St. Ephrem the Syrian imagines the angels looking all over for God the Son. They look for him in Heaven, and find him on earth—but they look for him on earth, and find him in Heaven. It is not only for weak beings that the sight of you is too great, or the searching out of you is concealed. The senses of the body, since they stand in so much need of the senses in our inmost imagination, do not grasp... Read more
In case you missed this weekend,s show check out the link below to hear the archived podcast. Rod Bennett and I discuss the early church and his latest book from Catholic Answers, The Apostasy That Wasn’t: The Extraordinary Story of the Unbreakable Church. Listen to the show here. Read more
Angels announced the first coming of Christ in the Incarnation, says St. Leo the Great, and angels have foretold the second coming as well—so that we would know what power Christ would come with. But when the disciples’ eyes, turned up in earnest wonder, had followed the Lord ascending into Heaven, two angels stood by them in robes shining with brightness, saying, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into Heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into... Read more
Angels tell the gaping disciples that “this Jesus” has been taken into Heaven. St. Augustine says that the angels are emphasizing that it is the very same Jesus whose body they saw broken on the Cross and buried in the tomb—the same Jesus who will come again, but who, even in Heaven, is always with them. “God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet” (Ps. 46:5). The disciples wondered in joy, seeing him whose... Read more
St. Ambrose imagines the twenty-fourth psalm as the dialog of the angels when Christ rose from the dead. He points out that even angels, though they possess great knowledge, can advance step by step just as we do. When the angels saw the Lord of all approaching, the first and only Van- quisher of death, they told their leaders to lift up the gates, saying in adoration, “Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that... Read more
The women who came to the tomb where Jesus had been buried were granted a vision of angels. Why were they given this privilege? It was because of their deep love for Christ, says St. Cyril of Alexandria. The women came to the sepulcher, and when they could not find the body of Christ—for he had risen—they were much perplexed. And what happened then? For the sake of their love for Christ, and their earnest zeal in it, they were counted... Read more
The angels, says St. Ambrose, were amazed by the Resurrection. Even the hosts of Heaven could not understand the wonderful mystery of our salvation until Christ himself revealed it. Why should we be surprised if by their worldly wisdom men failed to comprehend the mystery of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden (Col. 2:3); that mystery which not even angels have been able to know except by revelation? For who... Read more
Christ rose to Heaven in his glorified body, says St. Cyril of Alexandria. He imagines how the angels must have wondered at the sight: the God of all creation appearing in human form, with scars from the nails still in his hands! Thus the only-begotten Word of God returned to the heavens, with the flesh united to him. How strange was the sight in Heaven! The throng of angels marveled when they saw the King of earth and the Lord of... Read more
This week one lucky winner will receive a copy of Marrying the Rosary to the Divine Mercy Chaplet: A Fusion of Meditation and Intercession by tShane Kapler, sponsored by Enroute Books (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 Tuesday 2/14 with a winner been chosen that day, enter below! a Rafflecopter giveaway Read more
CBB Review – Marrying the Rosary to the Divine Mercy Chaplet: A Fusion of Meditation and Intercession Two of the most well-known prayers in the Catholic Church are the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. On their own, each is a powerful tool for spiritual growth and a solid foundation to any prayer life. What if you combined the two? Shane Kapler has done exactly that in his new book Marrying the Rosary to the Divine Mercy Chaplet: A Fusion of... Read more
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