Introduction to Ezekiel[1]
Why Should I Care?
aPRIL 2 Easter Monday
Ezekiel, Chapter 2, Verse 6
But
as for you, son of man, do not fear
them or their words. Do not fear,
even though there are briers or thorns and you sit among scorpions.
Do not be afraid of their words or be
terrified by their looks for they are a rebellious house.
Ezekiel’s name means “God strengthens” and his own
people hated him. He was commissioned by God to be a prophet for the Jews
exiled to Babylon for their sins. Ezekiel faced opposition at almost every
turn. Opposed because he dared to tell it like it is. The people could not
handle the hard truth. Ezekiel compelled the Jews to hear him and struggle with
the pressing issues. Ezekiel’s work is a fore shadow of the work of Christ; who
would ultimately save the people from their sins.
God
sent Ezekiel to a rebellious people who acted like stubborn children and would
not listen to the prophet, yet he continued whether they listened or not. How
to you lead those who refuse to follow; by staying true to the message and by
being persistent. Consider the roles of both God and people:
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God’s Role
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The Human Role
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1.
He calls us into service.
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1. People confirm our call.
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2.
He
gives us gifts and graces
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2. People cooperate with their
gifts.
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3.
He
provides words of direction.
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3. We use our mind and
emotions.
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4.
He
supplies a compelling fire inside us.
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4. Others recognize and respect
the fire.
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5.
He
controls the outcome.
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5. We are to be faithful to the
end.
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Easter
Monday[3] was reserved as
a special day for rest and relaxation. Its most distinctive feature is the Emmaus
walk, a leisurely constitution inspired by the Gospel
of the day (Luke 24.13-35). This can take the form of a stroll through field or
forest or, as in French Canada, a visit to one's grandparents.
Why
did Jesus appear as a stranger to the two disciples? He appeared to
them as a stranger, says St. Gregory, because He meant to deal with them
according to their dispositions, and according to the firmness of their faith.
They seemed not to have believed in Him as the Son of God, but to have expected
a hero or prince who should deliver them from their subjection to the Romans.
Thus Christ was, indeed, yet a stranger in their hearts, and chose to appear to
them as such, to free those who loved Him from their false notions, to convince
them of the necessity of His passion, and to reveal Himself to them, as soon as
their understandings should be enlightened, and their hearts filled with
desire. Thus God orders the disposal of His graces according to our
dispositions; according to our faith and trust according to our love and
fidelity. (Goffine’s Divine Instructions)
In Paschal tide joy, perform works of mercy toward the sick and elderly on Easter Monday. For Easter Monday there is an old custom, still very much alive in the old country, which might well be duplicated here, even though Easter Monday is not generally a holiday, as it is in Europe? In honor of the Gospel of the day, which tells of the two disciples who went to Emmaus and met Our Lord on the way, Easter Monday became a visiting day. Wherever there are old or sick people, they are visited by young and old.
An indulgence is the marriage of divine justice and
mercy. We all have sinned and justice demands restitution-justice demands a
righting of the wrong in the spiritual realm. We are not just let go of our
sin, it is paid not by us but by the blood of Christ and the saints. It is not
a forgiveness of our debt; it is paid by others; by Christ, Mary and the Saints
from the infinite treasury of their merits. On the cross, Jesus pronounced, “It
is finished.” When Christ gave up his life: he empowered us, through the Holy
Spirit, to share in his own life, death, and resurrection. He transferred to us
everything that he had merited. By his death he entrusted to the Holy Spirit
his redemptive work. The Spirit applies to the saints and to all of us what
Christ merited through his life, death and resurrection. The greatest of our
church is that it also allows us to intercede for the debt of others, even
those who have died and are now in purgatory. An indulgence allows us to ask
for payment for the debt from this treasury of God’s mercy. We can do this if
we are in a state of grace and have fulfilled other conditions of 1) confession
2) communion and 3) prayers for the pope.
What is an
indulgence? It
is the remission granted by the Church, in the name of God, and on account of
the merits of Jesus Christ and of all the saints, of the temporal punishment
which men must suffer, either in this world or in the world to come, for sins
that have been already forgiven.
Whence do we know
that after sins are forgiven there yet remains a temporal punishment? From Holy Scripture; thus God imposed
upon Adam and Eve great temporal punishments, although He forgave them their
sin (Gen. iii.). Moses and Aaron were punished for a slight want of confidence
in God (Num. xx. 24; Deut. xxxii. 51). David, though forgiven, was obliged to
submit to great temporal punishments (n. Kings xii.). Finally, faith teaches us
that after death we must suffer in purgatory till we have paid the last
farthing (Matt. v. 26).
Can the Church
remit all temporal punishments, even those imposed by God
Himself, and why?
Certainly, by virtue of the power to bind and to loose which Christ has given
her (Matt, xviii. 18). For if the Church has received from God the power to
remit sins which is the greater she certainly has authority to remit the
punishment of them which is the less. Moreover, it is by the bands of
punishment that we are hindered from reaching the kingdom of God.
But if the Church
can loose all bands, why not this?
Finally, Jesus certainly had power to remit the temporal punishment of sins;
and the power which He Himself had He gave to His disciples.
Does
the Catholic Church teach that if you commit suicide you go to hell?[7]
I’ve often been
told, usually by someone who has fallen away from the Catholic faith, that the
Church teaches that a person who commits suicide automatically goes to hell.
