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For the Bulletin of July 28, 2019

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For the Bulletin of July 28, 2019 For The Bulletin Of this was not a lengthy sacrifice of praise July 28, 2019 and thanksgiving; this was not rooted in prophets, Moses, or the Law. This was the prayer of Jesus given to His disciples. And in just one generation the curt address was expanded as we find in Matthew. And some of the imagery, “forgive debts” was changed by Luke to conform more closely to his theological outlook of “forgive sins.” And yet, this prayer is not found in Mark, John, or anywhere else in the New Testament. Only Luke and Matthew give us their respective versions. Still, they are so From Father Robert similar – their differences can be The Lord’s Prayer is something we understood and explained – that scholars likely learned as children, perhaps one of believe we have here something very the first memorized or “rote” prayers we close to the words of the historical Jesus acquired. So, today’s gospel and its when He taught His disciples this prayer. version of the prayer might strike us a bit odd. It’s not the version we find in The next time we rush through this Matthew, which is much closer to the memorized prayer at Liturgy or another version we have memorized and recite at occasion, it might be good to set Liturgy. Instead, Luke’s version has ourselves in the context of Jesus and His some elements that might be closer to disciples, imagining receiving this the words spoken by Jesus Himself. The prayer and His instruction. Let’s Lukan version is certainly shorter and consider the words we are praying and does not seem to have undergone the the worldview they depict. Ultimately, Matthean expansion from apparent the prayer constitutes a way of life and liturgical use. Luke’s version also disposition much deeper than mere begins dramatically with the direct prattle. address, “Father,” rather than the more communal, “Our Father.” The two petitions about the Father (three in Matthew) are shorter in Luke as well, ‘Hallowed be Your name, / Your kingdom come.” But there are elements in Matthew that point to the words of Jesus as well. For it seems a favorite Lukan theme, “forgive us our sins” overcame the original “forgive us our debts” that Matthew preserves. Jesus was no mere myth as were the In the end, this short prayer of Jesus ancient Greek and Roman gods and addressed directly to the Father likely goddesses. He was a human being Who offended sensibilities of the time. This walked the face of the earth, as even was not the mere recitation of a psalm, pagan historians relate. The Christian 1 claim is not merely that Jesus existed, by reciting the memorized but that He was the Son of God, the prayers of the church? How is Incarnate Word of God. But His Jesus calling you to deepen your existence as a human being on this earth prayer life? is something that nearly every single noteworthy scholar admits. Part of His time on earth consisted of prayer and teaching, and this prayer known as The Lord’s Prayer is something that scholars can attribute to the Jesus of history with great certainty. As Luke has it, the prayer includes an injunction to keep us from the final test. About Liturgy: The Lord’s Prayer The astute reader immediately thinks of In the year’s leading up to the 2011 Jesus and His coming passion. Later in promulgation of the new English the gospel, Jesus will pray that the cup translation of the Liturgy, one thing was pass Him by, for such a passion and a common concern: that the words of death is the desire of no one, not even The Lord’s Prayer not be changed. Jesus. But His prayer has strengthened Although the words remain the same, Him for such a moment. After this final how we pray this prayer varies greatly test He will be raised to new life in varies from parish to parish, and even paradise eternally. Such a future awaits from Liturgy to Liturgy. us too when we will ultimately live the paschal mystery par excellence. One variation is in the gestures of the assembly during the prayer. The rubrics In today’s gospel we are given (directives) in the Roman Missal say that the beginnings of the Lord’s the presider extends his hands as he Prayer, our most treasured leads the prayer. However, the ritual prayer. Say the Lord’s Prayer text gives no prescribed gesture for the slowly. Which line stands out to people to make as they pray The Lord’s you? Why? Prayer. The United States bishops have Jesus tells us, “As and you will determined that they would give no receive.” How have you specific directive regarding this issue. In experienced God answering some communities, the custom is to hold prayer? their neighbors’ hands during the prayer. In the movie, Shadowlands, Others have chosen to extend their