July 2013 – Jimmy Akin

The Weekly Francis – 28 July 2013

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 18 July to 28 July 2013.

Angelus

Homilies

24 July 2013 – Holy Mass in the Basilica of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Conception of Aparecida, Rio de Janeiro, WYD 2013
27 July 2013 – Holy Mass with the Bishops of the 28th WYD and with the Priests, Religious and Seminarians in the Cathedral of St Sebastian in Rio de Janeiro, WYD 2013

Letters

18 July 2013 – Chirograph for the institution of a Pontifical Commission for Reference on the Organisation of the economic-administrative structure of the Holy See

Messages

19 July 2013 – To Card. Agostino Vallini on the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Rome of 19 July 1943

Speeches

Papal Tweets

“I am arriving in Brazil in a few hours and my heart is already full of joy because soon I will be with you to celebrate the 28th WYD.” @pontifex, 22 July 2013
“Today we begin a wonderful week in Rio; may it be a time to deepen our friendship in Jesus Christ.” @pontifex, 22 July 2013
“Thank you to all of you and to all the authorities for a magnificent welcome in Rio. #Rio2013 #JMJ” @pontifex, 23 July 2013
“The Church is young, as everyone can see at WYD. May the Lord always keep us all young at heart. #Rio2013 #JMJ” @pontifex, 23 July 2013
“Dear young friends, Christ has confidence in you and he entrusts his own mission to you: Go and make disciples! #Rio2013 #JMJ” @pontifex, 23 July 2013
“Never forget, young friends: The Virgin Mary is our Mother and with her help we can remain faithful to Christ. #Rio2013 #JMJ” @pontifex, 24 July 2013
“Let us thank Blessed John Paul II for WYD and for the many vocations born during these 28 gatherings. #Rio2013 #JMJ” @pontifex, 24 July 2013
“May sports always be a means of exchange and growth, never of violence and hate. #Rio2013 #JMJ” @pontifex, 25 July 2013
“The Christian life is not limited to prayer, but requires an ongoing dedication and courage born of prayer. #Rio2013 #JMJ” @pontifex, 25 July 2013
“The measure of the greatness of a society is found in the way it treats those most in need, those who have nothing apart from their poverty.” @pontifex, 25 July 2013
“What an unforgettable welcome in Copacabana! May God bless you all! #Rio2013 #JMJ” @pontifex, 26 July 2013
“Every Friday is an opportunity to remember how much Jesus has suffered for us. Lord, never let us forget how much you love us.” @pontifex, 26 July 2013
“There is no cross, big or small, in our life which the Lord does not share with us. #Rio2013 #JMJ” @pontifex, 26 July 2013
“Bishops are the pastors of the People of God. Follow them with trust and courage. #Rio2013 #JMJ” @pontifex, 27 July 2013
“Dear young friends, learn to pray every day: this is the way to know Jesus and invite him into your lives. #Rio2013 #JMJ” @pontifex, 27 July 2013
“We cannot keep ourselves shut up in parishes, in our communities, when so many people are waiting for the Gospel! #Rio2013 #JMJ” @pontifex, 28 July 2013
“Dear young people, be true ”athletes of Christ“! Play on his team! #Rio2013 #JMJ” @pontifex, 28 July 2013
“We need to model our lives on the life of Jesus, so as to share his sentiments and his thoughts. #Rio2013 #JMJ” @pontifex, 28 July 2013

Note: Due to problems with using copyrighted material from the Vatican the eBook version of The Weekly Francis has been suspended. For users of the previous ebook volume I have some suggestions for alternatives on how to best read these documents especially on mobile platforms.

14 things you need to know about the new book Zealot

What should you think of the new book Zealot? Here are 14 things to know and share.

There’s a new best-seller out there which claims to give us “the real story” on Jesus.

It’s called Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, and it is one in a long line of books challenging the portrait of Jesus given in the gospels.

The author is giving interviews in the major media, promoting his book, and people are asking questions about it and how to respond.

Here are 14 things to know and share . . .

1) What is Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth?

It is a book authored by Reza Aslan and published by Random House in July of 2013.

With the power of the Random House marketing machine behind it, the book quickly shot to the top of Amazon’s bestseller list.

The book is billed as a biography of Jesus of Nazareth.

In keeping with Aslan’s creative writing background (see below), much of it is written in a casual, narrative style that does not stop to cite sources, mount arguments, or consider alternative viewpoints.

