The Dream

My maternal grandparents were my Catholic rock.  They were devout Catholics, never missing a week of mass.  Grandpa taught me the Our Father and the Hail Mary when I was about 6 years old and told me that when I couldn't get to sleep, to use that time saying my prayers.  He was my Confirmation sponsor and I couldn't have been more proud of that.  Grandma kept a small figure of the infant Jesus on her dresser and a beautiful portrait of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in her hallway next to the kitchen.  She always sang the songs at mass and I loved listening to her.  I enjoyed going to mass with them.  One of the parishes we went to had a little gift shop and after mass, Grandma would buy me a little booklet of the lives of the saints.  Every now and again they would have another issue and I eventually acquired all 4 of them.  As an adult, I bought the same lives of the saints stories in a complete book and I treasure it to this day.

They passed away about 15 years ago (within a year of each other).  It has left a huge hole in my heart and I miss them very much.  One night about 5 years later I had a very profound and detailed dream about them:

It started out where I was sitting in what seemed like a small classroom.  The walls were chain-link fence and there was a stairway going up one side.  I was at a small desk, the kind you see in a college classroom - open on one side.  I remember having a feeling of anticipation and not really even noticing anyone else around me - and there definitely were others in the room at desks, too.  I also didn't notice what was outside through the chain-link walls.   Then a figure came halfway down the stairs and called my name.  I had the sense she was female, but I don't remember her having a face.  She wore a hooded robe and seemed to be floating slightly off the ground.  It was a very friendly and calming presence and I had no fear.  I immediately got up and followed her up the stairs.  At the top of the stairs, there was a long hallway that we walked along.  Every 10-15 feet or so on both the left and right sides was an archway leading into a room or sorts.  I saw the archways, but the insides of each room were completely black.  It was as if I was not meant to see inside a room that wasn't meant for me.  The blackness of each room was framed with an open, heavy red curtain - almost theater-like.  We walked down the hallway, side-by-side.  She still had no face and seems to float along.  Then she turned toward me and said, "Would you like to see your grandparents?".  I remember excitedly saying, "YES!", not expecting to hear that.  We came to one of the archways and the figure pointed and told me to go ahead inside.  I walked into the blackness and it immediately brightened up to reveal a room, similar to a hotel room with a large bed in the middle.  Grandpa walked right over to me, smiling.  He must have been 50 years younger than I remember him.  He looked great.  His hair was dark and he had a small mustache and a hat on.  We hugged and I remember feeling so happy and crying.  Grandma was sitting on the bed and looked a bit nervous.  I went over to her and we hugged.  I had a feeling she wasn't sure where she was.  Neither of them spoke a single word.  Then I remember feeling as if it was time for me leave them and I walked out of the room back into the hallway.  When I looked back into the room, all I saw was the blackness again.  I was alone.  I started to walk down the hallway some more and I came to a huge open bright room that reminded me of a cafeteria, with empty round tables and sturdy chairs.  No one was here either.  I looked up and saw that the very high ceiling had a huge square cutout - almost as large as the room itself.  Attached to the edges of the open ceiling was a heavy rope net, as big as the hole and hanging down from it.  I remember thinking that the net was there to catch someone who was falling into the room.  I remember feeling a great urge to know what that ceiling opening led to.  I walked to the middle of the room, stood on a table and reached up to try and grab the net.  Looking up at the opening, I saw a very dark, starry night sky and felt a breeze.  As I tried looking closer, I woke up.

My dreams are never this vivid and detailed - and long.  I felt different when I woke up - as if I had just come back from a journey.  My mind felt confused, I was breathing heavily, and I remembered every single detail.  I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and choppily wrote down what I remembered.  I told my mom about it later and she believes I actually did have a visit with my grandparents.  

When I thought it would be an interesting blog topic to write about, I didn't even need that paper (no idea where it could be after 15 years anyway) because in thinking about it just now, I still remember every single detail.  As a matter of fact, in the blog just now, I wrote down all the things about that dream I remember - down to what I was feeling, what the walls looked like, and more about the robed figure.  These are things I had never written down or told anyone before.  

