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Lent Day 34: Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXIII

...nter into worship; and by also joining in with the angels above by reciting the hymn of the Seraphim seen in Isaiah 6:3, “so we may be partakers with the hosts of the world above in their Hymn of praise”. Prayers and intercessions The next order of service is the prayers to “commemorate also those who have fallen asleep before us” – but what’s interesting here is the implication that it’s not just in remembrance of the faithful who had died before them, either long ago in the Prophets and Apostles, or for those in “who in past years have fallen asleep among us”, but that “at their prayers and intercessions God would receive our petition”...

Lent Day 28: Athanasius: Life of Anthony: Chaps. 71-80

...uently to worship four-footed beasts, creeping things and the likenesses of men?  For these things, are the objects of reverence of you wise men. But how do you dare to mock us, who say that Christ has appeared as man... He goes on to say that they talk endlessly about “the wanderings of Osiris and Isis, the plots of Typhon, the flight of Cronos, his eating his children and the slaughter of his father” as their form of wisdom, yet mock the cross but marvel at the resurrection! But “the same men who told us of the [resurrection] wrote [about the cross]”, Anthony responds. They would mock the cross but be then are silent about all the miracles and wond...

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

...Day Thirty: St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XIX Who: Bishop of Jerusalem and Doctor of the Church, born about 315; died probably 18 March, 386. Little is known of his life, except from his younger contemporaries, Epiphanius, Jerome, and Rufinus, as well as from the fifth-century historians, Socrates, Sozomen and Theodoret. What: Each of the lectures deal with a different topic to teach converts the mysteries of the Church, particularly: rites of the renunciation of Satan and his works, of anointing with oil, of baptism, of anointing with the holy chrism, and of partaking of the body and blood of Christ. Why: Cyril delivered to new conve...

John Chau, missionary to the Sentinelese: martyr or madness?

...me act of worship and veneration towards him. This wasn’t an attempt to root out Christians necessarily, but they did refuse to partake due to their beliefs in worshipping God alone and not committing idolatry by performing an act of worship towards the reigning Caesar. As far as the Romans were concerned, the Christians were traitors and committed a treasonous act. It didn’t really matter why, only that they couldn’t be convinced otherwise and were killed for it to be an example to others. Were these early Christians martyrs or completely mad? How you answer that, I suspect, will inform you of how you view young John Chau’s death. I, for one, am willi...

Spiritual Disciplines of the Early Church: Ancient Practices for the 21st Century

...Psalms as worship to God Both of these principles are based on Psalm 1:1–3 and Colossians 3:16. “Every Psalm brings peace, soothes the internal conflicts, calms the rough waves of evil thoughts, dissolves anger, corrects and moderates profligacy.” Commentary on Psalm 1, Basil the Great (4th century)   Prayer and Fasting Another common practice that was expected of believers was regular fasting, since Jesus had said “when you fast”, not “if”. Typically, fasting was done every week on Wednesday and Friday, based on Matthew 6:16–18, and also to honour the days of the Passion and crucifixion in later tradition. “But let not your...

Lent 2018: The Temptations of Jesus

...Lent is just around the corner, and so this year I've decided to write a short series over the next 40 days looking at the forty days that Jesus spent in the wilderness, and the temptations he faced. I'll post a new blog each Sunday of Lent looking at each temptation, and then finish the series just before Easter Sunday looking at “how was Jesus a sacrifice?”. Series outline: Temptation one: Pride (1st Sunday of Lent, February 18, 2018) Temptation two: worship and Glory (2nd Sunday of Lent, February 25, 2018) Temptation three: Testing God (3rd Sunday of Lent, March 4, 2018) Temptation four: Complacency (4th Sunday of Lent, March 11, 2018) Topical: W...