APOLOGETICS: WHO FOUNDED YOUR CHURCH OR CULT, BASED IN HISTORY?

WHO FOUNDED YOUR CHURCH OR CULT, BASED IN HISTORY? 

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Any claims that Protestants or other non-Catholic Christians make in regards in claiming to be the one true Church founded by Christ is completely false, based on historical facts.
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If you are a Lutheran, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex- monk of the Catholic Church, in the year 1517. He then broke his vow of celibacy and married a nun, then removed 7 books from the bible.
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If you are an adventist, your cult was founded by Mrs. Ellen White on 1865 in Michigan USA, after William Miller failed to predict Christ second coming on 1843 and 1844. SDA then started from a false prophesy.
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If you belong to the Church of England, your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534 because the Pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to remarry.
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If you are a Presbyterian, your religion was founded by John Knox in Scotland in the year 1560.
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If you are a Protestant Episcopalian, your religion was an offshoot of the Church of England founded by Samuel Seabury in the American colonies in the 17th century.
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If you are a Congregationalist, your religion was originated by Robert Brown in Holland in 1582.
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If you are a Methodist, your religion was launched by John and Charles Wesley in England in 1744.
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If you are a Unitarian, Theophilus Lindley founded your church in London in 1774.
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If you are a Mormon (Latter Day Saints), Joseph Smith started your religion in Palmyra, N.Y., in 1829.
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If you are a Baptist, you owe the tenets of your religion to John Smyth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1605.
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If you are of the Dutch Reformed church, you recognize Michaelis Jones as founder, because he originated your religion in New York in 1628.
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If you worship with the Salvation Army, your sect began with William Booth in London in 1865.
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If you are a Christian Scientist, you look to 1879 as the year in which your religion was born and to Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy as its founder.
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If you belong to one of the religious organizations known as 'Church of the Nazarene," "Pentecostal Gospel." "Holiness Church," "Pilgrim Holiness Church," "Jehovah's Witnesses," your religion is one of the hundreds of new sects founded by men within the past century.
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If your churches where just founded in the Philippines such as Iglesia, MCGI, Jesus Is Lord, 4th Watch, etc., they were founded in the 20th century by filipino humans like Manalo, Soriano, Villanueva, etc.
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If you are born-again christian, your movement was started by Methodist Pastor Charles Parham on 1900s in Kansas USA.
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If you are Catholic, you know that your religion was founded in the year 33 by Jesus Christ the Son of God, and it is still the same Church.
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All Protestant "churches" have a founder who is not Jesus Christ - mere humans. There is no escaping this fact. To claim that your church is the original Church of Christ is dishonest and quite frankly, a lie. As former Protestant John Henry Newman said,
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"To be deep in history is to cease to be a Protestant."
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HISTORICAL SUPPORTS & STANDARD REFERENCES:

1. The New Book of Knowledge, Page 287
“Roman Catholic Church –the history of the Roman Catholic Church begun in an upper room in Jerusalem almost 2,000 years ago. About 120 persons were gathered there. They were followers of Jesus Christ, and they were awaiting the coming of Holy Spirit he had promised to send them from heaven. The day on which the Holy Spirit came down is considered the birthday of the Church. The Church may be described as the society that Jesus founded, which is vitalized by the Spirit of God and organized to a structure which he establish. The history of Roman Catholic Church traces the destinies of that society from its beginning until now."
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2. The World Almanac and Book of Facts <Edition 2009> Page 688
“Roman Catholics –traditionally founded by Jesus who named St. Peter the 1stvicar, developed in early Christian proselytizing, especially after the conversion of imperial Rome in the 4thcentury."
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3. The Old World and America, Page 100
“More than 1900 years ago, Jesus Christ Son of God, came upon earth to save mankind. After His atoning death on the cross He rose glorious and immortal. Before leaving this world to go to the Father, Our Lord founded the Catholic Church and gave to that Church the command to teach all nations.”
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4. The New Webster’s Dictionary of English Language <International Edition> Page 155.
" Catholic - of the original Christian Church before the schism between East and West - of the Roman or Western Church after this schism and before the reformation."
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5. International Encyclopedia, Volume 20, Page 520 “Roman Catholic Church - There are two equally valid definition of the Catholic Church, comparable to the twofold nature of Jesus Christ, its founder, who was both human and divine."
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6. Young Students Encyclopedia, Volume 17, Page 261
“Roman Catholicism - the largest of the Christian denomination is the Roman Catholic Church. As an institution it has existed since the 1stcentury AD. For the first 1,000 years all christians belongs to Catholic Church”
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7. Compton’s Encyclopedia & Fact-Index, Volume 20, Page 2024
“Roman Catholic Church - For the first thousand years after the death of Jesus Christ, all Christians were members of one religion – Christianity. There were no separate sects, or branches, of Christianity as there are today. The word “catholic” means “universal,” and for those first thousand years, all Christians were members of the Catholic Church."
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8. Grollier Encyclopedia, Volume V, page 106
“Catholic Church - (Gr. Katholikos, universal, general). Term generally applied to the Divine society founded by Jesus Christ, and endowed by the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost"

The Only Church founded by Jesus Christ - The Catholic Church

By Fr Zdzislaw Karczewski.

