From: Luke 12:49-53
Jesus the Cause of Dissension
(Jesus said to His disciples,) [49] "I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled! [50] I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished! [51] Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; [52] for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; [53] they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."
________________
Commentary:
49-50. In the Bible, fire is often used to describe God's burning love for men. This divine love finds its highest expression in the Son of God become man: "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son" (John 3:16). Jesus voluntarily gave up His life out of love for us, and "greater love has no man than this, that a man lays down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).
In these words reported by St. Luke, Jesus Christ reveals His abounding desire to give His life for love of us. He calls His death a baptism, because from it He will arise victorious never to die again. Our Baptism is a submersion in Christ's death, in which we die to sin and are reborn to the new life of grace: "We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).
Through this new life, we Christians should become set on fire in the same way as Jesus set His disciples on fire: "With the amazing naturalness of the things of God, the contemplative soul is filled with apostolic zeal. `My heart became hot within me, a fire blazed forth from my thoughts' (Psalm 38:4). What could this fire be if not the fire that Christ talks about: `I came to cast fire upon the earth, and would that it were already kindled' (Luke 12:49). An apostolic fire that acquires its strength in prayer: there is no better way than this to carry on, throughout the whole world, the battle of peace to which every Christian is called to fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ (cf. Colossians 1:24)" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 120).
51-53. God has come into the world with a message of peace (cf. Luke 2:14) and reconciliation (cf. Romans 5:11). By resisting, through sin, the redeeming work of Christ, we become His opponents. Injustice and error lead to division and war. "Insofar as men are sinners, the threat of war hangs over them and will so continue until the coming of Christ; but insofar as they can vanquish sin by coming together in charity, violence itself will be vanquished" (Vatican II, "Gaudium Et Spes", 78).
During His own life on earth, Christ was a sign of contradiction (cf. Luke 2:34). Our Lord is forewarning His disciples about the contention and division which will accompany the spread of the Gospel (cf. Luke 6:20-23; Matthew 10:24).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Thoughts and Counsels - August 19
So great is the goodness of God in your regard, that when you ask through ignorance for that which is not beneficial, He does not grant your prayer in this matter, but gives you something better instead.
-St. Bernard
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From Mary, Help of Christians
Part VI, Thoughts and Counsels of the Saints for Every Day of the Year
Compiled by Fr. Bonaventure Hammer, OFM (© 1909, Benziger Brothers)
-St. Bernard
_________________________
From Mary, Help of Christians
Part VI, Thoughts and Counsels of the Saints for Every Day of the Year
Compiled by Fr. Bonaventure Hammer, OFM (© 1909, Benziger Brothers)
Meditation for August 19, Mary Like
The Trinity Living in Mary - what a spectacle! I meditated on it yesterday and I will come back to it often. Do I realize that the same Holy Trinity dwells in me?
Father Bainvel, an inspiring theologian, who wrote well of the Blessed Virgin, says:
"O Virgin, help me to know better these divine realities of the Christian life; to recognize them more readily; to realize them in the intimacy of my soul, as you understood the words and example of your Son, in order that like you, I may translate them into action."
[Ed. note: It would be worthwhile to read Fr. Bainvel's whole volume on the Heart of Mary.]
_________________
From Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)
Father Bainvel, an inspiring theologian, who wrote well of the Blessed Virgin, says:
"In the mind of the Church the Heart of Mary is the ideal of the Christian Heart. I will explain...We also live in the divine, but we scarcely realize it in our minds and in our hearts, that is to say, we hardly ever discover its full reality. We were baptized and we knew nothing of it. Baptism imparted to our soul a divine life. God Himself came to dwell in us by His ineffable Presence; we were incorporated with Jesus; but how many there are for whom these wondrous truths do not seem to exist. How many inconsistencies do we not find even in those who believe and ponder these truths. What difficulty we have in living according to our belief, in putting our conduct in harmony with the supernatural!"Father Bainvel composed the following prayer - I will make it my own and pray it from my heart:
"Comparing Mary's manner of acting with ours, Our Lady always lived in the world motivated by the Invisible as if she had seen it; she did realize it in her heart. When she said that the Most High had done great things to her, she was keenly aware of these great realities. She was in incessant communication with these ineffable realities in the intimacy of her soul; she steeped herself in them; she lived on them, or rather we should say, she lived them."
"O Virgin, help me to know better these divine realities of the Christian life; to recognize them more readily; to realize them in the intimacy of my soul, as you understood the words and example of your Son, in order that like you, I may translate them into action."
[Ed. note: It would be worthwhile to read Fr. Bainvel's whole volume on the Heart of Mary.]
_________________
From Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)
The Sacred Vessels - Part 1
Chapter 8
This is a continuation from Chapter 7, Church Linens, Part 2.
Bear in mind that this was composed in 1939, well before the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council and some rubrics and requirements may have been modified...Other changes will be noted accordingly. Nevertheless, some may find the history fascinating.
__________________
VIII - The Sacred Vessels, Part 1
In the Acts of the Apostles, the sacrifice of the Mass is called "the breaking of bread," a name which strongly emphasizes its dual character of sacrifice and banquet. The sacred vessels used in the celebration of the Mass imply by their very names that the banquet feature is an integral part of the sacrifice. The word, chalice, comes from the Latin "calix," a cup; "patena," a flat dish, rendered into English becomes paten; and "cibus," meaning food, is the root of the word, ciborium.
