What Does the Prayer Really Say?

20 July 2010

Mass - Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time.

On Monday, yesterday, the Gospel was of Jonah and the Resurrection, Mt. 12:38-42

On Tuesday, this morning, the Gospel is of the Mother and Brothers to see Jesus,

Mt. 12:46-50.

Two popular stories, Jonah and ‘Who is my Mother’, for Homilies, but by the fact they raise the question about the break in the flow. There is an interruption with Mat 12:45 Then he (unclean spirit) goes and brings with him seven other spirits more evil than himself,

If it is missed in the Lectionary, it may seem to be passed in this round.

For the Introduction.we had thought about the Collect.

The famous Fr. Z.n WDTPRS, ‘What Does the Prayer Really Say?’, still goes strong. It all strated with the Vat II, ICEL translation of the Collects of the Mass. At the time, Abbot/Bishop Christopher Butler, OSB, said, “The search by ICEL for simplicity and immediate intelligibility has sometimes led to a jejune and staccato effect and to the loss of depth of meaning or the sense of mystery present in the Latin text”

The ICEL 16^th Week Ordinary Collect goes like this,

(ICEL 1973 translation of the 1970 MR):
Lord,
be merciful to your people.
Fill us with your gifts
and make us always eager to serve you
in faith, hope, and love.
Abrupt stop, staccato, and there is no word of grace.

Our current Mass actually has a choice of Versions.

The copy I use this morning,

Collect

Have mercy on your people, Lord,
and make your grace increase within us,
so that with ardent faith, hope and charity
we may always be alert
to obey your commands.
Through our Lord.

(Hierarchy of England & Wales, Birmingham 1973)

It is very clear, and as we listen to the Collect we appreciate its important and pivotal point in the Mass. Nothing is to distract us by other actions or movements.

Let ‘What the Prayer Really Does Say’ in our hearts.  

Sign of Jonah

Mass Monday, July 19, 2010

MATTHEW 12:38-42 Sign of Jonah

40 For as Jonas was in the whale's belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. DRB

5618 40 ADV 40 ὥσπερ 40 ōsper 40 just	1063 CONJ γὰρ gar For	2258 V-IAI-3S ἦν ēn was	2495 N-NSM Ἰωνᾶς iōnas Jonah	1722 PREP ἐν en in
3588 T-DSF τῇ tē the	2836 N-DSF κοιλίᾳ koilia BELLY	3588 T-GSN τοῦ tou of the	2785 N-GSN κήτους kētous whale's	5140 A-APF τρεῖς treis three
2250 N-APF ἡμέρας ēmeras days	2532 CONJ καὶ kai and	5140 A-APF τρεῖς treis three	3571 N-APF νύκτας, nuktas nights	3779 ADV οὕτως outōs so
2071 V-FXI-3S ἔσται estai will be	3588 T-NSM ὁ o	5207 N-NSM υἱὸς uios Son	3588 T-GSM τοῦ tou of	444 N-GSM ἀνθρώπου anthrōpou man
1722 PREP ἐν en in	3588 T-DSF τη tē the	2588 N-DSF καρδίᾳ kardia heart	3588 T-GSF τῆς tēs of	1093 N-GSF γῆς gēs earth
5140 A-APF τρεῖς treis three	2250 N-APF ἡμέρας ēmeras days	2532 CONJ καὶ kai and	5140 A-APF τρεῖς treis three	3571 N-APF νύκτας. nuktas nights

Just some exercise with assistance of Biblos com.

von Balthasar

MONDAY 19^th July 2010

MEDITATION OF THE DAY (MAGNIFICAT Missalette)

Father von Balthasar

Seeking a Sign

An "experience" is necessary if one is to open up to faith ... The disciples too desired a sign so that they could orient themselves toward Christ's return ... The sign of Jesus' resurrection is his death. Precisely in this apparent contradiction the faith Jesus demands gives proof of its victory over the world. What sign did Jonah make when he proclaimed to Nineveh her own destruction? Certainly no miraculous vision. Yet there must have been an incomprehensible power in his preaching if the whole city, including its king, believed him. It must have been the character of his word, embedded in the word itself yet reaching out beyond it to the hearts of his hearers. All that this reaching out required was that they not shut themselves up against the power and character of the word.

