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My Prayer Box
the Newsletter of My Catholic Tradition
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To trivia or not: |
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Which book in the Old Testament is generally
considered to have been the first one actually
put in writing? |
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1. |
Genesis |
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2. |
Exodus |
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3. |
Leviticus |
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4. |
Numbers |
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5. |
Deuteronomy |
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Something to Think About |
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Assumptions and Inferences |
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The following four sentences are the complete
quote from the handout I got in my statistics
class: |
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"A businessman had just turned off the
lights in the store when a man appeared and
demanded money. The owner opened the cash
register. The contents of the cash register
were scooped up, and the man sped away. A
member of the police force was notified
promptly."
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Now grab a pen and paper and based on the
preceding story, evaluate the following
statements by answering T (if the statement
True), F (if the statement False) and ? (if
the statement not clear) |
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1. |
A man appeared after the
owner had turned off his store lights. |
T |
F |
? |
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2. |
The robber was a man. |
T |
F |
? |
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3. |
The man who appeared did
not demand money. |
T |
F |
? |
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4. |
The man who opened the cash
register was the owner. |
T |
F |
? |
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5. |
The owner scooped up the
contents of the cash register and ran
away. |
T |
F |
? |
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6. |
Someone opened the cash
register. |
T |
F |
? |
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7. |
After the man who demanded
the money scooped up the contents of the
cash register, he ran away. |
T |
F |
? |
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8. |
While the cash register
contained money, the story does not state
how much. |
T |
F |
? |
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9. |
The robber demanded money
from the owner. |
T |
F |
? |
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The story concerns a series
of events in which only three persons are
referred to: the owner of the store, a man
who demanded money, and member of the
police force. |
T |
F |
? |
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Confused? Can you imagine how the police
investigators feel given disjointed statements
such as these? How many questions did you
answer True? How many False? And how many were
not very clear?
To find out the answer, or what could be
the answers, read the Readings for Pentecost
Sunday and scroll down. |
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The suspense is .... |
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Corpus
Christi Sunday |
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The
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood
of Christ
June 14, 2009
" |
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First Reading From
the
Book of Exodus: |
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Ex 24:3-8 |
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When Moses came to the people and related all the
words and ordinances of the LORD, they all
answered with one voice,
"We will do everything
that the LORD has told us."Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD
and,
rising early the next day,
he erected at the foot of the mountain an altar
and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of
Israel.
Then, having sent certain young men of the
Israelites
to offer holocausts and sacrifice young bulls
as peace offerings to the LORD,
Moses took half of the blood and put it in large
bowls;
the other half he splashed on the altar.
Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud
to the people,
who answered,
"All that the LORD has said, we will
heed and do." Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the
people, saying,
"This is the blood of the covenant
that the LORD has made with you
in accordance with all these words of his." |
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Responsorial From the Book of Psalms:
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Ps 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18 |
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R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call
on the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call
on the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call
on the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call
on the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia. |
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Second Reading from the Letter to the
Hebrews |
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Heb 9:11-15 |
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Brothers and sisters:
When Christ came as high priest of the good things
that have come to be, passing through the greater
and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands,
that is, not belonging to this creation, he
entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with
the blood of goats and calves but with his own
blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.For if
the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of
a heifer's ashes can sanctify those who are
defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, how much
more will the blood of Christ, who through the
eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God,
cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship
the living God.
For this reason he is mediator of a new covenant:
since a death has taken place for deliverance from
transgressions under the first covenant, those who
are called may receive the promised eternal
inheritance. |
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Reading From the
Gospel of Mark:
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Mk 14:12-16, 22-26 |
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On the first day of the Feast of
Unleavened Bread, when they
sacrificed the Passover lamb, Jesus'
disciples said to him,
"Where do you want us to go and
prepare for you to eat the
Passover?"He sent two of his
disciples and said to them, |
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"Go into the city and a man will meet you,
carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he
enters, say to the master of the house,
'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I
may eat the Passover with my disciples?"'Then
he will show you a large upper room furnished and
ready. Make the preparations for us there."
The disciples then went off, entered the city,
and found it just as he had told them; and they
prepared the Passover.
While they were eating, he took bread, said the
blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said,
"Take it; this is my body."
