William Hemsworth's Blog, page 6

Red Bird Ministries Seeks To Reframe Cultural Perspective on Life and Grief During Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

Breaux Bridge, LA, October 7, 2024— Although statistics reveal thousands of families have experienced the loss of a child, pregnancy and infant loss is largely an untouched subject by mainstream media and even within the Catholic Church. Thousands of parishes and families have sought the expertise of Red Bird Ministries, a non-profit organization that specializes in compassionate support infused with the Catholic faith for those who have experienced child loss of any age and circumstance. During Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, as well as Respect Life Month, Red Bird Ministries invites people to consider how their response to loss shapes their outlook on the dignity and value of human life.

The founders of Red Bird Ministries, Ryan, and Kelly Breaux, say that although it’s something that is not typically talked about, pregnancy and infant loss is all too common:

1 in 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage before 20 weeks1 in 160 pregnancies ends in stillbirth1 in 250 babies die before 1 month old1 in 333 babies is diagnosed in utero with a life-limiting diagnosis, and parents are told they should consider aborting their baby instead of carrying to term

And yet, Ryan and Kelly say most people are uncomfortable talking about it, even in pro-life circles. After the loss of their son Talon at 15 days old and his twin sister Emma Grace three years later, the Breaux family began their path of grief and healing, a process which they say would have been impossible without the grace of the sacraments. They endured loss two more times when they miscarried their son Christian Ryan at 12 weeks and daughter Eva Catherine at six weeks. 

Breaux Bridge, LA, October 7, 2024— Although statistics reveal thousands of families have experienced the loss of a child, pregnancy and infant loss is largely an untouched subject by mainstream media and even within the Catholic Church. Thousands of parishes and families have sought the expertise of Red Bird Ministries, a non-profit organization that specializes in compassionate support infused with the Catholic faith for those who have experienced child loss of any age and circumstance. During Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, as well as Respect Life Month, Red Bird Ministries invites people to consider how their response to loss shapes their outlook on the dignity and value of human life.

The founders of Red Bird Ministries, Ryan, and Kelly Breaux, say that although it’s something that is not typically talked about, pregnancy and infant loss is all too common:

1 in 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage before 20 weeks1 in 160 pregnancies ends in stillbirth1 in 250 babies die before 1 month old1 in 333 babies is diagnosed in utero with a life-limiting diagnosis, and parents are told they should consider aborting their baby instead of carrying to term

And yet, Ryan and Kelly say most people are uncomfortable talking about it, even in pro-life circles. After the loss of their son Talon at 15 days old and his twin sister Emma Grace three years later, the Breaux family began their path of grief and healing, a process which they say would have been impossible without the grace of the sacraments. They endured loss two more times when they miscarried their son Christian Ryan at 12 weeks and daughter Eva Catherine at six weeks. 

“After the death of each child, I met a world that was silent about my loss. There were days when my pain felt like a bad dream. I couldn’t talk about my children because those around me were uncomfortable,” Kelly said. 

Ryan and Kelly say that acknowledging the loss and approaching those who are grieving is a key ingredient to a pro-life worldview. “When the world does not acknowledge your loss, you feel like you have no right to share about your child.” 

After navigating these losses, the couple was drawn to ministering to those who have suffered the same pain, officially founding Red Bird Ministries in 2018 as a pro-life, pro-family, Catholic approach to grief. 

“We have to be careful about how we deal with grieving families. We cannot advocate for someone not to end their child’s life through abortion and then fail to acknowledge the loss of a child through miscarriage. It is important to acknowledge the unrepeatable beauty of each and every human life, no matter how long they have existed on earth,” Kelly said.

Red Bird Ministries offers many resources for parishes and grieving families, including: 

Red Bird Ministries app, designed to bring grieving families together to support each other in communityPastoral services such as a comfort call, spiritual direction, or access to a Catholic therapist Healing boxes designed to support families you know who have experienced a lossSupport for grieving siblingsLocal chapters to foster support and healingSpiritual support such as the Red Bird Ministries Annual Mass of Remembrance and Memorial Wall

On Infant Loss and Remembrance Day, October 15,  Red Bird Ministries will sponsor a Wave of Light Virtual Remembrance Mass. Participants are encouraged to light a candle at their local time of 7:00 p.m. in honor of their loved one and keep it lit for one hour, sending a wave of light throughout the world.  Additional suggestions for getting involved during Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month can be found at https://www.redbird.love/october-awareness.

Breaux Bridge, LA, October 7, 2024— Although statistics reveal thousands of families have experienced the loss of a child, pregnancy and infant loss is largely an untouched subject by mainstream media and even within the Catholic Church. Thousands of parishes and families have sought the expertise of Red Bird Ministries, a non-profit organization that specializes in compassionate support infused with the Catholic faith for those who have experienced child loss of any age and circumstance. During Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, as well as Respect Life Month, Red Bird Ministries invites people to consider how their response to loss shapes their outlook on the dignity and value of human life.

The founders of Red Bird Ministries, Ryan, and Kelly Breaux, say that although it’s something that is not typically talked about, pregnancy and infant loss is all too common:

1 in 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage before 20 weeks1 in 160 pregnancies ends in stillbirth1 in 250 babies die before 1 month old1 in 333 babies is diagnosed in utero with a life-limiting diagnosis, and parents are told they should consider aborting their baby instead of carrying to term

And yet, Ryan and Kelly say most people are uncomfortable talking about it, even in pro-life circles. After the loss of their son Talon at 15 days old and his twin sister Emma Grace three years later, the Breaux family began their path of grief and healing, a process which they say would have been impossible without the grace of the sacraments. They endured loss two more times when they miscarried their son Christian Ryan at 12 weeks and daughter Eva Catherine at six weeks. 

