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On the Feast of the Nativity, a sermon by Leo the Great

...which he had conquered. And in this conflict undertaken for us, the fight was fought on great and wondrous principles of fairness; for the Almighty Lord enters the lists with His savage foe not in His own majesty but in our humility, opposing him with the same form and the same nature, which shares indeed our mortality, though it is free from all sin. Truly foreign to this nativity is that which we read of all others, no one is clean from stain, not even the infant who has lived but one day upon earth (Job 19:4). Nothing therefore of the lust of the flesh has passed into that peerless nativity, nothing of the law of sin has entered. A royal Virgin of the stem o...

Was Jesus worshipped in the New Testament?

...blind who had been healed turned and worshipped Jesus when he realised who he was. Another example where Jesus didn't turn away worship towards himself from others. A Glimpse into Early Criticism The early second-century Roman governor and historian Pliny the Younger wrote a letter to Emperor Trajan around 112 AD. In this letter, Pliny described the practices of Christians in Bithynia (a region in Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey). Pliny was seeking advice on how to deal with the growing number of Christians in his region. They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before...

I am one with the Force; the Force is with me – A Star Wars theology

...where he had good reason to doubt, and was even actively encouraged to do so by his companions! But instead of thinking the Force had failed him, it strengthened his resolve and made him ‘pray’ all the more in faith and trust that everything would be fine and that they’d be safe.   Chirrut Imwe not being a Jedi – via GIPHY I am one with the Force; the Force is with me It was this that prompted me to write this blog. I couldn’t help but see the parallels in his ‘faith’ and ‘prayer’ to how our life as Christians ought to be concerning the work of the Spirit in and through us. I found this encouraging and it reminded me of an ancient C...

Lent Day 19: Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church: 10-18

...Day Nineteen: St. Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church: 10-18 Who: Third century bishop of Carthage (in modern Tunisia), and martyr from Africa What: A letter to encourage the unity of the church against schisms and heresy during massive Roman persecution Why: A disturbance had happened in the church because of a priest called Novatian — a schismatic of the third century, and founder of the sect of the Novatians. Cyprian wrote to counter this and argues that there can only be one united Church, and the Novatian breakaway was a false church and that Novatian was an antipope.When: Around 249 AD You can find today’s reading on page 97 here: lentfatherscomple...

Lent Day 24: Athanasius: Life of Anthony: Chaps. 31-40

...Day Twenty-four: St. Athanasius: Life of Anthony: Chaps. 31-40 Who: Bishop of Alexandria; Confessor and Doctor of the Church; born c. 296; died 2 May, 373 AD. He was the main defender of orthodoxy in the 4th-century battle against the Arianism heresy. Certain writers received the title “Doctor” on account of the great advantage their doctrine had on the whole Church, Athanasius especially for his doctrine on the incarnation. What: The biography of Anthony the Great’s life, which helped to spread the concept of Christian monasticism, particularly in Western Europe. Why: From the letter’s own prologue: “The life and conversation of our holy Father,...

Lent Day 30: Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XIX

...fter they had been baptised. When: Around 348-350 AD You can find today’s reading on page 150 here: lentfatherscomplete.pdf   Today we begin a new series of texts to read by Cyril of Jerusalem. He actually wrote lots of lectures to teach new converts, but we're only beginning with lecture nineteen where he begins to teach on certain “mysteries” of the Church – such as anointing with oil, the Eucharist and renouncing Satan etc. These lectures were given after people had been baptised into the faith and were undergoing what is called “catechism”, which basically means, a summary of the principles of Christian religion in the form of questions an...