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Banned from the Bible? (Run time: about 1 hour 25 minutes).This is the final class in a 12-part series on the archaeological evidence supporting the Bible.This class is about the common idea that the New Testament is "incomplete," and that there are certain books telling us a different story about Jesus that were banned by the church.I discuss in length many historical misconceptions from Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" as well as other books that have misrepresented the birth of the Christian church.I also go into the controversial idea that Christian story of Jesus is somehow "borrowed" from other...

The Fruits of Mass, as Seen in a Gospel Passage Msgr. Charles Pope • April 8, 2018 • Supper at Emmaus, Jacopo Bassano (c. 1538)I have written before on how the Gospel Passage of the encounter of the two disciples with Jesus on the road to Emmaus is (Luke 24:13-35), from start to finish, in the full form of a Mass. It is a kind of “Mass on the move.” I detail that understanding here: Mass on the Move.The liturgy begins with two disciples gathering as they make their way to Emmaus, just as we pilgrims gather for Mass....

Infovaticana.com (April 8) leaked the original Spanish version of Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation “Gaudete et exsultate” which is due to be published on April 9. The exhortation rejects a caricature of contemplative life, “It is not healthy to love the silence and avoid the encounter with the other, to desire rest and reject activity, to seek prayer and to despise service” (26). This statement follows the unfortunate pattern of Francis to compare fresh apples with rotten pears. Talking about the Gospel's moral teaching - such as condemning adultery - Francis presents another caricature by criticising the attempt “to reduce Jesus’...

From Fear to Faith – A Homily for the Second Sunday of Easter Msgr. Charles Pope • April 7, 2018 • Risen Christ Appears to Disciples, Duccio (1308-11)In Sunday’s Gospel, the risen Lord appeared to the Apostles, who were gathered together in one place. The fact that they were gathered in one place is not without significance, for it is there that the Lord chose to appear to them. One of them was not there and thus missed the blessing of seeing and experiencing the risen Lord. It might be said that Thomas, the absent Apostle, blocked his blessing.Some...

The case for God Traditional arguments regarding GodÂ’s existence must acknowledge the need for an ultimate source Msgr. Charles Pope April 1, 2018 3/21/2018 Question: I have a hard time convincing my high school students about the existence of God using the arguments from contingency or motion. Many people seem to have no problem with causes going back infinitely. One student even said that he can line up mirrors so that they reflect back upon each other infinitely. Some of the students also look puzzled at the idea of an unmoved mover. Any thought on how to better explain these...

At the Gate Called “Beautiful” - What the Miracle by Peter and John Teaches us about our Spiritual Journey Msgr. Charles Pope • April 5, 2018 • At the daily masses of the Easter Octave, we have been reading about, among other things, the story of a paralyzed man whom Peter and John encounter just outside the Temple at the Gate called “Beautiful.” This paralyzed man’s story is our story and as we read it we learn something of our own spiritual journey to the Lord and to heaven, symbolized here by the Temple. Let’s look at this moving...

European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans recently chaired a roundtable with ten Muslim imams from six EU Member States (Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy and The Netherlands). Afterwards Timmermans announced that “the Commission is strongly committed to promoting diversity in Europe. Islam is part of our history, Islam is part of our present and Islam will be part of our future.” Such assertions are as true as the assumptions they are based on—and whether such assumptions are grounded in historical facts or fictions. In prefacing his claims about Islam’s historic role in Europe by saying “the Commission is strongly committed...

Let’s say you have a grandfather of whom you are particularly fond, and out of the blue, a stranger says: “Hey, that’s my grandpa!” Then, lest you think this stranger is somehow trying to ingratiate himself with you, he adds: “Everything you thought you knew about grandpa is wrong!” Would that endear this stranger to you? That is the question everyone who believes in the notion of “three Abrahamic Faiths” needs to answer. Proponents of this view believe that -- since Abraham is an important figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (especially the first and last of those three) --...

Humans often seem to require dramatic crises to clarify our problems and direct our attention to what is truly paramount. One of the most striking examples is the story of the Jewish people. Many Christians have just concluded the season of Lent, that time they fast, pray, and give alms as a means of separating themselves from the things of this world and re-orienting their lives toward God. The fundamental idea is to remove the obstacles to worshipping God alone.Jews undergo a similar time of preparation as Passover approaches. Like Lent, Passover is a time for meditation on the one,...

The Journey of Mary Magdalene to Resurrection Faith Msgr. Charles Pope • April 4, 2018 • All of the resurrection stories depict the Apostles and other disciples on a journey of sorts to understand the resurrection. A completely new reality was breaking into their world and challenging their understanding. Far from depicting the disciples as credulous, the texts describe them as shocked, troubled, and even quite dubious. These were not men and women prone to naiveté or to concocting stories to assuage their grief. They are quite stunned by a new reality and struggling to get their minds around...

