Opposing Baby-Slaughter is Our Duty as Catholics and as Citizens

Admitting full well that the primary crisis facing us today is the lack of the Principle of Unity represented by a true and legitimate Successor of Saint Peter and thus of the doctrinal, moral, and liturgical errors spread by false claimants to the papacy in the past sixty-seven years, it would morally irresponsible to ignore the most pressing moral crisis afflicting us today, namely, the daily execution of the innocent preborn by chemical and surgical means as it is our fundamental duty as Catholics and as citizens to stand fast in defense of the of the inviolability of innocent preborn life.

Pope Leo XIII explained that Catholics have no choice but to do all they can in defense of the Faith and moral truth when these are under attack by the civil state:

But, if the laws of the State are manifestly at variance with the divine law, containing enactments hurtful to the Church, or conveying injunctions adverse to the duties imposed by religion, or if they violate in the person of the supreme Pontiff the authority of Jesus Christ, then, truly, to resist becomes a positive duty, to obey, a crime; a crime, moreover, combined with misdemeanor against the State itself, inasmuch as every offense leveled against religion is also a sin against the State. Here anew it becomes evident how unjust is the reproach of sedition; for the obedience due to rulers and legislators is not refused, but there is a deviation from their will in those precepts only which they have no power to enjoin. Commands that are issued adversely to the honor due to God, and hence are beyond the scope of justice, must be looked upon as anything rather than laws. You are fully aware, venerable brothers, that this is the very contention of the Apostle St. Paul, who, in writing to Titus, after reminding Christians that they are "to be subject to princes and powers, and to obey at a word," at once adds: "And to be ready to every good work."Thereby he openly declares that, if laws of men contain injunctions contrary to the eternal law of God, it is right not to obey them. In like manner, the Prince of the Apostles gave this courageous and sublime answer to those who would have deprived him of the liberty of preaching the Gospel: "If it be just in the sight of God to hear you rather than God, judge ye, for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." (Pope Leo XIII, Sapientiae Christianae, January 10, 1890.)

But in this same matter, touching Christian faith, there are other duties whose exact and religious observance, necessary at all times in the interests of eternal salvation, become more especially so in these our days. Amid such reckless and widespread folly of opinion, it is, as We have said, the office of the Church to undertake the defense of truth and uproot errors from the mind, and this charge has to be at all times sacredly observed by her, seeing that the honor of God and the salvation of men are confided to her keeping. But, when necessity compels, not those only who are invested with power of rule are bound to safeguard the integrity of faith, but, as St. Thomas maintains: "Each one is under obligation to show forth his faith, either to instruct and encourage others of the faithful, or to repel the attacks of unbelievers.'' To recoil before an enemy, or to keep silence when from all sides such clamors are raised against truth, is the part of a man either devoid of character or who entertains doubt as to the truth of what he professes to believe. In both cases such mode of behaving is base and is insulting to God, and both are incompatible with the salvation of mankind. This kind of conduct is profitable only to the enemies of the faith, for nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good. Moreover, want of vigor on the part of Christians is so much the more blameworthy, as not seldom little would be needed on their part to bring to naught false charges and refute erroneous opinions, and by always exerting themselves more strenuously they might reckon upon being successful. After all, no one can be prevented from putting forth that strength of soul which is the characteristic of true Christians, and very frequently by such display of courage our enemies lose heart and their designs are thwarted. Christians are, moreover, born for combat, whereof the greater the vehemence, the more assured, God aiding, the triumph: "Have confidence; I have overcome the world." Nor is there any ground for alleging that Jesus Christ, the Guardian and Champion of the Church, needs not in any manner the help of men. Power certainly is not wanting to Him, but in His loving kindness He would assign to us a share in obtaining and applying the fruits of salvation procured through His grace.

The chief elements of this duty consist in professing openly and unflinchingly the Catholic doctrine, and in propagating it to the utmost of our power. For, as is often said, with the greatest truth, there is nothing so hurtful to Christian wisdom as that it should not be known, since it possesses, when loyally received, inherent power to drive away error. (Pope Leo XIII, Sapientiae Christianae, January 10, 1890.)

