The Meditation Sexagesima Sunday

February 19th - A.D. 2017

The Battle of Carnival and Lent

Painting by Peter Brueghel the Younger (1564-1638)

2.

The Collect for Sexagesima Sunday - A.D. 2017

O Lord God, who seest that we put not our trust in anything that we do: mercifully grant

that by thy power, we may be defended against all adversity. Through Jesus Christ our Lord,

Who liveth and reigneth in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, One God. Throughout all ages of

ages. World without end. Amen.

Purest charity

Sympathy for others during their times of trial and trouble is an essential part of what it is to

be a Christian and not merely proof of having a kind heart or being a “good person”. St. Paul

used it to win souls for Jesus Christ: “Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended and I

burn not?” [with indignation] - ( II Corinthians; Ch 11, Vs. 29). He who spent himself for souls

has a right to say so, and to bid all those called to works of mercy: “Rejoice with them that do

rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” (Romans: Ch. 12, Vs. 15).

Jesus taught us by His example the true practice of Christian charity. He spent His nights in

prayer, and his days in the service of others. He never allowed Himself any ‘vacation’ or rest.

Rich and poor alike came to Him and He welcomed them all, and all left His presence helped

and comforted. Even after a heavy day’s work, despite the protests of His disciples, Jesus

received the little children whom their mothers brought to Him, teaching, embracing, and

blessing them. His preference was always for the poor and suffering who most needed His love

and charity, but He also saw in the rich and privileged hurt, sickness, and broken-ness as well.

The Jews themselves said of Jesus: “He hath done all things well.” (St. Mark: Ch. 7, Vs. 37).

The charity that Christ asks of us must be practical, just as His own was. It must consist in deeds

rather than just words or wishes; not only in sympathy and pity, but in material and spiritual

help. St. James admonishes: “What doeth it profit my brethren, though a man say he hath faith,

and have not works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily

food, And one of you say unto them ‘Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding

ye give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doeth it profit? (St. James; Ch.

2, Vss. 14-16).

Self-sacrifice and self-denial are the very essence of love. Any good parent perhaps

understands this best. True love finds its happiness in that of others and in the services rendered

to them. Christ, being our great Example, said of Himself: “the Son of man came not to be

ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (St. Matthew; Ch.

20, Vs. 28). And again: “I am among you as he that serveth.” (St. Luke; Ch. 22, Vs. 27).

3.

Good St. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, gives us a wonderful and very useful

commentary on the previous two texts:

“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be

kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; Not

slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation;

continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless

them which persecute you; bless and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with

them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend

to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil.

Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live

peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto

wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy

hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his

head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans: Chap. 12, Vss. 9 – 21).

Nothing can give us a better idea of the disposition in which corporal and spiritual works of

mercy should be performed if they are to be apostolic and acts of true virtue. There is no fear, in

that case, of our external activity endangering our interior (spiritual) life, or leading us into the

heresy of ‘works without faith’ or vice versa. It is love performed without self-love, which is the

highest kind of perfection; the goal of every Christian.

The final proof of our charity should lie in our care for those who need it most, our tender

compassion for their pain, which we make our own. Our love must be an obliging love, a love

that is not waiting to be asked, or just friendly and courteous, or disinterested. God loves a

cheerful giver, and so a giver who does what they say, will win all hearts, and at the same time,

souls for God.

Those people who follow a Religious Vocation and live under a Rule, are expected by the

world to live lives of selfless charity, seeking no financial gain, no material benefit – a charity

which has nothing to do with altruism or satisfaction of the senses. It is the kind of charity that is

so strong that it finds such a person ready, if need be, to give their life for the brethren (Ref: I St.

John; Chap. 3, Vs. 16.) * This is clearly illustrated by the life of St. Maximillian Kolbe (1894-

1941), a Polish Franciscan friar-priest who offered his life in exchange for the life of a stranger at

Auschwitz Concentration Camp. Such heroism is not just reserved for those under vows, but

should be expected of every Christian who is seeking the total perfection of Jesus Christ. The

many lay-Christians in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq, who have been murdered by Islamic radicals

offer us all present-day examples of purest charity.

4.

Let us include in our prayers, a petition to our Lord asking Him to teach us to follow His

example, to sympathize with all those who are in spiritual or corporal need. May we consider it

the highest honor to serve the poor and infirm, the sick and the suffering. Let us ask Him to

teach us to love children as He loved them, for themselves, and for God, without letting

ourselves be led by personal affections or gains.

