Uncategorized

The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)

By Fr Zdzislaw Karczewski

We are all sinners. Sin can not enter heaven: The Bible says:” …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” (Rev 21:27)
It is not enough to accept Jesus as one’s personal Lord and Savior in order to get to heaven. Soul of a person has to be cleaned, has to be purified at first, otherwise the gates of heaven will be closed for them. There are many believers from various denominations pointing at the passage in the Book of Psalm, in which king David says : “I made my sins known to you, did not conceal my guilt. I said I shall confess my sins to Yahweh. And you for your part, took away my guilt, forgave my sin” (Ps 32:5). See, they say, in order to have our sins forgiven we ought to simply confess our sins to God. We don’t have to come to the sacrament of penance, we don’t have to come to a priest and make our confession. It is enough to confess our sins directly to God. God alone will remove our sins, God alone will cleans us of our iniquities. The Book of Psalm is a part of the Old Testament. But Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the Prophet (Mt 5:17). Christ has brought us the TRUTH (Jn 1:17). He has established the New and everlasting Covenant. (He 8:7-13). The true Christians are obliged to follow Christ’s teaching. The Gospel of Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament. John the Apostle has recorded the words spoken by Christ to the Apostles: “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (Jn 20:23). Jesus has shown the true way of cleaning our souls, the true means of having our sins forgiven. This way is the Sacrament of Confession. The power of forgiving people’s sins has been passed on by Christ to the Apostles and their successors – to the bishops and priests who have received the valid Sacrament of Ordination as the Tradition of the Catholic Church tells us. It is important to notice that despite of the fact that the Jews were confessing their sins directly to God, some of them were not forgiven by God. Jesus said to the Pharisees: “You will die in your sins. Yes, If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins (Jn 8:24).

Uncategorized

When a Protestant Argues; "The first Christian’s were not Catholic"


Some protestants will claim that the first Christian’s in the Early Church were not Catholic, to disprove the Church’s Apostolic Succession ( direct line from the current Pope Francis all the way back to St Peter the first Pope, that we have no basis for the traditions we hold. But actual history shows that the Apostles and early Christians were indeed Catholic. Lets have a look at some of the many examples.

Of course after Peter we had St. Linus (our 2nd Pope) whose name also comes up in Scripture (2 Tim 4:21)  “Make haste to come before winter Eubulus and Pudens, and Linus and Claudia, and all the brethren, salute thee.”
(“The blessed apostles having founded and established the church entrusted the office of the episcopate to Linus. Paul speaks of this Linus in his Epistles to Timothy” (Catalogue of the Bishops of Rome, Eusebius of Cesarea)

St. Clement of Rome (death approx. 96AD) Not only was Clement (our 4th Pope), but he is mentioned in the bible as one of St Pauls’ brothers, See DRB Phil 4:3 and also in the KJV in Phil 4:3. Needless to say St. Clement didn’t teach salvation by faith alone.
“Let us clothe ourselves with concord and humility, ever exercising self-control, standing far off from all whispering and evil-speaking, being justified by our works, and not our words.”
Student of the Apostle St. John, St. Ignatius of Antioch (35-107 A.D)
You must all follow the lead of the bishop, as Jesus Christ followed that of the Father; follow the presbytery as you would the Apostles; reverence the deacons as you would God’s commandment. Let no one do anything touching the Church, apart from the bishop. Let that celebration of the Eucharist be considered valid which is held under the bishop or anyone to whom he has committed it. Where the bishop appears, there let the people be, just as where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not permitted without authorization from the bishop either to baptize or to hold an agape; but whatever he approves is also pleasing to God. Thus everything you do will be proof against danger and valid.
No need for me to explain anything here.

Saint Irenaeus of Lyons (130-202AD)
“The truth is to be found nowhere else but in the Catholic Church, the sole depository of apostolical doctrine. Heresies are of recent formation, and cannot trace their origin up to the apostles.”
(Adversus Haereses, Book III, chapter 4 Prologue)
Moving right along from 1st and 2nd century up to the 3rd we have 

Saint Cyprian of Carthage (205-258AD)
“Let the lapsed, however, who acknowledge the greatness of their sin, not depart from entreating the Lord, nor forsake the Catholic Church, which has been appointed one and alone by the Lord; but, continuing in their atonements and entreating the Lord’s mercy,”
(Epistle LXIII-5, to Epictetus)

St Augustine is sometimes bravely quoted by protestants.
“Before His suffering the Lord Jesus Christ, as you know, chose His disciples, whom He called Apostles. Among these Apostles almost everywhere Peter alone merited to represent the whole Church. For the sake of his representing the whole Church, which he alone could do, he merited to hear, I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven (Matt 16:19).”
Sermons 295, 2, 391 A.D.
“This Church is Holy, the One Church, the True Church, the Catholic Church, fighting as she does against all heresies. She can fight, but she cannot be beaten. All heresies are expelled from her, like the useless loppings pruned from a vine. She remains fixed in her root, in her vine, in her love. The gates of hell shall not conquer her.”
Sermon to Catechumens, on the Creed, 6,14, 395 A.D.