THE CHALICE AND PATEN: The chalice is the cup used in the Mass to contain the precious blood of Christ, while the paten is the dish upon which is placed the Bread of Life--Christ's holy body. These two vessels are associated together both in the liturgy and in the rubrics. The paten is, so to speak, the 6ther half of the chalice. So necessary are they in their joint office that during the Middle Ages they were frequently referred to as a "pair of chalice."
Many mystical meanings are attached to these two sacred vessels, the most beautiful and appropriate being suggested by the formula of their consecration in which the Church prays that these two vessels, "by the grace of the Holy Ghost, may become a new sepulchre for the body and blood of the Lord."
THE HOLY GRAIL: Since the Mass is a liturgical re-presentation of the Last Supper, the chalice is a descendant of the cup which our Lord gave to His apostles with the words:
"The Quest of the Holy Grail" murals by Abbey in the Boston Public Library express in form and color the intellectual and spiritual qualities of these legends which have become a part of European folk literature. The Church has, however, ignored the Grail legends from an historical standpoint, considering them merely as poetic conceptions, because their sources are at variance with the truth.
EARLY CHRISTIAN CHALICES: The cup which Christ used at the Last Supper was very likely, the ordinary drinking goblet of the time. The little evidence available would seem to indicate that it was made of glass.
From descriptions of chalices used in the first centuries of the Church we know that they were made of wood, ivory, clay, and of such semi-precious stones as rock-crystal, agate, and jasper.
But, prompted by respect for the Blessed Sacrament, the tendency to use precious metals seems to have developed at an early period. Records show that during the third century gold and silver chalices ornamented with precious stones were used in some churches.
MINISTERIAL CHALICES: It was customary as late as the ninth century for the laity to receive Holy Communion under the species or appearances of both bread and wine. The chalices which were used for the Communion of the people were of considerable size and were usually fitted with two handles which afforded a greater protection against accidents. The chalice was carried by deacons and each person received the precious blood through a pipe or a reed of gold or silver. These chalices were called "ministerial chalices."
One of the rarest survivals of this early type of chalice is the "Chalice of Ardagh," so called from the place in Ireland where it was accidentally discovered in 1868.
It is considered to be one of the finest pieces of metal work ever executed in any period of the world's history. This chalice has two handles, is seven inches high and nine and a half inches in diameter. It is made of silver alloyed with copper, but gold and other metals have been used in its ornamentation. An inscription in ancient Celtic characters giving the names of the twelve apostles, would seem to fix the date of the chalice at about the ninth century. The cathedral in San Diego, California, has a ciborium which is a beautiful copy of the Ardagh chalice.
THE CHALICE AND THE PRIEST: The chalice is especially identified with the priesthood. The chalice which stands on a priest's casket during his obsequies is a reminder of the times when a metal or wax chalice was buried with him. In some instances the chalice itself was interred with the body.
No item of altar furnishings was put to a baser use during the period of the Reformation than the altar vessels. King Edward VI coolly decreed in 1551 that in as much as he had "neede presently of a Masse of Mooney" all the churches and shrines in England should be despoiled of the sacred vessels that they might be "emploied unto His Highness use."
Soviet Russia has made similar use of the golden altar vessels, but somehow Mass is still being celebrated by heroic priests who are willing, if need be, to sacrifice their lives that Mass might be offered in a Russia that has exiled God. Many of us are familiar with the story of the late Father Frederic Siedenburg, S. J., who was granted special permission by Pope Pius XI to celebrate Mass without vestments or chalice.
Before the chalice and paten can be used in celebrating Mass, they must be withdrawn from profane use by consecration. This rite is performed by a bishop with the oil of chrism.
These vessels lose their consecration when they have been profaned or broken, or when they have been exposed for sale. If the gold plating on the inner surface has worn off, the vessels do not lose their consecration, but there is a strict obligation to have them replated. The replating of sacred vessels should be entrusted only to those who have the bishop's approval.
The chalice and paten must always be handled reverently. They may be touched only by clerics and members of the laity in whose care they have been placed.
THE PATEN: The paten is a circular, slightly concave metal plate, five to seven inches in diameter. It is made of gold or silver, but if made of silver the upper surface must be plated with gold.
The element of bread is offered on the paten during the Offertory of the Mass. Later, after the recitation of the "Pater Noster," the celebrant blesses himself with it, kisses it reverently, and places upon it the consecrated Host.
Like the chalice, which receives the divine blood of our Lord, the paten is reserved for His sacred body. The formula used in the consecration of the paten refers to the vessel as blessed "for the administration of the Eucharist of Jesus Christ, that the body of our Lord may be broken upon it."
A Communion paten resembles a Mass paten, but it is usually provided with a handle by which it is held beneath the chin of the communicant.
MINISTERIAL PATENS: During the first centuries of the Church, flat open vessels were used to collect the offerings of bread made by the faithful for the sacrifice of the Mass. They were used again to distribute the consecrated fragments which were brought to the people by the subdeacons. Each person received a portion with his own hands. Silver dishes which were sometimes used for this purpose were called "ministerial patens."
In the earliest times, the patens, like the chalices, were made of glass, wood, copper, and silver. When the custom of giving Holy Communion to the laity from the deep "ministerial patens" declined, priests began to use a small paten at the altar to obviate the danger of scattering the particles after the breaking of the species.
