The Divine Lamp

St Irenaeus Ministries offers some outstanding podcast on Scripture. They also offer some of their podcasts for sale on CDs. Last week they began offering their study of Galatians online and Free! (See below). Only the first podcast is currently available, a new episode will be added every week. The link provided at the beginning of this post will take you to their most recent podcasts, and you can work your way back through the pages for older material. These include lectures on the Gospel of Luke, the Letter to the Hebrews, and an introductory series entitled “The Foundations of Biblical Thinking” (FBT). I didn’t really care for the FBT podcasts, but the ones on Hebrews and Luke were quite good.

Galatians - The Backdrop for Galatians (Click Here To Listen)
To celebrate the Year of St. Paul, we begin now a study of the Epistle to the Galatians, a work which is authentically Pauline. The most argumentative and passionate of all his letters, it speaks to an extremely contentious issue in the early church: whether a Gentile male had to be circumcised to be considered fully Christian. Theologians aptly recognize this epistle as “spiritual dynamite,” and the ways Luther and others interpreted this book ignited the Protestant Reformation. Galatians is well-renowned as a book that celebrates Christian liberty. Paul posits that if Jesus Christ is solely sufficient for our salvation, then a Christian’s life must remain unadulterated by an outdated legalism and non-Christian philosophies. To provide a bit of historical background, after persecuting the Way and undergoing a dramatic conversion, Saul (only later called Paul) began his ministry outside Damascus. A few years later he presented himself to the Church in in Jerusalem, who quickly sent him to Tarsus because of his infamous reputation. While Paul was in Tarsus, a mass influx of Gentile Christians entered the primarily Jewish Church in Antioch. The problems that arose when these Gentiles intermixed with Jewish Christians presented a dire problem, especially considering that the latter group had safeguarded their pedigree for generations. Barnabas traveled to Antioch to survey the situation for the Church of Jerusalem. Overjoyed at the conversion of so many Gentiles, he soon realized that these new Christians need an experienced teacher and called Saul from Tarsus to take the office. One day, while the leaders of the Church of Antioch were at prayer, the Holy Spirit said to them, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2). Heeding this command, the Church sent them to Cyprus and then to Asia Minor where they ministered to southern Galatia. Upon returning to Antioch, Paul found troublesome Judaizers coercing Gentile Christians to undergo circumcision. When Peter arrived in Jerusalem, Paul contested the practice of the Apostle of eating only with Judaizers or by himself, whereas he used to eat freely with Gentiles. After Paul publicly rebuked Peter about this, the matter was decided at the Council of Jerusalem in A.D. 50 (cf. Acts 15). Although many scholars debate over the dating of Paul’s letter, the fact he does not mention the council’s decision in Galatians clearly places its composition prior to A.D. 50. Studying this epistle reveals that Paul is far more than just a cantankerous character. Rather, he emerges as a staunch defender of all that is essential to the Gospel, one who is more than willing to stand up a powerful school of legalists to uphold the truth. Amidst all the theological arguments in this book, Paul takes great care to describe a living spirituality in which Christians experience the full life of Christ: “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20).

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St Martha’s Catholic Church in Kingwood Texas has a large collection of audio material available online, including an eight part introduction to the Old Testament done by Jeff Crandall. I’ve not listened to the audio yet, I have however listened to other talks Mister Crandall has given on Scripture. They are a little too liberal for my liking but I do think they can be very useful. I’ve provided a link to the first talk below. You can go HERE for the rest of the talks on the OT, and HERE for other talks on Scripture.

This is, of course, the Year of St Paul, established by the Holy Father with the intention that Catholics would re-devote themselves not only to the writings of St Paul, but to the Scripture as a whole. Do check the site out, and keep in mind that I offer some notes on the Scripture here. My notes on Amos are complete. My (ongoing) notes on Hosea will take you into chapter 8 of that book. My notes on St Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians will soon be complete. I’ll start on Second Thessalonians after its completion. I have some ongoing notes posted on Isaiah, the Psalms, and First Corinthians as well. All of these can be easily accessed in the list of links under this blogs header. In addition, you can find numerous links to print and audio resources on the Bible in my sidebars.
Introduction to the Old Testament Part 1

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 I had a lot of trouble with this one for some reason, and it shows.  I’ll re-post it this Saturday evening.  I may redo it.

The introit is based upon Psalm 67 (68 in the NAB and some other translations).

Introit:
“God is in His holy place; God who maketh men of one mind to dwell in a house; He shall give power and strength to His people. Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered: and let them that hate Him flee from before His face.”

In times past God dealt with his enemies by causing them to flee from His presence; but this was part of the Divine pedagogy, designed to train men that their arms were too short to box with God, as a famous Broadway tune once put it. This it what He once did in the wonders he wrought in Egypt. His people despoiled the Egyptians who were so anxious to be rid of the Lord’s power against them that they bestowed on His people their treasures (Exodus 12:36). The treasure too of the kings of the promised land came to them (Judges 5:19). The day would come, however, when the peoples of the nations would come to the Lord, recognizing his power and beneficence (Isaiah 18:7; 60:6; Zephaniah 3:10; Psalm 72:10-11; Matthew 2:1-11). Just as the Israelites once brought their offerings to the Lord, so too will the nations bring themselves as an offering (Isaiah 66:18-21).

Prayer before the Epistle:
“O Almighty and Eternal God, since, in the abundance of Thy loving kindness, Thou dost usually go beyond the merits and desires of Thy lowly petitioners, pour forth Thy mercy upon us both to forgive what our conscience fears and to give what our prayer would not presume to ask”

Epistle 1 Corinthians 15:1-10
Cephas (i.e., Peter) denied our Lord three times, yet nonetheless he became the chief witness to the resurrection. Certainly what the Lord did for him went well beyond both his merits and his desires.  Indeed: “When you were younger you used to dress yourself and go where you willed; but when you grow old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”  But go he did, accord with God’s desires rather than his own, and thus dying he glorified god (John 21:18-19). The same could be said for Paul, who persecuted the Church of God but was, nonetheless, shown mercy, and thereby became the greatest missionary the Church ever had; and like Peter, sealed his testimony with his blood. Such is the grace of God, whose Son died for our sins. How absurd then is it that some men render the grace of God fruitless?  This they do by attempting to accept Jesus on their own terms rather than on his terms as laid out in the Gospel.  The Gospel revealed to the Apostles and Prophets (Ephesians 2:20).  How can God “maketh men of one mind” (introit) if he allows them to follow their own whims and fancies and become like Eve, losing true devotion (2 Corinthians 11:3)?  This is to bring a curse down upon ones self (Galatians 1:7-9); and to end up in the flesh (Galatians 3:3) which brings death and hostility to God (Romans 8:6-7).  Who in their right mind would think that they could “hold fast” to this and be “saved”?
Gradual: The gradual is based upon Psalm 27 which expresses trust in God.

“In God hath my heart confided, and I have been helped; and my flesh hath flourished again; and with my will I will give praise to Him. Unto Thee will I cry, O Lord: O my God, be not Thou Silent; depart not from me. Alleluia, alleluia. Rejoice to God our helper; sing aloud to the God of Jacob: take a pleasant Psalm with the harp.”

Gospel Mark 7:31-37
Earlier in the Gospel of Mark People had come to Jesus from the Pagan districts of Tyre and Sidon, (Mark 3:8), and Jesus himself had ventured into Pagan territory but had met resistance (Mark 5:1-20). Undaunted, he returned to pagan land and met a Gentile who was deaf and unable to speak, much like the gods of the pagans whom the prophets describe in this fashion (Isaiah 44:9,18). Jesus took him away from the crowd, much as he had instructed his disciples in the absence of their Jewish countrymen (see Mark 4:34). Jesus must be accepted on His own terms, not according to the fashions and opinions of the crowd, however well intentioned they may appear to be.  When the crowd came to realize what Jesus had done for the man, he warned them to tell no one, but to no avail, they spread the news far and wide. They were not doing the will of God (Mark 3:35), and were therefore unable to understand the true significance of Jesus and His teaching (John 7:16-18).

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Latin Mass My notes on the English text

Sunday Gospel Scripture Study Audio. Great commentary on the Gospel reading used in the NO Mass

First Reading Brief commentary from Word Sunday 

Psalm  Brief.   From Word Sunday

Second Reading Contains both popular and literal translation of text, along with commentary.

Gospel Contains both popular and literal translation of text, along with commentary.

The Athenaeum Good reflection linking the first and Gospel reading

St Marcarius Reflection from an Egyptian Monk (died 405)

Sunday Reflections From Mount St Joseph House

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I originally posted this on the 14th. My notes on the Latin Mass can be accessed by clicking on the link “Latin Mass Notes” under this blogs title.

As I noted in a previous post, the introit (based upon Ps 54) printed in my missal is a bit garbled, and so I posted on the entire Psalm (see HERE). Because of this, my intention was to begin these notes with the prayer preceding the Epistle, however, I’ve decided to make an educated guess as to what the introit reads and begin with that. Please keep in mind this is only a guess.

Introit:
“When I cried to the Lord He heard my voice, He saved me from them that drew near to me; and He humbled them, He who is before all ages and remains forever: cast thy cares upon the Lord, and He will sustain thee. Hear, O God, my prayer, and despise not my supplication; be attentive to me and hear me.”

