Doctrine and Dogma
28 entriesThe Nature of God
What God is: being itself, which holds its existence from itself. From this single source flow his perfections, that he is one, simple, eternal…What God is: being itself, which holds its existence from itself. From this single source flow his perfections, that he is one, simple, eternal, infinite, almighty, all-knowing, holy and good, and that he is love; and he remains higher than all one can say of him. see more
The Trinity
The central mystery of the faith: one God in three Persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, equal and eternal, in one divine life.
Sin
The free refusal of God’s love, by which man turns away from him: what it is, its degrees from venial to mortal, and the forgiveness that lifts it.
The Capital Sins
The seven inclinations from which the other faults spring: what each one is, what it begets, and the virtue that heals it.
Original Sin
The state of privation of grace into which every man comes into the world: the state of innocence in which man was created, its loss at the fall, the…The state of privation of grace into which every man comes into the world: the state of innocence in which man was created, its loss at the fall, the transmission of that privation to all humanity, and its repair in Christ. see more
The New Adam and the New Eve
Christ and Mary repairing what Adam and Eve had lost: by one man and one woman sin entered the world; by one man and one woman salvation came.
The Age of Reason
The age at which a child gains the use of reason and becomes able to discern good from evil: the threshold, set around seven years, from which he answers for his acts and can commit personal sin.
Invincible Ignorance
What a man could not have known is not held against him: God judges each according to the light received, and saves through Christ alone those who…What a man could not have known is not held against him: God judges each according to the light received, and saves through Christ alone those who seek him with an upright heart, without the Gospel thereby ceasing to be necessary. see more
Grace
The free help God gives man to save him and lead him to himself, from the first call to eternal life: the source from which flow sanctifying grace…The free help God gives man to save him and lead him to himself, from the first call to eternal life: the source from which flow sanctifying grace, which gives a share in the divine life, and actual grace, which supports each step toward God. see more
Predestination
Predestination is the eternal plan by which God orders his elect to eternal life and prepares for them the graces that lead them there. A free gift…Predestination is the eternal plan by which God orders his elect to eternal life and prepares for them the graces that lead them there. A free gift received in Christ, it accords with God’s will that all men be saved, leaves human freedom whole, and destines no one to evil: whoever is lost is lost by his own refusal. see more
Salvation
The work by which God delivers man from sin and death and gives him a share in his own life: accomplished by Christ, offered to all, received in faith and brought to completion in eternal life.
The Peace of Christ
The peace Christ gives by reconciling man with God, born of the Cross, and which abides in the heart of trial.
The Baptism of Desire
How those who die without having received baptism by water, the catechumen, the martyr, the man who sought God without knowing the Gospel, can receive the grace of baptism by desire or by blood.
The Incarnation
The mystery by which the Son of God took flesh and became man without ceasing to be God: fully God and fully man, one single person in two natures…The mystery by which the Son of God took flesh and became man without ceasing to be God: fully God and fully man, one single person in two natures united without confusion, for the salvation of men. see more
The Cross and the Resurrection
The paschal mystery, the heart of the faith: why God saves through the Cross, where his justice and mercy meet; how Christ redeems sin and conquers death; and how man is justified by it.
Justice
Justice before Scripture: the just God and the Judge of all the earth, the justice owed to the neighbour in the Law and the prophets, the just one who…Justice before Scripture: the just God and the Judge of all the earth, the justice owed to the neighbour in the Law and the prophets, the just one who lives by his faith, the justice that surpasses that of the scribes, the free justification by Christ become our justice, the meeting of justice and mercy, and the crown promised on the last day. see more
Fortitude
Fortitude before Scripture: the cardinal virtue that strengthens the soul in trial, even to the gift of life. From God the strength of his people to…Fortitude before Scripture: the cardinal virtue that strengthens the soul in trial, even to the gift of life. From God the strength of his people to the courage commanded to Joshua, from endurance as its first act to the power that unfolds in weakness, from the fortitude of Christ at Gethsemane to the good fight crowned by faithfulness unto death. see more
The Church
The assembly God gathers in Christ to form one People: the Body of Christ, animated by the Holy Spirit, and the means of salvation offered to all.
The Pope
The pope, successor of the apostle Peter and Bishop of Rome: visible head of the whole Church, he exercises the primacy that Christ first entrusted to…The pope, successor of the apostle Peter and Bishop of Rome: visible head of the whole Church, he exercises the primacy that Christ first entrusted to Peter, the rock who receives the keys of the Kingdom and keeps the flock in unity, handed on to his successors until the end of time. see more
The Communion of Saints
The union of all the members of the Church in Christ, on earth, in purgatory and in heaven: the saints live in God, intercede for us, and their prayer is a grace offered to the whole Church.
Relics
The remains of the saints and the objects bound to them, which the Church venerates: why the body of a saint is worthy of honour, how God acts through…The remains of the saints and the objects bound to them, which the Church venerates: why the body of a saint is worthy of honour, how God acts through matter, and what this veneration honours in the end. see more
The Priesthood
What the word priesthood means: the function of the priest, a mediator who offers sacrifice; Christ, the one Priest who offers himself; and the…What the word priesthood means: the function of the priest, a mediator who offers sacrifice; Christ, the one Priest who offers himself; and the priesthood shared between all the baptised and the ordained. see more
The Ministerial Priesthood Reserved to Men
Why only men receive the priesthood: a priesthood received as a call, the choice of the Twelve, the priest as sign of Christ the Bridegroom, and the greatness that is found in holiness.
