We have seen previously (Keeper, 4) that through the centuries, some Fathers of the Church have provided us with a record of the list of the Popes until their times. But we have not only the list of names, but also the biographies of the Popes through the centuries. The recognized source of these biographies, especially of the first 15 centuries of Christianity, is the Liber Pontificalis.
Explaining the nature of theological hope, we now focus on some of its notes or properties. The notes that help unveil the nature of Christian hope are many. For our part, we shall develop three significant properties of hope, namely certain hope, patient hope and prayerful hope.
On the second Sunday of Lent, the Church presents to us the Gospel of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Throughout the gospel narratives, we follow the accounts of the numerous miracles that Jesus performed: healing people from the most diverse diseases, showing His power over impure spirits and the forces of nature. However, in the miracle of the Transfiguration it is different, here we witness the narration of the Manifestation of God in himself. He is the subject of the prodigious action, but also its object. This miracle has two vertices, one that marks the past, showing that in Him is fulfilled what was partially announced with the laws brought by Moses and the prophecy of Elijah. Another vertex that points to the future, where Jesus shines for three disciples, anticipating what He will be like in eternity and the Church will share in the glory of the Lord.
The Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, in Ká-Hó village, will once again a place of worship and pastoral activities. Built in 1966, the small, tent-shaped church on the northeastern tip of Coloane Island was entrusted by the Catholics Diocese of Macau to the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Dehonian missionaries were tasked to transform Ká-Hó into a “spiritual hospital, a place always open to mend people’s souls”.
In the Basilica of Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls in Rome, one can find a series of mosaic portraits of the popes from Saint Peter all the way to Pope Francis. The project began with Pope Leo the Great (440-461) but a fire destroyed the Basilica in 1823. Only 40 portraits were saved. In 1847, Pope Pius IX (1846-76) revived the project which, of course, is ongoing.
The Christian hopes in the “here-after” and in the “here-now.” Christian eschatology is undividedly transcendent and immanent, anticipation of the future in the present and anticipating present of the future. The integral salvation of the human person begins now. In hope we expect our salvation at the end of time – eschatological salvation – and we work in time to attain it. Hence, integrates the eschatological and temporal (historical and social liberation).
The liturgy of the first Sunday of Lent leads us to the desert. Immediately after being baptized and receiving the anointing at the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit brings Jesus to the desert to be tempted by Satan. It is worth noting the role of the Holy Spirit, the “True and Original Love,” the inner force that impels Jesus (2 Cor 5:14ff). He enters the desert “full of the Holy Spirit”. The fruit of Love is obedience, and the fruit of obedience is self-transcendence or the gift of self. This reflects the dynamics of the mystery of Love within the Blessed Trinity. We were Created in God’s image and likeness; Jesus was sent to restore our true identity.
The Church’s scriptures for Ash Wednesday seem to present to us a perplexing contradiction. Consider that the Old Testament prophet Joel insists that the Lord’s people present their faith publicly: “Blow a trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast, call an assembly; Gather the people, notify the congregation. ” Further, the Apostle Paul testifies that we are “ambassadors for Christ”—that is, public representatives to the culture concerning the identity of the Lord. Contrast both these texts with the words of the Lord Jesus in the Gospel, which seem to indicate that public presentations of the faith are unseemly and what is required for authenticity in our expressions of religious devotion is that they remain private and unseen.
As Pope Francis reminds us, “A pilgrimage is not just a journey in search of a place; it is also a journey of the heart.”
The Jubilee Year is a time of extraordinary grace in the Catholic Church, offering an invitation to renewal, forgiveness, and spiritual growth. Declared by the pope, this special year includes the opening of the Holy Doors in Rome and other pilgrimage sites, symbolizing the path to God’s mercy. Pilgrimages undertaken during this sacred time are profound acts of faith and devotion, helping us step away from the ordinary and journey toward God in both body and spirit.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus presents to his disciples three teachings on how to be true evangelizers. This counsel can also be seen as three essential steps in being leaders and educators after the model of the gospel.
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