Through A Glass, Darkly

Jots & Tittles by Fr. Jack, No. 20: "The Letters" · Monday April 28, 2008 by MrC

In our unit on the Catholic Mass that I have referenced in numerous posts here of late, I have explained to my students why, more often than not, in the Sunday liturgy, the second reading is an epistle or letter, I tell them to “do the math.” There are, after all, 27 texts in the canonical New Testament. Subtract the four gospels and we have (23) books with which to work. Of those documents, (21) are formally classified as “letters” – though, in fact, a number of them are actually sermons or catechetical treatises. Thus it is that the nature of the New Testament documents themselves dictates that, if the first reading comes from the Old Testament (except during Easter) and we exclude the gospels which, of course, have a place of their own in the lectionary, the second reading is usually a “letter.” (The fact that Paul is traditionally considered the author of 13 of those 21 texts explains, in part at least, his prominence in the Roman Catholic lectionary).

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With that in mind, our beloved and prolific Fr. Jack Healy provides the following reflection on the nature of letters in the ancient world both in general and, specifically, within the context of the scriptures. The man’s timing is impeccable. Enjoy!

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The Letters
by Fr. Jack Healy, O. Carm.

“Could it be that like some other people we need letters of recommendation to you or from you?” (2 Cor.3:1).

In addition to the gospels and the Book of Revelation, the Christian scriptures are made up of twenty-one letters. The Book of Revelation itself contains seven explicit letters which the author writes on behalf of Jesus to various churches. In fact, many letters, both personal and official, are included in the whole bible.

At a time when paper was not invented, letters were written on clay. Thousands of clay letters, some of them in clay envelopes, testify to that fact. They are a mine of information containing also the name of the sender, the addressee, the messenger and even the means of delivery. Thus, it is mentioned that at the instigation of his prime minister, a man named Haman, King Xerxes issued a letter for the extermination of all Jews in his empire. He authorized the decree by sealing it with his ring. (Esther 3:10). Moreover, there are excellent examples of the styles in which letters were written. So the Book of Esdras records three letters written by King Darius’ bodyguards who placed the letters under his pillow. Their contents are voiced in speeches given by each of the guards (Esdras 4). In the Christian scriptures, the Book of Acts records verbatim a letter by a Roman officer named Claudius Lysias to Governor Felix about a plot to kill St. Paul (Acts.23: 26-30). Claudius’ letter is typical in that it begins with a greeting to the addressee. Paul as well as the other New Testament letter writers began their letters with greetings often invoking God’s blessing on the recipients.

By Paul’s time, letters were written, of course, on parchment. Paul mentions affixing his own signature to some of them or writing them in his own hand. That he would make explicit mention of writing the letter himself or signing one shows that scribes were often employed for the task of letter-writing. Indeed, every court or town had an appointed scribe hired to write, witness or seal communications, official and otherwise. A rudimentary postal system existed for official business only. Private letters required the sender to rely on merchants or friends to deliver the mail. So Peter relied on Silas (I Pt.5:12) and Paul on Tychicus (Eph.6:21) for delivery of mail and news.

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Brushing aside the criticism that he lacked a letter of recommendation, that is, credentials to preach, Paul claims that the existence of the Corinthian Church is letter enough. “You yourselves are the letter we have, written on our hearts for everyone to know and read. It is clear that Christ himself wrote this letter and sent it by us” (2 Cor.3:2-3). Not only are the apostolic churches letters, as it were, but the twenty-one New Testament letters are in fact inspired by God and sent to us today by way of the apostles. (Fr. Jack Healy).

Comment

Toward a Biblical Understanding of "Miracle" · Monday April 21, 2008 by MrC

As mentioned in a previous post, the topic of miracles has come up over and over again in some of my classes of late. The reason for that, I am sure, is the prevalence of the “miraculous” in the text of Acts which is being read (presumably!) by my students.

I think that our problem with miracles in general is that we insist on reading the biblical text from the standpoint of a modern or “scientific” worldview … a worldview that is in many ways foreign to the understanding and context of the Bible. When we impose our worldview on that of the Bible, we do violence to whatever scriptural text we are considering and, at the same time, we ignore the intention of the biblical author.