St Jerome (347-420AD)
“The truth is that all we who hold the Catholic faith, wish and long that, while the heresy is condemned, the men may be reformed. At all events, if they will continue in error, the blame does not attach to us who have written, but to them, since they have preferred a lie to the truth.”
(Against the Pelagians, 417 A.D., book I-2 )

There are many other writings of the Early Church Fathers testifying of the Catholic Church. I will end this brief post with Scripture which have much in common with these Saints listed above.

Acts 20:28 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
28 Take heed to yourselves, and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
https://pomiocatholiccommunity.blogspot.com/2018/11/when-protestant-argues-first-christians.html
Uncategorized

An Overview of The Advent Season


Yesterday we celebrated the Solemnity of Christ the King. This feast ends the 2018 liturgical year and we look forward to starting the new liturgical year on 2nd December 2018 – the First Sunday in Advent. To prepare well for this season leading the Christmas – the birth of the Savior – Please take this time to understand the importance of Advent and get a brief overview of this season.


Advent is the liturgical season that precedes and prepares for Christmas. It is a season of hope and of longing, of joyful expectation and of peaceful preparation. Many symbols and traditions are associated with Advent, especially the Advent Wreath with its four colored candles (three purple and one pink), but also Advent calendars, special Advent music, food, processions, and other traditions that may vary from one culture or region to the next. Here are a few interesting things to know about Advent:

When and how long is Advent?
  §For most Christians, the Advent Season always begins four Sundays before Christmas; so it is rarely four full weeks long, but only between three and four weeks, depending on what weekday Dec. 25 happens to be in a certain year.
§  The First Sunday of Advent, which also marks the beginning of the new liturgical year for the Church, could be as early as Nov. 27 or as late as Dec. 3.
§  The Third Sunday of Advent is traditionally called “Gaudete Sunday” (from Latin, meaning “Rejoice!), because the “Entrance Antiphon” of this Sunday’s Mass is taken from Paul’s letter to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! The Lord is near.” (Phil 4:4+5b)
§  The Fourth Sunday of Advent could be as early as Dec. 18, a full week before Christmas (as in 2005 and 2011), or as late as Dec. 24, making it the same day as “Christmas Eve” (as in 2006 or 2017).
§  Advent technically ends of the afternoon of Dec. 24, since that evening, Christmas Eve, begins the Christmas Season.

What does the word “Advent” mean?
§  When capitalized, “Advent” usually refers to “the coming of Christ into the world” or to “the liturgical period preceding Christmas”; it may also refer to the “Second Coming” of Christ (the “Advent of our Lord”).
§  In secular English, “advent” (not capitalized) may refer to any “coming” or “arrival,” especially of something so important that it radically changed a whole culture (e.g., “The advent of electricity” or “The advent of the computer age”).
§  The word is derived from the Latin adventus (“arrival, approach”), made up of the preposition ad- (“to, towards”), the verbal root ven- (from venire, “to come”), and the suffix -tus (indicating verbal action).
§  The word is very similar in many other European languages: Advent, Advento, Avent, Avvento, Adviento, etc.

What are the traditional colors of Advent?
§  In the Roman Catholic Church, the official liturgical color for most of the Season of Advent is violet. Only on the Third Sunday of Advent is a rose (pink) colored candle lit, as a symbol of joy; the priest may also wear rose vestments on this Sunday.
§  Other church decorations (altar cloths, banners, etc.) will often have combinations of violet, pink, and blue throughout the season. Liturgically-minded churches will avoid greens and reds (the secular Christmas colors), and will wait until the Christmas season to use decorations with white, silver, and gold colors.

What are the liturgical readings for the Sundays of Advent?
Each of the four Sundays of Advent has its own special readings and characteristics:
§  First Sunday of Advent – The readings look forward to the “End Times” and the coming of the “Day of the Lord” or the “Messianic Age”; the Gospel is an excerpt from the Apocalyptic Discourse of Jesus in one of the Synoptic Gospels.
§  Second Sunday of Advent – The Gospel readings focus on the preaching and ministry of John the Baptist as the forerunner of Jesus, the one who came to “Prepare the Way of the Lord.”
§  Third Sunday of Advent – The Gospel readings continue to focus on John the Baptist, while the first and second readings convey the joy that Christians feel with the increasing closeness of the incarnation and the world’s salvation.
§  Fourth Sunday of Advent – The Gospels tell of the events that immediately preceded the birth of Jesus, including the dreams and visions of Joseph and Mary of Nazareth.

