THE DIVINE LAMP

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this is only a test

Photo Slideshow « The Divine Lamp

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Photo Slideshow « The Divine Lamp

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Obviously, This Is No Longer My Primary Blog

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In fact, I seldom post on this site. Please check out my primary blog. There you will find several thousand posts, many dealing with Scripture, the Fathers of the Church, etc. Viewing the post which follows this one will give you some idea of what to expect.

This Weeks Posts: Sunday Nov 21-Saturday Nov 27

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Note: many of the posts listed below are scheduled in advance and will not become available until the time indicated. Unmarked posts or those marked as “Link” or “previously posted” are currently available. This was originally posted on MY PRIMARY BLOG, and it is a weekly feature you can find there.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21

Last Week’s Posts. In case you missed something.

Resources for Sunday Mass, Nov 21~The Solemnity of Christ the King. Originally posted on Wednesday. The “Resources” post is a weekly feature on my blog, usually being posted on Wednesday’s.

What the Pope Really Said About Condoms. Link. It will hardly come as a shock to many if I say the secular media got it wrong.

The Pope Said WHAT About Condoms??? Link. Jimmy Akins almost always gets it right, but then he’s not employed by the secular press.

Father Maas on Matt 24:37-44 for the 1st Sunday of Advent. Available 12:05 AM EST. A commentary on next Sunday’s gospel reading.

Pope Benedict XVI on Psalm 122 for the 1st Sunday of Advent. Available 12:10 AM EST.

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Matt 24:37-44 for the 1st Sunday of Advent. Available 12:10 AM EST.

Cornelius a Lapide on Matt 24:37-44 for the 1st Sunday of Advent. Available 12:15 AM EST.

Father Callan on Romans 13:11-14 for the 1st Sunday of Advent. Available 12:20 AM EST.

UPDATE: Father Callan on 1 Corinthians 10:22b-33. I’m currently in the process of posting all of Father Callan’s notes on 1 Corinthians. I’ve previously posted all of Bernardin de Piconio’s notes on Romans. See the link field below the blog header for the links “Notes on Romans,” & “Notes on 1 Corinthians.

UPDATE: Father Callan on 1 Corinthians 11:1-16. See previous note.

More commentaries on the readings for the 1st Sunday in Advent will be available on Monday.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22
Memorial of St Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr.

Today’s Readings. Link.

Pope John Paul II on Today’s Psalm (24). Link.

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Today’s Gospel (Luke 21:1-4). Available 12:00 AM EST.

Bishop MacEvily on Matt 24:37-44 for the 1st Sunday of Advent. Available 12:05 AM EST.

Father Boylan on Romans 13:11-14 for the 1st Sunday of Advent. Available 12:10 AM EST.

Aquinas’ Homily Notes on Romans 13:11-14 for the 1st Sunday of Advent. Available 12:15 AM EST. The Epistle reading for this Sunday is the same in both the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms of the Roman Rite, concerning which, see here.

Aquinas’ Homily Notes on the Gospel in His Day for the 1st Sunday of Advent. Available 12:20 AM EST. The Gospel reading in Aquinas’ day differs from the readings used in the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms of today. I’ve included this link as the points covered might be useful to some as an advent meditation.

UPDATE: New Podcast Commentary Series on the Gospel of John.

The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the Souls of the Just: Part 1, Chapt. 1. Available 12:25 AM EST.

UPDATE: Condoms, Consistency, and the Vatican’s Crisis of (mis) Communication. Link. A good article by American Papist. See the other links on this issue posted Sunday.

UPDATE: Understanding the Pope’s Dilemma on Condoms. Link. Article by Jimmy Akin, a follow up to the one I linked to Sunday.

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 23

Today’s Readings. Link.

Pope John Paul II on Today’s Psalm (96). Link.

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Today’s Gospel (Luke 21:5-11). Available 12:05 AM EST.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 24
Memorial of Saint Andrew Dũng-Lac, priest and martyr, and his companions, martyrs.

Today’s Readings. Link.

St Andrew Dung-Lac and his 116 Companions. Link.

Pope John Paul II on Today’s Psalm (98). Link.

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Today’s Gospel (Luke 21:12-19). Available 12:05 AM EST.

UPDATE: Did the Pope “Justify” Condom Use in Some Instances? Fr. Joseph Fessio.

UPDATE: Light of the World and the Mainstream Media. A tongue-in-cheek (yet informative) “interview” between Mark Brumley and “the mainstream media” on what the Pope said. It never ceases to amaze me how people who make their living using words are so clueless about their meaning.

UPDATE: Resources for Sunday Mass, Nov 28, 1st Sunday of Advent.

UPDATE: St Bernard On the Advent of Our Lord and its Six Circumstances.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 25
Thanksgiving Day.

Today’s Readings. Link.

The Catholic Origins of Thanksgiving. Link.

Catholic Culture on Thanksgiving. Link.

Pope Benedict on Psalm 145. I posted this originally in October.

My Notes on Today’s Second Reading (1 Cor 1:3-9). Available 12:05 AM EST.

Cornelius a Lapide on Today’s Second Reading (1 Cor 1:3-9). Actually, the commentary begins with verse 1. I originally posted this in July of 2008 on an older blog.

Bishop MacEvily on Today’s Second Reading (1 Cor 1:3-9). Previously posted.

Bernardin de Piconio (Picquigny) on Today’s Second Reading (1 Cor 1:3-9). Previously posted. The commentary actually begins with verse 1.

Father Charles Callan on Today’s Second Reading (1 Cor 1:3-9). Previously posted. Commentary actually begins with verse 1.

St John Chrysostom’s Exegetical Homily on Today’s Second Reading (1 Cor 1:3-9). Previously posted. The homily actually begins with verse 4.

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Today’s Gospel (Luke 17:11-19). Previously posted. This Gospel reading is used several times over the three year liturgical cycle.

St Augustine’s Homily on Today’s Gospel (Luke 17:11-19). Previously posted. See above note.

Aquinas’ Homily Notes on Today’s Gospel (Luke 17:11-19). Previously posted.

UPDATE: Maldonado on Matthew 1:1-17.

UPDATE: Homily on the Gospel for the 1st Sunday of Advent by Pope St Gregory the Great.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 26

Today’s Readings.

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Today’s Gospel (Luke 21:29-33). Available 12:05 AM EST.

Pope John Paul II on Today’s Psalm 83 [84]. Available 12:10 AM EST.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 27

Today’s Readings.

A Commentary on Today’s Psalm 95 [94]. previously posted.

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Today’s Gospel (Luke 21:34-36). Available 12:05 AM EST.

Today's slide show (July 21)

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Diving and swimming were my last two slide shows, today I finish the water theme with swimming competition photos (mostly). I love swimming though I haven't done it in a while. I never got this crazy about it though.

One Big Step

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Golden Oldies on the Juke Box

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My older sister knows I like to listen to mom & dad's, grandma & grandpa's music, so she sent me links to this interesting site. It contains 20 top hits for every year from 1955 thru 1979 and an additional 20 hits from the decade of the 1940's. That's 520 total songs!

Simply click on the year you want and you'll be taken to a site with a jukebox display. The songs will begin playing automatically or you can select just the ones you want to listen to.

What is your favorite year? I kind of liked 1977. I also find it amazing just how many of the "best songs" of any given year were really crap.

It's a Juke Box!

Click on any year and a Juke Box pops up with 20 hits of that year! Turn up your sound and enjoy!!

40's JuKeBoX
1955 JuKeBoX
1956 JuKeBoX
1957 JuKeBoX
1958 JuKeBoX
1959 JuKeBoX
1960 JuKeBoX
1961 JuKeBoX
1962 JuKeBoX
1963 JuKeBoX
1964 JuKeBoX
1965 JuKeBoX
1966 JuKeBoX
1967 JuKeBoX
1968 JuKeBoX
1969 JuKeBoX
1970 JuKeBoX
1971 JuKeBoX
1972 JuKeBoX
1973 JuKeBoX
1974 JuKeBoX
1975 JuKeBoX
1976 JuKeBoX
1977 JuKeBoX
1978 JuKeBoX
1979 JuKeBoX

Slide Show

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As I noted yesterday, the slide show on the right reflects things I'm interested in and like doing. Yesterday I went with a diving theme, today it's swimming.

A Devout Commentary On Ephesians

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This is sort of a simplified version of a commentary by St Thomas Aquinas. Clicking on the link below will take you directly to the host site where a larger and easier to read display can be found
A Devout Commentary On Ephesians

Time to stop being lazy

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I need to start posting on this site more often, perhaps latter today I'll do something, but at present I have a baseball game I need to get to. Please notice the new feature in my sidebar. It's a slide show of pictures and I'll be changing the theme often to reflect my interests. I've competed in football, baseball, swimming, diving, wrestling, and track, and the slide show themes will reflect this. One of my great interests is the American Civil War, also, the American west, and so the slide show will from time to time reflect this also

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The Formation of Christiandom

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St Thomas Aquinas was by all accounts an outstanding preacher; not surprising since he belonged to the Order of Preachers (i.e., the Dominicans). Thomistic Philosopher Ralph McInerny, in the foreward he wrote for the book ST THOMAS AQUINAS: THE THREE GREATEST PRAYERS, Commentaries on the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary, and the Apostles Creed writes: "We are told by a contemporary Neopolitan (john Coppa) that 'almost the whole population of Naples went to hear his sermons every day.' And Willian of Tocco writes that 'he was heard by the people with such revrence that it was as if his preaching came forth from God.'" Sadly, Aquinasleft behind very few of his actual sermons, however, fortunately for us, he did leave behind about one hundred of his sermons notes. In the near future I would like to begin posting a series of my own notes on those notes of his. They were published in English in 1867 by their translator, John M. Ashley, B.C.L., who also wrote a preface to that translation; it is this that I reproduce here.

FOR the large circulation which has fallen to the lot of the several portions of these Homilies, now collected into one volume, for the favourable criticism accorded to them by the press, and for the number of private expressions of approval which the Editor has received from fellow Priests, he feels deeply grateful ; yet his gratitude is not so much on his own account, or on that of his little book, a^ that this portion, at least, of the writings of S. Thomas Aquinas is allowed to be capable of supplying one of the wants of the present day a really sound help to sermon- making. It is a most cheering and encouraging fact, that the men of the present day are willing in any degree to acknow- ledge, that they can learn something of value from the great Schoolman. Despite all the undeserved contempt and obloquy heaped upon the Schoolmen, both at the time of the so-called revival of letters and ever since ; despite the vast advances which have been made during the last half century in every department of theological learning and criticism ; and, lastly, despite the growth of that spirit of infi- delity, a combined product of the nominalism which accompanied the religious convulsions three hundred years ago, and of the Protestant dogma of right of private judgment the sermons of the "Angelical Doctor" are
being not only read, but preached, in substance, if not in form, in many churches, both at home and in the Colo- nies. The Translator's work has been indeed a labour of love, sweetened by the thought and strengthened by the belief that this little book must contribute, in some small degree, to a revival amongst us of the Scholastic Theology. There are many reasons which render such a revival desirable, and at the present time especially so ; but there is one reason above all others which claims to be stated here. In so far as things divine have an intellectual basis, and can be shadowed forth by any operation of the mind, they must be represented to us by conceptions which far surpass any possible earthly manifestation of them. The " hypos- tasis of things hoped for' r can only spring from the abiding conviction, that we are now to rest upon certain ideas which hereafter shall be exchanged for their realities. Now, we can form but an idea of what the absolutely good, and true, and beautiful may be like; by-and-by we expect to see these ideas realized, in God, and in our glorified selves. Yet perfect goodness, and truthfulness, and beauty, and holiness are not mere ideas; they are realities, finding their true archetype in the mind and being of God realities of which, by our union with Him through our Blessed Lord, we may hope to be partakers. The teaching of the four great Schoolmen, of Abert the Great, as well as of the Seraphic, Angelical, and Subtle Doctors, was, in common with that of Plato and the New Testament, essentially and entirely realistic. However the Scotists differed from the Thomists on some questions of Theology, they were quite agreed upon this point. However Luther may have differed from Zwingle, and Zwingle from Calvin, in their "views" of
Sacramental grace, they were " consented together " in support of that nominalism which would reduce the deep mysteries of the Kingdom of Grace to mere names, and would limit our conceptions of them, and endeavours after them, to what it seems now possible to attain. It is not too much to say, that the Sadduceeism which is now sapping all the vitality of our faith and morals, is but the legitimate product of that nominalism which has lain at the root of all religious belief ever since the religious movement of the sixteenth century. Because the Scholastic Theology is realistic in its teaching, it is the only antidote which will be powerful enough to counteract the effects of that pernicious influence which the Teutonic Upas-tree has cast over so large a por- tion of Christendom. In these skeleton sermons, the realistic teaching is, with one single exception (Epiph. Horn. I., iii.), indirect, giving to them an anti-monastic tone and temper, at the same time not leading to the sacrifice of any portion of their practical bearing. Short and unpretending as they are, they admit of a threefold use. Firstly, they can be taken as profitable guides in directing private or devotional reading ; for they are full of vigorous and condensed thoughts they bring things new and old together in a striking relationship. We notice a few such thoughts. In the Advent Homilies (I.) the sevenfold benefit of our Blessed Lord's second coming; and the moral aphorism, that "a man is in the judgment by thinking upon the judgment ;" that goodness has its precepts, counsels, and promises (Horn. IV.); the threefold cry of Christ (Horn. IX.) In the Lenten Homilies, the fast in Paradise, and our Lord's fasting as joined with His Baptism (Horn. I.) ; the seven things that our Lord did upon the Mountain (Horn. VIII.) ; and the threefold nature of the Word of
God (Horn. X.) The Easter Homilies explain the three kinds of flowers in our Lord, and the three typical Maries (Horn. II.) ; what it is for a man to be at peace with him- self (Horn. V.) ; the three gifts of Christ His Body, His Blood, His Soul (Horn. VI.) ; three reasons why the Ador- able Son came forth from the Father (Horn. XIII.) In the Trinity Homilies, we read of the Heavenly Feast, its makers, ministers, and guests (Horn. IV.); how the Holy Angels stand before God in contemplation, love, and praise (Horn. VI.) ; why the Holy Angels desire the creature's future glory (Horn. VII.) ; the seven loaves with which she feeds the faithful (Horn. XIV.) ; three witnesses against the sinner in the Judgment God, conscience, creation ; it is a momentary thing which delights, an eternal thing which crucifies (Horn. XX.) ; unity of the intellect, of the affec- tions, of the life (Horn. XXXIII.) ; the security, the pleasantness, and abundance of the City of God (Horn. XXXVII.); the translation of the Saints (Horn. XL VII.) Such as these are the lines of reflection which S. Thomas offers to the contemplation of the thoughtful and devout reader, ^presenting the subject in germ, leaving its develop- ment to the effort of individual minds. As neither moral nor spiritual truth affects any two persons in precisely the same way, such a method of presenting truth as this is, leaves for the initiated mind nothing to be desired; whilst the uninitiated soul would scarcely be capable of receiving the generalizations of S. Thomas in any form. * Secondly, these Homilies are valuable as giving the scholastic interpretation of many texts of Holy Scripture; valuable as shewing how the Schoolmen saw our Blessed Lord as shadowed forth in type and prophecy in God's
servants of old. Amongst a vast number of explained texts, we select the following, as worthy of special notice : In the Advent Homilies, Joel iii. 18, a prophecy of the Incarnation (Horn. I.); Hos. xiii. 14, the spoliation of Hades ; Eph. i. 18, the reparation of Heaven ; Isa. Ixi. 1 fully commented on ; 2 Sam. xxii. 36 applied to our Blessed Lord (Horn. II.) ; Ps. cxlviii. 6, universal service of God by creation (Horn. ILL.) ; Ps. xxxix. 3, the fire that burned, that of contrition. In the Lenten Homilies, Heb. ix. 10, the " reformation," as of the Jew ; Prov. i. 8, the " mother " is Holy Church (Horn. I.) ; Rev. xvi. 13, the frogs are spirits of detraction (Horn. IV.) ; Job xvi. 22, the walk of death (Horn. V.) ; Ezek. xxviii. 16, interpreted of a devil (Horn. VI.) ; Ps. xxxi. 21, the "shining city" is the City of God; Isa. xxxi. 9, fire and furnace symbols of charity (Horn. VH.) ; S. John xiv. 30, our Blessed Lord walking dryshod over the sea of this world ; Exod. xxxv. 30 gives the twelve breads with which our Lord feeds the faithful (Horn. VIH.); Zech. ix. 11, the deliverance of the Saints from Hades (Horn. IX.) ; Job iv. 12, the mental word (Horn. X.) ; Coloss. i. 30, recruiting of the Heavenly Ones (Horn. XII.) In the Easter Homilies is noted Ex. xii. 21, Numb. ix. 3-5, Jos. v. 10, the three mystical Passovers (Horn. I.); Cant. ii. 12, flowers are the splendour of the Lord's glorified Body ; S. Matt, xxviii. 2, the earthquake a leaping of the earth for joy (Horn. II.) ; Ezek. xxxvi. 25, clean water of Holy Baptism (Horn. III.) ; Jer. xi. 19, our Blessed Lord the Lamb brought to the slaughter (Horn. V.); Ezek. iv. 14, the Lord feeding His flock (Horn. VI.) ; Judges ii. 1 proves sadness of this present world ; Nah. i. 13 applied to eternal
happiness (Horn. VIII.) ; Lam. iii. 26, the elevation of the mind to God. The Trinity Homilies are very rich in deep and thoughtful readings of Holy Scripture. Isa. xxv. 5, the feast of the new Creation (Horn. IV.) ; Isa. vi. 5, seraphims of purifica- tion (Horn. VI.) ; Ps. cv. 6, the reparation of the Heavenly City (Horn. VII.) ; Isa. xxvi., the lost gift of glory (Horn. IX.); Isa. iii. 14 explains the "council" of S. Matt. v. 22 (Horn. XII.) ; Ps. cxxxii. 15, the Eternal Bread (Horn. XIV.); Job xx. 27 referred to final Judgment (Horn. XVIII.) ; Isa. xxx. 1-8, shews the nature of the trust of the wicked (Horn. XXIII.); S. Mark vii. 33, mystical fingers put into ears (Horn. XXIV.) ; Ps. Ivii. 3, healing power of Holy Baptism (Horn. XXVI.); Ps. Ixxvi. 2, Salem, the Tabernacle of Peace (Horn. XXVII.); Isa. xxxiii. 20, a description of the City of God (Horn. XXXVIII.) ; Isa. iii. 14, army of Saints final ministers of punishment (Horn. XL.); Prov. xviii. 4, "deep waters" represent the Old Testament, the "flowing brooks" the New Testament (Horn. L.) These Homilies are, to a limited extent, a commentary upon many difficult passages of the Inspired Canon. Thirdly, the great use of these Homilies is for sermon- making. They bring a text of Holy Scripture to bear upon each statement ; they adopt a natural division of the subject ; they take up minute details which signify much, but which at first sight seem to be wholly unworthy of notice; they con- trast in the strongest possible way nature with grace. These four statements can be proved with the utmost ease by a careful reading of only a few of the Homilies. There are two methods by which these outlines can be expanded into a sermon of the required length for the present
day : by enlarging upon the divisions of each and every head, lengthening the whole sermon equally. But by far the most telling result is obtained, in the majority of cases at least, by confining the expansion to only one head. Take, for example, Homily X., for Lent: "The Word of God and its Hearers." Omitting the first head, the three ways in which the Saints are of God ; the third and fourth heads, the foolishness and misery of those who hear not ; we treat alone of the second head, the Threefold Word of God which the Saints hear. " 1. Eternal: S. John i. 1, 'In the beginning was the Word.'" This naturally leads to the mention of all the utterances of God the Son, whether as the Word creative or prophetical, before the Incarnation ; of what our Lord did in that infinite abyss of past time, in that eternal to-> day of God when the Son went out to create the worlds. The pre-Incarnate naturally links itself on to the Incarnate Word, to our Lord's eternal words which He spake in time ; eternal in import, containing an eternal consequence either for life or for death. These eternal words He is speaking in His Body the Church now ; as He spake, so speaks the Church, proclaiming those words of truth and life, which became as wells of water in the souls of the faithful, springing up into everlasting life. So for ever to His Elect will the Saviour speak words of encouragement, and hope, and love ; at the end of all things of love only, when charity alone remains. The Eternal Word, "I am Alpha and Omega." Abel heard His voice ; all the Patriarchs and Prophets of the Elder Church all the Saints, Virgins, Martyrs, Con- fessors of the New Covenant; the Voice of the Beloved, eternal as His own nature is, eternal in power and action upon ourselves. The Saints "hear by faith." He it is Who
is speaking in His Holy Sacraments, by the mouths of His Priests. Meet it is that the Eternal High Priest should speak in the Eternal Mysteries of His Church and Kingdom. "We need faith in these Mysteries, in order that we may hear His " Eternal Word." 2. Mental: Job iv. 12, "A thing [word, Vulg.] was secretly brought to me." Not that secret word which, as S. Gregory says, the heretics pretend to hear, who represent the Woman of Solomon saying (Prov. ix. 17; Vulg. 7), " Stolen waters are sweeter, and bread eaten in secret is more pleasant." Not that secret word which would lift some above others, and which can only be obtained by secret means, but that communication of inward inspiration when the secret word is delivered to the minds of the Elect, of whom S. John says (1 S. John ii. 27), "His anointing teacheth you all things." This is that mental word which is received in the heart by the utterance of the Holy Ghost ; secret, to be felt, not expressed in the noise of speech ; it sounds secretly in the ear of the soul. Seek we to have our souls silent before God, freed from pleadings of all emotion, to catch the accents of the mental word. This mental word is the fruit of contemplation ; and, by the chinks of such con- templation, God speaks to us, not in voice, but through mind ; not fully developing Himself, yet revealing something of Himself to the mind of man. As we bore through the strata of earth to find that water which is silently circulating through its crust, so we, by contemplation, boring through the strata of the letter, find the ever-flowing grace which reveals itself as a mental word : the Saints hear this " by inspiration (Ps. Ixxxv. 8), ' I will hear what God the Lord will speak ' " (p. 18). 3. Vocal : S. Matt. iv. 4, " Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that proceedeth," &c. Vocal words: God's commands, His promises, the dogmatic teaching of the Catholic faith this the Saints learn and hear " by preaching (S. Luke viii. 8), ' He that hath ears to hear, let him hear' " (p. 19). Take heed how ye hear. Office of preaching in the Church. Duty of hearers and of preachers. Sum up these words : Incarnate Word, to be believed on ; Inspired Word, to be felt ; Preached Word, to be lived upon. After all, it must be left to the preacher's own peculiar habit of thought to determine which of the heads shall be expanded ; and the manner in which this is to be done. The Homily upon which the attempt has been made is not as favourable as some others for the experiment; it seemed fairer to take a more unlikely one to illustrate in the process, as far as the translator had the power to do so. Almost a course of Sermons could be founded upon Homily XLV., for the Twenty-third Sunday after Trinity. In regard to the Author of these Homilies, he was born A.D. 1224, in the castle of Aquin, in the territory of Lahore, in Italy, being descended from the Kings of Sicily and Aragon. Educated firstly in the Monastery of Mount Cassino, afterwards at Naples. In 1244, studied at Cologne under Albertus Magnus. Doctor of Paris, 1255. Returned into Italy, 1263. Professor of Scholastic Theology at Naples. Died 1274, in the Monastery of Fossanova, near Terracina. An old distich prefixed to his portrait runs thus : Nobilibus Thomas generatus utroque parente Terrarum scriptis claret ubique suis. And he will shine as long as profound Scriptural
Theology shall continue to hold its own in the world. May this little book be but a first fruit of the revival amongst us of the study of the writings of S. Thomas Aquinas. S. Peter Mancroft, Norwich, Feast of S. Matthew, 1867.

Emotional Hippies - Crying Over Dead Trees

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Notes On Palm Sunday Readings For Year C

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Yes, I know we are in year "B", but who says you cannot acquaint yourself with all the Passion accounts?

Palm Sunday :: op-stjoseph.org Palm Sunday :: op-stjoseph.org SaintJoseph

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Religion & Spiritual Other art sunday

A Study Of St John's Gospel

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Below you will find four videos by Father John Rate, MSC, of Australia. These four videos present the first week of a very basic study of the Gospel of John. The first three videos are each ten minutes in length, the fourth is about seven minutes long. Combined they give an introduction to the Gospel along with some thoughts on chapter one.

the prophet Amos #3 - Amos 1:2

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Gabcast! the prophet Amos #3 - Amos 1:2 The keynote to the entire book of Amos Clicking this link will take you to the podcast page. you can stay on this page and listen to the talk by scrolling to the bottom of the post and clicking "play" on the podcast icon.

