the Bible Catholic

Scripture to Support The Catholic Faith

The Inconvenience of Faith during a Pandemic.

Introduction

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Matthew 16:16-19
16 Simon Peter answered and said: You are Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood have not revealed it to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I say to you: That you are Peter; and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever you shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.

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This is the scripture that describes the words of Christ, upon which the Catholic Church was built, and yet, at the time of the beginning of the Church, the Gospel of St. Matthew had not even been written. Scholars are uncertain of the book’s exact date of origin but based on its content, put it around 80 to 90 AD, some fifty to sixty years years after the death and resurrection of Christ.

It was in fact, the early Christians, led by the Apostles and Paul (who in later years wrote the majority of the New Testament Epistles), who were forming the Church based on their long held Old Testament beliefs and the new orally propagated teachings of Christ.

From these early teachings and traditions and those things that they had learned and were teaching others they began to document their knowledge and faith. These stories, documents, essays and letters gradually coalesced into instruments of instruction and faith and among the hundreds of documents written, twenty three emerged as the most important and by 365 AD they were officially recognized by the Church to be included as the New Testament into the Canon of Sacred Scripture.

Thus, contrary to what many may understand, the Bible as we have it today, grew out of the Church rather than the Church growing out of the Bible. And since, at that time, there was only one Church in existence, being called unified, one Church, καθολικός (katholikos) or Catholic, it is clear that the Bible as we know it today is a Catholic document.

The Church teaches us, as Jesus did, to go out into the world and preach the Gospel (the good news). Pope Paul VI wrote in November of 1965 a dogmatic constitution on Devine Revelation; DEI VERBUM which further details the basis for sending forth the faithful to preach the Good News of the Salvation of Christ.

This web site grew from the desire to demonstrate the biblical basis for the entirety of Catholic Teaching, for it can be truly stated that there is no Catholic teaching that is in conflict with any part of the Bible, and there is nothing in the Bible that conflicts with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

This site is dedicated to the truth of the scriptures and the teachings of the Catholic Church. It is a tool designed to specifically deal with some common misconceptions about the Catholic Church, the truth of the scriptures and the authority of the Church.

This is a Catholic Apologetics web site.

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Why Apologetics?

Apologetics from the Greek ἀπολογία, (apologia) is the practice of mounting a reasoned defense of a person, or issue. Here we will provide a reasoned defense of the Catholic Church, based on the scripture that the Church herself compiled at its beginning.

1 Peter 3:15-16
15 But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, being ready always to satisfy everyone who asks you a reason of that hope which is in you. 16 But with modesty and fear, having a good conscience: that whereas they speak evil of you, they may be ashamed who falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

2 Timothy 4:1-5
1 I charge you, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead, by his coming, and his kingdom: 2 Preach the word: be persistent in convenience or inconvenience: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine. 3 For there shall be a time, when they will not endure sound doctrine; but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears 4 And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, and will be turned unto fables. 5 But be vigilant, labour in all things, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry in soberness.

Paul predicted accurately that divisions in the Church would someday occur and commands us to be ever ready to teach and encourage with patience, gentleness and reverence.  This is the basics of Apologetics.  Teach and encourage with patience gentleness and reverence.

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Below are two audio files on the basics of apologetics by John Martignoni president of the Bible Christian Society. These will give you some great tools to use when discussing your faith with a non Catholic.

These are well worth the time to get you on the way to defending our faith.

The scripture texts on this site are from the Douay-Rheims American Edition (DRA) unless otherwise noted.

This site contains 70 Catholic topic categories, supported by 1,551 scripture verses from 832 chapters, with citations from the Catechism of the Catholic Church at the bottom of each category.

For additional understanding, verse numbers with a link, connect to the relevant footnotes in the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE) found in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) web site.

Passages marked with a red asterisk indicate scripture that is commonly used in an effort to refute Catholic teaching.

And please check out the plethora of information available on the Catholic Answers web site at www.catholic.com

For those who may be a bit shy about sharing your faith, here is a link to Bishop Robert Baron's e-book "How to Share Your Faith". Enjoy!

Peace in Christ

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Matthew 16:16-19
18 Simon Peter answered and said: You are Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood have not revealed it to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I say to you: That you are Peter; and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.

Mark 16:15-16
15 He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Luke 10:16
16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

John 14:16, 26
16 And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Paraclete, that he may abide with you forever... 26 The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name — he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.

John 16:13
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will teach you all truth. For he shall not speak for himself; but of the things he shall hear, he will speak; and the things that are to come, he swill show you.

1 Timothy 3:15
15 But if I stay long, that thou may know how thou ought to behave in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

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Colossians 1:18
18 And he is the head of the body, the Church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he may hold the primacy

1 Corinthians 12:20-27
20 But now there are many members indeed, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand: I need not your help; nor again the head to the feet: I have no need of you. 22 Yea, much more those that seem to be the more feeble members of the body, are more necessary. 23 And such as we think to be the less honorable members of the body, about these we put more abundant honor; and those that are our uncomely parts, have more abundant comeliness. 24 But our comely parts have no need: but God has tempered the body together, giving to that which wanted the more abundant honor, 25 that there might be no schism in the body; but the members might be mutually careful one for another. 26 And if one member suffer any thing, all the members suffer with it; or if one member glory, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each member a part of the body.

Ephesians 5:30
30 Because we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Romans 12:4-5
4 For as in one body we have many members, but all the members have not the same office: 5 So we being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

1 Corinthians 6:15
15 Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of a prostitute? God forbid!

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John 10:16
16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Ephesians 4:3-6
3 striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: 4 one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Romans 16:17
17 I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles, in opposition to the teaching that you learned; avoid them.

1 Corinthians 1:10
10 I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.

Philippians 2:2
2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing...

Romans 15:5-6
5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, 6 that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

John 17:17-23
17 Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. 19 And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth. 20 I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. 22 And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me.

1 Corinthians 12:13
13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

Romans12:5
5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another.

Ephesians 4:4
4 one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call

Colossians 3:15
15 And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful

St. Syprian – (c. 250 AD): “God is one and Christ is one, and one is His Church, and the faith is one, and His people welded together by the glue of concord into a solid unity of body.  Unity cannot be rent asunder, nor can the one body of the Church, through the division of its structure, be divided into separate pieces.” On the unity of the Church 23.

Tertullian (c. 197 AD): “In the scriptures our people are shown to be made one; so that just as many grains collected into one and grouped and mingled together, make one loaf, so in Christ, who is the universal Bread, we know there is one body, in which our whole company is joined and united.” Treatise 62 13.

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John 15:16
16 It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.

John 20:21
21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

Luke 22:29-30
29 and I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred one on me, 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Matthew 16:18
18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

John 10:16
16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Luke 22:32,
32 but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers.”

John 21:17
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

Ephesians 4:11
11 And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers

1 Timothy 3:1, 8
Sets the hierarchy of the Church leaders
1 This saying is trustworthy: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task.
8 Similarly, deacons must be dignified, not deceitful, not addicted to drink, not greedy for sordid gain

1 Timothy 5:17
17 Presbyters who preside well deserve double honor, especially those who toil in preaching and teaching

Titus 1:5
5 For this reason I left you in Crete so that you might set right what remains to be done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you,

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Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus Delegates all power to the Apostles
18 Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

John 20:23
Power to forgive sins
23 Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

1 Corinthians 11:23-24
Power to offer sacrifice (Eucharist)
23 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, 24 and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Luke 10:16
Power to speak with Christ’s voice
16 Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

Matthew 18:17
Power to discipline
17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church. If he refuses to listen even to the Church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.

Matthew 18:18
Power to legislate
18 Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

St. Irenaeus (c. 200 AD): “…the Church, having received this preaching and this faith throughout the whole world, yet guarded it, as if she occupied but one house. She likewise believes these things just as if she had but one soul and one and the same heart; and harmoniously she proclaims them and teaches them and hands them down as if she possessed but one mouth.” Against Heresies 1, 10, 2.

Eusebius of Caesarea (4th c.): “But the brightness of the Catholic Church proceeded to increase in greatness, for it ever held to the same points in the same way and radiated forth to all the race of Greeks and barbarians the reverent, sincere and free nature, and sobriety and purity of divine teaching as to conduct and thought.” Ecclesiastical History 4, 7, 13.

St. Augustine (c. 329 AD): “The Catholic Church is the work of Divine Providence, achieved through the prophecies of the prophets, through the Incarnation and the teaching of Christ, through the journeys of the Apostles, through the suffering, the crosses, the blood and death of the martyrs, through the admirable lives of the saints… When, then, we see so much help on God’s part, so much progress and so much fruit, shall we hesitate to bury ourselves in the bosom of the Church? For starting from the apostolic chair down through the successions of bishops, even unto the open confession of all mankind, it has possessed the crown of teaching authority.” The Advantage of Believing 35.

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John 16:13
13 But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming.

John 14:26
26 The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.

Luke 10:16
16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

1 Timothy 3:15
15 But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth.

1 John 2:27
27 As for you, the anointing that you received from him remains in you, so that you do not need anyone to teach you. But his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not false; just as it taught you, remain in him.

Matthew 28:20
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

St. Irenaeus (c. 200 AD): “For the Church is, there is the Spirit of God; and where the Spirit of God, there the Church and every grace. The Spirit, however, is truth.” Against Heresies 3, 25, 1.

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Isaiah 9:6-7
6 His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, Upon David’s throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!7 The Lord has sent a word against Jacob, and it falls upon Israel;

Daniel 2:44
44 In the lifetime of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people; rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever.

Daniel 7:14
14 He received dominion, splendor, and kingship; all nations, peoples and tongues will serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, his kingship, one that shall not be destroyed.

Luke 1:32-33
32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Matthew 7:24
24 Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.

Matthew 13:24-30
24 He proposed another parable to them. “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. 26 When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. 27 The slaves of the householder came to him and said, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’ 28 He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

Matthew 16:18
18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

John 14:16
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always

Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

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Matthew 16:18
18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

Matthew 16:19
19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Luke 22:32
Peter’s strength will strengthen his brothers
32 but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers.”

John 21:17
Peter is given Christ’s flock as chief shepherd
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” [Jesus] said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Mark 16:7
An angel was sent to announce Christ’s resurrection to Peter
7 But go and tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.’”

Luke 24:33-34
Risen Jesus first appeared to Peter
33 So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them 34 who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”

Acts 1:13-26
Peter headed the meeting which elected Matthias
13 When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. 15 During those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers (there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the one place). He said, 16 My brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled which the holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was numbered among us and was allotted a share in this ministry. 18 He bought a parcel of land with the wages of his iniquity, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle, and all his insides spilled out. 19 This became known to everyone who lived in Jerusalem, so that the parcel of land was called in their language ‘Akeldama,’ that is, Field of Blood. 20 For it is written in the Book of Psalms:

‘Let his encampment become desolate,
and may no one dwell in it.’
And:
‘May another take his office.’

21 Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us, become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.” 26 Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.

Acts 2:14
Peter led the Apostles in preaching on Pentecost
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, “You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to my words.

Acts 2:38-41
Peter received the first converts to the Church
38 Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.” 40 He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day.

Acts 3:6-7
Peter performed the first miracle after Pentecost
6 Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, [rise and] walk.” 7 Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong.

Acts 5:1-11
Peter inflicted the first punishment: Ananias & Saphira
1 A man named Ananias, however, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. 2 He retained for himself, with his wife’s knowledge, some of the purchase price, took the remainder, and put it at the feet of the apostles. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart so that you lied to the holy Spirit and retained part of the price of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain yours? And when it was sold, was it not still under your control? Why did you contrive this deed? You have lied not to human beings, but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last, and great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men came and wrapped him up, then carried him out and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, unaware of what had happened. 8 Peter said to her, “Tell me, did you sell the land for this amount?” She answered, “Yes, for that amount.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen, the footsteps of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 At once, she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men entered they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole Church and upon all who heard of these things.

Acts 8:21
Excommunicated the first heretic, Simon Magnus
21 You have no share or lot in this matter, for your heart is not upright before God.

Acts 10:44-47
Peter received revelation to admit Gentiles into the Church
44 While Peter was still speaking these things, the holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. 45 The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, 46 for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded, 47 Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the holy Spirit even as we have?”

Acts 15:7
Peter led the first council in Jerusalem
7 After much debate had taken place, Peter got up and said to them, “My brothers, you are well aware that from early days God made his choice among you that through my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.

Acts 15:19
Peter pronounces the first dogmatic decision
19 It is my judgment, therefore, that we ought to stop troubling the Gentiles who turn to God

Galatians 1:18
After conversion, Paul visits chief Apostle.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas and remained with him for fifteen days. NOTE

Galatians  2:11-14
11 And when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong. 12 For, until some people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to draw back and separated himself, because he was afraid of the circumcised. 13 And the rest of the Jews [also] acted hypocritically along with him, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not on the right road in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of all, “If you, though a Jew, are living like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

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2 Chronicles 19:11
11 See now, Amariah is chief priest over you for everything that pertains to the LORD, and Zebadiah, son of Ishmael, is leader of the house of Judah in all that pertains to the king; and the Levites will be your officials. Take firm action, and the LORD will be with the good.”

Malachi 2:7
7 For a priest’s lips preserve knowledge, and instruction is to be sought from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

Ephesians 2:20
20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.

Ephesians 4:11
11 And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,

1 Corinthians 12:28-29
28 Some people God has designated in the Church to be, first, apostles second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then, gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds?

Acts 1:20
20 For it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘Let his encampment become desolate, and may no one dwell in it.’ And: ‘May another take his office.’

Acts 1:24-26
24 Then they prayed, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.” 26 Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.

1 Timothy  3:1, 8
1 This saying is trustworthy: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task
8 Similarly, deacons must be dignified, not deceitful, not addicted to drink, not greedy for sordid gain,

1 Tim 5:17
17 Presbyters who preside well deserve double honor, especially those who toil in preaching and teaching.

1 Timothy 4:14
14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was conferred on you through the prophetic word with the imposition of hands of the presbyterate.

1 Timothy 5:22
22 Do not lay hands too readily on anyone, and do not share in another's sins. Keep yourself pure.

Acts 14:23
23 They appointed presbyters for them in each Church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith.

2 Tim 2:2
2 And what you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well.

Titus 1:5
15 For this reason I left you in Crete so that you might set right what remains to be done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you,

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The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist

John 6:35-71
35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. 36 But I told you that although you have seen (me), you do not believe. 37 Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, 38 because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. 39 And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it (on) the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him (on) the last day." 41 The Jews murmured about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven," 42 and they said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"

43 Jesus answered and said to them, "Stop murmuring among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets: 'They shall all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; 50 this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."

