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I haven’t gotten around to doing much here lately, as I’ve been pre-occupied with living life, Pastoring the Parish, et cetera, but it’s spring now!
Easter is right around the corner, with brand new changes abounding all over the place.
Here’s looking forward.
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Hurricanes mean long, long times of waiting. There’s tons of stuff to do before hand, and tons of stuff to do afterward. But during the storm, if you’re lucky, there’s not much to do at all. For a day or two.
In the case of Isaac, we’re on day two; after a day of non stop prep.
But before all of that, the nights before tropical systems move in are absolutely glorious, and some of the most beautiful weather one could ever hope to see.
Don’t take my word for it, since all I had really the time to do was snap a picture in the sky above the Home Depot. Maybe you’ll have the chance one day…
Just prepare well, and stay safe.
in memoriam, Joseph West Allen, Jr.
“From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” John 6:66
The number “666″ is overwhelmingly popular in our culture run amok. Ever since it’s use in the Book of Revelation some 2,000 years ago, people have been trying to discern it’s meaning.
Some things never change.
Wikipedia gives it a go, writing:
In modern popular culture, 666 has become one of the most widely recognized symbols for the Antichrist or, alternatively, the Devil. The number 666 is reportedly used to invoke Lucifer (Satan) the dark spirit of seething rage. Earnest references to the number occur both among apocalypticist Christian groups and in explicitly anti-Christian subcultures. References in contemporary Western art or literature are, more likely than not, intentional references to the Beast symbolism. Such popular references are therefore too numerous to list.
The Urban Dictonary, never to be left out of a trend, offers us some tidbits:
The Mark of the beast, and the men who follow the beast of the earth will bear this mark to display their allegiance to the beast. It has been disputed by some scholars that certain numeric ciphers would translate it over to certain words, names, etc… For example, one of the more popular translations was Nero Caesar, and before that, Lateinos, etc…
“…And that number is 666.”
Widely implied that it was 666 because it was an imperfect number to represent the impurities of man and their evildoings and sinful ways.
Read the book of revelations, at the end of the New Testament; it tells all about that, the seven seals, the apocalypse, Armageddon, Megiddo, etc…
And Wikipedia, which I do like for it’s usually self-correcting nature, also offers us some choice morsels on the Number of the Beast, the Beast, Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia (which is Fear of the Number 666); and well, too many others to really note here.
The point is, 666 is all over the place.
St. John is said to have written the Book of Revelation, where we find the reference to 666. So, to simpletons like myself, I naturally look to see what he’s writing in his own Gospel at Chapter 6, Verse 66.
And we find something very telling.
In John’s lengthy discourse on the Bread of Life, gone are the simple parables of Jesus’ early ministry. Jesus is explaining the Bread of Life, the Eucharist.
People are mumbling and grumbling to themselves and others about eating his body and blood. Discontent is setting in that the new messiah is somehow a loon, saying things that do not make sense. And eventually we reach John Chapter 6, verse 66:
“From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” John 6:66
Unable to accept one of Jesus’ most challenging teachings, many return to their former lives.
Former lives untouched by Jesus Christ; former lives untouched by curiosity towards a man walking through their country preaching the Kingdom of God, the fulfillment of the old Covenant, eternal life, healing, forgiveness, charity… They return to former lives where grace had not touched their hearts.
They reject the challenges proposed by God in the supernatural realm, because what is happening in the physical realm appears so contrary to his teaching. “How can we eat his flesh, how can we drink his blood? Let’s get out of here!”
So, the number 666 has many meanings, but in a simple way it ultimately about the rejection of Jesus Christ, his teachings — his body and blood in the Eucharist.
And so it is almost every day of our lives. Do we accept Jesus Christ and continue our walk with him? Or do we forsake him and his Church, and return to our “former lives”?
Food for though, about the food of eternal life.
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Earlier this morning I came across this holy card of St. Jane de Chantal. And, since it’s her feast day according to the old, 1962 Ordo, decided to post it along with the novena which is on the back page.
