St Bonaventure.

Thursday, 15 July 2010

Saint Bonaventure
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
(1218-1274)

From: Nivard …

Subject: Re: ζυγόν zugon yoke - 'My Yoke is Easy'
To: Donald
Date: Thursday, 15 July, 2010, 11:16

Introduction today's Mass What does the yoke of Jesus refer to, in today's gospel? The Jews used the image of a yoke to express submission to God. Jesus says his yoke is "easy". The Greek word for "easy" can also mean "well-fitting". Yokes were tailor-made to fit the oxen well. Oxen were yoked two by two. Jesus invites us to be yoked with him, to unite our life with his life, our will with his will, and our heart with his heart. To be yoked with Jesus is to be united with him in a relationship of love, trust, and obedience. This morning we celebrate the feast of St Bonaventure. He is styled the 'Seraphic Docter'. To know him was to love him on the spot, love at first sight! He exemplifies in a wonderful way what it means to share the single yoke with Jesus, tailor made to fit two people. (By a strange quirk of memory it calls to mind the old song: 'Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do. I'm half crazy, all for the love of you. We can't afford a new carriage But we'll look sweet going down the street on a bicycle built for two'!

Sea Sunday

----- Forwarded Message ----

From: father patrick slaney …
Sent: Wed, 7 July, 2010 0:08:04
Subject: "Sea Sunday" July 11, 2010

My dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ:

The Second Sunday of July each year is designated by the Christian Church as "Sea Sunday"

The Patron of Ministry at Sea is Our Lady of Mount Carmel,

whose Feast we celebrate on Friday, July 16th.

Sea Sunday, July 11th and Invocation to Our Lady of Mount Carmel go hand in hand.

I invite you to pray for all those who work and make a living from the Sea.

Please pray also for those who minister to those who work on the seas.

I include below

some important information

about Sea Sunday, July 11th in the Life of Seafarers.

SEA SUNDAY

Loneliness, danger and separation from loved ones are just some of the problems seafarers face.

Around the world, night and day, The Apostleship of the Sea, a branch of the Roman Catholic Church,

provides help and support to those in need.

As a Christian agency, Apostleship of the Sea operates in more than 230 ports

caring for the practical and spiritual welfare of seafarers of all nationalities and faiths.

Sea Sunday, July 11th is a day set aside in the Church’s calendar

to remember seafarers and to pray for them, their families and those that serve them.

It began in 1975 when the three Christian maritime missionary societies

– The Mission to Seafarers (Anglican),

the Apostleship of the Sea (Roman Catholic) and

the Sailors’ Society (Free Church)

decided there should be a day

in which the contributions of seafarers to the country were recognised.

Sea Sunday has gone on to become an international day with services, parades and ship blessings.

Sea Sunday A Message from the Pontifical Council, Roman Catholic Church, 2010

In many countries the second Sunday of July is traditionally set aside as Sea Sunday.

On this occasion

we would like to express our gratitude to seafarers and fishers

for their unique contribution to our society.

We remember also the chaplains and volunteers

that with their constant presence in the ports

provide pastoral care and welfare assistance

to everyone without distinction of nationality or religion.
Sea Sunday is considered also an important celebration

with which we would like to raise the awareness and support of the local Church

and the society

towards the ministry done by the Apostleship of the Sea.
We pray also for the Pontifical Council of the Roman Catholic Church which co-ordinates ministry within the maritime world.

Below please find a little additional information about "Apostleship of the Sea"

God Bless you,

as we make this prayer together

on

Sea Sunday, July 11th

and

on The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Friday, July 16th.

Sincerely in the Lord

Father Patrick

Apostleship of the Sea

The Apostleship of the Sea is the apostolic work of the Catholic Church offering hospitality and pastoral care to the People of the Sea. In almost every country bound by sea there exists a community of people who care for seafarers, fishers and their families regardless of their country or culture.

Caring for Seafarers & Fishers

Beloved, you are faithful in all that you do for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you; they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to help them in a way worthy of God as they continue their journey. (3 Jn 1:5-6)

Stella Maris Seafarers' Centres

Arriving in port seafarers and fishers often find themselves in unfamiliar surroundings, foreign language, foreign currency, and a different culture. What is familiar is the seafarers' centre. A seafarer can come to a port knowing that there is a place where he will be welcomed and cared for.
~ a home away from home

Benedict Solemnity

Sermon & Homily

Fr. T. gave us the Sermon in Chapter for the Solemnity. It might be called exciting about the 'bandits', all the citations of the shortcoming of monks through the Rule of Saint Benedict. We leave the peroration of the grace-savings of the good monk. Fr. T. is shy of publication.

