Toward Contemplation

I persevered in the reading

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"and did not let my mind wander until I found this encouraging theme: Set your desires on the greater gifts. And I will show you the way which surpasses all others. For the Apostle insists that the greater gifts are nothing at all without love and that this same love is surely the best path leading directly to God.

"At length I had found peace of mind. When I had looked upon the mystical body of the Church, I recognised myself in none of the members which St. Paul described, and what is more, I desired to distinguish myself more favourably within the whole body.

"Love appeared to me to be the hinge for my vocation. Indeed I knew that the Church had a body composed of various members, but in this body the necessary and more noble member was not lacking; I knew that the Church had a heart and that such a heart appeared to be aflame with love.

"I knew that one love drove the members of the Church to action, that if this love were extinguished, the apostles would have proclaimed the Gospel no longer, the martyrs would have shed their blood no more.

"I saw and realised that love sets off the bounds of all vocations, that love is everything, that this same love embraces every time and every place. In one word, that love is everlasting.

"Then, nearly ecstatic with the supreme joy in my soul, I proclaimed:

"'O Jesus, my love,
at last I have found my calling:
my call is love.
Certainly I have found
my place in the Church,
and you gave me
that very place, my God.

"'In the heart of the Church, my mother,
I will be love,

and thus I will be all things,
as my desire finds its direction."

From Story of a Soul
Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus (Saint Thérèse of Lisieux)
(Office of the Readings)

(from an earlier post)

"Let the children come to me"

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Then children were brought to Him
that He might lay his hands on them and pray.
The disciples rebuked the people;
but Jesus said,

"Let the children come to me,
and do not hinder them;
for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."

And He laid his hands on them and went away.

(Today's Gospel Matthew 19:13-15)

"Lord, save me!"

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But when (Peter) saw how strong the wind was
he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out,
"Lord, save me!"

Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand
and caught him,
and said to him,
"O you of little faith,
why did you doubt?"

(Matthew 14:30-31 - from today's Gospel)

From the heavens

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Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
and do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
so shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
my word shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.

(Today's first reading Isaiah 55:10-11)

"Come to me...

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"...all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you
and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy,
and my burden light.

(Matthew 11:28-30 - today's Gospel)

Pentecost

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Veni, Sancte Spiritus
reple tuorum corda fidelium,
et tui amoris in eis accende.

V. Emitte Spiritum tuum et creabuntur.
R. Et renovabis faciem terrae.

Oremus

Deus,
qui corda fidelium
Sancti Spiritus illustratione docuisti.
Da nobis in eodem Spiritu recta sapere,
et de eius semper consolatione gaudere.
Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
Amen.

Come, Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of Thy faithful
and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray:
O GOD,
Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful
by the light of the Holy Spirit,
grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise,
and ever rejoice in His consolation.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The LORD is my shepherd

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I shall not want

he makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters;

he restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil;

for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff,

they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

thou anointest my head with oil,

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

for ever.

Psalm 23 The Responsorial Psalm for today's Mass

(from an earlier post)

Exsultet

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Exultet iam angelica turba caelorum:
exultent divina mysteria:
et pro tanti Regis victoria
tuba insonet salutaris.

Exult now O ye angelic throngs of the heavens:
Exult O ye divine mysteries:
and let the saving trumpet resound
for the victory of so great a King.

Gaudeat et tellus tantis irradiata fulgoribus:
et, aeterni Regis splendore illustrata,
totius orbis se sentiat amisisse caliginem.

Let the earthly realm also be joyful,
made radiant by such flashings like lightning:
and, made bright with the splendor of the eternal King,
let it perceive
that it has dismissed the entire world’s gloom.

Laetetur et mater Ecclesia,
tanti luminis adornata fulgoribus:
et magnis populorum vocibus haec aula resultet.

Let Mother Church rejoice as well,
adorned with the blazes of so great a light:
and let this royal hall ring
with the great voices of the peoples.

Quapropter astantes vos, fratres carissimi,
ad tam miram huius sancti luminis claritatem,
una mecum, quaeso,
Dei omnipotentis misericordiam invocate.

Wherefore, most beloved brothers and sisters,
you here present to such a wondrous brightness
of this holy light,
I beseech you, together with me
invoke the mercy of Almighty God.

Ut, qui me non meis meritis
intra Levitarum numerum dignatus est aggregare,
luminis sui claritatem infundens,
cerei huius laudem implere perficiat.

Let Him who deigned to gather me
in among the number of the Levites,
by no merits of mine,
while pouring forth the glory of His own light
enable me to bring to fullness
the praise of this waxen candle.

Vers. Dominus vobiscum.
Resp. Et cum spiritu tuo.
Vers. Sursum corda.
Resp. Habemus ad Dominum.
Vers. Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
Resp. Dignum et iustum est.

V: The Lord be with you!
R: And with your spirit!
V: Raise your hearts on high!
R: We now have them present to the Lord!
V: Let us then give thanks to the Lord our God!
R: This is worthy and just!

Vere dignum et iustum est,
invisibilem Deum Patrem omnipotentem
Filiumque eius unigenitum,
Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum,
toto cordis ac mentis affectu
et vocis ministerio personare.
Qui pro nobis aeterno Patri Adae debitum solvit,
et veteris piaculi cautionem pio cruore detersit.

Truly it is worthy and just
to resound forth with the whole of the heart,
disposition of mind,
and by the ministry of the voice,
the invisible God the Father Almighty,
and His Only-begotten Son
our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who, on our behalf,
resolved Adam’s debt to the Eternal Father
and cleansed with dutiful bloodshed
the bond of the ancient crime.

Haec sunt enim festa paschalia,
in quibus verus ille Agnus occiditur,
cuius sanguine postes fidelium consecrantur.

For these are the Paschal holy days,
in which that true Lamb is slain,
by Whose Blood the doorposts of the faithful are consecrated.

Haec nox est,
in qua primum patres nostros, filios Israel
eductos de Aegypto,
Mare Rubrum sicco vestigio transire fecisti.

This is the night
in which first of all You caused our forefathers,
the children of Israel brought forth from Egypt,
to pass dry shod through the Red Sea.

Haec igitur nox est,
quae peccatorum tenebras columnae illuminatione purgavit.

This is the night
which purged the darkness of sins by the illumination of the pillar.

Haec nox est,
quae hodie per universum mundum in Christo credentes,
a vitiis saeculi et caligine peccatorum segregatos,
reddit gratiae, sociat sanctitati.

This is the night
which today restores to grace
and unites in sanctity throughout the world
Christ’s believers,
separated from the vices of the world
and the darkness of sins.

