Author: Mark Docherty

Happy Easter Tuesday!

GRADUAL Ps. 117:24; Ps. 106:2
This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it. Let those who have been redeemed by the Lord now speak, those whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy and gathered together from all lands. Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord is risen from the sepulchre, who for us hung upon a tree.

Christ is truly risen! Best week of the year, folks. Church law dictates that there is no mourning for anything or anyone during the Octave. Every day of the Octave is a first class feast that cannot be trumped. Don’t shoot the messenger. Party must continue.

Pray for eyes to be opened. Mine, yours, your loved ones’. He is the opener of eyes, on His schedule. The fruit of the fourth sorrowful mystery is patience. This is primarily patience with yourself, so as not to become frustrated as you stumble along the uneven path toward sanctity. But it is also patience with others, and even patience with God. Think about it. Think about how patient He is with us, but how we demand immediate results from Him. Abandon yourself to the Divine Providence… the inventor of time is Himself the Timekeeper.

Yesterday’s Gospel had us on the road to Emmaus, on the very first Easter Monday. After their miraculous encounter with Christ as He consecrated the first post-resurrection Eucharist, the disciples immediately set out back to Jerusalem. Having traveled all day to Emmaus, they traveled all night back. So today’s Gospel is the immediate continuation of yesterday’s, taking place on the very first Easter Tuesday. As they are all gathered together, Jesus pops in for some fish. Because even though they had left everything behind in order to follow him, and had received more teaching directly from God than anyone else, “they yet believed not.”

They yet believed not.

Meditate on how this dynamic is at play in your life today. Happy Easter!

“By blood-sealed covenant, by prophetic utterances and figures, and by prescriptions for sacrificial worship, God tried to prepare His people to expect a Redeemer who would have to bleed and die. But they wanted only a glorious conqueror with a universal and endless reign. Even when Jesus appeared to the Eleven, who had received two and one-half years of special training and instruction, He found them confused and wondering. As a doctrine, Christ crucified is central to Christian life. In practice, is there not much insistence on a comfortable Christ, a Christ without wounds?“

https://tridentine-mass.blogspot.com/2022/04/easter-tuesday.html

GOSPEL Luke 24:36-47.
At that time, Now, whilst they were speaking these things, Jesus stood in the midst of them and saith to them: “Peace be to you. It is I: Fear not.” But they being troubled and frightened, supposed that they saw a spirit. And he said to them: “Why are you troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? See my hands and feet, that it is I myself. Handle, and see: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as you see me to have.” And when he had said this, he shewed them his hands and feet. But while they yet believed not and wondered for joy, he said: “Have you here any thing to eat?” And they offered him a piece of a broiled fish and a honeycomb. And when he had eaten before them, taking the remains, he gave to them. And he said to them: “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and in the psalms, concerning me.” Then he opened their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. And he said to them: “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise again from the dead, the third day: And that penance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, unto all nations.”

 

(Prudent deployment from Miss B. The timing is remarkable, IYKYK.)

 

The Fruit of the Fourth Sorrowful Mystery, which we have been praying these past three days, is PATIENCE… which means primarily patience with SELF, not others. Without this fruit, you will be tempted toward despair. Because our earthly warfare will encounter many setbacks, and without patience and perseverance, we won’t make it. So on this glorious Easter Sunday, lay aside every weight and sin which surrounds you. Indeed, let us run by patience to the fight proposed to us. This is His will for us. Alleluia!

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“And therefore we also having so great a cloud of witnesses over our head, laying aside every weight and sin which surrounds us, let us run by patience to the fight proposed to us: Looking on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who having joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and now sitteth on the right hand of the throne of God. For think diligently upon him that endured such opposition from sinners against himself; that you be not wearied, fainting in your minds.” Hebrews 12:1-3

Christ is Risen, Alleluia!

Truly He is Risen, Alleluia!

Happy Easter, everyone!

That is correct.