52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?" 53 Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever." 59 These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

The Words of Eternal Life
60 Then many of his disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" 61 Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, "Does this shock you? 62 What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe." Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. 65 And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father." 66 As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.

67 Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God." 70 Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you twelve? Yet is not one of you a devil?" 71 He was referring to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot; it was he who would betray him, one of the Twelve.

Matthew 26:28
26  While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, "Take and eat; this is my body." 27 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.

Mark 14:22-24
22  While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body." 23 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed  for many.

Luke 22:17-20
17 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said, "Take this and share it among yourselves; 18 for I tell you (that) from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." 19 Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me." 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.

1 Corinthians 10:16
16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?

1 Corinthians 11:23-29
23 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, 24 and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.

Exodus 12:8, 46
8 That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
46 It must be eaten in one and the same house; you may not take any of its flesh outside the house. You shall not break any of its bones. (Likewise, today, the consecrated Host must be consumed entirely inside the sanctuary of the Church, and none taken away)

John 1:29
29 The next day he [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

1 Corinthians 5:7
7 Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed.

John 4:31-34  
Jesus talking symbolically about food
31 Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat." 32 But he said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." 33 So the disciples said to one another, "Could someone have brought him something to eat?" 34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work.

Matthew 16:5-12
5 In coming to the other side of the sea, the disciples had forgotten to bring bread. 6 Jesus said to them, "Look out, and beware of the leaven  of the Pharisees and Sadducees." 7 They concluded among themselves, saying, "It is because we have brought no bread." 8 When Jesus became aware of this he said, "You of little faith, why do you conclude among yourselves that it is because you have no bread? 9 Do you not yet understand, and do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many wicker baskets you took up? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up? 11 How do you not comprehend that I was not speaking to you about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." 12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.  

To symbolically eat and drink one’s body and blood equals assault:

Psalms 14:4
4 Will these evildoers never learn? They devour my people as they devour bread they do not call upon the LORD.

Isaiah 9:18-20
18 At the wrath of the LORD of hosts the land quakes, and the people are like fuel for fire; no one spares his brother. 19 They hack on the right, but remain hungry; they devour on the left, but are not filled. Each devours the flesh of the neighbor; 20 Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, together they turn on Judah. For all this, his wrath is not turned back, his hand is still outstretched!

Isaiah 49:26
26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as though with new wine. All flesh shall know that I, the LORD, am your savior, your redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

Micah 3:3
3 Who eat the flesh of my people, flay their skin from them, and break their bones; Who chop them in pieces like flesh in a kettle, like meat in a pot.

2 Samuel 23:15-17
15 Now David had a craving and said, “If only someone would give me a drink of water from the cistern by the gate of Bethlehem!” 16 Thereupon the three warriors broke through the encampment of the Philistines, drew water from the cistern by the gate of Bethlehem, and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it, and instead poured it out* to the LORD, 17 saying: “The LORD forbid that I do such a thing! Could I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?” So he refused to drink it.

Revelation 17:6, 16
6 I saw that the woman was drunk on the blood of the holy ones and on the blood of the witnesses to Jesus.
16 The ten horns that you saw and the beast will hate the harlot; they will leave her desolate and naked; they will eat her flesh and consume her with fire.

St. Ignatius (c. 110 AD): “[heretics] abstain from Eucharist and from prayer because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the Flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ…” Letter to Smyrnaeans 6,2.

St. Justin Martyr (c. 150 AD): “…not as common bread nor common drink do we receive these, but …as we have been taught, the food which has been made into Eucharist by the Eucharistic prayer set down by Him, and by the change of which our blood and flesh are nourished, is both the Flesh and Blood of that incarnated Jesus.” First Apology 66, 20.

St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 195 AD): “He (Jesus) has declared the cup a part of His creation, to be His own Blood, from which He causes our blood to flow, and the bread, a part of creation, He has established as His own Body, from which He gives increase to our bodies.” Against Heresies 5, 2, 2.

St Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 350 AD): “He Himself, therefore, having declared and said of the bread, ‘This is My Body,’ who will dare any longer to doubt? And when He Himself has affirmed and said ‘This is My Blood,’ who can ever hesitate and say it is not His Blood?” Catechetical Lectures: Mystagogic 4, 22, 1.

St Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 350 AD): “Do not, therefore, regard the bread and wine as simply that, for they are, according to the Master’s declaration, the Body and Blood of Christ. Even though the senses suggest to you the other, let faith make you firm. Do not judge in this matter by taste, but be fully assured by faith, not doubting that you have been deemed worthy of the Body and Blood of Christ.” Ibid. 4, 22, 6.

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1 Corinthians 11:2
2 I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions, just as I handed them on to you.

2 Thessalonians 3:6
6 We instruct you, brothers, in the name of [our] Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who conducts himself in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us.

John 21:25
25 There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.

Mark 13:31
31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Acts 20:35
Paul records a saying of Jesus not found in the Gospels
35 In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort we must help the weak, and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

2 Timothy 1:13-15
13 was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief. 14 Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost.

2 Timothy 2:2
2 And what you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well.

2 Peter 1:20
20 Know this first of all, that there is no prophecy of scripture that is a matter of personal interpretation,

2 Peter 3:15-16
15 And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, also wrote to you, 16 speaking of these things as he does in all his letters. In them there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures.

1 Peter 1:25
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”  (God’s eternal word , those words preached to you here.)

Romans 10:17
17 Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:1-2
1 Now I am reminding you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. 2 Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

Mark 16:15-16
15 He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Matthew 23:2-3
2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.

St Athanasius (360 AD) “let us note that the very tradition, teaching, and faith of the Catholic Church from the beginning, which the Lord gave, was preached by the Apostles and was preserved by the Fathers. On this was the Church founded and if anyone departs from this, He neither is, nor any longer ought to be called a Christian…” Four Letters to Serapion of Thmius 1, 28. Origen (c. 230 AD) “The teaching of the Church has indeed been handed down through an order of succession from the Apostles, and remains in the Churches even to the present time.  That alone is to be believed as the truth which is in no way at variance with ecclesiastical and apostolic tradition.” Fundamental Doctrines 1, preface, 2.

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Matthew 15-3
3 He said to them in reply, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?  (Jesus speaking to the Pharisees and Scribes)

Mark 7:9
9 He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition!

Colossians 2:8
8 See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to human tradition, according to the elemental powers of the world and not according to Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:2
2 I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions, just as I handed them on to you.

2 Thessalonians 2:15
15 Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.

2 Thessalonians 3:6
6 We instruct you, brothers, in the name of [our] Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who conducts himself in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us.

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James 2:24
24 See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

James 2:26
26 For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

Matthew 3:8-10
8 Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

Matthew 5:16
16 Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.

Matthew 19:16-21
16 Now someone approached him and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” 17 He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, “ ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; 19 honor your father and your mother’; and ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20  The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Matthew 21:28-32
28 “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. 30 The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. 32 When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.

Matthew 25:31-46
31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, 32 and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ 40 And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 41 Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ 44 Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ 45 He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ 46 And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Luke 3:8-9
8 Produce good fruits as evidence of your repentance; and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Luke 6:46-49
46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command? 47 I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. 48 That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built. 49 But the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed.”

Luke 8:15
15 But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.

John 14:15
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

John 15:14
14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Galatians 5:6
6 For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

Philippians 2:5, 8
5 Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, ...8 he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.

1 Timothy 5:8
8 And whoever does not provide for relatives and especially family members has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

1 Timothy 6:18-19
18 Tell them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, ready to share, 19 thus accumulating as treasure a good foundation for the future, so as to win the life that is true life.

Titus 3:14
14 But let our people, too, learn to devote themselves to good works to supply urgent needs, so that they may not be unproductive.

2 Peter 1:5–12
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, 6 knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, 7 devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love. 8 If these are yours and increase in abundance, they will keep you from being idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 Anyone who lacks them is blind and shortsighted, forgetful of the cleansing of his past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more eager to make your call and election firm, for, in doing so, you will never stumble. 11 For, in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you. 12 Therefore, I will always remind you of these things, even though you already know them and are established in the truth you have.

1 Corinthians 13:2
2 And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.

Revelation 20:12-13
12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing in the presence of the throne, and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged by those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and hell gave up their dead that were in them; and they were judged every one according to their works.

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Past event (I have been saved)

Romans 8:24
24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees?

Ephesians 2:5, 8
5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God;

2 Timothy 1:9
9 He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began

Titus 3:5-6
5 not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the holy Spirit, 6 whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior

Present Process (I am being saved)

Philippians 2:12
12 So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

1 Peter 1:9
9 as you attain the goal of [your] faith, the salvation of your souls.

Future event (I will be saved)

Matthew 10:22
22 You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.

Matthew 24:13
13 But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.

Mark 8:35
35 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.

Acts 15:11
11 On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they.”

Romans 5:9-10
9 How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath. 10 Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life.

Romans 13:11
11 And do this because you know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed

1 Corinthians 3:15
15 But if someone’s work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire.

1 Corinthians 5:5
5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.

Hebrews 9:28
28 so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.

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Matthew 7:21
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Matthew 19:16-17
16 Now someone approached him and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” 17 He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

John 14:21
21 Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”

Romans 2:2-8
2 We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is true. 3 Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you hold his priceless kindness, forbearance, and patience in low esteem, unaware that the kindness of God would lead you to repentance? 5 By your stubbornness and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God, 6 who will repay everyone according to his works: 7 eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, 8 but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness.

Galatians 5:4-6
4 You are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; 9 it is not from works, so no one may boast. 10 For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.

Philippians 2:12-13
12 So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

James 2:14-26 - Faith and Works.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? 17 So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. 19 You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble. 20 Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the works. 23 Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called “the friend of God.” 24 See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route? 26 For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

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Romans 2:5-8
5 By your stubbornness and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God, 6 who will repay everyone according to his works: 7 eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, 8 but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness.

2 Corinthians 5:10
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.

2 Corinthians 11:15
15 So it is not strange that his ministers also masquerade as ministers of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

1 Peter 1:17
17 Now if you invoke as Father him who judges impartially according to each one’s works, conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning,

Revelation 20:12-13
12 I saw the dead, the great and the lowly, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. Then another scroll was opened, the book of life. The dead were judged according to their deeds, by what was written in the scrolls. 13 The sea gave up its dead; then Death and Hades gave up their dead. All the dead were judged according to their deeds.

Colossians 3:24-25
24 knowing that you will receive from the Lord the due payment of the inheritance; be slaves of the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will receive recompense for the wrong he committed, and there is no partiality.

Matthew 25:33-46
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. 34 Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in: 36 Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me. 37 Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee; thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 And when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee? 39 Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee? 40 And the king answering, shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.

41 Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you covered me not: sick and in prison, and you did not visit me. 44 Then they also shall answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee? 45 Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me.

46 And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just, into life everlasting.

---

Matthew 7:21
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Matthew 24:13
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come.

Romans 11:22
22 See, then, the kindness and severity of God: severity toward those who fell, but God’s kindness to you, provided you remain in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off.

Philippians 2:12-13
12 So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work.

1 Corinthians 9:27
27 No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 10:11-12
11 These things happened to them as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.

Galatians 5:4
4 You are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

2 Timothy 2:11-13
11 This saying is trustworthy: If we have died with him we shall also live with him; 12 if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us. 13 If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.

Hebrews 6:4-6
4 For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift and shared in the holy Spirit 5 and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to bring them to repentance again, since they are recrucifying the Son of God for themselves and holding him up to contempt.

Hebrew 10:26-27
26 If we sin deliberately after receiving knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains sacrifice for sins 27 but a fearful prospect of judgment and a flaming fire that is going to consume the adversaries.

---

John 3:5
5 Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

John 3:22
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea, where he spent some time with them baptizing.

Titus 3:5
5 not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the holy Spirit,

Acts 2:37-38
37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” 38 Peter [said] to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.

Acts 22:16
16 Now, why delay? Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away, calling upon his name.

1 Corinthians 6:11
11 That is what some of you used to be; but now you have had yourselves washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Romans 6:4
4 We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.

1 Peter 3:21-22
21 This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.

Hebrews 10:22
22 let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.

---

Matthew 10:38
38 and whoever does not take up his cross* and follow after me is not worthy of me.

Romans 8:16-17
16 The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans 8:18
18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.

Philippians 1:28-29
28 not intimidated in any way by your opponents. This is proof to them of destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. 29 For to you has been granted, for the sake of Christ, not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him.

Colossians 1:24
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking* in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the Church,

Hebrews 12:5-7
5 You have also forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons: “My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him; 6 for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges.” 7 Endure your trials as “discipline”; God treats you as sons. For what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline?

Hebrews 12:11
11 At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.

1 Peter 1:6
6 In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials,

1 Peter 2:19-21
19 For whenever anyone bears the pain of unjust suffering because of consciousness of God, that is a grace. 20 But what credit is there if you are patient when beaten for doing wrong? But if you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.

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John 1:1-4
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be 4 through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race;

John 1:14-15
14 And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said,‘ The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’”

John 8:19
19 So they said to him, “Where is your father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

John 8:57-58
57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.”

John 10:30-33
30 The Father and I are one.” 31 The Jews again picked up rocks to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.”(also see Exodus 3:14, 20:7, Lev 19:12, 24:14-16)

John 10:37-38
37 If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; 38 but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize [and understand] that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”

John 12:45
45 and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.

John 14:8-12
8 Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. 12 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.

John 20:28-29
28 Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Colossians 2:9
9 For in him dwells the whole fullness of the deity bodily

Acts 20:28
28 Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the Church of God that he acquired with his own blood.

Ephesians 1:7
7 In him we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace

1 John 1:7
7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.

Titus 2:13
13 as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ

---

1 John 5:16-17
15 If anyone sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. 15 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal.

---

Matthew 24:44
44 So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.

Matthew 25:13
13 Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Mark 13:35-37
35 Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. 36 May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”

Luke 12:46
46 then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3
2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. 3 When people are saying, “Peace and security,” then sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

2 Peter 3:9-10
9 The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard “delay,” but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out.

Revelation 3:3
3 Remember then how you accepted and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not watchful, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come upon you.

Matthew 24:36
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone…”

---

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Herod’s decree of slaying innocent children was prophesied in Wisdom
The Deuterocanonical:

Wisdom 11:7
7 as a rebuke to the decree for the slaying of infants,

The New Testament:

Matthew 2:16
16 When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.

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Lay up your treasure in Heaven
The Deuterocanonical:

Sirach 29:11-12
11 Dispose of your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High, and that will profit you more than the gold.12 Store up almsgiving in your treasury, and it will save you from every evil.