“After the death of each child, I met a world that was silent about my loss. There were days when my pain felt like a bad dream. I couldn’t talk about my children because those around me were uncomfortable,” Kelly said. 

Ryan and Kelly say that acknowledging the loss and approaching those who are grieving is a key ingredient to a pro-life worldview. “When the world does not acknowledge your loss, you feel like you have no right to share about your child.” 

After navigating these losses, the couple was drawn to ministering to those who have suffered the same pain, officially founding Red Bird Ministries in 2018 as a pro-life, pro-family, Catholic approach to grief. 

“We have to be careful about how we deal with grieving families. We cannot advocate for someone not to end their child’s life through abortion and then fail to acknowledge the loss of a child through miscarriage. It is important to acknowledge the unrepeatable beauty of each and every human life, no matter how long they have existed on earth,” Kelly said.

Red Bird Ministries offers many resources for parishes and grieving families, including: 

Red Bird Ministries app, designed to bring grieving families together to support each other in communityPastoral services such as a comfort call, spiritual direction, or access to a Catholic therapist Healing boxes designed to support families you know who have experienced a lossSupport for grieving siblingsLocal chapters to foster support and healingSpiritual support such as the Red Bird Ministries Annual Mass of Remembrance and Memorial Wall

On Infant Loss and Remembrance Day, October 15,  Red Bird Ministries will sponsor a Wave of Light Virtual Remembrance Mass. Participants are encouraged to light a candle at their local time of 7:00 p.m. in honor of their loved one and keep it lit for one hour, sending a wave of light throughout the world.  Additional suggestions for getting involved during Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month can be found at https://www.redbird.love/october-awareness.

“After the death of each child, I met a world that was silent about my loss. There were days when my pain felt like a bad dream. I couldn’t talk about my children because those around me were uncomfortable,” Kelly said. 

Ryan and Kelly say that acknowledging the loss and approaching those who are grieving is a key ingredient to a pro-life worldview. “When the world does not acknowledge your loss, you feel like you have no right to share about your child.” 

After navigating these losses, the couple was drawn to ministering to those who have suffered the same pain, officially founding Red Bird Ministries in 2018 as a pro-life, pro-family, Catholic approach to grief. 

“We have to be careful about how we deal with grieving families. We cannot advocate for someone not to end their child’s life through abortion and then fail to acknowledge the loss of a child through miscarriage. It is important to acknowledge the unrepeatable beauty of each and every human life, no matter how long they have existed on earth,” Kelly said.

Red Bird Ministries offers many resources for parishes and grieving families, including: 

Red Bird Ministries app, designed to bring grieving families together to support each other in communityPastoral services such as a comfort call, spiritual direction, or access to a Catholic therapist Healing boxes designed to support families you know who have experienced a lossSupport for grieving siblingsLocal chapters to foster support and healingSpiritual support such as the Red Bird Ministries Annual Mass of Remembrance and Memorial Wall

On Infant Loss and Remembrance Day, October 15,  Red Bird Ministries will sponsor a Wave of Light Virtual Remembrance Mass. Participants are encouraged to light a candle at their local time of 7:00 p.m. in honor of their loved one and keep it lit for one hour, sending a wave of light throughout the world.  Additional suggestions for getting involved during Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month can be found at https://www.redbird.love/october-awareness.

Ascension Presents Hits 1 Million YouTube Subscribers; Announces “Truth and Beauty” Catholic Creator Awards to Celebrate

[Exton, PA, October 4, 2024—]

Upon hitting 1 million, Ascension releases a video love letter to its audience: “From all of us here at Ascension Presents… thank you. All 1 million of you.”

As the Ascension Presents YouTube channel passed the coveted 1 Million subscriber mark today—earning YouTube’s Gold Creator Award—Ascension released a special video honoring its audience of nearly 10 years:

The nostalgic video flashes through the top Catholic evangelists who have appeared on the channel over the years and ends with a simple message to the viewing audience: “From all of us here at Ascension Presents, we want to take this moment to thank you. All 1 million of you.”  The touching sign-off echoes the classic words Fr. Mike Schmitz uses to end his videos on the channel: “From all of us here at Ascension Presents, my name’s Fr. Mike.”

New “Truth and Beauty” Catholic Creator Awards to Celebrate the 1 Million Milestone

Ascension has announced an awards program to celebrate the milestone:

Ascension “Truth and Beauty” Awards for Catholic Content Creators

Catholic content creators on social media are encouraged to submit their best videos to be judged on the criteria of “truth and beauty,” elements from the Ascension mission statement. The Ascension team, including Fr. Mike Schmitz, will select the winning videos and celebrate them on the Ascension social media platforms. Winners will receive commemorative plaques and $500 cash prizes to help creators invest in their camera equipment and editing software.

“When Ascension Presents launched in 2015, few people had heard of Fr. Mike Schmitz,” explains Lauren Joyce, PR Manager for Ascension and coordinator of the awards program. “With the ‘Truth and Beauty’ Awards for Catholic Content Creators, we hope to celebrate other up-and-coming creators. There are incredibly passionate and talented Catholics using social media and YouTube to share the Gospel’s transformative power. We are excited to highlight their efforts!” 