So take from it what you will.  I believe my consciousness went somewhere else.   I have been comforted by it, knowing my grandparents are still together and live on, somewhere beyond this world, and that they still love us and will be there when it's our time to move on. 

 

The Bible

I started reading the Bible again a few weeks ago.  I always have it by me for reference and comfort, but every 7 years or so, I get the urge to just read it through.  I just got the Great Adventure Bible and I absolutely love it.  It is a complete Revised Standard Bible with all 73 books.  This RSV is said to be the clearest, most accurate, and most beautiful translation of the Bible in English.

The Great Adventure Bible (and Jeff Cavins) lays out a great way to read the Bible.  You read all the "narrative" books first and then go back and read the rest of the books where they will now be in context with the books you already read.  I love that idea.  This Bible also gives you further explanations about what was going on in that time period and how certain things connect with other things.  It also comes with maps and a timeline, in relation to each book of the Bible, which really helps me understand when everything was taking place.  I prefer this Bible to all others.  Even though the Catholic mass liturgy uses the New American Bible (NAB) (which I also like), the Vatican prefers the Revised Standard Version (RSV), using it for all their documents issued in English.  Also, the RSV is based on the Masoretic texts, which is the authoritative Hebrew and Aramaic text of the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible.  The books of the New Testament were written in Koine Greek - or maybe that was translated from Aramaic or Syriac/Hebrew.  No one is 100% sure. 

I agree with Jimmy Akin that "Sacred Scripture is not just the revealed written word of God, but a thoroughly Catholic work, intimately connected with the Church from the earliest centuries.  The Bible cannot exist apart from the Church.  In its origins and its formulation, in the truths it contains, in its careful preservation over the centuries and in the prayerful study and elucidation of its mysteries, Scripture is inseparable from Catholicism.  This is fitting since both come from God for our salvation.  I take pride in this gift that God gave the world through the Church.  We are the original 'Bible Christians'",  Bishop Thomas J. Olmstead reminds us that "the teachings of the Catholic Church have Sacred Scripture as their base and that it is the Catholic Church that has preserved this treasure for humanity down through the centuries".  

Even the roots of the 1611 King James Bible are almost entirely Catholic, despite the fact that the translation was often viewed as a highpoint of Protestant European culture.  If it had not been for the Catholics of the 1500s and the original Bibles that came from Catholic priests, there would be no King James Bible.  The KJV writers actually mimicked and copied Catholic priests.  There was a whole exhibition about that called the "Verbum Domini" (Word of the Lord).  Btw, King James was not a theologian and honestly had no authority in biblical matters at all.  He was prompted to produce a "better" English Bible and he made sure the one that was produced lined up with the Church of England's ideals and beliefs.  

What I'm really excited about in reading the Bible again, this time not only with guidance and a laid-out plan of understanding, but reading it in a contemplative way I just learned more about, called "Lectio Divina".  It is a way of immersing yourself into Scripture very personally and reflecting prayerfully on God's words.  The Christian form of Lectio Divina was first introduced by St. Gregory of Nyssa (330-395 AD) and encouraged by St. Benedict of Nursia (480-547 AD), who was the founder of the Benedictine order.  The four steps of Lectio Divina are:  

1. Read - read slowly and pay attention
2. Meditate - listen to the inner message of the Scripture, delivered by the Holy Spirit
3. Pray - prayer should accompany the reading of Sacred Scripture, so that God and man may talk together, for we speak to Him when we pray and we hear Him when we read.
4. Contemplate - hearing the Word of God and focusing on His presence in a silent, attentive mode. 

Lectio Divina helps us hear specifically and individually from God through Scripture, guided by the Holy Spirit, and deepens our relationship with Him.  Also, it's satisfying, enjoyable, and relaxing.  