“Let us not live in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”

( I St. John; Chap. 3, Vs. 18 )

*I St. John: Ch. 3, Vs.16 “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought

to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

Priory Kalendar For the week of:

February 19th to February 26th - A.D. 2017

In Septuagesimatide

Septuagesima: ‘70 days before Easter’ – Kalendar designation : LXX

Sexagesima: ‘60 days before Easter’ – Kalendar designation: LX

Quinquagesima: ‘50 days before Easter’ – Kalendar Designation: L

Quadragesima: ‘40 days before Easter’… First Sunday in Lent – Kalendar Designation: XL

5.

This time in the Church Year is called Septuagesimatide or, the Pre-Lenten Season. The Sundays

that fall within this season are popularly known as the “Gesima” or “Gessie” Sundays. This season

unofficially takes in the First Sunday in Lent, as the old Missals, Service-Books, and Breviaries actually

listed Lent as Quadaegesima, or Quadragesima-tide. This little season is the perfect time for the

Christian to plan how they will observe their Lenten practices, abstinences, and obediences. If one is not

sure, contacting their friendly neighborhood priest will insure assistance and direction!

Shrovetide

Within the Pre-Lenten Season which we discussed last week, is a period of time known by

an old name: Shrovetide. This week we offer a Part 2 in our study of the time before the Lenten

season and its importance to Christians. The Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, in

the old calendars, was known as “Shrovetide”. These two days were traditionally set aside for

both people and clergy to make their confessions before the time of Great Lent fell. In the old

Anglo-Saxon language; swyde* translates to mean: ‘ to write’ ( compare with the German:

schreiben and Dutch: schrijven.) the word used in Medieval English; ‘shrive’ or ‘write down’. A

priest in Medieval England, would hear a confession, and in theory, if not in practice, would

write down or prescribe an appropriate penance for the person to be performed immediately, or

as part of their discipline for Lent. It largely depended upon the priest himself. After giving the

penitent Absolution, the person was said to have been ‘shriven’. **

Shrovetide is traditionally the time for ‘spring cleaning”, and just as we clean our houses we

also “clean our souls” during these days, in preparation for Lent, through the Sacrament of

Confession so we can enter the penitential season strong and fresh. Shrove Tuesday (the last day

before Lent began), as part of the spiritual and bodily cleansing, was also the last day for

preparing dishes containing eggs, milk, and cooking fat or butter – foods that were forbidden

during the Great Lent fast. These ingredients were used up by this day in pancakes or similar

recipes. The day, in France, was called mardi gras, ‘Fat Tuesday’. Shrove Tuesday was also the

last day for eating meat before Lent. (Latin, carnis: ‘flesh’), hence the name ‘carnival’ and

related words in the Romance languages: (French carnival, Italian carnevale, or carnelasciare,

Medieval Spanish carnestolendas, and Catalonian carnestoles), conveying the idea of ‘taking

away’ or ‘ceasing to eat’ flesh-meat. This ‘last hurrah’ before Lent began became synonymous

with revelry associated with the lost opportunity of self-indulgence before beginning the rigors

of Lent. Lenten observances, in those times, were taken very seriously, even by those who

marginally practiced their faith The tradition of carnival has continued in many of the Romance

language countries, but sadly the observance has succumbed to secular influence as the day has

degenerated into a day of excessive partying and sexual license.

6.

Many Parishes observe Shrove Tuesday by having a pancake supper in the evening. It’s a

great time for fellowship and the invitation of neighbors to meet the Parish as well as raise a few

dollars for the parish coffers. It’s not known how many Parishes offer the Sacrament of

Confession on both Shrove Monday and Shrove Tuesday in addition to the pancake supper, but

what a great idea to return to this ancient, and very much needed custom so souls can go into

Lent both with a clean soul and a full belly! We encourage our readers to bring this up at their

own parishes… if not for this year, then next. Ever ancient . . . ever new . . . the hallmark of our

Catholic Faith!

*This is as close as our computer can come to producing the word as we do not possess a font in Old English!

**It’s worthy to note that in Medieval England the literacy rate was much higher than other places in Europe. If this

were not so, the confessor would be wasting his time in writing out penances to folks who could not read nor

comprehend. The large number of personal books of Hours, breviaries, and misc. prayer-books that existed in the

15th century alone speaks of a well-churched people who not only knew, prayed, and practiced their faith, but

understood the language of the Church at the time – Latin, as well as their own English. Something protestant

factions have been trying to deny in order to justify the radical steps they took to rid the Church of its Catholic

heritage and practices.

