STATIONS OF THE CROSS

Third Sunday after the Octave of Easter - Mass Propers and Reflections

Introit

Ps 65:1-2 Shout with joy to God, all the earth, sing ye a psalm to his name; give glory to his praise. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Ps 65:3 Say unto God, How terrible are thy works, O Lord! in the multitude of thy strength thy enemies shall lie to thee.  Glory be … Shout with joy to God, all the earth, sing ye a psalm to his name; give glory to his praise.  Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

The Introit invites the worshiper to shout with joy, sing a psalm, and give glory to the Name of the Lord God… and these are the words we are to say: ‘How terrible (awesome, provoking awe and perhaps even terror) are Thy works! Yes, when once His great might is stirred and the dread warrior has put on His strength, it causes every one of His enemies to go weak in the knees and fall before him.  There is a shout in the tents of the righteous, a shout of joy because He comes to deliver His people from their sins, from their spiritual oppressors and the sworn enemies of their Faith.  We sing a psalm to his great Name, bending our knee willingly, as all others must also certainly bend – in heaven, on earth, and yes, under the earth as well.

Collect
Almighty God, Who showest to them that be in error the light of thy truth, to the intent that they may return into the way of righteousness grant unto all them that are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's Religion, that they may eschew those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same.

Thank God for the light of His Truth, Jesus Christ.  Thank God, the Most Holy Trinity, for His willingness to shine that light into the hearts of sinners, especially those trapped in erroneous thinking and belief. How gracious He is to welcome the prodigal home into the fellowship of Christ’s Bride, Holy Mother Church.  The good Shepherd looks for that one who has strayed, and carrying him home invites the Church to share His joy, and that of the angels.  One sinner has repented! Glory to God! An unfaithful Catholic has come to his senses, a heretic has renounced his errors, and a Muslim has found Christ’s true religion of lasting peace! This is the great and terrible work of the Lord, how awesome is His mercy!

Lesson
Lesson from the first letter of St Peter the Apostle
1 Pet 2:11-19
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, to refrain yourselves from carnal desires which war against the soul, Having your conversation good among the Gentiles: that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by the good works, which they shall behold in you, glorify God in the day of visitation. Be ye subject therefore to every human creature for God's sake: whether it be to the king as excelling; Or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of the good: For so is the will of God, that by doing well you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not as making liberty a cloak for malice, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if for conscience towards God, a man endure sorrows, suffering wrongfully.
R. Thanks be to God.

St Peter is speaking as directly to the lived life of faith of the first Christians as he possibly can.  In another place he says that St. Paul writes things that are sometimes difficult to understand.  These pastoral directives are not difficult to understand, except by those who are trying to avoid, or change, the plain meaning of words.  Our citizenship is in heaven and that makes us strangers and pilgrims no matter where we are on earth, no matter what ruler or governor we live under.  That does not make us irresponsible toward our fellowman while we are sojourning here.  Rather the opposite.  We must win them by holy lives and respectful obedience where possible.  The last thing Catholics want is to suffer the ill repute of being morally corrupt, no, it should be clear and obvious to all non-Catholics that we restrain and control our carnal desires.  The scandal that sexually perverted priests have caused has ruined the reputation of the Catholic Church for millions of souls that we are supposed to be winning by our good works.  How will they glorify God in that great and terrible day of judgment if we have failed in our duty to inspire such a response in them by our exemplary lives?  Make no mistake, the civil power has been sent by God to punish evil doers – first and foremost those who abuse the bodies and damage the souls of the innocent.  Rather, as St. Peter says here and it is written elsewhere, ‘Love does no harm to one’s neighbour.’  Love the brotherhood, all the people of God.  AND BE GOOD.

Alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia Ps 110:9 He hath sent redemption to his people: Luke 24:46 Thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead, the third day. Alleluia.

In order to send redemption to His people, it was necessary for Christ to suffer… but not just to suffer.  His suffering led to death, death on a cross… but not just a horrible death.  His death, and His suffering, was redemptive because of the power of the resurrection.  On the third day He rose from the dead, and by being united to Him through Baptism, in His death, burial and resurrection, we too rise.  We are alive together with Him, and He will raise us up at the last day, as He promised.