Novena
O Glorious saint, blessed Jane Frances, who by the fervent prayer, attention to the Divine Presence, and purity of intention in they actions attainedst on earth an intimate union with God, be now our advocate, our mother, our guide in the path of virtue and perfection. Plead our cause near Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, to whom thou wast so tenderly devoted, and whose holy virtues thou didst so closely imitate. Obtain for us, O amiable and compassionate saint, the virtues thou seest most necessary for us; an ardent love of Jesus in the most holy Sacrament, a tender and filial confidence in His Blessed Mother, and, like thee, a constant remembrance of His sacred Passion and death. Obtain also, we pray thee, that our particular intention in this Novena may be fulfilled.
V. Pray for us, O holy St. Jane Frances.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
O almighty and Merciful God, Who didst grant blessed St. Jane Frances, so inflamed with the love of Thee, a wonderful degree of fortitude through all the paths of life, and wast pleased through her to adorn Thy Church with a new religious Order, grant, by her merits and prayers, that we, who sensible of our weakness confide in Thy Strength, may overcome all adversities with the help of Thy heavenly Grace, through Christ our Lord. Amen
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Today’s readings find us out on the road with St. Philip where, filled with the Holy Spirit he is instructing the Eunuch in his chariot and then Baptising him.
Gone are the days where the disciples are blundering about, three stooges-like in their encounters with Jesus, gone are the days of cowering in fear after his Ascension. Filled with the Holy Spirit, the Apostles are on the go! Here the Word is spreading to Ethiopia, then Philip travels over to the Mediterranean coast, and up past the Sea of Gallilee into Ceaserea Philippi to continue the work of salvation history there. They are all over the place!
Divinely fitting too, the words we read in today’s Gospel, “They shall all be taught by God.”
The Apostles are taught by Jesus Christ, who is God; the Eunuch is taught by the Holy SPirit, who is God; Philip is filled with the Holy Spirit and following the promptings of spirit when he is led to the Eunuch’s carriage, engages him while the Scripture from Isaiah is being read, and then gets in an instructs him, and opens the Eunuch’s mind to the Truths of Scripture.
Interesting to note that all Philip really does, we read is ‘opened his mouth.’ We’re directly called back to many of the prophets, who wanted not to speak, yet God said he would ‘put the words on [their] lips’, in their mouths.
The Holy Spirit spoke through the prophets; and in Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist we are further strengthened through grace to be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We’re all prophets now.
So a thought for the day; before you open your mouth today, pray for an outpouring of the Hoy Spirit. You may not end up baptizing a eunuch, but you just may offer a prophetic word, a healing voice, or be an instrument of God’s love to someone.
Amen!
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This past weekend one of my oldest friends celebrated the Feast of Christ the King with a great party, featuring New Orlean’s own, Irma Thomas. What a great time it was!
(The friend happened to be be turning 50, which was actually the reason for the party.)
Enough of that for now! Lot’s of changes going on, which is why I have not been terribly forthcoming with blogging. Interior changes, inner growth, time for reflection… all a healthy part of the spiritual life.
Which leads me to wonder what John of the Cross would have done with a weblog and a camera. Probably lots if photos with flowers, open skies and random thoughts as he pondered upon God and wrote awesome poetry.
“It is great wisdom to know how to be silent and to look at neither the remarks, nor the deeds, nor the lives of others.” John of the Cross
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The Sea of Galilee
Several years ago I had the opportunity to visit the Holy Land. Looking for some of the photos from that trip I came across a PowerPoint presentation I had put together for some of our Parishioners (I was at Our Lady of the Lake at the time.)
You are welcome to download it if you like. Although, it is a large file.
Back in 2009 I wrote about the Calming of the Storm, which features prominently in today’s Scriptures. In meditating upon the readings, I was more struck by the thought of the prophet Elijah in the cave on Mount Carmel, waiting to hear God. Waiting amidst the wind, the rain, the storm, the earthquake, the fire… It reminded me of the call of Carmel, and of those who spend their lives listening for God in silence.
A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains
and crushing rocks before the LORD—
but the LORD was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake—
but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake there was fire—
but the LORD was not in the fire.
After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.
When he heard this,
Elijah hid his face in his cloak
and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.
