I'm in RCIA currently, coming from an evangelical protestant background. Even after I came to accept the Marian dogmas, I still had an issue with Marian devotions in practice. I've avoided the idea of the rosary until recently. Now that I've come to understand that it's a prayerful meditation on the mysteries of the life of Christ through the eyes of his mother, it is so beautiful to me!
Why do you reject evangelical protestant if you mind sharing? I was from a non christian background and eventually decided on accepting God as a Christian. My current church is also evangelical protestant like yours. However, the sermons are biblically focused expository preaching. Eucharist is a common practice done every 3 months in my church (I do know other protestant church that has it weekly/monthly). I do believe as a Christian we need to seek God for answers, pastor/human are only means that God may use. Eventually, it's not about finding the perfect church but having a relationship with the Father and being in a church where we can grow. I have also visited other churches as I used to go to the nearest church depending on where I was. There are a lot of denominations and minor differences between all churches, I don't think these minor differences matter when understanding that being a Christian is merely about accepting salvation through Christ. In my opinion, the most important thing is building a relationship with God, and being closer and closer to Him. Trust in the Holy Spirit and it will lead you to the truth that God reveals to you personally.
@@16Brend Thank you for the question and putting it so charitably. Your charity and kind wording makes me think you would be willing to read an indepth answer. So the following is a bit lengthy, for which I apologize. Firstly, I wouldn't say I rejected evangelical protestantism. There is much good in it, all the things you pointed out. Evangelicals are fantastic at having an urgency to preach the gospel and reach the lost. They revere the centrality of scripture. They emphasize a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as the focus of Christianity. All right things. So, why did I become Catholic? You point out that there are only minor differences between denominations that don't matter, and that seeking a relationship with Christ is all that matters. Certainly, a relationship with Christ is ultimately what matters. However, if you had said to the apostles and the early church leaders that, in the 21st century, there are thousands of different denominations that believe different things, that are all right about some things and wrong about others, they would be shocked. That is NOT something they would have been okay with in their lifetime. How do I know this? Because that was the case in their life time and they were NOT okay with it. They had received the revealed truth from Christ and saw themselves as having a God given duty to defend, teach, and pass on the fullness of the revelation of Christ and defend against false teachings. Reading the writings of the new testament and nearly any early church leader, you'll find vehement preaching against false teaching. Why were they so concerned about right doctrine and practice? Isn't a personal relationship with Jesus all that matters? Because they had a fundamentally different view of what "Church" is compared to modern protestantism. And they saw a relationship with Christ as inseparable from being in his Church. Where protestants tend to believe "the Church" is the invisible body of all true believers, independent of the institution of the Church, the apostles did not believe that. They believed the Church to be the institution founded on them by Christ and carried on by those they ordained to succeed them. Many Church Fathers, some of whom knew the apostles directly, say as much in their writings. Where protestantism downplays the importance of the institutional Church, the apostles and early Christians saw the Church as central and essential. And by the Church, they meant the actual institution they headed and all those who submit to it's teachings which are from Christ. When they describe the Church, they describe it as the bishops who received their authority from the apostles through the laying on of hands and those who have been baptized and under the authority of the bishop. As a protestant, I would have rejected the idea that any particular denomination could really claim to be the the same Church Jesus founded. But if you read the early Church writings, even by those who knew the apostles, you'll find them sounding VERY VERY Catholic. I finally saw, even in the scriptures, that Jesus didn't write and distribute a book for people to live by, for us to interpret on our own. He called apostles, gave them authority, and founded a Church with authority to teach in his name and lead the world to him. And he prayed earnestly that his followers would be one, undivided. The New Testament (along with the Old) is absolutely the word of God and central to Christian faith, but it is also a product of the Church. So, there is a whole Christian tradition and deposit of fatih that the Bible is a part of. And the Catholic Church carries that full tradition and authority handed down by the apostles. That doesn't mean Catholics do every particular thing well all the time. And it doesn't mean all protestants are just wrong, bad, and going to hell. In fact, the Catholic Church acknowledges sincere protestants as brothers in Christ, and that the Grace of God is at work in them because of their faith in Christ. But it also holds that Christ founded one church and through it the means of salvation to the whole world. Protestants broke away from the Catholic Church historically and are imperfectly connected to the Church. Much more I could say but this is overload enough. Lol. Apologies for the length. I only said so much because you were so charitable with your question which makes me feel that you would sincerely consider the answer. The short answer is: I didn't really reject anything. I accepted something.
@@16Brendthere's a lot of truth in what you say. I know my relationship with Christ grows so much through the Sacraments though. My faith would be only half-baked without them. God bless.
The doctrine of redemptive suffering has powerfully changed my life. It’s so freeing. It makes so much sense to me now why we can actually be joyful and hopeful while also in pain and suffering. This interview was amazing. Thank you
Yes, its wonderful and deeply insightful. Suffering is such a part of life! Mother Teresa said "remember pain, sorrow, suffering are but the kiss of Jesus - a sign that you have come so close to Him that He can kiss you.”
As a cradle Catholic I’m so amazed at testimonies such as this - and also very humbled. Dr. Bergsma had to wrestle intellectually to understand and eventually accept doctrines which I learned from early childhood. Maybe this is why I have such a soft spot in my heart for converts to the Catholic faith. I respect the amount of prayer it takes to see Christ and His Apostles through their own original teaching for the first time. People like Dr. Bergsma make me thank Our Lord for His Church.
Redemptive suffering is truly a wonderful gift from Christ. I had a bible study with some guys from Cru ministry tonight, and we have been going through Romans. It was amazing how this video connected to what we discussed a bit. I, being the only Catholic in that group, without fully realizing it when I started, began talking about how Christ redeemed suffering and how we can have joy within it. Seeing the other guys having an understanding of that and sharing about that too allowed me to see greater the closeness of our Christian brothers and sisters, though there is a divide. I pray that I can eventually share with them the love of Christ in the Eucharist. God Bless Matt Fradd's ministry and the gift of St. Thomas Aquinas
Guys I was born catholic...to me it feels like a gift like God literally hand picked us ....esp those who were born in a catholic family......it feels like a gift
Sometimes us cradle Catholics go the long way round to find our faith though… the old grass is greener illusion (alternatively: don’t know what you have until you lose it). It’s been the case for me - I’m finally realising I had been taught the truth all along!
I feel I was chosen too - to suffer. I was born to atheist parents, used to ride my bike and sit outside an Anglican Church, listening to their Sunday services through an open window. Read my Bible in secret (which also had to be hidden). Eventually converted to Catholicism and lost all my family. I'm on my own - except I have Christ and for some reason, this is the way he wanted it to be for me.
I do think that out of all the Catholic teachings we have, the Eucharist is the hardest one for people to swallow. A few months ago my Protestant friends and I had some free time, and they were curious about the nature of the Eucharist and why I believed it wasn't cannibalistic. I explained its nature well, but they just couldn't wrap their heads around the Eucharist being legitimate. I suppose it is mentioned in the Bible that the Eucharist is a hard teaching.
@@renzothesonger5411 I like to think that the issue on Mary is just a matter of language and assumptions. People outside the Church think that we worship and adore Mother Mary when we actually just venerate and "adore' her in the other sense. Once you get that out of the way, there aren't that many reasons to disagree with the teaching. The Eucharist in the other hand, is something that Protestants can easily understand but is a difficult teaching to embrace.
@Eucharist Angel so...your name is "Eucharist Angel," yet you willfully deny the full teaching of the Eucharist presented by the Catholic Church - the same institution that originally compiled the modern Bible for future generations? Maybe you should change your username.
@Eucharist Angel maybe you should publish your essay and gain some royalties. You might make a nice profit XD. But in any case, the Bible's complete compilation was done under a council of Bishops a few hundred years after the resurrections of Christ. Forgive me for not memorizing the dates, but a quick Google search tells me the 73-book Catholic canon that we use today was completed in the council of Rome of 382 AD led by Pope Damascus. Future councils throughout the first and second centuries maintained this canon, the most notable one being the famous council of Trent in 1546 - a response to the Protestant revolution at the time. Of course, this is not to say that the scriptures did not exist in the time of Christ and before hand. I mean to say that the Bible as we now understand it was formulated by the Church after all the scriptures were initially written.
@Eucharist Angel but is not a Church council's purpose to correct and to officiate teachings which the laity are unsure of? Why then would you be surprised that not everyone agreed that the 7 books you call the Apocrypha were part of canon? Even now there are people who do not agree with your interpretation of the scriptures. That is why the Church is necessary as an authorizing figure.
Come, Holy Spirit, come grant us hopeful hearts. Ps 85:9, Mt 5:24 Jesus said to his disciples: “Leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
Great questions Matt Read many of Dr.Bergma’s books , he is a skilled writer and his books are easy to read. Recommend highly Bible Basics and New Testament Basics for Catholics . Must read before you dive into the Bible. Thank you Dr. Beegsma
@Eucharist Angel After the second Vatican council with its 2212 speeches and summarised , with a correct emphasis on scripture and reform was on its way but has been hijacked by well meaning catholics who are cemented into tradition. Within 20 years things will be vitally different. We will have a pope under the Gospel and not human tradition .
@@colvinator1611 You may call me a dreamer but I am not the only one ! It is also true that every denomination of Christianity has doctrinal errors and sinful people The Church is liken to a hospital and Christ is the physician. No one should ever be surprised that there is sin in us and we can all do better especially the Roman Catholic Church , when it finally takes on the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Revelation 17 is talking about Pagan Rome and not papal Rome , because when the Book Of revelation was written there was no pope hence no papacy and there was no Catholic Church in existence at that time but only independent Churches holding fast to Romans 10 verse 10 and 11. If you hold fast to Romans 10 ;10 you are indeed my brother in Christ.
@Eucharist Angel Christ is the only High Priest of the Christian Religion and there is the priesthood of all believers. The Apostle Peter called the church ......a chosen race , a royal priesthood , a consecrated nation , and a people set apart to sing the praises of God ,who called us out of darkness into his Wonderful Light You and I comprise 2 of those people , so we are brothers in Christ because we both worship God our Father through Christ our elder brother by the power of the holy Spirit who lives in us.
This podcast lead me to study the church history and it took all of a few months to reject the reformation. Don't know how you can earnestly study the lineage of the church and embrace protestantism. I think we all can fairly critique the church as and institution, but the church body is the greatest force for good in the world today
Satan does a good job in blinding people. Look at how some of the Pharisees still denied Jesus when miracles performed right before thier eyes. Satan is doing the same thing to others that think they know the truth. You can't know the truth unless you truly accept the Eucharist is the blood and body of christ
Catholicism is in fact a heresy throughout the history taking money for forgiveness killed millions in the name of christ, worked with many regimes including nazis, countless pedo scandals and the list goes on
@@davemaverick8438 there will always be bad people. The teachings of the Catholic church is a solid foundation from christ. People in the church just are called wovles in sheeps clothing. IN fact every religion has these kinds of people. If these people listened to the church's teachings they would not have done these acts. Satan will attack the true church of Jesus and infiltrate it as much as possible. So these things are expected to happen within the church. Peace to you brother. The Catholic church teaching is still the truth and you should not deny it.
I have never heard of a faithful Catholic after having been exposed to the writings of the early church fathers (Irenaeus, Justin the Martyr, Ignatius of Antioch, etc.) turn away from the church and become Protestant. My Catholic faith was strong before I read the Early Churches but incredibly strong afterwards. Especially impactful to me was Justin The Martyr’s First Apology to the emperor where he explains the nature of the Eucharist: “For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh. For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, This do in remembrance of Me, Luke 22:19 this is My body; and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, This is My blood; and gave it to them alone.”
I read somewhere (I'm sure someone will remind me) that the angels envy us because they are unable to suffer for Christ. That's such an amazing thought to me.
I am not sure and don't take my word as law, but I think that it was a moment in the life of St. Padre Pio that in one conversation with his guardian angel he asked him about suffering and the angel replied something between those lines that you wrote, I am not sure if he meant the good angels that serve God but it seems that the fallen ones were envious probably because we as humans can even give our sufferings up as a prayer to God. Correct me still.
Yes, I have heard similar, but not envy. Just that angels acknowledge a few things; angels, unlike humans, are not able to participate in the creative act of God when He creates a new human person, and they are not able to receive the Eucharist. I've never heard it with respect to suffering, though. Of course, angels aren't envious, they are in the presence of God Himself. But I remember hearing something about them being aware of some of the precious gifts God has given to man.
Interestingly enough, the common objections tend to center in familial terms: The Holy FATHER (Pope) The MOTHER of God (Mary) The SON of God (in the Eucharist)
The thing I don't understand with suffering is having the very solution denied to you multiple times. I'm completely lonely, and through out highschool i've been completely lonely because I could not find anything online for people my age, while seeing on social media with my friends going to parties i'm not invited to, teaching kids about christianity, and so on. When I try to talk to my old (not by age) friends, they are monosylabic. I've been praying about this for weeks, and so far nothing. I don't know where to look for because I'm right out of highschool, and I'm too old for highschool summer events/activities. I genuinly don't know where to look. I don't have facebook or instagram. I deleted my accounts for personal reasons. I've started praying and asking for friends that I can hang on to last week. I just want my old friends back, or at least new ones that are of similar character to the ones I met.
Praying for you brother. Do you have a local parish or church? Look up some local Christian communities online, there’s a few young fellas and felletes like you who want to get together in the name of the Lord. God be with you broski
Sorry to hear about this experience. Do you have any universities or colleges near you? See if they have an outreach to Catholic students at the school and those people would be able to contact you with faithful Catholics 18+. If they are a Newman Center you are welcome to go along as any Catholic parish, but I would reach out to the leadership first. You could also call your Diocese and ask what they have available for young adults. I will keep you in my prayers.
