10.31.23 - Member Question Night & All Souls Day
- tmaley
- Nov 6, 2023
- 18 min read
Northern Virginia Catholic Bible Study & Apologetics
Every Tuesday, 7PM-8PM
This meeting-class is FREE.
House rules/notes…
Our meeting/classes are In-Person at St. John Neumann Catholic Church 11900 Lawyers Road, Reston, VA 20191 https://saintjn.org/ (usually held downstairs in Room 5), or ONLINE via Zoom (see #2).
To sign up for Zoom notifications and to receive the Meeting Recaps, go to www.meetup.com/catholicbiblestudy and join us! The Zoom Logon is the same every week: Zoom ID: 861 1782 2081 Password: 406952.
After each meeting, I send out Meeting Recaps of what we discussed. These recaps are unedited and without the pictures. The edited version with pictures will be posted on our website before the next class on the Website – https://catholiccatacombs.wixsite.com/website. Taylor will notify everyone at that time and provide a link.
Questions highly encouraged. If you have questions about anything, you can ask in the chat box during the class, or email through Meetup, or email me directly at ron@hallagan.net.
Respectfulness. We will be discussing differences between religions and between Christian denominations, and we agree to be respectful at all times. Protestants especially are our friends and brothers-in-Christ; in fact, I personally owe part of my return to the faith to them!
No politics. It would be easy for us to self-destruct, but that’s not our goal. Our goal is to learn/understand/apply the Bible and our Catholic faith.
Catholic Prayer & Fellowship. Are you interested in praying the rosary, etc. with other Catholics during the week? Follow fellow member Jason Goldberg at https://www.meetup.com/online-catholic-prayer-fellowship-and-spirituality/.
“The Chosen” TV series. All of us seek a relationship with Jesus Christ, which is not always easy. It can help if we have seen and heard Him. The Chosen captures Jesus better than any show I have ever seen. Highly recommended.
RSVP Reminder: Please RSVP whether you are attending the meeting or just reading the Recaps afterwards. The more RSVPs, the more Meetup will give exposure to “Catholic Bible Study” – a good thing!
Catholic Catacombs Website: https://catholiccatacombs.wixsite.com/website
Bible Study Format: Each week of the month has a repeating topic, as noted below.
Each meeting: 5 min greet, prayer, 10-15 min Catholic topic, 40-45 min main topic.
Week 1: Gospel Week:
Week 2: Bible Week (Gen to Rev): We are in EXODUS, the 2nd book of Moses.
Week 3: Survey Topics Voted on by Members:
x 1) Jesus’ Greatest Parables x 2) Hell, Purgatory, Heaven x 3) Comparative Religions
4) Great Women in the Bible 5) Book of Revelation 6) Major Heresies and Church Councils
Week 4: Member Questions:
What is glory? What is identity? What does it mean to “put on Christ”?
Can you provide a brief review of the origin/meaning of the (12) statements in the Creed?
Can we do a Christian Meditation one evening?
Angels – who are they, what do they do? Do we really have guardian angels? What about devils/demons?
Please explain exorcisms. Do they happen, are they real?
What should our response be to those who ask us about priestly sex abuse?
What about the atheist who leads a good life? Can I be a person be good apart from God?
Miracles since the NT
What’s the difference between Charity and Love? What are the highest forms of charity?
How can I get more excited by the Mass?
Major holy days in the Liturgy of the Church: Nov 1 – All Saints Day, Nov 2 – All Souls Day.
Opening Prayer
Holy Spirit, pour out your grace upon your whole Church.
Thank you for protecting her from those who would act contrary to your will.
Advise, strengthen, and protect those trying to do what is right.
We ask special blessings for the 400,000+ clergy around the world.
In their loneliness, give them your friendship, courage, confidence, and the warmth of knowing they work for you.
And as you taught us to pray…
Our Father
Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily Bread;
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Today
All Saints Day (Nov 1)
All Souls Day (Nov 2)
Apologetics – Purgatory
Apologetics – Why pray for each other and to saints?
Gospel for Sun Nov 5: Matthew 23:1-12
Quote of the Week: “When faith enlightens the mind, worldly things begin to lose their hold on us.”
St. Teresa of Avila
We will review a different apologetics or exegesis term each week (below)...
Apologetics and Exegesis Terms
Apologetics – to defend a belief.
