Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church  

Posted by siouxbhoney



On the day of 14 October


St. Teresa (1515-1582) was born in Avila and died in Alba, Spain. When only a child of seven, she ran away from home in the hope of being martyred by the Moors; in this way, she said she could come to see God. At the age of eighteen she joined the Carmelite Order and chose Christ as her heavenly Spouse. With the help of St. John of the Cross she reformed most of the Carmelite convents and founded new ones. She reached the highest degree of prayer and through prayer obtained such knowledge of divine things that in 1970 Pope Paul VI named her the first woman Doctor of the Church.


**Saint/Feast of the day copied from the Catholic Culture page today.


Why are we still in Galatians? I feel like I'm getting punished for something.

Okay, that was written before I actually read today's passage.

These are the times that I really like Paul. When he stops talking like a lawyer, he makes so much sense. Today's reading is about self-control. All throughout the bible, God asks us to conduct ourselves with dignity and self-control. Paul really spells out what he thinks God wants us to do in exacting measures, and lets us know that this is the new law. If we follow the spirit, our actions will follow, and we won't be breaking God's law. Okay.


So, this is the same thing. I suspect these two readings were picked to go together because Paul is just backing up Jesus here, who keeps saying it over and over and over and over. He gets really mad at the Pharisees and the scholars and the scribes, because they have built their lives around God's law and biblical law, but they don't bother to move beyond the technicalities of the law and try to actually worship and love God. It keeps coming back to honoring the spirit of the law vs the letter of the law.

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Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time  

Posted by siouxbhoney



On the day of 14 October
Today is the feast day of Saint Callistus I, who was born a slave and grew to become a Pope. He is most renowned for the reconciliation of sinners, who following a period of penance, were re-admitted to communion with the Church. He was a martyr for the faith.


Saint/Feast of the day copied from the USCCB web page.



Now I know that when I am confused, I just need to read ahead. Today's reading makes a lot more sense to me than yesterday's, even though Paul is talking about the same thing, isn't he? He wants new Christians to not worry about the old Jewish law. Paul feels that since Christ leveled the playing field to let gentiles in , they don't have to be bound by cultural laws that bound the Jews. Am I getting any closer? Is this why modern Christians can choose to circumcise or not, and don't have to stick to eating kosher foods? Anyone... Anyone?


So, this passage really reinforces Paul's little speech, doesn't it? A lot of the prophets in the Old Testament talk about the observance of the law in action but with no sense of worship behind it. I wonder if this is one of the issues that Jesus, and later Paul, was trying to reform?

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Monday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time - Not of Sound Mind  

Posted by siouxbhoney

On the day of 13 October

St. Edward (1003-1066), called the Confessor, was the grandson of St. Edward, king and martyr, and became king of England at the age of forty-seven. As king he was noted for his gentleness, humility, detachment and angelic purity. He preserved perfect chastity in his wedded life. So little was his heart set on riches that he freely dispensed his goods at the palace gate to the sick and poor. His reign was one of almost continuous peace. The people were prosperous and ruined churches were rebuilt. All spoke affectionately of the wise measures of the "good King Edward." Before the reform of the General Roman Calendar today was his feast.


Also today in Fatima in 1917, the marvelous miracle of the sun took place in the sky before 70,000 witnesses.

**Feast/Saint of the day segment copied from the Catholic Culture website today.

Reading 1: Galatians 4:22-24, 26-27, 31–5:1



This is because I claimed that the letters were getting easier. I don't know. I've read this 5 times. Somebody else can help me. I'm just reprinting both readings, and adding links today.





Brothers and sisters:
It is written that Abraham had two sons,
one by the slave woman and the other by the freeborn woman.
The son of the slave woman was born naturally,
the son of the freeborn through a promise.
Now this is an allegory.
These women represent two covenants.
One was from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery;
this is Hagar.
But the Jerusalem above is freeborn, and she is our mother.
For it is written:
Rejoice, you barren one who bore no children;
break forth and shout, you who were not in labor;
for more numerous are the children of the deserted one
than of her who has a husband.
Therefore, brothers and sisters,
we are children not of the slave woman
but of the freeborn woman.
For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm
and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.




Gospel: Luke 11:29-32

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here."















