Catholic Church Readings for Wednesday, February 17, 2021: Ash Wednesday

Catholic Church Readings for Wednesday, February 17, 2021: Ash Wednesday

Lectionary: 219

Reading I

Jl 2:12-18

Even now, says the LORD,

    return to me with your whole heart,

    with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;

Rend your hearts, not your garments,

    and return to the LORD, your God.

For gracious and merciful is he,

    slow to anger, rich in kindness,

    and relenting in punishment.

Perhaps he will again relent

    and leave behind him a blessing,

Offerings and libations

    for the LORD, your God.

Blow the trumpet in Zion!

    proclaim a fast,

    call an assembly;

Gather the people,

    notify the congregation;

Assemble the elders,

    gather the children

    and the infants at the breast;

Let the bridegroom quit his room

    and the bride her chamber.

Between the porch and the altar

    let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep,

And say, “Spare, O LORD, your people,

    and make not your heritage a reproach,

    with the nations ruling over them!

Why should they say among the peoples,

    ‘Where is their God?’”

Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land

    and took pity on his people.

Responsorial Psalm

51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17

R.    (see 3a)  Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;

    in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.

Thoroughly wash me from my guilt

    and of my sin cleanse me.

R.    Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

For I acknowledge my offense,

    and my sin is before me always:

“Against you only have I sinned,

    and done what is evil in your sight.”

R.    Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

A clean heart create for me, O God,

    and a steadfast spirit renew within me.

Cast me not out from your presence,

    and your Holy Spirit take not from me.

R.    Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Give me back the joy of your salvation,

    and a willing spirit sustain in me.

O Lord, open my lips,

    and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

R.    Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

 

Reading II

2 Cor 5:20—6:2

Brothers and sisters:

We are ambassadors for Christ,

as if God were appealing through us.

We implore you on behalf of Christ,

be reconciled to God.

For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, 

so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Working together, then,

we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

For he says:

    In an acceptable time I heard you,

        and on the day of salvation I helped you.

Behold, now is a very acceptable time;

behold, now is the day of salvation.

 

Verse Before the Gospel

See Ps 95:8

If today you hear his voice,

harden not your hearts.

Gospel

Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Take care not to perform righteous deeds

in order that people may see them;

otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.

When you give alms,

do not blow a trumpet before you,

as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets

to win the praise of others.

Amen, I say to you,

they have received their reward.

But when you give alms,

do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,

so that your almsgiving may be secret.

And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray,

do not be like the hypocrites,

who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners

so that others may see them.

Amen, I say to you,

they have received their reward.

But when you pray, go to your inner room,

close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.

And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast,

do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.

They neglect their appearance,

so that they may appear to others to be fasting.

Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.

But when you fast,

anoint your head and wash your face,

so that you may not appear to be fasting,

except to your Father who is hidden.

And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

Catholics Be Like ... On Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras)

From Catholic Memes (https://www.facebook.com/CatholicMemebase/):

Catholic Church Readings for Tuesday, February 16, 2021: Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Catholic Church Readings for Monday, February 16, 2021: Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 336

Reading I

Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10

When the LORD saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth,

and how no desire that his heart conceived

was ever anything but evil,

he regretted that he had made man on the earth,

and his heart was grieved.

So the LORD said:

“I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created,

and not only the men,

but also the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air,

for I am sorry that I made them.”

But Noah found favor with the LORD.

Then the LORD said to Noah:

“Go into the ark, you and all your household,

for you alone in this age have I found to be truly just.

Of every clean animal, take with you seven pairs,

a male and its mate;

and of the unclean animals, one pair,

a male and its mate;

likewise, of every clean bird of the air, seven pairs,

a male and a female,

and of all the unclean birds, one pair,

a male and a female.

Thus you will keep their issue alive over all the earth.

Seven days from now I will bring rain down on the earth

for forty days and forty nights,

and so I will wipe out from the surface of the earth

every moving creature that I have made.”

Noah did just as the LORD had commanded him.

As soon as the seven days were over,

the waters of the flood came upon the earth.

Responsorial Psalm

29:1a and 2, 3ac-4, 3b and 9c-10

R.    (11b)  The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Give to the LORD, you sons of God,

    give to the LORD glory and praise,

Give to the LORD the glory due his name;

    adore the LORD in holy attire. 

