The Alleluia describes the joy of redemption as a plan of "cross before crown," a mystery indeed, had not Jesus lived it out for us. In the Gospel Jesus explains how an unbelieving world persecutes because it regards Him as dead and gone; yet our conquering joy which no man can take away, comes from our vision of Him through the wide open eyes of faith; although (Communion) Jesus also predicts that our joy can never be perfect here, especially during persecution, since the cross of
His apparent absence is the prelude to the glory of His eternal Presence. The Epistle alludes to the first Gentile and Jewish persecutors with their usual weapons of violence and calumny, yet shows how "you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." "Going to the Father" each day (Communion) in morning and evening prayer, "desiring things" of God (Secret) in our daily a ction s, receiving Sacraments (Post communion) are the guarantee of true joy now and forever.
Christianity is a religion of joy!
On this Sunday falls the the Feast of St. Stanislaus E. M. of 11th Century Poland, martyred by the evil King of Poland, Boleslaus II, after criticism of his immoral and tyrannical regime. He is Patron Saint of Poland. Although not commemorated in the 1962 rubrics of the Mass today, we can still pray for his intercession for the confidence to express Catholic Truth without fear as did the Saint Stanislaus himself.