In this essay, apologist Kimberly Hahn draws on her years of experience as a mother of six to explain how the richness of the spiritual meaning of marriage relates to our everyday life. While the years that follow the elation of a wedding can be filled with duties that seem meaningless and repetitive at times, Hahn shows how the theological teachings on Christ’s love and marriage can give life and meaning to the daily tasks that husband and wife face. In her own words, “Sure, doing the same chores week after week can get tedious, but I was trained by my mother to see the spiritual side of things – it’s possible to rise above the mundane to see the big picture.”
Scripture & the Mystery of the Mother of God will introduce you more deeply to Mary, the Mother of God, as your mother. Nine well-known Catholics, including Scott and Kimberly Hahn, Jeff Cavins, Tim Gray, and Leon Suprenant—open the pages of God’s family album (the Bible) to provide compelling explanations of Mary’s role in salvation history and in our daily lives as Christians. The result is a moving tribute and convincing testimony that demolishes common misconceptions about Catholic teaching on Mary. Includes material from Scott Hahn on the Luminous Mysteries and the biblical basis of the Marian Dogmas. You’ll learn why the Catholic Church teaches that Mary was immaculately conceived, remained always a virgin, and was assumed body and soul into heaven. You’ll understand how Mary is the fulfillment of the Old Testament images. Most of all, you’ll discover what it means to be a child of Mary in the Church. This book is one of four books in the Catholic for a Reason Series. Authors: Scott Hahn, Curtis A. Martin, Curtis J. Mitch, Tim Gray, Edward P. Sri, Leon J. Suprenant, Kimberly Hahn, Sean Innerst, and Jeff Cavins. Foreword by Bishop James S. Sullivan. About the Catholic for a Reason Series: This benchmark series brings together the expert knowledge and personal insight of today’s top Catholic apologists on topics at the heart of the Catholic faith. Whether you’re a non-Catholic who wants to learn about the Church’s teaching, or a Catholic who wants to become a more articulate defender of the faith, the Catholic for a Reason series is for you.
From the bestselling author of The Lamb's Supper comes an illuminating work on the Catholic Eucharist and its link to the Jewish Passover meal. “Read this book. And don’t just read it. Pray about it. Reflect on it. And share it with others.”—Brant Pitre, author of The Case for Jesus In this brilliant book—part memoir, part detective story, and part biblical study—Scott Hahn opens up new vistas on ancient landscapes while shedding light on his own enduring faith journey. The Fourth Cup not only tracks the author’s gradual conversion along the path of Evangelicalism to the doorsteps of the Catholic faith, but also explores the often obscure and misunderstood rituals of Passover and their importance in foreshadowing salvation in Jesus Christ. Revealing the story of his formative years as an often hot-headed student and earnest seeker in search of answers to great biblical mysteries, Hahn shows how his ardent exploration of the Bible’s Old Testament turned up intriguing clues connecting the Last Supper and Christ’s death on Calvary. As Hahn tells the story of his discovery of the supreme importance of the Passover in God’s plan of salvation, we too experience often-overlooked relationships between Abel, Abraham, and the Hebrews’ liberation from slavery in Egypt. Along the way, Hahn reveals how the traditional fourth cup of wine used in the concluding celebration of Passover explains in astonishing ways Christ’s paschal sacrifice. Rooted in Scripture and ingrained with lively history, The Fourth Cup delivers a fascinating view of the bridges that span old and new covenants, and celebrates the importance of the Jewish faith in understanding more fully Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.
Imagine today's top Catholic authors, apologists, and theologians. Now imagine 12 of them collaborating on a book that answers common questions about and challenges to the teachings and doctrines of the Catholic Church. Imagine no more, it's a reality. (How's that for an endorsement?)Catholic for a Reason, edited by Dr. Scott Hahn and Leon J. Suprenant, with the foreword by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput (yes, we?re name dropping), will help Catholics and non-Catholics alike develop a better understanding of the Church. Each chapter goes to the heart of its topic, be it Mary, the Eucharist, Baptism, or Purgatory and in a clear, concise and insightful way, presents the teachings of the Church. Those teachings are explained in the light of the relationship of God the Father to us, his creatures.
