Prime Matters

Just as faith actively receives from God, faith actively rejects that which is not from God. Each of us entertains (and often believes) lies and false images of God and oneself, obstructing our attempts to receive from God. Turning to God involves rejecting that which holds us back from him. Actively receiving and actively rejecting are two sides of the same act of faith. In this three-part series, Msgr. Thomas Richter offers an overarching vision of the Christian interior life. Prime Matters (www.primematters.com) is a groundbreaking project of educational outreach of the University of Mary: "Awakening the Catholic Imaginative Vision."

Faith acknowledges the needs of the heart and relates them to Jesus. However, due to original sin, we often sit in self-made aloneness, failing to bring our needs to him. Filled with anxiety and worry, we try to fix ourselves, not realizing that this tendency arises from the often-misunderstood vice of sloth. It's time we kick the spiritual bachelor out of the basement and open up to Christ in prayer. In this three-part series, Msgr. Thomas Richter offers an overarching vision of the Christian interior life. Prime Matters (www.primematters.com) is a groundbreaking project of educational outreach of the University of Mary: "Awakening the Catholic Imaginative Vision."

As Christians, we need to make sure that we're getting God right. It is possible to pray for years without a Christian heart, approaching prayer as pagans in Christian clothing. In this reflection, Msgr. Thomas Richter helps to expose the pagan vision of prayer that exists in our hearts in hopes of clearing the way for each of us to encounter God. In this three-part series, Msgr. Thomas Richter offers an overarching vision of the Christian interior life. Prime Matters (www.primematters.com) is a groundbreaking project of educational outreach of the University of Mary: "Awakening the Catholic Imaginative Vision."

Much of the Christian journey involves gaining a sense of the big picture: actively interpreting our lives according to the Catholic imaginative vision is essential for the Christian life. In the final days of Lent in the midst of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, Monsignor James P. Shea delivered a retreat from an empty campus entitled, "From Shadows into the Light: Gaining the Eyes of Faith." Pairing reflections on the gift of faith with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, these reflections were delivered daily from Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday. Prime Matters (www.primematters.com) is a groundbreaking project of educational outreach of the University of Mary: "Awakening the Catholic Imaginative Vision."

The Church is at once changeless and remarkably flexible: while the battle is constant, the terrain on which it is fought changes from one generation to the next. In the final days of Lent in the midst of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, Monsignor James P. Shea delivered a retreat from an empty campus entitled, "From Shadows into the Light: Gaining the Eyes of Faith." Pairing reflections on the gift of faith with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, these reflections were delivered daily from Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday. Prime Matters (www.primematters.com) is a groundbreaking project of educational outreach of the University of Mary: "Awakening the Catholic Imaginative Vision."

If it is true, as Christians believe, that Christ is incarnate in a Mystical Body, then that Body is the necessary focus of the world's story. In the final days of Lent in the midst of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, Monsignor James P. Shea delivered a retreat from an empty campus entitled, "From Shadows into the Light: Gaining the Eyes of Faith." Pairing reflections on the gift of faith with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, these reflections were delivered daily from Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday. Prime Matters (www.primematters.com) is a groundbreaking project of educational outreach of the University of Mary: "Awakening the Catholic Imaginative Vision."

God established the Church as a colony of heaven on earth, which he inhabits and in which he clothes himself, continuing the rescue mission of Christ. In the final days of Lent in the midst of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, Monsignor James P. Shea delivered a retreat from an empty campus entitled, "From Shadows into the Light: Gaining the Eyes of Faith." Pairing reflections on the gift of faith with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, these reflections were delivered daily from Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday. Prime Matters (www.primematters.com) is a groundbreaking project of educational outreach of the University of Mary: "Awakening the Catholic Imaginative Vision."

In the midst of a great drama of realities visible and invisible, God invades rebel-held territory to redeem the wayward human race, taking on our nature in order to suffer on our behalf. In the final days of Lent in the midst of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, Monsignor James P. Shea delivered a retreat from an empty campus entitled, "From Shadows into the Light: Gaining the Eyes of Faith." Pairing reflections on the gift of faith with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, these reflections were delivered daily from Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday. Prime Matters (www.primematters.com) is a groundbreaking project of educational outreach of the University of Mary: "Awakening the Catholic Imaginative Vision."

