SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
October 4th, 2015
External Solemnity of Our Lady of the Rosary
Epistle: Prov. 8:22-24,32-35
Gospel: Luke 1:26-38
Mon 5 No Latin Mass
Tues 6 St. Bruno, Confessor
Wed 7 Our Lady of the Rosary
Thu 8 St. Bridget of Sweden, Widow
Fri 9 St. John Leonardi, Confessor
Su 11 20th Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday, October 11th will be the final Sunday Mass in the Extraordinary Form will be offered at St. Agnes Cathedral. The Traditional Latin Mass will be moving to St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Ozark, MO beginning October 18, 2015. Fr. Scott Sunnenberg will be the new celebrant for the Latin Mass here in Springfield.
I have accepted a new assignment at SS. Peter and Paul Parish in Tulsa, OK. I will be offering Mass in both forms there. I will also assist with ministry to the school children and religious education students, youth groups, as well as hearing confessions and visiting hospitals. My duties will also include prison ministry and praying for deliverance for people who are suffering attacks by the devil. I ask that you keep me in your prayers as I begin this new assignment.
Sunday, October 25 is the feast of the Kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ. One may gain a plenary indulgence by the public recitation of the Act of Consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Showing posts with label Blessed Virgin Mary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blessed Virgin Mary. Show all posts
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Bulletin 274
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
September 20th, 2015
17th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: Eph. 4: 1-6
Gospel: Mt. 22: 34-46
Mon 21 No Latin Mass
Tues 22 St. Thomas of Villanova, Bishop & Confessor
Wed 23 Ember Wednesday
Thu 24 Our Lady of Ransom
Fri 25 Ember Friday
Our goal is this life should be to serve God perfectly. Faith is necessary in order to be saved. Hope is also necessary in order to have pure and right motives so as to please God in all our actions. But charity urges us to love God because He is infinitely good and He deserves to be loved.
Charity is a theological virtue that God infuses into our heart by which we learn to love Him with our whole heart and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. We must pray each day that we learn to love God above all things, even ourselves! To love God means being willing to lose fortune, good name, parents, friends, children, husband, wife, even our own life, rather than to lose God by committing a mortal sin.
Man was created to love God, therefore we can only find happiness in God alone. God alone is capable of satisfying us and making us truly happy. Turn to Him!
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
September 20th, 2015
17th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: Eph. 4: 1-6
Gospel: Mt. 22: 34-46
Mon 21 No Latin Mass
Tues 22 St. Thomas of Villanova, Bishop & Confessor
Wed 23 Ember Wednesday
Thu 24 Our Lady of Ransom
Fri 25 Ember Friday
Our goal is this life should be to serve God perfectly. Faith is necessary in order to be saved. Hope is also necessary in order to have pure and right motives so as to please God in all our actions. But charity urges us to love God because He is infinitely good and He deserves to be loved.
Charity is a theological virtue that God infuses into our heart by which we learn to love Him with our whole heart and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. We must pray each day that we learn to love God above all things, even ourselves! To love God means being willing to lose fortune, good name, parents, friends, children, husband, wife, even our own life, rather than to lose God by committing a mortal sin.
Man was created to love God, therefore we can only find happiness in God alone. God alone is capable of satisfying us and making us truly happy. Turn to Him!
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Bulletin 273
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
September 13th, 2015
16th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: Eph. 3:13-21
Gospel: Lk. 14: 1-11
Mon 14 No Latin Mass
Tues 15 Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Wed 16 SS. Cornelius * Pope & Cyprian * Martyrs
Thu 17 Stigmata of St. Francis
Fri 18 St. Joseph of Cupertino, Confessor
Did you know that Catholic Prayer in Latin is more powerful than in any other language?
This appears to be the opinion reached by certain members of the clergy, in particular exorcists. In the book " Hostage to the Devil " by Fr. Malachi Martin, an interesting comment is made by the author which sheds light on this particular point. On page 460 of the book, while explaining the Ritual of Exorcism, Fr. Martin goes on to say...." Nowadays part of the text - especially well known prayers- are sometimes prayed in the vernacular (German, English, French, etc.), but among exorcists as a class of Church Ministers, there seems to be a persuasion born from experience that the Latin Text has some special unction and disruptive value for Evil Spirit.” What this observation tells us is that the Rite of Exorcism when prayed in Latin has a more powerful effect in expelling demons. Why would this be so?
First, let's look at why the Catholic Church chose Latin as its Official Language. In the early days of the Church, communication between Rome and the rest of the Church was slow. Documents had to be translated into the different dialects for the various regions where Catholicism had spread to. Once translated they had to be written by hand because the printing press had yet to be invented. It was a time consuming process. In order to expedite communication something had to be done. Latin was the international language at the time and so it was the logical choice.
The Church then decreed that Latin would be its Official Language and anyone who was part of the Church would have to speak it. The Church chose Latin for practical reasons. Perhaps what the Church did not realize at the time was the effect that this decision would have on Catholic prayer. But why?
The answer can be found in the Gospel of Matthew (16:18-19) where we read ....." you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church...and whatsoever you shall bind on earth, shall be bound also in Heaven.” Therefore when His Church decreed that Latin would be the Mother Tongue of Catholicism it bound Latin in Heaven.
If this were not true then exorcists would not have noticed such a dramatic difference whenever they prayed the Ritual of Exorcism in Latin. Does this mean that as Catholics we must become fluent in Latin? No. But you will find that learning the basic Catholic prayers in Latin (as well as attending the Latin Mass) will have a profound effect & be spiritually profitable.
Start off by learning the shortest prayers (Sign of the Cross, Glory Be, Hail Mary, etc) , then move on to the rest (Our Father, Apostle's Creed, Latin Rosary, etc). We must emphasize that all Catholics should always pray with fervor & faith no matter which language they speak. But if you decide to take your prayer to another level then do so in Latin.
--- Regina Magazine
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
September 13th, 2015
16th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: Eph. 3:13-21
Gospel: Lk. 14: 1-11
Mon 14 No Latin Mass
Tues 15 Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Wed 16 SS. Cornelius * Pope & Cyprian * Martyrs
Thu 17 Stigmata of St. Francis
Fri 18 St. Joseph of Cupertino, Confessor
Did you know that Catholic Prayer in Latin is more powerful than in any other language?
This appears to be the opinion reached by certain members of the clergy, in particular exorcists. In the book " Hostage to the Devil " by Fr. Malachi Martin, an interesting comment is made by the author which sheds light on this particular point. On page 460 of the book, while explaining the Ritual of Exorcism, Fr. Martin goes on to say...." Nowadays part of the text - especially well known prayers- are sometimes prayed in the vernacular (German, English, French, etc.), but among exorcists as a class of Church Ministers, there seems to be a persuasion born from experience that the Latin Text has some special unction and disruptive value for Evil Spirit.” What this observation tells us is that the Rite of Exorcism when prayed in Latin has a more powerful effect in expelling demons. Why would this be so?
First, let's look at why the Catholic Church chose Latin as its Official Language. In the early days of the Church, communication between Rome and the rest of the Church was slow. Documents had to be translated into the different dialects for the various regions where Catholicism had spread to. Once translated they had to be written by hand because the printing press had yet to be invented. It was a time consuming process. In order to expedite communication something had to be done. Latin was the international language at the time and so it was the logical choice.
The Church then decreed that Latin would be its Official Language and anyone who was part of the Church would have to speak it. The Church chose Latin for practical reasons. Perhaps what the Church did not realize at the time was the effect that this decision would have on Catholic prayer. But why?
The answer can be found in the Gospel of Matthew (16:18-19) where we read ....." you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church...and whatsoever you shall bind on earth, shall be bound also in Heaven.” Therefore when His Church decreed that Latin would be the Mother Tongue of Catholicism it bound Latin in Heaven.
If this were not true then exorcists would not have noticed such a dramatic difference whenever they prayed the Ritual of Exorcism in Latin. Does this mean that as Catholics we must become fluent in Latin? No. But you will find that learning the basic Catholic prayers in Latin (as well as attending the Latin Mass) will have a profound effect & be spiritually profitable.
Start off by learning the shortest prayers (Sign of the Cross, Glory Be, Hail Mary, etc) , then move on to the rest (Our Father, Apostle's Creed, Latin Rosary, etc). We must emphasize that all Catholics should always pray with fervor & faith no matter which language they speak. But if you decide to take your prayer to another level then do so in Latin.
--- Regina Magazine
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Bulletin 272
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
September 6, 2015
15th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: Gal. 5:25,26; 6:1-10
Gospel: Luke 7:11-16
Mon 7 No Latin Mass
Tues 8 Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Wed 9 St. Gorgonius, Martyr
Thu 10 St. Nicholas of Tolentino, Confessor
Fri 11 SS. Protus & Hyacinth, Martyrs
We must love others in order to fulfill the law of Christ. This is the “New Commandment.” Jesus says: “By this you will be known, by the love you have for one another!” Part of loving others involves fraternal correction. We cannot stand idly by while others are sinning all around us. But we must do it will all gentleness and humility. We must always be conscious of our own weakness and personal shortcomings. St. Augustine says that we must never take issue with another's sin without first examining our own conscience. Self-knowledge leads us to humility. We must always act out of love. St. Paul says we must examine our own conscience in order to discover what really motivates our actions. We must strive to always act out of love for God.
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
September 6, 2015
15th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: Gal. 5:25,26; 6:1-10
Gospel: Luke 7:11-16
Mon 7 No Latin Mass
Tues 8 Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Wed 9 St. Gorgonius, Martyr
Thu 10 St. Nicholas of Tolentino, Confessor
Fri 11 SS. Protus & Hyacinth, Martyrs
We must love others in order to fulfill the law of Christ. This is the “New Commandment.” Jesus says: “By this you will be known, by the love you have for one another!” Part of loving others involves fraternal correction. We cannot stand idly by while others are sinning all around us. But we must do it will all gentleness and humility. We must always be conscious of our own weakness and personal shortcomings. St. Augustine says that we must never take issue with another's sin without first examining our own conscience. Self-knowledge leads us to humility. We must always act out of love. St. Paul says we must examine our own conscience in order to discover what really motivates our actions. We must strive to always act out of love for God.
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Bulletin 269
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
August 16th, 2015
12th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: II Cor. 3:4-9
Gospel: Lk. 10:23-27
NO LATIN MASS THIS WEEK. Fr. Fasching will be on retreat. The Latin Mass will resume on Sunday, August 23rd.
Join the Latin Mass community for a pot-luck dinner immediately following Sunday Mass on August 16th in the school cafeteria.
“Charity is patient, is kind...is not provoked to anger.” 1Cor. 13:4.5. Charity is never wearied and is never impatient with the ungrateful. It is not irritated when repulsed, but perseveres in loving and doing good. Charity should not look for gratitude. Even when coldness and hostility are encountered it should continue to give itself...all for love of God!
The characteristic of charity, according to Saint Paul, is that it does not permit itself to be “overcome by evil” but it “overcomes evil by good.” Rom. 12:21.
Charity is completely forgetful of self. The soul who truly loves God spends itself for its neighbor because love of God and love of neighbor are one and the same! Love of neighbor has its source in God!
“Teach me, O Lord, to love my neighbor even when not loved by him, to love him with no concern for my own benefit, but solely because You love me, solely to repay Your gratuitous love.” St. Catherine of Sienna.
Remember that our neighbor is every man, known or unknown, friend or enemy!
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
August 16th, 2015
12th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: II Cor. 3:4-9
Gospel: Lk. 10:23-27
NO LATIN MASS THIS WEEK. Fr. Fasching will be on retreat. The Latin Mass will resume on Sunday, August 23rd.
Join the Latin Mass community for a pot-luck dinner immediately following Sunday Mass on August 16th in the school cafeteria.
“Charity is patient, is kind...is not provoked to anger.” 1Cor. 13:4.5. Charity is never wearied and is never impatient with the ungrateful. It is not irritated when repulsed, but perseveres in loving and doing good. Charity should not look for gratitude. Even when coldness and hostility are encountered it should continue to give itself...all for love of God!
The characteristic of charity, according to Saint Paul, is that it does not permit itself to be “overcome by evil” but it “overcomes evil by good.” Rom. 12:21.
Charity is completely forgetful of self. The soul who truly loves God spends itself for its neighbor because love of God and love of neighbor are one and the same! Love of neighbor has its source in God!
“Teach me, O Lord, to love my neighbor even when not loved by him, to love him with no concern for my own benefit, but solely because You love me, solely to repay Your gratuitous love.” St. Catherine of Sienna.
Remember that our neighbor is every man, known or unknown, friend or enemy!
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Bulletin 268
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
August 9th, 2015
11th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: 1 Cor. 15:1-10
Gospel: Mk. 7:31-37
Mon 10 No Latin Mass
Tue 11 SS. Tiburtius & Susanna, Virgin, Martyrs
Wed 12 St. Clare, Virgin
Thu 13 SS. Hippolytus & Cassian, Martyrs
Fri 14 Vigil of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Join the Latin Mass community for a pot-luck dinner immediately following Sunday Mass on August 16th in the school cafeteria.
“Charity is patient, is kind...is not provoked to anger.” 1Cor. 13:4.5. Charity is never wearied and is never impatient with the ungrateful. It is not irritated when repulsed, but perseveres in loving and doing good. Charity should not look for gratitude. Even when coldness and hostility are encountered it should continue to give itself...all for love of God!
The characteristic of charity, according to Saint Paul, is that it does not permit itself to be “overcome by evil” but it “overcomes evil by good.” Rom. 12:21.
Charity is completely forgetful of self. The soul who truly loves God spends itself for its neighbor because love of God and love of neighbor are one and the same! Love of neighbor has its source in God!
“Teach me, O Lord, to love my neighbor even when not loved by him, to love him with no concern for my own benefit, but solely because You love me, solely to repay Your gratuitous love.” St. Catherine of Sienna.
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
August 9th, 2015
11th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: 1 Cor. 15:1-10
Gospel: Mk. 7:31-37
Mon 10 No Latin Mass
Tue 11 SS. Tiburtius & Susanna, Virgin, Martyrs
Wed 12 St. Clare, Virgin
Thu 13 SS. Hippolytus & Cassian, Martyrs
Fri 14 Vigil of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Join the Latin Mass community for a pot-luck dinner immediately following Sunday Mass on August 16th in the school cafeteria.
