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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

“Homily — 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A” • Father Valentine Young, OFM

Jeff Ostrowski · September 1, 2020

The following is by Father Valentine Young, OFM, a faithful Catholic priest who died on 17 January 2020. It was delivered sometime between 2013 and 2020. To learn more about Father Valentine, please scroll to the bottom of the page.

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

*  PDF Download • READINGS IN ENGLISH
—Taken from the Saint Isaac Jogues Illuminated Missal, Gradual, and Lectionary.

HE GOSPEL AND FIRST READING today are obviously about giving advice to a sinner or someone who is doing wrong. The Gospel selection has Jesus giving us several courses of action when it comes to what we might call “admonishing the sinner.” As with this part of the Bible or Jesus’ teachings, we generally cannot focus on one part without keeping the totality of Jesus’ teachings and practice in mind. Coupled with this is always the need of the practice of two very important virtues: wisdom and prudence.

Wisdom and prudence: Briefly we might say that wisdom is knowing what to do and prudence is knowing when to do something. At times it can be hard to say just what we should do…or when we should be practicing these virtues. Often we will know when a person doesn’t practice them. It is often rather easy—after someone has does something that turns out to be very unwise or imprudent—to say: “That was not a very wise or prudent thing to do.”

Admonishing the sinner: And yes this can come into play when we are faced with situations where there might be the opportunity to “admonish the sinner” or offer advice to someone who is doing something wrong. Should we always? Do we always have to? Do we have the obligation? I can’t answer that question with a simple “yes” or “no.” And I hope I’m not shocking anyone by my having to say that I don’t have a “ready-made” answer for you. I don’t—and it would be foolish on my part to stand up here and act as if I did.

Further complications: And I don’t deny the fact that in this day and age matters are further complicated because so many of our Catholics are poorly instructed in their Catholic Faith…especially in the last forty or fifty years. This is true even if they have attended so-called “Catholic” schools. Maybe some of you think I’m just being sarcastic or cynical, and I wish that would be the case. But somehow or other you people who regularly attend Mass here have kept the Catholic faith. People who go to confession here certainly know how to go to confession. But believe me, that is not the case in all places. Hearing confessions for children who attend Catholic schools is often quite unpleasant for the priests who may be involved. Why? The poor children usually—unless they have been taught by their parents—don’t have the slightest idea of what to do when they come in. The priest has to explain to each child what must be done for confession. Usually, all they learn in school is something about having a nice “chat with father.” This gets rather exhausting when you have to do that fifty or more times in succession.

A digression: Admittedly, what I just said or talked about was a digression from the main topic today, but hopefully it is one example to show how you differ from the general “run of the mill” Catholic. Fortunately, your type of Catholic is growing; the other type is fading away.

Example of Jesus: I said something before about using “wisdom and prudence” when it comes to admonishing the sinner—or even when it comes to our offering advice about such matters. Examining the life of Jesus, we find He acted differently in different circumstances. Sometimes He offered advice and admonitions. Other times, He seems to have said nothing. I often used to wonder why Jesus did not appear to Pilate, the high priests, and the other Jewish leaders on Easter Sunday morning and say: “Now, look at me; now that I have risen from the dead. Aren’t you sorry for what you have done?” I remember this question being asked in one of our Scripture classes in our Theology course, and I was very curious as to what our professor would say! When asked “why didn’t Jesus appear to Pilate, the chief priests, and those who were responsible for His being put to death,” our professor answered, “Jesus did not appear to them out of mercy for their souls. Jesus knew that if He did appear, they still would not have believed; it would only have made their sin greater.” We, too, might remember that whenever we consider giving someone advice about what they are doing.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Valentine Young SERMON Last Updated: September 5, 2020

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About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Michigan. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    (Part 2) • Did they simplify this hymn?
    Choirs love to sing the resplendent tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1929, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. Their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Father Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1929 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. As always, the Germans added an organ INTRODUCTION. For the record, I posted a different harmonization a few months ago which was downloaded more than 2,000 times.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF • “Lectionary Comparison Chart”
    Various shell corporations (in an effort to make money selling Sacred Scripture) have tinkered with the LECTIONARY texts in a way that’s shameful. It’s no wonder Catholics in the pews know so few Bible passages by heart. Without authorization, these shell corporations pervert the official texts. Consider the Responsorial Psalm for the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A). If you download this PDF comparison chart you’ll notice each country randomly omits certain sections. Such tinkering has gone on for 60+ years—and it’s reprehensible.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Monsignor Klaus Gamber Speaks!
    An interesting quotation from the eminent liturgist, Monsignor Klaus Gamber (d. 1989): “According to canon law, a person’s affiliation with a particular liturgical rite is determined by that person’s rite of baptism. Given that the liturgical reforms of Pope Paul VI created a de facto new rite, one could assert that those among the faithful who were baptized according to the traditional Roman rite have the right to continue following that rite; just as priests who were ordained according to the traditional Ordo have the right to exercise the very rite that they were ordained to celebrate.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“What matters is to prefer God to all else; to be ready to sacrifice all, rather than commit one sin.”

— Cardinal Merry Del Val (shortly before his death)

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