Faith is a matter of vision: it is a way of seeing more truly and more fully, the healing of our minds that allows us to grasp what is real and what is true in its entirety. In the final days of Lent in the midst of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, Monsignor James P. Shea delivered a retreat from an empty campus entitled, "From Shadows into the Light: Gaining the Eyes of Faith." Pairing reflections on the gift of faith with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, these reflections were delivered daily from Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday. Prime Matters (www.primematters.com) is a groundbreaking project of educational outreach of the University of Mary: "Awakening the Catholic Imaginative Vision."

The question of faith is not as much about whether we believe God exists as it is whether we are willing to come to him and trust in him. We say we have faith - do we really? In the final days of Lent in the midst of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, Monsignor James P. Shea delivered a retreat from an empty campus entitled, "From Shadows into the Light: Gaining the Eyes of Faith." Pairing reflections on the gift of faith with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, these reflections were delivered daily from Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday. Prime Matters (www.primematters.com) is a groundbreaking project of educational outreach of the University of Mary: "Awakening the Catholic Imaginative Vision."

The most basic language of God is spiritual consolation on the third level of the human heart: God encourages and gives life, energy, lightness, and attraction to the human heart concerning one's relationship with God and all that he has revealed to be true. The most basic language of the enemy is spiritual desolation on the third level of the human heart: it is an experience of heaviness, confusion, darkness, and discouragement concerning one's relationship with God and all that he has revealed to be true. What is prayer? How can I hear God's voice? How can I discern his will and pursue my vocation? Father Dominic Bouck, chaplain of the University of Mary, discussed these questions with Monsignor Thomas J. Richter, a priest of the Diocese of Bismarck known for his insights into Christian prayer, spiritual direction, and vocational discernment. Reflecting on their experiences in parish ministry and working with students of all ages, Msgr. Richter and Fr. Bouck present a profound and lively view of Christian prayer. Prime Matters (www.primematters.com) is a groundbreaking project of educational outreach of the University of Mary: "Awakening the Catholic Imaginative Vision."

In order to hear God speak, one must become aware of the movements of one's interior life and understand their origins. While many of our thoughts, feelings, and desires have natural origins, Christians have always believed that God (and the enemy) speak to us in our lives and the quiet of our hearts. Once we have discerned the source of the movements of our interior lives, we can receive those that are from God as true, reject those that are opposed to God as false, and act accordingly. What is prayer? How can I hear God's voice? How can I discern his will and pursue my vocation? Father Dominic Bouck, chaplain of the University of Mary, discussed these questions with Monsignor Thomas J. Richter, a priest of the Diocese of Bismarck known for his insights into Christian prayer, spiritual direction, and vocational discernment. Reflecting on their experiences in parish ministry and working with students of all ages, Msgr. Richter and Fr. Bouck present a profound and lively view of Christian prayer. Prime Matters (www.primematters.com) is a groundbreaking project of educational outreach of the University of Mary: "Awakening the Catholic Imaginative Vision."

Christian relational prayer is focused on friendship with Christ. Much of the fear and anxiety young people often experience around discernment arises from a false understanding of prayer, focused entirely on figuring out what one must do. The vocational question, however, cannot be the first question of prayer: only once one has experienced the presence of Christ and has begun to receive from the heart of God can one begin to discern. The question of one's vocation must be approached from within a lived relationship with Christ through a spirit of gratitude and magnanimity, rather than of sloth and pusillanimity. What is prayer? How can I hear God's voice? How can I discern his will and pursue my vocation? Father Dominic Bouck, chaplain of the University of Mary, discussed these questions with Monsignor Thomas J. Richter, a priest of the Diocese of Bismarck known for his insights into Christian prayer, spiritual direction, and vocational discernment. Reflecting on their experiences in parish ministry and working with students of all ages, Msgr. Richter and Fr. Bouck present a profound and lively view of Christian prayer. Prime Matters (www.primematters.com) is a groundbreaking project of educational outreach of the University of Mary: "Awakening the Catholic Imaginative Vision."

