Some of my favorite Christmas music…
(2) Lovely Far Off City – YouTube
(2) Christmas In Carrick – YouTube
Archive for December, 2020
Merry Christmas – Clancy Brothers and Celtic Thunder
Posted in Christmas, Uncategorized on December 25, 2020| 2 Comments »
Our Lady Sets the Example in Crushing the Enemy
Posted in The Blessed Virgin Mary, Uncategorized on December 12, 2020| 2 Comments »
When the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego in 1531, in the Aztec language, she called herself, “Te Coatlaxopeuh,” meaning “She who crushes the head of the stone serpent.” This looks very similar to the prophecy found in Gen. 3:15, “I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.”
Because of a corruption of the text by the 6th and 7th century Jewish scholars known as the Massoretes, most bible translations render that “he” and not “she” will crush the head of the serpent. Fortunately, we find ancient scholars, such as first century Jewish philosopher Philo and first century historian Josephus explain the passage as “she.” St. Jerome’s Hebrew text apparently had the feminine pronoun, too, as the Vulgate is translated as “she.” Not to mention the fact, “she” grammatically fits where as “he” does not. However, the main point I want to focus on is the serpent being crushed.
The serpent is Satan who is our greatest enemy. St. Peter warned, “Be sober and watch: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8).”
Satan wants to destroy us, but he must be crushed or else he will strike and kill us. Jesus said, “I saw Satan like lightning falling from heaven. Behold, I have given you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall hurt you (Lk 10:18-19).”
We are commanded by God to love, obey, and trust Him. In doing so, we crush the enemy. If we wallow around in this world, the enemy will hurt us. Remember that the spiritual world translates into this world. St. Paul warns, “For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood: but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places. (Eph. 6:12).”
What happens if a rattlesnake is allowed to live freely in your home? Eventually, it will strike and probably kill you. What about 10 rattlesnakes or more? The chance of your survival over a period of time greatly diminishes.
We cannot allow the enemy to thrive. The reason that evil has so much power in this world is because men fear the wrong side. Jesus said, “And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt. 10:28).”
“Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7).”
Men today do not fear God, but they do fear others. They fear what others might think of them. They fear of being scorned or ridiculed. They ultimately fear of going against the enemy. They would rather empower the enemy if it’s going to be an inconvenience to their way of life. In doing so, they will eventually lose everything.
It’s all or nothing.
“And the God of peace crush Satan under your feet speedily. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (Rom. 16:19-20).”
Remembering St. Nicholas
Posted in St. Nicholas, Uncategorized on December 6, 2020| Leave a Comment »
The Catholic Bottom Line – Part VIII
Posted in Doctrine, The Bottom Line on December 3, 2020| 14 Comments »
The fourth mark by which the true Church of Christ can be identified is apostolic.
The Church that can trace it’s origin to the Apostles is the Apostolic Church.
The Roman Catechism declared, “The true Church is also to be recognized from her origin, which can be traced back under the law of grace to the Apostles; for her doctrine is the truth not recently given, nor now first heard of, but delivered of old by the Apostles, and disseminated throughout the entire world. Hence no one can doubt that the impious opinions which heresy invents, opposed as they are to the doctrines taught by the Church from the days of the Apostles to the present time, are very different from the faith of the true Church.
That all, therefore, might know which was the Catholic Church, the Fathers, guided by the Spirit of God, added to the Creed the word Apostolic. For the Holy Ghost, who presides over the Church, governs her by no other ministers than those of Apostolic succession. This Spirit, first imparted to the Apostles, has by the infinite goodness of God always continued in the Church. And just as this one Church cannot err in faith or morals, since it is guided by the Holy Ghost; so, on the contrary, all other societies arrogating to themselves the name of church, must necessarily, because guided by the spirit of the devil, be sunk in the most pernicious errors, both doctrinal and moral.”
The fourth or apostolic mark of the Catholic Church is a visible mark like the other three marks, viz. one, holy, and catholic. Each and every particular church and mission of the Catholic Church has all four marks. All four marks are interconnected to the doctrine and ministry of the Church. No other church has any of the four marks as the Catholic Church defines them. If you find the Church that’s one, then you’ve also found the Church that’s holy, catholic, and apostolic.
Apostolic succession is the unbroken succession of pastors in any particular office in the Church. We see it perfectly in the highest office of the Church, which is the Chair of Peter or papacy. Only those pastors who occupy an office can have full Apostolic succession. To obtain Apostolic succession, not all pastors must be ordained or consecrated to hold an office, but all ordained or consecrated pastors must hold an office.
When a pastoral office of a particular church or mission becomes vacant, the apostolic mark doesn’t disappear from that particular church or mission or else the particular church or mission would effectively disappear each time the office becomes vacant.
Every particular church and mission of the faithful united to the Chair of Peter has all four marks, because the marks are not dependent on the offices being filled, but only that they can be filled or the potential of being filled. For instance, the Church in Japan, which had no pastors for 300 years, existed with the four marks, because it was united to the Office of Peter and governed by that office, even when there was no pope.
The whole Church is governed by the Chair of Peter when the office is vacant. Proof: The Church must ALWAYS obey and follow the laws and teachings of the Church that stem from the Office of Peter just as we are governed by Christ through His Word and Instruction. The governing would be imperfect, since the Church is in an incomplete or imperfect form without a pope.
Just as the Church can be in an incomplete or imperfect form without a pope, the four marks can be incomplete or imperfect. For instance, during the Great Western Schism, when three men claimed the papacy, the mark of oneness was incomplete or imperfect. The oneness existed but it was difficult to see and understand. The apostolic mark exists in potentiality when it comes to the filling of offices for Apostolic succession, but exists fully in apostolicity in doctrine, which is guaranteed by apostolicity in mission. Since the mission remains with the potentiality of the filling of office, and the Church is one body morally in law and doctrine with the highest office, the mark is still visible and perhaps more visible than the mark of oneness during the time of the Great Western Schism.
The Bottom Line:
* No other church can have any of the four visible marks that identify the true Church.
* The apostolic mark does not require any office to be filled but only that they can be filled.
* Each and every particular church and mission united to the Chair of Peter has all four marks with or without pastors.
Speray's Catholicism in a Nutshell 