Catholic Church Teaching - Still Roman Catholic After All These Years

PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE, NOT SO FAST!

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING, CATHOLIC COMMENTARY

JESUS THE DIVINE PHYSICIAN

INTRODUCTION

Euthanasia, the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma. Is definition found in dictionary but as found at work in today’s culture it has become the deliberate killing of another person that one deems not worthy to live anymore.

Euthanasia is back in the headlines big time. Many euphemisms are used for euthanasia such as mercy killing but the new favorite is “death with dignity.” They have now added the slogan, my life, my choice. Sounds very familiar to the cry of pro-abortion lobby.

I find this very troubling since I had absolutely nothing to do with my existence, a pure gift from God the Creator. Life was not my choice from the very beginning. I was made to know, love and serve God in this world and be happy with Him in the next. Do I throw that gift back in His face and say no thanks, I am finished, Count me out.

I am not sure how you feel but I have always thought of death with dignity is dying as I have lived, trusting in Jesus loving God and my neighbor and placing myself in the arms of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph at the time of my passing.

JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH PRAY FOR ME AT THE HOUR OF MY DEATH!

HEADLINES

The Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act was signed into law by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. As of Aug. 1, 2019, terminally ill patients with a prognosis of six months or fewer will now be able to self-administer lethal concoctions of drugs in order to take their own lives.

The bill allows adults with a prognosis of six months or less to live to get a prescription for life-ending medication. The prescription is a series of self-administered pills that can be taken at home.” Allowing terminally ill and dying residents the dignity to make end-of-life decisions according to their own consciences is the right thing to do,” said Murphy.

Currently, California, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Hawaii, Montana and the District of Columbia allow physician-assisted suicide. In Canada, a hospital for sick children has unveiled a plan for how to terminate the lives of terminally ill kids, with or without parental consent. As the demand for end-of-life care continues to increase, physician-assisted suicide emerges as a cheap alternative to appropriate palliative or hospice care.

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

2277 Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable.

2283 To assist another’s suicide is to take part in “an injustice which can never be excused, even if it is requested…

“A government that legalizes assisted suicide sends the terrible message that there is such a thing as disposable people.”

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)

COMMENTARY

In my activist days when I founded an organization to oppose Capital Punishment, I properly called it, STATE SANCTIONED MURDER. Now we have on the books of some states STATE SANCTIONED SUICIDE!

Already, before birth, if you don’t want the child you can get rid of it by an abortion procedure. Now it is established legally that some human life is disposable at the end of life. People too frail, too mentally disabled to work and contribute to society are at risk. They are now a drain on insurance companies, family incomes, and an inconvenience, depending on who is setting the definition of which human life matters.

Just because a terminally ill patient chooses to end his own life does not excuse society from moral obligations to intercede. God gave us life until He calls us home. An alternative to physician assisted suicide is palliative care, already well researched and well practiced .

PALLIATIVE CARE

The World Health Organization acknowledges that dying is a normal process and defines palliative care as “an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness. It includes treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual.”

The intention of palliative care is neither to hasten nor delay death. Effective palliative care allows patients to devote their attention to the unfinished business of their lives, to arrive at a sense of peace with God, with loved ones, and with themselves. Learning how to face this last stage of our earthly lives is one of the most important and meaningful things each of us will do.

CONCLUSION

Suffering need not be meaningless but can bring us closer to the mystery of Christ’s sacrifice for the salvation of the world. Suffering is part of human existence from birth until death, and every human person suffers in a variety of ways: physically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually. The suffering of Christ leads to his glory; so, too, does the suffering of Christians

Some call this “Redemptive suffering.” Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption once and for all by suffering torture and crucifixion for our sins, Jesus our Redeemer suffered in place of man and for man. Every man has his own share in the Redemption. Each man is also called to share in that suffering through which the Redemption was accomplished.

Redemptive suffering takes on our sins, the sins of others, acting as a kind of sponge absorbing the evil all around them. This form of suffering is so powerful–because love is so powerful–that its arms can span the entire world and has the potential to affect countless souls. “Suffering is medicine for Salvation.” St. Augustine

Our hope and prayer is that when we grow old or sick that we be surrounded by people who care and respect each and every human life. Catholics should be leaders in the effort to defend and uphold the principle that each of us has a right to live with dignity through every day of our lives, even our last ones.

Jesus, do not leave me alone in suffering. You know, Lord, how weak I am….I am nothingness itself… Do with me as you please, Lord, only give me the grace to be able to love You In every event and circumstance.

ADDENDUM

CATHOLIC DIRECTIVE Instructions for My Health Care

My Catholic faith teaches that all human life is a precious gift from God from the first moment of conception to the moment of natural death, and that euthanasia and assisted suicide are not morally permissible.

Therefore, I oppose any action or inaction that is intended to cause my death. I always wish to receive basic care, which will allow me to be most comfortable including food, water, and pain control. I have discussed my desires regarding pain control with my agent.

I wish to receive medical care and treatment appropriate to my condition as long as it is useful and offers a reasonable hope of benefit and is not excessively burdensome to me, i.e., does not impose serious risk, or some other extreme burden.

If I am unable to eat and drink on my own, nutrition and hydration administered by medical means should be provided to me unless death is inevitable and imminent so that the effort to sustain my life is futile, or unless I am unable to assimilate food or fluids.

I request and direct that medical treatment and care be provided to me to preserve my life without discrimination based on my age, physical or mental disability, or the “quality” of my life.

If my death from a terminal illness is imminent, I wish to refuse treatment that would only secure a precarious and burdensome prolongation of my life. I wish to be attended by a Catholic priest, receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick and Viaticum.

Signature______________________________Date_________Initials: Witness1_____ Witness 2

WHAT DOES JESUS TEACH ABOUT THE SIN OF SCANDAL

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING, SCRIPTURE

Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,

it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck

and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Woe to the world because of things that cause sin!

Such things must come, but woe to the one through whom they come!

MATTHEW 18:6-7

INTRODUCTION

Scandal may be the deliberate leading another into sin like recruiting someone to pick pockets. But the sin of scandal is more prevalent, nuanced, and pervasive than that. A priest who abuses a child brings condemnation on a Church and even Christianity. Catholic politicians who brags publicly they are Catholic and supports abortion undermines Church teaching and leads other poorly informed and weak souls astray.

We can give scandal or be recipient of scandal that influences what we believe and what we promote. For example people read a poll that a majority of “Catholics” support abortion. The pressure is on in this world to go along to get along.

Many “feel” there is no outside moral authority. It is what I believe/judge to be right for me. This is called moral relativism. i.e. .What is right for me may not be right for you but so what; When I fill out a form and they ask for gender I mark other. It is up to me to decide what gender I want to be; I can have sex with anybody anytime and it is not anyone’s business.

