Know Your Catholic Faith

WHAT IS NOT ASSUMED, IS NOT SAVED: CHRIST'S HYPOSTATIC UNION

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 15:21:00 +0000

Our first parents, after being given everything in the garden by their Creator, were given just one prohibition, one law, by the Creator,

“16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” (Gn 2-16-17)

The Creator, the Perfect Judge, promulgated to Adam and Eve this one law which carried a sanction of death if violated. Adam and Eve broke this law and as a result brought death into the world. Being the Perfect Judge, God had no choice but to impose the penalty of death, not only upon Adam and Eve, but upon all of their offspring, all of humanity to follow.

Since God created everything that exists including man ex nihilo, out of nothing, death for man meant that he would return to a state of non-existence. For God, our omnipotent Creator, this was unacceptable, yet, as the Perfect Judge the penalty of death would have to stand.

There was only one thing God could do while remaining both a Perfectly Just Judge and an Omnipotent Creator. God, the Creator of the universe, would have to become Incarnate, assuming all of the elements of human nature except for sin while at the same time retaining all of His divine nature. This is accomplished in the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Christ was both fully human and fully divine. He was not half human and half divine, nor could you say that Christ was a mixture of both human and divine natures. We refer to Christ’s dual natures as the Hypostatic union, which is a technical term in Christian theology employed in mainstream Christology to describe the union of Christ's humanity and divinity in one hypostasis, or individual existence.

Having totally and completely assumed a human nature, our Lord could now take the punishment of death for all mankind. For our Lord was the only one who could take the penalty in our stead and not remain in death and thus return to a state of non-existence because of his divine nature.

The whole point of this blog post is to emphasize that God TRULY took on human flesh to save us from sin and death, from returning to a state of non-existence. He assumed human nature in its entirety and took what was meant for us upon himself. Please always keep in mind, WHAT IS NOT ASSUMED, IS NOT SAVED! Thank you, Jesus!

5 Effects of the Sacrament of Confirmation

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 10:13:00 +0000

The Sacrament of Confirmation is much more than just a rite of passage!

ARE YOU IMPORTANT?

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 21:20:00 +0000

ARE YOU IMPORTANT?

These are the very first words of the song, Here I Am to Worship, “Light of the world

You stepped down into darkness.” Upon hearing this song this morning, I couldn’t help but think of how people want to be important but fail to realize just how important and valued they truly are.

One only needs to ponder two things deeply and carefully to realize just how important they are.

The first thing is to consider how God is the Creator of all that exists. He is “Maker of all things visible and invisible,” according to what we profess in the Nicene Creed. Think deeply about what is being said here. God created the entire universe, the ends of which science will most likely never determine, a vast universe containing billions of galaxies, containing billions upon billions of stars and planets. Think also of the microscopic world with all of its intricate detail and complexities, many of which still escape the knowledge of modern science.

The second thing to consider is that the same Creator God mentioned above chose to descend upon our earthly realm, making his appearance in history as a helpless infant no less.

Why did He do this, you ask?

God chose to become both fully human and fully divine in order to fulfill his mission of restoring creation to its originally intended condition prior to Adam & Eve’s fall in the garden - to redeem us. He accomplished this mission through his life, passion, death, and resurrection. The Creator God assumed our human nature so that we could have the opportunity to share in his divine nature. This happens when we unite ourselves with Christ, the Word made Flesh. To share in God’s divine nature is to be given the opportunity to experience the ultimate happiness of living eternally in the presence of God.

Without God’s incarnation and redemption, we were in danger of returning to a state of nonexistence (nothingness), since God created everything from nothing, and God being God, He was not about to allow that to happen.

How important are you? VERY IMPORTANT!

To learn more about the subject, consider reading St. Athanasius'

On the Incarnation

Also enjoy Father John Behr’s talks on St. Athanasius’ work on YouTube

Library : Mary’s Perpetual Virginity: Why Does It Matter?

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 05:25:00 +0000

Library : Mary’s Perpetual Virginity: Why Does It Matter?

VALUABLE RESOURCE - FORMED

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 15:50:00 +0000

DISCLAIMER - I submit the following post about FORMED.org solely to encourage brothers and sisters in Christ to enjoy the content and learn more about their Catholic Faith. I am not doing so for any commercial purpose, and do not receive or expect any compensation whatsoever for promoting this most valuable resource. I find the content on FORMED to be extremely entertaining and helpful and want only to share this information with others so that they may also enjoy it and grow in their faith.