Haec nox est,
in qua, destructis vinculis mortis,
Christus ab inferis victor ascendit.
Nihil enim nobis nasci profuit,
nisi redimi profuisset.

This is the night
in which, once the chains of death were undone,
Christ the victor arose from the nether realm.
For it would have profited us nothing to have been born,
unless it had been fitting for us to be redeemed.

O mira circa nos tuae pietatis dignatio!
O inaestimabilis dilectio caritatis:
ut servum redimeres, Filium tradidisti!
O certe necessarium Adae peccatum,
quod Christi morte deletum est!
O felix culpa,
quae talem ac tantum meruit habere Redemptorem!

O wondrous condescension of Your dutiful concern for us!
O inestimable affection of sacrificial love:
You delivered up Your Son that You might redeem the slave!
O truly needful sin of Adam,
that was blotted out by the death of Christ!
O happy fault,
that merited to have such and so great a Redeemer!

O vere beata nox,
quae sola meruit scire tempus et horam,
in qua Christus ab inferis resurrexit!
Haec nox est, de qua scriptum est:
Et nox sicut dies illuminabitur:
et nox illuminatio mea in deliciis meis.

O truly blessed night,
that alone deserved to know the time and hour
in which Christ rose again from the nether world!
This is the night about which it was written:
And night shall be made as bright as day:
and night is as my brightness for me.

Huius igitur sanctificatio noctis fugat scelera,
culpas lavat:
et reddit innocentiam lapsis
et maestis laetitiam.
Fugat odia, concordiam parat
et curvat imperia.

Therefore the sanctification of this night
puts to flight all wickedness,
cleanses sins,
and restores innocence to the fallen
and gladness to the sorrowful.
It drives away hatreds,
procures concord,
and makes dominions bend.

O vere beata nox,
in qua terrenis caelestia,
humanis divina iunguntur!

O truly blessed night,
in which heavenly things
are joined to those of earth,
the divine to the human!

In huius igitur noctis gratia, suscipe, sancte Pater,
laudis huius sacrificium vespertinum,
quod tibi in hac cerei oblatione sollemni,
per ministrorum manus
de operibus apum, sacrosancta reddit Ecclesia.

Therefore, in this night of grace,
accept, O Holy Father,
the evening sacrifice of this praise,
which Holy Church renders to You
in the solemn offering of this waxen candle
by the hands of Your ministers from the work of bees.

Sed iam columnae huius praeconia novimus,
quam in honorem Dei rutilans ignis accendit.
Qui, licet sit divisus in partes,
mutuati tamen luminis detrimenta non novit.
Alitur enim liquantibus ceris,
quas in substantiam pretiosae huius lampadis
apis mater eduxit.

We are knowing now the proclamations of this column,
which glowing fire kindles in honor of God.
Which fire, although it is divided into parts,
is knowing no loss from its light being lent out.
For it is nourished by the melting streams of wax,
which the mother bee produced
for the substance of this precious torch.

Oramus ergo te, Domine,
ut cereus iste in honorem tui nominis consecratus,
ad noctis huius caliginem destruendam,
indeficiens perseveret.

Therefore, we beseech You, O Lord,
that this waxen candle, consecrated in honor of Your name,
may continue unfailing to dispel the darkness of this night.

Et in odorem suavitatis acceptus,
supernis luminaribus misceatur.

And once it is accepted as a placating sacrifice,
may it be mingled with the heavenly lights.

Flammas eius lucifer matutinus inveniat:
Ille, inquam, lucifer, qui nescit occasum:
Christus Filius tuus,
qui, regressus ab inferis, humano generi serenus illuxit,
et vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum.

Let the morning star meet with its flame:
that very star, I say, which knows no setting:
Christ your Son
Who, having returned from the nether realm,
broke serene like the dawn upon the human race,
and now lives and reigns forever and ever.

AMEN.

The great hymn of the Easter Vigil

(translation by Fr.Z)

(from a previous post)

I sought him

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whom my heart loves-

I sought him
but I did not find him.

I will rise then
and go about the city;

in the streets and crossings
I will seek
Him whom my heart loves.

I sought him
but I did not find him.
Song of Songs 3:1b-2
(from an earlier Holy Saturday post)

My God, my God...

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why hast thou forsaken me?

Why art thou so far from helping me,
from the words of my groaning?

O my God, I cry by day,
but thou dost not answer;
and by night, but find no rest.

Yet thou art holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.

In thee our fathers trusted;

they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

To thee they cried, and were saved;
in thee they trusted,
and were not disappointed.

But I am a worm, and no man;

scorned by men, and despised by the people.

All who see me mock at me,
they make mouths at me,

"He committed his cause to the LORD;
let him deliver him, let him rescue him,
for he delights in him!"

Yet thou art he who took me from the womb;

thou didst keep me safe
upon my mother's breasts.
Upon thee was I cast from my birth,

and since my mother bore me
thou hast been my God.

Be not far from me,
for trouble is near

and there is none to help.

Many bulls encompass me,

strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
they open wide their mouths at me,

like a ravening and roaring lion.

I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;

my heart is like wax,
it is melted within my breast;

my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue cleaves to my jaws;
thou dost lay me in the dust of death.

Yea, dogs are round about me;

a company of evildoers encircle me;

they have pierced my hands and feet—

I can count all my bones--

they stare and gloat over me;

they divide my garments among them,

and for my raiment they cast lots.

But thou, O LORD, be not far off!

O thou my help, hasten to my aid!

Deliver my soul from the sword,
my life from the power of the dog!

Save me
from the mouth of the lion,
my afflicted soul
from the horns of the wild oxen!

I will tell of thy name to my brethren;

in the midst of the congregation
I will praise thee:

You who fear the LORD, praise him!
all you sons of Jacob, glorify him,
and stand in awe of him, all you sons of Israel!

For he has not despised or abhorred
the affliction of the afflicted;

and he has not hid his face from him,
but has heard, when he cried to him.

From thee comes my praise
in the great congregation;
my vows I will pay before those who fear him.

The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;

those who seek him shall praise the LORD!

May your hearts live for ever!

All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the LORD;
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before him.

For dominion belongs to the LORD,
and he rules over the nations.

Yea, to him
shall all the proud of the earth bow down;

before him
shall bow all who go down to the dust,
and he who cannot keep himself alive.

Posterity shall serve him;

men shall tell of the Lord
to the coming generation,

and proclaim his deliverance
to a people yet unborn,

that he has wrought it.

Acclaim, O tongue, the mystery

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Of the glorious Body
And of the precious Blood
That, in ransom for the world,
The fruit of a generous womb,
The King of nations, shed.

To us given, for us born
From a Virgin pure,
And, brought into the world
To spread the seed of the Word,
He ended His stay
In a wondrous way.

