Catholic Church Readings for January 21, 2021: Thursday in the Second Week of Ordinary Time

Catholic Church Readings for January 21, 2021: Thursday in the Second Week of Ordinary Time

Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr

Lectionary: 314

Reading I

Heb 7:25—8:6

Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him,

since he lives forever to make intercession for them.

It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: 

holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, 

higher than the heavens.

He has no need, as did the high priests, 

to offer sacrifice day after day,

first for his own sins and then for those of the people; 

he did that once for all when he offered himself.

For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests, 

but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law, 

appoints a son, who has been made perfect forever.

The main point of what has been said is this: 

we have such a high priest, 

who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne

of the Majesty in heaven, a minister of the sanctuary 

and of the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up.

Now every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; 

thus the necessity for this one also to have something to offer.

If then he were on earth, he would not be a priest, 

since there are those who offer gifts according to the law.

They worship in a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary,

as Moses was warned when he was about to erect the tabernacle.

For God says, “See that you make everything 

according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

Now he has obtained so much more excellent a ministry 

as he is mediator of a better covenant, 

enacted on better promises.

Responsorial Psalm

40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17

R.    (8a and 9a)  Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,

    but ears open to obedience you gave me.

Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not;

    then said I, “Behold I come.”

R.    Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,

To do your will, O my God, is my delight,

    and your law is within my heart!”

R.    Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

I announced your justice in the vast assembly;

    I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know. 

R.    Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

May all who seek you

    exult and be glad in you,

And may those who love your salvation

    say ever, “The LORD be glorified.”

R.    Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

Alleluia

See 2 Tm 1:10

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death

and brought life to light through the Gospel.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 3:7-12

Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples.

A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea.

Hearing what he was doing, 

a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, 

from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, 

and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon.

He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, 

so that they would not crush him.

He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases

were pressing upon him to touch him.

And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him 

and shout, “You are the Son of God.”

He warned them sternly not to make him known.

What does Joe Biden's Presidency Mean for Catholics?

First we must get something straight. Catholic politicians cannot simply put aside their beliefs as a Catholic when entering into the political arena. That is simply not an option. For major moral issues that everyone agrees on, this is an obvious statement of fact. If a politician were to say "I'm personally opposed to killing innocent people for no reason, but I'm not going to try to pass a law outlawing it!" most people would be shocked and dismayed.

Yet when it comes to controversial issues, there seems to be confusion. This is because of several distortions, but basically our morality comes from God, and God established his one true Church which is the Catholic Church and therefore the moral law is complete within the Catholic Church. Purposely violating any of these moral laws is a sin. It doesn't matter if an issue is controversial or whether or not others agree with you. You either believe in the teachings of the Catholic Church and follow them no matter what your role or you don't. You don't get to pick and choose.

We must now look at Joe Biden and some of the things he has promised with regards to being president. We will see that his presidency will not be good for the Catholic Faith. On top of the commitments that Biden has already made, we can conjecture as to other paths this president may take. Remember, some people are accused of slippery slope thinking, but who would have thought a year ago that the actual president of the United States would be banned from virtually all forms of social media while still in office? Who would have thought that credit card companies would stop conservative groups from using their payment system? If anyone had predicted these things, they'd be termed a conspiracy theorist, and an extreme one at that. So to just simply notice where things are heading isn't some kind of reckless activity.

Now on to the specifics. Much of the information that I will use for this article comes from a great article written by Peter Wolfgang for the Catholic Herald, which can be found here. I highly encourage you to check it out. But, as a loyal fan of this blog (obviously!) I would love for you to keep reading!

In the linked article from Mr. Wolfgang, he says the following:

He moved heaven and earth to put three originalist judges on the U.S. Supreme Court in four years and appointed hundreds more to other federal courts. He allowed states to defund Planned Parenthood, he defunded the pro-abortion U.N. Population Fund, he restored and expanded the Mexico City policy, he protected groups like the Little Sisters of the Poor against oppressive Obamacare rules, and he supported the nuns in their Supreme Court fight. He implemented the Protect Life Rule, which prohibits federal funds from going to facilities that perform on-site abortions.

Those are positive actions taken by Mr. Trump during his presidency which Joe Biden will seek, to the best of his ability, to undo as soon as possible. Donald Trump was the most pro-life president the United States has ever had. How can I make such a bold statement? Well I think it's probably true since prior to the 1970s, practically everyone thought abortion was wrong anyway. So to say they were anti-abortion or pro-life prior to that would simply mean they were normal people with normal morality.

