Easter Sunday – 31st March 2013

Dear Readers,

My name is Fr. Franz Devantier of Saint Titus, Independent Old Catholic Church (IOCC) of Africa, operating in South Africa, and also creator of this blog.  My background was that of a liberal Catholic Priest, and a Traditional Catholic Priest in South Africa, and then an independent Priest in the Catholic tradition.  I was incardinated into the IOCC by Archbishop-Primate Emeritus Maurice McCormick founder of the IOCC of America.  

IOCC of America

Primate Archbishop George Le Mesurier,  IOCC of America
Primate Emeritus Archbishop Maurice McCormick, IOCC of America
+++

IOCC of Africa

Bishop George Otieno Odhiambo, IOCC of Africa

+++

Saint Titus IOCC South Africa

Saint Titus IOCC Newsletter

Father. Franz Devantier, IOCC South Africa

In nomine Patris, et Filii, + et Spiritus Sancti.  Amen   (In the name of the father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen. )

Easter Sunday – 31st March 2013 (Colour of Celebration – White)

Traditional Catholics:

In many modern languages the name given to this feast comes from a Hebraic word Pasch or Passover, which means “Passage through the Red Seas”.  In latin the word is Pascha.

This is the day which the Lord had made; let us celebrate it with transports of joy.

Liberal Catholics:

O God of love, we praise thee, we bless thee, with all our hearts do we thank thee and magnify thy name for this most holy and wondrous festival of Easter, for in the glorious victory which in it is commemorated and symbolized, thou hast given us the sure and certain witness that good shall finally triumph over ill and that death is but a gateway to the ineffable splendour of eternal life in thee, O never-setting sun of righteousness, who livest and reignest God for ever and ever.  Amen.

Roman Catholics: (Twelfth Sunday of the Year)

God is the strength of his people.  In him, we his chosen live in safety.  Save us, Lord, who share in your life, and give us your blessing; be our shepherd for ever.

Commemoration of the Saints

April 2^nd:  St Francis of Paula (Confessor)

-> He founded the order of Minims, whose name shows that they wished to be accounted the least in the household of God.  Summoned to France, he died there in 1508.

April 4^th:  St Isidore (Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church)

-> He succeeded his brother as Archbishop of Seville.  He was a master of ecclesiastical learning in Spain and a great Doctor of the Church.  He died in A.D. 636.

April 5^th: St Vincent Ferrer (Confessor)

-> A famous Dominican who gave lustre to the Church by his preaching and miracles.  He converted thousands of sinners and heretics.  He died in A.D. 1419.

Announcements:

-> We are in the process of collecting names for Lay-Pastors and Marriage officers, under Saint Titus.  If you would like to become a marriage officer, or a Pastor, or a Priest, under Saint Titus, then please contact Fr. Franz  devantierf@gmail.com

News

We go into Easter weekend with 17 Lay-Pastors and 18 Candidate Marriage Officers.  We thank and bless all of you, and hope that your affiliation to St Titus will be inspiring over the coming years.  We are in the process of making submissions to the department of Home Affairs to register the Marriage officers.

We also have three Candidate Priests, who are ready to start their practical training and move through the minor Orders, and on to the Order of Sub-Deacon.  I have special permission to perform confirmations and ordinations up to and including Sub-Deacon.  From Deacon upwards we will need to fly the African Bishop in from Kenya to assist us.  Hopefully we will be needing the services of the African Regionary Bishop soon.

Sacred References:

Corinthians chapter 5, verses 7-8

Mark chapter 16, verses 1-7

Jeremiah chapter 20, verses 10-13

Romans chapter 5, verses 12-15

Mathew chapter 10, verses 26-33

Corinthians chapter 15, verses 12 onwards

Matthew chapter 28,  verses 1 onwards

Homily:

So by today we have come through Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and are finally into Easter Sunday.  Like most of us because of the pressures of work, and life, we have only managed to give some attention to Easter Sunday itself.  Some of us with young children around may have woken up, and searched for Easter Eggs that the “Easter Bunny”, hid in the house or in the garden.  It is an absolutely wonderful experience to find a hidden Chocolate Easter egg, that is earmarked for you, and to eat it.  So let’s focus on this aspect that most of us have managed to give some attention to, Easter Sunday.