The ‘Bible only’ believers approach Catholics  with  strange comment  about the Church, for example they say: ‘Church can’t  help you to go to heaven’ (Sios i no inap long heipim yu long go long heven). The fact, that there is no such  quotation in the entire Scripture, should be enough to prove the falsity of such  statement. Another comment used quite often  by them is a similar one: ‘All churches are equal, all of them worship the same God (Olgeta lotu I wankain, mipela I lotu long wanpela God tasol).  In response to it, they  should be asked to  show  from the Bible a single verse which says: ‘All churches are equal’.  Such statement is nonbiblical. It can’t be found in the Scriptures. The Bible gives an entirely different teaching. Jesus spoke about His Church founded on Peter the Rock: and I say to you, you are Peter and upon this rock I will build My Church ( He didn’t say my churches), and the gates of Hades will never prevail against it… (Mt 16:18-19). There is only one God and there is only one Church, the Church founded by Christ Himself - the Catholic Church. Christ is the Head  and  the Church  is His Body (Ep1:23). Being the Truth Himself (Jn 14:6) Christ is free of any error, in the same way the Church which is His Body  can  never go astray. Paul says that the CHURCH (not the Bible)is the pillar and foundation of the truth (1Tim 3:15).                                                                                         

The unity of  the Church

Christ  has foreseen  the  multitude of the attacks  launched  by satan on  the Catholic Church in the future, that is why He prayed for her  unity : That they may be one…(Jn 17:20). The unity consists  in following the same teachings proclaimed by the first leaders (the Apostles). John the Apostle wrote about themselves in his First Letter: “We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us, and whoever is not from God does not listen to us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error “(1Jn 4:6). Christ Himself cannot be changed ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever‘(He 13:8). The conclusion of these words is obvious, the teaching of Christ cannot be changed  either. With the words:: Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects  you rejects me, and whoever rejects me, rejects the one who sent me (Lu 10:16)  Jesus has appointed His Apostles to be the teachers of truth. With the similar words spoken to the Apostles He has confirmed  the  appointment: Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Mt 18:18). The leaders of the Church – the Catholic Church established by Christ, are the guarantee of  unity. Divisions in the Church never come from God and must be strictly avoided. Saint Paul says: Now I appeal to you brothers in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that all of you be in agreement and that there is no divisions among you but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose (1Cor 1:10). I urge you, brothers to keep an eye on those who cause dissensions and offenses, in oppositions to the teaching that you have learned. Avoid them… (Rom 16:17-18).  Titus wrote: After the first and second warning, avoid a man of heresy, knowing that such a man has been perverted, and sins, being self- condemned ( Ti 3:10).         
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit has been given precisely to the Catholic Church (Acts 2:1- 4) in order to guide and protect her. Many of the protestant denominations claim to be the ones, who  have received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Let us have a look whether protestant  denominations  follow the whole Christ’s teaching ?  God spoke about the necessity of following the Tradition of the Apostles (2Tes 2:15), they reject it. Christ spoke about the sacrament of confession (Jn 20:23). None of them follow it. Christ has said His first Mass (Mt 26:26-28). He took bread and wine (not cordial) and changed them into His Body and Blood. The protestant denominations don’t say they change bread into Christ’s  Body and wine (cordial) into Christ’s Blood. During their ‘lotu’ bread remains bread, cordial remains cordial. For them it is only a commemoration of the Body and Blood of Christ. After the presentation of a few examples, the conclusion  is  obvious, all protestant denominations do not follow the whole of Christ’s teaching. If  the Holy Spirit  had  been  the one who  was  leading  them, definitely  they would  not omit any of Christ’s teachings. The whole Christ’s teaching  is kept by one Church ONLY – the Catholic Church.  That is why  Saint Paul says: ‘the Church is the pillar and foundation of the truth’ (1Tim 3:15).

https://pomiocatholiccommunity.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-only-church-founded-by-jesus-christ.html

The Complete Rosary in Latin Gregorian Chant

ADVENT PRAYER

Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me a wonder at the wisdom and power of Your Father and ours. Receive my prayer as part of my service of the Lord who enlists me in God's own work for justice. 

Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me a hunger for peace: peace in the world, peace in my home, peace in myself. 

Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me a joy responsive to the Father's joy. I seek His will so I can serve with gladness, singing and love. 

Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me the joy and love and peace it is right to bring to the manger of my Lord. Raise in me, too, sober reverence for the God who acted there, hearty gratitude for the life begun there, and spirited resolution to serve the Father and Son. 

I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, whose advent I hail. Amen.

https://pomiocatholiccommunity.blogspot.com/2018/12/advent-prayer.html

Purgatory

By Fr Zdzislaw Karczewski.

