The Pilgrim’s Progress: A Journey from Despair to Glory
Few books in literary history have captured the human soul’s quest for meaning quite like The Pilgrim’s Progress. Originally penned by John Bunyan in 1678 while imprisoned for his religious beliefs, this Christian allegory has inspired generations of readers across continents and centuries. Yet for modern audiences,... More details… https://spiritualkhazaana.com/the-pilgrims-progress-from-despair-to-glory/
#pilgrim’sprogress #thecross #spiritualjourney #christiansjourney #biblestudyguide

Irenaeus

Irenaeus of Lyons (circa 130-202 AD) is 1 of the most important theologians of the 2nd century. He’s often called the “Father of Catholic Theology.” He served as a crucial bridge between the era of the Apostles & the developed institutional Church of the later Roman Empire.

He was born in Smyrna (modern-day Turkey). He was a student of Polycarp, who was himself a disciple of John the Apostle. This connection to an actual eyewitness of Jesus gave Irenaeus a unique statue. In an era where secret teachings were being whispered in various sects, Irenaeus could claim a direct, public, & verifiable line of “transmission” back to the source.

Around 177 AD, he traveled to Lugdunum (Lyons, in modern-day France) to serve as a priest. Eventually, he became the bishop after his predecessor, Pothinus, was martyred.

Irenaeus’ legacy is defined by his battle against Gnosticism. Gnosticism is a diverse movement that threatened to dismantle early Christianity. Generally, Gnostics believed:

• The material world was evil, created by a lesser, bumbling deity (Demiurge).
• Salvation came through secret, esoteric knowledge (gnosis).
• Jesus didn’t have a physical body (Docetism), as matter was inherently corrupt.

Irenaeus saw this as a total rejection of the Hebrew scriptures & the reality of the Incarnation. To counter this, he wrote his 5-volume masterpiece, “Against Heresies” (Adversus Haereses). Irenaeus’ theology’s centerpiece is the concept of Recapitulation. He argued that Jesus “summed up” all of humanity in Himself.

Just as the 1st Adam failed at the Tree of Knowledge, Jesus (the “new Adam”) succeeded on the tree of the Cross. Irenaeus taught that Jesus went through every stage of mortal human life (infancy, youth, & adulthood) to “sanctify” & “undo” the corruption introduced at each stage of the Fall.

Before Irenaeus’ time, there wasn’t the New Testament as we know it today. Different groups/sects used different, & various, gospels. This is where we get the infamous banned books of the Bible. Irenaeus was the 1st major figure to argue for the Four-Fold Gospel.

He insisted that there could be no more, & no fewer, than 4 Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John), using a poetic justification: just as there are 4 zones of the world (or 4 corners) & 4 principal winds, the Church had to have 4 “pillars” of the Gospel. By doing this, he helped stabilize the core of the Christian Bible.

To fight the Gnostic claim of secret traditions, Irenaeus proposed 2 tests of “Truth”:

• The Rule of Faith:
  • A summary of essential beliefs (a forerunner of the Apostles’ Creed) that all true churches held in common.
• Apostolic Succession:
  • Irenaeus argued that if Jesus had secret knowledge, he would’ve given it to the bishops he appointed.

Irenaeus’ most profound contribution to theology is the concept of Recapitulation (anakephalaiosis). Using the math of his day, he sought to “sum up” the entire human experience through Christ.

To counter his Gnostic opponents, Irenaeus significantly develops Paul’s presentation of Christ as the Last Adam. Irenaeus’ presentation of Christ as the New Adam is based on Paul’s Christ-Adam parallel in Romans 5:12-21.

But also dervies significantly from the Johannine presentation of Adam-Christ typology. Irenaeus uses this parallel to demonstrate that Christ truly took human flesh. Irenaeus considered it important to emphasize this point because he understands the failure to recognize Christ’s full humanity links the various strains of Gnosticism together, as seen in his statement that “according to the opinion of no one of the heretics was the Word of God made flesh.”

Irenaeus believes that unless the Word became flesh, humans weren’t fully redeemed. He explains that by becoming man, Christ restored humanity to bring in the image & likeness of God, which they’d lost in the Fall of Man.

Just as Adam was the original head of humanity through whom all sinned, Christ is the new head of humanity who fulfills Adam’s role in the Economy of Salvation. The Economy of Salvation (a.k.a. Divine Economy) is that part of divine revelation in the Roman Catholic tradition that deals with God’s creation & management of the world, particularly his plan of salvation accomplished through the Church. Irenaeus calls this process of restoring humanity: Recapitulation.

Irenaeus emphasizes the importance of Christ’s reversal of Adam’s actions. Through His obedience, Christ undoes Adam’s disobedience. Irenaeus presents the Passion as the climax of Christ’s obedience, emphasizing how this obedience on the tree of the Cross undoes the disobedience that occurred through a tree.

Irenaeus’ interpretation of Paul’s discussion of Christ as the New Adam is significant because it helped develop the recapitulation theory of atonement.

