Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
“Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
“What sign can you show us for doing this?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
The Jews said,
“This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?”
But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.
While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
many began to believe in his name
when they saw the signs he was doing.
But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all,
and did not need anyone to testify about human nature.
He himself understood it well.
Not a Catholic, don’t understand your religion much,but I love you. I love all of you. You’re brothers and sisters in Christ to me, so do what you do. I love you.
how sweet are your words, dear keln.
100%!!
I you understand Christianity, then you understand Catholic “religion”. If you are interested in particulars, it is easy to get answers as Catholics provide authoritative teachings on line, easy for anyone to reference.
Absolutely beautiful, thank you so much. I love reading these scriptural references and enjoy them very much.
Here’s two more readings for today
Exodus 20:1-17 The Ten Commandments
20 And God spoke all these words, saying,
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
1 Corinthians 1:18 Christ the Wisdom and Power of God
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
I am reminded of the classic joke about Moses returning from Mount Sinai to tell his followers that he had “good news and bad news”…the good news was that he got Him down to ten, the bad news was that adultery was still one of them! That being said, after all these centuries, these rules remain timeless IMHO. How could a society founded upon these principles not be a good place to live, worship, raise a family? I still marvel at how concise and precise these strictures remain after so much time has passed. I would like to believe that I have faithfully observed these precepts in my time on earth, but OTOH I am counting on God having a sense of humor as I attempt to “explain” my failings…may God bless all those who perch on the branches of the TreeHouse
Yes that joke is a classic.
The good news of the Gospel is that your salvation IS NOT dependent on your works and God’s forgiveness and mercy is ours if we chose it. We all fail miserably because of our sinful nature….sins are in thought, word and deed. Jesus is the only human that lived a life without sin. Our Heavenly Father gave his only begotten Son to die for us….His death and resurrection wiped away all our sins . We only need to confess our sins, repent and try to live with God, but if you believe in God and follow Him, be confident that all your sins are forgiven.
Scripture tells us in Mark 16:16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”
You forgot Blessed Mother Mary… she was sinless too!
Oxo
Sorry…I’m not a Catholic.
Never heard that joke before. Got a good laugh from it. Someone should have told the AME Church that had Fani Willis speak in that “adultery” was still one of the Ten Commandments. LOL
You and me too, CorwinAmber. (chuckle chuckle).
I’ve never heard of that joke (I misinterpreted “Be fruitful and multiply” ;-)) but as far as the “rules” go we sure wouldn’t be in the mess we are now if only half of us lived up to them.
God bless you as well and all the rest of us Treepers…..as well as Sundance and his merry band of “trouble shooters”.
It’s Pareto, 80/20 Principle.
“You’re a better man than I am, Gungadin.” Never will forget the time I stumbled into a Penacostal prayer meeting and they decided to lay hands on me and start praying in tongues becasuse everyone could see my sinful flaws. I’ve broken every one of the Ten Commandments—at least in my heart. I think I might have looked lustfully at one of the guys in the prayer meeting.
My damn, today is the first time I’ve smiled about that little incident. We need more good jokes on humanity.
The Covenant at Horeb.
Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances which I proclaim in your hearing this day, that you may learn them and take care to observe them. …
…
I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
7
You shall not have other gods beside me.
8
You shall not make for yourself an idol or a likeness of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth;
9
you shall not bow down before them or serve them. For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, bringing punishment for their parents’ wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation,
10
but showing love down to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
11
You shall not invoke the name of the LORD, your God, in vain. For the LORD will not leave unpunished anyone who invokes his name in vain.
12
Observe the sabbath day—keep it holy, as the LORD, your God, commanded you.
13
Six days you may labor and do all your work,
14
but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God. You shall not do any work, either you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your ox or donkey or any work animal, or the resident alien within your gates, so that your male and female slave may rest as you do.
15
Remember that you too were once slaves in the land of Egypt, and the LORD, your God, brought you out from there with a strong hand and outstretched arm. That is why the LORD, your God, has commanded you to observe the sabbath day.
16
Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD, your God, has commanded you, that you may have a long life and that you may prosper in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
17
You shall not kill.
18
You shall not commit adultery.
19
You shall not steal.
20
You shall not bear dishonest witness against your neighbor.
21
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
You shall not desire your neighbor’s house or field, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
[From the USCCB/United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Website. Deuteronomy.]
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The list for the 10 Commandments based on Deuteronomy is the list commonly displayed in Catholic households. … The Priests and Deacons that teach the Catholic Catechism, use this list to help explain, “The why of …
The Great artistic art tradition of Western Civilization. … The Catholic Church embraces public art, as found in the Catholic Churches [and many other Christian Churches.]
The Catholic understanding of “You shall not make for yourself an idol or a likeness of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; you shall not bow down before them or serve them.” >explains the beautiful Art found in Churches [Art not idols to worship].
……… Many Protestant churches, +the Jewish synagogues, and Muslim mosques, are barren of works of Western Civilization Art.
