Blessed 7th Day of Christmas
https://youtu.be/WHWqj6gKS9g
Fr. Troy Beecham
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Saturday, December 30, 2017
6th Day of Christmas
Blessed 6th Day of Christmas to one and all
https://youtu.be/yxDZjg_Igoc
Fr. Troy Beecham
https://youtu.be/yxDZjg_Igoc
Fr. Troy Beecham
Friday, December 29, 2017
Feast of St. Thomas Beckett
Today is the 5th Day of Christmas.
The Church also remembers St. Thomas Beckett. Born in AD 1118, Thomas eventually became the Archbishop of Canterbury. In AD 1170, Thomas was brutally murdered after he confronted the king for his seeking to exert power over the life of the Church.
"Will someone not rid me of this meddlesome priest", said the king. Four knights burst into the cathedral at night, and murdered him at the high altar.
For those who stand up to power, who refuse to be bullied, who work for liberty in conscience, and freedom of religion, St. Thomas Beckett, pray for us.
Fr. Troy Beecham
The Church also remembers St. Thomas Beckett. Born in AD 1118, Thomas eventually became the Archbishop of Canterbury. In AD 1170, Thomas was brutally murdered after he confronted the king for his seeking to exert power over the life of the Church.
"Will someone not rid me of this meddlesome priest", said the king. Four knights burst into the cathedral at night, and murdered him at the high altar.
For those who stand up to power, who refuse to be bullied, who work for liberty in conscience, and freedom of religion, St. Thomas Beckett, pray for us.
Fr. Troy Beecham
Thursday, December 28, 2017
Holy Innocents
On this 4th Day of Christmas, the Church also remembers the Holy Innocents, that otherwise nameless and unremembered group of children who were brutally murdered by a power mad king in his attempt to kill the infant Jesus and so eliminate a possible threat to his continued dominion.
How often do we accept when we are told by those holding the reins of power that "collateral damage" is acceptable or inevitable, or do we turn a blind eye towards the suffering of children, when inflicted in the name of maintaining privilege, luxury, access to cheap goods, or dominion?
How long until we see every human person as our own child, our own most beloved, for whom we have the duty of care? How long until we refuse to serve any power, system, economy, or person that reduces anyone into a commodity, a problem to be eliminated, an alien, or as lacking the same human dignity that we demand for ourselves?
...until the day that we are ourselves transformed by the love of God, and the world is renewed...
For the dawning of that day, please, pray.
https://youtu.be/uhCLwwmtKjs
Fr. Troy Beecham
How often do we accept when we are told by those holding the reins of power that "collateral damage" is acceptable or inevitable, or do we turn a blind eye towards the suffering of children, when inflicted in the name of maintaining privilege, luxury, access to cheap goods, or dominion?
How long until we see every human person as our own child, our own most beloved, for whom we have the duty of care? How long until we refuse to serve any power, system, economy, or person that reduces anyone into a commodity, a problem to be eliminated, an alien, or as lacking the same human dignity that we demand for ourselves?
...until the day that we are ourselves transformed by the love of God, and the world is renewed...
For the dawning of that day, please, pray.
https://youtu.be/uhCLwwmtKjs
Fr. Troy Beecham
Wednesday, December 27, 2017
Feast of St. John
Happy 3rd Day of Christmas!
Today the Church remembers St. John, Apostle and Evangelist. John, the "beloved disciple", who as a young man was one of the early disciples of Jesus. Of all the male apostles, John is the only one who did not run away when Jesus was arrested and crucified. He stood with Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the foot of the the cross, and there Jesus commended the duty of care for his mother to him. John cared for Mary until her death many years later.
He lived to old age, even though he faced exile, deprivation, and torture because of his faith in Jesus. He wrote many of the works that are part of the Christian holy scriptures, perhaps most famously the words that begin with "God so loved the world..." and "God is love".
In gratitude we remember John, faithful witness of Jesus and his astonishing revelation that the nature of God is love.
