SENPECTAS wise old monk

Mt 5: 43-48 Love your enemies Mass Tuesday 15th June Mt 5:43-48 ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. It was a lively Chapter last evening. Not surprisingly, the Community Discussion is still with us, thinking of the contradictions or dialogue, or multi-alogue. We look for the golden thread through the talk-talk. The Gospel (Mt 5:43-48), this morning, rings the sound of Jesus voice in the stresses and strains in the exchange. The links of the ‘golden tread’ pin on the Father: Love your enemies, it is something so astonishing that it has to be the voice of God and none other you may be children of your Father your heavenly Father is perfect And lead us into the Mass …

The evening community discussion touched on the interesting topic of the elderly monks and the care of the sick.

The name SENPECTAS, a wise physician, is always a topic in monastic debate.

A Wise Physician “SENPECTAS”
XXVII. QUALITER DEBEAT ABBAS SOLLICITUS ESSE CIRCA EXCOMMUNICATOS Omni sollicitudine curam gerat abbas circa delinquentcs fratres, quia non est opus sanis medicus sed male habentibus. Et ideo uti debet omni modo ut sapiens medicus, immittere senpectas, id est seniores sapientes fratres, qui quasi secrete consolentur fratrem fluctuantem et provocent ad humilitatis satisfac-	CHAPTER 27. THE ABBOT'S CONCERN FOR THE EXCOMMUNICATED The abbot must exercise the utmost care and concern for wayward brothers, because it is not the healthy who need a physician, but the sick (Matt 9: 12). Therefore, he ought to use every skill of a wise physician and send in senpectae , that is, mature and wise brothers who, under the cloak of secrecy, may support the wavering brother, urge him to be humble as a way of making satisfaction, and console him lest he be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow (2 Cor 2:7). Rather, as the Apostle also says:
Notes: 27.2 "a wise physician" (sapiens medicus): The metaphor introduced here extends into Ch. 28. For the background of the idea of the abbot as a physician, see Appendix 4, n.77. See also Appendix 2, p. 352 and the note on 2.8. "senpectas", This word, which appears nowhere else in Christian literature, is variously interpreted. Some suggest a "mustard paste" (poultice); so E. Molland "Ut sapiens medicus. Medical Vocabulary in St. Benedict's Regula Monachorum" SM 6 (1964) 273-296; J. Svennung "The Origin and Meaning of the Word Senpecta" ibid. 297-298; J. Svennung "S. Benedicti Senpecta = sinapismus. Zur Haplologie in den cornposita" Rivista di filologia e d'istruzione classica 95 (1967) 65-71. B. Steidle suggests a play on words; Benedict hears the word sen-ior (elder) in the foreign word sen-pecta (Greek: sumpaiktes , meaning 'companion'); see Die Benediktus-Regel, Lateinisch-Deutsch. (Beuron: Beuroner Kunstverlag 1975) p. 115. De Vogue, 2.548-549, also thinks it more likely is derived from the Greek word, strengthening his case by a reference to G. Goetz, Corp. Gloss. Lat. 4.565,62; 5.331, 39, where sunodos has become senodus and is interpreted as congregatio senum (a gathering of old men). Because of this remarkable parallel, linguistics supports de Vogue and Steidle, whereas the con­text lends weight to the mustard plaster theory. Whatever may be the etymology, what is important is what St. Benedict understands the term to signify and that he has explained.
RB 1980: the rule of St. Benedict in Latin and English Collegeville,Minn.Pp. 222-223

In - Enemy/Oneself/Christ

----- Forwarded Message ---- From: William J … To: Donald …> Sent: Tue, 15 June, 2010 15:45:15 Subject: Re: Thomas Merton's challenge  Dear Donald, Thank you for your 'gravity point' from Thomas Merton's insightful commentary on today's Gospel. It has really set me thinking! Fr. Christian and his Brothers made that pilgrimage in their love of Christ to the 'brothers of the mountains', from the first point of departure, "the Cistercian Order's rule of hospitality and sharing, "especially with the poor and foreigners" and those who are suffering" (quote from the Preamble to the film); to the point of arrival, recognizing in the face of the other the complete expression of their faith, "in whom I see the face of God", Fr. Christian's testimony giving the most perfect definition to Christ's words, "Love your enemies". Thomas Merton's challenge takes us from the meaning of these words into the expression we are prepared to give to them – will we "see that the stranger we meet… is no other than ourselves" [?] "which is the same as saying we find Christ in him"[?]. That requires that we are able to say with St Paul, "I live, now not I, but Christ lives in me", if we are first to recognize ourselves... then to find Christ in him.... It is indeed the "gravity point" for us as individuals as you so describe it, surely the pilgrimage of our lives. Thank you.... … in Our Lord, William ----- Original Message ----- From: Donald … To: William J … Sent: Monday, June 14, 2010 10:16 PM Subject: Thomas Merton Hi, Wiiliam, My turn for the Mass tomorrow. Thank you for your previous flash from Thomas Merton Tomorrow's, Tues, (goodnews.ie), Merton quotes: Thomas Merton wrote: "Our task now is to learn that if we can voyage to the ends of the earth and find ourselves in the aborigine who most differs from ourselves, we will have made a fruitful pilgrimage. That is why pilgrimage is necessary, in some shape or other. Mere sitting at home and meditating on the divine presence is not enough for our time. We have to come to the end of a long journey and see that the stranger we meet there is no other than ourselves – which is the same as saying we find Christ in him." Merton gets to 'gravity point, of, "and see that the stranger we meet there is no other than ourselves – which is the same as saying we find Christ in him." Excuse from my late post … God bless, Donald

Thomas Merton Comment

---- Forwarded Message ----
From: William J ...
To: Donald ...
Sent: Sun, 13 June, 2010 20:07:43
Subject: Thomas Merton - Comment(ary) on Galatians 2:20

Dear Father Donald,

The reading from Galatians today aways haunts me. This evening I have been reading a book on Thomas Merton's Christology, and came upon a disarming 'commentary' - on the very sentence....

