A Deo et Rege

Tomorrow marks the solemnity of the Assumption, a very important feast in the Catholic calendar (called the Dormition in Orthodox/Eastern Catholic calendars and a general feast of the Blessed Mother in some Protestant ones). The Assumption also means my anniversary of entering the Catholic Church has arrived. I was received and confirmed and partook of my first holy communion on August 14th, 2004. While the confirmation and reception were completed in the afternoon, my first Eucharist was the mass for the eve of the Assumption. I’ve been Catholic now for two years and I still feel just as blessed as that first day.

In the records of the twelve tribes of Israel was Joachim, a
man rich exceedingly; and he brought his offerings double,
saying: There shall be of my superabundance to all the people, and
there shall be the offering for my forgiveness to the Lord for a
propitiation for me…And there
stood over against him Rubim, saying: It is not meet for thee first
to bring thine offerings, because thou hast not made seed in
Israel. And Joachim was exceedingly grieved, and went away to the
registers of the twelve tribes of the people, saying: I shall see
the registers of the twelve tribes of Israel, as to whether I alone
have not made seed in Israel. And he searched, and found that all
the righteous had raised up seed in Israel. And he called to mind
the patriach Abraham, that in the last day God gave him a son
Isaac. And Joachim was exceedingly grieved, and did not come into
the presence of his wife; but he retired to the desert, and there
pitched his tent, and fasted forty days and forty nights, saying
in himself: I will not go down either for food or for drink until
the Lord my God shall look upon me, and prayer shall be my food and
drink.

And his wife Anna mourned in two mournings, and lamented in
two lamentations, saying: I shall bewail my widowhood; I shall
bewail my childlessness…And Anna was grieved exceedingly, and put off her garments
of mourning, and cleaned her head, and put on her wedding
garments, and about the ninth hour went down to the garden to
walk. And she saw a laurel, and sat under it, and prayed to the
Lord, saying: O God of our fathers, bless me and hear my prayer,
as Thou didst bless the womb of Sarah, and didst give her a
son Isaac.

And gazing towards the heaven, she saw a sparrow’s
nest in the laurel, and made a lamentation in herself, saying:
Alas! who begot me? and what womb produced me? because I have
become a curse in the presence of the sons of Israel, and I have
been reproached, and they have driven me in derision out of the
temple of the Lord…

And, behold, an angel of the Lord stood by, saying:
Anna, Anna, the Lord hath heard thy prayer, and thou shalt
conceive, and shall bring forth; and thy seed shall be spoken of
in all the world. And Anna said: As the Lord my God liveth, if I
beget either male or female, I will bring it as a gift to the
Lord my God; and it shall minister to Him in holy things all the
days of its life. And, behold, two angels came, saying to her:
Behold, Joachim thy husband is coming with his flocks. For an
angel of the Lord went down to him, saying: Joachim, Joachim, the
Lord God hath heard thy prayer Go down hence; for, behold, thy
wife Anna shall conceive…

And her months were fulfilled, and in the
ninth month Anna brought forth. And she said to the midwife:
What have I brought forth? and she said: A girl. And said Anna:
My soul has been magnified this day. And she laid her down. And the
days having been fulfilled, Anna was purified, and gave the
breast to the child, and called her name Mary.

From the Protoevangelium of James (around AD 150)

SS. Joachim and Anna, pray for us

Image: The Annunciation to Joachim and Anna by Gaudenzio Ferrari (1544-45)

What Happened at Pentecost?

Fifty days after the Resurrection at Pentecost the glorified Jesus Christ poured out the Spirit in abundance and revealed him as a divine Person so that the Holy Trinity was fully manifest. The mission of Christ and of the Spirit became the mission of the Church which is sent to proclaim and spread the mystery of the communion of the Holy Trinity.

We have seen the true Light, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found the true faith: we adore the indivisible Trinity, who has saved us. (Byzantine Liturgy, Troparion of Vespers of Pentecost)

What does the Spirit do in the Church?

