The Meeting: Maeda v. Ichiro

Passions

"When a man is given over to the passions, he does not see them in himself and does not fight against them, because he lives in them and by them. But when the grace of God becomes active in him, he begins to discern the passionate and sinful in himself, acknowledge them, and to repent and decide to guard against them. A struggle begins. At first, the struggle begins with deeds, but when is released from shameful deeds, then the struggle begins with shameful thoughts and feelings. And here the struggle encounters many steps ... The struggle continues. The passions increasingly are torn out of the heart. It even happens that they are entirely torn out ... The sign that the passions are torn out of the heart is that the soul begins to feel repulsion and hatred for the passions."

-St. Theophan the Recluse 

Lighten up, lads

Good ways for my fellow Catholic trads to alleviate their current mental sufferings,

1.) Prayer (Divine Office in particular)
2.) Exercise (Cardio in particular)
3.) Less time on the internet and television.
4.) More time tasting wine, beer and scotch.
5.) More time tasting wine, beer and scotch.
6.) More time tasting wine, beer and scotch.
7.) Listen to Gregorian Chant.
8.) Limit time following Papal/Vatican News.

"God Or Nothing"

I recently purchased a book titled "God or Nothing" by Robert Cardinal Sarah.  I heard many good things about the book and I have a really positive opinion of the great cardinal.  I will write my thoughts after I conclude reading it.

If only he was elected Pope in 2013!

The Church Fathers

As I was praying First Vespers of Pope St. Leo the Great this evening (with a commemoration of the Second Sunday of Pascha, of course), I was thinking about the beauty of studying the Church Fathers and understanding their role in comprehending Tradition.

Last night, I went to a potluck with members of a youth group from a Novus Ordo parish which I attend on the weekdays.  I had an argument with a couple of the folks there on the issue of the Church Fathers.  One man was brazen enough to tell me that,

"Vatican II is more important than the Church Fathers."

What could cause one to say something so foolish?  Does a person not realize the ramifications of such a statement?  This is no lilliputian matter and it made me realize that the Church needs to go back to the Church Fathers.

My fellow Trads,  let us not waste our time by defended certain seventeenth century French proclivities. If we want to be true trads, let us fight for Tradition every moment of our lives.

Of course, it all starts and ends with the Liturgy.

From First Vespers,

O Doctor optime, * Ecclesiae Sanctae lumen, beate Leone, divinae legis amator, deprecare pro nobis Filium Dei, alleluia.

O right excellent Teacher, Light of the Holy Church, Leo, blessed lover of the Divine Law, pray for us to the Son of God. Alleluia

How to deal with stupidity

As many of you know, there are many insane things going on in the Church.  However, for the sake of your eternal soul, I would highly recommend reading the words on the following blog,

http://www.johnrotondijr.blogspot.com/2016/04/irascimini-vel-ignoscite.html

Try not to spend too much of your spiritual and mental energy on the shenanigans going on the Vatican. There are far greater things to be active in.

Theatre

"Football is to baseball as blackjack is to bridge. One is the quick jolt. The other the deliberate, slow-paced game of skill, but never was a sport more ideally suited to television than baseball. It's all there in front of you. It's theatre, really. The star is the spotlight on the mound, the supporting cast fanned out around him, the mathematical precision of the game moving with the kind of inevitability of Greek tragedy. With the Greek chorus in the bleachers!"

-Vin Scully

Dominica in Albis

"Quasi modo géniti infántes, allelúja: rationabiles, sine dolo lac concupíscite, allelúja, allelúja allelúja. Exsultáte Deo, adjutóri nostro: jubiláte Deo Jacob. Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto. Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, et in saécula sæculórum. Amen."