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February 15 Quinquagesima Sunday
Singles Awareness Day
o Devotion of the Seven Sundays: St Joseph-3rd Sunday
Sirach, Chapter 15, Verse 13
Abominable wickedness the LORD
hates and he does not let it happen to those who FEAR him.
Have
you ever been so angry; livid at someone or something and then discovered the
reason for your anger was directly correlated to a defect in yourself that you
had buried and chose to ignore?
We all have and then realized that we are not as perfect as we pretend to be. Let us reflect on Paul’s advice to the Ephesians, “Brothers and sisters: I declare and testify in the Lord that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; that is not how you learned Christ, assuming that you have heard of him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus, that you should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth. (Eph 4:17-20) By the renewal of our minds we through Christ’s grace check our feelings, moods and prejudices or preferences and strive to maintain the right intensions.
Lord, Grant that I may follow Your words in my daily life. Let Your
truth teach me, guide me, and protect me and may it deliver me from all evil
desires and foolish love. Let me esteem nothing as great, or valuable, or
wonderful, except insofar as it makes me better and more pleasing in your eyes.
In this way I shall never be a slave of this earth, but shall walk daily
towards Heaven in Holy Fear.[1]
Copilot’s Take
When we finally face our anger with honesty, we often discover that the evil we thought we were condemning “out there” is actually rooted in something unresolved within us. Sirach reminds us that the Lord hates wickedness, yet protects those who fear Him—not by removing conflict, but by illuminating the hidden motives that distort our reactions. Paul’s call to “put away the old self” is not a moral slogan; it is an invitation to let Christ dismantle the interior patterns that make us defensive, reactive, or self‑deceived. The old self interprets everything through pride and woundedness, while the renewed mind sees with clarity, humility, and truth.
Confronting evil, then, begins with allowing Christ to confront us. Not to shame, but to reorder. Not to expose us to humiliation, but to free us from the inner hooks that temptation grabs onto. When grace interrupts our instinctive anger, we begin to see how often our outrage was simply the echo of our own unhealed places. And in that moment, the person we resented becomes the instrument God used to reveal what still needs redemption. This is the holy fear that guards us, the path that keeps us from slavery to the earth, and the quiet courage that turns our steps toward Heaven.
ON KEEPING THE LORD'S DAY HOLY[2]
CHAPTER II
DIES CHRISTI
The Day of the Risen Lord
and of the Gift
of the Holy Spirit
The
day of the new creation
25. In effect, Sunday is the day
above all other days which summons Christians to remember the salvation which
was given to them in baptism and which has made them new in Christ. "You
were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through
faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead" (Col
2:12; cf. Rom 6:4-6). The liturgy underscores this baptismal dimension
of Sunday, both in calling for the celebration of baptisms — as well as at the
Easter Vigil — on the day of the week "when the Church commemorates the
Lord's Resurrection", and in suggesting as an appropriate penitential rite
at the start of Mass the sprinkling of holy water, which recalls the moment of
Baptism in which all Christian life is born.
Quinquagesima Sunday[3]
"We
are going up to Jerusalem" -- a setting of the stage for the pilgrimage of
Lent, and the one thing we must bring with us: charity. [Also, traditional time
for going to confession]
In the Roman Catholic
Church, the terms for this Sunday (and the two immediately before it —
Sexagesima and Septuagesima Sundays) were eliminated in the reforms following
the Second Vatican Council, and these Sundays are part of Ordinary Time.
According to the reformed Roman Rite Roman Catholic calendar, this Sunday is
now known by its number within Ordinary Time — fourth through ninth, depending
upon the date of Easter. The earlier form of the Roman Rite, with its
references to Quinquagesima Sunday, and to the Sexagesima and Septuagesima
Sundays, continues to be observed in some communities. In traditional
lectionaries, the Sunday concentrates on Luke
18:31–43,
"Jesus took the twelve aside and said, 'Lo, we go to Jerusalem, and
everything written by the prophets about the Son of Man shall be fulfilled' ...
