A journal of byzantine digressionS
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Pauline Slang
The Readings for the 14th Sunday, Tempus per Annum (C2) Isaiah 66:10-14c Galatians 6:14-18 Luke 10:1-12, 17-20 For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision, but only a new creation. Galatians 6:15 (NABRE) UNCIRCUMCISION Is such an odd word. Of course, it means “gentile”, that is, person without a circumcision. But that’s really the…
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Worse than 1867
The Readings for the 14th Thursday, Tempus per Annum Hosea 11:1-4, 8E-9 Matthew 10:7-15 Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. Matthew 10:15 ¶1867 OF THE CATECHISM is one of those hard ones. It lists the…
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Autobasileia
The Readings for the 14th Wednesday, Tempus per Annum Hosea 10:1-3, 7-8, 12 Matthew 10:1-7 Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 10:6-7 JESUS SENDS His disciples ahead of him to the towns the plans to visit:…
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Psalms 118 and 136
POP QUIZ! What do these two psalms have in common? They have the same response line (below in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin): ki l’olam khasdo כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃ ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ (h)oti eis ton aiona to eleos autou quoniam in saeculum misericordia ejus. For Ps 136, especially, it’s an interesting line. It’s usually translated as “for his…
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Wineskins
The Readings for the 13th Saturday, Tempus per Annum Amos 9:11-15 Matthew 9:14-17 The plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the vintager, him who sows the seed. Amos 9:13 (NABRE) SHABBAT SHALOM! Nerdy side note: in all romance languages, the days are numbered: Day 2, Day 3. Day seven is usually always some form of…
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Water
The Readings for the 13th Friday, Tempus per Annum – Memorial of Junipero Serra Amos 8:4-6, 9-12 Matthew 9:9-13 Learn the meaning of the saying, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Matthew 9:13 (NABRE) THE JESUS PSALTER has become my favorite devotion. There are many editions of it online and off although the first one I…
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Plumb and Level
The Readings for the 13th Thursday, Tempus per Annum – Memorial of the First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church Amos 7:10-17 Matthew 9:1-8 But never again prophesy in Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple. Matthew 8:25 (NABRE) SUNDAY I was able to attend Mass at our Cathedral. This was the…
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Three Singers, One Song
The Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul, Apostles Acts 12:1-11 II Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18 Matthew 16:13-19 It was the feast of the Unleavened Bread Acts 12:3 (NABRE) TODAY’S FEAST CELEBRATES TWO Men who sang the same song. They were both martyred for the song because they refused to change the tune when the empire demanded…
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Some Magic Bennies
The Readings for the 13th Tuesday, Tempus per Annum – Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr Amos 3:1-8; 4:11-12 Matthew 8:23-27 They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” Matthew 8:25 (NABRE) EARLIER POSTS HAVE DISCUSSED the link between the prayer, “Lord have mercy” and olive oil. It’s an ongoing…
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Atone-over
IN THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH’s Book of Common Prayer (1979), as the priest breaks the consecrated bread, is sung the Fraction Anthem. “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast.” John the Baptist, of course, refers to Christ as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”…
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Freedom Ain’t a State of Mind
The Readings for the 13th Sunday, Tempus per Annum (C2) I Kings 19:16b, 19-21 Galatians 5:1, 13-18 Luke 9:51-62 For you were called for freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Galatians 5:13a (NABRE) BROADWAY’S SHENANDOAH (1975) had this great number, “Freedom is a State of Mind” and there…
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Hearts Like Mom’s
The Readings for the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Lamentations 2:2, 10-14, 18-19 Luke 2:41-51 Blessed is the Virgin Mary who kept the word of God and pondered it in her heart. Alleluia Verse MARY’S TITLES ARE Innumerable. In the Byzantine Rites, in the Akathist (a hymn) to her she is called over…
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So Loved the World
The Readings for the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Ezekiel 34:11-16 Romans 5:5b-11 Luke 15:3-7 But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NABRE) YOUR HOST CAN BE a bit dense sometimes, but it dawns on him that Jesus saying “Love…
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Bonfire Night
The Readings for the Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist Isaiah 49:1-6 Acts 13:22-26 Luke 1:57-66, 80 There is no one among your relatives who has this name. Luke 1:61 (NABRE) HOLY MOTHER CHURCH Celebrates three people especially, noting their conceptions as well as their births and deaths: Jesus, Mary, and John the…
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Come See What I’ve Found
The Readings for the 12th Wednesday Tempus per Annum II Kings 22:8-13; 23:1-3 Matthew 7:15-20 I have found the book of the law in the temple of the LORD. II Kings 22:8 (NABRE) WE TEND TO IMAGINE ancient Israel as something like a theocracy under Jewish Law: everyone being faithful to one degree or another,…
Orthoparadoxy 