#Apostolic Foundation:

[paularoseauthor]

The first Church was Catholic.

History reveals that the first Church was, in essence, Catholic.

Unveiling the Catholic Origins of the First Church. The origins of the Christian Church are deeply intertwined with the emergence of a movement inspired by Jesus Christ’s teachings.  History reveals that the first Church was, in essence, Catholic. This assertion is rooted in the early Christian community’s connection to the apostles, the development of fundamental doctrines, and the…

[in-sightpublishing]

MRFF Demands Investigation of 3-Star Pentagon General's Disturbing Ties to New Apostolic Reformation (NAR)

Publisher: In-Sight Publishing Publisher Founding: September 1, 2014 Publisher Location: Fort Langley, Township of Langley, British Columbia, Canada Publication: Freethought Newswire Original Link: research@militaryreligiousfreedom.org Publication Date: September 13, 2024 Organization: Military Religious Freedom Foundation Organization Description: The Military Religious Freedom Foundation…

[mindfulldsliving]

Divine Order in God's Kingdom: Importance of Apostolic Authority and Ordinances

One of the criticisms against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the belief that since the time of Jesus Christ and the original apostles, the Christian Church no longer needs modern-day prophets and apostles.

Photo by Kieran Yates on Unsplash The great historian Will Durrant once said, “In my youth I wanted freedom. In my mature years I want order.” There is nothing so important in the kingdom of God as order; yet the tendency today is to resist law and order, which must be maintained in the kingdom of God if we are to be pleasing in the sight of the Lord. “Be one,” the Lord said, “and if you are not…

[tamamita]

Is it heresy if there are christian denominations that don't believe in the Trinity such as Unitarianism?

I mean the very first Christians were Unitarians who believed in the theological concept of adoptionism. Adoptionism involved the idea that because Jesus (a) was such an upstanding moral figure among the Israelites, God declared him to be the son of God in the metaphorical sense. Adoptonists never accepted Christ as a divine figure, seeing him as fully human. The idea of Christ's divinity was mostly an issue that came to appear later in Christian history. Docalism, Marcionism, Modalism, Monarchianism, Montanism, Arianism and various other doctrines introduced between the 1st-4th century became the foundation of Jesus as a divine being, albeit with various definitions and interpretations. The Church adopted the Trinitiarian (albeit still in development) view as its mainstream theology in the Council of Nicaea, Council of Constantinople, introducing the Nicene-Constantinpolitan creed and apostole's creed respectively. The creed also deemed every other Christian doctrine to be heretical, surpressing any other heterodoxy, especially Arianism. It wasn't until Augustine that the concept of the Trinity was fully introduced in the 5th century, finalized by the Athanasian Creed. However, it wasn't until we the court of Charlemagne that we were introduced to the Johannine Comma that included the Trinity in brackets of the first epistle of John to substantiate its inclusion, so this was effectively the first alteration of the Greek Bible in the West. Enter Augustine, the man who described the Trinity in relation to each other. We can go further, but the doctrine of the Trinity has never been established with one single definite meaning, since the personal relationship and the meaning between each essence keeps being debated and discussed among Christians, even till this day.

Christadelphians are one of the few Unitarian Christians today, but they don't adhere to adoptionism, they simply hold that Jesus (a) was the son of God, but not in the literal sense. However, they reject Jesus' divinity, seeing him as fully human, subordinate to the Father. The adoptionists were very much the first true Christians, but not in the eyes of the Church. As you can see, the Trinity was a later invention that took several centuries to form and was not ultimately defined by the Church Fathers. Indeed, this is evident by the fact that several Christian scholars had to redefine the Trinity throughout history.

