I've learned so much from these past 40 days. When I started this blog I wanted to clarify some of the biggest misconceptions in the Catholic Church. I haven't addressed all of them, but some I would need a doctorate in theology to contradict.
My favorite posts have been the ones I learned the most or just wrote REALLY well. (sorry, I don't mean to brag...) So those would be: day 13, day 19, day21, day 33, and day 37. I really enjoyed going back to my Bible and looking up verses. that was one of my biggest learning tools. Anything and Everything you need to know is in the Bible. It's all there. It was funny because there would be times when I would be downhearted or confused and I would open my Bible and a verse would pop out at me and answer whatever question that had been nagging at me.
God is truly amazing and this blog really has drawn me closer to Him. By spending an hour or so a day on this blog, I was spending and hour or so dedicated solely to Him. Well, God Bless and I hope everyone enjoyed my blog.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
DAY 39: Secret societies?
This is one I've never heard of, but apparently it's a common misconception. I guess a lot of people think the Church has secret societies. These "secret societies" are actually called religious orders and aren't secret. The holy orders are specifically priests, deacons and bishops, whereas the rest of the religious orders include nuns and monks. These "secret societies" are therefore called convents and monasteries respectively.
Secrets in the Catholic Church are sometimes kept by these religious orders. For example, in the Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession) priests are sworn to secrecy. That's why in some police shows on TV talk about suspects confessing to priests and the cops not being able to get a confession out of the priests.
Those are the times secrecy is used in the Church. If you have any questions, please ask. I have one more post and Sunday is Easter!!!! So Happy Good Friday everyone and God Bless.
http://www.pncea.org/Five-Misconceptions-about-the-Catholic-Church-(brochure).aspx
Secrets in the Catholic Church are sometimes kept by these religious orders. For example, in the Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession) priests are sworn to secrecy. That's why in some police shows on TV talk about suspects confessing to priests and the cops not being able to get a confession out of the priests.
Those are the times secrecy is used in the Church. If you have any questions, please ask. I have one more post and Sunday is Easter!!!! So Happy Good Friday everyone and God Bless.
http://www.pncea.org/Five-Misconceptions-about-the-Catholic-Church-(brochure).aspx
Thursday, April 21, 2011
DAY 38: Holy Days of Obligation?
Holy Days of Obligation in the Catholic Church are the most important feast days in it's history. The most common day of obligation is Sunday. Every Sunday Catholics are obliged to participate in the mass. Like the third Commandment says: "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." (Chatechism of the Catholic Church and Al Kresta's book)
Below are the Holy Days of Obligations in the USA: (http://www.catholic.org/prayers/holydays.php)
January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
*Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter, the solemnity of the Ascension
August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
*November 1, the solemnity of All Saints
December 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
*December 25, the solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ [list numbers are not in original]
The * are holy days throughout the world and the Church.
Easter is 3 days away! Happy Holy Thursday!
Below are the Holy Days of Obligations in the USA: (http://www.catholic.org/prayers/holydays.php)
January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
*Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter, the solemnity of the Ascension
August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
*November 1, the solemnity of All Saints
December 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
*December 25, the solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ [list numbers are not in original]
The * are holy days throughout the world and the Church.
Easter is 3 days away! Happy Holy Thursday!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
DAY 37: Is the Pope infallible?
I guess many people believe that the Catholic Church teaches that the pope is infallible 24/7. Not so. If it were, then the pope would be equal to God and that is just blasphemous. No, the Pope is human, and like all humans, the pope sins- the pope makes mistakes....The Catholic Church does teach that the Pope IS infallible in SOME things, however.
"I. The Pope must be making a decree on matters of faith or morals
II. The declaration must be binding on the whole Church
III. The Pope must be speaking with the full authority of the Papacy, and not in a personal capacity."
http://listverse.com/2009/07/13/top-10-misconceptions-about-the-catholic-church/
Therefore, when the pope is teaching about science, he can make mistakes, but not on matters of religion.
Remember, the Pope is the leader of the Church and since Catholics believe that whoever hears the Catholic Church hears Christ. And in Matthew 16:18- although it is more famous for acknowledging Peter as the rock on which Christ will build His church- it says " And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it." So if Satan can not wipe out the church or change its morals in anyway shape or form, how can the Pope be wrong in the ways of the Church?
Does that verse give comfort to anyone else? Well, Happy Spy Day? Today is the day the disciple, Judas, got 30 pieces of silver for promising to give up Christ. EASTER IS 4 DAYS AWAY!
"I. The Pope must be making a decree on matters of faith or morals
II. The declaration must be binding on the whole Church
III. The Pope must be speaking with the full authority of the Papacy, and not in a personal capacity."
http://listverse.com/2009/07/13/top-10-misconceptions-about-the-catholic-church/
Therefore, when the pope is teaching about science, he can make mistakes, but not on matters of religion.
Remember, the Pope is the leader of the Church and since Catholics believe that whoever hears the Catholic Church hears Christ. And in Matthew 16:18- although it is more famous for acknowledging Peter as the rock on which Christ will build His church- it says " And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it." So if Satan can not wipe out the church or change its morals in anyway shape or form, how can the Pope be wrong in the ways of the Church?
Does that verse give comfort to anyone else? Well, Happy Spy Day? Today is the day the disciple, Judas, got 30 pieces of silver for promising to give up Christ. EASTER IS 4 DAYS AWAY!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
DAY 36: Catholic Definitions II
After doing the first definition day, I realized that there were still some Catholic words I didn't know. So, I've dedicated another day to vocabulary....
Acolyte- A person from the church community that carries the cross and candles, sets the altar, etc.
Ambo- The podium from which the Scripture readings are read.
Cantor- someone who leads the Church in song
Celibacy- a promise made by men or women to never marry or have a family and to dedicate their life to Christ.
Covenant- promises or relationships with God. (See Old Testament)
Creed- beliefs; a short summery of key beliefs i.e. Apostles or Nicene Creed
Crosier- a bishop's staff that is shaped like a shepard's staff (see picture below)
Dogma- A belief defined as necessary to the Catholic faith and is not changeable. For example: Jesus Christ is
the Son of God.
Epiclesis- part of the Mass where the priest raises his hands over the gifts and prays for the Holy Spirit to come upon the Eucharistic gifts.
Mitre- headpiece worn by bishops (see picture below)
Pentateuch- The name of the first 5 books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.)
Mitre ^ Crosier ^
Vocabulary and Definitions come from http://www.ssjohnandpaul.org/docs/Catechetical%20Lessons%201-6/Dictionary.pdf
Thanks everyone who is reading. We have had people reading the blog from England, Singapore, Ireland, Austria, and India ( Not including the North American countries)
PS: If you would like to compare the various Christian denominations, a great site is http://www.ancient-future.net/denominations.html
Acolyte- A person from the church community that carries the cross and candles, sets the altar, etc.
Ambo- The podium from which the Scripture readings are read.
Cantor- someone who leads the Church in song
Celibacy- a promise made by men or women to never marry or have a family and to dedicate their life to Christ.
Covenant- promises or relationships with God. (See Old Testament)
Creed- beliefs; a short summery of key beliefs i.e. Apostles or Nicene Creed
Crosier- a bishop's staff that is shaped like a shepard's staff (see picture below)
Dogma- A belief defined as necessary to the Catholic faith and is not changeable. For example: Jesus Christ is
the Son of God.
Epiclesis- part of the Mass where the priest raises his hands over the gifts and prays for the Holy Spirit to come upon the Eucharistic gifts.
Mitre- headpiece worn by bishops (see picture below)
Pentateuch- The name of the first 5 books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.)
Mitre ^ Crosier ^
Vocabulary and Definitions come from http://www.ssjohnandpaul.org/docs/Catechetical%20Lessons%201-6/Dictionary.pdf
Thanks everyone who is reading. We have had people reading the blog from England, Singapore, Ireland, Austria, and India ( Not including the North American countries)
PS: If you would like to compare the various Christian denominations, a great site is http://www.ancient-future.net/denominations.html
Monday, April 18, 2011
DAY 35: Priests and Marriage
This is something I've wondered about recently, and I just wanted to clarify it. Priests can not get married, but a married man can become a priest. Get it? I have also read that married men can be deacons, but not bishops...
AL Kresta makes the point that the Catholic Church only has one Priest- Jesus Christ. Just like our Lord is the "one King, one Prophet, one Mediator and one Shepard," so is he the only priest. But wait- aren't there thousands of priests around the world? Yes, but they all get their instructions from Jesus. I don't know if anyone else remembers this, but Jesus never married...
Another thing Al mentions is that the Eastern Catholic Church commonly ordains married men and even the Western Church "occasionally ordains married men if they have been Protestant clergy and have then sought ordination after entering the Catholic Church."
