Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop
Lectionary: 208

Reading 1 (1 Jn 3:11-21)

Beloved:
This is the message you have heard from the beginning:
we should love one another,
unlike Cain who belonged to the Evil One
and slaughtered his brother.
Why did he slaughter him?
Because his own works were evil,
and those of his brother righteous.
Do not be amazed, then, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.
We know that we have passed from death to life
because we love our brothers.
Whoever does not love remains in death.
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer,
and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.
The way we came to know love
was that he laid down his life for us;
so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
If someone who has worldly means
sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion,
how can the love of God remain in him?
Children, let us love not in word or speech
but in deed and truth.

Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth
and reassure our hearts before him
in whatever our hearts condemn,
for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence in God.

Responsorial Psalm (PS 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5)

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise;
Give thanks to him; bless his name.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

The LORD is good:
the LORD, whose kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A holy day has dawned upon us.
Come, you nations, and adore the Lord.
Today a great light has come upon the earth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Jn 1:43-51)

Jesus decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip.
And Jesus said to him, "Follow me."
Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter.
Philip found Nathanael and told him,
"We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law,
and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth."
But Nathanael said to him,
"Can anything good come from Nazareth?"
Philip said to him, "Come and see."
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
"Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him."
Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."
Nathanael answered him,
"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this."
And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see the sky opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man."



REFLECTION

"HE FOUND PHILIP" ... The word “found” is mentioned three times in the Gospel. After Jesus finds Philip, Philip in turn finds Nathanael and tells him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets…” Philip responds to Jesus’ invitation; he follows him. This encounter with Jesus makes him a herald of the good news that the promised Messiah in the Old Testament has already come in their midst in the person of Jesus.

Although Nathanael is at first skeptical to follow Jesus, his encounter with him gives him an insight into who Jesus is: he is the Son of God, the King of Israel. Believing in Jesus will be rewarded with a heavenly vision.

Jesus invites us to follow him; generous response to his invitation makes our life worth living.

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2016,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.) http://www.ssp.ph/

Always begin with the star
Epiphany Year B



‘Always begin with the star!’ That would be the most annoying piece of advice my older brother had to offer me whenever we came to that time of the year when the Christmas tree had to go up. I felt that he took great condescending pleasure in saying this because he knew that only he was tall enough to place the first bulb of the string of Christmas lights on the crown of the tree, just behind the star.

Since, I was a vertically challenged runt next to my brother, I was given the demeaning task of decorating the lower portion of the tree. What compounded my frustration was that the Christmas lights which always had to begin at the top, was never long enough to cover the whole length of the tree. The lights would always stop three-quarters way down the tree, leaving ‘my section’ in darkness. Due to the lack of light, my decorations, which I had painstakingly and delicately placed on the tree, were all hidden in the shadows. It would seem that my efforts were always an exercise in futility.

I endured the humiliation for years, and awaited the opportunity to finally assume the responsibility of deciding how to place the Christmas lights on the tree. I thought, when I had my way, I would start from the bottom. The time finally arrived when my brother left for overseas. It then fell on me to set up the entire Christmas tree on my own. I was ecstatic at the realisation that I would finally be able to put up the Christmas lights according to my own designs, and not having to listen to the dictates of my brother. It was my time to shine!

And so I began with the first bulb at the bottom of the tree. I began twirling the lights around the tree, already imagining what a splendid looking final product awaited me at the end. But in my excitement and, of course, in my hubris I had forgotten that the lights were not long enough. I started to stretch, rearrange and reposition the lights but despite my best efforts, those lights resisted all attempts to reach the top. As I stood back in exasperation, my mother stepped out of the kitchen, and to add further injury to my wounded pride, she took a single look at my handiwork and remarked: “Have you already forgotten what your brother said, “Always begin with the star!”

A star figures prominently in today’s gospel. The wise men from the East presented their request before Herod by saying that they “saw His star as it rose and have come to do Him homage.” What was this ‘star’ that had stirred their hearts and compelled them to leave their homeland and travelled to far distant regions? Over the centuries, astronomers have tried to find an actual star of Bethlehem.