Scripture and Exegesis
65 entriesThe bondage and the call
The beginning of the epic of Moses, from Exodus 1 to 6: Israel enslaved and the child saved from the waters, the flight to Midian, the burning bush…The beginning of the epic of Moses, from Exodus 1 to 6: Israel enslaved and the child saved from the waters, the flight to Midian, the burning bush and the revelation of the Name, the sending of Moses despite his fears, the return to Egypt, Pharaoh’s first refusal, and the promise that rests entirely on God’s faithfulness. see more
The deliverance
The departure from Egypt, from Exodus 7 to 15: the sign of the serpent, the ten plagues and the judgment of Egypt’s gods, the Passover and the blood…The departure from Egypt, from Exodus 7 to 15: the sign of the serpent, the ten plagues and the judgment of Egypt’s gods, the Passover and the blood of the lamb, the night of the departure, the pillar of cloud and fire, the crossing of the sea, figure of baptism, and the song of victory. see more
Sinai and the covenant
From the crossing of the sea to Sinai: the waters of Marah, the manna as figure of the Eucharist, the water of the rock and the battle against Amalek…From the crossing of the sea to Sinai: the waters of Marah, the manna as figure of the Eucharist, the water of the rock and the battle against Amalek, the counsel of Jethro, the meeting at Sinai, the Decalogue, the blood of the covenant, the sin of the golden calf, the intercession of Moses, the tent of meeting and the renewal of the covenant. see more
The Dwelling, the Priesthood and the Sacrifices
Exodus 25 to 40 and Leviticus: God comes to dwell in the midst of his people. The Dwelling and the ark where his glory rests, the priesthood of Aaron…Exodus 25 to 40 and Leviticus: God comes to dwell in the midst of his people. The Dwelling and the ark where his glory rests, the priesthood of Aaron who stands between God and men, the sacrifices and the blood that make atonement, the great Day of Atonement and the scapegoat, and the holiness that reaches the whole life and time of the people. A whole worship turned toward Christ, priest and victim. see more
The Forty Years in the Desert
The book of Numbers: Israel leaves Sinai for the promised land, but the journey becomes forty years of wandering. The murmurs and the quails, the…The book of Numbers: Israel leaves Sinai for the promised land, but the journey becomes forty years of wandering. The murmurs and the quails, the challenge of Miriam and Aaron, the refusal to enter that condemns a generation, the revolt of Korah, the water of Meribah where Moses fails by claiming the miracle for himself, the bronze serpent lifted up, and Balaam compelled to bless instead of curse. A time of testing where the heart is laid bare, crossed by signs of the grace to come. see more
The Discourses of Moses
On the plains of Moab, at the threshold of the promised land, Moses addresses his final discourses to the new generation. He recalls the road…On the plains of Moab, at the threshold of the promised land, Moses addresses his final discourses to the new generation. He recalls the road travelled to ground faithfulness, shows the God no one has seen and whom no image contains, gathers the whole Law into the commandment to love God with all one’s heart, warns against forgetting in abundance, urges the people to serve God and love the poor, announces a prophet to come, and sets each one before the choice of life. The book of Deuteronomy, where the word of God becomes near and interior. see more
The Death of Moses
The last days of Moses, at the threshold of the promised land. He entrusts the people to Joshua and lays down the Law, speaks a song that God wills as…The last days of Moses, at the threshold of the promised land. He entrusts the people to Joshua and lays down the Law, speaks a song that God wills as a witness against the infidelity to come, blesses the twelve tribes, then climbs Mount Nebo alone. God shows him all the land he will not set foot in; Moses dies there, the servant of the Lord, and God himself buries him. No prophet has arisen like him. The Law leads to the threshold; it is another Joshua, whose name Jesus bears, who brings into the true rest. see more
Proto-Isaiah
The first part of the book of Isaiah, chapters 1 to 39: the oracles of the prophet at Jerusalem, the trial of Judah, the sign of Immanuel and the king…The first part of the book of Isaiah, chapters 1 to 39: the oracles of the prophet at Jerusalem, the trial of Judah, the sign of Immanuel and the king to come, the remnant saved, and the deliverance of the city. see more
Deutero-Isaiah
The second part of the book of Isaiah, chapters 40 to 55, the book of consolation: addressed to the exiles of Babylon, it reveals the one creator and…The second part of the book of Isaiah, chapters 40 to 55, the book of consolation: addressed to the exiles of Babylon, it reveals the one creator and redeemer God, the new Exodus, Cyrus his instrument, and the Servant who saves through his suffering. see more
Trito-Isaiah
The third part of the book of Isaiah, chapters 56 to 66: addressed to the people returned from exile, it calls to justice and true worship, opens…The third part of the book of Isaiah, chapters 56 to 66: addressed to the people returned from exile, it calls to justice and true worship, opens salvation to all the nations, announces the envoy anointed with the Spirit, and unveils the glory of Zion and the new creation. see more
The four Servant Songs
The four songs of Deutero-Isaiah where the Servant of the Lord appears: the chosen one who brings justice to the nations, the light of the nations…The four songs of Deutero-Isaiah where the Servant of the Lord appears: the chosen one who brings justice to the nations, the light of the nations, the disciple who holds firm under trial, and the suffering Servant who saves the multitude through his death. The Church recognises Christ in him. see more
The oracles against the nations
The great block of Isaiah 13 to 23, where the judgment of God passes the powers of the world in review: the God of all the earth, the fall of…The great block of Isaiah 13 to 23, where the judgment of God passes the powers of the world in review: the God of all the earth, the fall of Babylon’s star, the judgment that weeps over Moab, Egypt struck and healed, Jerusalem judged among the nations and the key of David, up to the feast of chapters 24 to 27 where death itself is destroyed. see more
The Woes of Isaiah
Chapters 28 to 33 of Isaiah, a series of “Woe!” over Judah and Jerusalem. Each cry denounces a false security in which the people place their trust…Chapters 28 to 33 of Isaiah, a series of “Woe!” over Judah and Jerusalem. Each cry denounces a false security in which the people place their trust instead of God: the drunken pride of Ephraim, the lip-worship of Ariel the besieged city, the alliance with Egypt. And between the woes, the promises break forth: the cornerstone in Zion, the Spirit poured out, and the King of justice who announces Christ. see more
Ezekiel, the Prophet of the Exile
A priest deported to Babylon, Ezekiel sees the glory of God by the Chebar: the chariot, the four living beings, the scroll eaten, and the charge of watchman.
