September 1, 2013

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Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time 
Lectionary: 126

Reading 1SIR 3:17-18, 20, 28-29

My child, conduct your affairs with humility,

and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.

Humble yourself the more, the greater you are,

and you will find favor with God.

Everyone loves a humble person.  

What is too sublime for you, seek not,

into things beyond your strength search not.

There are things which God alone knows.

The mind of a sage appreciates proverbs,

and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise.

Water quenches a flaming fire,

and alms atone for sins.

Give alms and all shall be made clean for you:

Luke 11:41But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.

Responsorial PsalmPS 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11

R. (cf. 11b) God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.
The just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
Sing to God, chant praise to his name;
whose name is the LORD.
R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.
The father of orphans and the defender of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.
R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.
A bountiful rain you showered down, O God, upon your inheritance;
you restored the land when it languished;
your flock settled in it;
in your goodness, O God, you provided it for the needy.
R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.

God has made a home for the poor, but these are the humble poor who know that they need God.  There are arrogant poor who want to force others to do for them and to give to them.  But the humble poor, like the humble rich, God loves.

Reading 2HEB 12:18-19, 22-24A

Brothers and sisters:
You have not approached that which could be touched
and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness
and storm and a trumpet blast
and a voice speaking words such that those who heard
begged that no message be further addressed to them.

This is a description of the Old Testament.  When the Jews were brought together in the desert, they could not approach the mountain where God thundered and spoke.  Only Moses (and Joshua) could approach.  Anyone else would die.

No, you have approached Mount Zion
and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and countless angels in festal gathering,
and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven,
and God the judge of all,
and the spirits of the just made perfect,
and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,
and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.

But we who are baptized now live upon that very mountain, with God and the Saints.  Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem are all images of the Catholic Church.  

GospelLK 14:1, 7-14

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,
and the people there were observing him carefully.

Jesus went to the home of one of the leaders of Israel.

He told a parable to those who had been invited,
noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.

He told them a parable about humility when he saw how people were choosing their place at table.

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,
do not recline at table in the place of honor.
A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,
and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,
‘Give your place to this man,’
and then you would proceed with embarrassment
to take the lowest place.

When invited somewhere, don't be proud and don't expect to be honored.  Otherwise, you may be embarrassed.

Rather, when you are invited,
go and take the lowest place
so that when the host comes to you he may say,
‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’

But rather, be humble and the host may come to you and say, "Come closer."

Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.

Then you will receive honor as the other guests see you being honored by the host.

For every one who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

For God does not love the proud, but loves the humble and will exalt them.

Then he said to the host who invited him,
“When you hold a lunch or a dinner,
do not invite your friends or your brothers
or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors,
in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.
Rather, when you hold a banquet,
invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.
For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Then Jesus said to the host, "When you hold a party, don't invite those who can repay you.  But instead invite those who can't repay you.  And God Himself will repay your kindness, in the life to come." 

Holy Men of the Church speak infallibly when teaching the Traditions of Jesus Christ

Lutero said:
They did not speak anything that is in addition to what is written down in the Scriptures that we have today. There are no additional inspired writings in addition to the Bible. All SCRIPTURE is inspired. What these men spoke, was eventually all written down in Scripture. You make this out to be a lot more complicated than it really is.

Nope. It is as simple as it is written there. HOLY MEN OF GOD were inspired to speak. Not the Scriptures alone were inspired.  But men were inspired by God.

The Roman Catholic Catechism seems to be nothing more than a commentary of the Bible written by fallible men. Do you believe that the men who wrote the Catechism are infallible?

Nope. No one is infallible. But the Holy Men of the Church speak infallibly when teaching the Traditions of Jesus Christ in union with the Pope.

By word, because the Bible had not yet been completely written yet, but was eventually written down and is found in the epistles, or our epistle, what had been written down so far.

And people lost the ability to speak and evangelize?

You misinterpret James and contradict Paul.