[portraitsofsaints]

St. Irenaeus of Lyons

Doctor of the Church

130-202

Feast Day: June 28

Patronage: Apologist and Catechist

Saint Irenaeus, one of the Fathers of the Church, and a bishop of Lyons, France combated the Gnostic heresy (that the material world was evil and had access to secret knowledge) by exposing and refuting their teaching with the true teaching of Christian orthodox teaching and apostolic authority. His work laid the foundation of Christian theology and was translated into Latin so it would be available to all. He most likely was martyred because of the persecutions of the time.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Why I Do Not Celebrate “LGBTQ+ Pride Month” But Mourn It

by Robert A.J. Gagnon

Not only is pride generally a sin, but also there is nothing to be proud of in the so-called "LGBTQ+ Pride Month." Let us love persons with same-sex attractions and gender-identity dysphoria by rejecting that facet of their existence that dishonors the persons whom God has created in his image.

We should also show sympathy for their struggle with sinful desires, and applaud the way God can use the mortification of such desires to deepen a relationship with himself and others. Yet no one should take pride in such desires or the behavior that follows from gratifying them.

I. What is there to be proud of?

Why should one take pride in being erotically aroused by the distinctives of one's own sex, which is either narcissism or self-deception (viz., the failure to apprehend that one is already fully one's own sex)?

Should people also take pride in being erotically aroused by close kin (incest, i.e., attraction to a kinship same, akin to attraction to a sexual same) or by multiple persons concurrently (which Jesus rejected based on the logic of God's intentional creation of a sexual binary)?

Why should one take pride in rejecting the messaging of one's body as designed by God by identifying with a "gender" at odds with one's biological sex? A complaint against one's Creator is nothing to be proud of, but rather an expression of idolatry.

II. Social harm and the condemnation of Scripture

The "queer" lifestyle is one marked by disproportionately high rates for sexually transmitted disease and higher numbers of sex partners (especially for homosexual males), as well as higher relational turnover and increased mental health problems (especially for homosexual females).

These risks correlate with known male-female differences; expected results when an intimate relationship lacks true sexual counterparts or complements. Same-sex unions don't moderate the extremes of a given sex; they ratchet them up; don't fill in the gaps, but widen the breach.

Scripture (including Jesus and the apostolic witness to him) views homosexual practice and transgenderism as abhorrent sexual immorality ("abominations") that can get unrepentant offenders excluded from God's kingdom. Such behaviors assault the foundation of sexual ethics as defined by Jesus himself, his Scripture, and his apostles.

III. The dangers of “LGBTQ+” politics

The "LGBTQ+" political agenda is the most illiberal and hateful agenda in politics today. It is characterized by efforts to stifle free speech and the free exercise of religion. It is the greatest threat to these freedoms in the Western world today, and has been for decades.

No political lobby has concentrated more on canceling and censoring others, indoctrinating school children, and even mandating compelled speech (the hallmark of totalitarians). People's jobs are being put at risk who dissent from "LGBTQ+" dogma: teachers, doctors, nurses, psychologists, florists, photographers, small business owners, lawyers, corporate executives, etc.

Children are being directed toward chemical castration and mutilation surgery, an obvious instance of child abuse being pushed by the state. Indeed, the state is now moving in the direction of regarding parents who fail to affirm their child's "LGBTQ+" identity as perpetrating child abuse (we know who the real child abusers are), requiring the state's intervention to take your own child away from you.

Men identifying falsely as women are invading women's restrooms, locker rooms, sports, shelters, and prisons, even being celebrated with misogynistic awards declaring them to be better women than real women.

The very idea of faithful Christian education is being put at risk, with calls for tying federal student loans, grants, and accreditation toward lock-step compliance with "LGBTQ+" ideology.

IV. Moral rot and true love

Science is suffering at the hands of a movement that teaches that men too can have periods and give birth. A gnostic spirit pervades the land, declaring entrapment in bodies not designed to express their sexually immoral desires.

This is not a month to be "proud" but rather a month to mourn. Mourn the moral rot pervading our country. It has harmed not only the nation as a whole, but especially those who in their self-delusion celebrate what is injurious to themselves, and to their relationship with others and God.

As Paul told the Corinthians, they should not be "puffed up" or "inflated with pride" over their ability to tolerate an egregious act of sexual immorality (there a case of adult-consensual incest). To support the "queer" life is a manifestation of functional hate, not love.

