Thursday of Holy Week

My very good friend John had a lump on his breast bone.  he went to the Dr. to find out what it was.  He was trying to remain upbeat and to leave the concern in God's hands.  A week later he was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma,  It was a devastating diagnosis.  What was the first thing he and his wife did after hearing the diagnosis?  They went on vacation.  They would deal with treatments and drugs and surgeries later, but first they would enjoy each other's company.

My friend John died a few weeks ago.  I miss him so much.

To me,  Holy Thursday reminds me of my friend John.   Jesus knew what was coming on Friday,  but on Thursday he had a dinner with his Apostles and enjoyed their friendship one last time.  He took Peter, James and John to the Garden with him.  He wanted his friends around him as much as he could. 

Holy Thursday is our time to revel in those moments of Christ and the Apostles together.  The calm before the storm if you will.  The music is so beautiful during the Holy Thursday Liturgy (and I am not just saying that because I sing in our Church Choir).    Pange Lingua has to be one of my very favorite hymns and we are singing Durufle's  Ubi Caritas as well.  

And tonight at Liturgy, I can be with John at Mass,  because the Mass is the one place where all people who have ever been to Mass and all those who will ever go to Mass are there in that moment of Kairos (God's time).    

I love The Triduum.  Holy Thursday is the celebration of that first Liturgy.  Enter into it with all of your senses.

Pax

Liturgy Transcends

I had a moment today at daily mass.  Somewhere between the Gospel reading and receiving communion I became overwhelmed with emotion.  

At one point I was caught up in an anamnetic euphoria at the thought of how infinite the cloud of witness was that were surrounding me.  Perhaps because Father had chosen the wonderfully name dropping Eucharistic Prayer 1 I my mind's eye began to see the altar space fill up with all those who had gone before at the table of the Lord; among them the personal witness of my grandparents, and my father and the children that were lost to me through miscarriages who have joined the Church Triumphant.  I felt so totally wrapped in love as the words of the prayer wove through this reverie. 

As we drew close to reception of Communion, I had a quantum leap in my understanding of how we all become the Body of Christ through the reception of The Body of Christ in the Eucharist which unites us in a way that is so much more cosmic that it transcended and transported me into that Cloud of Unknowing.   As I walked back from receiving I was uncontrollably racked with sobs of joy, tears streaming down my face.

When the Mass had ended, I left my parish community feeling such love that I had to stop and thank Father.  Not knowing exactly what to thank him for I decided that thanking him for his homily (on not being judgemental) would be great.  It was a great homily, but it would be silly to thank him for a transcendent experience.  He was so humble he couldn't even accept thanks for the homilette, as he called it, because he was simply trying to work on his own stuff.

I am so glad that I had this experience, but I'm not gonna lie, I'm hoping that it doesn't become a regular occurrence.  I don't think I could handle crying at every Mass.  Oh well, maybe I should start carrying tissue just in case.


Pax

Our Lady of the Desert

One of my favorite things about traveling is getting to worship with new communities.  I love being part of a universal church where I am welcome wherever I go, and I can see how other people celebrate Liturgy. 

We had the distinct pleasure today to worship with an amazingly dynamic Catholic community on the Base at NAWS China Lake, California.  They call themselves Our Lady of the Desert Catholic Community and they worship in the  All Faith Chapel on the base.  

This little community is a very vibrant one, led by a retired Navy chaplain Fr.  James Dowds. C. Ss. R.  Fr Dowds was charming and relatable and had a wonderful singing voice.  Someone told us that when he first came to the chapel he did all of the music ministry himself, because to him a Mass without music was unthinkable. 

The community while small, seems to be very active, with daily Mass and music and religious education ministries as well as other outreaches going on all year.

In fact the chapel on the base is so busy that the 9:00 a.m. Mass is on a time constraint in that the Protestant Community has a worship service that begins at 10:00 a.m. so we Catholics have to get done with Mass and clear out so that our brothers and sisters in faith can begin to prepare for their service. 

