Today is the Lord’s Day. ‘Sup?

Today, Sunday …

And perhaps pray for me too?  And for Pope Benedict?

Do you have some remarks about what you heard in sermons during Mass today?  Something helpful, some good point, any useful insight?

Do you have some good thing planned for the Lord’s day?

I have someone coming for an late lunch/early supper: Roast Chicken, rice, green salad.

Help people remember to pray for Pope Benedict.  Get some buttons and give them to people when they notice you are wearing one.

Click.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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38 Comments

  1. benedetta says:

    My ability to move about freely has been impeded Fr. Z but I have made a spiritual communion today. [That must be a real burden. Perhaps those posts about prayers from today’s Mass in both forms could be helpful.]

  2. flyfree432 says:

    We had a missionary priest from Nigeria give the homily today. He mostly spoke about his seminarians and their need for funds for the Church in Nigeria. Unfortunately the parish thought it was a big joke when he spoke to our three altar servers about becoming priests. [It doesn’t hurt to suggest it at a young age… unless they are girls, of course. That would be cruel.] Apparently he didn’t know that here in the US serving at the altar isn’t actually preparation for serving at the altar.

    Nothing planned here for today, though I meet our youth tonight for basketball.

  3. LorrieRob says:

    Today, our Parochial Vicar, who is also an Assistant Vocations Director for the Diocese of St. Petersburg in Florida, asked our prayers for his work in that capacity and most especially for the group of 35 men who are Seminarians from our Diocese. He is attending a convocation or send off of some kind this afternoon before the men return to their studies. He says that we are very fortunate to have such a large group for a Diocese of our size. He was a later vocation himself. I believe he is in his 2d year after ordination and is in his late 40’s. A very good man who loves the Lord and the Church!

  4. Frank H says:

    After Mass we had a nice breakfast at home with three of our four offspring. Later this afternoon we head to the nearby St. Therese’s Retreat Center (Diocese of Columbus, Ohio) for a dinner get-together with the Columbus seminarians, which includes one of our sons.

  5. DT says:

    Re: “Quia filii huius saeculi prudentiores filiis lucis in generatione sua sunt.”

    According to our parochial vicar, Our Lord used these words to admonish His disciples that the children of this world are oftentimes better stewards with their worldly goods than Christians are with their spiritual ones. None of us know how long we will remain on this earth. We ought to emulate the worldly stewards by cultivating the spiritual goods entrusted to us by the Lord. At each of our particular judgments, we will each render an accounting to the Lord on how we have managed what has been entrusted to us.

  6. Banjo pickin girl says:

    I made it to Mass and the homily was about recognizing God, Elijah recognized God in the still small voice, it took the men in the boat a while to recognize Jesus, at first they thought He was a ghost. It is often hard to recognize God in the tossing waves of life. But He is here, “but not in a flashy way,” as the priest put it. We can sink in the waves like Peter through lack of faith or fear of the storm but we must cry out as he did, “Save me.” Very thoughtful.

    I am walking much better and can maybe get my food shopping done today. I do things as soon as I am able because this thing is so uncertain, it comes and goes at odd times. I hope to be able to go on my retreat vacation in three weeks. Five days of praying, chanting with monks, more praying, lots of time in the adoration chapel. I missed the previous trip last May because I was sick but I did stay home and rest. I have a production job that is very tiring.

    Priests visit us in the summer and sometimes I can talk to them about things. I learn a lot from them because I am just a convert and don’t know anything. I appreciate their time. One priest leaves tomorrow, another just arrived. We are playing musical priests!

  7. MissOH says:

    Getting ready to go to mass (1:30pm EF…yes the EF “ghetto”) and there will be an EF baptism after the mass and a cook-out at the new parent’s house. Tonight, will likely go to a prayer vigil which is one of the ending events of the Summer of Mercy 2.0, which is prayer to help end the practice of a late term abortionist who came to our area due to our state’s lax/non-existent laws.

  8. mvhcpa says:

    Going to Life-Teen Mass tonight (the Mrs was resting all this morning)–I’ll just keep my eye on Jesus during all the booty-shaking that will probably go on there. Right now, just resting and getting energized for my first full week back at a permanent job!

