A Late Sunday Sermon - Swords About The Cross

There we were in the church hall after Mass in Mission #2, just enjoying the fellowship which flows naturally in the Mystical Body of Christ. One of the guys had returned from a trip to Israel, where he'd visited the Holy Sepulchre.

"It was amazing, they'd built this church over the place where He died!" Another churchperson, Colonel Z, seemed a little skeptical, "I'm told that if you put the pieces of the True Cross together they'd circle the world several times."

Needless to say, I have a great devotion to the True Cross, disastrous defeat at Hattin notwithstanding, and replied, "But Colonel, if you put the lies of the Democrats head to head in the last week alone, how many times would they circumnavigate the globe?"

He laughed, "My, at least a 100 times and that's a modest estimate." We all laughed and here, fellow warriors in the battle against evil, endeth the lesson.

Swords about the Cross,

LSP

Happy Easter!

Holy Sepulchre

Happy Easter, Christ has risen!

Stay on the horse and God bless,

LSP

Happy Easter!

I always find that the desolation of Good Friday increases yearly, but so too does the underlying glory of Easter - a welcome antidote to the dark barbarism of the spirit of the age. Then again, I believe in the resurrection.

But whatever my thoughts, have a great and joyful Easter!

Off to grill lamb chops now and enjoy a 'cold one.'

God bless,

LSP

GNN & The Holy Sepulchre

Entrance to the Holy Sepulchre

I've been to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre a couple of times and its never failed to move me, on several levels. I was moved when I came across this post on the excellent GNN; here's the intro:

"OK... it's time to come clean. I didn't come to Israel for the waters, nor the nightlife. Some months ago I realized a calling to ordination in the Episcopal Church. Jerusalem is my pilgrimage. It has confirmed my faith and made me all the more confident in my decision.

Since my childhood I have heard many spiritual and downright breathless tales of visits to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The church includes within its walls the last 5 Stations of the Cross:

10..........The site where Jesus is stripped of His garments

11 & 12...The site of Christ's crucifixion and death on the cross

13...........Where His body was removed from the cross and prepared for burial

14...........Jesus' tomb

That's my preface. Read about the place. It's amazing."

Read it all - a great post, I think.

I'll be saying a Mass for Nicky's intention and, from the haven of the Diocese of Fort Worth, wish him all the best. Its not easy being a padre at the best of times - harder still under the aegis of Jefferts Schori.

God bless,

LSP

Churches I Like

I love the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem because I believe its the authentic site of Our Lord's Crucifixion and Burial; also because the Byzantine architecture of late antiquity soars - the dome pictured appears to float, which is no mean feat and right ethereal. You'll meet monks there, begging for money; give it to them, far better value than various other taxes.

I know it sounds 'sexist' but the women of the parish(s) don't want to pay these anymore and talk angrily about 'secession'. They're very fierce and radical.

Keep the Holy Places safe,

LSP