Scandals and The Catholic Church

 Last week, June 29th, was the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul and in the sermon for last Sunday we were reminded about the nature of the Church. Jesus Christ founded His Church to be the guide for us, but more importantly to be the dispenser of grace from Him. That is the nature of the Church! We need to not be so focused on the scandals which the secular media keep bringing up, as well as those who are haters of the Church - including Satan. Satan rejoices when he can draw our attention away from Jesus Christ, His Church and the Sacraments. The more we sow discord, the more we are doing the work of Satan. Our focus needs to be on what nourishes our souls and that which builds up His Church, not rips it apart.

Now, does that mean we just turn a blind eye to those who have been criminal in the Church? By no means, but those who have done wrong need to be turned over to the civil authorities and let the chips fall where they may. Do your duty and move on, it is not our duty to be inquisitors and go out looking for trouble. It is also not our duty to stand on the street corners and hold up signs. Sure, it lets everyone know you care - but it is also rekindling the flames of discord that many non-Catholics love to stir up - and again - Satan loves to see disharmony among God's people. Ask yourself, "Whom do I serve?"

Bring your focus back to the Eucharist, the Mystery of Faith, the Mass, Confession, and all the Sacraments. Look to Christ for His Grace and BE the example of Christ to others.

 

Rembrandt's painting of Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee

 Such a learning tool! Note that those in the front of the boat are focused on the storm and worried for the boat to come apart - but those in the back of the boat are focused on Christ. They are still worried, but their trust is in the Lord to get them through this - and He does. The lighting of this painting is interesting too, those being more illuminated, even attention brought to them, are not those focused on Christ. The back side of the boat is in darkness, but Jesus is the Light, and His face is the Light in that darkness. When Jesus awakes, He scolds the Apostles - "Oh ye of little faith!"

When our ship is rocked by the storm of scandals - remember Who is in control - and do not lose faith.

Circumcision of Our Lord

Today, in Catholic tradition, the celebration of the Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord is celebrated.  Circumcision is not just the initiation into the Old Covenant - it was submission to the Law.  Our Lord, through His parents, submitted Himself to the Law. From many who do not understand Judaism and/or Catholicism we find them complaining about too many rules - which in itself should be a sign that they are looking for the "easy path" which is NOT the path to Heaven! [Matt 7:13]. What we, as True Christians, should be doing is LOVING the Law, embracing it!  Obedience to God is loving God!  Is it a sign of love to whine and complain about someone?

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul. with all your strength, with all your mind.  Luke 10:27 
God gave us the Decalogue, or as more commonly known, The Ten Commandments.  Ten great commandments to follow and adhere to. Before this though, He commanded that each male child be circumcised in order to be part of the Covenant (Old Covenant) with Him. Moses records this for us in the story of Abraham (Genesis 17:11) along with the other Laws of Moses, the Mitzvot, which contains 613 laws every Jew is expected to adhere to. Jesus confirms that all these can be summed up in just two laws: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: and thy neighbour as thyself." (Again, Luke 10:27 ff). So really, these two encompass all other laws - does that mean we ignore all the other laws?  By no means!  Where would the love be in that?!  When God says to keep holy the Sabbath Day, and that command is not specifically mentioned in Luke 10:27 - does that mean we don't have to keep a day holy for the Lord?  No!  We still MUST keep that one day set aside as holy for the Lord.  For Christians, that day was moved from Saturday to Sunday, as a celebration of the Resurrection (every Sunday is like a "little Easter"). This authority to move that day was granted by our Lord in Matthew 18:18 (as well as in Matthew 16:18-19) in that "whatsoever you shall bind on earth is also bound in heaven" gives this authority to His Church. Therefore, the "Sunday obligation" is not something we should ignore or scoff at - it is "the law" and if we truly love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength and all our mind - we cannot turn our back on this obligation - and if we're in the right frame of mind, we should actually LOVE to keep the Sunday obligation and the whole day as holy for the Lord!

Jesus Himself Yields to The Law
As God, Jesus did not have to yield to the Mosaic Law, but He willingly does.  Why? Because He demonstrates what True Love is all about in ALL He did.  True Love includes obedience to valid authority.

The First and the Last

After some contemplation of last Sundays Mass Readings I felt the Holy Spirit guiding me to talk about the Divinity of Jesus.  This feeling came to me when I read the Scripture readings and fell on the passage of John describing the voice that said to him: “Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me recompense I will give to each according to his deeds.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning ant the end.”

One sentence later we find out that Jesus is the one speaking here but I’ve already heard from those who do not believe Jesus to be God that the one speaking was God the Father and that Jesus began speaking later.  Context is pretty plain that it is indeed Jesus speaking about being the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last but since this verse isn’t convincing for some, I thought I’d bring out some other verses that are a little clearer on this.

First, we know with certainty that the Lord God is the first and the last because the Old Testament explains this explicitly.  Isaiah 44, verse 6 tells us: “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.”

God also describes Himself as the Alpha and Omega in the first chapter of Revelation when He says: “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Rev 1:8)  So, it’s established that God is the Alpha and the Omega.  And earlier in Isaiah we see that God describes Himself as the first and the last.  The New Testament being written in Greek, the idea of ‘the first and the last’ is expressed using the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, alpha and omega.

So, does Jesus call himself the first and the last to describe himself as God?  In fact, He does.  In the Book of Revelation the Apostle John writes: “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

Do you see it?  God is the First and the Last and here the one calling Himself the ‘First and the Last’ also says in the same breath that he once was dead but now is alive for ever and ever.  The only one that can claim this title is God, and yet Jesus is also the only one who can say that he once was dead but is alive once again.  Therefore since Jesus describes Himself by a title that only God can have tells us that Jesus, right here in Scripture, declares Himself to be God.

