St. Luke's Day

Today is the feast of St. Luke, the Evangelist. He was born of pagan parents, but converted to the faith. He was a disciple and companion of St. Paul, and composed the Gospel named after him, and the Acts of the Apostles. He told us of the birth and childhood of Jesus, and presented some of the most moving of Jesus' parables such as the lost sheep, and the prodigal son. His Gospel highlights the universal nature of salvation.

Collect: Father you chose Luke the evangelist to reveal by preaching and writing the mystery of your love for the poor. Unite in one heart and spirit all who glory in your name, and let all nations come to see your salvation Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Annual meeting of the EOHSJ

I have just returned from Oklahoma City for our Southwestern Lieutenency's annual meeting. Five members from Holy Redeemer were invested: Sir Phillip and Lady Denise Pesek, Dr. Sir Ken Gati, and Lady Daion Gati, and Lady Susan Hobart. There were also three others that I had nominated from the diocese of Little Rock: Fr. Aaron Pirerra, OSB, and Deacon Sir Robert Cowie, and Lady Elizabeth Cowie.

It was an especially great time, filled with liturgy and prayer, and much renewing of friendships from our pilgrimage of last November. There were also some late-night sessions in the hotel bar, but I will not comment on them other than to say that they were deep and amicable, and a lot of fun.

We were addressed at the Sunday evening banquet by Arch-eparch Elias Chacour, of the Galilee. It was a very interesting and blunt account of the life of Christians in the Holy Land. I am hoping that I will be able to gather a group of pilgrims who would go and see his work, after all, he invited us.

Tonight I will stay at the abbey, and then leave tomorrow for Little Rock and continuing education for the clergy. We will study the motu proprio, Summorum Potificum on the greater access to the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite, known as the Tridentine Mass.

Back at Subiaco

Since Tuesday I've been back at my monastery of Subiaco. (Abbey coat of arms to the left) It has been a refreshing break from the parish. I'm staying at St. Benedict Rectory with my confrere Father Aaron since the priests of the diocese of Tulsa, OK are here on retreat, and they've filled the guesthouse and the extra rooms in the monastery.
On Tuesday evening I was sitting in a choir stall before the divine office and Father Paul, who is quite elderly and even with hearing aids is deaf as a post passed by me and smiled and nodded, which I returned. Then he made his way around the stalls until he got to his on the last row. He was behind me, about five feet over my right shoulder when I heard him say to Father Sebastian in a very loud voice that reverberated through the choir: "Is that Father Gregory?" Father Sebastian said in an equally loud voice: "Yes." Father Paul then said: "He's sure getting old fast." Father Sebastian said loudly: "Yes." At that point I turned and looked at them and gave them a smile and a thumbs up sign. It's good to know that I have a home.
The abbot called the monks to return to the monastery for three days to attend the lectures by Cistercian Father Michael Casey. They have been very well presented and his dry Australian wit has been entertaining in itself. His last conference is tonight.
Tomorrow I pick up Deacon and Mrs. Bob Cowie to the west of Paris, Arkansas, and we will make our way to Oklahoma City for the annual meeting of the Southwest Lieutenentcy of the EOHSJ where I will meet up with the other members of my parish who are being knighted, as well as the other members of Holy Redeemer who are already members. I think that we will have 100% attendance from south Arkansas.
The weather here has been delightfully cool. This morning it was in the 50's, so it's been a great change of pace from El Dorado. We'll see what Oklahoma has to offer tomorrow.

The Holy Guardian Angels, 2 October

The feast of the Holy Guardian Angels was put on 2 October 1615. It reminds us of the providence of God for everyone on earth.

Jesus’ teaching always employs examples that the people could understand that were drawn from their daily experiences or common knowledge.
The idea that people had angel guardians was somewhat common in Jesus’ day. St. Michael, the Archangel, was considered the guardian of Israel.
See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven. Scripture scholars make these “little ones” out to by symbolic of the members of the Christian community, not just children in a sentimental fashion---sentimentality didn’t exist then, anyway. What it tells us is that all of us are in the presence, that is, present to God, who loves us and works constantly of our salvation, therefore we must always consider ourselves to be little ones in the kingdom of God.

25 September

Not much happening today at the parish. An air-conditioner drain has been leaking into the office. Our trusty maintenance staff have been on it and seem to have fixed the problem. It has rained intermittently all day so far. My little dog, Butch, is visiting his friends this afternoon.

I received word last night that Tom Hunkins, Sr., the father of some of my former students and alumni of Subiaco died yesterday of a heart attack. He had nine children, and lived in St. Louis. Please pray for the repose of his soul and the consolation of his family.

This morning I went to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned. No cavities were found.

We are in the process of replacing our trash cans with a dumpster. I hope that it will beautify things a bit, but it could be just replacing one eyesore with another.

Signed checks for the week today. Amazing how much money it takes to run a parish.

Recommended Reading

Many times the media tells us that so much of our Western Civilization is traceable to Muslim/Arabic influences. This has become standard "knowledge" among many people. The following article makes a good refutation of that falsehood:

http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/018190.php

Christian survival

Christianity cannot survive without Christ. It is Christ who is the center, the head, the life, the Lord of his Church. The Church is his Body, not an independent end in herself. As the Council of Trent taught so clearly 5 centuries ago, the sacraments are not magic.

Without personal faith and response to God's mercy and grace, the sacraments do not save; do not justify. Without personal faith and response to God's grace, there is no living faith to hand on to the next generation. Without personal faith and response, loyalty, identity, and commitment vanish. Without living faith, catechesis, which is intended to foster the Christian maturity of those who are already disciples, is without effect.Christian culture is not self-sustaining.

Christian culture is the fruit of personal faith. Without the preaching of the kerygma and personal conversion which is the source of renewal in every generation, Christian culture ultimately withers away and dies.

(From the Blog: Intentional Disciples)

The mind of man is never at rest

Where do they get the time for these things? It is funny, though.

