This coming Sunday is the 2nd Sunday in Lent. 4 Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. 5 Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. 7 Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Continue reading
Christian Leadership
The gospel for today is often a central part of any discussion about the role of Peter as appointed leader of the early church leading into the successors of Peter as the Pope of the modern Catholic Church. A modern evangelical scholar, nominally part of a religious perspective that would deny any particular role assigned to Peter, offers that his peers have to twist Scripture out of shape to reach that conclusion. Their arguments are molded to fit their predetermined end. This scholar holds that clearly Peter was assigned leadership. However, he would argue that there is nothing in these verses to point beyond Peter’s leadership of that group of Apostles. He argues that Catholic apologists argue to their own predetermined ends. Continue reading
Our Lexicon
One of the benefits of Latin being the official language of the Catholic Church is that it is a “dead” language. In other words, a language no longer in use in the world outside of Church and academia; a language no longer subject to the evolution of usage in the world. For example, “peruse” technically means to examine in a thorough or careful way, but in everyday use it is used and understood to mean to “glance over a document.” The word has evolved to mean something very different. Words in Latin have meant the same thing for centuries. Over the centuries the Church’s use of certain words form a lexicon of language – something quite true in the lexicon of the Eucharist. Continue reading
What are they to understand? (Part 2)
This coming Sunday is the 2nd Sunday in Lent. In yesterday’s post Brian Stoffregen was offering some possibilities about the purpose(s) of mountain-top theophany. Today, we continue with his thoughtful list. Continue reading
One Sign
In today’s first reading we hear from the Book of Jonah and Jesus’ reference to “the sign of Jonah.” I think we have been conditioned to think: “Jonah, three days in the belly of the whale. Jesus, three days in the tomb. Ok, the “sign of Jonah” must be Jesus’ Resurrection.” Maybe. Continue reading
Reservation, Adoration, Exposition, and Benediction: The Eucharist Outside of Mass
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) is a great resource for Catholics to explore the Faith and Traditions of the Church. When one reads the article on the Sacrament of the Eucharist it is clear that the sacrament is largely discussed in the context of the celebration of the Mass. But what about outside of the celebration of Mass? Continue reading
What are they to understand?
This coming Sunday is the 2nd Sunday in Lent. In yesterday’s post we described the theophany and offered some comments on the OT imagery contained in the theophany. But, what purposes did this theophany serve? There are a number of possibilities. Brian Stoffregen has compiled a good list of things to consider. Continue reading
Power and Life
Today’s first reading is one of my favorite chapters of the Old Testament: Isaiah 55. It always reminds me of the parable of the Sower and the Seed from the gospels with the Word of God being sent into the world on good and poor soil alike. Continue reading
What will they see?
This coming Sunday is the 2nd Sunday in Lent. After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. (Mark 9:2-3) Continue reading
After Six Days
This coming Sunday is the 2nd Sunday in Lent in Lectionary Cycle B. The first eight chapters of the Gospel according to Mark have been a display of the teachings, authority, and power of Jesus. These chapters include accounts of healings, casting out of demons, and the miracle feeding of more than 4,000 people – and yet the question still remains: who is this person Jesus? At Caesarea Philippi Jesus asks the disciples who the people say that he is (8:27) and receives a variety of answers: “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” And then the question is turned to the disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Messiah.” Continue reading