Did you hear a good point in the sermon for Sunday Mass?
Share it!
Fr. Z’s Podcasts RSS Feed
About this blog…
“This blog is like a fusion of the Baroque ‘salon’ with its well-tuned harpsichord around which polite society gathered for entertainment and edification and, on the other hand, a Wild West “saloon” with its out-of-tune piano and swinging doors, where everyone has a gun and something to say. Nevertheless, we try to point our discussions back to what it is to be Catholic in this increasingly difficult age, to love God, and how to get to heaven.” – Fr. Z
Coat of Arms by D Burkart
YOUR RECENT COMMENTS
- on So very cool that it needs its own post! VOYAGER 1 is TALKING AGAIN!: “Thanks Father Z, cosmology lesson as only you can impart.”
- on ROME 24/4– Day 35 (-6): adventures in symmetry: “Hmmm. Those kind of tassels have always reminded me of fancy curtain tiebacks so I have avoided making them but…”
- on So very cool that it needs its own post! VOYAGER 1 is TALKING AGAIN!: “Fr.Z sez: …The Voyagers are destined—perhaps eternally—to wander the Milky Way and then become characters in Star Trek…. V’ger!! https://youtu.be/gxAaVqdz_Vk?t=96”
- on So very cool that it needs its own post! VOYAGER 1 is TALKING AGAIN!: “Being from Florida, I remember when both Voyagers launched – you could see them from our house. At that time,…”
- on So very cool that it needs its own post! VOYAGER 1 is TALKING AGAIN!: “Too bad the Curia has drifted too far from its power source…”
- on So very cool that it needs its own post! VOYAGER 1 is TALKING AGAIN!: “Voyager 2 launched on 20 August 1977, from Cape Canaveral. Voyager 1 launched from Cape Canaveral on 5 September 1977.…”
- on So very cool that it needs its own post! VOYAGER 1 is TALKING AGAIN!: “I guess Voyager I gives new meaning to the poem High Flight. Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of…”
- on So very cool that it needs its own post! VOYAGER 1 is TALKING AGAIN!: “Now this is very interesting. Not just looking up at some small dots of light overhead!”
- on ROME 24/4– Day 34 (-7): The burial place of… PLATO?!?: “The final resting place of Plato puts me in mind of a memorable excerpt I once read about Aristotle in…”
- on ROME 24/4– Day 34 (-7): The burial place of… PLATO?!?: “Someone pointed out the St. George’s Day Google Doodle with its background account to me – with one of the…”
- on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: ““George Farmer, aka Candace Owen’s husband. He is a revert” If I’m reading the interview correctly, first a convert, then…”
- on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “Not to detract from anything Imrahill said, but well, the papally-attested infallible ordinary magisterium about a catholic truth, not the…”
- on So very cool that it needs its own post! VOYAGER 1 is TALKING AGAIN!: “Understatement of the year: they don’t make them like that anymore!”
- on So very cool that it needs its own post! VOYAGER 1 is TALKING AGAIN!: “What happened to Voyager 2? And what sort of “science” data will Voyager 1 soon be able to resume transmitting?…”
- on So very cool that it needs its own post! VOYAGER 1 is TALKING AGAIN!: “Not too shabby for a 77’ model.”
ABORTION PILL RESCUE NETWORK
Everyone, work to get this into your parish bulletins and diocesan papers.
Federated Computer… your safe and private alternative to big biz corporations that hate us while taking our money and mining our data. Have an online presence large or small? Catholic DIOCESE? Cottage industry? See what Federated has to offer. Save money and gain peace of mind.
Polls
Loading ...Use FATHERZ10 at checkout for 10% off
Donate using VENMO
GREAT BEER from Traditional Benedictine Monks in Italy
CLICK and say your daily offerings!
A Daily Prayer for Priests
NEW OPPORTUNITY – 10% off with code: FATHERZ10
Fr. Z’s VOICEMAIL
Nota bene: I do not answer these numbers or this Skype address. You won't get me "live". I check for messages regularly.
WDTPRS
020 8133 4535
651-447-6265
This REALLY helps! And it’s great coffee (and tea)
I use this when I travel both in these USA and abroad. Very useful. Fast enough for Zoom. I connect my DMR (ham radio) through it. If you use my link, they give me more data. A GREAT back up.
This blog has to earn its keep!
