I’m trying my best to cast a more “spiritual” and prayerful glow on these pages during the 40 days. This one is short and if it seems like a repetition of several previous posts; that’s because it is.
The Collect for Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent:
Hear us, almighty and merciful God, and in Thy kindness grant us the graces of self-denial that lead to salvation. Through Jesus Christ…
First of all, can you believe it’s already the third week?! Second, there it is again. The Church prayers in Holy Mass during these days that Almighty God, in His kindness, grant us the graces of self-denial. This self-denial leads to salvation. Get on board the fasting train if you haven’t already done so. Brothers and sisters, it is our Catholic duty.
In the midst of my Lenten festivities (?!, read: fasting), I completely forgot to post a note about the upcoming Feast of St. Joseph. Since the feast this year is transferred to the 20th, I figured that buys me an extra day. Here’s a wonderful prayer with more to follow.
St. Joseph, Terror of Demons, pray for us!
“Oh, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God. I place in you all my interests and desires. Oh, St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers. Oh, St. Joseph, I never weary of contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me and ask him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls – Pray for me.”
I was looking for a topic to post tonight when I came across the following video.
I do not know these monks but I like what I’m hearing. I hate to beat a dead horse but I am convinced this is a missing key to growth in personal holiness. I’ve been paying careful attention to the orations at daily Mass and they bear witness to this.
We must be fasting during Lent. It isn’t easy. But it is not only worth it but also a command. The spiritual benefits I have already seen have caused me to wonder why I haven’t done this before. Also, I have a tendency to look to the early Church and see what they were doing and how I could imitate these our forefathers. They fasted every day of Lent. Many were also martyred.
The new crowd? Well, my mother-in-law and I had a conversation a few days ago about all the craziness in the world and in the Church. At one point she said, “They don’t want any remnants of the past.” Boy is she right. They hate tradition. We already know that. But they have to destroy every vestige of the past because the past is our heritage and our pillar. It is our foundation.
Why would anyone fast today? Seriously. I have heard people tell me, “The Church doesn’t really want us to fast anymore,” or “You’re overdoing it. Don’t you know we’re supposed to do something positive instead of just giving stuff up,” or “Hey man, it’s Sunday. That’s not part of Lent.” On that last point the implication is that Sundays are apparently for gluttony.
Let me issue a challenge. Since there is no prohibition of fasting; why not give it a shot. Men among this readership – be men. Go hard. Make it hurt. Do it for your sins. Do it for your wives and children. Unite the pain to the cross. It’s only for a short while. If you don’t notice the same things I’m noticing in my fast, then go back to your Ash Wednesday/Good Friday-one big and two small meal thing. What have you got to lose?
“Grant that our fasting may be beneficial to us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, so that by chastising our flesh we may obtain strength for our souls.”
Collect for Saturday, Second Week of Lent, copied from Divinum Officium
I thought I’d get out ahead of the curve tonight (Thursday) and write a post about Friday. For the record, my Thursday was taken up with one of the true joys of my life. It was opening night for a production of Into the Woods that my teenage daughter was starring in at a local playhouse. I must mention that it was one of those usually dreadful “Jr.” versions of the show. This production, however, was quite well done. My daughter inherited her old man’s love of music, of singing, and of drama. Unfortunately, the theater world is thoroughly infested with sodomites. So when I (through St. Rita) found a theater group that was actually sane, I asked her if she wanted to audition. She’s actually the seasoned theater veteran already at 13, having appeared in shows for a while – a regular Helen Hayes. I told you I could be dramatic. For a month, my wife and I have taken turns driving her in rush hour traffic to three-hour rehearsals. We’ve heard the score countless times sung throughout the house. But tonight? Tonight was well worth it. I love to see my kids use the talents God gave them. And it brings a bit of a tear watching my baby using that talent and knowing that God used me to transmit that to her. But enough about that. There are four more performances so we’re not out of the woods yet. Also, I hear they’re staging Hair Jr. next. We might sit that one out.
The Passion of Our Lord, Stained Glass, Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, Newark, NJ
Friday of the Second Week of Lent
The orations for today are replete with the reminder to fast. Sidenote: I’ve been accused by some family members over the past few weeks of “doing more than what the Church wants us to do.” This is because they discovered I’ve been dramatically reducing my intake of food – you know, fasting. “That’s not what the Church asks of us, you know,” I have heard. True. I suppose what the Church literally asks is that you make sure to eat three meals on two days of the year. And there’s your NuFast. Look, I haven’t advertised what I’m doing. I haven’t told others that they need to do the same thing as me. I am reaping benefits (spiritual and physical) that I have never before known. Perhaps others might want to consider taking a similar path. It can be scary to give up food. I get it. But if one were to go back to the past, say, before 1965, one might see that fasting was a way of life for Catholics. Not convinced? Let’s look at the prayers, shall we?
The Collect for the Lenten Feria:
“Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that with the sacred fast to purify us, we may with sincere hearts reach the coming feast.“
Fasting purifies us. It cannot be simpler.
Commemoration of the Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebaste
This is also the feast of the Forty Holy Martyrs. These forty men were Roman soldiers in Sebaste. In the year 320, they were sentenced to death for refusing to renounce the faith. They were sentenced to exposure. The forty men were ordered onto a frozen pond, naked, while a warm bath tempted them on the shore. These guys were not afraid. In fact, they welcomed the opportunity that by one wretched night they would gain eternal life. They stripped themselves naked and ran onto the ice. At one point, one in their company gave in and went for the bath. A guard who had been keeping watch was moved to take his place and joined the remaining thirty-nine others in an icy, naked death. The original beast mode. Or as we the kids would say, badass.
