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“The Passion of Our Lord: ‘Eloi, Eloi, Lema Sabachthani?’” (Mark 15:33-47) “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” So cries Jesus from the cross, as found in Matthew and Mark, where it is the only word from the cross that is recorded. “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” What is so striking about this is that it is spoken, and recorded for us, in another language. That language is Aramaic, which is sort of a cousin to Hebrew. Aramaic was the everyday language that Jewish people like Jesus spoke at that time. And we find several places in the gospels where Jesus’ words in Aramaic...

“The Passion of Our Lord: Blessing before Betrayal” (Mark 14:12-31) For these midweek Lenten services, we’re doing a series on “The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Mark.” We’re working our way through Mark chapters 14 and 15, where Christ willingly enters into his time of suffering for our salvation. Last week we began with the account of Jesus being anointed with pure nard and then explaining that this was to prepare him for his burial. Our Lord knew what was coming, and still he went through with what lay ahead. That’s how strong his love for...

“The Passion of Our Lord: Anointed for Burial” (Mark 14:1-11) This year Ash Wednesday happens to fall on Valentine’s Day. And I think that’s a happy coincidence. Because on Valentine’s Day, our thoughts are all about love. And there is no greater love than the love that God has for us in sending us our Savior Jesus Christ. As it says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Or in 1 John chapter 4: “In this is love, not that...

One of the more enigmatic figures from early Christian history is Saint Veronica—the woman known to Catholics from the Sixth Station of the Cross, who is said to have wiped the face of Jesus while He carried His cross on the road to Calvary. There is a memorable and beautifully presented sequence of scenes featuring Veronica in Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ. But nowhere is the woman or the incident described mentioned in Sacred Scripture. To learn about Veronica, we must turn to extra-biblical sources. The first mention of a woman named Veronica associated with Our Lord may be...

It's Easter and Passover at SteynOnline. This column has become something of a tradition here at this time of year: my thoughts on Mel Gibson's big blockbuster from just shy of twenty Easters ago. Mel has spent the last decade getting a little crazier with every year that passes.... Surprisingly, there have been no attempts by Mr Gibson or anyone else to replicate the success of this film, but back in 2004 it was impressive not just cinematically but as an interesting business model for bypassing Hollywood: The headline on the Washington Post review summed it up: "'Passion' Is A...

Music video by Meat Loaf performing Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are. © 1993

April 05 2020 Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion At the procession with palms - Gospel Mt 21:1-11 When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me. And if anyone should say anything to you, reply, ‘The master has need of them.’ Then he will send them at once.” This happened so that what had been spoken...

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Msgr. Charles Pope Why Was Christ Crucified Between Two Thieves? It is good and necessary to ponder more of the Gospel of yesterday’s Solemnity of Christ the King. It remains a profound teaching that Christ was crucified between two thieves. Why?St. Thomas Aquinas proposes three answers to the question. Let’s consider them, with particular emphasis on the third.I. To Identify with Fallen Sinners – St Thomas said, As Christ became accursed of the cross for us, so for our salvation He was crucified as a guilty one among the guilty (Comm. xxxiii in...

Audio (podcast) of Narration of the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ From Four Gospels at Once (Synchronized)http://cfl-sacramento.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/PassionOfChrist-KnoxHarmonyOfTheGospels.mp3The Harmony of the Gospels in the [Msgr. Ronald] Knox Translation

Audio (podcast) of Narration of the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ From Four Gospels at Once (Synchronized)http://cfl-sacramento.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/PassionOfChrist-KnoxHarmonyOfTheGospels.mp3The Harmony of the Gospels in the [Msgr. Ronald] Knox Translation

If you ask most young people today if they have any hobbies, you will receive one of four answers: 1. "No." 2. "What do you mean?" 3. "Yeah. I play video games/watch TV/watch movies." 4. "Yeah..." and then they may actually cite a hobby. The fourth is the least common. Dan Scotti, lifestyle writer at the website Elite Daily, and a millennial, wrote a perceptive piece on the matter titled, "Why Don't Millennials Have Hobbies Anymore?" "None of my friends have hobbies," Scotti wrote. And he was honest enough to include himself in this assessment: "With a pair of iPhone...

