Monks of Golgotha
The other week I got sent an email with a link to a documentary about the Catholic Monks which live up in Scotland:
(Thanks to Mr. Masek for this one!)
Category: Catholicism
Sunday Lectionary: Living Bread From Heaven
These notes have been taking up too much of my time again. I’m really going to try and concentrate on keeping them brief…
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: August 12th, 2012
Our Readings this week continue building on the themes of the past few weeks. In our First Reading we hear about how God provided bread and water for Elijah in the desert and in our Gospel Jesus continues with His the “Bread of life Discourse”. In our Second Reading Paul continues His moral exhortation to the Ephesians.
O sacrament of mercy, O sign of unity, O bond of love! Whoso wishes to live, let him draw nigh, believe, be incorporated, that he may be quickened. – St. Augustine
TOT: Discernment with Fr Matt Spahr
It’s “Theology On Tap” time again here in San Diego!
For the next four weeks at Phil’s BBQ here in San Diego the Young Adult Catholic community will be hearing talks from a number of different speakers:
Aug 7: “What is your purpose? What is your call?”
Learning to listen to God’s voice and follow it. -Fr. Matt Spahr
Aug 14: “Citizens and Disciples”
Voting your conscience! What does that look like?- Cy Kellet
Aug 21: “How to live the single life AND meet Mr/Mrs Right”
Living the single life according to God’s will.- Karen Saroki
Aug 28th: “Love, dating and relationships”
Calling all people wanting to love and be loved according to God’s holy desire.” -Jackie Francois
This week we heard from Fr. Matt Spahr, the pastor at the Immaculata parish here in San Diego speak on the subject of discernment (I’ve written quite a bit on the subject of my on discernment here: “Discerning Thoughts”, “Discernment Frustrations”, “That Special Something”, “Three Images of Discernment”).
Here is Fr. Sphar’s short biography:
Father Matthew Spahr, a priest of the Diocese of San Diego, was born and raised in San Diego. He attended local Catholic schools including the University of San Diego and North American College in Rome. He was ordained in 1992 and is currently director of the Office for Priestly Formation for the Diocese, and the pastor of The Immaculata Parish on the campus of USD.
I was really pleased that we finally managed to get Fr. Matt to speak at Theology on Tap. I will unabashedly say that he is my favourite homilist here in San Diego. Every time Carrie, the Young Adult Coordinator for our Diocese, asked me who we should have to speak at the next Theology on Tap, I would always ask her to try again to secure Fr. Matt. Here is the audio:
Fr. Matt – Main Talk Fr. Matt – Q & A
(The intro/outro music is Public Domain and available here)
Leading a Bible study Feedback: Part 3
Over the last couple of days I’ve been looking at the comments I received in response to my Leading A Bible Study series. So far I have considered the feedback concerning the meeting location and the feedback concerning the discussion portion of the evening.
Today I would like to finish by looking at some of the suggestions I received regarding the conclusion of the meeting.
Assigning “homework” or a challenge each week can really help bridge the gap between life inside and outside the Bible study… but, if you’re not careful, it can end up feeling like a burden…
Leading a Bible study Feedback: Part 2
Today I’m going to continue looking at some of the feedback I received from my series on Leading a Bible Study. Yesterday I considered the meeting location and today I’m going to look at the comments concerning the discussion itself.
A Bible study leader should try and encourage the shy members of the group to speak up
Leading a Bible study Feedback: Part 1
Last month I published a series entitled Leading A Bible Study. I wrote those posts for two reasons. The first reason was to clarify in my own mind some of the lessons I had learned from leading various church groups. The other reason was to provide a resource for those beginning similar endeavours.
Upon completing the series, I sent out requests for feedback. I contacted friends, other Bible study leaders, as well as some random people on the Internet!
In response to the feedback I received, I decided to write a few follow-up posts on this subject. I will devote a post to each area of feedback, quoting the feedback received and offering my own comments in RED.
Sunday Lectionary: Bread from Heaven
I’ve been on vacation this week so my notes are late and not quite as polished as they are normally.
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: 2nd August, 2012
Our Readings this week focus again on the subject of sacred food.
In the First Reading, we read how the Israelites were fed with manna in the desert. The manna is also the subject of this week’s Psalm, as psalmist proclaims “The Lord gave them bread from heaven”. These are also the words quoted by the crowd who come to Jesus after “The Feeding of the Multitude”. The crowd comes expecting another free meal, but rather than filling their stomachs, Jesus directs them towards deeper spiritual realities, declaring Himself to be “the bread of life” and that “whoever comes…will never hunger, and whoever believes…will never thirst”.
Our understanding of the Second Reading may be illuminated by considering the rite of Baptism in the early centuries of the Church. In preparation for the Sacrament, someone wishing to be baptised would receive a period of instruction. Afterwards, he would then arrive at the Baptismal pool and shed himself of his clothes, symbolically demonstrating that he wished to “put away the old self of [the] former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires”. He would then descend into the baptismal pool where he would be washed in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, “renewed in the spirit of [his] mind”. He would then ascend and be clothed in a white garment to show that he had “put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth”. After having been washed in the waters of regeneration, this newly-born Christian would be admitted to the liturgy of the Eucharist where he would finally receive the bread of life.
We too have been washed in the waters of baptism, we too have been admitted to the altar. Let us live our lives this week in the “holiness of truth” . We do not receive simply the “bread of angels”, but something even greater, “the bread of life” Himself.
When, through the hand of the priest, you receive the Body of Christ, think not of the priest which you see, but of the Priest you do not see. The priest is the dispenser of this food, not the author. The Son of man gives Himself to us, that we may abide in Him, and He in us – Alcuin
