I'll open with my first impressions having given it a reading with my morning tea: It's great! This is by far the most doctrinally clear, Biblically and Traditionally grounded encyclical out of the Pope Francis episcopacy. Not coincidentally, it sticks within a defined theological scope rather than attempting to address hot button social issues (though honestly I wish American Catholics were more keen to submit and obey rather than openly resist). My favorite section is 86-89:

86. Many Jansenists found this difficult to comprehend, for they looked askance on all that was human, affective and corporeal, and so viewed this devotion as distancing us from pure worship of the Most High God. Pius XII described as "false mysticism"[79] the elitist attitude of those groups that saw God as so sublime, separate and distant that they regarded affective expressions of popular piety as dangerous and in need of ecclesiastical oversight.

87. It could be argued that today, in place of Jansenism, we find ourselves before a powerful wave of secularization that seeks to build a world free of God. In our societies, we are also seeing a proliferation of varied forms of religiosity that have nothing to do with a personal relationship with the God of love, but are new manifestations of a disembodied spirituality. I must warn that within the Church too, a baneful Jansenist dualism has re-emerged in new forms. This has gained renewed strength in recent decades, but it is a recrudescence of that Gnosticism which proved so great a spiritual threat in the early centuries of Christianity because it refused to acknowledge the reality of "the salvation of the flesh". For this reason, I turn my gaze to the heart of Christ and I invite all of us to renew our devotion to it. I hope this will also appeal to today's sensitivities and thus help us to confront the dualisms, old and new, to which this devotion offers an effective response.

88. I would add that the heart of Christ also frees us from another kind of dualism found in communities and pastors excessively caught up in external activities, structural reforms that have little to do with the Gospel, obsessive reorganization plans, worldly projects, secular ways of thinking and mandatory programmes. The result is often a Christianity stripped of the tender consolations of faith, the joy of serving others, the fervour of personal commitment to mission, the beauty of knowing Christ and the profound gratitude born of the friendship he offers and the ultimate meaning he gives to our lives. This too is the expression of an illusory and disembodied otherworldliness.

89. Once we succumb to these attitudes, so widespread in our day, we tend to lose all desire to be cured of them. This leads me to propose to the whole Church renewed reflection on the love of Christ represented in his Sacred Heart. For there we find the whole Gospel, a synthesis of the truths of our faith, all that we adore and seek in faith, all that responds to our deepest needs.

For our ESL Catholics like @szrotmistrz you can scroll up and find the translation in your local language, including Portuguese, Polish, Spanish etc. Please join me in reading this. For the less interested here is the Vatican News summary.

The text concludes with a prayer, and I ask all !Catholics and !prayerwarriors to join me:

"I ask our Lord Jesus Christ to grant that His Sacred Heart may continue to pour forth the streams of living water that can heal the hurt we have caused, strengthen our ability to love and serve others, and inspire us to journey together towards a just, solidary and fraternal world. Until that day when we will rejoice in celebrating together the banquet of the heavenly kingdom in the presence of the risen Lord, who harmonizes all our differences in the light that radiates perpetually from his open heart. May he be blessed forever" (220).

@JoyceScaryOates @Paragon @carpathianHORRORist you neighbors can't escape me by being outside the ping group. Please read this.

!catholics !christians happy Feast of the Presentation of the Lord!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

First Reading

Thus says the Lord GOD:

Lo, I am sending my messenger

to prepare the way before me;

And suddenly there will come to the temple

the LORD whom you seek,

And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.

Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.

But who will endure the day of his coming?

And who can stand when he appears?

For he is like the refiner's fire,

or like the fuller's lye.

He will sit refining and purifying silver,

and he will purify the sons of Levi,

Refining them like gold or like silver

that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD.

Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem

will please the LORD,

as in the days of old, as in years gone by.

-Malachi 3:1-4

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Responsorial Pslam

R. (8) Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

Lift up, O gates, your lintels;

reach up, you ancient portals,

that the king of glory may come in!

R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

Who is this king of glory?

The LORD, strong and mighty,

the LORD, mighty in battle.

R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

Lift up, O gates, your lintels;

reach up, you ancient portals,

that the king of glory may come in!

