Divine Mercy Sunday

March 30, 2008 - Divine Mercy Sunday

From the Diary of St. Maria Faustina (#699)

"On one of these occasions, I heard these words:

"My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable (138) mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy (139) be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the Fount of My Mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. (139) It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy."

Why Be Catholic?

I’ve already shared my conversion story, but I thought I needed to address the question so many converts are asked “Why be Catholic?”. This will probably offend my Protestant brothers and sisters and perhaps a few Catholics but it’s my story to tell and if I am going to tell it, I am going to be brutally honest and not hold back my thoughts and experiences which led me to become Catholic. I am not going to go into the things already spoken of in my conversion story. Instead I am going to focus on the theology and beliefs part of my conversion. I grew up officially Baptist but also attended mass with my paternal grandparents. I did not have any formal Catholic teaching, just mass attendance. My formal Christian teachings came from Protestants. I started off like most Protestant kids in Sunday school classes led by other parents who most often had no formal religious education just a desire to “preach the gospel” and “plant seeds” in others. Nothing wrong with that. Well meaning and God loving people. I don’t mean to take anything from them, but I can’t help but admit to feeling a bit of resentment. A feeling of being gypped if you will. I was cheated, albeit unknowingly, of the truth. I was taught erroneous beliefs that took me half a lifetime to overcome. Though I am ever so thankful to my Savior for leading me to the full truth. The full truth found only in His Holy Catholic Church. That statement has ticked off quite a few Protestants, but it’s not meant to. It’s simply a fact. Last year Pope Benedict released a statement about what a “true church” was and it ruffled many Protestant feathers. Again, it wasn’t meant to, it was meant to clarify our Catholic faith and beliefs. Protestants are our brothers and sisters in Christ, no doubt about it. But they are not in perfect union with us because they do not hold the full truth. They have partial truth. To put this as a simple visual that was shared to me by another Catholic: picture the Catholic Church as a large box sitting on a table. The box is filled to the top with all the things that make us Christians. The Seven Sacraments, our doctrines, Tradition, Early Christian writings, Sacred Scriptures, the saints and everything God has entrusted His Church with since He founded her 2,000+ years ago. Now, picture many smaller boxes surrounding the large box in the center. Each of these small boxes have looked in the large box and taken from it only what they want. One small box has taken two sacraments and renamed them “ordinances”. Another small box has taken Sacred Scriptures but left behind Tradition and so on and so on. Then outside those small boxes are even smaller boxes and they have taken fewer things from the other small boxes. And outside those boxes are tinier boxes who have done the same until what they hold have very little resemblance to what the large box in the center holds. They’ve been diluted and watered down so much that what they have left is hardly recognizable to it’s original source. These “boxes” are Protestant churches dividing over and over again each time creating their own doctrines and beliefs from other Protestant churches. Taking what they want, rejecting the rest and adding their own beliefs based on their personal interpretations and revelations. There are now over 30,000 different (and often times bickering) Protestant denominations. They all have their own man made doctrines and beliefs. They are for the most part well meaning and not out to deceive anyone, but the fact is, they are. They all claim the Holy Spirit is guiding them in truth, but that just doesn’t make sense. Why would the Holy Spirit tell one denomination to baptize infants and tell another to forbid it? The Holy Spirit would not do that. God calls believers to unity. To all believe as one. This is a huge red flag for anyone willing to open their eyes and HONESTLY take on this Protestant problem. When I confronted this, it was like I had been slapped in the face! For years, I had heard (and believed) that it didn’t matter what church you attended as long as you believed in God. Well, that is not entirely true. God wants unity and He gave us ONE church and I believe it’s His desire that we all belong to HIS Church, the Holy Catholic Church. In Matt. 16 Jesus tells Simon that he is now