Fr. Troy Beecham
Today the Church remembers St. John, Apostle and Evangelist. John, the "beloved disciple", who as a young man was one of the early disciples of Jesus. Of all the male apostles, John is the only one who did not run away when Jesus was arrested and crucified. He stood with Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the foot of the the cross, and there Jesus commended the duty of care for his mother to him. John cared for Mary until her death many years later.
He lived to old age, even though he faced exile, deprivation, and torture because of his faith in Jesus. He wrote many of the works that are part of the Christian holy scriptures, perhaps most famously the words that begin with "God so loved the world..." and "God is love".
In gratitude we remember John, faithful witness of Jesus and his astonishing revelation that the nature of God is love.
Fr. Troy Beecham
Tuesday, December 26, 2017
Feast of St. Stephen
Every year on December 26, the day after we celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. St. Stephen was among the first deacons of the Church. He was “full of faith and power” and “did great wonders among the people.” For this, he was condemned by a council of Jewish leaders and, after preaching publicly to a crowd at the Temple, was stoned to death. The man who presided over his stoning would one day become the most prolific early Christian writer and missionary, Saul of Tarsus, later called St. Paul.
Blessed Stephen, ora pro nobis.
https://livingchurch.org/covenant/2016/12/26/christmas-is-about-martyrdom-the-lesson-of-st-stephen/
Fr. Troy Beecham
Blessed Stephen, ora pro nobis.
https://livingchurch.org/covenant/2016/12/26/christmas-is-about-martyrdom-the-lesson-of-st-stephen/
Fr. Troy Beecham
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Monday, December 18, 2017
Sunday, December 17, 2017
O Wisdom
The great O Antiphons begin! Over the next seven days, those who follow Jesus are invited to ponder the great mysteries of the Incarnation.
The first, O Wisdom!
https://youtu.be/VcoYzoSfZUc
Fr. Troy Beecham
The first, O Wisdom!
https://youtu.be/VcoYzoSfZUc
Fr. Troy Beecham
Thursday, December 7, 2017
St. Ambrose
Today, the Church remembers St. Ambrose, bishop of Milan.
Aurelius Ambrosius, better known in English as Saint Ambrose (c. AD 340 – 4 April 397), was a bishop of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the 4th century. He was the Roman governor of Liguria and Emilia, headquartered in Milan, before being made bishop of Milan by popular acclamation in AD 374. Ambrose was known for his deep beliefs and eloquence in preaching and teaching the orthodox Christian faith, and for his ability to be both resolute in confronting error and willing to live in Christian love with those who made themselves enemies. He famously is quoted as saying “No one heals themselves by wounding another”.
Traditionally, Ambrose is also credited with promoting "antiphonal chant", a style of chanting in which one side of the choir responds alternately to the other, as well as with composing Veni redemptor gentium, an Advent hymn. His love of music and of Christian liturgical worship lead him to produce works of sublime beauty that remain part of the life of the Church today.
Blessed St. Ambrose, ora pro nobis. Amen.
https://youtu.be/PU4ycRzwqDc
Fr. Troy Beecham
Aurelius Ambrosius, better known in English as Saint Ambrose (c. AD 340 – 4 April 397), was a bishop of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the 4th century. He was the Roman governor of Liguria and Emilia, headquartered in Milan, before being made bishop of Milan by popular acclamation in AD 374. Ambrose was known for his deep beliefs and eloquence in preaching and teaching the orthodox Christian faith, and for his ability to be both resolute in confronting error and willing to live in Christian love with those who made themselves enemies. He famously is quoted as saying “No one heals themselves by wounding another”.
Traditionally, Ambrose is also credited with promoting "antiphonal chant", a style of chanting in which one side of the choir responds alternately to the other, as well as with composing Veni redemptor gentium, an Advent hymn. His love of music and of Christian liturgical worship lead him to produce works of sublime beauty that remain part of the life of the Church today.
