Patrick will receive a copy of Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers, an $20.95 value.

The Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers
by Janet Claussen, Pat Finan, Diana Macalintal, Jerry Shepherd, Susan Stark, Chris Wardwell

Whether middle schoolers encounter this book as part of the Catholic Connections program in faith formation or pick it up out of curiosity, The Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers offers great guidance and aims to help young teens learn about all the central aspects of the Catholic faith, including God, revelation, faith, Jesus the Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Church, liturgy and sacraments, Christian morality and justice, and prayer.

Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers
ISBN: 978-0-88489-994-5, paper, 552 pages

Holy Week (or Great Week, as it is known in the Eastern Churches) and Easter are the ultimate paradigm for human life: first suffering and death, then Resurrection. This paradigm is played out over and over in our lives—in small ways and in large. Somehow, despite upsets and setbacks, we find the strength and hope to go on.

But there will be a point where suffering and death will seem to have the final word—in our families, among our friends, and even, for all of us, sooner or later, in our own lives. This is when our belief in the Resurrection is tested. Death, says Saint Paul, is "the last enemy" (1 Corinthians 15:26 GNT). The good news, the evangelion, the Gospel, is that Jesus, the Messiah and Christ, has conquered death forever.

What does that mean for us? It means that, if we are faithful to Christ and his values, his Kingdom, he will be faithful to us forever and ever. In other words, we will go to Heaven. I recall a prayer in the Roman Missal for the First Sunday of Advent, in which we pray "to love the things of heaven and hold fast to what endures" (Roman Missal, Prayer after Communion). What are the things of heaven? How can we love them? What are those things that endure? The Easter Season, this 50-day celebration in the light of the Resurrection of Christ, is a good time to consider these questions.

First, we must admit that an actual "picture" of Heaven is beyond us, and we are left mostly with speculation. (See Saint Paul’s comments about the final Resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:35–38.) It reminds me of a few lines from the PBS detective series, Inspector Lewis. As the two main characters, Lewis and Hathaway, consider possible motives for a murder, Lewis’s sidekick, Sergeant Hathaway, protests, "But this is all speculation!" Inspector Lewis shoots back: "But we’re detectives! We’re supposed to speculate!"

As Christians, we too are detectives. We are detecting the Way, the Truth, and the Life in our everyday lives. I think we are allowed to speculate about where this might ultimately lead, even though we have been told: "‘What no one ever saw or heard . . . is the very thing God prepared for those who love him’" (1 Corinthians 2:9 GNT). What could that be? Perhaps spending time, every so often, with our young people, speculating about Heaven, is not a waste of time. (Be sure to dispel any ideas of sitting on clouds, playing harps, or becoming angels.) If we don’t know where we want to go, how can we choose the route to get there?

So here are some of my speculations, some based on glimpses of Heaven in this life (we all get glimpses of Heaven, if we are paying attention) and some based on extrapolation from the Gospel message:

Heaven is life in God forever. Heaven is love to the millionth degree. In Heaven, we remain ourselves, our very best selves, and we know what is going on with our loved ones on earth. We can love people even more from Heaven than we could on earth. In Heaven, God wipes the tears from our eyes and makes up for every pain and hurt we have ever suffered. Heaven is not only "up," but is all around us, just beyond our reach. God gives us glimpses of Heaven, sometimes when we most need them: a beautiful sunset, a conversation with a friend, a sudden insight into what life is all about. Heaven is all Easter, all the time!

Add your own speculations. Share them with your young people. Ask them for theirs. "If our hope in Christ is good for this life only and no more, then we deserve more pity than anyone else in all the world" (1 Corinthians 15:19 GNT).

Happy Easter! Happy Easter Season! Blessings on your ministry!

Joy and peace,

Joanna

A note on the Year of Faith: We can all agree that it’s been quite a year so far! So let’s get back to basics. To live as Jesus lived, we must pray as Jesus prayed. Father Barron’s eight-minute video on praying the Our Father is a good reminder of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_mmPI-SYBE.

Part of his commentary concerns the relationship between Heaven and earth!

