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.

Friday, November 26, 2010

THE ROSARY IS OUR BEST DEFENSE AGAINST THE DEVIL.

"The very Mysteries of the Rosary are reflections on important times that satan would hate man to look at, to remember, to reflect upon, because the concentration is on God."

TEACHING DELIVERED THROUGH FRANCES M. KLUG
ON MAY 27,1981

"A Sound Look At The Rosary"

"There is little understanding in regard to the full importance of the Rosary. Many people cling to it because holding the Beads makes the prayer feel a bond of true communication with Our Heavenly Mother. This is good.
There are more important reasons for the Rosary, and of course, they're obvious in the thoughts of people. The Holy Rosary is one of the most important prayers to ward off satan. The prayers in the Holy Rosary say everything he hates to be said. The prayers say more than is sometimes realized by those who say the Rosary daily. The continuity of the prayers keeps the enemy, God's and man's, out of the picture.
Some people say, 'I say the Rosary, but I really don't concentrate on it.' Some people say, 'I say the Rosary on my fingers when I don't have the Beads with me.' Some people say, 'I lose count, but it is a habit with me.' Some people say, 'I find it difficult to say because it is so long.' Some people say, 'My intentions are good, but by the time nighttime comes I'm just too tired.'

Let's straighten everyone out right now. The Rosary is a positive, definite form of armor against satan. It is not only the armor, but it is the best weapon anyone can use. It is even more than the weapon, it is the driving force that repels all evil. First, the Crucifix on the Rosary is of the utmost importance. It depicts how The Son of God freed man. It also depicts God's Great Love for man. It also shows the truth of Christianity. It also portrays, without a doubt, the Final Consummation that was left with Holy Mother Church, the True Body and Blood of Christ.
This Crucifix also says many things to God's and man's enemy. The prayer in its very essence Honors God, tells about God, and commits the one who says it to sound belief in God, Our Heavenly Mother, the Virgin Birth, and all the important issues that the enemy of God and man, envies, hates, and fights against.

The next three beads are said with three very important things in mind, and they should be concentrated on, not skimmed over, because the repetitiveness of these three thoughts gives them the importance they should have in everyone's life, Faith, Hope, Charity. In many instances, many people have referred to the Charity as Love, which is right, for Charity is True Love.

The very Mysteries of the Rosary are reflections on important times that satan would hate man to look at, to remember, to reflect upon, because the concentration is on God.

And now we come to the 'Our Father'. There can be no greater love than to Honor God through the very words He gave us Himself. Needless to say, satan hates these words.

Now as we begin the 'Hail Mary' the repetitiveness of this prayer is a great aid to rejecting satan, and as this prayer should be a continuous prayer in the hearts and the minds and the lips of every human being, it should be understood that satan cannot enter when this prayer is said.

Our Heavenly Mother, God's Mother, Our Blessed Mother, Our Heavenly Queen, is Purity beyond what we can understand, what we know purity can be, and She has the Power to stomp out evil with a mere thought,and when Her children pay Honor to Her, She protects Her children from the enemy.

The Rosary is a powerful prayer, more powerful than people realize, for it is, in its continuity, in its content, that satan is cast aside and cannot enter. The power of the Rosary must be seen by all people throughout the world. It is a shield, it is a weapon, it is the greatest act of prayer man has. The Rosary is prayer in action, for every prayer in the Holy Rosary speaks of the Importance of God, the Greatness of God, and of course, the Magnitude in which Our Heavenly Mother stands.

A wise man, a wise woman, a wise child, would never be without the Rosary. Say it, keep it on your person, and never go to bed without it under your pillow. Keep it close, not in a fanatical way, but in a wise way. Realize the importance of it, and keep it as your armor against satan."
This is one of the best teachings on the rosary that we have read.


We have been making rosaries for over 30 years. Free ones to the
missions and now we have been selling rosaries on Ebay and our website
since 2000.


We receive many letters from our customers on how the rosary has
touched their lives. Some have received healing both physical and
spiritual. Many have returned to the Church after they started
praying the rosary again.


The rosary is our weapon against all evil.