Suggested Readings: The biblical readings listen below will give you a good introduction to the historical and theological context of the Book of Amos.

1) Read Deuteronomy 17:14-20.

* a) What are the people forbidden here?
* b) The king is forbidden 6 things, what are they?
* C) What must the king do regarding the book of the law?

2) Read Deuteronomy 18:9-20.

* a) What is required of the people in regard to legitimate prophets?

3) Read Deuteronomy 28:1-69.

* a) Name two or three of the blessing which are most meaningful or appealing to you. Explain why?
* b) Name two or three of the curses that would most terrify you. Explain why?
* c) Do your actions correspond to the blessings you find most meaningful/appealing? (Personal reflections need not be shared)

4) Read 1 Kings 11:1-43.

* a) Compare verses 1-10 of this chapter with Deuteronomy 17:14-20. What things forbidden the king did King Solomon do?
* b) What is the reason given for the rebellion of Jeroboam, son of Nebat (see 1 Kings 11:26-34). [Note: Jeroboam, son of Nebat is often called Jeroboam I by modern scholars; this is to distinguish him from a second Jeroboam who reigned as king during the time of Amos.]

PLEASE NOTE THAT AFTER THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM OF DAVID THE NEW NORTHERN KINGDOM RETAINED THE NAME ISRAEL, WHILE THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM BECAME KNOWN AS JUDAH.

5) Read Deuteronomy 12:1-14.

* a) Where did Solomon end up building this sanctuary/temple?

6) Read 1 Kings 12:1-13:3.

* a) What was the sin of Jeroboam I?
* b) What is propehcied against him and his sin?

Gospel of Mark #2 - Mark 1:2-15

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Gabcast! Gospel of Mark #3 - Mark 1:2-15 Clicking this link will take you to another page. To listen to the podcast while remaining on this page scroll down to the player icon at the bottom of this post and click on "play".

Comments, reflections, and speculation on the prologue of Mark's gospel

Outlines:

The first is based upon that given by Father Felix Just. Note that it includes verse 1 in the outline. We take verse 1 as a title to the Gospel but also as intimately connected to the prologue.

A1) The beginning of the Good News (v. 1)
B1) John in the wilderness (vss 2-6)
C1) John speaks about Jesus (vss 7-8)
XXX Jesus comes from Nazareth, heavens opened, spirit descends (vss 9-10)
C2) A voice from heaven speaks to Jesus (vs 11)
B2) Jesus in the wilderness (vss 12-13)
A2) The time is fulfilled, believe in the Good News (vss. 14-15)

Here is different outline on verses 1-13. This is from Protestant scholar Dr. Peter Pett

a The beginning of the good news of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God (1.1).
b Even as it is written in Isaiah the prophet, Behold, I send my messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, “Make you ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight’ (1.2-3)
c John came, who baptised in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judaea, and all they of Jerusalem, and they were baptised of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and had a leather belt about his loins, and he ate locusts and wild honey (1.4-6).
d And he preached, saying, “There comes after me He Who is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I baptised you with water, but He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit” (1.7-8).
c And it came about in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptised of John in the Jordan (1.9).
b And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens rent in half, and the Spirit as a dove descending on Him, and a voice came out of the heavens (1.10-11a).
a “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well pleased”, and immediately the Spirit drives Him forth into the wilderness. And He was in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan, and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to Him (1.11b-13).

Here is another outline from an old copy of Share The Word:

3 "a voice"=11 "a voice"

4 "in the desert"=12 "into the desert"

5 result of John's appearance=13 result of Jesus appearance

6-7a John preaches=14 Jesus preaches

7b the message of John=15 the message of Jesus

8 water, Spirit=10 water, Spirit

9 Jesus and John together

Online reading:

The Heavenly Veil Torn a brief essay on the parallel between the rending of the heavens at the baptism, and the rending of the temple veil at the passion

Gospel of Mark #1 - Mark 1:1

2008-09-21T14:25:00.001-07:00

Gabcast! Gospel of Mark #1 - Mark 1:1

Comments and reflections on Mark 1:1.

One of the problems with podcasting over the phone is that it is rather difficult to edit mistakes. In fact, I believe that in order to correct a mistake I would have to delete the talk and then have What's His Name rerecord it. In this talk he lost his place and so one will "hear" several seconds of silence before his talk resumes. What's His Name felt bad about the screw up, but I tried to reassure him that neither I nor Brite expected much from him. I don't know why, but this seemed to make him feel worse ;)

Introductions to Mark:

NAB

Lesson 2: New Testament. In two parts. The first deals with the synoptics in a brief, general way; this is followed by and introduction and overview of Mark's Gospel.

An Introduction To Mark. Good protestant introduction

Father Felix Just. Various outlines

Catholic Encyclopedia

Richard Heard. Protestant. From his An Introduction to the New Testament.

Terms defined and explained:

Gospel: Catholic Encyclopedia

Jesus Christ. Links to various resources.

Son of God

the prophet Amos #1 - Amos 1:1

2008-09-21T07:14:00.001-07:00

Gabcast! the prophet Amos #1 - Amos 1:1

A brief commentary on the superscription which opens the book of the first of the Minor Prophets. The blogpost and other notes on the Prophet Amos can be found HERE.

Notes on Hosea 1:2-2:1

2008-09-20T18:13:00.000-07:00

Vs 2 The beginning of the Lords speaking by way of Hosea. Go, take to yourself a woman of harlotries and have children of harlotry, for the land is engaging in great harlotry by not following after the Lord.

The first part of verse 2 serves almost as a superscription to the overall text of 1:2-2:1. The prophet is commanded to take a woman of harlotries. The word take often connotes marriage in the bible (see Gen 4:19). The Hebrew text is not as straight forward as English translations render it. The meaning of the Hebrew text is uncertain. Is the prophet being commanded to wed a woman who is already a harlot, or is he being commanded to marry a woman who will become such in the future? Commentators are divided. It should be noted, however, that this action, and the subsequent marriatal experience of the prophet and his wife are meant to mirror God’s relationship with his people. In chapter 2:14-15 we see that Israel, God’s bride, had originally been faithfull, and so parallelism suggests that we are to understand that Hosea’s wife was originally faithful but later fell into harlotries.

for the land is engaging in great harlotries by not following the Lord. These words give the reason for the command to marry and suggest that the marital troubles to come have a connection to the lands great harlotries against the Lord. As already noted, Hosea’s marriage symbolises God’s relations with his people. Land here is to be understood as a euphemism for the people who were known as “the people of the land.” Underlying this euphemism is the theology of the Baal cults. Baal was a fertility god and the earth was considered as something like a consort of his. By sending the rain (conceived of as his seed/sperm) he impregnated the land and made it fruitful. In order to ensure that this would happen his devotees often engaged in “sacred” sexual rituals in temples dedicated to him. By engaging in this worship the people were making the land engage in harlotries by not following the Lord. The Hebrew wording suggests that this situation has been ongoing for some time.

A note on Baalism:
What the original conception was is most obscure. According to W.R. Smith, the Baal is a local God who, by fertilizing his own district through springs and streams, becomes its lawful owner. Good authorities, nevertheless, oppose this view, and reversing the above argument, hold that the Baal is the genius-lord of the place and of all the elements that cause its fecundity; it is he who gives “bread, water, wool, flax, oil, and drink” (Hosea 2:5; in the Hebrew text 2:7); he is the male principle of life and reproduction in nature, and such is sometimes honoured by acts of the foulest sensuality. Whether or not this idea sprang from, and led to the monotheistic conception of supreme deity, the Lord of Heaven, of whom the various Baals would be so many manifestations, we shall leave to scholars to decide. Some deem that the bible favours this view, for its language frequently seems to imply the belief in a Baal par excellence. (From The Catholic Encyclopedia article Baal. New Advent Catholic Supersite)

Vs 3 So he went and took (wed) Gomer the daughter of Diblaim , and she conceived and gave birth to his son;
Vs 4 And the Lord said to him, “give him the name Jezreel, for in just a little while I will charge the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will bring to an end the kingdom of the house of Israel.
Vs 5 And it will come about on that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the Jezreel valley.

In verse 3 we see the prophet fulfill the command of the Lord by taking a woman named Gomer as his wife. Notice that the verse clearly states that the child she conceived and gave birth to is his (Hosea’s) son. Two more children will be born, and as we will see their paternity is not clearly stated. This is another reason for interpreting Gomer as an originally faithful wife (see comment on verse 2).

In verse 4 the prophet is commanded to name his son Jezreel, a word meaning “God sows”. This is the name of a broad, fertile valley plain which lies south of the Galilee and stretches from mount Megiddo in the west to the Jordan river in the east. It was ancient Israel’s proverbial “bread basket.” Because of its fertility and because much of the northern kingdom of Israel was dependent on its produce it became a center of Baal worship. The people it would seem were uncertain as to which god (El) sowed (zara, the root of Jezreel) the land (i.e. made it fruitful).

The giving of the name is explained in reference to the the charging of the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel. This is a reference to events from the time of the prophets Elijah and Elisha.

During the reign of King Ahab (circa 873-852 BC) the “original sin” of the northern kingdom was maintained. By “original sin” I am referring to the false shrines set up by Jeroboam 1 in and to the syncretistic worship of God which took place in them (1 Kings 12:26-13:34). In addition to tolerating this, Ahab also fostered the worship of Baal in deference to his Phoenician wife Jezebel. The prophet Elijah oppossed both these sins vehemently. On one occassion he challenged 450 prophets of Baal to a sacrificial dual on Mount Carmel. Upon defeating them he had them slain and, as a result, he was forced to flee to Mount Horeb (i.e. Mt Sinai) from Jezebel’s wrath. Recall that Horeb/Sinai is the place where God had made his covenant with the chosen people and gave them the ten commandments. While on the mountain Elijah twice declares how zealous he has been for the Lord AND HIS COVENANT. The Lord orders him to anoint Elisha as his successor and to also anoint Jehu as king of Israel.

Jehu is to wipe out the house of Ahab and all the dynasty of Omri (see 1 kings 18-19). This he does with a ruthless efficiency while maintaining how zealous he is for the Lord. This is the same statement made by Elijah, but with an important omission; Jehu never declares his zeal for GOD’S COVENANT. In fact like all the northern kings before him, he does nothing to end the “original sin” of Jeroboam 1 and re-establish the covenant. For this reason he is given only a partial blessing. He is blessed for eradicating the devotees of Baal, but he is criticised for his lack of fidelity to the covenant. For this reason his dynasty will last only four generations. That is the same length as the dynasties of Jeroboam 1 and of Omri (see 2 Kings 9-10). Jeroboam 2 is the fourth generation of the house of Jehu and therefore Hosea is being told the prophecy of 2 Kings 10:28-31 is about to be fulfilled.

But the prophet is also told that the entire kingdom, and not just the reigning dynasty, is going to come to an end. This will take place through military defeat when God will give the people over to their enemies by breaking the bow of Israel in the Jezreel valley.

Vs 6 She conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. The Lord said to him, “give her the name Loruhamah (”not pitied” or “no mercy”) for I will cease to show pity towards the house of Israel and forgive them anymore.

Unlike the description of the birth of Jezreel in verse 3 this child’s paternity is not given. Is she one of the children of harlotry mentioned in verse 2? Given the symbolic named conferred on her it would appear so. One of the special traits of God which he often manifested towards the chosen people was his mercy. The name Loruhamah seems to announce the end of such manifestations. This would have been very shocking to the people since pity, or mercy, is closely connected with God’s self-revelation. In Exodus 34:6 for example, we read: “And the Lord passed before his (moses’) face and proclaimed, ‘Lord, Lord God of mercy (Hebrew= el rahum) and grace, slow to anger and bountiful in lovingkindness and faithfulness.“

Vs 7 But on the house of Judah I will show pity, and I, the Lord their God, will deliver them. Not by the bow will I deliver them, nor by sword, nor war, nor horses, nor by horsemen.

The political, religious, and moral situation in the Kingdom of Judah was not ideal but was better than what existed in the north. Unlike the northern kingdom, the southern kingdom was able, and had on occassion, repented of its sins. For this kingdom there is still hope. Apparently the prophet places these words here to insinuate that the only hope for the people of the northern kingdom is a return to the rule of the Davidic kings (see 3:5).

Vs 8 After the weaning of Loruhamah, Gomer conceived and gave birth to another son.
Vs 9 Then God said, ‘give him the name Loammi, for you are not my people and neither am I your God’.

Another son is born and, like his sister, his paternity appears to be in question. This is reflected in his name, Loammi, which means “not a people.” Just as his sister’s name appeared to be establishing a reversal of how God deals with his people so too with his name and its explanation.

The statement “I will be your God, and you will be my people” often appears in various forms in the Old Testament (see Lev 26:12; Dt 26:17-19) and is always used as a fundamental statement about the chosen peoples relationship with God. By having the prophet name the illegitimate boy “not my people” God is signifying the disruption of the relationship between him and the people of the Northern kingdom. The explanation for why the name is given also plays upon the name of Yahweh (”I am who I am) which was revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14. “I am who I am” is in Hebrew ehyeh aser ehyeh. When the Lord explains the meaning of Loammi to mean “I am not your God” the Hebrew is Lo Ehyeh, literally a reversal of the divine name.

Vs 10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sands of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass that, in the place where it was said to them, ‘you are not my people,’ it shall be said to them, ‘you are the sons of the living God.’
Vs 11 And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint themselves one head, and shall go up from the land; for great shall be the day of Jezreel.
2:1 Say to your brother,’Ammi’; (my people) and to your sister, ‘Ruhamah’ (She has received pity).
(Quoted from the American Standard Version, a public domain work. I’ve modified the text somewhat)

These three verses are sometimes taken as seperate from those that precede them; syntactically, this is incorrect.

First, we will consider these verses in their literal/historical meaning. The prophet is attempting to show the precarious nature of the Northern Kingdom’s (i.e. Israel’s) existence. As an idependent nation it has failed. The only hope for the people now is that they return to political and religious unity with the southern kingdom. Only by doing this will they once again become my people and receive pity.

shall be as the sands of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered. These words of vs 10 allude to another one of the founding traditions of the chosen people. Earlier (vss 6 and 9), some founding traditions were used to illustrate God’s punishment, whereas here they are used as a promise of hope. The prophet is alluding to the promise made to Jacob who, at the time was in Exile from the promised land. As Jacob returned to the land and to a possible confrontation with his brother Esau, whom he feared, for he had cheated him out of both a birth-right and a blessing, he prayed to God and reminded him of the promise he had given to Abraham: and you said, I will surely do good to you. I will make your seed as the sands of the sea, far to numerous to count (Gen 32:12 my translation.) Jacob is here referring to the words God spoke to Abraham after stopping the sacrifice of Issac (see Gen 22:17). These two passages show God’s love for the ancestors of the chosen people and his regard for the promises he had made to them. The fact that they also show

2008-07-20T16:42:00.000-07:00

Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation: Prologue with notes

2008-06-22T11:15:00.000-07:00

Note: What follows is the introductory dialogue to St Thomas More's wonderful work. I have provided in italics what I hope are useful introductory and guidance notes.
Though his uncle Anthony is nearing death, Vincent has come to him, not to give him comfort so much as to get comfort from him. He notes that even if he had come to give him comfort, he might very well do so by telling him that dying is more a comfort than living. Both these points are motivated by the state of tribulation into which the world has fallen. The reason he seeks comfort from his uncle rather than someone else is due to Anthony's learning and holiness, and to the fact that many of the tribulations facing Vincent have been not only experienced, but endured by his uncle. What he has endured is imprisonment in Turkey at the hands of Muslims, and the looming tribulation Vincent fears is "the Turk." Is the imprisonment a reference to St Thomas More's suffering of religious persecution for his convictions? Is "the Turk" in reality Protestantism which is threatening England?

VINCENT:  Who would have thought, O my good uncle, a few years
past, that those in this country who would visit their friends
lying in disease and sickness would come, as I do now, to seek and
fetch comfort of them? Or who would have thought that in giving
comfort to them they would use the way that I may well use to you?
For albeit that the priests and friars be wont to call upon sick
men to remember death, yet we worldly friends, for fear of
discomforting them, have ever had a way here in Hungary of lifting
up their hearts and putting them in good hope of life.

But now, my good uncle, the world is here waxed such, and so great
perils appear here to fall at hand, that methinketh the greatest
comfort a man can have is when he can see that he shall soon be
gone. And we who are likely long to live here in wretchedness have
need of some comforting counsel against tribulation to be given us
by such as you, good uncle. For you have so long lived virtuously,
and are so learned in the law of God that very few are better in
this country. And you have had yourself good experience and assay
of such things as we do now fear, as one who hath been taken
prisoner in Turkey two times in your days, and is now likely to
depart hence ere long.

But that may be your great comfort, good uncle, since you depart to
God. But us of your kindred shall you leave here, a company of
sorry comfortless orphans. For to all of us your good help,
comfort, and counsel hath long been a great stay--not as an uncle
to some, and to others as one further of kin, but as though to us
all you had been a natural father.

We find that the dialogue is set in Hugary, the proverbial place
of battle in More's time due to constant Muslim incursions.
Anthony responds to his cousin's words about how comfort is given
And criticizes it, for a dying man (or, for that matter, a man in
the prime of his life!) ought to have his thoughts focused on death
judgement, heaven and hell.  For it is silly for an old man facing
death to focus on life to the extent that he leaves himself un-
prepared for the meeting of his maker.

ANTHONY:  Mine own good cousin, I cannot much deny but what there
is indeed, not only here in Hungary but also in almost all places
in Christendom, such a customary manner of unchristian comforting.
And in any sick man it doth more harm than good, by drawing him in
time of sickness, with looking and longing for life, from the
meditation of death, judgment, heaven, and hell, with which he
should beset much of his time--even all his whole life in his best
health. Yet is that manner of comfort to my mind more than mad when
it is used to a man of mine age. For as we well know that a young
man may die soon, so are we very sure that an old man cannot live
long. And yet there is (as Tully saith) no man so old but that, for
all that, he hopeth yet that he may live one year more, and of a
frail folly delighteth to think thereon and comfort himself
therewith. So other men's words of such comfort, adding more sticks
to that fire, shall (in a manner) quite burn up the pleasant
moisture that should most refresh him--the wholesome dew, I mean,
of God's grace, by which he should wish with God's will to be
hence, and long to be with him in Heaven.

Anthony then takes up Vincent's worry that he and the rest of
his family will be left as "a sorry company of comfortless
orphans."  He begins by humbly acknowledging that he did not
do half the job he should and could have done in giving help
and comfort to his own.  He then goes on to insist that he
ought never be considered as the chief comfort of anyone, for
that belongs properly to God, and exchanging one for the other
is like replacing a stout staff (walking stick) with a rotten reed.

Now, as for your taking my departing from you so heavily (as that
of one from whom you recognize, of your goodness, to have had here
before help and comfort), would God I had done to you and to others
half so much as I myself reckon it would have been my duty to do!
But whensoever God may take me hence, to reckon yourselves then
comfortless, as though your chief comfort stood in me--therein
would you make, methinketh, a reckoning very much as though you
would cast away a strong staff and lean upon a rotten reed. For God
is, and must be, your comfort, and not I. And he is a sure
comforter, who (as he said unto his disciples) never leaveth his
servants comfortless orphans, not even when he departed from his
disciples by death. But he both sent them a comforter, as he had
promised, the Holy Spirit of his Father and himself, and he also
made them sure that to the world's end he would ever dwell with
them himself. And therefore, if you be part of his flock and
believe his promise, how can you be comfortless in any tribulation,
when Christ and his Holy Spirit, and with them their inseparable
Father, if you put full trust and confidence in them, are never
either one finger-breadth of space nor one minute of time from you?

Vincent admits the truth of these words, and the fact that he
should have remembered them.  The fact that his uncle has
reminded him of the truth proves his continuing need for Anthony's
counsel.

VINCENT:  O, my good uncle, even these selfsame words, with which
you prove that because of God's own gracious presence we cannot be
left comfortless, make me now feel and perceive how much comfort we
shall miss when you are gone. For albeit, good uncle, that while
you tell me this I cannot but grant it for true, yet if I had not
now heard it from you, I would not have remembered it, nor would it
have fallen to my mind. And moreover, as our tribulations shall
increase in weight and number, so shall we need not only one such
good word or twain, but a great heap of them, to stable and
strengthen the walls of our hearts against the great surges of this
tempestuous sea.

ANTHONY:  Good cousin, trust well in God and he shall provide you
outward teachers suitable for every time, or else shall himself
sufficiently teach you inwardly.

Vincent admits this ("very well, good uncle") but goes on to note
that were he to rely solely on God's inward teaching when outward
counsel was still available he would be tempting God.  Further,
he notes, he has little hope that new teachers of his uncle's
stature will rise up in his place.  Vincent thinks it is his
God given duty to ask for Anthony's counsel as long as his uncle
is available.

VINCENT:  Very well, good uncle, but yet if we would leave the
seeking of outward learning, when we can have it, and look to be
inwardly taught by God alone, then should be thereby tempt God and
displease him. And since I now see the likelihood that when you are
gone we shall be sore destitute of any other like you, therefore
methinketh that God bindeth me of duty to pray you now, good uncle,
in this short time that we have you, that I may learn of you such
plenty of good counsel and comfort, against these great storms of
tribulation with which both I and all mine are sore beaten already,
and now upon the coming of this cruel Turk fear to fall in far
more, that I may, with the same laid up in remembrance, govern and
stay the ship of our kindred and keep it afloat from peril of
spiritual drowning.

Anthony goes on to note his own inability to keep his family
comforted, especially now that "the Turk" is working such havoc
against the faith.  Such havoc included robbing, burning, the
separation of families by imprisonment and exile, slavery, and
the abandonment of the true faith by embracing a false one.  He
then expresses his fear that those who have embraced the false
faith may then turn on their former co-religionists "for their
is no Turk so cruel to Christian folk as is the false Chrisitian
that falleth from the faith."  For these reasons the words of
Anthony are sorely needed and sought for as long as they can be
had.

You are not ignorant, good uncle, what heaps of heaviness have of
late fallen among us already, with which some of our poor family are
fallen into such dumps that scantly can any such comfort as my poor
wit can give them at all assuage their sorrow. And now, since these
tidings have come hither, so hot with the great Turk's enterprise
into these parts here, we can scantly talk nor think of anything
else than his might and our danger. There falleth so continually
before the eyes of our heart a fearful imagination of this terrible
thing: his mighty strength and power, his high malice and hatred,
and his incomparable cruelty, with robbing, spoiling, burning, and
laying waste all the way that his army cometh; then, killing or
carrying away the people thence, far from home, and there severing
the couples and the kindred asunder, every one far from the other,
some kept in thraldom and some kept in prison and some for a
triumph tormented and killed in his presence; then, sending his
people hither and his false faith too, so that such as are here and
still remain shall either both lose all and be lost too, or be
forced to forsake the faith of our Saviour Christ and fall to the
false sect of Mahomet. And yet--that which we fear more than all
the rest--no small part of our own folk who dwell even here about
us are, we fear, falling to him or already confederated with him.
If this be so, it may haply keep this quarter from the Turk's
invasion. But then shall they that turn to his law leave all their
neighbours nothing, but shall have our goods given them and our
bodies too, unless we turn as they do and forsake our Saviour too.
And then--for there is no born Turk so cruel to Christian folk as
is the false Christian that falleth from the faith--we shall stand
in peril, if we persevere in the truth, to be more hardly handled
and die a more cruel death by our own countrymen at home than if we
were taken hence and carried into Turkey. These fearful heaps of
peril lie so heavy at our hearts, since we know not into which we
shall fortune to fall and therefore fear all the worst, that (as
our Saviour prophesied of the people of Jerusalem) many among us
wish already, before the peril come, that the mountains would
overwhelm them or the valleys open and swallow them up and cover
them.

Therefore, good uncle, against these horrible fears of these
terrible tribulations--some of which, as you know, our house hath
already, and the rest of which we stand in dread of--give us, while
God lendeth you to us, such plenty of your comforting counsel as I
may write and keep with us, to stay us when God shall call you
hence.

Hearing all this, Anthony notes how heavy his heart is.  He then
goes on to rehearse the history of the quick advance of "the Turk."
In doing so he notes that "the Turk" has now "destroyed or noble
young goodly king., and now two of them strive for us--our Lord
send the grace that the third dog carry not away the bone from
them both!."  Are we to understand "two" as a reference to
"the Turk" and the King?  And who or what is "the third dog"
that he prays may not take the bone from the "two"?  Is the
third dog the spirit of dissension which exists among the
faithful, and which led to the advent of the "two"?