The New Testament:

Matthew 6:19-20
19  “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal 20 But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.

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Jesus’ golden rule “do unto others” is the converse of Tobit 4:15
The Deuterocanonical:

Tobit 4:15
15 what you hate, do not do to others.

The New Testament:

Matthew 7:12
12  “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.

---

The fruit discloses the cultivation.
The Deuterocanonical:

Sirach 27:6
6 The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had;

The New Testament:

Matthew 7:16-20
16 By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So by their fruits you will know them

---

The People without a Shepherd
The Deuterocanonical:

Judith 11:19
19 I will lead you through the heart of Judea until you come to Jerusalem, and there in its center I will set up your throne. You will drive them like sheep that have no shepherd, and not even a dog will growl at you. This was told to me in advance and announced to me, and I have been sent to tell you.”

The New Testament:

Matthew 9:36
36 At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.

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Jesus’ description of “Lord of heaven and earth”
The Deuterocanonical:

Tobit 7:18
18  “Be brave, my child; the Lord of heaven and earth grant you joy in place of this sorrow of yours. Be brave, my daughter.”

The New Testament:

Matthew 11:25
25 At that time Jesus said in reply, “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.– Jesus’ description “Lord of heaven and earth” is the same as – Lord of heaven and earth.

---

Jesus refers to the wisdom of Solomon which was recorded in the book of Wisdom. The New Testament:

Matthew 12:42
42 At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here.

---

Jesus refers to the “Gates of Hades”
The Deuterocanonical:

Wisdom 16:13
13 For you have dominion over life and death; you lead down to the gates of Hades and lead back.

The New Testament:

Matthew 16:18
18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

---

Jesus confirms the canonicity of Tobit by referring to it regarding the seven brothers., as found in three of the Gospels.
The Deuterocanonical:

Tobit 3:8
8 For she had been given in marriage to seven husbands, but the wicked demon Asmodeus kept killing them off before they could have intercourse with her, as is prescribed for wives. The maid said to her: “You are the one who kills your husbands! Look! You have already been given in marriage to seven husbands, but you do not bear the name of a single one of them.

Tobit 7:11
11 I have given her in marriage to seven husbands who were kinsmen of ours, and all died on the very night they approached her. But now, son, eat and drink. The Lord will look after you both.” Tobiah answered, “I will neither eat nor drink anything here until you settle what concerns me.”

The New Testament:

Matthew 22:25
25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died and, having no descendants, left his wife to his brother.

Mark 12:20
20 Now there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants.

Luke 20:29
29 Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless.

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Jesus refers to the desecration of Holy Places in Maccabees 1 and 2
The Deuterocanonical:

1 Maccabees 1:54
54 On the fifteenth day of the month Kislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, the king erected the desolating abomination upon the altar of burnt offerings, and in the surrounding cities of Judah they built pagan altars.

2 Maccabees 8:17
17 They were to keep before their eyes the lawless outrage perpetrated by the Gentiles against the holy place and the affliction of the humiliated city, as well as the subversion of their ancestral way of life.

The New Testament:

Matthew 24:15
15  “When you see the desolating abomination spoken of through Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place.

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Speaking of the end times, Jesus refers to the people fleeing to the mountains to avoid destruction at the hands of gentiles in Maccabees.
The Deuterocanonical:

1 Maccabees 2:27-28
27 Then Mattathias cried out in the city, “Let everyone who is zealous for the law and who stands by the covenant follow me!” 28 Then he and his sons fled to the mountains, leaving behind in the city all their possessions.

The New Testament:

Matthew 24:16
16 then those in Judea must flee to the mountains

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If He is God’s Son, let God deliver him from His adversaries
The Deuterocanonical:

Wisdom 2:18
18 For if the righteous one is the son of God, God will help him and deliver him from the hand of his foes.

The New Testament:

Matthew 27:43
43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

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Jesus’ description of seeds falling on rocky ground and having no root
The Deuterocanonical:

Sirach 40:15-16
15 The offshoot of violence will not flourish, for the root of the godless is on sheer rock. 16 They are like reeds on riverbanks, withered before all other plants

The New Testament:

Mark 4:5
5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep.

Mark 4:16-17
16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy. 17 But they have no root; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

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Description of hell where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched
The Deuterocanonical:

Judith 16:17
17 “Woe to the nations that rise against my people! the Lord Almighty will requite them; in the day of judgment he will punish them: He will send fire and worms into their flesh, and they will weep and suffer forever.”

The New Testament:

Mark 9:47-48
47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, 48 where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

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Elizabeth’s declaration of Mary’s blessedness above all women follows Uzziah’s declaration in Judith
The Deuterocanonical:

Judith 13:18
18 Then Uzziah said to her, “Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God, above all the women on earth; and blessed be the Lord God, the creator of heaven and earth, who guided your blow at the head of the leader of our enemies.

The New Testament:

Luke 1:41-42
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, 42 cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

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Mary’s Magnificat addressing the mighty falling from their thrones and replaced by the lowly.
The Deuterocanonical:

Sirach 10:14
14 God overturns the thrones of the proud and enthrones the lowly in their place.

The New Testament:

Luke 1:52
52 He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly.

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Simeon’s declaration that he is ready to die after seeing the Child Jesus
The Deuterocanonical:

Tobit 11:9
9 Then Anna ran up to her son, embraced him, and said to him, “Now that I have seen you again, son, I am ready to die!” And she sobbed aloud.

The New Testament:

Luke 2:27-30
27 He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, 28 he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: 29  “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation”

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The Lord’s description of men coming from east and west to rejoice in God
The Deuterocanonical:

Baruch 4:36-37
36 Look to the east, Jerusalem; see the joy that comes to you from God! 37 Here come your children whom you sent away, gathered in from east to west By the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of God.

The New Testament:

Luke 13:29
29 And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God

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Jesus’ usage of “fall by the edge of the sword”
The Deuterocanonical:

Sirach 28:18
18 Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not as many as by the tongue.

The New Testament:

Luke 21:24
24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

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All things were made by the Word of God
The Deuterocanonical:

Wisdom 9:1
1 God of my ancestors, Lord of mercy, you who have made all things by your word

The New Testament:

John 1:3
3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be.

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Jesus’, Luke’s and Paul’s usage of “signs and wonders”
The Deuterocanonical:

Wisdom 8:8
8 Or again, if one yearns for wide experience, she knows the things of old, and infers the things to come. She understands the turns of phrases and the solutions of riddles; signs and wonders she knows in advance and the outcome of times and ages.

The New Testament:

John 4:48
48 Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”

Acts 5:12
12 Many signs and wonders were done among the people at the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s portico.

Acts 15:12
12 The whole assembly fell silent, and they listened while Paul and Barnabas described the signs and wonders God had worked among the Gentiles through them.

2 Corinthians 12:12
12 The signs of an apostle were performed among you with all endurance, signs and wonders, and mighty deeds.

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Jesus claiming that God is His Father
The Deuterocanonical:

Wisdom 2:16
16 He judges us debased; he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure. He calls blest the destiny of the righteous and boasts that God is his Father.

The New Testament:

John 5:18
18 For this reason the Jews tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God.

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Jesus’ Eucharistic discourse is foreshadowed in the obverse
The Deuterocanonical:

Sirach 24:21
21 Those who eat of me will hunger still, those who drink of me will thirst for more.

The New Testament:

John 6:35-59
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.

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Branches that don’t bear fruit and are cut down follows where branches are broken off.
The Deuterocanonical:

Wisdom 4:5
4 For even though their branches flourish for a time, they are unsteady and shall be rocked by the wind and, by the violence of the winds, uprooted; 5 Their twigs shall be broken off untimely, their fruit useless, unripe for eating, fit for nothing.

The New Testament:

John 15:6
6 Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned.

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The impartiality of God
The Deuterocanonical:

Sirach 35:16.
16 He shows no partiality to the weak but hears the grievance of the oppressed.

The New Testament:

Acts 10:34
34 Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.

Romans 2:11
11 There is no partiality with God.

Galations 2:6
6 But from those who were reputed to be important (what they once were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those of repute made me add nothing.

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Description of false gods as like gold and silver made by men follows
The Deuterocanonical:

Wisdom 13:10.
10 But wretched are they, and in dead things are their hopes, who termed gods things made by human hands: Gold and silver, the product of art, and images of beasts, or useless stone, the work of an ancient hand.

The New Testament:

Acts 17:29
29 Since therefore we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the divinity is like an image fashioned from gold, silver, or stone by human art and imagination.

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The knowledge of the Creator and the ignorance and sin of idolatry
The Deuterocanonical:

Wisdom 13:1-10
1 Foolish by nature were all who were in ignorance of God, and who from the good things seen did not succeed in knowing the one who is, and from studying the works did not discern the artisan; 2 Instead either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circuit of the stars, or the mighty water, or the luminaries of heaven, the governors of the world, they considered gods. 3 Now if out of joy in their beauty they thought them gods, let them know how far more excellent is the Lord than these; for the original source of beauty fashioned them. 4 Or if they were struck by their might and energy, let them realize from these things how much more powerful is the one who made them. 5 For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen. 6 But yet, for these the blame is less; For they have gone astray perhaps, though they seek God and wish to find him. 7 For they search busily among his works, but are distracted by what they see, because the things seen are fair. 8 But again, not even these are pardonable. 9 For if they so far succeeded in knowledge that they could speculate about the world, how did they not more quickly find its Lord? 10 But wretched are they, and in dead things are their hopes, who termed gods things made by human hands: Gold and silver, the product of art, and images of beasts, or useless stone, the work of an ancient hand.

Wisdom 14:8
8 but the handmade idol is accursed, and its maker as well: he for having produced it, and the corruptible thing, because it was termed a god.

The New Testament:

Romans 1:18-25
18 The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven against every impiety and wickedness of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 For what can be known about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them. 20 Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made. As a result, they have no excuse; 21 for although they knew God they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks. Instead, they became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 While claiming to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of mortal man or of birds or of four-legged animals or of snakes. 24 Therefore, God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Romans 1:20-25
20 Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made. As a result, they have no excuse; 21 for although they knew God they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks. Instead, they became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 While claiming to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of mortal man or of birds or of four-legged animals or of snakes. 24 Therefore, God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

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Idolatry results in sin and all kinds of sexual perversion.
The Deuterocanonical:

Wisdom 14:12
12 For the source of wantonness is the devising of idols; and their invention, a corruption of life.

Wisdom 14: 24-27.
24 They no longer respect either lives or purity of marriage; but they either waylay and kill each other, or aggrieve each other by adultery. 25 And all is confusion—blood and murder, theft and guile, corruption, faithlessness, turmoil, perjury, 26 Disturbance of good people, neglect of gratitude, besmirching of souls, unnatural lust, disorder in marriage, adultery and shamelessness. 27 For the worship of infamous idols is the reason and source and extreme of all evil.

The New Testament:

Romans 1:24-27
24 Therefore, God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 Therefore, God handed them over to degrading passions. Their females exchanged natural relations for unnatural, 27 and the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and burned with lust for one another. Males did shameful things with males and thus received in their own persons the due penalty for their perversity.

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John 14:26
26 The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that [I] told you.

Acts 8:29
29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go and join up with that chariot.”

Acts 13:2
2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Romans 8:27
27 And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because it intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will.

1 Corinthians 2:11
11 Among human beings, who knows what pertains to a person except the spirit of the person that is within? Similarly, no one knows what pertains to God except the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 12:11
11 I have been foolish. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I am in no way inferior to these “superapostles,” even though I am nothing.

Ephesians 4:30
30 And do not grieve the holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption.

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Luke 1:28-30
28 And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

Luke 1:38
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Luke 1:41-42
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, 42 cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

Luke 1:48
48 For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.

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Luke 1:28
28 And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! (full of grace) The Lord is with you.”

Luke 1:30
30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

Luke 1:37
37 for nothing will be impossible for God.”

Genesis 3:15
15 will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; They will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel.

Exodus 25:11-21
11 Plate it inside and outside with pure gold, and put a molding of gold around the top of it. 12 Cast four gold rings and put them on the four supports of the ark, two rings on one side and two on the opposite side. 13 Then make poles of acacia wood and plate them with gold. 14 These poles you are to put through the rings on the sides of the ark, for carrying it; 15 they must remain in the rings of the ark and never be withdrawn. 16 In the ark you are to put the covenant which I will give you. 17 You shall then make a cover of pure gold, two and a half cubits long, and one and a half cubits wide. 18 Make two cherubim of beaten gold for the two ends of the cover; 19 make one cherub at one end, and the other at the other end, of one piece with the cover, at each end. 20 The cherubim shall have their wings spread out above, sheltering the cover with them; they shall face each other, with their faces looking toward the cover. 21 This cover you shall then place on top of the ark. In the ark itself you are to put the covenant which I will give you.

 Romans 3:23
23 all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.

 Luke 1:47
47 my spirit rejoices in God my savior.

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2 Samuel 6:2
2 Then David and all the people who were with him set out for Baala a town of Judah…

Luke 1:39
39 During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah,

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2 Samuel 6:9
9 David became frightened of the LORD that day, and he said, "How can the ark of the LORD come to me?"

Luke 1:43
43 And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

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2 Samuel 6:10
10 David took the ark to the house of Obededom the Gittite.

Luke 1:40
40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

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2 Samuel 6:11
11 The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obededom the Gittite for three months,

Luke 1:56
56 Mary remained with [Elizabeth] about three months...

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2 Samuel 6:12
12 David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the City of David with rejoicing.

Luke 1:47
47 my spirit rejoices in God my savior.

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2 Samuel 6:15
15 David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouts of joy...

Luke 1:42
42 [Elizabeth] cried out in a loud voice

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2 Samuel 6:16
16 As the ark of the LORD was entering the City... King David was leaping and dancing before the LORD...

Luke 1:41
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb

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Luke 1:43
43 And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

Matthew 1:23
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
which means “God is with us.”

Luke 1:35
35 And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

Galatians 4:4
4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law

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Luke 1:34
34 But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”

Luke 2:41-51
41 Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, 42 and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. 43 After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44 Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, 47 and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house? 50 But they did not understand what he said to them. 51 He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

Mark 6:3
3 Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. (Note: The son of Mary, not A son of Mary)

 Matthew 13:55-56
55 Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? 56 Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?”

Matthew 27:56
56 Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

John 19:25
25 Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.

John 19:26-27
26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

Exodus 13:2
2 Consecrate to me every firstborn; whatever opens the womb among the Israelites, whether of human being or beast, belongs to me.