On the night of the Last Supper,
Reclining with his brothers,
Observing the Law fully,
The food prescribed by Law,
This food to the Twelve
He gave with His own hands.

The Word Made Flesh made true bread
Become flesh at His word,
Made wine the Blood of Christ.
And if our senses fail
To strengthen a sincere heart
Faith alone will suffice.

So great a sacrament, therefore,
Let us venerate on our knees
And the old ritual
To the new Rite yield.
May faith supply
What our senses lack.

To the Father and to the Begotten
Praise and jubilation,
Salvation, honor and power
And blessing be;
And to the One who proceeds from Both
Equally be praise.
Amen

Pange, lingua, gloriosi
Corporis mysterium
Sanguinisque pretiosi,
Quem in mundi pretium,
Fructus ventris generosi,
Rex effudit gentium.

Nobis datus, nobis natus,
Ex intacta Virgine,
Et in mundo conversatus,
Sparso verbi semine
Sui moras incolatus
Miro clausit ordine.

In supremae nocte coenae
Recumbens cum fratribus,
Observata lege plene
Cibis in legalibus,
Cibum turbae duodenae
Se dat suis manibus

Verbum caro panem verum
Verbo carnem efficit;
Fit sanguis Christi merum.
Et si sensus deficit,
Ad firmandum cor sincerum
Sola fides sufficit.

Tantum ergo sacramentum
Venereumur cernui.
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui.
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.

Genitori genitoque
Laus et jubilatio,
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedictio.
Procedenti ab utroque
Compar sit laudatio.

Amen.

S. Thomas Aquinas

(traditionally sung on Holy Thursday night as well as during Eucharistic expositions and processions)

(from an earlier post)

Let us go together to meet Christ

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"Let us go together to meet Christ on the Mount of Olives.

"Today he returns from Bethany and proceeds of his own free will toward his holy and blessed passion, to consummate the mystery of our salvation.

"He who came down from heaven to raise us from the depths of sin, to raise us with himself, we are told in Scripture, above every sovereignty, authority and power, and every other name that can be named, now comes of his own free will to make his journey to Jerusalem.

"He comes without pomp or ostentation. As the psalmist says: He will not dispute or raise his voice to make it heard in the streets. He will be meek and humble, and he will make his entry in simplicity.

"Let us run to accompany him as he hastens toward his passion, and imitate those who met him then, not by covering his path with garments, olive branches or palms, but by doing all we can to prostrate ourselves before him by being humble and by trying to live as he would wish.

"Then we shall be able to receive the Word at his coming, and God, whom no limits can contain, will be within us."
From a sermon by Saint Andrew of Crete, bishop
(in today's Office of the Readings)

The LORD is my shepherd

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I shall not want

he makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters;

he restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil;

for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff,

they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

thou anointest my head with oil,

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

for ever.

Psalm 23 The Responsorial Psalm for today's Mass

(from an earlier post)

Listen to Him

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Behold,
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,

then from the cloud came a voice that said,

“This is my beloved Son,
with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”

(from today's Gospel - Matthew 17:1-9)

Remember

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Remember, man, that you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.

Memento, homo, quia pulvis es,
et in pulverem reverteris.

(from an earlier post)

Nativity

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When the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
He saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:4-7
2nd reading - Mass at Dawn

(from a previous post)

The night before Christmas

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When the sun rises in the morning sky,
you will see the King of Kings...

from the Magnificat Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

O God-with-us

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our King and Lawgiver,
Desire of all nations
and their Salvation:
Come
and save us,
O Lord our God.

O Emmanuel,
Rex et legifer noster,
exspectatio gentium,
et Salvator earum:
veni
ad salvandum nos
Domine Deus noster.

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

O King of Nations and their Desire

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the Cornerstone,
who makest both one:
Come
and save mankind,
whom you formed from the clay.

O Rex genitum et desideratus earum,
lapisque angularis,
qui facis utraque unum:
veni,
et salva hominem,
quem de limo formasti.

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

O dawn of the east

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brightness of light eternal,
and sun of justice:
come,
and enlighten those
who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death.

O Oriens,
splendor lucis aeternae,
et sol iustitiae:
veni,
et illumina
sedentes in tenebris
et umbra mortis.

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers
Translation: Fr. Z

(from a previous post)

O Key of David

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and scepter of the house of Israel,
who opens and no man shuts,
who shuts and no man opens:
come,
and bring out the captive from the prison house:
he who sits in darkness
and the shadow of death.

O clavis David,
et sceptrum domus Israel:
qui aperis, et nemo claudit;
claudis, et nemo aperit:
veni,
et educ vinctum de domo carceris:
sedentem in tenebris
et umbra mortis.

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

O Root of Jesse

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who stands as a sign for the people,
before whom kings shall close their mouths
and to whom the Gentiles shall plead:
come,
to deliver us,
and do not delay.

O Radix Jesse,
qui stas in signum populorum,
super quem continebunt reges os suum,
quem gentes deprecabuntur:
veni
ad liberandum nos,
iam noli tardare.

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

O Lord and Ruler of the house of Israel

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who to Moses
in the flame of the burning bush appeared
and to him on Sinai gave the law:
come,
and redeem us with outstretched arm.

O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel,
qui Moysi
in igne flammae rubi apparuisti,
et ei in Sina legem dedisti:
veni
ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

O Wisdom

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who came from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching from end to end
and ordering all things mightily and sweetly:
come,
and teach us the way of prudence.

O Sapientia,
quae ex ore Altissimi prodidisti,
attingens a fine usque ad finem,
fortiter suaviter disponensque omnia:
veni
ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

All Souls Day

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"Indeed, on the day after the feast of All Saints,

when the Church joyfully celebrates

the communion of saints and human salvation,

St Odilo (abbot of the monastery of Cluny)

urged his monks to say special prayers for all the dead,

thus mysteriously contributing

to their entry into beatitude;

the custom of solemnly interceding for the dead

in a celebration which St Odilo called All Souls Day

gradually spread from the Abbey of Cluny

and is now the practice throughout the universal Church.

"In praying for the dead,

the Church above all contemplates

the mystery of the Resurrection of Christ,

who obtains salvation and eternal life for us

through his Cross."

The great John Paul II
Message for Millenium of All Souls Day, 1-2 (excerpt)
June 2, 1998

(adapted from a previous post)

I persevered in the reading

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Magnificat

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Et Maria dixit,
Magnificat anima mea Dominum,
et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salvatore meo,
quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae.
And Mary said,
Great does my soul declare the Lord
and my spirit exults in God my Savior
for he has regarded the humility of his handmaid.

Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes,
quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est,
et sanctum nomen eius,

Behold, from now on all generations shall call me blessed,
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name;

et misericordia eius in progenies et progenies
timentibus eum.
and His mercy is from generation to generation
to those who fear Him.

Fecit potentiam in brachio suo,
dispersit superbos mente cordi sui;
deposuit potentes de sede
et exaltavit humiles;
He has shown the strength of his arm;
He has scattered the superior in their own minds;
He has unseated the mighty
And has lifted up the humble;

esurientes implevit bonis
et divites dimisit inanes.

The hungry he has filled with good things
and the rich He has sent away empty.

Suscepit Israel puerum suum,
recordatus misericordiae,
sicut locutus est ad patres nostros,
Abraham et semini eius in saecula.
He has received Israel His servant,
remembering His mercy,
just as he said to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.

Luke 1:46-55
from today's Gospel

O sacrum convivium

2010-06-06T09:13:00.001-04:00

"O sacred banquet,
in which Christ
is received,
the memory of His Passion
is renewed,
the mind
is filled with grace,
and a pledge
of future glory
given to us."
O sacrum convivium,
in quo Christus sumitur:
recolitur memoria
passionis eius;
mens impletur gratia
et futurae gloriae
nobis pignus datur.

Today many places celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi
- the Body (and Blood) of Christ

(adapted from a post originally on A Penitent Blogger)

Veni Creator Spiritus

2010-05-23T03:00:00.000-04:00

Mentes tuorum visita,
Imple superna gratia,
Quae tu creasti, pectora.

Come, Creator, Spirit,
Visit the minds that are Yours.
Fill with heavenly grace
The hearts You created.

Qui diceris Paraclitus,
Altissimi donum Dei,
Fons vivus, ignis, caritas,
Et spiritalis unctio.

You who are called the Paraclete,
Gift of God Most High,
Living Spring, Fire, Love,
And Spiritual Anointing.

Tu septiformis munere,
Digitus Paternae dexterae,
Tu rite promissum Patris,
Sermone ditans guttura.

You sevenfold gifts give,
Finger of God's right hand;
You, clear promise of the Father,
The tongue empower.

Accende lumen sensibus,
Infunde amorem cordibus,
Infirma nostri corpis
Virtute firmans perpeti.

Kindle a light in our minds.
Pour love in our hearts.
Our weak bodies
Make firm with Your unfailing strength.

Hostem repellas longius,
Pacemque dones protinus;
Ductore sic te praevio,
Vitemus omne noxium.

Drive our foe far away.
And give us peace always
Lead in such a way that
We may avoid all things despicable.

Per te sciamus da Patrem
Noscamus atque Filium;
Teque utri usque Spiritum
Credamus omni tempore.

Through You, may we know the Father
And know also the Son,
And You, the Spirit of them both
May we believe at all times.

Deo Patri sit gloria,
Et Filio, qui a mortuis
Surrexit, ac Paraclito
In sacculorum saecula.

To God the Father be glory
And to the Son, who from death
Rose, and to the Paraclete
For Ages of Ages.

Amen.

Exsultet

2010-04-03T20:00:00.000-04:00

I sought him

2010-04-03T07:00:00.000-04:00

whom my heart loves-

My God, my God...

2010-04-02T15:00:00.001-04:00

Acclaim, O tongue, the mystery

2010-04-01T19:00:00.000-04:00

I arise today

2010-03-17T05:33:00.001-04:00

Through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength
of Christ's birth and His baptism,
Through the strength
of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength
of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength
of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun, Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning, Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea, Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a mulitude.

I summon today all these powers
between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power
that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells
of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge
that corrupts man's body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.

Christ with me,
Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ
in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ
in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

(Saint Patrick's Breastplate)

Behold, O kind and most sweet Jesus

2010-03-13T06:57:00.001-05:00

I cast myself upon my knees in Thy sight,
and with the most fervent desire of my soul
I pray and beseech Thee
that Thou wouldst impress upon my heart
lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity,
with true contrition for my sins,
and a firm purpose of amendment,
while with deep affection and grief of soul
I ponder within myself and mentally contemplate
Thy five Wounds,
having before my eyes
that which David, Thy prophet,
spoke of Thee, my Jesus:

"They have pierced My hands and My feet;
they have numbered all My bones."

(Traditional Prayer Before a Crucifix)

En ego, O bone et dulcissime Iesu,
ante conspectum tuum genibus me provolvo,
ac maximo animi ardore te oro atque obtestor,
ut meum in cor vividos fidei, spei et caritatis sensus,
atque veram peccatorum meorum poenitentiam,
eaque emendandi firmissimam voluntatem velis imprimere;
dum magno animi affectu et dolore
tua quinque vulnera mecum ipse considero ac mente contemplor,
illud prae oculis habens,
quod iam in ore ponebat tuo David propheta de te, o bone Iesu:
Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos:
dinumeraverunt omnia ossa mea.
Amen.

(from a previous post)

Two men went up to the temple to pray

2010-03-13T06:29:00.001-05:00

"one was a Pharisee
and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position
and spoke this prayer to himself,
'O God, I thank you
that I am not like the rest of humanity
greedy, dishonest, adulterous
or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week,
and I pay tithes on my whole income.'

"But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'"

(Luke 18:10-13 - from today's Gospel and a previous post)

The Stations of the Cross

2010-03-08T21:09:00.005-05:00

I
Christ is condemned to death

Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You,
because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

II
Christ accepts the cross

Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You,
because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

III
Christ falls the first time

Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You,
because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

IV
Christ meets His Blessed Mother

Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You,
because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

V
Christ is aided by Simon of Cyrene

Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You,
because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

VI
Christ's face is wiped by Veronica

Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You,
because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

VIII
Christ meets the women of Jerusalem

Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You,
because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

IX
Christ falls the third time

Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You,
because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

X
Christ is stripped of His garments

Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You,
because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

XI
Christ is crucified

Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You,
because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

XII
Christ dies on the cross

Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You,
because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

XIII
Christ's body is taken down from the cross

Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You,
because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

XIV
Christ's body is laid in the tomb

Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You,
because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

The LORD is my shepherd

2010-02-22T18:20:00.000-05:00

I shall not want

he makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters;

he restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil;

for thou art with me;

thy rod and thy staff,

they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;

thou anointest my head with oil,

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life;

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

for ever.

Psalm 23
The Responsorial Psalm for today's Mass

(from an earlier post)

Remember

2010-02-17T06:42:00.000-05:00

Remember, man, that you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.

Memento, homo, quia pulvis es,
et in pulverem reverteris.

(from an earlier post)

Is there delight in contemplation?

2010-01-28T05:49:00.000-05:00

“Objection 1. It would seem that there is no delight in contemplation, for delight belongs to the appetitive power, whereas contemplation resides chiefly in the intellect. Therefore it would seem that there is no delight in contemplation.

