You sometimes encounter the charge that the Catholic Church wrongly "changed the sabbath" from Saturday to Sunday.

This claim is often made by Seventh-Day Adventists, for example.

But even if one isn't accusing the Church of wrongdoing, the question can still arise: Why do Catholics worship on Sunday rather than Saturday?

Here's the story . . .

First, let's clear away a potential source of confusion. While it's true that people sometimes speak of Sunday as "the Christian sabbath," this is a loose way of speaking.

Strictly speaking, the sabbath is the day it always was--Saturday--though it should be noted that traditionally Jewish people have celebrated the sabbath from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday.

Sunday is a distinct day, which follows the sabbath. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains:

Sunday is expressly distinguished from the sabbath which it follows chronologically every week; for Christians its ceremonial observance replaces that of the sabbath. In Christ's Passover, Sunday fulfills the spiritual truth of the Jewish sabbath and announces man's eternal rest in God. For worship under the Law prepared for the mystery of Christ, and what was done there prefigured some aspects of Christ.

That same paragraph explains why we celebrate on Sunday. For Christians the ceremonial observance of Sunday replaces that of the sabbath. Properly speaking, we're not celebrating the sabbath on Sunday. We're celebrating something else, but it's something that the sabbath points toward.

What we are celebrating instead of the sabbath is "the Lord's day."

That's something Christians have celebrated since the first century. In fact, in the very first chapter of Revelation, we read that John experienced the inaugural vision of the book on "the Lord's day." He writes:

I John, your brother, who share with you in Jesus the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet [Revelation 1:9-10].

And he goes on to describe the vision of Jesus Christ he received.

For our purposes, the important thing to note is that he speaks of the Lord's day as an already-established thing. He expects his readers to know what it is.

So, when is it?

The first Christians commonly spoke of Jesus Christ as "the Lord," and the Lord's day is Jesus Christ's day--the day he rose from the dead and his tomb was found empty. That's the day after the sabbath, or Sunday.

In Matthew's gospel we read:

Now after the sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Mag'dalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher.

But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay [Matthew 28:1, 5-6].

The fact that Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week is something stressed by all four gospels:

And that's why Christians celebrate the Lord's day. The Catechism explains:

Jesus rose from the dead "on the first day of the week." Because it is the "first day," the day of Christ's Resurrection recalls the first creation. . . . For Christians it has become the first of all days, the first of all feasts, the Lord's day (he kuriake hemera, dies dominica), Sunday.

We can confirm that the early Christians were meeting on the first day of the week from the letters of St. Paul, because he tells the Corinthians to take up a collection on that day of the week so that they won't have to take up a collection when he arrives. He says:

Now concerning the contribution for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do.

On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that contributions need not be made when I come [1 Corinthians 16:1-2].

He expects the collection to already be taken up by the time he arrives so that they don't have to get people to give at that point. This indicates that the early Christians were meeting on the first day of the week, celebrating the Lord's day.

Does that mean that no Christians in the first century ever celebrated the sabbath?

No. Many Jewish Christians celebrated both the sabbath and Sunday in the first century, just as many also practiced the Jewish dietary laws and ritual circumcision and offered sacrifices in the Temple.

St. Paul himself went to synagogue services on the sabbath so that he could preach the message of Jesus to his Jewish countrymen, for that is where and when they would gather together.

But Paul is clear that sabbath observance is not binding on Christians.

He addresses this very directly in the letter to the Colossians, where he writes:

And you, who were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, having canceled the bond which stood against us with its legal demands; this he set aside, nailing it to the cross. . . .

Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath.

These are only a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ [Colossians 2:13-17].

When St. Paul refers to the bond which stood against us with its legal demands, he is referring to the Law of Moses. Christ cancelled this bond. That is why he says not to let anyone pass judgment on us in questions of food and drink--what is kosher and what isn't.

And he says not to let anyone judge us with regard to keeping a festival or a new moon or a sabbath. Those are the three types of days on the Jewish liturgical calendar: the annual feasts (like Yom Kippur), the monthly new moon, and the weekly sabbath.

All of these things had a symbolic value, which pointed forward to Christ, but now that the substance which cast the shadow has come--Christ himself--the things pointing forward to him are no longer needed.

The Church Fathers agree. Thus in the early A.D. 100s, we find St. Ignatius of Antioch writing:

Those who lived according to the old order of things have come to a new hope, no longer keeping the sabbath, but the Lord's day, in which our life is blessed by him and by his death [Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Magnesians 9:1].

So let's loop back to our original question of whether the Catholic Church "changed the sabbath." From what we've seen, it didn't.

There was no Medieval pope or council who said, "We're now going to celebrate the sabbath on Sunday."

The weekly sabbath is the day it always was--Saturday--the day before the Lord's day.

What's different is that Jewish Christians are no longer obligated to celebrate the sabbath, because Jesus Christ himself fulfilled it and all the other Old Testament ceremonies and instituted the New Covenant.

And he had the authority to do that, for as he himself told us:

The Son of man is lord of the sabbath [Matthew 12:8].

Of course, Gentile Christians were never obligated to celebrate the sabbath in the first place, because the Law of Moses was given to the Jewish people and was only binding on them (in contrast to God's eternal, moral law, which is binding on everyone).

What we are obliged to celebrate is the Lord's day, which fulfills the principles that were contained within the sabbath, including the need to set aside adequate time for rest and worship.

But there wasn't a Medieval pope or council who instituted that, either. As we've, seen, it's something that dates from the New Testament age itself. Thus the Catechism states:

This practice of the Christian assembly dates from the beginnings of the apostolic age. The Letter to the Hebrews reminds the faithful "not to neglect to meet together, as is the habit of some, but to encourage one another" [Hebrews 10:25].

Abortion is a controversial issue, and at the center of the controversy is the question of whether the unborn are human beings. If they are, then abortion kills a human being.

Many people think that this is somehow a religious issue and involves religious questions like when the soul arrives.

Some people deliberately try to frame the issue this way in order to shut down rational discussion of the subject.

So let's set the question of religious aside <em>entirely</em>.

Instead, let's look at something we should all be able to agree upon: science.

What does science say about whether the unborn are human beings?

One of the most controversial passages in the Bible is Matthew 16:18, where Jesus tells Peter, "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church."

Catholics see this passage as evidence that Jesus made Peter the first pope.

Many Evangelicals look at it as just the opposite.

Who is right?

It's an interesting question, and I've been on both sides of the question. In fact, this passage played a pivotal role in my conversion to the Catholic Church.

You may think you've heard all the arguments about whether Peter is the rock, but I'm going to show you the one that convinced me, and you probably haven't heard it anywhere else . . .

 

The Basic Argument

A common claim in Protestant apologetics is that in Matthew 16:18, Jesus is actually contrasting St. Peter with the rock on which he will build his Church.

The argument is based on the fact that in Greek the word for Peter is petros, while the word used for "rock" here is petra.

It is often claimed that these words meant two different things--that petros meant a small stone or a pebble, while petra meant a large rock.

The idea is that Jesus is contrasting Peter--a tiny, insignificant stone--with the great rock on which he will build his Church, which is often said not to be Peter but Peter's faith.

How well does this argument work?

 

Small Stone vs. Large Rock?

In the Expositor's Bible Commentary, the esteemed Evangelical Bible scholar D. A. Carson writes on this passage:

Although it is true that petros and petra can mean "stone" and "rock" respectively in earlier Greek, the distinction is largely confined to poetry.

Moreover the underlying Aramaic in this case is unquestionable; and most probably kepha was used in both clauses ("you are kepha and on this kepha"), since the word was used both for a name and for "rock."

The Peshitta (written in Syriac, a language cognate with Aramaic) makes no distinction between the words in the two clauses.

The Greek makes the distinction between petros and petra simply because it is trying to preserve the pun, and in Greek the feminine petra could not very well serve as a masculine name.

So the argument that petros and petra have different meanings in this passage is actually quite weak.

But for the sake of argument, let's suppose that they did. Would this mean that Peter isn't the rock?

 

You May Look Small . . . 

The argument that he isn't is based on the fact that there is a clear parallelism between Peter and the rock in this passage, and it assumes a particular kind of parallelism--one that contrasts Peter with the rock.

This is sometimes called antithetic parallelism.

But that isn't the only kind of parallelism there is. The Bible often uses another form, known as synthetic parallelism.

In synthetic parallelism, the second item mentioned builds on or amplifies the meaning of the first.

If that's what's happening in this passage--even if we grant that petros means a small stone and petra means a large rock--then it does not follow that Peter and the rock are two different things.

Instead, Jesus would be saying something like, "Although you may seem to be a small stone, Peter, on the large rock that you really are, I will build my Church."

In this case petra or large rock would bring out the actual significance of the small stone that Peter appears to be.

But there are even more decisive arguments, and you don't have to speak Greek or Aramaic to understand them . . .

 

My Own Conversion

A key moment in my own conversion occurred one day when I was reading a book, and it had an extended quotation from Matthew 16.

I suddenly realized that there was a structural feature in the text that pointed to Peter being the rock.

Soon afterward, I noticed additional features that indicated the same thing.

I realized that these were far stronger indicators than the arguments I had previously taken for granted regarding the alleged difference in meaning between petros and petra, and I had to change my view.

Here is what I discovered . . .

 

Jesus Asks a Question

If we back up a few verses, we find Jesus asking the disciples a question:

[13] Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesare'a Philip'pi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?"

[14] And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Eli'jah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

[15] He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

[16] Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

That's the correct answer, and Jesus says three things to Peter in reply:

[17] And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

[18] And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it.

[19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

What I noticed was that there are structural features in Jesus' three statements to Peter that indicate he is the rock.

 

Blessed Are You

One thing I noticed is that the statements immediately before and after the "You are Peter" passage are both blessings.

First, Jesus says "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona!" That is clearly a blessing.

Then he says, "You are Peter."

And finally he says, "I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven." That also is clearly a blessing.

So "You are Peter" is sandwiched between two blessings. The passage unambiguously stresses the blessedness of St. Peter.

That argues against the idea that Jesus is belittling Peter in this passage.

It would be like Jesus saying, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! . . . You insignificant pebble. . . . Here are the keys to the kingdom of God!"

