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When we look back on the Third Crusade (1189-1192) it is all but impossible not to be struck by how close King Richard and the Christian host came to decisively defeating Saladin and re-taking Jerusalem. Twice during the campaign—in January 1192 and again in July 1192—the crusaders advanced to within a dozen or so miles of the Holy City, only to withdraw without making a serious effort to besiege it. In this brief essay, I will attempt to explain the strategic decision to abandon the first advance on Jerusalem in 1191/2. From Acre to Bayt NubaDuring the summer and autumn...

Three Teachings from the Lord on Prayer Msgr. Charles Pope • July 23, 2016 • Photo by Michael Hoyt for the Catholic StandardLast week’s Gospel featured the Lord insisting that prayer was “the one thing necessary.” This week, we see the disciples’ request that the Lord teach them on prayer. In answer, the Lord gives three basic teachings or prescriptions for prayer.Let’s look at these three prescriptions. I. Pattern of Prayer – The Gospel opens as follows: Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us...

Eucharist in the creed? Msgr. Charles Pope Question: The true presence of Christ in the Eucharist is central to our Catholic faith, and many converts say it was essential to their conversion. If this is so, why is the true presence not mentioned at all in the Nicene or Apostles Creeds? Should it not be added at the end where we state things like our belief in the Communion of Saints, the resurrection of the body and so forth? — Jerry Roventini, via email Answer: There are many things that are not mentioned in the Nicene Creed. There is no...

Why is Original Sin Called the “Sin of Adam”? Msgr. Charles Pope • July 21, 2016 • Original sin is that first sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, committed when they ate the forbidden fruit of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 3:1-7). And while it clearly involved both of them, Scripture and Tradition refer to it formally as the “Sin of Adam” or “Adam’s Sin,” not the “Sin of Adam and Eve.” It is also described as coming to us “through one man,” not “through a man and a woman.”...

Our Most Primal Fear and the Source of Our Bondage Msgr. Charles Pope • July 20, 2016 • Let’s ponder a significant yet often overlooked text from Hebrews, which describes our most basic and primal fear. Our inordinate fear of what people think of us is rooted in an even deeper fear, one which is at the very core of our being. The Hebrews text both names it and describes it as being the source of our bondage. In order to unlock the secret of the text, I want to suggest to you an interpretation that will allow its...

The life of St. Joseph is largely veiled to us by history. While there are some writings from the early centuries of the Church about St. Joseph, they are part of the apocryphal literature. Writings in this category are largely viewed with suspicion, as they were written more to convey hidden, secret knowledge that was believed to be needed to attain salvation, rather than to give an account of events that took place. We also have the writings of mystics such as Anne Catherine Emmerich and the Venerable Mother Mary of Jesus of Agreda, which pass along vivid details of...

Fatherhood and Mercy Msgr. Charles Pope • July 19, 2016 • Last weekend I was out in Anacortes, Washington (about a hundred miles north of Seattle) preaching at the Faith on Fire conference. One of the talks I gave was entitled “Mercy and Fatherhood.” In it, I spoke about how a father can show mercy to his children. What follows is my notes for that talk. What does a priest know about being a father? Why don’t you read this post and then tell me? Remember that I have been the son of my father, I have two brothers,...

At the Last Supper, Jesus commanded the 12 Apostles to “do this in remembrance of me.”The “this” is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, also called the Divine Liturgy by Eastern Rite Catholics.When Christianity was new, misunderstood and outlawed, Saint Justin Martyr, one of the first Christian philosophers who understood Greek thought and Christian doctrine to be compatible, defended Christian doctrine and liturgical practices from secular political power, claiming Christians should not be persecuted. In his Apology, a detailed written defense of Christianity, one of the earliest descriptions of the Catholic Mass is found. “And this food is called among us...

How Do You Solve the Problem of Violence? A Commentary on Superheroes Msgr. Charles Pope • July 18, 2016 • There was more violence this past weekend. A man, whatever his grievance, killed three police officers and wounded four others. Pray for their souls.And what has this gotten us? More anger. And no progress on justice at all.History is replete with the failures of those who thought they could usher in justice with violence. The “war to end all wars” (World War I) demonstrated this foolish notion, as it ultimately brought about a far bloodier one: World War II.There...

Christianity’s Major “Pivot-Points”Recently as I meditated on Scripture, the Holy Spirit drew my attention and interest to how a certain verse embodies a pivoting or inflection-point in Christianity’s long story. That caused me to want to derive and list all of the major pivot-points which have occurred—that is, pivotal incidents which substantially changed the course of events in the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan. Your list might be somewhat different, but all these seem to me to be hugely impactful. Chronologically, they are: CREATION—God creates our physical universe to house us and then He creates us, the first physical creatures...

