You cannot serve God and mammon. | Luke 16:13-15 and ST. MATTHEW - Chapter 4

The worship of the idolatry of mammon and the worship of the Devil are always intertwined.

When the false Bodhi-god of the Hindu revisionism known as Buddhism began to emerge in India (circa 2nd century A.D.) modeled then on pre existing Indian scupture styles influenced much earlier by Graeco-Egyptian pagan Diabolic iconography, the first representations of "Buddha" began clearly modeled on and in essence totally related to the Greek god Apollo, the sun god. In the The Apocalypse, the Book of the Revelation: Chapter 9, this is Apollyon, the fallen angel over the pit of hell, i.e. Satan, the Devil, the Serpent of Old. The "Buddha" has been Satan from the very beginning of its contrivance in Northern India and everywhere else it spread afterward. The much more ancient Mesopotamian Diabolic gods and goddesses which were the base for the Graeco Egyptian Diabolic gods and goddesses were already incorporated long before in India as the base for the emerging false Bodhi-god of the Hindu revisionism known as Buddhism; it swept into India in waves beginning shortly after the Tower of Babel and then from various pagan cultures including the early Graeco Egyptian and finally the later Graeco Egyptian. The esoteric symbols trace the mainstream of this - see:

_鬼: Excellent article. & An absolutely evil plan.

Palestine Cry: Lord have mercy on Your suffering ones

Ecumenism is the Recapitulation of all of the evil that every existed on earth, St. Irenaeus' phrase is "recapitulatio universae iniquitatis," see: The Antichrist: recapitulatio universae iniquitatis

The Mark, the Name, the Number of the beast and the Tower of Babel = Ecumenism 

Go here: _鬼: The base of Buddhism - Jewish Gnostic serpent worshipping Satanists 鬼

Apollo - Apollyon - Gandhara Buddha - Satan

Go here: 鬼: HINDU BUDDHIST – TOTAL SATANISM

Vairochana (China) - Satan as core of Buddhist-Hindu panoply of Devils and Demons masquerading as gods/goddesses

Go here: ECUMENISM WHICH IS IDOLATRY

Vairochana/Dainichi Nyorai (Japan) - Satan as core of Buddhist-Hindu panoply of Devils and Demons masquerading as gods/goddesses

_鬼: The Buddha is in hell with his master, the devil

The Buddha is in hell with his master, the devil

Lk:4:5 "And the devil led him into a high mountain and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time."

Jesus absolutely rejected this. Instead, to accept this false vision given by the devil as an indwelling of the divine, is exactly the same as the Buddhist teaching on attaining enlightenment in a moment of time encompassing past, present and future as Gotama was supposed to have done under the Banyan tree (the mahabodhi tree).

Our Only Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ totally rejected this temptation, and so must we. Notice what He said in Lk:4:8 "And Jesus answering said to him. It is written: Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." It is not enough to declaim power and wealth, in fact if they are from God there is no reason to, quite the opposite. The fact is that when the devil offers them it is a lie, and to accept or reject them in one's own name, as did the Buddha, is idolatry and sinful. Jesus showed us that the only correct answer is to tell the devil that these things are God's and do not belong to the devil and we will have nothing to do with the devil. The so-called Buddha is an example of those who embrace the temptation of the devil as leading, whether in an ascetical manner or not, to truth, which it won't and therefore they, like the Buddha go to hell.

This following is shear illusion and has nothing to do with the truth.

WASHINGTON(February 10, 2005)—The third meeting of the Northern California Zen/Ch’an-Catholic Dialogue took place at San Francisco Zen Center from Thursday January 20 to Sunday January 23, 2005. Set in a framework of meditative stillness and liturgical prayer, the dialogue engaged the theme of “Practice: Means towards Transformation.” Co-conveners this year were Bishop John C. Wester, auxiliary bishop of San Francisco, and Abbot Paul Haller of Zen Center.

The opening presentation was an experience of “sacred reading” (lectio divina) from the Christian monastic tradition, using the great christological hymn in Ephesians 1: 3-14, allowing each participant to encounter the words, allowing the meaning to arise in silence.

Jan Chozen Bays Roshi and Fr. Francis Tiso of the USCCB Secretariat of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairsstood in for Sr.Mary Ann Donovan, who was ill, for the first session on the meaning of transformation in Christ. Sr. Donovan’s paper used Scripture and the biography of St. Anthony of Egypt by St. Athanasius. Discussion explored the meaning of transformation in several periods of Church history and compared the views of Zen and Ch’an on inherent Buddha nature. The determining role of Christ and the Buddha in shapingunderstanding and experience of transformation was examined in the light of contemplative and pastoral experience. Whether practice actually changes persons, or whether it is a matter of uncovering inherent goodness, or a liberation brought about by divine grace, was examined in depth.

The third presentation took up the controversial question of dual practice: Christians undergoing Zen training and Buddhists continuing to adhere in various ways to the Christian or Jewish practices into which they may have been born. Fr. James Fredericks examined the testimony of a number of Catholics grounded in the Ignatian spiritual tradition who have pursued Zen training. Respondents noted that there is religious content to Buddhist meditation practice and that one cannot easily segregate “just sitting” from the philosophical “view” within which sitting is fruitful in Buddhist practice. However, numerous instances of dual practice have been seen to give rise to exemplary lives among mature Christians and Buddhists, suggesting a “hidden wholeness” that is nurtured by such practice. Rev. Zenkei Blanche Hartman, Rev. Heng Shur and Chozen Jan Bays led an exploration of the culture and meaning of the practice of chanting the Heart Sutra. This practice embodies the unity of emptiness and compassion that characterizes the Mahayana philosophical viewpoint and the ideal of the Bodhisattva. Musical settings include ancient Chinese chant, contemporary East Asian pop music, and even Anglican plainchant.

Rev. Myo Denis Lahey explored the problematic dimensions of dual practice and the presence of the “other” in Christian and Buddhist spirituality. Discussion ranged over the sense of “belonging” in religious life and the sense of being guided by circumstances that are perfectly suited to growth and change.

Rev. Taigen Dan Leighton based his presentation on the insight of Dogen Zenji that “all space becomes charged with the Buddha’s enlightenment and each meditator can renew the quality of change” across the arc of time. The meditator is within the world-system and can take on the role of a protector, responsible for caring for the world. This is the basis for Buddhist social engagement. Fr. Robert Hale developed a response showing how the prophetic social critique of the Hebrew tradition takes on a new form in the universal mission of the Cosmic Christ.Discussion examined the risks of social engagement and co-optation, purity of motivation, and the limits of institutional bases for action. General discussion explored the use of a variety of metaphors, such as “a diamond with many facets,” to describe engagement as persons committed to spiritual practice with a world of contradictory voices.

One sign of authentic spiritual transformation was recognized in the ability to abide in and hold perplexity and opposition: contradictions can lead to a deeper awareness of self and others in relationship.

A public event at the Zen Center on Saturday evening allowed a variety of spiritual seekers to engage the dialogue experience. Questions having the character of shared spiritual guidance gave solidity to the sense of unity and trust that the dialogue participants had been experiencing.

The final discussion explored the challenges of karma, grace, free will, effort, and the spiritual teacher in the transformative process. The meditator is faithful to the effort, but unattached to the outcome. And any circumstance may embody the “spiritual teacher”.

The Cosmic Christ – Cosmocrator and the fruits of that bad tree:

Note in the sixth paragraph from the top in the text that Jesus Christ is not referred to but instead the “Cosmic Christ”. This is no other than the most blasphemous gnostic heresy of the Cosmocrator – Satan as Christ. – “Fr. Robert Hale developed a response showing how the prophetic social critique of the Hebrew tradition takes on a new form in the universal mission of the Cosmic Christ.” Also, from the third paragraph: “The determining role of Christ and the Buddha in shaping understanding and experience of transformation….”

This is directly from the Satan worshipping Naaseni (Hebrew Gnostic) and Ophites (Gentile Gnostic) among the Gnostic heretics refuted by St. Irenaeus and St. Hippolytus and other of the Church Fathers who also noted the connection of the Naaseni/Ophites and other gnostics to the far east gymnosophists i. e. Buddhists of India.

Greek is in Isopsephia

Sanskrit (exact English equivalent) to Greek

The Cosmic Christ – Cosmocrator and the fruits of that bad tree

P U N D A R I A

P U N D A R I K A

80+ 400+50+ 4+ 1+ 100+10+ 20+ 1=666

English transliteration (of how the crowds in Italian used to chant antipope John Paul II’s name) to Greek (with the II added)

J O H A A N N E S

I O H A A N N E S

10+ 70+ 8+ 1+ 1+ 50+ 50+ 5+ 200 = 395

P A O L O II

P A O L O II

80+ 1+ 70+ 30+ 70+ 10+10 = 271

= 666

English to Greek

B E N E D I C T

B E N E D I K T O S

2+ 5+ 50+ 5+ 4+ 10+ 20+ 300+ 70+ 200=666

Note: pundarika in Sanskrit (the above English and Greek aredirect transliterations letter for letter from the Sanskrit) is literally “the great white dragon in the abyss” which is the core and basis of the whole esoteric tradition, priesthood, and the dainichi nyorai (the head of the diabolic trinity of the dragon in Buddhism). The dainichi nyorai is also the exact very basis for their magic/sorcery with it’s six elements they manipulate. Elements here are exactly the stoichea in Col. 2:8.

Col:2:8:

8 Beware lest any man cheat you by philosophy and vain deceit: according to the tradition of men according to the elements (Gr: stoichea) of the world and not according to Christ. (DRV)

Originally there were in ancient religion four elements (fire spirit water earth) with spirit deleted by the pagans and air and then also and/or aether inserted. These were variously identified with the visible planets and gods/goddesses of the pagans. The order was also rearranged variously and finally a sixth element was added: universal mind (just as the heretical interpretation of Jesus Christ as the impersonal word of God, instead of enhypostasia which is correct that Jesus Christ is the Person-al Son and Word of God incarnate). Finally language was seen as the mystical means of connecting with the powers of the gods/goddesses (actually Satan and the other fallen angels and the demons [demons are, according to the Church Fathers, the non-human souls of the pre-flood nephilim]), and with that alpha-numeric theosophies, namely Hebrew Gematria (Greek and Roman variations are Isopsephia) were especially used. These connections were for the sorcery/magic astrological control over the elements (Greek – stoichea) and even other men. Trigrams, pentagrams, hexagrams et al were symbols used in conjunction with this.

