Year of Grace Series: Introduction to Faith and Reason

 Welcome to Faith and Reason Series:

During this year of Grace, it is timely to consider whether Faith and Reason are interwined or as secular society would like us to believe that Faith and Reason are exclusive.  My purpose for writing this series is to explore this by examining carefully the encyclical  called " Fides et Ratio"- Faith and Reason written by the late Pope John Paul 11. I hope that during these next 8-10 weeks, you may explore with me, find your own answers and be able to communicate the truth to others. I also hope that in studying this encyclical you will be blessed with many graces.

Fides et Ratio  known as Faith and Reason was the 13th out of 14 encyclicals produced by Pope John Paul 11 since he became Pope in 1978.

 In the introduction, the late Pope referred to the admonition ‘Know Yourself’ carved on the portal at Delphi, as an expression of being apart form the rest of creation and being a human being.

     The following questions have permeated history as being fundamental:

•  Who am I?
•  Where have I come from?
•  Where am I going?
•  Why is there evil?
•  What is there after this life?

No matter who asks these questions, the answers will decide the direction, which people will seek to give to their lives.

The Church likewise is entrusted by the Pascal Mystery to pass on to mankind the gift of ultimate truth about human life, until the fullness of truth appears with the final Revelation of God.

Philosophy is one means given to human beings to question life’s meaning and its answer.  The reason is that philosophy shows that the desire for truth is part of human nature itself.  Philosophy crosses both Eastern and Western Cultures. By wondering about creation, human beings through the work of philosophy have produced a systematic body of knowledge.  However the quest of knowledge is not estopped from philosophical enquiry.

There is a core of philosophical insight within the history of thought as a whole, and there exists a body of knowledge which may be judged a kind of spiritual heritage of humanity.  The Church sees in philosophy the way to know fundamental truths about human life, and also an indispensable help for a deeper understanding of faith and for communication the truth of the Gospel to those who do not know it.

The late Pope was of the opinion that the search for ultimate truth seems often to be neglected.  Although complex systems of thought here have been developed through the universe and have concentrated on human subjectivity, yet reason has not responded to the fact that men and women need to take steps toward a truth which transcends them.  Reason has taken a back seat.  Instead modern philosophical research has concentrated instead upon human knowing. This has led philosophical research to lose its way in the shifting sands of widespread scepticism.

Today there is a widespread lack of confidence in truth, because the assumption now is that all positions are equally valid.  It is opinion that matters.  Unfortunately, philosophical thinking tends to pursue issues, but ignores the fundamental truths about personal existence, about being and about God.  According to the late Pope, the hope that philosophy might be able to provide definitive answers to these questions has dwindled.

The Church on the other hand, reaffirms the need to reflect upon truth.  The encyclical was therefore written to offer some reflections on the path to true wisdom and truth.  In reaffirming the truth of faith, this is a ‘wake-up’ call to contemporaries to challenge philosophy to recover and develop its own full dignity.

Youth needs a point of reference such as the theme of truth itself and on its foundation in relation to faith.  Many people do not know the real meaning of life. Philosophy needs to recover its original vocation of providing truth so that men and women may cherish the great resources with which it has been endowed and may commit itself with renewed courage to implement the plan of salvation of which its history is part.

Next weeK: Chapter 1: The revelation of God's wisdom.

Gospel of Mark Series: Section 4 Part 4: Jesus comes to the struggling disciples across the lake.

 Welcome to my Gospel of Mark Series. During 2012-13, each week, I will write a post about the Gospel of Mark as I review and explore each of the 16 chapters and how it may be applied in our daily lives. My goal is to understand and pray the Gospel of Mark.  I hope you will join me on this journey as we travel through the liturgical season of Year B.  

In today's post, we explore chapter 6: 45-52 which is Jesus walking on the water and assisting His struggling disciples.