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Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Easy Like Sunday Morning  

Posted by siouxbhoney


On the Day of 12 October
St. Seraphin of Montegranaro
(1540-1604)

Born into a poor Italian family, young Seraphin lived the life of a shepherd and spent much of his time in prayer. Mistreated for a time by his older brother after the two of them had been orphaned, Seraphin became a Capuchin Franciscan at age 16 and impressed everyone with his humility and generosity.
Serving as a lay brother, Seraphin imitated St. Francis in fasting, clothing and courtesy to all. He even mirrored Francis' missionary zeal, but Seraphin's superiors did not judge him to be a candidate for the missions.
Faithful to the core, Seraphin spent three hours in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament daily. The poor who begged at the friary door came to hold a special love for him. Despite his uneventful life, he reached impressive spiritual heights and has had miracles attributed to him.
Seraphin died on October 12, 1604, and was canonized in 1767.

**Saint/Feast of the Day copied from the AmericanCatholic.org saint of the day feature.



On this mountain the LORD of hosts
will provide for all peoples
a feast of rich food and choice wines,
juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the veil that veils all peoples,
the web that is woven over all nations;
he will destroy death forever.
The Lord GOD will wipe away
the tears from every face;
the reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.
On that day it will be said:"Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

Reading II: Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20

Brothers and sisters:
I know how to live in humble circumstances;
I know also how to live with abundance.
In every circumstance and in all things
I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry,
of living in abundance and of being in need. I can do all things in him who strengthens me. Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.
My God will fully supply whatever you need,
in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
To our God and Father, glory forever and ever. Amen


Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people in parables,
saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants
to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers,
and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roadsand invite to the feast whomever you find.’
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests,he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. The king said to him, 'My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?
'But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are invited, but few are chosen."








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Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time - One Big Happy Family  

Posted by siouxbhoney



On the day of 11 October
Today the Roman Martyrology commemorates Saint Alexander Sauli, a bishop of the Clerics Regular of Saint Paul. He was of noble birth and renowned for virtues, learning, and miracles. Pope Pius X placed him in the canon of the saints.

**Saint/Feast of the day feature copied from the USCCB web page.


This just looks like more of the same from yesterday. No matter what race or culture that we come from, when we are Christians, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, heirs to Abraham, and children of God. Got it.

I guess the letters are getting easier.


This one is very interesting. On one hand, part of this reading is used in a common catholic prayer to Jesus' mother, Mary. On the other hand, Jesus is emphasizing "that attentiveness to God's word is more important than biological relationship to Jesus.". I got that from the USCCB footnotes page. It seems to tie in well to the first reading, in that, we are all a family, once we decide to follow Christ. One of the reasons Mary is special is because she, as his mother, decided to follow him as well, not just because she gave birth to him. Giving birth to the Lord is a huge thing, don't get me wrong, but she also raised him with God, and accepted him as the Christ once he took on his appointed role. There are a lot of reasons why Catholics consider her the most important of all of the saints.

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Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time  

Posted by siouxbhoney


On the day of 10 October

Daniel Comboni: the son of poor gardeners who became the first Catholic Bishop of Central Africa, and one of the great missionaries in the Church's history.
**Saint/Feast of the day segment copied from the Vatican's website today.




Let me just reiterate how difficult the letters are for me. I don't know why, but I resist reading them as much as I can, and the words just dance around in front of me. So, if I get this wrong, I'm not surprised.
So, I think that Paul is talking about two things here. First, he is reminding everyone that the spirit of God's law is much more important than any nit-picky interpretation of the law. Jesus liked to talk about how much more important the spirit of the law was than the letter, as well. Second, Paul wants all of the gentile Galatians to know that Christ died so that they could be saved, even as gentiles, even without becoming Jewish. The footnotes indicate that the Jewish Christians wanted the gentiles to become circumcised and observe Jewish law. Paul is telling them that they just need to follow the spirit of the law, and save themselves the knife. Right? Maybe?




So, I looked in the footnotes, and they saint NOTHING about the end of this passage. It leaves this whole "the demon will come back with his pals and inhabit the same person and throw a big nasty party in the cleaned out body" issue alone. This is the most interesting part of the reading for me. Yes, I recognize that in this reading, Jesus is revealing who he is, and also telling people that the other real Jewish exorcists are gonna get them. (The footnotes read: Your own people: the Greek reads "your sons." Other Jewish exorcists (see Acts 19:13-20), who recognize that the power of God is active in the exorcism, would themselves convict the accusers of Jesus. See also the note on Matthew 12:27.) I also understand that I frequently miss the point. So, If anyone has a better understanding of this passage than me, please let me know.