Numbers 3:12
12 I hereby take the Levites from the Israelites in place of every firstborn that opens the womb among the Israelites. The Levites, therefore, are mine,

Exodus 34:20
20 The firstling of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. The firstborn among your sons you shall redeem. No one shall appear before me empty-handed.

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 John 3:13
13 And no man has ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

Genesis 5:24
24 Enoch walked with God, and he was no longer here, for God took him.

Hebrews 11:5
5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and “he was found no more because God had taken him.” Before he was taken up, he was attested to have pleased God.

2 Kings 2:11
11 As they walked on still conversing, a fiery chariot and fiery horses came between the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind,

Matthew 27:52
52 tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.

1 Thessalonians 4:17
17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:52
52 in an instant, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Revelation 11:19
19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant could be seen in the temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a violent hailstorm.

Revelation 12:1
1 A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

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As Catholics, our veneration of the Virgin Mother is often mistaken as worshiping her. While we must carefully explain the difference between honoring and worshiping, we are also often challenged with, “The Lord’s prayer is clearly commanded by Jesus in the scriptures but the Hail Mary prayer is not scriptural at all. On the contrary, while not necessarily contiguous, it is highly scriptural.

Hail Mary, full of grace, The Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

So let's break it down.

Hail Mary, full of grace, The Lord is with you.

Luke 1:28
28 And coming to her, he said “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”

Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,

Luke 1:42-43
[Elizabeth] 42…cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”

...pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.

1 Corinthians 12:12-14
12 As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit. 14 Now the body is not a single part, but many.

James 5:16
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.

   

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Matthew 6:7
7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words

1 Kings 18:25-29
26 And they took the bullock which he gave them, and dressed it: and they called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying: O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered: and they leaped over the altar that they had made. 27 And when it was now noon, Elias jested at them, saying: Cry with a louder voice: for he is a God, and perhaps he is talking, or is in an inn, or on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep, and must be awaked. 28 So they cried with a loud voice, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till they were all covered with blood. 29 And after midday was past, and while they were prophesying, the time was come of offering sacrifice, and there was no voice heard, nor did any one answer, nor regard them as they prayed…

Matthew 26:44
44 And leaving them, he went again: and he prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Luke 18:13-14
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes towards heaven; but struck his breast multiple times, saying: O God, be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather than the other: because every one that exalts himself, shall be humbled: and he that humbles himself, shall be exalted.

Revelation 4:8
8 …And they rested not day and night, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Always rejoice. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In all things give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you all.

 

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 Matthew 23:9
9 Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven.

Acts 7:2
2 And he replied, “My brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was in Mesopotamia, before he had settled in Haran,

Acts 21:40 - 22:1
40 When he had given his permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people; and when all was quiet he addressed them in Hebrew. 22:1 “My brothers and fathers, listen to what I am about to say to you in my defense.”

Romans 4:16-17
16 For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us, 17 as it is written, “I have made you father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist.

1 Corinthians 4:14-15
14 I am writing you this not to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 Even if you should have countless guides to Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

1 Timothy 1:2
2 to Timothy, my true child in faith: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Titus 1:4
4 to Titus, my true child in our common faith: grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.

Hebrews 12:7-9
7 Endure your trials as “discipline”; God treats you as sons. For what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are without discipline, in which all have shared, you are not sons but bastards. 9 Besides this, we have had our earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not [then] submit all the more to the Father of spirits and live?

Luke 14:26
26 “If any one comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

1 Thessalonians 2:11
11 As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his children

Philemon 1:10
10 I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment

1 John 2:13-14
13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the evil one. 14 I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong and the word of God remains in you, and you have conquered the evil one.

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Jeremiah 32:32-35
32 for all the evil the Israelites and Judahites have done to provoke me — they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33 They turned their backs to me, not their faces; though I taught them persistently, they would not listen or accept correction. 34 Instead they set up their abominations in the house which bears my name in order to defile it. 35 They built high places to Baal in the Valley of Ben-hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molech; I never commanded them to do this, nor did it even enter my mind that they would practice this abomination, so as to bring sin upon Judah.

2 Kings 23:7
7 He tore down the apartments of the cult prostitutes in the house of the LORD, where the women wove garments for the Asherah.

John 4:22
22 You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews.

Mark 14:43-46
43 Then, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs who had come from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. 44 His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying, “The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him and lead him away securely.” 45 He came and immediately went over to him and said, “Rabbi.” And he kissed him. 46 At this they laid hands on him and arrested him.

Mark 14:66-72
43 Then, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs who had come from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. 44 His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying, “The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him and lead him away securely.” 45 He came and immediately went over to him and said, “Rabbi.” And he kissed him. 46 At this they laid hands on him and arrested him.

John 20:24-25
24 Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the Mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Mark 14:50
50 And they all left him and fled. (from the garden of Gethsemane)

Romans 3:3-4
3 What if some were unfaithful? Will their infidelity nullify the fidelity of God? 4 Of course not! God must be true, though every human being is a liar, as it is written:
“That you may be justified in your words, and conquer when you are judged.”

2 Timothy 2:13
13 If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.

Matthew 13:24-30
24 He proposed another parable to them. “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. 26 When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. 27 The slaves of the householder came to him and said, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’ 28 He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

Matthew 13:47-48
47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. 48 When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away.

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 1 Timothy 4:1-3
1 Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the last times some will turn away from the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and demonic instructions 2 through the hypocrisy of liars with branded consciences. 3 They forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

 1 Timothy 3:2
2 Therefore, a bishop must be irreproachable, married only once, temperate, self-controlled, decent, hospitable, able to teach,

Ephesians 5:21-33
21 Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the Church, he himself the savior of the body. 24 As the Church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church and handed himself over for her 26 to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, 27 that he might present to himself the Church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 So [also] husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the Church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave [his] father and [his] mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church. 33 In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband.

Matthew 19:12
12 Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”

Jeremiah 16:1-4
1 This word came to me from the LORD: 2 Do not take a wife and do not have sons and daughters in this place, 3 for thus says the LORD concerning the sons and daughters born in this place, the mothers who give them birth, the fathers who beget them in this land: 4 Of deadly disease they shall die. Unlamented and unburied they will lie like dung on the ground. Sword and famine will make an end of them, and their corpses will become food for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth.

1 Corinthians 7:8
8 Now to the unmarried and to widows, I say: it is a good thing for them to remain as they are, as I do

1 Corinthians 7:32-35
32 I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. 33 But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, 34 and he is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit. A married woman, on the other hand, is anxious about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35 I am telling you this for your own benefit, not to impose a restraint upon you, but for the sake of propriety and adherence to the Lord without distraction.

2 Timothy 2:3-4
3 Bear your share of hardship along with me like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 To satisfy the one who recruited him, a soldier does not become entangled in the business affairs of life.

1 Timothy 5:9-12
9 Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years old, married only once, 10 with a reputation for good works, namely, that she has raised children, practiced hospitality, washed the feet of the holy ones, helped those in distress, involved herself in every good work. 11 But exclude younger widows, for when their sensuality estranges them from Christ, they want to marry 12 and will incur condemnation for breaking their first pledge.

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 1 Timothy 4:3
3 They forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Mark 7:18-19
18 He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, 19 since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.)

1 Timothy 4:4-5
4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected when received with thanksgiving,

Daniel 10:3
3 I ate no savory food, took no meat or wine, and did not anoint myself at all until the end of the three weeks.

Matthew 9:15
15 Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

Matthew 6:16-18
16 “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.

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The concept is simple.  Only a perfect, sinless soul may enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  One must be as perfect as God himself to abide with Him.  There is a place we go to be finally purified to enter into Heaven.

2 Samuel 12:13-18
13 And David said to Nathan: I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David: The Lord also has taken away your sin: you shall not die. 14 Nevertheless, because you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, for this thing, the child that is born to you, shall surely die. 15 And Nathan returned to his house. The Lord also struck the child which the wife of Urias had borne to David, and his life was despaired of. 16 And David besought the Lord for the child: and David kept a fast, and going in by himself lay upon the ground. 17 And the ancients of his house came, to make him rise from the ground: but he would not, neither did he eat meat with them. 18 And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died: and the servants of David feared to tell him, that the child was dead. For they said: Behold when the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he would not hearken to our voice: how much more will he afflict himself if we tell him that the child is dead?

Matthew 5:48
48 So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Hebrews 12:14
14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

James 3:2
2 for we all fall short in many respects. If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body also.

Revelation 21:27
27 but nothing unclean will enter it, nor any[one] who does abominable things or tells lies. Only those will enter whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Hebrews 12:22-23
22 But you are come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of angels, 23 And to the Church of the firstborn, who are written in the heavens, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

1 Corinthians 3:13-15
13 each man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man’s work of what sort it is. 14 If any man’s work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire.

Matthew 5:26
26 Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.

Matthew 18:32-35
32 His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. 33 Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’ 34 Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. 35 So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.”

Matthew 12:32
32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

2 Maccabees 12:44-46
44 for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. 45 But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. 46 Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be absolved from their sin.

1 Peter 3:18-20
18 For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the spirit. 19 In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison, 20 who had once been disobedient while God patiently waited in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water.

1 Peter 4:6
6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to the dead that, though condemned in the flesh in human estimation, they might live in the spirit in the estimation of God.

2 Timothy 1:16-18
16 May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus because he often gave me new heart and was not ashamed of my chains. 17 But when he came to Rome, he promptly searched for me and found me. 18 May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day. And you know very well the services he rendered in Ephesus.

Catholics call this place Purgatory from the Latin purgare, to purge, the root of purgatorius, purifying, or to purify, later anglicized to purgatory.

Luke 12:35-59
35 “Gird your loins and light your lamps 36 and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. 38 And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants. 39 Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

41 Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute [the] food allowance at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. 45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. 47 That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; 48 and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.

 

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Isaiah 33:11
11 You conceive dry grass, bring forth stubble; my spirit shall consume you like fire.

Isaiah 33:14
14 In Zion sinners are in dread, trembling grips the impious:
“Who of us can live with consuming fire? who of us can live with everlasting flames?”

Matthew 25:41
41 Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Matthew 25:46
46 And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Luke 3:16-17
16 John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

2 Thessalonians 1:6-9
6 For it is surely just on God’s part to repay with afflictions those who are afflicting you, 7 and to grant rest along with us to you who are undergoing afflictions, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 in blazing fire, inflicting punishment on those who do not acknowledge God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These will pay the penalty of eternal ruin, separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power

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Genesis 2:16-17
16 The LORD God gave the man this order: You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden 17 except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. From that tree you shall not eat; when you eat from it you shall die.

Genesis 3:11-19
11 Then God asked: Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat? 12 The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me—she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it.” 13 The LORD God then asked the woman: What is this you have done? The woman answered, “The snake tricked me, so I ate it.” 14 Then the LORD God said to the snake: Because you have done this, cursed are you among all the animals, tame or wild; On your belly you shall crawl, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; They will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel. 16 To the woman he said: I will intensify your toil in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Yet your urge shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you. 17 To the man he said: Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, You shall not eat from it, Cursed is the ground because of you! In toil you shall eat its yield  all the days of your life. 18 Thorns and thistles it shall bear for you, and you shall eat the grass of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, Until you return to the ground, from which you were taken; For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Romans 5:12-19
12 Therefore, just as through one person sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all, inasmuch as all sinned — 13 for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, though sin is not accounted when there is no law. 14 But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, who is the type of the one who was to come.

Grace and Life through Christ.
15 But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by that one person’s transgression the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one person Jesus Christ overflow for the many. 16 And the gift is not like the result of the one person’s sinning. For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation; but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal. 17 For if, by the transgression of one person, death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one person Jesus Christ. 18 In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all. 19 For just as through the disobedience of one person the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous.

1 Corinthians 15:21-23
21 For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came also through a human being. 22 For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, 23 but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;

Ephesians 2:1-3
1 You were dead in your transgressions and sins 2 in which you once lived following the age of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the disobedient. 3 All of us once lived among them in the desires of our flesh, following the wishes of the flesh and the impulses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest.

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John 3:5
5 Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

Mark 16:16
16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.

1 Corinthians 15:21-22
21 For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came also through a human being. 22 For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,

Mark 10:14
14 When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Luke 18-15
15 People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them, and when the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. NOTE

Colossians 2:11-12
11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not administered by hand, by stripping off the carnal body, with the circumcision of Christ. 12 You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

Acts 16:15
15 After she and her household had been baptized, she offered us an invitation, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my home,” and she prevailed on us.

Acts 16:33
33 He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds; then he and all his family were baptized at once.

1 Corinthians 1:16
16 I baptized the household of Stephanas also; beyond that I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.

St. Hippolytus of Rome (c. 215 AD) “Baptize first the children and if they can speak for themselves, let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them.” The Apostolic Tradition 21

Origin (Post 224 AD) “the Church received from the Apostles the tradition of giving baptism also to infants” Commentary on Romans 5, 9.
In 252 AD, the Council of Carthege condemned the opinion that infants must wait until the eighth day after birth to be baptized as was the case with circumcision. St. Cyprian of Carthege, letter 64 (59), 2.

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Acts 19:5-6
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul laid [his] hands on them, the holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

Acts 8:14-17
14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15 who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the holy Spirit, 16 for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them and they received the holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22
21 But the one who gives us security with you in Christ and who anointed us is God; 22 he has also put his seal upon us and given the Spirit in our hearts as a first installment.

Hebrews 6:2
2 instruction about baptisms and laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.

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The power of priests to forgive the sins of others was given to the world by Jesus himself.

Matthew 9:2-8
2 And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” 3 At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts? 5 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” 7 He rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings.

John 20:21-23
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. 23 Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Matthew 18:18
18 Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

2 Corinthians 5:17-20
17 So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

James 5:13-15
13 Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the Church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.

James 5:16
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.

1 John 5:16
16 If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray.

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Mark 6:12-13
12 So they went off and preached repentance. 13 They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

James 5:14-15
14 Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the Church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.

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Acts 20:28
28 Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the Church of God that he acquired with his own blood.

Luke 22:19
19 Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.”

John 20:21-22
21 [Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit.

Acts 6:6
6 They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them.

Acts 13:3
3 Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off.

Acts 14:23
23 They appointed presbyters for them in each Church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith.

1 Timothy 4:14
14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was conferred on you through the prophetic word with the imposition of hands of the presbyterate.

2 Timothy 1:6
6 For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God* that you have through the imposition of my hands.

Titus 1:5
5 For this reason I left you in Crete so that you might set right what remains to be done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you,

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Matthew 19:5-6
5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”

Mark 10:7-12
7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother [and be joined to his wife], 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” 10In the house the disciples again questioned him about this. 11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Ephesians 5:21-33
Wives and Husbands.
21 Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the Church, he himself the savior of the body. 24 As the Church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church and handed himself over for her 26 to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, 27 that he might present to himself the Church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 So [also] husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the Church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave [his] father and [his] mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church. 33 In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband.

