I Love God

And I love ants and bees and butterflies. What else do I love? Mom and Dad and my brother. And my family.

Matthew

Psalm 22

[1] A psalm for David. The Lord ruleth me: and I shall want nothing. [2] He hath set me in a place of pasture. He hath brought me up, on the water of refreshment: [3] He hath converted my soul. He hath led me on the paths of justice, for his own name's sake. [4] For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they have comforted me. [5] Thou hast prepared a table before me against them that afflict me. Thou hast anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebriateth me, how goodly is it! [1] "Ruleth me": In Hebrew, Is my shepherd, viz., to feed, guide, and govern me. [6] And thy mercy will follow me all the days of my life. And that I may dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days. Thy rod and thy staff they shall comfort me. As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. I do fear, though I still have faith in the Lord. Not enough. Not yet a mustard seed.

Psalm 21

[1] Unto the end, for the morning protection, a psalm for David. [2] O God my God, look upon me: why hast thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my sins. [3] O my God, I shall cry by day, and thou wilt not hear: and by night, and it shall not be reputed as folly in me. [4] But thou dwellest in the holy place, the praise of Israel. [5] In thee have our fathers hoped: they have hoped, and thou hast delivered them. [2] "The words of my sins": That is, the sins of the world, which I have taken upon myself, cry out against me, and are the cause of all my sufferings. [6] They cried to thee, and they were saved: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. [7] But I am a worm, and no man: the reproach of men, and the outcast of the people. [8] All they that saw me have laughed me to scorn: they have spoken with the lips, and wagged the head. [9] He hoped in the Lord, let him deliver him: let him save him, seeing he delighteth in him. [10]For thou art he that hast drawn me out of the womb: my hope from the breasts of my mother. [11] I was cast upon thee from the womb. From my mother's womb thou art my God, [12] Depart not from me. For tribulation is very near: for there is none to help me. [13] Many calves have surrounded me: fat bulls have besieged me. [14] They have opened their mouths against me, as a lion ravening and roaring. [15] I am poured out like water; and all my bones are scattered. My heart is become like wax melting in the midst of my bowels. [16] My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue hath cleaved to my jaws: and thou hast brought me down into the dust of death. [17] For many dogs have encompassed me: the council of the malignant hath besieged me. They have dug my hands and feet. [18] They have numbered all my bones. And they have looked and stared upon me. [19] They parted my garments amongst them; and upon my vesture they cast lots. [20] But thou, O Lord, remove not thy help to a distance from me; look towards my defence. [21] Deliver, O God, my soul from the sword: my only one from the hand of the dog. [22] Save me from the lion's mouth; and my lowness from the horns of the unicorns. [23] I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the church will I praise thee. [24] Ye that fear the Lord, praise him: all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him. [25] Let all the seed of Israel fear him: because he hath not slighted nor despised the supplication of the poor man. Neither hath he turned away his face from me: and when I cried to him he heard me. [26] With thee is my praise in a great church: I will pay my vows in the sight of them that fear him. [27] The poor shall eat and shall be filled: and they shall praise the Lord that seek him: their hearts shall live for ever and ever.[28] All the ends of the earth shall remember, and shall be converted to the Lord: And all the kindreds of the Gentiles shall adore in his sight. [29] For the kingdom is the Lord's; and he shall have dominion over the nations. [30] All the fat ones of the earth have eaten and have adored: all they that go down to the earth shall fall before him. [31] And to him my soul shall live: and my seed shall serve him. [32] There shall be declared to the Lord a generation to come: and the heavens shall shew forth his justice to a people that shall be born, which the Lord hath made. Believe me I am a worm and not a man. I feel so much a worm. So much a worm. So much a worm.

Our Lady of Altotting

Barbara gave all of us at coffee hour statues from Austria. They were blessed by an SSPX priest. They are copies of a centuries old statue of Our Lady and the baby Jesus. Our Lady of Altotting. It is beautiful. I put it on my desk and it will remain there. I will kiss it and pray to the Blessed Mother. I do not have a lot of statues but I am happy to have this one now.

Matthew

Solemn High Mass

Tonight the priest from Saint Josaphat parish in Bayside said Mass at my local Church. I went with mom and dad. The choir and servers came over. It was a Solemn High Mass. I was not used to it because I have only been to a few High Masses in my life. I prefer the Low Mass I am used to but the singing was nice. It was a mixed choir with an organist. The priest talked about the altar rail and kneeling for Communion and how there would be no Communion in the hand. My father complained about the priest facing towards the altar and not the people and how he was mumbling and that nobody knew what was going on. And I said if you are used to it you know what was going on. And he admitted he knew what was going on when he has been to only a few Latin Masses in the last fifty years, though he missed the Pater Noster. People are not idiots.

They had little paper Missals with the prayers in it for the laity, though I was not used to the choir. It was a pleasant experience. I have had dreams of attending a Latin Mass at my local parish and now I did for the first time in waking life. People at my SSPX chapel talk about Saint Josaphat sometimes. They say how it is trying to be the Holy Innocents of the Diocese of Brooklyn with the Latin Mass every Sunday.

Tonight there were two altars. The Novus Ordo altar was in the front covered with purple and the high altar with little decoration was against the wall with six candles and the tabernacle and altar cards. I am glad to have been. The singing was beautiful.

Matthew