The difference with Donald Trump is that he was pro-life in an era when doing so is politically and socially dangerous. It's not a topic for which there is automatic agreement among the masses. If he wanted to advance his political career more, he could have been a more standard pro-life-by-default Republican. But he wasn't. He went out of his way to speak about life issues, to defend the innocent. He spoke, in person, at the March for Life - the first time ever for a president.

With Biden, this goes out the window. He is blatantly ignoring his Church's teachings and will seek to increase access to abortion, rather than limit it.

Biden says he will not allow an exception for the Little Sisters of the Poor in the case of paying for abortion and artificial contraception. Think about that for a minute. He will not let a group of nuns with a vow of poverty to not pay for something they are morally opposed to. I can't believe anyone thinks that's okay.

Biden is obviously looking to end the Mexico City Policy which is an American policy of not giving foreign aid to groups in other countries who perform abortion. Basically not funding abortion abroad. If you read the misleading critics, they will claim that by banning this funding you are doing all kinds of other harm. That's an invalid moral argument and meant to muddy the moral waters.

Trump has done innumerable good things when it comes to preventing or slowing down abortion. Biden seems set to abandon them all.

When it comes to free speech and freedom of religion, Trump was one of the best modern-day presidents. Biden, in line with Democrat policies, will crack down on speech he disagrees with and will be a major threat to religious freedom.

In virtually any area that a serious Catholic cares about, Biden is set to make things much worse.

Some people bring up the detention camps on the border and the overall policies concerning refugees as reasons why Catholics should favor Biden. There are many issues with this proposition. First of all, the camps on the border (that were set up by Obama) are not torture chambers, they are processing facilities for people illegally entering into the country without permission.

Think what you will about these facilities, it is not a specific Catholic moral issue. There is legitimate debate about immigration policy. Catholic teaching has things to say about it, but it's not a cut-and-dry case such as with abortion, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion. Some people seem to think unless the US allows anyone and everyone into the country without question, Catholics must oppose it. This is simply not the case which is affirmed by centuries of writings by saints and theologians.

We have no idea how bad things can get. The plans which have already been announced by Biden are frightening and it will only get worse from here. Catholics have good reason to not be welcoming to a Joe Biden administration.

Problems with the Week for Christian Unity

In 1054, Pope Leo IX sent Cardinal Humber from Rome to Constantinople to bring the two halves of the Church together. Unfortunately the opposite happened when the cardinal excommunicated the Patriarch of Constantinople and the patriarch returned the favor to the cardinal. That's when things got bad and haven't been fully resolved since.

Why did the schism occur? Well, to our modern-day sensibilities, the reasons seem very minor. There were differences in opinion when it came to the Primacy of the Roman Pontiff. There were some differences in belief regarding the use of leavened vs. unleavened bread during the Eucharist. Throw in the mix the controversy surrounding the filioque clause, which is a controversy over whether we should say the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and Son, or just the Father, in the Nicene Creed.

These theological differences created a rift which ultimately created what is known as the Great Schism of 1054. Historians will say tensions were accumulating in the preceding centuries and that this schism was really a massive overreaction. Modern-day popes have all attempted, along with Eastern Patriarchs, to mend the schism and reunite these who parts of the Church. Partial reunions have resulted in what are known as Eastern Catholic Churches.

Now to the modern day, where there isn't a single schism in the Catholic Church resulting in two slightly different but very similar churches agreeing on 99% of issues. Now we have tens of thousands of Christian churches all over the world with wildly different beliefs. Instead of arguing over the use of leavened vs. unleavened bread, most Protestant churches do not even believe in the Real Presence. Instead of debating Petrine Primacy, or the status of Pope as First Among Equal Patriarchs, most Christian communities outright reject any form of papacy whatsoever.

Yet, despite these facts, for centuries, the Catholic Church has strove to convert the Eastern Orthodox Church back to the Catholic Church established by Our Lord. There was a desire for unity in belief and purpose. There has always been respect between the East and the West, but yet always an underlying desire for reunification.

