Pænitemini

"Repent, and believe in the Gospel" [Mark 1:15]

This is the Lenten Embertide, a time to fast, to pray, to examine the state of our soul, to acknowledge our failings and to rein in poorly governed passions. It is a time to thank God for blessings received and to give alms that others may share in our blessings, for all that we have and all that we are, we have received in trust from our Maker to use in His service.

50 years ago this very day, Pope Paul VI abrogated the canonical requirement of Catholics to fast this week. Nevertheless, the need remains for every Christian to take up his cross, and follow his Saviour up a difficult path.

Offline for Lent

There is so much to read and see on the internet. I find it all endlessly fascinating... enticing... agitating... wearying. If there is such a thing as gluttony of the eyes, I have it. (And what about you, dear reader?  How easy would it be for you to disconnect for a few days?  Have you tried?¹)

Recent attempts at moderation have been unsuccessful, so I'm trying stronger measures. I'll be offline until Easter, I hope, except for work and a small amount of personal email.

May God bless and guide you. Pax et bonum.

Limbo of the Fathers

The ancient greyness shifted
Suddenly and thinned
Like mist upon the moors
Before a wind.
An old, old prophet lifted
A shining face and said:
"He will be coming soon.
The Son of God is dead;
He died this afternoon."

A murmurous excitement stirred all souls.
they wondered if they dreamed-
Save one old man who seemed
Not even to have heard.

And Moses standing,
Hushed them all to ask
If any had a welcome song prepared.
If not, would David take the task?
And if they cared
Could not the three young children sing
The Benedicite, the canticle of praise
They made when God kept them from perishing
In the fiery blaze?

A breath of spring surprised them,
Stilling Moses' words.
No one could speak, remembering
The first fresh flowers,
The little singing birds.
Still others thought of fields new ploughed

Or apple trees
All blossom-boughed.
Or some, the way a dried bed fills
With water
Laughing down green hills.
The fisherfolk dreamed of the foam
On bright blue seas.
The one old man who had not stirred
Remembered home.

And there He was
Splendid as the morning sun and fair
As only God is fair.
And they, confused with joy,
Knelt to adore
Seeing that He wore
Five crimson stars
He never had before.

No canticle at all was sung.
None toned a psalm, or raising a greeting song,
A silent man alone
Of all that throng
Found tongue-
Not any other.
Close to His heart
When embrace was done,
Old Joseph said,
"How is your Mother,
How is your Mother, Son?"

Sister Mary Ada, C.S.J.

Holy Thursday

Matthew 26:26-29 (Latin Vulgate)

²⁶ Cœnantibus autem eis, accepit Iesus panem, et benedixit, ac fregit, deditque discipulis suis, et ait: Accipite, et comedite: hoc est corpus meum.

²⁷ Et accipiens calicem gratias egit: et dedit illis, dicens: Bibite ex hoc omnes.

²⁸ Hic est enim sanguis meus novi testamenti, qui pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum.

²⁹ Dico autem vobis: non bibam amodo de hoc genimine vitis usque in diem illum, cum illud bibam vobiscum novum in regno Patris mei.

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Matthew 26:26-29 (Douay Rheims)

²⁶ And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke: and gave to His disciples, and said: Take ye, and eat. This is My Body.

²⁷ And taking the chalice, He gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of this.

²⁸ For this is My Blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins.

²⁹ And I say to you, I will not drink from henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.

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John 6:47-52 (Douay Rheims)

⁴⁷ Amen, amen I say unto you: he that believeth in Me, hath everlasting life.

⁴⁸ I am the Bread of Life.

⁴⁹ Your fathers did eat manna in the desert, and are dead.

⁵⁰ This is the Bread which cometh down from heaven; that if any man eat of it, he may not die.

⁵¹ I am the Living Bread which came down from heaven.

⁵² If any man eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever; and the Bread that I will give, is My Flesh, for the life of the world.

