...celebrated Mass at Westminster Cathedral this morning following his return from Rome after receiving the red hat. Knights and Dames of St Gregory gathered to join the procession. We robed in the library of Archbishop's House - the Knights wear a splendid military uniform complete with swords, and the Dames a green cloak with the great Cross of the Order, and a mantilla. No mirror, so I peered into my reflection in the glossy shine of the piano and hope I looked all right. The procession formed up in the sacristy where the Cardinal led us in prayer, and then we set off, led by that superb choir. A measured pace, with soaring music, out into the packed cathedral. A most beautiful Mass. The Papal Nuncio was present, along with various bishops and other clergy. Guests included the Lord Lieutenant and the Lord Mayor of Westminster, and I noticed former PM Blair and Mrs Blair with their son...
Afterwards a reception in the Cathedral Hall, everyone greeting friends, a great sense of a community celebrating a landmark event...
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2 comments:
it makes a change to a humble carpenters son and his itinerate friends.
Scholars suspect that some of the Holy Women were rich, and financed Jesus' ministry. We don't know much about the accounts, except that Judas was treasurer, but there must have been some sort of income.
We also don't really know the economic circumstances of the Holy Family. Jesus was literate, and at one point the disciples note the He had never been hungry. On the other hand, they obviously didn't have enough money to be political players and influence events that way. Between those broad limits, they could have been fairly rich or fairly poor.
My own theory is that Joseph went to Bethlehem as part of a tax dodge. For some reason if he registered in Judea he could pay a lower rate than if he did so in Nazareth. That explains the rather odd behaviour of taking a long journey for a census. In order for that to be worthwhile, you'd expect a fairly substantial amount of personal assets. They might have lost a lot of the money in exile in Egypt, however. It's all speculation.
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