Ten Facts Most Catholics Don’t Know (But Should!)

By Gary Zimac

Every time I hear someone claim to be an “ex-Catholic”, a sense of sadness comes over me.  In just about every case, people leave the Catholic Faith due to a lack of understanding.  After all, if Catholics truly believed that they were members of the one, true Church founded by Christ (and necessary for their salvation), nobody would ever leave!  In an effort to help clarify what the Catholic Church teaches, I have compiled a list of 10 important facts that every Catholic should know.  More than simply Catholic trivia, these are important concepts that can help us to better understand and defend our beliefs.  In no particular order, these items have been compiled based upon my work at Following The Truth and my own study of the Catholic Faith.

1. Women Will Never Be Priests – Often incorrectly lumped in with the subject of married priests, this is a doctrine that has been infallibly decided and will not change.  In 1994, Pope John Paul II issued an Apostolic Letter, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, in which he declared once and for all that “the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.”  Unlike the issue of married priests (which could possibly change), women’s ordination is an impossibility that will not happen.  It is not a “glass ceiling” or the Church’s attempt to hold back women.  Instead, it is an infallible recognition that men and women have different roles and that Christ instituted a male priesthood.

2. Fridays Are Still Days Of Penance – Ask almost anyone and they will tell you that Catholics are no longer required to abstain from meat on Fridays throughout the year.  However, the current Code of Canon Law (CIC) states that, with the exception of solemnities, “All Fridays through the year and the time of Lent are penitential days and times throughout the entire Church.” (CIC 1250)  Furthermore, “Abstinence from eating meat or another food according to the prescriptions of the conference of bishops is to be observed on Fridays throughout the year unless they are solemnities.” (CIC 1251)  In the United States, the bishops have declared that it is permissible to substitute some other form of penance, but we are still urged to fast from “something” in remembrance of the Lord’s death on the cross.

3. The Bible Is A Catholic Book – Did you ever wonder how the Bible came into being?  A little known, but easily documented fact is that the books of the Bible were compiled by the Catholic Church.  For many years after Christ ascended into Heaven, there was debate about which scriptural writings were inspired by God.  The canon of Scripture (the books of the Bible) was first formally decided at the Synod of Rome in 382.  This decision was upheld at the Councils of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397).  At these Catholic Church councils, the same 46 Old Testament and 27 New Testament books that appear in today’s Catholic Bibles were declared to be inspired by God.  As a side note, approximately 1200 years after this decision was made, Martin Luther and the Protestant reformers removed 7 books from the Old Testament.  As a result, most Protestant Bibles are still missing these 7 books.

4. The Mass Is The Same Sacrifice As Calvary – The biggest mistake that many Catholics make is treating the Holy Mass as “just another church service”, similar to those held by other religions.  In the Mass, Christ’s Sacrifice on the Cross is made present, its memory is celebrated and its saving power is applied.  The Council of Trent teaches that Christ left a visible sacrifice to His Church “in which that bloody sacrifice which was once offered on the Cross should be made present, its memory preserved to the end of the world, and its salvation-bringing power applied to the forgiveness of the sins which are daily committed by us.”  When we attend Mass, we are mystically transported to Calvary, where we can unite ourselves with the Lord’s Sacrifice to the Father!

5. Annulments Are Not Catholic Divorces – Unlike the legal process known as “divorce” (in which a marriage is terminated), a declaration of nullity (annulment) states that a valid marriage never existed.  This decision is based upon the finding that on the day that marriage vows were exchanged, some essential elements were lacking.  This process is completely in conformity with the Catholic teaching regarding the indissolubility of marriage.  Incidentally, the granting of an annulment does not render children illegitimate.

6. In Vitro Fertilization Is Morally Unacceptable – Many Catholics suffering from infertility utilize this process in the hopes of conceiving children, while remaining unaware that the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) declares it “morally unacceptable”(CCC 2377).  In the Vatican Instruction,Donum Vitae, the Church states “…in conformity with the traditional doctrine relating to the goods of marriage and the dignity of the person, the Church remains opposed from the moral point of view to homologous ‘in vitro’ fertilization. Such fertilization is in itself illicit and in opposition to the dignity of procreation and of the conjugal union, even when everything is done to avoid the death of the human embryo.”

