God
Faith
I'm so sleepy right now, I think I could lay down and doze off. My sleep has been dismal, but the fact that I am feeling sleepy during the day is a sign that maybe I am making progress on being more relaxed? I haven't been able to take a nap in decades, so this is a new development for me.
October is going to be crazy!
I had such a wonderful evening with my friends yesterday. After class Joe played guitar; Kristy was there, just chilling; Marina came later, along with another gal. At one point a fellow came with his accordion, and he and Joe did a hilarious joint-rendition of one of those songs where every time through you add another element to the chorus-- sort of like "The Twelve Days of Christmas", but picture a bunch of Germans with beer-filled steins. Of course, we did not have any drink, but that's the imagery which came to mind for me.
The Italian restaurant where I worked as a teenager regularly had an accordion player on busy Friday nights. It produces such a harmonic sound! It always makes me think of this song from "King's Quest V". Not accordion, but this is the other song I always think of from that game.
Now that our Tuesday "Discernment in Prayer" class is done, Joe, Kristy and myself are going to start going to the local nursing home on Tuesdays! It's sort of a "new ministry" we are going to begin. I'll be asking if others of you want to go too!
I also read another one of Cyril's works, this time his "Mystagogical Catecheses 5", which is on the Liturgy. It's incredible how close it is to the modern-day Catholic Mass! When I help Father wash his hands, he says some prayer about "wash me from my iniquities", and it turns out that this "ablution" happened way back then too! The significance of the hands is that they symbolize action: so by washing them, the presbyter can be clean in their conduct.
The sign of the peace is another one: back then the deacon would say "Welcome one another, let us kiss one another." This symbolized a "co-mingling of souls", a union of hearts, and a leaving of grievances against our brother at the altar.
Back then they said the English equivalent of "It is meet and just". Today we replace "meet" with "right"-- but very similar regardless. The Sanctus was a thing back then-- Angels and Archangels; Virtues, Dominions, Principalities, etc. etc. etc. Then "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Hosts", same as today!
They even offered intercessory prayers, for emperors, armed forces, those fallen asleep, and so forth. Cyril explains these with the analogy of, a king banishes someone, so relatives offer a garland; in our case, we offer Christ Himself for the departed.
Receiving communion? Make a throne with the left hand, do not lose even a crumb, treat it like gold dust-- same as today! One difference is that, back then, they would sanctify their eyes and foreheads with the Precious Blood as well. They would sing, "O taste and see that the Lord is good". Sometimes at my church we will sing the modern song "Taste and See"-- maybe we ought to do that one even more frequently?
Anyhow, I'm caught up in history work, might see about going for a walk.
October is going to be crazy!
- On Friday I am getting "trained in" on helping with Benediction at "the big church in town."
- On Saturday, I will be serving for the First Saturday Mass, including helping at adoration there as well.
- On Sunday, I am lector.
- On October 10, my dad is coming to visit.
- On October 17, I am entering into the fourth degree in the Knights of Columbus.
- On October 24, we have our annual men's retreat.
- On October 31, I have an all-day lecture here at St. John's.
I had such a wonderful evening with my friends yesterday. After class Joe played guitar; Kristy was there, just chilling; Marina came later, along with another gal. At one point a fellow came with his accordion, and he and Joe did a hilarious joint-rendition of one of those songs where every time through you add another element to the chorus-- sort of like "The Twelve Days of Christmas", but picture a bunch of Germans with beer-filled steins. Of course, we did not have any drink, but that's the imagery which came to mind for me.
The Italian restaurant where I worked as a teenager regularly had an accordion player on busy Friday nights. It produces such a harmonic sound! It always makes me think of this song from "King's Quest V". Not accordion, but this is the other song I always think of from that game.
Now that our Tuesday "Discernment in Prayer" class is done, Joe, Kristy and myself are going to start going to the local nursing home on Tuesdays! It's sort of a "new ministry" we are going to begin. I'll be asking if others of you want to go too!
I also read another one of Cyril's works, this time his "Mystagogical Catecheses 5", which is on the Liturgy. It's incredible how close it is to the modern-day Catholic Mass! When I help Father wash his hands, he says some prayer about "wash me from my iniquities", and it turns out that this "ablution" happened way back then too! The significance of the hands is that they symbolize action: so by washing them, the presbyter can be clean in their conduct.
The sign of the peace is another one: back then the deacon would say "Welcome one another, let us kiss one another." This symbolized a "co-mingling of souls", a union of hearts, and a leaving of grievances against our brother at the altar.
Back then they said the English equivalent of "It is meet and just". Today we replace "meet" with "right"-- but very similar regardless. The Sanctus was a thing back then-- Angels and Archangels; Virtues, Dominions, Principalities, etc. etc. etc. Then "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Hosts", same as today!
They even offered intercessory prayers, for emperors, armed forces, those fallen asleep, and so forth. Cyril explains these with the analogy of, a king banishes someone, so relatives offer a garland; in our case, we offer Christ Himself for the departed.
Receiving communion? Make a throne with the left hand, do not lose even a crumb, treat it like gold dust-- same as today! One difference is that, back then, they would sanctify their eyes and foreheads with the Precious Blood as well. They would sing, "O taste and see that the Lord is good". Sometimes at my church we will sing the modern song "Taste and See"-- maybe we ought to do that one even more frequently?
Anyhow, I'm caught up in history work, might see about going for a walk.