing about in our body, the mortification of Jesus.
That the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodies. For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake. That the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us but life in you. And but having the same spirit of faith as it is written. I believed for which cause I have spoken. We also believe for which cause we speak also. Knowing that he who raised up Jesus will raise us up also with Jesus and place us with you. For all things are for your sakes. That the grace abounding through many may abound in Thanksgiving unto the glory of God.
For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man is corrupted, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For that which is at present momentary, and light of our tribulation, worketh for us above measure accordingly, exceedingly, excuse me, at an eternal weight of glory. Let me turn the page here. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. And that ends that chapter. Chapter four. I'm gonna leave it here for next week. We'll begin with chapter five.
Let's go through just a little bit of review. Chapter four. So, it talks a lot about afflictions. And we know Jesus was afflicted in this life, toward the end of life. He was afflicted by having to be crucified for preaching the truth. And that's what we do. We preach the truth by the example of Christ. Because just like the sun, you can't take away the nature of light from the sun and expect it to still be the sun. Because light is the nature of the sun. Just like the nature of God is the nature of Jesus. So when he's preaching here, Saint Paul is saying things like, in all things, we suffer tribulation, but are not distressed.
We are straightened, but not destitute. We suffer persecution, but are not forsaken. We are cast down, but we perish not. We are always bearing in mind in our body the mortification of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodies. For we, who live, are always delivered unto death for Jesus's sake. That the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So that then death worketh in us, but life in you. So, by following Jesus, we know that we're gonna suffer. We're gonna even die someday. We're going to be resurrected in the resurrection of the body after our death. So we have hope that this life isn't all there is, and that we have life continuing even beyond our death, that Christ has conquered death and shown us not to be concerned overly about this world and the things that happen here and the suffering we go through, That we have a greater hope in what comes after this life than we do in the pleasures of this life.
And that's what I take from that. And we're gonna continue next week. I'm gonna bookmark it in the Bible. And then I'm gonna switch to the catechism, open up where we left off. We're reading here now from the Catechism of Saint Peter Canisius, who's a doctor of the Catholic Church. He's been proclaimed a doctor. Which there I think there are only about 33 Doctors of the Church. There might be more, because they keep adding doctors. The number is only going to grow. And what we're reading now is about the sacraments. We're on penance.
This is the large catechism of the Catholic Church. And I'm reading from if you ever want to get this book, it's put out by Sophia Institute Press of Manchester, New Hampshire. And it was written in 1622. 1622. Let's begin. Of the purgings of sins. Question one seventy five. And by what means are sins purged? Here, first of all, it is out of controversy that Christ is unto us a propitiary excuse me, propitator, the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world, who only could deserve for us remissions of sin and make purgation of the same.
Then it is most certain that God doth purify men's hearts by faith. Faith is another word for understanding. Just remember that. In Hebrew, faith means understanding. This is me talking. As Saint Paul saith, because that without faith, which is the door and foundation of man's salvation, none can obtain or hope for remission or purging of their sins. And as touching faith, they are utterly destitute thereof who, not consenting with the faith of the church, do with a certain vain confidence, promise unto themselves and others remission of sins and grace of justification through Christ.
But they that preserving, persevering in the faith and unity of the church do desire to be delivered from their sins have many ways proposed unto them in scripture for the taking away of their sins, amongst which the principle is the sacrament of penance. That's all in most people know this sacrament as this Catholic sacrament of confession. Confessing your sins to a priest. Which being despised, it is to no purpose to use any other remedies for deadly sins. For this hath Christ, the physician of our souls ordained, not only as a present, but also as a necessary medicine to be a force against any leper of sin whatsoever in commending the same he hath said to the priests, whose sins you shall remit, they are remitted them.