What are the liturgical readings for the Weekdays of Advent?
There are actually two sets of weekday readings for the Advent season:
§  Readings for the weekdays in the first three weeks, but only up to Dec. 16: the Gospel readings are excerpts from various chapters in Matthew and Luke; the first readings are mostly from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
§  Readings for the weekdays from Dec. 17 to Dec. 24: the Gospel readings cover all of Matthew 1 and Luke 1, sequentially; the first readings are selected thematically from various prophetic books of the Old Testament.
§  The weekdays from Dec. 17 to Dec. 24 also make use of the “O Antiphons,” not only during Evening Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours, but also in the Alleluia verse before the Gospel at Mass.

What other liturgical celebrations can occur during the Season of Advent?
Several “Feasts” and “Memorials” of saints can be celebrated on the weekends of Advent, but most of them are omitted if the usual date happens to fall on a Sunday in a particular year, since these celebrations are considered less important than the Sundays of Advent.
§  Nov. 30 – Feast of St. Andrew, the Apostle – may occur just before or during the first week of Advent, depending on the year.
§  Dec. 6 – St. Nicholas – although the day is only an “optional memorial” on the Roman liturgical calendar, this popular saint gave rise to the gift-giving tradition now associated with “Santa Claus”; in certain countries, Dec. 6 is still a day when parents give simple gifts (often fruit or nuts) to their children.
§  Dec. 8 – Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – a “Holy Day of Obligation” in the United States; if Dec. 8 falls on a Sunday, this Solemnity is transferred to Monday, Dec. 9.
§  Dec. 12 – Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe – only ranked as a “Memorial” in much of the world, but considered an important “Feast” in the United States and many Latino countries.
§  The “Memorials” of several other saints can be celebrated during Advent, but only if they fall on a weekday, not on Sunday:
St. Francis Xavier (Dec. 3), St. Ambrose (Dec. 7), St. Lucy (Dec. 13), St. John of the Cross (Dec. 14), and a few other “optional memorials” (St. John of Damascus, St. Nicholas, St. Juan Diego, St. Damasus I, St. Peter Canisius, and St. John of Kanty).

Original Article

https://pomiocatholiccommunity.blogspot.com/2018/11/an-overview-of-advent-season.html

Uncategorized

What is Advent and Why is it Important?


Yesterday we celebrated the Solemnity of Christ the King. This feast ends the 2018 liturgical year and we look forward to starting the new liturgical year on 2nd December 2018 – the First Sunday in Advent. To prepare well for this season leading the Christmas – the birth of the Savior – Please take this time to understand what is Advent and its importance as us Christians prepare for the coming of our Savior on Christmas.

Advent comes from the Latin word meaning “coming.” Jesus is coming, and Advent is intended to be a season of preparation for His arrival. While we typically regard Advent as a joyous season, it is also intended to be a period of preparation, much like Lent. Prayer, penance and fasting are appropriate during this season.

Advent is not as strict as Lent, and there are no rules for fasting, but it is meant to be a period of self-preparation. The purple color associated with Advent is also the color of penance. The faithful should fast during the first two weeks in particular and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
The color of the Third Sunday of Advent is rose. This color symbolizes joy and represents the happiness we will experience when Jesus comes again. The Third Sunday is a day of anticipatory celebration. It is formerly called “Gaudete” Sunday; gaudete means “rejoice” in Latin.
Finally, Sundays during Advent, just as during Lent, should not be given to fasting, but instead to celebration because we celebrate the resurrection of Our Lord every Sunday. It is important to remember, however, there are no particular rules for how the laity should observe Advent.
Why is Advent Important?
Preparation for Christmas is an important theme for Advent, but more is involved. Advent gives us a vision of our lives as Christians and shows us the possibilities of life.
The vision of life that Advent gives us is twofold; it looks back to the first coming of Christ at Bethlehem, and it looks to the future when Christ will come again. In the interval between these two events we find meaning for our life as a Christian.
First we celebrate Christ-become-human. We view his life and experience his presence as a human being in our history. Christ came to show us what life can and should be. He gave us true and valid principles by which we can live true and valid lives. But Jesus knew that the human heart could not live in isolation. He formed the Church around the concept of a people held together by love. In that community we discover unlimited possibilities and meaning. Alone we can do nothing. Together we find real meaning.
When Christ left this earth, he did not abandon us. He remains with us in his Spirit, the Church, the sacraments, the Scriptures and each other. He lives in community with us and keeps his vision of life before us.
When Christ comes again, his presence will no longer be hidden behind the signs and symbols of the liturgy or the words of the Scriptures. His presence among us will be revealed in all its fullness, a presence that will never end, a presence that will perfect and complete our community.
This is the “greater significance” of Advent. In these few short weeks we take in the sweeping panorama of time – from Christ’s birth to his Second Coming. The season of Advent brings us the magnificent vision of life and hope for the future given to us by Christ.
Advent is our time to become more involved, more caught up in the meaning and the possibilities of life as a Christian community. Thus we are preparing not only for Christmas but also for Christ’s Second Coming. This means that when he comes again, we will be awake and watchful. He will not find us asleep.

