Herod's worldly strength was no match for the might of the little baby born in Bethlehem. Likewise, the Holy Spirit working through sacred Christmas songs changed hearts that were not moved by human arguments.
2nd Day of Christmas: Feast of the Holy Family
And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:51-52) St. Augustine addressed our Lord as "O Beauty ever ancient, ever new." We can … Continue reading 2nd Day of Christmas: Feast of the Holy Family
Christ is King of the Universe . . . and of Our Hearts
The End of History? Christ is King! How easily we forget . . . What a fool I was when the Berlin Wall fell forty years ago. I naively thought that the apotheosis of the state into totalitarian forms of government was fully and finally exposed. Everyone knew it was an inhuman, deadly fraud. In … Continue reading Christ is King of the Universe . . . and of Our Hearts
Christ is King of All . . . Even The Holidays
Christ is King of All We know that Christ is "King of All," but do we know what that means? So Paul, standing in the middle of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I … Continue reading Christ is King of All . . . Even The Holidays
Keep the “Hallowed” in Halloween
We have forgotten Christ’s Victory, and so are left with only Death and Corruption, apparently unchallenged. A society that celebrates death and corruption for its own sake is, I submit, a society in deep, deep trouble.
Archangels, St. Jerome, Morality, And God’s Law
Parker finds fault with both the Statists on the left and the Libertarians on the right who see the government per se as the issue, as if adding more government or radically cutting it will alone solve our social problems. No, “you can’t have a free society that is not also a virtuous society”
Sacred Music: The Pentecost Sequence (Gregorian Chant)
Today, in the traditional liturgical calendar, would be Monday in the Octave of Pentecost. Although the Octave of Pentecost has not been observed in the Ordinary Form of the Mass since 1969 (for more on this liturgical change, with feeling, see HERE and HERE on Fr. Z's blog), it would be a shame to let so … Continue reading Sacred Music: The Pentecost Sequence (Gregorian Chant)
Persecution, Pentecost, and St. Julia of Corsica
Christ sent the Holy Spirit down on his Church at Pentecost, the Church against which, he had promised Peter, the "Gates of Hell" would not prevail (Matthew 16:17) . . . but he had also promised persecution (Matthew 5:11). The Persecution was not long in coming. The same Peter who boldly addresses the wondering crowds on Pentecost will soon be writing to the early Christians: In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:6-7)
Palestrina’s “Veni Creator Spiritus” and Maíno’s “The Pentecost” from San Pedro Mártir
We are now in the last week of the Easter Season. Christ has ascended to Heaven, and we are awaiting the coming the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. In anticipation of that ancient feast, often called the Birthday of the Church, our Music Monday selection is Palestrina's "Veni Creator Spiritus." The Latin Hymn "Veni Creator Spiritus" itself dates … Continue reading Palestrina’s “Veni Creator Spiritus” and Maíno’s “The Pentecost” from San Pedro Mártir
We Are More Than What We Do: St. Joseph the Worker
St. Joseph the Worker St. Joseph the Worker shows us that necessity is the mother of invention. And in fact, we can see in today's feast that, sometimes, measures taken for practical purposes can point to deeper truths. Pope Pius XII The memorial of St. Joseph the Worker is a very recent addition to the … Continue reading We Are More Than What We Do: St. Joseph the Worker