Well I am sure you all know the story.  After the triumphant Palm Sunday, Jesus returns to Jerusalem, but this time to be condemned, and crucified.  Jesus is buried in a Sepulchre, and today’s story really starts about three days after the crucifixion.  The story starts on the morning of the third day, when it is discovered that Jesus the Christ has risen from the dead.  There is a pre-cursor to this story, when Jesus raises Lazareth from the Dead, after he had already been dead for three days.  However back to Easter Sunday, or more correctly Easter day.  At this point in time Jesus the Christ had risen from the dead in his spiritual body, but had not yet ascended into Heaven.  The Christ was walking around and talking to people, and they did not recognize him.

Two of his disciples were walking along on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus, which was quite a walk.  They were discussing the recent events, and seemed to be sad and upset by the proceedings.  You see, they were still of the mistaken impression that Jesus the Christ may have saved the people of Jerusalem from a political perspective.  They could not yet see the spiritual implications of what had just happened.  They were too close, and so could not see the wood for the trees.

Jesus the Christ explained to them in great detail using the old testament scriptures, all the way from the books of Moses, and all the books of the prophets, about how Jesus the Christ fitted into the picture, and the spiritual role that he had fulfilled.  The disciples were greatly enriched by the teachings, but still could not see him for who he was.  You see they believed that he was dead, and their belief was so strong, that they could not see him, even although he was right in front of their eyes talking to them, and teaching them.

It was only much later, when they had invited Jesus the Christ to eat supper with them, and the Christ performed the Mass, or the breaking of the bread, and the blessing of the bread and wine, that they suddenly were able to see him.  It was a sudden moment of realization.  The Buddhists way of describing something like this, would have been a moment of enlightenment.   As they recognized him as Jesus the Christ his spiritual body disappeared from their physical eyes, and they were not able to see him anymore.

The lessons presented are quite profound.  The teaching is that all of us, will be able to rise from the dead, with a spiritual body instead of a physical body.  You see one of the problems presented in understanding this concept is the time line problem.  We are stuck in linear time, and so the teaching that we will be raised up on the last day, is difficult to understand.  It seems that we will be required to wait for the end of the world to come, before we can be raised up.  If you go back to my homily for Palm Sunday 2013, which was last week, you will find that I speak of multiple dimensions of space and time.  Specifically of three dimensional time.  You see in three dimensional time you can move around in time, as you move around in three dimensional space.  You are no longer stuck to the linear progression of time.

So to be raised up on the last day in your spiritual body really just means that a little after you die in a physical body, you will be raised up in your spiritual body.  It seems to be important that your physical body should die properly, before your spiritual body rises up from the corruption or the dust of your physical body.  So as in the case of Jesus the Christ, he died and was buried, and three days later he rises up in his spiritual body.  In the same way, when we die, we will be raised up again in our spiritual bodies, which may look similar to the physical body that was laid to rest.  However it is common belief that the imperfections in the physical body will to some extent be eliminated from the Spiritual body.  So let’s say that you or somebody else dies today, and after a few days they are officially buried or cremated.  The spiritual body then rises up at the end of days or on the last day, which is in fact a few days after dying, because that is only a constraint of linear time in our physical bodies.  Our spiritual bodies will probably be able to operate in three dimensional time and multidimensional dimensions of space.  So we will not have to potentially wait in our graves for potentially thousands of years, before finally we are allowed to rise up in our spiritual bodies; we will be able to rise up almost immediately in our spiritual bodies, even if this is on the last day from a physical perspective.

For every kind of seed that is planted into the ground, a body of its own is raised up or grows.  From our perspective: that which is sown in corruption is raised in incorruption.  Sown in weakness is raised in power.  Just think of all those people who spend a life of prayer, just praying for others, various causes and themselves.  In some ways people may consider them weak.  However when they rise up in the spiritual bodies they will be beings of power.

Our natural body or our physical body or ashes is sown into the ground, or kept in a place or disposed of in some way.  At any point in time after dying we are free to rise up in our spiritual bodies.  It may be that the spiritual body rises as the physical body goes down, and we explain the timelines with a ball of time, in the new spiritual existence.