R.    The Lord will bless his people with peace.

The voice of the LORD is over the waters,

    the LORD, over vast waters.

The voice of the LORD is mighty;

    the voice of the LORD is majestic. 

R.    The Lord will bless his people with peace.

The God of glory thunders,

    and in his temple all say, “Glory!”

The LORD is enthroned above the flood;

    the LORD is enthroned as king forever. 

R.    The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Alleluia

Jn 14:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord;

and my Father will love him

and we will come to him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel

Mk 8:14-21

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread,

and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.

Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out,

guard against the leaven of the Pharisees

and the leaven of Herod.” 

They concluded among themselves that

it was because they had no bread.

When he became aware of this he said to them,

“Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread?

Do you not yet understand or comprehend?

Are your hearts hardened?

Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?

And do you not remember,

when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,

how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?”

They answered him, “Twelve.”

“When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand,

how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?”

They answered him, “Seven.”

He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

Catholic Church Readings for Monday, February 15, 2021: Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Catholic Church Readings for Monday, February 15, 2021: Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 335

Reading I

Gn 4:1-15, 25

The man had relations with his wife Eve,

and she conceived and bore Cain, saying,

“I have produced a man with the help of the LORD.”

Next she bore his brother Abel.

Abel became a keeper of flocks, and Cain a tiller of the soil.

In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the LORD

from the fruit of the soil,

while Abel, for his part,

brought one of the best firstlings of his flock.

The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

but on Cain and his offering he did not.

Cain greatly resented this and was crestfallen.

So the LORD said to Cain:

“Why are you so resentful and crestfallen.

If you do well, you can hold up your head;

but if not, sin is a demon lurking at the door:

his urge is toward you, yet you can be his master.”

Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out in the field.”

When they were in the field,

Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Then the LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

He answered, “I do not know. 

Am I my brother’s keeper?”

The LORD then said: “What have you done!

Listen: your brother’s blood cries out to me from the soil!

Therefore you shall be banned from the soil

that opened its mouth to receive

your brother’s blood from your hand.

If you till the soil, it shall no longer give you its produce.

You shall become a restless wanderer on the earth.”

Cain said to the LORD: “My punishment is too great to bear.

Since you have now banished me from the soil,

and I must avoid your presence

and become a restless wanderer on the earth,

anyone may kill me at sight.”

“Not so!” the LORD said to him.

“If anyone kills Cain, Cain shall be avenged sevenfold.”

So the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest anyone should kill him at sight.

Adam again had relations with his wife,

and she gave birth to a son whom she called Seth.

“God has granted me more offspring in place of Abel,” she said,

“because Cain slew him.”

Responsorial Psalm

50:1 and 8, 16bc-17, 20-21

R.    (14a)  Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.

God the LORD has spoken and summoned the earth,

    from the rising of the sun to its setting.

“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,

    for your burnt offerings are before me always.”

R.    Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.

“Why do you recite my statutes,

    and profess my covenant with your mouth

Though you hate discipline

    and cast my words behind you?”

R.    Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.

“You sit speaking against your brother;

    against your mother’s son you spread rumors.

When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?

    Or do you think that I am like yourself?

    I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes.”

R.    Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.

Alleluia

Jn 14:6

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;

no one comes to the Father except through me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 8:11-13

The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus,

seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.

He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said,

“Why does this generation seek a sign?

Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”

Then he left them, got into the boat again,

and went off to the other shore.

Happy Sts Cyril and Methodius Day!

I know the spotlight is on St. Valentine today, but don't forget Sts. Cyril and Methodius! It's their feast day today. The Cyrillic alphabet, used in Russian and other languages was invented by Slavic Macedonian brothers! Imagine INVENTING an alphabet and written language. Great for one's resume!

But far more important than creating a new alphabet, is that these brothers were instrumental in the conversion of the Slavic people!

Let's remember these two great saints today.

Prayer to Sts Cyril and Methodius (found on Catholic.org):

Saints Cyril and Methodius, watch over all missionaries but especially those in Slavic countries. Help those that are in danger in the troubled areas. Watch over the people you dedicated your lives to. Amen.

Catholic Church Readings for Sunday, February 14, 2021: Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Catholic Church Readings for Sunday, February 14, 2021: Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 77

Reading I

Lv 13:1-2, 44-46

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

“If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch

which appears to be the sore of leprosy,

he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest,

or to one of the priests among his descendants.