If your parish has a a subscription to www.FORMED.org, the video found at the bottom of this post will instruct you step by step on how to register using your parish's ACCESS CODE. You can obtain the parish ACCESS CODE by calling your parish office.

To register using the ACCESS CODE, log on to www.formed.org and scroll to the bottom left corner of the page where you will see the following then click on ENTER CODE.

This will bring you to the box shown in the photo below- fill out the fields - check the box acknowledging TERMS OF SERVICE and PRIVACY POLICY - then click on CREATE ACCOUNT.

You will then be sent an email to confirm your account. Log into your email and confirm. Once you do that you are good to go. Your FORMED account is ready. Just log in using the email address and password you used to register.

The video at the bottom of this post may be helpful in creating your account.

Once logged in you can browse through the various contents of the site by clicking on the following options (STUDY - WATCH - LISTEN -READ - SEARCH) shown in the photo below and found at the top of the FORMED home page.

You may also scroll to the bottom of the page and click on CONTENT LIST where you can pick a topic that is of interest to you.

There is plenty of GREAT CATHOLIC CONTENT for you to enjoy using FORMED! Using FORMED will help you grow spiritually and increase your knowledge of the Catholic Faith which in turn will result in a more profound appreciation for what we have in the Church established by our Savior!

You may also download the FREE FORMED APP on your mobile devices and smart phones to access FORMED on the go - anytime - anywhere.

Great Message from Matthew Kelly

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 14:08:00 +0000

As we prepare for the coming of our Savior during this Advent Season, let us watch and listen to this short message by Matthew Kelly and ponder how we as members of Christ's body can bring positive change into the world in which we live.

The Real Presence

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 05:48:00 +0000

Father William Casey, C.P.M. gives a most powerful and insightful talk on Christ's Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament. This presentation is by far the best I have ever heard preached on the Holy Eucharist. It is a message that needs to be heard and understood by every Catholic. I wish I had thousands of these CDs to give away! The following is a video of several minutes of Father Casey's talk. I cannot locate a full video version, or DVD of his presentation, but the audio is extremely powerful, and very well done! Father William Casey is a gifted speaker and homilist! Please consider purchasing one of these CDs from Lighthouse Catholic Media. You can do so at https://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/…/the-holy-eucharist

I Struggle with the Rosary

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 02:40:00 +0000

Do you struggle with the Rosary?

“The Rosary is a type of prayer, which is linked to our devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, so unless you really understand and appreciate the core of why we have a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Rosary is never going to make any sense to you.”

Why Belong to a Church? I Can Pray and Worship God on My Own!

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 10:37:00 +0000

We often hear things like, I don't need to belong to a church, I'm spiritual and can worship and pray to God on my own. Here is a good video in response to such philosophies.

Who Are YOU?

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 09:34:00 +0000

You are uniquely and awesomely created by a God who loves you beyond human comprehension!

IF YOU HEAR THE CALL, DON'T IGNORE IT!

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 09:30:00 +0000

Are We Fit to Receive the Spirit? Do We Cooperate with His Gifts and Grace?

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 12:50:00 +0000

We exist because God willed us into existence. We have life because of Him, and the awesome gift of His grace is free, but it is our responsibility to cooperate with that grace.Someone can fill your car up with gas, but if the engine is not working properly and you don't start the car and drive to your destination, what good is the fuel?

I often think of the many times I have not cooperated with God's grace, and in particular, how I allowed the grace received in the sacrament of Confirmation to lay dormant for years before cooperating with it. Unfortunately this happens with so many who receive the sacrament of Confirmation.

St. Basil the Great says the following in his work, On the Holy Spirit. "All that live virtually desire him, as they are watered by his inspiration and assisted toward their proper and natural end. . . He is the source of holiness, an intellectual light for every rational power's discovery of truth, supplying clarity, so to say through himself. . . He fills all things with power, but only those who are worthy participate in him. He is not participated in all at once but shares his energy in "proportion to faith" (Rom12:6). . . He is present as a whole to each and wholly present everywhere. . . He is like a sunbeam whose grace is present to the one who enjoys him as if he were present to such a one alone, and still he illuminates land and sea and is mixed with the air. . . Just so, indeed, the Spirit is present to each one who is fit to receive him, as if he were present to him alone, and still he sends out grace that is complete and sufficient for all. The things that participate in him enjoy him to the extent that their nature allows, not to the extent that his power allows."

