Yesterday was Saint Valentine's day. Making the rounds of the Catholic facebook groups were photos such as the one to your left.
The small point is obvious. Every February 14th, we spend billions celebrating the feast day of a saint we know nothing about by sending each other chocolates, candy, flowers, balloons and who knows what else, when all these things have nothing to do with a saint who was imprisoned, mocked, brutalized and murdered.
The larger point is even more telling.
If you truly and fiercely love, you will leave this world looking a lot like Saint Valentine did when he left it- beaten and bloodied.
To truly love someone who is often utter unlovable is a work in patience and suffering equal to any vocation on this earth. To be that utter unlovable creature who is loved anyway is to come to grips with the scene in Luke 7:37-48 and to know that love, far from a trip through the clouds with a cherub with a bow is the hardest work there is on earth.
In love on earth, we hope to draw nearer to the love of God and to contemplate it and understand it. In the frustration of loving someone almost hell-bent on destroying himself, perhaps we can understand the deep pain of loss felt by Our Savior when one won't come to Him, though he had every opportunity to do so.
Yesterday, I stayed home from work because I was having back and neck pain. The same back and neck pain that kept me tossing and turning all night and bothers me right at this moment.
Yes, I took my pain meds. However, rather than rest my back and get better, I argued on facebook all day and loaded myself with carbs and sugar, like a complete idiot. My amazing wife made me this amazing dinner of Steak, Lobster and Champagne but, afterwards, I was too dizzy to stay up and went to bed.
This morning, 8 hours later, my blood sugar level was still off the chart. Happy Valentines day, sweetheart....but I gotta tell ya......Your husband is a real jackass.
Today is a great opportunity to show your spouse, those who are married, that you love them. Traditionally, we buy flowers, maybe a box of chocolates, and maybe even a teddy bear.
I remember at Mass, the Priest would offer married couples to renew their vows in a sacramental way. That is really awesome, I see that in a simular way like during the Easter Season, renewing our Baptismal vows. St. Valentines Day is a great way to show your love for your spouse.
In our Catholic tradition, the feast is an honor to a great Catholic Saint who died in 269 A.D. During the persecution of the Roman Emperor, Cladius II, St. Valentine served with his family, St. Marius, helping the martyrs.
As a Priest, St. Valentine served Our Lord and His holy Church in the face of the persecution. He would be captured by the Roman Army and interrigated. They attempted to get St. Valentines to renouce his Faith in Jesus Christ. St. Valentine was heroic as were many he served.
He was a great inspiration for the faithful as St. Peter had been in the face of trial. Because of the strength of St. Valentines faith, he was helping the flock of Christ.
Claudius had St. Valentine beheaded, just like St. Paul, his spiritual Father!
God is always showing his love even towards his enemies. The Lord healed the Jailer keeping watch on St. Valentine restoring his sight to him. Sounds a lot like St. Paul!!!
St. Valentine died on February 14, 269. Pope Julius built a church in his honor near Ponte Mole in the custom of the Church! His remains are kept at the church of St. Praxedes in Porta del Popolo.
It is interesting that the long held name had been Porta Valentini, a sign of the devotion of the people of God for this holy Saint. I remember some Protestant friends of mine were at a local resturant celebrating St. Valentines Day.
I couldn't help but think that if they really knew the Mass and the Church, they could appreciate St. Valentines! This is an example pointing to the promises of Christ in it's fulness, the promise of everlasting life.
As St. Nicholas is honored for the giving of all he had to those in need, St. Valentine is remembered for giving the highest gift of himself for his people. Jesus said, "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you" (John 15:13-14). St. Valentine, friend of Jesus, pray for us. Home page DTB facebook Page You Tube Blog Talk Radio Show
Valentine was a holy priest in Rome, who, with St. Marius and his family, assisted the martyrs in the persecution under Claudius II. He was apprehended, and sent by the emperor to the prefect of Rome, who, on finding all his promises to make him renounce his faith ineffectual, commanded him to be beaten with clubs, and afterwards, to be beheaded, which was executed on February 14, about the year 270. Pope Julius I is said to have built a church near Ponte Mole to his memory, which for a long time gave name to the gate now called Porta del Popolo, formerly, Porta Valetini. The greatest part of his relics are now in the church of St. Praxedes. His name is celebrated as that of an illustrious martyr in the sacramentary of St. Gregory, the Roman Missal of Thomasius, in the calendar of F. Fronto and that of Allatius, in Bede, Usuard, Ado, Notker and all other martyrologies on this day. To abolish the heathens lewd superstitious custom of boys drawing the names of girls, in honor of their goddess Februata Juno, on the fifteenth of this month, several zealous pastors substituted the names of saints in billets given on this day.
The Origin of St. Valentine
The origin of St. Valentine, and how many St. Valentines there were, remains a mystery. One opinion is that he was a Roman martyred for refusing to give up his Christian faith. Other historians hold that St. Valentine was a temple priest jailed for defiance during the reign of Claudius. Whoever he was, Valentine really existed because archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine. In 496 AD Pope Gelasius marked February 14th as a celebration in honor of his martyrdom.
