Sharon Doran Archives

ST-Luke-4 – Mary, the New Ark of the New Covenant – The Gospel of St. Luke – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 4 – Mary the New Tent of the Meeting and Mary the New Ark of a New Covenant

In this episode we look at Papal Infallibility and how it relates to Mary. Beginning with our first Pope, Peter, there has been an unbroken succession of apostolic authority. A dogma is declared infallible only when three criteria are met: the pronouncement must be made by the lawful successor of Peter; the subject matter must be in the area of faith and morals; the pope must speak ex-cathedra, that is from the office and seat of Peter. Papal infallibility has been invoked for only two dogmas of the Church: the immaculate conception of Mary (Pius IX in 1854) and the bodily assumption of Mary (Pius XII in 1950).

We return to Luke 1 and the story of the Annunciation to Mary. When the angel declares to Mary that she will conceive and bear a son, she wonders how this could be since she had no relations with a man. John Paull II explains her response by saying that Mary had the intention of forever being a virgin. The angel replies by saying that Mary will be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. The Greek for overshadow is “episkiasei.” This word is used only one other time in the New Testament in Matthew 17 when at the Transfiguration the when Jesus and the apostles were Moses and Elijah were overshadowed by a cloud from which the voice of God could be heard. “Episkiasei” implies the divine true presence of God, and in the Old Testament, this word is only used in reference to the tent of the meeting, the Ark of the Covenant, and the Tabernacle, where the true presence of God was kept. The Ark of the Covenant was powerful and could not be touched without dire consequences. Just as the old Ark of the Covenant could not be touched, neither could the new Ark of the Covenant, Mary. Mary was perpetually a virgin. Like the Ark of the Covenant, Mary housed the true presence of God in her Womb.

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 everyday life.

For more in this series visit the Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran Discerning Hearts page

“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

O Emmanuel – The O Antiphons Reflections with Sharon Doran – Discerning Hearts podcast

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O Emmanuel

O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver,

the hope of the nations and their Saviour:

Come and save us, O Lord our God

ST-Luke-3 – The Angel Gabriel and Mary – The Gospel of St. Luke – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 3 – Angel Gabriel’s Annunciation to Mary and Protoevangelium of James’ Explanation of Mary’s Family History

Luke 1 continues with the Annunciation to Mary. The angel Gabriel again appears, this time to Mary, greeting her: “Hail, full of grace!” The Greek word for this phrase is “kecharitomene” which means that Mary was full of grace, is full of grace and will be full of grace, which is a reference to her life-long sinless nature. The angel tells Mary, “Be not afraid.” These words of encouragement were given to Joshua, Gideon and Moses as they prepared for battle, indicating that while Gabriel was comforting Mary, he was also preparing her for the battle yet to come.

We explore a glimpse into the early life of Mary, drawing from the extra-biblical source “The Protoevangelium of James.” While not part of the canon of inspired scripture, this text tells us of the early years of Mary. From this text, we learn the names of Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anna. According to “The Protoevangelium of James,” Joachim and Anna were childless and advanced in years when an angel appears in a vision, announcing that they will have a child. In a singular act of grace, Mary is conceived without the stain of original sin.

ST-Luke-2 – John the Fore-runner to Messiah – The Gospel of St. Luke – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 2 – “John the Fore-runner to Messiah” – The Gospel of Luke

Luke 1 begins with an address to “Most excellent Theophilus,” who may be a specific high ranking official. “Theophilus” also means beloved of God, and Luke might instead be writing an open letter the entire Christian community. Luke provides the historical detail that Herod is king at the time Jesus’ birth. Herod the Great, an Edomite, was not the legitimate ruler of Israel. Rather, he was a puppet king propped up by the occupying Romans. The Edomites were the descendants of Esau and the Israelites were the descendants of Jacob. The two nations were forever in conflict ever since Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew and Jacob deceived his blind father, obtaining the blessing that was rightfully due to Esau.

ST-Luke-1 – Introduction to Mary – The Gospel of St. Luke – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 1 – An Overview of Mary – The Gospel of Luke

The Virgin Mary is at the center of the beginning of this episode covering Luke 1. The church fathers, including Ambrose and Augustine, realized that Mary’s perpetual virginity was anticipated by the Old Testament prophets. In Ezekiel 44, we read about the locked eastern gate of the sanctuary, which could only be entered by the messianic prince. Mary is ever inviolate, even while giving birth to Jesus: like light passing through glass, Jesus was born of Mary, whose virginal integrity remained preserved. Mary serves as the gateway to heaven, through which passes Jesus.

ST-V16 Romans 9-16 Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran Video Podcast

“Romans 9-16” – Seeking Truth Catholic Bible Study from Discerning Hearts on Vimeo.