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Ecclesiasticus 43:29-37 (Douay Rheims)

²⁹ We shall say much, and yet shall want words: but the sum of our words is, He is all.

³⁰ What shall we be able to do to glorify Him? for the Almighty himself is above all His works.

³¹ The Lord is terrible, and exceeding great, and His power is admirable.

³² Glorify the Lord as much as ever you can, for He will yet far exceed, and His magnificence is wonderful.

³³ Blessing the Lord, exalt Him as much as you can: for He is above all praise.

³⁴ When you exalt Him put forth all your strength, and be not weary: for you can never go far enough.

³⁵ Who shall see him, and declare him? and who shall magnify him as he is from the beginning?

³⁶ There are many things hidden from us that are greater than these: for we have seen but a few of His works.

³⁷ But the Lord hath made all things, and to the godly He hath given wisdom.

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Saint Vincent Ferrer

"In order to subdue his passions, he fasted rigorously from his childhood every Wednesday and Friday. The passion of Christ was always the object of his most tender devotion. The blessed Virgin he ever honoured as his spiritual mother. Looking on the poor as the members of Christ, he treated them with the greatest affection and charity... To the exercises of prayer and penance he joined the study and meditation of the holy scriptures and the reading of the fathers... The arms which the saint employed against the devil were prayer, penance, and a perpetual watchfulness over every impulse of his passions. His heart was always fixed on God, and he made his studies, labour, and all his other actions a continued prayer."In adulthood, he progressed in self-denial: "... he never ate flesh, fasted every day except Sundays, and on Wednesdays and Fridays he lived on bread and water, which course he held for forty years: he lay on straw or small twigs. He spent a great part of the day in the confessional..."

In his last days, "under the pains of his distemper, he never opened his mouth about his sufferings only to thank almighty God for making him, by a share in the cross, to resemble his crucified Son: for he suffered the sharpest agonies not only with resignation and patience, but with exultation and joy. His prayer and union with God he never interrupted."

"He reduces the rules of perfection to the avoiding three things: First, the exterior distraction of superfluous employs. Secondly, all interior secret elation of heart. Thirdly, all immoderate attachment to created things. Also to the practicing of three things: First, the sincere desire of contempt and abjection. Secondly, the most affective devotion to Christ crucified. Thirdly, patience in bearing all things for the love of Christ".

[quotes from the life of the saint written by Ranzano, Bishop of Lucera]

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"Do you desire to study to your advantage? Let devotion accompany all your studies, and study less to make yourself learned than to become a saint. Consult God more than your books, and ask him, with humility, to make you understand what you read. Study fatigues and drains the mind and heart. Go from time to time to refresh them at the feet of Jesus Christ under his cross. Some moments of repose in his sacred wounds give fresh vigour and new lights. Interrupt your application by short but fervent and ejaculatory prayers; never begin or end your study but by prayer. Science is a gift of the Father of lights; do not therefore consider it as barely the work of your own mind or industry."

from A Treatise on a Spiritual Life, by St. Vincent Ferrer

Laetare Sunday

Today's epistle:

Brethren, It is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman and the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh; but he of the free woman was by promise; which things are said by an allegory. For these are the two testaments. The one from Mount Sinai, engendering unto bondage: which is Agar; for Sinai is a mountain in Arabia, which hath affinity to that Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But that Jerusalem which is above is free, which is our mother. For it is written:

“Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not: break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her that hath a husband.”

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was after the spirit: so also it is now. But what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not the children of the bondwoman but of the free: by the freedom wherewith Christ has made us free.

Galatians 4:22-31

Commentary of Saint Thomas Aquinas: 1, 2, 3

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What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who followed not after justice, have attained to justice, even the justice that is of faith. But Israel, by following after the law of justice, is not come unto the law of justice. Why so? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were of works. For they stumbled at the stumblingstone. As it is written: Behold I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and a rock of scandal; and whosoever believeth in him shall not be confounded.

