Catholic Bible Study Resources Updated

I have added links to the New Jerusalem Bible and to mp3 Bible Studies on the Gospels by Fr. Al Lauer.

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

A Typical Conversation

Before the holidays the last thing I do at work is typically wish everyone I work with a Merry Christmas or a Happy Easter or whatever. I especially make sure to do this with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. On the day before Thanksgiving 2006 one of these conversations went something like this:

Me: Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

JW: I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving.

Me: You don’t celebrate Thanksgiving? Why not?

JW: I’m one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving or any other holidays.

Me: Why is that?

JW: Because of the pagan origins of Thanksgiving.

Me: Pagan origins? You mean the Pilgrims and the Indians giving thanks?

JW: Yeah. There were pagan origins.

Me: I don’t understand. Please explain further.

JW: Thanksgiving has pagan origins somehow. So we can’t celebrate it. Because of the pagan origins.
Me: OK. Whatever. What would happen if you would celebrate it.

JW: I would be disfellowshipped.  Basically, I would be shunned by my family.

Me: For celebrating Thanksgiving?

JW: Yes.

Me: Well, have a Happy Thursday then. Enjoy your day off.

JW: Thanks.

Me: So, what do you have planned on your day off then?

JW: My wife and I are going to my mom’s for dinner. My brothers are bringing their families too.

Me: So, you’re having Thanksgiving dinner?

JW: No! That’s pagan.

Me: OK. What are you having?

JW: Turkey and mashed potatoes. And cranberries too.

Me: Let me guess – you’re also having pumpkin pie.

JW: Yes.

Me: But, it’s not Thanksgiving dinner?

JW: No!

Me: Because you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving?

JW: Right!

Me: OK. Whatever. Have a Happy Thursday.

I have had very similar conversations around almost every holiday with about a half dozen Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Prayer For Those Who Suffer

It seems as if depression and feelings of loneliness increase dramatically around the holidays. I think it is appropriate to take some time to pray for those who suffer.

For those who suffer,
and those who cry this night,
give them repose, Lord;
a pause in their burdens.
Let there be minutes
where they experience peace,
not of man
but of angels.
Love them, Lord,
when others cannot.
Hold them, Lord,
when we fail with human arms.
Hear their prayers
and give them the ability to hear You back
in whatever language they best understand.
Amen.

The Christmas Proclamation

The twenty-fifth day of December.

In the five thousand one hundred and ninety-ninth year of the creation of the world from the time when God in the beginning created the heavens and the earth;

the two thousand nine hundred and fifty-seventh year after the flood;

the two thousand and fifteenth year from the birth of Abraham;

the one thousand five hundred and tenth year from Moses
and the going forth of the people of Israel from Egypt;

the one thousand and thirty-second year from David’s being anointed king;

in the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel;

in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;
the seven hundred and fifty-second year from the foundation of the city of Rome;

the forty second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus;
the whole world being at peace,
in the sixth age of the world,

Jesus Christ the eternal God and Son of the eternal Father,
desiring to sanctify the world by his most merciful coming,
being conceived by the Holy Spirit,
and nine months having passed since his conception,
was born in Bethlehem of Judea of the Virgin Mary,
being made flesh.

The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.

(From the Roman Martyrology)

O Antiphons

This is just a compilation of all of my previous posts on the O Antiphons:

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

An explanation of what the O Antiphons are, the original Latin, an English translation, and the relevant verse of O Come, O Come Emmanuel derived from each of the Antiphons

O Wisdom
O Lord
O Root Of Jesse
O Key Of David
O Day-Spring
O King Of Nations
O Emmanuel

These posts on each of the individual Antiphons gives the official translation used in the Liturgy of the Hours in the United States

The O Antiphons And The Mass

How the O Antiphons are used in the Mass

The O Antiphons And The Mass

While the O Antiphons that form the basis of O Come, O Come Emmanuel are most typically heard during Vespers they are also used in the Mass. Sort of.

In the Missal of Paul VI, the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, the O Antiphons are used as the Alleluia Verse before the Gospel. They have been rearranged and they are worded a little differently. But, they are there.

Rather than being prayed from December 17 to December 23 as in the Liturgy of the Hours, these Alleluia Verses are used from December 17 to the morning Mass of December 24 (not the Vigil Mass of Christmas) with the exception of Sunday Mass.

To accomplish this the Alleluia Verse of December 22 is repeated on December 23 to stretch the 7 Antiphons over 8 days. They have also been rearranged. We no longer have the “Ero Cras” or “Tomorrow I will be” that is seen when reading the first letter (in Latin) of each Antiphon backwards from the December 23rd to the 17th.

The Table below shows the differences:

Date Dec. 17 Dec. 18 Dec. 19 Dec. 20 Dec. 21 Dec. 22 Dec. 23 Dec. 24

Vespers O Wisdom O Sacred Lord* O Root of Jesse O Key of David O Radiant Dawn O King of Nations O Emmanuel

Mass O Wisdom O Leader* O Root of Jesse O Key of David O Emmanuel O King of Nations O King of Nations O Radiant Dawn

* These are effectively the same thing. They are based on the same Antiphon but translated differently.