The Spirit builds, animates and sanctifies the Church. As the Spirit of Love, he restores to the baptized the divine likeness that was lost through sin and causes them to live in Christ the very life of the Holy Trinity. He sends them forth to bear witness to the Truth of Christ and he organizes them in their respective functions so that all might bear the "fruit of the Spirit." (Galatians 5:22)

From the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Blessed Pentecost to all readers!

Image from St. Charles Borromeo Church

And
truly great and unspeakable was their cause for joy, when in the
sight of the holy multitude [i.e. at the Ascension], above the dignity of all heavenly
creatures, the Nature of mankind went up, to pass above the angels’
ranks and to rise beyond the archangels’ heights, and to have Its
uplifting limited by no elevation until, received to sit with the
Eternal Father, It should be associated on the throne with His
glory, to Whose Nature It was united in the Son.

Since then Christ’s
Ascension is our uplifting, and the hope of the Body is raised,
whither the glory of the Head has gone before, let us exult,
dearly-beloved, with worthy joy and delight in the loyal paying of
thanks. For today not only are we confirmed as possessors of
paradise, but have also in Christ penetrated the heights of heaven,
and have gained still greater things through Christ’s unspeakable
grace than we had lost through the devil’s malice. For us, whom our
virulent enemy had driven out from the bliss of our first abode, the
Son of God has made members of Himself and placed at the right hand
of the Father, with Whom He lives and reigns in the unity of the
Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

Pope St. Leo the Great, On the Lord’s Ascension I:IV (Sermon 73)

Photo from Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, Euclid, Ohio; taken by Jonathan Bennett

A happy Easter to all the readers of this blog!

O Death, where is your sting?
O Hell, where is your victory?

Christ is risen, and you are overthrown.
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen.
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice.
Christ is risen, and life reigns.
Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave.
For Christ, being risen from the dead,
is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
To him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen.

From the Paschal Sermon of St. John Chrysostom. It can be found in its entirety at www.ancient-future.net/chrysoseaster.html

Photo at National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady of Consolation, taken by Jonathan Bennett

The magic of Holy Saturday.

The chaotic fountain remains directionless. Could this be the residue of the Son’s love which, poured out to the last when every vessel cracked and the old world perished, is now making a path for itself to the Father through the glooms of nought?

Or, in spite of it all, is this love trickling on in impotence, unconsciously, laboriously, towards a new creation that does not yet even exist, a creation which is still to be lifted up and given shape? Is it a protoplasm producing itself in the beginning, the first seed of the New Heaven and the New Earth?

The spring leaps up even more plenteously. To be sure, it flows out of a wound and is like the blossom and fruit of a wound; like a tree it sprouts up from this wound. But the wound no longer causes pain. The suffering has been left far behind as the past origin and previous source of today’s wellspring.

What is poured out here is no longer a present suffering, but a suffering that has been concluded–no longer now a sacrificing love, but a love sacrificed.

Only the wound is there: gaping, the great open gate, the chaos, the nothingness out of which the wellspring leaps forth. Never again will this gate be shut. Just as the first creation arose ever anew out of sheer nothingness, so, too, this second world – still unborn, still caught up in its first rising – will have its sole origin in this wound, which is never to close again…

High-vaulted triumphal Gate of Life! Armored in gold, armies of graces stream out of you with fiery lances. Deep-dug Fountain of Life! Wave upon wave gushes out of you inexhaustible, ever-flowing, billows of water and blood baptizing the heathen hearts, comforting the yearning souls, rushing over the deserts of guilt, enriching over-abundantly, overflowing every heart that receives it, far surpassing every desire.

Hans Urs Von Balthasar

Hat tip/text posted at Titusonenine (Kendall Harmon)

Photo from National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady of Consolation; photo by Jonathan Bennett (you’ll see it when typepad allows me to upload it without errors!!)

God takes the cross!
Unfathomable mystery of goodness!
Mystery of humility, which shames us
at our unbending pride!