Romans 9:30-33

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And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:3

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May all our works be born out of faith in Christ, performed under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and directed towards the glory of God, the Father Almighty.

Monday of the Third Week in Lent

From Today's epistle:

So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Eliseus: And Eliseus sent a messenger to him, saying: Go, and wash seven times in the Jordan, and thy flesh shall recover health, and thou shalt be clean. Naaman was angry and went away, saying: I thought he would have come out to me, and standing would have invoked the name of the Lord his God, and touched with his hand the place of the leprosy, and healed me. Are not the Abana, and the Pharphar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel, that I may wash in them, and be made clean? So as he turned, and was going away with indignation, His servants came to him, and said to him: Father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, surely thou shouldst have done it: how much rather what he now hath said to thee: Wash, and thou shalt he clean? Then he went down, and washed in the Jordan seven times: according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored, like the flesh of a little child, and he was made clean. And returning to the man of God with all his train, be came, and stood before him, and said: In truth, I know there is no other God in all the earth, but only in Israel.

IV Kings 9-15

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“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30
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And what is more pleasant than that yoke, what lighter than that burden? To be made better, to abstain from wickedness, to choose the good, and refuse the evil, to love all men, to hate none, to gain eternal things, not to be taken with things present, to be unwilling to do that to another which yourself would be pained to suffer.

- Saint Hilary of Poitiers

But how is Christ’s yoke pleasant, seeing it was said above, “Narrow is the way which leadeth unto life?” [Matthew 7:14] That which is entered upon by a narrow entrance is in process of time made broad by the unspeakable sweetness of love.

- Blessed Magnentius Hrabanus Maurus

Second Sunday of Lent

1 Thessalonians 4:1-7

¹For the rest therefore, brethren, we pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us, how you ought to walk, and to please God, so also you would walk, that you may abound the more.

²For you know what precepts I have given to you by the Lord Jesus.

³For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that you should abstain from fornication;

⁴That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour:

⁵Not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles that know not God:

⁶And that no man overreach, nor circumvent his brother in business: because the Lord is the avenger of all these things, as we have told you before, and have testified.

⁷For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification: in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Saint Philomena, virgin and Martyr, pray for us that through thy powerful intercession we may obtain that purity of mind and heart which leads to the perfect love of God. Amen.

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Help us, O merciful God and source of all that is good, to love Thy creatures in due measure, honorably according to Thy will, and to love Thee above all that Thou hast created. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Who reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

Quadragesima

Quadragesima, Latin for fortieth, signifies this first Sunday of Lent, which is 40 days before Good Friday, and is also a name for the whole season of Lent.

The number 40 in the Bible is associated with probation and purification, and with the time needed to accomplish some important part of God's plan.

Even when God chastises His people, He does not destroy them, and offers them hope of renewal if they will mend their ways.

Noah
After giving mankind three times forty years to repent from the great evil in which it had fallen (Genesis 6:3), God sent rain upon the earth for 40 days and 40 nights to destroy the sinful, but He preserved a faithful remnant. (Genesis 7:12)

The waters of the great flood prefigured the waters of baptism (1 Peter 3:20-21).

Moses
When Moses had lived 40 years, he sought out his people. 40 years after that, God sent him back to Egypt to deliver his people out of bondage.

After the Israelites had spied out the promised land for 40 days (Numbers 13:25), and still feared to enter in despite God's promise, God made His people wander in the desert for 40 years. (Numbers 14:26-34, 32:6-15, Deuteronomy 8:2-10, Psalm 95:8-10).

Moses twice went up Mount Sinai and stayed there for 40 days each time to receive the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 24:12-18, 34:27-34, Deuteronomy 10:10)

When Moses came down from the mountain, people were afraid to approach him. His face shone because he had been talking with God.

During their time in the desert, God's people was nourished by manna (Exodus 16:35), prefiguring the Eucharist.

