Into the Deep #64: Study of the Gospel of John - Part 4

Mmmmm... Greek... Getting meaning out of the text vs. reading meaning into the text. The test for a good commentary. Being aware that homilies, commentaries, Bible studies and religion education programs are not free from error. A list of some quality commentaries and other resources. The existence of that which is above nature.

Note: Episodes 61 - 66 were recorded in a single extended recording session and fit together as a unit. We're going to post these six shows at a pace of one a week so as to not make pests out of ourselves. But all six episodes are already uploaded and available in the feed if you prefer to listen to them sooner.

Play Show


Download Show

Into the Deep #63: Study of the Gospel of John – Part 3

Having discovered the “end.” Meditating on the fact that God creates to love. The beauty of the unfolding of revelation. How to address a king. Two types of questions.

God willing us into existence. The limits of our understanding. Listening before responding. Whenever you read a text, you are interpreting, so we should learn how to do it correctly. The guidelines the Church gives for interpreting the text. Understanding way the Lord speaks to us, and what we bring to the text.

Note: Episodes 61 – 66 were recorded in a single extended recording session and fit together as a unit. We’re going to post these six shows at a pace of one a week so as to not make pests out of ourselves. But all six episodes are already uploaded and available in the feed if you prefer to listen to them sooner.

Play Show

Download Show

Into the Deep #62: Study of the Gospel of John - Part 2

Revelation as words and actions. God allowing us to participate in discovery. What is the end of Scripture? CCC#51-52. That we should become sharers in the Divine Nature. Christianity is not another religion. It is a revelation. God sharing His very life with us as children!



Play Show



Download Show

Into the Deep #61: Study of the Gospel of John - Part 1

Beginning of our study of the Gospel of John. Thematic study vs. a commentary. How we go about dividing the text. Looking for logical markers. Thesis statements - the purpose or end of the text.

Voluntary human acts are always have an end in mind. Stating your presuppositions up front. Authentic interpretation of Scripture. Actively and intentionally reading a text to break open the meaning. Praying before, during and after study.

Note: Episodes 61 - 66 were recorded in a single extended recording session and fit together as a unit. We’re going to post these six shows at a pace of one a week so as to not make pests out of ourselves. But all six episodes are already uploaded and available in the feed if you prefer to listen to them sooner.

Play Show

Download Show

60: Gospel of John - Introduction

Episode #60. Beginning of Season 3 of Into The Deep. Introduction to a thematic study of the Gospel of John.

Play Show



Download Show

59: The Spiritual Combat - Ch. 61-66

Episode #59.THE LAST SHOW ON SPIRITUAL COMBAT. Final Perseverance. Microwave culture. Repetition isn't always bad; sometimes it's good. Can't things be, if not good, at least not bad for too long? Living with reality. What is our first motion when we encounter difficulty - turning to God or becoming discouraged? Chronically trusting God. Muster up. The Sin of Presumption, I presume. Well, but I'm a good person, aren't I? Glory without merit. You know, there's not a lot of evidence that this guy made it. Does our "trying" flow into action? Forgiveness without conversion - not likely. Be prepared. Constitutive. First Commandment Christians and Second Commandment Christians. Contemplation precedes action. Always. D-Day is not the time for training. No one talks about the devil anymore. A glockenspiel for the end of the plague. Your deathbed is the wrong time for apologetic debates. The responsibility of a parent is to prepare their children for death - really, to make sure they get to heaven. A wreath of greenery, or unfading glory from God? Which will we choose? And in conclusion, my friends...