Pope Pius XII explained the necessity of resisting unjust laws throughout the course of his nineteen-year pontificate. Here are but two examples:

Everybody knows that the Catholic Church does not act through worldly motives, and that she accepts any and every form of civil government provided it not be inconsistent with divine and human rights. But when it does contradict these rights, Bishops and the faithful themselves are bound, by their own conscience to resist unjust laws. (Pope Pius XII, Allocution on the Cardinal Mindszenty Arrest, as found at: New York Times, February 15, 1949.)

26. We earnestly exhort “in the heart of Christ” (Phil. 1. 8) those faithful of whom We have mournfully written above to come back to the path of repentance and salvation. Let them remember that, when it is necessary, one must render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and with greater reason, one must render to God what is God’s (Cf. Luke 20. 25). When men demand things contrary to the Divine Will, then it is necessary to put into practice the maxim of St. Peter: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5. 29). Let them also remember that it is impossible to serve two masters, if these order things opposed to one another (Cf. Matt. 6. 24). Also at times it is impossible to please both Jesus Christ and men (Cf. Gal. 1. 10). But if it sometimes happens that he who wishes to remain faithful to the Divine Redeemer even unto death must suffer great harm, let him bear it with a strong and serene soul.

27. On the other hand, We wish to congratulate repeatedly those who, suffering severe difficulties, have been outstanding in their loyalty to God and to the Catholic Church, and so have been “counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus” (Acts 5. 41). With a paternal heart We encourage them to continue brave and intrepid along the road they have taken, keeping in mind the words of Jesus Christ: “And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather be afraid of him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell . . . But as for you, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do not be afraid . . . Therefore everyone who acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I in turn will disown him before my Father in heaven” (Matt. 10. 28, 30-33). (Pope Pius XII, Ad Sinarum Gentes, October 7, 1954.)

Pope Pius XII also explained that nations not built upon the firm foundation of the Catholic Faith must wind up as places of injustice and iniquity:

4. If we weigh carefully the causes of today’s crises and those that are ahead, we shall soon find that human plans, human resources, and human endeavors are futile and will fail when Almighty God — He who enlightens, commands, and forbids; He who is the source and guarantor of justice, the fountainhead of truth, the basis of all laws — is esteemed but little, denied His proper place, or even completely disregarded. If a house is not built on a solid and sure foundation, it tumbles down; if a mind is not enlightened by the divine light, it strays more or less from the whole truth; if citizens, peoples, and nations are not animated by brotherly love, strife is born, waxes strong, and reaches full growth.

5. It is Christianity, above all others, which teaches the full truth, real justice, and that divine charity which drives away hatred, ill will, and enmity. Christianity has been given charge of these virtues by the Divine Redeemer, who is the way, the truth, and the life,[2] and she must do all in her power to put them to use. Anyone, therefore, who knowingly ignores Christianity — the Catholic Church — or tries to hinder, demean, or undo her, either weakens thereby the very bases of society, or tries to replace them with props not strong enough to support the edifice of human worth, freedom, and well-being.

6. There must, then, be a return to Christian principles if we are to establish a society that is strong, just, and equitable. It is a harmful and reckless policy to do battle with Christianity, for God guarantees, and history testifies, that she shall exist forever. Everyone should realize that a nation cannot be well organized or well ordered without religion. (Pope Pius XII, Meminisse Iuvat, July 14, 1958.)

We would never be arguing about the inarguable (the inviolability of innocent human life, the fact that there are only two genders, that the sin of Sodom and its related vices are abhorrent and can never enjoy the favor of the civil law nor be celebrated within civil society, etc.) in a country that recognizes the Sovereignty of Christ the King and that acknowledges the authority of the Catholic Church to interpose herself with the civil authorities in all that pertains to the good of souls after exhausting her Indirect Powers of teaching, preaching, exhortation, and admonition to warn such authorities of the consequences for defying the binding precepts of the Divine Positive Law and the Natural Law.

However, the fact of the matter is that we do live in a world that has rejected the Social Reign of Christ the King and has replaced with the Reign of Man, which is, of course, the reign of satan himself, and it thus our manifest duty to do all we can by prayer, word, and work to help prevent women from killing our children, to pray for the conversion of those who have had, performed, assisted at, enabled, promoted and/or apologized in behalf of baby slaughter, to be absolutely dauntless in begging Our Lady to send us the graces to defend the inviolability on bedrock principles of Catholic truth without one iota of compromise, including opposing all forms of contraception as, to call to mind the words of the late Father Paul Marx, O.S.B., the founder of Human Life International and the Population Research Institute, “Most contraceptives abort, and most contraceptives abort most of the time.”