“Charity is patient, is kind...is not provoked to anger.” 1Cor. 13:4.5. Charity is never wearied and is never impatient with the ungrateful. It is not irritated when repulsed, but perseveres in loving and doing good. Charity should not look for gratitude. Even when coldness and hostility are encountered it should continue to give itself...all for love of God!
The characteristic of charity, according to Saint Paul, is that it does not permit itself to be “overcome by evil” but it “overcomes evil by good.” Rom. 12:21.
Charity is completely forgetful of self. The soul who truly loves God spends itself for its neighbor because love of God and love of neighbor are one and the same! Love of neighbor has its source in God!
“Teach me, O Lord, to love my neighbor even when not loved by him, to love him with no concern for my own benefit, but solely because You love me, solely to repay Your gratuitous love.” St. Catherine of Sienna.
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Bulletin 262
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
June 28, 2015
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: 1 Pet. 3: 8-15
Gospel: Mt. 5: 20-24
Mon 29--No Latin Mass
Tue 30--Requiem Mass + Thomas George
Wed 1---The Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ
The 2—Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Fri 3—Sacred Heart of Jesus
Effective Tuesday, June 30th 2015 the daily Mass in the Extraordinary Form will be at 6:30am. There will no longer be Mass in the Extraordinary Form at 12:15pm beginning on June 30th, 2015.
Father Fasching's schedule for the Sacrament of Penance effective Tuesday, June 30 2015 will be as follows:
Tuesday-11:30am-12:15pm
Thursday-11:30am-12:15pm
or by appointment
Congratulations to Father Joseph Kelly and his family! Father Kelly was ordained to the priesthood by His Excellency Bishop James V. Johnston on June 12th 2015. For priests who are young-impel them for Your glory, Lord...Continue to pray for vocations to the priesthood.
The Scriptures teach us that we are children of God. By virtue of our Baptism we have died to our old life of sin and risen to a new life in Jesus Christ! God has allowed us to participate in His own Divine nature! As children of God we are bound to live in union with one another. We must love God in our neighbor. St. Paul teaches us that we must have compassion for one another, living with all humility and mercy. If we are zealous in doing good we sanctify the Lord Jesus Christ in our hearts.
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
June 28, 2015
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: 1 Pet. 3: 8-15
Gospel: Mt. 5: 20-24
Mon 29--No Latin Mass
Tue 30--Requiem Mass + Thomas George
Wed 1---The Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ
The 2—Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Fri 3—Sacred Heart of Jesus
Effective Tuesday, June 30th 2015 the daily Mass in the Extraordinary Form will be at 6:30am. There will no longer be Mass in the Extraordinary Form at 12:15pm beginning on June 30th, 2015.
Father Fasching's schedule for the Sacrament of Penance effective Tuesday, June 30 2015 will be as follows:
Tuesday-11:30am-12:15pm
Thursday-11:30am-12:15pm
or by appointment
Congratulations to Father Joseph Kelly and his family! Father Kelly was ordained to the priesthood by His Excellency Bishop James V. Johnston on June 12th 2015. For priests who are young-impel them for Your glory, Lord...Continue to pray for vocations to the priesthood.
The Scriptures teach us that we are children of God. By virtue of our Baptism we have died to our old life of sin and risen to a new life in Jesus Christ! God has allowed us to participate in His own Divine nature! As children of God we are bound to live in union with one another. We must love God in our neighbor. St. Paul teaches us that we must have compassion for one another, living with all humility and mercy. If we are zealous in doing good we sanctify the Lord Jesus Christ in our hearts.
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Bulletin 259
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
June 7, 2015
External Solemnity of Corpus Christi
Epistle: 1Cor. 11: 23-29
Gospel: Jn. 6: 56-59
Mon 8 -- No Latin Mass
Tue 9 – Feria
Wed 10 – Requiem Mass + Fr. Peter Gaudient
Thu 11 – Saint Barnabus * Apostle
Fri 12 – Sacred Heart of Jesus—Mass @ 6:30am.
Would you like to learn more about spiritual warfare and the Catholic Church's role in it? Join me and Fr. Chad Ripperger, PhD, from the Diocese of Tulsa, OK on June 5th 6th and 7th 2015. Fr. Ripperger is a Theologian, Thomistic Psychologist, Philosopher, Seminary Professor and Author. Fr. Ripperger will be speaking here at St. Agnes Cathedral (Pallotti Center) the first weekend in June. Topics will include:
--Spiritual Warfare
--Magisterial Authority and the Binding Force of Tradition
Lectures to be presented on:
--Friday @ 6:00pm--Traditions of the Liturgy
--Saturday @ 10:00am—Binding Force of Tradition
--Saturday @ 1:30pm ---Magisterial Authority and Related Virtues
--Saturday @ 6:00pm ---Spiritual Warfare Part I
--Sunday @ 10:00am ---Spiritual Warfare Part II
Deacon Joseph Kelly will be ordained to the priesthood by His Excellency Bishop James V. Johnston on Friday, June 12 @ 6:00pm here at St. Agnes Cathedral...Kindly keep Deacon Kelly in your prayers. Fr. Kelly will offer his first Mass on Saturday, June 13 @ 9:00am here at St. Agnes. As Father Joseph Kelly he will also offer a Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form on Sunday, June 14, 2015 at 2:30pm here at St. Agnes Cathedral...JOIN US!
There will be a pot-luck dinner following Fr. Kelly's Solemn High Mass in the school cafeteria.
There will be a procession with the Blessed Sacrament following Corpus Christi Mass on June 7 @ 2:30pm concluding with benediction.
May Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, be praised, adored and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time!
O Sacrament most holy! O Sacrament divine! All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine!
“Hidden God, devoutly I adore Thee, truly present beneath these veils: all my heart subdues itself before Thee, since all before Thee faints and fails.” (Adoro Te Devote).
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
June 7, 2015
External Solemnity of Corpus Christi
Epistle: 1Cor. 11: 23-29
Gospel: Jn. 6: 56-59
Mon 8 -- No Latin Mass
Tue 9 – Feria
Wed 10 – Requiem Mass + Fr. Peter Gaudient
Thu 11 – Saint Barnabus * Apostle
Fri 12 – Sacred Heart of Jesus—Mass @ 6:30am.
Would you like to learn more about spiritual warfare and the Catholic Church's role in it? Join me and Fr. Chad Ripperger, PhD, from the Diocese of Tulsa, OK on June 5th 6th and 7th 2015. Fr. Ripperger is a Theologian, Thomistic Psychologist, Philosopher, Seminary Professor and Author. Fr. Ripperger will be speaking here at St. Agnes Cathedral (Pallotti Center) the first weekend in June. Topics will include:
--Spiritual Warfare
--Magisterial Authority and the Binding Force of Tradition
Lectures to be presented on:
--Friday @ 6:00pm--Traditions of the Liturgy
--Saturday @ 10:00am—Binding Force of Tradition
--Saturday @ 1:30pm ---Magisterial Authority and Related Virtues
--Saturday @ 6:00pm ---Spiritual Warfare Part I
--Sunday @ 10:00am ---Spiritual Warfare Part II
Deacon Joseph Kelly will be ordained to the priesthood by His Excellency Bishop James V. Johnston on Friday, June 12 @ 6:00pm here at St. Agnes Cathedral...Kindly keep Deacon Kelly in your prayers. Fr. Kelly will offer his first Mass on Saturday, June 13 @ 9:00am here at St. Agnes. As Father Joseph Kelly he will also offer a Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form on Sunday, June 14, 2015 at 2:30pm here at St. Agnes Cathedral...JOIN US!
There will be a pot-luck dinner following Fr. Kelly's Solemn High Mass in the school cafeteria.
There will be a procession with the Blessed Sacrament following Corpus Christi Mass on June 7 @ 2:30pm concluding with benediction.
May Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, be praised, adored and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time!
O Sacrament most holy! O Sacrament divine! All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine!
“Hidden God, devoutly I adore Thee, truly present beneath these veils: all my heart subdues itself before Thee, since all before Thee faints and fails.” (Adoro Te Devote).
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Bulletin 258
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
May 31, 2015
Trinity Sunday
Epistle: Rom. 11:33-36
Gospel: Mt. 28:18-20
Mon 1 -- No Latin Mass
Tue 2 – Feria
Wed 3 – Requiem Mass + Frank Misso
Thu 4 – Corpus Christi
Fri 5 – Sacred Heart of Jesus
Would you like to learn more about spiritual warfare and the Catholic Church's role in it? Join me and Fr. Chad Ripperger, PhD, from the Diocese of Tulsa, OK on June 5th 6th and 7th 2015. Fr. Ripperger is a Theologian, Thomistic Psychologist, Philosopher, Seminary Professor and Author. Fr. Ripperger will be speaking here at St. Agnes Cathedral (Pallotti Center) the first weekend in June. Topics will include:
--Spiritual Warfare
--Magisterial Authority and the Binding Force of Tradition
Lectures to be presented on:
--Friday @ 6:00pm--Traditions of the Liturgy
--Saturday @ 10:00am—Binding Force of Tradition
--Saturday @ 1:30pm ---Magisterial Authority and Related Virtues
--Saturday @ 6:00pm ---Spiritual Warfare Part I
--Sunday @ 10:00am ---Spiritual Warfare Part II
Now is the season after Pentecost! It begins with the Feast of the Blessed Trinity and is the longest of the Liturgical year. In this last part of the ecclesiastical year, the Church, guided by the Holy Ghost, continues the work of Redemption...”The Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind whatsoever I shall have said to you.”
This last season of the Liturgical Year is filled with feasts of major importance: those of the Blessed Trinity, Corpus Christi, the Sacred Heart, the Assumption and Nativity of Our Lady, All Saints and All Souls!
“Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen!”
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
May 31, 2015
Trinity Sunday
Epistle: Rom. 11:33-36
Gospel: Mt. 28:18-20
Mon 1 -- No Latin Mass
Tue 2 – Feria
Wed 3 – Requiem Mass + Frank Misso
Thu 4 – Corpus Christi
Fri 5 – Sacred Heart of Jesus
Would you like to learn more about spiritual warfare and the Catholic Church's role in it? Join me and Fr. Chad Ripperger, PhD, from the Diocese of Tulsa, OK on June 5th 6th and 7th 2015. Fr. Ripperger is a Theologian, Thomistic Psychologist, Philosopher, Seminary Professor and Author. Fr. Ripperger will be speaking here at St. Agnes Cathedral (Pallotti Center) the first weekend in June. Topics will include:
--Spiritual Warfare
--Magisterial Authority and the Binding Force of Tradition
Lectures to be presented on:
--Friday @ 6:00pm--Traditions of the Liturgy
--Saturday @ 10:00am—Binding Force of Tradition
--Saturday @ 1:30pm ---Magisterial Authority and Related Virtues
--Saturday @ 6:00pm ---Spiritual Warfare Part I
--Sunday @ 10:00am ---Spiritual Warfare Part II
Now is the season after Pentecost! It begins with the Feast of the Blessed Trinity and is the longest of the Liturgical year. In this last part of the ecclesiastical year, the Church, guided by the Holy Ghost, continues the work of Redemption...”The Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind whatsoever I shall have said to you.”
This last season of the Liturgical Year is filled with feasts of major importance: those of the Blessed Trinity, Corpus Christi, the Sacred Heart, the Assumption and Nativity of Our Lady, All Saints and All Souls!
“Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen!”
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Bulletin 253
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
April 26, 2015
Third Sunday After Easter
Epistle: 1 Pet. 2: 11-19
Gospel: Jn. 16: 16-22
Mon 27 -- No Latin Mass
Tue 28 – Saint Paul of the Cross, Confessor
Wed 29 – Saint Peter of Verona, Martyr
Thu 30 – Saint Catherine of Sienna, Virgin
Fri 1 – Saint Joseph the Workman—No Latin Mass
Saint Agnes Cathedral celebrates First Holy Communion Mass on Sunday, May 3rd at 2:00pm.
The Latin Mass on Sunday, May 3rd will be at 7:00pm.
We must stay true to the faith even when pagans criticize us! Enemies of the Church want to insult us and cause us to suffer! We must lead exemplary lives so as to be a good example to all. “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt 5:16). When we give good example we draw souls closer to God. “There would be no need for preaching if our lives were beacons of virtue-no call for words if we had deeds to show.” (St. John Chrysostom).
The saint says that there would be no pagans if we were truly Christians—if we kept Christ's commandments, if we put up with unjust treatment and deception, if we blessed those who cursed us, if we returned good for evil. “No one would be such a monster not to embrace the true religion immediately if we really lived like that” (Hom. On 1Tim, 10).
Our evil inclinations wage war against our souls says St. Peter. It takes constant effort and prayer to conquer our passions and overcome temptation! We cannot be humble without being despised. We cannot be chaste without mortifying our bodies. We cannot be patient unless we are willing to allow people to offend us. We cannot acquire virtues without the effort it involves to live them! Holiness is a battle!
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeff Fasching
April 26, 2015
Third Sunday After Easter
Epistle: 1 Pet. 2: 11-19
Gospel: Jn. 16: 16-22
Mon 27 -- No Latin Mass
Tue 28 – Saint Paul of the Cross, Confessor
Wed 29 – Saint Peter of Verona, Martyr
Thu 30 – Saint Catherine of Sienna, Virgin
Fri 1 – Saint Joseph the Workman—No Latin Mass
Saint Agnes Cathedral celebrates First Holy Communion Mass on Sunday, May 3rd at 2:00pm.
The Latin Mass on Sunday, May 3rd will be at 7:00pm.
We must stay true to the faith even when pagans criticize us! Enemies of the Church want to insult us and cause us to suffer! We must lead exemplary lives so as to be a good example to all. “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt 5:16). When we give good example we draw souls closer to God. “There would be no need for preaching if our lives were beacons of virtue-no call for words if we had deeds to show.” (St. John Chrysostom).
The saint says that there would be no pagans if we were truly Christians—if we kept Christ's commandments, if we put up with unjust treatment and deception, if we blessed those who cursed us, if we returned good for evil. “No one would be such a monster not to embrace the true religion immediately if we really lived like that” (Hom. On 1Tim, 10).
Our evil inclinations wage war against our souls says St. Peter. It takes constant effort and prayer to conquer our passions and overcome temptation! We cannot be humble without being despised. We cannot be chaste without mortifying our bodies. We cannot be patient unless we are willing to allow people to offend us. We cannot acquire virtues without the effort it involves to live them! Holiness is a battle!