Parousia of Jesus Christ Our Lord: APOSTATE ARCH HERETIC 'Famed Catholic priest Benedict Groeschel, 81, dies' GOES TO JUDGMENT BEFORE THE JUST JUDGE, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

Οικουμένα in Greek Isopsephia is exactly 666

Οικουμένα, English spelling: Oikoumena. From Oikoumene, Οἰκουμένη in the Greek, is the root meaning "whole world," [literally "world" but in the context it was used by the ancients it meant whole world and is taken that way by the Ecumenists at all points] and is the word from which "Ecumenical," in the Ecumenical Movement is taken.

Oikoumena, Oikoumene, Ecumenism is simply Gnosticism which was utterly Satanic and still is. Oikoumena, meaning all space and time, is mirrored in the Far East by Vairochana, an androgyne "Buddha." Like all supposed "Buddhas" there are three aspects. Those are based on the ancient Graeco Egyptian religion and its triple gods and triple goddesses (not to be confused with the Triune One Holy God, The Father and the Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit). Those triple gods and triple goddesses had an earthly and celestial and chthonic (West, infernal - far East, subsumation into the void or attaining Nirvana) aspect. The "Buddhas" have the same aspects. When unified in their final form of being, then the chthonic (read Diabolic) powers become spread throughout the world. Both are concepts and supposed essential realities that falsely claim a closed eternal finite universe with no existence of the Lord God Almighty, Pantocrator, having created and ruling over all. The Lord God Almighty thrice Holy Pantocrator is true and these false gods/goddesses are false. These false gods/goddesses are only hiding places for the Devil and the fallen angels and demons. 

Numerical Isopsephia exact equivalent of each letter added together of the root word for ecumenical in its exact Greek of Oikoumena which is the Greek for whole world. Isopsephia interpretation is also the exact method that St. Irenaeus makes doctrinal will be the exact way to know the number via the person's last personal name of the Beast when the Beast, the Antichrist, reveals himself publicly to the world. His title, final name, according to Father Sloet of Holland will be "King of Israel" in Hebrew and which will also in Hebrew Gematria equal 666. The movement from which the False Prophet and the Antichrist will arise is the Ecumenical Movement which also equals 666 in Greek Isopsephia. 

The Apocalypse, the Book of the Revelation: 13.

...

18 Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man: and the number of him is six hundred sixty-six. {See this link - 666 -} [4] … Scripture reference – Rev.: 17:9

Οικουμένα, English spelling: Oikoumena. 

 O = Ο = 70
     i = ι = 10
   k = κ = 20
   o = ο = 70
u = υ = 400
  m = μ = 40
       e = έ = 5
   n = ν = 50
      a = α = 1        
              666

Below: Father Sloet of Holland’s solution to the final name of the Antichrist (who will be a Jew) with medial kaph so the reign of this false “ ‘king’ of Israel” will be temporary, i.e. short.

(Note in the below that the Hebrew characters read in reverse order than the English letters) Numbers are under the English equivalents.

Hammelek l Yisrael

H M L K L Y S R A L

ה מ ל כ ל י ש ר א ל

5+ 40+ 30+ 20+ 30+ 10+ 300+ 200+ 1+ 30 = 666

Ecumenism at its most vile, Assisi (also the reason that Cardinal Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio took the name Francis from St. Francis of Assisi for his name as Antipope Francis).

2 Thessalonians

2:8 And then that wicked one shall be revealed: whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: him

Ver. 8. When Christ appears in glory, He will inflict defeat and death on Antichrist by a mere word of command.

2:9 Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in all power and signs and lying wonders:

Ver. 9 – 10. By the aid of Satan Antichrist will perform prodigies which men will falsely regard as miracles, and by means of which they will be led to adopt sinful practices.

2:10 And with all wicked deception to those who are perishing. For they have not received the love of truth that they might be saved.

2:11 Therefore God shall send them the operation of error, to believe lying:

Ver. 11. God shall send. . .That is God shall suffer them to be deceived by lying wonders, and false miracles, in punishment of their not entertaining the love of truth.

Ver. 11. 'God sends.' God will allow their willful rejection of truth to have its natural results of spiritual blindness, impenitence and damnation. A misleading influence, or, “a delusion.” The operation of error - the Greek reads: "energian planes" or literally the energy of delusion, which is exactly and actually the fallen spirits of the devils and demons conjured by pagan religion, especially by idolatry. NOW, currently, the Assisi delusion of the Apostates, Ratzinger and Wojtyla and many others present with them, is a very real and prime example. To give oneself over to this is to invite utter and complete damnation of oneself by God.

2:12 That all may be judged who have not believed the truth but have consented to iniquity.

The Justice of God: Spiritual wickednesses in high places - Black Magic Sorcerer High Priest False Prophet of the Antichrist

_________________________________________________________________________________

The FAITHFUL WILL REJECT ALL OF THE DEVIL'S DEVICES AND RESORT TO SMALL HOUSE CHURCHES TO REMAIN FAITHFUL TO CHRIST AND HIS COMMANDMENTS.

Parousia of Jesus Christ Our Lord: The Justice of God: Eucharist in house churches Commanded by God. To rise above the concerns of the world to the service of God.

The Justice of God: The Roman Catholic Church is no longer - it has been consumed by and is part of the JudeNazi New World Order

Palestine Cry: Syncretism in religion and politics leading to the Antichrist - Part Seven

Eucharistic Thanksgiving | BellesHeures's Weblog

The Justice of God: Eucharist in house churches Commanded by God. To rise above the concerns of the world to the service of God.

Jesus and the disciples after His Resurrection 

Schaff, a Protestant scholar, gives a credible if somewhat narrow view of Monasticism in the history of the Church. His view of Islam is even more narrow. God and His Messiah Jesus Christ our Lord - our right and duty to witness to Him: HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH* CHAPTER IV. THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF MONASTICISM.



The point about monasticism is that it is properly the rejection of worldliness in seeking to serve God well.



The Vatican, as time went on grew more and more enamored of worldly luxury and even embraced Cabalistic practices and hermeticism as well. The Cabalistic practices and hermeticism were all on the part of individuals and on the sly. With Vatican II these abominations have become the norm. The Mark of the Beast is the Ecumenism of Vatican II. The Vatican is completely Apostate.

Vatican Gardens in the form of occult symbolism

Before any of these varied practices, and even the heretical and blasphemous damnable practices of Cabalism and hermeticism, were the House Churches that St. Peter began in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost - these are the original and inviolable form of the Church which is absolutely correct and predates all others and will survive all others and greet Our Lord Jesus Christ when He returns from heaven with all His elect angels at His Second Coming.





The breaking of bread is the New Testament reference to the Eucharist instituted by Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. ...and breaking bread from house to house - the "house to house" refers to the first house churches.





"46 And continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they took their meat with gladness and simplicity of heart:

47 Praising God together, and having favour with all the people.  And the Lord added daily to their society such as should be saved." see below



The Didache shows us that the early Church in the house churches ate a meal feast, the Agape feast - see above, "took their meat with gladness and simplicity of heart," and then when that was finished they celebrated the Eucharist with the presbyter that the congregation had selected as their Bishop over the congregation.



The Eucharist given below has both the celebration of the Eucharist from the Didache (which is scripture given at the council of Jerusalem by the Apostles in 49 A.D. - Acts 15) and the earliest liturgies of two of the Apostles, St. James and St. Mark, (Apostle in the New Testament is a wider term than just the twelve) alongside the Didache. The liturgies are the Liturgy of St. James - these are the prayers that the Apostles prayed in the Temple before the defilement of the Temple that Our Lord Jesus Christ prophesied, which defilement occurred 65-68 A.D., and the resultant eternal destruction in 70 A.D. of the Temple and rejection of the Jewish Nation that Our Lord Prophesied and Commanded in retribution for the Jews Perfidy and Deicide; and the Liturgy of St. Mark given at Alexandria, the third See of Peter. The first two Sees of Peter are Antioch and Rome in that order.





ACTS 2

CHAPTER II.



The disciples receive the Holy Spirit.  Peter's sermon to the people.  The piety of the first converts.



1 And when the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place:

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared to them cloven tongues, as it were of fire, and it sat upon each one of them:

4 *And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Spirit gave them to speak.

5 Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men out of every nation under heaven.

6 And when this voice was made, the multitude came together, and was confounded in mind, because that every one heard them speak in his own tongue.

7 And they were all amazed, and wondered, saying; Behold are not all these, who speak, Galileans?

8 And how have we every one our heard own tongue wherein we were born?

9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome,

11 Jews also, and Proselytes, Cretes, and Arabians: we have heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.

12 And they were all astonished, and wondered, saying one to another; What meaneth this?

13 But others mocking, said; These men are full of new wine.

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them: Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known to you, and with your ears receive my words.

15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day:

16 But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet, Joel;

17 *And it shall come to pass in the last days, (saith the Lord) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.

18 And upon my servants indeed, and upon my handmaids, will I pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy:

19 And I will shew wonders in the heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath: blood and fire, and vapour of smoke.

20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord cometh.

21 *And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.

22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus, of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles and wonders, and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as you also know;

23 This same being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have crucified and put to death by the hands of wicked men:

24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the sorrows of hell, as it was impossible that he should be held by it.

25 For David saith concerning him; *I foresaw the Lord always before my face: because he is at my right hand, that I may not be moved:

26 For this my heart hath been glad, and my tongue hath rejoiced: moreover, my flesh also shall rest in hope:

27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption.

28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life: thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

29 Ye men, brethren, let me freely speak to you of the patriarch, David, *that he died, and was buried: and his sepulchre is with us to this present day.

