From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   December 7th - St. Ambrose   
      
   At 33 Ambrose had it all-a successful career as a lawyer, an important   
   position as governor of Milan, the approval and friendship of the emperor,   
   and a large estate. Then the bishop of Milan died. At this time, about 374,   
   heresies threatened to destroy the Church. The bishop had supported the   
   Arian heresy that argued against the divinity of Christ. Who would take his   
   place-an Arian or a Catholic? Both sides met in the cathedral and a riot   
   broke out.   
      
   Public order was Ambrose's responsibility as governor so he hurried to the   
   church and made a passionate speech not in favor of either side, but in   
   favor of peace. He begged the people to make their choice without fighting,   
   using restraint and moderation.   
      
   Suddenly, while he was speaking, a voice called out, "Ambrose for bishop!"   
   Soon everyone was shouting, "Ambrose for bishop!"   
      
   The other bishops of the province were only too glad to have this   
   controversial decision taken out of their hands. But Ambrose was not about   
   to give up a successful career for the dangerous position of bishop-a   
   life-threatening occupation in these heretical times. So Ambrose ran away.   
   When he appealed to the emperor to overturn the decision on the basis that   
   he hadn't even been baptized yet, the emperor answered that he was happy   
   that he chose governors fit for the episcopal office. Ambrose hid in a   
   senator's house but the senator surrendered Ambrose when he heard about the   
   emperor's decision.   
      
   With nowhere else to run, Ambrose gave in. Since he'd been forced to take   
   the position, no one would have been surprised if he'd decided to keep on   
   living the way that he had before ordination. Instead, Ambrose immediately   
   gave his property to the poor and put himself under the instruction of Saint   
   Simplician to learn Scripture and theology.   
      
   The Arians thought Ambrose would be "their" bishop because Ambrose had been   
   a member of court and many in government were Arians. But Ambrose used his   
   skills as a lawyer and orator to fight the Arians in church, court, senate,   
   and even the emperor's own family. The same stubbornness that had made him   
   refuse the position in the first place was now his weapon in fighting heresy   
   and pursuing sanctity.   
      
   When the Goths invaded the empire and took captives, Ambrose paid out all   
   the money he had in ransom. He said the best and most effective charity was   
   ransoming captives and hostages. He even took all gold vessels belonging to   
   the Church and had them melted down. He said, "It is a better thing to save   
   souls for the Lord than to save treasures. He who sent forth his apostles   
   without gold had not need of gold to form his Church. The Church possesses   
   gold, not to hoard, but to scatter abroad and come to the aid of the   
   unfortunate.   
      
   "Would not the Lord say to us: 'Why have you let so many needy perish of   
   hunger? Since you had gold, you should provide for their needs'...Could we   
   say: 'I feared to leave the temple of God without ornament.' But that which   
   can't be bought with gold does not take its value from gold. The best way to   
   use the gold of the Redeemer is for the redemption of those in peril."   
      
   Ambrose always was more concerned for the poor than for power. He often   
   reproached the wealthy for ignoring the poor: "God created the universe in   
   such a manner that all in common might derive their food from it, and that   
   the earth should also be a property common to all. Why do you reject one who   
   has the same rights over nature as you? It is not from your own goods that   
   you give to the beggar; it is a portion of his own that you are restoring to   
   him. The earth belongs to all. So you are paying back a debt and think you   
   are making a gift to which you are not bound."   
      
   When the emperor died, the Empress Justina, an Arian, became regent for her   
   four year old son. Maximus, a former Roman soldier, realized the emperor's   
   death might weaken the empire enough for his army to conquer it. Justina   
   begged Ambrose to negotiate with him. In spite of the fact that she was his   
   enemy, Ambrose went on a diplomatic mission that convinced Maximus not to   
   invade.   
      
   Justina's idea of showing gratitude to Ambrose was to demand that Ambrose's   
   basilica be handed over the Arians. Ambrose answered that he would never   
   give up the temple of God. The people were on Ambrose's side. It is possible   
   he could have even started a coup to overthrow Justina. But Ambrose was   
   careful never to say or do anything to start violence. When Catholics seized   
   an Arian priest and were going to put him to death, Ambrose intervened in   
   the name of peace and prayed God suffer no blood to be shed. He sent out   
   priests and deacons to rescue his Arian enemy.   
      
   Ambrose said, "When I was told the church was surrounded with soldiers I   
   said I cannot give it up but I must not fight." The soldiers came in to the   
   basilica-but they came in to pray. Justina then persuaded her son to make a   
   law legalizing Arians and forbidding Catholics to oppose Arians under pain a   
   death. No one could even present a petition against a church being yielded   
   up.   
      
   On Palm Sunday, Ambrose preached a sermon about not giving up churches. The   
   congregation, afraid for their lives, barricaded themselves in the basilica   
   with their pastor Ambrose. The imperial troops surrounded the basilica in an   
   attempt to starve them out, but on Easter Sunday all the people were still   
   inside.   
      
   In the face of arms and soldiers, Ambrose said, "My only arms are my tears.   
   I will never depart willingly but I won't resist by force."   
      
   In order to calm the frightened people Ambrose taught them to sing hymns he   
   had composed. He split the congregation in two in order to alternate verses   
   of the hymns. This is our first record of communal singing in church. The   
   music of praise and prayer seeped out through the walls of the basilica and   
   into the hearts of the soldiers. Soon the soldiers outside joined in the   
   singing. The siege ended.   
      
   With the military concentrated on fighting Catholics, Maximus decided Rome   
   was ready for an invasion. Justina and her son were panic-stricken. What   
   could they do? They turned to one person they knew could handle the   
   mission-the person they had just attacked and threatened. They asked Ambrose   
   to go to Maximus again and stop his invasion.   
      
   Who would have blamed Ambrose for refusing?   
      
   In a miraculous act of forgiveness, Ambrose went on this mission for his   
   enemies. When Maximus refused to compromise, Ambrose hurried home to warn   
   them. Justina and her son fled to Greece, while Ambrose stayed behind.   
   Fortunately, the eastern Emperor Theodosius intervened and defeated Maximus.   
   However, Theodosius then took over control of the whole empire. Theodosius   
   was Catholic and became a lifelong friend of Ambrose.   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)