Saint Agatha of Sicily Martyr
We have little reliable information about this martyr, who has been honoured since ancient times, and whose name is included in the canon of the Mass. Young, beautiful and rich, Agatha lived a life consecrated to God. When Decius announced the edicts against Christians, the magistrate Quinctianus tried to profit by Agatha’s sanctity; he planned to blackmail her into sex in exchange for not charging her. Handed over to a brothel, she refused to accept customers. After rejecting Quinctianus’s advances, she was beaten, imprisoned, tortured, her breasts were crushed and cut off. She told the judge, “Cruel man, have you forgotten your mother and the breast that nourished you, that you dare to mutilate me this way?” One version has it that Saint Peter healed her. She was then imprisoned again, then rolled on live coals; when she was near death, an earthquake stuck. In the destruction that followed, a friend of the magistrate was crushed, and the magistrate fled. Agatha thanked God for an end to her pain, and died. Legend says that carrying her veil, taken from her tomb in Catania, in procession has averted eruptions of (Saints SQPN com) |
Friday 5 February 2010
Saint Agatha
Thursday 4 February 2010
Jacob limps on
“The angel, when he could not prevail over Jacob, touched the sciatic muscle of Jacob’s hip.” The Second While it reminds of so many undergoing hip replacement operations, it is the account of Jacob’s great experience of the divine presence. FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME THURSDAY V. I bless you, and will increase you. + And the angel blessed him Second The stronger we grow in our love for God alone, the weaker becomes our love for the world The pursuit of the contemplative life is something for which a great and sustained effort on the part of the powers of the soul is required, an effort to rise from earthly to heavenly things, an effort to keep one's attention fixed on spiritual things, an effort to pass beyond and above the sphere of things visible to the eyes of flesh, an effort finally to hem oneself in, so to speak, in order to gain access to spaces that are broad and open. There are times indeed when one succeeds, overcoming the opposing obscurity of one's blindness and catching at least a glimpse, be it ever so fleeting and superficial, of boundless light. Hut the experience is momentary only, so that all too quickly the soul must again return to itself. From that light which is approached with bated breath, it must now, sighing and mournful, go I back once more to the obscurity of its blindness. We have a beautiful illustration of all this in the sacred history of he scriptures where the story is told of Jacob's encounter with the angel, while on his return journey to the home of his parents. On the way he met an angel with whom he engaged in a great struggle and, like anyone involved in such a contest, Jacob found his opponent, now stronger, now weaker than himself. Let us understand the angel of this story as representing the Lord and Jacob who contended with the angel as representing the soul of the perfect individual who in contemplation has come face to face with God. This soul, as it exerts every effort to behold God as he is himself, is like one engaged with another in a contest of strength. At one moment it prevails so to speak, as it gains access to that boundless light and briefly experiences in mind and heart the sweet savor of the divine presence. The next moment, however, it succumbs, overcome and drained of its strength by the very sweetness of the taste it has experienced. The angel, therefore, is, as it were, overcome when in the innermost recesses of the intellect the divine presence is directly experienced and seen. Here, however, it is to be noted that the angel, when he could not prevail over Jacob, touched the sciatic muscle of Jacob’s hip, so that it forthwith withered and shrank. From that time on Jacob became lame in one leg and walked with a limp. Thus also does the all-powerful God cause all carnal affections to dry up and wither away in us, once we have come to experience in our mind and hear the knowledge of him as he is in himself. Previously we walked about on two feet as it were, when we thought, so it seemed, that we could seek after God, while remain ing at the same time attached to the world. But having once come to the know ledge and experience of the sweetness of God, only one of these two feet retains its life and vigor, the other becoming lame and useless. For it necessarily follows that the stronger we grow in our love for God alone, the weaker becomes our love for the world. If therefore like Jacob we hold fast to the angel and do not let him go, we will then like him be stricken with lameness in one foot. For, as our love for God grows in strength, our carnal appetites decrease in strength. Everyone who is lame in one foot leans for support on the foot that is healthy and strong. In the same way he, in whom the desire and love of earthly allurements have dried up as it were and withered away, will lean for support and with all his strength on the one foot of the love of God. |
Wednesday 3 February 2010
Presentation of the Lord, 2010
Homily after the Gospel Presentation of the Lord, 2010
Abbot Mark
Simeon and Anna are very much integral to today’s celebration of the liturgy of the Presentation of the Lord in the
Simeon and Anna were well on in years, and so are some of us. The fact that so many of us have been or are still suffering from the winter viruses emphasises the vulnerability of our lives.
Living in community is a great support for young and old but in circumstances like the present even the young will feel the frailty and uncertainty of good health. That is not a bad thing in itself. For we become more open in these circumstances to the reality of God. When we are weak or under par then our need of God is all the more evident.
Sickness and old age are God-given times to refresh our understanding of the fragility of all of life. They are opportunities for us to renew ourselves yet again in the mystery that is God’s love in us. The one who is holy is the one who keeps rising up from their sin and from their forgetfulness of God.