The Homily for Saint Benedict at the public Mass was given by Fr. Hugh. It is his favourite subject and began from the first word in the Rule of St. Benedict, "Listen" (Ausculta), linked on to Evagre and Revelation of Vatican II. He had encourageing words for Oblates and Associates of Benedictines and Cistercians. It was excellent. Unfortunately, Fr. Hugh does not writs his Homilies.

Sunday, 11 July 2010.

We have to make do with this Reading of Aelred on Benedict.

SAINT BENEDICT
Abbot
(c. 480-547)

Patron of Europe

A Sermon for the Feast of St Benedict from St Aelred

• I know that you are accustomed to welcome with joy the feast days of the saints whenever they come, and that you increase your fervour by recalling and meditating on their lives and perfections. But I think that this feast of our Holy Father Benedict means more to you than others and is in some way more wwelcome. This is not so because it is a greater feast than all others but because he, our Father, is closer to than all the other saints, for in Christ Jesus through the Gospel he has given s birth.
  
  
• Whatever purity you have achieved through chastity, all the spiritual joy you have found in love, all the glory that is yours through a good conscience in despising worldliness, in labours, vigils, fasts, and voluntary poverty, all this comes from his teaching. Whatever progress you have made in meditation, prayer, compunction, devotion and the rest of the spiritual life, has not all of this been brought about in you by God's grace through his ministry and example? Therefore he is closer to you than the rest of the saints, so that his feast ought rightly to be. for you a day of greater joy.
  
  
• Consider Israel of the flesh, the Jews. By origin prang from the great Fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Nevertheless, the Jews glory more in Moses because through his prayers they received manna from heaven and water from the rock; because by his prayers they overcame their enemies; because they received from his hand the Law, which, if observed, would allow them to receive and possess the Land of Promise. Certainly, my brothers, if we see clearly and understand the benefits which the Lord has given us through our holy Father Benedict, we will see very clearly that monks ought not to love him any less than the Jews loved Moses. They were the slaves of the Egyptians; we, of our vices. The servants of Pharaoh spurred them on with whips, demanding bricks from mud. Perhaps you have forgotten the whipping you suffered in the world. One man sought after worldly honours and riches. What stripes he suffered from these desires; how he was beaten about by fear, by envy; how he was torn when he did not acquire what he wanted, when someone else acquired what he so ardently desired! If, however, he did acquire it how he was plagued by fear lest he lose it, and by sorrow when he did lose it! Another was driven on, wholly intent on satisfying his own wants and desires. How such a man was beaten about by erotic love, envy suspicions! And what happened when these vices were discovered? How he suffered! How downcast he was in spirit! And, over and above all this, how his conscience beat him! And what happened when each one began to think on his life and his sins?
  
  
• Each one can recall the violence which he suffered from his own evil habits and see how, by the grace of God and the doctrine of St Benedict, he is now free. He sees that God has given us greater things through St Benedict than He gave to the Jews through Moses.

(First Sermon for the Feast of st Benedict. From Cist. Studies 1969: 1, pp 70-72).

Anniversaries

Anniversaries

Brother Joseph (71). Abbot Columban (71).

Brother Joseph Woods

Brother Joseph John Woods - Founding Member

Br Joseph Woods

Founding Member

30 March 1915 - 11th July 1986

Dom Columban Mulcahy

born 1901

entered 1924

priest 1929

abbot 1948

died 15 July 1971

Dom Columban Mulcahy, First Abbot of Nunraw

COMMMENT 2 Seven significance

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: William J ....
To: Fr Donald ....
Sent: Fri, 9 July, 2010 20:59:37
Subject: Re: [Blog] Seven significance - further

Dear Father Donald,

Thank you! You have set me off...

I have found an interesting website! http://www.angelfire.com/az/rainbowbridge/seven.html

The web is like outer space... galaxy after galaxy! http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=156610

With my love in Our Lord,

William.

= = = = = = = = Thank you, William,
Angel Fire is an on target "hit".
Herewith, so helpful.
30 Paragraphs.
Donald.

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A RAINBOW BRIDGE LINKS PAGE

THE NUMBER SEVEN IN THE HOLY BIBLE

Bible. This is a chapter from the book, Biblical Mathematics,
written by Evangelist, Ed F. Vallowe.