The  Bible speaks about heaven. It speaks about Hell (gehena).  Does the Bible speak about Purgatory?  The place or rather the state where souls of the dead are being purified, cleansed before  entering heaven.  The Christians always prayed for the dead. They strongly believe that souls of the dead people remain in Hades (in Latin language  it is called Purgatory). The strong tradition of praying for the dead have been kept  by the Jews. It can be read in the Second Book of Maccabees (2Macabi 12:42-43). The Jews believe  the souls of the dead  are  in the place called ‘Sheol’.  Bible speaks clearly that the souls of the dead are alive: King Saul have talked with the soul of the dead prophet  Samuel (1Sm 28:7-20). On Mountain Tabor the Apostles witnessed  resurrected Jesus  speaking with Moses and the prophet Isaiah the ones who have died long ago (Mt 17:2-3). God is not the God of the dead but of the living (Lu 20:38).
Christ preached that everyone will be salted with fire (Mk 9:49). In order to understand Christ’s words better  we have to look at the passage speaking about  the judgment: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad (2Cor 5:10).                                                                 There is a common conviction among some Christian denominations that every sin is equal, that the gravity of every sin is the same. John disproves such a claim. He points at two  different kinds of sin; The mortal (deadly) sin and the venial one. In his First Letter he explains:“Every kind of evil is sin, but not all sins id deadly” (1Jn 5:17). There are souls of the dead however which are not crystal clean yet? There are souls which didn’t pay their debts to the full yet?  Saint John warns the believers: nothing unclean will enter heaven (Rev 21:27). They have to undergo a cleansing process first. They have to be cleansed by a fire. The soul of a rich man suffering in fire bagged  Abraham for a help (Lu 16:24). St Paul speaks about the purifying fire as well: each man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire (1Cor 3:13-15).                                                                           Those who didn’t straighten their lives  before their death will be put into a prison to pay their debts to the last penny. Here are Christ’s words: : “while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to settle with him, so that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison”. I say to you, you will not get out of there until you have paid the very last cent” (Lu 12:58-59).
Can the souls suffering in the Purgatory be helped? Can we speed up their entry into heaven?  Of course we can, as a matter of fact we are obliged to do so. There is a strong Tradition in the Catholic Church of praying for the dead. The most effective  help is the Holy  Eucharist said by a priest for the soul of the deceased. To pray the rosary is very powerful means  also. Any kind of prayer can be said in order the help those in Purgatory.

Is the Bible alone all that we need?

By Fr Zdzislaw Karczewski

Does God speak to us through the Bible alone? Is the Bible alone sufficient? Knowing that during the first period of the Church there was no New Testament Bible, and that the Word of God was preached only orally, the answer is negative. The Bible alone is not sufficient. Although God speaks to us through the Bible, His inspired Word (2 Tim 3:16), it is not the only way He speaks to us. If God had wanted us to follow only the Bible, He would have said so. There is not a single quotation in the entire Bible where God says: ”Follow the Bible alone, that is enough”. On the contrary, in the second letter to the Thessalonians Saint Paul speaks about the Traditions to be followed: 'And so brothers stand firm and hold fast to the TRADITIONS, that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter' (2 Th 2:15).

God speaks to us in two ways: Through the Scripture and, through the Tradition. Paul speaks strongly that we must keep the Tradition brought to us through the Apostles: 'Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us' (2Th 3:6).

It is not enough to read the Bible. We have to know the true meaning of what we read, as Peter points out: … speaking of this as he [Paul] does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do to other scriptures (2 Pet 3:16).

How can we be sure whether we follow the correct interpretation, the right meaning of what we read? Is there any way to find the true meaning of the Word of God written in the Bible? To avoid any doubts and confusions, God bestowed upon His Church the obligation to keep and to guard the truth. The Catholic Church, the one and true Church established by Christ Himself 2000 years ago, the Church filled and guided by the Holy Spirit, the Church which is the pillar and foundation of the truth was commissioned to do this. As saint Paul says: ...if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the bulwark of the truth (1Tim 3:15).

The Magisterium of the Catholic Church presents to us the final and true meanings of the texts written in the Bible. The Second Vatican Council states it: But the task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether it is in written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching of the Church alone.[1]

The Church is not a child of the Bible, but its mother.[2]

The Church existed before the New Testament (Bible) was written. It ought to be very clearly stated, that the New Testament (Bible) has written by the Church and for the Church. The Scriptures can be properly understood only if they are read from within the Church, the Church established by Christ Himself, the Catholic Church.

[1] Dei Verbum, 10

[2] Rev. John A. O’Brien, The Faith of Millions, p.128.

Recommended:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVu9MPB4XHX

The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)

By Fr Zdzislaw Karczewski

We are all sinners. Sin can not enter heaven: The Bible says:” …nothing unclean will enter it, nor any[one] who does abominable things or tells lies. Only those will enter whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev 21:27)
It is not enough to accept Jesus as one’s personal Lord and Savior in order to get to heaven. Soul of a person has to be cleaned, has to be purified at first, otherwise the gates of heaven will be closed for them. There are many believers from various denominations pointing at the passage in the Book of Psalm, in which king David says : “I made my sins known to you, did not conceal my guilt. I said I shall confess my sins to Yahweh. And you for your part, took away my guilt, forgave my sin” (Ps 32:5). See, they say, in order to have our sins forgiven we ought to simply confess our sins to God. We don’t have to come to the sacrament of penance, we don’t have to come to a priest and make our confession. It is enough to confess our sins directly to God. God alone will remove our sins, God alone will cleans us of our iniquities. The Book of Psalm is a part of the Old Testament. But Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the Prophet (Mt 5:17). Christ has brought us the TRUTH (Jn 1:17). He has established the New and everlasting Covenant. (He 8:7-13). The true Christians are obliged to follow Christ’s teaching. The Gospel of Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament. John the Apostle has recorded the words spoken by Christ to the Apostles: “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (Jn 20:23). Jesus has shown the true way of cleaning our souls, the true means of having our sins forgiven. This way is the Sacrament of Confession. The power of forgiving people’s sins has been passed on by Christ to the Apostles and their successors – to the bishops and priests who have received the valid Sacrament of Ordination as the Tradition of the Catholic Church tells us. It is important to notice that despite of the fact that the Jews were confessing their sins directly to God, some of them were not forgiven by God. Jesus said to the Pharisees: “You will die in your sins. Yes, If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins (Jn 8:24).

Call on St Cecilia to help with your Liturgy

Call on the Patron of Musicians and Singers as you prepare Liturgy for Eucharistic Celebrations, at the beginning and at the end.