Today we were lucky enough to be gifted with a musical selection from the protestant community bell choir during communion (I think it was probably their practice session for their service).  How great is it that the communities that share the worship space feel that collegial about sharing their gifts.  I also watched as the Protestant minister came over to retrieve the wireless microphone from Fr. at our Coffee and donuts so that he could use it at their service.  (Fr was still in his vestments when he came over to share coffee and donuts with us).

I will take back a few lessons about Liturgy from this little community of faith that I will be able to bring to my work with the Liturgy committee at my own parish. 

Pax

Everything Has its Proper Place

I love Cardinal Arinze!




This is a man who knows how to teach.

h/t to holycanoli via twitter for the link

Pax

No Ordinary Message for This Ordinary Time Priest

We have been atteneding Corpus Christi Parish since we have been here in Destin FL. The parish Priest is a great holy priest named Fr. Bob Morris. I have had the pleasure of having a long lunch conversation with him during VBS week and I know that he really loves this parish in a very special way.

His homilies are something very special because of that love. He doesn't pull any punches. He tells people exactly the way things are. He says if you show up late for Mass or leave early then you don't have a clue what it means to be a Catholic and you may as well not bother coming to Mass at all.

Today his message was really amazing. It was all about defining for yourself what kind of committment you have to being a Christian to the world and how that informs how you attend and participate at liturgy.

Using himself as an example he said "I don't attend Mass because I am the priest and I am supposed to; I go to Mass because I want to involve myself in an intimate relationship with God."

He encouraged all of us to attend and particiapate at liturgy for the same reason and with the same zeal. We should sing the songs and responses, and pray the prayers to involve ourselves in an intimate relationship with God who loves us deeply and is drawing us to him in such an intimate way that He is calling us to be fed on His own body and blood broken and poured out for us.

He then told us that we must become like Christ in our own homes for those we love and for those around us. Although Christ is truly present in the tablernacle, Fr. Bob wanted to be able to come to every parishioner's home and be able to visit Christ there as well. It was his challenge to us to live as Christ in the world.

Wow, what a message for this Pauline year. I was so impressed with his message that I actually took out a pen and wrote down the quote so I wouldn't forget it. I think from now on until we go home I may start bringing a little notebook to Mass with me so that I can take notes. His wisdom is worth writing down.

We are so blessed to have been led here for our time in Destin. The people here are so lucky to have him as their Pastor.

Pax

When East Meets West: With Appropriate Adaptations

We went to a Byzantine Rite Liturgy last evening. It was a Mass of St. John Chrysostom. It was the full Mass,--with adaptations for length (so that we westerners wouldn't fall asleep). It was absolutley amazing. As to Gashwin's question in the combox of the last post, I am not sure which of the Rites it was, although I know that Fr. Denis, who was presider, is deputed to preside at Mozarabic Rites. He did pray for the worthy Bishop Cyril a bunch of times (if that helps pin down the rite any).

Two of our children accompanied us, our son and the angelbaby. They followed along quite well, although I think by communion our son was on sensory overload with all of the inscence and excused himself for a quick breath of fresh air. The angelbaby was a real trooper. She followed along and sang all the responses. She even took communion in the Eastern Form (from the little spoon with the two species mixed together. ) as I did, not realizing just how much wheat I would be getting in my portion -- as I am allergic to wheat. I kept reminding myself that it was Jesus and not bread. I might have had a slight wheaze after mass, but have no ill effects today so I guess I am okay.

The worship aide was 21 very intricate pages long, and the cantor (who is another of the monks from St. Meinrad ) had a beautiful singing voice. It was easy to join in and participate in the liturgy. I can't say that I would enjoy this type of liturgy if I did it each and every week, but it was a great experience and we are all glad to have been a part of it.

As someone once said, It is like breathing with both lungs.