30 Whereas, therefore, he was a prophet, and knew *that God had sworn to him with an oath, that of the fruit of his loins one should sit upon his throne,

31 Foreseeing he spoke of the resurrection of Christ, *for neither was he left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption.

32 This Jesus hath God raised up again, whereof we are all witnesses.

33 Being exalted, therefore, by the right hand of God, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this which you see and hear.

34 For David ascended not into heaven: but he himself said; *The Lord said to my Lord, sit thou on my right hand,

35 Until I make thy enemies thy footstool.

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know most assuredly, that God hath made this Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

37 Now when they had heard these things they had compunction in their heart, and they said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles; What shall we do, men, brethren?

38 But Peter said to them; Do penance, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins: and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39 For the promise is to you, and to your children and to all that are far off, whomsoever the Lord our God shall call.

40 And with a great many other words did he testify and exhort them, saying; Save yourselves from this perverse generation.

41 They therefore that received his word were baptized: and there were added in that day about three thousand souls.

42 And they were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles, and in the communication of the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles in Jerusalem, and there was great fear in all.

44 And all they that believed were together, and had all things common.

45 They sold their possessions and goods, and divided them to all, according as every one had need.

46 And continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they took their meat with gladness and simplicity of heart:

47 Praising God together, and having favour with all the people.  And the Lord added daily to their society such as should be saved.

____________________

*

4:  Matt. iii. 11.; Mark i. 8.; Luke iii. 16.; John vii. 39.; Supra i. 8.; Infra xi. 16. and xix. 6.

17:  Isai. xliv. 3.; Joel ii. 28.

21:  Joel ii. 32.; Rom. x. 13.

25:  Ps. xv. 18.

29:  3 Kings ii. 10.

30:  Ps. cxxxi. 11.

31:  Ps. xv. 10.; Infra xiii. 35.

34:  Ps. cix. 1.

====================

Traditional Catholic Prayers: Eucharist in house churches Commanded by God






Eucharist in house churches Commanded by God - HE COMMANDS TO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE VATICAN WHICH HAS ALREADY BECOME TOTALLY APOSTATE AND DIABOLIC AT THIS POINT.


The Apocalypse, the Book of the Revelation: 18.


4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying: Go out from her, my people; that you be not partakers of her sins and that you receive not of her plagues. … Scripture reference – Jer.: 51:45!; 2 Cor.: 6:17!; Eph.: 5:7!; 1 Tim.: 5:22





Look up, your redemption is at hand: "Jesus Christ in the Dura-Europos"



WHEN THE ANTICHRIST SITS IN THE REBUILT TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM, AND HAVING ALREADY INVADED AND TAKEN OVER THE VISIBLE CHURCH BEFORE THAT, HE WILL THEN CAUSE ALL WHO WILL NOT WORSHIP HIM TO BE KILLED. IT IS OUR DUTY TO CHRIST TO RESIST THIS NOW AND AT ALL TIMES TO THE DEATH, THAT IS OUR MARTYRDOM, RATHER THAN TAKE THE MARK OF THE BEAST (THE MARK THAT THE ANTICHRIST SEEKS TO IMPRESS ON MEN). THE MARK IS BOTH AN INVISIBLE MARK ON THE SOUL, AS WELL AS FINALLY, A PHYSICAL ONE. TAKING EITHER ONE WILL BE THE CERTAIN CAUSE OF ONE’S DAMNATION FOR ETERNITY.


**************************************************

"Jesus Christ in the Dura-Europos house churches"

The house churches as in the city of Dura Europos were an example of the house churches that the church started out in everywhere and will greet her Lord Jesus Christ from when He returns from heaven at the end of this age at the time known to God alone.


"Dura-Europos"

The Dura Europos house churches are simply the house churches that the early Church met in. In each of these as the Didache (written 49 A.D.) tells us people selected their own bishops. St. Clement of Rome (Apostolic Father), in his epistle, tells us the same -- he rebuked a small group in Corinth for not honoring the bishop that the whole local congregation had selected.


The Church began in small house churches and she will great her Lord when He returns from the same with all the faithful in all the faithful churches of every size. There is no other ecclesial hierarchy established by Apostolic mandate.

In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

+

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because He has anointed me

to bring glad tidings to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord."

And again it says:

"Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with His people." And again:

"Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,

and let all the peoples praise him." And again Isaiah says:

"The Root of Jesse shall come,

raised up to rule the Gentiles;

and in Him shall the Gentiles hope."

Who, though He was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped at.

But rather, He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in likeness to a Man;

and found in appearance as a Man,

He humbled himself,

becoming obedient unto death, even unto the death of the Cross.

Because of this, God greatly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every other name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and that everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, unto the glory of God the Father.

Therefore does He say:

"He ascended on high and took prisoners captive;

and he gave gifts unto men."

Awake, one asleep,

and arise from the dead,

and the Christ will give you light.

And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming forth

from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

In the midst of the place thereof, and on both sides of the river, was the tree

of life, bearing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit according to each month and

the leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations.

But the wise shall shine like the splendour of the firmament and those who

lead the many to righteousness shall be like the stars in the firmament of

heaven unto the ages of ages.

Amen. Come Lord Jesus, the grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ

be with all the saints. Amen

+

St. Mark

We give Thee thanks, yea, more than thanks, O Lord our God, the Father of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ, for all Thy goodness at all times and in all places, because Thou hast shielded, rescued, helped, and guided us all the days of our lives, and brought us unto this hour, permitting us gain to stand before Thee in Thy holy place, that we may implore forgiveness of our sins and propitiation to all Thy people. We pray and beseech Thee, merciful God, to grant in Thy goodness that we may spend this holy day and all the time of our lives without sin, in fullness of joy, health, safety, holiness, and reverence of Thee. But all envy, all fear, all temptation, all the influence of Satan, all the snares of wicked men every spirit visible and invisible thereof, do Thou, O Lord, drive away from us, and from Thy Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church each of us holding Thou the head Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour alone. Bestow upon us, O Lord, what is good and meet. Whatever sin we commit in thought, word, or deed, do Thou in Thy goodness and mercy be pleased to pardon. Leave us not, O Lord, while we hope in Thee; nor lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one and from all his works and minions, through the grace, mercy, and love of Thine only-begotten Son. O Sovereign Lord Christ Jesus, the co-eternal Word of the eternal Father, who wast made in all things like as we are, but without sin, for the salvation of our race; who hast sent forth Thy holy disciples and apostles to proclaim and teach the Gospel of Thy kingdom, and to heal all disease, all sickness among Thy people, be pleased now, O Lord, to send forth Thy light and Thy truth. Enlighten the eyes of our minds, that we may understand Thy divine oracles. Fit us to become hearers, and not only hearers, but doers of Thy word, that we, becoming fruitful, and yielding good fruit from thirty to an hundred fold, may be deemed worthy of the kingdom of heaven. Let Thy mercy speedily overtake us, O Lord. For Thou art the bringer of good tidings, the Saviour and Guardian of our spirits, souls and bodies and we offer glory, thanks, and the “Thrice Holy Hymn” to Thee, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now, henceforth, and for evermore. Holy God, holy almighty, holy immortal. Holy, holy, holy, O Lord of Sabaoth, the heaven and the earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest; blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest, Look down in mercy and compassion, O Lord, and heal the sick among Thy people. May we and all our brethren who have gone or who are about to go abroad, safely reach their destination in due season and come home again safely at all times. Send down the gracious rain upon the thirsty lands, and make the rivers flow in full stream, according to Thy grace. The fruits of the land do Thou, O Lord, fill with seed and make ripe for the harvest. In peace, courage, justice, and tranquillity preserve the kingdom of Thy servants, all priesthood of the faithful and kings upon the earth, whom Thou hast deemed worthy to reign over this earth. From evil days, from famine and pestilence, from the assault of barbarians, defend, O Lord, this Christ-loving city Thy body Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour, lowly and worthy of Thy compassion, as Thou didst spare Nineveh of old. For Thou art full of mercy and compassion, and rememberest not the iniquities of men against them. Thou hast said through Thy prophet Isaiah, I will defend this city, to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. Wherefore we pray and beseech Thee to defend in Thy good mercy this city, for the sake of Thee confessed by patriarchs, prophets, martyrs, disciples, apostles, evangelists and saints from Adam on, Thou who has shown us the way of salvation through the grace, mercy, and love of Thee only-begotten Son Jesus Christ Our Only Lord and Saviour. Through whom and with whom be glory and power to Thee MOST BLESSED LORD YAHWEH GOD IMMORTAL Abba Our Father, with Thy all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit our Paraclete. Guide and direct in all peace from above in Thy Righteousness the kings, armies, magistrates, councils, peoples, and neighborhoods, and all our outgoings and incomings.

O King of Peace Baruch Adonai Yahweh Elohim Melek Olam eth, grant us Thy peace in unity and love. May we be Thine, O Lord; for we know no other God but Thee, and name no other name Baruch Adonai Yahweh Eloheinu Yahweh Echad, Thou YAHWEH, YESHUA, RUACH YAHWEH but Thine Our Father and the Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Give life unto the souls of all of us, and let no deadly sin prevail against us, or against all Thy people.

Look down in mercy and compassion, O Lord, and heal the sick among Thy people. Deliver them and us, O Lord, from sickness and disease, and drive away the spirit of weakness.

Raise up those who have been long afflicted, and heal those who are vexed with unclean spirits.

Have mercy on all who are in prison, or in mines, or on trial, or condemned, or in exile, or crushed by cruel bondage or tribute. Deliver them, O Lord, for Thou art our God, who settest the captives free; who raisest up the downtrodden; who givest hope to the hopeless, and help to the helpless; who liftest up the fallen; who givest refuge to the shipwrecked, and vengeance to the oppressed. Pity, relieve, and restore every Christian soul that is afflicted or wandering. But do Thou, O Lord, the physician of our spirits, souls and bodies, the guardian of all flesh, look down, and by Thy saving power heal all the diseases of spirit, soul and body.