Her patronage and guidance will help you sing well and offer up Holy Mass to praise, worship and adore the Blessed Trinity.

When a Protestant Argues; "The first Christian's were not Catholic"

Some protestants will claim that the first Christian’s in the Early Church were not Catholic, to disprove the Church's Apostolic Succession ( direct line from the current Pope Francis all the way back to St Peter the first Pope, that we have no basis for the traditions we hold. But actual history shows that the Apostles and early Christians were indeed Catholic. Lets have a look at some of the many examples.

Of course after Peter we had St. Linus (our 2nd Pope) whose name also comes up in Scripture (2 Tim 4:21)  “Make haste to come before winter Eubulus and Pudens, and Linus and Claudia, and all the brethren, salute thee.”

(“The blessed apostles having founded and established the church entrusted the office of the episcopate to Linus. Paul speaks of this Linus in his Epistles to Timothy” (Catalogue of the Bishops of Rome, Eusebius of Cesarea)

St. Clement of Rome (death approx. 96AD) Not only was Clement (our 4th Pope), but he is mentioned in the bible as one of St Pauls’ brothers, See DRB Phil 4:3 and also in the KJV in Phil 4:3. Needless to say St. Clement didn’t teach salvation by faith alone.

“Let us clothe ourselves with concord and humility, ever exercising self-control, standing far off from all whispering and evil-speaking, being justified by our works, and not our words."

Student of the Apostle St. John, St. Ignatius of Antioch (35-107 A.D)

You must all follow the lead of the bishop, as Jesus Christ followed that of the Father; follow the presbytery as you would the Apostles; reverence the deacons as you would God's commandment. Let no one do anything touching the Church, apart from the bishop. Let that celebration of the Eucharist be considered valid which is held under the bishop or anyone to whom he has committed it. Where the bishop appears, there let the people be, just as where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not permitted without authorization from the bishop either to baptize or to hold an agape; but whatever he approves is also pleasing to God. Thus everything you do will be proof against danger and valid.

No need for me to explain anything here.

Saint Irenaeus of Lyons (130-202AD)

“The truth is to be found nowhere else but in the Catholic Church, the sole depository of apostolical doctrine. Heresies are of recent formation, and cannot trace their origin up to the apostles.”

(Adversus Haereses, Book III, chapter 4 Prologue)

Moving right along from 1st and 2nd century up to the 3rd we have 

Saint Cyprian of Carthage (205-258AD)

“Let the lapsed, however, who acknowledge the greatness of their sin, not depart from entreating the Lord, nor forsake the Catholic Church, which has been appointed one and alone by the Lord; but, continuing in their atonements and entreating the Lord's mercy,”

(Epistle LXIII-5, to Epictetus)

St Augustine is sometimes bravely quoted by protestants.

“Before His suffering the Lord Jesus Christ, as you know, chose His disciples, whom He called Apostles. Among these Apostles almost everywhere Peter alone merited to represent the whole Church. For the sake of his representing the whole Church, which he alone could do, he merited to hear, I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven (Matt 16:19).”

Sermons 295, 2, 391 A.D.

“This Church is Holy, the One Church, the True Church, the Catholic Church, fighting as she does against all heresies. She can fight, but she cannot be beaten. All heresies are expelled from her, like the useless loppings pruned from a vine. She remains fixed in her root, in her vine, in her love. The gates of hell shall not conquer her.”

Sermon to Catechumens, on the Creed, 6,14, 395 A.D.

St Jerome (347-420AD)

“The truth is that all we who hold the Catholic faith, wish and long that, while the heresy is condemned, the men may be reformed. At all events, if they will continue in error, the blame does not attach to us who have written, but to them, since they have preferred a lie to the truth.”

(Against the Pelagians, 417 A.D., book I-2 )

There are many other writings of the Early Church Fathers testifying of the Catholic Church. I will end this brief post with Scripture which have much in common with these Saints listed above.

Acts 20:28 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

28 Take heed to yourselves, and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

https://pomiocatholiccommunity.blogspot.com/2018/11/when-protestant-argues-first-christians.html

An Overview of The Advent Season

Yesterday we celebrated the Solemnity of Christ the King. This feast ends the 2018 liturgical year and we look forward to starting the new liturgical year on 2nd December 2018 - the First Sunday in Advent. To prepare well for this season leading the Christmas - the birth of the Savior - Please take this time to understand the importance of Advent and get a brief overview of this season.

Advent is the liturgical season that precedes and prepares for Christmas. It is a season of hope and of longing, of joyful expectation and of peaceful preparation. Many symbols and traditions are associated with Advent, especially the Advent Wreath with its four colored candles (three purple and one pink), but also Advent calendars, special Advent music, food, processions, and other traditions that may vary from one culture or region to the next. Here are a few interesting things to know about Advent:

When and how long is Advent?

  §For most Christians, the Advent Season always begins four Sundays before Christmas; so it is rarely four full weeks long, but only between three and four weeks, depending on what weekday Dec. 25 happens to be in a certain year.

§  The First Sunday of Advent, which also marks the beginning of the new liturgical year for the Church, could be as early as Nov. 27 or as late as Dec. 3.

§  The Third Sunday of Advent is traditionally called "Gaudete Sunday" (from Latin, meaning "Rejoice!), because the "Entrance Antiphon" of this Sunday's Mass is taken from Paul's letter to the Philippians: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! The Lord is near." (Phil 4:4+5b)

§  The Fourth Sunday of Advent could be as early as Dec. 18, a full week before Christmas (as in 2005 and 2011), or as late as Dec. 24, making it the same day as "Christmas Eve" (as in 2006 or 2017).