After the feeding of the five thousand at the lakeside, Jesus and His disciples move to Bethsaida, east of the Jordan's opening into Lake Galilee, which for Mark may have been a symbol of Gentile country.  Then Jesus goes into the hills by the lake to pray whilst the disciples are struggling rowing their boat against the wind all night.

The fear of the disciples and their cry to Jesus for help recalls the earlier storm of wind on the lake and the terror they felt at that time (4.35-41).  Jesus comes to them in the morning and rescues them by getting into the boat and is with them again. When He gets into the boat and is with them again, the wind drops. Here Mark paints for us a sharp contrast- the desperate situation of the disciples when separated from Jesus as compared to their security when He is with them.

However Mark also tells us that unlike the first storm on the lake  where the disciples felt terror, they did not understand Jesus and the wholeness of life He offered, nor did they understand the real meaning of the feeding of the five thousand and sharing their little food with the crowd. With their lack of understanding, they, like the Pharisees had an attitude of hardness of heart and a lack of faith.

In our journal and/or our discussion group we may wish to reflect on this passage as follows:

• Name the key points that you have learnt about the person of Jesus in this passage of scripture?
• Reflect on the keywords in this passage for they contain the substance and purpose of all the things Jesus said and did-
• Consider the compassion of Jesus for the disciples struggling and the anguish of the disciples to cope without Jesus. How is my relationship with Jesus as a disciple  in the light of this Gospel passage.
• Reflect on the helplessness of the disciples rowing against the wind. What are my experiences when I try to row against the wind without Jesus in my boat?
• Consider the prayer and peace of Jesus in the hills during the night. Try to enter into something of His prayer.  How does Jesus spending time in prayer speak to you?
• Ponder on the times Jesus has calmed the storm when He got into my boat.  
• Reflect on the attitude of the disciples as they lacked understanding and faith . Reflect on times when I lacked understanding and had a hardness of heart when I did not understand what Jesus is doing for me in my life.
• Reflect on God having creative control over nature. How do I want to take over that control in my life?
• How do I relate to this story of Jesus coming to the struggling disciples.  Make a list of areas in my life that need a change of heart and develop an action plan on how this change of heart might occur. (eg name an area and name one/two changes that you will implement with God's help.
• What impact does Jesus’ teaching have on you (6:45-52.
• How has this passage spoken to you- what does it say to you personally?

Opening Prayer Series: Collect for 17th Sunday of Yr B

The Collect for the 17th Sunday of Year B reads as follows:

Let us pray,

O God, protector of those who hope in You,

without whom nothing has firm foundation, nothing is holy,

bestow in abundance Your mercy upon us,

and grant that, with You as our ruler and guide

we may use the good things that pass in such a way 

as to hold fast even now to those that ever endure

Through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son,

who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God for ever and ever.

In making this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged:

1. Why do I hope in God?
2. In what areas of my life am I in need of God's mercy?
3. Is what areas of my life is God the ruler and guide and in what areas of my life do I still rule?
4. Name the good things that I can use in such a way as to hold fast to those that endure?
5. What are the good things that ever endure?
6. How I am progressing spiritually in this Year of Grace? 
7. What is my special goal this coming week to grow in God's grace?

About the Mass Series vol 2: Overview and Preparation for Mass.

I have previously written a series called ‘About the Mass’.  You will find this series under the Sacraments category.  The next two sections for my series ‘’About the Mass vol 2- New Translation’’ comes from my previous series of the same title.  I recommend  reading Section 2: the Overview of the Mass and Section 3: the Preparation before Mass.

Section 2- the Overview of the Mass has 3 parts namely:

Overview part 1:  The names given to Holy Mass.

Overview part 2: The tabernacles.

Overview Part 3:  The Mass and its Jewish roots.

Section 3: Preparation for Mass

Part 1: How to prepare for Mass during the week.

Part 2: Preparation for Mass before Mass.

Part 3:  How do the priest and altar servers prepare for Mass?

