As a semi-regular feature, Pray Tell will be running “Thoughts on This Sunday,” which will be some rather informal remarks on the readings for the upcoming Sunday. These are not complete homilies or even comprehensive notes on the readings, but simply some ideas or texts to get the homiletic juices flowing.
Read moreCategory: Lectionary / Liturgy of Word
E.J. Dionne on 9/11, forgiveness, and the lectionary
By sheer chance — or, perhaps, Providence — two readings at Roman Catholic Masses on this day of commemoration for the victims of an evil act focus on forgiveness.
Read moreArguing with God
There are a few “arguments with God” in the Bible. I have always found these stories fascinating. In the Hebrew Bible, the protagonist is a chosen friend of God, holy and righteous. When the LORD threatens destruction to human life, the protagonist protests and attempts to persuade God. The human protagonist in these stories temporarily appears to have a better grip on God’s essential character – righteous, generous, and merciful – than the LORD himself! On August 14, we meet a New Testament version in the person of the Canaanite woman.
Read moreThe Dove’s Kinswoman
by Jim McKay
“The Chrism Mass is celebrated two days before Easter, which parallels the anointing two days before the Passover. In the morning the bishop could preach to his priests about the anointing of Jesus, and in the evening those priests preach to their people about Jesus copying the position of the woman to wash his disciples’ feet.”
Give Us This Day: new from Liturgical Press
Alert: Give Us This Day is a really fantastic product! You’ll want to know about it. Fr. Anthony Ruff, OSB, from Pray Tell spoke with the editor of the new product, Mary Stommes.
Read moreNABRE: Revised Edition of the New American Bible
The USCCB is reporting that the Revised Edition of the New American Bible (NABRE) has been approved for publication and will be available on Ash Wednesday (March 9, 2011).
Read morePreaching the Incarnation: John 1 on Christmas Day
Rita Ferrone: “Maybe Cody or some other PrayTell Chrysostom will post a model homily for Christmas day to help the homilists who struggle with this text.”
Mmmm. . . OK.
Read moreVigil Masses or Anticipated Masses?
The new Roman Missal (editio typica tertia) is not very new. But two new features are: a Vigil of the Epiphany and a Vigil of the Ascension, each with their own euchology and lectionary texts. But will these vigils be as unused as the ones already in the missal, such as tonight’s.
If you went to Mass the evening of August 14, what euchology was used, what lectionary readings?
Read moreAn heretofore unremarked addition to the GIRM?
Preparing liturgy is one of the most important tasks of everyone involved, presider, ministers, and assembly. Whatever mechanism for preparing liturgy a parish chooses (committee, advisory board, or the like), it needs to pay great attention to the rules of good communication and good liturgy.
Read moreNew Grail psalm translation now approved
“I am happy to inform you that the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has granted the recognitio for the Revised Grail Psalter by the Monks of Conception Abbey for liturgical use in the Dioceses of the United States, which has been approved by the Latin Church members of the USCCB in November, 2008.”
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