Pax

This is the Night! -- O Happy Fault!

Exult now O ye angelic throngs of the heavens:

Exult O ye divine mysteries:

and let the saving trumpet resound for the victory of so great a King.

Let the earthly realm also be joyful,

made radiant by such flashings like lightning:

and, made bright with the splendor of the eternal King,

let it perceive that it has dismissed the entire world’s gloom.

Let Mother Church rejoice as well,

adorned with the blazes of so great a light:

and let this royal hall ring with the great voices of the peoples.

Wherefore, most beloved brothers and sisters,

you here present to such a wondrous brightness of this holy light,

I beseech you, together with me invoke the mercy of Almighty God.

Let Him who deigned to gather me in among the number of the Levites,

by no merits of mine, while pouring forth the glory of His own light

enable me to bring to fullness the praise of this waxen candle.

Deacon: The Lord be with you!

Response: And with your spirit!

D: Raise your hearts on high!

R: We now have them present to the Lord!

D: Let us then give thanks to the Lord our God!

R: This is worthy and just!

Truly it is worthy and just

to resound forth with the whole of the heart,

disposition of mind,

and by the ministry of the voice,

the invisible God the Father Almighty,

and His Only-begotten Son

our Lord Jesus Christ,

Who, on our behalf, resolved Adam’s debt to the Eternal Father

and cleansed with dutiful bloodshed the bond of the ancient crime.

For these are the Paschal holy days,

in which that true Lamb is slain,

by Whose Blood the doorposts of the faithful are consecrated.

This is the night

in which first of all You caused our forefathers,

the children of Israel brought forth from Egypt,

to pass dry shod through the Red Sea.

This is the night

which purged the darkness of sins by the illumination of the pillar.

This is the night

which today restores to grace and unites in sanctity throughout the world Christ’s believers,

separated from the vices of the world and the darkness of sins.

This is the night

in which, once the chains of death were undone,

Christ the victor arose from the nether realm.

For it would have profited us nothing to have been born,

unless it had been fitting for us to be redeemed.

O wondrous condescension of Your dutiful concern for us!

O inestimable affection of sacrificial love:

You delivered up Your Son that You might redeem the slave!

O truly needful sin of Adam, that was blotted out by the death of Christ!

O happy fault,

that merited to have such and so great a Redeemer!

O truly blessed night,

that alone deserved to know the time and hour

in which Christ rose again from the nether world!

This is the night about which it was written:

And night shall be made as bright as day:

and night is as my brightness for me.

Therefore the sanctification of this night puts to flight all wickedness, cleanses sins,

and restores innocence to the fallen and gladness to the sorrowful.

It drives away hatreds, procures concord, and makes dominions bend.

Therefore, in this night of grace,

accept, O Holy Father, the evening sacrifice of this praise,

which Holy Church renders to You

in the solemn offering of this waxen candle

by the hands of Your ministers from the work of bees.

We are knowing now the proclamations of this column,

which glowing fire kindles in honor of God.

Which fire, although it is divided into parts,

is knowing no loss from its light being lent out.

For it is nourished by the melting streams of wax,

which the mother bee produced for the substance of this precious torch.

O truly blessed night,

in which heavenly things are joined to those of earth,

the divine to the human!

Therefore, we beseech You, O Lord,

that this waxen candle, consecrated in honor of Your name,

may continue unfailing to dispel the darkness of this night.

And once it is accepted as a placating sacrifice,

may it be mingled with the heavenly lights.

Let the morning star meet with its flame:

that very star, I say, which knows no setting:

Who, having returned from the nether realm,

broke serene like the dawn upon the human race,

and now lives and reigns forever and ever

Amen.

h/t to What Does the Prayer Mean

Pax

Did I Ever Tell You the One . . .