Prayer is concerned with receiving from God – but that does not mean it is passive. Prayer seeks to actively receive from God, which requires that we actively reject that which is not from God: lies and false ideas that are opposed to what God has revealed to us about who he is and how he relates to us. Active receptivity and active rejectivity both occur within the context of a relationship, encapsulated by the question, “Jesus, what are you doing?” What is prayer? How can I hear God's voice? How can I discern his will and pursue my vocation? Father Dominic Bouck, chaplain of the University of Mary, discussed these questions with Monsignor Thomas J. Richter, a priest of the Diocese of Bismarck known for his insights into Christian prayer, spiritual direction, and vocational discernment. Reflecting on their experiences in parish ministry and working with students of all ages, Msgr. Richter and Fr. Bouck present a profound and lively view of Christian prayer. Prime Matters (www.primematters.com) is a groundbreaking project of educational outreach of the University of Mary: "Awakening the Catholic Imaginative Vision."

The Christian imaginative vision and the modern secular vision of the world shape our view of who God is and how he relates to us. The secular vision tells us that the purpose of prayer is to convince God to act. The Christian vision, however, tells us that God is already present and provides for us always, which means that prayer is concerned primarily with receiving from God and allowing him to act. Only once we have begun to understand what prayer truly is can we truly relate the movements of our interior lives to Christ and receive from him. What is prayer? How can I hear God's voice? How can I discern his will and pursue my vocation? Father Dominic Bouck, chaplain of the University of Mary, discussed these questions with Monsignor Thomas J. Richter, a priest of the Diocese of Bismarck known for his insights into Christian prayer, spiritual direction, and vocational discernment. Reflecting on their experiences in parish ministry and working with students of all ages, Msgr. Richter and Fr. Bouck present a profound and lively view of Christian prayer. Prime Matters (www.primematters.com) is a groundbreaking project of educational outreach of the University of Mary: "Awakening the Catholic Imaginative Vision."

The ancient battle between good and evil continues today in each human heart. God calls; darkness seduces; and here, now, each one of us is faced with the choice on which our fate rests, a choice as old as the angels and our first parents. Will we accept life with God, embracing in all humility the path He lays out for us? Or will we draw up hedges around our egos, echoing those fallen words: “I will not serve”? The decision is ours; our eternal destinies are in our hands. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

The controversy sparked by the life of Jesus has followed his Church down through the ages. Deemed a refuge for the ignorant as often as the ark of salvation, a haven for barbarism as often as a lover of freedom, Darth Vadar as often as a queenly and tender mother, the Church remains plagued by division, confusion, and betrayal in its adherents. And yet it continues to find new converts, new Christians, even in a secularized and materialist culture. For in its most significant aspects, the Church has served as the keeper of the sacraments: visible signs of the invisible reality that God has kept his promise – the human race will be made new. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

Pentecost ushered in the apostolic age of the Church, those years in which Peter, Paul, and all the apostles ventured across the known world, spreading the Gospel to all nations, evangelizing Jews and Gentiles alike. Before long, small churches popped up across Asia, Africa, and Europe, even as disciples began to cultivate a Tradition and the beginnings of a book of Scriptures, all amidst an atmosphere of persecution and martyrdom. The Church had taken root. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

Where is the great drama of human history headed? What does the Christian know about his future? We consider here what we know and what we do not know about the pilgrimage of the human race toward its ordained end. As we await the end of history as we know it, the “end times,” the “apocalypse,” the final judgment, in what (or whom) shall we place our hope? While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

After His Resurrection, Jesus's disciples wondered: would he now establish the long-awaited messianic kingdom, authoritative and powerful beyond measure? But Jesus had something different – and far more satisfying – in store. The divine Logos was to ascend once more to the Father, sending down the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, establishing the Lord's presence within each of His followers. And the fruit of the Spirit would become manifest in each of them: in dramatic form as the Apostles spoke in tongues at Pentecost and in subtler form as they went out into the world with tender hearts, clear minds, and resilient wills for the mission they were to carry forward. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

The Resurrection of Christ formed the culmination of his ministry. It was Mary Magdalene who first received news of the event, having come upon the empty tomb guarded by an angel. There Jesus came to her, bidding her to tell all of his followers that he had risen from the dead. And so the first Easter brought with it the defeat of death, the lifting of the ancient curse, the realization of God's promise to bring new life, a new Kingdom, into being. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