I think it is you who do so.

The harmony of Ephesians 2:8,9 and James 2:24 is seen in the differing ways that Paul and James use the term "justified." Paul, when he uses the term, refers to the legal (judicial) act of God by which He accounts the sinner righteous (Romans 5:1). James, however is using the term to describe those who would prove the genuineness of their faith by the works that they do (James 2:14-18).

Again, James is not using the word "justified" here to mean "is made righteous" but is "shown to be righteous." James is discussing the proof of faith, not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God (Romans 4:2,3). Justifed by works does not mean saved by works or else Paul would have clearly stated, For by grace you have been saved through faith and works.. in Ephesians 2:8. He also would have said, Therefore being justified by faith and works in Romans 5:1, but that is NOT what Paul said.

But you leave out what they both said in Rom 2:13:
Romans 2:13

King James Version (KJV)
¹³(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

And in James 1:
James 1:21-23

King James Version (KJV)
²¹Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
²²But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
²³For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

By the way, Hebrews 10:25-31 does not teach that missing the Mass is a mortal sin. What confusion.

It certainly does. It is very easy to understand. What do you think of someone's faith and love for Christ, who thinks it more important to watch the Bears and the Packers than to commemorate the Sacrifice of Our Lord?

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. You rejected the spiritual application here in favor of Roman Catholic tradition.

On the contrary, you reject the spiritual application in favor of Protestant tradition.

Just as bread nourishes our physical bodies, Jesus gives and sustains eternal life to all believers. “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).

Agreed. And He left us a sign which conveys that precise message. The Eucharist.

As He was accustomed, Jesus used figurative language to emphasize these great spiritual truths. Jesus explains the sense of the entire passage when He says, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63). The literal interpretation is absurd and revolting, leading to cannibalism and the drinking of blood contrary to the commandment of God.

Eating Flesh which appears to be bread is not revolting. And it is not cannibalism. It is however, hard for people to believe who do not believe that Christ is God:
⁶⁰Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
⁶¹When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
⁶²What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

The scriptures forbid drinking of blood (Leviticus 17:14; Deuteronomy 12:16,23; Acts 21:25). No literal eating of any flesh can give spiritual life. By faith we partake of Christ, and the benefits of His bodily sacrifice on the cross and the merits of His shed blood, receiving and enjoying eternal life. Eating and drinking is not with the mouth and the digestive organs of our bodies, but the reception of God’s grace by believing in Christ, as He makes abundantly clear by repeating the same truths both in metaphoric and plain language. Compare for example the following two verses:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life” (v47).

“He who eats this bread will live forever” (v58).

“He who believes” in Christ is equivalent to “he who eats this bread” because the result is the same, eternal life. The parallel is even more striking between verses 40 and 54:

“Everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (v40).

“Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (v54).

John 6 does not afford any support to the Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation. On the contrary, it is an emphatic statement on the primacy of faith as the means by which we receive the grace of God. Jesus is the Bread of Life; we eat of Him and are satisfied when we believe in Him for salvation.

On the contrary, everything you said confirms the Catholic doctrine. Faith is not faith if it makes excuses to disbelieve. Those who thought of Christ as a mere teacher, left Him. That is why He said, "what if you see me ascend to where I was"? But Jesus is God and His Word is all powerful. Therefore, when He says, whoever sees and believes, He means whoever sees and believes the words He is speaking, "Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life."

Seeing and believing doesn't mean making excuses why you don't believe.

You just explained why you do not understand the truth.

God knows who understands and who doesn't.

Believing in Christ for salvation means that we are trusting in Him alone for salvation. Those who claim to believe in Christ for salvation yet trust in supplements (works, Mass, Eucharist etc..) to help save them do not believe His words or believe in Him for salvation. Jesus needs no supplements.

It isn't a matter of Jesus needing anything. These are Jesus' words and we believe Him.

Mark 16:16

King James Version (KJV)
¹⁶He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Mark 14:22

King James Version (KJV)
²²And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.