__________________________
Questions
How did the early Christians refer to the Mass? What are the sources and meaning of the names for the sacred vessels.
What purpose do the chalice and paten serve? How was their joint office suggested in the Middle Ages? What does the consecration prayer suggest?
How is the chalice related to the cup used by our Lord at the Last Supper? What is the "Holy Grail"? Why has the Church ignored these legends?
What was the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper? Of what materials were the early chalices made? What change took place about the third century?
How did the laity formerly receive Holy Communion? What kind of a chalice was used? What is the "Chalice of Ardagh."
Of what is the chalice that is placed on a priest's casket a reminder? What use did King Edward VI make of the sacred vessels? How did Father Siedenburg celebrate Mass in Russia?
Of what materials must the chalice and paten be made? By what rite are these vessels withdrawn from profane use? How do they lose their consecration? Who may touch them?
What is the paten and of what materials is it made? How and where is it used in the Mass? How does the consecration prayer refer to it? What is a Communion paten?
How were patens used in the early ages of the Church? How were the "ministerial patens" related to the "ministerial chalices"? How and when did the present small paten come into use?
[1] Lord, I Saw the Soviet, Page 3.
_________________________
Adapted from Altar and Sanctuary, An Exposition of the Externals of the Mass
by Angela A. Glendenin (© 1939)
Published by the Catholic Action Committee
The Catholic Action Series of Discussion Club Textbooks
This is a continuation from Chapter 7, Church Linens, Part 2.
Bear in mind that this was composed in 1939, well before the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council and some rubrics and requirements may have been modified...Other changes will be noted accordingly. Nevertheless, some may find the history fascinating.
__________________
VIII - The Sacred Vessels, Part 1
In the Acts of the Apostles, the sacrifice of the Mass is called "the breaking of bread," a name which strongly emphasizes its dual character of sacrifice and banquet. The sacred vessels used in the celebration of the Mass imply by their very names that the banquet feature is an integral part of the sacrifice. The word, chalice, comes from the Latin "calix," a cup; "patena," a flat dish, rendered into English becomes paten; and "cibus," meaning food, is the root of the word, ciborium.
THE CHALICE AND PATEN: The chalice is the cup used in the Mass to contain the precious blood of Christ, while the paten is the dish upon which is placed the Bread of Life--Christ's holy body. These two vessels are associated together both in the liturgy and in the rubrics. The paten is, so to speak, the 6ther half of the chalice. So necessary are they in their joint office that during the Middle Ages they were frequently referred to as a "pair of chalice."
Many mystical meanings are attached to these two sacred vessels, the most beautiful and appropriate being suggested by the formula of their consecration in which the Church prays that these two vessels, "by the grace of the Holy Ghost, may become a new sepulchre for the body and blood of the Lord."
THE HOLY GRAIL: Since the Mass is a liturgical re-presentation of the Last Supper, the chalice is a descendant of the cup which our Lord gave to His apostles with the words:
"Drink ye all of this. For this in My blood of the New Testament which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins" (Matthew XXVI, 27~28).We have no reliable information in regard to the cup which was used at the Last Supper, but under the name of the "Holy Grail" it became the subject of many romantic legends which came into existence during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The most famous modern versions are Tennyson's "Holy Grail" in the "Idylls of the King" and Wagner's music-drama "Parsifal."
"The Quest of the Holy Grail" murals by Abbey in the Boston Public Library express in form and color the intellectual and spiritual qualities of these legends which have become a part of European folk literature. The Church has, however, ignored the Grail legends from an historical standpoint, considering them merely as poetic conceptions, because their sources are at variance with the truth.
EARLY CHRISTIAN CHALICES: The cup which Christ used at the Last Supper was very likely, the ordinary drinking goblet of the time. The little evidence available would seem to indicate that it was made of glass.
From descriptions of chalices used in the first centuries of the Church we know that they were made of wood, ivory, clay, and of such semi-precious stones as rock-crystal, agate, and jasper.
But, prompted by respect for the Blessed Sacrament, the tendency to use precious metals seems to have developed at an early period. Records show that during the third century gold and silver chalices ornamented with precious stones were used in some churches.
MINISTERIAL CHALICES: It was customary as late as the ninth century for the laity to receive Holy Communion under the species or appearances of both bread and wine. The chalices which were used for the Communion of the people were of considerable size and were usually fitted with two handles which afforded a greater protection against accidents. The chalice was carried by deacons and each person received the precious blood through a pipe or a reed of gold or silver. These chalices were called "ministerial chalices."
One of the rarest survivals of this early type of chalice is the "Chalice of Ardagh," so called from the place in Ireland where it was accidentally discovered in 1868.
It is considered to be one of the finest pieces of metal work ever executed in any period of the world's history. This chalice has two handles, is seven inches high and nine and a half inches in diameter. It is made of silver alloyed with copper, but gold and other metals have been used in its ornamentation. An inscription in ancient Celtic characters giving the names of the twelve apostles, would seem to fix the date of the chalice at about the ninth century. The cathedral in San Diego, California, has a ciborium which is a beautiful copy of the Ardagh chalice.
THE CHALICE AND THE PRIEST: The chalice is especially identified with the priesthood. The chalice which stands on a priest's casket during his obsequies is a reminder of the times when a metal or wax chalice was buried with him. In some instances the chalice itself was interred with the body.