The Symbolic Actions and the Judgment of Jerusalem
Through prophetic gestures, Ezekiel announces the siege and ruin of Jerusalem; he sees the abominations of the Temple and the glory of God depart from it.
The Oracles Against the Nations
Ezekiel pronounces God’s judgment on seven neighbouring peoples; at the centre, the pride of the king of Tyre, figure of the fall of Satan.
The Restoration of Israel
After the judgment, Ezekiel announces salvation: God himself the shepherd of his people, a new heart and his Spirit, the dry bones restored to life.
The New Temple and the River of Life
Ezekiel sees the perfect Temple, the glory of God return to it, a river spring from it to make the earth fruitful, and the city named: the Lord is there.
The Plague and the Day of the Lord
The book of Joel opens on an invasion of locusts that ravages the whole land, and makes of it the sign of a greater threat. From the prophet who…The book of Joel opens on an invasion of locusts that ravages the whole land, and makes of it the sign of a greater threat. From the prophet who effaces himself behind his word to the mourning of all creation, from the plague of insects described as an army to the announcement of the Day of the Lord, a day of darkness before which no one can stand by his own strength. see more
Conversion and the Spirit Poured Out
The heart of the book of Joel: to the call to rend one’s heart answers the pity of God, who restores the harvests and makes up even the devoured…The heart of the book of Joel: to the call to rend one’s heart answers the pity of God, who restores the harvests and makes up even the devoured years. Then, surpassing all, the promise of the Spirit poured out on all flesh, on sons and daughters, old men and servants, and salvation offered to whoever invokes the name of the Lord, fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. see more
The Judgment of the Nations and the Salvation of Zion
The last chapter of Joel: God gathers the nations in the valley of Jehoshaphat to judge them for scattering his people and trafficking his own. From…The last chapter of Joel: God gathers the nations in the valley of Jehoshaphat to judge them for scattering his people and trafficking his own. From the grievance against Tyre, Sidon and Philistia to the harvest of wrath in the valley of decision, up to the double face of the Day of the Lord, a refuge for the people, and the salvation of Zion where a fountain springs from the Temple and God dwells forever. see more
Amos, the Shepherd Prophet
The setting of the book of Amos: the first of the writing prophets, a shepherd of Tekoa in Judah, sent around 760 before Jesus Christ to the northern…The setting of the book of Amos: the first of the writing prophets, a shepherd of Tekoa in Judah, sent around 760 before Jesus Christ to the northern kingdom. His condition as a man called by God alone, without title or training, and the society of his time under Jeroboam II: an unjust prosperity where the rich crush the poor, and a religion flourishing but cut off from justice. see more
The Judgment of the Nations and of Israel
Amos’s indictment. The oracles against the neighboring nations (Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab), then against Judah, tighten the accusation…Amos’s indictment. The oracles against the neighboring nations (Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab), then against Judah, tighten the accusation until it falls on Israel itself, struck more harshly as the chosen people. The great discourses denounce the oppression of the poor, justice sold at the city gate, the luxury of the rich, and the false security of Samaria. see more
The Visions and the Rejected Worship
The five visions by which God shows the coming judgment, with the clash between Amos and the priest Amasias at Bethel. The worship of Israel rejected…The five visions by which God shows the coming judgment, with the clash between Amos and the priest Amasias at Bethel. The worship of Israel rejected by God, sacrifices, feasts, and songs, as long as it goes with injustice; and the demand at the summit of the book: let right flow like water. see more
Justice, the Day of the Lord, and Hope
The great themes of the book of Amos and its epilogue. The call to conversion, the day of the Lord turned to darkness for the guilty, Israel’s…The great themes of the book of Amos and its epilogue. The call to conversion, the day of the Lord turned to darkness for the guilty, Israel’s election understood as a responsibility, and God as master of all nations. The final promise, the tabernacle of David raised up, fulfilled in Christ son of David and in the Church into which the nations enter, as James declares at the council of Jerusalem. see more
Nahum and the Assyrian Empire
The book of Nahum, a poem devoted to the fall of Nineveh, capital of the Assyrian Empire. The prophet Nahum, whose name means consolation. Assyria…The book of Nahum, a poem devoted to the fall of Nineveh, capital of the Assyrian Empire. The prophet Nahum, whose name means consolation. Assyria, the great power that had destroyed Samaria, besieged Jerusalem, and plundered Thebes, and its fall in 612 before Christ. The judgment of the oppressor as deliverance and consolation for the oppressed. see more
The God Who Judges and Who Saves
The first chapter of Nahum, which draws the portrait of the God who comes to judge Nineveh. His manifestation in power, his patience that grants time…The first chapter of Nahum, which draws the portrait of the God who comes to judge Nineveh. His manifestation in power, his patience that grants time for conversion yet has a limit, his goodness as a refuge in the day of trouble. The judgment of Nineveh and the deliverance of Judah, whose Assyrian yoke is broken. The messenger of peace, a figure of those who will carry the Gospel to the world. see more
The Fall of Nineveh