It should be noted that in this second series, I have an overview called Same Mass, New words, deeper meaning, greater love of the Mass, which relates specifically to the New Translation, whereas the overview cited in my first series is as pertinent to this series.  I recommend it to you for reading as I do for Section 3 Preparation for Mass.  

Next week: Section 4: Introductory Rite.

Gospel of Mark Series: Section 4 Part 3: the feeding of the five thousand people.

 Welcome to my Gospel of Mark Series. During 2012-13, each week, I will write a post about the Gospel of Mark as I review and explore each of the 16 chapters and how it may be applied in our daily lives. My goal is to understand and pray the Gospel of Mark.  I hope you will join me on this journey as we travel through the liturgical season of Year B.  In today's post, we explore chapter 6: 30-44 which is the feeding of the five thousand.

When the disciples return from their mission and tell Jesus all they did and taught, He invites them to come and rest by a quiet place by the lake.

However their plan could not come into fruition since a crowd of people hurried along the shore of the lake and were there to welcome them when they arrived. Jesus being the Good Shepherd (Ezekiel 34:11-16) feels compassion for them and begins to teach them.  This shows us that Jesus is available to everyone equally and without exception.

Jesus nourished the people by his teaching and concludes by sharing food from the little the disciples had.  This can be compared to Old Testament stories such as Moses feeding the Israelites in the desert (Ex 16:11-21) or Elisah feeding the people with twenty barley loaves with food left over ( 2 Kings 4:42-44).

This story highlights:

1. unity can be achieved through sharing food as they sit on the grass and eat together.
2. the similarity with the Last Supper in that Jesus takes the bread and fish, blesses God, breaks the loaves and gives it to the disciples to give to the people.
3. the abundance of God in that there was plenty of food left over, one large basketful for each of the twelve to take and share with still more people.

This story shows through Mark’s account that Jesus brings wholeness of life.  He feeds the crowd from the little his disciples had. Mark does not mention the surprise or wonderment that the people may have experienced, unlike that in the healing stories. He leaves this to our own imagination.

In our journal and/or our discussion group we may wish to reflect on this passage as follows:

• Name the key points that you have learnt about the person of Jesus in this passage of scripture?
• Reflect on the keywords in this passage for they contain the substance and purpose of all the things Jesus said and did-
• Consider the compassion of Jesus for the people with the readiness of the disciples to send them away. How is my relationship with Jesus as a disciple  in the light of this Gospel passage.
• Reflect on the ways that this sharing of such little food among so many symbolizes the mystery of the Eucharist.
• Consider the people who sat down on the grass to eat. Try to enter into something of their feelings.  
• Ponder on the times Jesus has provided abundantly for me from the little I had.  
• Reflect on the attitude of the disciples as they desired initially to sent the people away but were pivotal in feeding the people. Reflect on times when God has allowed me to be instrumental in feeding others even though I may have been reluctant giver.
• How do I relate to this story of the feeding of the five thousand.  Make a list of areas in my life that need a change of heart and develop an action plan on how this change of heart might occur. (eg name an area and name one/two changes that you will implement with God's help.
• What impact does Jesus’ teaching have on you (6:30-44).
• How has this passage spoken to you- what does it say to you personally?

Gospel of Mark Series: Section 4 Part 2: the death of John the Baptist.

Welcome to my Gospel of Mark Series. During 2012-13, each week, I will write a post about the Gospel of Mark as I review and explore each of the 16 chapters and how it may be applied in our daily lives. My goal is to understand and pray the Gospel of Mark.  I hope you will join me on this journey as we travel through the liturgical season of Year B.  In today's post, we explore chapter 6:14-29 which is the death of John the Baptist.

Between the departure of the twelve on their mission and their return, Mark provides us with the account of the death of John the Baptist,which, in Mark’s Gospel is the only story which is not about Jesus.