https://pomiocatholiccommunity.blogspot.com/2018/11/what-is-advent-and-why-is-it-important.html

Uncategorized

WHY CATHOLICS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS ON DECEMBER 25?

WHY CATHOLICS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS ON DECEMBER 25?

Catholics traditionally celebrate Christmas every December 25 as the birth of our lord Jesus Christ. However, there are some cultic type religious groups like INC, SDA, JW, MCGI, and many cults who opposed and do not celebrate Christmas as they believe that December 25 is not really Jesus’ birthdate. Instead, they said that this month and date is invented, unbiblical tradition made by the pagan Catholic Church. How to respond to this accusation?

These anti-Catholic cults keep on asking to look in the bible for the literal word-for-word of the specific month & date of Jesus’ birth. They failed to realize that the Bible is not a “Calendar” that contains all the dates. Ironically, these cult members who don’t celebrate Christmas, are enjoying Christmas Holidays and even accepting Christmas bonuses. .

THE CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS

The fact that the date itself was found right there in the bible by computing the chronological events.

It had started with Zachariah, a Jewish priest who went inside into the temple to offer incense, as we can read in (Luke 1:9) it says ⏬

“When it fell to him by lot, as the priestly custom was, to enter the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense there.” (Luke 1:9)

According to Jewish tradition, this burning incense inside the temple’s inner sanctuary is traditionally done once a year, in the Jewish Month of “Tishrei 15” (which is equivalent to September 25 in Gregorian Calendar).

As Zachariah incensing the temple’s inner sanctuary, an angel came to appear to his presence, and brought a message that he will have a son to his wife Elizabeth, which name “John”, and that the same date & same month of Tishrei (September 25), Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth becomes pregnant, as we can read in (Luke 1:11,13) ⏬

 “Then there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense.”..  But the angel said to him, ‘Zechariah, do not be afraid, for your prayer has been heard. YOUR WIFE ELIZABETH IS TO BEAR YOU A SON and you shall name him John.” (Luke 1:11,13)

Thus, after having pregnant on (September 25) , we should count another 6 months ahead for another event – the annunciation of Mary.

Just because if we continue the reading until (Luke 1:24-27, and 30-31) we can see that when 6 months of Elizabeth’s conception is another angel has been sent once again to a Virgin girl, Mary, bringing her a message that she will be having a baby: ⏬

“Some time later HIS WIFE ELIZABETH CONCEIVED and for five months she kept to herself, saying,… ‘The Lord has done this for me, now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered in public.’ IN THE SIXTH MONTH the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and THE VIRGIN’S NAME WAS MARY. but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Look! YOU ARE TO CONCEIVE IN YOUR WOMB AND BEAR A SON, and you must name him Jesus.” (Luke 1:24-27, 30-31)

Thus, if we compute the chronological event of dates, a (December 25) Birthdate of Jesus will be derived: ⏬

TISHREI 15 (SEPTEMBER 25)
(Annunciation of Elizabeth, started to conceive baby John)
+
6 MONTHS (of Elizabeth’s pregnancy )
_________________
= MARCH 25
(Annunciation of Mary & starting point of Mary’s conception to baby Jesus)

MARCH 25 + (9 Months of Pregnancy) = DECEMBER 25

THEREFORE, (December 25) is the birthdate of Jesus, based on the scriptural events computed. Thus, the early church fathers never erred (mistaken) with their idea / theory / thoughts on Jesus birth, the fact that it supports scriptural analysis as a proof, and not invented as some anti-Catholic’s allegations.

