A journal of byzantine digressionS
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Mom said I could help.
✙ JMJ The Readings for the Holy Family, Sunday within the 8va of Christmas: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 Colossians 3:12-17 Luke 2:22-40 Puer autem crescebat, et confortabatur plenus sapientia: et gratia Dei erat in illo. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. Once again we find this…
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I want that. No. Wait.
✙ JMJ The Readings for the 6th Day in the 8va of Christmas: 1 John 2:12-17 Luke 2:36-40 Et mundus transit, et concupiscentia ejus And the world passeth away, and the concupiscence thereof I’m late in posting I know. Actually I wasn’t going to make a post today, then I didn’t make one yesterday either. But…
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The Golden Apples of the Sun…
✙ JMJ The Readings for St John’s Day: 1 John 1:1-4 John 20:1A, 2-8 Quod fuit ab initio, quod audivimus, quod vidimus oculis nostris, quod perspeximus, et manus nostræ contrectaverunt de verbo vitæ: annuntiamus vobis. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked…
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Pass me a stone…
✙ JMJ The Readings for St Stephen’s Day: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59 Matthew 10:17-22 Cavete autem ab hominibus. Tradent enim vos in conciliis, et in synagogis suis flagellabunt vos: et ad præsides, et ad reges ducemini propter me in testimonium illis, et gentibus.Beware of men. For they will deliver you up in councils, and they will scourge…
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Who would not love thee loving us so dearly?
✙ JMJ The Readings for Christmas Day: Isaiah 52:7-10 Hebrews 1:1-6 John 1:1-18 Et Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis.And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us.Καὶ ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, καὶἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν There is no Christianity at all without the literal truth of this verse. Without this verse, Jesus is a nutcase whose political theories are as…
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Ite ad Ioseph
✙ JMJ The Readings for Sunday 4 Advent (Year 2): II Kings (2 Samuel) 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16 Romans 16:25-27 Luke 1:26-38 Vade, et loquere ad servum meum David: Hæc dicit Dominus: Numquid tu ædificabis mihi domum ad habitandum? Quare non ædificastis mihi domum cedrinam?Go, and say to my servant David: Thus saith the Lord: Shalt…
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Christmas in Purgatory
✙ JMJ The Readings for Saturday 3 Advent (Year 2): Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24 Luke 1:57-66 Et quis poterit cogitare diem adventus ejus, et quis stabit ad videndum eum? ipse enim quasi ignis conflans. And who shall be able to think of the day of his coming? and who shall stand to see him? for he…
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Why We’re Doomed
Buy Nothing Christmas! ✙ JMJ The Readings for Friday 3 Advent (Year 2): 1 Samuel 1:24-28 Luke 1:46-56 Fecit potentiam in brachio suo; Dispersit superbos mente cordis sui. Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles. Esurientes implevit bonis, et divites dimisit inanes. He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud…
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The Empirical Bogey (O Oriens)
Originally published in 2015, this essay is part of a series I used to do annually on the Great O Antiphons of Advent. This Verse will be sung tonight at Vespers and, since this night is the Longest Night, and tomorrow is the Dawn of Summer’s Advent, we sing. “O Dawn”. The church knows when…
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Belushi, Geer, and God… (ok, and Solomon.)
Chagall’s Song of Solomon 1958 ✙ JMJ The Readings for Thursday 3 Advent (Year 2): Song of Songs 2:8-14 Luke 1:39-45 Similis est dilectus meus capreæ, hinnuloque cervorum. En ipse stat post parietem nostrum, respiciens per fenestras, prospiciens per cancellos. En dilectus meus loquitur mihi. SPONSUS: Columba mea, in foraminibus petræ, in caverna maceriæ, ostende…
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Thus was fulfilled.
✙ JMJ The Readings for Wednesday 3 Advent (Year 2): Isaiah 7:10-14 Luke 1:26-38 Audite ergo, domus David. Numquid parum vobis est molestos esse hominibus, quia molesti estis et Deo meo? Propter hoc dabit Dominus ipse vobis signum: ecce virgo concipiet, et pariet filium, et vocabitur nomen ejus Emmanuel. Hear ye therefore, O house of David:…
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But. But. I want to know…
✙ JMJ The Readings for Tuesday 3 Advent (Year 2): Judges 13:2-7, 24-25A Luke 1:5-25 Unde hoc sciam? Whereby shall I know this? John is the last prophet. There are no prophets after John the Baptist because Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophets. God needs no other voice because God has spoken finally and…
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Is God’s Navel an Inney or an Outey?
✙ JMJ The Readings for Monday 3 Advent (Year 2): Jeremiah 23:5-8 Matthew 1:18-25 Hoc autem totum factum est, ut adimpleretur quod dictum est a Domino per prophetam dicentem: Ecce virgo in utero habebit, et pariet filium: et vocabunt nomen ejus Emmanuel, quod est interpretatum Nobiscum Deus. Now all this was done that it might…
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It’s Better Than the Alternative
✙ JMJ The Readings for Sunday 3 Advent (Year B): Isaiah 61:1-2A, 10-11 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 John 1:6-8, 19-28 Gaudens gaudebo in Domino, et exsultabit anima mea in Deo meo, quia induit me vestimentis salutis, et indumento justitiæ circumdedit me, quasi sponsum decoratum corona, et quasi sponsam ornatam monilibus suis. I will greatly rejoice in…
Orthoparadoxy 