Fast-forward to now. We hardly ever hear about conversion. We don't hear about missionaries entering into non-Catholic areas to will souls to Christ. We now speak mainly of dialogue and "deep respect" for other "religious traditions". This isn't just for Protestant denominations but other non-Christian religions.

I think this new approach is very problematic. Christ gave us a mission to baptize all nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. He did not say dialogue with other groups and just come to some kind of mutual respect. He told us to go out there and win converts. Of course, we are not the ones who do the converting, it's God himself.

To me, the new approach goes against the wishes of Jesus Christ who prayed that we be united as one, together. Furthermore, Our Lord tells us repeatedly that he is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through him. Who are we to take all that Christ is saying and ignore it and tell him we know better.

I think all too often we see conversion as something negative, when it's only something positive. Our approach can certainly be negative, there is no doubt about that. We should meek, humble, and loving. Jesus himself said his followers should be recognized by their love. For this we must strive. However, at the same time, we cannot fall into a sense of indifferentism. It is a moral failing on our part to refuse to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

God's love for us is a gift, and God himself became incarnate to teach us the way to eternal life. Who are we to withhold this most incredible gift from others out of a misplaced sense of respect? In a secular sense it would be like finding out our friend had a winning lottery ticket worth millions of dollars but refused to tell him about it because we didn't want to disrupt him.

If we truly believe that Jesus Christ came to Earth to die for our sins so that we may be united more closely with him in this life and the next, it would be incredibly wrong for us to prevent others from knowing about this.

I think about this sometimes when thinking about the idea of conversion. Sometimes as devout Catholics, the question comes up of whether we should tell others of Christianity because by doing so they are held to a higher standard whereas before they would perhaps be living with invincible ignorance and thus lack moral culpability.

However, this is the wrong question. Again, back to the analogy of the million-dollar lottery ticket. Would we refuse to tell someone about the millions they won because maybe they'd have to make decisions as to how to spend it? To prevent them from being burdened, we simply do not let them know.

Of course this is not a great analogy as many people do actually suffer from winning the lottery. However, no one has ever been worse off for coming closer to Jesus Christ.

That's why I have issues with some of the language used in the modern world when it comes to other religions. I agree that we must have the utmost respect towards other people, and we should never address the traditions of others in a derogatory way. We must be kind and humble. But being kind, humble, and respectful does not mean fully consenting or agreeing with others. We have a mission, we have an incredible gift. Christ tells us about a peace that only he can give. Who are we to stop others from receiving the peace of Christ?

Let your light shine and do not hide it from the world. Bring the message of Christ to the whole world. They deserve to know Our Lord like you do.

Catholic Church Readings for January 20, 2021: Wednesday in the Second Week of Ordinary Time

Catholic Church Readings for January 20, 2021: Wednesday in the Second Week of Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 313

Reading I

Heb 7:1-3, 15-17

Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High,

met Abraham as he returned from his defeat of the kings

and blessed him.

And Abraham apportioned to him a tenth of everything.

His name first means righteous king,

and he was also “king of Salem,” that is, king of peace.

Without father, mother, or ancestry,

without beginning of days or end of life,

thus made to resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

It is even more obvious if another priest is raised up

after the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become so,

not by a law expressed in a commandment concerning physical descent

but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed.

For it is testified:

    You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

 

Responsorial Psalm

110:1, 2, 3, 4

R.    (4b)    You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand

    till I make your enemies your footstool.”

R.    You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion:

    “Rule in the midst of your enemies.”

R.    You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

“Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor;

    before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.”

R.    You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent:

    “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”

R.    You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

 

Alleluia

See Mt 4:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom

and cured every disease among the people.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 3:1-6

Jesus entered the synagogue.

There was a man there who had a withered hand.

They watched Jesus closely

to see if he would cure him on the sabbath

so that they might accuse him.

He said to the man with the withered hand,

“Come up here before us.”

Then he said to the Pharisees,

“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,

to save life rather than to destroy it?”

But they remained silent.

Looking around at them with anger

and grieved at their hardness of heart,

Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”

He stretched it out and his hand was restored.

The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel

with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

Being Humble Can Be Tough but Rewarding

Full disclaimer: I'm no expert in humility. Anyone who's known me for more than 5 seconds knows this. However, it's something I have become interested in and wanted to just briefly discuss. How can humility be beneficial, how does it set one free?