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Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary  

Posted by siouxbhoney


On the day of 7 October

Today is the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary, of whom Pope John Paul II wrote eloquently in his Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae: “The Rosary is also a path of proclamation and increasing knowledge, in which the mystery of Christ is presented again and again at different levels of the Christian experience. Its form is that of a prayerful and contemplative presentation, capable of forming Christians according to the heart of Christ. When the recitation of the Rosary combines all the elements needed for an effective meditation, especially in its communal celebration in parishes and shrines, it can present a significant catechetical opportunity which pastors should use to advantage. In this way too Our Lady of the Rosary continues her work of proclaiming Christ.”


**Saint/Feast of the day copied from the USCCB page.




I'm in a crazy hurry today, and have to leave for work in two seconds, so I'm just reprinting everything here for you.






Brothers and sisters:
You heard of my former way of life in Judaism,
how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure
and tried to destroy it, and progressed in Judaism
beyond many of my contemporaries among my race,
since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions.
But when he, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart
and called me through his grace,was pleased to reveal his Son to me,
so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles,
I did not immediately consult flesh and blood,
nor did I go up to Jerusalem
to those who were Apostles before me;
rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus.
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas
and remained with him for fifteen days.
But I did not see any other of the Apostles,
only James the brother of the Lord.
(As to what I am writing to you, behold,before God, I am not lying.)
Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
And I was unknown personally to the churches of Judea
that are in Christ;
they only kept hearing that “the one who once was persecuting us
is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
So they glorified God because of me.




Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply,“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”

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Monday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time  

Posted by siouxbhoney



On the day of 6 October


Today is the feast day of Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher. She was born in 1811 at Quebec, Canada. She established the first Canadian parish sodality for young women. In 1843 she founded the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, a congregation of women dedicated to Christian education, which flourished in spite of great poverty and misunderstandings. Marie Rose is especially known for her concern for the poor.

**Feast/Saint of the day segment copied from the USCCB webpage.


This is like walking in on the very ending of a great argument. What had the Galatians done to tick off Paul so much? Okay, obviously they were reading an unauthorized gospel, but does anyone know which one? Can anyone give me the full background? Amy? Mom? Bill?


This is another example of Jesus' constant reminding that we need to love and help one another. In this example, he uses cultural enemies. Here in the US, it is hard for us to emotionally grasp cultural enemies because we're such a melting pot. Sure, we have our pockets of prejudice against certain races, but those are the minority. We don't have the phenomenon of one group completely hating the other. The only modern example I can think of is the Palestinians and the Israelis. This may be a little off the subject, but we hear a lot about how modern society is going down the tubes and that we have degenerated morally, blah blah blah. Just the pure fact that I had a lot of trouble coming up with a modern equivalent of people that hate each other, says to me that "We've come a long way, baby..." So, I guess it all just comes down to one thing that we've heard since we were kids: Love your enemies.

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Friday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time  

Posted by siouxbhoney

On the day of 3 October



Daughter of Laurent and Isabelle Guérin. Joined the Sisters of Providence at Ruillé-sur-Loir, France on 18 August 1823, taking the name Sister Saint Theodore, and making her final vows on 5 September 1831. Taught in Rennes and Soulaines, France. Sent with five other sisters (Sister Olympiade Boyer, Sister Saint Vincent Ferrer Gagé, Sister Basilide Sénéschal, Sister Mary Xavier Lerée and Sister Mary Liguori Tiercin) to the diocese of Vincennes, Indiana, USA on 22 October 1840. They established the Academy of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on 4 July 1841 at Terre Haute, Indiana, the first Catholic women's liberal-arts college in the United States. She established schools at Jasper, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Village, Vincennes, Montgomery, Madison, Terre Haute, Fort Wayne, Evansville, North Madison, Lanesville and Columbus, all in Indiana, and Saint Francisville in Illinois. Founded an orphanage for girls and one for boys in Vincennes, Indiana. Opened pharmacies where medicines were dispensed free to the poor at Vincennes and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. Oversaw construction of a motherhouse for the Sisters of Providence and several additions to the Academy.


