Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

WOW GOD BLESS HERE SOUL  Få förväntade sig ett kardinal Sarah-påvedöme. Ännu färre förväntade sig att han skulle ta namnet Pius XIII. De föregående årens turbulens och tvetydighet påverkade den gode kardinalen och hans namnval.
Det behöver inte sägas att kyrkan gladde sig åt hans kröning. https:// pic.twitter.com/pWXD1A5C7SSvara på @TridentineBrew AlaskaUtpost@AlaskaOutpost·46mMin son svänger förbi på lunch.. Irländsk gryta och surdeg .. https:// pic.twitter.com/CwYS8iPGYqSvara på @AlaskaOutpost “Kyrkan av idag behöver inga nya reformatorer. Kyrkan behöver nya helgon.” – Påven Johannes Paulus II, till minne av Borromeo i Milano https:// pic.twitter.com/LmFH5tByezSvara på @sanothomas GUD VARE TACK FÖR HANS OBESKRIVLIGA GÅVA!2 Korinthierbrevet 9:15
Europe
   BySachin Jose Oct 25/2023
 Friend of Pope John Paul II who was used as a human guinea pig by Nazis passes away at 101
Wanda Półtawska, den avlidne polske påven Johannes Paulus II:s mångårige vän, avled vid 101 års ålder. “Den 25 oktober 2023, vid nästan 102 års ålder, dog Wanda Półtawska, doktor i medicinsk vetenskap, specialist i psykiatri, professor vid den påvliga teologiska akademin, scout och pro-life-aktivist”, skrev Institute of National Remembrance på sin webbplats.

Wanda, som föddes i den polska staden Lublin 1921, hade varit en hängiven katolik i hela sitt liv. Under andra världskriget var Półtawska involverad i den polska motståndsrörelsen. Hon arresterades av Gestapo och sattes i fängelse i koncentrationslägret Ravensbrück, där nazisterna använde henne som försökskanin.

Efter kriget studerade hon medicin och blev psykiater. Med tiden utvecklade hon en nära vänskap med Karol Wojtyla, som senare valdes till påve Johannes Paulus II. Hon ledde institutet för familjeteologi vid den påvliga teologiska akademin i Kraków i 33 år sedan starten 1967. Från 1981 till 1984 undervisade Wanda vid det påvliga Lateranuniversitetet i Rom. År 2016 tilldelades hon “Vita örnens orden” för sina insatser för landet.

