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The
Epiphany of the Lord |
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This is from the
St. Vincent de Paul website, on the
Gospel
of
Matthew,
Mt 2:1-12, for
The
Epiphany
of the Lord |
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Reflection:
The
magi followed the light and found the Savior of
the world. The magi searched, encountered,
worshiped him and offered gifts.
The magi demonstrated how Christianity must always
show “faith in action.” Believing always plays
itself out in living.
The pattern of our lives is that of the magi:
seek, encounter, homage, self-giving. An important
lesson here for living is that authentic homage
(worship) naturally leads to living in the Light.
Worship, then, is more than what happens in church
on Sunday.
It is the light of our own selves that shines
throughout our weekdays, witnessing to our own
encounters with the Light. Our very lives must
proclaim our faith.
(Living Liturgy: Spirituality, Celebration, and Catechesis for Sundays and Solemnities, Year A, 2008,
p.36) |
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Vincentian Meditation: |
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“This is my prayer to you,
O Lord!
Give to me your special favor.
Pour out your truth and mercy on me
in an abundance that will enable me
to put your love into practice,
filling me with true affection for you,
for my neighbor, and also for myself.”
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Praying with Vincent de Paul (Companions for the Journey) ,
2004, by Thomas McKenna, p. 113)
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References:
Praying with Vincent de Paul (Companions for the Journey),
2004, by Thomas McKenna (Author)
Seasons in Spirituality: Reflections on Vincentian Spirituality in Today's World ,
1997, by Robert P. Maloney
Deep Down Things: Selected Writing,
1995, by Richard McCullen
Living Liturgy: Spirituality, Celebration, and Catechesis for Sundays and Solemnities, Year A, 2008 ,
by C.PP.S. Joyce Ann Zimmerman (Author), Thomas A.
Greisen (Author), S.N.D. de N. Kathleen Harmon
(Author), M.S. Thomas L. Leclerc (Author)
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In These
Times |
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One sign of healing is acceptance that there is a
problem.
Believe it or not, no matter how one shies away
from it, we are in one very political culture
intent on not just the separation of Church and
State, but also on eliminating the Church. What
can one do? Be informed through the guidance of
the Church. I agree some of our Catholic leaders
do not have the fire-and-brimstone charisma of the
Protestant preachers, and will most likely put one
to sleep.
But
out many, there is bound to be a diamond!
The
following is an excerpt from an address given by
the
Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput,
Archbishop of Denver, in St. John’s University
School of Law in Queens, NY, on Friday, October
26, 2007, on our role as Catholics in these times.
As you will see in his writings, Archbishop Chaput
IS a very readable writer, as well as an
encouraging speaker on current issues affecting,
generally the Church, and most specifically, us.
I
encourage you strongly to read the whole article
and let
Archbishop Charles J. Chaput know what you
think about the article. |
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"... one of the distinguishing marks of debate
both outside and within the Church over the last
40
years is how uncivil the disagreements have
become. Being a faithful Catholic leader today -
whether
you're a layperson or clergy -- isn't easy. It
requires real skill, and in that regard, I've
admired the
great ability and good will of Bishop Murphy for
many years. So it's a special pleasure to be
with him
tonight. New York's Cardinal Edward Egan is
another leader who's given extraordinary and
sometimes
difficult service to the Church.
...
It's time for all of us who claim to be
"Catholic" to recover our Catholic identity as
disciples of Jesus Christ and missionaries of
his Church. In the long run, we serve our
country best by remembering that we're citizens
of heaven first. We're better Americans by being
more truly Catholic -- and the reason why, is
that unless we live our Catholic faith
authentically, with our whole heart and our
whole strength, we have nothing worthwhile to
bring to the public debates that will determine
the course of our nation.
Pluralism in a democracy doesn't mean shutting
up about inconvenient issues. It means speaking
up - respectfully, in a spirit of justice and
charity, but also vigorously and without
apologies. Jesus said that we will know the
truth, and the truth will make us free. He
didn't say anything about our being popular with
worldly authority once we have that freedom. In
the end, if we want our lives to be fruitful, we
need to know ourselves as God intends us to be
known -- as his witnesses on earth, not just in
our private behavior, but in our public actions,
including our social, economic and political
choices.
