Coffee with a convert

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I had coffee yesterday after Mass with a woman who came into the RC Church about 2 years ago. She was a protestent of different denominations over the years. She took instructions from our young and well educated lay instructor because she could not attend evenings with our then priests class. This is where she was introduced to the “early church fathers”. She said she got home that afternoon w/ a list of the books she wanted to purchase on these ol’ guys and she yelled at her husband, "I’ve been duped. No one in all my years of church ever mentioned the “early church fathers.”
 
Good to hear. Many Christians do not know about the Church Fathers or read them (Catholics). It’s a great way to understand alot of Traditions and teachings of the church.

Recently I have been reading Saint John Chrysostoms Homilies on First Corinthians.

If this excerpt isn’t reason to read the church fathers, I don’t know what is!

"What now can be more awful than these things? For in truth the Church was a heaven then, the Spirit governing all things, and moving each one of the rulers and making him inspired. But now we retain only the symbols of those gifts. For now also we speak two or three, and in turn, and when one is silent, another begins. But these are only signs and memorials of those things. Wherefore when we begin to speak, the people respond, “with thy Spirit,” indicating that of old they thus used to speak, not of their own wisdom, but moved by the Spirit. But not so now: (I speak of mine own case so far.) But the present Church is like a woman who hath fallen from her former prosperous days, and in many respects retains the symbols only of that ancient prosperity; displaying indeed the repositories and caskets of her golden ornaments, but bereft of her wealth: such an one doth the present Church resemble. And I say not this in respect of gifts: for it were nothing marvelous if it were this only: but in respect also of life and virtue. Thus the list of her widows, and the choir of her virgins, then gave great ornament to the churches: but now she is made desolate and void, and the tokens only remain. There are indeed widows now, there are also virgins; but they retain not that adornment which women should have who prepare themselves for such wrestlings. For the special distinction of the virgin is the caring for the things of God alone, and the waiting on Him without distraction: and the widow’s mark too should be not so much the not engaging in a second marriage, as the other things, charity to the poor, hospitality, continuing instant in prayers, all those other things, which Paul writing to Timothy requires with great exactness. One may see also the married women exhibiting among us great seemliness. But this is not the only thing required, but rather that sedulous attention to the needy, through which those women of old shone out most brightly. Not as the generality now-a-days. For then instead of gold they were clothed with the fair array of almsgiving: but now, having left off this, they are decked out on every side with cords of gold woven of the chain of their sins.

Shall I speak of another repository too emptied of its hereditary splendor? They all met together in old time and sang psalms in common. This we do also now: but then among all was there one soul and one heart: but now not in one single soul can one see that unanimity, rather great is the warfare every where.

“Peace,” even now, “to all,” he that presides in the Church prays for, entering as it were into his Father’s house: but of this peace the name is frequent, but the reality no where.

Then the very houses were churches: but now the church itself is a house, or rather worse than any house. For in a house one may see much good order: since both the mistress of the house is seated on her chair with all seemliness, and the maidens weave in silence, and each of the domestics hath his appointed task in hand. But here great is the tumult, great the confusion, and our assemblies differ in nothing from a vintner’s shop, so loud is the laughter, so great the disturbance; as in baths, as in markets, the cry and tumult is universal. And these things are here only: since elsewhere it is not permitted even to address one’s neighbor in the church, not even if one have received back a long absent friend, but these things are done without, and very properly. For the church is no barber’s or perfumer’s shop, nor any other merchant’s warehouse in the market-place, but a place of angels, a place of archangels, a palace of God, heaven itself. As therefore if one had parted the heaven and had brought thee in thither, though thou shouldest see thy father or thy brother, thou wouldest not venture to speak; so neither here ought one to utter any other sound but these which are spiritual. For, in truth, the things in this place are also a heaven."
 
