Oro Valley Catholic

The New Jerusalem And The Of Babylon

In Revelation 21, "I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." John compares the of Babylon to the Bride of Christ and Babylon doesn't come out well. This week Oro Valley Catholic discusses the Book of Revelation and the contrast between the City of Man and the City of God.
Readings for the Fifth Week of Easter: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051522.cfm
Music: Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581 (Mozart) by Musicians from Marlboro is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License.

Evangelization in a world dominated by myths

Paul and Barnabas evangelize towns dominated by various mythic beliefs. They meet opposition from the synagogues and pagan power brokers. Why are they successful? They understand and eat with the people. Jesus in the Gospel says that he is the Good Shepherd; that his sheep hear his voice, he knows them and they follow him.
The Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050822.cfm
Music: Blackbird (1226) by Lobo Loco is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Ancient Views Of Death and the Resurrection

The only specific mention of what Resurrection looks like comes from the Book of Daniel. "And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever." Dan. 12:4. The Book of Revelation uses that image in John's vision of the Risen Lord. In Revelation 1:12-16 it says, "* Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and when I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man,* wearing an ankle-length robe, with a gold sash around his chest. The hair of his head was as white as white wool or as snow,* and his eyes were like a fiery flame. His feet were like polished brass refined in a furnace,* and his voice was like the sound of rushing water. In his right hand he held seven stars.* A sharp two-edged sword came out of his mouth, and his face shone like the sun at its brightest." So why do the four Gospels tell a very different story of the Resurrection? Because the Risen Lord was not a vision. They described what they really saw.
The Readings for the Third Sunday of Easter are to be found at: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050122.cfm
Music by Bach: Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011 by Colin Carr is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License.

The Resurrection - Doubt and Faith

Pope Benedict XVI wrote in his great book, "Introduction to Christianity" "Fastened to the cross—with the cross fastened to nothing, drifting over the abyss. The situation of the contemporary believer could hardly be more accurately and impressively described." In the Gospel from John 20 the disciples believe and doubt, are afraid and rejoice. Jesus of Nazareth has been transformed into the Cosmic Christ. What is the relationship between Divine Mercy and Divine Justice in the crucifixion and the Resurrection? Fr. Serge Propst, O.P. and Fr. John discuss the Resurrection, Doubt and Faith.
Crucifixion (Corpus Hypercubus) 1954
Salvador Dali
Music "Adoramus te Christi" is performed by the St. Mark Schola Cantorum pursuant to OneLicense # A-726294.

Tenebrae And Darkness

Tenebrae is a para-liturgical service in the Roman Catholic Church that contemplates the darkness surrounding evil in the world with particular attention to the passion of Christ Jesus. St. Mark celebrated Tenebrae on the Wednesday of Holy Week including readings from scripture, choral responses from traditional music and a reflection on the darkness of our world by Fr. Serge Propst, O.P.
Music provided by the St. Mark Schola Cantorum.

Three Gardens - Eden, Gethsemane And Paradise

In this Oro Valley Catholic, Fr. Serge and I discuss Phillipians 2, possibly the earliest catechism in the Church. Also, I examine the Passion of the Christ in light of the Old Testament, especially Genesis, 2 Samuel and Isaiah. Holy Week is the tale of three Gardens - Eden, Gethsemane and Paradise.
The readings for this episode are found at https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041022.cfm
Music: Bach: Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011 by Colin Carr is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License.

The Woman caught in adultery and women in the Church

The Fifth Sunday of Lent gives us the woman caught in adultery and St. Paul's faith in grace. Jesus came not to condemn sinners, but sin, according to St. Augustine. The early Church didn't like this story, apparently, because it appears God goes soft on adultery. But there is much more going on in John's Gospel and St. Paul's Letter to the Phillipians. Join Fr. John and Fr. Serge Propst, O.P. in their discussion of the readings for this Sunday.
Readings for the Fifth Sunday of Lent: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040322-YearC.cfm
Music: Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581 (Mozart) by Musicians from Marlboro is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License.

Beloved - God And My Conscience

We encounter the echo of God's voice in our conscience. Sometimes, in an act of conscience we have conflicting duties. How do we know how God sees us when we make difficult decisions that leave us unsatisfied somehow. Are you making the Father's voice up for yourself? Is your Father a slave driver? Or are you His beloved who seeks to do HIs will?
Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032722-YearC.cfm
Arthur's Dream by Nutmeg is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

Sacrifice protects beauty, truth and goodness in our life

Aristotle argued that God as the final cause of all of reality attracted us and the cosmos as the 'final cause' of existence. God, like a beautiful piece of spiritual apple pie draws us to himself in through beauty, truth and goodness. In the Book of Exodus, God used a burning bush. Perhaps God spoke to you powerfully through your newborn child or other undeserved gift. Grumbling destroys the spirit of thanksgiving and deadens our response to beauty, truth and goodness. The secret to a happy life? Learn to sacrifice!
The readings for the Third Sunday of Lent are found here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032022-YearA.cfm
Music: Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581 (Mozart) by Musicians from Marlboro is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License.

Meaning Ever Ancient, Ever New

The Second Sunday of Lent has readings reminding us of God's promise to Abram and the work of Moses and Elijah in salvation history. Peter, James and John witness Christ's transfiguration. Meaning in life comes from our past, our present and our hopes for the future. Remembering the story of salvation history, we experience ourselves in the present and hope for the future. Experiencing meaning ever ancient, ever new.
“Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.” - St. Augustine
Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031322.cfm
Music: Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581 (Mozart) by Musicians from Marlboro is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License.