In this lecture, Sharon completes our journey through the book of Romans. The over-arching theme in this section is the universality of salvation through Jesus Christ. Taking us back to Genesis, Sharon focuses on the election of Israel as God’s chosen people. The children of promise, the offspring of Abraham and Sarah, become the nation of Israel. The children of flesh, the offspring of Abraham and Hagar, become the nation of Islam. Yet, as predicted by the prophets Hosea and Isaiah, only a remnant of Israel will be justified through faith in Jesus while the gentiles will be welcomed into covenant with God through faith in Christ. Sharon teaches us about the Jewish feast of Pentecost, which is also known as the feast of first fruits. The birth of the Church occurs with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and the first Jewish Christians are the first fruits of the new covenant. Using the imagery of an olive tree, Sharon also shows us how the nation of Israel is cut off due to their hardened hearts and lack of belief in Christ. Yet the roots remain holy and the gentiles are grafted into these roots to bear fruit for the kingdom of God. Even more, righteousness is offered to ALL nations provided they have faith in Jesus; the children of promise (Israel) and the children of flesh (Islam) can be grafted into these holy roots and bear fruit for the kingdom of God through the righteousness of faith in Jesus Christ.For the audio-only version of this podcast

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ST-V15 Romans 5-8 Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran Video Podcast

“Romans 5-8” – Seeking Truth Catholic Bible Study from Discerning Hearts on Vimeo.

In this week’s lecture, Sharon continues to guide us through Romans. She begins with a nice explanation about Paul’s use of diatribe, a literary technique where the speaker engages in a dialogue with imaginary opponents. Understanding this technique is essential to understanding Paul’s intended message. Using Romans 5 as a spring-board, Sharon then goes on to give us an in-depth teaching on the theological virtues of faith, hope and love. Another theme that runs through Romans is summed up in the doxology of the Lord’s Prayer; it is “Through Him, With Him and In Him.” Everything goes through Jesus: freedom from sin, freedom from death. Sharon concludes with this wonderful insight: God always creates through water and Spirit. From the creation of the world, to the recreation after the flood, to the creation of the nation of Israel, to the creation of the Church, to the creation of our new lives through Baptism, God creates through water and Spirit.

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ST-V14 Romans 1-4 Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran Video Podcast

“Romans 1-4” – Seeking Truth Catholic Bible Study from Discerning Hearts on Vimeo.

“True comfort comes when iniquity is pardoned.” With these words, Sharon begins the first of three lessons covering Paul’s monumental work, the book of Romans. One of the overarching themes of this book is that through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are pardoned for our sins. Paul begins his letter with the bad news: we are dying in our sins. But then, he delivers the good news: Jesus Christ provides a way out of sin. Sharon emphasizes that in order to fully understand Romans, we have to know that Paul is addressing the tension between the Jewish and Gentile Christians of Rome, explaining that righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ and not through adherence to the laws of the old covenant. Another theme of Romans is the obedience of faith, which is beautifully illustrated through the story of Abraham, whose faith continued to grow throughout his entire life. To be righteous, (that is, in right relationship with God), we must have faith in his only son, Jesus. Furthermore, Sharon teaches us of the importance of worship. When we fail to worship our Creator and, instead, worship the creation, we fall into idolatry, which invariably leads to sexual immorality.

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ST-V13 – Acts 17 & Thessalonians– Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran – Video Podcast

“Acts 17 And Thessalonians” – Seeking Truth Bible Study from Discerning Hearts on Vimeo.

This study examines Acts chapter 17 in conjunction with Paul’s two letters to the Thessalonians, the earliest New Testament letters. Beginning with a historical overview of the city of Thessalonica, Sharon examines Daniel 9, demonstrating the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy delivered to Daniel by the angel Gabriel to come in 490 years. The same angel Gabriel announced the conception of John the Baptist to his old father Zechariah as the one who would herald the way of the long awaited Messiah. The Angel Gabriel is the same angel who declared to Mary that she would bear the anointed one, the Messiah, a 490 day time period from conception to presentation in the temple. By outlining the true Messianic kingship of Jesus, Sharon goes on to show how Paul could not ignore the lordship of Jesus Christ. He felt an incredible urgency to spread the message of the Christ, willing to endure incredible sufferings for the sake of the Gospel. Paul and his fellow disciples, “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6) as they traveled from city to city, proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. The life of the Church recapitulates the life of Christ, who through His death and resurrection had all ready turned the world upside down. Paul is up against a tough crowd of Jews in Thessalonica. While many of the Thessalonians do not accept the gospel message, some of them do, along with Greek Gentiles and several leading women. The Beroean Jews are more receptive to Paul’s message, testing his preaching daily against the Old Testament scriptures and holding fast to what they find to be true. The jealous Jews from Thessalonica pursue Paul to diminish his ministry in Beroea, and to avoid death he swiftly left by sea to Athens, the intellectual Mecca of Greece. In Athens, many philosophers are curious about his message but most find Jesus to be nothing more than a curiosity. Sharon exhorts us to action, emphasizing that the Word of God must transform us, making that longest journey: the 18 inches from head to heart, provoking us to internalize Christ, propelling us to evangelize and transform the world around us.

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ST12 – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran – The Blessed Virgin Mary, “The Head-Crushing” Immaculately Conceived Handmaid of the Lord

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Episode 12 – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran, hosted by Bruce McGregor. Ep 12 – The Blessed Virgin Mary, “The Head-Crushing” Immaculately Conceived Handmaid of the Lord

Episode 12 – Sharon and Bruce discuss the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary is the new Eve! The sin-free woman who will crush the head of the serpent. Sharon breaks open Genesis chapter 2, the Gospel of Luke, Revelation 12 and the Old Testament teachings on the two other woman who are “blessed” and how this shines a light on our understanding of Mary!