No item of altar furnishings was put to a baser use during the period of the Reformation than the altar vessels. King Edward VI coolly decreed in 1551 that in as much as he had "neede presently of a Masse of Mooney" all the churches and shrines in England should be despoiled of the sacred vessels that they might be "emploied unto His Highness use."
Soviet Russia has made similar use of the golden altar vessels, but somehow Mass is still being celebrated by heroic priests who are willing, if need be, to sacrifice their lives that Mass might be offered in a Russia that has exiled God. Many of us are familiar with the story of the late Father Frederic Siedenburg, S. J., who was granted special permission by Pope Pius XI to celebrate Mass without vestments or chalice.
"While he was crossing the border he carried, concealed between the shirts in his valise, those pages of the missal which are used in the Mass of the Blessed Virgin and the Mass for the dead. No one paid any attention to the small bottle of wine, the thin wafers of bread, the small glass, and the folded sheets of linen that he carried in his suitcase. Each morning in his hotel Father Siedenburg placed on a table the linen, which enfolded the relic of a martyr, and the small glass, which he used as a chalice; and. . . offered the Mass which brought Christ down into Red Russia. Once again on the high seas, Father Siedenburg dropped the glass, which had been his little chalice, into the ocean. . . it would never be used for any lesser purpose." [1]RUBRICAL REQUIREMENTS: The rubrics require that the chalice be made of gold or silver. In cases where the cost of such materials is prohibitive. the base and shaft of the chalice may be made of another metal, such as pewter or copper. The chalice, however, must have at least a cup of silver which has been plated with gold on the inside.
Before the chalice and paten can be used in celebrating Mass, they must be withdrawn from profane use by consecration. This rite is performed by a bishop with the oil of chrism.
These vessels lose their consecration when they have been profaned or broken, or when they have been exposed for sale. If the gold plating on the inner surface has worn off, the vessels do not lose their consecration, but there is a strict obligation to have them replated. The replating of sacred vessels should be entrusted only to those who have the bishop's approval.
The chalice and paten must always be handled reverently. They may be touched only by clerics and members of the laity in whose care they have been placed.
THE PATEN: The paten is a circular, slightly concave metal plate, five to seven inches in diameter. It is made of gold or silver, but if made of silver the upper surface must be plated with gold.
The element of bread is offered on the paten during the Offertory of the Mass. Later, after the recitation of the "Pater Noster," the celebrant blesses himself with it, kisses it reverently, and places upon it the consecrated Host.
Like the chalice, which receives the divine blood of our Lord, the paten is reserved for His sacred body. The formula used in the consecration of the paten refers to the vessel as blessed "for the administration of the Eucharist of Jesus Christ, that the body of our Lord may be broken upon it."
A Communion paten resembles a Mass paten, but it is usually provided with a handle by which it is held beneath the chin of the communicant.
MINISTERIAL PATENS: During the first centuries of the Church, flat open vessels were used to collect the offerings of bread made by the faithful for the sacrifice of the Mass. They were used again to distribute the consecrated fragments which were brought to the people by the subdeacons. Each person received a portion with his own hands. Silver dishes which were sometimes used for this purpose were called "ministerial patens."
In the earliest times, the patens, like the chalices, were made of glass, wood, copper, and silver. When the custom of giving Holy Communion to the laity from the deep "ministerial patens" declined, priests began to use a small paten at the altar to obviate the danger of scattering the particles after the breaking of the species.
__________________________
Questions
How did the early Christians refer to the Mass? What are the sources and meaning of the names for the sacred vessels.
What purpose do the chalice and paten serve? How was their joint office suggested in the Middle Ages? What does the consecration prayer suggest?
How is the chalice related to the cup used by our Lord at the Last Supper? What is the "Holy Grail"? Why has the Church ignored these legends?
What was the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper? Of what materials were the early chalices made? What change took place about the third century?
How did the laity formerly receive Holy Communion? What kind of a chalice was used? What is the "Chalice of Ardagh."
Of what is the chalice that is placed on a priest's casket a reminder? What use did King Edward VI make of the sacred vessels? How did Father Siedenburg celebrate Mass in Russia?
Of what materials must the chalice and paten be made? By what rite are these vessels withdrawn from profane use? How do they lose their consecration? Who may touch them?
What is the paten and of what materials is it made? How and where is it used in the Mass? How does the consecration prayer refer to it? What is a Communion paten?
How were patens used in the early ages of the Church? How were the "ministerial patens" related to the "ministerial chalices"? How and when did the present small paten come into use?
[1] Lord, I Saw the Soviet, Page 3.
_________________________
Adapted from Altar and Sanctuary, An Exposition of the Externals of the Mass
by Angela A. Glendenin (© 1939)
Published by the Catholic Action Committee
The Catholic Action Series of Discussion Club Textbooks
Gospel for Saturday, 19th Week in Ordinary Time
Optional Memorial of St. Jane Frances de Chantal, religious (USA)
Old Calendar: St. Agapitus, martyr
From: Matthew 19:13-15
Jesus Blesses the Children
[13] Then the children were brought to Him (Jesus) that He might lay His hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people; [14] but Jesus said, "Let the children come to Me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the Kingdom of Heaven." [15] And He laid His hands on them and went away.
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Commentary:
13-14. Once again (see Matthew 18:1-6) Jesus shows His special love for children, by drawing them close and blessing them. The Church, also, shows special concern for children by urging the need for Baptism: "That this law extends not only to adults but also to infants and children, and that the Church has received this from Apostolic tradition, is confirmed by the unanimous teaching and authority of the Fathers.