Secondly, sins are cleansed and purged by alms because it is written, alms deliver delivereth from all sin and from death and will not suffer a soul to go into darkness. Therefore, the prophet giveth this admonition Redeem thy sins with alms. And thy iniquities with the mercies of the poor. Thirdly, sins are remitted when although we have never been never so much wronged, yet we do forgive our brother the offense. Our lord, having said, if you will forgive men their offenses, your heavenly father will forgive you also your offenses. Fourthly, the same effect is wrought when by admonishing our brother that sinneth, we do win him and bring him to amendment.
As it is written, he which maketh a sinner to be converted from the error of his way shall save his soul from death and covereth a multitude of sins. Fifthly, hereunto belongeth the abundance of sincere charity which is very puissant and mighty to obtain and accomplish all good things. For witches said of Mary Magdalene. Many sins are forgiven her because she loved much. For charity covereth the multitude of sins. Sixthly, hereunto is available the sacrifice of a contrite heart, which God never despiseth, and a humble knowledge of a man's self, and confession of his sins. For our Lord hath respect upon the prayer of the humble, and doth not despise their petitions.
In so much that here upon holy David also testifieth of himself I have said, I will confess against myself my injustice, injustice unto our lord, and thou hast remitted the impiety of my sin. And Saint John generally to all that do truly confess, promises this grace. If we confess our sins, saith he, he is faithful and just for to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity. Therefore, the Ninevites, when they did earnestly persevere in works of humility and penance, appease the present wrath of God, and turned away the imminent destruction of their city and country.
And therefore, of them we read it was thus written. God saw their works because they were turned from their evil ways, and God took compassion on the evil which he had spoken that he would do to them, and did it not. Thus, finally, we learn by the testimony of holy scripture that by these and other means and offices of true piety done by the grace of Christ, this effect is wrought, that the sins of faithful penitence in the church, as we said before, are purged and taken away. In regard whereof, the apostle warneth, having, therefore, these promises, my dearest, let us cleanse ourselves from all in iniqui iniquination of the flesh and spirit.
Perfecting sanctification in the fear of god and with no less vehemently speaking Saint James, cleanse, saith he, your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double of mind. Be miserable, and mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and joy into sorrow. Be humble in the sight of our Lord, and he will exalt you. For it is not sufficient for a man to amend his manners and to leave his misdeeds, that we may again use the words of Saint Augustine, unless by the sorrow of penance, by the sighings of humility, and by the sacrifice of a contrite heart, together with the cooperation of alms, satisfaction be made to God.
For those things also that have been committed otherwise, who so shall know that any mortal sins do bear sway in him. As the same saint writeth, except he worthily amend himself, and if he have space, do penance alongside, and give large alms, and refrain from the sins themselves. He cannot be purged with the transitory fire whereof the apostle hath spoken, but shall be tormented without any redress in the everlasting flame, for not deadly sins, but little sins are purged and cleansed after this life. It's about purgatory. So, this is quite something.
We're talking about the forgiveness of sins, and in the second letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul mentions forgiving the incestuous man, just as a brief side note, this kind of reminds me of what just happened. I've read, or I listened to, a debate, the last debate that Charlie Kirk had, supposedly with his killer, and they were talking about abortion, And the killer the alleged killer, excuse me. He's not I don't know if he's the killer or not. And if this person is even the alleged killer. But this person had a megaphone and was talking to Charlie Kirk. And Charlie Kirk talked to him. Charlie, Charlie Kirk defended against abortion, saying even in cases of rape and incense, incest, that the life of the child is worthwhile, and that it's murder to kill an unborn child in the womb, which is what people call abortion.
And the person debating him mocked him, made fun of him, and didn't listen to him. He kept speaking over him. But it reminds me of what Saint Paul said about the forgiving the incestuous man, because I think that's what it means, is that there's life that came from that, and that's a man's life, even if they're born of incest or rape, or some god awful, miserable sin that someone committed, that that life is worth as much as Christ giving his life on the cross. That's that's just a side note. So let's read the next question.
