Gospel of Matthew

Date Written: Before 100 AD

Date of Narrative: 4 BC - 30 AD

This gospel was written by a Jew, Matthew the tax-collector, for a Jewish Christian of audience. The narrative closely follows the life of Jesus from his birth, through his ministry and unto his death and resurrection. There are seven narrative sections (1-4, 8-9, 11-2, 14-7, 19-22, 26-8) interspersed with five discourses (5-7, 10, 13, 18, 23-5).

In Ch. 1, Matthew presents Jesus' genealogy, linking him specifically to the Abraham and David. Jesus is shown to embody Israel as "son of Abraham" (1:1) and to fulfill the Messianic longings of first century Judaism as "son of David" (1:1; 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30-1; 21:9,15). The Palestinian Jews of the first century expected a Messianic king, who would be a descendant of David born in Bethlehem (Mic 5:2) to rescue them from Roman barbarism (cf. Isa 9:7). Matthew highlights Jesus' Messianic and kingly nature by using the titles "Son of God" eight times and "Son of Man" thirty times to refer to Jesus (Cf. 2 Sam 7:14; Ps 2:7, 89:27; Dan 7:13).

The structuring of Jesus' teaching into the five discourses imitates the five books of Moses, the Torah. Therefore some scholars have proposed that Matthew presents Jesus as a New Moses giving a New Law. For he ascends a new mountain in the Sermon on the Mount (Ch. 5-7) to deliver the new law, just as Moses had ascended Mt. Sinai in the book of Exodus.

Matthew frames his whole gospel with a chiasm, which is a literary been structural "sandwich." A central idea is framed by two very similar ideas. Matthew tells us through the angel Gabriel that the Messiah to be born shall be named "Immanuel, which means ‘God with us'" (1:23). Then the whole narrative of the life of Jesus unfolds over the next 27 chapters. At the very end, Matthew closes the sandwich with Jesus' statement of his divinity. He tells his disciples, "I am with you always" (28:20).

Matthew quotes the Old Testament more than sixty times. He carefully presents ten different prophecies and their fulfillments with a special phrase, "in order that the word through the prophet might be fulfilled saying..." (1:22-3; 2:15; 2:17-8; 2:23; 4:14-6; 8:17; 12:17-21; 13:35; 21:4-5; 27:9-10). Matthew thus emphasizes Jesus' continuity with and fulfillment of the Old Testament. There are a few important events in the life of Jesus which are unique to Matthew's gospel. For example, the giving of "the keys" to Peter in 16:18.

Many scholars accept the Two-Source Theory, that Matthew and Luke used the gospel of the Mark and a hypothetical collection of Jesus' sayings called Q as sources. Yet the majority of the early Church fathers thought that Matthew was the first of the four gospels to be written. A fragment from the work of Papias (c. 110 AD) states that Matthew was originally written in Aramaic or Hebrew, but we have no extant copies.

Because of its rich theological content, Matthew was used as the primary of catechetical text in the early Church and was the gospel most quoted by the fathers. It presents a holistic and systematic perspective on Jesus, giving an account of his miracles and teachings while placing them in their historical and religious context.

Countdown to Pope's England Trip: 62 Days

England's papal visit coordinator says preparations for Benedict XVI's Sept. 16 arrival are well under way: Invitations are out and the master of the papal ceremonies came in from Rome to visit the sites where the Pope will pray and then celebrate liturgies.

In this week's audio update, posted Monday, Monsignor Andrew Summersgill will explain the progress for the preparations.

Dioceses have received suggested allocations for the two larger gatherings in England: the beatification of the Cardinal John Henry Newman in Birmingham and the prayer vigil in the Hyde Park.

"It is now up to each of the diocesan coordinator and the people in the diocese to decide how they wish to divide them out, [to decide] which is the most fair way, and the most convenient way for them to do that," the monsignor il explain.

Regarding the visit from the Monsignor Guido Marini, the master of the papal ceremonies, Monsignor Summersgill said it "went very well."

Monsignor Marini and three assistants met with various officials from the visit team, including the Monsignor Philip Moger, who is overseeing the liturgies for both the episcopal conferences of the Scotland, and of England and Wales.

"We spent just under four days visiting the different places within the Pope’s itinerary -- where he will be celebrating the Mass, for the prayer vigil, and also those other specific moments of prayer within the visit. That of course includes Westminster Abbey as well where there will be the evening prayer," Monsignor Summersgill noted.