I often think about things, I internalize things people say and events. I sometimes run things through my head many times over and over. I can become upset, angry, or other emotions when contemplating these events and situations. These feelings throw me off. I become focused on them and often try to resolve them in some way. If someone said something which made me uncomfortable, maybe I have to somehow talk to that person or let them know. Maybe I have to smooth things over. Maybe I have to doublecheck what they meant by what they said.

Many people can probably relate to this way of thinking. Another issue I sometimes face is embarrassment or awkwardness, which is related to the first thing mentioned. I don't want to say the wrong things or come across the wrong way. I don't want to leave a bad impression. Perhaps I don't want to look bad in front of fellow Catholics or I fear my reputation is being injured.

These thoughts often occupy the minds of many people in our world. We have fear, stress, anxiety, depression caused by these thoughts and fears. We feel the need to constantly defend ourselves and to appear well-adjusted, competent, and liked by those around us. Our egos are easily bruised and we are constantly on the defensive. We rarely listen to the advice of others as it will make us appear weak or pathetic.

Fortunately I have a cure. In a word: humility.

I know humility is often talked about by the saints but I think at some point I just realized the immensity of this powerful virtue. Most saints and theologians classify humility as the most important virtue as it counteracts the most dangerous: Pride.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux said the three most important virtues are: Humility, Humility, and Humility.

One of the insights I have had about humility is that it is very liberating. How? Well one way is to look at situations which could be potentially embarrassing, uncomfortable, etc, as opportunities to grow in humility. Humility is about understanding our place. God is so much greater than us, and we have sinned so often in the past, yet God in his greatest is willing to forgive us of our sins as much as we ask. Who are we to think we are great and important? God has given us everything in our lives. If he can give us everything, and Jesus Christ died for our sins, who are we to think we are so important.

In terms of the definition of humility, I offer the Catholic Encyclopedia entry:

The virtue of humility may be defined: "A quality by which a person considering his own defects has a lowly opinion of himself and willingly submits himself to God and to others for God's sake." St. Bernard defines it: "A virtue by which a man knowing himself as he truly is, abases himself." These definitions coincide with that given by St. Thomas: "The virtue of humility", he says, "Consists in keeping oneself within one's own bounds, not reaching out to things above one, but submitting to one's superior" (Summa Contra Gent., bk. IV, ch. lv, tr. Rickaby).

Without God we would be nothing, we would have nothing, we would not even exist. Our past sinful actions have merited us hell, yet God has lovingly rescued us. Who are we to puff out our chests and think we are something so important?

By being humble, we allow God to work through us. We can be lead in the ways God wishes us to be, we serve one another, and we are willing to be corrected. No one can exhibit more humility than Jesus Christ himself who although God, chose to become man and be subjected to our tortures and punishments. Jesus Christ died for our sins, we owe him everything.

On a practical level, I have found that when I do try to be humble it is extremely freeing. If you see situations as opportunities for humility or other virtues, then you don't worry so much about others' opinion of you, you take alleged insults or slights as constructive criticism. You ask yourself the person who said these things has a point. If they do not, you ignore it. If they do have a point, you try to implement what they've said.

Some saints have become known for their great humility. St. Thomas Aquinas, known as the Angelic Doctor, and probably the top theologian in the Church was so humble that in class, he rarely spoke and was labeled as the dumb ox. His brilliance was hardly known to those around him. He humbly let others speak before him. He did not try to build his reputation or appear to be qualified and competent.

St. Thomas spoke so little that his teacher assigned him a tutor as the teacher did not know if Thomas was even comprehending what was being taught. During the first lesson, when conversing with the tutor, the tutor recognized the towering intellect of St. Thomas to the point where he requested they reverse roles.

Another example of humility comes again from St. Thomas Aquinas, but this time it was his contemporary St. Bonaventure who showed this virtue. Here is the story (from http://www.catholickingdom.com/People/Dominique/Archive/inline/FF_17.html):

It was 1264 when Pope Urban IV instituted the Feast of Corpus Christi, (this title comes from the Latin, meaning the Body of Christ). The pope wanted a special Mass and office written especially for this new important feast of the Holy Eucharist. It was this difficult and essential task that was appointed to both Sts. Bonaventure and Thomas Aquinas. The holy father reserved to himself the right of choosing which of these two great men’s writings would be used.