Ascension Presents: Defining the Genre of Video-Based Faith Formation

Over the last decade, Ascension Presents has defined the genre of video-based Catholic faith formation, publishing 1,500 videos, earning 150 Million views, and launching 4 additional YouTube channels. Highlights have included:

1st channel video (2015): “Pizza, Bromance, and Your Mom” (Fr. Mike Schmitz)Most popular video (6.5M views): “Pray with Us: The Chaplet of Divine Mercy” (Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR and Fr. Pierre Toussaint, CFR) Fr. Mike Schmitz’s most popular video (3.1M views): “Why Be Catholic and Not Just Christian?”Fr. Mike Schmitz’s video with the most 1-day views (358k): “The Bible in 10 Minutes” Video with the most virality on social media: “The Sisters of Life Answer the Internet’s Top Questions About Nuns” (over 4 million views on all social media channels)

“We’re honored to see Ascension Presents recognized with a Gold Creator Award for earning our millionth subscriber,” comments Ascension President and CEO Jonathan Strate. “This achievement is the fruit of a decade of hard work by both our video evangelists and our in-house team. The love Catholics have shown for Ascension Presents over the last decade shows that audiences are hungry for faith-based content and appreciate excellent production value in the media they consume.”

In addition to Fr. Mike Schmitz, other channel anchors over the years have included Jackie and Bobby Angel, Fr. Mark-Mary Ames (CFR) and other Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, Jeff Cavins, and Fr. Josh Johnson. Notable Catholic evangelists like Matt Fradd, Emily Wilson, the Sisters of Life, Fr. Mark Toups, Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, and Jason Evert have appeared on the channel, and even Catholic actors Mark Wahlberg and Jonathan Roumie have made cameo appearances.

Ascension has launched 4 additional YouTube channels over the years, becoming a network of 5 channels with a combined subscriber base of 1,500,000. Each channel has its own videos and content theme:

Ascension Presents (@AscensionPresents)The Bible in a Year & More: Fr. Mike & Jeff Cavins (@TheBibleInAYear)The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) (@TheCatechismInAYear)Sundays with Ascension (@SundaysWithAscension)La Biblia en un Año (con Fray Sergio Serrano, OP) (@LaBibliaEn365Dias)Supporting Converts to the Catholic Faith

Over the years, Ascension Presents has helped many people outside the Church explore the truths of Catholicism and consider conversion. Many of these accounts are peppered throughout the comment sections of videos like Why Be Catholic and Not Just Christian?  

About Ascension

Ascension is a multimedia network and the leader in Catholic faith formation and digital content. Over the past 25 years, Ascension has helped nurture the faith of over 10 million Catholics through award-winning books, the chart-topping Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)® podcast, more than 50 unique faith formation programs, and the Ascension Presents media and YouTube platforms.

The Augustine Institute Partners with Sent Evangelization to Introduce Catholics to the Gift of Door-to-Door Evangelization

Florissant, MO, October 2, 2024—The Augustine Institute, through a new partnership with Sent Evangelization, introduces a way to evangelize that may be both unfamiliar and uncomfortable to Catholics: visiting door-to-door.  The Sent method of evangelization trains and mobilizes laity to reach souls in the community who may be tough for Catholic pastors to reach.  Based on baptismal identity and focused on charity, Sent enables parishes to fully understand their mission fulfilling the three mandates of the Great Commission: Sanctify, Teach, and Shepherd.  Sent Evangelization Founder Austin Habash explains the method of knocking on doors (and hearts) in a seven-part course now available on Formed, the Augustine Institute’s on-demand streaming platform.

“Formed is widely known for providing quality video content that sanctifies and teaches,” says Habash. “Our complementary missions make Formed the perfect platform for Sent, and I’m honored to partner with the Augustine Institute to make it accessible to more parishes as we work together to share the love of God with those who live within our parish territories yet outside their physical walls.” 

The idea for Sent was conceived in 2016 while Habash was a seminarian at the St. John Paul II Center for the New Evangelization in Denver. Using a whiteboard to sketch out the boundaries of the campus and the ratio of Catholics to overall homes, a visiting priest posed a tough question: “How can we reach the fallen away or disaffiliated?” Knocking on their doors seemed to be the simplest, most natural response. 

Habash, along with Fr. Gabriel Sabado, of the Diocese of Phoenix, developed the Sent model that launched at four parishes prior to Covid.  It is now being instituted at a new parish nearly every month.  The unique team-based approach of Sent leans on the strengths and charisms of three individuals at a parish.  It trains, equips, and accompanies them to serve as evangelists, intercessors, and supporters.  Evangelists visit homes in the neighborhood to share the joy of the Gospel and offer their prayers as well as acts of service.  Intercessors and supporters remain rooted at the parish chapel.  Intercessors offer prayers for the work of the evangelists, while supporters facilitate actionable follow-up, whether scheduling a volunteer crew to pull weeds, take down Christmas lights, or assemble a gift basket of baked goods or sundries.

“Knocking on a stranger’s door initially invokes feelings of dread and fear of the unknown, but we have many heartwarming testimonials from Sent teams across the country that have forged lifelong relationships with people they never would’ve met otherwise– people behind closed doors who were lonely, hurting, or seeking truth.  The best stories are of those who’ve been inspired to return to Mass or attend Mass for the first time,” said Habash.

These stories and much more are shared in the seven-part series now streaming on Formed.  Hosted by Habash, the Sent series covers what neighborhood evangelization is, the components of a conversation at the door, the elements of a parish door-to-door team, how to build and launch a door-to-door team, how to accompany the neighborhood over time, and what happens after neighborhood evangelization. 