If the man is leprous and unclean,

the priest shall declare him unclean

by reason of the sore on his head.

“The one who bears the sore of leprosy

shall keep his garments rent and his head bare,

and shall muffle his beard;

he shall cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’

As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean,

since he is in fact unclean.

He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.”

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 32:1-2, 5, 11

R. (7) I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,

    whose sin is covered.

Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,

    in whose spirit there is no guile.

R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you,

    my guilt I covered not.

I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”

    and you took away the guilt of my sin.

R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just;

    exult, all you upright of heart.

R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Reading II

1 Cor 10:31—11:1

Brothers and sisters,

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,

do everything for the glory of God.

Avoid giving offense, whether to the Jews or Greeks or 

the church of God,

just as I try to please everyone in every way,

not seeking my own benefit but that of the many,

that they may be saved.

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Alleluia

Lk 7:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

A great prophet has arisen in our midst,

God has visited his people.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 1:40-45

A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said,

“If you wish, you can make me clean.”

Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, 

touched him, and said to him, 

“I do will it. Be made clean.”

The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.

Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. 

He said to him, “See that you tell no one anything,

but go, show yourself to the priest 

and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;

that will be proof for them.”

The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.

He spread the report abroad

so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.

He remained outside in deserted places,

and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

Catholic Church Readings for Saturday, February 13, 2021: Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Catholic Church Readings for Saturday, February 13, 2021: Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 334

Reading I

Gn 3:9-24

The LORD God called to Adam and asked him, “Where are you?”

He answered, “I heard you in the garden;

but I was afraid, because I was naked,

so I hid myself.”

Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked?

You have eaten, then,

from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!”

The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me 

she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.”

The LORD God then asked the woman,

“Why did you do such a thing?”

The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.”

Then the LORD God said to the serpent:

    “Because you have done this, you shall be banned

        from all the animals

        and from all the wild creatures;

    On your belly shall you crawl,

        and dirt shall you eat

        all the days of your life.

    I will put enmity between you and the woman,

        and between your offspring and hers;

    He will strike at your head,

        while you strike at his heel.” 

To the woman he said:

    “I will intensify the pangs of your childbearing;

        in pain shall you bring forth children.

    Yet your urge shall be for your husband,

        and he shall be your master.”

To the man he said: “Because you listened to your wife

and ate from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat,

    “Cursed be the ground because of you!

        In toil shall you eat its yield

        all the days of your life.

    Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you,

        as you eat of the plants of the field.

    By the sweat of your face

        shall you get bread to eat,

    Until you return to the ground,

        from which you were taken;

    For you are dirt,

        and to dirt you shall return.”

The man called his wife Eve,

because she became the mother of all the living.

For the man and his wife the LORD God made leather garments,

with which he clothed them.

Then the LORD God said: “See!  The man has become like one of us,

knowing what is good and what is evil!

Therefore, he must not be allowed to put out his hand

to take fruit from the tree of life also,

and thus eat of it and live forever.”

The LORD God therefore banished him from the garden of Eden,

to till the ground from which he had been taken.

When he expelled the man,

he settled him east of the garden of Eden;

and he stationed the cherubim and the fiery revolving sword,

to guard the way to the tree of life.

Responsorial Psalm

90:2, 3-4abc, 5-6, 12-13

R.    (1)  In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Before the mountains were begotten

    and the earth and the world were brought forth,

    from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 

R.    In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

You turn man back to dust,

    saying, “Return, O children of men.”

For a thousand years in your sight

    are as yesterday, now that it is past,

    or as a watch of the night. 

R.    In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

You make an end of them in their sleep;

    the next morning they are like the changing grass,

Which at dawn springs up anew,

    but by evening wilts and fades. 

R.    In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Teach us to number our days aright,

    that we may gain wisdom of heart.

Return, O LORD! How long?

    Have pity on your servants! 

R.    In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Alleluia

Mt 4:4b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

One does not live on bread alone,

but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel

Mk 8:1-10

In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat,

Jesus summoned the disciples and said,

“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,

because they have been with me now for three days

and have nothing to eat.

If I send them away hungry to their homes,

they will collapse on the way,

and some of them have come a great distance.”

His disciples answered him, “Where can anyone get enough bread

to satisfy them here in this deserted place?”

