We are the Church, the Body of Christ. Thus, the Church does not belong to us, but it belongs to Jesus as His Bride. What is God trying to teach us with this reality?At times you might run into non-Catholic friends who disagree with the idea of Peter being the first pope. How might we better learn how to defend this truth?Cardinal Wuerl’s language sounds as if the Church is somehow necessary in continuing the work of redemption that was won by Christ. How might this be? Is the Church really necessary? What

 

What if someone were to tell us that we only need Christ alone? What if there were no believers, could the work of Jesus be made known to people?
Jesus wants to live through us to continue to work in this world. How might we make ourselves more suitable instruments in the hands of Jesus?
Judy K: So we’re talking about the Church tonight. I always love the bridal imagery. I think that God is trying to teach us that, as members of the Church (the Mystical Body of Christ), which belongs to Jesus as His bride. We as members of the Church are thus in a spousal relationship with Jesus-a relationship of deep love, submission, self-sacrifice and surrender.

15, 7:28 PM

Dawn L: I am familiar but thought his letter enlightening

Lisa C: Our bond with Christ is truly a marriage. It is a permanent and indissoluble union in which Jesus and everyone in the church become one (John 17:21) just as He and the father are one (John 10:30). We are in Him and He is in us we are united. In marriage the union of man and woman transmits human life and by doing so cooperates in the Creators work (Catechism 372) and just like a marriage which results in a fruitfulness to share in God’s work of creation, this union of Jesus with His bride, the Church, is9 PM

Lisa C: meant to give fruit which is a result of the Holy Spirit working in us to help Jesus carry out the salvation plan of His father. Eve was created out of Adam to be his helper. We are created in the image and likeness of God to be His helper.

Jun 21 2015, 7:29 PM

Judy K: And our fruitfulness consists in helping to win souls for Him-transmitting spiritual life.

SrSusan (guest): The bridal imagery is essential to our souls but not always understood so clearly in relation to the whole ChurchPM

Alice Lewis-Eckardt: I know I grow extremely close to the members of my home church

Jun 21 2015, 7:33 PM

Alice Lewis-Eckardt: and my Priest

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Judy K: Realizing that each one of us is really in a spousal relationship with the Lord, is so beautiful. We are wholly His. He cares for us as a groom does his bride. And He cares for the entire Church as a bride. That is so beautiful! Thinking of the tenderness that often exists between spouses, the image is so warm and loving. And everyone is in this spousal relationship, not just consecrated persons. He calls each of us to belong to Him.

Jun 21 2015, 7:34 PM

Carol Ann: I have moved so often that it is harder for me to relate to the smaller group within one parish

Jun 21 2015, 7:35 PM

SrSusan (guest): I think the intimacy of the whole People of God would grow in relation to Church if it was viewed bridally

Jun 21 2015, 7:35 PM

Dawn L: Judy, beautifully said

6 PM

Judy K: Thank you, Dawn.I really do feel this kind of relationship with the Lord and am grateful for the Church that provides the nurturing that the relationship needs in the SAcraments.

Guest6267 (guest): The Church is the Body of Christ ! in John 17 Jesus encouraged us to be one ! The world tries its best to divide us ! God is always bringing us together as one body with many parts !

Dawn L: so, using this view might assist a parish to become more holy….less worldly

Jun 21 2015, 7:37 PM

Judy K: Your insights are always so meaningful, Brian. So this little group of ours is one.

Jun 21 2015, 7:37 PM

Guest6267 (guest): Amen !

Jun 21 2015, 7:38 PM

Dawn L:

Jun 21 2015, 7:38 PM

Lisa C: I love the wedding feast of the Lamb

5, 7:39 PM

Lisa C: Communion is called that and also in Revelation we are called to it40 PM

Lisa C: I think the dream I had when I saw Jesus was about it since Jesus directed me to the table

Judy K: I also love this imagery and love the song from Revelation which expressed it. The wedding feast of the lamb has begun. The feast here on earth is a foretelling of the feast we will experience in Heaven. Our oneness with the Lord will be complete then. No more doubts, no more questions, no more flops or slips. just a blissful union with the One Who loves us more than we can imagine.

Jun 21 2015, 7:41 PM

Carol Ann: Without receiving the Eucharist, we cannot be part of the body of Christ

Guest6267 (guest): Jesus wants us to shine in this dark world so that we can assist Him in bringing many souls to heaven ! When we work together as one with Jesus we Shine really bright and msany people come to Christ !

Judy K: Since I have moved to West Haverstraw, the Lord has put three people in my path who are lapsed Catholics. I had brief opportunities to try to lead them back, and I think that I was able to at least plant seeds.