The world today is so very loud and boisterous. It’s easy to think of the stormy sea of Galilee.
So many people run around constantly with little time for reflection. And very few are willing to sit in silence, meditating on the Word of God, or thoughts of the life of Christ, or the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
View from Mt. Carmel
But as Christians, if we are going to truly thrive in these times of duress and unease then we simply have to carve out periods of time for prayer, and perhaps more importantly for calming our spirits and nourishing our souls.
God will always provide that, even if it is only in our heart, as was the case with St. Catherine for quite some time. Her family disapproved of her withdrawal from life, and so kept her very preoccupied. She could only find time in her heart, in her mind, until God led her into a better situation.
This is where I’m wont to start discussing the horrible state of the economy, the misery and struggle felt by so many people right now, the visceral and polemic political debates going on. But, being on a small vacation, I’m going to find something more relaxing to do.
As things worked out, after spending the week pondering upon Elijah listening for God in a cave, this morning I joined with a community of Carmelite Sisters for Mass. God is so great and so good. The pleasant, prayerful atmosphere was entirely conducive to meditating on God’s Word, and on the Eucharist. The chants led by the nuns (I had never heard them before, they were beautiful,) floated to heaven, and my spirit soared gently with them.
As simple an experience as it was, I’ll cherish it always.
Listening for God, often just a whisper in prayer before doing His will. Amen.
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This post first appeared in June, 2009. I hope you enjoy it. If you’re a part of my devoted readership that has already read it before, call me and let’s do lunch. It’s been awhile!
~~~
“Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen”
When I think upon the doxology I think upon many things.
The Trinity is a mysterious revelation; Father, Son, Holy Spirit, a community of divine persons so richly complex and unfathomable that I’m humbled merely contemplating them.
Then too come the whole idea of a personal God, a God of three persons. I had lived my life after ‘growing up’, so often trying to transcend everything, trying to thinking of God as an abstract energy in the universe running through all things…. that God has a personal nature, and reaches out to me specifically in a broken world still humbles me. It’s hard to accept sometimes, and gives me pause.
Created in the image and likeness of God, we are called also to communion of persons. So I often find myself in this short prayer that I often say throughout the day, thinking of all the people that I know, that I have known.
I think about my parents who have gone before me, my grandparents. I think about my immediate family and our ongoing dramas. I think about my friends and loved ones and wonder about how they are doing. I think about my enemies, the ‘hands of all who hate us’ (because let’s face it, not everyone gets along in the world…)
I think upon all of those people, and of those who’ve gone before and of those who will come after and how we are all somehow interconnected as children of God, as unique and beautiful creations more marvelous than the lilies of the field, created little lower than the angels, whose nature now sits at the right hand of God himself. And that’s a very beautiful image of all of humanity, struggling as it were through darkness and through light.
I think of all those others during the last part of the prayer especially; “as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever, world without end.”
Looking around the world and seeing the sun rise and set, feeling the wind, noting how beautiful all things are, all of the problems of life fade away, even momentarily. All of this has existed for ages, it will exist for ages… God was the same then, God will be the same in the future, God is the same now.
And it boils down to ‘Now’. God is a communion of persons, and in all of the created glory of the universe every moment is created to be filled with His glory. All persons throughout history can share in the glory that is always present, always given in every moment, every day, throughout all of eternity.
God is reaching out in a personal way to me, calling me to forgiveness and to repentance, calling me to love, calling me to at least try to live for the glory of eternity. God is calling out to all of us in a manner filled with a deep and personal love beyond description.
Praying the Doxology I am rooted in time and in space, connected to past and to future, becoming an anchor of God’s love wherever I am, reaching out to my Creator for understanding, knowledge, wisdom, strength, joy…
No wonder it takes me so long to get through my prayers.
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“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.
It’s amazing what images show up when you do a random google search for ‘beam in the eye’.
What’s even more amazing is that I looked this up and saved several interesting images, and it has nothing to do with today’s Gospel.
It’s yesterday’s Gospel.
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged.