God Bless
Nathan

Over 300 Prophecies of Jesus from the Old Testament Fulfilled in the New Testament

Over 300 prophecies of Jesus Christ from the Old Testament fulfilled in the New Testament:

1. Gen. 3:15	Seed of a woman (virgin birth)	Galatians 4:4-5, Matthew 1:18
2. Gen. 3:15	He will bruise Satan's head	Hebrews 2:14, 1John 3:8
3. Gen. 3:15	Christ's heel would be bruised with nails on the cross	Matthew 27:35, Luke 24:39-40
4. Gen. 5:24	The bodily ascension to heaven illustrated	Mark 16:19
5. Gen. 9:26, 27	The God of Shem will be the Son of Shem	Luke 3:36
6. Gen. 12:3	Seed of Abraham will bless all nations	Galatians 3:8, Acts 3:25, 26
7. Gen. 12:7	The Promise made to Abraham's Seed	Galatians 3:16
8. Gen. 14:18	A priest after the order of Melchizedek	Hebrews 6:20
9. Gen. 14:18	King of Peace and Righteousness	Hebrews 7:2
10. Gen. 14:18	The Last Supper foreshadowed	Matthew 26:26-29
11. Gen. 17:19	Seed of Isaac (Gen. 21:12)	Romans 9:7
12. Gen. 22:8	The Lamb of God promised	John 1:29
13. Gen. 22:18	As Isaac's seed, will bless all nations	Galatians 3:16
14. Gen. 26:2-5	The Seed of Isaac promised as the Redeemer	Hebrews 11:18
15. Gen. 28:12	The Bridge to heaven	John 1:51
16. Gen. 28:14	The Seed of Jacob	Luke 3:34
17. Gen. 49:10	The time of His coming	Luke 2:1-7; Galatians 4:4
18. Gen. 49:10	The Seed of Judah	Luke 3:33
19. Gen. 49:10	Called Shiloh or One Sent	John 17:3
20. Gen. 49:10	Messiah to come before Judah lost identity	John 11:47-52
21. Gen. 49:10	Unto Him shall the obedience of the people be	John 10:16
22. Ex. 3:13-15	The Great "I AM"	John 4:26, 8:58
23. Ex. 12:5	A Lamb without blemish	Hebrews 9:14; 1Peter 1:19
24. Ex. 12:13	The blood of the Lamb saves from wrath	Romans 5:8
25. Ex. 12:21-27	Christ is our Passover	1Corinthians 5:7
26. Ex. 12:46	Not a bone of the Lamb to be broken	John 19:31-36
27. Ex. 15:2	His exaltation predicted as Yeshua	Acts 7:55, 56
28. Ex. 15:11	His Character-Holiness	Luke 1:35; Acts 4:27
29. Ex. 17:6	The Spiritual Rock of Israel	1Corinthians 10:4
30. Ex. 33:19	His Character-Merciful	Luke 1:72
31. Lev. 1:2-9	His sacrifice a sweet smelling savor unto God	Ephesians 5:2
32. Lev. 14:11	The leper cleansed-Sign to priesthood	Luke 5:12-14; Acts 6:7
33. Lev. 16:15-17	Prefigures Christ's once-for-all death	Hebrews 9:7-14
34. Lev. 16:27	Suffering outside the Camp	Matthew 27:33; Heb. 13:11, 12
35. Lev. 17:11	The Blood-the life of the flesh	Matthew 26:28; Mark 10:45
36. Lev. 17:11	It is the blood that makes atonement	Rom. 3:23-24; 1John 1:7
37. Lev. 23:36-37	The Drink-offering: "If any man thirst"	John 7:37
38. Num. 9:12	Not a bone of Him broken	John 19:31-36
39. Num. 21:9	The serpent on a pole-Christ lifted up	John 3:14-18, 12:32
40. Num. 24:17	Time: "I shall see him, but not now."	John 1:14; Galatians 4:4
41. Deut. 18:15	"This is of a truth that prophet."	John 6:14
42. Deut. 18:15-16	"Had ye believed Moses, ye would believe me."	John 5:45-47
43. Deut. 18:18	Sent by the Father to speak His word	John 8:28, 29
44. Deut. 18:19	Whoever will not hear must bear his sin	Acts 3:22-23
45. Deut. 21:23	Cursed is he that hangs on a tree	Galatians 3:10-13
46. Joshua 5:14-15	The Captain of our salvation	Hebrews 2:10
47. Ruth 4:4-10	Christ, our kinsman, has redeemed us	Ephesians 1:3-7
48. 1 Sam. 2:35	A Faithful Priest	Heb. 2:17, 3:1-3, 6, 7:24-25
49. 1 Sam. 2:10	Shall be an anointed King to the Lord	Mt. 28:18, John 12:15
50. 2 Sam. 7:12	David's Seed	Matthew 1:1
51. 2 Sam. 7:13	His Kingdom is everlasting	2Peter 1:11
52. 2 Sam. 7:14a	The Son of God	Luke 1:32, Romans 1:3-4
53. 2 Sam. 7:16	David's house established forever	Luke 3:31; Rev. 22:16
54. 2 Ki. 2:11	The bodily ascension to heaven illustrated	Luke 24:51
55. 1 Chr. 17:11	David's Seed	Matthew 1:1, 9:27
56. 1 Chr. 17:12-13	To reign on David's throne forever	Luke 1:32, 33
57. 1 Chr. 17:13	"I will be His Father, He...my Son."	Hebrews 1:5
58. Job 9:32-33	Mediator between man and God	1 Timothy 2:5
59. Job 19:23-27	The Resurrection predicted	John 5:24-29
60. Psa. 2:1-3	The enmity of kings foreordained	Acts 4:25-28
61. Psa. 2:2	To own the title, Anointed (Christ)	John 1:41, Acts 2:36
62. Psa. 2:6	His Character-Holiness	John 8:46; Revelation 3:7
63. Psa. 2:6	To own the title King	Matthew 2:2
64. Psa. 2:7	Declared the Beloved Son	Matthew 3:17, Romans 1:4
65. Psa. 2:7, 8	The Crucifixion and Resurrection intimated	Acts 13:29-33
66. Psa. 2:8, 9	Rule the nations with a rod of iron	Rev. 2:27, 12:5, 19:15
67. Psa. 2:12	Life comes through faith in Him	John 20:31