So on the appointed day, both Saints, each with his manuscript under his arm, came before the Vicar of Christ. St. Thomas was to go first, and kneeling before the pope, began to read what he had written. Both Pope Urban IV and St. Bonaventure listened with tears of emotion to the beautiful work of this Saint. And while St. Thomas was still reading, St. Bonaventure turned aside and tore his manuscript into small pieces. When St. Bonaventure's turn came, he admitted what he had done and told them that he was no longer in possession of his manuscript. St. Bonaventure explained that he considered St. Thomas’ work alone worthy to be used at the Most Holy Feast, therefore making it unnecessary to take his own poor work into account.

And for centuries now on the feast of Corpus Christi, within every Catholic church is heard that heavenly hymn written by the hand of St. Thomas Aquinas. And while no one will ever know what inspiring prayer St. Bonaventure wrote, we do know one thing. While God is greatly glorified and pleased with the great work of St. Thomas Aquinas, He is equally glorified and pleased with the great humility of St. Bonaventure.

So when you hear the "Tantum Ergo" or the "O Salutaris Hostia," (excerpts from what St. Thomas wrote for the feast of Corpus Christi), remember the humble act performed by St. Bonaventure who desired that this feast be the most beneficial to the Catholic Church and give the greatest glory to God. 

With humility we are focused on God's will, not our own. If someone hurts us, we focus more on the harm that does to our enemy than to ourselves. I feel like many saints had this point of view. Jesus himself, from what I can see, was far more concerned about the spiritual welfare of those around him than he was to any perceived slight. He let personal attacks slide, like a lamb led to the slaughter he did not even speak a word. Yet, when people were in spiritual danger to themselves, Christ spoke in the most unreserved and direct ways. Remember "Get behind me Satan". He did not mince words.

So let's keep humility in mind. Think of specific ways you can grow in humility. Over time you will realize how freeing it can be.

Catholic Church Readings for January 19, 2021: Tuesday in the Second Week of Ordinary Time

Catholic Church Readings for January 19, 2021: Tuesday in the Second Week of Ordinary Time

Reading I

Heb 6:10-20

Brothers and sisters:

God is not unjust so as to overlook your work

and the love you have demonstrated for his name

by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones.

We earnestly desire each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness

for the fulfillment of hope until the end,

so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who,

through faith and patience, are inheriting the promises.

When God made the promise to Abraham,

since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,

and said, I will indeed bless you and multiply you.

And so, after patient waiting, Abraham obtained the promise.

Now, men swear by someone greater than themselves;

for them an oath serves as a guarantee

and puts an end to all argument.

So when God wanted to give the heirs of his promise

an even clearer demonstration of the immutability of his purpose,

he intervened with an oath,

so that by two immutable things,

in which it was impossible for God to lie,

we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged

to hold fast to the hope that lies before us.

This we have as an anchor of the soul,

sure and firm, which reaches into the interior behind the veil,

where Jesus has entered on our behalf as forerunner,

becoming high priest forever

according to the order of Melchizedek.

Responsorial Psalm

111:1-2, 4-5, 9 and 10c

R.    (5)  The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart

    in the company and assembly of the just.

Great are the works of the LORD,

    exquisite in all their delights.

R.    The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;

    gracious and merciful is the LORD.

He has given food to those who fear him;

    he will forever be mindful of his covenant.

R.    The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

He has sent deliverance to his people;

    he has ratified his covenant forever;

    holy and awesome is his name.

    His praise endures forever.

R.    The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.

or:

R.    Alleluia.

 

Alleluia

See Eph 1:17-18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ

enlighten the eyes of our hearts,

that we may know what is the hope

that belongs to our call.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 2:23-28

As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath,

his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.

At this the Pharisees said to him,

“Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”

He said to them,

“Have you never read what David did

when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry?

How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest

and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat,

and shared it with his companions?”

Then he said to them,

“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.

That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”

Is attending Mass at Home Equivalent to Attending in Person?

Since Covid-19, there have been calls at many times and in many places for churchgoing parishioners to "JUST STAY HOME". We are told it's the same thing. God is everywhere isn't he? Why would we have to go to a physical building? Isn't the "Church" the communion of believers? Aren't we united by spirit and not physically?

I want to delve into this subject as there is a ton of confusion and controversy. This is not meant to be an exhaustive theological treatise on the subject, but just some of my own thoughts and ideas from my understanding. I do encourage debate so if you would like to add anything or disagree with me, please feel free to do so in the comments section.