Catholic Apologetics– to defend the Catholic faith using reason, tradition, & Scripture.
Exegesis – the study and interpretation of Scripture (it’s what we do here every week; you are all exegetes).
Eschatology (Greek, eschaton=last/end): the study of the End Times – the Second Coming of Christ (also called
Parousia), Judgement Day, Heaven and Hell.
Bible = The OT = The Torah (Pentateuch, Books of Moses), the Prophets, the Writings (Wisdom, Novellas)
The NT = The Gospels and the Epistles (Epistles: New Test Letters (Paul), Catholic Letters, and Revelation).
Church – Greek kyriakon house of the Lord: building for Christian worship; the whole body of Christian believers.
Ark of the Covenant: a) The golden chest holding the 10 Commandments; b) Mary’s womb holding the Word of God
Tabernacle - the portable sanctuary used by the Israelites in the wilderness during Exodus the from Egypt and then in the Temple in Jerusalem by Solomon (and again later by Herod). Latin tabernaculum – tent; temporary dwelling place.
Temple – Latin templum - space set aside for sacrifice/worship; replaced the Tabernacle; the Temple in Jerusalem.
Synagogue – Jewish house of worship often w/facilities for religious instruction. Greek synagogue: assembly/gathering.
Church Authority – The Church is the only authority given by Jesus to interpret the Word of God. Otherwise, you will have a million different interpretations of every passage resulting in endless divisions. Bind and loose to Peter/Apostles (ccc85). The teachings of the Church are nothing more than the Church’s interpretation of what has been revealed to us by God, either through Scriptures or what has been handed on to us (Tradition). This body of authentic interpretation – called the Magisterium – is not superior to the Word of God, but its servant. The Church does not – cannot – make up anything outside what has been handed to it, but merely guards it with dedication and expounds it faithfully (CCC#86, 890).
Doctrine refers to all of the official teachings of the Church. They fall into three categories:
Those that the Church teaches authoritatively but not infallibly. Elements within these can change.
Those which the Church teaches infallibly.
Dogma: Those teachings which the Church has infallibly taught to be divinely revealed.
“Theological Opinions” are teachings that express a pope’s views in a subject but are not doctrine/not binding.
Q: What is a Heresy?
A heresy is the rejection of dogma. If someone rejects a teaching belonging to the first or second categories of
doctrine, it may be very sinful, but it does not rise to the level of heresy.
Epiphany – Epiphany means a manifestation from above. In Christianity, Epiphany refers to the manifestation of Jesus Christ as the Savior of the World to the gentiles (Magi) 12 days after Christmas.
Theophany means the appearance of God, such as Yahweh to Moses on Mt. Sinai, or at the Transfiguration.
Eucharist –the Lord’s Supper. The bread & wine become Jesus’ body/blood. From Greek eucharistia = thanksgiving.
Mass – the celebration of the Last Supper/Eucharist. “Mass” is from the Latin missa meaning “to send (out).”
Evangelize – to make the Kingdom of God present in our world.
God as Father/He/Him – scriptural tradition (God is not a gender); God does set the gold standard for fatherhood.
Man – generic for mankind, humanity.
Deism – belief in a supreme being/creator who does not intervene in the universe, or who is indifferent to it.
Theism – belief in the existence of God or gods, especially the believe in one God who is creator of the universe and is actively engaged in some way, intervening in it and sustaining a personal relationship with his creatures.
Atheism – belief that gods of any kind do not exist.
Agnosticism – belief that God may or may not exist but we cannot know.
Preternatural – means “outside the natural”; refers to the preternatural state of grace Adam & Eve were in before the Fall.
The “World” – as used in the Bible, this term pertains to the material world or our temporary, material lives. The word “secular” means the same thing (Latin seaecularis - worldly/temporal). It is often used with a negative connotation, i.e., “The fall of man resulted from our choosing this world/ourselves over God.”
“A lie travels around the globe while the truth is still putting on its shoes.”
– Mark Twain
Major holy days in the Liturgy of the Church: Nov 1 – All Saints Day, Nov 2 – All Souls Day
Q: Why do we focus on Saints and Souls? Better question, let’s answer this: If you had to break down how much of your life – past, present, and future – is here and how much of it will be in the afterlife, what would you say?
It is safe to say that 99.9% of our existence begins at the moment of our death. This life is only about .1%.