Matthew 19:17

King James Version (KJV)
¹⁷And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

I would prefer to discuss two or three things at a time.

So would I.

I have other discussions to attend to and I also have a full time job.

As do I.

I don't have all day to answer your avalanche of information.

It is you who brings up all the Catholic doctrines which you deny. I started a thread on Scripture alone.

You probably think that you are either dazzling me or bafflling me with your words, but I have been is many discussions with Roman Catholics before and many of your arguments are nothing new or enlightening. You seem to be thorughly indoctrinated into Roman Catholicism and will probably be unreachable, but at a least a seed has been planted that hopefully will one day be watered and lead you to the truth. Only the Lord can open your eyes to the truth.

It is you who are using many and novel interpretations of words in an effort to change the meaning of the Scripture.

As for me, I am satisfied to stick to the topic of Scripture alone. We can begin another topic when you are ready.

Sincerely,

De Maria

August 31, 2013

USCCB »  Bible »  Daily Readings

« August 30  |  September 1 »

Saturday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time 
Lectionary: 430

Reading 11 THES 4:9-11

Brothers and sisters:
On the subject of fraternal charity
you have no need for anyone to write you,
for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.

St. Paul says that the Thessalonians already know how to love one another.

Indeed, you do this for all the brothers throughout Macedonia.
Nevertheless we urge you, brothers and sisters, to progress even more,
and to aspire to live a tranquil life,
to mind your own affairs,
and to work with your own hands,
as we instructed you.

But he wants them to progress even further and learn also to live peacefully, to mind their own business and to support themselves by their own labor, as they were instructed when the Apostles visited them.

Responsorial PsalmPS 98:1, 7-8, 9

R. (9) The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
Let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to rule the earth;
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.

God is absolutely just.  And all those who love Him should rejoice. God is no respecter of persons. Meaning that God doesn't play favorites.  Black or white, man or woman, if you keep His Commandments, you are beloved of God.

GospelMT 25:14-30

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.

Jesus told a story with a message.  The message is about faith.

To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one–
to each according to his ability.

God gave to each man faith.  This is the predisposing grace of faith which leads to conversion.  Each accepts the faith according to his ability.

Then he went away.
Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,
and made another five.

The person who receives the most grace acts upon it and multiplies it exceedingly by his works.

Likewise, the one who received two made another two.

So does the one who receives a little less.

But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground
and buried his master’s money.

But some people reject the faith altogether and bury it in a hole and give nothing back to God.

After a long time
the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents
came forward bringing the additional five.
He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.’
His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.

At the Judgment, God will judge the one who had much faith by the good works he did and he will be given crowns and thrones in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Come, share your master’s joy.’
Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,
‘Master, you gave me two talents.
See, I have made two more.’
His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master’s joy.’

The same with the one who had a little bit less.  He will also receive rewards in heaven.

Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,
‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person,
harvesting where you did not plant
and gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.
Here it is back.’
His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant
and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank
so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has,
more will be given and he will grow rich;
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’”

But the one who buried his faith and did not act upon it, he was cast out into the darkness.  He was cast into the lake of fire,where the worm never dies.

August 30, 2013

USCCB »  Bible »  Daily Readings

« August 29  |  August 31 »

Friday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time 
Lectionary: 429

Reading 11 THES 4:1-8

Brothers and sisters,
we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
as you received from us
how you should conduct yourselves to please God–
and as you are conducting yourselves–
you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

St. Paul earnestly instructs the Thessalonians to continue in well doing and thus to please God.

This is the will of God, your holiness:
that you refrain from immorality,
that each of you know how to acquire a wife for himself
in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion
as do the Gentiles who do not know God;

This is something which our culture today needs to learn.  Finding a wife or husband is not a matter of looking for someone who dresses scantily.  It is a matter of knowing each other and being best of friends.

not to take advantage of or exploit a brother or sister in this matter,
for the Lord is an avenger in all these things,

I think he is warning here about sex before marriage.  A brother or sister being a brother or sister in Christ.

as we told you before and solemnly affirmed.
For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness.