I think I have written before about how much I am inspired by the homilies that my Pastor gives for daily Mass. Not that his Sunday Homilies aren't inspiring as well, but in this day and age when some priest forgo daily mass homilies all together Fr. Bill will encapsulate in just three or four sentences a great deal of wisdom that will stay with me throughout the day.

Often it will be exactly what I need to hear and will help in ways that I would have never imagined. Take for instance this Wednesday's morning mass. The gospel was the feeding of the four thousand from the gospel of Matthew Chapter 15. Fr. Bill's reflection was that the miracle Jesus performed was to take what the disciples had readily at hand and use it to make something miraculous happen. Perhaps when we are next feeling hopeless we should take what we have readily on hand and begin to use it to take care of the problem and then Jesus can use that to make something miraculous happen.

That struck me on Wednesday as being such an inspiring piece of wisdom. If we have the resources to begin to do something about a problem we shouldn't wait for some huge miracle to complete the process, but we should do what we can with what we have to begin and in the process Jesus will take our efforts and bless them, and in the process miracles will happen.

I really needed to hear that this week. I feel so stressed out this holiday season. I am trying to do what I can to manage the stress of the season, take care of mom's needs in the nursing home and her financial needs, (with help from only one sibling) and get her squared away for a future for which she didn't really prepare, and try not to freak out as I wait in neurotic hope for some word about my finals grades from gradual school. Along the way I am trying to really keep the cost of "Santa's Workshop" to a minimum this year as we have had some very unexpected expenses recently (not the least has been more than $800 keeping my car safe and running).

So, I am doing what I can, with what I have available to make a bright cheery Christmas, for my family. And I am going to try to even find the time to send out some Christmas Cards this year; something I haven't done in a while. I am hoping that making other folks Christmas a little brighter will help me to remember that it is the spirit of the holiday not the trappings that are important.

Pax

The Feast of Christ The King

Mrangelmeg is Lector today

I love to hear him Proclaim the Word of God.


He used to do it before I worked but then when I had to be at work on Sundays he felt he had to sit with the kids and couldn't leave them to be on the Altar, so he had to give it up. So my quitting my job has had some really great repercussions for our experience of Sunday Worship. We get to worship together as a family, and both he and I can participate in Liturgy at our parish (I am an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion on occasion).

Pax

The Sweet Sound of Liturgy Done Well

Today was the first Sunday for our new Pastor. He is a very soft spoken man who in the 21 years of his priesthood has never been a full time pastor until now. Previously he worked in Washington DC, and most recently in our Archdiocese he was part of the Priest Personnel Board and Sacramental Minister at a small rural parish just a few miles from here.

I am so happy that he is here because of the reverence with which he prays the liturgy. Don't get me wrong I loved Fr. Charlie dearly, but I have always struggled with the way he said Mass. But it might be said that in my case a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, because the more I learned about liturgy over the last five years or so as I have been in Gradual School, the harder it has been for me to endure the way that Fr. takes liberties with the wording and pacing of the liturgy. I have been making allowances for his health recently, but he has been doing some of these things as long as he has been at this parish.

I think those days are behind us now though. Fr. Bill, our new Pastor, prayed the Liturgy with a strong clear voice, and everything was in the proper place, and he sang what was supposed to be sung and spoke what was supposed to be spoken and he didn't leave off the ends of prayers. I think I am going to like his Masses. When we left church I shook his hand and thanked him for the wonderful liturgy.

Praise God in heaven for sending Fr. Bill here.

Pax

For Those We've Lost

Today we had a special mass for the deceased members of the Knights of Columbus Council to which mrangelmeg and our our son are affiliated. We went to a different parish than our own in order to honor these men and in a special way to support their widows.

It was a very interesting Mass because there are many people in that parish that I know, so I got to see some people who don't know yet that I am no longer working, and one friend from St. Meinrad who will be graduating this Spring.

Now we are home on a cold rainy Sunday with a few things to do before the Colts game this afternoon.

Not a bad way to spend a day if you ask me.

Pax