“And in the Morning Watch the Lord … Cast a Glance …” A Meditation on the Look of the Lord Msgr. Charles Pope • April 3, 2018 • There is an astonishing verse in the Exodus account, which was read at the Easter Vigil. The Lord has parted the waters of the Red Sea by a strong eastern wind and the Israelites have just made the crossing and the Egyptians pursued them. The verse says:And in the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud cast a glace on the Egyptian forces and threw the...

What Does Jesus Mean When He Says, “I Am Ascending”? Msgr. Charles Pope • April 2, 2018 • Noli Me Tangere, Fra Bartolomeo (1506)Even as Easter moves swiftly on, it is valuable to ponder some of the puzzling aspects of the resurrection. In this, St. Thomas Aquinas remains our teacher, along with the Fathers of the Church whom he references.Let’s explore the enigmatic statement of our Lord Jesus to Mary Magdalene:Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father...

In an article on Good Friday, NPR described Easter inaccurately as "the day celebrating the idea that Jesus did not die and go to hell or purgatory or anywhere like that, but rather arose into heaven — is on Sunday." The error was corrected that Easter commemorates Jesus' resurrection, but did He go to hell after crucifixion?NPR corrected it as, "Easter — the day Christians celebrate Jesus' Resurrection — is on Sunday." But the error "practically begged Christians to renew charges that the media is biased against them," an article in The Washington Post commented.The post referred to the Apostle's Creed, saying...

Why Was the Resurrection Such a Hidden Event? Msgr. Charles Pope • April 1, 2018 • There is something of a hidden quality to the resurrection appearances that has always puzzled me. St. Peter gives voice to this when he says to Cornelius,God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the...

Jesus is Real: A Homily for Easter Sunday Msgr. Charles Pope • March 31, 2018 • At the Tomb, Peter Cornelius (1815-22)One of the possible Gospel readings for Easter is from John (I have written about that account here.) This year I present a reflection on Matthew’s account (28:1-10) of Easter morning, which is another option for the Easter liturgy.Nearly all of the resurrection accounts in the Gospels present the apostles and disciples on a journey to deeper faith. In stages they come out of this world and the darkness of despair into the light of faith. Matthew’s account,...

If we’re not careful, we can begin to think of the Bible as one book. But it’s not one book; it’s a collection of books—sometimes referred to as the biblical canon. Of course, this correct understanding of the canon raises an important question: why these books and not others? For instance, the New Testament includes four Gospels about the life of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are called canonical Gospels because they are in the canon. But these weren’t the only Gospels about Jesus in the ancient world. In fact, we have discovered many other Gospels, like...

By Philip Cottraux Since I upload blogs every Saturday, I usually write my yearly Easter messages between Good Friday and Easter. This often gives me the unique opportunity to focus on both the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. The two are inseparable from one another as the central point of Christianity. This year, I want to focus on why the resurrection itself is more than just absolutely important to our faith; it is our faith. Unfortunately, Christians today are far too divided over secondary issues. The starkest example is the raging debate over the age of the earth. While evolutionists...

Where Is Jesus Between His Death and Resurrection? Msgr. Charles Pope • March 30, 2018 • Christ Preaching to the Dead, Duccio (1308-11)Where is Christ after He dies on Friday afternoon and before He rises on Easter Sunday? Both Scripture and Tradition answer this question. Consider the following excerpt from a second century sermon as well as this meditation from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.Ancient Homily for Holy Saturday (ca. 2nd century A.D.):Today a great silence reigns on earth, a great silence and a great stillness. A great silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and...

Let’s take a look at the story of Barabbas as it relates to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. How does Pilate’s release of a criminal relate to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus? For a fascinating teaching which reveals the deeper insights concerning the purpose of the resurrection of Jesus found in the story of Barabbas, we invited Doug Greenwold, a Bible scholar who serves as the senior teaching fellow for a ministry called Preserving Bible Times, to our television program Christ in Prophecy. Doug uncovers often missed insights into dramatic biblical stories by digging deep into the overall...

Passiontide Chronology: Good Friday Msgr. Charles Pope • March 29, 2018 • Trial of Jesus, Duccio (1308-11)Jesus was arrested late Thursday evening. The Scriptures recount,They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together (Mark 14:53).According to Mark’s chronology there was a sham of a trial, based on false evidence and distortions of Jesus’ teachings.Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but they did not find any. For many bore false witness against Jesus, but their...