Greece feared not the Turk when I was born, and within a while
afterward that whole empire was his. The great Sultan of Syria
thought himself more than his match, and long since you were born
hath he that empire too. Then hath he taken Belgrade, the fortress
of this realm. And since that hath he destroyed our noble young
goodly king, and now two of them strive for us--our Lord send the
grace that the third dog carry not away the bone from them both!
What of the noble strong city of Rhodes, the winning of which he
counted as a victory against the whole body of Christendom, since
all Christendom was not able to defend that strong town against
him? Howbeit, if the princes of Christendom everywhere would, where
there was need, have set to their hands in time, the Turk would
never have taken any one of all those places. But partly because of
dissensions fallen among ourselves, and partly because no man
careth what harm other folk feel, but each part suffereth the other
to shift for itself, the Turk has in a few years wonderfully
increased and Christendom on the other hand very sorely decayed.
And all this is worked by our wickedness, with which God is not
content.

Shortly before Vincent came to him Anthony had been thinking upon
the Turk, but then his mind began to reflect on his impending death,
switched back to the Turk and then to thoughts of hell.  In light of
his thoughts on the last things the current trouble posed by the Turk
Struck him as being of little account.  Nevertheless, for the sake
of those whom he will leave behind at his death, he decides to provide
Vincent with comfort he can provide to the family once Anthony has gone.

But now, whereas you desire of me some plenty of comforting things,
which you may put in remembrance, to comfort your company
with--verily, in the rehearsing and heaping of your manifold fears,
I myself began to feel that there would be much need, against so
many troubles, of many comforting counsels. For surely, a little
before you came, as I devised with myself upon the Turk's coming,
it happened that my mind fell suddenly from that to devising upon
my own departing. Now, albeit that I fully put my trust in God and
hope to be a saved soul by his mercy, yet no man is here so sure
that without revelation he may stand clean out of dread. So I
bethought me also upon the pain of hell, and afterward, then, I
bethought me upon the Turk again. And at first methought his terror
nothing, when I compared with it the joyful hope of heaven. Then I
compared it on the other hand with the fearful dread of hell,
casting therein in my mind those terrible fiendish tormentors, with
the deep consideration of that furious endless fire. And methought
that if the Turk with his whole host, and all his trumpets and
timbrels too, were to come to my chamber door and kill me in my
bed, in respect of the other reckoning I would regard him not a
rush. And yet, when I now heard your lamentable words, laying forth
as though it were present before my face that heap of heavy
sorrowful tribulations that (besides those that are already
befallen) are in short space likely to follow, I waxed myself
suddenly somewhat dismayed. And therefore I well approve your
request in this behalf, since you wish to have a store of comfort
beforehand, ready by you to resort to, and to lay up in your heart
as a remedy against the poison of all desperate dread that might
arise from occasion of sore tribulation. And I shall be glad, as my
poor wit shall serve me, to call to mind with you such things as I
before have read, heard, or thought upon, that may conveniently
serve us to this purpose.

My Blog Has Moved

2008-02-17T04:24:00.000-08:00

I still occasionally post stuff on this site, however my primary blog, also called THE DIVINE LAMP,is located here. I post my own notes and commentary on biblical books and texts, along with commentary from people like St Thomas Aquinas, Cornelius A Lapide, and David Kihmi, a Medieval Jewish commentator. I also post personal notes on the the writings of some of the Early Fathers of the Church, Plato's The Gorgias, and St Thomas More's Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation.

Muppets for President

2008-02-01T21:29:00.001-08:00

The hidden identities of your presidential candidates revealed.

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Aquinas Psalm 1

2008-01-27T10:16:00.001-08:00

a) Beatus vir qui non abiit in consilio impiorum et in via peccatorum non stetit, et in cathedra pestilentiae non sedit; sed in lege Domini voluntas eius, et in lege eius meditabitur die ac nocte. (a) Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence. But his will is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he shall meditate day and night.
(b) Et erit tamquam lignum quod plantatum est secus decursus aquarum, quod fructum suum dabit in tempore suo. Et folium eius non defluet. (b) And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall bring forth its fruit, in due season. And his leaf shall not fall off:
(c) Et omnia quaecumque faciet, prosperabuntur. Non sic impii, non sic; sed tamquam pulvis quem proiicit ventus a facie terrae. Ideo non resurgent impii in iudicio, neque peccatores in consilio iustorum. Quoniam novit Dominus viam iustorum; et iter impiorum peribit. (c) and all whatsoever he shall do shall propser. Not so the wicked, not so: but like the dust, which the wind driveth from the face of the earth. Therefore the wicked shall not rise again in judgment: nor sinners in the council of the just. For the Lord knoweth the way of the just: and the way of the wicked shall perish
(a) Hic Psalmus distinguitur contra totum opus: non enim habet titulum, sed est quasi titulus totius operis. (a) This psalm stands out distinctly from all the rest of the work: for it does not have a title, but it is, as it were, the title of the entire work.
Sed et David Psalmos composuit per modum orantis, qui non servat unum modum, sed secundum diversas affectiones et motus orantis se habet. But David also composed the Psalms by the mode of one who is praying, which does not hold to one mode, but is varied according to the diverse feelings and movements of the one who prays.
Hic ergo primus Psalmus exprimit affectum hominis elevantis oculos ad totum statum mundi, et considerantis quomodo quidam proficiunt, quidam deficiunt. Thus this first psalm expresses the feeling of a man who is lifting his eyes to the entire state of the world and considering how some do well, while others fail.
Et inter beatos Christus fuit primus; inter malos Adam. And Christ is the first among the blessed ones; Adam the first among the evil ones.
Sed notandum, quod in uno omnes conveniunt, et in duobus differunt. But it should be noted, that in one all come together, and in two they differ.
Conveniunt in beatitudine, quam omnes quaerunt; different autem in processu ad beatitudinem, et in eventu huius, quia quidam perveniunt, et quidam non. They agree in happiness, which all seek; they differ in the way to happiness, and in the outcome, because some reach it, and others do not.
Dividitur ergo Psalmus iste in partes duas. Thus this psalm is divided in two parts.
In prima describitur processus omnium ad beatitudinem. In the first part is described the way of all to happiness.
In secunda eventus, ibi Et erit tamquam lignum quod plantatum est secus decursum etc. In the second part is described the outcome, where it says, And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters etc.
Circa primum duo facit. With respect to the first he does two things.
Primo tangitur processus malorum. First he touches upon the way of evil men.
Secundo bonorum, ibi, Sed in lege Domini voluntas eius etc. Second, the way of good men, where he says, But his will is in the law of the Lord etc.
In processu malorum tria consideranda sunt. In the way of evil men, three things are to be considered.
Primo deliberatio de peccato, et hoc in cogitatione. First, deliberation about sin, and this is in cogititation.
Secundo consensus et executio. Second, there is consent and execution.
Tertio inductio aliorum ad simile, et hoc est pessimum. Third, inducing others to something similar, and this is the worst.
Et ideo primo ponit consilium malorum, ibi Beatus vir etc. First he presents the counsel of evil men, where he says Blessed is the man etc.
Dicit autem, Qui non abiit, quia quamdiu homo deliberat, est in eundo. He says, Who hath not walked, because as long as a man is deliberating, he is going.
Secundo ponit consensum, et executionem dicens, Et in via peccatorum, idest in operatione: Prov. 4. Via impiorum tenebrosa, nesciunt ubi corruant; Second. he presents consent and execution, where he says: And in the way of sinners, that is, in operation; Proverbs 4:19 "The way of the wicked is darksome: they know not where they fall";
non stetit scilicet consentiendo, et operando. nor stood, that is, in consenting and operating.
Dicit autem, impiorum, quia impietas est peccatum contra Deum, et peccatorum, contra proximum, et in cathedra; He says of the ungodly, because impiety is a sin against God, and of sinners, as against one's neighbour, and in the chair;
ecce tertium, scilicet inducere alios ad peccandum. behold the third, namely to induce others to sin.
In cathedra ergo quasi magister, et alios docens peccare; et ideo dicit, pestilentia, quia pestilentia est morbus infectivus. In a chair thus as an authoritative teacher, and teaching others to sin and therefore he says, pestilence, because a pestilence is an infective disease.
Prov. 29. Homines pestilentes dissipant civitatem. Proverbs 29:8 "Corrupt men bring a city to ruin."
Qui ergo sic vadit non est beatus, sed qui contrario modo. Thus he who walks in this way is not happy, but only he who walks in the contrary way.
Beatitudo autem hominis in Deo est. Ps. 143. Beatus populus cuius est Dominus Deus eius etc. The happiness of man is in God. Psalm 143:15 "Happy is that people whose God is the Lord" etc.
Et ergo processus rectus ad beatitudinem, primo ut subdemus nos Deo, et hoc dupliciter. Thus there is the right way to happiness, first that we should submit ourselves to God, and this is in two respects.
Primo per voluntatem obediendo mandatis eius; et ideo dicit: Sed in lege Domini; et hoc specialiter pertinet ad Christum. First by the will to obey his commands; and thus he writes: But (his will is) in the law of the Lord; and this pertains in a special way to Christ.
Ioan. 8. Descendi de caelo non ut faciam voluntatem meam, sed voluntatem eius qui misit me. John 6:38 "I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me."
Convenit similiter et cuilibet iusto. The same may be said of each just person.
Dicit, in lege, per dilectionem, non sub lege per timorem. He says, in the law, meaning because of love, not as under the law because of fear.
I Timoth. 1. Iusto non est lex posita etc. I Timothy 1:9 "The law is not made for the just man" etc.
Secundo per intellectum iugiter meditando; et ideo dicit: in lege eius meditabitur die ac nocte, idest continue, vel certis horis diei et noctis, vel in prosperis et adversis. Second, through the understanding, by always meditating; and so he says: and on his law he shall meditate day and night, that is, continuously, or at certain hours of the day and night, or in prosperity and adversity.
(b) Describitur in hac parte felicitatis eventus: et primo ponit diversitatem eius; secundo assignat rationem, ibi, Quoniam novit Dominus etc. (b) In this part he describes the outcome of happiness: and first he sets forth its diversity; second he assigns the reason for it, where he says: For the Lord knoweth etc.
Circa primum duo facit. Concerning the first he does two things.
Primo ponit eventum bonorum, secundo malorum, ibi non sic impii etc. First he sets forth the outcome of good men, second, that of evil men, where he says: not so the wicked, etc.
Circa eventum bonorum utitur similitudine; et primo proponit eam, secundo adaptat, ibi, Et omnia quaecumque faciet etc. Concerning the outcome of good men he uses a similarity; and first he sets it forth, then he shows how it is appropriate, where he writes: And all whatsoever he shall do etc.
Similitudo namque sumitur a ligno, in quo tria considerantur, scilicet plantatio, fructificatio, et conservatio. The similarity is taken from a tree, in which three things are considered, namely, planting, bearing of fruit, and conservation.
Ad plantationem, vero necessaria est terra humectata ab aquis, alias aresceret; et ideo dicit: Quod plantatum est secus decursus aquarum, idest iuxta fluenta gratiarum, Ioan. 7. Qui credit in me flumina de ventre eius fluent aquae vivae. For planting, one needs earth moistened by the waters, otherwise the tree dries up, and so he says: which is planted near the running waters, that is, next to the streams of graces, John 7:38 "He that believeth in me (as the scripture saith) out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."
Et qui iuxta hanc aquam radices habuerit fructificabit bona opera faciendo; et hoc est quod sequitur: Quod fructum suum dabit. Gal. 5. Fructus autem spiritus est charitas, gaudium pax, et patientia, longanimitas, bonitas, benignitas, etc. And he who has roots next to this water will bear fruit in doing good works; and this is what follows: which shall bring forth its fruit. Galatians 5:22 "The fruit of the Spirit is charity, joy, peace, and patience, long-suffering, goodness, benignity" etc.
In tempore suo, scilicet modo quando est tempus operandi. Galat. ultimo. Dum tempus habemus, operemur bonum ad omnes. In due season, that is, just when it is time to act. Galatians 6:10 "Whilst we have time, let us work good to all men."
Sed nec arescit, immo conservatur. But it does not dry up, but rather is kept alive.
Quaedam arbores conservantur in substantia, sed non in foliis, quaedam etiam in foliis conservantur: sic et iusti, unde ait: Et folium eius non defluet idest nec in minimis operibus et exterioribus deseruntur a Deo. Some trees are kept alive in their underlying substance, but not in the leaves, and others are also kept alive in their leaves: so also the just, whence he says: and his leaf shall not fall off that is, he will not be deserted by God even in the smallest exterior works.
Proverbia 11. Iusti autem quasi virens folium germinabunt. Proverbs 11:28 "But the just shall spring up as a green leaf."
(c) Deinde cum dicit, Et omnia, adaptat similitudinem: quia beati in omnibus prosperabuntur, et hoc quando consequentur finem intentum quantum ad omnia quae desiderant, quia iusti perveniunt ad beatitudinem. (c) Then when he says, And all, he shows how the similarity applies: because the blessed prosper in all things, and this is when they achieve the intended end with respect to all that they desire, because the just attain blessedness.
Psal. 117. O Domine, salvum me fac, o Domine, bene prosperare etc. Psalm 117:25 "O Lord, save me: O Lord, give good success" etc.
Eventus malorum contrarius est, qui describitur ibi, Non sic etc. Et circa hoc duo facit. Primo ponit similitudinem, secundo ad adaptat, ibi, Non resurget. Sed nota quod hic praemittit non sic et non sic bis, propter maiorem certitudinem. Gen. 41. Quod secundo vidisti, iudicium firmitatis est. The outcome of evil men is the contrary, and this is described where he says: Not so etc. He does two things with regard to this. First he sets forth a similarity, then he shows its fittingness, where he says: The (wicked) shall not rise again. But note that here he repeats the words "not so" twice, for the sake of greater certainty. Genesis 41:32 "That thou didst see the second time...is a token of the certainty."
Vel non sic faciunt in processu, ideo non sic recipiunt in eventu. Or not so do they act in their way, and so not so do they receive in their outcome.
Luc. 16. Recepisti bona in vita tua, et Lazarus similiter mala: nunc autem hic consolatur, tu vero cruciaris. Luke 16:25 "Thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted; and thou art tormented."
Comparantur vero proprie pulveri, qui tria habet contra ea quae de viro iusto sunt dicta; quia non adhaeret terrae pulvis, sed est in superficie: lignum vero plantatum est radicatus. They are compared properly to dust, because dust has three things that are said of the just man; that dust does not stick to the earth, but it is on the surface, but a planted tree has roots.
Item lignum in se compactum est, item humidum est; sed pulvis in se divisus, siccus, et aridus est; per quod signatur, quia boni adunati sunt caritate sicut lignum: Again a tree is held together in itself, and it is moist; but dust is divided, dry and arid; through this we have a sign that good men are united like a tree by charity.
Psalm. 117. Constituite diem solemnem in condensis, usque ad cornu altaris: mali vero divisi: Proverba 13. Inter superbos semper iurgia sunt. Psalm 117:27 "Appoint a solemn day, with shady boughs, even to the horn of the altar": but evil men are divided: Proverbs 13:10 "Among the proud there are always contentions."
Item boni inhaerent radicatus in spiritualibus et bonis divinis, sed mali in exterioribus bonis sustentantur. Again, good men cling as with roots in spiritual things and divine goods, but evil men are sustained in exterior goods.
Item sunt sine aqua gratiae, Gen. 3. Pulvis es etc. Again, they are without the water of grace, Genesis 3:19 "For dust thou art" etc.
Et ideo omnis malitia eorum defluet. And so all their malice flows away.
Luc. 21. Capillus de capite vestro non peribit. Luke 21:18 "A hair of your head shall not perish."
Sed de istis malis dicitur, quod totaliter proiiciuntur a facie, idest bonis superficialibus, quos ventus, idest tribulatio, proiiciet a facie terra. But of these evil men it is said that they are totally driven from the face, that is, from superficial goods; the wind, that is tribulation, driveth them from the face of the earth.
Iob. 4. Vidi eos qui operantur iniquitatem, et seminant dolores, et metunt eos, flante Deo periisse, et spiritu irae eius esse consumptos. Job 4:8 "I have seen those who work iniquity, and sow sorrows, and reap them, perishing by the blast of God, and consumed by the spirit of his wrath."
Deinde adaptat similitudinem ibi, Non resurgent, quia sicut pulvis sunt. Then he makes the similarity fit, where he says, The wicked shall not rise again, because they are dust.
Sed contra 2. Corin. 2. Omnes nos manifestari oportet ante tribunal Christi. But, on the other hand, 2 Corinthians 5:10 "For we must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ."
Item 1. Cor. 15. Omnes quidem resurgemus. Again, 1 Corinthians 15:51 "We shall all indeed rise again."
Ad quod dicendum, quod dupliciter hoc potest legi. In this regard, we should say that this can be read in two ways.
Resurgere enim proprie in iudicio dicitur homo, quando causa sua sublevatur per sententiam iudicis. A man is properly said to rise in judgment, when his cause is supported by the sentence of a judge.
Isti ergo non resurgunt, quia sententia pro eis in iudicio non fertur, sed potius contra: unde alia littera habet, Non stabilentur. Those men, then, do not rise, because in judgment the sentence is not in their favor, but rather against them: hence another reading says: They will not be made to stand.
Boni vero sic: quia licet afflicti sint ex peccato primi parentis, tamen habebunt sententiam pro se. With good men it is thus: although they are afflicted by the sin of the first parent, yet they have a sentence in their favor.
Neque peccatores, congregabuntur, in consilio iustorum: quia boni congregabuntur in vitam aeternam, ad quam mali non admittentur. Nor (do) sinners congregate in the council of the just: because good men are gathered together for eternal life, to which evil men are not admitted.
Vel dicendum, quod hoc intelligitur de reparatione iustitiae, ad quam reparantur proprio iudicio. Or it may be said, that this is understood of the reparation of justice, to which they make reparation in their own judgment.
1 Cor. 11. Si nosmetipsos iudicaremus, non utique iudicaremur. 1 Corinthians 11:31 "If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged."
Et quantum ad hoc dicit: Non resurgent in iudicio, scilicet proprio, de quo dicitur Ephe. 5. Surge qui dormis, et exurge a mortuis, et illuminabit te Christus. And in this respect he says: The wicked will not rise again in judgment, that is in the proper judgment, of which it is said in Ephesians 5:14 "Rise thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead: and Christ shall enlighten you."
Quidam vero reparantur consilio bonorum, et isto modo etiam mali non resurgunt a peccato. Some men are restored by the advice of the good, and in this respect evil men still do not rise from sin.
Vel impii, idest infideles, non resurget in iudicio, discussionis, et examinationis, quia secundum Gregorium quidam condemnabuntur, et non iudicabuntur, ut infideles. But the wicked, that is unfaithful men, shall not rise again in judgment, that of discussion, and examination, because according to Gregory some are condemned without being judged, such as the unfaithful.
Quidam non iudicabuntur, nec condemnabuntur, scilicet Apostoli, et viri perfecti. Some will not be judged, nor will they be condemned, namely the Apostles and perfect men.
Quidam iudicabuntur, et condemnabuntur, scilicet mali fideles. Some are judged and condemned, namely evil men who have faith.
Sic ergo fideles non resurgent in iudicio discussionis, ut examinentur. In this way, then, men with faith do not rise in the judgment of discussion to be examined.
Ioan. 3. Qui non credit, iam iudicatus est. John 3:18 "He that doth not believe, is already judged."
Peccatores vero non resurgent in concilio iustorum, ut scilicet iudicentur, et non condemnentur. Sinners, however, will not rise in the council of the just, that is, to be judged and yet not condemned.
Deinde ratio redditur quare huiusmodi non resurgent in iudicio: Quoniam novit etc. Et proprie loquitur: quia quando aliquis scit quod perditum est, reparatur; quando vero nescit, non reparatur. Then he gives the reason why such do not rise in judgment: For the Lord knoweth etc. In proper terms he is saying: because when someone knows that something is lost, he has it replaced; when he does not know, he does not have it replaced.
Iusti autem per mortem dissolvuntur, sed tamen Deus novit eos. 2. Tim. 2. Cognovit Deus qui sunt eius. The just are dissolved by death, but still God knows them; 2 Timothy 2:19 "God knoweth who are his."
Novit scilicet notitia approbationis, et ideo reparantur. He knows them with a knowledge of approval, and so they are restored.
Sed quia non novit viam impiorum notitia approbationis, ideo iter impiorum peribit. Psal. 118. Erravi sicut ovis quae periit: quaere servum tuum, quia mandata tua non sum oblitus. But because he does not know the way of the wicked by a knowledge of approval, therefore the way of the wicked shall perish. Psalm 118:176 "I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost: seek thy servant, because I have not forgotten thy commandments".
Psal. 34. Fiant viae illorum tenebrae et lubricum etc. Psalm 34:6 "Let their way become dark and slippery" etc.

2007-12-25T05:05:00.000-08:00

A Child is born to us, and a Son is given to us (Is 9:6)

Let us for a moment imagine a Gospel of human invention; let us suppose that the genius of carnal man had undertaken to describe the birth of our Incarnate God,- with what colors, think you, would he have painted the entry of the adorable child into the world? What pomp and splendor would he not display! What wealth and luxury would be lavished around his cradle! What a sumptuous palace of marble would be prepared to receive him! What splendor of gold and precious stones would not have shown in every part of it! How abundantly would royal purple and the most precious tissues of the loom, be furnished for his attire! What countless multitude of servants would emulate each other in the performance of their humble duties in his service! Now, at the sight of such a grand and gorgeous display, will you exclaim: "Oh, how resplendent, how sublime is this!" For my part, I would Exclaim: "How paltry and puerile is all this, when there is the question of God! Why should he collect around him all the frail appliances of our weakness, the frivolous ornaments with which we endeavor to clothe and decorate our misery, the deceitful goods which our avarice alone desires, the splendid trifles, the glittering toys with which our folly sports? Can he stand in need of them? What! Can anything of earth be necessary to a God? How can that be reconciled with his sovereign independence? He would then no longer be that God who is sufficient for himself. But it will be said: It is not for himself, but for us; it is to make a stronger impression upon our senses, to attract our hearts more securely towards him that such splendor is required. But where is his omnipotence in that supposition? Does he not possess supreme authority over our hearts, and is he not able to inspire us with reverence and love, without dazzling us by vain exterior?

Where is the man who, when left to the suggestions of his own mid, to imagine and describe the Son of God descending at length upon earth, after four thousand years of expectations and impatient desires, where is the man who could conceive the idea of his being born in a stable, laid upon straw between mean animals, a feeble, silent infant, exposed, almost naked, to the violence of a rigorous season? Where is the man who, if he described an angel appearing to announce such great tidings, instead of putting magnificent expressions in the mouth of the heavenly messenger, could think of making him say: "A savior, who is Christ the Lord, is born, and this is the sign whereby you shall recognize him: You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and laid in a manger." No, this sublime simplicity far transcends all human conception and language.

where could we find a certain proof of divine greatness, if we did not discover it in great and admirable effects produced by the most trifling of causes, the feeblest of means? Now, if this principle be true, look upon this child who weeps in a manger,-what object can be meaner, feebler, more impotent? But see what he effects in the world, both before, and after, his birth. All the saints, from Abel downwards, are sanctified through him alone; the prophets are inspired for no other purpose than to describe his person and to write his history by anticipation. The vocation of Abraham, the mission of Moses, the choice of the people of God, the laws and the religion that were given to that people, have their fulfillment and their end in the mystery of Bethlehem. Empires rise and fall for no other purpose than to prepare for this one event to which everything in the universe tends. Scarce has it been accomplished-scarce has the Son of Mary beheld the light, when the Magi hasten from the East to lay their treasures at his feet. His name alone has thrown Jerusalem into consternation; the assembled Synagogue deliberates upon the interpretation of the oracles which concern him; the impious Herod trembles upon his throne. All the power and all the perfidy of this cruel tyrant are insufficient to stifle in the cradle a feeble infant who has no protector upon earth. When only twelve years old, he astonishes the sages of Israel and the interpreters of the Law with his wisdom, by merely addressing to them a few simple questions in the temple. His replies, latter, confound the Pharisees, Scribes, and Doctors of the Law; He speaks as no man ever spoke before him. He commands nature to obey him; he reveals the hidden secrets of the heart; he cures disease; he even restores the dead to life. He makes all Judea the theater of his miracles, and fills it with reports of his name. When he dies, the sun refuses to give its light; the earth shakes to its very foundations, the universe seems ready to fall back again into its original nothingness;-he comes forth victorious from the grave, and, as he had foretold, the whole world assumes a new face. The God who was born in a stable, and died upon a gibbet, receives incense from the whole world...all these miracles have begun here at Bethlehem; they are the fruit of this manger, of these rags, of this abject and humiliating birth, whose mystery, dear brethren, we celebrate today. And must we not recognize the greatness of God in beholding such trifling means attended by such stupendous effects?