 

What It Means to Be Peter

I also noticed that each of Jesus' three statements to St. Peter has a two-part explanation attached to it.

The first statement, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona!" is explained by "For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you," which is then further explained by "but my Father who is in heaven."

These are why Peter is blessed. He didn't learn of Jesus' identity from man. It was revealed to him by the Father.

The third statement, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven," is explained by "and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven," which is then further explained by "and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

These are part of what it means for Peter to have the keys of the kingdom. He is able to bind things with authority from God, and he is able to loose things with authority from God.

So when it turns out that the second, or middle statement also has the same structure, then we need to read it in the same way.

The statement "you are Peter," is explained by "and on this rock I will build my church," which is further explained by "and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it."

So that is what it means for him to be Peter: Jesus will build his Church on him, and the gates of hades will not prevail against it.

 

What This Means for Us

When I realized these things, I realized that Peter had to be the rock Jesus was talking about. And that was a pivotal moment in my journey with God.

Because if Peter is the rock on which Jesus builds his Church, that means that Peter is the chief apostle, the chief shepherd of Christ's flock. And that means that, once Jesus has ascended to heaven, Peter is the earthly head of the Church.

That's a good description of the office of the pope.

And so, when I realized these things, I concluded that I had to reconsider matters. I had to review my beliefs with an open mind toward whether the Catholic Church was right after all.

In the end, I concluded that it is, and so I became Catholic.

In the years since, my conviction has only strengthened as I have learned more about Catholic teaching and its basis in the Bible, including the role of the pope.

The Bible records a number of ancient civilizations. Perhaps the most famous of these is ancient Rome.

By the time of the New Testament, Rome was the major world power, and it was in control of the Holy Land during the entire earthly life of Jesus and during the lives of his immediate followers.

Jesus was born during the reign of the Roman emperor Augustus. He was crucified during the reign of the Roman emperor Tiberius. The book of Acts records the Roman emperor Claudius by name. And both St. Peter and St. Paul were crucified at Rome by the Emperor Nero.

It is clear that the Romans were extraordinarily important to the world in which the New Testament was written.

All that makes it worth asking: Who were the Romans, and where did their civilization come from?

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The Legendary Founding

The answer is shrouded in the mists of time, and ancient legends get in the way of an exact knowledge of the facts.

According to the Romans’ own account, the city of Rome was founded in the wake of the famous Trojan War.

Specifically, it was founded on April 21st in 753 B.C. by two twins named Romulus and Remus.

These two twins were supposedly the grandsons of an earlier king—Numitor—but they were raised by a she-wolf, and so they were feral children.

When they founded the city of Rome they had a quarrel, and Romulus killed Remus. Romulus thus became the sole and original king of Rome.

The Roman Kingdom

This led to a period known as “the Roman kindom,” in which Rome was ruled by a series of kings.

This period is supposed to have lasted from the founding in 753 B.C. until about 509 B.C.

It is characterized by the fact that Rome was ruled by kings, just like other peoples were. During this time seven kings supposedly reigned over Rome, beginning with Romulus and ending with Tarquinius Superbus, or “Tarquin the Proud.”

Eventually, however, the people of Rome were fed up with their kings and overthrew them, leading to a new period in the history of Rome.

The Roman Republic

This led to the “Roman Republic,” a period in which Rome lacked a monarch.

The word “republic” comes from the Latin res publica, which means “public thing”—a reference to the fact that how the state was governed was now a public thing rather than a matter for just the kings.

To replace the kings, power was divided between two men, known as consuls, who were elected every year and had significant checks on their powers, including term limits. 

The Roman Republic lasted from the overthrow of the kings around 509 B.C. until the first century B.C.

The Roman Empire

The Romans found that their system of divided government, with power split up among the consuls and other government officials, was at times unwieldy. 

As a result, in times of crisis, they sometimes appointed dictators—men who could run the state as single individuals, but only for a limited period prescribed by law, to keep the dictator from turning into a tyrant.

Eventually this system broke down, when one particular dictator—Julius Caesar—engineered a situation in which he was proclaimed “dictator in perpetuity.”

That was too close to the idea of kingship, and the situation didn’t last long. He was quickly assassinated by a conspiracy in the Senate.

His heir was a man named Octavian, and he eventually accumulated as much power as Julius Caesar had possessed—and more.

Some wanted him to be given the title “king,” but Octavian knew that would be dangerous, so he allowed the Roman Senate to vote him different titles.

One title became the name he is known by today: Augustus.

The other was a military title that meant “commander.” In Latin this word is imperator, and from it we get the English word emperor.

Augustus this became the first of the Roman emperors, and the Roman empire was born.

Rome and the Life of Jesus

Rome had been accumulating power through conquest even since the time of the Roman kings, and by the reign of Augustus Caesar it had become the dominant power in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

They were in political control of the Holy Land at the time Jesus was born, and it was they who had appointed Herod as “king of the Jews.” It was also Augustus Caesar who called for the enrollment that led Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem.

The impact of the Romans on the gospel story is thus apparent right from the beginning.

Their impact was still present at the time of Jesus’ adult ministry, when other members of the Herod family were ruling parts of his kingdom, and when the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, agreed to have Jesus crucified.

“We Have No King But Caesar”

It is ironic that, at the time of Jesus’ Passion, the crowds cried, “We have no king but Caesar!” 

The Roman ruler of the day was Augustus’s successor, Tiberius Caesar, and he did not technically have the title “king.” The Romans were too proud of having overthrown their kings for that. But the emperors were functioning as kings, and it was obvious to everyone.

The Empire Strikes Back

The power of the emperors continued to have an impact on the early Church. Just a few decades later it was the Emperor Nero who put St. Peter and St. Paul to death at Rome.

Later emperors launched the persecutions that martyred so many early Christians—and paradoxically caused the Church to grow, until the Roman empire itself was converted to Christ.

The Roman empire was something that the first Christians had to deal with constantly. It loomed over their lives and tried to destroy them and their faith.

It will help us all understand and appreciate our faith better if we know something about the Roman empire and the impact it had on the Bible and the early Church.

Learning More

The persecution by the Roman authorities is a big part of what the book of Revelation is about. 

If you’d like to learn more about that, I’d like to invite you to join my my Secret Information Club at www.SecretInfoClub.com.

It’s a service I operate by email which is absolutely free. I send out information on a variety of fascinating topics connected with the Catholic faith.

The very first thing you’ll get if you sign up is an “interview” I did with Pope Benedict on the book of Revelation. What I did was compose questions about the book of Revelation and take the answers from his writings.

He has a lot of interesting things to say!

If you’d like to find out what they are, just sign up at www.SecretInfoClub.com. Thank you!

One of the distinctive Protestant principles is expressed in the slogan sola scriptura, which is Latin for “by Scripture only.” The idea is that every teaching on faith or morals must be directly or indirectly based on the Scriptures. 

That leads to the common question, “Where’s that in the Bible?”

It’s an important question. In fact, it’s a question that needs to be asked about the doctrine of sola scriptura itself. Because if every teaching on faith or morals has to be based on the Bible then sola scriptura must be based on the Bible. 

If it’s not, then it is a self-refuting claim and is false.

So what passages do Protestant Christians appeal to in support of sola scriptura?

One that is sometimes cited is Acts 17, which deals with an incident that happened when St. Paul preached in the Jewish synagogue in the Greek city of Berea.

St. Luke writes:

[11] Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all eagerness, examining the scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Many in the Protestant community have found this an inspiring story, and some have even named their ministries after the Berean Jews. If you go online you can find all kinds of Berean churches, schools, ministries, and bookstores.

The idea is that we should imitate the Berean Jews and take a skeptical attitude of theological ideas we are presented with. Instead of just accepting them, we should search the Scriptures daily to see if what we are being told is true or not. If it’s not, then we should not accept it.

If that’s what the passage means—if it is commending the Bereans for their skeptical attitude and refusal to believe a teaching unless it can be found in Scripture—then this would be good evidence for sola scriptura.

But that’s not what it means, and it’s easy to show that.

You’ll notice that Acts 17:11 says that the Berean Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica, which raises an immediate question: “What were the Thessalonian Jews like?”

If they are less noble in contrast to the skeptical Bereans, presumably they were credulous individuals who accepted what they were told without Scriptural proof.

That’s not what they were like at all. To see this, let’s back up to the beginning of the chapter, where we read:

Acts 17

[1] Now when [Paul and his companions] had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

[2] And Paul went in, as was his custom, and for three weeks he argued with them from the scriptures, 

[3] explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ." 

[4] And some of them were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas; as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 

[5] But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked fellows of the rabble, they gathered a crowd, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the people. 

[6] And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren before the city authorities, crying, "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 

[7] and Jason has received them; and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus." 

[8] And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard this. 

[9] And when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go. 

[10] The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea; and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue.

It’s in that context that we now return to the verse where we started:

 [11] Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all eagerness, examining the scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

So the contrast isn’t between the skeptical Bereans, who insisted on Scriptural proof of what Paul was saying, and the credulous Thessalonians, who accepted it without question.

Instead, the contrast is between the open-minded Bereans, who were willing and eager to examine the Scriptures and see if what Paul was saying was true, versus the hostile Thessalonians, who started a riot and got Paul in trouble with the authorities, even though he had proved from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

This understanding is confirmed by the following verses, where we read:

[12] Many of [the Bereans] therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. 

[13] But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Beroea also, they came there too, stirring up and inciting the crowds. 

[14] Then the brethren immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there.

So the Thessalonians forced Paul to flee Berea, just as they had forced him to flee from their own town.

Thus it wasn’t the Bereans who were skeptical. It was the Thessalonians.

There is also another reason why this passage isn’t a good proof text for sola scriptura, which is this: The Christian faith contains doctrines that aren’t found in the Old Testament.

What’s why even those who favor doing theology “by Scripture alone” don’t favor doing it “by the Old Testament alone.”

While the Old Testament does contain prophecies that point forward to Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ, it doesn’t contain the whole of the Christian faith.

What the Berean Jews were willing to do, therefore, was to open-mindedly look at the Old Testament Scriptures, see if they confirmed Paul’s preaching that Jesus was the Messiah, and then go on to accept the new, Christian revelation that Paul also imparted.