R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

Who is this king of glory?

The LORD of hosts; he is the king of glory.

R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

-Psalms 24:7, 8, 9, 10

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Second Reading

Since the children share in blood and flesh,

Jesus likewise shared in them,

that through death he might destroy the one

who has the power of death, that is, the Devil,

and free those who through fear of death

had been subject to slavery all their life.

Surely he did not help angels

but rather the descendants of Abraham;

therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters

in every way,

that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God

to expiate the sins of the people.

Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,

he is able to help those who are being tested.

-Hebrews 2:14-18

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

A light of revelation to the Gentiles,

and glory for your people Israel.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

-Luke 2:32

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Gospel

When the days were completed for their purification

according to the law of Moses,

Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem

to present him to the Lord,

just as it is written in the law of the Lord,

Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,

and to offer the sacrifice of

a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,

in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.

This man was righteous and devout,

awaiting the consolation of Israel,

and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit

that he should not see death

before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

He came in the Spirit into the temple;

and when the parents brought in the child Jesus

to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,

he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

"Now, Master, you may let your servant go 

    in peace, according to your word,

for my eyes have seen your salvation,

    which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

    and glory for your people Israel."

The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;

and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,

"Behold, this child is destined

for the fall and rise of many in Israel,

and to be a sign that will be contradicted

-and you yourself a sword will pierce-

so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

There was also a prophetess, Anna,

the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.

She was advanced in years,

having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,

and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.

She never left the temple,

but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.

And coming forward at that very time,

she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child

to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions

of the law of the Lord,

they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.

The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;

and the favor of God was upon him.

-Luke 2:22-40

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

!catholics !christians happy Third Sunday in Ordinary Time!

_________________________________________________________________________________

First Reading

Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly,

which consisted of men, women,

and those children old enough to understand.

Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate,

he read out of the book from daybreak till midday,

in the presence of the men, the women,

and those children old enough to understand;

and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.

Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform

that had been made for the occasion.

He opened the scroll

so that all the people might see it

— for he was standing higher up than any of the people —;

and, as he opened it, all the people rose.

Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God,

and all the people, their hands raised high, answered,

"Amen, amen!"

Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD,

their faces to the ground.

Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God,

interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.

Then Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and Ezra the priest-scribe

and the Levites who were instructing the people

said to all the people:

"Today is holy to the LORD your God.

Do not be sad, and do not weep"—

for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.

He said further: "Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks,

and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared;

for today is holy to our LORD.

Do not be saddened this day,

for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!"

-Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10

_________________________________________________________________________________

Responsorial Psalm

R. (cf John 6:63c) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The law of the LORD is perfect,

refreshing the soul;

The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,

giving wisdom to the simple.

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The precepts of the LORD are right,

rejoicing the heart;

The command of the LORD is clear,

enlightening the eye.

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The fear of the LORD is pure,

enduring forever;

The ordinances of the LORD are true,

all of them just.

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart

find favor before you,

O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

-Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15

_________________________________________________________________________________

Second Reading

Brothers and sisters:

As a body is one though it has many parts,

and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,

so also Christ.

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,

whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,

and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

Now the body is not a single part, but many.

If a foot should say,

"Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body, "

it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.

Or if an ear should say,

"Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body, "

it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?

If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

But as it is, God placed the parts,

each one of them, in the body as he intended.

If they were all one part, where would the body be?

But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you, "

nor again the head to the feet, "I do not need you."

Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker

are all the more necessary,

and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable

we surround with greater honor,

and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety,

whereas our more presentable parts do not need this.

But God has so constructed the body

as to give greater honor to a part that is without it,

so that there may be no division in the body,

but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.

If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it;

if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.

Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it.

Some people God has designated in the church

to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers;

then, mighty deeds;

then gifts of healing, assistance, administration,

and varieties of tongues.

Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?

Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing?

Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

-1 Corinthians 12:12-30

_________________________________________________________________________________

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,

and to proclaim liberty to captives.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

-Luke 4:18

_________________________________________________________________________________

Gospel

Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events

that have been fulfilled among us,

just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning

and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,

I too have decided,

after investigating everything accurately anew,

to write it down in an orderly sequence for you,

most excellent Theophilus,

so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings

you have received.

