- The Rosary: Despite popular misconceptions, the prayers of the Rosary are mostly all scriptural, and contradictory to what many people have told me growing up, the Hail Mary prayer is actually written in the bible (I think it was the book of John.) Also, that just because there is no mention of the Rosary directly in the bible, does not mean that the prayer is any less important than any other prayers. For example; If a prayer such as, "Lord, please lift me up out of this financial situation and cover me only with your Almighty blessings" is also not mentioned in the bible, does that also make it less important to God? No. The Rosary is not a worship to our Mother Mary, but rather a devotional to her. Catholics merely venerate her, but do not worship her.
- Catholicism is the first and only true church founded by Jesus Christ. Mass was celebrated by every Christian until some 1500 yrs later when the protestant revolt took place. Hence, other denominations were born and each protestant church can be traced back to the original (and human) founders.
- Catholics do study a lot of bible! In every Mass we read from the Old Testament, A Pslam and from the New Testament and we take communion and Jesus becomes one with us. Which to me, sounds like we're having our own very personal and very spiritual relationship with The Man himself!! (I'm very excited by the thought of taking communion, btw!)
- The Body & Blood of Christ is not metaphoric. Taking the blood and bread of Christ (Communion) is a direct order from Jesus. He said "Whoever eats me will live because of me. Also the one who feeds on my flesh will have life" (In John 6:48) and to me and other Catholics, this takes on a very literal meaning. He did not say, "Take this bread and consume it as a symbology of my body, and drink this wine and pretend its my blood." ... His commands were clear and literal. When we take communion, we are taking Jesus Christ in to us!
That's all I have for now. I'm still reading up! I'm sure I'll have some other pearls of wisdom later, lol. But for now, I'm a bit tired and I'm feeling really happy and excited to go to church on Sunday to the new one. :) It's a Sacred Heart church!
For anyone who is interested, I have an unhealthy interest in make up (because it's so expensive and I'm so broke.) and when I feel bored, I play in my make up. (I intend to do make up artistry at some point, when I have the money to enrol in to a course) And then I realized I have a function on my camera that does black and white photos. So I occupied myself for a couple of hours. And so here's a photo of my results -- please note, I would never, ever dream of leaving the house like this. It was just for fun, my interest in make up artistry, is purely for costume and photoshoot purposes! And besides, I never had time or inclination as a teen to go thru my emo phase.
Enough of that. Oh and I wanted to share that I decided not to go to Sydney after all due to finances and all those kinds of "Jess is trying to be responsible" things... *sigh* That reminds me, I have to call my best friends Mum tomorrow to break it to her.
Anyhow, it's time for me to go to bed and read some of my book. I feel so bored cause Sharidan is in Thailand and I miss her :(
God Bless.
15 comments:
"Mass was celebrated by every Christian until some 1500 yrs later when the protestant revolt took place."
I'm not sure who told you that or where you may have read it...but...that's not true. =)
I guess your entry kinda offended me, I'm a protestant. Maybe I shouldn't have read it.
But Jesus didn't create the Catholic church, the first version of Christianity was a mixture of that and Judiasm. Just because catholics do mass that doesn't mean it's the only truth. Some protestant do mass as well just so you know.
Jesus didn't say anything about a Pope. You are supposed to trust in the Pope and believe whatever he says, but why? You stressed that the creators of the protestant faith are human, who do you think elected the Pope? If the Pope was so divinely chosen why doesn't everyone just wake up knowing who he will be? They elect one just like they elect a president.
A lot of what Catholics pratice are rules set in by humans. The concept of limbo, purgatory...not in the bible. When something like a dispute arises, they congregate and decided how to change it...that is not divinely inspired.
I apologise for offending you. This is all what I believe in, but I'm not judging anyone else for believing in something different.
Hey Kris!
I'm sorry you got offended by what Jess said, and I don't want to offend you any more but.....you are wrong & she is right!
Your first comment about the Mass is unsupported by history.
It's a fact that Mass was ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS celebrated by ALL Christians. I am not sure what you are basing your "that's not true" comment on....because it is.
