Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Arouse, Lord, Your Power, and Come!

A reading that repays attention--the full text of the Pope's Address to the Roman Curia, which is a kind of Papal version of the President's State of the Union address to Congress:

Monday, December 20, 2010

Don't play DADT

DADT, the  "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" pernicious policy against gay people serving in the U.S. military, has been repealed.  That's wonderful news for our country, and for the brave soldiers--gay and straight--who defend it.

Almah Mater

From today's daily Mass reading:


Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and shall name him Emmanuel.

                                         --Isaiah 7:14

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Two cities, two sons

Two selections from today's daily Mass readings



Thus says the LORD:
Woe to the city, rebellious and polluted,
to the tyrannical city!
She hears no voice,
accepts no correction;
In the LORD she has not trusted,
to her God she has not drawn near.
For then I will change and purify
the lips of the peoples,
That they all may call upon the name of the LORD,
to serve him with one accord;
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
and as far as the recesses of the North,
they shall bring me offerings.
                  --Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-10


[Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:]
“What is your opinion?
A man had two sons.
He came to the first and said,
‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’
The son said in reply, ‘I will not,’
but afterwards he changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order.
He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go.
Which of the two did his father’s will?”
They answered, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you,
tax collectors and prostitutes
are entering the Kingdom of God before you.
” 
                                             --Matthew 21:28-32

Monday, December 13, 2010

Seers and Readers

From today's daily Mass reading:


The utterance of Balaam, son of Beor,
the utterance of the man whose eye is true,
The utterance of one who hears what God says,
and knows what the Most High knows,
Of one who sees what the Almighty sees,
enraptured, and with eyes unveiled.
I see him, though not now;
I behold him, though not near:
A star shall advance from Jacob,
and a staff shall rise from Israel.



                     --Numbers 24:15-17

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Gracchus loquitur!

Meanwhile, ‘‘in da Senate’’:

‘‘His bank was bailed out big time by the taxpayers. But under the legislation the President negotiated with the Republicans [he] will receive $1.1 million in tax breaks. So $1.1 million in tax breaks for a major CEO on Wall Street, who over the last 5 years received $89 million in total compensation.

  ‘‘Meanwhile--just to contrast what is going on here--2 days ago, I brought before the Senate legislation which would provide a $250 one-time check to over 50 million seniors and disabled veterans, who for the last 2 years have not received a COLA [cost of living adjustment] on their Social Security. Many of those seniors and disabled vets are trying to get by on $14,000, $15,000, $18,000 a year . . . .   Because the Republicans filibustered, I needed 60 votes. I could not get 60 votes. I could not get one Republican vote to provide a $250 check to a disabled veteran trying to get by on $15,000 or $16,000 a year.’’


Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

From today's daily Mass reading:


The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
                                                --Luke 1:26-28



Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Straw Dogs



From today's daily Mass reading:

“All flesh is grass,
and all their glory like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower wilts,
when the breath of the LORD blows upon it.
So then, the people is the grass.
Though the grass withers and the flower wilts,
the word of our God stands forever.”
--Isaiah 40:6-8