Top: Mommy and Joseph during a tickle fest.
Bottom: Leo walking in Daddy's boots.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
New photos
For those who are not interested in MNBS, some new photos from today.
Top: Mommy and Joseph during a tickle fest.
Bottom: Leo walking in Daddy's boots.
Top: Mommy and Joseph during a tickle fest.
Bottom: Leo walking in Daddy's boots.
MNBS, 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Yr B
Hello folks, it is a Tuesday night study this week. Team Snuffin was a little fussy last night.
Fr. Kambitsch's homily on Sunday primarily examined Jesus' leper healing to a desire to unify the Jewish community. The first reading from last week described how lepers were outcast from the community. He extended the unification theme to Abraham Lincoln trying to heal the USA of a leprosy (i.e. slavery) and preserve unity. I took issue with his understanding of history, but it was an interesting tangent, as the last week was the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth. Note for reference, the Southern states did not secede because of the Emanicpation Proclamation. The EP was signed in 1863; the Civil War started in 1861. End of tangent.
This week's Gospel: (Mark 2:1-12)
Fr. Kambitsch's homily on Sunday primarily examined Jesus' leper healing to a desire to unify the Jewish community. The first reading from last week described how lepers were outcast from the community. He extended the unification theme to Abraham Lincoln trying to heal the USA of a leprosy (i.e. slavery) and preserve unity. I took issue with his understanding of history, but it was an interesting tangent, as the last week was the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth. Note for reference, the Southern states did not secede because of the Emanicpation Proclamation. The EP was signed in 1863; the Civil War started in 1861. End of tangent.
This week's Gospel: (Mark 2:1-12)
When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days,
it became known that he was at home.
Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,
not even around the door,
and he preached the word to them.
They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd,
they opened up the roof above him.
After they had broken through,
they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
"Child, your sins are forgiven."
Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,
"Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming.
Who but God alone can forgive sins?"
Jesus immediately knew in his mind
what they were thinking to themselves,
so he said, "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
'Your sins are forgiven,'
or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk?'
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth"
—he said to the paralytic,
"I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home."
He rose, picked up his mat at once,
and went away in the sight of everyone.
They were all astounded
and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."
it became known that he was at home.
Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,
not even around the door,
and he preached the word to them.
They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd,
they opened up the roof above him.
After they had broken through,
they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
"Child, your sins are forgiven."
Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,
"Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming.
Who but God alone can forgive sins?"
Jesus immediately knew in his mind
what they were thinking to themselves,
so he said, "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
'Your sins are forgiven,'
or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk?'
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth"
—he said to the paralytic,
"I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home."
He rose, picked up his mat at once,
and went away in the sight of everyone.
They were all astounded
and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."
Jesus is comfy at home; he may be having a cup of tea, and the people come. Think Bilbo Baggins in Lord of the Rings. He preaches, someone amazes him with their faith in him, and he heals. At the time, some illnesses were thought to be the result of personal sin. He heals the paralytic interiorly by forgiving him of his sins. Instead of trying to hush up the recently healed, he reveals himself to the scribes, the authorities. Jesus is not just some internant preacher, not just some kind of physician. He is someone who behaves with divine authority, and this is manifested physically in healing.
To me, it seems that Jesus is done with trying to deny who he is. We believe that Jesus has two natures, He is both divine and human. I can imagine that this is his exposure of his divine nature in full. He has embraced his vocation; He has arrived.
To me, it seems that Jesus is done with trying to deny who he is. We believe that Jesus has two natures, He is both divine and human. I can imagine that this is his exposure of his divine nature in full. He has embraced his vocation; He has arrived.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Monday Night Bible Study
One of the most formative things that I did when I was a student at Cal Poly was a bible study during my third year. There were about 15 of us. We were lead by two students, one of whom is now a budding philosophy professor in Texas. The general plan was to read and discuss the Gospel reading for the coming Sunday, and talk about what the priest preached on at Mass the previous day. Quick explanation: in the Catholic Church, the readings for each Sunday, with a few exceptions, are the same across the world. For most Sunday Masses, there are four readings: the First Reading is usually from the Old Testament, there is a Psalm (usually sung), the Second Reading is usually from one of the New Testament letters, and then the Gospel (from one of the four Gospels). If I went to Mass in Tres Pinos, London, Rome, or Barbados, the readings would be the same. The topic and delivery of the homily, or sermon, is entirely up to the priest or deacon preaching. It was interesting to play the "Did Father Mike get our notes or not game".
I was thinking about it the other day, and things like MNBS are some of the things that I really miss about being out of college, and one of the few Catholic "young adults" in the area. Way too old for a youth group, and the few study/discussion groups that the parish puts on are rarely at a conveinient time. So... here's the plan. Alie and I are going to start our own MNBS; a huge group of, well, two. We'll look at the coming week's readings, chat about them, and I'll put up my/our own reflection. Your comments are always welcome.
