A Brief on The Holy Bible

 A brief on The Holy Bible:

1. What exactly is the Bible?

The Bible (also called the Scriptures or the Sacred Scriptures) is a collection of books that the church believes are the inspired words of God. God chose certain men to write these books under the direction of the Holy Spirit for the benefit of all mankind.

The Bible is like a library of books that were written over the course of a thousand years, from about 950 B.C to 100 A.D. It is the most important book that has ever been written in the history of mankind. (N.B: The earliest writing began when symbols were scratched or pressed on clay tablets. The Egyptians refined this technique and developed an early form of writing known as hieroglyphics. The Bible tells us that Moses was “educated in all the learning of the Egyptians”, so he would have been familiar with the major writing systems of his time. We also read that God gave Moses “two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God”(Exodus 31:18). All this leads to the speculation that the earliest writings in the Bible were set down around 1400 BC).

However it is not important to remember when the Bible was written. The most important thing to know and believe is that The Bible is a sacred literature because it is the unique revelation of God, it is inspired by the Holy Spirit and it describes God’s plan for our salvation and eternal life. It centers entirely on Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate and the Savior of the world.

2. Why are there two parts of the Bible?

The Old Testament is a record of the old covenant between God and His chosen people. It describes mankind’s preparation for the coming of the Messiah.

The New Testament is a record of the new covenant made by God with the entire human race, through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the son of God.

The Old Testament leads up to the time of Christ and the New Testament flows from the time of Christ.

The life of Jesus Christ separates the Old and New Testaments and is the center and focal point of the Bible.

In fact, time itself is centered and measured on the life and death of Jesus Christ and is the basis of our modern day calendar.

3. What is the Pentateuch?

The Pentateuch is the first five books of the Old Testament, namely:

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Many well known Bible stories are found in these books including the stories of Creation, Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark as well as other stories which tell of the origins of the Israelite people and their escape under the leadership of Moses from slavery in Egypt .

The Ten Commandments and other laws governing the life and worship of the Israelite people are also found in the Pentateuch. Hence, the other name for this section of the Old Testament is the Law or the Torah.

4. What are the Historical Books?

The Historical Books are exactly what you would expect them to be, a history of the Israelite people and of God's intervention in their history. They include:

Joshua

Judges

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

2 Kings

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Ruth

Ezra

Nehemiah

Tobit

Judith

Esther

1 Maccabees

2 Maccabees

Stories of many well known men and women from Israelite history can be found in these books, including King David and King Solomon as well as Deborah, Judith and Queen Esther. The Historical Books reveal an interesting pattern in the relationship between God and his Chosen People. When the people are faithful to God and the law they are prosperous and God protects them from their enemies. When the people worship false gods and live immorally, in effect, saying to God, "We don't need you," disaster in one form or another overtakes them.

5. What are the Wisdom Books?

There are seven Wisdom books that are quite diverse in literary style and content. They include the Psalms, which are prayers written in poetic form. There are books about how to lead a successful life, like Proverbs and Sirach. The Song of Songs, one of the most sensual love poems ever written, gives us a sense of God's great love for his people. The Wisdom Books are:

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of Songs

Wisdom

Sirach

6. What are the Prophetic Books?

The Prophetic Books contain the writings of Israel's great prophets. The role of the prophets was to keep the Chosen People faithful to the covenant they had made with God and to call them back when they strayed. These powerful writings richly describe the rewards of faithfulness and the punishments of betrayal. Additionally and mysteriously, the prophetic books foretell the coming of the Messiah and give information about him. Jesus' birth in Bethlehem to a virgin, his ministry to the poor, the downtrodden and the sick, and his violent death are all foretold in the prophetic books. The Prophetic Books include:

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Lamentations

Baruch

Daniel

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obediah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi

7. What is the New Testament?

The New Testament is composed of twenty-seven books which were written in Greek between 50 A.D. and 140 A.D. It consists of the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles or Letters and the Book of Revelation. The central theme of the New Testament, or Christian Scriptures, is Jesus Christ; his person, his message, his passion, death and resurrection, his identity as the promised Messiah and his relationship to us as Lord and brother.

8. Why was the New Testament written in Greek?

The New Testament was written in Greek because it was the most commonly spoken language of the Mediterranean world.