From the Vatican’s "Way of the Cross," the Second Station (by Archibishop Angelo Comastri)

A blessed Good Friday to all!

Photo from the Shrine of Our Lady of Mariapoch in Burton, OH. Photo taken by Jonathan Bennett.

Tomorrow begins the Divine Mercy Novena which is a powerful nine day set of prayers beginning on Good Friday and ending on Divine Mercy Sunday (the second Sunday of Easter). Jesus appeared to St. Faustina on several occasions as she relates in her diary. Regarding the novena, she wrote that Jesus revealed to her:

On each day of the novena you will bring to My Heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy… On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls. By this novena I will grant every possible grace to souls.

To participate in this wonderful practice, you can visit this Divine Mercy Novena page (also used as a source for the above quote). For more information on the chaplet associated with St. Faustina and the novena, you can visit this page on the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

I participated in the chaplet and novena last year and can say that it is a wonderful spiritual practice. I am excited about doing it again this year!

Image from St. Charles Borromeo Church Image Gallery

The Vatican has released the text for the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum to be led by the holy father Benedict XVI. It was prepared by Archbishop Angelo Comastri. It looks great.

Hat tip: Dave Hartline at the Catholic Report

As we enter into Holy Week it’s hard not to be impressed by the devotion of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her suffering Son throughout the last moments of his life. She was with him through the cruel tortures, through the way of the Cross, and through his final moments on the Cross. Mary suffered along with her Son as he suffered and died for sins of humanity. What a perfect model of Christian humility and sharing in the suffering of Christ. As our Lord, Jesus knows the pain of suffering and so can identify with us as our great high priest. Likewise, in Mary we have one who knew the greatest suffering and is a powerful intercessor and Mother for those who suffer.

O all ye
that pass
by the way
attend
and see
if there be any
sorrow
like to
my sorrow

Photo from National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady of Consolation
Taken by Jonathan Bennett

Today is Palm Sunday, the day when we commemorate the entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem as King. Palm Sunday is an important contrast to the events of the rest of Holy Week, especially Good Friday. It’s amazing how human nature can welcome a man with "blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" and then only a few days  later demand his blood with loud shouts of "crucify him."

We cannot merely pass this event off as something that happened nearly 2000 years ago and the liturgical reading of the Passion on Palm Sunday reminds us of that. The community reads about Jesus being welcomed as king with palm branches and then each individual, playing the role of the crowd during the trial of Jesus, demands: "crucify him." Our sinfulness caused the death of our Lord and the Palm Sunday liturgy helps us recall that vividly. Sadly all of us also welcome Jesus as Lord daily in our personal lives only to deny him at a later point through our sinfulness. All I can think of as I go through Palm Sunday and Holy Week is: Lord forgive us for what we have done to you!

I wish all a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day!

May you always have
Walls for the winds,
A roof for the rain,
Tea beside the fire,
Laughter to cheer you,
Those you love near you,
And all your heart might desire!

Photo from Kid’s Domain
Irish blessing from the Holiday Spot

A good Lenten prayer:

O Lord Almighty, God of our Fathers,

Of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

And of their righteous posterity

Thou who hast made heaven and earth

with all their order;

Who hast shackled the sea by thy word of command,

who hast confined the deep

and sealed it with thy terrible and glorious name;

At whom all things shudder,

and tremble before thy power,

For thy glorious splendor cannot be borne,

and the wrath of thy threat to sinners is irresistible;

yet immeasurable and unsearchable is thy promised mercy,

For thou art the Lord Most High,

of great compassion, long-suffering, and very merciful,

and repentest over the evils of men.

Thou, O Lord, according to thy great goodness

hast promised repentance and forgiveness

to those who have sinned against thee;

And in the multitude of thy mercies

thou hast appointed repentance for sinners,

that they may be saved.

