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The headline of the full-page ad asks, "What Would Jesus Cut?—A budget is a moral document." The text continues, "Our faith tells us that the moral test of a society is how it treats the poor." The ad was produced by Sojourners, a self-described "evangelical" organization whose slogan is "Faith in Action for Social Justice." The ad was signed by Sojourners president Jim Wallis and more than two dozen Religious Left pastors, theologians, and activists. They urge our legislators to ask themselves, "What would Jesus cut?" from the federal budget. How would you answer that question? My answer would...

Just curious to know how many FReepers listen to this weekly show. The guy does the entire show as if he himself was actually Jesus. It sounds, on the face of it, odd at best and sacrilegious at worst, but he does have an encyclopedic knowledge of scripture, and dispenses wisdom and advice in a caring and just manner.

  Jesus: Prophet, Priest, and King At your baptism you were marked with oil as a sign that you are consecrated to God and anointed by the Holy Spirit. Your anointing also was a sign that you are joined to Christ and share in his threefold mission as prophet, priest, and king. The Israelites anointed their priests and kings with oil. They spoke of their prophets as being anointed with the spirit. Jesus, known as the Christ, the anointed one, fills all three roles. According to Luke, at the outset of his public ministry, Jesus read from Isaiah and...

August 6, 2013 Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord    Reading 1 Dn 7:9-10, 13-14 As I watched: Thrones were set upand the Ancient One took his throne.His clothing was bright as snow,and the hair on his head as white as wool;his throne was flames of fire,with wheels of burning fire.A surging stream of fireflowed out from where he sat;Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,and myriads upon myriads attended him.The court was convened and the books were opened. As the visions during the night continued, I saw: One like a Son of man coming,on the clouds of heaven;When...

Writer and scholar Reza Aslan was 15 years old when he found Jesus. His secular Muslim family had fled to the U.S. from Iran, and Aslan's conversion was, in a sense, an adolescent's attempt to fit into American life and culture. "My parents were certainly surprised," Aslan tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross. As Aslan got older, he began his studies in the history of Christianity, and he started to lose faith. He came to the realization that Jesus of Nazareth was quite different from the Messiah he'd been introduced to at church. "I became very angry," he says. "I became...

June 7, 2013   Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus   Reading 1 Ez 34:11-16 Thus says the Lord GOD:I myself will look after and tend my sheep.As a shepherd tends his flockwhen he finds himself among his scattered sheep,so will I tend my sheep.I will rescue them from every place where they were scatteredwhen it was cloudy and dark.I will lead them out from among the peoplesand gather them from the foreign lands;I will bring them back to their own countryand pasture them upon the mountains of Israelin the land's ravines and all its inhabited places.In...

Dear Stacey: You have written demanding an apology for my recent characterization of the Mormon religion as "non-Christian." I am happy to write a public letter of apology to you and to the countless Mormon readers who responded negatively to my characterization. I am sorry that so many of my Mormon readers have brazenly accused me of ignorance of their religion and suggested that I read the Book of Mormon. I am sorry that they were unaware that I read the Book of Mormon back in 2006. I am sorry that the science of genetics has refuted claims made in...

Believing the truth about hell also motivates us to persuade people to be reconciled to God. By God’s grace those of us who are trusting Christ have been rescued from this horrible destiny. How can we love people and refuse to speak plainly to them about the realities of eternal damnation and God’s gracious provision of salvation? Clearer visions of hell will give us greater love for both God and people. “There is one very serious defect to my mind in Christ’s moral character, and that is that He believed in hell.” So wrote the agnostic British philosopher Bertrand Russell...

Author's Note: although Jesus never specifically condemned it, I think wearing snow boots with your mini skirt after Easter is a sin. But that's just my holistic interpretation of the Scriptures. What's true for this author may not be true for you.I have an old friend named Don who graduated from college twenty years ago. He has tried every get rich scheme in an effort to retire early and enjoy the good life. Now that he's in his forties and has nothing to show for it, he's decided to take the biggest shortcut in life: he's joined the Democratic Party....

