Tempora: Sabbato infra Hebdomadam XXII post Octavam Pentecostes – III Novembris
Commemoration: Sancti Alberti Magni, Episcopi, Confessoris et Ecclesiæ Doctoris – III Classis
On this Saturday within the twenty-second week after the Octave of Pentecost, Holy Mother Church gives us to contemplate two powerful portions of Sacred Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:1–8, where St. Paul exhorts Timothy to steadfastness in doctrine and mission, and Matthew 5:13–19, where Our Lord speaks of the Christian vocation to be salt and light, and to uphold the Law in its fullness. It is fitting that these are heard in the light of today’s saint, St. Albert the Great, Doctor of the Church, whose life and teaching epitomize the harmony of faith and reason, the defense of sound doctrine, and the transmission of light through wisdom.
Let us reflect on these readings through the lens of Tradition, guided by the Fathers and by the luminous example of St. Albertus Magnus.
“Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season”
— 2 Timothy 4:1
St. Paul, in his final epistle, charges his beloved son Timothy to remain faithful in the proclamation of the Gospel, “in season, out of season,” with a solemnity that borders on the eschatological: “I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead.” This is no mere encouragement, but a divine commission.
The holy Chrysostom comments on this passage, saying:
“Observe how he urges him by the thought of that terrible day. For nothing is so effectual to rouse the soul, and to make it watchful, as the recollection of that coming judgment.” (Homilies on 2 Timothy)
Indeed, in an age when many turn from truth to fables, as St. Paul foretells, the remedy remains the same: to preach the Word with patience and doctrine. St. Albert the Great, amid the 13th-century conflicts between reason and revelation, stood unwavering in upholding the integrity of Catholic truth. He engaged with the learning of the world but subordinated all to the service of divine faith.
St. Paul warns of those who “will not endure sound doctrine.” How contemporary this sounds! As St. Augustine reminds us:
“It is not the gospel which is altered, but men’s hearts which are changed, and they cannot bear sound doctrine.” (Sermon 179)
Let us then pray, as did St. Albert, for an ever-deepening love of sound doctrine—not to dispute, but to adore.
“You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world”
— Matthew 5:13–14
Our Lord’s words in the Sermon on the Mount reveal not only the identity of His followers but their apostolic mission. Salt preserves from corruption; light dispels darkness. So are we called to preserve the deposit of faith and to radiate the truths of Christ.
St. Hilary of Poitiers teaches:
“The Apostles are the salt of the earth… by the power of their doctrine they prevent the corruption of mankind by the wisdom of this world.” (Commentary on Matthew, 4.10)
But Christ warns: “If the salt lose its savour… it is good for nothing but to be cast out.” Here is the danger of compromising truth, of dulling doctrine in the name of human respect. The modern temptation to blend into the world’s narrative finds no support in the tradition of the Church. Saints such as Albertus Magnus were not “relevant” in the worldly sense—they were luminous because they were faithful.
Again, the Lord says, “Think not that I am come to destroy the Law… but to fulfil.” St. Augustine remarks:
“He fulfilled the Law by giving it its true meaning, by observing it perfectly, and by giving the grace to others to observe it.” (Sermon on the Mount, I.8)
This is essential in our age: to fulfill, not to destroy—to live the fullness of Catholic Tradition, not reduce it to a hollow frame. St. Albert did just this: he upheld both Sacred Scripture and Natural Philosophy, seeing in both the light of the Logos.
The Example of St. Albert the Great
St. Albert was not only a towering intellect, the teacher of St. Thomas Aquinas, but a bishop, a confessor, and a man of deep prayer. He wrote on everything from the Eucharist to natural science, from the virtues to angelology. But above all, his heart was ordered to God, and his doctrine served the sanctification of the faithful.
As Pope Pius XII wrote of him in Studiorum Ducem:
“He so brought human wisdom into the service of divine truth, that he deserves to be called not only ‘the Great’ but even ‘the Universal Doctor.’”
He fulfilled in his life what St. Paul wrote: “I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith.” He became a light not hidden under a bushel but set on a stand.
Conclusion: Vigilant in Doctrine, Radiant in Light
Dear faithful soul, as we ponder today’s readings and the luminous memory of St. Albert the Great, we are invited to renew our commitment to doctrinal fidelity and apostolic boldness. Whether we preach in pulpits, teach in classrooms, or witness in our families, we are salt and light—but only if we remain united to Christ.
Let us pray in the spirit of the Collect for today:
Deus, qui beatum Albertum Pontificem tuum atque Doctorem Ecclesiae, magnitudine scientiae sanctarum rerum illustrasti: da nobis, quaesumus; ita ejus magisterii vestigiis insistere, ut perfectam inhaerendo te sapientiam, in caelis perfrui mereamur.
(O God, who didst make blessed Albert, Thy Bishop and Doctor of the Church, illustrious by his holiness and the knowledge of divine things: grant, we beseech Thee, that by following his teaching we may attain to perfect understanding and enjoyment of Thee in heaven.)