Chapters 2 and 3 of Nahum, the fall of Nineveh. The assault on the city and the opened river gates, the taking and the plunder, the deserted lions’…Chapters 2 and 3 of Nahum, the fall of Nineveh. The assault on the city and the opened river gates, the taking and the plunder, the deserted lions’ den. Then the act of accusation: the city of blood built on murder and lies, the courtesan who enslaved the nations. The reminder of the fate of Thebes, and the final mockery over a fall without remedy, a deliverance for all the peoples it had crushed. see more
Haggai and the Rebuilding of the Temple
The setting of the book of Haggai: the prophet sent in 520 before Jesus Christ to move the people returned from exile to rebuild the Temple of…The setting of the book of Haggai: the prophet sent in 520 before Jesus Christ to move the people returned from exile to rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem, after sixteen years of an abandoned worksite. The context of the return from Babylon, the builders of the reconstruction, and the completion of the Temple in 515. see more
The Four Oracles
Haggai’s four messages, delivered from the sixth to the ninth month of the year 520 before Jesus Christ: the reproach to a people leaving the Temple…Haggai’s four messages, delivered from the sixth to the ninth month of the year 520 before Jesus Christ: the reproach to a people leaving the Temple in ruins, the resumption of the work under the promise of God’s presence, the consolation of the elders by the announcement of a greater glory, and the blessing promised once the rebuilding had resumed. see more
The Glory of the Second Temple
The second Temple, more modest than Solomon’s, nonetheless received the promise of a greater glory. This promise pointed to a presence: the coming of…The second Temple, more modest than Solomon’s, nonetheless received the promise of a greater glory. This promise pointed to a presence: the coming of Christ into this Temple. The comparison of the two Temples, the Desired of the nations, Zorobabel’s signet ring tied to the line of David, and the shaking reread by the letter to the Hebrews all converge on Christ and his unshakeable Kingdom, built up in the Church, the living temple. see more
The Prophet and His Time
The Book of Zechariah at the threshold of its time: a prophet raised up in 520 before Jesus Christ to relaunch the rebuilding of the Temple. From the…The Book of Zechariah at the threshold of its time: a prophet raised up in 520 before Jesus Christ to relaunch the rebuilding of the Temple. From the return from the exile of Babylon to the halted work, from the joint mission of Haggai and Zechariah to the call “Return to me,” and the two parts of the book, the visions of the present and the oracles turned toward the Messiah. see more
The Eight Night Visions
The eight visions Zechariah receives in a single night, from the edges of the world to the heart of Jerusalem and within the hearts: the horseman…The eight visions Zechariah receives in a single night, from the edges of the world to the heart of Jerusalem and within the hearts: the horseman among the myrtles, the four horns and the smiths, the man with the measuring line, Joshua the high priest purified, the lampstand and the two olive trees, the flying scroll, the woman in the ephah and the four chariots. The return of God to his city, the casting down of the powers and the purification of the land. see more
Joshua, the Branch and the Crown
The summit of the first part of Zechariah: the announcement of the Branch to Joshua the high priest, the stone with seven eyes, the symbolic crowning…The summit of the first part of Zechariah: the announcement of the Branch to Joshua the high priest, the stone with seven eyes, the symbolic crowning and the priest on his throne. A figure to come who will unite kingship and priesthood, and its fulfilment in Christ, son of David, priest according to the order of Melchizedek and builder of the true Temple. see more
Fasting and Restoration
The end of the first part of Zechariah: a question about the fasts of mourning, and God’s answer that first sets the heart right. From true fasting…The end of the first part of Zechariah: a question about the fasts of mourning, and God’s answer that first sets the heart right. From true fasting, which is justice and mercy, to the restored Jerusalem where old men and children return to its squares, from fasts turned into feasts to the nations who go up to seize the robe of a Jew to go toward the God who is with him. see more
First Oracle: The King Who Comes
The first of the two great oracles of the second part of Zechariah, chapters 9 to 11: the oracle against the nations, the humble king who enters on a…The first of the two great oracles of the second part of Zechariah, chapters 9 to 11: the oracle against the nations, the humble king who enters on a donkey and disarms his people, the return of the captives of hope, the anger against the bad shepherds, and the riddle of the rejected shepherd, sold for thirty pieces thrown to the potter. see more
Second Oracle: The Pierced One
The second of the two great oracles of Zechariah, chapters 12 and 13: Jerusalem besieged and delivered, become a stone no one lifts without being…The second of the two great oracles of Zechariah, chapters 12 and 13: Jerusalem besieged and delivered, become a stone no one lifts without being wounded; the gaze toward the one they have pierced and the mourning of conversion; the fountain opened to wash sin; the end of idols and false prophets; and the shepherd struck down whose flock scatters, before the purification of the remnant. see more
The Day of the Lord
The last chapter of Zechariah and the great Day of the Lord, when God comes in person to judge and to reign. The final battle for Jerusalem and the…The last chapter of Zechariah and the great Day of the Lord, when God comes in person to judge and to reign. The final battle for Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives that splits, the single day without night and the living waters, the Lord become king over all the earth, the surviving nations that go up to celebrate the feast of Tents, and the holiness that wins over even the most common objects. see more
Jacob’s Struggle with God
One night, by a torrent, Jacob wrestles until dawn with the angel of the Lord, and comes away transformed: a new name, Israel, and a wound.
