Chapter 15 of the Acts of the Apostles begins with the first Church Council the Catholic Church has ever had. The Council of Jerusalem made a major pivotal decision on the issue of circumcision. Circumcision was established by God as mandatory for all Jewish men in order to partake of the covenant God offered to Abraham (Lv 12:3 &Gen 17:1-14). But in this process, the people are becoming more and more aware that they are not a sect of the Jewish faith. Peter challenges those present to put their faith in the promise of the grace of Jesus the Christ (Acts 15:7 & 11). Continue reading “Bible: Acts of the Apostles 10”
Bible: Acts of the Apostles 7
Chapter twelve accounts the death of the First Apostle James and the arrest of Peter. Herod wants to be popular among the people and has many guards to guard him. The biblke states that there were four squads of four guards. Doing the math, that means sixteen guards were guarding Peter to keep him in jail. He was shakled by “double chains”. Two chains are holding Peter in place and two guards are right next to him on each side. Two guards are right outside the door and the others are about the place. Sounds like he is heavily guarded. Does this have anything to do with the resurrection of Jesus and only the two at Jesus’ tomb? Who knows. Either way, Peter getting out is not a very likely prospect.
Do You Believe?
All Souls Day 2014
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcBHgRI4Tfg?rel=0&w=560&h=315]
Can We Identify Who Loves Us
What Life Do You Choose?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWpifU3UZJA?rel=0&w=560&h=315]
What Life do You Choose?
Get off the fence.
Papal Primary, Apostolic Succession, and Infallibility
A Homily Given the Weekend of August 24, 2-14
“… and upon this rock I will build my Church, … and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”
Two friends were planning to set up a business. One of the friends knew someone with the right connections that could help them make a go of their start-up venture. They were seriously considering bringing him on as a partner. But, one night, the friend who knew him went out for a drink with this potentially helpful associate, and listened as the man called his wife on his cell phone to tell her he was staying late at the office, all the while winking at the friend. The meeting ended pretty quickly after that, with no mention of the venture or an invitation to be part of it. The friend told his other friend, “If he could lie so easily to his wife, how can we trust him?”
In today’s gospel, we hear about Peter’s profession of faith and his primacy as pope.
Continue reading “Papal Primary, Apostolic Succession, and Infallibility”
Love As the Basis for Authority
The authority of St Peter is not about having the authority to have everybody to serve him. It is an authority to serve others. This is what the Church was established for and strives to do.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJXR-TuImMs?list=UUZV9Z_SkvSeYobOYMfSSd7A]