Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord
May perpetual light shine upon him.
Col John Tempone USMC (Ret.)
Semper Fi
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Category Archives: Musings
Joachim and Anne
In the Scriptures, Matthew and Luke furnish a legal family history of Jesus, tracing ancestry to show that Jesus is the culmination of great promises. Not only is his mother’s family neglected, we also know nothing factual about them except that they existed. Even the names “Joachim” and “Anne” come from sources written more than a century after Jesus died. Information concerning their lives and names is found in the 2nd-century Protevangelium of James (“First Gospel of James”) and the 3rd-century Evangelium de nativitate Mariae (“Gospel of the Nativity of Mary”). Continue reading
Spouses, Mothers, and Brothers
Just a few Sundays ago, the gospel reading from Mark recounted a moment from early in the public ministry of Jesus. He and the disciples had been to many towns and villages in Galilee and in the neighboring Decapolis region. There Jesus had cured many, cast out demons, and proclaimed the advent of the Kingdom of God. He was attracting huge crowds: “Jesus came with his disciples into the house. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat.” (Mark 3:20). Continue reading
Apostle to the Apostles
Did you know that Mary Magdalene is mentioned 12 times in the gospels, more than most of the Apostles. She was present at the crucifixion and was the first witness to the Resurrection (John 20 and Mark 16:9). She was the “Apostle to the Apostles”, an honorific that St. Augustine bestowed upon her in the fourth-century, and possibly he was but repeating a moniker already in use.
Mary Magdalene has long been confused with other women in Scripture also named Mary as well as an anonymous women, the unnamed sinner (commonly thought to have been a prostitute) in Luke 7:36-50. In time, the identities of all these women were conflated into one in the person of “Mary Magdalene, the repentant prostitute.” The first written evidence we have of this conflation of Mary Magdalene being a repentant prostitute comes from Ephraim the Syrian in the fourth century. Continue reading
The Wrath of God
Last week all of our first readings were from the Prophet Hosea. Any one of the reflections could have begun: “In today’s first reading the Northern Kingdom of Israel is being warned about the choices they have made and are making – and the consequences of those choices should they continue.” The actors in the passage were Hosea, the King of Israel, and Assyria. In the first reading for today, the era is the same, the opening remains the same, but the stage bill changes. Now the lead roles are the Prophet Isaiah and the King of Judah; Assyria retains the same “supporting role.” There is a lot going on in the Book of Isaiah, but perhaps these verses can give you the lay of the land: Continue reading
We have so much…
When I was a year or two short of being a full-fledged teenager, I was invited to attend my first funeral. It was not a Catholic funeral – and as I came to know – nothing like a Catholic funeral. It was a fundamentalist, born-again, raucous affair for a person who by all measures was a backsliding, church-skipping, no-good, no-count, reprobate of a man. The preacher made no bones about where this particular dearly-departed would spend eternity. He held up the miserable failing and sinful ways of this man as a warning of what would happen when Satan got his claws into you and dragged you down into the pit. Continue reading
The Garden
In today’s first reading, we bring a week of Hosea to a close. The choice of readings paints an image of life with and without God.
Monday: God spoke words of faithful, loyal love.
“I will espouse you to me forever: I will espouse you in right and in justice, in love and in mercy; I will espouse you in fidelity, and you shall know the LORD.”
Reap the Whirlwind
In today’s first reading, the Northern Kingdom of Israel is being warned about the choices they have made and are making – and the consequences of those choices should they continue. As a whole, Hosea accuses Israel of three sins in particular. Instead of putting their trust in the Lord alone, the people break the covenant: (1) by counting on their own military strength, (2) by making treaties with foreign powers (Assyria and Egypt), and (3) by running after the Baals, the gods of fertility. Israel thus forgets that the Lord is its strength, its covenant partner, and giver of fertility. Continue reading
Privateering
Did you know that you have a constitutional right to become a government-sanctioned pirate? I present for your consideration Article I, Section 8: Clause 11, War Powers – To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water. This means that, with Congress’s permission, private citizens can weaponize all manner of watercraft, put out to sea, capture enemy vessels, and keep the booty. Rather than fly the Jolly Roger, you’d proudly fly the Star-and-Stripes. And even more, rather than taking on the name “pirate” although that has a certain cache to it, you might go by the title “privateer.” But I must admit that “Pirate Jack” sounds a fair bit more daunting than “Privateer Jack.” Continue reading
NYC, Traffic and Fees
Like other major metropolitan cities, e.g., London, New York City considered implementing a fee to drive into Manhattan. The system was all set to implement – technology and all – when the mayor decided not to implement (perhaps delay?). Not sure of the reasons why. I was curious about the estimated annual revenue that was expected as the proceeds were to be directed into a subway improvement fund. Monday would have been the first day the tolls would have been in place. Continue reading
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