going to be called Rock {Peter} and on that rock Jesus will build his Church. This scripture is tossed away by Protestantism because it clearly shows Jesus placing Peter as the first Pope and shows Jesus founding one church. In the Gospel we see Jesus sending out MEN to teach and preach and bring converts into the Church. Jesus doesn’t hand out bibles nor rain them down from heaven with a note saying “Read this and self interpret it”. That just doesn’t happen, but that is what many Protestants in theory believe. They believe the bible interprets it’s self for believers- I used to believe this also. The biggest problem with that (beside them not raining down from Heaven nor Jesus handing them out) is no where in the bible does the bible say that. The bible doesn’t even list what books, chapters or verses belong in it. The Catholic Church, guided by the Holy Spirit compiled the bible and gave it to us. A Catholic once asked me ‘Using only your bible tell me how you know what books belong in it.’ That smart Catholic knew that I couldn’t and that my ‘bible alone’ theology was flawed. Now some people would just get ticked off and walk away. Not me, I am one of those people who needs to know the “why” and “how” behind things. So I searched for answers and the truth. I asked ministers and was told ‘the Catholic Church did compile the bible but they had some of it wrong and Martin Luther corrected it so now we have correct bibles’. Hmmm… If Martin Luther knew so much why did we still have Hebrews and Revelation and James and a few other books in the bible when Martin Luther wanted them removed and declared they were not Sacred Scripture? So how do we know Martin Luther was correct? Martin Luther also held to many Catholic beliefs that Lutherans today reject. By what authority do they reject them if they honestly believe that Martin Luther “fixed or corrected” the errors in the Catholic Church? It seemed every question I had could not be answered with any solid response. I began to see the foundation of Protestantism was built on sand, while I was recognizing the “rock” foundation the Catholic Church was built on. For 2000+ years this Church has stood against her enemies and she has not fallen. The Baptist faith falls over and over again and just makes up another branch all with their own differing doctrines. There’s the Southern Baptists who don’t allow women clergy based on their doctrines and scripture. Then there’s the American Baptists who do allow women clergy based on their doctrines and their own personal interpretation of scripture. This happens in all area’s of Protestantism. They can not stand because they are founded on sand, not the rock Jesus promised His Church would be founded. I didn’t want to be in a church founded by a man who self interpreted the bible and made his own doctrines. I wanted to belong to THE Church that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 16. The Church that He built on the rock. The rock foundation that will not fall and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. There is only one Church that is built on the rock and has the full truth. There is only one Church united in it’s doctrines and beliefs because it is guided by the Holy Spirit and is the pillar of truth. That church is the Holy Catholic Church. There is no other. Why belong to any other denomination? I am Catholic because I want all that Christ intended for me. I don’t want partial truths, I want full truth. I am Catholic because the Catholic Church has Seven precious Sacraments and Jesus gave them to His Church. They are there for the body of Christ as He intended them to be. I am Catholic because Jesus said “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.” (John 6:56), and the Eucharist is found in His Holy Catholic Church. I am Catholic because I gave myself to Christ and asked Him to lead me to His Truth and He led me to the Catholic Church. I am Catholic because the Church was there for me with open doors and open arms. I am Catholic because good Catholics challenged me and shared their faith. I am Catholic because of the prayers of many on earth and the saints in Heaven. I am Catholic because of a feisty nun on EWTN named Mother Angelica who wasn’t afraid to tell it like it was for Christ’s sake, not her own. I am Catholic because men have answered the call to the priesthood and were there to bring me home to Christ’s Church. I am Catholic because a group of Catholics came together in an RCIA group to guide me. I am Catholic because Early Christians wrote of their faith and God preserved it for me. I am Catholic because my guardian angel looked out for me all these years. I am Catholic because God filled my heart with a tremendous love for His Church. I am Catholic because He wants me to be.

