Classes & Presentations

The Two Ways

Why would Jesus first tell his disciples that if they enter a home and the home does not accept them, that they should then leave that town entirely and even shake the dust from their candles, then later say to them “Behold, I am sending you like sheep among wolves.”? How is it that his dining with Tax Collectors and sinners was in fulfillment of the old Law?

In this Advent series, Fr. Kendall looks back at the way that the Church Fathers understood the great change from the Old Testament to the New Testament: the revelation that Jesus Christ opened for us the gate and path that had been closed off to humanity since the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the garden. This is the Way of Perfection. And in doing so, they also teach us how to reconcile some of the most challenging parts of scripture and places that appear at first to be contradictory. Whereas in the beginning, God tried to teach the Israelites how to be Righteous, He sent His Son into the world to lead us along the Way of Perfection, and to truly go the additional mile, to give not only our cloak, but our coat as well.

The Ways of Perfection: Following the Footsteps of the Invisible

From the beginning, Christians described their faith as a journey, calling themselves disciples and followers of The Way, long before we used the term Christian to describe ourselves. From The Interior Castle, to The Imitation of Christ, The Cloud of Unknowing, and Following the Footsteps of the Invisible, the Saints have given vivid testimony to the Spiritual Life and progressing in our relationship with God. While vastly different in imagery, and sometimes language, each of these give testimony to the same path.

While using different images and structured in different ways, they not only lead to the same Lord, but all describe and share common features and principles as they ultimately point toward union with God.

In these conferences, Fr. Kendall offers an Introduction to the Spiritual Life: The Ways of Perfection. Specific topics will include: The Interior Castle, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Path of the Beatitudes, The Steps of Creation, The Nights of the Soul, and the Syriac Book of Steps.

Unveiling the Book of Revelation

For many Christians, there is no more intriguing and beguiling book in the New Testament than the Revelation to John. The imagery, symbolism, beauty and prophetic witness make it equally difficult to interpret and understand what our Lord is trying to communicate to His Church.

More than an almanac describing events and signs so that the Christian community can recognize the return of Christ, the Revelation to John unveils the role of the Church in the world and God’s plan of salvation that spans over centuries.

I will be leading a 10 week, in depth study of the Book of Revelation, drawing from the long tradition of Catholic interpretation: connections to the Old Testament prophets and analogical interpretations. We hope to unfold the story of God’s plan and His work to bring about the salvation of the greatest number of people and the fulfillment of the promise made in Christ.

Discernment of Spirits

Origen of Alexandria describes the Discernment of Spirits as the ability to accept divine guidance from the Holy Spirit and the Logos (The Word) in order to distinguish between what is good and what is evil. John Cassian, known as the father of eastern monasticism, reminded his brother monks that without the use of discretion (discernment), even the holiest and stoutest of monks can be brought down.

Being attentive and attuning the ear to recognize God and the Holy Spirit is essential to the Christian life. In other words, this is the virtue that helps us to identify God’s presence in every moment and lead us to His Will. In this way, it may be the singular most important virtue that we can develop, allowing our faith to lead us through our everyday challenges.

Coming to the Font

Coming to the Font is a monthly gathering for those wanting to deepen their experience of Carmelite Spirituality in prayer and also by learning about the Order, the Tradition and Saints of the Carmelite Orders.

Typically, this kind of gathering takes place with a Third Order, group of lay associates who maintain a formal relationship to the Order, there is presently no Third Order Carmelite chapter in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. While not carrying the spiritual and formal benefits of belonging to the Third Order, Coming to the Font seeks to provide that common walk of pilgrimage in Carmelite Spirituality.