**Saint/Feast of the day today copied from the Patron Saints Index.




So, today I am having trouble focusing, so I will treat this like a Sunday and just reprint the readings with some links:




The LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said: Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place For taking hold of the ends of the earth, till the wicked are shaken from its surface? The earth is changed as is clay by the seal, and dyed as though it were a garment; But from the wicked the light is withheld, and the arm of pride is shattered. Have you entered into the sources of the sea, or walked about in the depths of the abyss? Have the gates of death been shown to you, or have you seen the gates of darkness? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell me, if you know all: Which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness, That you may take them to their boundaries and set them on their homeward paths? You know, because you were born before them, and the number of your years is great! Then Job answered the LORD and said: Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again; though twice, I will do so no more.




Jesus said to them, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum, ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’ Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”


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Memorial of the Guardian Angels  

Posted by siouxbhoney



On the day of 2 October


Every person on earth has a guardian angel who watches over him and helps him to attain his salvation. Angelical guardianship begins at the moment of birth; prior to this, the child is protected by the mother's guardian angel. It continues throughout our whole life and ceases only when our probation on earth ends, namely, at the moment of death. Our guardian angel accompanies the soul to purgatory or heaven, and becomes our coheir in the heavenly kingdom.


***Saint/Feast of the day copied from today's Catholic Culture posting.


Well, I still don't get a lot of Job. I get the full meaning of the story, which is that sometimes bad things happen to good people, and we can never understand God's plan. But, for this reading, I needed to check the footnotes, and this is what they said: (links are mine)

The meaning of this passage is obscure because the original text has been poorly preserved and the ancient versions do not agree among themselves. It is certain that Job expresses his belief in a future vindication by God (called here in the Hebrew "Goel"), but the time and manner of this vindication are undefined. In the Vulgate Job is made to indicate a belief in physical resurrection after death, but the Hebrew and the other ancient versions are less specific.


I wish that we had this reading yesterday. It seems to go so well with Saint Theresa of the little flower. Her entire philosophy towards salvation and a relationship with Jesus had to do with becoming more child-like in your dealings with God. This is what the footnotes have to say about it as well: (only a few of the links are mine)

This discourse of the fourth book of the gospel is often called the "church order" discourse, but it lacks most of the considerations usually connected with church order, such as various offices in the church and the duties of each, and deals principally with the relations that must obtain among the members of the church. Beginning with the warning that greatness in the kingdom of heaven is measured not by rank or power but by child likeness (Matthew 18:1-5), it deals with the care that the disciples must take not to cause the little ones to sin or to neglect them if they stray from the community (Matthew 18:6-14), the correction of members who sin (Matthew 18:15-18), the efficacy of the prayer of the disciples because of the presence of Jesus (Matthew 18:19-20), and the forgiveness that must be repeatedly extended to sinful members who repent (Matthew 18:21-35).

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Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church  

Posted by siouxbhoney




On the day of 1 October



The Feast of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church. She was a Roman Catholic Carmelite nun who was canonized as a saint, and is recognized as a Doctor of the Church, one of only three women to receive that honor. She is also known by many as The Little Flower , and millions emulate her "little way" to follow Jesus.


Yes, it has been a while. Lets see if I can get back on the horse after this long, eh?

My mother once told me that she had learned or believed or had read that Job was originally written as a morality play. I always think about this whenever I scan over Job. I say "scan" because I have a hard time reading it. You always think that it is going to be a good read, being such a well known story, but it is really just people talking, talking, talking. All of the speech making also feed the "play theory". Anyway, it seems to me that what Job is trying to say (extensively), is that you don't argue with God. Plain and simple. You shouldn't even conceive of it. He is so much more powerful and smart that there is no point to it.


Today is hard. This is also a reading that I struggle with. I don't get it. Is this about having such a trust in God that we drop all of our obligations and concentrate on worship? Is it just about how those men should act when Jesus was physically there? I don't know. I guess I just need to think about it some more.

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Memorial of Saint Augustine, bishop and doctor of the Church  

Posted by siouxbhoney




On the day of 28 August


The commemoration of Saint Augustine, bishop and distinguished doctor of the Church, who, after a youth unquiet in both doctrine and morals, was converted to catholic faith, baptized by Ambrose of Milan and, having returned to his own country, led an ascetical life dedicated to God and the study of the Scriptures with some friends; later chosen bishop of Hippo in Africa, for thirty-four years he was an example to his flock, instructing it with a great many sermons and writings, in which also he vigorously fought against the errors of his day or learnedly shed light on right faith.