Elijah
Fed by an angel, Elijah was strengthened for a 40 day journey to the mountain that Moses had climbed, and there he also encountered the one true living God. (1 Kings 19:4-16)

Jonah
Jonah warned the people of the Assyrian capital city of Nineveh that they had 40 days to repent of their sins. (Jonah 3:4, 10) They listened and acted on what they heard, and God spared them.

(Years later, they fell back into sin and this time were destroyed).

Ezekiel
The prophet Ezekiel lay on his right side 40 days to represent 40 years of sin by Judah. (Ezekiel 4:6)


Our Lord and Savior
Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights before he began his public ministry. (Matthew 3:13-4:11, Luke 4:1-12)

After His death and resurrection, our Lord appeared to His disciples for 40 days, speaking of things pertaining to God's kingdom. (Acts 1:2)


More occurences of the number 40:

Judges
Israel enjoyed 40 years of peace under the first of its judges, Othniel (Judges 3:11), and 40 years each again later under Debbora (Judges 5:31) and Gideon (Judges 8:28). In each case, Israel fell away from God's path and God's protection, and had to repent and then struggle against her enemies before there was peace. Under another judge, Ehud, the land of Israel had peace for twice forty years.

Yet another time when the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, He delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years, before giving them Samson to deliver them. (Judges 13)

One of the last of this group of leaders of Israel, Heli, judged his nation for 40 years. (1 Samuel 4:18) He began his years of service faithfully, but grew lax, and at the end of his years the high-priesthood was taken from his family and the ark of the covenant from Israel.

Saul
The first king of Israel reigned for 40 years. (Acts 13:21) He did not follow God's commands, so God's grace and blessing was withdrawn from him and his sons did not rule after him.

David
For 40 days, Goliath, champion of the Philistine army, challenged the Israelite army before David answered his challenge and defeated him. (1 Samuel 17)

King David ruled Judah for 40 years (2 Samuel 5:4).

Solomon
David's son Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. (1 Kings 11:42)

Jehoash
King Jehoash, or Joash, repaired the temple and reigned in Jerusalem for 40 years. But after the death of the high priest, he strayed and worshipped other gods. After his death, he was not found worthy to be buried in the sepulchres of kings. (2 Kings 12, 2 Chronicles 24)

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God has a plan for us. He gives us time to do our part. His plan for us is repentance, and penance, and healing, and the enjoyment of His peace and blessing. It is today 40 days until Good Friday. These days are set aside so we can repair our lives, if we are not living them the way we should. I pray that you, dear reader, will use these days wisely. And that what you begin, you will also end well. May God bless you.
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Finally:

It is about 40 weeks from conception to birth of a baby.

40 days was the period required for purification after the birth of a baby boy (Leviticus 12:2,4), twice 40 days for after the birth of a baby girl. (Leviticus 12:5)

After our Lord's crucifixion, it was about 40 years until the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed.

It has been about 40 years since the Catholic Church started using corrupted translations of the Mass into English and other vernacular languages. That ends this year. Deo gratias.

May God uproot all that is flawed in us and raise us up to a new life in holiness.

Ash Wednesday

Let us change our garments for ashes and sackcloth: let us fast and lament before the Lord: for plenteous in mercy is our God to forgive our sins. (Joel 2:13)

May you be blessed, dear visitor, and blessed neither too much nor too little, with compunction for your sins and hope in our Lord Who rules from age to age.

Quinquagesima & Shrovetide

Quinquagesima arrives late this year, one day short of the latest it can arrive, March 7th. I'm reminded of how God delays the arrival of His justice, giving us time to turn to Him of our own free will, but He does not delay forever.

The days between today and Ash Wednesday are known as Shrovetide. Like today, they are days of voluntary penance. Being voluntary, they are disregarded, and many people go in the opposite direction with excesses of Carnival and Mardi Gras. People don't understand the purpose of freedom.