Guide and prosper our brethren who have gone or who are about to go abroad. Whether they travel by land, or river, or lake, by public road, or in whatever way journeying, bring them everywhere to a safe and tranquil haven. Be pleased to be with them by land, sea and air, and restore them in health and joy to joyful and healthful homes.

Ever defend, O Lord, our journey through this life from trouble and storm.
Send down rich and copious showers on the dry and thirsty lands.
Gladden and revive the face of the earth, that it may spring forth and rejoice in the raindrops.

Make the waters of the river flow in full stream.
Gladden and revive the face of the earth with the swelling waters.
Fill all the channels of the streams, and multiply the fruits of the earth.

Bless, O Lord, the fruits of the earth, and keep them safe and unharmed. Fill them with seed, and make them ripe for the harvest.

Bless even now, O Lord God Our Father, Thy yearly crown of blessing for the sake of the poor of Thy people, the widow, the orphan, and the stranger, and for the sake of all of us who have our hope in Thee and call upon Thy holy name; for the eyes of all are upon Thee, and Thou givest them bread in due season.

O Thou who givest food to all flesh, fill our hearts with joy and gladness, that at all times, having all sufficiency, we may abound to every good work in Thou Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour. O Only Sovereign King of kings and Lord of lords, defend the kingdom of Thy servants, we Thine orthodox believers and who love Thee Christ Thy priesthood and kings, whom Thou hast deemed worthy to reign over these lands in peace, courage, and justice.

Subdue under us, O Lord, every enemy and adversary, whether at home or abroad. Gird on Thy shield and armour, and rise to our aid guide us in all things to do what is gracious and pleasing in Thy sight. Draw Thy sword, and help us to fight against them that persecute us. Shield us in the day of battle, and grant that the fruit of our loins one like to us in Thee may sit upon Thy throne with Thee and us.

Be kind to us, O Lord, for the sake of Thy love for Thy Holy and Apostolic Church, all Thy Christ-loving people, that we too in Thy peaceful reign may live a calm and tranquil life, in all reverence and godliness.

O Lord our God, give peace to the souls of our fathers and brethren who have fallen asleep in Jesus, remembering our forefathers of old, our fathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, confessors, bishops, and the souls of all the holy and just men who have died in the Lord.

Be mindful, O Lord, of the return of the back-sliding, and of every Christian soul that is afflicted and oppressed, and in need of Thy divine mercy and help.

Be mindful, O Lord, of our brethren in captivity. Grant that they may find mercy and compassion with those who have led them captive and immediate release and return home in peace and health and happiness.

Be mindful also of us, O Lord, Thy sinful and unworthy servants, and blot out our sins in Thy goodness and mercy.

Be mindful also of me, Thy lowly, sinful, and unworthy servant, and in Thy mercy blot out my sins. Be with us, O Lord, who minister unto Thy holy name.

Bless our meetings, O Lord.

Utterly uproot all idolatry all witchcraft from the world.

Crush under our feet Satan and all his minions, and all their wicked influence.
Humble now, as at all times, the enemies of Thy Church Thou and us, unto immediate absolute total complete destruction.

Lay bare their pride.

Speedily show them their weakness.

Bring to naught the wicked plots they contrive against us.
Arise, O Lord, and let Thine enemies be scattered, and let all who hate Thy holy name be put to flight. +

Do Thou bless a thousand times ten thousand Thy faithful and orthodox people while they do Thy holy will.

Deliver the captive; rescue the distressed feed the hungry; comfort the faint-hearted, convert the erring; enlighten the darkened; raise the fallen; confirm the wavering; heal the sick; and guide them all, good Lord, into the way of salvation, and into Thy sacred fold. Deliver us from our iniquities; protect and defend us at all times.

Bless those who do us good for the sake of Thy Most Holy Name Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour.

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St. James.

In peace let us beseech the Lord.


For the peace that is from above, and for God’s love to man, and for the salvation of our spirits, souls and bodies, let us beseech the Lord. For the peace of the whole world, for the unity of all the holy churches of God, let us beseech the Lord.

For the remission of our sins, and forgiveness of our transgressions, and for our deliverance from all tribulation, wrath, danger, and distress, and from the uprising of our enemies visible and invisible, let us beseech the Lord. 


Holy God, holy almighty, holy immortal, have mercy upon us. O compassionate and merciful, long-suffering, and very gracious and true God,+ look from Thy prepared dwelling-place, and hear us Thy suppliants, and deliver us from every temptation of the devil and of man; withhold not Thy aid from us, nor bring on us chastisements too heavy for our strength; for we are unable to overcome what is opposed to us; but Thou art able, Lord, to save us from everything that is against us. Save us, O God, from the difficulties of this world, according to Thy goodness, in order that, having drawn nigh with a pure conscience to Thy Holy altar temple tabernacle immortal immaculate golden Ark of the covenant + Thee Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour One in the Holy Spirit with God Abba Our Father, O Holy Trinity, we may send up to Thee without condemnation the blessed hymn Thrice Holy, together with the heavenly powers, and that, having performed the service, well pleasing to Thee and divine, we may be counted worthy of eternal life.

Because Thou art holy, Lord our God, and dwellest and abidest in holy places, we send up the praise and the hymn Thrice Holy to Thee, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to all eternity.

Lord God Almighty, the God of our fathers;

We beseech Thee, hear us.

For the peace which is from above, and for the salvation of our spirits, souls and bodies;

Let us beseech the Lord.

For the peace of the whole world from above, and the unity of all the holy churches of God;

Let us beseech the Lord.

For the salvation and help of all the Christ loving obedient people;
We beseech Thee, hear us.

For our deliverance from all tribulation, wrath, danger, distress, from captivity, bitter death, and from our iniquities + ;


We beseech Thee, hear us.

For the people standing round, and waiting for the rich and plenteous mercy that is from Thee;

We beseech Thee, be merciful and gracious.

Save Thy people, O Lord, and bless Thine inheritance.

Visit Thy world in mercy and compassion.

Exalt the horn of Christians by the power of the Thy precious and quickening cross + O Holy only one worthy of worship in the flesh Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour.

We beseech Thee, most merciful Lord, hear us praying to Thee, and have mercy upon us.

Let us all entreat from the Lord, that we may pass the whole day, perfect, holy, peaceful, and without sin.

Let us entreat from the Lord a messenger of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our spirits, souls and bodies.

Let us entreat from the Lord forgiveness and remission of our sins and transgressions.

Let us entreat from the Lord the things which are good and proper for our spirits, souls and bodies, and peace for the world from above.

Let us entreat from the Lord, that we may spend the remaining period of our life in peace and health +.

Let us entreat that the close of our lives may be Christian, without pain and without shame, and a good plea at the dread and awful judgment-seat of Christ.


God, who hast taught us Thy divine and saving oracles, enlighten the spirits, souls and bodies of us sinners for the comprehension of the things which have been before spoken, so that we may not only be seen to be hearers of spiritual things, but also doers of good deeds, striving after guileless faith, blameless life, and pure conversation. O Sovereign giver of life, and provider of good things, who didst give to mankind the blessed and only hope of eternal life, our Only Lord and Saviour Lord Jesus Christ, count us worthy in holiness, and perfect this Thy divine service to the enjoyment of future blessedness.

So that, guarded by Thy power at all times, and led into the light of truth, we may send up the praise and the thanksgiving to Thee, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever. 


Sovereign Almighty, King of Glory, who knowest all things before their creation, manifest Thyself to us calling upon Thee at this holy hour, and redeem us from the shame of our transgressions; cleanse our mind and our thoughts from impure desires, from worldly deceit, from all influence of the devil; + and accept from the hands of us sinners this incense, as Thou didst accept the offering of Abel, and Noah, and Aaron, and Samuel, and of all Thy saints, guarding us from everything evil +, and preserving us for continually pleasing, and worshipping, and glorifying Thee, the Father, and Thy only-begotten Son, and Thy all-holy Spirit, now and always, and for ever. In peace let us pray to the Lord. O Lord, have mercy. Save us, have mercy upon us, pity and keep us, O God, by Thy grace.

For the peace that is from above, and the loving-kindness of God, and the salvation of our spirits, souls and bodies;

Let us beseech the Lord.

For the peace of the whole world, and the unity of all the holy churches of God;

Let us beseech the Lord.

For those who bear fruit, and labour honourably in the holy churches of God; for those who remember the poor, the widows and the orphans, the strangers and needy ones; and for those who have requested us to mention them in our prayers;
Let us beseech the Lord.

For those who are in old age and infirmity, for the sick and suffering, and those who are troubled by unclean spirits, for their speedy cure from God and their salvation;

Let us beseech the Lord.

For those who are passing their days in virginity, and celibacy, and discipline, and for those in holy matrimony; and for the holy fathers and brethren agonizing in mountains, and dens, and caves of the earth;

Let us beseech the Lord.

For Christians sailing, traveling by land and air, living among strangers, and for our brethren in captivity, in exile, in prison, and in bitter slavery, their peaceful return;

Let us beseech the Lord.

For the remission of our sins, and forgiveness of our transgressions, and for our deliverance from all tribulation, wrath, danger, and constraint, and uprising against us of enemies visible and invisible; +
Let us beseech the Lord.

For favourable weather, peaceful showers, beneficent dews, abundance of fruits, the perfect close of a good season, and for the crown of the year;

Let us beseech the Lord.

For our fathers and brethren present, and praying with us in this holy hour, and at every season, their zeal, labour, and earnestness;

Let us beseech the Lord.

For every Christian soul in tribulation and distress, and needing the mercy and succour of God; for the return of the erring, the health of the sick, the deliverance of the captives, the rest of the fathers and brethren that have fallen asleep aforetime;

Let us beseech the Lord.

For the hearing and acceptance of our prayer before God, and the sending down on us His rich mercies and compassion.

Let us beseech the Lord.

And for the offered, precious, heavenly, unutterable, pure, glorious, dread, awful, divine gifts, and the salvation by the Only Heavenly Priest Jesus Christ Our Only Lord and Saviour who alone offers them;

Let us offer supplication to God the Lord.