Contrary to moral relativists, there is moral authority outside ourselves. God our Creator is the giver of the moral law. God made us to show forth His goodness and to share with us His everlasting happiness in heaven. Sin is our separation from God— a cause for unhappiness, dysfunction and ultimately, jeopardizing eternal life and happiness with God.

Sin always has consequences. No one sins without consequences for ourselves and others. i.e watching pornography coarsens and objectifies our opinion of women and if married our marital spousal relationship; a married spouse has an affair with another, breaks marriage vows, disrespects spouse, gives scandal to children, and could result in divorce and break up of family.

To live in a pagan culture is nothing new. Christians have had to persevere from the beginning under the imposition of false idols and immoral man made laws. But today, especially in time of social media, 24/7 news and talk shows, scandal dispersed by “Catholics” is intimidating and discouraging to faithful Catholics.

Discouragement is the tool of the Devil. God only encourages, never discourages. If you are discouraged by the society and culture that surrounds you, let a big red flag unfurl in front of you. Devil alert! Devil alert! Jesus I trust in you! Let me surrender to you not the culture of the times!

News and talk shows do not or should not form our moral compass. For example I am citing some recent news stories I have been following that attack religious liberty, promotes euthanasia, and denial of the gender you were born with and formed in the womb by God.

GENDER IDENTITY PARENTS BEWARE

Last month, the Supreme Court of British Columbia issued an order that a father may not refer to his 14-year-old daughter as a girl because she identifies herself as a boy. or by her original name, whether in public or in private. Doing so has been ruled to constitute “family violence because it would cause her “psychological abuse in the form of harassment or coercion”

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING GENDER IDENTITY

When the freedom to be creative becomes the freedom to create oneself, then necessarily the Maker (God) himself is denied. We believe and affirm that all human beings are created by God and thereby have an inherent dignity. What God has created is good. “God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Gen 1:27).

SEAL OF CONFESSION UNDER ATTACK

The proposal, California Senate Bill 360, would seek to require priests to violate the sacramental seal of confession in suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. The bill would force a priest who hears in the confessional about sins regarding sexual abuse to choose to “face possible imprisonment or to betray that confidentiality and violate his deepest conscience and the laws of God and the Roman Catholic Church.”

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING

The Church teaches that the “seal of confession” is inviolable and cannot be changed by human authority, because its origin is in divine revelation. A priest who intentionally violates the seal commits a mortal sin and incurs an automatic excommunication. A priest, therefore, cannot break the seal to save his own life, to protect his good name, to refute a false accusation, to save the life of another, to aid the course of justice (like reporting a crime), or to avert a public calamity.

PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE

In Canada, a hospital for sick children has unveiled a plan for how to terminate the lives of terminally ill kids, with or without parental consent.

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING

CCC 2277 Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable.

CCC 2281 Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God.

SCANDAL

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

CCC 2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor’s tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense.

CCC 2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized. It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. ”

POSTSCRIPT

We must fight back daily the influence of scandal and of course not be guilty of scandal ourselves. Pray always that we will persevere and overcome temptation. All prayers are heard and answered by God. Read and pray Scripture. God speaks to us though their written words. Take advantage of the Sacramental life of the Church.

SHELTER THE HOMELESS WHATEVER YOU DO TO THE LEAST OF THESE YOU DO TO ME

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING, SOCIAL JUSTICE

JESUS MARY AND JOSEPH FLIGHT INTO EYGPT

COMMENTARY ON THE HOMELESS IN OUR CITIES AND TOWNS

During recent Mid-West Polar freeze, I particularly thought of this corporal work of mercy* and the many many deaths that were a result. Many unnecessary, because of the homeless, the ignored, the despised, the least of our brethren. “Whatever you do to the least of my brethren you do to me,” Jesus said in Last Judgment discourse.

My daughter who works in the city in health care often passes the homeless beggar but never without asking if she can help them get to shelter, gives them some money, or provide them with a warm meal. She advocates for them at hospitals and emergency shelters and has a friend who is an uber driver who will look into the homeless on the doorstep to see if there is anything the homeless need and offer a ride to nearest shelter. She added “I remember hearing to always greet our homeless brothers and sisters with the biggest warmest smile you have… they may have a heavy heart and they don’t need your sad face!”

She shared some pictures of the local homeless. I asked her what the homeless needed in the way of supplies and she replied, “new socks, gently used blankets, comforters, coats, hats, gloves will always be in high repeat demand— once these items become wet and soiled— our homeless have no way to dry them.. clean, dry supplies always needed.” She added, there is a severe shortage of shelters, some only open emergency beds in extreme temperatures but only during the day when temperatures may not have dropped below their arbitrary 20 degrees. I will include a few more quotes my daughter shared with me.

“The homeless sleep atop the steam grate for some warmth. They either did not get into an emergency shelter, or had no way to get to one. Many homeless depend on private citizens who volunteer and provide street outreach ministries and pick up homeless men and women and take them to shelters. Shelters, themselves, do not provide transportation.”

“Many of the homeless choose not to go to shelters for fear of their safety and the loss of their few belongings. They are not allowed to bring any belongings into the shelters, risking that their only early possessions will be stolen if left on the streets, shelters are only open for the hours of sleep— they must leave in the AM and they risk losing their spot on the vent/ steam grate in the AM for the day ahead of them.”

For many of us, the line between our homes and being homeless is a thin one that can disappear with the death of a spouse, the loss of a job or an illness. This corporal work of mercy forces us to open our eyes to the misery of those who, for a variety of reasons, have no place they can call home.

Faith without works is dead! “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? …If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? …faith, if it does not have works is dead.” JAMES 2:14-16

What are some works we can do? What support, supplies or donations can we offer them? For the many children in homeless shelters, do I have toys I can donate? …a book or game could be a great gift. Could I call a shelter and offer to cook, read to children or share a hobby or skill with the guests? What are the gifts each of us have that we can share?

Other ideas…volunteering in a soup kitchen; Contributing to a shelter for unwed mothers: welcoming the immigrant in your neighborhood; speaking kindly to that homeless man or woman who you pass and offering a sandwich or buying them a meal. “Whatever you do to the least of these brethren , you do to me!”

As St. Francis prayed in his Peace Prayer, “It is in giving that we receive.” In giving we will always get back more than we give. God’s promise. We will learn more about the blessings we have through no fault of own but pure gifts from God. A powerful life changing experience can be had in loving and serving your neighbor.

LUKE 16:19-31

Homelessness is invasive and may be found at our doorstep. Let us not ignore it and walk over like the rich man, Dives, in the parable who ignored Lazarus the begger. We often show more empathy for stray dogs or cats than human beings. Pro-Life is more than anti-abortion! Let’s give the same fervor to those already born!

