Constancy
Steadfast firmness in defending the faith and the Church against persecution, threats, and political pressure. Basil's famous confrontation with the Prefect Modestus: threatened with confiscation, exile, torture, and death, he declared none of these touched him. Odo of Cambrai died in exile rather than submit to lay investiture. Van der Burch's father stood firm amid the upheavals of the Low Countries.
Preliminaries
-
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Moses withstood Pharaoh with marvellous constancy; Basil overcame Julian the Apostate through prayer before an image of Our Lady.
"Moses withstood Pharaoh and his Magicians with marvellous constancy; he sustained, conquered, and subdued the enemies of the people of God on every side."
-
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Basil's famous confrontation with the Prefect Modestus: threatened with confiscation, exile, torture, and death, Basil declared none of these touches him.
"As for exile, I do not know it, for I am bound to no particular place... As for tortures, what can I receive, seeing I lack bodily substance?... Death, moreover, will be a benefit to me: it will send me more quickly to God, for whom I live and in whose service I am engaged"
-
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— The Prefect confesses to the Emperor: "We have been vanquished by the Bishop of this Church."
"We have been vanquished by the Bishop of this Church; he is superior to threats, firmer in argument, stronger than fair words."
-
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Van der Burch's constancy in defence of faith and discipline: he does not desist until discipline is confirmed and the rebellious are gently brought back.
"Your constancy in defence of faith and discipline, Most Illustrious Bishop, is celebrated everywhere"
-
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— St. Odo of Cambrai was exiled by Emperor Henry IV for refusing to accept lay investiture; he died in exile.
"Saint Odo, Bishop of Cambrai, was of such faith and constancy toward God and the Church that, when driven from his see by the Emperor Henry IV because he refused to receive again as a gift from him the staff and ring which he had received from the Church at his consecration, he spent the rest of his life in exile at Anchin and died in that exile."
-
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Van der Burch's father stood firm in loyalty to Philip II amid the upheavals of the Low Countries, refusing to enrich himself though he held the highest offices.
"he stood firm and unshaken in loyalty to his Prince amid the wondrous and grievous upheavals and storms of these Low Countries"
-
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Van der Burch's father suffered imprisonment, loss of fortune, and near-death in 1572 and pillage again in 1580 because he remained faithful.
"your father diminished his own estate and suffered grave losses of fortune precisely because he remained faithful and steadfast in his loyalty to his Prince"
Preface and Praise of Sacred Scripture
-
Chapter I: On the Excellence, Necessity, and Fruit of Sacred Scripture
— Scripture sounds forth fortitude and constancy so powerfully that the Maccabees, having only the holy books for consolation, stand firm with unconquered virtue.
"Who would not strengthen his manly breast for faith and piety against even the mightiest waves of evils, and seek a beautiful death through wounds, when he drinks in... these sacred trumpets sounding forth fortitude and constancy"
-
II. The Richness of the Old Testament
— The Apostle in Hebrews 11 kindles readers to endurance and martyrdom by the example of the patriarchs: "they were stoned, sawn asunder, tempted, died by the edge of the sword."
"we also, having so great a cloud of witnesses, let us run with patience the race set before us"
-
II. The Richness of the Old Testament
— In public misfortunes and European storms, having the Holy Books for consolation, through patience and consolation of Scripture we may have hope.
"in our own and public misfortunes, in these Belgian and European storms, having the Holy Books for consolation together with the Maccabees, through the patience and consolation of Scripture we may have hope"
Chapter I (The Six Days of Creation)
-
Verse 6: Let there be a firmament
— The firmament is the firmness and constancy of the soul fixed upon God and the heavens, sustaining upper waters (prosperities) and lower (adversities).
"the firmament is the firmness and constancy of the soul fixed upon God and the heavens, which steadfastly sustains the upper waters, that is, prosperities, and the lower, that is, adversities."
-
Verse 16: And God Made Two Great Lights
— Stars teach loftiness and immovability of mind in adversities; Augustine: "whoever has lost patience has fallen from heaven."
"the stars teach loftiness and immovability of mind in the midst of so many adversities and injuries, so that like stars they look down upon all things, both evil and good, that happen in the world."
-
Verse 5: And He called the light Day
— Chrysostom: creatures serve man obediently despite his rebellion; the sinner commits a twofold crime — not serving God, and repaying benefits with insult.
"I obey the rebel; I comply with the insolent; I serve the scorner."