Domine, non sum dignus (Lord, I am not worthy)

The readings for today may be found at http://www.usccb.org/nab/091707.shtml

This is a familiar but still curious story from the gospel of Luke ( Lk 7:1-10 ). Capernaum was by the Sea of Galilee, it was also the home of Peter. The bystanders urge Jesus to heal the centurion's slave because "he built our synagogue for us." Having made one pilgrimage to the Holy Land, I am now an expert in these things. The ruins of the synagogue of Capernaum that still stand are of the "white synagogue" that was built out of marble hauled in from far away. It did not exist in the time of Jesus. The synagogue that is under the "white synagogue" is called the "black synagogue" because it was built of the local, black basalt. This is the synagogue that existed in the time of Jesus. Was it the one built by the centurion? We cannot say.

The centurion would seem to have been in the ranks of what the Jews called "God fearers." They were edified by the religion of the Jews, and sought to conform to it without actually converting. They were respected in the community, and, as is the case reported here, were often benefactors thereof. Jesus responds to the urging of the crowd and follows the messengers of the centurion. And here is where the incident turns. Before Jesus can even arrive at his house, the centurion has second thoughts, and sends other servants to tell Jesus that he is not worthy to have him "come under his roof." The centurion understands authority and respect. He knows that Jesus can command the illness to depart without even sullying himself (becoming ritually unclean) by entering the home of a gentile.

The faith of this gentile, and his sensitivity to the requirements of the Jewish religion astonish Jesus. If such faith can be found outside of Israel, how much more should it be evident in the members of the household of the Faith?

How often do we Christians play fast and loose with the sanctity that we should exhibit, and the holiness of the God of whom we are not worthy. Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.

The following is a quotation from the Treatise on the Most Blessed Sacrament by St. Thomas More, Martyr. "A treatise to receive the Blessed Body of our Lord Sacramentally and Virtually both, made in the year of our Lord, 1534, by Sir Thomas More Knight, while he was prisoner in the Tower of London, which he entitled thus as followeth: To Receive the Blessed Body Of Our Lord Sacramentally and Virtually both."

For if we will but consider, if there were a great worldly prince, which for special favour that he bare us, would come visit us in our own house, what a business we would then make, and what a work it would be for us to see that our house were trimmed up in every point to the best of our possible power, and everything so provided and ordered, that he should by his honourable receiving perceive what affection we bear him, and in what high estimation we have him.

We should soon see by the comparing of that worldly prince and this Heavenly Prince together (between which twain is far less comparison than is between a man and a mouse), inform and teach ourself with how lowly, how tender loving heart, how reverent humble manner we should endeavour ourself to receive this glorious, heavenly King, the King of Kings, Almighty God Himself, that so lovingly doth vouchsafe to enter, not only into our house (to which the noble man Centurio knowledged himself unworthy), but His 'Precious Body into our vile wretched carcass, and His Holy Spirit into our poor simple soul.

End of life issues clarified

CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH
RESPONSES TO CERTAIN QUESTIONS
OF THE UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS
CONCERNING ARTIFICIAL NUTRITION AND HYDRATION

First question: Is the administration of food and water (whether by natural or artificial means) to a patient in a "vegetative state" morally obligatory except when they cannot be assimilated by the patient’s body or cannot be administered to the patient without causing significant physical discomfort?
Response: Yes. The administration of food and water even by artificial means is, in principle, an ordinary and proportionate means of preserving life. It is therefore obligatory to the extent to which, and for as long as, it is shown to accomplish its proper finality, which is the hydration and nourishment of the patient. In this way suffering and death by starvation and dehydration are prevented.
Second question: When nutrition and hydration are being supplied by artificial means to a patient in a "permanent vegetative state", may they be discontinued when competent physicians judge with moral certainty that the patient will never recover consciousness?
Response: No. A patient in a "permanent vegetative state" is a person with fundamental human dignity and must, therefore, receive ordinary and proportionate care which includes, in principle, the administration of water and food even by artificial means.
* * *
The Supreme Pontiff Benedict XVI, at the Audience granted to the undersigned Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, approved these Responses, adopted in the Ordinary Session of the Congregation, and ordered their publication.

Rome, from the Offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, August 1, 2007.

William Cardinal Levada
Prefect
Angelo Amato, S.D.B.
Titular Archbishop of Sila
Secretary

This document will be very helpful for me as a pastor and for faithful Catholics in dealing with the end-of-life issues that are its subject. I will never forget being awakened at 2:00 a.m. once with a woman who wanted to know that if she were putting her aunt in a rest home, and since her aunt had Altzeimer's disease could she have them not feed or hydrate her? The whole story is almost as interesting as the Protestant woman who called me for counselling because she and her husband had been to a party where there had been drinking which lead to a sex orgy. I will, however, save the telling of both until another time.

The late night caller just didn't want to fool with the old woman, and didn't want to pay the expenses of the rest home. Since I was unable to give her any satisfaction (after a long time of discussion), she wanted to know if there were another priest available. Hearing that I was the only one in the county, she was astonished, being from south Louisiana where priests and parishes are more common. At the end, she angrily thanked me for nothing and went away sad.

It is unbelievable that anyone would be so callous to begin with, but then wanting to starve and dehydrate people to death has been done often in the last century. I guess that the children of the times are more hardened to such things. I hope that the aunt died in peace without being starved or dying of thirst.

14 September, Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world!

The original name of this feast was the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, by which name it is still known by the Orthodox Church and the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church. Since 1970, it has been called in English the Triumph of the Cross by the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. However, in Latin its name remains 'The Exaltation of the Cross'. In some parts of the Anglican Communion it is called Holy Cross Day, a name also used by Lutherans. In Jewish folklore the feast was established by Saint Peter for converted Jews to observe instead of Rosh Hashana.

The feast commemorates the finding of the True Cross in 325 during a pilgrimage to Jerusalem by St. Helena, the mother of the Roman emperor Constantine I . The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was then built at the site of the discovery, by order of Helena and Constantine. The church was dedicated nine years later, with a portion [1] of the cross placed inside it. In 614, that portion of the cross was carried away from the church by the Persians, and remained missing until it was recaptured by the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius in 628. The cross was returned to the church the following year after initially having been taken to Constantinople by Heraclius.

The date used for the feast marks the dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in 335. This was a two-day festival: although the actual Consecration of the church was on September 13, the cross itself was brought outside the church on September 14 so that the clergy and faithful could pray before it.

