Memorial of St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Does our celebration of St. Ambrose, bishop and doctor of the Church, have any relevance to our times?  After all, he lived 1,700 years ago.  Who was he, anyway? 

St. Ambrose was a very wealthy patrician, a member of the high Roman nobility, appointed to Governorship in the city of Milan. His sister, Marcellina, became a consecrated virgin at an early age. His brother, Satyrus, was also a fervent Catholic.  Both of them would later be canonized as saints.  But Ambrose, himself, was not even baptized.  His focus was on political values. He liked being a governor! But that was about to change.

The cathedral in Milan belonged to an Arian bishop who died four years after Ambrose became governor.  Arians denied the divinity of Christ. Tensions between Arians and Catholics were running high, each wanting a bishop of their own to be installed in Milan.  Ambrose decided to come in person to maintain an orderly election.  Suddenly a voice in the assembly was heard, a child chanting “Ambrose for Bishop.”  Soon everyone took up the cry.  But Ambrose had no desire to be a bishop.  The people insisted. Ambrose was not about to give up a successful career as a governor for the dangerous position of bishop, a life-threatening occupation in his times.  So, he fled. The people asked the Emperor to immediately confirm the election of Ambrose.  He hid in a friend’s house, but at last he yielded, recognizing the divine will in the people’s choice. Ambrose was then baptized and confirmed, received minor orders, sub-diaconate, diaconate, priestly ordination and consecration as a bishop in the course of only seven days! He writes, “I began to teach what I myself had not learned. I had to be learning and teaching at the same time.”

So, how is he relevant to our times?  Today many people do not believe Jesus is divine, or that the Eucharist is the true Body and Blood of Jesus even among those who call themselves Christians. The heresy of Arianism is as much alive today as it was in the time of St. Ambrose.  But there is a difference.  Today’s Arians are not organized with their own hierarchy and basilicas. They are Arians all the same. The defense of Catholic faith is as necessary today as it was in the time of St. Ambrose. 

He is relevant for another reason: his sermons on consecrated virginity.  He so impressed the girls of Milan with the value of consecrated virginity that their mothers tried keeping their daughters from going to Church lest they lose their prospects for marriage.  Parents complained, “You keep chanting the praises of virginity to us day after day.”  He replied, “Yes, for if a girl may choose a man, why not let her choose God?  For Christ is the virgin’s spouse.” 

Today virginity until marriage and life-long consecrated virginity are treated with disbelief and rejection by society as a whole.  One consequence of this rejection is acceptance of abortion.  St. Ambrose is a champion of virginity who would have no hesitation in calling abortion murder.  Yet, even abortion can be forgiven. May we take heart from his example and wear our Catholicism as courageously as St. Ambrose did.