Gospel

John 16:16-22
In that time: Jesus said to his disciples: A little while, and now you shall not see me; and again a little while, and you shall see me: because I go to the Father. Then some of the disciples said one to another: What is this that he saith to us: A little while, and you shall not see me; and again a little while, and you shall see me, and, because I go to the Father? They said therefore: What is this that he saith, A little while? we know not what he speaketh. And Jesus knew that they had a mind to ask him; and he said to them: Of this do you inquire among yourselves, because I said: A little while, and you shall not see me; and again a little while, and you shall see me? Amen, amen I say to you, that you shall lament and weep, but the world shall rejoice; and you shall be made sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labour, hath sorrow, because her hour is come; but when she hath brought forth the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. So also you now indeed have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no man shall take from you.
R. Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

Now, no one can take away our joy.  No one.  Those early disciples who witnessed the crucifixion were filled with sorrow.  Those, like the Blessed Virgin Mary, the apostle John and some others, who heard these words of the Gospel spoken by our Lord were given the opportunity to ponder them deeply and prepare for the hour of sorrow.  When the sword pierced His side, it pierced His Mother’s also, but just as our Lord did not despair, but cried, ‘Into Your hands I commend my spirit,’ so also there were those who knew, through their tears that the Father had given all power to the Son for the accomplishment of His Father’s business.  From the age of 12 He had made it clear that he must be about that mission.  Though Mary and Joseph sought for Him, sorrowing, after three days they found Him – in the temple.  Our Lady will find him again this time, after three days.  She will remember.  She will remember the joy of bringing Him into the world, of finding Him in the temple.  She will see Him again with her own eyes and so will His apostles and many of His disciples.  The joy of the resurrection from the dead and life everlasting will be a lasting joy that no future sorrow in this life will be able to dampen, no, not even martyrdom.  For though there are those who may kill the body, they have no power beyond that.  No man is able to take away the joy and life-giving hope of our Lord’s resurrection from our hearts.

Offertory
Ps 145:2 Praise the Lord, O my soul, in my life I will praise the Lord: as long as I shall be. Alleluia.

I speak to my soul.  I give it this instruction: Praise the Lord.  I make this decision: I will praise the Lord as long as I live.  This is how it works.  It is not just an emotional response, driven by my appetitive nature.  I know the Lord, and I think this through.  I reason that the suffering of this present time is not worthy to be compared with the joy that will be reveal in me as a child of God.  That’s why I can instruct my soul, and exercise my will, and actually do the thing that is most needful: Praise the Lord.  Alleluia.

Secret
Confer on us, O Lord, by these mysteries the moderation of our earthly desires: and teach us to love the things of heaven.

I receive graces through all the Sacraments, especially the most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  The mysteries proclaim truths for the faithful that give them the power to respond and cooperate with the graces which flow from the Altar.  One of those graces is the power to exercise certain virtues, like moderation, and in this case the moderation of our earthly desires.  All earthly desires, even those which are not to be faulted, per se, but are not directed toward the love of the things of heaven.   A mundane example: Food is not bad, even the desire for food is not bad, per se, but if it is taken without a thankful heart, nor a simple blessing, then its heavenly end is missed.  Even more so if it is taken in gluttonous measure without moderation.

Preface of Easter
It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, at all times to praise Thee, O Lord, but more gloriously especially in this season when Christ our Pasch was sacrificed. For He is the Lamb Who hath taken away the sins of the world: Who by dying hath destroyed our death: and by rising again hath restored us to life. And therefore with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominations, and with all the hosts of the heavenly army, we sing the hymn of Thy glory, evermore saying: Holy, Holy, Holy…

Communion
John 16:16
A little while, and now you shall not see me; and again a little while, and you shall see me: because I go to the Father, alleluia, alleluia.

Glory to you, O Christ! You are risen, as You said. Alleluia! You are seated at the right had of the Father.  Receive our prayer.  Come to us, Lord Jesus for our souls long for you like the deer that pants for the waterbrooks.  Nothing in this world satisfies the hungry heart, the thirsty soul... nothing but You, O Lord.  'A little while', if I cannot see You, is unbearable.  Weeping endures for the night, but joy comes in the morning.  You only, O Lord, are my Orient, risen from the dead! Alleluia!