Tidigare i år öppnades en neonatalavdelning uppkallad efter Wanda på sjukhuset som ligger på Siemiradzkiego Street i Krakow. Vid detta tillfälle hade Polens president Andrzej Duda skrivit ett brev där han hänvisade till henne som “en outtröttlig försvarare av de värderingar som ligger till grund för vår civilisation”.https://www.shalomworld.org/news/friend-of-po-pe-john-paul-ii-who-was-used-as-a-human-guinea-pig-by-nazis-passes-away-at-101Prayer space – Hozana
Dag 1Läs mer Aktie (7)Kommentar (3)Novena för att hedra Marias drottningskap NovenaBe till Vår Fru Drottning av himlen. Avsätt dina avsikter vid Marias fötter för att hon ska ge till Kristus.1507 personer deltogAnslutaInterkontinental Novena till Vår Fru av Guadalupe NovenaFölj med på denna internationella novena till Vår Fru av Guadalupe! Organiserad av den mexikanska kyrkan och spridd internationellt, kommer Vår Fru att hjälpa dig!2 personer deltogAnslutaNovena för arbete med den helige Josemaría Escrivá NovenaOavsett om du vill be för att hitta arbete eller för att be för att göra ett bra jobb, gå med i denna novena!1732 personer deltogAnsluta9 dagar med kyrkofäderna för att leda oss i bön På 7 dagarBe med kyrkofäderna i 9 dagar. Lär av dem och låt dem inspirera dig i bön!756 deltagareAnslutaSe alla communities Gino i 3 månader och 3 dagar med St Padre Pio för att guida dig till julenReträtt – från 23 till 25 december 2023Dag 33Läs merEtt citat från St Padre Pio:”Jag känner en stor längtan efter att överlämna mig själv med större tillit, till den gudomliga barmhärtigheten, och att sätta mitt hopp till Gud allena.”Kort meditationOui, abandonnons à la Miséricorde de Dieu, et mettons tout notre espoir en Lui seulDeponera dina avsikter:Vi kommer att avsätta dem vid det stora helgonets fötter i San Giovanni Rotondo!Klicka här för att förklara dina böneavsikter.Avsluta idag med bönen till Johannes Paulus 2:Aktie (28)Kommentar Hozana Team i En bön om dagenVarje dagStyr vårt livs skeppLäs merO Herre, vår Gud, vi bönfaller dig, att be om den gåva vi behöver. Styr vårt livs skepp till dig själv, den tysta hamnen för alla stormstressade själar. Visa oss vilken kurs vi ska följa. Förnya foglighetens anda i oss. Låt din Ande tygla vår ombytlighet; Vägled och styrk oss så att vi kan göra det som är för vårt eget bästa, att hålla dina bud och att alltid glädjas i din härliga och livgivande närvaro. Er är härligheten och lovprisningen i all evighet. Amen.Den helige Basileios den store, kyrkofader, kyrkolärare.
Ta en stund att reflektera … Ge nu upp din egen böneintention och klicka på “Be”Aktie (5)KommentarIgår Katolsk mamma i Dagliga evangeliereflektioner med katolsk mammaVarje dagDaily Gospel Reflection for October 24, 2023Read moreJoin us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today’s Gospel.Today’s Gospel: Luke 12:35-38Gird your loins!Gird your loins! According to Merriam-Webster, “gird” is “to prepare (oneself) for action.” Collins’ Online Dictionary defines “gird” as “to prepare for the difficult or dangerous,” hardly how some people think of Christianity. For many, being a Christian means allowing someone to cut in line, going to church on Sunday, sending children to Sunday school, taking cookies to the neighbors, and giving money to the poor, especially at Christmas.But the landscape has changed, and we need to gird our loins.We must prepare ourselves and our children to stand for Christ, to speak the truth, and to give faithful witness to authentic love–no matter the cost or the consequences. We must gird our loins in a culture that distorts the truth with lies: that the human person can remake oneself into one’s own image; the destruction of human life is simply a choice; the poor are dispensable. Or even that there is no God.Gird your loins to stand strong and faithful. Gird your children’s loins by forming them in the Gospel and bringing them to the sacraments.These words may be hard to swallow but Jesus tells us to “gird your loins” not to scare us, but to prepare us for the serious challenges we face as followers of Christ. Since the early Church, Christians were known for their love–especially for the vulnerable, the sick, and the outcast. So for now, with joy, gird your loins by strengthening your domestic church, praying with your family, caring for your neighbor, and loving the poor.Gird your loins and raise your heads for your redemption is at hand!Ponder:How will you gird your loins?Pray:Dear Lord, help us to gird our loins. Give us the strength to stand for You, no matter the cost.Share (0)Comment (1) Sanctuaire Notre-Dame de Montligeon i Novena för de döda med Our Lady Liberatrix (även i ljud)Novena – från 25 till 02 november 2023Dag 1 Ljud version
Vår Fru av Befrielse Ha medlidande med alla våra avlidna…MeditationDöden är betalning för synd. Det är både naturligt och onaturligt. Det påverkar oss när våra nära och kära dör och vi gråter. Jesus själv gråter; han gråter över sin vän Lasarus död. Ändå känner vi till Guds oändliga barmhärtighet uppenbarad av hans Son. Det är därför vi, fyllda av tillförsikt, vänder oss till dig, Heliga Moder, för att be till din Son så att våra avlidna bröder och systrar kan tas emot i Guds barmhärtighetens rike, och att de själva kan vara nådiga och ta emot Guds barmhärtighet.Dagens avsiktLåt oss idag be särskilt för våra nära och kära som fullbordade sin pilgrimsfärd här på jorden och gick bort i ålderdomen.Avsluta med bönen nedanGemensam bönBön till Vår Fru Liberatrix för den avlidneVår Fru av Befrielsen,Förbarma dig över alla våra bortgångna,Särskilt de som är i störst behov av Herrens barmhärtighet.Be för alla dem som har gått före oss,Så att Guds renande kärlek kan leda dem till fullständig befrielse.Må vår bön, förenad med Kyrkans bön,Skaffa dem den glädje som övergår allt förstånd,Och skänk tröst och lindring till våra lidande bröder och systrar.Kyrkans moder, hjälp oss, pilgrimer på jorden,Att bli bättre på att leva varje dag på vår resa mot uppståndelsen.Läk såren i hjärta och själ.Hjälp oss att bli vittnen om den Osynlige Guden, som redan söker det som ögat inte kan se.Ge oss nåden att bli hoppets apostlar på samma sätt som vaktposterna väntar på gryningen.Tillflykt för syndare och drottning över alla helgon,Samla oss alla, en dag, i Fader vår, för den eviga påsken,genom Kristus, vår Herre, i den helige Andes enhet.Amen.Vår Fru av Montligeon, be för själarna i skärselden.Bad–
SBC
Vespers – Spurgeon’s Questions 81 and 82
51m sedan
The Christian Life
Prayer and Devotions
Worship
Listening to God
In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat,

