Blumudus

Pseudo-Homilies 14 – Pentecost and Speaking in Tongues

I wanted to talk about a specific book that I read many years ago and that left a mark in my memory: Stranger in the Forest: On Foot Across Borneo, by Eric Hansen. Please be patient, in due time I’ll explain why and what this holiday has to do with it. Pentecost Sunday. Mass during the Day (Year A) Another Easter season coming to a close; caught up in the routine and focusing on the main theme, we run the risk of losing sight of some usually neglected details of the Pentecost. Luckily I’m here at your service, to cross the T’s and dot the I’s so you don’t have…

Pseudo-Homilies 13 – The Ascension to… the Heavens?

The Ascension of the Lord (Year A) This is when Jesus Christ bids farewell to his people and ascends to Heaven. In this very unique case an anomalous inversion takes place: the First Reading takes the central role, with a narration that features Christ himself; the Gospel is relegated to a supporting role, representing only a sort of minor development. They appear to put forward two contrasting narratives: according to the Gospel of Matthew, the Eleven Apostles are sent to Galilee, where they finally meet their Master again. Instead Luke makes an exception to the internal logic of his book, and opens the Acts of the Apostles with an episode…

Is the Bible clear?

A random exchange on Twitter, sparked by a retweet by Nassim Taleb that I happened to notice. I’m replying here because I think we should reclaim our spaces: if something is exemplary and can be used to make a point, it’s wasteful to push content to a platform that is at best of ephemeral nature, at worst is proactively controlling, censoring, influencing… Here it goes: Uhm, yes and no! Uhm, yes and no! Now, in this reply lies the crux of the problem. Another installation of my renown series: “Everybody’s wrong!” (But in different ways, and this is where the interesting details determine what you should really make…

Pseudo-Homilies 12 – The Catholic Paraclete

Sixth Sunday of Easter (Year A) I was a bit undecided about how to comment on this Sunday’s readings, because at first they seemed to lack a common theme, pointing to different directions. Is this Sunday just about tying up a few loose ends? Actually, the main point is brought forth, as usual, by the Gospel: Jesus announces his forthcoming Ascension, but promises to give his followers another Paraclete, the Holy Spirit. But still: how does this story connect with the other two readings? Well, after a brief reflection I believe I got it; today’s theme is: examples of catholicity in action. The common thread, in other words, is: if you make the…

Pseudo-Homilies 11 – The rejected stone

Fifth Sunday of Easter (Year A) This Sunday’s Readings are once again developing the theme of the complex identity between Jesus and the Father. Here we’re facing the final revelations: teachings that are hard to accept -and even to understand- for the Jews. We could then again, underline the theme of the divinity of Christ. How easily confused are those who, not relying on Tradition, lose sight of the essential and chase after whims and feelings. To reiterate: it’s foolish beyond naive, to pretend to take the naked text as a natural starting point, analyze it superficially, and then dictate conditions to God, so that He reveals Himself in terms…

Pseudo-Homilies From a Layman -10- Peter the Shepherd

Fourth Sunday of Easter – Year A Today’s liturgy, as is often the case, develops two parallel themes: Jesus Christ expressing himself through a metaphor set in the world of sheep farming; Peter who takes center stage, both in the 1st and 2nd reading, as the guide of the Apostles and, as a consequence, of the Church. I found myself wondering: given that talking about sheep and shepherds at the time of Jesus was an effective way to help the audience visualize ideas through familiar themes, does it still make sense for us, as we’re so far removed from the rural world? It’s become difficult to feel at…

Pseudo-Homilies From a Layman -9- Obscure Disciples, Emmaus

The credibility of the Gospel, again. Third Sunday of Easter (Year A) Here’s our famous episode of the disciples going to Emmaus… Needless to say, modern scholars – in general – consider it a fabrication. And yet… Once again there are stylistic details that tell me otherwise; this isn’t how stories are invented, and here’s at least a couple of reasons that easily came to my puny little mind. 1. The trope of not recognizing Jesus, again! At least at first glance (but in this case they spent a lot of time with him before getting it!). This is how a legitimate doubt about a mistaken identity makes its…

Pseudo-Homilies From a Layman -8- Thomas’ finger

Second Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy, Year A) “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”. If you cut the quotation here you get a different impression, right? I mean: compared to when all the attention of the sermons and meditations on the text falls on Thomas and his “need to put his finger into the nailmarks to check”. I wanted to highlight this passage which in my opinion represents kryptonite for Jehovah’s Witnesses (keep in mind they…

Pseudo-Homilies From a Layman -7- Easter Sunday

Finally, the most important celebration, which defines the heart of our faith. The Resurrection of the Lord The Mass of Easter Day (Year A) The Resurrection of Christ is the cornerstone event. In order to better appreciate its importance, consider this quotation from St. Paul, who clarifies what’s at stake here (1Cor 15, 17-19): …if Christ has not been raised, your faith is pointless and you have not, after all, been released from your sins. In addition, those who have fallen asleep in Christ are utterly lost. If our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are of all people the most pitiable. With this,…

Pseudo-Homilies From a Layman -6- Holy Saturday

The Holy Week is so marvelously full of nuggets of truth and surprises… Too bad most people are too busy to attend the celebrations. Holy Saturday At the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter (Year A) I’ve never actually liked the Holy Saturday mass. Don’t get me wrong, far be it from me to pretend to define how a liturgical calendar should unfold, and this time I really mean it. But… Let me voice a feeling I bet others, ignorant as me, share. I remember the time when, as a teenager, I was already within the ranks of mass readers. The choices for the Easter Vigil readings took me…

Pseudo-Homilies from a Layman -5- Holy Friday

Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion Of all the possible topics to explore in this richly detailed account of the Passion, today I’d like to dwell on the words of Jesus who, when interrogated, maintains a superior, almost defiant attitude. One of the guards slaps Jesus in the face to punish his insolence, exclaiming: «Is this the way you answer the high priest?» And Jesus, evidently unfazed, replies: «If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?” Here he is, Jesus the young protester (!), in whom – unworthily and recklessly – I have always identified. Since I was…

Pseudo-Homilies From a Layman -4- Holy Thursday

Let’s see if I can pull this off: 4 articles to be published for the Holy Week, possibly somehow being concise. Holy Thursday -Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper Too many interesting topics today! I’ll save any comments on the institution of the Eucharist for another occasion. Deserves a proper dissertation. We’re presented with this unique event, Jesus washing the feet of the Apostles, which I’d describe as quite modern, indeed fashionable. And this episode steals the show a bit from all the rest, especially considering it’s the subject of today’s reading, from the Gospel according to John. A message that evaporates Take a truth that is profound but…