    Michael Val
    (who needs to learn to channel any outrage at Liturgical abuse into reparations for that abuse, without expressing his contempt by eye-rolling or muttering)

  9. wanda says:

    Banjo pickin girl, I’m happy to read your post on feeling well. I enjoyed hearing about the homily you heard, it sounds like a very good one. The only thing that hurt my heart a little was your last lines calling yourself ‘just a convert’. Oh to have many more like you. Welcome home! Would that many of us were as zealous for the faith. Don’t call yourself that anymore, ok? Deal? btw, I love your screen name, I hope that means you really do play the banjo, that’s awesome. I love me some bluegrass!

  10. wanda says:

    Miss OH, I’m glad to hear of your participation in the Summer of Mercy 2.0. Husband and I went last Sunday to the Mass at 5:00 p.m. We are at a distance away, so I haven’t been able to attend the other events. But, believe me it’s been getting lots of publicity and prayer, too. I remembered the Summer of Mercy and all the participants at Adoration on Friday. May all of the prayer avail much power and may that man walk away from the late-term abortion clinic. May it close and never open again. Blessings!

  11. APX says:

    As I mentioned in the previous post, I went to Mass last night at the Cathedral offered by our bishop. It was the Cathedral’s centennial anniversary, so he did a re-dedication of it (I thought I was just going to a regular Mass), and his homily contained a lot of stories from the history of the Cathedral over the last hundred years and related them back to the readings and how we shouldn’t just look for God in the magnificent events, but more in the small things. He made some interesting remarks that the Cathedral used to be a place for people to seek refuge, that it was a place of reverence, Confession was offered daily, usually twice a day, etc. and how wonderful it was that church was like that, and how the city centered around the church and Catholic community.

    I was sitting in the pew before Mass and saw that the “gathering song” was “Sing a New Church” when it dawned on me how the Mass that was offered in the Cathedral changed over the last hundred years, and it just seemed crazy to me to be sitting there in a mantilla, knowing full well that I was going to kneel to receive communion, and that this is how it used to be. I felt kind of out of place until I heard our bishop’s homily reflecting on how things used to be. It made my heart burn for us to return to offering frequent Confession and being able to walk into a church outside of normal Mass times when it wasn’t full of chattering people and to actually find the doors unlocked.

    As for my plans today, for the first time in two months I have a Sunday off, and I don’t really plan on doing anything other than resting. All these 5:30 am work days are starting to take a toll on me, and I’m ridiculously tired. Being Sunday, I have a legitimate reason to not use my day off for packing to move and actually rest. This also means I’ll actually be able to eat Sunday Brunch and supper with my family. The usual bacon and eggs for brunch, and BBQ’d steak and fresh garden potatoes for supper. I’m pretty sure we’ll have a fresh garden lettuce salad in there too.

  12. Banjo pickin girl says:

    wanda, worse than bluegrass, I play old-time on a fretless banjo. can you say “earplugs?!” Including the “saddest song ever written” Darling Nellie Gray (1860).

    I say I am just a convert because there is a cultural aspect to this Catholic thang that I will never get. For example, all the prayers and stuff that people learn as children are not part of me. “Angel of God, my guardian dear,” and all that.

    Also, I have heard it said that people get to know God by prayer but a late convert like me with no religious upbringing, I studied myself into the Church. So I have the study and am learning the prayer through association with a Benedictine archabbey which is very liberal but they do a good job of welcoming even me. I am the littlest one! Well, not physically (blush).

  13. Jayna says:

    We were lucky to have one of my two favorite priests say Mass this morning (I know, I know, we’re not really supposed to have favorites…), and he gave, as he usually does, a really good homily. I don’t know that it was particularly insightful (not that I mean that as a slight, but the gospel today is pretty self-explanatory and he didn’t really stray out of those bounds), but he did say some things that I personally needed to hear about needing to trust God in all things with the knowledge that He will not betray you.

    As to dinner, I had been planning on making a pot of steamed mussels, but I may save that for next weekend as a little celebratory meal for finishing my German class.

  14. Rose in NE says:

    Our assistant pastor told the story of St. Maria Goretti today. He spoke about the evils of pornography and how it leads people into great sin. He spoke about the virtue of holy purity. And because this little saint forgave her attacker, Father also spoke about mercy and forgiveness. If this young girl, on her deathbed, forgave her assailant and hoped for his conversion, shouldn’t we be merciful to those who offend us?
    It was a great sermon delivered with much conviction. Our priests really do care about our salvation.

