Brotherly Remembrances
A man walked into a bar and ordered three shots of Irish whiskey. The bartender started to pour them into one glass, but the man insisted on having three separate shot glasses. He then sipped from each in turn over the next half hour until they were empty.
Every week, the man followed the same ritual until the bartender asked him why he drank out of three glasses. "I've got two brothers and we used to have a drink together once a week." he said. "Now one is in Ireland and one is in Australia. This is my glass and the other two glasses are my brothers'. I've decided to do this in order to share a drink with them as if they were still here."
The bartender observed this every week and always noted what a wonderful moment it was. But one day the man arrived and only asked for two glasses. The bartender poured them, and then became concerned that something had happened to one of the brothers. He said, "I'm so sorry about your loss." The man was confused by this comment, until the bartender noted that since the man had only ordered two drinks, something must have happened to one of the brothers.
"Oh, that!" said the man. "They are both well and these are their glasses. It's just that I've given up drinking for Lent."
******
The Church, especially during Advent and Lent and above all at the Easter Vigil, re-reads and re-lives the great events of salvation history in the "today" of her liturgy. But this also demands that the catechisis help the faithful to open themselves to this spirtiual understanding of the economy of salvation as the Church's liturgy reveals it and enables us to live it. (Catholic Catechism Par. 1095)
The assembly should prepare itself to encounter the Lord and to become "a people well disposed." The preparation of hearts is the joint work of the Holy Spirit and the assembly, especially of its ministers. The grace of the Holy Spirit seeks to awaken faith, conversion of the heart, and adherence to the Father's will. These dispositions are the precondition both for the reception of other graces conferred in the celebration itself and the fruits of new life which the celebration is intended to produce afterward. (Catholic Catechism Par. 1098)
Every week, the man followed the same ritual until the bartender asked him why he drank out of three glasses. "I've got two brothers and we used to have a drink together once a week." he said. "Now one is in Ireland and one is in Australia. This is my glass and the other two glasses are my brothers'. I've decided to do this in order to share a drink with them as if they were still here."
The bartender observed this every week and always noted what a wonderful moment it was. But one day the man arrived and only asked for two glasses. The bartender poured them, and then became concerned that something had happened to one of the brothers. He said, "I'm so sorry about your loss." The man was confused by this comment, until the bartender noted that since the man had only ordered two drinks, something must have happened to one of the brothers.
"Oh, that!" said the man. "They are both well and these are their glasses. It's just that I've given up drinking for Lent."
******
The Church, especially during Advent and Lent and above all at the Easter Vigil, re-reads and re-lives the great events of salvation history in the "today" of her liturgy. But this also demands that the catechisis help the faithful to open themselves to this spirtiual understanding of the economy of salvation as the Church's liturgy reveals it and enables us to live it. (Catholic Catechism Par. 1095)
The assembly should prepare itself to encounter the Lord and to become "a people well disposed." The preparation of hearts is the joint work of the Holy Spirit and the assembly, especially of its ministers. The grace of the Holy Spirit seeks to awaken faith, conversion of the heart, and adherence to the Father's will. These dispositions are the precondition both for the reception of other graces conferred in the celebration itself and the fruits of new life which the celebration is intended to produce afterward. (Catholic Catechism Par. 1098)
posted by Phil Neary at
10:49 AM
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