Elijah at Horeb
After the fire of Carmel, Elijah flees into the wilderness and asks to die. Fed by an angel, he walks forty days to Horeb, the mountain of God, where…After the fire of Carmel, Elijah flees into the wilderness and asks to die. Fed by an angel, he walks forty days to Horeb, the mountain of God, where the Lord passes before him and is heard in the murmur of a light breeze. see more
The Angel of the Lord
One same figure, “the angel of the Lord”, runs through the Old Testament: sent by God and distinct from him, it bears the Name, the words, the acts…One same figure, “the angel of the Lord”, runs through the Old Testament: sent by God and distinct from him, it bears the Name, the words, the acts and the worship that belong to God alone. This doubling shows, already in the Old Testament, a distinction within the one God, where tradition recognised the Son before the Incarnation. see more
A Time to Kill, a Time to Heal
The poem of the times in Ecclesiastes places the time to kill among the seasons of life; all are held by God and find their fullness in Christ.
Jesus and Nicodemus
A teacher of the Law comes by night to question Christ, who reveals to him that one must be born again, of water and the Spirit, to see the kingdom of…A teacher of the Law comes by night to question Christ, who reveals to him that one must be born again, of water and the Spirit, to see the kingdom of God, and that the Son lifted up on the cross gives eternal life to whoever believes. see more
Jesus before Pilate
Before the Roman governor who can sentence him to death, Christ reveals himself as king of a kingdom not of this world and witness to the truth, while…Before the Roman governor who can sentence him to death, Christ reveals himself as king of a kingdom not of this world and witness to the truth, while Pilate, troubled and warned even by his wife, hands him over for fear of Caesar. see more
Abraham Saw My Day
In a long dispute at the Temple over descent from Abraham, Christ declares that Abraham saw his day beforehand and rejoiced, and that he himself is…In a long dispute at the Temple over descent from Abraham, Christ declares that Abraham saw his day beforehand and rejoiced, and that he himself is before Abraham: “I am”, the Name of God, an affirmation of his divinity. see more
Let the Dead Bury Their Dead
A saying of Christ that seems to forbid a son to bury his father. What it teaches: the call of God comes before everything, and the most sacred duty yields to it.
Buy a Sword
At the Last Supper, Christ tells the Apostles to buy a sword. This sword announces the time of trial, and that very night Christ forbids Peter to use it.
Turning the Other Cheek, the Cloak and the Mile
By this word of the Sermon on the Mount, Christ calls to renounce personal vengeance and to overcome evil with good.
The baptism of Christ
The baptism of Jesus at the Jordan is his consecration as priest. John, a priest after Aaron, washes him in the water, and the Spirit descends upon…The baptism of Jesus at the Jordan is his consecration as priest. John, a priest after Aaron, washes him in the water, and the Spirit descends upon him as the anointing promised to the Messiah: the last priest of the old covenant consecrates the priest after Melchizedek, and the old priesthood hands over to the new. see more
The finger of God
Under the trap set for him by the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus reveals himself. By writing with his finger on the ground, he shows himself the author…Under the trap set for him by the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus reveals himself. By writing with his finger on the ground, he shows himself the author of the Law engraved by the finger of God, the God of Moses. And as his accusers withdraw in confusion, what Jeremiah said of those who forsake the Lord, the fountain of living water, is fulfilled: that Lord is Jesus. see more
The prologues and the coming of Christ
The four Gospels open the coming of Christ through four doors: the eternal Word in John, the royal line in Matthew, the ascent back to Adam in Luke…The four Gospels open the coming of Christ through four doors: the eternal Word in John, the royal line in Matthew, the ascent back to Adam in Luke, the announcement of the Son of God in Mark. The harmony then follows the annunciations, the birth at Bethlehem, the presentation in the Temple, the adoration of the magi, the flight into Egypt and the childhood up to the twelve-year-old in the Temple. see more
The preparation for the ministry
Before the public life, John appears in the wilderness to prepare the way: he preaches conversion, baptises in the Jordan and points to Jesus as the…Before the public life, John appears in the wilderness to prepare the way: he preaches conversion, baptises in the Jordan and points to Jesus as the Lamb of God. Christ receives the baptism, where the Trinity is manifested, passes through the temptations in the desert as the new Adam, calls his first disciples and works at Cana the first of his signs. see more
The first year: the inauguration
The public life opens in Jerusalem: the cleansing of the Temple, the night conversation with Nicodemus on birth of water and Spirit, the serpent…The public life opens in Jerusalem: the cleansing of the Temple, the night conversation with Nicodemus on birth of water and Spirit, the serpent lifted up and the gift of the Son, the last testimony of John, the Samaritan woman and the living water, the second sign at Cana, then the arrest of the Baptist that turns Jesus toward Galilee. This first year, mostly in Judea, is reported by John. see more
The second year: popularity
The second year unfolds in Galilee: rejected at Nazareth, Jesus settles at Capernaum, calls his disciples and teaches with authority. He heals and…The second year unfolds in Galilee: rejected at Nazareth, Jesus settles at Capernaum, calls his disciples and teaches with authority. He heals and forgives sins, calls himself lord of the Sabbath, gives the Sermon on the Mount and institutes the Twelve, speaks in parables, stills the storm, frees the demoniac, raises Jairus’s daughter, sends out the Twelve, multiplies the loaves and walks on the water. The year reaches its summit in the Bread of Life discourse, where he announces the Eucharist, and turns in the first great defection of disciples. see more