This story is important because it points to:

1. the death of Jesus at the hands of the authorities.  
2. a meaning since the placing of this story is the only time Jesus is separated from his disciples.
3. the meaning of discipleship.  During the suffering and death of Jesus, the disciples were separated from Him by unfaithfulness and cowardice, not by being sent on a mission.  
4. similar betrayal.  John is betrayed by Herodias just as Jesus is betrayed by Judas.
5. similar deaths in that John died in loneliness whereas Jesus is deserted by the twelve.
6. the foretelling of the death of Jesus in the way John rebuked Herod with such forthrightness for his unlawful behaviour.  Jesus also proclaimed the gospel in Jerusalem and confronted the powerful leaders there.  
   
   

Let us now our attention to Herod.  Herod in this story was Herod Antipas, a son of Herod the Great in the story of Jesus’ birth, who was the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea from 4BC until 39 AD.  His fear appears to a superstitious dread that John the Baptist whom he had killed was alive again.

Those around Herod offer him misinformation telling him that Jesus was not John, but Elijah or another of the old prophets.

In our journal and/or our discussion group we may wish to reflect on this passage as follows:

• Name the key points that you have learnt about the person of Jesus in this passage of scripture?
• Reflect on the keywords in this passage for they contain the substance and purpose of all the things Jesus said and did-
• Consider my relationship with Jesus as a disciple  in the light of this Gospel passage.
• Reflect on Herod and his confusion and consider my own behaviour in the light of it.
• Consider the role of Herodias. Try to enter into something of her feelings. Is there a Herodias in my behaviour?
• Ponder on the effect of both Herod and Herodias behaviour on the daughter.   
• Reflect on the behaviour of Herod, Herodias and the daughter on the guests. Is social protocol more important than speaking up when an unlawful action is to occur? Do I have the courage to speak out?
• How do I relate to this story of the death of John the Baptist.  Make a list of areas in my life that need a change of heart and develop an action plan on how this change of heart might occur. (eg name an area and name one/two changes that you will implement with God's help.
• What impact does Jesus’ teaching have on you (6:14-29).
• How has this passage spoken to you- what does it say to you personally?

Opening Prayer Series: Collect for 16th Sunday of Year B

The Collect for the 16th Sunday of Year B reads as follows:

Let us pray,

Show favour O Lord to Your servants

and mercifully increase the gifts of Your grace,

that, made fervent in hope, faith and charity,

they may be ever watchful in keeping Your commands.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son,

who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God for ever and ever.

In makiing this prayer tangible for during the week the following reflection questions emerged:

1. Why ask the Lord to show us His favour?
2. How might I cooperate with God by using the gifts of grace He provides?
3. What do I understand the grace of faith to be?  
4. What do I understand the grace of hope to be?
5. What do I understand the grace of charity (love) to be?
6. What are the commands of the Lord which you find difficult to keep/err?
7. What decisions/actions will you make this week to change this difficulty and perpensity to sin?
8. What will I do this week to continue on my journey in the Year of Grace?

NB: I have a written a series on the Virtues. You may wish to check it out. 
You may also wish to peruse the series on the Year of Grace which is in progress.

In today's Gospel we enter into the what happens to the disciples when they return from their mission.  They tell Jesus all they did and taught.  He invites them to come and rest in a quiet place by the lake.

This plan is frustrated when a crowd of people hurry along the shore of the lake and are there to welcome Jesus and His disciples when they arrive.  Like a good shepherd in the prophecy of Ezekiel (34:11-16), Jesus feels compassion for them and begins to teach them.

This gospel is relevant for us today especially for those in ministry.  Everyone needs time out from work to refresh and replenish our bodies, minds and spirits.  God rested on the seventh day in the story of creation in Genesis from " all the work He had been doing"'.  So, if it is good enough for God, then it is more necessary for us, since we need to be renewed.  We cannot do this if we are constantly busy and working.  We must have rest-rest in the Lord.

However, there are people in the world who are keen to hear the Word of God and want to hurry along our shore to hear it Jesus speak to them through us.  Sometimes it is not very convenient, since our plans are thawted, but like Jesus, we need to have compassion and teach them. We may not need to go looking for the crowd.  They may our colleagues at work, our extended families, those we meet in the street or whilst doing shopping or our fellow parishioners who are hungry to know their faith more deeply.