For as you judge, so will you be judged,
and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
As much as I consider myself non-judgemental, it’s safer to say that I can make a thousand judgments just watching the news before leaving the house in the morning. It’s something I really have to give thought to, and bring to a prayerful place.
Because, it’s always more than just a speck in my eye.
And, if one seeks to have one’s thoughts raised and transformed by a loving God, all of those specks will be gently illuminated.
It’s good to be reminded of that.
“See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness…”
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One more talk from Archbishop Sheen, this one on Fatima.
Here is Part Two.
And Part Three.
I’ve been quietly deciding to spread the First Saturday devotions, and the message of Fatima, which helps so many become closer to Jesus Christ.
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Again, keeping with the video’s of the good Archbishop theme from yesterday, here is another interesting talk, called ‘Wasting Your Life.”
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Here is Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s remarkable presentation on the “Three Kinds of Love”.
It’s broken up into about five different sections, but you can easily find the links from the first installment. The Gospel reading today is from the end of the Gospel of John, where Jesus and Peter have their famous exchange regarding love. It’s difficult to top Archbishop Sheen’s presentation, though … one tries to present the ideas as best one can in a minute or two daily Homily!
But for peace of mind and ease of use, here are: Part 2,
Part 3,
Part 4,
and Part 5.
Enjoy.
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Years ago and long before the Catechism was published, while I was a struggling artist living in Mid-City New Orleans, my buddy and housemate Paul Heimann and I got frustrated over the dearth of Mardi Gras songs which celebrated the fact that Mardi Gras actually ends. The party stops.
So we wrote this one and copyrighted it.
Here is a picture of me taken by the Times Picayune while I was at OLL, long after my ultimate conversion and ordination
This song was written a lifetime ago.
But we still love it.
vs. 1
Can’t you tell, I’m crying inside,
Can’t you see the tears in my eyes?
My pockets are all empty, my clothes are all torn,
I’m tattered from yesterday’s Mardi Gras storm. (chorus)
vs. 2
C’mon Mr. Trashman, sweep me away.
All reason for life, died yesterday.
Got no place to go, got nothing to do,
Since I said good b’ye to that last
Mardi Gras Krewe.
Chorus:
Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust,
Got to do what I know I must
Got to lie down and take a snooze
Before I wake up to those
Ash Wednesday Blues.
~~~Bridge~~~
Everyone’s packed up
and left downtown
No one left
to boogie on down *
What am I
Suposed
to do? …
vs. 3
Oh well, I’ll just pick myself up.
Dust myself off and grab a cup.
Cause I know next year’s comin’ around.
I’m going back to that
Mardi Gras town.
Chorus
*so written in the 80′s, but a great song!
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This is a strange viral video going around: an auto-tuned Charlie Sheen remix. It’s odd, it’s strange, a little painful to think of his situation. At the same time, the song’s actually pretty catchy.
Poor Charlie. He should take the Pope’s advice to lead a more sober life
Although it “does not exempt from the hard struggle for a dignified life”, it should lead to an existence based on “a simpler and more sober lifestyle, the hard work of every day and respect for creation, which God put into our care”.
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Wonderful invitation from Pope Benedict XVI, to live more soberly and, as we prepare for Lent, to trust more in God.
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Sometimes I get lost in The Office of Reading, Morning Prayer and the Mass Readings. Sometimes I have the time to be contemplative.
Today wasn’t one of those days. But all of these jumped out at me, and I ended up jotting them down here.
They speak so beautifully to the heart when we try to grow in wisdom, and in grace.
None of us are perfect; and life is complex and at times tragic. That’s where wisdom can be found at times. Acknowledging the struggles in life, and developing authentic character, tried in the forges of life trials.
These verses speak for themselves, and point us towards the path of righteousness, humility and holiness:
“A good name is better than good ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. … For that is the end of every man, and the living should take it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, because when the face is sad, the heart grows wiser. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.” Eccliesiastes, 6:13-14.
“Do not in spirit become quickly discontented, for discontent lodges in the heart of a fool.”
‘For the protection of wisdom is as the protection of money; and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.”
“Do not give heed to every word that is spoken lest you hear your servant speak ill of you, for you know in your heart that you have many times spoken ill of others.”
