TSP 29: The First Christmas: The History and Theology of Jesus' Birth in Matthew and Luke

With Christmas upon us, The Sacred Page Podcast turns to look at the birth narrative of Jesus in Matthew and Luke.

Are the infancy narratives hopelessly contradictory? Were they simply invented out of whole cloth? Why are there so many hymns in Luke 1-2? Why did Luke not tell us about Magi? Why did Joseph seek to divorce Mary? Was he really suspicious of her?

Find out the answers to these and many other questions in this podcast.

For more on Joseph, see this post.

Listen on iTunes or click the link below.

Your comments are welcome as always in the comment box. 

TSP 29: The First Christmas: The History and Theology of Jesus' Birth in Matthew and Luke

"Widows, Miracles and Sacrifice" (Sunday Readings Podcast for 11/11/12)

This Sunday we turn to the story of the widow's mite. Notably, we read this story against the backdrop of a miracle worked by Elijah and the Epistle to the Hebrews. [Readings here]

Who was Elijah? Why was he important? How do the Gospels portray Jesus as a New Elijah? How does the reading from the Gospel relate to the first and second readings?

Learn about all that in more in this brief podcast.

Listen on iTunes or click the link below.

As always, we welcome your comments below.

"Widows, Miracles and Sacrifice" (Sunday Readings Podcast for 11/11/12)

"The Greatest Commandment" (Sunday Readings Podcast for 11/4/12)

This Sunday's Gospel has Jesus explain the greatest commandment.

The first reading is taken from Deuteronomy and the second is from Hebrews. Find out how they all fit together.

We also talk about how Jesus slightly alters the "greatest commandment" in Deuteronomy, emphasizing the importance of loving the Lord with all one's mind. What does this mean?

Listen on iTunes or click the link below.

As always, we welcome your comments below.

"The Greatest Commandment" (Sunday Readings Podcast for 11/4/12)

TSP 28: Ghosts and Saints in Scripture and Catholic Teaching (Halloween / All Saints Day Podcast)

The Sacred Page Podcast is back! Due to some illness in late September, I fell way behind on a number of things. Getting this podcast up was just not possible. But now we're back. . . with our spookiest podcast ever!

Halloween and All Saints Day is right around the corner. With that in mind I thought I'd cover a topic that doesn't get much attention: "ghosts" in Sacred Scripture.

Scripture in fact says that we have already come to "the spirits of just men made perfect". Where does that happen? When? How? What did Augustine, Jerome and Aquinas say about Scripture's teaching?

Listen here and you'll learn all about it.

Oh yes. . . and please tell your friends that we're back! Next week we'll also be back to our Sunday Readings Podcast.

Listen on iTunes or click the link below.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

I'm also including a .pdf below including some of the primary sources cited, i.e., biblical references, an excerpt from Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae where he draws from Jerome and Augustine, etc. . . 

TSP 28: Ghosts and Saints in Scripture and Catholic Teaching (Halloween / All Saints Days Podcast)

Ghosts and Saints Podcasts.pdf

TSP 27: The Religious Roots of the Olympics

This week I did something a little different on The Sacred Page Podcast. Here we look at the historical and religious roots of the Olympics. The topic was discussed in a recent USA Today article.

Here we expand on this, asking, What makes the Olympics so popular?

Did you know that the Olympic motto, "citius, altius, fortius," is attributed to a Roman Catholic priest?

Did you know that Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics, was educated by Jesuits and said, "The first essential characteristic of the Olympics, both ancient as well as modern, is to be a religion . . . above and outside the churches."

Learn much more in this podcast.

Listen on iTunes or click the link below.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

TSP 27: The Religious Roots of the Olympics

TSP 26: The Heavenly Liturgy in Judaism, the New Testament and the Eucharistic Celebration

I'm currently teaching a graduate course on Liturgical Theology and so I've been doing a lot of work in the study of worship. Here I share some thoughts from the course.

In the first Eucharistic Prayer of the Catholic Mass, the priest makes reference to an altar in heaven: "command that these gifts be borne by the hands of your holy Angel to your altar on high."

What many do not realize is that the belief in a heavenly temple liturgy originates in the Old Testament and ancient Judaism. In fact, New Testament authors, clearly drawing on such beliefs, explain Christ's sacrifice in terms of a heavenly temple and liturgy.

In this episode we look at Jewish beliefs about liturgy and see how they form the background for the New Testament's view of Christ's sacrifice and Christian worship. For example, as we shall see, the Epistle to the Hebrews links the heavenly liturgy (leitourgia) to the ascension.

As we shall see, the New Testament reveals the surpassing ways Christ fulfills hopes regarding participation in the angelic worship of the heavenly temple.

Look for the outline with all the notes over at www.TheSacredPage.com.

Listen on iTunes or click the link below.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

TSP 26: The Heavenly Liturgy in Judaism, the New Testament and the Eucharistic Celebration

TSP 25: Jesus as Prophet, His Prophetic Signs, and the Last Supper

In this episode I look at Jesus' role as a prophet--a much overlooked aspect of his ministry. In addition, I look at the role of "prophetic acts", other first-century Jewish figures, and, for good measure, the Last Supper.

On TheSacredPage.com (here) you'll find an extensive handout.

Listen on iTunes or click the link below.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

TSP 25: Jesus as Prophet, His Prophetic Signs, and the Last Supper