Musician Lisa Marie Nicole Releases New Book

Award winning singer/songwriter Lisa Marie Nicole has released a new book through Hope and Glory Press titled The Christmas Stranger.

The Interview

Join us on this inspiring episode of Defending Truth as we welcome award-winning Christian singer and songwriter, Lisa Marie Nicole, to share her incredible journey of “Rocking for God.” From her heartfelt music, rooted in scripture and personal experiences of chronic pain, to her latest literary endeavor, “The Christmas Stranger,” Lisa discusses her creative process and the profound impact of faith in her work. Hear exclusive insights about her audition for America’s Got Talent and her passion project, the Rocking for God podcast, where she supports fellow musicians in their quest to glorify God. I highly recommend tuning in as Lisa reveals her path from songwriter to published author, offering insider tips for aspiring musicians. Don’t miss out on this engaging conversation that beautifully interweaves faith, music, and storytelling.

Relics of four prominent saints go on display at St. Gregory the Great

While every saint is important in God’s kingdom, the relics of what some might consider big leaguers are on brief display for veneration at St. Gregory the Great Parish in Williamsville. Catholic Diocese of Buffalo Sound Hub · October 3, 2024 – Williamsville parish welcomes relics of four prominent saints They are relics of St. […]

Relics of four prominent saints go on display at St. Gregory the Great

Bishop opens 40 Days for Life Fall Campaign with message of hope, focus

The circumstances have changed. The message of 40 Days for Life has not. Two years after a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling and on the doorstep of Arizonans possibly deciding to permanently allow unlimited access to abortion, 40 Days’ mission remains the same – prayer, fasting, speaking the truth with the love of Christ and…

Bishop opens 40 Days for Life Fall Campaign with message of hope, focus

Effective Steps for Evangelizing Your Neighbors

In the Gospels we see many instances in which our Lord commands us to evangelize. On such instance is known as the Great Commission and occurs at the end of Matthew’s Gospel. These verses occur in Matthew 28:19-20 and state, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age (RSV).”

Sometimes we mistakenly mistake the topic of evangelism as something that only the priest does, but the reality is Christ commands all of us to do it. In Matthew chapter 22 our Lord tells us to love God with everything we have and to love our neighbor as ourselves. How can we love our neighbor as ourselves if we don’t even know their name? I understand that the Lord was not talking about our literal next-door neighbor, but about every human being. However, the mission field is all around us especially right next door.

In October 2018, Pew Research released the results of a study that stated that the Catholic Church is losing members at a ratio of 6.45:1. What that means is that for every person that comes into the church over six leave. Before I came into the Church, I attended seminary at one of the nation’s largest Southern Baptist schools, and they were very aware of this. In fact, that was the target demo that we were taught to evangelize. There are so many lapsed Catholics that if they are pooled together would number more than the membership of the Southern Baptist convention. As a result, there is a good chance that the person you live next door to once considered themselves a Catholic.

The following steps that will be outlined are the beginning of evangelizing your neighbor and is by no means an all-inclusive list, but a starting point. It is a starting point to build relationships to guide people back into the church. 

Do You Know The Name of Your Neighbor?

I know what you’re thinking. This is Relationship Building 101, but the fact Pew Research says that only fifty-seven percent of people know the name of their neighbor. This is a sad statistic, and one that points to the cult of business that is running rampant in our culture. We are too busy to know the name of the person who lives in the house next to us. If you want to evangelize your neighbor, then we must step out of our comfort zone and make the introduction and strike up a conversation if possible.

Offer to pray for them

This second step may take a little time and some conversation before you are comfortable. Once you know your neighbor there are few ways to bring up the subject of prayer. For starters simply ask how you can pray for them. Most will willingly accept as very few turn down prayer. Another way to do this is to say that you are going to church and would like to bring their prayers before the Blessed Sacrament. Not only will you enter into fruitful conversations, but you will build a bond of trust that will lay the foundation for even deeper conversations. Slowly but surely deeper questions about the Faith will come up. You will be watched to see if there is proof for the truth you claim so make sure you are relying on God’s grace to live it.

Invite them to church

On the surface this third step may seem intimidating but remember at this point you have already built something that is more than superficial. Perhaps they are not ready for Mass, but you can invite them to a Bible study, parish picnic, or any number of functions. This will allow your neighbor to see that there are huge misconceptions in what Catholics teach and do. It will allow them to see real people who are trying to live their faith. Introduce them to the friends that you have at the parish. It is scary to go into a new environment and not know anyone.  This step will also need to wait until public Masses resume, but at that point people may be much more willing to go since they have been cooped up in the house so long

As previously stated, this is not an exhaustive list, but it lays the foundations for building relationships that lead to evangelization. The fulness of the truth is in the Catholic church and so many walked away. This should upset us and make us spring into action, and that action starts at home.

The Historical Context of 1 John 3:1-6 Explained

The first epistle of John is a book that serves a few purposes and is important to understanding Christianity.  The text that will be analyzed is 1 John 3:1-6, but to understand these verses it is important to understand what comes before it, to whom it was written, and the circumstances around its writing.  This will be demonstrated by looking at the historical-cultural context, literary context, analyzing the text, and how a Christian can apply the text today.

It is widely understood that John the apostle is the author of the letter[1].  The letter bears remarkable resemblance to the Gospel of John and to the other letters that bear John’s name.  The early church also bears record to the authorship of the letter.  Early church figures such as Polycarp, Papias, and Eusebius bear witness to the authorship[2].  There is a small contingent of biblical scholars who claim that, though the writing is similar, that the text derives from the same Johannine school of thought and not the same author[3].  This thought is the minority view as both Christian history and a majority of modern scholarship hold to the authorship of the apostle.