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,

and news of him spread throughout the whole region.

He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,

and went according to his custom

into the synagogue on the sabbath day.

He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.

He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to bring glad tidings to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,

and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.

He said to them,

"Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."

-Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21

_________________________________________________________________________________

reddit thread: https://old.reddit.com/r/Christianity/comments/1i6rbbq/bishop_rebukes_trump_asks_him_to_have_mercy_on/

Cecile Richards, the dynamic former president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and one of the country's most well-known defenders of abortion rights, died on Monday at her home in Manhattan. She was 67.

She was diagnosed in 2023 with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, her family said in a statement. A former political organizer, Ms. Richards was a daughter of former Gov. Ann Richards of Texas.

Ms. Richards was the president of Planned Parenthood from 2006 to 2018, overseeing the country's largest provider of reproductive health care and s*x education during a period in which the organization was under sharp attack by conservatives, particularly under the Republican administration of President George W. Bush and President Trump's first. She helped fend off a raft of attempts by Republican-controlled state legislatures to pass laws to restrict access to abortion or to cut funding for it.

The Vatican is its own sovereign nation thanks to Fascist Italy with presumably their own corpus of intellectual property. If the Church wants to be dramatic how about they take their grace of charity to it's logical conclusion?

I'm theorising that the Vatican could set up massive Online-Learning apparatus to give you a shiny degree or cert blessed by the Church

They could also declare they do not recognise copyright and openly harbour torrenting and piracy and just keep a massive index for Holy See collated textbooks on whatever topic imaginable since Priests and Clergy are typically high IQ-maxxed and become multi-disciplinary just from the boredom of the cloister in between their duties and politicking among themselves.

If the university or public education system that relies on mandated attendance suddenly have to compete with a high-quality and proactive program suitable for homeschooling?

!chuds thoughts?

!catholics !christians happy Second Sunday of Ordinary Time!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

First Reading

For Zion's sake I will not be silent,

for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet,

until her vindication shines forth like the dawn

and her victory like a burning torch.

Nations shall behold your vindication,

and all the kings your glory;

you shall be called by a new name

pronounced by the mouth of the LORD.

You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD,

a royal diadem held by your God.

No more shall people call you "Forsaken, "

or your land "Desolate, "

but you shall be called "My Delight, "

and your land "Espoused."

For the LORD delights in you

and makes your land his spouse.

As a young man marries a virgin,

your Builder shall marry you;

and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride

so shall your God rejoice in you.

-Isaiah 62:1-5

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Responsorial Psalm

R. (3) Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Sing to the LORD a new song;

        sing to the LORD, all you lands.

Sing to the LORD; bless his name.

R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Announce his salvation, day after day.

Tell his glory among the nations;

        among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.

R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Give to the LORD, you families of nations,

        give to the LORD glory and praise;

        give to the LORD the glory due his name! 

R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Worship the LORD in holy attire.

        Tremble before him, all the earth;

Say among the nations: The LORD is king.

        He governs the peoples with equity.

R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.

-Psalms 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Second Reading

Brothers and sisters:

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;

there are different forms of service but the same Lord;

there are different workings but the same God

who produces all of them in everyone.

To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit

is given for some benefit.

To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom;

to another, the expression of knowledge according to the

same Spirit;

to another, faith by the same Spirit;

to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit;

to another, mighty deeds;

to another, prophecy;

to another, discernment of spirits;

to another, varieties of tongues;

to another, interpretation of tongues.

But one and the same Spirit produces all of these,

distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.

-1 Corinthians 12:4-11

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

God has called us through the Gospel

to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

-2 Thessalonians 2:14

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Gospel

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee,

and the mother of Jesus was there.

Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.

When the wine ran short,

the mother of Jesus said to him,

"They have no wine."

And Jesus said to her,

"Woman, how does your concern affect me?

My hour has not yet come."

His mother said to the servers,

"Do whatever he tells you."

Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,

each holding twenty to thirty gallons.

Jesus told them,

"Fill the jars with water."

So they filled them to the brim.

Then he told them,

"Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter."

So they took it.

And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,

without knowing where it came from

— although the servers who had drawn the water knew —,

the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,

"Everyone serves good wine first,

and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one;

but you have kept the good wine until now."

Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee

and so revealed his glory,

and his disciples began to believe in him.

-John 2:1-11

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When Mary asks Jesus to do something about the lack of wine, He says it is not yet time. Jesus has yet to start His public ministry, having performed no miracles for a public audience yet. But when His mother asks Him to do so, He obliges, setting off the chain of events that ultimately leads to His Passion and death. I find it interesting that it says "his disciplines began to believe in him," implying that He already had disciples at this point.

Excommunicated ex-Archbishop Viganò accuses Vatican 2025 Jubilee mascot Luce of being part of a “globalist coup” against the Church.

Follow: @AFpost pic.twitter.com/ECFvsByQ2N

— AF Post (@AFpost) October 29, 2024

What no boikitty does to a priest

In light of @HailVictory1776's recent diagnosis, maybe we can put the site to good use for once. Today is the fortuitously-timed start of the St. Peregrine Novena and that's good for him, your family, random cancer patients around the world, whatever you'd like to pray with intention for.

I'm thinking we'll do this every day at 1500 EST (it's current 2130). You're welcome to mention that you're participating below, or keep it to yourself, both are fine.

Will repost reminders every day.

!catholics and even !christians

Prayer here - https://www.praymorenovenas.com/st-peregrine-novena

Or if you'd prefer to stay on rDrama for some reason -

Sign of the Cross

Amen

Dear holy servant of God, St. Peregrine, we pray today for healing.

Intercede for us God healed you of cancer and others were healed by your prayers. Please pray for the physical healing of…

(Mention your intentions)

These intentions bring us to our knees seeking your intercession for healing.

We are humbled by our physical limitations and ailments. We are so weak and so powerless. We are completely dependent upon God. And so, we ask that you pray for us…

Pray for us, that we will not let sickness bring us to despair.

We know, St. Peregrine, that you are a powerful intercessor because your life was completely given to God. We know that in as much as you pray for our healing, you are praying even more for our salvation.

A life of holiness like yours is more important than a life free of suffering and disease. Pray for our healing, but pray even more that we might come as close to Our Lord as you are.

Glory Be

Amen.

Sign of the Cross

Amen.

Is this a sign? Idk I've always had a deep fear that what if the conservatives are right and I'm wrong?

No honey, you are VALID in the eyes of the Lord

!catholics !christians Happy Baptism of the Lord!

__________________________________________________________________

First Reading

Thus says the LORD:

Here is my servant whom I uphold,

 my chosen one with whom I am pleased,

upon whom I have put my spirit;

 he shall bring forth justice to the nations,

not crying out, not shouting,

 not making his voice heard in the street.

A bruised reed he shall not break,

 and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,

until he establishes justice on the earth;

 the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,

 I have grasped you by the hand;

I formed you, and set you

 as a covenant of the people,

 a light for the nations,

to open the eyes of the blind,

 to bring out prisoners from confinement,

 and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

-Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7

__________________________________________________________________

Responsorial Psalm

R. (11b) The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Give to the LORD, you sons of God,

        give to the LORD glory and praise,

Give to the LORD the glory due his name;

        adore the LORD in holy attire.

R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

The voice of the LORD is over the waters,

        the LORD, over vast waters.

The voice of the LORD is mighty;

        the voice of the LORD is majestic. 

R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

The God of glory thunders,

        and in his temple all say, "Glory!"

The LORD is enthroned above the flood;

        the LORD is enthroned as king forever.

R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

-Psalms 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10

__________________________________________________________________

Second Reading

Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered

in the house of Cornelius, saying:

"In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.

Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly

is acceptable to him.

You know the word that he sent to the Israelites

as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,

what has happened all over Judea,

beginning in Galilee after the baptism

that John preached,

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth

with the Holy Spirit and power.

He went about doing good

and healing all those oppressed by the devil,

for God was with him."

-Acts 10:34-38

__________________________________________________________________

Halleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered:

This is my beloved Son, listen to him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

-Mark 9:7

__________________________________________________________________

Gospel

The people were filled with expectation,

and all were asking in their hearts

whether John might be the Christ.

