Sin
By Peace | August 17, 2008
The Definition of Sin
Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbour caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as ‘an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law.”
Sin is an offense against God:”Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight.” Sin sets itself against God’s love for us and turns our hearts away from it. Like the first sin, it is disobedience, a revolt against God through the will to become ‘like gods’, knowing and determining good and evil. Sin is thus ‘love of oneself even to contempt of God’. In this proud self-exaltation, sin is diametrically opposed to the obedience of Jesus, which achieves our salvation.
It is precisely in the Passion, when the mercy of Christ is about to vanquish it, that sin most clearly manifests its violence and its many forms: unbelief, murderous hatred, shunning and mockery by the leaders and the people, Pilate’s cowardice and the cruelty of the soldiers, Judas’ betrayal — so bitter to Jesus, Peter’s denial and the disciples’ fight. However, at the very hour of darkness, the hour of the prince of this world, the sacrifice of Christ secretly becomes the source from which the forgivenss of our sins will pour forth inexhaustibly.
Mercy and Sin
The Gospel is the revelation in Jesus Christ of God’s mercy to sinners. The angel announced to Joseph,”You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” The same is true of the Eucharist, the sacrament of redemption:”This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
“God created us: but he did not will to save us without us.”
To receive his mercy, we must admit our faults. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
As St Paul affirms,”Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” But to do its work grace must uncover sin so as to convert our hearts and bestow on us “righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. Like a physician who probes the wound before treating it, God, by his Word and by his Spirit, casts a living light on sin:
Conversion requires convincing of sin; it includes the interior judgment of conscience, and this, being a proof of the action of the Spirit of truth in man’s inmost being, becomes at the same time the start of a new grant of grace and love: “Receive the Holy Spirit”. Thus in this ‘convincing concerning sin’ we discover a double gift: the gift of the truth of conscience and the gift of the certainty of redemption. The Spirit of truth is the Consoler.
Source: Catechism of the Catholic Church
Seven Deadly Sins
Confession of Sins
History of Sins
Venial Sins and Mortal Sins
Topics: Church, God, Teachings, View All | No Comments »
Mary, Mother of the Church
By Peace | August 16, 2008
Mary — Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church
Since the virgin Mary’s role in the mystery of Christ and the Spirit has been treated, it is fitting now to consider her place in the mystery of the Church. “The Virgin Mary… is acknowledged and honoured as being truly the Mother of God and of the redeemer…. She is ‘clearly the mother of the members of Christ’…since she has by her charity joined in bringing about the birth of believers in the Church, who are members of its head.” “Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church”.
Mary’s Motherhood with Regard to The Church
Mary’s role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly from it. “This union of the mother with the Son in the work of salvation is made manifest from the time of Christ’s virginal conception up to his death”; it is made manifest above all at the hour of his Passion:
Thus the Blessed Virgin advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, and faithfully persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross. There she stood, in keeping with the divine plan, enduring with her only begotten Son the intensity of his suffering, joining herself with his sacrifice in her mother’s heart, and lovingly consenting to the immolation of this victim, born of her: to be given, by the same Christ Jesus dying on the cross, as a mother to his disciple, with these words:”Woman, behold your son.”
After her Son’s Ascension, Mary “aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers. In her association with the apostles and several women, “we also see Mary by her prayers imploring the gift of the Spirit, who had already overshadowed her in the Annunciation.”
….also in her Assumption
“Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.” The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians:
In giving birth you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life. You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death.
…. she is our Mother in the order of grace
By her complete adherence to the Father’s will, to his Son’s redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church’s model of faith and charity. Thus she is a ‘preeminent and … wholly unique member of the Church”; indeed, she is the ‘exemplary realization’ (typus) of the Church.
Her role in relation to the Church to all humanity goes still further. “In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the Saviour’s work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace.”
“This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfilment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation… Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.”
“Mary’s function as a mother of men in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its power. But the Blessed Virgin’s salutary influence on men… flows forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on his mediation, depends entirely on it, and draws all its power from it.”
“No creature could ever be counted along with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer; but just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways both by his ministers and the faithful, and as the one goodness of God is radiated in different ways among his creatures, so also the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise to a manifold cooperation which is but a sharing in this one source.”
Source: Catechism of the Catholic Church
Topics: Church, God, View All, special day | 1 Comment »
Mystery of Salvation
By Peace | August 15, 2008
Today the church celebrates Assumption of Mary, the Mother of God, the Queen of Apostles. This is the first time I EVEN know about the meaning of Assumption of Mary, and the first time I know about this FEAST.
Last night, I attended Mass, was excited about it and really SAW WONDERS. But back at home, “EARTHQUAKE” struck me.
But just now, JUST ONLY. I was crying, and Richard asked,”WHY?” I tell him anything he also don’t understand. I tell him he also don’t believe. I tell him about Puma…. not the first time, not the second time, not the third time now. Do you still believe the existence of God? Do you still believe in Jesus, the son of God and also is God? Whatever, no point in explaining so much. Once I tell him, he is going to be a wet blanket.
But I want to THANK BIOFOCUS INTERNATIONAL. Thank you for provoking me. For provoking me, I was stirred, for provoking me, I see the truth, I found the courage. I got the SPIRIT. THANK YOU BIOFOCUS. All is over, you done a service to me and I paid money to you. I gave my comments on you and you WANT TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST YOUR CUSTOMER, and you are at the winning end. You have all my personal information. A BIG COMPANY want to sue a ordinary ‘beggar’? A BIG COMPANY with prestigious celebrities photos want to SUE A BROKE WOMAN? COME, EVERYBODY COME HERE, COME AND SUE ME. I WELCOME YOU. COME AND SUE ME.