Still he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”

They replied, “Seven.”

He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground.

Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them,

and gave them to his disciples to distribute,

and they distributed them to the crowd.

They also had a few fish.

He said the blessing over them

and ordered them distributed also.

They ate and were satisfied.

They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets.

There were about four thousand people.

He dismissed the crowd and got into the boat with his disciples

and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

Catholic Church Readings for Friday, February 12, 2021: Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Catholic Church Readings for Friday, February 12, 2021: Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 333

Reading I

Gn 3:1-8

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals

that the LORD God had made.

The serpent asked the woman,

“Did God really tell you not to eat

from any of the trees in the garden?”

The woman answered the serpent:

“We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;

it is only about the fruit of the tree

in the middle of the garden that God said,

‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.’”

But the serpent said to the woman:

“You certainly will not die!

No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it

your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods

who know what is good and what is evil.”

The woman saw that the tree was good for food,

pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.

So she took some of its fruit and ate it;

and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,

and he ate it.

Then the eyes of both of them were opened,

and they realized that they were naked;

so they sewed fig leaves together

and made loincloths for themselves.

When they heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the garden

at the breezy time of the day,

the man and his wife hid themselves from the LORD God

among the trees of the garden.

Responsorial Psalm

32:1-2, 5, 6, 7

R.    (1a) Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.

Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,

    whose sin is covered.

Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,

    in whose spirit there is no guile. 

R.    Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you,

    my guilt I covered not.

I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”

    and you took away the guilt of my sin. 

R.    Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven. 

For this shall every faithful man pray to you 

    in time of stress.

Though deep waters overflow,

    they shall not reach him. 

R.    Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.

You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;

    with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round. 

R.    Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.

 

Alleluia

See Acts 16:14b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Open our hearts, O Lord,

to listen to the words of your Son.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 7:31-37

Jesus left the district of Tyre

and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,

into the district of the Decapolis. 

And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment

and begged him to lay his hand on him.

He took him off by himself away from the crowd. 

He put his finger into the man’s ears

and, spitting, touched his tongue;

then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,

“Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”)

And immediately the man’s ears were opened,

his speech impediment was removed,

and he spoke plainly. 

He ordered them not to tell anyone. 

But the more he ordered them not to,

the more they proclaimed it. 

They were exceedingly astonished and they said,

“He has done all things well. 

He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” 

What is the difference between Christians and Catholics?

As a Catholic, I really dislike this question. Unfortunately it's a very common one. I am assuming that 99% of people who ask this question are not doing so maliciously or with any ill-will whatsoever. It actually makes sense. When someone says they are "Christian" generally it means a non-Catholic / non-Orthodox Christian, especially if said by someone in the United States or Canada.

I remember one time when I and my now wife were in Europe doing a tour and someone asked me this very question. I have heard it in other instances in various different ways. But this isn't just a blog about why I dislike this question, I will also attempt to the best of my ability to actually answer it!

But first, why do I dislike it? As you can probably tell, I primarily dislike this question because of the question implied within it. If you ask the "difference" between two things, it automatically implies they are, in fact, different. If I said what is the difference between an apple and an orange, it would imply those are two separate entities. If, however, one entity subsumed the other within its definition, the question would seem odd at best.

Imagine for example asking "What is the difference between a Canadian and a person?" or "What is the difference between a cell phone and technology?"

Those would seem like strange, almost unanswerable questions. It reminds me of the court room question of "Do you still beat your wife?" If answered with either "yes" or "no", it would imply the person being questioned was at some point guilty. So, the question's baseline premise must be rejected. That's exactly what I am saying with the above question. I reject the initial premise upon which it is based.

A properly phrased question in this case would be "What is the difference between non-Catholic Christians and Catholic Christians?" I know that's a bit bulky, but it maintains an important point: that Catholics are Christians. This is something which must be emphasized. Catholics are 100% Christians. In fact, we would say we are the truest and most complete form of Christianity. It would make more sense to ask "What is the difference between a Christian and a Protestant?" Even though it would make more sense, I'm not saying it does make sense. Most Protestants, in my estimation, would meet the criteria for being called Christian.

So, having said that enormous pre-amble, let's get into what actually sets Catholics apart from others who call themselves Christians?