“What exists is far reaching; it is deep, very deep: who can find it out? I turned my thoughts toward knowledge; I sought and pursued wisdom and reason, and I recognized that wickedness is foolishness and folly is madness.”
From the responsory: “Who can say: My heart is pure; I am not a sinner? There is no living man so holy who does good and never sins. If we claim to be sinless we deceive ourselves; but if we acknowledge our sins, then God who is faithful and just will forgive us.”
From an instruction by Saint Columban, abbot: “Seek then the highest wisdom, not by arguments in words but by the perfection of your life, not by speech but by faith that comes from simplicity of heart, not from the learned speculations of the unrighteous.
If you search by means of discussions for the God who cannot be defined by words, he will depart further from you than he was before. If you search for him by faith, wisdom will stand where wisdom lives, at the gates. Where wisdom is, wisdom will be seen, at least in part. But wisdom is also to some extent truly attained when the invisible God is the object of faith, in a way beyond our understanding, for we must believe in God, invisible as he is, though he is partially seen by a heart that is pure.”
From the readings for Mass:
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
Lord Jesus, help me to overcome sin in my life. Help me to overcome weakness, and to strive for the perfection of my life with your grace. Amen.
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I was pondering upon the life of Polycarp, and as usual starting doing image searches since I’m fascinated with online media.
Clicking over to the various 
images of the martyrdom of Polycarp, it’s amazing to find the number of people who give such succinct, relative and insightful thoughts on the man, the meaning of his death, his ample Faith.
It was yet another one of those ‘What in the world can I say that hasn’t possibly been said?” type of moments. They come so often when I sit here to type away in my blog.
However, the description of Polycarp on the pyre is so profound: “he stood like a mighty ram, chosen out for sacrifice from a great flock, a worthy victim made ready to be offered to God.”
And ponder the amazing description of the flame as it encircled his body, “the flame became as it were a dome encircling the martyr’s body. Surrounded by the fire his body was like bread that is baked, or gold and silver white hot in the furnace, not like flesh that has been burnt.”
It sounds like a pretty gruesome way to go, yet somehow there was a beauty to it in his peacefulness. He did it in love of Jesus Christ, and to witness for us.
That’s amazing.
The Wisdom readings from Mass are also moving:
She walks with him as a stranger
and at first she puts him to the test;
Fear and dread she brings upon him
and tries him with her discipline
until she try him by her laws and trust his soul.
Then she comes back to bring him happiness
and reveal her secrets to them
and she will heap upon him
treasures of knowledge and an understanding of justice.
We are always tried by Wisdom, with the laws of Wisdom… worthy of contemplation.
Ponder the Laws of Wisdom; remember the intercession of the martyrs. Give witness to Jesus Christ.
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Because Lent is still so far away, and is usually much sooner during the year, we’re hearing the Readings for the 7th and 8th Weeks in Ordinary Time. That’s something we usually don’t do, because usually it’s already Lent by now.
But as we all know, Easter Sunday is the First Sunday after the First Full Moon after the Spring Equinox. And since all of that is coming to pass a bit later this year, here we are with readings we rarely hear before Lent.
Personally I’m thrilled, because my birthday falls the week before Lent starts this year. I’ll take it.
The whole schema we encounter today speaks so clearly to our hearts about the seductive and voluptuous allure of revenge. And how we’re supposed to avoid it like the plague.
We all know this.
But at times we just want revenge so bad its like… what do you mean turn the other cheek? What?! NO!!!!! We want to revel in it with bloodthirst and wonton abandon.
But then we do turn the other cheek; and others often don’t think we’re turning the other cheek. And things get dramatic.
At some point one realizes that we just have to tend to our own flower beds, so to speak, if we wish to live a good life and experience the joys that come from having character forged in adherence to Christ.
Once last year, I was helping at the installation Mass of new Pastor in a Parish I was helping out in. The Dean was present to administer the proper oaths, etc., and we were all preparing to process in. As administrator at the time, I had made all the arrangements, and suffered through some over which I ended up having no control. But to my mind, everything was well placed and going well.