7. There Is No Salvation Outside Of The Catholic Church – Originally stated by St. Cyprian, the Latin axiom “Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus” reminds us that there is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church.  This dogma was declared at the Fourth Lateran Council and is a source of confusion for Catholics and non-Catholics alike.  According to the Catechism, all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is His Body.  It does not mean that non-Catholics cannot achieve salvation.  Individuals who are unaware that the Catholic Church is the one, true Church may still achieve salvation through the merits of the Church, despite their lack of knowledge.

8. In An Emergency, Anyone Can Baptize – Although the ordinary ministers of Baptism are bishops, priests and deacons, anyone can baptize in an emergency, even a non-baptized person.  This extraordinary decision can be attributed to the necessity of Baptism for salvation and the Church’s desire to make it readily available to all.

9. Hell And Purgatory Still Exist –  Contrary to the belief of many Catholics, the Church still teaches that “the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin, descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, eternal fire” (CCC 1035)  Furthermore, “all who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation, but after death they undergo purification, so to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.” (CCC 1030)  This purification process, formally declared by the Church at the Councils of Florence and Trent, is known as Purgatory.

10. Catholics Don’t Worship Mary And The Saints – Many Catholics are confused about the role of the Blessed Mother and the Saints.  Should we pray to Mary and the Saints or should we go “right to the top” and pray to God?  In a nutshell, the Catholic Faith teaches that we must worship God alone.  Mary and the Saints are to be honored, not worshipped.  However, their intercession can be extremely powerful and emulating their virtues can put us on the road to Heaven.

While the above list only scratches the surface of the robust Catholic Faith, it provides a glimpse into the depth of Catholic teaching.  Further explanation on these and other topics can be found by examining the Code of Canon Law and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, both of which can be found online at the Vatican website (www.vatican.va).  Not only will studying the teachings of the Catholic Church enable us to better defend her when challenged, it will help us to become closer to Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who founded our Church 2,000 years ago.

A Commentary on the Sacrament of Marriage and Holy Orders

In eleventh grade I wrote the paper you can read below you. I think it is a good idea to post it, and to supplement it I have added more objections and replies at the bottom of the page under "MORE:".

I hope you enjoy! God Bless.

The Faith of Christ in Pope Francis's Encyclical 'Lumen Fidei'

"Faith," Pope Francis says, "does not merely gaze at Jesus, but sees things as Jesus himself sees them,with his own eyes: it is a participation in his way of seeing."  (LF, No. 18)  Faith is "sharing in Jesus' way of seeing things," both God and things in God.  (LF, No. 19)  By our faith, "we see with the [spiritual] eyes of Jesus," and "receive in a certain way his vision" of God the Father.  (LF, No. 21)  Clearly, Pope Francis reiterates the traditional doctrine that Jesus had an immediate, intimate vision of God.

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (Catholic Online) - In a recent article on Catholic Online entitled "Believing in the Jesus without Faith," I addressed the issue of whether Jesus had human faith or not.  According to the Church's doctrine, the answer is he did not.  

As the Son of God, Jesus in his human nature was graced with the "immediate vision," the "intimate vision", or the "beatific vision" (they are all synonymous) of God.  Having a direct vision of God makes the theological virtue of faith--belief in something unseen or not completely known--needless for Jesus.  

In his first encyclical, Lumen Fidei, Pope Francis insists on this reality.  Pope Francis insists that it is because Jesus, as the Son of God, sees God face to face in his humanity that he is worthy of belief.  

