Bread of Life

BREAD OF LIFE
 this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. (john 6: 50)
The miracle of God’s physical presence to us at every Mass is the truest testament to Christ’s love for us and His desire for each of us to have a personal relationship with Him. Jesus Christ celebrated the first Mass with His disciples at the Last Supper, the night before He died. He commanded His disciples, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). The celebration of the Mass then became the main form of worship in the early Church, as a reenactment of the Last Supper, as Christ had commanded. Each and every Mass since commemorates Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross through the Holy Eucharist. Because the Mass “re-presents” (makes present) the sacrifice on Calvary, Catholics all around the world join together to be made present in Christ’s timeless sacrifice for our sins. There is something fascinating about continuing to celebrate the same Mass—instituted by Christ and practiced by the early Church—with the whole community of Catholics around the world…and in heaven.

THE REAL PRESENCE

Why does the Catholic Church believe Christ is really present in the Eucharist?
The Catholic doctrine of the Real Presence is the belief that Jesus Christ is literally, not symbolically, present in the Holy Eucharist—body, blood, soul and divinity. Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist because Jesus tells us this is true in the Bible:

“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh." The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ So Jesus said to them,

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him” - John 6:48-56
Furthermore, the early Church Fathers either imply or directly state that the bread and wine offered in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper is really the body and blood of Jesus Christ. In other words, the doctrine of the Real Presence that Catholics believe today was believed by the earliest Christians 2,000 years ago!

This miracle of God’s physical presence to us at every Mass is the truest testament to Christ’s love for us and His desire for each of us to have a personal relationship with Him.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

WHY THE WORLD HATES CATHOLICS

The following is based on a recent reply I made on a message board to the question, "Why do people hate Catholics?"

Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself said that we would be hated:
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"If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.
If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. (John 15:18-19)
The world hates the Holy Catholic Church for the same reason it hated Christ: It teaches by the Spirit of God.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate 8 to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, 9 which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. 10 (John 14:16-18)
Protestantism, of course, affirms that Christ DID leave us orphans - that's why they believe the preposterous blasphemy that God abandoned His own Church for some 1,000(+) years and let it fall into apostasy and heresy.

Notice how anti-Catholic attacks parallel the attacks upon Christ by looking at the forgiveness of sin.

Christ's enemies called him a blasphemer for forgiving sins:
"He commits blasphemy! Who can forgive sins except God alone?" (Mark 2:1-12; Matt 9:1-8)
Christ gave his Church the same power:

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(Jesus) said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." 15 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the holy Spirit. 16 Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." (John 20:21-23)
The world has shifted its accusations and attacks from Christ Himself to his Church:

"Who can forgive sins but God?"

Just as Christ predicted.

16 comments:

mlculwell said...

Michael, The Scriptures does not say: "You would be hated because you are Catholic".



It says you would be hated of all men for my name's sake.(Math. 10:22, 24:9, Mark 13:13)

You shall be hated of all men because of my name's sake.(Lk. 21:17)

You are not hated for his name sake but we Oneness are hated because we Baptize the repentant sinner in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins as the original NT. Church did and in fulfillment of Jesus words in (Math.28:19) All apostles and even Peter Baptized In Jesus name9Acts 2:38, 8:16,10:45,19:1-6)

Also read (Luke 24:47) acts 2:38 is in fulfillment of Luke 24:47 where the NT church began at Jerusalem with Peters words for the sinner.

Unknown said...

Dear Mlculwell,

If you study the early Church Fathers and medievals, you will see that they were all Catholic.

Don't imbibe this Protestant mentality of "Jesus, the Bible and me." God gave us His Holy Catholic Church, built upon the rock of St. Peter, to whom Christ gave the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and the authority to bind and loose in heaven what he binds and looses on earth.

Study your Catholic faith by reading Catholic material (fathers, doctors, etc.), not by listening to the typical, polemical, anti-Catholicism that is always historically ignorant, and intellectually groundless.

mlculwell said...

The Apostles, nor Peter were Catholic. The Catholics fell away into false doctrine and then would not allow common folks to read bibles keeping them in the dark and interpreting scripture (Badly ) for them.

I am no protestant! Protestants came out of the Catholic church in protest of her mothers teachings.

There is no need to study men who fell away from truth! Study Jesus and his Apostles. You do not study men who fell away from truth to get to truth!

God did not give us the Catholic Church and it was not built upon Peter, it was built upon the Apostles and Prophets and Jesus being the chief cornerstone.