Now let me ask the non-Catholic's reading this: Why aren't you Catholic?

Purgatory AKA "Paradise"

JJ writes: I'd like to discuss the CC's idea of a 'purgatory' and tell you what I think. Frankly, there is no such thing as your Catholic purgatory because scripture contradicts that bad theology. We see a perfect example of that when Jesus was on the cross. Jesus said the thief would be with Him in paradise that day - and since Jesus is God and God is in heaven and on earth, the thief went to heaven that day like Jesus said. No stop in any purgatory, earthly death - then straight to Heaven!

My response: Jesus did not go to Heaven until 40 days later when he ascended, that is what scriptures say and the Catholic Church agrees. Jesus and the thief went to "paradise" that day, not Heaven where the Father is. When Mary Magdalene tries to touch him Jesus tells her not to touch him because he has NOT yet gone to the Father (John 20:17 "Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father.") So we know when He was in the tomb (not yet gone to Heaven with the Father) and the thief who died with him, they did not go to Heaven, but to Paradise. This "paradise" (AKA "Abraham's Side" found in Luke 16) is purgatory for the righteous. It's were all the righteous were awaiting Jesus to open Heaven for them.

Another term used for this "paradise" was a sort of "prison" because the righteous were...locked out of Heaven if you will, until Jesus opened it.

Scripture says Jesus went to "prison" after he died to talk to the souls there, this is Paradise/Abraham's Side. Once Jesus ascended into Heaven, all the righteous from Paradise went with him.

Luke 16:19-31 (Abraham's Side- the place where the righteous went before Heaven was opened)vs 22 (in part) "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side."

1 Peter 3:18-19 (in part) "He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison,"

Acts 1:3 "After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God."

And vs 9 "After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight".

Luke 23:44-46

It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Luke 23:44-46

Good Friday Video

Holy is our Lord. Remember Him and His suffering this Good Friday and always.

Peter is the first pope

Mick writes: You want to establish that Peter is the first pope as to justify The RCC as the true church that Christ Gave us. I still disagree but lets say you are right that Jesus did make Peter the head of the church. What makes you think that justifies the RCC. If we compare the early church that Christ made Peter the head of there is no comparison with the RCC and papacy that fell into apostasy after 300 AD. Jesus never told Peter the church was to be a politicaly ambitious religious government. Nor did Christ ever teach this to any of the apostles. Peter never sat in a palace throne wareing fancy religious robes and hats with golden staffs, surounded with cardinnals. Why because Christ never taught that. He nerver taught Peter to force religion as a religious government and a corrupt government at that. The church existed for three hundred years with out this Apostilic succesion does not justify any of this either. I don't have time to go into the many other differences but please don't tell me this justifies the RCC as the true church.

My response: You've got a few different things going on in your comments to me. I am going to try and take them one at a time and if I don't connect them as well as you'd like I apologize. Sometimes from a brief comment, I don't always understand the connections others see to their own comments, for example you putting Peter as the first Pope with "justifying the RCC". I really don't know where you're going with that, but I will do my best to respond to your comments.
I don't need to "establish" that Peter was the first Pope because Jesus did that in the Gospel. If you'd take a moment and look at Matthew 16 you will see that Jesus is changing Simon's name to "Rock" {Greek 'Kephas'} to us "Peter" or "Petros". Jesus says to Simon, now called Kephas/Rock "So I say to you, you are Peter [or you are rock], and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Mt.16:18-19). There are a few things here that need to be noted. First, is the name change from Simon to "Rock". None of the other disciples were called "Rock", only Simon. Jesus has signaled Simon out as the "Rock" which He, Jesus, will build His Church on. So Simon is now seen and known as Peter (the Rock) and all the disciples are a witness to Jesus signaling Simon out and setting him apart from the others. Jesus not only changes Simon's name and tells him He will build a Church on him, but he also places authority in Peter's hands with the "keys". Keys are often, especially in scripture, a sign of authority. It shows who holds authority. We see this is a few places in scripture, for example Isaiah 22:
20 "In that day I will summon my servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah. 21 I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. 22 I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open."

Sounds similar to what Jesus said with Simon Peter doesn't it?

Next, note Jesus saying "you" specifically to Peter in Matt. 16. He is making it clear who is now called "Rock" and who has the keys. All the "you's" are directed right at Peter in Matthew 16 and in the the last chapter of John. Here is more of Jesus establishing Peter as the first Pope. Let's go to the last chapter of John (from the NIV bible):
Jesus Reinstates Peter
15When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." 16Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep." 17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."
Here again we see Jesus signaling out Peter specifically above all the other disciples. It is Peter, Jesus tells to "feed my sheep" and he repeats this over and over again. Jesus does not do this with any other disciple. I hope you are able to see what I am attempting to point out to you about Peter and Jesus establishing him as first pope of the Catholic Church.
Now about your view that the Church fell into apostasy in the year 300. We go back to Jesus Christ's own words to Peter when He changed his name from Simon to Peter: Jesus promised that "the gates of hell would not prevail against" His Church. That is our Lord's Word. It can't happen. Sure there can be Church members who do wrong and sin, we are not perfect, but the Church will prevail against all evil because Jesus promised us it would. As far as robes and palaces go, we see those things in scripture, mostly in the Old Testament, but they are there. I don't believe God has condemned them or opposes them, do you?

