DR Squared: Friday Of The First Week Of Advent (Year I)

First Reading:  Isaiah 29-17-24

Is it not yet a very little while, and Libanus shall be turned into charmel, and charmel shall be esteemed as a forest? And in that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and out of darkness and obscurity the eyes of the blind shall see. And the meek shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. For he that did prevail hath failed, the scorner is consumed, and they are all cut off that watched for iniquity:  That made men sin by word, and supplanted him that reproved them in the gate, and declined in vain from the just. Therefore thus saith the Lord to the house of Jacob, he that redeemed Abraham: Jacob shall not now be confounded, neither shall his countenance now be ashamed: But when he shall see his children, the work of my hands in the midst of him sanctifying my name, and they shall sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall glorify the God of Israel:  And they that erred in spirit, shall know understanding, and they that murmured, shall learn the law.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 27 (26):1; V. 1, 4, 13-14

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation

V. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?

    The Lord is the protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?

V.  One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of          the Lord all the days of my life.

      That I may see the delight of the Lord, and may visit his temple.

V.  I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

     Expect the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 9:27-31

And as Jesus passed from thence, there followed him two blind men crying out and saying, Have mercy on us, O Son of David. And when he was come to the house, the blind men came to him. And Jesus saith to them, Do you believe, that I can do this unto you? They say to him, Yea, Lord. Then he touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith, be it done unto you. And their eyes were opened, and Jesus strictly charged them, saying, See that no man know this. But they going out, spread his fame abroad in all that country.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Thursday Of The First Week Of Advent (Year I)

First Reading:  Isaiah 26:1-6

In that day shall this canticle be sung the land of Juda. Sion the city of our strength a saviour, a wall and a bulwark shall be set therein. Open ye the gates, and let the just nation, that keepeth the truth, enter in. The old error is passed away: thou wilt keep peace: peace, because we have hoped in thee. You have hoped in the Lord for evermore, in the Lord God mighty for ever. For he shall bring down them that dwell on high, the high city he shall lay low. He shall bring it down even to the ground, he shall pull it down even to the dust. The foot shall tread it down, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 118: ; V. 1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a

R. Give praise to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 

V. Give praise to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

    It is good to confide in the Lord, rather than to have confidence in man.

    It is good to trust in the Lord, rather than to trust in princes.

V. Open ye to me the gates of justice: I will go into them, and give praise to the Lord.

     This is the gate of the Lord, the just shall enter into it.

     I will give glory to thee because thou hast heard me: and art become my salvation.

V. O Lord, save me: O Lord, give good success.

     Blessed be he that cometh in the name Lord. We have blessed you out of the house of the         Lord.

     The Lord is God, and he hath shone upon us.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 7:21, 24-27

Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. Every one therefore that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened to a wise man that built his house upon a rock, And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock. And every one that heareth these my words, and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man that built his house upon the sand, And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof. 

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Wednesday Of The First Week Of Advent (Year I)

First Reading:  Isaiah 25:6-10a

And the Lord of hosts shall make unto all people in this mountain, a feast of fat things, a feast of wine, of fat things full of marrow, of wine purified from the lees. And he shall destroy in this mountain the face of the bond with which all people were tied, and the web that he began over all nations. He shall cast death down headlong for ever: and the Lord God shall wipe away tears from every face, and the reproach of his people he shall take away from off the whole earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. And they shall say in that day: Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord, we have patiently waited for him, we shall rejoice and be joyfull in his salvation. For the hand of the Lord shall rest in this mountain: 

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 23 (22):6; V. 1-3a 3b-4, 5, 6

R. And that I may dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days.

V. The Lord ruleth me: and I shall want nothing. He hath set me in a place of pasture. He hath brought me up, on the water of refreshment:  He hath converted my soul.

V. He hath led me on the paths of justice, for his own name's sake. For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they have comforted me.

V. Thou hast prepared a table before me against them that afflict me. Thou hast anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebriateth me, how goodly is it!

V. And thy mercy will follow me all the days of my life. And that I may dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 15:29-37

And when Jesus had passed away from thence, he came nigh the sea of Galilee. And going up into a mountain, he sat there. And there came to him great multitudes, having with them the dumb, the blind, the lame, the maimed, and many others: and they cast them down at his feet, and he healed them:  So that the multitudes marvelled seeing the dumb speak, the lame walk, and the blind see: and they glorified the God of Israel. And Jesus called together his disciples, and said: I have compassion on the multitudes, because they continue with me now three days, and have not what to eat, and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. And the disciples say unto him: Whence then should we have so many loaves in the desert, as to fill so great a multitude? And Jesus said to them: How many loaves have you? But they said: Seven, and a few little fishes. And he commanded the multitude to sit down upon the ground. And taking the seven loaves and the fishes, and giving thanks, he brake, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the people. And they did all eat, and had their fill. And they took up seven baskets full, of what remained of the fragments.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Monday Of The First Week In Advent (Year I)