Jun 21 2015, 7:43 PM

Dawn L: Brian….well all….I think this is a common theme of Pope Francis. to be a light, to be joyful even in the midst of maybe suffering

Dawn L: good. back to topic question 3…if there were no believers could the work of Jesus be made known to people? I paused at this question

, 7:49 PM

Lisa C: Rev 19:9 the wedding feast

Lisa C: The Marriage of the Lamb…8It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.” 10Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the

Jun 21 2015, 7:51 PM

Anne M: The Lord works to make His will known. He sends us the Holy Spirit to give us Wisdom and Understanding…

Jun 21 2015, 7:51 PM

Judy K: Dealing with people who do not agree with the idea of Peter as the first Pope is difficult. And some of them believe that the Catholic Church was not founded by Jesus and the Apostles. I think that we can help them understand by showing from Scripture how Jesus chose Peter to be “the rock” on which He would build His Church. And that He told Peter that He would give him the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jun 21 2015, 7:51 PM

Lisa C: spirit of prophecy.”

M

Dawn L: and pondered it. thinking God could make it so, through the Holy SPirit.

Jun 21 2015, 7:52 PM

Lisa C: Matthew 22:2
“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.

Luke 14:15
When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”

Jun 21 2015, 7:52 PM

Guest6267 (guest): The remnant always prevails for Jesus Christ looks at the vicious attacks that we have survived the last 2000 years ! Praise God ! Nothing can separate us from the Love of Christ !

Jun 21 2015, 7:53 PM

Carol Ann: So much is not taught about Church history. Many I speak to do not realize the Bible as we know it didn’t exist for 300 years, and that we did not add books, but Martin Luther took them out

Jun 21 2015, 7:53 PM

Lisa C: Revelation 19:7
Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

Jun 21 2015, 7:53 PM

Anne M: The Lord sent the Holy Spirit to teach and guide the Apostles. Prior to that they were weak and afraid, and lacked understanding. Afterwards they were fearless

7:54 PM

SrSusan (guest): Jesus sometimes works very directly with souls, as has been mentioned, thru dreams etc so that He can build up believers

Anne M: And look what He did with/to Saul/Paul. Where would the Church be withouth the preaching of Paul.

Anne M: I’m sure the Lord would’ve raised up another to replace him, but…

Jun 21 2015, 7:56 PM

SrSusan (guest): Yes Saul?Paul is a great example

5, 7:56 PM

Carol Ann: I think that happens to all of us, SisterPM

Judy K: The Church is necessary. Jesus told the Apostles to go out and baptize all people in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Surely He did not mean for that to stop with the death of last Apostle. Structures are needed to further the Gospel to insure true fidelity to the Word in the teaching presented. Certainly Jesus can make Himself known directly to individuals (as He did to Paul) but usually it is through the ministry of the Church and the “domestic Church” that the Gospel is tran

Jun 21 2015, 7:56 PM

Anne M: Of all people, Saul, persecutor of Christians

Jun 21 2015, 7:56 PM

Guest6267 (guest): Those with special gifts need our prayer support so that they can use their gifts to glorify God ! Soo important for us to be one Family !

Jun 21 2015, 7:56 PM

Lisa C: SFdS says that we do not always feel God working in us, but as long as we are attached to Him or loving Him He is working

Judy K: transmitted. Jesus planned to use others as His instruments in passing on His Word.

Jun 21 2015, 7:57 PM

Lisa C: Sometimes we feel it and sometimes we do not

, 7:58 PM

Lisa C: Mother He is working through you, via this chat. We learn so much trying to answer the questions.

Jun 21 2015, 7:58 PM

Guest6267 (guest): Paul had many communities that supported Him in prayer !

Jun 21 2015, 7:58 PM

SrSusan (guest): Paul accepted Christ after that experience and was on fire for the Lord He never paused in his mission later

Jun 21 2015, 7:58 PM

Judy K: It is so wonderful to have this opportunity to share the faith with others who really believe.

, 7:59 PM

Dawn L: yes, it is.

Jun 21 2015, 7:59 PM

Guest6267 (guest): Praise God !

1 2015, 7:59 PM

Judy K: In order to make ourselves more suitable instruments in the hands of Jesus, I propose a program calle15, 8:00 PM

Anne M: This past week, the Lord gave me a great lesson on why not to go on feelings. 3/4 days of a great spiritual “high” then BAM, I was flung to the ground after that euphoric feeling left during a friend’s crisis. I failed miserably. Lord does, I do not. :00 PM

Carol Ann: What happened Anne?