The third year: the opposition
The third year sees the opposition harden. Withdrawn into pagan land, Jesus receives the faith of a foreign woman, then, at Caesarea, Peter confesses…The third year sees the opposition harden. Withdrawn into pagan land, Jesus receives the faith of a foreign woman, then, at Caesarea, Peter confesses him Son of the living God and receives the keys of the Kingdom. Jesus announces his Passion and is transfigured. The long ascent to Jerusalem that Luke reports begins: the Good Samaritan, the parables of mercy, the rich man and Lazarus, the indissolubility of marriage. At the Jerusalem feasts, John sets the living water, the adulterous woman, the “I Am” before Abraham, the man born blind and the Good Shepherd. The raising of Lazarus drives the leaders to put him to death; the anointing at Bethany opens onto the Passion. see more
Holy Week
The last week of Christ, from the royal entry into Jerusalem to the tomb. The first days in the Temple: the cursed fig tree, the cleansing, the…The last week of Christ, from the royal entry into Jerusalem to the tomb. The first days in the Temple: the cursed fig tree, the cleansing, the controversies, the widow’s mite, the discourse on the end. Then the Triduum: Judas’s betrayal, the Supper where he institutes the Eucharist and washes his disciples’ feet, the farewell discourse, the agony at Gethsemane, the trial before Caiaphas and before Pilate, the death of Judas, the crucifixion between two thieves, the death of Christ with the torn veil and the opened side, and the burial, in the silence of the great Sabbath. see more
The Resurrection and the Glorification
The forty days of the risen Christ, from the empty tomb to the Ascension. On Easter morning: the open tomb, the appearance to Mary Magdalene, then to…The forty days of the risen Christ, from the empty tomb to the Ascension. On Easter morning: the open tomb, the appearance to Mary Magdalene, then to the holy women. In the evening, the disciples of Emmaus recognize Christ at the breaking of the bread, and he shows himself to the Apostles, giving them the Spirit for the forgiveness of sins. Then follow Thomas’s confession, the catch at the Lake of Tiberias, the threefold charge entrusted to Peter, the great commission to baptize all nations, and the Ascension to the right hand of the Father, in awaiting his return. see more
The Woman in the Assembly
The passage of the first letter to Timothy on the woman in the assembly at Ephesus: what the silence he asks for means, the function he reserves to…The passage of the first letter to Timothy on the woman in the assembly at Ephesus: what the silence he asks for means, the function he reserves to men, the deception of Eve set against the responsibility of Adam, and salvation through childbearing. see more
The Veil and the Hair
The passage of the first letter to the Corinthians on the veil and the hair in the assembly: what these signs meant, the order of creation they…The passage of the first letter to the Corinthians on the veil and the hair in the assembly: what these signs meant, the order of creation they express, and the part that belongs to the custom of a particular time. see more
The Epistle to the Romans
Paul’s letter to the Christians of Rome, the most complete exposition of his Gospel: the Church he did not found, the plan that governs the letter…Paul’s letter to the Christians of Rome, the most complete exposition of his Gospel: the Church he did not found, the plan that governs the letter, the righteousness of God received through faith, and the place this epistle holds in his work and in the Church’s thought. see more
All Under Sin
Paul’s demonstration in Romans 1 to 3: the pagans without excuse, the Jews judged by their own Law, and the verdict that gathers them all, so that…Paul’s demonstration in Romans 1 to 3: the pagans without excuse, the Jews judged by their own Law, and the verdict that gathers them all, so that salvation may appear as a gift of grace and not as a due. see more
The Canon and the Deuterocanonical Books
The canon is the list of the inspired books. The Catholic Bible numbers seven more than the Protestant one, the deuterocanonicals, kept since the…The canon is the list of the inspired books. The Catholic Bible numbers seven more than the Protestant one, the deuterocanonicals, kept since the Septuagint and cut away by the Reformation; the Orthodox canons go further still. This list, which Scripture alone cannot give, the Church received from the apostles and sealed: it is she who founds the Catholic canon. see more
Slavery in the Bible
The Bible knows slavery and regulates it in its laws. The Law of Moses softens and bounds servitude, punishes man-stealing with death, and keeps the…The Bible knows slavery and regulates it in its laws. The Law of Moses softens and bounds servitude, punishes man-stealing with death, and keeps the memory of Israel drawn out of Egypt; the Gospel lays in it the principle that undoes it, the equal dignity of every man before God, by making master and slave two brothers. see more
Wars of Extermination in the Bible
The Bible commands that certain peoples be devoted to the anathema: the extermination of the nations of Canaan, then of Amalek. These orders strike…The Bible commands that certain peoples be devoted to the anathema: the extermination of the nations of Canaan, then of Amalek. These orders strike the worship of those peoples, and any man who turns from it is spared. They speak of a judgment of God upon a long-ripened evil, at a unique moment of salvation history, and find their term in Christ, who takes away the sword and gives himself up to redeem all peoples. see more
Liturgy and Sacraments
8 entriesThe Sacraments
The seven signs instituted by Christ, by which he communicates his grace: efficacious signs that produce what they represent, they draw their power…The seven signs instituted by Christ, by which he communicates his grace: efficacious signs that produce what they represent, they draw their power from his Passion. Three serve Christian initiation (baptism, confirmation, Eucharist), two healing (confession, anointing of the sick), two the service of communion (Holy Orders, marriage). see more
Baptism
The first door of the Christian life: rebirth through water and the Spirit, which wipes away sin and brings one into the Body of Christ.