Many of the early priests and bishops were married- even the apostle Peter, the rock on whom Jesus built his Church.
Although there are plenty of examples of married Catholic priests-such as Peter- it is not recommended by the Church. Why? "The Bible says a family man puts his family first, not the Church." 1 Corinthians 7: 32-34 (http://www.davidmacd.com/catholic/why_priests_cant_marry.htm and Al Kresta) This division of family and church is evident in ministers of other Christian religions. For example, it is scientifically proven that in the "Pentecostal Assemblies of God:
* 1500 pastors per month leave the Pentecostal ministry
* 2/3rds quit before they retire.
* 14 years is the average length as a Pastor
AND
* 8 out of 10 pastors and their spouses are discouraged or dealing with depression
* 80% of pastors say they have insufficient time with their spouses"
So although it is not forbidden for priests to be married, it is highly discouraged because priests cannot give their full devotion to God.
Happy Holy Monday everyone! 6 more days till Easter!
AL Kresta makes the point that the Catholic Church only has one Priest- Jesus Christ. Just like our Lord is the "one King, one Prophet, one Mediator and one Shepard," so is he the only priest. But wait- aren't there thousands of priests around the world? Yes, but they all get their instructions from Jesus. I don't know if anyone else remembers this, but Jesus never married...
Another thing Al mentions is that the Eastern Catholic Church commonly ordains married men and even the Western Church "occasionally ordains married men if they have been Protestant clergy and have then sought ordination after entering the Catholic Church."
Many of the early priests and bishops were married- even the apostle Peter, the rock on whom Jesus built his Church.
Although there are plenty of examples of married Catholic priests-such as Peter- it is not recommended by the Church. Why? "The Bible says a family man puts his family first, not the Church." 1 Corinthians 7: 32-34 (http://www.davidmacd.com/catholic/why_priests_cant_marry.htm and Al Kresta) This division of family and church is evident in ministers of other Christian religions. For example, it is scientifically proven that in the "Pentecostal Assemblies of God:
* 1500 pastors per month leave the Pentecostal ministry
* 2/3rds quit before they retire.
* 14 years is the average length as a Pastor
AND
* 8 out of 10 pastors and their spouses are discouraged or dealing with depression
* 80% of pastors say they have insufficient time with their spouses"
So although it is not forbidden for priests to be married, it is highly discouraged because priests cannot give their full devotion to God.
Happy Holy Monday everyone! 6 more days till Easter!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
DAY 34: Holy Week
Well, tomorrow officially starts Holy Week in the Catholic Church and in some of the other Christian Churches. Tomorrow is Palm Sunday and I will be receiving blessed palm fronds at church. These fronds will be formed into a cross(see picture) and hung in my bedroom until next year.
http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/ethnic_relig/palm_wc.html
Holy Week is the week before Christ's death and resurrection. It consists of Palm Sunday, Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Spy Wednesday, Holy (Maundy) Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday (Black Sabbath, Easter Eve) and finally Easter. (http://www.thenazareneway.com/holy_week/fasting_to_feasting.htm)
I'm sure many of you know the story of how Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem on a donkey and on a Sunday; the people laid palm fronds down before Him. Jesus was entering Jerusalem for a great feast- a celebration- Passover. (Passover goes back to the the Old Testament- Moses and the Israelites in Egypt. The week of plagues ending in the death of the Pharaoh's son and how the angel passed over the doors of those with the blood of a lamb spread across the doorway (Exodus 7-11) resulted in the celebration the Jewish people call Passover. This year Passover takes place from April 19-26.) Anyways, Jesus was entering the city on what Christians now call Palm Sunday. Thus the palm fronds at church : )
Holy Monday and Tuesday are fairly new to me, but some theologians believe that these are the days Jesus overturned the tables of the moneychangers in the temple and when the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus into being blasphemous respectively. Spy Wednesday was the day Judas Iscariot became a betrayer. Holy Thursday was the Last Supper...
And then we come to Good Friday. I used to wonder why it was called "good" if Jesus died. The answer: Jesus died and gave us our salvation. As the below website says, http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_is_it_called_Good_Friday_if_the_day_was_supposed_to_be_sad it is also the day He triumphed over sin, death, and the devil. This is the day Jesus died on the cross- for you, for me, for everyone.
Holy Saturday or Black Sabbath (black is for death and the Sabbath was, during Christ's time, on Saturday) was a day of mourning. The day after Jesus was buried and laid behind the stone. This day is often a baptismal day in Catholic and Anglican Churches. It is also sometimes called Easter Eve.
Sunday is EASTER!!!!! and Christ rises from the dead. Enough said?
Happy Holy Week everyone and enjoy your last week of Lent!
http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/ethnic_relig/palm_wc.html
Holy Week is the week before Christ's death and resurrection. It consists of Palm Sunday, Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Spy Wednesday, Holy (Maundy) Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday (Black Sabbath, Easter Eve) and finally Easter. (http://www.thenazareneway.com/holy_week/fasting_to_feasting.htm)I'm sure many of you know the story of how Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem on a donkey and on a Sunday; the people laid palm fronds down before Him. Jesus was entering Jerusalem for a great feast- a celebration- Passover. (Passover goes back to the the Old Testament- Moses and the Israelites in Egypt. The week of plagues ending in the death of the Pharaoh's son and how the angel passed over the doors of those with the blood of a lamb spread across the doorway (Exodus 7-11) resulted in the celebration the Jewish people call Passover. This year Passover takes place from April 19-26.) Anyways, Jesus was entering the city on what Christians now call Palm Sunday. Thus the palm fronds at church : )
Holy Monday and Tuesday are fairly new to me, but some theologians believe that these are the days Jesus overturned the tables of the moneychangers in the temple and when the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus into being blasphemous respectively. Spy Wednesday was the day Judas Iscariot became a betrayer. Holy Thursday was the Last Supper...
And then we come to Good Friday. I used to wonder why it was called "good" if Jesus died. The answer: Jesus died and gave us our salvation. As the below website says, http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_is_it_called_Good_Friday_if_the_day_was_supposed_to_be_sad it is also the day He triumphed over sin, death, and the devil. This is the day Jesus died on the cross- for you, for me, for everyone.
Holy Saturday or Black Sabbath (black is for death and the Sabbath was, during Christ's time, on Saturday) was a day of mourning. The day after Jesus was buried and laid behind the stone. This day is often a baptismal day in Catholic and Anglican Churches. It is also sometimes called Easter Eve.
Sunday is EASTER!!!!! and Christ rises from the dead. Enough said?
Happy Holy Week everyone and enjoy your last week of Lent!
Friday, April 15, 2011
DAY 33: Where are the Catholics?
Matthew 6: 2 --> 'So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.'
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
I have many Protestant friends. Many, if not all, have told me about mission trips they've been on or are planning. Growing up in an older community, Catholic kids and teens don't always see the giving and caring done by the Catholic Church. For a while, I asked myself: "Why doesn't the Catholic Church have mission trips?" Well, for one thing, we do... there is even a website (http://www.catholicmissiontrips.net/home/) that has upcoming missions trips in Texas, New Mexico, New Orleans, Belize and Honduras.
The thing about the Catholic Church is that we are present in so many places around the world. My youth director mentioned last Sunday that some people commented on how the Church never arrived on scene in any of the recent disasters around the world (Chile, Haiti, Japan...) For those who have said this, let me make this clear. The Church was there. The church was the first to arrive in Haiti (probably because its a dominant part of Haitian culture) and it is STILL there- even when other organizations have left the country for bigger disaster zones. Not to mention Japan, Chile and other disaster zones that are still being helped by the Catholic Church.
Catholic missionaries, although they are also found in common people like you and me, are found in the nuns. Like I mentioned yesterday, nuns often play the role of missionaries. One of the priests at my church funds an orphanage in Uganda. My point? People may not see the Church because they are expecting teenage boys and girls building houses like so many of my Protestant friends are. But that's not all the church does. There is Operation Rice Bowl, for example, that builds irrigation systems for Ethiopian farmers (http://crs-blog.org/catholics-help-farmers-in-ethiopia-via-operation-rice-bowl/.)
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
The Bible verse at the top sums up my view on Catholic mission trips. We may not see them, but they are there. The next verse (Matthew 6:3) says "do not let your left hand know what the right is doing..." Is that maybe why I had never heard of Catholic mission trips until the past couple of years? Or is it that we do not "sound a trumpet," as Matthew puts it?
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
I have many Protestant friends. Many, if not all, have told me about mission trips they've been on or are planning. Growing up in an older community, Catholic kids and teens don't always see the giving and caring done by the Catholic Church. For a while, I asked myself: "Why doesn't the Catholic Church have mission trips?" Well, for one thing, we do... there is even a website (http://www.catholicmissiontrips.net/home/) that has upcoming missions trips in Texas, New Mexico, New Orleans, Belize and Honduras.