68. Psa. 8:2	The mouths of babes perfect His praise	Matthew 21:16
69. Psa. 8:5, 6	His humiliation and exaltation	Hebrews 2:5-9
70. Psa. 9:7-10	Judge the world in righteousness	Acts 17:31
71. Psa. 16:10	Was not to see corruption	Acts 2:31, 13:35
72. Psa. 16:9-11	Was to arise from the dead	John 20:9
73. Psa. 17:15	The resurrection predicted	Luke 24:6
74. Psa. 18:2-3	The horn of salvation	Luke 1:69-71
75. Psa. 22:1	Forsaken because of sins of others	2 Corinthians 5:21
76. Psa. 22:1	"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"	Matthew 27:46
77. Psa. 22:2	Darkness upon Calvary for three hours	Matthew 27:45
78. Psa. 22:7	They shoot out the lip and shake the head	Matthew 27:39-44
79. Psa. 22:8	"He trusted in God, let Him deliver Him"	Matthew 27:43
80. Psa. 22:9-10	Born the Saviour	Luke 2:7
81. Psa. 22:12-13	They seek His death	John 19:6
82. Psa. 22:14	His blood poured out when they pierced His side	John 19:34
83. Psa. 22:14, 15	Suffered agony on Calvary	Mark 15:34-37
84. Psa. 22:15	He thirsted	John 19:28
85. Psa. 22:16	They pierced His hands and His feet	John 19:34, 37; 20:27
86. Psa. 22:17, 18	Stripped Him before the stares of men	Luke 23:34, 35
87. Psa. 22:18	They parted His garments	John 19:23, 24
88. Psa. 22:20, 21	He committed Himself to God	Luke 23:46
89. Psa. 22:20, 21	Satanic power bruising the Redeemer's heel	Hebrews 2:14
90. Psa. 22:22	His Resurrection declared	John 20:17
91. Psa. 22:27-28	He shall be the governor of the nations	Colossians 1:16
92. Psa. 22:31	"It is finished"	John 19:30, Heb. 10:10, 12, 14, 18
93. Psa. 23:1	"I am the Good Shepherd"	John 10:11, 1Peter 2:25
94. Psa. 24:3	His exaltation predicted	Acts 1:11; Philippians 2:9
95. Psa. 30:3	His resurrection predicted	Acts 2:32
96. Psa. 31:5	"Into thy hands I commit my spirit"	Luke 23:46
97. Psa. 31:11	His acquaintances fled from Him	Mark 14:50
98. Psa. 31:13	They took counsel to put Him to death	Mt. 27:1, John 11:53
99. Psa. 31:14, 15	"He trusted in God, let Him deliver him"	Matthew 27:43
100. Psa. 34:20	Not a bone of Him broken	John 19:31-36
101. Psa. 35:11	False witnesses rose up against Him	Matthew 26:59
102. Psa. 35:19	He was hated without a cause	John 15:25
103. Psa. 38:11	His friends stood afar off	Luke 23:49
104. Psa. 38:12	Enemies try to entangle Him by craft	Mark 14:1, Mt. 22:15
105. Psa. 38:12-13	Silent before His accusers	Matthew 27:12-14
106. Psa. 38:20	He went about doing good	Acts 10:38
107. Psa. 40:2-5	The joy of His resurrection predicted	John 20:20
108. Psa. 40:6-8	His delight-the will of the Father	John 4:34, Heb. 10:5-10
109. Psa. 40:9	He was to preach the Righteousness in Israel	Matthew 4:17
110. Psa. 40:14	Confronted by adversaries in the Garden	John 18:4-6
111. Psa. 41:9	Betrayed by a familiar friend	John 13:18
112. Psa. 45:2	Words of Grace come from His lips	John 1:17, Luke 4:22
113. Psa. 45:6	To own the title, God or Elohim	Hebrews 1:8
114. Psa. 45:7	A special anointing by the Holy Spirit	Mt. 3:16; Heb. 1:9
115. Psa. 45:7, 8	Called the Christ (Messiah or Anointed)	Luke 2:11
116. Psa. 45:17	His name remembered forever	Ephesians 1:20-21, Heb. 1:8
117. Psa. 55:12-14	Betrayed by a friend, not an enemy	John 13:18
118. Psa. 55:15	Unrepentant death of the Betrayer	Matthew 27:3-5; Acts 1:16-19
119. Psa. 68:18	To give gifts to men	Ephesians 4:7-16
120. Psa. 68:18	Ascended into Heaven	Luke 24:51
121. Psa. 69:4	Hated without a cause	John 15:25
122. Psa. 69:8	A stranger to own brethren	John 1:11, 7:5
123. Psa. 69:9	Zealous for the Lord's House	John 2:17
124. Psa. 69:14-20	Messiah's anguish of soul before crucifixion	Matthew 26:36-45
125. Psa. 69:20	"My soul is exceeding sorrowful."	Matthew 26:38
126. Psa. 69:21	Given vinegar in thirst	Matthew 27:34
127. Psa. 69:26	The Saviour given and smitten by God	John 17:4; 18:11
128. Psa. 72:10, 11	Great persons were to visit Him	Matthew 2:1-11
129. Psa. 72:16	The corn of wheat to fall into the Ground	John 12:24-25
130. Psa. 72:17	Belief on His name will produce offspring	John 1:12, 13
131. Psa. 72:17	All nations shall be blessed by Him	Galatians 3:8
132. Psa. 72:17	All nations shall call Him blessed	John 12:13, Rev. 5:8-12
133. Psa. 78:1-2	He would teach in parables	Matthew 13:34-35
134. Psa. 78:2b	To speak the Wisdom of God with authority	Matthew 7:29
135. Psa. 80:17	The Man of God's right hand	Mark 14:61-62
136. Psa. 88	The Suffering and Reproach of Calvary	Matthew 27:26-50
137. Psa. 88:8	They stood afar off and watched	Luke 23:49