PLEASE subscribe via PayPal if it is useful. Zelle and Wise are better, but PayPal is convenient.
A monthly subscription donation means I have steady income I can plan on. I put you my list of benefactors for whom I pray and for whom I often say Holy Mass.
In view of the rapidly changing challenges I now face, I would like to add more $10/month subscribers. Will you please help?
For a one time donation...
To donate monthly I prefer Zelle because it doesn't extract fees. Use
frz AT wdtprs DOT comBe a “Zed-Head”!
PLEASE RESPOND. Pretty pleeeease?
Loading ...This is really useful when travelling… and also when you aren’t and you need backup internet NOW! I use this for my DMR “Zednet” hotspot when I’m mobile. It’s a ham radio thing.
If you travel internationally, this is a super useful gizmo for your mobile internet data. I use one. If you get one through my link, I get data rewards.
WDTPRS POLL
Loading ...Fr. Z’s stuff is everywhere
Help support Fr. Z’s Gospel of Life work at no cost to you. Do you need a Real Estate Agent? Calling these people is the FIRST thing you should do!
They find you a pro-life agent in your area who commits to giving a portion of the fee to a pro-life group!
GREAT causes to support
Help Monks in Wyoming (coffee – UPDATED LINK) and Norcia (beer) and the wonderful "Soap Sisters" of Summit, NJ!
Please follow me on Twitter!
Loading ...
“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: listen to him.”
The implication in the command to “listen” to Our Blessed Lord is that belief is not sufficient.
Nice homily from the deacon this morning – pondering what it must have been like for Peter, James, & John after the Transfiguration until the Resurrection, them wondering about all that had happened on that trip to the mountain and what it all meant. Tied-in a bit to Abraham (& Isaac) and their trip to the mountain and what they must have been thinking about it.
Had the opportunity to be in Worcester, MA in the evening and heard Bishop (emeritus) Reilly preach. I’ve heard him before and always come away better for the experience. Many good points in his homily. Spoke particularly about the Transfiguration – how we might not have the literal experience the three apostles did of God being revealed in their presence but we must remember that God reveals himself to us, particularly in the people he puts around us. Tied that into the role played in his formation by the presence of God revealed in the people in his life (particularly the Bishop’s own mother), as much by simple witness to Truth in behavior as by any fancy preaching in words. Tied all of that into how we should never be ashamed or afraid (especially in these trying times) to be Catholic, to live our Faith, to be willing to be instruments of God’s revelation to others.
Had a wonderful conversation with him at supper afterwards in the church hall. Touched on family, seminary, Vatican II, a mutual priest friend, vocations, music, worship. All along the evening, stopping to greet people, meet their children, offer blessings, consent to photographs, etc… Not for the first time I came away with the impression of him as a man who truly loves and is grateful for and is happy in his life and vocation. He lives out what he preached about being that little bit of Revelation to people around one’s self.
Father talked about the sin of envy and all its ramifications and how it leads to gossip which prompts other sins (calaumny, detraction, etc.) and how Satan, in his hatred, envies us and what we have and that we may go to heaven some day, so when we we envy others we are being like Satan.
Our dear Fr. Lemaster spoke about the Jewish feasts that were relevant to today’s Gospel; Yom Kippur and the Feast of Booths and how it was significant that the Apostles mentioned building tents for Christ. He also spoke about how Christ Himself transfigures once again for us at Mass. He mentioned the significance of Him being with Elias and Moses. Also spoke about how the high priest in the Temple would enter into the Holy of Holies and said the sacred name of God at the same time that Peter called Jesus the “Christ” and that this was six days earlier on Yom Kippur.
Today was a rare occurrence when Fr preached without notes; he quoted several verses and papal documents from memory, which was quite impressive.
It was also a nice day (save a minor maniple disaster) because this was the first time I served as MC for one of his High Masses; the usual MC served as thurifer today.
Father took the day’s readings and drafted an excellent pro-life homily from it. Despite the fact that he suffered from a cold which made his voice quite hoarse, he spoke forcefully about the current culture of death with its euthanasia on demand, death clinics, and planned mobile killing units as “pride, pure and simple”. How seriously do we take God and ourselves, he wondered, if we end life when we think it is done? The whole homily was a great composition in which he delved seriously into all three readings as well.