"Faith," Pope Francis says, "does not merely gaze at Jesus, butsees things as Jesus himself sees them, with his own eyes: it is a participation in his way of seeing."  (LF, No. 18)  Faith is "sharing in Jesus' way of seeing things," both God and things in God.  (LF, No. 19)  By our faith, "we see with the [spiritual] eyes of Jesus," and "receive in a certain way his vision" of God the Father.  (LF, No. 21)  Clearly, Pope Francis reiterates the traditional doctrine that Jesus had an immediate, intimate vision of God.

It was because God the Son took on our flesh that Jesus "also saw the Father humanly, within the setting of a journey unfolding in time.'" (LF, No. 18)  So, here again, Pope Francis reiterates the traditional teaching that Jesus was viator simul et comprehensor, a wayfarer like us, but, because he was the Word of God, he also enjoyed a full, albeit human comprehension of God unlike any other human being on earth that ever as, that is, or that ever will be.

There is, however, a kind of faith, a narrow but very important kind of fidelity, which may be found in Jesus Christ.  This faith--found not in any man or idol--is found only in "the God who is fidelity (LF, No. 10), and is called "covenant fidelity" (LF, No. 23).  

The Holy Trinity who was revealed by Christ is "the God who is Amen, the 'God of truth,'" and it is He who is "the enduring foundation of covenant fidelity."  (LF, No. 23)

The words "covenant fidelity" are an effort to translate the untranslatable Hebrew word 'emûnāh (אמונה) and its virtual partner-words and well-nigh synonyms, hesed (חסד), emet (אמת), tsedaqah (צדקה), andmishpat (משפט).  These words are frequently found as the foundations underlying the Hebrew wordberith (ברית), meaning covenant.  

The "covenant fidelity" of God is what underlies the covenant on God's part and so makes it worthy and reasonable of belief.  The various Hebrew words we might all translate as "covenant fidelity" describe the underlying foundation rock that is God: the immovable, unshakeable and reliable love, fidelity, truth, and mercy of God which underlies any covenant with God, but especially that ultimate covenant of Jesus Christ.

God--being God--can absolutely be trusted with our entire self, with our entire life.  This "covenant fidelity" in Christ is found in him by virtue of the fact that he was the Son of God.  Pope Francis's encyclical Lumen Fidei makes specific mention of it.  As the encyclical explains:

"In the Bible, faith is expressed by the Hebrew word 'emûnāh, derived from the verb 'amān whose root means "to uphold". The term 'emûnāh can signify both God's fidelity and man's faith. The man of faith gains strength by putting himself in the hands of the God who is faithful."  (LF, No. 10)  

As the encyclical explains, this double meaning of the Hebrew word has also found its way into the Greek word for faith (pistōs) and the Latin word for faith (fidelis).

God's fidelity is something entirely other than its counterpart, man's obedience of faith.  They are, it might be said, the two sides of the coin of covenant.  "As Saint Augustine explains: 'Man is faithful (fidelis) when he believes in God and his promises; God is faithful (fidelis) when he grants to man what he has promised.'"  (LF, No. 10)

In the Scriptures, "truth and fidelity go together: the true God is the God of fidelity who keeps his promises and makes possible, in time, a deeper understanding of his plan."  (LF, No. 28)

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."  (John 14:6)  Jesus was the "righteousness of God."  (2 Cor. 5:21)  In short, being both God and man, Jesus was, in human form, the "covenant fidelity" of God.

By assuming the nature of man in Jesus, the Son of God, though in the form of God, "humbled himself, becoming obedient, even unto death, death on a cross."  (Phil. 2:6-8)  In his human nature, Jesus fully and freely submitted his human intellect and will to the God the father that he knew.  In reference to his relationship to God the Father, "the Son of God, Jesus Christ . . . was not 'yes' and 'no,' but in him it was always 'yes.'" (2 Cor. 1:19)

It is impossible to forget those words directed to God the Father central to the entirety of Christ's life but which are most poignant at the Christ's agony at the Garden of Gethsemane: "Not as I will, but as you will."  (Matt. 26:39).  Jesus "becomes the definitive 'Yes' to all the promises" of God, and so "the ultimate basis of our 'Amen' to God."  (LF, No. 15)  In light of the resurrection, it was because he was obedient unto death that Jesus revealed the "the utter reliability of God's love."  (LF, No. 17)  

As God, Jesus enjoys the "covenant fidelity" of God.  At the same time, as man, Jesus is the perfectly obedient response to the "covenant fidelity" of God. 