“Objection 2. Further, all strife and struggle is a hindrance to delight. Now there is strife and struggle in contemplation. For Gregory says (Hom. xiv in Ezech.) that ‘when the soul strives to contemplate God, it is in a state of struggle; at one time it almost overcomes, because by understanding and feeling it tastes something of the incomprehensible light, and at another time it almost succumbs, because even while tasting, it fails.’ Therefore (it would seem that) there is no delight in contemplation.

“Objection 3. Further, delight is the result of a perfect operation, as stated in Ethic. x, 4. Now the contemplation of wayfarers is imperfect, according to 1 Corinthians 13:12: ‘We see now through a glass in a dark manner.’ Therefore seemingly there is no delight in the contemplative life.

“Objection 4. Further, a lesion of the body is an obstacle to delight. Now contemplation causes a lesion of the body; wherefore it is stated that after Jacob had said, ‘”I have seen God face to face” . . . he halted on his foot. . . because he touched the sinew of his thigh and it shrank’ (Genesis 32:30-32). Therefore seemingly there is no delight in contemplation.

“On the contrary: It is written of the contemplation of wisdom (Wisdom 8:16): ‘Her conversation hath no bitterness, nor her company any tediousness, but joy and gladness’: and Gregory says (Hom. xiv in Ezech.) that ‘the contemplative life is sweetness exceedingly lovable.’

“I answer that: there may be delight in any particular contemplation in two ways.

“First, by reason of the operation itself [Cf. I-II, 03, 5] because each individual delights in the operation which befits him according to his own nature or habit. Now contemplation of the truth befits a man according to his nature as a rational animal: the result being that 'all men naturally desire to know,' so that consequently they delight in the knowledge of truth. And more delightful still does this become to one who has the habit of wisdom and knowledge, the result of which is that he contemplates without difficulty.

“Secondly, contemplation may be delightful on the part of its object, in so far as one contemplates that which one loves; even as bodily vision gives pleasure, not only because to see is pleasurable in itself, but because one sees a person whom one loves.

“Since, then, the contemplative life consists chiefly in the contemplation of God, of which charity is the motive, as stated above (1 and 2, ad 1), it follows that there is delight in the contemplative life, not only by reason of the contemplation itself, but also by reason of the Divine love.

“In both respects the delight thereof surpasses all human delight, both because spiritual delight is greater than carnal pleasure, as stated above (I-II, 31, 5), when we were treating of the passions, and because the love whereby God is loved out of charity surpasses all love. Hence it is written (Psalm 33:9): ‘O taste and see that the Lord is sweet.’

“Reply to Objection 1. Although the contemplative life consists chiefly in an act of the intellect, it has its beginning in the appetite, since it is through charity that one is urged to the contemplation of God. And since the end corresponds to the beginning, it follows that the term also and the end of the contemplative life has its being in the appetite, since one delights in seeing the object loved, and the very delight in the object seen arouses a yet greater love. Wherefore Gregory says (Hom. xiv in Ezech.) that ‘when we see one whom we love, we are so aflame as to love him more.’ And this is the ultimate perfection of the contemplative life, namely that the Divine truth be not only seen but also loved.

“Reply to Objection 2. Strife or struggle arising from the opposition of an external thing hinders delight in that thing. For a man delights not in a thing against which he strives: but in that for which he strives; when he has obtained it, other things being equal, he delights yet more: wherefore Augustine says (Confess. viii, 3) that ‘the more peril there was in the battle, the greater the joy in the triumph.’

“But there is no strife or struggle in contemplation on the part of the truth which we contemplate, though there is on the part of our defective understanding and our corruptible body which drags us down to lower things, according to (Wisdom 9:15), ‘The corruptible body is a load upon the soul, and the earthly habitation presseth down the mind that museth upon many things.’ Hence it is that when man attains to the contemplation of truth, he loves it yet more, while he hates the more his own deficiency and the weight of his corruptible body, so as to say with the Apostle (Romans 7:24): ‘Unhappy man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?’ Wherefore Gregory say (Hom. xiv in Ezech.): ‘When God is once known by desire and understanding, He withers all carnal pleasure in us.’

“Reply to Objection 3. The contemplation of God in this life is imperfect in comparison with the contemplation in heaven; and in like manner the delight of the wayfarer's contemplation is imperfect as compared with the delight of contemplation in heaven, of which it is written (Psalm 35:9): ‘Thou shalt make them drink of the torrent of Thy pleasure.’

“Yet, though the contemplation of Divine things which is to be had by wayfarers is imperfect, it is more delightful than all other contemplation however perfect, on account of the excellence of that which is contemplated. Hence the Philosopher says (De Part. Animal. i, 5): ‘We may happen to have our own little theories about those sublime beings and godlike substances, and though we grasp them but feebly, nevertheless so elevating is the knowledge that they give us more delight than any of those things that are round about us’: and Gregory says in the same sense (Hom. xiv in Ezech.): ‘The contemplative life is sweetness exceedingly lovable; for it carries the soul away above itself, it opens heaven and discovers the spiritual world to the eyes of the mind.’

“Reply to Objection 4. After contemplation Jacob halted with one foot, ‘because we need to grow weak in the love of the world ere we wax strong in the love of God,’ as Gregory says (Hom. xiv in Ezech.). ‘Thus when we have known the sweetness of God, we have one foot sound while the other halts; since everyone who halts on one foot leans only on that foot which is sound.’ “

Saint Thomas Aquinas
Summa Theologicae
From the Second Part of the Second Part
Question 180, article 7

(from a previous post)

Imagine

2010-01-24T09:02:00.000-05:00

Imagine being there in the place and the moment described by today's Gospel (Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21).

How wonderful it would have been to be sitting there in the synagogue as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ stepped up and read that great prophecy.

He came to Nazareth,
where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.

He stood up to read
and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.

He unrolled the scroll
and found the passage where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim
a year acceptable to the Lord.

Rolling up the scroll,
he handed it back to the attendant
and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue
looked intently at him.

He said to them,
“Today
this Scripture passage
is fulfilled in your hearing.”

(adapted from a previous post)

For those who are very, very serious...

2010-01-16T07:33:00.000-05:00

...about prayer
and about being alone with God

for the love of Christ
and of the whole Church
there are few paths more magnificent
than that of the Carthusians:
monasteries of men and monasteries of women
tucked away in different corners of the world, from France to Vermont and from Brasil to Korea.

The Carthusians balance intense solitude
with strong community.

They seek God in austere isolation
and also in the magnificence of God’s creation.

They serve God with rough manual labor,
with eloquent artistry,
and in deepest prayer.