It reads rather a lot like historical fiction, with Aslan inviting us to imagine the colors of the curtain of the Jerusalem temple, how scene at the temple would have sounded, and even how it would have smelled (rather putrid, according to Aslan).

2) Who is Reza Aslan?

Aslan is an associate professor of creative writing at the University of California Riverside. He lives in Hollywood.

He was born in Tehran, Iran but raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.

His family background is Muslim, though not devout.

He himself experienced a conversion to Christianity in his teens but later lost his faith.

He has a doctorate in the sociology of religions from the University of California Santa Barbara.

3) Is Aslan trying to hide his Muslim background?

He has been accused of doing so in television interviews, but this seems unfounded.

He certainly does not hide it in the book. In fact, there is an “Author’s Note” at the beginning of Zealot that explains his religious background very forthrightly.

Aslan’s Muslim background is not very relevant to the views he proposes in Zealot, and given the dynamics of TV interviews, it wouldn’t make sense for Aslan to discuss this unless he were specifically asked about it.

4) Is Aslan giving us a Muslim re-reading of Jesus?

KEEP READING.

The Weekly Francis – 21 July 2013

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 5 June to 21 July 2013.

Angelus

14 July 2013

General Audiences

5 June 2013

Messages

21 June 2013 – To young Lithuanians on the occasion of the country’s sixth National Youth Day celebrated in Kaunas [28–30 June 2013]

Other

17 July 2013 – Message to Catholics in Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales

Speeches

Papal Tweets

“Prayer, humility, and charity toward all are essential in the Christian life: they are the way to holiness.” @pontifex, 16 June 2013
“God is so merciful toward us. We too should learn to be merciful, especially with those who suffer” @pontifex, 17 June 2013
“In this Year of Faith, let us remember that faith is not something we possess, but something we share. Every Christian is an apostle.” @pontifex, 18 June 2013
“Many of you have already arrived in Rio and many more are just arriving. We will see one another there in only three days.” @pontifex, 19 June 2013
“Dear young friends, I know that many of you are still travelling to Rio. May the Lord accompany you on your way.” @pontifex, 20 June 2013
“How many wish to be in Rio for WYD but can’t! May they feel at one with us in prayer.” @pontifex, 21 June 2013

Please Pray for Thomas Peters and His Family

Thomas Peters (American Papist/CatholicVote/National Organization for Marriage) has been severely injured and is in need of your prayers.

According to his father, canonist Edward Peters (via Facebook):

Thomas Peters was seriously hurt in a swimming accident Tuesday evening. He fractured his 5th cervical vert. and is at Univ. Maryland Medical Center (Baltimore). Natalie Zmuda Peters is there, and the moms Angela & Becky Z flew out a couple hours ago. He moved an arm on command and is undergoing more tests. He has responded pretty well to the immediate steps taken for him so far. I will stay in touch here. Your prayers and well wishes are deeply appreciated.

Update:

Thom can move his arms, docs are discussing the best treatment for his neck injury. Immediate concern is for the considerable water in his lungs. We are astounded at the expressions of prayers and support. Thom & Nat know about it. Please keep them up.

I have known Thomas and his family for many years, and I implore your prayers for him, his wife, his family, and for all who are in similar situations.

Words are inadequate to the burden of my heart.

“The Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words” (Rom. 8:28).

Is Atheism a Religion?

At first, the claim that atheism is a religion might sound ridiculous.

It certainly can be a surprising claim.

And it’s one that many people, including western atheists, might initially dismiss out of hand.

But there’s more to the story here.

There is a case to be made that, in a very real sense, atheism is a religion.

A Word About Words

Words mean what people use them to mean. So whether atheism counts as a religion will depend on how you use the term “atheism” and how you use the term “religion.”

There is no single right way or wrong way to use terms. Their boundaries can be drawn differently by different people, and their meanings can change over time.

As a result, I’m not going to be claiming in this piece that there is a single right or wrong way to define our two terms.

In fact, I don’t really care about the terms. What I’m interested in is the reality that the two terms represent.

My claim, therefore, is that the reality of what is commonly called “atheism” has much in common with the reality of what is commonly called “religion.”

The two have so much in common that there is a sense in which atheism can be seen as a religion.

“Are You A Christian?”

A prima facie or “at first glance” case for the claim that atheism can be seen as a religion can be found in the answer an atheist might give to the question “Are you a Christian?”

When presented with this question, an atheist may reply, “No, I’m an atheist.”

On the other hand, if he was instead presented with the question, “Are you a Jew?” he might again reply, “No, I’m an atheist.”