The disciples, however, understood none of this," which from verse 35 is
followed by Luke's version of Healing
the blind near Jericho.
The passage presages the themes of Lent and Holy Week.
ON[4] this
Sunday the Church, in the Introit, calls upon God for help, with a sorrowful
but confident heart. Be Thou unto me a protector and place of refuge; save me,
for Thou art my strength and refuge, and for Thy name’s sake Thou wilt be my
leader, and wilt nourish me. In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped; let me never be
confounded; deliver me in Thy justice, and set me free; (Ps. xxx. 3, 4, 2).
Mercifully hear our prayers, O
Lord, we beseech Thee, and, absolving us from the bonds of sin, preserve us
from all adversity. Amen.
EPISTLE, i. COT. xiii. 1-13.
Brethren: If I speak with
the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as
sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal; and if I should have prophecy, and should
know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that
I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And if I should
distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be
burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity is patient, is
kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up, is not
ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil,
rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth: beareth all things,
believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never
falleth away: whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or
knowledge shall be destroyed. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But
when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a
child. But when I became a man, I put away the things of a child. We see now
through a glass in a dark manner: but then face to face. Now I know in part:
but then I shall know even as I am known. And now there remain, faith, hope,
charity: these three, but the greatest of these is charity.
Explanation. St. Paul here teaches the Romans,
and us in them, the necessity, the qualities, and the advantages of charity:
The necessity because all natural and supernatural gifts all good works,
virtues, and sacrifices even martyrdom itself cannot save us if we have no
charity. By charity only are we and our works pleasing to God. The qualities of
charity which are good-will without envy, suspicion, perversity, or malice;
pure intention without selflove, ambition, immodesty, or injustice; untiring
patience without hastiness; and, finally, humble submission to God, Who is all
to him that possesses charity. The advantages of charity in that it gives to
good works their value, and that it never fails; for while all things else
cease while faith passes into seeing, hope into possession, knowledge in part
into knowledge of the whole charity is ever lasting, and therefore the greatest
of the three. Faith, “says St. Augustine,”; lays the foundation of the house of
God; hope builds up the walls; charity covers and completes it.”
Aspiration. O God of love
pour into my heart the spirit of charity, that, according to the spirit of St.
Paul, I may always endeavor to be in the state of grace, that so all my works
may be pleasing to Thee, and of merit to me. Amen.
GOSPEL. Luke xviii. 31-43.
At that time: Jesus took
unto Him the twelve, and said to them: Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and all
things shall be accomplished which were written by the prophets concerning the
Son of man; for He shall be delivered to the gentiles, and shall be mocked, and
scourged, and spit upon: and after they have scourged Him they will put Him to
death, and the third day He shall rise again. And they understood none of these
things, and this word was hid from them, and they understood not the things
that were said. Now it came to pass when He drew nigh to Jericho, that a
certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging. And when he heard the multitude
passing by, he asked what this meant. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth
was passing by. And he cried out, saying Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.
And they that went before, rebuked him, that he should hold his peace. But he
cried out much more: Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus standing
commanded him to be brought unto Him. And when he was come near, He asked him,
saying: What wilt thou that I do to thee? But he said: Lord, that I may see.
And Jesus said to him: Receive thy sight: thy faith hath made thee whole. And
immediately he saw, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people when
they saw it gave praise to God.
Why
did Our Savior so often predict His sufferings to His apostles?
1.
To show that He already knew of them, thereby indicating His omniscience; and
that,
2.
He desired to suffer.
3.
In order that His disciples should not be scandalized at His humiliation, nor
think evil of Him as if He had deceived them, but by remembering His words, be
rather confirmed in their belief in Him as the Son of God and Redeemer of the
world.
Did
not the apostles understand anything of what He thus predicted in regard to His
sufferings?
They
may have known that He was to suffer, for St. Peter undertook to dissuade Him
from it (Matt. xvi. 22), but they could not reconcile these predictions with
their expectation of a future glorious kingdom. Nor would we be able to cast
off our prejudices, and understand the truths of the faith, however plainly
taught, were we not enlightened by the Holy Ghost.