Therefore, I choose rather to love, to love truly, those who identify as "gay," "lesbian," "bisexual," and "transgender," rejoicing in the truth rather than in the lie, whatever the cost for doing so.

[tiny-librarian]

In the early morning hours of October 16th, having been condemned to death by guillotine, Marie Antoinette was led back to her cell in the Conciergerie. She wrote the following letter to her sister in law, Madame Elisabeth, but it would never reach her.

Here is a translation of the letter, images of the original are above.

16th October, 4.30 A.M. It is to you, my sister, that I write for the last time. I have just been condemned, not to a shameful death, for such is only for criminals, but to go and rejoin your brother. Innocent like him, I hope to show the same firmness in my last moments.

I am calm, as one is when one's conscience reproaches one with nothing. I feel profound sorrow in leaving my poor children: you know that I only lived for them and for you, my good and tender sister. You who out of love have sacrificed everything to be with us, in what a position do I leave you! I have learned from the proceedings at my trial that my daughter was separated from you. Alas! poor child; I do not venture to write to her; she would not receive my letter. I do not even know whether this will reach you. Do you receive my blessing for both of them. I hope that one day when they are older they may be able to rejoin you, and to enjoy to the full your tender care. Let them both think of the lesson which I have never ceased to impress upon them, that the principles and the exact performance of their duties are the chief foundation of life; and then mutual affection and confidence in one another will constitute its happiness. Let my daughter feel that at her age she ought always to aid her brother by the advice which her greater experience and her affection may inspire her to give him. And let my son in his turn render to his sister all the care and all the services which affection can inspire. Let them, in short, both feel that, in whatever positions they may be placed, they will never be truly happy but through their union. Let them follow our example. In our own misfortunes how much comfort has our affection for one another afforded us! And, in times of happiness, we have enjoyed that doubly from being able to share it with a friend; and where can one find friends more tender and more united than in one's own family? Let my son never forget the last words of his father, which I repeat emphatically; let him never seek to avenge our deaths. I have to speak to you of one thing which is very painful to my heart, I know how much pain the child must have caused you. Forgive him, my dear sister; think of his age, and how easy it is to make a child say whatever one wishes, especially when he does not understand it. It will come to pass one day, I hope, that he will better feel the value of your kindness and of your tender affection for both of them. It remains to confide to you my last thoughts. I should have wished to write them at the beginning of my trial; but, besides that they did not leave me any means of writing, events have passed so rapidly that I really have not had time. I die in the Catholic Apostolic and Roman religion, that of my fathers, that in which I was brought up, and which I have always professed. Having no spiritual consolation to look for, not even knowing whether there are still in this place any priests of that religion (and indeed the place where I am would expose them to too much danger if they were to enter it but once), I sincerely implore pardon of God for all the faults which I may have committed during my life. I trust that, in His goodness, He will mercifully accept my last prayers, as well as those which I have for a long time addressed to Him, to receive my soul into His mercy. I beg pardon of all whom I know, and especially of you, my sister, for all the vexations which, without intending it, I may have caused you. I pardon all my enemies the evils that they have done me. I bid farewell to my aunts and to all my brothers and sisters. I had friends. The idea of being forever separated from them and from all their troubles is one of the greatest sorrows that I suffer in dying. Let them at least know that to my latest moment I thought of them. Farewell, my good and tender sister. May this letter reach you. Think always of me; I embrace you with all my heart, as I do my poor dear children. My God, how heart-rending it is to leave them forever! Farewell! farewell! I must now occupy myself with my spiritual duties, as I am not free in my actions. Perhaps they will bring me a priest; but I here protest that I will not say a word to him, but that I will treat him as a total stranger.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (January 27)

Angela Merici, foundress of the Ursuline Sisters, was born in the small Italian town of Desenzano on the shore of Lake Garda on 21 March 1474.

As a young girl, Angela lost in succession to her sister and parents. She went to live with a wealthy uncle in the town of Salo where, without benefit of formal schooling, Angela grew in poise, wisdom, and grace.