COMMENTARY ON IMMIGRATION

While I am at it I thought I would say a few things about immigration. The 4^th Corporal Work of Mercy is “Shelter the Homeless,” but some older listings, have it, “Harbor the Harbor-less.”

Down through history, there have always been a certain number of people who were homeless; for those who were sailing to escape poverty and oppression often did not have a port of entry; they were “harbor-less.” Yes, some are without shelter, but others are without a homeland.

*CCC 2447 The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities. Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of mercy, as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead. Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God:

Immigration is a hot button issue in our country today. Where are you on welcoming the refugee? Have you truly looked deeply into the facts or just moved by emotional rhetoric and bumper sticker of “America First”

Today, here in America, there are some people who seem to be against all immigration. But the truth is almost all of us are the descendants of immigrants! We, as people of faith, need to treat the immigrants with respect and according to their human dignity, as we would want to be treated ourselves. There are millions of children and families who are on the move, fleeing from war, illness, hunger and impossible living conditions, searching for peace and safety.

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, was born homeless (Mt.8:20)! He who created the world became a homeless person depending on the kindness of strangers. Jesus, Mary and Joseph were themselves refugees fleeing into Egypt to avoid the infanticide of Herod.

“The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Mt 8:20). Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, was born in a borrowed manger; had no fixed address once he began his public ministry; and was buried in another man’s tomb. It is quite an irony: He, who made the universe, became a homeless person.

The Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy for undocumented immigrants calls for the separation of parents and children while their cases for political asylum are adjudicated, a process that can take months – or years.

BORDER DETENTION CENTER

US CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE

“Our government has the discretion in our laws to ensure that young children are not separated from their parents and exposed to irreparable harm and trauma….While protecting our borders is important, we can and must do better as a government, and as a society, to find other ways to ensure that safety. Separating babies from their mothers is not the answer and is immoral.”

This corporal work of mercy forces us to open our eyes to the misery of those who, for a variety of reasons, have no place they can call home. As with the other works of mercy, sheltering the homeless requires discernment and the stewardship of our resources.

Yet when in doubt, it is better to err on the side of charity. The patron of parish priests, St. John Vianney, was told that a beggar to whom he gave frequent assistance was in fact not poor at all; the Saint answered, “You never lose when you give to God.”

This work of mercy also invites to ask ourselves how hospitable we are in our own home. Do we make of our home a place where guests feel welcome and cherished?

Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews urges us, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Heb 13:2). Jesus comes to us in disguises. Remember his last judgment discourse in Matthew 23, “Whatever you do to one of these least of my brethren, you do to me.”

I will close with a poem attributed to Mother Teresa that hangs in my daughter’s living room.

DO IT ANYWAY

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.

Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.

Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.

Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.

Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.

It was never between you and them anyway.

APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION EVANGELII GAUDIUM

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING

INTRODUCTION

The blog I posted with the most views ever was the blog I posted last April, Gaudete et Exhultate, the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis so I thought I would go back and repost some of my reflections on his Apostolic Exhortation, Joy of the Gospel from 2017. Enjoy! TCB

APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION EVANGELII GAUDIUM JOY OF THE GOSPEL

NOTE: The number before paragraphs in Joy of Gospel references indicate the paragraph number in actual document.

POPE FRANCIS INVITES US INTO THE JOY OF THE GOSPEL

“The Joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. I invite all Christians everywhere at this very moment to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her since no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord.”

“And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold,

I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David

a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10

REFLECTION

Pope Francis makes clear that God always takes the initiative in seeking his lost sheep by any means necessary. No one is excluded or left behind. God knows our need for Him and His nourishment. So we too as disciples and missionaries must not dismiss anyone or judge anyone unworthy of our engagement.

JOY OF THE GOSPEL

180 Jesus’ mission is to inaugurate the kingdom of his Father; he commands his disciples to proclaim the good news that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew. 10:7

24 “The life of the Church should always reveal clearly that God takes the initiative, that he has loved us first. “We love because he first loved us.“ 1 John 4:19. The Joy of the Gospel is for all people no one can be excluded. People are starving and Jesus does not tire of saying to us, “Give them something to eat“. Mark 6:37″

92 “We must not avoid others or exclude anyone from our mission. We are all in same boat and headed to same port. Let us ask for the grace to rejoice in gifts of each, which belong to all.”

113 “No one is saved by himself or herself, individually or by his or her own efforts. Jesus did not tell the apostles to form an exclusive and elite group. He told them to go and make disciples of all nations.” Mt.28:19

REFLECTION

Pope Francis warns us there are many enemies and obstacles to living the Gospel and spreading the Good News to others. To be on our guard and prepare for the spiritual warfare we encounter daily with the world, the flesh, and the devil. We live in parallel universe this temporal world and a spirit filled eternity.

JOY OF THE GOSPEL

64 “We are living in an information driven society which bombards us indiscriminately with data all treated as being of equal importance and which leads to remarkable superficiality in the area of moral discernment.”

263 “Every period of history is marked by the presence of human weakness, self-absorption, complacency and selfishness, to say nothing of the concupiscence which preys upon us all.”

79 “Pastoral workers often fall prey to the times. Some fall into pastoral acedia or spiritual torpor (lethargy) by taking on unreasonable projects instead of what they reasonably can accomplish. Others just because they just can’t wait, patience is not a virtue in this society of instant gratification.”

REFLECTION

Pope Francis makes suggestions on how preachers and evangelists should prepare for their missions. You cannot give what you yourself don’t possess. Read the bible, pray over the Bible, ask yourselves what God is saying to me today and how do I respond today!

JOY OF THE GOSPEL

145 “Preparation for preaching needs a prolonged time for preparation, a time for study, prayer, and reflection. Whoever wants to preach must first let the Word of God move him deeply and become incarnate in his daily life. One will then be communicating to others what one has contemplated and prayed about.

150 To evangelize is to make the kingdom of God present in our world. “Seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew. 6:33 Preparation requires the Love of God and like every true disciple say, “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.” I Sam. 3:9

164 First and foremost on lips of catechists is the proclamation, “Jesus Christ loves you, he gave his life to save you and now he is living at your side every day to enlighten, strengthen and free you.”

REFLECTION

Pope Francis reiterates Jesus’ love for the poor and most vulnerable and how in imitation of Jesus as disciples we are to make the vulnerable our priority in our ministry. Jesus loved the poor and performed many miracles of physical and spiritual healing. No one was too far gone in Jesus’ eyes to walk away. He engaged everyone, bolstered their faith and encouraged them to repent and sin no more.

