Category Archives: Catena Aurea

How Does Anyone Love the Lord God With the Whole Mind?

Posted on October 26, 2020 by marklangley

In this last Sunday’s Gospel we hear, You shall love the Lord, your God,with all your heart,with all your soul,and with all your mind. Now I think most people are familiar with the first two thirds of this injunction- we … Continue reading →

Posted in beauty, Catena Aurea, catholic education, classical education, education, Liberal Arts, liberal education | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Samaritan Woman at Jacob’s Well: Who Were Those Five Husbands?

Posted on March 15, 2020 by marklangley

[I could not resist reposting this – the original may be found here with a number of great comments!] The Gospel for the third Sunday of Lent offers a special little gem for the classically minded church-goer. As Jesus is … Continue reading →

Posted in Augustine, Catena Aurea, classical education | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Why Would Anyone Eat Locusts and Wild Honey?

Posted on December 9, 2019 by marklangley

Wearing a camel-hair garment and a leather belt is one thing but eating locusts and wild honey is another! I don’t suppose John the Baptist was wearing the camel hair garment that I am familiar with – although I think … Continue reading →

Posted in Advent, Aquinas, Catena Aurea | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

What does ‘On Earth As It Is In Heaven’ mean?

Posted on July 28, 2019 by marklangley

Punctuation can often be misleading, especially when translators are faced with punctuating a text which has no punctuation. And so when we read the Lord’s Prayer in the Gospel of Saint Matthew we are perhaps accustomed to reading the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Aquinas, Augustine, Catena Aurea, Lord's Prayer | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

The Prodigal Son and The Prodigal Mind: Our Lord’s Parable for Educators

Posted on March 29, 2019 by marklangley

Our Lord’s parable about the man who had two sons, upon the younger of whom tradition has bestowed the sobriquet ‘prodigal,’  provides an excellent lesson for parents everywhere who are concerned about the education of their children. I have a … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambrose, Augustine, Catena Aurea, college, education, liberal education, soul, truth for its own sake | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

“’Tis one thing to be tempted, another thing to fall.”: Why we are Tempted

Posted on March 11, 2019 by marklangley

Saint Luke begins the story about Our Lord’s temptation in the desert saying, [1] And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the desert, [2] For the space of forty days; and … Continue reading →

Posted in Aquinas, Catena Aurea, Lord's Prayer, Temptation | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

This School Choir May Have Just Made History

Posted on December 9, 2018 by marklangley

In what might be a new world record, or perhaps simply a first of its kind choral accomplishment, the fifty-five voice Lyceum Choir sang back to back liturgies – one in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, celebrated by Cardinal … Continue reading →

Posted in beauty, Catena Aurea, Feasts, Sacred Music, Sacrosanctum Consilium, The Mass | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Sun Shall be Darkened: First Sunday of Advent.

Posted on December 1, 2018 by marklangley

No one can hear the Gospel for the First Sunday of Advent without feeling at least a twinge of dread. I mean, Yikes! People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world. Our Lord undoubtedly meant to … Continue reading →

Posted in Advent, Ambrose, Aquinas, Augustine, Catena Aurea | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Get Those Animals Out of My House!

Posted on March 3, 2018 by marklangley

According to the Evangelists, Our Lord cleansed the Temple on at least two occasions. St. John describes the first cleansing as having occurred directly after the remarkable miracle in which He saved the day at the wedding reception at Cana. … Continue reading →

Posted in Catena Aurea, Origen, passions | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

In the Gospel, Punctuation Makes All the Difference.

Posted on September 2, 2017 by marklangley

But He turned, and said unto Peter, “Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offence unto Me” Ouch! Talk about a slightly awkward moment! How did Peter recover from this “dressing down”  from his boss? In today’s idiom I … Continue reading →

Posted in Aquinas, Catena Aurea | Tagged , , , | 16 Comments