Holy Week Homilies
Posted by Fr. Bruno M. Shah, O.P. on 06 Apr 2012 | Tagged as: Homilies
Chrism Mass
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 01 Apr 2010 | Tagged as: Liturgical Feasts
One of the Church’s sacred rites during Holy Week is the annual Chrism Mass, during which two important priestly actions take place. First, the priests of a diocese join their bishop to offer Mass together and renew their priestly promises. This renewal takes place after the homily. Also, just after the renewal of promises, the bishop blesses the three oils used throughout his diocese for use in the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick. These three oils are the Oil of Catechumens (Baptism), the Oil of the Sick (Anoining), and Sacred Chrism (Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders, and also the consecration of churches and altars). After Mass, the priests collect these three oils and bring them to their parishes.
It is fitting that this “priestly” Mass takes place on Holy Thursday morning. It complements the evening commemoration of the Last Supper, that sacred meal during which Christ instituted the Eucharist and the priesthood. Allowance is given, however, for the Chrism Mass to be celebrated earlier in Holy Week. The Chrism Mass for the Archdiocese of New York was held on Tuesday evening.
Of course, the faithful are encouraged to attend the Chrism Mass to pray with and for their priests. All baptized and confirmed Christians share in the anointing of Christ as the Messiah, the priest and king who takes away the sins of the world. To attend the Mass during which the instruments of Christian anointing are blessed can offer all the faithful an opportunity to deepen their baptismal promises with a view to uniting themselves more closely to Christ and his Church. In these holy days when we seek to follow Christ all the way to Calvary, the graces of the Chrism Mass can supply us special strength and consolation.
Spy Wednesday
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 31 Mar 2010 | Tagged as: Liturgical Feasts
In some parts of the English-speaking world, today is called “Spy Wednesday.” An intriguing name, to say the least. It comes from the Gospel we read at today’s Mass—Matthew 26:14-25—which tells of Judas’s final betrayal of Jesus.
One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, “My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”‘” The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover.
When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but owe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.”
The Mass prayers and texts for Spy Wednesday bring to a close our final preparation for the Easter Triduum. At the Mass of the Lord’s Supper tomorrow evening, we will begin our slow and deliberate commemoration of the central events of our redemption. Therefore, on this last full day of Lent, let us ask the Holy Spirit to purify our minds and hearts, so that we may celebrate the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus with a clear conscience and a renewed spirit.
Click here for more on Spy Wednesday.
Father,
in your plan of salvation
your Son Jesus Christ accepted the cross
and freed us from the power of the enemy.
May we come to share the glory of his resurrection,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Tuesday of Holy Week
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 30 Mar 2010 | Tagged as: Liturgical Feasts
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant.
One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved,
was reclining at Jesus’ side.
So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant.
He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him,
“Master, who is it?”
Jesus answered,
“It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.”
So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas,
son of Simon the Iscariot.
After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him.
So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”
Now none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him.
Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him,
“Buy what we need for the feast,”
or to give something to the poor.
So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.
When he had left, Jesus said,
“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself,
and he will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
You will look for me, and as I told the Jews,
‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.”
Simon Peter said to him, “Master, where are you going?”
Jesus answered him,
“Where I am going, you cannot follow me now,
though you will follow later.”
Peter said to him,
“Master, why can I not follow you now?
I will lay down my life for you.”
Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me?
Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow
before you deny me three times.”
Father,
may we receive your forgiveness and mercy
as we celebrate the passion and death of the Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Monday of Holy Week
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 29 Mar 2010 | Tagged as: Liturgical Feasts
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany,
where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served,
while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.
Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil
made from genuine aromatic nard
and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair;
the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples,
and the one who would betray him, said,
“Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages
and given to the poor?”
He said this not because he cared about the poor
but because he was a thief and held the money bag
and used to steal the contributions.
So Jesus said, “Leave her alone.
Let her keep this for the day of my burial.
You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”
The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came,
not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus,
whom he had raised from the dead.
And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too,
because many of the Jews were turning away
and believing in Jesus because of him.
All-powerful God,
by the suffering and death of your Son,
strengthen and protect us in our weakness.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.