And he imparted it by preaching, because the books of the New Testament were not all written yet.

If we were to follow the example of the Bereans, we would look at whether the Scriptures we do have support a particular message and, if they do, then be willing to accept further revelation not found in those Scriptures.

We would, ironically, embrace the attitude of those at Thessalonica who did accept the Christian faith, for in 2 Thessalonians 2, St. Paul told them:

2 Thessialonians 2

[15] So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.

In other words, we would recognize the authority of all of the traditions passed on from Christ and the apostles, whether they were written or not.

And this is what the Catholic Church says we should do.

If you’d like to learn more about these and other matters, I’d like to invite you to join my Secret Information Club at www.SecretInfoClub.com.

It’s a service I operate by email which is absolutely free. I send out fascinating information on a variety of topics connected with the Catholic faith.

The very first thing you’ll get if you sign up is an “interview” I did with Pope Benedict on the book of Revelation. What I did was compose questions about the book of Revelation and take the answers from his writings.

He has a lot of interesting things to say!

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The book of Revelation contains a passage in which St. John sees a great sign in the sky. He wrote:

And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

She brought forth a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne [Rev. 12:1, 5]. 


Who is this mysterious Woman clothed in the sun?

Note that she gives birth to a male child who is to rule the nations with a rod of iron. That’s a reference to the Messianic prophecy in Psalm 2, where we read:

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron [Ps. 2:8-9].

Jesus fulfilled this Messianic prophecy. 

The fact that the male child is caught up to the throne of God is a reference to Jesus’ Ascension into heaven, so we have another confirmation that the male child is Jesus.

And since the Woman who gives birth to him is his Mother, we could infer that the Woman here is Jesus’ mother, the Virgin Mary.

But there is more to the story.

The symbolism connected with the Woman is drawn from the book of Genesis, where the patriarch Joseph has a dream involving the sun, the moon, and the stars.

Then he dreamed another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, "Behold, I have dreamed another dream; and behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me." 


But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him, and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” [Gen. 37:9-10].

The symbolism of the sun, moon, and twelve stars comes from Genesis, where it refers to the family of Jacob and the twelve patriarchs, who headed the twelve tribes of Israel.

That has led some to say that the Woman in Revelation 12 is Israel. 

You could go further and note that the Church is the spiritual Israel. So some have suggested that the Woman as the Church.

Which view is true?

• Is Woman Mary?

• Is Woman Israel?

• Is Woman the Church?

You could try to solve this problem by making some of the symbols primary and some secondary.

For example, you could make the Woman’s role as the mother of Jesus primary, so she’s his literal mother, Mary, and the sun, moon, and stars imagery only means that Mary was a Jewish woman.

Or you could make the sun, moon, and stars imagery primary and say that she’s Israel, and the fact that Mary was the particular Jewish woman who gave birth to Jesus is secondary.

We don’t have to make that choice, because if you study the way symbolism is used in the book of Revelation,  it often uses a single symbol points to more than one thing.

For example, Revelation 17 tells us what the seven heads of the beast represents

This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the [Whore of Babylon] is seated; they are also seven kings (Rev. 17:9-10).

If the seven heads can be seven mountains and seven kings then the Woman clothed with the sun might be the Virgin Mary and Israel and the Church.

That’s what Pope Benedict suggests. In his book Jesus of Nazareth, volume 2, he writes:

When the Book of Revelation speaks of the great sign of a Woman appearing in heaven, she is understood to represent all Israel, indeed, the whole Church. . . . 

On the basis of the “corporate personality” model—in keeping with biblical thought—the early Church had no difficulty recognizing in the Woman, on the one hand, Mary herself and, on the other hand, transcending time, the Church, bride and mother, in which the mystery of Mary spreads out into history [Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth 2:222].

On another occasion, Pope Benedict said:

This Woman represents Mary, the Mother of the Redeemer, but at the same time she also represents the whole Church, the People of God of all times, the Church which in all ages, with great suffering, brings forth Christ ever anew [General Audience, Aug. 23, 2006].

As Pope Benedict shows us, we don’t have to make a forced choice between the possible meanings of what the Woman represents.

In keeping with the richness of the way Revelation uses symbolism, to use Pope Benedict’s phrases, she can be Mary and “all Israel” and “the whole Church” in different ways.

If you’d like to learn more about what Pope Benedict says about the book of Revelation, I’d like to invite you to join my Secret Information Club at www.SecretInfoClub.com.

The very first thing you’ll get is a free “interview” with Pope Benedict where I composed the questions and took the answers from his writings.

He has lots of interesting things to say!

You’ll also get lots of additional information on fascinating topics, absolutely FREE, so you should join now at www.SecretInfoClub.com.

Jimmy explains about his recent struggle with cataracts and his eye surgery.

Yolanda from Washington state asks about spiritual warfare.

Cheryl from Singapore asks about prayers to the hungry ghosts being performed on Catholic school property.

Scientists are abuzz with word that the long-sought "God particle" (aka the Higgs boson) may have finally been discovered.

While most scientists don't like the nickname "God particle" (and while many religious people might not neither), it's certainly generated a lot of coverage in the media.

Because of the God-based nickname the particle has been given, the discovery of the Higgs has attracted a lot of press attention, and I've received quite a number of requests to comment on it.

In this episode, I take a look at these and similar questions to give you the basics of the new discovery and what to make of it from a religious perspective.

Before we get to the video, though, here's a Higgs-related joke (adapted from one I read on the Internet):

<p style="padding-left: 30px;">A Higgs boson walks into a church. The priest, offended by its nickname of the "God particle," immediately orders it out.</p>

<p style="padding-left: 30px;">The Higgs shrugs and turns to leave. "Okay," it says. "But without me, you can't have Mass."</p>

<em>Groan!</em>

At least if you know the basics of what the Higgs boson is supposed to do.

If not, listen the episode and find out!

In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Jimmy Akin answers:

What is the history of chapel veils? Why did women stop wearing them?

What is the best resource for helping Catholics understand Scripture?

If I have a lot of debt, should I still tithe 10%? How do we know when to stop tithing and start paying our debts?

Do you think the laity’s attitude toward the priest is still that he is a member of the community, or do people just go to him for the sacraments and then ignore him?

What must I do to be saved?

In The Passion of the Christ, Satan asks, “How can one man bear the full burden of sin?” -- how do Catholics address this question?

Where can I find proof that the Bible comes from the Catholic Church?

What can I do to help my daughter who is dating a Muslim stay strong in her faith?

How long does the sacrament of the anointing of the sick last? Can you receive it more than once? 

What resource do you recommend for information about the permanent diaconate?

Is it disrespectful to refrain from bowing during the Nicene Creed and from striking your breast during the Penitential Rite?

My 24-year-old son always talks about the Vatican’s “corrupt” police force -- can you tell me anything about this?

If I enter into the Catholic Church with a lot of spiritual “baggage,” will that be taken care of before I join, or do I bring it to confession after I become Catholic?

If you read some older English translations of the Bible, like the Catholic Douay-Rheims (pub. 1609) or the Protestant King James (pub. 1611) you come across some passages that seem a bit mysterious. For example in the Douay-Rheims, in Psalms 91:11 we read:

"But my horn shall be exalted like that of the unicorn."

In the equivalent verse in the King James (Ps. 92:10) we read:

"But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn."

In reading such passages, you might think, what on earth does that mean? In these cases, the horn is being used as a symbol of strength or vigor. The Psalmist is saying that thanks to God, I'm going to be given a lot of strength and vigor, so praise God.

Fine, but what's this stuff about unicorns? I, mean does this mean unicorns are real?

In this episode we go to the heart of the matter and reveals the startling truth about what the Bible might be referring to in these passages.

We also look at how the word "unicorn" got into these passages in the first place and what ancient but real creature the translators may have been referring to. (Unless you've heard this before, it can come as a real surprise.

There is a common argument used against the idea of purgatory in some circles which goes like this: "St. Paul says that 'to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord' (2 Cor. 5:8). It's that simple: If you're a Christian and you aren't in your body then you are with Jesus in heaven. There is no room for purgatory in St. Paul's view. Purgatory is just a Catholic fable--a 'man made tradition.'"

Is this true?

It turns out that if you examine what St. Paul really said, the whole argument is based on a misquotation. St. Paul said nothing of the kind.

Furthermore, if you look elsewhere in St. Paul's writings--to the very same church he was addressing in his "absent from the body" passage--you find strong evidence for purgatory.

Far from being a Catholic fable, purgatory is rooted in the thought of the Apostle Paul himself--as I show in this episode.

In this episode of the program I answer two questions regarding apostolic succession and whether, in fact, we have an unbroken chain going back to the apostles.

The first question comes from Marci in Mexico, who wonders about the effect that various practices have on the liceity (lawfulness) and validity of episcopal consecrations.

The second question comes from a gentleman who asks about a particular figure from the 1500s--Cardinal Scipione Rebiba--who has a very unusual property: 91% of all modern Catholic bishops trace their episcopal lineage back to him, and we're not entirely sure who ordained Rebiba.

What are the implications of that for apostolic succession.

In the process of answering this, I invite Dr. Andrew Jones of Logos Bible Software on the show. Dr. Jones has a doctorate in medieval history, so this is right up his alley.

In the second half of the show I keep Dr. Jones on the line to update us about current Logos Bible Software projects, including the newly-released Catechism of the Catholic Church set (which you may already have--free of charge) and their forthcoming translations of certain key works by St. Thomas Aquinas that have never been translated into English before. (I'm excited about getting my hands on those!)

At some point in their lives, virtually everyone has wondered whether they can be forgiven for what they've done. The good news is, they can!

But sometimes the doubts linger, particularly for people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and particularly in connection with certain passages in the Bible, such as some in the book of Hebrews that deal with the subject of apostasy--the complete rejection of the Christian faith.

Can an apostate be forgiven? If you've ever knowingly and deliberately rejected Christ, will he take you back? And what is the real meaning of those passages in Hebrews?

In this episode Jimmy responds to a gentleman who is struggling with these very issues.

He demonstrates that the Hebrews passages do not mean what the gentleman fears and reveals the infinite mercy of God.

The good news is: No matter what you've done, if you are willing to come back to God, God is eager to take you back. He loves you, and your sins are not greater than his love.