Irenaeus took part in the Quartodeciman Controversy. When Victor I of Rome tried to force a universal practice of fasting until Easter to supersede the Jewish practice & prevent Christians from partaking of the Passover, Polycrates who led the Churches of Anatolia continued to hold old traditions of the paschal feast. For this reason Victor I wanted to excommunicate Polycrates & his supporters. But this was a step too far for Irenaeus & other bishops.

Tradition holds that he was martyred around 202 AD during the persecution of Emperor Septimius Severus. Thought historical records of his death are sparse compared to his writings.

In 2022, Pope Francis officially declared him a “Doctor of Unity” (Doctor Unitatis), acknowledging his role in bridging the Eastern & Western theological traditions.

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Novena to St. John of the Cross, Day 1: What profit

Scripture

Jesus asked her what she wanted, and she said, “When you come into your kingdom, please let one of my sons sit at your right side and the other at your left.”

Jesus answered, “Not one of you knows what you are asking. Are you able to drink from the cup that I must soon drink from?”

James and John said, “Yes, we are!”

Jesus replied, “You certainly will drink from my cup! But it isn’t for me to say who will sit at my right side and at my left. That is for my Father to say.”
(Matthew 20:21-23)

Reading

“[I]t should be understood that people ought not rejoice except in walking along the path that leads to life and in doing works with charity. What profit is there in anything that is not the love of God, and what value has it in God’s sight?”

Ascent of Mount Carmel III:30

Prayer

O St. John of the Cross
You were endowed by our Lord with the spirit of self-denial
and a love of the cross.
Obtain for us the grace to follow your example
that we may come to the eternal vision of the glory of God.

O Saint of Christ’s redeeming cross
the road of life is dark and long.
Teach us always to be resigned to God’s holy will
in all the circumstances of our lives
and grant us the special favor
which we now ask of thee.

Mention your request

Above all, obtain for us the grace of final perseverance,
a holy and happy death and everlasting life with you
and all the saints in heaven.
Amen.

Let’s continue in prayer…

• Day 1 — What profit is there?
• Day 2 — An open wound
• Day 3 — Your heart in peace
• Day 4 — An imitation of his life
• Day 5 — Supreme goodness
• Day 6 — Guided through the dark night
• Day 7 — Surrender
• Day 8 — Inspired with love
• Day 9 — All things are forgotten

All scripture references in this novena are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America as accessed from the Bible Gateway website.

Don’t become discouraged and give up prayer, says St. John of the Cross. We offer varying novenas to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, as well as novenas to St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, and St. Joseph.

Let us unite in prayer

#ascent #ascentOfMountCarmel #carmel #carmelitas #carmelitasDescalzas #carmelite #charity #crossOfChrist #discalcedCarmelite #loveOfGod #novena #secularCarmelites #stJohnOfTheCross #teresianCarmel #theCross #walking

💛

#thecross #music #iconic #signothetimes #prince #eighties

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIkZFr8-Z14

#prince #thecross #music #signothetimes ✝️

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NnqOfW_klg

Paid in Full: Journey Through the Cross – Christ’s Passion Explained
In the vast landscape of Christian literature, few subjects hold as much profound weight and transformative power as the Paid in Full: Passion of Jesus Christ—the final, harrowing hours of His earthly life that culminated in His crucifixion and resurrection. It... More details… https://spiritualkhazaana.com/paid-in-full-journey-through-the-cross/
#paidinfull #crucifixionofjesus #thepassionofchristresurrection #thecross #passionofchrist

Black day, stormy night
No love, no hope in sight
Don't cry 4 he is coming
Don't die without knowing the cross

#prince #thecross #rip #music #signofthetimes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_REFPbBnGJk

Quote of the day, 3 December: Céline Martin

My dear little Jeanne,

You can write to my uncle (he’s in Evreux) that the day really wasn’t bad. This morning, there was the same restlessness as yesterday—no shouting, but laughter for one or two hours, crying, clapping, and conversations as if I were in his room and he was responding to something I said. This afternoon a complete calm, even sleep, he said that of course, I had made him take something to make him sleep. He wanted to be alone. There were loud shouts and again he was having conversations with himself.

Dear little Sister, the Cross is heavy, but Jesus is there. He carried it for us—why shouldn’t we carry it for Him?

Our Lord told Blessed Margaret Mary [Alacoque] that the Cross is the most precious pledge of His love that He can give us in this life.

St. Francis Xavier said: The absence of the Cross is the absence of life!

How vile the earth seems to those who see it from Heaven!

Dearest little sister, life is short.

Our little boat is being rocked by a violent storm right now; furious waves are submerging it and threatening to swallow it whole. But the dear Captain—Jesus—will not let it sink. Soon—the port… Soon—joy, rest, happiness! …

Right now, we’re not giving Jesus pearls, but diamonds and jewels of every kind. It’s up to us to draw from the inexhaustible source—and that source is suffering, bitterness. This treasure is the Cross!

Your little sister who loves you,

Céline

Céline Martin

Family correspondence, 21 or 22 January 1889

Note: In February 1889, Saint Louis Martin was committed to the Bon Sauveur Mental Hospital in Caen, France. This challenging chapter in the saint’s life was preceded by difficult days and months for his family. Much like dementia patients today, St. Louis wandered away from home and disappeared, causing great concern. This letter from Céline Martin to her cousin Jeanne Guérin, asking her to contact her father—Saint Zélie’s brother, Isidore—provides a glimpse into the struggles Céline faced while caring for her saintly father during this trying time.