Father began by addressing the parish about how sick and tired he was with the media always portraying the Church as condemning homosexuals and those who use birth control. He stated, “The Church condemns no one. People condemn themselves by their actions which they know to be wrong.”
Then he addressed the issue regarding the denial of communion to the active lesbian. He noted that, perhaps, the Priests and Bishops should be repenting for the sins associated with silence over the last 50 years.
He followup up by addressing directly, and reminding, any homosexuals in the parish it is possible to live a celibate and chaste life, as he does. He said he found it quite freeing.
The whole thing was startling, coming from a normally mild mannered Priest, and refreshing at the same time. He received much applause (cringe), and about a hundred death stares. 25-35 people walked out. He kept going. It was amazing.
Fr Docherty at the EF Mass in Carlisle (UK) preached on the three mountains and the three virtues. Abraham’s readiness to obey the Lord on the mountain demonstrated Faith; the glimpse of Our Lord in his transfigured state on the mountain was about Hope; and Our Lord’s sacrifice on the mountain is the supreme work of Charity; and a fine sermon it was!
Homily was on the attack on the Church by putting the Bishops at odds with lay people. Made the point that it doesn’t matter what percentage of Catholics follow the teaching of the Church. If 97% lie does that make lying ok? Or if so many commit adultery is it no longer a sin?
Fantastic sermon, as usual, from Latin Mass priest Father David Jones near Kells. He spoke on how God and Mary, the Theotokos, give their graces and Presence to those They choose. And, Fr. Jones spoke on hell. In addition, he said a very interesting thing about how God does not want us to be isolated, but that there should be someone in the world who knows each one of us and knows our name. He spoke of the suicides of people who are not known. Ireland is one of the suicide capitols of the world, so the message is timely. People are isolated because of materialism, selfishness, fear and prejudice.
Great priest, great Mass, great sermon.
It was a food one. Monsignor focussed on the obedience of Abraham and Jesus and then turned the focus on us. How often do we listen and obey what God says (through his messenger-the Church) only if we agree with it, understand it, are not inconvenienced by it…if it doesn’t cost us anything?
Moses obeyed, even though he didn’t understand, even though he didn’t agree, even though the cost was great, even though it was not convenient. As a result he received many blessings.
We are not called to understand and agree, but to trust and believe.
There was more, but the bottom line was that you will know true freedom through humble obedience.
A Good one, not a food one. ……haven’t finished the first cup of coffee…
Melchisidech, Say hi to everyone at my old Trad Mass at St. Anthony’s in Davenport, Iowa. Miss you all….
Father preached on Satan attacking us when we’re near death. I paid attention because that happened to me. When I sick and at my weakest, thoughts entered my head that confused me. I thought I was wasting my time praying. The silence, the very cold absence of the presence of God was heavy.
Father pointed out that that’s why at the end of “Hail Mary” we pray, “…and at the hour of death.” That’s why Sister Faustina recommends certain prayers on the deathbed. That’s why St. Michael is invoked, at this time. And that’s why monks and friars gather around the dying brother and sing Salve Regina.
No one told me this before, and I was receiving Spiritual Direction, at the time. Maybe he did, but I was too self absorbed with my illness to hear it. Anyway, now I’ll be ready for when my real time comes. I was scared, not of dying, but being attacked by Satan again. Now I’ll know that that’s normal and expected of him.
Faith, good comment. I have had cancer and other complications, and people do not realize that when one is ill, it is very hard to pray. It is important for others to step in and pray for the sick and the dying.
At the EF Mass, Father spoke about mountains, referring to the Gospel about the Transfiguration on Mt Tabor. Mountains are important throughout Scripture, and he mentioned many of the instances of the Old Testament saints going up onto mountains. The Transfiguration strengthened the Apostles in preparation for Christ’s Passion.
Faith:
Sounds like Satan wants us to do what Job’s wife advised; “Curse God and die.”
I don’t remember Father’s homily, not one of his better ones. Or perhaps my dreadful cold prevented me from appreciating it. He almost always gives an excellent homily, and we are blessed to have him. We told our bishop so, when he came for the installation Mass.
Describing how the people, Christians, and most especially Catholics, have lost their way, forgotten who we are, and cannot remember the important things in life that made us who we are, how we act, how we pass on our faith, how we contribute in the public square, stand up for religious liberty, denounce the wicked and stand up for the weak, Father yesterday described the situation as spiritual Alzheimer’s.