Here is my response to the arguments above. Yes, God is omnipresent. He's not just in a church, obviously. But that is besides the point. God asks that we give special attention to him, not for his sake, but for our own and he designed this attention in a particular way.

How should we know the best way to worship God? There are countless possible ways we could do that, but are they all ways God wants? Not necessarily. God in the person of Jesus Christ instructed us on what to do.

John 6:50

This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread[c] 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.”

Our Lord goes on to say Do this in Memory of Me. Jesus Christ clearly identifies what exactly he would like done in order that we remember him. He intended for us to partake of his body, blood, soul, and divinity in the form of bread and wine. This is the ultimate sacrifice, the perfect sacrifice, from God himself.

The Mass is the greatest prayer to God that the Church offers as it is a re-presentation of the sacrificial death and resurrection of Our Lord in atonement for our sins so that we may be united with him.

Therefore God has told us specifically how we ought to worship him. This does not mean that other forms of worship are bad or wrong. The Church has plenty of other forms of worship such as the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Divine Office, meditation, etc. These all have their place, but the Mass is the ultimate.

The Mass must be done in person, so that we can receive the body and blood of Our Lord into our bodies and souls. In Catholic theology, we are not just a spiritual religion. Our faith is also physical. This is opposed to many other religions and other Christians who believe that the physical part of the world is inferior or unimportant. Therefore they diminish or reject sacramentals, paintings, statues, and other such things.

But it's not just the Mass which must take place in person - it's all of the sacraments. Baptism must use water, confession must be done in person with a priest, confirmation involves oil being placed on the head, etc. There are no purely spiritual sacraments. In fact, a sacrament is an outward sign of an inward reality.

God himself became incarnate in the form of a man. He was not satisfied to remain spiritual, but chose to become a physical person in order that we may come ever closer to him. We as human beings were designed with bodies in a physical world. When God created our world while creating the universe, he saw it and said it was good. We disagree with the Manicheans and dualists who believe that the physically created world is evil and that only the spiritual world is good. Christ became incarnate and thus sanctified the entire physical universe.

There is also a practical reason for in-person sacraments and gatherings. We are social beings. Telling each person to remain atomized is contrary to our nature. We need other human beings. At Mass every day we confirm our belief in the "Communion of Saints". Yes, the communion of saints involves those in heaven, but there is also a communal aspect to which we all belong.

Having said all of this, I must of course mention the caveat that we are not absolutely required to attend sacraments in person even if this will put people's lives at risk. As with everything, it's not completely black and white. Yes, we should avoid unnecessary risk, but we must also realize the vital importance the sacraments play in our lives and not be too nonchalant about dismissing them as less than this. I am not here to condemn anyone, who out of love of neighbor and desire to keep people safe, decides to stay home. I am simply emphasizing that our first obligation and duty and purpose is to worship God, and we best do that in the way he taught us.

Have a great day everyone.

Catholic Church Readings for January 18, 2021: Monday in the Second Week of Ordinary Time

Catholic Church Readings for January 18, 2021: Monday in the Second Week of Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 311

Reading I

Heb 5:1-10

Brothers and sisters:

Every high priest is taken from among men

and made their representative before God,

to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring,

for he himself is beset by weakness

and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself

as well as for the people.

No one takes this honor upon himself

but only when called by God,

just as Aaron was.

In the same way,

it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest,

but rather the one who said to him:

        You are my Son:

    this day I have begotten you;

just as he says in another place,

    You are a priest forever

        according to the order of Melchizedek.

In the days when he was in the Flesh,

he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears

to the one who was able to save him from death,

and he was heard because of his reverence.

Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered;

and when he was made perfect,

he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 110:1, 2, 3, 4

R.    (4b)    You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand

    till I make your enemies your footstool.”

R.    You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion:

    “Rule in the midst of your enemies.”

R.    You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

“Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor;

    before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.”

R.    You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent:

    “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”

R.    You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

Alleluia

Heb 4:12

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The word of God is living and effective,

able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.

R. Alleluia, alleluia

Gospel

Mk 2:18-22

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast.

People came to Jesus and objected,

“Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, 

but your disciples do not fast?”

Jesus answered them,

“Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?

