In a very dangerous time for orthodox Christians and the whole Roman Empire, St. Ambrose reminds us that we always have helpers to protect us. Just as Elisha could count on a legion of angels, we have the legions of the martyrs on our side. Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus, that at this time, when your Church re- quires greater guardianship, you have raised up for us the spirits of the holy martyrs. Let all be well aware what... Read more
In case you missed this weekend’s show check out the link below to hear the archived podcast. Raymond Arroyo and I discuss Mother Angelica and his new series of books about the adventuresome Will Wilder. The first book of the series, The Relic of Perilous Falls, has been met with great praise from the young and young at heart. My daughter Katie’s review can be found here. The second book in the series, The Lost Staff of Wonders, is due out on... Read more
During a tense time in Milan, St. Ambrose reminds his flock of a story from the Old Testament. The king of Syria wanted to attack Israel, and decided to silence the powerful prophet Elisha first. Elisha’s servant feared the army coming against them, but Elisha showed him the angelic hosts arrayed for their protection. Now here’s an example from the Old Testament. Elisha was being pursued by the king of Syria, who sent an army to capture him. He was surrounded... Read more
A very early Christian writing, The Shepherd of Hermas, gives us the famous image of the good and bad angels competing for our attention. In a vision, a glorious shepherd explains to the author that you can tell the angels apart by the suggestions they give you. “Hear now,” he said, “about faith. There are two angels with each per- son—one of righteousness, and the other of wickedness.” And I said to him, “How, sir, am I to know the powers... Read more
St. Gildas the Wise lived in the time after the legendary King Arthur, when barbarians were destroying his native Britain. Here he prays God to send him help from all the angels. Help, unity of trinity, have pity, trinity of unity; Help me, I pray, thus placed as in the peril of a great sea, So that the plague of this year will not draw me with it, nor the vanity of the world. And this very prayer I make to... Read more
Theodoret of Cyrus imagines a dialogue between Orthodoxos, the champion of orthodox Christianity, and Eranistes, whose name we might translate as “Mish– mash,” because he takes his opinions from all the heresies, and explains that angels cannot see God directly, but when Christ rose they did see him in the flesh. Eranistes: Then the substance of God was not seen by those who beheld those revelations? Orthodoxos: No! Who is mad enough to dare to say so? Eranistes: Yet it is... Read more
Angels don’t lie, says St. Ephrem the Syrian. The message they bring from God is true. And the message we read in the Gospel is true. If it were not, it could not have been established all over the world. Why did Gabriel not deceive Daniel and say that he was God (Dan. 8:17)? Why did the Seraph not deceive Isaiah and say that he was the Son of God (Isa. 6:6)? Because he was an angel, he did not lie. The... Read more
This week one lucky winner will receive a copy of The Apostasy That Wasn’t: The Extraordinary Story of the Unbreakable Early Church by Rod Bennett, sponsored by Catholic Answers (you can read my review here). I use Rafflecopter to run my giveaways which makes it simple for you and me. The contest begins now and ends next Wednesday 2/22 with a winner been chosen that day, enter below! a Rafflecopter giveaway Read more
All things are made subject to Christ—but what kind of subjection is this? Not ignoble slavery, says St. Ambrose, but a glorious service of the Good. We are subject the way the angels are subject. Are not all things now subject to him? Are not the choirs of the saints made subject? Are not the angels, who ministered to him when on the earth (Matt. 4:11)? Are not the Archangels who were sent to Mary to foretell the coming of the... Read more
CBB Review of The Apostasy That Wasn’t: The Extraordinary Story of the Unbreakable Early Church by Rod Bennett. There is a little piece of early church history that is misconstrued to the point that Protestants often use it to question the legitimacy of the Roman Catholic Church. The event is what has become known as The Great Apostasy. Rod Bennett does an exceptional job of bringing this story to life in his latest book The Apostasy That Wasn’t: The Extraordinary Story... Read more
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