§  Advent technically ends of the afternoon of Dec. 24, since that evening, Christmas Eve, begins the Christmas Season.

What does the word "Advent" mean?

§  When capitalized, "Advent" usually refers to "the coming of Christ into the world" or to "the liturgical period preceding Christmas"; it may also refer to the "Second Coming" of Christ (the "Advent of our Lord").

§  In secular English, "advent" (not capitalized) may refer to any "coming" or "arrival," especially of something so important that it radically changed a whole culture (e.g., "The advent of electricity" or "The advent of the computer age").

§  The word is derived from the Latin adventus ("arrival, approach"), made up of the preposition ad- ("to, towards"), the verbal root ven- (from venire, "to come"), and the suffix -tus (indicating verbal action).

§  The word is very similar in many other European languages: Advent, Advento, Avent, Avvento, Adviento, etc.

What are the traditional colors of Advent?

§  In the Roman Catholic Church, the official liturgical color for most of the Season of Advent is violet. Only on the Third Sunday of Advent is a rose (pink) colored candle lit, as a symbol of joy; the priest may also wear rose vestments on this Sunday.

§  Other church decorations (altar cloths, banners, etc.) will often have combinations of violet, pink, and blue throughout the season. Liturgically-minded churches will avoid greens and reds (the secular Christmas colors), and will wait until the Christmas season to use decorations with white, silver, and gold colors.

What are the liturgical readings for the Sundays of Advent?
Each of the four Sundays of Advent has its own special readings and characteristics:

§  First Sunday of Advent - The readings look forward to the "End Times" and the coming of the "Day of the Lord" or the "Messianic Age"; the Gospel is an excerpt from the Apocalyptic Discourse of Jesus in one of the Synoptic Gospels.

§  Second Sunday of Advent - The Gospel readings focus on the preaching and ministry of John the Baptist as the forerunner of Jesus, the one who came to "Prepare the Way of the Lord."

§  Third Sunday of Advent - The Gospel readings continue to focus on John the Baptist, while the first and second readings convey the joy that Christians feel with the increasing closeness of the incarnation and the world's salvation.

§  Fourth Sunday of Advent - The Gospels tell of the events that immediately preceded the birth of Jesus, including the dreams and visions of Joseph and Mary of Nazareth.

What are the liturgical readings for the Weekdays of Advent?
There are actually two sets of weekday readings for the Advent season:

§  Readings for the weekdays in the first three weeks, but only up to Dec. 16: the Gospel readings are excerpts from various chapters in Matthew and Luke; the first readings are mostly from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

§  Readings for the weekdays from Dec. 17 to Dec. 24: the Gospel readings cover all of Matthew 1 and Luke 1, sequentially; the first readings are selected thematically from various prophetic books of the Old Testament.

§  The weekdays from Dec. 17 to Dec. 24 also make use of the "O Antiphons," not only during Evening Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours, but also in the Alleluia verse before the Gospel at Mass.

What other liturgical celebrations can occur during the Season of Advent?
Several "Feasts" and "Memorials" of saints can be celebrated on the weekends of Advent, but most of them are omitted if the usual date happens to fall on a Sunday in a particular year, since these celebrations are considered less important than the Sundays of Advent.

§  Nov. 30 - Feast of St. Andrew, the Apostle - may occur just before or during the first week of Advent, depending on the year.

§  Dec. 6 - St. Nicholas - although the day is only an "optional memorial" on the Roman liturgical calendar, this popular saint gave rise to the gift-giving tradition now associated with "Santa Claus"; in certain countries, Dec. 6 is still a day when parents give simple gifts (often fruit or nuts) to their children.

§  Dec. 8 - Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary - a "Holy Day of Obligation" in the United States; if Dec. 8 falls on a Sunday, this Solemnity is transferred to Monday, Dec. 9.

§  Dec. 12 - Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe - only ranked as a "Memorial" in much of the world, but considered an important "Feast" in the United States and many Latino countries.

§  The "Memorials" of several other saints can be celebrated during Advent, but only if they fall on a weekday, not on Sunday:
St. Francis Xavier (Dec. 3), St. Ambrose (Dec. 7), St. Lucy (Dec. 13), St. John of the Cross (Dec. 14), and a few other "optional memorials" (St. John of Damascus, St. Nicholas, St. Juan Diego, St. Damasus I, St. Peter Canisius, and St. John of Kanty).

Original Article

https://pomiocatholiccommunity.blogspot.com/2018/11/an-overview-of-advent-season.html

What is Advent and Why is it Important?

Yesterday we celebrated the Solemnity of Christ the King. This feast ends the 2018 liturgical year and we look forward to starting the new liturgical year on 2nd December 2018 - the First Sunday in Advent. To prepare well for this season leading the Christmas - the birth of the Savior - Please take this time to understand what is Advent and its importance as us Christians prepare for the coming of our Savior on Christmas.

Advent comes from the Latin word meaning "coming." Jesus is coming, and Advent is intended to be a season of preparation for His arrival. While we typically regard Advent as a joyous season, it is also intended to be a period of preparation, much like Lent. Prayer, penance and fasting are appropriate during this season.

Advent is not as strict as Lent, and there are no rules for fasting, but it is meant to be a period of self-preparation. The purple color associated with Advent is also the color of penance. The faithful should fast during the first two weeks in particular and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The color of the Third Sunday of Advent is rose. This color symbolizes joy and represents the happiness we will experience when Jesus comes again. The Third Sunday is a day of anticipatory celebration. It is formerly called "Gaudete" Sunday; gaudete means "rejoice" in Latin.