I cannot really offer a complete and exhaustive list of differences between the two, but I can offer some observations and some of my own personal knowledge on the subject. To list every single difference would take volumes. These are just some that I thought of. If there are others you think are important, please feel free to list them in the comments. Again, this isn't meant to be an exhaustive list. Also, I may not explain everything perfectly in precise theological language.

One thing I find great about the Catholic Church is that it is very open and transparent on its teachings. If you want to know what the Church believes, you just have to look it up. One of the best sources it the Catechism. There are different versions, and not everything has the same level of authority in its teaching, but it gives you a great idea. Many people accuse Catholics of believing certain things even when they don't. There doesn't need to be any confusion. What we teach is available and knowable by anyone.

Not everything I mention here will differentiate the Catholic Church from all other Christian communities in every way. With thousands of denominations, it would be hard to find a particular doctrine not shared by one or more of them.

Sacraments
The Catholic Church has seven sacraments.

The sacraments are “efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us” (CCC 1131). In other words, a sacrament is a sacred and visible sign that is instituted by Jesus to give us grace, an undeserved gift from God. (See also CCC 1084).

These seven sacraments are the following:

Sacraments of initiation

• Baptism
• Confirmation
• Eucharist

Sacraments of healing

• Penance
• Anointing of the Sick

Sacraments of service

• Holy Orders
• Matrimony 

In Catholic theology, these sacraments impart grace, which is a free gift from God. The efficacy of the sacraments do not depend on the disposition of the person receiving them. Some of the sacraments are necessary for salvation, such as baptism, and in the case of committing a mortal sin, penance. All of the sacraments bring us closer to God. These are not merely symbolic gesture or symbols, but truly bring God's grace to us.

In some Christian denominations, there are only 2 sacraments instead of 7, and they are not considered necessary for salvation. In some cases, they are seen as merely symbolic.

Priesthood
In order to have the sacraments, the Catholic Church must have a priesthood. Although all Christians, in a certain sense, are priests, prophets, and kings, there is also a special clergy designated by God to perform various sacraments, primarily the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Priests are seen as the spiritual helpers of bishops who are spiritual successors of the Apostles. In theory, each bishop can trace his lineage all the way back to one of the original 12 apostles.

Priests take a vow of celibacy which is a matter of discipline rather than doctrine. On top of this, they make a vow of obedience and in some cases (particularly with religious priests) a vow of poverty. By "religious" priest, I mean a priest belonging to a particular religious order, as opposed to a diocesan priest.

Other Christians do not have the priesthood, especially not a ministerial one. This is a huge difference. Although, for example, both Catholics and Protestants celebrate a form of service or liturgy, Protestants view what is happening in a completely different way. The primary purpose of the Mass is to consecrate the Eucharist, which is an unbloody re-presentation of the eternal sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. It makes present his perfect atonement and allows us to do as he commanded when he said "do this in memory of me".

Most Protestant Christians do not believe in the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament (the Eucharist) and therefore they may infrequently or never have a communion service which they see as symbolic. The primary purpose of a Protestant service is to pray and hear a sermon.

This is an important distinction. As mentioned, even though many families, both Protestant and Catholic, go to their respective churches on Sunday for a service, the intention and idea behind both is dramatically different. There are, however, commonalities, such as Bible readings and a sermon, although Protestant sermons, being the central aspect of a Sunday service, can be much longer than a Catholic homily which generally lasts between 5 to 15 minutes.

Scripture and Tradition
Another big differentiator between non-Catholic and Catholic Christians is their views on Scripture and Tradition. Within Catholicism, both are seen as equal sources of belief and doctrine. However, there is some misunderstanding which must be clarified.

When the Church speaks of "Tradition", it does not simply mean things that are traditional.

The catechism really says it best, so I will quote it here:

The Tradition here in question comes from the apostles and hands on what they received from Jesus' teaching and example and what they learned from the Holy Spirit. The first generation of Christians did not yet have a written New Testament, and the New Testament itself demonstrates the process of living Tradition.

Tradition is to be distinguished from the various theological, disciplinary, liturgical or devotional traditions, born in the local churches over time. These are the particular forms, adapted to different places and times, in which the great Tradition is expressed. In the light of Tradition, these traditions can be retained, modified or even abandoned under the guidance of the Church's Magisterium.