70 men stood against the advancing British regular army, 700 troops on their way to destroy the patriots’ supply depot at Concord. The rebels had been warned in advance of the route by Paul Revere and others. Even with the valuable intel, they knew they would be greatly outnumbered. As the majority of rebel forces fell back to defend Concord, these 70 stood. They stood out of principle.

It wasn’t just the outrageous amount of tax on tea (about $20/lb in today’s dollars)… it was the moral objection to any taxation at all, without representation. The native born colonists had no standing in parliament.

No one cared about them, nor their rights. The entire Empire sneered at them.

Sound familiar?

(First posted in 2020, now a Holy Saturday tradition. -nvp)

It is a great blessing to meditate on Hell, where the souls of poor sinners go. Our Lord went there on this day to rescue the souls of the righteous, who were waiting in Limbo (not the place of eternal damnation, but a section of Hell nonetheless) for the redemptive act of Good Friday to take place.

The imagery of Hell is meant to be used as a tool; a deterrent. The actual horror of being separated from God, forever, by our own free choice, is something our intellect can barely grasp. The physical torments are but a proxy for the never ending sense of loss, and the pain of having made that personal choice, despite knowing better. Developing your relationship with Jesus Christ is the key to making right choices. He has told you what is important to Him, what hurts Him, and what He expects from you. He wants you to be with Him forever.

“For God hath not appointed us unto wrath, but unto the purchasing of salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us; that, whether we watch or sleep, we may live together with him.” 1 Thes 5:9-10

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I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell; On the third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost,
the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Amen

This is the Apostles’ Creed. It’s most commonly recited during the Rosary. Pious legend has it that each of the apostles contributed one the twelve articles of faith (represented by the twelve lines the creed is broken into). On the first Holy Saturday, the day Jesus descended into Hell, a real actual place, to rescue the just souls who had been waiting there in limbo for the coming of our Lord. Although they had died free from mortal sin, the gates of Heaven could not be opened to them without the redeeming sacrifice of the cross. So the day after the Crucifixion, Jesus went to free them.

Except, that’s not exactly accurate. To say that the gates of Heaven “could not” be opened prior to Christ’s redeeming sacrifice would be to place limits on God’s omnipotence. Time is a construct, and God is not bound by it. If He had so desired, He could have retroactively applied the merits of the cross to the righteous souls at the time of their earthly death, but He chose not to. Instead, He reserved the job to Himself to apply it “in person.”

Go ahead and picture yourself in the scene. Meditate on how hard it must have been for the righteous of antiquity to die in the state of grace, without ever knowing Christ. Think about how much easier we have it, with access to the fullness of Truth, the Barque, the Eucharist, the example of the saints. If the elect among the ancients could make it to the finish line, shouldn’t it be easy for us?

And yet.

The event has been stunningly depicted in iconography through the ages. Much of it is pretty graphic in terms of the furnishings of the place, and demons certainly do come in a variety of shapes and sizes. I’m reproducing a few tame examples here. Blessed Triduum to all.

Originally posted APRIL 19, 2019

The Agony of Jesus Christ at Gethsemane is noteworthy for its intensity. I’ve always believed that the intensity of the terror was not driven primarily by thoughts of His impending Passion and death, for He certainly was no coward, but rather by the knowledge that His sacrifice would be wasted by a multitude through hatred and indifference. His desire for reciprocation of the deep personal love He has for each of us was/is so intense, that the sense of loss over His beloved but damned sons and daughters caused his earthly physical body to sweat blood (Luke 22:44). His spoken desire of “let this chalice pass” in Matt 26:39,42 could be referring to the Crucifixion, as tradition holds, but it seems to me there is something more. After all, God willed for the world to be reconciled to himself through this very sacrifice, and Jesus IS God. The will of Jesus, in both His divine nature and His human nature, united in the Hypostatic Union, were never at odds with God the Father: For He and His Father are of the same Essence.

Just prior to this, upon entering the garden, He said, “My soul is sorrowful even unto death.” (Matt 26:38) Is He sorrowful because He is about to ransom humanity through His Cross and Resurrection? Or is He sorrowful because so many would choose to ignore it? His terror and pain, it seems to me, is out of His love for those who would be lost; lost loves, so to speak, in spite of His own unyielding love and sacrifice. I’m not a scripture scholar, but it seems worth meditating on, for the sake of our own souls.