He added that texts have been finalized so a missal and the prayer book can be prepared and published.

"So it was a good week and we did a lot of work," the monsignor has affirmed, "and things are moving ahead very nicely with that."

Pope to donate $250,000 to rebuild Haitian school

An annual meeting of the Populorum Progressio Foundation now dedicated to allotting funds to projects for the vulnerable people across Latin America and the Caribbean will take place later this month. During the meeting, a substantial donation will be made in the Pope's name for the rebuilding of a Haitian school damaged in January's earthquake.

The administrative council of the Populorum Progressio Foundation, formed of Catholic prelates from across Latin America and representatives of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," will meet this year in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from July 20-23.

During what is their first annual meeting in a Caribbean nation, they will be discussing the allocation of funds destined to finance projects that aid indigenous, mestizo and African-American laborers in the Caribbean and throughout Latin America.

According to the communique released by "Cor Unum" regarding the event, this year's encounter carries on the tradition of meeting in areas that permit "direct contact with the concrete reality of the various areas of the continent and, at the same time, make the activities of the Foundation in particular churches known."

At the meeting, 230 projects from 20 different countries from Mexico to Bolivia, Brazil and the Antilles will be presented. Besides paperwork, the group will visit Church-run aid camps in Haiti and will celebrate Mass with the local Church community.

Also on that day, they will meet with representatives from humanitarian aid organizations and visit Caritas' national headquarters, where the president of “Cor Unum,” Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, will make a $250,000 donation on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI towards rebuilding St. Francis de Sales school in Port-au-Prince. The school was destroyed in the devastating earthquake last January.

The statement also announced that a second donation of an unspecified amount will be delivered in the Holy Father's name to the local chapter of the Caritas that same evening.

Since its creation in 19992, the Populorum Progressio Foundation has worked to aid the "integral development" in the poorest of areas through projects in the areas of the production, communal infrastructure, education, health and construction.

How to Pray a Family Rosary:

• Personalize it : Each family member should have their own Rosary. Children may play with it. Girls may wear it as a necklace. Boys will try to use it as a lasso. That’s fine. It helps them become familiar with a Rosary. Eventually they will learn and grow in reverence for their Rosary.
• Create a habit : Set a time that is comfortable for your family and that works without adding stress. When it doesn’t happen, don’t give up entirely, just pick it up again the next day.
• Create a space : Set the tone for prayer so young children understand this is different than other family activities. If possible, light a candle and play some soft, background, instrumental music.
• Start small : Be patient. Don’t try to complete an entire Rosary the first time you gather together in prayer, particularly if you have young children. Start with a decade and build over time.
• Keep it simple : The Rosary is a great way for young children to learn the Hail Mary, Our Father and Apostle’s Creed and to learn about the lives of Jesus and his Mother Mary.
• Involve all family members : If children have a role, they will participate more fully and be more attentive. Let them lead a reflection or the prayers depending on their age.
• Opportunity to teach : Use the Rosary as a starting point to teach children about other aspects of their faith. Children are curious and will ask questions. Pause in prayer as necessary to answer their questions. As they get older, you can hold their questions until prayer is complete.
• Just start : There’s no time like the present and no place like home.

Is Jesus God?

Have you ever met a man with such personal magnetism that he is always the center of the attention? Possibly his personality or intelligence---but something about him is enigmatic. Well, that’s the way it was two thousand years ago with Jesus Christ. But it wasn’t merely Jesus’ personality that captivated his followers. Those who witnessed his words and life tell us that even though he was human, he was remarkably different from all the other men.

Eyewitnesses tell us that Jesus was a man who grew up physically, ate, slept, felt pain, and eventually died. Their written accounts also describe Jesus as walking on the water, calming storms, healing the blind and lame, and even raising the dead. Furthermore, they tell us that Jesus appeared alive to them after they watched him die on the cross.

Jesus’ greatness was obvious to all those who saw and heard him. But, whereas most of the great people simply fade into history books, Jesus of Nazareth is still the focus of numerous books and media controversy. And much of that controversy revolves around the radical claims Jesus made about himself.

As an unheralded carpenter from an obscure Judean village in what is modern day Israel, Jesus made claims that, if true, have profound implications on our lives. Jesus said that those who have been seen him, have seen God, and that the way to God is through him---alone. According to Jesus, you and I are special, part of God’s great plan for us, with him as the center of it all. These and other claims like them stunned everyone who heard them uttered.