Historical-Cultural Context

When exegeting a passage it is important to have an understanding of the context in which it was written.  Too often modern Christians take a passage and insert the knowledge of current events or their worldview on a text.  The result is faulty exegesis that can potentially mislead into error.  The historical-cultural context is one of those contexts that must be understood when studying the first letter of John. 

Previously it was proposed that John the Apostle was the author of the letter.  The dating of the letter is wholly dependent on the authorship of the Gospel that bears the same name.  Conservative estimates hold that the Gospel was written around 80-85 AD after the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70AD[4].  Some of the Apostolic Fathers, such as Clement of Rome, quote the letter of 1 John in their work, or at the very least allude to it.  This lends to a date of the early nineties for the authorship of the letter. 

This date is especially important as a dangerous heresy was becoming popular among the faithful.  There are a few theories as to what this heresy was[5].  The most popular belief is that an early form of Gnosticism was the threat as it created a type of dualism and had an aversion to anything material to man.  Another popular theory is that Docetism was the culprit as they denied Christ’s humanity.  Less popular theories contend that it was Cerinthianism, which held to a form of adoptionism that stated that the divinity of Christ descended into the man after his baptism and left prior to the crucifixion.  Still a less popular theory is that converts from Judaism became uncomfortable with the doctrine of the incarnation. 

The heresies of Gnosticism and Docetism as some combination seem most likely as they are tackles right away in the letter.  In verse one John writes that we, meaning the Apostles, bear witness to what we have seen and touched.  This is a remarkable way to begin as Gnosticism taught then, and does now, that matter is evil[6].  Furthermore, the only way to gain salvation was through the secret knowledge that was passed down from Jesus through his disciples.  Continuing in 1 John 1:1 John testifies to the way that Christ is revealed and how belief in him leads to eternal life.  The prologue of John also witnesses to the mystery of the incarnation as he testifies to the fellowship that is in the Father through the Son.

Within the contest of 1 John 3:1-6 on can see hints of this historical context.  Having establishes the incarnation ion chapter one and testifying to the two natures of Christ, John turns to the believer.  In 1 John 3:1 John is in utter awe that we can be called children of God because of our faith in Christ[7].  The following verses describe Christian living and conduct.  One of the hallmarks of Gnosticism was the idea that secret knowledge reigned supreme.  It mattered not how one conducts themselves as the material world was evil.  John contradicts this and declares that Christians conduct themselves in a manner worthy of Christ. 

Literary Context

Having briefly established the historical context in which the letter was written, we then need to move on to the literary context.  Context is king when it comes to understanding scripture.  The literary context assists us in staying on the right track and not falling victim to our preconceived notions. 

In the introduction the timeframe of authorship and the timeframe were touched upon.  Who was John writing this letter to?  After all this is something that was not discernable from the letter itself.  Was it written to one church, or many?  Again, this is something that is not made clear, but something we can discern from the letter itself.

Christian tradition holds that John spend the latter part of his life in Ephesus which is in modern day Turkey.  It is most probable that the letter was to the church there and to other churches that were close by[8].  Internal evidence also suggests that he had an intimate relationship with the readers.  There is no salutation that was common at the time, and he often addresses the readers as “dear children”.  John is writing as a spiritual father of sorts out of concern for the dangerous heresies that were threatening to tear the church apart.  The Greek used in the letter was simple and matches closely with that used in the Gospel of John.  The author uses great imagery such as light and darkness, life, and death, etc.

Further proof of personal acquaintance is shown in the context of the letter.  John addresses the deceivers as anti-Christ, liars, and deceivers.  He pulls no punches.  He is writing to strengthen the faith and to protest them from this heretical contingent that has formed in the region.  This is emphasized in 1 John 3:1-6 as John emphasizes several times that those who hope in Christ are God’s children now[9].

Analysis of Text 1 John 3:1-2

1 John 3:1-6 begins with an exciting exhortation of the Christian’s status before God.  The Father loves us so much that through faith we become children of God.  The word used for love in this passage is the Greek agape.  This word occurs 116 times in the New Testament and used several times by John[10].  This term in Greek means to have a deep love or regard for someone[11].  In biblical terms it is a love that never fails and is never waning.  The noun is an accusative and points to the prominent noun of the Father.  John is showing that the love of God for us is unending. 

As if that were not enough John ups the ante by adding “and so we are” at the end of verse one.  The ESV, NRSV, and RSV all end the verse in this way.  The NIV ends it slightly different.  It ends it with “That is what we are!”  When reading the text one can feel the awe that John has at this wonderful thought.  Jesus is the Son by nature, but we are children by grace.  We share in his divine nature by being regenerated through faith.

The first half verse one ends with the Greek word esmen.  This is what makes the verse in English translations end the way it does.  It is in the active voice and means “to be” and is in the present tense[12].  The verse concludes with John stating that the world will never fully understand Christians because it never fully understood who Jesus is. Regardless of that fact Christians can take solace in the fact that they are God’s children and that God is with them.

