I am not sure what to call this. It is not an exegesis. As a theological reflection, it lacks a certain rigor. It does seem to work as a spiritual/homiletic/liturgical reflection, and that’s how I’ve proposed this when I have taught it, and … [Read more...]
The Prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane in the Monothelite Controversy
In this article, originally published in French in the Actes du Symposium sur Maxime le Confesseur (1982), François-Marie Léthel shows how the prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane factored into the monothelite controversy. Léthel first focuses on t … [Read more...]
Lumen Fidei and the Revelation of God’s Love as the Foundation of Our Faith
April 8, 2017 by Dr. Jeffrey Froula
Introduction In his encyclical letter, Lumen Fidei, Pope Francis greatly emphasizes the importance of believing in God’s love for us. The prominence of this theme is indicated by the title of the encyclical’s first chapter, "We Have Bel … [Read more...]
“Do You Love Me more than … These?”
April 8, 2017 by R. Thomas Richard, PhD
Introduction The catch of exactly 153 fish in the closing chapter 21 of John’s Gospel has been an exegetical challenge for a very long time. “So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fift … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
April 8, 2017 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Question: Why was baptism by John so crucial for Jesus, but not for Jesus’ followers? Answer: The baptism by John is the last in a number of rituals established by God as a part of the progressive preparation of the human race for the co … [Read more...]
Cry of Abandonment? No, Proclamation of Faith
Psalm 22 and Matthew 27
March 26, 2017 by Paul Senz
“The New Testament is concealed in the Old, the Old Testament is revealed in the New.” These words of St. Augustine of Hippo have become axiomatic for Christian Scripture scholars. In particular, when a passage from the Old Testament is dir … [Read more...]
The Rich Man and Lazarus: a Modern and Patristic Reflection
March 9, 2017 by Arthur G. Quinn
Lazarus at the Rich Man's Door by James Tissot In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), the parable begins with a description of the rich man and his life of luxury and excess. He is portrayed as a member of the elite, … [Read more...]
The Work of a Master Carpenter
March 9, 2017 by Dr. Joseph R. Hollcraft
I just finished watching, for a third time, the movie: The Passion of the Christ. After this latest viewing, I was deeply moved by the particular scenes involving Christ and the cross: the wooden beams he was made to carry; the wooden beams … [Read more...]
Lead Us Not Into Temptation
February 21, 2017 by Douglas G. Bushman, STL
“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways” (1 Cor 13:11). It is a very good thing to learn one’s faith at a young age. And it is a very good thing … [Read more...]
Index Lectionum: Scripture Usage in Roman Catholic Masses Before and After Vatican II
A Book Review
January 20, 2017 by Roseanne T. Sullivan
Matthew P Hazell & Dr. Peter A Kwasniewski (Foreword), Index Lectionum: A Comparative Table of Readings for the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms of the Roman Rite, Volume I (Lectionary Study Press, 2016). The creation of a new form … [Read more...]
Winter Reading 2017
January 20, 2017 by Book Reviews
A Theology of Grace in Six Controversies. Edward T. Oakes, S.J. (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2016) 248 pages; $28.00 paperback. Reviewed by Steven J. Meyer, S.T.D. John Lawrence Hill, After the Natural Law: How the Classical … [Read more...]
Early Winter Reading
December 1, 2016 by Book Reviews
With God in America: The Spiritual Legacy of an Unlikely Jesuit. Compiled and edited by John M. DeJak and Marc Lindeijer, S.J. (Chicago: Loyola Press, 2016) 253 pages; $19.95. ISBN: 978-0-8294-4454-4. Reviewed by Patrick M. Laurence. The … [Read more...]
Late Fall Reading
November 4, 2016 by Book Reviews
What Does It Mean to Be Catholic? by Jack Mulder, Jr. (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2015). Reviewed by Dr. Rick Janet. The Heart of the Diaconate: Communion with the Servant Mysteries of Christ by James K … [Read more...]
Re-assessing the Role of the Pharisees in the New Testament
October 13, 2016 by Fr. Dempsey Rosales Acosta, SSL, STD
1. Premise: a common perception of the Pharisees It has become traditional in the general readings of the New Testament to think of Jesus as being at war with the Pharisees, and their theological perspectives. This ordinary impression … [Read more...]
Mary, Mother of Mercy, Mother of the Priest
October 13, 2016 by Sr. Mary John Kramer, OP
Marian titles are so numerous, and devotions so diverse, the litany could confuse and confound those less familiar with Catholic popular piety. The various titles show the relationship of a mother with her children. She can be all things to … [Read more...]
Recent Comments