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lectio divina


Origin Latin
 
Definition 

•  ‘divine reading'

1. Lectio Divina became part of the monastic way of life adopted by the Benedictines in the 6^th centuary.

Lectio (read)

Meditatio (meditate)

Oratio (pray)

Contemplatio (contemplate)

epiphany

ɪˈpɪf(ə)ni,ɛˈpɪf(ə)ni/
noun
Origin Greek - epiphainein

Definition 

•  ‘manifestation'

1. the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi (Matthew 2:1–12).
   • the festival commemorating the Epiphany on 6 January.
     plural noun: epiphanies
2. • a manifestation of a divine or supernatural being.
     plural noun: epiphanies

caritas

ˈkarɪtɑːs

Origin  (Mid 19th century: Latin)

Definition -

• The Latin term for charity (virtue), one of the three theological virtues.

History 

1. In Christian theology charity, Latin caritas, is understood by Thomas Aquinas as "the friendship of man for God", which "unites us to God". He holds it as "the most excellent of the virtues". ^[1] Further, Aquinas holds that "the habit of charity extends not only to the love of God, but also to the love of our neighbor".^[2]

   The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines "charity" as "the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God^[3].
   
    

pontifex maximus

päntəˌfeksˈmaksəməs

Origin  (Latin: Pontifex Maximus)

Definition - The Latin word Pontifex means “high priest” or “chief priest”.

The word “pontifex” also occurs numerous times in the Old Testament, to refer to the Jewish high priest. It is used in John’s Gospel to refer to the Jewish high priests (plural: pontifices). And it is used in The Letter to the Hebrews to refer to Jesus:

History 

1. [Hebrews]
   {6:20} ubi præcursor pro nobis introivit Iesus, secundum ordinem Melchisedech Pontifex factus in æternum.
   {6:20} to the place where the forerunner Jesus has entered on our behalf, so as to become the High Priest for eternity, according to the order of Melchizedek.

   The exact phrase “pontifex maximus” does not occur in the Bible, but there is a related use of both terms:
   
   The Pope is called Maximus because he is the leader of the other ‘chief priests’, the Bishops of the Church. The Pope is also called Maximus because the Pontifex of the one holy Catholic Church is much greater than the pagan high priests of Rome and greater even than the Jewish high priests of ancient times.
   
   

rosary
ˈrəʊz(ə)ri/
noun

Origin  (Latin: mariale rosarium prosequantur)

Definition - The word rosary comes from Latin and means a garland of roses, the rose being one of the flowers used to symbolize the Virgin Mary.

Saint John Paul II “The Rosary is my favorite prayer.  A marvelous prayer!  Marvelous in its simplicity and its depth.  In the prayer we repeat many times the words that the Virgin Mary heard from the Archangel, and from her kinswoman Elizabeth.”

History of the Holy Rosary

1. Tradition does hold that St. Dominic (d. 1221) devised the rosary as we know it. Moved by a vision of our Blessed Mother, he preached the use of the rosary in his missionary work among the Albigensians, who had denied the mystery of Christ. 

eucharist
ˈjuːk(ə)rɪst/
noun
Origin  (Greek: eucharistésas or “eucharisted”)

Definition - The word “Eucharist” is a transliteration of the Greek word eucharistia, which is itself a translation of the Hebrew word berekah. All three words have the meaning of thanksgiving, or praise for the wonderful works of God. 

Catechism of the Catholic Church
Eucharist, because it is an action of thanksgiving to God. The Greek words eucharistein¹⁴¹ and eulogein¹⁴² recall the Jewish blessings that proclaim - especially during a meal - God's works: creation, redemption, and sanctification.

1. 1323 "At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet 'in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.'"¹³⁵
2. 1324 The Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life."¹³⁶ "The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch."¹³⁷.
3. 1327 In brief, the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith: "Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking."¹⁴⁰