!! Jairus’ Daughter

According to the modern, popular or “scientific” worldview, a miracle is an event that occurs contrary to the laws of nature. That understanding rests on a number of implicit assumptions:

a. the first such assumption is that the natural world is a closed system of fixed and immutable “laws” or properties of nature.

b. secondly, the popular view of a miracle also assumes that if there is a divine or spiritual world it is completely separate from the natural world. The divine or spiritual world is, of course, referred to with terms like the “super-natural” (above or beyond nature).

c. there is in fact room for God in this worldview but God becomes merely an abstraction, a force or power that exists outside of and beyond the world of natural cause and effect. That God, the God of the deists and philosophers, plays no role in the events of world and in the lives of men and women. At most, God is a “watchmaker” who perhaps created the world and set it in motion but who now plays little or no role in its ongoing operation.

By way of contrast, in the biblical conception of the world and of God, a miracle is a powerful act of God in the world and in history. The biblical view likewise rests on a number of assumptions:

a. the first powerful act of god was the creation of the universe. That work of creation continues even now because of God’s power. It follows from this that if the Bible knows of any “laws of nature” it assumes that those laws operate by means of God’s power and control.

b. as far as the biblical worldview is concerned, there cannot be (by definition) any strict separation between the divine and the natural worlds, between the natural and the “supernatural.”

c. in extraordinary ways God can and does manifest his power in nature and in history. The “laws” and processes of the natural world and of human history are, for example, the “secondary” causes by means of which God works his will in our world.

Simply put, therefore, the miracles recorded in the Gospels and in Acts are signs of God’s Kingdom; that is, signs of God’s power at work in the world. And, for the believer, it is a world in which the natural and the supernatural interpenetrate to some degree. Surprisingly, miracles do not authenticate themselves but, rather, they are open to any number of possible interpretations. They do “invite” belief and they do to some extent place the observer in a position where he or she is forced to make some decision as regards their meaning, but they do not compel belief.

Lastly, it’s worth looking briefly at the most common words used in the New Testament to designate a miracle:

1. dynamis (“mighty deed”)

2. semeion (“sign”)

3. teras (“wonder”)

4. ergon (“work”)

Fr. Felix Just, S.J. suggests that Jesus’ miracles may be classified according to the following schema:

Miracles that involve …
Healings
Exorcisms
Restoration (to life)
Nature or Natural Phenomena

When all is said and done, if one is to understand texts in the New Testament that portray miraculous events, it is (I suggest) incumbent upon the reader to make at least some effort to come to grips with the conceptual frame out of which those stories arose and within which they derive their essential meaning. It’s only based upon that understanding that the meaning of those events can be “translated,” as it were, and made relevant for us today.

Comment

Pope Benedict's US Itinerary · Tuesday April 15, 2008 by MrC

Culled from a variety of news sources, here are the details of Benedict XVI’s itinerary while in the United States …

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Tuesday, April 15—Washington, D.C.
4 p.m.—Arrival at Andrews Air Force Base, greeted by President George Bush and Laura Bush

Wednesday, April 16—Washington, D.C.
Pope Benedict XVI’s 81st birthday
10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.—Meeting with the president at the White House
President George Bush and Laura Bush welcome Pope Benedict XVI to the White House. This is only the second time in history that a pontiff has visited the White House.
Noon—Departure via popemobile—parade route open to the general public
5-7 p.m.—Vespers and address to U.S. bishops at the National Shrine

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is the largest Roman Catholic church in the United States and North America and one of the 10 largest churches in the world.

Thursday, April 17—Washington, D.C.
10 a.m.—Mass at new Nationals Park
5 p.m.—Address to Catholic educators at the Catholic University of America.
6:30 p.m.—Interreligious gathering at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center adjacent to Catholic University

The pope will meet with representatives of other religions on the theme “Peace Our Hope.” The audience will include some 220 individuals from five religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, and Judaism. Pope Benedict XVI will give an address and will then be presented with symbols of peace by five young people of different faiths.

Friday, April 18—New York
8:30-10 a.m.—Flight to New York City
10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.—Address to the United Nations

During his scheduled three-hour visit to U.N. headquarters, the pope will meet with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and other leaders. It is the fourth papal visit to the United Nations, following those of Paul VI in 1965 and John Paul II in 1979 and 1995.
6 p.m.—Ecumenical prayer service—St. Joseph Parish, Upper East Side of Manhattan

Saturday, April 19—New York
Third anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI’s pontificate
9-11:15 a.m.—Mass for clergy and religious at St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Participating in the mass will be 3,000 deacons, priests, and religious men and women from throughout the United States. At least two representatives from each diocese in the country will be present.
4:30 p.m.—Blessing of youth with disabilities at St. Joseph Seminary in the Dunwoodie section of Yonkers, a few miles north of New York City. Pope John Paul II visited on Oct. 5, 1995.
5-6:30 p.m.—Rally with seminarians and young people at St. Joseph Seminary
Approximately 25,000 young Catholics from throughout the United States, including 5,000 seminarians, will be in attendance at St. Joseph Seminary, 201 Seminary Avenue, Yonkers.