So, in his humanity, Jesus showed perfect obedience to the "covenant fidelity" of God.  In his humanity, Jesus had a perfect obedience, what we might call the obedience of vision.  

Unlike Israel, whose history "shows us the temptation of unbelief" (LF, No. 13) and disobedience, or the Apostles whose chief denied Christ three times (e.g., Luke 22), or the Father who sought Jesus out to cure his son and who believed, but prayed that Jesus might help his unbelief (Mark 9:24), or the rich young ruler who could not follow Jesus (Mark 10:17-27), Jesus was perfectly obedient to the will of the Father.

In Jesus, then, we have in one person both the revelation of God's "covenant fidelity" and a perfect reciprocal human response of covenant obedience.  We have in Jesus both sides of the coin of covenant.  Jesus, in his person, is the entire New Covenant. God's part, and man's part.

We can participate in Christ's perfect obedience, Christ's obedience of vision, by the obedience of faith.  "The obedience of faith . . . must be our response to the God who reveals.  By faith one freely submits oneself entirely to God making the full submission of intellect and will to God who reveals, and willing as assenting to the revelation give by God."  (LF, fn 23).

By the obedience of faith, we make Christ's covenant ours.

Here, our model is Mary.  "The Mother of the Lord is the perfect icon of faith."  "In Mary, the Daughter of Zion, is fulfilled the long history of faith of the Old Testament."  (LF, No. 58)  

How does Mary do this?  By Mary "following in the footsteps of her Son," the "faith journey of the Old Testament" found its final fulfillment in Mary.  In Mary, therefore, faith was "taken up into the following of Christ," being "transformed by him," and so faith allows us to "enter[] into the gaze of the incarnate Son of God," who, unlike any human being who ever walked this earth since Adam's fall, saw God the Father intimately, directly, immediately.  (LF, No. 58).

By: Andrew M. Greenwell, an attorney licensed to practice law in Texas, practicing in Corpus Christi, Texas.  He is married with three children.  He maintains a blog entirely devoted to the natural law calledLex Christianorum.  You can contact Andrew at agreenwell@harris-greenwell.com.

From Catholic.org

Syria: Franciscan monk killed in raid on monastery

(Vatican Radio) The Custody of the Holy Land has announced the death of Fr Franҫois Mourad, a Syrian monk, and the assault of the Franciscan monastery of St Anthony of Padua in Ghassanieh, a predominantly Christian village in the district of Jisr al-Shughur in the province of Idlib, near the border with Turkey.
Father François Mourad was apparently alone in the monastery when it was completely pillaged.The circumstances surrounding his death are not clear.
Father François was well known in this region to which he retired several years ago to live as a hermit. After completing his novitiate in Rome as a Franciscan of the Custody, he heard a more urgent call from the Lord to lead a contemplative life.
Since the beginning of the war in Syria, he left his hermitage to be with a friar in fragile health and to serve a neighboring community of religious sisters, as well as to seek a bit more security. The tragic circumstances of his death are particularly painful.
The Custody’s presence in Syria is multifaceted, having always followed its mission of service to the people and continuing to do so in these troubled times, without political or religious distinction.
Fr. Mourad was just one of the many men and women religious putting their faith on the front line in Syria, refusing to abandon the communities they serve, Christian and Muslim. They stay because they want to be a sign of hope, light and comfort to people in the midst of destruction. Mons. Kozar is President of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA).
Speaking to Emer McCarthy he described how at their recent meeting here at the Vatican’s Congregation for Eastern Churches, the Reunion of Aid Agencies for Oriental Churches (ROACO) heard from representatives of this silent network that stretches across Syria.
Among them Franciscan priest, Fr. Hanna. He lives in a small village north of Aleppo the scene of a constant tug of war between government forces and rebels He spoke of how he rings the bell to mark the hours of the day and as a sign of hope for the whole population. In Damascus, Aleppo, Homs and other cities, the Sisters of the Good Shepherd also provide continuous assistance to the displaced, particularly women and children in distress, bringing clean clothes, food and words of comfort.
“More than money these people need our support” said Mons. Kozar. “They need us to lobby our governments, our Congressmen our representatives to put an end to this war now!”