In verse two John once again reiterates that we are the children of God.  The same Greek word esmen is used to show that it is something that is presently active, or an active state of being.  The text continues and states that believes do not currently appear like they will be but will be like Christ when Christ appears.  This is a fascinating verse and references the Christian belief of the resurrection of the dead.  It is the future glory that awaits believers in Christ when he is revealed and comes again.  One of the key Greek words in verse two is ephanerōthē.  When Christ reveals, or manifests, himself we will be like him[13].  It is a summary aorist and summarizes what we will be in the future.  Therefore, verse one shows that we are now children of God.  Verse two also reiterates this and John tells the believers that when Christ returns, we will see Christ as he truly is.  In this like we see a reflection of his light, but in Heaven we will see the light first hand as he is as Peter, James, and John (the writer) saw in the transfiguration[14].  In studying this passage three translations gave a different interpretation for the term.  The NRSV uses “yet to be revealed”, the RSV uses “we shall see him”, and the KJV “not yet appear”.  The three translations essentially say the same thing, but utilize different variations to help the reader further understand the passage.

Analysis of Text 1 John 3:3-4

After telling his readers about how blessed they are to be children of God, John transitions to his next exhortation about sin and Christian living.  Verse three is a transition, but it is not the standard transition sentence.  It is a great statement of the Christian faith.  John tells his readers that everyone who hopes in Christ is pure just as Christ is.  John tells his readers that if one wants to be like Christ when he is revealed (verse 2), then they need to try to live like him in the here and now[15].  The verse is a great statement of the Christian faith, but it links faith with trying to obey the way that Christ commands Christians to live.  In a way it refers back to the beatitudes in Matthew 5:8. Only the pure in heart with see God.

The word in verse three is the noun elpida which in the English is defined as hope or expectation[16].  The foundation for the hope is Jesus, and whoever hopes in Jesus purifies himself.  This denotes a process that is ongoing from a moral standpoint.  The believer looks to Jesus to purify his thoughts, actions, and desires.  It is an ongoing process that never ends and that sets the Christian apart from the world.

In verse 4 John gets to the crux of the matter by saying that everyone who sins is guilty of lawlessness.  This is because every sin is lawlessness.  One of the keys to this passage is the word poieó.  This is important because most English translations such as the KJV, RSV, and NRSV have the translation of “commits”.  The ESV is a little different as it translates it as “makes a practice of”.  The actual meaning of the word is to make, manufacture, or construct[17].  This important to distinguish because it is impossible this side of Heaven to keep from sinning.  That is not what John is trying to convey.  He is trying is laying the foundation of Christian conduct by saying those who are making a practice of sinning are practicing lawlessness because a life of sin is lawlessness.  This does not mean that Christians won’t sin, but that they are not intentionally making a practice of it[18].

Analysis of Text 1 John 3:5-6

To capitalize on what was said in verse four, in verse five John tells the church that Jesus appeared to take sin and him there is no sin.  This is another fundamental truth that strikes to the heart of Gnosticism and Docetism.  Only God can take a way sin and is sinless, and Jesus came in the flesh and did both.  Verse 5 describes the salvific power of Christ and his absolute sinlessness.  Therefore, he was not like any other man, but the God-man.

In verse five the word for “takes” is the Greek word airó.  Looking at the syntax one can see that it is a finite verb.  In writing this John is speaking to the mystery of the incarnation.  Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world[19].  According to BDAG airó means to take away or remove[20].  Furthermore, this fits with various English translations that were consulted.  Jesus takes away our sin past, present, and future and they are gone.

In verse six John reiterates that everyone in Jesus does not sin, and the one who does sin has not seen him or known him.  To get his point across John uses a Greek word that only occurs three times in the New Testament, and this is the only time he uses it.  The Greek word in question is egnōken which means to see, experience, or undergo[21].  From a syntax point of view this work is interesting as it is pluperfect.  Though it is past tense it also denotes a completed perfect action.  Therefore John reiterates that anyone who is making a practice of sin never really knew Christ in the first place.  Those that truly know him, though they may sin, are not attempting to live a life of sin.

Application

What does 1 John 3:1-6 have to do with the Christian today?  There is a lot that can be said, but the first thing we can apply to our lives in the knowledge that we are children of God.  God sent his son Jesus Christ to die and take away our sin.  This is a great love and gift that has been bestowed on us by grace.  Like John, this knowledge should fill us with a sense of awe and gratitude (1 John 3:1).

With knowledge of this we can have confidence that we will see Jesus as he currently is.  Just as Peter, James, and John saw Jesus clothed in light we will do the same one day.  We believe by faith, and by that faith we live our lives with joy, perseverance, and hope.  It is the hope in Jesus that purifies us as verse three says, but it isn’t something that instantly happens.  It is a process.

Though Christ saves and takes away our sin that doesn’t mean that the inclination to sin has gone.  That stays with us as a part of the fall.  Every day we reiterate our commitment to follow Jesus and follow his ways.  We strive to be obedient to Christ so that we are not enslaved by our sinful nature. 

This great letter from John reassures us but also implores us in the ways of proper Christian conduct.  Can one be a serial killer while saying that they claim Jesus as savior?  The reality is that John says no.  In fact, in verse six John says that such a person never really knew him.  Since they never really knew him they never followed him and were therefore still sinning. 

We are human and we will still sin.  In fact some sin may be habitual and one will get wholly frustrated and upset.  Maybe we know someone like this or maybe it is ourselves.  Is the sinning intentional?  Was there a plan for that sin?  John is not saying that the believer in Jesus will be sinless, after all only Jesus was sinless.  John is saying that the believer would not be dominated by sin and will strive to obey they morality that Christ has laid forth.

Living the Christian life is one that we will be doing until we take our final breath.  This passage from 1 John 3:1-6, lays out what is expected from the child of God.  It is important to know that through faith one is a child of God, hope in Christ purifies us, Christ takes away sin, and we must strive to not be enslaved in sin.  By doing this we will be an example to those around us to come to faith in Christ for their salvation.