Some have said that the star was a comet that appeared in 5 B.C. (and found in Chinese records). Others suggested a planetary conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. Still others suggest a supernova. No one knows for certain if the star was an actual astronomical event. The Star of Bethlehem could very well have been one of these. But it isn’t so much about something seen in the sky as it is about something that was seen on earth. Or rather, ‘someone’ who was seen on earth — and who will be seen here again. And He is the real “star” of Bethlehem: Jesus.

For those who remain fixated on solving the mystery of the celestial star may have gotten their hands on a red herring. That star is definitely not the point of the story. In the words of Pope Emeritus Benedict, “it is not the star that determines the child’s destiny, it is the child that directs the star.” Our Epiphany story is not about the appearance of a celestial star so much as it is about the appearance of the presence and glory of God, revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. This is what the word ‘epiphany’ implies – a manifestation. Literally, it means “shine on” or “show forth.” Among the Eastern Christians, the word leaves no room for ambiguity – it is a theophany – the Child is a manifestation of God.

St Ambrose, the great Doctor of the Church and mentor of St Augustine, wrote this about the star, “The Wise Men make a gift of their treasures. Do you want to know what an excellent honour they received? The star was visible only to them; where Herod lived it was invisible; where Jesus lay, it once again became visible and pointed out the way. So it is that this star is also the way, Christ's way; for

Christ, in the mystery of the Incarnation, is the star, because “a star shall come forth from Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel” (Num 24:17). Therefore, wherever Christ is, the star is too, for He is ‘the bright morning star’ (Rev 22:16). With His light, then, He points to himself” (Comment on Luke II, 45).

Today, the Church invites us to fix our vision on that illuminating star, not a thing but a person; it is Christ who is our “bright morning star.” (Rev 22:16) The morning star, which is actually the planet Venus, derives its name from the fact that it appears before sunrise. On a long dark night, the appearance of the morning star means daybreak is imminent. This is exactly what Christ does. He is the light shining in the darkness, announcing the coming kingdom of God while the world still groans under the curse of the Fall. He is the first to be resurrected—the ‘firstborn of the dead’ as Colossians 1:18 puts it.

For thousands of years mariners and travellers, just like the wise men in our story, have used the stars as a guide; as a point of reference. Likewise, Christ, the bright and morning star is our true point of reference. If you are lost, you just need to look at Him. If you are unclear about the direction of your life, just turn to Him. Notice that He is not “a” point of reference. He is “the” point of reference. He is not just a star among many stars; He is unique. The trouble is that on a clear night, we are bombarded with a vision of countless constellations of stars in the sky; it's hard to tell which one is the real star of the story. So just like the infamous Herod of our story, many are consumed with their own self-importance and they actually believe that they are the ‘star,’ and that the light of another star would never be tolerated. Yes, there can only be one star, and He is Christ Our Lord.

It spells certain disaster, whenever one attempts to usurp His limelight. Herod wasn’t the first with delusions of grandeur. The first to suffer from this puffed-up feeling of self-importance was Satan, also described in Scriptures as the Morning Star. Satan may be the brightest morning star among the celestial beings, but he is only a poor imitation of the one true bright morning star, Jesus Christ, the light of the world. It is wise to remember that Satan’s and Herod’s delusions would be the cause of their downfall. Blaise Pascal warns us that this is what happens when God is no longer the point of reference in our lives, “If (people) turn away from God, one of two things can happen. They will think they are gods and go mad, or turn to carnality and become animals”.

Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, gives us a beautiful piece of advice so as not to fall into this trap of self-delusion. “The shepherds and the Magi teach us that to find Jesus we must know how to look up to the heavens, and not to be turned in upon ourselves, on our own selfishness.” Rather, we must “open our hearts and minds to God, Who always surprises us, know how to welcome His messages, and respond promptly and generously.” So let us “look up to the heavens,” and see the real star of Bethlehem. If we ever get lost, there is always this star to remind us of our destination. Always remember, it doesn’t begin with us, or with our plans, or with our self interests. It always begins with the Star.

Source: http://michaelckw.blogspot.my/2017/01/alwa...-with-star.html

Jan. 6, 2017: THE EPIPHANY (MANIFESTATION) OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

“And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2: 9-11).”