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The part about coveting ‘your neighbor’s wife’ in Deuteronomy >separates, the wife from the donkey and everything else.
……… The Catholic understanding of the value of women in God’s creation starts with this listing of the 10 commandments, +Genesis,
“God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and >female he created them.” [The Goodbook]
*********
Immaculate Mary born without sin is part of the teachings of the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, many people look at >just a Papal announcement in the 1800s. The teaching goes back to the beginnings of the Church. [It’s on line] … But, for instance, Christopher Columbus sailed the blue in 1492. The full Spanish name of his flagship was Santa María de la Inmaculada Concepción.
Mary born without sin, presents a ‘test’ for everyone. What would we do for our own mother. Would we allow our mother to be born in sin. Do we ‘Honor’ our mother by polluting her soul with sin, or do we want her ‘redeemed before she is conceived’. All this is explained by people authorized by the Catholic Church to explain the Faith. [I’m NOT, but hopefully I explained it correctly.]
The vast majority of Christians in the world >honor both the Father and Mother of Jesus. In some Christian Churches, the Honor for the Mother seems to be lacking.]
…….. [The Goodbook] = When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the >mother of my Lord should come to me? … [As a separate note: the words of the famous Hail Mary prayer are in the Bible.]
Enlightenment means overcoming base human nature with its fleeting and often brutal changes in thought and action. Jesus knew what the Jews would do to him because he knew that unenlightened minds always seek to blame others for whatever the unenlightened cannot achieve or avoid.
Jesus, as Deus homo, knew exactly what the Jews would do to him, because he and his Father know all mankind’s actions from the time we are formed in our mothers’ wombs.
Yes, God lives outside of time.
Amen.
In the books of John and Matthew, Jesus tells his followers that they can be like Him. Only the pharisees and sadducees would dismiss a prophet (or Messiah) as being too holy to understand. So don’t fall into that trap. Don’t dismiss Jesus as being too holy, too perfect, too whatever. Those are excuses for not incorporating His lessons into yourself.
“many began to believe in his name
when they saw the signs he was doing.
But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all”
I found that passage in John interesting a few weeks ago. One gets the feeling when reading John’s gospel that many who at one moment formed a shallow belief – because of the signs and the free food for thousands made out of thin air – wanted to stone Jesus five minutes later. Others, such as Nicodemus, knew that something deeper was going on. Jesus explained the depths to Nicodemus in 3:3-14. Nicodemus went home and gave this deeper consideration, as we see in 7:50 and especially 19:39.
Jesus needed to perform the signs because they would take many people very quickly a long way towards recognizing who He was. But some people were unwilling to go any further.
The Jews believed that their Messiah would rescue them from their Roman persecution and would be a great warrior. Jesus rescued them but in a spiritual way, not an earthly way. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees and all their contrived laws that went beyond Scripture. Jesus was preaching a new message that most people of His day, did not understand. Biblical prophecy had to be fulfilled, hence His persecution, torture, death and Resurrection. God be praised!
O God, author of every mercy and of all goodness, who in fasting, prayer and almsgiving has shown us a remedy for sin, look graciously on this confession of our lowliness, that we, who are bowed down by our conscience, may always be lifted up by your mercy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
The Word of the Lord.
Anglican epistle for the third Sunday in Lent:
Ephesians 5.1-14
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named amongst you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish-talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient; but rather giving of thanks: for this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ, and of God.
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them: for ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light; (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them: for it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
You said u can’t forgive then what’s the point
A heart gains its true purpose when it learns the art of forgiveness, for what good is a heart if it doesn’t embrace compassion and understanding?
“Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me.
Interesting to contrast what Jesus said about His own body, calling it a temple and saying He’d rebuild it in 3 days … with … Matthew 23:38 when upon leaving the stone temple in Jerusalem for the last time He said “Behold, YOUR HOUSE is left to you desolate”. Strange isn’t it? The stone temple many thought Jesus meant when He said “My Father’s house” – is later referred to as “Your house … left to you …”
So the stone temple is NOT God’s house, and never was; our bodies are God’s house / temple (1 Corinthians 3:16 and 6:19). In fact, Stephen the martyr was killed under the watchful eye of Saul for telling the Jews “God does NOT live in temples made with hands” (Acts 7:48). Saul’s persecution led him to Damascus road, where the Messiah accused Paul of persecuting Him by hunting down and murdering His people. In Acts 17:24, Saul, now Paul, converted and converting others, utters the same words as Stephen “God does not live in temples made with hands”. Was Paul’s remembering Stephen – murdering him for the Truth – the thorn in Paul’s flesh?
As many scriptures as tell us that we are the temple of God – our bodies – I do wonder if when Christ returns He’ll be taking a whip to all those who defile the real temples of God with their whoring and merchandizing and fees … I can hardly wait for the day the Church returns to the simple and beautiful faith of just following the Son by the Spirit.
All of you surely know you are God’s temple and his Spirit lives in you.