If pagan Rome could be won for Jesus Christ,
surely we can do the same in our own world. What
it takes is the zeal and courage to live what we
claim to believe. All of us here tonight already
have that desire in our hearts. So let's pray
for each other, and encourage each other, and
get down to the Lord's
work.
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Be informed through the Church. Read the complete
transcript of this speech and other
address by the Most Rev. Chaput
by clicking here.
This
is the link to the
book The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure, Marginal, Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force ,
referenced by Archbishop Chaput in the article. |
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The Epiphany of the Lord
"They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and
on entering the house they saw the child with
Mary his mother." Matthew 2:10-11 |
January 6,
2008
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First Reading From
the Book of Isaiah: |
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Is 60:1-6 |
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Rise
up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See,
darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover
the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears
his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by
your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather
and come to you:
your sons come from afar, and your daughters in
the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your
heart shall throb and overflow, for the riches of
the sea shall be emptied out before you, the
wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries
from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the
praises of the LORD. |
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Responsorial From the Book of Psalms:
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Ps
72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 |
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Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer
gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
All kings shall pay him homage,
all nations shall serve him.
R Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
h |
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Second Reading from the Letter to the
Ephesians |
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Eph
3:2-3a, 5-6 |
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Brothers and sisters:
You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace
that was given to me for your benefit, namely,
that the mystery was made known to me by
revelation.
It
was not made known to people in other generations
as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles
and prophets by the Spirit:
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same
body, and copartners in the promise in Christ
Jesus through the gospel. |
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Reading From
the Gospel of Matthew:
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Mt
2:1-12 |
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When
Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days
of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived
in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his
star at its rising and have come to do him
homage.”
When
King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes
of the people, He inquired of them where the
Christ was to be born.
They
said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it
has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means
least among the rulers of Judah; since from you
shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people
Israel.”
Then
Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained
from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He
sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child. When you
have found him, bring me word, that I too may go
and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its
rising preceded them, until it came and stopped
over the place where the child was.
They
were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering
the house they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They
prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then
they opened their treasures and offered him gifts
of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And
having been warned in a dream not to return to
Herod, they departed for their country by another
way. |
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References |
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Praying with Vincent de Paul (Companions for the
Journey)
2004, by Thomas McKenna
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The Rise of Christianity:
How the Obscure, Marginal, Jesus Movement Became
the Dominant Religious Force .... (Paperback)
by
Rodney Stark (Author)
From the Publisher
"... this account of Christianity's remarkable
growth within the Roman Empire is |
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already the subject of much fanfare. "Anyone who
has puzzled over Christianity's rise to
dominance... must read it," ...
Read
the first page. |
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Living Liturgy: Spirituality, Celebration,
and Catechesis for Sundays and Solemnities, Year
A, 2008 (Paperback) by C.PP.S. Joyce Ann
Zimmerman (Author), Thomas A. Greisen (Author),
S.N.D. de N. Kathleen Harmon (Author), M.S.
Thomas L. Leclerc (Author) |
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"Perfect for home use or to prepare for weekly
liturgy . . . It includes help for the
celebration, ideas for catechesis on the
particular event, and ways to understand the
readings more deeply. Finally, it includes
sample questions from which priests, deacons,
lay groups, ministers and others can jump off
into deeper discussion." |
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Straight Answers, Answers to 100 Questions about
the Catholic Faith
by Ph.D Rev. William P.
Saunders (Author)
Review by:
Reverend William G. Curlin Bishop of Charlotte
Straight Answers offers Catholics a simple and
direct response to the many questions concerning
the Catholic Church. It spells out profound
truths in very |
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simple language for all who seek a better
understanding of their Faith. I highly recommend
it for Catholics, both young and old. |
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The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way
From Amazon:
After years of spiritual study and reflection,
inspirational speaker and |
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bestselling
author Wayne Dyer has emerged a highly esteemed
teacher. His current message about tapping into
the power of intention may sound like good old
positive thinking: just stay focused on what you
want, rather than focusing on the lack of having
what you want. But the teaching here goes deeper
than just controlling thoughts (although he does
acknowledge that thought control is a
surprisingly challenging and significant
endeavor).
