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Bible Time Period: Egypt and Exodus
You freed your people from slavery in Egypt so they could worship you: Free me from sin so I can serve and worship.
Reflection
The final chapters of Exodus detail the completion of the Tabernacle. They may feel repetitious to you; simply read through to get a general sense of what’s being built. Pay attention to the theme of work being completed, its quality (“as the Lord commanded”) and consequent blessing. These are hints and echoes of the description of the creation of the world in Genesis 1-2: in a very real sense, the Tabernacle is a microcosm of creation. God’s presence will dwell here with his people. It is a piece of heaven on earth.
Key Verse to Remember from the Period of Egypt and Exodus
“Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea” (Ex 15:21)
Today’s Reading
Today’s Question
On what note does Exodus end? How would you characterize this period?
Join the discussion below!
#askFrMike Why can’t Catholics have their cremains scattered?
#askfrmike
I have a fairly complex question, in the sense that I’m not exactly sure if I’m going to word in a way that you will even understand what I’m asking, but here it goes…
If what Jesus says “is” and therefore “is eternally” meaning “is, was, and forever will be” because He is God, then when at the Last Supper when Jesus sat with His disciples for the traditional Passover meal (established by the Father who knew this day would come) and Jesus said “This is my body” is it possible that in that moment He wasn’t simply changing that first piece of unleaven bread into His Body and so on from that moment, but revealing that the unleaven bread “is, was and forever will be”? Meaning that It always had been, but wasn’t yet until He had truly finished His Father’s Will. But upon His death on the cross, and subsequently rising from the dead, which brought forth the possibility for bread and wine to be able to be transubstantiated, also ALL of the consumed unleaven bread prior, through the power of the Holy Spirit, would have become consecrated dating all the way back to the very first Passover in Egypt? And all the faithful Jews from that time who had died, because they had faithfully, though unknowingly, been consuming the Body of Christ (yet to be), were able to enter into the heaven, when Jesus went down into Hell (or limbo or wherever) and released them, because they had truly been consuming and had in them the remnants of unleaven bread that was now consecrated?
And likewise the blood of the lamb was now the Blood of the Lamb?
Is that possible?!?
It only becomes his Body when the priest, through the power of the holy Spirit transubstantiates it and not before then. If what you said was true, than Jesus merely revealed that it was so, as opposed to actually made it so. In other words, he did nothing, but that’s not the miracle we all know happened and continues to happen every day. The unleavened bread they ate before Jesus was merely symbolic of a coming truth. It pointed towards the Eucharist to come. It was preparing them for it.
The other question is, at what point did the bread the Jews ate become his Body? When the priest blessed it? When he touched it? When it was being made? No ritual or action was ever taken to turn flour and water into God. Either explicitly or implicitly and they never would have wanted that anyways. Salvation requires our free will, not because some people happened to be eating the right stuff at the right time not knowing what it was.
“It always had been, but wasn’t yet” This is a contradiction and if there’s a contradiction, you can be sure that it’s not Truth because Truth is also logical, though perhaps mysterious and possibly not completely understood. But it can’t contradict itself. Ever.
Just because they were Jews before his sacrifice and they didn’t have the Eucharist doesn’t mean God didn’t have some plan for their salvation or that they are somehow saved “less”. His sacrifice is not limited by space (where someone is located). So that means it’s also not limited by time either (past, present or future), since we know scientifically they’re the same thing (spacetime).
So that this is clear, I am a devote Catholic who believes in the Body,
Blood, Soul and Divinity and do everything I can to deny myself, pick up
my cross and follow Jesus every day into all kinds of places I would rather not
go knowing that Jesus Christ calls us do so and that the Lord our God is with us wherever we. I am not someone who’s trying to debunk the Blessed and Most Holy
Eucharist. I’m not trying to fight it, deny it, or degrade it. I understand that transubstantiation happens through the priest during the Mass since that moment. What I’m seeing and what I’m trying to express is how much more powerful it is than we think. I’m not attempting to take away, but understand what I think is add to.