We are to remain holy.  

Therefore, whoever disregards this,
disregards not a human being but God,
who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Whoever disregards these instructions from the Church is disregarding God Himself.

Responsorial PsalmPS 97:1 AND 2B, 5-6, 10, 11-12

R. (12a) Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD loves those who hate evil;
he guards the lives of his faithful ones;
from the hand of the wicked he delivers them.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!

Love the Lord and always seek to do His will.  It is only those who keep His Commandments who truly love God.  Those who seek their own will, love themselves.  But in so doing will lose their souls.

GospelMT 25:1-13

This parable is about perseverance in faith.

Jesus told his disciples this parable:

“The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins

who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

We are the ten virgins.  Jesus is the bridegroom.

Five of them were foolish and five were wise.

Half of the people who seek Jesus are wise.  The other half are are not.

The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,

brought no oil with them,

but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.

The oil represents faith.  The lamps represent works.

Since the bridegroom was long delayed,

they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

This is a reference to the Ascension of Jesus Christ and the period before His Second Coming.

At midnight, there was a cry,

‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

Then, someone saw the Bridegroom afar off and woke up the maids.

Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.

They all got up and turned on their lights.

The foolish ones said to the wise,

‘Give us some of your oil,

for our lamps are going out.’

At that point, the foolish virgins could barely light their lamps because they had no fuel.  This represents their lack of faith.  They turned to the wise ones and asked them for more.  But faith is not something one can give to another.  Either you have it and prove it by your works.  Or you don't have it.  

But the wise ones replied,

‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you.

Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’

Therefore, the wise maidens said, "You're on your own.  You must prove your faith by your works." 

While they went off to buy it,

The foolish virgins didn't know how to do that.  They thought they could find faith somewhere and purchase it.

the bridegroom came

and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.

So, when Jesus arrived, the wise virgins were ready and joined Him.

Then the door was locked.

Afterwards the other virgins came and said,

‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’

And the doors into heaven were locked.  When the foolish ones came back, they found themselves locked outside.

But he said in reply,

‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’

And Jesus said to them, "I do not know you."  This reminds me of the same thing Jesus said to those Christians who thought they were faithful:

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon you to persevere in good works.  Because it is God who judges us on the basis of our works.  Not on the basis of claims of faith.  Good works prove faith in God.  They also prove love of God.  Therefore, persevere in good works and you will be blessed. 

Therefore, stay awake,

for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Therefore, do the will of God always.  

St. Jerome Catholic Church Fall Festival-Sat. September 28 & Sun. September 29

St. Jerome Annual Fall Festival 

Sat. September 28 & Sun. September 29

All proceeds go towards our new Parish Activity Center 
Ticket prices are $2.00 each or a book of 6 for $10.00
EIGHT GREAT RAFFLE TICKET PRIZES 

1st Prize- Choice of a New Honda Fit or Mazda 3 or $17,000 American Express Gift Card
2nd Prize- 50” HD LED Flat Screen TV
3rd Prize- Dell Laptop 3 GB
4th Prize- $500 American Express Gift Card
5th Prize- iPad Mini
6th Prize- iPod Touch
7th Prize- $250 Wal-Mart Gift Card
8th Prize- $150 HEB Gift Card 

God Bless you and Thank you VERY MUCH for your help! 
From Fr. Dan, Raffle Ticket Chairs, George and Barbara Levandoski 832-723-4783 and the entire Fall Festival Committee. 

We are also taking Festival Sponsorships and Booth Sponsorships if you would like to give in the name of a loved one or just make a donation to sponsor one of the booths for the 2013 St. Jerome Fall Festival please contact Gary Shirley at 281.451.4904 or email Gary Shirley – 2013 Fall Festival Chairman gshirley@additx.com. 

Thank you