Great Presentation on the Real Presence by Fr. Mike Schmitz!

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 06:52:00 +0000

I don't need to say anything. Fr. Mike Schmitz says it best in this video. It is powerful and moving! Enjoy, and please share!

Are You Looking for Answers? Fr. Mike Schmitz to the Rescue!

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Sat, 20 May 2017 11:36:00 +0000

If you're looking for some short answers to questions you have about what Catholics believe, check out these great videos by Fr. Mike Schmitz. Most of them are less than 10 minutes long. I'm certain you'll will enjoy Fr. Mike's presentations because they are both informative and entertaining. In other words, Fr. Mike will not put you to sleep with these great explanations. Enjoy!

Far From Boring!

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Sun, 12 Mar 2017 11:47:00 +0000

Have you ever heard someone say, "Mass is boring?" I hear this often and watch as even my own teenagers begrudgingly attend Mass. I confess that I felt the same way at one time.

But Mass is in reality is anything but boring when you think about what takes place at Mass! The God who created everything in our vast universe, the ends of which science will most likely never discover, and maintains it all in perfect order, DESIRES to be with us; to give himself to us whole and entirely; Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity; and does so by humbling himself and making himself available to us under the appearance of bread and wine. This folks is far from BORING! It is in fact AWESOME and MIRACULOUS once we wrap our minds around what occurs at every Mass!

The next time the priest places his hands over the gifts during the Epiclesis as shown in the photo and asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit in order to sanctify the offerings of bread and wine so that they may become the Body and Blood of Jesus, think about how privileged we are to be present there and have the opportunity to become so intimately close to the One who created us and loves us so much unconditionally!

Accepting the Cross

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 02:01:00 +0000

"From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matt 16:21-25)

I wanted to share this great presentation given by Fr. Peter M. Girard, O.P. in 2006 entitled "Accepting the Cross." After watching Fr. Girard's presentation I was much more willing to say yes to accepting the crosses in my life, and I'm sure you will feel the same.

Getting Answers from God

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 16:08:00 +0000

Recently my eight-year-old daughter asked me the following question during our ride to school, “Daddy, what does CCC stand for? I see it in my religion book at school.” Regan is in the second grade in Catholic school and is preparing to receive her first Holy Communion in April of 2016. I replied, “Honey, CCC stands for Catechism of the Catholic Church, it is where we can learn much about our Catholic Faith. We are able to look things up in the CCC when we have questions about our Faith.” Regan replies, “Okay, Daddy.”

My wife told me later that day that Regan made it a point to tell her teacher that she knew what CCC stood for. Regan’s teacher subsequently asked the sixth grade class if anyone knew what CCC stood for to which no one could provide a an answer. The teacher then exclaimed, “Even one of my second graders knows the answer to that question!”

When I learned of what happened that day. I was so proud of my little girl, but more importantly grateful that I was given the opportunity to answer the question that she cared enough about to ask. I was reminded of how important it is for us as parents to share the knowledge of our Faith with our children, and that it is never too early to do so.

On a side note, I learned from my wife that Regan also informed her that she had “an in with God.” When Liz asked what she meant by that, Regan replied, “When I want to know something, I ask God the question and He answers me, not with words, but by showing me pictures in my head.” I immediately thought to myself, do we have a mystic in our midst?

How nice it is to know that my eight year old has that kind of relationship with God! Regan, and all of my children have always been an absolute source of pride and joy in my life, thanks be to God!

Good Teachers Make a Difference!

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 03:40:00 +0000

Good Teachers make a difference!

St. Thomas Aquinas was a brilliant theologian and great teacher. He is the patron saint of Catholic schools, colleges, and students. But St. Thomas was mentored by a great teacher who recognized the brilliance of his shy and very often reserved student, St. Albert the Great. TEACHERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

The following quotes below are excerpts from a 2014 homily given by Rev. Thomas Petri, O.P. during a Mass honoring St. Thomas Aquinas.

For St. Thomas, “seeking truth was the guiding principle of his life, and when he found it wherever he found it, he wanted to share it with his students; he wanted to share it with the world. St. Thomas was a great teacher, and a very prolific one at that.”

