Rules

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Recently someone remarked to me that sometimes the Catholic Church seems to be a collection of rules just for the sake of rules. I could provide a long list of examples, but I suspect you have in mind your own list of rules that give you pause. Of course one always has to discern if what you are hearing is actually a “rule” of the Church or just something someone offers as a rule – but just ain’t so. There are lots of people who offer that it is a “rule” that you have to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Lent. Nope. It is “the Easter Duty” to receive Holy Communion during the Easter Season – that’s a rule –  and there is a historical reason for it. Continue reading →

The Advocate

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This coming Sunday is the 6th Sunday of Easter in Lectionary Cycle A. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, 17 the Spirit of truth” This is the first occurrence of the noun parakletos in the Fourth Gospel. This word occurs five times in the NT. It is used in 1 John 2:1 to refer to Jesus; and four times in John’s Farewell Discourse (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). Continue reading →

Eye of Sauron

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eye-sauronFor those among us who are fans of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, there is interesting news from the world of  entomology. A new genus of butterflies has been discovered and named after Sauron, the arch-villain of the trilogy whose gaze lingers malevolently over the lands of Middle-earth. The butterfly sports dark, eye-like spots on its distinctive orange wings. An international team of scientists identified two species in the new genus — Saurona triangula and Saurona aurigera — but said there were most likely more.

In addition to the newly designated butterflies, Sauron has a namesake dinosaur, a dung beetle and a frog, according to the Natural History Museum. There’s also NGC 4151, a faraway galaxy that astronomers have dubbed “the eye of Sauron.”

Credits: image Warner Brothers, source for article, Chris Stanford, “New Butterflies Are Named for Sauron, ‘Lord of the Rings’ Villain” New York Times

Hold Dear

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This coming Sunday is the 6th Sunday of Easter in Lectionary Cycle A.  In yesterday’ post we concluded that the Johannine meaning of “commandment” is far broader than the Mosaic laws, rather encompasses the whole of Jesus’ life:  words, deeds and the ultimate measure – love. Now that we have an idea about what we mean by “commandments,” what does it mean to “keep” (tereo) them? Continue reading →

Love and Keeping Commandments

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This coming Sunday is the 6th Sunday of Easter in Lectionary Cycle A.  Jesus’ discourse (at this point) begins to move in a new direction by focusing on the ways in which belief  “into Jesus” (v.1) empowers the believing community (v.12 ff).  Jesus has emphasized that the works he does are not his own but are the Father’s; now Jesus begins to emphasize the link between his works and that of the believing community. Our gospel text describes two dimensions of the believer’s relationship with Jesus: (1) the inseparability of one’s love of Jesus and the keeping of his commandments (vv.15, 21, 23-24) and (2) the abiding and indwelling of the presence of God, even after Jesus’ death and departure with those who love him (vv.16-20, 22-23). Continue reading →

Evident to us

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Our first reading today is taken from the 1st missionary trip of St. Barnabas and St. Paul. In Acts 13 and 14, the intrepid disciples go from Asia Minor to Cyprus, back to the mainland at Antioch, and other nearby cities. They met success, resistance, and out-and-out rejection as they proclaimed the Good News of Jesus as Lord and Savior. Their basic strategy when speaking to the Jewish community seems to be to connect the whole of salvation history as coming to fulfillment in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. But what about when speaking to the Gentile community? Continue reading →

Context and Pericope

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This coming Sunday is the 6th Sunday of Easter in Lectionary Cycle A. Following on from the gospel of the 5th Sunday, this gospel text is part of a larger section which includes the Last Supper and all that takes place after Jesus had washed the disciples feet, after Judas had left the table (“he took the morsel and left at once. And it was night” (13:30)), and after Peter’s protestations he would never betray Jesus.  The section comes before the disciples see their master led away for trial; then be condemned to death on a cross. Their faith will be sorely tested. Jesus’ teaching, beginning in 14:1, was given to strengthen for the hours, days, months and years to come. O’Day suggests a broad outline of the context for our reading: Continue reading →

Show us the Father

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This coming Sunday is the 5th Sunday of Easter in Lectionary Cycle A. In posts over the last two days we considered possible understandings of the manner in which Jesus would return to prepare his disciples followed by the explanation the disciples sought. Jesus’ statement in v.7 (If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”) is cast in the light of a deep human desire: to see and know God. Jesus tells the disciples – in knowing me, in seeing me, in my words, and in my deeds, you have seen and come to know the Father.  Continue reading →

Gossip or Venting?

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Another set of notes that had been lurking in my potential musings folder. People often confess gossip – as they should. But sometimes when you ask about the details of it, the person is only speaking with one person, often their spouse. So…. is gossip or venting to a trusted confidant?

Sometimes we forget how much of an impact our words can make. In this video, Fr. Mike Schmitz reminds us that our words have the power to build up or destroy relationships and even whole communities. He points out some helpful distinctions between venting and gossiping and gives some guidelines for avoiding what he calls “the everyday betrayal.”

Image credit: Pexels, CC BY