"We are travellers…not yet in our native land" – St. Augustine
Today I’d like to address an objection to Christianity which you hear every now and again:
“Jesus prophesied that the Jerusalem Temple would be completely destroyed. However, the “Wailing Wall” is still standing, proving him wrong. Jesus is therefore a failed prophet and therefore can’t be God”
Jews praying in front of The Wailing Wall, Jerusalem
The previous bucket list task of lighting a votive candle was rather simple. This next bucket list item is a little more involved…
Bucket List Item #4: Go on pilgrimage
The Catholic Church has an extremely rich history of pilgrimage. From the earliest times Christians have travelled to places of significance for the Christian faith. The hope in visiting such places is that the pilgrim’s faith will grow and that he would be enriched by process of the journey. The journey is itself an allegory for the Christian journey through life, a pilgrimage towards Heaven.
Pope John Paul II in Jerusalem
In Revelation, Jesus says that He is “…coming soon” (Revelation 22:20). However, it is now 2,000 years later and we haven’t yet had the Second Coming. Dr Barber, in the second chapter of his book, addresses the obvious question: “Was Jesus wrong?”.
Some exegetes solve this problem of Jesus’ absence by pointing to St. Peter’s second epistle:
But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day – 2 Peter 3:8
These exegetes make the argument that Jesus is indeed coming “soon”, but our version of “soon” is not the same as His.
Two weeks ago in our Acts of the Apostles Bible study we covered Acts 15 where we heard about the Council of Jerusalem in AD 52.
In our discussion we also spoke about Ecumenical Councils, when the bishops of the world are gathered together to settle issues facing the Church. I said I would put something up here listing those councils. Here they are…
AD 325: Nicea
Issue: The Divinity of Christ
AD 381: Constantinople
Issue: The Divinity of Holy Spirit
AD 431: Ephesus
Issue: Mary as “Theotokos” (“God Bearer”)
AD 46I: Chalcedon
Issue: The two natures in Christ
AD 476: The Fall of Rome
AD 553: Constantinople II
Issue: Condemned a variety of writings.
AD 680: Constantinople III
Issue: The two wills in Christ
AD 787: Nicea II
Issue: The veneration of images
AD 869: Constantinople IV
AD 1054 Eastern Schism. The East has never held another council.
AD 1123, 1139, 1179, 1215: Lateran I, II, III and IV
AD 1245 & 1274: Lyons I & II
AD 1311: Vienne
AD 1414: Constance
Western Schism
AD 1453 Fall of Constantinople
AD 1512: Lateran V
AD 1545: Trent
Issue: Dealt with Luther’s teachings and made Church reforms
AD 1869: Vatican I
AD 1963: Vatican II
When writing about the Bible, the subject of the Jerusalem Temple often comes up. The other day I was clearing out my (rather large) “To Sort” folder on my computer and came across this image which I had downloaded from somewhere. I thought I’d put it up here so I can link to it in other posts.
If I ever work out where the source of the download I’ll add a credit…
Continuing my attempts to produce these Lectionary Notes in under four hours…
The Readings this week focus around life in Christ.
We begin with an account of St. Paul’s failed attempts in Jerusalem to commune with Christ’s Body, the Church. Strangely enough, it turns out that people tend to be a bit stand-offish if you’ve previously tried to kill them! In our Gospel Reading, Jesus teaches his disciples using the metaphor of the vine, showing us that union with Him is essential if we are to live. He gives us a warning too, that if we do not produce fruit, we will be cut off from Him and deprived of His Divine life. St. John restates this sentiment in the Second Reading, exhorting his readers to “love not in word…but in deed”.
Let us come to Mass this week thirsty for the grace of Christ which is communicated through His Church. Let us drink deeply, returning to the world refreshed, ready to share the life of Christ and to bear fruit which will last.
Through Him, and with Him, and in Him…
In our First Reading last week we read about the giving of the Ten Commandments and this week we continue our Lenten tour through the high points of Old Testament Salvation History.
Our First Reading begins on a rather somber note. The Kingdom of Judah had abandoned God’s Law and, as a result, the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed and the people led into captivity. All of God’s promises to King David seemed to be lost! We hear the people’s song of lament in today’s Psalm.
However, because of God’s mercy and through His divine providence, the pagan King Cyrus decides to grant the Jews their freedom, releasing them from bondage.
In the light of the New Testament, we know that God’s promises to King David were not forgotten, but that they all found their fulfillment in Jesus of Nazareth, both Son of David and Son of God! The freedom granted to God’s people by King Cyrus was simply a foreshadowing of Jesus’ work of salvation. It is through the King of Kings that we are released from the bondage of death and brought to new life.
In our Second Reading, St. Paul tells use that “because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, [He] brought us to life with Christ”. These words of St. Paul are themselves only an echo of the Master’s teaching. In this week’s Gospel Reading, during His discourse with Nicodemus, Jesus reveals the heart of the Father: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life“.
Full of confidence, therefore, in God’s mercy and love, let us approach this week’s Eucharistic liturgy with the joy of those who have been granted new life 🙂