What Holds Your Sanity Together?

Bricks and Mortar

(Reason and Faith)

In the year 1637, René Descartes wrote the famous phrase "Cogito ergo sum"  or in English “I think, therefore I am.” (French: Je pense, donc je suis), found in part IV of his Discourse on the Method. This phrase in turn has helped earn him the title of the “Father of Modern Philosophy”. Now even though this statement opens the doors to a hyper skepticism, it is not a new thought. The ancient sophists were among the first to question all of reality, including that of the philosopher Gorgias, who seems to have argued that there is nothing and even if there was something nothing can be known of it. However, to begin thinking like this, on the matrix and the post modern era, one might agree that this type of hyper skepticism leads to a paralysis. A prison of solipsism. In this all logic and reason is stopped, because nothing more can be known. Still, logic and reason have and do progress, despite some people arguing only the self exists, and this can be attributed to a balance of faith and reason.

It was the philosopher David Hume who said that "Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions" (A Treatise of Human Nature) which can be explained in a metaphor saying that our axiomatic roots are in the soil of personal and emotive experience and the flower of reason grows from that soil (A Private Conversation). In other words all men have to start somewhere to arrive anywhere.

In searching for a balance, a perfect starting point in which all men travel down their journey of conscious life, it seems to most likely begin with the self (Cogito ergo sum). However, the next step must be in turn a belief of some kind, otherwise one will be trapped in the dungeon of only self existence as stated before. Now this next step, this belief, is often our natural belief in our senses. However, this is a belief nonetheless. This claim that a human being has hands, eyes or feet, that one can smell or taste is not a rational claim from speculation. It is actually a belief, and it is a belief because there is no objective way to prove that a man is not living his life in something comparable to the 1999 film, the Matrix.

However, just because a man cannot know something with one-hundred percent certainty, does not mean humans cannot still reason and progress with the use of both faith and reason. As Pope John Paul II said “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.” (Fides et Ratio).

Now, the metaphor one might like to use to fully understand this harmony of faith and reason is that of a wall. In masonry, when building a brick wall, both bricks and mortar must be used (Tuckpointing / Repointing Masonry Walls). If the wall were made entirely out of bricks it could easily collapse, and even more so if one tried to make an entire wall out of mortar. In this one can say both must be together in harmony, the same way as faith and reason must be in harmony. Faith, in this analogy, is the mortar and the bricks are the reason.

Mankind begins with the knowledge of the self, “Cogito ergo sum”, and from this first “brick” man chooses to make the leap of faith and lays down the mortar. This leap of faith is the act of believing in or accepting something intangible or unprovable, or without empirical evidence. A concept given to mankind by the philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard. However, he himself did not use the term, as he called the leap of faith, a leap to faith. In his book Concluding Unscientific Postscript, he characterizes the heart of the leap of faith, the leap. He has said "Thinking can turn toward itself in order to think about itself and skepticism can emerge. But this thinking about itself never accomplishes anything." This is Kierkegaard addressing, once again, that one does not want to be trapped in the prison of solipsism, being paralysed and never moving forward.

In addition, it is just as important to keep in mind that taking a reckless leap of faith is not good either. In this one can get lost in a sea or web of untruths and lies. The famous saying tells mankind “You cannot always believe what you read.” This stands true, as bias and agendas roam this earth. One of the best examples of this may be the infamous website titled “Martin Luther King, Jr.: A True Historical Examination” (http://www.martinlutherking.org/). On this site is an abundance of hateful and slanderous actions that are claimed to have been performed by Mr. King. However, when one does a little research one finds that the site is operated by Stormfront, a community of White Nationalists (http://www.stormfront.org/forum/).