  15. UncleBlobb says:

    @DT: I too was blessed to be able to go to an EF Mass today! And in the “ineffable” Diocese itself: on a visit back home for a whole week. About today’s gospel: I have often wondered exactly what our Lord was recommending in this passage. One of the main points our priest made was that Our Lord was recommending that we must take at least the same dedication and effort to acquire everlasting treasures as the children of the kingdom this world do to gain worldly things. He emphasized that getting ourselves to heaven is the most important thing we need to do and to be dedicated to this.

  16. kat says:

    Like UncleBlobb, our priest spoke on, as he called it, the virtue of prudence; explaining that Our Lord was not praising the steward in his bad points, but pointing out how prudent he was in planning how he would succeed when he lost his job. And then how Our Lord laments that the children of light do not make such great efforts in their striving for heaven. That we need to put most of our effort into that main goal of our salvation! Our priest gives really good inspiring down-to-earth sermons, and is always a pleasure to hear.

    Today’s plans? My husband and children just left for my mom’s for a birthday celebration for a niece; I have to go to work soon.

    God bless, and stay cool!

  17. wanda says:

    Banjo pickin girl, Ha! I do know of Darling Nellie Gray! LOL! Oh, I haven’t heard or thought of that song in forever. My Dad and Mom have country backgrounds, as their folks before them. My Dad played so many oldies, just by ear. But, he sorta did his own version of things and Nellie Gray was one of them. Thanks for the memory on this Lord’s Day. I know this post is supoosed to be about Supper, but, thank you very much. Happy Sunday!

  18. Girgadis says:

    I could barely hear the sermon today because of an insufficient sound system and an overly zealous HVAC unit. Too bad its ability to cool the church is not commensurate with the level of noise it makes, but anyway… the guest priest who gave the homily reassured us that today’s Gospel is one of the more difficult for us to understand, and then he gave a mini-dissertation on the word disciple. He also reassured us that the Lord was not recommending that we copy the lazy steward but that we would be as resourceful in gaining our salvation as we are about worldly matters that will mean nothing when our exile on earth is over.

    My mother is making dinner today. Not sure if any other corner of the earth enjoys this meal outside of South Philly, but crabs and spaghetti are on the menu. Messy, but delicious. It’s BYON – bring your own nutcracker, and worth it. Just don’t wear white.

  19. benedetta says:

    Thanks Fr. Z I do appreciate the clarity from your posts on the prayers for today. On the bright side, minor of the household is spontaneously cracking jokes, in Latin. Right now, for real.

  20. Banjo pickin girl says:

    wanda, “DNG” was written near here in Ohio by a man who had a stop on the underground railroad. It is based on a true story. Look up “Hanby House.”

  21. irishgirl says:

    Heard a really good sermon at our little TLM chapel, with the Transfiguration of Our Lord as the centerpiece (feast was yesterday).
    The young priest began with a story about the deathbed of St. Martin of Tours. The Saint was lying on his back in bed and suffering terrible pain. His companion asked if he would rather turn over on his side so he wouldn’t suffer so much; in response, St. Martin said that he wanted to be lying on his back so that his gaze would look towards heaven, not at earth.
    Father went on to encourage us, using the Transfiguration, to bear with our many trials and crosses in life. It kind of hit close to home because the coordinator of our chapel (husband-and-wife team) died early yesterday morning after an agonizing bout with cancer. But what a day to leave this earth: the First Saturday, and the Feast of the Transfiguration!

  22. s i says:

    Our priest made it known today that he is “officially” our Pastor now, and no longer just our Parochial Administrator (yippee!), and, since he is leading a group of pilgrims to WYD in Spain, he gave a really good homily on the youth in our Catholic culture. You can read it here:
    http://imlaysacredheart.org/homily.htm

  23. Young Canadian RC Male says:

    A good weekend for me this 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 2011. Yesterday, I followed up on a friend’s invite to become a Latin Mass server for an upcoming mass at a church in Toronto’s Downtown hospital district (I can release more information closer to the date, Sunday October 30th). In the brief introduction I met the Gregorian chant choirmaster for the upcoming Missa Solemnis, who introduced me to basic posture and reverence, some pointers for the mass, and a small practice of transfering the Ordo Missae from epistle to Gospel side without turning my back to the Tabernacle. I will need to read up on some material and practices will become more frequent after Labour Day weekend. Likely in this Mass I would be a torchbearer or another simple role like boatbearer, because this will be my first EF Mass serving.