Post Communion
May the Sacraments which we have received, O Lord, we ask, refresh us with spiritual nourishment, and preserve as with bodily assistance.

Mass Propers for Saturday of our Lady ~ IV Class

Saturday of our Lady

Introit

Hail Holy Parent, who didst bring forth the King, who rules heaven and earth forever, alleluia, alleluia. Ps 44:2 My heart hath uttered a good word I speak my works to the king; My tongue is the pen of a scrivener that writeth swiftly. Glory be ... Hail Holy Parent, who didst bring forth the King, who rules heaven and earth forever, alleluia, alleluia.

Ave Maria, holy Mother and Parent of our great Lord and Saviour, King Jesus! Hail! It is the beginning of Mass and we greet her whom the angels greeted with the good news of the birth of the Messiah, the Christ, Son of the living God, second Person of the Most Holy Trinity.  It is her Saturday, and we find ourselves called to worship by our holy Mother, the Church.  We will utter many good words, because we have been taught them at our Mother's knee and we have learned and kept them in our heart so that we might meditate on these glorious mysteries.  We speak them, sing them, offer them to our Lord the King.  

Collect

Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord God, unto all thy servants, that they may remain continually in the enjoyment of soundness both of mind and body, and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, always a Virgin, may be delivered from present sadness, and enter into the joy of thine eternal gladness.

Our holy Mother, she who bore our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, helps us in our prayers and intercedes for us herself.  This Collect reminds us that it is not selfish or wrong to pray for our health and well-being, and to ask the same for those we love.  It is in the Canon of the Mass and is repeated here so that we might learn its importance.  We need a firmness and strength in our bodies so that we might not grow wearing in well-doing, that we might not faint through fastings and prayers.  We need a sound mind to grasp the difficult truths and hidden mysteries of our salvation.  There is enough pain and confusion in this world to discourage and distract us from our first calling: the salvation of our souls.  This prayer asks for sufficient health to ensure our dutiful preparation for the enjoyment of the Beatific vision.

Lesson

Lesson from the book of Ecclesiasticus

Sir 24:14-16

From the beginning, and before the world, was I created, and unto the world to come I shall not cease to be, and in the holy dwelling place I have ministered before him. And so was I established in Sion, and in the holy city likewise I rested, and my power was in Jerusalem. And I took root in an honourable people, and in the portion of my God his inheritance, and my abode is in the full assembly of saints.

R. Thanks be to God.

From before the creation of the world! O noble creature of the most High God, immaculate, protected soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary, born in time to Anna and Joachim!  She, full of grace and wisdom, became herself the holy dwelling place of our Lord. He took his flesh of the holy Virgin and He who was God did not despise the Virgin's womb. For her part in this great kenosis of our Lord, for her 'Yes' to all that was asked of her, all generations will call her 'Blessed' - as we do today, and as we will for all eternity. She whom we acknowledge as the Virgin of virgins ministered before Him in His own temple, His Body. Her abode is among the saints and her eternal inheritance exceeds all the holy ones who worship in that heavenly Jerusalem.  There, the holy Mother of God takes her proper precedence.

Alleluia 

Alleluia, alleluia Num 17:8 The rod of Jesse had blossomed, a virgin hath brought forth God and man: God hath restored peace, reconciling in himself the lowest with the highest, alleluia. Luke 1:28 Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. Alleluia.

A Virgin, who remains a virgin, shall conceive nevertheless, and bear the Son of God.  Against all expectations, Aaron's rod blossoms, as does Jesse's, the forefather of our Lord according to the flesh.  She who is our true Tabernacle carries within her the Fruit who is our salvation, the God-Man, Jesus Christ.  He is our peace who, being in the form of God humbled Himself and took flesh of The Blessed Virgin Mary, His holy Mother and His lowly handmaid.

Gospel

John 19:25-27

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.

R. Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

Stabat Mater dolorosa, Juxta crucem lacrymosa, Dum pendebat Filius. We see her there at Calvary, the faithful witness to the crucifixion of her Son, our Lord. In the agony of that hour Mary his mother is there suffering the sword that pierces her own soul.  She is there, supported by only one Apostle: John, for the others had fled in fear.  But John's love, like our Lady's, is strong and it casts out fear.  His love cannot be diminished by the possibility of his own arrest and martyrdom, and so he waits at the foot of the cross with Mary. Together they share in the mystery of faith, she the Mother who keeps all these things and ponders them in her heart and he the disciple whom Jesus loved who taught us in his Gospel how the Word became flesh. There, even at the foot of the cross, he would say, together with our Blessed Mother, 'We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.' Together, for Jesus binds them together as a last act of love.  She is now made the Mother of John, of all disciples, and of us... and we, like John, her protectors and sharers with her in the divine mysteries.  From this hour, let us take her again into our homes.

Offertory 

Blessed art thou, O Virgin Mary, who didst bear the Creator of all things, thou didst bring forth who made thee, and remainest a virgin forever. Alleluia.

The creature, blessed forever, bore the Creator in her womb.  He who created all things by the Word of his power and the Breath of his mouth, forms for Himself a body to dwell in, within a Virgin womb. This profound mystery is an article of Catholic Faith.  We recite it in the Creed and at the Last Gospel in every Mass and with every recitation of our Lady's Rosary.  It is our Lady's Saturday in the Easter season: Regina caeli laetare, alleluia: Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia, Resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia: Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

Secret 

Through thy mercy, O Lord, at the intercession of blessed Mary, ever Virgin, let this offering obtain for us welfare and peace, both now and forever.

Welfare, that is, health and well-being, as is prayed in the Canon.  Our welfare, that is, the salvation of our souls, as is prayed in the Canon.  This is our peace. Rest for our weary bodies, freedom from all anxiety and from every evil.  For this we pray to the Lord in this Mass, and ask the assistance of the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary on this her Saturday.

Preface

Blessed Virgin

It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God: and that we should praise and bless, and proclaim Thee, in the Feast of the Blessed Mary, ever-Virgin: Who also conceived Thine only-begotten Son by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, and the glory of her virginity still abiding, gave forth to the world the everlasting Light, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominations worship it, and the Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with these we entreat Thee that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted while we say with lowly praise: Holy, Holy, Holy...

Communion

Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of Eternal Father, alleluia.

Post Communion 

Grant, O Lord, that we who have partaken of aids of salvation, may be everywhere defended by the intercession Blessed Mary ever Virgin, in whose honour we have offered these gifts to thy majesty.

How great is this 'aid' to our salvation! A gift to us that we give back to our Lord as an act of worship. It is our very lifeline to heaven and without the Sacrament of His Body and Blood we are nothing.  We must be united to Him in His death, so as to partake in His glorious resurrection.  She who has been assumed in to heaven and inspires hope to all her many children, she also protects the little ones entrusted to her maternal care.

Fri in 2nd Week post Octave of Easter - Mass Propers and Reflections

Ferial - Day Six (Fri) within Week 2 after the Octave of Easter – IV Class, White

Introit
Ps 32:5-6. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord, alleluia: by the word of the Lord were the heavens made, alleluia, alleluia. Ps 32:1 Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: praise is comely for the upright. Glory be… The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord, alleluia: by the word of the Lord were the heavens made, alleluia, alleluia.

The alleluias of the Easter season are constant reminders to us of the joy of Paschaltide. The invitation to rejoice comes with the encouragement that it is fitting and beautiful for us to praise our Lord. This is especially true as Winter gives way to Spring and we begin to see again the beauty and goodness of the earth He created and grey clouds clear away to show us the heavens which He spoke into being through His Word.

Collect
O God, who, by the humility of Thy Son, didst lift up a fallen world, grant unending happiness to Thy faithful: that those whom Thou hast snatched from the perils of endless death, Thou mayest cause to rejoice in everlasting days

Here we are led to pray for the constant and perpetual joy that belongs to the children of God, and we are to pray in this way because Jesus Christ has raised a fallen world through His glorious resurrection. Why did God become Man? to snatch us from the perils of endless death. The cold grave and bitter death is no longer our destiny, but rather everlasting life and endless praise.

Lesson
Lesson from the first letter of St Peter the Apostle
1 Pet 2:21-25
Dearly beloved, Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow His steps who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth. Who when He was reviled, did not revile: when He suffered, He threatened not, but delivered Himself to him that judged Him unjustly: who His own self bore our sins in His body upon the tree: that we, being dead to sins, should live to justice; by whose stripes you were healed. For you were as sheep going astray: but you are now converted to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
R. Thanks be to God.

