The Liturgy of the Temple

The work of Simon "the Just", the high priest, son of Onias, in the temple and the people gathered around him worshiping God. It is recorded in Sirach 50:5-21:

How glorious [Simon, the high priest] was when the people gathered round him as he came out of the inner sanctuary [from behind the veil]!

Like the morning star among the clouds,
like the moon when it is full;
like the sun shining upon the temple of the Most High,
and like the rainbow gleaming in glorious clouds;
like roses in the days of the first fruits,
like lilies by a spring of water,
like a green shoot on Lebanon on a summer day;
like fire and incense in the censer,
like a vessel of hammered gold adorned with all kinds of precious stones;
like an olive tree putting forth its fruit,
and like a cypress towering in the clouds.

When he put on his glorious robe and clothed himself with superb perfection and went up to the holy altar, he made the court of the sanctuary glorious. And when he received the portions from the hands of the priests, as he stood by the hearth of the altar with a garland of brethren around him, he was like a young cedar on Lebanon; and they surrounded him like the trunks of palm trees, all the sons of Aaron in their splendor with the Lord's offering in their hands, before the whole congregation of Israel.

Finishing the service at the altars, and arranging the offering to the Most High, the Almighty, he reached out his hand to the cup and poured a libation of the blood of the grape; he poured it out at the foot of the altar, a pleasing odor to the Most High, the King of all. Then the sons of Aaron shouted, they sounded the trumpets of hammered work, they made a great noise to be heard for remembrance before the Most High.

Then all the people together made haste and fell to the ground upon their faces to worship their Lord, the Almighty, God Most High. And the singers praised him with their voices in sweet and full-toned melody. And the people besought the Lord Most High in prayer before him who is merciful, till the order of worship of the Lord was ended; so they completed his service.

Then Simon came down, and lifted up his hands over the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, to pronounce the blessing of the Lord with his lips, and to glory in his name; and they bowed down in worship a second time, to receive the blessing from the Most High.

What is it to do the work of God?

All Souls Day

The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God. Wisdom 3:1-9:

But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them. In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died, and their departure was thought to be an affliction, and their going from us to be their destruction; but they are at peace.

For though in the sight of men they were punished, their hope is full of immortality. Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good, because God tested them and found them worthy of himself; like gold in the furnace he tried them, and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them. In the time of their visitation they will shine forth, and will run like sparks through the stubble. They will govern nations and rule over peoples, and the Lord will reign over them for ever.

Those who trust in him will understand truth, and the faithful will abide with him in love, because grace and mercy are upon his elect, and he watches over his holy ones.

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

All Souls Day: Solemn Requiem Mass

This Friday, November 2nd, 7:30pm at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Sugar Land.

A requiem mass celebrated in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, with the traditional chants of the Mass for the Dead. This is not a concert (as I thought it was a few months back), but a time of prayer for the souls of the deceased.

Earlier that day, a low mass will be celebrated according to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (aka Traditional Latin Mass) at 12:10pm.

Oh, and rumor has it that there will be black vestments used... Could it be true? ;)

The Treasury of Merit in Early Jewish and Christian Tradition

Mike Aquilina is very happy to announce that the third volume of Letter and Spirit, the annual journal of Catholic Biblical Theology, is available, featuring contributions by Cardinals Avery Dulles and Christoph Schonborn, Michael Waldstein, Romanus Cessario, David Fagerberg, and Scott Hahn. Titled The Hermeneutic of Continuity: Christ, Kingdom, and Creation, this volume also features an essay by Gary Anderson of Notre Dame, which, as Aquilina notes, examines the notion of the Treasury of Merit in Early Jewish and Christian Tradition. Looks like an interesting read.