Was there a good point in your Sunday sermon? What was it?
Today I said Mass the 9:15 Novus Ordo at a parish which, for the first time, had Mass in the older, traditional form, at 7:30. (I think it was the 3rd time I had said Mass with the Novus Ordo since last October.) The TLM is now, as of today, a regular feature in that Sunday schedule. I would have had Mass downtown, but the rector summarily terminated the TLM. Therefore, I briefly spoke to the 9:15 congregation about the whys and wherefores of Summorum Pontificum, what Benedict XVI did and wanted to do.
I then addressed the yoke Our Lord speaks of, and the difference between subjugation as the world knows it and as Our Lord knows it, explaining that the Lord, in being meek Himself, wasn’t therefore timid. He bore horrible wrongs patiently while even occasionally using spectacularly harsh language and even, once, a whip of cords to correct people. His ways, harsh as they could be, or gentle, were always the best ways for the moment, place and people involved. If they were not converted or moved, it wasn’t the Lord’s fault, for His choices of correction were always perfect. Then, it is a work of mercy also for us to bear wrongs patiently. Among the Fruits of the Holy Ghost are patience and mildness, not to be confused with timidity or weakness. Thus, in our subjugation to the Lord’s way of things, we mustn’t be quick to lash out when perceiving our selves to be wronged. Furthermore, those in authority over others, such as parents over children, should try to correct in a manner appropriate for the time, place and person, now harsh, now gentle as the circumstances dictate.
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The priest actually mentioned the Hobby Lobby ruling.
Before Mass someone did the announcements, as usual, and to my surprise said we should be grateful to the Hobby Lobby folks for filing their lawsuit.
Then during the sermon the priests remarked how great the SCOTUS ruling in protecting our rights. Don’t normally hear stuff this political in church.
The sermon was about how fortunate we are to live in America (being as Indepedence Day was this week) and how immigrants are dying to come here. The priest, who is an immigrant himself, wants us to welcome immigrants so they can enjoy the same Hobby Lobby rights and opportunities we have.
No. We had to go to our local church and got a “nice” generic homily. Blah.
BTW, a serious shout-out to the priests who strive to teach, exhort and challenge us. Thank you! Nothing like getting mush to remind me how good authentic teaching is.
No good note to report, as an ill child meant the night turned to day and the morning has gone very rough, such that the family has not gotten to mass yet. With the ill child being 18 months, and thus incapable of being reasoned with, and the other 3 children craving the usual Sunday routine and growing irritable from the schedule deviation, it was quite providential to read your reminder about using appropriate corrective action at the appropriate time. Thank you Fr. Z!
Thoughtful and necessary sermon from one of our newly ordained priest, Father Chris Young, former Anglican minister.
He emphasized the need for mortification and understanding that it is only through Christ that we are saved. He reminded the congregation that Christ is the only creator of a world religion Who Is the Son of God, the Son of Man, of the House of David.
No compromising here…some of the congregation squirmed when Father noted that Catholicism was the only religion (outside Judaism) to have been instituted by God, and not a man, such as Buddha, Mohammed and others. Yes, he did mention these by name.
Our priest mentioned that a yoke was commonly used for two oxen. Therefore Jesus is beside us helping to pull the weight.
Oh, Father, how our world needs to hear a sermon such as you gave today! And, even more, to have some concrete applications provided, for we almost never see anyone demonstrating that proper use of authority. Everyone has been feminized, worrying too much about feelings or others’ opinions. Our whole world races to ruin because virtually no one is corrected or held accountable for his actions anymore!
The priest at my parish focused on the gospel reading. He said that one of the Roman at the time of Jesus had the image of Caesar on one side and on the other side an image of an ox, along with two smaller images on either side of the animal – one was a field of grain which showed the drudging life many oxen had of hard work and the other was of an altar where oxen were sacrificed. Father P. said that Jesus would have been familiar with this coin. He also said that, as a carpenter, Our Lord would have made many yokes for oxen and that each yoke would be uniquely constructed to fit each individual ox – in other words, as no two oxen are the same so no two yokes could be the same. Unlike the two miserable alternatives the Roman oxen had, we – God’s “oxen” – are each given a unique yoke from Christ that is easy for us to bear because He yokes Himself to us (oxen were normally yoked together in pairs) and the yoke He makes for us connected to Him is bearable.
Oh, yes – one more thing. At the end of Mass, Fr. P mentioned that his assistant – Fr. M – had broken his ankle playing soccer and saw that as suggestive of God’s opinion of soccer :)
Oops! That should be “one of the Roman *coins* at the time of Jesus”.