(Now, of course, there is very little in the way of mandatory self-denial during Lent, and even "mandatory" rules are matter of private conscience, so there is little excuse these days for self-indulgence before the supposed austerity of Lent).

A curious blindness has afflicted God's people since the early days of the Church. Sometimes we ourselves are the cause of this affliction, sometimes not, but regardless of the cause, we can always hope for a cure.

Calling people blind may sound somewhat harsh, but harshness is not intended. May all who wish it by the grace of God be made free and self-controlled, and no longer the puppets of their passions. Friend, Easter is the fiftieth day from today. Will the risen Christ our Savior find us then to be any better men than we are today?

Today's epistle:

Brethren, If I speak with the tongues of men and of Angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy, and should know all mysteries and all knowledge: and if I should have all faith so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity is patient, is kind: Charity envieth not, dealing not perversely, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth: beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never falleth away: whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away the things of a child. We see now through a glass in a dark manner: but then face to face. Now I know in part: but then I shall know even as I am known. And now there remain faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

I Cor. 13:1-13

Today's Gospel:

At that time Jesus took unto Him the twelve men and said to them: Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be accomplished which were written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man. For He shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked and scourged and spit upon: and after they have scourged Him, they will put Him to death, and he third day He shall rise again. And they understood none of those things, and this word was hid from them, and they understood not the things that were said. Now it came to pass, when He drew nigh to Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging. And when he heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this meant. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.1 And they that went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace. But he cried out much more: Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus standing, commanded him to be brought unto Him. And when he was come near, He asked him, saying: What wilt thou that I do to thee? But he said: Lord, that I may see. And Jesus said to him: Receive thy sight, they faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he saw and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

Luke 18:31-43

Prayers and thanksgiving for those Anglican priests who celebrate their last Mass as Anglicans today, before entering into the Catholic Church. May many follow you in and find unity and peace in the spotless bride of Christ.

Sexagesima

Sexagesima Sunday is the second Sunday of the pre-Lenten season. As we approach the penitential season of Lent, now is a suitable time to lift our imperfect eyes from our imperfect circumstances and remember by Whom we were made and towards Whom we should set our hearts.

Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
    look at the earth beneath;
the heavens will vanish like smoke,
    the earth will wear out like a garment
    and its inhabitants die like flies.
But my salvation will last forever,
    my righteousness will never fail.

Isaiah 51:6

And do not despair that the burdens of this life are too heavy to carry:

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

May God bless you, kind visitor, with a humble and contrite heart, and strength to bear your burdens with hope.

Septuagesima Sunday

Psalm 50 (Douay Rheims)

¹ Unto the end, a psalm of David,

² When Nathan the prophet came to him after he had sinned with Bethsabee.

³ Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.

⁴ Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

⁵ For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.

⁶ To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee: that thou mayst be justified in thy words and mayst overcome when thou art judged.

⁷ For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me.

⁸ For behold thou hast loved truth: the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me.

⁹ Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

¹⁰ To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness: and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.

¹¹ Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

¹² Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.

¹³ Cast me not away from thy face; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

¹⁴ Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.

¹⁵ I will teach the unjust thy ways: and the wicked shall be converted to thee.

¹⁶ Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol thy justice.

¹⁷ O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

¹⁸ For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.

¹⁹ A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

²⁰ Deal favourably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

²¹ Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings: then shall they lay calves upon thy altar.

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Awake, Sleeper

The Lord's descent into hell

What is happening? Today there is a great silence over the earth, a great silence, and stillness, a great silence because the King sleeps; the earth was in terror and was still, because God slept in the flesh and raised up those who were sleeping from the ages. God has died in the flesh, and the underworld has trembled.

Truly he goes to seek out our first parent like a lost sheep; he wishes to visit those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. He goes to free the prisoner Adam and his fellow-prisoner Eve from their pains, he who is God, and Adam's son.

