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“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
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EF. Father focused on the epistle. He lamented the culture’s insistence on “following your passions,” “letting go,” and “waving your hands in the air like you don’t care (with appropriate gestures).” He said that this is against the message of the Cross. In Christ Crucified, we do not see Christ moving about here and there, but rather, we see his hands and feet nailed to the Cross for our salvation. We must also be bound to the Cross if we are to be Christian.
He also emphasized the need for the use of our brains, above other faculties. He said that man, created in God’s image and likeness, has his brain is above his heart, stomach, and reproductive organs. The brain is supposed to take charge, unlike animals where everything (brains, heart, stomach, and reproductive organs) is on the same level.
The Transfiguration beacons us to enter into a deeper union with Our Lord, so that we are not over taken by the scandal of the crosses in our own lives.
i was looking forward to a homily by the bishop on the Transfiguration but alas he was not there. The Cathedral Rector’s homily I don’t remember much except for some routine observations and information about the Transfiguration such as it occurred when Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem for His Passion and wanted to give Peter, James and John a glimpse of His risen glory so they would be strengthened when they would have to see Him in His humiliation and suffering at Calvary. The last part of the homily was that you should give to the Annual Catholic Appeal which he knows we will because we always give 2-3x more than the diocese’s target for our giving. It’s a good point because it pertains to one of the precepts of the Church. We did sing the Credo in Latin and some other things in Latin.
I looked up why the bishop was not here, and in fact he was spending several days at the FSSP seminary for subdiaconate ordinations (I looked up how many subdeacons that is on the seminary website: 12!), though clearly he was there for more than that since it doesn’t take several days to make subdeacons. Maybe he was giving them some Lenten conferences. Or making a little retreat himself. Studying liturgy with them maybe. Or visiting with them as a leisurely way as friends. But maybe he will invite the FSSP here? If they have priests available I would think they would want to since he repeatedly helps them in these ways.
Fr Bryan started a series of sermons on the need for confession. He announced he would be preaching on the sacrament throughout Lent in conjunction with “The Light is on For you” Lenten program of expanded hours for confession –to which Father Bryan has added weekly adoration at the same time. He made this announcement in the sermon and then took a child on a “field trip” and had the kid examine the confessional and asked if it were scary and a few other questions. HE then spoke about the need for confession.
I am already looking forward to next week’s sermon on the topic.
EF Mass. Gospel on the Transfiguration.
Oddly, Father did not speak so much on the Gospel but on one of Fr. Z’s favorite topics: The Four Last Things. He said we should be thinking of death frequently. . . even daily. He reminded everyone that there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who are in a state of grace and those who are in a state of mortal sin. Be in a state of grace.
There were so many excellent points made by Fr A in today’s OF mass sermon, I am forgetting already.
1 ) In Latin version of some Gospels about the Transfiguration, the text says that Jesus “assumes” Peter, James and John up the mountain, instead of “he took them with him climbing up the mountain”—“Assúmpsit Iesus Petrum, et Iacóbum, et Ioánnem fratrem eius” is what I see on Sancta Missa website. So, one can imagine something a little different….?
2) In the Basilica of the Transfiguration in the Holy Land, there are trams winding their way up Mount Tabor, and it can take a while. Today, there were some new chanters at mass singing a tract, and Fr said in the older form during Lent there is a sung tract between the Epistle and the Gospel which can be of variable length, even up to 15-20 minutes! The idea is not to be looking at your watch, wondering “when it is going to end”, but to forget oneself and time, and slowly ascend up the mountain to be in the clouds with God.
3 ) He said the altar is supposed to be elevated, like the mountain, and when the priest elevates the Host and the Chalice it is like the transfiguration, when the bread and wine undergo transubstantiation.
4) Fr. spoke of the Beatific vision, when we will be able at last to behold the face of Jesus—we may recognize Him and regret that we did not adore Him enough in the Eucharist, His humble Form when we were living here on earth.
Went to my first TLM. Msgr spoke about how at the Transfiguration the apostles were given a glimpse of heaven and how when we receive Communion in a state of grace we also offered a vision of heaven.
I’ve been to two funerals Masses; one Sunday obligatory Mass and I listened to Fr. Scalia’s homily and I can’t get it out of my mind. So Fr. Scalia’s is the best homily delivered at a funeral EVER! It was more for US than his father.
Fr took us through an examination of conscious and told us of the great need for confession and
a good confession. Very well done, and quite frankly, it really should be done in the other local
churches around here…a great need.
The mountain top is a place to get away from the hustle a bustle of life and encounter God. Such encounters in the bible often happen on mountain tops.
Peter James and John are with Jesus on Mt. Tabor and the same 3 are with him in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Transfiguration is a preparation for the Garden and for Jesus’ passion.
Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament. This is the transition from the old covenant to the new, which will fulfill the old covenant.
On the mountaintop Peter doesn’t want to leave, but stay forever. In the Garden however, they don’t want to stay, but flee. The experience with God can’t last forever, we have to pick up our cross. Anyone who would come after me, must deny himself …
The Eucharist is our mountain top encounter with God. But at the end of Mass the priest says the mass is ended and sends us out. We have to then take up our cross. But we know nothing can separate us from Jesus Christ.
We should fast when the Church says to fast, and we should feast when the Church says to feast.
To be transfigured. . .Truth and Love cannot be separated.
http://hancaquam.blogspot.com/2016/02/love-and-truth-cannot-be-parted.html
Fr. Philip Neri, OP
St Gregory Palamas is commemorated on the second Sunday of Great Lent in the Byzantine churches. Father preached about the sufferings of this great 13th century mystic and theologian. He was an Athonite monk who became Archbishop of Thessaloniki in his later life. He was a defender of the Hesychast tradition of the Greek Church. The hesychasts believed it was possible to know God during this lifetime. They were practitioners of constant prayer — the Jesus prayer. They were opposed by many, including Barlaam, who was a Greek from Italy and a convert to Orthodoxy. Palomas eventually won the battle and was canonized in the late 13th century. He is part of the Orthodox mainstream today and is greatly revered by Greek Catholics.
I heard some bad stuff during a homily (out of our parish, btw) but Fr. Z only let’s people blow happy gas around here, so I’ll have to keep it to myself.
EF. The transfiguration was a repeat of Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan. God said He is my well-loved Son and I am well pleased with him. This was about Jesus’s resurrection and eternal life but the deciples would only understand after His death.
Bishop Olmsted gave a reason for the Transfiguration: so the apostles could have a reason for Hope
when it came time for them to carry their Cross.
Father Broheimer spoke about our desire to know and be given signs by God. He noted that even though the Apostles had seen Jesus in His glory, they still doubted and feared later during His Passion and Death. Father said it is important to remember that, because we spend most of our lives in the valleys, and very little time with great consolation on the mountain tops.