A great exercise on Good Friday is to pick a Gospel and read it all the way through. It really doesn’t take that long. I am going to leave you with the seventh chapter of Matthew, the third part of the Sermon on the Mount.

Remember that the Sermon on the Mount takes place at the very beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. After the infancy narrative ends with chapter two, the introduction of John the Baptist and the baptism of the Lord in chapter three, and the temptation in the desert at the beginning of chapter four, He gets right down to business. Upon hearing of John’s death, Jesus immediately withdrew to Capernaum to begin the Galilean Ministry, as foretold in Isaiah. Preaching His message of repentance (4:17), He chose his first disciples (4:18-22), and then began drawing large crowds (4:23-25), primarily through working miracles.

Now that He had everyone’s attention, it was time for the big reveal. The Sermon on the Mount begins with chapters five and six forming a sort of catechism, and the central theme is something like, “You all think you know what’s what? Well, I’m here to take it up a notch.” He goes on to explain a litany of sinful behavior, and how we’re so much more wretched then we even knew. But then we get to chapter seven, where He offers hope, through repentance, prayer, obedience, and love. He wants to be loved.

Enter ye in at the narrow gate, my friends. Blessed Pascal Triduum to all.

The Holy Gospel of St. Matthew, Chapter 7: The third part of the Sermon on the Mount:

[1] Judge not, that you may not be judged, [2] For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again. [3] And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye; and seest not the beam that is in thy own eye? [4] Or how sayest thou to thy brother: Let me cast the mote out of thy eye; and behold a beam is in thy own eye? [5] Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam in thy own eye, and then shalt thou see to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

[6] Give not that which is holy to dogs; neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turning upon you, they tear you. [7] Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you. [8] For every one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. [9]Or what man is there among you, of whom if his son shall ask bread, will he reach him a stone? [10] Or if he shall ask him a fish, will he reach him a serpent?

[11] If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more will your Father who is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him? [12] All things therefore whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them. For this is the law and the prophets. [13] Enter ye in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat. [14] How narrow is the gate, and strait is the way that leadeth to life: and few there are that find it! [15] Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

[16] By their fruits you shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? [17] Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and the evil tree bringeth forth evil fruit. [18] A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can an evil tree bring forth good fruit. [19] Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire. [20] Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.

[21] Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. [22] Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name, and cast out devils in thy name, and done many miracles in thy name? [23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity. [24] Every one therefore that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened to a wise man that built his house upon a rock, [25] And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock.

[26] And every one that heareth these my words, and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man that built his house upon the sand, [27] And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof. [28] And it came to pass when Jesus had fully ended these words, the people were in admiration at his doctrine.[29] For he was teaching them as one having power, and not as the scribes and Pharisees.

 

“And when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest anoint thy head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee.” – Matt 6:16-18

The Church requires so little of us nowadays fasting, and I suspect most can’t even be bothered. I would wager that, when all is revealed, lack of fasting will turn out to have been a major factor in the advance of evil. The current discipline is the equivalent of almost two full meals… dude, that is literally NOT FASTING. Can’t we try to do better? It really isn’t that hard.

Join me in the 40 hour fast. Nothing but water (and some salt) from sundown (8pm) Holy Thursday, through Noon Holy Saturday. STAY HYDRATED. I promise you won’t die, and you will be a spiritual dynamo during these forty hours. You should center your prayers on your hardest/impossible cases. Also be prepared for some dark night type moments, which is just Satan trying to mess with you during this most holy time.

Blessed Triduum, everyone.

 

Holy Thursday marks the institution of the priesthood and the Eucharist. What an incredible gift, and yet how very much it is ignored, or worse. Get to Confession, folks. Sorrowful Mysteries these three days. Blessed Triduum, all. -nvp

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“Holy Thursday celebrates especially the institution of the Mass at the Last Supper as the Sacrifice and Sacrament of Christian unity. On this day also, Jesus first shared His priesthood with men by ordaining the Apostles. Then He uttered the command that is the reason for every Mass: “Do this in remembrance of Me.” This is a day to think of the great love Jesus showed in instituting the Eucharist and to return that love by receiving Him in Holy Communion. Through Holy Communion we are united to Christ and to one another.”