I was once in your situation and my only friend was Jesus. And I told Him everything.. and that everything was prayer. Later after 8 years I got some good frnds which I lost again but I prayed for 2 years and then I got a bestfrnd for life and she is my human dairy . But still Jesus is my best friend. Don't feel lonely.. and when times are bad saints are our friends. I talk to them. They don't reply back. But they give me peace. The ability to move on. Move on with no one at my side. ( Recently, when everyone was against me and no one to confide my problems and literally crying for more than an hour I called on mama Mary , St. Joseph, St. Anne and St. Joachim.. And immediately I was filled with peace and deep sleep. And morning all prblms vanished. I'm just giving some examples 😅) Finally : Maybe Jesus wanted you only for Him. Embrace His friendship 💙
Is there a “youth ministry” at your church? If so, I’d advise you to talk to whomever is leading it., or your pastor, perhaps you could help start one. I’m sure there are many young persons who feel the same, just have to connect with each other. Remember, we are all part of the “body of Christ”. I will say a prayer fir you today. God Bless! 🇨🇦🙏💐♥️
I grew up Evangelical (still am) 25 miles north of Grove City College, married a faithful Catholic girl 40 years ago, 6/13/81, here in WI. Through some recent ‘soul searching’ & testimony of Scott Hahn & this site & finding & local Parish (& young, ‘faithful’ Priest); I’m “warming up” to considering becoming Catholic. My 33 year old son was Baptized into the Church this past Easter; I was unbelievably proud of his decision! I attend a Missouri Synod Lutheran Church; up until the last six months; communion which is weekly practiced ‘feels’ cheap
Also, sin & repentance is NEVER even mentioned. The first thing the Priest says at the start of mass; is addressing the sin issue. Sin will keep us from our eternal rest w/ God; it is rarely mentioned in typical evangelical churches anymore; unlike how I was raised in NW PA! I accepted Christ 54 years ago; asking him to forgive because I knew I was a sinner...still am and in need of his forgiveness by his grace. Also Scott Hahn has helped ‘demythologize’ the Church a great deal. I’m still having a great deal of problems though w/ your Pope. If a guy like PJII were still in, I,d more, than less likely to get off the dime. Love your respectful, insiteful
@@dmotzing Don I am a convert from atheism. The way I see it we have to decide "is this true?" If the Gospel as taught by the Catholic Church is true, having lukewarm or even publically sinful members within it is somewhat irrelevant. Jesus had Judas, in fact he instituted the Eucharist "on the night he was betrayed" (which the priest says at every Mass). We should look to those who are attempting to live the full truth as it is taught by the Church in the grace of the Holy Spirit and not those who are in rebellion against it or calling it into question. Just as I am sure within your current Church community you wouldn't encourage new converts to take the word of the most cynical or skeptical of the congregation. I would suggest you spend private time in prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament and bring your doubts to Jesus. God you bless you friend 🙏.
@@beautifulspirit7420 Thank you for your thoughtful response. You are right, I’d never want people to judge authenticity of my current Christian orientation based poor examples; but when that example is the Pope and it seems most of the Bishops.... But I know you are correct; if Truth is Truth; it is irrespective of the human beings in it. Thank you.
@@dmotzing of course horrible Christians multilate and militate against the Gospel. A saintly and holy individual in my experience is a much greater evangelist for Christ than arguing about theological points. Maybe read the lives of the saints (especially in the last 100 years - JP II is a great example - he also evangelized me). Perhaps ask your wife if she knows a very holy priest or lay person and just spend time with them, see if that helps. Then you have all the head knowledge combined with the grace of a fully actualized Christ-ike life. I had no idea holy people really existed when I was an atheist. I was very startled when I met one, more than one. There is no explanation for holiness except grace.
That is so true about the habit of complaining @ protestant group gatherings ... have been part of EU ( evangelical union ) all my college life .. critical thinking or criticism is so much there...
I felt the same way about the Eucharist. I still feel odd about Marian doctrine and some other stuff, but the truth of the Eucharist basically invalidated the entirety of Protestantism.
Hardly. God doesn't take up His dwelling in bread, but His people. Col 1 says 'Christ IN YOU the hope of glory..' Not Christ in bread or wine. The rcc eucharist is a lie. To believe god indwells food that must be eaten to have life is an incredible mangling of Gods word.
@@ContendingEarnestly i spent many years researching this before I made up my mind. You're not changing my mind with your interpretation of a Bible verse. Protestantism is never again an option for me. Take care. God bless you.
Much of the doctrines involving Mary are typology or old testament prefigurations and their new testament fulfillments. Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant, the new Eve and the Queen mother (Bathsheeba). That she is the new ark is revealed in the annunciation. When Gabriel tells her the power of the most high will overshadow you. This is the same language used in refrence to the ark. Also the location and amount of time spent are refrences to the ark (Hills of Judea and 3 months). The leaping of John in her womb is David dancing before the Ark and Elizabeth under the influence of the Holy Spirit echoes the words of David. Who am I that the ark of my lord should come before me. In the book of revelation in chapter 11 John is describing that he sees the Ark but instead of describing a chest in chapter 12 he describes a woman. The contents of her womb whicg is Christ is represented in the old ark. The tablets (word of God) the staff Aaron (Christ as High Priest) and the bread of the presence
@@erock5b So you spent years researching but still feel 'odd' about marian dogmas and other stuff? Sorry but i don't believe you. None of the roman catholic church's marian dogmas are in the bible, none. Nor is there any passage where bread magically turns into god, nor do we see anyone thinking they are eating god. Thats paganism pure and simple. And its not my job to convince you of anything. Thats Gods job. Looks like He has some work to do.
May I ask for your help in clarifying the Catholic perspective on the practise of prayers to Saints and Mary? A protestant lady was chatting with me online on the subject of Mary and we got onto the topic of how we pray and ask Mary and the Saints for intercessory prayers. Her understanding/denomination see the saints, holy souls and Mary as asleep and remaining that way until the second coming of Christ which is why she saw prayers to Mary, etc for their intercessory prayers a useless endeavor and might even be considered as necromancy. I wanted to continue the talk but was just drawing a blanks on where to pull the relevant references to best help her understand how that's not the case and why we had a different take on it. Appreciate any insights. :) It's been a really nice, open chat so far where we're not aggressively debating 'sides' or anything so this is more to help clarify our position on this as Catholics. For example, at the start of the chat she mistakenly thought we flat out worshiped the Saints and Mary as equals alongside God, I was shooketh to learn that was their perception of Catholics! :L
Jesus said that God is the God of the living and not the dead. Like the previous person wrote, Jesus spoke to Moses and Elijah on Mount Tabor in front of Peter, James, and John.
The dead know not anything...and bringing in the parable of lazurus and the rich man...was it real or figurative...or lemme ask where is heaven and hell...can those in heaven talk to those in hell...in many instances we've been told...facts...not stories or parables...the dead know not anything....they're asleep....the assumption that the dead are "alive" only create room for the devil to talk to you in their image...as for me I don't talk to dead people....including saints because i am sure they can't hear you...
Are you really surprised a corrupted version of Catholicism lies about the one true faith? Catholic teachings and beliefs are virtually identical to those of the early Christians. It's the Catholic Church that "made" the Bible.
2 years late, but maybe it will be helpful for someone. Check out Revelation 6, verses 9 to 11. Seems like John sees in his vision souls of Christian martyrs, killed because of spreading the Gospel (Word of God). They are asking God to revenge their blood and are being told to wait/rest until the other believers will be martyred. That does not explain praying to Saints, but to me it sounds as if they are not just unconscious and asleep, but have some conscience and contact with God. This is just my interpretation and Revelation is definitely not an easy book, so I may understand it incorrectly, but I wanted to share it.
Intercessory prayer, especially asking for the saints' intercession, has deep roots in early Christian tradition, supported by the writings of Church Fathers and ecumenical councils. These practices reflect the early Church's understanding of the communion of saints, which has been a consistent part of Christian belief since apostolic times. Far from being heretical, this tradition enriches our shared faith by emphasizing the unity and interconnection of all believers, both in heaven and on earth.
I remember to be reading St. Ignatius of Antioch when I was protestant and was shocked of how "catholic" he sounded. That moment had a huge impact for my conversion
The Real Presence of the body and blood of Jesus in the Eucharist is in my opinion the most important part of catholic teaching. Without the Real Presence there is nothing! If there was no Real Presence I couldn’t be bothered being a catholic....I’d run off and go to Hillsong or something....better preaching and better music with the occasional miracle thrown in.
vickersonp ; where 2 or 3 gather together in Christ's name He is there in the midst of them. Question 16 in Baltimore Catechism ; God is present everywhere
@@peterj6740 God is present everywhere. Catholics believe that. Jesus also started a Catholic church he wants you to be in. You are against it. Protestants go to a man made church. Why do you go to a man made church?
@@peterj6740 That’s true, but Jesus is truly present , body and blood, in the Eucharist. That is why we have Eucharistic adoration. That is why we don’t adore 2 or three gathered in His Name. Yes he is present but not in the miraculous way that He is in the Eucharist.
@@johnyang1420 So you have answered your own question and that is God is fully present everywhere at the same time and all of the time. So if we have faith we believe in the real presence of God wherever we are. That is Catholic teaching without a doubt !
I don’t understand how Protestants can reject the holy virgin, when arguably the greatest miracle in Christian history (Lady of Fatima) was performed by Mary
Al Carbo ; If the sun actually danced and came down towards earth , why did not the whole world experience it. The earth revolves around the sun , and the sun does not move closer to earth , if it did then planet earth would have burnt up. Also the late pope John Paul ii finally agreed the Church was wrong when Galileo was condemned for believing that the earth moved and not the sun. And not all the people at Fatima saw the sun dance or moved towards the earth. Is Our Lady of Fatima actually the same Mary of the Scriptures. The Virgin Mary last words in scripture was TO DO WHATEVER HE( JESUS ) tells you Protestants believe the Apparitions of Mary are not authentic !
@@peterj6740 The sun dance was witnessed by 5,000 people and was seen by eye-witnesses more than 15 miles away, not to mention the impeccable predictions of the future from Fatima, and what a comp out bringing up Galileo, and FYI the sun didn’t move literally it was a miracle it can’t be explained, however we do have video footage of the sun dance, and I love how you use the same arguments as 2 bit atheist
@@alcarbo8613 70.000 people were present at Fatima on that day and as you say .only 5,000 witnessed the sun dance. You have answered your own question, because if a miracle happened all should have seen it. There is such a thing as auto-suggestion and a lot of sincere people were in a state of mind , hoping to see a miracle and it happened in their own mind.
@@peterj6740 Not true 5,000 people were at Fatima from every Know, if 70,000 present which I don’t believe so than 70,000 witnessed, and there were many atheist and agnostics at Fatima who were incredibly skeptical and waiting for it to disproven, let’s just say they didn’t leave Atheists and Agnostic, not to mention your ignoring off all other aspects of Fatima, it seems more like you refuse to believe this incredible miracle given to us by god to warn us of communism and WW2, to preserve your false worldview, and unwillingness to admit The literal Mother God can be a figure worthy of veneration
@@alcarbo8613 I was not present at Fatima on that day , and it was all based on hearsay evidence. People believe they have seen ghosts or flying saucers , and all that is hearsay evidence. These apparitions of Mary are very questionable and can deceive the very elect , of which Christ warned us to be on the watch. Test the spirits on whether it is, truly God sent ,as St Paul warned us. The Scriptural Mary never performed one miracle , at Cana it was performed by Christ himself ; do whatever He tells you .... (not I ) said the Blessed Virgin herself. All generations will call me Blessed said Mary and all Christians respect her , and she never wanted to be adored but respected , she wanted God alone to be adored . God never sent her to preach the gospel but sent his chosen 12.
These objections would be very minor for me as I can think through them and make sense of them. It's the sexual crimes that completely terrify me. I don't know how to overcome this hurdle.
I've studied Augustine and aware of his calvinistic views. I wonder since Catholics don't believe in this doctrine (thank God), why are they following one of the early church fathers who does?
@@aadamy I was trying to become Catholic but this tradition of the early church fathers is a stumbling block. This is a prime example! Thanks for the support!
Sister, not many would ever agree that St Augustine was a Calvinist apart from Calvinists. Let’s be honest here. The guy was a Catholic Bishop (!) and is currently a Doctor of the Catholic Church, for sure one of the three most important theologians of all times. Of course he used a “heavy pen” against the heresy of Pelagianism and that particularity was instrumentally used by Calvinists to claim their position. But it is polemical and the more solid position is that Calvin selected some parts of St Augustine to present the antiquity of his doctrine, specially in the theology of grace. I’d say in no way Augustine defended any sort of theory of “double predestination”, which is a grave heresy according to the Catholic Church (look for the documents of the Council of Trent, specially the Canons on Justification, it is easy to find them on the Internet). But even if St Augustine had a heterodox vision in this matter, no individual Church Father is infallible in his theology. God bless!
Augustine also said he wouldn’t believe in the bible except for the authority of the Catholic Church. I’m not ready to concede his teaching on predestination is the same as Calvin’s but even if it was that’s one topic out of the many he wrote extensively about. He can be wrong once.
Still makes no sense to me... i would really love to have more clarification... like if we're all co redeemers...why is mary higher...why can't i just pray through me...i mean she's dead so she can't hear
@weaponofchoice-tc7qs You are out of context, Romans 5:1 [1] “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 2:8-10. [8] “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” These are just a couple examples. When studying scripture, you need to study in context of all scripture. Let me know if you have any questions. 😀
@weaponofchoice-tc7qs Paul is not teaching that anything is lacking in salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, but what is lacking in himself. Acts 9:16 16] “For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” Paul is suffering, being persecuted for the Gospel of Christ he preaches, not redemptive suffering as taught by the roman catholic church. Let me know if you have any questions. 😀
@weaponofchoice-tc7qs Titus 3:5-7 [5] he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, [6] whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, [7] so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Remember, Antioch could have been wrong, as many prophets of old misrepresented the character of God (more often than I would like to admit) and that's okay. I'm a protestant but I'll never describe the eucharist as "idolatry", actually protestants practice the eucharist but in a different way and not that often, but I understand how different people can have a different approach to God and still be valid in the eyes of our Father. Do you believe that God sent His Son to save us through his life, death and resurrection? Do you put your trust in Jesus? You are my brother and sister! Do you express your faith in a different way than I do? So be it! Amen!
@@bruno-bnvm yes I don't have a problem with that INTERPRETATION... It's fine if you or anyone believe that, I won't lable them as heretics or idolaters at all...
I would have expected to hear more meat on the objection bones... I liked Matt's question. I also don't know how people sort of the history of the Eucharist in the Catholic church...
My only big objection to catholicism is that I'm not willing to call any man on Earth "Father" with a capital "F"; same I won't call any man "God". I can't do it and I won't do it. I also think they aren't right about Mary- they've deified her far beyond anything that is in the Word unfortunately. I'm even down with the rosary because she can be venerated but they lost me at the immaculate conception. If both of the parents of Jesus were completely without sin, He wasn't really born a real human man was He? But I will say the catholic church is absolutely 100% correct about the Eucharist, thank God!! And that is the most important and they have kept the true faith going on it all these years God bless the catholic church!!
@weaponofchoice-tc7qs no He gave this teaching to His disciples, and YES it was about the pharisees and the religious leaders of the time, and Jesus was contrasting them with how He wanted His own church leaders to behave. I see how the leaders of the catholic church adorn themselves with special robes and special hats and costumes, and take their seats in the honored places, and it is clear to me that they completely missed this teaching from Jesus. Jesus was not talking about what titles children should use for their earthly parents, but rather what titles He wanted (and DIDNT want) His own church leaders to use. And sure enough, of the few titles explicitly prohibited by Jesus Christ, the very first thing they do after He is gone is go and call themselves "Holy Father" one of the few titles Jesus specifically instructed them NOT to use. You wicked generation! Hard of hearing and hard of heart! Listen to the words of Jesus!
