#lent is a important period of time in catholic liturgy | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

catholicartistsnyc · 5 years ago

Text

Meet DC Metro-Based Artist Colin O’Brien

(Assumpta)

COLIN O’BRIEN is a Hyattsville, MD (DC Metro area)-based artist, whose disciplines include painting, choral singing, writing (poetry, essay), and fashion design. (O'[email protected])

CATHOLIC ARTIST CONNECTION (CAC): Where are you from originally, and what brought you to the DC area?

COLIN O’BRIEN (CB): I was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minn. and lived in Minnesota until I was 25. I moved from St. Paul to New York City in 1999 and lived there (Harlem and then Woodside, Queens) until 2010 when I moved to DC. I went east from Minnesota to have an adventure and to distance myself from a difficult family situation. I moved to the DC area because I was in a relationship with someone who was established here; I was also a little tired of the noise and pace of New York after 11 years. The relationship didn't result in marriage, but we're still close and dear friends, and I have a strong community in the DC area that supports me. I feel at home with the people here in a way I've not felt before.

CAC: How do understand your vocation as a Catholic artist? Do you call yourself a Catholic artist?

CB: I would say I'm a Catholic artist. My faith is both central and foundational to my daily life; I'm a professed Benedictine oblate, which means I have made a promise to live according to the Rule of St. Benedict according to my state in life. From that monastic basis, I strive to live a life of "ora et labora" (prayer and work) that is central to Benedictine spirituality. My painting and writing is an expression of that faith, though I rarely paint works with explicitly "Catholic" themes. My paintings, however, have a noticeably religious spirit about them that viewers enter into.

My personal mission as a Catholic working in the arts is to use my talents in service of evangelization; I wish to depict the Hope of life in Christ to viewers in fresh, accessible ways. Additionally, I hope to show to fellow Catholics that modern, contemporary art can still be a vehicle for evangelization. I think many people are tempted to look back to earlier periods, such as the Baroque, and remain fixed there as ideal time periods for Catholic art. To me, that strikes me as an admission of defeat; the Gospel is relevant to our own time and can be conveyed ever new using contemporary themes as a jumping-off point.

CAC: Where have you found support in the Church for your vocation as an artist?

CB: I have to give credit first and foremost to Leo Feroleto, owner of Six Summit Gallery, who curates the art display at the Leo House in New York City. Leo House is a Catholic guest house/hostel in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, a vibrant arts community. I've been blessed to have Leo invite me to display my paintings there, where hundreds of guests pass by them.

I think, however, that the Church needs to do much better generally in supporting the arts. By this I mean that religious education should incorporate an artistic dimension. A painting or sculpture needs to be "read" in order to understand the fullness of the symbolism contained within. We direct much effort toward literacy with regard to text, but very little toward understanding visual symbolism, which leaves us bereft.

In addition to education, we need to cultivate an understanding of art as a common good: it's not enough for artists to be trained to make beautiful works that convey the faith or that enhance the liturgical life of the Church. We also need to foster a spirit of communal support by encouraging people of faith to buy pieces by contemporary artists, for example. We need gallerists, impresarios, and collectors who are willing to give material and spiritual support to artists.

CAC: Where have you found support among your fellow artists for your Catholic faith?

CB: Among the artists here in the Route 1 community, it has not really come up as a topic of extended conversation, I'm sad to admit. During open studio tours, I've mentioned the faith aspects of my paintings. I talk about faith with one of my artist acquaintances; he talks about the church he goes to, and one time he came to evensong that I sang with the Anglican Ordinariate community.

CAC: How can the Church be more welcoming to artists?

CB: Recognize our contributions and being willing to pay for our works. I know many church musicians who volunteer their time, or who are asked to sing for friends' weddings and the like on a volunteer basis because it's "for the church." Musicians ought to be compensated fairly. I volunteer to sing in my parish choir, as well as in the schola with my Benedictine oblate community, and also for evensong once a month with the Anglican Ordinariate community; I'm at home with those and it's a way of doing service. However, especially for weddings, couples ought to be willing to budget the musicians' time into their wedding plans, rather than to expect friends to volunteer.

For the visual arts, as I said earlier, I think educating Catholics on their own artistic heritage is fundamental. This can, at the practical level, mean having discussion groups or retreats at the parish with artists or art historians who can talk about the importance of art in supporting evangelization. Paintings and sculpture can strengthen devotion serve as catechetical works as much as they are beautiful adornments.

Additionally, we need to know that there are current, living artists of faith who are creating beautiful works reflecting and illuminating our faith; we ought to showcase those works and support the creators where we can. An example of this that comes to mind is the case of a couple from Ukraine who wrote icons on pieces of wood salvaged from ammunition crates from the war currently going on in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian Catholic cathedral in Philadelphia displayed had those icons on display inside the church in conjunction with the recent enthronement of their new archbishop. Through efforts like this, the Church exposes the faithful to contemporary artists and also potentially draws in people to view the works who might not otherwise go inside the church building. This can be a win-win situation where artists get exposure and support and the Church can introduce people to the beauty of her own artistic traditions.

CAC: How can the artistic world be more welcoming to artists of faith?

CB: I think approaching artists of faith on their artistic merits is a good starting point, and the artists I've worked around have been good about that and supportive.

CAC: Where in DC (and beyond) do you regularly find spiritual fulfillment?

I am a member of St. Jerome's parish in Hyattsville, and I sing in the choir there. Additionally, I'm a Benedictine oblate of St. Anselm's Abbey in northeast DC. I periodically go to pray the liturgy of the hours in choir with the Dominican brothers at the Dominican House of Studies, which I find particularly refreshing. The chapel is beautiful, and the brothers welcome the laity to pray with them. I also have friends who are members of the Anglican Ordinariate, which is in full communion with the Catholic Church but retains the Anglican liturgical and cultural traditions. Lastly, I also worship with the Ukrainian Greek Catholics at the Shrine of the Holy Family, particularly during Lent. The Byzantine liturgy has fullness and grandeur to it that I deeply appreciate; almost all of it is sung, with the congregation responding to the priest in harmonies. It's a transcendent experience.

I periodically visit New York City and enjoy going to Mass at the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer, which is an exceptionally beautiful Gothic church with stained glass windows, paintings, and statuary that make you feel like you've stepped into a medieval cathedral.

CAC: Where in the DC metro area do you regularly find artistic fulfillment? Where do you go to get inspired?

CB: Washington, DC is a great area for free museums: the National Gallery of Art, the National Portrait Gallery, the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, and the Renwick Gallery are all favorite places for me to go spend an afternoon.

A lot of my work is inspired by things I've seen in dreams or by things I read, so often any place that's quiet where I can have some time of silent prayer or reading is where I can exercise my imagination. Periodically I will see an image or a phrase will come to me while I'm at Mass, and I tend especially to pay attention to those things that come to me while I'm praying.

CAC: How have you found or built community as a Catholic artist in the DC metro area?

CB: My parish has a rather strong community, so when I moved here I was already dialed in through the woman I was seeing at the time. Over the years, I've been able to build a large and supportive network of friends, including with people I've met from social media. Ironically, I don't have much of a network of artists that I socialize with regularly, so I'm in some ways an outsider to the artistic community. I'm an introverted person, so "networking" type events are not something I tend to seek out, preferring instead to spend time with close trusted friends. I have 24-hour access to my studio space, so I work there on weekends or at night; my favorite time is when I'm there by myself and I can turn up my music while I work.

(Phthalo Blue)

CAC: What is your daily spiritual practice? And if you have a spiritual director, how did you find that person?

CB: As a Benedictine oblate, my primary devotion is to pray the liturgy of the hours each day. I do my best to pray morning prayer and evening prayer, as well as the office of readings. Additionally, I go to daily Mass at noon, which is the center and focus of my work day. Sometimes I pray the rosary, too, but it's not a regular daily practice. I carry a pocket copy of the Rule of St. Benedict around in my backpack and periodically take it out to read and meditate upon. Though it's primarily a rule of governing religious life, it's also a rich spiritual text that has many principles worth emulating and incorporating into your life.

