Douay-Rheims Bible by St. Bendict Press

Douay-Rheims Bible by St. Benedict Press

Shown is the Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner New Testament) published by St. Benedict Press. It lists at the publisher's website for $54.99 but is available on the internet for around $35 + shipping. This paricular copy was purchased from Adoremus Books through the Barnes & Noble marketplace.

It is genuine leather and appears to have a glued binding. Modern glued bindings are much better then they used to be but putting prayer cards and other papers inside of any fine book is never recommended. It has a single ribbon in gold/tan and gilded edges.

Subjectively, it just doesn't feel as much like a fine Bible as I had hoped it would and am left wondering if the premium ultra-soft version for ten dollars less would not have been a better value. I'm hoping the cover will soften a little with use. Time will tell.

I can already tell that my zippered leather thin-line RSV-CE from Oxford University Press will remain as my daily reader. Still, I'm really really looking forward to reading this. I've already peeked at the first lines of 1 John. John's first letter always moves my heart and my fear was that it would read archaic and dry. That is definitely not the case.

And I've never had a red-letter Bible. Maybe now my Evangelical and Baptist friends will give my Bible some respect. :)

Douay-Rheims Bible by St. Benedict Press

Douay-Rheims Bible by St. Benedict Press

Douay-Rheims Bible by St. Benedict Press

-Tim-

Why the Nativity?

Moses longed to see God's glory but God granted that he was not to see his face but only his back.

Moses said, "I pray thee, show me thy glory." And he said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you my name `The LORD'; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. [20] But," he said, "you cannot see my face; for man shall not see me and live. (Exodus 33:18-20)

Elijah understood that he could not look upon God and live. When God became present in the gentle wind, Elijah hid himself. 

And when Eli'jah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. (1 Kings 19:13)

Moses and Elijah were eventually granted their wish - they were allowed God's glory in the person of Jesus on the mount of transfiguration when his face shone like the sun.

And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Eli'jah, talking with him. (Matthew 17:2-3)

All of Israel had longed to see their salvation, longed to behold God's glory, longed to see God's face. Until Jesus was born, they had only seen manifestations of God - the burning bush, the cloud during the day and pillar of fire at night... Man was finally able to behold God's glory in the person of Jesus, was finally able to see God's face at the nativity.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. (John 1:14)

God had finally revealed himself fully. Man was finally able to see God's glory, to touch God, converse with God and eat with God. John speaks so eloquently about the great gift of seeing God with his own eyes, about Israel's longing and its fulfillment in Jesus.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life -- the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us -- that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:1-3)

It was the eternal longing of Israel, to look upon the face of God. Israel was finally able to do that at the nativity. We get to do that at every Mass at the elevation when the priest says...

Behold the Lamb of God...

We get to see God's glory at every Mass. It is something Israel longed for. It is what we celebrate tonight, that man was finally able to behold God and live. We celebrate that God became visible tonight.

Merry Christmas to all. 


-Tim-

Book Review: In the School of the Holy Spirit

In the School of the Holy Spirit by Fr. Jacques Philippe is only 90 pages, small pages at that, but don't let its size fool you. This is a powerful work on a subject easily overlooked.

The author asserts that holiness in our lives is the work of the Holy Spirit and "The task is beyond our power". This might seem obvious to any Christian, but Jacques Philippe goes further, asking two questions of vital importance; how can we foster inspirations of the Holy Spirit and how we can know for sure that the inspiration comes from God (and not from our own mind or from the devil)? The latter is what the Early Desert Fathers called "discernment."

Several broad precepts are given for fostering divine inspirations, including obedience to small movements of the Spirit as a means to greater and more numerous inspirations.

"'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy." (Mt 21:25 NAB)

Knowing that an inspiration comes from God is something that I struggle with and the author's wisdom in this regard makes the book well worth the $9.95 cover price.

"We should not... take it as a systematic rule for discerning God's will the principal that in any given situation, what he asks of us will always be what is most difficult."

The author addresses these questions while recognizing our own individuality and hence, God's way of working with us on a very personal level. The book does not present a formula, but rather a set of guidelines we can use in our daily lives to help us help the Holy Spirit affect our call to holiness.