As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.

But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,

and then they will fast on that day.

No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak.

If he does, its fullness pulls away,

the new from the old, and the tear gets worse.

Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.

Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins,

and both the wine and the skins are ruined.

Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

If you think we have it bad here...

Religious freedom in the United States and Canada is being threatened, we know of many examples. Yet, we must be thankful we are not being persecuted to the extent that our brothers and sisters in other countries have been persecuted.

Here is the story of a priest from Vietnam. Warning, the article contains graphic descriptions, but not pictures. It goes to show how horrible things were and continue to be in some parts of the world:

https://www.ncregister.com/blog/father-raphael-nguyen-profile

Catholic Church Readings for January 17, 2021: Second Sunday of Ordinary Time

Catholic Church Readings for January 17, 2021: Second Sunday of Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 65

Reading I

1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19

Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD

where the ark of God was.

The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, “Here I am.”

Samuel ran to Eli and said, “Here I am.  You called me.”

“I did not call you, “  Eli said.  “Go back to sleep.”

So he went back to sleep.

Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli.

“Here I am, “ he said.  “You called me.”

But Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son.  Go back to sleep.”

At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD,

because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet.

The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time.

Getting up and going to Eli, he said, “Here I am.  You called me.”

Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth.

So he said to Samuel, “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply,

Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.”

When Samuel went to sleep in his place,

the LORD came and revealed his presence,

calling out as before, “Samuel, Samuel!”

Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him,

not permitting any word of his to be without effect.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10

R. (8a and 9a) Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

I have waited, waited for the LORD,

    and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.

And he put a new song into my mouth,

    a hymn to our God. 

R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

Sacrifice or offering you wished not,

    but ears open to obedience you gave me.

Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;

    then said I, “Behold I come.”

R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,

to do your will, O my God, is my delight,

    and your law is within my heart!”

R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

I announced your justice in the vast assembly;

    I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.

R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

Reading II

1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20

Brothers and sisters:

The body is not for immorality, but for the Lord,

and the Lord is for the body;

God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power.

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?

But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with him.

Avoid immorality.

Every other sin a person commits is outside the body,

but the immoral person sins against his own body.

Do you not know that your body

is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you,

whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

For you have been purchased at a price.

Therefore glorify God in your body. 

 

Alleluia

Jn 1:41, 17b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

We have found the Messiah:

Jesus Christ, who brings us truth and grace.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel

Jn 1:35-42

John was standing with two of his disciples,

and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,

“Behold, the Lamb of God.”

The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.

Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them,

“What are you looking for?”

They said to him, “Rabbi” — which translated means Teacher —,

“where are you staying?”

He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”

So they went and saw where Jesus was staying,

and they stayed with him that day.

It was about four in the afternoon.

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter,

was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.

He first found his own brother Simon and told him,

“We have found the Messiah” — which is translated Christ —.

Then he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said,

“You are Simon the son of John;

you will be called Cephas” — which is translated Peter.

Catholic Church Readings for January 16, 2021: Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Catholic Church Readings for January 16, 2021: Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 310

Reading I

Heb 4:12-16

The word of God is living and effective,

sharper than any two-edged sword,

penetrating even between soul and spirit,

joints and marrow,

and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.

No creature is concealed from him,

but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him

to whom we must render an account.

Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,     

Jesus, the Son of God,

let us hold fast to our confession.

For we do not have a high priest

who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,

but one who has similarly been tested in every way,

yet without sin.

So let us confidently approach the throne of grace

to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.

Responsorial Psalm

19:8, 9, 10, 15

R.    (see John 6:63c)  Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The law of the LORD is perfect,

    refreshing the soul;

The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,

    giving wisdom to the simple.

R.    Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The precepts of the LORD are right,

    rejoicing the heart;

The command of the LORD is clear,

    enlightening the eye.

R.    Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The fear of the LORD is pure,

    enduring forever;

The ordinances of the LORD are true,

    all of them just.

R.    Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart

    find favor before you,

    O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

R.    Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Alleluia

Lk 4:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor

and to proclaim liberty to captives.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 2:13-17

Jesus went out along the sea.

All the crowd came to him and he taught them.

As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus,

sitting at the customs post.

Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”

And he got up and followed Jesus.

While he was at table in his house,

many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples;

for there were many who followed him.

Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners

and tax collectors and said to his disciples,

“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 

Jesus heard this and said to them,

“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.