Translation from the French text is the blogger’s own work product and may not be reproduced without permission.

Featured image: Lost memories … is the title of this haunting photo by Czech photographer Tomas Vimmr in Prague. Vimmr excels in black-and-white street photography. Image credit: Tomas Vimmr / Flickr (Some rights reserved)

#BonSauveurMentalHospital #Caen #CélineMartin #dementia #family #JeanneGuérin #restless #StLouisMartin #suffering #theCross #treasure

THE CROSS: Line up completo do tributo brasileiro ao Saturnus é divulgado https://radio-b-c-underground.com.br/pt_br/noticia/the-cross-line-up-completo-do-tributo-brasileiro-ao-saturnus-e-divulgado/

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#tributo #doommetal #doommetalband #thecross #lamentos #spectrummm #odeinsone #odeinsonedoommetal #endlesssolitude #scarletpeaceband #scarletpeace #thydyingstarband #thydyingstar #Aqueronte #aqueronte #underthegraysky #fohatt #inventor #sorrowblue #sacredeath #underground #noticia #Noticias #saturnus #saturnusband

#Glide #Church & #civilrights movement leader, longtime advocate for disadvantaged who sheltered & fed the hungry daily for decades in San Francisco's #Tenderloin , the Rev. Cecil Williams has died at age 94.

In an unusual move in the late 60's, the TX raised Williams removed #theCross from his SF #UnitedMethodistChurch which he said was a depressing symbol of death, and while attracting an ever diverse congregation, earned the consternation and ire of many #Christian critics. His congregation grew from a dwindling 35 members upon his arrival, to encompass eventually more than 10,000 in his faith community ranging from drunks attempting to dry out , to society doyennes like Sharon Stone who had Cecil Williams preside over her marriage to the editor of San Francisco's largest daily newspaper.

Since 1983, Williams himself was married to the city's late official Poet Laureate Janice Mirkitani whom he met as a single parent attendee to his services, and who joined forces with him co-running the operations, until she passed in 2021. They wrote an autobiography of their life's work entitled Beyond The Possible that was released in 2013.

With their passing, ends an era of late 20th century activism and "liberated gospel" that sprang from the pulpit of an urban Methodist Church that welcomed hippies, hookers, transexuals, bankers, Black Panthers, drug addicts alike without judgement, and delivered sermons defending people like Angela Davis, and even fellow #unorthodox SF #preacher Rev. Jim Jones, whom Cecil presented the #Humanitarian of the Year award in 1977, a yr before he was linked to the deaths of approx 900 parishioners and a US Congressman.

His #GlideFoundation evolved to become an ever vital part of the city's non-profit sector services, serving 2,000 meals a day, providing housing units, and operating on a budget of over $12 million dollars, a large portion of which were #government #subsidies. His celebrity friends included Robin Williams, Sammy Davis Jr, and Jane Fonda, and his politically connected contacts included major Democratic party figures such as Bill Clinton as well as SF Mayor's Willie Brown and Gavin Newsom.

#ABC7 newsclip on life of #CecilWilliams linked below (122mb)

https://vcl.abcotv.net/video/kgo/042224-kgo-11p-cecil-williams-vid.mp4

#prince #thecross 💜

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_REFPbBnGJk

Sometimes we can see #theCross clearly, sometimes not. When life grow dark, and we don't see the shining of God's glory, can we see His is there working? #GoodFriday #LordsPrayer #TheGlory https://youtu.be/19Q3BLx76zk

Sometimes we can see #theCross clearly, sometimes not. But as we wrestle with where Jesus is working in our lives, He calls us to look and answer the same questions people have been confronted with since the first #GoodFriday. #LordsPrayer #TheKingdom https://youtu.be/IfA2LlY1mys

YES BY ALL MEANS LET’S SEE IF #DONALDTRUMP IS #JESUS

Nail him to #thecross for three days. If he comes back we’ll all be #believers.

It should be a #totalbreeze for him. After all, he already has the #stigmata

The Cross - Stand Up For Love https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TfTs1jXo2M
This came up on shuffle today, haven't listened to that one in quite a long time!
#TheCross #RogerTaylor

#OneOriginalPhotoEveryDay 📷

I've neglected the hashtag for a couple of days while life got in the way so here's a few from around town today now the rain has given way to brighter days. Finishing with a well earned pint in our new local. 🌞🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

#Forfar #Angus #Scotland #CountryLiving #RuralLife #ScottishTowns #Photography #StreetPhotography #StreetLife #TheCross #Osnaburg #OsnaburgSt #PubLife 🍺

Sharing Jesus With the World

Jesus wants us to remember that "the fields are ripe for harvest." We have an opportunity like never before to introduce the gospel to the nations that God is bringing to our doors.

http://godinterest.com/2018/04/16/sharing-jesus-with-the-world/

#Outreach #Christianity #Evangelism #Faith #God #Heaven #Jesus #ministry #TheCross #TrustingGod