Jesus said it and Paul confirms it.
Last month we celebrated the body and blood of Christ also known as Corpus Christi. It is a sad fact that our separated brothers and sisters do no recognize the Eucharist as the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. It is sadder yet that many in the Catholic Church doubt that fact.
The Eucharist is an act of Faith; A gift from God. It is the same gift given to Peter when he acknowledged that Jesus is indeed the messiah; God.
(Matthew 16: 15-17, He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.)
Just so, our belief in Jesus’ teaching is a gift of Faith. The result is His great gift in the Eucharist; Jesus’ own Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity!
Ask and you will receive!
John 6: 48-58
48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; 50 this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." 52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?" 53 Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."
1 Corinthians 10: 14-16
14 Therefore, my beloved, avoid idolatry. 15 I am speaking as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I am saying. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
1 Corinthians 11: 23-29
23 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, 24 and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.
May you and your children have a wonderful summer!
God bless you!
Donna
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Minnetonka Life Care Center
It's HERE! Finally! A website for the Minnetonka Life Care Center! It's still a work in progress but we finally have a presence on the web!
So go check it out!
www.minnetonkalifecare.org
God bless you!
So go check it out!
www.minnetonkalifecare.org
God bless you!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
We are not made perfect so Jesus gave us the Sacraments
May God be with you!
We are not made perfect.... we will never be perfect while in these bodies.
We have been given the perfect sacrifice for our sins, Jesus Christ. He has given us the Sacraments to impart Grace to give us strength. This grace-filled strength helps us to avoid the near occasion of sin and to wipe our new sins away giving us further Grace to follow Christ.
It is exactly because we are imperfect that the Sacraments were given to us.
Baptism - washes away the stain of original sin and ushers us into the Family of God.
Confession - wipes away all sin and gives us Grace to avoid the near occasion of sin. Where sin separates us from God and the Body of Christ, confession unites us, reconciles us with Christ and his Body. It has the special Grace to prepare us to recieve Christ in the Eucharist. We can then become Holy Tabernacles worthy of the reception of Christ in the Eucharist.
Communion - joins us physically and spiritually with Christ. It is food for our soul. It imparts Grace to again strengthen us in Christ.
Confirmation - "regenerizes" the Holy Spirit within us from Baptism. Now as adults we take over our faith and become part of the Church Militant.
Marriage - is a covenantial sacrament which imparts Grace from God to both husband and wife and from husband to wife. It is a mirror of the Trinitarian love between Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Holy Orders - Imparts a special grace to Priests for the power of Christ Jesus to work through them for Him
Annoiting of the Sick - Imparts a special Grace to once again make the soul of the sick clean as in their Baptism - ready to be united with Christ and Heaven.
God bless you!
Friday, May 08, 2009
Beginnings, Endings and the Trinity
May God be with you!
Another year of teaching Sacramental Prep has drawn to a close. It is truly a new beginning for these little Tabernacles these 1st Communicants. They will now receive the True Food, the Bread of Life, our Lord Jesus, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity at every Mass! A parents influence from now to their next great Sacrament of Confirmation is so important! I thank all parents for bringing their children to Christ in the Eucharist! And my thanks also for loving them so much and supporting them in their faith and love for God!
It is also the ending of my time as their teacher. I’ve planted what seeds I could. Here are some of those seeds…
- Rock, Sponge, Water: How is their soul like a Rock before confession, a sponge after confession and how is water like the Grace of God in Confession.
- Who does God especially love and why?
- How do we first greet God in Prayer? (the Sign of the Cross)
- Who is always so happy to see them in the Adoration Chapel? And YOU too!
I like to end my time with the children with, if not a bang, at least an explosion! This is my teaching on the Trinity. The children loved it!
Understanding the Trinity
Items needed:
1 cup of white vinegar (represents God the Father)
1 cup of baking soda (in a glass or plastic container) (Represents God the Son)
(this is best done outside!)
God is three Persons in one God: God the Father who began all of creation, God the Son who came to save us and God the Holy Spirit who is here to help us and give us grace within us.
Their relationship is all about love; a special kind of love sometimes called self-donating love. This means that NOTHING is held back. Everything there is to give is given freely, totally!
So God the Father (represented by the clear vinegar) loves God the Son totally and pours out all of His love to His Son. God the Son (represented by the baking soda which we can see and feel) loves God the Father totally and pours out all of His love to His Father. Their love for each other is so total that the outpouring of that love is the Holy Spirit! (now pour the vinegar INTO the baking soda and see what happens)
While we cannot totally know everything to know about God, sometimes these simple methods help our children (and the child within us!) to know Him and love Him more!
God bless you all!
