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In a world that changes constantly, people wonder if the Church can change its doctrine.

Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. ( Joel 3:9-12)Joel’s final vision is a high definition picture...

“Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). The key to peace in the church is selfless love. People often delude themselves that there is peace when there is no real peace (Jer. 8:11). However, we can show the world that Jesus is the true peacemaker if we have a community of peaceful, loving, united believers. Others will realize then that Christ must be sent from God, because only God can make true, lasting peace. “The bond of peace” is what holds our unity together. The Greek word translated “bond” refers to...

Concerning the Eucharist and how what was supposed to be the exception to the rule after Vatican II goes against previous councils, and against popes in agreement with those councils both during, before and after each, etc: 1.) St. Sixtus 1 (circa 115): "The Sacred Vessels are not to be handled by others than those consecrated to the Lord." 2.) St. Basil the Great, Doctor of the Church (330-379): "The right to receive Holy Communion in the hand is permitted only in times of persecution." St. Basil the Great considered Communion in the hand so irregular that he did not...

A few years back one of my friends was trying to share the gospel with a guy who, after a while, started almost screaming at him, “What about the pygmies?? What about the pygmies??” My friend let the guy calm down for a second and then he asked him a simple question:“Are you a pygmy?” His point was, on the day of judgment it’s not going to be about those who may have never heard the gospel in general, but about you in particular. As C. S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, “If you are worried about the people on...

“Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). The unity of the Spirit must be earnestly maintained by humble, gentle, patient, loving Christians. Today’s Scripture spells out the goal of the worthy walk: the unity of the Spirit. Jesus prayed for Christians “that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me” (John 17:21). Our witness to the world depends on our unity as believers. The world is...

“Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25). There is a supernatural element to times of corporate worship and fellowship. When we join a local body of believers and fellowship with them, we are not only obeying Scripture but we are allowing God to work in us through the encouragement and admonition of other Christians. When a group of Christians gather together, God speaks...

.. P R A I S E T H E L O R D . P S A L M 1 4 8 New International Version, emphases added Abrdgd: the complete text is in your Bible . C L I C K : To read PSALM 148 in full To hear MAX McLEAN reading it To hear a DRAMATIZATION of it HIGHLY recommended by Maudeen! To see an ANIMATION of the Psalms 9 7 9 B. C. . PSALM 148 . 1 Praise the LORD. . .. .. .. Praise the LORD from the heavens; . praise him in the...

Today in daily Mass we read the well-known story of St. Paul’s conversion. There is a detail in the story that I have often pondered. Although I am speculating on the specifics, I think it ought not to be overlooked. Even my choice of the words “speculating” and “overlooked” (both of which refer to the eyes) indicate that we ought to “give an eye” to St. Paul’s eyes.As you probably recall, St. Paul was not just struck down on the road to Damascus—he was blinded as well.Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he...

Pope Honorious I was declared to be an invalid Pope posthumously over the issue of monothelitism, and later primarily for failure to even try and stop it. Have other Popes been Anathematized? Can Popes still be Anathematized posthumously or even in real time?

“. . . Showing forbearance to one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). In order to walk worthy, we must forgive our enemies and love them. The term forbearance is not often used today and is therefore unfamiliar to many of us. The Greek word translated “showing forbearance” means “suppressing with silence.” It carries the idea of throwing a blanket over sin. First Peter 4:8 says, “Love covers a multitude of sins,” and Proverbs 10:12 declares, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions.” A forbearing person doesn’t trumpet other people’s sins but rather forgives them. Forbearance has room for...

Up until the 19th century, cities often stationed watchmen on high walls or in watchtowers to keep guard. Their job was to keep an eye out for the enemy, by watching out over the horizon from their vantage point. They were the ones who warned the people of any apparent dangers. If they saw any sign of an attack, they would alert the people with a trumpet blast, or ringing a bell. However, if they failed to properly warn the people, by falling asleep or just being unaware, then the city could be attacked without the citizens being prepared to...

.. S I N G P R A I S E S T O . O U R G O D . P S A L M 1 4 7 New International Version, emphases added Abrdgd: the complete text is in your Bible . C L I C K : To read PSALM 147 in full To hear MAX McLEAN reading it To hear a DRAMATIZATION of it HIGHLY recommended by Maudeen! To see an ANIMATION of the Psalms 9 7 9 B. C. . SPECIAL NOTE TO ART LOVERS This series illustrates the Bible, primarily using art. But when...

Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head;(Joel 3:4)An interesting exercise for Bible readers is to take the geographical predictions of the Hebrew prophets and transpose the ancient place names with modern place names, for example, Amman, would be Jordan, so would Moab and Edom, Elam would be Iran, Persia also is Iran, Assyria would be part of Turkey, Iran and part of Iraq, Babylon proper...

It is always good to take a step of faith when we have placed our trust in Christ. This kind of faith is to be applauded. Yet the Bible shows us there is great danger if we don’t follow up on that first step with increased faith. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). When we are in a deep struggle, things can come at us “fast and furious” and at such times we may...

“Walk . . . with patience” (Ephesians 4:1-2). Patience is crucial to our testimony. The virtues of Ephesians 4:2-3 enable the church of Jesus Christ to have a powerful witness. Many think the key to evangelism is following a specific course or method, but according to Jesus, the greatest way to get people to believe the gospel is through our love and unity (John 17:21). Though evangelistic methods are important, often they aren’t as effective as they could be because of the church’s poor reputation among unbelievers. If the church were full of people who had genuine humility, gentleness, and...

.. H I S L O V E E N D U R E S F O R E V E R . P S A L M 1 3 6 New International Version, emphases added Abrdgd: the complete text is in your Bible . C L I C K : To read PSALM 136 in full To hear MAX McLEAN reading it To hear a DRAMATIZATION of it HIGHLY recommended by Maudeen! To see an ANIMATION of the Psalms 9 7 9 B. C. . PSALM 136 . 1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.His love...

For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.(Joel 3:1-3)The final count of the four count indictment against the nations of the world by...

“He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He also brought me into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me” (Psalm 18:16-19). In this psalm, David was looking back after a great deliverance. He was rejoicing because the Lord had rescued him from his enemies. King Saul had put a bounty on his head and chased...

“Walk . . . with patience” (Ephesians 4:1-2). Jesus is our greatest example of patience in all that He endured to purchase our redemption. Paul tells us here that the worthy walk is one of patience, and once again we see that Jesus modeled it for us. Throughout the Gospels, He repeatedly demonstrated the three aspects of patience we explored in the last lesson. First, He endured negative circumstances. Before He came into the world, He was with the Father in the glory of Heaven, where the angels praised and worshiped Him continually. He left a place of total perfection...