To "receive" the word of the Cross means much more than simple assent to the dogmatic proposition that Christ died for our sins. It means to be "nailed to the Cross with Christ", so that the ego-self is no longer the principle of our deepest actions, which now proceed from Christ living in us. "I live, now not I, but Christ lives in me".... To receive the word of the Cross means the acceptance of a complete self-emptying in union with the self-emptying of Christ...

In the joy of sharing a moment of illumination,

... in Our Lord,

William

Galatians 2:16, 19-21.

We found out that it is through faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law, that a man is justified. We, like anyone else, had to learn to believe in Jesus Christ, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, not by observance of the law. Observance of the law cannot win acceptance for a single human creature. …
Through the law, my old self has become dead to the law, so that I may live to God; with Christ I hang upon the cross, and yet I am alive; or rather, not I; it is Christ that lives in me. True, I am living, here and now, this mortal life; but my real life is the faith I have in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not spurn the grace of God. If we can be justified through the law, then Christ's death was needless.

Ronald Knox Bible (you’ version)

Liturgy Archive

Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary: one of the elderly monks was looking for a copy of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To begin the search in Library failed. Once failing St. Anthony of Padua it is next to turn to the Internet. In fact both come to the surface.
First a 1940's copy of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary surfaces.
Surfing the Web goes far wider and comes up with the useful Link.
The Liturgy Archive shows up a mine of information.
Sample of SUNDAY PRAYER e.g. Second Reading - a choice from St Aelred.

The Liturgy Archive Welcome. This site is an attempt to gather into one place various liturgies, prayers, sermons, and anything else that a Christian may find useful for prayer, contemplation and edification. I hope you are blessed by your visit. If you have any suggestions, let me know. http://www.liturgies.net/Liturgies/Catholic/LittleOffice.htm#compline The following version of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary is from the Liturgy of the Hours. For those who wish to use the older form of the Office, it is available here. The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary SUNDAY PRAYER SECOND READING From a letter by Saint Athanasius, bishop (Epist. Ad Epictetum,5-9; PG 26,1058,1062-1066) The Word took our nature from Mary What was born of Mary was therefore human by nature, in accordance with the inspired Scriptures, and the body of the Lord was a true body: It was a true body because it was the same as ours. Mary, you see, is our sister, for we are all born from Adam. The words of St John, the Word was made flesh, … Or: From a sermon by Saint Aelred, abbot (Sermo 20, in Nativitate beatiae Mariae: PL 195, 322-324) Mary our mother She is our mother — the mother of our life, the mother of our incarnation, the mother of our light. As the apostle says of our Lord: He became for us by God's power our wisdom and justice, and holiness and redemption. She then, as mother of Christ, is the mother of our wisdom and justice, of our holiness and redemption. She is more our mother than the mother of our flesh. Our birth from her is better, for from her is born our holiness, our wisdom, our justice, our sanctification, our redemption Praise the Lord in his holy ones, say the Scriptures. If our Lord is to be praised in those holy ones through whom he brings to being deeds of power and miracles, how much more is he to be praised in her in whom he fashioned himself, who is wonderful beyond all wonders. Or: From the dogmatic constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council (Lumen gentium, nn. 63-65) Mary as type of the Church Mary, because she has entered intimately into …

Immaculate Heart BVM

Saturday, 12 June 2010 Immaculate Heart of Mary, memorial Immaculate Heart of Mary Memorial "The mysterium of the Heart of Jesus is projected onto and reverberates in the Heart of his Mother, who is also one of his followers and a disciple... The memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a celebration of the complex visceral relationship of Mary with her Son's work of salvation: from the Incarnation, to his death and resurrection, to the gift of the Holy Spirit" ********************* Opening Prayer Father, you prepared the heart of the Virgin Mary to be a fitting home for your Holy Spirit. By her prayers may we become a more worthy temple of your glory.

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Courtsy: Daily Gospel

Bellahoustan New Mass

Music for Papal Mass ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Andy … Sent: Thu, 10 June, 2010 23:43:59 Subject: Music for Papal Mass Hi, … Once again Anne Marie and I are practising in the Diocesan Choir in preparation for the forthcoming Papal Visit. The music has been written by James McMillan, a Scottish Composer and Musical Director. The music was very difficult to learn but now that we have become familiar with it is very good. But unfortunately it will not be as easy to learn as the present Bellahouston Mass. I will send you a copy of the music and a disk recording so that you can teach the new Mass setting to the community, and "Susan Boyle" your new choir member. We have just come home after singing at First Vespers of the Sacred Heart to mark the end of the Year of the Priests which was celebrated with Bishop Philip of Paisley. Kind regards Andy