Guide for a beginning catholic apologist

http://www.reasonablecatholic.com/a-comprehensive-book-guide-for-the-beginning-catholic-apologist/

God's promises are sweet.

I tasted honey one day as I ate of the Eucharist.  Christ's resurrected and eternal flesh tasting like honey. First of all, this was a plain wafer, similar to a rice cake. These usually have no flavor. The first thing that came to mind was the Isrealites in the wilderness and god promising a land flowing with milk and honey.  What a gift God had just given me!  

Exodus 16:31  Now the house of Israel called its name manna; it was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.

Then I recalled that honey does not spoil. Honey is like a preservative. When we parttake of our risen Lord, in the Eucharist, we have a portion of his eternal flesh. A form of preservative for all eternity.

Wisdom of Solomon 2:23 "for God created man for incorruption,
and made him in the image of his own eternity,"

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

So let's talk about incorruption. Who knows of people that have incorrupt bodies? I DID NOT! And I had never heard of such a thing until I started researching the Catholic Church. Why would you keep this a secret?!?! There are many Saints that have incorruptible bodies.  Saints are people that have lived a holy life within the guidelines of the Church and through their intercession, with those on earth, who ask for their prayers, have witnessed or experienced miracles of healings and the like. Some of these saints bodies have never decayed. It is just wild! They have done scientific studies trying to figure it out.

Now, back to the my wafer tasting like honey. Thisi was very odd since I have eaten these wafers at least 100 times now and only once did it taste like honey.  I really believe it was a little affirmation from God for my benefit.   See, the Isrealites received manna from heaven and were also promised milk. "A land flowing with milk and honey." So I have wondered where then does the milk come into all this? Of course! Mary, Our Mother! She provides us with nourishment.  

She was espoused by the Holy Spirit and Christ, the Word, was made manifest in her.  That is why we receive wisdom, understanding, knowledge, peace, comfort, and grace from our Mother.  You see, I was very scepticle of having any sort of belief in Mary but she was Christ's mother. I had heard many say we cannot honor her any more than Christ does.  The bible says in Revelation that she is Crowned as Queen of Heaven. Hmmmm. What was I supposed to make of that since I had never even considered that verse as meaning anything.  I just ignored it completely. In fact I ignored most of the book of Revelation. So one evening I was really struggling with this whole Mary idea and just decided that I would demand an answer from God on this one.  Within a couple of days, things started to change for me. I started seeing scripture with deeper meaning than I had before.  I started feeling a deep intimacy with Christ's death on the Cross like never before.  Christ became more. I could start to see Christ as a real human being and make a connection with the human side of him. The life he lived out on earth was.....well, it is so hard to describe the difference.  I saw Christ as more than just a Godhead and a Savior but a man with real feelings and hurts. All in a very short time Mary had made Christ into someone I could really relate to. It was the Holy Spirit that had become one with Mary when the Angel Gabriel announced her conception.

The Holy Spirit by the command of God manifested the eternal Word through Christ's mother to the World and still does. The Holy Spirit never left her and does not leave us either.

See Isaiah 62  A CITY NOT FORSAKEN.

Zion and Jerusalem, Mary, Mary Crowned Queen

A wedding. The Eucharist. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.

Isaiah Chapter 62
1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication (she needed vindication because she was put out/separated by others and had to give birth in the manger)

goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch. (Christ the light of the world)

2 The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name (Full of Grace, by Gabriel's announcement) which the mouth of the Lord will give. 3 You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.  (Crowned Queen of Heaven in Revelation)

4 You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My delight is in her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. 5 For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. (Marriage Supper of the Lamb/Eucharist and Final Feast)

6 Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the Lord in remembrance, take no rest, 7 and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth. 8 The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: “I will not again give your grain to be food for your enemies, and foreigners shall not drink your wine for which you have labored; 9 but those who garner it shall eat it and praise the Lord, and those who gather it shall drink it in the courts of my sanctuary.”(The Eucharist)

 10 Go through, go through the gates, prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway, clear it of stones, lift up an ensign over the peoples. 11 Behold, the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion(Mary), “Behold, your salvation comes;(Jesus) behold, his reward is with him,(Jesus) and his recompense before him.” 12 And they shall be called The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called Sought out, a city not forsaken. 

2000 Years of History. DUH!

  I realized that as a Protestant who relied solely on sacred scripture, I had basically thrown out 2,000 years of the faith experiences of those who had gone before me.

Even the Bible itself says that it has written down only a fraction of everything that Jesus said and did. Yet, I was denying the veracity of anything that was not in the Bible. I had experienced hearing the voice of God within my own heart, but I was refusing to listen to thousands of years of divine revelation given to the saints

Sloane PBS Video

https://vimeo.com/119602878

Confession AGAIN!!

My husband is so much better at confession than I am. I am however moving towards a better understanding of meeting Jesus in the confessional.

 

It has become a need for me just like the Eucharist in receiving Christ in both ways. He meets us. Just as I go again dragging my feet, feeling the chains of denial of my sins tugging at me. I slowly and trembling reach the confessional line.

 

I prayed before for the Holy Spirit to convict me of my sins and oh how quickly they arise to my conscience. Thanks! I think sarcastically, and then say to the Holy Spirit, no, really, thank you for reminding me.

 

I am not perfect and I need this Grace from Jesus to go before him at the alter, as well. I am SO unworthy of you Lord Jesus! Please forgive me.

Saints

http://www.catholic-convert.com/blog/2014/09/04/where-does-the-bible-say-we-should-pray-to-dead-saints/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Litany to sanctify work

Litany-to-sanctify-work.html