Sunday Meditation: "We Are Catholics First!"

This morning we got to Mass early and I had a few minutes to read Anthony Esolen's article in Magnificat on Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, a great Catholic political figure of the mid 20th century. One incident in Adenauer's life occurred in 1933 after he was removed as mayor of Cologne by the Nazis. He applied to an abbey for prayer and rest. Adenauer, a critic of the rising German Reich and Hitler listened to the abbot, a friend, say, "Many of our monks disagree with you about Herr Hitler. German soil, German blood." 

This was not a unique position among German clerics as Dietrich von Hildebrand relates in his great work, My Battle against Hitler. Sadly, many men in roman collars and other German Catholics defended the tyrant long after his evil plan was clear.

Adenauer wasn't one of them. He replied to the abbot, "We are Catholics first, Germans second."

What Hymn is more Appropriate to Advent than the Magnificat

And whose Magnificat is more beautiful than Johann Sebastian Bach's.

Mary is central to the Advent story. Her Magnificat announces the great blessing to her cousin Elizabeth. And doesn't this recording sound like the heavenly angels are singing with Mary to magnifying the Lord? Close your eyes and imagine the scene as she greets Elizabeth and overflows with rejoicing at the glory coming to Israel and all mankind through her.

My soul doth magnify the Lord.And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 

Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; 

for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 

Because he that is mighty,hath done great things to me;and holy is his name.