I started blogging again this last May. I hadn't blogged since June of 2009 unfortunately. Life seems to get in the way of other things sometimes. Well, this year I started writing Saints and Scripture Sunday posts. I continued with a few more Saint Quizzes. I also contributed posts to LOL Saints and Catholic Dads. I added a page for my Adopt A Catholic Blog initiative that I started in 2008 but no one has adopted a blog since 2008. Although, one blogger has commented on there requesting that someone adopt him and his blog. I didn't really do much with 50 Days After this year. Next year I will try to post more regularly and write things that people will actually want to read.
1. I've really been getting into a show called Naked Archaeologist. The name is because the intent of the show is to break it down for dummies, to strip away all the complications to make it "naked". All of the shows are about various topics from the Holy Land. The only one I have seen that isn't Biblical was about Shimon Bar Kokhba.
2. One episode of the Naked Archaeologist was about the Temple Treasures. He asked at one point if the archaeologist he was interviewing thought that the Ark of the Covenant might be found buried on the Temple Mount. No, was the response, because 2 Maccabees 2:1-7 was very clear that Jeremiah buried it on Mt Nebo, where Moses looked over the Promised Land. So why did the writers of Indiana Jones did so little research that they had it in Egypt?
3.A great song from Matisyahu...
4. “A servant of the Lord is he who in body stands before men, but in mind knocks at Heaven with prayer.”-- St John Climacus
5. Keeping an Eastern theme, here is a quote from my parish's patron saint: “I am writing to all the Churches and I enjoin all, that I am dying willingly for God's sake, if only you do not prevent it. I beg you, do not do me an untimely kindness. Allow me to be eaten by the beasts, which are my way of reaching to God. I am God's wheat, and I am to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, so that I may become the pure bread of Christ.”--St Ignatios of Antioch
6. So i just learned about St David the Dendrite. Dendrite means someone who lives in a tree. St David the Dendrite spent three years living in an almond tree in Thessalonika.
7. Did anyone else know that Christmas is an official holiday in Iraq? I remember the first year that it was declared a holiday; I was there.
Some videos from Seven Sorrows a Catholic heavy metal band. I'll admit it, I REALLY LIKE heavy metal. I can't get enough, the harder the better. Unfortunately, there seem to be few and far between bands in this genre with Christian or even morally acceptable lyrics.
Matt. 2:16 - Herod's decree of slaying innocent children was prophesied in Wis. 11:7 - slaying the holy innocents.
When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi. Matthew 2:16
...as a rebuke to the decree for the slaying of infants, You gave them abundant water in an unhoped-for way. Wisdom 11:7
Matt. 6:19-20 - Jesus' statement about laying up for yourselves treasure in heaven follows Sirach 29:11 - lay up your treasure.
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. Matthew 6:19-20
Dispose of your treasure as the Most High commands, for that will profit you more than the gold. Sirach 29:11
Matt. 7:16,20 - Jesus' statement "you will know them by their fruits" follows Sirach 27:6 - the fruit discloses the cultivation.
By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them. Matthew 7:16-20
In days to come Jacob shall take root, Israel shall sprout and blossom, covering all the world with fruit. Sirach 27:6
Matt. 12:42 - Jesus refers to the wisdom of Solomon which was recorded and made part of the deuterocanonical books.
At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here. Matthew 12:42
Matt. 16:18 - Jesus' reference to the "power of death" and "gates of Hades" references Wisdom 16:13.
And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18
For you have dominion over life and death; you lead down to the gates of the nether world, and lead back. Wisdom 16:13
Matt. 22:25; Mark 12:20; Luke 20:29 - Gospel writers refer to the canonicity of Tobit 3:8 and 7:11 regarding the seven brothers.
Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died and, having no descendants, left his wife to his brother. The same happened with the second and the third, through all seven. Finally the woman died. Now at the resurrection, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had been married to her." Matthew 22:25-28
For she had been married to seven husbands, but the wicked demon Asmodeus killed them off before they could have intercourse with her, as it is prescribed for wives. So the maid said to her: "You are the one who strangles your husbands! Look at you! You have already been married seven times, but you have had no joy with any one of your husbands. Tobit 3:8
I have given her in marriage to seven men, all of whom were kinsmen of ours, and all died on the very night they approached her. But now, son, eat and drink. I am sure the Lord will look after you both." Tobiah answered, "I will eat or drink nothing until you set aside what belongs to me." Raguel said to him: "I will do it. She is yours according to the decree of the Book of Moses. Your marriage to her has been decided in heaven! Take your kinswoman; from now on you are her love, and she is your beloved. She is yours today and ever after. And tonight, son, may the Lord of heaven prosper you both. May he grant you mercy and peace." Tobit 7:11
Matt. 24:15 - the "desolating sacrilege" Jesus refers to is also taken from 1 Macc. 1:54 and 2 Macc. 8:17.