Now even despite the lies of this world one must continue to think and take leaps of faith. Mankind does not want to be trapped in soliptism nor the web of treacherous lies. However, how then does one know what to place their faith in if nothing is certain.

The answer is that of using the same method that scientist and historians use to conclude on the universal facts in their realm of expertise. It is a balance of reasoning and odds that can let one know where to place one's faith.

A good example of this would be the argument for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in the early first century. The Gospel of Basilides objected to the reality of the passion saying that there was no suffering of Jesus Christ leading up to and including the crucifixion. It in turn works with the Islamic belief that Jesus was never crucified as stated in the Qur'an, "And because of their saying: We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, Allah's messenger - they slew him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so unto them; and lo! those who disagree concerning it are in doubt thereof; they have no knowledge thereof save pursuit of a conjecture; they slew him not for certain." (Sura 4 Verse 157). However in contrast to this claim, there are many works that say Christ was crucified. For example, all four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) in the Bible claim that Jesus Christ was crucified. In addition, the story of the Crucifixion is backed by the historians Josephus and Tacitus. This and the abundance of claims saying that the crucifixion did occur is contrasted to the claims that it did not. In addition to the reliability of the sources saying it occurred versus the reliability of the opposers is also contrasted. Historians then use this information to say it is safe to say that Jesus Christ lived and was crucified.

Now the question is, “is there a chance Christ was not crucified” and the answer is of course there is a chance. However, with what one can know using tiny leaps of faith along the way one can believe. It is with these tiny leaps of faith that mankind can build their wall of faith and reason. It is with this that humanity does not have to be trapped either in a web of lies or paralysis of soliptism. In Aristotle's model of virtue, in which he uses it to find the golden mean between two vices, mankind can use this in order to find the mean between the two vices of hyper skepticism and gullibility. This golden mean is that of the two wings Faith and Reason, Brick and Mortar.

The supreme function of reason is to show man that some things are beyond reason. - Blaise Pascal

Works Cited

Descartes, René, Elizabeth Sanderson Haldane, G. R. T. Ross, David Eugene Smith, William Hale White, Marcia L. Latham, Amelia Hutchison Stirling, René Descartes, René Descartes, René Descartes, and Benedictus De Spinoza. Rules for the Direction of the Mind. Discourse on the Method. Meditations on First Philosophy. Objections against the Meditations and Replies. The Geometry. Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1955. Print.

Eddy, Paul R., and Gregory A. Boyd. The Jesus Legend: A Case for the Historical Reliability of the Synoptic Jesus Tradition. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007. Print.

Ganeri, Anita. The Quran. London: Evans, 2002. Print.

Grant, Robert M. Gnosticism; a Source Book of Heretical Writings from the Early Christian Period. New York: Harper, 1961. Print.

Habermas, Gary R., and Gary R. Habermas. The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ. Joplin, MO: College Pub., 1996. Print.

Hannay, Alastair, and Gordon Daniel Marino. The Cambridge Companion to Kierkegaard. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1998. Print.

The Holy Bible: Translated from the Latin Vulgate : Diligently Compared with the Hebrew, Greek, and Other Editions in Divers Languages : With Annotations, References, and an Historical and Chronological Index : The Whole Revised and Diligently Compared with the Latin Vulagte. Rockford, IL: Tan and Pub., 1971. Print.

Hume, David, and L. A. Selby-Bigge. A Treatise of Human Nature by David Hume. Oxford: Clarendon, 1897. Print.

John, Paul. Encyclical Letter, Fides Et Ratio, of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II: To the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Relationship between Faith and Reason. Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1998. Print.

Kierkegaard, Søren, David F. Swenson, and Walter Lowrie. Kierkegaard's Concluding Unscientific Postscript;. Princeton: Princeton UP, for American Scandinavian Foundation, 1941. Print.