Today the Church celebrates the Epiphany or the “manifestation” of Jesus as the Son of God and Messiah, Savior of the world. In the wise men (magi), all people of every nation, language and race who set out, called by God, to adore Jesus, moved by their innate desire in search for the Truth, are represented.

As we celebrate today’s solemnity, let us consider the following ideas in our personal meditation as we contemplate the Gospel for today’s Mass:

1. The wise men from the east SET OUT INTO THE UNKNOWN, TO THE UNCERTAIN, LEAVING BEHIND ALL THE WEALTH, COMFORT AND THINGS IN THEIR OWN KINGDOMS, thus teaching us the importance of courage, determination and DETACHMENT from material things in order to find God and savor the spiritual.

2. The Magi were learned men with restless hearts, driven by their quest for God, unsatisfied with the material, they yearned for what really gives meaning in their life and thus courageously embarked on a journey to FIND GOD, teaching us that the most important goal in this life is TO FIND JESUS AND LIVE OUR LIFE FOR HIM NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES.

3. Their journey was utterly long and uncomfortable.

• They must have travelled and slept in conditions to which they were not used to. But they did not complain, they did not give up.
• They were able to surmount the innumerable difficulties of their expedition moved by their faith and desire to be with Jesus.
• When the star disappeared, they did not hesitate to ask for help, showing us that wisdom and humility go hand in hand.
• In our journey towards heaven, we need the help of SPIRITUAL DIRECTION, knowing that: “one's own mind is a bad adviser, a poor pilot to steer the soul through the storms and tempests and among the reefs of the interior life. That is why it is the will of God that the command of the ship be entrusted to a Master who, with his light and his knowledge, can guide us to a safe harbor (St. Josemaria, The Way, n.59).”

4. When they saw where that the star led them to “the child with Mary his mother”, they were overjoyed, “they prostrated themselves and did him homage”.

• They did not say to themselves interiorly: “Is this all that there is?” “Did we have to suffer the entire journey just to find a child?”
• No. They rejoiced with an uncontainable joy, they adored, paid homage and offered gifts to the GOD-CHILD which allegorically signify the following:
o gold to acknowledge that He is King;
o incense, to confess that He is Perfect God;
o myrrh, to profess that He is perfect Man
• They worshipped the God-Child because they were humble and they had faith. learned, wise men, kings, respected in their countries…adoring the GOD-CHILD! Their science, knowledge and wisdom did not at all impede them to recognize the Messiah, the Savior of the world, God-Child, humbling themselves and worshipping him.

5. Like the wise men, we, too, can recognize, adore and worship God only with humility and faith. But let us not forget that Jesus present in the tabernacle is the same Jesus the wise men found in Mary’s arms. With what devotion, reverence and love do we have towards Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament or during the Holy Mass?

6. “The Magi set out because of a deep desire which prompted them to leave everything and begin a journey. It was as though they had always been waiting for that star. It was as if the journey had always been a part of their destiny, and was finally about to begin. Dear friends, this is the mystery of God’s call, the mystery of vocation (Pope Benedict XVI, Speech, World Youth Day in Cologne 2005).”

• May we also be willing to embark on the journey towards Jesus, with a “determined determination” (St. Teresa de Avila), with faith, humility and perseverance of the three wise men in order to follow the star of our vocation to holiness to which God has called us.
• May we also generously offer to Jesus, the gold of our obedience to God’s will; the incense of our prayer and adoration; and, the myrrh of our daily deeds of humility, self-abnegation and sacrifice: our heart, our will, our life.

“O God, who on this day revealed your Only Begotten Son to the nations by the guidance of a star, grant in your mercy that we who know you already by faith may be brought to behold the beauty of your sublime glory (Opening Prayer, Mass during the day).”
Happy Three Kings to you and your loved ones!