Unknown said...

God did not give us the Catholic Church and it was not built upon Peter...

Origins of Peter as Pope

The New Testament contains five different metaphors for the foundation of the Church (Matthew 16:18, 1 Corinthians 3:11, Ephesians 2:20, 1 Peter 2:5–6, Revelation 21:14).

One metaphor that has been disputed is Jesus Christ’s calling the apostle Peter "rock":

"You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18).

Some have tried to argue that Jesus did not mean that his Church would be built on Peter but on something else.

Some argue that in this passage there is a minor difference between the Greek term for Peter (Petros) and the term for rock (petra), yet they ignore the obvious explanation: petra, a feminine noun, has simply been modifed to have a masculine ending, since one would not refer to a man (Peter) as feminine. The change in the gender is purely for stylistic reasons.

These critics also neglect the fact that Jesus spoke Aramaic, and, as John 1:42 tells us, in everyday life he actually referred to Peter as Kepha or Cephas (depending on how it is transliterated).

It is that term which is then translated into Greek as petros. Thus, what Jesus actually said to Peter in Aramaic was: "You are Kepha and on this very kepha I will build my Church."

mlculwell said...

The rock was Peter's confession in answer to Jesus question;" whom do you say that I am"? Peter answered and said: "you are the Christ." Blessed are you Peter for flesh and blood did not reveal this unto you. I(Jesus) say that you are Peter and upon this rock(Your confession) I will build my church.

People are not as stupid as you make them Out to be.

Unknown said...

John 1:1 according to the Oneness position..

IN WHOSE NAME?

"Oneness Pentecostals" who deny the Trinity claim that baptizing using the words "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19)--this is the way Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestants (including all other Pentecostals) baptize--is unscriptural and incorrect.

They say that "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are simply titles, not names (or 'the name') of God." They quote Acts 2:38 and 10:48 as their "proofs" that we can baptize only "in the name of Jesus."

We know that early extra-biblical Christian writings such as the Didache contradict the 'Oneness Pentecostals' insistence on the "Jesus-only" baptismal formula.

But why don't Oneness Pentecostals simply compare John 16:23-24 with Matthew 6:9 and Luke 11:12? There Jesus instructs us to pray "in my name" (John 16:23-24), yet the actual words he teaches to say are "Our Father . . ." (Matthew 6:9, Luke 11:12).

So if we pray the way Jesus taught us, we are not praying "in the name of Jesus" (according to Oneness Pentecostals' own reasoning).

Either Jesus was in error (as were the early Church and all Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants throughout history), or Oneness Pentecostals are.

mlculwell said...

My audio debate with Limey Bob of the UK

Oneness versus trinity debate

http://www.mediafire.com/?8ydnuutfcp



Neither is there salvation in ANY OTHER, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.(Acts 4:12)
What name is that? Is it father? father is a title Not a name!

We were told by Jesus himself to Go baptize in the one singular name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost.(Matth.28:19)

Jesus is the fulfillment of that only one singular name given among men under heaven, there is no other.

Peter said to Go Baptize in that name and he was given the K eyes to the kingdom.(Acts 2:38)

Do you believe Peter would willfully disobey the Lord? Of course not he did Just what the Lord told him to do!

Jesus prayers in the examples you gave were under the Law and the New covenant had not yet come in to being and those hearing did not know that Jesus was who he said he was, he came to full fill the law as he was still under the law, it took his death burial and resurrection to bring about the new covenant in his name!

Scooter said...

Sat Oct 23, 8:50 AM


By Philip Pullella

"VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Israel cannot use the Biblical concept of a promised land or a chosen people to justify new settlements in Jerusalem or territorial claims, a Vatican synod on the Middle East said on Saturday."

Why do Catholics hate Israel?

Unknown said...

Dear Miculwell & Scooter,

Questions and Answers about the Marks and Attributes of the Church

152.Which is the one true Church established by Christ?

The one true Church established by Christ is the Catholic Church.

(a) Many churches which claim to be Christian have broken away from the one true Church established by Jesus Christ. These churches were founded by men who had no authority from God to found a church.

(b) Christ intended that there should be only one true Christian Church, for He always spoke of His Church as one.

153. How do we know that the Catholic Church is the one true Church established by Christ?

We know that the Catholic Church is the one true Church established by Christ because it alone has the marks of the true Church.