The other September 11 (1683)

On this day in 1683, King Jan III Sobieski of Poland arrived to break the siege of Vienna and defeated the Turks in one of the most heroic moments of the continual battle between the followers of the Prophet and those of Christ. The Ottoman troops broke and fled before the charge of the Polish hussars that ended the Ottoman designs on central Europe for the next three hundred and eighteen years. Islam is on the march again, but where is the Sobieski of our times? Who will protect us?

It is fondly to be hoped that someday reason, justice and charity will prevail, and that all peoples of the earth can live together in peace. We must work for that and pray for that. But we must never let down our guard against a religion that from its very inception has labored under the command of its founder to conquer the earth by the sword.

And don't come at me with any silliness about the Crusades (that were really skirmishes in the continuing War of Muslim Aggression) as examples of Christian aggression. They would not have happened if the Muslims had not destroyed the holy places, enslaved the Christian inhabitants of the Roman Empire, and set their sights on the domination of the West, which would have ended in the stagnation that has been evident in the Muslim world for the past 400 years.

Athiests attack religion!

There have been a rash of books by atheists attacking religion of late (almost exclusively Christianity, naturally). They are so poorly written and so devoid of reasoning that it is time for Christians to help them out. What we need are some Christian scholars to write the books for them. Then they will get the arguments right, and won't be such an embarrassment to the intellectual establishment.

IX-XI

Today we remember those who died in the terrorist attacks against the United States by al Qaida operatives. As the war in Iraq continues unabated, and the immediacy of the events of this date recede in our collective memory, we perhaps need to recall that we live in a world that is still as dangerous a place as it has ever been in history. We Americans have been insulated from much misery that is the common experience of most of the world. The blessings of our geography and our commerce have protected us from the beginning of our nation. They will not continue to do so.

As I reflect on the plight of Christians in Muslim countries, I believe that they act as a moderating influence in the middle east. The Grand Prior (Archbishop Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston) of our Lieutenancy of the EOHSJ recently wrote:

You have heard often that the number of Christians in the Holy Land is dwindling. It seems to me that many think of "dwindling" in the sense it has when we speak of "dwindling oil supplies: or dwindling arctic ice pack." In this sense, there is progressively less and less petroleum, the are covered by the ice pack year by year seems to decrease. Would we, though say that oil supplies were merely "dwindling' in in ten years the amount of reserves fell by 80%? Would we say that the arctic ice pace was "dwindling" if its area decrease at ten or twenty times the rate we have observed?

Yet that is just what is happening to the Christian population in the Holy Land and surrounding countries. The World Council of Churches, according to a report by Newsweek Magazine, has estimated that in the last decade the number of Christians in that part of the world has plunged from 10 million to 2 million. Understandably, exact numbers are difficult to get, but anecdotal evidence is quite clear, and even the most casual observer can see that the decline has been precipitous.

You are tempted to think that the reason so many Christians are fleeing the Holy Land is because they are caught in the cross-fire, so to speak, between Muslims and Jews. But surveys attest clearly that economic reasons are the principal motives for emigration. Perhaps we can do little to compose the peace between Muslims and Jews, but we can do a great deal to help the economic situation of Christians in the Holy Land. Tourism is an important industry here in the United States, but relatively even more so in the Holy Land, and particularly for our Christian brethren there. (From the letter of August 2007)

I believe that if the economic situation of the peoples of the middle east were relieved, then much of the strife that destablizes the whole world would be mightily asuaged.

Friday, 7 September 2007

Today's readings may be found at: http://www.usccb.org/nab/090707.shtml

Jesus’ teaching always employs examples that the people could understand that were drawn from their daily experiences or common knowledge. We don’t store wine in skins anymore, although you can go to some catalogs and get a semi-authentic wine skin to show off with, I suppose. Because new wine is often still active, it has to have a container that will breathe and move with it. Old skins have lost their suppleness, instead of giving, they burst. It is the same with cloth. The natural fibers of wool and linen that were used most commonly in those days shrank after washing. A new piece attached to the shrunken fibers would shrink at the next washing and the hole would return. These examples deal with common good sense; from them Jesus has drawn his lesson: There is an appropriate way to deal with things and people, and they should be dealt with according to their nature. Wine that has settled down is more enjoyable because it has developed flavor and palatability. Old wine is better. But there will be no old wine, unless the new wine is properly stored. There is a way of teaching the young in the Faith that is appropriate for them. There is a way of further developing the Faith in others. As Aquinas said so truly in the 13th century: What is received is received in the mode of the receiver.

Gospel for 6 September

See this URL for today's readings: http://www.usccb.org/nab/090607.shtml

Sound travels well over water, and for Jesus to get into the boat and pull away from the shore for a distance allowed his words to be heard much better than if he were just sitting in the midst of the crowd. Unlike at other times, Luke fails to tell us what effect Jesus’ teaching had on those who listened. While his words were all well and good, on the religious level, you can almost hear the disbelief in Peter’s voice when he realizes that the carpenter is trying to tell the fisherman how to fish. Jesus’ teaching is verified for Peter, Andrew, James, and John by the splendid and unlooked for catch of fish. His message sank in, and the person of Jesus was revealed, only when Jesus’ work brought about faith---faith that led to repentance: Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man. How slow we are to believe and to repent. At least our distance in time from Jesus’ day allows his word to be heard more clearly, just as his distance from the shore helped the crowd to hear.

Mother Teresa's Dark Night of the Soul

Mother Teresa of Calcutta was famous in her life and after her death because of her work for the poor and her spiritual teaching. Now that the cause for her canonization is working, her letters and other materials about her life have come to light. It appears that from the 1950's on she experienced a sense of complete abandonment by God. This feeling of God's absence in her life was a great trial, but something that never got her down. She continued steadfastly onward in her service of Christ without spiritual consolation. What a great example to us in modern western countries where the cult of "feelings" and "Oprah-ism" reigns. See the articles in Zenit: http://www.zenit.org

September 5, 2007

Both the epistle reading and today’s gospel contain the words “Good News.” The Good News that has reached you is spreading all over the world and producing the same results as it has among you ever since the day when you heard about God’s grace and understood what this reality is. And I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do. There is a universalist message about the Good News. It is not something to be put under the bed or a bushel basket---like a lamp it is to be placed on a stand to give light to the whole household of God. The people of Capernaum wanted Jesus to stay with them, and be their very own civic miracle worker. He would have been outstanding in that role, however, he was always conscious of his mission: to bring the gospel, the “Good News,” to those who were near and to those who were far off. Such should be our mission, too.