What I can’t figure out is what does it mean that it’s the real flesh….? Like is blood going to leak out as we eat it? Like that’s my one issue…. What the hell does it mean specifically
Sorry for reviving this old comment... The Church fathers that Bergsma mentioned elaborate on this. Transubstantiation is that the substance truly is flesh and blood. It just has the physical properties of bread and wine. But truly, in every sense except physical, it's Christ Himself.
I grew up Catholic and, as a young adult, I became Reformed. I am writing this respectfully: Let's say that John the Apostle dictated those words about the Eucharist to Ignatius, so that Ignatius captured the apostle's mind. To me, we are still five hundred miles away from Transubstantiation. Real Presence and Transubstantiation are not one and the same--one may agree with the former and not accept the latter. How am I wrong?
I agree, transubstantiation is bullshit. "Oh I know this still looks, and tastes like regular bread, abd wine, and nothing seemingly special about it, but it really is the physical flesh, and blood of christ, and that truth is just obscured to everyone" No such nonsense is used in the new testimate to explain any of Jesus's miracles, or any of thr apostles miracles. I am a born again Christian saved by the grace of my lord and savior Jesus christ who shed his blood for my sins. And though I'd really like the idea of being apart of the "one true apolitical church" I just cant get around that kind of blatantly inconsistency, and honestly just bullshit. I have no other word for it except bullshit. Imagine trying to use the same logic for miraculous healings many people experience " christ had healed you of yoir blindness my son" ' "But I still cant see" "Nonsense your eyesight is merely transubstantiated, you actually can see, but it appears to all, even yourself that you cannot"
Summary of the Case for Real Presence in the Eucharist In the Bible, the concepts of bread and wine appear frequently and carry deep meanings that point towards the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Let's explore how these elements move from simple food to profound symbols of Jesus' presence. Bread Starting in the Old Testament, we see Melchizedek, a priest, offering bread and wine to Abram. This act is an early hint that these elements are special (Genesis 14:18-20). Later, God provides manna, bread from heaven, to sustain the Israelites in the desert, showing that bread is not just food but also a divine gift (Exodus 16:4-15). The showbread in the Tabernacle, called the "bread of the Presence," symbolizes God's ongoing presence with His people (Leviticus 24:5-9). In the New Testament, Jesus declares Himself the Bread of Life, stating that eating His flesh brings eternal life, making it clear that He is truly present in this bread (John 6:35, 51-58). At the Last Supper, Jesus takes bread, blesses it, and says, "This is my body," establishing the Eucharist as His true body, not just a symbol (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-24). Wine Similarly, wine is rich with meaning in the Bible. Melchizedek's offering of wine along with bread hints at its future significance (Genesis 14:18-20). During the first Passover, the blood of the lamb, which saved the Israelites, foreshadows Jesus' sacrificial blood (Exodus 12:7-13). In Isaiah, the vineyard and wine represent God’s care and the people’s relationship with Him (Isaiah 5:1-7). Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding at Cana, turning water into wine, symbolizes transformation and points towards the wine of the Eucharist (John 2:1-11). Jesus also speaks of His blood as true drink, insisting on its necessity for eternal life (John 6:53-56). At the Last Supper, He takes the cup of wine and declares, "This is my blood of the covenant," making the wine His true blood, not just a reminder of it (Matthew 26:27-28; Mark 14:23-24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25-26). Passover as Participation In Jewish tradition, the Passover was not seen as merely symbolic. The annual Passover meal was a remembrance, but in Jewish context, "remembrance" (Hebrew: זִכָּרוֹן, zikkaron) means a participation in the original event. Each time Jews celebrate Passover, they are not simply recalling the Exodus; they are participating in it. This is not a re-sacrifice but a re-presentation, making the past event present and real for those who partake. This understanding is key to comprehending the Eucharist. When Jesus says, "Do this in memory of me," He is inviting believers to participate in His once-for-all sacrifice, made present in the Eucharist, just as the Passover makes the Exodus present for Jews. Connecting the Old and New Testaments Understanding the mythology, symbolism, and allegorical nature of the Bible requires zooming out and connecting the Old and New Testaments. The stories in the Bible are not just filler; they contain details that matter deeply. For example, the bread and wine offered by Melchizedek, the manna from heaven, and the showbread in the Tabernacle are all significant details that connect to Jesus' teachings and actions in the New Testament. By seeing these connections, we understand that the Eucharist is not merely symbolic but a fulfillment of God's plan revealed throughout the entire Bible. The detailed stories in both Testaments illustrate a consistent theme of God’s real presence with His people, culminating in the Eucharist. Understanding of the Apostles and Their Immediate Followers The belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist was not just an invention of later generations but was understood by the apostles and their immediate followers. • Ignatius of Antioch: A disciple of the Apostle John, Ignatius described the Eucharist as "the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ" (Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 7:1). This indicates a clear belief in the Real Presence from someone directly taught by the apostles. • Justin Martyr: Writing in the second century, Justin explained that the Eucharist is not common bread and drink but the flesh and blood of Jesus (First Apology, 66). His writings show that this belief was widespread among early Christians. • Irenaeus of Lyons: A student of Polycarp, who was himself a disciple of John, Irenaeus emphasized the Eucharist as the body and blood of Christ in his work "Against Heresies". This shows the continuity of belief from the apostles to their disciples. • Cyril of Jerusalem: In his "Mystagogical Catecheses," Cyril taught that the bread and wine truly become the body and blood of Christ through the words of consecration. This catechetical instruction reflects the early and consistent teaching of the Church. Conclusion Throughout the Bible, bread and wine are shown to be more than just food and drink. They symbolize God's presence and His relationship with His people. When Jesus uses these elements at the Last Supper and declares them to be His body and blood, He is not just speaking symbolically. He is making Himself truly present in the Eucharist. This belief in the Real Presence means that in the Eucharist, we are not just remembering Jesus, but we are actually receiving Him in a very real and profound way. This understanding is deeply rooted in Scripture and the consistent teaching of the Church throughout history, making the Eucharist a true encounter with Jesus, not just a symbolic act. The Jewish context of Passover as a participatory remembrance further solidifies the Eucharist as a real, ongoing participation in Christ's sacrifice. By connecting the details of biblical stories from the Old Testament to the New, we see a clear and purposeful revelation of the Real Presence in the Eucharist. The understanding of the apostles and their immediate followers confirms that this belief has been a consistent part of Christian faith from the very beginning.
A Lutheran church in Minnesota recited a “sparkle creed” about the “nonbinary God” and Jesus’ “two dads” during its Sunday service Edina Community Lutheran Church Pastor Anna Helgen asked the congregation to stand in “body or spirit” to “confess our faith” in the “sparkle creed,” The church went on to chant a statement of faith in the “nonbinary God” and in Jesus Christ, “who had two dads.” “I believe in the nonbinary God, whose pronouns are plural. I believe in Jesus Christ, their child, who wore a fabulous tunic, and had two dads and saw everyone as a sibling child of God,” the church recited. “I believe in the rainbow spirit who shatters our image of one white light and refracts it into a rainbow of gorgeous diversity. I believe in the church of everyday saints, as numerous, creative and resilient as patches on the … quilt. Whose feet are grounded in mud and whose eyes gaze at the stars in wonder. I believe in the calling to each of us that love is love is love, so beloved let us love. I believe, glorious God, help my unbelief, Amen.” hope that answers you question
My only hang up with Mary is the idea of her being perfect. I just can't accept that idea. The eucharist was one of my first accepted beliefs. It also led me to move away from the Baptist church.
Thank u for your words. In fact in the Bible only few words of Mother Mary were recorded and remember Jesus spent 30 years with his Mother before starting his ministry at the age of 30 years. In Luke 1:48, mother Mary said that "all generations shall call her blessed" and am not quite sure if our brothers in other denominations do the same, and when the angle greeted her, he said that "you are favored by God" which signifies her importance of being favored by God. When Mother Mary greeted Elizabeth, she was filled with the Holy spirit and she said in a load voice that “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child that you will have", here her sister said that she is the most blessed of all women by the power of the Holy spirit and this applies to every woman and in this conversation, we can see that Elizabeth point Mother Mary and the fruit of her womb (Jesus) to be the blessed ones. Later on Elizabeth said that "I feel blessed that the mother of my Lord is visiting me", here Elizabeth felt blessed of Mary the Mother of Jesus Luke Luke 1:42-43. Thank u once again
I'm pretty sure anyone who goes to heaven is cleansed of sin completely and thus perfect in that respect. Christ's death and resurrection went back in time to prevent her from falling into the pit of sin in the first place. I hope this helps!
Sin cannot be close to God. Do you really think Jesus could have been born of Mary had she not been sinless. Mary: Daughter of God, Bride of the Holy Spirit, Mother of Jesus. It would be insane not to honor/pay respects to her and her decision to say yes to God.
It's a hard teaching, how can you accept that? Transubstantiation is simply the catholic churches explanation of the "mystery of faith" that is required for the eucharist. But, if you don't believe it then don't participate. If you want the truth read the early church fathers. The ones who were preaching the scripture at the time the new testament canon was being written and prior to that. The eucharistic belief that Jesus is present was a universal belief in the early church for 16 centuries. If you don't believe me just research it for yourself. Find some pre 500 AD church father who believed the eucharist was just a symbolic or memorial. There is no one. none. nada. not one.
@@JB91484 Doesn't matter. Church authority doesn't change nonsense to sense, and Aristotelian metaphysics is bunk. In some abstract ways Christ is present, I'll allow; but iit's nonsense to say the bread and wine literally becomes Christ any more than any other physical stuff is the Word of God.
@@grantbartley483 it's not "authority" it's what every single Christian believed at the time of Christ's death. It's the mystery of faith. Look at the Gospel of John. What miracles does Jesus preform? He Changes water into wine. He multiplies bread. He walks on water. He is God. He changed the nature of a substance, multiplied a substance and then defied the law of nature walking on water. But, he can't change the essence of a thing? The Eucharist is the "New Covenant". You know what Testament means? Covenant. The Eucharist ritual replaced the old passover jewish covenant with the new one.
@@JB91484 Yes, he changed water into wine. But the wine did not continued to look and taste like (ie, be) water. To me transubstantiation is just another case of the Catholic church's inability to admit when they've been wrong. That's the worst thing about Catholicism to me.
@@grantbartley483 Again, that is the philosophical explanation for the teaching of Jesus. John 6:60 (NIV): "On hearing it, many of his disciples said, 'This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?'" I guess you are in that camp too? It's not the catholic church saying it's his body. It's Jesus. Read John 6. Read it as a 1st century Jew. They did not think he was being symbolic, that is why they all left.
@weaponofchoice-tc7qs the church has the authority to bind and loose, but not in contradiction to scripture. We do not contradict scripture, and if we act with the spiritual gifts of wisdom and discernment that only come from the Holy Spirit then we can bind and loose. You know very well the corruption throughout Church history. The NT books have apostolic authority and are in agreement with each other. There are no more apostles, so the scripture is our authority which cannot be contradicted in our theology or actions.
@@MMC9583 How do you know Christ gave the church to St Peter and his successors? Christ never spoke about successors. There many other blasphemous teaching in the Roman Catholic church. The Protestant churches started when the pope was selling induldgences in exchange for getting time out of purgagtory. There is only one church and it is made of all those who have placed their faith in Christ for the forgiveness of their sin.
@@CatholicDefender-bp7my it’s easy to prove them wrong because they cherry pick, ignore the contexts, add to the scripture, and have terrible hermeneutics.
@@mariorizkallah5383 by that same logic (for lack of a better term) many must have been predestined to leave the RCC also...and God does use means through human agency to accomplish. It doesn't follow that therefore God has not predestined....Even Aquinas and Augustine had a strong doctrine of Predestination. That kind of remark seems glib and lacks depth. It's the kind of thing that Leighton Flowers says.
Could someone who understands this please show me in scripture where it details the facts of the Eucharist and the Marian Dogmas. God actually indwelling in food and drink to the point where you actually pray to it would require extraordinary proof for me to change my belief system. I do feel that Christ is present in some way during this process but I need a scriptural basis for me to believe that the bread and wine are transformed into the actual flesh and blood of Jesus. Also could someone explain the Marian dogmas? She clearly was not a perpetual virgin and scripture mentions nothing as far as I know about her being taken into heaven. I mean this with all sincerity could someone please point me to the scriptural basis for such beliefs. Because as it stands right now in my journey to the truth it seems there are some serious interpretive gymnastics going on here.
Summary of the Case for Real Presence in the Eucharist In the Bible, the concepts of bread and wine appear frequently and carry deep meanings that point towards the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Let's explore how these elements move from simple food to profound symbols of Jesus' presence. Bread Starting in the Old Testament, we see Melchizedek, a priest, offering bread and wine to Abram. This act is an early hint that these elements are special (Genesis 14:18-20). Later, God provides manna, bread from heaven, to sustain the Israelites in the desert, showing that bread is not just food but also a divine gift (Exodus 16:4-15). The showbread in the Tabernacle, called the "bread of the Presence," symbolizes God's ongoing presence with His people (Leviticus 24:5-9). In the New Testament, Jesus declares Himself the Bread of Life, stating that eating His flesh brings eternal life, making it clear that He is truly present in this bread (John 6:35, 51-58). At the Last Supper, Jesus takes bread, blesses it, and says, "This is my body," establishing the Eucharist as His true body, not just a symbol (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-24). Wine Similarly, wine is rich with meaning in the Bible. Melchizedek's offering of wine along with bread hints at its future significance (Genesis 14:18-20). During the first Passover, the blood of the lamb, which saved the Israelites, foreshadows Jesus' sacrificial blood (Exodus 12:7-13). In Isaiah, the vineyard and wine represent God’s care and the people’s relationship with Him (Isaiah 5:1-7). Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding at Cana, turning water into wine, symbolizes transformation and points towards the wine of the Eucharist (John 2:1-11). Jesus also speaks of His blood as true drink, insisting on its necessity for eternal life (John 6:53-56). At the Last Supper, He takes the cup of wine and declares, "This is my blood of the covenant," making the wine His true blood, not just a reminder of it (Matthew 26:27-28; Mark 14:23-24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25-26). Passover as Participation In Jewish tradition, the Passover was not seen as merely symbolic. The annual Passover meal was a remembrance, but in Jewish context, "remembrance" (Hebrew: זִכָּרוֹן, zikkaron) means a participation in the original event. Each time Jews celebrate Passover, they are not simply recalling the Exodus; they are participating in it. This is not a re-sacrifice but a re-presentation, making the past event present and real for those who partake. This understanding is key to comprehending the Eucharist. When Jesus says, "Do this in memory of me," He is inviting believers to participate in His once-for-all sacrifice, made present in the Eucharist, just as the Passover makes the Exodus present for Jews. Connecting the Old and New Testaments Understanding the mythology, symbolism, and allegorical nature of the Bible requires zooming out and connecting the Old and New Testaments. The stories in the Bible are not just filler; they contain details that matter deeply. For example, the bread and wine offered by Melchizedek, the manna from heaven, and the showbread in the Tabernacle are all significant details that connect to Jesus' teachings and actions in the New Testament. By seeing these connections, we understand that the Eucharist is not merely symbolic but a fulfillment of God's plan revealed throughout the entire Bible. The detailed stories in both Testaments illustrate a consistent theme of God’s real presence with His people, culminating in the Eucharist. Understanding of the Apostles and Their Immediate Followers The belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist was not just an invention of later generations but was understood by the apostles and their immediate followers. • Ignatius of Antioch: A disciple of the Apostle John, Ignatius described the Eucharist as "the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ" (Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 7:1). This indicates a clear belief in the Real Presence from someone directly taught by the apostles. • Justin Martyr: Writing in the second century, Justin explained that the Eucharist is not common bread and drink but the flesh and blood of Jesus (First Apology, 66). His writings show that this belief was widespread among early Christians. • Irenaeus of Lyons: A student of Polycarp, who was himself a disciple of John, Irenaeus emphasized the Eucharist as the body and blood of Christ in his work "Against Heresies". This shows the continuity of belief from the apostles to their disciples. • Cyril of Jerusalem: In his "Mystagogical Catecheses," Cyril taught that the bread and wine truly become the body and blood of Christ through the words of consecration. This catechetical instruction reflects the early and consistent teaching of the Church. Conclusion Throughout the Bible, bread and wine are shown to be more than just food and drink. They symbolize God's presence and His relationship with His people. When Jesus uses these elements at the Last Supper and declares them to be His body and blood, He is not just speaking symbolically. He is making Himself truly present in the Eucharist. This belief in the Real Presence means that in the Eucharist, we are not just remembering Jesus, but we are actually receiving Him in a very real and profound way. This understanding is deeply rooted in Scripture and the consistent teaching of the Church throughout history, making the Eucharist a true encounter with Jesus, not just a symbolic act. The Jewish context of Passover as a participatory remembrance further solidifies the Eucharist as a real, ongoing participation in Christ's sacrifice. By connecting the details of biblical stories from the Old Testament to the New, we see a clear and purposeful revelation of the Real Presence in the Eucharist. The understanding of the apostles and their immediate followers confirms that this belief has been a consistent part of Christian faith from the very beginning.
