Tag: John Paul II
Psalm 47(46): Praise the Lord, King of all the Earth
In Psalm 46 (47), which we just prayed. It is designed as a hymn to the sovereign Lord of the universe and of history: “God is king over all the earth … God rules over all nations” (vv. 8-9). Like other similar compositions in the Psalter (cf. Ps 92; 95-98), this hymn to the Lord, the king… Read More ›
Mary lived martyrdom of the soul
The Annunciation, recounted at the beginning of St Luke’s Gospel, is a humble, hidden event – no one saw it, no one except Mary knew of it -, but at the same time it was crucial to the history of humanity. When the Virgin said her “yes” to the Angel’s announcement, Jesus was conceived and… Read More ›
Struggles with darkness often lead to eruption into light
It is a “dark” time of year, which means that those of Light shine all the brighter. It is like a seed. In the earth, before it bursts forth, a seed is in the darkness of surrounding ground and must reach forth and grow and endure against the darkness of soil before erupting into the… Read More ›
Feast of All Saints
3. Today’s liturgy speaks completely of holiness. But to know what is the way to holiness, we must go with the Apostles up the mount of the Beatitudes to draw near to Jesus and listen to the words of life that come from his lips. Today too he says to us again: “Blessed are the poor… Read More ›
Psalm 27(26):7-14: Confidence in God in times of tribulation
1. The Liturgy of Vespers has divided Psalm 27[26] into two parts, following the text’s structure which is similar to a diptych. We have just proclaimed the second part of this hymn of trust that is raised to the Lord on the dark day of the assault of evil. Verses 7 to 14 of the Psalm open… Read More ›
Our Lady in Eygpt
On April 2nd, 1968, two Muslim mechanics worked late into the evening at a garage across the street from St. Mary’s, a Coptic Orthodox Church in the poor community of Zeitoun. A few women were on the street at the time, but little else was happening. Some sudden movement on the Church’s dome caught the… Read More ›
John Paul II, John XXIII to be canonized Divine Mercy Sunday
Rome, Italy, Sep 30, 2013 / 03:34 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican has announced that former Popes John Paul II and John XXIII are slated to be canonized this coming spring. The announcement was made following the Sept. 30 consistory, in which the Holy Father proclaimed that the pontiffs would be canonized together April 27,… Read More ›
Psalm 27(26): 1-6 – The Lord is my light and my help!
1. Today we continue on our journey through Vespers with Psalm 27[26], which the liturgy separates into two different passages. Let us now follow the first part of this poetical and spiritual diptych (vv. 1-6) whose background is the Temple of Zion, Israel’s place of worship. Indeed, the Psalmist speaks explicitly of the “house of the Lord”,… Read More ›
Pope Francis carries forward papal commitment to peace
Vatican City, Sep 7, 2013 / 06:35 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In calling for a day of fasting and prayer for peace on Sept. 7, Pope Francis is following a long tradition of Popes showing a deep commitment to peace. There is “an evolution of the theology of peace” from the pontificate of Pope Pius IX… Read More ›
Psalm 21(20): For the king trusts in the Lord!
1. At the heart of Psalm 21[20], the Liturgy of Vespers has left out the part we have just heard and omitted another section with an imprecatory tone (cf. vv. 9-13). The remaining preserved part speaks in the past and in the present of the favours God has granted the king, while the omitted part… Read More ›