O Lord, have mercy. Holy, holy, holy, O Lord God of Sabaoth, the heaven and the earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest; blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour. Hosanna in the highest. Remember also, O Lord, our holy fathers and brethren in it, and the bishops in all the world, who rightly divide the word of Thee Christ Jesus the only truth.

Remember also, O Lord, every city and country, and those of the true faith dwelling in them, their peace and security.

Remember, O Lord, Christians sailing, traveling by land and traveling by air, sojourning in strange lands; our fathers and brethren, who are in bonds, prison, captivity, and exile; who are in mines, and under torture, and in bitter slavery.

Remember, O Lord, the sick and afflicted, and those troubled by unclean spirits, their speedy healing from Thee, O God, and their salvation.

Remember, O Lord, every Christian soul in affliction and distress, needing Thy mercy and succour, O God; and the return of the erring.

Remember, O Lord, our fathers and brethren, toiling hard, and ministering unto us, for Thy holy name’s sake.

Remember all, O Lord, for good; have mercy on all, O Lord, be reconciled to us all; give peace to the multitudes of Thy people; put away scandals; bring wars to an end; make the uprising of heresies to cease; grant Thy peace and Thy love to us, O God our Saviour, the hope of all the ends of the earth destroying the great apostasy.

Remember, O Lord, favourable weather, peaceful showers, beneficent dews, abundance of fruits, and to crown the year with Thy goodness; for the eyes of all wait on Thee, and Thou givest their food in due season; thou openest Thy hand, and fillest every living thing with gladness.

Remember, O Lord, those who bear fruit, and labour honourably in the holy of Thy Church; and those who forget not the poor, the widows, the orphans, the strangers, and the needy; and all who have desired us to remember them in our prayers.

Moreover, O Lord, be pleased to remember those who have brought these offerings this day to Thy holy altar Thou Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour, and for what each one has brought them or with what mind, and those persons who have just now been mentioned to Thee.

Remember, O Lord, according to the multitude of Thy mercy and compassion, me also, Thy humble and unprofitable servant; and those who surround Thee Thyself Thy holy altar, and graciously give us a blameless life, keep our ministries undefiled, and purchase for us a good degree, that we may find mercy and grace, with all the saints that have been well pleasing to Thee since the world began, to generation and generation-grandsires, sires, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, confessors, teachers, saints, and every just spirit made perfect in the faith of Thee O Holy and Only Christ Jesus Our Saviour Sovereign Lord of all.

Make the end of our lives Christian, acceptable, blameless, and peaceful, O Lord, gathering us together, O Lord Jesus Christ Our Only Lord and Saviour, under the feet of Thee joining us with Thine elect, when Thou wilt, and as Thou wilt; only without shame and transgressions, through Thee only-begotten Son, our only Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ; for He is the only sinless one who hath appeared on the earth, a propitiation for our transgressions and the errors of the people; and for the rest of the souls that have fallen asleep aforetime; that we also, Thy humble, sinful, and unworthy servants, being counted worthy without guile to serve Thee Holy Altar Christ Jesus, may receive the reward of faithful and wise stewards, and may find grace and mercy in the terrible day of Thy just and good retribution. For the peace and establishing of the whole world, and of the holy churches of God, and for the purposes for which each one made his offering, or according to the desire he has; and for the people standing round, and for all men, and all women at the moment of conception and all Thy repentant +;

Forgive, remit, pardon, O God, our transgressions, voluntary and involuntary; in deed and in word; in knowledge and in ignorance; by night and by day; in thought and intent; in Thy goodness and love, forgive us them all. Through the grace and compassion and love of Thy only-begotten Son, with whom Thou art blessed and glorified, together with the all-holy, and good, and quickening Spirit, unceasingly and now and always, and unto the eternal ages to come in Thy recreated universe in the future at Thy Parousia Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour. For the remission of our sins, and the propitiation of our spirits, souls and bodies, and for every soul in tribulation and distress, needing the mercy and succour of God, and for the return of the erring, the healing of the sick, the deliverance of the captives, the rest of our fathers and brethren who have fallen asleep aforetime;

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Lord Jesus Christ Who took upon You the curses of the peoples as related in the psalms to bring us back to Your true Law written in our hearts by You and preached by the prophets, especially St. John the Baptist, Lord Jesus Christ Who commands us to obey Your Law and nothing other, have mercy upon us who turn to You. Grant us to always be aware of the pitfalls related in the psalms to always avoid these ditches. All Holy Divine Person Lord Jesus Christ Immortal Son Word Wisdom Power of God Our Father in the Unity and Power and Bond of Love of the Holy Spirit our Paraclete. Grant us to worthily receive this Communion which You alone give to us. You Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit created the world ex nihilo at the beginning of the first six days and finished the making thereof on the rest of the first six days and on the morn of the last of those formed Adam from the moist earth and breathed into him and he became a living soul and cast him into a deep sleep and made Eve from his side; the first man and woman with none other before them of any sort and none other with them at the beginning of any sort, from whom are descended all men here on earth wherein all salvation is worked out from the first Adam to the last saint, saved by You and no other, for no other could. You Who alone proceeded from the Father's bosom and throne and came into the world 70 generations later, conceived by the Holy Spirit and the blessed virgin Mary and truly born of her on earth and saved us by Your most Holy Cross and Resurrection and Ascension in the flesh and the gift of Your Holy Spirit, by this most Holy Eucharist of Yourself Whom we receive in faith, these gifts of bread and wine and water by Your command and power alone, truly transubstantiated into Your Divine Person, You, Your most Holy Body Flesh Blood Water Soul Spirit Energy One Divine Essence Substance Nature uncreated alone having aseity threefold light of one undivided glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour, Whom we receive in faith with all thanksgiving, thereby indwelling us Lord God Our Father and the Son Jesus Christ Our Only Lord and Saviour and the Holy Spirit our Paraclete with all Your gifts and mercies, shielding us, delivering us in our spirits souls and bodies in everything in all ways at all times unceasingly and now and always and unto the endless ages of ages to come.

THE CITY OF GOD

                                59

Psalm CXXIX and Responsory for the faithful departed in the Mozarabic rite

OUT of the depths I have cried unto thee, O Lord: Lord hear my voice.

2. Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

3. If thou, O Lord, shalt observe iniquities, Lord, who shall endure it?

4. For with thee there is merciful forgiveness: and by reason of thy law I have waited for thee, O Lord          

5. My soul hath relied on his word; my soul hath hoped in the Lord.

6. From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord.

7. Because with the Lord there is mercy; and with him plentiful redemption.

8. And he shall redeem Israel from all his ini­quities.  

V. Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord.

R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.

IN a fertile place, O Lord, there gather them. By waters of refreshment lead their souls to life.

V. Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. By waters of refreshment lead their souls to life.

The spirits of just men made perfect in Thy quickening Spirit Father in Thou Only Son Jesus Christ Our Lord and Saviour, their souls gathered into Thy bosom Lord:

Bless Thy faithful departed, especially  (mention the faithful departed who are to be remembered here) , O Lord God Our Father and the Son Jesus Christ Our Lord Saviour and the Holy Spirit our Paraclete, in Thy bosom unceasingly, with and by the prayer and company of all Thy elect angels and saints for and with us unceasingly and thereby let perpetual Light shine upon them. May they rest in peace unto the first resurrection of the just at Thy Parousia, Christ Jesus Our Lord and Saviour, whence Thou shall return in the glory of the Father in the same flesh as Thou camest first in the unity and power and bond of love of the Holy Spirit our Paraclete; at that time our same spirits, souls and bodies reunited worshipping Thou face to face in Thy holiness and glory with all Thy elect angels and saints in this Thy recreated universe in the future, at that time known to Thou alone Thrice Holy Lord God Pantocrator, unto the endless ages of ages to come. Save us Lord Jesus Christ by Thy most Holy Cross, Holy Blood, Holy Spirit of Thee the Father and the Son Jesus Christ Our Lord and Saviour, Lord Jesus Christ the only first born from the dead in the flesh, the only one Resurrected, Ascended, Assumed, Bodily in the flesh into the third heaven and who sitteth upon the right hand of God Our Father in the unity and power and bond of love of the Holy Spirit our Paraclete; Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Pantocrator, with and by the prayer and company of all Thine elect angels and saints for and with us unceasingly and now and always and unto the endless ages of ages to come.

Bless and deliver all your faithful throughout the earth Jesus Christ Our Only Lord and Saviour, Only Mediator and Priest in the Flesh between God and man in the Unity and Power and bond of love of the Holy Spirit our Paraclete, in Your Name Alone Baruch Adonai Yahweh El Olam eth Abba Our Father and the Son Jesus Christ Our Only Lord and Saviour and Good Shepherd and the Holy Spirit our Paraclete, with and by the prayer and company of the same all Your elect Angels and Saints for and with us unceasingly with all thanksgiving. We love You for You first loved us, with all thanksgiving bless us, unceasingly, especially all the innocent, all the little children, all Your persecuted Church, all Your poor and needy and all Your lost sheep. For Your sheep hear Your voice and confess you from the heart with the mouth doing Your will in our word and deed in all things at all times most swiftly and no other, deliver those in distress – especially deliver those in the worst of distress, especially those who have no one to pray for or with them, unto all salvation eternal and temporal most swiftly and have us do the same for the sake of Your Most Holy Name without fee or reward for ourselves in our word and deed, unceasingly and now and always and unto the endless ages of ages to come. Amen.