It comes down to balance.  Jesus wants to spend time wiith us and we need to spend time with Him.  Otherwise, we cannot serve Him to our fullest capacity if our tank is on empty.  We are spiritually burnt out.  However, when we encounter someone who desires to know their faith more and hear the voice of Jesus  speak through us, we need to take the time to be compassionate and feed this person's hunger.

May we be granted the gift of physical, emotional and spiritual balance during this coming week.

Opening Prayer Series: Collect for 15th Sunday of Year B

The Collect for the 15th Sunday of Year B reads as follows:

Let us pray

O God, who show the light of Your truth 

to those who go astray,

 so that they may return to the right path.

give all who for the faith they profess 

are accounted Christians

 the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the name of Christ 

and to strive after all that does it honour.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son 

who lives and reigns with You 

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 

one God, for ever and ever.

In making this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged:

1. How does God's light show itself to me when I go astray?
2. What attitude do I have to the sacrament of Reconciliation?
3. What does it mean to me to be called a Christian?
4. What does the name of Christ mean?
5. How do I strive to honour the name of Christ?
6. How is my personal journey in this Year of Grace progressing?

In today's post, we commence a new section which relates to Jesus in His mission ( 6: 6-8:30)  and we explore chapter 6:6-13 which is the disciples sent into mission.

With the brief sentence “Then He went about among the villages teaching”, Mark  commences the stories of missionary journeys of Jesus and his disciples beyond the familiar synagogues and towns of the lakeside.

After the ‘failure’  in the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus no longer teaches in the synagogues and towns, but continues his teaching moving among the villages of the countryside.  He calls the twelve, whom He chose earlier (3:14), and sends them two by two on a mission, asking of them the same mobility and flexibility.  In Jewish law two are necessary for a valid witness.

The are sent to share in the mission of Jesus to reveal the kingdom of God in the world.  The authority to do this, which Jesus has from God, He gives to them.  It is an authority that goes beyond teaching in words and shows itself in a new power over evils spirits which oppress people, to free people from sickness and to turn human hearts towards God.

Like John the Baptiser, the disciples do not explicitly proclaim the kingdom in words.  In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus alone does this.

They are to be mobile, symbolised the travelling staff, and they are to be flexible, living in simplicity without provision from food, money or extra clothing, trusting in the providence of God.  Like Jesus they are to remain in a place as long as they are made welcome.  The gesture of wiping the feet before leaving was a sign among the Jews of separating oneself from a people who lacked true faith in God.

The six pairs of disciples leave Jesus and go off to witness to the coming of the kingdom of God into the world.  They call for a radical turning to God, they drive out demons and they anoint the sick with oil.

In our journal and/or our discussion group we may wish to reflect on this passage as follows:

• Name the key points that you have learnt about the person of Jesus in this passage of scripture?
• Reflect on the keywords in this passage for they contain the substance and purpose of all the things Jesus said and did-
• Consider my relationship with Jesus  in the light of this Gospel passage.
• Reflect on the simplicity of lifestyle Jesus asks and consider how much I seek this as a way to experience God’s power in my life.
• Consider what power Jesus shares with the twelve.  Try to enter into something of their feelings as they set out?
• Ponder on the effect for the disciples their of lack of worldly goods for the journey Jesus asks of them at the beginning of the journey and their faith in Jesus?  
• Reflect on how the disciples needs were taken care of by those whom they visited and how they must have felt as they realized the providence of God?
• How do I relate to this story of Jesus offering me the mission to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God.  Make a list of areas in my life that need a change of heart and develop an action plan on how this change of heart might occur. (eg name an area and name one/two changes that you will implement with God's help.
• What impact does Jesus’ teaching have on you (6:6-13).
• How has this passage spoken to you- what does it say to you personally?