Q: Why do we prefer focusing on the here and now, the .1%?
Fair question! Because this .1% will determine how we spend the 99.9% after this life.
Regardless, it isn’t logical or advisable that we only give maybe 1% of our attention to rest of eternity. So let’s give the Saints and Souls our attention.
All Saints Day - Nov 1
We are used to only calling those canonized by the Church "Saints." However, Scripture also refers to everyone who enters Heaven as saints. Perhaps the best way to think of this is “capitalized Saints" and “lower case saints." The capitalized Saints are the canonized “Hall-of-Fame” Saints who gave their total lives to God and are our best examples. The rest of us who make it to Heaven are “saints,” and this is what "All Saints Day" is celebrating:
“After this I looked and saw a multitude too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.” – Rev 7:10
Q: Saints are said to attain a high level of holiness. What does holiness mean exactly?
Holiness comes from the word whole, or wholeness (complete). To the extent we are sinful, we are less complete, less whole. To the extent we love God and our neighbor and practice humility, we move towards wholeness. Simply put, “holy” means thinking, loving, and living like Jesus.
Q: Does learning to think, love, and act like Jesus mean we might become so much like him we’d lose our “self”?
I don’t think we need worry about becoming too much like Jesus! But to answer the question, God gave us each a unique personality because to Him this was good, so God is not trying to take it away. He is trying to raise us up.
Q: A person once asked what advantages there might be to becoming holy besides getting to Heaven?
The advantages are great. Even by superficial earthly standards, selfishness and arrogance make us look ugly and dumb, and selflessness and humility make us look wise and attractive. What’s to lose?
It turns out that holy/wholly is the path to becoming the best we can be at everything we do, and the best “self” ever. The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become. God becomes foundational in us.
But here’s the thing. However much we develop along this unique holy path of ours is what, or who, we take into eternity. We don’t want to take the shallowest version of ourselves, do we?
Lastly, Jesus is our model – the most perfect, selfless person who ever lived. We should study what he says! Just consider the Beatitudes in which he essentially is describing Heaven – where all self-diminishment is greatness!
Q: Were all the canonized Saints just like Christ?
Haha, no! We should know that the Saints were not super-human by any means. More often than not, they started out very fallen like many of us. They just kept getting up after being knocked down but learned to continue trusting God more and more no matter how bad things got.
It’s also good to remember that the Saints didn’t do this on their own. Holiness happens as much from God as from us. Getting up again with faith is 90% of our part, and the Spirit that God put in us helps us take it from there.
Q: But some of those Saints faced death with total faith. I’m afraid I don’t have that ability.
First, we never know until we get there, and it will be the Spirit that leads us, which is what happened to the Saints. Second, remember, we also participate in Jesus’ own martyrdom at the Eucharistic Last Supper. And so this becomes our food of eternity (John 6:51). As Paul says, we die in Christ so we can rise again with Him.
All Souls Day - Nov 2
For 2000 years (and for the Jews including Jesus before this [2 Mac 12:46]), Christians have been aware that at the moment of death we are not always the kind of persons we need to be for eternity. If we have received forgiveness and satisfied our penances at the moment of our death, our sanctification will be complete, and we will enter Heaven. Often, however, our souls are still stained with sin or the remnants thereof and, as all Christians agree, our souls must be pure to enter Heaven.
Q: Why must our souls be pure/perfect to enter Heaven?
Heaven is God’s domain and, like Him, it is perfect. This means that no remnants of imperfection (sin) can enter.
Therefore, those of us with unreconciled sins must complete the job of purifying our souls before we can enter.
There is only one opportunity for completing this “sanctification” after we die. Again, not everyone needs it, but many do. Over the years it has acquired the name “Purgatory,” which means “to purify,” or “to purge” as in gold refined in a furnace (analogy!) to remove impurities and save what is good for eternal life. In Purgatory we are able to reconcile our unreconciled baggage before God; our souls are wiped clean, and we can enter Heaven. 100% make it.
As it says in the Book of Maccabees (which Jesus read/celebrated), they prayed for the dead “because it is a holy and wholesome to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins.”
Q: How do we know Jesus considered the Book of Maccabees a part of Jewish scripture?
Because Maccabees is the only book where Hanukkah shows up (“Feast of the Dedication”), and Jesus celebrates this with his Apostles in Jerusalem (John 10:22).
