Stephen K. Ray's Blog, page 95

San Francisco Archbishop bars Speaker Nancy Pelosi from Holy Communion

Bravo! It’s about time. Let’s see more of this — Biden and a whole host of other pro-abort, scandalous, loud-mouth, unrepentant sinners in public office.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has been barred from receiving Holy Communion in the Archdiocese of San Francisco because of her increasingly “extreme” position on abortion, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone announced Friday. In a ” … Read more

See Archbishop Cordileone’s announcement on Twitter

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Will my Mom be with Dad in Heaven? Will They Know and Love each other in Heaven?

Mom and Dad visiting graves of our ancestors

I am reposting this because we buried my mother on Wednesday and because it was a big concern of hers. Also because of the huge response several years ago. Thought it would be helpful again for many people who have lost their spouse.

My dad died almost nine years ago. My mom is now 99 1/2 years old and will be 100 on November 12, 2021. Mom misses Dad, especially since they were married for 73 years. She was discouraged about Mark 12:25 which her paraphrased Living Bible improperly rendered “will not be married” in heaven.

I wrote the following to comfort my Mom…

Mom, I know it is important to you since Dad’s death as you look forward to eternity and speculate about relationships in heaven. It is important to me too, knowing I want to be with my wife Janet in heaven.

You quoted Mark 12:25 from the Living Bible where it says husbands and wives “won’t be married in heaven.” It is the Living Bible translation – which is not a translation but a paraphrase – that renders the words “they won’t be married.” The paraphrased Living Bible takes great liberties and is quite inaccurate.

Here is how other Protestant translations translate the verse (since I know you like the Protestant translations even though the Catholic Bibles word it the same):

The King James Version renders it:
“For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.”

New American Standard Bible says:
“For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.”

New International Version (NIV) says:
“When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.”

No reputable translation translates this in a way to deny there are people continuing in love with earthly spouses. The original Greek language says there is no giving or taking in marriage. In other words, there will be no weddings in heaven.

Interestingly it says that before the flood the people were “marrying and giving in marriage” until the flood came. But after the flood Noah and his wife in the ark were still married And their kids continued to marry and give in marriage.

There will be male and female distinctions in heaven. Jesus appeared as male after his resurrection. Mary is seen in heaven as a woman (Revelation 12:1). Marriage will be known in heaven since the Church is the Bride and there will be the great marriage in heaven with Jesus the Bridegroom and the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9).

The Pharisees set up a trap for Jesus in Mark 12:18-27. They propose a situation with seven brothers. The first marries a wife and dies with no children. The second brother “takes” the woman to procreate children for his brother. This was the law of the Jews — a brother must take the wife of his dead brother to preserve his brother’s name in the land by propagating offspring for him with his widow.) This happens seven times. Who’s wife will she be in heaven.

The woman who was the wife of the seven brothers did not marry the seven brothers.  She married the first and was given to the six in order to procreate children in the name of the first.  All their children would be credited to her first husband who was her true love and spouse.

The Old Testament law was very careful to preserve the land and the family heritage. If a man died without a son his brother was to take his widow and have relations with her to continue his brother’s family line. The brother was called a kinsman-redeemer. Here is a good biblical dictionary explanation,

“The role of kinsman-redeemer is found in Leviticus 25, in the case of an Israelite man’s death in which he fails to leave behind a son, the brother of the deceased man is commanded to take his widow as wife and both redeem the land and provide a son to carry on the deceased father’s name. This is Boaz’s alleged position as indicated by Naomi in Ruth 2:20 and it is this responsibility that Ruth pleads with Boaz to fulfill. Being the godly man that he is, Boaz graciously receives Ruth’s offer, but communicates that he is not the nearest kinsman-redeemer (Ruth 3:12). However, he promises that as soon as morning breaks, he will look into the situation. Additionally, he supplies Ruth with six measures of barley. Through a series of events, the door opens for Boaz to fulfill his position as kinsman-redeemer. With the greatest hesed (compassionate loving-kindness), Boaz rises to the task of becoming kinsman-redeemer.” (http://www.ligonier.org/blog/ultimate...)

The first husband is the real husband of the woman. The others were simply “kinsman redeemers” who would procure offspring with the widow so her husband would continue to have heirs to continue his line in Israel.

Jesus is not intending to teach on relationships in heaven but he is refuting the Sadducees’ denial of the existence of angels and the resurrection. He is cleverly eluding their question and in no way denies husbands and wives will know and love each other in heaven. This is not a treatise on relationships in heaven but a clever response to his opponents about the existence of the supernatural world.