PS. The children this year have had some very wonderful questions about our faith. Listed below are some website I frequent to expand my own knowledge.
www.catholic.com
www.biblechristiansociety.com
www.usccb.org – has the bible and the catechism online.
www.scripturecatholic.com
www.deathroe.com – great pro-life answers to pro-abortion arguments!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Obama Campaign Calls Abortion Survivor Story a "Despicable Lie"
| |
| by Deal W. |
| 9/24/08 |
| Gianna Jessen survived a saline abortion 31 years ago. "I didn't have any burns anywhere on my body -- it was amazing." The saline, however, did leave Jessen with a mild case of cerebral palsy, a slight limp, and a life-long commitment to oppose abortion. Jessen is featured in a television ad presently running in I asked her why she teamed with Jill Stanek's organization, Born Alive Truth, to make the ad. "It's very important for the American people to know how [Obama] feels about the most vulnerable among us," she told me. (Stanek is the Jessen has been active in the anti-abortion movement for 16 years and testified before Congress in 2002 about the BAIPA. At those hearings she met Stanek, who approached her several months ago about doing the ad. "I was thrilled to do it. It's as if I have been preparing many years for this moment." Obama responded to Jessen's commercial with an ad of his own, dismissing it as "truly vile" and a "despicable lie." He wasn't the only one: Jonathan Martin, a reporter for Politico, called Jessen "a self-proclaimed abortion survivor." When Stanek produced the evidence of Jessen's claims, Politico removed Martin's slam. Jessen lives in I asked about her mother's reaction to the failed abortion. "I don't know how she felt at the time. But she came out of nowhere two years ago to meet me at an event. She was a broken woman and quite angry. I told her I had forgiven her for what she did, even though she didn't want any forgiveness." She isn't concerned about the way Obama describes her ad. "I don't really care what he says. I know he voted four times against proper medical care for babies born alive. That's the kind of man he is." So how have people reacted to the commercial? "Some of [Obama's] supporters will be less than kind, but generally the reaction has been very positive." Jessen spends her time as a speaker, writer, and real estate investor. She took up distance running several years ago because she "wanted to feel God help me in that situation, to have him carry me over the finish line," though she's given up marathons. No doubt Jessen, whose visibility is growing daily, will need a similar attitude as she is buffeted by the political winds of a presidential campaign. Since her ad started airing in |
Monday, July 28, 2008
The Hail Mary
Hail
Luke 1:28 "And coming to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you."
Blessed art thou among women
Luke 1:41-42a "When Elizabeth heard
Luke 1:48 "For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed."
Among all women is a way to say the highest/greatest etc. of a group in Semitic languages (these words would likely have been spoken in Aramaic).
Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus
Luke 1:42b "and blessed is the fruit of your womb."
Jesus is
Holy
Luke 1:43 "And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
Kyrios is the Greek word used by the Jews in the Septuagint Bible (Greek translation) for Yhwh, the Divine Name of God. In her greeting of
Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Luke 2:35 "...and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
John 2:5 "His mother said to the servers, "Do whatever he tells you."
The Four Predictions of Humanae Vitae Have Come True!
THE AGE OF SEXUAL SLAVERY
Did you know that every major Christian denomination in the world (and virtually every citizen in every country on the planet) viewed the use of artificial contraception as immoral until 1930, when the Anglican Church of England officially changed its teaching at the Lambeth Conference?
With the collapse of the Christian bulwark against the idea that sexual activity could be seperated from the responsibilities of bearing children (and ultimately, that sexuality would be seperated from exclusivity within marriage), what was regarded as grossly unnatural and morally repugnant to the "man on the street" gradually became considered "natural" to most citizens of developed countries by the end of the 1970s. The age of sexual slavery is upon us, and we fear, has not reached its nadir, as the attacks upon what legally defines marriage itself gain in popularity and ferocity.
In 2008, 78 years later, and a mere "blink" of the eye of history, the Catholic Church stands alone in this foundational defense of the natural dignity of humanity itself, and sadly, many of her own members do not stand with her. Pope Paul prophetically made four dire predictions for society if this teaching was ignored, and tragically, all four have come true:
- a general lowering of moral standards throughout society;
- a rise in infidelity;
- a lessening of respect for women by men;
- and the coercive use of reproductive technologies by governments
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
The Early Church and the Eucharist
Sunday Eucharist in the Early Church
This famous passage from the First Apology of St. Justin Martyr (Cap. 66-67: PG 6, 427-431) is used in the Roman Office of Readings for the third Sunday of Easter with the accompanying biblical reading of Revelation 6:1-17). Reflecting the way the Eucharist was celebrated in
1) the Eucharist was interpreted in a very realistic way
2) it was the principal, weekly worship celebration of the Church
3) it took place on Sunday, not on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath
4) the meaning of the Eucharist and manner of its celebration was handed down by the apostles
No one may share the Eucharist with us unless he believes that what we teach is true, unless he is washed in the regenerating waters of baptism for the remission of his sins, and unless he lives in accordance with the principles given us by Christ.