Recently an article on the Internet that claims same-sex "marriage" used to be a Christian rite has been trending. It's been cited repeatedly, in many different places, and Jimmy has gotten multiple queries about how to respond to it.

According to the article:

Contrary to myth, Christianity's concept of marriage has not been set in stone since the days of Christ, but has constantly evolved as a concept and ritual.

Prof. John Boswell, the late Chairman of Yale University’s history department, discovered that in addition to heterosexual marriage ceremonies in ancient Christian church liturgical documents, there were also ceremonies called the "Office of Same-Sex Union" (10th and 11th century), and the "Order for Uniting Two Men" (11th and 12th century).

In this video episode of the Jimmy Akin Podcast, Jimmy discusses the piece, where it came from, what it is based on, and what the problems with it are.

He demonstrates that the article is derived from a deliberately falsified piece of scholarship by deceased professor John Boswell, who used outrageously false mistranslations to twist ancient documents to fit a modern agenda.

Jimmy Also reveals the true nature of the "same-sex unions" that Boswell discussed--and the fact that these very same rites are practiced in some parts of the Christian world today.

This must-see video will prove eye-opening for anyone interested in this subject.

By the way, in light of President Obama's recent endorsement of homosexual "marriage," Jimmy is preparing a special Secret Information Club "interview" with Pope Benedict on the subject of homosexual marriage.

To get your copy, you should sign up at www.SecretInfoClub.com by Thursday, and you'll get Pope Benedict's teaching on homosexual marriage by email on Friday.

This Sunday's readings deal with one of the most important events in Christian history.

Although the majority of Christians have little or no knowledge of the event, a pivotal moment in the history of the Church is recorded in Acts 10.

This event is the conversion of the household of the Roman centurion Cornelius, and it is important because, when this event occurred, it became clear that one did not have to become a Jew in order to become a Christian. This opened the door to a wave of conversions from people of all nations and kept Christianity from being a purely Jewish phenomenon, ethnically speaking.

But the conversion of Cornelius is controversial. It was in its own day, and it is in ours as well.

Some try to draw lessons from it like everyone should speak in tongues upon their conversion to Christ . . . or that baptism is merely a symbol that does not convey God's grace.

How can one respond to these claims, and what are the *true* lessons that one can learn from this turning point in the history of Christianity?

In this video episode of the Jimmy Akin Podcast, Jimmy discusses the arguments and reveals both surprising and reassuring facts about the conversion of Cornelius.

This must-see video will prove eye-opening for Christians of all persuasions.

Vegetarianism is a hot topic today. Many people are cutting out some or all animal products from their diet.

When done for health reasons, this is a matter of science rather than faith. But what about claims that Christians should be vegetarians for religious reasons?

Some even claim that Jesus himself was a vegetarian.

And what are we to make of the slogan "A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy"?

In this video episode of the Jimmy Akin Podcast, best-selling author Jimmy Akin looks at the evidence and reveals startling facts that are often overlooked, though they are right there in the Bible.

With charity and patience, Akin explores the truth about the Bible and vegetarianism and provides a balanced view of the relationship between humans and animals.

We’re coming up on May–a month associated with the Virgin Mary–so here’s a new video on one of the most common objections to the rosary: the charge that it amounts to “vain repetitions,” in violation of Jesus’ command (Matt. 6:7).

By the way, I’m also preparing an “interview” with John Paul II on the rosary, so if you’d like to get his wisdom on this special devotion, sign up for the Secret Information Club and on May 1st you’ll get it by email.

You should sign up for the Secret Information Club using the form on the right (top) or byclicking here to go to SecretInfoClub.com.

SHOW NOTES

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 035 (04/21/12)

This week the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome mandated a thoroughgoing reform of the largest leadership conference for women religious in the United States.

In an exclusive interview, Ann Carey joins Jimmy Akin to go in-depth on this dramatic announcement, why it happened, what it means, and what may happen next.

Ann Carey is a journalist who has been covering the subject of women religious for many years. She is the author of the book "Sisters in Crisis: The Tragic Unraveling of Women’s Religious Communities."

According to the Vatican report, there are serious doctrinal problems associated with the activities and publications of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious--some which challenge the core of the Christian faith itself.

The leadership of the LCWR has also flouted the authority of the bishops, as when they publicly sought to neutralize the U.S. bishops' leadership during the 2010 health care debate in Congress and when they later honored Sr. Carol Keehan, CEO of the Catholic Healthcare Association, which also broke with and defied the bishops over the issue of health care.

You can read more about this subject in an article Jimmy authored, which is online here:

http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/holy-see-mandates-reform-of-u.s.-women-religious-conference/

How the LCWR will respond to the mandated reform is unknown, but in this interview Ann and Jimmy preview the dramatic developments that may lie ahead of us.

Today’s Music: Joy Trip (JewelBeat.Com)

WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK?

Call me at 512-222-3389!

jimmyakinpodcast@gmail.com

www.JimmyAkinPodcast.com



Join Jimmy's Secret Information Club!

www.SecretInfoClub.com

Copyright © 2012 by Jimmy Akin 

Get the Jimmy Akin Cast app for Android at Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006OTDOB8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=jimmyakincom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B006OTDOB8

 

 

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 034 (03/31/12)

ERIC ASKS ABOUT THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD AND THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH

2 Kings 2:1 

Letter on Certain Questions Concerning Eschatology

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19790517_escatologia_en.html

Some Current Questions in Eschatology (1992)  

http://www.nd.edu/~afreddos/courses/43801/International%20Theological%20Commission%20Eschatology.pdf

1 Thessalonians 4:14-18

2 Peter 3:3-14

Revelation 6:12-17

Revelation 20:11-21:5

Catechism of the Catholic Church 1042-1047, 1060

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 033 (03/24/12) 

In the opening segment Jimmy has three pieces of news: 

(1) The funds to make transcripts of the next 52 episodes have now been raised! 

(2) Jimmy is producing the show a week ahead of time now so that the transcripts can be made available the same day that the podcast is released! 

(3) Enough funds have been raised to transcribe all the previous episodes of the show!

1) TOM FROM WISCONSIN ASKS, IF THE GATES OF HEAVEN WERE OPENED ON EASTER SUNDAY (OR THEREABOUTS), WHEN WERE THE GATES OF *HELL* OPENED?

2) SUE FROM BUFFALO ASKS WHAT RESOURCES SHE COULD SHARE WITH HER DAUGHTER'S MUSLIM BOYFRIEND TO HELP SHOW HIM THE TRUTH OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH.

Today’s Music: Joy Trip (JewelBeat.Com)

WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK?

Call me at 512-222-3389!

jimmyakinpodcast@gmail.com

www.JimmyAkinPodcast.com



Join Jimmy's Secret Information Club!

www.SecretInfoClub.com

Copyright © 2012 by Jimmy Akin

Get the Jimmy Akin Cast app for Android at Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006OTDOB8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=jimmyakincom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B006OTDOB8

Does God *HATE* sinners? If not, why does the Bible seem to say he does? Why do other passages say he loves sinners? How are we to reconcile these statements? Just how biblical is the saying "Love the sinner but hate the sin"? Who said that? And what were they talking about? Does God "hate" anything at all? What does Catholic theology say about this?

How can you use the Internet to serve God without tripping on canon law? Do you need an imprimatur from your bishop to have a blog or a web site? How about a Facebook page? What if you talk about subjects like Scripture, the liturgy, catechesis, theology, devotions, or other religious subjects? Is the Internet the new Wild West, where anything goes, or is it subject to the Church's law?

These are just some of the questions we address on this week's episode of the Jimmy Akin Podcast!

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 032 (03/10/12) 

We're *almost* at our initial goal of $3000 to make transcripts of the next 52 episodes of the show. If we can make $4000 then we can also do transcripts of all the past episodes. Our drive for this project is almost over, so now is the time to donate!

Visit JimmyAkin.com and click the "Donate" button to make your donation by credit card or PayPal--or mail a check. Thank you, and God bless you for your generosity!

JACK FROM ARDMORE ASKS IF GOD HATES SINNERS AS WELL AS SINS.

Sources we quoted:

Augustine's Letter 211:11

Psalm 5:5-6

Wisdom 11:23-26

Romans 5:6-11

John 3:16

1 John 4:7-10

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Contra Gentiles 1:89

TONY FROM MONCTON, CANADA ASKS IF HE NEEDS TO DO ANYTHING FOR HIS FAITH-RELATED FACEBOOK PAGE TO BE OKAY UNDER CANON LAW.

See the section from the Code of Canon Law on the publication of books, online here:

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P2Q.HTM

Today’s Music: Holiday Cheers (JewelBeat.Com)

WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK?

Call me at 512-222-3389!

jimmyakinpodcast@gmail.com

www.JimmyAkinPodcast.com



Join Jimmy's Secret Information Club!

www.SecretInfoClub.com

Copyright © 2012 by Jimmy Akin

Get the Jimmy Akin Cast app for Android at Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006OTDOB8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=jimmyakincom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B006OTDOB8

Jimmy is raising funds to help transcribe a year's worth of the episodes of the show so that they can be available in written form for everyone to benefit from--making it easier for people to learn from the information provided on the show.

In this special mini-episode, Jimmy gives an update on where the project is right now and also announces a special extension of the project: making *all* of the past episodes of the show available in written form as well. 

This will include things like:

1. Has the Consecration requested by Our Lady of Fatima been done?

2. Autistic children and first Communion

3. Watching TV shows with bad theology

4. Taxes and abortion

5. Dungeons and Dragons

6. 2 part special apologetics of Christmas

7. Sunday rest special

8. Can a priest force you to confess to the police

9. Is women's ordination a heresy

10. Medjugorje special

11. Can priests report murderers who confess

12. Capital punishment for heresy

13. What did the early Christians believe about the Millennium

14. Jimmy vs. the Flying Spaghetti Monster

15. Relationship between God and Time

16. Whether God is a Monster

17. Artificial Intelligence

18. Sedevacantism

19. Pirating Software

20. Colonizing Space & the Religious Questions It Raises

Everything depends on your generosity, though, so go by www.JimmyAkin.com, click the Donate button, and make your donation today.

God bless you, and thank you for your generosity!