The Lord goes in to them holding his victorious weapon, his cross. When Adam, the first created man, sees him, he strikes his breast in terror and calls out to all: ‘My Lord be with you all.’ And Christ in reply says to Adam: ‘And with your spirit.’ And grasping his hand he raises him up, saying: ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.

‘I am your God, who for your sake became your son, who for you and your descendants now speak and command with authority those in prison: Come forth, and those in darkness: Have light, and those who sleep: Rise.

‘I command you: Awake, sleeper, I have not made you to be held a prisoner in the underworld. Arise from the dead; I am the life of the dead. Arise, O man, work of my hands, arise, you who were fashioned in my image. Rise, let us go hence; for you in me and I in you, together we are one undivided person.

‘For you, I your God became your son; for you, I the Master took on your form; that of slave; for you, I who am above the heavens came on earth and under the earth; for you, man, I became as a man without help, free among the dead; for you, who left a garden, I was handed over to Jews from a garden and crucified in a garden.

‘Look at the spittle on my face, which I received because of you, in order to restore you to that first divine inbreathing at creation. See the blows on my cheeks, which I accepted in order to refashion your distorted form to my own image.

‘See the scourging of my back, which I accepted in order to disperse the load of your sins which was laid upon your back. See my hands nailed to the tree for a good purpose, for you, who stretched out your hand to the tree for an evil one.

‘I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side, for you, who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side healed the pain of your side; my sleep will release you from your sleep in Hades; my sword has checked the sword which was turned against you.

‘But arise, let us go hence. The enemy brought you out of the land of paradise; I will reinstate you, no longer in paradise, but on the throne of heaven. I denied you the tree of life, which was a figure, but now I myself am united to you, I who am life. I posted the cherubim to guard you as they would slaves; now I make the cherubim worship you as they would God.

‘The cherubim throne has been prepared, the bearers are ready and waiting, the bridal chamber is in order, the food is provided, the everlasting houses and rooms are in readiness; the treasures of good things have been opened; the kingdom of heaven has been prepared before the ages.’

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Here are two images of the harrowing of hell from 16th century German printmaker Albrecht Dürer. In this woodcut, Adam is pictured holding the Cross as Christ pulls a soul from the abyss.

The engraving below shows Adam and Eve standing in the gateway of hell, the doors broken, with Moses behind them while our Lord frees John the Baptist. As in the other image, devils futilely threaten the rescued souls.

Good Friday

Our King

Quadragesima Sunday

Today is the first Sunday of Lent, Quadragesima Sunday. Quadragesima means forty, and it is now forty days until Good Friday. Quadragesima is the name in Latin for the whole season of Lent.

Today would have been a good day for the restoration of the traditional Mass. For Eastern Catholics and schismatics, "The Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy" is celebrated today, in remembrance of the overthrow of Iconoclasm in AD 843. This destroying impulse had periodically afflicted the east since 726. The Holy Roman Catholic Church in recent years has had its own destroyers of pious tradition to cope with, and it still reels from the effects of their pernicious influence.

It is not yet 8 am in Rome, so it is possible that the motu could be published today. But since no one hints that Pope Benedict will do anything today on this score, apparently the wait will continue. [The Holy Father will be on retreat with the Curia this week, starting today, so no news is likely this week].

I hope the Church will not have to wander for a full forty years in a liturgical desert of its own creating.

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From the Novus Ordo first reading for today:

When the Egyptians maltreated and oppressed us,
imposing hard labor upon us,
we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers,
and he heard our cry
and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.
He brought us out of Egypt
with his strong hand and outstretched arm,
with terrifying power, with signs and wonders;
and bringing us into this country,
he gave us this land flowing with milk and honey.

Deuteronomy 26:6-9

From the traditional epistle for today:

We are treated as deceivers and yet are truthful.

2 Corinthians 6:8

Both the old and new Gospel readings for today recount Jesus' temptation by the Devil, after His 40 days of fasting. The Anglican Reverend Dr. Peter Toon [who should really be Catholic] offers this meditation on the temptations of our Lord.