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Bulletin 248
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
March 22nd, 2015
Passion Sunday
Epistle: Heb. 9: 11-15
Gospel: Jn. 8: 46-59
Mon 23-- No Latin Mass
Tue 24 Feria of Passiontide
Wed 25 Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Thu 26 Feria of Passiontide
Fri 27 Feria of Passiontide
Stations of the Cross will be prayed after Mass on Fridays during Lent.
On each of the Fridays of Lent, a plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who, after Communion, recite the “Prayer Before a Crucifix.”
The next potluck will be on Divine Mercy Sunday-April 12th.
St. John teaches that sin is the death of the soul and sanctifying grace is life. To attain eternal life we must do penance for our sins. John the Baptist preached penance in the wilderness. Even if by God's grace we have recognized our sins and made a good confession, there still remains an obligation to make satisfaction to God for the offenses we committed against Him by sinning.
Always carry out the penance imposed upon you by your confessor. Try to do much more than he assigns. We must pray, fast, give alms and make use of our indulgences. We must do our penance as soon as possible.
It is a sin to neglect carrying out our penance! If we feel indifferent to doing penance, pray! Consider the Passion of Jesus Christ and all He has merited for us!
The following are announcements from the Office of Vocations regarding discernment opportunities for young men.
Quo Vadis-Kenrick-Glennon Seminary April 10-11, 2015
An opportunity for young men discerning a call to the priesthood or just
want to learn more about the priesthood to visit a local seminary, listen and interact with seminarians.
Exploring Priesthood Weekend—April 17-19, 2015
Is a retreat designed to help men discern God's call to the diocesan priesthood. To be called by God to serve Him as a priest means to have one's soul stirred deep within. Throughout a weekend of prayer, discussion and group interaction, men begin to better understand God's movement in their life. Exploring priesthood weekends are held at Mundelein Seminary.
Discernment Retreat for College age men—April 24-26, 2015 at Meinrad Seminary in Indiana.
Encounter with God's call—April 18-20, 2015 at Conception Seminary College--for young men 16 and under who are considering a vocation to the priesthood.
For more information, please contact Fr. Patrick Nwokoye, Director of Vocation Promotion at 573-200-1814—email: pnwokoye@dioscg.org or Fr. J. Friedel, Director of Vocations/Seminarians, at jfriedel@dioscg.org.
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
March 22nd, 2015
Passion Sunday
Epistle: Heb. 9: 11-15
Gospel: Jn. 8: 46-59
Mon 23-- No Latin Mass
Tue 24 Feria of Passiontide
Wed 25 Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Thu 26 Feria of Passiontide
Fri 27 Feria of Passiontide
Stations of the Cross will be prayed after Mass on Fridays during Lent.
On each of the Fridays of Lent, a plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who, after Communion, recite the “Prayer Before a Crucifix.”
The next potluck will be on Divine Mercy Sunday-April 12th.
St. John teaches that sin is the death of the soul and sanctifying grace is life. To attain eternal life we must do penance for our sins. John the Baptist preached penance in the wilderness. Even if by God's grace we have recognized our sins and made a good confession, there still remains an obligation to make satisfaction to God for the offenses we committed against Him by sinning.
Always carry out the penance imposed upon you by your confessor. Try to do much more than he assigns. We must pray, fast, give alms and make use of our indulgences. We must do our penance as soon as possible.
It is a sin to neglect carrying out our penance! If we feel indifferent to doing penance, pray! Consider the Passion of Jesus Christ and all He has merited for us!
The following are announcements from the Office of Vocations regarding discernment opportunities for young men.
Quo Vadis-Kenrick-Glennon Seminary April 10-11, 2015
An opportunity for young men discerning a call to the priesthood or just
want to learn more about the priesthood to visit a local seminary, listen and interact with seminarians.
Exploring Priesthood Weekend—April 17-19, 2015
Is a retreat designed to help men discern God's call to the diocesan priesthood. To be called by God to serve Him as a priest means to have one's soul stirred deep within. Throughout a weekend of prayer, discussion and group interaction, men begin to better understand God's movement in their life. Exploring priesthood weekends are held at Mundelein Seminary.
Discernment Retreat for College age men—April 24-26, 2015 at Meinrad Seminary in Indiana.
Encounter with God's call—April 18-20, 2015 at Conception Seminary College--for young men 16 and under who are considering a vocation to the priesthood.
For more information, please contact Fr. Patrick Nwokoye, Director of Vocation Promotion at 573-200-1814—email: pnwokoye@dioscg.org or Fr. J. Friedel, Director of Vocations/Seminarians, at jfriedel@dioscg.org.
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Bulletin 246
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
March 8th 2015
Third Sunday of Lent
Epistle: Eph. 5: 1-9
Gospel: Lk. 11: 14-28
Mon 9-- No Latin Mass
Tue 10 Feria of Lent
Wed 11 Feria of Lent
Thu 12 Feria of Lent
Fri 13 Feria of Lent
Stations of the Cross will be prayed after Mass on Fridays during Lent.
On each of the Fridays of Lent, a plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who, after Communion, recite the “Prayer Before a Crucifix.”
Zeal for my Father’s house has eaten my up, says Jesus Christ (psalm 69). Our Lord cannot tolerate disorder or anything unbecoming in His Holy Sanctuary. The Church is a House of Prayer and the palace of the King of Kings. We should have a jealous care of the cleanliness of the table of the altar. It is the throne on which the Divine Majesty descends! We must guard the purity of the holy vessels which will touch the Immaculate Lamb, and the decency of the vestments which must cover Christ in the person of His priest while the Holy Sacrifice is being offered. Those priests who truly love Jesus Christ perform with dignity and with great reverence the slightest ceremonies of the Sacred Liturgy. They do it with attention, with mind and heart united with Christ, the High Priest.
When a priest offers the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, heaven itself bends down toward him with reverence and gratitude. The angels and the Blessed surround Christ’s priests with veneration and urge them to offer the Divine Victim. They pray that we unite their adoration with that of the Sacred Host which the priest holds in his hands. The Blessed Virgin Mary herself, the Queen of all priests, is present each day at the Holy Sacrifice. She is happy to renew, thanks to her priests, the offering of her Son which she once made in tears at the foot of the Cross.
Your are invited to join myself and Father Justin Nolan, FSSP, associate pastor of Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne parish in Kansas City, who will be visiting St. Agnes on Friday, March 13. He will give a talk entitled, "The Liturgical Principles of the Mass: The Most Beautiful Thing This Side of Heaven". There will be a meet and greet with Fr. Nolan at 4 pm, followed by a potluck dinner at 5 pm. Fr. Nolan's talk begins at 6 pm. The event will be held in the school cafeteria. All are welcome!
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
March 8th 2015
Third Sunday of Lent
Epistle: Eph. 5: 1-9
Gospel: Lk. 11: 14-28
Mon 9-- No Latin Mass
Tue 10 Feria of Lent
Wed 11 Feria of Lent
Thu 12 Feria of Lent
Fri 13 Feria of Lent
Stations of the Cross will be prayed after Mass on Fridays during Lent.
On each of the Fridays of Lent, a plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who, after Communion, recite the “Prayer Before a Crucifix.”
Zeal for my Father’s house has eaten my up, says Jesus Christ (psalm 69). Our Lord cannot tolerate disorder or anything unbecoming in His Holy Sanctuary. The Church is a House of Prayer and the palace of the King of Kings. We should have a jealous care of the cleanliness of the table of the altar. It is the throne on which the Divine Majesty descends! We must guard the purity of the holy vessels which will touch the Immaculate Lamb, and the decency of the vestments which must cover Christ in the person of His priest while the Holy Sacrifice is being offered. Those priests who truly love Jesus Christ perform with dignity and with great reverence the slightest ceremonies of the Sacred Liturgy. They do it with attention, with mind and heart united with Christ, the High Priest.
When a priest offers the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, heaven itself bends down toward him with reverence and gratitude. The angels and the Blessed surround Christ’s priests with veneration and urge them to offer the Divine Victim. They pray that we unite their adoration with that of the Sacred Host which the priest holds in his hands. The Blessed Virgin Mary herself, the Queen of all priests, is present each day at the Holy Sacrifice. She is happy to renew, thanks to her priests, the offering of her Son which she once made in tears at the foot of the Cross.
Your are invited to join myself and Father Justin Nolan, FSSP, associate pastor of Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne parish in Kansas City, who will be visiting St. Agnes on Friday, March 13. He will give a talk entitled, "The Liturgical Principles of the Mass: The Most Beautiful Thing This Side of Heaven". There will be a meet and greet with Fr. Nolan at 4 pm, followed by a potluck dinner at 5 pm. Fr. Nolan's talk begins at 6 pm. The event will be held in the school cafeteria. All are welcome!
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Monday, March 2, 2015
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
Zeal for my Father’s house has eaten my up, says Jesus Christ (psalm 69). Our Lord cannot tolerate disorder or anything unbecoming in His Holy Sanctuary. The Church is a House of Prayer and the palace of the King of Kings. We should have a jealous care of the cleanliness of the table of the altar. It is the throne on which the Divine Majesty descends! We must guard the purity of the holy vessels which will touch the Immaculate Lamb, and the decency of the vestments which must cover Christ in the person of His priest while the Holy Sacrifice is being offered. Those priests who truly love Jesus Christ perform with dignity and with great reverence the slightest ceremonies of the Sacred Liturgy. They do it with attention, with mind and heart united with Christ, the High Priest.
When a priest offers the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, heaven itself bends down toward him with reverence and gratitude. The angels and the Blessed surround Christ’s priests with veneration and urge them to offer the Divine Victim. They pray that we unite their adoration with that of the Sacred Host which the priest holds in his hands. The Blessed Virgin Mary herself, the Queen of all priests, is present each day at the Holy Sacrifice. She is happy to renew, thanks to her priests, the offering of her Son which she once made in tears at the foot of the Cross.
Your are invited to join myself and Father Justin Nolan, FSSP, associate pastor of Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne parish in Kansas City, who will be visiting St. Agnes on Friday, March 13. He will give a talk entitled, "The Liturgical Principles of the Mass: The Most Beautiful Thing This Side of Heaven". There will be a meet and greet with Fr. Nolan at 4 pm, followed by a potluck dinner at 5 pm. Fr. Nolan's talk begins at 6 pm. The event will be held in the school cafeteria. All are welcome!
In Christ,
Fr. Jeff Fasching
When a priest offers the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, heaven itself bends down toward him with reverence and gratitude. The angels and the Blessed surround Christ’s priests with veneration and urge them to offer the Divine Victim. They pray that we unite their adoration with that of the Sacred Host which the priest holds in his hands. The Blessed Virgin Mary herself, the Queen of all priests, is present each day at the Holy Sacrifice. She is happy to renew, thanks to her priests, the offering of her Son which she once made in tears at the foot of the Cross.
Your are invited to join myself and Father Justin Nolan, FSSP, associate pastor of Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne parish in Kansas City, who will be visiting St. Agnes on Friday, March 13. He will give a talk entitled, "The Liturgical Principles of the Mass: The Most Beautiful Thing This Side of Heaven". There will be a meet and greet with Fr. Nolan at 4 pm, followed by a potluck dinner at 5 pm. Fr. Nolan's talk begins at 6 pm. The event will be held in the school cafeteria. All are welcome!
In Christ,
Fr. Jeff Fasching
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Bulletin 245
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
March 1st, 2015
Second Sunday of Lent
Epistle: 1 Thess. 4: 1-7
Gospel: Mt. 17: 1-9
Mon 2-- No Latin Mass
Tue 3 Feria of Lent-- No Latin Mass
Wed 4 Feria of Lent
Thu 5 Feria of Lent
Fri 6 Sacred Heart of Jesus
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament followed by benediction after Mass on March 6th.
Stations of the Cross will be prayed after Mass on Fridays during Lent.
The next pot luck is scheduled for Sunday, March 1st immediately following the 2:30pm Latin Mass.
On each of the Fridays of Lent, a plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who, after Communion, recite the “Prayer Before a Crucifix.”
After entering into Paradise, the Blessed will have no more sorrows. “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” “And death shall be no more, nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow, shall be any more, for the former things are passed away.” And He that sat on the throne, said: “Behold, I make all things new.” Rev. 21:5.
In Paradise, death and the fear of death are no more. There are no more sorrows, no infirmities, no poverty and no inconveniences. There are no persecutions and no envy. Each rejoices at the happiness of others as if it were his own. There is no more fear of eternal perdition. The soul is confirmed in grace. It cannot sin and cannot lose God!
All these are nothing, however, compared with seeing and loving God face to face. God Himself, whom the saints are allowed to behold, is the principal reward of the just in heaven. We must therefore bear with courage our current sufferings. They are nothing in order to gain heaven. “Your sorrow will be turned into joy.” John 16:20.
We must now love God and work for heaven. The saints wait for us. Mary expects us. Jesus Christ expects us. He holds a crown for each of us!
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
March 1st, 2015
Second Sunday of Lent
Epistle: 1 Thess. 4: 1-7
Gospel: Mt. 17: 1-9
Mon 2-- No Latin Mass
Tue 3 Feria of Lent-- No Latin Mass
Wed 4 Feria of Lent
Thu 5 Feria of Lent
Fri 6 Sacred Heart of Jesus
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament followed by benediction after Mass on March 6th.
Stations of the Cross will be prayed after Mass on Fridays during Lent.
The next pot luck is scheduled for Sunday, March 1st immediately following the 2:30pm Latin Mass.
On each of the Fridays of Lent, a plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who, after Communion, recite the “Prayer Before a Crucifix.”
After entering into Paradise, the Blessed will have no more sorrows. “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” “And death shall be no more, nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow, shall be any more, for the former things are passed away.” And He that sat on the throne, said: “Behold, I make all things new.” Rev. 21:5.
In Paradise, death and the fear of death are no more. There are no more sorrows, no infirmities, no poverty and no inconveniences. There are no persecutions and no envy. Each rejoices at the happiness of others as if it were his own. There is no more fear of eternal perdition. The soul is confirmed in grace. It cannot sin and cannot lose God!
All these are nothing, however, compared with seeing and loving God face to face. God Himself, whom the saints are allowed to behold, is the principal reward of the just in heaven. We must therefore bear with courage our current sufferings. They are nothing in order to gain heaven. “Your sorrow will be turned into joy.” John 16:20.
We must now love God and work for heaven. The saints wait for us. Mary expects us. Jesus Christ expects us. He holds a crown for each of us!
