Latroun Letter

Thank you, Peter,
Your letter is a great reminder of the experience I also enjoyed the Easter Vigil at Latroun in 2004.

--- In Latroun Abbey, Israel From: Peter . . .Subject: Happy Easter To: "Mark . . ." Date: Sunday, 4 April, 2010, 8:31 Dear Mark, I fell into bed at 2.30 this morning and we were back up at 6.30 for Lauds. So, somewhat tired, but actually very content and joyous over the night's service. Our Easter fire leapt 20 foot in the air with a whoosh of great flames from the tinder try palm branches. It was like the moment of Resurrection and new life declared. We also had a very tiny baby at the celebration. I thought she was going to be baptised, but she was just participating. I had been at her elder daughter's Baptism, now 4, at Latroun. We had Readings in Hebrew, Arabic, French, Dutch and, from yours truly, in English. I enjoyed just listening to the different languages and reflecting that Christ's message had come to all these lands. It was good also to hear the message in what must be close to the way Jesus said it. . . .God Bless and keep you and all at Nunraw, Yours, Peter PS. - We expect there will be a Baptism in Latroun Abbey Church next Sunday. This may be for the baby that attended the Easter Vigil. -

Mary and the Resurrection

Meditation of the Day Monday, 5 April 2010 ----------------- Mary and the Resurrection And when, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, she sensed that the hour of the Resurrection had arrived - that is, that her Son's life was arriving - so that he might take her body into his own glory, she spoke devoutly, saying, "Beloved Son, what have you come to do? .. Oh, seeing that I, uprooted from myself, was crucified and died along with you, did I not deserve from you the favour of being totally immersed in your sufferings? Therefore, oh, take me with you into glory or, as I have repeated so often, leave me to share the pangs of your sufferings." Her most kind Son answered her with respect, in a consoling tone: "My sweetest Mother, this little flock of your children cannot be deprived of your pres­ence. For they would decline in number were they not strengthened by the support of your faith. If they were deprived at the same time of me, their Shepherd and Father, and you, their Mother and Teacher, it would be too much for them to bear. Through them, I must still obtain for myself a people, who will be born from your womb of charity. Therefore, 0 sweetest Mother, bear it with patience when I leave you with them for a time and raise my body to the glory of Majesty." His devoted Mother answered him: "This is what I was pondering attentively: that, as you were dying on your most holy cross, in the midst of your sufferings, you entrusted John to me (see Jn 19: 25-27). Because you include all men in John, this means that my affection embraces all the elect. Then how will I be able to cover the multitude of sinners in your sight if you take from me the cloak of your flesh? How will I wash their disfigured faces if you take from me the bath of your blood? How will I nail them to the cross of your wounds if the mark of those wounds is seen no more? How will I bury them in your death if you take away the experience of your death? Take these things into account, 0 my beloved Son, and leave me, along with your sufferings, the instruments of your passion: the nails, the thorns, the cross, the spear, for without them I cannot live in my passible flesh. You know, 0 dearest Son, that I never defied your will to the slightest degree, and so, if you hear and grant my desire, I will return to you the sub­stance of the flesh that I conceived in my virginity." Then sweetest Jesus, all aflame with love for his Mother, hearing her lament so sorrowfully and lovingly, said to her: "Dearest Mother, I see that you are pleased by my total glorification. I leave you the trea­sure of my love and my bitter suffering, and I impress upon your mind the instruments of my passion." UBERTlNO OF CA5ALE + c. 1330) was a leader of the so-called spiritual Franciscans, a theologian, and a preacher. (MAGNIFICAT Missalette) The Holy Sepulchre (Eugene Hoade, Guide to the Holy Land, p.129) From here we ascend to the Franciscan Church (D) of the Apparition of Jesus to his Mother. Of this apparition the Gospel does not speak, but longstanding tradition has perpetuated its memory in the Church. The Most Blessed Sacrament it reserved in this chapel and the Franciscans day and night recite the Divine Office here. On the altar to the right is the Column of the Flagellation, a fragment of a prophyry column 0,75 m. high. This is probably the column that was revered on Sion from the 4th century, but from the 10th century has been in the church of the Holy Sepulchre. At the back of the chapel of the Apparition stands the Convent of the Franciscans (21) who officiate in the Basilica, and to the left, on leaving, is their Sacristy (22), where are to be seen a pair of gilt spurs and a blade, said to be the "Sword of Godfrey de Bouillon." The sword, the spurs and a pectoral cross are used in creating Knights of the Holy Sepulchre.