The first representation of Saint Valentine appeared in a The Nuremberg Chronicle, a great illustrated book printed in 1493. [Additional evidence that Valentine was a real person: archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine.] Alongside a woodcut portrait of him, text states that Valentinus was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius the Goth [Claudius II]. Since he was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome [when helping them was considered a crime], Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner -- until Valentinus made a strategic error: he tried to convert the Emperor -- whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that didn't do it, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate [circa 269].
Saints are not supposed to rest in peace; they're expected to keep busy: to perform miracles, to intercede. Being in jail or dead is no excuse for non-performance of the supernatural. One legend says, while awaiting his execution, Valentinus restored the sight of his jailer's blind daughter. Another legend says, on the eve of his death, he penned a farewell note to the jailer's daughter, signing it, "From your Valentine."
St. Valentine was a Priest, martyred in 269 at Rome and was buried on the Flaminian Way. He is the Patron Saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses.
from Wikipedia
Saint Valentine (in Latin, Valentinus) is a widely recognized third century Roman saint commemorated on February 14 and associated since the High Middle Ages with a tradition of courtly love. Nothing is reliably known of St. Valentine except his name and the fact that he died on February 14 on Via Flaminia in the north of Rome. It is uncertain whether St. Valentine is to be identified as one saint or two saints of the same name. Several differing martyrologies have been added to later hagiographies that are unreliable. For these reasons this liturgical commemoration was not kept in the Catholic calendar of saints for universal liturgical veneration as revised in 1969.[2] But the "Martyr Valentinus who died on the 14th of February on the Via Flaminia close to the Milvian bridge in Rome" still remains in the list of officially recognized saints for local veneration.[3] Saint Valentine's Church in Rome, built in 1960 for the needs of the Olympic Village, continues as a modern, well-visited parish church.[4]
Today, Saint Valentine's Day, also known as the Feast of Saint Valentine, is an official feast day in the Anglican Communion,[5] as well as in the Lutheran Church.[6] In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Saint Valentine the Presbyter is celebrated on July 6 [7] and Hieromartyr Saint Valentine (Bishop of Interamna, Terni in Italy) is celebrated on July 30.[8] Notwithstanding, because of the relative obscurity of this western saint in the East, members of the Greek Orthodox Church named Valentinos (male) or Valentina (female) may celebrate their name day on the Western ecclesiastical calendar date of February 14.[9]
Identification
In the Roman Catholic Church the name Valentinus does not yet occur in the earliest list of Roman martyrs, compiled by the Chronographer of 354.[10] But it already can be found in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum,[11] which was compiled, from earlier local sources, between 460 and 544. The feast of St. Valentine of February 14 was first established in 496 by Pope Gelasius I, who included Valentine among all those "... whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God." As Gelasius implies, nothing was yet known to him about his life.
The Catholic Encyclopedia[12] and other hagiographical sources [13] speak of three Saint Valentines that appear in connection with February 14. One was a Roman priest, another the bishop of Interamna (modern Terni) both buried along the Via Flaminia outside Rome, at different distances from the city. The third they say was a saint who suffered on the same day with a number of companions in the Roman province of Africa, for whom nothing else is known.
Though the extant accounts of the martyrdoms of the first two listed saints are of a late date and contain legendary elements, a common nucleus of fact may underlie the two accounts and they may refer to one single person.[14] According to the official biography of the Diocese of Terni, Bishop Valentine was born and lived in Interamna and was imprisoned and tortured in Rome on February 14, 273, while on a temporary stay there. His body was buried in a hurry at a nearby cemetery and a few nights later his disciples came and carried him home.[15]
Τhe Roman Martyrology, the Catholic Church's official list of recognized saints, for February 14 gives only one Saint Valentine; a martyr who died on the Via Flaminia.[16]
One of the nice things about having a blog is that you get to stand on a soap box any time you get an urge to string more than 140 characters together. So, I’d like to take a moment to pretend all the network and cable media are out there listening so that I may educate them about what they either do not know, don’t care to know, or pretend not to know: the Catholic Church is not a political entity or a democracy. It is neither a denomination nor a bunch of sinless saints either, though that last one is something it really ought to be.
No, the Church, most closely, is a family, a big one. The members, past, present, and future are in various stages of sanctity from the most depraved sinner who refuses to step foot in the door, to the grossest hypocrite enthroned in the pew front and center, to the saintly old lady offering her sufferings unnoticed from the back pew.
Like any large family we squabble. This one with the beam blinding him wants to take the mote out of that one's eye. You know how it goes. Some of us are best buddies, some of us best enemies, and some of us just can't stand sitting in the same car with others of us, much less the same pew. "His politics are touching me!"
The only thing we have in common is Christ, the Eucharist. Well, Him and sin. We all fall short in some way and we all need Him. I guess that makes three things we have in common. But that's it.
