A journal of byzantine digressionS
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Nec laudibus nec timore
Moloch by Jean-Pierre Dalbéra ✙JMJ The Readings for the 21st Sunday Tempus per Annum (C1) Isaiah 66:18-21 Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13 Luke 13:22-30 Contendite intrare per angustam portam Strive to enter by the narrow gate All these readings tie together: it’s like someone had planned it or something. This morning in the office of readings, we got a…
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An Infinity of Love
JMJ Spillway at Fontana Dam, North Carolina At our monthly meeting, the Dominican Tertiaries were discussing Aquinas’ Summa, Part 1, Question 12. How God is known by us. I noted that this was where Aquinas and Palamas parted company. Article 1 states clearly (after ditching a few objections): Unde simpliciter concedendum est quod beati Dei…
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The Last Enemy
✙ JMJ The Readings for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Revelation 11:19A; 12:1-6A, 10AB 1 Corinthians 15:20-27 Luke 1:39-56 I have been having Senior Moments. I’m 55, these are to be expected. Actually, I’ll be 55 in two weeks so close enough anyway… I have been having Senior Moments: by which I mean I…
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The Luminous Mysteries of the Broken Road (reposted)
Antiphon: God, bless the broken road that led me straight to you. In your baptism, O Christ, our God, you opened the pathway of initiation for us, into your Mysteries. I thank you for all who have moved me along this path, awkward and jerking though I have been. I’ve been on my way in…
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Mammon of Wickedness
✙ JMJ Read the Parable of the Crafty Servant At that time, Jesus spoke to His disciples this parable: There was a certain rich man who had a steward, who was reported to him as squandering his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear of you? Make…
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The Call Came From INSIDE THE HOUSE!
JMJ Did you ever notice this one? “The Son of Man will send his angels,and they will collect out of his Kingdomall who cause others to sin”Matthew 13:41 I read the Gospel for today and didn’t even notice it. Sitting at Mass tonight this verse lept up and punched me hard in the gut. The…
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Domus Dei et Porta Coeli in Cor Civitatem
+JMJ+There are some seriously beautiful Churches in this Catholic city. Some 25% of the population in the Bay is said to be Roman Catholic. That means there are more Catholics in this Bay Area than there are Episcopalians. Anywhere. Or Orthodox, for that matter. (How many of them go to Church is another thing entirely,…
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Face to Face
✙ JMJ The Readings for Tuesday in the 17th week, Tempus per Annum (C1): Exodus 33:7-11; 34:5B-9, 28 Matthew 13:36-43 Loquebatur autem Dominus ad Moysen facie ad faciem, sicut solet loqui homo ad amicum suum. The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to his friend. The Hebrew word used…
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The Leaders they Deserve
✙ JMJ The Readings for the Memorial of St MarthaMonday in the 17th week, Tempus per Annum (C1): Exodus 32:15-24, 30-34 John 11:19-27 Cui ille respondit : Ne indignetur dominus meus : tu enim nosti populum istum, quod pronus sit ad malum.And he answered him: Let not my lord be offended: for thou knowest this people,…
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Undivided
JMJ We are often told that we should not do so, yet we often think of communion as a series of discrete incidents through the course of our lives. We think of this time I take communion. We think of that particle on the spoon from the sacred chalice, or of that host and this…
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Looking Trough a Cloud Darkly
✙JMJ The Readings for Tuesday in the 16th week Tempus per Annum (C1) Exodus 14:21-15:1 Matthew 12:46-50 In the night watch just before dawn the LORD cast through the column of the fiery cloud upon the Egyptian force a glance that threw it into a panic. If you read Gone with the Wind you get a…
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First Apostle of the Risen Christ
✙JMJ The Readings for the Feast of St Mary MagdalenMonday in the 16th week Tempus per Annum (C1) II Corinthians 5:14-17 John 20:1-2, 11-18 Si qua ergo in Christo nova creatura, vetera transierunt : ecce facta sunt omnia nova. So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold,…
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One Thing
✙ JMJ The Readings for the 16th Sunday, Tempus per Annum (C1): Genesis 18:1-10a Colossians 1:24-28 Luke 10:38-42 Martha, Martha, sollicita es, et turbaris erga plurima, porro unum est necessarium. Maria optimam partem elegit, quae non auferetur ab ea. Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and art troubled about many things: But one thing is necessary. Mary hath…
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Ps 145 Blowback
Nolite confidere in principibus, in filiis hominum, in quibus non est salus. Exibit spiritus ejus, et revertetur in terram suam; in illa die peribunt omnes cogitationes eorum. Put not your trust in princes, in the children of men, in whom there is no salvation.His spirit shall go forth, and he shall return into his earth:…
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Actually He Did Say That
✙ JMJ The Readings for the 15th Sunday, Tempus per Annum (C1): Deuteronomy 30:10-14 Colossians 1:15-20 Luke 10:25-37 Si tamen audieris vocem Domini Dei tui, et custodieris praecepta ejus et caeremonias, quae in hac lege conscripta sunt. If thou hear the voice of the Lord thy God, and keep his precepts and ceremonies, which are written…
Orthoparadoxy 