by SFXparish | May 30, 2018 | BLOG
The Word of God came forth to nest,
Within the womb of Virgin Blessed,
And there secured the very form,
With which He dwelt upon the earth
To scrutinize the world forlorn.
In Sion’s midst, He did survey.
His parents feared He went astray,
They sought his frame for all the day,
Once lost, now found. In rugged youth,
In Father’s house, he’d gone to pray.
On last return, he looked again,
Upon the hill, Jerusalem,
In sadness deep, divine regret,
He spoke the fall of Temple tall,
Downfall foretold, He sorely wept.
He fixed his tears upon the Cross,
To mend our wound, our weighty loss;
His flesh pierced through, His blood poured out,
Angelic hosts released the shout:
“The purpose met: Death put to rout.”
This day He gives His Body whole,
His precious Blood, His mighty soul,
On altar white, he lays the cure,
For every sin, for every snare;
A living source, a fountain pure.
(by Steven Guillotte)
by SFXparish | May 24, 2018 | BLOG
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. (Rom 8:16-17)
The most famous paintings of the Holy Trinity theme depict Jesus Christ crucified or recently lowered from the cross. Botticelli, Durer, Castagno, etc. portray Jesus in the passion of His crucifixion flanked by the Father shown as an older bearded man. Rubens and El Greco paint Jesus just taken down from the Cross – and dead – as in Pieta scenes, except that in these Trinity images the divine Son rests not in the arms of Mary His mother, but God His Father. Even those Trinity paintings presenting Jesus in glory at the right hand of the Father still show Him with pierced hands and feet (e.g. Baldung). What recurs through all these Holy Trinity renderings is the suffering Christ.
There are many other ways the Holy Trinity might have been presented. Jesus might have been painted as a young boy with his Father, say, holding a dove. It is interesting to consider that Nativity-topic paintings are not used to depict the Blessed Trinity, where the artist might have painted the Father skirting the barn or manger just as he does the cross in common Trinity works. Even works narrating the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River (which picture also the Father and the Holy Spirit) are entitled “Baptism of Jesus” and not “Holy Trinity”.
Thus, there appears to be a tacit tradition which developed (at least since the medieval era) of rendering “Jesus the accomplished” in Holy Trinity artwork. The Jesus that most appears in Trinity depictions is Jesus the Redeemer: either accomplishing our redemption on the Cross or, after being taken down from Cross after declaring “It is finished” (Jn 19:30).
In order to further illuminate this point, we have placed on our bulletin cover for this Holy Trinity Sunday, a work by the pioneering Flemish painter, Robert Campin, entitled simply Holy Trinity (1433). This is an unusual selection for us because it is not a painting but a tapestry which would have been devised by Campin yet embroidered in a workshop by a tapestry master. This piece is of linen interwoven with velvet, silver and silk embroidery, glass beads and pearls. Such tapestries were expensive and would either hang in beautiful Churches or eventually the homes of the very prosperous.
Campin, a guild master of painters and goldsmiths, offers us a glimpse of Jesus “the suffering servant” (Is 53) upheld for all to see, wrapped in the flowing stole of his proud and loving Father while the Holy Spirit of consolation perches on Our Lord’s shoulder uniting visually Father and Son. God the Father sits upon a huge throne – large enough for two! Heaven is depicted as the interior of a Gothic cathedral indicating the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist, which, as the Body of Christ contains mystically the union of the Holy Trinity.
Thus it is fitting that the Feast of Corpus Christi should follow swiftly upon that of the Holy Trinity; and that as Paul suggests – we embrace our own gracious suffering so as to also be glorified with Christ (Rom 8:17).
-Steve Guillotte (Director of Pastoral Services)
by SFXparish | May 23, 2018 | NEWS
On June 19th at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in New Bedford, SFX parishioner, Tony Pimentel, will be instituted into the Order of Acolyte as he is just a little more than one year away from ordination to the permanent diaconate. Tony has already been instituted as Lector and many of you would have seen him in his white alb at Holy Mass reading from the ambo.
Please note that every Tuesday we still dedicate our Eucharistic Adoration for vocations. No doubt all your sincere prayers have been heard by Our Lord who has been very generous to us with vocations! Please keep Tony in your prayers.
by SFXparish | May 23, 2018 | NEWS
We recently upgraded our parish center, church, and rectory to LED lighting (including the parking lot). We expect this to result in much savings on our electric bill over time. We contracted with Energy Source for the lighting fixtures and bulbs and our own parishioner Doug Corrigan completed the project and replaced all the lighting. This was a market value project of $26,897.29, however after the utility incentive we paid only $4,034.60. Once again we thank you for your generosity to our parish Building Fund which pays for such facility improvements.
by SFXparish | May 19, 2018 | BLOG
Jesus came and stood in their midst… he showed them his hands and his side. Jesus said to them… As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. (Jn 20:19-22)
For our reflection on sacred scripture this Pentecost we have chosen a segmented quotation from the Gospel reading for Sunday Mass. Here we meet Jesus visiting his Apostles on the evening of the same day He rose from the dead. St. John the Apostle and Evangelist tells us of how Jesus came and stood in their midst even though the Apostles had locked themselves away for fear of those who crucified Jesus.
First, Jesus greets His Apostles with “Peace” (Jn 20:19) in order to console and convince them that this appearance is not false or sinister. Next he shows them His hands and feet and side to reveal that He is tangible and not some ominous apparition. Then He reminds them of the mission He has from his Father: a theme quite familiar to them. Hence, in this progressive way Jesus leads them to trust again in His real presence. Once this trust is reestablished, Jesus is able to “send” them. He sent them out before, granting them authority over unclean spirits (Mk 6:7). Now he breathes on them the cleansing Spirit, granting them authority to forgive sins.
This first, post-Resurrection gift of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles is an intimate prelude to Pentecost. It occurs without any overt manifestations: no rushing wind, no tongues of flame, no speaking in tongues; no dashing out into the public square (Acts 2:2-4). Still, the Holy Spirit is given. The Spirit is not given with signs and epiphanies; not given as a public wonder, but as a private ministry to certain men whose duty it would now be to bring forgiveness to all who would repent and believe in the Gospel.
To aid our Gospel reflection we have placed on our bulletin cover for Pentecost a work by the Early Renaissance, Venetian artist: Giovanni Bellini, entitled simply, Christ Blessing (1460). This is not the iconic figure of Christ we encountered from El Greco last Sunday. Bellini has Jesus on the move as seen by the Jerusalem landscape behind Him. Bellini paints Jesus offering a blessing, with the express purpose of showing us the pierced hands of Jesus. Bellini also makes a slit in Jesus’ garment so we can see the spear thrust that Jesus showed to His Apostles just before He breathed on them the Holy Spirit. Further, Bellini cleverly shows Jesus holding a book – not the customary prop symbolizing Jesus as the Word of God – but a book with lock or seal.
Jesus is the Lamb of God, the Lion of Judah who can open the seal (Rev 5:2-5). That which he holds, that which is sealed, is the Book of Life or for our purpose on this day of Pentecost – the Book of the Spirit of Life. Without Pentecost and the Spirit of Pentecost poured out upon the world, there would be no life, because there would be no grace. Through the grace of the Holy Spirit, Jesus unlocks the supernatural life necessary for our salvation and the glory of the children of God.
-Steve Guillotte, Director of Pastoral Services