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MJE:
I had coffee yesterday after Mass with a woman who came into the RC Church about 2 years ago. She was a protestent of different denominations over the years. She took instructions from our young and well educated lay instructor because she could not attend evenings with our then priests class. This is where she was introduced to the “early church fathers”. She said she got home that afternoon w/ a list of the books she wanted to purchase on these ol’ guys and she yelled at her husband, "I’ve been duped. No one in all my years of church ever mentioned the “early church fathers.”
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You kinda sound like me. I learned about the early church fathers at about the age of 40 (always a devout cradle Catholic). Don’t feel bad. You can catch up… there are many wonderful websites out there to learn about them and their writings.
Try this website
earlychristianwritings.com/

and this book is a must for a gentle introduction…
Drinking From the Hidden Fountain by Thomas Spidlik

There is no time to sulk…believe me I tried…pick yourself up by your bootstraps and get reading…the wisdom is rich and nourishing.
 
Sounds a lot like the story of Alex Jones, a Pentecostal Minister who converted (with his congregation) to Catholicism.

It started out with him wanted to “worship like the early Christians did”, so he started reading their works.

Eventually, he came to realise that if he wanted to worship like the early Christians did, he needed to join the Catholic parish down the street.
 
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Lucania:
Wow! So many to choose from! Any suggestions on where to start? I have not read any of the Early Church Fathers, but I do want to start.
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Go to Newadvent and find a topic of interest. They will in a section quote the church fathers from the earliest to modern times.
 
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Lucania:
Wow! So many to choose from! Any suggestions on where to start? I have not read any of the Early Church Fathers, but I do want to start.
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Yes! Saint John Chrysostom. His thoughts on the Priesthood are amazing… instead of me naming them i’d say start at Saint John Chrysostom.

Also it is good to note, that some of the Church Fathers are not cannonized Saints (Origen, Tertullian, might be one more).

With that said… one more Samble of the Golden Mouth.

Easter Sermon

"IF ANY BE PIOUS AND A LOVER OF GOD, let him take part in this fair and radiant festival. If any be an honest servant, let him come in and rejoice in the joy of his Lord. If any have wearied himself with fasting, let him take part now in the recompense. If any have worked from the first hour, let him receive to-day his just dues. If any have arrived at the sixth, in no wise feast with thankfulness. If any have arrived at the sixth, in no wise let him be in doubt; in no way shall he suffer loss. If any arrive only at the eleventh, let him not be fearful for his slowness.

For the Master is munificent, and receives the last even as the first. He giveth rest to him of the eleventh, even as to him who has wrought from the first hour. And He is merciful to the last, and provides for the first. And to this one He gives, and to that one He shews kindness. And He receives their labours, and acknowledges the purpose. And he honours the action and praises the intention.

Wherefore enter ye all into the joy of our Lord, and let the first and the second take part in the reward. Ye rich and ye poor, join hands together. Ye strong and ye heedless, do honor to this day. Ye who fast and ye who fast not, be glad to-day. The table is full: do ye all fare sumptuously. The calf is ample: let no one go forth unsatisfied.

Let all take part in the banquet of Faith. Let all take part in the wealth of Righteousness. Let no one lament for poverty, for the Kingdom is made manifest for all. Let no one bewail transgressions, for forgiveness has dawned from the tomb. Let no one be fearful of Death, for the death of the Savior has set us free. He has quenched it by being subdued by it.

He Who came down into Hades, despoiled Hades; and Hades was embittered when it tasted of His Flesh. Isaiah, anticipating this cried and said: Hades was embittered when below it met Thee face to face. It was embittered for it war rendered void. It was embittered for it was mocked. It was embittered for it was slain. It was embittered for it was despoiled. It was embittered for it was fettered. It received a Body, and encountered God. It received mortal dust, and met Heaven face to face. It received what it saw, and fell whither it saw not.

O Death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory? Christ is risen and thou are overthrown. Christ is risen and the demons have fallen. Christ is risen and the Angels rejoice. Christ is risen and there is none dead in the tomb. For Christ is raised from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept. To Him be glory and power from all Ages to all ages. Amen."
 
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