Musings from the High Desert

Fr. Gabriel continues with the resurrection Epistles from II Corinthians, this week from the sixth chapter. In the first verses of this chapter, Paul urges his hearers not to receive the Gospel "in vain." We will consider what this means, working from Paul's statement of the gracious gift of God that concludes chapter 5. Paul's use of the Servant Poem from Isaiah 49 sets up his audience to hear about their reception of the "mighty acts of God" in the person of Christ.

Fr. Gabriel continues with the resurrection Epistles from II Corinthians, this week from the sixth chapter. In the first verses of this chapter, Paul urges his hearers not to receive the Gospel "in vain." We will consider what this means, working from Paul's statement of the gracious gift of God that concludes chapter 5. Paul's use of the Servant Poem from Isaiah 49 sets up his audience to hear about their reception of the "mighty acts of God" in the person of Christ.

Fr. Gabriel considers the two metaphors in the Epistle text for the week (separate from the text for the Dedication of the Church of the Resurrection) from II Corinthians 4. The first metaphor is the famous one about clay jars holding precious treasure, as was true in that era when people kept their gold or silver in humble clay jars. We explore the potential meanings of this text and then move on to consider the next verses in which Paul switches to a military metaphor of preparation for battle and suffering. The two metaphors are tied together by considering our evanescent nature. We are humble and inadequate vessels to bear the Gospel, yet we can bear the cross and resurrection of Christ to others "in our bodies".

Fr. Gabriel considers the two metaphors in the Epistle text for the week (separate from the text for the Dedication of the Church of the Resurrection) from II Corinthians 4. The first metaphor is the famous one about clay jars holding precious treasure, as was true in that era when people kept their gold or silver in humble clay jars. We explore the potential meanings of this text and then move on to consider the next verses in which Paul switches to a military metaphor of preparation for battle and suffering. The two metaphors are tied together by considering our evanescent nature. We are humble and inadequate vessels to bear the Gospel, yet we can bear the cross and resurrection of Christ to others "in our bodies".

This week Fr. Gabriel once again seeks to unearth the treasures buried in a few short verses from Paul in his return letter to the Corinthians. These are the heart of the Epistle for this week, reminding us of God's positive action toward us through Christ and in the Holy Spirit.

This week Fr. Gabriel once again seeks to unearth the treasures buried in a few short verses from Paul in his return letter to the Corinthians. These are the heart of the Epistle for this week, reminding us of God's positive action toward us through Christ and in the Holy Spirit.

This week Fr. Gabriel again works with the Epistle lesson from the final chapter of I Corinthians, chapter 16, focusing only on verses 13 and 14, where Paul gives us one of his wonderful nutshell lessons that encompass the gist of what he has been saying throughout the letter. (Parenthetically listeners might want to know that Fr. Gabriel grounds his proclamation in study of the text, meditation upon the conclusions of that study, and then he constructs an outline for preaching. He uses notes but no full manuscript in order to achieve a closer rapport with the congregation.)

This week Fr. Gabriel again works with the Epistle lesson from the final chapter of I Corinthians, chapter 16, focusing only on verses 13 and 14, where Paul gives us one of his wonderful nutshell lessons that encompass the gist of what he has been saying throughout the letter. (Parenthetically listeners might want to know that Fr. Gabriel grounds his proclamation in study of the text, meditation upon the conclusions of that study, and then he constructs an outline for preaching. He uses notes but no full manuscript in order to achieve a closer rapport with the congregation.)

The western churches that use lectionaries have tried to coordinate these lessons in the three-year lectionary in use since the Seventies. In Orthodoxy the Epistles do not coordinate to the Gospels. Consequently, Fr. Gabriel usually preaches on the Epistle lesson at Saturday Great Vespers and then on the Gospel at the Sunday Divine Liturgy in order to give consideration of both texts. The Epistle from I Corinthians 15, however, the chapter on the Resurrection, came in the rotation recently and Fr. Gabriel decided to use it for the Sunday homily to reach a wider audience. Listen in on his approach to this classic passage.

The western churches that use lectionaries have tried to coordinate these lessons in the three-year lectionary in use since the Seventies. In Orthodoxy the Epistles do not coordinate to the Gospels. Consequently, Fr. Gabriel usually preaches on the Epistle lesson at Saturday Great Vespers and then on the Gospel at the Sunday Divine Liturgy in order to give consideration of both texts. The Epistle from I Corinthians 15, however, the chapter on the Resurrection, came in the rotation recently and Fr. Gabriel decided to use it for the Sunday homily to reach a wider audience. Listen in on his approach to this classic passage.

Fr. Gabriel wraps up the series on catechesis for a new century with six ways to focus on a new process. These include an emphasis on ritual (especially with regard to the process, beginning with enrollment), an emphasis on imagery, as in the mystagogy of old, to enable people to enter the faith with the heart, the little things that make up the ground of our faith (blessings, veneration of icons, etc.), clarity of expectations, focus on the variable aspects of each person's life as they enter Orthodoxy (get their story like an old-time doctor would interview people), and finally, arrangement of a flexible schedule for study and entry.

Fr. Gabriel wraps up the series on catechesis for a new century with six ways to focus on a new process. These include an emphasis on ritual (especially with regard to the process, beginning with enrollment), an emphasis on imagery, as in the mystagogy of old, to enable people to enter the faith with the heart, the little things that make up the ground of our faith (blessings, veneration of icons, etc.), clarity of expectations, focus on the variable aspects of each person's life as they enter Orthodoxy (get their story like an old-time doctor would interview people), and finally, arrangement of a flexible schedule for study and entry.

Fr. Gabriel discusses what happened over the course of the centuries to contribute both to the demise of a catechetical process and, particularly in the western church, a re-definition of the process through a number of different understandings that arose around the notion of "confirmation." This will set the stage for our final discussion in this series: where do we go from here with catechesis for a new century?

Fr. Gabriel discusses what happened over the course of the centuries to contribute both to the demise of a catechetical process and, particularly in the western church, a re-definition of the process through a number of different understandings that arose around the notion of "confirmation." This will set the stage for our final discussion in this series: where do we go from here with catechesis for a new century?

In this episode, Fr. Gabriel leads us through the consideration of the catechetical process as it would have been developed by the end of the 4th or beginning of the 5th Century, emphasizing the instruction that would have taken place in three key areas known as Traditions—that material passed on which is both ecclesiastical and to some extent personal, depending on the teacher.