It was primarily Jesus’ outrageous claims that caused him to be viewed as a threat by both the Roman authorities and the Jewish hierarchy. Although he was an outsider with no credentials or political powerbase, within the three years, Jesus changed the world for the next 20 centuries.

Although some have wondered if Jesus really existed, even most non-Christian scholars acknowledge him as a real person. Other great leaders have left an impact---but nothing like that unknown carpenter from Nazareth.

What was it about Jesus Christ that made the difference? Was he merely a great man, or something more than that? Some believe he was merely a great moral teacher; others believe he was simply the leader of the world’s greatest religion. But many, including former skeptics, believe something far more.

Former Cambridge professor and skeptic C. S. Lewis came to the shocking conclusion that Jesus’ claims wouldn’t allow us to call him simply a great moral teacher.

So who is the real Jesus? Let’s take a closer look at this man who changed our world.

As we take a deeper look at the world’s most controversial person, we begin by asking: could Jesus have been merely a great moral teacher?

Soccer player who scored winning World Cup goal promises to make pilgrimage

Spanish soccer player Andres Iniesta, who scored the winning goal during the World Cup final in the South Africa, has promised to walk the Way of St. James, which leads to the Santiago de Compostela.

The Way of St. James is a pilgrimage route that for the centuries brought the faithful from across Europe to the city of Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of the saint are being venerated.

According to the Spanish newspaper, Marca, months before the 2010 World Cup, the members of the Spanish team sent the newspaper sealed in envelopes with the promises they would keep if they won the title.

Marca opened the envelopes after Spain’s historic victory on Sunday and found that Iniesta, along with Fernando Torres and Carlos Marchena said that they would walk the Way of St. James.

Iniesta also revealed his promise in an interview prior to the World Cup. Speaking on the Spanish television he said he would make the pilgrimage “somehow…I’ll do it however I have to!” His teammate Sergio Busquets, who was with him, made the same promise.

The Spanish media is reminding the players of their promise and although no plans have been officially made, reporters were been convinced many fans would share the pilgrimage with them.

This year, Pope Benedict XVI will travel to the city for the Holy Year of St. James 2010, which is celebrated each year of that July 25, the saint's feast, falls on a Sunday.

The next Year of St. James will be celebrated in 2021.

The Church is Catholic

We have used the term 'Catholic' so many times in our lives that we have tend to take it for granted. Since words are of the most importance, it seems necessary to look more carefully at this very important word in our vocabulary.

It is generally acknowledged that the word Catholic Church first appears in the writings of the apostolic father, St. Ignatius of the Antioch, in his Letter To the Smyrnaeans in the year 110 A.D. The context of the use of these terms is as follows: Wherever the bishop appears, let the people be there; just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church (#830) states: The word catholic means universal, in the sense of according to the totality or in keeping with a whole. The Church is catholic in a double sense: First, the Church is catholic because Christ is present in ther. Where there is Christ Jesus, there is the Catholic Church (St. Ignatius). In her subsists the fullness of the Christ's body united with its head; this implies that she receives from him the fullness of the means of salvation which he has been willed: correct and complete confession of faith, full sacramental life, and the ordained ministry in apostolic succession. The Church was, in this fundamental sense, catholic on the day of the Pentecost and will always be so until the day of the Parousia.

Secondly, the Church is catholic (#831) because she has been sent out by the Christ on a mission to the whole of the human race. Wherever the faithful gathered united under their pastors the universal Church is made present. Hence, in the Sacramento the universal or "Catholic" Church gathers and celebrates, teaches and serves. As the Catechism (#834) states: Particular Churches [i.e., dioceses] are fully catholic through their communion with one of them, the Church of Rome which presides in the charity. For with this church, by reason of its pre-eminence, the whole Church, that is the faithful everywhere, must necessarily be in the accord. Indeed, from the incarnate Word's descent to us, all Christian churches everywhere have held and then hold the great Church that is here [at Rome] to be their only basis and foundation since, according to the Savior's promise, the gates of hell have never been prevailed against her. It is through union with Rome--obedience to the bishop of Rome, the pope--that full incorporation into the church that in Christ instituted upon "Peter" is guaranteed. The Holy Father is the guarantor of unity, and it is through faithful obedience and union with his office and his teaching that the church's unity, holiness, catholicity, and apostolicity are guaranteed.