Christ is more than just our great Exemplar, but He is certainly that, and so we should imitate Him in the way we conduct ourselves. We should, like Him, be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. He asks no less of us than this. We are to set a guard upon our lips, tame our tongues and speak no guile, like Nathanael in order to be good, like our Master is good.

It may be that we will be called upon to suffer, that we will be mocked and ridiculed for clinging to Him in faith. So be it. It takes manful courage to endure hardship and the unjust judgments of those who despise us because of Him. It is not weakness to turn the other cheek when called upon to do so... rather, should God will it, it is noble and right to bear the burdens and carry the sorrows of others and to be crushed under that weight. To stand, as He did, in the breach; in defense of those who cannot defend themselves. This is what it is, in part, to follow His example. That is what it is to be a Shepherd entrusted with the care of souls, of sheep and of lambs.

Alleluia 

Alleluia, alleluia Luke 24:35. The disciples knew the Lord Jesus in the breaking of bread. Alleluia John 10:14. I am the good Shepherd: and I know My sheep, and Mine know Me. Alleluia.

Praise the Lord! He makes Himself known to us, too, in the breaking of bread. 'This is My Body, broken for you'... to which we respond in faith, 'My Lord and my God!' We know Him when we see Him, high and lifted up, filling the temple of his Body with glory. We know Him and love Him because He first knew and loved us. O Lord, who are we, mere mortals that you should care for us, love us, come to us and save us? Praise the Lord!

Gospel
John 10:11-16.
At that time Jesus said to the Pharisees: I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. But the hireling, and he that is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep and flieth: and the wolf catcheth and scattereth the sheep: and the hireling flieth, because he is a hireling, and he hath no care for the sheep. I am the good Shepherd: and I know Mine, and Mine know Me, as the Father knoweth Me, and I know the Father: and I lay down My life for My sheep. And other sheep I have that are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.

He said this to the Pharisees. He was rebuking them. It was clear that by presenting Himself as the good Shepherd He was also clearly identifying them as hirelings. Wage slaves who care for the paycheck or some other earthbound reward do not have a heart for the sheep, but a heart for Mammon. They are not blind to the dangers of being a shepherd, they clearly see the wolf coming and there isn't enough money in the world that would stiffen their spine enough to stand and face the danger the wolf brings. They run, abandoning their post, their final reward, and most importantly, the sheep. The wolf will tear them apart if they dare stand between it and the sheep. So they run because they care more for preserving their lives in this world than protecting the sheep for the next. When the wolf finds no resistance, the sheep are vulnerable to terrible attacks and those that survive are scattered.

Thank God we have at least one good Shepherd, the great Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. The wolf still comes, but there is one Shepherd who will not flee for fear of the wolves. He may lay down His life for the sheep in a fight to the death with the wolves, but He not only has power to lay it down, but has power to take it up again. He looks not to His death, but to His glorious future. He has other sheep, a world of Gentiles, who will come under his protection. He will bring them into his fold and establish His one fold, the Church, forever.

Offertory
Ps 62:2; 62:5 O God, my God, to Thee do I watch at break of day: and in Thy Name I will lift up my hands, Alleluia.

Break of day is always a time to contemplate the Resurrection of our Lord and to anticipate our own rising to glory in Him. Early on Sunday morning, the first day of the week, at the break of day, I will lift up my hands in prayer and praise to Him who give life to the dead and awakens my soul to sing to the glory of His Name. Jesus! Name above all names, I bend my knee and acknowledge You to be LORD.

Secret
May this holy offering, O Lord, always bring to us Thy healing blessing: that what it represents in a Mystery, it may accomplish with power.

This is my prayer as the heart of the Mass approaches, that the holy Sacrifice may have its healing effect on all those who are gathered for the great Offering, and those for whom It is offered. There is power in this divine Sacrament, for it is He, Himself who offers and is offered. It is the Most Holy Trinity who receives the Mystery of faith.

