Mother Chruch's precepts: A lenten inspirational message through a laity's email link
St. Louis Catholic Church
Saturday after Ash Wednesday
Isaiah 58:9b-14
Luke 5:27-32
If you hold back your foot on the Sabbath from following your own pursuits on my holy day: if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord's holy day honorable; if you honor it by not following your ways, seeking your own interests, or speaking with malice-then you shall delight in the Lord and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will nourish you with the heritage of Jacob, your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day-the Sabbath. Attend Mass on all Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. This passage, law and precept is the teaching of God and how it is expressed in His Church. Did you know that there are almost 1,800 laws in the Catholic Church's Code of Canon Law? Fr. Rust majored and received his degree in Canon Law. They cover every facet of Catholic life-many of which never concern you and me in daily life but protect the Universal Church-clergy, laity, property, etc.
The Church has only 6 Precepts which are the House rules of the Catholic Church. They are the recipe for spiritual health for all Catholics. We all at school, work, on teams, in clubs, have rules and regulations. We have to show up to work to get a paycheck. Requirements exist for membership. The precepts of the Church are as follows:
1.1. Attending Mass on all Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation
2.2. Receiving the Holy Eucharist during the Easter Season
3.3. Confess your sins at least once a year
4.4. Fast and abstain on appointed days
5.5. Observe the Marriage laws of the Church
6.6. Contribute to the support of the Church
Remember Moses words to the Israelites on Thursday. "I set before you life and prosperity, death and doom. If you obey the commandments of the Lord which I enjoin on you (including the 3rd Commandment as regulated by the Church) today, loving Him; walking with Him, keeping His Commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live." Choose life.
These simple precepts are really easy to follow in addition to the Ten Commandments. Certainly being a good Catholic means doing more than showing up at Mass on Sunday. But they also guide us to make God first in our life. The Church has taught us that missing Mass on Sunday or a Holy Day of Obligation is a mortal sin. Certainly sickness and bad weather are valid excuses for missing.
It is an obligation that is treated too and very casually today. Remember the quote from Isaiah 58 in today's Mass, honor the Lord's Day and not your own pursuits or interests and you are in the Light of God. Vacation, sporting events, hobbies-golf, hunting and fishing-are no excuse. Remember we are Ambassadors for God. What or who do we represent to our spouse, children, peers when we say "I'm going to Mass, no matter what?" What or who do we represent when we skip? What are we saying with our lack of participating?
The Church teaches us that the Mass is the supreme act of worship and is the only way that we can fulfill the 3rd Commandment. Humility and obedience is required and Lent is to teach us the value of these gifts. In Genesis, God established the Sabbath as a day of rest and the Day of the Lord.
Some say that the Church can't tell them what to do and I've heard others say that salvation isn't based on attendance at Mass. God is the ultimate judge but the command is His not mine, the Pope or the Bishop. Excuses are made like boring homilies, bad music, hypocrites go to Church and I pray at home. Probably all of those are true to some degree all over the world. Yet there is one reality that trumps all of those-the Lord Jesus Christ-King of Kings-Lord of Lords-Ruler of Rulers-Savior-is visibly present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. I can go to the worst liturgy experience ever and still be in the very presence of my God. If a hypocrite is there-and we all are-and he/she stands between me and Christ then that hypocrite is closer to Christ than I am.
Yes we can, should, and must pray anywhere and anytime. We can, should, and must read the Bible alone or with others but you must go to Church to attend Mass. Attending Mass connects the believers to other believers and to the Universal, as well as local, Church.
At Mass three levels of the Church converge and are united with one another which is what the word communion means. The Mass is eternal and so when it is celebrated the living, suffering, and triumphant Church is joined. Heaven and earth are joined and united. We worship with the Church everywhere in the world but joining the Heavenly Eucharistic Banquet with and before the Lamb, Triumphant, on the throne. We remember and make present the Life, Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ the Lamb. We are joined by the Communion of Saints. Think about it! We are with our beloved deceased in those sacred moments when we didn't choose sleep, golf, hunting, fishing or "deciding that I don't have to go." We are One with the Lord who has died for us and now wants us-members of His family-to join Him and unite-have Communion with Him.
Christ is present at Mass-Christ is present at Mass-Christ is present at Mass. What else do we have to say? He is there in Word-People-but most importantly in the Living Bread come down from Heaven. "He who eats of My Flesh and drinks of My Blood remains in Me and I in Him." If you eat of My Flesh and Drink of My Blood you will live forever. In fact you will never die.
Why do we need a Law of a Precept to try and make us attend Mass? How can we not come-in fact we can every day! See you Sunday! The Father expects and requests you come to the family meal.
In Christ,
Msgr. John McArthur
•March 3-Men's Morning of Spirituality
•March 8-Night of Reflection for Parish-Fr. Jolly Sebastian will present talks
•Have you made Pledge over 5 years to the Capital Campaign?