Fr Scott Jablonsky, ordained a priest for 9 days now, has rapidly acquired a reputation as a good homilist. He spoke about how Jesus as our King provides even for our physical needs, including our needs for peace and for rest. Focusing on these topics he spoke of how God’s kingdom brings peace, and God intended the Davidic kingship to be an example to other nations of good governance that would bring peace not so much by force of arms but by attracting other countries to also desire similar good and wise governance. God brings peace to the world through the growth of persons in holiness. And God gives rest, calling us to sabbath rest here on earth and to the true rest which is not just worldly vacation time but resting in doing God’s will, and there will be an eternal sabbath rest in heaven.
EF: To let go of fear, practice prayer and penance.
My homily was partly an introduction of myself, as this is my first weekend in this parish. The departure of the prior pastor (for a new assignment), who did an excellent job, is an occasion for both sadness and concern about a new pastor, so I wanted to try to address those concerns.
About the Gospel and the epistle, I talked about how being governed by the Spirit contrasts with being “in the flesh” — and this latter I lined up with those “wise and learned” ones who don’t get the “hidden” things of God; because to the worldly, God’s ways are nonsensical or unreasonable. I referred to Sinatra’s “My Way” as a great song, but a terrible spirituality; the “little ones” are those who realize “my way” falls flat; we need Jesus’ way. And I reminded everyone that today — that moment at Mass — was an opportunity to make that humble submission to the Lord.
Then I talked about the first reading, and the ass on which the Messiah rides — fulfilled on Palm Sunday — to talk about my role: as the donkey who brings Jesus to people. Not a bad thing! Why shouldn’t all of us be happy to be the servant who brings Jesus to others?
Funny that, considering this is the first Sunday in a while I’ve been able to attend the TLM!
Homily was great, ‘only when we properly recognize our sinfulness and dependence upon Christ will Christ say ‘do not be afraid’ and bestow His grace upon us. It is good to acknowledge our sinful state, but at the same time recognize that sin is no barrier to approaching Christ.’
That, and because of the former chaplain retiring and vacation times taking most other priests away, there are supposedly six Sundays from mid-July to late-September where the congregation currently has no priest to offer the TLM. I guess you really do have to fight to keep it going.
Father Luis Runde spoke regarding the organization Food for the Poor, and organization that provides food and other emergency relief to Latin America and the Caribbean. in 2013 96.4% of donations went to programs and 0.7% to administration (the remainder was for fundraising). No executives with $500K salaries here.
Mine was on the Sin of Idolatry.
It was quite good and I take no credit. The Holy Spirit took me over.
What is the worst of all sins? It is the sin of Idolatry.
The victims are the youngest among us.
The false notion of freedom as freedom to do what we want versus the freedom to do what is right is idolatry.
We see it everywhere … (e.g.’s from middle east, SW border, American false notions of freedom).
I can provide detail later but running over to Mom’s for poached salmon.
An analogy between our Lord’s invitation and Emma Lazarus’ poem and the welcome of the Statue of Liberty. The statue has welcome exiles for many generations. She continues to give welcome though now from those teeming to break free from other places of the world.
Sometimes in our Church we are not welcoming. We put up arbitrary conditions and requirements before people may receive sacraments. Rather, we need to meet people where they are.
I thought this an excellent point, calling to mind the requirement that an innocent child in her mother’s womb must hit an arbitrary stage of human growth along a continuum, or, be regarded in some official capacity as smart enough, fair haired, boy, or non gay, or, healthy enough, or affordable, before we permit them to be with us in communion and afford them all the sacraments of the Church. I agreed with our Deacon homilist that the arbitrary and non scientific methodology of putting our conditions and demands upon others before we agree as a people to give welcome to them as fellow human beings has got to stop.
I just read this from Zenit:
Christ, Pope Francis noted, “promises to give refreshment to all, but there is also an invitation, which is like a commandment: ‘Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.’”
“Once you have received the refreshment and comfort of Christ, we are called in turn to become refreshment and comfort for our brothers and sisters, with a meek and humble attitude, in imitation of the Master.”
This meekness and humility, Pope Francis said, helps restrain us from imposing upon others “our own personal views, our judgements, our criticisms our our indifference.”
Concluding his address, the Pope invoked the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking that she help us to be a relief to those who need help, tenderness, and hope.
The Stupidity Of Some Really Smart People:
There are many out there who think that they know more than God (and certainly more than the Church!)—and this leads them, unfortunately, to advocate and support certain foundational ideas that, quite frankly, are really stupid:
1. Because some people will do the wrong thing, we have to give everyone the tools and the help they need to do the wrong thing.
2. Because some people will do the wrong thing, we have to legalize the wrong thing so that people can do the wrong thing “safely.”
3. Human life begins whenever we say it begins.
4. Directly killing an innocent human being can be an act of compassion and love.
5. A choice can be considered good without any reference whatsoever to the “object” of the choice.
6. Marriage is whatever you say it is—unless you say that it’s exclusively between one man and one woman. In that case, marriage is NOT what you say it is!