It's a historical fact and pretty impossible to argue against.
Mass was always celebrated by Christians, even by the very earliest! It's even mentioned all over the New Testament ("and they broke bread" = Mass, not to mention the last supper as well with Jesus literal words "this IS my body, this IS my blood" and then His command to "do this in memorial on me". )
It is also explicitly mentioned and detailed by the early Church Fathers some of whom lived barely 50years after Jesus died (go read up on Ignatius of Antioch as an example).
I'm sorry, but again history itself proves you wrong.
The Catholic Church WAS the Church set up by Christ.
Protestants didn't like bits of it and so rebelled against it and left (hence the name PROTESTant..they were protesting against the Catholic Church.)
And no, no Protestant denomination celebrate Mass. Some hold occasional services with bread and wine (or cracker & grape juice as some have now-a-days), but that's nothing like what happens in Mass.
Jesus established a Pope when he changed Simon's name to Kephas (Peter, which means rock) and said "and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hell will never prevail agsint it". That Church is the Catholic Church.
Before Peter died he instituted his successor, and in an unbroken line for the last 2000 years there have been successors to Peter...these are now called "Popes".
Why do we trust what the Pope & Church says? Because Jesus says he will send his Holy Spirit to guide the Church and the gates of Hell will never prevail against it.
We believe that the Holy Spirit works THROUGH the men who elected the Pope, and that the Holy Spirit's will is done in choosing the Pope.
Yeh, they elect him, but that doesn't mean that the Holy Spirit can't have been working in their hearts and minds.
Also, it seems to have worked for the last 2000 years as there has never been a Pope who did anything to destroy or change IN ANY WAY the deposit of faith (that is, the teachings on the Church on faith and morals).
Actually, Purgatory is mentioned a lot in the Bible:
Ps 66:12, Mt 12:32, Phil 2:10-11, Ecc 12:14, Lk 16:19-31, 1 Thess 3:13, Is 4:4 (cf. Eph 4:8-10; 4:7 6:5-7 1 Pet 3:19-20) 2 Tim 1:16-18, Mic 7:8-9, 1 Cor 3:11-15, Heb 12:14, Mal 3:1-4 15:29 12:29, 2 Maccabees 12:39-45, 2 Cor 5:10, Rev 5:3,13, Mt 5:25-6, Lk 12:58-9, 7:1, 21:27
In 2000 years the Catholic Church hasn't changed its stance on faith and morals one inch. Everything that Jesus taught, the Church has fearlessly proclaimed and taught throughout the centuries.
It is the Catholic Church's teaching on faith & morals which we believe are Divinely inspired.
Not to be offensive, but just honest, this is very very UNLIKE the Protestant Church who have changed their teachings as often as the wind blows, and every Protestant group teaches and believes a different thing depending on the whim of the time.
The Catholic Church stands firm, always has done and always will do, because she is God's One true Church.
Might I suggest a nice web-site?
It is written for Evangelicals in a very non-confrontational way and explains really well a lot of stuff about the Catholic Church and why it teaches what it does.
http://www.catholicbridge.com/
I know other non-Catholics who have found it helpful in being able to better understand the Church.
God Bless you,
-x-
Jess - I thought that was a really good post!
Plus I am extremly impressed with the eye makeup! What a work of art!!! :) -x-x-x-
"The Catholic Church stands firm, always has done and always will do, because she is God's One true Church."
Yeah, okay...that puts everything into perspective now! How many times have I heard that one? I think my Jewish and Muslim peers told me the same thing.
Purgatory is not mentioned in the bible. You guys only ASSUME that it is. There is no word-for-word mention of it. Why not? You said Jesus word-for-word and not metaphorically told you to eat his body and blood, why would'nt he tell you so about purgatory? If purgatory exists, virtually EVERY human being (that is with Jesus) will have to pass through it's fires to make it to heaven because none of us are sinless. I have read about the Catholic religion btw.
1 John? "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness." 1:7
and in Romans 8:1, "There is therefore now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
That's pretty plain and simple. St. Augustine described the fires of purgatory to be pretty much intolerable, sounds like condemnation to me.