Our title-page art work this week features a painting by Pieter Brueghel the Younger entitled;

“The Battle of Carnival and Lent”. Part of the painting has been oversized here so we can

see the portly figure of Lent on the left, leading a procession of plenty, opposing the procession

on the right led by the gaunt figure of Lent and its austerities. Note the pretzels and flat

breads at Lent’s feet.

7.

______________________________________________________________

Sunday, February 19th . . . Sexagesima Sunday (LX) - comm. St. Benedicti in spinis

Monday, February 20th . . . feria in Septuagesimatide.

Tuesday, February 21st . . feria in Septuagesimatide . . . . . . Last day in which LXX can fall.

Wednesday, February 22nd . . . St. Joseph of Aramathea; C. 1st cent. Judea

Thursday, February 23rd . . . St. Peter Damian; Bp. Abt. & Doc. O.S.B. 11th cent. Italy (Note 1)

Friday, February 24th . . . . . . . . St. Matthias; Ap. & Myr. 1st cent.

Saturday, February 25th . . . . . . . feria in Septuiagesimatide.

Sunday, February 26th . . . . . . . . Quinquagesima Sunday (L)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Kalendar Notes

Note 1: Thursday, Feb. 23rd: commemoration of the Feast of St. Polycarp, Bp. Of Smyrna, 2nd cent. Some

calendars give precedence to St. Polycarp on this day. Those following the Benedictine Rule are granted the

privilege via ancient custom to honor their own primary saints at various times in the year as we are doing with St.

Peter Damian,O.S.B.

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KALENDAR KEY

Ab. = Abbot, Abs. = Abbess, Abp. = Archbishop, Anc. = Anchorite, Ancs. = Anchoress,

Ap. = Apostle, Bl. = Blessed, Br. = Brother, Bp. = Bishop, Card. = Cardinal,

C. or Conf. = Confessor, Comm. = Commemoration/Commemorate, Dcn. = Deacon, Doct.

= Doctor of the Church, Ev. = Evangelist, H. = Hermit, LBr. = Lay Brother, LSr. = Lay

Sister, K. = King, Mat. = Matron, M. = Monk, M.M. = Month’s Mind ( Requiem for the

recently departed on the 30th day after death or burial). Myr. = Martyr, N. = Nun, Obl. =

Oblate, P. = Priest, Po. = Pope, Pr. = Prior, Prs. = Prioress, R. = Recluse,

8.

RM = Requien Mortuorum, ( Mass and Offices for the departed once a month as designated

on Kalendar). S Dcn. = Sub Deacon, Q. = Queen, Ven. = Venerable, Vir. = Virgin, W. =

Widow.

FASTING KEY: ……… A = Abstinence, F = Fast, F & A = Fast and Abstinence

RELIGIOUS ORDER ABBREVIATIONS: C.O = Congregation of the Oratory (Oratorians),

C.P. = Congregation of the Passion (Passionists), C.S.J. = Congregation of the Society of Jesus

(Jesuits), Er. Cam. = Camaldolese Hermits, F.P. O. = Franciscans of the Primitive Observance,

O. Car. = Carmelite Order, O. Cart. Carthusian Order, O.C.D. = Order of Discalced Friars

(Carmelites), O.F.A. = Augustinian Order, O.F.M = Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans),

O.F.M. Cap = Capuchin Order, O.P. = Order of Preachers (Dominicans also called ‘Blackfriars’),

O. Praem. = Order of Cannons Regular (Norbertines), O.S.B. = Order of St. Benedict

(Benedictines), O.Ss. S. = Bridgettines, O.S.U = Ursulines, O.C.O. = Order of the Cistercian

Observance (Trappists/Trappistines), O.C.S.O. = Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance

(Trappists/ Trappistines).

The Meditation is an online apostolate of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Priory in Raymond, Maine, USA.

We are an Anglican-Catholic Benedictine contemplative community that follows the Holy Rule of St.

Benedict, the 5th century Father of Western Monasticism. We are affiliated within the Diocese of the

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__________________________________________________________________

9.

Animal News

Sr. Mary Francis, O.S.B.

The snowbanks are getting taller than Sr. Mary Francis and although this isn’t saying much, being that she is so

short, even Jack is finding it formidable to get around. We thank those animal angels who are helping us out this

winter as more snow storms means more time inside for the large animals which means more supplies being

used. We are truly grateful for you all! Stay warm and safe.

PAX