What
should we learn from this history of the blind man?
1.
The inexpressible misfortune of blindness of the heart a state in which we know
not our God, our Redeemer and Sanctifier, and see neither the way of divine
life, nor the hindrances to our salvation, but grope about in the darkness of
ignorance and sin.
2.
Where to find One Who will save us from this awful condition, in Jesus Christ
healing and enlightening us through and in His Church.
3.
The holy zeal and perseverance with which we should seek and call upon Him for
deliverance, disregarding alike the bad examples, persecutions, and mockery of
the world.
4.
How fervently we should thank God, and how faithfully we should follow Him,
after He has opened the eyes of our soul and freed us, by His grace, from the
spiritual blindness of sin.
Pork
Sunday[5]
It is for this reason that
Quinquagesima has been known as “Pork Sunday” since the Middle Ages because
this was a day when Christians tried to use up their remaining pork, one of the
most heavily consumed meats within Christian culture at the time. Likewise, the
Monday after Quinquagesima was called Pork Monday, although it later came to be
known as Shrove Monday or Collop Monday in countries like England.
On these two days, most of
the remaining meat found in Christian homes and businesses was to be consumed,
as they needed to get rid of it before they began fasting on Wednesday. If any
meat was unable to be eaten on these two days, it was typically dried and
salted in an attempt to preserve it for after Easter. Although meat was also
consumed on Fat Tuesday, that day was more dedicated to the final consumption
of dairy, fats, and sugars.
The recipe that we chose
to share with you today is for pork chops, made with a sweet and smoky rub. Not
only does this recipe nod to Quinquagesima’s alternative name, but is also uses
a sugary topping, something that is forgone during the Lenten season.
NOVENA TO THE HOLY
FACE
DAILY
PREPARATORY PRAYER
O Most Holy and
Blessed Trinity, through the intercession of Holy Mary, whose soul was pierced
through by a sword of sorrow at the sight of the passion of her Divine Son, we
ask your help in making a perfect Novena of reparation with Jesus, united with
all His sorrows, love and total abandonment.
We now implore all the
Angels and Saints to intercede for us as we pray this Holy Novena to the Most
Holy Face of Jesus and for the glory of the most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. Amen.
(Start novena)
Eighth
Day
Psalm
51, 16-17.
O rescue me, God my helper, and my tongue shall ring out your goodness. O Lord,
open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.
Most merciful Face of
Jesus, who in this vale of tears was so moved by our misfortunes to call
yourself the healer of the sick, and the good Shepherd of the souls gone
astray, allow not Satan to draw us away from you, but keep us always under your
loving protection, together with all souls who endeavor to console you. Mary,
our Mother, intercede for us, Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Through the merits of your
precious blood and your Holy Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition, Pardon and
Mercy.
Prayer
to Saint Peter
O glorious Saint Peter,
who in return for thy lively and generous faith, thy profound and sincere
humility and thy burning love, was honored by Jesus Christ with singular
privileges, and in particular, with the leadership of the other apostles and
the primacy of the whole church, of which thou was made the foundation stone,
do thou obtain for us the grace of a lively faith, that shall not fear to
profess itself openly in its entirety and in all of its manifestations, even to
the shedding of blood, if occasion should demand it, and to the sacrifice of
life itself in preference to surrender. Obtain for us likewise a sincere
loyalty to our Holy Mother the Church. Grant that we may ever remain most
closely and sincerely united to the Holy Father, who is the heir of thy faith
and of thy authority, the one true visible head of the Catholic Church. Grant,
moreover, that we may follow, in all humility and meekness, the Church’s
teaching and counsels and may be obedient to all her precepts, in order to be
able here on earth to enjoy a peace that is sure and undisturbed, and to attain
one day in heaven to everlasting happiness. Amen.
Pray
one (1) Our Father, (3) Hail Mary’s, (1) Glory Be.