"When you see the desolating abomination spoken of through Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains,…Matthew 24:15, 16
On the fifteenth day of the month Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, the king erected the horrible abomination upon the altar of holocausts, and in the surrounding cities of Judah they built pagan altars. 1 Maccabees 1:54
...keeping before their eyes the lawless outrage perpetrated by the Gentiles against the holy Place and the affliction of the humiliated city, as well as the subversion of their ancestral way of life. 2 Maccabees 8:17
Matt. 24:16 - let those "flee to the mountains" is taken from 1 Macc. 2:28.
then those in Judea must flee to the mountains,…Matthew 24:16
Thereupon he fled to the mountains with his sons, leaving behind in the city all their possessions. 1 Maccabees 2:28
Matt. 27:43 - if He is God's Son, let God deliver him from His adversaries follows Wisdom 2:18.
He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" Matthew 27:43
For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes. Wisdom 2:18
1. Does anyone have any suggestions for books about Louis Martin (St Therese de Lisieux's Dad)? I am curious to read what he did as a father to encourage his daughters in holiness. He obviously did something right. 2. I've moved around easily a dozen times in my twenty-odd years. I think I might stay where I am or at least try to. I found an AMAZING Melkite Catholic parish here. We are Latin Rite, but I am falling in love with the Divine Liturgy and seriously considering becoming Melkite. Maybe my daughter will get to grow up near her grandparents, like I never got to. 3. In the next few months, I am going to start putting things together to set up a small business. I don't expect to quit my day job, but owning my own business is something I've wanted to do for some time. 4. Right now Sitemeter has recorded about 24, 600 visits. While this blog has only ever been for my enjoyment, I still like the idea that some time this month or next I will have had 25,000 visitors. 5. Speaking of visitors, the most popular posts are Saint Quiz IV and my posts regarding St Expeditus. 6. Do any of the other parents out there find themselves watching their kids show even after they leave? It usually takes me 15 minutes or so for it to register that my daughter is in bed and I am still watching Nickelodeon. 7. "Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord." Psalm 118:26 or 117:26 in the Douay-Rheims translation
I had a Keep the Mass in Christmas post once before, but I slacked last year. I actually went for over a year without posting. I am back now though. Tomorrow is the Feast Day of St. Nicholas and knowing how St Nicholas went from tall, thin, pious archbishop to jolly, fat man with a red suit who flies around with reindeer and his sole purpose in life is to give out presents has inspired me to post again. Today St Ignatios had one of the deacons dress up as St Nicholas (complete with miter and beard) and give out chocolate coins to the children. My daughter wouldn't have anything to do with him, but she was quite pleased once I opened up the coins and showed her the chocolate inside. I saw on Google that there are 1, 2, 3 Facebook groups for this cause. I also saw that Tiber Jumper, The SciFi Catholic and Michael Dubriel have posted on this. I don't have anything really clever to say about this today. I did want to post something and throw some pics out there. H/T to Tiber Jumper and again for the initial pic that I modified.
I hear this part of the Psalms every Sunday during Orthros and it gets me every time. His forgiveness knows no bounds. At the same time, he chastises when we do wrong. This chastisement is by no means a condemnation nor does he necessarily remain angry. I can't explain it well, I just know how I feel as a father. So I will let one of the Church Fathers do the explaining. From St Augustine:
Let Him be as angry as He shall will, He is our Father. But He has scourged us, and afflicted us, and bruised us: He is our Father. Son, if you bewail, wail beneath your Father; do not so with indignation, do not so with the puffing up of pride. What you suffer, whence you mourn, it is medicine, not punishment; it is your chastening, not your condemnation. Do not refuse the scourge, if you dost not wish to be refused your heritage: do not think of what punishment you suffer in the scourge, but what place you have in the Testament.
This is the funniest LOLSaint Post that I have seen in quite a while.
I think this is the guy who showed up to the wedding not dressed up and so the king had him beaten and thrown out. I'd like to know what you guys think it is.
Freedom requires vigilance, because not everyone believes in reasonable debate and compromise.
"Freedom is not only a gift, but also a summons to personal responsibility. Americans know this from experience -- almost every town in this country has its monuments honoring those who sacrificed their lives in defense of freedom, both at home and abroad. The preservation of freedom calls for the cultivation of virtue, self-discipline, sacrifice for the common good, and a sense of responsibility towards the less fortunate. It also demands the courage to engage in civic life and to bring one's deepest beliefs and values to reasoned public debate.
In a word, freedom is ever new. It is a challenge held out to each generation, and it must constantly be won over for the cause of good."