"Besides, it is not to be supposed that Christ the Lord would have withheld the Sacrament of grace of Baptism from children, of whom He said: `Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the Kingdom of Heaven', whom also He embraced, upon whom He imposed hands, to whom He gave His blessing" ("St. Pius V Catechism", II, 2, 32).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
Old Calendar: St. Agapitus, martyr
From: Matthew 19:13-15
Jesus Blesses the Children
[13] Then the children were brought to Him (Jesus) that He might lay His hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people; [14] but Jesus said, "Let the children come to Me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the Kingdom of Heaven." [15] And He laid His hands on them and went away.
__________________________
Commentary:
13-14. Once again (see Matthew 18:1-6) Jesus shows His special love for children, by drawing them close and blessing them. The Church, also, shows special concern for children by urging the need for Baptism: "That this law extends not only to adults but also to infants and children, and that the Church has received this from Apostolic tradition, is confirmed by the unanimous teaching and authority of the Fathers.
"Besides, it is not to be supposed that Christ the Lord would have withheld the Sacrament of grace of Baptism from children, of whom He said: `Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the Kingdom of Heaven', whom also He embraced, upon whom He imposed hands, to whom He gave His blessing" ("St. Pius V Catechism", II, 2, 32).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Thoughts and Counsels - August 18
Meditation for August 18, The Divine Indwelling
In order to portray vividly and realistically the doctrine expressed by St. John (xiv, 23) that the Three Persons of the Trinity dwell in souls in grace and particularly in Mary, Mother of Divine Grace, sculptors of the thirteenth or fourteenth century, motivated by an inspiration more theological than artistic, produced some curious Madonnas.
Mary, explained the Holy Fathers, in accordance with the Scriptures, is the "Very noble receptacle of the Holy Trinity." The sculptors wished to show that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit truly dwelt in Mary. Consequently, they made statues either of wood or ivory, so sectioned that they could be opened in the form of a triptych. When closed they looked like any other statue of Mary, which sometimes pictured her seated with the Infant Jesus on her knees, or standing, with Him in her arms.
When open, they formed three sculptured or painted panels, joined together by hinges; the two side panels worked like the doors of a cupboard; when they were opened there could be seen inside of the statue, the Three Divine Persons according to the classic model of the period, which represented the Father as a venerable old man holding the ends of the intersecting beam of the Cross to which the Son was nailed; between the Face of the Father and the Head of the Son was the dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Although of doubtful artistic value they were certainly graphic representations.
I will retain the picture in order to fix the idea. This presence of God in Mary is a reality. And the presence of the Holy Trinity in me as long as I am in the state of grace, is also a reality. I need not imagine it on the model of a visible material presence. God is a pure spirit; His spiritual presence is just as real as the presence of a body. God is present in me, somewhat in the same manner as my soul, which is a spirit, is present in me.
"O Mother, give me the grace to penetrate profoundly into myself to find the great God who never leaves me. Teach me recollection, the habit of returning easily within myself; enlighten my supernatural intelligence; intensify my faith."
_________________
From Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)
Mary, explained the Holy Fathers, in accordance with the Scriptures, is the "Very noble receptacle of the Holy Trinity." The sculptors wished to show that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit truly dwelt in Mary. Consequently, they made statues either of wood or ivory, so sectioned that they could be opened in the form of a triptych. When closed they looked like any other statue of Mary, which sometimes pictured her seated with the Infant Jesus on her knees, or standing, with Him in her arms.
When open, they formed three sculptured or painted panels, joined together by hinges; the two side panels worked like the doors of a cupboard; when they were opened there could be seen inside of the statue, the Three Divine Persons according to the classic model of the period, which represented the Father as a venerable old man holding the ends of the intersecting beam of the Cross to which the Son was nailed; between the Face of the Father and the Head of the Son was the dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Although of doubtful artistic value they were certainly graphic representations.
I will retain the picture in order to fix the idea. This presence of God in Mary is a reality. And the presence of the Holy Trinity in me as long as I am in the state of grace, is also a reality. I need not imagine it on the model of a visible material presence. God is a pure spirit; His spiritual presence is just as real as the presence of a body. God is present in me, somewhat in the same manner as my soul, which is a spirit, is present in me.
"O Mother, give me the grace to penetrate profoundly into myself to find the great God who never leaves me. Teach me recollection, the habit of returning easily within myself; enlighten my supernatural intelligence; intensify my faith."
_________________
From Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)
EWTN to Broadcast "Extraordinary" Form of Holy Mass
From Domus Dei here via Fr Z's Site, WDTPRS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEThis is truly wonderful and so encouraging!
MEDIA ADVISORY
EWTN to Televise Live Tridentine Mass Celebrated by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter...
DENTON, Nebraska – AUGUST 17, 2007 – For the first time in its 26 year history, Mother Angelica’s Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) will be broadcasting a live Solemn High Mass at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama on September 14, 2007 at 8:00AM EST. EWTN has asked for the assistance of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, an international Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right, to help celebrate this “extraordinary” form.Read more here
Hate Crimes - Consequences?
From the American Family Association:
This short video from England shows a little sample of what can happen if the Senate passes S.1105, the "hate crimes" bill
Watch this unbelievable video and then forward it to others, especially your pastor. It is the story of what happened to a Christian couple when they said that homosexuality is a sin.