The thing about the Catholic Church is that we are present in so many places around the world. My youth director mentioned last Sunday that some people commented on how the Church never arrived on scene in any of the recent disasters around the world (Chile, Haiti, Japan...) For those who have said this, let me make this clear. The Church was there. The church was the first to arrive in Haiti (probably because its a dominant part of Haitian culture) and it is STILL there- even when other organizations have left the country for bigger disaster zones. Not to mention Japan, Chile and other disaster zones that are still being helped by the Catholic Church.
Catholic missionaries, although they are also found in common people like you and me, are found in the nuns. Like I mentioned yesterday, nuns often play the role of missionaries. One of the priests at my church funds an orphanage in Uganda. My point? People may not see the Church because they are expecting teenage boys and girls building houses like so many of my Protestant friends are. But that's not all the church does. There is Operation Rice Bowl, for example, that builds irrigation systems for Ethiopian farmers (http://crs-blog.org/catholics-help-farmers-in-ethiopia-via-operation-rice-bowl/.)
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
The Bible verse at the top sums up my view on Catholic mission trips. We may not see them, but they are there. The next verse (Matthew 6:3) says "do not let your left hand know what the right is doing..." Is that maybe why I had never heard of Catholic mission trips until the past couple of years? Or is it that we do not "sound a trumpet," as Matthew puts it?
Thursday, April 14, 2011
DAY 32: Catholic nuns
8 more posts; 10 days till Easter!
Becoming a nun was one of the only ways women could be involved in the Church during the middle ages. Now women can do many things.... from serving the Eucharist to reading the Bible for the congregation. Women can be sisters or nuns or lectors; the world is changing. For example, not all nuns wear habits- the dress and head covering worn my nuns and popularized by movies like Julie Andrews in " The Sound of Music" or "Sister Act" with Whoopi Goldberg. (http://www.catholicnunstoday.org/who-we-are.asp) My parent's generation had nun's for teachers and so did some of my friends. Nun's still teach but there are fewer and they are not the hitting -kid's- knuckles- with- rulers kind.
There are different orders (groups) of nuns. There are the Dominicans, Franscican, Carmelites, Benedictites.... Each has a seperate "job" they do. Dominicans teach. Franscicans spread God's Gospel. Carmelites nurse. Benedictines pray... And each wear different habits:
Franscican Benedictine CArmelite
Dominican
There is a differnce between nuns and sisters. According to http://mb-soft.com/believe/txh/nun.htm, nuns live in cloisters and are dedicated to their specific job and sisters are able to move about, don't necessarily wear habits and are mostly missionaries. In the Carmelite orders, it takes about 5 years to get your black veil and become "a bride of Christ forever!" (http://www.sistersofcarmel.org/) The Sisters of Carmel must meet these qualifications:
The steps for become a full-fledged nun in the Carmelite orders are postulancy, noviatite, temporary professsion, and perpetual profession.
Well, I'm going to bounce out of here. Ta-ta for now!
Becoming a nun was one of the only ways women could be involved in the Church during the middle ages. Now women can do many things.... from serving the Eucharist to reading the Bible for the congregation. Women can be sisters or nuns or lectors; the world is changing. For example, not all nuns wear habits- the dress and head covering worn my nuns and popularized by movies like Julie Andrews in " The Sound of Music" or "Sister Act" with Whoopi Goldberg. (http://www.catholicnunstoday.org/who-we-are.asp) My parent's generation had nun's for teachers and so did some of my friends. Nun's still teach but there are fewer and they are not the hitting -kid's- knuckles- with- rulers kind.
There are different orders (groups) of nuns. There are the Dominicans, Franscican, Carmelites, Benedictites.... Each has a seperate "job" they do. Dominicans teach. Franscicans spread God's Gospel. Carmelites nurse. Benedictines pray... And each wear different habits:
Franscican Benedictine CArmelite
Dominican
There is a differnce between nuns and sisters. According to http://mb-soft.com/believe/txh/nun.htm, nuns live in cloisters and are dedicated to their specific job and sisters are able to move about, don't necessarily wear habits and are mostly missionaries. In the Carmelite orders, it takes about 5 years to get your black veil and become "a bride of Christ forever!" (http://www.sistersofcarmel.org/) The Sisters of Carmel must meet these qualifications:
 18 to 30 years of ageGood health and sound judgmentGood character and high moral principlesSpirit of optimism and cheerfulnessLove of prayer and desire for divine unionDesire to commit oneself to Our Lord and His Church for the salvation of soulsConfident belief in Christ’s promise to sanctify and unite Himself intimately with all those who give themselves generously to Him |
The steps for become a full-fledged nun in the Carmelite orders are postulancy, noviatite, temporary professsion, and perpetual profession.
Well, I'm going to bounce out of here. Ta-ta for now!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
DAY 31: (Eucharistic) Adoration
What is Adoration? Adoration is essentially honoring the precense of God in Eucharistic form. (Catholics believe that Jesus truly is the Eucharist. We take the words "This is my body; this is my blood." literally. "The Eucharist is: Jesus truly present - Body( in the flesh), Blood, Soul, and Divinity")
In Adoration, Catholics sit and pray- opening ourselves to God in His Holy Magnificence. We sit facing the altar and the monstrance. The monstrance is the special holder of the Holy Eucharist. (see above picture) The word monstrance comes from the Latin word monstrare, meaning "to expose." When the priest places the Eucharist in the monstrance, he does not touch it. Instead he "holds it with a humeral veil, a wide band of cloth that covers his shoulders (humera) and has pleats on the inside in which he places his hands." The monstrance is placed on the altar where everyone can see and worship.
If you have never been to Adoration, you have never experienced the power that radiates throughout the church from that tiny piece of flesh. I may have only been to adoration once, but, as many people say, it's a life changing experience. It's like a preview of Christ's radiance before we meet Him in heaven. The time I went to adoration, I went after confession and did my penace in the chapel. After praying my penace, I just sat there with my eyes closed- I didn't want to move; I couldn't move... The energy I felt in the room was amazing. Have you ever prayed over someone with a bunch of people? Did you feel the power of prayer in your hands? That's what I felt. God truly amazed me that day.
http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/pea/a2.html and http://www.catholic-church.org/kuwait/eucharistic_adoration.htm
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
DAY 30: Salvation
In the eighth grade, I went to a Protestant Church. My friend asked me if I was "saved." Saved? I asked her. What do you mean by saved? I didn't understand that to be saved one has to have a relationship with Christ and believe that He died for our sins and rose from the dead. That's all. So once I understood that.I was able to say "Yes, I'm saved." All Catholics can freely say that they are, by Protestant standards, "saved."
I suppose in the early Protestant church- especially during the witch hunts- being "saved" meant something different. In the early days of America, although I have no proof of this, I think it would have meant that you were going to heaven and you knew it. I know that during that time period, many believed you could save your soul through good deeds. Even the Catholics in the Middle Ages, sad to say, allowed people to pay to have their sins erased. However, the Bible states that neither of these ways will eradicate sin. Sins can only be erased through Christ- the Way, the Truth, and the Light.
According to http://www.catholicapologetics.org/ap020600.htm Catholics can say that they have been saved, are being saved and will be saved based on these three Bible verses: 1 Cor 15:2, 2 Cor 5:17, and Rom 5:9. We are continually being saved through God's grace and mercy. We just have to give him the chance to forgive us through confession.
I suppose in the early Protestant church- especially during the witch hunts- being "saved" meant something different. In the early days of America, although I have no proof of this, I think it would have meant that you were going to heaven and you knew it. I know that during that time period, many believed you could save your soul through good deeds. Even the Catholics in the Middle Ages, sad to say, allowed people to pay to have their sins erased. However, the Bible states that neither of these ways will eradicate sin. Sins can only be erased through Christ- the Way, the Truth, and the Light.
According to http://www.catholicapologetics.org/ap020600.htm Catholics can say that they have been saved, are being saved and will be saved based on these three Bible verses: 1 Cor 15:2, 2 Cor 5:17, and Rom 5:9. We are continually being saved through God's grace and mercy. We just have to give him the chance to forgive us through confession.
Monday, April 11, 2011
DAY 29: Food for Lent/ Easter : )
Easter is drawing closer, guys. Let's see I have 11 more posts to meet my challenge (eek!) and there are exactly 13 days left until Easter and Jesus' Resurrection. (Does anyone else find that Easter is such a happy word? Just typing the word, puts me in a more joyful mood...) So, I thought I'd take a break from all of the serious Catholic stuff and talk about food.