Finally, Sundays during Advent, just as during Lent, should not be given to fasting, but instead to celebration because we celebrate the resurrection of Our Lord every Sunday. It is important to remember, however, there are no particular rules for how the laity should observe Advent.

Why is Advent Important?

Preparation for Christmas is an important theme for Advent, but more is involved. Advent gives us a vision of our lives as Christians and shows us the possibilities of life.

The vision of life that Advent gives us is twofold; it looks back to the first coming of Christ at Bethlehem, and it looks to the future when Christ will come again. In the interval between these two events we find meaning for our life as a Christian.

First we celebrate Christ-become-human. We view his life and experience his presence as a human being in our history. Christ came to show us what life can and should be. He gave us true and valid principles by which we can live true and valid lives. But Jesus knew that the human heart could not live in isolation. He formed the Church around the concept of a people held together by love. In that community we discover unlimited possibilities and meaning. Alone we can do nothing. Together we find real meaning.

When Christ left this earth, he did not abandon us. He remains with us in his Spirit, the Church, the sacraments, the Scriptures and each other. He lives in community with us and keeps his vision of life before us.

When Christ comes again, his presence will no longer be hidden behind the signs and symbols of the liturgy or the words of the Scriptures. His presence among us will be revealed in all its fullness, a presence that will never end, a presence that will perfect and complete our community.

This is the "greater significance" of Advent. In these few short weeks we take in the sweeping panorama of time - from Christ's birth to his Second Coming. The season of Advent brings us the magnificent vision of life and hope for the future given to us by Christ.

Advent is our time to become more involved, more caught up in the meaning and the possibilities of life as a Christian community. Thus we are preparing not only for Christmas but also for Christ's Second Coming. This means that when he comes again, we will be awake and watchful. He will not find us asleep.

Original Article

https://pomiocatholiccommunity.blogspot.com/2018/11/what-is-advent-and-why-is-it-important.html

WHY CATHOLICS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS ON DECEMBER 25?

WHY CATHOLICS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS ON DECEMBER 25?

Catholics traditionally celebrate Christmas every December 25 as the birth of our lord Jesus Christ. However, there are some cultic type religious groups like INC, SDA, JW, MCGI, and many cults who opposed and do not celebrate Christmas as they believe that December 25 is not really Jesus’ birthdate. Instead, they said that this month and date is invented, unbiblical tradition made by the pagan Catholic Church. How to respond to this accusation?

These anti-Catholic cults keep on asking to look in the bible for the literal word-for-word of the specific month & date of Jesus' birth. They failed to realize that the Bible is not a "Calendar" that contains all the dates. Ironically, these cult members who don't celebrate Christmas, are enjoying Christmas Holidays and even accepting Christmas bonuses. .

THE CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS

The fact that the date itself was found right there in the bible by computing the chronological events.

It had started with Zachariah, a Jewish priest who went inside into the temple to offer incense, as we can read in (Luke 1:9) it says ⏬

"When it fell to him by lot, as the priestly custom was, to enter the Lord's sanctuary and burn incense there." (Luke 1:9)

According to Jewish tradition, this burning incense inside the temple's inner sanctuary is traditionally done once a year, in the Jewish Month of "Tishrei 15" (which is equivalent to September 25 in Gregorian Calendar).

As Zachariah incensing the temple's inner sanctuary, an angel came to appear to his presence, and brought a message that he will have a son to his wife Elizabeth, which name “John”, and that the same date & same month of Tishrei (September 25), Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth becomes pregnant, as we can read in (Luke 1:11,13) ⏬

 "Then there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense."..  But the angel said to him, 'Zechariah, do not be afraid, for your prayer has been heard. YOUR WIFE ELIZABETH IS TO BEAR YOU A SON and you shall name him John." (Luke 1:11,13)

Thus, after having pregnant on (September 25) , we should count another 6 months ahead for another event - the annunciation of Mary.

Just because if we continue the reading until (Luke 1:24-27, and 30-31) we can see that when 6 months of Elizabeth's conception is another angel has been sent once again to a Virgin girl, Mary, bringing her a message that she will be having a baby: ⏬

"Some time later HIS WIFE ELIZABETH CONCEIVED and for five months she kept to herself, saying,... 'The Lord has done this for me, now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered in public.' IN THE SIXTH MONTH the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and THE VIRGIN'S NAME WAS MARY. but the angel said to her, 'Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God's favour. Look! YOU ARE TO CONCEIVE IN YOUR WOMB AND BEAR A SON, and you must name him Jesus." (Luke 1:24-27, 30-31)

Thus, if we compute the chronological event of dates, a (December 25) Birthdate of Jesus will be derived: ⏬

TISHREI 15 (SEPTEMBER 25)
(Annunciation of Elizabeth, started to conceive baby John)
+
6 MONTHS (of Elizabeth's pregnancy )
_________________
= MARCH 25
(Annunciation of Mary & starting point of Mary's conception to baby Jesus)

MARCH 25 + (9 Months of Pregnancy) = DECEMBER 25

THEREFORE, (December 25) is the birthdate of Jesus, based on the scriptural events computed. Thus, the early church fathers never erred (mistaken) with their idea / theory / thoughts on Jesus birth, the fact that it supports scriptural analysis as a proof, and not invented as some anti-Catholic's allegations.

