D
distracted
Guest
Wed Mass Readings / commentary (Early Church decision-making / Hell)
.
May 5, 2010
Wednesday of Fifth Week of Easter
Acts 15:1-6
Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers,
“Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice,
you cannot be saved.”
Because there arose no little dissension and debate
by Paul and Barnabas with them,
***it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others
should go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and presbyters
about this question.***
They were sent on their journey by the Church,
and passed through Phoenicia and Samaria
telling of the conversion of the Gentiles,
and brought great joy to all the brethren.
When they arrived in Jerusalem,
***they were welcomed by the Church,
as well as by the Apostles and the presbyters,***
and they reported what God had done with them.
But some from the party of the Pharisees who had become believers
stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them
and direct them to observe the Mosaic law.”
The Apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter.
Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5Responsorial Psalm
R. (see 1) Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
***I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”***
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jn 15:1-8Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
***He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.***
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
***Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.***
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
***Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire***
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”
.
In the 1st reading we see how questions are dealt with in the early Church.
I’m sure i’m not the only one who wonders: How much of the OT are we to accept and how much should we… overlook? For instance those who didn’t keep the Sabbath (who worked on the Sabbath… .etc) were stoned to death… No one would advocate such a punishment today… but its interesting that keeping the sabbath holy is very important to God… and doesn’t seem to be so important to … others…
Jesus says that if you dont remain in Him you will be cut off and “burned”… (Hell)…
The best way to remain in Him is through the Eucharist as provided by the Catholic Church… and being in His Presence often as posible… I have often had the thougth that if it weren’t for the Euchrist i would not be able to avoid certain sins… I have often felt that that was the only thing that was saving me… .***
.
May 5, 2010
Wednesday of Fifth Week of Easter
Acts 15:1-6
Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers,
“Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice,
you cannot be saved.”
Because there arose no little dissension and debate
by Paul and Barnabas with them,
***it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others
should go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and presbyters
about this question.***
They were sent on their journey by the Church,
and passed through Phoenicia and Samaria
telling of the conversion of the Gentiles,
and brought great joy to all the brethren.
When they arrived in Jerusalem,
***they were welcomed by the Church,
as well as by the Apostles and the presbyters,***
and they reported what God had done with them.
But some from the party of the Pharisees who had become believers
stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them
and direct them to observe the Mosaic law.”
The Apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter.
Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5Responsorial Psalm
R. (see 1) Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
***I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”***
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jn 15:1-8Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
***He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.***
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
***Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.***
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
***Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire***
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”
.
In the 1st reading we see how questions are dealt with in the early Church.
I’m sure i’m not the only one who wonders: How much of the OT are we to accept and how much should we… overlook? For instance those who didn’t keep the Sabbath (who worked on the Sabbath… .etc) were stoned to death… No one would advocate such a punishment today… but its interesting that keeping the sabbath holy is very important to God… and doesn’t seem to be so important to … others…
Jesus says that if you dont remain in Him you will be cut off and “burned”… (Hell)…
The best way to remain in Him is through the Eucharist as provided by the Catholic Church… and being in His Presence often as posible… I have often had the thougth that if it weren’t for the Euchrist i would not be able to avoid certain sins… I have often felt that that was the only thing that was saving me… .***