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.

Monday, May 23, 2011

PORNOGRAPHY

Want to help fight against pornography on television. The AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION (a Protestant sponsored website) has a monthly Journal in which they list the commerical sponsors of pornographic television shows. By writing to these sponsors and telling them that you will no longer purchase their products if they keep supporting rotten television shows---you can put pressure on the Networks to remove the trashy shows that are on television today. The web site for the AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION is: http://www.afa.net

Another interfaith group involved in fighting pornography is Morality in Media, Inc., which was established in 1962. They fight obscenity on television and try to promote greater decency on current television shows. Founded by a Catholic priest. Web Site:  http://www.ccel.org/a/aquinas/summa/SS/SS153.html

According to Saint Thomas Aquinas any intentional or deliberate sin of lust is a mortal sin.(Summa Theologica, [IIa IIae], The Second Part of the Second Part, Questions 153, 154; SEE: St. Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theologica on the internet at: http://www.ccel.org/a/aquinas/summa/SS/SS153.html
VIEWING PORNOGRAPHY IS A MORTAL SIN. Mortal sin kills the relationship between God and the soul. If a person dies in the state of Mortal Sin they go straight to HELL. This means that a person who views pornography can go to HELL when they die if they don't repent of the sin of viewing PORNOGRAPHY.
See the web page on HELL. Supposing a person views pornography, but then repents and turns from their sin. What will happen is that God will save their soul, but He will send them many punishments on this earth and also in PURGATORY. According to the Saints of the Catholic Church who have had visions of PURGATORY, the pains of PURGATORY far exceed any pain we may experience in the body on this earth. See the web page on PURGATORY.

TYPES OF PORNOGRAPHY

Magazines displaying nude or partially nude bodies of women or men for the purpose of sexual gratification.

Movies, including videotapes, CD's, and Lazer-Discs that display nude or partially nude bodies. This would include "R", "X", "XXX" rated movies. Even some PG and PG-13 rated movies are pornographic because of their suggestive content.

Television shows that have nude or partially nude bodies shown with strong suggestive content are forms of pornography that should be avoided. The televisions shows today are filled with this type of material and many people watch these shows not knowing that they are committing grievous sins for which they will be severely punished in hell or purgatory or here on this earth.

Internet sites that display nude or partially nude bodies for the purpose of sexual gratification.

Beaches, where women dress inappropriately in bikini or other immodest clothing. Men who go to the beach and intentionally eye these women are lusting. This is another type of pornography. Women do not have to be completely dressed in the nude to be guilty of dressing in a pornographic nature. The women who dress this way, intentionally exposing themselves, will be punished by God.

Muslim women, while they go to extremes in covering up their bodies, set an example of decency that other women should follow. Muslim women keep their bodies covered in such a manner that keeps men from committing the sin of lust. Their principle of modesty should be followed, but not to such great extremes as completely covering up the entire body. [God's grace work in mysterious way, even in those people who have not yet excepted Christ into their hearts.]

"I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes, I have to turn my head until my darkness goes", from a song by The Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger/ Keith Richards, Paint It Black.


If you look at any of the above you are committing the sin of lust which God will punish here on this earth, in purgatory, and for the unrepentant, in hell. In the Bible, Matthew 5: 27-30, Jesus says:
"You have heard how it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say this to you, if a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye should be your downfall, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of yourself than to have your whole body thrown into hell. And if your right hand should be your downfall, cut it off and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of yourself than to have your whole body go to hell."
Jesus is telling us that if we look at someone lustfully we commit mortal sin. This would also apply to looking at magazines or videos that have women exposing themselves(pornography). And Jesus gives us a warning saying that it is better to tear out your right eye than to look at someone with lustful intent because the penalty of committing this sin is eternal hell.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Q - What is wrong with porn? Isn't it just some harmless fun

A - Catholics see the body as a reflection of the Divine. We are created in the image and likeness of God. The body is not just an instrument to be used for pleasure, but rather, it is a constitutive part of our being.

Therefore, sex is not just for pleasure, but it helps us discover our ultimate purpose - union with God. Sex can be seen as a foretaste of the divine relationship we all wish to have in heaven - sex is worship of God - when done in the proper context and for the right reasons. We are not souls trapped inside a shell. We are humans with both a body and a soul.

daveg4g said...

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2354, states: “It offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act… It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants… It is a grave offense.”

The production of, distribution of and/or the use of pornography damages the individual, causing them to enter into mortal sin, a total turning away from God. It is a lie. It is repulsive.

On another note, porn is intrinsically evil because it destroys our brain’s ability to function properly. When porn is viewed/used, a chemical bond is created.

The chemical involved is a hormone, called oxytocin. Oxytocin exists in both males and females. One of the most commonly known occurrences of oxytocin is in child birth.

It is one of the bonding agents between a mother and a newborn child – a very powerful bond. Oxytocin is also released in sexual orgasm, thus creating a bond.

When the bond is based on a fantasy, ie porn, the bond is incredibly detrimental. This false bond distorts the understanding of the sexual act.

Once the distorted bond is in place, often times, the bond continues to deteriorate. Many men choose to allow this bond into their life and then wonder why real intimacy and actual giving of oneself in marriage is so difficult.

Anonymous said...

The word "pornography" comes from the Greek words, "porne,"meaning a harlot, prostitute, or whore, and "graphos," meaning a writing or depiction. If we put both words together we arrive at "A depiction or description of the activities of whores."

Unknown said...

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Anonymous said...

HORMONE INVOLVED IN REPRODUCTION
MAY HAVE ROLE IN THE MAINTENANCE
OF RELATIONSHIPS


"The hormone best known for its role in inducing labor may influence our ability to bond with others, according to researchers at the University of California, San Francisco.

In a preliminary study, the hormone oxytocin was shown to be associated with the ability to maintain healthy interpersonal relationships and healthy psychological boundaries with other people. The study appears in the July issue of Psychiatry.

"This is one of the first looks into the biological basis for human attachment and bonding," said Rebecca Turner, PhD, UCSF adjunct assistant professor of psychiatry and lead author of the study. "Our study indicates that oxytocin may be mediating emotional experiences in close relationships."

The study builds upon previous knowledge of the important role oxytocin plays in the reproductive life of mammals. The hormone facilitates nest building and pup retrieval in rats, acceptance of offspring in sheep, and the formation of adult pair-bonds in prairie voles.

In humans, oxytocin stimulates milk ejection during lactation, uterine contraction during birth, and is released during sexual orgasm in both men and women.

http://www.oxytocin.org/oxytoc/index.html