We do not consume the Eucharistic bread and wine as if it were ordinary food and drink, for we have been taught that as Jesus Christ our Savior became a man of flesh and blood by the power of the Word of God, so also the food that our flesh and blood assimilates for its nourishment becomes the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus by the power of his own words contained in the prayer of thanksgiving.
The apostles, in their recollections, which are called gospels, handed down to us what Jesus commanded them to do. They tell us that he took bread, gave thanks and said: Do this in memory of me. This is my body. In the same way he took the cup, he gave thanks and said: This is my blood. The Lord gave this command to them alone. Ever since then we have constantly reminded one another of these things. The rich among us help the poor and we are always united. For all that we receive we praise the Creator of the universe through his Son Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit.
On Sunday we have a common assembly of all our members, whether they live in the city or the outlying districts. The recollections of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as there is time. When the reader has finished, the president of the assembly speaks to us; he urges everyone to imitate the examples of virtue we have heard in the readings. Then we all stand up together and pray.
On the conclusion of our prayer, bread and wine and water are brought forward. The president offers prayers and gives thanks to the best of his ability, and the people give assent by saying, “Amen”. The Eucharist is distributed, everyone present communicates, and the deacons take it to those who are absent.
The wealthy, if they wish, may make a contribution, and they themselves decide the amount. The collection is placed in the custody of the president, who uses it to help the orphans and widows and all who for any reason are in distress, whether because they are sick, in prison, or away from home. In a word, he takes care of all who are in need.
We hold our common assembly on Sunday because it is the first day of the week, the day on which God put darkness and chaos to flight and created the world, and because on that same day our savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead. For he was crucified on Friday and on Sunday he appeared to his apostles and disciples and taught them the things that we have passed on for your consideration.
From http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/532/Sunday_Eucharist_St._Justin_Martyr.html
You can read the bible with reference to the Magisterium, Church Documents and many of the Church Fathers at: http://www.clerus.org/bibliaclerus/index_eng.html
The Eucharist and Mass in the Early Church
Sunday Eucharist in the Early Church
This famous passage from the First Apology of St. Justin Martyr (Cap. 66-67: PG 6, 427-431) is used in the Roman Office of Readings for the third Sunday of Easter with the accompanying biblical reading of Revelation 6:1-17). Reflecting the way the Eucharist was celebrated in
1) the Eucharist was interpreted in a very realistic way
2) it was the principal, weekly worship celebration of the Church
3) it took place on Sunday, not on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath
4) the meaning of the Eucharist and manner of its celebration was handed down by the apostles
No one may share the Eucharist with us unless he believes that what we teach is true, unless he is washed in the regenerating waters of baptism for the remission of his sins, and unless he lives in accordance with the principles given us by Christ.
We do not consume the Eucharistic bread and wine as if it were ordinary food and drink, for we have been taught that as Jesus Christ our Savior became a man of flesh and blood by the power of the Word of God, so also the food that our flesh and blood assimilates for its nourishment becomes the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus by the power of his own words contained in the prayer of thanksgiving.
The apostles, in their recollections, which are called gospels, handed down to us what Jesus commanded them to do. They tell us that he took bread, gave thanks and said: Do this in memory of me. This is my body. In the same way he took the cup, he gave thanks and said: This is my blood. The Lord gave this command to them alone. Ever since then we have constantly reminded one another of these things. The rich among us help the poor and we are always united. For all that we receive we praise the Creator of the universe through his Son Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit.
On Sunday we have a common assembly of all our members, whether they live in the city or the outlying districts. The recollections of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as there is time. When the reader has finished, the president of the assembly speaks to us; he urges everyone to imitate the examples of virtue we have heard in the readings. Then we all stand up together and pray.
On the conclusion of our prayer, bread and wine and water are brought forward. The president offers prayers and gives thanks to the best of his ability, and the people give assent by saying, “Amen”. The Eucharist is distributed, everyone present communicates, and the deacons take it to those who are absent.
The wealthy, if they wish, may make a contribution, and they themselves decide the amount. The collection is placed in the custody of the president, who uses it to help the orphans and widows and all who for any reason are in distress, whether because they are sick, in prison, or away from home. In a word, he takes care of all who are in need.
We hold our common assembly on Sunday because it is the first day of the week, the day on which God put darkness and chaos to flight and created the world, and because on that same day our savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead. For he was crucified on Friday and on Sunday he appeared to his apostles and disciples and taught them the things that we have passed on for your consideration.
