Over supper tonight, I opened up the latest book published by Pope Benedict XVI. This book is essentially an edited collection of his weekly addresses in Rome on his spiritual reflections on church.
We read and learn from this writing of the singular influence of the church of today from the lives of the first apostles.
Moreover, as we read about the apostsles, we glean an insight into the mind of the Pope.
This book, ‘The Apostles’, is an important contribution to the understanding of the history of the church and its developed Tradition.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Monday, July 02, 2007
More on Pope Benedict's book on Jesus
From Deacon Mike:
I have recommended for your summer reading the recently published book of Pope Benedict XVI – “Jesus of Nazareth”. It is to be noted that the book is not a ‘Magisterial’ text as an official teaching. The text is the personal search of the Pope for the Lord. He echoes Psalm 27:8.
The Pope provides a glimpse into his individuality as he reflects on the ways that scripture (the text) and tradition (the commentary) intersect and teach. For the readers, we learn about details not usually found in other commentaries. For example, in reflecting on the significance of the number ‘forty’ as used to denote a significant time interval in many of the scripture texts, the Pope offers this note.
He writes that “…The Fathers of the Church, stretching number symbolism in an admittedly slightly playful way, regarded forty as a cosmic number, as the numerical sign for this world. The four ‘corners’ encompass the whole world, and ten is the number of the commandments. The number of the cosmos multiplied by the number of the commandments becomes a symbolic statement about the history of this world as a whole. It is as if Jesus were reliving Israel’s Exodus, and then reliving the chaotic meanderings of history in general; the forty days of fasting embraces the drama of history, which Jesus takes into himself and bears all the way through to the end…” (Pages 29, 30)
I have recommended for your summer reading the recently published book of Pope Benedict XVI – “Jesus of Nazareth”. It is to be noted that the book is not a ‘Magisterial’ text as an official teaching. The text is the personal search of the Pope for the Lord. He echoes Psalm 27:8.
The Pope provides a glimpse into his individuality as he reflects on the ways that scripture (the text) and tradition (the commentary) intersect and teach. For the readers, we learn about details not usually found in other commentaries. For example, in reflecting on the significance of the number ‘forty’ as used to denote a significant time interval in many of the scripture texts, the Pope offers this note.
He writes that “…The Fathers of the Church, stretching number symbolism in an admittedly slightly playful way, regarded forty as a cosmic number, as the numerical sign for this world. The four ‘corners’ encompass the whole world, and ten is the number of the commandments. The number of the cosmos multiplied by the number of the commandments becomes a symbolic statement about the history of this world as a whole. It is as if Jesus were reliving Israel’s Exodus, and then reliving the chaotic meanderings of history in general; the forty days of fasting embraces the drama of history, which Jesus takes into himself and bears all the way through to the end…” (Pages 29, 30)
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Jesus of Nazareth
For your ‘summer reading’, I offer the following. The title is: “Jesus of Nazareth”. The author is Pope Benedict XVI.
This is a very readable text that will inform and challenge and inspire us all in our own understanding of Jesus. This is not an official text published as a teaching from the Vatican.
As Pope Benedict writes in the foreword, “…It goes without saying that this book is in no way an exercise of the Magisterium, but is solely an expression of my personal search ‘for the face of the Lord’ (cf. Psalm 27:8). Everyone is free, then, to contradict me. I would only ask my readers for that initial goodwill without which there can be no understanding…”
Particularly notable to me was this statement from Pope Benedict in his reflection on the Transfiguration. He writes “… the great events of Jesus’ life are inwardly connected with the Jewish festival calendar. They are, as it were, liturgical events in which the liturgy, with its remembrance and expectation, becomes reality – becomes life. This life then leads back to the liturgy and from the liturgy seeks to become life again…”
This is a very readable text that will inform and challenge and inspire us all in our own understanding of Jesus. This is not an official text published as a teaching from the Vatican.
As Pope Benedict writes in the foreword, “…It goes without saying that this book is in no way an exercise of the Magisterium, but is solely an expression of my personal search ‘for the face of the Lord’ (cf. Psalm 27:8). Everyone is free, then, to contradict me. I would only ask my readers for that initial goodwill without which there can be no understanding…”
Particularly notable to me was this statement from Pope Benedict in his reflection on the Transfiguration. He writes “… the great events of Jesus’ life are inwardly connected with the Jewish festival calendar. They are, as it were, liturgical events in which the liturgy, with its remembrance and expectation, becomes reality – becomes life. This life then leads back to the liturgy and from the liturgy seeks to become life again…”
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Understanding Islam
How do we understand the nature of Islam in this 21t century? How do we sort out the varieties of traditions within Islam that transcend ethnic and national boundaries?
Is there a way to see the Qur’an as the book for all Muslims?
I suggest that we need to listen carefully to all the voices within and without the Muslim communities. I suggest it is beneficial to read widely about individuals who chronicle their life experience in the Islamic world.
Here is one such book.
‘Now They Call Me Infidel’ is the memoir of Nonie Darwish. She was born in Egypt in 1948 and lived through the Farouk/Nasser revolution and the sundry hostilities that were the mainstay of middle life through the late 20th century.
Darwish immigrated to America and married an Egyptian Coptic and later left her Islamic tradition.
She writes and lectures on her personal travails and her views on the violence so endemic to many, but not all, followers of the Islamic tradition.
Is there a way to see the Qur’an as the book for all Muslims?
I suggest that we need to listen carefully to all the voices within and without the Muslim communities. I suggest it is beneficial to read widely about individuals who chronicle their life experience in the Islamic world.
Here is one such book.
‘Now They Call Me Infidel’ is the memoir of Nonie Darwish. She was born in Egypt in 1948 and lived through the Farouk/Nasser revolution and the sundry hostilities that were the mainstay of middle life through the late 20th century.
Darwish immigrated to America and married an Egyptian Coptic and later left her Islamic tradition.
She writes and lectures on her personal travails and her views on the violence so endemic to many, but not all, followers of the Islamic tradition.
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