The age in which Angela lived and worked was a time that saw great suffering on the part of the poor in society.

Injustices were carried on in the name of the government and the Church, which left many people, both spiritually and materially, powerless and hungry.

The corruption of moral values left families split and hurting. Wars among nations and the Italian city-states left towns in ruins.

In 1516, Angela came to live in the town of Brescia, Italy.

Here, she became a friend of the wealthy nobles of the day and a servant of the poor and suffering.

Angela spent her days in prayer and fasting and service.

Her reputation spread and her advice was sought by both young and old, rich and poor, religious and secular, male and female.

But still, Angela had not yet brought her vision to fruition.

After visiting the Holy Land, where she reportedly lost her sight, Angela returned to Brescia, which had become a haven for refugees from the many wars then wracking Italy.

There, she gathered around her a group of women who looked toward Angela as an inspirational leader and as a model of apostolic charity.

It was these women, many of them daughters of the wealthy, some orphans themselves, who formed the nucleus of Angela's Company of St. Ursula.

Angela named her company after St. Ursula because she regarded her as a model of consecrated virginity.

Angela and her original company worked out details of the rule of prayer, promises, and practices by which they were to live.

The Ursulines opened orphanages and schools.

In 1535, the Institute of St. Ursula was formally recognized by the Pope and Angela was accorded the title of foundress.

During the five remaining years of her life, Angela devoted herself to composing a number of Counsels by which her daughters could happily live.

She encouraged them to "live in harmony, united together in one heart and one will. Be bound to one another by the bond of charity, treating each other with respect, helping one another, bearing with one another in Christ Jesus.

If you really try to live like this, there is no doubt that the Lord our God will be in your midst."

In 1580, Charles Borromeo, Bishop of Milan, inspired by the work of the Ursulines in Brescia, encouraged the foundation of Ursuline houses in all the dioceses of Northern Italy.

Charles also encouraged the Ursulines to live together in community rather than in their own homes.

He also exhorted them to publicly profess vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

These actions formalized Angela's original "company" into a religious order of women.

Angela Merici died on 27 January 1540

She was beatified by Pope Clement XIII on 30 April 1768. She was canonized by Pope Pius VII on 24 May 1807.

[thesynaxarium]

On the second Sunday of Great Lent, we celebrate our Venerable Father Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica. Saint Gregory, who was from Asia Minor, was from childhood reared in the royal court of Constantinople, where he was instructed in both religious and secular wisdom. Later, while still a youth, he left the imperial court and struggled in asceticism on Mount Athos, and in the Skete at Beroea. He spent some time in Thessalonica being treated for an illness that came from his harsh manner of life. He was present in Constantinople at the Council that was convened in 1341 against Barlaam of Calabria, and at the Council of 1347 against Acindynus, who was of like mind with Barlaam; Barlaam and Acindynus claimed that the grace of God is created. At both these Councils, the Saint contended courageously for the true dogmas of the Church of Christ, teaching in particular that divine grace is not created, but is the uncreated energies of God which are poured forth throughout creation: otherwise it would be impossible, if grace were created, for man to have genuine communion with the uncreated God. In 1347 he was appointed Metropolitan of Thessalonica. He tended his flock in an apostolic manner for some twelve years, and wrote many books and treatises on the most exalted doctrines of our Faith; and having lived for a total of sixty-three years, he reposed in the Lord in 1359. His holy relics are kept in the Cathedral of Thessalonica. A full service was composed for his feast day by the Patriarch Philotheus in 1368, when it was established that his feast be celebrated on this day. Since works without right faith avail nothing, we set Orthodoxy of faith as the foundation of all that we accomplish during the Fast, by celebrating the Triumph of Orthodoxy the Sunday before, and the great defender of the teachings of the holy Fathers today. May he intercede for us always + Source: https://www.goarch.org/chapel/saints?contentid=1055&PCode=2LENTS&D=S&date=03/28/2021 (at Thessalonikki, Greece) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpqMCbzLR_Q/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[inkbee]

Summary of 1st half of The Paradigm of Catharism; of, the Historians Illusion by Mark Gregory Pegg

So not counting the introduction this is the first essay in Cathars in Question, a collection of essays between scholars debating the existence of Cathars. If you've been following me for a while or know me irl you've probably heard me reference this as 'cathargate.' I'm making it a little project to write out summaries to the essays and post them both for the sake of my own comprehension on the topic and also because a few ppl I've talked to about it have expressed interest in it. If anything in this post interests you I highly recommend reading the essays themselves, both because I'm not an expert and because Pegg's zingers are kind of funny ngl.