Conclusion

The process of researching and writing this exegetical paper has been a great experience.  By looking into 1 John 3:1-6 in the original language the text opened up in a new way.  Some terms that are translated in English don’t mean exactly the same as they do in Greek.  Though the effort in various translations is to get as close as possible, having a knowledge of the original is beneficial.  It allows better study, exegesis, and teaching.  It is important to handle to text as correctly as possible because it is the word of God, and as teachers we will be held accountable if we lead others to error.

The process is one that will take time to perfect, but practice is needed.  The Greek text is a treasure that many have opted not to pursue because of the abundance of English translations available.  When relying on a translation we are relying on the individual or committee, and said individuals most likely have denominational or traditional bias.  In fact, all of us bring some kind of presupposition to scripture.  That is being human, but learning the Greek language tools allows us, the best we can anyway, to eliminate those presuppositions and rely wholly on the text.  Other sources like commentaries and surveys can still be utilized to make sure we are on the right track.

Appendix A Block Diagram of 1 John 3:1-6

1 ἴδετε ποταπὴν ἀγάπην

  δέδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ πατὴρ

            ἵνα τέκνα θεοῦ κληθῶμεν,

καὶ ἐσμέν.

διὰ τοῦτο ὁ κόσμος οὐ γινώσκει ἡμᾶς

            ὅτι οὐκ ἔγνω αὐτόν. 

2 ἀγαπητοί, νῦν τέκνα θεοῦ ἐσμεν,

  καὶ οὔπω ἐφανερώθη τί ἐσόμεθα.

  οἴδαμεν

ὅτι ἐὰν φανερωθῇ

ὅμοιοι αὐτῷ ἐσόμεθα,

ὅτι ὀψόμεθα αὐτὸν

                                    καθώς ἐστιν. 

3 καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἔχων τὴν ἐλπίδα ταύτην

            ἐπʼ αὐτῷ

…ἁγνίζει ἑαυτὸν

καθὼς ἐκεῖνος ἁγνός ἐστιν. 

4 Πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν καὶ τὴν ἀνομίαν ποιεῖ,

   καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐστὶν ἡ ἀνομία. 

5 καὶ οἴδατε

ὅτι ἐκεῖνος ἐφανερώθη

ἵνα τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἄρῃ,

καὶ ἁμαρτία

ἐν αὐτῷ

…οὐκ ἔστιν. 

6 πᾶς ὁ ἐν αὐτῷ μένων οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει·

  πᾶς ὁ ἁμαρτάνων οὐχ ἑώρακεν αὐτὸν

  οὐδὲ ἔγνωκεν αὐτόν.

Appendix B Syntax

1 ἀγάπην:  accusative, feminine, singular (accusative of direct object)

   τέκνα:  nominative, plural, neuter (nominative of subject)

   κληθῶμεν:  aorist, passive, subjunctive, first person, plural (projection subjunctive of purpose following ἵνα)

2 ἐσμεν:  present, active, indicative, first person, plural (stative)

   ἐφανερώθη:  aorist, passive, indicative, third person, singular (summary aorist)

3 ἐλπίδα:  accusative, feminine, singular (accusative of direct object)

4 ποιῶν:  present, active, participle, singular, nominative, masculine (attributive participle)

   ἁμαρτίαν:  accusative, feminine, singular (accusative of direct subject).

5 ἄρῃ:  aorist, active, subjunctive, third person, singular (Aorist subjunctive exhortation)

6 ἔγνωκεν:  perfect, active, indicative, third person, singular (finitive completed action)

Bibliography

Akin, Daniel L. 1, 2, 3 John. Vol. 38, The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001.

Arndt, William, Frederick W. Danker, Walter Bauer, and F. Wilbur Gingrich. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000.

Brown, Raymond. An Introduction to The New Testament. New Haven: Yale, 1997.

Carson, D.A., and Douglas J. Moo. An Introduction to The New Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005.

Eusebius of Caesarea. An Ecclesiastical History to the 20th Year of the Reign of Constantine. London: Samuel Bagster and Sons, 1847.

Haas, C., Marinus de Jonge, and J. L. Swellengrebel. A Handbook on the Letters of John. UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies, 1994.

Kittel, Gerhard, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, eds. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964–.

Kruse, Colin G. The Letters of John. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. and Apollos, 2000.

Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996.

Lukaszewski, Albert L., and Mark Dubis. The Lexham Syntactic Greek New Testament: Expansions and Annotations. Bellingham: Logos Bible Software, 2009.

Lukaszewski, Albert L., Mark Dubis, and J. Ted Blakley. The Lexham Syntactic Greek New Testament, SBL Edition: Expansions and Annotations. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2011.

Nicoll, W. Robertson. The Expositors Greek Testament: Commentary.

———. The Expositors Greek Testament: Commentary. N.p.: Doran, n.d.

Simeon, Charles. Horae Homileticae: James to Jude. Vol. 20. London: Holdsworth and Ball, 1833.

Spence-Jones, H. D. M., ed. 1 John. The Pulpit Commentary. London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1909.

Walvoord, John F., and Roy B. Zuck. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.

William and Robert Mounce. Greek and English Interlinear New Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011.

Zerwick, Max, and Mary Grosvenor. A Grammatical Analysis of the Greek New Testament. Rome: Biblical Institute Press, 1974.

[1]. Colin G. Kruse, The Letters of John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. and Apollos, 2000), 17.

[2]. Eusebius of Caesarea, An Ecclesiastical History to the 20th Year of the Reign of Constantine (London: Samuel Bagster and Sons, 1847), 305.

