Ears to Hear - Easter Sunday
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- Written by Conor McDonough OP
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A Reading from a Paschal Homily of an Ancient Author
Alleluia! Christ is risen, he is risen indeed! The unknown author of this ancient homily describes this day as ‘the source of life, the beginning of brightness’. Have a listen, and bask in the joy of the Risen Lord!
Ears to Hear - Holy Saturday
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A Reading from an Ancient Homily for Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday is an eerily silent day. There is no morning Mass, no bells ringing, no choirs singing. Instead, all the Christian world is in silent mourning – the Beloved is dead, and they have laid him in the tomb. Something is going on within the silence though, imperceptibly. Christ descends and says to all the dead: ‘Awake’!
Ears to Hear - Good Friday
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A Reading from the Instructions of St John Chrysostom to Catechumens
One of the most important roles for a bishop in the early Church was to explain the Holy Week ceremonies to the newly-baptised. This usually happened in Easter week, after they had experienced them, so they were looking back in time, having the significance of these great ceremonies expounded in detail. Today we listen to one such explanation, from John Chrysostom, a fourth-century bishop. What power does the blood of Christ have for us? Have a listen to John Chrysostom’s answer.
Ears to Hear - Holy Thursday
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From the homily of Melito of Sardis on the Pasch
The writings of Melito of Sardis come very early on in the life of the Church. He died around the year 180, and was bishop in what is now Turkey. This excerpt from one of his Easter homilies gives us an overview of the Paschal Mystery: that is, the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and their effects on us. Melito delves into the Old Testament too, to point out that the Paschal Mystery itself is prefigured in the story of Israel. It’s helpful to get this ‘big picture’ perspective on the Pasch, before we descend into the darkness of Good Friday, and the silence of Holy Saturday.
Ears to Hear - Lent 6: 'Death, I shall be your death!'
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Lent 6: 'Death, I shall be your death!'
Lent is a preparation for the events of Easter – the passion, death andresurrection of Jesus. It’s good, then, to spend some time thinking about these events, preparing for our solemn commemoration of them at Easter. In this excerpt we hear the thoughts of Pope St Leo the Great on the Cross of Christ, and he imagines the dying Christ addressing death, saying: ‘Death, I shall be your death’. Have a listen, and ponder, in gratitude, the mystery of the saving Cross.