There are various foods that have their origins in the Easter and Lenten seasons. One such food is the pretzel. The pretzel is thought to have originated in the early Roman Catholic Empire about 500 CE. "In the old Roman Empire, the faithful kept a very strict fast all through Lent: no milk, no butter, no cheese, no eggs, no cream and no meat. They made small breads of water, flour and salt, to remind themselves that Lent was a time of prayer. They shaped these breads in the form of crossed arms for in those days they crossed their arms over the breast while praying. Therefore they called the breads 'little arms' (bracellae). From this Latin word, the Germanic people later coined the term 'pretzel.'"(http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=543)
Actually, that traditional fast of no meat, butter, eggs, etc. during Lent is held by the Orthodox Christians as well. In Greece, the number of meals on each day is limited and olive oil and wine are restricted. How many people still uphold those traditions is uncertain, but isn't interesting to see how other people live and eat?(http://greekfood.about.com/od/festivalsholidays/a/greatlent.htm)
Another Easter food was a sweet bread that actually originated in paganism as offerings to ancient deities. (http://breadbaking.about.com/od/dessertandholidaybreads/r/hotcrossbuns.htm) However, it supposedly became a Christian food when Britain's Queen Elizabeth I legalized the buns during Christmas, Easter or funerals. It was either that or the Anglican monk who placed crosses on the pagan buns to honor Good Friday. (http://www.rheinlanderbakery.com/Category.cfm?CategoryID=42 and http://mycountrycookin.com/easter-food-origin-facts/)
Easter eggs find their tradition partially in the fact that nobody was allowed to eat them during the Lenten Season and also as a symbol of rebirth. As http://www.holidays.net/easter/eggs.htm states, crimson eggs honor the blood of Christ in Greece, in parts of Germany and Austria green eggs are used on Maundy (Holy) Thursday and in Austria, artists design patterns by fastening ferns and tiny plants around the eggs. Wow.
Okay, well, that's all for today! Hope you enjoyed it!
There are various foods that have their origins in the Easter and Lenten seasons. One such food is the pretzel. The pretzel is thought to have originated in the early Roman Catholic Empire about 500 CE. "In the old Roman Empire, the faithful kept a very strict fast all through Lent: no milk, no butter, no cheese, no eggs, no cream and no meat. They made small breads of water, flour and salt, to remind themselves that Lent was a time of prayer. They shaped these breads in the form of crossed arms for in those days they crossed their arms over the breast while praying. Therefore they called the breads 'little arms' (bracellae). From this Latin word, the Germanic people later coined the term 'pretzel.'"(http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=543)
Actually, that traditional fast of no meat, butter, eggs, etc. during Lent is held by the Orthodox Christians as well. In Greece, the number of meals on each day is limited and olive oil and wine are restricted. How many people still uphold those traditions is uncertain, but isn't interesting to see how other people live and eat?(http://greekfood.about.com/od/festivalsholidays/a/greatlent.htm)
Another Easter food was a sweet bread that actually originated in paganism as offerings to ancient deities. (http://breadbaking.about.com/od/dessertandholidaybreads/r/hotcrossbuns.htm) However, it supposedly became a Christian food when Britain's Queen Elizabeth I legalized the buns during Christmas, Easter or funerals. It was either that or the Anglican monk who placed crosses on the pagan buns to honor Good Friday. (http://www.rheinlanderbakery.com/Category.cfm?CategoryID=42 and http://mycountrycookin.com/easter-food-origin-facts/)
Easter eggs find their tradition partially in the fact that nobody was allowed to eat them during the Lenten Season and also as a symbol of rebirth. As http://www.holidays.net/easter/eggs.htm states, crimson eggs honor the blood of Christ in Greece, in parts of Germany and Austria green eggs are used on Maundy (Holy) Thursday and in Austria, artists design patterns by fastening ferns and tiny plants around the eggs. Wow.
Okay, well, that's all for today! Hope you enjoyed it!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
DAY 28: Dictionary Time!
The Catholic Church uses a lot of confusing words. Most are either Latin or Latin-based and, let's face it, how many people in this world still know Latin? Although Latin masses are still offered in the Church, the language isn't common enough for little kids who grow up in the faith to know what the words mean. So what are the true meanings of these Latin words? Below are the definitions of some of those confusing words.
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Beatitude- Supreme blessedness or happiness.
Canticle- A song or chant, especially a non metrical hymn with words taken from a biblical text other than from the Book of Psalms.
Doxology- An expression of praise to God, especially a short hymn sung as part of a Christian worship service.
Ecumenism-the aim of unity among all Christian churches throughout the world.
Episcopal- relating to a bishop.
Eucharist- A sacrament and the central act of worship in many Christian churches, which was instituted at the Last Supper and in which bread and wine are consecrated and consumed in remembrance of Jesus' death; Communion.
Genuflection- To bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor or ground, as in worship.
Habit- A distinctive dress or costume, especially of a religious order.
Laity- Laypeople considered as a group.
Liturgy- A prescribed form or set of forms for public religious worship.
Magisterial- The authority to teach religious doctrine.
Nicene- of or relating to Nicaea, an ancient city in NW Asia Minor, or its inhabitants
Novena- A recitation of prayers and devotions for a special purpose during nine consecutive days.
Paraclete- another name for the Holy Spirit.
Paschal- Of or relating to Easter. ( paschal mystery = Christ's Resurrection)
Piety- A devout act, thought, or statement.
Presbyter- An elder of the congregation in the early Christian church.
Protestant- A person who believes in Christ and has been baptized, but who does not profess the Catholic faith in its entirety, but rather is a member of a Protestant church or ecclesial community whose roots are in the Reformation, begun in the sixteenth century.
Pulpit- An elevated platform, lectern, or stand used in preaching or conducting a religious service.
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Beatitude- Supreme blessedness or happiness.
Canticle- A song or chant, especially a non metrical hymn with words taken from a biblical text other than from the Book of Psalms.
Doxology- An expression of praise to God, especially a short hymn sung as part of a Christian worship service.
Ecumenism-the aim of unity among all Christian churches throughout the world.
Episcopal- relating to a bishop.
Eucharist- A sacrament and the central act of worship in many Christian churches, which was instituted at the Last Supper and in which bread and wine are consecrated and consumed in remembrance of Jesus' death; Communion.
Genuflection- To bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor or ground, as in worship.
Habit- A distinctive dress or costume, especially of a religious order.
Laity- Laypeople considered as a group.
Liturgy- A prescribed form or set of forms for public religious worship.
Magisterial- The authority to teach religious doctrine.
Nicene- of or relating to Nicaea, an ancient city in NW Asia Minor, or its inhabitants
Novena- A recitation of prayers and devotions for a special purpose during nine consecutive days.
Paraclete- another name for the Holy Spirit.
Paschal- Of or relating to Easter. ( paschal mystery = Christ's Resurrection)
Piety- A devout act, thought, or statement.
Presbyter- An elder of the congregation in the early Christian church.
Protestant- A person who believes in Christ and has been baptized, but who does not profess the Catholic faith in its entirety, but rather is a member of a Protestant church or ecclesial community whose roots are in the Reformation, begun in the sixteenth century.
Pulpit- An elevated platform, lectern, or stand used in preaching or conducting a religious service.
Requiem- A mass for a deceased person.
Sacrament- A rite believed to be a means of or visible form of grace.
Sacristy- A room in a church housing the sacred vessels and vestments; a vestry.
Sanctifying Grace- The grace which heals our human nature wounded by sin by giving us a share in the divine life of the Trinity. It is a habitual, supernatural gift which continues the work of sanctifying us of making us "perfect," holy, and Christlike.
Sanctuary- A sacred place, such as a church, temple, or mosque.
Trituum- a period of three days for prayer before a feast
Veneration- Profound respect or reverence
These definitions came from http://www.thesacredheart.com/dictnary.htm#P and http://www.thefreedictionary.com/.
Friday, April 8, 2011
DAY 27: Mortal vs Venial Sins
"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. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly." (1 John 5:16-17).
"Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
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There are many ways in which a sin can be committed. At a Catholic mass, one of the prayers at the beginning of the service is the confiteor, a confession. Through it, I learned the ways you can sin. Sins aren't just things you have said or done, its the things you thought or didn't do. For example, breaking a promise is a sin. Below is the prayer:
fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. " (http://www.saintaquinas.com/prayers.html)
I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own
In the Bible, it implies that some sins are worse than others. These are called mortal sins. Mortal sins mean complete cut off from God. As the catechism puts it, "Mortal sin destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God's law; it turns man away from God, who is his ultimate end and his beatitude, by preferring an inferior good to him... Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent." Such a sin must be confessed to a priest through confession... OR ELSE! Actually, that's true. If you commit a mortal sin and don't confess, not only will you probably go to jail for a long time (such as the case of murder) you will go to hell after you die. (Now that I think about it, that's probably why they have chapels in jails across the country....) The catechism also states that "grave matter" (not necessarily mortal sin) is specified by the 10 Commandments: Do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, honor your Mother and Father.... " The gravity of sin is more or less great: murder is graver than theft... violence against parents is in itself graver than violence against a stranger."