9. What are the Gospels?

The word gospel comes from the Old English word god-spel which means good news. There are four Gospels. Each Gospel is an account of the life, teachings, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Gospels are:

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke together are referred to as the synoptic gospels. "Synoptic" is derived from a Greek word meaning "one eye,' because these gospels look alike in structure and content. The Gospel of John, while not in conflict with the synoptic gospels, differs in structure and contains some stories and sayings of Jesus that are not found in them.

Many familiar Bible stories about Jesus can be found in the gospels, including the story of his birth in Bethlehem, the many stories about his healing of the sick, and parables like the story of the Prodigal Son.

10. What are the Acts of the Apostles?

The Acts of the Apostles was written by St. Luke about 70 A.D. to 75 A.D. It describes the faith, growth and way of life of early Christianity. The story of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, the coming of the Holy Spirit to the church at Pentecost, the martyrdom of St. Stephen and the conversion of St. Paul can all be found in this book.

11. What are the Epistles?

The Epistles or Letters make up the largest part of the New Testament. They are usually divided into two categories: the Pauline Letters and other Apostolic Letters. All the letters follow the format of letter writing in the ancient world. Each letter usually begins with a greeting and an identification of the sender and the recipients. This is followed by a prayer, usually in the form of a thanksgiving. The body of the letter is an exposition of Christian teaching, usually responding to the circumstances of the recipients. It may be followed by a discussion of the author's future travel plans and conclude with practical advice and a farewell.

The Pauline Letters were written by St. Paul or one of his disciples; not long after the death and resurrection of Jesus, between 54 A.D. and 80 A.D. They indicate early developments of Christian theology and practice. Included in the Pauline Letters are:

Romans

1 & 2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Philipppians

Colossians

1 & 2 Thessalonians

1 & 2 Timothy

Titus

Philemon

The Apostolic Letters are thought to be addressed, not so much to a particular community or individual, but to a more universal audience. They were written by various authors between 65 A.D. and 95 A.D. The Apostolic Letters are:

James

1 & 2 Peter

1, 2 & 3 John

Jude

12. What is the Book of Revelation?

The final book of the New Testament, the Book of Revelation, was written sometime after 90 A.D. In highly symbolic terms it presents the struggle between the church and the forces of evil and the eventual triumph of Jesus Although it contains some dreadful warnings about the future, it is essentially a message of hope to the church.

13. Who is the author of the Bible?

The author of the Bible is God. He revealed Himself throughout mankind’s history by communicating to human beings His merciful plan of salvation.

The Bible is a written record of God’s revelation of Himself through the messages and events that occurred throughout mankind’s history. God revealed who He is, through the words in the Bible, but also through the events that occurred in the lives of the people whose stories are recorded in the Bible.

We know who God is, through both His words and His actions.

14. Why do we think the Bible is the inspired word of God?

The Holy Spirit’s supernatural inspiration motivated the writers of sacred scripture to record the truth that was conveyed to them, in such a manner that could be interpreted correctly and understood by the people of their time and ours as well.

The Bible is like a love letter written by God for His people, through the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

15. Is the Bible free from errors?

The words of the Bible are always true in the sense intended by their human authors. The words that are recorded in the different books in the Bible may contain minor errors born from the culture in which the author lived, or their limited knowledge of the world (such as whether the earth was flat or round for an example).

Many of the stories in the Bible were passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth and were not written down until much later, but this too validates the importance of the words recorded in these books.

The Catholic church has studied these sacred texts for over 2,000 years and understands the historical time periods in which they were written, as well as the background and culture of the biblical writers themselves.

This is why we should rely more on the church’s interpretation of the sacred scriptures, than our own. However, the church does encourage us to read and reflect on the Bible for ourselves as well.

16. What are the Apocrypha Books?

Non-Catholics usually call the Deuterocanical Books of the Old Testament, the Apocrypha. These are the seven “extra” books that the Catholic Bible contains, but the Protestant Bible does not.

The reason the Catholic Bible has seven extra books is because when the Catholic church originally put together the 73 books of the Bible, these books were included as part of the canon.

However, when the Protestant reformation occurred, Martin Luther removed these books from the Catholic Bible because he did not believe they were divinely inspired. In recent times, however, many Protestant editions of the Bible now include these books and call them the Apocrypha.

The seven books that the Protestant Bibles do not include are:

Sirach, Wisdom, Judith, Tobit, Baruch, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees. 