I was visiting my local parish on Sunday (we are members at a much more orthodox parish about 30 minutes away). Anyway, Father gave a short (5 minute) homily about the importance of the corporal works of mercy, then said that he would decrease as another would increase. Then a lay person took the pulpit and preached for 15 minutes about the biblical mandate of tithing 10% of one’s gross income.
The priests at St. Francis de Sales Oratory in St. Louis have been looking at a Beatitude every Sunday. Yesterday, focusing on “Blessed be the merciful”, Father explained the difference between the “mercy” of the state and the Christian virtue of mercy. He explained that true mercy sprang from a love of God, and that the mercy of the state can even become murderous and oppose God when it does not flow from a love of Him.
I don’t know why it is that I can hear a sermon and appreciate it at the time it is delivered but that when asked to share the content of it the next day I find myself searching for it in a cloud. I heard two sermons Sunday, one at Mass at a Jesuit church, the other on televised Mass on EWTN. I can’t remember either one now.
I do remember the ‘sermonette’ that a priest gave at Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament at the local Carmelite Monstery, however. Reflecting on the words of the Almighty in the Gospel, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him,” Father (Tourville) encouraged the congregation to heed those words of the Father. “In silence, let us do just that: listen to him.”
Although it wasn’t a sermon, I happened to catch a an EWTN program on the radio last night featuring a panel hosted by Father Michael Scanlan of the University of Steubenville. They all made some excellent points about repentance and “metanoia” and penance and reconciliation during Lent which I found very salient and encouraging at the time…and which, again, I haven’t sufficient ability to recall except in a foggy way at this point.
Father gave a nice homily, one of the strongest I’ve ever heard. He spoke very clearly that no one has a right to satisfy “his biological urges.” Father was very forceful with it. He had a snarky little sarcastic bit about the “five nastiest words in the English language,” which are, according to him: Responsibility, Abstinence, and Morality. The homily was sublime, I tell you, full of raising of voice and almost violent gesticulations. He most certainly “brought it home,” several times and in several different ways, but he was still very tactful about it. He likened sexual abstinence to his almost physical addiction to alcohol, as he is a recovering alcoholic of twenty-two years and loves bourbon according to himself.
He also stomped all over the idea that the clergy, particularly bishops and cardinals and the Pope, “don’t live in the real world” and don’t understand “being relevant.” That was very nice to hear and you could almost hear the shame seeping out from the congregation.
He summarily got several handshakes and very nice comments after Mass in the narthex, of which one was mine. :D All in all, the best homily I’ve heard since converting.
Oh, and Father also expounded on the readings by using a really old St. Joseph’s Sunday Missal! That was very surprising.
Temptation transitioning to Transfiguration with help of our Father in Heaven.
Father described how Jesus had been in the desert for forty days undergoing temptations and was helped by angels. Then, he described how Jesus’ faithfulness brought Him to Mt. Tabor where He was changed, transfigured. Also, he pointed out Abraham’s having such faith that he was willing to sacrifice his only son Isaac at God’s request (test), his being rewarded for his faith, and becoming the father of generations as promised by God. Meaning that we need to consider how our faith can work for our lives if we recognize temptations and work to change those ways.
Our EF Mass sermon includes a catechesis on two of the commandments each of the first five Sundays of Lent, with reference to the readings. Plus something on the current attacks on religious freedom. This Sunday, quotes from Cardinal George’s recent letter:
http://www.catholicnewworld.com/cnwonline/2012/0226/cardinal.aspx
Yesterday, our dear parochial vicar preached the last of a very edifying, instructive and thorough series of five Sunday sermons on confession. Attending Mass for several decades, I don’t recall ever hearing sermons on this topic. He cited a couple of books which may be helpful to your readers: Frequent Confession by Benedict Baur, OSB and Pardon and Peace by Fr. Alfred Wilson, CP
Papabile (and others)
You are so fortunate to have a Priest who will address issues of the day in terms of what is moral vs what is sinful. Only when we are fortunate enough to attend the only TLM occasionally offered in this Diocese do we have a chance of hearing a good homily. Otherwise, in the parishes we can attend (very few given the rural nature of this Diocese and the travel distances involved) we are subjected to the fluff and feel good fodder too typical of Priests today. Hate to be a “downer” but that is the fact. The only weekly TLM once offered in our Diocese was squelched by the Diocesan “Administrator” (a retired Bishop) and the only other Priest with interest in saying the TLM (and with the “guts” to do so in spite of the Administrator’s opposition) is so very busy covering parishes with no Priest that at best he can offer the TLM at his home parish once a month. He is not afraid to address contemporary issues in light of true Church teaching but our opportunity to attend such Masses is very limited.