My spiritual director is one of the Benedictine monks at St. Anselm's. He is also the oblate director, so it is through him that I came to be an oblate. I met him at the recommendation of one of the other monks, who recommended him to me as a spiritual director.

CAC: What is your daily artistic practice?

CB: I'm a little embarrassed to admit that my practice is very much start-and-stop. I've had some health problems over the past year or so that have left me easily fatigued. As a result, I'm often tired out after a full day of working at my full-time job. However, I've noticed that my mood significantly improves if I do even about an hour's work in the studio. I try to get in a couple of hours each week, even if it's just to put a coat of gesso on a panel.

CAC: Describe a recent day in which you were most completely living out your vocation as an artist.

CB: I recently was in New York in conjunction with the High Line Open Studios Tour in Chelsea, as the Leo House was one of the stops on the tour. I enjoyed visiting other artists there and also interacting with people who came to see the works on display at the Leo House. A thing that moves me is when people ask me about my work and I explain to them the symbolism or the meaning I'm trying to convey, and they open up about their own spiritual lives or emotions. To have an experience of knowing I've reached the heart of the viewer is a very special feeling.

CAC: How do you afford housing as an artist?

CB: I work a full-time job that allows me to pay my bills including my rent, car insurance, and expenses. I live in a house with roommates, after a time of living in an apartment by myself. I room with two of my closest friends, both of whom are self-employed. One of them was diagnosed this past winter with cancer and so I moved into a spare room upstairs at her house to help her out with expenses and to be of support while she undergoes treatment.

I've sold some pieces, but at this point, I work primarily for my own pleasure rather than with a financial motive or an eye toward supporting myself through my work.

CAC: What other practical resources would you recommend to a Catholic artist living in the DC metro area?

CB: I would encourage people to visit the studios and galleries along the Route 1 corridor just outside Washington in Prince George's County. There are new restaurants opening there these days, as well as craft breweries and Vigilante Coffee in Hyattsville, which is an artist-friendly space with the SoHy Gallery next door. We have an art supply shop, Artist & Craftsman, that is a bit of a hub for local artists to get supplies and to banter with the friendly staff. We're just down the road from the University of Maryland campus in College Park, and the Catholic University of America in Northeast DC, so there's a nearby college scene.

(The Lovers)

1 note · View note

pamphletstoinspire · 6 years ago

Photo

THE ROGATION DAYS

The Rogation Days are the 25th of April, called Major, and the three days before the feast of the Ascension, called Minor.

“Rogation” comes from the Latin “rogare,” which means “to ask,” and “Rogation Days” are days during which we seek to ask God's mercy, appease His anger, avert His chastisements manifest through natural disasters, and ask for His blessings, particularly with regard to farming, gardening, and other agricultural pursuits. They are set aside to remind us how radically dependent we are on Mother Earth, and how prayer can help protect us from nature's often cruel ways.

It is quite easy, especially for modern city folk, to sentimentalize nature and to forget how powerful, even savage, she can be. Time is spent focusing only on her lovelier aspects — the beauty of snow, the smell of cedar, the glories of flowers — as during Embertides — but in an instant, the veneer of civilization we've built to keep nature under control so we can enjoy her without suffering at her hand can be swept away. Ash and fire raining down from great volcanoes, waters bursting through levees, mountainous tidal waves destroying miles of coastland and entire villages, meteors hurling to earth, tornadoes and hurricanes sweeping away all in their paths, droughts, floods, fires that rampage through forests and towns, avalanches of rocks or snow, killer plagues, the very earth shaking off human life and opening up beneath our feet, cataclysmic events forming mountains and islands, animals that prey on humans, lightning strikes — these, too, are a part of the natural world. And though nature seems random and fickle, all that happens is either by God's active or passive Will, and all throughout Scripture He uses the elements to warn, punish, humble, and instruct us: earth swallowing up the rebellious, power-mad sons of Eliab; wind destroying Job's house; fire raining down on Sodom and Gomorrha; water destroying everyone but Noe and his family (Numbers 16, Job 1, Genesis 19, Genesis 6). We need to be humble before and respectful of nature, and be aware not to take her for granted or overstep our limits. But we need to be most especially humble before her Creator, Who wills her existence and doings at each instant, whether actively or passively. Consider the awe-inspiring words of Nahum 1:2-8:

The Lord is a jealous God, and a revenger: the Lord is a revenger, and hath wrath: the Lord taketh vengeance on His adversaries, and He is angry with His enemies. The Lord is patient, and great in power, and will not cleanse and acquit the guilty. The Lord's ways are in a tempest, and a whirlwind, and clouds are the dust of His feet. He rebuketh the sea, and drieth it up: and bringeth all the rivers to be a desert. Basan languisheth and Carmel: and the dower of Libanus fadeth away. The mountains tremble at Him, and the hills are made desolate: and the earth hath quaked at His presence, and the world, and all that dwell therein.

Who can stand before the face of His indignation? and who shall resist in the fierceness of His anger? His indignation is poured out like fire: and the rocks are melted by Him. The Lord is good and giveth strength in the day of trouble: and knoweth them that hope in Him. But with a flood that passeth by, He will make an utter end of the place thereof: and darkness shall pursue His enemies. (1)

Rogation days by Abbot Gueranger

It seems strange that there should be anything like mourning during Paschal Time: and yet the three days preceding Ascension Thursday are days of penance. A moment's reflection, however, will show us that the institution of the Rogation days is a most appropriate one. True, our Savior tells us before His Passion that “the children of the Bridegroom should not fast whilst the Bridegroom is with them” (Luke 5: 34); but is not sadness in keeping with these the last hours of Jesus' presence on earth? Were not His Blessed Mother and disciples oppressed with grief at the thought of their having so soon to lose Him, Whose company had been to them a foretaste of Heaven?

Let us see how the liturgical year came to have inserted in its calendar these three days, during which Holy Church, though radiant with the joy of Easter, seems to go back to Her Lenten observances. The Holy Ghost, Who guides Her in all things, willed that this completion of Her Paschal Liturgy should owe its origin to a devotion peculiar to one of the most illustrious and venerable Churches of southern Gaul, the Church of Vienne.

The second half of the 5th century had but just commenced, when the country around Vienne, which had been recently conquered by the Burgundians, was visited with calamities of every kind. The people were struck with fear at these indications of God's anger. St. Mamertus, who, at the time, was Bishop of Vienne, prescribed three days of public expiation, during which the faithful were to devote themselves to penance, and walk in procession chanting appropriate psalms. The three days preceding the Ascension were the ones chosen. Unknown to himself, the holy Bishop was thus instituting a practice, which was afterwards to form part of the Liturgy of the Universal Church.

The Churches of Gaul, as might naturally be expected, were the first to adopt the devotion. St. Alcimus Avitus, who was one of the earliest successors of St. Mamertus in the See of Vienne, informs us that the custom of keeping the Rogation days was, at that time, firmly established in his diocese. St. Caesarius of Arles, who lived in the early part of the 6th century, speaks of them as being observed in countries afar off; by which he meant, at the very least, to designate all that portion of Gaul which was under the Visigoths. That the whole of Gaul soon adopted the custom is evident from the canons drawn up at the first Council of Orleans, held in 511, which represented all the provinces that were in allegiance to Clovis. The regulations made by the Council regarding the Rogations, give us a great idea of the importance attached to their observance. Not only abstinence from meat, but even fasting, is made of obligation. Masters are also required to dispense their servants from work, in order that they may assist at the long functions which fill up almost the whole of these three days. In 567 the Council of Tours, likewise imposed the precept of fasting during the Rogation days; and as to the obligation of resting from servile work, we find it recognized in the Capitularia of St. Karl the Great and Charles the Bald.

The main part of the Rogation rite originally consisted, at least in Gaul, in singing canticles of supplication while passing from place to place; and hence the word Procession. We learn from St. Caesarius of Arles, that each day's procession lasted six hours; and that when the clergy became tired, the women took up the chanting. The faithful of those days did not suppose, as many have in modern times, that religious processions are required to be as short as possible.

