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How difficult to explore the history of Christianity, and see the various episodes of persecution of our forebears. Jesus of Nazareth wasn’t, of course, a “Christian;” but he was the first to suffer persecution for the faith that his life–and death–would found. Tradition holds that, of the Apostles, all save John were martyred for their belief in Jesus Christ and their efforts to build his church and grow its faith. During that time, as the
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‘Visione di sant’ agostino’ (vision of Saint Augustine) (1502) by Vittore Carpaccio “I wept at the beauty of your hymns and canticles, and was powerfully moved by the sweet sound of your Church’s singing. Those sounds flowed into my ears, and the truth streamed into my heart: so that my feeling of devotion overflowed, and the tears ran from eyes, and I was happy in them.” After you read this quote by Augustine of Hippo,
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Make Way for the Lord! In ancient Israel, prophets mediated God’s revelation, message and word to his people. These revelatory communications could come into the prophet’s consciousness, one transformed by God, via visions, dreams or other forms of sublime awareness. Once the prophet understood the revelations, God had him (and, rarely, her) use his human abilities to transmit these understandings to his community. Some prophets resisted God initially, as they were overwhelmed by the task
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The perfect family…? For the past two weekends we had special Christmas celebrations: the Feast of the Holy Family, a day during which we honor the family unit of Jesus Christ, Blessed Mother Mary and Joseph, and Feast of the Epiphany (“revelation from above”). In the Eastern Catholic Church the feast is known as Theophany (“revelation of God”), one that culminates in Jesus’ Baptism. The Holy Family offers us a role model, above all others, that we should
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“Santa Claus is coming, to town…” Wait! Stop! I know, I know; it probably seems that you’ve heard that Christmas jingle–and many others–play from the speaker system of virtually every store since, well, shortly after Labor Day. Retailers know their game: “Let’s put up the decorations and play those happy tunes, in the hopes that Almighty Dollar will arrive here soon!” Or… ‘Twas a month before Christmas when all through the store, not a shopper
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