Sunday, April 20—New York
9:30 a.m.—Visit to ground zero, site of the former World Trade Center

The pope will visit the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center, offer a blessing, and greet representatives of the Port Authority, New York fire and police workers, those who survived the attacks, and family members who lost loved ones in the attack.

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2:30 p.m.—Mass at Yankee Stadium
8-8:30 p.m.—Departure from John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Approximately 3,250 guests will bid farewell to the pope in Hangar 19 of JFK Airport.
8:30 p.m.—Departure via Shepherd One

Not bad for an 81-year-old man!

Comment

'Magic' & 'Miracles in the Acts of the Apostles · Monday April 07, 2008 by MrC

Each year at this time, and in order to correspond to the focus of the Roman Catholic lectionary during Eastertide, I have my students read the Acts of the Apostles … at least they should be reading Acts. One of the questions that I have asked them to consider is the difference between the magic alluded to in Acts and so prevalent* in the Greco-Roman world and the miracles worked by God through, say, Peter and Paul. One of my classes decided that the way to answer that question was to compare the two phenomena in terms of their origin and purpose. I think their brief analysis might be of interest to those who may also be reading Acts on their own during this season and/or to those who may be puzzled by some aspects of the text when they hear it read at Sunday Mass.

MAGIC

1. Origin: … with man himself … with the devil

2. Purpose: … for profit … for self-aggrandizement, power or fame … for entertainment

MIRACLES

1. Origin: … God & the Holy Spirit working through chosen agents

2. Purpose: … to glorify God … to heal and restore individuals … to build up the community … as a sign of God’s Kingdom … to elicit faith

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A few episodes from the text to consider in light of the above:

Peter Heals a Crippled Beggar (Acts 3.1-10)
The Story of Simon (“the Great”) from Samaria (Acts 8.9-13)
Paul & Silas “exorcise” the slave-girl with an oracular spirit in Philippi (Acts 16.16-24)
Paul & Silas are rescued from Prison (Acts 16.25-40)
The Ephesians burn their books about Magic & the Occult (Acts 19.11-20)
The Riot of the Silversmiths in Ephesus (Acts 19.23ff).

*In the Greco-Roman world of the 1st century, the human person saw him/herself confronted with three great fears: death, the gods, and fate (misfortune). Among the methods or avenues available to the individual by means of which s/he might confront those forces or fears were Religion, Astrology & Magic and, finally, Philosophy. As far as Astrology and Magic are concerned, they fit into the general pessimism of the age. The stars were seen to control everything according to inflexible laws. People were also obsessed with fate. Astrology, it was believed, could tell what fate held in store for individuals or even for nations. The practice of magic (in a multitude of forms) was undertaken either to circumvent or ensure that fate. It’s also worth noting that in the world of Acts, belief in Magic and Astrology was widespread and cut across socio-economic lines.

The topic of miracles has also been of interest to a good number of my students. I hope to post an article concerning a biblical understanding of that reality at some point in the next few days. The anticipation is palpable!

Comment [3]

Jots & Tittles by Fr. Jack, No. 19: "Eucharist as Sacrifice" · Sunday March 30, 2008 by MrC

In the midst of a lengthy unit on the Mass, I have been discussing with my students the two-fold nature of the celebration of the Eucharist; its form as a meal and its function as a sacrifice. Along the way we have also been considering the Eucharist as a real symbol of unity … of our incorporation into the Body of Christ, his Church. St. Paul’s correspondence with his fractious charges in Corinth (particularly I Corinthians 11) has proven somewhat illustrative … at least in a negative sense!

In any case, and proving yet again that great (or at least, warped) minds think alike, Fr. Jack Healy serendipitously sent the following reflection my way via email this week. The topic here not only dovetails nicely with the work I am doing in class but makes simultaneously for a nifty little Easter meditation. Take it away, Fr. Jack ….