Passiontide Chronology: Walking with the Lord on Monday of Holy Week Msgr. Charles Pope • March 25, 2018 • According to Matthew 21:10-17, Mark 11:15-17, and Luke 19:45-46, Jesus returns to Jerusalem today. Seeing shameful practices in the Temple area, He cleanses it. The Gospels also recount His weeping over Jerusalem and His cursing of the fig tree. Matthew and Mark relate that He returned to Bethany that night.Prelude: The Scriptures record that Jesus went to Bethany on the Sunday evening after His triumphal entrance into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday):[Jesus] went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything,...

Violet Simple TODAY WE BEGIN, as does the holy Gospel, to number the days which precede the Death, the Sacrifice, of the Lamb of God. St. John, in the 12th Chapter of his Gospel, tells us that this is the Sixth day before the Pasch. Jesus is in Bethania, where a feast is being given in his honor. Lazarus, he whom Jesus has restored to life, was present at this repast, which was given in the house of Simon the Leper. Martha is busy looking after the various arrangements; her sister, Mary Magdalene, has a heavenly presentiment that the...

Violet Simple THE STATION AT ROME is in the Church of Saint Stephen, on Monte Celio. By a sort of prophetic presentiment, this Church of the great Proto-Martyr was chosen as the place where the Faithful were to assemble on the Friday of Passion Week, which was to be, at a future time, the Feast consecrated to the Queen of Martyrs. COLLECT Cordibus nostris, quæsumus, Domine, gratiam tuam benignus infunde: ut peccata nostra castigatione voluntaria cohibentes, temporaliter potius maceremur, quam suppliciis deputemur æternis. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. Mercifully, O Lord, we beseech thee, pour forth thy grace into...

Violet Simple THE STATION AT ROME is in the Church of Saint Apollinaris, who was a disciple of St. Peter, and afterwards Bishop of Revenna, and Martyr. COLLECT Præsta, quæsumus, omnipotens Deus, ut dignitas conditionis humanæ per immoderantiam sauciata, medicinalis percimoniæ studio reformetur. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that the dignity of human nature, which hath been wounded by excess, may be cured by the practice of healing temperance. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. EPISTLE LECTIO DANIELIS PROPHETÆ. LESSON from DANIEL the PROPHET. Cap. iii Ch. iii In diebus illis: Oravit Azarias...

Violet Simple AT ROME, THE STATION, is in the Church of Saint Marcellus, Pope and Martyr. This Church was once the house of the holy lady Lucina, who gave it to the Pontiff, that he might consecrate it to God. COLLECT Sanctificato hoc jejunio, Deus, tuorum corda fidelium miserator illustra: et quibus devotionis præstas affectum, præbe supplicantibus pium benignus auditum. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. Enlighten, O God of mercy, the hearts of thy people by means of this holy fast; and since all our devotion is the effect of thy bounty, mercifully hear the petitions we make. Through...

Violet Simple THE STATION, in Rome, was formerly the Church of the Martyr Saint Cyriacus, and as such it is still given in the Roman Missal; but this holy sanctuary having been destroyed, and the relics of the holy Deacon translated to the Church of Saint Mary in Via lata, it is here that the Station is now held. COLLECT Nostra tibi, Domine, quæsumus, sint accepta jejunia: quæ nos expiando, gratia tua dignos efficiant; et ad remedia perducant æterna. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. May our fast, O Lord, we beseech thee, be acceptable to thee, and, having purified...

Violet Simple THE STATION, at Rome, is in the Church of Saint Chrysogonus, one of the most celebrated Martyrs of the Church of Rome. His name is inserted in the Canon of the Mass. COLLECT Sanctifica, quæsumus, Domine, nostra jejunia: et cunctarum nobis indulgentiam propitius largire culparum. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. Sanctify, O Lord, we beseech thee, our fasts, and mercifully grant us the pardon of all our sins. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. EPISTLE LECTIO JONAS PROPHETÆ. LESSON from JONAS the PROPHET. Cap. iii Ch. iii In diebus illis: Factum est verbum Domini ad Jonam Prophetam secundo,...

Violet Semidouble (Privilege of the First Class) Hodie, si vocem Domini audieritis, nolite obdurare corda vestra. Today, if ye shall hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. THE HOLY CHURCH begins her Night Office of this Sunday with these impressive words of the royal Prophet. Formerly, the faithful considered it their duty to assist at the Night Office, at least on Sundays and Feasts; they would have grieved to have lost the grand teachings given by the Liturgy. Such fervor has long since died out; the assiduity at the Offices of the Church, which was the...