Mom and Dad with my older sister Patty c. 1940

The purpose of marriage was companionship and procreation. The propagation of children and the population of the earth was God’s plan for marriage on earth. The meeting of sperm and egg will not be needed in heaven.”Marital love” to produce children will not happen in heaven so marriage in that sense will not exist. But that does not eliminate the continuance of earthly relationship.

We will recognize each other in heaven just as the three disciples recognized Moses and Elijah on the mount of Transfiguration and John recognized Mary in heaven (Rev 12:1).

Family and matrimony are very important in Scripture and the way God fashioned the universe and created man and woman to be one flesh. There must be spiritual discernment here. The reason why the Jews buried family members together is because they will rest together in heaven. There is a spiritual permanence to family. And an extraordinarily strong spiritual permanence to matrimony. This is why it is described as “one flesh”.

We will not know and love less in heaven – we will know and love more. And can we comprehend that God would command us to love each other down here and would expect us to forget or deny that love in heaven?

Interestingly, Doctor of the Church St. John Chrysostom, in writing on fidelity in marriage said that young husbands should tell their wives, “I have taken you in my arms, and I love you, and I prefer you to my life itself. For the present life is nothing, and my most ardent dream is to spend it with you in such a way that we may be assured of not being separated in the life reserved for us.… I place your love above all things, and nothing would be more bitter or painful to me than to be of a different mind than you. (CCC 2365, St. John Chrysostom, Hom. in Eph. 20, 8: PG 62, 146–147.)

Would God work to perfect something here on earth, even a sacrament, and not consider it important in heaven?

Nothing in Scripture leads us to believe that relationships between spouses will be eliminated. There is every reason to believe relations will be maintained in heaven though for different reasons – enhanced reasons which we will understand when we get there.

We cannot understand our new spiritual bodies and heavenly existence any more than a caterpillar can comprehend what it will be like to be a butterfly. We cannot anticipate how personal relationships will flower in glory any more than acorn can anticipate standing 50 feet tall.

I’m convinced you and dad will have a wonderful and much better relationship. It will be different. We cannot even comprehend how much better or more in love we’ll be with our spouses, any more than an unborn baby can speculate about the taste of a delicious steak dinner.

Mom and Dad’s Wedding in 1939 (middle couple)

Referring to Jesus’ words J. Vernon McGee 9 (one of your favorite Baptist preachers) writes, “This doesn’t mean that a man and a woman who were together down here can’t be together in heaven. They won’t be together as man and wife. They are not establishing a home up there, nor are they raising children. That’s the thing that He’s saying to them here.”

Marriage is an earthly word to serve an earthly purpose. Marital relationships, on the other hand, will transcend time because love is forever. Faith and hope will pass away but love will never pass away (1 Cor 13:13).

Dad is sitting in his favorite chair having coffee with Our Lord Jesus waiting for you to arrive to love you better than ever before. In the meantime he is praying for you and very intent on your well being.

I also asked Mom to read Hebrews 12:1. ”

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.”  This is the language of sports. We on earth are running a race. Heaven in the goal. And who is cheering us on? A whole stadium full of cheering crowds. “Run, run!” and who are these crowds? The saints in heaven. 

I told my mom, “Dad is in heaven watching and cheering you on! Of course he knows what is going on down here and is anxious for you to run and win the race and join him in the stands to cheer on the rest of your family and loved ones.”

(Thanks to De Maria for suggestions and insights which I have included)

Further thoughts from Whalter:

The divine declaration was that it was “not good for the man to be alone” (Gen 2:18) The text reveals that God and the man enjoyed a genuine, interactive relationship in the pristine environment of the garden (Gen 2:15-19, 17; 3:8­-9), but God had created man as a relational being a being with capacity for a relationship with God, as well as a capacity, indeed, need for relationship with others like himself.

This divinely created need for companionship and relationship was part of the original creation to which the new creation returns. Granted, after man’s lapse into sin in the garden, the need for relationship in humanity was seriously marred and deformed.

Mom and Dad in 2006

But, did God declare a law of marriage in a perfect world?  There is no such law. There were no laws of marriage imposed on Adam and Eve either. The only laws were “Don’t eat from that tree” and ” Be fruitful, start multiplying”.

They were made man and wife. In a perfect world, no laws of marriage were needed…But, they were commanded to have sex and multiply. This is what made Adam and Eve to be man and wife. She came out of his rib.

This made them related. Was this a law or an act of God? What law of marriage was imposed upon Adam and Eve? In the portion of Scripture above, God was silent. Adam did all the talking. Adam was prophesying about FUTURE relationships (Adam didn’t have a Mom and Dad).