If he had been asked, “Are you a Buddhist?” or “Are you a Muslim?” or “Are you a Hindu?” he might well give the same answer: “No, I am an atheist.”

This suggests that being an atheist is analogous to being a Christian, a Jew, a Buddhist, a Muslim, or a Hindu.

And that, in turn suggests that atheism is analogous to Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism.

In other words, atheism, too, can be seen as a religion.

Now let’s ask a question that will let us go deeper into the subject . . .

Why?

Why is it possible to view atheism as a religion?

KEEP READING.

The Weekly Francis – 14 July 2013

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 5 to 14 July 2013.

Angelus

7 July 2013

Homilies

8 July 2013 – Celebration of Holy Mass at the Arena sports camp during the Visit to Lampedusa

Motu Proprio

11 July 2013 – On the Jurisdiction of Judicial Authorities of Vatican City State in Criminal Matters

Speeches

Papal Tweets

“We pray for a heart which will embrace immigrants. God will judge us upon how we have treated the most needy.” @pontifex, 27 June 2013
“Christians are always full of hope; they should never get discouraged.” @pontifex, 27 June 2013
“If we wish to follow Christ closely, we cannot choose an easy, quiet life. It will be a demanding life, but full of joy.” @pontifex, 27 June 2013
“Lord, grant us the grace to weep over our indifference, over the cruelty that is in the world and in ourselves.” @pontifex, 27 June 2013
“In this Year of Faith let us aim to do something concrete every day to know Jesus Christ better.” @pontifex, 27 June 2013
“For a Christian, life is not the product of mere chance, but the fruit of a call and personal love.” @pontifex, 27 June 2013

Paradoxical symbols in the Book of Revelation (7 things to know and share!)

The book of Revelation depicts Jesus with a sword issuing from his mouth. What does this mean? And what should we make of the other paradoxical symbols in Revelation?

Revelation contains many symbols. Some of them are easy to understand, some are hard, and some are just paradoxical.

Ironically, the paradoxical ones can be particularly easy to figure out.

Here’s what you should know . . .

1. What Is a Paradoxical Symbol?

A paradoxical symbol, as I am using the term, is one in which Revelation symbolizes something in a surprising at–at first glance–contradictory way. It involves a reversal of expectations.

These symbols often involve two statements, the first of which sets up certain expectations on the part of the reader and the second which reverses these expectations.

You can see them as a pair of two, seemingly contrary symbols that must be understood together to have a true picture of what is meant.

The best way to explain this is by looking at examples . . .

2. The Lion That Is a Lamb

In Revelation 5, one of the twenty-four elders in heaven comes to John, who is weeping because no one can open the scroll that reveals God’s will. The elder says:

“Weep not; lo, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals” [Rev. 5:5].

This draws on symbolism from the book of Genesis where Israel’s son Judah is described as a “young lion” (Genesis 49:9).

The added specification of “the Root of David” makes it clear that the elder is referring to Jesus, the Messiah, who was both from the tribe of Judah and a descendant of David.

We are told that the lion “has conquered,” enabling him to open the scroll.

Based on what John has been told, he (and the reader) could expect him to turn and see Jesus depicted in the form of a lion, a violent, deadly beast who “has conquered”—possibly with bloody claws and fangs.

But when he turns, John sees something very different:

And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth [Rev. 5:6].

Instead of a conquering lion, John sees a lamb that is “standing, as though it had been slain.”

It is not a powerful, ravening predator with dripping claws and fangs but a weak, vulnerable prey animal that has been mortally wounded.

And yet it stands. This represents Jesus’ resurrection (the Lamb stands) in spite of the fact that he was crucified (“had been slain”).

Here we have a paradox–a juxtaposition of two seemingly contradictory symbols:

The Lion: The dangerous predator that conquers (overcomes its prey)
The Lamb: The vulnerable prey that is slain (overcome by its conquerors)

To fully understand this symbolism, we have to embrace both images.

It is true that Jesus is a Lion from the tribe of Judah. He has conquered.

But the way he has done these things is surprising and involves a reversal of expectations: He has conquered by assuming a position of vulnerability, by serving as the Lamb, and being slain–and raised again to stand despite this.

This is not the only symbol in Revelation of this type.

3. White Robes That Should Be Red

KEEP READING.

Are We Re-Crucifying Jesus in the Mass?

Are we re-crucifying Christ at every Mass?

Anti-Catholics often charge that Catholics “re-crucify” Jesus through the sacrifice of the Mass.

