“Let us love silence till the world is made to die in our hearts. Let us always remember death, and in this thought draw near to God in our heart — and the pleasures of this world will have our scorn.”

-St. Isaac the Syrian

Happy Feast of Corpus Christi

I was blessed to attend a Solemn High Mass with Procession in the Traditional Norbertine Rite.

It was glorious!

Trinity Sunday

"Quicúmque vult salvus esse, * ante ómnia opus est, ut téneat cathólicam fidem:
Quam nisi quisque íntegram inviolatámque serváverit, * absque dúbio in ætérnum períbit."

"Whosoever willeth to be saved, * before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic faith.
Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, * without doubt he shall perish eternally."

-From the Athanasius Creed

The Day of the Cup Final

One of my favorite days of the year!  I am pretty disappointed that The Arsenal are not in the final however a Manchester United loss would be splendid since it would keep Arsenal at the head of the trophy count with twelve titles.

Next week it gets better!  European Cup final with two teams from Madrid!

Post-match edit: What an exciting conclusion to the match.  I thought that Palace surely had it however United played well in the face of adversity.

Cannot wait until next week's all Madrid final!

Agni Parthene

One of my favorite hymns.  Please do not forsake us O' Beloved Mother of God, lest we perish into the fires of eternal damnation.

Detachment and Pilgrimage

“A pilgrimage is not simply a matter of getting to a particular shrine or holy place. It is a deliberate sundering and surrender of one’s habitual conditions of comfort, routine, safety, convenience. Unlike the tourist, whose aim is to see things and to travel around in conditions which are as comfortable, secure, familiar, convenient, and unchallenging as possible, the pilgrim breaks with his material servitude, puts his trust in God, and sets out on a quest which is inward as much as outward. In this sense he becomes the image of the spiritual seeker. He removes himself as far as possible from the artificiality within which he is enclosed by his life in society. Of this spiritual exploration, inward and outward, walking is an essential part. His feet tread the earth—the earth from which he is made and from which he is usually so cut off. Through his eyes, ears, nose, he renews his sense of natural beauty. He watches the flight of bird or insect, the ripple of light on leaves, the timeless vistas of the sea; he listens to the song of water, the call of God’s creatures; he breathes in the scent of tree and flower and soil. His feet tire, his body aches, sweat drips from his head and trickles into his eyes and down his neck. He tastes rigor and hardship. But through all this—and only through all this, and through his prayer and dedication and confidence—slowly an inner change is wrought, a new rhythm grows, a deeper harmony. The pilgrimage is at work.”

-Philip Sherrard in "The Paths of Athos”.

Humility

Abba John the Dwarf said, 'There was a spiritual old man who lived a secluded life. He was held in high estimation in the city and enjoyed a great reputation. He was told that a certain old man, at the point of death, was calling for him, to embrace him before he fell asleep. He thought to himself, if I go by day, men will run after me, giving me great honour, and I shall not be at peace in all that. So I will go in the evening in the darkness and I shall escape everyone's notice. But lo, two angels were sent by God with lamps to give him light. Then the whole city came out to see his glory. The more he wished to Flee from glory, the more he was glorified. In this was accomplished that which is written: "He who humbles himself will be exalted." ' (Luke 14:11)

A Blessed Pentecost To All!

Veni Creator Spiritus 

St. Anthony of the Desert

"When the holy Abba Anthony lived in the desert he was beset by accidie, and attacked by many sinful thoughts. He said to God, "Lord, I wand to be saved but these thoughts do not leave me alone; what shall I do in my affliction? How can I be saved?" A short while afterwards, when he got up to go out, Anthony say a man like himself sitting at his work, getting up from his work to pray, then sitting down again and plaiting a rope, then getting up again to pray. It was an angel of the Lord sent to correct and reassure him. He heard the angel saying to him, "Do this and you will be saved." At these words, Anthony was filled with joy and courage. He did this, and he was saved."

Down Goes Khan

Another glorious Saturday night in boxing has come and gone and it has ended with a Canelo Alvarez KO of Amir Khan.  I was personally was rooting for Khan and I had him winning the first four of the five rounds but I had a feeling that he would not be able to endure the grind for twelve rounds.

And then it happened.

A devastating right hook ended Khan's night in the sixth.