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Mary Conceived Without Sin
The Immaculate Conception
Mary -- Conceived without Sin
This is probably the most misunderstood doctrine among non-Catholics. Even some Catholics don't understand it. To be clear, let's define it. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is a dogma, meaning that is is a required belief of all Catholics. In other words, if you don't believe in the Immaculate Conception, then technically speaking, you're not really Catholic. It is defined as the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was herself conceived without the stain of original sin.
Some Protestants contend that the doctrine is "unbiblical," that it "deifies Mary as a goddess," and "diminishes the role of Christ in the redemption of humanity." Such contention is unwarranted, and a little paranoid, as I'll demonstrate below.
The stain of original sin was defined by St. Augustine as the mark of sin inherited by all people from the time of their conception. This means that when the first humans (Adam and Eve) sinned against God, they did so before any of their children were born. Because of this, all children conceived after their sin (i.e. the whole human race), would inherent the stain of the sin they committed. The sin they committed was one of selfishness and rebellion against God. The stain of this sin penetrated all the way through their souls to the flesh itself -- staining it and corrupting it. Thus, all children born of their flesh would inherit this stain of original sin. Think of it as a hereditary trait. It is manifested in the form of pride, selfishness and rebellion. It creates in people the desire to commit various sins: lying, cheating, stealing, lust, rage, etc. It can be seen from the earliest ages of childhood. Every time a small child acts in a selfish way, or becomes rebellious toward his parents, he demonstrates the stain of original sin in his own mind and body. God designed human beings to be totally selfless, giving, and obedient creatures. But this does not describe the human race today. That's because the stain of original sin, inherited from our first parents (Adam and Eve), has twisted and corrupting what God has created. Instead of being selfless, we are selfish. Instead of being giving, we are greedy. Instead of being obedient, we are rebellious. Such is the nature of our fallen human race. Now many Protestants think of original sin as a type of depravity -- moral corruption or innate wickedness -- as if people are "evil" at their core. Catholics tend to see original sin more as deprivation than depravity -- meaning that original sin deprives human beings of what they need to be holy. The desire to be loving and selfless is there, but the deprivation of original sin makes that impossible to achieve on our own.
God cannot tolerate sin, and it must be dealt with. Before mankind can be restored to God, we must first be freed of the original sin that stains and deprives us. This is the reason why God sent Jesus Christ (God made flesh) into the world. His sacrificial death on the cross frees us from all sin, including original sin. But in order for this sacrifice to be atoning for the human race, it must come from a member of the human race. Only a perfect and spotless human being can undo the damage done by our first parents. A perfect duplicate (or copy) of a human being wouldn't be enough. This spotless sacrifice must be a direct descendant of the sinful human race, and he must be divine himself, so that he may atone for all human sins, not just the first one. Protestant Christians understand this concept very well, and teach it in their churches. They know that Jesus must atone for all the sins of the world, and they know he is fully human as well as fully divine. In this sense, Protestants are very "Catholic" in their thinking. What they often fail to consider is that the flesh of Jesus Christ must be truly descended from the sinful human race in order for Jesus to be truly "one of us." If God created a whole new body in Mary's womb from "the dust of the earth" so to speak, essentially a copy of humanity, totally separate from any sinful human genetics, he really wouldn't be human at all. He would be a whole new race, entirely separate from the human race, and completely disconnected from the rest of humanity. He might look like us, but he wouldn't really be "one of us." In order for Jesus Christ to truly be "one of us," he would have to be genetically linked to the human race, and since Jesus only has one biological parent, there is only one person through whom that link can be made. That person is the Blessed Virgin Mary.
When Jesus was miraculously conceived inside Mary's womb, at the time of the annunciation by the Angel Gabriel, his human genetic make-up came directly from her. True, his divine nature came directly from the Godhead, but his human nature came from Mary. So Mary is the human genetic link between Jesus Christ (God made flesh) and mankind. There is only one problem. If Mary's flesh was stained with original sin (like the rest of us), than Jesus would have inherited that same original sin nature. Yet the Scriptures clearly tell us that Jesus was without sin. So we have a theological problem. How could Jesus' flesh and blood be "without sin" if he inherited his human flesh and blood from Mary? Granted, he is God, so he can do whatever he wants, but he chose to do it a certain way that was fitting to his desire. Enter the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception.
From the earliest times, Christians have always believed that Mary was immaculate -- meaning perfect and without sin....
"He (Jesus) was the ark formed of incorruptible wood (Mary). For by this is signified that His tabernacle (body) was exempt from putridity and corruption (sin)." -- (Hippolytus, AD 235)
"This Virgin Mother of the Only-begotten of God, is called Mary, worthy of God, immaculate of the immaculate, one of the one." -- (Origen, AD 244)
The idea here is that God miraculously preserved Mary from original sin from the time of her first existence (i.e. conception). The idea comes from the Holy Scripture in which the Angel Gabriel says to Mary: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you." -- (Luke 1:28) The phrase "full of grace" is a translation of the Greek word kecharitomene. It expresses a characteristic quality of Mary that is unique. The traditional translation, "full of grace," is better than the one found in many recent English versions of the New Testament, which give something along the lines of "highly favoured one." Mary was indeed a highly favoured daughter of God, but the Greek implies more than that. The grace given to Mary is both permanent and unique. Kecharitomene is a perfect, passive, participle of the Greek word charitoo, meaning "to fill or endow with grace." Since this term is in the perfect tense, it indicates that Mary was given this grace in the past, but it has a continuing effect in the present. So, the grace Mary enjoyed did not begin at the angel’s visit. In fact, according to meaning the Greek word kecharitomene, it extended over her whole life, from conception onward. She was in a state of grace from the first moment of her existence (i.e. conception).
Now there is nothing particularly new about this concept. Biblically speaking, Mary wasn't the first person God fashioned in a perfect state of grace -- immaculate -- or without sin. The very first examples we have are Adam and Eve themselves. Both Adam and Eve were in a perfect state of grace at their "conception." Though the Scriptures tell us God fashioned them using a different method than normal procreation, it doesn't change the fact that they were made "without sin" (i.e. immaculate). So we could say the first immaculate conception happened in Eden when God formed the first man (Adam) and the first woman (Eve). In many ways, we could even consider the immaculate conception of Mary a "less dramatic miracle" (if we dare) because God still used the normal procreative processes when he fashioned her.
The question that arises is how? How would God fashion Mary "without sin" when both her parents were obviously stained by original sin, and they conceived her naturally? That is the mystery of the miracle. We can only conclude that God had already chosen Mary as Christ's mother, even from the first moment of her conception in the womb of her own mother. That being the case, the only reason why Mary was conceived without sin is because of Jesus Christ. Her body (flesh and blood) was redeemed retroactively, by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that wouldn't happen until three decades later, because she was chosen to be the vessel through whom Jesus Christ (The Eternal Word) would enter this world as a human being.
Theologically this is very important, because Jesus received all of his human flesh and blood from Mary. That flesh and blood ought to be unspoiled and unstained by sin. Furthermore, modern science tells us that cells from the mother and child do exchange between them during pregnancy. Jesus and Mary literally shared flesh and blood, as all mothers and their babies do during normal human pregnancy. They were in a state of physical communion during that nine months of pregnancy. That means for Jesus to inherit and maintain a perfect body from his mother, without sin, his physical mother should be without sin as well. Likewise, if Mary was to be in a state of physical communion with her son Jesus, receiving his flesh and blood while he was in her womb, it would be necessary for her to be in a perfect state of grace -- immaculate. While God can do anything he wants, it is only fitting and proper for things to be done this way, and the Scriptures seem to support this with the angelic salutation "full of grace.”
So the doctrine of the immaculate conception does not "deify" Mary as many Protestants falsely believe. Nor does it diminish the role of Christ in the redemption of the human race. You can't even say it's "unbiblical" since the Greek word kecharitomene in Luke 1:28 practically defines the doctrine. Rather, it simply states that Mary was no different than the sinless Eve before the fall. Does this mean that Mary was better than Eve? No. Does this mean that Mary was greater or less than Eve? No. It means she was exactly the same as Eve physically, mentally and spiritually speaking. Does this mean that Mary could have sinned? YES! She most certainly could have followed the example of Eve and disobeyed the command of God. If she had, she would have suffered the same fate as Eve, and carried the stain of original sin herself. But the difference is that when the test was given, Mary chose to obey God whereas Eve did not. Eve's test was in the fruit of the tree. Mary's test was in the fruit of the womb. Eve failed her test, while Mary joyously passed hers. From the moment she responded to the angel, "Behold I am the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word" -- (Luke 1:38), she accepted the Lord's will for her, even though she knew it would bring her hardship. Because of that, Mary's purpose was fulfilled. God preserved her without sin, to be like Eve, so she could become the "New Eve," and bring forth the "New Adam" (Romans 5:12-21) who is Christ the Lord.
So now, the question of "why?" arises. Why did Mary choose to obey God, while Eve chose to disobey? Any answer we give is pure speculation, of course, but I think a fair speculation would be the Old Covenant itself. Mary was a Jew. She was raised her whole life to follow the Jewish laws. Tradition tells us she was educated as a child in the Jerusalem Temple, where she served as a consecrated virgin for the Lord. (Protoevangelium of James) Thus Mary had a grace that Eve was not given -- the Mosaic Law. Because of this, she had an understanding of God that was somewhat of a mystery to Eve. Beyond that, unlike Eve, Mary was able to personally witness the effects of original sin all around her. Eve learnt that lesson the hard way, having no prior experience with sin, she introduced original sin to the world with Adam her husband. Mary, in contrast, spent a lifetime toiling in the effects of that original sin, working for survival in a broken world filled with pain and suffering, even though she herself was sinless. This experience, combined with the Mosaic Law, certainly helped to give Mary the courage to say "yes" to a plan that would ultimately bring much more pain and suffering into her own life.
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary is rich in ancient Jewish symbolism. It is foreshadowed in the Old Testament with the Ark of the Covenant. Hebrews 9:4 tells us that the contents contained inside the Ark of the Covenant were; the stone tablets of the Law (the word of God), along with a jar of manna (bread from heaven) and Aaron's rod (a symbol of the holy priesthood). All of these are images foreshadowing Jesus Christ, who is the incarnate Word of God (John 1:1-4,14), the Bread from Heaven (John 6:31-65) and our eternal High Priest (Hebrews 4:14).
Now the Ark of the Covenant was consecrated to God and considered holy. It was not to be touched by sinful man under penalty of death, and God himself had no problem exacting this penalty, even when a man touched it in an attempt to prevent it from falling (2nd Samuel 6:6-7; 1st Chronicles 13:9-10). This Old Testament example is designed to illustrate that the ark, which carried the symbols of the Old Covenant, was just as holy as the Old Covenant itself.
Now as I said, the stone tablets, manna and rod were signs foreshadowing Jesus Christ. He is the New Covenant. Thus the "ark" that carried him in her womb is holy too, just as the ark that carried the symbols that foreshadowed him was holy. Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant because she carried Jesus Christ in her womb. Jesus, who is the Word of God, the Bread of Life and our eternal High Priest, was carried for nine months inside the "ark" of Mary. She carried him in her arms and on her hip for another two years at least. If the ark of the Old Covenant was holy, than surely this ark of the New Covenant is even holier.
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception points more to Christ than Mary. Though Mary is the object of the doctrine, she is not the subject of it. The subject is Christ, and it is his perfectly sinless body that is being addressed. Through Mary, Jesus inherited the "flesh and blood" of mankind. He bore the genetic code of the fallen human race, yet he did so with one modification, the stain of original sin was removed. The flesh he inherited was immaculate. That immaculate flesh was the gift of his mother -- Mary -- who herself received it as a gift from God. So Jesus really and truly was descended from Adam and Eve through Mary. He really and truly was "one of us," having the same ancestors and genetic code that originated from them. God rehabilitated the original, immaculate nature of humanity in Mary, but her sinlessness didn't help anybody but herself. She was the only beneficiary of this filling of grace (kecharitomene). Mary's sinlessness doesn't save anybody else. It doesn't save me, and it doesn't save you. All God did with the immaculate conception was reset the clock, so to speak, to give one person another chance. For the sake of humanity, and revealing himself in the Law of Moses, God gave one more human being, schooled in that law, a chance to say "yes" for humanity. Her "yes" brought forth the Messiah who would fulfil the Law of Moses, and effectively save the rest of us. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, is a doctrine that points entirely to Jesus Christ. Without him, the Immaculate Conception of Mary makes no logical sense.
In following Jesus Christ, we all become "immaculate" upon our baptism. This is the promise that is given to us. Granted, our bodies (and minds) remain damaged by sin, but this is a temporary condition. Those who are faithful, and endure to the end, not only get to look forward to an afterlife in heaven, but also a future resurrection, in which our recreated bodied will be like those of Jesus and Mary -- perfect and immaculate. In this life, the Christian is privileged to experience an immaculate soul upon the sacraments of baptism and reconciliation. In the next life, however, Christians will be privileged to experience an immaculate body as well.
Written by Shane Schaetzel, reposted by permission. Source: http://catholicozarks.blogspot.com/2014/11/mary-conceived-without-sin.html
Posted by Fr. Jeffery Fasching at 8:30 AM
Topics: Adam, Blessed Virgin Mary, Christ, Covenant, death, Eve, Evil, God, Jewish, law, loyalty, manna, miracle, Old Testament, Scripture, Sin, Suffering
Mary -- Conceived without Sin
This is probably the most misunderstood doctrine among non-Catholics. Even some Catholics don't understand it. To be clear, let's define it. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is a dogma, meaning that is is a required belief of all Catholics. In other words, if you don't believe in the Immaculate Conception, then technically speaking, you're not really Catholic. It is defined as the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was herself conceived without the stain of original sin.
Some Protestants contend that the doctrine is "unbiblical," that it "deifies Mary as a goddess," and "diminishes the role of Christ in the redemption of humanity." Such contention is unwarranted, and a little paranoid, as I'll demonstrate below.