JOY OF THE GOSPEL

197 God’s heart has a special place for the poor so much so that he himself became poor, born in a manger in the midst of animals. When he began to preach the kingdom, crowds of the dispossessed followed him.

198 Inspired by this life of Christ, the Church has always understood a special form of primacy of the poor in exercise of Christian Charity. The poor have much to share with us. They know the sufferings of Christ. We need to let ourselves be evangelized by them. We are called to find Christ in them and to lend our voices to their causes.

213 Jesus identifies especially with the little ones, the vulnerable. As Christians we are called to care for the vulnerable of the earth. Among the vulnerable to whom the Church wishes to care with particular love and concern are unborn children, the most defenseless and innocent among us.

213 Defense of unborn life is closely linked to the defense of each and every other human right. It involves the conviction that a human being is always sacred and inviolable in any situation and in every stage of development. Every violation of the personal dignity is an offense against the creator of that individual.

REFLECTION

Pope Francis encourages us not to shy away from our mission because of difficulties. He preaches that hope will bring about the desired changes even if we ourselves do not see the results.

JOY OF THE GOSPEL

275 Some people do not commit themselves to mission because they think that nothing will change and that it is useless to make the effort. If we think things are never going to change we need to recall that Jesus Christ has triumphed over sin and death. A true missionary knows that Jesus walks with him, speaks to him, breathes wih him, and works with him. A person, who is not convinced, enthusiastic, certain, and in love will convince nobody.

278 Let us believe the Gospel when it tells us that the kingdom of God is already present in this world and is growing here and there and in different ways like “the small seed which grows into the great tree.” (Mt. 13:31) and like the “good seed that grows amid the weeds.” (Mt. 13:24) and can always pleasantly surprise us. Jesus did not rise in vain.

279 Let us be assured that none of our acts of love will be lost nor any of our acts of sincere concern for others. Sometimes it seems our acts are fruitless but don’t believe it. None will be lost; no effort is meaningless; no painful endurance is wasted. All of these encircle our world like a vital force giving life according to God’s holy will. The Holy Spirit works His will where He wills, even across the globe.

GOOD NEWS, BELIEVE!

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WHAT CATHOLICS BELIEVE!

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING

There are many core beliefs of the Catholic Church, founded by Jesus Christ, too many to include in this blog, but I will include a few of the more important ones. For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Catechism of the Catholic Church

JESUS IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE

GOD THE FATHER, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss and a mighty wind sweeping over the waters—Then God said: Let there be light, and there was light…God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night…..”

Evening came, and morning followed— Let the earth bring forth every kind of living creature: tame animals, crawling things, and every kind of wild animal. And so it happened…. Then God said: Let us make^* human beings in our image, after our likeness….God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female^* he created them. God blessed them and God said to them: Be fertile and multiply,, (Genesis 1)

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

279 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Holy Scripture begins with these solemn words. The profession of faith takes them up when it confesses that God the Father almighty is “Creator of heaven and earth” (Apostles’ Creed), “of all that is, seen and unseen” (Nicene Creed).

JESUS IS THE PROMISED MESIAH IN THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; They will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel.” Genesis 3:15

Catholics believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah who was promised to the Jewish people in the Old Testament. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus opened the gates of Heaven by his Crucifixion and Resurrection. He came to earth not only for the forgiveness of sins but to reveal the love and mercy of the Father.

CRUCIFIED, DIED AND WAS BURIED AND ON THIRD DAY ROSE FROM THE DEAD.

Jesus died on the Cross on Good Friday. On Easter Sunday, Mary Magdalene found an empty tomb. He had risen. He overcame death and showed us a new life. On Pentecost Sunday, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to sanctify the Church he founded.

THE HOLY TRINITY

A core belief of the Catholic religion is one God in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit but one God, not three gods. When we speak of the Father as Creator, we do not mean to say the Son and the Spirit had nothing to do with creation. The same can be said about the Father and the Spirit in regard redemption. The same can be said about the Father and the Son in regards sanctification. The source of all divine actions in the world is one Divine Nature. The Blessed Trinity acts in the world as one single and unique cause.

THE EUCHARIST

.“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26:26-28

Holy Communion (Eucharist) is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic religion. During the Mass, the priest who is acting in the person of Jesus, offers bread and wine to the Father and by the power of the Holy Spirit the bread becomes the Body of Christ and the wine becomes His blood just like at the Last Supper. When we partake of Communion, we are just like the disciples at the Last Supper

ORIGINAL SIN

In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve. In His image and likeness, He endowed them with intelligence, love, free will, and conscience. He gave them the grace of “original holiness.” Man and the world began in grace, not sin. The inner harmony of the human person, the harmony between man and woman, and the harmony between man and all of creation comprised the state of “original justice.”

According to the Creation Story in Genesis, Adam and Eve betrayed God, by being beguiled by the Devil and ate the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and discovered evil. God then banished Adam and Eve and their descendents (us) from the Garden of Eden and communion with Him. Because of this mistake, every one of us is born with original sin. We must be Baptized, another Holy sacrament of the Church, to be wiped clean of this original sin.

BAPTISM

Baptism not only removes Original Sin but is an initiation into God’s family and a call to discipleship. We are commissioned the same way Jesus commissioned his disciples over 2000 years ago. In the rite of Baptism, the priest or deacon says these words, “…God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has freed you from sin, given you a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and welcomed you into his holy people. He now anoints you with the chrism of salvation. As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet, and King, so may you live always as members of his body… you have become a new creation, and have clothed yourself in Christ…. What does it mean to be priest, prophet and king. As priest, we offer sacrifice. As prophet, we bear witness to the Gospel and as King, we serve our neighbors.

THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS

On the evening of the first day of the week, “Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, Peace be with you. ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.’” John 20: 22-23 Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Confession for personal sins committed after Baptism. We experience God’s mercy through the Sacrament of Confession.

It is there that we acknowledge who we are: limited, weak and sinful creatures in need of redemption. It is there that God forgives us of any and all of our sins. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him” John 3: 16-17.

The Sacrament of Confession is an enormous source of interior peace. The priest raises his hand, and then with a blessing pronounces those amazing words, “I absolve you from your sins.” At that moment, we know that God has heard our cry for forgiveness, and we have been pardoned of our sins.

RESURRECTION OF THE BODY AND LIFE EVERLASTING

The words “Life Everlasting” or “Eternal Life” are not to signify merely continuance of existence because even demons and the wicked continue to exist. Everlasting Life refers to the perpetuity of happiness, blessedness, wholeness, and union with the Most Blessed Trinity in heaven. “Eye hath not seen; ears hath not heard, or the heart of man conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” I Cor. 2:9

In the Book of Revelations, 21:4, it states, “They shall no more hunger and thirst. Neither shall the sun fall on them nor any heat. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and death shall be no more. Nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more for the former things are passed away.”