154. What do we mean by the marks of the Church?

By the marks of the Church we mean certain clear signs by which all men can recognize it as the true Church founded by Jesus Christ.

(a) Jesus Christ willed that the true Church should have these marks, which would distinguish it from all false religions.

155. What are the chief marks of the Church?

The chief marks of the Church are four: It is one, holy, catholic or universal, and apostolic.

(a) Sacred Scripture teaches that the one true Church of Christ must have these marks.

(b) The marks of the Church are themselves an indication that God guides the Church.

156. Why is the Catholic Church one?

The Catholic Church is one because all its members, according to the will of Christ, profess the same faith, have the same sacrifice and sacraments, and are united under one and the same visible head, the Pope.

(a) Our Divine Savior prayed explicitly that His Church might be one, and He made it one; thus men can recognize it as the true Church.

(b) Only the Catholic Church possesses this mark of unity. Various sects, having only fragments of Christianity, are divided in doctrine and practice and recognize no authority but their own judgment, which can easily lead them into error.

(c) There are many religious sects which claim to be Christian, but are separated from the unity of Christ by their rejection of the authority invested by Him in the Roman Pontiff, the successor to Saint Peter.

(d) Catholics accept all the doctrines of faith and morals which were taught by Our Lord and the apostles and are proposed by the Church for belief and practice. A person who deliberately denies even one of the doctrines of the Church cannot be a Catholic. The Church is one in faith.

(e) Catholics take part in the same sacrifice of the Mass and accept the same sacraments, although the same language and the same ceremonies are not used by all in the offering of Mass and in the administration of the sacraments.

Everywhere the essential parts of the ceremonies are the same and substantially the same words are used in offering Mass. Hence the Church is one in worship. What Christ determined, the Church cannot change.

Since Christ, however, did not determine many points of worship in non-essential matters, the Church has the authority to do so.

(f) Catholics are subject to their respective bishops who rule them. They must recognize the supreme authority of the Pope in matters of religion.

A person who deliberately refuses to accept the legitimate and supreme authority of the Pope and the bishops in matters of religion cannot be a Catholic.

Unknown said...

Dear Miculwell & Scooter,

160. How do we know that no other church but the Catholic Church is the true Church of Christ?

We know that no other church but the Catholic Church is the true Church of Christ because no other church has these four marks.

(a) All other churches lack essential unity. They recognize no authority in religious matters vested in an individual who is the vicar of Christ.

In the worship of God many Christian sects are guided more by sentiment and personal conviction than by the objective truths given to the world by Our Lord.

(b) The founders of Christian sects were not saints and generally were not holy or edifying men. The sects have not given saints to the world. Their truths are but fragments of the doctrines of the Catholic Church.

The holiness of their members is due to the means that the sects have salvaged from Catholic worship. Moreover, these sects cannot point to miracles wrought in their favor.

(c) Not one of the Christian sects is universal or catholic; that is, not one has universality such as that of the Catholic Church.

(d) Not one of the Christian sects can trace its origin to the apostles.

(e) The Greek Orthodox or Schismatic Church began in the ninth century with its rejection of the authority of the Pope. From it have come various national churches, subject in some degree to civil authority.

The Protestant churches began in the sixteenth century when their founders, rejecting certain doctrines of faith, broke away from Catholic unity.

Many Protestant denominations are offshoots of the earliest sects. The Lutherans were founded by Martin Luther, the Presbyterians by John Knox, and the Methodists by John Wesley.

Unknown said...

161. What are the chief attributes of the Catholic Church?

The chief attributes of the Catholic Church are authority, infallibility, and indefectibility. They are called attributes because they are qualities perfecting the nature of the Church.

162. What is meant by the authority of the Catholic Church?

By the authority of the Catholic Church is meant that the Pope and the bishops, as the lawful successors of the apostles, have power from Christ Himself to teach, to sanctify, and to govern the faithful in spiritual matters.

(a) Christ Himself gave this authority to Saint Peter and the other apostles when He bestowed the power of binding and loosing, of teaching and baptizing.

He implicitly guaranteed the same power to the successors of the apostles when He promised to be with them all days, even to the consummation of the world.

(b) Outside the Church there generally is no real recognition of authority in spiritual matters and this disregard for spiritual authority has lessened the respect for civil and domestic authority.

(c) The Church has authority over temporal matters which are closely connected with spiritual matters, as the administration of Church property.

(d) The Pope, as the supreme head of the Church, cannot rightly be made a subject of any temporal power on earth.

