Beginnings of life
To mark the 40 Days For Life, here is the movie “180”…
"We are travellers…not yet in our native land" – St. Augustine
To mark the 40 Days For Life, here is the movie “180”…
Think you’re kinda smart? Got a bit of time to spare? Want to answer 101 questions about Catholicism so that you can impress the ladies with your high Catholic IQ at coffee after Mass? Well, you’re in luck…
You never know, this might one day become a mandatory part of Canada’s immigration policy… 😉
Yesterday, during our Acts of the Apostles Bible study, we read the section in Acts 17 where St. Luke talks about St. Paul’s interaction with some philosophers in Athens:
“While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him” – Acts 17:16-18
Who were these “Epicurean and Stoic philosophers”? What did they believe? All will be answered in the video below:
So, the Epicureans were founded by Epicurus. They believed that things are “good” and “bad” based upon whether they give pleasure or pain. The Epicureans were negative hedonists, attempting to eliminate desires since Epicurus regarded it as a kind of pain. His followers didn’t fear death because once you’re dead no harm can come to you.
Zeno was the founder of the Stoics. They determined “good” and “bad” based upon whether something was seen as virtue or vice. Pleasure was seen as a vice and was therefore to be avoided. Unrealistic expectations were seen as the source of grief in life.
I’ve mentioned before about my love for the Sermon on the Mount and how I don’t seem to tire of returning to that passage in Matthew’s Gospel to meditate and ponder the words of the Lord. Below is a clip of one of my favourite priests, Fr. Robert Barron, from the Catholicism Project where he speaks about that great sermon…
(For the original prayer, see here…)
For more thoughts on this, please see my post The Excuses We Make.
Also go check out Brandon Vogt’s Catholic Speakers List…