I forgot the other Sacraments. We have Baptism in common and Marriage, Confirmation, Last Rites, Holy Orders, and Confession. Some of us really need to make that list way more common, but I digress.
We don't even speak the same language, aside from Latin, so it really is hard for us to have a decent conversation across the dinner table or the Altar. Who needs it anyway? We go to Mass to hear, not to be heard, so really, that's not as big a problem as it could be.
Our biggest problem is ourselves, that "falling short” business. Our second biggest problem is that whole “bear wrongs patiently” injunction. Nobody but a saint could manage that with people like *insert name here* around.
Oh. Right. Sainthood. Holiness. That’s what we’re supposed to be shooting for. That’s that mark we keep on missing.
Which brings us to today. It’s that time again, time for repentance. It’s time to fast, rend our garments, get all ashy and penitent. Yes, my sweet Evangelical friends, of course we could do this any time and on our own initiative just like David did. We can also do it when the Powers That Be call us to do it just like Nineveh did. Or we could do it this way, too, the way most of us are much more likely to do it, just like our elder brothers and sisters, the Jewish faithful, do each year, we can be called to a scheduled and seasonal ritual of repentance.
Which brings us to Mass and Ashes today and you, my usual audience of people who read to the last paragraph or so. You’re used to endurance, so this season may just be your kind of thing. This year it you may be called to offer up your regular seat and parking space to someone new showing up for their Ashes. You may be called to offer up the knee jerk response of jerks just because our faith happens to be in the news. And hardest of all you may even be called to give up a gentle and faithful Papa to ill health and old age long before you are ready.
It’s going to be a long haul this year. We’ve got a lot to offer this year. Might as well get to it because it seems that now is a very acceptable time, like it or not.
Pope Benedict XVI on Monday said he plans on resigning the papal office on February 28. The following is the full text of Benedict's declaration:
Dear Brothers,
I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering.
However, in today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.
Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.
"Duc in Altum" means to "Put out into the deep" (Luke 5:4)!
With this command from the Lord, Jesus is inviting us to go deeper into the mysteries of our faith.
This is also the "Mission Statement" of deepertruth, "to know our faith, love our faith, and to spread our faith".
In the Catholic Faith, we have the opportunity to cast out our nets and discover we can go "deep sea fishing" that takes us beyond skimming the surface.
For many people, it takes a while to generate an interest to search for the "meat and potatoes" that can fill our hunger.
Jesus invites us to drink from the well that will never run dry. When was the last time you decided to pick up a bible and read it?
To examine the text, to pray over the message, to prepare for Mass? I believe that the more you put into your faith, the more you will get out of it and you will allow yourself the opportunity to grow.
Faith does come by hearing the word of God, but to keep this great faith, we must forever grow in our hunger and yearning to know God more.
From our Pastors Corner, in our bulliten, Father Downey writes, "Faith in Jesus Christ is a responsibility - a gift for sure, but nevertheless a responsibility.
If we don't engage the gift we have been given, if our faith is not working toward maturity, we run the risk of turning in on ourselves, abandoning God, and making ourselves the arbiters of truth.
This is what happened to the tenants of the vineyard in today's Gospel. They were mere lessees of the vineyard, not the owners.
But their pride blinded them and they forgot their identity - moving them to forge a new identity rooted in self-seeking. This false identity resulted in the oppression and death of innocent people.
Jesus is speaking metaphorically of the long lineage of authority figures in Israel (the tenants) and how pride overthrew their faith and moved each of them to dispel anyone who got in the way of their self-seeking.
Those who challenged their actions (the prophets represented as the servants and the son of course represented Jesus) would suffer the consequences. In our world today, there are many "tenants" and also many "servants".
Our responsibility is to engage our gift of faith and allow the Holy Spirit to move us away from false identity and mold us into our truest identity as servants, so that we courageously carry out the will of the Father - bearing fruit in our ownlives and in the lives of others".
Thank you Father Downey for this meditation. We are called to bear good fruit in our lives. And we are not to grumble when new servants get the same pay for working the vineyard. We are to celebrate their conversion.
We are called to love from a springboard truth and from the foundation planted along living water, planted near streams of running water.
We are called to study God's law day and night, it should always be placed in the honor of our hearts where it can grow.
Out of the mouth, the heart speaks. How precious it is to hear a child say something they learned from their parants reading the bible or talking about the faith. From praying family devotions!
In todays world there are many voices out competing for our attention.
Let us hold fast to the Gospel that helps us navigate through this challenging world.
Why do Catholics believe in seven sacraments, while Protestants believe in only two?
Exactly what is a sacrament, and what does it do for a person?
Catholics believe in seven sacraments because Christ instituted seven; because the Apostles and Church Fathers believed in seven; because the second Ecumenical Council of Lyons (1274) defined seven; and because the Ecumenical Council of Trent (1545-1563) confirmed seven.
In short, the enumeration, seven, arises from the perpetual tradition of Christian belief--which explains why that enumeration is accepted not only by Catholics, but by all of the other ancient and semi-ancient Christian communities--Egyptian Coptic, Ethiopian Monophysite, Syrian Jacobite, Greek Orthodox and Russian Orthodox.