CLOSING PRAYER

Heavenly Father, eyes have not seen, ears have not heard what you have prepared for those who love you. You sent your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, not to condemn us, but to save us. By His merits, through His Passion and Death, do not look upon our sinfulness and what we truly deserve, but in your mercy, forgive us. our sins and bring us home to Eternal Life, In Jesus’ name, we pray.

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RENDER TO CAESAR THE THINGS THAT ARE CAESAR’S AND TO GOD THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD’S MATTHEW 22:21

1 Comment / CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING, CATHOLIC COMMENTARY

INTRODUCTION

Well, it is time for another election here in the United States. Some people flip a coin…some people vote their tribe…many agonize to the point of staying home. Many faithful Catholics will suffer as they joust their consciences with their “self-interest.” As disciples of Christ our self-interest should be our God interest.

WHO FORMS YOUR CONSCIENCE, JESUS CHRIST OR A POLITICAL PARTY?

Is it your personal encounter with Jesus Christ and His Church or is it the ideology of some political party? A well-formed conscience is necessary to make correct moral decisions. Voting is a moral obligation because through it we seek to affirm the moral truths that shape our lives as Catholics in a secular world.

“Conscience is a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act that he is going to perform, is in the process of performing, or already has completed performing. Conscience is a faculty of the intellect not the will. Man has the right to act according to his conscience, in fact is required to do so, even if it might be mistaken. However, born with a clouded intellect after the original fall, man is also required to educate his conscience to discern God’s will as revealed in Divine Law.” (CCC 1778)

ELECTION ISSUES

Abortion is an intrinsic evil. It is intended to kill the innocent human being growing in the mother’s womb and is never permitted. Abortion is not an acceptable means of birth control or a choice of the parents for a preferred gender or because a baby will be inconvenient. Nor is it acceptable to abort a child that may suffer from some disease or disability. That is euthanasia of the unborn.

Human life is sacred. Direct attacks on innocent human beings are never morally acceptable. Within our society, life is under direct attack from abortion, euthanasia, human cloning, and destruction of human embryos for research. These intrinsic evils must always be opposed.

God chooses life but not just the life of the unborn but the life of the already born. Jesus in his public ministry addressed the needs of the living by healing those from the effects of original sin, forgiving sins, healing the sick, raising the dead, preaching justice, and calling that we all be one like He and the Father are one.

Catholic Christians have been continually disappointed by politicians who say they are pro life when in fact they are more anti-abortion than PRO LIFE ISSUES. Pro Life is a seamless garment. When these politicians get in office because of well-intentioned Christian votes, they consistently oppose the “common good.” They often seem to care very little for the needs of the already living human beings that Jesus addressed in His public ministry.

WHAT IS THE “COMMON GOOD”

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 1906-1909

“the sum total of social conditions which allow people to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily.”….public authorities are bound to respect the fundamental and inalienable rights of the human person…the right to act according to a sound norm of conscience, safeguard privacy, freedom in matters of religion.”…and the stability and security of a just order.

US CATHOLIC BISHOPS GUIDELINES FOR VOTERS

A consistent ethic of life should guide all Catholic engagement in political life. Catholics should commit to defend human life and other human rights, from conception until natural death, to respect the dignity of every human being as a child of God.

We focus on the “common good” We ask how we can make the world a better place; not how I can improve my personal situation. Other assaults on human life and dignity, such as genocide, torture, racism, the targeting of noncombatants can never be justified. Disrespect for any human life diminishes respect for all human life. As Catholics we are not single-issue voters.

Caring for God’s Creation Care for the earth is a duty of our Catholic faith. We all are called to be careful stewards of God’s creation and to ensure a safe and hospitable environment for vulnerable human beings now and in the future

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable While the common good embraces all, those who are in greatest need deserve preferential concern. A moral test for society is how we treat the weakest among us—the unborn, those dealing with disabilities or terminal illness, the poor and marginalized, The Federal budget is a moral document and must provide as well for the poorest and most vulnerable in society.

Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Economic justice calls for decent work at fair, living wages, opportunities for legal status for immigrant workers, and the opportunity for all people to work together for the common good through their work, ownership, enterprise, participation in unions and other forms of economic activities.

Immigration needs be addressed in a humane way with compassion, while securing and protecting our borders. We must welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin out of charity and respect for the human person. We have the right and duty to secure one’s border and enforce the law for the sake of the common good. Sovereign nations have the right to enforce their laws and all persons must respect the legitimate exercise of this right.

CONCLUSION

We must be the leaven in society that bears witness to the Truth and bring others into God’s reign on earth. If you truly live your Catholic faith, you may not find complete alignment with any political party. Pray and Trust in Jesus that the vote you cast is the best vote you can cast.

Let us continue to pray for one another in our discernment process and forming a conscience according to God’s will as revealed in Divine Law.

Let us call on the Holy Spirit in our discernment as we prepare to perform not only our civic duty but our moral duty.

Come Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of your faithful,

kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.

And you shall renew the face of the earth.

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit,

did instruct the hearts of the faithful,

grant that by the same Holy Spirit

we may be truly wise

and ever enjoy His consolations,

Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

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BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MODEL OF FAITH AND OBEDIENCE

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING, MARY MOTHER OF GOD

October is one of two months of the year particularly dedicated by the Church to honor Mary. It is the month of the Holy Rosary and also includes the last apparition at Fatima, the miracle of the Sun, October 13. It is good to ponder Mary’s role in Salvation History.

For our Protestant brethren, let me say right up front that the Catholic Church does not worship Mary or make her an idol. We honor her as the Mother of God, Jesus. It is Mary’s flesh that Jesus took on to share in our humanity. All covenants failed until the New Covenant of Jesus. Man could not save himself under the law. Constantly man was breaking the law of the Covenant. It took a human and Divine human being to atone for our sins.

Mary did not just drop from the sky. Her part in the salvation story had been predicted in the Old Testament book of Genesis, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, ,and between your offspring and hers; They will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel.^”

Genesis 3:15.

In the Prophet Isaiah, a sign of the awaited Messiah is given, “The Lord himself will give you a sign, the young woman, pregnant and about to bear a son…” Isaiah 7:14. Even the place is predicted in Micah, “But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathaha least among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel” Micah 5:2

Mary is foreshadowed in the person of Eve. Both are mothers of all the living, yet in different ways. Eve is the mother of all those living with natural life, while Mary is the mother of all those living with supernatural life,

Without Mary, no Jesus, without Jesus, no salvation. Some will say I don’t need Mary, I pray directly to Jesus. Fine, but don’t we need all the help we can get. Why not ask His mother to intercede on our behalf too. After all Jesus performed His first miracle at His Mother’s request although His time had not come yet.