Preface of Easter
It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, at all times to praise Thee, O Lord, but more gloriously especially on this day when Christ our Pasch was sacrificed. For He is the Lamb Who hath taken away the sins of the world: Who by dying hath destroyed our death: and by rising again hath restored us to life. And therefore with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominations, and with all the hosts of the heavenly army, we sing the hymn of Thy glory, evermore saying: Holy, Holy, Holy…

Communion
John 10:14. I am the good Shepherd, alleluia: and I know My sheep, and Mine know Me, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Post Communion
Grant unto us, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that having received the grace of a new life, we may ever glory in Thy gift.

We received sanctifying grace in our Baptism, like those who have come through the font of life at the Vigil. In Confession and then in Communion we receive His life, healing and powerful. He comes to us, unites us freely to Himself and invites us to glory in so great a gift.

Assisi

I leave for Assisi tomorrow morning (Monday) at 0900.  I doubt that there will be WiFi in the village and I am not taking the laptop.  I get back on Friday, leave for home on Sunday.  This could very well be my last blog post.  For those of you who have followed along and enjoyed some of the posts: God bless you!

Some pictures from Assisi, but without comment for now... just so that I have a place to store the memories of such a memorable visit.

It's bubble-gum.  Everyone wants to leave behind some evidence that they had been there at the top of the mountain.

Yes, that's me and the haricut Franco gave me in Rome the week before...

The Bishop of Assisi's reception room, where Francis stripped off his clothes and walked away from his father and his fabric business

The Basilica in Assisi, where Francis is now entombed in the crypt below.  There are three levels to this church.

Taken from the Church in the above photo, same courtyard with the curved arches, but with a landscape view from this side

See the fortress in the background?  That's the top of another mountain.  Gives you an idea of the climb we were doing on foot.

A break in the foot-climb up the mountain to St. Francis' Hermitage.  Friends: Frs James, Patrick and Rob (taking the pic)

Gated entrance to the Hermitage... maybe I don't want out?

You can't see it because of Fr Bill, but we are looking at an old warrior's helmet that has been turned upsided down and made into a flower pot.

St Francis was here... so was I, about 800 years later.  He made this hermitage sacred by his prayers.

The famous cross of St. Damiano through which Christ told Francis in 1185 AD to 'build my Church which has fallen into disrepair'.

Close up

The ancient 'hospital' at the foot of Assisi where the first Franciscans stopped with a dying Francis.

Guess most of you can't read this (Italian).  Francis got to the bottom of this steep hill from below Assisi on his way to die in Porziuncula, and asked them to stop and lift him up so that he could have a last look at the town of Assisi, and bless it.  The blessing is included on this plaque.

I made the long walk from Assisi in to the valley where Francis is buried in Poziuncula, then we climbed back up as well.
This is the view that Francis would have had, looking back up.  I stayed in a place of Franciscan hospitality off to the right, and the darker, blue mountain on the right is where we climbed up to the hermitage.

The little chapel call the Porziuncola chapel is still perfectly intact within this larger Church.  St Mary of the Angels is beautiful in its own right, but famously it holds the Porziuncola Chapel where Francis worked and prayed and gathered the early Franciscan friars.

St. Mary of the Angels in Porziuncula

The family of doves that were present at his death have never left in 800 years.  They nest in that basket.  

Same roses growing year after year for 800 years, the unique thing is that they don't have thorns.  They did... until Francis, in trying to quell his passions, threw himself on them.  Now they grow without thorns... and come up every year.

I have lots of pics of the Assisi country side... because it is so beautiful and breathtaking.

In Speleto, an neighbouring community which would like to claim Francis as their own.

Roman aqueduct from the time of Christ, build by Roman ingenuity just outside Speleto.  There is a escape path on the other side of this wall.  The water runs in a trough on top...  of course I had to take the escape path to the other side and climb up that tower too.

Same Roman aqueduct, used to keep the castle supplied while under siege, and on the backside an escape route. See the little portico / half-moon opening in the middle upper section?  There a nice pic coming up of 4 priests posing there...

That's Fr James and I discussing the relative merits of a photo, while Frs Patrick and Ed look on.

Away we go... only two brave souls: Fr James and myself going along the escape route.  