Abraham and Sarah received new life when they were old, against all odds, when a promised son was born to them. Simeon and Anna lived in hope of seeing the One who was to come. Their vibrant lives can only have hastened the advent of the One they were looking for. Their love of God and their trust that their dream would be fulfilled in God’s good time made their lives all the more fruitful and full of meaning. They didn’t know when it would happen only that it would. Their old lives were renewed and fulfilled when they recognised the new life of God in Mary’s child.
It is not any different for us. The Lord asks for faith, for trust in him and that we believe in the daily reality of his presence. We are not now waiting for the coming of the messiah. He has come. But we have to let that happen again in our own lives. Like Simeon and Anna we have to be mindful of God, to remain attentive and ready to receive the Lord in his word whenever he comes to us.. This word is brought to life again each time we hear and respond to it.
The celebration of the liturgy is the lifeblood of the Church. It is in our liturgy that we re-invigorate the life of each other every time we celebrate it, and by extension, renew the life of the whole Church.
So today, even in our weakened state - conditioned as we are by the winter viruses – we should be all the more aware of our need of God. We can’t do it on our own. But what we can’t do, God can!
Prayer is always answered. We need to ask for the eyes to see where and how God answers us when we pray. Then we must confidently take that answer in both of our hands and move forward, sure that God is indeed leading the way. The hopes of our daily lives and of our future are always bright when we look to see where God is leading us. So today let us offer the light of our faith and our hope to the Lord who himself lights up our life and our world.
St Blaise
Feb 3, 2009
Today is one of my favorite feast days of the Church. St. Blaise, an Armenian Bishop was martyred for the faith by order of the Emperor Licinius, who wanted all Christians killed.
You need to
Google God
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Tuesday 2 February 2010
Presentation Nunraw 64th Anniv.
Today is the 64th Anniverary of foundation of Sancta Maria Abbey, Nunraw.
This morning there was fresh falling of snow. At lunch time there was a request to take photos of the hill scenery.
There followed a striking comment:
Your photographs are fantastic. The light is very delicate- quite different from your other photos when the snow was heavier. Well done good and faithful servant. (Anne Marie)
With this Internet amenity we can browse St. Thomas' commentary on, e.g., the Preasentation of the Lord, Lk 2: 22-40
The Feast of the Presentation
Canticle of Simon (Luke 2:29-32) Canticle of Simeon Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Lord, now let you servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Catena Aurea – Thomas Aquinas http://catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea-Luke2.php Luke 2: 28-32 Simeon 28. - and blessed God, and said,
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Monday 1 February 2010
St Brigid of the Gael - Faughart Shrine
Monday of week 4 of the year, Gospel Mark 5: 1-20.
The Gadarene Swine For the Community Mass this morning has a long Gospel. It is easily remembered by the ‘Gadarene Swine’ drama. The words have become idiomatic in the language. Among journalists and politicians they bandy the abuse on opposition parties as the “Gadarene swine on the Gadarene slide”. The best Catechesis on the text Mark 5: 1-20 is found from Pope Benedict xvi in one of his Audiences. He says that, “the existence of the power of evil . . . is an undeniable fact”.
Every thing is connected.Today, the 1st February, is the popular Saint, Brigid of the Gaels.
[St. Brigid Faughart near In 2005 I had the happy occasion at the Retreat of the Order of On the Webside, www.poorclaresireland.org/ we learn more of the history and the vocation. According to tradition, Brigid was born at Faughart near Dundalk, County Louth, Faughart is a town in County Louth, Ireland, situated between Forkill and Dundalk. It was the birthplace of St. Brigid (450 A.D.), and Edward Bruce is buried in the graveyard on the hill above the town. Bruce, who had taken the title King of Ireland, was defeated and killed at the Battle of Faughart in 1318. Landmarks include St. Bridget's stone and pillar, her shrine and well, and modern religious sites devoted to the saint that attract pilgrims and tourists]. Celtic Tradition
“””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””” Pope Benedict XVI
Faith tells us: there exist two mysteries, one of light and one of night, that is, however, enveloped by the mysteries of light. The first mystery of light is this: faith tells us that there are not two principles, one good and one evil, but there is only one single principle, God the Creator, and this principle is good, only good, without a shadow of evil. And therefore, being too is not a mixture of good and evil; being as such is good and therefore it is good to be, it is good to live. This is the good news of the faith: only one good source exists, the Creator...
Evil remains mysterious... We may guess, not explain; nor may we recount it as one fact beside another, because it is a deeper reality. It remains a mystery of darkness, of night. But a mystery of light is immediately added. Evil comes from a subordinate source. God with his light is stronger. And therefore evil can be overcome. Thus the creature, man, can be healed... And finally, the last point: man is not only healable, but is healed de facto. God introduced healing. He entered into history in person. He set a source of pure good against the permanent source of evil.
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Following visiting Kursi on two occasions, I was sorely tempted to accept the invitation to join the Volunteers in the Kursi archaeology dig at the site. There are excellent pictures of Kursi in this Website (biblewalks.com).