Vocation reflections from the Charterhouse of the Transfiguration, Vermont USA:

"Who is called to a life such as this?

"The vocation so centers in God and is directed by Him and for Him that the choice cannot possibly come from man. The hermit cannot progress along this often perplexing path unless God wishes it and calls the person to it, and gives him the graces for it....

"A candidate needs fairly good, though not exceptional, physical health to sustain the rigors of the vocation.

"In particular, given the more intense stresses of solitude, a candidate must be free of any serious emotional and psychological pathology; indeed even lesser degrees of trauma can prove an obstacle. The common practice is, therefore, to have candidates take psychological testing before admittance into the community.

"The Carthusian life requires significant human maturity and sound judgment. The Statutes allow no one under 20 to be admitted, and in fact, given the delayed maturity in the West today, a person does not enter before he is 23. Since adaptability to such a life becomes increasingly difficult after mid-life, the upper age limit is 45, though candidates over 40 are not often considered. A reposed, open and sociable character is very desirable. "In addition, cloister candidates are asked to have some knowledge of Latin and a liberal arts background if at all possible, with at least two years of college. The brothers are encouraged to have a high school education or the equivalent.

"Once the applicant has contacted the community, the Charterhouse sends a questionnaire concerning personal information and references. If the Superiors discover there is sufficient possibility of a vocation, they invite him to make a retreat of at least a month’s duration (if possible) at the monastery. During his retreat, he is gradually introduced to the Carthusian life and encouraged to participate as fully as his capacity permits.

"If at its end, the applicant remains convinced of his calling and wishes to take the next step, and if the Superiors, with the assistance of the grace of God, validate his discernment, then together they decide when he should enter the novitiate."

Please see the Carthusians' excellent site for more information (with recently added slide shows) and for the locations of the Charterhouses throughout the world: http://www.chartreux.org/.

Happy National Vocation Awareness Week!

(from a previous post)

My own eyes have seen

2009-12-29T06:12:00.000-05:00

Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine
Secundum verbum tuum in pace:
Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum
Quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum:
Lumen ad revelationem gentium,
Et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.

“Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.”
(Luke 2:29-32 - from today's Gospel)

Nativity

2009-12-25T07:03:00.000-05:00

Titus 3:4-7
2nd reading - Mass at Dawn

(from a previous post)

The night before Christmas

2009-12-24T21:49:00.001-05:00

When the sun rises in the morning sky,
you will see the King of Kings...

from the Magnificat Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

O God-with-us

2009-12-23T05:41:00.001-05:00

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

O King of Nations and their Desire

2009-12-22T06:33:00.001-05:00

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

O dawn of the east

2009-12-21T05:53:00.001-05:00

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers
Translation: Fr. Z

(from a previous post)

O Key of David

2009-12-20T08:15:00.000-05:00

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

O Root of Jesse

2009-12-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

O Lord and Ruler of the house of Israel

2009-12-18T05:50:00.001-05:00

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

O Wisdom

2009-12-17T05:53:00.001-05:00

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

Behold, God comes

2009-11-29T08:18:00.000-05:00

Give this news to the peoples:
behold, God comes!

Our Savior!

from Vespers I of the First Sunday of Advent

(from a previous post)

When God Calls...

2009-10-06T05:43:00.002-04:00

"God calls in very different ways. A reliable sign of a vocation is if one feels in his heart God's invitation to surrender himself to God alone. An invitation is not a command! Just as in marriage the decision involves both concerned, so a response to a religious vocation must be made in a spirit of freedom and generosity."

"The Carthusian Order was founded 'to the praise of the glory of God' that He might 'unite us to Himself in intimate love' and so we bear abundant fruit. This is the goal of every Christian life; what makes our Order special is that we have no other goal but this. The entire life in Charterhouse is geared to this one aim, that members might 'the more ardently seek, the more quickly find, the more perfectly possess God himself' and so attain the 'perfection of love' (Rule 1,4). Therefore, we renounce all that does not help us attain that one thing necessary.

Separation from the world

"'Since our Order is totally dedicated to contemplation, it is our duty to maintain strictly our separation from the world; hence, we are freed from all pastoral ministry - no matter how urgent the need for active apostolate is - so that we may fulfill our special role in the Mystical Body of Christ' (Rule 3,9).

Prayer

"We have no special prayer method, technique or recipe; the only way is Jesus Christ.

"In the contemplative life it is not so much what we do but what God does in us.

"Our task is only to purify our longing of all that is not God, to practice 'to allow God to enter through all doors and passages of the heart' (Rule 4,2) and to permit Him to love us as He wills.

Liberty

"The holy liberty is characteristic of our vocation. The Orders rule prescribes only few prayer or devotional exercise other than the sacred liturgy, so that each - under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and with the help of the superior or spiritual director - may freely choose which means suits him to best attain the goal. On the other hand, whatever might hinder him or prove unprofitable, needs to be let go off, however good and holy it might be in itself.

Obedience

"The greatest hindrance in the search for God is without doubt one's own will, the individual 'I'. This we attempt to sacrifice with the help of obedience, which must - if it is to be complete - even extend to one's personal judgment. Such a thorough emptying of oneself enables us to open ourselves to the operation of the Holy Spirit with childlike simplicity and abandon; at the same time, this relieves us from all kinds of unrest, distress and worry about self.

Faith

"Our life takes place in the darkness and light of Faith. In solitude, we enter the depths of our Faith, which we have received from the Church. With time, the darkness of Faith changes into the light of Faith. We do not see what we believe, although the content of Faith becomes to us so present that we can live from it. When we renounce all that is not in conformity with Faith, we come to know the depth and splendor of that, which lives in our hearts.

Joy

"'Only those who have experienced the solitude and silence of the wilderness can tell what benefit and divine joy they bring to those who love them. Here strong men can be recollected as often as they wish, abide within themselves, carefully cultivate the seeds of virtue, and be nourished happily by the fruits of paradise. Here one can acquire that eye which, with its clear vision, wounds the Spouse with love, whose pureness can see God. Here they can dedicate themselves to leisure that is occupied and activity that is tranquil. Here, for their labor in the contest, God gives his athletes the long-desired reward: a peace that the world does not know and joy in the Holy Spirit' (St. Bruno, founder of the Carthusian Order", whose memorial is celebrated today).

Text from the website of
the Pleterje Charterhouse Carthusian monastery in Slovenia
http://www.kartuzija-pleterje.si/

(adapted from a previous post)

I persevered in the reading

2009-10-01T04:29:00.001-04:00

Imagine

2009-08-31T05:39:00.001-04:00

Imagine being there in the place and the moment described by today's Gospel (Luke 4:16-30).

