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babochka
Guest
You should try to make it tonight to the class that Fr. S. is doing on the book of Job. He’s an outstanding teacher. I’m not a parishioner, but I make every effort to make the 30 minute drive to get to his class.
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Tis_Bearself
Patron
And making weird vague statements in your posts as well as using stats in a vague way is not helpful to this discussion either.
I honestly have no idea what you’re getting at.
Have a nice day, I’m out
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mythbuster1
Guest
What I’m saying is that if you are focused on God, you will persevere, but if you become distracted, you are in danger of falling.
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steve-b
Guest
Nothing vague in what I said originallysteve-b:
And making weird vague statements in your posts as well as using stats in a vague way is not helpful to this discussion either.
I honestly have no idea what you’re getting at.
Have a nice day, I’m out
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steve-b
Guest
Today’s Gospel reading in mass,
Mk 9:41-50
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
“Everyone will be salted with fire.
Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid,
with what will you restore its flavor?
Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”
In the homily today how many times was hell brought up? ZERO.
Sin and Gehenna and unquenchable fire, was the theme of the Gospel today by Jesus. And Jesus doesn’t give meaningless warnings. Yet in my parish, avoiding talk on hell from the pulpit is keeping with a perfect history in my parish for the last 30 + yrs for NOT even bringing up hell in a homily. In fact after the priest read the Gospel today, I leaned over to my wife and said, I’ll bet he says absolutely nothing about hell. And after his homily was over I said, see I told you so.
People ask me why do you stay in THAT parish? I say, to pray for the priests here.
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anon10271182
Guest
I need that scary, myself. But I’m just crazy like that.
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rondirect
Guest
Are you looking for the priest to actually use the word, “hell?” He read the Gospel and said, “Gehenna” several times, which is “hell.” I’m sure he preached on the Gospel is some way. You heard the Gospel proclaimed, you understood it, why is it so important to preach then and hear “hell” in a homily? Sorry, I mean no disrespect, but I honestly don’t get why you are uptight about that.
You do not need to stay in a parish to pray for the priests in that parish.
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steve-b
Guest
The priest actually didn’t preach on the gospel. In addition to what I previously said, mortal sin doesn’t get mentioned either from that pulpit.steve-b:
Are you looking for the priest to actually use the word, “hell?” He read the Gospel and said, “Gehenna” several times, which is “hell.” I’m sure he preached on the Gospel is some way. You heard the Gospel proclaimed, you understood it, why is it so important to preach then and hear “hell” in a homily? Sorry, I mean no disrespect, but I honestly don’t get why you are uptight about that.
I know. I’m also there because a close family member won’t switch with me to another parish. Needless to say, we get into needed discussions about the homilies, which I think is ALSO part of the reason I stay in that parish. When that family member is no longer with us, THEN I will switch.
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rondirect
Guest
Thanks for the explanation. Personally, it would not matter to me or the subject of mortal sins. I would have heard the message through the Gospel. I guess I’m just stuck on why you need to hear more about hell or mortal sins. I am sure you don’t need a lesson on these. Perhaps you think that others should hear more? You know and I know and I suspect we all know about mortal sins and the power of hell, I just think most priests take the lighter side of the Word and preach why we should not fall from grace, love one another, and me disciples.
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woolycaterpillar
Guest
Maybe a lot of people call it “heck” instead of Hell? Like, Oh, Heck! or “Heck, no.”
I was thinking that we are told never to wonder where people go after this life, that is to say, don’t assume someone went to Hell just because they were nasty on earth. It brings me to the thought of a little scene, purely fiction of course. It takes place at a funeral, and one of the speakers goes to the podium and says, “Ladies and Gents, we are here to say goodbye to the SOB who made everyone else’s life on earth Hell. Maybe he likes his steak rare, but I’ll tell you, his rump roast will be burned to a crisp where he’s at right now.”
I was thinking that we are told never to wonder where people go after this life, that is to say, don’t assume someone went to Hell just because they were nasty on earth. It brings me to the thought of a little scene, purely fiction of course. It takes place at a funeral, and one of the speakers goes to the podium and says, “Ladies and Gents, we are here to say goodbye to the SOB who made everyone else’s life on earth Hell. Maybe he likes his steak rare, but I’ll tell you, his rump roast will be burned to a crisp where he’s at right now.”