In John 2, Jesus was referencing Ezekiel 28:11-18, referring to Satan and referencing his having (apparently) been in charge of leading worship earlier in Eden: ““You defiled your sanctuaries
By the multitude of your iniquities,
By the iniquity of your trading;
Therefore I brought fire from your midst;
It devoured you,
And I turned you to ashes upon the earth
In the sight of all who saw you.”
The disciples are then reminded of Psalm 69, which is a prophecy concerning the coming Messiah.
In Matthew 23, Jesus references Ezekiel 8-11, culminating with God executing judgment via Babylon desolating Jerusalem the first time, for their having rebelled against Babylon despite having sworn an oath to God to obey vassal king Zedekiah . The ultimate desolation was not the physical destruction, but God allowing the destruction because they rejected Him: Ezekiel 10:18 “Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim.” (Leviticus 26 is pertinent also, due to repeated disobedience- thus Ezekiel 12:15 “Then they shall know that I am the Lord, when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries” and Daniel and Jeremiah indicate the original 70 year punishments will be prolonged).
1 Peter 4:17 warns us also, “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?”
Thank you and God bless you Dear Menagerie..
Praise the Lord!
Thank you Menagerie.
THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT TRIDENTINE MASS READINGS
A Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians
(Ephesians 5. 1-9)
Brethren, Be ye followers of God, as most dear children: and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us and hath delivered Himself for us, an oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweetness. But fornication, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not so much as be named among you, as becometh saints: or obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility, which is to no purpose: but rather giving of thanks. For know you this, and understand, that no fornicator, or unclean, or covetous person, which is a serving of idols, hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the anger of God upon the children of unbelief. Be ye not therefore partakers with them. For you were heretofore darkness: but now light in the Lord. Walk then as children of the light: for the fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice, and truth.
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke
(St. Luke 11. 14-28)
At that time Jesus was casting out a devil, and the same was dumb. And when He had cast out the devil, the dumb spoke, and the multitudes were in admiration at it. But some of them said: He casteth out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils. And others, tempting, asked of Him a sign from heaven. But He, seeing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation, and house upon house shall fall. And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because you say that through Beelzebub I cast out devils. Now if I cast out devils by Beelzebub, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges. But if I by the finger of God cast out devils: doubtless the kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his court, those things are in peace which he possesseth. But if a stronger than he come upon him and overcome him, he will take away all his armor wherein he trusted, and will distribute his spoils. He that is not with Me, is against Me: and he that gathereth not with Me, scattereth. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through places without water, seeking rest: and not finding, he
Translations taken from the 1963 Marian Missal for Daily Mass Page 1 of 2
saith: I will return into my house whence I came out. And when he is come, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then he goeth and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in they dwell there. And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. And it came to pass, as He spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to Him: Blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the breasts that nursed Thee. But He said: Yea, rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it.
“For know you this, and understand, that no fornicator, or unclean, or covetous person, which is a serving of idols, hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God…Be ye not therefore partakers with them.”
I don’t think Cardinal Dolan gets this:
Nor Cupich, Gregory, McElroy, Tobin, nor Bergoglio or Spadaro.
Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation.
Usurpers dividing. Devils work.
I heartily agree.
“You knew I was a snake…”
“When a strong man armed keepeth his court, those things are in peace which he possesseth. But if a stronger than he come upon him and overcome him, he will take away all his armor wherein he trusted, and will distribute his spoils.”
And for some reason the Missal was changed and this passage replaced with the woman at the well. Hmm.
It was the temple tax along with profiting off of other religious requirements at that time.
When God gets mad, you should always pay attention.
When religion becomes another form of commerce…
Guy at church told this joke today:
Why didn’t Abraham have to worry about updating his computer memory? Because God will provide the RAM.
(I know, I know…)
Hello,
The Catholic Church is the true Christian Church founded by Jesus Christ but in the last days, Rome (the physical buildings) have been taken over by Freemasons (the Church enemies). This is what the book of Revelation (the Apocalypse) talks about. Most Catholics have fallen away from the true faith with only a few remaining. This grave crisis was predicted. Please check out this video for more critical and interesting information:
https://vaticancatholic.com/apocalypse-now-in-the-vatican/
Thank you for this message today. It is good to hear.
I am still estranged from my daughter and her husband and baby kiddos. It was all just a big stupid angry back and forth with words and my son inlaw scolded me severely. He strted it but whatever.
I met with Dr/pastor Teague this afternoon. He gave me some good thoughts on forgiveness. We ask Our Father every day to forgive us and that in his name we promise to forgive others, we ask this to honor Him, The Lords Prayer. We are sinners, no doubt, but we must forgive others or we are doing exactly against what we want from God. Forgiveness. 😭
I have apologised. It has been two years 😩i did not threaten violence, or come at them with a knife. Just tantrum words. I was on very high doses of prednisone for the post forced second covid jab
Long story
Blessings on this Third Sunday of Lent
May God bring restoration and healing to all wounds. Amen