    Today, I went with my nonno (Italian grandfather) to my normal Novus Ordo mass at my usual time, 1230pm, at my home parish. I was thankful that today, the homilist was a priest who used to be my mom’s teacher back in her high school days. He always gives good quality sermons for the N.O. thanks to his years of teaching. His main point was that one on the biggest obstacles in our Catholic Faith, is fear, extrapolating that point from the Gospel reading today. And like the teacher he was (and can’t seem to leave behind :) ) he gave the congregation, a bit of homework: To think as we go through our week, not to be fearful of exercising our Catholic faith to those with whom we meet.

    Finally on some commenters:
    flyfree432: How shameful of your congregation that they laughed at the priest encouraging the Altar Servers to consider vocations. This is both culturally and personally insensitive to Father. This has always been part of the role of altar serving and always will be, not to mention this practice is continued in communities with the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. That just goes to show you how ill-educated and watered down much of the laity are and how they hate the vocations of the priesthood. Sure they want Fr. X around when they want a marriage in a pretty church or for their mother and father to receive Last Rites/A.O.T.S., but tell a kid to consider the priesthood and how quickly they forget that priests are both born and made. They don’t come out of factories. They take their priests for granted and aren’t thinking at minimum about if a priest wil be around during the time they or their spouse needs last rites (or heaven forbid their children if they come down with leukemia or another disease)

    APX: Wow you are quite brave veiling in the Novus Ordo (when it’s taboo in N.O. to do so) and as a fellow young Catholic, I admire that you are performing traditional Catholic devotion(s) as well. I know you are in Canada too but are you in Ontario by any chance? Or have I thought correctly from your previous postings that you are in a western province?

    Rose in NE: St. Maria Goretti. I always have a little sadness in my heart everytime I read her story. She never deserved to die for her purity. As a hope though, her murderer did repent for his crimes years later and repented greatly by becoming a laybrother in a Capuchin Monastery and working there till his death. Bless your priest for recounting the story of a Saint in public. That is rarely done today by the clergy of our Church for homilies (unless perhaps, you attend the weekday masses in addition to Sunday).

    UncleBlobb: That is exactly what all priests in the Catholic Church should be preaching at least once a month in sermons.

  24. mrsmontoya says:

    I am just back from visiting our Director, a Dominican priest, in the hospital. He had surgery Friday, the third surgery on his foot this summer. He is diabetic and this wound has been festering for a year.

    Some happy thoughts: A year ago today we arrived – via RV – in St. Louis and visited the Cathedral for an hour before closing time, then had dinner with friends we met through Fr. Z’s Radio Sabina and Z-chat. [Really?] In honor of the anniversary we are having slow-cooked barbecue pork ribs for dinner tonight.

  25. Patti Day says:

    Our deacon gave the homily today, and he always puts heart and soul into it. I am making tomato sauce right now, with a wonderful harvest that won’t last much longer because the plants are experiencing blight. Dinner will be artichoke and tomato lasagna, baked or roasted eggplant, and something made from zuchinni, all from the garden, praise God. Probably no meat, but that roast chicken sure sounds tasty. Uh oh, I hear thunder. Better go for now. Enjoy your Sunday everyone.

  26. Will D. says:

    At Mass today, Father related a story he had heard in seminary, from Abp. Dolan (when he was the rector at the North American College in Rome), about Dolan’s surprise when he saw Card. Ratzinger emerge from a confessional at St. Peter’s Basilica. Father pointed out that all of us, lay or ordained, have to rely on God’s grace in the sacrament. He tied it to St. Peter’s cry in today’s Gospel: “Lord, save me!” When you feel like you’re sinking, he said, go to Confession to be saved and strengthened.