Question 176. And what conception ought we to have of little sins? This surely, that such lighter sins as wandering of the mind, an idle word, immoderate laughter, and such like which are called or venial sins. And without the witch, this life is not passed over. For in many things, we offend all. As we also noted before, although they are not deadly. But do seem little in outward appearance. Yet, they are to be condemned. For so much as they displease god or as Saint Paul speaketh, they const contrast state the Holy Ghost. They darken and obscure the conscience.
They diminish the fervor of charity. And they do hinder the pro set say attending pro set attending of virtues, and draw a man oftentimes to greater vices and dangers For which cause it is written, he that despiseth little things shall by little and little fall. He that loveth danger shall perish in it. He that shall sin in one thing shall lose many good things, shall lose many good things. Therefore, these blots and filts of the soul, as much as may be, are to be eschewed. For, as we read, there shall not enter into the heavenly Jerusalem any polluted thing.
And except they be washed away in this life, they do burden a man after his death, and cannot certz be cleansed without the bitter pains of purgatory fire, which fire, although it be not everlasting, yet, if we believe St. Augustine, it is more sharp and grievous than whatsoever a man can suffer in this life. And I'm gonna end this part of the catechism here. So, these little sins lead to big sins. And just like great works start by many little works, you don't get to do something great until you do lots of little things, lots of little good things, in order to come to greatness.
You also have to practice virtue to avoid the little things. I found it interesting here, I'm just gonna reiterate one point, because it lately I've been reading about the Greek word utripalia, which means jesting or buffoonery. And it talks here about that sort of thing. It talks about that in the beginning of this, this little, this chapter, about immoderate laughter, Imoderate idle words, wandering of the mind, and immoderate laughter. Because ever since I learned about Utropalia, and Saint Paul warns against it, the jesting, that leads to bigger sins, and if you catch yourself, you'll actually be a happier person, because all these little things that people do to make light conversation, it leads to what Saint Paul says fornication.
It leads to to temptation. And you wander and you don't you don't take seriously avoiding temptations. It leads to greater temptation, greater sin, because you don't take things seriously when they're presented to you. And that's not to say that you don't find something funny, but it means you don't extend yourself into jesting, into making fun of other people, because it leads to greater sins. You don't realize that sometimes those little sins provoke greater sins in people. Just like teasing somebody can lead to somebody punching you in the face, which might lead to greater sin. Which then you get into a fight and you could end up killing somebody over that. It's those little things you have to watch out for, because you'll fall into the greater things more easily when you allow the little things to take place. And just say, oh, they're little, don't worry about it. So you want to take everything seriously, and and yet at the same time you find happiness in being good and doing good works and giving alms, that's another thing I take from that because that's something I don't I don't focus on enough, is giving alms to other people in need.
You see somebody who needs who's poor or somebody who is in need of a kind word and may feel depressed. Your little kindness can make a big difference to that person, and it leads to greater good, and it leads you from creating greater sins because if you neglect those little things, it can lead to greater problems in the future. No. I'm gonna look up here. Today is Wednesday, September 17. I'm gonna look in we're gonna go to the lives of the martyrs, the victories of the martyrs, the lives of the most celebrated martyrs of the church by Saint Alphonsus de Ligori, doctor of the church.
I'm going to go to the table contents, because it gives the dates. Let's see where we got. We got the dates here. We're in September. Who's the closest saint to today that we haven't covered yet? The nineteenth. Saints generius. Okay. So, 02/1980. Hope I have enough time. Looks like a big list. 02/1980. Oh, this is a long one. Oh. Yeah. I don't know if I'm gonna finish this one. I should have started earlier. But there's a spot where we can end. I'm just gonna Oh, that's tough. Alright, let's do it. So here we go. Probably gonna go over time with this one. I'm gonna turn off our backup here. So Saints, January is bishop of Benevento, Solcius, Procolle Louis, Festus, Deacons, Didier Lechter, Utiches, Akutias.