Dawn L: ah, Anne. I was just revisiting St Ignatus exp on that. its in his discerning spirits. he had this euphoric feelings and suddenly realized this was not from God

Guest6267 (guest): Study ,Prayer , Listening , And Sharing critical in our Discovery of God , we do all this at Chat Time ! Thank you God our dear Father for this special time together

:03 PM

Judy K: R reading His Word E educating ourselves via Biblical , commentaries, books, tapes and videos, and courses. A assimilating the Word, taking it in and living it and P praying the Word. Hence REAP.

Jun 21 2015, 8:04 PM

Carol Ann: that’s a great aid Judy

Jun 21 2015, 8:04 PM

Judy K: E should have Biblical footnotes.

Jun 21 2015, 8:04 PM

Anne M: No, I am certain this was from Our Lord. I would rather not get into detail online about the crisis, but I allowed my peace to be disturbed by the lack of motivation and great emotional turmoil of the friend…

Jun 21 2015, 8:04 PM

Dawn L: I see…

Jun 21 2015, 8:05 PM

Carol Ann: Yes, Anne, that makes sense. I will pray for the situation

Judy K: Anne, don’t let this experience discourage you. Sometimes we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes. Trust in the Lord and continue to beg for His help.

Jun 21 2015, 8:06 PM

Alice Lewis-Eckardt: does everyone read the Bible daily?

Jun 21 2015, 8:06 PM

Anne M: I crawled to confession all dried up then went to Mass and let the Lord fill me back up

Jun 21 2015, 8:06 PM

Guest6267 (guest): In the battlefield we learn to anticipate attacks and be prepared with the Word of God , asking our friends to pray for us , Trusting that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us !

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SrSusan (guest): Judy you are saying that this program called REAP would prepare us to serve others better

Jun 21 2015, 8:07 PM

Carol Ann: yes, or at least meditate on a favorite passage or one that springs to mind

Jun 21 2015, 8:07 PM

Anne M: Not really discouraged, just “drained of energy”

Jun 21 2015, 8:07 PM

SrSusan (guest): Alice the Bible or the segments of it for the daily Mass of the next day

:07 PM

Judy K: Yes and no. Since I pray the Liturgy of the Hours, I read sections of the Bible three times a day. But I am not consistently reading the Bible daily. 9 PM

SrSusan (guest): “Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections.”
― Francis de Sales

Jun 21 2015, 8:09 PM

Judy K: REAP is something I thought up that could help to make us more suitable instruments in the Lord’s hands There are undoubtedly other things that could be added, especially the Sacraments.

Jun 21 2015, 8:09 PM

Carol Ann: REAPS

Jun 21 2015, 8:10 PM

Dawn L: I read the Hours most consistently, the Bible directly not as often, and try to pray rosary everyday

Jun 21 2015, 8:10 PM

Alice Lewis-Eckardt: ok I pray the Liturgy as well. I have read through the Bible several times but feel compelled to begin reading now

11 PM

SrSusan (guest): That’s an inspiraton for sure Alice

Jun 21 2015, 8:11 PM

Guest6267 (guest): I go to gym at 530am and read the Bible for 45 min as I exercise . I bring Bible to work and read at lunch time ! I carry Bible with me wearever I go ! It is amazing how God brings you to just the right verse you need when you need it !

Jun 21 2015, 8:11 PM

Dawn L: that is great Judy and Carol

Jun 21 2015, 8:11 PM

Judy K: I have never read all the way through the Old Testament, but I have read through the New Testament several times. And I also pray the Rosary daily.

:12 PM

SrSusan (guest): Praying thru short sections of the Bible, or lectio divina is a big help

Jun 21 2015, 8:12 PM

SrSusan (guest): Sometimes just praying and opening the Bible provides great support to a current situation as the Holy Spirit guides you

Dawn L: The pocket version of the Gospel and Acts, suggested by Pope Francis. it is easy to carry around

Jun 21 2015, 8:13 PM

Lisa C: I love being able to go through topics in the bible…used to have to use a chain reference bible…now can use computer

Jun 21 2015, 8:13 PM

Judy K: Sometimes I just like to hold the Bible in my hands, It makes me feel close to the Word of Life.

M

Guest6267 (guest): Amen Judy !

Jun 21 2015, 8:14 PM

SrSusan (guest): I like that too with the Rosary- like holding Our Blessed Mother’s hand

:15 PM

Judy K: Wouldn’t it be great if we could hold the Bible in our hands and experience a kind of spiritual osmosis-absorbing the Scriptures through our skin it the comprehension we need!

Jun 21 2015, 8:15 PM

SrSusan (guest): The more we know the Bible the more we can help another as the Holy Word will come to mind and we may be like the monks of old who gave just a “word” to help someone

M

Anne M: It’s funny, Sister, when I went to confession it was a missionary priest! The Lord is so Good, He has it all under control!

SrSusan (guest): And of course receiving the Lord in the Eucharist is receiving the Living Word of God, Logos

Jun 21 2015, 8:17 PM

Dawn L: if we could respond to others with Scripture we could avoid many problems

8:17 PM

Lisa C: I like to think of the Word as the Promise of God

Jun 21 2015, 8:17 PM

SrSusan (guest): Yes Anne, God does all Perfectly!

7 PM

Judy K: Maybe that is something we should do Lisa. I know that many verses of Scripture come to my mind in different situations.

Jun 21 2015, 8:18 PM

Lisa C: Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to the Israelites and their responsibility to Him

, 8:18 PM

Judy K: Hi Ruth!

Jun 21 2015, 8:18 PM

Anne M: Yes, Dawn, but sometimes there are blinders and they just don’t get it. Prayer prayer and more prayer

Jun 21 2015, 8:18 PM

Ruth (guest): Hello everyone.

Jun 21 2015, 8:19 PM

Anne M: hi

Jun 21 2015, 8:19 PM

Ruth (guest): Sorry I am so late.

Jun 21 2015, 8:19 PM

Carol Ann: Hi Ruth

0 PM

Judy K: And truly, isn’t prayer at the root of everything we need to to live our Christian life! We would get nowhere without prayer. It is as essential to our spiritual and food and water are to our bodily lives.

Jun 21 2015, 8:20 PM

Guest6267 (guest): Many years ago when I was coming back to the Lord Jesus as beginning to read Gods Word daily I use to ge attacked at night with bad dreams. I would get up and read Gods Word and bad dreams would vanish . God showed me that they were like a tissue paper put in front of my eyes by the enemy , Gods Word blows the tissue away easily ! I later began to sleep holding the Bible ! What a comfort !

Jun 21 2015, 8:20 PM

Anne M: Sister have you started reading the Pope’s new encyclical.

Jun 21 2015, 8:20 PM

Anne M: Absolutely Judy. The Lord does the work, we are instruments

Jun 21 2015, 8:20 PM

Dawn L: Yes…pray unceasingly.

Jun 21 2015, 8:21 PM

SrSusan (guest): St. Francis de Sales used to say that one of the surest signs of a soul deeply imbued with piety, is a veneration for the Sacred writings. “Whosoever is of God, heareth his words,” said our Lord; and “whosoever loves God, loves his words, and will keep them in his heart. It is the mark of good sheep, to know the shepherd’s voice; of those who will stand at his right hand, and hear this sentence—”Come ye blessed of my Father.”

But to be a hearer of the word, is not enough; it must be put into practice; God

15, 8:21 PM

Judy K: And Jerome said that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.

Jun 21 2015, 8:21 PM

SrSusan (guest): Just today I started the introduction of the encyclical

2 PM

Judy K: I haven’t read his last one yet.

Jun 21 2015, 8:22 PM

Guest6267 (guest): What a privilege we have to ask God to help others and ourselves !

Jun 21 2015, 8:22 PM

Judy K: The Joy of the Gospel, that is.

Anne M: I just read an article (spirit daily i think) man kept quoting scripture, but disputed the bible, when asked why when quoting scripture, he said I’m not quoting scripture, i’m quoting my grandmother.

Jun 21 2015, 8:23 PM

Dawn L: haha

Jun 21 2015, 8:23 PM

Lisa C: 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me

Jun 21 2015, 8:23 PM

Carol Ann: that’s pretty funny!

4 PM

Anne M: Sister, I’m trying to start it on the vatican website

Jun 21 2015, 8:24 PM

Judy K: He obviously had no idea that his grandmother was quoting Scripture. If he did, he might not have been quoting her. I think that its’s kind of sad.

Jun 21 2015, 8:24 PM

SrSusan (guest): That is where I am reading it

M

SrSusan (guest): That is where I am reading it

Jun 21 2015, 8:25 PM

SrSusan (guest): Do you think we ought to chat about it sometime in the future?