THE CELEBRATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE DATE

December 25 is not Catholic Church doctrine, nor written in the catechism of the Catholic Church. It is just a belief that came from tradition and computed chronological events in the bible.

Just because, the church do not ignore the fact that the actual date of Jesus may fall between 25, which is either 23, 24 or 26, 27. Thus, Catholic Church do not officially proclaim it as church doctrine, but a mere traditional belief that came from ancient Christians.

Hence, this belief comes out from scriptural theory, by computing chronological events in the bible which made more closer view to (December 25) as Jesus’ birth. What’s most important to Catholics is the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Saviour, and not the date itself.

Date is nothing more important than the celebration itself. You may be born on a leap year (Feb 29), yet you still want to celebrate your birthday on the following year either on Feb 28 or March 1, that does not fall on the actual date of Feb 29. Because what matters most is the celebration that you have added 1 more year of your age. Likewise, Dec 25 might not be accurate date of Christ’s birth, but it will not matter for Christians since we only want to commemorate the birth of saviour Jesus Christ.

DECEMBER 25 IS THE BIRTH OF PAGAN GOD CALLED “SOL INVICTUS”?

Most of the anti-Catholic cults favorite allegation is that December 25 is of pagan roots and not really Jesus birth. They based it from some limited references quoted from unreliable history books.

As a matter of fact, long before the paganic declaration for the feast of the unconquered Sun (Sol Invictus) the (December 25) is already belief of the early Christians.

First thing we should know “WHEN” does paganic feast declared? Here let us have some references…

“ Sol Invictus (“Unconquered Sun”) was the official sun god of the later Roman Empire and a patron of soldiers. In 274 AD the Roman emperor Aurelian made it an official cult alongside the traditional Roman cults.” (Source: Wikipedia – Sol Invictus)

See? It is clear, (274 AD) is the year that pagan feast for the sun god was declared, called Sol Invictus.

On the other hand, the belief of Jesus birth in (December 25) is much earlier than paganic feast Sol Invictus, Here are the references about early church fathers identifies (December 25) as Jesus nativity.

St. Theophilus (circa 171-183 A.D) was the first to identify December 25 as the birth date of Christ, saying …

“We ought to celebrate the birth day of our Lord on what day soever the 25th of December shall happen.” (Magdeburgenses, Cent. 2. c. 6. Hospinian, de origin Festorum Christianorum)

St. Iranaeus (circa A.D 202) ⏬

“ In his work Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus (c. 130–202) identified the conception of Jesus as March 25 and linked it to the crucifixion at the time of the equinox, with the birth of Jesus nine months after on December 25 at the time of the solstice.” (Link: Source: Wikipedia – Christmas – Choice of December 25)

St. Hippolytus (circa. 170-236 A.D)
due Speculation as to the time of Jesus’ birth dates back to the 3rd century, Hyppolytus believed that Jesus was born on December 25. He explains in his Commentary on the book of Daniel (c. A.D. 204) that the Lord’s birth was believed to have occurred on that day, he said… ⏬

” For the first advent of our Lord in the flesh, when he was born in Bethlehem, was December 25th, Wednesday, while Augustus was in his forty-second year, but from Adam, five thousand and five hundred years. He suffered in the thirty-third year, March 25th, Friday, the eighteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, while Rufus and Roubellion were Consuls.”

Apostolic Constitutions (circa A.D. 70-250)
The Apostolic Constitutions are a compilation, whose material is derived from early sources differing in age AND different early writers during apostolic age. he said..⏬

” Brethren, observe the festival days; and first of all the birthday which you are to celebrate on the twenty-fifth of the ninth month; after which let the Epiphany be to you the most honoured, in which the Lord made to you a display of His own Godhead,.” (Apostolic Constitutions , Book V, Section 3, Chapter XIII)

Take Note: This ninth month counting from Nisan (April) is Casleu in the Jewish calendar. Transferred to our Roman calendar, this ninth month answers to December.

Now, let us compare and see the contradicting year interval between the two (Nativity of Jesus VS. Sol Invictus), in which didn’t even meet nor coincided: ⏬

– Dec.25 “Jesus nativity” was first used (70–250 A.D) by early Christians

VERSUS

– Dec.25 “Sol Invictus” later declared (275 A.D) by pagan emperor

Here, we can see from the two, that early church fathers from (1st-2nd century A.D) is the earliest groups who believes & identifies (December.25) as Jesus nativity, While contrary to paganic feast of Sol Invictus which later declared in late 2nd century (275 A.D).

THEREFORE, long before the emperor’s declaration of December 25 as the pagan feast of ‘Sol Invictus’ in (274 A.D), the (December 25th) was first identified by the early Christians as the Jesus’ birth

Take Note: early Christians, is the people who were closest from apostles time, thus, they much know something about Jesus and apostles life.