As explained Sunday, December 28, 2025, in my reflection on On the Feast of the Holy Innocents, the over 67,700,000 victims of surgical baby-killing in the United States of America since 1973 and the nearly two billion victims of such killing worldwide since 1980 (see World Abortion Clock, a clock that does not include the babies killed by surgical means in Soviet Russia  between 1918, when Vladimir Lenin “legalized” baby-killing and 1980 nor does it include the babies killed surgically between 1965 and 1973 in states such as California, Colorado, New Jersey, Hawaii, and New York whose state legislatures unleased the shedding of innocent preborn blood under the cover of the civil law) are not being killed in the place of Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as were the Holy Innocents. 

However, we do have Herods aplenty who hate Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and or who have posited a false dichotomy between a supposedly “private belief” and their “public duty” even though this sophism had been obliterated by Pope Leo XIII in Immortale Dei, November 1, 1885:

Hence, lest concord be broken by rash charges, let this be understood by all, that the integrity of Catholic faith cannot be reconciled with opinions verging on naturalism or rationalism, the essence of which is utterly to do away with Christian institutions and to install in society the supremacy of man to the exclusion of God. Further, it is unlawful to follow one line of conduct in private life and another in public, respecting privately the authority of the Church, but publicly rejecting it; for this would amount to joining together good and evil, and to putting man in conflict with himself; whereas he ought always to be consistent, and never in the least point nor in any condition of life to swerve from Christian virtue. (Pope Leo XIII, Immortale Dei, November 1, 1885.)

One has a duty to use the true Faith as the basis of public policy in all that pertains to the good of souls as what pertains to the good of souls determines the fate of nations and of the world. Niccolo Machiavelli (nor Joseph Robinette Biden, Gavin Newsom, Kathleen Hochul, Nancy Patricia D’Alesandro Pelosi, Susan Collins, Anthony McLeod Kennedy, Michelle Lujan Grisham, Richard Durbin, Andrew Mark Cuomo, Edward Markey, et al.) need not apply, thank you very much.

Father Francis X. Weninger’s 1876 sermon on the Feast of the Holy Innocents spoke of the hatred that King Herod the Great had against Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, but his words are just applicable to todays Herods and Pontius Pilates in the civil realm today here in the United States of America and around the world:

By the Holy Innocents, who are honored as martyrs today by the Catholic Church, we understand those happy infants, who, by the command of King Herod, were put to death, for no other cause than that the new-born King of the Jews might be deprived of life. When Christ was born, Herod, well known for his cruelty, reigned at Jerusalem. He was not of the Jewish nation, but a foreigner, and was therefore hated by the Jews. Herod knew this well; hence he feared that they would dethrone him, and he had several illustrious persons executed, whom he suspected of aspiring to the throne. Meanwhile it happened that the three Magi or Kings from the East came to Jerusalem, to find and adore the new-born King, who had been announced to them by a star; as they doubted not that they would learn more of Him in the capital of Judea. They therefore asked without hesitation: "Where is he, that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to adore him."

This question seemed very strange to the Jews, and the news of it spread through the whole city, until it reached the King. His fear can hardly be described; for he already believed his crown and sceptre lost. To escape the danger in which he supposed himself, he called the chief priests and scribes together, and inquired of them where the Messiah should be born. They answered: "In Bethlehem, according to the Prophets." Satisfied with this answer, Herod had the three wise men brought to court, and speaking very confidentially with them, he asked diligently when and where the star had appeared to them. After this, he advised them to go to Bethlehem and inquire after the new-born child, and when they had found and adored it, to return and inform him, as he wished to go and adore it also. These words of the king, who was not less cunning than cruel, were only a deceit, as he had already resolved to kill the new-born child.

Meanwhile the Magi followed the advice of the king, and, guided by the star, which again appeared to them when they had left Jerusalem, went to Bethlehem, found and adored the divine Child, and offered gold, frankincense and myrrh, as we read in Holy Writ. Having finished their devotion, they intended, in accordance with king Herod's wish, to bring him word that they had happily found the Child. An angel, however, appeared to them in their sleep and admonished them not to return to Jerusalem, but to go into their own country by another way; which they accordingly did. When Herod perceived that they had deluded him, it was too late, and his rage was boundless. Hearing of what had taken place in the temple, at the Purification of Mary, that the venerable Simeon had pronounced a child, which he had taken into his arms, the true Messiah, the King's heart was filled with inexpressible fear and anxiety. The danger in which he was, as he imagined, of losing his crown, left him no peace day or night. He secretly gave orders to search for this child; but all was of no avail; it could not be found.

