Św. Grzegorzu z Nazjanzu, wielki Doktorze i Nauczycielu Kościoła! wstaw się za nami u Boga, abyśmy idąc za radami i wzkazówkami zawartymi w pismach twoich, doszli do niebieskiej szczęśliwości. Amen.
Boże, dla którego chwały, świątobliwy biskup Stanisław został porąbany mieczami ludzi bezbożnych, spraw prosimy Cię, aby wszyscy, którzy jego pomocy i wstawiennictwa szukają, prośby swojej skutek zbawienny otrzymać mogli. Amen.
See the Young Fogey’s take on St. Stanislaus.
A good friend introduced me to wines from Central Europe about a decade ago. Egri Bikavér (“Bull’s Blood”) is a wonderful Hungarian wine. When we used to drink it, it was a very inexpensive buy. Lately I’ve been hearing a few people talking about Georgian wines. I was at our local mega-specialty wine store yesterday and decided to look for a bottle or two.
Their selection from these countries was rather limited. I picked up one Georgian wine and I found an Armenian wine. The Armenian wine is a semi-sweet made from quince. We tried it with dinner tonight and, in my inestimably poor ability to judge anything, I give it a thumbs up. I noticed that the Armenian’s make a semi-sweet from pomegranate. I’m going to start looking. I also forgot to ask them if they carry Egri – that’ll have to wait for the next trip.
Na zdrowie!
I’m a Talent!
You’re a risk-taker, and you follow your passions. You’re determined to take on the world and succeed on your own terms. Whether in the arts, science, engineering, business, or politics, you fearlessly express your own vision of the world. You’re not afraid of a fight, and you’re not afraid to bet your future on your own abilities. If you find a job boring or stifling, you’re already preparing your resume. You believe in doing what you love, and you’re not willing to settle for an ordinary life.
Talent: 54%
Lifer: 41%
Mandarin: 38%
Take the Talent, Lifer, or Mandarin quiz.
I am the good shepherd,
and I know mine and mine know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;
and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
Amen, alleluia! This is good news! Jesus not only cares for us as our shepherd, but He knows us. He knows us through and through. He knows us, and even though we are weak and sinful, still loves us enough to voluntarily lay down His life for us.
If you were standing with Jesus the day He said this would you be amazed, confused, happy, or angry? What would you feel? What would you think? Why would you even be there? What are you looking for?
Well, you would know about sheep and shepherds. You would know about the dangers of shepherding. You might even know of someone who was killed by wolves or bandits while protecting his sheep. This wouldn’t be unfamiliar territory.
In John 9 and 10 Jesus is continuing His teaching. All the while He is being tailed by the Pharisees. He is engaged by them and there is a series of accusations and retorts. At one point, later in Chapter 10 the Jews say to Jesus:
“How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.
He’s told them, He’s shown them, and even if He said, right there and then, —I am the Messiah— they wouldn’t have believed Him.
They were not looking for honesty or the Messiah. They were looking for evidence.
This Sunday our parish honors the Blessed Virgin Mary. The young women of the parish will crown this image of the Blessed Mother.
Why?
You well know that our Church does not follow or proclaim dogmas about Mary. We don’t proclaim the ‘Assumption’ or the ‘Immaculate Conception’. At the same time this very parish honors Mary and is dedicated to her. We seek her intercession constantly.
The loyal few who show up on Wednesday evening for Holy Mass, Exposition, a novena to Our Lady of Czestochowa, and Benediction have first hand experience of our love for Jesus’ mother. Every Wednesday and on Friday’s in May we specifically pray for all of your needs and we pray for all the sick by name. We offer up those names to Jesus through Mary.
Why?
Because Mary wasn’t looking for evidence; Mary didn’t demand proof. Mary just said yes. She accepted God’s will and God’s request without asking all the ‘W’ questions.
This past week we read about Ananias. Ananias was the disciple in Damascus who was sent by Jesus to Saul of Tarsus. Ananias, like so many others said yes to Jesus. And, like others he said yes, but…
But Ananias replied,
—Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man,
what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem.
And here he has authority from the chief priests
to imprison all who call upon your name.—
Maybe Ananias thought that he had to bring the Lord up-to-date with current events. You know Lord, since Your Ascension a lot of stuff has been going on —“ let me fill You in…
Mary simply said yes. Mary became the Theotokos —“ the God bearer. Mary bore Jesus to us in all His humanity and in all His nature as God.
So today, and every May, we crown Mary, Mary the God bearer, Mary who simply said yes. Mary —“ an example in human flesh of what we are called to be.
As you reflect on Mary’s example and as you reflect on the scripture of the day, recall the words of praise found in our psalm:
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his kindness endures forever.
Praise and bless the shepherd. Praise and bless Him:
“There is no salvation through anyone else,
nor is there any other name under heaven
given to the human race by which we are to be saved.—
This is the Good News of our salvation. Rejoice in it.
Amen.