138. Psa. 89:27	Firstborn	Colossians 1:15, 18
139. Psa. 89:27	Emmanuel to be higher than earthly kings	Luke 1:32, 33
140. Psa. 89:35-37	David's Seed, throne, kingdom endure forever	Luke 1:32, 33
141. Psa. 89:36-37	His character-Faithfulness	Revelation 1:5, 19:11
142. Psa. 90:2	He is from everlasting (Micah 5:2)	John 1:1
143. Psa. 91:11, 12	Identified as Messianic; used to tempt Christ	Luke 4:10, 11
144. Psa. 97:9	His exaltation predicted	Acts 1:11; Ephesians 1:20
145. Psa. 100:5	His character-Goodness	Matthew 19:16, 17
146. Psa. 102:1-11	The Suffering and Reproach of Calvary	John 19:16-30
147. Psa. 102:25-27	Messiah is the Preexistent Son	Hebrews 1:10-12
148. Psa. 109:25	Ridiculed	Matthew 27:39
149. Psa. 110:1	Son of David	Matthew 22:42-43
150. Psa. 110:1	To ascend to the right-hand of the Father	Mark 16:19
151. Psa. 110:1	David's son called Lord	Matthew 22:44, 45
152. Psa. 110:4	A priest after Melchizedek's order	Hebrews 6:20
153. Psa. 112:4	His character-Compassionate, Gracious, et al	Matthew 9:36
154. Psa. 118:17, 18	Messiah's Resurrection assured	Luke 24:5-7; 1Cor. 15:20
155. Psa. 118:22, 23	The rejected stone is Head of the corner	Matthew 21:42, 43
156. Psa. 118:26a	The Blessed One presented to Israel	Matthew 21:9
157. Psa. 118:26b	To come while Temple standing	Matthew 21:12-15
158. Psa. 132:11	The Seed of David (the fruit of His Body)	Luke 1:32, Act 2:30
159. Psa. 129:3	He was scourged	Matthew 27:26
160. Psa. 138:1-6	The supremacy of David's Seed amazes kings	Matthew 2:2-6
161. Psa. 147:3, 6	The earthly ministry of Christ described	Luke 4:18
162. Prov. 1:23	He will send the Spirit of God	John 16:7
163. Prov. 8:23	Foreordained from everlasting	Rev. 13:8, 1Peter 1:19-20
164. Song. 5:16	The altogether lovely One	John 1:17
165. Isa. 2:3	He shall teach all nations	John 4:25
166. Isa. 2:4	He shall judge among the nations	John 5:22
167. Isa. 6:1	When Isaiah saw His glory	John 12:40-41
168. Isa. 6:8	The One Sent by God	John 12:38-45
169. Isa. 6:9-10	Parables fall on deaf ears	Matthew 13:13-15
170. Isa. 6:9-12	Blinded to Christ and deaf to His words	Acts 28:23-29
171. Isa. 7:14	To be born of a virgin	Luke 1:35
172. Isa. 7:14	To be Emmanuel-God with us	Matthew 1:18-23, 1Tim. 3:16
173. Isa. 8:8	Called Emmanuel	Matthew 28:20
174. Isa. 8:14	A stone of stumbling, a Rock of offense	1Peter 2:8
175. Isa. 9:1, 2	His ministry to begin in Galilee	Matthew 4:12-17
176. Isa. 9:6	A child born-Humanity	Luke 1:31
177. Isa. 9:6	A Son given-Deity	Luke 1:32, John 1:14, 1Tim. 3:16
178. Isa. 9:6	Declared to be the Son of God with power	Romans 1:3, 4
179. Isa. 9:6	The Wonderful One, Peleh	Luke 4:22
180. Isa. 9:6	The Counsellor, Yaatz	Matthew 13:54
181. Isa. 9:6	The Mighty God, El Gibor	1Cor. 1:24, Titus 2:3
182. Isa. 9:6	The Everlasting Father, Avi Adth	John 8:58, 10:30
183. Isa. 9:6	The Prince of Peace, Sar Shalom	John 16:33
184. Isa. 9:7	To establish an everlasting kingdom	Luke 1:32-33
185. Isa. 9:7	His Character-Just	John 5:30
186. Isa. 9:7	No end to his Government, Throne, and Peace	Luke 1:32-33
187. Isa. 11:1	Called a Nazarene-the Branch, Netzer	Matthew 2:23
188. Isa. 11:1	A rod out of Jesse-Son of Jesse	Luke 3:23, 32
189. Isa. 11:2	Anointed One by the Spirit	Matthew 3:16, 17, Acts 10:38
190. Isa. 11:2	His Character-Wisdom, Knowledge, et al	Colossians 2:3
191. Isa. 11:3	He would know their thoughts	Luke 6:8, John 2:25
192. Isa. 11:4	Judge in righteousness	Acts 17:31
193. Isa. 11:4	Judges with the sword of His mouth	Rev. 2:16, 19:11, 15
194. Isa. 11:5	Character: Righteous & Faithful	Rev. 19:11
195. Isa. 11:10	The Gentiles seek Him	John 12:18-21
196. Isa. 12:2	Called Jesus-Yeshua	Matthew 1:21
197. Isa. 22:22	The One given all authority to govern	Revelation 3:7
198. Isa. 25:8	The Resurrection predicted	1Corinthians 15:54
199. Isa. 26:19	His power of Resurrection predicted	Matthew 27:50-54
200. Isa. 28:16	The Messiah is the precious corner stone	Acts 4:11, 12
201. Isa. 28:16	The Sure Foundation	1Corinthians 3:11, Mt. 16:18
202. Isa. 29:13	He indicated hypocritical obedience to His Word	Matthew 15:7-9
203. Isa. 29:14	The wise are confounded by the Word	1Corinthians 1:18-31
204. Isa. 32:2	A Refuge-A man shall be a hiding place	Matthew 23:37
205. Isa. 35:4	He will come and save you	Matthew 1:21
206. Isa. 35:5-6	To have a ministry of miracles	Matthew 11:2-6
207. Isa. 40:3, 4	Preceded by forerunner	John 1:23
208. Isa. 40:9	"Behold your God."	John 1:36; 19:14
209. Isa. 40:10.	He will come to reward	Revelation 22:12