When he arrived at Jerusalem, Jesus went directly to the Temple and declared that his Father's house was not be profaned. For Passover, Jesus took his apostles to an upper room, celebrating the Seder meal with them and instituting the Eucharist in their presence. He went next to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he anticipated his betrayal at the hands of Judas. And upon his betrayal, Jesus was tried by Pontius Pilate, condemned to be scourged at the pillar and crucified on Golgotha. It was there that he died, surrounded only by his mother, Mary, a few other women followers, and his beloved disciple, John. And it was there, too, that the Messiah established his reign. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

Jesus's ministry was neither haphazard nor inefficient. Rather, it was careful, systematic, organized, and impressive, as Jesus arranged his followers into bands of fellow leaders, preachers, and attendants who ventured throughout the region of Galilee. His following became a particularly potent force... one which Roman officials and Jewish Pharisees who were worried about the disruption of order would be justified in fearing. And so by the time Christ set out to march on Jerusalem, all eyes were upon Him: what would the next days bring? While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

What was the “Good News” that Jesus brought to the human race? It was the news that God continued to be present and interested in human lives. It was the news of God's readiness to forgive the guilty, to respond with both justice and mercy. And it was the news of his promise to heal sinners, defeat Satan, destroy death, and adopt human persons into the life of the Trinity. But all this would come at a cost: a disciple of Jesus would called to repentance, a task the fallen human nature resists. Once again, humanity's destiny was to be determined by our free choice. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

Jesus's life and work were the sources of tremendous controversy: here was a man claiming not only to be a great teacher, but Lord over the Sabbath; a man claiming not only to be an eloquent teacher, but “the way, the truth, and the life.” Eventually, two camps formed around: those who worshipped him as God himself, and those who stiffened in resistance to him. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

Jesus's miracles, well-known to many, pointed to his authority as the Son of God. Among his most famous was the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Who is this man who had the authority not only to heal paralytics and those possessed by demons, but also to command even death itself? These acts had a deeper purpose: to reveal Christ's capacity to heal far deeper wounds, namely those of sin, those of the soul. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

Jesus began his ministry by slowly and carefully revealing himself as the Messiah. He took up the identity of a recognizable Jewish figure a prophet and rabbi... yet to all who encountered him, he seemed like more. Jesus ventured from town to town, teaching in a way that was in keeping with Jewish law and tradition even as he deepened the demands of love, mercy, and conversion. He gave his “Sermon on the Mount,” taught the beatitudes, and commanded that we love our enemies. He also performed deeds of astonishing power, healing the sick and the blind, tending to the poor, and loving widows, prostitutes, and outcasts. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

John the Baptist, having first encountered Jesus while still in Elizabeth's womb, leaping with joy at Mary's visitation, served as the forerunner to the Messiah. Living in the desert and preaching Christ's coming, he prepared the way for the King of the Jews, eventually baptizing him. After Jesus had been baptized by John he went into the wilderness for forty days and forty nights to be tempted by the devil, thus beginning his ministry as the New Adam. Upon his return, Jesus would call the twelve Apostles: Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Nathanael, Matthew, Simon, James, Thomas, Jude, and Judas Iscariot. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

In the city of Bethlehem, Joseph's ancestral home and the place to he and Mary had been called for a census, the Christ-child was born. His humble beginnings are well-known, having been born in a stable, unnoticed. Still, angels were soon sent to a small band of shepherds, proclaiming the good news of the first Christmas. The promised Messiah had come. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

What does it really mean for God to have become incarnate? Why was it so necessary for Jesus to take on human flesh? How was his doing so a particular response to the problem of human guilt and shame? Here we pause to consider the real meaning of the Incarnation and its pertinence to the transformation of human beings into godlike creatures, worthy of entrance into the life of the Trinity – in other words, human beings' divinization. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

The narrative continues in Nazareth of Galilee, where Mary, a young Jewish girl set aside by God from the moment of her Immaculate Conception, met with great astonishment the angel Gabriel: “Hail, Mary, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” She was told that she would bear the Son of God, a son to be named Emmanuel, “God is with us,” who was to be the long-awaited Messiah-King, the Savior of Israel. “Let it be done unto me,” she responded, and in the quiet of her bed-chamber, the whole world started over again. The human race was to receive a new mother, a new Eve. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