Now you mention the Church being politically ambitious. There is no denying there is some history in the Catholic Church that we as Catholics regret and wish had never occurred. But the Church teachings are not in error because the Holy Spirit guides the Church and keeps it from error. So while men will come and go and fall into sin and error, the Church will not because Christ said it wouldn't. Am I making any sense with that? If you see something you view as "wrong" with the Catholic Church, you have to look to our official teachings. Those are never in error. If you see a Catholic clergy or layperson and you view something they say or do as 'wrong' you might be correct or you might not, as we are not without sin or error and their personal opinions are just that, THEIR opinions. But if the Catholic is sharing a Catholic belief and you question it, check it against our catechism. Our faith is spelled out in the Catholic catechism fairly clearly in my opinion. There are references and quotes in there for you to further research as to the "why" behind the beliefs we hold.

I hope I've answered your concerns about Peter and our Catholic Church.

Father McGivney and The Knights of Columbus

In 1852 Michael McGivney was born to immigrant parents in Connecticut. He was one of 13 children born to Mary and Patrick McGivney. After working in a factory as a young teen to earn money for the family [in the years following the Civil War], in Waterbury Connecticut, he traveled to Canada to pursue his dream of becoming a priest by first attending the College of St. Hyacinthe. He later attended Our Lady of Angels Seminary in New York and St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimare, Maryland after the death of his father. He was ordained in 1877 and returned home to Connecticut to begin his priesthood at St. Mary's Church in New Haven where he was well loved and admired for his hard work and dedication. In the early 1880's Fr. McGivney began to explore the possibility of a laymen organization to help the poor and needy. This was the birth of the "Knights of Columbus" and by the end of 1885 there were over 30 Knights of Columbus councils in Connecticut. Just five years later, in August of 1890 the 38 year old priest died after a long illness with pneumonia and poor health. The Knights of Columbus continued to thrive after his death. Currently there are more than 12,000 councils in over a dozen countries serving people as Fr. McGivney dreamed. On Saturday, March 15, 2008 Pope Benedict XVl approved a decree that allows Catholics to refer to Fr. McGivney as "Venerable Servant of God" and advances him toward sainthood.

"It is finished"

Cary writes: Christ sat down at the right hand of God after He was resurrected from death which upon dying He said, "it is finished". At that point, the washing was completed...sins were nailed to the cross. There is no "purgatory". From God's perspective, all our sin was thrown into the sea of forgetfulness to be REMEMBERED NO MORE. When did this happen? It was 2,000 years ago at the cross.......not at the point when we accept the sacrifice. Forgiveness for ALL sin was completed at that point.......all sin we (you and I-everyone) have completed in our life was future at that point and all was taken care of. I was washed, you were washed clean. Until we accept what Christ did, we are still forgiven "dead" people as far as our spirit goes......we are not yet reconciled to God. What brings our spirit to life is that acceptance of His finished work, the Holy Spirit coming to dwell within us to bring the life of God to us........to flow through us. Those works flowing through us are works that are "alive", that have merit. Until then any "good works" that are performed are meaningless because they are dead works without Spirit life........all the little religious acts we become so proud of are nothing to God......they are the dead works that needed cleansed away so we can serve the living God in Spirit and in Truth.

