Saint Anthony of Egypt – Saturday Cappuccino with the Saints - Episode #25

 

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Saint Anthony of Egypt – Saturday Cappuccino with the Saints - Episode #25

 

Episode #25

 

Welcome to another episode of Saturday Cappuccino with the Saints, and this week our Egyptian theme continues as we discuss a very fascinating and holy man – Saint Anthony of Egypt.

 

Saint Anthony of Egypt (c. 251–356 AD) was an Egyptian Christian monk whose radical withdrawal into the desert became the blueprint for Christian monasticism. His life, recorded by Athanasius of Alexandria, shaped the imagination of Eastern and Western Christianity and inspired centuries of ascetics, hermits, and monastic communities.  

 

His monastery still stands in Egypt’s Eastern Desert—the oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery in the world, and his long life, he lived to be 105, saw the peak of Christian Persecution under Diocletian to the ultimate triumph of Christianity under Constantine. 

 

His story has fascinated generations, and the famous “Temptation of Saint Anthony” has inspired countless artists over the years.  His life, teachings and way of living will be an incredible Odyssey to discuss. 

 

From the famous spiritual warfare he waged against demons in the desert, to his confrontation with heretics in Alexandria and even his scolding of Emperors in Constantinople, the incredible example of Saint Anthony’s brave and holy life still has much to teach us now in the 21^st century.  I assure you; this episode promises to be one you will not want to miss.    

Our Lady of Zeitoun – Saturday Cappuccino with the Saints - Episode #24

 

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Episode #24

 

Welcome to another episode of Saturday Cappuccino with the Saints, and this week we are continuing on a bit with the Christmasy Vibe as we enter into the beautiful season of Epiphany, where the Light of Christ goes forth into the wider Gentile world.  And we pick up the story of Jesus, Mary and Joseph AFTER the Wise Men have departed and tell the story of their flight to Egypt.    And this trip to Egypt is the inspiration for this week’s special episode.

 

The word Epiphany means an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being and every year when I read the story of the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt after Christmas I always think about one of the most amazing, witnessed, photographed and well documented supernatural events to EVER occur on Earth, The Apparitions of our Lady of Zeitoun in Egypt during the years 1968 to 1971.

 

It is a FASCINATING tale and one that is not so well known in the West as it should be.  Millions of people saw the Blessed Virgin Mary numerous times over a period of three years in Zeitoun, a suburb of Cairo Egypt.  The documented evidence for this apparition is MASSIVE and It really should be better known in this country than it is.  This week we will be discussing it in depth, so settle in, this is going to be quite an amazing episode.  

The Mystery of the Magi & the Star of Bethlehem - Saturday Cappuccino with the Saints - Episode #23

 

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The Mystery of the Magi & the Star of Bethlehem - Episode #23

 

Episode #23

 

Merry Christmas!  Leave those trees up!  We still have a few more days to go.  Christmas is NOT over, at least until Epiphany.

 

And Epiphany is the feast we will be discussing this week on Saturday Cappuccino with the Saints.  Throughout Christian History, Epiphany has always been a very big deal.  But what do we really know about it, and especially, what do we know about those mysterious and fascinating characters that suddenly show up in the Nativity Story – the Magi.  

 

Who were these strange visitors from the East?  Were they Kings?  Were there only three of them?  Were they Astrologer Zoroastrian Priests from Persia? Where did they come from: Persia? Babylon?  Or even further away such as China?  What do we really know about them that can be sifted out of the mists of legend where history and myth often become shrouded in fable?  And what drove them to travel to Bethlehem to visit the infant Jesus in the first place?

 

Which, of course, will lead us to delve into the fascinating enigma of the Star of Bethlehem.   A Mystery that has perplexed the world for millennia.

 

The Star of Bethlehem shows up on countless Christmas Cards, decorations and even probably sits on top of your Christmas Tree, but…, what was it?  A comet?  A supernova?  An astrological alignment?  All these theories will all be analyzed this week on a very special episode of Saturday Cappuccino with the Saints.  It should be a fascinating discussion.  I hope to see you there. 