Pope Benedict XVI April 16, 2008
May God bless all who read my ramblings,
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
To the alarm company that plays radio ads with that annoying siren: STOP IT. That is the exact same siren that the incoming alarm used to use.
Hebrews 11:31,32 mention great heroes of the faith such as Gideon, David, Samuel and Samson who worked mighty deeds and slew many enemies. Hebrews 1:36 mentions the often forgotten heroes of our faith: "And others had trial of mockeries and stripes, moreover also of bands and prisons"
Too often when we think of the persecution of the Church we think of Ancient times or other historical times. Christians are persecuted and killed TODAY. In Communist, Hindu, but mostly Muslim lands Christians are forbidden from practicing the True Faith and very often imprisoned or killed for it. The process for declaring sainthood takes some time, while there are a great many new martyr saints every year it takes a while for the Church to declare them so, so for a Saint in this week's Saints and Scripture I chose instead of a Saint, Servant of God Fr. Emil J. Kapaun. He was an Army chaplain in WWII and Korea. In the Korean War he was captured by Communist Chinese forces and in the POW camp he resisted attempts to brainwash UN troops, led Sunday celebrations (he had no bread or hosts to consecrate for a Mass), led secret prayer groups, stole food to help his fellow prisoners survive, and more. In the end he became ill and the Chinese left him in a shack by himself with no medical treatment. This was their solution to his resistance to Communism. Also, I once posted about saints from Eastern Europe, including one who was immured (they bricked him into the wall and left him there to die). For more info on the persecuted Church, I recommend Voice of the Martyrs or you can go here to write letters (in their own language) to currently imprisoned Christians around the world.
"Remember them that are in bands, as if you were bound with them; and them that labour, as being yourselves also in the body." Hebrews 13:3
The rules for this meme are simple: 1. Name yoiur three favorite unnamed characters from the Bible 2. Tag three friends 3. Link to this post.
My three favorite unnamed characters: 1. The good thief 2. The centurion who declared "Truly this man was the Son of God" 3. Samaritan woman at the well
Same deal as the other ten Saint Quizzes, place a comment in the combox when you figure out one or more of the saints. These three should be simple. The top one is from my parish, St Ignatios of Antioch in Augusta, GA.
"As the deer yearns for running streams, so I yearn for you my God." Ps 42:1
This is the beginning of my favorite Psalm. I know 22 is much better known and more popular, but ever since I saw the mosaic on the floor in front of the altar at Mt Angel, I cannot help but be struck with a burning desire for the Eucharist every time I hear or read this line. The mosaic has deer drinking from a stream which flows forth from a chalice and host. Just as the deer needs water for life, we do not live by bread alone and we as Christians are called to the Living Waters in the Eucharist. It also reminds of St Giles who lived in the woods as a hermit and his only companion was a deer who kept him company. One day a hunting party shot him with an arrow instead of the deer. He lived, but became the patron saint of crippled persons.
I saw this picture on Indonesian Papist. The post was written in a language I don't read, but I do know the little bit of Latin on the picture and I have always liked images which evoke Eucharistic imagery from this particular psalm. I especially like that the chalice has "FONS VITAE" to tell how our lives come from God present in the Eucharist.
In John chapter 11 there is the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. We all know the story, and we can all agree that although Lazarus had only a brief part in the Bible, his story has played a huge role in the salvation of many through the years. It is an example to point to when we contemplate or speak of the resurrection to come when Jesus returns. It is also an undeniable miracle for a dead and actually rotting man to come back from the dead. This miracle caused a great ripple through the years as the Jews who believed because of it testified of the truth to others who told others and so on. St Augustine compares Lazarus to a non-repentant sinner (numbers 3 and 4) who seems beyond hope, but that Christ can heal and cause repentance when we have given up hope and he is seemingly dead in his/her sin. Paul calls the Resurrection the cornerstone of our faith and indeed this is more proof of it that we may hold to our belief.
Sirach 8:5 Do not revile a repentant sinner, remember that we are all guilty.
