Homily Notes: 09-05-21 - The Feast of St. Pius X

"Restore all things in Christ."

 

    Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Pius X, our patron. 

    It is good to look back and see the first of St. Pius' encyclicals. This encyclical letter which began his pontificate gave the bishops his mission and goal which can be summed up in this short sentence: to restore all things in Christ.

    It’s an interesting letter that we can profit from. At the beginning, he expresses his doubts — he says he sees the pontificate as a difficult burden that he can’t bear alone. He then says but I have accepted because I know it is from God, and God will help me to bear this burden and get through this difficulty. He didn’t jump into the pontificate thinking it would be a breeze but that it would be very difficult. We are often faced with difficult tasks — what is our response? Do we ask for divine help or do we just give up?

    Why did he choose the name Pius? — he says “as I shall suffer, I shall take the name of those popes who also suffered” — referring to other Pius’ who came before him. One Pius went through the French Revolution. Pius V suffered through the Protestant revolt. He took this name to remind himself that he was going to suffer. 

    He goes on to say his reasons why he didn’t want to take the pontificate— that he is unworthy. He’s intimidated by the office because he’s terrified of the human society and knowing it’s his duty to seek a remedy. Modernism is already present and it’s his duty now to seek a remedy. The first response he has to the danger and evil around him is to look for a remedy, to see what he can do. Too often we brood over our problems without seeking a solution or changing things. We don’t really plan to do something about our problems.

    Pope Pius X sets out his goal: to restore all things in Christ, because society is trying to destroy God, and the solution is to restore Christ to the world. Even in his own times he thinks it may be the beginning of the last days., because man has made himself God. 100 years later, that is even more true today. Man has tried to make himself God, and yet God will not be beaten. We need the virtues of faith and hope to fight this dangerous evil in the world, this attack on God. We counter this attack with the virtues of faith and hope. Faith, by which we believe in God, and hope by which we trust God to give us the means to attain heaven.

    Peace is not possible without God because God is the source of justice and without justice there can be no order or peace. If we don’t work to restore God to this world it will be a world without peace. Christ alone can establish peace, because His is the only lasting foundation.

    By the virtue of religion we render to God what is due to Him: which is everything. Pius X worked to restore all things to Christ. He restored the liturgy and the breviary and sacred music (Gregorian chant). In his time, Mass had become more of a show and so he was particular to restore the Mass and the breviary. 

    The method to restore order and restore Christ is firstly to restore Christ in priests for they are meant to be another Christ. They give Christ to the faithful. Pius X is a great example, his own life, is a good example of how he went through all the ranks of the priesthood — priest, canon, Bishop, cardinal, Pope. He lived the life of a priest in all areas of ministry. You don’t have to take every one of these steps, but he went through all of them.

    The faithful must pray for holy priests because holy priests are the first step toward restoration. Without priests the faith is lost. Seminarians need to be formed with sound teaching — the people will be like the priests. They need to be formed well. Pope Pius X instituted the anti-modernist oath.  Clerics make this oath to swear not to adhere to modernist tenants. 

    After forming priests, there must be good religious instruction to fight against ignorance. If we are ignorant of faith then we can't live our faith or fight for our faith. It is by knowing God that we will restore God to the souls of men.  Pius X, even as a Pope, gave daily sermons of instruction. If you don’t know the faith, you can’t know where the errors lie and fight for it.

    Pius X took up the fight against modernism, a fruit of liberalism. He encouraged biblical studies and founded the biblical institute. He worked for the Code of Canon Law to teach the law more clearly. He sums it up in this saying: charity is the best means of teaching. Ultimately charity teaches best. “Accuse beseech and rebuke with all patience, charitably” — Paul to Timothy. Make corrections with charity.

    The faithful must concern themselves with God. Peace will only come when we are all united  in Christ, we must all be concerned with the interest of God and saving our soul, and others’ souls.  Not just human interest.

We see Pius X pushing for frequent reception of Communion, and Communion for the young. He lowered the age of those who could receive, because it is the most important sacrament and it unites us to god — it is the antidote.

    Only through prayer will we accomplish this goal of restoring Christ, so that Christ will be all in all.

    This is our patron and his mission is also our mission. We are also called to this duty of restoring Christ to the world through our example, our prayers, and our knowledge. He worked to put it into practice, but unfortunately it’s been lost by and large today. Let’s pick up where he left off.