As http://www.saintaquinas.com/mortal_sin.html says, "The Church also tells us that the sins of anger, blasphemy, envy, hatred, malice, murder, neglect of Sunday obligation, sins against faith (incredulity against God or heresy), sins against hope (obstinate despair in the hope for salvation and/or presumption that oneself can live without God or be saved by one’s own power) and sins against love (indifference towards charity, ingratitude, and/or hatred of God) also constitute grave matter." They also say that voluntary murder (Genesis 4:10), sin of impurity against nature –Sodomy and homosexual relations (Genesis 18:20), taking advantage of the poor (Exodus 2:23), defrauding the workingman of his wages (James 5:4) as well as pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth are mortal sins.
That is twice now I've mentioned homosexuality So let me make it understood; the sin is not being gay. The sin is acting on the gayness- so sodomy.
Venial sin are sins that do not meet the requirements of a mortal sin. "Venial sin allow charity to subsist, even though it offends and wounds it." the catechism states, "one commits venial sin when, in a less serious matter, he does not observe the standard prescribed by the moral law, or when he disobeys the moral law in a grave matter, but without full knowledge or without complete consent."
There are also capital sins which I have put in with the mortal sins. They are pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony and sloth. " They are called 'capital' because they engender other sins, other vices" So these sins lead to other sins. If you are envious or wrathful, for example, you may commit murder.
If you have committed any sins, especially any mortal or capital sins, you should go to confession. (I need to go too- I'm not perfect.) Find a local Catholic church and see when they offer confession and then go. Remember, it will bring you closer to God. If you cry in the confessional (which I have been known to do) don't feel bad it adds honesty and sincerity to confession. If you don't cry, don't worry about it, it probably means that you haven't done something seriously wrong or you just don't feel horribly guilty. It's not a big deal either way. Well, I hope everyone has fun at confession. :)
"Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
.-.-..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-..-.
There are many ways in which a sin can be committed. At a Catholic mass, one of the prayers at the beginning of the service is the confiteor, a confession. Through it, I learned the ways you can sin. Sins aren't just things you have said or done, its the things you thought or didn't do. For example, breaking a promise is a sin. Below is the prayer:
fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. " (http://www.saintaquinas.com/prayers.html)
I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own
In the Bible, it implies that some sins are worse than others. These are called mortal sins. Mortal sins mean complete cut off from God. As the catechism puts it, "Mortal sin destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God's law; it turns man away from God, who is his ultimate end and his beatitude, by preferring an inferior good to him... Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent." Such a sin must be confessed to a priest through confession... OR ELSE! Actually, that's true. If you commit a mortal sin and don't confess, not only will you probably go to jail for a long time (such as the case of murder) you will go to hell after you die. (Now that I think about it, that's probably why they have chapels in jails across the country....) The catechism also states that "grave matter" (not necessarily mortal sin) is specified by the 10 Commandments: Do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, honor your Mother and Father.... " The gravity of sin is more or less great: murder is graver than theft... violence against parents is in itself graver than violence against a stranger."
As http://www.saintaquinas.com/mortal_sin.html says, "The Church also tells us that the sins of anger, blasphemy, envy, hatred, malice, murder, neglect of Sunday obligation, sins against faith (incredulity against God or heresy), sins against hope (obstinate despair in the hope for salvation and/or presumption that oneself can live without God or be saved by one’s own power) and sins against love (indifference towards charity, ingratitude, and/or hatred of God) also constitute grave matter." They also say that voluntary murder (Genesis 4:10), sin of impurity against nature –Sodomy and homosexual relations (Genesis 18:20), taking advantage of the poor (Exodus 2:23), defrauding the workingman of his wages (James 5:4) as well as pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth are mortal sins.
That is twice now I've mentioned homosexuality So let me make it understood; the sin is not being gay. The sin is acting on the gayness- so sodomy.
Venial sin are sins that do not meet the requirements of a mortal sin. "Venial sin allow charity to subsist, even though it offends and wounds it." the catechism states, "one commits venial sin when, in a less serious matter, he does not observe the standard prescribed by the moral law, or when he disobeys the moral law in a grave matter, but without full knowledge or without complete consent."
There are also capital sins which I have put in with the mortal sins. They are pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony and sloth. " They are called 'capital' because they engender other sins, other vices" So these sins lead to other sins. If you are envious or wrathful, for example, you may commit murder.
If you have committed any sins, especially any mortal or capital sins, you should go to confession. (I need to go too- I'm not perfect.) Find a local Catholic church and see when they offer confession and then go. Remember, it will bring you closer to God. If you cry in the confessional (which I have been known to do) don't feel bad it adds honesty and sincerity to confession. If you don't cry, don't worry about it, it probably means that you haven't done something seriously wrong or you just don't feel horribly guilty. It's not a big deal either way. Well, I hope everyone has fun at confession. :)
Thursday, April 7, 2011
DAY 26: Holy Water
Water has always been an important part of the church. It has symbolized baptism, rebirth, and cleansing throughout the Bible. In Exodus, the Red Sea, sets the Isrealites free. Before entering their temples, " the Jews underwent a purification process by immersion in a mikvah (it looks like a mini swimming pool...) These ritual purifications by water were the bases of Christian Baptism, which we (Catholics) recall when we bless ourselves (cross ourselves) using holy water upon entering our churches. Devoutly blessing one's self with Holy Water forgives minor sins. " (http://www.fisheaters.com/water.html) When you enter a Catholic Church or Cathedral, you may see water fonts on either side of the door or standing free.
Other than this traditional weekly reminder of the baptism, there are certain masses at which a Priest sprinkles water on the congregation such as on Easter Sunday. On this day he walks through the church with an aspersory and an aspergill. (the first is the bucket of water, the second the stick? that the priest uses to sprinkle the water onto the people.)
This sprinkling, called asperges, can sometimes be found prior to the beginning of the weekly masses. I'm not 100% sure of anything about this practice, because I have never seen it implemtented in any of the Catholic Churches I've been to, but perhaps I may encounter it at World Youth Day in August...? (WYD is an international gathering of young Catholics in one city every three years. This year it's in Madrid, Spain.) According to the Catholic Encyclopedia: “The ceremony [of the Asperges me and the Vidi Aquam] has been in use at least from the tenth century, growing out of the custom of early antiquity of blessing water for the faithful on Sundays.”
A little Latin lesson: asperges means thou shalt sprinkle... bet you didn't guess that one! : )
Other than this traditional weekly reminder of the baptism, there are certain masses at which a Priest sprinkles water on the congregation such as on Easter Sunday. On this day he walks through the church with an aspersory and an aspergill. (the first is the bucket of water, the second the stick? that the priest uses to sprinkle the water onto the people.)
This sprinkling, called asperges, can sometimes be found prior to the beginning of the weekly masses. I'm not 100% sure of anything about this practice, because I have never seen it implemtented in any of the Catholic Churches I've been to, but perhaps I may encounter it at World Youth Day in August...? (WYD is an international gathering of young Catholics in one city every three years. This year it's in Madrid, Spain.) According to the Catholic Encyclopedia: “The ceremony [of the Asperges me and the Vidi Aquam] has been in use at least from the tenth century, growing out of the custom of early antiquity of blessing water for the faithful on Sundays.”
A little Latin lesson: asperges means thou shalt sprinkle... bet you didn't guess that one! : )
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
DAY 25: What are annulments?
Annulments are not divorces. They invalidate a marriage by stating it was never valid. If you were never actually married, how can you get a divorce? Although that sounds like circular reasoning, it makes more sense when you get into it. Remember, marriage is one of the 7 sacraments. Marriage is of God, from God, and for God. It is meant to be holy and full of grace. If it is not, the Church can then argue that the marriage was invalid because it did not meet God's guidelines for matrimony. The Church believes God's guidelines for marriage are consent (to leave your family and start a new one), permanence (commitment to a lifelong union), and fidelity (the action of starting a family.) We take this belief from Genesis: "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh."
This idea of invalidating such a marriage is not new. Even in the Bible there are stories of times when God set aside invalid marriages. In Genesis 21:14, for example, God calls Abraham to cast out Hagar, the slave woman through whom he (Abraham) had a son. Another example is found in Ezra Chapter 10, when the men who had taken foreign wives send them and their children away in order to do God's will. In Deuteronomy, God had told them not to do this deed- thus, the marriages were unholy.