The procession for the Rogation days was preceded by the faithful receiving the ashes upon their heads, as now at the beginning of Lent; they were then sprinkled with holy water, and the procession began. It was made up of the clergy and people of several of the smaller parishes, who were headed by the Cross of the principal church, which conducted the whole ceremony. All walked barefoot, singing the litany, psalms and antiphons, until they reached the church appointed for the station, where the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered. They entered the churches that lay on their route, and sang an antiphon or responsory appropriate to each.

Such was the original ceremony of the Rogation days, and it was thus observed for a very long period. The monk of St. Gall's who has left us so many interesting details regarding the life of St. Karl the Great, tells us that this holy emperor used to join the processions of these three days, and walk barefooted from his palace to the stational church. We find St. Elizabeth of Hungary, in the 13th century, setting the like example: during the Rogation days, she used to mingle with the poorest women of the place, and walk barefooted, wearing a dress of coarse material. St. Charles Borromeo, who restored in his diocese of Milan so many ancient practices of piety, was sure not to be indifferent about the Rogation days. He spared neither word nor example to reanimate this salutary devotion among his people. He ordered fasting to be observed during these three days; he himself fasted on bread and water. The procession, in which all the clergy of the city were obliged to join, and which began after the sprinkling of ashes, started from the cathedral at an early hour in the morning, and was not over till three or four o'clock in the afternoon. Thirteen churches were visited on Monday; nine on Tuesday; and eleven on Wednesday. The saintly Archbishop celebrated Mass and preached in one of these churches.

If we compare the indifference shown by the Catholics of the present age for the Rogation days, with the devotion wherewith our ancestors kept them, we cannot but acknowledge that there has been a great falling off in faith and piety. Knowing, as we do, the great importance attached to these processions by the Church, we cannot help wondering how it is that there are so few among the faithful who assist at them. Our surprise increases when we find persons preferring their own private devotions to these public prayers of the Church, which, to say nothing of the result of good example, merit far greater graces than any exercises of our own choosing.

The whole western Church soon adopted the Rogation days. They were introduced into England at an early period; likewise into Spain and Germany. Rome herself sanctioned them by herself observing them; this she did in the 8th century, during the pontificate of St. Leo III. She gave them the name of the Lesser Litanies, in contradistinction to the procession of April 25, which she calls the Greater Litanies. With regard to the fast which the Churches of Gaul observed during the Rogation days, Rome did not adopt that part of the institution. Fasting seemed to her to throw a gloom over the joyous forty days, which our risen Jesus grants to His disciples; she therefore formerly enjoined only abstinence from meat during the Rogation days. The Church of Milan, which, as we have just seen, so strictly observed the Rogations, kept them on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday after the Sunday following the Ascension, that is to say, after the forty days devoted to the celebration of the Resurrection.

If then we would have a correct idea of the Rogation days, we must consider them as Rome does – that is, as a holy institution which, without interrupting our paschal joy, tempers it. The violet vestments used during the procession and Mass do not signify that our Jesus has left us, but that the time for His departure is approaching.

Abstinence is no longer of obligation during the Rogation days. This should be an additional motive to induce the faithful to assist at the processions and litanies, and to make some compensation by fervently uniting in the prayers of the Church. We need so much penance, and we do so little! If we are truly in earnest, we shall be most fervent in doing the little that is left us to do.

The object of the Rogation days is to appease the anger of God, and avert the chastisements which the sins of the world so justly deserve; moreover, to draw down the divine blessing on the fruits of the earth. The Litany of the Saints is sung during the procession, which is sometimes followed by a special Rogation Mass. This Litany is one of the most efficacious of prayers. The Church makes use of it on all solemn occasions, as a means of rendering God propitious through the intercession of the whole court of Heaven. They who are prevented from assisting at the procession, should recite the Litany in union with Holy Church; they will thus share in the graces attached to the Rogation days; they will be joining in the supplications now being made in Christendom; they will be proving themselves to be faithful Catholics. (2)

INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING THE PROCESSIONS ON ROGATION DAYS BY BY LEONARD GOFFINE, 1871

What are processions?

Processions are the solemn, public marching together of a number of persons, which in the Catholic Church are instituted according to the very earliest directions of the fathers, partly to encourage the piety of the faithful, partly in remembrance of graces received, in thanksgiving for them, or to obtain the divine assistance, and refer to the great mysteries of salvation. Those who take part in them with true piety, will reap salutary harvests of Christian virtue from them.

Are processions something new?

No, they were the custom in the very earliest centuries of the Church, as testified by the acts of the martyrs, of Cyprian, Lucius, Boniface, and the fathers of the Church, Basil, Chrysostom, Ambrose, Gregory, and others. They are also founded on Scripture. Thus King David caused the ark of the covenant to be carried in solemn procession to Jerusalem (ii. Kings vi.), and the same thing did Solomon, his son, when he placed the ark in the new temple, (iii. Kings viii.)

The ancients used to call the going out or going forth from Church procedere, “going away,” hence the word procession, going out, marching about.

What do processions signify?

To the faithful they are a powerful incentive to fervor in prayer; when hundreds, even thousands of faithful praise God aloud, or cry to Him for help and mercy, must not even the coldest heart be roused to vivid, fervent devotion, since Christ has promised to be present even where two or three are assembled together in His name? Processions are a figure of the pilgrim life of the Christian upon earth; we are strangers here helow, and wanderers, our journey stretches from this valley of tears to the heavenly Sion; and the procession therefore at the end goes into the house of God; our journey leads over the thorny ways of life, and the procession therefore marches in the open air, where the pilgrim is exposed to all kinds of weather; processions are an open acknowledgment that to theAlmighty God alone praise, thanks, and adoration are due, while they are a public profession of our faith in Christ, the Crucified; they are a solemn thanksgiving for being permitted to profess Christ, our Lord, before the whole world, as also for all the graces obtained through Him; they are a public testimonial of our faith in the one, holy, Catholic Church, whose members are united by the same bond of faith, and who form under their head, Christ, one family in God. Therefore the marching from one Church to the other, the bending of the banners in mutual salutation when parts of the processions meet each other. Finally, they are a sign of the triumph of Christian faith over the darkness of heathenism. If processions are solemnized with such intentions, with order and dignity, with fervent devotion in the light of faith, they are indeed, under the direction of a worthy priest, pleasing spectacles for angels and men, soon silencing the sneers and derision of faithless men.

Why are banners and the cross carried in processions?

The cross signifies, that we are assembled, as Christians, in the name of Jesus, who was crucified, in whose name we begin and end our prayers, through whose merits we expect all things from the Heavenly Father, and whom we must follow all through our journey to heaven; the red and white banners indicate, that we must walk in all innocence under the banner of Christ, and fight unto death against sin, against the world and the devil, and be as ready as once were the martyrs to give our life for our faith; the blue banners show, that we must walk the road of self-denial and mortification, with really humble and penitent feelings for our sins. The banners are also emblematic of Christ's victory over death and hell, and of the triumph of His religion over the pagans and Jews.

Why do we go around the fields in processions?

To beg the merciful God to bless the fields with His fatherly hand, give and preserve the fruits of the earth, and as He fills the animals with blessings, and gives them food at the proper time, so may He give to us also our necessary food.

What is the origin of the processions on St. Mark's day and in Holy Cross Week?