After long pondering how he might escape the danger, his unbounded ambition led him to an act of cruelty unprecedented in history. He determined to murder all the male children, in and around Bethlehem, that were not over two years of age, as he thought that thus he could not fail to take the life of the child so dangerous to him. This fearful design was executed amidst the despairing shrieks of the parents, especially the mothers. How many children were thus inhumanly slaughtered is not known, but the number must have been very large. Yet the tyrant gained not his end; for, the divine Child was already in security. The Gospel tells us that an Angel appeared during the night to St. Joseph, saying to him: "Arise, take the child and his mother, and fly into Egypt, and remain there until I tell thee. For, it will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy him." St. Joseph delayed not to obey, and fled, the same night, with the child and his mother, into the land indicated to him.

As this had happened before Herod executed his cruel determination, God thus frustrated the plot. Herod soon after, received his just punishment. Several terrible maladies suddenly seized him, as Josephus, the Jewish historian, relates. An internal fever consumed him, and all his limbs were covered with abominable ulcers, breeding vermin. His feet were swollen; his neck, shoulders and arms drawn together, and his breast so burdened, that the unfortunate man could hardly breathe, while his whole body exhaled so offensive an odor, that neither he nor others could endure it. Hence, in despair, he frequently cried for a knife or a sword, that he might end his own life. In this miserable condition, he ceased not his cruelties, and only five days before his death, he had his son, Antipater, put to death. As he had good reason to believe that the entire people would rejoice at his death, he wished at least to take to the grave the thought that many should grieve, if not for him, at least for their friends and relatives. Hence, he had the chief men of the nobility imprisoned, and gave orders to his sister Salome, that, as soon as he had closed his eyes, they were all to be murdered. This order, however, was not executed by Salome, who justly loathed its cruelty. In this lamentable condition, the cruel tyrant ended his life, but began one in eternity whose pains and torments were still more unendurable, and from which he cannot hope ever to be released; while the innocent children massacred by him, rejoice for all eternity in the glories of heaven, giving humble thanks to God for having thus admitted them into His presence. The Catholic Church has always honored them as martyrs; because, though not confessing Christ with their lips, as many thousands of others have done, yet they confessed Him with their death, by losing their lives for His sake.  (Father Francis X. Weninger, Sermon on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, December 28.)

It was following Father Weninger’s main reflection that he provided his practical considerations to be drawn from it, and, although abortion-on-demand did not exist in the United States of America at that time, the diabolical practice was taking place in various parts of the country, especially along the Western frontier but also illegally in urban areas and Father Weninger minced no words condemning it while also reflecting upon the loss that pyarents suffer when they baby dies in the womb by natural means or shortly after birth.

Father Weninger also explained that far worse that child murder, though, is the murder of children’s souls by parents who speak immodestly, dress indecently, or neglect their children’s education in the Holy Faith:

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

I. How happy were the innocent children to end their lives at so tender an age! Had they lived longer, they might have been among those who cried: "Crucify him! Crucify him!" and have gone to destruction. The parents of these children naturally wept and lamented, and believed themselves most unhappy, because their children were torn from them and cruelly slaughtered. They did not recognize the mercy that God showed them. Still, at this day, does the Almighty sometimes take children, by an early death, from their parents. That the latter feel this loss and weep and mourn over it, is but human, and is no sin; but they do wrong if they grieve inordinately, or even murmur or complain against the decrees of the Almighty. They ought to think, God is the Lord of life and death; He has given the children; He can take them away again, without wronging any one. They should also think that an early death may be a great benefit to themselves and to their children; for, God perhaps foresaw that the parents would neglect the education of their children and thus condemn themselves, or that the children would lead a wicked life, and thus go to eternal perdition. By taking them thus early, He benefits the children and the parents, and deserves thanks instead of complaint. At least, the parents ought to submit to the divine will, and say from the depth of their hearts, what they have often said with their lips: "O Lord, Thy will be done"