Source: https://www.facebook.com/Catholicsstrivingf...11961052314228/

Christmas Weekday
Lectionary: 209



Reading 1 (1 Jn 5:5-13)

Beloved:
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and Blood.
The Spirit is the one who testifies,
and the Spirit is truth.
So there are three that testify,
the Spirit, the water, and the Blood,
and the three are of one accord.
If we accept human testimony,
the testimony of God is surely greater.
Now the testimony of God is this,
that he has testified on behalf of his Son.
Whoever believes in the Son of God
has this testimony within himself.
Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar
by not believing the testimony God has given about his Son.
And this is the testimony:
God gave us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son.
Whoever possesses the Son has life;
whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life.

I write these things to you so that you may know
that you have eternal life,
you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

Responsorial Psalm (PS 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20)

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

He has granted peace in your borders;
with the best of wheat he fills you.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

Alleluia (MK 9:6)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered:
This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Mk 1:7-11)
This is what John the Baptist proclaimed:
"One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee
and was baptized in the Jordan by John.
On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open
and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens,
"You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."



REFLECTION

YOU ARE MY BELOVED SON. When Jesus comes out of the water after being baptized by John in the Jordan, he sees the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove upon Jesus. A voice from the heavens reveals Jesus’ nature and mission: He is the divine Son of the heavenly Father. “Beloved” recalls the Suffering Servant in the book of the prophet Isaiah (42; 49; 50; 52:13-53:12). Jesus is beloved to the Father because of His obedience even unto death for the salvation of many. We have become God’s children by virtue of our baptism. This dignity to be God’s adopted children entails a responsibility, that is, a mission to witness to God’s love to the world. Recall your baptismal promises and ask yourself how you have lived them.

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2016,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.) http://www.ssp.ph/

Congrats, bro Yeeck, Malaysia first ever Cardinal was finally a dream come true for many Catholics in Malaysia

The heresy of worshiptainment




The great heresy of the church today is that we think we’re in the entertainment business. A.W. Tozer believed this to be true back in the 1950s and 60s. Church members “want to be entertained while they are edified.” He said that in 1962. Tozer grieved, even then, that it was “scarcely possible in most places to get anyone to attend a meeting where the only attraction was God.”*

More recently, David Platt has asked: “What if we take away the cool music and the cushioned chairs? What if the screens are gone and the stage is no longer decorated? What if the air conditioning is off and the comforts are removed? Would His Word still be enough for his people to come together?” (Radical)

Would it be enough?

Tozer got it right: “Heresy of method may be as deadly as heresy of message.”

HALLOWEDNESS, NOT SHALLOWNESS

Like Tozer, we should be concerned that so many people in our churches want to be entertained while they worship. We should be concerned when we no longer recognize the difference between the two. And we should be concerned by the growing belief that adding more entertainment value to worship is necessary for the church to accomplish its mission.

I may stand alone, but it grieves me when I see worship services characterized more by props, performances, and pep rally atmospheres than by any sense of divine sacredness; and hallowedness giving way to shallowness.

This is not about worship styles. The issue is not traditional versus contemporary versus blended worship. It’s not about organ versus worship band. That discussion misses the point completely. This is about the heart and focus and intent of worship. The real issues, for me, are these:

1. Who or what is the spotlight really on?
If the figurative spotlight in our church services is on anyone other than God, it is not worship. If the spotlight shines brighter on human performance than on the gospel of Christ, it is not worship. If anyone other than Jesus is receiving our adulation and applause, it is not God we worship.

2. What message are we communicating?
The message of the church—the message the world needs to hear from us—is not, “Come and have a good time,” “Come and be entertained,” or “Come and find your best life now.”

Tozer said: “Christ calls men to carry a cross; we call them to have fun in His name.”

The message of the church is the message of the cross. Lest we forget, Jesus’ cross was a source of entertainment only for those who mocked Him as He hung on it.

3. How are lives changed?
“But our methods are attracting and winning people!” some will say.

Tozer addressed that sentiment: “Winning them to what? To true discipleship? To cross-carrying? To self-denial? To separation from the world? To crucifixion of the flesh? To holy living? To nobility of character? To a despising of the world’s treasures? To hard self-discipline? To love for God? To total committal to Christ?”