To understand what a sacrament is, and what it does for a person, one must know the correct, the traditional Christian, definition of a sacrament.
Properly defined, a sacrament is ``an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace'' (holiness) to the soul . . . that is to say, it is a divinely prescribed ceremony of the Church in which the words and action combine to form what is at the same time both a sign of divine grace and a fount of divine grace.
When this special grace--distinct from ordinary, inspirational grace--is imparted to the soul, the Holy Spirit of God is imparted to the soul, imbuing the soul with divine life, uniting the soul to Christ.
As the Scriptures point out, this grace is the grace of salvation--without it man is, in a very real sense, isolated from Christ. And as the Scriptures point out, Christ gave His Church seven sacraments to serve as well-springs of this ineffable, soul-saving grace, the grace which flows from His sacrifice on Calvary:
BAPTISM--the sacrament of spiritual rebirth through which we are made children of God and heirs of Heaven: ``Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.'' (John 3:5. Also see Acts 2:38, Rom. 6:2-6).
CONFIRMATION--the sacrament which confers the Holy Spirit to make us strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ: ``Now when the apostles, who were in Jerusalem, had heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John. Who, when they were come, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost.... Then they laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost.'' (Acts 8:14-17. Also see Acts 19:6).
The EUCHARIST--the sacrament, also known as Holy Communion, which nourishes the soul with the true Flesh and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus, under the appearance, or sacramental veil, of bread and wine: ``And whilst they were eating, Jesus took bread; and blessing, broke, and gave to them, and said: Take ye. This is my body. And having taken the chalice, giving thanks, he gave it to them. And they all drank of it. And he said to them: This is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many.'' (Mark 14:22-24. Also see Matt. 26:26-28, Luke 22:19-20, John 6:52-54, 1 Cor. 10:16).
PENANCE--the sacrament, also known as Confession, through which Christ forgives sin and restores the soul to grace: ``Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained. '' (John 20:22-23. Also see Matt. 18:18).
EXTREME UNCTION--the sacrament, sometimes called the Last Anointing, which strengthens the sick and sanctifies the dying: ``Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord . . . and if he be in ,ins, they shall be forgiven him.'' (James 5:14-15. Also see Mark 6:12-13).
HOLY ORDERS--the sacrament of ordination which empowers priests to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, administer the sacraments, and officiate over all the other proper affairs of the Church: ``For every high priest taken from among men, is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God, that he may offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins.... Neither doth any man take the honor to himself, but he that is called by God, as Aaron was.'' (Heb. 5:1-4. Also see Acts 20:28, 1 Tim. 4:14). Also: ``And taking bread, he gave thanks, and broke; and gave to them, saying: This is my body, which is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of me.'' (Luke 22:19).
MATRIMONY--the sacrament which unites a man and woman in a holy and indissoluble bond: ``For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be in one flesh. Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.'' (Matt. 19:5-6. Also see Mark 10:7-9, Eph. 5:22-32).
There you have it, the Word of Christ and the example of the Apostles attesting both to the validity and the efficacy of the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church. In truth, every one of them is an integral part of Christ's plan for man's eternal salvation.
There is so much good coming from Catholics such as the above article that I publish with permission from Susan J Melkus. If your Catholic out there wondering in the land of the internet, you can find some good things out there. Deepertruth.com we would love to see you make a place of frequent visitation! God bless you all!
There is pollution in the air that is effecting the hearts and minds of many people all over the world. Children often are the target of much of the pollution taking place which is seated in the deepest recesses of the heart. Rebellion digs deep into the soul when it turns away from God for the beautiful side of evil.
Ephesians 5:1-5 says, "So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is fitting among the holy ones, no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place, but instead, thanksgiving. Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolator, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God".
St. Paul takes this deeper writing to the Galations 5:16-21, "I say, then: live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh. For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want. But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warned you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God".
St. John 5:16-17, refers to these as "deadly sins" from which the Catholic Church calls "Mortal Sins". St. John states, "If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. All wrong doing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly."
When St. Paul speaks about sin that will prevent a person any "inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God" that is a mortal sin."
Consider Jesus (Matthew 12:36-37) clear warning. "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
Basically, the Lord is saying, out of the heart, the mouth speaks. I will say, garbage in, garbage out. It does matter what a person accepts and brings in. The sad thing is that many are being raised by this standard from their own parents. Children will imitate whom they admire and grow into what they imitate.
Jesus gives a clear warning on this as well, Matthew 18:6 says, "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 case sin! Such things must come, but woe to the one through whom they come!"
How sad it is when it is from the parents that a child learns to sin. It is especially important that Fathers lead by example, the good things of God.
Consider Colossians 3:5-8, "Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry. Because of these the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. By these you too once conducted yourselves, when you lived in that way. But now you must put them all away: anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths."
Ephesians 4:29 states, "No foul language should come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for needed edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear."