Sunday 31 January 2010
Give - Get - Still More Mk 4:24
Mar 4:24 And he said to them, "Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you.
Mar 4:25 For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away."
NRSV
Mar 4:24 And he said to them, "Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you.
Mar 4:25 For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away."
Vulgate
Mar 4:24 et dicebat illis videte quid audiatis in qua mensura mensi fueritis remetietur vobis et adicietur vobis
Mar 4:25 qui enim habet dabitur illi et qui non habet etiam quod habet auferetur ab illo
DRB
Mar 4:24 And he said to them: Take heed what you hear. In what measure you shall mete, it shall be measured to you again, and more shall be given to you.
Mar 4:25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, that also which he hath shall be taken away from him.
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: William . . .
To: Donald . . .Sent: Sat, January 30, 2010 10:06:48 AM
Subject: re: Give - Get – Still More
Dear Father Donald,
I love your extract from St. Thomas Aquinas, and the R. Knox harmony of the Gospels. I have something to share on Mark 4: 24.
Walking passed a charity bookshop on Thursday, I was very curious about a paperback "Amplified Bible" in their window. The preface explained that it "attempts to go beyond the traditional 'word-for-word' concept of translation to bring out the richness of the Hebrew and Greek languages. Its purpose is to reveal, together with the single English word equivalent to each key Hebrew and Greek word, any other clarifying meanings that may be concealed by the traditional translation method". This was enough to tempt me, for I have neither Hebrew nor Greek understanding, and I might gain from having it by me. In the shop, I found the day's reading which I had read that morning:
Mark 4: 24 The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you - and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.
My bible commentary give little on this verse, whereas the [amplification] greatly enriches it for me. You may know of the Amplified Bible (perhaps you might know it), but the delight for me is how this passage has been running in my mind, with its 'interior' meaning, and lo! it features on your Blog! The Amplified Bible is online http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Amplified-Bible-AMP
. . .
Yours . . .
William
___________________________
Thank you, William,
Amplified Bible is OK.
I looked for Amplified Bible and after a third search found it was on our shelves..
Your COMMENT set me on further searching.
After ‘Measure and Measure’ and ‘Golden Rule’, I think the next heading should be ‘Give – Get –and still More’. That is the best version in both RSV and NRSV above.
On the other hand, the best backup however is the King James with Strong’s numbers (online explanations). That is from our e-Sword online Bible. Do you have that on board?
KJV+
Mar 4:24 And2532 he said3004 unto them,846 Take heed991 what5101 ye hear:191 with1722 what3739 measure3358 ye mete,3354 it shall be measured3354 to you:5213 and2532 unto you5213 that hear191 shall more be given.4369
At the back of my mind, the Thomas Aquinas Catena Aurea memory prompted me to link Jesus’ ‘Measure’ with the Eucharist/Blessed Sacrament. It suggests hearing Jesus speaking in the ‘first person’ instead of the ‘third person’; “the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more”
Meanwhile, surprise, surprise, (not yet caught up with Thomas Aquinas), this is from David Wilkerson (of The Cross and the Switchblade. Fame), taking up the perspective of:
“He said unto them…with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath” (Mark 4:24–25).
Jesus knew these words might sound strange to non-spiritual ears, so he preceded his message by saying, “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear” (Mark 4:23). Jesus was telling us, “If your heart is open to God’s Spirit, you’ll understand what I have to say to you.”
What, exactly, is Jesus saying in this passage? He’s speaking of the glory of God in our lives—that is, Christ’s manifest presence. In short, the Lord measures out his glorious presence in various amounts, whether to churches or to individuals. Some don’t receive any of his glory. Yet others receive an ever-increasing measure, emanating from their lives and churches in greater and greater amounts.
God has promised to pour out his Spirit on his people in these last days. Indeed, all of Scripture points to a triumphant, glory-filled church at the close of time. Jesus himself said the gates of hell will not prevail against his church. We won’t be limping into heaven—beaten down, depressed, whimpering, defeated, discouraged. No—our Lord is going to bring greater power to his church. This power won’t be manifested merely in signs and wonders. It will be revealed in his people—in the glorious transformation of hearts touched by God’s Spirit.
How can we obtain a greater, ever-increasing measure of Christ’s glory?
The Lord tells us very clearly: “With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you” (Mark 4:24). Jesus is saying, “According to the portion of yourself you allot to me, I’ll give back to you in like portion. I’ll deal with you in the manner you deal with me. Whatever measure you mete out to me, I’ll mete out to you.”
If you mete out to God sloth and laziness—taking for granted his great work—you’ll be dealt a spirit of slumber. “Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger” (Proverbs 19:15). As a result, your soul will go hungry, unable to be satisfied.
God’s love, mercy and grace toward us are boundless. The issue here isn’t obtaining his love, mercy or grace—but having the blessing of his glory in our lives.
Jesus states plainly that he measures out different amounts of his glory to us, according to how we measure out our hearts to him. Our part is simply to move ever closer to him—in our worship, obedience and diligence.
& & & & & & & & & &
And so on
Much homework still to be done.