**Saint/Feast of the day segment copied from the USCCB page.



I'm starting to get the hang of these letters. At least the salutations. Paul says "hi", tells the church that they are doing well, thanks to God. He tells them (and us) that if we keep our faith in God, and keep him in our sight, we will be able to stay strong through anything that could affect us or our faith.


I love it when Jesus snaps at the disciples. It reminds us that even the men who were closest to God when he was here needed to be nudged on to the right path all the time. After the crucifixion and then the Ascension, Christians were literally looking over their shoulders all day long. They expected Jesus to be there. He was, and still is, just not in the way anybody thought. The second coming was further away than they could have imaged, but it was always expected to be tomorrow. Jesus is telling us to act as if he is coming to our homes tomorrow. In the old testament, they used to say "get your house in order". I think this means to stop putting off the spiritual things and charitable acts that we don't think we have time for. Maybe we should go further. We should act as if He's a guest in our homes, not just coming tomorrow.

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Memorial of Saint Monica  

Posted by siouxbhoney


On the day of 27 August


The commemoration of Saint Monica, who, given in marriage to Patricius when still a young girl, bore children among whom was Augustine for the sake of whose conversion she shed many tears and besought God with many prayers, and, having set out for Africa, departed this life from Ostia on the Tiber with an exceedingly great desire for the things of heaven


**Saint/Feast of the day segment copied from the USCCB page.


Wow. I really needed to read this. Paul has a great way of just making sense. His problem, though, was that he wanted everyone to work as hard as he did, physically and spiritually. But he was a saint, and most of us are not. That doesn't necessarily mean that God doesn't want us all to try.


Wait, I'm starting to get it. The scribes and the Pharisees were hypocrites, right? This is drummed into us all this week, well, throughout the entire set of gospels, I guess. Why this same theme over and over and over? Is it so that we recognize that hypocrisy is something that all Christians will have to fight for our entire time on earth? Are we to be ever watchful of this in our own leaders? Or is it just that the authors of the gospels were so overwhelmed by the obviousness of the Pharisees, and their blatant phony sanctimoniousness that they can't help talking and writing about it over and over?

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Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time - False Prophets and the Letter of the Law  

Posted by siouxbhoney

On the day of 26 August

The commemoration of Saint Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, who greeted Abraham upon his return from victory, blessing him, offering a holy sacrifice, a spotless victim to the Lord; and, although without offspring, is recognized as king of peace and justice, and as priest forever in prefiguration of Christ.
**Saint/Feast of the day segment copied from the USCCB page.



As sometimes happens, the footnotes say it, and with more history, better than I could:

The Thessalonians have been shaken by a message purporting to come from Paul himself that the day of the Lord is already present. He warns against this deception in eschatology by citing a scenario of events that must first occur (2 Thes 2:3-12) before the end will come. The overall point Paul makes is the need to reject such lies as Satan sends; he also reaffirms the Thessalonians in their calling (2 Thes 2:13-14). They are to uphold what Paul himself has taught (2 Thes 2:15). There is a concluding prayer for their strengthening (2 Thes 2:16-17). As in 2 Thes 1:8-10, the Old Testament provides a good deal of coloring; cf especially Isaiah 14:13-14; 66:15, 18-21; Ezekiel 28:2-9; Daniel 11:36-37. The contents of 2 Thes 2:3b-8 may come from a previously existing apocalypse. The details have been variously interpreted. An alternative to the possibilities noted below understands that an oracular utterance, supposedly coming from a prophetic spirit (2 Thes 2:2-3a), has so disrupted the community's thinking that its effects may be compared to those of the mania connected with the worship of the Greek god Dionysus. On this view, the writer seems to allude in 2 Thes 2:6-8 to Dionysiac "seizure," although, of course, ironically, somewhat as Paul alludes to witchcraft ("an evil eye") in Gal 3:1 in speaking of the threat to faith posed by those disturbing the Galatians (Gal 1:6-7; 5:10b). On this view of 2 Thes 2:2, the Greek participles katechon (rendered above as what is restraining) and katechon (the one who restrains) are to be translated "the seizing power" in 2 Thes 2:6 and "the seizer" in 2 Thes 2:7. They then allude to a pseudocharismatic force or spirit of Dionysiac character that has suddenly taken hold of the Thessalonian community (see 2 Thes 2:2). The addressees know (2 Thes 2:6) this force or spirit because of the problem it is causing. This pseudocharismatic force or spirit is a kind of anticipation and advance proof of the ultimate, climactic figure (the lawless one or the rebel, 2 Thes 2:3), of which the community has been warned (see the note on 1 Thes 3:3). It is, however, only the beginning of the end that the latter's manifestation entails; the end is not yet. For in the course of the mystery of lawlessness (2 Thes 2:7), false prophetism, after it ceases in the Thessalonian community, will be manifested in the world at large (2 Thes 2:8-12), where it will also be eliminated in turn by the Lord Jesus.