Is there a constant theme in all this? It is clear that we must reform our lives and transform our lives to the way of the Lord. The Church calls us to constant conversion. Bad habits is a choice, it is important to see yourself as a work in progress and work on cleaning yourself up. To cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit implanted in your life through Baptism and Confirmation.
Hebrews 13:1-2 states, "Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels". When I see a small child, what an opportunity for God's grace and yes, God's angels are present! Which leads to another warning of Jesus. Matthew 18:1-5 states, "At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, 'Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me." Jesus would continue, "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.".
Consider the Angels at Sodom to get Lot and his family out of the city, do we respect the messengers of God or do we cry out for evil upon them?
How terrible it is to teach a child to sin, and there is great evil out there. Just this morning, I was at the Thomas Moore Troop Medical Clinic and CNN was talking favorably of a singing artist who has a song about a man with a love for another man. How terrible this is and woe to those who promote this kind of sin and place it in the hearts and minds of the young.
The Culture of Death is far more reaching than abortion and the killing of innocent human beings. It is also anything that leads to death.
The Talking Dead is very dangerous because they seek only selfish desires from the recesses of their heart.
1 Samuel 15:23 states, "For a sin like divination is rebellion, and presumption is the crime of idolatry. Because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he too, has rejected you..." Romans 1:32 echos all of the above saying, "Although they know the just decree of God that all who practice such things deserve death, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them."
Hosea 4:6 warns, "My people perish for want of knowledge! Since you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from my priesthood; Since you have ignored the law of your God, I will also ignore your sons."
That is scary, I do not want the Lord to ignore my Sons and Daughter, not at all.
If we think about it, hopefully, none of us would. By virtue of your baptism and confirmation, you can truly echo Isaiah, "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the Lord and a day of vindication by our God..."
The Catholic Church is celebrating this "Year of Faith" to inspire hope in a hopeless world, to inspire faith in a faithless world, to inspire love in a perverted world.
Let us aspire to the true gifts of God, "The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon you, a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord." Let us seek out the higher gifts of God!
"If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory" (Colossians 3:1-4).
We instruct our RCIA Candidates and Catechumens the importance of our faith being a journey. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, "All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit."
Our hope is in the Lord, Jesus gave us His Church as our guide and interpreter of his word. Romans 15:4 states, "For whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
The Catholic Faith is the voice that has been entrusted the Deposit of Faith giving us this hope through the scriptures. St. Paul writes, "For the grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good" (Titus 2:11-14).
This coming Easter Vigil will be very important as many people will be transformed through God's grace being poured out upon them through the Sacraments. St. Paul writes, "I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourself to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect."
Jesus instructs us saying, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me" (John 12:24-26).
I like what St. Paul writes to the Romans, "We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin. For a dead person has been absolved from sin. If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as being dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus" (Romans 6:6-11). Home page DTB facebook Page You Tube Blog Talk Radio Show
"In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered,appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit". St. Luke was giving the importance of the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8)."
This would be what is called the first novena when the Apostles waited for 9 day for the empowering of the Holy Spirit upon the Church. This would be the beginning of the fulfillment of Jesus words, "I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name--he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you (John 14:25-26).
We are living in the age of grace and still have the capacity of the Holy Spirit with us through Baptism and Confirmation. The Christian is to live the life of the Holy Spirit given to them as a way of life.
The coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Church was an extra-ordinary event. "When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim (Acts 2:1-4)."
At this point, the speaking in tongues is clearly the usage of languages specifically to the hearers of the Apostles. People from all over the Roman Empire were present and able to understand them in their own language. The text goes on to say, "yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God (Acts 2:11)."
St Mark clearly agrees saying, "These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages..." (Mark 16:17)
With the baptism of the house of Cornelius, St. Peter was amazed that as soon as he began speaking, the Holy Spirit was being poured out upon the Gentiles. They were heard speaking in tongues and glorifying God. This was a major sign to St. Peter as he could not withhold Baptism from the Gentiles. It is important here that speaking in tongues here was a sign, an evidence to the Holy Spirit and His will in bringing in the Gentiles. Was this a tongue of another language or was this something different. At least at this stage, it would be within reason to see this as before, they were speaking other languages.
St. Paul, while in Ephesus, he too spoke to the people and when he laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Again, it stands to reason that the people were speaking in different languages as a sign of their receiving the Holy Spirit.
St. Paul writing to the Corinthians states, "To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another mighty deeds, to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues." (1 Corinthians 12:7-10). This is the first example of the gift of interpretation of tongues. Is this addressing other known languages or is this something else? Up to this point it would appear that the tongues was a sign of the Holy Spirit and the languages spoken had a purpose. Now there is a need of interpretation of tongues.
1 Corinthians 12:28, tongues was part of God's designation within the structure of the Church. What role did this place in the assembly? According to verse 30, "Do all have the gift of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?" The obvious answer is no, the Spirit was poured out and the faithful received many gifts that made up the one body, the Church. I find this interesting as there are various Protestant Pentecostals who do not believe you can be Born Again without speaking in Tongues? That is obviously not the intention of St. Paul.