Narly (or is it knarly; or gnarlly)?

2007-11-08T12:13:00.000-08:00

Get a Cash Advance

HAPPY

2007-07-26T13:31:00.001-07:00

The answer is his happiness consists in retaining it. It should be noted that Aquinas is responding to the idea that happiness consists in wealth.

_On the contrary,_ Man’s good consists in retaining happiness ratheRthan in spreading it.

"When St Thomas ssays that happiness, unlike wealth, is good when possessed, not when spread, he does not mean that our happiness is not in fact increased when we

make others happy, but that the essential meaning of "happiness" is the satisfaction of an individual's desires. These may and should include the desire to make

happy too. (Peter Kreeft A SUMMA OF THE SUMMA)

The Summa for Dummies 1, Q.1, Art. 2 Whether Sacred Doctrine is a Science

2007-07-24T13:30:00.001-07:00

What follows begins with St Thomas' brief teaching on this question as found in his COMPENDIUM OF THEOLOGY; after which, one will find the corresponding teaching

from The SUMMA THEOLOGICA. You may wish to consider reading only the bold text of the SUMMA article. Notes and links for further study ma also be provided.

(Note: Science, as St Thomas uses it, refers to knowledge-"scientia"- a developed body of knowledge based on causes or general principles)

COMPENDIUM:

this docttrine is a sceince proceeding from principles made known by the light of a higher science, as music proceeds from principles explained by mathematics.

For Sacred Doctrine proceeds from principles made know by the light of a higher knowledge, that is to say, the Divine Knowledge, and in certain particulars are

treated of, both as an example of life and in order thea we may know clearly by what instrumentality this revelation is made.

Whether Sacred Doctrine Is a Science?

Objection 1: It seems that sacred doctrine is not a science. For every
science proceeds from self-evident principles. But sacred doctrine
proceeds from articles of faith which are not self-evident, since
their truth is not admitted by all: "For all men have not faith" (2
Thess. 3:2). Therefore sacred doctrine is not a science.

Obj. 2: Further, no science deals with individual facts. But this
sacred science treats of individual facts, such as the deeds of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and such like. Therefore sacred doctrine is
not a science.

_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (De Trin. xiv, 1) "to this science
alone belongs that whereby saving faith is begotten, nourished,
protected and strengthened." But this can be said of no science except
sacred doctrine. Therefore sacred doctrine is a science.

_I answer that,_ Sacred doctrine is a science. We must bear in mind that
there are two kinds of sciences. There are some which proceed from a
principle known by the natural light of intelligence, such as
arithmetic and geometry and the like. There are some which proceed
from principles known by the light of a higher science: thus the
science of perspective proceeds from principles established by
geometry, and music from principles established by arithmetic. So it
is that sacred doctrine is a science because it proceeds from
principles established by the light of a higher science, namely, the
science of God and the blessed. Hence, just as the musician accepts on
authority the principles taught him by the mathematician, so sacred
science is established on principles revealed by God.

Reply Obj. 1: The principles of any science are either in
themselves self-evident, or reducible to the conclusions of a higher
science; and such, as we have said, are the principles of sacred
doctrine.

Reply Obj. 2: Individual facts are treated of in sacred
doctrine, not because it is concerned with them principally, but they
are introduced rather both as examples to be followed in our lives (as
in moral sciences) and in order to establish the authority of those
men through whom the divine revelation, on which this sacred scripture
or doctrine is based, has come down to us.

For a very good, brief summary of the teaching given here, please see Alfred J Freddoso's comments.

Brandon as SIRIS has more on this article and others related to Q. 1 of the Summa's first part.

THE 60-SECOND AQUINAS LESSON, which, sadly, is no longer updated, notes the importance of this article for Thomas' later treatment of the intellectual virtues.

My blog has moved

2007-07-08T19:13:00.000-07:00

Several months ago I established a new blog which contains virtually all I have posted here on the Bible and other stuff. Now I just post odds and ends here, mostly meaningless things, because I just can bear to part with it. Perhaps someday I'll post all the new stuff on my new site to this one.

2007-07-04T13:09:00.001-07:00

2007-06-28T14:54:00.001-07:00

2007-06-02T05:55:00.000-07:00

Jhn 1:1	In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;
Jhn 1:2	this one was in the beginning with God;
Jhn 1:3	all things through him did happen, and without him happened not even one thing that hath happened.
Jhn 1:4	In him was life, and the life was the light of men,
Jhn 1:5	and the light in the darkness did shine, and the darkness did not perceive it.
Jhn 1:6	There came a man -- having been sent from God -- whose name [is] John,
Jhn 1:7	this one came for testimony, that he might testify about the Light, that all might believe through him;
Jhn 1:8	that one was not the Light, but -- that he might testify about the Light.

bloggers choice awards

2007-04-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

Yup, I've been nominated for best religion blog

MY NEW BLOG

2007-04-21T19:13:00.000-07:00

Basically, my new blog has most of the same content as found here, but it is better organized.

Hosea 1:2-11

2007-04-02T16:06:00.000-07:00

Note: Unless otherwise noted I will be using my own translation of Hosea. This translation should in no way be considered authoritative. It is done by me as a personal exercise. For this reason I also provide links to the RSV. Please also note that some translations of Hosea employ different chapter and verse divisions. I’ll be following the RSV numbering.

The first part of verse 2 serves almost as a superscription to the overall text of 1:2-11. The prophet is commanded to take a woman of harlotries. The word take often connotes marriage in the bible (see Gen 4:19). The Hebrew text is not as straight forward as English translations render it. The meaning of the Hebrew text is uncertain. Is the prophet being commanded to wed a woman who is already a harlot, or is he being commanded to marry a woman who will become such in the future? Commentators are divided. It should be noted, however, that this action, and the subsequent marriatal experience of the prophet and his wife are meant to mirror God’s relationship with his people. In chapter 2:14-15 we see that Israel, God’s bride, had originally been faithfull, and so parallelism suggests that we are to understand that Hosea’s wife was originally faithful but later fell into harlotries.

for the land is engaging in great harlotries by not following the Lord. These words give the reason for the command to marry and suggest that the marital troubles to come have a connection to the lands great harlotries against the Lord. As already noted, Hosea’s marriage symbolises God’s relations with his people. Land here is to be understood as a euphemism for the people who were known as “the people of the land.” Underlying this euphemism is the theology of the Baal cults. Baal was a fertility god and the earth was considered as something like a consort of his. By sending the rain (conceived of as his seed/sperm) he impregnated the land and made it fruitful. In order to ensure that this would happen his devotees often engaged in “sacred” sexual rituals in temples dedicated to him. By engaging in this worship the people were making the land engage in harlotries by not following the Lord. The Hebrew wording suggests that this situation has been ongoing for some time.

A note on Baalism:

What the original conception was is most obscure. According to W.R. Smith, the Baal is a local God who, by fertilizing his own district through springs and streams, becomes its lawful owner. Good authorities, nevertheless, oppose this view, and reversing the above argument, hold that the Baal is the genius-lord of the place and of all the elements that cause its fecundity; it is he who gives “bread, water, wool, flax, oil, and drink” (Hosea 2:5; in the Hebrew text 2:7); he is the male principle of life and reproduction in nature, and such is sometimes honoured by acts of the foulest sensuality. Whether or not this idea sprang from, and led to the monotheistic conception of supreme deity, the Lord of Heaven, of whom the various Baals would be so many manifestations, we shall leave to scholars to decide. Some deem that the bible favours this view, for its language frequently seems to imply the belief in a Baal par excellence. (From The Catholic Encyclopedia article Baal. New Advent Catholic Supersite)

In verse 3 we see the prophet fulfill the command of the Lord by taking a woman named Gomer as his wife. Notice that the verse clearly states that the child she conceived and gave birth to is his (Hosea’s) son. Two more children will be born, and as we will see their paternity is not clearly stated. This is another reason for interpreting Gomer as an originally faithful wife (see comment on verse 2).

In verse 4 the prophet is commanded to name his son Jezreel, a word meaning “God sows”. This is the name of a broad, fertile valley plain which lies south of the Galilee and stretches from mount Megiddo in the west to the Jordan river in the east. It was ancient Israel’s proverbial “bread basket.” Because of its fertility and because much of the northern kingdom of Israel was dependent on its produce it became a center of Baal worship. The people it would seem were uncertain as to which god (El) sowed (zara, the root of Jezreel) the land (i.e. made it fruitful).

The giving of the name is explained in reference to the the charging of the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel. This is a reference to events from the time of the prophets Elijah and Elisha.

During the reign of King Ahab (circa 873-852 BC) the “original sin” of the northern kingdom was maintained. By “original sin” I am referring to the false shrines set up by Jeroboam 1 in and to the syncretistic worship of God which took place in them (1 Kings 12:26-13:34). In addition to tolerating this, Ahab also fostered the worship of Baal in deference to his Phoenician wife Jezebel. The prophet Elijah oppossed both these sins vehemently. On one occassion he challenged 450 prophets of Baal to a sacrificial dual on Mount Carmel. Upon defeating them he had them slain and, as a result, he was forced to flee to Mount Horeb (i.e. Mt Sinai) from Jezebel’s wrath. Recall that Horeb/Sinai is the place where God had made his covenant with the chosen people and gave them the ten commandments. While on the mountain Elijah twice declares how zealous he has been for the Lord AND HIS COVENANT. The Lord orders him to anoint Elisha as his successor and to also anoint Jehu as king of Israel.

Jehu is to wipe out the house of Ahab and all the dynasty of Omri (see 1 kings 18-19). This he does with a ruthless efficiency while maintaining how zealous he is for the Lord. This is the same statement made by Elijah, but with an important omission; Jehu never declares his zeal for GOD’S COVENANT. In fact like all the northern kings before him, he does nothing to end the “original sin” of Jeroboam 1 and re-establish the covenant. For this reason he is given only a partial blessing. He is blessed for eradicating the devotees of Baal, but he is criticised for his lack of fidelity to the covenant. For this reason his dynasty will last only four generations. That is the same length as the dynasties of Jeroboam 1 and of Omri (see 2 Kings 9-10). Jeroboam 2 is the fourth generation of the house of Jehu and therefore Hosea is being told the prophecy of 2 Kings 10:28-31 is about to be fulfilled.

But the prophet is also told that the entire kingdom, and not just the reigning dynasty, is going to come to an end. This will take place through military defeat when God will give the people over to their enemies by breaking the bow of Israel in the Jezreel valley.

Unlike the description of the birth of Jezreel in verse 3 this child’s paternity is not given. Is she one of the children of harlotry mentioned in verse 2? Given the symbolic named conferred on her it would appear so. One of the special traits of God which he often manifested towards the chosen people was his mercy. The name Loruhamah seems to announce the end of such manifestations. This would have been very shocking to the people since pity, or mercy, is closely connected with God’s self-revelation. In Exodus 34:6 for example, we read: “And the Lord passed before his (moses’) face and proclaimed, ‘Lord, Lord God of mercy (Hebrew= el rahum) and grace, slow to anger and bountiful in lovingkindness and faithfulness.“

Vs 7 But on the house of Judah I will show pity, and I, the Lord their God, will deliver them. Not by the bow will I deliver them, nor by sword, nor war, nor horses, nor by horsemen.

The political, religious, and moral situation in the Kingdom of Judah was not ideal but was better than what existed in the north. Unlike the northern kingdom, the southern kingdom was able, and had on occassion, repented of its sins. For this kingdom there is still hope. Apparently the prophet places these words here to insinuate that the only hope for the people of the northern kingdom is a return to the rule of the Davidic kings (see 3:5).

Vs 8 After the weaning of Loruhamah, Gomer conceived and gave birth to another son.
Vs 9 Then God said, ‘give him the name Loammi, for you are not my people and neither am I your God’.

Another son is born and, like his sister, his paternity appears to be in question. This is reflected in his name, Loammi, which means “not a people.” Just as his sister’s name appeared to be establishing a reversal of how God deals with his people so too with his name and its explanation.

The statement “I will be your God, and you will be my people” often appears in various forms in the Old Testament (see Lev 26:12; Dt 26:17-19) and is always used as a fundamental statement about the chosen peoples relationship with God. By having the prophet name the illegitimate boy “not my people” God is signifying the disruption of the relationship between him and the people of the Northern kingdom. The explanation for why the name is given also plays upon the name of Yahweh (”I am who I am) which was revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14. “I am who I am” is in Hebrew ehyeh aser ehyeh. When the Lord explains the meaning of Loammi to mean “I am not your God” the Hebrew is Lo Ehyeh, literally a reversal of the divine name.

POST MENU

2007-04-01T18:36:00.000-07:00

Click on picture to enlarge.

(Please note: The Rejoice icon to the right was obtained courtesy of the Curt Jester.)

INTRODUCTION AND NOTES ON AMOS (Updated 1/14/07) (still in progress)

INTRODUCTION AND NOTES ON HOSEA (still in progress)

INTRODUCTION AND NOTES ON ISAIAH (still in progress)

My Notes (and others) on the Psalms Updated 1/7/07 (still in progress)

AN OUTLINE TO JOHN'S GOSPEL (will take you to different site. The document is in word pad format). Click on "Blatherings" on the left hand side of the page to leave a comment or start a discussion.

Jesus and the Restoration of the Davidic Kingdom. (An on-going series by Michael Barber of Singing in the reign)

ST THOMAS AND THE SUMMA THEOLOGICA (updated 1/15/07) (still in progress and may never get done) This will take you to a different web site. Some content comes from geneseejoe.

RANTS AND RUMBLES, NOTES AND QUOTES (on going)

PATRISTIC ROSARY
(I originally put up this page because the host site did not have the mysteries in a convenient order. That has been rectified. Go directly to site.

LITTLE OFFICE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

THE BOOK OF HOURS (contains the hours of the cross, the Holy spirit, and the Virgin)

THE DIVINE OFFICE ONLINE (full text of the Sunday and Friday office, along with the night prayers for every day of the week are available free of charge. For the full office you must pay a subscription fee. For convenience use the "display format." Once the office is on your screen you can use the "bookmark' and "pages" tab to access the various hours. You must have Adobe Reader installed on your computer. If you do not have it you can download it for free on the site.)

POPE BENEDICT'S CATECHESIS ON CHRIST AND THE CHURCH. Updated 1/8/07

PAPAL COMMENTARIES ON THE DIVINE OFFICE. (WILL BE DONE SOON) Morning prayers complete.

WEEK 1

Week 2

Week 3.

Week 4.

Translating Sacramentum Caritatis

2007-03-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

The Spirit's Sword (2): Sacramentum Caritatis - Latin, Italian, English, side by side by side- well sort of

Puff the Magic Dragon and Bear-i-tone from The Spirits Sword looks at the English translation of Sacramentum Caritatis in light of the Latin and Italian texts. I have linked to the first post which, unfortunately, employs very small text. You can overcome this however by pressing and holding your Ctrl key and tapping the += key. With each tap the text size will increase. To reverse this press and hold the Ctrl key and tap the_- key.

Their second installment is much easier to read. With this second installment they have started a separate page which will contain all future entries.

Amos 9

2007-03-17T10:00:00.001-07:00

Vs 1 I saw the Lord standing beside the altar; and he said, Smite the capitals, that the thresholds may shake; and break them in pieces on the head of all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: there shall not one of them flee away, and there shall not one of them escape. (Note: unless otherwise stated, all quotes come from the AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION. The text is in the public domain).

I saw. Reminds us of the superscription which spoke of "the words of Amos...which he saw concerning Israel." the Lord standing beside the altar. This could also be translated "on the altar" which would be more in keeping with the position God is ususally said to assume. However, it should be kept in mind that this is a false altar upon which God is never have said to have manifested his presence. Indeed, seeking the Lord as if he were present on such a false altar has already been condemned (5:4-5).

God commands someone to smite the capitals, that the threshold may shake. Who exactly is being command to do this is unclear. Since what follows has God speaking in the first person, it seems likely that he is speaking with himself (see Gen 18:16-21). The capitals are to be broken so as to fall upon the heads of those worshipping in the temple. There may be an allusion here to Samson's destruction of the temple of Dagon (Judges 16:23-31).

I will slay the last of them...there shall not one of them escape. This may be an allusion to Jehu's destruction of the temple of Baal (2 Kings 10:18-27.

Vs 2-4 though they dig into sheol, from there my hand shall take them; and though they climb up to heaven, from there will I bring them down. And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, I will command the serpent to bite them. And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence I will command the sword, and it shall slay them: And I will set my eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.

No matter how deep they go (sheol, sea), nor how high (the top of Mt. Carmel, heaven) they will not escape God's punishments, for he is the Lord of creation as the following verses make clear:

Vs 5-6 For the Lord, God of hosts, is he who touches the land and it melts, and all that dwell thereupon shall mourn; and the land shall rise up like the river, and sink back again, like the river of Egypt; It is he that builds his chambers in the heavens, and has founded his vault upon the earth; he that calls forth the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the face of the earth; the Lord is his name (My translation based heavily on ASV)

Like 4:13 and 5:8-9 these verses are a doxology The image of the land melting and its rising up and sinking back like the river (i.e. the Nile) indicates an earthquake as in 8:8 (see also 1:1). The word melts in verse 5 could (and probably should) be translated as tremble, shakes, or shudders (see Psalm 46:6; Nahum 1:5).

Vs 7 Are you not like the children of the Ethiopians to me, O children of Israel? says the Lord. Was it not I who brought Israel up out of Egypt, as I brought the Philistines out from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?

Isreal is in reality no different from any pagan nation because it has seperated itself from the one God and his covenant and laws. Mere possession of the land of promise is nothing, since God gave land even to the pagan Philistines (who are said to have come from Caphtor, probably Crete). Its covenant relationship with God is what set Israel apart (see Exodus 19:5), but this relationship they had severed, thereby making themsleves no better than other nations (see Exodus 8:19-20).

Vs 8-9 Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I shall destroy it from off the face of the earth; save that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, says the Lord. For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all the nations, like grain is sifted in a sieve, yet the smallest kernel shall not fall upon the earth. All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, who say, evil shall not overtake nor meet us.

Only those lowly and humble enough to repent (symbolised by the smallest kernel) will escape. Those out of touch with their own sinfulness see no need to repent and will therefore be lost.

Notes on Amos 8:1-14

2007-02-22T13:43:00.000-08:00

Verses 1-3 of chapter 8 recount Amos’ vision of the fruit basket
while the remainder of the chapter (vss 4-14) contain an oracle against
greed. This oracle ends with a statement that those who swear by the
false altar (which the prophet has already condemned in 3:14-15; 7:9)
will fall. This leads into the final vision which opens chapter 9, for there we see the Lord standing by the altar about to be destroyed.

8:1-3

1) Here is what the Lord showed to me: a basket of ripe summer fruit.

2) “What is it you are seeing, Amos,” he asked. “I see a basket of ripe summer fruit,” was my response. Then said the Lord to me:

“The end is upon my people Israel; no more will I turn back my punishment.

3) The songs of the temple shall be turned into wailings on
that day, says the Lord God. “Many shall be the bodies of the dead,
strewn about everywhere. Silence!” (My translation)

In the vision the prophet is shown a basket containing kelub qayis: literally, “summer fruit.” The Hebrew is a reference to the fruit (kelub) that is harvested as the rainy season at the end of summer (qayis) begins. The meaning of the vision becomes apparent when a word play in the Hebrew text is seen. Amos sees qayis fruit and the Lord responds that the qes (the
end) has come for Israel. Though the two words are from different roots
they do sound alike and, furthermore, something that is ripe has reached the end
of a process. This is why many modern translations read something like
this: “The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no
longer.” (NIV) Many scholars speculate that Amos went to the northern
sanctuary at the time of the Sukkoth (Tabernacles) festival which celebrated the end of the summer harvest.

The Lords command for silence at the end of verse
three is, in context, highly ironic. The call to silence was often done
in a theophanic context; that is to say, in contexts where God
manifests his presence in the Jerusalem temple at the time of sacrifice
(see Hab 2:20; Zech 2:17). Having had a funeral dirge sung over her
because of her false worship at false temples (see 5:1-6 and my notes)
the Lord now declares that their songs of worship will become wails of
mourning due to the dead strewn about the land. Such a number of bodies
would make the land ritually unclean, an unfit place to worship God.
God will reveal his presence in Israel not by manifesting his presence
on a false altar in a false temple, but rather, by destroying them.

8:4-6

4) Hear this, you who walk all over the needy and bring to destruction the poor of the land!

5) You say, “when will the new moon be past, so that we may
sell our crops? When will the sabbath be done, so that we may market
the wheat and make the ephah small while making great the shekel; and
so that we might weigh with false scales.

6) So that we might by the lowly for silver, and the poor for the price of a pair of sandals. And so that we may sell even the

refuse of the wheat. (My translation)

The oracle opens with a typical prophetic “call to attention” formula: Hear this.
The oracle is directed against those who abuse those of lowly means and
recalls the prophet’s original indictment of Israel (see 2:6-16). It
also recalls the sarcastic remarks God made concerning their
hypocritical worship in 4:4-5. Here the two elements of greed and
hypocritical worship are combined. Whether or not the subjects of the
oracle were actually thinking the thoughts attributed to them is
irrelevant. By their practices they were showing contempt for God and
right worship regardless of what their intentions were.

The new moon marked the first day of the month on
the Hebrew calendar and a special temple sacrifice was to be done for
it (Numbers 28:11-15). The text suggests that the people of the
Northern Kingdom did no work or commerce on this day though the law of
Moses nowhere legislated such a thing. All forms of work and commerce
were forbidden on the sabbath except, apparently, in the
case of dire necessity. The subjects of the oracle are shown adhering
to the devotions only grudgingly, anxiously waiting for the special
days to be over so that they can begin their cheating business as
usual. The purpose of Sabbath and the worship of God is lost upon them.
The ephah was a very ancient standard of measurement for
dry good, particularly grain. It is equal to slightly more than twenty
and three-quarter quarts. How exactly the ephah was to be made small is unknown. Presumably the grain was mixed with the refuse of the wheat to attain the ephah measure. The shekel was a standard for weighing out silver and gold. Making great the shekel is
something of an ironic term. A shekel was a standard of weight by which
gold and silver were measured out. One made the shekel great by
diminishing its weight. A business man could then weigh out what
appeared to be the agreed upon price for a poor man’s wholesale goods.
Since the shekel was made “greater” by becoming lighter, the poor man’s
profit was less since it took less gold on the balance scale
to equal a shekel that had been tampered with. Thus from the cheating
businessman’s perspective, a lighter shekel is a greater shekel. False
scales and the cheating of people in the area of commerce was strongly
condemned in the Bible, suggesting that it was a common abuse .
Deuteronomy calls those who engage in such practice “an abomination in
the sight of the Lord” (see Dt 25:13-16). Priests and kings were
responsible for ensuring that these practices not take place.

8 :7

By the pride of Jacob has the Lord sworn: “Surely, none of their deeds will I forget.” (My translation)

The Lord is usually shown swearing an oath in reference to himself
or his holiness since there is nothing greater than him. Here,
ironically, he swears by the pride of Jacob. Men swear
oaths by things that are greater than themselves (such as God’s name);
here the implication is that Jacob (the northern kingdom) thinks itself
greater than God because by its deeds it flaunts his commands. By
swearing an oath in their name to punish them for their deeds God is
sarcastically criticizing their presumed greatness (pride).

8:8

Shall not the land tremble because of this, while all
who dwell upon it mourn as it rises up and is turbulent before sinking
back again like the river of Egypt?

Because of the
peoples deeds (vs 7) the land will be hit with an earthquake (see 1:1).
In an earthquake the land rises up and is turbulent, like a river in
flood.

8:9-10

9) And it shall come to pass on that day, says the Lord God,
that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the
earth in the clear of day.

10) And I will turn your
feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentations; and I will
bring sackcloth onto all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I
will make it as the mourning for an only son, and bring them to the end
of a bitter day. (ASV. This book is in the public domain. I’ve modified the text slightly)

The comparison of the earthquake to the river Nile in Egypt was no
mistake. God had promised Israel that if it did not obey him he would
afflict them with the plagues of Egypt (see Dt 28:60). One of those
plagues (the ninth) was darkness (Exodus 10:21-29). The tenth was the death of the firstborn and the mourning
that accompanied it (Ex 11). The wearing of sackcloth was a traditional
sign of mourning (1 Kings 20:31), as was the shaving of the head (Micah
1:16). As has already become clear, the worship of the northern kingdom
is tainted. False feasts and songs of worship, if not repented of, can only lead to mourning and lamentation. It
should also be remembered that the vision of the fruit basket with
which chapter 8 began was explained as signifying that the temple songs
would be turned to mourning as the land became littered with bodies
(8:2-3).