John answered them all, saying,

"I am baptizing you with water,

but one mightier than I is coming.

I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

After all the people had been baptized

and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,

heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him

in bodily form like a dove.

And a voice came from heaven,

"You are my beloved Son;

with you I am well pleased."

-Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

!catholics !christians happy Epiphany of the Lord!

__________________________________________________________________________________

First Reading

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,

the glory of the Lord shines upon you.

See, darkness covers the earth,

and thick clouds cover the peoples;

but upon you the LORD shines,

and over you appears his glory.

Nations shall walk by your light,

and kings by your shining radiance.

Raise your eyes and look about;

they all gather and come to you:

your sons come from afar,

and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.

Then you shall be radiant at what you see,

your heart shall throb and overflow,

for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,

the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.

Caravans of camels shall fill you,

dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;

all from Sheba shall come

bearing gold and frankincense,

and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.

-Isaiah 60:1-6

__________________________________________________________________________________

Responsorial Psalm

R. (cf. 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

O God, with your judgment endow the king,

and with your justice, the king's son;

He shall govern your people with justice

and your afflicted ones with judgment.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Justice shall flower in his days,

and profound peace, till the moon be no more.

May he rule from sea to sea,

and from the River to the ends of the earth.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;

the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.

All kings shall pay him homage,

all nations shall serve him.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,

and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.

He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;

the lives of the poor he shall save.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

-Psalms 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13

__________________________________________________________________________________

Second Reading

Brothers and sisters:

You have heard of the stewardship of God's grace

that was given to me for your benefit,

namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.

It was not made known to people in other generations

as it has now been revealed

to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:

that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,

and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

-Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6

__________________________________________________________________________________

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

We saw his star at its rising

and have come to do him homage.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

-Matthew 2:2

__________________________________________________________________________________

Gospel

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,

in the days of King Herod,

behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,

"Where is the newborn king of the Jews?

We saw his star at its rising

and have come to do him homage."

When King Herod heard this,

he was greatly troubled,

and all Jerusalem with him.

Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,

he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea,

for thus it has been written through the prophet:

And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

since from you shall come a ruler,

who is to shepherd my people Israel."

Then Herod called the magi secretly

and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance.

He sent them to Bethlehem and said,

"Go and search diligently for the child.

When you have found him, bring me word,

that I too may go and do him homage."

After their audience with the king they set out.

And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,

until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.

They were overjoyed at seeing the star,

and on entering the house

they saw the child with Mary his mother.

They prostrated themselves and did him homage.

Then they opened their treasures

and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,

they departed for their country by another way.

-Matthew 2:1-12

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It's interesting that the Magi went to Herod first upon arriving in Judea. Having seen the signs that a great king was born in the region, it makes sense they assume he would've been born to the sitting king. How surprising it must've been to find Jesus in a stable (which at the time and place were usually caves.) There is so much hope in the writings surrounding the coming of the Messiah, hope that this mighty leader will make the world less hellish. To see an Infant and know that He is going to change the world must be a trip.

>trad cath Italian who wants to bring back Latin mass is the villain everyone wants to stop

>Nigerian cardinal who was initially winning gets Bill Clintoned by John Lithgow's schemes (he had an affair and a kid with a nun 30 years ago and they bring the nun to serve him at the conclave).

>lib Catholic cardinals are conniving sellouts

>muzzies bomb the Vatican

>the conclave elects some random Mexican from Kabul whose existence they were unaware of a few days before

>turns out the new pope is hermaphrodite (xhe has a peepee and ovaries/uterus, the previous pope offered to pay for a surgery but xhe declined), Ralph Fiennes decides to stay quiet on it

!kino !catholics what are your thoughts on this film?

> You are who God formed you to be in the womb

And since there's a substantial and ever growing body of evidence showing a strong biological basis for being trans, it does mean trans people are who they were formed to be in the womb. So why is a trans person transitioning a sin?

Putting that aside, is there even any verse which opposes trans people transitioning or seeking medical care? If not, why are we baselessly saying that it's a sin?

God made them male and female. It's pretty simple as that. Anything else is liberal crap that isn't orthodox

And there is also strong evidence showing a biological basis for being trans. So God did make trans people the way they are. It's pretty simple as that too. Anything else is conservative crap trying to disguise hate as theology.

