St. Clement of Alexandria, early, early father of the Church…” “The Lord has turned all our sunsets into sunrise.” with Mike Aquilina

What is old is new again. That’s why the Fathers are so important, they’ve done battle with the heresies that continue to plaque our Church even today. Also in his writings you can see the “Theology of the Body”…1800 years or so before we hear from Pope John Paul II. Faith and Reason can live in harmony…then knew it then and we can be confident about that now.

Take a listen to Mike Aquilna, who does a great job giving us the life of this early, early father of the Church, Clement of Alexandria.

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Here in a very small nutshell is an overview of St. Clement of Alexandria –
from wikipedia –

Titus Flavius Clemens (c.150 – c. 215), known as Clement of Alexandria (to distinguish him from Clement of Rome), was a Christian theologian and the head of the noted Catechetical School of Alexandria. Clement is best remembered as the teacher of Origen. He united Greek philosophical traditions with Christian doctrine and valued gnosis that with communion for all people could be held by common Christians specially chosen by God.Though he constantly opposes the concept of gnosis as defined by the Gnostics, he used the term “gnostic” for Christians who had attained the deeper teaching of the Logos.He developed a Christian Platonism. He presented the goal of Christian life as deification, identified both as Platonism’s assimilation into God and the biblical imitation of God.

Like Origen, he arose from Alexandria’s Catechetical School and was well versed in pagan literature.Origen succeeded Clement as head of the school.Alexandria had a major Christian community in early Christianity, noted for its scholarship and its high-quality copies of Scripture.

Clement is counted as one of the early Church Fathers. He advocated a vegetarian diet and claimed that the apostles Peter, Matthew, and James the Just were vegetarians. – wikipedia

Great trilogy of St. Clement of Alexandria

The trilogy into which Clement’s principal remains are connected by their purpose and mode of treatment is composed of:

the Protrepticus (“Exhortation to the Greeks”)
the Paedagogus (“Instructor”)
the Stromata (“Miscellanies”)

The first book deals with the religious basis of Christian morality, the second and third with the individual cases of conduct.

STSG17 – The Lord’s Prayer (PART 1) – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran

Episode 17- Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran -The Lord’s Prayer(PART 1)

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Episode 17 –

The Lord’s Prayer (part 1)

“Our Father…”

In this lecture Sharon takes us on a beautiful journey through the Lord’s prayer, which the Catechism of the Catholic Church describes as the summary of the whole Gospel.

Sharon opens the mystery of each line, beginning with God as father throughout salvation history.
His covenant kinship expands over time, including more and more sons and daughters into His worldwide universal family.

She goes on to explore the struggle we all experience: is it My Will or Thy Will?

She then tackles forgiveness, showing us that the measure of God’s forgiveness is determined by our own willingness to forgive.

Scripture covered are Matthew 6 and Luke 11

Sharon Doran serves as the teaching director of “Seeking Truth.” An experienced Bible Study teacher, Sharon has a passion for scripture that will motivate and challenge you to immerse yourself in God’s Word and apply His message to your every day life.

“Seeking Truth” is an in depth Catholic Bible Study, commissioned by the Archdiocese of Omaha in response to John Paul II’s call to the New Evangelization as well as Pope Benedict XVI’s exhortation for all Catholics to study scripture. To learn more go to:www.seekingtruth.net

STSG18 – The Lord’s Prayer (PART 2) – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran

Episode 18- Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran -The Lord’s Prayer (PART 2)

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Episode 18 –

The Lord’s Prayer (part 2)

“Our Father…”

In this lecture Sharon takes us on a beautiful journey through the Lord’s prayer, which the Catechism of the Catholic Church describes as the summary of the whole Gospel.

She goes on to explore the struggle we all experience: is it My Will or Thy Will?

She then tackles forgiveness, showing us that the measure of God’s forgiveness is determined by our own willingness to forgive.

Scripture covered are Matthew 6 and Luke 11

STSG19 – The Parables of Jesus (PART 1) – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran

Episode 19- Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran -The Parables of Jesus (PART 1)

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Episode 19 –

The Parables of Jesus (part 1)

Through His parables, Jesus both conceals and reveals.

As Sharon teaches us in this lecture,
Jesus uses the parables to reveal the truths of the Kingdom.
Yet, he conceals his true identity as Messiah so that his plan for salvation will not be thwarted before the appointed hour of his death on the cross.
As Sharon shows us, these parables have an even deeper richness when seen through Middle Eastern eyes. Understanding the cultural details contained in parables such as the Sower or the Prodigal Son helps us to appreciate the power of these amazing stories.
Sharon’s lecture breathes new life into our understanding of these familiar stories.

STSG20 – The Parables of Jesus (PART 2) – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran

Episode 19- Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran -The Parables of Jesus (PART 2)

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Episode 20 –

The Parables of Jesus (part 2)

Through His parables, Jesus both conceals and reveals.

STSG21 – The Miracles of Jesus (PART 1) – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran

Episode 21- Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran -The Miracles of Jesus (PART 1)

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Episode 21 –

The Miracles of Jesus (part 1)

In this lecture, Sharon illuminates the miracles of Jesus in the most beautiful way.

As we learn this week, Jesus demonstrates dominion over the elements as he calms the storm on the Sea of Galilee.

Arriving on the other side of the sea, Jesus then displays his Lordship over Satan as He heals the Gerasene demoniac, driving a Legion of demons into 2000 swine, who then hurl themselves over a cliff into the sea.