How wonderful it would have been to be sitting there in the synagogue as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ stepped up and read that great prophecy.

Late have I loved thee

2009-08-28T06:06:00.001-04:00

O Beauty so ancient and so new,
late have I loved thee.

Behold, thou wast within
and I was without,
and I sought thee out there;

And among the lovely things
that thou hast made,
unlovely that I am, I heedlessly rushed .

Thou wast with me,
but I was not with thee.

These things kept me far from thee
(they that would not be, were they not in thee).

Thou didst call and cry aloud,
and didst force open my deafness.

Thou didst gleam and shine,
and didst chase away my blindness.

Thou didst breathe fragrant odors
and I drew in my breath;
and now I pant for thee.

I tasted,
and now I hunger and thirst.

Thou didst touch me,
and I burned for thy peace.

Sero te amavi,
pulchritudo tam antiqua et tam nova,
sero te amavi!

et ecce intus eras
et ego foris,
et ibi te quaerebam,
et in ista formosa,
quae fecisti,
deformis inruebam.

mecum eras,
et tecum non eram.

ea me tenebant longe a te,
quae si in te non essent, non essent.

vocasti et clamasti
et rupisti surditatem meam:

coruscasti,
splenduisti et fugasti caecitatem meam:

fragrasti, et duxi spiritum,
et anhelo tibi,

gustavi
et esurio et sitio,

tetigisti me,
et exarsi in pacem tuam.

(Confessions of St. Augustine, X.xxvii[38])

Magnificat

2009-08-15T08:54:00.002-04:00

Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes,
quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est,
et sanctum nomen eius,

Transfiguration

2009-08-06T05:48:00.001-04:00

Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother, John,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.

And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him.

Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
"Lord, it is good that we are here.

Matthew 17:1-4a

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Transfiguration

(originally posted on A Penitent Blogger)

"Lord, save me!"

2009-08-04T06:18:00.000-04:00

The LORD is my shepherd

2009-07-19T08:32:00.000-04:00

I shall not want

he makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters;

he restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil;

for thou art with me;

thy rod and thy staff,

they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;

thou anointest my head with oil,

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life;

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

for ever.

Psalm 23
The Responsorial Psalm for today's Mass

(from an earlier post)

O sacrum convivium

2009-06-14T10:02:00.003-04:00

Today many places celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi - the Body (and Blood) of Christ

(adapted from a post originally on A Penitent Blogger)

Pentecost

2009-05-31T09:18:00.001-04:00

Veni, Sancte Spiritus
reple tuorum corda fidelium,
et tui amoris in eis accende.

V. Emitte Spiritum tuum et creabuntur.
R. Et renovabis faciem terrae.

"Eternal God, eternal Trinity...

2009-04-29T04:49:00.000-04:00

"...you have made the blood of Christ so precious
through his sharing in your divine nature.

"You are a mystery as deep as the sea;
the more I search, the more I find,
and the more I find the more I search for you.

"But I can never be satisfied;
what I receive will ever leave me desiring more.

"When you fill my soul
I have an even greater hunger,
and I grow more famished for your light.

"I desire above all to see you,
the true light, as you really are.

"I have tasted and seen
the depth of your mystery
and the beauty of your creation
with the light of my understanding.

"I have clothed myself with your likeness
and have seen what I shall be.

"Eternal Father,
you have given me a share in your power
and the wisdom that Christ claims as his own,
and your Holy Spirit has given me
the desire to love you.

"You are my Creator, eternal Trinity,
and I am your creature.

"You have made of me a new creation
in the blood of your Son,
and I know that you are moved with love
at the beauty of your creation,
for you have enlightened me.

"Eternal Trinity, Godhead,
mystery deep as the sea,
you could give me no greater gift
than the gift of yourself.

"For you are a fire ever burning
and never consumed,
which itself consumes
all the selfish love that fills my being.

"Yes, you are a fire
that takes away the coldness,
illuminates the mind with its light
and causes me to know your truth.

"By this light,
reflected as it were in a mirror,
I recognise that you are the highest good,
one we can neither comprehend
nor fathom.

"And I know
that you are beauty and wisdom itself.

"The food of angels,
you gave yourself to man
in the fire of your love.

"You are the garment
which covers our nakedness,
and in our hunger
you are a satisfying food,
for you are sweetness
and in you
there is no taste of bitterness,
O triune God!"

From the dialogue On Divine Providence
by Saint Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor
on her Feast Day
in today's Office of Readings

(from a precious post)

Exsultet

2009-04-11T21:42:00.001-04:00

I sought him

2009-04-11T07:19:00.002-04:00

whom my heart loves-

My God, my God...

2009-04-10T04:41:00.000-04:00

Acclaim, O tongue, the mystery

2009-04-09T04:52:00.000-04:00

S. Thomas Aquinas

(traditionally sung on Holy Thursday night as well as during Eucharistic expositions and processions)

(from an earlier post)

Let us go together to meet Christ

2009-04-05T07:57:00.001-04:00

Two men went up to the temple to pray

2009-03-21T10:16:00.005-04:00

"But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'"

(Luke 18:10-13 - from today's Gospel)

I arise today

2009-03-17T07:16:00.001-04:00

Remember

2009-02-25T04:40:00.001-05:00

Remember, man, that you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.

Memento, homo, quia pulvis es,
et in pulverem reverteris.

(from an earlier post)

Is there delight in contemplation?

2009-01-28T04:37:00.001-05:00

"Grace-filled community life"

2009-01-17T12:31:00.006-05:00

"It is Christ’s love within us that makes such sacrifice possible
and it is such sacrifice that makes community possible.

"God has called us to this:
'It was not you who chose me,
but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit.'

"The Church and the Order are both counting on us
to bear this fruit
of radiant and grace-filled community life
for the edification of all."

from Moniales OP, the blog of the contemplative Dominican Nuns at Our Lady of the Rosary Monastery in Summit, New Jersey

Happy National Vocation Awareness Week!

We seek God

2009-01-16T04:51:00.001-05:00

"Our Benedictine monastic vocation is centered in the monastery.

"We seek God
in prayer,
in work, and
in community.

"Daily Mass and The Liturgy of the Hours provides the framework around which our day evolves. This communal praise of God is our most important task. The Liturgy of the Hours (or Divine Office) is sung six times a day in English using simplified Gregorian chant melodies. Lectio divina (sacred reading), personal prayer and an atmosphere of silence are also essential elements of our life of prayer....

"Single women (ages of 18-40) speak with our Prioress, Mother Mary Anne, and then come to visit the community. These first visits provide a glimpse of what our life is like and offer both sides to get to know one another. At each stage of the process, both the community and the individual discern whether or not God is calling the woman to our monastic community."

from the website of
St. Emma Monastery,
Greensburg, Pennsylvania

Happy National Vocation Awareness Week!

