‘Weekly Post. Anno Domini 2023 August 5

Beloved of the Lord:

Today is Saturday, 5 August, in the year of our Lord 2023. The scheduled services are as-follows:

• Saturday (today): 5:00 PM, Mass, S. Oswald, King & Martyr.
• Sunday: 8:30 & 10:00 AM, Mass, The Transfiguration of our Lord, Jesus, the Christ.
• Monday: 10:00 AM, Mass, The Holy Name of Jesus.
• Tuesday: 5:30 PM, Mass, Blessed John Mason Neale, Confessor.
  6:30 PM, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, Sung Evensong.
• Wednesday: 12:10 PM, Mass, S. John Vianney, Confessor, Patron Saint of Priests.
• Thursday: 8:00 AM, monthly men's Morning Prayer & breakfast.
  6:30 PM, Mass, S. Lawrence, Deacon & Martyr, followed by Soup & Study.
• Friday: 9:00 AM, Mass, Feria, using the Gregorian Canon.
  Immediately following, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
• Saturday: 5:00 PM, Mass, Clare, Virgin.
• Sunday: 8:30 & 10:00 AM, Deacon's Liturgy, Trinity X.

The Feast of The Transfiguration, which we will celebrate tomorrow, is the appearing of the Lord in Glory during His earthly life, as it is related in the first three Gospels (Mt. 17. 1 - 13, Mk, 9, 2 - 13, Lk. 9. 28 - 36), and alluded-to in 2 Pet. 1. 16 - 18. This vision of our Lord, transfigured, with Moses and Elijah, was witnessed by SS. Peter, James, and John, and is described by the Evangelists as an historic event, with striking agreement as to the main outline, and understandable differences in the details which they record.

Tradition locates it on Mount Tabor, but many scholars prefer Mount Hermon, and some have even suggested the Mount of Olives. The event was significant as showing the testimony of the Jewish Law and Prophets to the Messiah-ship of Christ; as furnishing a further Divine proclamation of our Lord's Sonship, and as foreshadowing His future Glory. In the Kalendar, the Feast of the Transfiguration is observed on 6 August.

It originated in the Eastern Church, where it appears to have been at first a local and unofficial feast, but it had become widely adopted before A.D. 1000. In the West, where the feast was not introduced 'til a much later date, its general observance goes back to 1457, when Pope Callistus III ordered its universal celebration in commemoration of the victory gained over the Turks at Belgrade on 6 August, 1456.* I remain

in His praise,

The Rev'd Canon. T. L. Crowder

Pastor, Saint Matthew's Parish

*The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, ed. F. L. Cross.