Here are some BIBLE FACTS (taken from another page):

# The Bible is a Catholic book because the Catholic Church decided which books to include in the Bible in the Synod's of Hippo (393 AD) and confirmed it at Carthage (397 A.D).

# The Canon recognized by the Catholic Church for the past fifteen centuries (73 books) was specified in the Council of Laodicea in 367 A.D.

# The non-Catholic scholar Peter Flint, who translated the Dead Sea Scrolls, tells us that there was no Bible until the 300's when the Catholic Church infallibly decided on what books belong there. Before that, there were hundreds of letters and the Septuagint.

# Even the word Bible is not in the Bible. It came from the Greek word "biblos" ( "Βίβλος" ) which means the inner bark of the papyrus, paper-reed, from which paper was originally made, in Egypt. The Latin form "Biblia" spelled with a capital letter, came to mean "the Book of Books," "The Book" by way of pre-eminence, the inspired Book, etc. The Holy Scriptures were first called the Bible by St. Chrysostom, the Catholic Archbishop of Constantinople, in the 4th century.

# Canon of Scripture:
The Canon of Scripture simply means the authentic collection of those writings declared to have been inspired by God. They are called canonical, whereas those writings that were rejected as uncanonical were called apocryphal, which means not of Divine origin, not inspired.

# The Bible alone theory is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches us and shows us that the Church came FIRST before the Bible. After all, what books did Jesus write? None! Jesus deliberately chose NOT to write. Instead, He chose to establish a Church to teach in His name!

# The early Christians did not own a Bible since the printing press wasn't developed until the 1500s. Even after the printing press was developed, many Christian could not afford to own a Bible.

# The apostles did not read from the New Testament, which was yet to be written, instead, they taught by "word of mouth" and by tradition, as shown in the following verses:

(2 Thes. 2:15) - So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter.

(2 Tim. 2:2) - and what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well.

# JESUS stated that the final authority is the church in Matthew 18:15-17.
Matt 18:15 But if thy brother shall offend against thee, go, and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother.
Matt 18:16 And if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more: that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand.
Matt 18:17 And if he will not hear them: tell the church. And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican.

# Nowhere in the Bible does it state that the "Bible" is the only authority for Christians?

# For more than 1,400 years the Church taught the members by Tradition because the bible was printed only around the 1440s by Johannes Gutenberg.

Bible Timeline:
-> 33AD (Catholic Church founded)
-> 397AD (Bible Canonized by the Catholic church)
-> 1440AD (First Bible printed)

1440 - 33AD = 1400 + years of oral tradition

The first mass-produced printed book was the Bible, a version based on the Latin edition from about 380 AD.. The Bible was printed at Mainz, Germany by Johannes Gutenberg from 1452 -1455.

# Bible states that we must look to the Church for the proper interpretation. After all, the Bible cannot interpret itself, can it? Let look at some verses that show us that private interpretation is frowned upon.

(2 Peter 1:20) - First of all, you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,

(2 Peter 3:16) - speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures.

(Acts 8:30-34) - 30 So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. 32 Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:

# Catholics never outlawed the reading of the bible. They outlawed certain editions of the bible that were translated incorrectly by reformers.

# Catholic and Protestant Bibles both include 27 books in the New Testament.

Protestant Bibles have only 39 books in the Old Testament, however, while Catholic Bibles have 46.
The seven books included in Catholic Bibles are Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, and Baruch. Catholic Bibles also include sections in the Books of Esther and Daniel which are not found in Protestant Bibles. These books are called the deuterocanonical books. The Catholic Church considers these books to be inspired by the Holy Spirit.

# Martin Luther, on his own and without any authority, ripped seven books out of the Old Testament and claimed they were not Sacred Scripture (hence being put in an appendix).

# Martin Luther also wanted to rip out of the Bible several New Testament books too -- such as James, Hebrews, and Revelations.