II. Herod undoubtedly did great sin in massacring, without just reason, so many innocent children. In our days, there are many who deprive an innocent child of its mortal life, or even endeavor to deprive it of the life to come. To the former of these belong all mothers, who destroy the fruit of their womb by imprudence or even by crime. In the same manner, those men, who ill-treat their wives, frequently become guilty of the same sin. Mothers again are guilty of it, who crush their children in sleep. To the second class belong those who murder their children before they are baptized, for without baptism they can never enter the kingdom of heaven. Secondly, all those persons who give scandal to innocent youth, either in word or deed; for example, when they speak impurely in their presence, sing bad songs, behave immodestly, or even entice them to do wrong. Thirdly, according to St. Chrysostom, those parents belong to this class, who, either by their example, or by neglecting to instruct their children, are the cause of many sins which their children commit. Further, those who do not duly punish-their children, and who do not earnestly endeavor to prevent their doing wrong. Lastly, all those who lead their own children into the path of wickedness and sin. All these are child-murderers. Of the latter, St. Chrysostom says: "Thus, parents, I say, are more vicious, more cruel than child-murderers; for, a murderer of children, as Herod was, separates only the body from the soul; while the others give the souls and bodies of their children to eternal flames.

Further, those who are killed would have died in the course of time, though they had not been murdered; while children neglected by their parents, might have avoided eternal death, had not the wickedness of their parents prepared it for them. Besides this, the general resurrection would have compensated for the bodily death, while the death and destruction of the soul nothing can restore. A child, condemned by the parent's fault, has no hope of salvation, but has to suffer eternal pains. Hence I am right in saying that such parents are worse than child-murderers." As there is no doubt that all the above-mentioned classes of people commit great sin, they make themselves guilty of eternal punishment. Those who give scandal to the young should remember the terrible menace of Jesus Christ: "He that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in Me, it were better for him that a mill-stone should be hanged about his neck and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea. Wo to that man by whom scandal cometh!" "Wo to him," exclaimed, one day, a dying man, "who has led me to evil." "And how will these corrupted souls, one day, cry for vengeance at the throne of the Almighty," says St. Thomas of Villanova; "how will they rage in hell against him who corrupted them or gave them scandal!" They also, who murder only the bodies of their children, will have to render an account, and may expect terrible punishment. The blood of their children will cry for vengeance against them, as did the blood of Abel against Cain. "The voice of thy brother's blood crieth to me from the earth." (Genesis, iv.) (Father Francis X. Weninger, S.J., Sermon the Feast of the Holy Innocents, December 28.)

Yes, parents who murder their children’s souls will receive even a harsher punishment in hell than those who killed them in the womb if they do not repent, convert, and do penance before they die.

Among the great giants (Mrs. Randy Engel, the founder of the United States Coalition for Life, Dr. Paul A. Byrne, the pioneer of neonatological surgery and the militant foe of “brain death”/human organ vivisection, palliative care and outright euthanasia, the aforementioned Father Paul Marx, and so many others, including rescuers such as Joan Andrews Bell, John Hinshaw and founders of homes for unwed mothers such as Mrs. Joanne McOsker in Rhode Island and Christopher Bell in New Jersey, and scholars such as the late Dr. Charles E. Rice, whose 1968 book, The Vanishing Right to Live, was so very prophetic) of the pro-life movement who have been uncompromising in their defense of innocent human life was the late James Joseph Condit, Jr., part of whose obituary discussed his early work in the pro-life movement as well as to provide Brown Scapulars and Green Scapulars to the bedsides of the dying:

Around 1973, following the passage of Roe v. Wade, Jim began volunteering with Dr. Jack Wilke, becoming a fearless and unwavering advocate for the unborn and their mothers. According to Dr. Wilke, Jim testified before the Republican Platform Committee alongside a young single mother holding her child, who had been born at just 23 weeks and survived. It was through Jim’s powerful presentation that the Republican National Committee adopted its National Pro-Life Platform. Portions of this testimony were later carried on Walter Cronkite’s national network news.

Jim was also among the first voices in the nation to raise concerns about the dangers and corruption of computerized voting systems. His efforts led to a “60 Minutes” investigation into wiretapping, which aired in 1981.

In 1985, Jim was a principal driving force behind the founding of the Annual Pro-Life Rosary Procession in downtown Cincinnati, an event that has continued faithfully every year since.