"No other sign," Jesus says. It is as if he thereby sweeps away all his healings and exorcisms, all his multiplication of loaves and calming of storms, as if all these "works" were invalid as signs, as if in the ultimate decision he was confining himself to himself, who surpasses Jonah in signification. He transcends Jonah's sign through the insignificance ("even to death on the cross") of his three days spent hidden in the bosom of the earth. Those demanding a sign receive nothing but the character of the (incarnate Divine) Word in its mundane, humiliated form. This, and only this, is believable - every ostentatious sign would be incredible 'and would point only to a power opposed to God (Rv 13: 3-4, 13-15).

That Jonah was spit out onto the dry ground on the third day, that Christ arose on the third day, is not given as a sign to "this evil generation." Unlike the healing of the mortally wounded beast in Revelation, the .resurrection is no spectacle upon which belief focuses. Nowhere is it called a "sign," and Thomas was explicitly instructed: "Blessed are those who have not seen, yet believe" Un 20: 29). The witness must be believed; just as Jonah testified to his mission from God, so Jesus is the testimony of the Father, and the disciples are Christ's witnesses (Acts 13: 31; 10: 41). They will have both cross and resurrection to bear witness to, but the cross is the visible sign, and the resurrection is the invisible sign. The cross shows itself as a defeat; the resurrection victory is invisible.

Therefore, Christ's Church shows herself to the world as a sign of humiliation, persecution, and death.

FATHER HANS URS VON BALTHASAR (+ 1988) was an eminent Swiss Catholic theologian who wrote prodigiously.
from You Have Words of Eternal Life, Scripture Meditations,
Dermis Martin. Tr. © 1999. Ignatius Press, San Francisco. CA.

Parallel New Testaments

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 10:38-42.

Martha and Mary

A homily on Martha and Mary speaks well on the hospitality of Jesus in Bethany.

In contrast plethora of New Testament versions, English Octapia, English Hexapla or more in the vernacular, the parallel NY translations must bemuse and bewilder us.. The Oxford University Press seems to have cornered a special market on parallel NY translations.

Catholic Comparative New Testament-PR-RSV/NRSV/Douay-Rheims/Nab/Gnt/Jb/NJB

By Oxford University Press 2006

The Contemporary Parallel New Testament: King James Version; New American Standard Bible Updated Edition; New Century Version; Contemporary English ... New King James Version; The Message [Hardcover] Oxford University Press, USA 1999

The most powerful argument about the collectable library of translations must be to drive Scripture students to the original languages.

The great incentive to learning Bible Greek is open to vast Internet tutorial systems.

The story of Martha and Mary makes an enjoyable exercise in the Greek analysis. The choice is plentiful in Online resources.

Luk 10:41 [But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha,] you are anxious and troubled about many things; Luk 10:42 one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her." RSV

Biblos Lk 10: 41-42

3309 V-PAI-2S μεριμνᾷς merimnas you are anxious	2532 CONJ καὶ kai and	5182 V-PPI-2S θορυβάζῃ thorubazē troubled	4012 PREP περὶ peri about	4183 A-APN πολλά, polla things	42 1520 42 A-GSN 42 ὀλίγων 42 oligōn 42 thing
1161 CONJ δέ de but	2076 V-PAI-3S ἐστιν estin is	5532 N-NSF χρεία chreia necessary	2228 PRT ἡ ē and	1520 A-GSN ἑνὸς· enos thing	3137 N-PRI Μαριὰμ mariam Mary
1063 CONJ γὰρ gar and	3588 T-ASF τὴν tēn the	18 A-ASF ἀγαθὴν agathēn good	3310 N-ASF μερίδα merida part	1586 V-AMI-3S ἐξελέξατο exelexato chosen	3748 R-NSF ἥτις ētis which
3756 PRT-N οὐκ ouk not	851 V-FPI-3S ἀφαιρεθήσεται aphairethēsetai will be taken away	846 P-GSF αὐτῆς. autēs her			Courtesy of Biblos com

Parallel New Testaments:

The Oxford University Press productions conform to a template for the two sets of eight translations, one set called Catholic set and the second set a the Others.

