Mike Aquilina
Список книг автора Mike Aquilina
Work Play Love
“Christians make the Mass, and the Mass makes Christians.” So said the Martyrs of Abitina, North Africa, in A.D. 304. The Mass was the reality most essential to the life of believers, and it deeply affected everything they did. In Work Play Love popular author Mike Aquilina shows how the Eucharist shaped three basic dimensions of life for the early Christians.
Work. Christians brought the fruits of their labor to the altar—not only bread and wine, but also cheese, olives, honey, dried fish, and freshly pressed oil. As they worshiped, they consecrated the world itself to God. In turn, this affected the way they approached their work. It was not just toil. It was an act of love, undertaken for the Father. They labored in imitation of Jesus the laborer. Made one with Christians in the Eucharist, Jesus worked through them and in them.
Play. The Mass was a leisurely, contemplative act, but it was celebrated on a normal workday in the Roman world. It was useless by the standards of the city. And yet it called forth—gently, gradually—the most creative responses. The Mass inspired new forms of music, poetry, architecture, and painting. At liturgy Christians stood back and reconsidered the cosmos from God’s perspective. They saw their lives as part of a profoundly new and different narrative. This made for new and different art.
Love. Christian ritual demanded personal and communal acts of charity. The earliest descriptions of the Mass show the importance of the collection and its distribution to the poor, the imprisoned, and the home-bound sick. Deacons and deaconesses were dismissed to take Communion to the same people in need. The fruits of the Mass extended beyond the time of liturgy—and the bounds of Christian community. Christians took care even of their persecutors. This led to the establishment of institutions of universal charity, a first in human history. The story of the Mass is not simply a rehearsal of ancient texts. It’s a drama of personal and societal transformation. This book tells the story as much as possible in the lively words of the early Christians and draws from the most exciting discoveries of recent archaeology. It is a powerful imaginative encounter with the first generations of our Christian ancestry.
The Fathers of the Church, 3rd Edition
We hear the voices of the early Church Fathers even today. Their teachings, their guidance, their insights, and their sacrifice shaped the Catholic Church. They defined the canon of Scripture. They developed our creeds and forms of worship. They defined Christianity's distinctive moral sense.</p><p>But who were they? What can we learn from their ancient teachings? What can the Fathers teach the 21st century – about holiness, culture, faith, and the Gospel.</p><p>This is the definitive resource for anyone interested in learning about the Church Fathers and their legacy. Ideal for RCIA, catechists, clergy, as well as lay Catholics who want to learn more about the great teachers of early Christianity.</p><p>In this new and extensively updated Third Edition, you'll find:<ul><li>New! Twenty Church Fathers never before covered in this series<li>Nearly 75 more pages of information on the early Church!<li>New! Many poets of ancient Christianity, whose hymns we still sing today.<li>An extensively revised introduction<li>The Mothers of the Church and their impact<li>Research-friendly references and citations, topical index, timeline, and detailed bibliography</ul></p>
A Pocket Catechism for Kids, Updated
From the very first «Who are you?» to the final «What other prayers does the Church recommend?» A Pocket Catechism for Kids, Updated is the ideal introduction to the treasures of the Catholic Faith for children in kindergarten through grade 8. Using a popular question-and-answer format, authors Father Kris Stubna and Mike Aquilina explain the saving truths that Jesus taught in short, easy-to-understand-and-memorize sections that draw from both Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church . Examining the basics, A Pocket Catechism for Kids, Updated serves as both a primer on the Faith and a readily accessible resource and reference guide. A Pocket Catechism for Kids, Updated also contains sections on traditional Catholic prayers, a guide to making a good Confession, an explanation of the Mass, and more – virtually everything children need to know to understand and live the Faith! ABOUT THE AUTHORS Father Kris D. Stubna received his doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He is the pastor of Saint Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh, PA, as well as an author and speaker. Mike Aquilina is a prolific author in the Catholic press. He is the author, editor, or co-editor of several Our Sunday Visitor books including The How-To Book of Catholic Devotions , The Mass of the Early Christians , and The Fathers of the Church .
The Fathers of the Church, Expanded Edition
Unlock the knowledge of our Church Fathers. They fought the first culture wars. They died for our faith. Honor their memory as we walk in their footsteps. Long established as an indispensable reference tool for clergy, seminarians, RCIA candidates, and lay Catholics, The Fathers of the Church has become the standard introduction to the great teachers of early Christianity. Newly revised to include more material from more of the Fathers, this expanded edition features full references and citations, a topical index, detailed bibliography, and ancient texts available in English for the first time in more than a century. Additions include authors from little-known traditions of Egypt, East Syria, North Africa, and the lands that make up modern Iran and Iraq, as well as «Mothers of the Church,» holy women from Christian antiquity. Imagine, the wisdom of the ages conveniently presented for your review and prayerful consideration!