AFA has more on this here.
This short video from England shows a little sample of what can happen if the Senate passes S.1105, the "hate crimes" bill
Watch this unbelievable video and then forward it to others, especially your pastor. It is the story of what happened to a Christian couple when they said that homosexuality is a sin.
AFA has more on this here.
Save the Knights!
I see I'm not alone...
[Here is] a story about the excellent resolutions at the recent Knights of Columbus conference in Nashville, Tenn.
However, we note that these resolutions are endangered by the actions of 16 Knight-politicians who voted against a popular ballot measure that would have allowed voters in Massachusetts to restrict marriage in the state’s constitution to the union of one man and one woman.
Take a minute to ask Supreme Knight Carl Anderson to defend the Knights. Click here to take action now.
Reaping the 'Fruits' of a China-Dependent Economy
Chinese goods are supposedly cheap. However, with the latest recall of 18 million toys, we are beginning to see the real costs of dealing with the Chinese Communist government, its callous disregard for human rights and its dismal manufacturing atmosphere.Personally, I do all I can to avoid buying anything made in Communist China - it's repulsive to me as an American and as a Christian.
Expulsion is not an option...
...as far as the Knights of Columbus are concerned.
One can only imagine if God had engaged in this thinking, where we might be today? Arm-in-arm with Lucifer, perhaps, skipping merrily into chaos?
With respect to so-called "Catholic" politicians who are members of the Knights, and who support the murder of unborn babies,
While the Knights are to be commended on their wonderful works of charity and evangelization efforts, this 'policy' defies all logic, at least to me. This refusal to deal with such men leads to division and disunity.
Why, I wonder, do they have any criteria at all for membership?
One can only imagine if God had engaged in this thinking, where we might be today? Arm-in-arm with Lucifer, perhaps, skipping merrily into chaos?
With respect to so-called "Catholic" politicians who are members of the Knights, and who support the murder of unborn babies,
Patrick Korten, the Knights' Vice President for Communications, told California Catholic Daily "We expect that council membership committees, when considering applications from potential new members, would take a person's views on abortion and life issues into account... the statement of policy is not used to expel men who are already members."Apparently it's OK for traitors and accomplices of murder to remain in their midst, while loyal knights may attempt to persuade them to see the light.
While the Knights are to be commended on their wonderful works of charity and evangelization efforts, this 'policy' defies all logic, at least to me. This refusal to deal with such men leads to division and disunity.
Recognition of there being only one Lord, who is head of the mysticalFrom Genesis and throughout history we have more than enough examples of allowing poisonous beings to remain within a community and, examples of rightly expelling others.
body, underlines the unity that should obtain among all the many
members of this single body. All its members are solidly built on
Christ when they confess "only one" faith--the faith that he taught and
which the Apostles and the Church have expressed in clear statements of
doctrine and dogma. "There can be only one faith; and so, if a person
refuses to listen to the Church, he should be considered, so the Lord
commands, as a heathen and a publican (cf. Mt 18:17)" (Pius XII,
"Mystici Corporis", 10).
From the Navarre Commentary for Ephesians 4:4-6
But what about notorious pro-same sex marriage and pro-abortion politicians who remain on the Knight's membership rolls?It seems Korten's understanding of history is deficient since the Catholic Church expelled heretics and apostates long before there were protestants. One doesn't help his brother by refusing to administer the harsh medicine needed to bring him back to life as he stands on death's doorstep.
"We don't give up on them, nor, as some Protestant groups once did, do we "shun" them. They are our brother Knights. Out of brotherly love, we wish to help them save their souls," Korten explained in an e-mail message to California Catholic Daily.
Why, I wonder, do they have any criteria at all for membership?
Two Rural Parishes Plan Latin Masses This Fall
St. Joseph Parish in Apple Creek and sister parish St. Maurus in Biehle plan to celebrate a regular weekly Tridentine Latin Mass beginning this fall.What wonderful news for the faithful of the southern part of the Archdiocese of St Louis.An 11:15 a.m. Sunday Latin Mass will be celebrated on a rotating basis alternating months at the two Perry County parishes. The first Latin Mass is set to take place Nov. 4 at St. Maurus.
Father Anthony A. Dattilo [pictured, left], pastor of both parishes, will celebrate the Mass. It is being added at the request of parishioners, he told the Review in an interview this week.
As Fr Powell correctly reminds us, we should be using the same terminology as the Holy Father - in this case, the "Extraordinary" form of the Roman Rite. Perhaps someone should forward a note to the St Louis Review?
Financial Fraud Hotline for Archdiocese of St Louis
Archbishop Raymond L. Burke has announced that the archdiocese is establishing a telephone hotline to report incidents of financial misconduct within archdiocesan agencies and parishes.More at the St Louis Review here.
The hotline will allow callers to "report confidentially any conduct that may be unethical, illegal or otherwise inconsistent with the policies of the Archdiocese of St. Louis," Archbishop Burke wrote in a letter this month to priests, offices and agencies of the archdiocese.
Gospel for Friday, 19th Week in Ordinary Time
From: Matthew 19:3-12
Marriage and Virginity
[3] And Pharisees came up to Him (Jesus) and tested Him by asking, "Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?" [4] He answered, "Have you not read that He who made them from the beginning made them male and female, [5] and said, `For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one'? [6] So they are no longer two but one. What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder." [7] They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?" [8] He said to them, "For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. [9] And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery."