8:11-12

11) Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord
God, when I will send a famine upon the land, not a famine of bread,
nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the Lord.

12) And
they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east;
they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord and not find it.
(ASV. I’ve changed the translation somewhat)

Behold, days are coming is a formulaic prophetic
expression announcing a coming event. The event announced here is
calamitous, an absence of the word of God, here meaning prophecy. This
absence is compared to famine and drought, two major punishments God
had promised the people they could avoid by heeding his word (see Dt
28). The drought and famine which the people were apparently already
experiencing as a warning (Amos 1:1; 4:6-7) did not lead to the heeding
of the prophetic call to repentance (Amos 2:11-12). God’s patience is
nearing its end and too late the people will realize their folly. The
Chroniclers judgement concerning Judah in 587 BC could just as easily
been directed against Israel in Amos’ day (see 2 Chron 36:15-16).

8:13-14

13) In that day shall the fair virgins and the young men faint for thirst.

14) They
that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, ‘As thy god, O Dan, liveth;’
and, ‘As the way of Beer-Sheba liveth;’ they shall fall, and never rise
up again.

This passage builds upon the theme of drought and famine and upon the theme of mourning and death as well.

In verse 7 the lord swore an oath not to forget the deeds of pride
done by the northern kingdom, here the oracle ends with the demise of
those in the northern kingdom who swear falsely by the sin of Samaria, a reference to the false shrine and bull shaped altar at Bethel on Mount Samaria. As thy god, O Dan, liveth is an oath formula. Dan
was the tribe which dwelt in the extreme north of Israel and a
settlement of the same name was located on the northern frontier. At
this settlement their was a false shrine (see 1 Kings 12:29). Beer-Sheba is in the southern kingdom of Judah. What the oath formula related to it intends is unknown. The phrase “from Dan to Beer-Sheba”
was a proverbial statement designating the entire promised land.
Perhaps the reference to Beer-Sheba here is meant to reflect the
apparent attitude of the northern kingdom that sacrifice to God can be
offered anywhere, rather than in Jerusalem alone

Amos. A summary of the first lesson

2007-02-14T16:04:00.000-08:00

(PLEASE NOTE: A WORKSHEET WILL BE HANDED OUT TO YOU AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR STUDY. PARTICIPANTS ARE ASKED TO BRING A NOTEBOOK OR SEVERAL SHEETS OF PAPER FOR TAKING NOTES.)

A SUMMARY OF OUR FIRST SESSION

(Note: the Biblical citations given below in Bold-face type should be read in preparation for the study. If possible, try to read all citations)

You will receive a basic introduction to the theological and historical background necessary for understanding the Prophet Amos and the other prophets as well:

1) You will learn about the covenant obligations which were imposed upon the chosen people. You will also learn about the blessings received for obeying the obligations and the punishments incurred for not doing so (Deuteronomy 28. This text is often alluded to in the prophets).

a) Obligation: Listening to the words of the prophets. (Deuteronomy 18:9-20; Acts 3:12-26; Matt 28:18-20)

b) Obligation: You will learn the nature of Israelite kingship as intended by God, along with the distortions of that intention by the kings and the problems which followed. (Deuteronomy 17:14-20; 1 Kings 11:1-10)

c) Obligation: The right worship of God (Deutereonomy 12:1-14)

d) Punishment: (Deuteronomy 28:15-69. You should have already read this passage)

2) You will learn about the division of the Davidic Kingdom which took place after Solomon's death and the reasons for it (1 Kings

3) You will learn about the "original sin" of the new northern kingdom of Israel. It was to the new kingdom that Amos was sent and the "original sin" is the major reason for his ministry (1 Kings 12:1-13:3)

4) We will examine chapters 1 and 2 of Amos, focusing on 1:1-2 and 2:6-16 (Amos chaptes 1 and 2).

there are a total of six reading in bold-face listed above. They are mostly short readings, the longest being 69 verses (Deut 28), and the second longest being 31 verses (Amos 1 and 2). Please make an effort te read these texts. I suggest reading one a day. Also, if you do not understand a text, or if you have a question or a thought you'd like to share, please write it down and present it to the group at the appropriate time. Again, please remember to bring a notebook or paper with you. Bibles will be supplied.

Amos lesson 1 my copy

2007-02-06T18:30:00.000-08:00

THE PROPHET AMOS WORKSHEET

Lesson 1

PART A. HISTORICAL AND THEOLOGICAL INTRODUCTION

(The participant is asked to consult all the readings below and answer the questions to the best of his or her abilities before the first study takes place. If the participant has a question, comment, or insight he or she would like to share, please write it down and share it at the appropriate time.)

1) Read Deuteronomy 17:14-20.

a) What are the people forbidden here?

b) The king is forbidden 6 things, what are they?

C) What must the king do regarding the book of the law?

I will briefly describe the significance of this text, focusing upon why certain things are forbidden. I will also briefly describe the contrast between pagan kings and what is expected of Jewish kings.

2) Read Deuteronomy 18:9-20.

a) What is required of the people in regard to legitimate prophets?

I will note that prophets usually arise at troubled times and give some of the reasons for their appearing.

3) Read Deuteronomy 28.

a) Name two or three of the blessing which are most meaningful or appealing to you. Explain why?

b) Name two or three of the curses that would most terrify you. Explain why?

c) Do your actions correspond to the blessings you find most meaningful/appealing? (Personal reflections need not be shared)

I will briefly describe what a covenant is by quoting from Scott Hahn.

4) Read 1 Kings 11.

a) Compare verses 1-10 of this chapter with Deuteronomy 17:14-20. What things forbidden the king did King Solomon do?

b) What is the reason given for the rebellion of Jeroboam, son of Nebat (see 1 Kings 11:26-34). [Note: Jeroboam, son of Nebat is often called Jeroboam I by modern scholars; this is to distinguish him from a second Jeroboam who reigned as king during the time of Amos.]

PLEASE NOTE THAT AFTER THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM OF DAVID THE NEW NORTHERN KINGDOM RETAINED THE NAME ISRAEL, WHILE THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM BECAME KNOWN AS JUDAH.

5) Read Deuteronomy 12:1-14.

a) Where did Solomon end up building this sanctuary/temple?

6) Read 1 Kings 12:1-13:3.

a) What was the sin of Jeroboam I?

b) What is propehcied against him and his sin?

I will note that "the sin of Jeroboam, son of Nebat," becomes a stereotypical formula for the sins of all the kings of israel (Northern Kingdom). I will also not that this eventually leads to the destruction of the kingdom by the Assyrian empire which is the looming threat throughout the book of Amos.

PART B. CHAPTERS 1 2

1) Read 1: 1.

a) What do you think the purpose of the superscrition is?

b) What (NOT WHO) is the focus of the superscription?

I will describe the time period established by the superscription and what little we know about Amos

2) Read 1:2.

a) Scholars call this verse the keynote to the book of Amos. What does this keynote suggest about the content of the book?

b) What is being prophecied in this particular verse?

c) Which of the introductory readings given above does this verse remind you of?

d) What image does the word "roaring" conjure up for you?

I will ask the following questions: 1) What was in Jerusalem? [the temple] 2) Where was the temple located in Jerusalem? [Mount Zion]. 3) What was the major sin of Jeroboam? [building of false places of worship]. 4) On the basis of these three questions/answers, what do you think a key concern of this book will be?

I will also talk about why drought and the withering of Carmel, which is being prophecied here, is so meaningful. [In the days of Elijah the people worshipped Baal, a fertility god who was thought to make the land fruitful. God gave Elijah power to stop the rain for three years. This situation ended when Elijah chanllenged the prophets of baal to a "worship dual" on Mount Carmel and defeated them.]

I will ask: What message do you think the image of a withering Carmel would send to the people in light of this event.

3) Read 1:3-2:5.

a) Does the stereotypical formula employed by the prophet in these oracles have any effect on you? If yes, what is the effect? (Note: remember these oracles were originally spoken).

b) Imagine you are one of the Jews of the Northern Kingdom of Israel who heard Amos preach; what do you think your reaction to the condemnation of your fellow Jews in the Kingdom of Juday would have been? (Note: the two kingdoms sometimes worked closely together and at other times warred with one another. In Amos' day they were at peace but Judah was in vassalage to Israel)

I will quickly explain the streotypical formula: "for three transgressions and for four,,,I will not cause it to turn back."

I will look at some of the images that may not be readily evident to most readers.

I will highlight the brilliant rhetorical strategy of the prophet with an example from David's encounter with Nathan, and from the American Civil War.

4) Read 2:6-16.

a) What sets the condemnation of Israel apart from all the other oracles?

b) Does it surprise you that Israel receives such a strong condemnation in comparison to the Pagans? Explain why or why not?

b) Which introductory readings given in PART A relate to this passage?

c) What do the verses 13-16 suggest concerning the punishment to come upon Israel?

I will note the structure of verses 6-16:

Vss 6-8: The streotypical formula. Israel's transgressions. Note that more transgressions are mentioned here than in any of the other oracles.

Vss 9-11 God's goodness in contrast to Israel's sins. The focus is upon the good which God has done for his people. A strong contrast opens the passage and serves to emphasize the perfidy of the evil action of God's people against one another in contrast to the good which God has done for all his people. The contrast serves to highlight the fact that many of the people are not fulfilling the injunction "be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy."

Vs 12 Israel's sins in contrast to God's goodness. Whereas verses 9-11 formed a contrast with the sins of 6-8, here in verse 12 a contrast is being drawn between God's goodness and Israel's sins.

Vss 13-16 Warning of impending punishment.

I will comment upon verses 6-16.

Amos lesson 1

2007-02-06T18:24:00.000-08:00

THE PROPHET AMOS WORKSHEET

Lesson 1

PART A. HISTORICAL AND THEOLOGICAL INTRODUCTION

1) Read Deuteronomy 17:14-20.

a) What are the people forbidden here?
b) The king is forbidden 6 things, what are they?
C) What must the king do regarding the book of the law?

2) Read Deuteronomy 18:9-20.

a) What is required of the people in regard to legitimate prophets?

3) Read Deuteronomy 28.

a) Name two or three of the blessing which are most meaningful or appealing to you. Explain why?
b) Name two or three of the curses that would most terrify you. Explain why?
c) Do your actions correspond to the blessings you find most meaningful/appealing? (Personal reflections need not be shared)

4) Read 1 Kings 11.

a) Compare verses 1-10 of this chapter with Deuteronomy 17:14-20. What things forbidden the king did King Solomon do?
b) What is the reason given for the rebellion of Jeroboam, son of Nebat (see 1 Kings 11:26-34). [Note: Jeroboam, son of Nebat is often called Jeroboam I by modern scholars; this is to distinguish him from a second Jeroboam who reigned as king during the time of Amos.]

PLEASE NOTE THAT AFTER THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM OF DAVID THE NEW NORTHERN KINGDOM RETAINED THE NAME ISRAEL, WHILE THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM BECAME KNOWN AS JUDAH.

5) Read Deuteronomy 12:1-14.

a) Where did Solomon end up building this sanctuary/temple?

6) Read 1 Kings 12:1-13:3.

a) What was the sin of Jeroboam I?
b) What is propehcied against him and his sin?

Lesson 1

PART B. CHAPTERS 1 & 2

1) Read 1: 1.

a) What do you think the purpose of the superscrition is?
b) What (NOT WHO) is the focus of the superscription?

2) Read 1:2.

a) Scholars call this verse the keynote to the book of Amos. What does this keynote suggest about the content of the book?
b) What is being prophecied in this particular verse?
c) Which of the introductory readings given above does this verse remind you of?
d) What image does the word "roaring" conjure up for you?

3) Read 1:3-2:5.

a) Does the stereotypical formula employed by the prophet in these oracles have any effect on you? If yes, what is the effect? (Note: remember these oracles were originally spoken).
b) Imagine you are one of the Jews of the Northern Kingdom of Israel who heard Amos preach; what do you think your reaction to the condemnation of your fellow Jews in the Kingdom of Juday would have been? (Note: the two kingdoms sometimes worked closely together and at other times warred with one another. In Amos' day they were at peace but Judah was in vassalage to Israel)

4) Read 2:6-16.

My Official Title

2007-01-29T23:59:00.000-08:00

Your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:

Very Lord Dim Bulb the Intransigent of Barton in the Beans

Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

SUMMA THEOLOGICA Question 1. art. 4

2007-01-28T11:57:00.000-08:00

(Note: the texts of Aquinas are printed in the same color as this note)

Objection 1: It seems that sacred doctrine is a practical science; for a practical science is that which ends in action according to the philosopher (i.e. Aristotle, in Metaphysics, book 2, part 1). But sacred doctrine is ordained to action: “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). Therefore sacred doctrine is a practical science.
Objection 2: Further, sacred doctrine is divided into the Old Law and the New Law. But law implies a moral science. Therefore sacred doctrine is a practical science.

Since sacred doctrine is concerned primarily with the ordering of human actions, (or so it seems to objection 1) it must be a practical rather tha a speculative science because “the end…of practical knowledge is action” (see Aristotle link above). Objection 2 seeks to confirm this by noting that sacred doctrine is subsumed under the Old and New Laws which implies that it is a moral sceince (due to the use of the word law).

Concerning the use of the word law the Catholic Encyclopedia has this to say:

In a stricter and more exact sense law is spoken of only in reference to free beings endowed with reason. But even in this sense the expression law is used sometimes with a wider, sometimes with a more restricted meaning. By law are at times understood all authoritative standards of the action of free, rational beings. In this sense the rules of the arts, poetry, grammar, and even the demands of fashion or etiquette are called laws. This is, however, an inexact and exaggerated mode of expression. In the proper and strict sense laws are the moral norms of action, binding in conscience, set up for a public, self-governing community. This is probably the original meaning of the word law, whence it was gradually transformed to the other kinds of laws (natural laws, laws of art). Law can in this sense be defined with St. Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologica I-II: 90:4) as: A regulation in accordance with reason promulgated by the head of a community for the sake of the common welfare. (See “Law” in the Catholic Encyclopedia)

On the contrary, Every practical science is concerned with human operations; as moral science is concerned with human acts, and architecture with building. But sacred doctrine is chiefly concerned with God, whose handiwork is especially man. Therefroe it is not a practical but a speculative science.

Moral science is indeed concerned with human acts as the science (knowledge) of architecture is concerned with the act of human construction of various types. But as the Saint will go on to show, sacred doctrine is concerned with the God; both his inner life and his actions, which especially includes man whom he created.

Concerning the word “speculative” Dictionary.com states the following (emphasis mine):

1. pertaining to, of the nature of, or characterized by speculation, CONTEMPLATION, conjecture, or ABSTRACT REASONING: a speculative approach.

2. theoretical, rather than practical: speculative conclusions.
(speculative. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/speculative accessed: January 28, 2007).

I answer that, sacred doctrine, being one, extends to things which belong to different philosophical sciences because it considers in each the same formal aspect, namely, so far as they can be known through divine revelation (see previous article). Hence, although among the philosophjical sciences one is speculative and another practical, nevertheless sacred doctrine includes both; as God, by one and the same science, knows both himself and his works. Still, it is speculative rather than practical because it is more concerned with divine things than with human acts; though it does treat even of these later inasmuch as man is ordained by them to the perfect knowledge of God in which consists eternal bliss. This is a sufficient answer to the objections.

Man does not possess several different faculties of sight, but
only one. He see different kinds of things because they all posses “the one precise formality of being colored; and color is the formal object of sight,”
as was shown in the previous article. Just as sight considers different
things according to the same formal aspect (color), so too does sacred
doctrine consider all the various philosophical sciences from “the same formal aspect, namely, so far as they can be known through divine revelation.”

Now, though some philosophical sciences are speculative and others practical, sacred doctrine includes both aspects without there being two sacred doctrines; one speculative, the other practical. This is rooted in the unity of God’s knowledge, who “By one and the same science (knowledge) knows both himself and his works.” Even so, sacred doctrine “is
speculative rather than practical, because it is more concerned with divine things than with human acts; though it does treat even of these latter, inasmuch as man is ordained by them to the perfect knowledge of God, in which consists eternal bliss.” In other words, the practical science of moral theology (see objection 1) is included in and subsummed under theology (sacred doctrine), which is the speculative science of God. It is subsummed under theology and is the means whereby we attain eternal bliss, which is the eternal speculation (in the sense of contemplation) of God.

Summa Theologica Q. 1 art 4

2007-01-28T07:08:00.000-08:00

Objection 1: It seems that sacred doctrine is a practical science; for a practical science is that which ends in action according to the philosopher (i.e. Aristotle, in Metaphysics, book 2, part 1). But sacred doctrine is ordained to action: "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only" (James 1:22). Therefore sacred doctrine is a practical science.

Objection 2: Further, sacred doctrine is divided into the Old Law and the New Law. But law implies a moral science. Therefore sacred doctrine is a practical science.

Since sacred doctrine is concerned primarily with the ordering of human actions, (or so it seems to objection 1) it must be a practical rather tha a speculative science because "the end...of practical knowledge is action" (see Aristotle link above). Objection 2 seeks to confirm this by noting that sacred doctrine is subsumed under the Old and New Laws which implies that it is a moral sceince (due to the use of the word law).

Concerning the use of the word law the Catholic Encyclopedia has this to say:

In a stricter and more exact sense law is spoken of only in reference to free beings endowed with reason. But even in this sense the expression law is used sometimes with a wider, sometimes with a more restricted meaning. By law are at times understood all authoritative standards of the action of free, rational beings. In this sense the rules of the arts, poetry, grammar, and even the demands of fashion or etiquette are called laws. This is, however, an inexact and exaggerated mode of expression. In the proper and strict sense laws are the moral norms of action, binding in conscience, set up for a public, self-governing community. This is probably the original meaning of the word law, whence it was gradually transformed to the other kinds of laws (natural laws, laws of art). Law can in this sense be defined with St. Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologica I-II: 90:4) as: A regulation in accordance with reason promulgated by the head of a community for the sake of the common welfare. (See "Law" in the Catholic Encyclopedia)

On the contrary, Every practical science is concerned with human operations; as moral science is concerned with human acts, and architecture with building. But sacred doctrine is chiefly concerned with God, whose handiwork is especially man. Therefroe it is not a practical but a speculative science.

Moral science is indeed concerned with human acts as the science (knowledge) of architecture is concerned with the act of human construction of various types. But as the Saint will go on to show, sacred doctrine is concerned with the God; both his inner life and his actions, which especially includes man whom he created.

Concerning the word "speculative" Dictionary.com states the following (emphasis mine):

1. pertaining to, of the nature of, or characterized by speculation, CONTEMPLATION, conjecture, or ABSTRACT REASONING: a
speculative approach.

2. theoretical, rather than practical: speculative conclusions.
speculative. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random
House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/speculative

(accessed: January 28, 2007).

I answer that, sacred doctrine, being one, extends to things which belong to different philosophical sciences because it considers in each the same formal aspect, namely, so far as they can be known through divine revelation. Hence, although among the philosophjical sciences one is speculative and another practical, nevertheless sacred doctrine includes both; as God, by one and the same science, knows both himself and his works. Still, it is speculative rather than practical because it is more concerned with divine things than with human acts; though it does treat even of these later inasmuch as man is ordained by them to the perfect knowledge of God in which consists eternal bliss. This is a sufficient answer to the objections.

AMOS 7:1-17

2007-01-21T12:38:00.000-08:00

Vs 1 Thus the Lord God showed me: and, behold, he formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowing. Vs 2 And it came to pass that, when they had made an end of theeating of the grass of the land, then I said, "O Lord God, forgive, I beseech thee: how shall Jacob stand? for he is small." Vs 3 The Lord repented (turned back) concerning this: "It shall not be," said the Lord God.

The first vision concerns a locust plague which apparently has already taken place. Such plagues were common in the ancient Middle East and have occurredin modern times as well. Their effect is devastating (see Joel 1:1-20). God had promised his people immunity from such trouble provided that they remained faithful to the covenant; but he had also promised them trouble if they disobeyed it (see Deuteronomy 28 and the eighth plagueon Egypt in Exodus 10:1-20).

The timing of this plague was disastrous. The beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth refers to the time that the vegetables had begun to sprout up above the ground and grow. This was called the latter growth (or planting) because such crops were sown after the wheat and other grains. We are to understand then that the nearly mature grain crop, and the young vegetable crop both fell victim to this plague. Increasing the problem is the fact that the King's mowing had already taken place. Part of the lands produce belonged-to the king as a sort of tax (1 Samuel 8:11-18). Probably, in the event of an agricultural disaster, the tax would have been mitigated, but as we have already seen, the leaders of the people were not overly concerned with their welfare.

The prophet Amos, in typical prophetic fashion, intercedes for an end to the situation and receives a positive response on the part of God. Thus we see that God's justice is tempered
with mercy. The Lord repents (turns back) the punishment. This action stands in marked contrast to the promised threats uttered against Israel and the surrounding pagan nations in 1:3-2:16 (see the repeated "I will not cause it to turn back"). This is a major reason why I believe the first two visions (7:1-6) are describing events which have already taken place. The
primary purpose of the prophecies in the book is to show that God's forbearance, previously manifested in his relenting of the punishmentof locust and fire, has come to an end. (Note: for an example of prophetic intercesion see Exodus 32:7-14. There are many examples in the Bible, but God's patience in the face of sin has its limits, as the often repeated command to Jeremiah not to intercede for the people shows 7:16; 11:14; 14:11).

Vs 4 Thus the Lord God showed me: behold, the Lord God called for a judgement by fire; and it consumed the great deep, and would have eaten up the land. Vs 5 Then I said, "O Lord God, cease, I beseech thee: how shall Jacob stand? for he is small." Vs 6 The Lord repented (turned back) concerning this: "This also shall not be," says the Lord God.

A hyperbolic reference to a massive fire which is said to have consumed the sea (the great deep). We are probably to understand a situation of drought which led to the
evaporation of water from the Dead and Galilee seas. This drought gave rise to a great fire. Again the Lord turns back the punishment at the request of Amos.

Vs 7 Thus He shwoed me: behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumb-line, with a plmb-line in his hand. Vs 8 And the Lord God said unto me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "a plumb-line." Then said the Lord God, "behold, I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel; I will not again pass by them anymore; Vs 9 and the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with a sword."

A plumb-line is an ancient builders tool still in use today. Its purpose s to ensure that a wall is "plumb" (i.e. straight up and down). A wall that is not "plumb" became a figure of moral failing. God is portraying himself here as a carpenter who is tired of passing by a defective wall and now means to fix it. The sanctuaries of Israel and the house of Jeroboam are worthless hovels whose walls are out of "plumb." They are fit only for destruction.

Vs 10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. Vs 11 for thus Amos says ' Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.'"

Here begins the conflict between Amos, the prophet, and Amaziah, the priest. The conflict is very ironic since it was the duty of a king to insure right worship. As we saw in the introduction, the first of the northern kings, Jeroboam 1, had established false worship and
sanctuaries, along with a false priesthood. None of the kings who followed him, including Jeroboam 2, did anything to bring this situation to an end. So a (probably) illegitimate priest is whining to a rebellious king about a prophet's denunciation of false worship and the dynasty which was allowing it to continue.

Vs 12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, "O you seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophecy there: Vs 13 but prophecy no more at Bethel; for it is the kings sanctuary, and it is a royal house." Vs 14 Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah, "I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees: Vs 15 And the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said unto me, "Go, prophecy unto my people Israel."

In this exchange we get some idea of the sorry state into which prophecy had fallen. There were in ancient times professional prophetic guilds of professional prophets whose disciples were known as sons of the prophets. Professional prophetism is an acceptable practice in the bible, however, like all offices it was open to abuse. Amaziah readily assumes not only that Amos is a member of the guild prophets, but also that he is a dishonest one who prophecies to eat bread. In other words, he believes that Amos tells people what they want to hear in order to earn money, rather than telling them what they need to hear.

Vs 16 Now therefore hear the word of the Lord: "you say, 'prophecy not against Israel, and drop not your word against the house of Isaac;'"Vs 17 therefore, thus says the Lord: "Your wife shall be a harlot in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided by line; and you shall die in a land that is unclean, and Israel will surely be led away captive out of his land."