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The Eucharist as Sacrifice
by Fr. Jack Healy, O. Carm.

“He gave himself as an offering and sweet- smelling sacrifice pleasing to God.” Ephesians 5.2

It has become commonplace today to speak of the Eucharist as a meal in which we share Jesus’ body and blood as our food. And so it is. But Catholic teaching also requires us to recognize the Eucharist as a true sacrifice whereby Jesus offers Himself as an oblation to the Father. The notion of sacrifice has deep roots in ancient cultures both pagan and Hebrew and provides a framework for the New Testament authors to understand Jesus’ death and resurrection.

The authors take their cue, of course, from Jesus Himself who at the last supper proposed his death as a sacrifice sealing the new covenant He was making: “this is my blood, the blood of the new covenant poured out for many.” Like the blood of victims shed when Moses sealed the covenant of Sinai, Jesus inaugurates a new covenant. St. Paul was quick to pick up on this notion and viewed the mystery of redemption in these cultic terms: “Christ our paschal lamb has been sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7). The notion is also further exploited in the letters of Peter and John and especially in the Letter to the Hebrews.

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Behind the notion of sacrifice lay, on the one hand, man’s recognition of the rights and power God has over him and, on the other, man’s need to unite with God somehow. Man expresses that recognition and need by means of a gift, usually something precious and living which can be eaten once it is brought before God. A table or altar reserved exclusively for God was the place for making the offering which was accompanied by the shedding of blood. Since the ancients believed that life resided in the blood, the pouring of the victim’s blood on the altar dramatized their acknowledgment that life came from God. As essential to the pouring of blood was also the eating of the offering whereby the participants believed they communed with God who accepted their gift.

The killing of the sacrificial animal may jolt our modern sensitivities but to the ancients the significance of the action lay not in the creature’s destruction. Rather, the killing was necessary to remove the animal from the profane realm from which it came in order to bring it into the divine realm where God dwelt. In this transference, the creature had also to be purified which was accomplished by fire. As the smoke rose, often accompanied by incense, the worshippers added their prayers to the fragrant offering in the hope that the odor would attract God’s favorable attention.

The altar, the shedding of blood, the immolation of the victim and, of course, its consumption by the participants meant one thing for the ancients, namely, that both the victim and they themselves were sanctified. In this light we can understand in John’s gospel, Jesus’ prayer on behalf of his disciples: “For them I sanctify myself that they too may be sanctified” (17:19). Jesus is speaking of his death as a sacrifice. Their sharing in it like ours today is by way of the Eucharist. It is both meal and sacrifice.
(Fr. Jack Healy)

Comment [1]

The Easter or Paschal Candle · Monday March 24, 2008 by MrC

Easter is a season rich in symbolism. One symbol perhaps stands preeminent: that of the paschal candle. Its sheer size (the rubrics dictate that the paschal candle be both large and a true candle) and position in the sanctuary (placed prominently near the altar or ambo) bespeak its importance. Even more so does the fact that the great Easter candle is meant to symbolize the risen Christ, the light of the world. The largest (in terms of circumference) and tallest of all the sanctuary candles, the paschal candle has been used continuously in the Western church since at least the fourth century. As mentioned in an earlier article, a new paschal candle is lit each year at the beginning of the Easter Vigil liturgy. The Service of Light begins when the new fire is ignited. The paschal candle is lit from that. The paschal candle is then brought to the sanctuary in procession. It is generally carried by a deacon or assisting priest. As the procession makes its way through the church, the one carrying the candle intones three times “Christ our Light,” to which the congregation responds, “Thanks be to God.” Once the paschal candle reaches the sanctuary proper, the ancient Easter Proclamation (Exsultet) is sung.

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The paschal candle is always inscribed with the figure of a cross, the numerals for the current calendar year and the letters Alpha and Omega … the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet (Revelation 1.8 and 22.13). The Alpha and Omega, of course, symbolize that the risen Christ is with us now, has always been with us and will be so throughout the present year and, indeed, for eternity. Pressed into the wax – along the arms and center post of the cross – are five grains of incense dyed red. The incense symbolizes the wounds Christ received during the crucifixion … nails in each hand, through the feet and the spear that pierced his side.