Bet you didn't know that in the Bible, in both the Old and the New Testament, all Believers always pray DIRECTLY to God the Father. Isn't that awesome? And in the New Testament it's always directly to God the Father, "in the name of Jesus". In fact when the disciples asked Jesus himself how to pray he said: "... your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come..." Matthew 6:8-9 And... "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." Matthew 6:6 v And in God's Word Jesus himself intercedes for us, not his human mother. This is exactly what it says: "Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:25 "Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us." Romans 8:34 And the Holy Spirit: "In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; Roman 8:26 That's good enough for me. So, in conclusion, in the Bible the idea is NOT to go to the Son's human mother (or to anyone else), who then goes to the Son, who then goes to the Father with your request. No, your Heavenly Father's wish and desire is that you go DIRECTLY to Him with all your prayers and petitions. I'm not kidding. Check it out for yourself. So why go in little circles when the Father wants, and even commands, that we come directly to Him. "In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father." John 16:26-27 It's as though I was a simple little employee in a huge giant corporation. And the President/Owner of the corporation adopted me and loved me and told (ordered) me that any time I had a problem or a request, I was to go directly to him, and he would handle it. Perfect. As for me I think I'll just stick with God's Word and go on "drawing near to God (the Father) through Him (Jesus)", being that I want to be "saved forever". I just figure God must know what he's talking about. After all, he is omniscient. "...for the Father Himself loves you" . Anything else is pure human reasoning. No thanks. Christ and his Word are sufficient. I'll end with this: "Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:25 We are to "draw near to God through him (Christ Jesus)". The unbiblical Roman Catholic practice of praying to Mary and the "Saints" has exactly the opposite effect. It distances us from God instead of drawing us near to him in Christ Jesus. “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition." Mark 7:9 "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." John 1:5 This is the confidence which we have before Him (the Lord God Almighty), that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. 1 John 5:14-15 It doesn't get any clearer than that! Anyhow, that's what I do. I pray directly to my Heavenly Father out of simple obedience. After all He's done for me it's the least I can do. Obey, and not invent my own religion. Don't mean to be disrespectful but, it really does seem like you all have made a whole other religion out of Jesus' very human mother.
@@X_mano Well, then study it with an open mind; that is, adopt the world view of Catholics for a moment and try to understand things from their perspective. Then, you may come to understand things. That's how the intellectual life works: We suspend our fallible judgement, appropriate X from outside our currently held worldview, see if things make internal sense, and so on.
Lame excuses for being a Catholic. "I went to people with weak arguments, then became Catholic." And it does not address any of the non-Biblical practices of Rome like belief in purgatory, praying to Mary when it is unclear if she even got to heaven, the infallability of a broken, human Pope, etc. Not convincing in the least.
thank you for the post. A couple questions for you. 1) Do you believe you are perfectly righteous and without sin? 2) Do you believe that when you die you are separated from the Body of Christ? 3) Where does the Bible say that everything we need to believe is found in the Bible Alone? God Bless
I'm a lifetime Catholic and strongly believe in the Eucharist. But believing only Catholics or Christians make it to heaven is illogical. Let God handle that decision and work on your own redemption.
@@ClergetMusic It was a pious opinion of pope Boniface in 1300 A.D and the papal infallibility was only defined in 1870. Pope Boniface was wrong and Popes since vatican II all claim that Boniface was wrong.
@@1993wethebest I will go back a further 1200 years to Luke (One of the 4 Gospel writers ) I quote ;Acts 4 ;11and 12 This is the stone ( the name Jesus Christ ) which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the head of the corner. AND THERE IS SALVATION IN NO ONE ELSE, FOR THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED. We are saved by CHRIST and in the Church is a community of people being saved , not by the Church itself but BY CHRIST HIMSELF. Pope Boniface has put the cart before the horse and was completely wrong and Vatican II has corrected him by The Church itself in its highest teaching authority.
Bergsma you say you need to stay away from 1.2 Christians( non Roman Catholics) that don't confess transubstanatiation and you'd say they are not true Christians. How is that helpful to ecumenical dialogue or that Protestant's are considered separated brothers at Vatican 2 council. They can't be Brothers and not true Christian's at the Same time. That is called contradiction.
These Catholic channels are all ghibberish. You want real edification of Scriptures look up Protestants like John Kostik or Alan Horvath. Ive been learning Pi, Euler's Code, Pythagorean Theorem, Golden Ratio etc. etc. all in my Hebrew Greek Bible. Protestants taught me this. Not the RCC. Ive learned more from these Protestant Bible study groups than the bogusness of the RCC and EO and whatever "study" groups they have. Their 'Study" groups is enforcing dogmas. Its more like book clubs where they circle jerk each other about 'Church History" when Im out here learning about highly advanced mathematics in the Bible that they claim to have given us. Thank Yah for Reformation.
He felt convicted for the words he read. Not that he judged other by it. But if the Catholic Church is right then the other are wrong and should not be followed. That doesn't mean you can't talk to hem or you have to kill them or something crazy.
@bruno-bnvm I don't remember saying anything about killing...that was a wild extreme...buy yes historically Protestants were killed by Catholics and some (although a significantly smaller number) of Catholic were killed by Protestant .
It is bread....not God... the eucharist should not be worshipped even if it is a representation of Christ... you would know this is sin if you hadn't ommited the 2nd commandment from God Himself
I find this absurd. Bergsma says he could not reconcile Catholic teaching on many doctrines but converted just for the sake of the RCC doctrine of the Eucharist.
@@Kitiwake lol...first of all he openly admits he didn't believe the marian dogmas when he converted yet presumably he already knew the RCC authority system claims these as binding and infallible. So why would you enter into something you don't believe. I suppose it's not necessary to agree on every theological nuance but obviously he was referring to major theological problems that he had not yet reconciled.
When a Protestant finds they were wrong about the Eucharist, which is the source and summit of the Church, an honest person would ask, what else are they wrong about? Its anything but 'absurd'.
@@Adam-ue2ig Maybe you can explain to us in a more detailed way what your point is? The Eucharist is NOT a RCC ONLY doctrine btw, the Orthodox Church believes in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist just as we do. IF, and only IF, you believe that the Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Christ, you would acknowledge that you can't stay in a Church that doesn't believe in it.
@@Adam-ue2ig Listen to the whole interview. As a Protestant he didn’t believe. He came to believe all that the Church teaches. I understand him because I went through the same struggles.
I have no theologian qualifications and I understood exactly what he means. Catholics aren't just observers who sit and listen at Church, we are active participants. Jesus gave out 2 types of bread at the Last Supper. One type of bread Jesus gave to Judas which is a metaphor for the bread of “spiritual death”, this bread was unholy and unblessed. He then gave out another type of Bread to the Apostles with the words: "Take, eat this is MY BODY." He took, blessed, broke and gave this blessed holy bread to His Apostles that if they eat of it they will have eternal life. John 13: 26-30. Protestants eat the first type of bread because they don’t believe Jesus in John 6 when He said “those who eat my flesh abide in me and I abide in them.” They are like those who turned their backs on Jesus and left because they couldn’t accept that teaching about the Eucharist. Some waited for Jesus to correct/clarify Himself but He doesn't, in fact he doubles down on what He said. They couldn't make the connection to the Manna (Bread from Heaven) or the connection to the Bread of the Presence (Bread of the Face) which was kept in the holy of holies in Solomons Temple. The breaking of bread” was the focal point of the “church” gathering, just as it is for Catholics today. And, again, this was done especially on the first day of the week (cf. Acts 20:7). The Eucharist is our "manna" it sustains us on our journey to the heavenly promised land. Yes we return to that moment of redemption every time we assist at mass. And like the Jews understand their returning back in time to the Exodus at every Passover meal, they know as we should that it is not a wheel of time. It is a spiral. We return to the same point but at a higher level by our continued observance. This is Jacob’s spiracle ladder to heaven.
God is almighty. He did not need Mary to make Jesus appear in the world. He chose to do so, and He chose her, and chose her out of love. If Mary was good enough to God the Father and to Jesus she should be good enough to us all. The Angel himself said Mary to be full of grace. To whom else angels said such thing? Moreover Jesus taught us in the Gospels to pray for one a another. How could it be clearer that we all and specially the holy mother of God could have a role on the salvation of others?
@@displacedtexan hi ! I mean The guess ! I heard him before and he docent preach Jesus, he preach the system. He denies scripture and the sacrifice of Jesus as complete. If were to describe satan by hes works and actions the guess Does it all : 1st Denied the word of God as absolute and Authoritative and make Jesus sacrifice incomplete. He speaks religious rubbish but not the word.
4:39 ~ Hmm? 🤨There is no "worship" of eucharist in the bible. Jesus simply said to do it in _remembrance_ of Him. Eating bread and drinking wine is symbolic of Jesus' flesh and blood. It's not literally His flesh or blood. Even if it were literal, in some way, Jesus' flesh is not God, but human only. It's not to be worshiped. Only God is to be worshiped!🙂
I'm in RCIA currently, coming from an evangelical protestant background. Even after I came to accept the Marian dogmas, I still had an issue with Marian devotions in practice. I've avoided the idea of the rosary until recently. Now that I've come to understand that it's a prayerful meditation on the mysteries of the life of Christ through the eyes of his mother, it is so beautiful to me!
Why do you reject evangelical protestant if you mind sharing? I was from a non christian background and eventually decided on accepting God as a Christian. My current church is also evangelical protestant like yours. However, the sermons are biblically focused expository preaching. Eucharist is a common practice done every 3 months in my church (I do know other protestant church that has it weekly/monthly). I do believe as a Christian we need to seek God for answers, pastor/human are only means that God may use. Eventually, it's not about finding the perfect church but having a relationship with the Father and being in a church where we can grow.
I have also visited other churches as I used to go to the nearest church depending on where I was. There are a lot of denominations and minor differences between all churches, I don't think these minor differences matter when understanding that being a Christian is merely about accepting salvation through Christ. In my opinion, the most important thing is building a relationship with God, and being closer and closer to Him. Trust in the Holy Spirit and it will lead you to the truth that God reveals to you personally.
@@16Brend Thank you for the question and putting it so charitably. Your charity and kind wording makes me think you would be willing to read an indepth answer. So the following is a bit lengthy, for which I apologize.
Firstly, I wouldn't say I rejected evangelical protestantism. There is much good in it, all the things you pointed out. Evangelicals are fantastic at having an urgency to preach the gospel and reach the lost. They revere the centrality of scripture. They emphasize a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as the focus of Christianity. All right things. So, why did I become Catholic? You point out that there are only minor differences between denominations that don't matter, and that seeking a relationship with Christ is all that matters. Certainly, a relationship with Christ is ultimately what matters. However, if you had said to the apostles and the early church leaders that, in the 21st century, there are thousands of different denominations that believe different things, that are all right about some things and wrong about others, they would be shocked. That is NOT something they would have been okay with in their lifetime. How do I know this? Because that was the case in their life time and they were NOT okay with it. They had received the revealed truth from Christ and saw themselves as having a God given duty to defend, teach, and pass on the fullness of the revelation of Christ and defend against false teachings. Reading the writings of the new testament and nearly any early church leader, you'll find vehement preaching against false teaching. Why were they so concerned about right doctrine and practice? Isn't a personal relationship with Jesus all that matters? Because they had a fundamentally different view of what "Church" is compared to modern protestantism. And they saw a relationship with Christ as inseparable from being in his Church. Where protestants tend to believe "the Church" is the invisible body of all true believers, independent of the institution of the Church, the apostles did not believe that. They believed the Church to be the institution founded on them by Christ and carried on by those they ordained to succeed them. Many Church Fathers, some of whom knew the apostles directly, say as much in their writings. Where protestantism downplays the importance of the institutional Church, the apostles and early Christians saw the Church as central and essential. And by the Church, they meant the actual institution they headed and all those who submit to it's teachings which are from Christ. When they describe the Church, they describe it as the bishops who received their authority from the apostles through the laying on of hands and those who have been baptized and under the authority of the bishop. As a protestant, I would have rejected the idea that any particular denomination could really claim to be the the same Church Jesus founded. But if you read the early Church writings, even by those who knew the apostles, you'll find them sounding VERY VERY Catholic.