Halfway along the aqueduct and viaduct we stopped at the aforementioned portico for a picture: myself, Ed, Patrick, James, and Paul

Gawking around inside the Church of St. Mary of the Angels with my head on a swivel with my jaw hanging open - as usual, that's how I spent most of my time in both Rome and Assisi.

A Soggy Station - S. Eusebio

Yesterday was another long haul to the Station Church for our Roman Lenten Pilgrimage, Saint Eusebius, (b.260 AD - d.340 AD) the famous first Christian historian and bishop.  He wrote our Ecclesiastical History.

It was drizzling rain when I left, steadily raining at about halfway when I finished the Rosary, and a torrential downpour for the last half - kilometer.  I was soaked, my cassock was soaked and filthy at the hem, my purple stole (wet inside my backpack) had bled its colour onto my new alb and amice, and every step I took had that detestable squishing sound of shoes that have been awash in three inches of water.  The drainage system in Rome leaves a lot to be desired, that's for sure.

Taken from the porch of S. Eusebio... having just arrived in the rain.

So we sat like so many drowned rats in an feeble attempt to appreciate our surroundings and to celebrate the sacred mysteries of our redemption.  Thank God the presider at the Mass, who also gave the homily, was reverent and devout and full of faith... oh! and the schola of singers from the seminary lifted our spirits wonderfully!  They sang Sicut Cervus, my absolute favourite from Palestrina.  Please, click on the link (later) to enjoy this beautiful motet (Note: if you click the link it will take you away from this page and you will have to click the Back arrow to return, and sometimes there is an advertisement that you can click through after 5 secs).  The words are: As the deer pants for the waterbrooks, so pants my soul for Thee, O God. which is the first line of Psalm 42.  Unfortunately it is only 2 min 22 sec long... .  When they sang that during Communion, I forgot my little aquaeous misery and was transported to a drier, happier place.

The Altar Cross is draped in purple and covered for Lent

The Altar, with the earthly remains of St. Eusebius underneath.

An attempt to give you a different angle...

Fr. James and I sat and offered Morning Prayer together as the Church gradually cleared out.

I took this pic as we were leaving in the daylight and after the rain had stopped.  But I still had to walk home for 55 minutes of squish, squish, squish... but I was humming Sicut Cervus and memorizing the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar.

Upon arrival 'home', I took a hot shower, put on a wash and hoped for the best.  All is well, all the stains came out of the alb and with a little bleach the amice will lose it purple tinge.  The sun is out and my shoes are drying, perched dangerously outside on my window ledge.

Saturday should turn out to be a lovely day... but for me, a quiet day, mostly indoors.

Vatican Museum

The Vatican Museum is the third most visited museum in the world, next to the Louvre in France and the British Museum.  We were fortunate to visit on a day when it was not so crowded.  We had the privilege of being guided through the museum by Elizabeth Lev who is a remarkable art historian and a woman of faith herself.  Instead of a secular tour guide regurgitating a series of memorized facts and dates, we were treated to the theological, liturgical as well as historical significance of many of the most important pieces in the Vatican collection.  She prepared us well for the breath-taking experience of the Sistine Chapel and it is one that can never be forgotten.

This is Liz Lev in front of the Roman attempt to copy the Greek statue of 'Apollo' which was brought to Rome by Nero, which (15 centuries later) Michelagnelo used as the basis for his 'David'.

Apollos is perfectly proportioned, so exactly that no actual human can compare.  He is aloof, poised effortlessly and his gaze is of unearthly interests.  He doesn't care about you. He is saying, 'I am a Greek god, you are beneath me and can never be me.'

Michelangelo captures David in the moment before he runs to meet the challenges of Goliath, with the stone and slingshot in hand.  His body is purposefully disproportionate; his determined gaze and furrowed brow speaks of physical and moral courage for the honour of God. You can be David.

The epitome of Greek sculpture, the Laocoon, was known, but considered lost forever... but was found in a farmer's field outside of Rome buried in rubble and covered in filth, but identified as this Greek masterpiece by Michelangelo.  

And who could forget Hercules, the hero of my boyhood cartoons, but more importantly, the bronze sculpture in the center.  Also, that porphyry dish in the center of the room belongs to Nero.  He had it carved out of one piece of stone.

What is interesting about this poor sculpture which is missing all its extremities is that this torso was used by Michelangelo for the torso of Christ in the famous full wall painting of the Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel.