Pegg’s opening postulates that Catharism was exclusively an invention of “late 19th century scholars of religion and history.” It’s important to note that he isn’t claiming that Cathars were invented by medieval inquisition. He specifies that it is not “a construct of the persecuting society” (shouting out bestie R.I Moore) but rather a distinctly modern invention. Because, as Pegg understands it, Catharism is a modern invention, it makes sense that he would therefore first go into where he believes this invention originated. Pegg repeatedly calls back to this idea of a paradigm of Catharism, that is supported by two methodologies he identifies as both distinct and incompatible. In this first post we will discuss the first he identifies, that being the Intellectualist approach.

What is the Intellectualist approach, as Pegg defines it?

“It views the study of religion and heresy as an exercise in intellectual history…presumes that heresies have coherent theologies and doctrines combined and disseminated in canonical texts by heretical leaders”

Pegg says this approach was codified after 1870 via who else but the Germans doing “Religionsgeschichte”, a religious historical school that approaches the study of religion by comparing seemingly similar systems of belief. They have this idea called “world religions” or “universal religions”

WHAT ARE THE FEATURES OF A WORLD RELIGION?

elaborate clerical hierarchy

evangelical missionaries

fixed rituals

foundational sacred texts

clear distinction between secular and religious

World religions are intended to resemble Christianity, Pegg says. World religions include Hinduism, Confucianism, Buddhism, antique paganism, Gnosticism and Manichaeism.

The most important exponent of the ‘religious-historical school’ for medieval heresy was Herbert Grundmann, who wrote Religiose Bewegungen im Mittelalter (1935) He compares the beliefs of individual heretics, wandering preachers, early mendicants and specific religious women in the 12th and 13th centuries. He argues that the religious motivations (such as adopting an apostolic life) were similar, and that there was one general religious movement before 1200 that then fractured into heterodox and orthodox movements during the papacy of Innocent III (Papacy 1198-1216) Apparently this was barely noticed until after 1960. But here in the late 19th century, we have a different problem, and it's called Objektivität.

WHAT IS OBJEKTIVITAT? (according to Pegg)

Approaching history as a science

Approaches religion as a natural process rather than a historical one, meaning you can make scientific generalizations like in taxonomy (lumper problems are forever!)

Desire to study religion objectively without POV from particular religion of historian

This method is seen as distinct from the previous attempt at objectivity, namely, ‘pure historicism’, associated with Leopold von Ranke. Pegg says another characteristic tactic of the religious historical school was to figure out the origin of a particular belief was “finding the first person to think a thought or the first text to expound a belief.’

This is my own input but. You may be thinking “yeah, to find an origin of a belief you go to the first guy who said it” HOWEVER this is under the assumption that the origin of a given belief has a textual tradition, as opposed to an oral tradition. I get the sense Pegg is worried about lumpers again. It seems ‘logical’ to go back to the beginning of a belief in order to figure out the origin, but that is under the assumption that you have indeed found the beginning to a particular tradition, as opposed to a disparate belief/tradition that just so happens to resemble what you’re researching. It also means you’re assuming the religion/belief you’re studying is part of an intellectual history.

What’s next relevant; You’ve got this idea that Cathars are an eastern import. Grundmann argues that the Cathars shared some similarities with western apostolic groups when they initially entered Europe, but ultimately remained outsiders, even if their philosophy sometimes supported the ideas of 12th century heretics, even if it was sometimes shaped by Latin Christianity. According to Pegg this desire to find eastern influences within western religious trends is symptomatic of a particularly German form of Orientalism (Orientalistik) that is a hallmark of Religionsgeschichte, and he claims this Orientalism has been both ignored and carried over by “adherents of the paradigm” (meaning scholars who believe in Cathars as Christian dualists with eastern influences, the conventional narrative.)