Gospel for 4 September

Today's readings may be found here: http://www.usccb.org/nab/090407.shtml

What is nice about today’s gospel is that there is no suspicion or violence in it, no Pharisees looking for a way to catch Jesus saying or doing something that will bring him into a scandal. His teaching made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority. The scribes and Pharisees always appealed to the teachings of those who went before them, when they commented on the Torah---everything that they said had to be backed up with some ancient rabbi’s opinion. Jesus didn’t appeal to the opinions of the revered rabbis of the past---he spoke with his own authority: You have heard it said, but I say to you. Beyond that, he backed up his authority, as occasion offered by some kind of healing or other work---even on the Sabbath, as in today’s reading. The astonishment of his listeners was as much for his command of the scriptures as it was for his healing. Nothing like this had been seen in anyone’s memory. It truly seemed as if God had visited his people, and he did.

Cardinal Lustiger R.I.P.

Jean-Marie Cardinal Lustiger, Archbishop of Paris, passed away. Here is the NYT sory of his death: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/06/world/europe/06lustiger.html?ex=1344052800&en=d8655853202e1988&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss Here's information about his life: http://www.888webtoday.com/lustiger.html

Following the tremendous success of World Youth Day 1997 in Paris, Cardinal Lustiger was interviewed by Communio (24,4. Winter 97). (Thanks for this goes to the following: http://eagleandelephant.blogspot.com/)

Here are some highlights: The secret of Word Youth Day in Paris is not that we looked for something we thought would attract the youth, but only the truth, the purity, and the beauty of the Good News of Christ.It was evident to the young people that the pope did not welcome them in his own name, but in the name of Christ, by exercising his apostolic ministry as Peter's successor.

What brought together these hundreds of thousands of teenagers, what they lived, was the mystery of Salvation, the freedom brought by Christ the Savior. Through the liturgy, Christ himself touched their hearts. Remember the words of Irenaeus: "Omnem novitatem attulit, afferens semetipsum" [In becoming present himself, he brought all novelty]. Something new occurs every time Christ becomes present in the midst of his people.

People objected that the liturgy would not respond to young people's need to celebrate, and that we would risk meeting with failure--if we did not pervert the liturgy altogether. However, the event itself proved that nothing could have been further from the truth.

The liturgy is the place par excellence where the Church communicates the word of God and his presence in the sacraments; it is the means by which Christ reveals himself to men--today as always. Teaching the faith must go straight to the core: the Paschal mystery of Christ in its ecclesial dimension.

Gregory: Now isn't this what I've always said?

The ten virgins

Today's gospel is from Matthew 25: http://www.usccb.org/nab/083107.shtml#gospel

Today’s reading continues the “stay awake” admonition of Jesus from yesterday. Here, there is a kind of depiction of two kinds of people that goes back to Aesop and the fable of the grasshopper and the ant. Here there are those who have provided for themselves with care. They are preserved against the day of want. The others have been negligent in their preparations---when the day of want comes, that being their failure to let their little lights shine because they have no oil, they are rejected. Since the oil represents their spiritual preparedness, the rather un-Christian refusal to share is not really that, but rather it shows that when it comes to the holiness of our lives, it belongs to us alone, and cannot be shared. Each follower of Christ has to prepare themselves for the day of judgment and if we cannot show the oil of holiness, then the possibility of being rejected by Christ becomes a tragic reality. Stay awake!

Be watchful and ready

Click on this URL for today's readings: Matthew 24: 42-51

http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/matthew/matthew24.htm#v42

It is often hard to stay awake. It is emotionally taxing to be in a constant state of alert. Soldiers on guard during time of war have to be constantly alert, to fall asleep while on guard duty can result in the guard being executed for his failure to stay awake.

In so many places in the gospel, and in today’s reading, Jesus urges us by command and parable to keep our minds constantly focused on him---but the cares of life and the distractions to which we give ourselves over cause us to lose our spiritual alertness. This is not like in the Xmas song Here comes Santa Claus where we better watch out because Santa is coming tonight---that only demands that we keep alert for one night.

Our eyes must be kept fixed upon the Lord, ever watching for him to break into our lives and give us the rewards of honest servants: Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at his employment. Amen I say to you, he will place him over everything he owns.

A thought on the Eucharist

Here's a quote about the Eucharist from John MacQuarrie (Paths in Spirituality): The Eucharist sums up in itself Christian worship, experience and theology in an amazing richness. It seems to include everything. It combines Word and Sacrament; its appeal is to spirit and to sense; it brings together the sacrifice of Calvary and the presence of the risen Christ; it is communion with God and communion with man; it covers the whole gamut of religious moods and emotions. Again, it teaches the doctrine of creation, as the bread, the wine, and ourselves are brought to God; the doctrine of atonement, for these gifts have to be broken in order that they may be perfected; the doctrine of salvation, for the Eucharist has to do with incorporation into Christ and the sanctification of human life; above all, the doctrine of incarnation, for it is no distant God whom Christians worship but one who has made himself accessible in the world.

The drouth is ended

(Yes, drouth is a correct, alternate spelling.) We hadn't had rain since about the middle of July. It was sprinkling and thundering often during the day, but really didn't rain significantly. I was eating dinner at a friend's house yesternight and it was just sprinkling again, until I stepped outside and chanted Rorate coeli desuper, et nubes pluant justum. (Drop down from heaven above and let the clouds rain the just one.) It immediately began to pour.

Beheading of St. John the Baptist

It's kind of strange to celebrate some one's beheading, but that's what we do today. We know the story of John's death, and how Herod embarrassed himself in front of his guests. It pays to not make gestures that you can't carry through.