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steve-b
Guest
Homilies are teaching moments. Especially for those who are weak in knowledge of the faith. And that number unfortunately is quite largesteve-b:
Thanks for the explanation. Personally, it would not matter to me or the subject of mortal sins. I would have heard the message through the Gospel. I guess I’m just stuck on why you need to hear more about hell or mortal sins. I am sure you don’t need a lesson on these. Perhaps you think that others should hear more?
For the following reason alone, I would disagree with that.
Most Catholics don’t faithfully attend mass on Sunday. Meaning they are in mortal sin. The line outside the confessional should correspond with that fact…namely lines ought to be out the door. However, that doesn’t represent what’s going on.
IOW they avoid teaching on those subjects especially the subjects that talk about consequences
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rondirect
Guest
I don’t know. I think we are like lost sheep when it comes to heaven or hell. In one Gospel you will hear that God is a loving, forgiving God, and the the funeral liturgy does not omit the words of a person’s soul now in paradise because he didn’t go to church or someone thought he was an SOB. Then there are the Gospel’s that predict hell if you are a bad person. And so, we have the word, “faith.”
Yes, but most people are willing to take that chance because they are also told that God is, once again, a loving and forgiving God. All in all, it’s a tough subject, but I do understand where you are coming from.
I think for the most part, priests take the high road and preach love of God and what God wants us to do and not sin, and try to stay away from the scare tactics of consequences.
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steve-b
Guest
rondirect,woolycaterpillar:
I don’t know. I think we are like lost sheep when it comes to heaven or hell. In one Gospel you will hear that God is a loving, forgiving God, and the the funeral liturgy does not omit the words of a person’s soul now in paradise because he didn’t go to church or someone thought he was an SOB. Then there are the Gospel’s that predict hell if you are a bad person. And so, we have the word, “faith.”
Yes, but most people are willing to take that chance because they are also told that God is, once again, a loving and forgiving God. All in all, it’s a tough subject, but I do understand where you are coming from.
Well said. You make the point WHY there needs to be good teaching, and specifically NOT avoid teaching about consequences from the pulpit on important issues… Otherwise people DO take chances and lose.
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QwertyGirl
Guest
It is sort of preaching to the choir, isn’t it? I mean if someone goes to all the trouble to get themselves to church on Sunday and then attend Mass, they are most likely on the right track in their spiritual life. They are seeking God, I would imagine. And if they aren’t…if they are dragged there or are attending only to make their spouse or family happy, then the hell message is going to fall on deaf ears.
I don’t see a problem with mentioning it in relation to God’s goodness and infinite mercy. But I don’t see a good reason for beating people over the head with it. It is sort of like lecturing a recovering alcoholic on the evils of liquor. What would one hope to achieve by doing that?
I don’t see a problem with mentioning it in relation to God’s goodness and infinite mercy. But I don’t see a good reason for beating people over the head with it. It is sort of like lecturing a recovering alcoholic on the evils of liquor. What would one hope to achieve by doing that?
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steve-b
Guest
In my lifetime, given 4 Sundays / month x12 = 48 Sunday Masses / yr
- 3 readings are given at mass, From OT & NT, meaning an entire bible is read in Mass every 3 yrs.
- meaning I’ve heard the entire bible read to me (OT+ NT) at mass, just given Sunday attendance, a total of 33 times…so far
Is hearing the bible once, … enough? No need to repeat .
Is it needless repetition hearing it all those other 32 times?
I’ll just say that repetition (good repetition) is basic for developing good habit(s).
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Brendan_64
Guest
How long are the Confession lines at your church? I too live in the South East if England and the Confession lines at our church don’t often get larger than the number of fingers on one hand.
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Ioana
Guest
Line? There’s probably 300 people at most that regularly go to Church on Sundays in both of the churches in our parish combined. I’d say that about 120 of them go to the church that’s in a slightly bigger town. The church in my village probably has 80 regular goers. At least 10 of those are very young kids. I’d say on an average Saturday after morning Mass there’s maybe 3 or 4 people for Confession. 4*4= about 16 people per month. 70/16=4 (about) which means that we can reasonably assume people in my parish go to Confession at least once every 4 months (but this will obviously vary from person to person with some people frequenting it more often than others).
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Ioana
Guest
Every 4 months is 3 times a year. You are right, it is a bit of an assumption but the truth is that there’s no solid data. It is also true that most people who go go once a month, but sometimes it is a month+ a week or two. You may be correct and I may be really naive but since a lot of people are home bound/find travel difficult I think truly the lines for Confession tell us little.
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