Overview

The powerful reality that Jesus died for our sins is only part of the story. Christians are a Resurrection people. The death of Jesus makes no sense outside the context of his rising. Salvation through Jesus Christ enables Christians to live in hope that new life will follow death. The Catechism reminds Catholics that the "Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our faith in Christ" (no. 638). Participants in this session will delve more deeply into the death and Resurrection of Jesus and consider its meaning for their perspective on life after death as well as the relevance of the Pascal Mystery for living their lives today.

Outcomes
◆ The learner will understand the Paschal Mystery—particularly the mystery of Jesus’ passage through death to new life.
◆ The learner will understand the Resurrection of Jesus to be both historical and transcendent, the fulfillment of God’s promise, and the work of the Holy Trinity.
◆ The learner will explore the story of the Resurrection and its significance both in the story of Jesus and in the faith journey of all Christians.
◆ The learner will explore the significance of Jesus’ death and Resurrection for her or his own life.

Background Reading
◆ This session covers pages 83–91 of The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth.
◆ For further exploration, check out paragraph numbers 512–682 and 1066–1068 of the Catechism.
◆ Scriptural connections: Dan. 12:1–3 (The resurrected will shine like stars.), John 11:17–27 (Jesus is the Resurrection and the life.), 1 Cor.15:1–34 (The Resurrection of Jesus also means the dead will be raised.),1 Cor. 15:17–22 (If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile), Col. 3:1–10 (Put to death whatever in you is earthly.)
◆ Catholic Youth Bible article connections: "Jesus Died on the Cross Because He Loves Us" (Matt. 27:24–56), "Suffering Prayer" (Matt. 27:27–44), "Resurrection Stories, Resurrection Hope" (Luke 24:1–12), "Dying for New Life" (John 12:24–26), and "The Triumph of Jesus?" (John, chapters 18–19), "Life After Death" (1 Cor. 15:35–58).

Core Session
He Is Risen! (45 minutes)

Preparation
Gather the following items:
❑ copies of handout 21, "Jesus’ Resurrection," one for each participant
❑ Catholic Youth Bibles (CYBs) or other Bibles, one for each participant
❑ newsprint
❑ markers
❑ masking tape
❑ plastic eggs, one for each person (If you cannot find eggs locally, try the Web site www.municipaltoy.com. Small ring boxes will also work.)
❑ a variety of art supplies, including paper, clay, magazines, photographs, and so on
❑ a tape or a CD of reflective music (optional)
❑ a tape player or a CD player (optional)

Review the summary points in step 4 of this session and the relevant material on page 83–91 in The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth (CFH).

Be prepared to share the information with the young people.
1. Introduce the session by asking the young people how much they know about the Resurrection of Jesus. Pose questions like those that follow, and lead a brief discussion:•

What happened?
Who saw it?
What happened because of it?
Conclude the discussion by making the following points, which are taken from pages 83–85 of the CFH:

•Through the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, all humanity has an opportunity to share in the eternal life God has planned for us from the beginning of time.

This is why Christ’s Resurrection is the single most important event in all history.

•Each of the four Gospels has a slightly different account of what happened in the days after Jesus’ death.

•The resurrected Jesus couldn’t easily be explained in human terms. He’s different enough that some people do not recognize him immediately, yet when they do recognize him, he’s still the same person they knew from before.

•The Church teaches that a resurrected body is not a reanimated corpse.

Jesus was truly transformed by the Resurrection.

2. Distribute the Bibles and divide the participants into small groups of four to six people. Assign each small group one of the following sets of passages:

•Matt. 27:62–66 and 28:1–20
Mark 15:42–47 and 16:1–20
Luke 23:50–56 and 24:1–53
John 19:38–42, 20:1–31, and 21:1–25

Explain that, as "Scripture sleuths," the participants have five minutes to examine their assigned passages and answer two questions:

•What do we know about Jesus after he died?
What don’t we know?
Ask someone in each group to take notes to share later with the large group.

3. Post two sheets of newsprint, one with the first question written on it and one with the second, where all can see. Invite the young people to share their findings and to write their answers on the appropriate sheet of newsprint. When they are finished, solicit comments and observations from the groups.

4. Conduct a presentation on the evidence of the Resurrection using the following summary points, which are taken from pages 85–87 of the CFH:

There are good arguments to show that it is reasonable to believe in the Resurrection of Jesus as an actual historical event.