hands about Christian author C.S. as the presider does. Still others keep Lewis, there is a well-known their hands lowered or folded, heads quote about prayer: “It doesn’t bowed, eyes closed. change God – it changes me.” How have you been changed by Should there be uniformity in gesture in prayer? this prayer that expresses our unity? The How do you pray at this time in answer is unclear. However, where your faith journey? Alone or unity can certainly be fostered, beyond with others? Spontaneously or gestures, is the way in which the prayer 2 is prayed. The preferred form is singing electing a corrupt pope, all as part of a by the entire assembly. The communal diabolical plot for world domination. praying of The Lord’s Prayer can never The latest Dan Brown novel? No, it is be replaced by a solo performance of it, the thesis of Infiltration: The Plot to no matter how stirring the rendition. Destroy the Church from Within, by Nor should a musical setting known only radical traditionalist Taylor Marshall. by a portion of the assembly be used. If The so-called "scholarly" book made it the prayer is to be sung, then the best to the No. 1 spot in several categories on option for most assemblies will be the Amazon, including Christian Church setting that is most and best well-known History, shortly after its release in May. to them. The book is so full of conspiracy EWTN: connected to theories that even conservative Catholic media are panning it. A co-founder of conservative Catholic Christendom College called it "An money, anti-Francis idiot's guide to the problems of the church," and Catholic World elements Report bashed it for its "appalling lapse Jul 17, 2019 of scholarship and judgement." by Heidi Schlumpf The book's publisher turns out to be a "The Papal Posse," a recurring segment small Catholic press that is affiliated on EWTN's "The World Over," features with the Eternal Word Television Fr. Gerald Murray, Robert Royal, and Network, best known for its cable the show's anchor, Raymond Arroyo. television channel but also the owner of The segment often dedicates its airtime a radio station and broadcasts, a to criticizing Pope Francis. newspaper, two online news services, a religious goods catalog and a book This series represents a continuation of publishing arm. NCR's look at the effect of money, largely making its way through the A truly global media empire that has expanding and uniquely American non- given favorable coverage to Republican profit system, on the Catholic narrative politicians and the Trump White House, both inside the church and beyond. EWTN also is the media star in a web of EWTN is one of the major vehicles for connections among wealthy conservative that narrative. NCR delves into the Catholics donors and even some anti- development of the network that now Pope Francis extremists. has a truly global reach and includes several print publishing arms as well as Its partnership with Sophia Institute the TV enterprise. This is Part Two. Press, announced in 2015, ostensibly was to produce publications related to After more than a century of secret EWTN founder Mother Angelica. That machinations, a group of Freemasons same year, Dan Burke — now president and Communists —aided by liberals, and chief operating officer of EWTN modernists and a mafia of reforming News Inc. — joined Sophia Institute's church leaders — are able to subvert the board. Catholic Church from within, including 3 Located in Manchester, New Hampshire, Anti-Francis manifestos Sophia Institute publishes books, Sophia Institute's mission statement says educational curricula and Crisis it is to publish books "in conformity with magazine, which describes itself as a the authentic teachings of the Roman "voice of Catholic neoconservative Catholic Church." That apparently political and cultural thought." includes books about those trying to take down the current pope. Sophia Institute was founded in 1983 by And Infiltration is not an atypical book John Barger, a philosophy professor and for the press. former agnostic at Magdalen College in New Hampshire,* and one of his former Among its summer releases is Viganò vs. students Paul DiIulio. Vatican: The Uncensored Testimony of the Italian Journalist Who Helped Break In 2011, Sophia Institute became the the Story— although that subtitle doesn't publishing arm of two other colleges: give fair credit to author Marco Tosatti, Thomas More College of Liberal Arts in who has admitted that he actually helped New Hampshire and Holy Spirit College Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò write in Atlanta, the latter founded by EWTN last summer's now-infamous letter that board member and donor Frank Hanna accused Pope Francis of covering up III through his Solidarity Association.
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