THE WORD DOES THE WORK

David Platt and the church he pastored, The Church at Brook Hills, decided to try to answer the question, “Is His Word still enough for His people to come together?” They stripped away the entertainment value and invited people to come simply to study God’s Word. They called it Secret Church. They set a date—on a Friday night—when they would gather from 6:00 in the evening until midnight, and for six hours they would do nothing but study God’s Word and pray. People came. A thousand people came the first time and it grew from that. Soon, they had to start taking reservations because the church was packed full. Secret Church now draws tens of thousands of people via simulcast in over 50 countries around the world—with no entertainment, no bells and whistles or smoke machines.

Why do they come? Platt explained in an interview: “People are hungry for the Word. There’s really nothing special or creative about it. It’s just the study of the Word …. The Word itself does the work!”

People are hungry. They are hungry for a diet of substance, not candy. More of the Word. Deeper into the Word. Less of what Tozer called “religious toys and trifles.”

*Tozer quotes are taken from Tozer on Worship and Entertainment by James L. Synder.

https://mikelivingstone.com/2014/12/17/the-...orshiptainment/

GOD FROM GOD, LIGHT FROM LIGHT, TRUE GOD FROM TRUE GOD



One afternoon when I was pastor at an Assembly of God Church, two women stopped to chat. I discovered that they were Mormons, and they had stopped to ask if I thought they were “saved.” I’m not sure if they had asked to “test” me somehow, or if they were asking sincerely; however, to this day, I think they were sincere.

My Fundamentalist mind kicked in, and I immediately asked, “Have you accepted Jesus to be your personal savior?” And they both answered “yes.” “Then,” I answered, “you both are going to heaven.” We chatted for a bit more, and they went on their way. I would have given the same answer to anyone who asked, Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness.

Now, many years later and a committed Traditional Catholic, I would say “Not so fast,” and would inquire a bit more deeply into whom they considered Jesus to be.

Mormons have the strange belief that God the Father, like Jesus, was born and born again, once as a spirit, and again as a mortal man. Mormons believe that Jesus and Satan are created brothers and spiritual sons of God. Thereafter, as God formulated His plan of salvation, Satan proposed his own plan. Jesus, on the other hand, accepted God’s plan and offered to sacrifice himself as God’s Lamb and the spirit of Jesus was given a body through the Virgin Mary. Very confusing, and very non-Christian.

Nor do Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus is God. They believe that he was a created man, the highest creation of God, but just a man.

Five Reasons Why Catholics (and most Protestants) KNOW Jesus is God:

1. Jesus specifically fulfilled more than 300 Old Testament prophesies, including:

o He would be born in Bethlehem: Micah 5:2 - AND THOU, BETHLEHEM Ephrata, art a little one among the thousands of Juda: out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be the ruler in Israel: and his going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity.

o He would be born of a virgin: Isaiah 7:14 - Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel.

o He would be crucified: Psalm 22:16-18 - My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue hath cleaved to my jaws: and thou hast brought me down into the dust of death. For many dogs have encompassed me: the council of the malignant hath besieged me. They have dug my hands and feet. They have numbered all my bones. And they have looked and stared upon me. They parted my garments amongst them; and upon my vesture they cast lots.

o He would have spikes driven through each hand: Zachariah 13:6 - And they shall say to him: What are these wounds in the midst of thy hands? And he shall say: With these I was wounded in the house of them that loved me.

o He would be betrayed for the price of thirty pieces silver: Zachariah 11:12 - And I said to them: If it be good in your eyes, bring hither my wages: and if not, be quiet. And they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
The odds of one man fulfilling all five of these prophesies, given thousands of years before by men unknown to one another, is calculated to be 1 in 10,000,000,000,000,000, or 1 in 1015.

2. During his time on earth, Jesus performed hundreds, if not thousands of healing miracles – of the blind, of the deaf, and of the sick and dying. He restored the dead to life. Many of these miracles are recorded in the Gospels. And Saint John concludes his Gospel by stating, “But there are also many other things which Jesus did; which, if they were written every one, the world itself, I think, would not be able to contain the books that should be written.” John 21:25 No one else in history ever performed this many miracles (not Mohammed - not anyone). If Jesus was not God, He would seem to be a fraud as He performed more miracles than all of the prophets before Him COMBINED!