My response: I agree that Christ is seated at the right hand of God. But we disagree on what "it is finished" means. You see it as "the washing is complete" when Jesus said "it is finished" and seem to see this as a sort of justification to conclude there is no purgatory. The "it is finished" is Jesus saying He has finished his work on earth. He had fulfilled all the prophecy about Himself and could now be our Sacrifice on the cross to bring Salvation to those who truly make Him Lord of their lives. That does not mean that "the washing was complete" for every human being on earth. Human's are still sinning and our "washing" is not complete as long as we continue to sin. You say "all our sin was thrown into the sea of forgetfulness to be remembered no more", but that is not true of unrepentant sinners. Repentance is a requirement for our sins. We must repent, not only in our words but truly feel sorrow and regret in our hearts for our sins to be forgiven. You go on to say that "forgiveness of all sin was complete at that point" and that our sins past, current and future were forgiven then too, but you are forgetting the requirement: repentance. We MUST repent to receive that forgiveness. You say that "acceptance of His finished work" brings our "spirit to life". I disagree. A Christian is brought to life by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can bring an infant's "spirit to life" without the infant first having to "accept His finished work". That is part of the Grace of God. You then go on to the topic of "works" and have concluded that some "good works" are meaningless as "all the little religious acts we become so proud of are nothing to God". What "little religious acts" are those? If a person is doing a "good work" it is not meaningless to God. God sees all, and all acts of kindness and charity to others are "good". I once met a person, who told me only the "good" that Christians did mattered to God because everyone else didn't have the Holy Spirit so their "works/deeds" mean nothing and are as "filthy rags" to the Lord. Do you agree with that view? I don't. A true act of kindness or charity comes from a compassionate heart, someone willing to put themselves out there to help another (Matt.25 the "sheep" who fed, clothed, welcomed and visited others). That does not go unnoticed by God and is not "meaningless". Remember the story of the "Good Samaritan" (Luke 10:25-37)? Was that meaningless or like "filthy rags" to our Lord Jesus Christ? No it was not. The only "dead works" are those done only for a reward and not from a willingness to help others.

Your Church and Pope

Mr. Wake writes: There's only ONE "church" who lives in "the city of seven hills". Sorry but the whore lives in Rome and so does your church. The Antichrist will deny Jesus is a man: All popes call Mary, "Mother of God," denying He is man. Thus, the pope is the antichrist.

My response: What "church" lives in the "city of seven hills"? The Vatican sits on one hill, Vatican Hill. I think perhaps you've been reading too much of Mr. Dave Hunt's propaganda. The Catholic Church does not do what you claim, we believe in "God Incarnate". Mary being the Mother of God does not mean what you seem to think, nor does it mean popes are the antichrist. Mary being called "Mother of God" means she gave birth to God Incarnate. God on earth. God among us. Jesus came as our Savior and Mary gave birth to Him making her the "Mother of God". Nothing sinister there, just the basic facts. If her title makes you uncomfortable then don't use it, call her "Mother of the Savior" if you like, means the same thing.

Is It Pagan?

Al writes: JESUS NEVER UTTERED THE PAGAN WORD "SACRAMENT." SO WHY IS YOUR "CHURCH" DOING IT? IS IT PAGAN?

My response: Perhaps not in scripture, but every word Christ uttered is not recorded so we don't really know that now do we? As far as scripture goes, Jesus never said "Trinity" either but Christians believe in it. The word "sacrament" isn't any more of a 'pagan word' than the days of the week are. It comes from the Latin word "sacrare" meaning 'to consecrate'. The seven Sacraments (Baptism, Eucharist, Marriage, Holy Orders, Extreme Unction, Penance, Confirmation) in the Catholic Church are not pagan. Sacraments are rites instituted by Jesus Christ. They can't be changed by anyone, not even a Pope. Many Protestant denominations have sacraments, though usually only 2 (Communion, Baptism). Some Protestant denominations prefer to use the term "ordinance" rather than "sacrament". I see nothing "pagan" in either terms, and certainly not in the Christians participating in these sacraments.

Racism at Planned Parenthood

I am sure most of you have heard the term "the evils of Planned Parenthood" from Pro-lifers before in regards to abortion. Today I came across a Youtube video that I find appalling. First let me say, there is nothing visually offensive so you don't have to worry about viewing something disturbing. What is disturbing is Planned Parenthood's blatant work to help exterminate the black population. In this video you hear recorded conversations between a caller saying they wish to make a donation for the sole purpose of aborting minorities and the Planned Parenthood employee gleeful to take the money and make sure it goes to abort a black child "because Ohio has too many blacks". Truly appalling. And the question that has to be asked is WHERE is the outrage in the media? Why isn't this racism being shown on television and protested? Where are the leaders in the black community and those who protest racism and work to remove racism in all it's forms from our nation? Where are they? Please watch this video and pass it on, then write or call black community leaders like Jesse Jackson or Barak Obama and demand them to speak out against Planned Parenthoods racism! Tell them to put their money where their mouths are and stop worrying about who's lining their pocket with money.
I hope I am wrong, but I believe these leaders are not speaking out because they are more concerned with their money than the lives of minority pre-born children. I would love for Jackson or Obama to prove me wrong on this, time will tell.