Jesus will save us from hell as long as we are truthful and faitful to him. That's what the Book tells us.
You guys have fun...
kris,
The purpose of purgatory is for purification, not condemnation. No one argues that Jesus will save us, we already know that.
The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27)
So before we enter heaven we must acchieve holiness. This is hardly condemnation.
People like to think that Catholics invented Purgatory, but this is not the case.
The bible does not only teach of heaven and hell, but it speaks of the third condition called "limbo of the fathers" where the just who had died before the redemption were waiting for heaven to be opened to them. After Christs death and before his resurrection, Christ visited those experiencing the limbo of the Fathers and preached to them the good news that heaven would now be opened to them (1 Pet. 3:19).
Christ tells of the sinner who "will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come" (Matt. 12:32), suggesting that one can be freed after death of the consequences of one’s sins.
Paul tells us that, when we are judged, each man’s work will be tried. And what happens if a righteous man’s work fails the test? "He will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire" (1 Cor 3:15).
There is also the Bible’s approval of prayers for the dead: "In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection of the dead in view; for if he were not expecting the dead to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin" (2 Macc. 12:43–45).
You see, the majority of people are neither so free from sin as to merit immediate entrance into Heaven, nor so bad as to be punished forever in Hell.
To claim that you are assured of your salvation and entrance into Heaven because you simply believe in Jesus is blasphemy. For if that were true you would have to be as perfect as God and Jesus which no human is capable of (which we, however, are to strive for). You would have to not have the ability to sin. When infact we sin and are always sinning.
Sins need atoned for.
Jess WOW on the make up! That is fantastic, great photos too, Also very good post, you make us all very proud :D
meep.
I feel bad. :/
I like the makeup jess. ANd please be honest next time and admit that that is what you spruce up with at the supermarket! ;)
The catholic religion and protestant religion are very interesting to learn about. There will always be things we dont agree on but its nice to share some things in a nice way... i doubt a tinge of hostility would go a long way with Jesus - the man who preached peace with everyone and whom you all (and God) so lovingly adore!
Jess, when u started the make up course, you promised me i'd look like a hot hooker next time i went to your house.
I finally go to your house and ... what? i leave looking like the same hobo as the day i went to your home. what's going on? you're hoarding the make up and make up tips and not letting me get into the action. pft. shame shame shame on you.
I will show you... i bet i'm a natural!
Yeah. A natural hobo.
LMAO
jk.
Kris,
I find that it helps to argue convincingly if you actually understand what you are arguing.
Point 1: Purgatory does not equal Hell.
Carmel put it well.
Point 2: Do you believe in the Trinity?
If, like most Christians you do, then show me where the word 'Trinity' is mentioned in the Bible.
Answer...it's not.
We INFER the existance of the Trinity from what Jesus & His apostles taught.
ps Kris -
neither of your quotes disproves in any way that Purgatory may exist:
" 1 John? "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness." 1:7"
Wonderful! I wholeheartedly accept that!
and what if we die without having confessed all our sins...?
" Romans 8:1, "There is therefore now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." "
Again, I agree with that!
Purgatory is not condemnation!
"That's pretty plain and simple. St. Augustine described the fires of purgatory to be pretty much intolerable, sounds like condemnation to me."
errr....just because you have misunderstood what St. Augustine wrote & just because it "sounds like condemnation" to you...doesn't mean that that is what the Church teaches it is! (or even what St. Augustine meant by it!)
I figured now is a good time to jump in!
Regarding Augustine, it's important to note that while he describes the pain as more grievous than anything "in this life" (those words are important; purgatory is not hell), the context of his writing (a commentary on Psalm 37) is actually about salvation, not condemnation. His point is that some people will be saved, but only after purgation.
Also, although a doctor of the Church, all of Augustine's views are not necessarily Church dogma. I do not believe Catholic dogma has anything to say about the level of pain, although it does assert there will be some pain. St. Augustine appears to be speculating on the exact nature of the fire.
Oh yeah, nice photos, Jessica!
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