Summary: The Holy Spirit is our means to holiness. Fostering the Holy Spirit's work in our lives and the ability to discern God's call is the subject of In the School of the Holy Spirit by Jacques Philippe. Short, to the point and well worth reading. This is one of my top ten favorite spiritual books of all time.

-Tim-

One Mediator

A mediator is one who goes back and forth between two parties getting them to agree. In Jewish culture and in the Hebrew Scriptures, mediation has to do with covenants.

Moses was a mediator for the covenant between God and the Hebrews.

Now when all the people perceived the thunderings and the lightnings and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled; and they stood afar off, and said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will hear; but let not God speak to us, lest we die." (Exodus 20:18-19)

Moses mediated the covenant, going up and down the mountain at least five times, bringing Gods proposal to the people and the people's response to God. If you look in your Bible, it might even have the heading "Moses Accepted as Mediator" before this section of Scripture. Don't ever let anyone tell you that there is one mediator between God and man.

Jesus is the new Moses. Jesus mediates a new covenant.

Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, (Hebrews 9:15)

and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, (Hebrews 12:24)

The old covenant was imperfect, and the man Moses was an imperfect mediator. Jesus is the perfect mediator between God and man because Jesus alone is both God and man.

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (1 Timothy 2:5)

Jesus is God. Jesus is man. Jesus is therefor the perfect mediator of the new perfect covenant between God and mankind. His mediation is perfect because he is both God and man.


-Tim-

For My Flesh is True Food...

God's law forbade the consumption of blood. 

"For the life of every creature is the blood of it; therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off." (Leviticus 17:14)

If the life of a creature is its blood, then consuming the blood of animals gave you the life of an animal. Those who consumed animal blood were themselves no better than animals, obeying their own passions and living by instinct.

When we consume the blood of Christ, we consume the life of Christ, because the "Life of every creature is its blood."

So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:53:54)

Christ has eternal life. We eat his flesh and drink his blood so that we can live the life of Christ eternally, not the life of a beast, or of an animal, but the eternal life of God.

God reserved the consumption of blood until the perfect flesh and the perfect blood came down from heaven to give life to the world. In this the Law of Moses was fulfilled completely.


-Tim-

Exodus and Transfiguration

St. Luke's account of the Transfiguration is unique in one detail.

While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. (Luke 9:29-31)

Many miss it when they read this scripture; Jesus was to accomplish an exodus in Jerusalem. That is what Jesus, Elijah and Moses were conversing about - a second exodus. The exodus Jesus was to accomplish was in many ways similar to, and a fulfillment of the exodus which Moses led, but never completed. 

Moses himself never crossed into the promised land, but Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.

Moses led the people out of slavery and bondage, but they kept slipping into sin and acting like their captors back in Egypt. Jesus however, completes the exodus and gives us a very real way to rid ourselves of sin  - baptism, confession and himself in the Eucharist.

-Tim-

Spirit and the Real Presence

In the story of his conversion, former Presbyterian theological virtuoso Dr. Scott Hahn recounts the first time he attended Mass and saw the Eucharist held aloft by a priest.

My God, it's you! It's really you!!!

Christ tells us point blank that the Eucharist is a mystery of faith; that the Eucharist is something our human senses can never perceive and which our human intellect can never fully comprehend. Some non-Catholic Churches seem to ignore Christ's teaching about the supernatural nature of the Eucharist as they go about their regular practice of symbolic communion while members of other non-Catholic Churches misunderstand Jesus' teaching about the mystery of the Eucharist at it's most fundamental (a-hem) level.

It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. (John 6:63)

See, Jesus was speaking spiritually. Jesus was only speaking symbolically. It's a memorial.... mere bread. "the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit" Its the classic denial of the Eucharist. And it is not only dead wrong but is exactly the opposite of what Christ actually said.

Jesus very clearly states that his words (about the Eucharist) are "Spirit and life." The English word spirit comes from the Latin word spiritus which literally means breath.