Here is an interesting item:

Cardinal Ruini: Go to the Holy Land
ROME, AUG. 28, 2007

Benedict XVI's vicar for the Diocese of Rome is encouraging people to make pilgrimages to the Holy Land.Cardinal Camillo Ruini made his appeal Monday from Romes' Fiumicino airport, before leaving for a pilgrimage to Lourdes.In a press conference, the cardinal encouraged pilgrimages to the places mentioned in the Gospels.Pilgrims' trips to the Holy Land, he said, are "a basic condition to favor the peace and serenity of the holy places. We must all work to overcome the fears that stop the faithful who wish to go to the Holy Land.""Maybe they are unfounded fears," Cardinal Ruini added, "but understandable ones. While we go to Lourdes we ask the Lord for peace in the Holy Land."

It is difficult for us to imagine, but the Christians of the Holy Land really depend on the tourist trade to support themselves. When I was returned from there last November, people asked me if I had been afraid anywhere on the pilgrimage. I never was---anywhere. Even when there was one sticky situation, when they saw that we were pilgrims, they made way for us happily. I would urge everyone who can to go to the Holy Land. Just our presence there is a great support for the Christian people there, and the presence of Christians there is a moderating influence between the secular Jews who run the State of Israel, and the Palestinians. Deus lo vult!

Gospel for 23 August

Today's first reading is again from Judges, and narrates the story of Jephthah, who defeated the Ammonites, having made a vow to God that he would sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house. Unfortunately the first person out the door when he returned from battle was his daughter, celebrating her father's victory. The anguished Jephthah realizes the foolish oath that he made and God, as if God would let his people perish anyway! The daughter asked for two months to mourn her virginity (mourning the fact that she would never have children---a sign of shame for any Jewish woman in those days. When the two months were over, she returned to her father, and he treated her as the vow he had uttered bound him. We should learn from this tragedy not to bargain with the Lord, and to be careful what we say.

The gospel parable is about the comparison of the kingdom of heaven with a king's marriage feast for his son, where most of the guests refuse to come (a great insult). After destroying his enemies, he sends out his servants to gather others in to fill the wedding hall, but one guest appears without a wedding garment. Then the king said to the attendants "Bind him hand and foot and throw him out into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth." For many are called, but few are chosen.

One of the best commentaries for this parable is a poem by Martin Franzmann that I append below:

O KINGLY LOVE (Martin H. Franzmann, 1907-76)

1) O kingly Love, that faithfully
Didst keep thine ancient promises,
Didst bid the bidden come to thee,
The people thou didst choose to bless,

This day we raise Our song of praise,
Adoring thee,
That in the days
When alien sound
Had all but drowned
Thine ancient, true, and constant melody,
Thy mighty hand did make
A trumpet none could silence or mistake;
Thy living breath did blow for all the world to hear,
Living and clear:

The feast is ready.
Come to the feast,
The good and the bad.
Come and be glad!
Greatest and least,
Come to the feast!

2) O lavish Love, that didst prepare
A table bounteous as thy heart,
That men might leave their puny care
And taste and see how good thou art,

This day we raise Our song of praise,
Adoring thee,
That in the days
When alien sound
Had all but drowned
Thine ancient, true, and constant melody,
Thy mighty hand did make
A trumpet none could silence or mistake;
Thy living breath did blow for all the world to hear,
Living and clear:

The feast is ready.
Come to the feast,
The good and the bad.
Come and be glad!
Greatest and least,
Come to the feast!

3) O seeking Love, thy hurrying feet
Go searching still to urge and call
The bad and good on ev’ry street
To fill thy boundless banquet hall.

This day we raise Our song of praise,
Adoring thee,
That in the days
When alien sound
Had all but drowned
Thine ancient, true, and constant melody,
Thy mighty hand did make
A trumpet none could silence or mistake;
Thy living breath did blow for all the world to hear,
Living and clear:

The feast is ready.
Come to the feast,
The good and the bad.
Come and be glad!
Greatest and least,
Come to the feast!

4) O holy Love, thou canst not brook
Man’s cool and careless enmity;
O ruthless Love, thou wilt not look
On man robed in contempt of thee.

Thine echoes die;
Our deeds deny
Thy summoning:
Our darkling cry,
Our meddling sound
Have all but drowned
That song that once made ev’ry echo ring.
Take up again, oh, take
The trumpet none can silence or mistake,
And blow once more for us and all the world to hear,
Living and clear:
The feast is ready.
Come to the feast,
The good and the bad.
Come and be glad!
Greatest and least,
Come to the feast!

The Queenship of Mary, or Our Lady, Queen of Palestine

This feast was created by Pius XII in 1954. Mary participates in the reign of Christ, and honor given to her redounds to the glory of her Son, Christ our Lord. This is a privileged day (OL Queen of Palestine) for members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem.

The first reading of today's Mass is taken from the Christmas midnight Mass: Isaiah 9:1-6: The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone. You have made their gladness greater, you have made their joy increase; they rejoice in your presence as men rejoice at harvest time, as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils. For the yoke that was weighing on him, the bar across his shoulders, the rod of his oppressor, these you break as on the day of Midian.

It is interesting that in the weekday lectionary cycle we are now reading of Gideon and the "day of Midian." This refers to the destruction that Gideon and his small number of Hebrew forces won over the Midianites. The light that scattered the darkness, the increase of gladness and joy, are the result of Christ's glorious incarnation. Even at his birth, the yoke of sin was broken, the rod of the oppressor smashed. This recollection of the prophet Isaiah was not originally meant to speak about Jesus. However, the Church has long looked at the Old Testament as a gold mine of prophecy about Christ. Even if the prophets did not know of Jesus, their words can still tell us much of the coming holy redeemer.

Collect: Father, you have given us the mother of your Son to be our queen and mother. with the support of her prayers may we come to share the glory of your children in the kingdom of heaven. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

Christians should call God "Allah?"

I suggest that this might be a fun and insightful read concerning the Dutch RC bishop, Tiny Muskens, who recently suggested that if Christians started calling God "Allah," it would make relations with Muslims sweeter. Absolutely absurd!