Hebrews 13:4
4 Let marriage be honored among all and the marriage bed be kept undefiled, for God will judge the immoral and adulterers.

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Malachi 2:14-16
14 And you say, “Why?” - Because the LORD is witness between you and the wife of your youth With whom you have broken faith, though she is your companion, your covenanted wife. 15 Did he not make them one, with flesh and spirit? And what does the One require? Godly offspring! You should be on guard, then, for your life, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. 16 For I hate divorce, says the LORD, the God of Israel, And the one who covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. You should be on guard, then, for your life, and you must not break faith.

Matthew 5:32-33
32 But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 33 “Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.’

Matthew 19:4-6, 9
4 He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”
9 I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.”

Mark 10:11-12
11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Luke 16-18
18 “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and the one who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

Romans 7:2-3
2 Thus a married woman is bound by law to her living husband; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law in respect to her husband. 3 Consequently, while her husband is alive she will be called an adulteress if she consorts with another man. But if her husband dies she is free from that law, and she is not an adulteress if she consorts with another man.

1 Corinthians 7:10
10 To the married, however, I give this instruction (not I, but the Lord): A wife should not separate from her husband

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Genesis 1:27-28
27 God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and God said to them: Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that crawl on the earth.

Genesis 9:1
1 God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them: Be fertile and multiply and fill the earth.

Genesis 35:11
11 Then God said to him: I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply. A nation, indeed an assembly of nations, will stem from you, and kings will issue from your loins.

Psalm 127:3-5
3 Certainly sons are a gift from the LORD, the fruit of the womb, a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons born in one’s youth. 5 Blessed is the man who has filled his quiver with them. He will never be shamed for he will destroy his foes at the gate.

1 Chronicles 25:5
5 All these were the sons of Heman, the king’s seer for divine matters; to exalt him God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

1 Chronicles 26:4-5
4 Obed-edom’s sons: Shemaiah, the firstborn, Jehozabad, a second son, Joah, the third, Sachar, the fourth, Nethanel, the fifth, 5 Ammiel, the sixth, Issachar, the seventh, Peullethai, the eighth, for God blessed him.

Hosea 9:10-17
10 Like grapes in the desert, I found Israel; Like the first fruits of the fig tree, its first to ripen, I looked on your ancestors. But when they came to Baal-peor and consecrated themselves to the Shameful One, they became as abhorrent as the thing they loved.11 Ephraim is like a bird: their glory flies away— no birth, no pregnancy, no conception. 12 Even though they bring up their children, I will make them childless, until no one is left. Indeed, woe to them when I turn away from them! 13 Ephraim, as I saw, was a tree planted in a meadow; But now Ephraim will bring out his children to the slaughterer! 14 Give them, LORD! give them what? Give them a miscarrying womb, and dry breasts 15 All their misfortune began in Gilgal; yes, there I rejected them. Because of their wicked deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no longer; all their princes are rebels. 16 Ephraim is stricken, their root is dried up; they will bear no fruit. Were they to bear children, I would slay the beloved of their womb. 17 My God will disown them because they have not listened to him; they will be wanderers among the nations.

Exodus 23:25-26
25 You shall serve the LORD, your God; then he will bless your food and drink, and I will remove sickness from your midst; 26 no woman in your land will be barren or miscarry; and I will give you a full span of life.

Deuteronomy 7:13-14
13 He will love and bless and multiply you; he will bless the fruit of your womb and the produce of your soil, your grain and wine and oil, the young of your herds and the offspring of your flocks, in the land which he swore to your ancestors he would give you. 14 You will be blessed above all peoples; no man or woman among you shall be childless nor shall your livestock be barren.

Genesis 38:9-10
9 Onan, however, knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he had intercourse with his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground, to avoid giving offspring to his brother. 10 What he did greatly offended the LORD, and the LORD took his life too.

Deuteronomy 25:5-10
5 When brothers live together and one of them dies without a son, the widow of the deceased shall not marry anyone outside the family; but her husband’s brother shall come to her, marrying her and performing the duty of a brother-in-law. 6 The firstborn son she bears shall continue the name of the deceased brother, that his name may not be blotted out from Israel. 7 But if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go up to the elders at the gate and say, “My brother-in-law refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel and does not intend to perform his duty toward me.” 8 Thereupon the elders of his city shall summon him and speak to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,” 9 his sister-in-law, in the presence of the elders, shall go up to him and strip his sandal from his foot and spit in his face, declaring, “This is how one should be treated who will not build up his brother’s family!” 10 And his name shall be called in Israel, “the house of the man stripped of his sandal.”

Leviticus 20:13
13 If a man lies with a male as with a woman, they have committed an abomination; the two of them shall be put to death; their bloodguilt is upon them.
Note: no similar penalty prescribed for woman and woman or between single men and single woman (Deuteronomy 22:28-29)

Leviticus 20:15
15 If a man has sexual relations with an animal, the man shall be put to death, and you shall kill the animal. (Sterile sex)

Leviticus 20:16
16 If a woman goes up to any animal to mate with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal; they shall both be put to death; their bloodguilt is upon them.  (Sterile Sex)

Leviticus 21:17-20
17 Say to Aaron: None of your descendants, throughout their generations, who has any blemish shall come forward to offer the food of his God. 18 Anyone who has any of the following blemishes may not come forward: he who is blind, or lame, or who has a split lip, or a limb too long, 19 or a broken leg or arm, 20 or who is a hunchback or dwarf or has a growth in the eye, or who is afflicted with sores, scabs, or crushed testicles.

Deuteronomy 23:2
2 No one whose testicles have been crushed or whose penis has been cut off may come into the assembly of the LORD.

Deuteronomy 25:11-12
11 When two men are fighting and the wife of one intervenes to save her husband from the blows of his opponent, if she stretches out her hand and seizes the latter by his genitals, 12 you shall chop off her hand; show no pity. ( punishment for potential damage to testicles)

Romans 1:25-27
25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 Therefore, God handed them over to degrading passions. Their females exchanged natural relations for unnatural, 27 and the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and burned with lust for one another. Males did shameful things with males and thus received in their own persons the due penalty for their perversity.

1 Timothy 2:11-15
11 A woman must receive instruction silently and under complete control. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man. She must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve 14 Further, Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed. 15 But she will be saved through motherhood, provided women persevere in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

Acts 5:1-11
1 A man named Ananias, however, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. 2 He retained for himself, with his wife’s knowledge, some of the purchase price, took the remainder, and put it at the feet of the apostles. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart so that you lied to the holy Spirit and retained part of the price of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain yours? And when it was sold, was it not still under your control? Why did you contrive this deed? You have lied not to human beings, but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last, and great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men came and wrapped him up, then carried him out and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, unaware of what had happened. 8 Peter said to her, “Tell me, did you sell the land for this amount?” She answered, “Yes, for that amount.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen, the footsteps of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 At once, she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men entered they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole Church and upon all who heard of these things.

Galatians 6:7
7 Make no mistake: God is not mocked, for a person will reap only what he sows,

Matthew 21:19
19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went over to it, but found nothing on it except leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again.” And immediately the fig tree withered.

Mark 11:14
14 And he said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!” And his disciples heard it.

Galatians 5:20,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness,

Revelation 9:21
21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic potions, their unchastity, or their robberies.

Revelation 21:8
8 But as for cowards, the unfaithful, the depraved, murderers, the unchaste, sorcerers, idol-worshipers, and deceivers of every sort, their lot is in the burning pool of fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.

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Genesis 1:27
27 God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Reflects God’s inner unity)

Genesis 2:21-24
21 So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 The LORD God then built the rib that he had taken from the man into a woman. When he brought her to the man, 23 the man said: “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of man this one has been taken.”24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.

Genesis 19
Original sin deteriorates to Sodom’s sin, Sodom is destroyed.
4 Before they went to bed, the townsmen of Sodom, both young and old—all the people to the last man—surrounded the house. 5 They called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to your house tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have sexual relations with them.”  

(Lot refuses and protects them)

24 and the LORD rained down sulfur upon Sodom and Gomorrah, fire from the LORD out of heaven. 25 He overthrew those cities and the whole Plain, together with the inhabitants of the cities and the produce of the soil.

Leviticus 18:22
22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; such a thing is an abomination.

Leviticus 20:13
13 If a man lies with a male as with a woman, they have committed an abomination; the two of them shall be put to death; their bloodguilt is upon them.

Romans 1:27
27 and the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and burned with lust for one another. Males did shameful things with males and thus received in their own persons the due penalty for their perversity.

1 Corinthians 6:9
9 Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes* nor sodomites

1 Timothy 1:9-10
9 with the understanding that law is meant not for a righteous person but for the lawless and unruly, the godless and sinful, the unholy and profane, those who kill their fathers or mothers, murderers, 10 the unchaste, sodomites, kidnapers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is opposed to sound teaching,

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Genesis 27:25
25 Then Isaac said, “Serve me, my son, and let me eat of the game so that I may bless you.” Jacob served it to him, and Isaac ate; he brought him wine, and he drank.

Deuteronomy 14:23-26
23 then in the place which the LORD, your God, chooses as the dwelling place of his name you shall eat in his presence the tithe of your grain, wine and oil, as well as the firstlings of your herd and flock, that you may learn always to fear the LORD, your God. 24 But if, when the LORD, your God, blesses you, the journey is too much for you and you are not able to bring your tithe, because the place which the LORD, your God, chooses to put his name is too far for you, 25 you may exchange the tithe for money, and with the money securely in hand, go to the place which the LORD, your God, chooses. 26 You may then exchange the money for whatever you desire, oxen or sheep, wine or beer, or anything else you want, and there in the presence of the LORD, your God, you shall consume it and rejoice, you and your household together.

Proverbs 20:1
1 Wine is arrogant, strong drink is riotous; none who are intoxicated by them are wise.

Ecclesiastes 9:7
7 Go, eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with a merry heart, because it is now that God favors your works.

Isaiah 25:6
6 On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples A feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.

Isaiah 5 :11
11 Ah! (Woe to) Those who rise early in the morning in pursuit of strong drink, lingering late inflamed by wine,

Isaiah 5:22

22 Ah! (woe to) Those who are champions at drinking wine, masters at mixing drink!

Luke 7:33-34
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine, and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.

John 2:2-10
1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 [And] Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it. 9 And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from (although the servers who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.”

Ephesians 5:18
18 And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit

1 Timothy 5:23
23 Stop drinking only water, but have a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

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Ephesians 1:22-23
22 And he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the Church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Ephesians 5:21-32
21 Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the Church, he himself the savior of the body. 24 As the Church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church and handed himself over for her 26 to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, 27 that he might present to himself the Church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 So [also] husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the Church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave [his] father and [his] mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church.

Colossians 1:18, 24
18 He is the head of the body, the Church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross* [through him], whether those on earth or those in heaven. 21 And you who once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds 22 he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through his death, to present you holy, without blemish, and irreproachable before him, 23 provided that you persevere in the faith, firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, am a minister. Christ in Us. NOTE 24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the Church,

1 Corinthians 12:12-27
12 As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit. 14 Now the body is not a single part, but many. 15 If a foot should say, “Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. 16 Or if an ear should say, “Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.” 22 Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary, 23 and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, 24 whereas our more presentable parts do not need this. But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. 26 If [one] part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy. 27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.

Ephesians 4:4
4 one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call;

Colossians 3:15
15 And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful.

Romans 8:35-39
35 What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we are being slain all the day; we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 12:10
10 love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor.

1 Thessalonians 5:11
11 Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do.

Galatians 6:2
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:10
10 So then, while we have the opportunity, let us do good to all, but especially to those who belong to the family of the faith.

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Romans 15:30
30 I urge you, [brothers,] by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in the struggle by your prayers to God on my behalf

Colossians 4:3
3 at the same time, pray for us, too, that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak of the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison

1 Thessalonians 5:25
25 Brothers, pray for us [too].

2 Thessalonians 1:11
11 To this end, we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith,

2 Thessalonians 3:1
1 Finally, brothers, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified, as it did among you

Ephesians 6:18-19
18 With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones 19 and also for me, that speech may be given me to open my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel

Tobit 12:12
12 Now when you, Tobit, and Sarah prayed, it was I (Raphael) who presented the record of your prayer before the Glory of the Lord; and likewise whenever you used to bury the dead.

Revelation 5:8
8 When he took it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones.

Deuteronomy 18:10-12
10 Let there not be found among you anyone who causes their son or daughter to pass through the fire, or practices divination, or is a soothsayer, augur, or sorcerer, 11 or who casts spells, consults ghosts and spirits, or seeks oracles from the dead. 12 Anyone who does such things is an abomination to the LORD, and because of such abominations the LORD, your God, is dispossessing them before you.

Mark 12:26-27
26 As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, [the] God of Isaac, and [the] God of Jacob’? 27 He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled.”

Mark 9:4
4 Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus.

Luke 23:43
43 He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Revelation 6:9-11
9 When he broke open the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the witness they bore to the word of God. 10 They cried out in a loud voice, “How long will it be, holy and true master, before you sit in judgment and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?” 11 Each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to be patient a little while longer until the number was filled of their fellow servants and brothers who were going to be killed as they had been.

Hebrews 12:1
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us

Luke 16:19-30
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. NOTE
19 “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. 20 And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. 22 When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’ 25 Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. 26 Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’ 27 He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ 30 He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’”

Revelation 20:4
4 Then I saw thrones; those who sat on them were entrusted with judgment. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image nor had accepted its Mark on their foreheads or hands. They came to life and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Wisdom 3:1-6
1 The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. 2 They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction 3 and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. 4 For if to others, indeed, they seem punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; 5 Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. 6 As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.

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Joshua 5:13-15
13 While Joshua was near Jericho, he raised his eyes and saw one who stood facing him, drawn sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you one of us or one of our enemies?” 14 He replied, “Neither. I am the commander of the army of the LORD: now I have come.” Then Joshua fell down to the ground in worship, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” 15 The commander of the army of the LORD replied to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Daniel 8:17
17 When he came near where I was standing, I fell prostrate in terror. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision refers to the end time.”

Tobit 12:15-16
15 I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand and serve before the Glory of the Lord.” 16 Greatly shaken, the two of them fell prostrate in fear.

Matthew 18:10
10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.

