Almost without fail, when I ask people if they had a good Christmas the response I get is "I'm just glad it's over!" Really? Talk about your "protestant-creep" into what should otherwise be one of the most blessed times of the year......well, for a Christian anyway. Maybe that's where I've went wrong, or so some sources would have me believe.
Allow me to go on, dear reader, if only just for a quick rant.
Now, we all know the basic premise, or we should, that Christmas is not really about gifts. Right? I mean, we can say it's about giving, but not necessarily of material gifts per se. The gifts are more or less (sadly, more often less) an extension of the act of self-giving that the Christian life requires of us, but have been twisted and turned and wrapped with paper and ribbon and festooned with lights until our fingers bleed from paper cuts and our eyes are dazzled numb.
I'll keep saying this at least until one person gets it, and then I'll go for another, but this attitude of "I'm glad it's over" is American in general and Protestant in particular. Do I loathe America? Far from it. But we have our faults. Do I hold contempt for Protestants? Not at all, used to be one in fact. However, America and Protestantism are intertwined like peanut butter and jelly. It's just historical fact. That's not to say that it's ALL Protestant, but generally speaking, our culture is. Hence, the almost audible sigh of relief around mid-morning Christmas day when all the presents are opened and "Whew.....thank God that's over" sounds across the hills.
Here's the problem on two levels: 1) our culture being mainly Protestant there is a general lack of knowledge that the Christmas season does not start on Black Friday and end on Christmas day; and 2) because of this culture we have lost (and in some cases, never had to begin with) the "effect" that Christmas should bring.
So why the fuss? Well, I'll answer that question with a question: Why be glad it's over? I know, I know....it's the hustle and bustle....get the perfect gift....blah blah blah. The answer, in a nutshell, is that we don't have the Christmas "season". Why? Well......where do you want me to start? Seriously. How about the nugget that our forefathers (some of the earliest ones) banned Christmas in this country? And we can't blame them since their forefathers did away with celebrating almost all, if not all depending on who you asked at the time, Christian holidays (read holy-days). Ultimately, the problem lies with the break in Protestantism.....and Christmas (the word being a conjunction for Mass celebrated on Christ's day and shortened to Christ's Mass or Christmas...same as Michaelmas or any of a number of other examples) was considered a "Catholic" holiday (and we'll gladly take responsibility). Just another day among Her throng of "meaningless" days those crazy Catholics celebrate not knowing they don't have to anymore; according to our forefather's particular ideology, anyway.
Hate to break the news to you (I want to say when I hear that line that started this post), but Christmas just got started. The twelve days of Christmas? Yeah, just started Christmas day, not on the 13th of December. Know what that little jingle is about? If not, look it up. But the point is that in our Protestant culture, there's no room for Advent, or awaiting the coming of our Savior. Oh, sure...we say there is...we will tell you all day there is. The facts prove otherwise. No Advent = no Advent. Period. And since we don't have Advent, we have replaced it with Ads-vent; we wait for the coming of our circulars and Black Friday-sales-ads as thick as Holy Writ itself, malls that smell of pretzels and sweat and completely lose Christ until we are reminded the Sunday before Christmas. Oh I know...He's back there somewhere....loose....floating around....it's the whole reason for the season....oh there's a manger, that's pretty.....now do I get the black or brown scarf???? SO MANY CHOICES!!!!!!
Christmas Season begins on Christmas Day. Christmas Season ends twelve days later, on the eve of Epiphany (the revelation of the God-Man, God in human form), the day of commemoration of the Magi encountering the Christ child, a symbol of the revelation to the Gentiles. Advent season calls us towards Christmas, towards repentance, and towards anticipation of the coming of our Savior. Christmas season is our very own Epiphany, if you will. Shall we be glad already that the miraculous birth is over and life can get back to normal?
In our culture, the answer is sadly "Yes." It's the domino-effect in perfect example: first domino is to do away with the Church, the next domino is do away with all things connected to her, and that most certainly includes the celebration of feast days. Oh, uh, well, with the exception of Christmas (sometimes) and Easter (sometimes), of course. Yes, let's keep those....they seem somehow more important than the others; and they are. What's troubling to me is ALL the rest where deemed "unimportant"..............odd. So some days that celebrate Christ (like Christmas and Easter) or members of his body (like St. Patrick or St. Columbus) are good, but others (like mmm.....say the Feast of Corpus Christi or St. Stephen the first Martyr or the Feast of the Holy Family) are bad and too "Catholic?" Am I the only one who sees a blatant discrepancy here?