The procession on St. Mark's day was instituted even before the time of Pope Gregory the Great (607) who, however, brought them into fervent practice, “in order,” as he says, “to obtain in a measure forgiveness of our sins.” The same pontiff introduced another procession called the “sevenfold procession,” because the faithful in Rome took part in it in seven divisions, from seven different Churches, meeting in the Church of the Blessed Virgin. It was also named the “Pest procession,” because it was ordered by St. Gregory to obtain the cessation of a fearful pestilence which was at that time raging in Rome, and throughout all Italy, which so poisoned the atmosphere, that one opening his mouth to gape or sneeze would suddenly fall dead (hence the custom of saying “God bless you”, to one sneezing, and the sign of the cross on the mouth of one who gapes). In this procession the picture of the Blessed Virgin which according to tradition was painted by St. Luke, was carried by order of the Pope, that this powerful mother might be asked for her intercession, after which the pestilence did really cease. It is said, that the processions in Rogation Week owe their establishment to St. Mamertus, Bishop of Vienne in France; in the neighborhood of which city there were, in the year 469, terrible earth-quakes which caused great destruction, the fruits perished, and various plagues afflicted the people; the saintly bishop assembled the faithful, recommended them to the aid of the merciful God, and led them in procession around the fields. Such processions spread over France, and gradually throughout the Christian Church; they are held in order to obtain from God the averting of universal evils, such as war, famine, and pestilence, and are, at the same time, a preparation for the Ascension of Christ, who is our most powerful mediator with His Father, and whom we should especially invoke during these days.

With what intentions should we take part in the processions?

With the intention of glorifying God, of thanking Him for all His graces, and to obtain aid and comfort from Him in all our corporal and spiritual needs; with the view of professing our faith openly before the whole world, and with the sincere resolution of always following Christ, the Crucified, in the path of penance and mortification. He who entertains other intentions and takes part, perhaps, for temporal advantages, or for sinful pleasures, or to avoid labor, &c, sins against God and the Church, which weeps over such abuses and condemns them.

Customs

In addition to the penance, processions and Masses mentioned above, meditating on how devastating natural forces can be is in order. We are usually so buffered from the natural world with our cozy, modern homes, air conditioning, ability to fly through the air from Chicago to Paris in hours, and other wonders, that we can easily sentimentalize nature and see her in a Rousseauian way — taking her for granted, being condescending toward her, and exhibiting masterful instead of masterly behaviors in our dealings with her. It is rare that nature breaches the walls of civilization and technology we've set up around us, but breach them she can, and does, and this reality must be appreciated. Tell your children about how the elements can escape our control, and how we should remember our place as those who've been given dominion over nature, but never apart from God. Tell them about some of the great disasters that have fascinated and frightened us throughout History — e.g., the stories of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the Black Death, the London Fire of 1666, the great early 19th c. earthquakes along the New Madrid fault line that reversed the course of the Mississippi River, the Chicago Fire of 1871, the 1883 explosion of Krakatoa, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the Yellow River Floods of 1887 and 1931…

From: www.pamphletstoinspire.com

#the rogation days

1 note · View note

romancatholicreflections · 6 years ago

Photo

10th March >> Sunday Homilies and Reflections for Roman Catholics on the First Sunday of Lent - Year C

To be celebrated on 10 March 2019

Gospel reading: Luke 4:1-13 vs.1 Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit through the wilderness, vs.2 being tempted there by the devil for forty days. During that time he ate nothing and at the end he was hungry. vs.3 Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf. vs.4 But Jesus replied, “Scripture says, ‘Man does not live on bread alone.'” vs.5 Then leading him to a height, the devil showed him in a moment of time all the kingdoms of the world and said to him,

vs.6 “I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms, for it has been committed to me and I give it to anyone I choose. vs.7 Worship me, then, and it shall all be yours.” vs.8 But Jesus answered him, “Scripture says, ‘You must worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone.'” vs.9 Then he led him to Jerusalem and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said to him “throw yourself down from here, vs.10 for scripture says, ‘He will put his angels in charge of you to guard you,’ and again: vs.11 ‘they will hold you up on their hands in case you hurt your foot against a stone.'” vs.12 But Jesus answered him, “It has been said, ‘You must not put the Lord your God to the test.'” vs.13 Having exhausted all these ways of tempting him, the devil left him, to return at the appointed time.

****************************************************

We have four commentators available from whom you may wish to choose .

Michel DeVerteuil : A Trinidadian Holy Ghost Priest, director of the Centre of Biblical renewal . Thomas O’Loughlin: Professor of Historical Theology, University of Wales, Lampeter. Sean Goan: Studied scripture in Rome, Jerusalem and Chicago and teaches at Blackrock College and works with Le Chéile Donal Neary SJ: Editor of The Sacred Heart Messenger and National Director of The Apostleship of Prayer.

****************************************

Michel DeVerteuil Lectio Divina with the Sunday Gospels www.columba.ie

General comments

The story of Jesus’ temptation reveals to us the deepest thing about him: he had total trust in his heavenly Father. This is why the incident is placed at the very beginning of his public life. The evangelists are telling us that he chose this path and he would remain faithful to it through all the ups and downs of his ministry.

Telling the story in the form of ‘temptations’ does two things: • Jesus’ attitude is highlighted since it is set in contrast with other possible attitudes; • we are reminded that for Jesus trust was a free and deliberate choice, as it is for every human being: he chose to trust.

In meditating on the temptations, feel free to focus on the one that appeals to you and remain with it until you find yourself identifying deeply with it. Eventually you will find that all three are really variations on the one temptation not to be totally trusting.

The story has an introduction in verses 1 and 2 and a conclusion in verse 13. You might like to spend some time on these verses as they are very significant.

Scripture reflection

“What use are victories on the battlefields if we are defeated in our innermost personal selves?“ …Maximilian Kolbe

Lord, we like to remain on the banks of the river Jordan where we busy ourselves with external activities, organizing communities, entering into relationships, academic discussions.

We have bits of ourselves hidden deep within the obvious. Often left unprocessed, undefined

We pray that during these forty days of Lent we may allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit into the depths of ourselves, into the wilderness, away from the world of achievements, where we can face up to the evil tendencies that are active within us: – our feeling that as children of God we have the right to dominate the world as we will; – our yearning for the power and the glory of earthly kingdoms; – the subtle ways in which we try to manipulate you. We need not be afraid of this wilderness experience, Lord, because even if we have to face evil in ourselves, we will also discover, like Jesus, that trust in your love is a law written deep within us, and when the devil has exhausted all these ways of tempting us he will leave. But, Lord, do not let us become complacent, because he will return at some time you have appointed, and we must be ready to start the struggle all over again.

Lord, as a Church, we are inclined to remain on the banks of the Jordan,content to baptise and preach and look after our Church affairs.But if, like Jesus, we are filled with your Holy Spirit,we too will leave the Jordan and let the Spirit lead us through the wilderness,through the worlds of politics, business, industrial relations and international trade,being tempted there by the devil as all our contemporaries are,so that we can find even within those wildernessesthat the words of scripture are still true.Lord, we remember today a difficult period in our lives:• our financial situation was very precarious;• we had a succession of failures in our work;• our children were causing us problems.You led us through the wilderness for those forty days;we felt as if we had nothing to nourish ourselves and we were hungry.We were resentful too: were we not the children of God?Why could we not take up a stone and tell it to turn into a loaf of bread?Then one day it suddenly came home to usthat there is much more to life than having our needs satisfied.We had discovered that we had loyal friends, good health,and most of all trust in you.Jesus had reminded us how scripture says that man does not live on bread alone.

“The hope that rests on calculation has lost its innocence.” …Thomas Merton

Lord, in the world today, people like to plan things rationally and we would like to plan our lives that way too. We would like to go up on a height and see in a moment of time all the kingdoms of this world, and then find out to whom the power and the glory of these kingdoms have been committed so that they can be given to us. But that, Lord, is the way of calculation, whereas to become whole persons we must take the way of Jesus, which is to have as our only security that we worship you, our Lord and God, and that we serve you alone.

Lord, we thank you for great people who have touched our lives,not world figures or those who make the headlines,but ordinary people who have done their duty without fuss:• parents who brought up handicapped children;• dedicated teachers;• business people who remained honest.We thank you that they knew how to remain in the wilderness,not threatening to throw themselves from the parapet of the templeand calling on you to send angels who would guard them and hold them on their handsso that they would not hurt their feet against a stone.Like Jesus, they knew that you were their Lord and God,and they did not have to put your love to the test.Lord, Lent is a time when we have deep prayer experiences,and we might think that in those experiences we are free from the evil one.Remind us, Lord, that there is a temptationspecial to those who stand at the parapet of your temple,and that is to become arrogant towards you,to insist that your angels must hold us up in case we hurt our feet against a stone.Help us, Lord, in our prayers, to remain perfectly still and trusting,remembering, like Jesus, how it is saidthat we must not put you, our Lord and God, to the test.

