The Mystery of Reality
In this week’s readings, Edward Yarnold examines the initiatory sacramental actions of the church through the lens of the great 4th century theologians Cyril of Jerusalem, Ambrose of Milan, and Theodore of Mopuestia. Though each of these theologians work in the era of the yet undivided catholic Church, they each bring their own personal and regional flavor to the meanings of the initiatory rituals of Christianity. Yarnold collected and translated the works of these great theologians in an effort to give richer background to post Vatican II liturgical reforms and catechetical programs within the Church. Read more...
One in the Spirit
This week’s readings bring perfect support to the ideas brought previously by Metz, Schmemann, and others around the importance of communal anamnesis. In the previous week’s readings, the moment of the Eucharist became a central focus point for the theologians involved. It was especially in this moment that the mighty and merciful acts of God were remembered and the community stood in solidarity with the world. In Flesh of the Church, Flesh of Christ Tillard takes a deeper look into the idea of unity in the Christian tradition, focusing especially on how unity plays out in the Eucharist. Read more...
Luke 4:21-30; Challenging our Self-Centered Expectations
In today’s gospel reading we find Jesus attending worship at his home congregation in Nazareth for the first time since he left. One can almost imagine the scene as the familiar – and yet now somehow unfamiliar – Jesus takes his old place in the synagogue. The sweet elders of the congregation surround him, excited to hear how the boy they saw grow up has faired in the world. The men Jesus grew up with fish for stories of life outside of little Nazareth; tales of danger and adventure. Read more...