When we are having upcoming surgery we don’t just ask one friend to pray for us but we ask for all the prayers we can get. Praying to Mary can’t hurt anything but can only help.

Mary is the model of faith and obedience. At the Annunciation, Mary’s fiat, “let it be done to me according to your word…,” Luke 1:38 demonstrates her complete obedience to God and to His will for her. Church Father, St. Irenaeus, says, Mary “being obedient, became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race.”

.The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by Mary’s obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith. Our obedience of faith must be given to God as He reveals Himself, to us. It involves a complete submission of one’s self to God’s will.

We must have a humble faith, which means that we recognize it as an unmerited gift from God. Recall when Mary’s cousin Elizabeth greeted Mary as singular blessedness, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”

Mary immediately turned the attention away from herself to magnify the Lord. Mary’s hymn of praise, known as the Magnificat, is a shining example of the humble being exalted.

Mary’s perfect humility constantly leads her to point to her divine Son. “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness… Luke 1:46.

We, too, who have been baptized into eternal life must magnify the Lord through our very lives. Like Mary, our “humble faith” must lead us to bear witness to the great things God has done for us. We must proclaim Christ at every opportunity in a way that invites others to “come and see.”

In Luke 1:29 and Luke 2:19, Mary is pictured as a woman of faith who pondered all things, Jesus, in her heart. Mary’s “recollected faith” teaches us the importance of listening to God’s word, pondering the truths of our faith, and praying daily that our faith be preserved and strengthened.

Faith is a gift that is received or revived at any given moment in history. Faith is also a virtue. Like a muscle, it will go flabby if it’s not exercised but it will also grow stronger if we actively strive to grow in holiness.

Mary advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, from the Annunciation to Calvary, then to Pentecost. Mary never ceased to “wonder” in awe all that faith had revealed to her. Are we still awestruck in our faith at all that God has done for us or have we become indifferent and lukewarm? Mary, now assumed into heaven, is no longer on a pilgrimage herself, but continues to be a beacon of light for those of us still on the journey home.

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THE MASS THE WORSHIP WE PAY GOD FOR ALL HE GIVES TO US

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING, CATHOLIC COMMENTARY

JESUS INSTITUTES THE EUCHARIST

INTRODUCTION

For some time now I have been wondering how I might help improve Sunday Mass attendance among my fellow catholics. All surveys and polls show less and less each decade attend Sunday Mass on a regular basis despite objectively it is a grave sin to miss Mass on Sundays intentionally without sufficient cause.

Catholics must worship God on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation by participating in the Holy Mass. I know we are in that era of “cafeteria Catholics” who pick and choose what teachings of Jesus and His Church they are going to follow.

When it comes to the Mass, one may hear comments like, “it is boring,” “I don’t get anything out of it.” Some will say, I can worship God by going for a walk and appreciating nature. First, I will address the idea of The Mass being boring and getting nothing out of it. The Mass is primarily about worshipping God not about you getting some kind of thrill or high as you might with a material thing.

We were not at Calvary over 2000 years ago when God died for our sins in atonement. But at every Mass we re-present that sacrifice in an un-bloody manner. We receive again through no merit of our own all the graces that were merited by Jesus over 2000 years ago and participate in our redemption by offering ourselves to the extant we can. So we do get something after all, an increase in sanctifying grace.

Just a word for the nature lover who chooses walks over attending Mass. It is a good thing to acknowledge God the Creator but God is also the Redeemer, and Sanctifier. The best way to give thanks (eucharistia) for all that God has done for us is the Liturgy of the Mass.

I am convinced if a person knew and understood the various parts of the Liturgy of the Mass Mass would no longer be boring or something to be skipped or set aside. Nowhere on earth will one be closer to Jesus than in the Liturgy of the Mass which includes the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith.

So let’s begin:

INTRODUCTORY RITES

At Mass we are welcomed by the priest celebrant who stands in the place of Christ. We begin with the sign of the cross placing ourselves in God’s presence and bearing witness that we are as a community pledged to Christ’s standards, not the world’s. Just as Jews in Israel, had to cleanse themselves before worshipping in the temple, we now at Mass confess our sins in the Confiteor and ask for God’s Mercy in the prayers, Lord have mercy.

The tone of the liturgy now shifts from sorrowful repentance to joyful praise, the Gloria. The opening line of the Gloria is taken from the words sung by the angels over the fields of Bethlehem, announcing to the shepherds the good news. “Glory to God in the highest and peace to men of good will.”

After praising the Father we have a summary of the Salvation Story with His Son, Jesus Christ the main character, “Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.”

After this hymn of praise and thanksgiving, the priest leads the people in a prayer called the Collect because it gathers all the intentions of the people participating and offers them to the Father in this prayer.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

On Sundays there is a reading from the Old Testament and then from the New Testament before the Gospel. Remember the Bible is the inspired word of God given to us through the instrument of human writers but God is the author of the Bible. CCC 105 God is the author of Sacred Scripture. “The divinely revealed realities, which are contained and presented in the text of Sacred Scripture, have been written down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.”

While the whole of the Bible is inspired, Vatican II taught that the Gospels rightly have “a special place…because they are our principal source for the life and teaching of the Incarnate Word, our Savior, Jesus Christ.” The Gospel is not like a news report but the inspired word of God talking to us today.

The Gospel is usually followed by a homily. In Greek, homily means explanation. In the homily, the priest/preacher breaks open the word of God in various ways to assist us in applying it to our lives. After hearing the word of God, we affirm our belief in the Creed, an entire summary of salvation history. In the early Church the Creed was part of the rite of Baptism.

PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS

The priest offers bread and wine to the Father along with our offerings and asks that these gifts be made holy by the power of the Holy Spirit. Before offering the wine he places a drop of water in the chalice while saying, “May we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity.” The priest prays that he may be cleansed from any sins or improprieties by washing his hands. As the priest begins the “sacrifice of the Mass” he prays, “Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.”

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

This part of the Mass begins with invoking God’s presence once again and affirming it is right and just to give God praise and thanks for all He does and what He is about to do in the transforming the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. The priest calls upon God to send the Holy Spirit to come upon these gifts (epiclesis) The priest’s prays “Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ”

Soon after, the priest says the words of consecration, “Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my body, which will be given up for you… Then the priest takes the chalice, “Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.”

To understand better the words, “Do this in memory of me,” we need the context of the Passover, the Jewish liturgical celebration of their freedom from slavery in Egypt. Annually, the Jewish community celebrate Passover. Biblical memorials were not just recalled but re-lived. A liturgical memorial brings the past and present together, making the long-ago event mystically present for the current generation.

