Yom Kippur – Should we all maybe better go to confession?

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

504Katrin;9791539:

Yom Kippur - just like the Sabbath - is not comparable to most of our Christian holy days because we set ours randomly for the most part, while God himself said that Yom Kippur had to be celebrated on that very day.

Honestly, this excerpt shows your lack of knowledge. I really didn’t understand the richness and lack of randomness of the Church calendar until I started attended Mass at least twice a week. The Church calendar is several overlays with different themes.

Not only that it also shows a clear misunderstanding of the Church.

The Church was started by God and was given its authority from Christ. In essence when the Church Teaches it is God who is speaking.

So to say that the Catholic Holy Days are random is to, as PacoG, put it not right, but it is also not right to say or imply that they have not been given to us by God.

 

[PacoG]

Not only that it also shows a clear misunderstanding of the Church.

The Church was started by God and was given its authority from Christ. In essence when the Church Teaches it is God who is speaking.

So to say that the Catholic Holy Days are random is to, as PacoG, put it not right, but it is also not right to say or imply that they have not been given to us by God.

No, the calendar has been given to us by the Church under the guidance of the pope and the bishops, guided by the Holy Spirit.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

No, the calendar has been given to us by the Church under the guidance of the pope and the bishops, guided by the Holy Spirit.

Same thing I said just different words.

 

[PacoG]

One last thing about the Calendar…the imagery is beautiful.

Take the last Sunday of the liturgical year: the Solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe. What is more beautiful than that.

After a whirlwind of a liturgical year…the anticipation of Advent, the joy of the Birth of the Lord, the introspection and penance of Lent, the turmoil of the Our Lord’s Passion and Death, the glory of Easter and the Ascension, the handover of responsibility to us on Pentecost and the rigors of ordinary life during Ordinary Time, we end the year with the reassuring and triumphant image of Our Lord on His Throne, reigning over us, guiding us, loving us and raining his infinite graces and mercies upon us. What an amazing liturgical equivalent of New Years Eve.

This outshines anything on the Hebrew Calendar.

 

[CB_Catholic]

I think the OP does not understand what it means for Jesus to have fulfilled the Old Covenant. We no longer are bound by it’s laws, and we shouldn’t act as if we are. St. Paul got mighty upset with Judaizers who were trying to impose the Jewish Law on the Christian communities.

It is sort of like having a contract to pay a debt. Once the debt has been paid, we no longer are bound by the contract, and we no longer make payments. The contract still exists, but we are not bound by it’s terms anymore. The contract has been fulfilled.

Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant, and then proceeded to give us a New Covenant. This is not that hard to understand, but one must first be receptive to learning and understanding it, and not be blinded by their own notions.

What is more, Jesus has given the Church the authority to bind and loose. What is loosed by the Church is loosed in heaven. That is rock-bottom basic Catholicism. The Church has given us our Holy Days and has loosed us from following Jewish law. We are not Jews, as someone has said–and that is no disrespect for the Jewish religion. We are Christians. We practice Christianity, not Judaism, and I personally think it is rather disrespectful to the Jews for Christians to try to adopt their Holy Days. We cannot possibly celebrate them with their intended religious and cultural understanding because we are not part of their tradition. It would be a poor imitation at best. But we can show utmost respect and appreciation for their religious traditions, as Christianity has it’s roots in Judaism.

 

[mercytruth]

I think the OP does not understand what it means for Jesus to have fulfilled the Old Covenant. We no longer are bound by it’s laws, and we shouldn’t act as if we are. St. Paul got mighty upset with Judaizers who were trying to impose the Jewish Law on the Christian communities.

It is sort of like having a contract to pay a debt. Once the debt has been paid, we no longer are bound by the contract, and we no longer make payments. The contract still exists, but we are not bound by it’s terms anymore. The contract has been fulfilled.

Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant, and then proceeded to give us a New Covenant. This is not that hard to understand, but one must first be receptive to learning and understanding it, and not be blinded by their own notions.

What is more, Jesus has given the Church the authority to bind and loose. What is loosed by the Church is loosed in heaven. That is rock-bottom basic Catholicism. The Church has given us our Holy Days and has loosed us from following Jewish law. We are not Jews, as someone has said–and that is no disrespect for the Jewish religion. We are Christians. We practice Christianity, not Judaism, and I personally think it is rather disrespectful to the Jews for Christians to try to adopt their Holy Days. We cannot possibly celebrate them with their intended religious and cultural understanding because we are not part of their tradition. It would be a poor imitation at best. But we can show utmost respect and appreciation for their religious traditions, as Christianity has it’s roots in Judaism.

Is the Catholic Church offending the Jewish people by the way it reveres Passion week since it is taken from the commemoration of Passover week within Judaism? Is the Catholic Church offending the Jewish people by celebrating Pentecost since it is taken from the commemoration of Shavuot withing Judaism?

One could continue with the many symbols and rituals that we have adopted from within Judaism. The issue is not that Jesus has fulfilled the Torah, but in what manner does the Catholic church continue to reflect this fulfillment in it’s liturgy and doctrine?

From my perspective, Yom Kippur would be an excellent time for all of us to admit our failings before God as a represenative universal institution of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

God’s peace

micah

 

[Elizium23]

Is the Catholic Church offending the Jewish people by the way it reveres Passion week since it is taken from the commemoration of Passover week within Judaism? Is the Catholic Church offending the Jewish people by celebrating Pentecost since it is taken from the commemoration of Shavuot withing Judaism?

One could continue with the many symbols and rituals that we have adopted from within Judaism. The issue is not that Jesus has fulfilled the Torah, but in what manner does the Catholic church continue to reflect this fulfillment in it’s liturgy and doctrine?

There is a difference between feasts and commemorations which have been duly instituted by the Church guided by the Holy Spirit, and ad hoc observance by individuals or groups, of Jewish feasts not so instituted. The former is the Church acting in her wisdom on behalf of Christ the bridegroom. The latter is individuals acting on their own without guidance, or in fact against guidance, of the Church.

The Church sanctifies days by setting them aside for liturgical celebrations. The Church alone may choose what is kept and what is discarded when it comes to Hebrew traditions. The Church recognizes that Jesus is the final Passover Lamb, the unblemished Victim for the final sacrifice. The Church recognizes that Temple worship was abolished when Christ crucified split the veil in two. The Church recognizes that Mosaic law was fulfilled in His coming, and recognized this in a very specific way in the Book of Acts when Peter was shown all the kinds of food he was allowed to eat. It would be disrespectful to attempt to keep kosher in the face of such a vision.

From my perspective, Yom Kippur would be an excellent time for all of us to admit our failings before God as a represenative universal institution of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

From my perspective, attempting to observe Yom Kippur by mixing it up with a Christian sacrament is bordering on syncretism. From my perspective, Lent is a good time for repentance, when we are called to prayer, fasting and almsgiving, when the Church requires us to make a general Confession, and when parishes provide Penance services for our convenience. From my perspective, Fridays are good days for penance and abstinence, and confession if it is available. From my perspective, the moment I have committed a mortal sin is the right time for Confession - why wait and risk death of the body to cause death of my soul? From my perspective, the General Roman Calendar is designed to fully supplant the Hebrew Calendar and obviate the need for us to continually check with our Jewish brethren when a feast day is scheduled, because their ways are not ours, and we reckon time from the Incarnation of Christ Our Lord, not from an arbitrary point in Old Testament history.

 

[mercytruth]

There is a difference between feasts and commemorations which have been duly instituted by the Church guided by the Holy Spirit, and ad hoc observance by individuals or groups, of Jewish feasts not so instituted. The former is the Church acting in her wisdom on behalf of Christ the bridegroom. The latter is individuals acting on their own without guidance, or in fact against guidance, of the Church.

The Church sanctifies days by setting them aside for liturgical celebrations. The Church alone may choose what is kept and what is discarded when it comes to Hebrew traditions. The Church recognizes that Jesus is the final Passover Lamb, the unblemished Victim for the final sacrifice. The Church recognizes that Temple worship was abolished when Christ crucified split the veil in two. The Church recognizes that Mosaic law was fulfilled in His coming, and recognized this in a very specific way in the Book of Acts when Peter was shown all the kinds of food he was allowed to eat. It would be disrespectful to attempt to keep kosher in the face of such a vision.

From my perspective, attempting to observe Yom Kippur by mixing it up with a Christian sacrament is bordering on syncretism. From my perspective, Lent is a good time for repentance, when we are called to prayer, fasting and almsgiving, when the Church requires us to make a general Confession, and when parishes provide Penance services for our convenience. From my perspective, Fridays are good days for penance and abstinence, and confession if it is available. From my perspective, the moment I have committed a mortal sin is the right time for Confession - why wait and risk death of the body to cause death of my soul? From my perspective, the General Roman Calendar is designed to fully supplant the Hebrew Calendar and obviate the need for us to continually check with our Jewish brethren when a feast day is scheduled, because their ways are not ours, and we reckon time from the Incarnation of Christ Our Lord, not from an arbitrary point in Old Testament history.