So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.

But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.

1 Corinthians 11:18-20, 27-29, 31
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

2 Corinthians 13:5
Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

1 Corinthians 5:8
Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.

John 6:53-56
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

Zechariah 12:20
We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:19
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Galatians 5:6
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

Romans 6:4, 17-22
“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Acts 1:11
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Thessalonians 4:16
The Larger Catechism had thirteen points, each with their own biblical proof. You may look these up if you so desire. Those in bold were also in the Shorter Catechism:

Gal. 3:1
I Cor. 11:29
Luke 22:19
I Cor. 11:31
Zech. 12:10
Ps. 63:1, 2
Gal. 2:20; John 6:35
John 1:16; Col. 1:19
Phil. 3:9
I Peter 1:8
Ps. 22:26
Jer. 50:5; Ps. 50:5
I Cor. 10:17; Acts 2:42.
“Q. 81. What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord’s Supper?
“A. It is required of them who would worthily partake of the Lord’s Supper, that they examine themselves of their knowledge to discern the Lord’s body (1 Cor. 11:28-29), of their faith to feed upon him (2 Cor. 13:5), of their repentance (1 Cor. 11:31), love (1 Cor. 11:18-20), and new obedience, (1 Cor. 5:8) lest, coming unworthily, they eat and drink judgment to themselves. (1 Cor. 11:27-29).

“Q. 82. What is meant by the words, ‘until he come,’ which are used by the apostle Paul in reference to the Lord’s Supper?
“A. They plainly teach us that our Lord Jesus Christ will come a second time; which is the joy and hope of all believers (Acts 1:11 1 Thess. 4:16).”

Charles H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon’s Catechism (Scripture proofs in bold above)
“Q. 97. What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord’s Supper?
“A. It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord’s Supper that they examine themselves, of their knowledge to discern the Lord’s body, of their faith to feed upon him, of their repentance, love, and new obedience; lest, coming unworthily, they eat and drink judgment to themselves.”

The Shorter Catechism (Westminster Assembly)
“Q. 174. What is required of them that receive the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper in the time of the administration of it?
“A. It is required of them that receive the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper that, during the time of the administration of it, with all holy reverence and attention, they wait upon God in that ordinance; diligently observe the sacramental elements and actions; heedfully discern the Lord’s body, and affectionately meditate upon his death and sufferings, and thereby stir up themselves to a vigorous exercise of their graces; in judging themselves, and sorrowing for sin; in earnest hungering and thirsting after Christ, feeding on him by faith, receiving of his fullness, trusting in his merits, rejoicing in his love, giving thanks for his grace; in renewing of their covenant with God, and love to all the saints.”

The Larger Catechism (Westminster Assembly)
The Spurgeon and Shorter catechisms are nearly identical. The Larger Catechism is slightly different in the question’s wording and more detailed in the answer. As has been done in the past, the biblical proofs for the Larger Catechism, almost none being the same as the other two, are shown as references only.

Of the three catechisms, they talk more of the heart of the person than any other factor. To receive communion, we must know the importance of what the Lord’s Supper represents, but this must be beyond the intellectual to the spiritual. If not, partaking in the Lord’s Supper carries judgment instead of blessing.