For his defiance of the prophetic word Amaziah will suffer greatly, His wife shall be a harlot in the city. The condemnation of Amaziah is clearly related to military catastrophe. When cities were conquered the women often were at the mercy of the victors who were not above
rape or the use of death threats to get what they wanted. When the kingdom falls,Amaziah's wife will suffer such a fate. His sons and daughters will fall by the sword. This may mean that they are young, and therefore, at least as far as the victors are concerned, more burden than booty. The priest himself will go into exile among the gentiles with most of the nation.

AMOS 4:1-13

2007-01-16T11:20:00.000-08:00

(Please consult POST MENU PAGE for earlier notes on Amos and other books of Scripture)

The prophet continues his prophetic sermon detailing the punishment to be brought upon Israel.

Amos 4:1-3

Vs 1 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who dwell on the mount of Samaria, who press upon the poor, weigh down heavily on the needy, and who say to your husbands: "Bring, that we may consume!"

The over-wealthy, over-fed, over-pampered women of Israel (i.e. the Mount of Samaria) are her compared contemptuously to the cows of Bashan. Bashan is a reference to the plains of Bashan located in the trans-Jordan region east of the Sea of Galilee, on the banks of the Yarmuk River. The area today known as the Golan Heights. This rich, fertile plain was famous for its well fed cattle (see Deut 32:14; Psalm 22:13).

Recall that in the initial indictment of Israel by Amos (2:6-16), the nation was condemned because "they trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth" (2:7 RSV); kind of like cattle on a stampede. Here the women of Samaria are accussed of pressing and weighing down on the needy; a similar image. Apparently, the opulent lifestyle they demand of their husbands has helped encourage the mistreatment of the poor, and for this they are condemned. They demand that drink be brought to them, reminding us of the wine extorted from the poor as legal penalties levied by unjust courts (see 2:8).

Vss 2-3 The Lord has sworn by his holiness, "Behold, days are coming upon you when you will be taken away with hooks, the very last of you with fish hooks. Out through the breached walls you shall go straightaway and you will be cast onto the dung-hill," says the Lord.

The nation will face a military invasion (2:14-16) which will lead to the the capture of the capitol of Israel, Samaria, when its fortified walls are breached by the enemy (obviously Assyria). Rings were sometimes put into the noses of animals as part of their domestication, for it made them easier to control. A hook on a pole or rope would be inserted into the ring in order to lead the animal around (see Job 40:25-26). Ancient Assyrian art depicts people captured by Shalamanezer III being roped together and led away in single file lines. For more on the use of rings and hooks in the treatment of prisoners click here.

Amos 4:4-5 A reproach for hypocritical worship

Vs 4 "Come to Bethel, and transgress; come to Gilgal, and multiply your transgressions; bring your sacrifices morning after morning, bring your tithes every third day;
Vs 5 offer a thanksgiving sacrifice of that which is leavened, announce your free-will offrings, make them public: For this you love to do, O people Israel," says the Lord God.

God is here, through his prophet, engaging in some sarcasm. The words are in the form of typical priestly instruction concerning the Torah. The priests were supposed to teach and exhort the people to worship God rightly. God, apparently imitating the Northern preists, exhorts the people to false worship. The sarcasm is intended to highlight the sin being committed under the guise of true worship.

Morning sacrifices were to be offered at the temple in Jerusalem; not the shrines of Bethel and Gilgal. The very fact that the people are offering these sacrifices anywhere other than the Jerusalem temple is itself a sin, no matter how well intended they might have been.

Bring your tithes every third day. The Jews were expected to pay an annual (once a year) tithe for the upkeep of the temple and another tithe every three years for the good of the poor, widows, and orphans. We saw in Chapter 2 that the people had no concern for the poor and destitute. The tithes "every third day" is probably more of a sarcsam than a fact. You can be meticulous about paying your tithes, you can even pay more than was required, but if it is done out of hypocrisy it will do you no good.

Some would interpret these words as a condemnation of ritual worship, but nothing could be further from the truth. No where do the prophets condemn rituals which were ordered by God himself. Rather, they often condemn formalism, a going thru the motion of ritual for hypocritical purposes.

Thanksgiving sacrifices were supposed to be made known and celebrated publicly, for what was being celebrated was God's blessing upon an individual (see Psalm 22:23-32 and Psalm 116:17-19). Again, however, such things were not suppossed to be for self-aggrandisment.

The sarcastic command to come to Bethel, and transgress; come to Gilgal, and multiply your transgressions is followed, in verses 6-11 by a series of critiques. God will detail a number of his punishments he brought upon Israel which went unheeded by the people

Vs 6 "I gave you cleaness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places, yet you did not return to me," says the Lord.
Vs 7 "And I also witheld the rain from you when there were yet yet three months to the harvest; I sent rain upon one city, and sent no rain upon another city, one field would be rained upon, and the field on which it did not rain withered;
Vs 8 So two or three cities wandered to one city to drink water, and were not satisfied; yet you did not return to me," says the Lord.
Vs 9 "I smote you with blight and mildew; I laid waste your gardens and your vineyards; your fig trees and olive trees the locust devoured; yet you did not reurn to me," says the Lord.
Vs 10 "I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt; I slew your young men with the sword; I carried away your horses; I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils; yet you did not return to me," say the Lord.
Vs 11 "I overthrew some of you as when God overthrew sodom and Gomor'rah, and you were as a brand plucked out of the burning; yet you did not return to me," says the Lord. (Revised Standard Version)

These verses, in the form a a litany (the repeated "yet you did not return to me") continue the sarcasm begun in verse 4. The people think -or worse, pretend- to be seeking God by "coming" to Gilgal and Bethel but in fact , for all their religiousity, they have not returned to the Lord. (See Hosea 6:1-11)

When God made his covenant with his people he had warned them not to forget him or worship falsely (Exodus 23:23-26). To this the people agreed (Exodus 24:3). But God, thru Moses, also made it clear that the people would sin against him and as a result be punished with things like drought, lack of food, war, and locust plagues (see Deuteronomy chapters 28-29 and the Song of Moses in Deut 32). God also promised, however, that if they sincerely repented they would once again enjoy his favor (see Deut 30). This Deuteronomistic theology stands behind Amos 4.

Verse 11 makes reference to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomor'rah. These two cities are the quintessential symbols of evil and of God's subsequent punishment. Genesis 19 says that God overthrew these cities. This same word is used by Amos in verse 11. It means literally "turned upside down" and is an obivious reference to an earthquake (see Amos 1:1). The image of a brand plucked from the fire suggests that even though God showed mercy towards the unrepentant -even this did not move the people to repent. So God says:

Vs 12 "So now I will deal with you in my own way, O Israel! and since I will deal thus with you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel:
Vs 13 Him who formed the mountains and created the winds, and declares to man his thoughts; who made the dawn and the darkness, and strides upon the heights of the earth: the Lord, the God of Hosts by name." (New American Bible)

Having punished them in the past he will now do it again.

The words prepare to meet your God caps the irony and sarcasm begun in verse 4. The people Come to Gilgal and Bethel and worship God falsely. This is not a return to God. Having failed to come and meet the merciful God of the covenant as repentant sinners they must now prepare to meet the covenant God of justice.

Also, the Hebrew verb translated as prepare is used elsewhere in the bible for the preparation of a sacrifice (Ezra 3:3); and the verb translated as to meet is often used in reference to prayer(the verb can be translated as "call upon," or "invoke." See Gen 12:8; Psalm 79:6; Jer 10:25). The people had sought God thru illegitimate sacrifice and prayer and now they're going to meet him; but not in a way they expected or wanted.

PAPAL COMMENTARY ON THE MORNING PRAYERS OF WEEK 4

2007-01-15T09:42:00.000-08:00

Sunday:

Psalm 118.....Pope...
Daniel 3:52-57....Pope...
Psalm 150....Pope...
The Canticle of Zechariah

Monday:

Psalm 90....Pope...
Isaiah 42:0-16....Pope...
Psalm 135:1-12....Pope...
The Canticle of Zechariah

Tuesday:

Psalm 101.....Pope...
Daniel 3:26-27, 29, 34-41....Pope..
Psalm 144:1-10....Pope...
The Canticle of Zechariah

Wednesday:

Psalm 108....Pope...
Isaiah 61:10-62:5....Pope...
Psalm 146....Pope...
The Canticle of Zechariah
.
Thursday:

Psalm 143:1-11....Pope...
Isaiah 66:10-14a....Pope...
Psalm 147:12-20....Pope...
The Canticle of Zechariah.

Friday:

Psalm 51....Pope...
Tobit 13:8-11, 13-15....Pope...
Psalm 147:12-20....Pope...
The Canticle of Zechariah

Saturday:

Psalm 92....Pope...
Ezekiel 36:24-28....Pope...
Psalm 8....Pope...
The Canticle of Zechariah

PAPAL COMMENTARY ON THE MORNING PRAYERS WEEK 3

2007-01-15T09:31:00.000-08:00

SUNDAY:
Psalm 93...Pope.
Daniel 3:57-88, 56.....Pope.
Psalm 148......Pope.
The Canticle of Zechariah

MONDAY:
Psalm 84....Pope.
Isaiah 2:2-5.....Pope.
Psalm 96......Pope.
The Canticle of Zechariah

TUESDAY:
Psalm 85.....Pope
Isaiah 26:1-4, 7-9, 12 ....Pope.
psalm 67
The Canticle of Zechariah

WEDNESDAY:
Psalm 86
Isaiah 33:13-16
Psalm 98
The Canticle of Zechariah

THURSDAY:
Psalm 87
Isaiah 40:10-17
Psalm 99
The Canticle of Zechariah

FRIDAY:
Psalm 51
Jeremiah 14:17-21
Psalm 100
The Canticle of Zechariah

SATURDAY:
Psalm 119:145-152
Wisdom 9:1-6, 9-11
Psalm 117
The Canticle of Zechariah

YOU MIGHT BE A DEMOCRAT

2007-01-15T07:42:00.000-08:00

Suffering boredom I came up with the following list.

You might be a democrat if:

there is a poster of a thong clad Monica Lewinsky hanging above your bed.

there is a poster of a thong clad Bill Clinton (with cigar) hanging above your bed.

you have ever said the words " Ahh... look at him... aah... just look at
him...aah" while watching slick Willy stump for a crowd of tourists in
Rome as He (the great mourner- "I feel your pain") prepaired to attend
the funeral of Pope JP II as part of the Official US delegation.

you have signed up to accompany Al (Quaida) Gore on his next "Uncle Osama wants you" Jihad recruitment tour of the Mid-East.

you have ever referred to a vice presidential hunting accident as the "Texas Chenney massacre."

you believe that BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN and George Clowny (Sorry, Clooney) deserved Oscar nominations

you think Harry Belafonte is the epitome of "cool."

you have actually seen a Billy Zane movie

you think Gary Busey is one of the finest actors in all of Turkey

you pass by the adult magazines at the news stand without glancing and grab
a copy of the NEW YORK TIMES in hope that it will have a picture of
that "awesome Dowd chick."

you bestow the title "New York Times Rottweiler" on Maureen Dowd and get
mad at those who shorten it to the much more accurate "Bitch"

you are intolerant of those Christians who will not tolerate your philosophy of relativism.

you are so broadminded as to insist that people surrender their beliefs to adhere to your concept of diversity

you have ever described the Pope as "fundamentalist"

you support the National Endowment of the Arts for its courage in
displaying the "Piss Christ" and "Virgin Mary in Dung" artwork in the
face of peaceful Catholic protests but also applaud the free American
press for not printing mohhamed cartoons lest fun-loving, peaceful
Jihadists be shocked, offended and scandalised.

you have ever rode (or is it ridden) shotgun over a bridge with Ted Kennedy.

you refuse to admit that a fetus is a living human being but insist that the constitution is a living document.

you employ an armned bodyguard but object to the right to bear arms

you could name your first-born son Judas, Brutus, or Benedict Arnold, without the slightest twinge of conscience.

you vote for things you didn't vote for and accept church teaching on abortion you didn't accept (aka John Kerry syndrome)

you call a Neww York to Tehran flight "international" but a New York to Tehran phone call that is bugged "domestic spying"

SIGNS YOU MIGHT BE A REPUBLICAN

you might be a republican if:

You go to bed at night thanking Mary Jo Kopeckne for bravely giving her
life to keep Ted Kennedy out of the white house. (I stole this from
Rush)
you have (or at least want) a job.
the word entitlement is not part of your daily lexicon
you are not now, nor ever have been, a socialist
you understand the true meaning of tolerance and how it differs from forgiveness
you'd rather hunt with a sober Chenney than ride with a drunken Kennedy
you'd rather hunt with a drunken Chenney than do anythig with a sober Kennedy
you wonder what slick Willy and slicker Hillary have been up to because of
their demand that convicted felons be given the right to vote
you wonder wether the Al-quaida sound bytes are coming from the democratic party or vice versa

SIGNS YOU'RE GETTING OLD

Your back goes out more than you do

Your knees buckle but your belt wont

You just can stand people who are intolerant

The best part of your day is over when the alarm clock rings

You sit in a rocking chair and can't get it going

You get to
the top of the ladder and find it's against the wrong wall

You know all the answers but nobody is asking you questions

you sink your teeth into a juicey stek and they stay there

(This last list I got from an audio tape "Cardinal Newman on the Anti-Christ" by Father Vincent Micilie)

Summa Theologica Question 1, art. 3

2007-01-15T06:53:00.000-08:00

WHETHER SACRED DOCTRINE IS ONE SCIENCE?

(To view my notes on the Bible, St Thomas, and other stuff -most of
which is on another site-click on the categories on the right or go to THE MENU PAGE.)

Objection 1: It seems that sacred doctrine is not
one science; for according to the Phlosopher (Posterior Analy. 1)"That
sceince is one which treats only of one class of subjects." But the
Creator and the creature, both of whom are treated of in Sacred
Doctrine, cannot be grouped together under one class of subjects.
Therefore sacred doctrine cannot be one science.

Objection 2: Further, in sacred doctrine we treat
of angels, corporal creatures and human morality. But these belong to
seprate philosophical sciences. Therefore sacred doctrine cannot be
one science.

Since sacred doctrine (theology) treats of a wide
range of beings, such as non-rational, human, angelic, and divine
beings, along with human actions, it appears to include both the
science of metaphysics and that of ethics. It appears then to be no
different than a science such as mathematics (note the plural), which
consists of sciences such as geometry and arithmetic. That sacred
doctrine (theology) was not a single unified science was the position
of several of the scholatics. This is not the position of St Thomas,
however.

On the contrary: Holy Scripture speaks of it as
one science, "Wisdom gave him the knowledge (scietiam) of holy things"
(Wisdom 10:10).

St Thomas begins his response with an appeal to
the authority of Scripture which speaks of the personified Wisdom of
God bestowing knowledge (scientiam, note the singular).

I answer that sacred doctrine is one science.
The unity of a faculty or habit is to be gauged by its object, not
indeed, in its material aspect, but as regards the precise formality
under which it is an object. For example, man, ass, stone agree in the
one precise formality of being colored; and color is the formal object
of sight. Therefore, since Sacred Scripture considers things precisely
under the formality of being divinely revealed, whatever has been
divinely revealed possesses the one precise formality of the object of
this science; and therefore is included under sacred doctrine as under
one science.

Perhaps this will help clarify: the unity of a faculty (such as sight)
is gauged by its object...as regards the precise formality under which
it is an object. Color is the formal object of sight. Man, ass, stone
are different things, but it does not follow from this fact that
there is more than one human faculty of sight since all that is seen is
unified by having color, the formal object of sight.

The unity of sacred doctrine (theology-it could also be called sacred science) is determined by its formal object which is divine revelation.

"The unity of a aculty or habit is guaged by the
unity of the formal aspect of its object; but sacred theology considers
all things according as they are knowable by revelation; therefore
sacred theology is one science reduced to its ultimate species."

Reply to objection 1: Sacred doctrine does not
treat of God and creatures equally, but of God primarily, and of
creatures only so far as they are referable to God as their beginning
or end. Hence the unity of this sicence is no impaired.

reply to objection 2: Nothing prevents inferior
faculties or habits from being differentiated by something which falls
under a higher faculty or habit as well; because the higher faculty or
habit regards the object in its more universal formality, as the object
of the "common sense" is whatever affects the senses, including,
therefore, whatever is visible or audible. Hnece the "common sense,"
although one faculty, extends to all objects of the five senses.
Similarly, objects which are the subject matter of different
philosophical sciences can yet be treated of by this one single sacred
science under one aspect preciselyso far as they can be included in
revelation. So that in this way, sacred doctrine bears, as it were,
the stamp of the divine science which is one and simple, yet extends to
everything.

For a fuller treatment of this article go here. For a brief statemen

AMOS 3:1-15

2007-01-14T19:40:00.000-08:00

To view the menu page for previous posts on Amos and other books of Scripture click here.

Here begins another major section of the Prophet's Book (3:1-4:13). It is in the form of a sermon which has combined many elements. The basic point of the sermon is that punishment is coming necessarily, and this necessity is due to Israel's sins. It opens with a "call to attention" formula typical of the prophetic literature.

AMOS 3:1-2

1. Hear this word that the Lord has spoken concerning you, O sons of Israel, concerning the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt:
2. "Only you have I known among all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for your iniquities."

"Hear this word" is a common biblical address meant to get an audience's attention. It is found at the beginning of hymns of praise (Judges 5:3), it (or a similar formula) is also used in wisdom teaching (Prov 7:1, 24), and in military and political negotiations as well (2 Kings 18:28-29). But it was very common in prophetic speeches, especially those taking the form of a warning (Hosea 4:1; Isaiah 1:10; Ezekiel 6:3).

The word that the Lord has spoken concerning Israel is quoted beginning in verse 2: "only you have I known among all the families of the earth; therefore (i.e. for this reason, because of this) I will punish you for your iniquities."

God chose to know Israel in a way not enjoyed by the other peoples of the world. Know, as used in Scripture, implies a special, intimate relationship of experience (see Gen 4:1; Jer1:5).

The wording of verses 1 and 2 would have called to the people's minds the covenant of Moses which was itself a partial fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (also called Israel).

God had chosen Abraham so that in his descendents "all the families of the earth might find blessing (see Gen 12:3; 18:18;). A promise repeated after the near sacrifice of Isaac (Gen 22:18), and repeated again to Jacob (Israel) in Gnesis 28:10-15.

In Exodus 19, as God prepares to make his covenant with the people under Moses, he says to Moses: "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you up on eagle's wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all the peoples; for all the earth is mine." (Ex 19:3-5, RSV). And as he makes the covenant he begins with these words: "I am the Lord, your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt."

The words then of Amos 3:1-2 would have reminded the people of their founding traditions and their privileges as the Chosen People. A privilege Paul describes memorably: "They are Israelites; theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Messiah." (Rom 9:4-5, NAB). But with privilege and blessing comes responsibilities (see Luke 12:48) which the people had not fulfilled: Therefore, God says in Amos 3:2, I will punish you for your iniquities. In punishing the people God is showing himself to be what he was, the father of Israel, His firstborn son (Exodus 4:22-23); "for whom the Lord loves he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges." (see Hebrews 12:1-12).

Amos 3:3-8

After calling the people to attention and announcing that punishment is coming for their failure to live as God's covenanted children, God, through the prophet, asks a series of rhetorical questions which are meant to justify the action God is taking. Every effect [in this case, God's punishment] has a cause (vss 3-6). Then a reference is made to prophecy (vss 7-8).

3. Do two go about together unless they belong together?

The answer is quite obviously no. A lamb and a lion do not go about together. In Amos' day people of differing social classes or sexes did not associate together unless there was some cause for them to do so.

4. Does a lion roar in the forest even though he is without prey. Does a young lion give out his voice from his habitation if he has caught nothing?

I know nothing of such things but recall that Amos was a herdsman from the wilderness of Tekoa, he would certainly know that a lion's roar is caused by its capture of prey. Notice that this verse calls to mind the keynote verse of the Book of Amos:

"the Lord roars from Zion, gives out his voice from Jerusalem...the height (could also be translated habitation) of Carmel withers" (Amos 1:2). The importance of this will be seen later.

5. Does a bird fall victim to a snare upon the earth if their is no bait to lure it? Does a snare spring up from the ground if there is no prey to capture?

Again, the answer is no; effects have there causes.

6. Does a trumpet sound in a city and the people do not tremble? Does affliction come upon a city and the Lord has not been the cause of it?

Trumpet is a reference to the shofar, the rams horn that was blown to signal the approach of an enemy. Its sound would definitely cause the people to tremble.

God had warned the people as they were about to enter the promised land that if they refused to obey his covenant he would punish them by causing foreign armies to invade their land and sack their cities (see Deut 28:49-52).

Notice the progression of these verses. Verse 3 asked, very generically, "do two walk together?" The question was so vague that it could refer to animals or people. Verse 4 focused on the theme of animals against animals; a lion roars because it has captured its prey. Verse 5 focuses on the theme of man against animals, for only men lay snares. Verse 6a focuses upon the theme of men against men, for only men war with men. verse 6b focuses upon the theme of God against men; implicitly, the focus is upon his relationship with his people. Every effect in the world has its cause.

Vs 7 Certainly the Lord God does nothing without revealing his plans to his servants the prophets.

In order to keep the people on the straight and narrow, and to ensure that they did not forget him and commit idolatry, God had, through Moses, promised the people that he would raise up prophets to guide and instruct them (see Deut 18:9-22). Recall, however, that the people of the Northern Kingdom had rejected the prophets sent to them (see Amos 2:12). The people therefore are without excuse: "for if any man will not listen to my words which the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it." (Deut 18:19).

Vs 8 A lion has roared-who does not fear? The Lord God has spoken-who does not prophecy?

The reference to a lion roaring recalls the keynote verse in 1:2. There we saw that God, the shepherd of his flock, Israel, had become their worst nightmare. Like a lion with its prey he had roared (see 3:4) and there was drought upon the land. Not only was he roaring through natural calamities, but also through his prophets-who will not be afraid? As will be seen in 4:6-11, the people were apparently not afraid. As will be seen in Amos 7:12-13, they will seek to silence the prophecies of Amos, but to no avail.

A prophetic threat proclaimed 3:9-12

Vs 9 Proclaim this in the strongholds of Ashdod, likewise in the strongholds of the land of Egypt, saying: "gather yourselves upon the mountain of Samaria, witness the great upheavals within her, and the oppression in the midst of her."
Vs 10 For they do not know how to do what is right, says the Lord, treasuring in their strongholds extortion and theft.

During the reign of Omri, Samaria became the capitol of the Northern Kingdom, as such it could stand as a name for the entire kingdom, and such is the case here. As we have seen, the leaders of Israelite society had become corrupt, greedy, and oppressive towards the poor (2:6-8). Also, they had rejected the prophets and the nazarites (2:11-12), no doubt because these people troubled their already guilty consciences.

God tells the prophet to proclaim to the pagan stronghold (i.e. fortified city) of Ashdod and to the strongholds in the pagan nation of Egypt that they are to gather and witness the sins which Samaria/Israel has stored up in her strongholds.

There is intense irony here. In telling the prophet to "Proclaim" something to the pagans God uses the Hebrew word shama (shaw-mah) in what is known as its hiphil form in which it means to tell or proclaim something. This same word, in its Qal form means to listen or hear. In this later form the word was spoken everyday by devout Jews in their morning prayer known as the shema:

"Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and all your soul, and with all your strength. Take these words to heart which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and when abroad, whether you are busy or at rest..." (Deut 6:4-7)

By "hearing the statutes and decrees" of the Lord the people were to give evidence of their "wisdom and intelligence to the nations" (see Deut 4:1-8); but this they have not done. As a result, pagan nations are called upon to witness the sins in Israel. The implication is that Israel has become as bad as, if not worse than, the pagans.

Vs 11 Therefore, thus says the Lord, an enemy shall encompass your land, and shall take from you your strength, and plunder your stronholds.

A generation after the preaching of Amos this prophetic warning would become reality when, in 722 BC, Assyria conquered the Northern Kingdom and sent the people into exile. Their cities, land, and the ill-gotten booty they "treasured in their strongholds" (vs 10) would be given over to an enemy, just as the prophet Moses had warned them (see Deut 28). The reference to lost strength repeats a warning from 2:14.

Vs 12 Thus says the Lord: As a shepherd grabs from the lion's mouth two legs, or a portion of an ear, so shall the sons of Israel be saved with a corner of a couch, or a portion of a bed.

Again we see the image of the lion. A shepherd who wrestles over a sheep with a lion who has taken it as prey is likely to come away with very little for his efforts. Against the Assyrian menace a remnant of the people of Israel will survive, but without their pampered luxury symbolized by the couch and bed. Their "good life" extorted from the poor will come to an end. (Note: in Assyrian art the king, and sometimes his army, is symbolized by a lion).

