Friday, 15 November, 32nd Week in Ordinary Time

Readings — 2 Jn. 4-9; Ps. 119:1, 2, 10, 11, 17, 18; Lk. 17:26-37.

1. Some Notes on St. Albert the Great (1200-1280) — St. Albert was a 13th century German Dominican bishop, philosopher, and scientist, who taught St. Thomas Aquinas. He was a proponent of Aristotelianism in the University of Paris. He established the study of nature as a legitimate science within the Christian tradition, teaching that faith and science are not incompatible. By papal decree in 1941, he was declared the patron saint of all who cultivate the natural sciences. He was the most prolific writer of his century and was the only scholar of his age to be called “Great,” a title used even before his death.

2. He was the eldest son of a wealthy German lord. He studied at the University of Paris and joined the Dominican Order at Padua in 1223. He continued his studies in Padua, Bologna, and Germany. He then taught theology at several Dominican convents throughout Germany and lastly at Cologne. He was then sent to the Dominican convent at the University of Paris, where he lectured on the Bible for two years and then theology for another two years.

3. He began writing a monumental presentation of the entire body of knowledge of his time, commentaries on the Bible and on theology. He alone among medieval scholars made commentaries on all the known works of Aristotle. His speculations were open to Neoplatonic thought. He wrote explanations on the branches of natural science, logic, rhetoric, mathematics, astronomy, ethics, economics, politics and metaphysics. This took him 20 years to complete.

4. Among his disciples was Thomas Aquinas. His lectures and publications gained him great renown and he was frequently quoted by philosophers of his era. In his pursuit of knowledge, he wished, in his own words, “to desire all that I desire for the glory of God.”

He became Dominican provincial, but resigned. He resumed teaching in Cologne. He was appointed Bishop of Regensburg in 1259, but also resigned and returned to his Order to teach in Cologne. He preached the Crusade throughout Germany and Bohemia, and subsequently lectured at Würzburg and Strasbourg. In 1270, he settled definitively in Cologne. In 1274, the Pope invited him to attend the 2nd Council of Lyon, where he encouraged union between the Latin and Greek Churches. In 1277, he travelled to Paris to uphold the recently condemned good name and writings of Thomas Aquinas, who had died a few years earlier. Albert and Thomas Aquinas maintained a close relationship despite doctrinal differences.

5. He was dedicated to prayer and charity, and he possessed great zeal for his ministry. During his last two years, he suffered loss of memory, just as Our Lady had predicted. He died in the year 1280. He was canonized and declared Doctor of the Church in 1931 by Pope Pius XII.

6. 1st Reading, 1 Jn. 4-9 — Believing in Christ “in the flesh.” John writes his Letter as Presbyter, an Elder, not because he held the office, but because of his old age. The “Elder” addresses “the chosen Lady and her children” (v. 1). “The Lady and her children” are an undesignated but specific Christian community. John rejoices that some of the Lady’s children are “walking in the truth” of Jesus, in contrast to false teachings (v. 4). Here the truth of Jesus is “Jesus in the flesh,” the Incarnation. John reaffirms the commandment to love one another and to walk in the truth (vv. 5-6). Deceivers, such as “the deceitful one and the antichrist” do not acknowledge “Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh” (v. 7).

1 Jn. 2:18-19 speaks of the coming of antichrists because it is now “the last hour.” Let us beware and make sure we do not lose what we we worked for but will be fully rewarded (v. 8). Anyone who does not believe in the truth of Christ does not have God. But anyone who believed has the Father and the Son (v. 9).

7. Resp. Ps. 119:1, 2, 10, 11, 17 — “Blessed are they who walk by the law of the Lord…. Who seek him with all their heart" (vv. 2-3). “With all my heart, O Lord, I seek you; do not let me stray from your commandments” (v. 10). “Be kind to your servant, that I may live” (v. 17).

8. Gospel, Lk. 17:26-37 — Jesus describes the coming of the Son of Man. “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until Noah entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all” (vv. 26-27). So it was, too, in the days of Lot. They were doing their usual activities, and fire and brimstone destroyed them (vv. 28-29).

9. “So it will be on the day the Son of Man will be revealed” (v. 30). Jesus then describes the unpredictable suddenness of the day of the Son of Man. It will bring judgment unexpectedly on those who do not continue to be vigilant. “On that day, a person on the rooftop must not go down to get his belongings. A man in the field must not return to what he has left behind. On that night there will be two in bed, and one will be taken away. Two women will be grinding meal, and one will be taken away (vv. 31-35). The disciples asked Jesus, “Where Lord?” He answered, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather” (v. 37).

10. To seek God with all our heart, to keep his commandments (Psalm 119), to walk in the truth of Jesus, to believe in him and walk in his way (1 Jn.4-9): this is the way of being vigilant for the coming of the Son of Man (Lk. 17:26-37).

11. Prayer — Most loving God, you endowed St. Albert with great wisdom and knowledge. Most of all, you bestowed on him a firm dedication to prayer and the “desire to desire only what is for your glory.” Grant, we pray, that we may share in the wisdom of St. Albert, in his dedication to prayer, and in his deep love of you. This we ask, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayers, best wishes, God bless!