Blessings,
Franciscan Rosary House
franciscanrosary@aol.com

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Brother Michael,

I would certainly refuse to worship the "Queen of Heaven" if I were you. That's just tempting God.

Jeremiah 7:18

The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.

Read also Jer 44:17-19,& 25

Tell me how this practice of praying the rosary does not interfere with God's word?

Psalm 111:10

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Don't take me wrong. You came to my blog offering help. I appreciate that but this is something I can not ignore. I would hurt my own conscience not to share these concerns with you.

Your sister in Christ,

Mrs. A

Anonymous said...

What I admire about Mary:

Luke 1:38

And Mary said behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.

Luke 1:46

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed...

Oh... I think I see now the reason why she is revered so much in you church. But still, there must be a fine line.

For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation............up to v 55.

Well certainly her history paints a picture of purity and beauty that should be remembered and admired.

There we have a common ground. But anything beyond that admiration needs to be taken to the cross. This for the sake of anybody that has crossed the line and worshiped Mary.

Unknown said...

I would certainly refuse to worship the "Queen of Heaven" if I were you. That's just tempting God.

Dear Mrs A,
Catholics venerate, or honor, Mary in prayer and song. Some people mistake prayer and veneration for worship, but to Catholics, they aren‘t the same thing. Prayer is simply entering into communication with a holy spirit. Veneration is giving special honor to a saint. Worship is for God alone, and Catholics worship only God through the mass.

Does the Bible Say to Honor Mary?

Critics of Marion devotion say that the Bible doesn’t say to honor Mary, and therefore it shouldn’t be done. However, in Luke’s gospel, Mary’s cousin Elizabeth said “Blessed are you among women” and Mary acknowledges this blessing by saying “all generations shall call me blessed” (Luke 1:48).

Both women realized that Mary was uniquely blessed because she was entrusted with the honor of carrying God-in-human-form, Jesus Christ, in her womb. She alone was chosen for the highest honor in the history of the world. Catholics understand that if she is special enough for God to honor her, then she is certainly special enough for humankind to honor her too.

Anonymous said...

Ah, I see. But what about those Jeremiah scriptures? I mean, I'm sure your Pope can't control every Catholic from doing what they shouldn't. And wouldn't that be why that scripture is there? I hope your Pope is very careful to instruct in this matter. That's the thing that kind of worries me when the Bible is not the final authority.

Unknown said...

That's the thing that kind of worries me when the Bible is not the final authority.

Dear Mrs A,
By virtue of this divinely-appointed authority, the Catholic Church determined the canon of Scripture (what books belong in the Bible) at the end of the fourth century.

We therefore believe in the Scriptures on the authority of the Catholic Church. After all, nothing in Scripture tells us what Scriptures are inspired, what books belong in the Bible, or that Scripture is the final authority on questions concerning the Christian faith.

Instead, the Bible says that the Church, not the Scriptures, is the pinnacle and foundation of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15) and the final arbiter on questions of the Christian faith (Matthew 18:17).

It is through the teaching authority and Apostolic Tradition (2 Thessalonians 2:15; 3:6; 1 Corinthians 11:2) of this Church, who is guided by the Holy Spirit (John 14:16,26; 16:13), that we know of the divine inspiration of the Scriptures, and the manifold wisdom of God. (cf. Ephesians 3:10).

Anonymous said...

But if all scripture is given by inspiration of God (2Tim3:16) Why would they cut some of it out?
So, your putting your faith in the Catholic church for your scriptures? That is so sad and not worth it to me. God's word is too valuable to me. It has been my rock for 9 years since it contains the words that set me free from fear of damnation and turned my life around. Forgive me but on another post I read it was saying something about not making God's word a smorgasbord. Look what your leaders have done. How can you not see that? Your a smart guy. That is way too sad.

Unknown said...

But if all scripture is given by inspiration of God (2Tim3:16)

Dear Mrs A,
Some Protestants have the notion that Catholics do not “believe” in the Bible, so they bring up Second Timothy 3:15-16 to support their belief of Sola Scriptura:"... from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness."