“Word to Life” – March 26, 2010
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 26 Mar 2010 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Click below to hear this week’s edition of “Word to Life.”
Joining me on today’s program to discuss the readings for Passion Sunday (Palm Sunday) were two Dominican friars stationed here in Manhattan: Fr. Gabriel Gillen, O.P., who serves the University Parish of St. Joseph in Greenwich Village, and Fr. Jordan Kelly, O.P., the parochial vicar of the Church of St. Catherine of Siena on the Upper East Side.
“Word to Life” airs live every Friday at 1:00 PM EST on The Catholic Channel, Sirius 159 and XM 117.
Word to Life – Easter Special
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 11 Apr 2009 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Click below to enjoy a special Easter edition of “Word to Life.” Fr. Gabriel Gillen, OP, Fr. Pius Pietrzyk, OP, and Fr. Paul Keller, OP, joined me for a discussion of the three main liturgies of the Easter Triduum.
“Word to Life” airs live every Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM eastern on The Catholic Channel, Sirius 159 and XM 117.
Holy Saturday
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 11 Apr 2009 | Tagged as: Liturgical Feasts
Today we quietly ponder one of the more profound mysteries of the Christian faith. On Holy Saturday, we keep a type of double vigil. Physically, as it were, the Church stands outside of the tomb, which holds the dead body of Christ. Spiritually, she follows his soul’s descent to the realm of the dead. There, Christ appears to Adam and all of his descendants as their long-awaited Savior. A judgment takes place. The just are distinguished from the unjust, and thereby they are prepared for their entrance into glory through the open door of Christ’s empty tomb. Today we ponder the sleeping but active Christ.
The second lesson of today’s Office of Readings helps us to focus on one aspect of this great mystery—the meeting between the first Adam and the second. The reading is taken from an ancient Holy Saturday homily. Read it carefully. It contains everything we want to remember today.
Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.
He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead, Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.
Pope Benedict’s Holy Thursday Homily
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 10 Apr 2009 | Tagged as: Liturgical Feasts
HOMILY DELIVERED AT THE EVENING MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
Basilica of St. John Lateran
April 9, 2009
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
“Qui, pridie quam pro nostra omniumque salute pateretur, hoc est hodie, accepit panem”: these words we shall pray today in the Canon of the Mass. “Hoc est hodie” — the Liturgy of Holy Thursday places the word “today” into the text of the prayer, thereby emphasizing the particular dignity of this day. It was “today” that He did this: he gave himself to us for ever in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. This “today” is first and foremost the memorial of that first Paschal event. Yet it is something more. With the Canon, we enter into this “today”. Our today comes into contact with his today. He does this now. With the word “today”, the Church’s Liturgy wants us to give great inner attention to the mystery of this day, to the words in which it is expressed. We therefore seek to listen in a new way to the institution narrative, in the form in which the Church has formulated it, on the basis of Scripture and in contemplation of the Lord himself.
The first thing to strike us is that the institution narrative is not an independent phrase, but it starts with a relative pronoun: qui pridie. This “qui” connects the entire narrative to the preceding section of the prayer, “let it become for us the body and blood of Jesus Christ, your only Son, our Lord.” In this way, the institution narrative is linked to the preceding prayer, to the entire Canon, and it too becomes a prayer. By no means is it merely an interpolated narrative, nor is it a case of an authoritative self-standing text that actually interrupts the prayer. It is a prayer. And only in the course of the prayer is the priestly act of consecration accomplished, which becomes transformation, transubstantiation of our gifts of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. As she prays at this central moment, the Church is fully in tune with the event that took place in the Upper Room, when Jesus’ action is described in the words: “gratias agens benedixit — he gave you thanks and praise”. In this expression, the Roman liturgy has made two words out of the one Hebrew word berakha, which is rendered in Greek with the two terms eucharistía and eulogía. The Lord gives thanks. When we thank, we acknowledge that a certain thing is a gift that has come from another. The Lord gives thanks, and in so doing gives back to God the bread, “fruit of the earth and work of human hands”, so as to receive it anew from him. Thanksgiving becomes blessing. The offering that we have placed in God’s hands returns from him blessed and transformed. The Roman liturgy rightly interprets our praying at this sacred moment by means of the words: “through him, we ask you to accept and bless these gifts we offer you in sacrifice”. All this lies hidden within the word “eucharistia”.