Angels in heaven always behold the face of God (we venerate angels because of their great dignity, which comes from their union with God. Saints are also united with God)

1 John 3:1-2
1 See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

1 Thessalonians 1:5-8
5 For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the holy Spirit and [with] much conviction. You know what sort of people we were [among] you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, receiving the word in great affliction, with joy from the holy Spirit, 7 so that you became a model for all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth not only in Macedonia and [in] Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.

Hebrews 13:7
7 Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

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2 Kings 13:20-21
20 And so Elisha died and was buried. At that time of year, bands of Moabites used to raid the land. 21 Once some people were burying a man, when suddenly they saw such a raiding band. So they cast the man into the grave of Elisha, and everyone went off. But when the man came in contact with the bones of Elisha, he came back to life and got to his feet.

Acts 5:15-16
15 Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them. 16 A large number of people from the towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered, bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.

Acts 19:11-12
11 So extraordinary were the mighty deeds God accomplished at the hands of Paul 12 that when face cloths or aprons that touched his skin were applied to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.

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Exodus 20:4-5
4 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; 5 you shall not bow down before them or serve them. For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their ancestors’ wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation

Exodus 25:18-19
18 Make two cherubim of beaten gold for the two ends of the cover; 19 make one cherub at one end, and the other at the other end, of one piece with the cover, at each end.

Numbers 21:8-9
8 and the LORD said to Moses: Make a seraph and mount it on a pole, and everyone who has been bitten will look at it and recover. 9 Accordingly Moses made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever the serpent bit someone, the person looked at the bronze serpent and recovered.

1 Kings 6:23-29
23 In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim, each ten cubits high, made of pine. 24 Each wing of a cherub was five cubits so that the span from wing tip to wing tip was ten cubits. 25 The second cherub was also ten cubits: the two cherubim were identical in size and shape; 26 the first cherub was ten cubits high, and so was the second. 27 He placed the cherubim in the inmost part of the house; the wings of the cherubim were spread wide, so that one wing of the first touched the side wall and the wing of the second touched the other wall; the wings pointing to the middle of the room touched each other. 28 He overlaid the cherubim with gold. 29 The walls of the house on all sides of both the inner and the outer rooms had carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers.

1 Kings 7:25-45
25 This rested on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east, with their haunches all toward the center; upon them was set the sea. 26 It was a handbreadth thick, and its brim resembled that of a cup, being lily-shaped. Its capacity was two thousand baths.

27 He also made ten stands of bronze, each four cubits long, four wide, and three high. 28 When these stands were constructed, panels were set within the framework. 29 On the panels within the frames there were lions, oxen, and cherubim; and on the frames likewise, above and below the lions and oxen, there were wreaths in hammered relief. 30 Each stand had four bronze wheels and bronze axles. The four legs of each stand had cast braces, which were under the basin; they had wreaths on each side. 31 The mouth of the basin was inside, and a cubit above, the crown, whose opening was round, made like a receptacle, a cubit and a half in depth. There was carved work at the opening, on panels that were square, not circular. 32 The four wheels were below the paneling, and the axletrees of the wheels and the stand were of one piece. Each wheel was a cubit and a half high. 33 The wheels were constructed like chariot wheels; their axletrees, rims, spokes, and hubs were all cast. 34 The four braces reached the four corners of each stand, and formed part of the stand.

35 At the top of the stand there was a raised collar half a cubit high, and the handles and panels on top of the stand formed part of it. 36 On the flat ends of the handles and on the panels, wherever there was a bare space, cherubim, lions, and palm trees were carved, as well as wreaths all around. 37 This was how he made the ten stands, all of the same casting, the same size, the same shape. 38 He made ten bronze basins, each four cubits in diameter with a capacity of forty baths, one basin atop each of the ten stands. 39 He placed the stands, five on the south side of the house and five on the north. The sea he placed off to the southeast from the south side of the house.

40 When Hiram had made the pots, shovels, and bowls, he finished all his work for King Solomon in the house of the LORD: 41 two columns; two nodes for the capitals on top of the columns; two pieces of netting covering the two nodes for the capitals on top of the columns; 42 four hundred pomegranates in double rows on both pieces of netting that covered the two nodes of the capitals on top of the columns; 43 ten stands; ten basins on the stands; 44 one sea; twelve oxen supporting the sea; 45 pots, shovels, and bowls. All these articles which Hiram made for King Solomon in the house of the LORD were of burnished bronze.

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Sixty six or Seventy Three books in the Bible? Seventy three books were confirmed in the Christian Bible as the inspired word of God in around 365 AD. Martin Luther removed seven books from the Old Testament in the early 1500's. I leave the links below for details.

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Contrary to the belief and understanding of some non-Catholics, the scriptures containing the Ten Commandments are identical in chapter and verse in the Catholic and Protestant bibles, differing only in the language used in the translation, but in no way different in content:

The Protestant King James Version:
Exodus 20:1-17

1 And God spake all these words, saying,

2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.

12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

13 Thou shalt not kill.

14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

15 Thou shalt not steal.

16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

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The Catholic New American Bible, revised edition
Exodus 20:1-17

1 Then God spoke all these words:

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 not have other gods beside me.

4 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;

5 you shall not bow down before them or serve them. For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their ancestors’ wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation;

6 but showing love down to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 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.

8 Remember the Sabbath day—keep it holy.

9 Six days you may labor and do all your work,

10 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 work animal, or the resident alien within your gates.

11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD has blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 Honor your father and your mother, that you may have a long life in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

13 You shall not kill.

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, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

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Notice that in both versions, if you read them carefully, there are actually thirteen separate statements or commandments. “The precise numbering and division of these precepts into “ten commandments” is somewhat uncertain. The traditional designation as “ten” is not found here but in Exodus 34:28 and also Deuteronomy 4:13 and 10:4, where these precepts are alluded to literally as “the ten words.” That they were originally written on two tablets appears in Exodus 32:15–16; 34:28–29; and Deuteronomy 4:13; 10:2–4. Traditionally among Catholics and Lutherans, verses 2–6 are considered as only one commandment, and verse 17 as two. The Anglican, Greek Orthodox, and Reformed Churches count verses 2–6 as two, and verse 17 as one. In Deuteronomy 5:21, “Wife” and “Possessions” are separated, re. coveting.

The present form of the commands is a product of a long development, as is clear from the fact that the individual precepts vary considerably in length and from the slightly different formulation of Deuteronomy 5:6-21  (see especially vv. 12–15 and 21). Indeed they represent a mature formulation of a traditional morality. Why this specific selection of commands should be set apart is not entirely clear. None of them is unique in the Old Testament and all of the laws which follow are also from God and equally binding on the Israelites. Even so, this collection represents a privileged expression of God’s moral demands on Israel and is here set apart from the others as a direct, unmediated communication of God to the Israelites and the basis of the covenant being concluded on Sinai.”
(From the New American Bible revised edition as published on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops web site.)

Exodus 34:28
28 So Moses was there with the LORD for forty days and forty nights, without eating any food or drinking any water, and he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten words.

Deuteronomy 4:13
13 He proclaimed to you his covenant, which he commanded you to keep: the ten words, which he wrote on two stone tablets.

Exodus 10:4
4 The LORD then wrote on the tablets, as he had written before, the ten words that the LORD had spoken to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly; and the LORD gave them to me.

By separating  verses 3 and 4 as two different commandments, Protestants helped justify a split from the Catholic Church by claiming that the statues of saints and angels were craven images forbidden by a specific commandment, whereas the commandment itself, read in it’s full context is clearly intended to prohibit the creation of idols of worship.  The misconception is perpetrated by those who do not have a full understanding of the teachings of the Catholic Church and mistake veneration and intercession for worship. (See the section on STATUES, INTERCESSORY PRAYER TO SAINTS and VENERATION OF SAINTS above)

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There are many people who believe that Catholics don’t read the Bible in Church or that Catholicism is not a scriptural religion or even that the Church tries to “suppress” the scriptures from its members. This simply couldn’t be further from the truth. First, the text of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church”, the very document that explains the faith and teachings of the Catholic Church, contains 4,239 references to scripture. (Select Index of Citations for the first of thirty seven pages of these scriptural references). So we can see that the actual teachings of the Church are indeed, highly based on scripture.

While it’s true Catholics don’t sit in the pews with their Bibles in hand and turn to a verse invoked by the priest during a sermon (or in our case a homily), in the entire Catholic service (called the Mass), nearly every word spoken or sung from the opening song to the final blessing and recessional hymn is based on or supported by scripture.

One thing we all need to remember is that the Church is not from the Bible, but rather, the Bible is from the Church. At the time of Christ, the Bible as we know it did not yet exist. Yes, the Jewish laws existed, the Torah and the various other scriptures totaling 46 writings now included in the Old Testament.

It was not until about 367 AD that St. Athanasius came up with a list of 73 books for the Bible that he believed to be divinely inspired, including 27 various writings then commonly in use to be included as the New Testament. This list was approved by Pope Damasus I in 382 AD, and was formally approved by the Church Council of Rome in that same year.

Later Councils at Hippo (393 AD) and Carthage (397 AD) ratified this list of 73 books. In 405 AD, Pope Innocent I wrote a letter to the Bishop of Toulouse reaffirming this canon of 73 books. In 419 AD, the Council of Carthage reaffirmed this list, which Pope Boniface agreed to.

It was not until 1454 that the bible was mass-produced on a printing press and bound into a single volume by Johannes Gutenberg.

The Council of Trent, in 1546, in response to the Reformation removing 7 books from the canon (canon is a Greek word meaning “standard”), reaffirmed the original St. Athanasius list of 73 books which have been in constant use by the catholic Church for over one thousand, six hundred years. (1,600)

In the Catholic Church, there are direct readings from these scriptures at every mass (which is outlined below) and a most amazing fact is that every Catholic Church, (or Parish) in the entire world, reads the same scriptures as every other parish every single day.  In fact, if a person were to attend daily mass seven days a week for three years, they would hear virtually the entire Bible read from Genesis to Revelation.

This section is not intended to be a theological discussion of the mass, there are many more qualified individuals who are much better prepared to handle that topic. Rather, it is provided as a study guide for the purpose of enlightening those who profess the truth of the bible, about the extent to which the Catholic Mass is based on, centered around and dependent on the Holy Scriptures.

So let’s unpack the Catholic Sunday Mass and its relation to the Bible.

First, there are four specific direct readings of scripture at every Sunday Mass and on special feast days. They are:

1. An Old Testament Reading
2. A Responsorial Psalm (usually from Psalms, but sometimes from other scriptures)
3. A New Testament reading (Usually from the Epistles)
4. A Gospel Reading

During the week at daily mass there are three readings:

1. An Old Testament Reading
2. A Responsorial Psalm (usually from Psalms, but sometimes from other scriptures)
3. A Gospel Reading

These are the readings heard daily by Catholics worldwide. They are chosen by the Church and published well in advance so that on each day, all of the readings complement each other and help form a cohesive teaching from the scriptures.  So as you can see, Catholics do read from the Bible in Church every day...

...But there is much, much more!

In our examples below, the actual words spoken during the mass by priests, deacons, lectors, cantors and the congregation are highlighted in burgundy.

The liturgical calendar is an entirely separate discussion, but there are several variations of the exact wording of the mass depending on the season, the liturgy being celebrated, whether the mass is being celebrated by a priest or bishop, the celebration of feast days, weddings, funerals, and various other occasions, but all are as equally steeped in the Holy Scriptures as our example here.

For the purposes of this discussion, we will use the words, teachings and readings from a typical Sunday mass in Ordinary Time.

Aside from the words spoken during the mass, songs and hymns, which are not part of the regular liturgy are generally chosen by each parish’s music director to connect to, complement and enhance the readings and teachings of the day. Many of the songs used are themselves based on, and often even quote scripture passages.

Beginning the Mass

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At the very beginning of the Mass, some parishes start by ringing the Sanctus Bells. Immediately we sing an introitum (Latin for "entrance") sometimes called the processional or welcoming hymn. It is a song with lyrics often taken from Scripture and most often from scripture relating to the readings and the liturgy for the day. During this singing, the Priest, Deacons, and other celebrants and servers approach the Altar. When all are assembled and the song is finished the priest opens the continuing prayer of the mass with “In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” While the Priest and the congregation perform the sign of the cross.

Luke 3:21-22
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased.” (ref. Father, Son and Holy Spirit apearing together)

Matthew 28:19
19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,

...and all respond “Amen” Throughout the Mass you'll find several uses of "Amen" which literally means “This is the truth, I believe this, I stake my life on it”

Romans 11:36
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

1 Chronicles 16:36
36 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Let all the people say, Amen! Hallelujah.

Matthew 26:13
13 Amen, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be spoken of, in memory of her.”

Revelation 5:14
14 The four living creatures answered, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Immediately following this, the Priest greets the congregation with a variation of “The Lord be with you.” Or sometimes “The peace of the Lord be with you.”  The same salutation that we find in St. Paul's writings:

Luke 24:36
36 While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

2 Corinthians 13:13
13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Spirit be with all of you.

1 Chronicles 22:11
11 “Now, my son, the LORD be with you, and may you succeed in building the house of the LORD your God, as he has said you shall.

Ephesians 1:2
2 grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:2
2 grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Numbers 6:26
26 The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!

To which the congregation responds with another Pauline address, “And with your Spirit.”

2 Timothy 4:22
22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with all of you.

Galatians 6:18
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Philippians 4:23
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Philemon 1:25
25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Depending on the translation, there are anywhere from 45 to 80 or more other references to the word Amen throughout the Bible.

The Penitential Act

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After the greeting the entire congregation publicly confesses to God and to each other that they have sinned: 

“I confess to Almighty God, and to you my brothers and sisters that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and what I have failed to do. Through my fault, through my fault through my most grievous fault. Therefore I ask blessed Mary, ever-virgin, all the angels and saints, and you my brothers and sisters to pray for me to the Lord our God”

We are encouraged by the scriptures to confess our sins to each other and beg forgiveness.

1 John 1:9
9 If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.

James 5:16
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.

1 Corinthians 11:28
28 A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup.

In this way we prepare ourselves for the breaking of the bread (another name for the Mass, the actual essence of the mass)

Acts 2:46
46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart

This is called the penitential act, and it is based line by line on the following passages:

“I confess to almighty God, and to you my brothers and sisters…

James 5:16
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.

That I have greatly sinned…

1 Chronicles 21:8
8 Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly in doing this thing. Take away your servant’s guilt, for I have acted very foolishly."

In my thoughts and in my words…

Matthew 5:28
28 But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

James 3:6
6 The tongue is also a fire. It exists among our members as a world of malice, defiling the whole body and setting the entire course of our lives on fire, itself set on fire by Gehenna.