September 19. September 19. Naples and Benevento both claim the honor of having given birth to Januarius. He is said to have been descended of the ancient family of the San Iti, who had made war with the Romans and were masters and dukes of Benevento. There are no historical records of the first years of Saint Genaivarius. But it is certain that his parents were Christians, and that he was esteemed the most learned and pious of the clergy, for which reason he was unanimously chosen Bishop of Benevento upon a vacancy having occurred in that sea. The humility of the saint induced him most resolutely to refuse that dignity until he was obliged to accept it by a command from the Pope, who was at that time saint Caius or saint Marcelinius.
Our saint undertook the government of his church during the persecution of Diocletian and Maximian. With which circumstance gave him noble opportunities of manifesting the extent of his zeal for the faith of Jesus Christ. Not content with propagating and maintaining the faith in his own diocese, he ran through the neighboring cities converting pagans and consisting and encouraging the faithful. In the discharge of his these duties, he became acquainted with a holy deacon of the city of Mycenae named Sosius, with whom he formed a most intimate friendship, For as, so as was one day reading the gospel to the people, Saint Jen Euerus saw a most resplendent flame upon his head, from which fact he predicted that the pious deacon would be crowded, crowned with martyrdom.
The prophecy was soon fulfilled. For after a few days, Socius was arrested as a Christian, brought before Dracon Theus, governor of the district, who having in vain endeavored with promises and threats to make him prevaricate, caused him to be cruelly scourged, tortured, and sent to prison. He was here frequently visited by the Christians, but the deacon Proclus and his fellow citizens Uticus and Acutius were particularly attentive to him, and Saint Januarius was no sooner appraised of his arrest than he repaired to the prison to comfort and encourage him.
Meanwhile, Tricontis was removed to another place by the emperor. And succeeded in the government by Timothy who upon his arrival at Nola, having heard of the preaching of Saint Januarius, and the assistance which he afforded to the faithful in the neighborhood, ordered him to be arrested and brought before him, bound hand and foot and being presented to the new governor, our saint was commanded to sacrifice, but immediately rejected the iniquitous proposal with horror and contempt, whereupon Timothy ordered him to be thrown into a furnace. The order was instantly executed, but the saint received not the least hurt and although this miraculous preservation excited the wonder of all present, It was so far from making any salutary impression on the tyrant that it rendered him more furious, more furious, and cruel than before.
And he accordingly ordered that the saint's body should be stretched upon the rack until his every nerve should be broken. As soon as these proceedings were known at Benevento, Festus, the Bishop's deacon, and Desiderius, his lector, forthwith departed to visit their holy prelate in the name of his entire flock, but Timothy being informed of their arrival at Nola caused them to be arrested and their depositions to be taken regarding the motives of their journey. They answered that, holding as they did, subordinate offices in the Church of the Good Bishop, they thought it their duty to visit their superior in prison, and minister to him whatever assistance it might be in their power to afford.
Upon hearing this declaration, the tyrant commanded that they should be loaded with chains, and made to walk before his chariot to Puzoli, to be there delivered to wild beasts together with their pastor. Immediately after their arrival, they were exposed in the amphitheater when Saint Januarius said to the rest, Be of good heart, brethren. Behold, the day of our triumph has arrived. Let us confidently give our lives for Jesus Christ, who vouched safe to give his for us. The beasts were let loose upon them, in the presence of the great multitude, but although they ran towards the martyrs, as it were to devour them, they cast themselves before them and licked their feet.
The miracle was evident to all, and a deep murmur was heard to run through the amphitheater. The God of the Christians is the only true God. The effect produced by this miracle made Timothy fear a general sedition, and he accordingly gave orders that the martyrs should be led to the public square and beheaded. But Saint Januarius, in passing the governor, prayed that the Lord might strike him blind for his own confusion and the conversion of the people. This prayer having taken instant effect, the tyrant delayed the execution of the sentence, and besought the holy bishop to forgive the maltreatment he had received, and to pray for the restoration of his sight.