Of course. Christians come in all genders and gender identities

What of those of us who don't do the gender identity thing?

Every single human does the gender identity thing

TLDR: Your god loves your unconditionally, and he will continue to love you regardless if your trans or not. This "scripture" that many christians point to is BS. If we took everything in the bible at face value, we would have to bring back slavery. Its fine to be trans.

im now a strict constructionist of the bible

!catholics !christians Happy Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God!

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First Reading

The LORD said to Moses:

"Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:

This is how you shall bless the Israelites.

Say to them:

The LORD bless you and keep you!

The LORD let his face shine upon

you, and be gracious to you!

The LORD look upon you kindly and

give you peace!

So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites,

and I will bless them."

-Numbers 6:22-27

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Responsorial Psalm

R. (2a) May God bless us in his mercy.

May God have pity on us and bless us;

may he let his face shine upon us.

So may your way be known upon earth;

among all nations, your salvation.

R. May God bless us in his mercy.

May the nations be glad and exult

because you rule the peoples in equity;

the nations on the earth you guide.

R. May God bless us in his mercy.

May the peoples praise you, O God;

may all the peoples praise you!

May God bless us,

and may all the ends of the earth fear him!

R. May God bless us in his mercy.

-Psalms 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

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Second Reading

Brothers and sisters:

When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,

born of a woman, born under the law,

to ransom those under the law,

so that we might receive adoption as sons.

As proof that you are sons,

God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,

crying out, "Abba, Father!"

So you are no longer a slave but a son,

and if a son then also an heir, through God.

-Galatians 4:4-7

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Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;

in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

-Hebrews 1:1-2

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Gospel

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,

and the infant lying in the manger.

When they saw this,

they made known the message

that had been told them about this child.

All who heard it were amazed

by what had been told them by the shepherds.

And Mary kept all these things,

reflecting on them in her heart.

Then the shepherds returned,

glorifying and praising God

for all they had heard and seen,

just as it had been told to them.

When eight days were completed for his circumcision,

he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel

before he was conceived in the womb.

-Luke 2:16-21

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A question many Protestants have for Catholics is why do we hold Mary in such high regard; why do we pray to her and honor her as the Queen of Heaven? For one, we believe that she was born without Original Sin and never sinned throughout her life, as a sinful woman would not have been able to bear Jesus as her child. Speaking of bearing Jesus as her child, Mary was literally Jesus' mother. Jesus had to learn to walk and to talk and all the other things young humans must- Mary was there to do so. She had more time with Jesus than anyone else, which makes her exceptionally holy once more. At his Crucifixion, Jesus entrusted Mary into John's care, which shows that He was particularly concerned with her well-being, wanting to ensure she was not left alone after His death. Now, as to why we view her as the Queen to Jesus' King is because in ancient Israel, the queen was the king's mother. If that is the royal structure provided by God for Earth, is it not so strange to believe that God would provide a similar structure for Heaven? As for the topic of praying to Mary, and to other saints for that matter, that is not to put idols before God, but rather to exalt God. How does one raise up He who is already Most High? By lowering oneself. The purpose of praying for saints to intercede on your behalf is to say that you are unworthy of directly asking God for anything, and thus it is wise to ask for the help of someone holier than yourself in making your case. Mary is a very good person to pray to because of her uniquely close relationship with Jesus.

!catholics !christians Happy Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph!

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First Reading

God sets a father in honor over his children;

a mother's authority he confirms over her sons.

Whoever honors his father atones for sins,

and preserves himself from them.

When he prays, he is heard;

he stores up riches who reveres his mother.

Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children,

and, when he prays, is heard.

Whoever reveres his father will live a long life;

he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.

My son, take care of your father when he is old;

grieve him not as long as he lives.

Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him;

revile him not all the days of his life;

kindness to a father will not be forgotten,

firmly planted against the debt of your sins

—a house raised in justice to you.

-Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14

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Responsorial Psalm

R. (cf. 1) Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,

who walks in his ways!

For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;

blessed shall you be, and favored.

R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine

in the recesses of your home;

your children like olive plants

around your table.

R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

Behold, thus is the man blessed

who fears the LORD.

The LORD bless you from Zion:

may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem

all the days of your life.

R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

-Psalms 128:1-2, 3, 4-5

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Second Reading

Brothers and sisters:

Put on, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved,

heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

bearing with one another and forgiving one another,

if one has a grievance against another;

as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.

And over all these put on love,

that is, the bond of perfection.

And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,

the peace into which you were also called in one body.

And be thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,

as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,

singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs

with gratitude in your hearts to God.

And whatever you do, in word or in deed,

do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Wives, be subordinate to your husbands,

as is proper in the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives,

and avoid any bitterness toward them.

Children, obey your parents in everything,

for this is pleasing to the Lord.

Fathers, do not provoke your children,

so they may not become discouraged.

-Colossians 3:12-21

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Second Reading

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Let the peace of Christ control your hearts;

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

-Colossians 3:15a, 16a

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Gospel

Each year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the feast

of Passover,

and when he was twelve years old,

they went up according to festival custom.

After they had completed its days, as they were returning,

the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,

but his parents did not know it.

Thinking that he was in the caravan,

they journeyed for a day

and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,

but not finding him,

they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.

After three days they found him in the temple,

sitting in the midst of the teachers,

listening to them and asking them questions,

and all who heard him were astounded

at his understanding and his answers.

When his parents saw him,

they were astonished,

and his mother said to him,

"Son, why have you done this to us?

Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety."

And he said to them,

"Why were you looking for me?

Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"

But they did not understand what he said to them.

He went down with them and came to Nazareth,

and was obedient to them;

and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor

before God and man.

-Luke 2:41-52

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An interesting point my priest made in his homily is that so many Catholic fathers have given up their religious authority within their own family, leaving it up to their wives to educate their children in the faith. How can you expect your wife to be subordinate to you when you willing hand off your responsibilities?

"Grieve him not as long as he lives" is a really good line, as is "Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him." I think it's too easy to forget that people who have gone senile are still people. It's a great burden to have to care for someone who has lost their senses, but how much worse it is to be the one who has lost his senses.

I ask this because I'm considering the actions of women like Lori Vallow who kill their children before they reach the age of reason so that they can be guaranteed an eternity in paradise. If all children go to heaven, then what's the flaw in the logic? Shouldn't all mothers have as many children as possible and just murder them as infants so she can send as many souls as possible to heaven?

>God doesn't want that!

Sure, I agree. The woman will be darned for murder, but she has guaranteed the salvation of many souls.

>She could have parented her children to be good and saved their souls that way!

No amount of parenting can guarantee a child will turn out a certain way. I was raised Christian and attended a Christian school and here I am, an atheistic adult with no regard for any gods. It seems the only way to guarantee your children will go to heaven is to kill them.

!catholics !christians Merry Christmas! It's been a long day for me, haven't had (or rather, didn't want to because I have better things to do on Christmas) a chance to write this up earlier in the day. I went to the vigil Mass with my family so I'll post those readings.

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First Reading

For Zion's sake I will not be silent,

    for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet,

until her vindication shines forth like the dawn

    and her victory like a burning torch.

Nations shall behold your vindication,

    and all the kings your glory;

you shall be called by a new name

    pronounced by the mouth of the LORD.

You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD,

    a royal diadem held by your God.

No more shall people call you "Forsaken,"

    or your land "Desolate,"

but you shall be called "My Delight,"

    and your land "Espoused."

For the LORD delights in you

    and makes your land his spouse.

As a young man marries a virgin,

    your Builder shall marry you;

and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride

    so shall your God rejoice in you.

-Isaiah 62:1-5

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Responsorial Psalm

R. (2a) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

I have made a covenant with my chosen one,

I have sworn to David my servant:

Forever will I confirm your posterity

and establish your throne for all generations.

R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Blessed the people who know the joyful shout;

in the light of your countenance, O LORD, they walk.

At your name they rejoice all the day,

and through your justice they are exalted.

R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

He shall say of me, "You are my father,

my God, the rock, my savior."

Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,

and my covenant with him stands firm.