From http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/532/Sunday_Eucharist_St._Justin_Martyr.html
You can read the bible with reference to the Magisterium, Church Documents and many of the Church Fathers at: http://www.clerus.org/bibliaclerus/index_eng.html
Friday, February 15, 2008
My Take on Cooperation and the Sacraments
Earlier this month, I was so privileged to watch and participate with 21 children as we adored our Lord. It made me think about how Christ draws us in to Him. How He wants us with Him. How much He loves us. It made me think of how we are saved and how the Sacraments help us.
We are saved by the Grace of God alone. We are called to respond to that Grace through the gift of Faith and works. We are taught this as Catholics. Faith and works are important. Mary is such a wonderful example of how we should work with Christ; participate with Him. How we unite our will to His Divine Will. But for me, it seems at times I go kicking and screaming my way to Christ because of my own selfish will.
I know what is best but have a hard time doing it. Yet God still works with me, loves me, encourages me; even when I’m thinking I’m just too busy, have to many irons in the fire, can’t possibly take time for prayer etc.! Last Friday, this (God working with me even when I may not be working with Him) was brought to me in such a beautiful way as I prayed the Stations of the Cross; our prayer and meditation on the Passion of Christ.
They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.
Mark 15: 21
Christ as BOTH fully God and fully man could have carried His cross; our cross. But He knew that in order to fully appreciate His gift of Salvation, we need to work with Him. So He shows us an example of what He expects of us with Simon (much like me) not always eager to help and impatient to be on my way with so many things to “do”. Yet Simon does help even if at first under protest and Simon is changed forever.
Christ COULD do it all for us. He could drag us kicking and screaming or just whisk us away to what He knows is the best course of action for us. But He knows that for us to finally and totally choose Him and love Him, we must also help Him help us and co-operate in our salvation.
Just like any good parent knows, if you give your child everything, demanding nothing, the child will be spoiled and will not appreciate even the most wonderful of gifts. They (gifts and parents themselves) will be taken for granted and ultimately have no value. BUT, if you the parent love your child and expect your child to help out at home, in the family, at school - do good works, be kind, be obedient; they will appreciate the love of the parents so much more. Less will be asked for and even the smallest gift will be valued.
So God, as the wisest of parents, does for us. His gift is the greatest of all; our home with Him in Heaven. Yet our co-operation helps us to appreciate this gift and enter in with Christ for our salvation.
God, knowing our weak nature, gave us the Catholic Church and gave authority to the Catholic Church to administer the Sacraments to give us Grace, strength, courage, leadership and forgiveness, in helping us to always choose Christ and His Salvation and become reconciled with the Body of Christ when we have turned away. While the Sacraments are not the only way we can co-operate with Christ, He gives us Grace in those Sacraments so that we can grow in spiritual strength to know Him, love Him, and serve Him more throughout our lives, so our whole life may be in closer union with Him.
Just as it is important to teach children to appreciate the gifts they have received, as children of God, we need to appreciate the gifts of the Father. The more often we receive the Eucharist and go to Confession, we build a “habit of Grace” and become closer with Christ, with God our Father. These gifts, these Sacraments, through the Grace imparted in them, strengthen our bond with God and help us to co-operate more fully and easily in His plan for us.
So like Simon who “helped” our Lord Jesus on His road to our salvation, so through the Sacraments, we are strengthened to co-operate with Christ.
God bless you!
Friday, December 21, 2007
Salvation, the Catholic Church and a Fitness Club
Salvation, The Catholic Church and a Fitness Club
I was asked to explain Salvation by a member of my family. Since the question was first asked I have done a lot of research into the teachings of my Church. So after much study, here is what I know and believe to be true. Nothing I say below is new. It has always been since the Church began. I’m just trying to put it into my own words so you can understand it better.
Salvation
Salvation is through the Grace of God alone. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves. However we are called to respond to God’s Salvation through the gift of Faith and works. You cannot just believe and that’s it. God wants and expects us to participate with Him. His Salvation is always there for us. It never goes away. However, God did not make us to be robots. He gave us free will. He wants us to love Him freely. So we may also decide NOT to love Him and turn from Him and so we will not be saved.
The Catholic Church
God/Jesus gave us the Church – the Catholic Church through which we are given Sacraments and will find Salvation. To be a member of the Catholic Church you MUST be baptized with water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. So anyone properly baptized is a member of the Church.
Are all members “active” Catholics? No. Some are separated through ignorance perhaps. So my protestant brothers and sisters are separated from the Church but have been baptized and so are part of it. Confusing?
A Fitness Club
Think of it like this; you go through a special process to become a member of an exclusive fitness club. BUT – you never “use” the membership or find out how it works. Are you still a member? Yes.
Let’s say you decide to go to a smaller club with less features but also less processes to be a member and stay a member. You are still member of the original fitness center but actively participate in the other lesser center. So as a member of the lesser club, you still get fit but it may take you longer it may be harder because there are fewer programs to help you get fit.