P.S.
Bonus Coverage

Download as MP3

Duration: 54:13
File size: 49.64 MB

Scripture:
Romans 8:28
Song of Songs

CCC:
2092

Related Resources:
The Spiritual Combat
Trent, Session 6, Chapter 12
Denzinger 805
John of the Cross: Living Flame of Love
Glockenspiel

58: The Spiritual Combat - Ch. 55-58

Episode #58. Shiny little globe. The Feast of Corpus Christi (for you guys, at least). Coveting liturgy. Mmmmmmm... iconostasis. God is the perfect good. Spiritual Communion. Recalling God's love for us. God can only create that which he wants. Untainted Love. God is not a vending machine. Our love, properly understood, is not for US, but for who we love, especially when we love God. Under the accidents of bread and wine, The Lord gives himself completely to us. The essence of sin is separation from God. Nothin' causes Him to do nothin' - so there. The "Grampafication" of God. I promise Just get me out of this trap, and I promise... I'll never try to get the cheese again! The PRIMARY prayer we prays should be: THY WILL BE DONE. A harsh lesson in "don't do that." Jesus didn't heal everyone - but that doesn't mean He doesn't love everyone. Spiritual Communion. I'll pray... sometime, I'm sure I will. Really. So it's a cliche, but the attitude of gratitude is still the correct. You can't have a divided heart. The offering of Christ to His Church and from the Church to Christ in the Eucharist. Transforming union. The end is near. Almost.

Download as MP3

Duration: 1:08:32
File size: 62.7 MB

Scripture:
Psalm95
Psalm106

Catechism:
1322

Related Resources:
The Spiritual Combat
Fr. Yuri Kolasa on CA Live
Iconostasis
Prayer for Spiritual Communion
Gaudium et Spes
The Theology of the Body

Not Into the Deep: Mike Lee Un-Skyped!

Bonus Coverage!! As you may have heard, Mike Lee is headed back the US for a couple of weeks of work, play, cheeseburgers, teaching, sushi, and fellowship! You can check out his schedule at the Friends of the Mike Lee Family

There will be talking, bowling, teaching, eating, and of course... more eating, talking, teaching and eating!

Right on.

Download as MP3

Duration: 13:47
File size: 12.6 MB

Pro-Family Policies...

While this might not be the exactly perfect solution, but it is the right kind of solution, and should be encouraged.

Across the advanced world, countries with larger public old-age pension systems tend to have lower fertility, even after accounting for a very wide range of other social and economic variables, such as income levels, female labor-force participation and schooling.

Before entitlement programs were developed, most people relied on their children to take care of them in old age. Entitlements socialized this arrangement: Now each generation relies on its children collectively.

The modern system minimizes the suffering of older people who were childless or unlucky. But it creates a free-rider problem. Some people make the financial sacrifices required to raise children, but everyone gets the benefits.

I guess I never really thought about this part, but it does makes sense:

By raising kids and paying payroll taxes, on the other hand, parents make two layers of contributions to the fiscal health of entitlements. This unfairness has consequences.

In the absence of Social Security and Medicare, many Americans, particularly those with high incomes, would simply save more for their own retirements. But many would also raise more kids.

Our old-age programs, as currently designed, harm both the economy and family formation. Supply-siders should seek to mitigate both distortions.

57: The Spiritual Combat - Ch. 53-58 & 60

Episode #57. Into the Deep: Another big chunk. The Most Terrible of all Weapons. Or... the Swedish Jesus. A Veggie Tales viking. Power in death, power over death. Barabbas means "son of the father" Vs. the True Son of the True Father. Going for the sword and power rather than God's power; power made perfect in weakness. Propagate the mystery of the Mystery. A better deal than the Apostles got. The Eucharist and spirituality. Ritualism which cancels the grace. Bad Thing. We get to choose because our favorite choice is to choose. Hasty generalizations. Rugged individualism: okay for running an economy, not so good as a way to get to heaven! Protecting the common good: Plato, Aristotle, St. Thomas... you know, those guys. Being the body of Christ, being built into the body of Christ, by the body of Christ! "We" (not "I") Receive the body of Christ to become the body of Christ. It's PUNISHMENT! Or... maybe it's healing? A book and a pair of scissors. Do we hide under a parachute, in a mysterious metaphysical way? Sacrilege. A tragedy. Jesus with skin on. Priests want to forget your confession - really! Driving to Jerome. Shutting up while one is ahead. Accidents, substances, and the close physical communion of the time immediately after receiving the Eucharist. Stunned into silence... we are, after all, Into the Deep. That's Right, and THE END.