210. Isa. 40:11	A shepherd-compassionate life-giver	John 10:10-18
2101. Isa. 42:1-4	The Servant-as a faithful, patient redeemer	Matthew 12:18-21
212. Isa. 42:2	Meek and lowly	Matthew 11:28-30
213. Isa. 42:3	He brings hope for the hopeless	John 4
214. Isa. 42:4	The nations shall wait on His teachings	John 12:20-26
215. Isa. 42:6	The Light (salvation) of the Gentiles	Luke 2:32
216. Isa. 42:1, 6	His is a worldwide compassion	Matthew 28:19, 20
217. Isa. 42:7	Blind eyes opened.	John 9:25-38
218. Isa. 43:11	He is the only Saviour.	Acts 4:12
219. Isa. 44:3	He will send the Spirit of God	John 16:7, 13
220. Isa. 45:21-25	He is Lord and Saviour	Philippians 3:20, Titus 2:13
221. Isa. 45:23	He will be the Judge	John 5:22; Romans 14:11
222. Isa. 46:9, 10	Declares things not yet done	John 13:19
223. Isa. 48:12	The First and the Last	John 1:30, Revelation 1:8, 17
224. Isa. 48:16, 17	He came as a Teacher	John 3:2
225. Isa. 49:1	Called from the womb-His humanity	Matthew 1:18
226. Isa. 49:5	A Servant from the womb.	Luke 1:31, Philippians 2:7
227. Isa. 49:6	He will restore Israel	Acts 3:19-21, 15:16-17
228. Isa. 49:6	He is Salvation for Israel	Luke 2:29-32
229. Isa. 49:6	He is the Light of the Gentiles	John 8:12, Acts 13:47
230. Isa. 49:6	He is Salvation unto the ends of the earth	Acts 15:7-18
231. Isa. 49:7	He is despised of the Nation	John 1:11, 8:48-49, 19:14-15
232. Isa. 50:3	Heaven is clothed in black at His humiliation	Luke 23:44, 45
233. Isa. 50:4	He is a learned counselor for the weary	Matthew 7:29, 11:28, 29
234. Isa. 50:5	The Servant bound willingly to obedience	Matthew 26:39
235. Isa. 50:6a	"I gave my back to the smiters."	Matthew 27:26
236. Isa. 50:6b	He was smitten on the cheeks	Matthew 26:67
237. Isa. 50:6c	He was spat upon	Matthew 27:30
238. Isa. 52:7	Published good tidings upon mountains	Matthew 5:12,15:29,28:16
239. Isa. 52:13	The Servant exalted	Acts 1:8-11; Eph. 1:19-22, Php. 2:5-9
240. Isa. 52:14	The Servant shockingly abused	Luke 18:31-34; Mt. 26:67, 68
241. Isa. 52:15	Nations startled by message of the Servant	Luke 18:31-34; Mt. 26:67, 68
242. Isa. 52:15	His blood shed sprinkles nations	Hebrews 9:13-14, Rev. 1:5
243. Isa. 53:1	His people would not believe Him	John 12:37-38
244. Isa. 53:2	Appearance of an ordinary man	Philippians 2:6-8
245. Isa. 53:3a	Despised	Luke 4:28-29
246. Isa. 53:3b	Rejected	Matthew 27:21-23
247. Isa. 53:3c	Great sorrow and grief	Matthew 26:37-38, Luke 19:41, Heb. 4:15
248. Isa. 53:3d	Men hide from being associated with Him	Mark 14:50-52
249. Isa. 53:4a	He would have a healing ministry	Matthew 8:16-17
250. Isa. 53:4b	Thought to be cursed by God	Matthew 26:66, 27:41-43
251. Isa. 53:5a	Bears penalty for mankind's iniquities	2Cor. 5:21, Heb. 2:9
252. Isa. 53:5b	His sacrifice provides peace between man and God	Colossians 1:20
253. Isa. 53:5c	His sacrifice would heal man of sin	1Peter 2:24
254. Isa. 53:6a	He would be the sin-bearer for all mankind	1John 2:2, 4:10
255. Isa. 53:6b	God's will that He bear sin for all mankind	Galatians 1:4
256. Isa. 53:7a	Oppressed and afflicted	Matthew 27:27-31
257. Isa. 53:7b	Silent before his accusers	Matthew 27:12-14
258. Isa. 53:7c	Sacrificial lamb	John 1:29, 1Peter 1:18-19
259. Isa. 53:8a	Confined and persecuted	Matthew 26:47-27:31
260. Isa. 53:8b	He would be judged	John 18:13-22
261. Isa. 53:8c	Killed	Matthew 27:35
262. Isa. 53:8d	Dies for the sins of the world	1John 2:2
263. Isa. 53:9a	Buried in a rich man's grave	Matthew 27:57
264. Isa. 53:9b	Innocent and had done no violence	Luke 23:41, John 18:38
265. Isa. 53:9c	No deceit in his mouth	1Peter 2:22
266. Isa. 53:10a	God's will that He die for mankind	John 18:11
267. Isa. 53:10b	An offering for sin	Matthew 20:28, Galatians 3:13
268. Isa. 53:10c	Resurrected and live forever	Romans 6:9
269. Isa. 53:10d	He would prosper	John 17:1-5
270. Isa. 53:11a	God fully satisfied with His suffering	John 12:27
271. Isa. 53:11b	God's servant would justify man	Romans 5:8-9, 18-19
272. Isa. 53:11c	The sin-bearer for all mankind	Hebrews 9:28
273. Isa. 53:12a	Exalted by God because of his sacrifice	Matthew 28:18
274. Isa. 53:12b	He would give up his life to save mankind	Luke 23:46
275. Isa. 53:12c	Numbered with the transgressors	Mark 15:27-28
276. Isa. 53:12d	Sin-bearer for all mankind	1Peter 2:24
277. Isa. 53:12e	Intercede to God in behalf of mankind	Luke 23:34, Rom. 8:34
278. Isa. 55:3	Resurrected by God	Acts 13:34
279. Isa. 55:4a	A witness	John 18:37
280. Isa. 55:4b	He is a leader and commander	Hebrews 2:10
281. Isa. 55:5	God would glorify Him	Acts 3:13
282. Isa. 59:16a	Intercessor between man and God	Matthew 10:32
283. Isa. 59:16b	He would come to provide salvation	John 6:40
284. Isa. 59:20	He would come to Zion as their Redeemer	Luke 2:38
285. Isa. 60:1-3	He would shew light to the Gentiles	Acts 26:23
286. Isa. 61:1a	The Spirit of God upon him	Matthew 3:16-17
287. Isa. 61:1b	The Messiah would preach the good news	Luke 4:16-21
288. Isa. 61:1c	Provide freedom from the bondage of sin	John 8:31-36
289. Isa. 61:1-2a	Proclaim a period of grace	Galatians 4:4-5
290. Jer. 23:5-6	Descendant of David	Luke 3:23-31
291. Jer. 23:5-6	The Messiah would be both God and Man	John 13:13, 1Ti 3:16
292. Jer. 31:22	Born of a virgin	Matthew 1:18-20
293. Jer. 31:31	The Messiah would be the new covenant	Matthew 26:28
294. Jer. 33:14-15	Descendant of David	Luke 3:23-31
295. Eze.34:23-24	Descendant of David	Matthew 1:1
296. Eze.37:24-25	Descendant of David	Luke 1:31-33
297. Dan. 2:44-45	The Stone that shall break the kingdoms	Matthew 21:44
298. Dan. 7:13-14a	He would ascend into heaven	Acts 1:9-11
299. Dan. 7:13-14b	Highly exalted	Ephesians 1:20-22
300. Dan. 7:13-14c	His dominion would be everlasting	Luke 1:31-33
301. Dan. 9:24a	To make an end to sins	Galatians 1:3-5
302. Dan. 9:24a	To make reconciliation for iniquity	Romans 5:10, 2Cor. 5:18-21
303. Dan. 9:24b	He would be holy	Luke 1:35
304. Dan. 9:25	His announcement	John 12:12-13
305. Dan. 9:26a	Cut off	Matthew 16:21, 21:38-39
306. Dan. 9:26b	Die for the sins of the world	Hebrews 2:9
307. Dan. 9:26c	Killed before the destruction of the temple	Matthew 27:50-51
308. Dan. 10:5-6	Messiah in a glorified state	Revelation 1:13-16
309. Hos. 11:1	He would be called out of Egypt	Matthew 2:15
310. Hos. 13:14	He would defeat death	1Corinthians 15:55-57
311. Joel 2:32	Offer salvation to all mankind	Romans 10:9-13
312. Jonah 1:17	Death and resurrection of Christ	Matthew 12:40, 16:4
313. Mic. 5:2a	Born in Bethlehem	Matthew 2:1-6
314. Mic. 5:2b	Ruler in Israel	Luke 1:33
315. Mic. 5:2c	From everlasting	John 8:58
316. Hag. 2:6-9	He would visit the second Temple	Luke 2:27-32
317. Hag. 2:23	Descendant of Zerubbabel	Luke 2:27-32
318. Zech. 3:8	God's servant	John 17:4
319. Zech. 6:12-13	Priest and King	Hebrews 8:1
320. Zech. 9:9a	Greeted with rejoicing in Jerusalem	Matthew 21:8-10
321. Zech. 9:9b	Beheld as King	John 12:12-13
322. Zech. 9:9c	The Messiah would be just	John 5:30
323. Zech. 9:9d	The Messiah would bring salvation	Luke 19:10
324. Zech. 9:9e	The Messiah would be humble	Matthew 11:29
325. Zech. 9:9f	Presented to Jerusalem riding on a donkey	Matthew 21:6-9
326. Zech. 10:4	The cornerstone	Ephesians 2:20
327. Zech. 11:4-6a	At His coming, Israel to have unfit leaders	Matthew 23:1-4
328. Zech. 11:4-6b	Rejection causes God to remove His protection	Luke 19:41-44
329. Zech. 11:4-6c	Rejected in favor of another king	John 19:13-15
330. Zech. 11:7	Ministry to "poor," the believing remnant	Matthew 9:35-36
331. Zech. 11:8a	Unbelief forces Messiah to reject them	Matthew 23:33
332. Zech. 11:8b	Despised	Matthew 27:20
333. Zech. 11:9	Stops ministering to those who rejected Him	Matthew 13:10-11
334. Zech. 11:10-11a	Rejection causes God to remove protection	Luke 19:41-44
335. Zech. 11:10-11b	The Messiah would be God	John 14:7
336. Zech. 11:12-13a	Betrayed for thirty pieces of silver	Matthew 26:14-15
337. Zech. 11:12-13b	Rejected	Matthew 26:14-15
338. Zech. 11:12-13c	Thirty pieces of silver cast in the house of the Lord	Matthew 27:3-5
339. Zech. 11:12-13d	The Messiah would be God	John 12:45
340. Zech. 12:10a	The Messiah's body would be pierced	John 19:34-37
341. Zech. 12:10b	The Messiah would be both God and man	John 10:30
342. Zech. 12:10c	The Messiah would be rejected	John 1:11
343. Zech. 13:7a	God's will He die for mankind	John 18:11
344. Zech. 13:7b	A violent death	Mark 14:27
345. Zech. 13:7c	Both God and man	John 14:9
346. Zech. 13:7d	Israel scattered as a result of rejecting Him	Matthew 26:31-56
347. Zech. 14:4	He would return to the Mt. of Olives	Acts 1:11-12
348. Mal. 3:1a	Messenger to prepare the way for Messiah	Mark 1:1-8
349. Mal. 3:1b	Sudden appearance at the temple	Mark 11:15-16
350. Mal. 3:1c	Messenger of the new covenant	Luke 4:43
351. Mal. 3:6	The God who changes not	Hebrews 13:8
352. Mal. 4:5	Forerunner in spirit of Elijah	Mt. 3:1-3, 11:10-14, 17:11-13
353. Mal. 4:6	Forerunner would turn many to righteousness	Luke 1:16-17