On a personal note, I had the priviledge to be at 3 Masses yesterday, one in the morning, one in the afternoon and one in the evening.  It was indeed a holy day!!!  By the end of the day, I felt I had heard the opening prayer and the Word of God almost too often for one day.  However, the fascinating aspect of these Masses were the homilies given by these 3 priests. Each one of them took an aspect from the gospel and developed his homily from there. I could not help but smile to myself- here is God's word- the same gospel but 3 totally different homillies- the gospel is indeed ancient but ever new.

One priest who was a visitor to my parish concentrated on the need to evangelize and to examine one's baggage so as to travel light. He spoke from his current experience ministering in PNG and compared the life and ministry there to his previous ministry in Australia.  

The second priest zoned in on fact that Jesus sent them out in pairs- meaning that each disciple provided a witness to those to whom they were preaching to, and that because Jesus had sent them out in pairs, they were supported by each other in their ministry. He then went on to talk about the need for priests to be supported in their ministry and the need to pray for them.  

The third priest took a different angle- he focused his attention on the fact that the disciples anointed the sick. He then went on to give a beautiful presentation about the sacrament of the anointing of the sick which Jesus had insitituted. 

By the end of the day, I flopped into bed and was thankful that this gospel had been explored from so many angles and with such richness.

Reflection and Prayer Series: The faithful Friend.

My reflection and prayer series is about sharing reflections and Prayers which have impacted upon me and have provided food for thought. I hope that they will also nurture your soul and spirit.

My post is called:

                                                               THE FAITHFUL FRIEND.
 

Lord, let me not forget the friend 

who stand by quietly the faithful friend 

who cares enough to pray for me daily.

The One who endured the loneliness of the cross
 is the One who come to comfort you when you're alone. 
So in His comforting arms, you are never alone. 

Following Jesus Series: Being a child of God Part 2.

This series called 'Following Jesus' is primarily written with young children in mind.   However, a parent, grandparent or interested adult will be most helpful in accompanying them. God calls us His children and He wants us to become once again like little children- not childish but childlike.  So with this in mind, whether we are a young child or an adult, this series may assist you in some way to follow Jesus.

In today's post, we explore further what it riches we have in being called a child of God.

In last week's post, we explored the story of David who was chosen to be King of God's chosen people (1 Kings 16:12-13).  You might like to reflect upon this story again.  This story is important for us because just as a great change took place in David when he was anointed king, a greater change took place in us when God called us to be His children.  This occured when we were born, but at Baptism we received a share in God's own life and love. The great gift of santifying grace made us adopted Children of God.  We became holy and pleasing to Him and the Holy Spirit came to live in us.  This is why receiving the Sacrament of Baptism for Catholics is so very important. We may liken santifying grace as the sap which gives life to the vine.

The gift of santifying grace just did not happen. No, it was won for us by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, which means this gift gives us the right to go to Heaven, the home of God, our Father.

God also gives us another grace known as actual grace which is the help we need to live as His children.  Actual grace gives light to our mind so that we may know what is right and pleasing to God.  Acutual graces gives strenth to our will so that we may able to act as children of God. Actual grace can be likened to the sap which makes the vine strong.

God our Father gives us this gift of actual grace freely but He does not force it upon us. It is really important that we accept this grace from God and say thank you because  without this help from God, we cannont reach Heaven which is our true homeland.

So  with your mum/dad/grandparents or special someone who is accompanying you on this journey, let us learn now from the Catechism about these graces. You can learn the meanings together.

What does sanctifying grace do for us?

Santifying grace:

1. Makes us holy and pleasing to God.
2. makes us adopted Children of God.
3. Makes us temples of the Holy Spirit.
4. Gives us the right to Heaven.

What is actual grace? 

 Actual grace:

1. is a supernatural help of God which enlightens our minds so that we may know what is right and pleasing to God.

2. strengthens our will to do good.

3. strengthens our will to avoid evil.