Download as MP3

Duration: 59:53
File size: 54.83 MB

Scripture:
John 20

Related Resources:
The Spiritual Combat
Interior Castles
Henri de Lubac
Confessions
Ecclesia de Eucharistia
Congregation for Divine Worship: The Year of the Eucharist, Suggestions and Proposals
Lumen Gentium
The Monks in Jerome

Frank is Back...

Glad to see that Francis Beckwith has rejoined Feddie at Southern Appeal.

If you didn't know, Mr. Beckwith was an Evangelical Christian theologian who became a Catholic in 2007. Here's an interview he gave on the subject.

What do I have that is truly "mine"...

Well, according to this typically fantastic commentary by Fr. Cantalamessa, all we have that truly belongs to us is sin and misery...

Communion means exchange, sharing. Now, this is the fundamental rule of sharing: that which is mine is yours and what is yours is mine. Let’s try to apply this rule to Eucharistic communion. In doing so we will see its greatness.

What do I have that is truly “mine”? Misery, sin: This alone belongs to me exclusively. What does Jesus have that is “his” if not holiness, the perfection of all the virtues? So, communion consists in the fact that I give Jesus my sin and my poverty, and he gives me holiness. In this the “admirabile commercium,” or “wonderful exchange,” as the liturgy defines it, is realized.

The entire piece is about unity, but I couldn't help being struck by the line about what is truly ours, as I often forget that I should be thankful for my every breath as they are each a gift, and that all that is truly my own is my sin.

Family policy IS fiscal policy...

Jennifer Roback Morse has an interesting article up about the economic costs of the fractured nuclear family.

This is not, I think, any sort of attempt to reduce everything to economics, as a way to entice the fiscally-oriented to support family issues. Instead I think it's an effort to show those folks who are focused on social/cultural issues, and tend to ignore economic issues, that their "family" positions ARE economic positions. And to let them know that to ignore economics is to ignore the family.

56: The Spiritual Combat - Ch. 45-52 & 59

Episode #56. Into the Deep: Ever-effervescent. No chance for that hoped-for brevity. Suggestions not requirements. [cobbled]. Fundaments. 1. Yes. 2. No. 3. Not at this time. Those are the three answers to prayer. Garth Brooks? Weird Al? Petitionary prayer is good, but we ALSO need meditation; and we have to know what we're meditating on. The Passion of the Christ. Resurrection people, yes; but you can't get there without going through Good Friday. The Prodigal Son? How about his big brother? Yeah. Sensible devotion and dryness. A segue, nailed. The artifices of the devil. That's cuz you're so SMART. Suh-Mart. Smart. It was almost like, well... like a supernatural event. Heh. Set aside any notion of consolation. A divided heart. Loving ourselves through God... the Tony Robbins Prayer Plan - NOT. Hilarity ensued.

Download as MP3

Duration: 49:48
File size: 45.6 MB

Scripture:
Romans 5
Psalm 63


Related Resources:
The Spiritual Combat
Interior Castles
The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

Compare and Contrast...

Well... first, there's this guy, who uses the "New Deadly Sins" (mis)report to say that Catholics are anti-science hypocrites who should have no say over how policy is crafted. Bad.

On the other hand, this is interesting. Catholic legal and social thought (as opposed to leftist thought expressed by Catholics) has gotten pretty good exposure in this administration. This article is reasonably fair, too. Other than the bit at the end about Catholics wanting judges to "eventually outlaw [abortion]." Hardly anyone wants judges to outlaw abortion - we want judges to stop preventing the people from outlawing it. Letting the states decide would be a great step towards subsidiarity. Good. (LvNRO)