December 17th
Sapientia Altissimi, fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia:
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

Alleluia, alleluia. Come, Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: teach us to walk in the paths of knowledge. Alleluia, alleluia.

December 18th

Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in Sina legem dedisti:
veni ad redimendum nos in bracchio extento.

Alleluia, alleluia. O Leader of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: come to rescue us with your mighty power! Alleluia, alleluia.

December 19

Radix Iesse, stans in signum populorum:
veni ad liberandum nos, iam noli tardare.

Alleluia, alleluia. O root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay!

December 20th

Clavis David, qui aperis portas aeterni Regni:
veni et educ vinctum de domo carceris sedentem in tenebris.

Alleluia, alleluia. O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners darkness! Alleluia, alleluia.

December 21st

Emmanuel, rex et legifer noster:
veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster.

Alleluia, alleluia. O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God! Alleluia, alleluia.

December 22nd and 23rd

Rex gentium et lapis angularis Ecclesiae:
veni et salva hominem quem de limo formasti.

Alleluia, alleluia. O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from the dust! Alleluia, alleluia.

December 24th

Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae et sol iustitiae:
veni et illumina sedentes in tenebris et umbra mortis.

Alleluia, alleluia. O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death. Alleluia, alleluia.

O Emmanuel

An explanation of what these Antiphons are, the original Latin, and a more poetic English translation can be found in a previous post – O Come, O Come Emmanuel (link below). The official translation used in the Liturgy of the Hours in United States is used here.

O Emmanuel (Isaiah 7:14; 33:22 )

O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.

Previous Posts:
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
O Wisdom
O Lord
O Root Of Jesse
O Key Of David
O Day-Spring
O King Of Nations

Penance Service

This afternoon I went to confession at an Advent Penance Service at Christ the King Catholic Church in east Columbus. Fr. Steve Seever, a former Baptist and former Mormon, is the pastor there.

There were 15 priests there. I estimated somewhere between 150 and 200 people. But, that was maybe 10 minutes before the Penance Service actually started. And it seemed like people were continually coming in.

There was a reading from the Gospel (Luke 18:10-15), an examination of conscience, and then individual confessions. I waited until it seemed a majority of people had already confessed before I got in line. I was the last person in line to confess to a particular priest, a Monsignor. After I was through I went to a nearby pew to pray for a few minutes.

When I got up to leave I noticed something that I think had a more profound impact on me than my own confession and absolution. The Monsignor was absolving another priest who had obviously just confessed to him. And behind the 2 of them I could see 2 more priests across the Church – one confessing to the other.

All I could do was stare. At that moment I had more of a sense of the mercy of Almighty God than I did when I was forgiven of my own sins. It was a couple of minutes before I was actually able to move again. I’ve never experienced anything quite like it.

I think that with yesterday’s Benediction, Mass this morning, and the Penance Service this afternoon that I have more than “put in my hour” this weekend. I was planning on attending Vespers this evening at yet a 4th parish. But, I am feeling exhausted. I think I will call it an early night instead.

O King Of Nations

An explanation of what these Antiphons are, the original Latin, and a more poetic English translation can be found in a previous post – O Come, O Come Emmanuel (link below). The official translation used in the Liturgy of the Hours in United States is used here.

O King of Nations (Haggai 2:7; Ephesians 2:14, 20)

O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man, come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.

O come, Desire of nations, bind,
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of peace.

Previous Posts:
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
O Wisdom
O Lord
O Root Of Jesse
O Key Of David
O Day-Spring

Exposition And Benediction

Tonight I went to Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at the former St. Leo Parish in south Columbus. The Church has been restored since it was closed in 1999. And it is beautiful. In addition to tonight’s Benediction it was used this morning for Mass and just a couple of weeks ago a wedding. I forgot to bring a camera so the pictures below are from the website of the St. Leo Preservation Society.

Exposition

O salutaris Hostia
Quae caeli pandis ostium;
Bella premunt hostilla,
Da robur, fer auxillium.

Uni trinoque Domino
Sit sempiterna gloria,
Qui vitam sine termino
Nobis donet in patria. Amen.

Benediction

Tantum ergo Sacramentum
Veneremur cernui,
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui;
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectfui.

Genitori Gentioque
Laus et jubilatio,
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedictio;
Procedenti ab utroque
Compar sit laudatio. Amen.

V. You have given them Bread from heaven
R. Having all sweetness with it

Lord Jesus Christ, you gave us the Eucharist as the memorial of your suffering and death. May our worship of this sacrament of your body and blood, help us to experience the salvation won for us and the peace of the kingdom, where you live with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
R: Amen.

Reposition

Blessed be God.
Blessed be his holy name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.
Blessed be the name of Jesus.
Blessed be his most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be his most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the most holy sacrament of the altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the name of Mary, virgin and Mother.
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in his angels and in his saints.
Amen.

Holy God, we praise thy name;
Lord of all, we bow before thee;
All on earth they scepter claim;
All in heaven above adore thee.
Infinite they vast domain,
Everlasting is thy reign!

Hark, the loud celestial hymn;
Angel choirs above are raising;
Cherubim and Seraphim,
In unceasing chorus praising,
Fill the heavens with sweet accord:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord!