Ijournal entry 110716 #46. November, Month of The Holy Souls. Aphorism by Balthasar Gracian. Quotes by St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, David Peach, and Andy Lednefsky. "How To Argue the Existence of Purgatory", by Jason Evert. An Examination of Conscience booklet. Audio presentation: "Tolerating Distractions", by Dan Burke.
“Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.”
"From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead: Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.
I like to think that we might be able to regulate the pace of our cleansing process in purgatory in accordance with our own choice, at least to some extent. The Lord does not, I think, burn out our rust there with precision-automated furnaces. He is a Good Shepherd who comforts lost sheep on his shoulders. He is not a tyrant who knows no love. With that thought in mind, we are not wrong, I believe, in hoping that God will allow us to regulate somewhat the intensity of the cleansing pro cess in purgatory, whether we wish hurry via concentrated effort, or amble along in more leisurely fashion. Wisdom describes God as one who is considerate and kind:
"From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead: Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.
I like to think that we might be able to regulate the pace of our cleansing process in purgatory in accordance with our own choice, at least to some extent. The Lord does not, I think, burn out our rust there with precision-automated furnaces. He is a Good Shepherd who comforts lost sheep on his shoulders. He is not a tyrant who knows no love. With that thought in mind, we are not wrong, I believe, in hoping that God will allow us to regulate somewhat the intensity of the cleansing pro cess in purgatory, whether we wish hurry via concentrated effort, or amble along in more leisurely fashion. Wisdom describes God as one who is considerate and kind:
Wisdom 11:26; 12:1-2 "Thou sparest all things, for they are thine, O Lord who lovest the living. For thy immortal spirit is in all things. Therefore thou dost correct little by little those who trespass, and dost remind and warn them of the things wherein they sin, that they be freed from wickedness and put their trust in thee, O Lord ." |
By Fr. Anthony Zimmerman
By Balthasar Gracian
"The same thing that sharpens envy, nourishes a generous spirit"
MTA- After reading this aphorism my thoughts reverted back to the early days when Perpetual Adoration became incorporated into my life. Shelley and Bernadine were doing daily holy hours during the lunch hour and after work respectively. It was the catalyst for me to begin to do the same. For there were no reasons for me not to do so. We go to work everyday to take care of material needs, why not extend that to the spiritual and head over o he chapel. People training for the olympics, musicians, athletes, etc., work out for hours daily and they don't skip a beat for what will one day pass away. Thank God for the graces to progress from Eucharistic Adoration one time a week to very day in the week. May graces flow to those wishing to become more pleasing unto the Lord.
"The same thing that sharpens envy, nourishes a generous spirit"
MTA- After reading this aphorism my thoughts reverted back to the early days when Perpetual Adoration became incorporated into my life. Shelley and Bernadine were doing daily holy hours during the lunch hour and after work respectively. It was the catalyst for me to begin to do the same. For there were no reasons for me not to do so. We go to work everyday to take care of material needs, why not extend that to the spiritual and head over o he chapel. People training for the olympics, musicians, athletes, etc., work out for hours daily and they don't skip a beat for what will one day pass away. Thank God for the graces to progress from Eucharistic Adoration one time a week to very day in the week. May graces flow to those wishing to become more pleasing unto the Lord.
🔴 "The Holy Spirit does not speak to a soul that is distracted and garrulous. He speaks by his quiet inspirations to a soul that is recollected, to a soul that knows how to keep silence". By St. Maria Faustina Kowalska
⚫️ "Something to Consider: Are you putting your faith and trust in the Lord? Some people seem to trust God with their eternal salvation, but they have trouble trusting Him for their every-day life. Take comfort from these words of scripture. You can trust God with your needs today". By David Peach
🔵"I love this quote from the Vatican International Theological Commission on Faith and Inculturation: 'Each local or particular Church is called in the Holy Spirit to be the sacrament which manifests Christ, crucified and risen, enfleshed in a particular culture.' Wow. We are called to be the sacrament, the visible sign of God’s grace which shows the world Jesus in the midst of our particular culture. This is the job of each Christian and not just “the Church". By Andy Lednefsky
⚫️ "Something to Consider: Are you putting your faith and trust in the Lord? Some people seem to trust God with their eternal salvation, but they have trouble trusting Him for their every-day life. Take comfort from these words of scripture. You can trust God with your needs today". By David Peach
🔵"I love this quote from the Vatican International Theological Commission on Faith and Inculturation: 'Each local or particular Church is called in the Holy Spirit to be the sacrament which manifests Christ, crucified and risen, enfleshed in a particular culture.' Wow. We are called to be the sacrament, the visible sign of God’s grace which shows the world Jesus in the midst of our particular culture. This is the job of each Christian and not just “the Church". By Andy Lednefsky
About a month or so ago, while conversing with someone, this question was asked? "What apostle do you think you are most like?" This
question prompted me to look back in my ijournal entries at earlier recordings when something was written about this. Will have to one day do an entry on the apostles, something on the books since the beginning, and have yet to materialize. So now putting the question to you all: Who is your favorite apostle, and how do you most resemble him?
Here are the responses obtained from Maggie, Linda, and Addie:
👩🏻Maggie= It's about a "Combo" for me, Peter and Paul are my favorite apostles, and I am so impetuous like Peter.
Talking with Maggie she mentioned how the twelve apostles got the job done in spite of all of their short comings, and how we should seek their intercession. Agreeing with that, since they have "been there and done that", they are certainly in a position to most definitely be of great assistance to us.
👩Linda= Emphatically "Peter"
👩🏼Addie= I admire John's courage and innocence. After reading your message about who your favorite and who you resemble, I realize that even though I resemble Peter because of my temperament, at times I also resemble the others too. Many times I doubt like Thomas. Thank God for confession because I fall short of the Glory of God just as Judas did, but I am able to try again with new graces with the absolution given from the priest
👩🏽My favorite apostle is Matthew. Resembling Phillip, and sadly at times Judas rears his head. There is Peter and John, surfacing from time to time also. Thinking more about this recently, it seems a little bit of Nathaniel creeps in at odd moments. Will discuss more about the resemblance in the Ijournal entry that will about the apostles.
question prompted me to look back in my ijournal entries at earlier recordings when something was written about this. Will have to one day do an entry on the apostles, something on the books since the beginning, and have yet to materialize. So now putting the question to you all: Who is your favorite apostle, and how do you most resemble him?
Here are the responses obtained from Maggie, Linda, and Addie:
👩🏻Maggie= It's about a "Combo" for me, Peter and Paul are my favorite apostles, and I am so impetuous like Peter.
Talking with Maggie she mentioned how the twelve apostles got the job done in spite of all of their short comings, and how we should seek their intercession. Agreeing with that, since they have "been there and done that", they are certainly in a position to most definitely be of great assistance to us.
👩Linda= Emphatically "Peter"
👩🏼Addie= I admire John's courage and innocence. After reading your message about who your favorite and who you resemble, I realize that even though I resemble Peter because of my temperament, at times I also resemble the others too. Many times I doubt like Thomas. Thank God for confession because I fall short of the Glory of God just as Judas did, but I am able to try again with new graces with the absolution given from the priest
👩🏽My favorite apostle is Matthew. Resembling Phillip, and sadly at times Judas rears his head. There is Peter and John, surfacing from time to time also. Thinking more about this recently, it seems a little bit of Nathaniel creeps in at odd moments. Will discuss more about the resemblance in the Ijournal entry that will about the apostles.
"How To Argue the Existence of Purgatory", by Jason Evert
Info from this site: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=3302
"A defense of purgatory, including consideration of prayers for the dead and the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice.
🙌🏻1. What good are prayers for the dead? If a person is in heaven, he doesn’t need prayers, and if he is damned, then no amount of prayers will help him.
Catholics and Protestants can agree on two things regarding the afterlife: Souls in hell will not grow close to God, and those in heaven cannot draw any nearer to him. If purgatory does not exist, prayers for the dead are useless. But if a state of purification exists for some after death, and if prayers can help others in their process of sanctification in this life (Job 1:5: 1 Thess. 5:23), it seems reasonable that prayers would be beneficial to those who are being sanctified after this life. This narrows down the essential question: Does purgatory exist? If sin still clings to Christians (Heb 12:1), but there is no sin in heaven (Rev. 21:27), there must be a purification that takes place after ones death and before one enters heaven. Even if it were "in the blink of an eye," this final stage of sanctification must take place, so those who die in God's favor may be cleansed if any affection for sin remains in them.
Paul mentions this in
Info from this site: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=3302
"A defense of purgatory, including consideration of prayers for the dead and the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice.
🙌🏻1. What good are prayers for the dead? If a person is in heaven, he doesn’t need prayers, and if he is damned, then no amount of prayers will help him.
Catholics and Protestants can agree on two things regarding the afterlife: Souls in hell will not grow close to God, and those in heaven cannot draw any nearer to him. If purgatory does not exist, prayers for the dead are useless. But if a state of purification exists for some after death, and if prayers can help others in their process of sanctification in this life (Job 1:5: 1 Thess. 5:23), it seems reasonable that prayers would be beneficial to those who are being sanctified after this life. This narrows down the essential question: Does purgatory exist? If sin still clings to Christians (Heb 12:1), but there is no sin in heaven (Rev. 21:27), there must be a purification that takes place after ones death and before one enters heaven. Even if it were "in the blink of an eye," this final stage of sanctification must take place, so those who die in God's favor may be cleansed if any affection for sin remains in them.
Paul mentions this in
1 Corinthians 3:13-15: "Each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work, which any man has built on the foundation, survives, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire." |
Paul's thought calls to mind the image of God as the refiner's fire and fuller's soap mentioned in Malachi 3:2. Fuller's soap removed stains from clothing. A refiners fire was an oven of intense heat where precious metals were placed in order to purify them of their corrosion and dross. In the same way, purgatory is when a soul is immersed into the fire of God's love and lifted out of the residue of its imperfections.
🙌🏻2. The only reason the Catholic Church invented this unbiblical idea of purgatory is to make money off the faithful who think that they can save their unrepentant deceased relatives by paying for Masses.
Does the Church amass wealth off of the doctrine of purgatory? The average Mass stipend (which is optional) is around five dollars. Say a parish had two daily Masses offered for the dead, it would amount to 70 dollars a week. Considering that the five-dollar stipend typically goes to pay for the church's electricity, maintenance, furnishings, salaries, Mass wine and bread, etc., it is apparent how silly this objection about "wealth" is.
Can Masses said after a person's death save his soul? No. Purgatory is only for those who have repented and have died in God's grace but still have some attachment to sin. While the Church cannot judge souls, we can be certain that if a person dies in a state of mortal sin without asking God's forgiveness, purgatory does not await him as if it were a second chance.
🙌🏻3. Weren't prayers for the dead an invention of the medieval Church?
Prayers for the dead are not only older than the Middle Ages, they predate Christianity. In the Old Testament, Judah Maccabee and his companions pray for the souls of departed soldiers:
🙌🏻2. The only reason the Catholic Church invented this unbiblical idea of purgatory is to make money off the faithful who think that they can save their unrepentant deceased relatives by paying for Masses.
Does the Church amass wealth off of the doctrine of purgatory? The average Mass stipend (which is optional) is around five dollars. Say a parish had two daily Masses offered for the dead, it would amount to 70 dollars a week. Considering that the five-dollar stipend typically goes to pay for the church's electricity, maintenance, furnishings, salaries, Mass wine and bread, etc., it is apparent how silly this objection about "wealth" is.
Can Masses said after a person's death save his soul? No. Purgatory is only for those who have repented and have died in God's grace but still have some attachment to sin. While the Church cannot judge souls, we can be certain that if a person dies in a state of mortal sin without asking God's forgiveness, purgatory does not await him as if it were a second chance.
🙌🏻3. Weren't prayers for the dead an invention of the medieval Church?
Prayers for the dead are not only older than the Middle Ages, they predate Christianity. In the Old Testament, Judah Maccabee and his companions pray for the souls of departed soldiers:
While Protestants do not accept this as an inspired book, it is worthwhile to point out that even today Jews have a prayer called the Mourner's Kaddish that is offered for the purification of the deceased. This practice of praying for the dead is also recorded throughout ancient Christian documents, such as the Acts of Paul and Thecla, and in the writings of Perpetua, Tertullian, Cyril of Jerusalem, Epiphanius of Salamis, John Chrysostom, and Augustine. Since all of these men wrote between A.D. 160 and 421, prayers for the souls in purgatory can hardly be considered a medieval invention. On the contrary, refusing to pray for the dead is a novel idea in light of historic Judaism and Christianity.
🙌🏻4. The idea of souls needing prayers in purgatory seems so contrary to the gospel that no Bible-believing Christian could believe it.
Actually, since roughly 50 percent of all Christians are Catholics and 25 percent are Orthodox, about three-quarters of all Christians believe it. Certain Protestants, such as C.S. Lewis, have also held to the truth of the doctrine. In his Letters to Malcom, he said, "Of course I pray for the dead. The action is so spontaneous, so all but inevitable, that only the most compulsive theological case against it would deter me. And I hardly know how the rest of my prayers would survive if those for the dead were forbidden. At our age, the majority of those we love best are dead. What sort of intercourse with God could I have if what I love best were unmentionable to him?
"I believe in purgatory… Our souls demand purgatory, don't they? Would it not break the heart if God said to us, 'It is true, my son, that your breath smells and your rags drip with mud and slime, but we are charitable here and no one will upbraid you with these things, nor draw away from you. Enter into the joy'? Should we not reply, 'with submission, sir, and if there is no objection, I'd rather be cleansed first.' 'It may hurt, you know'—'Even so, sir.'"
🙌🏻5. But purgatory implies that Christ's sacrifice was not sufficient, that he didn't finish the work of redemption on Calvary. Why do Catholics feel the need to add to it by doing more work in purgatory?
This objection is based on a pair of erroneous presumptions: That progressive sanctification and suffering take away from Christ's work on Calvary and that the Church teaches that purgatory is work.
To address the second objection first, purgatory is not a place for those bad Catholics who didn't finish working their way to heaven while on earth.
🙌🏻4. The idea of souls needing prayers in purgatory seems so contrary to the gospel that no Bible-believing Christian could believe it.
Actually, since roughly 50 percent of all Christians are Catholics and 25 percent are Orthodox, about three-quarters of all Christians believe it. Certain Protestants, such as C.S. Lewis, have also held to the truth of the doctrine. In his Letters to Malcom, he said, "Of course I pray for the dead. The action is so spontaneous, so all but inevitable, that only the most compulsive theological case against it would deter me. And I hardly know how the rest of my prayers would survive if those for the dead were forbidden. At our age, the majority of those we love best are dead. What sort of intercourse with God could I have if what I love best were unmentionable to him?
"I believe in purgatory… Our souls demand purgatory, don't they? Would it not break the heart if God said to us, 'It is true, my son, that your breath smells and your rags drip with mud and slime, but we are charitable here and no one will upbraid you with these things, nor draw away from you. Enter into the joy'? Should we not reply, 'with submission, sir, and if there is no objection, I'd rather be cleansed first.' 'It may hurt, you know'—'Even so, sir.'"
🙌🏻5. But purgatory implies that Christ's sacrifice was not sufficient, that he didn't finish the work of redemption on Calvary. Why do Catholics feel the need to add to it by doing more work in purgatory?
This objection is based on a pair of erroneous presumptions: That progressive sanctification and suffering take away from Christ's work on Calvary and that the Church teaches that purgatory is work.
To address the second objection first, purgatory is not a place for those bad Catholics who didn't finish working their way to heaven while on earth.
The purification that takes place in purgatory is purely a work of God's grace, since there is no chance for merit after death, and the judgment of each individual is based solely upon their earthly life. But regardless of where Christ purifies men, it is precisely because his sacrifice was sufficient that each believer can be perfected. Though Christ paid the infinite debt of man's sins 2,000 years ago, the sanctification process in the life each Christian continues. In 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Paul tells the faithful
According to Scripture, sanctification is a thing of the past (1 Cor. 6:11), present (1 Thess. 4:3), and future (1 Thess. 5:23) in the Christian life. This process often involves suffering, as Paul indicates:
Hebrews 12:1-12 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us* and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood. You have also forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons: “My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him; for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges.” Endure your trials as “discipline”; God treats you as sons. For what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are without discipline, in which all have shared, you are not sons but bastards. Besides this, we have had our earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not [then] submit all the more to the Father of spirits and live? They disciplined us for a short time as seemed right to them, but he does so for our benefit, in order that we may share his holiness. At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it. So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees." |
Therefore, the presence of suffering does not detract from Christ's sacrifice. In fact, there is only one mention in all of Scripture of something "lacking in Christ's afflictions," and that missing link is the suffering of his mystical body, the Church (Col. 1:24).
🙌🏻6. I can accept that suffering happens to each believer, but Christ paid all punishments for sin. If purgatory is a punishment, then it means Christ left some part of the debt unpaid.
Some Christians maintain that all temporal punishments for sin are taken away if the person has repented. But the Bible indicates that although God takes away the eternal punishment, some temporal punishments may remain. MIn the Old Testament, God forgave David, but still took the life of his son (2 Sam. 12:13-14). In the New Testament, Christ reiterates this principle,
🙌🏻6. I can accept that suffering happens to each believer, but Christ paid all punishments for sin. If purgatory is a punishment, then it means Christ left some part of the debt unpaid.
Some Christians maintain that all temporal punishments for sin are taken away if the person has repented. But the Bible indicates that although God takes away the eternal punishment, some temporal punishments may remain. MIn the Old Testament, God forgave David, but still took the life of his son (2 Sam. 12:13-14). In the New Testament, Christ reiterates this principle,
It can also be mentioned that women still experience the temporal punishment of birthpangs (Gen. 3:16), although Christ paid the infinite debt of man's original sin (Rom. 5:12—21).
The sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice is not lessened by the fact that God's work of perfecting his children is a process that often involves suffering and even temporal punishment. While
The sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice is not lessened by the fact that God's work of perfecting his children is a process that often involves suffering and even temporal punishment. While
it is all a part of God’s promise made through Paul,
even if it should be
The meat dish is being provided by Linda. She said the following in an email:
"Our priest gave out an examination of conscience booklet and asked everyone to read it and to make a good confession before the end of year of mercy. He begged us, and said that he would stay in the confessional as long as it took. Amen to him!"
Thank you for sharing and kudos to the holy priest, trying to lead the souls in his parish along the path of holiness. Reading from an article about what the Curè of Ars said is more than just food for thought:
"The Saint did not consider his village converted until all 200 villagers were observing the Ten Commandments, the Six Precepts of the Church
and the fulfillment of daily duties. He preached about modesty in dress, for he knew that modesty is the outward appearance of purity, and he demanded modesty at all times, not just in church. But the sin that caused him to weep most was the sin of blasphemy, the profanation of God's Holy Name. he used to say that it was a miracle that blasphemers were not struck dead on the spot. He warned the villagers that "if the sin of blasphemy is prevalent in your home, it----the home----will perish.