A priest never knows, whatever he may think of his homily in a given week, for whom in the parish it will be a knock-it-out-of-the-park home run. And I’m sure we’ve all been at Masses where the homily seemed so “made to order” for our present situation that all one can say is… whoa.
Our associate pastor, just ordained last summer, focused on the second reading, and “If God is for us, who can be against?” He observed that the very things in our lives that are causing us fear, anger, and frustration are probably the ones where we’re not trusting God and turning them over to Him. He suggested three steps: 1.) Go over your hardships and think about them. 2.) Go to confession! 3.) Make an act of trust. Say “Jesus, I trust in you,” because if God is for us, who can be against?
I began with Abraham, and explained the real meaning of the “test”–it wasn’t that God wanted Abraham to slay his son, or even that God needed to test Abraham; Abraham himself needed–and, while I didn’t say this in the homily, I think he wanted–to pass the test, after so many failures. The supreme test for Abraham had to be offering back to God what was most precious to him; his promise realized.
That is walking by faith, and I invited listeners to apply it to themselves–what is most precious to them?
Then I talked about the current situation and the threat to our institutions. I said: “brace yourselves: worse is coming.” Like Abraham we must be prepared to offer all we treasure back to God. We must dig our foundations very deep, or we will be swept away in the gathering storm.
(Note: at the 4 pm Mass, our students preparing for confirmation were present, as they were beginning a retreat, as were our boy scouts, who had a dinner after that Mass. I hoped this would inspire them.)
The Archbishop asked all his priests to introduce the annual “Catholic Ministry Appeal” this past weekend. He offered a CD of his own homily to play, but I think it’s more effective if I make the appeal, live, rather than his Excellency, via a CD. So I included several paragraphs on the needs at issue, which is what his homily did as well.
I also urged folks not to despair, recalling St. Paul’s words, “If God is for us, who can be against us” as well as God’s promise to Abraham, that he would defeat Abraham’s enemies.
Clicking my name here is supposed to take you to my site if you care to read it.
We got a roughly 60 second homily, which was actually no more than an intro to the video from our Abp., explaining to us the need for our contributions to his annual appeal. Following that, the priest then talked us through filling out the forms passed out by the ushers. This is the second year they’ve done that, and I find it offensive, all the more for the fact that we have been exceeding our quota.
I am jealous of those who actually had homilies.
Father talked about the two mountain Tabor and Calvary. Jesus was preparing the disciples for Calvary with a moment of wonder at Tabor. Moses represented the law and Elijah represented the prophets. We got a word for word quote from the Preface and how it tied in with the gospel readings. Reference to the other prayers at Mass is happening quite often since the new translation was implemented. We were told to cherish the good times in life. They help get us through the hard times.
At Sacred Heart in Dunn, NC, Fr. P related the absolutely mind-blowing experience the apostles had at The Transfiguration and how we can actually experience the same through the Sacraments of Holy Communion and Confession, along with Adoration. Christ knew the apostles needed this experience in preparation for His Passion – as we need the Sacraments and Adoration today as the forces against the one true church are gaining strength and will put us to the test sooner rather than later. We need to come closer to God. It was a moving sermon – one in which I wish had a copy . His sermons are always terrific. We are blessed.
Faith, I don’t know if you’ve come across it before, but you might like His Litany to the Holy Spirit by Robert Herrick (which is in the new LOTH):
In the hour of my distress,
When temptations me oppress,
And when I my sins confess,
Sweet Spirit comfort me!
When I lie within my bed,
Sick in heart, and sick in head,
And with doubts discomforted,
Sweet Spirit comfort me!
When the house doth sigh and weep,
And the world is drown’d in sleep,
Yet mine eyes the watch do keep,
Sweet Spirit comfort me!
Whe the artless doctor sees
No one hope but of his fees,
And his skill runs on the lees,
Sweet Spirit comfort me!