There is nothing in any of these Catechism answers that mentions “church membership.” Oddly, nothing mentioned about baptism. Yet, I was trundled into a Sunday school room when I was twelve to take a class with the other twelve-year-olds. We heard about the judgment, and for me, that was intellectually something I wanted to avoid, but I also did not want to dishonor my parents, and I went along with the other twelve-year-olds in joining the church. Then, as a member, equal to that of my parents, in that I could have communion, serve as a leader if they would ever elect someone that young, and I could vote at congregational meetings.

But I did not accept Jesus until roughly five years later. I intellectually knew the importance, but all those qualifiers were not something that my heart was ready for. Does someone who is twelve know what faith to feed upon, repentance, love, and new obedience really mean? Sure, they can parrot a textbook answer, but do they know in their hearts? Yet, some do at an even younger age.

My son joined a Baptist church and children become baptized when they individually make a confession of faith, often by coming down for an altar call. But since some of the children join at around twelve years old, there seems to be peer pressure.

No matter how it is done, the parents might get embarrassed if you did not join with your classmates, the children might feel peer pressure, or the church may wrongfully ask “What’s wrong with you?” But that is all a bit of what is broken in this world. In the end, we face our Lord face to face, alone, and we are either held to account, or we are welcomed as an adopted part of the family.

If you are among God’s elect, God will keep working at you to overcome the monumental wall of “I am already a member,” until you know spiritually what you knew at that moment intellectually. But if not, the judgment of taking the elements lightly will be just one more sin in the life of that person.

I did not take the Lord’s Supper in a frivolous manner. I was always reverent, but I did not always understand at a spiritual level.

The final question in the Spurgeon Catechism is not in the Shorter or Larger Catechisms, yet, it is a fitting end, a fantastic last question. We do all this, from question 1 to the last question for one reason, Jesus Christ is coming again. He will judge everyone and those who are His will join Him in Paradise. And to paraphrase C. S. Lewis, we are closer to that moment now than we were when this vespers service started.

And now let us sing.

There have been seventy-seven of these vesper services posted at 3:30pm Eastern Time, four hours behind the coordinated Universal Time (UTC). I have not repeated a hymn / song.

The following song is sung by Ruth Syre, Rachel Doll, Larry Mitchel, Sharon D. Moore (organ) at Winter Park Presbyterian Church (Winter Park, Florida, USA probably), Here, O My Lord, I See Thee Face to Face. When I grew up, this song was often sung for the worship services when communion was served. The video is probably during the COVID lockdown with everyone safely spaced, but I could probably close my eyes and join the tenor. I had a hard time finding the Frederick C. Atkinson version of this hymn, but that was what was in our old hymnal, and listening to it, in the simplest form of a trio, brought back wonderful memories.

“1 Here, O my Lord, I see Thee face to face;
here would we touch and handle things unseen;
here grasp with firmer hand eternal grace
and all my weariness upon Thee lean.

2 Here would I feed upon the bread of God,
here drink with Thee the royal wine of heav’n;
here would I lay aside each earthly load,
here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiv’n.

3 This is the hour of banquet and of song;
this is the heav’nly table spread for me;
here let me feast, and feasting, still prolong
the brief, bright hour of fellowship with Thee.

4 Too soon we rise, the symbols disappear;
the feast, though not the love, is past and done;
gone are the bread and wine, but Thou art here,
nearer than ever, still my Shield and Sun.

5 Feast after feast thus comes, and passes by;
yet passing, points to the glad feast above;
giving sweet foretaste of the festal joy,
the Lamb’s great bridal feast of bliss and love.”

Horatius Bonar, Here, O My Lord, I See Thee Face to Face
Closing Prayer

Dear Lord,
We need You. We need Your cleansing blood washing our sins away. We need Your death and resurrection as part of our every being or we may someday not have being at all, suffering the second death. Lord, help us keep that in mind and that this salvation is nothing earned by us, but a gift of Grace from You.
In thy Name we pray.
Amen

Announcement
This concludes the Spurgeon Catechism. In going over the Shorter and Larger Catechism questions that were not asked, continuity would be lost, but I feel a need to continue these Wednesday night services. I will start a Bible Study in this Vespers format, using the book of Proverbs starting next week. How that will play out is up in the air, but instead of having a catechism question, I may have a single scholarly quote. And as for the hymns and songs, I may start repeating what we sing to maintain the song being close to the theme.

Soli Deo Gloria. Only to God be the Glory.

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