Of particular interest to me and to the priests on tour was the earliest Christian sarcophagi which, somewhat surprisingly, never depict Christ on the cross (that only happened for the first time in the 5th century in the Church of Saint Sabina - you remember? I posted a pic of that in one of my earliest posts.)  Below are two examples of many in the museum of the burial or funerary depictions of Christians on their tombs:

What do you see?  That is the fun part... trying to decipher and then interpret the carvings.  Christ himself said in the Gospel that no other sign would be given to that generation except the sign of the prophet Jonah who was in the belly of the whale/sea serpent three days and three nights.  Do you see it? Thrown overboard (on the bottom left), vomited up on shore (on the bottom right). That's also Jonah shading himself under the gourd (top right) while he waits for the destruction of Ninevah, which, meanwhile, is repenting (top center) and delivering itself from the coming wrath of God.

More fun... figure this one out:

As the Latin inscription says at the top, this is the sarcophagus of Junius Bassus a Roman prefect in 359 AD.  He holds the same position as Pontius Pilate did.  This is a series of panels telling different stories... how many can you get?  The easiest is Adam and Eve covering themselves and being expelled from the Garden of Eden (lower left inside).  How about Daniel in the lion's den (lower right inside)? The arrest of St. Peter (top left inside), the arrest of St. Paul (lower right outside). Pontius Pilate washing his hands before the Crucifixion (top right)  It is no surprise that as a Roman prefect he included this.  Look at the top left - that is the sacrifice of Isaac, prefiguring Christ's own sacrifice.

Okay, without looking here, go up and tell me what the one in the lower center is...

Did you guess the story of Nicodemus up in the sycamore tree?  Yep.  Did you notice that Christ does not have a beard in any of these panels?  It is because they wanted to depict him as eternally youthful.

Look at the top center, where you would (rightfully) expect to find Christ.  What do you see? Sorry the pic is so bad... It is the eternally youthful Christ, seated like a teacher and holding a scroll in his left hand - probably Scripture, on the side where St. Paul stands.  He is turned slightly toward St. Peter on his right who is the first among the Apostles, and he is seated over an ancient Roman river god (they are everywhere here in Rome, there is even one on this College's property) showing the triumph of Christianity over pagan philosophy and religion.

I have a ton of pictures, of course, but I feel like I should spare you most of them.  No pictures were allowed in the Sistine Chapel.  I am including a series of pics from the rooms leading into the Sistine Chapel which cover the entire wall.  They are done by Raphael who was working on some of them at the exact same moment that Michelangelo was in the next room working on the Sistine Chapel.

A quick and inadequate explanation:  This is across the room from the picture below so you have to see them as kind of in motion from the one to the other.  Notice, that this fresco of the wisdom of this world, with all of the great Philosophers represented (Plato and Aristotle in the center) has all of the lines descending.  They are walking toward something, except there is a figure running in from the left and one exiting from the right... the passing nature of human wisdom.

The truths that Socrates, Euclid and Pythagoras discovered and proclaimed all lead to the one Truth which, if you follow the steps down and across the room, start at the bottom of the fresco and move up you will see that the movement continues up, up, up.

It starts in this world and leads to the sublime mysteries of the next, centering on the dispute concerning the truth of the Blessed Sacrament... which is the one mystery of Christ's presence in this world that has a direct bearing and connection to the world of the divine, through the Holy Spirit (dove).  You caan see the mystery of the Trinity in the ascending line to the Father... with Christ flanked by St. John the Baptist on his left and the Blessed Virgin Mary on his right.

I already had the Disputation on the Blessed Sacrament in my study on one wall, so I bought a poster of the Philosophers to put on the other wall.  That way I can continue to meditate on what I saw in the room leading to the Sistine Chapel.  My only challenge will be getting it home without creasing it.

The end wall was the miraculous release of St. Peter from prison.  Raphael had just seen the Sistine Chapel for the first time and was inspired by what he saw... and wanted to out-do Michelangelo in this fresco:

Like I said... I have lots of pictures, but I spare you the whole and thank you for your patience while I recorded a few thoughts from Liz Lev so that I can come back to this blog in days to come as a reminder.

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