Thank you for all the sarcastic remarks also, woman or women. We are all women and see who is helping who, WOMEN. WOMEN ask yourself. You know who you are.
Peace or no peace, not for you to say, is for me to know myself. Thank you so much for all your time to tell me about your broken English, woman or women.
I must say what I experienced and what I see, for that is all the truth and that is all that works in me.
If pictures are not enough, if words are still not enough, then let my life be the one that tells.
God Speaks. God Lives. Living things died, People died, but stones remain and words remain. Bible, the treasure of the earth. Bible, the words of God, passed down. Bible, my one and only precious Jerusalem Bible, presented to Richard, my husband, MY POSSESSION, my greatest Gift From God, gift after gift I get….
I was led to this page, I was surprised to see the words…. I was so touched by the words. I shed tears, deeply moved and touched.
Richard looked at me, “Why you cry?” The wind blew on me. The wind blew the pages of the book. It came to 1 Corinthians, unknowingly to me. I thought I wanted to look at Ephesians, but why all of a sudden, it came to 1 Corinthians…..
As scripture says: I shall destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing all the learning of the learned. Where are the philosophers now?……
It’s about human wisdom God is trying to say to me. I am so touch by the words written in there. Saint Paul wrote: I, Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle, together with brother Sostheness, send greetings to the church of God in Corinth, to the holy people of Jesus Christ, who are called to take their place among all the saints everywhere who pray to our Lord Jesus Christ; for he is their Lord no less than ours. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send you grace and peace.
I never stop thanking God, for all the graces you have received through Jesus Christ. I thank him that you have been enriched in so many ways, especially in your teachers and preachers; the witness of Christ has indeed been strong among you so that you will not be without any of the gifts of the Spirit while you are waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed; and he will keep you steady and without blame until the last day, the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, because God by calling you has joined you to his Son, Jesus Christ; and God is faithful…
Friends betrayed me, husband can betrayed me, PEOPLE CAN SUE ME, God will never betray me. Puma was waiting at the slope this time, when I finished my shopping at NTUC Fairprice…
Come, come and receive,
come and believe,
come and embrace the cross.
Topics: Church, God, Jesus, Saints, View All, bible, special day | 3 Comments »
Manna From Heaven
By Peace | August 14, 2008
When the sixth day came, they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each man. And all the rulers of the congregation came to Moses for directions. And he said to them,”This is what the Lord has said: Tomorrow is the day of rest, the Lord’s sabbath. Bake what you want to bake today, and boil what you want to boil, and what is left you may save, to keep for tomorrow.”
So they laid it away until the next morning, as Moses told them, and it did not smell bad, nor was there a single worm in it. And Moses said,”Eat today, for today is the Lord’s sabbath. Today you shall not find bread in the field. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, there shall be none.” And so it was, for some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, and they found none. And the Lord said to Moses,”How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? Because I have given you the sabbath, I give you the bread for two days on the sixth day. Let no man go out to seek food on the seventh day.”
Now the house of Israel called the name of the food manna. It was white like coriander seeds, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.
And Moses spoke to the people, saying,”The Lord has commanded that an omer of manna shall be kept for your descendants, so that they may see the bread which was given to you in the wilderness, when you were brought from the land of Egypt.”
And he commanded Aaron to take a pot and to put an omer of manna into it, to be kept for this purpose.
And the children of Israel ate manna for forty years, until they came to the borders of the land of Canaan.
Topics: Food, God, View All, bible | No Comments »
The Bread Is Gathered
By Peace | August 13, 2008
Then God said to Moses,”You shall see. I will rain bread down from heaven for you. The people shall go out and gather a certain amount every day, so that I may test them, to see whether they will obey my laws or not. And it shall be arranged that on the sixth day they shall prepare what they bring in, which shall be twice as much as they gather on other days.”
Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel,”When evening comes, you shall know that it is the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt. And when morning comes, you shall see the glory of the Lord. For he has heard your murmurings against him. Your murmurings are not against us — for what are we? — but against the Lord.”
And while Aaron was speaking to the congregation of the children of Israel, they looked out over the wilderness, and there they saw the glory of the Lord appear in a cloud.
Then God spoke to Moses, saying,”I have heard the murmuring of the children of Israel. Speak to them and say ‘In the evening you shall eat meat, and in the morning you hsall have your fill of bread, and so shall you know that I am the Lord your God.’”
And it came to pass that in the evening quails flew up all over the camp, and in the morning dew lay all around the people. And when the dew had disappeared, they saw lying on the face of the wilderness small round things, as small as hoarfrost, on the ground. And Moses said to them,”This is the bread which the Lord has given to you to eat. And this is the commandment of the Lord: You are to gather an omer (about a tenth of a bushel) for each man, depending on how many you have to feed. Each man is to gather for those in his tents.”
So the children of Israel went out and gathered the bread. Some took more and some took less, but when they measured it with an omer, those who had gathered a great deal had nothing over, and those who had gathered little had enough. Each man had enough to feed his people.
“Do not leave any of it until the morning.” Moses said.
Nevertheless they did not listen to Moses, and some of them left it until the next morning, and it bred worms and smelled foul. And Moses was angry with them.
So they gathered the bread every morning, each man according to those he had to feed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted.
Topics: Food, God, View All, bible | 1 Comment »