This memorial (anamnesis) at Mass makes what happened in the Upper Room and on Calvary sacramentally present today. This same sacrifice, now in an unbloody manner that Christ offered once for all on the cross remains ever present. The power of Jesus’ sacrificial offering is applied to our lives for the daily sins we commit. There is also an increase in sanctifying grace.

After the consecration and raising of the body and blood of Jesus, the priest genuflects and announces the mystery of faith and invites us to proclaim with him what has just taken place, Jesus Christ who died for our sins is truly present on the altar under the appearances of bread and wine.

THE RITE OF PEACE

Many people seek the security and peace of this world, which is a peace based on success and on everything going well. Christ, however, offers us a deeper, longer lasting peace, an internal, spiritual peace that can withstand life’s many disappointments, trials, and sufferings.—one that the world does not give. This is the kind of peace of heart that also builds true unity within marriages, families, communities, parishes, and nations. We are invited by the priest to share this peace with our neighbor.

AGNUS DEI

Fraction is the breaking of the bread, now the body of Christ. The priest places a small particle of the bread in the chalice while saying, “May this mingling of the body and blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ bring to us who receive it eternal life.” When we recite the Agnus Dei, Lamb of God who takes away the sins….we join the chorus of heaven and earth, worshiping the Lamb of God, the Passover Lamb sacrificed for our salvation.

HOLY COMMUNION

In the Book of Revelations an angel instructs John to write: “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rv 19:9). What is this festive supper of the Lamb? It is the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist. When the priest says, “Blessed are those who are called to the supper of the Lamb,” he echoes the angel’s invitation to the wedding supper of the Lamb in the Book of Revelations.

We are being called to participate in the marriage feast of Jesus and his Church. When you walk down the aisle to receive Holy Communion, as a member of the Church, you are coming to be united to your bridegroom, Jesus. In the spirit of unworthiness, we express our confidence that God is calling us despite our sinfulness. “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”

CONCLUDING RITES

“Go the Mass is ended.” We are sent forth as Jesus sent forth his disciples, “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you,” John 20:21.” We have been fed and nourished in our faith. It is our time to spread the Good News! Our mission if we choose to accept it is live the Gospel in words and actions.

CONCLUSION

Come back to Mass, you will be glad you did and the world will be a better place for your participation. There is no greater way to give thanks to God the Creator, God the Redeemer, and God the Sanctifier. One God, three Persons! Your bridegroom awaits you at the wedding feast of the Lamb.

“The Eucharist is a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Father by which the Church expresses her gratitude to God for his benefits, for all that he has accomplished through creation, redemption, and sanctification. Eucharist means first of all ‘thanksgiving’ ” Catechism of the Catholic Church 1360

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TEN COMMANDMENTS – GOD’S SELF HELP MANUAL

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING

INTRODUCTION

In a recent post I talked about asking our shepherds to talk more about the Sin word. To call a sin, a sin and not be compromised by the world view that often sees sin as a character flaw, a weakness, not a sin (moral relativism) I have decided to go back to the origin of sin, all the way back to Genesis to our first parents who disobeyed God’s one restriction in the garden.

Remember God is all good and wishes us all well. He knew when man ate of the tree of good and evil, man would experience evil and its consequences. God will always try to protect mankind but His respect for the gift of free will is of the highest priority. God will not force the good on us but there are consequences.

After the fall in the garden, later God gave Moses the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) which are NOT so much prohibitions but a way of living that avoids the consequences of sin. .Some of you are old enough to remember the old Baltimore Catechism, especially the first question, “Why did God make you” Answer: “God made me to know Him, love Him, and serve Him in this life, and be happy with Him in the next.” This one simple answer says it all It sums up the nature of God as a loving Father and His intention for us to live happily with Him ever after.

The biblical story of the origin of the Ten Commandments suggests that Moses received them directly from God on Mt. Sinai around 1280 B.C. The Bible offers different accounts of the full text of the Ten Commandments; one in the book of Exodus and the other in Deuteronomy. The Catholic Church ascribes to the version in Deuteronomy and follows the division and enumeration provided in the Septuagint, the Old Testament translated from Hebrew into Greek that the early Christians followed.

REFLECTION GOD’S SELF HELP MANUAL (TEN COMMANDMENTS)

“I AM THE LORD THY GOD, THOU SHALT NOT HAVE ANY STRANGE GODS BEFORE ME.”

This commandment forbids idolatry, the worship of false gods and goddesses. It asserts there is only One God. False gods or idols can be anything that man puts before this One God including people, fame, fortune and material things.

“THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN.”

The faithful are required to honor the name of God. It makes sense that if you’re to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, then you’re naturally to respect the name of God with equal passion and vigor. You do not curse someone with the name of God, mock God, or dismiss God as irrelevant.

“REMEMBER TO KEEP HOLY THE SABBATH DAY.”

The Jewish celebration of Sabbath (Shabbat) begins at sundown on Friday evening and lasts until sundown on Saturday. Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christians go to church on Sunday, treating it as the Lord’s Day instead of Saturday to honor the day Christ rose from the dead. We take at least one day of the week to give thanks to God who cares for us 24/7. It is not about us it is about paying respect to the God of all. Some may say it is boring but then, do they believe in God and what is owed God by virtue of our very life and all His blessings.

“HONOR THY FATHER AND MOTHER.”

This commandment obliges the faithful to show respect for their parents. Children must obey their parents, and adults must respect and see to the care of their parents, when they become old and infirm. You do not abandon your parents nor support euthanasia for those you deem useless.

“THOU SHALT NOT KILL.”

Killing an innocent person is considered murder. Killing an unjust aggressor to preserve your own life isn’t considered murder or immoral. Abortion is the killing of an innocent child. That child is growing in the womb of the mother but is not the property of the mother any more than any live born child.

“THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.”

This commandment asks us to honor human sexuality according to natural law and Divine Law. Not only adultery of a married person having relations with someone other than their spouse but includes prohibition of other misuse of our gift of sexuality, fornication which is sex between unmarried people, prostitution, pornography, masturbation, homosexual activity, rape, incest, pedophilia, bestiality, and necrophilia.

“THOU SHALT NOT STEAL.”

This commandments focus on respecting and honoring the possessions of others. This commandment forbids the act of taking someone else’s property. The Catholic Church believes this commandment includes cheating people of their money, depriving people of fair wages, tax evasion and damage to other people’s property including random vandalism.

“THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOR. The Eighth Commandment condemns lying. Because God is regarded as the author of all truth, the Church believes that humans are obligated to honor the truth. To lie about your neighbor may not be killing his/her body but are killing their reputation and who they are to themselves and others.

“THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR’S WIFE.”