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=22025

Human rights for everyone but Christians

08/21/2007 13:17 INDIA Karnataka, Hindu protesters incite the massacre of Christians by Nirmala Carvalho.

A leaflet, distributed in thousands of copies lists the Christians “crimes”: love for their fellow man, education of the youth, refusal of the cast system. The text, signed by Hindu nationalists, threatens death to all those who remain in the state without converting to Hinduism.
Bangalore (AsiaNews) –Christians in the Southern Karnataka state “must immediately abandon Indian territory, or return to the mother religion which is Hinduism”. If they do not “they will be killed by all good Indians, who by doing so will show their virility and their love of the country”.
These threats are contained in leaflets given out yesterday by the thousands in Chitradurga district. Written in the local kanada dialect, the text lists” the “crimes” the Christians commit: Treating everyone with love and showing compassion to the helpless, helping the poor and converting them, educating the orphans and converting them, promoting freedom to marry, organising free medical care and ignoring the cast system”.

The letter is signed by Hindu radical groups, Bajrang Dal and Hindu Jagrutika Samiti of Chitradurga district Karnataka. Sajan K. George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians, told AsiaNews: “These handbills are being widely circulated, but it is only the last in a series of anti Christian acts that have long plagued the State”.
In fact, the activist continues, “Regularly pastors are being beaten up and prayer meetings being disrupted and our scared books are burned. Certainly this most recent act is cause for deeper concern because it incites people to murder us”.
This is why he concludes, “all right-thinking persons, the media and the government must cry a halt to the violent hate-mongering being engaged in the name of religion”.

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Owen Paul Doyle, Sr. January 14, 1925—August 10, 2007

I want to take a moment and remember our faithful parishioner, Paul Doyle. He died fortified with the sacraments of Holy Church, surrounded by his wife, Mary Lou, and his children.

Owen Paul Doyle, Sr. of El Dorado was born January 14, 1925 to Owen Paul and Laura Mulry Doyle in Sayre, Oklahoma and died August 10, 2007 of cancer at the Life Touch Hospice Facility of El Dorado, Arkansas. Paul is survived by his wife, Mary Lou Barber, and nine children. Paul was a beloved family man, church leader, and active in civic affairs and overnment. Paul retired from Murphy Oil Corporation in 1990 as Senior Vice President of Engineering after 30 years of service. Paul was a graduate of Notre Dame University at Southbend, Indiana in naval science (1946) and chemical engineering (1949). He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was honorably discharged. Paul has lived in El Dorado since 1968 after being promoted from Superintendent of the Murphy Oil Meraux refinery near New Orleans, Louisiana to become corporate vice-president. All nine children graduated from El Dorado High School and area colleges. Paul is remembered mostly for his humble and giving spirit that never knew a stranger and was a pillar of strength and support to family and friends. Paul was a faithful member of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church of El Dorado, Arkansas and served as extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. He was a founding member of the Holy Redeemer Knights of Columbus Council, and the Father Louis Janesko Assembly of the 4th degree Knights of Columbus.

The late Mr. Charles Murphy of Murphy Oil once told me something that the late Fr. Louis Janesko told him, that "The best thing that Murphy Oil ever did for Holy Redeemer Church was to transfer Paul Doyle from New Orleans to El Dorado." I think that it is still true.

Pope St. Pius X

Achille Ratti (1835-1914) was from Venice and a very humble family. As a priest, bishop, and later Patriarch of Venice he was noted for his pastoral zeal. As the Roman Pontiff, Pius X, he defended the Church from the false teachings of many modern heresies. He encouraged the development of Gregorian Chant as the music of the liturgy, and promoted frequent reception of Holy Communion, moving first communion to the age of seven, unfortunately in the process, separating Confirmation from its relationship with Baptism.

Today's readings tell us of Gideon, from the book of Judges. (Jdgs 6:11-24a) “Go with the strength you have. It is I who send you.” Gideon knew that he and his family were weak, so for God’s messenger to tell him that he was going to lead the people to victory over Midian was quite a surprise. Gideon pours out his frustration to the Lord: Forgive me, my lord, but if the Lord is with us, then why is it that all this is happening to us now? And where are all the wonders our ancestors tell us of when they say ‘Did not the Lord bring us out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has deserted us; he has abandoned us to Midian.

Why me? or Why us? can readily spring to our lips when we encounter difficulties in life. We have to understand though, that God has sent us into the world to do his work with the strength that we have. The common gifts that we possess, differently in each person, are the raw materials that God uses to bring about the triumph of his will for us and the world around us. I will be with you, and you shall crush Midian as if it were a single man. How often do we recoil at what God demands of us? We know our weaknesses almost as well as God does, but he will not leave us hung out to dry, but will bring about his will if we follow him faithfully.

Collect: Father to defend the Catholic faith and to make all things new in Christ, you filled St. Pius X with heavenly wisdom and apostolic courage. May his example and teaching lead us to the reward of eternal life. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

I'm back

Traveling all last week wore me out. I'm going to get back to blogging today.

Pope declares only Catholics go to Heaven (and other anti-Catholic smears)

Lots of folks got upset recently on the CDF's 5 questions regarding the use of the word "subsists" in the recent documents (which of course goes back to Vatican II). (See the document and my commentary below.) I was sent several emails that contained commentary by Episcopal monks among others. I just wonder what they would say if I asked them what they thought about Mormons or Jehovah's (nit-)Witnesses? The CDF document speaks of "defects" in the Churches that came from the 16th c. reformation. This translation from the Latin is poorly translated "defects." It simply means something lacking (in this case the Apostolic Succession and a valid Eucharist).
All the main line churches of the Protestant faith would admit that there are truly "defects" in the Mormon and JW "churches." Wonder if they ever thought about it that way?

Sts. Pontian, Pope, Hippolytus, presbyter, martyrs

Today finds us in Nashville, staying with Pat and JoLind Weaver. We're going to visit John Paul II High School, and Hermitage (Plantation of Andrew Jackson) Baby Samuel has been fairly calm, got a little cranky during the long trip last night, but he's perky and happy this morning.