Grundmann also says that Waldensianism was a lay Catholic reaction to Catharism, and that Waldensians were provoked more by Cathar heresiarchs than they were by concerns about the Catholic hierarchy. Pegg includes Peter Biller as an example of a contemporary scholar who shares this notion; “Peter Biller, for example, follows Grundmann in arguing that Catharism as an established eastern philosophy…must have existed before Waldensianism, otherwise the latter could not have dome into existence as a coherent western religious movement.” Pegg concludes this section, stating that for both Grundmann and any scholars who believe in the existence of the Cathar heresy, Catharism functions as a ‘world religion.’ Incidentally we’re going to be hearing from Peter Biller himself later in this book. I wonder if he will have any response to the religionsgeschichte allegations.

[trudith]

My Invaluable Treasure

Scripture Text: Ephesians 2:1-13

Definition of Invaluable - according to the online Merriam Webster dictionary, something is invaluable when it is valuable beyond estimation, i.e. priceless. It goes on to say, that the word invaluable describes something so precious that one cannot assign a price to it.

Just the thought of this makes me joyful. Now, how do we care for something of great value to us? Do we just put it down in any random place, or do we have a specially designated area for it? Do we allow it to get dusty or dilapidated, or do we polish it and do what we can to make sure it remains in pristine condition.

Imagine the Imperial state crown worn by the royal family in Britain, now worn by King Charles, passed down to him through the years. It must be the most significant relic to him, based on the fact that it signifies that he is the king of Britain and the commonwealth. That crown is not kept on his bedside table or the vanity in his chamber. When not in use, the Imperial State Crown is on public display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London, under armed guard.

Back in the day when we'd watch films where treasure was found, we notice that the treasure was usually locked in a heavy chest with a huge lock to ensure that the treasure couldn't be washed out at sea or be subject to damage of any kind.So we have a basic understanding of how we treat things we deem valuable and have laid a foundation for where we want to go. Let us now look at the treasure we have in our possession.

Because of the shed Blood of Jesus Christ we can boast that our lives were never the same; we became rich, when we repented of our sins, and were buried with Him in water baptism (in the name of Jesus Christ) and we were taken to an even higher level we received the Holy Spirit in our souls that will lead us in all truth, a wonderful “treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. (2Cor. 4:7)”.

Our salvation should be our invaluable treasure! Our diplomas, our degrees and other certificates are good while we occupy until the Lord comes, but it's our salvation that will take us beyond our occupation on Earth. It is appointed unto man once to die and after that comes the judgement, so we have to ensure that everyday we are maintaining our salvation. We have to ensure that we are connected to the true vine which is Jesus Christ. This is how we get life...if we are separated from the vine, we as the branches will wither and die from a lack of substance. Our lives will become meaningless and we'd be full of regrets. Regret and guilt go hand in hand and that leads to misery, sadness, depression and so on.

Maintain your treasure wherever you go. Some of you have just started university, some are continuing high school, maintain your faith, maintain your belief in Jesus Christ and the truth, don't be quick to accept any other belief system. Don't be quick to hand over your treasure to the pirates we encounter in our lives. You must be willing to fight for it. We are charged to earnestly contend (fight) for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. There is ONE Church, which speaks to the reason why we are admonished to earnestly contend for the Apostles (Apostolic) doctrine (the faith). Ephesians 4:4-6 reiterates this, " There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Always pray and ask the Lord to cover your mind when attending religious-based classes and clubs, because some of these teachers and other students are crafty and have devised ways to indoctrinate those who are unaware of their schemes. Stand up for what you believe in. Girls, don't shun wearing your skirts to school, this is how the Lord will use you to tell someone about Him and to share the Gospel message. When someone asks you if you don't wear pants, it's now easy for you to say, I'm a Christian, I go to an Apostolic church, we believe in baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ and females don't wear pants. If they laugh or say mean things after that, its fine, at least you got to share in brief about the Gospel and chances are, you'll get another opportunity to say more to that person. That person will probably tell their friend what you said, when they come, repeat what you said and add more if time allows. Who knows, they may go home and share this with their relatives and that makes you a trendsetter, you would have started something powerful by planting a seed for the Lord to water.