THE STRIPPING OF THE ALTARS
During the Stripping of the Altars, the celebrant recites the following antiphon and begins Psalm 21.

They have divided my garments among them, and for my vesture they have cast lots.

Psalm 21: O God my God, look upon me: why hast thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my sins. O my God, I shall cry by day, and thou wilt not hear: and by night, and it shall not be reputed as folly in me. But thou dwellest in the holy place, the praise of Israel. In thee have our fathers hoped: they have hoped, and thou hast delivered them. They cried to thee, and they were saved: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded…

They have divided my garments among them, and for my vesture they have cast lots.

Pope St. Leo the Great (d. 461) Sermon 59 (On the Passion, VIII.: on Wednesday in Holy Week.)

I. Christ’s arrest fulfills His own eternal purpose

Having discoursed, dearly beloved, in our last sermon, on the events which preceded the Lord’s arrest, it now remains, by the help of God’s grace, to discuss, as we promised, the details of the Passion itself. When the Lord had made it clear by the words of His sacred prayer that the Divine and the Human Nature was most truly and fully present in Him, showing that the unwillingness to suffer proceeded from the one, and from the other the determination to suffer by the expulsion of all frail fears and the strengthening of His lofty power, then did He return to His eternal purpose, and in the form of a sinless slave encounter the devil who was savagely attacking Him by the hands of the Jews: that He in Whom alone was all men’s nature without fault, might undertake the cause of all. The sins of darkness, therefore, assailed the true Light, and, for all their torches and lanterns , could not escape the night of their own unbelief, because they did not recognize the Fount of Light. They arrest Him, and He is ready to be seized; they lead Him away, and He is willing to be led; for though, if He had willed to resist, their wicked hands could have done Him no harm, yet thereby the world’s redemption would have been impeded, and He, who was to die for all men’s salvation, would have saved none at all…

IV. Christ bearing His own cross is an eternal lesson to the Church

And so the Lord was handed over to their savage wishes, and in mockery of His kingly state, ordered to be the bearer of His own instrument of death, that what Isaiah the prophet foresaw might be fulfilled, saying, Behold a Child is born, and a Son is given to us whose government is upon His shoulders.  When, therefore, the Lord carried the wood of the cross which should turn for Him into the sceptre of power, it was indeed in the eyes of the wicked a mighty mockery, but to the faithful a mighty mystery was set forth, seeing that He, the glorious vanquisher of the Devil, and the strong defeater of the powers that were against Him, was carrying in noble sort the trophy of His triumph, and on the shoulders of His unconquered patience bore into all realms the adorable sign of salvation: as if even then to confirm all His followers by this mere symbol of His work, and say, He that takes not his cross and follows Me, is not worthy of Me Matthew 10:38 .

https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360359.htm

“Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong is a surgeon who made billions inventing cancer drugs. He says that Covid, and the vaccines that didn’t stop it, are likely causing a global epidemic of terrifyingly aggressive cancers.”

TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Why Are Cancer Rates Rising in Young People? (6:16) What Is Causing This Cancer Epidemic? (14:52) Is There a Connection Between Covid and Cancer? (25:33) Why Dr. Soon-Shiong Never Got Covid (39:36) How Big Pharma Tried to Undermine Dr. Soon-Shiong (47:35) Dr. Soon-Shiong’s Analysis of RFK Jr. (1:02:47) The Healthcare Industry’s Conflict of Interest (1:05:51) How to Strengthen Your Immune System (1:10:32) What Your Doctor Won’t Tell You About How to Fight Cancer (1:20:58) Why Hasn’t Anyone Faced Consequences for These Crimes? (1:33:59) Why Dr. Soon-Shiong Bought the LA Times

VIDEO: https://x.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1904941620283253060