Easter Sunday morning

Easter Sunday morning Homily


From: Fr. Raymond
Date: Sunday, 4 April, 2010, 17:07

CHIARO SCHURO IN THE GOSPELS There is a technique used by artists in their paintings called “Chiaro/Schuro”, literally “Light and darkness”. By means of this technique the contrast between the dark areas and the light areas in the painting emphasises some point which the artist wishes to make. We find the same technique used in the Gospels: For example, at the moment in the last supper, when Jesus tells the Apostles that one of them is to betray him, the beloved disciple John leans his head on Jesus breast to ask who it is and, at that very moment, Judas goes out into the night to accomplish the betrayal. The darkness of Judas’ betrayal underlines and emphasises the beautiful brightness of John special friendship and intimacy with Jesus. More Chiaro Schuros Here are a few more of the chiaro/schuro canvases painted by the Divine Artist in the life of Jesus: during Holy Week. First there is, of course, the contrast between the brightness of the Palm Sunday acclamations of the crowds: “Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!” and the darkness of the same crowd crying “Crucify him! Crucify him!”. Just a few days separated these two scenes yet they are surely but one canvas in chiaro/schuro. Then we have the glowing moment of intimacy at the last supper when the beloved disciple leans his head against the Master’s breast to ask the fateful question and at the very same moment the dark and sombre traitor receiving the morsel from Jesus hands. Trust and treachery side by side. Lastly we have a beautiful Chiaro/Schuro scene in Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalen. What could be a deeper darkness than that to be found in the heart and soul of Mary as she stands weeping by the empty tomb. “They have taken away my Lord and I don’t know where they have taken him”. She was not, it seemed, to have even the comfort of tending to his sacred body; that final and consoling comfort of closure which means so much to the bereaved. Then comes the moment of blinding light when Jesus appears and calls her by name. “Mary!” . . .

Holy Family Church in Gaza

Holy Week message from retired parish priest in Gaza Fr Manuel Musallam, 71, has recently retired, after serving as parish priest of the Holy Family Church in Gaza for 14 years, through last year's devastating bombing and the ongoing siege. For most of that time he was not been allowed to visit his family and friends in the West Bank. He sends the following Easter message. Read More ... Posted: Thursday, April 1, 2010 11:02 am indcatholicnews.com

Holy Week Message

Holy Week message from retired parish priest in Gaza Fr Manuel Musallam, 71, has recently retired, after serving as parish priest of the Holy Family Church in Gaza for 14 years, through last year's devastating bombing and the ongoing siege. For most of that time he was not been allowed to visit his family and friends in the West Bank. He sends the following Easter message. Read More ... Posted: Thursday, April 1, 2010 11:02 am

http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=15923

Chapel of Repose

1 April [Holy Thursday Jn 13:1-5 Our Lord’s Words of Farewell (Maundy) Holy Thursday. The usual dismiss, Ite Missa est, Go Forth, of the Mass, is different on Holy Thursday, rather, it is an invitation to the Chapel of Repose of the Blessed Sacrament. There is time to think more about the words we heard in the Gospel. To grasp the slightest glimpse of Jesus words, or possibly a little prompt from the Holy Spirit, suggests changing to order of the verses, Joh 13:3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, Joh 13:4 rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and girded himself with a towel. Joh 13:1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The measure of Jesus’ words, on the “Washing of the Feet”, explodes the significance of our everyday life. Retrospectively the utmost Passion of Christ is at one with the continuity of his constant proofs of love. Comment (Barnes) John 13:1 - The feast of the Passover - See the notes at Mat_26:2, Mat_26:17. His hour was come - The hour appointed in the purpose of God for him to die, Joh_12:27. Having loved his own - Having given to them decisive and constant proofs of his love. This was done by his calling them to follow him; by patiently teaching them; by bearing with their errors and weaknesses; and by making them the heralds of his truth and the heirs of eternal life. He loved them unto the end - That is, he continued the proofs of his love until he was taken away from them by death. Instances of that love John proceeds immediately to record in his washing their feet and in the institution of the Lord’s Supper. We may remark that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He does not change; he always loves the same traits of character; nor does he withdraw his love from the soul. If his people walk in darkness and wander from him, the fault is theirs, not his. His is the character of a friend that never leaves or forsakes us; a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Psa_37:28; “the Lord ...forsaketh not his saints.” Isa_49:14-17; Pro_18:24. + + +