Males, I have not forgotten you. When the guys introduce you to certain topics, you too have the perfect opportunity to say that you are not into that kind of thing and state the reason why. Tell them straight up that church is your thing and that you're on a different level. Someone is going to ask what you mean. Don't be afraid to start a trend, tell them you're baptised in Jesus name and you don't do certain things.

How do you feel when you lose something or someone we deem as valuable? It's not the best feeling. As it is in the natural, so it is in the spiritual, if we sell out our treasure that we have sought after for so long, how do we survive? The prodigal son wasted his money, how did he end up. If he didn't come to his senses, he would have died out there. When we see others out there, seemingly flourishing, kindly note that what you see is temporary, your treasure is eternal. Matthew 6:19-20 reminds us, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal, But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. Don't be like those who have sold out their treasure to fit in with the World. Sometimes they are craving the peace they once had, the sleep they once had, the joy they once had, but feel so ashamed. Learn from these situations, don't make them your own.

Our treasure is being targeted by the enemy of our souls every day. But don't hand over your treasure. What did Naboth, Job and Daniel have in common? These 3 men decided that they would not yield their treasure to the enemy. Naboth refused to sell his land to Ahab the evil king. He lost his life standing up in his conviction, but that makes him a hero. He did not get flustered or distracted by who was asking him to give up his land, so we too must stand up for what we believe in. When Job was challenged by all his losses and his skin condition, he was told to "curse God and die" by his wife, but Job's faith in the Lord was unwaivering, nothing could shake it. Daniel was sent to the Lion's den because he refused to yield to the king's command, how could he forsake the precepts of his God?

Maintain your treasure, this hope that we cherish not in vain, the salvation of our souls.

[paularoseauthor]

Unveiling the Catholic Origins of the First Church.

History reveals that the first Church was, in essence, Catholic.

The first Church was Catholic. And this is why I am looking very seriously into the Catholic Church. The origins of the Christian Church are deeply intertwined with the emergence of a movement inspired by Jesus Christ’s teachings.  History reveals that the first Church was, in essence, Catholic. This assertion is rooted in the early Christian community’s connection to the apostles, the…

[rallykart]

So I had a girlfriend for 3 days. She's Roman Catholic and I'm Orthodox. She ended up breaking things off because I wasn't going to convert to RC and wouldn't raise my kids as RC. That's whatever, I don't chase women. If they don't want to make it work then let it be so.

The thing that's been giving me a migraine though, is that she rejects the Pope as the infallible universal teacher of all Christians and does not submit with docility to his statements, dogmatic or not, as Vatican 1 and Vatican 2 mandate she does. She believes Francis is a deranged heretic, which means she is not Roman Catholic and is damned in her own system.

So she doesn't want to be Protestant (her words), rejects the foundational dogmas of Roman Catholicism, and refuses to convert to Orthodoxy, but still wants and ancient, Apostolic, liturgical, and mystical faith, but without the Pope, but not the faith that actually fits that description, but her conceptual platonic form of a church she made up.

I feel dizzy.

[eternal-echoes]

“Dear friends, it is certainly necessary to give bread to the hungry – this is an act of justice. But there is also a deeper hunger, the hunger for a happiness that only God can satisfy, the hunger for dignity. There is neither real promotion of the common good nor real human development when there is ignorance of the fundamental pillars that govern a nation, its non-material goods: life, which is a gift of God, a value always to be protected and promoted; the family, the foundation of coexistence and a remedy against social fragmentation; integral education, which cannot be reduced to the mere transmission of information for purposes of generating profit; health, which must seek the integral well-being of the person, including the spiritual dimension, essential for human balance and healthy coexistence; security, in the conviction that violence can be overcome only by changing human hearts.”