There can be a fee for the annulment proccess ($200-$1000) and civil divorce is sometimes a preresequeite-but not always. There are many reasons that would invalidate a marriage including: insuffeicient age(too young, age difference...) forced weddings, blood relations closer than 2nd cousin, unwillingnes to bear children, murder of one spouse in order to marry another, a previous "valid" marriage, and drug use- among other things.
I hope someone is reading my blog..... HELLLLOOOOO??? IS ANYBODY OUT THERE?
This idea of invalidating such a marriage is not new. Even in the Bible there are stories of times when God set aside invalid marriages. In Genesis 21:14, for example, God calls Abraham to cast out Hagar, the slave woman through whom he (Abraham) had a son. Another example is found in Ezra Chapter 10, when the men who had taken foreign wives send them and their children away in order to do God's will. In Deuteronomy, God had told them not to do this deed- thus, the marriages were unholy.
There can be a fee for the annulment proccess ($200-$1000) and civil divorce is sometimes a preresequeite-but not always. There are many reasons that would invalidate a marriage including: insuffeicient age(too young, age difference...) forced weddings, blood relations closer than 2nd cousin, unwillingnes to bear children, murder of one spouse in order to marry another, a previous "valid" marriage, and drug use- among other things.
I hope someone is reading my blog..... HELLLLOOOOO??? IS ANYBODY OUT THERE?
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
DAY 24: Church Heirarchy
Some non- Catholics claim that since the Catholic faith has a heirarchy, it is a monarchy.Since a monarchy is supreme power held by a single person, I suppose that, in some sense, it is, because we rely on the power of one God. ( Yes, I said God, not the Pope. Remember, the Pope is acting under God's commandments.) Would you call our God- the God all Christians share, the God of Jacob, Abraham and our Lord Jesus Christ- a Monarch? or would you call Him a loving, caring, and living God? But now that I've exhausted that tangent, I should get back to what I was saying. Church Heirarchy. It is very patriarchal- that is constant with its foundations in the Jewish faith. Below is a pyramid displaying the order of power in the church. (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0922582.html)
Any questions or suggestions? Please comment, and God Bless! I also have a prayer request for a family friend who has cancer. If you could all pray.... Thanks.
Any questions or suggestions? Please comment, and God Bless! I also have a prayer request for a family friend who has cancer. If you could all pray.... Thanks.
Monday, April 4, 2011
DAY 23: tradition vs Tradition
This was Adriana's idea about a week or so ago....
tradition- the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice. (dictionary.com)
Tradition (Sacred Tradition)- a specific body of unchanging divine revelation. (Al Kresta)
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Sacred Tradition is not "doing it as we've always done it, but rather it is the Word of God. As the Catechism says is "comes from the apostles and hands on what they received from Jesus' teachings and example and what they learned from the Holy Spirit." Consequently, " The first generation of Christians did not have a written New Testament" This Tradition is not perfect, however. with the letters of Paul to the Ephesians, we see that he was there proclaiming the word for three years (Acts 20:27) yet in the book of Ephesians that there are only 6 chapters.
Even with the differences in Catholic and Protestant Bibles, it is still the only form of Sacred tradition we (Christians) share. It is through Tradition that the Holy Spirit makes God present among us.
So I guess that's it tonight. Short. Sweet. And simple. Any Questions? Comment!
tradition- the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice. (dictionary.com)
Tradition (Sacred Tradition)- a specific body of unchanging divine revelation. (Al Kresta)
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Sacred Tradition is not "doing it as we've always done it, but rather it is the Word of God. As the Catechism says is "comes from the apostles and hands on what they received from Jesus' teachings and example and what they learned from the Holy Spirit." Consequently, " The first generation of Christians did not have a written New Testament" This Tradition is not perfect, however. with the letters of Paul to the Ephesians, we see that he was there proclaiming the word for three years (Acts 20:27) yet in the book of Ephesians that there are only 6 chapters.
Even with the differences in Catholic and Protestant Bibles, it is still the only form of Sacred tradition we (Christians) share. It is through Tradition that the Holy Spirit makes God present among us.
So I guess that's it tonight. Short. Sweet. And simple. Any Questions? Comment!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
DAY 22: The Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Since I talked about the seven sacraments a couple of days ago, I thought I would discuss the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Catholics believe that the gifts are given to a person after they go through confirmation. These gifts are not physical objects that you can touch or break (like the barbie doll or monster truck you got for your fifth birthday) but are "supernatural gifts operating in a supernatural mode or manner." (http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0451.html) "These are not gifts one simply invokes in times of emergency; rather, these gifts are present to the person as long as he remains in a state of sanctifying grace....The idea here is that these gifts help a person to share in the very life and nature of God, now in this life and for eternal life."
Now, some sites I've found tell me that there are seven gifts ( faith, charity, hope,prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance,) but I remember learning these nine when I was in second grade, so that's what I'm going to go with. Forgive me if I'm wrong.... below are the nine... (http://www.bible-knowledge.com/gifts-of-the-holy-spirit/ and http://www.bible.ca/tongues-9-spiritual-gifts-defined.htm)
According to the second site above, the Holy Spirit decides who gets which gift: I Cor 12:11. Now seeing this reference, I immediately went to my Bible to make sure it was valid and found all of my questions answered about the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12. Since the Spirit is part of the Trinity, He is God and He can do anything. My interpretation of this chapter (remember, I'm no theologian) is that He can activate all of the spirits in each person, or He may only give to one to each person. You can have multiple gifts. But don't rely on my understanding. I encourage you to go read the chapter yourself and make your own opinions.
Alrighty then, I'll write again on Monday. Until then!
Now, some sites I've found tell me that there are seven gifts ( faith, charity, hope,prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance,) but I remember learning these nine when I was in second grade, so that's what I'm going to go with. Forgive me if I'm wrong.... below are the nine... (http://www.bible-knowledge.com/gifts-of-the-holy-spirit/ and http://www.bible.ca/tongues-9-spiritual-gifts-defined.htm)
- The Word of Knowledge- one of the most common gifts ( it can even help you with your math homework! and I'm not kidding...)
- The Word of Wisdom- ability to be able to properly apply the knowledge given by the Spirit
- The Gift of Prophecy- when you get a direct Word from God (usually give to someone else.)
- The Gift of Faith- although you have some from the Father Himself, the Spirit increases your faith in times of need.
- The Gifts of Healings- being able to heal any sickness or disease (like leprosy)
- The Working of Miracles- the saints are given this power...
- The Discerning of Spirits- angels, demons, human (like pride)
- Different Kinds of Tongues- this is speaking in different languages, sometimes at the same time.
- The Interpretation of Tongues- being able to understand the languages being spoken by the speaker.
According to the second site above, the Holy Spirit decides who gets which gift: I Cor 12:11. Now seeing this reference, I immediately went to my Bible to make sure it was valid and found all of my questions answered about the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12. Since the Spirit is part of the Trinity, He is God and He can do anything. My interpretation of this chapter (remember, I'm no theologian) is that He can activate all of the spirits in each person, or He may only give to one to each person. You can have multiple gifts. But don't rely on my understanding. I encourage you to go read the chapter yourself and make your own opinions.
Alrighty then, I'll write again on Monday. Until then!
Friday, April 1, 2011
DAY 21: The Catholic Church is opposed to science and rejects evolution
I guess this is a fairly big misconception of the church because I've found it in a couple of " Top 10 Misconceptions of the Catholic Church" lists... so. here goes!
Now, the Catholic Church has actually been behind many of the world's great scientific advances- remember Gutenberg's printing press?- and I actually have one example of such a discovery that may knock the socks off of your feet....either that or melt your face.... any guesses?... oh c'mon... really?... well you'll never guess so... it's the Big Bang Theory! ( No, not the show- sorry to everyone who loves Sheldon... ) Yep, the Big Bang Theory creator is credited be a Catholic Belgian Priest. (Yeah, I couldn't believe at first either, but it's on catholic education.org and PBS say it's true...so it must be okay...right?) This Priest, Georges Lemaître, called the Big Bang "a day without yesterday" and proposed the theory in 1927, based on Einstein's theory of gravitation. Funnily enough, Einstein actually rejected Lemaître's theory at first.
And as for evolution? Well, the Catholic Church does not reject the theory. Our parameters are limited to our belief that God created the world from nothing. However, we (the church) have no conclusive evidence that evolution doesn't exist. In fact, many say that God himself created evolution and guides it. One website, http://www.catholic.com/library/Adam_Eve_and_Evolution.asp, states that there are three different views on evolution and the origin of mankind.
1.) special or instantaneous creation- basically the idea that there was nothing until...*POOF* things just came into being, like humans.
2.) developmental creation or theistic evolution- essentially, a given thing develops from a previous state or form, but it's under God’s guidance. OR
3.) atheistic evolution- evolution is due completely to random forces alone...