Of note, Tradition is not something that is just simply "made up", it comes from the apostles and is transmitted through time. As the catechism explains, the apostles didn't yet have the Bible as we know it today. That didn't come about until the mid-300s or so. There was much debate about which books were in the Bible and so on. Therefore, one could say the Bible came from the Church and not the other way around.

Of course, this is not the view of non-Catholic Christians. Most of them would describe themselves as Bible-alone Christians or Sola Scriptura. This belief, in my opinion, seems to stem from the idea that the Church is not a visible structure with a hierarchy, but rather more a collection of believers. Because of this, it would be impossible to identify the true "Tradition" or the handing down of doctrine and belief from a particular source. It is also a Protestant belief that each individual Christian has the ability to interpret Scripture on his or her own, there is no Magisterium, which is the teaching authority of the Church in Catholicism. The "Tradition" of Catholic teaching simply could not exist in Protestantism. 

Saints
Of course, all Christians believe in saints. Saints are quite simply those who are in heaven. The difference in belief comes from our approach to them. Catholics believe we can ask Saints in heaven to intercede for us, which means we ask them to pray for us. It's important to note, we always ask them to pray to God on our behalf. We are not praying to them as a substitution for God, as if we are deciding: Should I pray to God or to a saint today?

That's important to know. Many people ask why Catholics don't just "go straight to God"? Why have all these middlemen? First, I would say we often DO go straight to God and this is not discouraged in any way. Secondly, asking others to pray for us is something everyone does. We may ask a relative or friend to keep us in their prayers. This goes for Catholics and non-Catholics. The difference is Catholics will ask not only relatives and friends but also saints in heaven.

There are a couple of reasons for this. First of all, we believe in the communion of saints, meaning we are all kind of in this together. Saints are close to God and are virtuous, holy and filled with grace. They are currently experiencing the beatific vision. Their intercessory prayer is powerful. As Catholics, we believe that saints can hear our prayers and bring them to God.

Purgatory and Indulgences

Purgatory in Catholic theology is a place of purification which those who are saved must spend time in order to purge or cleanse vice or attachment to sin before entering Heaven. We are told that nothing impure can enter heaven. Purgatory are for those who die in a state of grace, meaning in friendship with God, but must first be purified before entering into the beatific vision.

To me, purgatory is congruent with God's mercy. Instead of saying a person must have absolutely no attachment to sin or any disordered desires, God says a person must be in friendship with him at the time of death and that he will cleanse them of any leftover vices before they can enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Protestants do not explicitly believe in any form of purgatory for the most part. I did, however, discover that many Protestants believe in a sort of cleansing prior to entering Heaven, the difference is that it takes place instantaneously unlike in Catholic theology.

Because of our beliefs surrounding purgatory, we have other beliefs which correspond as well, such as indulgences. An indulgence is the remission of the temporal punishment due to sin. This is best explained with an example. If you steal $1000 from someone and then God forgives you for doing so, you must still, to the best of your ability, repay the amount to that person. You must make restitution. It would not be sufficient to say "well God has forgiven me, no further action necessary." This type of "repayment" cannot always take place. How could one repay gluttony, lust, sloth, etc. It's not always clear the exact "value" of these things. That's where indulgences come in. Indulgences can be granted for various actions such as prayers and fasting. Special indulgences are granted by the Church for various specific tasks such as praying at a cemetery during All Souls Day or participating in a Novena. These actions purify us and detach us from sin.

Indulgences get a little more complicated. There are some which are partial and others which are complete or plenary, meaning they either remit some or all of the temporal punishment due to sin (temporal indicating the effects of sin other than eternal consequences). One of the conditions to receive a plenary indulgence is detachment from sin, meaning we are not drawn to a particular sin. That's a big ask. If these cannot be achieved, and a person dies in God's favor, he may have to spend time in Purgatory.

🙏

There are dozens of other differences between Catholicism and non-Catholic Christianity. We could go on and on, but the above at least gives an idea. I did not provide proof, either Biblical or other, for the above, but they are certainly there. I just wanted to provide the differences, not necessarily prove them.

Hope this helps answer the question many people have asked over the years. If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to put them in the comments section.

Have a great day and God Bless You.

Catholic Church Readings for Thursday, February 11, 2021: Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Catholic Church Readings for Thursday, February 11, 2021: Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 332

Reading I

Gn 2:18-25

The LORD God said:  

“It is not good for the man to be alone.