 To help you remember these graces and their importance, you might like to:

• place a photo of your baptism on your wall/ on your desk.
• draw a picture of a baby being baptised at a church ( if you do not have a photo of your own baptism).
• draw a picture of a vine with the sun shining on it.
• Draw your own picture  to show that God helps you to live a child of God with the help of actual grace.
  

As you draw your pictures, remember what these graces are and say aloud what each of these graces and how they help you. Make it personal by using your name.

For example. When I ( put in your name) was baptised, I received santifying grace. Santifying grace makes me holy and pleasing to God, makes me an adopted child of God, makes me a temple of the Holy Spirit and gives me the right to Heaven.

When you make these definitions personal, it will be easier to remember and also you can use these definitions as a starting point to your own prayer. You might like to compose your prayer with your special person who is helping you.

Next week: understanding temptation and preparing for battle Part 1.

Compendium Series: Why is Jesus called Christ?

82. Why is Jesus called ‘’Christ”? (CCC 436-440,538)

Compendium states:

Christ in Greek, “‘ Messiah” in Hebrew, means “ the anointed One”. Jesus is the Christ because He is consecrated by God and anointed by the Holy Spirit for His redeeming mission.  He is the Messiah awaited by Israel, sent into the world by the Father.  Jesus accepted the title of Messiah, but He made the meaning of the term clear “come down from Heaven” ( Jn 3:13), crucified and then risen, he is the Suffering Servant ‘’ who gives His life as a ransom for the many” (Mt 20:28).  From the name Christ comes our name of Christian.

What does this mean for me?

1. Each time I hear or use the word Christ, I can thank Him for being the anointed One and by His redeeming mission I may be saved.
2. I can appreciate more fully the title Christian and realize its full implication for me.
3. Being a Christian means I bear the name Christ and therefore share the redeeming mission. How many people will I bring to Christ through the way I live my life?

Questions to consider.

1.If Christ means anointed One, and I bear the name Christian, what are the ramifications of being called a Christian?

2. How can I educate a person who misuses the name ‘’Christ”’ in the light of its meaning?

3. How do I appreciate the gift of Christ’s redeeming mission to me- his coming down from Heaven, his death and resurrection and how does HIs redeeming mission impact on my life?

About the Mass Series Vol 2 New Translation: Who prepared the translation?

Welcome to my new series called ' About the Mass Series Volume 2-New Translation'

In my second section of this series on Same Mass, New Words, Deeper Meaning and Greater Love of the Mass as an overview of why the English speaking world have a new translation of the Mass.

In today's 5th post which is the final post for this second section, we consider who prepared the Translation?

A large number of people worked on the new translation.  The entire process was guided by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy ( often referred to in texts as ICEL). This same Commission (with different members) also provided the  first translations to all English speaking countries  decades ago.   

The process therefore was as follows: 

1. Team of Experts: A team of experts proposed translations that that were faithful to the Latin texts, constant in style and were consistent in vocabulary. 
2. ICEL Bishops: Eleven bishops from all over the world gathered and attended meetings  ( known for this purpose as the ICEL bishops).  Their task was to evaluate the work and made their changes to enhance it. 
3. Conference of Bishops: The ICEL bishops brought their results to the conferences of bishops whom they represent from around the world.  
4. Conference back to ICEL:  These conferences then sent their suggestions back to the ICEL,which made further round of improvements.  
5. Conferences to vote:  Then after this, they went back to the conferences for their vote and the submission of the texts to Rome. 
6. Congregation of Divine Workship:  In Rome, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.consulted with the Vox Clara Committee, which is its own team of experts, made some final adjustments to the texts before approving them for publication.

With so many participants involved in the preparation of the texts to publication process, inevitably some compromises were made.  However, we can be assured that the new translation of the Mass is the work of many people, whose  purpose was to enable us to pray with more purpose,

It is important however to remember that it is the same Mass, but with new words and deeper meaning which over a period of time will hopefully give us a greater love of the Mass.