The website also says that Pope Pius XII claimed that "the teaching authority of the Church does not forbid that, in conformity with the present state of human sciences and sacred theology, research and discussions . . . take place with regard to the doctrine of evolution, in as far as it inquires into the origin of the human body as coming from pre-existent and living matter—[but] the Catholic faith obliges us to hold that souls are immediately created by God" So, in English, evolution may have created human bodies, but God gave them souls...and souls do not evolve.
Well, I hope everyone finds this post as interesting as I did. It certainly is interesting learning new things, isn't it? You know what they say "You learn something new every day."
Now, the Catholic Church has actually been behind many of the world's great scientific advances- remember Gutenberg's printing press?- and I actually have one example of such a discovery that may knock the socks off of your feet....either that or melt your face.... any guesses?... oh c'mon... really?... well you'll never guess so... it's the Big Bang Theory! ( No, not the show- sorry to everyone who loves Sheldon... ) Yep, the Big Bang Theory creator is credited be a Catholic Belgian Priest. (Yeah, I couldn't believe at first either, but it's on catholic education.org and PBS say it's true...so it must be okay...right?) This Priest, Georges Lemaître, called the Big Bang "a day without yesterday" and proposed the theory in 1927, based on Einstein's theory of gravitation. Funnily enough, Einstein actually rejected Lemaître's theory at first.
And as for evolution? Well, the Catholic Church does not reject the theory. Our parameters are limited to our belief that God created the world from nothing. However, we (the church) have no conclusive evidence that evolution doesn't exist. In fact, many say that God himself created evolution and guides it. One website, http://www.catholic.com/library/Adam_Eve_and_Evolution.asp, states that there are three different views on evolution and the origin of mankind.
1.) special or instantaneous creation- basically the idea that there was nothing until...*POOF* things just came into being, like humans.
2.) developmental creation or theistic evolution- essentially, a given thing develops from a previous state or form, but it's under God’s guidance. OR
3.) atheistic evolution- evolution is due completely to random forces alone...
The website also says that Pope Pius XII claimed that "the teaching authority of the Church does not forbid that, in conformity with the present state of human sciences and sacred theology, research and discussions . . . take place with regard to the doctrine of evolution, in as far as it inquires into the origin of the human body as coming from pre-existent and living matter—[but] the Catholic faith obliges us to hold that souls are immediately created by God" So, in English, evolution may have created human bodies, but God gave them souls...and souls do not evolve.
Well, I hope everyone finds this post as interesting as I did. It certainly is interesting learning new things, isn't it? You know what they say "You learn something new every day."
Thursday, March 31, 2011
DAY 20: The Seven Sacraments.
Since I don't really know much about these, I decided to do some research. Here's what I found:
The seven sacraments are baptism, penance, Eucharist, confirmation, matrimony, holy orders, and anointing of the sick. (Penance is confession, Eucharist is communion, matrimony is marriage and holy orders are the priests and nuns.) The sacraments were established sometime before 1100 AD/CE because they were already being discussed in the education system. Why seven sacraments? Well, according to Al Kresta, that's how many Christ instituted... I'll be honest...I'm not exactly sure where the Bible says that, but 7 has always been an important number in the Bible: 7 days of creation, Jesus speaks 7 times when He's on the cross, 7 years of famine, 7 plagues.... and the list goes on. Maybe the reason "7" is so important in the Bible is because the number 7 in Hebrew means fulfillment and "sacrament" in Latin is sacramentum which means "a sign of the sacred."
As http://catholicism.about.com/od/beliefsteachings/p/The_Sacraments.htm says "Each sacrament is an outward sign of an inward grace. When we participate in them worthily, each provides us with graces—with the life of God in our soul. In worship, we give to God that which we owe Him; in the sacraments, He gives us the graces necessary to live a truly human life."
http://www.americancatholic.org/features/special/default.aspx?id=29 < This website has a lot of information on the sacraments. I encourage you to go check it out. It's a little young, but sometimes I find it's the simple stuff that is easiest to understand : ) I would type in everything here, but it's just that it would essentially be coping and pasting the entire site.... so....go check it out!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
DAY 19: Catholics and Angels
This post will be mainly based on the information I recieve from Al Kresta's book Why do Catholic's Genuflect?
Angels- incorporal beings without physical bodies. They are invisible spirits that are not composed of energy, matter, light, or any other material substance. They are " visitors from beyond this materisal universe" who are heavenly messengers. They are task-oriented and "purely spiritual creatatures that have inteligence and will." (Thus we get Lucifer, the devil, who broke off from God and became a fallen angel.) We know that they exsist for many reasons: a. "through divine revelation" b. the teachings of the church c. the stories of those who claim to have seen them, and d. Those people in the bible, like Mary and Joesph, who have talked with these messengers personally. By the way, angels are not, as many people suppose, the disembodies spirits of the deceased... we do not become angels when we die. We, humans, need a body to enclose our spirits. Angels do not becuse they are pure spirits. They are not capable of lying or sin.... we are "two different species."
The Catholic Church has feast days. Feast days are set aside for the saints, the holy family (Jesus, Mary, and Joesph) and others, such as the Feast of the Guardian Angels on October 2nd. This feast day, Kresta says, is to remind us that "every indivdual has a guardian angel, and awareness of our guardian angel can be a comfort and aid in our spirtual growth." There are so many passages in the Bible that support the exsistance of these creatures. One example is Satan tempting Jesus in the desert in Matthew. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" Angels are found in both the Old and New Testaments. Some examples are Judith, Hebrews, Luke, Acts, and Revelations among others.
Just as God gave Humans free choice, He also gives us our guardian angels to help guide us back to Him.
So, maybe that's something you can thank Him for: the protection and guidence we find in our own personal angels. I'm going to go back and edit the post on how to become a saint, so I suggest you go back and check that out sometime in the near future.
Angels- incorporal beings without physical bodies. They are invisible spirits that are not composed of energy, matter, light, or any other material substance. They are " visitors from beyond this materisal universe" who are heavenly messengers. They are task-oriented and "purely spiritual creatatures that have inteligence and will." (Thus we get Lucifer, the devil, who broke off from God and became a fallen angel.) We know that they exsist for many reasons: a. "through divine revelation" b. the teachings of the church c. the stories of those who claim to have seen them, and d. Those people in the bible, like Mary and Joesph, who have talked with these messengers personally. By the way, angels are not, as many people suppose, the disembodies spirits of the deceased... we do not become angels when we die. We, humans, need a body to enclose our spirits. Angels do not becuse they are pure spirits. They are not capable of lying or sin.... we are "two different species."
The Catholic Church has feast days. Feast days are set aside for the saints, the holy family (Jesus, Mary, and Joesph) and others, such as the Feast of the Guardian Angels on October 2nd. This feast day, Kresta says, is to remind us that "every indivdual has a guardian angel, and awareness of our guardian angel can be a comfort and aid in our spirtual growth." There are so many passages in the Bible that support the exsistance of these creatures. One example is Satan tempting Jesus in the desert in Matthew. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" Angels are found in both the Old and New Testaments. Some examples are Judith, Hebrews, Luke, Acts, and Revelations among others.
Just as God gave Humans free choice, He also gives us our guardian angels to help guide us back to Him.
So, maybe that's something you can thank Him for: the protection and guidence we find in our own personal angels. I'm going to go back and edit the post on how to become a saint, so I suggest you go back and check that out sometime in the near future.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
DAY 18: Does the The Church discourages Bible reading?
No! Actually, if one went to mass every time it was offered for three years, they would have heard the entire Bible. Like I have said before, we (Catholics) read 3 passages from the Bible at each mass. One is from the Old Testament, and 2 from the New( one of which is the Gospel reading...) Most, if not all Catholics have a Bible in their home... for example, my family has 3...uhhh ... maybe more...
As http://myamazingfact.blogspot.com/2009/07/top-10-misconceptions-about-catholic.html states, "The very first printed Bible was produced under the auspices of the Catholic Church – printed by the Catholic inventor of the printing press, Johannes Gutenberg. And the very first Bible with chapters and numbered verses was produced by the Catholic Church–the work of Stephen Langton, Cardinal Archbishop of Canterbury."The blogger is also so nice as to add this tidbit of information for us "This myth (that the Church doesn't allow Catholics to read the Bible..) has come about because Bibles were often locked away in Churches in the past, but that was not to prevent people having access – it was to prevent them being stolen. These were hand written Bibles which were incredibly valuable due to scarcity."
The Bible was produced in many languages from the beginning, and although it may have started with just Latin and Greek, as literacy grew, so did the translations. Before the printing press was invented by Gutenburg in 1450, handwritten translations were written in Hungarian, Polish, Spanish, Norwegian, Danish, and Bohemian by Catholic monks/priests. And by the Protestant Reformation in 1517, there were also 18 different German translations, along with French and Italian. (Thanks, Al Kresta for writing Why Catholics do Genuflect?)