The stain of original sin was defined by St. Augustine as the mark of sin inherited by all people from the time of their conception. This means that when the first humans (Adam and Eve) sinned against God, they did so before any of their children were born. Because of this, all children conceived after their sin (i.e. the whole human race), would inherent the stain of the sin they committed. The sin they committed was one of selfishness and rebellion against God. The stain of this sin penetrated all the way through their souls to the flesh itself -- staining it and corrupting it. Thus, all children born of their flesh would inherit this stain of original sin. Think of it as a hereditary trait. It is manifested in the form of pride, selfishness and rebellion. It creates in people the desire to commit various sins: lying, cheating, stealing, lust, rage, etc. It can be seen from the earliest ages of childhood. Every time a small child acts in a selfish way, or becomes rebellious toward his parents, he demonstrates the stain of original sin in his own mind and body. God designed human beings to be totally selfless, giving, and obedient creatures. But this does not describe the human race today. That's because the stain of original sin, inherited from our first parents (Adam and Eve), has twisted and corrupting what God has created. Instead of being selfless, we are selfish. Instead of being giving, we are greedy. Instead of being obedient, we are rebellious. Such is the nature of our fallen human race. Now many Protestants think of original sin as a type of depravity -- moral corruption or innate wickedness -- as if people are "evil" at their core. Catholics tend to see original sin more as deprivation than depravity -- meaning that original sin deprives human beings of what they need to be holy. The desire to be loving and selfless is there, but the deprivation of original sin makes that impossible to achieve on our own.
God cannot tolerate sin, and it must be dealt with. Before mankind can be restored to God, we must first be freed of the original sin that stains and deprives us. This is the reason why God sent Jesus Christ (God made flesh) into the world. His sacrificial death on the cross frees us from all sin, including original sin. But in order for this sacrifice to be atoning for the human race, it must come from a member of the human race. Only a perfect and spotless human being can undo the damage done by our first parents. A perfect duplicate (or copy) of a human being wouldn't be enough. This spotless sacrifice must be a direct descendant of the sinful human race, and he must be divine himself, so that he may atone for all human sins, not just the first one. Protestant Christians understand this concept very well, and teach it in their churches. They know that Jesus must atone for all the sins of the world, and they know he is fully human as well as fully divine. In this sense, Protestants are very "Catholic" in their thinking. What they often fail to consider is that the flesh of Jesus Christ must be truly descended from the sinful human race in order for Jesus to be truly "one of us." If God created a whole new body in Mary's womb from "the dust of the earth" so to speak, essentially a copy of humanity, totally separate from any sinful human genetics, he really wouldn't be human at all. He would be a whole new race, entirely separate from the human race, and completely disconnected from the rest of humanity. He might look like us, but he wouldn't really be "one of us." In order for Jesus Christ to truly be "one of us," he would have to be genetically linked to the human race, and since Jesus only has one biological parent, there is only one person through whom that link can be made. That person is the Blessed Virgin Mary.
When Jesus was miraculously conceived inside Mary's womb, at the time of the annunciation by the Angel Gabriel, his human genetic make-up came directly from her. True, his divine nature came directly from the Godhead, but his human nature came from Mary. So Mary is the human genetic link between Jesus Christ (God made flesh) and mankind. There is only one problem. If Mary's flesh was stained with original sin (like the rest of us), than Jesus would have inherited that same original sin nature. Yet the Scriptures clearly tell us that Jesus was without sin. So we have a theological problem. How could Jesus' flesh and blood be "without sin" if he inherited his human flesh and blood from Mary? Granted, he is God, so he can do whatever he wants, but he chose to do it a certain way that was fitting to his desire. Enter the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception.
From the earliest times, Christians have always believed that Mary was immaculate -- meaning perfect and without sin....
"He (Jesus) was the ark formed of incorruptible wood (Mary). For by this is signified that His tabernacle (body) was exempt from putridity and corruption (sin)." -- (Hippolytus, AD 235)
"This Virgin Mother of the Only-begotten of God, is called Mary, worthy of God, immaculate of the immaculate, one of the one." -- (Origen, AD 244)
The idea here is that God miraculously preserved Mary from original sin from the time of her first existence (i.e. conception). The idea comes from the Holy Scripture in which the Angel Gabriel says to Mary: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you." -- (Luke 1:28) The phrase "full of grace" is a translation of the Greek word kecharitomene. It expresses a characteristic quality of Mary that is unique. The traditional translation, "full of grace," is better than the one found in many recent English versions of the New Testament, which give something along the lines of "highly favoured one." Mary was indeed a highly favoured daughter of God, but the Greek implies more than that. The grace given to Mary is both permanent and unique. Kecharitomene is a perfect, passive, participle of the Greek word charitoo, meaning "to fill or endow with grace." Since this term is in the perfect tense, it indicates that Mary was given this grace in the past, but it has a continuing effect in the present. So, the grace Mary enjoyed did not begin at the angel’s visit. In fact, according to meaning the Greek word kecharitomene, it extended over her whole life, from conception onward. She was in a state of grace from the first moment of her existence (i.e. conception).
Now there is nothing particularly new about this concept. Biblically speaking, Mary wasn't the first person God fashioned in a perfect state of grace -- immaculate -- or without sin. The very first examples we have are Adam and Eve themselves. Both Adam and Eve were in a perfect state of grace at their "conception." Though the Scriptures tell us God fashioned them using a different method than normal procreation, it doesn't change the fact that they were made "without sin" (i.e. immaculate). So we could say the first immaculate conception happened in Eden when God formed the first man (Adam) and the first woman (Eve). In many ways, we could even consider the immaculate conception of Mary a "less dramatic miracle" (if we dare) because God still used the normal procreative processes when he fashioned her.
The question that arises is how? How would God fashion Mary "without sin" when both her parents were obviously stained by original sin, and they conceived her naturally? That is the mystery of the miracle. We can only conclude that God had already chosen Mary as Christ's mother, even from the first moment of her conception in the womb of her own mother. That being the case, the only reason why Mary was conceived without sin is because of Jesus Christ. Her body (flesh and blood) was redeemed retroactively, by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that wouldn't happen until three decades later, because she was chosen to be the vessel through whom Jesus Christ (The Eternal Word) would enter this world as a human being.
Theologically this is very important, because Jesus received all of his human flesh and blood from Mary. That flesh and blood ought to be unspoiled and unstained by sin. Furthermore, modern science tells us that cells from the mother and child do exchange between them during pregnancy. Jesus and Mary literally shared flesh and blood, as all mothers and their babies do during normal human pregnancy. They were in a state of physical communion during that nine months of pregnancy. That means for Jesus to inherit and maintain a perfect body from his mother, without sin, his physical mother should be without sin as well. Likewise, if Mary was to be in a state of physical communion with her son Jesus, receiving his flesh and blood while he was in her womb, it would be necessary for her to be in a perfect state of grace -- immaculate. While God can do anything he wants, it is only fitting and proper for things to be done this way, and the Scriptures seem to support this with the angelic salutation "full of grace.”
So the doctrine of the immaculate conception does not "deify" Mary as many Protestants falsely believe. Nor does it diminish the role of Christ in the redemption of the human race. You can't even say it's "unbiblical" since the Greek word kecharitomene in Luke 1:28 practically defines the doctrine. Rather, it simply states that Mary was no different than the sinless Eve before the fall. Does this mean that Mary was better than Eve? No. Does this mean that Mary was greater or less than Eve? No. It means she was exactly the same as Eve physically, mentally and spiritually speaking. Does this mean that Mary could have sinned? YES! She most certainly could have followed the example of Eve and disobeyed the command of God. If she had, she would have suffered the same fate as Eve, and carried the stain of original sin herself. But the difference is that when the test was given, Mary chose to obey God whereas Eve did not. Eve's test was in the fruit of the tree. Mary's test was in the fruit of the womb. Eve failed her test, while Mary joyously passed hers. From the moment she responded to the angel, "Behold I am the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word" -- (Luke 1:38), she accepted the Lord's will for her, even though she knew it would bring her hardship. Because of that, Mary's purpose was fulfilled. God preserved her without sin, to be like Eve, so she could become the "New Eve," and bring forth the "New Adam" (Romans 5:12-21) who is Christ the Lord.
So now, the question of "why?" arises. Why did Mary choose to obey God, while Eve chose to disobey? Any answer we give is pure speculation, of course, but I think a fair speculation would be the Old Covenant itself. Mary was a Jew. She was raised her whole life to follow the Jewish laws. Tradition tells us she was educated as a child in the Jerusalem Temple, where she served as a consecrated virgin for the Lord. (Protoevangelium of James) Thus Mary had a grace that Eve was not given -- the Mosaic Law. Because of this, she had an understanding of God that was somewhat of a mystery to Eve. Beyond that, unlike Eve, Mary was able to personally witness the effects of original sin all around her. Eve learnt that lesson the hard way, having no prior experience with sin, she introduced original sin to the world with Adam her husband. Mary, in contrast, spent a lifetime toiling in the effects of that original sin, working for survival in a broken world filled with pain and suffering, even though she herself was sinless. This experience, combined with the Mosaic Law, certainly helped to give Mary the courage to say "yes" to a plan that would ultimately bring much more pain and suffering into her own life.
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary is rich in ancient Jewish symbolism. It is foreshadowed in the Old Testament with the Ark of the Covenant. Hebrews 9:4 tells us that the contents contained inside the Ark of the Covenant were; the stone tablets of the Law (the word of God), along with a jar of manna (bread from heaven) and Aaron's rod (a symbol of the holy priesthood). All of these are images foreshadowing Jesus Christ, who is the incarnate Word of God (John 1:1-4,14), the Bread from Heaven (John 6:31-65) and our eternal High Priest (Hebrews 4:14).
Now the Ark of the Covenant was consecrated to God and considered holy. It was not to be touched by sinful man under penalty of death, and God himself had no problem exacting this penalty, even when a man touched it in an attempt to prevent it from falling (2nd Samuel 6:6-7; 1st Chronicles 13:9-10). This Old Testament example is designed to illustrate that the ark, which carried the symbols of the Old Covenant, was just as holy as the Old Covenant itself.
Now as I said, the stone tablets, manna and rod were signs foreshadowing Jesus Christ. He is the New Covenant. Thus the "ark" that carried him in her womb is holy too, just as the ark that carried the symbols that foreshadowed him was holy. Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant because she carried Jesus Christ in her womb. Jesus, who is the Word of God, the Bread of Life and our eternal High Priest, was carried for nine months inside the "ark" of Mary. She carried him in her arms and on her hip for another two years at least. If the ark of the Old Covenant was holy, than surely this ark of the New Covenant is even holier.
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception points more to Christ than Mary. Though Mary is the object of the doctrine, she is not the subject of it. The subject is Christ, and it is his perfectly sinless body that is being addressed. Through Mary, Jesus inherited the "flesh and blood" of mankind. He bore the genetic code of the fallen human race, yet he did so with one modification, the stain of original sin was removed. The flesh he inherited was immaculate. That immaculate flesh was the gift of his mother -- Mary -- who herself received it as a gift from God. So Jesus really and truly was descended from Adam and Eve through Mary. He really and truly was "one of us," having the same ancestors and genetic code that originated from them. God rehabilitated the original, immaculate nature of humanity in Mary, but her sinlessness didn't help anybody but herself. She was the only beneficiary of this filling of grace (kecharitomene). Mary's sinlessness doesn't save anybody else. It doesn't save me, and it doesn't save you. All God did with the immaculate conception was reset the clock, so to speak, to give one person another chance. For the sake of humanity, and revealing himself in the Law of Moses, God gave one more human being, schooled in that law, a chance to say "yes" for humanity. Her "yes" brought forth the Messiah who would fulfil the Law of Moses, and effectively save the rest of us. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, is a doctrine that points entirely to Jesus Christ. Without him, the Immaculate Conception of Mary makes no logical sense.
In following Jesus Christ, we all become "immaculate" upon our baptism. This is the promise that is given to us. Granted, our bodies (and minds) remain damaged by sin, but this is a temporary condition. Those who are faithful, and endure to the end, not only get to look forward to an afterlife in heaven, but also a future resurrection, in which our recreated bodied will be like those of Jesus and Mary -- perfect and immaculate. In this life, the Christian is privileged to experience an immaculate soul upon the sacraments of baptism and reconciliation. In the next life, however, Christians will be privileged to experience an immaculate body as well.
Written by Shane Schaetzel, reposted by permission. Source: http://catholicozarks.blogspot.com/2014/11/mary-conceived-without-sin.html
Posted by Fr. Jeffery Fasching at 8:30 AM
Topics: Adam, Blessed Virgin Mary, Christ, Covenant, death, Eve, Evil, God, Jewish, law, loyalty, manna, miracle, Old Testament, Scripture, Sin, Suffering
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Bulletin 239
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
January 18, 2015
2nd Sunday after Epiphany
Epistle: Rom. 12: 6-16
Gospel: Jn. 2: 1-11
Mon 19 No Latin Mass
Tue 20 Saint Fabian, Pope & Sebastian, Martyrs
Wed 21 Saint Agnes * Virgin & Martyr
Thu 22 Ss. Vincent & Anastasius, Martyrs
Fri 23 Requiem Mass + Paul Shideler
The potluck dinner for January will be held on Sunday the 18th immediately following the 2:30pm Latin Mass.
Why Latin?
The Traditional Latin Mass is celebrated in the ancient and venerable language of the Catholic Church. Yes, Latin is the official language of the Church! The Latin Language gives a sense of mystery and a sense of the sacred. If we hear the language of Latin referred to as a “dead” language it is because it is no longer spoken as the vernacular language in any country today. But the Mass is offered in Latin precisely because Latin words do not change in meaning. Pope Pius XII explains: “The use of the Latin language is a manifest and beautiful sign of unity, as well as an effective anecdote for any corruption of doctrinal truth.”
The Blessed Virgin Mary possesses great power to obtain from God the graces we stand in need of. She is always ready to assist us in all our wants. The Blessed Virgin Mary's merit is so great that her prayers cannot fail to be heard. Since Mary is the Mother of God, her petitions take on the nature of a command. It is impossible that they cannot be heard. The intercession of Mary is all-powerful.
Mary's place in Heaven is such that she enjoys the vision of God. She knows our wants very clearly and always desires to assist us. Let us turn to her in a time when she in needed more than ever. Let us turn to Mary to combat the evil that runs rampant in our world! Let us turn to Mary to save a culture than has grown indifferent to the immense favors of her Son Jesus Christ!
