For Noncatholics: Coming to Mass

[Tambora]

In the Church, there are no "other people". We are all priests.

Right.

Romans 15
(15) But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God
(16) to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

But one does not have to attend a Catholic Mass to do the priestly service of the gospel of God.

 

[Right Divider]

Right.

Romans 15
(15) But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God
(16) to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

But one does not have to attend a Catholic Mass to do the priestly service of the gospel of God.

That's just a bad translation.

Rom 15:16 (AKJV/PCE)​

(15:16) That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.​

​

Paul says that we are ambassadors.

2Cor 5:20 (AKJV/PCE)​

(5:20) Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.​

 

[JudgeRightly]

Right.

Romans 15
(15) But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God
(16) to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

But one does not have to attend a Catholic Mass to do the priestly service of the gospel of God.

That's just a bad translation.

Rom 15:16 (AKJV/PCE)​

(15:16) That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.​

​

Paul says that we are ambassadors.

2Cor 5:20 (AKJV/PCE)​

(5:20) Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.​

And the NKJV:

Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God, that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Bible Gateway passage: Romans 15:15, Romans 15:16 - New King James Version

Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God,

www.biblegateway.com

 

[Nick M]

I answered for him. White sepulchers.

 

[Nick M]

I took my Mexican born sister in law to Mass on Sunday and then again on Monday. Part of the family was here. It is interesting how there is some upheaval and some lack of conformity with the service. The basics are the same.

 

[Idolater]

I took my Mexican born sister in law to Mass on Sunday and then again on Monday. Part of the family was here. It is interesting how there is some upheaval and some lack of conformity with the service. The basics are the same.

Sunday or weekend Mass is different from daily Mass in many small ways. But it's still His Real sacramental Presence under the appearance of the bread and wine.

 

[Nick M]

His Real sacramental Presence under the appearance of the bread and wine.

Do you know what it’s called when you have your own version of God?

 

[Idolater]

Do you know what it’s called when you have your own version of God?

Theology proper. For example, do you believe the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son? Or does He only proceed from the Father? One theology proper is Catholic, and the other is Eastern Orthodox.¹

The Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox versions of God are different theology. Most Protestants are Catholic and believe the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son (Filioque clause, in the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed).


¹ And probably other ancient traditions like Coptic Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox too, also deny the Filioque ("and the Son"). But idk for sure and I haven't looked it up.

 

[Idolater]

Right.

Romans 15
(15) But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God
(16) to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

But one does not have to attend a Catholic Mass to do the priestly service of the gospel of God.

Priesthood is really really specifically focused on altars and sacrificing. So in that sense Catholic priests are doing something the rest of us just aren't authorized to do, which is to say, consecrate the elements of the Eucharist (aka confecting the Eucharist). There are other powers that they have by virtue of their office, which is a Biblical one, but confecting the Eucharist is the center of Christian life, our handbook the Catechism of the Catholic Church, calls the Eucharist the source and summit of our faith.

The Eucharist is WHY you go to Mass.

 

[Nick M]

Theology proper.

The answer is idolatry. You have your own version of God besides the God of the Bible.

 

[Idolater]

The answer is idolatry. You have your own version of God besides the God of the Bible.

No idolatry is greed and covetousness, so says Paul.

$$ Eph 5:5
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

$$ Col 3:5
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

I might be greedy and a coveter, but that is NOT the reason I'm Catholic. I'm Catholic, knowing I need to avoid greed and coveting.

There are people who are possibly Catholic because they're greedy, because they're able to earn some money being public Catholics perhaps, or a local parish employs them, though they secretly don't hold to the faith, but that's not me. I don't earn any money from being Catholic. So greed and coveting is not a candidate for why I'm Catholic.

 

[Nick M]

No idolatry is greed and covetousness, so says Paul.

A whoremonger? You dingbat. He is generalizing and listing off all kinds of offenses. All of them lead to eternal death. What kind of a Catholic are you that you don't know Exodus 20?

3 “You shall have no other gods before Me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.