The Biblical Basis of the parts of the Holy Mass (1 of 7)

There is often a charge against Catholics that we do not know or use the Bible. Nothing could be further from the Truth. EVERYTHING we practice as Catholics has its basis in Scripture. One of the main objectives of my website is to show the biblical basis of Catholic Doctrine and practice. 

 Over a series of 7 posts I will post about the scriptural basis of the parts of the Holy Mass since it is, as the Church teaches, 'The Source and Summit' of the Christian life. The main source for this is ʻThe Divine Armory of Holy Scriptureʻ Vaughan, K. (1894). 

Today I will post the scriptural basis of the beginning to Mass all the way to the 2nd Antiphon

SCRIPTURE OF HOLY MASS*
1. The beginning of Mass to the Offertory
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Mt 28:19
Amen. Ap 5:14

ANTIPHON.P. I will go in to the Altar of God. Ps 42:4
R. To God Who giveth joy to my youth. Ps 42:4

PSALM.P. Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from the nation that is not holy, deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man. Ps 42:1–5
R. For Thou art God my strength: why hast Thou cast me off? and why do I go sorrowful whilst the enemy afflicteth me?
P. Send forth Thy light and Thy truth: they have conducted me, and brought me unto Thy Holy Hill, and into Thy Tabernacles.
R. And I will go in to the Altar of God: to God Who giveth joy to my youth.
P. To Thee, O God my God, I will give praise upon the harp: why art thou sad, O my soul? and why dost thou disquiet me?
R. Hope in God, for I will still give praise to Him: the salvation of my countenance, and my God.

ANTIPHON.P. I will go in to the Altar of God. Ps 42:4
R. To God Who giveth joy to my youth. Ps 42:4
P. Our help is in the Name of the Lord. Ps 123:8
R. Who made Heaven and earth. Ps 123:8
The Priest kisses the Altar. Mt 26:49

In the next post ill go through the scriptural basis of the Confiteor

 (Post 1 of 7)

 See all 7 posts here: Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7

 image from the 'FSSP' via wikimedia commons. Tridentine mass FSSP – Fraternitas Sacerdotalis Sancti Petri
Source of Scripture references: ʻThe Divine Armory of Holy Scriptureʻ Vaughan, K. (1894). 

ʻAdvent Traditionsʻ - Feast of St. Lucy

The Feast of St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr, is on December 16th . Her Feast, always in the season of Advent, has many perennial customs attached to it. The Pictorial Lives of the Saints (Shea, J.G., 1887) recounts her story: 

 "THE mother of St. Lucy suffered four years from an issue of blood, and the help of man failed. St. Lucy reminded her mother that a woman in the Gospel had been healed of the same disorder. “St. Agatha,” she said, “stands ever in the sight of Him for whom she died. Only touch her sepulchre with faith, and you will be healed.” They spent the night praying by the tomb, till, overcome by weariness, both fell asleep. St. Agatha appeared in vision to St. Lucy, and calling her sister, foretold her mother’s recovery and her own martyrdom. That instant the cure was effected; and in her gratitude the mother allowed her daughter to distribute her wealth among the poor, and consecrate her virginity to Christ. A young man to whom she had been promised in marriage, accused her as a Christian to the heathen; but our Lord, by a special miracle, saved from outrage this virgin whom He had chosen for His own. The fire kindled around her did her no hurt. Then the sword was plunged into her heart, and the promise made at the tomb of St. Agatha was fulfilled."

On the Feast of St. Lucy there are many customs throughout the world that usually involve ʻlightʻ since that is what her name means. In some places torch processions or elaborate bonfires are lit in her honor. There is also a specifically Swedish Tradition, which has caught on in some Catholic circles here in Hawaii, of having the eldest daughter in the family waking up before the rest of the family and wearing a white gown with a ʻhakuʻ (or wreath) of light. Her and her helpers, know as starboys (because of the star adorned hats they wear), go around to the rest of the family and wake them up with some delicious St. Lucy Day food. In some places, especially Sweden, this custom even takes place as part of a community event via St. Lucy Day procession of Light


For an idea of how to celebrate St. Lucyʻs Day in your family take a look at the following link which has step by step instructions including recipes for St. Lucyʻs Day food :) http://www.wikihow.com/Celebrate-St.-Lucia-Day

image via creative commons. Icon of St. Lucy
image from The Pictorial Lives of the Saints (Shea, J.G., 1887). Public Domain
Procession image via wikimedia commons.By Fredrik Magnusson

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Today, December 8th, is the great feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Mother of God, Mary most holy.