R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

-Psalms 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29

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Second Reading

When Paul reached Antioch in Pisidia and entered the synagogue,

he stood up, motioned with his hand, and said,

"Fellow Israelites and you others who are God-fearing, listen.

The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors

and exalted the people during their sojourn in the

land of Egypt.

With uplifted arm he led them out of it.

Then he removed Saul and raised up David as king;

of him he testified,

'I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;

he will carry out my every wish.'

From this man's descendants God, according to his promise,

has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.

John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance

to all the people of Israel;

and as John was completing his course, he would say,

'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he.

Behold, one is coming after me;

I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.'"

-Acts 13:16-17, 22-25

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Responsorial Psalm

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Tomorrow the wickedness of the earth will be destroyed:

the Savior of the world will reign over us.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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Gospel

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,

the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham became the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.

Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,

whose mother was Tamar.

Perez became the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram the father of Amminadab.

Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

Salmon the father of Boaz,

whose mother was Rahab.

Boaz became the father of Obed,

whose mother was Ruth.

Obed became the father of Jesse,

Jesse the father of David the king.

David became the father of Solomon,

whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.

Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah,

Abijah the father of Asaph.

Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,

Joram the father of Uzziah.

Uzziah became the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.

Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amos,

Amos the father of Josiah.

Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers

at the time of the Babylonian exile.

After the Babylonian exile,

Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.

Abiud became the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

Azor the father of Zadok.

Zadok became the father of Achim,

Achim the father of Eliud,

Eliud the father of Eleazar.

Eleazar became the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.

Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Thus the total number of generations

from Abraham to David

is fourteen generations;

from David to the Babylonian exile,

fourteen generations;

from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,

fourteen generations.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.

When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,

but before they lived together,

she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.

Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,

yet unwilling to expose her to shame,

decided to divorce her quietly.

Such was his intention when, behold,

the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,

"Joseph, son of David,

do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.

For it is through the Holy Spirit

that this child has been conceived in her.

She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,

because he will save his people from their sins."

All this took place to fulfill

what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

    and they shall name him Emmanuel, 

which means "God is with us."

When Joseph awoke,

he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him

and took his wife into his home.

He had no relations with her until she bore a son,

and he named him Jesus.

-Matthew 1:1-25

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I've drank too much eggnog to attempt writing a sermon lmao

Repent or burn forever to those who don't

Happy birthday Jesus Christ the king of kings

!catholics !christians happy Fourth Sunday of Advent!

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First Reading

Thus says the LORD:

You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah

    too small to be among the clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

    one who is to be ruler in Israel;

whose origin is from of old,

    from ancient times.

Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time

    when she who is to give birth has borne,

and the rest of his kindred shall return

    to the children of Israel.

He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock

    by the strength of the LORD,

    in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;

and they shall remain, for now his greatness

    shall reach to the ends of the earth;

    he shall be peace.

-Micah 5:1-4a

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Responsorial Psalm

R. (4) Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

O shepherd of Israel, hearken,

from your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.

Rouse your power,

and come to save us.

R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

Once again, O LORD of hosts,

look down from heaven, and see;

take care of this vine,

and protect what your right hand has planted

the son of man whom you yourself made strong.

R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

May your help be with the man of your right hand,

with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.

Then we will no more withdraw from you;

give us new life, and we will call upon your name.

R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

-Psalms 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19

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Second Reading

Brothers and sisters:

When Christ came into the world, he said:

"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

    but a body you prepared for me;

in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.

Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll,

behold, I come to do your will, O God.'"

First he says, "Sacrifices and offerings,

holocausts and sin offerings,

you neither desired nor delighted in."

These are offered according to the law.

Then he says, "Behold, I come to do your will."

He takes away the first to establish the second.

By this "will," we have been consecrated

through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10:5-10

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Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

May it be done to me according to your word.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

-Luke 1:38

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Gospel

Mary set out

and traveled to the hill country in haste

to a town of Judah,

where she entered the house of Zechariah

and greeted Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,

the infant leaped in her womb,

and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,

cried out in a loud voice and said,

"Blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

And how does this happen to me,

that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,

the infant in my womb leaped for joy.

Blessed are you who believed

that what was spoken to you by the Lord

would be fulfilled."

-Luke 1:39-45

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