[3]. Raymond Brown, An Introduction To The New Testament (New Haven:: Yale, 1997), 383.

[4]. Carson and Moo, An Introduction To the New Testament, 746.

[5]. C. Haas, Marinus de Jonge, and J. L. Swellengrebel, A Handbook on the Letters of John, UBS Handbook Series (New York: United Bible Societies, 1994), 4.

[6]. Charles Simeon, Horae Homileticae: James to Jude (London: Holdsworth and Ball, 1833), 20:356.

[7]. Daniel L. Akin, 1, 2, 3 John, vol. 38, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001), 132.

[8]. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 880.

[9]. W. Robertson Nicoll, The Expositors Greek Testament: Commentary, 182.

[10]. William and Robert Mounce, Greek and English Interlinear New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011), 1000.

[11]. Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 292.

[12]. Max Zerwick and Mary Grosvenor, A Grammatical Analysis of the Greek New Testament (Rome: Biblical Institute Press, 1974), 786.

[13]. Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, eds., Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964–).

[14]. H. D. M. Spence-Jones, ed., 1 John, The Pulpit Commentary (London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1909), 71.

[15]. Kruse, The Letters of John, 116.

[16]. Albert L. Lukaszewski and Mark Dubis, The Lexham Syntactic Greek New Testament: Expansions and Annotations (Bellingham: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 1 john 3:3.

[17]. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon Of, 803.

[18]. Albert L. Lukaszewski, Mark Dubis, and J. Ted Blakley, The Lexham Syntactic Greek New Testament, SBL Edition: Expansions and Annotations (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2011), 1 John 3:4.

[19]. Nicoll, The Expositors Greek Testament, 184.

[20]. Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon, 28.

[21]. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon Of, 807.

Military Council of Catholic Women Donates $20,300.63 for U.S. Military Chaplain Vocations

WASHINGTON, DC — On Friday, Sept. 20, the Military Council of Catholic Women (MCCW) presented a check for $20,300.63 to His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services. MCCW-Worldwide President Amanda Fox gave the check to Archbishop Broglio immediately after the daily noon Mass in the main chapel of the Edwin Cardinal O’Brien Pastoral Center, home base of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS). Mrs. Fox said the purpose of the gift, raised by MCCW members over the past two years, is to support the Co-Sponsored Seminarian Program, a vocations partnership between the AMS and cooperating dioceses and religious communities to encourage and support military service commitments from future priests in formation.

Mrs. Fox, who lives in Wiesbaden, Germany, where she and her husband, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel J. Fox, are nearing the end of a U.S. Army assignment, was in Washington on Friday for the MCCW’S annual board meeting. After participating in the noon Mass with sister board members and presenting Archbishop Broglio their donation, Mrs. Fox said, “More important than the money, our community is praying for vocations. It’s very important that we have active-duty priests who know the mission, who know the struggles and the hardships that are unique to our military members and their families, and to walk alongside us and encourage our faith formation.” Upon accepting the check, Archbishop Broglio remarked, “This will go a long way toward supporting our vocations program. I am very grateful.”

The MCCW, founded in 1955 and counting among its membership thousands of Catholic women around the world, strives to connect, unite, and inspire U.S. Military-affiliated women to grow in faith. According its website at mccw.org, the organization reflects a visible presence of Christ in military communities across the globe and at nearly 220 U.S. Military installations. As a non-profit subsidiary of the AMS, MCCW-Worldwide is recognized and endorsed as the official AMS women’s ministry and works with military chapels to form women in spirituality, leadership, and service.

Grammy-Nominated Musician Gears Up to Release New Album in Celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary

Cecilia, LA, September 23, 2024— They say singing is praying twice. Musician Laura Huval certainly agrees, especially after coming to the realization that Mary was asking her to increase devotion to the Holy Rosary through her gift of music. Sing the Rosary, a brand new album by Grammy-nominated musician and recording artist Laura Huval, will be available for free download on her website or wherever music is streamed on October 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. 

“Our Lady has asked us to pray the Rosary in so many of her apparitions,” said Huval.  “I felt called by the Holy Spirit to use my gift of music to help people experience the Rosary in a new way, while meditating on the life of Christ, and renewing zeal for this ancient devotion.”

Huval’s Sing the Rosary takes listeners on a unique musical journey through the prayers of the Rosary, capturing the heart-swelling reality of Mother Mary’s love for her children. The album features beautifully arranged original melodies that bring the prayers of the Rosary to life, and each decade offers unique background vocal variations and instrumentation.

“We created several iterations of the Hail Mary to carry you through the Rosary in a way that builds to the final prayers. I hope people will find that my artistic contribution to this powerful devotion will renew their experience of the prayer and ultimately bring them closer to Jesus through his mother Mary,” Huval said. 

The idea of setting the Rosary to song was inspired by project chaplain Deacon Jules Breaux of the Diocese of Lafayette, LA, who specifically asked Huval to record a version of the prayer in song. “Music is such a powerful modality of prayer and can assist us in connecting with God on a completely different level,” noted Breaux.  

Sing the Rosary was funded completely by donors who believed in the project. Because of this, Huval is able to make Sing the Rosary available free of charge for all who would like to experience the Rosary through song.

Sing the Rosary is a self-published album by Laura Huval, engineered and produced by three-time Grammy-winner Tony Daigle along with contributor and producer Maegan Rankin. The album will be available in CD format, downloadable at LauraHuval.com/rosary, and it will also be released digitally for download wherever music is streamed.