THEREFORE,  THE “DECEMBER 25” CHRISTMAS IS DEFINITELY NOT ROOTED OF PAGANISM, BUT ROOTED FROM EARLY CHRISTIAN THOUGHTS BY OUR EARLY CHURCH FATHERS, IN WHICH ALSO SUPPORTED WITH CHRONOLOGICAL COMPUTATION FROM THE BIBLE.

Uncategorized

Mary, The New Eve

Mary, the New Eve

In his letter to the Romans, Saint Paul speaks about Christ, the second Adam (Rom 5:12-19). The question arises. Who then, is the new Eve? Although the Bible doesn’t speak explicitly about Mary, from the contexts of many Bible references it becomes obvious that Mary is the new Eve.
In the book of Genesis (Ge 3:1-20) God speaks about Eve, a woman (ha ishshah), the mother of humankind. The woman who failed to obey God’s order. In the same passage (Ge 3:15), God speaks about a woman, the enemy of satan (the snake). The Scripture speaks about the woman who will always be at enmity with satan. The woman who will remain sinless at all times. The woman whose offspring will overcome satan by crushing his head. Mary, called by the angel full of grace (Lk 1:28), whose offspring (Jesus) has destroyed satan (Heb 2:14), is the woman the Book of Genesis points at.
Calling His mother “Woman” at the wedding feast of Cana (Jn 2:1-11), and at the foot of the cross (Jn 19:26), Christ wanted to make it obvious to everyone, that Mary, His Mother is (ha ishshah), the true mother of the living, the new Eve.
In the first Adam all have died, as Saint Paul says, so in Jesus Christ, the second Adam, all receive new life (Rom 5:18). Similarly, the first Eve by falling into sin became the mother of all the dying, while Mary, the mother of Jesus, always faithful to God, became the mother of all the living, the new Eve.
Furthermore, many Fathers and Doctors of the Church have seen the woman announced in the the Book of Genesis (Ge 3:15) as Mary, the mother of Christ, the “new Eve”. Saint Irenaeus writes:
With fitness, Mary the Virgin is found obedient, saying,
“Behold Thy handmaid, O Lord; be it to me according to Thy word.” But Eve was disobedient; for she obeyed not, while she was yet a virgin. As she, having indeed Adam for a husband, but as yet being a virgin… becoming disobedient, became the cause of death both to herself and to the whole human race, so also Mary, having the predestined man, and being yet a Virgin, being obedient, became both to herself and to the whole human race the cause of salvation” (Against Heresies, 224).
It is rather important to notice that satan, the serpent (Rev 12:13) and his offspring, will always be at enmity with the woman, and her offspring (Ge 3:15). The archenemy of Mary will endlessly try to diminish, to undermine her name by using all kinds of improper words, false ideas or wrong interpretations of the Scripture. Satan will always be at war with Mary.The Book of Revelation says:
Then from his mouth the serpent poured water like a river after the woman, to sweep her away with the flood (Rev 12:15). The river, which stands for innumerable slanderous words has one purpose, to bring down the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This shows satan’s anger and frustration towards the Mother of God, and the mother of us all, the sinless woman – the second Eve.
Each one of us of should ask himself or herself the question,on which side am I ???
Original Article by Fr Zdzislaw Karczewski