**********************************************

Thomas O’Loughlin, Liturgical Resources for the Year of Luke www.Columba.ie

Introduction to the Celebration In every area of our lives there are periods of mending, renewing, and refocusing. We talk about ‘spring cleaning’, ‘annual reviews, and ‘in-service training’. Now we enter a period to renew our discipleship prior to celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus at Easter. So now can we spend some moments considering how God our creator made us and has provided for us. Let us recall that God our saviour has called us to live in a new way and to build a world of justice and peace. Let us remember how God our inspiration offers us strength for our discipleship.

Homily Notes

1. Lent has three themes intertwined within it as we celebrate it. (1) It is a time of preparation for Easter, especially for those who are to be baptised. (2) It is a time of repentance and reparation for wrongs done to others around us, the larger community, and the creation. (3) It is a time of stocktaking and renewal in discipleship, the skills needed to be a disciple, and in the commitment to the work and activities of being a Christian.

The homily today could take the form of a ‘checklist’ or examination of conscience on these aspects.

1. Preparing for Easter.

• What plans has the community to make Easter the central moment of the year? We should recall that today in many places this is the time when many people think of going for a , spring break’ and a time when many who are involved in the liturgy during the school-term times are going to be away. • If people are going away for Easter, how do they view it as their community’s central celebration: will they miss the community, will they be missed? • What opportunities are going to be provided, and by whom, for preparation and reflection; and do people see this as important? • Are there candidates preparing for baptism; how is the community involved in this; are there people designated to pray for the candidates? • Can particular talents be harnessed for all this lenten preparation? 1£ so, what are they and who has them?

2. Repentance and reparation.

• How does the community plan to celebrate reconciliation with God in Christ this Lent? How will people be helped to experience this reconciliation? What help do members of the community want to help them overcome bad memories of the confessional? • Will the community want to celebrate healing during this time? • What plans have the community to make reparation to poorer peoples across the globe this Lent? • How willienten preparation take concrete forms in working for justice, peace, and reconciliation in our world?

3.Stock-taking of discipleship.

What plans have the community to renew itself in prayer? What plans are there for fasting to give physical form to prayer? What plans have the community for generosity that will enhance the world, aid the poor, and provide resources for building the kingdom of justice, love, and peace? How will the community support these plans with special liturgies, groups, or inputs form other Christians? • How can the community’s liturgy be enhanced during this time?

6. Lent and the community

Many clergy think that these are only questions for them, but it is the whole community that needs the time of renewal; and if any lenten activity is to have more support than just ‘the usual suspects,’ then the whole lenten agenda has to be owned by the community. The community can only own it if it has been offered to them as an option.

*************************************************

3. Sean Goan Let the reader understand www.columba.ie

Gospel

Lent is a time of repentance, a time to set aside the usual stuff of life in order to take stock of where we are and where we want to go. It is, therefore, no accident that Lent begins with a reflection on Jesus’ time in the desert. In keeping with a central theme of his gospel, Luke says that Jesus was filled with the Spirit and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.

For Luke, the presence of the Spirit is the evidence that God is with Jesus and that Jesus is from God. It is the Spirit that allows him to recognise the temptations of the devil for what they are, and it is the Spirit that guides him in his rejection of the temptation. This is the same for his disciples; we can only follow Jesus by an awareness of his Spirit within us. All our Lenten endeavours will be just a waste of time and effort if we are not guided by the Holy Spirit in what we do.

Reflection

The gospel for the first Sunday of Lent is always the story of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. It is intended to make us think not only about Jesus and his struggle but to help us realise that the history of God’s people from Adam and Eve to the present day involves a similar story. The essence of the temptation of Jesus was the idea that he could go it alone, that he could be entirely self sufficient. Jesus resisted this because he recognised his complete dependence on the Father. He knew that he needed to be nourished by God’s word and that his true destiny lay in his seeking to do his Father’s will. When Satan succeeds in convincing us that we have it in our power to save ourselves then we are on the path to self destruction. Lent is a time for us to humbly take God’s hand and to walk the path of faith and love that leads to Easter.

***************************************************

Donal Neary S.J. Gospel reflections www.messenger.ie/bookshop

Jesus tempted off course

Jesus was brought out of the ordinary into a place where he was tempted off course with three temptations – to comfort, power, and wealth – three things that can take us over.

Money, power and comfort can lead us astray….when we want wealth, to be no. 1 and prioritise comfort in various ways. ……..

He goes back to the word of God to find strength and insight to fight off evil – to the words he learned at home, and at school.

A big source of energy for us is the word of God. On Ash Wednesday the invitation was to believe the good news. That is where we may find life and strength.

We remain in the Church because of Jesus Christ. The word of God in his gospel remains life-giving and strong. Today’s scripture shows us that temptations happen often to take us off the path. So too does the unexpected, and scandals have happened in many of the national institutions. Church life may leave us down and weak, but the spirit who kept Jesus strong in the desert will do the same for us.

A Lenten thing to do could be to read a bit of the gospel every day. Look up Sacred Space on the web and pray from that. Or Pray-as-you-go. Pray your own favourite gospels. Read the gospel to the children. Hear the word at weekday Mass. We look to the word of God to build us up as God’s children and community and find strength to use all in the service of God and others in love.

Speak your word O Lord, and we shall be the better for it.

2 notes · View notes

jamesgraybooksellerworld · 4 years ago

Text

281J Early 15th century Homiliary

{Homiliarius doctorum qui omiliarius dici solet … Hieronymi Augustini, Ambrosii, Jo. Chrysostomi, Gregorii, Origenis, Bede et complures ..}?

St Augustine (354- 430), John Christomos (349-407) St Benedict , Pope Leo I(440-61) ( and others)

For this collection of Homilies, who was the editor is not certain, and while traditionally it is attributed to Paul the Deacon approximately 720-799 There is also supposition that it was collected by Alcuin or even Bede.

What we do know is that the production of Homiliary began in the 780s when Charlemagne (742/743–814) appointed Paul the Deacon to compose a Homiliary. Charlemagne,” has been represented as the sponsor or even creator of medieval education, and the Carolingian renaissance has been represented as the renewal of Western culture. This renaissance, however, built on earlier episcopal and monastic developments, and, although Charlemagne did help to ensure the survival of scholarly traditions in a relatively bleak and rude age, there was nothing like the general advance in education that occurred

later with the cultural awakening of the 11th and 12th centuries. Learning, nonetheless, had no more ardent friend than Charlemagne, who came to the Frankish throne in 768 distressed to find extremely poor education systems” [EB] “Charlemagne stands out as the personification of everything that is unselfish and noble, a conqueror who visualized himself as the champion of European unity with the purpose of saving Europe through imperial conquest—an evangelist with a sword. As it turns out, Charlemagne did see himself as the Conqueror of everything pagan and heterodox and the divinely destined builder of Augustine’s City of God—of “one God, one emperor, one pope, one city of God.”[2] It was as if Charlemagne consciously sought to fulfill Plato’s vision of the ideal philosopher king. After all, Europe badly needed a conquering strong man like David of old, who could exercise wisdom and discernment in the sustainment of God’s new Jerusalem on earth.” [Gregory W. Hamilton ;http://nrla.com/charlemagne-and-the-vision-of-a-christian-empire/]N

So, We do know that ” From a very early time the Homilies of the Fathers were in high esteem, and were read in connection with the recitation of the Divine Office. That the custom was as old as the sixth century we know since St. Gregory the Great refers to it, and St. Benedict mentions it in his rule (Pierre Batiffol, History of the Roman Breviary, 107). This was particularly true of the homilies of Pope St. Leo I, very terse and peculiarly suited to liturgical purposesThis particular Homilarium Begins [folio cxli] with Ambrose (340-397) Homilies for the Quadragesima (forty days of Lent -Yes lent is longer than 40 days even though there are more 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter. ( counting the days of Lent excluding its Sundays and the Sacred Triduum, which technically is a separate sacred time.) This takes up to folio 224 (cclxxiiii). Following St Ambrose who has iv sermons in this section are sermons by Origen, Bede , John Chrystosom Cyrill , Augustine , Peter Chrysologus Archbishop of Ravenna , Alcuin of York .