We will try to do this on Monday evenings. We will see how long this lasts. There may be a hiatus during harvest, or if a Snuffin is sick. I do not pretend to be the pope, or a theologian. While I am a pretty faithful and orthodox Catholic, I do not know it all. If you think that I have something wrong, let me know in the combox. Just be civil; I don't have time to moderate comments.
A few MNBS resources:
The Gospel for the coming week. Get a Bible. I'll post a link to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops site. They have links to each day's readings. Nifty.
Catechism of the Catholic Church: Think the Boy Scout Handbook, only for Catholic theology and doctrine. Very handy; lots of references, footnotes, and so forth.
Enough preliminary stuff. Let's get cracking!
Gospel for 15 Feb 2009 (Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time-Year B):
I was thinking about it the other day, and things like MNBS are some of the things that I really miss about being out of college, and one of the few Catholic "young adults" in the area. Way too old for a youth group, and the few study/discussion groups that the parish puts on are rarely at a conveinient time. So... here's the plan. Alie and I are going to start our own MNBS; a huge group of, well, two. We'll look at the coming week's readings, chat about them, and I'll put up my/our own reflection. Your comments are always welcome.
We will try to do this on Monday evenings. We will see how long this lasts. There may be a hiatus during harvest, or if a Snuffin is sick. I do not pretend to be the pope, or a theologian. While I am a pretty faithful and orthodox Catholic, I do not know it all. If you think that I have something wrong, let me know in the combox. Just be civil; I don't have time to moderate comments.
A few MNBS resources:
The Gospel for the coming week. Get a Bible. I'll post a link to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops site. They have links to each day's readings. Nifty.
Catechism of the Catholic Church: Think the Boy Scout Handbook, only for Catholic theology and doctrine. Very handy; lots of references, footnotes, and so forth.
Enough preliminary stuff. Let's get cracking!
Gospel for 15 Feb 2009 (Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time-Year B):
A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said,
"If you wish, you can make me clean."
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,
touched him, and said to him,
"I do will it. Be made clean."
The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.
Then, warning the him sternly, he dismissed him at once.
He said to him, "See that you tell no one anything,
but go, show yourself to the priest
and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;
that will be proof for them."
The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.
He spread the report abroad
so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.
He remained outside in deserted places,
and people kept coming to him from everywhere.
(Mark 1:40-45)
"If you wish, you can make me clean."
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,
touched him, and said to him,
"I do will it. Be made clean."
The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.
Then, warning the him sternly, he dismissed him at once.
He said to him, "See that you tell no one anything,
but go, show yourself to the priest
and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;
that will be proof for them."
The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.
He spread the report abroad
so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.
He remained outside in deserted places,
and people kept coming to him from everywhere.
(Mark 1:40-45)
The Reflection: Again, Jesus heals someone. In last week's Gospel (Mk 1:29-39) Jesus heals Simon Peter's mother-in-law. He heals someone who was an outcast, a leper. On the healing, the leper believes that Jesus has the power to heal him and asks for healing. Applied to us, how many of us realize that we are broken, need healing, and have the guts to ask someone for help. How many of us recognize that there are people that are capable of helping us?
For Jesus' part, he feels pity for the leper. Doesn't this point to the human part of Jesus' nature; he is both divine and human? He tries to hide his identity, and it fails. He is found out, and the crowds following him are getting bigger and bigger. To a degree, it seems like Jesus is either avoiding his vocation or is a bit scared of the enormity of his mission.
Ok, now you have my $0.02. Let's do this again next week.
For Jesus' part, he feels pity for the leper. Doesn't this point to the human part of Jesus' nature; he is both divine and human? He tries to hide his identity, and it fails. He is found out, and the crowds following him are getting bigger and bigger. To a degree, it seems like Jesus is either avoiding his vocation or is a bit scared of the enormity of his mission.
Ok, now you have my $0.02. Let's do this again next week.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas!
For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ the Lord.
Merry Christmas; the boys had a blast today!
Merry Christmas; the boys had a blast today!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Happy Repeal Day!!!
75 years ago today, the Ignoble Experiment of Prohibition was repealed. Hoist a glass to FDR, Cheers!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Election 2008: History and Infamy
The 2008 election has come and gone. Senator Barack Obama was elected as the 44th President of these United States. He becomes the first African-American president in our country's history, and the first President elected from the Senate since John F. Kennedy in 1960. His running mate, Sen. Joseph Biden, is the first Catholic Vice President. I wish them the best of luck and pray that the Holy Spirit illumine their minds as they lead our nation.