The bigger, better club is like the Catholic Church where the fullness of faith and salvation are found. Other Christian churches are like the lesser club and have many truths taught in them about Christ but they don’t have the FULLNESS of faith.
Salvation can be found in these churches, the road may be harder because there aren’t the Sacraments which impart Grace which help us to be holy and better able to have the strength to do God’s will. But it is important to stress the original “membership” is in the Catholic Church through proper Baptism when original sin is washed away and we become members of the One body of Christ. That is why, if you are properly baptized and convert to the Catholic Church you do not need to be re-baptized.
God is Mercy and Love
We do have a merciful God. He IS love. So we cannot put constraints on Him. He has implanted in each of us a desire to know Him. So those who through no fault of their own do not know Christ may do the best they can. They may be the best they can be. Doing so, they may be following God although they may not be aware. These too can be saved by God.
Merry Christ Mass and have a Joyous New Year!
It is good to remember that Christmas is all about God.
First we commemorate His birth and becoming flesh to save us.
The Christmas Tree is made from an “ever” green which symbolized eternal life just as Holly is poisonous but is always green meaning there is life after physical death.
The Candy Cane also has ties to Christ. First of all, it is made with a hard candy because Christ is the rock of ages. This hard candy was shaped so that it would resemble a “J” for Jesus or, turned upside down, a shepherd’s staff. It is white to represent the purity of Christ. Finally a red stripe was added to represent the blood Christ shed for the sins of the world, and sometimes three thinner red stripes for the stripes He received on our behalf when the Roman soldiers whipped Him. Sometimes a green stripe is added as a reminder that Jesus is a gift from God. The flavor of the cane is peppermint, which is similar to hyssop. Hyssop is in the mint family and was used in the Old Testament for purification and sacrifice. Jesus was offered vinegar while on the cross and it was brought to His lips on a Hyssop branch. Jesus is the pure Lamb of God, come to be a sacrifice for the sins of the world.
May God bless you. May His mother the Blessed Virgin Mary bring you ever closer to her Son Jesus the Christ through the intercession of her prayers. And may the mercy of God be upon you and bring you Peace, Grace and Joy through out the year!
Donna
For further reading you may want to check out:
God is Love – Pope Benedict’s encyclical on Love
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est_en.html
In Hope we are Saved – Pope Benedicts encyclical on Hope
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20071130_spe-salvi_en.html
I was asked to explain Salvation by a member of my family. Since the question was first asked I have done a lot of research into the teachings of my Church. So after much study, here is what I know and believe to be true. Nothing I say below is new. It has always been since the Church began. I’m just trying to put it into my own words so you can understand it better.
Salvation
Salvation is through the Grace of God alone. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves. However we are called to respond to God’s Salvation through the gift of Faith and works. You cannot just believe and that’s it. God wants and expects us to participate with Him. His Salvation is always there for us. It never goes away. However, God did not make us to be robots. He gave us free will. He wants us to love Him freely. So we may also decide NOT to love Him and turn from Him and so we will not be saved.
The Catholic Church
God/Jesus gave us the Church – the Catholic Church through which we are given Sacraments and will find Salvation. To be a member of the Catholic Church you MUST be baptized with water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. So anyone properly baptized is a member of the Church.
Are all members “active” Catholics? No. Some are separated through ignorance perhaps. So my protestant brothers and sisters are separated from the Church but have been baptized and so are part of it. Confusing?
A Fitness Club
Think of it like this; you go through a special process to become a member of an exclusive fitness club. BUT – you never “use” the membership or find out how it works. Are you still a member? Yes.
Let’s say you decide to go to a smaller club with less features but also less processes to be a member and stay a member. You are still member of the original fitness center but actively participate in the other lesser center. So as a member of the lesser club, you still get fit but it may take you longer it may be harder because there are fewer programs to help you get fit.
The bigger, better club is like the Catholic Church where the fullness of faith and salvation are found. Other Christian churches are like the lesser club and have many truths taught in them about Christ but they don’t have the FULLNESS of faith.
Salvation can be found in these churches, the road may be harder because there aren’t the Sacraments which impart Grace which help us to be holy and better able to have the strength to do God’s will. But it is important to stress the original “membership” is in the Catholic Church through proper Baptism when original sin is washed away and we become members of the One body of Christ. That is why, if you are properly baptized and convert to the Catholic Church you do not need to be re-baptized.
God is Mercy and Love
We do have a merciful God. He IS love. So we cannot put constraints on Him. He has implanted in each of us a desire to know Him. So those who through no fault of their own do not know Christ may do the best they can. They may be the best they can be. Doing so, they may be following God although they may not be aware. These too can be saved by God.
Merry Christ Mass and have a Joyous New Year!
It is good to remember that Christmas is all about God.
First we commemorate His birth and becoming flesh to save us.
