St. Stephen of Hungary was born in 969, crowned King in 1000 and died in 1038. It was his crown, which symbolized for the Hungarian people freedom, liberty, and justice rooted in Christian faith. For this reason they asked the American government to take custody of it in order to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Communists after World War II.

If you remember, it was President Jimmy Carter who pre maturely returned the crown while communism was still in control. Not long after, the Berlin wall came down and all of Europe was liberated. (Nov. Pilgrimage: Berlin, Budapest, Auschwitz, Chest, Warsaw

The following is from the Liturgy of the Hours, an admonition from Stephen to his son: It also continues the theme from St. Paul in yesterday’s Liturgy for the Assumption of Mary.

I advise you. I counsel you. I urge you, above all things to maintain the Catholic and Apostolic faith with all diligence and care that you may be an example for all. Failing to do this, you may be sure that you will not be called a Christian or a son/daughter of the Church. For even now the Church is proclaimed as young and newly planted and for that reason she needs prudent and trustworthy guardians, lest the benefit, which divine mercy bestowed on us undeservedly, should be destroyed and annihilated through idleness, indolence, and neglect.

The sin of Adam had come to all men. Through one man sin, and through sin death, has come to all. As the old Adam ruined his descendents through death, Christ brings new life to all through justice. The sin of Adam is justifiably transmitted through his posterity but we are not descendents from Christ. How can we be saved because of Him? Do not think of descent in physical terms only. Though Christ received body and soul from Mary, he came to save the soul and not leave it in hell.

The essential nature of the soul, engendered by heavenly seed, grows in the womb of our mother, the Church, and at birth is given life by Christ. The seed of Christ, that is, the spirit of God brings forth the new man nourished in the womb of his mother, welcomed at his birth at the font. Sin is washed away by the waters of the font. The Holy Spirit is poured forth in the chrism Thus the whole man is reborn and renewed in Christ; for just as Christ rose from the dead so shall we walk in the newness of life

As we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of Him who is from heaven. We are certain that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the saints of God are alive. For God is a God of the living and not the dead. The Apostle says: For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. I would rather die and be with Christ. What is particular to humans and what Christ gives through His Spirit is eternal life; only if we cease sinning. Death was acquired by sin and is avoided by righteous living. Life is lost through sin and preserved through grace.

It is Christ who redeems us. Forgiving all our sins and destroying what was recorded against us by our disobedience. He released our shackles and destroyed our chains. When we come to the sign of the Lord in Baptism and Penance, we are freed from these chains and liberated by the blood of Christ.