A Blessed and Merry Christmas to each and every one of my blog readers.
May you find time to just be with family and enjoy their presence and
the amazing present of Jesus Christ that God gave to us.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
3rd semester is wrapping up
This week, I have completed an oral final and two papers. I have one more written final on Friday morning and then the semester is over and I get to rest and recharge in Maine for three weeks before starting up again in early January. I probably will not be blogging over the break unless something really exciting happens.
I have a couple of papal documents that I want to read (triggered by my moral theology class), some liturgy documents, a DVD course on great artwork, several science fiction books, in addition to my usual daily Mass and prayer time. I brought too much to do, but you know what they say about "idle minds and hands".
It is hard to believe that with the completion of one more semester, I'll be halfway complete to my degree in Divinity and, God willing, my ordination to the priesthood.
I have a couple of papal documents that I want to read (triggered by my moral theology class), some liturgy documents, a DVD course on great artwork, several science fiction books, in addition to my usual daily Mass and prayer time. I brought too much to do, but you know what they say about "idle minds and hands".
It is hard to believe that with the completion of one more semester, I'll be halfway complete to my degree in Divinity and, God willing, my ordination to the priesthood.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
From the Proslogion by Saint Anselm, Bishop (1033-1109)
I made an error a few days ago. I should have read the 2nd reading for the Feast of St Ambrose, but I read the regular second reading instead. O Happy Fault. It spoke to me. In particular the sections in bold below spoke loudly. I had to stop and reread them 3 or 4 times. Of course, the last paragraph in italics is often known as St. Anselm's prayer.
Insignificant man, escape from your everyday business for a short while, hide for a moment from your restless thoughts. Break off from your cares and troubles and be less concerned about your tasks and labors. Make a little time for God and rest a while in him.
Enter into your mind’s inner chamber. Shut out everything but God and
whatever helps you to seek him; and when you have shut the door, look
for him. Speak now to God and say with your whole heart: I seek your face; your face, Lord, I desire.
Lord, my God, teach my heart where and how to seek you, where and how to find you. Lord, if you are not here where shall I look for you in your absence? Yet if you are everywhere, why do I not see you when you are present? But surely you dwell in “light inaccessible.” And where is light inaccessible? How shall I approach light inaccessible? Or who will lead me and bring me into it that I may see you there? And then, by what signs and under what forms shall I seek you? I have never seen you, Lord my God; I do not know your face.
Lord most high, what shall this exile do, so far from you? What shall your servant do, tormented by love of you and cast so far from your face? He yearns to see you, and your face is too far from him. He desires to approach you, and your dwelling is unapproachable. he longs to find you, and does not know your dwelling place. He strives to look for you, and does not know your face.
Lord, you are my God and you are my Lord, and I have never seen you. You have made me and remade me, and you have given me all the good things I possess and still I do not know you. I was made in order to see you, and I have not yet done that for which I was made.
Lord, how long will it be? How long, Lord, will you forget us? How long will you turn your face away from us? When will you look upon us and hear us? When will you enlighten our eyes and show us your face? When will you give yourself back to us?
Look upon us, Lord, hear us and enlighten us, show us your very self. Restore yourself to us that it may go well with us whose life is so evil without you. Take pity on our efforts and our striving toward you, for we have no strength apart form you.
Teach me to seek you, and when I seek you show yourself to me, for I cannot seek you unless you teach me, nor can I find you unless you show yourself to me. Let me seek you in desiring you and desire you in seeking you, find you in loving you and love you in finding you.
Insignificant man, escape from your everyday business for a short while, hide for a moment from your restless thoughts. Break off from your cares and troubles and be less concerned about your tasks and labors. Make a little time for God and rest a while in him.
Lord, my God, teach my heart where and how to seek you, where and how to find you. Lord, if you are not here where shall I look for you in your absence? Yet if you are everywhere, why do I not see you when you are present? But surely you dwell in “light inaccessible.” And where is light inaccessible? How shall I approach light inaccessible? Or who will lead me and bring me into it that I may see you there? And then, by what signs and under what forms shall I seek you? I have never seen you, Lord my God; I do not know your face.
Lord most high, what shall this exile do, so far from you? What shall your servant do, tormented by love of you and cast so far from your face? He yearns to see you, and your face is too far from him. He desires to approach you, and your dwelling is unapproachable. he longs to find you, and does not know your dwelling place. He strives to look for you, and does not know your face.
Lord, you are my God and you are my Lord, and I have never seen you. You have made me and remade me, and you have given me all the good things I possess and still I do not know you. I was made in order to see you, and I have not yet done that for which I was made.
Lord, how long will it be? How long, Lord, will you forget us? How long will you turn your face away from us? When will you look upon us and hear us? When will you enlighten our eyes and show us your face? When will you give yourself back to us?
Look upon us, Lord, hear us and enlighten us, show us your very self. Restore yourself to us that it may go well with us whose life is so evil without you. Take pity on our efforts and our striving toward you, for we have no strength apart form you.
Teach me to seek you, and when I seek you show yourself to me, for I cannot seek you unless you teach me, nor can I find you unless you show yourself to me. Let me seek you in desiring you and desire you in seeking you, find you in loving you and love you in finding you.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
December 6th
8:00 this morning
The chapel at the Seminary participated in its usual Thursday morning Mass. Nothing different than usual except that I was the reader (lector) today. It was not planned that way, it was just that way on the schedule.
Today's Mass was said for the third anniversary of the death of Carmen Lowe. She was mentioned in the opening and in the prayers of the faithful. I felt a twinge both times. I still miss her, but it is getting easier to bear.
Rest in Peace Carmen. Keep those heavenly choirs in tempo and in tune.
The chapel at the Seminary participated in its usual Thursday morning Mass. Nothing different than usual except that I was the reader (lector) today. It was not planned that way, it was just that way on the schedule.
Today's Mass was said for the third anniversary of the death of Carmen Lowe. She was mentioned in the opening and in the prayers of the faithful. I felt a twinge both times. I still miss her, but it is getting easier to bear.
Rest in Peace Carmen. Keep those heavenly choirs in tempo and in tune.
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