Pentecost

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.”

Acts 2:1-11 NAB

Clean and Undefiled

I recently came across a quote by Vice President Joe Biden that I found to be quite disturbing. It is something he seems to have said some time ago, all the way back in 2005, and something that apparently every person in the world was aware of but me:

“The next Republican that tells me I’m not religious I’m going to shove my rosary beads down their throat.”

(And it appears that Biden’s actual words may have originally been much worse and “cleaned up” by the media.)

Now, this quote came to mind yesterday as I was meditating on a verse from Scripture:

“Religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation, and to keep one’s self unspotted from this world.“ (James 1:27 DRB)

This was the Epistle for Mass this past Sunday, the 5th Sunday after Easter, in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. This particular verse is also found in other Forms and Rites of the Church.  In the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite it is the 2nd Reading in Year B on the 22^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time and it is the 1st Reading on Wednesday of Year II in the 6th Week of Ordinary Time. In the Byzantine Rite it is used on Thursday of the 31st Week after Pentecost.

When the Church sets a verse before us in the Liturgy it is generally a good sign that this verse is particularly important. And when the Church sets a verse before us multiple times it is time to pay special attention.

It seems popular among Christians nowadays to want distance themselves from being “religious”. It is all too often viewed as a bad thing. One frequently hears such things as “I’m not religious, I’m spiritual” or  “I’m not religious, I have a personal relationship with Christ”.

But, the Apostle James, guided by the Holy Spirit, shows us that being religious is not necessarily a bad thing. As a matter of fact it is intended to be a good thing. We are meant to hold to a religion that is “clean and undefiled” and this religion is an active religion – what Catholics would call performing the corporal works of mercy.

Now, the word “religion” comes from the Latin “religare” which means to “re-bind” or “re-connect“. Our religion is what connects or binds us to our God. And as I began to reflect on what it means to be religious I came to the obvious conclusion that Vice President Biden is indeed a religious person. But, his religion is most certainly not “clean and undefiled”. It is impossible to be “unspotted from this world” when one actively seeks to take the lives of the most helpless of victims – the unborn.

Joe Biden’s pro-abortion views and his support of embryonic stem cell research lie in direct opposition to the Catholic faith he claims to hold. Being pro-choice is actually heresy, the “obstinate denial or obstinate doubt after the reception of baptism of some truth which is to be believed by divine and Catholic faith” (see Code of Canon Law 751 and Catechism of the Catholic Church 2089). Those who fall into heresy actually excommunicate themselves from the Church (see Code of Canon Law 1364) and those who are excommunicated may not receive Communion (see Code of Canon Law 915 and 1332), which Joe Biden does anyway thus committing the additional sin of scandal (see CCC 2285).

So, Joe Biden is right. He is without a doubt a religious person. But, his religion is not the Christian faith. He makes mockery of the sacraments that Christ entrusted to His Church and instead elevates the sacrament of abortion to the position of being the source and summit of his faith and the thing that binds him to his “god”, the power and the fame that he has chosen to embrace instead of Jesus Christ.

I hope that the Vice President appreciates my defense of his assertations that he is in fact religious. And if he has the slightest bit of integrity he will either repent of his evil beliefs or he will stop misleading people into believing that he is still Catholic.

The Ascension of the Lord

In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While meeting with the them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”

Acts 1:1-11 NAB

Blessed Is The Wood

I first came across this one a few years ago. And it never seems to be far from my mind in Holy Week:

For blessed is the wood by which righteousness comes.
Wisdom 14:7 RSVCE

The Use of Scripture in the Mass

Have you ever wondered when a particular passage of the Bible is read at Mass?

Well, wonder no longer. I have compiled all of the Scripture verses used in the Propers of the Mass – the Entrance Antiphon, 1st Reading, Responsorial Psalm, 2nd Reading (if any), Alleluia Verse (called the Verse before the Gospel during Lent), the Gospel, and the the Communion Antiphon – for the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

The Use of Scripture in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite

Scripture used in the Ordinary (unchanging parts) of the Mass is already available on a number of sites including this one. I will most likely add something similar eventually.

It is still not quite complete (I still have to add the Votive Masses) but it is almost done.

Coming Soon: The Use of Scripture in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

The Use of Scripture in the Roman Rite of the Mass

(UPDATED)

I have been working on a project lately that may be of some use to others. I am compiling all of the various Scripture verses used in the Mass. You can look up a particular verse and determine when and where it is used at Mass.