First of all, I love this: Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! What a visual. I think there have been times for everyone when we have been so concerned with appearances that we neglect our real duty to God. Jesus was pointing out some huge examples in the religious leaders of the day, but maybe we should all take this as a lesson for us, as well. It all comes down to a subject that Jesus went back to again and again: Don't get all caught up in the letter of the law, worry about following the spirit of the law.



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Monday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time  

Posted by siouxbhoney





On the day of 25 August



Of Saint Joseph of Calasanz, priest, who established schools for the people in order to educate boys and adolescents in the love and wisdom of the Gospel, and founded the Order of the Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools at Rome.


**Saint/Feast of the day segment copied from the USCCB page.




I have such a hard time with the letters. I resist actually looking at them at all. So, it looks like what is going on here is that the Thessalonian Church was being persecuted, maybe worse than some other early churches. So, Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy are writing to let them know that they are spoken well of and being prayed for. Also, the missionary trio is pretty sure that God likes the Thessalonians, too.




This is a scary reading to me. Jesus is chastising the religious leaders of the day who have it wrong. They are emphasizing the wrong things for their congregations and, according to Jesus, sending themselves and everyone who listens to them to hell. Great. First we are told to listen to our leaders, and now, I take this as a message to further research and double check the things my religious leaders tell me. Oh well. I do that anyway. I hope everyone does. Nice to see that God continues to push us towards making the right choices

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Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time - Doing the Sunday Thing  

Posted by siouxbhoney

I am trying something new for Sundays. I don't want to talk about what I think that the readings mean, because our priests and pastors and preachers are taking care of that today, so I'm just posting the readings and the footnotes with some links

On the day of 24 August

The feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle, who, believed by many to be the same as Nathaniel, sprang from Cana in Galilee, was led to Christ Jesus by Philip near the Jordan, after which the Lord called him to follow him and reckoned him among the Twelve; according to tradition, after the Ascension of the Lord he preached the Gospel in India where he was crowned with martyrdom.

**Saint/Feast of the day segment copied from the USCCB page.




Thus says the LORD to Shebna, master of the palace:“I will thrust you from your office and pull you down from your station. On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah; I will clothe him with your robe,and gird him with your sash,and give over to him your authority. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim’s shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut when he shuts, no one shall open. I will fix him like a peg in a sure spot,to be a place of honor for his family.”


[20] Eliakim: also referred to in Isaiah 36:3; he is described as loyal to God.
[22] Key: symbol of authority; cf Matthew 16:19; Rev 3:7.
[24-25] If Eliakim should anger God, he and his family (compared here to dishes, bowls and jugs) will suffer disaster





Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor? Or who has given the Lord any thing that he may be repaid? For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.




[33-36] This final reflection celebrates the wisdom of God's plan of salvation. As Paul has indicated throughout these chapters, both Jew and Gentile, despite the religious recalcitrance of each, have received the gift of faith. The methods used by God in making this outreach to the world stagger human comprehension but are at the same time a dazzling invitation to abiding faith.
[34] The citation is from the Greek text of Isaiah 40:13. Paul does not explicitly mention Isaiah in this verse, nor Job in 11:35.
[35] Paul quotes from an old Greek version of Jb 41, 3a, which differs from the Hebrew text (Job 41:11a).





Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples,“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply,“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply,“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church,and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.




