First, please pray for Japan. It amazes me that people do not believe that the devil exists. Even folks who believe in God and consider themselves Christian. The question I want to ask them is, "have you read the Bible?" Last Sunday's gospel reading recounts the meeting between Jesus and the devil. The fourth chapter of Matthew's gospel tells you all you need to know about the devil. He is intent on leading you away from a relationship with God. He is focused on making sure that you try to place yourself on the same level as God. He tempts and most of the time it is with subtle words or whispers. So don't always expect big and flashy when it comes to the devil. Matthew 4:10 tells us, Jesus said to him, "Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and Him alone shall you serve." Good advice for all of us. Later this week we will celebrate two special feast days. The first is in honor of St. Patrick. Of course, this special day has become one of revelry and green beer. I urge you to celebrate the day in the spirit of Lent and remembering that St. Patrick worked mightily to bring people to God. The second feast day is in honor of St. Joseph, who was Mary's husband and served as the father of Jesus while He was on earth. St. Joseph is a very special role model especially for fathers. He was the spiritual leader of his family and his family was not your ordinary family. Did you hear that the Vatican is uploading a new Facebook page devoted to the upcoming May 1 beatification of Pope John Paul II? The site will link to video highlights of John Paul's 27-year papacy. It should be very informative and inspiring.
The twelve apostles chosen by Jesus formed the bedrock of the early Church , and their Catholic identity is deeply rooted in their direct relationship with Christ and the mission He entrusted to them. The Catechism of the Catholic Church highlights this foundational role, stating that Jesus "instituted the Twelve as 'the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of the sacred hierarchy'" ( CCC 860 ). These men were not simply followers; they were handpicked by Jesus, lived intimately with Him, witnessed His miracles and teachings firsthand, and were specifically commissioned to preach the Gospel to all nations ( Matthew 28:19-20 ). Their unique position as eyewitnesses to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, and their reception of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, established them as the authoritative leaders of the nascent Church, a reality echoed in the writings of early Church Fathers like Ignatius of Antioch, who emphasized the apostles' authority as repre...
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