# One of the reasons that Luther ripped out books of the Old Testament is because some of those books helped to explain some Catholic doctrines. The reason why he wanted to rip out of the Bible the Book of St. James is because it contradicted his personal and heretical view about justification, said justification was by faith alone. NOWHERE does the Bible say that, so Luther added the word to Romans 3:28 in his German Translation.

# In fact the ONLY place in the New Testament where the words "faith alone" appear is in the Book of St. James where James says that we are "not saved by faith alone" (James 2:24). This was the reason Luther wanted to get rid of the book of James. This man was not just arrogant but evil in his desire to conform the Bible to his personal, and heretical, opinions. James 2:24 Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith

# In addition Martin Luther added to the Bible words that do not exist in the Greek extant manuscripts. When Martin Luther was confronted about why he was messing with the Bible, he arrogantly replied, "Because my will is good enough."

Why Always an Argument?

If anything even slightly Catholic is posted somewhere where there are some Protestants, an argument will always ensue - from them.  I don't get it.  Why is their opinion "right"?  Why do they do this only with Catholics?  Why not argue with the other 40000+ other Protestant denominations who you know you disagree with somewhere?  Why not tell Muslims and Jews how "wrong" they are? Why only us?  Just because you are called Protestants doesn't mean you must always feel the need to protest the Catholics all.the.time.  We are not you and do not want to be you.

I think I will start posting this response from now on...

You are not Catholic and we are.  We believe Jesus speaks to us in many more ways than the Bible alone.  We believe in apostolic tradition and the early church fathers.  We believe in intercessory prayer with saints, who are those we aspire to be like, who we believe are alive in heaven, who hear us when we pray, pray with us and for us, and bring our prayers to Jesus. We believe Jesus and his mother have appeared to many of us giving us new prayers and words of wisdom, and performing documented and proven miracles. We love our cathedrals, icons, pictures, and statues that represent who we worship or venerate, just as a photo in your wallet or phone represents someone YOU love.  Stop trying to make us be like you.  You broke away from us because there were things one man and some of his followers didn't agree with. Then over the next 500 years, more than 40,000 other protesting denominations were created because no one can agree with anyone else.  We're fine with who we are - yes, even after 2000 years.

Catholicism & Me

Catholicism, to me, is the ultimate fulfillment of truth.  As a cradle Catholic, it has always been in my life.  I have made my sacraments and so have my husband and my children.  Growing up, though, as many Catholics do, I took my faith for granted and didn't keep my end of the bargain, so to speak.  Going to church was a nuisance and I had more fun things to do in my teenage life.  After my kids were born, I was just tired on Sunday mornings and wanted to sleep in.  Eventually, I joined a church choir with my best friend because 1) I loved singing and 2) it got me to church every week.  I am still in a church choir - although I did change parishes a few years ago.

Over the last few years, I've gone through a heavy spiritual enlightenment.  It has made me long to get even closer to Jesus and Catholicism in general.  I am reading the Bible more, watching more videos, reading more articles and books, saying more rosaries and chaplets, and diving more deeply into the Mass.  And I love it.  I have such a beautiful sense of peace.  

Believe it or not, the covid quarantine has almost been a blessing in disguise.  Being home has allowed me to overload on everything Catholic.  It's all I want to do.  I am back at work now, but as soon as I get home I delve back into my studies.  My husband thankfully gets me.  He's more of a Christmas & Easter Catholic but I do pray that he and the kids come back more fully into the faith.

The thing I've realized about Catholicism is that you really have to understand what it's all about.  I don't mean the horrible catechisms we had in the 70s and 80s.  I mean you have to decide that it's time - and start researching.  There are so many incorrect perceptions out there.  There are so many parts to this beautiful religion, that after decades of being Catholic, I'm still learning new things.  Many Catholics stay blind and either carry on with the rituals without too much thought or they fall away.  But those who make a point to read and truly understand are the ones most at peace and ready to defend Catholicism at the drop of a hat.  That's where I want to be completely.