Eastern Spirituality Catechesis Videos
In case you’re interested in Eastern Catholic/Orthodox spirituality, I recently came across the catechesis videos which are put out by the Eparchy of Phoenix:
Category: Catholicism
“Is there life before marriage?”…the video
A few weeks ago I gave my presentation on “Is there life before marriage?” to the Goretti Group. The audio for that evening is available here, but I just saw that the video has been posted on the Goretti Group’s YouTube Channel:
If you would like the audio version of this presentation, you can download it from the feed on iTunes and Google Play.
You also might be interested to hear the discussion of some of the ideas raised in this talk between myself and Nessa on recent episodes of The Restless Heart podcast (Episode 4 and Episode 6). The podcast itself is available on iTunes and Google Play.
New Podcast on the way…
The above picture was taken on a trip to Oxford I made a few years ago. I am standing inside “The Eagle and Child”, the preferred pub of “The Inklings”, the literary club to which C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien belonged.
In the next week or so I will be launching a new podcast. If you’ve been enjoying my other podcast, The Restless Heart, don’t worry, that will continue as normal. This new podcast will be called “The Eagle and Child”, named after that Oxford pub. Together with my friend Matt, we will work through C.S. Lewis’ book, “Mere Christianity”, chapter-by-chapter.
So, if you’ve ever wanted to become more familiar with C.S. Lewis, I’d invite you to buy a copy of Mere Christianity and join us each week as we discuss one of Lewis’ most famous works. If you have an questions or comments, please tweet us at @PintsWithJack.
Matt and I had a test recording last week and, as I listen to what we recorded, I’m really excited for the road ahead…
LibriVox
I love to read, but I find it hard to carve out the time on a regular basis. However, I have about an hour a day which I spend commuting to and from work. I therefore use this time to catch up on podcasts and audio books. If you like the idea of listening to great works of Christian literature but don’t want to incur the cost of buying these audio books, I would invite you to check out LibriVox, where all the books are free…
Fighting Racism with the Saints
Following the recent events in Charlottesville, Meg Hunter-Kilmer‘s latest podcast episode addresses the issue of racism. Meg talks with her little nephew about this very sensitive subject and tells some lovely saint stories along the way.
For those of you who have little kids, I think this is a really great way to talk with them about some of the things currently happening in the United States.
Eastern Fathers on Prayer
Given that I attend an Eastern Rite Church, I suppose that it’s no great surprise that I love the Eastern Fathers of the Church. In light of this, I wanted to share a video of a presentation given by Joseph Heschmeyer (soon to be Deacon Joseph Heschmeyer), about the Eastern Fathers on the subject of prayer:
Be Satisfied With Me
A couple of months ago, a friend shared with me this passage entitled “Be Satisfied with Me”, attributed to St. Anthony of Padua (I couldn’t find a citation). It’s really quite beautiful:
Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone,
To have a deep soul relationship with another,
To be loved thoroughly and exclusively.
But to a Christian, God says, “No, not until you are satisfied,
Fulfilled and content with being loved by Me alone,
With giving yourself totally and unreservedly to Me.
With having an intensely personal and unique relationship with Me alone.
Discovering that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found,
Will you be capable of the perfect human relationship,
That I have planned for you.
You will never be united to another
Until you are united with Me.
Exclusive of anyone or anything else.
Exclusive of any other desires or longings.
I want you to stop planning, to stop wishing, and allow Me to give you
The most thrilling plan existing . . . one you cannot imagine.
I want you to have the best. Please allow Me to bring it to you.
You just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things.
Keep experiencing the satisfaction that I am.
Keep listening and learning the things that I tell you.
Just wait, that’s all. Don’t be anxious, don’t worry
Don’t look around at things others have gotten
Or that I have given them
Don’t look around at the things you think you want,
Just keep looking off and away up to Me,
Or you’ll miss what I want to show you.
And then, when you’re ready, I’ll surprise you with a love
Far more wonderful than you could dream of.
You see, until you are ready, and until the one I have for you is ready,
I am working even at this moment
To have both of you ready at the same time.
Until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me
And the life I prepared for you,
You won’t be able to experience the love that exemplified your relationship with Me.
And this is perfect love.
And dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love,
I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me.
And to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty,
perfection and love that I offer you with Myself.
Know that I love you utterly. I AM God.
Believe it and be satisfied