Vs 13 Here this and bear testimony against the house of Jacob, says the Lord God, the God of Hosts:

Vs 14 For on the day I bring punishment upon Israel for his crimes I will also bring punishment upon the altars of Bethel, the horns of the altar I will cut off so that they fall to the ground.

Vs 15 The winter-house and the summer-house I will smite; and the ivory-houses shall perish, and their many houses shall be brought to an end, says the Lord.

It is uncertain to me whether God calls upon the prophet to bear witness in vs 13 or if it is Ashdod and Egypt who are being spoken to (see vs 9). The term House of Jacob could refer to the entire chosen people but here it must certainly refers to the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom. This is borne out in vs 14 which speaks of the destruction of the altars at Bethel, which was in the Northern Kingdom.

Bethel was a sacred spot in Israel. Jacob himself, the father of the twelve tribes (see Gen 30-31) founded a sanctuary there (Gen 28). It was also at Bethel (also called Paddanaram) that God renewed the covenant promise he had originally made to Abraham (Gen 35:1-15). But God had chosen Jerusalem as the place for his temple to the exclusion of all other places; therefore, when Jeroboam I, the first king of the new Northern Kingdom, established a shrine at Bethel, it was seen as an abomination (see 1 kings 12:26-13:3). Worse, the altar was in the shape of a bull, the figure of an Egyptian deity. By the time of Amos' preaching (circa 760 BC), the "sin of Jeroboam," as it was called, had been in existence for about a century and a half. Bethel and its altars would indeed be destroyed. This in fact took place in 722 BC.

The wealthy people of Israel lived luxurious lives. In the summer they stayed their homes in Israel. Archaeology tells us that the homes of the wealthy during the time of Amos were magnificent, with the walls and floors being inlaid with ivory. Not content with these, they also had winter homes to the south, in the kingdom of Judah, where the weather during the winter months was somewhat milder. These too will be destroyed

AN OVERVIEW OF AMOS 7:1-9:15

2007-01-14T07:55:00.000-08:00

(To view my notes on the bible and other stuff go to THE POST MENU PAGE)

Amos
7:1-8:3 contains four prophetic visions recounted by the prophet. The
first two visions (7:1-6) have the same basic format: The Lord shows
Amos a vision which he, Amos, begins to describe with the
word behold. A vision of agricultural destruction is then recounted,
followed by the prophet's intercesionion that the impending punishment
not take place. Too this intercession the Lord responds favorably.

The second two visions (7:7-9 and 8:1-3) likewise are formatted similar to one another. As in the first two visions the prophet is shown something by God, however, unlike the first two visions God is the first to speak. This effectively prevents the prophet from interceding on behalf of the people. When God speaks, he asks the prophet a question concerning the vision and the prophet responds by describing what he sees. The two visions in and themselvesves do not suggest the idea of divine punishment but are interpretedted by God after the prophet's response.

It appears to me that the first two visions recount things that have
already taken place. Twice God punished the people with agricultural
disasters (locust, fire) but brought such punishment to and end in
response to the prophet's plea. No doubt this combination of
punishment and mercy was meant to bring the people to their senses and
lead them to repentance, but this failed. This is why the third and
fourth visions announce punishment without any remittance.

The third and fourth visions are separatedrated by the dispute between Amos and Amazaiah (7:10-17), priest of the Temple of Bethel. The sandwiching of the dispute between prophet and priest is not accidental. The priest is to be seen as a paradigm representative of the people. His desire not to hear prophecy and while maintaining the false worship of Bethel is characteristicistic of most of the people of the northern kingdom. It is this attitude that motivates God to bring the northern kingdom to and end, which is the message of visions three and four.

The fourth vision is followed by a prophetic oracle (8:4-14). It is
directed against the false religious piety of the people of the north
who anxiously wait for the end of holy days so they can once again
start cheating the poor (8:4-6). The joy of their hypocritical rituals
will be turned into mourning rites (8:7-10). A famine will come upon
the land. A famine not of bread, or water, but of hearing the word of
God ((8:11-14). The time of divine forbearance, manifested by the
sending of prophets to call for repentance, will come to an end.

This oracle is followed by a fifth vision detailing the destruction of the Temple at Bethel (9:1-6). Following this comes an oracle announcing the destruction of the northern kingdom and the exile of the people (9:7-10). The book ends on a positive note however, with a messianic promise (9:11-15).

Summa Theologica Ques. 1, art. 4 and 5

2007-01-13T07:26:00.000-08:00

(To access my notes on the Bible, the Summa, and other stuff, please go to THE POST MENU PAGE)

ARTICLE 4: Whether Sacred Doctrine is a Practical Science?

Objection 1: It seems that sacred doctrine is a practical science; for a practical science is that which ends in action according to the Philosopher (Metaphysics, Book II part 1). But sacred doctrine is ordained to action: "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only" (James 1:22). Therefore sacred doctrine is a practical science.

Objection 2: Further, sacred doctrine is divided into the Old and the New Law. But law implies a moral science which is a practical science. Therefore sacred doctrine is a practical science.

On the contrary, Every practical science is concerned with human operations; as moral science is concerned with human acts, and architecture with buildings. But sacred doctrine is
chiefly concerned with God, whose handiwork is especially man. Therefore it is not a practical but a speculative science.

I answer that, Sacred doctrine, being one, extends to things which belong to different philosophical sciences because it considers in each the same formal aspect, namely, so far as
they can be known through divine revelation (see previous article). Hence, although among the
philosophical sciences one is speculative and another practical, nevertheless sacred doctrine includes both; as God, by one and the same science, knows both Himself and His works. Still, it is speculative rather than practical because it is more concerned with divine things than with human acts; though it does treat even of these latter, inasmuch as man is ordained by them to the perfect knowledge of God in which consists eternal bliss. This is a sufficient answer to the
Objections. (Read the brief note on this article by Alfred Freddoso.)

ARTICLE 5: Whether Sacred Doctrine is Nobler Than Other Sciences?

Objection 1: It seems that sacred doctrine is not nobler than other sciences; for the nobility of a science depends on the certitude it establishes. But other sciences, the principles of which cannot be doubted, seem to be more certain than sacred doctrine; for its principles---namely, articles of faith---can be doubted. Therefore other sciences seem to be nobler.

Objection 2: Further, it is the sign of alower science to depend upon a higher; as music depends on arithmetic. But sacred doctrine does in a sense depend upon philosophical sciences; for Jerome observes, in his Epistle to Magnus, that "the ancient doctors so enriched their books with the ideas and phrases of the philosophers, that thou knowest not what more to admire in them, their profane erudition or their scriptural learning." Therefore sacred doctrine is inferior to other sciences.

On the contrary, Other sciences are called the handmaidens of this one: "Wisdom sent her maids to invite to the tower" (Proverbs. 9:3).

I answer that, Since this science is partly speculative and partly practical, it transcends all others speculative and practical. Now one speculative science is said to be nobler than another, either by reason of its greater certitude, or by reason of the higher worth of its subject-matter. In both these respects this science surpasses other speculative sciences; in point of greater certitude, because other sciences derive their certitude from the natural light of human reason, which can err; whereas this derives its certitude from the light of divine knowledge, which cannot be misled: in point of the higher worth of its subject-matter because this science treats chiefly of those things which by their sublimity transcend human reason; while other sciences consider only those things which are within reason's grasp. Of the practical sciences, that one is nobler which is ordained to a further purpose, as political science is nobler than military
science; for the good of the army is directed to the good of the State. But the purpose of this science, in so far as it is practical, is eternal bliss; to which as to an ultimate end the purposes of every practical science are directed. Hence it is clear that from every standpoint, it is nobler than other sciences.

Reply to Objection 1: It may well happen that what is in itself the more certain may seem to us the less certain on account of the weakness of our intelligence, "which is dazzled by
the clearest objects of nature; as the owl is dazzled by the light of the sun" (Metaph. ii, lect. i). Hence the fact that some happen to doubt about articles of faith is not due to the uncertain nature of the truths, but to the weakness of human intelligence; yet the slenderest
knowledge that may be obtained of the highest things is more desirable than the most certain knowledge obtained of lesser things, as is said in de Animalibus xi.

Reply to Objection 2: This science can in a sense depend upon the philosophical sciences, not as though it stood in need of them, but only in order to make its teaching clearer. For it
accepts its principles not from other sciences, but immediately from God, by revelation. Therefore it does not depend upon other sciences as upon the higher, but makes use of them as of the lesser, and as handmaidens: even so the master sciences make use of the sciences that
supply their materials, as political of military science. That it thus uses them is not due to its own defect or insufficiency, but to the defect of our intelligence, which is more easily led by what is known through natural reason (from which proceed the other sciences) to that which is above reason, such as are the teachings of this science. (See this note by Alfred Freddoso)

Then consider this quote from Walter Farrel's A COMPANION TO THE SUMMA, Vol 1:

Theology is no mongrel in the pack of sciences. Like every other science, it has its proper, and utterly distinctive, field--the field of revealable truths. Its paraphernalia is totally inadequate to furnish it with its principles: so, in common with all other sciences, it gets the principles with which it starts and on which it depends from some other source (see question 1, article 2). The
philosopher, with no human science above him, accepts without question the self-evident principles his reason discloses to him or he ceases to be a philosopher. The theologian accepts his principles, not from the science of the physicist, the mathematician or the philosopher, but from the science of God and the saints. No science proves its own principles; nor does theology.
But the principles of every other science are susceptible, with the help of another science or directly from nature, of clear vision by the human mind; theology alone accepts principles too clear to be seen by any mind but the mind of God. It believes its principles on the authority of the Truth incapable of error or falsehood.

Let us suppose that all the sciences, in person, were invited to dinner by a great university. Where should theology be seated, among the practical or the speculative sciences? Well, the thing is more practical than domestic economy for it deals with the most practical of things the goal of a man and the roads to the goal; at the same time it is more speculative than
metaphysics for it handles truths that are divine. It might take the grapefruit with the speculative sciences, move over to an empty chair for the soup with the practical sciences, back to its original place for the fish, and so on; a little fatiguing, perhaps, but then what can be done? Like many another person with an insoluble problem, the hostess will shelve it and pretend it does not exist, for the moment anyhow. Now about places, who will get the first place and who will slide humbly into the welcome obscurity of the seat far down the table? In the speculative section the question will have to be settled on the certitude of the science and the nobility
of its subject matter. Theology jumps down from that mental shelf to worry the hostess: it would be hard to find a more noble subject matter than divinity or to compare the certitude achieved by a human mind to the certitude of the divine word. But the method! Yes, the others may be a little uppish on the question of method, but then how can we make a particular method the norm of precedence; is this a scientific dinner or a meeting of a secret society?

Very well, give theology the first place among the speculative sciences;at least that settles the question of where theology will sit. In the practicalsection, precedence will be determined by the ultimateness of the end servedby the particular science. Obviously medicine will sit above domestic economy,but does it go above or below politics? We can settle that later; what is the very last end served by any science; theology again! The only solution is to sit theology in the very center with the speculative sciences descending on the right and the practical on the left, hoping, of course, that no wit brings up the matter of the sheep and the goats.

But enough of the dinner. Abandoning the figurative language and getting
down to hard facts, it is true that the findings of the other sciences seem much more certain to us than the conclusions of theology. Of course; but the flame of an acetylene torch is not less bright because it blinds us, less visible because we must see it through smoked glasses; nor is

the divine truth less certain because it is too clear for our eyes, it is not less sure because we have to see it through the obscure glass of faith. It is also true that theology uses philosophy; but that is not because the pillars of divine truth need so much bolstering, it is rather because
of the comfort our weakness derives from the clasping hand of philosophy. But we shall come back to this matter of philosophy later on in this chapter. (This book is in the public domain)

JESUS AND THE RESTORATION OF THE DAVIDIC KINGDOM

2007-01-09T21:06:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for my notes on the Bible (and other stuff) please go to the MENU PAGE.

An excellent, non-technical overview of an important debate in modern Biblical scholarship by Michael Barber of Singing in the Reign.

AN INITIAL SURVEY

Part 1: An introduction. (Summary of the "first" and "second" quests for Jesus and the restoration)

Part 2: The third quest. (examines the thought of Geza Vermes)

Part 3: The Aims of Jesus. (Examines the thought of Ben Meyers.)

Part 4: The Constraints of History. (Examines the thought of Anthony Harvey)

Part 5: Jesus and Judaism. (Examines the thought of E.P. Sanders)

Part 6: Bruce Chilton. (Examines a theory based in part on the Targums)

Part 7: N. T. Wright. (Examines the thought of a leading Anglican scholar)

Part 8: A Marginal Jew. (Examines the thought of Father John Meier.

Part 9: Conclusion. (Concludes the initial survey and will move into the next major topic)

1.2. David: A Neglected Element of First-Century Expectations

Part 1: The Prophetic Hope.

Part 2: Qumran.

Part 3: The Psalms of Solomon.

Part 4: David in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Part 5: Son of Man & Melchizedekian Hopes.

Psalm 3

2007-01-08T23:57:00.000-08:00

(Please see the POST MENU PAGE for more of my biblical notes and other stuff)

Psalm 3 is generally categorized as a Psalm of lament. This may seem odd since the Psalmist exhibits great trust in God, yet this is a characteristic of the lament psalms. Obviously, if the Psalmist didn't have trust in his God the prayer would be mere play acting-for what purpose?

The first verse is a sort of superscription which tells us this is a Psalm of David which he spoke out during his flight from his rebellious (and favorite) son Absalom. This was of course a very troubled time for the king, not only because of his son's revolt, but also because most of his army and one of his most trusted advisors had joined joined Absalom's side. David was forced to flee Jerusalem, cross the Kidron, and ascend the Mount of Olives as his night of trouble began. Many have seen in the defection of his advisor, Ahithophel, and in his crossing of the Kidron to ascend Olivet, as a forshadowing of the events surrounding Jesus "on the night he was betrayed." (see 2 Samuel 15-18; John 18:1-14; Luke 22:39)
(Note: I've followed the numbering of this Psalm as it is found in most modern Bibles. Verse 1 identifies the circumstances of the Psalm, the text of which begins in verse 2. Unless noted otherwise I am using my own translation here. It should be checked with a recognized translation and not relied upon as in any way authoritative)

Vs 2 O Lord, how many my enemies have become! Many there are who rise up to oppose me!
Vs 3 Many there are who say of me, "for that one, there is no salvation from God.

Three times the word many (rap) is used in the opening lines. This gives a sense of urgency and, considering who the many are, a sense of danger. The quote of the many in verse 3 reminds me of shimei's cursing of David as he fled Jerusalem. No doubt the sentiments of that man were echoed by many (see 2 Sam 16:5-8). Notice the proliferation: 1) the enemies grow; 2) they are active ("rise up"); 3) they declare him destitute on God.

Vs 4 But you are my shield, O Lord, and my glory; you lift up my head.

This verse begins with an emphatic but. In spite of his troubles the Psalmist knows what his enemies deny. God is with him as his protector (shield), and as his support (lift up my head).

Vs 5 With my voice I cried out to the Lord, from his holy mount he answers me.
Vs 6 I lay myself down to sleep and I wake again, for the Lord holds me up.
Vs 7 I have no fear of the many thousands who stand against me on every side.

The enemies might say he has no salvation from God (vs 3), but with a voice and a cry the lie is put to that claim for the Lord answers him (vs 5). Though enemies have risen up to oppose him he can lay down undisturbed in sleep knowing that he will wake again for the Lord holds him up (i.e. sustains him). Thus he has no fear of the Many thousands (see 2-3) who stand against him.

Vs 8 Arise, O Lord, rescue me, O my God! Strike all my enemies upon the cheek, break the teeth of these wicked ones.
Vs 9 Salvation is the Lords; your blessings be upon your people.

Against the opponents who have risen to oppose him (vs 2) the Psalmist asks God to arise. These people had arrogantly claimed that their was no salvation for him from God (vs 3), as if they had a say in whom the Lord would save, and upon whom he would shed his blessing. That their teeth be smashed for speaking such things is seen as fitting punishment

BENEDICT XVI CATECHESIS ON CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.

2007-01-08T13:08:00.000-08:00

(The following links provide the popes current catechesis on the Church which began on March 15, 2006 and, as far as I can tell, will resume after the Christmas season)

1. CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH.

2. APOSTLES AS WITNESSES OF CHRIST.

3. THE GIFT OF COMMUNION.

4. SAFEGUARDING THE GIFT OF COMMUNION.

5. COMMUNION IN TIME: TRADITION.

6. APOSTOLIC TRADITION AND THE CHURCH.

7. HAVING A VISION FROM ON HIGH.

8. PETER, THE FISHERMAN.

9. PETER, THE APOSTLE.

10. PETER, THE ROCK.

11. ANDREW, THE PROTOCLETE.

12. JAMES, THE GREATER.

13. JAMES, THE LESSER.

14. JOHN, SON OF ZEBEDEE.

15. JOHN, THE THEOLOGIAN.

16. JOHN, THE SEER OF PATMOS.

17. MATTHEW.

18. PHILIP THE APOSTLE.

19. THOMAS THE TWIN.

20. BARTHOLOMEW.

21. SIMON AND JUDE.

22. JUDAS ISCARIOT AND MATTHIAS.

23. PAUL OF TARSUS.

24. ST. PAUL'S NEW OUTLOOK.

25. ST. PAUL AND THE SPIRIT.

26. ST. PAUL AND THE CHURCH.

27. TIMOTHY AND TITUS.

28. St Stephen.

29 Barnabas, Silas, Apollos.

30. Priscilla and Aquila.

31. Women serving the Gospel.

32. St Clement, Bishop of Rome.

33. St Ignatius of Antioch.

34. St Justin the martyr.

35. St Irenaeus of Lyons.

SUMMA THEOLOGICA Ques. 1, art. 2

2007-01-08T09:27:00.000-08:00

(To view my notes on the Bible and other stuff please go to the MENU PAGE)

Objection 1: It seems that sacred doctrine is not a science. For every science
proceeds from self-evident principles. But sacred doctrine proceeds from
articles of faith which are not self-evident, since their truth is not
admitted by all: "For all men have not faith" (see 2 Thessalonians 3:2). Therefore
sacred doctrine is not a science.

As is often the case in the Summa, the first sentence or two of the first objection gives a clue to what St Thomas' response will be. In reading the first sentence you can often assume that St Thomas' response will be the exact opposite of the statement. In the present case, St Thomas will show that sacred doctrine is a science; and that it does proceed from self-evident principles.

Objection 2: Further, no science deals with individual facts. But this sacred
science treats of individual facts, such as the deeds of Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob and such like. Therefore sacred doctrine is not a science.

As St Thomas will show in his reply to objection 2, the "individual facts" are secondary.

On the contrary, Augustine says (On the Trinity 14, 1) "to this science alone
belongs that whereby saving faith is begotten, nourished, protected and
strengthened." But this can be said of no science except sacred doctrine.
Therefore sacred doctrine is a science.

As is usual, St Thomas begins his response by invoking an authority
to contradict the objections. The science he is talking about is
sacred doctrine, for what other science leads to saving faith?

I answer that, Sacred doctrine is a science. We must bear in mind that
there are two kinds of sciences. There are some which proceed from a
principle known by the natural light of intelligence, such as arithmetic
and geometry and the like. There are some which proceed from principles
known by the light of a higher science: thus the science of perspective
proceeds from principles established by geometry, and music from
principles established by arithmetic. So it is that sacred doctrine is a
science because it proceeds from principles established by the light of
a higher science, namely, the science of God and the blessed. Hence, just
as the musician accepts on authority the principles taught him by the
mathematician, so sacred science is established on principles revealed by
God

Objection 1 failed to take acount of the fact that "There are some (sciences) which proceed from principles
known by the light of a higher science." The higher science (knowledge) it failed to take account of was the science (knowledge) of God.

the science of God and the blessed. The blessed are those who enjoy the batific vision of God. They do not posses the science (knowledge) of God in their own right: "...(the blessed) already before they take up
their bodies again and before the general judgment - and this since the
Ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into heaven - have been, are and
will be in heaven, in the heavenly Kingdom and celestial paradise with Christ,
joined to the company of the holy angels. Since the Passion and death of our
Lord Jesus Christ, these souls have seen and do see the divine essence with an
intuitive vision, and even face to face, without the mediation of any
creature..." (See the Catechism of the Cahtolic Church 1023).

Reply to Objection 1: The principles of any science are either in themselves
self-evident, or reducible to the conclusions of a higher science; and
such, as we have said, are the principles of sacred doctrine.
Reply to Objection 2: Individual facts are treated of in sacred doctrine, not
because it is concerned with them principally, but they are introduced
rather both as examples to be followed in our lives (as in moral
sciences) and in order to establish the authority of those men through
whom the divine revelation, on which this sacred scripture or doctrine is
based, has come down to us.

For more on article 2 see Alfred J. Freddoso's commentary.

PAPAL COMMENTARY ON THE MORNING PRAYERS

2007-01-07T14:57:00.000-08:00

PAPAL COMMENTARIES ON THE DIVINE OFFICE. (WILL BE DONE SOON) Morning prayers complete.

WEEK 1

Week 2

Week 3.

Week 4.

TRIPPIN' UP THE TIMES

2007-01-06T08:33:00.000-08:00

(If you wish to see my notes on the Bible please click here).

The New York Times, deceived (Unofficial translation)

From "El Diario de Hoy", El Salvador

(Wednesday January 3rd, 2007)

The main article of the weekly Magazine of The New York Times in April
of 2006 stated that in this country a woman had been sentenced to
thirty years for an abortion. The story has been utilized by a
pro-abortion NGO to

request contributions through the Internet. The newspaper corrected the story on December 31st.

It is not the first time that The New York Times has to excuse itself
to its readers because one of the stories published in its pages turns
out not to be true. Nevertheless, this time the report that utilized
inaccurate

information concerned El Salvador, and a Salvadoran woman, supposedly
sentenced to thirty years in prison for having aborted an 18 week fetus.

The report, entitled "Pro Life Nation", published in the New York Times
weekly Magazine on April 9th, 2006, deals with something that the
author considers the hardening of the laws against abortion since
1997. As an

illustration of his purported investigation, the freelance journalist
Jack Hitt tells about his meeting with Carmen Climaco in the women's
jail and concludes: "She had had a clandestine abortion at 18 weeks of
pregnancy

(...), something defined as perfectly legal in the US. The problem is that she had an abortion in El Salvador."

Eight months later this phrase has been rejected by the public editor
Byron Calame, who is responsible for answering the complaints of the
NYT readers. In the article "Truth, Justice, Abortion and the New York
Times Magazine", published on December 31st, Calame recognizes that the
journalist did not have in his hands the judicial documents of the
Climaco case.

According to Hitt himself, his report on the sentence to thirty years
in prison was based on a translation provided by a collaborator of the
NGO IPAS. This organization presents itself in the internet as
promoting the sexual and reproductive rights of women, and as an
advisor in matters concerning help for abortions and post-abortions.

For Calame, this constitutes lack of due diligence in the work of Hitt.
This error could have been avoided if the editors of the NYT had
requested the juridical documentation backing the statements of Hitt,
but they did

not do so.

The article of Calame was published in response to reader's complaints,
who, through the web site LifeSiteNews.com became aware that Climaco
had not been condemned for an abortion, but for having strangled her
baby girl, born alive, after forty weeks of pregnancy.

The editors of this web site had access to the juridical expedient, and translated it, something that Hitt had not done.

The front page of the expedient 0103-126-2002 of the third Tribunal of
Sentence of San Salvador begins stating: "Having seen in oral trial
the penal process number 148-02-3a, instituted against the accused
Karlina del

Carmen Herrera Climaco o Karina del Carmen Climaco, aged twenty four years"

The relation of the facts follow: Climaco was detained after agents of
the PNC confirmed the information that in her home, in San Bartolo, was
found the body "of a human being in development". Notwithstanding, in
the second page, according to the results of the autopsy, it was
established that the cause of death was asphyxiation by strangulation.

In his article, Jack Hitt presented Climaco as a desperate woman,
mother of three children, whose mother had threatened her with
expelling her from the home if she would get pregnant again. What Hitt
omitted was the force that Climaco applied to the neck of the infant.

Cibernetic swindle

The report "Pro Life Nation" not only was based on false information,
but has been utilized by the IPAS NGO to organize a campaign to collect
funds, between April and December of 2006.

Arguing that Carmen Climaco would be helped to get out of jail and
travel to the US, IPAS requested donations in their web site: "You can
help Carmen Climaco and other women like her. With your donation the
office of

IPAS in Central America, which enjoys recognized prestige, can provide
Carmen with the judicial representation that she deserves", states the
NGO.