On Catholic Answers Live (2/16/12), Jimmy Akin answers:

• Have you heard about a female pope?
• In regard to the HHS mandate, why don’t the bishops resort to excommunication of politicians?
• I’m thinking about becoming a Catholic, but I’ve been divorced and remarried – what steps should I take?
• What do the Masons believe?
• Where do Protestants get the notion that they can attend or belong to any type church, whereas we believe that Jesus founded the one true Catholic Church?
• Is it a sin to not take my autistic child to Mass on Sunday because she may misbehave?
• Are those who commit mortal sins without knowing it at risk of not being saved?
• Is there a difference between how Protestants and Catholics view missionary work?
• How powerful is Planned Parenthood within the government given the danger of contraception and the fight that is currently going on for our religious liberty?

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 031 (02/26/12) 

1) JIMMY MAKES AN ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE PODCAST

He needs your help raising funds to enable the podcast to help even more people, in more ways, by making transcripts of it available. If he can raise $3000 then he can keep the podcast going and provide *a year's worth* of transcripts (52 episodes) at the same time!

Please visit www.JimmyAkin.com to learn more about this project and how you can help!

God bless you, and thank you for your generosity!

2) LUCIA ASKS WHY THE APOSTLES CREED SAYS THAT JESUS "DESCENDED INTO HELL." WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, AND WHY DID HE DO IT?

3) LUCIA ASKS ABOUT THE LAW IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT SAYS NOT TO WEAR CLOTHING WITH TWO KINDS OF FABRIC. ARE WE TO TAKE THIS LITERALLY?

ONLINE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LAW OF SHA`ATNEZ

Shatnez

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shatnez

Ask Rabbi Simmons: Clothing Worn by Jews

http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_o/bl_simmons_clothing.htm

The Mysteries of Shaatnez

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/381831/jewish/The-Mysteries-of-Shaatnez.htm

Clothing Mixtures: The Commandment of Shatnez

http://www.beingjewish.com/mitzvos/shatnez.html

THOMAS AQUINAS ON LAW

Summa Theologiae I-II (see questions 98-103)

http://newadvent.org/summa/2.htm

Today’s Music: Fresh Country Air (JewelBeat.Com)

WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK?

Call me at 512-222-3389!

jimmyakinpodcast@gmail.com

www.JimmyAkinPodcast.com



Join Jimmy's Secret Information Club!

www.SecretInfoClub.com

Copyright © 2012 by Jimmy Akin

Get the Jimmy Akin Cast app for Android at Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006OTDOB8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=jimmyakincom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B006OTDOB8

On Catholic Answers Live (2/9/12), Jimmy Akin answers:

• Why is this health insurance mandate such a big issue? -- If I’m Catholic and don’t want to use it to buy contraception or abortions I don’t have to.
• I’m being attacked on Facebook by anti-Catholic Protestants -- what is the best way to deal with this?
• Am I committing a mortal sin by using the pull-out method for birth control, since my husband is not Catholic?
• Would two men or two women living together (although they are not a couple) send the same message of impropriety as a co-habitating couple?
• How do I explain the love and mercy of God to someone who has adopted a New Age philosophy?
• Is American Sign Language an approved liturgical language?
• Can you explain the meaning of Hebrews 12:18-24?

SHOW NOTES:

 

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 030 (02/19/12)

 

In this episode Deacon Tom Fox of Catholic Vitamins asks how to respond to claims that the papal consecration requested by Our Lady of Fatima has not been made.

 

THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA

 

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000626_message-fatima_en.html

 

THE LAST SECRET OF FATIMA

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00378L4T8?ie=UTF8&tag=jimmyakincom-20&creativeASIN=B00378L4T8

 

CROSSING THE THRESHOLD OF HOPE

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0679765611/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=jimmyakincom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0679765611

 

TWO LETTERS FROM SR. LUCIA

 

http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/Fatima1984.htm

 

 

 

Today’s Music: Ave Maria (JewelBeat.Com)

 

WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK?

Call me at 512-222-3389!

jimmyakinpodcast@gmail.com

www.JimmyAkinPodcast.com



 

Join Jimmy's Secret Information Club!

www.SecretInfoClub.com

Copyright © 2012 by Jimmy Akin

 

 

Get the Jimmy Akin Cast app for Android at Amazon.com:

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006OTDOB8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=jimmyakincom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B006OTDOB8

On Catholic Answers Live (2/2/12) Jimmy Akin answers:

How do I talk to Catholics who disagree with the Church about same-sex marriage?

At Mass the priest doesn’t say the “Alleluia” before the Gospel. Is this okay?

How do you reconcile some of God’s harsh actions in the Old Testament with the loving God that we think of today?

How do we defend the Catholic Church having a lot of money when Scripture says that it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter heaven?

Should I talk to my Protestant niece’s Catholic fiancé about the fact that he is marrying into a Protestant family?

Why is a woman ritually unclean after having a baby and when she has her menstrual period?

When the Church issued Humanae Vitae, the Canadian bishops issued a statement that they would dissent from it -- how is this possible?

Since the Eucharist is no longer bread, how do we deal with the fact that a lot of songs in the Mass refer to it as bread?

If a search and rescue team uses psychics to find a missing person, is this something that Christians should not participate in (even if it helps find the person)?

Jimmy Akin answers:

I want to believe -- how do I pray for belief?

NOTE: Here's the article I mentioned that I wrote on Pascal's Wager: http://archive.catholic.com/thisrock/2003/0303fea1.asp

How long do annulments generally take? Before you go through the process, can you get an idea of whether or not you have a chance of getting one?

How can I go through an RCIA program since I travel a lot for my job?

Why has the Catholic liturgy in America become so watered-down?

How does the Catholic Church justify its collaboration with the states throughout history?

Are the Assumption and Coronation of Mary metaphors of us being crowned in heaven with our full bodies, or are they just special things that happened to Mary?

Why has the Catholic Church been a hindrance to individual liberty since the Magna Carta?

I saw something on the History Channel that said Jesus married Mary Magdalen and had children -- is this possible?

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE 029 (01/28/12) 

Get the Jimmy Akin Cast app for Android at Amazon.com!

http://www.amazon.com/Wizzard-Media-Jimmy-Akin-Cast/dp/B006OTDOB8/

* (03:06) PAUL FROM MICHIGAN ASKS WHERE THE CHAPTER AND VERSE DIVISIONS IN THE BIBLE CAME FROM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapters_and_verses_of_the_Bible

* (13:12) PAUL ALSO ASKS ABOUT WHAT THE MASS WAS LIKE BEFORE THE COUNCIL OF TRENT, WHY IT WAS CHANGED, AND WHY WE CAN'T CELEBRATE IT IN THE "PRE-TRIDENTINE" WAY ANY MORE?

http://history.hanover.edu/texts/trent/ct25.html

http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Pius05/p5quopri.htm

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/pope0262r.htm

* (32:28) HANS FROM WASHINGTON ASKS WHY THERE ARE NO SAINTS WHO ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR REASONABLY HAPPY MIDDLE CLASS MARRIAGES.

http://jimmyakin.com/2012/01/jimmy-on-catholic-answers-live-11212.html

WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK?

Call me at 512-222-3389!

jimmyakinpodcast@gmail.com

www.JimmyAkinPodcast.com



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Today’s Music: Joy Trip (JewelBeat.Com)

Copyright © 2012 by Jimmy Akin

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 028 (01/21/12) 

* (00:30) JIMMY ANNOUNCES HIS NEW WEB SITE 

www.JimmyAkin.com (the new home of JimmyAkin.org!)

* (03:25) SAM ASKS ABOUT WATCHING TV SHOWS THAT HAVE INACCURATE THEOLOGY

Plus: The horrible theology of "It's A Wonderful Life"!

* (16:50) JUST A CATHOLIC DAD ASKS ABOUT CHILDREN WITH DOWN'S SYNDROME RECEIVING FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

www.JustACatholicDad.com

www.SQPN.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_syndrome

From the western Code of Canon Law (CIC 1983):

Can.  912 Any baptized person not prohibited by law can and must be admitted to Holy Communion.

Can.  913 §1. The administration of the Most Holy Eucharist to children requires that they have sufficient knowledge and careful preparation so that they understand the mystery of Christ according to their capacity and are able to receive the body of Christ with faith and devotion.

§2. The Most Holy Eucharist, however, can be administered to children in danger of death if they can distinguish the body of Christ from ordinary food and receive communion reverently.

Can.  914 It is primarily the duty of parents and those who take the place of parents, as well as the duty of pastors, to take care that children who have reached the use of reason are prepared properly and, after they have made sacramental confession, are refreshed with this divine food as soon as possible. It is for the pastor to exercise vigilance so that children who have not attained the use of reason or whom he judges are not sufficiently disposed do not approach Holy Communion.

Can. 11 Merely ecclesiastical laws bind those who have been baptized in the Catholic Church or received into it, possess the efficient use of reason, and, unless the law expressly provides otherwise, have completed seven years of age.

FROM THE EASTERN CODE OF CANON LAW (CCEO 1990):

Canon 710

With respect to the participation of infants in the Divine Eucharist after baptism and chrismation with holy myron, the prescriptions of the liturgical books of each Church sui iuris are to be observed with the suitable due precautions.

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Today’s Music: Grunge Guys (JewelBeat.Com); Gelato (GarageBand)

Copyright © 2012 by Jimmy Akin

Jimmy Akin answers:

Are there any saints who are known for having holy marriages?

Today the priest didn’t come for daily Mass, so we had a Communion Service -- can you tell me more about this?

How is 1 John 3:9 true, if we all sin?

The Bible says that all of my sins are forgiven through Christ’s sacrifice -- is there anything else I need to do?

What does 1 John 3:20 mean by “If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts”?

Can you discuss what the Gospel says about giving money to beggars?

Can you explain what the Catechism means by “just wages” for an employee?

How can I Evangelize my Mormon coworkers?

Jimmy Akin answers:

Why are there differences in the genealogies in Matthew and Luke?

How do you address the Protestant claim that even with unified teachings, Catholics aren’t unified?

What are your thoughts on the idea that Catholics believe that it is not ok to kill one to save hundreds? 

What are thoughts on the fishes and loaves story? Was it a miracle or were the people generous with what they had?