Pope Benedict on the Easter Triduum
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 09 Apr 2009 | Tagged as: Miscellaneous
Pope Benedict XVI used the occasion of his General Audience address yesterday to offer his listeners and readers an extended meditation on the Easter Triduum, the Church’s sacred celebration of Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. One by one, the Holy Father walked through the Church’s solemn rites, highlighting their principal moments and the prayerful dispositions we should bring to each. Pope Benedict closed his meditation by commending us to follow Mary over these next three days, whose spiritual companionship can help us enter perfectly into the Church’s Easter prayer.
GENERAL AUDIENCE ADDRESS
April 8, 2009
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Holy Week, which for us Christians is the most important week of the year, offers us the opportunity to be immersed in the central events of Redemption, to relive the Paschal Mystery, the great mystery of the faith. Beginning tomorrow afternoon, with the Mass “In Coena Domini,” the solemn liturgical rites will help us to meditate in a more lively manner on the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord in the days of the Holy Paschal Triduum, fulcrum of the entire liturgical year.
May divine grace open our hearts to comprehend the inestimable gift that salvation is, obtained for us by Christ’s sacrifice. We find this immense gift wonderfully narrated in a famous hymn contained in the Letter to the Philippians (cf. 2:6-11), on which we meditated several times in Lent. The Apostle reviews, both in an essential and effective manner, the whole mystery of the history of salvation referring to Adam’s pride who, not being God, wanted to be like God. And he contrasts this pride of the first man, which all of us feel a bit in our being, with the humility of the true Son of God who, becoming man, did not hesitate to take upon himself all the weaknesses of the human being, except sin, and pushed himself to the profundity of death. This descent to the last profundity of the Passion and Death is then followed by his exaltation, the true glory, the glory of the love that went all the way to the end. And that is why it is right — as Paul says — that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!” (2:10-11). With these words, St. Paul refers to a prophecy of Isaiah where God says: I am the Lord, to me every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth (cf. Isaiah 45: 23). This — says Paul — is also true for Jesus Christ. He really is, in his humility, in the true greatness of his love, the Lord of the world and before him every knee truly bows.
Spy Wednesday
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 08 Apr 2009 | Tagged as: Liturgical Feasts
In the English-speaking world, today is often called “Spy Wednesday.” An intriguing name, to say the least, it comes from the Gospel we read at today’s Mass, Matthew 26:14-25, which recounts Judas’s final betrayal of Jesus.
One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, “My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”‘” The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover.
When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but owe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.”
The Mass prayers and texts for Spy Wednesday bring to a close our final preparation for the Easter Triduum. Tomorrow evening we begin our slow and deliberate celebration of the central events of our redemption. On this final day of Lenten preparation, may the Holy Spirit purify our minds and hearts, so that we may celebrate the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus with a clean conscience and a renewed spirit.
Click here for more on Spy Wednesday.
Father,
in your plan of salvation
your Son Jesus Christ accepted the cross
and freed us from the power of the enemy.
May we come to share the glory of his resurrection,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Chrism Mass
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 07 Apr 2009 | Tagged as: Liturgical Feasts
One of the Church’s sacred rites during Holy Week is the annual Chrism Mass, during which two important priestly actions take place. First, the priests of a diocese join their bishop to offer Mass together and renew their priestly promises. This renewal takes place after the homily. Also, just after the renewal of promises, the bishop blesses the three oils used throughout his diocese for use in the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick. These three oils are the Oil of Catechumens (Baptism), the Oil of the Sick (Anoining), and Sacred Chrism (Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders, and also the consecration of churches and altars). After Mass, the priests collect these three oils and bring them to their parishes.
It is fitting that this “priestly” Mass takes place on Holy Thursday morning. It complements the evening commemoration of the Last Supper, that sacred meal during which Christ instituted the Eucharist and the priesthood. Allowance is given, however, for the Chrism Mass to be celebrated earlier in Holy Week. The Chrism Mass for the Archdiocese of New York will be held this evening at 5:30 PM.