THE CELEBRATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE DATE

December 25 is not Catholic Church doctrine, nor written in the catechism of the Catholic Church. It is just a belief that came from tradition and computed chronological events in the bible.

Just because, the church do not ignore the fact that the actual date of Jesus may fall between 25, which is either 23, 24 or 26, 27. Thus, Catholic Church do not officially proclaim it as church doctrine, but a mere traditional belief that came from ancient Christians.

Hence, this belief comes out from scriptural theory, by computing chronological events in the bible which made more closer view to (December 25) as Jesus' birth. What's most important to Catholics is the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Saviour, and not the date itself.

Date is nothing more important than the celebration itself. You may be born on a leap year (Feb 29), yet you still want to celebrate your birthday on the following year either on Feb 28 or March 1, that does not fall on the actual date of Feb 29. Because what matters most is the celebration that you have added 1 more year of your age. Likewise, Dec 25 might not be accurate date of Christ's birth, but it will not matter for Christians since we only want to commemorate the birth of saviour Jesus Christ.

DECEMBER 25 IS THE BIRTH OF PAGAN GOD CALLED "SOL INVICTUS"?

Most of the anti-Catholic cults favorite allegation is that December 25 is of pagan roots and not really Jesus birth. They based it from some limited references quoted from unreliable history books.

As a matter of fact, long before the paganic declaration for the feast of the unconquered Sun (Sol Invictus) the (December 25) is already belief of the early Christians.

First thing we should know "WHEN" does paganic feast declared? Here let us have some references...

“ Sol Invictus ("Unconquered Sun") was the official sun god of the later Roman Empire and a patron of soldiers. In 274 AD the Roman emperor Aurelian made it an official cult alongside the traditional Roman cults.” (Source: Wikipedia – Sol Invictus)

See? It is clear, (274 AD) is the year that pagan feast for the sun god was declared, called Sol Invictus.

On the other hand, the belief of Jesus birth in (December 25) is much earlier than paganic feast Sol Invictus, Here are the references about early church fathers identifies (December 25) as Jesus nativity.

St. Theophilus (circa 171-183 A.D) was the first to identify December 25 as the birth date of Christ, saying ...

“We ought to celebrate the birth day of our Lord on what day soever the 25th of December shall happen." (Magdeburgenses, Cent. 2. c. 6. Hospinian, de origin Festorum Christianorum)

St. Iranaeus (circa A.D 202) ⏬

“ In his work Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus (c. 130–202) identified the conception of Jesus as March 25 and linked it to the crucifixion at the time of the equinox, with the birth of Jesus nine months after on December 25 at the time of the solstice." (Link: Source: Wikipedia – Christmas – Choice of December 25)

St. Hippolytus (circa. 170-236 A.D)
due Speculation as to the time of Jesus’ birth dates back to the 3rd century, Hyppolytus believed that Jesus was born on December 25. He explains in his Commentary on the book of Daniel (c. A.D. 204) that the Lord’s birth was believed to have occurred on that day, he said... ⏬

" For the first advent of our Lord in the flesh, when he was born in Bethlehem, was December 25th, Wednesday, while Augustus was in his forty-second year, but from Adam, five thousand and five hundred years. He suffered in the thirty-third year, March 25th, Friday, the eighteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, while Rufus and Roubellion were Consuls."

Apostolic Constitutions (circa A.D. 70-250)
The Apostolic Constitutions are a compilation, whose material is derived from early sources differing in age AND different early writers during apostolic age. he said..⏬

" Brethren, observe the festival days; and first of all the birthday which you are to celebrate on the twenty-fifth of the ninth month; after which let the Epiphany be to you the most honoured, in which the Lord made to you a display of His own Godhead,." (Apostolic Constitutions , Book V, Section 3, Chapter XIII)

Take Note: This ninth month counting from Nisan (April) is Casleu in the Jewish calendar. Transferred to our Roman calendar, this ninth month answers to December.

Now, let us compare and see the contradicting year interval between the two (Nativity of Jesus VS. Sol Invictus), in which didn't even meet nor coincided: ⏬

- Dec.25 "Jesus nativity" was first used (70–250 A.D) by early Christians

VERSUS

- Dec.25 "Sol Invictus" later declared (275 A.D) by pagan emperor

Here, we can see from the two, that early church fathers from (1st-2nd century A.D) is the earliest groups who believes & identifies (December.25) as Jesus nativity, While contrary to paganic feast of Sol Invictus which later declared in late 2nd century (275 A.D).

THEREFORE, long before the emperor's declaration of December 25 as the pagan feast of 'Sol Invictus' in (274 A.D), the (December 25th) was first identified by the early Christians as the Jesus’ birth

Take Note: early Christians, is the people who were closest from apostles time, thus, they much know something about Jesus and apostles life.

THEREFORE,  THE "DECEMBER 25" CHRISTMAS IS DEFINITELY NOT ROOTED OF PAGANISM, BUT ROOTED FROM EARLY CHRISTIAN THOUGHTS BY OUR EARLY CHURCH FATHERS, IN WHICH ALSO SUPPORTED WITH CHRONOLOGICAL COMPUTATION FROM THE BIBLE.

Mary, The New Eve

Mary, the New Eve

In his letter to the Romans, Saint Paul speaks about Christ, the second Adam (Rom 5:12-19). The question arises. Who then, is the new Eve? Although the Bible doesn’t speak explicitly about Mary, from the contexts of many Bible references it becomes obvious that Mary is the new Eve.