Dear Reader, my point is this: when we have come to the point that we are glad "it" is over, it might just be high time we rediscover (or discover as the case may be) what "it" is we are glad to see come to a close. I sometimes go on a rant about issues such as these, and I am appreciative of your forgiveness. After all, it is your humbleness that allows me, a "Christian" Catholic (as though there were another type) to rant about a day and a season that our forefathers deemed un-Christian in the least, and damnable Catholic hocus-pocus at worse. For that label, I will forever be grateful.
And now that I think about it, maybe I'm being a little impatient. Forgive me. You'll see a much more patient Ophelimos on the ninth day of Christmas, when those Nine ladies are dancing.
Look it up dear reader........look it up.
Pax Christi.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Happy News for Owensboro KY Diocese!!!
Thanks be to God!! We have been recently given word of our new Bishop-elect: Fr. William Francis Medley. Fr. Medley is from Marion County, KY and succeeds Rev. John J. McRaith to become the fourth Bishop of the Owensboro Diocese. Fr. Medley has an extensive history of service to God in our general area, and specifically the Archdiocese of Louisville, KY. As providence has it, in 1993 he became the residing priest at St. Joseph's Proto-Cathedral in Bardstown, KY (the original See of the Archdiocese of Louisville). In fact, it was during his tenure at St. Joseph's that the Proto-Cathedral was designated a Minor Basilica. Why am I mentioning this instead of his long list of other accomplishments? Well, no doubt the list is impressive, and worth mentioning...but I mention this to give the readers of this blog a little history lesson. We often loose ourselves within the "Protestant" culture we find ourselves....so every bit of connection with our ancient faith helps.
You see, the first Catholic missionaries arrived in this area in the late 18th century. Following, in 1808, Bishop Carroll of the diocese of Baltimore petitioned Rome for additional dioceses...those granted were Boston, New York, Philadelphia and..........yep....little ole Bardstown Kentucky. The first Bishop of Bardstown, Rev. Benedict Joseph Flaget, arrived three years later in 1811 after traveling down the Ohio River by flatboat and on wagon from Louisville, and had a diocese that covered almost the entire Northwest Territory; as far south as New Orleans and as far north as Detroit. Bishop Flaget commissioned the building of St. Joseph's Cathedral, the first Cathedral West of the Allegheny Mountains, hence the term Proto- (first) Cathedral. The cornerstone (which can still be viewed today) was laid in 1816, and the building was sufficiently complete to hold mass and be consecrated by 1819. Fast forward to 1993 and Fr. Medley was installed as priest of St. Joseph's, and in 2001 our beloved John Paul II elevated the Cathedral to the title of Minor Basilica and the Cathedral received it's umbraculum.
It seems fitting, that after almost a year of vacancy in the chair of the Bishop of Owensboro, the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has seen it fitting to install one of our own into the office of Bishop for our diocese, and continue the history started in this "holy land" of the Church in America. This installation can often prove to be a rare experience in one's own diocese. We would do well to turn our prayers towards Bishop-elect Medley's needs and petitions, and ask God our Father for health and strength, wisdom and courage for our new bishop.
May God bless him and keep him, and all of us in the Owensboro diocese, and all His Church.
Pax Christi.
You see, the first Catholic missionaries arrived in this area in the late 18th century. Following, in 1808, Bishop Carroll of the diocese of Baltimore petitioned Rome for additional dioceses...those granted were Boston, New York, Philadelphia and..........yep....little ole Bardstown Kentucky. The first Bishop of Bardstown, Rev. Benedict Joseph Flaget, arrived three years later in 1811 after traveling down the Ohio River by flatboat and on wagon from Louisville, and had a diocese that covered almost the entire Northwest Territory; as far south as New Orleans and as far north as Detroit. Bishop Flaget commissioned the building of St. Joseph's Cathedral, the first Cathedral West of the Allegheny Mountains, hence the term Proto- (first) Cathedral. The cornerstone (which can still be viewed today) was laid in 1816, and the building was sufficiently complete to hold mass and be consecrated by 1819. Fast forward to 1993 and Fr. Medley was installed as priest of St. Joseph's, and in 2001 our beloved John Paul II elevated the Cathedral to the title of Minor Basilica and the Cathedral received it's umbraculum.
