Free Republic

Blessed Are Those Who Die in the Lord – A Meditation on the Christian Attitude toward Death Msgr. Charles Pope • March 29, 2016 • Catholic Standard Photo by Mike HoytThe recent death of Mother Angelica provoked the expected saddness at the passing of such a great woman. Indeed, her vivacious and plain-spoken presence has long been missed during these years of her declining health. She called this her time of purgatory and purification. In an extraordinary grace, the Lord called her at 5:00 PM on Easter Sunday, likely the very time at which He was making His first...

“And in the Morning Watch the Lord … Cast a Glance …” A Meditation on the Look of the Lord Msgr. Charles Pope • March 28, 2016 • 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...

     "Following the Holy Fathers" ... It was usual in the Ancient Church to introduce doctrinal statements by phrases like this. The Decree of Chalcedon opens precisely with these very words. The Seventh Ecumenical Council introduces its decision concerning the Holy Icons in a more elaborate way: "Following the Divinely inspired teaching of the Holy Fathers and the Tradition of the Catholic Church." The didaskalia of the Fathers is the formal and normative term of reference. Now, this was much more than just an "appeal to antiquity." Indeed, the Church always stresses the permanence of her faith through the...

Why Was the Resurrection Such a Hidden Event? Msgr. Charles Pope • March 27, 2016 • 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...

Tammuz vs Jesus The ancient Sumerian deity Tammuz, or Dumuzi, has been thrown around a bit as a possible source for Christian belief by copycatters, but with little in the way of specifics. One critic refers to Tammuz as "the savior god worshipped in Jerusalem" [107 -- though they never say what he saved people from, or how he was a savior], as the "savior/fertility sun god who annually died and was resurrected" [138 -- we'll look into this claim below]; and uses word games to hint that he is represented by the Apostle Thomas [172 -- though this point...

This week in place of the regular Pastor's Column, we share the Paschal joy of the Hieratikon (Catechetical Sermon) of Saint John Chrysostom. Are there any who are devout lovers of God? Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival! Are there any who are grateful servants? Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord! Are there any weary with fasting? Let them now receive their wages! If any have toiled from the first hour, let them receive their due reward; If any have come after the third hour, let him with gratitude join in the Feast! And...

Andria, Italy, Mar 25, 2016 / 06:38 pm (CNA).- A single thorn held to have been taken from Christ's crown of thorns that traditionally 'bleeds' each time that Good Friday falls on March 25, has done so again this year. Bishop Raffaele Calabro, Bishop Emeritus of Andria in Italy's Apulia region, confirmed today that the thorn has bled. "The miracle has started, the wonder is underway," Bishop Calabro stated. The thorn has been kept in a reliquary in Andria's cathedral since 1308. A commission who observed the miracle confirmed the formation of three spherical formations or "gems" on the thorn...

Arguments over Easter date could make rows over same-sex marriage look easy, warns Bishop of Salisbury A prominent Church of England bishop has spoken out against plans by the world's main Christian denominations to fix the date of Easter to the same Sunday every year. Anglican primates agreed earlier this year to join discussions involving Coptic Orthodox and Roman Catholic leaders to set a common date for the festival for the first time. Such a move would not only simplify economic planning but unite different traditions around the world and end almost 2,000 years of theological controversy. However the Bishop...

Archdiocese of Washington My Way Gets Brighter, My Load Gets Lighter – A Homily on the Easter Emmaus Gospel Msgr. Charles Pope • March 26, 2016 • There are four different Gospels proposed by the Church for Easter Sunday. Here I offer a homily on the Lucan account of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. I have written sermons and commentaries on two of the other Gospels; they are available here: John 20:1-8 The Journey from Fear to FaithMatt 28:1-10 Jesus is Real – The Journey to Easter Faith In this homily I reflect on the Emmaus Gospel...

At this time of year Christians celebrate Easter, or as I prefer, Resurrection Sunday. As one scans history, no other date put such a mark in time as when Jesus Christ shed His grave-clothes and departed the tomb. Of all the religions of the world, only Christianity claims an empty tomb for its founder. The physical resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of Christianity. British theologian Michael Green said it well when he noted, 'Without faith in the resurrection there would be no Christianity at all.' Noted biblical scholar, professor, and author Wilbur M. Smith said that, 'The resurrection of...