The music started, the hymns were being sung, and altar servers stepped forward in unison. All of a sudden I heard the Dean behind me “Oh great, I have to process in behind this.” He was so disgusted.
He was referring to me of course.
I didn’t give the matter a lot of thought at the time, but I stepped back next to him and leaned down a bit (he’s very short and I tower over him,) and said, ‘What?!” As if that wasn’t bad enough, I went on to say, and this was all very casual as far as I was concerned, as I might speak to my family or friends who were giving me a hard time, “You sound like our former Archbishop.”
And here, I mean no offense to our former Archbishop, who is also very short. But I immediately realized I was wrong, because our former Archbishop has never in his life mentioned issues of height to me. It was his predecessor.
So, I added in, “No, I take that back, it was actually his predecessor (whom I love,) who had such issues with his height.”
And then I stepped back in line and processed up.
When I reached the Sanctuary, I waited for the Dean and the new Pastor before genuflecting, but they had waited until I was all the way up before even starting. They wanted distance.
And they have it.
Rejection in life, for whatever reasons, is very natural in society. And we will always be running up against persons of small minds, small wills, against the closed enclaves of power, against popular opinion, against so many things that we think are the enemy.
But they are not the enemy. The enemy is prowling around like a lion, waiting to devour those who stumble.
Let no one deceive himself.
If any one among you considers himself wise in this age,
let him become a fool, so as to become wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God,
for it is written:
God catches the wise in their own ruses,
and again:
The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise,
that they are vain.
We can only grow as a Christian when we allow all of the crud which people throw at us to roll off our backs. And then get up and keep living life well, as a follower of Jesus Christ.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
Amen.
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And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,
and they were conversing with Jesus.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
“Rabbi, it is good that we are here!
Let us make three tents:
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.
I love this example of Peter’s humility and his disastrous sense of how to act in public. It’s so human. I mean, haven’t we all said the wrong thing at the wrong time? Or, in the face of some type of greatness haven’t we all put our foot in our mouths?
You just know that this ranks right up there in the all time list of things someone can’t believe they said. And to make matters worse, it’s recorded in Sacred Scripture! Poor guy.
Things certainly changed after the Resurrection though, and the descent of the Holy Spirit. Peter was a new man! Went right out and converted three thousand people, knew all the right things to say.
Lord Jesus, when I’m behaving like an idiot, or when I’m really at a loss for words and don’t know what to do, please send your Holy Spirit upon me to lift me up like Peter. And I understand my prayer is not exactly theologically correct for various reasons, but you know what I mean. That, and I really do apologize for my disastrous attempts at a penitential Friday yesterday. There was nothing penitential about it, and I had a lovely day — but I know we’re called to higher standards in the spiritual life, and I know penitential days are usually even lovelier. I’ll try harder. Amen.
Well, Mardi Gras is finally starting around these parts. Whoo-ee, let’s get this show on the road and get on with things.
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Babel, Babel, Babble babble babble…. I’ve always wondered why, after the Lord gives the mandate to go forth and subdue the earth, He immediately gets upset when the people decide to build the Tower of Babel. Perhaps it’s because they wanted to build a tower ‘to the sky’, where they would then be more like God… a contravening of the covenant, and an upswelling of pride the likes of which probably had not been seen since the catastrophic fall of Adam and Eve.
Restoration calls us to repentance, very much in line with the pre-lapsarian view of creation: we’re called to subdue the earth and be victorious over it, and yet all the while we have an intimate covenantal relationship with our creator.
Perfect thoughts for a Penitential Friday.
I loved this reading from the Office this morning, via St. Augustine: “God means to fill each of you with what is good; so cast out what is bad! If he wishes to fill you with honey and you are full of sour wine, where is the honey to go? The vessel must be emptied of its contents and then be cleansed. Yes, it must be cleansed even if you have to work hard and scour it.”
The Gospel echoes this theme of repentance, renewal, penance:
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the Gospel will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?”
Penance. It’s a good thing.
Clear out our hearts and our minds, seek to renew our relationship with Jesus Christ in simple ways, and pray for the grace of true repentance.
I love Fridays.
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