07 December 2009

Commemoration of St. Ambrose

From our Synod's website and the Treasury:

Born in Trier in A.D. 340, Ambrose was one of the four great Latin Doctors of the Church (with Augustine, Jerome, and Gregory the Great). He was a prolific author of hymns, the most common of which is Veni, Redemptor gentium (“Savior of the Nations, Come”). His name is also associated with Ambrosian Chant, the style of chanting the ancient liturgy that took hold in the province of Milan. While serving as a civil governor, Ambrose sought to bring peace among Christians in Milan who were divided into quarreling factions. When a new bishop was to be elected in 374, Ambrose addressed the crowd, and someone cried out, “Ambrose, bishop!” The entire gathering gave their support. This acclaim of Ambrose, a 34-year-old catechumen, led to his baptism on December 7, after which he was consecrated bishop of Milan. A strong defender of the faith, Ambrose convinced the Roman emperor Gratian in 379 to forbid the Arian heresy in the West. At Ambrose's urging, Gratian's successor, Theodosius, also publicly opposed Arianism. Ambrose died on Good Friday, April 4, 397. As a courageous doctor and musician he upheld the truth of God's Word.

The prayer for the day:

O God, You gave Your servant Ambrose grace to proclaim the Gospel with eloquence and power. As bishop of the great congregation of Milan, he fearlessly bore reproach for the honor of Your name. Mercifully grant to all bishops and pastors such excellence in preaching and fidelity in ministering Your Word that Your people shall be partakers of the divine nature; through Jesus Christ... (Treasury, p. 992)

I still remember with great joy the class in St. Ambrose's writings which I took at seminary, taught by Professor Wesselschmidt. Spending the quarter with this remarkable Father was truly an eye-opener. And speaking of eyes, Prof. Wesselschmidt commented on how if you view the body to this day in the crypt beneath the cathedral in Milan, you can notice (as in the mosaic at the top of this post) that one of his eyes is lower in his head than the other. And he was a SHORT fellow, yet big in character.

One thinks of Ambrose and one thinks of worship and liturgy. His works on the Sacraments are tremendous. Also, the Lutheran liturgiologist recalls that in many 16th-17th century works, the Te Deum is titled the Symbol of Sts. Ambrose and Augustine, based on the medieval legend that it was composed upon the latter's baptism by the former.

Our hymnal has three hymns from St. Ambrose. My favorite is "Savior of the Nations" but a close second is this evening hymn:

O blessed Light, O Trinity,
O everlasting Unity:
As now the fiery sun departs
Send forth Your light into our hearts.

To You our morning song of praise,
To You our evening prayer we raise;
We praise Your light in every age,
The joy of our pilgrimage.

All glory be to God above
And to the Son, the Prince of love,
And to the Spirit, One in Three!
We praise You, blessed Trinity.
LSB 890

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Uh, he kind of looks like you...

Dan Pharr

Jon said...

I saw St. Ambrose's body in 1989 - but I missed the fact the one eye was lower than the other. He was very very small though.

They change his vestments to match the seasons of the church, if I am not mistaken.

jon

William Weedon said...

Dan,

Yeah, he's like my 100X great uncle... ;)

Jon,

Yes, I've heard he was quite small of stature. I didn't know they changed his vestments, though. I'm glad I don't have that job...

Jon said...

Well, he is more of skeleton.

I don't think it is too bad.

I was totally creeped out when I saw him at 17. St. Clare in Assisi really gave me a fright. She was supposed to be incorrupt, but it looked more like a coating of wax to me.

Since then, I have seen St. Stephen of Hungary's hand, the leg bones of St. Sebastian - it goes on and on.

It can all be a bit morbid.

From the standpoint of - hey this guy was real - I think it is pretty cool, especially in the St. Ambrose case.

Kiran said...

I thought the medieval legend was that the hymn was spontaneously composed in the Cathedral at Milan. I think the hymn is older, though it could have been sung then

Past Elder said...

Geez, anybody putting blue on him for Advent?

Dcn Latif Haki Gaba SSP said...

For modern images of the Saint's remains, check this out:

http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2009/12/feast-of-st-ambrose-and-basilica.html

As you can see, they even give him the more modern form of the pallium.

Dan Pharr said...

When I lived in St. Louis, I recall attending a mass at an RC convent in south city off I 55 in the Corondelette (sp?) area. The altar was adorned with skulls decked out in tiaras...They were supposedly from martyrs from Rome.
I think it was a convent. Anyone been there and know the name?

Past Elder said...

The remains the saints have left behind I am interested in are the faith they championed in the example and writings they left us, not the bones they left behind like anyone else which even the world venerates (Bentham, Lenin eg) and for us to emulate such ghoulish practices is just ridiculous. Besides, Lutherans are pikers at it anyway compared to where I come from.