THIS IS AMAZING! “Just to give you an example, toward the end of his life during a three year stint at the University of Paris, he wrote the central and largest part of his massive work, the Summa Theologiae, a couple thousand questions all answered very thoroughly; thousands and thousands of words, page after page, but not only that, in those three years he wrote commentaries on virtually every work of Aristotle, commentaries on the Book of Job, the gospel of Matthew, the gospel of John, and virtually every letter of St. Paul in the New Testament. He wrote an entire treatise on evil in the world and on virtue, among other things, there was more, there’s more, IN THREE YEARS, before there were word processors, or typewriters, or even a printing press.”

Thank you, Fr. Petri, for this awesomely inspiring homily!

Here is the link to Fr. Petri's homily https://youtu.be/jfpqQpI8xMY.

Don't Miss the Call!

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 06:16:00 +0000

Sometimes I wonder how many calls to the priesthood have gone unanswered. I sometimes feel that I could be counted among those whom have ignored or failed to answer such a call.

I recall an experience I had around the age of ten. I constructed an altar in my attic and even made a thurible out of an old Campbell’s soup can and a string in order to incense the altar. Oh, yeah, I would light up a Kingsford charcoal briquette in that can and incense around the altar before pretending to celebrate Mass. Wow, if my Mom only knew how many times a house fire was imminent! I was an altar boy at the time and loved to serve at Mass and pray the responses in Latin, even though I didn’t understand half of what I was saying. I memorized all of the Latin responses in order to be able to serve. Was this a call to the priesthood? I’m not certain, but looking back, it sure doesn’t seem like normal activity for a ten year old boy.

Fifty years have passed since that initial “calling,” yet despite being a father of seven children and a husband, something still stirs in my heart when I’m at Mass and participate attentively as I observe the celebrant, through the grace conferred through the sacrament of Holy Orders, become instrumental in changing the ordinary gifts of bread and wine into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord.

I write this post in hopes of reaching out to all the young men who think they may have experienced a call to the priesthood. If you think you are being called, please don’t ignore or dismiss it. Pray about it and follow up on it by speaking to your parish priest, spiritual director, or diocesan director of religious vocations, parents and grandparents. Let us all pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood, as well as for all the priests and religious throughout the world whom have answered the call!

Day of Evangelization at SS. Rose & Clement Parish 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 05:53:00 +0000

Today, September 12, 2015, residents residing in the neighborhoods surrounding SS. Rose and Clement parish in Warwick, Rhode Island were visited by volunteers participating in this year’s "day of evangelization." Hundreds of homes were visited in the area during which volunteers shared the love of Christ, and extended invitations to all who desire to join our parish family in exploring and experiencing the richness of the Catholic Faith. Among those visited were many Catholics whom for whatever reason became inactive in the practice of their Faith, many of whom were very receptive and grateful for our presence and invitation to return Home to the Faith.

Being my first, this year‘s Day of Evangelization was special for me, and so I wanted to share my experience with those whom have ever contemplated participating in such a mission. I’d like to start by saying that we all make plans, but many times God has another, better plan in mind for us.

I have never before participated in our Day of Evangelization efforts. Today I intended to assist by spending time in prayer while our evangelization teams took to the streets. This initial plan was foiled when I was approached by a member of the evangelization ministry who informed me that they were one team member short and asked if I would consider filling the position. I quickly realized that this was God’s plan for me today and agreed to step up to the plate, knowing full well that God had blessings in store for me. I must say that those blessings were abundant!

After working all night, my original plan was to spend a couple of hours in prayer to support those taking to the streets and then go home to rest. Instead I accepted the request to take part in visiting homes in the neighborhood, and I must say that it resulted in the perfect ending to a perfect day, a day that began perfectly with communal prayer of the Rosary and Mass.

My evangelization partner and I had great encounters and conversations with many neighbors,

many of whom were raised in the Catholic Faith but admittedly and regretfully wandered from the practice of their Faith. It was exciting to see by the look in their eyes and the manner in which they responded to us, that our visit seemed to ignite a spark in their souls which seemed to say, ‘it’s time to go Home.’