3. The Word of God, in the New Testament states that Jesus is God: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:1-3

4. After His death, resurrection and ascension, the Jewish council leaders tried to silence the preaching of the Apostles. After a second arrest for defying the council, the council members were deciding what to do when one of the council stood and said:

But one in the council rising up, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, respected by all the people, commanded the men to be put forth a little while. And he said to them: Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do, as touching these men.
For before these days rose up Theodas, affirming himself to be somebody, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all that believed him were scattered, and brought to nothing. After this man, rose up Judas of Galilee, in the days of the enrolling, and drew away the people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as consented to him, were dispersed. And now, therefore, I say to you, refrain from these men, and let them alone; for if this council or this work be of men, it will come to nought; But if it be of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest perhaps you be found even to fight against God. And they consented to him.
Acts 5:34-39
Today, there are more than 1.2 billion Catholics in the world.

5. Finally, Jesus himself claims to be God – John 14:6-10 - Jesus saith to him [Thomas]: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would without doubt have known my Father also: and from henceforth you shall know him, and you have seen him. Philip saith to him: Lord, shew us the Father, and it is enough for us. Jesus saith to him: Have I been so long a time with you; and have you not known me? Philip, he that seeth me seeth the Father also. How sayest thou, shew us the Father? Do you not believe, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak to you, I speak not of myself. But the Father who abideth in me, he doth the works.

Even atheists will tell you that Jesus was a great man, and had many good things to say. But this cannot be the only truth about Jesus: If Jesus were not God, then he had to be either delusional or completely insane.

Many other reasons exist to believe that Jesus was who he claimed to be, but these five alone will give you much to ponder!

This post has been edited by yeeck: Jan 10 2017, 02:17 AM

It's not just a claim. It is a fact. There is no Christian calling themselves Protestant or Evangelical in the early Church.

Initially, Protestant became a general term to mean any adherent to the Reformation movement in Germany and was taken up by Lutherans. Even though Martin Luther himself insisted on Christian or Evangelical as the only acceptable names for individuals who professed Christ. French and Swiss Protestants preferred the word reformed (French: réformé), which became a popular, neutral and alternative name for Calvinists.

The term Protestant later acquired a broader sense, referring to a member of any Western church which subscribed to the main Protestant principles.[20] However, it is often misused to mean any church outside the Roman and Eastern Orthodox communions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism#Terminology

The earliest recorded evidence of the use of the term "Catholic Church" is the Letter to the Smyrnaeans that Ignatius of Antioch wrote in about 107 to Christians in Smyrna. Exhorting Christians to remain closely united with their bishop, he wrote: "Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church."[12][13][14]

Of the meaning for Ignatius of this phrase J.H. Srawley wrote:

This is the earliest occurrence in Christian literature of the phrase 'the Catholic Church' (ἡ καθολικὴ ἐκκλησία). The original sense of the word is 'universal'. Thus Justin Martyr (Dial. 82) speaks of the 'universal or general resurrection', using the words ἡ καθολικὴ ἀνάστασις. Similarly here the Church universal is contrasted with the particular Church of Smyrna. Ignatius means by the Catholic Church 'the aggregate of all the Christian congregations' (Swete, Apostles Creed, p. 76). So too the letter of the Church of Smyrna is addressed to all the congregations of the Holy Catholic Church in every place. And this primitive sense of 'universal' the word has never lost, although in the latter part of the second century it began to receive the secondary sense of 'orthodox' as opposed to 'heretical'. Thus it is used in an early Canon of Scripture, the Muratorian fragment (circa 170 A.D.), which refers to certain heretical writings as 'not received in the Catholic Church'. So too Cyril of Jerusalem, in the fourth century, says that the Church is called Catholic not only 'because it is spread throughout the world', but also 'because it teaches completely and without defect all the doctrines which ought to come to the knowledge of men'. This secondary sense arose out of the original meaning because Catholics claimed to teach the whole truth, and to represent the whole Church, while heresy arose out of the exaggeration of some one truth and was essentially partial and local.[15][16]

By Catholic Church Ignatius designated the universal church. Ignatius considered that certain heretics of his time, who disavowed that Jesus was a material being who actually suffered and died, saying instead that "he only seemed to suffer" (Smyrnaeans, 2), were not really Christians.[17]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_(term)#Historical_use

There are several anniversaries this year:
500th year of Protestantism (1517 revolution against the Church the Mystical Body of Christ), 300th year of freemasonry (1717 revolution against Christ), and 100th year of atheistic communism (1917 revolution against God).