Nigeria killings

Asking for prayer for Jos and Nigeria

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Nivard McGlynn
To: donald mcglynn
Sent: Thu, 1 April, 2010 13:54:57
Subject: Fw: TR: Tr : OH GOD SAVE NIGERIA ... THIS IS WICKEDNESS.

t.net>; Lucie Assena Makon ; luther NOLLA NDjé Envoyé le : Ven 19 mars 2010, 8 h 06 min 50 s Objet : OH GOD SAVE NIGERIA ... THIS IS WICKEDNESS. We need to thank God everyday to be living in a country of integration of diversities: multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-ethnic and muti-religious backgrounds, yet at peace without such hatred or strong antagonism. When we see what is going on in other parts of the world, we need to stop for a while and acknowledge that we are truly where we are. May God be given all thanks, honour and glory for His protection and favour upon our lives! Amen! PEACE TO YOU ALL! Minister Salomon NYEMB Founder and Teacher of the word of God CHURCH OF GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT IN CHRIST (COGDIC). Shocking pictures, pray for the victims Ambu Fonkim William Just give few minutes of your time praying for such countries a day. Who knows may be God would save someone you love like he could have done it in Jos that night. May he forgive all our wickedness; bcse that's where a small evil thought can lead us. GOD SAVE NIGERIA , THIS IS WICKEDNESS AT THE HIGHEST ORDER!!!!!!!, THERE IS ALWAYS A JUDGEMENT DAY. Watch out …….. Watch out……. Might be too graphic for your heart ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF JOS http://www.anglicandioceseofjos.org THEY WERE MOSTLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN. THEY WERE DEFENCELESS. THEY WERE UNPROTECTED. THEY DIED WITHOUT KNOWING WHY OR HOW. SOME WHERE BUTCHERED ON THEIR BEDS WHILE MANY MORE WERE KILLED WHILE TRYING TO FLEE FROM THEIR ATTACKERS; MOSLEMS WHO FEEL THESE PEOPLE DO NOT DESERVE TO LIVE AND DO NOT DESERVE THE LIVES THEY HAVE. WOMEN WERE HACKED DOWN AS THEY TRIED TO COVER AND PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN WITH THEIR BODIES. LITTLE BABIES WERE SNATCHED FROM THEIR MOTHERS AND THROWN INTO THE BURNING FLAMES SET BY THE ATTACKERS. CHRISTIANS IN THREE VILLAGES IN A COMMUNITY NEAR JOS WERE SHOT AND BUTCHERED IN COLD BLOOD IN THE EARLY HOURS OF SUNDAY 7TH MARCH 2010 SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WERE CHRISTIANS W WE CALL ON THE PEOPLE OF GOD WORLD WIDE TO JOIN US IN PRAYERS FOR PLATEAU STATE AND THE FAMILIES OF THESE PEOPLE WHO DIED SENSELESSLY TO SATISFY THE DESPOTIC CRAVINGS OF MOSLEMS IN JOS.

"Spy" Wednesday of Holy Week

On this Post, for the moment this is a 'piggy-back' lift to Fr. Z's right-up-to-date "What Does The Prayer Really Says?"

It is another irresistible exposition of the COLLECT.

