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:
"We are travellers…not yet in our native land" – St. Augustine
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:
In an upcoming episode of “The Eagle and Child” podcast, Matt and I were discussing C.S. Lewis’ comments concerning the choosing of a denomination:
In plain language, the question should never be: “Do I like that kind of service?” but “Are these doctrines true: Is holiness here? Does my conscience move me towards this? Is my reluctance to knock at this door due to my pride, or my mere taste…”
– C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (Preface)
Our discussion put me in mind of these two satirical videos from Christian comedian, John Crist…
Unfortunately, this episode I’m flying solo! Nessa wasn’t able to make it so I thought it best to record on my own, rather than let another week pass without a new episode. In today’s episode I tackle the delicate subject of “Intercommunion” and explain why, under normal circumstances, the Eucharist is not given to non-Catholic Christians.
Episode 5: Intercommunion (Download)
— Notes —
* This episode was based on a two-part series I wrote a few years ago.
* I quote from two Early Church Fathers in this episode. The first is St. Justin Martyr:
“This food we call [the Eucharist], and no one is allowed to partake but he who believes that our doctrines are true, who has been washed with the washing for the remission of sins and rebirth, and who is living as Christ has enjoined… “
“…We do not receive these as common bread and drink. For Jesus Christ our Saviour, made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation. Likewise, we have been taught that the food blessed by the prayer of his word…is the flesh and blood of Jesus who was made flesh.”
– Justin Martyr, First Apology, Chapter 66 (~ AD 150)
* The second Father I quote is St. Ignatius of Antioch:
“They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not confess the Eucharist is the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, in His loving-kindness, raised from the dead”
– Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaeans, Chapter 7 (~AD 97)
* I also quote from a portion of one of St. Paul’s letters:
“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died”
– 1 Corinthians 11:29–30
* The Spiritual Communion prayer I quote is as follows:
“My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen”
Please subscribe to this podcast using iTunes and Google Play and if you have any feedback or would like to pose a question for an upcoming episode, you can send us a message from the website or tweet us at @davidandnessa.
“Life is not just a succession of events or experiences. It is a search for the true, the good, and the beautiful. It is to this end that we make our choices; it is for this that we exercise our freedom; it is in this – in truth, in goodness, and in beauty – that we find happiness and joy”
– Pope Benedict XVI, “New Technologies, New Relationships: Promoting a Culture of Respect, Dialogue, and Friendship”
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.
Today’s music is a modern take on an old hymn. This is Austine Stone’s version of the hymn “It is well”:
When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul
It is well
With my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul
My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin, not in part, but the whole
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord oh my soul
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight
The cloud be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend
Even so, it is well with my soul
It is well
With my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul
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…