Why does the term “Jehovah” appear in some bibles and not in others?

In Luke, is Heli Mary’s father?

Catholic Weekend welcomes Jimmy Akin to talk about the newest affiliate of SQPN, The Jimmy Akin Podcast.  We learn a little bit about Catholicism, a little bit about Jimmy, and a whole lot about Square Dancing. That’s right. Listen and find out what that has to do with anything.

Please join us in welcoming Jimmy to the SQPN community!

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 027 (01/07/12) 

* ANNOUNCEMENTS

New affiliate with SQPN

New Android podcast app (Jimmy Akin Cast)

The Liturgical Year

Get the Jimmy Akin Cast Android App here:

http://tinyurl.com/6q5yovr

* GABRIELA FROM JAPAN ASKS ABOUT SINS COMMITTED BEFORE BAPTISM

* WILL ASKS ABOUT TAXES THAT PAY FOR ABORTIONS

* ANONYMOUS ASKS ABOUT MARY RECEIVING COMMUNION

* RAUL ASKS ABOUT ROLE PLAYING GAMES AND DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

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Today’s Music: Days Gone (JewelBeat.Com)

Copyright © 2011 by Jimmy Akin

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 026 (11/21/11) 

* Special "Apologetics of Christmas" Interview with Jason Ward of www.CatholicDadsOnline.org (pt. 2)

1. I’ve heard it wasn’t uncommon for some people to sleep in the stable of an inn during busy times? Was that true? 

2. What was the Star of Bethlehem? A conjunction of planets, meteor, comet, supernatural event? What does the Church or Church Fathers say about it? 

3. What is significant about gold, frankincense, and myrrh? 

4. How did the birth of Jesus come to be celebrated on December 25? 

5. Why do Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas on January 7?

6. What light does the Ark of the Covenant shed on Mary's perpetual virginity, and what evidence do we have for her perpetual virginity?

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Today’s Music: Joy to the World (JewelBeat.Com)

Copyright © 2011 by Jimmy Akin

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 025 (12/18/11)

Logos Bible Software update

Android app announcement 

Special "Apologetics of Christmas" Interview (pt. 1)

* JASON WARD FROM CATHOLIC DADS ONLINE (CatholicDadsOnline.org) ASKS:

1. Should Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus? There is no evidence the apostles did. When did it become a feast day? Weren't birthdays a pagan thing?

2. Why was he named Jesus when, as stated in Matthew 1:23, the Messiah was to be called Immanuel?

3. Matthew 1:23 quotes Isaiah 7:14 as “a virgin will conceive” from the Septuagint, but the original Hebrew uses the word “almah” meaning “young woman of marriagable age.” Was Matthew wrong to quote this?

4. What does Joseph’s reaction, in Matthew 1:19, to the news of Mary’s pregnancy tell us about his character?

5. Why would Joseph take a 9-month pregnant Mary to Bethlehem instead of taking her earlier? Why did he take her at all? Couldn’t he have just left her in Nazareth?

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Today’s Music: Away in a Manger (JewelBeat.Com)

Copyright © 2011 by Jimmy Akin

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 024 (12/10/11) 

* MARK FROM OREGON ASKS ABOUT SPENDING MONEY ON SUNDAY

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_05071998_dies-domini_en.html

CCC 2184-2188:

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P7O.HTM

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Today’s Music: For Now For Tomorrow (JewelBeat.Com)

Copyright © 2011 by Jimmy Akin

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 023 (12/03/11) 

* CHRIS ASKS ABOUT THE NEW MASS TRANSLATION AND THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS

http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/archbishop-aymond/

* AIMEE ASKS ABOUT A PRIEST WHO TOLD HER NOT TO CONFESS PAST MORTAL SINS IN CONFESSION

* LUKE FROM MINNESOTA ASKS ABOUT USING PRODUCTS FROM COMPANIES ENGAGED IN ANIMAL CRUELTY OR WORKER MISTREATMENT

* JACK FROM ARDMORE ASKS ABOUT PROVIDING INFORMATION TO PEOPLE WHICH LEADS TO THEIR COMMITTING MORTAL SIN

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Today’s Music: Dance Groove Dance (JewelBeat.Com)

Copyright © 2011 by Jimmy Akin

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 022 (11/26/11) 

* WHIT FROM FLORIDA ASKS ABOUT QUOTATIONS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE NEW

Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament: A Complete Survey

By Gleason Leonard, Jr. Archer and Gregory Chirichigno

http://astore.amazon.com/jimmyakincom-20/detail/1597520403

NOTE: "Septuagint" is abbreviated LXX

Categories:

A (straightforward LXX): 268

B (LXX where it slightly deviates from MT): 50

C (Masoretic Text): 33

D (LXX where it deviates more from the MT): 22

E (Other): 13

F (Allusions that aren't quotations): 32

Total using LXX as primary text: 340

Total using MT as primary text: 33

Deuterocanonical References in the New Testament

http://www.cin.org/users/james/files/deutero3.htm

* WESLEY FROM BROOKLYN ASKS RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ACTS

CCC 1288-1290

* "CONFLICTED" ASKS ABOUT QUITTING HER JOB AT A HOSPITAL THAT DOES IMMORAL PROCEDURES

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Today’s Music: Groove It Now (JewelBeat.Com)

Copyright © 2011 by Jimmy Akin

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 021 (11/20/11) 

* DARRIN ASKS ABOUT MORAL DILEMMAS, EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH, & HYPOCRISY

1 Cor. 10:13: "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

Instruction Dignitas Personae (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith), section 35.

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20081208_dignitas-personae_en.html

"Nothing is more unjust, however common, than to charge with hypocrisy him that expresses zeal for those virtues which he neglects to practice; since he may be sincerely convinced of the advantages of conquering his passions, without having yet obtained the victory, as a man may be confident of the advantages of a voyage, or a journey, without having courage or industry to undertake it, and may honestly recommend to others, those attempts which he neglects himself" (Samuel Johnson, The Rambler No. 14). 

http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/Joh1Ram.html

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Today’s Music: Active Cheerful (JewelBeat.Com)

Copyright © 2011 by Jimmy Akin

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 020 (11/12/11) 

* DANIEL FROM PHILADELPHIA ASKS IF A PRIEST CAN WITHHOLD ABSOLUTION TO FORCE A MURDERER TO TURN HIMSELF INTO THE POLICE 

Catechism of the Catholic Church 1447

Code of Canon Law 983-984

* TONY ASKS IF A PARTICULAR FORMULA OF ABSOLUTION IS VALID

http://www.ewtn.com/library/liturgy/zlitur243.htm

* FRANK FROM SCOTLAND ASKS ABOUT RECONCILIATION APART FROM THE SACRAMENT

Catechism of the Catholic Church 1451-1453, 1483-1484, 1532

James 5:14-15

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Today’s Music: West Is Wild (JewelBeat.Com)

Copyright © 2011 by Jimmy Akin

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 019 (11/04/11) 

Bible Software Special: How Can Bible Software Help *You*?

Special Guest: Andrew Jones of Logos Bible Software.

Site: Logos.com/jimmy

Coupon Code to save 15%: jimmy

Also, Jimmy Akin Secret Info Club announced.

Site: SecretInfoClub.com

WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK?

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Today’s Music: Surf Surf (JewelBeat.Com)

Copyright © 2011 by Jimmy Akin

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 018 (10/29/11)

* VINCE FROM ST. CHARLES, IL, ASKS ABOUT MEDJUGORJE.

1978 CDF Norms:

http://d-rium.blogspot.com/p/normae-s-congregationis.html

Diocese of Mostar statements:

http://www.cbismo.com/index.php?menuID=98

Međugorje: Secrets, Messages, Vocations, Prayers, Confessions, Commissions

http://www.cbismo.com/index.php?mod=vijest&vijest=101

2006 Homily:

http://www.cbismo.com/index.php?mod=vijest&vijest=71

Background on the “Herzegovinian Affair”:

http://medjugorjedocuments.blogspot.com/2010/11/1975-decree-romanis-pontificibus.html

2006 News Report:

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0604177.htm

2009 Homily:

http://www.cbismo.com/index.php?mod=vijest&vijest=366

2010 Summary of developments:

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/new_medjugorje_commission/

2010 Commission Announcement:

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/holy_see_confirms_formation_of_medjugorje_commission/

English translation of interview with Archbishop Amato regarding the Norms:

http://catholiclight.stblogs.org/archives/2010/03/medjugorje-comm.html

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Today’s Music: Ave Maria (JewelBeat.Com)

Copyright © 2011 by Jimmy Akin

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 017 (10/22/11) 

* BEN ASKS ABOUT WOMEN’S ORDINATION AND HERESY

Canons relating to the Church’s magisterium, including the definition of heresy: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P2H.HTM

Who must make the profession of faith: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P2R.HTM

Text of the profession of faith: http://www.ewtn.com/library/curia/cdfoath.htm

Doctrinal commentary on the profession of faith: http://www.ewtn.com/library/curia/cdfadtu.htm

WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK?

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Today’s Music: Cover Me (JewelBeat.Com)

Copyright © 2011 by Jimmy Akin

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 016 (10/16/11) 

www.CatholicAnswersGala.com (register by Oct. 19 and be automatically entered to win a FREE iPad 2 loaded with Catholic Answers audio and video).

www.CatholicAnswersCruise.com (register by Oct. 28 and put the secret code “Jimmy” in the Special Requests and Notes section of your online application and save $100 *per person*).

* ANONYMOUS ASKS ABOUT CONFESSING SINS YOU MEANT TO COMMIT BUT DIDN’T

* BOB FROM FLINT ASKS ABOUT GETTING A TATTOO FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE

* JACK FROM ARDMORE ASKS ABOUT THE RAPTURE

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Today’s Music: Eine Kline Nachtmusik (JewelBeat.Com)

Copyright © 2011 by Jimmy Akin

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 015 (10/08/11) 

www.CatholicAnswersGala.com (Register by Oct. 19 and you may win a free iPad 2 loaded with Catholic Answers audio and video)

www.CatholicAnswersCruise.com (Register by Oct. 28, using the super-secret code “Jimmy,” and get $100 off *per person.*)

* LESTER FROM OMAHA ASKS ABOUT DEUTERONOMY 21:10-14 (MARRYING WOMEN TAKEN CAPTIVE IN WARTIME)

* JACK FROM ARDMORE ASKS ABOUT MATTHEW 1:25 (JOSEPH NOT KNOWING MARY “UNTIL” SHE BROUGHT FORTH JESUS).