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Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy



Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy



Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy



Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy

GLORIA IN PATRI ET IN FILII ET IN SPIRITU SANCTE

MOST BLESSED GLORIOUS ETERNAL HOLY TRINITY ADORABLE UNITY IN

THE GLORY OF YOUR MAJESTY IN THE SPLENDOUR OF YOUR POWER

EXALTED UNTO THE AGES OF AGES

Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy



Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy



Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy



Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy

GLORY to God on high, and on earth peace to men of good will. We praise Thee; we bless Thee; we adore Thee; we glorify Thee. We give Thee thanks for Thy great glory, O Lord God, Heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten Son. O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Who takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For Thou alone art holy; Thou alone art The Lord; Thou alone art most high, O Jesus Christ, together with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

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Against you, you alone, Jesus Christ our Only Lord and Saviour, have we sinned and done what is evil in your sight, forgive us our sins, purge us with hyssop and we shall be cleansed, wash us and we shall be made whiter than snow, make the bones you have numbered to rejoice. Come Holy Spirit cleanse us from all stain of spirit, soul, flesh, make us only one in You, as you are one in God Our Father, in You, You in us, Most Holy Lord God Pantocrator, Christ Jesus our Only Lord and Saviour Who alone bought us in the flesh by Your most Holy Cross, Holy Blood, Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father, of You the Immortal Son of the Father, Christ Jesus Our only Lord and Saviour, infinitely pure and undefiled covering the whole world and cleansing the whole universe, Jesus Christ our Only Lord and Saviour the only first born from the dead in the flesh the only one Resurrected Ascended Assumed Bodily in the flesh and sitteth on the right hand of God Our Father in the third heaven in the unity and power and bond of love of the Holy Spirit our Paraclete Holy Holy Holy Lord God Pantocrator, with and by the prayer and company and presence of the same all Your elect angels and saints for and with us  +

"Now, Lord, unceasingly preserving in us the spirit of your grace,

make us worthy, so that being filled

we may minister to you in singleness of heart,

praising you,

through your Son Christ Jesus,

through whom to you be glory and might,

Father and Son

with the Holy Spirit,

in your Holy Church,

now and throughout the ages of the ages.

Amen.

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Baruch Adonai Yahweh Eloheinu Yahweh echad El Olam Olam Immortal with and by the prayer and company of all your elect doxas and saints, especially St. Michael and St. Gabriel and St. Enoch in the flesh and St. Elijah in the flesh Your holy prophets yet to return, for and with us unceasingly:

Greet one another with a kiss of love, peace be to all who are in Christ Jesus Only Begotten Son Lamb of God Our Only Lord and Saviour Living and Reigning with God Our Father in the unity and power and bond of love of the Holy Spirit our Paraclete unto the endless ages of ages to come.

Our Father Who are in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Your Holy Spirit come upon us and cleanse us,
Give us today our Supersubstantial bread,
and forgive us our debt,
as we also forgive our debtors,
and do not lead us into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one and all it’s minions visible and invisible;
for yours is the power and the glory unto the endless ages of ages to come.

(2) First, concerning the cup:

We give you thanks, our Father,

for the holy vine of David your servant, which you have made known to us through Jesus, your servant;

to you be the glory unto the endless ages of ages to come.

(3) And concerning the broken bread:

We give you thanks, our Father,

for the life and knowledge

which you have made known to us through Jesus; your servant;

to you be the glory unto the endless ages of ages to come.

Just as this broken bread was scattered

upon the mountains and then was

gathered together and became one,

so may your church be gathered together

from the ends of the earth into your kingdom;

for yours is the glory and the power unto the endless ages of ages to come.

The People: It is becoming and right.

Then the celebrant prays: Verily it is becoming and right, proper and due to praise Thee, to sing of Thee, to bless Thee, to worship Thee, to glorify Thee, to give Thee thanks, Maker of every creature visible and invisible, the treasure of eternal good things, the fountain of life and immortality, God and Lord of all:
Whom the heavens of heavens praise, and all the host of them; the sun, and the moon, and all the choir of the stars; earth, sea, and all that is in them; Jerusalem, the heavenly assembly, and church of the first-born that are written in heaven; spirits of just men and of prophets; souls of martyrs and of apostles; the six-winged seraphim, which cover their faces with two wings, their feet with two, and with two they fly, crying one to another with unresting lips and the many-eyed cherubim, kuriotetes, arches, especially St. Michael and St. Gabriel, exousias, dunameis and angelos with unceasing praises: Holy, holy, holy, O Lord God Pantocrator

(Aloud.) With loud voice singing the victorious hymn of Thy majestic glory, crying aloud, praising, shouting, and saying:-

The People: Holy, holy, holy, O Lord of Sabaoth, the heaven and the earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest; blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

The celebrant, making the sign of the cross on the gifts + , says: Holy art Thou, King of eternity, and Lord and giver of all holiness; holy also Thy only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom Thou hast made all things; holy also Thy Holy Spirit, which searches all things, even Thy deep things, O God: holy art Thou, almighty, all-powerful, good, dread, merciful, most compassionate to Thy creatures; who didst make man from earth after Thine own image and likeness; who didst give him the joy of paradise; and when he transgressed Thy commandment, and fell away, didst not disregard nor desert him, O Good One, but didst chasten him as a merciful father, call him by the law, instruct him by the prophets; and afterwards didst send forth Thine only-begotten Son Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ, into the world, that He by His coming might renew and restore Thy image;
Who, having descended from heaven, and become flesh of the Holy Spirit and Virgin Godmother Mary, and having sojourned among men, fulfilled the dispensation for the salvation of our race; and being about to endure His voluntary and life-giving death by the cross, He the sinless for us the sinners, in the night in which He was betrayed, nay, rather delivered Himself up for the life and salvation of the world,

Then the celebrant holds the bread in his hand, and says: Having taken the bread in His holy and pure and blameless and immortal hands, lifting up His eyes to heaven, and showing it to Thee, His God and Father, He gave thanks, and hallowed, and brake, and gave it to us, His disciples and apostles, saying:-


(here break the bread)


The Deacons say: For the remission of sins and life everlasting.


Then he says aloud: Take, eat: this is my body, broken for you, and given for remission of sins.


The People: Amen.


Then he takes the cup, and says: In like manner, after supper, He took the cup, and having mixed wine and water, lifting up His eyes to heaven, and presenting it to Thee, His God and Father, He gave thanks, and hallowed and blessed it, and filled it with the Holy Spirit, and gave it to us His disciples, saying, Drink ye all of it; this is my blood of the new testament shed for you and many, and distributed for the remission of sins.


The People: Amen.


The celebrant: This do in remembrance of me; for as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord’s death, and confess His resurrection, till He come.


The Deacons say: We believe and confess:


The People: We show forth Thy death, O Lord, and confess Thy resurrection.


The celebrant (Oblation): Remembering, therefore, His life-giving sufferings, His saving cross, His death and His burial, and resurrection from the dead on the third day, and His ascension into heaven, and sitting at the right hand of Thee, our God and Father, and His second glorious and awful appearing, when He shall come again with glory to judge the quick and the dead, and render to every one according to His works; even we, sinful men, offer unto Thee, O Lord, this dread and bloodless sacrifice, praying that Thou wilt not deal with us after our sins, nor reward us according to our iniquities;

But that Thou, according to Thy mercy and Thy unspeakable loving-kindness, passing by and blotting out the handwriting against us Thy suppliants, wilt grant to us Thy heavenly and eternal gifts (which eye hath not seen, and ear hath not heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man) that thou hast prepared, O God, for those who love Thee; and reject not, O loving Lord, the people for my sake, or for my sin’s sake:


Then he says, thrice: For Thy people and Thy Church supplicate Thee.


The People: Have mercy on us, O Lord our God, Father Almighty.


Again the celebrant says (Invocation): Have mercy upon us, O God Almighty. Have mercy upon us, O God our Saviour Jesus Christ Our Lord. Have mercy upon us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, and send forth on us, and on these offered gifts, Thy all-holy Spirit.


Then, bowing his neck, he says: The sovereign and quickening Spirit, that sits upon the throne with Thee, our God and Father, and with Thy only-begotten Son, reigning with Thee; the consubstantial and co-eternal; that spoke in the law and in the prophets, and in Thy New Testament; that descended in the form of a dove on our Lord Jesus Christ at the river Jordan, and abode on Him; that descended on Thy apostles in the form of tongues of fire in the upper room of the holy and glorious Zion on the day of Pentecost: this Thine all-holy Spirit, send down, O Lord, upon us, and upon these offered holy gifts;


And rising up, he says aloud: That coming, by His holy and good and glorious appearing, He may sanctify this bread, and make it the holy body of Thy Christ.


The People: Amen.


The celebrant: And this cup the precious blood of Thy Christ.


The People: Amen.

LORD JESUS CHRIST OUR ONLY SAVIOUR, AFTER THE EATING OF SUPPER, YOU TOOK BREAD AND HAVING GIVEN THANKS YOU BROKE IT AND SAID, TAKE EAT, THIS IS MY, THE BODY, THAT WHICH IS BROKEN, ON BEHALF OF YOU; THIS DO IN THIS MY ANAMNESIN IN LIKE MANNER YOU ALSO TOOK THE CUP AFTER THE EATING OF SUPPER SAYING DRINK FROM IT ALL OF YOU, THIS THE CUP THE NEW COVENANT IS IN THIS MY BLOOD WHICH IS BEING SHED FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, THIS DO AS OFTEN AS YOU DRINK IN THIS MY ANAMNESIN

COME HOLY SPIRIT SANCTIFIER BLESS THESE GIFTS MAKE HIS REAL PRESENCE TRULY MANIFEST AGAIN IN THE BREAD, THE WINE AND THE WATER WHOM WE RECEIVE IN FAITH

[Here receive communion and say:]

THE BODY OF CHRIST        THE BLOOD OF CHRIST

We give you thanks, Holy Father,

for your holy name which you

have caused to dwell in our hearts,

and for the knowledge and faith and immortality

which you have made known to us

through Jesus your servant;

to you be the glory unto the endless ages of ages to come.

You, almighty Master, created all things for your

name's sake,

and gave food and drink to men, Adam and Eve, to enjoy,

that they might give you thanks

but to us, from the first Adam to the last Saint, you have graciously given

spiritual food and drink,

and eternal life through your servant Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour.

Above all we give thanks because you are mighty

to you be the glory unto the endless ages of ages to come.

Remember your church Lord,

to deliver it from all evil

and to make it perfect in your love

and gather it, the one that has been sanctified,

from the four winds into your kingdom,

which you have prepared for it

for yours is the power and the glory unto the endless ages of ages to come.