Q: Why does praying for the dead imply there is a place of purification that’s neither in Heaven nor Hell?
Because if the person who died is in Heaven, they don’t need our prayers; and if the person is in Hell, our prayers can’t help them. The only reason one would pray for someone who has died is if they still haven’t entered Heaven yet.
The purgatorial process may take very little time for some, and it may take a very long time for others (think of those who have led bad lives but turned to God just before dying). This is why Jews prayed for the dead at the time of Christ and why Christians have done so since then – because our prayers can help them, especially those who are there a long time. The “Body of Christ” that Paul describes (also “Communion of Saints”) includes Christians on earth, the saints in Heaven, and all those in Purgatory because they are all heading to Heaven. God expects us to pray for them just as we should pray for each other – it is an act of love – and, as Christ promises, all prayers are heard.
Q: What about non-Catholics who ask us, “Wasn’t Jesus' death sufficient to cover all our sins so that we can go straight to heaven?”
The question is incorrect. Of course Jesus' death was sufficient to wipe out all the sins of humanity since the beginning of time – times a billion! However, the question of salvation isn’t “Didn’t Jesus do enough?” The question is, “What is our response?”
Our response cannot be a one-time statement of commitment – that (or Baptism) is the beginning, where we enter into relationship with the Lord. Our response must be a life-long commitment. Furthermore, we didn’t stop sinning once we were baptized/made our commitment. We still sin. That’s why the first act of Jesus after his resurrection was coming to the Upper Room and giving the Apostles the power to forgive sins: “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven; whose sins you retain are retained.” – John 20:23.
This is what Jesus died for – so we could continue receiving forgiveness (for free) because we continue to sin. The forgiveness is free, but we have to keep asking for it. He can’t force it on us. We still have free will.
Q: But can’t we go to God directly for forgiveness?
Indeed we can, but then one would have to ask why Jesus’ FIRST ACT after his resurrection (John 20:23) was to give the Apostles the power to forgive sins. Do you think Jesus forgot that He could forgive sins? Here are 2 reasons:
One reason is because we ask weakly on our own (if we remember to ask at all), especially when our sins are floating around uncrystallized in our minds, often still in denial. One has to think hard if one is to actually articulate a sin. It’s kind of like someone who is sorry for offending you but they never say so, not even apologize. Until it is articulated, the apology does not exist. God gave us language for a reason. He was also a great psychologist.
The second reason is that it is humbling to have to admit we were wrong and to ask for forgiveness. This ongoing “humbling” – coming to the Lord for forgiveness and advice – is the foundation for growing our relationship with Him.
Q: Non-Catholics will sometimes say the same thing about prayers. Why should we pray for each other and to the saints for intercessory help when we can just pray to Jesus?
Because (news release!) love is not only about us and God. It is about others (neighbor/enemy/etc.) because that is how love works. It’s about the Body of Christ, which includes us, the saints in Heaven, and those in Purgatory.
Why did Jesus teach the apostles and disciples to do what He did rather than keeping the teaching to himself? Why does He ask us to love our neighbor. Jesus can do all these by himself, can’t he?
It is because praying for each other is one of the greatest ways we can love each other. This is what we are called to do in order to be more like Jesus. He is teaching us to be LIKE THE FATHER, because we were made in his image. We can only do that if we help each other.
“What you do for the least of your brothers and sisters, you do for me.” – Mt 25:40
Conclusion
On All Souls Day, the Church has set aside a day to pray for all the souls of the deceased; in this way, none of our parents, siblings, relatives, friends, ancestors, or spiritual brothers and sisters who have gone ahead of us will be forgotten. And neither will we be forgotten when our time comes.
Plenary Indulgence!
Speaking of all the departed souls of our brothers and sisters, every year the Vatican grants indulgences around All Soul’s Day.
An indulgence is the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven. Remember, sins are two-fold: the forgiveness for the guilt of the sin, which is an eternal forgiveness; and the temporal punishment or penance needed to reconcile the offense or damage you caused another.
Also remember, all “punishments” are self-inflicted, resulting from not reconciling the effects/damages of your sin on others while you are on earth. This is theologically referred to as “temporal punishment.”
A partial indulgence is for one such punishment/penance. A plenary indulgence is for all such punishments. It basically wipes out Purgatory. Again, this assumes you have already been forgiven for those sins.