In the book of Genesis (Ge 3:1-20) God speaks about Eve, a woman (ha ishshah), the mother of humankind. The woman who failed to obey God's order. In the same passage (Ge 3:15), God speaks about a woman, the enemy of satan (the snake). The Scripture speaks about the woman who will always be at enmity with satan. The woman who will remain sinless at all times. The woman whose offspring will overcome satan by crushing his head. Mary, called by the angel full of grace (Lk 1:28), whose offspring (Jesus) has destroyed satan (Heb 2:14), is the woman the Book of Genesis points at.

Calling His mother “Woman” at the wedding feast of Cana (Jn 2:1-11), and at the foot of the cross (Jn 19:26), Christ wanted to make it obvious to everyone, that Mary, His Mother is (ha ishshah), the true mother of the living, the new Eve.

In the first Adam all have died, as Saint Paul says, so in Jesus Christ, the second Adam, all receive new life (Rom 5:18). Similarly, the first Eve by falling into sin became the mother of all the dying, while Mary, the mother of Jesus, always faithful to God, became the mother of all the living, the new Eve.

Furthermore, many Fathers and Doctors of the Church have seen the woman announced in the the Book of Genesis (Ge 3:15) as Mary, the mother of Christ, the “new Eve”. Saint Irenaeus writes:

With fitness, Mary the Virgin is found obedient, saying,

“Behold Thy handmaid, O Lord; be it to me according to Thy word.” But Eve was disobedient; for she obeyed not, while she was yet a virgin. As she, having indeed Adam for a husband, but as yet being a virgin… becoming disobedient, became the cause of death both to herself and to the whole human race, so also Mary, having the predestined man, and being yet a Virgin, being obedient, became both to herself and to the whole human race the cause of salvation" (Against Heresies, 224).

It is rather important to notice that satan, the serpent (Rev 12:13) and his offspring, will always be at enmity with the woman, and her offspring (Ge 3:15). The archenemy of Mary will endlessly try to diminish, to undermine her name by using all kinds of improper words, false ideas or wrong interpretations of the Scripture. Satan will always be at war with Mary.The Book of Revelation says:

Then from his mouth the serpent poured water like a river after the woman, to sweep her away with the flood (Rev 12:15). The river, which stands for innumerable slanderous words has one purpose, to bring down the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This shows satan’s anger and frustration towards the Mother of God, and the mother of us all, the sinless woman - the second Eve.

Each one of us of should ask himself or herself the question,on which side am I ???

Original Article by Fr Zdzislaw Karczewski

Sunday: The First Day of Worship for the First Christians

God has made the Covenant with the Israelis on Mt. Sinai (Horeb) (Dt 5:1-3). The Sabbath was a sign of the Covenant made by God with the Israelis (Ex 31: 16-17). The Israelis (the Jews) were obliged to keep the Sabbath ( Ex 31:12-13). Are you a Jew? In order to feel obliged to keep the Jewish Sabbath you would have to become a Jew, a member of the Jewish religion. Because the Sabbath is for the Jews. God has commanded the Israelis to keep His Covenant. Unfortunately they didn’t. As a result of it God became upset with their Sabbaths (Is 1:13) and decided to put an end to it (Hos 2:13). He promised to make a NEW COVENANT, this time with all people (Is 42:1-7). Jesus Christ in His Blood has made the New Covenant (Mt 26: 27-28 ; Heb 9:15). A question arises: Are we obliged to keep both Covenants? The old one with its Sabbath and the new one? Of course not. The Old Covenant has already expired (Ga 4:22-31). The New Covenant is better than the Old one (Heb 7:22 ; 8:6-13). The Apostles became the workers of the New Covenant (2 Co 3:6). The Good News of Jesus the new Mediator (Heb 9:15), the Founder of the New Covenant has to be proclaimed to all people (Mt 28: 19-20).
Some people got an idea that the first century Christians kept the Jewish Sabbath? They can’t prove it from the Bible, can they? The Bible says something opposite. The first day of the week (Sunday , the day of Christ resurrection from the dead) was an important day for them, not the seventh ( Ac 20:7). Christ never preached and the Apostles never preached either about necessity of keeping the Jewish Sabbath. This kind of preaching came only from Ellen Gould White, the founder of the Seven Day Adventist in the nineteenth century. Is good to know that the Church came first and the Bible (New Testament) came latter. Before the Bible (New Testament) was written the Church kept the Traditions of the Apostles (2Th 2:15 ; 3:6) which say about the first day of the week being kept by the Christians, not the seventh. I suggest you to read the writings of the first Christians ( Didache, Ignatius. Justin…).
We can hear some people say, the Romans have killed Jesus. Yes, the pagan Roman soldiers have killed Jesus (Jn 19:23). The pagan Roman governor - Pilate wanted to set Jesus free (Jn 19:12). The Jews - the Sabbath keepers however put a pressure on Pilate to kill Jesus (Jn 19:14-15). Pilate gave in and ordered to crucify Him (Jn 19:16). St John in his Gospel points out at the Jews (the Sabbath keepers) who decided to killed Jesus . Paul confirms it in his First Letter to the Thessalonians (1Th 2:14-15). You can read about it as well in (Ac 4:5-10). Saint Paul - the Jew, the Pharisee - the Sabbath keeper has converted to Christianity (Ac 9:1-19). He gave up the Old Covenant and became the worker of a New Covenant (2Co 3:6). He rejected the Jewish Sabbath calling it a shadow (Col 2:16-17). Good example of Paul’s conversion might be an inspiration to some of the Sabbath keepers to follow him, to do the same.

Original Article by Fr Zdzislaw Karczewski