I finally saw, even in the scriptures, that Jesus didn't write and distribute a book for people to live by, for us to interpret on our own. He called apostles, gave them authority, and founded a Church with authority to teach in his name and lead the world to him. And he prayed earnestly that his followers would be one, undivided. The New Testament (along with the Old) is absolutely the word of God and central to Christian faith, but it is also a product of the Church. So, there is a whole Christian tradition and deposit of fatih that the Bible is a part of. And the Catholic Church carries that full tradition and authority handed down by the apostles. That doesn't mean Catholics do every particular thing well all the time. And it doesn't mean all protestants are just wrong, bad, and going to hell. In fact, the Catholic Church acknowledges sincere protestants as brothers in Christ, and that the Grace of God is at work in them because of their faith in Christ. But it also holds that Christ founded one church and through it the means of salvation to the whole world. Protestants broke away from the Catholic Church historically and are imperfectly connected to the Church.
Much more I could say but this is overload enough. Lol. Apologies for the length. I only said so much because you were so charitable with your question which makes me feel that you would sincerely consider the answer. The short answer is: I didn't really reject anything. I accepted something.
@@timrichardson4018Beautiful and spot on! Thank you for what you have written.
@@16Brendthere's a lot of truth in what you say. I know my relationship with Christ grows so much through the Sacraments though. My faith would be only half-baked without them. God bless.
@@timrichardson4018never apologise for such a worthy answer, Tim!
Well said my brother in Christ.
As a Catholic who is married to a Calvinist, this is gold dust. Thank you.
The doctrine of redemptive suffering has powerfully changed my life. It’s so freeing. It makes so much sense to me now why we can actually be joyful and hopeful while also in pain and suffering. This interview was amazing. Thank you
Yes, its wonderful and deeply insightful. Suffering is such a part of life! Mother Teresa said "remember pain, sorrow, suffering are but the kiss of Jesus - a sign that you have come so close to Him that He can kiss you.”
@Eucharist Angel
You are still blind. Pray for enlightenment.
@Eucharist Angel you literally have the word Eucharist in your username. How can your comments towards others be so scornful?
@@briansardinas1359 Not very "angelic' either...
@Eucharist Angel please expound on official Catholic teaching on this matter.
As a cradle Catholic I’m so amazed at testimonies such as this - and also very humbled. Dr. Bergsma had to wrestle intellectually to understand and eventually accept doctrines which I learned from early childhood. Maybe this is why I have such a soft spot in my heart for converts to the Catholic faith. I respect the amount of prayer it takes to see Christ and His Apostles through their own original teaching for the first time. People like Dr. Bergsma make me thank Our Lord for His Church.
This was excellent!! Matt has the best interviews. As a recent convert, I have learned SO much from him and his guests. Thank you!!!!
Indeed, we should be strong in our Catholic Faith. God bless.
catholic hocus pocus is a fraud, do something about sicko priests
The Euchatist and doctrine of transubstantion led me to the Catholic Church after watching the second episode of "Mass of the Ages".
This interview was powerful and insightful...it gives one hope. THANK YOU!
@@Kitiwake Catholicism is a false gospel
Interview or near monologue?
@@CM-eg3glEither way, it's the truth. This is also just a 14 minute clip of a much longer (over an hour) podcast.
Redemptive suffering is truly a wonderful gift from Christ. I had a bible study with some guys from Cru ministry tonight, and we have been going through Romans. It was amazing how this video connected to what we discussed a bit. I, being the only Catholic in that group, without fully realizing it when I started, began talking about how Christ redeemed suffering and how we can have joy within it. Seeing the other guys having an understanding of that and sharing about that too allowed me to see greater the closeness of our Christian brothers and sisters, though there is a divide. I pray that I can eventually share with them the love of Christ in the Eucharist. God Bless Matt Fradd's ministry and the gift of St. Thomas Aquinas
You are making an incredible job with these interviews, thank you!
Guys I was born catholic...to me it feels like a gift like God literally hand picked us ....esp those who were born in a catholic family......it feels like a gift
its a blessing absolutely. but God handpicked everyone in history, catholic or not, to be apart of His plan
Sometimes us cradle Catholics go the long way round to find our faith though… the old grass is greener illusion (alternatively: don’t know what you have until you lose it). It’s been the case for me - I’m finally realising I had been taught the truth all along!
I feel I was chosen too - to suffer. I was born to atheist parents, used to ride my bike and sit outside an Anglican Church, listening to their Sunday services through an open window. Read my Bible in secret (which also had to be hidden). Eventually converted to Catholicism and lost all my family. I'm on my own - except I have Christ and for some reason, this is the way he wanted it to be for me.
@@clivejames5058 ❤🙏🏼
It is a gift !!!!!
I do think that out of all the Catholic teachings we have, the Eucharist is the hardest one for people to swallow. A few months ago my Protestant friends and I had some free time, and they were curious about the nature of the Eucharist and why I believed it wasn't cannibalistic. I explained its nature well, but they just couldn't wrap their heads around the Eucharist being legitimate. I suppose it is mentioned in the Bible that the Eucharist is a hard teaching.
I was thinking of Mary and the Teachings of the Church about her, but yeah the eucharist is also one of them.
@@renzothesonger5411 I like to think that the issue on Mary is just a matter of language and assumptions. People outside the Church think that we worship and adore Mother Mary when we actually just venerate and "adore' her in the other sense. Once you get that out of the way, there aren't that many reasons to disagree with the teaching. The Eucharist in the other hand, is something that Protestants can easily understand but is a difficult teaching to embrace.
@Eucharist Angel so...your name is "Eucharist Angel," yet you willfully deny the full teaching of the Eucharist presented by the Catholic Church - the same institution that originally compiled the modern Bible for future generations?
Maybe you should change your username.
@Eucharist Angel maybe you should publish your essay and gain some royalties. You might make a nice profit XD.
But in any case, the Bible's complete compilation was done under a council of Bishops a few hundred years after the resurrections of Christ. Forgive me for not memorizing the dates, but a quick Google search tells me the 73-book Catholic canon that we use today was completed in the council of Rome of 382 AD led by Pope Damascus. Future councils throughout the first and second centuries maintained this canon, the most notable one being the famous council of Trent in 1546 - a response to the Protestant revolution at the time.
Of course, this is not to say that the scriptures did not exist in the time of Christ and before hand. I mean to say that the Bible as we now understand it was formulated by the Church after all the scriptures were initially written.
@Eucharist Angel but is not a Church council's purpose to correct and to officiate teachings which the laity are unsure of? Why then would you be surprised that not everyone agreed that the 7 books you call the Apocrypha were part of canon? Even now there are people who do not agree with your interpretation of the scriptures. That is why the Church is necessary as an authorizing figure.
Wonderful sharing!
Come, Holy Spirit, come grant us hopeful hearts. Ps 85:9, Mt 5:24
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
Profound. Thank you. Keep it coming. God bless.
Great questions Matt
Read many of Dr.Bergma’s books , he is a skilled writer and his books are easy to read. Recommend highly Bible Basics and New Testament Basics for Catholics . Must read before you dive into the Bible. Thank you Dr. Beegsma
3:19 This is gold!!!
Thank you for the video, helps a lot
🙌 yes!! It was longing for the Eucharist which brought me to the Catholic Church too!😄
Excellent guest! Bergsma is a wonderful apologist for the faith. The Catholic Church has the fullness of faith! Everything else is thin in comparison.
@Eucharist Angel throughout history there have only been two infallible statements, and ever heard of the council of rome?
@Eucharist Angel Ok, why do you have Eucharist in your name if you don't believe in it? Just sayin'
@Eucharist Angel After the second Vatican council with its 2212 speeches and summarised , with a correct emphasis on scripture and reform was on its way but has been hijacked by well meaning catholics who are cemented into tradition. Within 20 years things will be vitally different.
We will have a pope under the Gospel and not human tradition .
@@colvinator1611 You may call me a dreamer but I am not the only one ! It is also true that every denomination of Christianity has doctrinal errors and sinful people
The Church is liken to a hospital and Christ is the physician. No one should ever be surprised that there is sin in us and we can all do better especially the Roman Catholic Church , when it finally takes on the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.
Revelation 17 is talking about Pagan Rome and not papal Rome , because when the Book Of revelation was written there was no pope hence no papacy and there was no Catholic Church in existence at that time but only independent Churches holding fast to Romans 10 verse 10 and 11.
If you hold fast to Romans 10 ;10 you are indeed my brother in Christ.
@Eucharist Angel Christ is the only High Priest of the Christian Religion and there is the priesthood of all believers.
The Apostle Peter called the church ......a chosen race , a royal priesthood , a consecrated nation , and a people set apart to sing the praises of God ,who called us out of darkness into his Wonderful Light
You and I comprise 2 of those people , so we are brothers in Christ because we both worship God our Father through Christ our elder brother by the power of the holy Spirit who lives in us.
This podcast lead me to study the church history and it took all of a few months to reject the reformation. Don't know how you can earnestly study the lineage of the church and embrace protestantism.
I think we all can fairly critique the church as and institution, but the church body is the greatest force for good in the world today
Same here, when are you starting RCIA?
This happened to me last year. We're Catholic now.
Satan does a good job in blinding people. Look at how some of the Pharisees still denied Jesus when miracles performed right before thier eyes. Satan is doing the same thing to others that think they know the truth. You can't know the truth unless you truly accept the Eucharist is the blood and body of christ
Catholicism is in fact a heresy throughout the history taking money for forgiveness killed millions in the name of christ, worked with many regimes including nazis, countless pedo scandals and the list goes on
@@davemaverick8438 there will always be bad people. The teachings of the Catholic church is a solid foundation from christ. People in the church just are called wovles in sheeps clothing. IN fact every religion has these kinds of people. If these people listened to the church's teachings they would not have done these acts. Satan will attack the true church of Jesus and infiltrate it as much as possible. So these things are expected to happen within the church. Peace to you brother. The Catholic church teaching is still the truth and you should not deny it.
It would be awesome to read the emails sent back and fourth
I have never heard of a faithful Catholic after having been exposed to the writings of the early church fathers (Irenaeus, Justin the Martyr, Ignatius of Antioch, etc.) turn away from the church and become Protestant. My Catholic faith was strong before I read the Early Churches but incredibly strong afterwards. Especially impactful to me was Justin The Martyr’s First Apology to the emperor where he explains the nature of the Eucharist:
“For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh. For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, This do in remembrance of Me, Luke 22:19 this is My body; and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, This is My blood; and gave it to them alone.”
Whoa! This is like listening to another language from another universe!
God Bless
I am grateful to God for allowing me to be born in a Filipino 🇵🇭 Catholic family.
I read somewhere (I'm sure someone will remind me) that the angels envy us because they are unable to suffer for Christ. That's such an amazing thought to me.
I am not sure and don't take my word as law, but I think that it was a moment in the life of St. Padre Pio that in one conversation with his guardian angel he asked him about suffering and the angel replied something between those lines that you wrote, I am not sure if he meant the good angels that serve God but it seems that the fallen ones were envious probably because we as humans can even give our sufferings up as a prayer to God. Correct me still.
@@celestin777 I remember it being the good angels that serve God. (I'm sure the fallen angels envy ANYONE besides themselves.
Deusvult ; that is simply a pious opinion and devoid of all reality ! Angels are pure spirits who are blissfully happy !
Yes, I have heard similar, but not envy.
Just that angels acknowledge a few things; angels, unlike humans, are not able to participate in the creative act of God when He creates a new human person, and they are not able to receive the Eucharist.
I've never heard it with respect to suffering, though. Of course, angels aren't envious, they are in the presence of God Himself. But I remember hearing something about them being aware of some of the precious gifts God has given to man.
If the Eucharist is really Jesus, then I've got to be there! That was exactly the thought that got me to the Catholic Church ❤❤❤
Thank you.
Interestingly enough, the common objections tend to center in familial terms:
The Holy FATHER (Pope)
The MOTHER of God (Mary)
The SON of God (in the Eucharist)
Amen. If that’s really Jesus, I’ve got to be there. 1997. C&MA to Catholic.
The thing I don't understand with suffering is having the very solution denied to you multiple times. I'm completely lonely, and through out highschool i've been completely lonely because I could not find anything online for people my age, while seeing on social media with my friends going to parties i'm not invited to, teaching kids about christianity, and so on.
When I try to talk to my old (not by age) friends, they are monosylabic.
I've been praying about this for weeks, and so far nothing. I don't know where to look for because I'm right out of highschool, and I'm too old for highschool summer events/activities. I genuinly don't know where to look.
I don't have facebook or instagram. I deleted my accounts for personal reasons.
I've started praying and asking for friends that I can hang on to last week.
I just want my old friends back, or at least new ones that are of similar character to the ones I met.
I happened to read your comment over this video and I just ant you to know that I prayed for your deep concern. May God bless you!
Praying for you brother. Do you have a local parish or church? Look up some local Christian communities online, there’s a few young fellas and felletes like you who want to get together in the name of the Lord. God be with you broski
Sorry to hear about this experience. Do you have any universities or colleges near you? See if they have an outreach to Catholic students at the school and those people would be able to contact you with faithful Catholics 18+. If they are a Newman Center you are welcome to go along as any Catholic parish, but I would reach out to the leadership first. You could also call your Diocese and ask what they have available for young adults. I will keep you in my prayers.
I was once in your situation and my only friend was Jesus. And I told Him everything.. and that everything was prayer. Later after 8 years I got some good frnds which I lost again but I prayed for 2 years and then I got a bestfrnd for life and she is my human dairy .
But still Jesus is my best friend. Don't feel lonely.. and when times are bad saints are our friends. I talk to them. They don't reply back. But they give me peace. The ability to move on. Move on with no one at my side. ( Recently, when everyone was against me and no one to confide my problems and literally crying for more than an hour I called on mama Mary , St. Joseph, St. Anne and St. Joachim.. And immediately I was filled with peace and deep sleep. And morning all prblms vanished. I'm just giving some examples 😅)
Finally : Maybe Jesus wanted you only for Him. Embrace His friendship 💙
Is there a “youth ministry” at your church? If so, I’d advise you to talk to whomever is leading it., or your pastor, perhaps you could help start one. I’m sure there are many young persons who feel the same, just have to connect with each other. Remember, we are all part of the “body of Christ”. I will say a prayer fir you today. God Bless! 🇨🇦🙏💐♥️
Thank you
I grew up Evangelical (still am) 25 miles north of Grove City College, married a faithful Catholic girl 40 years ago, 6/13/81, here in WI. Through some recent ‘soul searching’ & testimony of Scott Hahn & this site & finding & local Parish (& young, ‘faithful’ Priest); I’m “warming up” to considering becoming Catholic.
My 33 year old son was Baptized into the Church this past Easter; I was unbelievably proud of his decision!
I attend a Missouri Synod Lutheran Church; up until the last six months; communion which is weekly practiced ‘feels’ cheap
Also, sin & repentance is NEVER even mentioned. The first thing the Priest says at the start of mass; is addressing the sin issue. Sin will keep us from our eternal rest w/ God; it is rarely mentioned in typical evangelical churches anymore; unlike how I was raised in NW PA!