  27. gloriainexcelsis says:

    It sounds like those who attended EF Masses today with the Trad calendar: 8th Sun. after Pentecost, Gospel of Luke 16:1-9, the unjust steward all pretty much got the same messge. Father noted that those who are planning for the future in this world are more prudent than those who should be planning for their future in the next. As Children of Light, we should be seeking to be closer to God, not distracted by the things of this world. On the back page of our bulletin was a sermon from St. Gaudentius, d.410. The last paragraph is:
    “Accordingly, beloved, let us imitate the prudence of this unjust steward, but not his perfidy. Let us imitate his cunning, but not his wickedness. As he was skilled in injuring others by his evil deeds, so must we be prepared in salutary knowledge, instructed and armed with all prudence; having on us the breastplate of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, and the impregnable shield of justice…For the unclean spirits, whom the Lord calls the children of this world, that is, the children of darkness, are oftentimes more prudent than the children of light, whom God, Who is Light, has deigned to call to be His children by adoption, being born again through the mysteries of the heavenly Baptism…..”

  28. AnAmericanMother says:

    I was out of town, landed among the Franciscans who are a bit wild and wooly and have a church (with all its furnishings) that is pure 1960s preserved in amber . . . BUT! they have Confession for 45 minutes before every Mass! And the Tabernacle very prominently placed! And a Holy Hour! And nobody looks twice at a veil or somebody who kneels to receive on the tongue! (this may be because there is a strong contingent of devout Nigerians, whose Church Ladies are more than a match for any New Jersey Irish Church Ladies). Got good counsel in the confessional and a solid homily on following St. Peter’s example and meeting Christ joyfully, and not to lose faith and sink but put out our hands to Him.

    . . . and the music actually wasn’t that bad.

  29. albinus1 says:

    The pastor of the parish where my wife and I attending Mass this morning was away, so there was a visiting priest. It was astonishing — no ad libbing! no “Good morning!”. Just say-the-black/do-the-red. I see it so seldom outside the EF that it was actually quite a shock, in a very refreshing way. His sermon focused on today’s Gospel reading and the necessity of trusting God.

  30. albinus1 says:

    I say I am just a convert because there is a cultural aspect to this Catholic thang that I will never get. For example, all the prayers and stuff that people learn as children are not part of me. “Angel of God, my guardian dear,” and all that.

    BPG–
    My wife (12 weeks as of yesterday!) is a convert. For many years I thought that I wanted to marry another cradle Catholic, precisely because of all the cultural aspects to which you refer — the experience of going to Catholic school, of going to Mass on holy days, of saying the rosary and other Catholic prayers, etc. But as I got older, and esp. after I met the woman who is now my wife, I realized that these things really are very secondary. I know so many cradle Catholics who have fallen away from the faith, and so many converts who are devout and who are interested in tradition, as my wife is. (We were married with an EF Nuptial Mass.) So, while the cultural aspects have value, and certainly provide a level of shared experience with others who were raised Catholic, I have found that they are far less important than the living practice of the faith.

  31. AnAmericanMother says:

    BPG,
    Never say “just a convert”! I’m one too, but I’m absorbing the customs as quickly as I can. And remember that “cultural Catholics” come in several flavors – Irish and Polish being the most prominent hereabouts – and that the cultural customs of one group are often strange to the other.

    Don’t be afraid to ask, with a smile, and folks will be happy to explain. Your reading is good – that will help a lot.

    As long as we’re quoting old songs — there’s one from Scotland, “The Laird o’ Drum”, that seems apropos. A beggar-maid (a convert of sorts) married the Laird at his insistence, and when he later threw up her low degree to her, she observed:

    “I tauld ye weel, ere we were wed,
    Ye were far aboon my degree, O.
    But noo we’re marrit and in ane bed,
    I’m just as good as ye, O.

    And when ye are deid, and I am deid,
    And baith in ae grave lain, O,
    Ere seven years hae come an’ gane,
    They’ll no’ tell yir dust frae mine, O.”

    . . . but I still think the saddest of the old songs is “In the Baggage Coach Ahead”.

