Monthly Archives: March 2015

Mar252015

More pieces from T.S. Eliot’s ‘Four Quartets’

There is no end, but addition: the trailing
Consequence of further days and hours,
While emotion takes to itself the emotionless
Years of living among the breakage
Of what was believed in as the most reliable-
And therefore the fittest for renunciation.

There is the final addition, the failing
Pride or resentment at failing powers,
The unattached devotion which might pass for devotionless,
In a drifting boat with a slow leakage,
The silent listening to the undeniable
Clamour of the bell of the last annunciation.

Church Bells ringing

–Sweet unction: dedicated to Ann Marie Najjar

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Mar242015

Four Quartets (excerpt) T.S. Eliot

Home is where one starts from. As we grow older
the world becomes stranger, the pattern more complicated
Of dead and living. Not the intense moment
Isolated, with no before and after,
But a lifetime burning in every moment
And not the lifetime of one man only
But of old stones that cannot be deciphered.
There is a time for the evening under starlight,
A time for the evening under lamplight
(The evening with the photograph album).
Love is most nearly itself
When here and now cease to matter.
Old men ought to be explorers
Here or there does not matter
We must be still and still moving
Into another intensity
For a further union, a deeper communion
Through the dark cold and the empty desolation,
The wave cry, the wind cry, the vast waters
Of the petrel and the porpoise. In my end is my beginning.

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Mar242015

Imitation of Christ

Christ, is superior to all other men in that he is the head of Christianity, just as one speaks of the head of a man in relation to his body, as it is written that all those whom he has foreordained, whom he has prepared, would become of the same form as the image of God’s Son, that he is the firstborn among many others. Hence, whoever wants to achieve a true return and become a son in Christ, let him in true detachment turn to Him and away from self. –Henry Suso

Crucifix

Crucifix

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Unrequited Expression

Sound and vision, harsh realities assailing, dismal moon shadows cast unrepentant, undefined images, the heart,
A harp, Nick Cave play a piano song for me, reverberate sadness, create space within distance, nowhere stand, abstain,
Tell a glaring tale of a starring man wounded walking, debilitating distraction, unable to reach beneath, pluck the cello, pull the trigger, the badlands
The startling totality of dead wanting, longing, hypnotic chord strumming, desiring hollowness, echoed knocking, a grain falling, waving past the nonreflecting, a banjo twang, a toothless grin, a retart incestuous and vain, all things beautiful,
Lord, I want to live a life full, the world a wonder, arms around wrapping, adventure, satiation, a stallion, a thousand drums beating,
Beyond banality, beyond lacking, beyond attracting, beyond detachment, beyond profound expression,
Beyond being right, beyond being wrong, beyond creating, beyond being, emotionally asunder, an intentional blunder, a heart broken,
A kiss of recognition, existential and underground, emotionally capitulating, amiss a mass of intentions gone awry, mistaken identity, the knot tightens,
Capturing it all in a look of resignation unseen by all, false impressions, rejection of rejection, a palpable negation, identity tossed aside,
Silently and still, efficacious, waiting upon my Man,
An aftermath, vast experiencing, knowing not needing to conceive, finality, darkness, concluding discourse, finishing fate,
My Man paining upon a cross, forgiving all cost, pierced, flooding blood and water, holy wine, holy water,
He saunters past undetected, striding, standing beyond seven feet tall, nose to the wind, focus afar, breathing slow, sackcloth and ashes,
Listen, He approaches,
Divine mercy, He loves,
Resurrected, assumption, sitting He waits,
The Eucharist.

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Mar222015

Sacraments of Healing

isus_tamaduitorul

HEALING THROUGH CHRIST

LITURGY OF ANOINTING DURING MASS

Let us pray to God for our brothers and sisters and for all those who devote themselves to caring for them.

Bless N. and fill them with new hope and strength: Lord, have mercy.

RESPONSE: Lord, have mercy.

Relieve their pain: Lord, have mercy.

RESPONSE: Lord, have mercy.

Free them from sin and do not let them give way to temptation: Lord, have mercy.

RESPONSE: Lord, have mercy.

Sustain all the sick with your power: Lord, have mercy.

RESPONSE: Lord, have mercy.

Assist all who care for the sick: Lord, have mercy.

RESPONSE: Lord, have mercy.

Give life and health to our brothers and sisters on whom we lay our hands in your name: Lord, have mercy.

RESPONSE: Lord, have mercy.

LAYING ON OF HANDS. In silence, the priest lays his hands on the head of each sick person.

PRAYER OVER THE OIL: The priest says a prayer of thanksgiving over the blessed oil or he may bless the oil himself.

Brothers and Sisters, as we give thanks to God for the gift of sacramental grace symbolized by the use of this holy oil, I invite you to respond to each of these three prayers of praise by saying “Blessed be God who heals us in Christ.”

Praise to you, God the almighty Father. You sent your Son to live among us and bring us salvation.

RESPONSE: Blessed be God who heals us in Christ.

Praise to you, God, the only-begotten Son. You humbled yourself to share in our humanity and you heal our infirmities.

RESPONSE: Blessed be God who heals us in Christ.

Praise to you, God, the Holy Spirit, the Consoler. Your unfailing power gives us strength in our bodily weakness.

RESPONSE: Blessed be God who heals us in Christ.

God of mercy, ease the sufferings and comfort the weakness of your servants whom the Church anoints with this holy oil. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

R Amen

ANOINTING: The priest anoints the sick person with the blessed oil. First he anoints the forehead, saying:

Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit.

RESPONSE: Amen

Then he anoints the hands, saying:

May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up.

RESPONSE: Amen

PRAYER AFTER ANOINTING: The priest says one of the following prayers:

Father in heaven, through this holy anointing grant our brothers and sisters comfort in their suffering. When they are afraid, give them courage, when afflicted, give them patience, when dejected, afford them hope, and when alone, assure them of the support of your holy people. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

RESPONSE: Amen

Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, by the grace of your Holy Spirit cure the weakness of your servants. Heal their sickness and forgive their sins; expel all afflictions of mind and body; mercifully restore them to full health, and enable them to resume their former duties, for you are Lord for ever and ever.

RESPONSE: Amen

Those who have been anointed are invited to resume their places in the assembly.

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Mar212015

Into Being

Kidnapped, taken away to a foreign land,
Whisked away, nothing an origin,
Power immense, lacking insight,
Strange sights, strange people,
Poking, prodding, engaging, nodding,
Pleasure and pain, feelings,
Sight and emotions, aware,
Contemplating, thinking,
There in a moment, ordinary
A locked glance, common,
Confirming, all things shared,
Nothing recognized, alien,
Abnormal amidst the normal,
Time and movement, experience,
I am a family man.

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Mar202015

Slowly Transcending the Original

Perfection discipline,
Say ‘no’ to myself,
Abnegation diminutive,
A denied phrase,
A brilliant thought reduced,
A tongue tamed,
A beautiful thing erased,
A friendly smile unpursued,
A twinkling eye left in reverse,
A beaming countenance subdued,
Innocence, appeal heavenly directed,
Practicing on into the greater,
Energy preserved,
Battles immense,
Long lasting, eternity rest
Submission of will,
Beautify, make pretty,
Divine, simplicity shine,
The path of progression provide,
Strength,
Graces a plenty,
Others and many,
Judgement and finality,
Be merciful and kind.

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