Jun 21 2015, 8:25 PM

Lisa C: We need time to read it

Jun 21 2015, 8:25 PM

Anne M: What do you think of the two catholic presidential candidates telling the pope to “stay out of it”

SrSusan (guest): Definitely Maybe Aug or Sept

6 PM

Dawn L: I would very much like to, after read. thanks for mentioning it is online

Jun 21 2015, 8:26 PM

Anne M: In the future. It may take a while for me to finish it

Jun 21 2015, 8:26 PM

SrSusan (guest): Me too!

Jun 21 2015, 8:26 PM

Lisa C: I do think that the Pope should tell us to take care of the world, but not to take a side on whether or not global warming is man made

Jun 21 2015, 8:26 PM

Anne M:

Jun 21 2015, 8:26 PM

SrSusan (guest): I did not read about that Anne and the candidates

Jun 21 2015, 8:26 PM

Judy K: Yes, I am glad to learn that it is on line.

Jun 21 2015, 8:26 PM

Anne M: Bush and Santorum

Jun 21 2015, 8:27 PM

Anne M: SIGH

Jun 21 2015, 8:27 PM

Lisa C: mark rubio also commented on the pope not getting involved

SrSusan (guest): Here it is: http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html

Laudato si’ (24 May 2015)

Jun 21 2015, 8:27 PM

Dawn L: My first thought was…he took the name sake of St Francis of Assisi who is patron saint of animals and environment

27 PM

Anne M: Yes, Judy you can read all for free there. “Come without cost…”

Jun 21 2015, 8:27 PM

Judy K: Caring for the earth is a moral obligation and surely the Holy Father has an obligation to comment on it.

8 PM

Carol Ann: I agree, Judy

Jun 21 2015, 8:28 PM

Anne M: Considering he is the Vicar of Christ, which some may not believe and have thrown by the wayside.

Jun 21 2015, 8:28 PM

SrSusan (guest): The Orthodox Patriarch Bartholemew often speaks of the ecological issues but I never hear anyone castigating him for it

PM

Anne M: Considering he is the Vicar of Christ, which some may not believe and have thrown by the wayside.

Lisa C: I do not think people are castigating the pope regarding the care of the world, it is that he is taking a side on global warming and it is not clear from a scientific standpoint that it is not just climate change

Jun 21 2015, 8:29 PM

Dawn L: please pray for me

Jun 21 2015, 8:29 PM

Guest6267 (guest): I will never forget a man who was big gang leader on one of our Kairos weekend retreats in Prison gazing off in distance throughout retreat . He told me later that all the things His Grandmother in her 90s had taught Him about Jesus his whole life was coming together for first time that weekend ! He became a different man !From Death to Life that’s what Jesus does for all of us who Believe !

Jun 21 2015, 8:29 PM

Anne M: Prayer will do much more for the environment than politics ever will

Jun 21 2015, 8:29 PM

Judy K: And so a point I have made on several occasions, it seems that the only ones who have the right to free speech, are those who do not uphold the same moral principles that we do.

Jun 21 2015, 8:30 PM

SrSusan (guest): In fact Pope Francis mentions not only the Patriarch but also St John Paul 11 and Pope Benedict in the introduction

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Lisa C: Anyway I think we have to read it before we can know what we think…it is not like

Lisa C: Anyway I think we have to read it before we can know what we think…it is not like Nancy Pelosi telling people to pass the bill so they can see what is in it

Jun 21 2015, 8:31 PM

SrSusan (guest): In 1971, eight years after Pacem in Terris, Blessed Pope Paul VI referred to the ecological concern as “a tragic consequence” of unchecked human activity: “Due to an ill-considered exploitation of nature, humanity runs the risk of destroying it and becoming in turn a victim of this degradation”

Jun 21 2015, 8:31 PM

Anne M: I wonder if people understand that the vatican has all kinds of scientists also who have been studying…

Jun 21 2015, 8:31 PM

SrSusan (guest): That’s a quote from the encyclical

Ruth (guest): Please check out Stacy Trasancos’s remarks about Laudato Si. Your are right Lisa, we need to READ it first. And the most important thing is NOT to let it divide us as a Family of God.

Jun 21 2015, 8:34 PM

Guest6267 (guest): We have the technology to improve the environment ! We need a leader like Pope Francis who will encourage us to use it ! God put us in charge of taking care of planet we have done poor job ! We can and will do a better job !

Jun 21 2015, 8:34 PM

SrSusan (guest): Good night!

I thought 6267 was probably you, Brian. Good night. God bless you and your work with the prisoners.

Jun 21 2015, 8:41 PM

Ruth (guest): Looking for the link to Stacy’s remarks. Here’s one to her FB page. https://www.facebook.com/strasancos?fref=nf She edits two blogs as well: Catholic Stand is one of them.