St. Ambrose of MIlan

Today we begin to look at the first of the four Latin Doctors. Ambrose was born in Trier, Gaul, now Germany, around the year 340. After the death of his father, his mother took the children to Rome where Ambrose received an excellent education. In 370 at the age of 30, Valentinian I made him governor of Liguria and Aemilia.

When the people of Milan proclaimed him Bishop, he was still a catechumen. How did something like that happen? That a catechumen should be elected bishop? Simple, the Arian bishop of Milan died, and what happened next is a scene straight out of the history books. Half the people wanted an Arian replacement for bishop, the other half wanted a Catholic replacement. As we have learned about those times, violence often went hand in hand with episcopal elections.

Ambrose did not want violence breaking out in the Milan where he was governor, so he went to the Cathedral to plead with the crowds to make a peaceful choice. While he was speaking someone called out "Ambrose for bishop." It must have struck a chord, because everyone else started chanting "Ambrose for Bishop."

When I was in a history class in college, covering this very incident, the professor said that Ambrose presented all the various reasons why he could not become bishop. First, he wasn't baptized yet. Second, he was sinful. And third... the professor then ran out of the room to illustrate what Ambrose did. Now the saga ends with his baptism and then consecration as bishop one week later.

If Ambrose thought he wasn't ready for episcopal office, he set about remedying the situation at once. He started studying the scriptures, reading Origen and Basil, as well as other Church Fathers. Like John Chrysostom, once Ambrose was in office he sold his goods and began to live a life of simplicity, vigils, fasting and prayer. His concern for the poor and for the church itself became legendary. His sermons were largely pastoral, and not overly argumentative.

He wrote a book called Concerning Virginity which he wrote for his sister Marcellina. It seems there were many consecrated virgins influenced by Ambrose. In fact, it has come down to us that mother tried to prevent their daughters from hearing Ambrose preach.

As always, the Arians were a problem and Ambrose becamse a champion of Orthodoxy. It was a catch phrase for Arians when discussing Christ to say "there was a time when he was not." Let's be very clear that the heresy is still alive and well today. The statement "Jesus was a great man, a great teacher, but he was not the Son of God," is Arianism pure and simple.

It's time to skip some parts of the biography so there's plenty of room left for Ambrose's Hymns.

In 390 there was a terrible massacre in Thessalonica. In retaliation ... Theodosius's troops killed seven thousand people. Ambrose wrote a severe letter to Theodosius, telling him that "what was done at Thessalonica is unparalleled in the memory of man," and urging him to penance. Theodosius did the public penance.

That is typical of Ambrose, in standing up for the right thing, and for acting for the right without fear of the Emperor to whom he wrote.

O Splendor of God's Glory

O splendor of God's glory bright,
O Thou that bringest light from light,
O Light of Light, light's Living Spring,
O Day, all days illumining.

O Thou true Sun, on us Thy glance
let fall in royal radiance,
the Spirit's sanctifying beam
upon our earthly senses stream.

The Father too our prayers implore,
Father of glory evermore,
the Father of all grace and might,
to banish sin from our delight: