SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
September 6, 2015
15th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: Gal. 5:25,26; 6:1-10
Gospel: Luke 7:11-16
Mon 7 No Latin Mass
Tues 8 Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Wed 9 St. Gorgonius, Martyr
Thu 10 St. Nicholas of Tolentino, Confessor
Fri 11 SS. Protus & Hyacinth, Martyrs
We must love others in order to fulfill the law of Christ. This is the “New Commandment.” Jesus says: “By this you will be known, by the love you have for one another!” Part of loving others involves fraternal correction. We cannot stand idly by while others are sinning all around us. But we must do it will all gentleness and humility. We must always be conscious of our own weakness and personal shortcomings. St. Augustine says that we must never take issue with another's sin without first examining our own conscience. Self-knowledge leads us to humility. We must always act out of love. St. Paul says we must examine our own conscience in order to discover what really motivates our actions. We must strive to always act out of love for God.
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Showing posts with label law. Show all posts
Showing posts with label law. Show all posts
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
The Immaculate Conception
Mary -- Conceived without Sin
As the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8th) approaches, I thought it appropriate to explain the significance of this feast. This is probably the most misunderstood doctrine among non-Catholics. Even some Catholics don't understand it. To be clear, let's define it. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is a dogma, meaning that is is a required belief of all Catholics. In other words, if you don't believe in the Immaculate Conception, then technically speaking, you're not really Catholic. It is defined as the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was herself conceived without the stain of original sin.
Some Protestants contend that the doctrine is "unbiblical," that it "deifies Mary as a goddess," and "diminishes the role of Christ in the redemption of humanity." Such contention is unwarranted, and a little paranoid, as I'll demonstrate below.
The stain of original sin was defined by St. Augustine as the mark of sin inherited by all people from the time of their conception. This means that when the first humans (Adam and Eve) sinned against God, they did so before any of their children were born. Because of this, all children conceived after their sin (i.e. the whole human race), would inherent the stain of the sin they committed. The sin they committed was one of selfishness and rebellion against God. The stain of this sin penetrated all the way through their souls to the flesh itself -- staining it and corrupting it. Thus, all children born of their flesh would inherit this stain of original sin. Think of it as a hereditary trait. It is manifested in the form of pride, selfishness and rebellion. It creates in people the desire to commit various sins: lying, cheating, stealing, lust, rage, etc. It can be seen from the earliest ages of childhood. Every time a small child acts in a selfish way, or becomes rebellious toward his parents, he demonstrates the stain of original sin in his own mind and body. God designed human beings to be totally selfless, giving, and obedient creatures. But this does not describe the human race today. That's because the stain of original sin, inherited from our first parents (Adam and Eve), has twisted and corrupting what God has created. Instead of being selfless, we are selfish. Instead of being giving, we are greedy. Instead of being obedient, we are rebellious. Such is the nature of our fallen human race. Now many Protestants think of original sin as a type of depravity -- moral corruption or innate wickedness -- as if people are "evil" at their core. Catholics tend to see original sin more as deprivation than depravity -- meaning that original sin deprives human beings of what they need to be holy. The desire to be loving and selfless is there, but the deprivation of original sin makes that impossible to achieve on our own.
God cannot tolerate sin, and it must be dealt with. Before mankind can be restored to God, we must first be freed of the original sin that stains and deprives us. This is the reason why God sent Jesus Christ (God made flesh) into the world. His sacrificial death on the cross frees us from all sin, including original sin. But in order for this sacrifice to be atoning for the human race, it must come from a member of the human race. Only a perfect and spotless human being can undo the damage done by our first parents. A perfect duplicate (or copy) of a human being wouldn't be enough. This spotless sacrifice must be a direct descendant of the sinful human race, and he must be divine himself, so that he may atone for all human sins, not just the first one. Protestant Christians understand this concept very well, and teach it in their churches. They know that Jesus must atone for all the sins of the world, and they know he is fully human as well as fully divine. In this sense, Protestants are very "Catholic" in their thinking. What they often fail to consider is that the flesh of Jesus Christ must be truly descended from the sinful human race in order for Jesus to be truly "one of us." If God created a whole new body in Mary's womb from "the dust of the earth" so to speak, essentially a copy of humanity, totally separate from any sinful human genetics, he really wouldn't be human at all. He would be a whole new race, entirely separate from the human race, and completely disconnected from the rest of humanity. He might look like us, but he wouldn't really be "one of us." In order for Jesus Christ to truly be "one of us," he would have to be genetically linked to the human race, and since Jesus only has one biological parent, there is only one person through whom that link can be made. That person is the Blessed Virgin Mary.
When Jesus was miraculously conceived inside Mary's womb, at the time of the annunciation by the Angel Gabriel, his human genetic make-up came directly from her. True, his divine nature came directly from the Godhead, but his human nature came from Mary. So Mary is the human genetic link between Jesus Christ (God made flesh) and mankind. There is only one problem. If Mary's flesh was stained with original sin (like the rest of us), than Jesus would have inherited that same original sin nature. Yet the Scriptures clearly tell us that Jesus was without sin. So we have a theological problem. How could Jesus' flesh and blood be "without sin" if he inherited his human flesh and blood from Mary? Granted, he is God, so he can do whatever he wants, but he chose to do it a certain way that was fitting to his desire. Enter the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception.
From the earliest times, Christians have always believed that Mary was immaculate -- meaning perfect and without sin....
"He (Jesus) was the ark formed of incorruptible wood (Mary). For by this is signified that His tabernacle (body) was exempt from putridity and corruption (sin)." -- (Hippolytus, AD 235)
"This Virgin Mother of the Only-begotten of God, is called Mary, worthy of God, immaculate of the immaculate, one of the one." -- (Origen, AD 244)
The idea here is that God miraculously preserved Mary from original sin from the time of her first existence (i.e. conception). The idea comes from the Holy Scripture in which the Angel Gabriel says to Mary: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you." -- (Luke 1:28) The phrase "full of grace" is a translation of the Greek word kecharitomene. It expresses a characteristic quality of Mary that is unique. The traditional translation, "full of grace," is better than the one found in many recent English versions of the New Testament, which give something along the lines of "highly favoured one." Mary was indeed a highly favoured daughter of God, but the Greek implies more than that. The grace given to Mary is both permanent and unique. Kecharitomene is a perfect, passive, participle of the Greek word charitoo, meaning "to fill or endow with grace." Since this term is in the perfect tense, it indicates that Mary was given this grace in the past, but it has a continuing effect in the present. So, the grace Mary enjoyed did not begin at the angel’s visit. In fact, according to meaning the Greek word kecharitomene, it extended over her whole life, from conception onward. She was in a state of grace from the first moment of her existence (i.e. conception).
Now there is nothing particularly new about this concept. Biblically speaking, Mary wasn't the first person God fashioned in a perfect state of grace -- immaculate -- or without sin. The very first examples we have are Adam and Eve themselves. Both Adam and Eve were in a perfect state of grace at their "conception." Though the Scriptures tell us God fashioned them using a different method than normal procreation, it doesn't change the fact that they were made "without sin" (i.e. immaculate). So we could say the first immaculate conception happened in Eden when God formed the first man (Adam) and the first woman (Eve). In many ways, we could even consider the immaculate conception of Mary a "less dramatic miracle" (if we dare) because God still used the normal procreative processes when he fashioned her.
The question that arises is how? How would God fashion Mary "without sin" when both her parents were obviously stained by original sin, and they conceived her naturally? That is the mystery of the miracle. We can only conclude that God had already chosen Mary as Christ's mother, even from the first moment of her conception in the womb of her own mother. That being the case, the only reason why Mary was conceived without sin is because of Jesus Christ. Her body (flesh and blood) was redeemed retroactively, by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that wouldn't happen until three decades later, because she was chosen to be the vessel through whom Jesus Christ (The Eternal Word) would enter this world as a human being.
Theologically this is very important, because Jesus received all of his human flesh and blood from Mary. That flesh and blood ought to be unspoiled and unstained by sin. Furthermore, modern science tells us that cells from the mother and child do exchange between them during pregnancy. Jesus and Mary literally shared flesh and blood, as all mothers and their babies do during normal human pregnancy. They were in a state of physical communion during that nine months of pregnancy. That means for Jesus to inherit and maintain a perfect body from his mother, without sin, his physical mother should be without sin as well. Likewise, if Mary was to be in a state of physical communion with her son Jesus, receiving his flesh and blood while he was in her womb, it would be necessary for her to be in a perfect state of grace -- immaculate. While God can do anything he wants, it is only fitting and proper for things to be done this way, and the Scriptures seem to support this with the angelic salutation "full of grace.”
So the doctrine of the immaculate conception does not "deify" Mary as many Protestants falsely believe. Nor does it diminish the role of Christ in the redemption of the human race. You can't even say it's "unbiblical" since the Greek word kecharitomene in Luke 1:28 practically defines the doctrine. Rather, it simply states that Mary was no different than the sinless Eve before the fall. Does this mean that Mary was better than Eve? No. Does this mean that Mary was greater or less than Eve? No. It means she was exactly the same as Eve physically, mentally and spiritually speaking. Does this mean that Mary could have sinned? YES! She most certainly could have followed the example of Eve and disobeyed the command of God. If she had, she would have suffered the same fate as Eve, and carried the stain of original sin herself. But the difference is that when the test was given, Mary chose to obey God whereas Eve did not. Eve's test was in the fruit of the tree. Mary's test was in the fruit of the womb. Eve failed her test, while Mary joyously passed hers. From the moment she responded to the angel, "Behold I am the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word" -- (Luke 1:38), she accepted the Lord's will for her, even though she knew it would bring her hardship. Because of that, Mary's purpose was fulfilled. God preserved her without sin, to be like Eve, so she could become the "New Eve," and bring forth the "New Adam" (Romans 5:12-21) who is Christ the Lord.
So now, the question of "why?" arises. Why did Mary choose to obey God, while Eve chose to disobey? Any answer we give is pure speculation, of course, but I think a fair speculation would be the Old Covenant itself. Mary was a Jew. She was raised her whole life to follow the Jewish laws. Tradition tells us she was educated as a child in the Jerusalem Temple, where she served as a consecrated virgin for the Lord. (Protoevangelium of James) Thus Mary had a grace that Eve was not given -- the Mosaic Law. Because of this, she had an understanding of God that was somewhat of a mystery to Eve. Beyond that, unlike Eve, Mary was able to personally witness the effects of original sin all around her. Eve learnt that lesson the hard way, having no prior experience with sin, she introduced original sin to the world with Adam her husband. Mary, in contrast, spent a lifetime toiling in the effects of that original sin, working for survival in a broken world filled with pain and suffering, even though she herself was sinless. This experience, combined with the Mosaic Law, certainly helped to give Mary the courage to say "yes" to a plan that would ultimately bring much more pain and suffering into her own life.
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary is rich in ancient Jewish symbolism. It is foreshadowed in the Old Testament with the Ark of the Covenant. Hebrews 9:4 tells us that the contents contained inside the Ark of the Covenant were; the stone tablets of the Law (the word of God), along with a jar of manna (bread from heaven) and Aaron's rod (a symbol of the holy priesthood). All of these are images foreshadowing Jesus Christ, who is the incarnate Word of God (John 1:1-4,14), the Bread from Heaven (John 6:31-65) and our eternal High Priest (Hebrews 4:14).
Now the Ark of the Covenant was consecrated to God and considered holy. It was not to be touched by sinful man under penalty of death, and God himself had no problem exacting this penalty, even when a man touched it in an attempt to prevent it from falling (2nd Samuel 6:6-7; 1st Chronicles 13:9-10). This Old Testament example is designed to illustrate that the ark, which carried the symbols of the Old Covenant, was just as holy as the Old Covenant itself.
Now as I said, the stone tablets, manna and rod were signs foreshadowing Jesus Christ. He is the New Covenant. Thus the "ark" that carried him in her womb is holy too, just as the ark that carried the symbols that foreshadowed him was holy. Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant because she carried Jesus Christ in her womb. Jesus, who is the Word of God, the Bread of Life and our eternal High Priest, was carried for nine months inside the "ark" of Mary. She carried him in her arms and on her hip for another two years at least. If the ark of the Old Covenant was holy, than surely this ark of the New Covenant is even holier.
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception points more to Christ than Mary. Though Mary is the object of the doctrine, she is not the subject of it. The subject is Christ, and it is his perfectly sinless body that is being addressed. Through Mary, Jesus inherited the "flesh and blood" of mankind. He bore the genetic code of the fallen human race, yet he did so with one modification, the stain of original sin was removed. The flesh he inherited was immaculate. That immaculate flesh was the gift of his mother -- Mary -- who herself received it as a gift from God. So Jesus really and truly was descended from Adam and Eve through Mary. He really and truly was "one of us," having the same ancestors and genetic code that originated from them. God rehabilitated the original, immaculate nature of humanity in Mary, but her sinlessness didn't help anybody but herself. She was the only beneficiary of this filling of grace (kecharitomene). Mary's sinlessness doesn't save anybody else. It doesn't save me, and it doesn't save you. All God did with the immaculate conception was reset the clock, so to speak, to give one person another chance. For the sake of humanity, and revealing himself in the Law of Moses, God gave one more human being, schooled in that law, a chance to say "yes" for humanity. Her "yes" brought forth the Messiah who would fulfil the Law of Moses, and effectively save the rest of us. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, is a doctrine that points entirely to Jesus Christ. Without him, the Immaculate Conception of Mary makes no logical sense.
In following Jesus Christ, we all become "immaculate" upon our baptism. This is the promise that is given to us. Granted, our bodies (and minds) remain damaged by sin, but this is a temporary condition. Those who are faithful, and endure to the end, not only get to look forward to an afterlife in heaven, but also a future resurrection, in which our recreated bodied will be like those of Jesus and Mary -- perfect and immaculate. In this life, the Christian is privileged to experience an immaculate soul upon the sacraments of baptism and reconciliation. In the next life, however, Christians will be privileged to experience an immaculate body as well.
Written by Shane Schaetzel, reposted by permission. Source: http://catholicozarks.blogspot.com/2014/11/mary-conceived-without-sin.html
As the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8th) approaches, I thought it appropriate to explain the significance of this feast. This is probably the most misunderstood doctrine among non-Catholics. Even some Catholics don't understand it. To be clear, let's define it. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is a dogma, meaning that is is a required belief of all Catholics. In other words, if you don't believe in the Immaculate Conception, then technically speaking, you're not really Catholic. It is defined as the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was herself conceived without the stain of original sin.
Some Protestants contend that the doctrine is "unbiblical," that it "deifies Mary as a goddess," and "diminishes the role of Christ in the redemption of humanity." Such contention is unwarranted, and a little paranoid, as I'll demonstrate below.
The stain of original sin was defined by St. Augustine as the mark of sin inherited by all people from the time of their conception. This means that when the first humans (Adam and Eve) sinned against God, they did so before any of their children were born. Because of this, all children conceived after their sin (i.e. the whole human race), would inherent the stain of the sin they committed. The sin they committed was one of selfishness and rebellion against God. The stain of this sin penetrated all the way through their souls to the flesh itself -- staining it and corrupting it. Thus, all children born of their flesh would inherit this stain of original sin. Think of it as a hereditary trait. It is manifested in the form of pride, selfishness and rebellion. It creates in people the desire to commit various sins: lying, cheating, stealing, lust, rage, etc. It can be seen from the earliest ages of childhood. Every time a small child acts in a selfish way, or becomes rebellious toward his parents, he demonstrates the stain of original sin in his own mind and body. God designed human beings to be totally selfless, giving, and obedient creatures. But this does not describe the human race today. That's because the stain of original sin, inherited from our first parents (Adam and Eve), has twisted and corrupting what God has created. Instead of being selfless, we are selfish. Instead of being giving, we are greedy. Instead of being obedient, we are rebellious. Such is the nature of our fallen human race. Now many Protestants think of original sin as a type of depravity -- moral corruption or innate wickedness -- as if people are "evil" at their core. Catholics tend to see original sin more as deprivation than depravity -- meaning that original sin deprives human beings of what they need to be holy. The desire to be loving and selfless is there, but the deprivation of original sin makes that impossible to achieve on our own.
God cannot tolerate sin, and it must be dealt with. Before mankind can be restored to God, we must first be freed of the original sin that stains and deprives us. This is the reason why God sent Jesus Christ (God made flesh) into the world. His sacrificial death on the cross frees us from all sin, including original sin. But in order for this sacrifice to be atoning for the human race, it must come from a member of the human race. Only a perfect and spotless human being can undo the damage done by our first parents. A perfect duplicate (or copy) of a human being wouldn't be enough. This spotless sacrifice must be a direct descendant of the sinful human race, and he must be divine himself, so that he may atone for all human sins, not just the first one. Protestant Christians understand this concept very well, and teach it in their churches. They know that Jesus must atone for all the sins of the world, and they know he is fully human as well as fully divine. In this sense, Protestants are very "Catholic" in their thinking. What they often fail to consider is that the flesh of Jesus Christ must be truly descended from the sinful human race in order for Jesus to be truly "one of us." If God created a whole new body in Mary's womb from "the dust of the earth" so to speak, essentially a copy of humanity, totally separate from any sinful human genetics, he really wouldn't be human at all. He would be a whole new race, entirely separate from the human race, and completely disconnected from the rest of humanity. He might look like us, but he wouldn't really be "one of us." In order for Jesus Christ to truly be "one of us," he would have to be genetically linked to the human race, and since Jesus only has one biological parent, there is only one person through whom that link can be made. That person is the Blessed Virgin Mary.
When Jesus was miraculously conceived inside Mary's womb, at the time of the annunciation by the Angel Gabriel, his human genetic make-up came directly from her. True, his divine nature came directly from the Godhead, but his human nature came from Mary. So Mary is the human genetic link between Jesus Christ (God made flesh) and mankind. There is only one problem. If Mary's flesh was stained with original sin (like the rest of us), than Jesus would have inherited that same original sin nature. Yet the Scriptures clearly tell us that Jesus was without sin. So we have a theological problem. How could Jesus' flesh and blood be "without sin" if he inherited his human flesh and blood from Mary? Granted, he is God, so he can do whatever he wants, but he chose to do it a certain way that was fitting to his desire. Enter the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception.
From the earliest times, Christians have always believed that Mary was immaculate -- meaning perfect and without sin....
"He (Jesus) was the ark formed of incorruptible wood (Mary). For by this is signified that His tabernacle (body) was exempt from putridity and corruption (sin)." -- (Hippolytus, AD 235)
"This Virgin Mother of the Only-begotten of God, is called Mary, worthy of God, immaculate of the immaculate, one of the one." -- (Origen, AD 244)
The idea here is that God miraculously preserved Mary from original sin from the time of her first existence (i.e. conception). The idea comes from the Holy Scripture in which the Angel Gabriel says to Mary: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you." -- (Luke 1:28) The phrase "full of grace" is a translation of the Greek word kecharitomene. It expresses a characteristic quality of Mary that is unique. The traditional translation, "full of grace," is better than the one found in many recent English versions of the New Testament, which give something along the lines of "highly favoured one." Mary was indeed a highly favoured daughter of God, but the Greek implies more than that. The grace given to Mary is both permanent and unique. Kecharitomene is a perfect, passive, participle of the Greek word charitoo, meaning "to fill or endow with grace." Since this term is in the perfect tense, it indicates that Mary was given this grace in the past, but it has a continuing effect in the present. So, the grace Mary enjoyed did not begin at the angel’s visit. In fact, according to meaning the Greek word kecharitomene, it extended over her whole life, from conception onward. She was in a state of grace from the first moment of her existence (i.e. conception).
Now there is nothing particularly new about this concept. Biblically speaking, Mary wasn't the first person God fashioned in a perfect state of grace -- immaculate -- or without sin. The very first examples we have are Adam and Eve themselves. Both Adam and Eve were in a perfect state of grace at their "conception." Though the Scriptures tell us God fashioned them using a different method than normal procreation, it doesn't change the fact that they were made "without sin" (i.e. immaculate). So we could say the first immaculate conception happened in Eden when God formed the first man (Adam) and the first woman (Eve). In many ways, we could even consider the immaculate conception of Mary a "less dramatic miracle" (if we dare) because God still used the normal procreative processes when he fashioned her.
The question that arises is how? How would God fashion Mary "without sin" when both her parents were obviously stained by original sin, and they conceived her naturally? That is the mystery of the miracle. We can only conclude that God had already chosen Mary as Christ's mother, even from the first moment of her conception in the womb of her own mother. That being the case, the only reason why Mary was conceived without sin is because of Jesus Christ. Her body (flesh and blood) was redeemed retroactively, by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that wouldn't happen until three decades later, because she was chosen to be the vessel through whom Jesus Christ (The Eternal Word) would enter this world as a human being.
Theologically this is very important, because Jesus received all of his human flesh and blood from Mary. That flesh and blood ought to be unspoiled and unstained by sin. Furthermore, modern science tells us that cells from the mother and child do exchange between them during pregnancy. Jesus and Mary literally shared flesh and blood, as all mothers and their babies do during normal human pregnancy. They were in a state of physical communion during that nine months of pregnancy. That means for Jesus to inherit and maintain a perfect body from his mother, without sin, his physical mother should be without sin as well. Likewise, if Mary was to be in a state of physical communion with her son Jesus, receiving his flesh and blood while he was in her womb, it would be necessary for her to be in a perfect state of grace -- immaculate. While God can do anything he wants, it is only fitting and proper for things to be done this way, and the Scriptures seem to support this with the angelic salutation "full of grace.”
So the doctrine of the immaculate conception does not "deify" Mary as many Protestants falsely believe. Nor does it diminish the role of Christ in the redemption of the human race. You can't even say it's "unbiblical" since the Greek word kecharitomene in Luke 1:28 practically defines the doctrine. Rather, it simply states that Mary was no different than the sinless Eve before the fall. Does this mean that Mary was better than Eve? No. Does this mean that Mary was greater or less than Eve? No. It means she was exactly the same as Eve physically, mentally and spiritually speaking. Does this mean that Mary could have sinned? YES! She most certainly could have followed the example of Eve and disobeyed the command of God. If she had, she would have suffered the same fate as Eve, and carried the stain of original sin herself. But the difference is that when the test was given, Mary chose to obey God whereas Eve did not. Eve's test was in the fruit of the tree. Mary's test was in the fruit of the womb. Eve failed her test, while Mary joyously passed hers. From the moment she responded to the angel, "Behold I am the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word" -- (Luke 1:38), she accepted the Lord's will for her, even though she knew it would bring her hardship. Because of that, Mary's purpose was fulfilled. God preserved her without sin, to be like Eve, so she could become the "New Eve," and bring forth the "New Adam" (Romans 5:12-21) who is Christ the Lord.
So now, the question of "why?" arises. Why did Mary choose to obey God, while Eve chose to disobey? Any answer we give is pure speculation, of course, but I think a fair speculation would be the Old Covenant itself. Mary was a Jew. She was raised her whole life to follow the Jewish laws. Tradition tells us she was educated as a child in the Jerusalem Temple, where she served as a consecrated virgin for the Lord. (Protoevangelium of James) Thus Mary had a grace that Eve was not given -- the Mosaic Law. Because of this, she had an understanding of God that was somewhat of a mystery to Eve. Beyond that, unlike Eve, Mary was able to personally witness the effects of original sin all around her. Eve learnt that lesson the hard way, having no prior experience with sin, she introduced original sin to the world with Adam her husband. Mary, in contrast, spent a lifetime toiling in the effects of that original sin, working for survival in a broken world filled with pain and suffering, even though she herself was sinless. This experience, combined with the Mosaic Law, certainly helped to give Mary the courage to say "yes" to a plan that would ultimately bring much more pain and suffering into her own life.
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary is rich in ancient Jewish symbolism. It is foreshadowed in the Old Testament with the Ark of the Covenant. Hebrews 9:4 tells us that the contents contained inside the Ark of the Covenant were; the stone tablets of the Law (the word of God), along with a jar of manna (bread from heaven) and Aaron's rod (a symbol of the holy priesthood). All of these are images foreshadowing Jesus Christ, who is the incarnate Word of God (John 1:1-4,14), the Bread from Heaven (John 6:31-65) and our eternal High Priest (Hebrews 4:14).
Now the Ark of the Covenant was consecrated to God and considered holy. It was not to be touched by sinful man under penalty of death, and God himself had no problem exacting this penalty, even when a man touched it in an attempt to prevent it from falling (2nd Samuel 6:6-7; 1st Chronicles 13:9-10). This Old Testament example is designed to illustrate that the ark, which carried the symbols of the Old Covenant, was just as holy as the Old Covenant itself.
Now as I said, the stone tablets, manna and rod were signs foreshadowing Jesus Christ. He is the New Covenant. Thus the "ark" that carried him in her womb is holy too, just as the ark that carried the symbols that foreshadowed him was holy. Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant because she carried Jesus Christ in her womb. Jesus, who is the Word of God, the Bread of Life and our eternal High Priest, was carried for nine months inside the "ark" of Mary. She carried him in her arms and on her hip for another two years at least. If the ark of the Old Covenant was holy, than surely this ark of the New Covenant is even holier.
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception points more to Christ than Mary. Though Mary is the object of the doctrine, she is not the subject of it. The subject is Christ, and it is his perfectly sinless body that is being addressed. Through Mary, Jesus inherited the "flesh and blood" of mankind. He bore the genetic code of the fallen human race, yet he did so with one modification, the stain of original sin was removed. The flesh he inherited was immaculate. That immaculate flesh was the gift of his mother -- Mary -- who herself received it as a gift from God. So Jesus really and truly was descended from Adam and Eve through Mary. He really and truly was "one of us," having the same ancestors and genetic code that originated from them. God rehabilitated the original, immaculate nature of humanity in Mary, but her sinlessness didn't help anybody but herself. She was the only beneficiary of this filling of grace (kecharitomene). Mary's sinlessness doesn't save anybody else. It doesn't save me, and it doesn't save you. All God did with the immaculate conception was reset the clock, so to speak, to give one person another chance. For the sake of humanity, and revealing himself in the Law of Moses, God gave one more human being, schooled in that law, a chance to say "yes" for humanity. Her "yes" brought forth the Messiah who would fulfil the Law of Moses, and effectively save the rest of us. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, is a doctrine that points entirely to Jesus Christ. Without him, the Immaculate Conception of Mary makes no logical sense.
In following Jesus Christ, we all become "immaculate" upon our baptism. This is the promise that is given to us. Granted, our bodies (and minds) remain damaged by sin, but this is a temporary condition. Those who are faithful, and endure to the end, not only get to look forward to an afterlife in heaven, but also a future resurrection, in which our recreated bodied will be like those of Jesus and Mary -- perfect and immaculate. In this life, the Christian is privileged to experience an immaculate soul upon the sacraments of baptism and reconciliation. In the next life, however, Christians will be privileged to experience an immaculate body as well.
Written by Shane Schaetzel, reposted by permission. Source: http://catholicozarks.blogspot.com/2014/11/mary-conceived-without-sin.html
Friday, September 26, 2014
Bulletin 223
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
September 28, 2014
16th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: Eph. 3: 13-21
Gospel: Lk. 14: 1-11
Mon 29 No Latin Mass
Tue 30 Saint Jerome; Priest, Confessor & Doctor
Wed 1 Feria
Thu 2 Holy Guardian Angels
Fri 3 Sacred Heart of Jesus
Mass on October 3 will be followed by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and benediction.
The saints found all their happiness in keeping the commandments. Every one of them would have rather suffered martyrdom than to break a commandment. The martyrs suffered the cruelest tortures and deaths simply because they would not transgress the commandments of God!
True happiness is found only in strictly observing God's law! God in His mercy always helps us with His Grace to observe His law. We have nothing to fear! During the time of the Holy Sacrifice let us beg God for strength to obey Him faithfully. We must not let any consideration of earthly gain or loss sway us to transgress them.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
You are cordially invited to experience the sacred liturgy according to Divine Worship (the Anglican Use of the Roman Rite) at Immaculate Conception Church in Springfield on Saturday, October 4th, at 7:30pm. Confessions will he heard at 7pm prior to mass. The sacred liturgy according to Divine Worship is a Vatican approved English version of a liturgy modelled after the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (Traditional Latin Mass). It includes prayers at the foot of the altar, ad orientem (priest facing the Lord), reading of the last gospel, communion on the tongue while kneeling, all in Tudor English. This particular celebration will be modelled after the low mass according to the Extraordinary Form, and will include all of the customary solemnity and reverence. (Modest dress and head coverings are requested.) The mass will be celebrated by Father Kenneth Bolin, priest for the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter, who is currently assigned as a Catholic chaplain at Fort Leonard Wood. He comes at the invitation of His Excellency, Bishop James V. Johnston Jr. to celebrate mass quarterly (4 times a year) for the time being.
This will be a special occasion that is sure to bring greater appreciation for tradition to Catholics in the Springfield area. All Catholics are invited to attend and this mass will meet the Sunday obligation for those in attendance. We encourage you to join us, and please pass this information on to Catholics who regularly attend the Novus Ordo mass.
For more information, please contact Shane Schaetzel at: shane.schaetzel@gmail.com
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
September 28, 2014
16th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: Eph. 3: 13-21
Gospel: Lk. 14: 1-11
Mon 29 No Latin Mass
Tue 30 Saint Jerome; Priest, Confessor & Doctor
Wed 1 Feria
Thu 2 Holy Guardian Angels
Fri 3 Sacred Heart of Jesus
Mass on October 3 will be followed by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and benediction.
The saints found all their happiness in keeping the commandments. Every one of them would have rather suffered martyrdom than to break a commandment. The martyrs suffered the cruelest tortures and deaths simply because they would not transgress the commandments of God!
True happiness is found only in strictly observing God's law! God in His mercy always helps us with His Grace to observe His law. We have nothing to fear! During the time of the Holy Sacrifice let us beg God for strength to obey Him faithfully. We must not let any consideration of earthly gain or loss sway us to transgress them.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
You are cordially invited to experience the sacred liturgy according to Divine Worship (the Anglican Use of the Roman Rite) at Immaculate Conception Church in Springfield on Saturday, October 4th, at 7:30pm. Confessions will he heard at 7pm prior to mass. The sacred liturgy according to Divine Worship is a Vatican approved English version of a liturgy modelled after the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (Traditional Latin Mass). It includes prayers at the foot of the altar, ad orientem (priest facing the Lord), reading of the last gospel, communion on the tongue while kneeling, all in Tudor English. This particular celebration will be modelled after the low mass according to the Extraordinary Form, and will include all of the customary solemnity and reverence. (Modest dress and head coverings are requested.) The mass will be celebrated by Father Kenneth Bolin, priest for the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter, who is currently assigned as a Catholic chaplain at Fort Leonard Wood. He comes at the invitation of His Excellency, Bishop James V. Johnston Jr. to celebrate mass quarterly (4 times a year) for the time being.
This will be a special occasion that is sure to bring greater appreciation for tradition to Catholics in the Springfield area. All Catholics are invited to attend and this mass will meet the Sunday obligation for those in attendance. We encourage you to join us, and please pass this information on to Catholics who regularly attend the Novus Ordo mass.
For more information, please contact Shane Schaetzel at: shane.schaetzel@gmail.com
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Bulletin 220
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
September 7th 2014
13th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: Gal. 3: 16-22
Gospel: Lk. 17: 11-19
Mon 8 No Latin Mass
Tue 9 No Latin Mass
Wed 10 Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, Confessor
Thu 11 Feria
Fri 12 Most Holy Name of Mary
Our next pot-luck dinner will take place in the school cafeteria on Sunday, September 14th immediately following the 2:30pm Mass. All are invited. In conjunction with the potluck dinner, J.B. Kelly's family business will have their “traveling gift shop” set up in the Saint Agnes cafeteria to offer Catholic books, bibles, 1962 missals, DVD's, devotional items, Mystic Monk coffee and tea, and many other gifts.
If you have a special request for a book or other item, please contact J.B. Kelly prior to September 14th. This is provided as a service to the Latin Mass community with thanks to J.B. Kelly.
There will be no Latin Mass on Tuesday, September 9th.
In addition to serving as celebrant for Mass in the Extraordinary Form (Latin) here at Saint Agnes Cathedral in Springfield, Fr. Fasching continues to serve as chaplain to the non-Catholic hospitals in the Springfield area. These include Cox South, Cox North, Cox Walnut Lawn, Ozarks Community Hospital, and Select Specialty Hospital.
Fr. Fasching also assists Father Paul Wightman, O.M.I., with his parishes including Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mansfield; Sacred Heart, Mountain Grove; Saint Leo the Great, Ava; Saint William, Gainesville; and Saint Michael, Cabool.
As you know, there is no scheduled Latin Mass during the week on Mondays. This is Father Fasching's day off. You are asked not to attempt to contact him on this day.
God said to Moses: “Tell my people that if they faithfully observe my commandments, I will fill them with all kinds of blessings, but if they dare to transgress them, I shall punish them with all kinds of sufferings.” God said to Abraham: “Because thou hast faithfully kept my commandments, I will bless thee in everything. I will bless all those who bless thee. I will curse all those who curse thee. Out of thy race the Redeemer of the world shall be born.” God made known to Abraham's people when the time had arrived for them to enter into the promised land. “The people who dwelt in this land committed great sins. For this reason I shall drive them out and put you in their place. But take care not to transgress my commandments. If you keep them faithfully, I shall bless you in and above everything. When you are in the fields or in your houses I shall bless your children, who will then love you, respect you and obey you, and give you all kinds of consolation. I will command the heavens to give you rain at the proper times, as much as will be necessary to water your fields and your meadows. Everything will prosper for you.”
In another place in the Scriptures God says: “If you keep my commandments faithfully I shall watch unceasingly over your preservation. You can be without fear in your houses. I will prevent the wild beasts from harming you. You will be able to sleep in peace. Nothing will disturb you. I will always be with you. I shall walk with you. I am your God, and you will be my people.” Again He says to Moses: “Say unto my people, that if they keep my commandments I will deliver them from all evils that oppress them.” And the Holy Ghost says that “he who keeps the commandments of God is happier than if he possessed all the wealth on the earth.”
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
September 7th 2014
13th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: Gal. 3: 16-22
Gospel: Lk. 17: 11-19
Mon 8 No Latin Mass
Tue 9 No Latin Mass
Wed 10 Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, Confessor
Thu 11 Feria
Fri 12 Most Holy Name of Mary
Our next pot-luck dinner will take place in the school cafeteria on Sunday, September 14th immediately following the 2:30pm Mass. All are invited. In conjunction with the potluck dinner, J.B. Kelly's family business will have their “traveling gift shop” set up in the Saint Agnes cafeteria to offer Catholic books, bibles, 1962 missals, DVD's, devotional items, Mystic Monk coffee and tea, and many other gifts.
If you have a special request for a book or other item, please contact J.B. Kelly prior to September 14th. This is provided as a service to the Latin Mass community with thanks to J.B. Kelly.
There will be no Latin Mass on Tuesday, September 9th.
In addition to serving as celebrant for Mass in the Extraordinary Form (Latin) here at Saint Agnes Cathedral in Springfield, Fr. Fasching continues to serve as chaplain to the non-Catholic hospitals in the Springfield area. These include Cox South, Cox North, Cox Walnut Lawn, Ozarks Community Hospital, and Select Specialty Hospital.
Fr. Fasching also assists Father Paul Wightman, O.M.I., with his parishes including Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mansfield; Sacred Heart, Mountain Grove; Saint Leo the Great, Ava; Saint William, Gainesville; and Saint Michael, Cabool.
As you know, there is no scheduled Latin Mass during the week on Mondays. This is Father Fasching's day off. You are asked not to attempt to contact him on this day.
God said to Moses: “Tell my people that if they faithfully observe my commandments, I will fill them with all kinds of blessings, but if they dare to transgress them, I shall punish them with all kinds of sufferings.” God said to Abraham: “Because thou hast faithfully kept my commandments, I will bless thee in everything. I will bless all those who bless thee. I will curse all those who curse thee. Out of thy race the Redeemer of the world shall be born.” God made known to Abraham's people when the time had arrived for them to enter into the promised land. “The people who dwelt in this land committed great sins. For this reason I shall drive them out and put you in their place. But take care not to transgress my commandments. If you keep them faithfully, I shall bless you in and above everything. When you are in the fields or in your houses I shall bless your children, who will then love you, respect you and obey you, and give you all kinds of consolation. I will command the heavens to give you rain at the proper times, as much as will be necessary to water your fields and your meadows. Everything will prosper for you.”
In another place in the Scriptures God says: “If you keep my commandments faithfully I shall watch unceasingly over your preservation. You can be without fear in your houses. I will prevent the wild beasts from harming you. You will be able to sleep in peace. Nothing will disturb you. I will always be with you. I shall walk with you. I am your God, and you will be my people.” Again He says to Moses: “Say unto my people, that if they keep my commandments I will deliver them from all evils that oppress them.” And the Holy Ghost says that “he who keeps the commandments of God is happier than if he possessed all the wealth on the earth.”
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Bulletin 203
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
May 11, 2014
Third Sunday after Easter
Epistle: 1 Pet. 2: 11-19
Gospel: Jn. 16: 16-22
Mon 12 No Latin Mass
Tue 13 No Latin Mass
Wed 14 Feria of Paschaltide
Thu 15 Saint John Baptist de la Salle, Confessor
Fri 16 Saint Ubaldus; Bishop, Confessor & Doctor
Happy Mother’s Day!
Mass on June 22nd (the External Solemnity of Corpus Christi) will begin at 1:30pm.
Most people who suffer ask the question: “What have I done to God that He should send me so much misery?” The answer is that God sends you the affliction because of your sins. Consider all the commandments. Which one have we not broken? Are all the bad habits we have acquired for so long a time ignored? What about our pride? What about our vanity, self-love, quick tempers, jealousy? How about the ways we have neglected the Blessed Sacrament? What penance have we done to atone for our sins? What good works have we done? After having committed so many sins why have we shed so few tears? God chastises only to heal the wounds which we as sinners have inflicted upon our own souls! God sends us suffering only to crown us with eternal glory. Consider the story of Job…”If we have received good things from God, should we not also accept evil?”
In Christ,
Fr. Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
May 11, 2014
Third Sunday after Easter
Epistle: 1 Pet. 2: 11-19
Gospel: Jn. 16: 16-22
Mon 12 No Latin Mass
Tue 13 No Latin Mass
Wed 14 Feria of Paschaltide
Thu 15 Saint John Baptist de la Salle, Confessor
Fri 16 Saint Ubaldus; Bishop, Confessor & Doctor
Happy Mother’s Day!
Mass on June 22nd (the External Solemnity of Corpus Christi) will begin at 1:30pm.
Most people who suffer ask the question: “What have I done to God that He should send me so much misery?” The answer is that God sends you the affliction because of your sins. Consider all the commandments. Which one have we not broken? Are all the bad habits we have acquired for so long a time ignored? What about our pride? What about our vanity, self-love, quick tempers, jealousy? How about the ways we have neglected the Blessed Sacrament? What penance have we done to atone for our sins? What good works have we done? After having committed so many sins why have we shed so few tears? God chastises only to heal the wounds which we as sinners have inflicted upon our own souls! God sends us suffering only to crown us with eternal glory. Consider the story of Job…”If we have received good things from God, should we not also accept evil?”
In Christ,
Fr. Jeff Fasching
Monday, January 27, 2014
Bulletin 189
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
February 2, 2014
Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Epistle: Mal. 3: 1-4
Gospel: Lk. 2: 22-32
Mass Schedule February 3-7
Mon 3 No Latin Mass
Tue 4 Saint Andrew Corsini, Bishop & Confessor
Wed 5 Saint Agatha * Virgin & Martyr
Thu 6 Saint Titus, Bishop & Confessor
Fri 7 Sacred Heart of Jesus
Mass on February 7 will be followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and benediction.
February 3 is the feast of Saint Blasé, Bishop and Martyr. In honor of Saint Blasé the traditional blessing of throats will take place immediately following the 2:30pm Mass on February 2.
Sunday, February 2 the Church celebrates the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. These events occurred forty days after the birth of Jesus. In the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite February 2 closes out the Christmas season.
Our Lord Jesus Christ was presented in the Temple by the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph in obedience to the Old Law. Christ is revealed as the Messiah and Simeon sings out his Canticle Nunc dimittis. Christ is the light of the nations; hence there will be a blessing of candles with a procession before Mass begins.
To commemorate these two great feasts the faithful are invited to bring Candles (made from bees wax) to be blessed before the 2:30pm Mass on February 2. The procession commemorates the Lord’s entry into the Temple in Jerusalem and Christ’s entering into God’s house for the first time. You are invited to reflect upon the dispositions of the Blessed Virgin Mary as she presents Christ in the Temple. She shows her obedience to the Law of Moses and, as always, is a shining example of humility and purity.
In Christo Jesu et Maria Immaculata,
Fr. Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
February 2, 2014
Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Epistle: Mal. 3: 1-4
Gospel: Lk. 2: 22-32
Mass Schedule February 3-7
Mon 3 No Latin Mass
Tue 4 Saint Andrew Corsini, Bishop & Confessor
Wed 5 Saint Agatha * Virgin & Martyr
Thu 6 Saint Titus, Bishop & Confessor
Fri 7 Sacred Heart of Jesus
Mass on February 7 will be followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and benediction.
February 3 is the feast of Saint Blasé, Bishop and Martyr. In honor of Saint Blasé the traditional blessing of throats will take place immediately following the 2:30pm Mass on February 2.
Sunday, February 2 the Church celebrates the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. These events occurred forty days after the birth of Jesus. In the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite February 2 closes out the Christmas season.
Our Lord Jesus Christ was presented in the Temple by the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph in obedience to the Old Law. Christ is revealed as the Messiah and Simeon sings out his Canticle Nunc dimittis. Christ is the light of the nations; hence there will be a blessing of candles with a procession before Mass begins.
To commemorate these two great feasts the faithful are invited to bring Candles (made from bees wax) to be blessed before the 2:30pm Mass on February 2. The procession commemorates the Lord’s entry into the Temple in Jerusalem and Christ’s entering into God’s house for the first time. You are invited to reflect upon the dispositions of the Blessed Virgin Mary as she presents Christ in the Temple. She shows her obedience to the Law of Moses and, as always, is a shining example of humility and purity.
In Christo Jesu et Maria Immaculata,
Fr. Jeff Fasching
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Bulletin 174
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
October 20th, 2013
22nd Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: Phil. 1: 6-11
Gospel: Mt. 22: 15-21
The annual clergy conference will be held in Branson, MO October 21st through October 25th. There will be no 12:15pm Latin Mass this week.
Our next pot-luck dinner will be on Sunday, November 3rd following the 2:30pm Latin Mass in the school cafeteria. This will be combined with an all-saints day party.
Sunday, October 27 is the feast of the Kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ. One may gain a plenary indulgence by the public recitation of the Act of Consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The following is the text of prayer:
Most sweet Jesus,
Redeemer of the human race,
look down upon us,
humbly prostrate before Thine altar.
We are Thine and Thine we wish to be;
but to be more surely united with Thee,
behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today
to Thy Most Sacred Heart.
Many, indeed, have never known Thee;
many, too, despising Thy precepts,
have rejected Thee.
Have mercy on them all,
most merciful Jesus,
and draw them to Thy Sacred Heart.
Be Thou King, O Lord,
not only of the faithful who have never forsaken Thee,
but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned Thee,
grant that they may quickly return to their Father's house,
lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.
Be Thou King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions,
or whom discord keeps aloof
and call them back to the harbour of truth and unity of faith,
so that soon there may be but one flock and one shepherd.
Be Thou King of all those who even now sit in the shadow of idolatry or Islam,
and refuse not Thou to bring them into the light of Thy kingdom.
Look, finally, with eyes of pity upon the children of that race,
which was for so long a time Thy chosen people;
and let Thy Blood, which was once invoked upon them in vengeance,
now descend upon them also in a cleansing flood of redemption and eternal life.
Grant, O Lord,
to Thy Church,
assurance of freedom and immunity from harm;
give peace and order to all nations,
and make the earth resound
from pole to pole with one cry:
Praise to the Divine Heart
that wrought our salvation:
to it be glory
and honour forever.
Amen
Fr. Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
October 20th, 2013
22nd Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: Phil. 1: 6-11
Gospel: Mt. 22: 15-21
The annual clergy conference will be held in Branson, MO October 21st through October 25th. There will be no 12:15pm Latin Mass this week.
Our next pot-luck dinner will be on Sunday, November 3rd following the 2:30pm Latin Mass in the school cafeteria. This will be combined with an all-saints day party.
Sunday, October 27 is the feast of the Kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ. One may gain a plenary indulgence by the public recitation of the Act of Consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The following is the text of prayer:
Most sweet Jesus,
Redeemer of the human race,
look down upon us,
humbly prostrate before Thine altar.
We are Thine and Thine we wish to be;
but to be more surely united with Thee,
behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today
to Thy Most Sacred Heart.
Many, indeed, have never known Thee;
many, too, despising Thy precepts,
have rejected Thee.
Have mercy on them all,
most merciful Jesus,
and draw them to Thy Sacred Heart.
Be Thou King, O Lord,
not only of the faithful who have never forsaken Thee,
but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned Thee,
grant that they may quickly return to their Father's house,
lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.
Be Thou King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions,
or whom discord keeps aloof
and call them back to the harbour of truth and unity of faith,
so that soon there may be but one flock and one shepherd.
Be Thou King of all those who even now sit in the shadow of idolatry or Islam,
and refuse not Thou to bring them into the light of Thy kingdom.
Look, finally, with eyes of pity upon the children of that race,
which was for so long a time Thy chosen people;
and let Thy Blood, which was once invoked upon them in vengeance,
now descend upon them also in a cleansing flood of redemption and eternal life.
Grant, O Lord,
to Thy Church,
assurance of freedom and immunity from harm;
give peace and order to all nations,
and make the earth resound
from pole to pole with one cry:
Praise to the Divine Heart
that wrought our salvation:
to it be glory
and honour forever.
Amen
Fr. Jeff Fasching
Monday, July 22, 2013
Bulletin 162
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
July 28, 2013 10th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: 1 Cor. 12: 2-11; Gospel: Luke 18: 9-14
Mass Schedule July 29th through August 2nd
Mon 29 Saint Martha, Virgin—No Latin Mass
Tue 30 Feria
Wed 31 Saint Ignatius Loyola, Confessor
Thu 1 Feria
Fri 2 Sacred Heart of Jesus
The next pot-luck dinner will be this Sunday, July 28th in the school cafeteria immediately following the 2:30pm Latin Mass. All are invited to attend.
Friday, August 2nd is the first Friday of the month. There will be adoration of the Blessed Sacrament followed by benediction after the 12:15pm Mass.
While proclaiming that men are saved by faith and not by the works of the law, Saint Paul at the same time teaches that God will reward every person according to his works and that each one will reap only what he sows. In his letter to the Romans Saint Paul writes: “On that day…He will repay every man for what he has done: eternal life to those who strive for glory, honor, and immortality by patiently doing right; wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness…There will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who has done good”… (Rom 2.6-10).
Saint Paul encourages those who labor for the Lord by assuring them that “Each will receive his wages in proportion to his toil” (1Cor 3.8). “Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being. Do it for the Lord rather than for men, since you know full well you will receive an inheritance from Him as your reward” (Col 3.23f).
In other texts Saint Paul speaks of running the race to win the prize. In his letter to the Corinthians he says: “You know that while all the runners in the stadium take part in the race, the award goes to one man. In that case, run so as to win! Athletes deny themselves all sorts of things. They do this to win a crown of leaves that withers, but we a crown that is imperishable. I do not run like a man who loses sight of the finish line…What I do is discipline my own body and master it…Phil 3.14: “My entire attention is on the finish line as I run toward the prize to which God calls me—life on high in Christ Jesus.”
In Christ,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
July 28, 2013 10th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: 1 Cor. 12: 2-11; Gospel: Luke 18: 9-14
Mass Schedule July 29th through August 2nd
Mon 29 Saint Martha, Virgin—No Latin Mass
Tue 30 Feria
Wed 31 Saint Ignatius Loyola, Confessor
Thu 1 Feria
Fri 2 Sacred Heart of Jesus
The next pot-luck dinner will be this Sunday, July 28th in the school cafeteria immediately following the 2:30pm Latin Mass. All are invited to attend.
Friday, August 2nd is the first Friday of the month. There will be adoration of the Blessed Sacrament followed by benediction after the 12:15pm Mass.
While proclaiming that men are saved by faith and not by the works of the law, Saint Paul at the same time teaches that God will reward every person according to his works and that each one will reap only what he sows. In his letter to the Romans Saint Paul writes: “On that day…He will repay every man for what he has done: eternal life to those who strive for glory, honor, and immortality by patiently doing right; wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness…There will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who has done good”… (Rom 2.6-10).
Saint Paul encourages those who labor for the Lord by assuring them that “Each will receive his wages in proportion to his toil” (1Cor 3.8). “Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being. Do it for the Lord rather than for men, since you know full well you will receive an inheritance from Him as your reward” (Col 3.23f).
In other texts Saint Paul speaks of running the race to win the prize. In his letter to the Corinthians he says: “You know that while all the runners in the stadium take part in the race, the award goes to one man. In that case, run so as to win! Athletes deny themselves all sorts of things. They do this to win a crown of leaves that withers, but we a crown that is imperishable. I do not run like a man who loses sight of the finish line…What I do is discipline my own body and master it…Phil 3.14: “My entire attention is on the finish line as I run toward the prize to which God calls me—life on high in Christ Jesus.”
In Christ,
Father Jeff Fasching
Monday, December 17, 2012
Bulletin 132
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
December 23rd, 2012; Fourth Sunday of Advent (Rorate Sunday)
Epistle: 1 Cor. 4: 1-5; Gospel: Lk. 3: 1-6
Mass schedule December 24th through December 28th
Monday: Vigil of Christmas—Midnight Mass
Tuesday: The Nativity of Our Lord—Mass at 2:30pm
Wednesday: Saint Stephen * Protomartyr
Thursday: Saint John * Apostle & Evangelist
Friday: Holy Innocents * Martyrs
Mass on New Year’s Day will be at 2:30pm.
*Mass on Sunday, December 30th will be at 7:00pm*
Satan used ambition, pride and arrogance to tempt Adam and Eve. Ambition is what drove Lucifer out of heaven and into Hell. He arrogantly tempted Adam and Eve by telling them not that they would be God’s equal, but that they would be “like God.” After eating the fruit they would know the difference between good and evil. This ambition puffed up their pride. They presumed to share in the divine wisdom and knowledge and allowed themselves to be seduced by Satan.
Some theologians speculate that is was envy that caused the fall of Lucifer and him minions. They knew that the Lord would create humanity. God would communicate Himself to his nature. He would go so far as to become incarnate and unite His Divinity with our humanity! These two natures would form one person! Knowing this, the fallen angels were moved with envy. They didn’t like the fact that the Creator planned to elevate human nature above theirs. They became jealous, ambitious and prideful. Finally, they stumbled miserably.
Now consider the humility of Saint John the Baptist. Remember Saint John the Baptist was sanctified in the womb of Saint Anne when he leaped at the presence of Jesus Christ at the Visitation. His humility was second only to The Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ Himself. Saint John was tempted with one of the most violent temptations to pride and ambition imaginable. Furthermore, the temptation came at the hands of his friends, rather than his enemies. They were sent to him from Jerusalem by the doctors of the Law.
It is very interesting to note that the religious leaders were expecting the Messiah. They saw that all the prophecies had been fulfilled. Jesus Christ came, taught His doctrine, performed miracles and backed up all He said by His works. Despite all this the religious leaders refused to acknowledge Him. Instead, they go looking for somebody else!
Saint John is asked: “Who are you?” Saint John clearly responded: “I am not the Christ.” “Are you Elias?” “No.” “Are you the Prophet?” “No.” Saint John rejected all the honors and titles which did not apply to him. But he even went so far as to reject even those that he had a right to accept! He attained such a degree of humility that he conquered every pride and ambition presented to him!
Let us continue to pray for humility and contrition as we approach the Nativity of Our Lord.
In Christ,
Fr. Jeffery Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
December 23rd, 2012; Fourth Sunday of Advent (Rorate Sunday)
Epistle: 1 Cor. 4: 1-5; Gospel: Lk. 3: 1-6
Mass schedule December 24th through December 28th
Monday: Vigil of Christmas—Midnight Mass
Tuesday: The Nativity of Our Lord—Mass at 2:30pm
Wednesday: Saint Stephen * Protomartyr
Thursday: Saint John * Apostle & Evangelist
Friday: Holy Innocents * Martyrs
Mass on New Year’s Day will be at 2:30pm.
*Mass on Sunday, December 30th will be at 7:00pm*
Satan used ambition, pride and arrogance to tempt Adam and Eve. Ambition is what drove Lucifer out of heaven and into Hell. He arrogantly tempted Adam and Eve by telling them not that they would be God’s equal, but that they would be “like God.” After eating the fruit they would know the difference between good and evil. This ambition puffed up their pride. They presumed to share in the divine wisdom and knowledge and allowed themselves to be seduced by Satan.
Some theologians speculate that is was envy that caused the fall of Lucifer and him minions. They knew that the Lord would create humanity. God would communicate Himself to his nature. He would go so far as to become incarnate and unite His Divinity with our humanity! These two natures would form one person! Knowing this, the fallen angels were moved with envy. They didn’t like the fact that the Creator planned to elevate human nature above theirs. They became jealous, ambitious and prideful. Finally, they stumbled miserably.
Now consider the humility of Saint John the Baptist. Remember Saint John the Baptist was sanctified in the womb of Saint Anne when he leaped at the presence of Jesus Christ at the Visitation. His humility was second only to The Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ Himself. Saint John was tempted with one of the most violent temptations to pride and ambition imaginable. Furthermore, the temptation came at the hands of his friends, rather than his enemies. They were sent to him from Jerusalem by the doctors of the Law.
It is very interesting to note that the religious leaders were expecting the Messiah. They saw that all the prophecies had been fulfilled. Jesus Christ came, taught His doctrine, performed miracles and backed up all He said by His works. Despite all this the religious leaders refused to acknowledge Him. Instead, they go looking for somebody else!
Saint John is asked: “Who are you?” Saint John clearly responded: “I am not the Christ.” “Are you Elias?” “No.” “Are you the Prophet?” “No.” Saint John rejected all the honors and titles which did not apply to him. But he even went so far as to reject even those that he had a right to accept! He attained such a degree of humility that he conquered every pride and ambition presented to him!
Let us continue to pray for humility and contrition as we approach the Nativity of Our Lord.
In Christ,
Fr. Jeffery Fasching
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