The destruction of the temple and the end of the Davidic kingly line marked the beginning of the time of the “diaspora,” when Jews would be scattered across many lands. Alexandria in Egypt and Antioch in Syria became major centers of Jewish life, and local synagogues took on new importance in Jewish communities. During this time, the Jewish longing for the Messiah took on growing intensity, urged on by the prophet Daniel. This resulted in unrest and uprisings, including the famous revolt of the Maccabees. Groups like the Pharisees and the Sadducees formed and celebrations like Hanukkah were initiated. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

Renowned for his wisdom, Solomon ruled over a kingdom finally at peace, allowing him to build a new Jewish temple on Mount Zion. Within it resided the Holy of Holies, which housed the Ark of the Covenant, and priests descended from Aaron offered sacrifices there while the tribe of Levi kept it in working order. Solomon, however, would succumb to the irreligious forces around him, even as God raised up a line of prophets – Elijah and Elisha, Amos, Joel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel – warning of the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness. The Israelite kingdom would fall to the Assyrians of Mesopotamia and the Babylonians, and, most heartbreakingly, the temple would be destroyed leaving the Jews yearning for a renewal of their covenant. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

Even after the Israelites were firmly established in the Promised Land, they had yet to conquer the Canaanite peoples. In the years that followed, tribal leaders such as Samuel, Jephthah, Gideon, Deborah, and Barak would rise up to defend the Israelites from the paganism around them. But it was ultimately David who was led down the road to kingship, following his heroic victory over the Philistine champion, Goliath. Though troubles afflicted him in dealings with figures like Saul, Uriah, Nathan, and Bathsheba, David would remain the archetypical King of Israel, handing on his kingship to his gifted son, Solomon. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

Having entered into a covenant with God, the Israelites begin to make their way to Canaan, the Land of Promise. Their journey would take forty years, led by Moses, his brother Aaron, his sister Miriam, and his lieutenant Joshua. The Israelites would be supplied with the gift of manna along the way, led by fire and cloud, and yet they were afflicted with discouragement and near rebellion for the whole course of those forty years. It was only after Moses's death that the Israelites would, at last, enter the land of Canaan. Here they would receive the promise of freedom from an even deeper form of slavery. This promise would take hold of the Jewish imagination. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

After the Israelites fled Egypt, Pharaoh reconsidered his decision to release them. On the edge of the Red Sea, the Israelites looked back to see the Egyptian army coming down upon them, setting the scene for one of Moses's great miracles: the parting of the Red Sea. Moses would lead the Chosen People to Mount Sinai, where he would speak to God as if face to face, and where God would give him the Ten Commandments to be kept within the Ark of the Covenant, sealing his covenant anew with the Israelite people. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

An Israelite of the tribe of Levi, raised as a member of the Egyptian royal family but exiled for murder, Moses unexpectedly encounters God in the desert. The Lord speaks to him from the burning bush in Exodus, revealing his name to be "I Am." Sent to Pharaoh to demand the Israelites' freedom, Moses would initiate a great drama: the plagues that would befall Egypt, the institution of the Passover (or "Seder") meal, and the flightof the Israelites from their enslavement and into the wilderness. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

After cleverly seizing their father's inheritance from his brother Esau, Jacob would carry on God's blessings to His Chosen People. It was Jacob who would be given the name “Israel,” and it was Jacob, too, who would become the father of twelve sons and the patriarch of their descendants, the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Jacob showed clear favoritism toward one of his sons, Joseph, to the ire of his other sons, setting off a story of betrayal and exile. Through God's providence, Joseph would become one of the most powerful men in Egypt, allowing him to save his family from famine, settling them in Egypt, where they would eventually be enslaved. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

Christians have long deemed Abraham the “Father of Faith,” and here we consider why. It was through Abraham that God promised to bring about a great nation, offspring who would impact the whole world through the ages to come. Abraham's became a story of learning to trust in that promise and in the Lord who had given it, most notably through the near-sacrifice of Isaac, the firstborn son of his wife, Sarah. It is through Abraham's narrative that we meet Melchizedek, a priest of God whose identity would become central to the Judeo-Christian story. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