(from an earlier post)

Adoration is our apostolate

2009-01-15T04:56:00.000-05:00

"We are a Cloistered Community of Contemplative Nuns, known as the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration.

"Eucharistic Adoration is our apostolate, for as our Foundress, Mother Marie of St. Claire, once said: 'We are adorers of the Most Blessed Sacrament and the purpose of our adoration is thanksgiving.' Essentially, we begin to do on earth what every blessed soul will do for all eternity: praise, adore, and offer thanksgiving to our God....

"(We are) taking the treasures of spirituality and love that we have been given (at our founding monastery in Alabama), and, with His grace, begin planting it anew in the desert of Arizona."

"What are the requirements of entering the Poor Clare of Perpetual Adoration at Our Lady of Solitude? You must be a single woman between the ages of 21 and 35, have a High School education, be a Catholic in good standing, (and) have good physical and psychological health."

"If you are discerning a vocation and are interested in learning more about our Community, please contact us at vocations@desertnuns.com"

from the website of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration
Our Lady of Solitude Monastery
http://www.desertnuns.com/

Happy National Vocation Awareness Week!

For those who are very, very serious...

2009-01-14T18:12:00.001-05:00

Vocation reflections from the Charterhouse of the Transfiguration, Vermont USA:

"Who is called to a life such as this?

"A candidate needs fairly good, though not exceptional, physical health to sustain the rigors of the vocation.

"If at its end, the applicant remains convinced of his calling and wishes to take the next step, and if the Superiors, with the assistance of the grace of God, validate his discernment, then together they decide when he should enter the novitiate."

Please see the Carthusians' excellent site for more information (with recently added slide shows) and for the locations of the Charterhouses throughout the world: www.chartreux.org.

Happy National Vocation Awareness Week!

(from a previous post)

Imagine...

2009-01-08T05:08:00.000-05:00

For me, today's Gospel (Luke 4:14-22) is a great window for imagining myself in that time and place.

How wonderful it would have been to be sitting there in the synagogue as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ stepped up and read that wonderful prophecy.

My own eyes have seen

2008-12-28T07:41:00.000-05:00

(from a previous post)

Nativity

2008-12-25T07:15:00.001-05:00

Titus 3:4-7
2nd reading - Mass at Dawn

(from a previous post)

The night before Christmas

2008-12-24T04:51:00.000-05:00

When the sun rises in the morning sky,
you will see the King of Kings...

from the Magnificat Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

O God-with-us

2008-12-23T05:03:00.000-05:00

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

O King of Nations and their Desire

2008-12-22T05:06:00.000-05:00

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

O dawn of the east

2008-12-21T07:21:00.001-05:00

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers
Translation: Fr. Z

(from a previous post)

O Key of David

2008-12-20T07:55:00.001-05:00

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

O Root of Jesse

2008-12-19T05:11:00.001-05:00

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

O Lord and Ruler of the house of Israel

2008-12-18T05:23:00.000-05:00

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from a previous post)

O Wisdom

2008-12-17T05:05:00.001-05:00

"O" Antiphon for tonight's Vespers

(from an earlier post)

Behold, God comes

2008-11-30T10:15:00.001-05:00

Give this news to the peoples:
behold, God comes!

Our Savior!

from Vespers I of the First Sunday of Advent

(from a previous post)

The LORD is my shepherd

2008-10-12T09:18:00.001-04:00

I shall not want

he makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters;

he restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil;

for thou art with me;

thy rod and thy staff,

they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;

thou anointest my head with oil,

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life;

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

for ever.

Psalm 23
The Responsorial Psalm for today's Mass

(from an earlier post)

I persevered in the reading

2008-10-01T05:05:00.000-04:00

Imagine...

2008-09-01T07:29:00.001-04:00

For me, today's Gospel (Luke 4:16-30) is a great window for imagining myself in that time and place.

How wonderful it would have been to be sitting there in the synagogue as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ stepped up and read that wonderful prophecy.

"Lord, save me!"

2008-08-10T18:10:00.001-04:00

Transfiguration

2008-08-06T20:30:00.001-04:00

Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother, John,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.

And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him.

Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
"Lord, it is good that we are here.

Matthew 17:1-4a

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Transfiguration

(originally posted on A Penitent Blogger)

Mary's hymn

2008-05-31T20:08:00.004-04:00

"It is an excellent and fruitful custom of holy Church
that we should sing Mary’s hymn at the time of evening prayer.

"By meditating upon the incarnation,
our devotion is kindled,
and by remembering the example of God’s Mother,
we are encouraged to lead a life of virtue.

"Such virtues are best achieved in the evening.

"We are weary
after the day’s work
and worn out
by our distractions.

"The time for rest is near,
and our minds are ready
for contemplation."

from a sermon
by St Bede the Venerable
in today's Office of the Readings

Magnificat

2008-05-31T16:48:00.006-04:00

Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes,
quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est,
et sanctum nomen eius,

Veni Creator Spiritus

2008-05-11T15:10:00.005-04:00

Amen.

"Eternal God, eternal Trinity...

2008-04-29T20:42:00.007-04:00

From the dialogue On Divine Providence
by Saint Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor
on her Feast Day
in today's Office of Readings

Contemplation

2008-04-19T22:03:00.001-04:00

"There is another aspect of prayer which we need to remember:
silent contemplation.

"Saint John, for example,
tells us that to embrace God’s revelation
we must first listen,
then respond
by proclaiming what we have heard and seen
(cf. 1 Jn 1:2-3; Dei Verbum, 1).

"Have we perhaps lost something of the art of listening?

"Do you leave space to hear God’s whisper,
calling you forth into goodness?

"Friends, do not be afraid of silence or stillness,
listen to God, adore him in the Eucharist.

"Let his word shape your journey
as an unfolding of holiness.

Pope Benedict XVI
today at a rally for young people
on the grounds of St. Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie, NY

"Time spent in prayer is never wasted...

2008-04-17T06:36:00.003-04:00

"...however urgent the duties that press upon us from every side.

"Adoration of Christ our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament prolongs and intensifies the union with him that is established through the Eucharistic celebration (cf. Sacramentum Caritatis, 66).

"Contemplation of the mysteries of the Rosary releases all their saving power and it conforms, unites and consecrates us to Jesus Christ (cf. Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 11, 15).

"Fidelity to the Liturgy of the Hours ensures that the whole of our day is sanctified and it continually reminds us of the need to remain focused on doing God's work, however many pressures and distractions may arise from the task at hand.

Benedict XVI
from his address to the Bishops of the United States
yesterday