I did not vote for the Obama-Biden ticket. I found their support of the Freedom of Choice Act, and voting history supporting abortion to be deplorable. As a Catholic, I find that I cannot support a candidate for office who holds such views and acts on them while in office. I did not support the Obama tax scheme, which advocates a greater redistribution of wealth and increasing the estate/inheritance taxes. I felt that the lesser evil was to vote for the McCain-Palin ticket. Not entirely pro-life (McCain supports embryonic stem cell research), but more pro-life than Obama. They support the continued hostilties in Iraq and Afganistan as a means of securing the Middle East for American interests. I say that the U.S. never should have invaded Iraq at all. American interests in the Middle East would have better been served by a stronger presence in Afghanistan, and if more efforts were taken to rebuild that nation. I digress.
Fr. Rob, at Thrown Back, has written a column that articulates my thoughts on the predicament of the Catholic voter more than I can. A sample:
My thoughts may not seem particularly cogent, yet to be quite honest, I am sick of being played by politicians. I am tired of the politics of fear put forth by the Republicans, and I am tired of being condescended to by the Democrats. I truly wish for a third party that I could vote for and truly feel that my vote is not wasted. It makes me wish that Teddy Roosevelt and the Bull Moose party were still around. The cynic in me says that the third party option will never take root in the U.S. The optimist says that there needs to be enough like-minded people willing to have the courage to work for a third-party to make it happen. On the other (third?) hand, I am beginning to think, like Adams and Washington, that the idea of political parties were evils that sullied purpose of representative government. They have no place in a true republic. Coalitions of like-minded representatives could get together on pieces of legislation for the good of the country, never mind the career-advancing advantages of partisan politics.
Two hundred years ago, the American Church expanded with the creation of the dioceses of New York, Bardstown (Louisville), Boston, and Philadelphia, and the archdiocese of Baltimore. John Carroll was the first bishop of Baltimore, and thus, one of the fathers of the American Church. From his Prayer for the Nation and Civil in 1791:
Amen.
I did not vote for the Obama-Biden ticket. I found their support of the Freedom of Choice Act, and voting history supporting abortion to be deplorable. As a Catholic, I find that I cannot support a candidate for office who holds such views and acts on them while in office. I did not support the Obama tax scheme, which advocates a greater redistribution of wealth and increasing the estate/inheritance taxes. I felt that the lesser evil was to vote for the McCain-Palin ticket. Not entirely pro-life (McCain supports embryonic stem cell research), but more pro-life than Obama. They support the continued hostilties in Iraq and Afganistan as a means of securing the Middle East for American interests. I say that the U.S. never should have invaded Iraq at all. American interests in the Middle East would have better been served by a stronger presence in Afghanistan, and if more efforts were taken to rebuild that nation. I digress.
Fr. Rob, at Thrown Back, has written a column that articulates my thoughts on the predicament of the Catholic voter more than I can. A sample:
Many of us are volunteering to cooperate with evil, because we see no way out of the dilemma of aligning ourselves with one party or the other. In essence, faithful Catholics are forced to accept whatever bones the major parties and candidates throw us: If we think the Democrats offer more compassionate social policies and the prospect of ending the war in Iraq, we must tolerate their embrace of abortion and same-sex unions. If we think the Republicans offer the best hope of eliminating abortion-on-demand and defending marriage, we have to be willing to tolerate their embrace of "preventive" war and so-called enhanced interrogation techniques. Catholics, it would seem, are being forced to make Faustian bargains every time they enter the voting booth.
My thoughts may not seem particularly cogent, yet to be quite honest, I am sick of being played by politicians. I am tired of the politics of fear put forth by the Republicans, and I am tired of being condescended to by the Democrats. I truly wish for a third party that I could vote for and truly feel that my vote is not wasted. It makes me wish that Teddy Roosevelt and the Bull Moose party were still around. The cynic in me says that the third party option will never take root in the U.S. The optimist says that there needs to be enough like-minded people willing to have the courage to work for a third-party to make it happen. On the other (third?) hand, I am beginning to think, like Adams and Washington, that the idea of political parties were evils that sullied purpose of representative government. They have no place in a true republic. Coalitions of like-minded representatives could get together on pieces of legislation for the good of the country, never mind the career-advancing advantages of partisan politics.
Two hundred years ago, the American Church expanded with the creation of the dioceses of New York, Bardstown (Louisville), Boston, and Philadelphia, and the archdiocese of Baltimore. John Carroll was the first bishop of Baltimore, and thus, one of the fathers of the American Church. From his Prayer for the Nation and Civil in 1791:
We pray Thee O God of might, wisdom, and justice! Through whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with Thy Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude the President of these United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness, and be eminently useful to Thy people over whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality. Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty.
Amen.
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