A journal of byzantine digressionS
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I just adore weather…
AND WE’RE HAVING so much of it this year. We don’t get sleet or hail here very often and, since I got here in 1997, I’ve never seen it accumulate. We’re having thunder and lightening. I’ve only heard the former 4 times since 1997. I’ve never seen the latter at all. And a few moments
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So, that was Christmas
The Readings for the 1st Tuesday, Tempus per Annum (C2) They were amazed at the way he taught, for he did not instruct them like the Torah-teachers but as one who had authority himself. Mark 1:22 HEY! PRESTO! It’s no longer Christmas, but Ordinary Time: tempus per annum. Epiphany had an Octave back in the
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Christ is Born!
JUST home from celebrating the Vesporal Liturgy of St Basil, marking the Eve of the Nativity on the Julian Calendar, aka Russian Christmas. Two and a half hours of Liturgy and then wine, borscht, pirogis, stuffed cabbage, and more wine. Nerdy conversation ensued. Hell, St Faustina, Seraphim Rose, St Augustine… There were Dominicans and Jesuits
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The Virtues of the Name JESUS
From the Book, For the Love of Jesus, compiled by Robert Hugh Benson in 1906. Introduction IF thou wilt to be with God, and to have grace to rule thy life, and to come to the joy of love; this name Jesu – fasten it so fast in thine heart , that it come never
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The New Temple
MARY THE MOTHER OF GOD is celebrated on 1 January, the Octave of Christmas. (Fr Vincent pointed out in his Homily that this is feast the Latin Church lifted from the East. There it is observed on 26 December.) Mary is seen as a type of the Church because she opened her heart and her
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Nearly Caturday
Cat photos pay the rent.
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A Daily Act of Consecration to the Holy Family
Today is the Feast of the Holy Family. It’s falling on Friday this year because the Sunday after Christmas is 1 January, which is the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God. I have a particular devotion to the Holy Family on behalf of all who experience dysfunction, divorce, or any sort of Familial Loss
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Christmas Cookies!
The Winning Side. You can become a supporter of the Catholic Man Show podcast yourself and get some cookies – and really good conversation. Click here to go to their Patreon.
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Paper or Plastic?
A NEWBORN BABY, we are told (by Mr Google) has about 1 cup of blood. An adult human has about 1.5 gallons. In the Middle Ages may in Europe became fascinated with how many drops of blood that might be. How many drops of blood were shed by Jesus on the Cross? This quest became
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We did not even know there was one.
FOLLOWING THE ADVICE OF the CFR podcast your host went on a binge of used book buying. Footnotes in books lead to other footnotes. I mentioned back in September that I was reading Ralph Martin’s Hungry for God. One of the footnotes there suggested I should read Did you Receive the Spirit? by Fr Simon
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Be the Mikveh
And he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. – Matthew 8:3He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.’ – John 7:38Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will
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Hashtag Resist
The Readings for the 4th Thursday of Advent (A1) He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away. Luke 1:53 (KJV21) THE ANGELUS IS A favorite devotion of mine. (If you are not familiar with it I have included it at the end of this post.) I’ve used
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Washing Up
AS A CHILD your host was raised (for 5 or 6 years) by his grandparents. They were not “Children of the Depression” but rather “Adults of the Depression”. Grandpa had been in his 20s. Grandma, born just prior to the turn of the century, was 30 when the stock market crashed. So their habits and,
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It’s Cold
I had to get out the Lama Coat. It’s hella cold here. Needs to be taken to the tailor and be taken in a bit. Maybe a new lining. But still the best coat I own.
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Urbi et Orbi
The Readings for the 4th Wednesday of Advent (A1) The voice of the man I love! Here he comes, bounding over the mountains, skipping over the hills! Song of Songs 2:8 (CJB) DURING THE GLOBAL PANIC in March of 2020, watching bodies pile up, morgues overrun, hospitals sealing off units, the Holy Father did an
Orthoparadoxy 