Father Fasching's Mass Travel Schedule – Christmas & Easter
Jan. 24 – 25 - 3rd Sunday of the Year
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Feb. 7- 8 - 5th - Sunday of the Year
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
Feb. 18 - Ash Wednesday -
Gainesville and Ava – Fr. Fasching
Feb. 21 – 22 - 1st Sunday of Lent
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Mar. 7 – 8 - 3rd Sunday of Lent
Gainesville and Ava - Fr. Fasching
Mar. 21 – 22 - 5th Sunday of Lent
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Apr. 18 - 19 - 3rd Sunday of Easter
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
May 2 – 3 - 5th Sunday of Easter
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
May 16 – 17 - 7th Sunday of Easter - Confirmation - Ava
Cabool - Sat.4:00 PM - Fr. Fasching
Mt. Grove, Sun. 10:30 AM – Fr. Fasching
May30 – 31 - Trinity Sunday
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
January 18, 2015
2nd Sunday after Epiphany
Epistle: Rom. 12: 6-16
Gospel: Jn. 2: 1-11
Mon 19 No Latin Mass
Tue 20 Saint Fabian, Pope & Sebastian, Martyrs
Wed 21 Saint Agnes * Virgin & Martyr
Thu 22 Ss. Vincent & Anastasius, Martyrs
Fri 23 Requiem Mass + Paul Shideler
The potluck dinner for January will be held on Sunday the 18th immediately following the 2:30pm Latin Mass.
Why Latin?
The Traditional Latin Mass is celebrated in the ancient and venerable language of the Catholic Church. Yes, Latin is the official language of the Church! The Latin Language gives a sense of mystery and a sense of the sacred. If we hear the language of Latin referred to as a “dead” language it is because it is no longer spoken as the vernacular language in any country today. But the Mass is offered in Latin precisely because Latin words do not change in meaning. Pope Pius XII explains: “The use of the Latin language is a manifest and beautiful sign of unity, as well as an effective anecdote for any corruption of doctrinal truth.”
The Blessed Virgin Mary possesses great power to obtain from God the graces we stand in need of. She is always ready to assist us in all our wants. The Blessed Virgin Mary's merit is so great that her prayers cannot fail to be heard. Since Mary is the Mother of God, her petitions take on the nature of a command. It is impossible that they cannot be heard. The intercession of Mary is all-powerful.
Mary's place in Heaven is such that she enjoys the vision of God. She knows our wants very clearly and always desires to assist us. Let us turn to her in a time when she in needed more than ever. Let us turn to Mary to combat the evil that runs rampant in our world! Let us turn to Mary to save a culture than has grown indifferent to the immense favors of her Son Jesus Christ!
Father Fasching's Mass Travel Schedule – Christmas & Easter
Jan. 24 – 25 - 3rd Sunday of the Year
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Feb. 7- 8 - 5th - Sunday of the Year
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
Feb. 18 - Ash Wednesday -
Gainesville and Ava – Fr. Fasching
Feb. 21 – 22 - 1st Sunday of Lent
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Mar. 7 – 8 - 3rd Sunday of Lent
Gainesville and Ava - Fr. Fasching
Mar. 21 – 22 - 5th Sunday of Lent
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Apr. 18 - 19 - 3rd Sunday of Easter
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
May 2 – 3 - 5th Sunday of Easter
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
May 16 – 17 - 7th Sunday of Easter - Confirmation - Ava
Cabool - Sat.4:00 PM - Fr. Fasching
Mt. Grove, Sun. 10:30 AM – Fr. Fasching
May30 – 31 - Trinity Sunday
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Bulletin 237
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
January 4, 2015
Holy Name of Jesus
Epistle: Acts 4: 8-12
Gospel: Luke 2: 21
Mon 5 No Latin Mass
Tue 6 Epiphany of the Lord
Wed 7 Feria after Epiphany
Thu 8 Feria after Epiphany
Fri 9 Feria after Epiphany
Wisdom literature links the Holy Name of Jesus to oil. Oil gives light. Oil feeds fire. Oil nourishes the flesh and soothes pain. It is food and healing. Oil anoints the body. So also is the Holy Name of Jesus. Saint Ambrose says to preach it is to give light. To think of it is to feed the soul. To call on it is to win grace and unction.
The preaching of the Name of Jesus is what has made the light of faith shine so brightly throughout the world! It is in the light of the Holy Name of Jesus that God has called us into his marvelous light. Saint Paul says we were once in darkness, but now we have found the light of life!
According to Saint Paul we must now live honorably as in the daylight. The Holy Name of Jesus allows us to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light. What infinite power! The Name of Christ came like lightning out of the mouth of Peter to give bodily strength to the feet of the lame man. The Name of Christ has cleared the sight of countless blind souls!
Father Fasching's Mass Travel Schedule – Christmas & Easter
Jan. 10 – 11 – Baptism of the Lord
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
Jan. 24 – 25 - 3rd Sunday of the Year
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Feb. 7- 8 - 5th - Sunday of the Year
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
Feb. 18 - Ash Wednesday -
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Feb. 21 – 22 - 1st Sunday of Lent
Gainesville, Ava – Fr. Fasching
Mar. 7 – 8 - 3rd Sunday of Lent
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove - Fr. Fasching
Mar. 21 – 22 - 5th Sunday of Lent
Gainesville, Ava – Fr. Fasching
Apr. 18 - 19 - 3rd Sunday of Easter
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
May 2 – 3 - 5th Sunday of Easter
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
May 16 – 17 - 7th Sunday of Easter - Confirmation - Ava
Cabool - Sat.4:00 PM - Fr. Fasching
Mt. Grove, Sun. 10:30 AM – Fr. Fasching
May30 – 31 - Trinity Sunday
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
January 4, 2015
Holy Name of Jesus
Epistle: Acts 4: 8-12
Gospel: Luke 2: 21
Mon 5 No Latin Mass
Tue 6 Epiphany of the Lord
Wed 7 Feria after Epiphany
Thu 8 Feria after Epiphany
Fri 9 Feria after Epiphany
Wisdom literature links the Holy Name of Jesus to oil. Oil gives light. Oil feeds fire. Oil nourishes the flesh and soothes pain. It is food and healing. Oil anoints the body. So also is the Holy Name of Jesus. Saint Ambrose says to preach it is to give light. To think of it is to feed the soul. To call on it is to win grace and unction.
The preaching of the Name of Jesus is what has made the light of faith shine so brightly throughout the world! It is in the light of the Holy Name of Jesus that God has called us into his marvelous light. Saint Paul says we were once in darkness, but now we have found the light of life!
According to Saint Paul we must now live honorably as in the daylight. The Holy Name of Jesus allows us to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light. What infinite power! The Name of Christ came like lightning out of the mouth of Peter to give bodily strength to the feet of the lame man. The Name of Christ has cleared the sight of countless blind souls!
Father Fasching's Mass Travel Schedule – Christmas & Easter
Jan. 10 – 11 – Baptism of the Lord
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
Jan. 24 – 25 - 3rd Sunday of the Year
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Feb. 7- 8 - 5th - Sunday of the Year
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
Feb. 18 - Ash Wednesday -
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Feb. 21 – 22 - 1st Sunday of Lent
Gainesville, Ava – Fr. Fasching
Mar. 7 – 8 - 3rd Sunday of Lent
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove - Fr. Fasching
Mar. 21 – 22 - 5th Sunday of Lent
Gainesville, Ava – Fr. Fasching
Apr. 18 - 19 - 3rd Sunday of Easter
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
May 2 – 3 - 5th Sunday of Easter
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
May 16 – 17 - 7th Sunday of Easter - Confirmation - Ava
Cabool - Sat.4:00 PM - Fr. Fasching
Mt. Grove, Sun. 10:30 AM – Fr. Fasching
May30 – 31 - Trinity Sunday
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Bulletin 236
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
December 28, 2014
Sunday in the Octave of Christmas
Epistle: Gal. 4: 1-7
Gospel: Luke 2: 33-40
Mon 29 No Latin Mass
Tue 30 Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Wed 31 Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas
Thu 1 Octave Day of Christmas--(Mass @ 10:30am)
Fri 2 Sacred Heart of Jesus
Mass on the Octave of Christmas (January 1) will be at 10:30am.
Mass on January 2 will be followed by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and benediction.
A plenary indulgence may be gained by publicly saying or singing the Te Deum in thanksgiving on the last day of the year (December 31). A plenary indulgence may also be gained by publicly saying or singing the Veni Creator Spiritus on the first day of the year, January 1.
“And His name shall be called the Angel of Great Council.” We prepare for the coming of Christ during the Advent season. During Christmastide we experience the great joy of His Incarnation-the greatest event ever to take place in the history of the world! “As many as received Him He gave them power to be made Sons of God” (Saint John). When we unite our human souls to Christ Incarnate we share in His divinity.
Let us worship Christ and adore God His Father. The birth of Christ is the beginning of our redemption through grace to the supernatural life.
Saint Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary knew full well who Jesus their Son was, however, they were in awe of the way God was revealing Him. We too must contemplate the mysteries in the life of Jesus Christ, but during Christmas we especially focus on how Christ chose to be born.
God willed that the Blessed Virgin Mary be intimately linked to the redemptive work of Christ! She shared in His sufferings through the pain that pierced her soul as Christ suffered for our sins. It is those sins that forged the sword that would pierce her heart. We therefore have a duty to atone for our sins to the Blessed Virgin as well as to God Himself. She is our Mother as well as His!
Father Fasching's Mass Travel Schedule – Advent, Christmas & Easter
Jan. 10 – 11 – Baptism of the Lord
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
Jan. 24 – 25 - 3rd Sunday of the Year
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Feb. 7- 8 - 5th - Sunday of the Year
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
Feb. 18 - Ash Wednesday -
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Feb. 21 – 22 - 1st Sunday of Lent
Gainesville, Ava – Fr. Fasching
Mar. 7 – 8 - 3rd Sunday of Lent
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove - Fr. Fasching
Mar. 21 – 22 - 5th Sunday of Lent
Gainesville, Ava – Fr. Fasching
Apr. 18 - 19 - 3rd Sunday of Easter
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
May 2 – 3 - 5th Sunday of Easter
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
May 16 – 17 - 7th Sunday of Easter - Confirmation - Ava
Cabool - Sat.4:00 PM - Fr. Fasching
Mt. Grove, Sun. 10:30 AM – Fr. Fasching
May30 – 31 - Trinity Sunday
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
December 28, 2014
Sunday in the Octave of Christmas
Epistle: Gal. 4: 1-7
Gospel: Luke 2: 33-40
Mon 29 No Latin Mass
Tue 30 Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Wed 31 Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas
Thu 1 Octave Day of Christmas--(Mass @ 10:30am)
Fri 2 Sacred Heart of Jesus
Mass on the Octave of Christmas (January 1) will be at 10:30am.
Mass on January 2 will be followed by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and benediction.
A plenary indulgence may be gained by publicly saying or singing the Te Deum in thanksgiving on the last day of the year (December 31). A plenary indulgence may also be gained by publicly saying or singing the Veni Creator Spiritus on the first day of the year, January 1.
“And His name shall be called the Angel of Great Council.” We prepare for the coming of Christ during the Advent season. During Christmastide we experience the great joy of His Incarnation-the greatest event ever to take place in the history of the world! “As many as received Him He gave them power to be made Sons of God” (Saint John). When we unite our human souls to Christ Incarnate we share in His divinity.
Let us worship Christ and adore God His Father. The birth of Christ is the beginning of our redemption through grace to the supernatural life.
Saint Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary knew full well who Jesus their Son was, however, they were in awe of the way God was revealing Him. We too must contemplate the mysteries in the life of Jesus Christ, but during Christmas we especially focus on how Christ chose to be born.
God willed that the Blessed Virgin Mary be intimately linked to the redemptive work of Christ! She shared in His sufferings through the pain that pierced her soul as Christ suffered for our sins. It is those sins that forged the sword that would pierce her heart. We therefore have a duty to atone for our sins to the Blessed Virgin as well as to God Himself. She is our Mother as well as His!
Father Fasching's Mass Travel Schedule – Advent, Christmas & Easter
Jan. 10 – 11 – Baptism of the Lord
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
Jan. 24 – 25 - 3rd Sunday of the Year
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Feb. 7- 8 - 5th - Sunday of the Year
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
Feb. 18 - Ash Wednesday -
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Feb. 21 – 22 - 1st Sunday of Lent
Gainesville, Ava – Fr. Fasching
Mar. 7 – 8 - 3rd Sunday of Lent
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove - Fr. Fasching
Mar. 21 – 22 - 5th Sunday of Lent
Gainesville, Ava – Fr. Fasching
Apr. 18 - 19 - 3rd Sunday of Easter
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
May 2 – 3 - 5th Sunday of Easter
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
May 16 – 17 - 7th Sunday of Easter - Confirmation - Ava
Cabool - Sat.4:00 PM - Fr. Fasching
Mt. Grove, Sun. 10:30 AM – Fr. Fasching
May30 – 31 - Trinity Sunday
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Friday, November 28, 2014
Bulletin 232
SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
November 30, 2014
Dominica I Adventus
Epistle: Rom. 13: 11-14
Gospel: Luc. 21: 25-33
Mon 1 No Latin Mass
Tue 2 Saint Bibianae--Virginis et Martyris
Wed 3 Saint Francisci Xaverii--Confessoris
Thu 4 Saint Petri Chrysologi—Episcopi Confessoris Ecclesiae Doctoris
Fri 5 Feria
Mass on December 5th will be followed by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and benediction.
Father Fasching's Mass Travel Schedule – Advent, Christmas & Easter
Nov. 29 – 30 - 1st Sunday of Advent
Gainesville, Ava – Fr. Fasching
Dec. 13 – 14 - 3rd Sunday of Advent
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove - Fr. Fasching
Jan. 10 – 11 – Baptism of the Lord
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
Jan. 24 – 25 - 3rd Sunday of the Year
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Feb. 7- 8 - 5th - Sunday of the Year
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
Feb. 18 - Ash Wednesday -
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Feb. 21 – 22 - 1st Sunday of Lent
Gainesville, Ava – Fr. Fasching
Mar. 7 – 8 - 3rd Sunday of Lent
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove - Fr. Fasching
Mar. 21 – 22 - 5th Sunday of Lent
Gainesville, Ava – Fr. Fasching
Apr. 18 - 19 - 3rd Sunday of Easter
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
May 2 – 3 - 5th Sunday of Easter
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
May 16 – 17 - 7th Sunday of Easter - Confirmation - Ava
Cabool - Sat.4:00 PM - Fr. Fasching
Mt. Grove, Sun. 10:30 AM – Fr. Fasching
May30 – 31 - Trinity Sunday
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
The first Sunday of Advent is the first Sunday of the Liturgical Year. Christ's coming is twofold. He comes with mercy and He comes with justice. Saint Paul reminds us to leave behind our sinful way of life in order to make way for Christ our Savior. However, we must also make ready for Christ's coming as our Judge. We prepare ourselves through prayer and the amendment of our lives. Christ will reward all those who long for Him and make ready for Him with their hearts and lives!