After the Quadragesima series begins the Homilies for The Passion of Christ (Holy Week) On Palm Sunday, Jesus and his disciples spent the night in Bethany, a town about two miles east of Jerusalem. This is where Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, and his two sisters, Mary and Martha lived. They were close friends of Jesus, and probably hosted Him and His disciples during their final days in Jerusalem.

This section (folios 141-245 )of Homilies begins at Quadragesima see above.

Then Holy Week/Passione homilies occupy folios 246-312.

Augustine of Hippo (13 November 354 – 28 August 430 AD) ,Gregory (3 September 590 to 12 March 604 AD) , Pope Leo (440-416 AD), Chrystomos (347–407)

Next in course is Palm Sunday “Dominica in ramis palmarum folios 313-337

Abbot Bernard (1090-1153), Pope Leo (440–461), Cyprian (200-258) , Chrystomos(347-407) Ambrose: (c339-397)

The final leaf is Easter Saturday (Sabbato sancto pasche)

Probably the first 140 leaves made up Homiletic commentaries on the Old Testament: the Hexaemeron (Six Days of Creation); De Helia et ieiunio (On Elijah and Fasting); De Iacob et vita beata (On Jacob and the Happy Life); De Abraham; De Cain et Abel; De Ioseph (Joseph); De Isaac vel anima (On Isaac, or The Soul); De Noe (Noah); De interpellatione Iob et David (On the Prayer of Job and David); De patriarchis (On the Patriarchs); De Tobia (Tobit); Explanatio psalmorum (Explanation of the Psalms); Explanatio symboli (Commentary on the Symbol).

Saint Augustine:

Peter Chrysologus:

(c. 380 – c. 450) Archbishop of Ravenna, approximately 400-450 , The earliest printed work by Chrysologus is 1575 Insigne et pervetvstvm opvs homiliarum.He is known as the “Doctor of Homilies” for the concise but theologically rich reflections he delivered during his time as the Bishop of Ravenna. His surviving works offer eloquent testimony to the Church’s traditional beliefs about Mary’s perpetual virginity, the penitential value of Lent, Christ’s Eucharistic presence, and the primacy of St. Peter and his successors in the Church. Few details of St. Peter Chrysologus’ biography are known. He was born in the Italian town of Imola in either the late fourth or early fifth century, but sources differ as to whether this occurred around 380 or as late as 406.

John Chrystosom

Beyond Chrstostoms preaching, the other lasting legacy of John is his influence on Christian liturgy. Two of his writings are particularly notable. He harmonized the liturgical life of the Church by revising the prayers and rubrics of the Divine Liturgy, or celebration of the Holy Eucharist. To this day, Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches of the Byzantine Rite typically celebrate the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom as the normal Eucharistic liturgy, although his exact connection with it remains a matter of debate among experts.

Saint Cyrill.

Cyril’s jurisdiction over Jerusalem was expressly confirmed by the First Council of Constantinople (381), at which he was present. At that council he voted for acceptance of the term homoousios,(“consubstantial” this term was later also applied to the Holy Spirit in order to designate it as being “same in essence” with the Father and the Son. Those notions became cornerstones of theology in Nicene Christianity, and also represent one of the most important theological concepts within the Trinitarian doctrinal understanding of God) having been finally convinced that there was no better alternative. Cyril’s writings are filled with the loving and forgiving nature of God which was somewhat uncommon during his time period. Cyril fills his writings with great lines of the healing power of forgiveness and the Holy Spirit, like “The Spirit comes gently and makes himself known by his fragrance. He is not felt as a burden for God is light, very light. Rays of light and knowledge stream before him as the Spirit approaches. The Spirit comes with the tenderness of a true friend to save, to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strengthen and to console”. Cyril himself followed God’s message of forgiveness many times throughout his life. This is most clearly seen in his two major exiles where Cyril was disgraced and forced to leave his position and his people behind. He never wrote or showed any ill will towards those who wronged him. Cyril stressed the themes of healing and regeneration in his catechesis. the well-known Catechetical Lectures of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, to explain them to the catechumens during the latter part of Lent

Holy God, you gather the whole universe into your radiant presence and continually reveal your Son as our Savior. Bring healing to all wounds, make whole all that is broken, speak truth to all illusion, and shed light in every darkness, that all creation will see your glory and know your Christ. Amen.

St. Gregory the Great (ca. 540-604).

Alcuin of York : Flaccus Albinus Alcuinus; c. 735 – 19 May 804 AD)—also called Ealhwine, Alhwin or Alchoin—was an English scholar, clergyman, poet and teacher from York, Northumbria. He was born around 735 and became the student of Archbishop Ecgbert at York. At the invitation of Charlemagne, he was a leading scholar and teacher at the Carolingian court, where he remained a figure in the 780s and ’90s.

Alcuin wrote many theological and dogmatic treatises, as well as a few grammatical works and a number of poems. He was made Abbot of Tours in 796, where he remained until his death. “The most learned man anywhere to be found”, according to Einhard‘s Life of Charlemagne (ca. 817-833), he is considered among the most important architects of the Carolingian Renaissance. Among his pupils were many of the dominant intellectuals of the Carolingian era

Origen :Origen of Alexandria ( c. 184 – c. 253)

Origen, most modest of writers, hardly ever alludes to himself in his own works; but Eusebius has devoted to him almost the entire sixth book of “Ecclesiastical History”. Eusebius was thoroughly acquainted with the life of his hero; he had collected a hundred of his letters; in collaboration with the martyr Pamphilus he had composed the “Apology for Origen”; he dwelt at Caesarea where Origen’s library was preserved, and where his memory still lingered; if at times he may be thought somewhat partial, he is undoubtedly well informed. We find some details also in the “Farewell Address” of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus to his master, in the controversies of St. Jerome and Rufinus, in St. Epiphanius (Haeres., LXIV), and in Photius (Biblioth. Cod. 118).

An early fifteenth century manuscript Homiliary 281J Early 15th century Homiliary {Homiliarius doctorum qui omiliarius dici solet ... Hieronymi Augustini, Ambrosii, Jo. Chrysostomi, Gregorii, Origenis, Bede et complures ..}?

#Alcuin #Charlemagne #early 15th century #Homilies #Medieval manuscript #medieval philosophy #St Ambrose #St Augustine #St Bernard #Venerable Bede

0 notes

acatholicvibe · 8 years ago

Text

I got out of the hospital yesterday (Monday), was in there for six days. I missed all of Holy Week, and divine liturgy on Easter. Really upset me. Then, today my therapist told me that she is taking another job and she won’t be able to see me anymore. It’s a good opportunity for her and I thanked her for all her help the last few years. She is Catholic and understood how important my faith is. I hope I can find another Catholic therapist, but I’m not holding my breath.

The last 4 or 5 weeks has been very tough for me both mentally and physically. This period of time has been hard on my faith. I have felt so alone, apart from God. I haven’t stopped praying though. In fact, I prayed quite a bit while in the hospital. I just don’t feel anything. I thank God every day, and try to say thank you Jesus even for the littlest things, but these last few weeks I’ve felt spiritually alone. It was a very difficult Lent.

I haven’t thought about where I’m going from here mentally or spiritually, but I need your prayers because I can tell that things aren��t how they should be. Hopefully, this weekend I will finally get to church and talk to my priest.

So, anyway, please pray for me. I appreciate it so much.

