Posted on 04/09/2025 9:51:55 PM PDT by ebb tide
You might not have read the Book of Maccabees. (Catholics and Orthodox regard it as canonical while Protestants and Jews mostly consider it simply an inspiring, accurate history of God’s people enduring corruption and persecution.)
But the Lutheran George Frederick Handel thought the story important enough to compose a beautiful oratorio retelling it, Judas Maccabeus. The Jewish holiday of Channukah has its origins in the events recounted in Maccabees — commemorating the rededication of the Temple after pagans had profaned it.
Maccabees is certainly worth a read for Christians today trying to navigate a path between an overbearing, increasingly intolerant secular culture and Church leaders who dither, waver, or even seem to be on the side of the Enemy. (I’m focusing here on my own Roman Catholic Church, but as you read this, think of all the rainbow-flagged, “affirming” pastors and churches in your own tradition, some of which you might once have trusted.)
In Maccabees, we see the plight of the Jewish people under foreign occupation — this time not the cruel Assyrians or the tolerant Persians, but the glittering, sophisticated, and above all Greeks. After Alexander the Great destroyed the Persian Empire in 323 B.C., fought his way to India, then died at age 33, his generals split up the new empire he’d founded among themselves, squabbling over its component parts for the next century. The section that included ancient Palestine was the Seleucid Empire.
Its rulers prided themselves on the artistic, philosophical, and cultural inheritance of Greece, whose civilization Alexander’s armies had spread throughout Central Asia and the Near East. Wherever they ruled, these Hellenistic kings established academies and gymnasia (athletic/cultural centers) — and set up temples to the Greek pagan gods.
(Excerpt) Read more at stream.org ...
Ping
God help us if the next pope doesn’t mop up after the Bergoglio gang.
There are four Books of Maccabees. Catholics regard 1 and 2 Maccabees as canon. Orthodox accept 1, 2 and 3 Maccabees. I don't think anyone regards 4 Maccabees as canon.
Such rulings from the Catholic Leadership are inevitable when church doctrine allows the revelation of men to re-interpret scripture for their current culture as opposed to hold to the biblical truth that God’s word is eternal and God does not change.
God does continue to reveal Himself and always will. What I believe biblically is God has been clear that none of His revelations can ever change His word or contradict His nature as revealed in Scripture.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Malachi 3:6
James 1:17
As to transitioning there is plenty of Scripture to how we are made and God has a purpose.
Matthew 19:4 And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female,
What it all boils down to is tolerating and enabling satanic/demonic oppression or possession, because taking a righteous stand trusting in God is too difficult.
I think the Church’s Maccabee’s moment started in 1967 when Saul VI changed all of the sacramental rites.
indeed
the Temple has been polluted
Didn’t seem to bother KCIII and his sidepiece.
They allegedly had a private meeting with Bergoglio yesterday.
A link with a pic, the only pic released AFAIK...
Note the photo credit...
because they are not Christian
It gets better...
Check out the photo credit for the same pic used in the DM’s story.
That photo credit says Buckingham Palace as opposed to the pic in the People article which gives the credit as Vatican via Getty...
I wonder why the difference in photo credits.
Bet the answer to that would prove interesting.
HERESY!!! GOD MADE THEM PERFECTLY LIKE HE WANTED THEM TO BE!!
That GANG is going to elect the NEXT POPE!! PRAY!!!
This,”pope”, is A socialist and crappola.
Time for a schism. Hope that breakaway churches will be able to keep their assets legally free from seizure by Rome.
Hold up. The pope can say it. Vatican clueless clergy can proclaim it. But as we have learned over a dozen years, it is all bull shite until it comes out as full magisterial teaching.
This papacy is a belch and a fart, nothing has become official Church teaching. And nothing they do will. Trust Jesus. Stick to the magisterium, ignore the perverts running the assylum.
Sacraments AND the Religion.
How I miss Queen Elizabeth!
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