God didn’t need a law to make Adam and Eve to be man and wife. In a perfect world, no laws of marriage were needed. Why would you even need laws of marriage in a perfect world?

In a perfect world, when God did the pairing, no law was needed. Adam and Eve were made to be man and wife while they were in an immortal state intended to be forever without death.

So, did God intend for them to be man and wife forever? In Heaven, will God undo what He originally did in a perfect world? Think about that. In a manner of speaking, will He return Eve back to the rib and stop their relationship which he made and said was good? God will not undo any laws of marriage over Adam and Eve because there never were any to begin with. They will have their bodies and a wonderfully fulfilled loving relationship, though they will no longer be procreating children.

Heaven will be a perfect world, and no laws of marriage will be needed there either. Jesus made it very clear that in the age to come there will be no laws of marriage, no earthly ceremonies, no contracts being made where the father gets paid to sell his daughter (given in marriage).

Yet, as in the perfect state of union that Adam and Eve had — a relationship God made them to need and to have — in heaven he will not undo what he did in the Garden. A man will know and love his counterpart that God gave him. They will love each other in that relationship for all eternity. Mom and Dad will still be “married.”

Picture: Janet and I rejoicing that my mother is now after 10 years of separation finally home in heaven with dad.

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Yesterday we buried my Mother

After 100 years and 6 months of a life well lived, surrounded by loving family and ready to meet Jesus, my mother was buried yesterday next to my father and next to her mother.

One of the last things she said to me was, “ I Can’t Wait to See Jesus.“ She also said, “I am so proud of you Steve!“ It’s nice to say goodbye to your mother with no regrets.

Obituary and videos here.

We are now on our way to Israel with another sold out group. From our last trip we brought home an olive wood cross from Bethlehem. It traveled with us on the Via Dolorosa through Jerusalem, touched the top of Calvary and was also placed on the tomb of Christ.

That olive wood cross is in her hand in her casket. It’s a reminder not only of the resurrection of Jesus Christ but the resurrection of life for all of us who are followers of Him (John 5:28-29).

This is a picture of me at my mom’s casket explaining to one of our 19 grandchildren what death is and how Jesus conquered death and we have hope as an anchor of our souls. We can always use things like this as a teaching moments.

One last thought. The pagans used to bury the dead in an necropolis, the “city of the dead“. Christians deposited their dead in a cemetery (which means “sleeping place“).

And why did they view it as a deposit?

Well, you deposit money in the bank with what intent? To make a future withdrawal ! We deposit the dead in a sleeping place because Jesus is going to come back at the end of time and make a withdrawal!

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Woke Disney Suffers for its Immorality

How far the mighty and the beautiful have fallen. I remember growing up watching Disney movies and being thrilled with them. They were clean, sane, and wonderfully human stories. But now, they have fallen into a morass of immorality, woke ideology, and gender confusion.

Here is the quote of the day from Catholic Vote’s, The Loop:

QUOTE OF THE DAY “Disney’s favorability rating has gone from 77% to 33% in a single year. This is why companies trying to appeal to the entire country shouldn’t get involved in politics. They try and make Twitter happy and crush their brand.” –Clay Travis READ

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6 Common Pro-Roe Arguments (and how to refute them)

With the end of Roe vs. Wade expected any moment, the radical pro-abortion rhetoric has stepped up. It seems like everywhere you turn, angry Leftists are arguing that the Supreme Court has put minority lives in danger, that abortion is necessary for women’s rights, and that the “right to privacy” is the bedrock of America.

Here are six pro-abortion-rights arguments being used right now – in order from the least to the most insulting to women — and how to answer them!

More women will die, there will be forced births, what about rape or incest, it is a baby, but…, what about poor minorities and we will lose equality with men.

For the whole article and to learn the pro-life response, click HERE.

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The Pro-Life Cover of Life Magazine in 1965 – WOW, times changed for the worst!

Can you believe that in my lifetime (I was 11 years old) Time Magazine published a cover of “The Drama of Life before Birth” with such graphic detail and such pro-life emphasis?

How fast things have changed! I actually remember this cover as a boy. My grandfather visited every Saturday and brought Life out for us to read. I remember being very interested and moved by the picture even at 11 years old.

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Pope Francis an Antipope? Matt Fradd & Ralph Martin discuss Patrick Coffin’s Flawed Presumptions

Earlier I posted comments and two discussions related to Patrick Coffin’s assertions regarding his thoughts on Pope Francis being an antipope.

Here is a follow-up interesting discussion on Coffin’s assertions with Matt Fradd interviewing Dr. Ralph Martin of Renewal Ministries.