“The Most Holy Virgin Mary was, in the first moment of her conception, by a unique gift of grace and privilege of Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of mankind, preserved free from all stain of original sin.”

 - Ex Cathedra Statement of Pius IX in “Ineffabilis Deus”

If you are interested in studying the biblical and traditional basis of the Immaculate Conception and the other beautiful Marian Dogma check out these posts from several years back:

Mary Most Holy: ʻPotuit, decuit, ergo fecit!ʻ

Mary Most Holy: Mother of God & Ark of the New Covenant

image from the 'Public domain' via wikimedia commons. Immaculate Conception
Magisterial excerpt from Ott, L., 1957. Fundamentals of Catholic dogma

ʻAdvent Traditionsʻ - The Feast of St. Nicholas

December 6th is the Feast of St. Nicholas. MY favorite story of St. Nicholas deals with his presence at the Council of Nicaea where he slapped the heretic Arius for his denial of the two natures of Christ! Here is Dr. Taylor Marshall, of http://www.taylormarshall.com, retelling the story:
 

BUT, of course, my children much prefer the other famous stories of St. Nicholas or ʻSanta Clausʻ which is a rough distortion of his name. The Pictorial Lives of the Saints (Shea, J.G., 1887) recounts one of his famous stories here:  

"ST. NICHOLAS - Throughout his life he retained the bright and guileless manners of his early years, and showed himself the special protector of the innocent and the wronged. Nicholas once heard that a person who had fallen into poverty intended to abandon his three daughters to a life of sin. Determined, if possible, to save their innocence, the Saint went out by night, and, taking with him a bag of gold, flung it into the window of the sleeping father and hurried off. He, on awaking, deemed the gift a godsend, and with it dowered his eldest child. The Saint, overjoyed at his success, made like venture for the second daughter; but the third time, as he stole away, the father, who was watching, overtook him and kissed his feet, saying: “Nicholas, why dost thou conceal thyself from me? Thou art my helper, and he who has delivered my soul and my daughters’ from hell.” 

It is from these and many other stories of St. Nicholas that he is known for his generosity and care of the young and innocent. Many customs were formed throughout the centuries involving the Feast of St. Nicholas and has, though thoroughly commercialized, resulted in some of the ʻSanta Clausʻ traditions that the secular world embraces today. There are  many Advent Traditions, however, that still properly honor this great Saint on the day of or on the eve of his Feast day, December 6th. Here are few mentioned in ʻAround the Year with the TRAPP FAMILYʻ, Maria Augusta Trapp, 1955. Pantheon Books :

 "While in some places the children only put their shoes on the window sill on the eve of St. Nicholas' Day and find them filled with candies, cookies, oranges, and dried fruit the next morning (but only the good ones; the bad ones find a switch), in other parts St. Nicholas comes in person. On the eve of December 5th . . . The holy bishop (Father of the house dressed as St. Nicholas), in his pontifical vestments, accompanied by Krampus, would enter the room while everybody stood up reverently. . . He calls each member of the household forward, rewarding the good and admonishing the less good. The good children will get a package of sweets, whereas Krampus aims at the legs of the children who did not deserve one. After everyone has received his due, the holy bishop addresses a few words of general admonition to the whole family, acting as a precursor to the One Who is to come, drawing their thoughts toward Christmas, asking them to prepare their hearts for the coming of the Holy Child."
image from The Pictorial Lives of the Saints (Shea, J.G., 1887). Public Domain

ʻAdvent Traditionsʻ - The Feast of St. Barbara

During this Advent season (a time of penitential preparation and restrained joy in anticipation of the birth of Christ) there are many beautiful traditions that ages of Catholics participated in that have sadly been replaced with commercialized holiday shopping and premature Christmas parties. I would like to, on this blog, share some of those traditions throughout this Advent season as a means of slowly restoring some of the beautiful Catholic Advent traditions.

