Auschwitz I and II - Birkenau

                                              Disclaimer:

This blog post is only as theological as you want to make it. I recently had the opportunity to visit one of the sites left from the Nazi Genocide that took place from 1933-1945. I also had the opportunity to walk back out of the gates of the concentration camp that 1.3 million died in. This experience was extremely real, extremely profound, and extremely moving. I have found no adjective for what I saw here. I have posted the photos that I took at Auschwitz I and II not to offend anyone, but to provoke thoughts and conversations. I truly hope that this indeed does scare you and cause you to question the world that we live in. Could this happen again? Is this happening today? What are we doing about it? This is not a hiccup in history that can be forgotten about and I find it specifically important for today's youth. It is especially hard for us (the youth) to fathom these almost surreal events that took place only a few generations from us; yet, we have more technology at our fingertips then Hitler could have dreamed of having. Technology is a tool or a weapon and genocide continues to happen today all over the globe.

one last note, everything that Hitler did was legal. Jews were not considered to be human during this genocide, just as babies are not considered to be human today.

Ephesus

Ancient Ephesus and the Spread of Christianity

The Old and New Testaments of the Bible are full of historical and spiritual events that seem to have taken place in some surreal and distant land, like that of a children’s book. Often, the stories are so inconceivable to modern Christians that they have lost their literal sense, making it difficult to relate to them in a complete spiritual sense. This certainly has been the case for myself. However, after walking the streets of ancient Ephesus, I feel that I can personally relate to Paul’s writings spiritually and understand more about Paul’s life and the people that he influenced during his missionary journeys.

Venerating the tomb of the Apostle St. John

            Ancient Ephesus holds such an important role in the spread of Christianity as well as a lot of intriguing history that is not necessarily dogmatic, but spiritually enlightening. For example, Mary’s house and the tomb of the Apostle John are found here. Neither of these landmarks can be one hundred percent accurate and must be taken with faith, but both landmarks indeed do have scriptural and spiritual evidence for their credibility, and influence Christians today in their spiritual life. I will touch more on this latter.

As for the ancient port town and its influence in Christianity, this city was arguably the most important location for the spread of Christianity through Asia Minor. What we can know about Ephesus is that Paul lived in Ephesus for two years on his third missionary journey and wrote his letters to the Thessalonians and Corinthians from here.[1] We know that the Ephesians worshiped the goddess of Artemis and Paul had to flea Ephesus because the silversmiths saw a decline in the pagan worship and the people began to turn against him.[2] We also know that St. John lived in Ephesus while he wrote the Fourth Gospel during the later part of his life and is traditionally buried in the former Basilica of St. John which was built by the Emperor Justinian in the 6^th century.[3]

Revelation=Mass

The heavenly liturgy found in the book of Revelation is particularly equivalent to the earthly liturgy found in the Mass. Christ Jesus, the Lord of lords and King of kings, eternal sacrifice on earth is present in heaven. Therefore, the mass of the church incorporates the heavenly elements of liturgy that St. John reveled through his Revelation. The heavenly liturgy and the earthly liturgy are one in the same with Jesus Christ as the High Priest. For example:

1.      Rev. 1:6, 20:60 – The recognition of the priesthood is the same as the Churches.

2.      Rev. 1:10 – The heavenly liturgy that St. John witnessed took place on the Lords day: Sunday.

3.      Rev. 1:13, 4:4, 6:11, 7:9, 15:6, 19:13-14 – Jesus is wearing the vestments of a High Priest just as our priests vest themselves before offering his sacrifice in the mass.

4.      Rev. 2:5, 16, 21; 3:3; 16:11 – There is a penitential right in heaven just as the Holy Mass has right at the beginning.

5.      Rev. 2:17 – Manna in heaven = Eucharist on earth.  

6.      Rev. 4:4, 5:14; 11:16, 14:3, 19: The word Priest comes from the Greek Presbyteroi which means preside. A presider (Priest) presides over a sacrifice. Earthly Priests preside over the heavenly sacrifice in offering Jesus’ eternal sacrifice.

7.      Rev. 4:8 – The heavenly chant “Holy, Holy, Holy” is also found in the mass, Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus.

8.      Rev. 4:8-11, 5:9-14, 7:10-12, 18:1-8 – the Heavenly hymns and Psalms are similar to the ones found in the mass.

9.      Rev. 5:1 – The book of scrolls of God’s word in heaven = the liturgy of the word in the mass.

10.  Rev. 5:6 – The heavenly description of Jesus as the Lamb of God is the same that is professed in the Eucharistic liturgy.

11.  Rev. 5:8, 6:9-11, 8:3-4 – Heavenly intercession of the saints is also found in the mass.

12.  Rev. 5:8, 8:3-4 – Incense in heaven used to lift up prayers is the same use in the mass.

13.  Rev. 5:14; 7:12; 19:4 – Mass in heaven is concluded with “Amen” which is the same in the Holy Mass on earth.

14.  Rev. 6:9 – Martyrs are seen under the altar. This is similar to the church keeping relics of saints under or in the altar.

15.  Rev. 7:3, 14:1, 22:4 – The sign of the cross is used in heaven and on earth in the mass.

16.  Rev. 8:1 – Silent contemplation in heaven = silent contemplation in the mass.

17.  Rev. 8:3, 11:1, 14:18, 16:7 – An altar is used for sacrifice; the altar found in heaven is the same altar found on earth for the same sacrifice of the mass. Because there is an altar in heaven, we deduce that the sacrifice is eternally present in heaven.     

18.  Rev. 11:12 – “Come up here” = “lift up your hearts”

19.  Rev. 12:1-6, 13-17 – The heavenly emphasis on Mary is also found in the mass on earth.

20.  Rev. 12:7 – Heavenly emphasis on St. Michael the Archangel’s intercession is the same as the concluding prayers of the mass. Pope Leo XIII added in 1886 that the St. Michael prayer be said after every mass.

21.  Rev. 14:4 – Heaven’s consecrated celibates = consecrated priests and religious.

22.  Rev. 15:7, 16:1-4, 8, 10, 12, 17; 21:9 – Chalices used in heavenly liturgy = chalices used to offer Christ’s sacrifice in the mass.

23.  Rev. 15:3-4 – the “Gloria” is recited in heaven = the “Gloria” is recited in mass after the penitential rite.    

24.  Rev. 15:5 – Tent in heaven = Tabernacle in the church.

25.  Rev. 17, 19:9 – The consummation of the Lamb at heavens marriage supper is the same as the Lambs supper in the mass: “consumatum est.”

26.  Rev. 19:1, 3, 4, 6 – the “Alleluia” is sung in heaven as it is sung at the mass.