Author: Tradition Magazine
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The Psalms of Ascent
About the text: The “Psalms of Ascent” are a series of psalms (Psalms 120-134) that were traditionally prayed by the people of Israel as they ascended Mount Zion to approach the Temple of God. The first four of these psalms are reproduced here revealing a progression akin to that of the pilgrim, from dwelling in…
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Excerpts from Catechism of the Catholic Church
About the text: The Catechism of the Catholic Church was compiled under the direction of then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) to serve as a compendium of Catholic doctrine. This is one of only two catechisms prepared for the universal Church, the other having been produced in 1566. The following excerpts discuss the…
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Prologue to the Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer About the text: The Canterbury Tales is the best known of Geoffrey Chaucer’s works. As the prologue indicates, it tells the tale of several pilgrims on their way to Canterbury to visit the shrine of St. Thomas Becket, the famed Archbishop of Canterbury who stood firm against Henry II on the rights of…
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The Great Miscalculation
About the Text: The Apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus contains an account of the harrowing of Hell, Christ’s triumphant entry into the underworld after the crucifixion. In the Gospel of Nicodemus, we view Hell and Satan from an unusual perspective. Hell speaks to Satan and rebukes him for his foolishness in his part in the death of Christ, which…
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To Die Is Gain
About the Author: Aaron P. Debusschere is the husband of one and father of three. He holds degrees in philosophy, theology, and education, and is currently completing a dissertation on the Augustinian roots of Vatican II’s ecclesiology. He blogs with his wife at www.theromanticcatholic.wordpress.com. — Persons of the dialogue Socrates, Paul, Luke, Crito Scene The Prison…
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“Death’s Lament” by Ephrem the Syrian
About the Author: Ephrem the Syrian was born around 306 in the city of Nisibis in Syria. He served as a deacon and is credited as the founder of the School of Nisibis, which would later become a centre of learning for Eastern Syriac Christianity. Ephrem is known as the “Harp of the Spirit” on…
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A Last Word
We close this edition of Tradition Magazine by giving the last word again to the poet Richard Crashaw (1613–49). Lord, when the sense of thy sweet graceSends up my soul to seek thy face.Thy blessed eyes breed such desire,I dy in love’s delicious Fire.O love, I am thy Sacrifice.Be still triumphant, blessed eyes.Still shine on…
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From the Book of Revelation, Chapter 20, Verses 11 – 12
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it; from his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life.…
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Augustine, Confessions
About the Author: Augustine of Hippo was born in Roman North Africa in the year 354. After spending several years as a Manichee, he was led to the Catholic faith by Neo-Platonist philosophy and the preaching of St. Ambrose of Milan. All the while, Augustine’s mother, St. Monica, was praying for his homecoming. Augustine tells…
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Jesus on the Resurrection of the Dead
About the Work: In the Gospel of Matthew (22:23-33), we find Jesus engaged with the Sadducees, one of the four schools of Jewish thought at the time. The Sadducees were sympathetic to – and in time, would be absorbed into – the Greek culture around them. They denied that there would be a Resurrection and…