Source:  http://www.accordingtothescriptures.org/prophecy/353prophecies.html

Jesus Is God

 

 

Last weeks Mass readings on Christ the King reminded me of a discussion I had with a close relative who doubted Jesus’ divinity because Jesus Himself never claimed to be God in the Scriptures. At the time I was ill-prepared to respond but I was able to at least point to the place where Jesus said: “Before Abraham was, I am.” in the Gospel of John, Chapter 8, verse 58. You see when Moses asked the Lord God what His name was, God answered him: “I am who I am. Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’”(Exo 3:14) Therefore when Jesus said“Before Abraham was, I am” He was in fact calling Himself God.

In reality, many times did Jesus make it plain to his listeners that He was claiming to be God and we know this because these listeners tried to stone and kill him. For a clear example of this see John 10:31-33 where it says: “--"I and the Father are one." The Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?" The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God."

If Jesus was not God then being a good Jew, Jesus would’ve stopped anyone from worshipping Him as God and yet we find the Apostle Thomas, at seeing the risen Christ in front of him and touched his wounds, said: “My Lord, and my God.” (John 20:28) with no rebuke from Jesus.

Are these verses enough evidence? No, you say? Well then how about we look at a few more. We find in the Old Testament that the Lord said: “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.” (Isaiah 44:6) and we find in the New Testament that Jesus said: “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, ¹⁸ and the living one. I was dead, and see, I am alive forever and ever; and I have the keys of Death and of Hades.”(Rev 1:17-18) We know with certainty that the one speaking here must be Jesus since he says that he was dead. And yet he calls himself by the same title as the Lord God “the first and the last”.

Still not enough? Alright, here’s one final proof which can be found in the last two chapters of the book of Revelation. According to Revelation 21:6-7, the Almighty God reveals himself in plain terms: “And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the fountain of the water of life without payment. He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he shall be my son.’”

But then, in Revelation 22:6, 13, 16, we find Jesus revealing himself to be “the Alpha and the Omega . . . the beginning and the end.”:

And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place . . . I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end . . . I Jesus have sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.”

Therefore Jesus Is God.

God Bless
Nathan

This Is My Church!

(From CatholicVote).

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Movie Review - Son of God

SPOILER ALERT - (I have to say that, even though most of us who would be reading this forum already knows how the story will end!)

My wife and I went to see Son of God last night.  All in all, it was well done.  There were a few parts where some artistic license was taken (like the Blessed Mother assisting Jesus to pick His Cross back up after one of His falls). Without being overly critical, the wording was relatively true to the text.  I would have liked the part where Jesus prophesied Peter's denial, that He would have said "before the cock crows" and then had an actual cock crow...  as it was, Jesus said "before morning" and the actual denial scene (where it is portrayed that Peter denies Him three times in one conversation, not three separate times) is in bright daylight - morning had already happened...  no real biggie, but a minor directorial faux pax.