[13-20] The Marcan confession of Jesus as Messiah, made by Peter as spokesman for the other disciples (Mark 8:27-29; cf also Luke 9:18-20), is modified significantly here. The confession is of Jesus both as Messiah and as Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). Jesus' response, drawn principally from material peculiar to Matthew, attributes the confession to a divine revelation granted to Peter alone (Matthew 16:17) and makes him the rock on which Jesus will build his church (Matthew 16:18) and the disciple whose authority in the church on earth will be confirmed in heaven, i.e., by God (Matthew 16:19).
[13] Caesarea Philippi: situated about twenty miles north of the Sea of Galilee in the territory ruled by Philip, a son of Herod the Great, tetrarch from 4 B.C. until his death in A.D. 34 (see the note on Matthew 14:1). He rebuilt the town of Paneas, naming it Caesarea in honor of the emperor, and Philippi ("of Philip") to distinguish it from the seaport in Samaria that was also called Caesarea. Who do people say that the Son of Man is?: although the question differs from the Marcan parallel (Mark 8:27: "Who . . . that I am?"), the meaning is the same, for Jesus here refers to himself as the Son of Man (cf Matthew 16:15).
[14] John the Baptist: see Matthew 14:2. Elijah: cf Malachi 3:23-24; Sirach 48:10; and see the note on Matthew 3:4. Jeremiah: an addition of Matthew to the Marcan source.
[16] The Son of the living God: see Matthew 2:15; 3:17. The addition of this exalted title to the Marcan confession eliminates whatever ambiguity was attached to the title Messiah. This, among other things, supports the view proposed by many scholars that Matthew has here combined his source's confession with a post-resurrectional confession of faith in Jesus as Son of the living God that belonged to the appearance of the risen Jesus to Peter; cf 1 Cor 15:5; Luke 24:34.
[17] Flesh and blood: a Semitic expression for human beings, especially in their weakness. Has not revealed this . . . but my heavenly Father: that Peter's faith is spoken of as coming not through human means but through a revelation from God is similar to Paul's description of his recognition of who Jesus was; see Gal 1:15-16, ". . . when he [God] . . . was pleased to reveal his Son to me. . . ."
[18] You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church: the Aramaic word kepa - meaning rock and transliterated into Greek as Kephas is the name by which Peter is called in the Pauline letters (1 Cor 1:12; 3:22; 9:5; 15:4; Gal 1:18; 2:9, 11, 14) except in Gal 2:7-8 ("Peter"). It is translated as Petros ("Peter") in John 1:42. The presumed original Aramaic of Jesus' statement would have been, in English, "You are the Rock (Kepa) and upon this rock (kepa) I will build my church." The Greek text probably means the same, for the difference in gender between the masculine noun petros, the disciple's new name, and the feminine noun petra (rock) may be due simply to the unsuitability of using a feminine noun as the proper name of a male. Although the two words were generally used with slightly different nuances, they were also used interchangeably with the same meaning, "rock." Church: this word (Greek ekklesia) occurs in the gospels only here and in Matthew 18:17 (twice). There are several possibilities for an Aramaic original. Jesus' church means the community that he will gather and that, like a building, will have Peter as its solid foundation. That function of Peter consists in his being witness to Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God. The gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it: the netherworld (Greek Hades, the abode of the dead) is conceived of as a walled city whose gates will not close in upon the church of Jesus, i.e., it will not be overcome by the power of death.
[19] The keys to the kingdom of heaven: the image of the keys is probably drawn from Isaiah 22:15-25 where Eliakim, who succeeds Shebnah as master of the palace, is given "the key of the house of David," which he authoritatively "opens" and "shuts" (Isaiah 22:22). Whatever you bind . . . loosed in heaven: there are many instances in rabbinic literature of the binding-loosing imagery. Of the several meanings given there to the metaphor, two are of special importance here: the giving of authoritative teaching, and the lifting or imposing of the ban of excommunication. It is disputed whether the image of the keys and that of binding and loosing are different metaphors meaning the same thing. In any case, the promise of the keys is given to Peter alone. In Matthew 18:18 all the disciples are given the power of binding and loosing, but the context of that verse suggests that there the power of excommunication alone is intended. That the keys are those to the kingdom of heaven and that Peter's exercise of authority in the church on earth will be confirmed in heaven show an intimate connection between, but not an identification of, the church and the kingdom of heaven.
[20] Cf Mark 8:30. Matthew makes explicit that the prohibition has to do with speaking of Jesus as the Messiah; see the note on Mark 8:27-30.

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Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time - A Spirit of Servitude in God's Home  

Posted by siouxbhoney


On the day of 23 August
Of Saint Rose, virgin, who, already given to uncommon austerities in girlhood, received the habit of the Sisters of the Third Order of Preachers regular at Lima in Peru, gave herself over to penance and prayer; and ardent in zeal for the salvation of sinners and of the Indian people for whom she desired to give her life, she subjected herself to all manner of torments that they might become rich in Christ. Her death occurred on the twenty-fourth day of August.

