The problem with using a digital breviary for a long stretch is that, when you get the urge to switch to that nice, restful, aesthetically pleasing print breviary, you've lost your place. On Monday I decided to to just that, and after scrambling around for several minutes, and settling into the Office of Readings, I found myself thinking, "All St. Paul does these days is complain. I mean, hasn't he already said this bit about people who talk behind his back and whatnot?"
Then I realized that I had read it before. A week ago. It was now time to be in volume IV. So I dashed up to my room to put away Volume III and get Volume IV off the shelf. My first thought: only 16 weeks until Advent starts. We're in the last quarter stretch of liturgical year 2015.
Before retiring Volume III I skimmed over those readings from St. Paul once more. Those Corinthians were a nasty bunch. So much for the great holiness of the "early Christians". These guys were just like us, apparently. It made me very sympathetic to pastors who get called out by disgruntled parishioners, written about to the bishop, etc., NOT because of heresy, but because of differences in personal style, approach, length of homilies, and decisions about repairs to the church and grounds. It reminded me not to sit back critiquing priests for things that are, in the end, matters of taste.
St. Jean Marie Vianney's feast is today. A number of his parishioners became disgruntled with him and had a petition campaign to the bishop going. I love the way he responded, which you can read about here.