March 29, 2013   Friday of the Passion of the Lord (Good Friday)   Reading 1 Is 52:13—53:12 See, my servant shall prosper,he shall be raised high and greatly exalted.Even as many were amazed at him—so marred was his look beyond human semblanceand his appearance beyond that of the sons of man—so shall he startle many nations,because of him kings shall stand speechless;for those who have not been told shall see,those who have not heard shall ponder it. Who would believe what we have heard?To whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?He grew up like a sapling...

The mayor of a Washington town has directed pastors to stop invoking the name “Jesus Christ” in city council invocations. Don Jensen, the mayor of Longview, Wash., told the Kelso-Longview Ministerial Association that prayers mentioning Christ were not acceptable because they could expose the city to a lawsuit. The decision has sparked controversy in the city – located about 50 miles north of Portland, Ore. Mark Schmutz, who pastors the Northlake Baptist Church, said if they can’t speak the name Jesus Christ, association ministers will no longer provide the invocation. “We need to be able to speak Jesus’ name,”...

Ahmadinejad: Chavez Will Return With Jesus and 12th Imam A day after his death, Hugo Chavez is already being touted as a martyr and a messiah by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who equated the now deceased Venezuelan leader to Jesus and Shiite Islam’s 12th imam Wednesday, saying, “I have no doubt that he will return, along with the righteous Jesus and the perfect human.” Ahmadinejad also reiterated claims made by Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro that Chavez died of a “suspect illness” but didn’t go as far as Maduro had in equating Chavez’s death to that of late Palestinian Liberation...

The Baltimore Catechism Revised Edition (1941)Part One: The Creed   The Redemption Lesson 8 from the Baltimore Cathechism"I believe ... in Jesus Christ ... who ... suffered under Pontius Pilot, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead ..." 90. What is meant by the Redemption? By the Redemption is meant that Jesus Christ, as the Redeemer of the whole human race,...

The Baltimore Catechism Revised Edition (1941) Part One: The Creed The Incarnation Lesson 7 from the Baltimore Cathechism"I believe ... in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost (Spirit), born of the Virgin Mary ..." 77. Did God abandon man after Adam fell into sin? God did not abandon man after Adam fell into sin, but promised to send into the world a Saviour to free man from his sins and to reopen to him the gates of heaven.For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten son, that whosoever believeth...

February 2, 2013 Feast of the Presentation of the Lord   Reading 1 Mal 3:1-4 Thus says the Lord God:Lo, I am sending my messengerto prepare the way before me;And suddenly there will come to the templethe 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 silverthat...

What does IHS stand for? The meaning of the Holy Name of Jesus   January 3rd, Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus In the Extraordinary Form, the feast of the Holy Name is of the “second class” (making it equal to Sundays throughout the year, complete with the recitation of the Gloria and the Credo), but in the Ordinary Form the memorial of the Holy Name was not even included in the calendar after 1970. Happily, the feast was re-instituted as an optional memorial by Bl. John Paul II – we should think that the Name deserves at...

FOREWORD The present study is concerned with the complex phenomenon of “New Age” which is influencing many aspects of contemporary culture. The study is a provisional report. It is the fruit of the common reflection of the Working Group on New Religious Movements, composed of staff members of different dicasteries of the Holy See: the Pontifical Councils for Culture and for Interreligious Dialogue (which are the principal redactors for this project), the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. These reflections are offered primarily to those engaged in pastoral work so that they...

Jesus, the Beginning of the New Creation: The Readings for the Baptism of the Lord The end of the Season of Christmas arrives this Sunday, as we celebrate the event that marked the end of Jesus’ early life and the beginning of his public ministry: the Baptism. The Christmas decorations coming down in our churches and homes inevitably leaves a feeling of sadness and nostalgia.  We don’t want to move on from meditation on all the joyful aspects of Our Lord’s early life, the incidents of wonder and mystery, like the angels singing to the shepherds, or the visit...

January 3, 2013   Christmas Weekday   Reading 1 1 Jn 2:29–3:61 If you consider that God is righteous,you also know that everyone who acts in righteousnessis begotten by him. See what love the Father has bestowed on usthat we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are.The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.Beloved, we are God’s children now;what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,for we shall see him as he is.Everyone who...

