Wise Words On Wednesday: The one great requisite
The one great requisiste is character
– Talmud
The Epistle Of Joy – Episode #15 (Audio)
The audio-only version of the latest episode in the Philippians video series is now available to download below.
Today we begin Chapter 4 and find out about a problem within the Philippian Church…
Epistle of Joy – Episode #15 (Download)
The Epistle of Joy – Episode #15 (Video)
Today we begin the final chapter of Philippians, Chapter 4:
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!
I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. – Philippians 4:1-3
Here are my thoughts on today’s text:
For an audio-only version of this video, please click here.
Music Monday: Indescribable
A little more contemporary Christian music, this time “Indescribable” by Chris Tomlin:
VERSE 1
From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation’s revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming
CHORUS
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
VERSE 2
Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom
My weekend
So, I spent this weekend sick in bed. It began with a sore throat Friday night and progressed to my head and chest through the weekend.
Although I’m feeling better than I did, my voice still isn’t great, continuing to sound like Barry White, and I feel rather drained still. As such, I’m not feeling up to recording a video today, sorry. The next one will be posted on Tuesday.
Today has been rather strange in that I haven’t been to Church. I’ve been trying to think of the last time I didn’t get to Mass/Liturgy on a weekend and I think it’s got to be well over a decade. Every now and then I get into a discussion with a non-Catholic concerning the Catholic understanding of the necessity of going to Church, but honestly, if I could find a way to communicate how I currently feel, it would probably be far more compelling of an argument. Deprived of the Bread of Heaven, today seems…incomplete. I feel…hungry.
That is not to say that God has held back the grace today. I have been able to offer up my discomfort for the many intentions of those around me and it really hasn’t been that uncomfortable. I have spent last the time listening to talks, reading books (God bless Peter Kreeft!) and spending time in what Matthew Kelly would call “The Classroom of Silence”.
I had a lot of things that I had planned to do this weekend and I achieved very few of them. In the well-known story of “Mary & Martha”, Martha busies herself and Mary sits at the Lord’s feet and listens and, for this, Jesus says that she chose “the better part”. Sometimes the Lord chooses “the better part” for us. He loves us like that 🙂
Colossian Questions
As I mentioned before, I’m currently updating the New Testament questions and answers which I run through at the beginning of every Bible study. Today I’d like to cover the questions surrounding Colossians:
58. What was Paul’s situation when writing Colossians?
The evidence seems to point to the same situation as the other captivity epistles (Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon and Philippians). He is in Rome under house arrest in approximately AD 62.
59. Had Paul ever been to Colossae?
No, but he had stayed in nearby Ephesus for three years.
60. Who founded the Church at Colossae?
A Colossian native called “Epaphras” appears to have been converted through Paul’s ministry and first taken the gospel to Colossae.
61. So why did Paul write to the Colossians?
It seems Epaphras visited Paul in Rome and asked him to write to this nascent congregation to speak to the various heresies attacking the Church in Colossae.
62. What were the heresies with which the Colossians struggled?
They appear to be several, but they included issues surrounding circumcision, asceticism, the person of Christ, secret knowledge and human wisdom.
63. Who are the opponents in Colossae?
This very much depends on how one interprets the heresies described, but scholars suggest either Jews, Pagans or early Gnostics.
64. What is noticeable about the way in which Paul speaks about Jesus in this letter?
We call it “High Christology”, since Jesus is described as “the image of the invisible God”, “the firstborn of all Creation”, “in him the fullness of deity dwells bodily” etc.
65. What does Paul say about suffering in this letter?
He describes himself as “complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions”.
66. During the letter Paul speaks about a hidden “mystery”. What is it?
That Jesus came for us…all of us, both Jew and Gentile
67. What Sacrament does Paul speak about in this letter and in what terms does he describe it?
He speaks about baptism, describing it both in terms of circumcision and death.
1-16 | 17-27 | 27-42 | 43-52 | 53-57 | 58-67 | 68-71 | 72-81
All Questions
Peter Kreeft and Scott Sullivan – Atheism, Jesus and truth
I just finished listening to a conversation between Dr. Scott Sullivan and Dr. Peter Kreeft. Dr. Kreeft has been one of my all-time favourite speakers, philosophers and authors and I recently bought Dr. Sullivan’s course on logic. Their conversation is great and Dr. Kreeft shines as always 🙂
