Light & Lyon

So I came to Lyon, to be in the city where St. Irenaeus  taught and fought to protect the churches teachings against the heretics of his day.  St. Irenaeus had heard St. Polycarp, whom was a disciple of the apostle John.  Remind you a completed bound bible as we know it today was not floating around at this time (2nd century) instead the early church fathers had oral tradition and teachings to go along with the scriptures from the old testament along with a few parts of the new testament that had been copied and sent to the various churches.  St. Irenaeus was familiar with the four gospels.  

As I walked the streets of Lyon to the old town, I thought of how appropriate it was that today the church honors St. John the Baptist who died a martyr.  During his life and death he pointed others to Christ and spoke out against the heretics of his own day.  God provides an awesome timeline because in my own planning, I do not think I would have coordinated this.  It was only last Friday that I even decided on what day I would fly out of the country to get into France but oh, the plans of God!

Anyways, the town of Lyon is fairly large and they have many beautiful and ancient churches.   Sadly, many churches are not open all the time or at least during daytime hours but alas, I was never fifteen minutes away from an open church.  I began my walk by heading towards the site where St. Irenaeus church was since it had been destroyed and rebuilt.  Then I continued on to Notre Dame de Fourviere and enjoyed the church and chapels.  The church was designed to appear to be a fort and kingdom all in one, to remind people of the strength of the church and prayers.  The town on multiple occasions, asked the Virgin Mary to intercede for them and in appreciation for being saved by God they built a church in her honor.  I was able to attend Mass and adoration there and after a while I began the walk down the hill.

 

The path zig-zag and there were many times you could decide which path to take but I ultimately ended up at St. philomenas, a very small chapel.  The Francisian sister there, spoke English and told me about the woman, Pauline Marie Jaricot that had built the chapel as a sign of appreciation for St. philomenas intercessory prayer.  She also invited me to stay for Sext prayers that would be happening in a little bit and so I hung around to pray with the other sisters and the Priest that joins them when praying the Divine Office.  On this trip, compared to last time I am much better acquainted with the Liturgy of the Hours and so even though it is in French, I am able to keep up.  

Speaking of the Liturgy, here are some of the things that struck me today:

Office Hymn:

Faith of our fathers, holy faith!

We will be true to thee till death.

Second reading about John the Baptist:

 His persecutor had demanded not that he should deny Christ, but only that he should keep silent about the truth...... But to endure temporal agonies for the sake of the truth was not a heavy burden for such men as John; rather it was easily borne and even desirable, for he knew eternal joy would be his reward

Evening prayer intercessions:

May your Church, in imitation of the Baptist, fearlessly point out the Lamb of God,

– so that people in every age may acknowledge that the Lord comes to them.

Continuing on my day from there I headed out to see some more churches including St. Bonaventures as well as the ancient church, St. Martin d'Ainay.  I have always liked stain glass and one of the things I find really neat is the exterior view verses the interior view.  From the outside, sometimes we cannot even make out the image, it does not draw us in, a d we can walk by without ever noticing it.  Yet when the light is reflecting through the glass from the interior (the way ot is suppose to be viewed from) we see the most magnificent artist creation.  I think it is a lot like us.  Sometimes from the outside, it might not look like much- dirty, dark, and unrecognizable but when we allow Gods light to shine through our interior then we are that most magnificent artwork that God created us to.

Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world...."