Author Archives: Friar Musings

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About Friar Musings

Franciscan friar and Catholic priest at St. Francis of Assisi in Triangle, VA

Moses and the Fiery Saraphs

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This coming Sunday is the 4th Sunday in Lent. With the dialogue with Nicodemus over, the verses become a monologue by Jesus in which he makes a reference to a well known story from the Book of Numbers – well known to the first century audience, but perhaps not to you. The setting for the reference is that the tribes have transited the wilderness and are near the Promised Land. Moses sends out 12 spies to reconnoiter the land. Ten return giving reports of dire warning and the message to turn back. Two recognize the peril but also note the fertility of the land – and point out that God is ever on their side. The people turn back, condemned to wander in the wilderness and the grumbling begins (actually continues!): Continue reading →

Living Gratefully

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In the first reading, we hear the end of the story of Naaman, a Syrian general, who has just been cured of his leprosy. When Naaman comes to Israel he encounters the prophet Elisha. Naaman has come bearing all manner of riches and gifts, but Elisha wants none of it. He simply instructs Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan River. Pretty simple and ordinary, yes? Continue reading →

The Middle

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This coming Sunday is the 4th Sunday in Lent in Lectionary Cycle B. Our gospel selection is akin to walking into the middle of a conversation – and indeed it is. Although Nicodemus has faded from the scene, at least by mention and name, this gospel is part of that dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus, one of the leaders of the Jews. John 3:1-21 is often taken as a single pericope by scholars, that is, studied and considered together. Continue reading →

The Tables of Your Life

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During Lent, as you might expect, we have more and more folks coming to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Many folks carried with them one of the various Examinations of Conscience, most are based on the 10 Commandments – something we heard about in the first reading today. I wonder if our gospel might be a better model for examining our lives especially in this Lenten season. Continue reading →

The Eucharist Outside of Mass: a final thought

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This series of posts has attempted to give an overview of the history and place of the practices of reservation, adoration, exposition, and benediction as associated with the Holy Eucharist. In part, the genesis of the series was the occasional question asked on “the sidewalk of the church” whether our church offers Eucharistic Adoration. What they are really asking is whether the parish has Eucharistic Exposition ending with Eucharistic Benediction. Continue reading →

A Final Thought

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The scholar Gail R. O’Day provides us with a final thought [John in the New Interpreter’s Bible, Volume 9, ed. Leander E. Keck (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996) p.545]

John 2:13–22 is popularly interpreted as an example of Jesus’ anger and hence his humanity. Jesus’ actions of taking the whip, herding out the animals, and overturning the tables are pointed to as evidence that Jesus could get angry. Such attempts to amass evidence to prove Jesus’ humanity actually undercut the power of the incarnation, however. To focus on isolated attributes or emotions as proof of Jesus’ humanity is in effect to seek after signs, to base one’s faith on the surface evidence without perceiving the deeper reality. The underlying reality of the Fourth Gospel narrative is that “the Word became flesh” (1:14). Jesus’ humanity thus pervades everything he says and does in his ministry. The scandal of John 2:13–22 is not Jesus’ anger as proof of his humanity, but the authority this human being claims for himself through his words and actions. Continue reading →

Perpetual Adoration: a history

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Today some churches are able to have a chapel where perpetual adoration (latria) is available to the faithful. In the liturgical regulation “perpetual” does not necessarily mean 24-hours per day, but there are parishes where that is a possibility. The one inviolable requirement is that the exposed Eucharist not be left alone. Thus, some parishes have extended periods, e.g. 12 hours per day, when the Eucharist is in exposition. Continue reading →

40 Hours Devotion: a history

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There has been reservation and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament since the early days of the Church. But it was only in the 13th century that instructions and norms for tabernacles were established. But with the 16th century Council of Trent, a new era began in the devotion of the faithful to Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist. Continue reading →

The Need for A Sign

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This coming Sunday is the 3rd Sunday in Lent.  18 At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?”  The cleansing of the Temple was a startling act. It had its implications not only for the condemnation of the Temple traders, but also for the Person of Jesus. It was a messianic action. The Jewish leaders demanded that Jesus authenticate his implied claim by producing a “sign” (sēmeion).  Interestingly they did not dispute the rightness of his action. They were not so much defending the Temple traffic as questioning Jesus’ implied status. Continue reading →