Matthew 1:25: “but knew her not until  [heos hou] she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.”

Psalm 111(112):8: “His heart is steady, he will not be afraid, until  [heos hou] he sees his desire on his adversaries.”

Acts 25:21 “But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be held until [heos hou] I could send him to Caesar.”

Jerome on this subject (see sections 5-10): http://newadvent.org/fathers/3007.htm

* STUART ASKS ABOUT PRIESTS REPORTING THE CONFESSION OF MURDERERS

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Today’s Music: Country Cheer (JewelBeat.Com)

Copyright © 2011 by Jimmy Akin

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 014 (10/01/11) 

* ANONYMOUS ASKS ABOUT THE SIDE EFFECTS OF CONTRACEPTION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

http://chastity.com/chastity-qa/birth-control/methods/depo-provera/depo-provera-

http://chastity.com/research/document-library

http://www.pop.org/

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/317363/positive-dimensions-population-growth

* JACK IN ARDMORE ASKS ABOUT THE BIBLE & THE EXECUTION OF HERETICS

http://newadvent.org/summa/3011.htm#article3

http://www.cin.org/users/james/files/pre-1611.htm

CCC 2298: In times past, cruel practices were commonly used by legitimate governments to maintain law and order, often without protest from the Pastors of the Church, who themselves adopted in their own tribunals the prescriptions of Roman law concerning torture. Regrettable as these facts are, the Church always taught the duty of clemency and mercy. She forbade clerics to shed blood. In recent times it has become evident that these cruel practices were neither necessary for public order, nor in conformity with the legitimate rights of the human person. On the contrary, these practices led to ones even more degrading. It is necessary to work for their abolition. We must pray for the victims and their tormentors.

* ANONYMOUS ASKS FOR A CATHOLIC APPRAISAL OF THEONOMY

http://newadvent.org/summa/2.htm

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2011/september/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20110922_reichstag-berlin_en.html

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Today’s Music: Fast Swinging 30s (JewelBeat.Com)

Copyright © 2011 by Jimmy Akin

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 013 (9/26/11) 

* Joe S. from Minneapolis asks about listening to podcasts that may include unlicensed audio clips.

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

2408 The seventh commandment forbids theft, that is, usurping another's property against the reasonable will of the owner. There is no theft if consent can be presumed or if refusal is contrary to reason and the universal destination of goods. This is the case in obvious and urgent necessity when the only way to provide for immediate, essential needs (food, shelter, clothing . . .) is to put at one's disposal and use the property of others.

* Craig from Bristow, VA asks about Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Premillennialism.

DIALOGUE WITH TRYPHO THE JEW (ch. 80-81)

http://newadvent.org/fathers/0128.htm

AGAINST HERESIES (book 5)

http://newadvent.org/fathers/0103.htm

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Today’s Music: New Life Today (JewelBeat.Com)

Copyright © 2011 by Jimmy Akin

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 012 (9/10/11)

* ANONYMOUS ASKS WHY JOHN 5:4 ISN’T IN HIS BIBLE.

JOHN 5

2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” 7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” (NKJV)

NOTE FROM THE NAB:

* [5:4] Toward the end of the second  century in the West and among the fourth-century Greek Fathers, an additional verse was known: “For [from time to time] an angel of the Lord used to come down into the pool; and the water was stirred up, so the first one to get in [after the stirring of the water] was healed of whatever disease afflicted him.” The angel was a popular explanation of the turbulence and the healing powers attributed to it. This verse is missing from all early Greek manuscripts and the earliest versions, including the original Vulgate. Its vocabulary is markedly non-Johannine.

* MARY FROM AUSTRALIA ASKS ABOUT SACRED TRADITION

2 THESSALONIANS 2

[14] To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[15] So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.

 

* JACK FROM ARDMORE ASKS ABOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST WHEN HE WAS ON EARTH

 

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Christ's soul and his human knowledge 

471 Apollinarius of Laodicaea asserted that in Christ the divine Word had replaced the soul or spirit. Against this error the Church confessed that the eternal Son also assumed a rational, human soul.

472 This human soul that the Son of God assumed is endowed with a true human knowledge. As such, this knowledge could not in itself be unlimited: it was exercised in the historical conditions of his existence in space and time. This is why the Son of God could, when he became man, "increase in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man" [Lk 2:52], and would even have to inquire for himself about what one in the human condition can learn only from experience. This corresponded to the reality of his voluntary emptying of himself, taking "the form of a slave".

473 But at the same time, this truly human knowledge of God's Son expressed the divine life of his person. "The human nature of God's Son, not by itself but by its union with the Word, knew and showed forth in itself everything that pertains to God." Such is first of all the case with the intimate and immediate knowledge that the Son of God made man has of his Father. The Son in his human knowledge also showed the divine penetration he had into the secret thoughts of human hearts.

474 By its union to the divine wisdom in the person of the Word incarnate, Christ enjoyed in his human knowledge the fullness of understanding of the eternal plans he had come to reveal. What he admitted to not knowing in this area, he elsewhere declared himself not sent to reveal [Cf. Mk 13:32, Acts 1:7.].

* WILL FROM JOPLIN ASKS ABOUT GOD’S RELATIONSHIP TO TIME

http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/menus/eternity.html

http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/docs/omniscience.html

http://www.amazon.com/God-Time-Views-Paul-Helm/dp/0830815511 

http://www.amazon.com/Eternal-God-Study-without-Time/dp/0199590389/ref=pd_sim_b_6

 

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Today’s Music: William Tell Overture

Code: HAILCAESARVHFUHWLQIRUPDWLRQLVFRPLPJ

SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 011 (9/3/11)

* RICHARD FROM SANTA CLARA ASKS ABOUT THE FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER

WIKIPEDIA ENTRY:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Spaghetti_Monster

THE ORIGINAL LETTER:

http://www.venganza.org/about/open-letter/

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Today’s Music: Nu Funk Rock (JewelBeat.Com)   

Code: HAILCAESARVHFUHWLQIRUPDWLRQLVFRPLPJ

 

SHOW NOTES:

 

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 010 (8/30/11)

 

* DUANE ASKS WHETHER PROTESTANT MINISTERS ARE “CALLED” BY GOD

 

No one has a right to receive the sacrament of Holy Orders. Indeed no one claims this office for himself; he is called to it by God. Anyone who thinks he recognizes the signs of God's call to the ordained ministry must humbly submit his desire to the authority of the Church, who has the responsibility and right to call someone to receive orders. Like every grace this sacrament can be received only as an unmerited gift [CCC 1578].

 

The use of this expression [“subsists in”], which indicates the full identity of the Church of Christ with the Catholic Church, does not change the doctrine on the Church. Rather, it comes from and brings out more clearly the fact that there are “numerous elements of sanctification and of truth” which are found outside her structure, but which “as gifts properly belonging to the Church of Christ, impel towards Catholic Unity”.

 

It follows that these separated churches and Communities, though we believe they suffer from defects, are deprived neither of significance nor importance in the mystery of salvation. In fact the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as instruments of salvation, whose value derives from that fullness of grace and of truth which has been entrusted to the Catholic Church”  [Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects

of the Doctrine on the Church (June 29, 2007)].

 

* CLAUDIO ASKS WHETHER WE MUST HOPE THAT SALVATION IS OBTAINED BY ALL.

 

MATTHEW 7

 

[21] "Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

[22] On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'

[23] And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.'

 

LUKE 13

 

[23] And some one said to him, "Lord, will those who are saved be few?" And he said to them,

[24] "Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

 

* ANONYMOUS ASKS ABOUT SHOPPING ON SUNDAY

 

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH:

 

2185 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord's Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body. Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health.

 

The charity of truth seeks holy leisure- the necessity of charity accepts just work.

 

2186 Those Christians who have leisure should be mindful of their brethren who have the same needs and the same rights, yet cannot rest from work because of poverty and misery. Sunday is traditionally consecrated by Christian piety to good works and humble service of the sick, the infirm, and the  elderly. Christians will also sanctify Sunday by devoting time and care to their families and relatives, often difficult to do on other days of the week. Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian interior life.

 

2187 Sanctifying Sundays and holy days requires a common effort. Every Christian should avoid making unnecessary demands on others that would hinder them from observing the Lord's Day. Traditional activities (sport, restaurants, etc.), and social necessities (public services, etc.), require some people to work on Sundays, but everyone should still take care to set aside sufficient time for leisure. With temperance and charity the faithful will see to it that they avoid the excesses and violence sometimes associated with popular leisure activities. In spite of economic constraints, public authorities should ensure citizens a time intended for rest and divine worship. Employers have a similar obligation toward their employees.

 

* ANONYMOUS ASKS WHAT TO CALL FORMER ANGLICANS WHO JOIN THE NEW ORDINARIATE.

 

* ALEX ASKS WHY GOD CHOSE TO HAVE HIS SON DIE FOR OUR SINS INSTEAD OF JUST FORGIVING THEM WITHOUT THIS HAVING TO HAPPEN.

 

 

 

 

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Today’s Music: Glory Rocking Days (JewelBeat.Com)

 

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SHOW NOTES:

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 009 (8/24/11) 

* DAVID ASKS ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF HEBREWS AND THE SALE OF RELICS 

POPE BENEDICT ON BARNABAS: "In any case, Barnabas, together with John Mark, returned to Cyprus (Acts 15: 39) in about the year 49. From that moment we lose track of him. Tertullian attributes to him the Letter to the Hebrews. This is not improbable. Since he belonged to the tribe of Levi, Barnabas may have been interested in the topic of the priesthood; and the Letter to the Hebrews interprets Jesus' priesthood for us in an extraordinary way" (Audience of Jan. 31, 2007).

CODE OF CANON LAW (1983) Can.  1190: "§1 It is absolutely forbidden to sell sacred relics.

"§2. Relics of great significance and other relics honored with great reverence by the people cannot be alienated validly in any manner or transferred permanently without the permission of the Apostolic See."

