PODCAzT 59: Leo the Great on Pentecost fasting; Benedict XVI’s sermon for Pentecost Sunday

Today is Thursday in the Octave of Pentecost, or at least it ought to be in in the Novus Ordo as it is in the older, Traditional Roman Calendar. 

This is the fourth PODCAzT for the Pentecost Octave.

Thanks to your feedback for the last couple days I decided to do continue.  Your donations helpd inspire me also! Seriously.

Today we learn what St. Leo the Great (+461) thought about the fasting Christians should engage in after Pentecost, in other words on the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of this very week!  These are our Ember Day’s those beautiful days which helped Catholics for may centuries regulate the rhythm of their lives in the consecration of the seasons of the year, and learn to use God’s creation with moderation.  Leo has a fascinating insight about how we cannot truly be Christians, in a deeper sense, without fasting and almsgiving.  These two necessary practices, shape in inner man in WisdomSapientia.

Then we hear the Pentecost sermon of Pope Benedict XVI, now gloriously reigning.  He speaks about the diversity of our Church which must, as a necessary characteristic have unity, without which a group cannot truly be called a Church.  This has ecumenical implications, bet on it!

Of course, I have lots of comments along the way.

For music,
there is a festive paschal Alleluia from the Catheral of Notre Dame in Paris, just to remind us of the connection of Easter and Pentecost.  We have some Gregorian chant from the Monastery of Sant’Antimo is Tuscany, an Alleluia: Veni Sancte Spiritus and also the Sequence Veni Sancte Spiritus, which is one of my very favorite of all the chants of the year.  Also, there is a text of Hildegard von Bingen, an O Sapientia.  Moreover, Thomas Tallis’s Loquebantur variis linguis helps us stay focused on what this Octave is about.

Finally, we have a prayer invoking the help of the Holy Spirit, appropriate in this Octave of Pentecost.

Again, your feedback will determine if I keep this up for the rest of the Octave.


http://www.wdtprs.com/podcazt/08_05_15.mp3

 

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

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

  1. Irenaeus says:

    Please please please keep podcasting these! I’m learning so much.

  2. Irenaeus says:

    please please keep podcating these — I’m learning so much!

  3. Hetty says:

    I wish I could hear your talks, Father. I don’t seem to be able to make it work. God bless.

  4. Hetty: There were several ways to listen.

    Click the arrow on the player.

    Download the file and listen later, perhaps putting it on an mp3 player or CD, as some do.

    Or play it in a pop up window.

    The links to these actions are on the player embedded in the entry.

    Of course… you need working speakers to play it on the computer. 

     

  5. JML says:

    Father

    Please do continue. These get downloaded to my Zune and are especially listened to on the road trips.

    I must confess, though, my favorite is still the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar. Could the Gloria and Creed be next???

  6. Bruce says:

    Thank you for this excellent series of podcasts, please continue !

  7. Piers-the-Ploughman says:

    Excellent. Pope Leo’s sermon was inspiring. Thank you for allowing us to keep Pentecost for more than just a day.

  8. Toronto Seminarian says:

    Thanks for another amazing edition of your Pentecost Octave PodcaZts. Please, please keep posting them. I’ll be on the road for the next few days but I’m looking forward to catching up on the next couple once I get back!

  9. Coletta says:

    Dear Father Z, God bless you for the Pentecost podcazt.
    I have only my prayers to send to you, but you will have them I promise.
    May God bless and keep you.

  10. SuzyQ says:

    It has been an absolutely crazy day and I just got home (at 11:00pm) so I haven’t been able to listen to today’s podcazt yet. I do have it downloaded and transferred on to my mp3 player, though. I have the day off tomorrow and plan to listen or re-listen to podcazts from this week … a podcazt-a-thon!

    Thank you for taking the time to make these and know that your effort is much appreciated. You are in my prayers.

  11. London Calling says:

    Dear Fr Z,

    You asked for feedback on the Pentecost podcasts. Here is how they struck me.

    Monday … outstanding: informative, balanced, thought-provoking
    Tuesday … mediocre, the less said about this one the better
    Wednesday … as on Monday: informative, inspiring
    Thursday … brilliant — and a salutary spur to get to confession

    Three out of four, especially when these podcasts are being recorded in quick succession, is truly admirable.

    Thanks, Fr Z, for making these podcasts. Best wishes and prayers from a faithful listener.

Comments are closed.