This year, a plenary indulgence is being granted to those who visit a cemetery to pray for the dead on any day between November 1-8.
Requirements:
Visit the cemetery and pray for the dead
Receive Confession
Receive the Eucharist, preferably day of your visit
Prayer for the pope’s intentions (H.Mary, O.Father)
Gospel Reading for Sunday, Nov 5: Matthew 23:1-12
Context: Jesus is in Jerusalem during the last week of his 3-year ministry. He affirms the teaching authority of the Old Covenant Church but denounces their practices. Why does Jesus seem so open to challenging the authorities?
Matthew 23:1-12
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have sat down on the chair of Moses.
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have sat down on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you. But do not follow their example, for they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Let’s break these passages down…
(1-2) Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have sat down on the chair of Moses.
Q: What is meant by this?
This means the scribes and Pharisees have taken the seat of Moses, which means they have assumed the role of interpreters of the Law. (BTW, all the scribes were Pharisees, but not all Pharisees were scribes.)
Q: Doesn’t the Chief Priest have that role?
Actually, yes, the Chief Priest has this role for the Temple in Jerusalem. Somehow, though, the scribes and Pharisees (roughly the same thing…) have assumed control of interpretation for the surrounding synagogues, which would be the Jewish population at large. This is one of the reasons the Essenes broke off from Jerusalem around 160 BC and now await the Messiah near the Jordan at the edge of the Dead Sea (Qumran).
3-4) Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you. But do not follow their example, for they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them.
Q: Why does Jesus tell them to observe what the scribes and Pharisees say? What are the burdens?
Jesus is affirming the teachings of the Old Covenant. He is showing that he did not come to replace or cancel God’s previous Word, but to complete or fulfill them.
The burdens Jesus is referring to are the minute regulations and bureaucratic restrictions that were too often used to trip a person up rather than bring them closer to God. This misinterpretation and misapplication of the Law made the Law a burden to the people. The temple rulers had put themselves above the people. This makes Jesus unhappy.
This is further demonstrated by Jesus’ comment that they will not lift a finger to help, meaning they do not make the slightest attempt to make these burdens easier for the people by explanation or relaxation based on the circumstances or health of the person. Their excessive show of piety is only a sham to put them in a good light.
Q: Who recalls what Jesus says elsewhere in Matthew about “burdens?”
Jesus teaches his disciples almost the opposite of what the scribes and Pharisees are doing:
“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28
“My yoke is easy and my burden light.” – Matt 11:30
(5) All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
Phylacteries (Tefillin) are the small black boxes containing prayers. Tassels were reminders of the commandments.
Q: What would be the purpose of widening phylacteries or lengthening tassels?
So they would be more obvious. To be seen. Virtue signaling?
This is confirmed in Jesus’ next statement:
(6-7) They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
It is helpful to understand that Jesus directs this next statement to his disciples:
(8-12) As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Jesus is giving his disciples a lesson in humility. He is teaching them not to emulate the scribes and Pharisees and seek titles for themselves as a mark of honor, for it is God’s Word they were teaching, not their own. They were to work in the spirit of teachers, guides, and SERVANTS.
Jesus is also speaking in hyperbole.
Q: What is hyperbole?
Hyperboles are purposely exaggerated statements to make a point (but not to be taken literally). Another example of this: Jesus said that if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away, for it is better to go to Heaven with one arm than to go to Hell with two (Mt 5:29). He doesn’t mean to literally cut off your arm! But he makes a point you will hopefully never forget.
Hyperbole was an ancient teaching method used in the art of rhetoric, similar to metaphor or irony. In this case, Jesus does not literally mean to call no one father or teacher. That would mean one couldn't refer to the head of one's family as "father." Jesus himself refers to Abraham as "father Abraham" (Lk 16:24). Instead, Jesus is saying to his disciples, “Don’t think for one second that when I’m gone you are just going to waltz in and replace these guys who are full of themselves.”
Jesus is teaching his disciples to provide a new kind of leading, called “servant leadership.” In fact, that is where this term originates. Jesus was the Master at servant leadership. Recall the washing of feet the night of the Last Supper.
Closing Prayer
Prayer of Mother Teresa
People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the end, it was you and God. It was never between you and them, anyway.
Together, let us pray for Mary’s intercession for all innocent life harmed in the conflicts of the world…
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee
blessed are thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
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