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)
CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching
November 30, 2014
Dominica I Adventus
Epistle: Rom. 13: 11-14
Gospel: Luc. 21: 25-33
Mon 1 No Latin Mass
Tue 2 Saint Bibianae--Virginis et Martyris
Wed 3 Saint Francisci Xaverii--Confessoris
Thu 4 Saint Petri Chrysologi—Episcopi Confessoris Ecclesiae Doctoris
Fri 5 Feria
Mass on December 5th will be followed by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and benediction.
Father Fasching's Mass Travel Schedule – Advent, Christmas & Easter
Nov. 29 – 30 - 1st Sunday of Advent
Gainesville, Ava – Fr. Fasching
Dec. 13 – 14 - 3rd Sunday of Advent
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove - Fr. Fasching
Jan. 10 – 11 – Baptism of the Lord
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
Jan. 24 – 25 - 3rd Sunday of the Year
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Feb. 7- 8 - 5th - Sunday of the Year
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
Feb. 18 - Ash Wednesday -
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
Feb. 21 – 22 - 1st Sunday of Lent
Gainesville, Ava – Fr. Fasching
Mar. 7 – 8 - 3rd Sunday of Lent
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove - Fr. Fasching
Mar. 21 – 22 - 5th Sunday of Lent
Gainesville, Ava – Fr. Fasching
Apr. 18 - 19 - 3rd Sunday of Easter
Cabool, Mansfield, Mt. Grove – Fr. Fasching
May 2 – 3 - 5th Sunday of Easter
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
May 16 – 17 - 7th Sunday of Easter - Confirmation - Ava
Cabool - Sat.4:00 PM - Fr. Fasching
Mt. Grove, Sun. 10:30 AM – Fr. Fasching
May30 – 31 - Trinity Sunday
Gainesville, Ava - Fr. Fasching
The first Sunday of Advent is the first Sunday of the Liturgical Year. Christ's coming is twofold. He comes with mercy and He comes with justice. Saint Paul reminds us to leave behind our sinful way of life in order to make way for Christ our Savior. However, we must also make ready for Christ's coming as our Judge. We prepare ourselves through prayer and the amendment of our lives. Christ will reward all those who long for Him and make ready for Him with their hearts and lives!
In Christo Jesu et
Maria Immaculata,
Father Jeff Fasching
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
The Immaculate Conception
Mary -- Conceived without Sin
As the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8th) approaches, I thought it appropriate to explain the significance of this feast. This is probably the most misunderstood doctrine among non-Catholics. Even some Catholics don't understand it. To be clear, let's define it. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is a dogma, meaning that is is a required belief of all Catholics. In other words, if you don't believe in the Immaculate Conception, then technically speaking, you're not really Catholic. It is defined as the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was herself conceived without the stain of original sin.
Some Protestants contend that the doctrine is "unbiblical," that it "deifies Mary as a goddess," and "diminishes the role of Christ in the redemption of humanity." Such contention is unwarranted, and a little paranoid, as I'll demonstrate below.
The stain of original sin was defined by St. Augustine as the mark of sin inherited by all people from the time of their conception. This means that when the first humans (Adam and Eve) sinned against God, they did so before any of their children were born. Because of this, all children conceived after their sin (i.e. the whole human race), would inherent the stain of the sin they committed. The sin they committed was one of selfishness and rebellion against God. The stain of this sin penetrated all the way through their souls to the flesh itself -- staining it and corrupting it. Thus, all children born of their flesh would inherit this stain of original sin. Think of it as a hereditary trait. It is manifested in the form of pride, selfishness and rebellion. It creates in people the desire to commit various sins: lying, cheating, stealing, lust, rage, etc. It can be seen from the earliest ages of childhood. Every time a small child acts in a selfish way, or becomes rebellious toward his parents, he demonstrates the stain of original sin in his own mind and body. God designed human beings to be totally selfless, giving, and obedient creatures. But this does not describe the human race today. That's because the stain of original sin, inherited from our first parents (Adam and Eve), has twisted and corrupting what God has created. Instead of being selfless, we are selfish. Instead of being giving, we are greedy. Instead of being obedient, we are rebellious. Such is the nature of our fallen human race. Now many Protestants think of original sin as a type of depravity -- moral corruption or innate wickedness -- as if people are "evil" at their core. Catholics tend to see original sin more as deprivation than depravity -- meaning that original sin deprives human beings of what they need to be holy. The desire to be loving and selfless is there, but the deprivation of original sin makes that impossible to achieve on our own.
God cannot tolerate sin, and it must be dealt with. Before mankind can be restored to God, we must first be freed of the original sin that stains and deprives us. This is the reason why God sent Jesus Christ (God made flesh) into the world. His sacrificial death on the cross frees us from all sin, including original sin. But in order for this sacrifice to be atoning for the human race, it must come from a member of the human race. Only a perfect and spotless human being can undo the damage done by our first parents. A perfect duplicate (or copy) of a human being wouldn't be enough. This spotless sacrifice must be a direct descendant of the sinful human race, and he must be divine himself, so that he may atone for all human sins, not just the first one. Protestant Christians understand this concept very well, and teach it in their churches. They know that Jesus must atone for all the sins of the world, and they know he is fully human as well as fully divine. In this sense, Protestants are very "Catholic" in their thinking. What they often fail to consider is that the flesh of Jesus Christ must be truly descended from the sinful human race in order for Jesus to be truly "one of us." If God created a whole new body in Mary's womb from "the dust of the earth" so to speak, essentially a copy of humanity, totally separate from any sinful human genetics, he really wouldn't be human at all. He would be a whole new race, entirely separate from the human race, and completely disconnected from the rest of humanity. He might look like us, but he wouldn't really be "one of us." In order for Jesus Christ to truly be "one of us," he would have to be genetically linked to the human race, and since Jesus only has one biological parent, there is only one person through whom that link can be made. That person is the Blessed Virgin Mary.
When Jesus was miraculously conceived inside Mary's womb, at the time of the annunciation by the Angel Gabriel, his human genetic make-up came directly from her. True, his divine nature came directly from the Godhead, but his human nature came from Mary. So Mary is the human genetic link between Jesus Christ (God made flesh) and mankind. There is only one problem. If Mary's flesh was stained with original sin (like the rest of us), than Jesus would have inherited that same original sin nature. Yet the Scriptures clearly tell us that Jesus was without sin. So we have a theological problem. How could Jesus' flesh and blood be "without sin" if he inherited his human flesh and blood from Mary? Granted, he is God, so he can do whatever he wants, but he chose to do it a certain way that was fitting to his desire. Enter the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception.
From the earliest times, Christians have always believed that Mary was immaculate -- meaning perfect and without sin....
"He (Jesus) was the ark formed of incorruptible wood (Mary). For by this is signified that His tabernacle (body) was exempt from putridity and corruption (sin)." -- (Hippolytus, AD 235)
"This Virgin Mother of the Only-begotten of God, is called Mary, worthy of God, immaculate of the immaculate, one of the one." -- (Origen, AD 244)
The idea here is that God miraculously preserved Mary from original sin from the time of her first existence (i.e. conception). The idea comes from the Holy Scripture in which the Angel Gabriel says to Mary: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you." -- (Luke 1:28) The phrase "full of grace" is a translation of the Greek word kecharitomene. It expresses a characteristic quality of Mary that is unique. The traditional translation, "full of grace," is better than the one found in many recent English versions of the New Testament, which give something along the lines of "highly favoured one." Mary was indeed a highly favoured daughter of God, but the Greek implies more than that. The grace given to Mary is both permanent and unique. Kecharitomene is a perfect, passive, participle of the Greek word charitoo, meaning "to fill or endow with grace." Since this term is in the perfect tense, it indicates that Mary was given this grace in the past, but it has a continuing effect in the present. So, the grace Mary enjoyed did not begin at the angel’s visit. In fact, according to meaning the Greek word kecharitomene, it extended over her whole life, from conception onward. She was in a state of grace from the first moment of her existence (i.e. conception).
Now there is nothing particularly new about this concept. Biblically speaking, Mary wasn't the first person God fashioned in a perfect state of grace -- immaculate -- or without sin. The very first examples we have are Adam and Eve themselves. Both Adam and Eve were in a perfect state of grace at their "conception." Though the Scriptures tell us God fashioned them using a different method than normal procreation, it doesn't change the fact that they were made "without sin" (i.e. immaculate). So we could say the first immaculate conception happened in Eden when God formed the first man (Adam) and the first woman (Eve). In many ways, we could even consider the immaculate conception of Mary a "less dramatic miracle" (if we dare) because God still used the normal procreative processes when he fashioned her.
The question that arises is how? How would God fashion Mary "without sin" when both her parents were obviously stained by original sin, and they conceived her naturally? That is the mystery of the miracle. We can only conclude that God had already chosen Mary as Christ's mother, even from the first moment of her conception in the womb of her own mother. That being the case, the only reason why Mary was conceived without sin is because of Jesus Christ. Her body (flesh and blood) was redeemed retroactively, by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that wouldn't happen until three decades later, because she was chosen to be the vessel through whom Jesus Christ (The Eternal Word) would enter this world as a human being.
Theologically this is very important, because Jesus received all of his human flesh and blood from Mary. That flesh and blood ought to be unspoiled and unstained by sin. Furthermore, modern science tells us that cells from the mother and child do exchange between them during pregnancy. Jesus and Mary literally shared flesh and blood, as all mothers and their babies do during normal human pregnancy. They were in a state of physical communion during that nine months of pregnancy. That means for Jesus to inherit and maintain a perfect body from his mother, without sin, his physical mother should be without sin as well. Likewise, if Mary was to be in a state of physical communion with her son Jesus, receiving his flesh and blood while he was in her womb, it would be necessary for her to be in a perfect state of grace -- immaculate. While God can do anything he wants, it is only fitting and proper for things to be done this way, and the Scriptures seem to support this with the angelic salutation "full of grace.”
So the doctrine of the immaculate conception does not "deify" Mary as many Protestants falsely believe. Nor does it diminish the role of Christ in the redemption of the human race. You can't even say it's "unbiblical" since the Greek word kecharitomene in Luke 1:28 practically defines the doctrine. Rather, it simply states that Mary was no different than the sinless Eve before the fall. Does this mean that Mary was better than Eve? No. Does this mean that Mary was greater or less than Eve? No. It means she was exactly the same as Eve physically, mentally and spiritually speaking. Does this mean that Mary could have sinned? YES! She most certainly could have followed the example of Eve and disobeyed the command of God. If she had, she would have suffered the same fate as Eve, and carried the stain of original sin herself. But the difference is that when the test was given, Mary chose to obey God whereas Eve did not. Eve's test was in the fruit of the tree. Mary's test was in the fruit of the womb. Eve failed her test, while Mary joyously passed hers. From the moment she responded to the angel, "Behold I am the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word" -- (Luke 1:38), she accepted the Lord's will for her, even though she knew it would bring her hardship. Because of that, Mary's purpose was fulfilled. God preserved her without sin, to be like Eve, so she could become the "New Eve," and bring forth the "New Adam" (Romans 5:12-21) who is Christ the Lord.
So now, the question of "why?" arises. Why did Mary choose to obey God, while Eve chose to disobey? Any answer we give is pure speculation, of course, but I think a fair speculation would be the Old Covenant itself. Mary was a Jew. She was raised her whole life to follow the Jewish laws. Tradition tells us she was educated as a child in the Jerusalem Temple, where she served as a consecrated virgin for the Lord. (Protoevangelium of James) Thus Mary had a grace that Eve was not given -- the Mosaic Law. Because of this, she had an understanding of God that was somewhat of a mystery to Eve. Beyond that, unlike Eve, Mary was able to personally witness the effects of original sin all around her. Eve learnt that lesson the hard way, having no prior experience with sin, she introduced original sin to the world with Adam her husband. Mary, in contrast, spent a lifetime toiling in the effects of that original sin, working for survival in a broken world filled with pain and suffering, even though she herself was sinless. This experience, combined with the Mosaic Law, certainly helped to give Mary the courage to say "yes" to a plan that would ultimately bring much more pain and suffering into her own life.
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary is rich in ancient Jewish symbolism. It is foreshadowed in the Old Testament with the Ark of the Covenant. Hebrews 9:4 tells us that the contents contained inside the Ark of the Covenant were; the stone tablets of the Law (the word of God), along with a jar of manna (bread from heaven) and Aaron's rod (a symbol of the holy priesthood). All of these are images foreshadowing Jesus Christ, who is the incarnate Word of God (John 1:1-4,14), the Bread from Heaven (John 6:31-65) and our eternal High Priest (Hebrews 4:14).
Now the Ark of the Covenant was consecrated to God and considered holy. It was not to be touched by sinful man under penalty of death, and God himself had no problem exacting this penalty, even when a man touched it in an attempt to prevent it from falling (2nd Samuel 6:6-7; 1st Chronicles 13:9-10). This Old Testament example is designed to illustrate that the ark, which carried the symbols of the Old Covenant, was just as holy as the Old Covenant itself.
Now as I said, the stone tablets, manna and rod were signs foreshadowing Jesus Christ. He is the New Covenant. Thus the "ark" that carried him in her womb is holy too, just as the ark that carried the symbols that foreshadowed him was holy. Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant because she carried Jesus Christ in her womb. Jesus, who is the Word of God, the Bread of Life and our eternal High Priest, was carried for nine months inside the "ark" of Mary. She carried him in her arms and on her hip for another two years at least. If the ark of the Old Covenant was holy, than surely this ark of the New Covenant is even holier.