This synopsis of the Catholic Comparative NT is fits the template for both productions.

“The Douay-Rheims, RSVCB, NRSVCB, and NAB are called formal equivalent translations (popularly referred to as "word-for-word" translations). This means that scholars rendered the New Testament's original language into English that is as close as possible to its original wording. The result is a translation that is particularly valuable for careful analysis of the text. Meanwhile, the JB, GNB, NJB, and Christian Community Bible represent the "thought-for-thought" school of Bible translation (technically described as dynamic or functional equivalent). This method places the priority on the intended meaning of the original vocabulary, adapting it to English syntax and grammar. Such a translation tends to be easier to read and understand.”

This review is from: The Contemporary Parallel New Testament: King James Version; New American Standard Bible Updated Edition; New Century Version; Contemporary English ... New King James Version; The Message (Hardcover)

This Parallel New Testament is nothing more than a preface and foreward and the scriptures of eight more popular translations (with their preface and forewards). But that is great! The eight represent a strong cross section of translation styles, from the more literal word-for-word (NAS, NIV) to the more thought-for-thought (The Message, The Living Translation). I believe the variation of translations draws one closer to understanding what God is saying to us; this is the next best thing to reading it in the Greek (and having a Greek expert and 1st century historian available for interpretting those phrases that don't make sense in a word for word translation).

There seems the great divide between the two leagues, “from the more literal word-for-word (NAS, NIV), to the more thought-for-thought”. It seems a neat and useful distinction and hopefully not somewhat facile.

The Agony and the Ecstasy

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Matthew 12: 14-21

(12:20) A bruised reed shall he not break,
And smoking flax shall he not quench …

In the Media we learned of a man who suffered an accident, had extreme brain damage and has been paralysed. He has been lying in a special hospital for twelve months.

Family and friends came to the conclusion that the technology support should be terminated.

At that point the Doctors detected from the man’s eyes some reaction. The Doctors could get a response by his eyes. He was indicating that “I want to live”.

“A bruised reed shall he not break, And smoking flax shall he not quench”.

The mystery of life is the life, a life within a life, within a life, within a life …

In our lives, whatever the limitations, disabilities, age or illness, is our hidden lives of grace, prayer, and response.

And so begin the offering of our Community Mass.

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

Commentary PNT:

Mat 12:20 -

A bruised reed shall he not break. The reed, a hollow cylinder, if bruised has its strength destroyed. It thus becomes the symbol of the bruised spirit. The tender Savior will not break, but heal.

Smoking flax. The wick of the lamp that had ceased to burn clearly. The violent would put it out and fling it away. The Lord does not use such violence with those disciples who give forth some light, even if it is imperfect.

Till he send forth judgment. Till he shall sit in power and triumph on the throne of judgment.

Agony & Ecstasy

The great 1965 motion picture 'The Agony and the Ecstasy', which I have not seen, portrayed Michelangelo the great artist on a scaffold, painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. There is this scene were the Pope, Julius II, Michelangelo's patron and often hard-driving taskmaster, mounts the scaffold in absolute fascination to see the great artist's depiction of God Himself. Looking into the face of God, Pope Julius asks Michelangelo: 'Is that how you see Him, my son?'. How do you see Him? It is my prayer that you will see Him, this morning, as One who will not break the bruised reed, will not quench the smoking flax - and that your soul too will be quieted, soothed, comforted, encouraged and healed.

http://www.preachtheword.com/sermon/misc0075-bruisedreed.shtml

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