Confirmation
The sacrament that gives the baptized the fullness of the Holy Spirit, as the apostles received it at Pentecost. The third sacrament of initiation…The sacrament that gives the baptized the fullness of the Holy Spirit, as the apostles received it at Pentecost. The third sacrament of initiation, after baptism and with the Eucharist, it perfects baptismal grace, increases the gifts of the Spirit, imprints a definitive seal and gives the force to bear witness to the faith. see more
The Eucharist
The sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, instituted at the Last Supper: prefigured by the Old Testament, it makes Christ really present under…The sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, instituted at the Last Supper: prefigured by the Old Testament, it makes Christ really present under the species, perpetuates the sacrifice of the Cross, receives adoration, and unites the faithful in communion. see more
Confession
The sacrament by which the baptized receives, through the ministry of the priest, the forgiveness of the sins committed since his baptism. Christ gave…The sacrament by which the baptized receives, through the ministry of the priest, the forgiveness of the sins committed since his baptism. Christ gave its power to his apostles; through the contrition, the avowal and the satisfaction of the penitent, the absolution remits the fault and restores grace, reconciling the sinner with God and with the Church. see more
The anointing of the sick
The sacrament by which Christ comes to sustain and save those whom grave illness or old age wears down. By the anointing with a blessed oil and the…The sacrament by which Christ comes to sustain and save those whom grave illness or old age wears down. By the anointing with a blessed oil and the prayer of the Church, received from the apostles and attested by Scripture, it unites the suffering of the sick to his Passion, gives them strength and peace, remits their sins and, for the dying, prepares the passage to the Father. see more
Holy Orders
The sacrament by which the mission Christ entrusted to his apostles continues in the Church until the end of time. By the imposition of the bishop’s…The sacrament by which the mission Christ entrusted to his apostles continues in the Church until the end of time. By the imposition of the bishop’s hands, it establishes men to teach, sanctify and lead the people of God in the name of Christ. Received in three degrees, bishop, priest and deacon, it imprints a definitive seal and makes the ordained act in the person of Christ, at the service of the common priesthood of all the baptized. see more
Marriage
The covenant by which a man and a woman give themselves to each other for their whole life, ordered to their mutual love and to the welcoming of…The covenant by which a man and a woman give themselves to each other for their whole life, ordered to their mutual love and to the welcoming of children. Inscribed by God in creation and raised by Christ to the rank of a sacrament, a sign of his union with the Church, it is one and indissoluble; the spouses give it to each other by their consent and receive from it a proper grace. see more
The Spiritual Life
11 entriesAnger and Meekness
Anger is first a passion, neither good nor bad, that zeal can sanctify and vice can corrupt. To understand where the line runs, and then what remedy holds it, engages the whole of the inner life.
Fear and Trust
Fear before Scripture and its remedy: trust in God. From the broken trust of Adam to the perfect love that casts out fear, every “Do not be afraid” of…Fear before Scripture and its remedy: trust in God. From the broken trust of Adam to the perfect love that casts out fear, every “Do not be afraid” of the Bible carries with it a presence to rely on. see more
Sadness and Consolation
Sadness before Scripture and its remedy: the God of all consolation. The tears of Christ who weeps and who consoles, the lament the Psalms teach to…Sadness before Scripture and its remedy: the God of all consolation. The tears of Christ who weeps and who consoles, the lament the Psalms teach to carry before God, the two kinds of sadness of Paul, the Beatitude of those who mourn, and the promise of every tear wiped away. see more
Pride and Humility
Pride and humility before Scripture: the disordered love of one’s own excellence and the truth of the creature who has received everything. From the…Pride and humility before Scripture: the disordered love of one’s own excellence and the truth of the creature who has received everything. From the first fall and Babel to the Christ gentle and humble of heart, God resists the proud and gives his grace to the humble; whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. see more
Judging One’s Neighbour
Christ forbids condemning one’s neighbour, but not discerning good from evil: to judge the act without judging the heart, and to replace condemnation with mercy.
Resentment and Forgiveness
Resentment shuts the heart in the offence received; Christ commands forgiveness, without measure and from the heart, and gives the means to reach it even when it is hard.
The Three Ways of the Interior Life
The great structure of the spiritual path according to the Catholic tradition: the purgative way, where the soul purifies itself of its sins; the…The great structure of the spiritual path according to the Catholic tradition: the purgative way, where the soul purifies itself of its sins; the illuminative way, where it grows in the virtues and the light of Christ; the unitive way, where it is united to God in love. Three moments of one same movement, led by God himself, from the first cleansing of the heart to the union that is already a foretaste of heaven. see more
The Dark Night of the Soul
The dryness that sometimes overtakes prayer, its three causes, and the meaning of the one God sends: a night that purifies love, weans the soul from…The dryness that sometimes overtakes prayer, its three causes, and the meaning of the one God sends: a night that purifies love, weans the soul from its consolations, and turns it toward God alone. see more
The Desire to Feel the Spirit
The desire to feel the Holy Spirit, to know these graces in order to teach them, and the silence of God that answers it: why they cannot be commanded…The desire to feel the Holy Spirit, to know these graces in order to teach them, and the silence of God that answers it: why they cannot be commanded or transmitted, and why all is already given to know God and bear witness to him. see more
Discerning the Movements of the Heart
Discernment, the art of recognizing among the movements of the heart those that come from God. The thoughts, desires, and troubles that cross us, and…Discernment, the art of recognizing among the movements of the heart those that come from God. The thoughts, desires, and troubles that cross us, and their three sources: God, our own nature, and the tempter. The need to test the spirits rather than follow them all, and the rule given by Christ: each thing is known by its fruits, those of the Spirit or those of trouble and division. see more
Consolation and Desolation
The two climates of the interior life, and the conduct each calls for: welcoming consolation, passing through desolation without changing course, and seeing through the tempter’s tricks.