My thoughts? I have a hard time stepping into the shower when the water is still only tepid and not hot. Terrible times produce great saints. And boy are the times terrible now…
The Collect for the Commemoration:
“Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that we who know how courageously Your holy Martyrs have confessed the faith, may experience their goodness as they intercede for us with You.”
So there you have it as we approach the midpoint of Lent. Fasting is salutary. Armenian martyrs are hardcore.
Don’t forget to make the Stations part of your Lenten devotions.
The news is slow these days. There isn’t much for Trad Dad to muse upon this evening. Well, there are a few items here and there…
The bishop of the moribund diocese of Steubenville, OH just cancelled Latin Mass at Franciscan University. I know several students there. They won’t be happy. His reasoning, by some accounts, is that he is trying to “protect the Latin Mass”. If that is his intent, God bless him for trying but he might want to get a brain scan stat. Protecting the TLM by focusing all of one’s liturgical and juridical efforts on the place where the other side supposedly has direct control to shut you down is a losing game plan for sure.
I had a lengthy conversation today with my brother-in-law about our plans should the bomb drop on April 3rd as has been speculated. He mentioned a particular plan to me. “What is bizarre,” I said to him, “is that the same exact thought came into my head on my way to morning Mass today.” Clearly great minds think alike. We shall see what comes to pass.
Finally, it was some kind of “women’s day” celebration or something today. I would like to thank my mother who bore sixteen children while running the daily operations of our home and teaching us. She was once told by her own sister-in-law that “Times have changed. You should be going after the things of value that we women have been denied through history…” Mom replied, “There is nothing more high value than raising children. I chose to do this – to cooperate with God – and I’m quite happy with the life He gave me.” Bravo, Lady. We love ya’.
Finally finally, here is an organ piece I want to share with you. This is the famous Toccata by Charle-Marie Widor. The organist is the obviously talented Frederick Hohman. What I love is that he is not only performing this on the magnificent Schantz organ in Newark’s Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart; but that he is performing it at the proper tempo. Widor himself was know to remark that many organists raced through the piece as if to showcase their virtuosity. Mr. Hohman plays it just right. I heard this piece performed (by other organists) many times on that very organ when, as a seminarian, I served Masses at the Basilica. Let the sound of this piece focus your attention on the upcoming joy of Christ’s victory of sin and death.
Last week I observed an anniversary of dubious distinction.
March 4, 2014 was the date of my most recent spinal surgery. I was given an “expiration date” of sorts when the doctors told me I’d likely be back under the knife within 6-8 years.
Fortunately, God saw fit to give me a kick in the pants and the grace to get serious about my fitness…
Kidding aside (and I love pizza and the fact that it’s Lent isn’t helping), I feel great. I’m better off today than I was at 20. I know I also have the prayers of many friends to thank for that so I shall remember each of you at Mass in the morning.
Keep truckin’ along. Only a few more weeks to go.
St. Thomas Aquinas, pray for us!
PS: Here’s a bonus pic tonight. A dear friend of mine converted to the faith in his mid-20’s and decided to celebrate the event by getting his patron saint inked onto his bicep. I’m not a fan of tattoos but if you’re going to do it, at least this isn’t terrible.
I hope HE’S kept up with his fitness or the dumb ox might be even oxier.
I came across an interesting read today via Canon212. It’s a story in the National Catholic Register about Teddy McCarrick’s ongoing legal woes. I learned a few things and I was also left with a few more questions.
The most important thing learned from this article is the fact that it appears the heretofore unnamed victim in the case in Massachusetts is none other than James Grein. Grein, you may recall, is the man who’s testimony before a Vatican inquest ultimately led to McCarrick’s “dismissal from the clerical state”. I put that in quotes because I am more and more convinced it never actually happened. Given what we know about Bergoglio’s penchant for reinstating excommunicated priests and bishops on the sly, my money is that Teddy was never returned to the lay state. And it is interesting to me that it was Grein all the time. This case in Massachusetts was presented from the beginning as a completely distinct abuse case. I still believe Grein. Hell, the Vatican believed him too, right? And I am not here to argue the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I simply note that this is an interesting development. Grein is a treasure trove of inside information and I think more of what he has alleged over the past four years should be investigated.
The principal question raised in my mind today is one I’ve been pounding at for a while. Why on earth is McCarrick still living at the largesse of the Catholic Church? If he was dismissed, let him find his own lodging. We know he had money at one time. Again I will ask, when I hit my late 80’s or early 90’s can I simply go to a monastery and ask to be let in and taken care of? Will they do it? I’m half tempted to drive to Missouri and ask if I can just stay a few months, see what they say. After all, I am a layman just like (supposedly) he is. It does not add up. It never has.
The last man who brought up the subject – George Neumayr – is dead, they tell us. I don’t want to sound conspiratorial but if the past three years of coronascam have taught us nothing, it is that conspiracy theorists are really just soothsayers in disguise. I never heard of a funeral for the man.* We never got answers that made any sense. Whatever happened, we may never know. But one thing is sure. George was on this story and we need something with that spirit to continue to investigate these things. If I ever decide to knock on the door of that friary in the Show Me State, I’ll be sure to record the whole thing as I channel George and try to get answers. Until then, let us all, as Frank Walker says, “Pray for the Church.”
Queen of heaven, pray for us!
UPDATE: A reader forwarded an obituary for Neumayr. A funeral Mass is being said for him this very day (March 7) in Alexandria, VA.
Folks, I got off all that social media nonsense a while ago. Sorry but I'm not on Twitbook, Facepalm, YouHu, WingWang or any of the others. Maybe an event will happen to make me change my mind like Peter and Paul coming down with flaming swords and commanding it be so. Until then, read the blog and if you feel a comment is in order or you feel like sharing a tip or suggestion for a topic, email me at harvey@harveymillican.com.
Harvey Millican's Blog: Musings of a Trad Dad 