When his potion and his pill,
Has or none or little skill,
Meet for nothing, but to kill,
Sweet Spirit comfort me!
When the passing-bell doth toll,
And the Furies in a shoal
Come to fright a parting soul,
Sweet Spirit comfort me!
When the tapers now burn blue,
And the comforters are few,
And that number more than true,
Sweet Spirit comfort me!
When the priest his last hath prayed,
And I nod to what is said,
‘Cause my speech is now decayed,
Sweet Spirit comfort me!
When (God knows) I’m toss’d about,
Either with despair or doubt,
Yet before the glass be out,
Sweet Spirit comfort me!
When the Tempter me pursu’th
With the sins of all my youth,
And half damns me with untruth,
Sweet Spirit comfort me!
When the flames and hellish cries
Fright mine ears and fright mine eyes,
And all terrors me surprise,
Sweet Spirit comfort me!
When the Judgment is revealed,
And that open’d which was seal’d,
When to Thee I have appeal’d,
Sweet Spirit comfort me!
On Sunday Father Tim explained how Peter’s desire to make tents for Our Lord, Moses, and Elisha was the desire to make lasting structures, to make the event permanent. He then tied this to our own lives and how we experience moments of joy or happiness or goodness and want them to remain, to stay in our lives. He used the Transfiguration to show how these moments are ‘glimpses’ of Heaven, and cannot last in this life but are visions of what we can have in Eternity with God.
We were reminded that Sunday is part of Lent and not a “free” day.
I can’t remember the exact words of our priest, but it was to the effect that the Church had got it horribly wrong after Vatican II in trying to compromise with the world. We have gained nothing by it, but rather are now increasingly persecuted.
I fully agree with him!
I assisted at Mass in the Extraordinary Form at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh, NC. Fr. Paul Parkerson, who celebrated a dignified Low Mass with music, gave a flawless homily on the Transfiguration. He didn’t mince words regarding the government’s assault on our religion and how we must be prepared to suffer and fight. It was the first time I had ever heard a priest say, from the pulpit, that contraception and abortion are and always have been innately evil. He challenged those who, for whatever reason, take issue or disagree with one or more of the Church’s teachings, to think long and hard before exalting the ego in the face of 2,000 years of Truth. Amen!
Father Pasley at Mater Ecclesiae in Berlin, NJ actually spoke about the sin of contraception! It is the FIRST time in my life I have ever heard a priest speak against it from the pulpit. It really made my day.
Our priest in Mclean VA gave a pretty solid homily on the similarities between the conflict between St Thomas More (our Diocesan patron), St. John Fischer and Henry VIII, and the current HHS mandate threat to our religious liberty. He urged us to emulate St. Thomas More in his holiness, integrity, joy, and patriotism.
The opener was “Why do we hear a story of excitement and glory in The Transfiguration on this Second Sunday of Lent?”, since we’re so used to messages of penance, conversion, etc during this time…
He tied the end of Mark’s previous chapter (“take up your cross”) to say we must do the hard work of serving/loving our neighbor. And so that we don’t get discouraged, six days later he shows his disciples a glimpse of Heaven and hear His Father’s voice.
He summarized by tieing the two together: listening to Jesus in this life and not being ashamed of him, will lead us to eternal happiness.
Been itching to post this since yesterday…. Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Ill., during Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, had an excellent two-pronged homily. The first part touched on the obedience God asked of Abraham and how real freedom means the freedom to do what is right. Which segued nicely into a discussion of the HHS mandate and how it’s not really about contraception but about religious freedom.
Then (it gets better!) the Bishop then took the opportunity to remind everyone that — all that said — the Church DOES teach that contraception is wrong and there are reasons behind this which he didn’t have time to get into today, but planned on exploring in his diocesan newspaper/website column in the coming weeks. Mainly his emphasis here was simply to ask people to be more open to learning the reasons for this teaching instead of dismissing it out of hand, or tuning it out because the clergy don’t understand what it’s like to raise children (he noted that he was the third of nine children and he remembers helping his parents out changing diapers, etc. for his younger siblings). I thought it was very well done without imparting “too much information” either in volume or content, and I look forward to seeing what more he has to say in the near future.
@RebelPaw
the “biblical mandate of tithing 10%” was set aside when Christ introduced the new law. Someone should tell the Priest this, and certainly inform the layperson who “preached”.