First Reading:  Isaiah 2:1-5

The word that Isaias son of Amos saw, concerning Juda and Jerusalem. And in the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills, and all nation shall flow unto it. And many people shall go, and say:  Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths:  for the law shall come forth from Sion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge the Gentiles, and rebuke many people:  and they shall turn their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into sickles:  nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they be exercised any more to war. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 122 (121):1: V. 1-2, 3-4b, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. I rejoiced at the things that were said to me:  We shall go into the house of the Lord.

V. I rejoiced at the things that were said to me:  We shall go into the house of the Lord.

Our feet were standing in thy courts, O Jerusalem.

V. Jerusalem, which is built as a city, which is compact together.

For thither did the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord:

V. the testimony of Israel, to praise the name of the Lord.

Because their seats have sat in judgment, seats upon the house of David.

V. Pray ye for the thing that are the peace of Jerusalem:  and abundance for those who love thee.

Let peace be in thy strength:  and abundance in thy towers.

V. For the sake of my brethren, and of my neighbours, I spoke peace of thee.

Because of the house of the Lord our God, I have sought good things for thee.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 8:5-11

And when he had entered into Capharnaum, there came to him a centurion beseeching him, and saying, Lord my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously tormented. And Jesus saith to him:  I will come and heal him. And the centurion making answer, said:  Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed. For I am also a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to this Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. And Jesus hearing this, marvelled, and said to them that followed him:  Amen, I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel. And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Issac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven:

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: First Sunday Of Advent (Year C)

First Reading:  Jerimiah 33:14-16

Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform the good word that I have spoken to the house of Israel, and to the house of Juda. In those days, and at that time, I will make the bud of justice to spring forth unto David, and he shall do judgment and justice in the earth. In those days shall Juda be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell securely: and this is the name that they shall call him, The Lord our just one.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 25(24):1: V. 4-5, 8-9, 10, 14

R.  To thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul. 

V. Let all them be confounded that act unjust things without cause. Shew, O Lord, thy ways to me, and teach me thy paths. 

Direct me in thy truth, and teach me; for thou art God my Saviour; and on thee have I waited all the day long. 

V. The Lord is sweet and righteous: therefore he will give a law to sinners in the way. 

He will guide the mild in judgment: he will teach the meek his ways. 

V. All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth, to them that seek after his covenant and his testimonies.

The Lord is a firmament to them that fear him: and his covenant shall be made manifest to them.

Second Reading:  1 Thessalonians 3:13-4:2

And may the Lord multiply you, and make you abound in charity towards one another, and towards all men: as we do also towards you, To confirm your hearts without blame, in holiness, before God and our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, with all his saints. Amen. For the rest therefore, brethren, we pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us, how you ought to walk, and to please God, so also you would walk, that you may abound the more. For you know what precepts I have given to you by the Lord Jesus.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea and of the waves; Men withering away for fear, and expectation of what shall come upon the whole world. For the powers of heaven shall be moved; And then they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud, with great power and majesty. But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand. And take heed to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly. For as a snare shall it come upon all that sit upon the face of the whole earth. Watch ye, therefore, praying at all times, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come, and to stand before the Son of man.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here. 

DR Squared: Introduction

"Ever ancient; ever new."

These words are a description of the workings of the Church since it inception. While they are formed in time, they are timeless. While the appearance may change, the substance remains. While they happen in the moment, they are eternally efficacious.

It is with this in mind I announce a new series of posts which will appear in this infinitesimal corner of the universe. Unlike my series on the "O" Antiphons, the "Seven Last Words", and the "Propers Mediations", this will be the biggest undertaking of my 'blogging career. This series isn't going to last seven days or a year. This is at least a three-year project.

Like some others who post on the internet, I will be presenting the daily readings from the Mass in the Ordinary Form (or Masses, if there are optional celebrations). Unlike them, I will be using a different English translation. Or should I say, the original English translation.

I will be using the Douay-Rheims version of the Bible. A history of its inception can be read here. As the English language has developed over time, the text I present will seem very foreign to you. I chose this translation to give you a different focus on Scripture, to take you away from the familiar, perhaps to give you who practice lectio divina some fresh perspective. There will also be a link to the daily readings as presented on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, so you may compare and contrast the two styles. Since I will offer no thoughts of my own this time, none of what I may discern from these words, it will be incumbent upon you who dwell on these verses to glean whatever meaning the Holy Spirit inspires in you.

