Greetings, my fellow port swillers and Happy Pentecost!
Ol’ Robbo has often wondered about a little nugget in Acts 2.1-11 in which Luke describes the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles on this day and their subsequent speaking in tongues to the Jews of various countries and nations assembled at Jerusalem. He names something like fifteen different locales, almost all in general terms: Mesopotamia, Cappadocia, Asia, Phrygia, and so on. But he is specific about “the parts of Libya about Cyrene”. I can’t recall when I first picked up on this but it has become something of an eyeworm every time I see it now, and for some reason it makes me smile, too.
Is there any particular significance to this? Were the Jews scatter-shot around these other regions but specifically concentrated around Cyrene in Libya? In that case, why not just say Cyrene? (He also cites Rome, after all.) Or, to be consistent, say Libya assuming that his reader will know where in that land the Jews live?
Perhaps there’s a point to this, perhaps I’m just overreading it. I dunno. But as I say, it grabs my attention every time. (Not to the point, I hasten to add, that it distracts me from the broader message!)
Anyhoo, the extra good news for Ol’ Robbo this Pentecost Sunday – and the reason for the post title – is that I will be going back to Mass next week for the first time in several months! To borrow a tag line from Ye Olde LlamaButchers blog: Yip! Yip! Yip!
I watched today’s broadcast from my parish operating under Kommissar Northam’s “Phase 1” reopening policy for the first time and, despite every other pew being taped off, there appeared to be plenty of room in which to plant my own carcass next week. The Good Lord knows imma need it.
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June 1, 2020 at 8:28 am
gripping hand
My parish will also reopen next week (Deo gratis!), which means that it was the live-stream from the local cathedral for us this Pentacost. The priest doing the readings stumbled a bit, and we heard about “the parts of Liberia about Cyrene.” The archbishop also had a red line on his forehead from his mitre, The wife remarked that the archbishop had mitre-head. It was all rather distracting.
June 1, 2020 at 9:13 am
Robbo
Heh. “MitreHead” would make a cool heavy-metal band name.
I meant to mention that it looked like the majority of the congregation was ignoring the mask nonsense, although the scola kept theirs on when not singing. Also, Communion was on the tongue.
June 1, 2020 at 1:50 pm
gripping hand
Interesting. The guidance from our Archbishop requires masks, distancing, and all the rest. Nonetheless, I’ll be glad to get back.