It's held up as an example of the Church's intolerance. Does the Church teach
that committing suicide automatically results in hell? The short answer is
“no”. The Church has NEVER said ANYONE is in hell. The Church has not even made
a pronouncement on Hitler or Judas. Even the punishment of Excommunication does
not mean the Church proclaims the sinner is automatically going to hell either.
Excommunication is a serious warning, that can only apply to a baptised
Catholic (you can't ex-communion-icate someone who's never been in communion).
It warns them that they are on the wrong track, and they are in grave danger.
However, that's a completely separate subject. The
slogan “The Catholic Church teaches that suicide=hell” is a popular anti-Catholic
slogan found in Quebec, where the suicide rate is among the highest in the
world. In all fairness, they have good reason to think that the Church teaches
this, due to bad formation of priests in the 50’s. But it’s just not like that.
The Catechism has this to say:
2282 “…Grave psychological
disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can
diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide.”
2283 “We should not despair of the
eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to
him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church
prays for persons who have taken their own lives.”
·
It
is a gravely wrong action
·
The
person knew it was gravely wrong
·
The
person did so out of free will
What is required in
order rightly to gain an indulgence?
In order to gain an indulgence it is necessary:
1.
To
be In the grace of God. It is proper, therefore, to go to confession every time
that one begins the good works enjoined for the gaining of an indulgence. In
granting partial indulgences sacramental confession is not usually prescribed,
but if one who is in the state of mortal sin wishes to gain the indulgence, he
must at least make an act of true contrition with a firm purpose of going to
confession.
2.
It
is necessary to have at least a general intention of gaining the indulgences.
3.
It
is necessary to perform in person and with devotion all the good works enjoined
as to time, manner, end, etc., according to the terms in which the indulgence
is granted. To gain plenary indulgences, confession, communion, a visit to some
church or public oratory, and pious prayers are usually prescribed. If visits
to a church are prescribed, Holy Communion may be received in any church, but
the indulgenced prayers must be said in that church in which the indulgence is
granted, and on the prescribed day. As to prayers, it is recommended that there
be said seven times the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, and Creed.
Prayer
for gaining an Indulgence.
“We beseech Thee, O Lord, graciously accept the
petitions of Thy holy Church that Thou wouldst deliver her from all
adversities, root out from her all heresies, and unite all Christian rulers and
princes, and exalt Thy holy Church on earth that we may all serve Thee in peace
and quietness.”
O God, your mercy knows no bounds and the treasure
of your goodness is infinite..." (Prayer after the "Te Deum"
Hymn)
"The paschal mystery is the
culmination of this revealing and effecting of mercy, which is able to justify
man, to restore justice in the sense of that salvific order which God willed
from the beginning in man, and through man, in the world" (Encyclical Letter
Dives in misericordia, n. 7).
"And so with provident pastoral
sensitivity and in order to impress deeply on the souls of the faithful these
precepts and teachings of the Christian faith, the Supreme Pontiff, John Paul
II, moved by the consideration of the Father of Mercy, has willed that the
Second Sunday of Easter be dedicated to recalling with special devotion these
gifts of grace and gave this Sunday the name, "Divine Mercy Sunday"
(Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Decree Misericors
et miserator, 5 May 2000).
Plenary indulgence
I. The usual
conditions for every plenary indulgence:
·
sacramental
confession [according to previously issued norms, within abut 20 days before or
after]
·
Eucharistic
communion [according to previously issued norms, preferably on the day, or the
days before or after]
·
prayer
for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff [certain prayers are not specified]
II. The
specific conditions for this Indulgence
On Divine Mercy Sunday
·
in
any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the
affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions
held in honour of Divine Mercy
·
or,
in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle,
recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful
Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!")
Partial Indulgence
A partial indulgence, granted to the
faithful who, at least with a contrite heart, pray to the merciful Lord Jesus a
legitimately approved invocation. [e.g. Jesus I trust in You. My Jesus mercy.
or any other approved invocation]
Those who cannot go to church or the seriously ill
Conditions for a Plenary Indulgence:
·
totally
detesting any sin,
·
the
intention of fulfilling as soon as possible the three usual conditions of
confession, communion and prayers for the Holy Father
·
recite
the Our Father and the Creed before a devout image of Our Merciful Lord
Jesus
·
pray
a devout invocation to the Merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in
you).
If it is impossible to do even this:
·
with
a spiritual intention unite with those carrying out the prescribed practice for
obtaining the Indulgence in the usual way and
·
offer
to the Merciful Lord a prayer and the sufferings of their illness and the
difficulties of their lives, with the resolution to accomplish as soon as
possible the three conditions prescribed to obtain the plenary indulgence.
Duty of priests
Priests who exercise pastoral ministry,
especially parish priests, should
·
Inform
the faithful in the most suitable way of the Church's salutary provision [of a
plenary indulgence].
·
promptly
and generously be willing to hear their confessions [this does not necessarily
have to be on Divine Mercy Sunday itself, since that is not a condition for the
indulgence]
On Divine Mercy Sunday, after
celebrating Mass or Vespers, or during devotions in honour of Divine
Mercy,
·
lead
the recitation of the prayers
·
when
they instruct their people, gently encourage the faithful to practise works of
charity or mercy as often as they can
Daily Devotions
·
Manhood of
the Master-Day 2 week 10
·
Please
pray for me and this ministry
[2] John Maxwell, The Maxwell Leadership
Bible.
[5] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40 Catholic
Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 29. Indulgences.
[6] Goffine’s Divine Instructions, 1896.
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