57 notes · View notes

tpanan · 7 years ago

Text

SIMBANG GABI (Night Masses)

SIMBANG GABI (9 Day Christmas Novena)

Filipinos celebrate the longest Christmas in the world. By late September, it is not unusual in the Philippines to hear the familiar strains of Christmas carols being played in the airwaves and piped-in music at department stores. Holiday decor like the parol (Christmas lantern)start to appear, and the anticipation for the coming celebration of the Lord's birthday on the 25th of December slowly begins to build up in both the young and old alike. And yet, for the Filipino the holiday season does not end on this date. The Christmas spirit continues thru New Year and until the first Sunday of January, when the observance of the feast of the Three Kings finally signals the end of the Christmas season.

An indispensable part of this tradition is the 9-day novena of early morning Masses (usually at 4:00 a.m.) known as Simbang Gabi (literally translated in English to "Night Masses"). Sometimes it is referred to as Misa de Aguinaldo (Gift Mass), while others prefer Misa de Gallo (Mass of the Early-Morning Rooster)—although this term is applied by most to the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, which is the culmination of the novena that began on December 16. After the Midnight Mass, Filipino families gather for a sumptuous feast followed by exchange of gifts and celebration until the crack of dawn to welcome Christmas day.Origin

Simbang Gabi traces its roots in Mexico when, in 1587, the Pope granted the petition of Fray Diego de Soria, prior of the convent of San Agustin Acolman, to hold Christmas mass outdoors because the Church could not accommodate the huge number of people attending the evening mass.

During the old times, the pre-dawn mass is announced by the ringing of the church bells. In some rural areas, an hour before the start of Simbang Gabi, a brass band plays Christmasmusic all over the town. It is also believed that parish priests would go far knocking on doors to wake and gather the faithful to attend the misa de gallo. Farmers as well as fishermen wake up early to hear the Gospel before going to their work and ask for the grace of good harvest.

This novena of masses was introduced in the 17th century by the Spanish conquistadores. It was held before dawn so that farmers and fisherman would be able to participate in them before the usual early start of their labor for the day. In fact, the flickering candles in the star-shaped parols or Christmas lanterns that adorned the humble houses gave light to the early-morning churchgoers on their way to Simbang Gabi.

Then and Now

The changing of times does not break the preservation of celebrating Simbang Gabi although it is celebrated in new ways. Still, the tradition of Simbang Gabi continues. Part of it are the colorful lights and lanterns that fill every streets. Beautiful parols are hung in every window. Songs of the season are played everywhere to warm the hearts. Families, friends and even individuals find its way going to the nearest church to attend the nine-day novena. Shortly after the Misa de Gallo, families gather in their homes to celebrate Noche Buena and feasted on various delicacies like queso de bola, bibingka, puto bungbong, or a drink of salabat or hot chocolate.

Simbang Gabi is celebrated as a Stational Liturgy, moving from church to church within every Archdiocese in America. It is a testament to the cultural diversity of each Archdiocese and the Filipino-American community who warmly welcome people from all parts of the archdiocese and the world.

The masses are in English and Tagalog, celebrated by the parish clergy. Some prayers and carols are in Filipino. But no matter the language you use when you pray and sing with us, you will realize how truly universal indeed the Christmas spirit is.

In the Philippines, it is the same gospel (the Annunciation) and readings for all the 9 days. But there is always traditional hot food and drinks after every Mass. In some churches, the panuluyan is reenacted showing the effort of Joseph and Mary to find a suitable birthplace.

Significance

Simbang Gabi has become one of the most popular traditions in the country. But it is not just a tradition that is celebrated because we need to do so. It is a significant moment not only because it strengthens relationships among family members but also because it is the time where our faith is intensified. This is the time where we mostly feel the presence of the Lord because it is the spiritual preparation for Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. It does not matter if one has the stamina to complete the novena or not, what really matters is what is inside the heart. The blessing does not depend on the number of mass attended, but what is important is the disposition of the person who receives the Lord’s blessing.

Liturgy and Popular Religiosity

By Noemi M. Castillo

One of the traditional values that has remained strong and integral in Filipino life – whether it be rural or urban, whether it be in the Philippines or here in the United States - is the love for celebrations. We celebrate every significant milestone in our life – birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, promotions, burials, and so on. We celebrate important liturgical seasons like Christmas and lent. Our traditional celebration of advent, however, differs from the western advent celebration symbolized by the advent wreath. Our advent celebration is Simbang Gabi; it is more festive than the lighting of the advent candles and more community oriented.

Simbang Gabi is one of the legacies of faith that the Spanish missionaries had given to us. They used an evangelization approach using church bells to remind them of their faith life which, during the Spanish times, included praying the Angelus at 6:00 p.m., family rosary at night, blessing the children with the sign of the cross, and many others. It was experiential in that it involved the church, family, and community, and was integral in the lives of the natives. Simbang Gabi, for example, was introduced to teach the people the meaning of Christmas and how to prepare as a people waiting for the coming for the Messiah. At the same time, it was also used to catechize the people on the meaning of the Mass. Simbang Gabi, from the onset, was a catechizing and evangelizing moment, when rich and poor, men and women, children and elderly, came together as a community waiting for the coming of the Lord and rejoicing in the promise of the Messiah.

At the time of the coming of the missionaries to the newly discovered string of islands on the Pacific Ocean, the heads of household were either farmers or fishermen. Missionaries celebrated the Masses before dawn in order for the farmers and fishermen to be with their families in church before they go to their farms or to their fishing boats after the break of dawn. That was the context of their time.

In rural areas, church bells would ring loudly as early as 4:00 a.m., or even earlier, to call everyone to church for the celebration. To add to the festive atmosphere, bands would sometimes march on the main road to lead people to church. Because the Masses were held when cocks began to crow, they were called Misa de Gallo. For a people who love festivities, Misa de Gallo soon became a favorite tradition and celebrated in practically all parishes in the Philippines. Because food played and continues to play an integral role in every celebration, native delicacies were served outside the church and added to the festive mood as churchgoers lingered on in church courtyards to share puto bungbong, bibingka, puto, cuchinta, and salabat with relatives and friends.

As generations passed, and especially during the period of the Spanish American War at the turn of the 19th century when church leadership in the Philippines was in a vacuum, Simbang Gabi continued to be celebrated but without the accompanying catechesis. It soon became a cultural tradition during Christmas season where social festivities and “salu-salo”gained more prominence. The religious meaning got relegated to the background as people went to church not so much to prepare themselves spiritually for the coming of Christ, but to meet families and friends, boy friends and girl friends and socialize after Mass. This was how Simbang Gabi became a form of popular religiosity.

Prior to Vatican II, the official church looked at popular religiosity with some kind of skepticism because the negative aspects were emphasized more than the positive elements. But since Vatican II called for liturgical renewal, popular religiosity could no longer be ignored nor treated with disrespect or indifference because of its richness and because in itself popular religiosity represents a people’s relationship with God. But, as Vatican II stated, these pious exercises have to be evangelized so that they become mature and authentic expressions of faith, so that they can be purified and directed towards liturgy.

This renewal touched on Misa de Gallo and brought back to the people’s consciousness the original meaning of the celebration, and examined it in the context of modern times and needs of modern society. As a result, some churches in metropolitan areas began to celebrate the Masses in the evening, to allow more people to participate in the novena. Thus, Misa de Gallo became more popularly known as Simbang Gabi. Today, whether the novena of advent Masses is celebrated traditionally at dawn or in the early evening, it is still called Simbang Gabi.

Maligayang Pasko At Manigong Bagong Taon!Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to All!Source: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Anchorage, Alaska

0 notes

jamesgraybooksellerworld · 6 years ago

Text

281J Early 15th century Homiliary

{Homiliarius doctorum qui omiliarius dici solet … Hieronymi Augustini, Ambrosii, Jo. Chrysostomi, Gregorii, Origenis, Bede et complures ..}?

St Augustine (354- 430), John Christomos (349-407) St Benedict , Pope Leo I(440-61) ( and others)

Spain, 15th century. $37,000

Large Folio. 12 ½ x 9 1/4 inches Leaf size, text block is 9 3/4 x 6 inches.