You can see it fleshed out here: http://fatherrays.blogspot.com/
EF: Duc in altum is the Gospel.
Peter, by himself, is nothing, but with the help of God, is something great.
Father told us that we are all like the “little ones”, and whoever causes one of these little ones to sin it would be better if he were not born. The he told us parents that if we did not bring or children who cannot make it on their own to confession, that we are endangering ourselves to hell for not bringing them to receive the graces they need to learn and grow in the faith.
This is my first time writing, our parish celebrates the latin mass in the morning, and the novus ordo mass Ad Orientem.
EF Mass. Father made three points : 1) listen and follow Our Lords directions and do not be afraid; 2) Our Lord accompanies us in out task; 3) Stressed the beauty of Peters reaction after landing with a bountiful harvest, i.e. being unworthy. Peter did not immediately, or ever, calculate the value of the harvest nor did he ever suggest to go out to the deep waters and get even more. He replied with great humility and is an example for all of us.
Father (FSSP) spoke on modesty, since it is summer. It is a mortal sin to dress with the intent of eliciting lust in another, even if the attempt is not successful. Venial if you do not realize what you are doing. He gave specific details on requirements and also mentioned that if a visitor is not modestly attired, not to mention it, since they are most likely unaware. They will pick up on the fact that they are dressed differently and adjust accordingly.
I went to traditional Latin Mass (sort of by accident) at a parish that until recently has been run by a religious order. Today was the first Sunday for the new parochial administrator, who said that he wanted to help the parish become ONE parish that offered Latin and NO Mass, not two separate groups that operated out of hte same building, and asked for people to come forward and be part of something new and make it thrive for the glory of God. Many biblical allusions, etc., but I thought that in itself was very stirring and a real vision of what the Church should be — not different “types” of Catholics but all of us Catholic together, yet still having the NO (in the vernacular and Latin) and the EF. Last week I was at Mass at a parish struggling with incorporating Spanish-speaking people in it — there aren’t many yet, but they want to keep it one parish and not the “regular” parish and “the Spanish speaking people.” These strike me as the kind of thing Catholic churches should be doing.
Today our homily was given by a priest, 2 years post ordination, and just assigned to the Cathedral. He gave a short bio, being raised Southern Baptist, converted to Catholicism at age 20, eventually investigated a Carmelite group, then made his way north to Washington, discerned a call to the priesthood, and now is two years as a diocesan priest.
He spoke on all the readings, but concentrated on the Gospel. He allowed of his own constant battle with pride, and proposed that we all throw off the yoke of sin, pride being number one, and take on the yoke of Christ, it being true humility and meekness. I had always had difficulty with perceiving the meaning and/or reality of Christ’s yoke until today. As Fr. Hiner spoke, I had one of those “Holy Spirit” moments, comparing the heavy, constant, wearying weight of the yoke of sin with the lightness and peacefulness of the yoke of true humility and true meekness of Christ. I know which yoke I want.
Peace and God bless.
Our parish priest / pastor had an emergency hernia operation during the week so mass was said by a priest who has just completed his first year of priesthood and was home to see his parents (who live in the parish) for the weekend before he takes his holiday with brother priests from his seminary class.
The only variance from the missal was his ‘good morning’ greeting at the beginning of Mass (after the sign of the cross and ‘the Lord be with you’) although whether this falls into his introductory remarks? He sung the propers and the doxology, which helped because in this parish they have screens up showing the order of mass – which just encourages people to say everything, every single word of the RESPONSORIAL psalm, the doxology, etc.
This parish is full of the kind of people who speak about having an ‘adult faith’ and not being supplicants etc – so the homily was on our need to be as children before the Lord and the importance of the Eucharist. The homily was quite engaging – weaving in a story of the local school in his first year of priesthood – a small child preparing for first holy communion asked “if God is already in us, then why do we need to receive holy communion?”.
OF Mass: If we take on the yoke of Jesus, then we follow Him in our work life, our financial decisions, our family life, marital intimacy*, social interactions, political decisions.
*To me that’s even better than simply mentioning contraception as there are other temptations to grave sin in this area that need to be considered, though not mentioned explicitly.
Sounds like some priests and laity had an eventful week in your town regarding the transfer of the EF Mass from its prior site to the new one. Glad that it worked out so the EF continues to be offered.
Our diocese had its annual Military Mass. I was in a 4th degree Knights of Columbus Honor Guard with a man who lost a son in Afghanistan. The Bishop’s homily was on humility in all aspects of our lives. He related it to Medal of Honor winners, who though doing the most extraordinary acts of heroism, remain deeply humble at the reception of the award. It was an altogether beautiful homily and Mass.