In what I have done, and what I have failed to do…

James 4:17
17 So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin.

Luke 10:30-37
30 Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. 32 Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. 33 But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. 34 He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ 36 Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” 37 He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Through my fault, through my fault through my most grievous fault.
While making this public confession we put our fist to our breast (either once or thrice) in imitation of the tax collector who beat or struck his breast in anguish over sinning against God.

Luke 18:13
13 But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’

Therefore I ask blessed Mary, ever-virgin, all the angels and saints, and you my brothers and sisters to pray for me to the Lord our God

1 Thessalonians 5:25
25 Brothers, pray for us too.

Revelation 5:8
8 When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Revelation 8:4
4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.

The Kyrie

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Next we sing or say "Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy" or sometimes in the Greek, "Kyrie Eleison, Christe Eleison, Kyrie Eleison", which we find in part prayed by those in the Old Testament:

Baruch 3:2
2 Hear, LORD, and have mercy, for you are a merciful God; have mercy on us, who have sinned against you:

Psalms 85:8
8 Show us, LORD, your mercy; grant us your salvation.

Isaiah 33:2
2 LORD, be gracious to us; for you we wait. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of trouble!

Psalms 9:13
13 For the avenger of bloodshed remembers, does not forget the cry of the afflicted.

Psalms 4:2
2 Answer me when I call, my saving God. When troubles hem me in, set me free; take pity on me, hear my prayer.

Psalms 6:3-4
3 Have pity on me, LORD, for I am weak; heal me, LORD, for my bones are shuddering. 4 My soul too is shuddering greatly— and you, LORD, how long…?

Psalms 25:11
11 For the sake of your name, LORD, pardon my guilt, though it is great.

Psalms 31:9
9 You will not abandon me into enemy hands, but will set my feet in a free and open space.

Psalms 41:5
5 Even I have said, “LORD, take note of me; heal me, although I have sinned against you.

Psalms 51:3
3 Have mercy on me, God, in accord with your merciful love; in your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions.

Psalms 57:2
2 Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me. In you I seek refuge. In the shadow of your wings I seek refuge till harm pass by.

Psalms 121:3
3 He will not allow your foot to slip; or your guardian to sleep.

Psalms 123:3
3 Show us favor, LORD, show us favor, for we have our fill of contempt.

Tobit 8:4
4 When Sarah’s parents left the bedroom and closed the door behind them, Tobiah rose from bed and said to his wife, “My sister, come, let us pray and beg our Lord to grant us mercy and protection.”

...as well as the New Testament

Matthew 9:13
13 Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Matthew 9:27
27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed [him], crying out, “Son of David,* have pity on us!”

Matthew 15:22
22 And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.”

Matthew 17:15
15 and said, “Lord, have pity on my son, for he is a lunatic and suffers severely; often he falls into fire, and often into water.

Matthew 20:30
30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “[Lord,] Son of David, have pity on us!”

Mark 10:47
47 On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”

Luke 16:24
24 And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’

The Gloria

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The Kyrie is succeeded by the Gloria. It is also spoken or sung as a form of worship and adoration to God, and includes numerous Scriptural passages both referenced and taken word-for-word as follows:

Glory to God in the highest. And on earth peace to people of good will.

Luke 2:14
14 “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

We praise You. We bless You. We adore you. We glorify You. We give You thanks for Your great glory. Lord God, heavenly King, O God almighty Father.

Revelation 7:12
12 and exclaimed: “Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Revelation 19:6
6 Then I heard something like the sound of a great multitude or the sound of rushing water or mighty peals of thunder, as they said: “Alleluia! The Lord has established his reign, [our] God, the almighty.

Lord Jesus Christ, Only-begotten Son. O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father: you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. You take away the sins of the world,

John 1:29
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

receive our prayer.

Romans 8:34
34 Who will condemn? It is Christ [Jesus] who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord.

Revelation 15:4
4 Who will not fear you, Lord, or glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

You alone are the most high Jesus Christ

Luke 1:32
32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,

Psalms 83:19
19 Let them know that your name is LORD, you alone are the Most High over all the earth.  

With the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father

2 John 1:3
3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son in truth and love.

Luke 4:34
34 …I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

John 14:26
26 The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you. Amen

Amen! *

The Liturgy of the Word

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The first reading from sacred Scripture is from the old testament. The lector proclaims “A reading from the book of Ezekiel” (or other passage as prescribed for the day) and begins to read from the proclaimed text. When he has finished reading, the lector proclaims, “The Word of the Lord”

1 Samuel 3:7
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

1 Samuel 15:10
10 The word of the Lord came to Samuel:

2 Samuel 7:4
4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan:

1 Kings 6:11
11 Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon,

And all respond "Thanks be to God!"

2 Corinthians 9:15
15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Romans 6:17
17 But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted,

1 Corinthians 15:57
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 8:16
16 But thanks be to God who put in the heart of Titus the same eagerness for you that I myself have.

The second scripture reading is the Responsorial Psalm and is taken directly from the Psalms in the Bible or sometimes from other books as may be appropriate for the day. The cantor and choir sing several verses, with the congregation responding in song after every verse with a common phrase from the Scriptures. The Cantor sings the response, repeated by the choir and the congregation then the cantor sings each verse, followed by the response from the congregation and choir. This is in the tradition of the ancient Jewish practice of singing the psalms in alternating verses between the cantor and the congregation or sometimes two halves of the congregation singing in response to each other.

The third reading is generally from the New Testament epistles, the non-gospel books from sacred Scripture. Again, the lector proclaims “A reading from the book of Philippians” (or other passage as prescribed for the day.) and begins to read the passage. And again at the conclusion of the reading the lector proclaims “The word of the Lord” and the faithful respond “Thanks be to God”

The fourth reading, or Gospel Reading is from one of the Gospels, but before it is read it is proclaimed by the speaking or singing of the Gospel Acclamation. The Cantor sings "Alleluia, Alleluia." and the congregation responds "Alleluia, Alleluia." then the cantor sings or speaks the daily antiphon, a short passage from scripture and all respond "Alleluia, Alleluia..., Alleluia, Alleluia."

Revelation 19:1
1 [ The Rejoicing in Heaven ] After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and power to our God,

Revelation 19:3
3 Once more they said, “Alleluia! The smoke goes up from her forever and ever.”

Revelation 19:4
4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Alleluia!”

Revelation 19:6
6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals, crying out, “Alleluia! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.

Tobit 13:17
17 The gates of Jerusalem will sing hymns of joy, and all her houses will cry, ‘Alleluia! Blessed be the God of Israel!’ and the blessed will bless the holy name forever and ever.”

Before reading from the Gospel, but after the Gospel Acclamation, the Priest and the congregation exchange a formal greeting, similar to the earlier salutations. The priest greets the congregation with a variation of: The Lord be with you. or The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

1 Chronicles 22:11
11 “Now, my son, the LORD be with you, and may you succeed in building the house of the LORD your God, as he has said you shall.

Galatians 6:18
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

2 Thessalonians 3:16
16 May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

The congregation responds: "And with your spirit."

2 Timothy 4:22
22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with all of you.

Philippians 4:23
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Philemon 1:25
25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

 

The Gospel reading is from one of the four Gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. The Priest or Deacon proclaims “A reading from the Holy Gospel of Matthew” (or other passage as prescribed for the day)

The Congregation responds, Glory to You O Lord.

Luke 2:14
14 “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Romans 4:20
20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,

Philippians 2:11
11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

As we say this, we make a small sign of the cross over our forehead, lips and heart. The significance of the threefold signing is that we want to hear the Holy Gospel with an open mind, proclaim it with our lips, and cherish and safeguard it in our hearts. We are imploring the Lord for the grace to receive, acknowledge, and then profess the faith that has been received in the Holy Gospel through our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Word of God incarnate. This is done in response, and as a sign of our resistance to:

Mark 4:15
15 These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them.

At the conclusion of the Gospel reading the Priest or Deacon proclaims “The Gospel of the Lord” (Gospel being the English form of the Greek; “euangelion”, meaning simply Good News.)

Romans 1:1
1 [ Salutation ] Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

Romans 1:3
3 the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh

Romans 1:9
9 For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers,

1 Corinthians 9:12
12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

And all respond “Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ”

Philippians 1:11
11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

1 Peter 1:7
7 so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel reading is followed by the Homily (Greek, "homilia,") a commentary after a Scripture reading; (distinctly different than a sermon). A sermon can be described as the idea of a chosen topic for which the speaker researches and provides examples of scripture to back up the given theme. A homily is a commentary, a teaching and an explanation of the theology behind a given scripture passage

The Profession of Faith

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The Homily is followed by the Profession of Faith as expressed by the Nicene Creed:

I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.

Amen. *

The Nicene Creed is basically a distillation of everything we believe as Catholics about our faith, the existence of God, the Father, His son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, our creation, our salvation and our core beliefs. It is called Nicene because it was originally adopted in the city of Nicaea (present day Iznik, Turkey) by the First Council of Nicaea in 325. In 381, it was amended at the First Council of Constantinople, and the amended form is referred to as the Nicene or the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed. Catholics have been reciting it at mass ever since.

So let’s break it down scripturally, line by line:

I believe in one God, the Father almighty

Ephesians 4:6
6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Matthew 4:10
10 At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: ‘The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.’”

maker of Heaven and Earth,

Genesis 1:1
1 In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth

Genesis 14:19
19 He blessed Abram with these words: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth;

of all things visible and invisible.

Colossians 1:16
16 For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him.

Hebrews 11:3
3 By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God, so that what is visible came into being through the invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,

1 Corinthians 8:6
6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things are and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are and through whom we exist.

the Only Begotten Son of God,

Luke 1:35
35 And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

born of the Father before all ages.

Colossians 1:15,17
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,

John 1:1-2
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.

1 John 5:20
20 We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us discernment to know the one who is true. And we are in the one who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;

John 10:30
30 The Father and I are one.”

John 14:9-10
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.

through him all things were made.

John 1:3
3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be

John 1:10
10 He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven,

John 6:38
38 because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.

Hebrews 2:14
14 Now since the children share in blood and flesh, he likewise shared in them, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. (During the speaking of this phrase, all bow in respect)

John 1:14
14 And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.

Matthew 1:18
18 Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,

Mark 15:15
15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified.

John 19:16
16 Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

1 Peter 2:24
24 He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4
3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures 4 that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures;

Luke 23:46
46 Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed his last.

Matthew 27:59-60
59 Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it [in] clean linen 60 and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed.

Mark 9:31
31 He was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death he will rise.”

Acts 10:40
40 his man God raised (on) the third day and granted that he be visible,

Luke 24:45-46
45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. 46 And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day

He ascended into heaven

Acts 1:9-10
9 When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. 10 While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

Colossians 3:1
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Hebrews 1:3
3 who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word. When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

He will come again in glory

Mark 13:26
26 And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and glory, to judge the living and the dead

2 Timothy 4:1
1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power:

Mark 16:19
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.

to judge the living and the dead

1 Peter 4:5
5 but they will give an account to him who stands ready to judge the living and the dead. and his kingdom will have no end.

Luke 1:33
33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

2 Corinthians 3:17
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

John 6:63
63 It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

2 Corinthians 3:6
6 who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life.  

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

John 15:26
26 “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me.

John 16:7
7 But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

John 14:16
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,

who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,

Romans 11:36
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Hebrews 9:14
14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.

who has spoken through the prophets.

Ephesians 3:5
5 which was not made known to human beings in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit,

1 Peter 1:10-11
10 Concerning this salvation, prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and investigated it, 11 investigating the time and circumstances that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ and the glories to follow them.

2 Peter 1:21
21 for no prophecy ever came through human will; but rather human beings moved by the holy Spirit spoke under the influence of God.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

Ephesians 5:27
27 that he might present to himself the Church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

Ephesians 2:20
20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.

Ephesians 4:4
4 one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call;

Romans 12:4-5
4 For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another.

Matthew 16:18
18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins

Ephesians 4:5
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

Acts 22:16
16 Now, why delay? Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away, calling upon his name

Acts 2:38
38 Peter [said] to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.

Galatians 3:27
27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead

1 Corinthians 15:42
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown corruptible; it is raised incorruptible.

Colossians 2:12-13
12 You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And even when you were dead [in] transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions;

Romans 6:4-5
4 We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. 5 For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.

1 Thessalonians 4:16
4 We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. 5 For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.

and the life of the world to come.

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.

1 Thessalonians 5:9
9 For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ

2 Peter 3:13
13 But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Revelation 21:1
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

Amen. *

The Prayers of the Faithful, or General Intersessions

Here, the priest, deacon or lector proclaims “Let us pray”

Prayers of a general and specific nature are recited or read aloud such as:
“May our nation’s leaders be strong in their faith and govern our country with the peace of the Lord, ”

“Let us pray to the Lord”

1 Samuel 1:10
10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord, and wept bitterly.

1 Samuel 7:5
5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.

Or: “Lord in Your mercy”

Psalm 25:6
6 Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.

Psalm 119:77
77 Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.

Each time the people respond:

“Lord hear our prayer.”

Psalm 5:2
2 Listen to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you I pray.

Psalm 61:1
1 Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.

The Liturgy of the Eucharist

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For Catholics, the Eucharist is the source and summit of the whole Christian faith. It is the vital center of all that the Church is and does, because at its heart is the real presence of the crucified, risen and glorified Lord, continuing and making available his saving work among us. After we have affirmed our faith, the Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with a preparatory or offertory song. It is during this song that an offering is usually taken, and the priest begins preparation for the Eucharistic Liturgy.

During the Offertory Song the faithful usually express their participation by making an offering, bringing forward bread and wine for the celebration of the Eucharist and perhaps other gifts to relieve the needs of the Church and of the poor.

When he has received the bread and wine for the celebration, the Priest offers prayers of blessing quietly at the altar. Sometimes these prayers are said aloud.

"Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life."

Genesis 1:1
1 In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth...

Judith 9:12
12 Please, please, God of my father, God of the heritage of Israel, Lord of heaven and earth, Creator of the waters, King of all your creation, hear my prayer!

John 6:35
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.

The congregation responds: “Blessed be God forever.”

1 Chronicles 29:10
10 Then David blessed the LORD in the sight of the whole assembly. David said: “Blessed are you, LORD, God of Israel our father, from eternity to eternity.

Psalms 89:53
53 Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and amen!

"Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink."

Judith 9:12
12 Please, please, God of my father, God of the heritage of Israel, Lord of heaven and earth, Creator of the waters, King of all your creation, hear my prayer!

Genesis 14:18
18 Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High.

Luke 22:20
20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.

Again the congregation responds: “Blessed be God forever.”