Certainly Catholics believe in the Bible (Catholics put together the Bible!) but this verse does not really support the belief of Sola Scriptura; it does not say that scripture alone is an adequate guide to the faith For that matter, the whole Bible does not say that we should believe in the Bible alone, nor does it say which books are inspired by God. This is only one hole in the belief of Sola Scriptura; there are many more.

Anonymous said...

Dear Michael,

Would you please send me a link about the history of how the bible was put together?

I looked at some things last night but it seemed like it was written by haters. I want to see both sides.

And to me, "ALL SCRIPTURE" means every word in the Bible is inspired by God. Written by man under the power of the Holy Spirit.

Unknown said...

Dear Mrs A,

Private interpretation of Scriptures can be exceedingly harmful to self and others. This has divided Christianity into hundreds if not tens of thousands of segments.

Too many individuals claim their position is right and are unwilling to freely discuss the position taken or to be submissive to moral authorities.

Holding to a personal position, or one of heretical source, places one's eternal soul in jeopardy. Such people often become instruments that lead others to perdition.

Anonymous said...

I'm listening but are you really going to keep me in the dark about what your thoughts are on these scriptures in Jeremiah?

I want to know if you see this relating to some people in your church?

Please share your thoughts with me Michael.

Unknown said...

But what about those Jeremiah scriptures?

Which ones, Mrs A?

Anonymous said...

Jeremiah 7:18, Jeremiah 44:17-19,25

I want to know if you see this relating to some people in your church?

Please share your thoughts with me Michael.

As my dh likes to say... "toss it up" over the weekend if you want and I'll get back to you on this sometime in a few days.

Unknown said...

Jeremiah 7:18, Jeremiah 44:17-19,25..

Dear Mrs A,
The 'Queen of Heaven' is the name of Asherah or possibly Astarte, a Caananite idol and goddess worshipped in ancient Israel and Judah.

Astarte was accepted by the Greeks under the name of Aphrodite. It may also be a Babylonian title for Ishtar, an important goddess in the Babylonian pantheon.

The fact that a pagan deity was known as the queen of heaven - Jeremiah 7:18; 44:15-18 - doesn't mean this term can't rightfully be applied, in another sense altogether, to Mary.

The pagan king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, is called the king of kings by Daniel (Daniel 2:37), yet this doesn't preclude Jesus from being called by the same title (Revelation 17:14; 19:16).

Since the destiny of all Christians is to reign as kings and queens with Christ in heaven (Ephesians 2:12; Revelation 1:6; 5:10), and since Mary is the preeminent Christian, there's nothing wrong with giving her the title which Christ, the King of kings, bestowed upon her in making Mary his mother.

Click here for an explanation of Jeremiah 44 and his condemnation of Jews worshiping the pagan goddess and queen of heaven and why it is right and good to venerate our Queen Mother in Heaven.

Anonymous said...

WOW!(with eyes wide open and jaw dropped)!

That was a really good explanation. I am so sorry I believed people instead of investigating.

Thank you

Unknown said...

Dear Mrs A,

The Holy Rosary: is the story of the New Testament.

Through the beads we follow the lives of Mary and Jesus. We follow Mary from the day the Archangel Gabriel came to ask her
to become the Mother of Christ, to the day she was crowned Queen of Heaven.

We follow Jesus from the moment the Holy Spirit came down on Mary,
through His childhood, His public life, His cruel death on the cross,
the joy of Easter when He rose from the dead, to the day he ascended to Heaven in glory.

Mary waits for your prayers. If you speak to her she always listens. She is our mother. When you pray the Rosary, begin by telling Mary what you would like her to use your prayers for - and then think about the stories that are hidden in the beads.

THE HOLY ROSARY is such a tremendously powerful weapon against Satan, that armed with the
Rosary in our hearts and the beads in our hands, we can even stop wars. If we only knew how powerful this prayer is - we would never want to put the beads down.

Unknown said...

Power of the Holy Rosary

'On August 6th, 1945, the first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. People exposed within half a mile of the fireball were seared to
bundles of smoking black char in a fraction of a second as their internal organs boiled away.