St. Januarius did so, and the miracle was followed by the conversion of 5,000 pagans. But Timothy, fearing lest he should lose the favor of the Emperor, ordered his officers to have the last sentence privately but instantly executed. While our saint was being led to Volcano, the place selected for his last struggle, an aged Christian followed him, imploring with many tears that he would give him something to keep for his sake. The good bishop moved by the devotion of the old man, told him that he had nothing to give except his handkerchief, which as he needed it to bandage his eyes in receiving the stroke of death, He could not let him have it until after his martyrdom.
On arriving at Volcano, Saint Januarius tied the handkerchief over his eyes and repeated the words, Into thy hands, oh Lord, I commend my spirit. He was decapitated on the September 19, towards the close of the third century, together with his companions, Soius, Festus, Proclus, Dsidarius, Uticus, and Acutius. The relics of these holy martyrs were afterwards translated to different cities. Puzzoli was favored with the bodies of saints Proclus, Utichis, and Acutius, while Benevento was honored with those of saints Festus and Desiderius.
That of saint Sosius was removed to Mezzeno. The body of Saint Januarius was first deposited at Benevento, and afterwards at the monastery of Monte Vergine, until during the pontificate of Alexander the fourth, Saint Severus, Bishop of Naples, accompanied by the Neapolitan clergy and a great conqueror of the laity, translated it to Naples, and placed it in a church dedicated to God in his honor. From this church, however, which was without the city, the relics of St. Januarius were again translated to the cathedral, together with two vials of his blood, and have been there objects of great religious veneration for fourteen centuries.
The Neapolitans honor the saint as the principal patron of their city and nation, and the Lord himself has continued to honor him by allowing many miracles to be wrought through his intercession, particularly when the frightful eruptions of Mount Vesuvius have threatened the city of Naples with utter destruction. While the relics of St. Januarius were being brought in procession towards this terrific volcano, the torrents of lava and liquefied fire, which it emitted, have ceased or turned their course from the city. But the most stupendous miracle and that which is greatly celebrated in the church is the liquefying and boiling up of his blessed martyr's blood whenever the vials are brought in sight of his head.
This miracle is renewed many times in the year, in presence of all who desire to witness it. Yet, some heretics have endeavored to throw a doubt upon its genuineness by frivolous and incoherent explanations. But no one can deny the effect to be miraculous unless he be prepared to question the evidence of his senses. All the facts related about Saint Januarius are drawn upon trustworthy sources, such as the acts possessed by Berenice, the Greek acts of the Vatican, the Greek Menology of Basil, the writing of Saint John Dio Kona, an author of great credit, who lived in the ninth century, and who Muratori himself praises.
To this must be added the very ancient offices of Naples, Salerno, Capua and Puzolia. And finally, the tradition of Nola, where is yet shown at the present day the prison in which the saint was shut up, the place where his bones were dislocated, and the furnace from which he came forth unhurt. These records contain nearly all we have related. All, or nearly all, are written in the acts of Berenice, which, resting on other records, deserve our entire confidence. I repeat here what I have said at the beginning of this book, that it seems to be a kind of temerity to wish to doubt positively about the truth of the facts related by several ancient authors.
Though they may not be contemporary contemporaneous authors, grave and careful to examine into things, especially when these facts are supported by the uncontroverted and ancient tradition. It is true that we should justly doubt ancient facts against the authenticity of which we may allege some solid reason. But I ask here, which are the arguments of Tillamont, Belet, and some other modern authors opposed to the facts of the martyrdom of Saint Januarius. They say that this antiquity removes them too far from our time, that the tortures related are too violent and therefore incredible, that these similar these facts are too numerous.
They also add other similar objections, which are groundless, and which I pass over in silence for brevity's sake. To all these difficulties I reply that by following this method, we shall we should have to reject many acts that are commonly regarded as genuine, such as those of Saint Felix of Nola, Saint Carpus, Saint Theodotus, and of Saint Terracus, and many others that we read of in the celebrated Ruin Art, and in a host of other good authors. Some of our writers have approved of what is said by Telamon and Bellet because of certain acts of Saint Januarius that were found in at Bologna with the Celestin fathers in the Monastery Of Saint Stephen.