Therefore thou, O Lord, God of the righteous,

hast not appointed repentance for the righteous,

for Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, who did not sin against thee,

but thou hast appointed repentance for me, who am a sinner.

For the sins I have committed are more in number

than the sand of the sea;

My transgressions are multiplied, O Lord, they are multiplied!

I am unworthy to look up and see the height of heaven

because of the multitude of my iniquities.

I am weighted down with many an iron fetter,

so that I am rejected because of my sins,

and I have no relief;

For I have provoked thy wrath

and have done what is evil in thy sight,

setting up abominations and multiplying offenses.

And now I bend the knee of my heart,

beseeching thee for thy kindness.

I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned,

and I know my transgressions.

I earnestly beseech thee,

forgive me, O Lord, forgive me!

Do not destroy me with my transgressions!

Do not be angry with me for ever or lay up evil for me;

do not condemn me to the depths of the earth.

For thou, O Lord, art the God of those who repent,

and in me thou wilt manifest thy goodness;

for, unworthy as I am, thou wilt save me in thy great mercy,

And I will praise thee continually all the days of my life.

For all the host of heaven sings thy praise,

and thine is the glory for ever. Amen.

Translation RSV-CE

From Lenten Canticles

Photo by Jonathan Bennett from the Shrine of the Holy Relics

As many of you know, we’ve put together a Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan. For many, it will be their first exposure to the Fathers. We know that these writings can be somewhat difficult and like any topic, discussing them will be beneficial to better understanding.

With this in mind, we’ve decided to have a weekly discussion of excerpts from certain readings on Paltalk. For more information visit this page. For information on signing up for a free Paltalk account visit the Paltalk website.

We hope to hear from you.

Also, many thanks for those who have helped spread the word about this Lenten plan and those who are doing it.

Tomorrow Lent officially begins with the fast day of Ash Wednesday. I have always had a great love of Lent ever since I began to keep it somewhat haphazardly as an evangelical. Lent always held a sense of mystery for me because I grew up in an evangelical tradition that never really embraced Lent (but, thankfully didn’t condemn it either; think of it as a "personal option."). I started to become interested in Lent about the same time I took an interest in the Church Fathers.

My first experience with Lent was as an evangelical at university. In a way, I was quite brave because I gave up coffee! It was honestly the hardest Lent I’ve ever been through, but I faithfully didn’t touch a drop until I broke the Lenten fast with Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. That was the best cup of coffee I ever had in my entire life! When I became an Anglican I entered into Lent on a more formal level and it was a time of important spiritual growth. After my conversion to Catholicism my love of and participation in Lent has only increased.

In short: I love Lent. I can’t really explain why I look forward to Lent, but I receive an incredible sense of joy throughout these 40 days. There’s something about the "spiritual housecleaning" and sense of detachment and renunciation that brings about great spiritual satisfaction and blessing. I now could never truly know the joy of Easter without the season of Lent and the time of Holy Week and the Triduum. We can’t separate the Cross from the resurrection and we can’t liturgically separate Lent from Easter either: at least not with any theological integrity.

With all other Catholics of a certain age, I will be fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and having meatless Fridays. However, it’s also a venerable custom to "give something up"for Lent or institute positive practices that encourage spiritual growth. This year I’m thinking of giving up adding hot chocolate to my morning coffee. I’m also going to give up going to McDonald’s when I get a craving and getting snacks at the local gas station. I’m also going to read the Church Fathers and the Bible daily. I’m not saying this to brag about my supposed piety, but merely to give suggestions to others.

May God bless you this Lent! (I’m off to McDonalds)

Lent Resources:

All About Lent
Lenten Prayers

Blogs:

Chad has commented here and here.
David muses on Lent
LutherPunk is excited that Lent is coming
Argent writes about going into the wilderness
John Heard reminds us that we are but dust
St. Peters Helpers gives a great post on preparing for Lent
The Anchoress says there’s something about ashes
Carmel posts some various things about Lent

More to come as I find them!

Photo by Jonathan Bennett