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to
them, and they all drank from it. He said to them,
"This is my blood of the covenant, which will be
shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not
drink again the fruit of the vine until the day
when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to
the Mount of Olives. |
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Assumptions and Inferences |
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"A businessman had just turned off the
lights in the store when a man appeared and
demanded money. The owner opened the cash
register. The contents of the cash register
were scooped up, and the man sped away. A
member of the police force was notified
promptly."
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Let's go straight down to the quick: there
should only be one True answer, one
False and all others questionable. Here's
why.
Look at Statement #1: A man appeared after
the owner had turned off his store lights. |
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If we answered True, we made an
assumption that the businessman was the
owner of the store.
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Look at Statement #2: The robber was a man. |
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If we answered True we just inferred a
motive without knowing the complete story.
Was the man who demanded money a robber, or
just a fellow whom the owner owed money?
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Look at Statement #3: The man who appeared did
not demand money. |
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Based on the first line in the story, "a
man appeared and demanded money." So this
has to be false. Fine points can also be
made however that "a" man and not "the" man
appeared - but I'll leave that to the
twisted.
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Look at Statement #4: The man who opened the
cash register was the owner. |
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If we answered True read the second line
in the story again. Was the owner a man or
did we just make another assumption?
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Let's skip to Statement #6: Someone opened the
cash register. |
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Now that's a winner. The only true
statement - just look at the third line in
the story.
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Are you seeing a pattern? |
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| So what's the point of all these? Our minds
will always play tricks on us. If we are given
two statements, two points, etc., our mind
will always try to establish a connection
between the two, no matter how remote the
possibility is. Our minds are just made that
way.
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Normal as this may seem, our job as good
Catholics, or good human beings really, is to
decide if what we just made as a conclusion is
based on false assumptions or is it based on facts. As long
as we are clear about the source of our bias
(and believe it or not these are biases) then
we can choose to act or not to act on those
assumptions.
However, one thing for which we all have to watch out
is to infer motive to those assumptions.
That is not only dangerous but also morally
unfair.
Look at the first line in the story again.
Surely someone demanded money. However, that
does not necessarily make him a robber. |
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References |
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Render Unto Caesar: Serving the Nation by Living our Catholic Beliefs in Political Life
by
Charles J. Chaput
(Author)
“At a time
when the ‘faith and values’ vote has never
been more important, Archbishop Charles Chaput
deftly explores the intersection of morality,
reason, and politics. |
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This isn’t
just a book for Catholics, but for anyone who
cares about the state of America’s soul —and
how that concern might shape the 2008
elections.”
—John
L. Allen Jr., NCR and CNN senior Vatican
correspondent,
Amazon |
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Happiness Is a Serious
Problem: A Human Nature Repair Manual
by Dennis Prager.
In this unique blend of self-help and moral
philosophy, talk-radio host Dennis Prager
asserts that we're actually obligated to be
happy, because it makes us better people.
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Praying With Frederic Ozanam (Companions for the Journey Series)
- Paperback, by Ronald Cm Ramson (Author) |
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Praying With Louise De Marillac (Companions for the Journey Series)
by Audrey Gibson (Author), Kieran Kneaves
(Author) |
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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 |
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"... this account of Christianity's remarkable
growth within the Roman Empire is 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 B - 2009
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 |
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to the many questions
concerning the Catholic Church. It spells out
profound truths in very 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: |
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After years of spiritual study and reflection,
inspirational speaker and 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 |
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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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The First Book of Kings (Cambridge Bible Commentaries on the Old Testament) 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 |
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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.
Canon Robinson suggests that the editors of I
Kings compiled their history in order to teach
the Hebrews that their existence as Israel, the
covenant people of God, depended upon their
continuing loyalty to their own religious
traditions, and their refusal to exchange them
for the very different traditions of the
Canaanites among whom they lived.
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I & II Samuel: A Commentary (Old Testament Library)
First sentence in
the book:
""THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL contain that
part of the history of Israel which describes
the foundation of the State, running from the
close of the period of the Judges to the
establishment of the united kingdom." |
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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 |
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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
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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
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faithfully Catholic
commentaries. Like other volumes in the
world-renowned Navarre Bible series, these
commentaries draw on Church documents, the
exegesis of Fathers 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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Comments and Suggestions are Most Welcome.
If you have any comments or contributions,
please
use the form in this link.
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© 2006. My Catholic Tradition. All rights reserved |
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Rey
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