This year is also the 100th anniversary of the Fatima apparitions. In the face of the ongoing struggles of the world against Christ and His Church, Our Lady and the saints will help us! We need only ask them in prayer! Oremus!

This post has been edited by yeeck: Jan 13 2017, 01:34 AM

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Please re-read the earlier posts in this thread on statues and images. Plus the doctrine of the communion of saints and asking for their prayers and intercession.

Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 309



Reading 1 (Heb 4:1-5, 11)

Let us be on our guard
while the promise of entering into his rest remains,
that none of you seem to have failed.
For in fact we have received the Good News just as our ancestors did.
But the word that they heard did not profit them,
for they were not united in faith with those who listened.
For we who believed enter into that rest,
just as he has said:

As I swore in my wrath,
"They shall not enter into my rest,"

and yet his works were accomplished
at the foundation of the world.
For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this manner,
And God rested on the seventh day from all his works;
and again, in the previously mentioned place,
They shall not enter into my rest.

Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest,
so that no one may fall after the same example of disobedience.

Responsorial Psalm (PS 78:3 and 4bc, 6c-7, 8)

R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

What we have heard and know,
and what our fathers have declared to us,
we will declare to the generation to come
The glorious deeds of the LORD and his strength.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

That they too may rise and declare to their sons
that they should put their hope in God,
And not forget the deeds of God
but keep his commands.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

And not be like their fathers,
a generation wayward and rebellious,
A generation that kept not its heart steadfast
nor its spirit faithful toward God.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

Alleluia (Lk 7:16)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A great prophet has arisen in our midst
and God has visited his people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Mk 2:1-12)

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days,
it became known that he was at home.
Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,
not even around the door,
and he preached the word to them.
They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd,
they opened up the roof above him.
After they had broken through,
they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him,
"Child, your sins are forgiven."
Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,
"Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming.
Who but God alone can forgive sins?"
Jesus immediately knew in his mind what
they were thinking to themselves,
so he said, "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
'Your sins are forgiven,'
or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk'?
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth"
–he said to the paralytic,
"I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home."
He rose, picked up his mat at once,
and went away in the sight of everyone.
They were all astounded
and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."



REFLECTION

Jesus immediately knew in his mind. For Jesus, the efforts of the four men to bring the paralytic to Him express their faith that He could heal their friend. They have to open up the roof of the house, break through it, and let down the mat on which the paralytic is lying. Faith in this case is expressed not in words but in action.

The scribes are questioning in their hearts Jesus’ authority to forgive sins, because for them God alone can forgive sins. Their unbelief is expressed in their murmurings in their hearts, yet Jesus immediately knows them in His mind. The words and deeds of Jesus are reason enough to believe in Him, yet the scribes do not accept Him because of their preconceived ideas. The four men carrying the paralytic and the scribes thus represent two attitudes, belief and unbelief respectively.

Our own biases can cripple our faith in the Lord. Cite concrete ways by which you give witness to your faith in the Lord before unbelievers.

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2016,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.) http://www.ssp.ph/

They are dead. Necromancy is forbidden in scriptures

Why don't you use your won wisdom to discuss? Preferably with scriptures

Idolatry

Catholic has a different 10 commandments than Protestants. Catholic removed idols worshiping to cater for Mary worship. A quick search would come up with the following comparison link:

http://www.teachingtheword.org/apps/articl...444/default.asp

If that is true, woe to them!


Proverbs 30:5-6 ESV

Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.


Deuteronomy 4:2 ESV

You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.


Revelation 22:18 ESV

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book,


Deuteronomy 12:32 ESV

“Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.

The First Commandment according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church is:

"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them."

Maybe do some research next time yeah?