The Old and New Testaments are syncretism at its best. Yom Kippur as originally instituted by God was a time for corporate Israel to repent of its sins. It began with the High Priest and Levites of Israel confessing their sins in a public liturgical ceremony.

I do not see how it can be so bad for the clergy of the universal church to take the lead and publicly do the same in a liturgical ceremony on this particular day. Rhetorically speaking, would not this be the fulfillment of the Spirit of the law? I do know that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Maybe we need a day of corporate humility before our holy God.

just my thoughts

micah

 

[LJN21]

The Old and New Testaments are syncretism at its best. Yom Kippur as originally instituted by God was a time for corporate Israel to repent of its sins. It began with the High Priest and Levites of Israel confessing their sins in a public liturgical ceremony.

I do not see how it can be so bad for the clergy of the universal church to take the lead and publicly do the same in a liturgical ceremony on this particular day. Rhetorically speaking, would not this be the fulfillment of the Spirit of the law? I do know that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Maybe we need a day of corporate humility before our holy God.

just my thoughts

micah

Yes, because public humiliation and possible scandal sounds just like what the Church needs right now

 

[CB_Catholic]

Is the Catholic Church offending the Jewish people by the way it reveres Passion week since it is taken from the commemoration of Passover week within Judaism? Is the Catholic Church offending the Jewish people by celebrating Pentecost since it is taken from the commemoration of Shavuot withing Judaism?

One could continue with the many symbols and rituals that we have adopted from within Judaism. The issue is not that Jesus has fulfilled the Torah, but in what manner does the Catholic church continue to reflect this fulfillment in it’s liturgy and doctrine?

From my perspective, Yom Kippur would be an excellent time for all of us to admit our failings before God as a represenative universal institution of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

God’s peace

micah

There is no way that we celebrate these days in the Jewish tradition. Pentecost happened to be the day the Holy Spirit descended on the Christians in the upper room. That is not what the Jews celebrate. When we celebrate Holy Week we do not celebrate Passover in the Jewish tradition. We are not recalling the flight from Egypt and our freedom from Egyptian slavery. We are celebrating something different. Once again, we are not Jews. And yes, I think Christians trying to imitate the celebration of Jewish holidays is offensive. They have meaning to the Jews that they will NEVER have to Christians.

And once again, God has given the authority to the Church to bind and loose. We have been loosed from the Old Covenant Mosaic law. And that is not optional. It is very clear in the Bible. If you cannot understand this, you have a seriously flawed understanding of Christianity and Catholicism. And if you are Catholic and refuse to accept this you are in serious error.

 

[CB_Catholic]

The Old and New Testaments are syncretism at its best. Yom Kippur as originally instituted by God was a time for corporate Israel to repent of its sins. It began with the High Priest and Levites of Israel confessing their sins in a public liturgical ceremony.

I do not see how it can be so bad for the clergy of the universal church to take the lead and publicly do the same in a liturgical ceremony on this particular day. Rhetorically speaking, would not this be the fulfillment of the Spirit of the law? I do know that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Maybe we need a day of corporate humility before our holy God.

just my thoughts

micah

Perhaps the humility comes rather in submitting to the wisdom of the Church and acknowledging her God-given authority to establish it’s feasts and holidays as she has seen fit to do for 2000 years rather than insist one has a better way.

 

[PJM]

=504Katrin;9783171]Next week is Yom Kippur; that’s a day when everyone (Jewish) confesses to God. It’s a day that God specifically designed for confession, and this is the crucial point of my question. The question is, even though the Church doesn’t say that we sin if we don’t confess that day, don’t we miss out on an opportunity that God himself creates on that day so that we can get closer to him?
I happened to see our Priest yesterday and I asked him and he said that we didn’t have to go to confession on Yom Kippur as this was a Jewish day and not a Catholic one, but to my next question as to how he could be sure that God didn’t want all of us to confess that day even though the Torah says so he didn’t have an answer but only shook his head.

ESSENTAIL HERE IS UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS JEWISH FEAST IS “OLD TESTAMENT LAW” WHICH HAS BEEN REPLACED BY THE NEW COVENANT.

