Hi Everybody,
Check out our inaugural podcast for The Faith Explained below. Andy Walker and I discuss the new Mass translation and The New Mass app for iOS and Android, explaining the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, and the phenomenon that is Tim Tebow!
Today’s Gospel is the famous account of the Annunciation from Luke 1:26-38. It includes some indirect proof for two major Marian dogmas of the Church – the Immaculate Conception (which was recently celebrated on Dec. 8), and the perpetual virginity of Our Lady. It also gives us part of the biblical roots of the “Hail Mary”.
When the archangel Gabriel greets Mary, it marks the only recorded incident in scripture that an angel greets someone by their title, not their name. “Hail, Full of Grace, the Lord is with you” (Lk 1:28). This, of course, is the first line of the “Hail Mary”, with the second line, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb”, from Luke 1:42. So much for the ridiculous argument that the prayer is “unbiblical”.
But what of those dogmas? Speaking of the phrase, “Full of Grace”, in the original Greek of Luke’s Gospel, it is an interesting term: “kecharitomene”. It means, literally, “one who has been made full of God’s grace” (biblical translations that render this term “highly favored one”, or something to that effect, don’t cut it) . It’s a past perfect, meaning that, at some point in the past, Mary was made perfectly full of God’s grace. This condition extends out into the future, into eternity. This is exactly what the Immaculate Conception is all about - that, from the first moment of her existence, Mary was preserved free from all stain of original sin. If one is perfectly full of the grace of God, there is no room for sin.
With respect to the perpetual virginity, Gabriel explains to Mary that she will bear the Messiah, and at this point he has said nothing about Jesus being conceived by the Holy Spirit. Yet, Mary says, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” (Lk 1:34). A very strange question for a young woman to ask, who, as we have already been told, was engaged to be married. Unless, that is, she had already intended to remain a virgin, consecrating herself wholly to God.
I have written elsewhere in these pages about Tim Tebow, and let me say on record that I’m a fan. To say that Tebow is the most polarizing athlete of our time is no understatement, and much of this is due to the way he articulates his faith. Robert Mixa, over at the fantastic Word on Fire blog, makes some very thought-provoking comparisons between the way Tebow speaks about his beliefs, and the new English Mass translation – both of which are making some people very, very uncomfortable. You can check it out here. Be sure to leave your thoughts in the combox below. Big HT to Jasmin Lemieux-Lefebvre (@jasminll) for alerting me to this story.
I recently had a radio conversation with the always entertaining Pedro from Salt and Light! Our chat shed some light on the creation of The New Mass app for Apple and Android, as well as our thoughts on the new English Mass translation itself. You can listen for yourself, or download the podcast here. Spread the word!
Matt Warner over at Fallible Blogma mentions The New Mass app for iOS and Android in his collection of new Mass resources. Check out the article here. Oh, and make sure you watch those great LifeTeen videos on the new translation!
Brad West from Catholic Tech Talk.com has put The New Mass app through its paces, and his full review is now online! You can check it out by clicking here. Brad has really captured the essence of why we created the app.
As well, please don’t forget to click on the “Recommend” button at the top of the The New Mass page, to tell all your Facebook friends about it! We would also greatly appreciate it if anyone who has downloaded the app would give it a rating, via the App Store on your mobile device, or through iTunes on your computer. Thank you so much!
I’m now booking more seminars for the U.S., Canada, and overseas explaining the new Mass translation. Or, you can choose one of the many other topics available. Simply use the “Contact” page here to send us a message and get the process started. Our calendar is filling up quickly, so book now to avoid disappointment. End of infomercial!
This past Saturday, I was the speaker at the Newman Centre at the University of Toronto for a Lenten Day of Recollection. The topic was “Conversion”.
Here I am (2nd from L, rockin’ the new goatee, no less!) with Josh Canning (far L) from the Newman Centre staff, Fr Kenneth LeBlanc (2nd from R, and a fellow Maritimer, I might add) from the Legionaries of Christ, who preached an excellent homily at the Mass he celebrated for us, and one of the participants. It really was a great day, and many thanks to Josh and to the rest of the Newman Centre crew for making the event such a success.
And so it begins….I really can’t believe it, but I’m a finalist in four categories in the About.com Catholicism Reader’s Choice Awards! It’s so easy to vote, and it only takes a moment. I’d be so grateful if you would vote for me in the following categories:
Best Catholic iPhone app: The New Mass
Best Catholic blog: The Faith Explained with Cale Clarke
Best Catholic to follow on Twitter: @CaleClarke
Best Catholic Facebook Page: The Faith Explained
You can click on any of the above hyperlinks to start voting, or go to this url:
http://catholicism.about.com/od/thechurchintheworld/ss/2011-About-Com-Catholicism-Readers-Choice-Awards-Finalists.htm
Have fun, and, as always, thank you, thank you, thank you for all your support. Without you these pages simply wouldn’t exist!