 Today (December 4th) is the Feast of St. Barabara, Virgin and Martyr. The Pictorial Lives of the Saints (Shea, J.G., 1887) recounts her story here:  
"ST. BARBARA was brought up a heathen. A tyrannical father, Dioscorus, had kept her jealously secluded in a lonely tower which he had built for the purpose. Here, in her forced solitude, she gave herself to prayer and study, and contrived to receive instruction and baptism by stealth from a Christian priest. Dioscorus, on discovering his daughter’s conversion, was beside himself with rage. He himself denounced her before the civil tribunal. Barbara was horribly tortured, and at last was beheaded, her own father, merciless to the last, acting as her executioner. God, however, speedily punished her persecutors. While her soul was being borne by angels to Paradise, a flash of lightning struck Dioscorus, and he was hurried before the judgment-seat of God."



Tradition has it that while St. Barbara was captive in the tower she kept a branch of cherry tree which she watered and tended to. On the day of her martyrdom, it blossomed! A beautiful Advent tradition stemmed from this and is usually (but not necessarily) reserved for the unmarried members of a household: 


"On the fourth of December, unmarried members of the household are supposed to go out into the orchard and cut twigs from the cherry trees  and put them into water. There is an old belief that whoever's cherry  twig blossoms on Christmas Day can expect to get married in the following  year. As most of us are always on tour at this time of the year, someone at home will be commissioned to "cut the cherry twigs." These will be put  in a vase in a dark corner, each one with a name tag, and on Christmas  Day they will be eagerly examined; and even if they are good for nothing  else, they provide a nice table decoration for the Christmas dinner." - ʻAround the Year with the TRAPP FAMILYʻ, Maria Augusta Trapp, 1955. Pantheon Books


image from the 'Public domain' {{PD-Art}} .San Clemente de Roma


image from The Pictorial Lives of the Saints (Shea, J.G., 1887). Public Domain
























































          

        

          

        

          

        










ʻHilaireous Gilbertʻ - My first home brewed wine complete! 










This past weekend I finally, after a month and a half of the wine making process, was able to bottle and label my very first wine! It was a great experience!



The wine is a Washington Merlot and was made in honor of my favorite author G.K. Chesterton and his dear friend Hilaire Belloc (also an excellent Catholic author). The name, ʻHilaireous Giblertʻ, is a play on both their names. 









The quotes I chose for the back of the wine bottle are as follows:



“Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine,There’s always laughter and good red wine. At least I’ve always found it so. Benedicamus Domino!” - Belloc



". . . . drink because you do not need it, for this is irrational drinking, and the ancient health of the world.” - Chesterton



I am currently working on several more wines. One in honor of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and another in honor of St. Pius X. Ill post pictures of the finished products :)  




















































          

        

          

        

          

        










ʻMemorials of the Saintsʻ - The Biblical Basis for Relics
















According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, a relic is some object, notably part of the body or clothes, remaining as a memorial of a departed saint. The Church teaches that relics may be the occasion of God’s miracles, and in this the Church follows Scripture. (From the 25th session of the Council of Trent)









In this Bible Study I go through 4 of the major verses in Scripture that clearly show that Relics are part of not only the Old Testament but of the New Testament Faith. There is a clear continuity between present-day Catholic practice and ancient practice


















2 Kgs. 13:20-21“So Eli'sha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year. And as a man was being buried, lo, a marauding band was seen and the man was cast into the grave of Eli'sha; and as soon as the man touched the bones of Eli'sha, he revived, and stood on his feet.”







Matt. 9:20-22“And behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment; for she said to herself, "If I only touch his garment, I shall be made well." Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well.”







Acts 5:14-16 “And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.”







Acts 19:11-12“And God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.”











(The picture is of a Relic from the shrine of Saint Boniface. The bone fragment in middle is from Saint Boniface; the little folded papers on the left and right contain bone fragments of Saint Benedict of Nursia and Bernard of Clairvaux)







image via ʻ Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported. Photo by Broederhugo
















































        

      









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