We are called upon to cast our cares upon the Lord who sustains us, and “in Whom we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). This means not trusting in”dumb idols” (Epistle) “fashioned with gold, silver, or stone by human art and imagination” (Acts 17:29). It means not trusting in the idols of our own will and fancy by which we “conduct ourselves as enemies of the cross of Christ,” make a god of our stomach, and glory in shame (see Philippians 3:18-19). It means not engaging in “the greed that is idolatry,” and which manifests itself in “evil desires” (pleonexia= being in a constant state of wanting more. Colossians 3:5).

Merely attempting to live as the Lord calls us to live is enough to raise the ire of certain people for whom such a life style stands as an indictment. They do not understand why we act “like obedient children” and not “in compliance with the desires of (our) former (and their current!) ignorance” (1 Peter 1:14). They are “surprised that (we) do not plunge into the same swamp of profligacy” as they do, and thus “they vilify (us)” (1 Peter 1:4). “These people, like irrational animals born by nature for capture and destruction, revile things that they do not understand, and in their destruction they will also be destroyed,13 suffering wrong as payment for wrongdoing. Thinking daytime revelry a delight, they are stains and defilements as they revel in their deceits while carousing with you. 14 Their eyes are full of adultery and insatiable for sin. They seduce unstable people, and their hearts are trained in greed. Accursed children!15 Abandoning the straight road, they have gone astray, following the road of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved payment for wrongdoing, 16 but he received a rebuke for his own crime: a mute beast spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.17 These people are waterless springs and mists driven by a gale; for them the gloom of darkness has been reserved.18 For, talking empty bombast, they seduce with licentious desires of the flesh those who have barely escaped from people who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, though they themselves are slaves of corruption, for a person is a slave of whatever overcomes him.20 For if they, having escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of (our) Lord and savior Jesus Christ, again become entangled and overcome by them, their last condition is worse than their first.21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment handed down to them. 22 What is expressed in the true proverb has happened to them, “The dog returns to its own vomit,” and “A bathed sow returns to wallowing in the mire.”" (2 Peter 2:12-22). Who in their right mind wishes to live like this? And so in the introit we call upon god to hear our prayer that we may cast our cares upon him and be drawn from the surge of sinful men.

Prayer before the Epistle:
“O God, since Thou dost display Thy power mainly by showing pardon and pity, multiply Thy mercies upon us, so that, hastening on to Thy promises, we may gain a share in Thy heavenly treasures.”

Having cast our cares upon the Lord (introit) to relieve us of some of our enemies, we must not forget one of the greatest enemy of salvation we must face- our very own selves. After all, it is not only other people who are prone to follow after idols of various kinds! Are not we ourselves prone to such idolatry? And is it not an idolatry of the worst kind? The self-worship that is hypocrisy. Did not the Corinthians have an abundance of spiritual gifts? (1 Corinthians 1:7) Yet in spite of these Paul still found it necessary to speak to them as if they were immature children devoid of the Spirit’s wisdom (1 Corinthians 3:1-3). Having once been “led away to mute (voiceless) idols” (Epistle Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:2-11), they were now being misled by the gift of speech (prayer and prophecy) which the Spirit bestowed on them (1 Corinthians 13:1-2). This too is idolatry, and of the worst kind, for it attributes to man the things that are God’s. “There are different workings (of the Spirit) but the same God who produces all of them in everyone” (Epistle Reading). How absurd then to treat them as if they were from ourselves, or for our own aggrandizement? “For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted (Gospel Reading Luke 18:9-14).

Should we not thank God for the gifts we have received rather than brag about them before both God and man?

Secret:
“Let these appointed sacrifices be paid back unto Thee, O Lord, since Thou hast given them to be offered for the honor of Thy Name, so that at the same time they might become a remedy for all our ills.”

No good can come to a sick man who uses the medicine prescribed by a physician according to his own whim and fancy. Will not the whole head become sick, the whole heart faint? Will not the body be, from the soles of the feet to the top of the head, unsound? Will not wound and welt and gaping gash remain undrained, un-bandaged and without salve? (see Isaiah 1:5-6).

A sacrifice offered in honor to ourselves is a sorry sacrifice indeed! “O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men…I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all that I possess” (Gospel). What the hell is that except the hell that is “I will not serve?” And what can one expect in response? “What care I for the number of your sacrifices?…Trample my courts no more! Bring no more worthless offerings; your incense is loathsome to me…These I cannot bear…I tire of the load. When you spread out your hands (in prayer), I close my eyes to you; though you pray the more, I will not listen…Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doin