Don’t Think, Look! A Meditation on the Need for the Mystical Msgr. Charles Pope • July 17, 2016 • Our intellect is our greatest strength and one of our greatest blessings, yet almost nothing gets us into as much trouble. Our strength is also our struggle. We think we know a few things, and indeed we do—a very few things.The greatest intellects, if they have wisdom and humility, know this. St. Thomas Aquinas famously said,In finem nostrae cognitionis Deum tamquam ignotum cognoscimus. (At the end of our knowledge we know God as unknown.) (In Boetium de Trinitate, q. 1,...

The Priority of Personal Prayer Msgr. Charles Pope • July 16, 2016 • Today’s Gospel is the very familiar one of Martha and Mary. Martha is the anxious worker seeking to please the Lord with a good meal and hospitality; Mary sits quietly at His feet and listens. One has come to be the image of work, the other of prayer.Misinterpreted? In my lifetime I have heard many a sermon that interpreted this Gospel passage as a call for a proper balance between work and prayer. Some have gone on to state that we all need a little of...

Patient Autonomy? Q. I am a student nurse, and I never have yet had to deal with questions from patients about euthanasia. But I was wondering: When I am a nurse, if I have a patient who is serious about euthanasia and feels that it is the best choice for him or her, how should I respond? Would I be indirectly allowing that person to die by “passing the buck”? The nurse is the patient’s advocate, but what can I morally do if the patient’s wishes are incompatible with my morals as a Catholic, without stifling the patient’s autonomy? Kelley,...

The ancient Roman prison where Sts. Peter and Paul were once confined has been re-opened to visitors after a year-long renovation. The Mamertine prison, also known as the Carcer Tullianum, is a 3,000-year-old structure, located near the Roman Forum. The church of San Giuseppe dei Falegnami now stands above it, and in the prison itself there is an altar so that Mass can be celebrated at the site where the apostles were jailed. The renovations to the prison include the introduction of a multimedia tour, which allows visitors to learn more about any facet of the building and its history...

Straining Out Gnats but Swallowing Camels, as Seen in a Commercial Msgr. Charles Pope • July 14, 2016 • Today’s Gospel (Mat 12:1-8), in which Jesus is rebuked for violating the Sabbath, reminded me of the video below. It illustrates how we sometimes follow smaller rules while overlooking bigger ones in the process.The Lord Jesus was often scorned by the people of His day, who claimed that He overlooked certain details of the law (often Sabbath observances). But those who rebuked him for this were guilty of far greater violations. For example, [Jesus] went into the synagogue, and a...

There’s a Yoke to Be Carried in Following Jesus -- Make Sure It’s Jesus’ Yoke, Not Yours Msgr. Charles Pope • July 13, 2016 • 0 Comments The Gospel from Wednesday’s Daily Mass contains memorable but often misunderstood lines:Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest … Take my yoke upon you … For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.The most important word in this sentence is the word “my.” Jesus says, my yoke is easy; my burden is light.What is a yoke? It’s a wooden truss that makes...

Considered one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world still in operation, the Monastery of Saint Catherine in Sinai is home to more than two centuries of history — and more than that of legend. Tradition claims, for example, that the main altar of the monastery is built on the spot where the Burning Bush first addressed Moses. But the monastery, declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, also holds other seats of honor. For example, it accommodates the oldest continuously operating active library in the world.From the day it was founded in the sixth century (between 548 and...

Is It Time to Flee the World? Msgr. Charles Pope • July 12, 2016 • As we go through the Book of the Prophet Isaiah at Mass, we read of Israel’s painful purifications and also of a coming punishment of the surrounding nations. These ancient stories have something to say to us today.As Isaiah sets forth, God permitted the nations to persecute Israel in order that she be purified. But the iniquity and sin of the nations and of this world cannot go on forever; wickedness must be ended. The Lord will judge the nations, not merely purify Israel.In...

Excellent 4th of July speech by Tom Price,MD (R) Georgia's 6th District, to the Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, Atlanta. Tom Price/July 4th Speech >>>>> click on the "here!" URL Warning to Dems and other terrorists, it may not be to your taste.

Who was Isaiah? Msgr. Charles Pope • July 11, 2016 • Prophet Isaiah by Antonio BalestraWe are reading excerpts from the Prophet Isaiah this week in the Daily Liturgy, particularly from passages in which God’s judgment on unbelief and sin is proclaimed. I will write a bit more on this tomorrow, but perhaps for today there is some benefit in looking at Isaiah by way of overview. Let’s consider key elements of his life, struggle, and message. If you already have a firm grasp on Isaiah’s life and teachings and would like to read a shorter meditation, you can...