The Lord's presence as comfort or torment

Nicholas just turned 6. I love this age; there are usually so many really wonderful questions and conversations. In Nicholas' case, he has to ponder something for a long time before he talks about it. And then he has to rehearse what he's going to say with himself. So, sometimes, at what might seem like an odd moment, he just bursts out with a question:

"Mommy, I think it's possible you can sin so much you never go to heaven, right?"

Deep breath...

One week ago in the Catholic Herald, Elizabeth Foss explained to her six year old son how different people can experience the loving embrace of God differently - for some it is comfort and joy, while for others it is a relentless fire from which they would flee, if there were any place to hide.

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent for most Catholics. I took the following from our parish's bulletin from last Sunday. Mostly, I was glad to hear some urgency in Father's call for us to do penance and reform our lives. I wish I had heard more of it these last few decades. Apparently, some parishioners had trouble adjusting to our pastor the first couple years he was here, and complained to the bishop about him being too harsh or legalistic, but it doesn't help anyone to keep the truth fuzzy and obscure. May God bless you with a Lent that is spiritually fruitful.
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A Message from our Pastor

“Do not say, ‘Who can have power over me?’ for the Lord will surely punish you. Do not say, ‘I have sinned, yet what has happened to me?’ for the Lord is slow to anger. Do not be so confident of forgiveness that you add sin to sin. Do not say, ‘His mercy is great, he will forgive the multitude of my sins,’ for both mercy and wrath are with him, and his anger will rest on sinners. Do not delay to turn back to the Lord, and do not postpone it from day to day; for suddenly the wrath of the Lord will come upon you and at the time of punishment you will perish.” [Sirach 5:2-7]

During approaching days of Lent, these words written almost 2200 years ago sound through the depths of our hearts like a fire alarm or tornado siren. We are called “loud and clear” to look deep into our hearts and see how we stand before God now. As the Apostle Paul declared to the Christians at Corinth: “We urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain…Now is the acceptable time! Now is the day of salvation!” [II Corinthians 6:1, 2] Each of us without excuse must ask ourselves personally is there anything at all that makes me frightened at this moment, not tomorrow, not next week, not when I am older, to enter before the judgment of God. Am I ready at this moment to die?

One of the absolute “facts of life” is that every one of us is in a “terminal condition”. Every one of us – Caucasians, persons of color, Hispanics, Republicans, Democrats, rich and poor – yes, every one of us will die! But when and how is unknown to us. The “how” of our dying– a stroke, cancer, a car accident, war, etc. -- is rather secondary. The “when” is important, but hidden from us. We must be ready at all times.

“You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” [Matthew 24:44] As far as I know, today is the last day of my life. As far as I know, today is the last day that I have an opportunity to change my life, to repent of my sins. If, in fact, today is the day when I am called to judgment, I will not regret that I have come to the sacrament of penance too often, but perhaps once too seldom; that I have received the Holy Eucharist too often, but perhaps once too seldom; that I have forgiven my neighbor too often, but once too seldom.

As we reflect on those words of Ash Wednesday, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return”, remember that Jesus has promised us His forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, His word in the Scriptures, His guidance in His Church, and His Body and Blood in the Eucharist. But one thing that God has promised to no one: TOMORROW!!!

My brothers and sisters, let us intensely pray, sacrifice for the poor, and mortify ourselves. Lent is a time of interior violence: “The kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone who enters does so with violence.” [Luke 16:16] In the timeless words of coaching: “No gain without pain.” As the athletic “track coach” author of the Letter to the Hebrews declares: “Let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith.”
[12:1-2] Okay, team; let’s go for it.

In Jesus & Mary,
Father (Coach) Jim
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On a sillier note: "Ashes" Named Favorite Catholic Sacrament

Good Friday, 2006

(Image from the Paris WebMuseum)

Today is Good Friday.

So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Gol'gotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek.