One argument is that we can trust the historical validity of the New Testament books and letters.

•Another argument is that the Resurrection was a consistent belief in the early Church.

•There is also the argument of the empty tomb. If the tomb was not empty, surely the Romans or the Jewish religious leaders would have produced the corpse to put to rest the rumors of Jesus’ Resurrection right away. No evidence has been found that they tried to do this.

•Several of the disciples died as martyrs rather than deny their faith in the resurrected Jesus. Why would they have chosen to die for a hoax if they knew that Jesus had not really risen?

•And we can argue that the Resurrection appearances of Jesus caused a profound change in his followers.

5. Distribute one plastic egg or small box to each participant. Make available to the group a variety of art supplies. Invite the young people to spend a moment of quiet reflection on what the Resurrection means to them. When they are ready, they should create a symbol of the Resurrection, of the new life that Jesus gave the world. The only restriction is that their creation must fit into the egg or box. Encourage the young people to work alone and silently. You might want to play reflective music during this time. After 10 minutes or so, invite the participants to share their symbol with one other person in the group.

6. Conduct a presentation on the meaning of the Resurrection, based on the following bullet points, which are from pages 87–90 of the CFH:

•For the first disciples, seeing the resurrected Jesus was clear evidence that Jesus was more than just another human being.

•Belief in Jesus’ Resurrection and belief in the Incarnation go hand in hand.

•The Resurrection teaches us that death is not the end; death is the doorway into new and eternal life.

•When we believe in Jesus Christ and in his Resurrection, our whole way of life is transformed.

•The Paschal Mystery applies to our lives right now. We don’t have to wait until our final death to experience new life.

•After his Ascension into heaven, Jesus remains fully God and fully man—he did not give up his human nature, even though his mission had been accomplished.

7. Invite everyone to read aloud Phil. 2:9–11. Conclude by noting that the content of this session is drawn from chapter 9 of the CFH. Encourage the participants to read and review it in the next few days.

Try This
◆ Instead of providing art supplies to create a symbol of new life, ask the participants to go outdoors and find a symbol. You could also suggest that they use something from their pockets, wallets, or purses.
The same stipulation—that it should fit inside the egg—applies.
◆ Instead of creating individual symbols, have each small group create one symbol of the Resurrection.
This method will likely encourage discussion rather than reflection about the real meaning of the event.
◆ For families, a basket of eggs could be the centerpiece on the table for Easter dinner. Each person could share the contents of his or her egg during the meal.

VARIATION:
Small Groups
After the participants create their symbols, collect the eggs and put them in a basket. Present the information on the meaning of the Resurrection. Then open one egg at a time and have its owner explain the symbol.

Palm Sunday
March 24, 2013
Luke 23:33-49

Opening Prayer
Jesus, you assured us that where two or three of us gathered together in your name, you would be there in our midst. We recognize your presence among us as we gather today. We take time this week to reflect on your death and Resurrection through the various Holy Week liturgies and through our own personal prayer. With grateful hearts, we offer thanks to you for your selfless act of love. You embraced the cross to redeem us all. We pray this in your name. Amen.

Context Connection
"Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing'" (34). Jesus speaks these words of forgiveness at the beginning of his Crucifixion. Even while facing terrible cruelty, Jesus remains consistent with his mission to spread God's forgiveness. Many innocent Christians who suffered martyrdom repeated those words; for example, Saint Stephen speaks similar words as he is stoned to death in Acts 7:60.

In verse 35 Luke gives us this unique image: "And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him." Luke wants his audience to know that Jesus' death is due mainly to the jealousy and hostility of the Jewish leaders. The people do not mock Jesus but are instead described as spectators (see 48), which is an important distinction that Luke makes. Once the crowd sees what happens they return home "beating their breasts" (48) as a sign of their repentance. In contrast, the Gospels of Matthew and Mark say that the passersby--the crowd--mock Jesus. For more on Luke's perspective, see "Luke's Account of Jesus' Death" near Luke 23 in The Catholic Youth Bible.

The soldiers join in mocking Jesus--even offering him cheap sour wine and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" (37). Offering Jesus something to drink might be considered an act of kindness. But the soldiers' words about Jesus being the King of the Jews mock Jesus because no one would offer a king such a poor quality wine.

