Mass Schedule – Trinity 7 (July 19, 2015)
20, St. Margaret of Antioch, Martyr
21, Feria
22, St. Mary Magdalene
23, Feria
24, Feria
25, St. James the Apostle
+ Mary Magdalene is mentioned in the Gospels as being among the women of Galilee who followed Jesus and His disciples, and who was present at His Crucifixion and Burial, and who went to the tomb on Easter Sunday to anoint His body. She was the first disciple to see the Risen Lord, and to proclaim His Resurrection to the Apostles. Accordingly, she is referred to in early Christian writings as “the apostle to the Apostles.” Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany (sister of Martha and Lazarus), and the unnamed penitent woman who anointed Jesus’s feet (Luke 7:36-48) are sometimes supposed to be the same woman. From this, plus the statement that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her (Luke 8:2), has risen the tradition that she had been a prostitute before she met Jesus. But, as we all well know, spectacular sinner may be bankers, real estate agents, lawyers, or scribes and pharisees. Whatever Mary’s notorious sin happened to have been Jesus saved her from it and make out her life a thing of beauty for which she was ever devoted to him. It is perhaps because of her great love and devotion to Jesus evidenced as she stood weeping at the tomb on the Resurrection morning, that she is often portrayed in art as weeping, or with eyes red from having wept. From this appearance we derive the English word “maudlin”, meaning “effusively or tearfully sentimental.” There is a Magdalen College at Oxford, and a Magdalene College at Cambridge (different spelling), both pronounced “Maudlin,” both dedicated to the apostle to the Apostles.
+ James the son of Zebedee and his brother John were among the twelve disciples of Our Lord. They, together with Peter, were privileged to behold the Transfiguration (M 17:1 = P 9:2 = L 9:28), to witness the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (P 1:29) and the raising of the daughter of Jairus (P 5:37 = L 8:51), and to be called aside to watch and pray with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane on the night before His death (M 26:37 = P 14:33). James and John were apparently from a higher social level than the average fisherman. Their father could afford hired servants (P 1:20), and John (assuming him to be identical with the “beloved disciple”) had connections with the high priest (J 18:15). Jesus nicknamed the two brothers “sons of thunder” (P 3:17), perhaps meaning that they were headstrong, hot-tempered, and impulsive; and so they seem to be in two incidents reported in the Gospels. On one occasion (L 9:54ff), Jesus and the disciples were refused the hospitality of a Samaritan village, and James and John proposed to call down fire from heaven on the offenders. On another occasion (M 20:20-23 = P 10:35-41), they asked Jesus for a special place of honor in the Kingdom, and were told that the place of honor is the place of suffering. Finally, about AD 42, shortly before Passover (Acts 12), James was beheaded by order of King Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great (who tried to kill the infant Jesus, nephew of Herod Antipas (who killed John Baptist) and examined Jesus on Good Friday–Luke 23), and father of Herod Agrippa II (who heard the defence of Paul before Festus–Acts 25). James was the first of the Twelve to suffer martyrdom, and the only one of the Twelve whose death is recorded in the New Testament. James is often called James Major (greater or elder) to distinguish him from other New Testament persons called James. Tradition has it that he made a missionary journey to Spain, and that after his death his body was taken to Spain and buried at Compostela (a town the name of which is commonly thought to be derived from the word “apostle.” His supposed burial place there was a major site of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages, and the Spaniards fighting to drive their Moorish conquerors out of Spain took “Santiago de Compostela!” as one of their chief war-cries. (The Spanish form of “James” is “Diego” or “Iago”. In most languages, “James” and “Jacob” are identical. Where an English Bible has “James,” a Greek Bible has Iakwbos.)
+ All Saints Men’s Group will met next on July 21, at 7:00 a.m. in undercroft.
+ The Holy Communion is celebrated this week Monday through Saturday at 12:15 p.m.
+ All Saints parishioner may obtain a Mass card from the Church office. A Mass card is a greeting card given to someone to inform him or her that a deceased loved one or friend was remembered and prayed for at a weekly Mass. It is a specifically Christian way to express one’s love. Call Julie McDermott at the Church office (434-979-2842) and she will help you fill out the form. The celebrant will sign the card and we will mail it from the Church to the family of the loved one.