•March 21-Women's Retreat Day at Our Lady Queen of Peace Retreat Center. Call Suzanne Oliphant at 761-9198 or Pam John at 767-1622
Reference: chinzer@juno.com>
Saturday after Ash Wednesday
Isaiah 58:9b-14
Luke 5:27-32
If you hold back your foot on the Sabbath from following your own pursuits on my holy day: if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord's holy day honorable; if you honor it by not following your ways, seeking your own interests, or speaking with malice-then you shall delight in the Lord and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will nourish you with the heritage of Jacob, your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day-the Sabbath. Attend Mass on all Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. This passage, law and precept is the teaching of God and how it is expressed in His Church. Did you know that there are almost 1,800 laws in the Catholic Church's Code of Canon Law? Fr. Rust majored and received his degree in Canon Law. They cover every facet of Catholic life-many of which never concern you and me in daily life but protect the Universal Church-clergy, laity, property, etc.
The Church has only 6 Precepts which are the House rules of the Catholic Church. They are the recipe for spiritual health for all Catholics. We all at school, work, on teams, in clubs, have rules and regulations. We have to show up to work to get a paycheck. Requirements exist for membership. The precepts of the Church are as follows:
1.1. Attending Mass on all Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation
2.2. Receiving the Holy Eucharist during the Easter Season
3.3. Confess your sins at least once a year
4.4. Fast and abstain on appointed days
5.5. Observe the Marriage laws of the Church
6.6. Contribute to the support of the Church
Remember Moses words to the Israelites on Thursday. "I set before you life and prosperity, death and doom. If you obey the commandments of the Lord which I enjoin on you (including the 3rd Commandment as regulated by the Church) today, loving Him; walking with Him, keeping His Commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live." Choose life.
These simple precepts are really easy to follow in addition to the Ten Commandments. Certainly being a good Catholic means doing more than showing up at Mass on Sunday. But they also guide us to make God first in our life. The Church has taught us that missing Mass on Sunday or a Holy Day of Obligation is a mortal sin. Certainly sickness and bad weather are valid excuses for missing.
It is an obligation that is treated too and very casually today. Remember the quote from Isaiah 58 in today's Mass, honor the Lord's Day and not your own pursuits or interests and you are in the Light of God. Vacation, sporting events, hobbies-golf, hunting and fishing-are no excuse. Remember we are Ambassadors for God. What or who do we represent to our spouse, children, peers when we say "I'm going to Mass, no matter what?" What or who do we represent when we skip? What are we saying with our lack of participating?
The Church teaches us that the Mass is the supreme act of worship and is the only way that we can fulfill the 3rd Commandment. Humility and obedience is required and Lent is to teach us the value of these gifts. In Genesis, God established the Sabbath as a day of rest and the Day of the Lord.
Some say that the Church can't tell them what to do and I've heard others say that salvation isn't based on attendance at Mass. God is the ultimate judge but the command is His not mine, the Pope or the Bishop. Excuses are made like boring homilies, bad music, hypocrites go to Church and I pray at home. Probably all of those are true to some degree all over the world. Yet there is one reality that trumps all of those-the Lord Jesus Christ-King of Kings-Lord of Lords-Ruler of Rulers-Savior-is visibly present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. I can go to the worst liturgy experience ever and still be in the very presence of my God. If a hypocrite is there-and we all are-and he/she stands between me and Christ then that hypocrite is closer to Christ than I am.
Yes we can, should, and must pray anywhere and anytime. We can, should, and must read the Bible alone or with others but you must go to Church to attend Mass. Attending Mass connects the believers to other believers and to the Universal, as well as local, Church.
At Mass three levels of the Church converge and are united with one another which is what the word communion means. The Mass is eternal and so when it is celebrated the living, suffering, and triumphant Church is joined. Heaven and earth are joined and united. We worship with the Church everywhere in the world but joining the Heavenly Eucharistic Banquet with and before the Lamb, Triumphant, on the throne. We remember and make present the Life, Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ the Lamb. We are joined by the Communion of Saints. Think about it! We are with our beloved deceased in those sacred moments when we didn't choose sleep, golf, hunting, fishing or "deciding that I don't have to go." We are One with the Lord who has died for us and now wants us-members of His family-to join Him and unite-have Communion with Him.
Christ is present at Mass-Christ is present at Mass-Christ is present at Mass. What else do we have to say? He is there in Word-People-but most importantly in the Living Bread come down from Heaven. "He who eats of My Flesh and drinks of My Blood remains in Me and I in Him." If you eat of My Flesh and Drink of My Blood you will live forever. In fact you will never die.
Why do we need a Law of a Precept to try and make us attend Mass? How can we not come-in fact we can every day! See you Sunday! The Father expects and requests you come to the family meal.
In Christ,
Msgr. John McArthur
•March 3-Men's Morning of Spirituality
•March 8-Night of Reflection for Parish-Fr. Jolly Sebastian will present talks
•Have you made Pledge over 5 years to the Capital Campaign?
•March 21-Women's Retreat Day at Our Lady Queen of Peace Retreat Center. Call Suzanne Oliphant at 761-9198 or Pam John at 767-1622
Reference: chinzer@juno.com>
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