The Christmas Tree is made from an “ever” green which symbolized eternal life just as Holly is poisonous but is always green meaning there is life after physical death.
The Candy Cane also has ties to Christ. First of all, it is made with a hard candy because Christ is the rock of ages. This hard candy was shaped so that it would resemble a “J” for Jesus or, turned upside down, a shepherd’s staff. It is white to represent the purity of Christ. Finally a red stripe was added to represent the blood Christ shed for the sins of the world, and sometimes three thinner red stripes for the stripes He received on our behalf when the Roman soldiers whipped Him. Sometimes a green stripe is added as a reminder that Jesus is a gift from God. The flavor of the cane is peppermint, which is similar to hyssop. Hyssop is in the mint family and was used in the Old Testament for purification and sacrifice. Jesus was offered vinegar while on the cross and it was brought to His lips on a Hyssop branch. Jesus is the pure Lamb of God, come to be a sacrifice for the sins of the world.
May God bless you. May His mother the Blessed Virgin Mary bring you ever closer to her Son Jesus the Christ through the intercession of her prayers. And may the mercy of God be upon you and bring you Peace, Grace and Joy through out the year!
Donna
For further reading you may want to check out:
God is Love – Pope Benedict’s encyclical on Love
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est_en.html
In Hope we are Saved – Pope Benedicts encyclical on Hope
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20071130_spe-salvi_en.html
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
My Journey to Understanding Purgatory
May God be with you.
As a Catholic and as a 2nd Grade Catechist and primarily as a mother of two wonderful faith-filled little girls, I work hard to understand my Faith and ask God everyday to lead me and teach me.
Purgatory is something many non-Catholics and some Catholics don't understand as another process in our Faith journey to Heaven. To help myself understand it better, I have done some research over the last few years and have come up with this little paper.
God bless you!
Purgatory in Scripture
Just like the word “Trinity”, the word Purgatory can nowhere be found in the bible. However, like “Trinity”, we can find the meaning and truth of “Purgatory” in the Bible.
First let’s look at 4 Biblical arguments to make the case for Purgatory. All Scripture verses are from the New American Bible available on-line at www.usccb.org . Any comments bolded in BLACK are my own.
#1 There is punishment for sin even after one has received forgiveness. 2 Sam 12:13-14 - Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan answered David: "The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin: you shall not die. 14 But since you have utterly spurned the LORD by this deed, the child born to you must surely die." David is punished for his sin by the death of his child. This also shows that our sins affect more than ourselves!
#2 - Nothing imperfect, nothing with the stain of sin, may enter heaven. Rev 21:27 - but nothing unclean will enter it, nor any (one) who does abominable things or tells lies. Only those will enter whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
#3: There is a way, a process, by which the spirits of "just" men are "made perfect." Heb 12:22-23 - No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering,23 and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect,
#4: There is a purging process after death that perfects those not yet perfected, and makes reparation for sins already forgiven, and it must happen before we may enter heaven. 1Cor 3: 13-15 the work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire (itself) will test the quality of each one's work.14 If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage.15 But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire.
The passages below are often cited as supporting the teachings on Purgatory.
Mt 5:48 - So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect. We are called to perfection.
Heb 12:14 – Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord. This seems pretty plain to me!
Jam 3:2 - for we all fall short in many respects. If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body also. We must work hard to make ourselves perfect – every part of ourselves.
1Jn 5:16-17 - If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly. There are different types of sins – supports the teaching on venial and mortal sins. Mortal sins kill our souls preventing us from accepting the gift of salvation. We can turn back to this gift through our repentance , contrition and God's Grace in Confession.
Jam 1:14-15 - Rather, each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.15 Then desire conceives and brings forth sin, and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death. Sin can lead to death of the soul.
Mt 5:26, Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny. We are held responsible for our sins.
Mt12:32, And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. There is an afterlife/Heaven of which we may lose!
Mt 12:36 I tell you, on the Day of Judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. We will be held accountable for all of our actions!
2Macc 12:44-46 - for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death. 45 But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. 46 Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin. We may pray for the dead and it may have merit for them. For me, this is why I pray for those who have died in my family – that they may go to Heaven.
1Pet 3:18-20 -For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the spirit. 19 In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison, 20 who had once been disobedient while God patiently waited in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water. Christ visited those who had died and awaited Heaven.
2 Tim 1:16-18 May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus because he often gave me new heart and was not ashamed of my chains.17 But when he came to Rome, he promptly searched for me and found me.18 May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day. And you know very well the services he rendered in Ephesus. Here, Paul is praying for a dead friend. He is asking Mercy. Why would he need Mercy if he was already in Heaven? Because there is Purgatory!
1 Cor 15:29-30 - Otherwise, what will people accomplish by having themselves baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are they having themselves baptized for them?30 Moreover, why are we endangering ourselves all the time? Even Hebrews knew of an afterlife. The notion of Purgatory is not unique to Catholics at all but has it’s roots partially in Judaism.