The present position of the Pope, as head of the Vatican City, shows to the world that he and his household are not the subjects of other temporal powers.

When we speak of the temporal power of the Pope, we do not mean thereby merely to classify him with earthly rulers.

The Pope's temporal power is a means to an end, guaranteeing that freedom of word and action which he must rightfully enjoy as the supreme spiritual ruler of the Church.

Unknown said...

DEAR MICULWELL & SCOOTER,

166. Are all obliged to belong to the Catholic Church in order to be saved?

All are obliged to belong to the Catholic Church in order to be saved.

(a) The principle, "It makes no difference what religion a person practices so long as he leads a good life," is deceptive because it attaches the same importance to the teaching and practice of a false religion as it does to the teaching and practice of the one, true religion revealed by Christ and taught by His Church.

No one can be saved without sanctifying grace, and the Catholic Church alone is the divinely established means by which grace is brought to the world and the full fruits of Our Lord's Redemption are applied to men.

Anonymous said...

Which Church did Jesus Christ found?

A concerned Roman Catholic wrote to me, "...we cannot only look at the Bible without looking at the tradition of the Church. It says in scripture (1 Thess 2:15) "Stand firm in the teachings passed on to you by WORD and in letters."

So we must also look at the teaching of the Catholic church which Jesus began. In the purity of the faith, is there any other christian church, group or otherwise that has had the same teachings since the time of Jesus?

The Traditions (foundational teachings of the church) of the Catholic Church have been the same since the days of the apostles and nothing has been changed since then.

The traditions (small t - or in other words the way things are done) have changed and can continue to change (married priesthood, the language the Holy Mass is celebrated in, etc.). And later he writes: "If Peter is not the Rock than why did Jesus call him such, and then say on this rock I will build my church?"

p160 said...

FAITH UNDER FIRE

Pope: So, you're not Catholic?

Benedict ignites holy war of words

Pope Benedict XVI has ignited controversy across the world by approving a document saying non-Catholic Christian communities are either defective or not true churches, and the Roman Catholic Church provides the only true path to salvation.

"Christ 'established here on earth' only one church," said the document, reasserting the primacy of Catholicism.

It said other Christian communities such as Protestants "cannot be called 'churches' in the proper sense" since they don't have what's known as apostolic succession – that is, the ability to trace their bishops back to the original 12 apostles of Jesus.

http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=42509

mlculwell said...

Michael Gormley says:

152.Which is the one true Church established by Christ?

Imagine that? Someone from the Catholic church says the Catholic Church is the true Church? I would have never ever thought that would happen. Please?

The Catholic Church Fell away from the faith along time ago(Immediately) and is still falling.

Unknown said...

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS AN UNBROKEN HISTORY

Jesus said his Church would be "the light of the world." He then noted that "a city set on a hill cannot be hid" (Matthew 5:14).

This means his Church is a visible organization. It must have characteristics that clearly identify it and that distinguish it from other churches. Jesus promised, "I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18).

This means that his Church will never be destroyed and will never fall away from him. His Church will survive until his return.

Among the Christian churches, only the Catholic Church has existed since the time of Jesus. Every other Christian church is an offshoot of the Catholic Church.

The Eastern Orthodox churches broke away from unity with the pope in 1054. The Protestant churches were established during the Reformation, which began in 1517. (Most of today’s Protestant churches are actually offshoots of the original Protestant offshoots.)

Only the Catholic Church existed in the tenth century, in the fifth century, and in the first century, faithfully teaching the doctrines given by Christ to the apostles, omitting nothing.

The line of popes can be traced back, in unbroken succession, to Peter himself. This is unequaled by any institution in history.

Even the oldest government is new compared to the papacy, and the churches that send out door-to-door missionaries are young compared to the Catholic Church.

Many of these churches began as recently as the nineteenth or twentieth centuries. Some even began during your own lifetime. None of them can claim to be the Church Jesus established.

The Catholic Church has existed for nearly 2,000 years, despite constant opposition from the world. This is testimony to the Church’s divine origin.

It must be more than a merely human organization, especially considering that its human members— even some of its leaders—have been unwise, corrupt, or prone to heresy.

Any merely human organization with such members would have collapsed early on. The Catholic Church is today the most vigorous church in the world (and the largest, with a billion members: one sixth of the human race), and that is testimony not to the cleverness of the Church’s leaders, but to the protection of the Holy Spirit.