Homily of
Fr. Herbert Nicholls
In the Gospel today
(cf. Mt 18: 1 – 5), Jesus begins a series of instruction on the way in which
His Church is to be administered. The first five verses of Chapter 18 are
addressed to leaders, that is, the future hierarchy of the Church. It warns
against natural tendencies to pride and ambition. In whatever position they
must act with humility.
St. Augustine tells us
that humility is one of the main pillars of Christian life. If you ask me, he said, what is the essential thing in the religion
and discipline of Jesus Christ, I shall reply:
first, humility; second, humility; and third, humility.
Fr. Luis de Granada
makes the point that humility is superior to virginity. If you cannot imitate the virginity of the humble then at least imitate
the humility of the virgin. Virginity is praiseworthy but humility is
necessary. Virginity is recommended but humility is obligatory. We are invited
to virginity; but to humility we are compelled. Virginity is a voluntary
sacrifice but humility requires an obligatory sacrifice. Lastly, you can be
saved without virginity but you cannot be saved without humility.
Let us now take a
glimpse at our Saint of the day (June 6). Dorotheus was a priest of the Diocese of Tyre.
During the reign of Diocletian, he suffered much persecution in his home
Diocese, eventually he was driven into exile at Odyssopolis. The lull in
persecution under the Emperor Constantine enabled him to return to Tyre where
he was elected bishop.
Dorotheus was a man of
great learning, well versed in both Latin and Greek, and he is reported to have
authored several books. He was a full participant at the Council of Nicaea in
325. Unfortunately Constantine was succeeded by the Emperor Julian who brought
back a renewal of persecutions.
He was again exiled to
Odyssopolis which today is the port of the city of Varna in Bulgaria. Even so
he was not left in peace but so cruelly beaten, that he died of his injuries at
the age of 107 in the year 362.