Ambitious? Yes. Foolhardy? It's not the first time I have gone where angels may fear to tread. As always, I offer this as a point of departure for your own spiritual edification and encouragement. May you find it useful.

Douay-Rhimes Daily Readings.

DR Squared.

"Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your love."

December 2024 Morning Offering Prayer Intention

 Here is the intention for this month when praying the Morning Offering:

For Pilgrims of Hope. We pray that this Jubilee Year strengthens our faith, helping us to recognize the Risen Christ in our daily lives and that it may transform us into pilgrims of Christian hope.

(UPDATE:  12/12/24) A reflection for this intention can be found here. 

Lighting The Way

The calendars turn, both the secular and sacred.

As we begin a new month we also begin a new liturgical year. Deriving from the Sunday nearest to the Feast of St. Andrew, the first Apostle called, we are now called to "prepare the way of the Lord".

Leaving a month in which we recall the Four Last Things and pray for those "marked with the sign of Faith" and those who faith is known only by God, we now enter the season of Advent, where we will count the days until the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is celebrated.

We heed the words of St. John the Baptist. While our preparation is not as severe as Lent, it still is a time of penitence. We hear the longing in our hearts for redemption, much as the world did some two millennia ago. Then as now, how we reply and respond is critical. Will we recognize the Christ Child like the shepherd and Magi or just go on what we think is our "merry" way?

As we get ready materially, so also spiritually. Make the time in the hustle and bustle of December to be still, to reflect upon the beginning of the penultimate chapter of  "The Greatest Story Ever Told". Deck the halls, trim the tree, light the candles of the Advent wreath, erect the Creche. Make ready the gifts, not only those we give to others, but also what we can (and should) give to Him.

Yes, the darkness of this time of the year increases.

The four tapers await you.

As well as the Light of the World.

2024 Thanksgiving Day Card

May your Thanksgiving Day be full of love and laughter. May it be a time of being truly grateful for all the blessings God has bestowed upon you. May you see an even more abundance of blessings in the time to come

Happy Thanksgiving, Everybody!

Royal Hymn

In honor of the Feast of Christ the King, I present excerpts of the hymn Christus Vincit as it was chanted at the 2010 CMAA Winter Chant Intensive. (In case you want to know what I look like, I am the first one in the front pew with the rest of the men.)

The text and translation is courtesy of The Parish Book of Chant.

**********

Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!

Exaudi, Christe.

Benedicto, Summo Pontifici, in unum populos doctrina congreganti caritate: Pastori gratia gregi obsequentia.

Salvator mundi, Tu illum adjuva.
Sancta Maria, Tu illum adjuva.
Sancte Petre, Tu illum adjuva.
Sancte Paule, Tu illum adjuva.
Sancte Benedicte, Tu illum adjuva.

Rex regum! Rex noster! Spes nostra! Gloria nostra!

Magistratibus et omnibus concivibus nobiscum orantibus: cordis vera quies votorum effctus.

Auxilium christianorum, Tu illos adjuva.
Sancte Michael, Tu illos adjuva.
Sancte Benedicte, Tu illos adjuva.

Ipsi soli imperium, laus et jubilatio per infinita saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Tempora bona habeant! Tempora bona habeant redempti Sanguine Christi.

Feliciter!

Pax Christi veniat! Regnum Christi veniat! Deo Gratias! Amen.

++++++++++

Christ conquers! Christ reigns! Christ commands!

Give ear, O Christ!

To the Supreme Pontiff [Benedict], who gathereth into one all peoples through doctrine, in charity: let there be dignity for our Shepherd, and obedience for his flock.

O Saviour of the world, grant him assistance.
Holy Mary,...
Holy Peter,...
Holy Paul,...
Holy Benedict,...

King of Kings! Our King! Our hope! Our glory!

To the magistrates and all fellow citizens praying with us: let the effect of their devotions be true rest for the heart.

O help of Christians, grant them assistance.
Holy Michael,...
Holy Benedict,...

Let all power, praise, and jubilation be to Him alone, through endless ages to ages. Amen.

May they have prosperous times! May they have prosperous times by the redemptive Blood of Christ!

Joyously!

Let the Peace of Christ come! Let the Reign of Christ come! Thanks be to God! Amen.

++++++++++

Originally posted 11/20/2011.
Re-posted 11/25/2012.
Re-posted 11/23/2014.
Re-posted 11/22/2015.
Re-posted 11/20/2016.
Re-posted 11/26/2017.
Re-posted 11/25/2018.

Re-posted 11/24/2019.

Re-posted 11/22/2020.

Re-posted 11/21/2021.

Re-posted 11/20/2022.

Re-posted 11/26/2023.