Tag: featured

Ch-ch-chain…Chain of Fathers*

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A while ago I wrote a post where I listed all the resources I draw upon each week in the composition of my commentary on the Sunday Mass Readings. I realized today that I forgot to mention one very important resource: the “Catena Aurea”.

So what is this “Catena Aurea”? I first heard about it on an episode of the world’s greatest podcast, “Catholic Stuff You Should Know”. The Catena is a book, a Scriptural commentary whose name, when translated from the Latin, means “Golden Chain”.

Mr. T pities the fool who don’t read the Catena!

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One Minute Book Review: C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity: A Biography

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This last weekend I finished C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity: A Biography. Just to be clear, this isn’t a biography of C.S. Lewis, it’s a biography of a book he wrote.

George Marsden recounts the genesis of what is probably Lewis’ most famous Christian apologetics book, Mere Christianity. He traces how Lewis’ talks to the RAF transitioned into radio addresses on the BBC and these were converted into three separate books which were ultimately collected together under the single title “Mere Christianity”. 

It was interesting to hear the criticisms which were offered at the time against both Lewis and his arguments by skeptics, as well as the reception of his work over time among different Christian denominations. 

If you like learning about C.S. Lewis, but want to read something a little different from the usual popular biographies, I’d thoroughly recommend this book!

Scientific Claims in the Qur’an and Hadith

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The sun sets in muddy spring (18:86)

Semen comes from between backbone & ribs (86:6-7)

Stars are missiles to shoot devils (67:5)

If a fly lands in your drink, one wing has the cure (Bukhari 3320)

A baby’s sex decided by who climaxes first (Bukhari 3329)

1. **Expanding Universe**: The Quran’s vague mention of the heavens being “built with power” or “expanded” (e.g., Quran 51:47) is not a unique or precise prediction of the Big Bang or cosmic expansion, which were discovered through modern astronomy, not religious texts.

2. **Iron’s Origin**: While science confirms iron was formed in stars, this was known to ancient civilizations (e.g., Egyptians and Mesopotamians) through meteorites, predating the Quran. The Quran’s claim (Quran 57:25) doesn’t provide new scientific insight.

3. **Embryology**: The Quran’s descriptions of human development (e.g., Quran 22:5, 23:12-14) are often interpreted post-hoc to match modern embryology. However, they lack detail and accuracy—e.g., describing stages like “alaqa” (clot) doesn’t align with scientific understanding and reflects 7th-century knowledge.

4. **Fingerprints**: The Quran (e.g., Quran 75:4) mentions preserving individual traits but doesn’t specifically predict the uniqueness of fingerprints, a concept developed scientifically in the 19th century by figures like Sir Francis Galton. These “scientific miracles” are often retrofitted interpretations, not precise predictions, and rely on ambiguous language that can be reinterpreted to fit new discoveries. Many pre-Islamic cultures and texts also had similar observations, undermining the claim of divine origin.

Leading a Bible study Feedback: Part 1

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Last month I published a series entitled Leading A Bible Study. I wrote those posts for two reasons. The first reason was to clarify in my own mind some of the lessons I had learned from leading various church groups. The other reason was to provide a resource for those beginning similar endeavours.

Upon completing the series, I sent out requests for feedback. I contacted friends, other Bible study leaders, as well as some random people on the Internet!

suggestion-box-shredder

In response to the feedback I received, I decided to write a few follow-up posts on this subject. I will devote a post to each area of feedback, quoting the feedback received and offering my own comments in RED.

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When Jehovah Witnesses come to call…

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I have two Jehovah Witnesses (JW) coming to see me this weekend…

early_watch_tower_cover

Knock, knock…

You see, two JWs turned up at my door about a month ago. They asked about religion so I told them a little bit about my faith journey. I explained how the issue of the canon (the Bible’s table of contents) was one of the decisive topics which brought about my return to Catholicism. 

How did they know that the table of contents was correct, I asked. I knew the various standard Protestant answers to this question and found them all unconvincing, but I wondered how a JW would answer it. The two missionaries at my door said they couldn’t answer that question, but they’d go find out and get back to me.

(This was, by the way, an excellent answer. When someone asks you a question and you don’t know the answer, it’s far better to say you don’t know, rather than trying to make something up on the spot. Just make sure that you do actually find out the answer and come back)

Well, this last Saturday I had two older chaps turn up at my door. I invited them in but they didn’t want to and instead booked an appointment with me for this weekend. I’m currently looking to find an icon of St. Nicholas to put up in time for their visit 😉

(There was a legend that St. Nicholas punched Arias in the face at the Council of Nicaea for denying the full deity of Christ, a doctrine also affirmed by JWs)

“But I’m no theology expert…”

I didn’t want to end this post without briefly mentioning something else on the subject of JWs. Not all Catholics will feel comfortable meeting with JWs and discussing theology, and others might just simply don’t have the time. However, I would like to share something that a friend of mine does when JWs call. She simply says the following:

glass-of-water“It’s really great that you care so much about your faith that you’re willing to give up your Saturday mornings to do this, but I should probably tell you I’m Catholic. In fact, I’m reeeeally Catholic, so I think I’d probably just be a waste of your time. 

It’s pretty hot outside today though, so would you like to take a chilled bottle of water to take with you?”

So, if you have to go pick up the kids for soccer practice or you’re busy getting brunch together and don’t have the time, I think this is a great response to give. It’s simple, it takes a grand total of thirty seconds to say and demonstrates concretely the love of Christ to those who love God enough to face rejection and abuse from strangers every week.

For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward. – Mark 9:41

Why Easter was particularly amazing this year…

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Around the country there have been quite a few reports that this has been an incredibly fruitful year for Catholicism, with large numbers of people entering the Church. In the San Diego Diocese alone, we had 1,342 people join this Easter. One of them was a housemate of mine, Nathan:

Nate

Nathan is an richly gifted guy and, like his confirmation Saint, Ambrose, he is going to be a real asset to the Church and a real force for good in the Kingdom. Please say a prayer for him and, if you meet him in person, give him a high-five 🙂

The hem of His garment…

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I’m winding down for the evening, but I wanted to quickly share something from Divine Liturgy this morning. The Gospel today on the Byzantine Calendar was the healing of the woman with a haemorrhage:

 And there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well.” And immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. – Mark 5:25-29

As I heard the Scriptures proclaimed today I had an epiphany, seeing an Old Testament connection to this passage which I had not previously seen:

And when [the priests] go out into the outer court to the people, they shall put off the garments in which they have been ministering, and lay them in the holy chambers; and they shall put on other garments, lest they communicate holiness to the people with their garments – Ezekiel 44:19

As you can see, in the Old Covenant the garments of the priests where to be kept away from the rest of Israel, but what a wonderful reversal we have with the New Covenant! Jesus, “our Great High Priest”, goes about among His flock, freely available to the people, with His vestments bringing healing and holiness.

There’s a beautiful practice in the Eastern Churches which is inspired by today’s Gospel. I first saw it at my old Ruthenian parish, but I’m told that it’s more common in Melkite and Antiochian churches. As the priest passes along the aisles, you’ll occasionally see members of the congregation reach out and touch the priest’s vestments, made holy not by his own sanctity, but by virtue of the office given to him by Christ through the Church.

Vestments

 

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