Blog of the Archdiocese of Washington
A beautiful love story lies at the heart of today’s Easter gospel. In a subtle way, the evangelist has portrayed Mary Magdalene as the woman lover in the Old Testament’s Song of Songs. This lover searches for her beloved in the night, just as Mary Magdalene went to the tomb before the sun had risen. …
The Passion which we read in today’s liturgy is too long to comment on in detail. We are only able to take a portion and examine it. It may be of some value to examine the “middle range” of problems and personalities. The usual villains such as the Temple leaders, Judas, and the recruited crowd …
Continue reading “See What the End Shall Be – A Meditation on the Gospel of Passion Sunday”
Binding heaven and earth Today’s Basilica of St. Mark recalls not only the evangelist Mark, but a holy Pope of the same name who constructed a basilica here in the mid-fourth century. This was replaced by another basilica in the sixth century and a third in the ninth century. What we have now is the …
The Gospel today says that Jesus was tempted by the Devil in the desert. Hebrews 4:15 also affirms: For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. How exactly a divine person, with a sinless …
In ancient Greek mythology the dog Cerberus guarded the entrance to Hades (the misty and gloomy underworld, the abode of the dead), permitting anyone to enter but none to leave. Cerberus is usually depicted as a three headed dog and some have tried to link this to his seeing the past, present and future. Cerberus’ …
Continue reading “Cerberus, the Three-Headed Dog. An Allegory for What Ails Our Culture?”
In the secular world a mystery is something which baffles or eludes understanding, something which lies hidden or undisclosed. Now the usual attitude of the world toward mystery is to solve it, get to the bottom of it or uncover it. Mysteries must be overcome! The riddle of “who-done-it” must be solved. In the religious …
Joseph and Mary have ascended to Jerusalem to fulfill two ancient mandates: the Rite of Purification for a woman after childbirth and the Rite of Presentation of their firstborn male child, Jesus. These rites set the stage for a dramatic moment in Biblical history, a moment missed by almost everyone. We shall explore this dramatic …
Continue reading “A Dramatic Moment That Almost Everyone Missed”
From Sri Lanka comes the following article: Priests at St Lucia’s Cathedral in Colombo are insisting that young women cover their heads while at Mass. The move is part of a drive to have churchgoers dress appropriately during religious ceremonies. Many Catholics have complained that churchgoers in Colombo turn up for services in short skirts, halter …
Continue reading “Veils Again – Colombo Cathedral Mandates the Use of Veil For Women”