The Priest completes additional personal preparatory rites, and the people rise as he says:

“Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.”

Daniel 3:39-40
39 But with contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received; As though it were burnt offerings of rams and bulls, or tens of thousands of fat lambs, 40 So let our sacrifice be in your presence today and find favor before you; for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.

To which we respond: “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.”

Psalms 50:23
23 Those who offer praise as a sacrifice honor me; I will let him whose way is steadfast look upon the salvation of God.”

The Eucharistic Prayer

The Eucharistic Prayer, the center and summit of the entire celebration is a memorial proclamation of praise and thanksgiving for God’s work of salvation, a proclamation in which the Body and Blood of Christ are made present by the power of the Holy Spirit and the people are joined to Christ in offering his Sacrifice to the Father.

Extending his hands, the Priest says:
The Lord be with you.

2 Corinthians 13:13
13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Spirit be with all of you.

1 Chronicles 22:11
11 “Now, my son, the LORD be with you, and may you succeed in building the house of the LORD your God, as he has said you shall.

Ephesians 1:2
2 grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:2
2 grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

To which the congregation responds with another Pauline address,
“And with your Spirit.”

2 Timothy 4:22
22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with all of you.

Galatians 6:18
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Philippians 4:23
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Philemon 1:25
25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

The Priest, raising his hands, continues:
Lift up your hearts.
The people respond:
We lift them up to the Lord.

Lamentations 3:41
41 Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands toward God in heaven!

The Priest, with hands extended, ads:
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
The people respond:
It is right and just.

1 Chronicles 16:8
8 Give thanks to the Lord, invoke his name; make known among the peoples his deeds.

Psalm 54:8
8 Then I will offer you generous sacrifice and give thanks to your name, Lord, for it is good.

Colossians 3:17
17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

1 Chronicles 16:34
34 Give thanks to the Lord, who is good, whose love endures forever;

Genesis 18:19
19 Indeed, I have singled him out that he may direct his children and his household in the future to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord may put into effect for Abraham the promises he made about him.

Proverbs 21:3
3 To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

The Priest continues with the Preface:

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Father most holy, through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, your Word through whom you made all things, whom you sent as our Savior and Redeemer, incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin. Fulfilling your will and gaining for you a holy people, he stretched out his hands as he endured his Passion, so as to break the bonds of death and manifest the resurrection. And so, with the Angels and all the Saints we declare your glory, as with one voice we acclaim:

Which is broken down scripturally as follows:

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,

Ezekiel 18:27
27 But if the wicked turn from the wickedness they did and do what is right and just, they save their lives;

Ezra 10:11-12
11 But now, give praise to the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will: separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women.” 12 In answer, the whole assembly cried out with a loud voice: “Yes, it is our duty to do as you say!

Ezekiel 33:16
16 None of the sins they committed shall be remembered against them. If they do what is right and just, they shall surely live.

always and everywhere to give you thanks,

1 Thessalonians 5:18
18 In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 30:5
5 Sing praise to the Lord, you faithful; give thanks to his holy memory.

Psalm 30:13
13 So that my glory may praise you and not be silent. O Lord, my God, forever will I give you thanks.

Father most holy,

John 17:11
11 And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are.

through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ,

Mark 1:11
11 And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

your Word through whom you made all things,

John 1:1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God

John 1:3-4
3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. 4 through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race;

Revelation 4:11
11 “Worthy are you, Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things; because of your will they came to be and were created.”

whom you sent as our Savior and Redeemer,

Jude 1:25
25 to the only God, our savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory, majesty, power, and authority from ages past, now, and for ages to come. Amen.

2 Timothy 1:10
10 but now made manifest through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel

incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin.

Luke 1:26
26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.

Luke 1:35
35 And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

Luke 2:7
7 and she gave birth to her firstborn son.[c] She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Fulfilling your will and gaining for you a holy people,

1 Peter 2:9
9 But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

2 Timothy 1:10
10 but now made manifest through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel

he stretched out his hands as he endured his Passion,

Luke 23:33
33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left.

Luke 23:46
46 Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed his last.

so as to break the bonds of death and manifest the resurrection.

Luke 24:6-7
6 He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.”

And so, with the Angels and all the Saints we declare your glory, as with one voice we acclaim:

Revelation 4:8
8 The four living creatures, each of them with six wings, were covered with eyes inside and out. Day and night they do not stop exclaiming: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.”

Revelation 7:11-15
11 All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, 12 and exclaimed: “Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?” 14 I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 “For this reason they stand before God’s throne and worship him day and night in his temple. The one who sits on the throne will shelter them.

All recite or sing:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Isaiah 6:3
3 One cried out to the other: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts! All the earth is filled with his glory!”

Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Mark 11:9-10
9 Those preceding him as well as those following kept crying out: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!”

The priest alone then recites:

You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.

Ephesians 4:24
24 and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.

Exodus 3:5
5 God said: Do not come near! Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.

Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, .

Hebrews 2:4
4 God added his testimony by signs, wonders, various acts of power, and distribution of the gifts of the holy Spirit according to his will.

so that they may become for us the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. .

1 Corinthians 11:23-25
23 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, 24 and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, .

Luke 22:41-43
41 After withdrawing about a stone’s throw from them and kneeling, he prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.” 43 And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him.

he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT, FOR THIS IS MY BODY, WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU. .

Matthew 26:26
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

Mark 14:22
22 While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.”

Luke 22:19
19 Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.”

In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and, once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying: TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT, FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD, THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT, WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME. .

Matthew 26:27-28
27 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.

Mark 14:23-24
23 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.

Luke 22:20
20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.

After the words of Consecration the priest says or may chant:

“The mystery of faith”

1 Timothy 3:9
9 holding fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

1 Timothy 3:13
13 Thus those who serve well as deacons gain good standing and much confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus. The Mystery of Our Religion.

The which the congregation responds in one of three ways depending on the preference of the Pastor and the music director; All three are acceptable:

Either:
We proclaim your Death, O Lord,
and profess your Resurrection
until you come again.

Romans 6:5
5 For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.

Or:
When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup,
we proclaim your Death, O Lord,
until you come again.

1 Corinthians 11:26
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

Or:
Save us, Savior of the world,
for by your Cross and Resurrection
you have set us free.

John 8:32
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Galatians 5:1
1 For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.

Then the Priest alone continues:

Therefore O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the Bread of life and the Chalice of salvation,

John 6:48
48 I am the bread of life.

1 Corinthians 11:26
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you.

Wisdom 3:5
5 Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself.

1 Thessalonians 2:12
12 exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you conduct yourselves as worthy of the God who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

Deuteronomy 10:8
8 At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister to him, and to bless in his name, as they have done to this day.

Humbly we pray that, partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 12:4-5
4 For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another.

1 Corinthians 10:17
17 Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

1 Corinthians 12:11
11 But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes. One Body, Many Parts.

Remember, Lord, your Church, spread throughout the world, and bring her to the fullness of charity, together with Francis our Pope and Robert (or other names appropriate to the time and location) our Bishop and all the clergy.

John 11:51-52
51 He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.

Remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection, and all who have died in your mercy: welcome them into the light of your face.

1 Thessalonians 4:14
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 1 Corinthians 15:20 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Psalm 4:7 7 Many say, “May we see better times! Lord, show us the light of your face!” Selah

Have mercy on us all, we pray, that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with the blessed Apostles, and all the Saints who have pleased you throughout the ages, we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life,

Psalm 119:58
58 I entreat you with all my heart: have mercy on me in accord with your promise.

Luke 1:35
35 And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

Revelation 5:8
8 When he took it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones. (the saints)

Matthew 19:29
29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life.

and may praise and glorify you through your Son, Jesus Christ.

Colossians 3:17
17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Matthew 5:16
16 Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.

At the conclusion of the Eucharistic Prayer the Priest takes the chalice and the paten with the host and, raising both, he alone says:

Through him, and with him, and in him,

John 1:3
3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be

John 1:4
4 through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race;

Mark 3:14
14 He appointed twelve [whom he also named apostles] that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach

John 6:56
56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.

O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, forever and ever.

All recite
Amen. or sing "the Great Amen"

1 Timothy 1:17
17 To the king of ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God, honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

The Communion Rite

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The eating and drinking together of the Lord’s Body and Blood in a Paschal meal is the culmination of the Eucharist. The themes underlying these rites are the mutual love and reconciliation that are both the condition and the fruit of worthy communion and the unity of the many in the One.

The congregation stands and the Priest says: At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:

and together with the entire congregation all recite:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Matthew 6:9-13
9 “This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread; 12 and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors 13 and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one.

The priest alone continues:
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

In Scripture:

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,

Matthew 6:13
13 and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one.

Psalm 79:9
9 Help us, God our savior, on account of the glory of your name. Deliver us, pardon our sins for your name’s sake.

graciously grant peace in our days,

Proverbs 3:2
2 For many days, and years of life, and peace, will they bring you.

Tobit 12:17
17 But Raphael said to them: “Do not fear; peace be with you! Bless God now and forever.

Psalm 4:9
9 In peace I will lie down and fall asleep, for you alone, Lord, make me secure.

that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress,

1 Kings 8:50
50 Forgive your people who have sinned against you and all the offenses they have committed against you, and grant them mercy in the sight of their captors, so that these will be merciful to them.

Psalm 25:7
7 Remember no more the sins of my youth; remember me according to your mercy, because of your goodness, Lord.

as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Titus 2:13
13 as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ,

The people conclude the prayer, acclaiming: "For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever.

Jude 1:25
25 to the only God, our savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory, majesty, power, and authority from ages past, now, and for ages to come. Amen.

Then the Priest alone says aloud:
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you,

John 14:27
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who live and reign for ever and ever.

Acts 16:5
5 Day after day the Churches grew stronger in faith and increased in number.

Psalm 106:1
1 Give thanks to the Lord, who is good, whose mercy endures forever.

Exodus 15:18
18 May the Lord reign forever and ever!

The people reply:
Amen. * (see above)

The Priest adds:
The peace of the Lord be with you always.

The people reply:
And with your spirit. * (see above)

The Deacon, or the Priest, adds:
Let us offer each other the sign of peace.

John 20:19, 21
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 [Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

Romans 16:16
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the Churches of Christ greet you.

And all offer one another the customary sign of peace: a handclasp or handshake, or other regional, socially acceptable form of greeting which is an expression of peace, communion, and charity.

After a short interval, allowing for the congregants to greet all those around them. The priest holds the host over the paten and breaks it into smaller pieces in imitation and in honor of Christ breaking the bread for the Apostles. He drops a small portion into the chalice and quietly says:
May this mingling of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.

John 6:51-54
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” 52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us [his] flesh to eat?” 53 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.

While he is doing this, the congregation recites or sings the Agnus Dei (Latin for "Lamb of God"). We ask Christ to have mercy on us and grant us peace as we recite or sing the words;

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

John 1:29
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

John 1:36
36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!”

Matthew 9:27
27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

Luke 17:13
13 they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

Leviticus 26:6
6 And I will grant peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and no one shall make you afraid; I will remove dangerous animals from the land, and no sword shall go through your land.

The Breaking of Bread

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After his private prayers of preparation the Priest genuflects, takes the host and, holding it slightly raised above the paten or above the chalice says aloud:

Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

John 1:29
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

John 1:36
36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!”

John 6:51-54
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” 52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us [his] flesh to eat?” 53 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats* my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.

1 Corinthians 11:29
29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.

And together with the people all reply:
“Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”

Matthew 8:8
8 The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.

Revelation 19:9
9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These words are true; they come from God.”

Communion

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After the priest has reverently consumed the Body and Blood of Christ the communicants come forward in reverent procession, and make a preparatory act of reverence by bowing their head in honor of Christ’s presence in the Sacrament. They receive Holy Communion standing. The Priest says: The Body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:16
16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?

Ephesians 4:12
12 to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

The communicant replies: Amen. * (see above)

When Communion is ministered under both kinds (bread and wine, body and blood) the minister of the Chalice raises it slightly and shows it to each of the communicants, saying: The Blood of Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:16
16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?

Hebrews 9:14
14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.

1 Peter 1:19
19 but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb.

The communicant receives the chalice into his hands and takes a small sip then replies: Amen. * (see above)

After the distribution of Communion, if appropriate, a sacred silence may be observed for a while, or a psalm or other canticle of praise or a hymn may be sung.

Prayer after Communion

Then, the Priest says: Let us pray.

Tobit 8:4
4 When Sarah’s parents left the bedroom and closed the door behind them, Tobiah rose from bed and said to his wife, “My sister, come, let us pray and beg our Lord to grant us mercy and protection.”

All stand and pray in silence. Then the Priest says the Prayer after Communion, at the end of which the people acclaim: Amen. * (see above) 

The Concluding Rites

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The brief Concluding Rite sends the people forth to put into effect in their daily lives the Mystery of Christ’s Death and Resurrection and the unity in Christ which they have celebrated. Their mission is to witness to Christ in the world and to bring the Gospel to the poor.

Any brief announcements to the people follow here.

Then the dismissal takes place. Sometimes this takes a more elaborate form than that given below, but in most ordinary days, the priest offers a blessing: The Lord be with you. or The Peace of the Lord be with you

The people reply: And with your spirit. * (see above)

The Priest blesses the people, saying: May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit as all perform the sign of the cross.

The people reply: Amen. * (see above)

Dismissal

Then the Deacon, or the Priest himself, says: Either:
Go forth, the Mass is ended.

Isaiah 55:12
12 Yes, in joy you shall go forth, in peace you shall be brought home; Mountains and hills shall break out in song before you, all trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Or:
Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.

Mark 16:15
15 He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.

Or:
Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.

2 Timothy, 4:1-5
1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: 2 proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. 3 For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers 4 and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths. 5 But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry.

Or:
Go in peace.

Luke 2:29
29 “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word,

The people reply: Thanks be to God.

1 Corinthians 15:57
57 But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 9:15
15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

As the priest, deacon and all celebrants and servers process out of the Church, a hymn or concluding song may be sung. Sometimes called a song of thanksgiving or the recessional. After the procession has exited the knave, or sanctuary, the people may begin to follow the procession out of the Church, hopefully singing the concluding song as they go.

In our example above (not counting the daily readings), there are references to 321 chapters and 344 verses in the Catholic Mass! There are indeed many more than this that can be found to support the content of the entire mass and of course, those numbers will vary depending on the season, the feast or the special mass. The Easter Vigil contains seven sets of scripture readings as well as the sacrament of confirmation and baptism!

Like Mary, ponder these things in your heart…

Luke 2:51
51 He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

 

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