It seems fitting, that after almost a year of vacancy in the chair of the Bishop of Owensboro, the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has seen it fitting to install one of our own into the office of Bishop for our diocese, and continue the history started in this "holy land" of the Church in America. This installation can often prove to be a rare experience in one's own diocese. We would do well to turn our prayers towards Bishop-elect Medley's needs and petitions, and ask God our Father for health and strength, wisdom and courage for our new bishop.
May God bless him and keep him, and all of us in the Owensboro diocese, and all His Church.
Pax Christi.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
If she blew out the candles and made a wish....wonder what it would be?
So today is September 8th, the Nativity of Our Lady; the celebrated feast day of the birthday of Our Mother. For over 1500+ years now, the Church has celebrated this day to commemorate her birth, and as such, the beginning of a new act in the drama of salvation as deigned by God.
For my Catholic readers, as we pause to reflect today on the birth of the Mother of our Saviour, and Our Mother, let us remember that Our Lady would ask for nothing more of a "birthday present", if you will, then for us to conform to the image of her Son. She points the way, unceasingly, to He who is the Light, the Bread that came down from heaven, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. In all that is her example, what she reminds us of is summed up beautifully in her words at the marriage feast at Cana, where Christ proclaimed the coming of the Kingdom of God by enacting His first public miracle, where she simply says "Do whatever he tells you." John 2:5 May we do just that today, and always. Remember your Mother today and ask Her to bring you to the throne of God in Prayer. And since, being steeped in Church history as we are today (and every day for that matter), a good way to do that would be to recite the Angelus.
For my Protestant readers, whether you are aware of this celebration or not, I would ask that you pause in consideration of the magnitude of the role that Mary has played in the history of salvation. From the promise in the Garden of Eden, to the robed figure in Revelation, Mary is inextricably wrapped up with us in adoration of our Lord; or to put it another way she embodies perfectly the ones St. Paul spoke of when he mentioned those "...whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be made conformable to the image of His Son that He might be the firstborn amongst many brethren." Rom 8:28-29 She is the model of love, humility, and self-sacrifice that we would all do well to emulate.
I could in no way sum it up better than how St. Peter Damian did in a homily on the subject:
"Beloved, the birthday of the pure and most blessed Mother of God brings us a special and indeed unparalleled joy, for the good reason that her birth marked the beginning of all human salvation.
In a way impossible to express, almighty God knew, even before human beings were created, that they would perish through the machinations of the devil, but, again before the ages began, his infinite love also formed a plan for their redemption. Not only did he decide, as part of this infinitely wise plan, the manner and order of redemption; he also determined beforehand the moment in time when he would carry out his plan.
Accordingly, just as the Son of God had to be born of the Virgin if the human race was to be redeemed, so also it was necessary for the Virgin to be born through whom the Word was to become flesh. The bridal chamber had first to be constructed that would receive the bridegroom as he came for his marriage with holy Church, the bridegroom for whom David with spiritual joy sang the wedding song that described the Lord as a bridegroom coming from his wedding chamber.
Rightly, then, is the whole earth filled with joyous exultation today; rightly does the entire holy Church sing songs of praise at the birth of the Mother of her Spouse. Let us therefore rejoice, beloved, on this day on which we pay homage to the birth of the blessed Virgin and celebrate the beginning of all the feasts of the New Covenant. If Solomon and the Israelites celebrated with great solemnity such a rich and magnificent sacrifice for the dedication of a temple made of stone, how great and intense should be the joy of the Christian people at the birth of the Virgin Mary, into whose womb, as into the holiest of temples, God himself deigned to descend, there to take human nature from her and dwell visibly with human beings! For while we must believe that God indeed descended into Solomon's temple, in a far more wonderful and fruitful way did he deign to abide for our sake in this spiritual sanctuary, that is, the womb of the blessed Virgin, in which the Word became flesh and dwelt among us."
Holy Mary, Mother of the Word Incarnate, from the bottom of my heart I thank you for all of the prayers you have lovingly prayed for me and the graces which those prayers have obtained. Today, as we remember your birth, and there-by the birth of our Savior, I ask for your prayers for His Church; may we who have created division among ourselves be brought together in unity and strength. Amen.
The Angelus
The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen
Behold the handmaid of the Lord:
Be it done unto me according to Thy Word.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen
And the Word was made Flesh:
And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the Promises of Christ.
