SEXAGESIMA SUNDAY; 7th FEBRUARY

SEXAGESIMA SUNDAY; 7th FEBRUARY




The period of Septuagesima, Sexagesima and Quinquagesima is a preparatory period for the fasting and penance of Lent. The liturgy today emphasizes humility – not a self-conscious piety, not a superiority in one’s idea of holiness, but a realization that one is ultimately judged in the revealing light of absolute Truth, free of all justifications and rationalisations. It is this humility that becomes a strength in one’s battle to attain salvation.
The Epistle for today is from the Second letter of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians 11.19-33; 12.1-9, where St Paul concludes with these words:
“For such a one I will glory: but for myself I will glory nothing but in my infirmities. For, though I should have a mind to glory, I shall not be foolish: for I will say the truth: but I forbear, lest any man think of me above that which he seeth in me, or anything he heareth from me. And lest the greatness of the revelations should exalt me, there was given me a sting of my flesh, an angel of Satan, to buffet me. For which thing, thrice, I besought the Lord that it might depart from me. And He said to me: My grace is sufficient for thee: for power is made perfect in infirmity. Gladly therefore I will glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
The Gospel is Luke 8. 4-15, where Christ speaks of the sower sowing his seed:
“and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And other some fell upon a rock: and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And other some fell among thorns, and the thorns, growing up with it, choked it. And other some fell upon good ground: and being sprung up, yielded a fruit a hundredfold. Saying these things He cried out: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And His disciples asked Him what this parable might be. To whom He said: To you it is given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables: that seeing they may not see and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God. And they by the wayside are they that hear: then the devil cometh and taketh the word out of their heart, lest, believing, they should be saved. Now they upon the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no roots: for they believe for a while, and in time of temptation they fall away. And that which fell among the thorns are they who have heard and, going their way, are choked with the cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and yield no fruit. But that on the good ground, and they who in a good and perfect heart, hearing the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit in patience.”

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ASSUMPTION - RECIPES FOR THE FEAST

Image
 FEAST OF ASSUMPTION RECIPES FOR THE FEAST DAY MAIN COURSE: YIOUVETSI - GREEK TOMATO-BAKED LAMB WITH ORZO DESSERT: ILES FLOTTANTES ALCOHOL John Zmirak and Denise Matychowiak, who authored the esteemed liturgical work, “The Bad Catholic’s Guide to Good Living” (Crossroad, 2005, at p. 124), included a traditional Greek recipe for the Assumption which is served in their New York neighbourhood on Assumption Day: Yiouvetsi Lamb with Orzo Pasta [see also goodfood.com.au Jill Dupleix “Greek Tomato-Baked Lamb with Orzo] 1 2.5kg Leg of Lamb on the bone 2 onions finely sliced 5 garlic cloves, slivered Salt and freshly ground pepper Juice of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons Oregano (dried) 2 tablespoons tomato paste ½ cup red wine 2 cinnamon sticks 1 tspn ground cinnamon 1 400g tin tomatoes, chopped 1 litre hot chicken stock ¼ cup feta cheese 1 tspn cumin ½ tspn ground allspice 400g orzo pasta METHOD: 1 Heat oven to 160 degrees. Make slits in the lamb and insert garli...
Read more

SISTER MIRIAM MICHAEL STIMSON OP - CATHOLIC SCIENTISTS; DIED 15th JUNE 2002

Image
  SISTER MIRIAM MICHAEL STIMSON OP CATHOLIC SCIENTISTS DIED 15th JUNE 2002 Marian Emma Stimson was born into a devout Catholic family in Chicago on December 14, 1913. She had an interest in health and medicine – her brother suffered from polio, she had a sister with a heart condition and her mother had such high blood pressure after she gave birth to twins that she suffered from memory loss. In 1935, she joined the Adrian Dominican Sisters, taking the name Sister Miriam Michael Stimson OP. She received a B.S. in Chemistry from Siena Heights College in 1936. She continued her studies at the Institutum Divi Thomae in Cincinnatti, where she received her M.S. in 1939. She then joined the chemistry faculty at Siena Heights College, simultaneously working toward her Ph.D. at Institutum Divi Thomae, which she completed in 1948. She earned her Doctorate and engaged in teaching and research, studying cancer and wound healing treatments. Notably, she was instrumental in the invention of Prep...
Read more

ST LONGINUS; FEAST DAY 15th MARCH

Image
  ST LONGINUS FEAST DAY 15th MARCH St Longinus. Detail of stained glass window, Church of St Nectan, Devon James Tissot, (1800's - 1902), "The Confession of St Longinus". Bernini, (1629-1638), Statue of Longinus, St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican. Longinus was the name attributed to the soldier who pierced the side of Christ with a lance. He is venerated as a martyr, with his feast day, by the traditional calendar, on 15th March. The Martyrologium Romanum, 2017 (Justisias Books), provides, at p. 62: “Idibus Martii. Luna 15: Caesareae, in Cappadocia, passio sancti Longini militis, qui Domini latus lancea perforasse perhibetur.” The piercing of the side of Christ by the centurion is specifically mention in John’s Gospel, (19:25-35), as follows: ”19. And Pilate wrote a title also, and he put it upon the cross. And the writing was JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20. This title therefore many of the Jews did read: because the place where Jesus was crucified was n...
Read more