The power of these miracles comes alive in Sharon’s presentation, with Old Testament prophecies jumping off the pages as they are fulfilled one by one.

Yet, in the gentle, quiet healings of Jairus’ daughter and the woman with a hemorrhage we learn even more of Christ’s plan of salvation for a new Daughter Zion.

In a conclusion that is both rich in scholarly insight and flowing with pastoral mercy, Sharon brings us to the realization that we only have to reach out to receive the abundant healing that God desires to lavish upon us.

STSG22 – The Miracles of Jesus (PART 2) – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran

Episode 22 – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran -The Miracles of Jesus (PART 2)

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Episode 22 –

The Miracles of Jesus (part 2)

In this lecture, Sharon illuminates the miracles of Jesus in the most beautiful way.

As we learn this week, Jesus demonstrates dominion over the elements as he calms the storm on the Sea of Galilee.

The power of these miracles comes alive in Sharon’s presentation, with Old Testament prophecies jumping off the pages as they are fulfilled one by one.

Yet, in the gentle, quiet healings of Jairus’ daughter and the woman with a hemorrhage we learn even more of Christ’s plan of salvation for a new Daughter Zion.

“You have called me” – St. John Damascene from the Office of Readings

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From The Statement of Faith by St. John Damascene, priest

You have called me, Lord, to minister to your people

O Lord, you led me from my father’s loins and formed me in my mother’s womb. You brought me, a naked babe, into the light of day, for nature’s laws always obey your commands.

By the blessing of the Holy Spirit, you prepared my creation and my existence, not because man willed it or flesh desired it, but by your ineffable grace. The birth you prepared for me was such that it surpassed the laws of our nature. You sent me forth into the light by adopting me as your son and you enrolled me among the children of your holy and spotless Church.

You nursed me with the spiritual milk of your divine utterances. You kept me alive with the solid food of the body of Jesus Christ, your only-begotten Son for our redemption. And he undertook the task willingly and did not shrink from it. Indeed, he applied himself to it as though destined for sacrifice, like an innocent lamb. Although he was God, he became man, and in his human will, became obedient to you, God his Father, unto death, even death on a cross.

In this way you have humbled yourself, Christ my God, so that you might carry me, your stray sheep, on your shoulders. You let me graze in green pastures, refreshing me with the waters of orthodox teaching at the hands of your shepherds. You pastured these shepherds, and now they in turn tend your chosen and special flock. Now you have called me, Lord, by the hand of your bishop to minister to your people. I do not know why you have done so, for you alone know that. Lord, lighten the heavy burden of the sins through which I have seriously transgressed. Purify my mind and heart. Like a shining lamp, lead me along the straight path. When I open my mouth, tell me what I should say. By the fiery tongue of your Spirit make my own tongue ready. Stay with me always and keep me in your sight.

Lead me to pastures, Lord, and graze there with me. Do not let my heart lean either to the right or to the left, but let your good Spirit guide me along the straight path. Whatever I do, let it be in accordance with your will, now until the end.

And you, O Church, are a most excellent assembly, the noble summit of perfect purity, whose assistance comes from God. You in whom God lives, receive from us an exposition of the faith that is free from error, to strengthen the Church, just as our Fathers handed it down to us.

A Novena to the Immaculate Conception – Day 5

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O God,
who by the Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son,
we beseech You that,
as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son,
You did preserve Her from all stain,
so too You would permit us,
purified through Her intercession,
to come unto You.
Through the same Lord Jesus Christ,
Your Son, who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, world without end.

Amen.

O Lord, who, by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary,
did prepare a fitting dwelling for your Son,
we beseech you that as by the foreseen death of your Son,
you did preserve her from all stain of sin,
grant that through her intercession,
we may be favored with the granting of the grace
that we seek for at this time…

(State your intention here…)

O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
Mother of Christ,
you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth;
you have the same influence now in heaven.
Pray for us
and obtain for us from him
the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will.

Amen.

For the complete 9 day novena visit the Discerning Hearts:

The Immaculate Conception Novena page

RN-1- Introduction and Value # 1 – Jesus Christ – Regnum Novum w/ Omar Gutierrez

Episode 1 – Regnum Novum: Bringing forth the New Evangelization through Catholic Social Teaching with Omar Guiterrez – Introduction and Value # 1 – Jesus Christ

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From episode … 1. Jesus Christ

You may not believe how many advocates of social justice are only too ready to chuck Jesus out the window in order to get you to buy their plan. One such program of which I’m familiar actually includes materials that deny the divinity of Christ, several times, and deny the salvific work of the cross. As Pope Paul VI and Pope Benedict XVI have said, the Social Doctrine is evangelization. If it is not rooted in the truth, then it can be manipulated to mean whatever one wants it to mean. The truth is quite simply, Jesus Christ who, as Gaudium et spes states, reveals man to himself. The Social Doctrine and the work of charity must stem from an intimate knowledge of Jesus Christ so that they might serve the whole person and point back to Christ.

Omar F. A. Guiterrez, M.A., studied Theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville and at the Angelicum in Rome. He holds a Master’s of Arts degree in Theology from the University of Dallas. He has worked for the Church in various capacities including as a teacher and administrator. His expertise includes Catholic Social Teaching, and his writings on the subject have appeared in several national Catholic newspapers and periodicals. He’s also the author of “The Urging of Christ’s Love: The Saints and The Social Teaching of the Catholic”

Also visit Omar’s “Discerning Hearts” page Catholic Social Teaching 101