Once lit at the Easter Vigil, the paschal candle is to burn at all major liturgical services through Pentecost Sunday. After Pentecost, the paschal candle is ignited only at baptisms – as a reminder that, in baptism, we die with Christ so that we will rise with him in the resurrection (see Romans 6.3-5) – and at funerals. Apart, then, from its use at baptisms and funerals, and as a further sign of its solemnity and importance, the paschal candle is generally not to be lit nor placed in the sanctuary outside of the Easter season.

Comment

ST. PATRICK'S DAY 2008 · Sunday March 16, 2008 by MrC

St. Patrick’s Day is a feast that I approach with mixed emotions. On the one hand, I’m quite proud of my Irish-American heritage. My mother’s maiden and my middle name is Crowley. I am an amateur student of Irish history … I might be so bold as to recommend Brian Feeney’s marvelous history of Sinn Fèin … and am (truth be told) a bit of a Republican at heart. Legendary elaboration aside, the venerable St. Patrick is also an interesting and towering figure in the history of the Church. His story truly is worthy of study and reflection.

At the same time, I am often more than a bit embarrassed by the antics and schlock, stereotypical behavior of many pseudo-Irish on this day. I mean, come on, green bowlers and “Kiss Me I’m Irish” buttons? I daresay very few of those were seen on the streets during the Easter 1916 uprising! I much prefer to mark the day with a nice glass of California red wine while reading W. B. Yeats and Seamus Heaney than with green beer and increasingly out-of-tune renditions of “The Wild Rover.” Perhaps I’m just getting old!

In an effort to inject a little sanity into a day that, too often, is marked by abject foolishness, I thought that I would take a few moments and pen something concerning the “real” St. Patrick. In that way at least a little of his true spirit of humility and dedication to God may still simmer beneath the surface of our more secular celebrations.

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Patrick appears to have been born in Roman Britain around the year 385. His father was a minor civil servant and his grandfather was a priest. At the age of sixteen, the young Patrick was carried off to Ireland by raiders and enslaved. He seems to have been used as a herdsman. Not surprisingly, it was during his captivity that Patrick became interested in religion and began taking his faith seriously. By all accounts he became ferociously devoted to prayer. After six years the young man made a daring escape. He eventually returned home via the continent and, once there, had a dream in which he was called to return to Ireland in order to spread the Word. Tradition suggests that Patrick was trained for the priesthood in Gaul although some sources indicate that he received his formation at home in Britain. In either case, he was sent back to Ireland in 432 as a missionary bishop.

Scholars assert that there were in fact Christians in Ireland before the arrival of St. Patrick. To him, however, is attributed the establishment of the formal, institutional church. In 444 Patrick established his Episcopal see at Armagh and, in the process, ordained a fairly large number of bishops and priests. Patrick is also credited with imparting to the Irish church the monastic character that was to typify it for centuries to come.

In truth, the only surviving contemporary evidence concerning the life of St. Patrick is found in is own writings, principally The Confession. Patrick toiled in Ireland for nearly forty years and the traditional consensus is that he died in 461. He remains today one of the most popular of all Catholic saints.

In terms of iconography, Patrick is generally depicted treading on snakes and holding a shamrock. In addition to his traditional association with Ireland, Patrick is also the patron saint of Nigeria, a country that was evangelized largely by Irish missionaries. As an aside, the pulpit in my home parish of Blessed Sacrament features carvings of both Patrick and Boniface, a visual reminder of that particular church’s establishment by Irish and German immigrants.

“I give unceasing thanks to my God who kept me faithful in the day of my testing … You did all this so that today … I might constantly rejoice and glorify your name wherever I may be, both in prosperity and in adversity. You did it so that, whatever happened to me, I might accept good and evil equally, always giving thanks to God. God showed me how to have faith in him for ever, as one who is never to be doubted.” The Confession of St. Patrick.

More information on the life and history of Patrick may also be found on the St. Patrick Centre website.

Comment [1]

HOLY WEEK (16-22 March 2008) · Monday March 10, 2008 by MrC

In a post back in January I offered readers of Through a Glass, Darkly a “primer” on the liturgical or Church Year. At that time I also promised that I would provide somewhat more detailed information concerning Lent and Easter as those seasons drew nearer. Having covered Lent, it’s time now to turn our attention to Holy Week …

The last week of Lent is, of course, Holy Week. Holy Week begins on Palm (or Passion) Sunday, a day that commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem a few days prior to his arrest, trial and crucifixion. Holy Week concludes with the central event of the Church Year, the great Paschal Triduum – Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. The three days of the triduum offer a liturgical recapitulation of the great events of our salvation. Mass on Holy Thursday evening recalls Jesus’ last supper with his disciples during which our Lord instituted the Eucharist and, in an act of love and service, washed the feet of his disciples. At the conclusion of the Holy Thursday liturgy, the Eucharist is reserved for use during the Good Friday communion service. The altar is stripped bare and the faithful are asked to leave the church in silence.