I wonder why the Lectionary for this week’s Sunday readings leaves a fairly important and meaningful chunk of the Abraham-Isaac sacrifice story on the cutting room floor. I know plenty of people who point to this particular Old Testament episode and say “This God of yours is an evil sadist. How can you love a God who would ask a man to sacrifice his son like that?”
What is left out of the readings is an excellent answer to that misunderstanding, especially in light of its pairing with the Transfiguration account in the gospel reading. What is left out of the Genesis reading is, perhaps, one of the greatest, and most pathos-laden prophesies of the Old Testament: Isaac, his shoulders loaded down with the wood which will be the instrument of his sacrifice, on his way up the hill where the sacrifice will take place (ring any bells?) looks around and innocently asks Abraham “Where is the [lamb|victim] to be sacrificed?” Abraham, must have winced, knowing what he was about to do, and painfully recalling that his son had been provided to him in an extraordinary grace from God, and unaware that his answer will be quite literally fulfilled a thousand years later, replies “God himself will provide the [lamb|victim].” Of course, we hear in the reading, God stays Abraham’s hand from his dire task, and fulfills Abraham’s prediction by providing a ram instead of Isaac to be sacrificed. But, lo, flash forward to Mount Tabor, and Jesus, transfigured into the pure, spotless white visage (which prefigures how he will appear to us until the end of time under the veil of whiteness that is the Eucharist), and God, to underscore the point reminds all those present that “This is my son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.” Here God fulfills Abraham’s unwitting prophesy yet again, providing HIS only begotten son, the pure, white, spotless, innocent Lamb of God, as a sacrifice of atonement so that we might be reconciled with Him, and have life.
It puzzles me that the O.T. reading was stripped of such a powerful linkage to the new testament reading this week. In baseball terms, this would be a high fast pitch over the middle of the plate.
@Papabile – thanks – I’ve made that argument ad nauseum over the years to no avail. Unfortunately liturgical abuses this past Sunday were numerous, including the lay homily, the use of EMHC’s to purify sacred vessels after Communion, standing during the Eucharistic prayer, etc. Its unfortunate because this has gone on for years. Luckily for my family, we have a good, orthodox parish with a great pastor about 30 minutes away, so it was unusual that I ended up at there for Mass.
The one point I could remember from Sunday’s sermon was that we should spend Lent ‘keeping our eyes fixed on heaven’. Heaven is our goal, and it should be in our minds and thoughts in spite of the troubles and trials that come our way in this life.
This life is temporary, Father said; in heaven we will see God as He is, face to Face.
I had to concentrate hard and listen to what he said. One of our two new babies was howling incessantly in the back pews (I sit in the front one for that very reason). Luckily he was taken outside by his mother so that the priest could focus on his sermon. I was surprised that the little one was not exhausted by all the squalling he did–as well as amazed by the mother’s patience!
Although I am a relative newcomer to this blog and am just finishing my RCIA classes, this question which Father Z poses is one of my favorites, as I read the responses from various members and get fresh perspectives through their homilies.My Catholic husband and I have been attending the TLM at a church within an hours drive from our home. We get a thought provoking,sometimes brief, but always strong homily. This past week the priest focused on the difficult but continuing challenge to be holy, that just despite two thousand years having passed since the Transfiguration on Mt. Tabor, it is still relevant to us today. Much of what others have mentioned here in their homilies was also touched on, but I personally remember that our priest emphasized our constant need to strive to be like Jesus, to try to be holy, so that our hearts can be white as the driven snow and as bright as the sun. Our reward in Heaven will be worth all the struggles.
I was heartened to read about Papile’s priest, who delivered his sermon despite “death stares” and people walking out. Let them go..let them see the Church is going to stand up for its beliefs, not adjust them to make everyone feel good. As I prepare to convert, I don’t expect the Church to change for me but realize that I will have to work on myself to be worthy of my new faith. Nor does it help me to send conflicting messages about where the Church stands on issues. My husband and I choose to attend a church to which we have a relatively long, stressful drive, but we feel we will get the straight story, as it were, and priests who aren’t afraid to tell it. I pray for all priests as they face the current challenges ahead of them. We need their strength and wisdom to guide us, and they need to feel our support and love as they stand up for their convictions.