December 25, 2012 [Mass during the Day]   Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)   Reading 1 Is 52:7-10 How beautiful upon the mountainsare the feet of him who brings glad tidings,announcing peace, bearing good news,announcing salvation, and saying to Zion,"Your God is King!" Hark! Your sentinels raise a cry,together they shout for joy,for they see directly, before their eyes,the LORD restoring Zion.Break out together in song,O ruins of Jerusalem!For the LORD comforts his people,he redeems Jerusalem.The LORD has bared his holy armin the sight of all the nations;all the ends of the earth will beholdthe salvation of our...

December 25, 2012 [Mass at Dawn] Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)   Reading 1 Is 62:11-12 See, the LORD proclaimsto the ends of the earth:say to daughter Zion,your savior comes!Here is his reward with him,his recompense before him.They shall be called the holy people,the redeemed of the LORD,and you shall be called "Frequented,"a city that is not forsaken. Responsorial Psalm Ps 97:1, 6, 11-12. R. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;let the many isles be glad.The heavens proclaim his justice,and all peoples see...

December 25, 2012 [Midnight Mass]   Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)   Reading 1 Is 9:1-6 The people who walked in darknesshave seen a great light;upon those who dwelt in the land of glooma light has shone.You have brought them abundant joyand great rejoicing,as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,as people make merry when dividing spoils.For the yoke that burdened them,the pole on their shoulder,and the rod of their taskmasteryou have smashed, as on the day of Midian.For every boot that tramped in battle,every cloak rolled in blood,will be burned as fuel for flames.For a child...

December 24, 2012  Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) Vigil   Reading 1 Is 62:1-5 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 dawnand her victory like a burning torch. Nations shall behold your vindication,and all the kings your glory;you shall be called by a new namepronounced 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...

Featured Term (selected at random):TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD The glorification of the appearance of Jesus before his Resurrection. It took place in the presence of Peter, James, and John. While he was praying on a mountain, suddenly "his face did shine as the sun," while "his garments became glistening, exceeding white." The frightened witnesses saw Moses and Eligah appear before them and converse with Jesus and heard the voice of God. the extraordinary vision vanished as suddenly as it appeared (Luke 9:28-36; Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8). the Church's celebration of this event occurs as a feast day on August...

 About the "Great O's" On the evening of December 17 the final phase of preparation for Christmas begins with the first of the great "O Antiphons" of Advent. These prayers are seven jewels of liturgical song, one for each day until Christmas Eve. They seem to sum up all our Advent longing for the Savior. The "O Antiphons" are intoned with special solemnity in monasteries at Vespers, before and after the Magnificat, Mary's prayer of praise and thanksgiving from the Gospel of Luke (2:42-55), which is sung every evening as the climax of this Hour of the Divine Office.A...

What are the sources or inspiration for these subjects?Basically they are inspired by the documents of the Holy See, and in particular by the Catechism of the Catholic Church and its Compendium. This was a deliberate choice so as to create an awareness of the vast richness, completeness and beauty of these documents which are, in some circles, hardly known at all. In this way, it is possible to present the essential and fundamental contents of the faith which are professed, not just by the individual Catholic, but by the Catholic Church throughout the world as it adheres to the...

December 8, 2012   Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary   Reading 1 Gn 3:9-15, 20 After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree,the LORD God called to the man and asked him, "Where are you?"He answered, "I heard you in the garden;but I was afraid, because I was naked,so I hid myself."Then he asked, "Who told you that you were naked?You have eaten, then,from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!"The man replied, "The woman whom you put here with me--she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate...

Why Catholics Believe in the Immaculate ConceptionDAVID M. BRISTOWWhy do Catholics believe in the Immaculate Conception? The belief means that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was preserved without sin for her entire life. It was Mary's closeness to Christ that made her receive God's "fullness of grace" to be sinless. Without God's grace, it would have been impossible for Mary to be sinless, and she too would be like the rest of humanity. However, because of her decision to say, "yes" in giving birth to Christ, she was given a special privilege by having no sin touch her. Catholics believe...