Or Stephan. But I do not see why we should put faith in these acts. And not in those of Berenice, another of other authors mentioned above. They say with Telemont that the acts of Bologna are more simple, because in them no mention is made of the miracles ascribed to the acts of Berenice, and should therefore the former be preferred to the later? Allow me to make a painful reflection. The present age is called the Age of Light, because it has a better taste and a more correct judgment of things. But would to God that it had not degenerated in many things, and that it were not growing worse by wishing to subject subject divine things to be estimated by our feeble intelligence.
Some of these who are learned in this fashion deny or call in question most of the miraculous miracles related in the lives of the saints. They say that the account of these miracles only make heretics laugh at the two great credulity of the Catholics, and for this reason, refuse to be united to our church. I answer, heretics do not wish to believe our miracles, Not because they esteem us too credulous, but because among them no miracles are ever seen. This explains why they despise our miracles. And it is by no means true that our too great facility in believing the miracles hinders them from being united to our church.
For it is precisely because they do not wish to unite with our church and to submit to her that they refuse to believe in miracles. These unfortunate people do not see that in refusing to submit to the church, they reduce themselves to a state of believing in nothing, as evidently appears from the books that often reach us from the so called reformed countries. Moreover, they know that the Christian faith was propagated and maintained by means of miracles, just as Jesus Christ and the apostles propagated it, and the reason of this is clear, For as the revealed truth, which are the object of our faith, are not of themselves evident to the minds, to the eyes of our mind, it was necessary to induce us to believe them by means of miracles, which surpassing the forces of nature, aid us to know clearly that it is God who speaks to us in the midst of these prodigies.
Thus, in proportion to the persecutions raised against the church has the Lord multiplied miracles. In short, the miracles wrought more or less frequently by God, through his servants, have never been wanting in our church. Let us return to our subject. It is not, therefore, just to prefer the acts of the monastery of Bologna to all those that we have quoted because they are more simple and because they do not comprise all the miracles related by Berennis, Diacono, and other authors. Besides, these acts of Bologna, if carefully examined, date only from the sixteenth century.
Again, another well informed author, Xavier Rossi, in a learned dissertation, assures us that these acts should be regarded as less trustworthy than those that we have followed since they are encumbered with other narratives that are false and at least improbable. And since it has become known that they were written by an ignorant person who collected them without discretion and in writing, committed many faults against the Latin grammar. So, I'm gonna end it there. Let's end with a prayer. In the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of god, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. I'm gonna go and look up Saint Januarius, and this blood and volcano erupting. It sounds very interesting. So thank you for joining me wherever you may be, whether it's night or day. Today is Wednesday, 09/17/2025. And God bless you all. Thank you for joining us.
Opening prayer and introduction to the study
Overview of 2 Corinthians and historical context
Reading 2 Corinthians 1: Sufferings, consolation, and steadfast hope
Footnotes on consistency of apostolic teaching—"It is" in Christ
Reading 2 Corinthians 2: Forgiveness, penance, and sincerity
Notes on indulgence, Satan’s devices, and the "odor" of Christ
Reading 2 Corinthians 3: Letter and Spirit; unveiled glory
Explaining "the letter kills, the Spirit gives life"
Reading 2 Corinthians 4: Treasure in earthen vessels, enduring trials
Reflection on suffering, resurrection, and hope beyond this life
Catechism of St. Peter Canisius: On penance and purging of sins
Means of remission: confession, alms, forgiveness, charity, contrition
Applying forgiveness to difficult cases; life’s dignity
Venial sins: why "little sins" matter and lead to greater faults
Practicing virtue: guarding speech, jesting, and giving alms
Lives of the martyrs: St. Januarius and companions
Miracles amid persecution: beasts tamed, governor struck blind
The liquefaction of St. Januarius’s blood and later traditions
Defending ancient accounts and the role of miracles in the Church
Closing prayer and farewell
