When in Rome Do As The Romans Do

Today is the feast day of St. Ambrose who is a Doctor of the Church.  He is the author of that guiding principle "When in Rome do as the Romans do."  This is how we summarize his principle of following the local customs of the churches he visited. For example, if it was their custom to fast on Fridays, he would fast with them.  But to say Ambrose was a busy man would be damn him with faint praise.  

Ambrose was born into a Roman Christian family but to my way of thinking, he was not baptized a Christian. He was known to be a wise man and he was what was called Nicene Christian which meant that he did not believe in the what the Arians believed.  The Arians believed that at one point in time that God the Father created God the Son and thus the concept of the Trinity was nullified. 

The bishop of Milan passed away and the Arians were poised to create an issue when the new bishop was appointed.  Ambrose came to the conclave and while he spoke eloquently to maintain the peace, a cry went out for him to be appointed the bishop of Milan.  He ran away and hid but within a couple of days, he was found, he was baptized, ordained, and consecrated the Bishop of Milan. 

The emperor was an arianist as was his mother. They demanded that Ambrose provide them with two churches where they could worship in accordance with their beliefs.  Ambrose refused.  He stated that he would present his body to the emperor to do what he liked with it but he would never betray the altar of the Church of Christ. His teaching on the liturgy was that it should be a tool for the people to use to worship God and slight variations from place to place were to be expected. Ambrose baptized Augustine, another Doctor of the Church. 

The Poor Souls in Purgatory need your help today.  Please say a rosary for them.  Remember as they are, one day you may be!