A journal of byzantine digressionS
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Life Just Keeps Coming
JMJ✙ The Readings for the 19th Sunday, Tempus per Annum 1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a Responsorial from Psalm 85 (Response: Lord, let us see your kindness and grant us your salvation.) Romans 9:1-5 Alleluia from Psalm 130:5 I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for his word. Matthew 14:22-33 Jesus made the disciples get into…
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Universal Call
THE FOLLOWING is the “Alternative Second Reading” from the Dominican Propers for the Feast of Bl Jane of Aza, which was celebrated on 2 August. She is the mother of St Dominic which, as Father Michael preached on Wednesday, means she is our grandmother. This reading hasn’t, really, anything to do with Bl Jane. I’m…
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Chevre Souffle
YOUR HOST STARTED MAKING souffle during Covid. Jacques Pepin said his Mom used to make it this way. I doubt that – I bet Jacques made this recipe: he always finds ways to cut corners. That’s ok. It’s not the full-on Trad Souffle. Let’s call his the Novus Ordo Souffle. The only difference in my…
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I am my Beloved’s
DIGGING IN my journal, I found this poem from mid-2000. It was not what I was looking for. In fact, I was horrified at all the other crap I found. But in the middle was this reminder that, as my Mom said, “The Lord never let go of your hand, did he?” Even deep in…
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Final Cause
Readings for Memorial of St Ignatius of Loyola17th Monday After Pentecost A day late, but I keep rewriting… Exodus 32:15-24, 30-34 Psalm 106 (Response: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good) James 1:18 (Alleluia) Matthew 13:31-35 Only the one who has sinned against me will I blot out of my book. Exodus 32:33…
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Homily for 8th Pentecost
Readings for 8th Sunday After Pentecost (Julian Calendar) Hebrews 13:7-16 (1st 6 Ecumenical Councils) John 17:1-13 (1st 6 Ecumenical Councils) 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 Matthew 14:14-22 These are notes… Delivery was different. Thank God 🙂 JUST BEFORE THE PRIEST says “Holy things are for the Holy” he says this prayer. I’m not sure if you can…
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Swords and Pieces
JMJ✙ The Readings for the 15th Monday, Tempus per Annum Exodus 1:8-14, 22 Responsorial from Psalm 124 (Response: Our help is in the name of the Lord.) Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. (Alleluia) Matthew 10:34-11:1 “I have come to bring not peace…
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Seeds and Earthlings
JMJ✙ The Readings for the 15th Sunday, Tempus per Annum Isaiah 55:10-11 Responsorial from Psalm 65 (Response: The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.) Romans 8:18-23 The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower. All who come to him will have life forever. (Alleluia) Matthew 13:1-23 “My…
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Peniel
JMJ✙ The Readings for the Memorial of St Benedict, Abbot14th Tuesday, Tempus per Annum Genesis 32:23-33 Responsorial from Psalm 17 (Response: In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.) John 10:14 (Alleluia) Matthew 9:32-38 “Because I have seen God face to face,” he said, “yet my life has been spared.” Genesis 32:30 THE AUTHOR…
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Four Types of Men
THE SUMMER FEAST OF St Benedict is approaching (11 July) and, listening to the most recent Episode of Catholic Stuff You Should Know, I was reminded of how the Father of Western Monasticism begins his Rule. After the opening prologue, urging his spiritual sons to listen to his teaching, he lists, in Chapter 1, the…
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Localist Milkshake
OK. OK. OK. I know – what we think of as hot here in SF is not hot anywhere else. But it was 22C today. The fact that it’s 20 (that’s 68F…) at 7PM is just hot for July. We can sometimes expect mid 60s here, but only in the midday. I’ve seen it hit…
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Patristic Prooftexts
THE COVER IMAGE is one of my favourite books of all times, The Roots of Christian Mysticism by Fr Olivier Clement. I have owned three copies of it, I think. Maybe four. Until recently, I also had my original one: the cover was broken and almost every page was marked up. The writer, an Orthodox…
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Magnitudes of Infinity
STRUGGLING WITH QUESTIONS OF Ecclesiology as I write my final paper, it seems that all things within the Theological Science are interwoven: can you discuss the Church without discussing the Holy Mysteries or the Mysteries without the Trinity, or the Trinity without the Saints, or the Saints without the Church or the Church without Prayer…
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Tolkien’s Unintentional Allegory
JR.R. TOLKIEN REALLY DISLIKED allegory (really disliked may be too weak), “I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence.” It is possible he would totally reject this essay. I want to own that. But I think we can read…
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Sunday #mood