Uncategorized

Sunday: The First Day of Worship for the First Christians

God has made the Covenant with the Israelis on Mt. Sinai (Horeb) (Dt 5:1-3). The Sabbath was a sign of the Covenant made by God with the Israelis (Ex 31: 16-17). The Israelis (the Jews) were obliged to keep the Sabbath ( Ex 31:12-13). Are you a Jew? In order to feel obliged to keep the Jewish Sabbath you would have to become a Jew, a member of the Jewish religion. Because the Sabbath is for the Jews. God has commanded the Israelis to keep His Covenant. Unfortunately they didn’t. As a result of it God became upset with their Sabbaths (Is 1:13) and decided to put an end to it (Hos 2:13). He promised to make a NEW COVENANT, this time with all people (Is 42:1-7). Jesus Christ in His Blood has made the New Covenant (Mt 26: 27-28 ; Heb 9:15). A question arises: Are we obliged to keep both Covenants? The old one with its Sabbath and the new one? Of course not. The Old Covenant has already expired (Ga 4:22-31). The New Covenant is better than the Old one (Heb 7:22 ; 8:6-13). The Apostles became the workers of the New Covenant (2 Co 3:6). The Good News of Jesus the new Mediator (Heb 9:15), the Founder of the New Covenant has to be proclaimed to all people (Mt 28: 19-20).
Some people got an idea that the first century Christians kept the Jewish Sabbath? They can’t prove it from the Bible, can they? The Bible says something opposite. The first day of the week (Sunday , the day of Christ resurrection from the dead) was an important day for them, not the seventh ( Ac 20:7). Christ never preached and the Apostles never preached either about necessity of keeping the Jewish Sabbath. This kind of preaching came only from Ellen Gould White, the founder of the Seven Day Adventist in the nineteenth century. Is good to know that the Church came first and the Bible (New Testament) came latter. Before the Bible (New Testament) was written the Church kept the Traditions of the Apostles (2Th 2:15 ; 3:6) which say about the first day of the week being kept by the Christians, not the seventh. I suggest you to read the writings of the first Christians ( Didache, Ignatius. Justin…).
We can hear some people say, the Romans have killed Jesus. Yes, the pagan Roman soldiers have killed Jesus (Jn 19:23). The pagan Roman governor – Pilate wanted to set Jesus free (Jn 19:12). The Jews – the Sabbath keepers however put a pressure on Pilate to kill Jesus (Jn 19:14-15). Pilate gave in and ordered to crucify Him (Jn 19:16). St John in his Gospel points out at the Jews (the Sabbath keepers) who decided to killed Jesus . Paul confirms it in his First Letter to the Thessalonians (1Th 2:14-15). You can read about it as well in (Ac 4:5-10). Saint Paul – the Jew, the Pharisee – the Sabbath keeper has converted to Christianity (Ac 9:1-19). He gave up the Old Covenant and became the worker of a New Covenant (2Co 3:6). He rejected the Jewish Sabbath calling it a shadow (Col 2:16-17). Good example of Paul’s conversion might be an inspiration to some of the Sabbath keepers to follow him, to do the same.

Original Article by Fr Zdzislaw Karczewski

Uncategorized

Why Priests Kiss The Altar At The Beginning Of A Mass

The Roman Catholic Mass begins with the procession. Each member genuflects at the altar, and the priest and deacon kiss the altar in an act of veneration.

The Altar of Sacrifice
In Roman Catholicism, the altar is both the sacrificial table and the place where the paschal feast takes place. During the first centuries of Christianity, when the Eucharist was still illegal, Christian altars were constructed from wood and often resembled ordinary house tables. This practise continued until the Middle Ages when, in 517, the provincial council of Epeaune in France decreed that altars should be made of stone to signify “Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” of Catholicism. Venerated relics were conserved in cavities in the stone altars of newly built Basilicas, which were then placed directly above the tomb of a martyr to evoke those times during the persecutions of the church when martyrs’ tombs were utilized as places of Eucharistic celebration.

In Remembrance of Me.
The Eucharist is housed in the Tabernacle, which is present in the sanctuary. It is customary to genuflect in reverence to the Tabernacle when entering the sanctuary. According to Catholicism, Jesus Christ established the Holy Eucharist prior to his death on the cross by informing the twelve apostles to “do this in remembrance of me.” The Eucharist involves the Roman Catholic concept of Transubstantiation: the bread and wine take on the substance of Christ, maintaining their literal taste and appearance while becoming, in essence, his body and blood.

The Altar
An act of veneration, the holy kiss, or kiss of peace, occurs three times during the Mass, the first of which is at the altar. Like the cross on Calvary, where the Bible says that Jesus Christ sacrificed his life and was crucified, the altar is considered a place of sacrifice. In kissing the altar, the priest symbolizes the bond between Christ and his church; acknowledges the sacrifices of those martyrs (relics) who gave their life for the furtherance of the faith; and, when performed with the deacon, is an extension of peace to the community. The final kiss is also given at the altar to venerate the table as a symbol of Christ, as well as being the place where the faithful offer their bodies as a “living sacrifice.”

The Living Word.
The next holy kiss seals and venerates the Word after the liturgy of the Word at the Ambo. The Ambo is a lectern where the deacon carries the Gospel book. The Gospel is seen to have within it the power to transform the lives of the faithful. According to Catholicism, just as Christ became the living Word, so the faithful should seek to do the same.
Source

Uncategorized

How a Catholic Reads the Bible


1. Divine Revelation: How God Speaks to Us
Christianity is a religion of the Word, not of a book! The Word is a Person – Jesus Christ. He is God’s “final word” on everything. Through Jesus,
God has revealed everything He wanted to reveal to us about who He is and what He intends for our lives. God’s revelation of Himself comes to us in three ways:
  • Scripture  (the Bible)
  • Tradition  (especially the liturgy of the Church – the Mass and the sacraments)
  • The Magisterium  (the Church’s teachings, such as its dogmas and creeds)
The Holy Spirit is at work through all three channels – He inspires Scripture, animates the Church’s living Tradition, and guarantees the teaching of the Church’s Magisterium (Catechism, nos. 81-82).

