St. Aidan's Anglican Church, Kansas City - weekly talks

The Sunday before Lent, we begin a new Lenten series, Spiritual Combat. We will consider our present battle with the devil (principalities and powers), the flesh (the old self) and the world (the fallen complex of life apart from Christ).

Today, we reflect on the goal, transformation in Christ, by considering the Transfiguration of Christ and our transfiguration (metamorphosis) referred to in Romans 12.

In this 15th Catechetical lesson, Deacon Aaron sets forth our Eucharistic theology.

It's time to renovate our hearts. Its time to break up fallow ground and seek the Lord that he may come and rain righteousness on us.

Lent is a 46 day global fast for the Church, a time of repentance, fasting and prayer, a time of renewal in the Spirit, of overcoming our three enemies, the world, the flesh, and the devil. It's the season to follow Jesus into the wilderness and bind these enemies of our soul.

Deacon Aaron explores Matthew 9:9-17 as Jesus shows up at Matthew's Party, filled with all manner of so-called riff-raft to immediately be asked by the disciples of John, why his disciples didn't fast. In this brief section of Scripture, we contemplate the place of feasting and fasting.

Artist, Sieger Köder

In this section of the Catechism, we explore the liturgy of the Eucharist, walking through the steps of preparation through the dismissal. Fr. Michael rerecorded this teaching after failure to obtain an audio recording in the Catechism class.

Recommended books to explore ...

Alexander Schmemann: Eastern Orthodox

1. For the Life of the World

2. Introduction to Liturgical Theology

Dom Gregory Dix: Anglican

3. The Shape of the Liturgy

Roman Catholic

4. The Bible and the Liturgy, Jean Danielou

5. The Wellspring of Worship - Jean Corbon

6. Jesus and the Last Supper - Brant Pitre

7. The Spirit of the Liturgy - Ratzinger (Benedict XVI)

Assemblies of God

8. Liturgical Theology - Simon Chan, Sinapore

As Christ was presented in the Temple, 40 days after his birth, the prophetic church is prefigured, foreshadowed in the ministries of Simeon and Anna the Prophetess. Christ is revealed, worshiped and proclaimed.

The Return of Yahweh to His Temple: Malachi 3:1-4

“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.

The Fulfillment of Malachi 3: Luke 2:22-40

22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”[a]), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”[b]

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,

you may now dismiss[c] your servant in peace.

30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,

31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:

32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and the glory of your people Israel.”

33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[d] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

13. The Sacrament of Water Baptism - entering a New Exodus, becoming a New Creation

In the second section of our Catechism class, we reflect on the nature of a sacrament. What is a sacrament?

Psalm 145:4 - One generation shall praise Your works to another.

Matthew 19:13-15

13 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away.

Welcome to the introduction to the second section of St. Aidan's Catechism on the Sacraments of the Church.