(Some also exclude: Longer version of Daniel & Longer version of Esther)

(Taken from various Catholic Sites)

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Getting a Tattoo

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Getting a Tattoo

Getting a Tattoo

Q. Three of my friends and I all turn 18 in the same month. We have been planning to celebrate by getting tattoos. My mother says getting a tattoo is a sin. Is that what the church teaches?

A. Are tattoos a sin? Perhaps the answer to this question is not as straightforward as we would like it to be. I think the best thing I can do is to offer some insights from Scripture and Catholic teaching to help you come to a good decision.

In the Old Testament we read from the Book of Leviticus the straightforward command, “ … do not tattoo yourselves” (19:28). The first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians explains that “ … your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit … ” (6:19). And the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “Except when performed for strictly therapeutic medical reasons, directly intended …, mutilations, … performed on innocent persons are against the moral law” (#2297).

So what does this all mean in regards to tattoos? First, I don’t think it means that tattoos are “intrinsically evil.” What I mean is that it would be an error to say that every tattoo in every circumstance is always wrong. Some cultures, for example, have a marking on the forehead to indicate ones marital status. Many Ethiopian Christians have the custom of tattooing a cross on their forehead to express their Christian faith. And we only need to look through the history books to see the many ways in which tattoos have been a part of many other cultures.

Culture, I believe, is one important aspect to look at when discussing the morality of tattoos. One key point is that in many of these cultural examples, tattoos are not only socially accepted, they are also often socially expected. That, of course, is not the case in the many countries.  So what about getting a tattoo in your country and in your culture?  Allow me to offer three considerations. 

First, your body was made by God and is beautiful just as it is. To add an additional permanent marking to your body is not necessary. Some would even call it a mutilation. Doing this will not add to your bodies natural beauty. And since it is not a required part of our culture, there is no good reason to pursue one. Remember, your body truly is a temple of the Holy Spirit. We should, therefore, treat our body as we would God’s church. God has already designed and decorated this “church” in such a way that it really does not need an additional permanent alteration.

Second, if you were to decide to get a tattoo anyway, please avoid the following: Diabolical images, ugly images, shocking images, images pertaining to horoscopes, and simply put, any image contrary to the Christian faith. Any image like this would surely fall into the category of sin.

Third, make sure you are not acting out of peer pressure. Sometimes we can do things simply because our friends are doing it and we want to fit in. This is never a good reason. If our friends are real friends they will not pressure us into decisions like this nor will they look down on us if we choose not to “go with the flow.” Make sure your choice is not made out of pressure from others.

I hope that helps. If you are still confused about getting a tattoo I at least suggest you spend more time thinking and praying about it. I’m sure that if you are fully open to the will of God, He will lead you in the right direction and help you to make the right decision.

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

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The Church on Being Gay and Having a Gay Partner

Q. Could you explain the Catholic Church’s position on being gay and having a gay partner?

A. Yes, this is a very important and very personal question for many people today.  It’s one of those questions that can be deeply emotional and even “controversial.”  But it doesn’t have to be.  These questions are questions that Jesus wants to address in your heart and conscience in a loving and personal way.

So what does the Church have to say about this?  Let’s take your question and ask it in three different ways so that we can address the full picture:

1) What is the Catholic Church’s position on having a homosexual tendency?

2) What is the Catholic Church’s position on having a gay partner?

3) What is the Catholic Church’s position on homosexual sex?

Answer to question #1: There is nothing morally wrong with being someone who has homosexual desires. This may not at all be chosen and therefore is not morally right or wrong.  Many people will argue one way or another as to why some people have homosexual desires.  Some will say that they were born this way.  Others will say it is the result of one’s upbringing or environment.  Others will say that it is a result of one’s choices.

Regarding what the Church has to say about this…the Church has not taken a position as to why some have homosexual tendencies.  In fact, it not really a question for the Church to “solve.”  This seems more to be a question for psychologists and science.  Rather, the intent of our Church is to acknowledge that some have these tendencies and that having these tendencies is not sinful in and of itself.  However, the Church does acknowledge that these sexual desires are disordered (see Catechism quote below). For that reason, it should also be noted that we should always take our identity in Christ, not in our sexual desires.