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception points more to Christ than Mary. Though Mary is the object of the doctrine, she is not the subject of it. The subject is Christ, and it is his perfectly sinless body that is being addressed. Through Mary, Jesus inherited the "flesh and blood" of mankind. He bore the genetic code of the fallen human race, yet he did so with one modification, the stain of original sin was removed. The flesh he inherited was immaculate. That immaculate flesh was the gift of his mother -- Mary -- who herself received it as a gift from God. So Jesus really and truly was descended from Adam and Eve through Mary. He really and truly was "one of us," having the same ancestors and genetic code that originated from them. God rehabilitated the original, immaculate nature of humanity in Mary, but her sinlessness didn't help anybody but herself. She was the only beneficiary of this filling of grace (kecharitomene). Mary's sinlessness doesn't save anybody else. It doesn't save me, and it doesn't save you. All God did with the immaculate conception was reset the clock, so to speak, to give one person another chance. For the sake of humanity, and revealing himself in the Law of Moses, God gave one more human being, schooled in that law, a chance to say "yes" for humanity. Her "yes" brought forth the Messiah who would fulfil the Law of Moses, and effectively save the rest of us. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, is a doctrine that points entirely to Jesus Christ. Without him, the Immaculate Conception of Mary makes no logical sense.
In following Jesus Christ, we all become "immaculate" upon our baptism. This is the promise that is given to us. Granted, our bodies (and minds) remain damaged by sin, but this is a temporary condition. Those who are faithful, and endure to the end, not only get to look forward to an afterlife in heaven, but also a future resurrection, in which our recreated bodied will be like those of Jesus and Mary -- perfect and immaculate. In this life, the Christian is privileged to experience an immaculate soul upon the sacraments of baptism and reconciliation. In the next life, however, Christians will be privileged to experience an immaculate body as well.
Written by Shane Schaetzel, reposted by permission. Source: http://catholicozarks.blogspot.com/2014/11/mary-conceived-without-sin.html
As the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8th) approaches, I thought it appropriate to explain the significance of this feast. This is probably the most misunderstood doctrine among non-Catholics. Even some Catholics don't understand it. To be clear, let's define it. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is a dogma, meaning that is is a required belief of all Catholics. In other words, if you don't believe in the Immaculate Conception, then technically speaking, you're not really Catholic. It is defined as the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was herself conceived without the stain of original sin.
Some Protestants contend that the doctrine is "unbiblical," that it "deifies Mary as a goddess," and "diminishes the role of Christ in the redemption of humanity." Such contention is unwarranted, and a little paranoid, as I'll demonstrate below.
The stain of original sin was defined by St. Augustine as the mark of sin inherited by all people from the time of their conception. This means that when the first humans (Adam and Eve) sinned against God, they did so before any of their children were born. Because of this, all children conceived after their sin (i.e. the whole human race), would inherent the stain of the sin they committed. The sin they committed was one of selfishness and rebellion against God. The stain of this sin penetrated all the way through their souls to the flesh itself -- staining it and corrupting it. Thus, all children born of their flesh would inherit this stain of original sin. Think of it as a hereditary trait. It is manifested in the form of pride, selfishness and rebellion. It creates in people the desire to commit various sins: lying, cheating, stealing, lust, rage, etc. It can be seen from the earliest ages of childhood. Every time a small child acts in a selfish way, or becomes rebellious toward his parents, he demonstrates the stain of original sin in his own mind and body. God designed human beings to be totally selfless, giving, and obedient creatures. But this does not describe the human race today. That's because the stain of original sin, inherited from our first parents (Adam and Eve), has twisted and corrupting what God has created. Instead of being selfless, we are selfish. Instead of being giving, we are greedy. Instead of being obedient, we are rebellious. Such is the nature of our fallen human race. Now many Protestants think of original sin as a type of depravity -- moral corruption or innate wickedness -- as if people are "evil" at their core. Catholics tend to see original sin more as deprivation than depravity -- meaning that original sin deprives human beings of what they need to be holy. The desire to be loving and selfless is there, but the deprivation of original sin makes that impossible to achieve on our own.
God cannot tolerate sin, and it must be dealt with. Before mankind can be restored to God, we must first be freed of the original sin that stains and deprives us. This is the reason why God sent Jesus Christ (God made flesh) into the world. His sacrificial death on the cross frees us from all sin, including original sin. But in order for this sacrifice to be atoning for the human race, it must come from a member of the human race. Only a perfect and spotless human being can undo the damage done by our first parents. A perfect duplicate (or copy) of a human being wouldn't be enough. This spotless sacrifice must be a direct descendant of the sinful human race, and he must be divine himself, so that he may atone for all human sins, not just the first one. Protestant Christians understand this concept very well, and teach it in their churches. They know that Jesus must atone for all the sins of the world, and they know he is fully human as well as fully divine. In this sense, Protestants are very "Catholic" in their thinking. What they often fail to consider is that the flesh of Jesus Christ must be truly descended from the sinful human race in order for Jesus to be truly "one of us." If God created a whole new body in Mary's womb from "the dust of the earth" so to speak, essentially a copy of humanity, totally separate from any sinful human genetics, he really wouldn't be human at all. He would be a whole new race, entirely separate from the human race, and completely disconnected from the rest of humanity. He might look like us, but he wouldn't really be "one of us." In order for Jesus Christ to truly be "one of us," he would have to be genetically linked to the human race, and since Jesus only has one biological parent, there is only one person through whom that link can be made. That person is the Blessed Virgin Mary.
When Jesus was miraculously conceived inside Mary's womb, at the time of the annunciation by the Angel Gabriel, his human genetic make-up came directly from her. True, his divine nature came directly from the Godhead, but his human nature came from Mary. So Mary is the human genetic link between Jesus Christ (God made flesh) and mankind. There is only one problem. If Mary's flesh was stained with original sin (like the rest of us), than Jesus would have inherited that same original sin nature. Yet the Scriptures clearly tell us that Jesus was without sin. So we have a theological problem. How could Jesus' flesh and blood be "without sin" if he inherited his human flesh and blood from Mary? Granted, he is God, so he can do whatever he wants, but he chose to do it a certain way that was fitting to his desire. Enter the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception.
From the earliest times, Christians have always believed that Mary was immaculate -- meaning perfect and without sin....
"He (Jesus) was the ark formed of incorruptible wood (Mary). For by this is signified that His tabernacle (body) was exempt from putridity and corruption (sin)." -- (Hippolytus, AD 235)
"This Virgin Mother of the Only-begotten of God, is called Mary, worthy of God, immaculate of the immaculate, one of the one." -- (Origen, AD 244)
The idea here is that God miraculously preserved Mary from original sin from the time of her first existence (i.e. conception). The idea comes from the Holy Scripture in which the Angel Gabriel says to Mary: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you." -- (Luke 1:28) The phrase "full of grace" is a translation of the Greek word kecharitomene. It expresses a characteristic quality of Mary that is unique. The traditional translation, "full of grace," is better than the one found in many recent English versions of the New Testament, which give something along the lines of "highly favoured one." Mary was indeed a highly favoured daughter of God, but the Greek implies more than that. The grace given to Mary is both permanent and unique. Kecharitomene is a perfect, passive, participle of the Greek word charitoo, meaning "to fill or endow with grace." Since this term is in the perfect tense, it indicates that Mary was given this grace in the past, but it has a continuing effect in the present. So, the grace Mary enjoyed did not begin at the angel’s visit. In fact, according to meaning the Greek word kecharitomene, it extended over her whole life, from conception onward. She was in a state of grace from the first moment of her existence (i.e. conception).
Now there is nothing particularly new about this concept. Biblically speaking, Mary wasn't the first person God fashioned in a perfect state of grace -- immaculate -- or without sin. The very first examples we have are Adam and Eve themselves. Both Adam and Eve were in a perfect state of grace at their "conception." Though the Scriptures tell us God fashioned them using a different method than normal procreation, it doesn't change the fact that they were made "without sin" (i.e. immaculate). So we could say the first immaculate conception happened in Eden when God formed the first man (Adam) and the first woman (Eve). In many ways, we could even consider the immaculate conception of Mary a "less dramatic miracle" (if we dare) because God still used the normal procreative processes when he fashioned her.
The question that arises is how? How would God fashion Mary "without sin" when both her parents were obviously stained by original sin, and they conceived her naturally? That is the mystery of the miracle. We can only conclude that God had already chosen Mary as Christ's mother, even from the first moment of her conception in the womb of her own mother. That being the case, the only reason why Mary was conceived without sin is because of Jesus Christ. Her body (flesh and blood) was redeemed retroactively, by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that wouldn't happen until three decades later, because she was chosen to be the vessel through whom Jesus Christ (The Eternal Word) would enter this world as a human being.
Theologically this is very important, because Jesus received all of his human flesh and blood from Mary. That flesh and blood ought to be unspoiled and unstained by sin. Furthermore, modern science tells us that cells from the mother and child do exchange between them during pregnancy. Jesus and Mary literally shared flesh and blood, as all mothers and their babies do during normal human pregnancy. They were in a state of physical communion during that nine months of pregnancy. That means for Jesus to inherit and maintain a perfect body from his mother, without sin, his physical mother should be without sin as well. Likewise, if Mary was to be in a state of physical communion with her son Jesus, receiving his flesh and blood while he was in her womb, it would be necessary for her to be in a perfect state of grace -- immaculate. While God can do anything he wants, it is only fitting and proper for things to be done this way, and the Scriptures seem to support this with the angelic salutation "full of grace.”
So the doctrine of the immaculate conception does not "deify" Mary as many Protestants falsely believe. Nor does it diminish the role of Christ in the redemption of the human race. You can't even say it's "unbiblical" since the Greek word kecharitomene in Luke 1:28 practically defines the doctrine. Rather, it simply states that Mary was no different than the sinless Eve before the fall. Does this mean that Mary was better than Eve? No. Does this mean that Mary was greater or less than Eve? No. It means she was exactly the same as Eve physically, mentally and spiritually speaking. Does this mean that Mary could have sinned? YES! She most certainly could have followed the example of Eve and disobeyed the command of God. If she had, she would have suffered the same fate as Eve, and carried the stain of original sin herself. But the difference is that when the test was given, Mary chose to obey God whereas Eve did not. Eve's test was in the fruit of the tree. Mary's test was in the fruit of the womb. Eve failed her test, while Mary joyously passed hers. From the moment she responded to the angel, "Behold I am the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word" -- (Luke 1:38), she accepted the Lord's will for her, even though she knew it would bring her hardship. Because of that, Mary's purpose was fulfilled. God preserved her without sin, to be like Eve, so she could become the "New Eve," and bring forth the "New Adam" (Romans 5:12-21) who is Christ the Lord.
So now, the question of "why?" arises. Why did Mary choose to obey God, while Eve chose to disobey? Any answer we give is pure speculation, of course, but I think a fair speculation would be the Old Covenant itself. Mary was a Jew. She was raised her whole life to follow the Jewish laws. Tradition tells us she was educated as a child in the Jerusalem Temple, where she served as a consecrated virgin for the Lord. (Protoevangelium of James) Thus Mary had a grace that Eve was not given -- the Mosaic Law. Because of this, she had an understanding of God that was somewhat of a mystery to Eve. Beyond that, unlike Eve, Mary was able to personally witness the effects of original sin all around her. Eve learnt that lesson the hard way, having no prior experience with sin, she introduced original sin to the world with Adam her husband. Mary, in contrast, spent a lifetime toiling in the effects of that original sin, working for survival in a broken world filled with pain and suffering, even though she herself was sinless. This experience, combined with the Mosaic Law, certainly helped to give Mary the courage to say "yes" to a plan that would ultimately bring much more pain and suffering into her own life.
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary is rich in ancient Jewish symbolism. It is foreshadowed in the Old Testament with the Ark of the Covenant. Hebrews 9:4 tells us that the contents contained inside the Ark of the Covenant were; the stone tablets of the Law (the word of God), along with a jar of manna (bread from heaven) and Aaron's rod (a symbol of the holy priesthood). All of these are images foreshadowing Jesus Christ, who is the incarnate Word of God (John 1:1-4,14), the Bread from Heaven (John 6:31-65) and our eternal High Priest (Hebrews 4:14).
Now the Ark of the Covenant was consecrated to God and considered holy. It was not to be touched by sinful man under penalty of death, and God himself had no problem exacting this penalty, even when a man touched it in an attempt to prevent it from falling (2nd Samuel 6:6-7; 1st Chronicles 13:9-10). This Old Testament example is designed to illustrate that the ark, which carried the symbols of the Old Covenant, was just as holy as the Old Covenant itself.
Now as I said, the stone tablets, manna and rod were signs foreshadowing Jesus Christ. He is the New Covenant. Thus the "ark" that carried him in her womb is holy too, just as the ark that carried the symbols that foreshadowed him was holy. Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant because she carried Jesus Christ in her womb. Jesus, who is the Word of God, the Bread of Life and our eternal High Priest, was carried for nine months inside the "ark" of Mary. She carried him in her arms and on her hip for another two years at least. If the ark of the Old Covenant was holy, than surely this ark of the New Covenant is even holier.
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception points more to Christ than Mary. Though Mary is the object of the doctrine, she is not the subject of it. The subject is Christ, and it is his perfectly sinless body that is being addressed. Through Mary, Jesus inherited the "flesh and blood" of mankind. He bore the genetic code of the fallen human race, yet he did so with one modification, the stain of original sin was removed. The flesh he inherited was immaculate. That immaculate flesh was the gift of his mother -- Mary -- who herself received it as a gift from God. So Jesus really and truly was descended from Adam and Eve through Mary. He really and truly was "one of us," having the same ancestors and genetic code that originated from them. God rehabilitated the original, immaculate nature of humanity in Mary, but her sinlessness didn't help anybody but herself. She was the only beneficiary of this filling of grace (kecharitomene). Mary's sinlessness doesn't save anybody else. It doesn't save me, and it doesn't save you. All God did with the immaculate conception was reset the clock, so to speak, to give one person another chance. For the sake of humanity, and revealing himself in the Law of Moses, God gave one more human being, schooled in that law, a chance to say "yes" for humanity. Her "yes" brought forth the Messiah who would fulfil the Law of Moses, and effectively save the rest of us. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, is a doctrine that points entirely to Jesus Christ. Without him, the Immaculate Conception of Mary makes no logical sense.
In following Jesus Christ, we all become "immaculate" upon our baptism. This is the promise that is given to us. Granted, our bodies (and minds) remain damaged by sin, but this is a temporary condition. Those who are faithful, and endure to the end, not only get to look forward to an afterlife in heaven, but also a future resurrection, in which our recreated bodied will be like those of Jesus and Mary -- perfect and immaculate. In this life, the Christian is privileged to experience an immaculate soul upon the sacraments of baptism and reconciliation. In the next life, however, Christians will be privileged to experience an immaculate body as well.
Written by Shane Schaetzel, reposted by permission. Source: http://catholicozarks.blogspot.com/2014/11/mary-conceived-without-sin.html
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