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On Good Friday we pause and reflect on Jesus’ great sacrifice on our behalf, his death on the cross. The Good Friday service is, as mentioned, a communion service since there is no consecration. Each of the liturgies during the triduum features a number of unique and symbolically meaningful rituals. On Good Friday, for example, the faithful come forward and venerate the cross. Remember also that Good Friday is a day of both fasting and abstinence.

The solemn celebration of the great Easter Vigil takes place on Holy Saturday. It is important that this glorious service begin after sunset. Typically the diocese will send a letter to the parishes that announces the time for sunset on that evening. The reason for the seemingly punctilious, even obsessive, concern that the celebration begin at a specific time is that, in all four gospel accounts, the women went to the tomb of Jesus “early in the morning on the first day of the week” to anoint his body. It was at that point that they found his tomb empty. Recall that the Jews marked time using a lunar calendar. Thus, liturgically at least, the “day” began for them at sunset. “Early on the morning on the first day of the week” is thus traditionally construed as after sunset (but before sunrise) on the day after the Jewish Sabbath which ends Saturday with the setting of the sun. Thus the Easter Vigil on Saturday evening is, in effect, the most traditional and (perhaps) the most appropriate time to celebrate our Lord’s resurrection. The symbolism associated with Christ as the “light of the world” of course also comes into play here as well.

The Holy Saturday liturgy begins, therefore, in darkness. After the lighting of the “new fire” and, from that, the paschal candle, the first quarter of the service takes place by candlelight. (The lights in the church are usually brought up during the singing of the Gloria). Highlights of the Vigil include the ancient Easter Proclamation (Exultet), the Litany of the Saints and the Baptism, Confirmation and First Eucharist of the catechumens as well as the reception into full communion with the Catholic Church of the candidates. The Easter Vigil can approach and, at times, even exceed two hours in length. Nonetheless it is without a doubt the most ineffably beautiful and spiritually powerful liturgy of the Church Year. If you have attended an Easter Vigil in the past then you know just what I mean. If you have not, you owe it to yourself and your family to do so this year. I am quite certain that you will not be disappointed.

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Finally, a brief explanation as to how the date for Easter is determined may be of interest. First of all, despite the uncertainty and controversy surrounding many aspects of Jesus’ earthly ministry, one fact seems nearly indisputable; Jesus’ crucifixion – and thus his resurrection – occurred during the Jewish festival of Passover. The atmosphere in the city of Jerusalem at Passover – a city swollen to twice its normal population by pilgrims visiting the temple – must have been, as the scholar Paula Fredrickson remarks, “politically electric.” After all, here was the nation of Israel celebrating God’s great, historical act of liberation on their behalf. The vagaries of history, however, dictated that they did so under the wary eye of the occupying Roman Imperial authorities. The idea that those same Roman authorities – along with their Jewish collaborationists – might wish to make a statement, as it were, and establish control of the masses by putting a (perceived) rabble-rouser to death at that time is not at all inconceivable. Thus the date for Easter is thus calculated in relation to that of Passover. Passover, for its part, falls on the first full moon of the spring equinox. Easter is always the Sunday after that.

It is also important to note that the Easter season actually lasts a full fifty days. And that despite the fact that here in the United States, at least, we tend unfortunately to concentrate our celebration into one day (Easter Sunday). Forty days after Easter is the Ascension (always a Thursday) and ten days after that is the celebration of Pentecost. With Pentecost the Easter season comes to an end and Ordinary Time returns lasting until the following November. At that point the liturgical cycle begins anew with Advent.

“Beginning with the Easter Triduum as its source of light, the new age of the Resurrection fills the whole liturgical year with its brilliance … Therefore Easter is not simply one feast among others, but the “Feast of feasts,” the “Solemnity of solemnities’.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church Nos. 1168-1169.