Blessed St. Ambrose, ora pro nobis. Amen.
https://youtu.be/PU4ycRzwqDc
Fr. Troy Beecham
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
St. Nicholas
Today, the Church remembers St. Nicholas, a bishop of the early Christian Church in Asia Minor.
Yes, there really is a St. Nicholas. Quite a lot about his life is known, including his time spent as a monk in the Holy Land, his generosity to those marginalized by their culture or circumstance, and his participation in the formulation of the orthodox/Catholic way of expressing Christian truths. It is known that he suffered torture and imprisonment during the persecution of the early Christians under the Emperor Diocletian.
Nicholas is famed as a bearer of gifts to children, his name was brought to America by the Dutch colonists of New Amsterdam (later New York), from whom he is popularly known as Santa Claus.
Nicholas was born in Asia Minor (Greek Anatolia in present-day Turkey) in the Roman Empire, to a Greek family during the third century in the city of Patara (Lycia et Pamphylia), a port on the Mediterranean Sea. He lived in Myra, Lycia, at a time when the region was Greek in its heritage, culture, and outlook and politically part of the Roman diocese of Asia.
In 325, he was one of many bishops to answer the request of Constantine and appear at the First Council of Nicaea; the 151st attendee was listed as "Nicholas of Myra of Lycia". There, Nicholas was a staunch defender of the Orthodox Christian position, and one of the bishops who signed the Nicene Creed.
In his most famous exploit, Nicholas aided a poor man who had three daughters, but could not afford a proper dowry for them. This meant that they would remain unmarried and probably, in absence of any other possible employment, would have to become prostitutes. Even if they did not, unmarried women in those days would be assumed to be prostitutes. Hearing of the girls' plight, Nicholas decided to help them, but being too modest to help the family in public (or to save them the humiliation of accepting charity), he went to the house under the cover of night and threw three purses (one for each daughter) filled with gold coins through the window opening into the house.
It is from this that the tradition of placing gifts in stockings hung out to dry, or in shoes set by the fireplace to dry, comes down to us today.
Fr. Troy Beecham
Yes, there really is a St. Nicholas. Quite a lot about his life is known, including his time spent as a monk in the Holy Land, his generosity to those marginalized by their culture or circumstance, and his participation in the formulation of the orthodox/Catholic way of expressing Christian truths. It is known that he suffered torture and imprisonment during the persecution of the early Christians under the Emperor Diocletian.
Nicholas is famed as a bearer of gifts to children, his name was brought to America by the Dutch colonists of New Amsterdam (later New York), from whom he is popularly known as Santa Claus.
Nicholas was born in Asia Minor (Greek Anatolia in present-day Turkey) in the Roman Empire, to a Greek family during the third century in the city of Patara (Lycia et Pamphylia), a port on the Mediterranean Sea. He lived in Myra, Lycia, at a time when the region was Greek in its heritage, culture, and outlook and politically part of the Roman diocese of Asia.
In 325, he was one of many bishops to answer the request of Constantine and appear at the First Council of Nicaea; the 151st attendee was listed as "Nicholas of Myra of Lycia". There, Nicholas was a staunch defender of the Orthodox Christian position, and one of the bishops who signed the Nicene Creed.
In his most famous exploit, Nicholas aided a poor man who had three daughters, but could not afford a proper dowry for them. This meant that they would remain unmarried and probably, in absence of any other possible employment, would have to become prostitutes. Even if they did not, unmarried women in those days would be assumed to be prostitutes. Hearing of the girls' plight, Nicholas decided to help them, but being too modest to help the family in public (or to save them the humiliation of accepting charity), he went to the house under the cover of night and threw three purses (one for each daughter) filled with gold coins through the window opening into the house.
It is from this that the tradition of placing gifts in stockings hung out to dry, or in shoes set by the fireplace to dry, comes down to us today.
Fr. Troy Beecham
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)