As a Catholic and as a 2nd Grade Catechist and primarily as a mother of two wonderful faith-filled little girls, I work hard to understand my Faith and ask God everyday to lead me and teach me.
Purgatory is something many non-Catholics and some Catholics don't understand as another process in our Faith journey to Heaven. To help myself understand it better, I have done some research over the last few years and have come up with this little paper.
God bless you!
Purgatory in Scripture
Just like the word “Trinity”, the word Purgatory can nowhere be found in the bible. However, like “Trinity”, we can find the meaning and truth of “Purgatory” in the Bible.
First let’s look at 4 Biblical arguments to make the case for Purgatory. All Scripture verses are from the New American Bible available on-line at www.usccb.org . Any comments bolded in BLACK are my own.
#1 There is punishment for sin even after one has received forgiveness. 2 Sam 12:13-14 - Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan answered David: "The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin: you shall not die. 14 But since you have utterly spurned the LORD by this deed, the child born to you must surely die." David is punished for his sin by the death of his child. This also shows that our sins affect more than ourselves!
#2 - Nothing imperfect, nothing with the stain of sin, may enter heaven. Rev 21:27 - but nothing unclean will enter it, nor any (one) who does abominable things or tells lies. Only those will enter whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
#3: There is a way, a process, by which the spirits of "just" men are "made perfect." Heb 12:22-23 - No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering,23 and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect,
#4: There is a purging process after death that perfects those not yet perfected, and makes reparation for sins already forgiven, and it must happen before we may enter heaven. 1Cor 3: 13-15 the work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire (itself) will test the quality of each one's work.14 If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage.15 But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire.
The passages below are often cited as supporting the teachings on Purgatory.
Mt 5:48 - So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect. We are called to perfection.
Heb 12:14 – Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord. This seems pretty plain to me!
Jam 3:2 - for we all fall short in many respects. If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body also. We must work hard to make ourselves perfect – every part of ourselves.
1Jn 5:16-17 - If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly. There are different types of sins – supports the teaching on venial and mortal sins. Mortal sins kill our souls preventing us from accepting the gift of salvation. We can turn back to this gift through our repentance , contrition and God's Grace in Confession.
Jam 1:14-15 - Rather, each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.15 Then desire conceives and brings forth sin, and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death. Sin can lead to death of the soul.
Mt 5:26, Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny. We are held responsible for our sins.
Mt12:32, And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. There is an afterlife/Heaven of which we may lose!
Mt 12:36 I tell you, on the Day of Judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. We will be held accountable for all of our actions!
2Macc 12:44-46 - for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death. 45 But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. 46 Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin. We may pray for the dead and it may have merit for them. For me, this is why I pray for those who have died in my family – that they may go to Heaven.
1Pet 3:18-20 -For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the spirit. 19 In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison, 20 who had once been disobedient while God patiently waited in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water. Christ visited those who had died and awaited Heaven.
2 Tim 1:16-18 May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus because he often gave me new heart and was not ashamed of my chains.17 But when he came to Rome, he promptly searched for me and found me.18 May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day. And you know very well the services he rendered in Ephesus. Here, Paul is praying for a dead friend. He is asking Mercy. Why would he need Mercy if he was already in Heaven? Because there is Purgatory!
1 Cor 15:29-30 - Otherwise, what will people accomplish by having themselves baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are they having themselves baptized for them?30 Moreover, why are we endangering ourselves all the time? Even Hebrews knew of an afterlife. The notion of Purgatory is not unique to Catholics at all but has it’s roots partially in Judaism.
Monday, October 01, 2007
My Reverson Story
May God be with you.
I was brought up Catholic. I went to Catholic school for Kindergarten and 1st Grade. As I grew I played the organ for Mass, taught Sunday School, led Guitar Masses, and really really wanted to learn the why's and where fores of my faith.
There was no one to teach me.
Long story short, I left the church in College and only came back 19 years later because of my husband. We married, and while I still did not embrace confession, the beauty of the liturgy filled me. However, it was not until I had my first daughter at 40 and asked Jesus an important question that I really began to know my faith.I still did not know much about what Catholicism meant. I still had not found anyone to teach me.
One night while nursing my daughter I asked Jesus, "I want to know the Truth. What ever you show me I will just believe."
That Lent we had a mission/retreat. Confession was part of it. I really wanted confession and to have it mean something. This was the main sacrament which held me back from embracing the Faith. The priest explained about the effects of sin - how it is like the shadow of a tree under a cloudy sky = you really can't see it very well, but through confession, the sun comes out and NOW you can really see the shadow and stay away from it. I wanted that with my whole being. I wanted forgiveness. I prayed for a good confession.