Let us pray to the Curè d'Ars, that he obtain for us holy priests! There is an old traditional saying in the Catholic Church:
If the parish priest is a Saint, his people will be holy;
If the priest is holy, but not yet a Saint, his people will be good;
If he is good, his people will be lukewarm,
and if he is lukewarm, his parishioners will be bad.
And if the priest himself is bad, his people will go to Hell. [This is presuming they follow after such a priest.]
Info from this site: http://www.catholictradition.org/Priests/priests2.htm
"Our priest gave out an examination of conscience booklet and asked everyone to read it and to make a good confession before the end of year of mercy. He begged us, and said that he would stay in the confessional as long as it took. Amen to him!"
Thank you for sharing and kudos to the holy priest, trying to lead the souls in his parish along the path of holiness. Reading from an article about what the Curè of Ars said is more than just food for thought:
"The Saint did not consider his village converted until all 200 villagers were observing the Ten Commandments, the Six Precepts of the Church
and the fulfillment of daily duties. He preached about modesty in dress, for he knew that modesty is the outward appearance of purity, and he demanded modesty at all times, not just in church. But the sin that caused him to weep most was the sin of blasphemy, the profanation of God's Holy Name. he used to say that it was a miracle that blasphemers were not struck dead on the spot. He warned the villagers that "if the sin of blasphemy is prevalent in your home, it----the home----will perish.
Let us pray to the Curè d'Ars, that he obtain for us holy priests! There is an old traditional saying in the Catholic Church:
If the parish priest is a Saint, his people will be holy;
If the priest is holy, but not yet a Saint, his people will be good;
If he is good, his people will be lukewarm,
and if he is lukewarm, his parishioners will be bad.
And if the priest himself is bad, his people will go to Hell. [This is presuming they follow after such a priest.]
Info from this site: http://www.catholictradition.org/Priests/priests2.htm
🙌🏻Is it necessary to confess every sin? It is necessary to confess every mortal sin which has not yet been confessed and forgiven; it is not necessary to confess our venial sins, but it is better to do so.
🙌🏻What are the chief qualities of a good confession? The chief qualities of a good confession are three: it must be humble, sincere, and entire.
🙌🏻When is our confession humble? Our confession is humble when we accuse ourselves of our sins with a conviction of guilt for having offended God.
🙌🏻When is our confession humble? Our confession is humble when we accuse ourselves of our sins with a conviction of guilt for having offended God.
🙌🏻When is our confession sincere? Our confession is sincere when we tell our sins honestly and frankly.
🙌🏻When is our confession entire? Our confession is entire when we confess at least all our mortal sins, telling their kind, the number of times we have committed each sin, and any circumstances changing their nature.
🙌🏻When is our confession entire? Our confession is entire when we confess at least all our mortal sins, telling their kind, the number of times we have committed each sin, and any circumstances changing their nature.
Numbers 5:6-7 "Tell the Israelites: If a man or a woman commits any offense against another person, thus breaking faith with the LORD, and thereby becomes guilty, that person shall confess the wrong that has been done, make restitution in full, and in addition give one fifth of its value to the one that has been wronged" |
Audio presentation: "Tolerating Distractions", by Dan Burke
Link to the audio: http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/5/d/8/5d85c10513af3bdb/DIR_0092_Pod_110416_Into_Deep_-_Tolerating_Distractions.mp3?c_id=13133884&expiration=1478273949&hwt=cdfa7ce2cf2512df1a0826762b676425
Link to the audio: http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/5/d/8/5d85c10513af3bdb/DIR_0092_Pod_110416_Into_Deep_-_Tolerating_Distractions.mp3?c_id=13133884&expiration=1478273949&hwt=cdfa7ce2cf2512df1a0826762b676425