The campaign to collect funds was suspended once the New York Times got
in touch with IPAS to get information on the case. Yesterday El Diario
de Hoy attempted to obtain the official position of that organization
based in Managua, Nicaragua.

The assistant of Dr. Marta Maria Blandon, director of IPAS Central
America, stated that her boss was not in town. In addition, she stated
that only Blandon could make statements concerning the case of Climaco,
and about the kind of assistance that the organization provides to the
Maternity Hospital of El Salvador.

Internet polemic

On November 27th, LifeSiteNews.net invited its readers to complain to
the editor of the New York Times. This led the public Editor, Byron
Calame, to question the way the facts had not been investigated for the
report "Pro Life Nation".

In this way, Calame got the expedient that LifeSiteNews.net had
obtained, and determined that Climaco had been condemned for aggravated
homicide of a live born baby of forty weeks of gestation, and not for
having aborted an 18 week fetus.

Questioning the editors, he determined that they did not doubt the
credibility of the report by Jack Hitt. And from him, he found out
that he had used a translation of the judicial sentence elaborated by a
consultant who has done work for IPAS.

Yesterday the New York Observer informed that the NYT is planning to
forgo the services of Byron Calame when his contract as public editor
expires.

PAPAL COMMENTARY ON THE MORNING PRAYERS WEEK 3

2007-01-02T14:44:00.000-08:00

(Clicking on the Biblical reference will bring up the text of the NAB. Clicking on Pope will bring up the Commentary)

SUNDAY:
Psalm 93....Pope.
Daniel 3:57-88, 56....Pope.
Psalm 148....Pope.
Canticle of Zechariah.

MONDAY:
Psalm 84...Pope.
Isaiah 2:2-5...Pope.
Psalm 96...Pope.
Canticle of Zechariah.

TUESDAY:
Psalm 85...Pope.
Isaiah 26:1-4,7-9,12...Pope.
Psalm 67....Pope.
Canticle of Zechariah.

WEDNSDAY:
Psalm 86...Pope.
Isaiah 33:13-16...Pope.
Psalm 98...Pope.
Canticle of Zechariah.

THURSDAY:
Psalm 87...Pope.
Isaiah 40:10-17...Pope.
Psalm 99...Pope.
Canticle of Zechariah.

FRIDAY:
Psalm 51...Pope.
Jeremiah 14:17-20...Pope.
Psalm 100...Pope.
Canticle of Zechariah.

SATURDAY:
Psalm 119:145-152...Pope.
Wisdom 9:1-6, 9-11...Pope.
Psalm 117...Pope.
Canticle of Zechariah.

PAPAL COMMENTARY ON THE MORNING PRAYERS OF WEEK 4

2007-01-02T10:44:00.000-08:00

(Clicking on the biblical references will take you to the text of the NAB. Clicking on DR/LV [not yet linked too] will take you to the text of the Douay-Rheims and Latin Vulgate Bibles. Clicking on Pope will take you to the Papal Commentary on the text.)

Sunday:

Psalm 118.....Pope...
Daniel 3:52-57....Pope...
Psalm 150....Pope...

Monday:

Psalm 90....Pope...
Isaiah 42:0-16....Pope...
Psalm 135:1-12....Pope...

Tuesday:

Psalm 101.....Pope...
Daniel 3:26-27, 29, 34-41....Pope..
Psalm 144:1-10....Pope...

Wednesday:

Psalm 108....Pope...
Isaiah 61:10-62:5....Pope...
Psalm 146....Pope...

Thursday:

Psalm 143:1-11....Pope...
Isaiah 66:10-14a....Pope...
Psalm 147:12-20....Pope...

Friday:

Psalm 51....Pope...
Tobit 13:8-11, 13-15....Pope...
Psalm 147:12-20....Pope...

Saturday:

Psalm 92....Pope...
Ezekiel 36:24-28....Pope...
Psalm 8....Pope...

PSALM 2

2006-12-31T10:51:00.000-08:00

To see my notes on other passages of Scripture, click here for the POST MENU PAGE.

A sublime vision of the nations in revolt against Jehovah and his Anoited, with a declaration of the divne purpose to maintain his King's authority, and a warning to the world that it must bow to him or perish. The structure of this psalm is extremely regular. It naturally falls into four stanzas of three verses each. In the first (1-3), the conduct of the rebellious nations is described. In the second (4-6), god replies to them by word and deed. In the third (7-9), the Messiah or Anointed One declares the divine decrees in relation to himself. In the fourth (10-12), the Psalmist exhorts the rulers of the nations to submission, with a threatening of the divine wrath to the disobedient, and a closing benediction on believers. (THE PSALMS by J. A. Alexander. Published by Charles Scribner, New York 1852. Public domain book)

Vs 1 Why do the nations rage, and the gentiles mutter vainly?
Vs 2 The kings of the earth stand up, the rulers sit in cousel together, opposing the Lord, and opposing his Anointed one, saying,
Vs 3 "Let us burst thier bonds completely, cast their chains off from us.

The Psalm opens with the psalmist asking a question in parallel fashion, which is typical of Hebrew poetry. The first part of the parallel asks why the nations (Hebrew goy) rage (ragash). Goy could refer to the Jewish people or other descendents of Abraham but is usually used for his non-descendents. Rage (ragash) means more than simply anger. It refers to the malicious plotting borne of such anger.

Vs 4 He that sitteth in the heavens will laugh: The Lord will have them in derision.
Vs 5 Then will he speak unto them in his wrath, And vex them in his sore displeasure:
Vs 6 Yet I have set my king Upon my holy hill of Zion. (ASV. Public domain)

the Lord sitting in heaven contrasts nicely with the rulers of the earth sitting in counsel against him. While they rage, he laughs; while they mutter vainly, he derides them and speaks in wrath. While they exalt themselves by standing up, he derides them. While they plot to cast of the bonds and chains of God and his Anointed, he insists that the one he anointed rules at his pleasure.

The Lords mood in verse 5 is colorfully described. The Hebrew word for wrath refers to the flaring of the nostrils which often takes place as part of angry facial expressions. The Word for sore displeasure refers to the red hue of an angry mans "burning" cheeks

Vs 7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, 'You are my son; this day have I begotten you.
Vs 8 Ask it of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and put the ends of the earth into your pessesion.
Vs 9 With an iron rod you shall break them; like a clay dish you shall smash them to pieces.

Here th anointed king speaks, telling us what the Lord has promised to him. You are my son, this day I have begotten you is a clear reference to 2 Samuel 7:14. This text is applied to our Blessed Lord in Hebrews 1:5. It is believed by many biblical scholars that this Psalm was either part of the coronation ceremony for a newly installed Davidic king, or was used as part of an anniversary celebration of the coronation (or both). Inheriting the nations and possesing the ends of the earth are not promises fulfilled to the descendents of David save one, Jesus. (See Daniel 7:13-14; Matthew 28: 18-20). Verse 9 also has Messianic overtones (see Revelation 12:5).

Vs 10 Be wise, O you kings; be instructed rulers of the earth.
Vs 11 Serve God with fear, tremble as you bow down to him.
Vs 12 Render him homage, lest he grow angry with you and you perish from the way, for his anger ignites suddenly. Happy are those who put their trust in him.

The call to wisdom and instruction, along with the word happy provide verbal and thematic links to Psalm 1. The rebels are here being called to conversion in light of the Lords will as revealed in torah, the revelation of God's wisdom. "The four invitations have a wisdom flavor, 'be wise' 'be warned', 'serve...with fear', 'kiss.' (Konrad Schaefer, PSALMS, pg 9.) Whereas the Psalm opened by focusing on the rebels anger, it closes by warning them concerning God's. The reference to his anger igniting reminds us of God's mood towards the rebels which was colorfully described in verse 5. In verse 2 the kings stood up against the lord and his Anointed; here they are exhorted and warned to serve God with fear aand trembling and bow down to him.

Psalm 1 The Two Ways

2006-12-29T15:14:00.000-08:00

In this psalm, which serves as an introduction to the Psalter, one of the most fundamental thoughts of Hebrew speculation finds expression. The just man, it tells us, prospers in all things, while the wicked man's life ends in failure. The psalm, however, dwells rather on the success of the just than on the failure of the wicked. It depicts the ideally just man first negatively (vs 1), then positively (vss 2-3), and then in contrast to the wicked (4-5). The just man shows no tendency to adopt the ideas of thegodless who set no value on the Law, or to associate himself with the sinners who openly oppose the Law, or to help in spreading the corruption of those who sneer at the law's requirements. His heart is fixed on the law, and he constantly meditates (murmurs) to himslef its precepts. His life is rich in the works of the Law, so that it reminds one of the foliage of a tree that blossoms and bears fruit beside streams of running water. As one might expect, there is a blessing on all his work, and his every endevor succeeds.

Vs 1 The three verbs, walk, stand, sit, are connected with the three things, counsel, path, seat, and have the three distinct subjects, the godless, the sinner, and mockers. A climax is evidently intended. As the good man is described as the man whose pleasure is the Law of Moses, so the various classes of the wicked are characterised by different degrees of indifference or hostility to the law. Some seem to forget the law; others act openly against it; others carry on a campaign of sneering and contempt against it. The Hebrew test of the third claise might be understood of a circle or group of mockers, rather than of a teachers chair, around which the mockers gathered. The Pious Israelite will seperate himself from sinners and sceptics. This tendency to aloofness was carried to extremes by the Pharisees (meaning "the separated ones").

Vs 2 The just man, on the other hand, is quite taken up with the law: It is "a torch for his feet." It is always in his heart, and always on his lips, as laid down in the book of Deuteronomy 6:6-8. Meditation means, acccording to the Hebrew, not silent contemplation, but audible murmuring of the words of the Law. This verse and the following are echoed in, or are an echo of Joshua 1:8: "This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth, and thou shallt ponder over it murmuringly day and night, so that thou mayest be constant in acting as is prescribed therein; for then thou shalt make thy way to prosper, and thou shalt have success."

Vs 3 The division of waters are irrigation canals such as might be seen in Babylonia or Egypt rather than in Palestine. For the comparison see Psalm 52:10 and 92:13.

Vs 4 The Hebrew compares the wicked with the chaff which is whirled from the threshing-floor. The threshing, or winnowing usually took place on a raised ground in an exposed position. The instability of the godless is often similarly suggested elsewhere in Scripture: "they shall be as the morning cloud, like the dew at dawn which vanishes, like the chaff that is whisked away from the threshing floor, like smoke from the chimney" (Hosea 13:3).
Again, in Isaiah we read: "The nations...shall be driven like chaff on the hill before the wind" (17:12). See also Wisdom 5:14: "The hope of the godless is like chaff swept about by the wind, and like thin foam scattered by the storm, and like smoke dispersed by the breeze, and like the rememberance on a passing guest."

Vs 5 The trial is the great Messianic judgement wherein the wicked will be set apart from the good in the sight of all. The way of the wicked is their path of life, or plan of action. The just will form an exclusive group after the great seperation , and the wicked will have no part with them (see Isaiah 4:3).

Vs 6 God's knowledge implies interest and approval (Psalm 37:18; Luke 13:27). The just will live in the light of God's face, but the way of the wicked will be through darkness, and will lead to death.

There is a striking parallel in this Psalm with Jeremiah 17:5-8:

Accursed is the man who trusts in men, and makes flesh his arm; but his heart is disloyal to Yahweh. He is like a leafless tree in the plane, and hath no experience of prosperity. He dwelleth in arid tracts of the desert, in a land salt-strewn, and uninhabitable. Blessed is the man who trust in Yahweh, and whose hope is Yahweh. He is like a tree which is planted by the waters, which stretcheth out its roots to the brook; which feareth not when heat cometh, whose foliage remaineth fresh and green, which even in years of drought, hath no care; and ceaseth not to bring forth fruit."

For the contrast in the lot of the pious and the godless, see also Exodus 20:5; Ezekiel 18; and the non-canonical Psalms of Solomon 14.
Taken from THE PSALM, A STUDY OF THE HEBREW PSALTER by Patrick Boylan. This book is in the public domain

AUGUSTINE ON PSALM 1

2006-12-26T15:37:00.000-08:00

1. "Blessed is the man that hath not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly" (ver. 1). This
is to be understood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Man. "Blessed is the man that hath not
gone away in the counsel of the ungodly," as "the man of earth did,"(1 Cor 15:47) who consented to his wife deceived by the serpent, to the transgressing the commandment of God. "Nor stood in the way of sinners." For He came indeed in the way of sinners, by being born as sinners are; but He "stood" not therein, for that the enticements of the world held Him not. And hath not sat in the seat of pestilence." He willed not an earthly kingdom, with pride, which is well taken for "the seat of pestilence;" for that there is hardly any one who is free from the love of rule, and craves nothuman glory. For a "pestilence" is disease widely spread, and involving all or nearly all. Yet "the seat of pestilence" may be more appropriately understood of hurtful doctrine; "whose word spreadeth as a canker."(2 Tim 2:17) The order too of the words must be considered: "went away, stood, sat." For he "went away," when he drew back from God. He "stood," when he took pleasure in sin. He "sat," when, confirmed in his pride, he could not go back, unless set free by Him, who neither "hath gone away in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of pestilence.

2. "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law will he meditate by day
and by night (ver. 2). The law is not made for a righteous man," (1 Tim 1:9) says the Apostle. But it is one thing to be in the law, another under the law. Whoso is in the law, acteth according to the law; whoso is under the law, is acted upon according to the law: the one therefore is free, the other a slave. Again, the law, which is written and imposed upon the servant, is one thing; the law, which is mentally discerned by him who needeth not its "letter," is another thing. "He will meditate by day and by night," is to be understood either as without ceasing; or "by day" in joy," by night" in tribulations. For it is said, "Abraham saw my day, and was glad:"(John 8:5-6) and of tribulation it is said, "my reins also have instructed me, even unto the night."(Psalm 16:7)

3. "And he shall be like a tree planted hard by the running streams of waters" (ver. 3); that is either Very "Wisdom," which vouchsafed to assume man's nature for our salvation; that as man He might be "the tree planted hard by the running streams of waters;" for in this sense can that too be taken which is said in another Psalm, "the river of God is full of water."(Psalm 65:9) Or by the Holy Ghost, of whom it is said, "He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost;"(Matt 3:11) and again, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink;"(John 7:37) and again, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that asketh water of thee, thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water, of which whoso drinketh shall never thirst, but it shall be made in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."(John 4:10, 14) Or, "by the running streams of waters" may be by the sins of the people, because first the waters are called "peoples" in the Apocalypse;(Rev 17:15) and again, by "running stream" is not unreasonably understood "fall," which hath relation to sin. That "tree" then, that is, our Lord, from the running streams of water, that is, from the sinful people's drawing them by the way into the roots of His discipline, will "bring forth fruit," that is, will establish Churches; "in His season," that is, after He hath been glorified by His Resurrection and Ascension into heaven. For then, by the sending of the Holy Ghost to the Apostles, and by the confirming of their faith in Him, and their mission to the world, He made the Churches to "bring forth fruit." "His leaf also shall not fall," that is, His Word shall not be in vain. For, "all flesh is grass, and the glory of man as the flower of grass; the grass withereth, and the flower falleth, but the word of the Lord abideth for ever.(ISAIAH 40 6-8) And whatsoever He doeth shall prosper" that is, whatsoever that tree shall bear; which all must be taken of fruit and leaves, that is, deeds and words.

4. "The ungodly are not so," they are not so, "but are like the dust which the wind
casteth forth from the face of the earth" (ver. 4). "The earth" is here to be taken as that
stedfastness in God, with a view to which it is said, "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance,
yea, I have a goodly heritage."(Psalm 16:5-6) With a view to this it is said, "Wait on the Lord and keep His ways, and He shall exalt thee to inherit the earth."(Psalm 37:34) With a view to this it is said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."(Matthew 5:5) A comparison too is derived hence, for as this visible earth supports and contains the outer man, so that earth invisible the inner man. "From the face of" which "earth the wind casteth forth the ungodly," that is, pride, in that it puffeth him up. On his guard against which he, who was inebriated by the richness of the house of the Lord, and drunken of the torrent stream of its pleasures, saith, "Let not the foot of pride come against me."(Psalm 36:11) From this earth pride cast forth him who said, "I will place my seat in the north, and I will be like the Most High."(Isaiah 14:13-14) From the face of the earth it cast forth him also who, after that he had
consented and tasted of the forbidden tree that he might be as God, hid himself from the Face of
God.(Genesis 3:8) That his earth has reference to the inner man, and that man is cast forth thence by pride, may be particularly seen in that which is written, "Why is earth and ashes proud ? Because, in his life, he cast forth his bowels."(Sirach 10:9) For, whence he hath been cast forth, he is not unreasonably said to have cast forth himself.

5. "Therefore the ungodly rise not in the judgment" (ver. 5): "therefore," namely, because "as dust they are cast forth from the face of the earth." And well did he say that this should be taken away from them, which in their pride they court, namely, that they may judge; so
that this same idea is more clearly expressed in the following sentence, "nor sinners in the counsel of the righteous." For it is usual for what goes before to be thus repeated more clearly. So that by "sinners" should be understood the "ungodly;" what is before "in the judgment," should be here "in the counsel of the righteous." Or if indeed the ungodly are one thing, and sinners another, so that although every ungodly man is a sinner, yet every sinner is not ungodly; "The ungodly rise not in the judgment," that is, they shall rise indeed, but not that they should be judged, for theyare already appointed to most certain punishment. But "sinners" do not rise "in counsel of the just" that is that the may, judge, but perad venture that they may be judged; so as of these it were said, "The fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall then suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

6. "For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous" (ver. 6). As it is said, medicine knows health, but knows not disease, and yet disease is recognised by the art of medicine. In like
manner can it be said that "the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous," but the way of the
ungodly He knoweth not. Not that the Lord is ignorant of anything, and yet He says to sinners, "I never knew you."(Matthew 7:23) "But the way of the ungodly shall perish;" is the same as if it were said, the way of the ungodly the Lord knoweth not. But it is expressed more plainly that this should be not to be known of the Lord, namely, to "perish;" and this to be known of the Lord, namely, to "abide;" so as that to be should appertain to the knowledge of God, but to His not knowing not to be. For the Lord saith, "I AM that I AM," and, "I AM hath sent me."(Exodus 3:14)

MY NOTES (and others) ON THE PSALMS

2006-12-26T13:25:00.000-08:00

PSALM 1 (mine)
...St Augustine's.
...St Thomas Aquinas. (Will take you off-site)
...St Hilary. (Will take you off-site)
...Patrick Boylan.

PSALM 2 (mine)
...Augustine.
...Aquinas.
...Lectio Divina (Must scroll down to find)

Psalm 3 (mine)

AMOS 5:16-27

2006-12-26T07:53:00.000-08:00

This current post is the second of three posts on Amos 5:1-6:14. Verses 16 and 17 provide a transition from the previous verses, (1-15) into the second major part of this broader section. They return to the theme of lamentation with which 5:1-15 began. They are to be understood as a further warning of what is coming and thus give added incentive to the people to repent, for as verse 15 put it: it may be that the Lord, the god of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

Vs 16 Therefore, thus speaks the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord: "In all the market-places their shall be wailing; on every street they shall say 'Alas! Alas!' The husbandmen shall be called upon to mourn, and those skilled in lamentation shall be called to wail.
Vs 17 In every vineyard there shall be wailing, for I will pass through your midst," says the Lord. (my translation)

As just noted above, these two verses give further warning to the people about what is coming and provide incentive for conversion. They also introduce part 2 (5:18-27) of the current section of 5:1-6:14. Recall that the actual lamentation in verse 2 stated: Fallen, no more to rise, is the virgin Israel; forsaken on her land, with none to raise her up (RSV). Just how extensive this event would be is made known in 15-16. All the people, in both city and country, the farmer and the merchant-all will feel its effects. These verses may be predicting an economic collapse due to drought and blight (see Amos 1:2; 4:7-9).

Vs 18 Woe upon those who look forward to the day of the Lord! What is this day of the Lord to you? It is a day of darkness, not of light.
Vs 19 It will be like a man fleeing from a lion, only to run into a bear; or like a man who enters his home, places his hand against the wall, and has a serpent bite him.
Vs 20 Will not the day of the Lord be a day of darkness, rather than of light, of gloom rather than brightness?

The day of the Lord was popularly conceived as a day of God's salvific intervention on behalf a his people against their enemies. God, however, makes it clear that for sinners among his own people it will not be a day of salvation but of judgment.

Darkness, light and gloom are words often associated with God's manifestation of himself for purposes of revelation (Exodus 19:16-24), or for the purpose of defeating his enemies (Exodus 14:19-31; Habakkuk 3:3-15). The holy of Holies in the temple at Jerusalem was also a place of darkness (1 kings 8:10-13). Having rejected the temple At Jerusalem in favor of their false shrines; and having rejected the revealed will of God; how can the people of the north continue to look forward to the day of the Lord as a good thing to be desired?

Vs 21 Your feasts I hate and reject;. Your solemn assemblies I have no delight in.
Vs 22 Although you offer up to me burnt-offerings and grain offerings I will not accept them. Nor will I look upon your fatted peace offerings.
Vs 23 Take away from me the clamor of your songs; I refuse to hear the melody of your harps. (my translation)

Worship at the false northern shrines, coupled with rampant sin, especially injustice towards others, combined to make their sacrifices and worship hateful to God.

Vs 24 Instead, let justice roll down like a river, and righteousness like a never ending stream.

Justice, mercy, and faith are far better sacrifices than mechanical actions: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and
dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law,
justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without
neglecting the others." (Matt 23:23)

Vs 25 Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? (RSV)

In the wilderness the people often brought sacrifice to God, but it was seldom done rightly. It was often mixed in with error and idolatry. One only needs to think of the golden calf (exodus 32-34); the discontent and rebelliousness of the people (Numbers 10-14); and the rebellion of Korah and Dathan (Numbers 16). The many punishments God had to bring upon the people in the wilderness shows that something more than just sacrifice is needed to maintain the covenant with God. The verse should be seen in close relation to the one preceding it; the sense is: "did you bring me sacrifices accompanied by justice and righteousness when you were in the desert?"

Vs 26 You will carry away with you Sikkuth, your king, and Kaiwan, the star-god, images that you made for yourselves;
Vs 27 for I will put you into captivity east of Damascus," says the one whose name is Lord, the God of hosts.

Sikkuth was an astral god of Mesopotamia who was associated with the planet Saturn. Kaiwan was an Akkadain god who was also associated with Saturn. Among the Akkadians Kaiwan was the god of justice. Recall that in chapter 5 God was described as He who made the Pleiades and Orion. Stars and planets are not gods but the creation of the One God who made and maintains control over them. Nothing gods made by human hands are worthless. These "gods" will be carried into exile by the people who made them when "The God" punishes them

Captivity east of Damascus is certainly a reference to the exile the people would suffer at the hands of the Assyrians in 722BC

A CHRISTMAS THOUGHT AND PRAYER

2006-12-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

If you've come for my notes on the bible go to post menu page.
(click on photo to enlarge)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God;
all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only son from the Father. (1)

Praise, servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.
Let the Lord’s name be blessed, now and for ever.
From the sun’s rising to its setting, the Lord’s name is to be praised. (2)

For the Son who was high above all the people, whose glory is higher than the heavens has stooped down to whatch over heaven and earth. (3)

Though He was in the form of God, he did not deem equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, for us men and our salvation he came down from heaven, by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary and became man. The one who the heavens could not contain rested on her bosom. (4)

The one who is the refulgence of God's glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word; the Son of the God of all compassion and consolation has stepped into the tide of years to become a wordless babe, a son of Adam. He, being rich, became poor for our sake, so that through his poverty all might become rich. Though we were dead in our trangressions and sin he sent forth his son, born of woman to be our redemption, reconciliation and peace. (5)

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and the knowledge of God! How inscrutable his judgements, how unsearchable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given him anything that he may be repaid for having wrought this wonderful exchange! The creator of mankind, taking a body with a living soul, vouchsafed to be born of a virgin, and becoming man without man's concurrence, bestowed on us his divine nature. (6)

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be
strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man,
and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God.
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen. (7)

MARRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!

The photo is of the creche in my parish church and was taken by me (which explains the quality). I constructed the text from the following sources:

1) John 1:1, 3-5, 14.
2) Psalm 113:1-3
3) Psalm 113: 4-5
4) Philippians 2:6; The Profession of Faith; the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
5) Hebrews 1:3; 2 Cor 1:3; St Augustine; Luke 3:38; Eph 2:5; Gal 4:4; 2 Cor 5:19; 1 Cor 1:30
6) Romans 11:33-35; Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
7) Ephesians 3:14-21