The taste will tempt to the feast, those who love 'the meaning of the words chosen for the celebration, often extraordinarily brief...’, and will know where to find the Website.

http://wdtprs.com/blog/2010/03/wdtprs-spy-wednesday-of-holy-week/

31 March 2010

WDTPRS - “Spy” Wednesday of Holy Week

CATEGORY: SESSIUNCULA, WDTPRS — Fr. John Zuhlsdorf @ 9:19 am

The term “Spy” Wednesday probably is an allusion to Christ’s betrayal by Judas.

COLLECT
Deus, qui pro nobis Filium tuum
crucis patibulum subire voluisti,
ut inimici a nobis expelleres potestatem,
concede nobis famulis tuis,
ut resurrectionis gratiam consequamur.

• This prayer was the Collect for this same day in the 1962 Missale Romanum. It was also in the ancient Gregorian Sacramentary in both the Hadrianum and Paduense manuscripts.
  
  
• The impressive and informative Lewis & Short Dictionary informs us thatpatibulum (deriving from pateo) is “a fork-shaped yoke, placed on the necks of criminals, and to which their hands were tied; also, a fork-shaped gibbet”. In turn, English “gibbet” means “an upright post with a projecting arm for hanging the bodies of executed criminals as a warning”.
  
  
• The verb subeo in its basic meaning is “to come or go under any thing” and by logical extension “to subject one’s self to, take upon one’s self an evil; to undergo, submit to, sustain, endure, suffer”. The L&S explains that “The figure taken from stooping under a load, under blows, etc.)” There are other shades of meaning, including “to come on secretly, to advance or approach stealthily, to steal upon, steal into”. Keep this one in mind.
• Consequor is very interesting. It signifies “to follow, follow up, press upon, go after, attend, accompany, pursue any person or thing” and then it extends to concepts like “to follow a model, copy, an authority, example, opinion, etc.; to imitate, adopt, obey, etc.” and “to reach, overtake, obtain”. Going beyond even these definitions, there is this: “to become like or equal to a person or thing in any property or quality, to attain, come up to, to equal (cf. adsequor).” I know, I know - mentio non fit expositio. Still it is interesting to make connections in the words, which often have subtle overlaps. Remember that interesting meaning ofsubeo, above? There is a shade of “pursuit” and “imitation” in the prayer’s vocabulary.

SLAVISHLY LITERAL RENDERING
O God, who willed Your Son to undergo
on our behalf the gibbet of the Cross
so that You might drive away from us the power of the enemy,
grant to us Your servants,
that we may obtain the grace of the resurrection.

This is an austere prayer, razor like, cutting to the heart of the matter. By our sins we are in the clutches of the enemy, who mercilessly attacks us. Christ freed us from dire consequences of slavery to sin by His Passion.

LAME-DUCK ICEL VERSION
Father,
in your plan of salvation
your Son Jesus Christ accepted the cross
and freed us from the power of the enemy.
May we come to share in the glory of his resurrection.

The ancient Romans would have their conquered foes pass under a yoke (iugum), to show that they were now subjugated. Their juridical status changed. Christ went under the Cross in its carrying and then underwent the Cross in its hideous torments. In his liberating act of salvation, we passed from the servitude of the enemy to the service of the Lord, not as slaves, but as members of a family.

We are not merely household servants (famuli), we are according the status of children of the master of the house, able to inherit what He already has.

• • • • • •

1. Please afford a light moment. At the school where I learned Latin, detention under the prefect was known as “jug”—“Sub jugo praefecti passi sumus.”

   Ut semper, gratias orationum exegetis alti agimus.

   Comment by Tom in NY — 31 March 2010 @ 10:30 am

2. He took the form of a slave and died a horrible death so that we would no longer be slaves to sin and death.

   Comment by Dr. Eric — 31 March 2010 @ 10:35 am

3. Whereas you render crucis patibulum concretely and vividly as “gibbet of the cross”, and the lame-duck ICEL version labors along the “plan of salvation” route in order to simply omit the word patibulum, including no translation at all, the British Divine Office and Lauds and Vespers (ed. Fr. Peter Stravinskas) both take a “softer” intermediate course.