Nearly 100,000 died instantly. On August 9th, 1945, the second bomb fell on Nagasaki. Seventy thousand people died immediately...... the dead ....were more fortunate than the survivors , whose exposure to the bomb would have lifetime effects.

Fr. Hubert Schiffer, a Jesuit priest, was 30 years old when he was within the one mile epicentre of the atomic explosion in Hiroshima, where he was assigned to the parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Three other fellow Jesuits, Frs. Lasalle, Kleinsore and Cieslik were still alive and well over 30 years later. It was inexplicable that of the
hundreds of thousands of people within a radius of one mile of the explosion they were the only survivors, and that none of the priests were affected by the radiation.

Moreover, the parish house which was only eight houses from the centre of the explosion remained standing when all surrounding
buildings were completely demolished.

More than two hundred scientists examined Fr. Schiffer, ( who later died in 1982), but were unable to explain how he had survived.

The doctors and scientists heard again and again from him the same response to their many questions:
"As missionaries we were trying to live the message of Our Lady of Fatima. We therefore prayed the Rosary every day!"

In the centre of the rebuilt city of Hiroshima stands a Marian Memorial Shrine. Its 15 stained glass windows depict the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary.

Fr. Schiffer's firm belief was that their devotion to the Virgin Mary had protected them and he gave the hope that even if an atomic war ( with the possible "annihilation of nations"), should come, those who fulfill her messages may expect extraordinary, even
miraculous protection from her.'
- from the book The Last Help before the End of Time by Prof. Courtenay Bartholomew

Anonymous said...

I wasn't going to continue this thread of conversation on your blog as I have already cluttered it up enough but I though I might as well. There may possibly be an inquiring audience that would benefit from things being explained. It's up to you though.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You said: "Mary waits for your prayers. If you speak to her she always listens. She is our mother. When you pray the Rosary, begin by telling Mary what you would like her to use your prayers for - and then think about the stories that are hidden in the beads."


Dear Brother Michael,

I'm still scared God will smite me or disown me and He has answered many of my direct prayers with great mercy and loving kindness. Why should I pray to Mary when Almighty God, (Abba Father) hears me and has done many wonderful things for me? God is very real (fearfully real) to me, Brother Michael. He has done some really miraculous things in my life and in the lives of people I love. I could write them all down but it would probably take all day.

Unknown said...

I'm still scared God will smite me or disown me..

Dear Mrs A,
Here is a very interesting observation from Saint Augustine (354-430)...

"What the soul is to man's body, the Holy Spirit is to the Body of Christ, which is the Church. The Holy Spirit does in the whole Church what the soul does in all members of one body.

But see what you must beware of, see what you must take note of, see what you must fear. It happens that in the human body, or rather, off the body, some member, whether hand, finger, or foot, may be cut away.

And if a member be cut off, does the soul go with it? When the member was in the body, it lived; and off, its life is lost. So too, a Christian man is Catholic
while he lives in the body; cut off, he is made a heretic; the Spirit does not follow an amputated member." (Sermons, 267, 4, 391-430 A.D).

Anonymous said...

Brother Michael,

I'm not sure if that is supposed to relate to my question.

I hope your not saying that the Holy Spirit was never with me because I was never Catholic.

Unknown said...

Dear Mrs A,

Catholicism

According to Roman Catholic theology the primary work of the Holy Spirit is through the church.

According to the Catechism:

"The mission of Christ and the Holy Spirit is brought to completion in the Church, which is the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

Through the Church's sacraments, Christ communicates his Holy and sanctifying Spirit to the members of his Body."

Anonymous said...

Church: The whole body of Christ!!!!
There is one body and many parts.
The eye can't say to the hand "I don't need you and the head can't say to the feet I don't need you"
(1 Cor 12:20,21)

I have nothing against becoming a member of the Catholic church, (God knows I need to find a good place to fellowship and find encouragement nearby) as long as I'm not guilted into hurting my own conscience.

I also would refuse the notion that other believers are not led by the Holy Spirit or that they are led by a counterfeit holy ghost.