The word "Spirit" appears in 58 books, 288 chapters, 509 verses and a total of 556 times in the New American Bible. I've read every one of them. You can read them here if you want, or if you prefer, you can use the Revised Standard Version here. Nowhere in scripture is the word "Spirit" used as a synonym for the word "Symbolic."

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2, NAB)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2, RSV)

The New American Bible renders the passage "Mighty Wind" while the Revised Standard Version renders the passage "Spirit of God." Two different translations are given to illustrate the synonymous nature moving air (mighty wind) and the Spirit of God.

...the LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7)

In the second creation account, God breathes "The breath of life" into man who becomes "A living being." There is an undeniable causational relationship between the "breath" of the divine being and life in man; God's breath - the blowing of air into man's nostrils - is that which causes man to live. In the very first book of the Bible we see the movement of air, God's breath, his Spirit, the "Might wind" hovering over the waters, not only giving man his very life as it is breathed into his nostrils but being the catalyst for the creation of the entire universe in which man lives.

Jesus answered, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you, 'You must be born from above.' The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8)

Jesus compares the nature of wind with the action of the Holy Spirit in man as he converses with Nicodemus the Pharisee. The context of the conversation is the strict requirement that one be "Born of water and spirit" in order to enter heaven. Catholics know this passage as a reference to the beginning of a Christians spiritual life through baptism. Through baptism we are adopted into new life as members of the Body of Christ. If you have the chance to witness a baptism any time soon, please do so, and watch for the part where the priest of deacon breathes on the candidate three times in the shape of a cross.

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. (Acts 2:1-4)

Yet more wind, this time breathing life into and giving birth to the Church, filling the Church with the Holy Spirit. Need we go on? Oh, just one more...

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. (Jesus) said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the holy Spirit." Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." (John 20:19-23)

The Word of God which became flesh literally breathes the Holy Spirit into the Apostles. Note that the gift of the Holy Spirit which is given to the Apostles at this particular time allows them to forgive sins and thereby bring others back to spiritual life (to a state of sanctifying grace).

It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. (John 6:63)

Throughout the Bible, the word "Spirit" is used to signify the very breath of God, the Holy Spirit, and spiritual life. And Jesus' words at the end of the Bread of Life discourse are no different. Jesus is not speaking of symbolism and spirituality; he is speaking of new life, a participation in the Body of Christ!

The argument that John 6:63 renders communion as symbolic collapses under the weight of scriptural evidence - exactly the opposite is in fact the case. Jesus says:

• I am the bread of life (twice)
• I am the living bread that came down from heaven
• The bread that I will give is my flesh
• Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life
• My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink
• Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me
• The one who feeds on me will have life

And then Jesus tells us not that his words are symbolic or spiritual, but that his words are "Spirit and life"; that which breathes a new spiritual life - the very life of God - into his followers!

In spite of Christs warning, some of his disciples chose to walk away. Christ's warning is no less clear today. Your flesh is of no avail! Your eyes will see bread. Your tongue will taste wine. Your nose will smell the alcohol.  Your intellect cannot grasp what I am about to fully reveal on the night before I am to die for your sins, when I take bread in my sacred hands and break it so that you may always have me present. Your faculties of reason cannot understand the miracle - the turning of bread and wine into my flesh and blood - that will be performed in every nation, from the rising of the sun to its setting, at the hands of my priests until I come again in glory.

-Tim-

A Funny Bible Site...

The International Society of Bible Collectors has a fun page where they document some of the wierder Biblical mistranslations and typographical errors throughout history.

1682 — “Cannibals” Bible. In Deut. 24:3, a KJV Bible reads “if the latter husband ate her” instead of “hate her.”

1600s — “Fool” Bible. In a Bible edition printed during the reign of Charles I, Psa. 14:1 reads, “The fool hath said in his heart, there is a God” instead of “no God.” The printers were fined 3000 pounds for this error and all copies were suppressed.

1795 — “Child killer” Bible. Mark 7:27 reads in the King James Version “Let the children first be killed” instead of “be filled.”

And my personal favorite...

1638— “Vexing wives” Bible. In a KJV Bible at Num. 25:18 it reads “for they vex you with their wives” instead of “with their wiles.”

Read More...

-Tim-