What are the sources or inspiration for these subjects?Basically they are inspired by the documents of the Holy See, and in particular by the Catechism of the Catholic Church and its Compendium. This was a deliberate choice so as to create an awareness of the vast richness, completeness and beauty of these documents which are, in some circles, hardly known at all. In this way, it is possible to present the essential and fundamental contents of the faith which are professed, not just by the individual Catholic, but by the Catholic Church throughout the world as it adheres to the...

Jesus Christ 'Should Be Downplayed In School' Schools should downgrade Christianity in assemblies for a more “inclusive” multi-faith approach, say religious education advisors. By Graeme Paton 09 Nov 2012 Teachers should no longer be expected to “accord a special status to Jesus Christ” as part of traditional acts of collective worship for pupils, it was claimed. Guidance sent out to local committees – established to determine RE in communities across England – called for a focus on a “wide range of religious traditions” such as Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. By law, conventional state schools are required to stage daily...

September 14, 2012   Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross   Reading 1 Nm 21:4b-9 With their patience worn out by the journey,the people complained against God and Moses,"Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,where there is no food or water?We are disgusted with this wretched food!" In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents,which bit the people so that many of them died.Then the people came to Moses and said,"We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you.Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us."So Moses prayed...

Neil Peart on introverts, learning to improvise, and why people should be nicer to one another Rush’s drummer and lyricist talks to Mike Doherty by Mike Doherty on Monday, August 13, 2012 Rush’s 20th studio release, Clockwork Angels, hit No. 1 in Canada in June—not bad for a steampunk, progressive rock concept album. Its story, about a young man who flees a land designed to function in perfect mechanical order, reflects the philosophy of drummer and lyricist Neil Peart. Now living in Santa Monica with his wife and daughter, the native of St. Catharines, Ont., is preparing with his long-time...

August 6, 2012   Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord   Reading 1 Dn 7:9-10, 13-14 As I watched: Thrones were set upand the Ancient One took his throne.His clothing was bright as snow,and the hair on his head as white as wool;his throne was flames of fire,with wheels of burning fire.A surging stream of fireflowed out from where he sat;Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,and myriads upon myriads attended him.The court was convened and the books were opened. As the visions during the night continued, I saw: One like a Son of man coming,on the clouds of...

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints often refer to Jesus Christ as their elder brother. This expression of endearment appears in sermons, lessons, and publications...The title is used enough that some might think that elder brother is one of the many titles attributed to Christ in the scriptures, but nowhere do the scriptures use this expression in reference to Jesus. Nor can the idea that Jesus is our elder brother be ascribed with certitude to the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith... Beginning in 1844 we find the first instances in which the Church leaders use...

Featured Term (selected at random):LEAGUE OF THE SACRED HEART See: APOSTLESHIP OF PRAYER All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

Course on Grace by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.CONTENTS INTRODUCTION PART ONE: GRACE CONSIDERED EXTENSIVELY I.  Why Grace? II.  What Is Grace? III.  Grace to the Angels IV.  Grace to Adam V.  Grace in the Old Testament VI.  Grace to Christ VII.  Justification in the New Testament Chapter VI. Grace to Christ Grace to Human Nature of Christ. In the divine nature of Christ there was, of course, no grace, no place for grace, no need for grace, no possibility of grace. Grace is a super-added gift, and there is nothing addable to the divine nature. Grace is a...

June 15, 2012   Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus   Reading 1 Hos 11:1, 3-4, 8c-9 Thus says the LORD:When Israel was a child I loved him,out of Egypt I called my son.Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,who took them in my arms;I drew them with human cords,with bands of love;I fostered them like onewho raises an infant to his cheeks;Yet, though I stooped to feed my child,they did not know that I was their healer. My heart is overwhelmed,my pity is stirred.I will not give vent to my blazing anger,I will not destroy...

While trying to figure out a concept in my head for a different design, I somehow had a vision of another, different, type of graphic...I like it. Hopefully I'll get inspired to create more pieces that celebrate our Christian heritage.

Featured Term (selected at random): SACRAMENT OF GOD Jesus Christ as the visible incarnation of the Son of God through whose Passion, Death, and Resurrection the human race receives the grace of salvation and sanctification. All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

An early Memorial Day tribute, created for OMG! For America.