Let us Pray: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
For my Catholic readers, as we pause to reflect today on the birth of the Mother of our Saviour, and Our Mother, let us remember that Our Lady would ask for nothing more of a "birthday present", if you will, then for us to conform to the image of her Son. She points the way, unceasingly, to He who is the Light, the Bread that came down from heaven, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. In all that is her example, what she reminds us of is summed up beautifully in her words at the marriage feast at Cana, where Christ proclaimed the coming of the Kingdom of God by enacting His first public miracle, where she simply says "Do whatever he tells you." John 2:5 May we do just that today, and always. Remember your Mother today and ask Her to bring you to the throne of God in Prayer. And since, being steeped in Church history as we are today (and every day for that matter), a good way to do that would be to recite the Angelus.
For my Protestant readers, whether you are aware of this celebration or not, I would ask that you pause in consideration of the magnitude of the role that Mary has played in the history of salvation. From the promise in the Garden of Eden, to the robed figure in Revelation, Mary is inextricably wrapped up with us in adoration of our Lord; or to put it another way she embodies perfectly the ones St. Paul spoke of when he mentioned those "...whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be made conformable to the image of His Son that He might be the firstborn amongst many brethren." Rom 8:28-29 She is the model of love, humility, and self-sacrifice that we would all do well to emulate.
I could in no way sum it up better than how St. Peter Damian did in a homily on the subject:
"Beloved, the birthday of the pure and most blessed Mother of God brings us a special and indeed unparalleled joy, for the good reason that her birth marked the beginning of all human salvation.
In a way impossible to express, almighty God knew, even before human beings were created, that they would perish through the machinations of the devil, but, again before the ages began, his infinite love also formed a plan for their redemption. Not only did he decide, as part of this infinitely wise plan, the manner and order of redemption; he also determined beforehand the moment in time when he would carry out his plan.
Accordingly, just as the Son of God had to be born of the Virgin if the human race was to be redeemed, so also it was necessary for the Virgin to be born through whom the Word was to become flesh. The bridal chamber had first to be constructed that would receive the bridegroom as he came for his marriage with holy Church, the bridegroom for whom David with spiritual joy sang the wedding song that described the Lord as a bridegroom coming from his wedding chamber.
Rightly, then, is the whole earth filled with joyous exultation today; rightly does the entire holy Church sing songs of praise at the birth of the Mother of her Spouse. Let us therefore rejoice, beloved, on this day on which we pay homage to the birth of the blessed Virgin and celebrate the beginning of all the feasts of the New Covenant. If Solomon and the Israelites celebrated with great solemnity such a rich and magnificent sacrifice for the dedication of a temple made of stone, how great and intense should be the joy of the Christian people at the birth of the Virgin Mary, into whose womb, as into the holiest of temples, God himself deigned to descend, there to take human nature from her and dwell visibly with human beings! For while we must believe that God indeed descended into Solomon's temple, in a far more wonderful and fruitful way did he deign to abide for our sake in this spiritual sanctuary, that is, the womb of the blessed Virgin, in which the Word became flesh and dwelt among us."
Holy Mary, Mother of the Word Incarnate, from the bottom of my heart I thank you for all of the prayers you have lovingly prayed for me and the graces which those prayers have obtained. Today, as we remember your birth, and there-by the birth of our Savior, I ask for your prayers for His Church; may we who have created division among ourselves be brought together in unity and strength. Amen.
The Angelus
The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen
Behold the handmaid of the Lord:
Be it done unto me according to Thy Word.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen
And the Word was made Flesh:
And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the Promises of Christ.
Let us Pray: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
Friday, August 28, 2009
We seem to be experiencing a delay.....
It seems I owe you an apology, dear reader. There have been some significant delays to the processes of posting to this blog. What with work, and work, and let's see.....did I mention work? Sheesh!!
Never fear, however, there are posts in the works. Several actually. One in particular that has been consuming most of my time that I have to work on them.
In the interim, feel free to email topics, suggestions, etc. etc. Some already have, and those are not forgotten. They too will be addressed. As we move forward in this endeavor, the posts and various discussions will come more regularly.
To those reading this that are in the RCIA group associated with this blog, we will be covering many topics that coincide with our weekly discussions. As with the other posts, more on this later.
Until then!!!!
Never fear, however, there are posts in the works. Several actually. One in particular that has been consuming most of my time that I have to work on them.
In the interim, feel free to email topics, suggestions, etc. etc. Some already have, and those are not forgotten. They too will be addressed. As we move forward in this endeavor, the posts and various discussions will come more regularly.
To those reading this that are in the RCIA group associated with this blog, we will be covering many topics that coincide with our weekly discussions. As with the other posts, more on this later.
Until then!!!!
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