1 Corinthians 14:1-5 gives a very important clue, "Pursue love, but strive eagerly for the spiritual gifts, above all that you mat prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to human beings but to God, for no one listens; he utters mysteries in spirit. On the other hand, one who prophesies does speak to human beings, for their building up, encouragement, and solace. Whoever speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but whoever prophesies builds up the church. Now I should like all of you to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. One who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interpenetrates, so that the church may be built up." What does this clearly mean? Obviously, the gifts that build up the Church are more important.
St. Paul states, "I give thanks to God that I speak in tongues more than any of you, but in the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, so as to instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue" (1 Corinthians 14:18-19). St. Paul makes it clear that "tongues are a sign not for those who believe but for the unbelievers. That certainly makes the case from the beginning as 3,000 people were baptized into the Catholic Faith that first day. (Acts 2:41) The question remains, are we talking about other languages or something else.
Another important clue develops from St. Paul's instruction. He instructs, "If anyone speaks in a tongue, let it be two or at most three, and each in turn, and one should interpret. But if there is no interpreter, the person should keep silent in the church and speak to himself and God" (1 Corinthians 14:29). It appears that St. Paul is basically weaning tongues from the assembly primarily for the up building of the Church and for order. According to St. Paul, Tongues is the least of all the gifts. We are encouraged to seek the higher gifts that buildup the Church. The need for the Holy Spirit to use tongues as a sign began to diminish among the faithful as order and structure developed.
Pope Gregory the Great (604 A. D.) in his encyclical Homiliae in Evanfelia, Hom 29.4 observed that such charismatic signs decreased after the first days of the Catholic faith. Sometime after the turn of the 1st and 2nd century tongues became greatly diminished. Though greatly diminished, tongues was not fully done away with. The following is about St. Anthony:
"St Anthony of Padua, one of the chosen disciples and companions of St Francis, whom the latter called his Vicar, was preaching one day before the Pope and the Cardinals in Consistory, there were therefore present at that moment men of different countries- Greeks and Latins, French and Germans, Slavs and English and men of many other different languages and dialects. And being inflamed by the Holy Spirit and inspired with apostolic eloquence, he preached and explained the word of God so effectively, devoutly, subtly, clearly and understandably that all who were assembled at that Consistory, although they spoke different languages, clearly and distinctly heard and understood everyone of his words as if he had spoken in each of their languages. Therefore they were all astounded and filled with devotion, for it seemed to them that the former miracle of the Apostles at the time of Pentecost had been renewed, when by the power of the Holy Spirit they spoke in different languages. "And in amazement, just like in the Acts of the Apostles they said to one another: "Is he not a Spaniard?' How then are we all hearing him in the language of the country where we were born-we Greeks and Latins, French and Germans, Slavs and English, Lombards and foreigners?"
It was not only at this consistory that St. Anthony's gift of tongues was utilized. It is written that while preaching in Italy he spoke in perfect Italian, and while in France he preached in French, although he had never studied these languages. Also remarkable is the fact that "the simple-minded and the most ignorant listeners were capable of fully comprehending all he said; and his voice, though gentle and sweet, was distinctly heard at a very extraordinary distance from the speaker."
It is quite clear here that St. Anthony's tongues was languages similar to the original Pentecost. In recent times, Pope John XXIII is reported to have prayed for those gifts of the early Church to aid in these final days. The Charismatic Renewal was sparked in the 1980’s and continues through today.
Pope Paul VI encouraged the attendees in their renewal efforts and especially to remain anchored in the Church.
"This authentic desire to situate yourselves in the Church is the authentic sign of the action of the Holy Spirit ... How could this 'spiritual renewal' not be a chance for the Church and the world? And how, in this case could one not take all the means to ensure that it remains so..."
Pope John Paul II, for his part, has been more explicit. Speaking to a group of international leaders of the Renewal on December 11, 1979, he said,
"I am convinced that this movement is a very important component of the entire renewal of the Church." Noting that since age 11 he had said a daily prayer to the Holy Spirit he added,
"This was my own spiritual initiation, so I can understand all these charisms. They are all part of the richness of the Lord. I am convinced that this movement is a sign of his action."
Pope John Paul II once held a Mass at the Vatican inviting 10,000 Catholic Charismatic pilgrims. During the Eucharistic Prayer, many of them prayed in tongues and later the Holy Father was asked about it. He was asked it this disrupted his prayer and his response was that it enriched his prayer.
