“I don’t go to “Church”. Learn English. You might attend a “church”, but not a “Church”. I assist at Mass. It could be in a church or a hotel room or a private home - just like in the early Church.”
Since individual Christians are, in fact, members of the body of Christ and therefore the Church (capitalized), my usage is accurate.
Matthew 18:20
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
The question is, does one of those 2 or 3 individuals have to be a Priest, ordained by a recognized religious body, in order to have Christ “in the midst” of them?
John 4
19The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
20Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
21Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
23But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
One wonders how an individual can look at scriptures like these and yet generally ignore them when it comes to Catholicism’s (and many other religions in the world) emphasis on visible structures, rituals and images of spirituality.
The addition of Saints, to whom you pray to for assistance in certain matters, or Priests to whom you must confess to, are unnecessary. It is certainly good to have accountability amongst a group of individuals, as it keeps you honest. But the idea that you MUST do it, otherwise your sin is not forgiven, is simply another barrier.
You wrote:
“Since individual Christians are, in fact, members of the body of Christ and therefore the Church (capitalized), my usage is accurate.”
False. A Christian may attend a church, but belongs to the Church. Learn.
“The question is, does one of those 2 or 3 individuals have to be a Priest, ordained by a recognized religious body, in order to have Christ “in the midst” of them?”
Nope. But there is no priesthood without the Church for they come from the same Lord.
“One wonders how an individual can look at scriptures like these and yet generally ignore them when it comes to Catholicism’s (and many other religions in the world) emphasis on visible structures, rituals and images of spirituality.”
We don’t ignore them. Christ was visible. The Apostles He sent were visible. The “rituals” He gave us - like Baptism - are visible. What I can’t get over is how STUPID some Protestants are to not realize that Christ sent a visible Church not some sort of invisible, intangible, ritualess, imagel poor, made up, phony, baloney Protestant (yet somehow non-existent) sect.
“The addition of Saints, to whom you pray to for assistance in certain matters, or Priests to whom you must confess to, are unnecessary.”
Jesus says otherwise about priests - again, John 20:19-23. And the saints are no more unnecessary than your siblings.
“It is certainly good to have accountability amongst a group of individuals, as it keeps you honest. But the idea that you MUST do it, otherwise your sin is not forgiven, is simply another barrier.”
So God made barriers rather than helps? John 20:19-23. God the Father could have just forgiven us and not have His Son die for us on the cross. Did He set up a barrier to our forgiveness? Of did He glorify and exult humanity by dying in humanity on the cross as a perfect sacrifice to His Father?
Having child like faith in God is good. Having childish levels of understanding of Christianity is not.
Sorry to jump in here. You’re right on so muc of this. The big difference between what the just about all the protestant sects call “church” or church service and what Catholics deliberately call “Mass” is the fact that no protestant sect actually believes in the notion of Transubstantiation, the changing of water and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. That’s why we use priests. The rest of the service, whatever it is, can be led or minitered by anyone. But Catholics believe that only priests are capable of performing the central rite of Catholicism. Otherwise, “church” is a gathering in His Name.