 

Merry Christmas and Happy Three Kings Day!

It’s Still Christmas! – Saturday Cappuccino with the Saints - Bonus Episode

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Bonus Episode

 

Merry Christmas! 

 

Welcome to a special BONUS episode of Saturday Cappuccino with the Saints.  This year on the Sunday after Christmas I was greatly honored when the priest at my church, Father Steve, asked me to give the Sermon at the 8 O'clock Mass.  And so, I thought I would share it with you all here.  Merry Christmas!  

 

Saint Stephen: The First Christian Martyr - Saturday Cappuccino with the Saints - Episode #22

 

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Episode #22

Merry Christmas!  Don’t take those trees down yet!  It is only the Second Day of Christmas.  And on the Second Day of Christmas, December 26th, our attention naturally turns to a very important Saint whose feast day we celebrate today – Saint Stephen.  

This week will be a fascinating week as we cover the dramatic story of Saint Stephen, the first martyr of Christianity. From his bold defense of the faith before the Sanhedrin to his vision of Christ at the right hand of the Father as he was dying to his ultimate sacrifice for the faith by stoning, this episode explores Stephen’s legacy through history, scripture, and art. His courage sparked the spread of the Gospel and continues to inspire believers today.  You won’t want to miss it!

The Triumph of Christ & the New Humanity - Saturday Cappuccino with the Saints – Bonus Episode #21

 

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Bonus Episode #21

 

This week we are having a very special Bonus Episode of Saturday Cappuccino with the Saints as we wrap up our series on the Angels and the Unseen Realm.   It has been quite a fascinating and wild ride. 

 

And it is always good to end where we began, with one of my favorite quotes of all time from Arthur Stanley Eddington. 

 

“Not only is the Universe stranger than we imagine.  It is stranger than we CAN imagine.” 

 

I think, at the very least, what we have talked about over the last couple of months has proved Stanley’s point.  And then some!

 

We have covered some wild topics in this series: starting with Saint Michael the Archangel, the Divine Council, the Three Falls, The Nine Orders of Angels, Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, God’s Army, Babylon, The Angel of the Lord, Satan, the Sins of the Watchers, the Nephilim and even demonic possession!  It has been quite the rollercoaster ride. 

 

And this week we end our journey through the Unseen Realm with its ultimate glorious conclusion: the Triumph of Christ over the Dark Powers and His ushering of mankind to its new status in the New Humanity.  It is an exciting conclusion to a fascinating Odyssey.  You won’t want to miss it!

Saint Thomas the Apostle: From Doubt to Destiny - Episode #21

 

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Welcome to the third week of Advent!  And this week we take a short pause from the penitential time of purple to light the pink candle on the advent wreath – the Shepherd Candle.  Rejoice!  Christmas is coming… soon!

 

We also have a very important Saint to discuss this week, one of the most important, and one that is perfectly suited to our highly skeptical age of doubt – Saint Thomas.  Known throughout history as “Doubting Thomas” this moniker is a bit harsh and unfair.  Having questions is no sin and Christianity is not a faith that requires blind belief but one that opens honest inquiry.   The example of Thomas proves this point. 

 

 

After Jesus showed Thomas his wounds Thomas believed, immediately declaring Jesus as Lord and God!  He had had questions.  He had had doubts and the Lord answered those questions and doubts.  Honest skepticism is no match for Jesus.

 

So, what happened to Thomas after this story?  Well…, he went from being full of doubts and questions to being the Apostle that traveled the furthest of them all, all the way to India to share his faith, ultimately dying for his belief in Mylapore India in 72 AD. 

 

Today, the Saint Thomas Christians in India can claim to be one of the oldest continuing Christian communities in the world tracing their origins back to the Evangelical mission of Saint Thomas two thousand years ago, who should be remembered as Thomas the Brave instead of Doubting Thomas.

 

This week will be a fascinating episode as we explore the amazing journey of Saint Thomas from a skeptical doubter in that upper room in Jerusalem to the Apostle that Evangelized the East!  It is an incredible tale and you certainly won’t want to miss it.