Verse 38 tells us that the inscription "This is the King of the Jews" was hung on the crucifix over Jesus' head. Inscriptions were placed on most crucifixes to announce the crime of the person being crucified. Why did Pilate have such a charge hung on Jesus' cross? After all, he had declared that Jesus was not guilty. (see 4). Possible reasons for Pilate's action are the following:

• Pilate was protecting himself from subsequent accusations that he had merely given in to a mob.
• The sign was a way to mock Jesus to gain favor with the Jewish leaders.
• Pilate wanted to warn other would-be revolutionaries who might claim to be King of the Jews.

Unlike the other Gospels, Luke's Crucifixion account includes the good thief, who asks, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (42). The kingdom that the good thief refers to is the messianic kingdom that the Jews expected at the end of time; however, Jesus promises him a place in paradise today, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise" (43). In accordance with Luke's theology, Jesus' death marks the beginning of the exodus spoken about at the Transfiguration (see Luke 9:31). That exodus included the death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus. Those events opened the new way of salvation to all people.

Starting with verse 44, Luke tells us that an eclipse of the sun caused the darkness that fell from noon until 3:00 p.m. During this time the curtain in the Temple that separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies was torn in two. Perhaps the torn curtain is a symbol that in Jesus all people had access to God's presence, Jews and Gentiles alike. Jesus' death follows the torn-curtain incident. "Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into your hands I commend my Spirit.' Having said this, he breathed his last" (46). Jesus' words are from Psalm 31:5 (31:6, NAB) and signify his acceptance of his Father's will. The Roman centurion, a non-Jew, gives this witness about Jesus, "Certainly this man was innocent" (47).

Luke's account of Jesus' death does not report the desertion of the disciples as found in Matthew 26:56 or Mark 14:50. However, Luke implies that the disciples helplessly and fearfully watched the events of the Passion and death from a distance. "All his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things" (49).

Here is an interesting observation: Luke as well as the other Gospel writers only briefly describe the most horrific details of the Crucifixion. Crucifixion was considered one of the worst possible forms of execution because it combined torture and slow asphyxiation. Perhaps the Gospel writers left out the details because, at the time the Gospels were written, everyone was familiar with the details of crucifixion. Another reason could be that the writers did not want people to focus on only that part of Jesus' life.

Tradition Connection
Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday--the liturgical feast day on which the Church remembers Jesus' triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. As Jesus enters Jerusalem, the crowd lays cloaks and palm branches before him and shouts his praises--all to pay him homage. That event is so significant that each Gospel has an account: Matthew 21:1-9; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:28-38; and John 12:12-19.

All four versions depict the entry into Jerusalem as Jesus' most glorious moment in his ministry. What a sharp contrast to Good Friday! At his Crucifixion no crowds sing Jesus' praises; instead, people hurl insults at him. An even more dynamic contrast is Easter morning, when we encounter the risen Jesus. Jesus' triumph over the grave far exceeds his entry into Jerusalem. In light of his Resurrection, the praise given to Jesus on the day he rides into Jerusalem, the day we now celebrate as Palm Sunday, clearly does not indicate that he would be a worldly king. Rather, he profoundly and forever changes the world by making salvation possible for all people.

The name Jesus means "The Lord Saves." Jesus is the redeemer, the Savior (Messiah), the one who brings salvation to all people because he obeys the will of the Father--even suffering and dying on a cross. The prophet Isaiah gives us an image of this kind of Messiah--the image of the "Suffering Servant." The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that "the Messiah's characteristics are revealed above all in the 'Servant songs.'¹ These songs proclaim the meaning of Jesus' Passion and show how he will pour out the Holy Spirit to give life to the many. . . . Taking our death upon himself, he can communicate to us his own Spirit of life" (paragraph 713).

It is the Tradition of the Catholic Church to use these writings of Isaiah as readings for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week. I encourage you to read those Scripture passages to prepare yourself for the Holy Triduum--Monday, April 5: Isaiah 42:1-7; Tuesday, April 6: Isaiah 49:1-6; and Wednesday, April 7: Isaiah 50:4-9. Also, read the Did You Know and PRAY IT! articles in The Catholic Youth Bible near Isaiah 42:1-7.