1. When man began to analyze and combine numbers, he developed other interesting symbols. He took the perfect world number FOUR and added to it the perfect divine number, THREE, and got SEVEN, the most sacred number to the Hebrews. It was earth crowned with heaven -- the four-square earth plus the divine COMPLETENESS OF GOD. So we have SEVEN expressing COMPLETENESS through union of earth with heaven. This number is used more than all other numbers in the Word of God, save the number ONE.

2. In the Book of Revelation the number SEVEN is used throughout. There are SEVEN churches, SEVEN Spirits, SEVEN stars, SEVEN seals, SEVEN trumpets, SEVEN vials, SEVEN personages, SEVEN dooms, and SEVEN new things. SEVEN symbolizes Spiritual Perfection. 

COMMMENT Seven significance

---- Forwarded Message ----

From: William J ....
To: Donald ...
Sent: Thu, 8 July, 2010 19:49:09
Subject: [Blog] The significance of number 'Seven'

Prosper Guéranger - “The sevenfold sacraments”

Dear Father Donald,

Your Blog article which describes the 'seven' sacraments in such a fascinating way set me pondering upon the significance of the number 'seven' which has quite often caught my attention in a note in the commentary on the Gospels in the Christian Community Bible. I found the particular reference: "Our Father - in Matthew’s text 6:9 there are twelve verses expressing seven petitions: two perfect numbers: Three (God’s number) that refers to God, Four (earth’s number) that refers to our needs". Might I ask if you have any source that explains further the significance of the sacred numbers employed in the Gospels?

… in Our Lord,

William

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

THANK YOU, William,

It happens that Night Office seemed to draw a blank of inspiration from the Readings or Psalms until I was taken aback (ahead?). It was nothing else than the last Response, “It is the only Son who is nearest to the Father”, Jn. 1:18

Response:.

• No one has ever seen God.
• * It is the only Son, who is nearest the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
• V: No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to the reveal him.
  

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

While you are pondering about the significance of the number “seven”, the best quickie for the moment is from Collins GEM:

Seven. The only interest is in the sacred use of the numeral, a sanctity which is very ancient in the Middle East. Wisdom's House has 7 pillars (Prov. 9, I); Samson's hair was braided in 7 locks (Judg. 16, 13); to atone for a broken vow 7 sacrifices were needed (2 Sam. 21, 6). How 7 came to be so regarded is a moot point, but there were the 7 lights of heaven-sun, moon and 5 planets; and 7 is a quarter of the 28 days of the moon, which bas four phases. Its sanctity with the Jews, however, was due to their conviction that God at creation had hallowed the 7th day. See SABBATH.

Seven words. Jesus' words from the Cross. They are in order: 1. (Luke 23, 34). 2. (Luke 23, 43). 3. (John 19, 26 & 27). 4. (Mall. 27,46; Mark 15, 34). 5. (John 19, 28). 6. (John 19, 30). 7. (Luke 23,46).

Collins GEM. Dictionary of THE BIBLE.

I am just anticipating the surfing the Web to the boundless links.
Donald.

Guéranger "Sevenfold Sacraments"

WEDNESDAY FOURTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Night Office: Only a word got through to me at the Second Reading, the only word “Magdalene”. The Holy Spirit didn’t unblock my hearing but the same Holy Spirit nudged me to read the words later. And it was very much worth it.

Prosper Guéranger writes intriguingly on “The sevenfold sacraments”:

sacraments be seven
seven pillars
seven branches
seven candlesticks
seven eyes
seven seals
seven spirits
Seven capital deadly sins
seven devils out of Mary Magdalene
seven angels
seven vials
sevenfold admirable sacraments

Interest leads on to the 1890 Translation and the references as beloaw.

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First Reading Proverbs 9:1-18

Night Office Reading

From the writings of Prosper Guéranger (The Liturgical Year 11, 261-262)