  32. Bigaltarboy says:

    Our Priest had a great homily. It was about relying on God when we are in trouble. And if we are going to rely on God what better time to ask for these minor miracles then during the greatest miracle He does, turning bread into His own Divine Son. Then our priest asked the question, what are we supposed to be doing While the priest is praying the Eucharistic Prayer at the Altar. He informed everyone that we are to be praying, bringing our cares and concerns to God. That we should be focused not on what the priest is doing or how he is standing or even what words he is saying (many complain at our parish because he always uses EPI). but we should concentrate on the Cross, remembering that we are at Calvary, and then on Jesus, Himself present in the Eucharist. That the priest is taking these concerns and cares we bring all the prayers and lifts them up offering them with the sacrifice of the Divine Son. It was awesome to hear a priest assisting many to learn Liturgy!

  33. Banjo pickin girl says:

    Nah, that baggage coach thing doesn’t hold a candle to your canoe being sunk and your banjo unstrung because your true love has been sold down river to toil herself to death cutting sugarcane. (speaking of the Civil War…). And it being somebody’s life story to boot after he came across the Ohio River probably to the Rankin House before making it to Westerville.

    Thank you all for your comments. I am very lucky to have found a parish in my diocese with Communion at the rail, altar boys, priests who wear white and rattle when they walk (huge rosaries), mostly faithful homilies, daily confession times, visiting priests to keep things shaken up, friendly lay people (if you look like a stranger they introduce themselves), great music, conveniently located smack in the middle of the diocese. Albeit with too little parking. And three priests. They complain of course about overwork but if my home parish had the same ratio they would have 7 priests whereas they only have one and no deacons, plus a woman who is called a “pastoral minister” whatever that means.

    Whew, I need to go to bed now, I work tomorrow. Please pray I don’t get sick too much more, this is getting old (probably because I am getting old).

  34. Lori says:

    We were on vacation and went to Mass Saturday night out of town. The music was lame and the Tabernacle was enclosed in a room next to the alter. But the most amazing thing happened: For the first time ever (I’m 41 and a cradle Catholic), the Priest indicated there would be a kneeler available to receive the Eucharist while kneeling. So for the first time ever, I received while kneeling and actually got a little teary eyed. WOW. I am in awe and humbled to receive my GOD while kneeling.

  35. Seeing as a lot of us weren’t taught what we should have been… the benefit of knowing all this stuff from childhood hasn’t been as great as it might have been, for most of us younger cradle Catholics. :( Whereas OTOH, it’s a great boon to know that you don’t know. So when it comes to knowledge and formation of our souls, let all of us from both groups, as the man says, “Stay thirsty.” :)

  36. Fr. Z thanks for the opportunity to post good news!

    Our new parish priest celebrated his first mass in our parish yesterday and spoke about the real presence and the necessity of attending mass every Sunday. And he did it in a very easy going, non confrontational way, but he definitely got his point across.

    He’s a young priest (only been ordained for 5 years) and seems to be full of energy and excited. He spent the whole mass with a big smile on his face and you could tell he was excited about the mass.

    And… he said the black and did the red!

  37. AnAmericanMother says:

    BPG,
    I agree that they’re both very sad songs, so we’re just disputing over trifles (and I’ve known “Darling Nellie Gray” since I read about Pa playing it on the fiddle in Little House in the Big Woods).
    But the reason I think “In the Baggage Coach Ahead” is sadder is that it could happen to any of us. The grouchy people on the train complaining about the man with the crying baby could have included me, not knowing the tragedy behind it. It’s also based on a true story – the writer, Gussy Davis, was a former Pullman porter who wrote a number of songs based on his experiences with the railroad. He also wrote “Good Night, Irene” and “The Fatal Wedding”.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWDQ_9LKums&feature=related
    I pray that your health continues to improve (I ain’t no spring chicken myself!)

  38. John Nolan says:

    OF Solemn Mass in Latin. Music: Gregorian Chant, Byrd 4-part, motets by Guerrero and Hassler. Ad orientem, no altar girls, EMHC or handshake of peace. Everyone receives kneeling, most on the tongue. Nine-minute homily, properly prepared and thought-provoking. And it’s like this every Sunday, year after year. The Oratory, Brompton Road, London SW7 (a stone’s throw from Harrod’s). And if you can’t make the 11 a.m. Mass there’s Solemn Vespers and Benediction at 3.30 p.m. Oh, and an EF Mass every single day.

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