Of course, the faithful are encouraged to attend the Chrism Mass to pray with and for their priests. All baptized and confirmed Christians share in the anointing of Christ as the Messiah, the priest and king who takes away the sins of the world. To attend the Mass during which the instruments of Christian anointing are blessed can offer all the faithful an opportunity to deepen their baptismal promises with a view to uniting themselves more closely to Christ and his Church. In these holy days when we seek to follow Christ all the way to Calvary, the graces of the Chrism Mass can supply us special strength and consolation.
Pope Benedict’s Homily for Palm Sunday
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 05 Apr 2009 | Tagged as: Miscellaneous
HOMILY OF POPE BENEDICT XVI
PALM SUNDAY
April 5, 2009
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Dear Young People!
Jesus went up to Jerusalem for Passover along with a growing crowd of pilgrims. On the last stage of the journey, he had cured the blind Bartimaeus, who had addressed him as Son of David, asking for mercy. Now — being able to see — with gratitude he joined the pilgrims. When, at the gates of Jerusalem, Jesus mounts a donkey, the animal symbol of Davidic royalty, joyous certainty erupts among the pilgrims: It is he, the Son of David! Thus they greet Jesus with the messianic acclamation: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” and add: “Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!” (Mark 11:9). We do not know exactly what the enthusiastic pilgrims imagined the coming kingdom of David to be. But we, have we truly understood the message of the Jesus, Son of David? Have we understood what the kingdom is that he spoke of when he was interrogated by Pilate? Do we understand what it means that this kingdom is not of this world? Or would we like it to be of this world?
St. John, in his Gospel, after the account of the entrance into Jerusalem, reports a series of words of Jesus, in which he explains the essentials of this new type of kingdom. In a first reading of these texts we can distinguish three different images of the kingdom in which the same mystery is always reflected in a different way. John first of all reports that among the pilgrims who “wanted to worship God” during the feast, there were also some Greeks (cf. 12:20). Let us note the fact that the true objective of these pilgrims was to worship God. This corresponds perfectly to what Jesus said on the occasion of the purification of the Temple: “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” (Mark 11:17). The true scope of the pilgrimage must be that of encountering God, to worship him, and, in this way, put the fundamental relationship of our life in right order. The Greeks are persons in search of God, they are on a journey toward God with their lives. Now, with the help of two Greek-speaking apostles, Philip and Andrew, they send this request to the Lord: “We want to see Jesus” (John 12:21). This is essential. Dear friends, that is why we are gathered here together: We want to see Jesus. Millions of young people went to Sydney last year for this purpose. Certainly they had many expectations about this pilgrimage. But the main objective was this: We want to see Jesus.
Word to Life – April 3, 2009
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 03 Apr 2009 | Tagged as: Word to Life
On today’s broadcast we prepared for the opening of Holy Week by looking closely at this weekend’s celebration of Passion Sunday, better known as Palm Sunday.
Joining me to discuss the finer points of the mysteries the Church begins to celebrate this Sunday was Fr. Romanus Cessario, OP, author of the recently published The Seven Last Words of Jesus. Click here to see an earlier post on this book.
“Word to Life” airs live every Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM eastern on The Catholic Channel, Sirius 159 and XM 117.
Music Series 2008-2009
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 02 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: Music, Parish Events
Beginning in October, the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer will begin its 2008-2009 music season. As you can see, Dr. Mark Bani, the parish organist and music director, has put together another fantastic program. Look over this year’s concerts and mark your calendars!
Dr. Mark Bani, Organist
Season-Opening Organ Recital
Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 7:00 P.M.
Music by Bach, Gigout, and Reubke
Dr. Mark Bani, in his 16th year as Director of Music and Organist at The Church of St. Vincent Ferrer, opens the new season with a recital on the church’s acclaimed 86-rank Schantz pipe organ. His program will include Reubke’s monumental Sonata on the 94th Psalm. (free will offering)
Third Annual All Souls Commemoration Concert
Missa pro defunctis (1625) by Manuel Cardoso
Sunday, November 2, 2008 at 7:00 P.M.
The St. Vincent Ferrer Chorale and Soloists present a late renaissance choral masterpiece by Portuguese composer Manuel Cardoso. The program will also include anthems for All Souls Day. (free will offering)