The chief priests of the Jews then said to Pilate, "Do not write, `The King of the Jews,' but, `This man said, I am King of the Jews.'"

Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."

John 19:17-22

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Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God,
Creator of Heaven and earth, Saviour of the world,

Behold I who am unworthy and of all men most sinful,
humbly bow the knee of my heart before
the glory of Thy majesty and praise Thy Cross and Passion,
and offer thanksgiving to Thee, the King and God of all,
that Thou wast pleased to bear as man all labours and hardships,
all temptations and tortures,
that Thou mightest be our Fellow-sufferer and Helper,
and a Saviour to all of us in all our sorrows, needs, and sufferings.

I know, O all-powerful Lord, that all these things
were not necessary for Thee,
but for us men and for our salvation
Thou didst endure Thy Cross and Passion
that Thou mightest redeem us from all cruel bondage to the enemy.

What, then, shall I give in return to Thee, O Lover of mankind,
for all that Thou hast suffered for me, a sinner?
I cannot say, for soul and body and all blessings come from Thee,
and all that I have is Thine, and I am Thine.
Yet I know that love is repaid only by love.
Teach me, then, to love and praise Thee.

Trusting solely in Thine infinite compassion and mercy, O Lord,
I praise Thine unspeakable patience,
I magnify Thine unutterable exhaustion,
I glorify Thy boundless mercy,
I adore Thy purest Passion,
and most lovingly kissing Thy wounds, I cry:
Have mercy on me a sinner,
and cause that Thy holy Cross may not be fruitless in me,
that I may participate here with faith in Thy sufferings
and be vouchsafed to behold also the glory of Thy Kingdom in Heaven.

Amen.

All Good Irishmen Observe Lent

Also from Disputations:

PAT: And what will you be giving up for Lent then?

MIKE: Sure and begob, I won't drink whiskey and beer until after the Easter Vigil.

PAT: Not drink whiskey and beer? Faith and begorrah! How will you manage?

MIKE: Well, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I'll drink whiskey without beer, and the rest of the week it's beer without whiskey.



Elsewhere, one reads this longer meditation on the same theme:

AN IRISH TALE
by John T. Baker

When Paddy moved to County Cork,
The lad knew not one soul,
But straightaway he found the pub,
The local "Glory Hole."

"I'll have three beers," he promptly told
The old bartender, who
First raised his eyebrows, then complied,
And Paddy downed his brew.

"I'll have three more now, if you please!"
Once more he drank them down;
Next day the same thing happened and
The news ran round the town.

The folks were whispering about
"The Man Who Has Three Beers;"
It caused the most excitement that
The town had known for years.

The same routine went on each day;
The old bartender, Dan,
At last decided to find out
About this drinking man.

"I do not mean to pry, me lad,"
Said Dan, "but don't you see,
The whole town's wondering just why
You always order three."

"Tis odd," said Paddy, "that I know,
Uncommon I'll allow,
But I've two brothers overseas
With whom I've made a vow.

"Before they left, we promised that
Whenever we would drink,
We'd always have an extra two
And of the others think."

Well, this went on for quite a while
Until it was one day
That Paddy came into the pub
And Dan then heard him say:

"I'll have two beers today, not three;
Two beers, that's all," he said;
Dan knew at once the news was sad,
One brother must be dead.

The word flew fast throughout the town
And many a prayer was said
To ease the pain and save the soul
Of that poor brother dead.

Next day when Paddy in the pub
Called, "Just two beers today,"
Dan poured them out and wiped a tear
And turned to him to say:

"Condolences . . . here, Paddy, lad,
Drink up, I'll stand the cost.
The town joins me in grieving for
The brother you have lost."

"That's good of you," said Paddy then,
Still drinking all the while,"
And if you're buying, bring two more,"
He thanked him with a smile.

"My brothers are alive and well,
There's nothing to lament;
Tis I, meself, that's giving up
The drinking now for Lent."