Today’s saint, Damasus, was a 60 year old deacon in Rome, when he was elected Pope in the year 366. Unfortunately, he was not the only one elected a pope at that time - there was a rival pope; and there were rival doctrines and beliefs. The ensuing battle was really a battle with physical fighting on both sides. Damasus, however, prevailed and the line of succession from St. Peter was preserved.
Another of Damusus’ outstanding contributions to the Church was the ordering of the translation of the Scriptures from Greek into Latin by St. Jerome. He also changed the liturgical language of the Western Church from Greek to Latin. He also worked hard to preserve the catacombs, the graves of the martyrs, and relics. Instead of writing long treatises on Church doctrine, instead he chose to write short epigrams in verse to capture the essence of what needed to be said. He wrote many epigrams on martyrs and saints.
In a Roman cemetery is the papal crypt he built. All that is left of him there, however, is this: " I, Damasus, wished to be buried here, but I feared to offend the ashes of these holy ones." Instead, when he died in 384, he was buried with his mother and sister.
Damasus certainly was one that Jesus, in the gospel passage today, chose to send out to bring, establish and defend the good news of salvation! The fruits of his work has endured, and we can be confident that the Father will hear the prayers addressed to him by Damasus on our behalf!
Help us St. Damasus to be faithful to the Church, our sure hope on the path of redemption!
From a Decree attributed to Damasus we read: The arrangement of the names of Christ, however, is manifold: Lord, because He is Spirit; Word, because He is God; Son, because He is the only-begotten son of the Father; Man, because He was born of the Virgin; Priest, because He offered Himself as a sacrifice; Shepherd, because He is a guardian; Worm, because He rose again; Mountain, because He is strong; Way, because there is a straight path through Him to life; Lamb, because He suffered; Corner-Stone, because instruction is His; Teacher, because He demonstrates how to live; Sun, because He is the illuminator; Truth, because He is from the Father; Life, because He is the creator; Bread because He is flesh; Samaritan, because He is the merciful protector; Christ, because He is anointed; Jesus, because He is a mediator; Vine, because we are redeemed by His blood; Lion, because he is king; Rock, because He is firm; Flower, because He is the chosen one; Prophet, because He has revealed what is to come.
St. Damasus, pray for us that we may come to know Christ as intimately as you did!
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