The sevenfold sacraments

• Our risen Jesus would have the Sacraments be Seven. As, at the beginning, he stamped the Creation of the visible world with this sacred number - giving six days to work and one to rest - so, too, would he mark the great spiritual creation. He tells us, in the Old Testament, that Wisdom (that is, himself - for he is the Eternal Wisdom of the Father) will build to himself a House, which is the Church; and he adds that he will make it rest on seven pillars[1]. He gives us a type of this same Church in the Tabernacle built by Moses, and he orders a superb Candlestick to be provided for the giving of light, by day and night, to the holy place; but there were to be seven branches to the candlestick, and on each branch were to be graven flowers and fruits [2].
• When he raises his beloved disciple to heaven, he shows himself to him surrounded by seven candlesticks, and holding seven stars in his right hand[3]. He appears to him as a Lamb, bearing seven horns (which are the symbol of strength), and having seven eyes (which signify his infinite wisdom)[4]. Near him lies a Book, in which is written the future of the world; the Book is sealed with seven seals, and none but the lamb is able to loose them[5]. The Disciple sees seven spirits, burning like lamps, before the throne of God,[6] ready to do his biddings, and carry his word to the extremities of the earth.
• Turning our eyes to the kingdom of satan, we see him mimicking God's work, and setting up a seven of his own. Seven capital and deadly sins are the instruments whereby he makes man his slave; and our Saviour tells us that when satan has been defeated, and would regain a soul, he brings with him seven of the wickedest spirits of hell. We read in the gospel that Jesus drove seven devils out of Mary Magdalene. When God's anger bursts upon the world, immediately before the coming of the dread Judge, he will announce the approach of his chastisements by seven trumpets, sounded by seven angels;[7] and seven other angels will then pour out upon the guilty earth seven vials filled with the wrath of God.[8]
• We, therefore, who are resolved to make sure our election, who desire to possess the grace of our risen Jesus in this life, and to enjoy his vision in the next: Oh! let us reverence and love this merciful seven-fold, these admirable sacraments. Under this sacred number, he has included all the varied riches of his grace. There is not a want or necessity, either of souls individually, or of society at large, for which our Redeemer has not provided by these seven sources of regeneration and life. He calls us from death to life by baptism and penance; he strengthens us in that supernatural-life by confirmation, the Eucharist, and extreme unction; he secures to his Church both ministry and increase by holy order and matrimony.
• It is to the soul which thus believes that the sacraments appear in all their divine beauty and power: we understand, because we believe. Credite, et intelligetis! It is the fulfilment of the text from Isaiah, as rendered by the Septuagint: Unless you believe, you shall not understand! [9]

---

[1] Prov. Ix.1.

[2] Exod. Xxv.37.

[3] Apoc. i.12,16

[4] Ibid. v.6.

[5] Apoc. v. 1,5.

[6] Ibid. iv. 5.

[7] Ibid. viii.2.

[8] Ibid. xvi. 1.

[9] Is. Vii. 9.

---

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SEVENTY TWO DISCIPLES

LUKE 10:1-12, 17-20

FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

(Isaiah 66:10-14c; Psalm 66; Galatians 6:14-18)

Community Mass Homily – Fr. Raymond

THE SEVENTY TWO

When Jesus chose seventy two disciples to send out ahead of him he was surely making a statement to the first members of his Church. These first Christians were mainly Jews and, on consideration of the number he chose they would inevitably think of Moses and the seventy elders he was ordered by God to choose to help him in the governing of his people. Jesus was proclaiming himself as the New Moses, the New Deliverer of his people from the bondage of sin; the one of whom the first Moses was only a Type and Shadow.

The reason for Jesus’ need for the seventy two was basically the same as the reason for Moses’ need for the seventy viz that the job was too much for one man to handle. Jesus came as ‘really man’ with all the basic limitations of time and space that that implies. As a visible, tangible, preaching and teaching man he couldn’t be in every place and time for his people. He needed human helpers, he needed the extension of his bodily existence which is the church, his mystical Body on earth.

That there is something greater than the first Moses here we can surmise from the fact that Jesus chose seventy two, whereas Moses chose only seventy. There is surely a great significance in the extra two chosen by Jesus. Whereas Moses chose only seventy and God himself appointed the other two (the sons of Aaron) who went up the mountain with them, Jesus, on the other hand chose all seventy two himself, thereby giving a clue, for those who would ponder these things in their hearts, that he was assuming the role of God himself.

Another fact that we might ponder on in order to appreciate the greatness of the role that the disciples of Jesus were being called to is to contemplate the wonderful experience given to Moses’ seventy two. First, they could not go the whole way up the mountain, just as Jesus disciples could not come as close to the Father as his own Beloved Son. Second, nevertheless they did share in an awesome and even life threatening vision of God “They saw him as standing on a sapphire sea, and they ate and drank and did not die” (Ex.24) We are surely right to use this scene as a meditation on how awesome it is to be called work closely with Christ in the mission of his church.