A journal of byzantine digressionS
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Please Stand By
The Readings for the Memorial of St Clare, Virgin19th Thursday, Tempus per Annum (C2) Ezekiel 12:1-12 Matthew 18:21–19:1 Cover your face so you cannot see the land, for I am making you a sign for the house of Israel! Ezekiel 12:6 SAINT CLARE WAS granted a vision of Mass on Christmas Eve so that she…
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Serve & Follow
The Readings for the Feat of St Lawrence, Deacon & Martyr19th Wednesday, Tempus per Annum (C2) II Corinthians 9:6-10 John 12:24-26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. John 12:26 THE DEACON St Lawrence was the patron saint of the Orthodox monastery where I tested my…
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Be the Light
The Readings for the Solemnity of Our Holy Father Dominic19th Monday, Tempus per Annum (C2) Isaiah 52:7-10 II Timothy 4:1-5 Matthew 5: 13-16 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from…
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Keep Watch
The Readings for the 19th Sunday, Tempus per Annum (C2) Wisdom 18:6-9 Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19 Luke 12:32-48 That night [The Passover] was known beforehand to our ancestors, so that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in which they put their faith, they might have courage. Wisdom 18:6 IT’S INTERESTING TO READ THIS passage from Wisdom…
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Crucifiguration
The Readings for the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord(18th Saturday, Tempus per Annum C2) Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 II Peter 1:16-19 Luke 9:28b-36 We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. Matthew…
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Deny. Take. Follow.
The Readings for the 18th Friday, Tempus per Annum (C2)Memorial of Our Lady of the Snows Nahum 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7 Matthew 16:24-28 Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24 THERE IS A PHRASE in the Catechism that gets bandied about, that drives me…
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Is this on the final?
The Readings for the 18th Thursday, Tempus per Annum (C2)Memorial of St John Vianney Jeremiah 31:31-34 Matthew 16:13-23 I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; Jeremiah 31:33 DR FRANK PETERS (nee SJ) was one of my religion professors at NYU. He taught one of two required courses for religion…
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Tough Love
The Readings for the 18th Wednesday, Tempus per Annum (C2) Jeremiah 31:1-7 Matthew 15:21-28 And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” Matthew 15:22 THIS PERICOPE always intrigues me: there’s no Canaan. There’s no province of…
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Ellipsis
The Readings for the 18th Sunday, Tempus per Annum (C2) Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23 Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11 Luke 12:13-21 “EW” Someone on the Vatican Liturgical Commission, Probably MY PARISH IS CELEBRATING the Solemnity of the Dedication of the Church this Sunday. It’s not the 18th Sunday for me. So, there. As you know I like to…
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Is Herod Jewish?
The Readings for the 17th Saturday, Tempus per Annum (C2)Memorial of St Peter Chrysologus, bishop & doctor of the Church Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24 Matthew 14:1-12 It is not lawful for you to have her. Matthew 14:4 JOHN THE BAPTIST accused Herod Antipas of violating the Law of Moses and urged the Tetrarch to repent, send…
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Horse Hockey!
The Readings for the 17th Thursday, Tempus per Annum (C2)Memorial of Bl. Stanley Rother, Priest & Martyr Jeremiah 18:1-6 Matthew 13:47-53 Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven… brings from his storeroom both the new and the old. Matthew 13:52 SCRIBES GET A BAD rap in the New Testament: basically…
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Missed Pearl
The Readings for the 17th Wednesday, Tempus per Annum (C2) Jeremiah 15:10, 16-21 Matthew 13:44-46 When I found your words, I devoured them; your words were my joy, the happiness of my heart, because I bear your name, LORD God of hosts. Jeremiah 15:16 SCRIPTURE STUDY has consumed the writer since the late 90s. In…
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Apostolic Office
The Readings for the Feast of St James the Apostle(17th Monday, Tempus per Annum, C2) II Corinthians 4:7-15 Matthew 20:20-28 “Whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.” Matthew 20:27 THE OFFICE OF READINGS for today’s feast has a wonderful passage from St John Chrysostom, commenting on today’s Gospel. Jesus is asked…
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Just don’t hold hands
The Readings for the 17th Sunday, Tempus per Annum (C2) Genesis 18:20-32 Colossians 2:12-14 Luke 11:1-13 But he persisted: “Please, do not let my Lord be angry if I speak up this last time.” Genesis 18:32a I‘VE BEEN READING and listening to a lot of commentaries on the Bible lately. Although everyone agrees that Abraham…
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St Mary in the Sabbath
IN THE WESTERN DAILY OFFICE and Mass there is a tradition of commemorating the Blessed Virgin on Saturdays outside of Lent. There are propers for the office as well as for votive Masses offered on these days. In the older Western Rite, this commemoration began with Vespers on Friday night with a special hymn and…
Orthoparadoxy 