The Use of Scripture in the Roman Rite of the Mass

The site includes the Entrance Antiphon (most priests seem to replace this with a hymn), 1st Reading, Responsorial Psalm, 2nd Reading (if any), Alleluia Verse (called the Verse before the Gospel during Lent), the Gospel, the Communion Antiphon (again, usually replaced with a hymn), and other things such as the addtional Readings of the Easter Vigil.

Right now it covers all of the Sundays and weekdays of the Liturgical Year as well as the Common Masses (Common of Martyrs, Common of Pastors, etc.). Still to be added are the Ritual Masses (Conferral of the Sacrament of Marriage, etc.), the Masses for Various Needs and Occasions, the Votive Masses, and then finally the Feast Days.

I will then go through the Psalms and verify the chapter and verse. I believe that some use the Hebrew numbering and some use the Greek. I will make sure they all use the Hebrew numbering with the Greek following in parenthesis (if different).

When all of that is completed I will begin adding a 3rd column on the right side covering the use of Scripture in the Mass of Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (also known as the Tridentine Mass or the Traditional Latin Mass).

There have been multiple times that I have wished for something like this. But, I have been unable to find anything complete. So, I decided to put it together myself. I would be very interested in comments, suggestions, and criticisms.

Catholic Bible Study Resources Updated

It’s not much but I added a link to the Pontifical Biblical Commission’s The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church a week or so ago and forgot to mention it.

The link can be found at the top of the page. Or click here.

Reflections On The Seven Last Words

Over the past several weeks Tim Glass has posted a series of reflections on the Seven Last Words of Christ:

1. “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”

2. “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

3. “Woman, behold, your son.”

4. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

5. “I thirst.”

6. “It is finished.”

7. “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”.

They are all definitely worth a read.

An 8th Century Tradition

From Paraclete Press:

Christians around the world relive the final days of Christ’s life on earth this week. Our observances of these ancient events are as varied and as personal as each of our relationships with Him, and serve to prepare our hearts for the unspeakable gift of his suffering, his death, and his glorious resurrection.

You are invited to take part in a tradition that dates back to the eighth century, with the chanting of the Passion Narrative according to Saint John on Good Friday. Take half an hour apart from the events of the day, and listen to these sacred words, chanted by monastic members of the Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola in Gregorian chant.

Hear the voices of the Narrator, Christ, and the Synagogue, in this noble narration which brings to life with a dramatic immediacy the events of the Passion, as the Gospel account unfolds. Meditate on the English translation as you listen, and allow the ancient language of the text, and the special Gregorian chant tone reserved especially for this holy season, to add a new depth and solemnity to your understanding of this familiar story.

http://www.paracletepress.com/the-passion-according- to-st-john.html

The Baptism Of The Lord

Why was the Lord baptized? John’s baptism was “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Luke 3:3) so it could not actually forgive sins. And even if it could forgive sins, Jesus was the lamb of God who takes away sins (John 1:29). He had no need of forgiveness. So, why was Jesus baptized?

The Lord Himself gives us the answer to that question: “to fulfill all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:15).

Righteousness is doing the will of God. Jesus is fulfilling all righteousness by obedience to His role in God’s plan of salvation.

In the Old Covenant is was necessary for the High Priest to wash himself with water:

For ablutions you shall make a bronze laver with a bronze base. Place it between the meeting tent and the altar, and put water in it. Aaron and his sons shall use it in washing their hands and feet. When they are about to enter the meeting tent, they must wash with water, lest they die. Likewise when they approach the altar in their ministry, to offer an oblation to the LORD, they must wash their hands and feet, lest they die. (Exodus 30:18-21)

And likewise in the Old Covenant it was necessary that the High Priest be anointed:

With this sacred anointing oil you shall anoint the meeting tent and the ark of the commandments, the table and all its appurtenances, the lampstand and its appurtenances, the altar of incense and the altar of holocausts with all its appurtenances, and the laver with its base. When you have consecrated them, they shall be most sacred; whatever touches them shall be sacred. Aaron and his sons you shall also anoint and consecrate as my priests. (Exodus 30:26-30)

I believe that these passages from Exodus concerning the High Priest of the Old Covenant help to explain why Jesus was baptized in order to fulfill all righteousness.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened (for him), and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove (and) coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:13-17)

Jesus, the eternal High Priest (Hebrews 6:20) of the New Covenant (Luke 22:20, 1 Corinthians 11:25), is washed with water and anointed with the Holy Spirit at His Baptism thus becoming the Messiah – the Christ – The Anointed One. In doing so he fulfills all righteousness by doing the Holy will of His Father.