The international convention of the Knights of Columbus was just held here in Nashville. Tarcissio Card. Bertone, Secretary of State of the Holy See was present and preached. It is an obvious example of Rome's desire to affirm the KofC's in their ministry to the Church in the United States and throughout the world. The cause for the Beatification of their founder: Fr. Michael J. McGiveny goes on apace.

College students ministering to college students! (Whaddle they think up next?) A new group called FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) strives to restore or further the faith among Catholic college students. According to Patrick Rivera who has committed 2 years of his life to this ministry, 70% of college freshmen stop practicing their faith by the end of their first year in college. Of course, we've seen this in our own experiences with former students from Subiaco, and among the children of the parish. "Today's culture tells students that Catholicism is dead, but that's a lie. We show them that they can live lives of chastity, sobriety and excellence, and that you can find joy in that," says Rivera in an interview by Kim Bastone in the Tennessee Register, the paper of the Diocese of Nashville. This ministry seems to be working, but Oh! how few there are to do it and how few will benefit for want of ministers.

I believe that the problem for college students is that they are removed from their old communities of families, friends, and faith, and placed in an entirely new environment for which they are not really prepared. Fraternities and Sororities, teams, dorm mates, etc., all of these provide new communities that are seldom faith based (or are based on the wrong faith) and the student is then, in the whirlwind of new experiences and new communities, unable to find or unable to give him/herself to the local faith community of the Catholic Church, whether at the local campus ministry, or a local parish. Cut off from the community of faith, admittedly by their own choice, they come home at Christmas only going through the motions of religion (if at all) to get mom and dad off their backs.

A normal, young, Catholic cannot exist cut off from the community of faith for very long without that faith dying. It is to be hoped that that faith will be fanned into flame again (if there are any coals left); but no one should believe that it will happen automatically, or of its own accord. Vigilance is always necessary for the maintenance of the Catholic Faith.

Collect for day: Lord, may the loyal suffering of your saints, Pontian and Hippolytus, fill us with your love, and make our hearts steadfast in faith. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Travel

I will be travelling to St. Meinrad Aarchabbey with friend and former student and seminarian for the diocese of Little Rock, Jason Sharbaugh, and our organist-choirmaster, Michael Odom and his wife Jennifer and baby, Sam. We will be there for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I'm sure that the monks' schola will be in good form.

We will return on Thursday, and then turn right around and go to Fort Smith (stopping to get rooms at Subiaco) for the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher state section Mass and dinner. The Mass will be celebrated at Immaculate Conception Church, and dinner and meeting will follow at Taliano's Italian Restaurant. Because it will be too long to drive back to El Dorado, we will spend the night at Subiaco and make our way back south Saturday morning---and then it will be Sunday! Is there no rest for the wicked?

Regarding the 5 questions released by the Cong. for the Doctrine of the Faith, 29 June 07

I quoted the document in full down below. The release of this document was trumpeted by the secular press as another example of Catholic bigotry. Some of my parishioners were asked by their Protestant friends why the Pope said they were going to hell.

Our ministers' discussion group that meets on Thursdays finally met again after a hiatus of about 4 weeks because of vacations and travel. I brought the document for us to read through. All were enlightened when they were able to go through it and see what is really said. Here are some points:

• It didn't say anything different that the Vatican Council had said.





• The document Dominus Jesus, issued by the CDF said the same thing. (There was a flap then, too, but it had died down. Did Rome, by posting this new document want to stir the pot again?)





• The Church teaches that there are several integral things that Christ instituted when he established the Church that are absolutely necessary for the Church to be.





• One of these is the Apostolic Succession---given to Peter and then all the Apostles that established a hierarchical government of the Church---it was not of human foundation.





• A second thing is the Eucharist. A valid Eucharist can only be confected by a validly ordained presbyter who was ordained by a validly ordained bishop in the line of succession.





• The Oriental Churches possess these elements, and are therefore true churches, however, they do not accept the primacy of Peter and his successors, therefore, while being churches in a very real sense, they are lacking a fundamental element: acceptance of the Petrine primacy.





• The churches born of the 16th c. Reformation abandoned apostolic succession, and therefore a valid Eucharist, and, obviously, the acceptance of the Petrine ministry. Therefore, they cannot be truly called particular churches since they lack these things that are necessary and constitutive of "Church."





• The recent document, as well as Dominus Jesus, and Unitatis redintegratio of Vatican II made these same distinctions, so this is nothing new, except that it has been published again let anybody get the idea that these ecumenical activity can be played fast and easy by anyone who is a champion of peace at any price. (History has proved the unreality of that!)

From http://agnusdaily.com/

"My mother nags me enough about my behavior at home. If she were a priest at our Church, I think I'd become Buddhist."
- Dan Redding, Santa Barbara, CA

When technology and lack of vocations combine

This is funny, but don't make any more of it than a bagatelle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgmQM9cDPHk

August 10, St. Lawrence, deacon of Rome, martyr

St. Lawrence lived in the third century and was one of the deacons of St. Sixtus II, whose martyrdom we celebrated a few days ago. This was during the persecution of emperor Valerian. Lawrence was told by the prefect to hand over the treasury of the Church. When told to do so, he pointed to a group of poor people and said: Here are the true treasures of the Church. He died by being roasted on a gridiron.

Today, in the gospel, Jesus speaks the words that describe what the life of his followers has to be: “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.” The followers of Christ have to experience in their lives what he experienced. He puts to us the question: “What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and looses his soul?” Anyone with a sense of what salvation means would answer “Nothing.” We have to understand though, that the shadow of the cross is from the light of the resurrection: “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels.” Only by renouncing self and giving ourselves over to the trials of living the Christian life in the world does a person make himself able to experience the glory of Christ’s kingdom when he comes again.

Collect: Father, you called St. Lawrence to serve you by love and crowned his life with glorious martyrdom. help us to be like him in loving you and doing your work. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Same problems, different age

Go to this site, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHX-SjgQvQ and see how the monks of old had to deal with things.

Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, OCD, (Edith Stein) virgin & martyr

This is the feast of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, a Jewish woman, philosopher, Catholic convert, Carmelite nun, virgin and martyr who was killed in the Holocaust. "St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross says to us all: Do not accept anything as the truth if it lacks love. And do not accept anything as love which lacks truth! One without the other becomes a destructive lie." (Pope John Paul II from the canonization homily of St. Teresa Benedicta, 11 October 1998)

Today's gospel is the famous Matthew 16, where Jesus asks the apostles to confess who he is. Peter replies that Jesus is the "Christ---the Son of the Living God." Then follows the "Thou art Peter" and then Peter's rebuke from the Lord for inhibiting his exodus in Jerusalem. St. Peter speaks in love to Jesus that he should not go to his crucifixion: Heaven preserve you, Lord, this must not happen to you. It was said in love, but it was contrary to the truth of Jesus' mission, the redemption of the world. He had already explained to the apostles that he must endure this burden. A few days later he would show Peter, James, and John that it would end in glory (the Transfiguration that we celebrated last Monday).

You are an obstacle in my path, because the way you thing is not God's way but man's. Jesus reminds us that love and truth have to be always together. The reality (truth) of our life should be accompanied with the love that springs from the divine life of God.

Collect: God our Father, you give us joy each year in honoring the memory of St. Teresa Benedicta. May her prayers be a source of help for us, and may her example of courage and chastity be our inspiration. Grant this through our Lord Jesus christ, your Son, who lives and reighns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

8 August: St. Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans)

Mt 15:21-28

At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.” He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
House dogs do a useful service: they clean up the scraps that fall from the table---a lot of sweeping is eliminated if you let your dogie clean the floor. It was common for the Jews of Jesus’ day to refer to gentiles and “dogs,” and the gentiles of the surrounding nations knew this quite well. Jesus seems curiously aloof in this situation while the needy woman begs for his help. (It is curious that this gospel falls today on the feast of St. Dominic, whose followers are called in Latin: Dominicanes which can either be translated as "Dominicans" or "Dogs of the Lord" [Domini-canes])

Where is his usual compassion to the afflicted who approach him in faith? In his role of Messiah of the Jews, his first obligation was to the Jewish people, and not to the whole world: “I am sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.” Here, however, we see a broadening of his ministry, in fact, he is already starting to visit the “region of Tyre and Sidon,” and the ministry that will eventually include us gentiles begins with the faith of this Canaanite woman, who ended up with more than table scraps.

St. Dominic (1170-1221) was born in Calahorra in Spain. He worked to uproot the Albigensian heresy, and was a great promoter of the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He founded the Order of Preachers (Dominicans).

Collect: Lord, let the holiness and preaching of St. Dominic come to the aid of your Church. May he help us now with his prayers as he once inspired people by his preachings. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Gospel for 7 August (St. Sixtus Pope and Martyr and Companions, Martyrs)

Matthew 14: 22-36 Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side of the sea, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,“Truly, you are the Son of God.” After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret. When the men of that place recognized him,they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought to him all those who were sick and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak, and as many as touched it were healed.

In the OT, God is portrayed as being in control of the sea. To control the waves and the wind is one of God’ powers: (Ps 107) “Some went down to the sea in ships, they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep” or in Job 9:8: “who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea.” Jesus in this episode reveals his almighty power by doing what God does. He even uses the name of God: “Fear not, it is I.” (I am who am.) St Peter’s action seems presumptuous until we realize that he wanted to do what God does, but whereas God “does” by his own nature, we have to “do” the things of God by faith. Peter’s faith was not quite up to this task, but it still allowed him to do something like God, which is an encouragement for us to do the works of God, not walking on water, but bringing the healing works of God into our lives and the life of the Church.

Pope St Sixtus II and his companions ( - 258)
Sixtus was elected Pope in 257. Twelve months later, on 6th August, as he was celebrating Mass in the catacomb of St Calixtus, he was seized by the authorities (it was the time of Valerian’s persecution) and beheaded along with four of his deacons. He was buried in the same catacomb.St Laurence, another deacon, was captured and executed four days later.We know most of the details of this martyrdom from a letter of St Cyprian, who was himself martyred later in the same year.

Collect: Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit you enabled St. Sixtus and his companions to lay down their lives for your word in witness to Jesus. Give us the grace to believe in you and the courage to prefess our faith. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns iwth you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen

Feast of the Transfiguration, today's gospel

Lk 9:28b-36

Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up a mountain to pray.While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here;let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”But he did not know what he was saying. While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.

And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with them. (St. John Chrysostom:) And this happened for many reason; of which this is the first: because the multitude had been saying He was Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the prophet He here took to himself the chief persons among the prophets, so that from this also they might see what difference lay between the Master and His servants. Another reason is: the Jews continually accused Jesus of being a violator of the Law, and a blasphemer, and of taking to Himself the glory of the Father. That He may be shown guiltless of these accusation He brings before them two persons who had been preeminent in regard to both those things. For Moses had given the Law, and Elijah had been filled with zeal for the glory of the Father.

Another reason was that they might learn that He had power over life and death, and for this He brought Moses before them: who had departed this life by way of death, and Elijah who had not yet suffered death. The Evangelist reveals another reason, namely: to manifest the glory of the Cross, and to comfort Peter and the other Disciples who were fearful of the Passion. for they spoke, of his exodos that he should accomplish in Jerusalem. And so He brings before them these two who had challenged death for the things that were pleasing to God, and on behalf of the people who believed in Him. For both of their own will had faced tyrants; Moses confronting Pharaoh and Elijah Ahab. And lastly He brings them before them so that the Disciples might be Emulous of their special qualities: that they might become gentle, like Moses, and zealous for the glory of God, like Elijah.

This feast became widespread in the West in the 11th century and was introduced into the Roman calendar in 1457 to commemorate the victory over Islam in Belgrade. Before that, the Transfiguration of the Lord was celebrated in the Syrian, Byzantine, and Coptic rites. The Transfiguration foretells the glory of the Lord as God, and His Ascension into heaven. It anticipates the glory of heaven, where we shall see God face to face. Through grace, we already share in the divine promise of eternal life.

Collect: God our Father, in the transfigured glory of Christ your Son, you strengthen our faith by confirming the witness of your prophets, and show us the splendor of your beloved sons and daughters. As we listen to the voice of your Son, help us to become heirs to eternal life with him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.