[10] The disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry." [11] But He said to them, "Not all men can receive this precept, but only those to whom it is given. [12] For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it."
_________________________
Commentary:
4-5. "Marriage and married love are by nature ordered to the procreation and education of children. Indeed children are the supreme gift of marriage and greatly contribute to the good of the parents themselves. God Himself said: `It is not good that man should be alone' (Genesis 2:18), and `from the beginning (He) made them male and female' (Matthew 19:4); wishing to associate them in a special way with his own creative work, God blessed man and woman with the words: `Be fruitful and multiply' (Genesis 1:28). Without intending to underestimate the other ends of marriage, it must be said that true married life and the whole structure of family life which results from it is directed to disposing the spouses to cooperate valiantly with the love of the Creator and Savior, who through them will increase and enrich His family from day to day" (Vatican II, "Gaudium Et Spes", 50).
9. Our Lord's teaching on the unity and indissolubility of marriage is the main theme of this passage, apropos of which St. John Chrysostom comments that marriage is a lifelong union of man and woman (cf. "Hom. on St. Matthew", 62). On the meaning of "except for unchastity", see the note on Matthew 5:31-32).
11. "Not all men can receive this precept": our Lord is fully aware that the demands involved in His teaching on marriage and His recommendation of celibacy practised out of love of God run counter to human selfishness. That is why He says that acceptance of this teaching is a gift from God.
12. Our Lord speaks figuratively here, referring to those who, out of love for Him, renounce marriage and offer their lives completely to Him. Virginity embraced for the love of God is one of the Church's most precious charisms (cf. 1 Corinthians 7); the lives of those who practise virginity evoke the state of the blessed in Heaven, who are like the angels (cf. Matthew 22:30). This is why the Church's Magisterium teaches that the state of virginity for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven is higher than the married state (cf. Council of Trent, "De Sacram. Matr.", can. 10; cf. also Pius XII, "Sacra Virginitas"). On virginity and celibacy the Second Vatican Council teaches: "The Church's holiness is also fostered in a special way by the manifold counsels which the Lord proposes to His disciples in the Gospel for them to observe. Towering among these counsels is that precious gift of divine grace given to some by the Father (cf. Matthew 19:11; 1 Corinthians 7:7) to devote themselves to God alone more easily in virginity or celibacy [...]. This perfect continence for love of the Kingdom of Heaven has always been held in high esteem by the Church as a sign and stimulus of love, and as a singular source of spiritual fertility in the world" ("Lumen Gentium", 42; cf. "Perfectae Caritatis", 12). And, on celibacy specifically, see Vatican II's "Presbyterorum Ordinis", 16 and "Optatam Totius", 10.
However, both virginity and marriage are necessary for the growth of the Church, and both imply a specific calling from God: "Celibacy is precisely a gift of the Spirit. A similar though different gift is contained in the vocation to true and faithful married love, directed towards procreation according to the flesh, in the very lofty context of the sacrament of Matrimony. It is obvious that this gift is fundamental for the building up of the great community of the Church, the people of God. But if this community wishes to respond fully to its vocation in Jesus Christ, there will also have to be realized in it, in the correct proportion, that other gift, the gift of celibacy `for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven'" (John Paul II, "Letter To All Priests", 1979).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
Marriage and Virginity
[3] And Pharisees came up to Him (Jesus) and tested Him by asking, "Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?" [4] He answered, "Have you not read that He who made them from the beginning made them male and female, [5] and said, `For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one'? [6] So they are no longer two but one. What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder." [7] They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?" [8] He said to them, "For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. [9] And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery."
[10] The disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry." [11] But He said to them, "Not all men can receive this precept, but only those to whom it is given. [12] For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it."
_________________________
Commentary:
4-5. "Marriage and married love are by nature ordered to the procreation and education of children. Indeed children are the supreme gift of marriage and greatly contribute to the good of the parents themselves. God Himself said: `It is not good that man should be alone' (Genesis 2:18), and `from the beginning (He) made them male and female' (Matthew 19:4); wishing to associate them in a special way with his own creative work, God blessed man and woman with the words: `Be fruitful and multiply' (Genesis 1:28). Without intending to underestimate the other ends of marriage, it must be said that true married life and the whole structure of family life which results from it is directed to disposing the spouses to cooperate valiantly with the love of the Creator and Savior, who through them will increase and enrich His family from day to day" (Vatican II, "Gaudium Et Spes", 50).
9. Our Lord's teaching on the unity and indissolubility of marriage is the main theme of this passage, apropos of which St. John Chrysostom comments that marriage is a lifelong union of man and woman (cf. "Hom. on St. Matthew", 62). On the meaning of "except for unchastity", see the note on Matthew 5:31-32).
11. "Not all men can receive this precept": our Lord is fully aware that the demands involved in His teaching on marriage and His recommendation of celibacy practised out of love of God run counter to human selfishness. That is why He says that acceptance of this teaching is a gift from God.