History of the Church
2 entriesThe Age of the Martyrs
For nearly three centuries, until the peace of 313, Christianity was a forbidden religion: refusing the worship of the gods and of the emperor…For nearly three centuries, until the peace of 313, Christianity was a forbidden religion: refusing the worship of the gods and of the emperor, Christians were taken for atheists and traitors, and popular hatred charged them with every crime. In waves, from Nero to Diocletian, thousands gave their lives rather than deny Christ. The Church honoured these martyrs, was able to raise up those who had faltered, and emerged from the ordeal grown: their blood was a seed of Christians. see more
The Expansion of Christianity
In twenty centuries, Christianity spread from a small group gathered in Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. From the apostles to the modern…In twenty centuries, Christianity spread from a small group gathered in Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. From the apostles to the modern missionaries, through the evangelization of the Roman Empire, the peoples of Europe, then new continents, the Church carried the Gospel to all the nations, by witness and charity, faithful to Christ’s sending and to the conviction that salvation is addressed to all. see more
Apologetics
9 entriesWhy God Asks for Adoration
An answer to a frequent objection: would a God who demands to be adored not be a being greedy for homage, dependent on his creatures? The answer…An answer to a frequent objection: would a God who demands to be adored not be a being greedy for homage, dependent on his creatures? The answer overturns the image: God, who lacks nothing, gains nothing by being adored; if he asks for it, it is for the good of man. For to adore places man in the truth of his condition, frees him from the idols that enslave him, and opens him to the one who alone can fill him. see more
The Theory of Evolution
Has evolution made God useless? The answer distinguishes three senses of the word: a fact, a scientific theory, and a materialist philosophy. Faith…Has evolution made God useless? The answer distinguishes three senses of the word: a fact, a scientific theory, and a materialist philosophy. Faith leaves to science the development of bodies, including that of man’s body; but the spiritual soul, which grasps the immaterial, is created directly by God. And to conclude from evolution that there is no Creator is a step nothing warrants, for chance does not give being and the order of the world leads toward its Author. see more
Infant Baptism
Why the Church baptises newborns, who cannot yet believe: a practice from the origins, founded on the gratuity of grace, the promise made to children…Why the Church baptises newborns, who cannot yet believe: a practice from the origins, founded on the gratuity of grace, the promise made to children, and the faith of the Church that carries them. see more
The Real Presence
Answers to the objections on the Eucharist: that the real presence is only a symbol, that the Mass and adoration offend the unique sacrifice of…Answers to the objections on the Eucharist: that the real presence is only a symbol, that the Mass and adoration offend the unique sacrifice of Christ. Each truth holds to Scripture, to what Jesus says and does. see more
Mary, Mother of God
Answers to the objections raised against Mary: Mother of God, the Immaculate Conception, her perpetual virginity, her Assumption, and the honour given…Answers to the objections raised against Mary: Mother of God, the Immaculate Conception, her perpetual virginity, her Assumption, and the honour given her. Each holds to Scripture and leads back to Christ. see more
Sola Scriptura
Why the principle of ’Scripture alone’ collapses: a rule the Bible does not teach and which refutes itself, the Tradition it commands us to hold, the…Why the principle of ’Scripture alone’ collapses: a rule the Bible does not teach and which refutes itself, the Tradition it commands us to hold, the Church that preceded and discerned the canon, and the need for an authoritative interpreter. see more
Once Saved, Always Saved
The doctrine of unconditional eternal security in the light of Scripture: why salvation, once received, must be kept, in perseverance to the end.
Sola Fide
The doctrine of justification by faith alone in the light of Scripture: why the faith that saves is a living faith, active through charity.
The Intercession of the Saints and Angels
The intercession of the saints and angels rests on the communion of saints. Three objections, the prohibition of consulting the dead, idolatry, and…The intercession of the saints and angels rests on the communion of saints. Three objections, the prohibition of consulting the dead, idolatry, and the one mediator, dissolve as soon as one sees what is asked of those who live in God: not a sacrifice, but a prayer. see more
Philosophy and Reason
6 entriesFreedom and Responsibility
What reason establishes about human freedom: the power to determine oneself, attested by the experience of deliberation; the link between freedom and…What reason establishes about human freedom: the power to determine oneself, attested by the experience of deliberation; the link between freedom and responsibility, and what diminishes it; the answer to the determinism that denies free choice; and the heart of the matter, true freedom which is fulfilled in choosing the good, where evil enslaves instead of setting free. see more
The Moral Conscience
What reason establishes about conscience: the judgment by which the intelligence discerns, in the concrete act, the good to do and the evil to avoid.…What reason establishes about conscience: the judgment by which the intelligence discerns, in the concrete act, the good to do and the evil to avoid. The double Catholic principle: one must always follow one’s conscience, for to act against it is a fault; but since it can be mistaken, one has the duty to form it in the truth. True freedom of conscience is not to judge as one wishes, but to seek the true in order to judge well. see more
Doubt and the Moral Systems
How to act when one does not know whether an act is permitted or forbidden. One cannot act in doubt without first seeking to remove it; but when the…How to act when one does not know whether an act is permitted or forbidden. One cannot act in doubt without first seeking to remove it; but when the doubt remains, a sure principle guides: a doubtful law does not bind, except where a precious good such as salvation or life is at stake. The moral systems (from tutiorism to laxism) and the way of balance retained by the Church, which frees from scruple without falling into laxity. see more
Doing Evil for a Good
Why a good end never justifies an evil means. The structure of the moral act (object, end, circumstances) and the fact that a single evil element…Why a good end never justifies an evil means. The structure of the moral act (object, end, circumstances) and the fact that a single evil element suffices to corrupt the act, the object being first: a good intention never redeems an evil object. Intrinsically evil acts, which no cause justifies, and the distinction from the toleration of an evil one undergoes and the double effect. see more
Love
What loving is, at root: to will a good. The forms of love the Greek distinguishes, the love of a thing and the love of a person, love as an act of…What loving is, at root: to will a good. The forms of love the Greek distinguishes, the love of a thing and the love of a person, love as an act of the will more than feeling, its source in God and its summit in the gift of self. see more