GOD ACCEPTED THIS PRACTICE IN THE OT TIMES BECAUSE THE PEOPLE “WERE UNDER THE LAW” not like today; "under grace. It is questionable if God would still accept this sign as these people were the ones who denined that Christ is the Long awaited MESIAH?

**Romans 6:14 **" For sin shall not have dominion over you; for you are not under the law, but under grace."

Jer.31: 31 "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,”

**Luke.22: 20 **“And likewise the cup after supper, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood”

**2Cor.3: 6 **“who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not in a written code but in the Spirit; for the written code kills, but the Spirit gives life“.

Heb.8: 8, 13 ” For he finds fault with them when he says: "The days will come, says the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; **In speaking of a new covenant he treats the first as obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” **

**Heb.9: 5 **“Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant“.

FOR THOSE WHO EITHER DO NOT KNOW OR MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN WHAT GOD COMMANDS IN THE PRESENT TIMES FOR ACTUAL [AND KNOWN FORGIVENESS OF SIN]; I OFFER THE FOLLOWING:

1John.1 Verses 8 to 10 “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

**1 John.5 Verses 16 to 17 **"If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal.

John.20 Verses 20 to 23" When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained"

NO OTHER METHOD IS ACCEPTABLE TO GOD IN “NORMAL CASES”

The Catholic Church Teaches as it’s NORM:

1484 “Individual, integral confession and absolution remain the only ordinary way for the faithful to reconcile themselves with God and the Church, unless physical or moral impossibility excuses from this kind of confession.” There are profound reasons for this. Christ is at work in each of the sacraments. He personally addresses every sinner: “My son, your sins are forgiven.” He is the physician tending each one of the sick who need him to cure them. He raises them up and reintegrates them into fraternal communion. Personal confession is thus the form most expressive of reconciliation with God and with the Church.

1497 Individual and integral confession of grave sins followed by absolution remains the only ordinary means of reconciliation with God and with the Church

1389 The Church obliges the faithful to take part in the Divine Liturgy on Sundays and feast days and, prepared by the sacrament of Reconciliation, to receive the Eucharist at least once a year, if possible during the Easter season. But the Church strongly encourages the faithful to receive the holy Eucharist on Sundays and feast days, or more often still, even daily.

God Bless,
pat/PJM

 

[NorthTexan88]

My Jewish friend invited me to go to Yom Kippur with her at her synagogue on Tuesday night and ill be going. I think it will be neat to see. However, I plan on going to confession and Mass before I go

 

[504Katrin]

There is no way that we celebrate these days in the Jewish tradition. Pentecost happened to be the day the Holy Spirit descended on the Christians in the upper room. That is not what the Jews celebrate. When we celebrate Holy Week we do not celebrate Passover in the Jewish tradition. We are not recalling the flight from Egypt and our freedom from Egyptian slavery. We are celebrating something different. Once again, we are not Jews. And yes, I think Christians trying to imitate the celebration of Jewish holidays is offensive. They have meaning to the Jews that they will NEVER have to Christians.

And once again, God has given the authority to the Church to bind and loose. We have been loosed from the Old Covenant Mosaic law. And that is not optional. It is very clear in the Bible. If you cannot understand this, you have a seriously flawed understanding of Christianity and Catholicism. And if you are Catholic and refuse to accept this you are in serious error.

Again, this is not about imitating a Jewish holiday either. I’ve come out of this thread with bruises everytime I tried to eplain myself. I was told to keep my mouth shut already, I’ve been called stubburn, and whatnot, something I would never say to anyone on here, and I did not respond in a similar manner, but will try to eplain myself again: This thread is about a possible opportunity that God gives to us people on that day. I don’t know the traditions of how Jews celebrate this day and don’t need to know them as this is not about imitating anything Jewish, but about God. It’s about something that God said we should do. It’s all to read in the bible. I understand that God gave the authority to bind and loose laws, and so we’e celebrating something different (I do understand this!) as you mentioned ^ above.
I don’t see though how God could be mad or something at us if we confess on that day and think about our lives and how to treat others with more love. I believe that when we die we will stand before God and he will tell us where we were wrong. Until then all I can do is tryna make it right for him as I love him more than anything. He might just say that he opens a door for all of us on that day, and that he’s glad that I used that day the right way. If it turns out it was wrong of me to follow Yom Kippur as we were no longer requirred to follow the “old” law, then I don’t think that I will be punished for it. He might just say that I was trying too hard
Seriously though, every day of my life should be Yom Kippur, a day to reflect and repent, and within making this decision I already got closer to God.

Thanks to all that participated in this thread.