2. Reading and Interpreting the Scripture: The Three Rules
Because God’s revelation comes to us through these three channels, we must remember three important criteria for reading and interpreting Scripture:
a.The Content & Unity of Scripture:
Though Scripture is made up of different books, we can’t read them as separate books. We have to read each one in light of the rest, keeping in mind that Jesus revealed that there is a unity in God’s plan for the world, as that plan is revealed in Scripture.
St. Augustine used to say that: “The New Testament is concealed in the Old, and the Old Testament is revealed in the New.” What he meant is that Jesus showed us how the things that God says and does in the Old Testament pointed to what He says and does in the New. In turn, what Jesus says and does in the New Testament sheds light on the promises and events we read about in the Old.
b.The Church’s Living Tradition:
We must always read Scripture within the context of the Church’s Tradition. That means that we should always see how the Church interprets certain Scripture passages, especially in the prayers and readings it uses for the Mass and for special feasts in the Church.
c.Analogy of Faith:
The same Holy Spirit who inspired the Scriptures also safeguards the Church’s teaching authority. That means that if we’re going to read and interpret Scripture properly – the way God intends it to be read – we have to make sure our interpretations don’t contradict the interpretations found in the Church’s creeds and other statements of doctrine.

3. Scripture is Divine: Inspiration
As you can tell by now, there’s no other book like the Bible. The Church teaches that just as Jesus was “true God and true man,” the Bible is truly a work of human authors and at the same time is truly the work of God as the divine author.
This is the mystery of the divine “inspiration” of Scripture (see 2 Timothy 3:16). The word “inspired” in the Greek, literally means “God-breathed.” And that’s a good way to think about the inspiration of Scripture. Just as God fashioned Adam out of the clay of the earth and blew the breath of life into him (see Genesis 2:7), God breathes His Spirit into the words of the human authors of Scripture and makes them the Living Word of God.
The way the Church explains it, it happened like this: The human authors used their literary skills, ideas and other talents in writing the pages of the Bible. But while they were writing, God was acting in them so that what they wrote was exactly what He wanted them to write (see Vatican II’s Dei Verbum, scroll down to nos. 11-12: Catechism, nos. 105-107).
The human writers were “true authors” of Scripture, and so was God.
Because God is its co-author, and because God cannot err or make mistakes, we say that whatever we read in the Bible is true, free from “error” and has been put there for our salvation. This is called the “inerrancy” of Scripture.
This is a very complicated concept that we can’t explain fully in this class. But it’s important to always read the Bible on its own terms. The Bible doesn’t set out to teach modern history, science or geography or biography. So we shouldn’t try to compare what it says about the creation of the world, for instance, to what modern science teaches us.
That doesn’t mean the Bible is ever wrong. The Bible, entire and whole, is true and without error – not only in what it teaches about faith and morals, but also what it says about historical events and personages. It will never lead us astray. But we have to interpret it responsibly – we have to understand that it is giving us history and natural events from a “religious” and divine perspective, and often uses symbolic language.

4. Scripture is Human: The Bible as Religious Literature and History
Practically speaking, the “divine-human” authorship of Scripture means we have to read the Bible differently than we approach other books.
When we read the Bible we must remember that it is the Word of God told in human language. It’s important that we understand the “human element” of Scripture. As we’ll see, this human element can’t really be separated from the divine element.
But it’s important when we read the Bible to remember that it is:
Literature: The Bible uses literary forms, devices, structures, figures, etc. We must look for the “literary” clues that convey a meaning.
Ancient: The Bible is ancient. Its not written like modern literature. It’s meaning is wrapped up with the way the ancients looked at the world and recorded history. Although they were interested in recording history, they were not interested in “pure history.” History was more than just politic, economics and wars – it had a deeper significance.
Religious: Today people think of religion in terms of personal piety. Not so for the ancients. The word “religion” comes from the Latin, “religare,” – “to bind together.” For the ancients everything – culture, history, the economy, diplomacy – was bound together by the religion. The Bible gives us history, but it is religious history. It is history from God’s perspective.
Source:

Sharing Catholic Faith based articles, news and information with the Pomio Catholic Deanery of the Archdiocese of Rabaul, East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea.

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started