Well, that's all for today. Until tomorrow readers!
As http://myamazingfact.blogspot.com/2009/07/top-10-misconceptions-about-catholic.html states, "The very first printed Bible was produced under the auspices of the Catholic Church – printed by the Catholic inventor of the printing press, Johannes Gutenberg. And the very first Bible with chapters and numbered verses was produced by the Catholic Church–the work of Stephen Langton, Cardinal Archbishop of Canterbury."The blogger is also so nice as to add this tidbit of information for us "This myth (that the Church doesn't allow Catholics to read the Bible..) has come about because Bibles were often locked away in Churches in the past, but that was not to prevent people having access – it was to prevent them being stolen. These were hand written Bibles which were incredibly valuable due to scarcity."
The Bible was produced in many languages from the beginning, and although it may have started with just Latin and Greek, as literacy grew, so did the translations. Before the printing press was invented by Gutenburg in 1450, handwritten translations were written in Hungarian, Polish, Spanish, Norwegian, Danish, and Bohemian by Catholic monks/priests. And by the Protestant Reformation in 1517, there were also 18 different German translations, along with French and Italian. (Thanks, Al Kresta for writing Why Catholics do Genuflect?)
Well, that's all for today. Until tomorrow readers!
Monday, March 28, 2011
DAY 17: Purgatory
I am truly running out of things to write about. If anyone has any ideas please comment...
Purgatory is not something Catholics make up out of thin air.... It's not like we're magicians or something. No, Purgatory is essentially a place where a person is purified before entering heaven.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven." and according to http://www.anawim.pair.com/CATHOLICS/PURGATORY.htm "In Purgatory all remaining love of self is transformed into love of God. As Rev. 21-27 states, nothing defiled can enter heaven. Prayers from those still living on earth can help free those who are in Purgatory who are unable to pray for themselves." That is why we pray for those who have died and ask that they rejoice in eternal life.
Although "purgatory" (nor "trinity") is not a word found in the Bible, there a some chapters that speak of a place where you are purified before you enter heaven. You will find these scriptures below...
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(Mt. 12-32) - And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come (some sins can be forgiven after death-where? Purgatory)
(1 Cor 3:13-15) - Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. (the fire is the purification of Purgatory).
(1 Peter 3:19-20) - By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which sometime(After Jesus' death he went and preached to the spirits in prison that were disobedient. Now, these prisoners were not in Heaven or Hell, where were they? These spirits are in a waiting place being purified for their disobedience, the place is called Purgatory.)
So, there you have it. Purgatory.
Purgatory is not something Catholics make up out of thin air.... It's not like we're magicians or something. No, Purgatory is essentially a place where a person is purified before entering heaven.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven." and according to http://www.anawim.pair.com/CATHOLICS/PURGATORY.htm "In Purgatory all remaining love of self is transformed into love of God. As Rev. 21-27 states, nothing defiled can enter heaven. Prayers from those still living on earth can help free those who are in Purgatory who are unable to pray for themselves." That is why we pray for those who have died and ask that they rejoice in eternal life.
Although "purgatory" (nor "trinity") is not a word found in the Bible, there a some chapters that speak of a place where you are purified before you enter heaven. You will find these scriptures below...
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
(Mt. 12-32) - And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come (some sins can be forgiven after death-where? Purgatory)
(1 Cor 3:13-15) - Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. (the fire is the purification of Purgatory).
(1 Peter 3:19-20) - By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which sometime(After Jesus' death he went and preached to the spirits in prison that were disobedient. Now, these prisoners were not in Heaven or Hell, where were they? These spirits are in a waiting place being purified for their disobedience, the place is called Purgatory.)
So, there you have it. Purgatory.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
DAY 16: Becoming a Saint....
It is extremely hard to find information on this subject. And I'm still left with some questions that I can't seem to find the answers to. Maybe I'll ask the priest at church tomorrow and add more to this post....
The official process of initiating someone into sainthood is called canonization. It appears that to become a saint you have to die. Oftentimes, the process starts years after death to add evidence/proof of saintliness. A local bishop will then analyze the person's life and writings to see if it matches with church doctrine. If they pass that first test, the information is then sent to the Vatican where a panel of theologians evaluates the candidate. "After approval by the panel and cardinals of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the pope proclaims the candidate 'venerable'."
The next step is called beatification and requires that the candidate has performed a miracle. I am unsure if the miracle HAS to be performed after this person dies or if it can be while they are living but http://www.catholic.org/saints/faq.php#num says, " Since miracles are considered proof that the person is in heaven and can intercede for us, the miracle must take place after the candidate's death and as a result of a specific petition to the candidate. When the pope proclaims the candidate beatified or "blessed," the person can be venerated (respect or awe inspired by the dignity, wisdom, dedication, or talent of a person) by a particular region or group of people with whom the person holds special importance. " Such as Mother Theresa and India... However a saint needs 2 Miracles to be canonized as a saint.
Pope John Paul II is in the process of becoming a saint. On January 14, of this year, he was reported to have passed the beatification stage on the road to sainthood. The miracle that he performed occurred after a French nun prayed for him to intercede. She then recovered from the disease which John Paul had during his lifetime - Parkinson's. He will be publicly venerated on May 1, 2011.
I'm so grateful to the people who are reading my blog. Outside of the United States and Canada, I've had people from the UK, Ireland, and Austria read it. Thanks everyone! : )
Edited on March 30th...
PS: You don't have to die to become a saint because it's up to the pope, but it's kinda necessary since the miracle performed has to be post-mortem. Also the reason Catholics often quote the saints, is because the Saint's teachings are checked by the Vatican before they can be beatified.
The official process of initiating someone into sainthood is called canonization. It appears that to become a saint you have to die. Oftentimes, the process starts years after death to add evidence/proof of saintliness. A local bishop will then analyze the person's life and writings to see if it matches with church doctrine. If they pass that first test, the information is then sent to the Vatican where a panel of theologians evaluates the candidate. "After approval by the panel and cardinals of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the pope proclaims the candidate 'venerable'."
The next step is called beatification and requires that the candidate has performed a miracle. I am unsure if the miracle HAS to be performed after this person dies or if it can be while they are living but http://www.catholic.org/saints/faq.php#num says, " Since miracles are considered proof that the person is in heaven and can intercede for us, the miracle must take place after the candidate's death and as a result of a specific petition to the candidate. When the pope proclaims the candidate beatified or "blessed," the person can be venerated (respect or awe inspired by the dignity, wisdom, dedication, or talent of a person) by a particular region or group of people with whom the person holds special importance. " Such as Mother Theresa and India... However a saint needs 2 Miracles to be canonized as a saint.
Pope John Paul II is in the process of becoming a saint. On January 14, of this year, he was reported to have passed the beatification stage on the road to sainthood. The miracle that he performed occurred after a French nun prayed for him to intercede. She then recovered from the disease which John Paul had during his lifetime - Parkinson's. He will be publicly venerated on May 1, 2011.
I'm so grateful to the people who are reading my blog. Outside of the United States and Canada, I've had people from the UK, Ireland, and Austria read it. Thanks everyone! : )
Edited on March 30th...
PS: You don't have to die to become a saint because it's up to the pope, but it's kinda necessary since the miracle performed has to be post-mortem. Also the reason Catholics often quote the saints, is because the Saint's teachings are checked by the Vatican before they can be beatified.
Friday, March 25, 2011
DAY 15: Well, That's Fishy (pun intended)
As part of the Lenten tradition, I am not eating meat today. The only "meat" I am allowed to eat is fish. The reasoning behind this is:
A) fish is a large part of the New Testament. There is the loaves and fish story and Jesus telling some of his disciples "Come, and I will make you fishers of men." (Mark 1:17 )
B) During the Middle Ages especially, the Church really tried to unify the Catholic peoples. To do this, they required nobles (the people who could afford meat) to eat fish on Fridays to connect with their poorer brethren.
Do you know what the fish symbolized for the early Christians? It was a communication tool to identify fellow Christians in the early church- when we were first being persecuted for our beliefs. When two strangers met and thought maybe they were fellow believers, one of them would draw, on the ground, the upper half of the fish symbol.
If they knew the symbol, the second person would add the other line to complete the drawing of a fish.
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Just as some of the first Bibles were written in the Greek language, so also were some of the early Christian codes. For Example: The Greek word Ichthys means fish. Yet, it is also an acrostic:
Iesous
Christos
Theou
Yios
Soter
or Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior.
The fish symbol may have also originated from the Greek letter "a" or "alpha." It looks very similar to the fish we see today.
As God says in Revelations, " I am the ALPHA and the Omega."
God Bless! <>< :) <-- Do you like my fishy?
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