 Knowledge is Not Enough!by Sebastian R. FamaOn September 20, 2000, Pope John Paul II speaking to 40,000 people gathered for his general audience said, "Through the Holy Spirit, Christians are brought into a personal relationship with God." Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, speaking to a group of religion teachers and catechists at the Vatican was more explicit. He said, "Catechesis is not so much a matter of transmitting knowledge as it is a question of leading people to a relationship with Jesus."Knowledge, as valuable as it is, is not enough. Christianity is much more than a collection of facts. The loving God...

The life, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is central to the Christian heritage. It is central to worship, Christian culture and identity. “Our identity is understood, our identity is known, it is through God, with the help of the holy spirit,” said Fr Kenneth Assing as he gave the homily at the Easter Vigil service on Saturday night at Sacred Heart RC, Richmond Street, Port-of-Spain. However, he warned that worldwide Christians were under threat. Speaking to a small congregation, Assing said the Easter Triduum--(Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Gloria Saturday) followed the "way of Jesus in the resurrection."...

Easter is a celebration of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. How important is the resurrection of Jesus Christ? The Apostle Paul wrote about the importance of the resurrection of Christ in the entire 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians. He began by saying, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how...

Most amazing about the twelve disciples is that Jesus selected them at all. Who are the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ? They were just ordinary men with an extra ordinary calling. Among them were fishermen, a hated tax collector and an impulsive political zealot. Jesus Christ deliberately passed over those who were aristocratic and influential. He chose men from the lower class of society. God chooses the humble, the lowly, the meek and the weak so that there’ll never be any question about their source of power. As their lives changed, the world changed as a result. The twelve disciples...

 Call No Man Fatherby Sebastian R. Fama"Call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ. He who is greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (Matthew 23:9-12). This passage is often quoted in opposition to the practice of calling priests father. However, Jesus is dealing with a much different issue. He is pointing out the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law. In verses 6 and 7...

 The Rosaryby Sebastian R. FamaThe Rosary consists of the Apostle's Creed, which is a statement of Christian belief, the Lord's prayer, which was uttered by Jesus in Luke 11:2-4, the Glory Be, which is a prayer that glorifies the Trinity, the Hail Mary, and the Mysteries. The Hail Mary and the Mysteries are probably the two parts that are the most misunderstood by non-Catholics. However, they are both very scriptural. In Psalm 143:5 we read, "I remember the days of old, I meditate on all that thou hast done, I muse on what thy hands have wrought." Eighteen of the...

Please pray for my mother. She is fighting many serious health problems at this time. The Lord knows who she is and what He can do (for nothing is impossible with Him). So I will only ask for your prayers to Him in the Name of His Son if you can. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%208:16-17&version=KJV Matthew 8:16-17 King James Version (KJV) 16 When the even was come, they brought unto Him many that were possessed with devils: and He cast out the spirits with His Word, and healed all that were sick: 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias...

 The Temptations of Jesus Christ by Jeff Cavins Some people give in when confronted with temptation in their lives. Some just do the best they can. In this week’s Gospel reading [the first Sunday in Lent] we have an inside look at how Jesus overcame temptation with God’s word.  When Jesus came on the scene in Israel 2,000 years ago, the Romans were occupying the land and Israel was feeling the weight of that oppressive government. The Jews were expecting the Messiah to come at anytime to liberate them. After all, great kings of Israel’s past had all demonstrated their leadership by confronting...

Why is the sun setting on the West? Vishal Mangalwadi argues that is is due to one factor: the brand Christianity. In November 2011, I visited two classes at a Christian university in North America. I asked both: “How many of you would still believe Christianity if you found out tomorrow that Christianity was not true. That is: God never became a man; Jesus did not die for our sin; or, that he did not rise from the dead?”Twelve hands went up in each class of about 25 and 45 students. These sincere and devout students had grown up in...

If someone were to ask you what you got for Christmas last year, what would you say? Would you even remember everything you got last year, or would you only remember the things that still serve you use today? It’s also interesting how we can recall that certain people gave us certain things for Christmas. For example, when I look in my personal movie collection, and I see certain titles, I remember (and may even think briefly about) the person who gave that title to me as a gift. And so, these things got me thinking about something deeper. How...