Our narrative begins now to center on a most unique people: the ancient Jews. The Israelites, God's Chosen People, the Children of Abraham, would serve as those through whom God would begin to work out the redemption of the human race. So who were the Jewish people? Why did God choose them? How did they respond? In what ways do they serve as types for all of us? Here we suggest how Israel's story becomes our own. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

Human nature continues to grapple with the consequences of original sin, from the time of the Fall to the first murder of Abel by Cain and even on into our present age – in our seemingly insatiable yet unfulfilled longing for happiness, in our anguish in suffering, in our loneliness and heartbreak. God, too, regretted the evil that had entered creation. In Genesis 6 we read the story of Noah, the Ark, and the Great Flood, describing the disharmony of early humanity. Following the Flood, God made his covenant with Noah, promising to break the wayward human race out of their rebellion and slavery and to abide with them in a renewed life. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

Adam and Eve would not withstand the test of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. In Genesis 3, we read that Eve took of its fruit and ate, giving some to Adam who ate of it, as well. Thus original sin entered the world, bringing sin and darkness, pain and suffering, and toil and shame. Their minds and wills would now be drawn to such disorder as the seven deadly sins, moved by the mark of pride. Most momentously, Adam and Eve's disobedience would result in their inevitable experience of death. The story of humanity would thus be inseparable from this first act of rebellion, this first fall from grace. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

One of the highest honors given to the human race was the freedom to choose: Adam and Eve could choose to serve and obey God and receive their happiness in return, or they could follow Lucifer's lead, refusing humility before their Creator. The Devil, hoping for their fall, was not content to sit back and allow events to play out as they would. At the center of the Garden of Eden stood the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the fruit of which God had forbidden Adam and Eve to eat. This tree would become the stage for the Devil's trap as he set out to convince Adam and Eve that they had been tricked, that eating of the tree would make them like God. The Serpent, the Father of Lies, had laid the first trap for humanity. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

At the heart of God's creation stands the Garden of Eden, and within the Garden God brought about a new kind of being: the human person. With dignity beyond imagining, this new creation was made in the image and likeness of God himself, having intellect and will, joining the immortal and spiritual to the material. The first humans were named Adam and Eve, and they were called by God “very good,” ordered to “be fruitful and multiply” and populate the Earth. The angels sang in gladness at their creation, while the Devil and his fallen demons looked on with growing envy. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

The creation account proceeds to a small bit of rock called Earth, which would outshine all the cosmos in the great drama of the Genesis story. Its conditions were arranged just so, allowing the planet to sustain life: plants and animals, fish and birds and reptiles, living things of marvelous variety. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

At the beginning of creation, God first called into existence the highest of his creatures: the angels. The seraphim, the cherubim, the archangels, and the guardian angels were created to live in everlasting love with the Holy Trinity. But it was Lucifer, the noblest of God's angels, who used the gift of his freedom to protect his pride rather than serve His Lord. Lucifer fell from the Divine presence and into the abode we call Hell, Sheol, the Pit, and, now called Satan, the Devil, and the master of the demons who fell with him, Lucifer's fall would bring sin and darkness into God's created order. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

Who is God? We begin our story of salvation history with a consideration of that mysterious, almighty, longed-for being who is the source and end of the human drama: God. What is He like? Why did He create? Who is He, and who are we? The Christian narrative begins with these questions, and they will set the stage for those great questions that will define the whole trajectory of the story of the human race: where are we going, and how do we get there? While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.

Much of what it means to be converted in mind to Christianity is to understand and embrace the central narrative of the Faith. Through a 33-part audio series, PrimeMatters.com presents the Christian mythic narrative from beginning to end. Encounter the story of God and His plan for the human race in salvation history, found within the pages of the Bible and beyond. While much of this story is found within the Sacred Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, it extends from before the creation of the world to Jesus' reunion with His Church at the end of time. While the word "myth" has come to mean "untrue account," we mean something quite different. Throughout the long ages of human life and culture, myth has been a way of expressing deep truths. And so, here, "mythic narrative" means "meaningful account." Indeed, it is an account that might be entirely true... or mostly false... or somewhere in between. We know where we stand, but that's for each listener to discover. www.primematters.com A text version of this project is under production by ActsXXIX. See www.primematters.com/text.