After Miscarriage: A Catholic Woman’s Companion to Healing and Hope is a book about grief, healing, and hope after miscarriage. Not afraid to examine the raw emotions that accompany such an experience, the author tells women that they are not alone in reacting strongly, even frighteningly, to their loss and reassures them that hope and healing will come. Having experienced multiple miscarriages herself, Karen shares excerpts from her personal journals, as well as other women’s stories, rich quotes about grieving and the healing process, and practical advice. A helpful resource section includes a wide variety of information from both Catholic and secular sources.
Drawing on their experience helping couples prepare for marriage, Richard and Mei-Ling White offer this meditation on marriage preparation in the Bible, and what we can learn from the examples of Sarah and Tobias, Jacob and Rachel, and many others! In a world where nearly all professions take years of training before being able to practice in one’s chosen field, what is arguably the most important “profession” – i.e. marriage – is too-often entered into with little to no training or preparation. They discuss the importance of the time before marriage to learn and practice self-giving love, so that when a marriage begins the couple has an understanding of what it means to give themselves fully to each other!
As their wedding day approaches, young Catholics feel ready to join their future spouse in an exciting new partnership. They consider themselves to be mature individuals ready, willing and able to take on board all that their marriage can offer. However, after many years involved in parish-based marriage preparation I believe that some who are about to enter marriage have little idea of what might lie around the corner. They have a naïve appreciation of the difficulties, anxieties, shocks and upsets that will inevitably test their relationship as they face the challenges presented by today’s complicated world whilst striving to keep alive the love they share. Moreover, I have concluded that too many have confused and distorted ideas about what the Roman Catholic Church believes, teaches, requires and expects from them during this crucial stage in their lives. Perhaps this situation is predictable given the influence of powerful forces and ideologies which compete for their attention and the disharmony existing within the Church itself, where even the hierarchy hold divergent views and contradictory positions about its nature and purpose. This book considers the way in which ordinary Catholics, faced with so much pressure, ambiguity and conjecture, often struggle to navigate a course through the chaotic melting-pot which characterises modern life and might, on some occasions, question or even deny the Church’s determination to interfere in their personal and private lives.
Scott Hahn and a dozen of his students write thirteen chapters "to show how the teachings of Scripture and the Catholic Church relate to each other. At the same time, we hope you will catch a new vision of the Catholic faith in all of its beauty, symmetry, coherence, and practicality" (p. 4).
In Divine Marriage from Eden to the End of Days, André Villeneuve explores the mystery of God’s love in the Bible and ancient Jewish tradition. Scripture portrays the covenant between God and his people as a divine-human marriage spanning through all of human history. For the ancient Jewish interpreters, God married humanity at the dawn of creation in the Garden of Eden; but the union was broken by human sin. The Lord restored the relationship when he betrothed Israel at Mount Sinai; yet the covenant was wounded again with the transgression of the golden calf. The nuptial bond was healed anew, commemorated, and reenacted through liturgical worship in Israel’s tabernacle and temple. This worship in God’s “nuptial chamber,” in turn, anticipated the ultimate fulfillment of the divine-human marriage in the messianic age at the end of history. The first part of the book explores the marriage through Israel’s biblical history in light of ancient Jewish exegesis. The second part unveils the marriage in the ancient interpretation of the Song of Songs and in wisdom literature. The third part reveals how the same symbolism is taken up in the New Testament and applied to the marriage between Christ and the Church.
With a Foreword by Scott Hahn, bestselling author of The Lamb's Supper God has something extraordinary planned for your life . . . In our fast-paced, highly technological world, this statement might sound a bit lofty, but the lives of millions of souls who have come before us attest to this simple truth: God has a wonderful plan in store for you. With these words, Tom Peterson, founder and president of Catholics Come Home, a nonprofit multimedia organization dedicated to promoting Catholic evangelization, offers inspiration for believers from all walks of life, whether lapsed or practicing, to deepen their faith and draw them closer to Jesus and His Church. In a series of moving stories and personal anecdotes, Tom relates how after rediscovering his faith, he experienced God's unfailing love, and soon found his true purpose in life. You can too! Drawing from scripture, his own struggles and discoveries, and the lives of the saints as well as ordinary individuals, the author offers seven ways to enter into a more deeply personal relationship with Jesus. These are pearls that you can share with others to illuminate the importance of the Catholic faith and open wide the door to a homecoming celebration.