Answer to question #2: The answer to this question depends upon what it means to “have a gay partner.”  Certainly, there is something good about friendship and mutual support of another.  In the case of two people who have homosexual tendencies, there could be an opportunity for healthy chaste mutual support and friendship as well as mutual understanding of the other’s life and struggles.  This can certainly be good and healthy.  Thus, if by “having a gay partner” one means that he/she has entered into a friendship of mutual support in accord with God’s plan for sexuality, then this friendship could prove to be beneficial.  If by “partner” one means gay marriage or a civil union, this is not something that the Catholic Church supports.  We believe that marriage is an institution created and designed by God exclusively for one man and one woman (see Synod on the Family quote below).

Answer to question #3: One serious challenge for those with homosexual tendencies is that these tendencies ought not be acted on in a sexual way.  The Catholic Church, in keeping with revelation from the Scriptures, believes that God intended sex for marriage between one man and one woman.  Thus, chastity must be the goal for those with homosexual tendencies.  

In regards to all three of the questions above, the best way to answer them in accord with the mind of the Catholic Church is to offer you the teaching on this matter from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

Catechism of the Catholic Church: Chastity and homosexuality

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.”  They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

(Taken from Catholic Q&A)

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Signing Head, Lips & Heart at the Gospel

 

Q. Why we make sign of cross on head, lips and chest before reading the Gospel?

A. The first and simplest answer to this question comes to us from the rubrics.  The rubrics for the Mass are the instructions given to us in the Roman Missal and they tell us the structure of the Mass.  They tell us when to stand, sit, kneel, respond, etc.  They also tell us that we are to make the sign of the Cross on our forehead, lips and heart just prior to the reading of the Gospel.

But your question is probably more about the “why” we do this.  The answer is simple.  This gesture of signing ourselves with the Cross is a way of praying, “May the Lord be in my mind, on my lips and in my heart.”  It is said prior to the reading of the Gospel as a way of prayerfully inviting Christ to come to us in these ways as His sacred Word is proclaimed.  The hearing of the Gospel must change our minds, it must be proclaimed by our lips, and it must affect our heart.  By heart we especially mean our will, affections, emotions and passions.

So next time you sign yourself with the Cross before the Gospel make sure that it’s more than just an external gesture, make sure it is also a prayer and an invitation to Christ.

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

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Raising Hands During the “Our Father”

Q. In church we are told to raise our arms during the Our Father prayer.  I am still struggling why in mass only.  Now days some do others don’t, which is right? 

A. Yes, this is a good and very practical question that many are confused by.  It seems that in some churches everyone holds hands during the Lord’s Prayer, sometimes they raise their hands at the doxology at the end of the prayer, and in some churches no one does either. So what’s correct?

Let’s start with the value of holding hands while praying and even raising hands during prayer. From there, we can look at doing this within the Liturgy itself.

Raising hands in prayer: It’s worth noting that the priest does this all the time.  It’s part of the liturgical rite for him to raise his hands.  The raising of one’s hands in prayer is spoken of in the Psalms and is a very holy act.  There is nothing wrong with it and, in fact, there is something very holy about this external posture when it is expressing an interior intention.  And the interior intention it expresses is that of worship and openness to God. It’s a sign of abandonment to God and surrender to His holy will. So raise your hands high when you pray, especially when alone.

As for holding hands during prayer, there are certainly very appropriate times to do so. This is an external sign indicating that you are united with those with whom you are praying.  Oneness comes primarily through our joint union with God, but oneness is also expressed externally at times by the joining of hands or the raising of hands together. This is especially the case among family members and close friends.

But now to the point of the question. What about doing these practices within the Liturgy? Is this good? The problem we face with this question has to do with the importance of uniformity within the Liturgy. Liturgical prayer is prayer that is intended to unite us and it does do this on a spiritual level. But the external unity is also important. Therefore, it’s important that we strive to pray in union with what we call the rubrics of the Mass.

As for the rubrics at the time of the Lord’s Prayer, there is no instruction given to the congregation to hold hands or to lift them at that time. It’s not that it is a bad idea, it’s just that it’s not in the rubrics. Therefore, it sees best to refrain from this act if it is a distraction or imposition on others. For example, to grab a stranger’s hand next to you during the Lord’s Prayer may be good intentioned, but it is not part of the Mass rubrics so it should be avoided.

One suggestion is that if this is a local custom and is somewhat expected, feel free to just go with the direction the priest gives.  If he asks you to hold hands or to raise them then it’s fine to do so. The priest should offer some guidance on this and if he doesn’t, try to keep it discreet among family members if this is your family practice. Ideally, the universal Church will eventually offer some direction on this so that all confusion is avoided.