* NICK IN BILOXI ASKS ABOUT OPENLY HOMOSEXUAL LECTORS AND EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION

Can. 230 §1. Lay men who possess the age and qualifications established by decree of the conference of bishops can be admitted on a stable basis through the prescribed liturgical rite to the ministries of lector and acolyte.

Nevertheless, the conferral of these ministries does not grant them the right to obtain support or remuneration from the Church.

Complementary Norm: The National Conference of Catholic Bishops, in accord with the prescriptions of canon 230§1, hereby decrees that a layman who is to be installed in the ministries of lector or acolyte on a stable basis must have completed h is twenty-first (21) year of age. The candidate must also possess the skills necessary for an effective proclamation of the Word or service at the altar, be a fully initiated member of the Catholic Church, be free of any canonical penalty, and live a life which befits the ministry to be undertaken.

GIRM (2010) 101: "In the absence of an instituted lector, other lay people may be deputed to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture, people who are truly suited to carrying out this function and carefully prepared, so that by their hearing the readings from the sacred texts the faithful may conceive in their hearts a sweet and living affection for Sacred Scripture."

* CARL FROM NEW ORLEANS ASKS ABOUT EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS DISTRIBUTING COMMUNION BEHIND ALTAR RAILS

* JACK FROM ARDMORE ASKS ABOUT THE HISTORY AND PURPOSE OF CANDLES IN WORSHIP.

GIRM (2010) 117. The altar is to be covered with at least one white cloth. In addition, on or next to the altar are to be placed candlesticks with lighted candles: at least two in any celebration, or even four or six, especially for a Sunday Mass or a Holy Day of Obligation, or if the Diocesan Bishop celebrates, then seven candlesticks with lighted candles. Likewise, on the altar or close to it, there is to be a cross adorned with a figure of Christ crucified. The candles and the cross with the figure of Christ crucified may also be carried in the procession at the Entrance. On the altar itself may be placed a Book of the Gospels distinct from the book of other readings, unless it is carried in the Entrance Procession.

* DUANE ASKS ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PARTICULAR AND GENERAL JUDGMENT.

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JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 008 (8/13/11)

* Rob from Maryland asks what to do with your hands during Mass.

* Kevin asks about kneelers, spongy bread used for Communion, and priests at Mass thanking God for rainbows and butterflies.

* Wesley from Brooklyn asks about eternal life. What is it, exactly, and can we have it here on earth?

* Helen asks about Adam and Eve and whether they could have spoken with the animals and the serpent before the fall.

"The tree of knowledge of good and evil is the line of demarcation between the two original situations which Genesis speaks of. The first situation was that of original innocence, in which man (male and female) was, as it were, outside the sphere of the knowledge of good and evil, until the moment when he transgressed the Creator's prohibition and ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge. The second situation, however, was that in which man, after having disobeyed the Creator's command at the prompting of the evil spirit, symbolized by the serpent, found himself, in a certain way, within the sphere of the knowledge of good and evil. This second situation determined the state of human sinfulness, in contrast to the state of primitive innocence" (John Paul II, audience of September 19, 1979).

* Jeff in Omaha asks whether God has to be good or did we just get lucky. 

* Sarah from Mobile, Alabama asks about keeping a blessed chalice at home.

WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK?

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Here is my appearance on Kresta in the Afternoon from Monday, August 8, 2011, talking about the new translation of the Mass that will be going into effect this Advent.

Topics discussed include the length of God's nose (yes! really! listen to find out what this means!) and kneeling for Communion.

Here is Voris's original video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8Qr36uGCQQ

And the original CNA interview with Cardinal Canizares Llovera:

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/spanish-cardinal-recommends-that-catholics-receive-communion-on-the-tongue/

And here's GIRM 160 (2011 ed.):

160.   The Priest then takes the paten or ciborium and approaches the communicants, who usually come up in procession.

It is not permitted for the faithful to take the consecrated Bread or the sacred chalice by themselves and, still less, to hand them on from one to another among themselves. The norm established for the Dioceses of the United States of America is that Holy Communion is to be received standing, unless an individual member of the faithful wishes to receive Communion while kneeling (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum, 25 March 2004, no. 91).  

When receiving Holy Communion, the communicant bows his or her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord from the minister.  The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of each communicant.  When Holy Communion is received under both kinds, the sign of reverence is also made before receiving the Precious Blood.

• JIMMY AKIN PODCAST 006 (7/30/11)

* Philip from Fullerton, CA asks about Calvin and Double Predestination

  

  http://www.reformed.org/master/index.html?mainframe=/books/institutes/ (Calvin's Institutes)

  http://www.the-highway.com/DoublePredestination_Sproul.html (Sproul's article)

* Steve from Dayville, CT asks about the reasonableness of faith

  * Faith and Evidence

  * Evidence for the Unseen

  * The Role of Experiments

* Josh asks about feeling God's presence in nature

Psalm 19

[1] The heavens are telling the glory of God;

and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

[2] Day to day pours forth speech,

and night to night declares knowledge.

[3] There is no speech, nor are there words;

their voice is not heard;

[4] yet their voice goes out through all the earth,

and their words to the end of the world.

In them he has set a tent for the sun,

[5] which comes forth like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,

and like a strong man runs its course with joy.

[6] Its rising is from the end of the heavens,

and its circuit to the end of them;

and there is nothing hid from its heat.

Romans 1

[19] For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 

[20] Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; 

[21] for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened. 

[22] Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 

[23] and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles.

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JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 005 (7/23/11)

* AL ASKS ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

  * If A.I. were ever achieved at a level which would be close to or equal to human intelligence how would we approach it?  Would it be morally right to create A.I. if we were capable of it?  

  * If this A.I. were able to be fully sentient, would it deserved to be given rights, such as in Asimov's novels?

  * Would God give it a soul?

* ANONYMOUS ASKS ABOUT HELL

  * How to square the idea of hell with the mercy and love of God.

  * How can an finite number of years of sinning result in an infinite amount of punishment?

* MARK ASKS ABOUT ALIENS & SALVATION

  * Do (or could) aliens have souls? Could some have them and not others? How could we tell?

  * Could it be possible that aliens are a race unaffected by the Fall and thus don't need salvation?

  * Was Christ's sacrifice for the benefit of humans alone? If so, could there be another mechanism of salvation for ensouled aliens?

  * Would the discovery of alien races mean that Adam and Eve probably didn't live on Earth and probably lived waaaay before we thought?

  * Could Adam and Eve be descended from another race? What would that mean when (and if) it could be squared with Genesis?

  * Could it be possible that there are other creatures besides humans and angels (and aliens) that are even outside the physical world that we don't know about? Could there be another world that's not physical or spiritual, but something else?

WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK?

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JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 004 (7/16/11)

 

* JOSCAT ASKS ABOUT USING PIRATED SOFTWARE

* DARLA ASKS WHY WE MENTION PONTIUS PILATE IN THE CREED

* RAY ASKS WHY THE CHURCH FATHERS SAY THE TRANSFIGURATION WAS ON MT. TABOR

* JACK FROM ARDMORE ASKS WHETHER CATHOLICS USE SPRINKLING FOR BAPTISM

 

LINK FOR THE MT. TABOR SEGMENT: http://oce.catholic.com/index.php?title=Transfiguration

 

WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK?

 

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www.jimmyakinpodcast.com

 

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JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 003 (7/9/11)

 

ERIC ASKS ABOUT COLONIZING SPACE

* What if space colonizers can't bring priests with them? What are the faithful to do?

* Could a space bishop function in communion with Rome if there is little or no contact with Rome (or just really really long delays in messages sent back and forth)?

* What if there is limited or no possibility to produce bread and wine?

* Mass in zero-G?

* How would the liturgical calendar square with days and years of varying length? What about differences in how colonizers experience time due to relativity?

 

PAUL FROM HAWAII ASKS ABOUT PETER AND THE PAPACY

  * What is the evidence Peter died at Rome?

  * What is the evidence for an “unbroken” line of popes?

 

VERSES MENTIONED IN THIS SEGMENT: John 21:18-19, 1 Peter 5:13, 2 Peter 13-15, Revelation 17:1-18, 18:20

 

LINKS FOR THIS SEGMENT:

  * FATHERS QUOTES: http://www.catholic.com/library/Was_Peter_in_Rome.asp

  * TOMB OF ST. PETER http://www.stpetersbasilica.org/Necropolis/MG/TheTombofStPeter-1.htm

  * THE FATHERS KNOW BEST http://shop.catholic.com/product.php?productid=16848&cat=0&page=1

 

 

WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK?

 

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Promo Code: HAILCAESARVHFUHWLQIRUPDWLRQLVFRPLPJ

 

This is not an episode of my own podcast but an episode of Kresta in the Afternoon in which I joined Al Kresta to discuss the most recent developments in the Fr. Corapi case and to try to make sense of them. Please keep all in prayer. Segment starts at about the 7:00 minute mark. (NOTE: Link to original file now fixed.)

JIMMY AKIN PODCAST EPISODE 002 (7/3/11)

* THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HELPED, AND ESPECIALLY CAPTAIN JEFF!

* GERSON ASKS ABOUT SEDEVACANTISM

  * Sedevacantism involves the sin of schism

  * Invalid elections?

  * Cardinal Siri secretly elected pope?

  * Popes & heresy

  * John Paul II & the "priestess of Shiva"

  * John Paul II kissing the Qur'an

  * No pope ever again?

  * Cardinal Foley on aarti

HERE'S THE BLOG POST I REFER TO IN THE SEDEVACANTIST SEGMENT: 

  http://www.ncregister.com/blog/how-useful-is-this-argument-against-sedevacantism/

* STACY FROM LEXINGTON ASKS ABOUT CONFESSION

  * Is Jimmy a robot?

  * Why is the priest the "confessor"?

  * Can priests warn the authorities based on what they have learned in confession?

  * Must priests ignore what they know from confession in a parish setting?

  * Why is the Church so strict about the seal of confession?

WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK?

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Promo Code: Olive's Parallel Existence Needs Changing. Hope Always Negates Negative Emotions. Lovely. 

www.jimmyakinpodcast.com

The EPIC podcast journey begins . . . Welcome to the first episode of my new podcast. In this episode we consider the question, "Is the day of our death fixed or can we change it by our actions?"