O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every adoration Thine. (Three times)
Manhood of the Master[6]
In 1913 the renowned Harry Emerich Fosdick wrote a 12-week study on the Manhood of Jesus Christ. Fosdick writes, “This work is not a portrait of the life of the Master or a study of his teaching. It is an endeavor to understand and appreciate the quality of his character. Neither this this work an attempted to contribution to the theology; it is an endeavor, rather, to get back behind the thoughts of the centuries about him, and to see the Man Christ Jesus himself as he lives in the pages of the gospels.
During the Lenten period we will utilize the work to come closer to Christ’s manhood using this source as fruit for a study of Christ. Hopefully our study will help us rise with Christ and become true sons of Mary and the Church.
·
Manhood of
the Master-week 2 day 1
The Return of Sophie Lang (1936)
1. What the Film Is
A 1936 Paramount crime‑romance caper, directed by George Archainbaud, running a brisk 65 minutes. Though firmly under the Production Code, it carries the afterglow of pre‑Code sophistication: jewel thieves with charm, moral ambiguity softened but not erased, and a heroine whose wit outshines the men chasing her.
Cast:
- Gertrude Michael — Sophie Lang / Ethel Thomas
- Guy Standing — Max Bernard
- Ray Milland — Jimmy Dawson
- Elizabeth Patterson, Colin Tapley, Leon Errol
2. Plot in a Tight Frame
Five years after faking her own death to escape her jewel‑thief past, Sophie Lang lives quietly in London under the alias Ethel Thomas, serving as companion to wealthy collector Araminta Sedley.
When they sail for New York with a priceless diamond locked in the ship’s safe, the past converges:
- Max Bernard, her old criminal partner, resurfaces
- A charming reporter (Ray Milland) recognizes her from her own “funeral”
- The diamond becomes a magnet for temptation, suspicion, and pursuit
The film dances between flirtation, deception, and near‑exposure until a final showdown forces Sophie to choose between the thrill of her old life and the possibility of redemption.
3. Why It Carries Pre‑Code DNA
Though released well after the Code crackdown, the film retains unmistakable pre‑Code fingerprints:
- A glamorous female criminal as protagonist
- Flirtation as a strategic weapon
- Moral ambiguity treated with charm rather than punishment
- A heroine who outsmarts both lawmen and thieves
- A tone that treats crime as cleverness rather than depravity
The Code forces a gentler landing, but the spirit of 1931–1933 lingers in Sophie’s eyes.
4. Catholic & Moral‑Thematic Reading
A. The Double Life
Sophie’s alias is not merely a disguise — it’s a longing for a self she has not yet become.
Moral lens: the tension between identity and repentance; the ache of wanting virtue while still drawn to vice.
B. The Diamond as Symbol
The jewel represents:
- temptation,
- the glitter of old habits,
- the illusion that beauty can justify wrongdoing.
Catholic counterpoint: true treasure is interior — virtue, integrity, and the courage to renounce false glitter.
C. The Pursuit of Sophie
Both the criminal world and the law chase her, but so does a man who sees her capacity for goodness.
Moral lens:
- grace pursuing the sinner
- the possibility of redemption through truth
- the dignity of being seen not only for one’s past but for one’s potential
D. The Ship as Moral Stage
A confined space where masks slip, loyalties shift, and choices must be made.
Spiritual insight: isolation often reveals the heart — and forces a reckoning with who we are becoming.
5. Hospitality Pairing (Era‑Accurate & Thematically On‑Point)
Cocktail: The “Sophie’s Alias”
A sleek 1930s‑style cocktail with a hint of danger:
- London dry gin
- A whisper of dry vermouth
- A single dash of orange bitters
- Stirred, served up, no garnish
Symbolism:
- Gin = clarity and sharpness
- Vermouth = the shadow of the past
- Bitters = the sting of temptation
A drink that looks innocent but carries an edge — just like Sophie.
Snack: Buttered Almonds
A staple of 1930s steamship lounges.
Symbolism: the tension between refinement and risk — smooth on the outside, hard at the core.
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