St Dismas is the classic example of the repentant sinner. St Dismas was the repentant thief crucifying and dying next to Christ. We should not revile him or any other repentant sinners since as Romans has reminded us, "All have fallen short of the glory of God". We are all sinners and all of us have need of repentance. Just remember, but by grace of God go I. May God bless all who read my ramblings,
So this week I have decided to join in on the Sunday Snippets Carnival. Its held over at This That and the Other Thing Sunday was a post on an OT prophecy regarding Mary's perpetual virginity and Dan has asked someone to adopt him/his blog Monday was a quote from St Hilary on the Eucharist Tuesday is an excerpt from Unam Sanctam about Luke 22:36-38 Wednesday was a posting of a Tiny Toons music video of Istanbul was Constantinople Friday had a post on a St Thomas Aquinas quote a thought of the day from Fr. William Doyle, SJ and I joined in the 7 Quick Takes Saturday was the beginning of my Small Seeds series
Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was a blind man in the Bible who cried out "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" (Mark 10:46-52, Matthew 20:29-34, Luke 18:35-43) He only appeared in this one incident and it is a brief story. However, despite this small appearance his great act of faith and desire for Jesus' healing has given countless souls inspiration to draw closer to Jesus. He realizes that no one but Jesus could heal his blindness. Just as Jesus healed physical infirmities, He also heals the soul. We may not be blind in our sight, but more often than not we are blind to something spiritual. Almost all of us realize that there is something we are unable to see. As St Paul put it, "At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known." (1 COR 13:12) Not only that but all of us know our spiritual handicaps, the thorn in our flesh. Blind or not all of us could do to pray as Bartimaeus did for Jesus to heal our weakness and our infirmities, physical and spiritual. Among those who have been inspired by Bartimaeus is St Josemaria Escriva:
But poor Bartimaeus would not listen to them. He cried out all the more: Son of David, have pity on me. Our Lord, who had heard him right from the beginning, let him persevere in his prayer. He does the same with you. Jesus hears our cries from the very first, but he waits. He wants us to be convinced that we need him. He wants us to beseech him, to persist, like the blind man waiting by the road from Jericho... And now begins a dialogue with God, a marvelous dialogue that moves us and sets our hearts on fire, for you and I are now Bartimaeus. Christ, who is God, begins to speak and asks, Quid tibi vis faciam? What do you want me to do for you? The blind man answers, Lord, that I may see. (Mk 10:51). How utterly logical! How about yourself, can you really see? Haven’t you too experienced at times what happened to the blind man of Jericho? I can never forget how, when meditating on this passage many years back, and realizing that Jesus was expecting something of me, though I myself did not know what it was, I made up my own aspirations: Lord, what is it you want? What are you asking of me? I had a feeling that he wanted me to take on something new and the cry Rabboni, ut videam, Master, that I may see, moved me to beseech Christ again and again, Lord, whatever it is that you wish, let it be done.
1. I found out about a female, Iranian, Muslim comedienne. Her name is Tissa Hami and she's actually pretty funny.
2. Thinking on the Transfiguration, I realized that both Moses and Elijah parted bodies of water. Moses of course parted the Red Sea and Elijah parted the Jordan River. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with anything, but I think its an interesting coincidence. 3. I found out this week that as of February 2010 there are 67 minor basilicas in the United States. # 67 is Sacred Heart Basilica in Atlanta. What are the other basilicas? I know of one in Asheville, NC, but where does one find a list of all 67 American minor basilicas? 4. As has happened to many other fathers before me, I have discovered that people remember my cute and adorable daughter's face and name but not mine. I discovered this after Divine Liturgy last weekend. 5. I've started going to the local Melkite Catholic parish in Augusta. I've noticed that in every picture of a Melkite church behind the altar is an icon painted on the wall with Mary offering her Son, Jesus. I really like the connection drawn there between Mary and the Eucharist. 6. Today is the feast day of St Bernard of Clairveaux, Doctor of the Church, but it is also the feast day for St Christopher. No not the one everyone thinks of who ferried people across the river and carried the Christ child across. This St Christopher was martyred in 852 AD in Cordova, Spain along with St Leovigild. Just as a side note, I can't stand it when people who are about 2,000 years removed try to tell me that the original St Christopher never existed. 7. You can check out all the other saints feast days here.
May God bless all who read my ramblings,
How many deceive themselves in thinking sanctity consists in the holy follies of the saints! How many look upon holiness as something beyond their reach or capability, and think that it is to be found only in the performance of extraordinary actions. Satisfied that they have not the strength for great austerities, the time for much prayer, or the courage for painful humiliations, they silence their conscience with the thought that great sanctity is not for them, that they have not been called to be saints. With their eyes fixed on the heroic deeds of the few, they miss the daily little sacrifices God asks them to make; and while waiting for something great to prove their love, they lose the countless little opportunities of sanctification each day bears with it in its bosom. Fr William Doyle, SJ source
May God bless all who read my ramblings,
When I think of St Thomas Aquinas, I always think of the dry philosophy/theology in the Summa Theologica and Summa Contra Gentiles. Today I was scanning thru Catholic Patristics and found this icon. After a quick Google search, I found out that the text on the scroll is apparently of his most famous quotes. I guess he's not all brain after all. Not only that, but it has definitely given me something to think over.
When I think of St Thomas Aquinas, I always think of the dry philosophy/theology in the Summa Theologica and Summa Contra Gentiles. Today I was scanning thru