From the moment I entered the Church for the Confession service I started crying, deep deep crying. Everything was coming out of me. When I went up to the Priest for my confession his love and forgiveness was overwhelming. I was forgiven and LOVED! My tears became tears of joy and repentance and relief!
It seems overnight, I went from a Fiction ONLY reader to an Apologetics ONLY reader! I would have questions, and miraculously, I'd hear something on Relevant Radio or hear it preached on Sunday or find it on the Web. I couldn't learn enough fast enough about the Church.
Everything I wonder about, it is as if the Holy Spirit Himself is my teacher and guide. In fact, He is!
For example, I wondered how a Priest can just be married to the Church and suddenly I was hit with such a feeling of love and total ADORATION! I know! I really know the love and worship a Priest has for Christ's Bride.
I wondered about how Christ is made PRESENT in the Eucharist during Mass and I found the radio station I was listening to was actually talking about this very thing. At the same time in my mind's eye, I saw our Priest during the Consecration and there ! There is Jesus right behind him and then a WHITE dove flew in front of my windshield - and this is in the middle of November in Minnesota!
I began to go to weekly Adoration. So much more has happened because of that!
I know the Truth and I ask for more and Jesus gives me more! I wondered after awhile where all of this knowledge was going. I felt there was something I was supposed to do - more than teaching my children.
9 years later, I now see, He had other plans for me. I now teach 2nd Grade Faith Formation. I am so blessed to be able to bring these children through the Sacraments.
I attended a retreat with Father Antione Thomas (Children of Hope) and learned about children's Adoration. Now, each class we end with Adoration. What I cannot teach, He will reach them and teach them. Even the most talkative children are quiet and respectful.
God gave me an openness to Him which I will always be thankful for. When we submit to Him there is nothing He won't give.
I thank God for the vocation of Wife, Mother and Teacher.
God is GOOD!
God bless you
I was brought up Catholic. I went to Catholic school for Kindergarten and 1st Grade. As I grew I played the organ for Mass, taught Sunday School, led Guitar Masses, and really really wanted to learn the why's and where fores of my faith.
There was no one to teach me.
Long story short, I left the church in College and only came back 19 years later because of my husband. We married, and while I still did not embrace confession, the beauty of the liturgy filled me. However, it was not until I had my first daughter at 40 and asked Jesus an important question that I really began to know my faith.I still did not know much about what Catholicism meant. I still had not found anyone to teach me.
One night while nursing my daughter I asked Jesus, "I want to know the Truth. What ever you show me I will just believe."
That Lent we had a mission/retreat. Confession was part of it. I really wanted confession and to have it mean something. This was the main sacrament which held me back from embracing the Faith. The priest explained about the effects of sin - how it is like the shadow of a tree under a cloudy sky = you really can't see it very well, but through confession, the sun comes out and NOW you can really see the shadow and stay away from it. I wanted that with my whole being. I wanted forgiveness. I prayed for a good confession.
From the moment I entered the Church for the Confession service I started crying, deep deep crying. Everything was coming out of me. When I went up to the Priest for my confession his love and forgiveness was overwhelming. I was forgiven and LOVED! My tears became tears of joy and repentance and relief!
It seems overnight, I went from a Fiction ONLY reader to an Apologetics ONLY reader! I would have questions, and miraculously, I'd hear something on Relevant Radio or hear it preached on Sunday or find it on the Web. I couldn't learn enough fast enough about the Church.
Everything I wonder about, it is as if the Holy Spirit Himself is my teacher and guide. In fact, He is!
For example, I wondered how a Priest can just be married to the Church and suddenly I was hit with such a feeling of love and total ADORATION! I know! I really know the love and worship a Priest has for Christ's Bride.
I wondered about how Christ is made PRESENT in the Eucharist during Mass and I found the radio station I was listening to was actually talking about this very thing. At the same time in my mind's eye, I saw our Priest during the Consecration and there ! There is Jesus right behind him and then a WHITE dove flew in front of my windshield - and this is in the middle of November in Minnesota!
I began to go to weekly Adoration. So much more has happened because of that!
I know the Truth and I ask for more and Jesus gives me more! I wondered after awhile where all of this knowledge was going. I felt there was something I was supposed to do - more than teaching my children.
9 years later, I now see, He had other plans for me. I now teach 2nd Grade Faith Formation. I am so blessed to be able to bring these children through the Sacraments.
I attended a retreat with Father Antione Thomas (Children of Hope) and learned about children's Adoration. Now, each class we end with Adoration. What I cannot teach, He will reach them and teach them. Even the most talkative children are quiet and respectful.
God gave me an openness to Him which I will always be thankful for. When we submit to Him there is nothing He won't give.
I thank God for the vocation of Wife, Mother and Teacher.
God is GOOD!
God bless you
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