196 Leaves This manuscript begins at Leaf 141 and continues to CCCXXVIII, (141- 337 leaves). For a total of 196 manuscript leaves on vellum. There are catch words and original it had signatures in the beginning of each quire, but they are now unintelligible. There are thirty five large decorated initials with nice neat pen work. This book has seen a lot of use. Some pages have been trimmed, sections have been scratched out and others corrected. many leaves have cuts and cracks some repaired earlier than later, by stitching .

The rear board with bosses is intact but the spine and front board are long gone, It his been restored with calf over a quarter sawn oak board, decorated to match the original board.

This section (folios 141-245 )of Homilies begins at Quadragesima see above.

Then Holy Week/Passione homilies occupy folios 246-312.

Augustine of Hippo (13 November 354 – 28 August 430 AD) ,Gregory (3 September 590 to 12 March 604 AD) , Pope Leo (440-416 AD), Chrystomos (347–407)

Next in course is Palm Sunday “Dominica in ramis palmarum folios 313-337

Abbot Bernard (1090-1153), Pope Leo (440–461), Cyprian (200-258) , Chrystomos(347-407) Ambrose: (c339-397)

The final leaf is Easter Saturday (Sabbato sancto pasche)

Saint Augustine:

Peter Chrysologus:

John Chrystosom

Saint Cyrill.

St. Gregory the Great (ca. 540-604).

Origen :Origen of Alexandria ( c. 184 – c. 253)

#Alcuin #Charlemagne #early 15th century #Homilies #Medieval manuscript #medieval philosophy #St Ambrose #St Augustine #St Bernard #Venerable Bede

0 notes

jamesgraybooksellerworld · 6 years ago

Text

281J Early 15th century Homiliary

{Homiliarius doctorum qui omiliarius dici solet … Hieronymi Augustini, Ambrosii, Jo. Chrysostomi, Gregorii, Origenis, Bede et complures ..}?

St Augustine (354- 430), John Christomos (349-407) St Benedict , Pope Leo I(440-61) ( and others)

Spain, 15th century. $37,000

Large Folio. 12 ½ x 9 1/4 inches Leaf size, text block is 9 3/4 x 6 inches.

The rear board with bosses is intact but the spine and front board are long gone, It his been restored with calf over a quarter sawn oak board, decorated to match the original board.

This section (folios 141-245 )of Homilies begins at Quadragesima see above.

Then Holy Week/Passione homilies occupy folios 246-312.

Augustine of Hippo (13 November 354 – 28 August 430 AD) ,Gregory (3 September 590 to 12 March 604 AD) , Pope Leo (440-416 AD), Chrystomos (347–407)

Next in course is Palm Sunday “Dominica in ramis palmarum folios 313-337

Abbot Bernard (1090-1153), Pope Leo (440–461), Cyprian (200-258) , Chrystomos(347-407) Ambrose: (c339-397)

The final leaf is Easter Saturday (Sabbato sancto pasche)

Saint Augustine:

Peter Chrysologus:

John Chrystosom

Saint Cyrill.

St. Gregory the Great (ca. 540-604).

Origen :Origen of Alexandria ( c. 184 – c. 253)

#Alcuin #Charlemagne #early 15th century #Homilies #Medieval manuscript #medieval philosophy #St Ambrose #St Augustine #St Bernard #Venerable Bede

0 notes

pamphletstoinspire · 7 years ago

Photo

Catholic Physics - Reflections of a Catholic Scientist - Part 87

God doesn't accept bribes! On Giving up for Lent!

Story with image:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/catholic-physics-reflections-scientist-part-87-harold-baines/?published=t

High Priest Offering Sacrifice of a Goat at the Temple - from Wikimedia Commons (Caption for linked image)

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. -- Psalm 51 (KJV)

"Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.

I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.

I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.

For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.

I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.

If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.

Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?

Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High." -- Psalm 50 (KJV)

INTRODUCTION

Lent is upon us, and I thought it meet to write about my Lenten penance, and how my goals in this have changed since my conversion.

Let me preface these remarks with an account of my bartering with God before my conversion, because this connects with the title. At that time (and to a degree, after my conversion) I was a worrier--the future I foresaw was always gloomy, with the worst possible scenario coming to pass. For example, if my wife (or wife and children) were off somewhere and past the expected time of return by a half-hour or more, I would envisage car wrecks, abductions, .... And so I would say to God, "Please let them come home OK, and I'll give up chocolate" (or stop biting my finger-nails, or ___ fill in the blanks.)

Even though I was not altogether sure then that there was a God, I usually made good on these bribes, at least for an extended period of time, or until the next occasion of potential disaster arose. But it never occurred to me, as my wife pointed out later after my conversion, that this was a very pagan practice and totally against Catholic notions of what God demands of us. And so to Lent.

JEWISH PRELIMINARIES

One of the things one is supposed to do at Lent is fast. This was not a new thing for me. As an ethnic (non-religious) Jew I would observe Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, by fasting (only water and coffee, a fast which at 87, I try to observe) and by reflecting on the past year and what I had done wrong. You should note that the Catholic fasting regimen is more lenient than the Jewish. Even by drinking coffee I was not holding strictly to a Jewish fasting regime. More interesting are speculations as to why fasting arose with the Jews; according to the Jewish Encyclopedia,

"others, again (e.g., Smend), attribute the custom to a desire on the part of the worshipers to humble themselves before their God, so as to arouse His sympathy."

As the linked article notes, there were a host of holidays and occasions on which ancient Jews would fast, particularly if they sought mercy from the Lord:

"And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them." --2 Samuel 12:15,16 (KJV)

So, again, bartering with God.

MY LENT AND HOW IT GREW

My first Lent after my conversion to the Church in 1995 pretty much followed my Jewish ideas. I fasted in the Jewish mode on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and I gave up things and practices -- candy, biting my fingernails, watching some favorite TV shows (Frasier, Seinfeld) -- in other words sacrificing, not a goat but stuff I enjoyed, hoping that this would please God. There was no thought of doing that which would make me grow in faith.

As the years passed, and I listened to more homilies on Lent and I read more about the Church and Lent, it struck me that God didn't need this -- He wasn't going to eat the candy or ice cream I gave up (His was the "Big Rock Candy Mountain"). What He wanted was that I grow closer to him, that I share-in a very little way - the sufferings of Christ and thereby appreciate more fully what Christ had undergone and what He has gained for us.

So, what I did over the years was to modify my Lenten resolutions, year by year.

To cultivate the virtue of patience, I resolved not to pass cars going the posted speed limit (I learned to drive in Southern California, where the race is to the swift); this was the resolution broken most often, but these last few years I've learned to adhere to it (or maybe that's just the consequence of growing older).

To lessen my concern with things of this world, I resolved not to visit eBay or buy things online;

And again, to lessen my concern with the material world, I resolved to not watch those cooking show competitions to which I had become addicted;

I resolved not to eat between meals and eat only one helping of any food that I liked; this was also a difficult resolution to keep, and I've modified it. I don't want this to be a diet, but something to moderate concupiscence. There's a quote from St. Augustine that's pertinent:

"I struggle each day against concupiscence in eating and drinking. It is not something that I can cut off once and for all and touch no more, as I would with concubinage. The bridle put on the throat must be held with moderate looseness and moderate firmness. Is there anyone, Lord, who is not carried a little beyond the limits of personal need?" -- St. Augustine of Hippo, Confessions 10, 31

And on a positive note, I've resolved to attend Mass every day, to spend time with the Liturgy of the Hours, to do more volunteer work, and to be more liberal in alms giving. And most important, not to pray for things or actions, but rather to pray to accept the will of God, to put my trust in Him, and to know His love. I still pray for healing for others and for the Holy Spirit to send grace to family and friends, but this is for others, not myself.

To some degree these resolutions have been carried through outside of Lent, particularly the positive ones. I don't claim to live a perpetual Lent, but there have been changes effected by the forty days. In the main, I try to remember that God cannot be bribed; that Lent is not for Him, but for me.

Have a good, a fruitful and a holy Lent.

From a series of articles written by: Bob Kurland - a Catholic Scientist

#catholic physics

0 notes