Wisdom Connection
Luke carefully focuses his readers' attention on Jesus' actions in the last hours before his death. Jesus is in control even during that time of incredible suffering: he forgives his executioners, he promises the repentant thief a place in paradise, and finally he gives his Spirit over to the Father in prayer. He is in control in dying, just as he was in control in living.

Those who surround Jesus at his Crucifixion, according to Luke's account, are people who reject him, with the exception of the good thief. They mock and abuse Jesus. However, as soon as Jesus gives his Spirit over to the Father and dies, his saving action produces immediate, positive reactions in the crowd and in the centurion. First, the members of the crowd that came from the city to be spectators are remorseful about what they had seen. They beat their breasts--a sign that they are open and ready for conversion. Second, the centurion proclaims that Jesus was innocent or righteous, a person of virtue. Luke shows that it is possible for a Gentile to believe in Jesus and become a member of God's restored people. Jesus' salvation is for the Jew and non-Jew (Gentile) alike. That set the stage for the story of the early Church that follows Jesus' Resurrection and Ascension.

Acknowledgments
The scriptural quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Catholic Edition. Copyright © 1993 and 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

The Lord's Prayer and the quotation labeled Catechism are from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America. Copyright © 1994 by the United States Catholic Conference, Inc.--Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.

Endnotes cited in quotations from the Catechism of the Catholic Church
1. Cf. Isaiah 42:1-9; cf. Matthew 12:18-21; John 1:32-34; then cf. Isaiah 49:1-6; cf. Matthew 3:17; Luke 2:32; finally cf. Isaiah 50:4-10 and Isaiah 52:13--53:12.

Easter Sunday
March 31, 2013
John 20:1-9

Opening Prayer
Jesus, in the reading for our reflection today, we focus on your empty tomb, the first sign that you have been raised from the dead. Continue to grace us with understanding so that we can delve more deeply into the mysteries of the empty tomb. Amen.

Context Connection
The passage from John's Gospel that is read at the Mass of Easter Day describes Mary Magdalene's arrival at the tomb early on the first day of the week (Sunday). The Gospel tells us that Mary Magdalene finds the tomb open. Isn't it intriguing that the Easter Sunday Gospel reading has only the story of the empty tomb? Absent are stories about Jesus' Resurrection appearances.

Thus, in the Easter liturgy we are invited to stop and contemplate the meaning of the empty tomb. The Gospel gives us three viewpoints to consider. The first viewpoint is Mary Magdalene's. Mary, on seeing that the stone has been removed from the entrance to the tomb, does not go closer to investigate. Instead she runs to Peter and the beloved disciple, John, to tell them what she has seen. Mary does not yet comprehend that Jesus has been raised from the dead. "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him" (20:2) she says, indicating that she believes Jesus' corpse has been stolen.

The second perspective is that of Saint Peter. Compelled by Mary's report, the two disciples quickly go to the tomb. Peter, upon entering the tomb, sees the linens that had been used to wrap Jesus' body before burial. The linens are lying on the ground and the material used to wrap Jesus' head is rolled up and lying in a different place in the tomb. Peter sees all this but does not immediately respond. Perplexed, Peter tries to understand what he sees. If someone had stolen the body, as Mary said, he might reason, why would they remove the linen wrappings?

The third viewpoint is John's. He sees what Peter sees. But the Gospel records his reaction this way: "Then the other disciple. . . . went in, and he saw and believed" (20:8).

And so John gives us three different perspectives on the same experience. What is your response as you reflect on the empty tomb without yet encountering the risen Jesus? Do you think the body has been stolen? Are you perplexed and unsure what to think? Or, upon seeing the body wrappings lying on the ground, do you immediately believe what Jesus had predicted--that he would rise from the dead?

These three responses represent the range of normal human responses among members of the early Christian community as they grow deeper in their understanding of Jesus' Resurrection. We know that Mary and the two disciples soon have a personal encounter with the risen Christ that deepens their faith and commitment. But, for now, the Church asks us on this Easter to contemplate the empty tomb and its meaning for us as Christians in the world today. Can we see in the empty tomb the reality that neither tomb nor burial wrappings can contain or limit Jesus? Or do we place limits on how Jesus can be a part of our lives?

