Unavailable
Unavailable
Unavailable
Ebook113 pages59 minutes
Work Play Love: How the Mass Changed the Life of the First Christians
Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
“Christians make the Mass, and the Mass makes Christians.” So said the Martyrs of Abitina, North Africa, in A.D. 304. The Mass was the reality most essential to the life of believers, and it deeply affected everything they did. In Work Play Love popular author Mike Aquilina shows how the Eucharist shaped three basic dimensions of life for the early Christians.
Work. Christians brought the fruits of their labor to the altar—not only bread and wine, but also cheese, olives, honey, dried fish, and freshly pressed oil. As they worshiped, they consecrated the world itself to God. In turn, this affected the way they approached their work. It was not just toil. It was an act of love, undertaken for the Father. They labored in imitation of Jesus the laborer. Made one with Christians in the Eucharist, Jesus worked through them and in them.
Play. The Mass was a leisurely, contemplative act, but it was celebrated on a normal workday in the Roman world. It was useless by the standards of the city. And yet it called forth—gently, gradually—the most creative responses. The Mass inspired new forms of music, poetry, architecture, and painting. At liturgy Christians stood back and reconsidered the cosmos from God’s perspective. They saw their lives as part of a profoundly new and different narrative. This made for new and different art.
Love. Christian ritual demanded personal and communal acts of charity. The earliest descriptions of the Mass show the importance of the collection and its distribution to the poor, the imprisoned, and the home-bound sick. Deacons and deaconesses were dismissed to take Communion to the same people in need. The fruits of the Mass extended beyond the time of liturgy—and the bounds of Christian community. Christians took care even of their persecutors. This led to the establishment of institutions of universal charity, a first in human history.
The story of the Mass is not simply a rehearsal of ancient texts. It’s a drama of personal and societal transformation. This book tells the story as much as possible in the lively words of the early Christians and draws from the most exciting discoveries of recent archaeology. It is a powerful imaginative encounter with the first generations of our Christian ancestry.
Work. Christians brought the fruits of their labor to the altar—not only bread and wine, but also cheese, olives, honey, dried fish, and freshly pressed oil. As they worshiped, they consecrated the world itself to God. In turn, this affected the way they approached their work. It was not just toil. It was an act of love, undertaken for the Father. They labored in imitation of Jesus the laborer. Made one with Christians in the Eucharist, Jesus worked through them and in them.
Play. The Mass was a leisurely, contemplative act, but it was celebrated on a normal workday in the Roman world. It was useless by the standards of the city. And yet it called forth—gently, gradually—the most creative responses. The Mass inspired new forms of music, poetry, architecture, and painting. At liturgy Christians stood back and reconsidered the cosmos from God’s perspective. They saw their lives as part of a profoundly new and different narrative. This made for new and different art.
Love. Christian ritual demanded personal and communal acts of charity. The earliest descriptions of the Mass show the importance of the collection and its distribution to the poor, the imprisoned, and the home-bound sick. Deacons and deaconesses were dismissed to take Communion to the same people in need. The fruits of the Mass extended beyond the time of liturgy—and the bounds of Christian community. Christians took care even of their persecutors. This led to the establishment of institutions of universal charity, a first in human history.
The story of the Mass is not simply a rehearsal of ancient texts. It’s a drama of personal and societal transformation. This book tells the story as much as possible in the lively words of the early Christians and draws from the most exciting discoveries of recent archaeology. It is a powerful imaginative encounter with the first generations of our Christian ancestry.
Unavailable
Author
Mike Aquilina
Mike Aquilina is a Catholic author, popular speaker, poet, and songwriter who serves as the executive vice president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology.
Read more from Mike Aquilina
The Seven Deadly Sins: Sayings of the Fathers of the Church Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA History of the Church in 100 Objects Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Ancient Wisdom, Living Fire: Lessons I Learned from the Fathers of the Church Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUnderstanding the Mass: 100 Questions 100 Answers Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAngels of God: The Bible, the Church and the Heavenly Hosts Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Church and the Roman Empire (301–490): Constantine, Councils, and the Fall of Rome Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRoots of the Faith: From the Church Fathers to You Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThrough, With, and In Him: The Prayer Life of Jesus and How to Make It Our Own Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Catholic Pilgrimage through American History: People and Places that Shaped the Church in the United States Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHistory's Queen: Exploring Mary's Pivotal Role from Age to Age Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Keeping Mary Close: Devotion to Our Lady through the Ages Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDion: The Wanderer Talks Truth (Stories, Humor & Music) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWork Play Love: How the Mass Changed the Life of the First Christians Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRabbles, Riots, and Ruins: Twelve Ancient Cities and How They Were Evangelized Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Work Play Love
Related ebooks
Little Flowers for God: Collected Poetry Volume I Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLiving the Catholic Faith: Rediscovering the Basics Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beholding Beauty: Mary and the Song of Songs Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMy Life of Grace: How I Found Hope and Purpose in Suffering Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLiturgical Calendar: Poems Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhat Do You Seek?: The Questions of Jesus as Challenge and Promise Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChrist's Body, Christ's Wounds: Staying Catholic When You’ve Been Hurt in the Church Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Appalling Strangeness of the Mercy of God: The Story of Ruth Pakaluk, Convert, Mother and Pro-Life Activist Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSinging Jeremiah: Music and Meaning in Holy Week Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMiracles of the Eucharist of Lanciano: Cascia - Siena - Orvieto Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Because of Our Fathers: Twenty-Three Catholics Tell How Their Fathers Led Them to Christ Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSwallow This, Second Edition: The Progressive Approach to Wine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary of St. Therese of Lisieux's Story of a Soul Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGod's Plan for You (Revised): Life, Love, Marriage and Sex Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Cross and the Beatitudes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDom Eugene Boylan: Trappist Monk, Scientist and Writer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGod's Unusual Saints Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Adoration: Eucharistic Texts and Prayers throughout Church History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ask Her: Simple Words to Jumpstart Your Conversation with Mary Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Month with St Teresa of Avila Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMaking a Heart for God: A Week Inside a Catholic Monastery Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Kept for the Master's Use: A Memoir Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHumanae Vitae: Encyclical of His Holiness Pope Paul VI Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Holy Emotions Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Guarding the Flame: The Challenges Facing the Church in the Twenty-First Century: A Conversation With Cardinal Peter Erdő Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLay Spirituality: From Traditional to Postmodern Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Notes: Ronald Reagan's Private Collection of Stories and Wisdom Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Miraculous Flying House of Loreto: Spreading Catholicism in the Early Modern World Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Month with St Augustine Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAsk the Bible Geek: Fascinating Answers to Intriguing Questions Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Christianity For You
Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Law of Connection: Lesson 10 from The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mere Christianity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Screwtape Letters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wild at Heart Expanded Edition: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Four Loves Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I'll Start Again Monday: Break the Cycle of Unhealthy Eating Habits with Lasting Spiritual Satisfaction Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries with Kids: How Healthy Choices Grow Healthy Children Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Loving Others Without Losing the Best of Who You Are Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Enoch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries Workbook: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Your Brain's Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Changes That Heal: Four Practical Steps to a Happier, Healthier You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5How to Lead When You're Not in Charge: Leveraging Influence When You Lack Authority Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Stories We Tell: Every Piece of Your Story Matters Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Undistracted: Capture Your Purpose. Rediscover Your Joy. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex: Creating a Marriage That's Both Holy and Hot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Complete Book of Enoch: Standard English Version Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Work Play Love
Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
0 ratings
0 ratings0 reviews