May grace come, and may this age pass away.

Hosanna to the God of David.

If anyone is holy, let him come;

anyone is not, let him repent. Maranatha!

We give You thanks, Father, for the fragrant ointment Your Holy Spirit our Paraclete which You have made known to us through Jesus Your servant; to you be the glory unto the endless ages of ages to come. Amen.

+

In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Apocalypse, the Book of the Revelation

THE APOCALYPSE, THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION

THE APOCALYPSE OF JOHN WITH FULL CONCORDANCE AND COMMENTARY

 click on picture for information and free download of complete book

And see:

The Apocalypse, the Book of the Revelation: The Book of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist of the Revelation Given Him by the Risen Lord Jesus Christ.

Parousia of Jesus Christ Our Lord: The Justice of God: Eucharist in house churches Commanded by God. To rise above the concerns of the world to the service of God.


Parousia of Jesus Christ Our Lord: Culture: The Justice of God: The Plagues will be real - Three Looks at the 16th Chapter of the Book of the Revelation

Saint Luke Chapter 16:

13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

14 Now the Pharisees, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

15 And he said to them: You are they who justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts; for that which is high to men, is an abomination before God.

Quarantel - The Mount of Temptation, where the Devil tempted Christ with idolatry of mammon of all the earth's kingdoms - the same temptation will be presented to the world by the False Prophet and the Antichrist. Both the earthly Jerusalem and the Vatican are totally fallen to the Devil and its idolatry of mammon of all the earth's kingdoms and the spirit of the Antichrist and the False Prophet. Have nothing to do with any of them upon pain of eternal hellfire.

The Mark, the Name, the Number of the beast and the Tower of Babel = Ecumenism: The Mark, the Name, the Number of the beast and the Tower of Babel = Ecumenism - last word

The Mark, the Name, the Number of the beast and the Tower of Babel = Ecumenism: The Justice of God: Οικουμένα in Greek Isopsephia is exactly 666

The Mark, the Name, the Number of the beast and the Tower of Babel = Ecumenism: The Justice of God: The Beast $$$

The Mark, the Name, the Number of the beast and the Tower of Babel = Ecumenism: Seven Kingdoms and then the Eighth One, Prior to Christ's Return

The Mark, the Name, the Number of the beast and the Tower of Babel = Ecumenism: SEVEN FALSE PROPHETS

The Mark, the Name, the Number of the beast and the Tower of Babel = Ecumenism: SEVEN KINGDOMS

The Mark, the Name, the Number of the beast and the Tower of Babel = Ecumenism: SEVEN AGES OF THE WORLD and the EIGHTH AGE

The Mark, the Name, the Number of the beast and the Tower of Babel = Ecumenism: The Mark, the Name, the Number of the beast and the Tower of Babel = Ecumenism: SEVEN BOWL JUDGEMENTS - FIRST BOWL JUDGEMENT

The Mark, the Name, the Number of the beast and the Tower of Babel = Ecumenism: The Mark, the Name, the Number of the beast and the Tower of Babel = Ecumenism: SECOND BOWL JUDGEMENT...blood as it were of a dead man

The Mark, the Name, the Number of the beast and the Tower of Babel = Ecumenism: The Mark, the Name, the Number of the beast and the Tower of Babel = Ecumenism - last word

ST. MATTHEW - Chapter 4

Bible Text & Cross-references:

Christ's fast of forty days: he is tempted: begins his preaching in Galilee according to the prophet: fixes his abode at Capharnaum: calls Peter and Andrew, James and John: his miracles, reputation, and numerous followers.

1 Then *Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil.

2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterwards hungry.

3 And the tempter coming, said to him: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4 But he answered, and said: It is written: *Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

5 Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple,

6 And said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written: *That he hath given his angels charge of thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7 Jesus said to him: It is written again: *Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

8 Again the devil took him up into a very high mountain: and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them,

9 And said to him: All these will I give thee, if falling down thou wilt adore me.

10 Then Jesus saith to him: Begone, Satan, for it is written: *The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and him only shalt thou serve.

11 Then the devil left him; and behold angels came and ministered to him.

12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was delivered up, *he retired into Galilee:

13 And leaving the city Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capharnaum, on the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

14 That what was said by Isaias, the prophet, might be fulfilled:

15 *The land of Zabulon and land of Nephthalim, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:

16 The people that sat in darkness, saw great light: and to them that sat in the region of the shadow of death, light is sprung up.

17 *From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say: Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

18 And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee, *saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishers).

19 And he saith to them: Come after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

20 And they, immediately leaving their nets, followed him.

21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets: and he called them.

22 And they, immediately leaving their nets and father, followed him.

23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom: and healing all diseases, and infirmities among the people.

24 And his fame went throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all sick people, that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and such as were possessed by devils and lunatics, and those that had the palsy, and he healed them:

25 *And great multitudes followed him from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

____________________

*

1: about the year A.M. 4435 [the year of the world 4435], about the year A.D. 31.; Mark i. 12., Luke iv. 1.

4: Deuteronomy viii. 3.; Luke iv. 4.

6: Psalm xc. 11.

7: Deuteronomy vi. 16.

10: Deuteronomy vi. 13.

12: Mark i. 14.; Luke iv. 14.; John iv. 43.

15: Isaias lx. 1.

17: Mark i. 15.

18: Mark i. 16.; Luke v. 2.

25: Mark iii. 7.; Luke vi. 17.



Matthew iv.

Notes & Commentary:

Ver. 1. Jesus Christ was led by the Holy Ghost, immediately after his baptism, into the desert,[1] to prepare, by fasting and prayer, for his public ministry, and to merit for us by his victory over the enemy of our salvation, force to conquer him also ourselves. By this conduct, he teaches all that were to be in future times called to his ministry, how they are to retire into solitude, in order to converse with God in prayer, and draw down the blessing of heaven upon themselves and their undertaking. What treasures of grace might we expect, if, as often as we receive any of the sacraments, we were to retire within ourselves, and shut out, for a time, the world and its cares. Then should we come prepared to withstand temptation, and should experience the divine assistance in every difficulty through life. The life of man is a warfare on earth. It was not given us, says St. Hilary, to spend it in indolence, but to wage a continual war against our spiritual enemies. In the greatest sanctity there are often the greatest and most incessant trials; for Satan wishes nothing so much as the fall of the saints. (Haydock) --- By these trials, we learn the strength we have received from above, we are preserved from self-complacency and pride in the gifts of heaven; we confirm the renunciation we made in baptism of the devil, and all his works and pomps; we become stronger, and better prepared for future attacks, and are feelingly convinced of the dignity to which we have been raised, and of which the enemy of souls endeavours all he can to deprive us. St. Chrysostom hom. xiii. Both St. John the Baptist and our divine Master, by retiring into the wilderness for contemplation, prayer, fasting and suffering, have given a sanction and an example to those holy men called hermits, who have taken shelter in their sanctified retreats against the dangers of the world. (Bristow)

Ver. 2. Jesus wished to manifest a certain corporeal weakness, arising from his continued fast, that the devil might venture to tempt him; and after a fast of 40 days and 40 nights he was hungry. (Haydock) --- Christ was well acquainted with the thoughts of the wicked fiend, and his great desire of tempting or trying him. The devil had learnt that he was come into the world from the songs of the angels at his birth, and from the mouth of the shepherds and of St. John the Baptist. To fast 40 days without being hungry, was certainly far above the strength of man, but to be hungry at any time is inconsistent with God; for which reason our blessed Saviour, that he might not manifestly declare his divinity, was afterwards hungry. (St. Hilary) --- On this example, as well as that of Moses and Elias, who also fasted 40 days, the fast of Lent was instituted by the apostles, and is of necessity to be observed according to the general consent of the ancient Fathers. St. Jerome (ep. liv. ad Marcel.) says, we fast 40 days, or make one Lent in a year, according to the tradition of the apostles. St. Augustine (serm. lxix.) says, by the due observance of Lent, the wicked are separated from the good, infidels from Christians, heretics from Catholics. Our Saviour fasted 40 days, not because he stood in need of it, as we do, to subject the unruly members of the body, which lust against the spirit, but to set an example for our imitation. (Haydock) --- Another reason might be, to prevent the captious remarks of the Jews, who might object that he had not yet done what the founder of their law, Moses, and after him Elias, had done. (Palacius in Mat.)

Ver. 3. "And the tempter coming," O peirazon, who looked upon this hunger as a favourable moment to tempt him, and to discover if he were truly the Son of God, as was declared at his baptism, desired Jesus to change by a miracle the stones into bread, to appease his hunger and to recover his strength. (Haydock) --- By this we are taught, that amidst our greatest austerities and fasts, we are never free from temptation. But if your fasts, says St. Gregory, do not free you entirely from temptations, they will at least give you strength not to be overcome by them. (St. Thomas Aquinas.) The tempter is supposed to have appeared in a human form, and the whole temptation to have been merely external, like that which took place with our first parents in Paradise. It would have been beneath the perfection of Christ, to have allowed the devil the power of suggesting wicked thoughts to his mind. (Jansenius. p. 107.) Had Jesus Christ converted the stones into bread, the devil, according to St. Jerome, would have thence inferred that he was God. But it was Christ's intention to overcome the proud fiend rather by humility than power. (St. Thomas Aquinas) Thus, if the first Adam fell from God by pride, the second Adam has effectually taught us how to overcome the devil by humility. (Haydock)

Ver. 4. Man liveth not by bread only. The words were spoken of the manna. (Deuteronomy viii. 3.) The sense in this place is, that man's life may be supported by any thing, or in any manner, as it pleaseth God. (Witham) --- St. Gregory upon this passage says: if our divine Redeemer, when tempted by the devil, answered in so mild a manner, when he could have buried the wicked tempter in the bottom of hell, ought not man, when he suffers any thing from his fellow man, rather to improve it to his advantage, than to resent it to his own ruin. Man consists of soul and body; his body is supported by bread, his soul by the word of God; hence the saying, "Lex est cibus animæ." (Mat. Polus.)