In Sunday's Gospel, Mary Magdalene sees all those things and responds with despair over the loss of Jesus' body, her last physical connection with the teacher who had meant so much to her. Peter is unable to make sense of what he sees. His analytical mind keeps him in a questioning state. But John sees the same empty tomb, with only the wrappings that had once covered Jesus' body, through eyes of faith and believes that Jesus has indeed been raised.

Tradition Connection
"Easter is not simply one feast among others, but the 'Feast of feasts,' the 'Solemnity of solemnities'" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1169). However, we must remember that the first event leading to Easter is the empty tomb. "The empty tomb was still an essential sign for all. Its discovery by the disciples was the first step toward recognizing the very fact of the Resurrection" (Catechism, paragraph 640).

John, the beloved disciple, is the first person to gain insight into the reality of the Resurrection. Based on what he sees, John believes that Jesus has risen. "This suggests that [John] realized from the empty tomb's condition that the absence of Jesus' body could not have been of human doing and that Jesus had not simply returned to earthly life as had been the case with Lazarus" ¹ (Catechism, paragraph 640). We observe, then, in this Scripture passage that faith in the Resurrection of Jesus develops first from the discovery of an empty tomb--not from the subsequent appearance of Jesus. The understanding of Jesus' Resurrection develops from what the first believers experience and how the Holy Spirit helps them interpret what they experience.

In the Church calendar, Easter Day begins the Easter season, which spans 50 days and ends with the feast of Pentecost. The Scripture readings for each of the Sundays of Easter focus on the developing understanding of Resurrection that begins with the experience of the empty tomb. The readings provide a clearer vision of the central importance of the Resurrection to the faith life of the Catholic Church.

Wisdom Connection
John makes the empty tomb the focus of Mary's early-morning discovery. This is fundamental to the belief in the Resurrection of Jesus. Immediately following the scenes at the tomb, which is empty save for the burial wrappings, John relates Mary Magdalene's and the disciples' encounters with the risen Christ. Those experiences are the truths upon which the members of the early Christian community develop their understanding of the Resurrection of Jesus.

The empty tomb also reminds us that faith comes from hearing, not seeing. The testimony of the disciples who had seen the empty tomb and the risen Jesus helps the larger community believe that Jesus has indeed been raised from the dead. Even the tomb does not have power over Jesus the Christ. John emphasizes that hearing about the Resurrection brought many people to believe that Jesus is the Messiah. Listen to these words from John 20:29: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

For us today at the beginning of the twenty-first century as well as for John's community at the end of the first century, belief in the Resurrection of Jesus is based on what we have heard about the significance of the empty tomb from our believing community. Jesus has ascended into heaven and the post-Resurrection appearances have ended. Our faith in Jesus the Christ is rooted in what we have come to know and understand from hearing the words of those who have passed on to us their belief in Jesus. In those words, recorded in the Scriptures and in Church doctrine and conveyed through the liturgical rituals the Church has preserved for us, lies the meaning of the empty tomb. Jesus is risen! Alleluia!

Acknowledgments
The scriptural quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Catholic Edition. Copyright © 1993 and 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

The Lord's Prayer and the quotation labeled Catechism are from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America. Copyright © 1994 by the United States Catholic Conference, Inc.--Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.

Endnote cited in quotations from the Catechism of the Catholic Church
1. Cf. John 11:44; 20:5-7.

Saint John Climacus is also known as Saint John of the Ladder or Saint John of Sinai. John was abbot of the Monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai, and wrote the enduring spiritual classic The Ladder of Divine Ascent. (This monastery still exists and its Web site is http://www.sinaimonastery.com/en/index.php?lid=1. The Ladder of Divine Ascent is still available in the series Classics of Western Spirituality published by Paulist Press.)

In his Ladder, John presented 30 steps to reaching the ideal of the Christian life. He was a proponent of hesychastic prayer (the "prayer of the heart," that is, the kind of peaceful prayer represented by the Jesus Prayer and other repetitive forms of prayer). Saint John’s feast day is March 30. In the Eastern Churches, he is especially commemorated on the Fourth Sunday of Lent. A clear and concise account of his life, with some quotations from his writings, can be found at http://stjohnoftheladder.org/life.htm.