There are so many homesick Catholics out there just waiting for an invitation to return Home. Many were so glad to see us! I am extremely grateful for the privilege of having had this opportunity to join my brothers and sisters in extending invitations Home to those whom have been away, and to have been granted the privilege of being able to share the faith with those whose hearts are restless and long to be filled with the knowledge of His love and mercy!

Happy Easter 2015! Faith and Reason

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 01:18:00 +0000

Happy Easter, everyone! Alleluia! The Lord is Risen!

I just wanted to share a thought that occurred to me during Mass this morning! The thought began in my head and in my heart during the Liturgy of the Word, when during his homily, Father reminded the congregation that Christ suffered, died, and was resurrected for ALL of humanity. Upon hearing that statement I was immediately struck with amazement over the indescribable love the Creator has for us.

I believe everything I profess in the Creed through the gift of faith given to me at baptism. However, when that faith is combined with reason, I become even more intensely aware of the magnitude of God’s love for me.

For example, when contemplating the salvific work of our Lord, one only needs to think of how precious we must be in his sight, that the Creator of all that is seen and unseen, would humble himself to the point he did out of love for us. Think of the tiny place we occupy relative to the vastness of the cosmos with its billions of galaxies and billions of stars. For the Creator of it all to suffer what he did to afford us the opportunity to be in His Presence eternally is indeed evidence of the value He places on each and every one of us.

Real Presence: How Do You Show Reverence?

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Sun, 25 May 2014 12:39:00 +0000

Recently, I heard a story about Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR. He was traveling with a Protestant minister in a car and, when they passed a Catholic Church, Fr. Benedict made the Sign of the Cross. The minister asked him why he did this. Fr. ...Benedict explained that it was out of reverence for Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. The minister told him, if I believed what you believe, I would get out of the car, run inside the church, fall on my knees and never get up again.

With regard to having faith in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, I found the story interesting and thought provoking. I am sure Fr. Benedict Groeshel believes in the Real Presence!

Are You Saved?

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Sun, 25 May 2014 12:34:00 +0000

If a Protestant asks you, “Are you saved?”, it’s fun to ask them, “Saved from what?” After all, if somebody is saved, they must have been saved from something. But what’s surprising is that Protestants disagree with each ot...her about what Jesus saved them from. Some say they are saved from sin. But I am still a sinner. Some say they are saved from death. But some day I will die. Some say they are saved from Hell. But if I were to presume that I am definitely not going to Hell, that would be the sin of presumption. Read more @ http://www.stmichaelsabbey.com/abbey/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=258%3Asoteriology&catid=51%3Ahomilies&Itemid=129

How Can I Ever Thank You, Lord? Lenten Reflection

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 17:51:00 +0000

The following reflection came to me as I prayed the Rosary meditating on the Sorrowful mysteries on this Friday of the third week of Lent 2014.

As I began the Sorrowful Mysteries, I reflected on the loneliness our Lord must have experienced during his Agony in the Garden; the unimaginable stress he must have suffered in bearing the sins of all mankind, past, present, and future. And I thought, “How can I ever thank you, Lord? You did this for me!”

You, Creator of a universe so vast that its boundaries, if any, will most likely never be known to science, the one and only omniscient God who did not have to leave your Heavenly throne, be born in a filthy stable, and live, work, and experience human joy and suffering for thirty-three years to experience our humanity because You knew our human experiences from the beginning. “How can I ever thank you, Lord? You did this for me.”

You, Creator of a universe so vast that its boundaries, if they exist, will most likely never be known to science, did not have to suffer the unimaginable torture of being scourged, flesh being torn from your body, organs and bones exposed, soaked in blood, with every vicious blow, but you did for me. “How can I ever thank you, Lord? You did this for me.”

You, Creator of a universe so vast that its boundaries, if they exist, will most likely never be known to science, did not have to be spat upon, beaten beyond recognition, mocked, and nailed naked to the rough wood of the cross in the presence of your Mother and close friends, but you did it for me. “How can I ever thank you, Lord? You did this for me.”

Lord, may I never take your eternal gift of love for me for granted. In times of weakness and temptation, may I always recall the price you paid for my sins. There is no greater love than yours! I am sorry for the pain I’ve caused you. Please forgive me and have mercy on me, a sinner!

Amen.

Have You Ever Wondered About the Candles in Church?

noreply@blogger.com (Bill Kirejczyk) — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 16:46:00 +0000