August 2008

The Family Foundation School Catholic Community Bulletin

Pauca Verba (a few words)

When I return from Italy in the middle of September, I’ll be offering us a scripture study for about 6 weeks: Saint Luke, the Good News of God’s Mercy. Time and place yet to be determined. We’ll pull six themes out of Saint Luke’s Gospel which will give us good insight into the teaching of Jesus through Luke, the Evangelist. (An evangelist is a gospel writer – the teller of God’s Good News in Jesus Christ.

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Also, when I return, there will be Adoration all day – from after morning Mass to dinner time. A great opportunity to add some silence to your life. Taking away the excuses we make about prayer. A time to put down some roots into prayer. There are about 8 students who will be looking for you to join for an hour. I hope you see the value. Prayer makes these guys happy and maturing members of the community. Think about coming to see!

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All the books used at Mass must be opened and closed quietly – picked up and put down quietly. Big noise spoils the spirit of the liturgy we’ve entered. Neck cracking, finger cracking, back cracking, head rolling, resting out butts on the back of the pew – DON’T. Bent way over with our heads down and buried away – sends a message of sleep to others. Not a good idea. Better to come up front where the closeness to the altar may intrigue you. Talk to Nick M., Steve W., Jim M. who will be happy to share with you the value of being up front.

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Last week we saw the silver ciborium. Ciborium comes from the Latin word cibus (chee-bus) which means food. Get it?
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Abba (Father) Paisius said: “The greatest virtue is the one done in secret.”

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Have you noticed Yuri’s splendid icon of the Descent into Hades in our chapel. Let’s be careful not to bump against it.

The ancient creed says: “He descended into hell; the third day he arose again from the dead.” So here in the icon, Jesus has gone down into the place of the dead to find all that had been lost to God by sin. Jesus has knocked down the gates of death – they are crisscrossed beneath his feet. The nuts and bolts, and screws and locks and keys are all spiraling in a dark abyss! Jesus pulls Adam and Eve up and out of their coffins and brings them up to new life. They are symbols of us when we are lost in the darkness of our worst living…up and out of our confusion and fears….our old wounds and even up from our physical death that wants to seal us in.

Those who died before Jesus Resurrection are there waiting and witnessing. No one is lost to God. The three magi, who had traveled to see the Little Christ at his birth, are there on the left. John the Baptist whose message of “repent” – “turn around to God” is a witness. The Holy Prophet Isaiah is there who foretold so much of Christ and the great kings of the Bible Solomon and David.

Can I imagine in my prayer, that when I am most hidden and locked up in darkness and wrong headedness – that Jesus breaks down all the barriers and comes to lift me up to a new way of being human! It’s true. Lift up your head.

“Welcome, Risen Lord Jesus!”

Spend some time with the icon. Put yourself into the scene. What the Word of God does for our ears, the icon does for our eyes.

Christ is Risen from the dead,

Trampling down death by death,

And upon those in the tomb,

Bestowing life!

Eastern Hymn for the Feast of the Resurrection

(A hymn for my life too!)