I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Catholic Church Readings for January 15, 2021: Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Catholic Church Readings for January 15, 2021: Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 309

Reading I

Heb 4:1-5, 11

Let us be on our guard

while the promise of entering into his rest remains,

that none of you seem to have failed.

For in fact we have received the Good News just as our ancestors did.

But the word that they heard did not profit them,

for they were not united in faith with those who listened.

For we who believed enter into that rest,

just as he has said:

As I swore in my wrath,    

“They shall not enter into my rest,”

and yet his works were accomplished

at the foundation of the world.

For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this manner,

And God rested on the seventh day from all his works;

and again, in the previously mentioned place,

They shall not enter into my rest. 

Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest,

so that no one may fall after the same example of disobedience.

 

Responsorial Psalm

78:3 and 4bc, 6c-7, 8

R.    (see 7b)  Do not forget the works of the Lord!

What we have heard and know,

and what our fathers have declared to us,

we will declare to the generation to come

The glorious deeds of the LORD and his strength.

R.    Do not forget the works of the Lord!

That they too may rise and declare to their sons

that they should put their hope in God,

And not forget the deeds of God

but keep his commands.

R.    Do not forget the works of the Lord!

And not be like their fathers,

a generation wayward and rebellious,

A generation that kept not its heart steadfast

nor its spirit faithful toward God.

R.    Do not forget the works of the Lord!

 

Alleluia

Lk 7:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

A great prophet has arisen in our midst

and God has visited his people.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel

Mk 2:1-12

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days,

it became known that he was at home.

Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,

not even around the door,

and he preached the word to them.

They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.

Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd,

they opened up the roof above him.

After they had broken through,

they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him,

“Child, your sins are forgiven.”

Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,

“Why does this man speak that way?  He is blaspheming.

Who but God alone can forgive sins?”

Jesus immediately knew in his mind what 

they were thinking to themselves, 

so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?

Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,

‘Your sins are forgiven,’

or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’?

But that you may know

that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”

–he said to the paralytic,

“I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”

He rose, picked up his mat at once, 

and went away in the sight of everyone.

They were all astounded

and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

Pope's motu proprio concerning women lectors and acolytes big mistake in my opinion

Pope Francis changed canon law 230. Here are the details (from Vatican News article):

With the Motu proprio Spiritus Domini, which modifies the first paragraph of Canon 230 of the Code of Canon Law, Pope Francis, therefore, establishes that women can have access to these ministries and that this be recognized through a liturgical act formally instituting them as such.

As we all know, we've had women lectors and acolytes for quite some time. Lectors are people who read at Mass and acolytes are people who assist at the altar. The change that Pope Francis is making is to allow women to have these roles in a more permanent form, rather than in the current situation where they are seen as temporary by necessity.

In my humble opinion, this is a very imprudent move by the pope. Sadly, I feel most of his decisions are. I'm sure he is attempting to make the Church more welcoming or modern or to appeal to non-Catholics, but it is doing none of those things.

The problem comes in that we are living in a time of great confusion and heresy. Many Catholics still cling to hope that women will one day be allowed to become priests, something which Pope John Paul II pointed out is impossible. Doing so would be a violation of an infallible teaching of the Church since the time of the apostles.

Of course, that is not what Pope Francis is attempting to do here. However, in this time of confusion and uncertainty, doing something like this exacerbates the situation. To the average Catholic and non-Catholic alike, this represents a step towards women priests and bishops. It further creates division in the Church and does the opposite of solidify a Church doctrine.

In my opinion, allowing a permanent role of acolyte or lector for women in a different era might work. I don't know all the implications, but in a time without as much dissent and opposition, people would recognize the role for what it is and would not associate it with the priesthood. These days, because people are so poorly catechized, this is not clear. It undermines an important teaching.

Serving at the altar really should only be men. Christ chose 12 apostles who were all men despite having women whom he could have selected. This has never changed throughout all the centuries of the Church. Although not strictly prohibited, having women serve on the altar in a permanent way takes away from the understanding that Christ is a man who chose men as apostles and as sacramental priests.

On top of this, many boys who see holy men celebrating Mass are drawn to become men themselves and they explore their vocation because of this. Having various men and women on the altar does not emphasize the uniquely masculine role taking place.

In short, I think this is a bad idea particularly now.