Posted on 07/19/2016 2:43:06 PM PDT by NYer
At the Last Supper, Jesus commanded the 12 Apostles to “do this in remembrance of me.”
The “this” is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, also called the Divine Liturgy by Eastern Rite Catholics.
When Christianity was new, misunderstood and outlawed, Saint Justin Martyr, one of the first Christian philosophers who understood Greek thought and Christian doctrine to be compatible, defended Christian doctrine and liturgical practices from secular political power, claiming Christians should not be persecuted. In his Apology, a detailed written defense of Christianity, one of the earliest descriptions of the Catholic Mass is found.
“And this food is called among us Eucharistia [the Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined.
For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Savior, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.” – (First Apology, 66)
Nowadays, many non-Catholic Christians claim the Mass is not biblical, denying it was the belief and practice of the early Church. However, Justin explained the Mass in its essence, as taught by Christ and handed down to His Apostles, as early as the mid-2nd century. The short video below, originally shared by CatholicCompany, will give you the highlights of his argument, but you could also read the full First Apology here.
The Mass in A.D. 155: St. Justin Martyr describes the early Christian
How beautiful. Having buried my mother a few months ago, I was surprised and impressed when the church arranged to meet with me to select the readings and music. In so doing, my daughter and I were drawn into the preparations; she chose the readings, I chose the music. My pastor was invited to concelebrate and led everyone in chanting the Maronite Incense Hymn at the conclusion of the RC mass. The principal celebrant was the retired pastor. He delivered a powerful homily on faith, drawing his cue from a comment I made the previous day after the vigil service.
The Catholic funeral rites bring closure to the life of a loved one, offering us comfort and reassurance of eternal life with our Savior.
On the day of his/her Baptism, [name]was clothed with Christ. May Christ now enfold him in His love and bring him into eternal life.
Thank you for posting and sharing your recollection from the funeral mass.
By Felicia!
No, this is STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSES MOUTH in that it is what a very early church leader taught believed, and in a period of time VASTLY closer to the time of Christ’s death.
You can spin that any way you want to, but you cannot escape the FACT that this is the official belief of the catholic Church very early in its existence.
Read it and weep.
**..you cannot escape the FACT..**
If partaking of the mass gives eternal life,
why does it have to be taken more than once, or even many times?
Do it wear off?
If so, when?
Does one know when it wears off, if it wears off?
If it gives eternal life, and it doesn’t wear off, then once should be sufficient.
**Read it and weep.**
I’m going to step out on a limb and guess that mrobisr read it, but didn’t weep.
I didn’t spin it. I simply stated that corrupter’s of the Gospel was there from the beginning and that for you to think that a guy 120 years after the fact had it all right is well... just plain naive at best. Hey I have some drought stricken swamp land you want to buy it too?
“You can spin that any way you want to, but you cannot escape the FACT that this is the official belief of the catholic Church very early in its existence.”
Oh really...
So his was official and these are unofficial? So your religion is now unofficial?
For a church that claims beginnings and traditions from Peter I would have to say that your first pope must have forgot to tell you a few really important things.
1 . Prayers for the dead . …………-—————————……300 A.D.
2. Making the sign of the cross ………………………… …300 A.D.
3. Veneration of angels & dead saints …………-————…….375 A.D.
4. Use of images in worship………………………………… . 375 A.D.
5. The Mass as a daily celebration……………………………… 394 A.D.
6 Beginning of the exaltation of Mary; the term, “Mother of God” applied a Council of Ephesus……………. .-———————————————————— 431 A.D.
7 Extreme Unction (Last Rites)……………………………… ..526 A.D.
8. Doctrine of Purgatory-Gregory 1…………………………… .593 A.D..
9. Prayers to Mary & dead saints ……………………………… .600 A.D.
10. Worship of cross, images & relics ……………………… … 786 A.D.
11 Canonization of dead saints ………………………………… ..995 A.D.
12. Celibacy of priesthood …………………………………… …1079 A.D.
13. The Rosary ……………………………………………… … 1090 A.D.
14. Indulgences ……………………………………………… …..1190 A.D.
15. Transubstantiation-Innocent III …………………………… 1215 A.D.
16. Auricular Confession of sins to a priest …………………… 1215 A.D.
17. Adoration of the wafer (Host)…………………………… .. 1220 A.D.
18. Cup forbidden to the people at communion …………………..1414 A.D.
19. Purgatory proclaimed as a dogma……………………………..1439 A.D.
20. The doctrine of the Seven Sacraments confirmed …………….1439 A.D.
21 Tradition declared of equal authority with Bible by Council of Trent…………………………………………————————… 1545 A.D.
22. Apocryphal books added to Bible ………——————……….1546 A.D.
23. Immaculate Conception of Mary……………………………….1854 A.D.
24, Infallibility of the pope in matters of faith and morals, proclaimed by the Vatican Council ……………… 1870 A.D.
25. Assumption of the Virgin Mary (bodily ascension into heaven shortly after her death) ……………………………-—————————————————……1950 A.D.
26. Mary proclaimed Mother of the Church……………………… 1965 A.D.
You can’t have it both ways and claim that all of your traditions and teachings are from the beginning when you have this many major changes.
“Read it and weep.”
I did read your comment and I did weep because I know you are a lost soul fighting the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
I did weep, but for a different reason.
And just how does what Justin believed prove that this is what is Biblical, while nowhere in the life of the NT in Scripture is it taught that "the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh." And which would surely be often described and promoted (not simply as breaking of bread) and be the subject of express teaching given the critical importance and centrality Catholicism ascribes to it, esp. with the offering of the Lord's supper being the primary active function of a class of a class of believers distinctively called "priests,' which are also utterly absent in the NT church.
Instead of Justin proving what is Biblical, his statement here is no more establishes what is Biblical than does his teaching that (according to Irenaeus), "That before the Lord's appearance Satan never dared to blaspheme God, inasmuch as he did not yet know his own sentence, because it was contained in parables and allegories.." (Against Heresies. Book 5, Chapter XXVI). Yet surely the devil knew that "thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit," (Isaiah 14:15) and, "The wicked shall be turned into Hell," (Psalm 9:17)
As heretofore shown (see posts 55 and 73 and 117 by the grace of God before you try to respond), the Catholic "Real Presence" (which itself apparently was originally an Anglican term) is not seen in the life of the NT church, and which is interpretive of the gospels.
...with their Racks, Iron Maidens and other means of loving conversion.
I wonder...
...who did the 'teaching' in those 7 'ancient' Catholic churches that John wrote about in the first few chapters of Revelation?After all; there were NO one except CATHOLICS in those days; Right??
Then let's let Catholicism speak for itself!
"One indeed is the universal Church of the faithful, outside which no one at all is saved, in which the priest himself is the sacrifice, Jesus Christ, whose body and blood are truly contained in the sacrament of the altar under the species of bread and wine; the bread (changed) into His body by the divine power of transubstantiation, and the wine into the blood, so that to accomplish the mystery of unity we ourselves receive from His (nature) what He Himself received from ours."
--Pope Innocent III and Lateran Council IV (A.D. 1215)
Neigh!!!
As regards the oft-quoted Mt. 16:18
• Augustine, sermon:
"Christ, you see, built his Church not on a man but on Peter's confession. What is Peter's confession? 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' There's the rock for you, there's the foundation, there's where the Church has been built, which the gates of the underworld cannot conquer. — John Rotelle, O.S.A., Ed., The Works of Saint Augustine , © 1993 New City Press, Sermons, Vol III/6, Sermon 229P.1, p. 327
Upon this rock, said the Lord, I will build my Church. Upon this confession, upon this that you said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,' I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not conquer her (Mt. 16:18). — John Rotelle, Ed., The Works of Saint Augustine (New Rochelle: New City, 1993) Sermons, Volume III/7, Sermon 236A.3, p. 48.
• Augustine, sermon:
For petra (rock) is not derived from Peter, but Peter from petra; just as Christ is not called so from the Christian, but the Christian from Christ. For on this very account the Lord said, 'On this rock will I build my Church,' because Peter had said, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.' On this rock, therefore, He said, which thou hast confessed, I will build my Church. For the Rock (Petra) was Christ; and on this foundation was Peter himself built. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus. The Church, therefore, which is founded in Christ received from Him the keys of the kingdom of heaven in the person of Peter, that is to say, the power of binding and loosing sins. For what the Church is essentially in Christ, such representatively is Peter in the rock (petra); and in this representation Christ is to be understood as the Rock, Peter as the Church. — Augustine Tractate CXXIV; Philip Schaff, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: First Series, Volume VII Tractate CXXIV (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf107.iii.cxxv.html)
• Augustine, sermon:
And Peter, one speaking for the rest of them, one for all, said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God (Mt 16:15-16)...And I tell you: you are Peter; because I am the rock, you are Rocky, Peter-I mean, rock doesn't come from Rocky, but Rocky from rock, just as Christ doesn't come from Christian, but Christian from Christ; and upon this rock I will build my Church (Mt 16:17-18); not upon Peter, or Rocky, which is what you are, but upon the rock which you have confessed. I will build my Church though; I will build you, because in this answer of yours you represent the Church. — John Rotelle, O.S.A. Ed., The Works of Saint Augustine (New Rochelle: New City Press, 1993), Sermons, Volume III/7, Sermon 270.2, p. 289
• Augustine, sermon:
Peter had already said to him, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' He had already heard, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona, because flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the underworld shall not conquer her' (Mt 16:16-18)...Christ himself was the rock, while Peter, Rocky, was only named from the rock. That's why the rock rose again, to make Peter solid and strong; because Peter would have perished, if the rock hadn't lived. — John Rotelle, Ed., The Works of Saint Augustine (New Rochelle: New City, 1993) Sermons, Volume III/7, Sermon 244.1, p. 95
• Augustine, sermon:
...because on this rock, he said, I will build my Church, and the gates of the underworld shall not overcome it (Mt. 16:18). Now the rock was Christ (1 Cor. 10:4). Was it Paul that was crucified for you? Hold on to these texts, love these texts, repeat them in a fraternal and peaceful manner. — John Rotelle, Ed., The Works of Saint Augustine (New Rochelle: New City Press, 1995), Sermons, Volume III/10, Sermon 358.5, p. 193
• Augustine, Psalm LXI:
Let us call to mind the Gospel: 'Upon this Rock I will build My Church.' Therefore She crieth from the ends of the earth, whom He hath willed to build upon a Rock. But in order that the Church might be builded upon the Rock, who was made the Rock? Hear Paul saying: 'But the Rock was Christ.' On Him therefore builded we have been. — Philip Schaff, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1956), Volume VIII, Saint Augustin, Exposition on the Book of Psalms, Psalm LXI.3, p. 249. (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf108.ii.LXI.html)
• Augustine, in “Retractions,”
In a passage in this book, I said about the Apostle Peter: 'On him as on a rock the Church was built.'...But I know that very frequently at a later time, I so explained what the Lord said: 'Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church,' that it be understood as built upon Him whom Peter confessed saying: 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,' and so Peter, called after this rock, represented the person of the Church which is built upon this rock, and has received 'the keys of the kingdom of heaven.' For, 'Thou art Peter' and not 'Thou art the rock' was said to him. But 'the rock was Christ,' in confessing whom, as also the whole Church confesses, Simon was called Peter. But let the reader decide which of these two opinions is the more probable. — The Fathers of the Church (Washington D.C., Catholic University, 1968), Saint Augustine, The Retractations Chapter 20.1:.
“nowhere in the life of the NT in Scripture is it taught that “the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.”
+1
Still praying for you every Monday at the Novena. Peace be with you!
Scott Hahn, Catholic convert, really describes the importance of those early Church fathers. His books on our faith are wonderful, spoken by a former Protestant, showing us born-Catholics, just how wondrous is our Catholic faith.
One book always recommended for the history buffs:
=================================
We owe these men a debt of gratitude for putting this history to pen.
There is Apostolic Tradition, which, I've been told, is NOT believed by many (not all perhaps) non-Catholics. It ISN'T written in the New Testament, therefore, for them, it isn't true or relevant.
Sola scripture seems to be their opinion, nothing else.
To them, therefore, the entire Apostolic Tradition isn't true or relevant.
http://www.sinaimonastery.com/en/print.php?lid=220
An explanation of Apostolic Tradition.
Thanks; for according to Rome; they have NEVER been known to fail!!
http://americaneedsfatima.blogspot.com/2012/03/3-day-novena-to-our-lady-of-mount.html
Important Church Father: Augustine.
As regards the oft-quoted Mt. 16:18
• Augustine, sermon:
"Christ, you see, built his Church not on a man but on Peter's confession. What is Peter's confession? 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' There's the rock for you, there's the foundation, there's where the Church has been built, which the gates of the underworld cannot conquer. — John Rotelle, O.S.A., Ed., The Works of Saint Augustine , © 1993 New City Press, Sermons, Vol III/6, Sermon 229P.1, p. 327
Upon this rock, said the Lord, I will build my Church. Upon this confession, upon this that you said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,' I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not conquer her (Mt. 16:18). — John Rotelle, Ed., The Works of Saint Augustine (New Rochelle: New City, 1993) Sermons, Volume III/7, Sermon 236A.3, p. 48.
• Augustine, sermon:
For petra (rock) is not derived from Peter, but Peter from petra; just as Christ is not called so from the Christian, but the Christian from Christ. For on this very account the Lord said, 'On this rock will I build my Church,' because Peter had said, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.' On this rock, therefore, He said, which thou hast confessed, I will build my Church. For the Rock (Petra) was Christ; and on this foundation was Peter himself built. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus. The Church, therefore, which is founded in Christ received from Him the keys of the kingdom of heaven in the person of Peter, that is to say, the power of binding and loosing sins. For what the Church is essentially in Christ, such representatively is Peter in the rock (petra); and in this representation Christ is to be understood as the Rock, Peter as the Church. — Augustine Tractate CXXIV; Philip Schaff, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: First Series, Volume VII Tractate CXXIV (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf107.iii.cxxv.html)
• Augustine, sermon:
And Peter, one speaking for the rest of them, one for all, said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God (Mt 16:15-16)...And I tell you: you are Peter; because I am the rock, you are Rocky, Peter-I mean, rock doesn't come from Rocky, but Rocky from rock, just as Christ doesn't come from Christian, but Christian from Christ; and upon this rock I will build my Church (Mt 16:17-18); not upon Peter, or Rocky, which is what you are, but upon the rock which you have confessed. I will build my Church though; I will build you, because in this answer of yours you represent the Church. — John Rotelle, O.S.A. Ed., The Works of Saint Augustine (New Rochelle: New City Press, 1993), Sermons, Volume III/7, Sermon 270.2, p. 289
• Augustine, sermon:
Peter had already said to him, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' He had already heard, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona, because flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the underworld shall not conquer her' (Mt 16:16-18)...Christ himself was the rock, while Peter, Rocky, was only named from the rock. That's why the rock rose again, to make Peter solid and strong; because Peter would have perished, if the rock hadn't lived. — John Rotelle, Ed., The Works of Saint Augustine (New Rochelle: New City, 1993) Sermons, Volume III/7, Sermon 244.1, p. 95
• Augustine, sermon:
...because on this rock, he said, I will build my Church, and the gates of the underworld shall not overcome it (Mt. 16:18). Now the rock was Christ (1 Cor. 10:4). Was it Paul that was crucified for you? Hold on to these texts, love these texts, repeat them in a fraternal and peaceful manner. — John Rotelle, Ed., The Works of Saint Augustine (New Rochelle: New City Press, 1995), Sermons, Volume III/10, Sermon 358.5, p. 193
• Augustine, Psalm LXI:
Let us call to mind the Gospel: 'Upon this Rock I will build My Church.' Therefore She crieth from the ends of the earth, whom He hath willed to build upon a Rock. But in order that the Church might be builded upon the Rock, who was made the Rock? Hear Paul saying: 'But the Rock was Christ.' On Him therefore builded we have been. — Philip Schaff, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1956), Volume VIII, Saint Augustin, Exposition on the Book of Psalms, Psalm LXI.3, p. 249. (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf108.ii.LXI.html)
• Augustine, in “Retractions,”
In a passage in this book, I said about the Apostle Peter: 'On him as on a rock the Church was built.'...But I know that very frequently at a later time, I so explained what the Lord said: 'Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church,' that it be understood as built upon Him whom Peter confessed saying: 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,' and so Peter, called after this rock, represented the person of the Church which is built upon this rock, and has received 'the keys of the kingdom of heaven.' For, 'Thou art Peter' and not 'Thou art the rock' was said to him. But 'the rock was Christ,' in confessing whom, as also the whole Church confesses, Simon was called Peter. But let the reader decide which of these two opinions is the more probable. — The Fathers of the Church (Washington D.C., Catholic University, 1968), Saint Augustine, The Retractations Chapter 20.1:.
Why do Catholics always seem to get this half WRONG???
We do not think it is 'relevant' because of what ROME has written in the Book it gave us:
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
Any time, FRiend.
Which recourse supports what i said, for if 9among other things) the Holy Spirit had described - as He surely would - the NT church as looking to Peter as the first of a line if infallible popes reigning supreme over the church, and praying to created beings in Heaven, and ordaining a class of believers distinctively called "priests," and normatively celibate, and offering the elements of the Lords supper as a sacrifice for sin, and to be consumed in order to obtain spiritual life, this being their primary active function due to the constant centrality of this sacrament, then there would be no need to invoke an external, extraScriptural source for support.
Yet despite the inexplicable, incongruous absence (including not even one prayer to anyone else in Heaven but God, despite approx. 200 prayers; not even one instance of a NT pastor being called a priest, and with the Lord's supper only being once much described in one epistle to any church) of such primary Catholic distinctives in the life of the NT church, she - as with Mormons and certain other cults - presumes that extraScriptural sources can justify her substantially foreign faith, under her novel and unScriptural premise of ensured perpetual magisterial infallibility as per Rome (and basically in primary cults)..
Rome has presumed to infallibly declare she is and will be perpetually infallible whenever she speaks in accordance with her infallibly defined (scope and subject-based) formula, which renders her declaration that she is infallible, to be infallible, as well as all else she accordingly declares.
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