March 31st Declared: "Terri's Day"

March 31 has been declared "Terri's Day" (AKA International Day of Prayer and Remembrance for Terri Schindler Schiavo and All of Our Vulnerable Brothers and Sisters) by the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation and Priests for Life. Terri's Day will help bring attention to the need for protection for all disabled persons. Abled or disabled we are all human beings with value, with the right for life and equality. Every human being should have the right to food and water (as should any animal). That this has to be battled in courts is repulsive and gruesome to say the very least. Who has the right to determine the value of another human being as less valuable than another? No human being has the right to judge another human being's worthiness to life. There is no price tag to place on a human life, they are priceless and precious. Starving a human being to death is barbaric and should be criminal in this nation and others.
For any self proclaiming Christian to think that what was done to Terri was some how "humane" is to forget (or ignore) the words of their Savior Jesus Christ in Matt. 25 where Jesus tells us that what we do to others is what we do TO and for Jesus Christ himself. To starve a disabled person to death is to do that to Jesus Christ (Matt.25:42).
Matt. 25:31"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' 37"Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' 40And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' 41"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' 44"Then they also will answer Him, saying, "Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' 45Then He will answer them, saying, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' 46And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Those who support euthanasia can find their eternal fate in Matt.25:46 "everlasting punishment" according to the Word of God. We will all be held accountable one day as Jesus demonstrated with the Sheep and the Goats. The Sheep to eternal life, the Goats to eternal punishment.

I had originally posted this in Decemeber of 2007 (entitled "Euthanasia Supporters are Goats"), but because Terri's Day is this month, I thought I should repeat it as a reminder.

Where'd that come from?

Ever wonder where some phrases or word terms originated? Here are a few biblical ones from chapter 10 in "The Catholic Source Book" by Harcourt Religion Publishers (newly revised).

"Adam's apple": The remenant of Adam's sin, a piece of the forbidden fruit stuck in his throat.

"All things to all people": Indispensable; the effort to relate to all; what Saint Paul said of himself. 1 Cor. 9:22

"Blind leading the blind": ("blind guides the blind") Allusion to Matthew 15:14, Jesus confronting the Pharisees.

"Doubting Thomas": A skeptic; Thomas doubted when told of the Resurrected Christ. John 20:24-29

"Eat, drink and be merry": ("...eat, and drink, and enjoy...") In Ecc. 8:15 it is pessimistically recommended to enjoy life while we have it, since this is the best we can do in the world. In Isaiah 22:13, in another context, there is a similar phrase, with the added "for tomorrow we die".

"Fly in the ointment": ("...one bungler destroys much good.") A little thing that spoils everything, or at least detracts from its attractiveness (Ecc. 9:18).

"Kiss of Judas": Pretended affection; betrayal; an obvious reference to Judas and Jesus. Matt. 26:49

"Lip service": Just talk; from Jesus' discussions with some Pharisees.
Matt. 15:8 and Isaiah 29:13

"Love of money is the root of all evil": According to Paul, 1 Tim.6:10

"No rest for the wicked": Isaiah's observation (Latin: Nemo malus felix, No bad man is happy).

"Straight and narrow": Path of virtue; probably alluding to Matt. 7:14 where Jesus describes the path to eternal life.

"In the twinkling of an eye": Quickly; this is how Saint Paul describes how quickly the bodies of believers who are alive at the end of the world will be changed. 1 Cor. 15:52

"The wages of sin is death": Sin results in death; so Paul teaches. Romans 6:23

"Wars and rumors of wars": Bad new; Jesus cautions that these are not signs of an imminent end. Matt. 24:6

"Wise as serpents, gentle as doves": Quoting Jesus in his mission to the Twelve; a modern translation renders this as "clever" and "innocent", pointing to two virtues that are not mutually exclusive. Matt. 10:16