Ver. 5. In the text of St. Luke this temptation is the third: but most commentators follow the order of St. Matthew. In Palestine, all buildings had a flat roof, with a balustrade or a parapet. It was probably upon the parapet that the devil conveyed Jesus. The three temptations comprise the three principal sources of sin: 1. sensuality; 2. pride; and 3. concupiscence. 1st epistle John ii. 16. We may hope to conquer the first by fasting and confidence in divine Providence; the second by humility; the third by despising all sublunary things, as unworthy a Christian's solicitude. (Haydock) --- the devil took him, &c.[2] If we ask in what manner this was done, St. Gregory answers, that Christ might permit himself to be taken up, and transported in the air by the devil, he that afterwards permitted himself to be tormented, and nailed to a cross by wicked men, who are members of the devil. Others think the devil only conducted him from place to place. The text of St. Luke favours this exposition, when it is said, the devil led him to Jerusalem, to a high mountain, &c. (Witham)

Ver. 6. Heretics, says St. Augustine, quote Scriptures, as the devil does here, in a wrong and forced sense; the Church cites them, like Jesus Christ, in their true sense, and to confute their falsehood. (Cont. lit. Petil. lib. ii. chap. 51.) It is on this account, that the Catholic Church wishes persons who come to the study of the most mysterious and difficult book ever published, should bring with them some preparation of mind and heart; convinced that the abuse of the strongest and best food may be converted into deadly poison. The promoters of Bible societies have published in Ireland a tract to encourage the universal perusal of the Scriptures, as the sole rule of faith. In this they give not only a mutilated and corrupt version of the letter of his late Holiness Pius VI. to the now archbishop of Florence, (to be seen at the head of this edition of the Bible) but certain letters from German Jansenists, who are described as being good Catholics. (Haydock)

Ver. 8. Shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; and as St. Luke says, in a moment of time. We cannot comprehend how this could be done from any mountain, or seen with human eyes. Therefore many think it was by some kind of representation; or that the devil shewing a part, by words set forth the rest. (Witham) --- He shewed him the different climates in which each country was situated. (St. Chrysostom)

Ver. 9. All these will I give thee. The father of lies here promised what was not his to give. For though he be called the prince of this world, (John xii. 31,) meaning of the wicked, who wilfully make themselves his slaves; yet so restrained is the devil's power, that he could not go into the swine till Christ permitted it. (Matthew viii. 31.) (Witham) --- What arrogance! what pride! The devil promises earthly kingdoms, whilst Jesus promises a heavenly kingdom to his followers. (St. Remigius) Behold the pride of his heart; as he formerly wished to make himself God, so now he wishes to assume to himself divine honours. (St. Aquinas)

Ver. 10. Jesus Christ does not here cite the words, but the substance of the text. (Deuteronomy v. 7. and 9; vi. 13; x. 20.) --- It is remarkable that our Lord bore with the pride and insolence of the devil, till he assumed to himself the honour due to God alone. (St. Chrysostom)

Ver. 11. Then the devil having exhausted all his artifices, left him for a time, as St. Luke remarks; whence we are to learn, that after we have resisted with success, we are not to think ourselves secure, but avail ourselves of the truce to return thanks to God for the victory, and to prepare for fresh combats, especially by fortifying ourselves with the bread of angels in the holy communion.  The temptations of Jesus Christ are to us a subject both of consolation and instruction.  By example he has taught us how to fight and to conquer. The struggle may be painful; but angels, as well as God, witness our struggle, ready to crown our victory. (Haydock)

Ver. 12. Jesus then left the wilderness, and passed a few day on the banks of the Jordan, affording his holy precursor an opportunity of bearing repeated testimony of him and of his divine mission, as we read in the first chap. of St. John, and then retired into Upper Galilee to avoid the fury of the Jews. There were two Galilees, that of the Jews and that of the Gentiles; this latter was given by the king of Tyre to king Solomon. (St. Jerome) This conduct of Jesus Christ, shews that on some occasions it is not only lawful, but advisable, to flee from persecution. (St. Chrysostom) --- Jesus Christ enters more publicly on his mission, and about to occupy the place of his precursor, the baptist, he chooses Galilee for the first theatre of his ministry, the place assigned by the ancient prophets. The Pharisees had prevailed upon Herod to arrest the baptist, nor could their hatred be less to Jesus Christ, who drew a still greater concourse of disciples after him.

Ver. 13. Nazareth was situated in Lower Galilee; and Capharnaum, a maritime town, in Higher Galilee. According to the historian, Josephus, it did not belong to Herod, the tetrarch, who sent the baptist to confinement, but to Philip, the tetrarch, his brother. (Calmet) --- He leaves Nazareth for good and all, and retires to Capharnaum, a very flourishing and much frequented emporium, both for the Jews and Gentiles. Here he makes his chief residence, a place well calculated for his preaching, being on the limits of both Galilees, although he made frequent excursions through Galilee to disseminate his doctrines. (Syn. crit.)

Ver. 15. St. Matthew has omitted in this place part of the prophecy, (Isaias ix.) because it was not to his purpose. He has likewise given us the mystical, though still true, interpretation of the prophecy, which was written in the first instance to foretell the deliverance of Jerusalem from Senacherib, in the time of Ezechias. (1 Kings, xix.) (Jansenius)

Ver. 16. And a light is risen, &c. This light, foretold by the prophet Isaias, (chap. ix, ver. 1,) was our Saviour Christ, the light of the world, who now enlightened them by his instructions, and by his grace. (Witham) --- Thus when the morning star has gone by and disappeared, the sun rises and diffuses its light to mortals, who rejoice that the darkness of night is removed from the earth. (Jansenius)

Ver. 17. Jesus began not to preach till St. John had announced his coming to the world, that the dignity of his sacred person might thus be manifested, and the incredulous Jews be without excuse. If after the preaching of St. John, and his express testimony of the divinity of our Redeemer, they could still say: thou givest testimony of thyself; thy testimony is not true: what would they not have said, if, without any precursor, he had, all on a sudden, appeared amongst them. He did not begin to preach till St. John was cast into prison, that the people might not be divided. On this account also St. John wrought no miracle, that the people might be struck with the miracles of our Saviour, and yield their assent to him. (St. Chrysostom, hom. 14.) --- It may here be remarked, how different were the motives of the prophets from those which the baptist and Christ made use of to exhort to repentance. The former menaced evil, and held out a promise of good, but the good or evil was temporal. St. John begins his exhortations with the threat of eternal punishments---but Christ sweetens the hardships of penance by reminding us of the reward. "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Jansenius)

Ver. 18. Jesus wished not only to prove that the establishment of his religion was heavenly, but also to humble the pride of man; and therefore he did not choose orators and philosophers, but fishermen, says St. Jerome. Cyprian, the eloquent orator, was called to the priesthood; but before him was Peter, the fisherman. (St. Chrysostom) --- Jesus saw two brothers, &c. If we compare what is related by the evangelists, as to the time that St. Peter and St. Andrew became Christ's disciples, we shall find Andrew, who had been a disciple of St. John Baptist, to have brought to Christ his brother Simon. (John i, ver. 40.) But at that time they staid not with him, so as to become his disciples, and to remain with him as they afterwards did, by quitting their boat, their nets, their fishing, and all they had in the world, which is here related; and by St. Mark, (chap. i,) and by St. Luke, chap. v. (Witham)

Ver. 19. Jesus Christ here makes an allusion to the prior occupation of his apostles. David, in his Psalms, makes similar allusions to his former occupation of shepherd: "He took him from the flocks of sheep, he brought him from following the ewes big with young, to feed Jacob, his servant, and Israel, his inheritance." (Psalm lxxvii. ver. 70.) (Menochius)

Ver. 21. It was objected by the ancient enemies of Christianity, Porphyrius, Julian the apostate, and others, that Christ chose for his apostles simple and ignorant men, easy to be imposed upon, and not such as would have been on their guard against deception; thus converting that into an argument against the doctrine of Jesus Christ, which of all other circumstances most solidly and forcibly establishes its divinity and authority. (Salmeron. trac. 25.) --- If Christ had persuaded the ignorant apostles only, there might be some room for such an argument. But if these 12 ignorant men triumphed over the learning, the eloquence, the sophisms of the philosophers themselves, over the strong arm of power in the hands of tyrants, and finally over the devils and passions of men, which were the last to give up the combat against a doctrine that established itself on their ruin, then we may conclude, with St. Paul, that it was wisdom in God to choose the weak things of this world to confound the strong---the foolish and the things that are not, to confound those which are. (Haydock)

Ver. 23. The synagogues were religious assemblies with the Jews, wherein they met on the sabbath and festival days, to pray, to read and hear expounded the word of God, and to exercise the other practices of their law. (Calmet)

Ver. 24. Many came to Christ to beg to be cured of their corporal infirmities; nor do we read of a single one here, who came to be delivered from spiritual sickness. Our blessed Savior nevertheless, bearing with their imperfection, condescends to heal them, that he might thence take occasion of exciting their faith, and preparing them for their spiritual cure. (Jansenius) --- It is much to be regretted, that the conduct of Christians at the present day, is not more reasonable than that of the Jews here mentioned. If the Almighty, says the eloquent Masillon, had not the power or will of dispensing goods and evils, how small would be the number of those who would ever retire to the temple to present their petition to Him. (Haydock) --- Our Saviour asks not, if they believed, as he did on other occasions; they had given him sufficient proof, by bringing their sick from distant parts. (St. Chrysostom, hom. xiv.)

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[1] Ver. 1. St. Mark (chap. i, ver. 13) tells us, Christ was with wild beasts, eratque cum bestiis, meta ton therion.

[2] Ver. 5. Assumpsit, paralambanei. statuit eum, istesin. St. Gregory, hom. 16. in Evang. t. 1. page. 1492. Ed. Ben. Quid mirum si se ab illo permisit in montem duci, qui se pertulit etiam a membris illius crucifigi?