[dels]blogs4god/sermons[/dels]
Św. Jakóbie, apostole i męczenniku, który umierając modliłeś się za swych morderców, uproś nam u Boga tę łaskę, abyśmy przebaczyli winy naszym krzywdzicielom, prześladowcom i oszczercom, zemsty nie pragnęli na nich, a przeciw ich napaściom bronili się poprawą własnego życia. Amen.
Błogosławiony Michale Gedrojcu, któryś cierpienia swe na chwałę Bożą ofiarował, jako wynadgrodzenie za wszystkie zniewagi i zelżywości jakiemi bezbożni powtórnie Chrystusa krzyżują, uproś nam u Boga tę łaskę, abyśmy naśladując cię na ziemi, w niebie z Tobą kiedyś królować mogli. Amen.
The World Cup is only 34 days away. I’ve started my shopping for my Polish World Cup gear. Poland plays June 9th – the first day of the match. Check out the cool stuff.
The DaVinci Code is entering theaters and many Christian bloggers are commenting on the falsehoods of the book/movie. Some of them are falling into the very same trap that Mr. Dan Brown is mired in. It’s the simple desire to know the unknown, to wallow in conspiracy theory. The commentators go on about the falsehoods of the book/movie and the conspiracy against Christianity.
To me it’s just a book/movie —“ a work of fiction. I am neither for nor against it. I’ve read Angels and Demons. I thought it was good, and like any fiction, exposed issues of greed, corruption, anger, and desire —“ albeit at a superficial level – which are all parts of our fallen human condition. We could even say that such exposure gives us a sort of insight into how personal motivations (sinful ones) overcome our call to goodness in the absense of God’s grace.
If people want to level serious criticism at the book/movie then let’s look at the values it puts out there. Is there gratuitous sex and violence? Now there’s a valid criticism. Does it give us insight into our behaviors and that of others or does it simply deal with people at the surface without understanding them as whole persons with individual motivations and a unique psychology.
A good writer will take you into a character so that you come out knowing a little more about yourself. Maybe they will even give you pause to consider the root causes of your own actions.
In my opinion Mr. Brown’s promotion of his book is beside the point. He will say whatever he has to to sell and promote his product. He’s getting rich. That’s the only conspiracy there is —“ and that’s not even a conspiracy —“ rather it is just part of his psychology. I need money —“ I’ll say whatever I have to. Mr. Brown has a lot of company in that category (name the evil group —“ politicians, actors, business people, etc.)
Mr. Brown could just as easily say that Jesus appeared to him in a dream and used him like pencil to write the book. Maybe the ‘Angel Moroni’ appeared to him and gave him the ‘Urim and Thummim’ ala Joseph Smith.
Regardless of the words used to explain the origin of the book, it is what old fashioned Hollywood used to call a ‘publicity stunt’.
If people choose to believe what the world puts on their plate —“ well we just need to witness better to the falsehood, not of the book, but of the world. Fighting the technicalities of Mr. Brown’s publicity campaign earns Christianity nothing. Living witness to the truth of Jesus Christ as the way, truth, and life is far more important.
Maybe the whole lesson is simply this —“ we should treat God’s gift to us in His Son as the mystery it is. Then, perhaps, people would engross themselves in the study of the only mystery that matters.
[dels]blogs4god/pundits[/dels]
From Friary Notes:
1. Because many priests have forgotten what it was like to be a deacon or what a deacon is supposed to do during the Mass, you can have a great deal of fun at the priest’s expense by pretending that various parts of the Mass that the priest is supposed to say actually belong to you. Simply act like you are getting ready to say something. If the priest stops to let you speak, say – “No, that’s your line.” If the priest doesn’t stop, look hurt – as if you only have a few lines in the Mass and you don’t want to lose any.
Either way you confuse the priest and he now feels he needs to give another look at the rubrics, General Instruction of the Roman Missal, etc. If you do this enough times, you can really get the priest to dread having to serve with the deacon.
2. You can also get the laity pretty well confused. Whenever someone asks how you are to be addressed, give different answers – Deacon, Reverend Deacon [Mister], Father Deacon, the more the better. Watch them argue over which title is more proper. Let some call you Father and don’t correct them – that helps to increase the confusion.
3. [VERY EVIL SUGGESTION] – Enter a Catholic bookstore and bless everything, thus putting them out of business.
4. [VERY EVIL SUGGESTION] – Wait for someone to ask if you can hear their confession. Tell them that you can, but you will also be sure to let everyone else know what they said.
And I’ll add:
5. [ULTIMATELY EVIL SUGGESTION] —“ When filling for a priest who is on vacation, especially at a parish that has never had a deacon, allow people to think you are celebrating the Holy Mass. Also, don’t forget to accept the Mass stipend they offer you for their deceased relatives or friends. After it’s over clarify the situation for them telling them that they sinned because they didn’t go to mass. You might even add that father and the bishop are in disagreement over the issue. Give them the bishop’s address.