- Pope Francis, APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO RIO DE JANEIRO ON THE OCCASION OF THE XXVIII WORLD YOUTH DAY - VISIT TO THE COMMUNITY OF VARGINHA (MANGUINHOS), 25 July 2013

[santmat]

Podcast on the Case For the Books of Enoch

1) Enoch and the Dead Sea Scrolls: The book of First Enoch was part of the Dead Sea Scrolls Bible -- the Essene Library of Qumran in Israel. First Enoch was included amongst the Dead Sea Scrolls, in fact was one of the most widely read holy books at Qumran (400 BC -- 70 AD). This observation is based upon the large number of Aramaic Enoch fragments that have been found there. Many Jews were studying Enoch before and during the time of Jesus.

2) Jude Quoted Enoch in the New Testament: The author of the Book of Jude quoted First Enoch in his New Testament epistle (letter), a great canonical endorsement for the Book of Enoch by the Original Jesus Movement. The Bibles that bare the most resemblance to the Scriptures of Jude and the Original Aramaic-speaking Christians is the Ethiopian Bible, as well as the Dead Sea Scrolls-Essene-Qumran Bible. Jude not only quotes from Enoch, but also from the Assumption of Moses. Both Enoch and Assumption of Moses were recognized as Scripture by the Essenes; see more on the Ethiopian Bible below. In addition to Jude, Biblical scholars also have noticed many parallel verses and shared ideas between the New Testament and Book of Enoch, illustrating how influential the Book of Enoch was on Jesus, the authors of the Gospels and other New Testament books. The Book of First Enoch is an important key foundational text of early Christianity.

3) The early Church father Tertullian Referred to Enoch as "Scripture": The Early Church father Tertullian quotes passages from the Book of Enoch, referring to these passages as "Scripture". The Epistle of Jude (verse 14) is also appealed to by Tertullian as a testimonial to the authority of Enoch. (see, De cultu feminarum. 1.3)

Tertullian's canon of the Old Testament included the deuterocanonical books, since he quotes most of them. He also cites the Book of Enoch as inspired, and thinks those who wanted to remove it were wrong. (Tertullian.org)

Barnabus, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Origin and Clement of Alexandria were also fans of Enoch: The Book of Enoch was extant centuries before the birth of Christ and yet is considered by many to be more Christian in its theology than Jewish. It was considered Scripture by many early Christians. The earliest literature of the "Church fathers" is filled with references to this mysterious book. Second and Third Century "Church fathers" like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Origin and Clement of Alexandria all make use of the Book of Enoch. Tertullian (160-230 C.E) even called the Book of Enoch "Holy Scripture". The Ethiopic Church included the Book of Enoch as part of their official canon of the Bible. (Wikipedia Entry About the Books of Enoch)

4) The Epistle or Letter of Barnabas: Like some other major leaders, Barnabas quoted from Enoch, even using the term "Scripture" to describe Enochian passages. See, the Epistle of Barnabas, translated in the book Early Christian Writings -- The Apostolic Fathers, published by Penguin Classics.

5) Enoch is in the Bible: The ETHIOPIAN BIBLE INCLUDES THE BOOKS OF FIRST AND SECOND ENOCH: The Ethiopian Bible contains the books of Enoch (and several other surprising books once banned and thought to be forever lost), thus preserving this earlier understanding dating back to the time of the Dead Sea Scrolls and New Testament that viewed Enoch to be an inspired sacred text.

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Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

Doctor of the Church

130-202

Feast Day: June 28

Patronage: Apologist and Catechist

Saint Irenaeus, one of the Fathers of the Church, and a bishop of Lyons, France combated the Gnostic heresy (that the material world was evil and had access to secret knowledge) by exposing and refuting their teaching with the true teaching of Christian orthodox teaching and apostolic authority. His work laid the foundation of Christian theology and was translated into Latin so it would be available to all. He most likely was martyred because of the persecutions of the time.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)