This is why I started by saying the question is complex and I’m not sure I’m going to word it in a way people will understand. Example: the sentence you call a contradiction. My question did what I was afraid it would do… send you thinking in the wrong direction. Your last couple sentences touched on what I’m talking about. To see what I’m asking think Immaculate Conception. Mary was born free from sin, because of a “yes” yet to be. How? God is outside of time and space. God didn’t make her to say “yes”. It was her free will. If God had made her to, that would have been forcing her, which would mean no free will, which would mean she’s something other than human. But that’s not the case. When you can wrap you head around that mystery, you might begin to see the question I’m asking.
And now my mind is spinning and I’m not sure how to ask what I’m seeing any clearer. This is all on the spiritual level and what I see is too powerful… too beautiful. I’m sorry if I’ve confused anyone.
thank you soooo much for this video. all the answers were extremely helpful. God Bless.
#askfrmike
Why do people turn away from the Catholic Church and join big box churches?
Of course, some ppl have to work on Sunday, but I undrstand that your confessor can provide you permission to complete your Sunday obligation Mass on a different day of the week, along with your rest. By rest, I also understand that it can be work to someone else, but rest for you as in gardening. Also, necessary tending the needs of others such as cooking or changing diapers is allowed on the Sabbath.
Very Good I like that.
#askFrMike I baptized someone and it wasn’t an emergency they just
wanted to be baptized so I baptized them. Have I committed a sin in doing
this?
When the Creed says that Jesus descended into hell and on the third day rose from the dead, did he really spend all of that time with Satan and what did he do while he was there?
#askfrmike Explain the difference between Dogma and Doctrine. Thank you!!
#askfrmike Can you give practical steps that one can take to build up humility and maintain it in everyday life? Thank you 🙂
How do place balance between God and friends, especially really close guy friends? Thanks!
What is the Church’s teaching on evolution? Can we believe in evolution and creation, or does believing in one exclude the other? Thank you!
Thank you for clarifying Fr. Mike. I assumed that maybe Michael the Archangel was Satan’s opposer in battle since he was created at the beginning of time. However, I was taught that Satan was prideful and disobedient because he wouldn’t serve God who had lowered himself to be born of a human being, Mary. It is beautiful to know that Mary in her purity and choice to do God’s will is the “created being” who is Satan’s opposer. It also exemplifies Mary replacing Eve as one eternally striking at the serpent’s head.
#askfrmike Is contrition/remorse for sin a prerequisite for God’s mercy?
Mary told St. Dominic that her Immaculate Heart would triumph by the Scapular and the Rosary. Why does the Church not make these devotionals more intentional or more significant; especially in these trying times?
Well, Mother Angelica never stopped reminding us…..watch her talks and continue her good work now that she is gone….we can make a difference to every person we meet just by being the example…..pray a rosary in public place , you just might make an impact.
Hello Fr. Mike! Thank you so much for your amazing witness to our Church! I am a college student who has been veiling for almost two years now and I have friends who would like to start, but are apprehensive because they are afraid of drawing negative attention from people. They often say to me that they are worried that people will think they are veiling because they believe it makes them “holier” than other members of the congregation. What should I tell friends who are considering veiling at Mass? Thank so much again for your amazing ministry! God Bless!!!!
I think if you want to wear a veil, go right ahead…Paul recommends it…..I have done it sometimes ….watch daily mass on EWTN there is a lady there everyday who wears one.
#askfrmike Hi Father! Thank your for your videos, they are very insightful. I have had a few protestant friends ask me where Eucharistic adoration originated from, and I wasn’t sure what to tell them. Any thoughts?
#askfrmike Hi Father, I have a questions about capital punishment. I found out recently that, in theory, the death penalty is permissible under certain circumstances. I am pretty confused by this, mainly because with the permanence of the punishment, it could deny someone the chance to repent of their sins if the state were to kill them before the time of their natural death. Can you explain maybe when it would be permissible and why?The sources I’ve been looking at just say tradition and the bible has not opposed the death penalty, but I’m really getting hung up on the fact that it could deny a person’s salvation.