This is considered a true likeness of St. Rose painted after her death.

**Saint/Feast of the day segment copied from the USCCB page.


Reading 1: Ezekiel 43:1-7ab


When God says, "Son of man, this is where my throne shall be,this is where I will set the soles of my feet;here I will dwell among the children of Israel forever." , is he talking about the temple in Israel, or is he talking about any building that we choose for him, like every time we build a church? In other words, is this why we call every church "God's House"?


I do love these prophetic visions, though, with God swooping in from the east and angels and Ezekiel falling down on his face with the glory of it all. I almost don't even care what it means, the description is so lovely.






Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12


There are a couple of themes in this one that I'd like to talk about:



  • First, Matthew 23: 1-7 covers that our religious leaders may sometimes be less than perfect. I don't know how many people I know who have been driven away from God by a preacher, priest, or youth minister who said one thing and did another. Basically, Jesus tells us to shore up against this. It's kinda par for the course when you are dealing with humans. Just listen to the words, and follow those, he says.

  • Second, these particular set of verses, Matthew 23:8-10: As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. I have heard this set of verses used a lot against the Catholic Church. So I checked the footnotes, and even though it doesn't answer any questions for me, I'll bring them on over for you: These verses, warning against the use of various titles, are addressed to the disciples alone. While only the title "Rabbi' has been said to be used in addressing the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:7), the implication is that Father and "Master' also were. The prohibition of these titles to the disciples suggests that their use was present in Matthew's church. The Matthean Jesus forbids not only the titles but the spirit of superiority and pride that is shown by their acceptance. Whoever exalts . . . will be exalted: cf Luke 14:11. So, I remain confused.

  • Last, this passage again directs us to a spirit of servitude. Maybe this is all that we are supposed to be taking from this: As Christians, we should embrace a spirit of servitude.

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Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary  

Posted by siouxbhoney




On the day of 22 August
The commemoration of the Virgin Mary as Queen, who bore the Son of God, the prince of peace whose reign will have no end, and is hailed as Queen of heaven and Mother of mercy by the Christian people.

**Saint/Feast of the day segment copied from the USCCB page.

"The Blessed Virgin Mary should be called Queen...because God has willed her to have an exceptional role in the work of our eternal salvation." --Pope Pius XII


Reading 1: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Reading this now and hearing it in the time that Ezekiel was prophesying are hugely different things. At the time, people were just thinking about the restoration of their homeland. Maybe they were thinking a little bit about the resurrection of the body, but I don't know if that idea had entered into the Jewish religion yet. My footnotes assure me that "This vision is a prediction of the restoration of Israel under the figure of a resurrection from the dead; it is not concerned with the doctrine of resurrection itself. " Even so, even if it is not concerned with the doctrine of resurrection, it certainly brings it to mind for the modern reader. I'm convinced that it intends to makes me think about the resurrection and restoration of spirit and mind that God can make occur in anyone who prays and asks for it.


I read a story once about my patron saint, Zita. When she was a little girl, apparently the only discipline and direction that she needed from her mother was the reminder of what God would want her to do. For example if she was bad, her mother would tell her "this would make God unhappy." If she was good, "This will make God happy." This reading always makes me think about this. Jesus is asking us to consider God before anything else. Zita makes it look easy.

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Memorial of Saint Pius X, pope  

Posted by siouxbhoney





On the day of 21 August
The commemoration of Saint Pope Pius X, a priest with care of a parish, bishop of Mantua, then Patriarch of Venice, finally elected Roman Pontiff, who took as his motto of governance "to re-establish all things in Christ," which he fulfilled with simplicity, poverty and strength of spirit, building up Christian faith among the faithful through participation in the Eucharist, the grandeur of sacred Liturgy, and integrity of doctrine.


**Saint/Feast of the day segment copied from the USCCB page.


This seems pretty straightforward to me. God is telling his people that everything will be alright. He will deliver them from bondage. It seems kind of implied to me that he did it before, he'll do it again. There is only one part that bothers me, so I would love some explanation, or for this to be put into context. Verse 27 says: I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees. Since when does God make anybody do anything? This guy is all about free will, and making correct choices on our own. So, is this reading about heaven, or deliverance from Babylon, or about the coming Messiah? Somebody help me here!


I love the imagery in this. You grasp right away that Jesus is talking about his/his father's rocky relationship with his chosen people. This does make me want to get a little more dressed up for church on Sunday, though.

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