Catholic Thought discussion

I’ve put together a schedule for our Christmas read, Fr. Dwight Longenecker’s Mystery of the Magi: The Quest to Identify the Three Wise Men followed by the T. S. Eliot poem, “Journey of the Magi.” This will be a Magi filled holiday season.

I’ve divided the readings into five weeks, which will take us into January. We’re going to be busy this month, so I don’t want to overburden the read. Here’s what I’ve put together.

Week of
5 Dec: Introduction, Chapters 1 thru 2; 38 pages.
12 Dec: Chapters 3 thru 6; 40 pages.
19 Dec: Chapters 7 thru 9; 38 pages.
25 Dec: Chapters 10 thru 11; 28 pages.
2 Jan: Chpt 12, Conclusion, Epilogue, “Journey of the Magi”; 23 pages.

I tried to reduce the burden on the holiday weeks. Remember, for this book club, discussions start on the week after the weekly read. So discussion of the read of 5 December will start on 12 December.

Please use this folder to discuss any pre-read thoughts on the Magi.

Great!

One of my three favorite numbers IS 3!! Looking forward to reading this and sharing Kindle notes.

Celia wrote: "One of my three favorite numbers IS 3!! Looking forward to reading this and sharing Kindle notes."

Oh great Celia. I love your notes! And I've been meaning to tell you, your new avatar threw me for a loop when I first saw it. I wasn't sure if you were the same Celia. :) It's very nice.

Manny wrote: "Celia wrote: "One of my three favorite numbers IS 3!! Looking forward to reading this and sharing Kindle notes."

Oh great Celia. I love your notes! And I've been meaning to tell you, your new avat..."

It is me as of last week. No glasses though. I told a Goodreads Friend that my happiness is due to good Catholic living. 🥰

Wonderful. I've had glasses since I was a teen. And I'm about to turn sixty. I guess I will always have them.

When it comes to the Magi, I have to say it is a difficult notion to believe. Strange kings from distant lands arriving together at the birth of Jesus. I am always open to the possibilities of all Bible events, no matter how strange. On the one hand, the Magi are not miracles where something of a supernatural occurrence has taken place. While miracles might actually be less possible, they are somehow more believable. I believe in the Magi, but help my unbelief!

I'm back in for this one. I took the Amazon discount for slow delivery but I think I'll be ready at the first check-in.

Casey wrote: "I'm back in for this one. I took the Amazon discount for slow delivery but I think I'll be ready at the first check-in."

Great! Thanks Casey.

Addilyn wrote: "Manny, I suppose maybe God deigned that the Magi be present as a sign that Christ came for people of all nations, nobilites and peoples.
I suppose they just followed the star..."

Yes, God made it all come about. I should keep that in mind.

I have started reading the book, and I think Fr. Longenecker will change my mind. He's making a very realistic case.

I was about to to put up the discussion thread and summary for the first week's read and then I realized this is the week we're supposed to be reading and next week starts the discussion. I have an easy night then! At least easier than I thought. I'm glad I realized it. I hope everyone has the book or is coming soon. I'm impressed with it so far.

Me too Manny. Introduction is under my belt. Highights available.

Just put it on my Kindle.
M

I started reading it last week but then too many days passed and I forgot what I read. Will re-read and this time I need to mark up the book to help my memory! 😁

On chapter 3, I had to laugh on all the different names given the Magi. Brought back an old memory of my oldest son, now older than I was then, when I made a cloth nativity scene the kids could play with during advent. My son, age 3, I think, named the magi Roy, Chuckie, and Herkimer. No idea where he came up with those names but still makes us laugh.

When driving home yesterday afternoon from shopping, I had Relevant Radio, a Catholic radio channel around the country, on my radio and on the Drew Moriani show he had Fr. Dwight Longenecker on to discuss his Magi book. It was a twenty-ish minute conversation, and while he didn’t say anything that was not in the book, it was still a blessing to listen to it. Now that all radio shows get turned into podcasts, you can access the show and listen for yourself. So the Relevant Radio podcasts get broken into hour long units. Fr. Longenecker’s portion was the first half of the hour. The second half was a discussion about the guiding star with Fr. Chris Corbally, a priest astronomer. That was interesting and is worth listening to. Here is the link to the “Hour 3 of The Drew Mariani Show 12-22-21.”
https://relevantradio.com/2021/12/the...

TY Manny VM

Well, tomorrow is the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, the day we readers of this book have been waiting for. I'm almost sure you will have this hymn played at Mass to morrow. It was my hymn for my Vespers prayer this evening, which would make it the vigil of the feast.

We Three Kings
Composer: Rev. John Henry Hopkin (‎1857)


We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star.

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light.

Born a King on Bethlehem's plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign.

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light.

Frankincense to offer have I
Incense owns a Deity nigh
Prayer and praising, all men raising
Worship Him, God most high.

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light.

Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes of life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light.

Glorious now behold Him arise
King and God and Sacrifice
Alleluia, Alleluia
Earth to heav'n replies.

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light.

Reading our book of the month made the epiphany Mass more meaningful. Our new young pastor spoke before Mass about the Epiphany Blessing of the House--which only half of the congregation had heard of before (I had not). It's reminiscent of the passover door post marking--only with chalk (that's been blessed) instead of lamb's blood,--there are prayers attached. The parish had the prayers and lots of blessed chalk available to do it. Mainly over the door post mark 20CMB22--CMB--latin for Christ, bless this house. Or--Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar. You can also mark every door in the house (lot of stepladder climbing involved if we do that) but I told Jim we need to do it--when it gets warmer (temps in 20s and 30s here in Texas--dropped overnight. We call this a blue norther.) And we did sing that hymn, Manny. All the verses!

I learned of this only a few years ago as well. Our first year in our new home I chalked every exterior door. It's faint now but I think we're still blessed.

I learned this hymn when I was still a kid in English class. I must have been around 10. Can you imagine a classroom full of German kids with our German accents ;-) Back then I didn't appreciate the poetry, but I do now.

Sadly, I got COVID and had to miss both the Mass for the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God and the Mass of the Epiphany. Was especially looking forward to it after reading this book, though I’m only on chapter 8. I love that Fr Longenecker has questioned and researched so thoroughly to bring this brilliant story. I much prefer it to the treacly Magi story that I’ve known up to now.

Speedy recovery, Catherine!

Wishing you a quick recovery. I had it for a little over 3 weeks. No fun at all there. Get well soon!

Madeleine wrote: "Reading our book of the month made the epiphany Mass more meaningful. Our new young pastor spoke before Mass about the Epiphany Blessing of the House--which only half of the congregation had heard ..."

I had not heard about that until today when I saw this article on it, "How to Bless Your Home with Epiphany Chalk":
https://aleteia.org/2018/01/05/how-to...

In all my years I have never heard about this.

Back in Germany in predominantly Catholic regions parishes organize the "star singing." Usually young people dress up as the Magi with one having a staff with a star on top. They go door to door with singing and a blessing, and the door gets the Epiphany Chalk. The homeowner in exchange gives a donation. It is a beautiful custom.

https://www.kath-kirche-kaernten.at/i...

Kerstin wrote: "Back in Germany in predominantly Catholic regions parishes organize the "star singing." Usually young people dress up as the Magi with one having a staff with a star on top. They go door to door wi..."

That is a beautiful custom. I wish we could do it here now. And those kids are so cute!