Another thing which distracted me throughout the show was the actress who played the Blessed Virgin...  I didn't know they had botox or collagen injections back in that day!  I'm sorry, but that was truly a distraction, for me at least.

Now, all that being said, from what I've heard, if you watched The Bible series which was on television last year - you pretty much saw a lot of this movie already.  Personally, though I like what I saw of The Bible series, but for whatever reason, I did not see more than the first couple episodes - so I did not see those which included Jesus' story.  When they showed Adam, Noah, Moses, etc., those scenes were familiar to me.  While much of it was taken from the earlier series, not all of it was - there are several new scenes in the movie you did not see earlier.

Recommendation:  Go see it!  This type of production deserves our support.  The more successful Christian productions are, the more we'll see!

Watch the interview with Roma Downy and Mark Burnett on The World Over with Raymond Arroyo:

What Catholics Believe, The Creed Part 2

Secondo Pia's 1898 negative of the Shroud of Turin

[Covered in What Catholics Believe, Part 1]

I believe in one God, the Father almighty,

    maker of heaven and earth,

    of all things visible and invisible.

****************************Part 2

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, 

Lord here is not the title of an earthly lord.  It is used as another word for God.  The name of God is  Hebrew was not used, so God was usually referred to in Scripture as Lord.  In the New Testament Lord is frequently used for both God the Father and Jesus Christ. (CCC 446)  Elizabeth proclaimed it to Mary, "Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"  

Jesus is the name announced by Gabriel at the Annunciation; the name Jesus means "God saves."  It is not just a name but the very core of the meaning of the Incarnation.  (CCC 430)

Christ is the Greek word for the Hebrew Messiah which is "anointed".  (CCC 436) 

These names/titles reveal much about Who we believe Jesus was and is.  He is God.  He saves.  He is the anointed One of God.  This is what we believe as Catholics.

        the Only Begotten Son of God, 

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption. (Gal. 4:4-5)

We believe that Jesus was, literally, the Son of God born of a woman, Mary, and the Holy Spirit.  He "came from God" (Jn 13:3), "descended from Heaven" (Jn 3:13), and "came in the flesh" (I Jn 4:2). (CCC 423) He came from the Father in the Person of Jesus Christ.  He suffered and died for us.  He is now, after rising, living with us forever. (CCC 426)

        born of the Father before all ages. 

Michelangelo's Jesus on the Sistine Chapel

Born means produced or generated from.  Just as we receive our humanness from our father, so Jesus received His divine essence from God.  St. Peter said that Jesus was "the Christ, the Son of the living God", to which Jesus replied, "Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father Who is in Heaven." (Matt. 16:16-17) 

We also believe that Jesus always existed in God.  

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things came to be through Him, and without Him nothing came to be.  What came to be through Him was life..."  (John 1:1-4a)

     God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, 

Jesus is not God the Father; He is God the Son.  They are distinct from one another but the are both God.  To continue with John 1:4:  "...and this life was the light of the human race."  The Father and the son light each other and in turn light the world with life.  They are of one voice, one "testimony".  (John 8:17-18)  We believe that Jesus is God; He is light; He is true God. 

    begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; 

In the early Church, some of the heresies that cropped up were that either Jesus was not God, but only a man; that Jesus was God who came in the appearance of a man; and that somehow God coexisted in the body of a man.  However, the Nicaea Creed emphasizes the fact that we believe He is of the same substance, homoousios, as the Father.  At the Council of Chalcedon, the Church affirmed that Our Lord Jesus Christ is

"Perfect in divinity and perfect in humanity, the same truly God and truly man, composed of rational soul and body; consubstantial with the Father as to His divinity and consubstantial with us as to His humanity; "like us in all things but sin."  (CCC 467)

         Through him all things were made. 

Separation of light and darkness (Michelangelo)

Here we go back to John chapter one. "In the beginning was the Word...and the Word was with God...all things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made." (John 1:1-4)  God created everything through the eternal Word, His Son, along with the Holy Spirit (we'll get to Him soon) Who is the "giver of life."  (CCC 291)

    For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, 

Appropriately, the name Jesus means "God saves."  (CCC 430)  The perfect name for the Incarnation Who came to free mankind from the bondage of sin.  As God, He existed before there was a world.  He came down from His home for the love of mankind.

The Word became flesh so that thus we might know God's love: "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him." (1 John 4:9)  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) (CCC 458)

There is not much more I can say than that.
 

        and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, 

  
But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God....for nothing will be impossible for God.”  (Luke 1:34-35,37)
The Scripture tells us the name of His Mother and the manner of Jesus' conception.  It is not by Joseph or any other man that Jesus comes into being.  He becomes incarnate in the Virgin Mary's womb by the Holy Spirit.  Mary's virginity is and remains a dogma (something a Catholic must believe) of the Church.  Mary conceived "without any detriment to her virginity, which remained inviolate even after His birth" (Council of the Lateran, 649).  Mary in this way becomes the Mother of God.  (More on this later)

        
         and became man.

 He became truly man while remaining truly God.  Jesus Christ is true God and true man.  (CCC 464)  From apostolic times the Christian faith has insisted on the true incarnation of God's Son "come in the flesh." (CCC 465)  

*******************************************************End Part 2

    For our sake he was crucified

      under Pontius Pilate,

        he suffered death and was buried,

        and rose again on the third day

        in accordance with the Scriptures.

    He ascended into heaven

        and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

    He will come again in glory

        to judge the living and the dead

        and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

        the Lord, the giver of life,

    who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

    who with the Father and the Son

        is adored and glorified,

        who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic,

     and apostolic Church.

    I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins

        and I look forward to the resurrection

        of the dead and the life of the world to come.

Amen.