I will make a suitable partner for him.”

So the LORD God formed out of the ground

various wild animals and various birds of the air,

and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them;

whatever the man called each of them would be its name.

The man gave names to all the cattle,

all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals;

but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.

So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man,

and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs

and closed up its place with flesh.

The LORD God then built up into a woman

the rib that he had taken from the man.

When he brought her to the man, the man said:

    “This one, at last, is bone of my bones

        and flesh of my flesh;

    this one shall be called ‘woman,’

        for out of ‘her man’ this one has been taken.”

That is why a man leaves his father and mother

and clings to his wife,

and the two of them become one flesh.

The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame.

Responsorial Psalm

128:1-2, 3, 4-5

R.    (see 1a) Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Blessed are you who fear the LORD,

    who walk in his ways!

For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;

    blessed shall you be, and favored. 

R.    Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine

    in the recesses of your home;

Your children like olive plants

    around your table. 

R.    Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Behold, thus is the man blessed

    who fears the LORD.

The LORD bless you from Zion:

    may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem

    all the days of your life.

R.    Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Alleluia

Jas 1:21bc

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you

and is able to save your souls.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 7:24-30

Jesus went to the district of Tyre.

He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it,

but he could not escape notice.

Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him.

She came and fell at his feet.

The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth,

and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.

He said to her, “Let the children be fed first.

For it is not right to take the food of the children

and throw it to the dogs.”

She replied and said to him,

“Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.”

Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go.

The demon has gone out of your daughter.”

When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed

and the demon gone.

Youtube SHUTS DOWN Lifesitenews Channel!

It's getting worse by the day. Every time I see any kind of Catholic and/or conservative social media page including Twitter, Facebook, or Youtube, I'm a little surprised. I wonder how they are still online and how long they can last.

Well, another one has been taken down. This time it's Lifesitenew's Youtube channel - see their article. What their exact infraction was is unknown. All their videos are gone! Sometimes Youtube will demonitize videos, but this is different. The videos are actually missing. Hopefully they had backups!

Check out this article where they tell you where you can find their videos now.

This is really getting out of hand!

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-youtube-shuts-down-lifesites-channel-every-video-completely-gone?utm_source=featured&utm_campaign=standard

Catholic Church Readings for Wednesday, February 10, 2021: Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin

Catholic Church Readings for Wednesday, February 10, 2021: Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin

Lectionary: 331

Reading I

Gn 2:4b-9, 15-17

At the time when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens 

while as yet there was no field shrub on earth

and no grass of the field had sprouted,

for the LORD God had sent no rain upon the earth

and there was no man to till the soil, 

but a stream was welling up out of the earth

and was watering all the surface of the ground

the LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground

and blew into his nostrils the breath of life,

and so man became a living being.

Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,

and he placed there the man whom he had formed.

Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow

that were delightful to look at and good for food,

with the tree of life in the middle of the garden

and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The LORD God then took the man

and settled him in the garden of Eden,

to cultivate and care for it.

The LORD God gave man this order:

“You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden

except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 

From that tree you shall not eat;

the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die.”

Responsorial Psalm

104:1-2a, 27-28, 29bc-30

R.    (1a)  O bless the Lord, my soul!

Bless the LORD, O my soul!

    O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!

You are clothed with majesty and glory,

    robed in light as with a cloak.

R.    O bless the Lord, my soul!

All creatures look to you

    to give them food in due time.

When you give it to them, they gather it;

    when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

R.    O bless the Lord, my soul!

If you take away their breath, they perish

    and return to their dust.

When you send forth your spirit, they are created,

    and you renew the face of the earth. 

R.    O bless the Lord, my soul!

Alleluia

See Jn 17:17b, 17a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Your word, O Lord, is truth:

consecrate us in the truth.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 7:14-23

Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them,

“Hear me, all of you, and understand.

Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;

but the things that come out from within are what defile.” 

When he got home away from the crowd

his disciples questioned him about the parable.

He said to them,

“Are even you likewise without understanding?

Do you not realize that everything

that goes into a person from outside cannot defile,

since it enters not the heart but the stomach

and passes out into the latrine?”

(Thus he declared all foods clean.)

“But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him.

From within the man, from his heart,

come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,

adultery, greed, malice, deceit,

licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.

All these evils come from within and they defile.”