Long, Zachary. "A Private Conversation." 2013 Conversation. Springfield, Virginia. 16 Apr. 2013. Conversation.

The Matrix. Prod. Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski. Dir. Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski. By Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski. 1999.

Russell, Bertrand. A History of Western Philosophy. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1972. Print.

"Tuckpointing / Repointing Masonry Walls." Tuckpointing / Repointing Masonry Walls. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.

Van, Voorst Robert E. Jesus outside the New Testament: An Introduction to the Ancient Evidence. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans Pub., 2000. Print.

Homily

About the source of living water and the dry cistern

"Be amazed at this, O heavens, and shudder with sheer horror, says the Lord. Two evils have my people done: they have forsaken Me, the sourceof living waters. They have dug, themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that hold no water (Jeremiah 2: 12-13)."

Is this spoken only for then or also for us today? Certainly for us today. Is this spoken only for the Jewish people or also for our people? Certainly for our people also. As it is said: Do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness. It was said not only for that time but also for all times and not only for the Jewish people but for all peoples. And so this also. This is valid today and always, for all peoples and for every man who turns his back on the source of living water in his own backyard and digs a cistern and drinks rain water from it.

The source of living water is the Lord Himself; inexhaustible, copius and sweet. The cistern is the work of every man which is performed in opposition to God and God's law and from which men expect progress, happiness and satisfaction for their hunger and thirst. Such a cistern is godless, avaricious, gluttonous, immoral, power-hungry, vain, idolatrous, soothsaying and everything else which has the devil as an advisor, sin as a digger and false hope for a water-carrier. "Be amazed at this O heavens, and shudder with sheer horror" says the Lord as to how man became senseless and began to forsake the living water and to dig a cistern in hot live coals which inflames his thirst even more!

O brethren, our people have also committed two evils for they forgot the Lord as the source of every good and because they went to seek, for themselves, good in evil and good through evil. Can water be found in fire? Or wheat in sand? It cannot; cannot, brethren. Even less can peace, happiness, joy and life or any other good be found in the cisterns of sin and godlessness.

O Lord, immortal source of every good which the heart of man can desire and which the mind of man can imagine, have mercy on us sinners and unworthy ones. With Your powerful right hand, turn us away from our godless and vain works and quench us with Your sweet and living water.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

"Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light" (Ephesians 5:14).

Saint Paul the apostle, similar to all the other apostles and Christian saints, whatever he teaches to others, he teaches from his own personal experience. For the Faith of Christ is an experience and proof and not a theory of human sophistry. Even Paul lay as one spiritually dormant and, he was spiritually dead while he opposed the Christian Faith. St. Paul was awakened, arose, resurrected in the spirit and was illumined by Christ. He knows himself from the time when he was spiritually dormant and from the time when he became awakened, and when he arose, and when he was resurrected by the Spirit and when he was illumined by Christ. That which he knows about himself as a Christian, he commends to others. As an apostle, he sees himself in a great light and believes that all other men, if they so desire, can be as bright as he is. The light is not his, but Christ's light. His is only the love for that Light, Who is Christ.

The illumination of Christ is necessary for man in the beginning as well as in the end. For without Christ's illumination man is unable either to awaken, or to arise, or to resurrect from the dead, as afterwards, he is unable to live alone by himself in faith or to die in hope. Christ is needed in the beginning as well as in the end. As to a drowning child the hand of the parent is needed to retrieve him from the water and afterward to lead him on dry land, protecting him and preventing him from drowning again; thus Christ is needed for those drowning in the waters of sin. The apostle himself received the illumination of Christ in the beginning on the road to Damascus and, again, he received it later. The first illumination was his conversion to Christ and the second illumination was the confirmation of himself in Christ. The first illumination we all receive through baptism and later, through faith, and the fulfilling of the commandments of the Lord. All of those who do not possess the illumination of Christ, either they have had it and lost it, are dormant as though dead.

O gentle Lord, awaken us, uplift us, resurrect us, for we cannot do any of these things without You.