Deeply devoted to the Blessed Mother, Jim was a fierce advocate of the Brown and Green Scapulars, often rushing to ensure they were given to those on their deathbeds. (James Joseph Condit Jr. Obituary December 27, 2025 - Gilligan Funeral Homes.)

The selflessness of James Joseph Condit, Jr., provided an example of both true Catholic Action in the world as well founded, however, in the primary of prayer and a deeply tender and abiding devotion to Our Lady, especially through her Most Holy Rosary and by means of our shield that is her Brown Scapular of Mount Carmel and her warrant to Heaven that is her Green Scapular.

Thus, you see, admitting, as noted at the beginning of this essay, that the chief problem facing the world today is the Great Apostasy that Jim Condit, Jr., was among the first to recognize, we can, calling to mind Mr. Condit’s example, still employ Catholic Action in a world hostile to the Holy Faith to defend the Faith and the right to life upon the sole basis of personal salvation and of social order, Catholicism, and nothing else.

Please continue to pray for the soul of James Joseph Condit, Jr., and for the consolation of children, grandchildren, siblings and his father, James Joseph Condit, Sr., who himself has been a tireless defender of innocent human life as a Catholic attorney, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, at this time.

A continued blessed Christmas to you all!

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.

Saint Joseph, pray for us.

Saints Peter and Paul, pray for us.

Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.

Saint John the Evangelist, pray for us.

Saint Michael the Archangel, pray for us.

Saint Gabriel the Archangel, pray for us.

Saint Raphael the Archangel, pray for us.

Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us.

Saints Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, pray for us.

Appendix

The Divine Office on the Sunday within the Octave of Christmas (December 30 otherwise)

Dearly beloved brethren, the greatness of God's work, in its breadth and height, passeth the power of man's utterance; and, therefore, when we must needs not keep silence, we find it hard to know what to say. The words of the Prophet: Who shall declare His generation? Isa. liii. 8 look not only to the Divine, but also to the human birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Faith believeth, but words cannot explain, how the two natures were joined in one Person, and therein we find that we shall never lack matter of praise in Him, Whose abundance ever outrunneth the power of our expression.

Therefore let us rejoice, that this mystery of mercy is greater than we can ever speak; and let us feel that it is good for us to fail if we try to express the height and depth of redeeming love. He cometh nearest to the knowledge of the truth, who, the farther he advanceth, seeth all the more clearly that he can never overtake that whereafter he searcheth. For he that imagineth therein that he hath ever attained uno the goal, hath not found that which he seeketh, but hath altogether missed.

But lest we should be confounded at the weakness of our mortality, we have help in the words of the Prophets and Evangelists; and they are able so to inflame and teach us that we may see the Birth of the Lord, wherein the Word was made Flesh, not so much as a thing past, as a thing present. The proclamation of the angel to the shepherds who watched their flocks by night, ringeth in our ears also; and for this end are we appointed to rule the Lord's flock, that we may ever keep in our heart the word revealed from heaven, and say unto you, as we do this day Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people; for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, Which is Christ the Lord! (Pope Leo the Great Christmas Sermon, as found in Matins, The Divine Office, December 30.)

We see that God's abounding grace is poured forth on all by the birth of the Lord, and that the gift of prophecy is not denied to the righteous, but to the unbelieving. Simeon prophesieth that our Lord Jesus Christ is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, setting forth that the just and the unjust reap different fruits from the coming of the Saviour; so will it be with us; according to our individual works will the True and Just Judge apportion to us punishment or reward.

See, a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also. We have no record or tradition that Mary left this world by suffering a violent death, and the material sword can pierce the body only, and not the soul. Wherefore here we see the wisdom of Mary in that she was not ignorant of the heavenly mysteries. For, the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart for all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of the Son of God, from Whom also the secret things of our conscience are not hidden.

There had been a triple prophecy; the prophecy of Simeon had followed the prophecy of the virgin, and the prophecy of the wife; those, namely, of Mary and Elizabeth. And now ought the widow also to prophesy, that no sex nor state might be wanting. And Anna is brought before us with such a title from her widowhood and her life, that we may well believe that she received the grace to announce the Advent of the Redeemer. In our exhortation addressed to widows we have already treated of her gifts at length, and, as we have much matter before us, we will not now again enter on the subject. (Saint Ambrose, Sermon on the Gospel of Saint Luke, as found in Matins, The Divine Office, December 30.)