   Divine Office: agony of the cross
   Lauds & Vespers: ignominy of the cross

   Comment by Henry Edwards — 31 March 2010 @ 12:13 pm

4. This was the second Collect for today. The first Collect is thus:

   Praesta, quaesumus, omnipotens Deus: ut qui nostris excessibus incessantur affligimur, per unigeniti Filii tui passionem liberemur: Qui tecum vivit…

   “Grant, we beseech thee, O almighty God that we who are incessantly aafflicted by our sinful excesses may be delivered by the Passion of Thine only-begotten Son.”—Taken from the Baronius Press missal ;)

   Comment by Phil — 31 March 2010 @ 12:59 pm

5. So a patibulum is that thing that looks like the stocks, but is mobile.

   Huh. I guess a crossbar does look like that.

   Comment by Suburbanbanshee — 31 March 2010 @ 1:14 pm

6. I found this translation in my mother’s 1948 Roman Missal:
   “O God who for our sakes didst will that thy Son should suffer the death of the Cross, and thereby free us from the power of the enemy: grant to us thy servants to have part in the grace of the resurrection.”
   I’m no latin scholar, but even I can see that ‘lame duck’ translations seem to be to the latin text, what decaffeinated coffee is to the real thing!

   Comment by Mrs Kate — 31 March 2010 @ 2:28 pm

_______________________________________________________________________

Wednesday Holy Week

Spy Wednesday

Today is Holy Wednesday, also called Spy Wednesday, as we draw closer to the end of Lent and the beginning of the commemoration of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of the Lord.

Today the Mass readings again show Judas Iscariot making the preparations to betray Our Lord.

The Synoptic tradition on the betrayal of Judas began about the time when the authorities in Jerusalem had determined to kill Jesus, and Judas engaged to betray Him into their hands.

The Gospels of Matthew and Luke did not imply that the betrayal was induced by anything more than the money offered or that opposition to Jesus was Judas’ motive; indeed Judas appeared as the instrument of higher powers as Luke write: “Satan entered into Judas.’’ (Lk 22:3).

The event was not unexpected to Jesus, since at the Last Supper, He had announced His coming betrayal by one of the 12 disciples. While to the 12, this event seemed at the time most improbable, to Jesus it was not so and indeed was in keeping with the divine purpose as expressed in the Scriptures and was a necessary means for the accomplishment of the divine plan.

What is so significant about Spy Wednesday is that it reflects the daily struggles we all endure in order to accept a relationship with the Lord. To live the life that Jesus intended for us is a perpetual struggle on a daily basis with good and evil. Sometimes when we are questioned about our transgressions, we answer back. “It’s not me Lord.’’ But the tranquility of Jesus’ realization of His mission provides us with hope in the days to come.

There is a real message here in Jesus’ tranquil resignation to the events that are coming: Faith in the love and power of the Father. As believers in the power of God’s love and goodness, Spy Wednesday should provide a period for reflection and prayer. We need to examine our lives and look for the moments that we have falsely shared intimacy with our brothers and sisters in faith.

(Clerical Whispers http://clericalwhispers.blogspot.com/)

What Does The Prayer Really Say

Surprise SNOW and BLIZZARDS at the end the first month of SPRING

COMMENT

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: William . . .
To: Donald . . .
Sent: Tue, 30 March, 2010 19:49:06
Subject: Re: [Blog] Tuesday in Holy Week (and every day)

Dear . . .

“What Does The Prayer Really Say?”

How much this article should cause me always to be alert to seek to grasp the meaning of the words chosen for the celebration, often extraordinarily brief... One sentence from the extract has me spellbound... "By our deepening of our grasp on Christ, and His grasp on us, His merit becomes our merit and thus we can receive the saving pardon He grasped for us on the Cross".

Thank you!

William.

+ + +

"Spellbound", you say, William, so I have followed your highlights of "grasp". Back to the Post, it is even more clear Formating the text with Bullet Listing. Even again, it is a joy to relish the sense and significance. (Donald).