Learning to be Quick to Listen

Born in Ireland around 600 AD, St. Fiacre was a figure destined for a life of learning and devotion. Though details of his early life are scarce, it's believed he came from a noble family, allowing him access to the era's centers of higher learning – monasteries . It was within these hallowed walls that Fiacre cultivated a profound understanding of horticulture, mastering the arts of planting, growing, and harvesting. His innate curiosity, fueled by the diverse plant life and remedies brought by visitors to the monastery, laid the groundwork for his future as a renowned herbalist. After his ordination, a yearning for silent contemplation led him to embrace the life of a hermit near Ireland's Nore River, where his burgeoning reputation for healing, his magnificent garden, and his undeniable holiness began to draw an ever-growing number of seekers. The solitude Fiacre so deeply cherished eventually gave way to the needs of the multitude. Seeking a return to quiet prayer, he...

The very heart of the Christian faith, the gospel, is a concept deeply rooted in the past, yet profoundly relevant for today. Far more than just any " good news ," its origins in the Hebrew bsorah and Greek euangelion point to a specific kind of joyful proclamation. To truly grasp the New Testament's understanding of the gospel, we must look to the Old Testament, where its emergence was prophesied. Often, in the Old Testament, "good news" heralded a military victory, signifying God's triumph for His people. This theme of divine intervention and victory is particularly prominent in the prophetic book of Isaiah, a source frequently quoted by Jesus Himself. Isaiah’s prophecies , especially in the latter part of the book which foretells the coming of the Messiah, are rich with references to this "good news." When Jesus quotes Isaiah 61 and declares its fulfillment in His ministry, He directly connects His work to Isaiah's vision of a coming era...