Pope Benedict XVI once said, "At the heart of a world imbued with a rationalistic skepticism, a new experience of the Holy Spirit suddenly burst forth. And, since then, that experience has assumed a breadth of a worldwide Renewal movement. What the New Testament tells us about the charisms - which were seen as visible signs of the coming of the Spirit - is not just ancient history, over and done with, for it is once again becoming extremely topical. What is the relation between personal experience and the common faith of the Church? Both factors are important: a dogmatic faith unsupported by personal experience remains empty; mere personal experience unrelated to the faith of the Church remains blind. ...to those responsible for the ecclesiastical ministry - from parish priests to bishops - not to let the Renewal pass them by but to welcome it fully; and on the other (hand) ... to the members of the Renewal to cherish and maintain their link with the whole Church and with the charisms of their pastors. [Renewal and the Powers of Darkness, Leo Cardinal Suenens (Ann Arbor: Servant Books, 1983)]
The Church has "Life in the Spirit" Seminars that help people understand the Catholic perspective and to encourage devotion to the Holy Spirit. Sometimes the Holy Spirit is said to be the forgotten member of the Trinity. There are also "healing Masses" that people are sometimes healed. My Mother had her back broke in two places causing her years of pain. In her 40's she would have to kind of scoot from one plant to the other. After being given the Anointing of the Sick at a Mass, she exclaimed she felt this warmth throughout her body. In her 50's she was able to run out to the garden.
Some concerns:
St. John writes, "Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). I was raised around many various Protestant groups, I had two Uncles who were Assemblies of God Preachers. My Mother was raised Assemblies of God before her conversion to the Catholic Faith. They certainly were trained and fully aware of the scripture regarding tongues. Among the Pentecostals, Charismatics, non-denominations who espouse this in their services and belief systems, are in great disunity on many things to include the Divinity of Christ.
Also, some Pentecostals place so much emphasis on tongues that they do not believe your a Christian unless you do speak in tongues.
This is a couple of major concerns of mine. The Holy Spirit can only teach the truth and would never deny Catholic teaching. Are there well meaning people who are influenced by their environment and their teachings received? Certainly, many good people simply are misled by others through no fault of their own. I have been in both Catholic and Protestant surrounding where they implored me to speak in tongues. I had one Protestant Leader kneel down next to me to listen to see if I was speaking in a tongue. He encouraged me to sing and let it go?
Early on in the 1980's while participating with Catholic Charismatics, I became concerned that it was projected that they enjoyed and got more out of the prayer meetings that the Mass. I believe such a position was a wrong and dangerous one. Like they prefer the gifts more than the giver of the gifts? In the 1990's while stationed at Fort Campbell KY, I was invited to lead a Catholic Charismatic prayer meeting mostly because of my interest and knowledge of the Scriptures and the Church. I was a main leader for three years and during that time I participated in a lot of great things. On one occasion, while we were singing in a circle, we had a statue of Our Lady of Fatima. As we were singing, this most beautiful scent of perfume overwhelmed me. I gave everyone a hug right then and there to find no one had that scent which was so strong. It was moments later that everyone else realized why I was hugging them because soon everyone noticed it as well. It really seemed to be a supernatural experience. There was no source found for that scent and all recognized it as supernatural.
I remembered stories of Padre Pio and sometimes his presence was noticed by such a scent. I recalled "For we are the aroma of Christ for God among those who are perishing, to the latter an odor of death that leads to death, to the former an odor of life that leads to life". St. Paul wrote, "So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma".
When looking and reading about the gift of tongues, the bottom line for me is that we must seek the higher gifts for up building the Church. If the Lord were to give me such a gift, I would never refuse it, but I could never fake it nor demand it. The Charismatic gifts are so much more that tongues, it is a movement within the Church that seeks to enrich the believers. Cursillo is another movement that seeks to do the same thing. They are not to replace the Mass, but to enrich it for you. To grow closer in the Lord and to strengthen us in these difficult days that lay ahead.
Today began as most ordinary days that when I have the chance to take off from work.
I sleep in a little longer because I stayed up late the night before either working on Deepertruth, or watching a good movie.
The phone rang and I answered it wondering who might be calling me this early on a Saturday morning.
I answered the phone:
Hello, how may I help you?
The response: Is Mrs. Hartley available?
I responded that she was not present. She is not home at this time.
I was asked, are you the husband of Mrs. Hartley?
I responded "Yes", most certainly, how may I help you.
The Caller asked me for my Wife's last four of her Social Security Number. I was able to give it.
With all the traveling that my Wife was doing trying to work as a traveling Nurse, we were late for a payment. In talking with the Caller, I was quickly able to make the appropriate response taking care of the problem.
Because the Caller was so helpful and courteous, I came right out with it: "Your Catholic are you not"?
The Caller paused for a second and admitted, "Yes" he was.
I asked him why he had not been practicing his faith as he should?
His response was that he tried to get to Mass as often as he could.
I asked him when he last went to confession?
He admitted that he had not gone to confession since he was a sophomore in high school, he was now 31 years old.
I told him that in the past couple of weeks I met a woman who had made her first confession in 55 years. She was a survivor of the Nazi occupation of Poland and escaped to the United States through the efforts of Pope John Paul II who at the time was studying to become a priest. Through the years, in American Culture, she had lost her Catholic identity only to finally re-discover it.
I then told the Caller the importance of going to confession and getting his life totally in line with Christ's Church. I told him the scripture, James 5:19-20: "My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."