Four Immediate Results of Jesus’ Death on the Cross Msgr. Charles Pope • March 25, 2016 • Let’s conclude our consideration of certain texts from the Passion Narratives with one that describes the aftermath of Jesus’ death. The Gospel of Matthew recounts four immediate results of Jesus’ death, and while they describe historical events, they also signal deeper spiritual truths.And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split, and the...

Come Down from the Cross and We Will Believe - A Meditation on a “Crucial” Decision by Jesus Msgr. Charles Pope • March 24, 2016 • One of the most remarkable aspects of Jesus’ crucifixion is the humble reserve He displayed. As God, He had the power to end His suffering and humiliation at any time. He had already reminded Peter, Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in...

Easter is the most important Holy Day of the year, and that’s because it’s the day we celebrate the most important day in human history: the resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In 1956, several buildings in New York City commemorated Easter in a really cool way: they lit up certain windows at night to form the shape of a cross! And here’s the photo as it was printed in a newspaper: You can see that the paper listed times for Easter services on the left. Under the photo, it had this description: Huge crosses, formed by lighted...

THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOSThe Feast of the Annunciation is one of the earliest Christian feasts, and was already being celebrated in the fourth century. There is a painting of the Annunciation in the catacomb of Priscilla in Rome dating from the second century. The Council of Toledo in 656 mentions the Feast, and the Council in Trullo in 692 says that the Annunciation was celebrated during Great Lent. The Greek and Slavonic names for the Feast may be translated as “good tidings.” This, of course, refers to the Incarnation of the Son of God and the salvation...

Emmy Award-winning 3D illustrator and animator Ray Downing of Studio Macbeth, widely known for his 2010 History Channel show and DVD “The Real Face of Jesus,” has produced a new DVD, “Jesus Alive Again: An Easter Meditation.” Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2016/03/emmy-winning-artist-depicts-jesus-from-shroud/#BfbDIxEqg371Dcrs.99

The Muratorian fragment / The Muratorian canon (click for larger image) I sometimes hear this odd objection that the books that were to be included in the Bible were not decided until the 4th century. I think it comes from some Hollywood movie, or maybe a TV show. Anyway, this post should help fix that myth.I’m going to quote from New Testament expert Dr. Michael J. Kruger from his blog.He writes: One of the key data points in any discussion of canon is something called the Muratorian fragment (also known as the Muratorian canon). This fragment, named after its discoverer...

A Prescription for Life, Given by Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane Msgr. Charles Pope • March 23, 2016 • A moment occurs in the Garden of Gethsemane that presents a very good stance for Holy Week, indeed for the whole of our life: Jesus was at prayer; He returned to find His disciples asleep and said,Watch and pray so that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is indeed willing but the flesh is weak (Matt 26:41).Let’s examine the passage and explore what it has to say about us and to us.I. Problem – Jesus comes to...

March 25th is Good Friday *and* the Feast of the Annunciation. Talk about a powerful moment for reflection... We couldn't help but notice that the Feast of the Annunciation fell on Good Friday (of all days!) and wanted to share Mike's thoughts on the coincidence... if you believe in such things as coincidence. This week is the holiest week of the year. Through the Passion, suffering, death and resurrection of Our Blessed Lord, the curse of Adam is undone. Our Lord provides the path to salvation through the cross so that we are no longer permanent exiles from Paradise. This...

A More Awful Thing – Jesus’ Lament on the Culture of Death as He Is on His Way to the Cross Msgr. Charles Pope • March 22, 2016 • In the Gospel we read on Palm Sunday, Jesus says a rather extraordinary thing as He is on His way to the cross. He addresses it to the women who have gathered to lament Him:Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, “Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and...

Jewish holidays are not merely a commemoration of an event in time. The time of year in which the amiracle occurred was an opportune time for the conception of that miracle. As we make our way toward the Purim holiday, we are entering a time zone in which the all the Haman's of the world can fail and Jewish redemption is born. The death and downfall of Stalin is an example of a miraculous, yet untold, modern day Purim story. Joseph Stalin, tyrant of communist Russia dubbed the invincible “man of steel,” who murdered approximately 20,000,000 of his own people,...