I accepted Christ 54 years ago; asking him to forgive because I knew I was a sinner...still am and in need of his forgiveness by his grace.
Also Scott Hahn has helped ‘demythologize’ the Church a great deal.
I’m still having a great deal of problems though w/ your Pope.
If a guy like PJII were still in, I,d more, than less likely to get off the dime.
Love your respectful, insiteful
Insightful dialogues.
@@dmotzing Don I am a convert from atheism. The way I see it we have to decide "is this true?" If the Gospel as taught by the Catholic Church is true, having lukewarm or even publically sinful members within it is somewhat irrelevant. Jesus had Judas, in fact he instituted the Eucharist "on the night he was betrayed" (which the priest says at every Mass). We should look to those who are attempting to live the full truth as it is taught by the Church in the grace of the Holy Spirit and not those who are in rebellion against it or calling it into question. Just as I am sure within your current Church community you wouldn't encourage new converts to take the word of the most cynical or skeptical of the congregation. I would suggest you spend private time in prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament and bring your doubts to Jesus. God you bless you friend 🙏.
@@beautifulspirit7420 Thank you for your thoughtful response. You are right, I’d never want people to judge authenticity of my current Christian orientation based poor examples; but when that example is the Pope and it seems most of the Bishops....
But I know you are correct; if Truth is Truth; it is irrespective of the human beings in it.
Thank you.
@@dmotzing of course horrible Christians multilate and militate against the Gospel. A saintly and holy individual in my experience is a much greater evangelist for Christ than arguing about theological points. Maybe read the lives of the saints (especially in the last 100 years - JP II is a great example - he also evangelized me). Perhaps ask your wife if she knows a very holy priest or lay person and just spend time with them, see if that helps. Then you have all the head knowledge combined with the grace of a fully actualized Christ-ike life. I had no idea holy people really existed when I was an atheist. I was very startled when I met one, more than one. There is no explanation for holiness except grace.
MARVELOUS
That is so true about the habit of complaining @ protestant group gatherings ... have been part of EU ( evangelical union ) all my college life .. critical thinking or criticism is so much there...
I felt the same way about the Eucharist. I still feel odd about Marian doctrine and some other stuff, but the truth of the Eucharist basically invalidated the entirety of Protestantism.
No not the entirety of protestantism. Many but not entirely...
Hardly. God doesn't take up His dwelling in bread, but His people. Col 1 says 'Christ IN YOU the hope of glory..' Not Christ in bread or wine. The rcc eucharist is a lie. To believe god indwells food that must be eaten to have life is an incredible mangling of Gods word.
@@ContendingEarnestly i spent many years researching this before I made up my mind. You're not changing my mind with your interpretation of a Bible verse. Protestantism is never again an option for me. Take care. God bless you.
Much of the doctrines involving Mary are typology or old testament prefigurations and their new testament fulfillments.
Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant, the new Eve and the Queen mother (Bathsheeba).
That she is the new ark is revealed in the annunciation. When Gabriel tells her the power of the most high will overshadow you. This is the same language used in refrence to the ark. Also the location and amount of time spent are refrences to the ark (Hills of Judea and 3 months). The leaping of John in her womb is David dancing before the Ark and Elizabeth under the influence of the Holy Spirit echoes the words of David. Who am I that the ark of my lord should come before me. In the book of revelation in chapter 11 John is describing that he sees the Ark but instead of describing a chest in chapter 12 he describes a woman. The contents of her womb whicg is Christ is represented in the old ark. The tablets (word of God) the staff Aaron (Christ as High Priest) and the bread of the presence
@@erock5b So you spent years researching but still feel 'odd' about marian dogmas and other stuff? Sorry but i don't believe you. None of the roman catholic church's marian dogmas are in the bible, none. Nor is there any passage where bread magically turns into god, nor do we see anyone thinking they are eating god. Thats paganism pure and simple. And its not my job to convince you of anything. Thats Gods job. Looks like He has some work to do.
Would be interesting for you to interview Dr. E. Micheal Jones
5:00 wow they hid Augustine's comment about the Eucharist from Calvinist students?...... 😳 Wicked!
That's actually evil.
May I ask for your help in clarifying the Catholic perspective on the practise of prayers to Saints and Mary? A protestant lady was chatting with me online on the subject of Mary and we got onto the topic of how we pray and ask Mary and the Saints for intercessory prayers. Her understanding/denomination see the saints, holy souls and Mary as asleep and remaining that way until the second coming of Christ which is why she saw prayers to Mary, etc for their intercessory prayers a useless endeavor and might even be considered as necromancy. I wanted to continue the talk but was just drawing a blanks on where to pull the relevant references to best help her understand how that's not the case and why we had a different take on it. Appreciate any insights. :)
It's been a really nice, open chat so far where we're not aggressively debating 'sides' or anything so this is more to help clarify our position on this as Catholics. For example, at the start of the chat she mistakenly thought we flat out worshiped the Saints and Mary as equals alongside God, I was shooketh to learn that was their perception of Catholics! :L
Jesus said that God is the God of the living and not the dead. Like the previous person wrote, Jesus spoke to Moses and Elijah on Mount Tabor in front of Peter, James, and John.
The dead know not anything...and bringing in the parable of lazurus and the rich man...was it real or figurative...or lemme ask where is heaven and hell...can those in heaven talk to those in hell...in many instances we've been told...facts...not stories or parables...the dead know not anything....they're asleep....the assumption that the dead are "alive" only create room for the devil to talk to you in their image...as for me I don't talk to dead people....including saints because i am sure they can't hear you...
Are you really surprised a corrupted version of Catholicism lies about the one true faith?
Catholic teachings and beliefs are virtually identical to those of the early Christians. It's the Catholic Church that "made" the Bible.
2 years late, but maybe it will be helpful for someone.
Check out Revelation 6, verses 9 to 11.
Seems like John sees in his vision souls of Christian martyrs, killed because of spreading the Gospel (Word of God). They are asking God to revenge their blood and are being told to wait/rest until the other believers will be martyred.
That does not explain praying to Saints, but to me it sounds as if they are not just unconscious and asleep, but have some conscience and contact with God.
This is just my interpretation and Revelation is definitely not an easy book, so I may understand it incorrectly, but I wanted to share it.
Intercessory prayer, especially asking for the saints' intercession, has deep roots in early Christian tradition, supported by the writings of Church Fathers and ecumenical councils. These practices reflect the early Church's understanding of the communion of saints, which has been a consistent part of Christian belief since apostolic times. Far from being heretical, this tradition enriches our shared faith by emphasizing the unity and interconnection of all believers, both in heaven and on earth.
I remember to be reading St. Ignatius of Antioch when I was protestant and was shocked of how "catholic" he sounded. That moment had a huge impact for my conversion
Because the early Christians were Catholic.
@@themonsterunderyourbed9408 yeah, but I didn’t know about that before becoming catholic 😅
The Real Presence of the body and blood of Jesus in the Eucharist is in my opinion the most important part of catholic teaching. Without the Real Presence there is nothing!
If there was no Real Presence I couldn’t be bothered being a catholic....I’d run off and go to Hillsong or something....better preaching and better music with the occasional miracle thrown in.
Yes!
vickersonp ; where 2 or 3 gather together in Christ's name He is there in the midst of them.
Question 16 in Baltimore Catechism ; God is present everywhere
@@peterj6740 God is present everywhere. Catholics believe that. Jesus also started a Catholic church he wants you to be in. You are against it. Protestants go to a man made church. Why do you go to a man made church?
@@peterj6740
That’s true, but Jesus is truly present , body and blood, in the Eucharist. That is why we have Eucharistic adoration. That is why we don’t adore 2 or three gathered in His Name. Yes he is present but not in the miraculous way that He is in the Eucharist.
@@johnyang1420 So you have answered your own question and that is God is fully present everywhere at the same time and all of the time.
So if we have faith we believe in the real presence of God wherever we are. That is Catholic teaching without a doubt !
St.Ignatious of Antioch the Catholic Bishop & priest was a disciple & the boy on Jesus lap at his discourse at caphaernum.
I don’t understand how Protestants can reject the holy virgin, when arguably the greatest miracle in Christian history (Lady of Fatima) was performed by Mary
Al Carbo ; If the sun actually danced and came down towards earth , why did not the whole world experience it.
The earth revolves around the sun , and the sun does not move closer to earth , if it did then planet earth would have burnt up.
Also the late pope John Paul ii finally agreed the Church was wrong when Galileo was condemned for believing that the earth moved and not the sun.
And not all the people at Fatima saw the sun dance or moved towards the earth.
Is Our Lady of Fatima actually the same Mary of the Scriptures.
The Virgin Mary last words in scripture was TO DO WHATEVER HE( JESUS ) tells you
Protestants believe the Apparitions of Mary are not authentic !
@@peterj6740 The sun dance was witnessed by 5,000 people and was seen by eye-witnesses more than 15 miles away, not to mention the impeccable predictions of the future from Fatima, and what a comp out bringing up Galileo, and FYI the sun didn’t move literally it was a miracle it can’t be explained, however we do have video footage of the sun dance, and I love how you use the same arguments as 2 bit atheist
@@alcarbo8613 70.000 people were present at Fatima on that day and as you say .only 5,000 witnessed the sun dance.
You have answered your own question, because if a miracle happened all should have seen it.
There is such a thing as auto-suggestion and a lot of sincere people were in a state of mind , hoping to see a miracle and it happened in their own mind.
@@peterj6740 Not true 5,000 people were at Fatima from every Know, if 70,000 present which I don’t believe so than 70,000 witnessed, and there were many atheist and agnostics at Fatima who were incredibly skeptical and waiting for it to disproven, let’s just say they didn’t leave Atheists and Agnostic, not to mention your ignoring off all other aspects of Fatima, it seems more like you refuse to believe this incredible miracle given to us by god to warn us of communism and WW2, to preserve your false worldview, and unwillingness to admit The literal Mother God can be a figure worthy of veneration
@@alcarbo8613 I was not present at Fatima on that day , and it was all based on hearsay evidence.
People believe they have seen ghosts or flying saucers , and all that is hearsay evidence.
These apparitions of Mary are very questionable and can deceive the very elect , of which Christ warned us to be on the watch.
Test the spirits on whether it is, truly God sent ,as St Paul warned us.
The Scriptural Mary never performed one miracle , at Cana it was performed by Christ himself ; do whatever He tells you .... (not I ) said the Blessed Virgin herself.
All generations will call me Blessed said Mary and all Christians respect her , and she never wanted to be adored but respected , she wanted God alone to be adored .
God never sent her to preach the gospel but sent his chosen 12.
Matthew 22. Know it and follow it.
These objections would be very minor for me as I can think through them and make sense of them. It's the sexual crimes that completely terrify me. I don't know how to overcome this hurdle.
This article may be useful for you...
www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/is-sex-abuse-a-catholic-problem
@@tylernewton5222 Thanks for the article.
You won't leave Christ for Judas.
How can you object to what God wants? Nobody can argue with God.
The only thing I dislike about the Catholic church is RCIA. I want to be baptized but I need to go through RCIA and my work schedule is not normal.
I've studied Augustine and aware of his calvinistic views. I wonder since Catholics don't believe in this doctrine (thank God), why are they following one of the early church fathers who does?
That’s such a great question. You should call in Called to Communion and ask Dr David Anders.
@@aadamy I was trying to become Catholic but this tradition of the early church fathers is a stumbling block. This is a prime example!
Thanks for the support!
Sister, not many would ever agree that St Augustine was a Calvinist apart from Calvinists. Let’s be honest here. The guy was a Catholic Bishop (!) and is currently a Doctor of the Catholic Church, for sure one of the three most important theologians of all times. Of course he used a “heavy pen” against the heresy of Pelagianism and that particularity was instrumentally used by Calvinists to claim their position. But it is polemical and the more solid position is that Calvin selected some parts of St Augustine to present the antiquity of his doctrine, specially in the theology of grace. I’d say in no way Augustine defended any sort of theory of “double predestination”, which is a grave heresy according to the Catholic Church (look for the documents of the Council of Trent, specially the Canons on Justification, it is easy to find them on the Internet). But even if St Augustine had a heterodox vision in this matter, no individual Church Father is infallible in his theology.
God bless!
Augustine also said he wouldn’t believe in the bible except for the authority of the Catholic Church. I’m not ready to concede his teaching on predestination is the same as Calvin’s but even if it was that’s one topic out of the many he wrote extensively about. He can be wrong once.
www.catholic.com/qa/augustine-had-it-right-calvin-did-not
There shpuld be a clipbof this on redeptive suffering.
Is there any chance you can do an episode about comparative theology? What about Father Francis Xavier Clooney as a guest? Praying this will happen!!!
Matthew 23:9
Gavin Ortlund has a video on real presence. It's the historical Protestant view.
Still makes no sense to me... i would really love to have more clarification... like if we're all co redeemers...why is mary higher...why can't i just pray through me...i mean she's dead so she can't hear
Redemptive suffering is another gospel. 😢
@weaponofchoice-tc7qs You are out of context, Romans 5:1 [1] “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 2:8-10. [8] “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” These are just a couple examples. When studying scripture, you need to study in context of all scripture. Let me know if you have any questions. 😀
@weaponofchoice-tc7qs Paul is not teaching that anything is lacking in salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, but what is lacking in himself. Acts 9:16
16] “For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” Paul is suffering, being persecuted for the Gospel of Christ he preaches, not redemptive suffering as taught by the roman catholic church. Let me know if you have any questions. 😀
@weaponofchoice-tc7qs Titus 3:5-7 [5] he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, [6] whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, [7] so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
@weaponofchoice-tc7qs I see you commenting all over RUclips over the last couple of hours, but absolutely no rely to my response, “Tick tick tick”. 🤣
@weaponofchoice-tc7qs As you can see, your righteous works salvation is not taught by Paul and is not scriptural.
Remember, Antioch could have been wrong, as many prophets of old misrepresented the character of God (more often than I would like to admit) and that's okay. I'm a protestant but I'll never describe the eucharist as "idolatry", actually protestants practice the eucharist but in a different way and not that often, but I understand how different people can have a different approach to God and still be valid in the eyes of our Father.
Do you believe that God sent His Son to save us through his life, death and resurrection? Do you put your trust in Jesus? You are my brother and sister! Do you express your faith in a different way than I do? So be it! Amen!
The Son also established a church and Authority on Peter. Think about that to.
@@bruno-bnvm yes I don't have a problem with that INTERPRETATION... It's fine if you or anyone believe that, I won't lable them as heretics or idolaters at all...
I would have expected to hear more meat on the objection bones... I liked Matt's question.
I also don't know how people sort of the history of the Eucharist in the Catholic church...
My only big objection to catholicism is that I'm not willing to call any man on Earth "Father" with a capital "F"; same I won't call any man "God". I can't do it and I won't do it.
I also think they aren't right about Mary- they've deified her far beyond anything that is in the Word unfortunately. I'm even down with the rosary because she can be venerated but they lost me at the immaculate conception. If both of the parents of Jesus were completely without sin, He wasn't really born a real human man was He?
But I will say the catholic church is absolutely 100% correct about the Eucharist, thank God!! And that is the most important and they have kept the true faith going on it all these years God bless the catholic church!!
OK, so then become a Christian by disowning your own daddy. How absurd!
Paul declares himself a father.
@weaponofchoice-tc7qs no He gave this teaching to His disciples, and YES it was about the pharisees and the religious leaders of the time, and Jesus was contrasting them with how He wanted His own church leaders to behave.
I see how the leaders of the catholic church adorn themselves with special robes and special hats and costumes, and take their seats in the honored places, and it is clear to me that they completely missed this teaching from Jesus.
Jesus was not talking about what titles children should use for their earthly parents, but rather what titles He wanted (and DIDNT want) His own church leaders to use.
And sure enough, of the few titles explicitly prohibited by Jesus Christ, the very first thing they do after He is gone is go and call themselves "Holy Father" one of the few titles Jesus specifically instructed them NOT to use.
You wicked generation! Hard of hearing and hard of heart!
Listen to the words of Jesus!
dude, this is cool
What I can’t figure out is what does it mean that it’s the real flesh….? Like is blood going to leak out as we eat it? Like that’s my one issue…. What the hell does it mean specifically
Glorified body and blood of Christ, not the literal body.
Sorry for reviving this old comment...
The Church fathers that Bergsma mentioned elaborate on this. Transubstantiation is that the substance truly is flesh and blood. It just has the physical properties of bread and wine.
But truly, in every sense except physical, it's Christ Himself.
@@justinfoard3322There are many documented eucharist miracles
Sometimes blood does leak out of the Eucharist though. But it's normally the body, soul and divinity of Jesus under the appearance of bread and wine.
I grew up Catholic and, as a young adult, I became Reformed. I am writing this respectfully: Let's say that John the Apostle dictated those words about the Eucharist to Ignatius, so that Ignatius captured the apostle's mind. To me, we are still five hundred miles away from Transubstantiation. Real Presence and Transubstantiation are not one and the same--one may agree with the former and not accept the latter. How am I wrong?
I agree, transubstantiation is bullshit.
"Oh I know this still looks, and tastes like regular bread, abd wine, and nothing seemingly special about it, but it really is the physical flesh, and blood of christ, and that truth is just obscured to everyone"
No such nonsense is used in the new testimate to explain any of Jesus's miracles, or any of thr apostles miracles.
I am a born again Christian saved by the grace of my lord and savior Jesus christ who shed his blood for my sins.
And though I'd really like the idea of being apart of the "one true apolitical church" I just cant get around that kind of blatantly inconsistency, and honestly just bullshit. I have no other word for it except bullshit.
Imagine trying to use the same logic for miraculous healings many people experience
" christ had healed you of yoir blindness my son"
'
"But I still cant see"
"Nonsense your eyesight is merely transubstantiated, you actually can see, but it appears to all, even yourself that you cannot"
Summary of the Case for Real Presence in the Eucharist
In the Bible, the concepts of bread and wine appear frequently and carry deep meanings that point towards the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Let's explore how these elements move from simple food to profound symbols of Jesus' presence.
Bread
Starting in the Old Testament, we see Melchizedek, a priest, offering bread and wine to Abram. This act is an early hint that these elements are special (Genesis 14:18-20). Later, God provides manna, bread from heaven, to sustain the Israelites in the desert, showing that bread is not just food but also a divine gift (Exodus 16:4-15). The showbread in the Tabernacle, called the "bread of the Presence," symbolizes God's ongoing presence with His people (Leviticus 24:5-9). In the New Testament, Jesus declares Himself the Bread of Life, stating that eating His flesh brings eternal life, making it clear that He is truly present in this bread (John 6:35, 51-58). At the Last Supper, Jesus takes bread, blesses it, and says, "This is my body," establishing the Eucharist as His true body, not just a symbol (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-24).
Wine
Similarly, wine is rich with meaning in the Bible. Melchizedek's offering of wine along with bread hints at its future significance (Genesis 14:18-20). During the first Passover, the blood of the lamb, which saved the Israelites, foreshadows Jesus' sacrificial blood (Exodus 12:7-13). In Isaiah, the vineyard and wine represent God’s care and the people’s relationship with Him (Isaiah 5:1-7). Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding at Cana, turning water into wine, symbolizes transformation and points towards the wine of the Eucharist (John 2:1-11). Jesus also speaks of His blood as true drink, insisting on its necessity for eternal life (John 6:53-56). At the Last Supper, He takes the cup of wine and declares, "This is my blood of the covenant," making the wine His true blood, not just a reminder of it (Matthew 26:27-28; Mark 14:23-24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25-26).
Passover as Participation
In Jewish tradition, the Passover was not seen as merely symbolic. The annual Passover meal was a remembrance, but in Jewish context, "remembrance" (Hebrew: זִכָּרוֹן, zikkaron) means a participation in the original event. Each time Jews celebrate Passover, they are not simply recalling the Exodus; they are participating in it. This is not a re-sacrifice but a re-presentation, making the past event present and real for those who partake. This understanding is key to comprehending the Eucharist. When Jesus says, "Do this in memory of me," He is inviting believers to participate in His once-for-all sacrifice, made present in the Eucharist, just as the Passover makes the Exodus present for Jews.
Connecting the Old and New Testaments
Understanding the mythology, symbolism, and allegorical nature of the Bible requires zooming out and connecting the Old and New Testaments. The stories in the Bible are not just filler; they contain details that matter deeply. For example, the bread and wine offered by Melchizedek, the manna from heaven, and the showbread in the Tabernacle are all significant details that connect to Jesus' teachings and actions in the New Testament. By seeing these connections, we understand that the Eucharist is not merely symbolic but a fulfillment of God's plan revealed throughout the entire Bible. The detailed stories in both Testaments illustrate a consistent theme of God’s real presence with His people, culminating in the Eucharist.
Understanding of the Apostles and Their Immediate Followers
The belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist was not just an invention of later generations but was understood by the apostles and their immediate followers.
• Ignatius of Antioch: A disciple of the Apostle John, Ignatius described the Eucharist as "the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ" (Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 7:1). This indicates a clear belief in the Real Presence from someone directly taught by the apostles.
• Justin Martyr: Writing in the second century, Justin explained that the Eucharist is not common bread and drink but the flesh and blood of Jesus (First Apology, 66). His writings show that this belief was widespread among early Christians.
• Irenaeus of Lyons: A student of Polycarp, who was himself a disciple of John, Irenaeus emphasized the Eucharist as the body and blood of Christ in his work "Against Heresies". This shows the continuity of belief from the apostles to their disciples.
• Cyril of Jerusalem: In his "Mystagogical Catecheses," Cyril taught that the bread and wine truly become the body and blood of Christ through the words of consecration. This catechetical instruction reflects the early and consistent teaching of the Church.
Conclusion
Throughout the Bible, bread and wine are shown to be more than just food and drink. They symbolize God's presence and His relationship with His people. When Jesus uses these elements at the Last Supper and declares them to be His body and blood, He is not just speaking symbolically. He is making Himself truly present in the Eucharist. This belief in the Real Presence means that in the Eucharist, we are not just remembering Jesus, but we are actually receiving Him in a very real and profound way. This understanding is deeply rooted in Scripture and the consistent teaching of the Church throughout history, making the Eucharist a true encounter with Jesus, not just a symbolic act. The Jewish context of Passover as a participatory remembrance further solidifies the Eucharist as a real, ongoing participation in Christ's sacrifice. By connecting the details of biblical stories from the Old Testament to the New, we see a clear and purposeful revelation of the Real Presence in the Eucharist. The understanding of the apostles and their immediate followers confirms that this belief has been a consistent part of Christian faith from the very beginning.
Thank God for Martin Luther! 🙌
Pope St. John Paul II, ora pro nobis!! 🙏🏼
For the sake of argument, if the real presence was the tipping point, why not become Lutheran?
A Lutheran church in Minnesota recited a “sparkle creed” about the “nonbinary God” and Jesus’ “two dads” during its Sunday service
Edina Community Lutheran Church Pastor Anna Helgen asked the congregation to stand in “body or spirit” to “confess our faith” in the “sparkle creed,” The church went on to chant a statement of faith in the “nonbinary God” and in Jesus Christ, “who had two dads.”
“I believe in the nonbinary God, whose pronouns are plural. I believe in Jesus Christ, their child, who wore a fabulous tunic, and had two dads and saw everyone as a sibling child of God,” the church recited. “I believe in the rainbow spirit who shatters our image of one white light and refracts it into a rainbow of gorgeous diversity. I believe in the church of everyday saints, as numerous, creative and resilient as patches on the … quilt. Whose feet are grounded in mud and whose eyes gaze at the stars in wonder. I believe in the calling to each of us that love is love is love, so beloved let us love. I believe, glorious God, help my unbelief, Amen.”
hope that answers you question
My only hang up with Mary is the idea of her being perfect. I just can't accept that idea.
The eucharist was one of my first accepted beliefs. It also led me to move away from the Baptist church.
Thank u for your words. In fact in the Bible only few words of Mother Mary were recorded and remember Jesus spent 30 years with his Mother before starting his ministry at the age of 30 years. In Luke 1:48, mother Mary said that "all generations shall call her blessed" and am not quite sure if our brothers in other denominations do the same, and when the angle greeted her, he said that "you are favored by God" which signifies her importance of being favored by God. When Mother Mary greeted Elizabeth, she was filled with the Holy spirit and she said in a load voice that “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child that you will have", here her sister said that she is the most blessed of all women by the power of the Holy spirit and this applies to every woman and in this conversation, we can see that Elizabeth point Mother Mary and the fruit of her womb (Jesus) to be the blessed ones. Later on Elizabeth said that "I feel blessed that the mother of my Lord is visiting me", here Elizabeth felt blessed of Mary the Mother of Jesus Luke Luke 1:42-43. Thank u once again
I'm pretty sure anyone who goes to heaven is cleansed of sin completely and thus perfect in that respect. Christ's death and resurrection went back in time to prevent her from falling into the pit of sin in the first place. I hope this helps!
Sin cannot be close to God. Do you really think Jesus could have been born of Mary had she not been sinless.
Mary: Daughter of God, Bride of the Holy Spirit, Mother of Jesus.
It would be insane not to honor/pay respects to her and her decision to say yes to God.
👍👍👍🙌🙌🙌
Transubstantiation is a deal-breaker for me. Aristotelian metaphysics doesn't work under modern quantum physics.
It's a hard teaching, how can you accept that? Transubstantiation is simply the catholic churches explanation of the "mystery of faith" that is required for the eucharist. But, if you don't believe it then don't participate. If you want the truth read the early church fathers. The ones who were preaching the scripture at the time the new testament canon was being written and prior to that. The eucharistic belief that Jesus is present was a universal belief in the early church for 16 centuries. If you don't believe me just research it for yourself. Find some pre 500 AD church father who believed the eucharist was just a symbolic or memorial. There is no one. none. nada. not one.
@@JB91484 Doesn't matter. Church authority doesn't change nonsense to sense, and Aristotelian metaphysics is bunk. In some abstract ways Christ is present, I'll allow; but iit's nonsense to say the bread and wine literally becomes Christ any more than any other physical stuff is the Word of God.
@@grantbartley483 it's not "authority" it's what every single Christian believed at the time of Christ's death. It's the mystery of faith.
Look at the Gospel of John. What miracles does Jesus preform? He Changes water into wine. He multiplies bread. He walks on water. He is God. He changed the nature of a substance, multiplied a substance and then defied the law of nature walking on water. But, he can't change the essence of a thing?
The Eucharist is the "New Covenant". You know what Testament means? Covenant. The Eucharist ritual replaced the old passover jewish covenant with the new one.
@@JB91484 Yes, he changed water into wine. But the wine did not continued to look and taste like (ie, be) water.
To me transubstantiation is just another case of the Catholic church's inability to admit when they've been wrong. That's the worst thing about Catholicism to me.
@@grantbartley483 Again, that is the philosophical explanation for the teaching of Jesus. John 6:60 (NIV):
"On hearing it, many of his disciples said, 'This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?'"
I guess you are in that camp too?
It's not the catholic church saying it's his body. It's Jesus. Read John 6. Read it as a 1st century Jew. They did not think he was being symbolic, that is why they all left.
Bergsma was wrong to leave the authority of scripture. When we bring non biblical ideas into our faith we go astray.
@weaponofchoice-tc7qs the church has the authority to bind and loose, but not in contradiction to scripture. We do not contradict scripture, and if we act with the spiritual gifts of wisdom and discernment that only come from the Holy Spirit then we can bind and loose. You know very well the corruption throughout Church history. The NT books have apostolic authority and are in agreement with each other. There are no more apostles, so the scripture is our authority which cannot be contradicted in our theology or actions.
@@MMC9583 How do you know Christ gave the church to St Peter and his successors? Christ never spoke about successors. There many other blasphemous teaching in the Roman Catholic church. The Protestant churches started when the pope was selling induldgences in exchange for getting time out of purgagtory. There is only one church and it is made of all those who have placed their faith in Christ for the forgiveness of their sin.
@@CatholicDefender-bp7my it’s easy to prove them wrong because they cherry pick, ignore the contexts, add to the scripture, and have terrible hermeneutics.
calvinist are very strong againts Catholic
Some people were predestined to become Catholics
@@mariorizkallah5383 by that same logic (for lack of a better term) many must have been predestined to leave the RCC also...and God does use means through human agency to accomplish. It doesn't follow that therefore God has not predestined....Even Aquinas and Augustine had a strong doctrine of Predestination. That kind of remark seems glib and lacks depth. It's the kind of thing that Leighton Flowers says.
Could someone who understands this please show me in scripture where it details the facts of the Eucharist and the Marian Dogmas. God actually indwelling in food and drink to the point where you actually pray to it would require extraordinary proof for me to change my belief system. I do feel that Christ is present in some way during this process but I need a scriptural basis for me to believe that the bread and wine are transformed into the actual flesh and blood of Jesus. Also could someone explain the Marian dogmas? She clearly was not a perpetual virgin and scripture mentions nothing as far as I know about her being taken into heaven. I mean this with all sincerity could someone please point me to the scriptural basis for such beliefs. Because as it stands right now in my journey to the truth it seems there are some serious interpretive gymnastics going on here.
Summary of the Case for Real Presence in the Eucharist
In the Bible, the concepts of bread and wine appear frequently and carry deep meanings that point towards the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Let's explore how these elements move from simple food to profound symbols of Jesus' presence.