This book might
help readers land a better job, but it's more
relevant for those who are ready to detach from
an ego-driven life filled with quick fixes of
happiness and step into a more authentic,
joyful, and spiritually fulfilling life. His
core teachings speak to tapping into a universal
source of energy that can also be called the
"power of intention." |
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The Chariot of Israel: Exploits of the Prophet of Elijah
THE CHARIOT OF ISRAEL: When Elijah was caught up
to heaven, his disciple Elisha cried out, "the
chariot of Israel, and its horsemen." Elisha was
referring not to the chariot but to the prophet.
This study of Elijah’s life will captivate you
as it walks you through a pivotal period in
Israel’s history, and illustrative maps will
give you a better picture of the physical
geography of this ancient land. |
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Read more about the Liturgical Year |
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The Origins of the Liturgical Year (Pueblo
Books)
by
Thomas J. Talley (Author) The Rev. Dr.
Thomas J. Talley, Professor of Liturgics
at the General Theological Seminary in New
York, is one of the leading liturgists in
the country. He gives us a fresh
examination of the complex history of the
Liturgical Year. |
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The Cultural World of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday, Cycle C. (Bestseller! the Cultural World of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday)
by
John J. Pilch (Author)
Reader
Review: The book by Pilch provides
those who not only fill the pulpits across
this country but also all interested in
the cultural world in which Jesus lived
with a lot of pertinent information that
sheds light on a lot of areas that have
been "muddled" in the past. Yes, I highly
recommend this book. - James Mauldin |
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Learn more and read the Old Testament. |
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Preaching from the Old Testament
by Elizabeth Achtemeier (Author) Reader
Review: The author of these
thirty-two short chapters begins and ends
with the assumption that problems we
experience with the Old Testament are our
problem, not the Bible's. This
subordinating of the Bible reader to the
well-weathered book he holds in his hand
opens doors, not to forced harmonisations
of problematic passages, but to fresh
reappraisal of difficult texts on their
own terms. -
David A. Baer |
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The Navarre Bible: Pentateuch (The Navarre Bible: Old Testament)
This volume helps you make the first five
books of the Old Testament a vital part of
your spiritual reading and practical
growth in the Christian life. It contains
the full English and Latin texts of these
books, along with extensive and faithfully
Catholic commentaries. Like other volumes
in the world-renowned Navarre Bible
series, these commentaries draw on Church
documents, the exegesis of Fathers
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and Doctors of the Church, and the works of contemporary
spiritual writers — particularly St. Josemaría
Escrivá, who initiated the Navarre Bible
project. |
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Comments and
Suggestions are Most Welcome.
If you have any
comments or contributions, please
use the form in this link.
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OLD TESTAMENT
PARENTING I
“Lamentations of the
Father” by Ian Frazier |
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Laws of
Forbidden Places |
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Of the beasts of
the field, and of the fishes of the sea, and
of all foods that are acceptable in my sight
you may eat, but not in the living room.
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Of the hoofed
animals, broiled or ground into burgers, you
may eat, but not in the living room. |
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Of the
cloven-hoofed animal, plain or with cheese,
you may eat, but not in the living room.
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Of the cereal
grains, of the corn and of the wheat and of
the oats, and of all the cereals that are of
bright color and unknown provenance you may
eat, but not in the living room. |
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Of quiescently
frozen dessert and of all frozen after-meal
treats you may eat, but absolutely not in the
living room. |
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Of the juices
and other beverages, yea, even of those in
sippy-cups, you may drink, but not in the
living room; neither may you carry such
therein. |
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Indeed, when you
reach the place where the living room carpet
begins, of any food or beverage there you may
not eat, neither may you drink. |
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But if you are
sick, and are lying down and watching
something, then may you eat in the living
room. |
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Recipes |
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Haddock with
Fennel Butter |
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CRISP POTATO
SKINS WITH CHILLI CHEESE DIP |
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Comments and Suggestions are Most Welcome.
If you have any comments or contributions,
please
use the form in this link.
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This
volume of commentary on the New English Bible text of the First Book of Kings
follows the pattern of the now well-established series on the Old and New
Testaments. The main divisions of the text are those provided by the New English
Bible itself, but these are further subdivided for the purposes of the
commentary, which is printed in short sections following the relevant portion of
the text.