If we were, that would be a problem, because the Bible repeatedly indicates that Jesus suffered and died “once for all.”

What’s really going on here?

How should we understand the relationship of the Mass to the sacrifice of the Cross?

Question from a Reader

Some time ago, I got the following question from a reader:

You know the way non-Catholics always say we are re-doing the crucifixion at every Mass.

I want to say, “No, we’re re-doing the Last Supper (as He said to do).”

At the Last Supper, Christ is pre-presenting the Calvary sacrifice, so if they could participate in it ahead of time, why can’t we participate in it after that time?

So my question is: Is it accurate to say that the Mass is a re-enactment of the Last Supper, rather than of the crucifixion?

There’s a sense in which it’s a re-enactment of both, but I think the reader is on to something here. The way a current Mass re-enacts the two is not the same.

Last Supper, Crucifixion, Mass Today

To flesh out the idea, we need to consider the relationship between three events:

· The Last Supper (a.k.a. The First Mass)

· The Crucifixion

· Any particular Mass being held today

Obviously, all three of these are related to each other, but the nature of the relationship differs.

The Masses (the first one and contemporary ones) make present the sacrifice of the Cross in a special sense.

The Catechism Speaks

KEEP READING.

The Weekly Francis – 7 July 2013

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 26 June 2013 – 7 July 2013:

Angelus

Encyclicals

Lumen Fidei Html version , PDF Version from Vatican.va

General Audiences

26 June 2013

Homilies

7 July 2013 – Eucharistic Celebration with seminarians and novices

Letters

26 June 2013 – Chirograph of the Holy Father Francis establishing a Pontifical Commission for Reference on the Institute for Works of Religion

Daily Homilies (fervorinos)

Papal Tweets

“We cannot live as Christians separate from the rock who is Christ. He gives us strength and stability, but also joy and serenity.” @pontifex, 2 July 2013
“Christ’s love and friendship are no illusion. On the Cross Jesus showed how real they are.” @pontifex, 4 July 2013
“Jesus is more than a friend. He is a teacher of truth and life who shows us the way that leads to happiness.” @pontifex, 5 July 2013
“The Lord speaks to us through the Scriptures and in our prayer. Let us learn to keep silence before him, as we meditate upon the Gospel.” @pontifex, 6 July 2013

14 things you need to know about Pope Francis’s new encyclical

Pope Francis has just released his first encyclical, Lumen Fidei. Here are 14 things you need to know about it.

Pope Francis has just released his first encyclical, Lumen Fidei, or “the light of faith.”

The first encyclical of a pope is always closely watched, because it frequently signals the way in which he intends to govern the Church.

This new encyclical is even more intriguing because much of it was actually written by former Pope Benedict.

Here are 14 things you need to know . . .

1. What is an encyclical?

An encyclical is a kind of letter. Papal encyclicals usually deal with matters of Church teaching (doctrine). Popes write them when they feel they have something important to say about particular teachings.

Although they are not infallible, encyclicals are authoritative.

The word “encyclical” comes from the Greek word for “circle,” indicating that it is to be circulated among different people.

The encyclical Lumen Fidei is addressed to “the bishops, priests, and deacons, consecrated persons, and the lay faithful.” This indicates a broad audience.

You can read the full encyclical here.

2. How did this encyclical come to be?

The encyclical was originally begun by Pope Benedict in order to commemorate the Year of Faith and to complete a trilogy of encyclicals he had been writing on the three theological virtues—faith, hope, and charity.

The preceding two were Deus Caritas Est, on the theological virtue of charity, and Spe Salvi, on the virtue of hope.

Pope Benedict’s health did not allow him to remain in office, however, and so the draft of the encyclical was inherited by Pope Francis, who chose to complete it.

3. Has this ever happened before?

Yes. In fact, Pope Benedict’s first encyclical was based, in part, on an encyclical that John Paul II had begun preparing but had not finished.

4. Does Lumen Fidei acknowledge Pope Benedict’s role in its composition?

Yes. In it, Pope Francis writes:

These considerations on faith — in continuity with all that the Church’s magisterium has pronounced on this theological virtue — are meant to supplement what Benedict XVI had written in his encyclical letters on charity and hope. He himself had almost completed a first draft of an encyclical on faith. For this I am deeply grateful to him, and as his brother in Christ I have taken up his fine work and added a few contributions of my own. [LF 7].

5. Does Lumen Fidei sound like Pope Benedict?

KEEP READING.