The Gospel According to Tomàs

In this catechetical instruction, Saint Cyril of Jerusalem places the cross at the centre of Christian faith and identity. His purpose is to form believers who not only understand the meaning of Christ’s death but are prepared to confess it publicly, even under pressure [ … ]

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus preached a message of love and acceptance. He called everyone to a new way of being, which would be true to God’s will. As the narrative account continues from chapter eight through nine, we see Jesus putting into practice the lessons he has taught. Jesus accepts lepers, foreigners, women, the sick, the possessed, paralytics, the unclean, and now a tax collector [ … ]

This reading reflects the vision of the Second Vatican Council concerning the Church’s relationship with the modern world. It presents human history as the meeting place of divine purpose and human freedom. The ‘earthly’ and ‘heavenly’ cities – terms drawn from Augustine – are not separate realities but interwoven. Their relationship can only be discerned through faith, because human progress remains marked by sin and imperfection until the final revelation of God’s glory [ … ]