12. Our Lord speaks figuratively here, referring to those who, out of love for Him, renounce marriage and offer their lives completely to Him. Virginity embraced for the love of God is one of the Church's most precious charisms (cf. 1 Corinthians 7); the lives of those who practise virginity evoke the state of the blessed in Heaven, who are like the angels (cf. Matthew 22:30). This is why the Church's Magisterium teaches that the state of virginity for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven is higher than the married state (cf. Council of Trent, "De Sacram. Matr.", can. 10; cf. also Pius XII, "Sacra Virginitas"). On virginity and celibacy the Second Vatican Council teaches: "The Church's holiness is also fostered in a special way by the manifold counsels which the Lord proposes to His disciples in the Gospel for them to observe. Towering among these counsels is that precious gift of divine grace given to some by the Father (cf. Matthew 19:11; 1 Corinthians 7:7) to devote themselves to God alone more easily in virginity or celibacy [...]. This perfect continence for love of the Kingdom of Heaven has always been held in high esteem by the Church as a sign and stimulus of love, and as a singular source of spiritual fertility in the world" ("Lumen Gentium", 42; cf. "Perfectae Caritatis", 12). And, on celibacy specifically, see Vatican II's "Presbyterorum Ordinis", 16 and "Optatam Totius", 10.
However, both virginity and marriage are necessary for the growth of the Church, and both imply a specific calling from God: "Celibacy is precisely a gift of the Spirit. A similar though different gift is contained in the vocation to true and faithful married love, directed towards procreation according to the flesh, in the very lofty context of the sacrament of Matrimony. It is obvious that this gift is fundamental for the building up of the great community of the Church, the people of God. But if this community wishes to respond fully to its vocation in Jesus Christ, there will also have to be realized in it, in the correct proportion, that other gift, the gift of celibacy `for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven'" (John Paul II, "Letter To All Priests", 1979).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Thoughts and Counsels - August 17
Meditation for August 17, The Spirit of Poverty
St. Paul gives this rule to all the faithful:
The thirty-first rule given by St. Bernard to his monks states,
And not only must I respect the things put at my disposal, but I must regard them as sacred vessels, because they are for me divine implements, necessary or useful for the accomplishment of the duties of my state [in life]. The most humble realities serve to lead me to God, if I use them well - a first aid kit, a pen, a kitchen utensil, a broom, - all these temporal objects cooperate toward a spiritual work. It is up to me to possess a faith sufficient to allow them to effect their divine task.
"O my God, grant that all the objects I use, instead of drawing me away from You, bring me nearer to You; that through visible things I may reach You, my Great Invisible One. May earthly things help me to break loose from earth."
_________________
From Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)
And they that use this world, (be) as if they used it not. (Cor. vii, 31.)How much the more should I, as a religious, use all that the community puts at my disposal, not as something belonging to me alone; something which I am free to modify, destroy, or neglect, but as a precious trust which I must be ready to return to the actual and rightful owners, the day they will eventually ask it of me.
The thirty-first rule given by St. Bernard to his monks states,
"Consider all the equipment of the monastery as sacred vessels."That is indeed true; every object given me to use is a trust whicb I must guard for our Lord, the sole Owner. It is my duty to insure its best protection and its most advantageous use.
And not only must I respect the things put at my disposal, but I must regard them as sacred vessels, because they are for me divine implements, necessary or useful for the accomplishment of the duties of my state [in life]. The most humble realities serve to lead me to God, if I use them well - a first aid kit, a pen, a kitchen utensil, a broom, - all these temporal objects cooperate toward a spiritual work. It is up to me to possess a faith sufficient to allow them to effect their divine task.
"O my God, grant that all the objects I use, instead of drawing me away from You, bring me nearer to You; that through visible things I may reach You, my Great Invisible One. May earthly things help me to break loose from earth."
_________________
From Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)
St. Alphonsus Liguori Rock Church Burns - 5 Alarms
(KTVI - myFOXstl.com) -- St. Louis Firefighters are on the scene of a fire in a church in North St. Louis.
Video here
Thomas Aquinas College Produces a Harvest of Priests
This is the story we read from California Catholic Daily today!
CCD has an interview with Fr. Sebastian Walshe, a TAC graduate now belonging to the Norbertine St. Michael's Abbey in Silverado, California. It can be read here.
Five alumni of Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula were ordained to the priesthood this year, bringing the total number of alumni priests to 47. The college also boasts 20 graduates who are religious brothers and sisters, and an additional 35 in seminaries preparing for the priesthood.What wonderful news this is! Our Father in Heaven truly blesses those who are faithful and obedient.
These numbers are especially striking for a small, private college with only 2100 alumni and a maximum enrollment of 350 students.
CCD has an interview with Fr. Sebastian Walshe, a TAC graduate now belonging to the Norbertine St. Michael's Abbey in Silverado, California. It can be read here.
Dutch Bishop's 'Allah' Comments Draw Reaction
Recently Bishop Martinus "Tiny" Muskens of Breda suggested that we should all begin referring to God as "Allah"....
And, as expected, his statements have generated quite a reaction. MSNBC reports:
Source.
And, as expected, his statements have generated quite a reaction. MSNBC reports:
A survey in the Netherlands' biggest-selling newspaper De Telegraaf on Wednesday found 92 percent of the more than 4,000 people polled disagreed with the bishop's view, which also drew ridicule.Ridiculous suggestions deserve ridiculous responses, and more. This comment might even be prophetic considering the state of Christianity in many parts of Europe:
"Sure. Lets call God Allah. Lets then call a church a mosque and pray five times a day. Ramadan sounds like fun," Welmoet Koppenhol wrote in a letter to the newspaper.Regretably, many may be calling their churches 'mosques' before long.
Source.
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