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

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Why does the priest need altar servers?

Q. Why does the priest need altar servers?

A. Simply put, altar servers make the practical aspects of the Liturgy flow more smoothly.  At least most of the time when they are well trained.

An altar server holds the book for the priest when praying from the chair.  They hold candles next to the Gospel as it is being proclaimed. They assist with incense, assist with the preparation of the altar and perform other helpful functions.

Additionally, on a personal level, serving the holy Mass is a great honor and helps young people, especially, to learn the Mass well so that they can better join in the offering.  Being present in the sanctuary, dressing in server cassocks or albs, and being attentive to the flow of the liturgy should hopefully have the effect of helping servers to grow in a deeper love and reverence for the Mass.  Also, at times and in cultures where boys act as altar servers, this helps plant the seed of a vocation in the minds and hearts of those whom God is calling to serve as priests.

With that said, symbolically the servers also represent the entire people of God, especially in the procession.  At Mass, we should all see ourselves on a spiritual journey toward Heaven. The sanctuary is the symbol of Heaven and the procession symbolizes the entire people of God journeying toward Heaven with the Cross leading the way.

At a gathering in Rome with about 9,000 altar servers, Pope Francis told the servers that serving at the altar “enables you to open yourselves to others, to journey together, to set demanding goals and to find the strength to achieve them.”  He went on to say, “The closer you are to the altar, the more you will remember to speak with Jesus in daily prayer; the more you will be nourished by the word and the body of the Lord, the better able you will be to go out to others, bringing them the gift that you have received, giving in turn with enthusiasm the joy you have received.”

If you know an altar server, make sure to thank them for their service and encourage them in their important role.

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

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Chain Messages

Q. What about the ‘chain messages’ forwarded or sent saying pass this to 12 or 15 people or so then you will receive a miracle. If you don’t pass it on something will happen to you? How to explain? Thank you.

A. If you spend time with with email or social media you’ve most likely come across emails or posts that make promises to you if you pass it on.  For example, there may be a special prayer sent to you with the attachment at the bottom, “pass this on to twelve friends and you will receive your answer to prayer within twelve days.”

So is this legitimate?  No, it’s not.  It’s superstition.  However, with that said there is one clarification worth making.  But first let’s look at the superstitious part.

God does not make His grace and mercy contingent upon you forwarding an email to several friends.  Perhaps the prayer that is included is quite beautiful and worth praying.  But, nonetheless, the effect of that prayer is not dependent upon you following the instructions of an email.  Only Christ and His Church have the authority to attach grace to prayers.  The Church does so through indulgences.  For more information on indulgences click here: Q. Indulgences.  So if you receive one of these emails it may be best to pass on the prayer part but to remove the promise or warning.

As for the clarification mentioned above, there have been certain private revelations given to mystics that do attached certain promises to certain prayers.  Those private revelations and promises must always be evaluated by the Church.  If approved, we can trust that God is offering a special grace through those prayers.  But the key is that we seek out the guidance of our Church on all private revelations.

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

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Should I Sit or Kneel After Communion?

Q. What should one do after receiving the Holy Communion. Should one sit or kneel in prayer?

A. We take our direction on all liturgical actions from what is called the General Instruction of the Roman Missal.  #43 of that Instruction states: “… if appropriate, they may sit or kneel during the period of sacred silence after Communion.”

This, of course, does not answer your question directly.  What it means is that it is optional to sit or kneel at that time.  Therefore, it is more up to the established local custom, or the custom of the national bishop’s conference, to make the normative determination for each location.  Therefore, the best thing for you to do is to follow the custom of the local church under the direction of the priest.

With that said, it seems most desirable to kneel at that time.  Holy Communion is a sacred encounter with the Living God and, as a sign of your interior prayer, it is most desireable to enter into the most reverent posture possible.  Some religious orders even lay prostrate at that moment.

However, even though it is very legitimate to argue that kneeling is the best practice, and even though this is the most common gesture in most territories, it is good to act in uniformity with the local church and to follow the local custom so as not to draw attention to yourself and to your personal prayer.

Most importantly, at that moment you should strive to tune everything else out and enter into deep prayer with God.  If you do that, you can be assured that your Communion will be fruitful.

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

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