Bread
Starting in the Old Testament, we see Melchizedek, a priest, offering bread and wine to Abram. This act is an early hint that these elements are special (Genesis 14:18-20). Later, God provides manna, bread from heaven, to sustain the Israelites in the desert, showing that bread is not just food but also a divine gift (Exodus 16:4-15). The showbread in the Tabernacle, called the "bread of the Presence," symbolizes God's ongoing presence with His people (Leviticus 24:5-9). In the New Testament, Jesus declares Himself the Bread of Life, stating that eating His flesh brings eternal life, making it clear that He is truly present in this bread (John 6:35, 51-58). At the Last Supper, Jesus takes bread, blesses it, and says, "This is my body," establishing the Eucharist as His true body, not just a symbol (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-24).
Wine
Similarly, wine is rich with meaning in the Bible. Melchizedek's offering of wine along with bread hints at its future significance (Genesis 14:18-20). During the first Passover, the blood of the lamb, which saved the Israelites, foreshadows Jesus' sacrificial blood (Exodus 12:7-13). In Isaiah, the vineyard and wine represent God’s care and the people’s relationship with Him (Isaiah 5:1-7). Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding at Cana, turning water into wine, symbolizes transformation and points towards the wine of the Eucharist (John 2:1-11). Jesus also speaks of His blood as true drink, insisting on its necessity for eternal life (John 6:53-56). At the Last Supper, He takes the cup of wine and declares, "This is my blood of the covenant," making the wine His true blood, not just a reminder of it (Matthew 26:27-28; Mark 14:23-24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25-26).
Passover as Participation
In Jewish tradition, the Passover was not seen as merely symbolic. The annual Passover meal was a remembrance, but in Jewish context, "remembrance" (Hebrew: זִכָּרוֹן, zikkaron) means a participation in the original event. Each time Jews celebrate Passover, they are not simply recalling the Exodus; they are participating in it. This is not a re-sacrifice but a re-presentation, making the past event present and real for those who partake. This understanding is key to comprehending the Eucharist. When Jesus says, "Do this in memory of me," He is inviting believers to participate in His once-for-all sacrifice, made present in the Eucharist, just as the Passover makes the Exodus present for Jews.
Connecting the Old and New Testaments
Understanding the mythology, symbolism, and allegorical nature of the Bible requires zooming out and connecting the Old and New Testaments. The stories in the Bible are not just filler; they contain details that matter deeply. For example, the bread and wine offered by Melchizedek, the manna from heaven, and the showbread in the Tabernacle are all significant details that connect to Jesus' teachings and actions in the New Testament. By seeing these connections, we understand that the Eucharist is not merely symbolic but a fulfillment of God's plan revealed throughout the entire Bible. The detailed stories in both Testaments illustrate a consistent theme of God’s real presence with His people, culminating in the Eucharist.
Understanding of the Apostles and Their Immediate Followers
The belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist was not just an invention of later generations but was understood by the apostles and their immediate followers.
• Ignatius of Antioch: A disciple of the Apostle John, Ignatius described the Eucharist as "the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ" (Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 7:1). This indicates a clear belief in the Real Presence from someone directly taught by the apostles.
• Justin Martyr: Writing in the second century, Justin explained that the Eucharist is not common bread and drink but the flesh and blood of Jesus (First Apology, 66). His writings show that this belief was widespread among early Christians.
• Irenaeus of Lyons: A student of Polycarp, who was himself a disciple of John, Irenaeus emphasized the Eucharist as the body and blood of Christ in his work "Against Heresies". This shows the continuity of belief from the apostles to their disciples.
• Cyril of Jerusalem: In his "Mystagogical Catecheses," Cyril taught that the bread and wine truly become the body and blood of Christ through the words of consecration. This catechetical instruction reflects the early and consistent teaching of the Church.
Conclusion
Throughout the Bible, bread and wine are shown to be more than just food and drink. They symbolize God's presence and His relationship with His people. When Jesus uses these elements at the Last Supper and declares them to be His body and blood, He is not just speaking symbolically. He is making Himself truly present in the Eucharist. This belief in the Real Presence means that in the Eucharist, we are not just remembering Jesus, but we are actually receiving Him in a very real and profound way. This understanding is deeply rooted in Scripture and the consistent teaching of the Church throughout history, making the Eucharist a true encounter with Jesus, not just a symbolic act. The Jewish context of Passover as a participatory remembrance further solidifies the Eucharist as a real, ongoing participation in Christ's sacrifice. By connecting the details of biblical stories from the Old Testament to the New, we see a clear and purposeful revelation of the Real Presence in the Eucharist. The understanding of the apostles and their immediate followers confirms that this belief has been a consistent part of Christian faith from the very beginning.
Bet you didn't know that in the Bible, in both the Old and the New Testament, all Believers always pray DIRECTLY to God the Father. Isn't that awesome? And in the New Testament it's always directly to God the Father, "in the name of Jesus". In fact when the disciples asked Jesus himself how to pray he said:
"... your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come..."
Matthew 6:8-9
And...
"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you."
Matthew 6:6 v
And in God's Word Jesus himself intercedes for us, not his human mother. This is exactly what it says:
"Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."
Hebrews 7:25
"Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us."
Romans 8:34
And the Holy Spirit:
"In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
Roman 8:26
That's good enough for me.
So, in conclusion, in the Bible the idea is NOT to go to the Son's human mother (or to anyone else), who then goes to the Son, who then goes to the Father with your request. No, your Heavenly Father's wish and desire is that you go DIRECTLY to Him with all your prayers and petitions. I'm not kidding. Check it out for yourself. So why go in little circles when the Father wants, and even commands, that we come directly to Him.
"In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father."
John 16:26-27
It's as though I was a simple little employee in a huge giant corporation. And the President/Owner of the corporation adopted me and loved me and told (ordered) me that any time I had a problem or a request, I was to go directly to him, and he would handle it. Perfect.
As for me I think I'll just stick with God's Word and go on "drawing near to God (the Father) through Him (Jesus)", being that I want to be "saved forever". I just figure God must know what he's talking about. After all, he is omniscient.
"...for the Father Himself loves you" .
Anything else is pure human reasoning. No thanks. Christ and his Word are sufficient.
I'll end with this:
"Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."
Hebrews 7:25
We are to "draw near to God through him (Christ Jesus)". The unbiblical Roman Catholic practice of praying to Mary and the "Saints" has exactly the opposite effect. It distances us from God instead of drawing us near to him in Christ Jesus.
“You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition."
Mark 7:9
"The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."
John 1:5
This is the confidence which we have before Him (the Lord God Almighty), that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.
1 John 5:14-15
It doesn't get any clearer than that!
Anyhow, that's what I do. I pray directly to my Heavenly Father out of simple obedience. After all He's done for me it's the least I can do. Obey, and not invent my own religion.
Don't mean to be disrespectful but, it really does seem like you all have made a whole other religion out of Jesus' very human mother.
Exactly, Catholics tend to put their saints and the holy virgin in too high regards that it kinda looks blasphemious for us non catholic Christians.
@@X_mano Well, then study it with an open mind; that is, adopt the world view of Catholics for a moment and try to understand things from their perspective. Then, you may come to understand things. That's how the intellectual life works: We suspend our fallible judgement, appropriate X from outside our currently held worldview, see if things make internal sense, and so on.
Lame excuses for being a Catholic. "I went to people with weak arguments, then became Catholic." And it does not address any of the non-Biblical practices of Rome like belief in purgatory, praying to Mary when it is unclear if she even got to heaven, the infallability of a broken, human Pope, etc. Not convincing in the least.
thank you for the post. A couple questions for you. 1) Do you believe you are perfectly righteous and without sin? 2) Do you believe that when you die you are separated from the Body of Christ? 3) Where does the Bible say that everything we need to believe is found in the Bible Alone?
God Bless
Of course they're conflating Real Presence with Transubstantiation, as if they're 100% interchangeable. Surely they're more honest than this.
I'm a lifetime Catholic and strongly believe in the Eucharist. But believing only Catholics or Christians make it to heaven is illogical. Let God handle that decision and work on your own redemption.
Extra ecclesiam nulla salus is a dogma of the Church.
@@ClergetMusic It was a pious opinion of pope Boniface in 1300 A.D and the papal infallibility was only defined in 1870.
Pope Boniface was wrong and Popes since vatican II all claim that Boniface was wrong.
@@1993wethebest I will go back a further 1200 years to Luke (One of the 4 Gospel writers ) I quote ;Acts 4 ;11and 12
This is the stone ( the name Jesus Christ ) which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the head of the corner.
AND THERE IS SALVATION IN NO ONE ELSE, FOR THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED.
We are saved by CHRIST and in the Church is a community of people being saved , not by the Church itself but BY CHRIST HIMSELF.
Pope Boniface has put the cart before the horse and was completely wrong and Vatican II has corrected him by The Church itself in its highest teaching authority.
protestant theology is like Pogo stick Trojan horses in a Romper Room atmosphere.
Bergsma you say you need to stay away from 1.2 Christians( non Roman Catholics) that don't confess transubstanatiation and you'd say they are not true Christians. How is that helpful to ecumenical dialogue or that Protestant's are considered separated brothers at Vatican 2 council. They can't be Brothers and not true Christian's at the Same time. That is called contradiction.
These Catholic channels are all ghibberish. You want real edification of Scriptures look up Protestants like John Kostik or Alan Horvath. Ive been learning Pi, Euler's Code, Pythagorean Theorem, Golden Ratio etc. etc. all in my Hebrew Greek Bible. Protestants taught me this. Not the RCC. Ive learned more from these Protestant Bible study groups than the bogusness of the RCC and EO and whatever "study" groups they have. Their 'Study" groups is enforcing dogmas. Its more like book clubs where they circle jerk each other about 'Church History" when Im out here learning about highly advanced mathematics in the Bible that they claim to have given us. Thank Yah for Reformation.
@@paladinhansen137 God bless!
He felt convicted for the words he read. Not that he judged other by it. But if the Catholic Church is right then the other are wrong and should not be followed. That doesn't mean you can't talk to hem or you have to kill them or something crazy.
@bruno-bnvm I don't remember saying anything about killing...that was a wild extreme...buy yes historically Protestants were killed by Catholics and some (although a significantly smaller number) of Catholic were killed by Protestant .
if the Eucharist isn't Jesus then the Trojan horse was a pogo stick.
The number one objection for me is the all the superstitious nonsense you have to accept as facts ..
You probably have the rabbit holes a conspiracist is always armed with.
The multitudes have been fooled but not you, the mighty conspiracist
They should have warned you!
why does matt look homeless in this lol
Jesus is the Only Way to God the Father, and Mary is the way to Jesus.
It is bread....not God... the eucharist should not be worshipped even if it is a representation of Christ... you would know this is sin if you hadn't ommited the 2nd commandment from God Himself
I was rather disappointed with Dr. John Bergsma.
Y
Why?
I find this absurd. Bergsma says he could not reconcile Catholic teaching on many doctrines but converted just for the sake of the RCC doctrine of the Eucharist.
@@Kitiwake lol...first of all he openly admits he didn't believe the marian dogmas when he converted yet presumably he already knew the RCC authority system claims these as binding and infallible. So why would you enter into something you don't believe. I suppose it's not necessary to agree on every theological nuance but obviously he was referring to major theological problems that he had not yet reconciled.
When a Protestant finds they were wrong about the Eucharist, which is the source and summit of the Church, an honest person would ask, what else are they wrong about? Its anything but 'absurd'.
@@1907jdee your missing the point.
@@Adam-ue2ig Maybe you can explain to us in a more detailed way what your point is? The Eucharist is NOT a RCC ONLY doctrine btw, the Orthodox Church believes in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist just as we do. IF, and only IF, you believe that the Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Christ, you would acknowledge that you can't stay in a Church that doesn't believe in it.
@@Adam-ue2ig Listen to the whole interview. As a Protestant he didn’t believe. He came to believe all that the Church teaches. I understand him because I went through the same struggles.
participatory mediation?? - these theologians like to confuse simple things with big-mouth words that mislead as much they are useless
I have no theologian qualifications and I understood exactly what he means. Catholics aren't just observers who sit and listen at Church, we are active participants. Jesus gave out 2 types of bread at the Last Supper. One type of bread Jesus gave to Judas which is a metaphor for the bread of “spiritual death”, this bread was unholy and unblessed. He then gave out another type of Bread to the Apostles with the words: "Take, eat this is MY BODY." He took, blessed, broke and gave this blessed holy bread to His Apostles that if they eat of it they will have eternal life. John 13: 26-30.
Protestants eat the first type of bread because they don’t believe Jesus in John 6 when He said “those who eat my flesh abide in me and I abide in them.” They are like those who turned their backs on Jesus and left because they couldn’t accept that teaching about the Eucharist. Some waited for Jesus to correct/clarify Himself but He doesn't, in fact he doubles down on what He said. They couldn't make the connection to the Manna (Bread from Heaven) or the connection to the Bread of the Presence (Bread of the Face) which was kept in the holy of holies in Solomons Temple.
The breaking of bread” was the focal point of the “church” gathering, just as it is for Catholics today. And, again, this was done especially on the first day of the week (cf. Acts 20:7). The Eucharist is our "manna" it sustains us on our journey to the heavenly promised land.
Yes we return to that moment of redemption every time we assist at mass. And like the Jews understand their returning back in time to the Exodus at every Passover meal, they know as we should that it is not a wheel of time. It is a spiral. We return to the same point but at a higher level by our continued observance. This is Jacob’s spiracle ladder to heaven.
God is almighty. He did not need Mary to make Jesus appear in the world. He chose to do so, and He chose her, and chose her out of love. If Mary was good enough to God the Father and to Jesus she should be good enough to us all. The Angel himself said Mary to be full of grace. To whom else angels said such thing? Moreover Jesus taught us in the Gospels to pray for one a another. How could it be clearer that we all and specially the holy mother of God could have a role on the salvation of others?
This guy makes me throw up ..i hope he repent and receives Jesus and get baptized by the holy spirit
Can you clarify your comment? Are you referring to Matt or his guest? Are you stating that Catholicism is in not the true way but another faith is?
@@displacedtexan hi ! I mean The guess !
I heard him before and he docent preach Jesus, he preach the system. He denies scripture and the sacrifice of Jesus as complete.
If were to describe satan by hes works and actions the guess Does it all : 1st Denied the word of God as absolute and Authoritative and make Jesus sacrifice incomplete.
He speaks religious rubbish but not the word.
@@kronos01ful I can assure you John Bergsma knows his scripture. Try listening with more openness and put aside any religious prejudice you may have.
@@1907jdee Are you a Christian?
My, how charitable of you! LOL! Go play with your rattlesnakes.
4:39 ~ Hmm? 🤨There is no "worship" of eucharist in the bible. Jesus simply said to do it in _remembrance_ of Him. Eating bread and drinking wine is symbolic of Jesus' flesh and blood. It's not literally His flesh or blood. Even if it were literal, in some way, Jesus' flesh is not God, but human only. It's not to be worshiped. Only God is to be worshiped!🙂