This is a concern to me because there are many voices trying to bring schism and division in the Church, pulling in one direction or another. Our job should be to work towards unity and orthodoxy. When there are problems in the Church we should not encourage people to jump overboard or divide up into factions or schism’s.

Our goal should be to teach people the truth and keep folks faithful to the tradition and unified in the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church. It is not time to foment division or crazy speculations. It is all hands on deck to resist mutiny and keep the ship and passengers unified in spirit and in truth.

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A Most Stunning Apse and Altar – thanks Fr. John Riccardo!

I visited my daughter Emily‘s parish today with my wife Janet and Emily’s three grandkids and her husband Sean. I was again moved by the profound and beautiful altar area in Our Lady of Good Counsel in Plymouth Michigan.

So, I prepared a 2 1/2 minute video for you to enjoy it as well. God bless, and happy Mother’s Day.

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Another Protestant (Wesleyan) Pastor resigns to Join the Catholic Church

Omaha, Neb., May 7, 2022 / 06:00 am (CNA).

What would drive a Protestant minister to give up his ministry, to wander in spiritual darkness for a time and eventually follow God’s call in a new direction?

For Steve Dow, it was the truths of the Catholic faith that, despite his best efforts, he ultimately couldn’t ignore.

Eventually stepping out in faith and trust in the Lord, he responded to God’s call and was finally welcomed into the Catholic Church during the Easter Vigil, April 16 at St. Patrick Church in O’Neill, Nebraska.

“Like any non-Catholic, especially a minister, it’s a jump into the unknown,” said Father Ross Burkhalter, senior associate pastor of St. Patrick, who helped lead the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) classes Dow attended.

But Dow was willing to step away from the path he was on and explore with openness what the Church actually teaches, said Father Burkhalter, who also serves Nebraska parishes St. Joseph in Amelia, Sacred Heart in Boyd County, St. Boniface in Stuart and St. Joseph in Atkinson.

As a minister in the Wesleyan Church, which has historic ties to the Methodist Church, Dow’s journey to the Catholic faith began several years ago when he started viewing programs on EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network – a Catholic television network), mostly out of curiosity, he said.

For the rest of the story, click HERE.

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Abortion Activists to Storm Catholic Churches During Mass on Mothers Day

CV NEWS FEED // A radical abortion group calling itself “Ruth Sent Us” announced this week that it is mobilizing activists to enter Catholic churches during Mass this coming Sunday in response to reports that the Supreme Court is set to overturn Roe vs. Wade.

“Whether you’re a ‘Catholic for Choice’, ex-Catholic, of other or no faith, recognize that six extremist Catholics set out to overturn Roe,” the group stated on Twitter. “Stand at or in a local Catholic Church Sun May 8.”

Ruth Sent Us included a video with the post, which showed activists dressed in Handmaid’s Tale costumes in a sacred building, disrupting worshippers with shouts of “Abortion on demand and without apology!”

The same radical group earlier this week published the locations of pro-life Supreme Court justices’ private homes, calling on activists to show up at their houses. “We must rise up to force accountability using a diversity of tactics,” the group stated.

A Ruth Sent Us TikTok account uploaded a video of activists marching toward the doors of a Catholic Church. “Sometime a*****es need a beating,” the post stated.

Ruth Sent Us tweeted out another video of protesters interrupting Mass in another sacred building. The activists marched in and stood between the holy altar and the parishioners. “For 2,000 years the Catholic Church has been an institution for the enslavement of women,” shouted one.

“This is what Mother’s Day should look like,” tweeted Ruth Sent Us. “Catholic and Evangelical Churches nationwide.”

CatholicVote Communications Director Joshua Mercer says Catholics throughout the country should be wary and prepared when they attend Mass, especially this coming Sunday.

“In the past, we might have blown off the words of these activists as empty threats. But given the recent rash of very real attacks on Catholic statues and churches, it makes sense to be cautious,” Mercer said.

He added that Ruth Sent Us and other activists are quite explicit about their anti-Catholicism. “If they wanted, they could have just focused on the issue of abortion. But instead they chose to highlight the Catholic faith of some of the pro-life justices,” he said, noting that the radical abortion group called the justices “extremist Catholics.”

CatholicVote has called on Catholics to pray for the justices whose addresses were published. “We’re talking about human beings, with children,” Mercer said. “And this Sunday, keep your eyes open. These are ruthless people, and they’re looking for a confrontation.”

Below readers can view the radical activist group interrupting Mass.

https://twitter.com/RuthSentUs/status...

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