Comment

Jots & Tittles by Fr. Jack, No.18: "God Made Him to be Sin" · Monday March 03, 2008 by MrC

In another exciting installment of “Jots & Tittles,” Fr. Jack Healy reflects on a rather startling assertion made by St. Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians. Christ’s relation to “sin” and the atoning nature/power of his sacrifice are, of course, especially fitting topics during this season of Lent. The lectionary readings at Mass also mirror this preoccupation. Consider in that regard the second reading from the First Sunday of Lent (Romans 5.12-19) ... among others. Enjoy!

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God made Him to be Sin
by Fr. Jack Healy, O.Carm.

“God made him who had no sin to be sin.”
(2 Cor.5:21).

The starkness of St Paul’s statement above is truly astounding as it equates Christ and sin. The full statement is this: “God made him who did not know sin to be sin so that we might become the very righteousness of God.” How can sin be imputed to Jesus? If He is sin, how can he as the spotless lamb take it away?

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St Paul is not alone in his strong assertion. St Peter states of Jesus that “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross that we might die to sin” (1 Pt.2:24). Peter’s statement appears more temperate in that the sins he points to are ours. Yet the idea is similar: Jesus is weighted with sin. St. Paul rephrases the notion when he says that “God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Rom.8:3). Because Jesus was crucified according to the law, St Paul says, he “became a curse for us.” (Gal.3:13). Clearly the intimate association of Jesus with sin cannot be ignored if we are to understand how He saved us from it.

Actually the notion of someone bearing all the sins and iniquities of the people was well known among the ancient Jews. In a passage referring to the mysterious “suffering servant,” the prophet Isaiah states, “The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all…he bears our sins” (53:4). Behind this perplexing idea is the belief that someone designated by God would be instrumental in removing the alienation which man has caused by his sins. Sin and man’s complicity in it stands, according to the story of Genesis, at man’s very origin and continues unabated throughout his history. St. Paul, once again, sums up the whole drama with his meditation on Adam, the one man through whom sin and death entered the world. St Paul says, “through the disobedience of one man all were made sinners” (Rom.4:19). In his meditation St Paul reflects the prevalent idea of the so-called “corporate person.” Behind the notion is the belief that one person whether Adam or the king or the high priest can in his very person determine the fate and destiny of the entire people. Thus it was that Adam by his disobedience and sin sealed the fate of all his descendants who now bear his sin reinforced by their own behavior.

In the design of his heavenly Father Jesus becomes that one person who can incorporate in Himself the sin of the world and display its hideous character on the cross. Since sin resides only in man and his actions, Jesus by becoming man identifies both with us and the sin within us and destroys it in his person as the spotless Son of God who was obedient unto death. St. Paul sees Jesus in his person and action, therefore, as the new Adam begetting a new people and a new creation. He did this first by becoming sin that “we might become the very righteousness of God.”

Comment

A Lenten Alternative to Fish? · Monday February 25, 2008 by MrC

Last March, during the tail end of Lent, I was home sick for a few days. About all I was able to do was lay around and listen to talk radio. During that time I heard the following story and, when I returned to school, posted an item about it on the blog. Although Lent is not traditionally the time for whimsy, I thought that I might nevertheless recap that strange news item again this year …

Ave Maria Radio News reports that in areas downriver of Detroit, Michigan, the Roman Catholic faithful have a longstanding dispensation to eat muskrat on Fridays during Lent. No, this is not the product of some weird, pseudo-hallucinogenic fever-dream. The tradition apparently dates back to the 1800’s when French-Canadian trappers in the region were hard-pressed to find an easy substitute for meat in order to fulfill the demands of the Lenten regulations. Although warm-blooded, muskrat at least swims and is an aquatic mammal. Still today, parishes in the area hold muskrat dinners on Fridays as fundraisers. Not surprisingly perhaps the majority of the diners are young males out to experience something new and old-timers who, hard as it may be to believe, have acquired a taste for the critter over the years. Muskrat, just in case you’re interested, is said to have the consistency of chicken but a taste that resembles duck. It’s typically served up either with mashed potatoes and creamed corn (do they actually still make that stuff?) or mashed potatoes and sauerkraut.

!!

No paperwork survives in the Archdiocese of Detroit concerning the dispensation but the practice of eating muskrat during Lent is so entrenched in the region that it is considered by the church to be an “immemorial custom.” In any event, and as one Detroit area bishop quipped, “Anyone who can eat muskrat is already doing penance worthy of the greatest of the saints.” Amen!

Comment [2]

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