This Commandment forbids the intentional desire and longing for immoral sexuality. To sin in the heart, Jesus says, is to lust after a woman or a man in your heart with the desire and will to have immoral sex with them. Catholicism regards human sexuality as a divine gift, so it’s considered sacred in the proper context — marriage. Lusting in the heart is a heartbeat from lustfull immoral actions

“THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR’S GOODS.”

The Tenth Commandment forbids the wanting to or taking someone else’s property. This commandment condemns theft along with feelings of envy, greed, and jealousy in reaction to what other people have.

Most readers of the summary of commandments above can anticipate the disastrous results when these commandments are not followed:. Abusive relationships, dysfunctional families, the weak and vulnerable oppressed and bullied, no moral compass outside themselves, abandoned, ignored and diminished people who we deem not worthy of our respect and care.

WHAT DOES JESUS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT GOD’S LAW

Now a word from Jesus in the New Testament on GOD’S SELF HELP MANUAL. In Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

You will find Jesus’ self-help manual in Matthew 5:3-16, Sermon on the Mount-the Beatitudes.

CONCLUSION

God wants us to be happy. Jesus puts an exclamation point on this in the Sermon on the Mount. Another name for “blessed” is happy

Worldly wisdom often complains that the Church’s moral teachings make people miserable. But the Church argues that being moral is the only way to be happy. Augustine said it best: “In seeking you, my God, I seek a happy life” (Confessions, 10, 20).

The prevalent despair, obsessive behavior, and anxiety in our culture arise not from being moral, but from the abandonment of the moral law. Of course, happiness is mixed with sorrow and the inevitable tragedies of life.

There are no perfect families, perfect marriages, perfect parishes—nothing human is perfect. Part of our moral quest and journey home to God and all the saints includes carrying our cross.

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CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING EVERLASTING LIFE

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING

Heavenly Father, eyes have not seen, ears have not heard

what you have prepared for those who love you.

Jesus, You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Spirit of Christ help us to persevere. In Jesus’ name we pray!

COMMENTARY

One of the most fundamental beliefs of the Catholic Church is in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. If Jesus hadn’t defeated death as well as sin, what is the point? We would be living a random, meaningless life like those who refuse to believe in God, believe in no outside authority than themselves, and nothing to hold us in check in our inner actions with others.

It would be totally chaotic and self driven by under whelming minds and out of control lusts for power, money and fame. Let’s face it if that is all there is in this world, then why not aggrandize everything to ourselves before death ends it all. And if we are having a bad time of it, why not doctor assisted suicide? And if people are sick, disabled, not useful to us, most importantly an inconvenient pregnancy why not cleanse humanity of its imperfections? Pretty depressing picture, right! Thank God and I mean that literally this is not the reality Christians live!

Fortunately, for Christians there is much more. We believe in God that cares, who is involved in our lives, and wishes to spend all eternity with us. Yes, we are material and spiritual, made up of body and soul. And Jesus promises us there is a place already picked out for us to live for all eternity.

“In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?3^* And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. “John 14;2-3

CATHOLIC SCRIPTURE

St. Paul preaches in his first letter to the Corinthians, “How can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead then Christ has not been raised and if Christ has not been raised then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” (Cor. 15:12-14)

Death is a consequence of Original Sin. After death, each person faces a particular judgment before God. After the particular judgment, the person will either immediately enter into the blessedness of heaven, purification in purgatory, or eternal damnation in hell. Those who die in the grace and friendship with God and who are perfectly purified from sinfulness will see God face to face as He really is and live with Christ forever.

In the resurrection we will have spiritual bodies. Our natural bodies came from Adam, our spiritual bodies come from Christ. St. Paul says: “as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man [Adam], so we shall bear the likeness of the heavenly one [Christ]” (1 Corinthians 15:49) Jesus came to “dress our perishable nature with imperishability and our mortal nature with immortality’ (1 Corinthians 15:53).

Our short lives on earth are a sowing time. Life on earth is the time when the seeds of the risen body are planted. St. Paul says: “What is sown is perishable, but what is raised is imperishable; what is sown is contemptible but what is raised is glorious; what is sown is weak, but what is raised is powerful; what is sown is a natural body, and what is raised is a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).

Everlasting Life refers to the perpetuity of happiness, blessedness, wholeness, and union with the Most Blessed Trinity in heaven. The Early Fathers of the Church described eternal life as “exemption from all evil and an enjoyment of all good.

“Eye hath not seen; ears hath not heard, or the heart of man conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” (I Cor. 2:9)

In the Book of Revelations, the last book of Scriptures, it states, “They shall no more hunger and thirst. Neither shall the sun fall on them nor any heat. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and death shall be no more. Nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more for the former things are passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

Our essential happiness in heaven will be the Beatific Vision, to see God as He is, God who is the source of all goodness and perfection. “Dearly beloved we are now the sons and daughters of God and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know when He shall appear we shall be like Him because we shall see Him as He is.” (I John 3:2)

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING

CCC 1026 By his death and Resurrection, Jesus Christ has “opened” heaven to us. The life of the blessed consists in the full and perfect possession of the fruits of the redemption accomplished by Christ. He makes partners in his heavenly glorification those who have believed in him and remained faithful to his will. Heaven is the blessed community of all who are perfectly incorporated into Christ.

CCC 1020 The Christian who unites his own death to that of Jesus views it as a step towards him and an entrance into everlasting life. When the Church for the last time speaks Christ’s words of pardon and absolution over the dying Christian, seals him for the last time with a strengthening anointing, and gives him Christ in viaticum as nourishment for the journey, she speaks with gentle assurance:

“Go forth Christian soul from this world in the name of God, the Almighty Father who created you. In the name of Jesus, the Son of the Living God who suffered for you. In the name of the Holy Spirit who was poured out upon you. Go forth faithful Christian. May you live in peace this day. May your home be with God, with Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, with Joseph and all the angels and saints. May you return to your Creator who formed you from the dust of the earth. May Holy Mary, the angels and all the saints come to meet you as you go forth from this life. May you see your Redeemer face to face.” (CCC=Catechism of Catholic Church)

QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Purgatory is a teaching of the Church. Souls in purgatory can pray for us but not themselves. What is my response?

What prayers do I say for my departed relatives and friends?

Am I frightened of death? Why? If I knew I was going to die soon, would I make changes in my behavior? If so, what?

Since the body will rise on the last day and become immortal, why do you think God would have such a plan that body and soul would live for all eternity together?

What can’t you wait to say to Jesus in person?

God so loves us and cannot wait to greet us. How excited are we to embrace Him? Let us keep our eyes fixed on the prize!

CLOSING PRAYER

Heavenly Father, You sent your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, not to condemn us but to save us. Do not look upon our sinfulness and what we truly deserve, but in your mercy, forgive us. Bring us home to Eternal Life with you, your Son, and the Most Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, we pray.

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