The Caller became very interested in what I was telling him and asked for our information. I went back to the Apostles, their successors right down to today.
I told him that I was known as the "Catholic Defender" and he could find me simply by Google. That he could find www.deepertruthblog and listen to our radio programs and read our articles.
The Caller became very interested and promised to me that he would follow through and re-discover the roots of his faith. We must of talked on the phone for more than 20 minutes as we talked about the Catholic Faith. I also encouraged him to ask about Cursillo in his Parish and Diocese. That would be a great shot in the arm!
The Caller reminds me that you may not always know when the Lord might send someone to you to help them in their footsteps. The Lord's mission could come to you through a million different ways, just like this morning's Caller! How easy it could have been to either let it ring or even hang the phone up.
HEB opened a new mega-store in Copperas Cove that just opened up this weekend. There were thousands of people and so I went there to get some odds and ins getting ready for the Superbowl Sunday. Even Deepertruth needs to be ready for the Superbowl! While looking through the cheese and meats section, a staffer was planted near by so I struck up a conversation with her. She was from another area HEB who was helping out with this opening weekend. She was a strong believer in the "Non-denomination" groups, but by the time I left the scene, she had a much better understanding of the Catholic Faith! How wonderful it is to give witness for the Faith of the Apostles.
There is much hunger out there and the Lord is calling us to be His hands, His feet, and His voice. At the end of the day, it has been a good Deepertruth day as hopefully, the seeds of faith were sown and the Lord most glorified.
Jesus said, "For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice" (John 18:37). "Jesus also said , "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:8).
Jesus speaks through His Church. St Paul wrote, "But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth" (1 Timothy 3:15). May the Lord bless us this Easter Vigil with many conversions and reversions! Amen!
"When Jesus went into the region of CaesareaPhilippi he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?' They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.' He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am? (Matthew 16:13-15)
From this point on, there have been many people try to give an explanation of who Jesus is. Some denied the Divinity of Christ as the Arians did as the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses do today. Some denied Jesus having two natures rejecting either his humanity as the Donatanst did as well as the Nestorians. Others denied Jesus was necessary for salvation for all rejecting original sin as the Pelagian doctrine. There are several entities who have been confused to who Jesus is.
"Simon Peter said in reply (to Jesus Question, who do people say that I am), 'You are the Messiah (Christ), the Son of the living God'( Matthew 16:16). St. Peter identifies who Jesus is and this has been the basis for the Catholic Church ever since.
"Jesus said to him (Peter) in reply, 'Blessed are you, Simon son of Bar-Jona. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father" (Matthew 16:17).
This is a great indication that the Lord can anoint a person revealing that the Father here worked through St. Peter. This is the foundation of the teaching of Papal Infallibility. Jesus is the great "I Am" and has the power to transmit authority creating a new office.
The keys of this office supersedes the keys given to the household of King David (Isaiah 22:22).
Jesus continues, "And so I say to you, you are Peter, (Kepa), and upon this rock (Kepa) I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18).
This is a most important verse because it provides the hope that those waiting in "Prison" (1 Peter 3:19) will be liberated through the Christ through the Church.
The Power of death will not overcome the Church because Christ has laid the foundation on St. Peter. St. Paul writes, "Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" St. Paul continues, "But thanks to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:55-58). The gates of hell will not prevail against the Church!
Jesus continues speaking to St. Peter, "I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:18-19).
The Lord is clear that he is giving his authority to his Church. Isaiah prophecies the Lord's authority in his word saying, "No weapon fashioned against you shall prevail; every tongue you shall prove false that launches an accusation against you. This is the lot of the servants of the Lord, their vindication from me, says the Lord" (Isaiah 54:17)
What Jesus is giving to St. Peter "is the lot of the servants of the Lord"! This is important.
Look at some of the weapons formed against the Papacy today. The Mormons have developed a counterfeit claiming that the Church went into apostasy shortly after the death of the last Apostle, that Joseph Smith was given the true gospel of Jesus Christ in 1829. This false man made doctrine rejects the Papacy and the Lord's establishment of this office.
The Seventh Day Adventist have developed a doctrine beginning in 1863 teaching that the Papacy begins in 538 and received a mortal wound in 1798. The SDA is creating new doctrine explaining what they believe the 1260 years mean in prophecy. They believe the bible is identifying who they point to as the anti-Christ. Both the Mormons and Seventh Day Adventist accuse the Papacy of being the anti-Christ.
Protestants by their very nature protest the authority of the Catholic Faith ranging from denying the foundation of the Church to SolaScriptura.
There are many who deny the Papacy because of indifference, in toleration to the truth of God's word.
As Catholics, we can be encouraged that the Lord's promise is true. No weapon created will prevail against it. The gates of Hell will not overcome it. We can trust the teaching of the Catholic Faith as it has been handed down to us through Apostolic Succession. Pray for the Pope that his arms will continue to be raised to defeat the enemies of God. Home page DTBfacebook Page You Tube Blog Talk Radio Show
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