Our physical bodies die in mortality, but are raised as spiritual bodies in immortality.  But there is another reality, that is veiled in jokes about the afterlife.  Often we tell jokes about people arriving at the pearly gates of heaven, and trying to gain entrance, by outwitting St. Peter, who seems to be the gate-keeper in many of the stories.  There really is a gate, the gate of death, and a gate-keeper.  The gate-keeper may not be St. Peter, but in reality it may be your own higher self.  When you arrive at the gates of death, you are passing from the physical plains, and into the spiritual plains, which have a completely different set of operating rules.

Although there may be other personalities at the gate of death, you own conscience, your own higher self will probably play an important role in the proceedings.  Consider this, because you are moving into a place with more dimensions of space and time, many of the ground rules will change.  To start with when you arrive at the gate, you will probably be able to travel through the gate on your way to heaven or through the same gate in the opposite direction to another destination.  However the destination will be your choice, and you will be going to the place or the area, that you have chosen, and where you want to go. 

Your life and the deeds that you have done is your ticket to get through the gate of death.  What you have done, and what you have not done, what you have fixed up and what you have not fixed up, will decide which way the ticket will work.

But it is more involved than that, because when you get to the gate of death in three dimensional time, you will have all the time you need to review your life, and decide where you will be happiest.  If that is not enough, you can call on your advocate Jesus the Christ, who will come and argue your case, for in whichever way you desire to go; which may have infinitely more choices than simply going left or right. 

When you get to the gates of death the gates of heaven, you will be able to choose the mansion that you would like to be part of, because there are many mansions in heaven.  One of those mansions will be a fit for you.  You will only have insight on these details when you get to the pearly gates, so although you can’t formulate the exact place that you are going now, you can formulate the general direction that you like to end up in.  This has to be demonstrated in your daily life, and demonstrated to yourself in your daily life.  So that when you rise up in glory in your spiritual body, you will have already influenced the gate-keeper, as to your destination.

Prayer:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name:  Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation.  But deliver us from evil.

[Protestants can optionally add:  For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.]

Amen.

Benediction:

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son, Christ our Lord; and the Blessing of God almighty, the Father, + the Son and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you and remain with you always.  Amen.

Love,

Rev. Fr. Franz Devantier of Saint Titus, IOCC, South Africa,

devantierf@gmail.com

Financial support for Saint Titus IOCC (win-win alternative)

Join the carefully selected and tested cash-flow generating program below to support Saint Titus, and at the same time potentially create a residual or annuity type income for yourself.

Traffic Wave - Free Report:  You can maintain unlimited lists, with unlimited members.  No extra costs.  Email marketing or newsletters on steroids.  Nice residual income program built in.

Second Sunday of Passiontide or Palm Sunday – 24th March 2013

Dear Readers,

My name is Fr. Franz Devantier of Saint Titus, Independent Old Catholic Church (IOCC) of Africa, operating in South Africa, and also creator of this blog.  My background was that of a liberal Catholic Priest, and a Traditional Catholic Priest in South Africa, and then an independent Priest in the Catholic tradition.  I was incardinated into the IOCC by Archbishop-Primate Emeritus Maurice McCormick founder of the IOCC of America.  

IOCC of America

Primate Archbishop George Le Mesurier,  IOCC of America
Primate Emeritus Archbishop Maurice McCormick, IOCC of America
+++

IOCC of Africa

Bishop George Otieno Odhiambo, IOCC of Africa

+++

Saint Titus IOCC South Africa

Saint Titus IOCC Newsletter

Father. Franz Devantier, IOCC South Africa

In nomine Patris, et Filii, + et Spititus Sancti.  Amen   (In the name of the father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen. )

Second Sunday of Passiontide or Palm Sunday – 24^th March 2013 (Colour of Celebration – Red)

Traditional Catholics:

The Celebrant in red cope, with the ministers also vested in red, the red of royal triumph, proceeds to the Blessing of Palms (or of branches of olive or other trees); these are placed in the sanctuary or other suitable place.

Liberal Catholics:

The Blessing of the Palms.

On this Sunday the altar cross and the processional cross are again veiled in violet gauze.

Roman Catholics: (Eleventh Sunday of the Year)

Lord, hear my voice when I call to you.  You are my help; do not cast me off, do not desert me, my Saviour God.

Commemoration of the Saints

March 24^th: St. Gabriel, (Archangel):  St. Gabriel was chosen by God, to announce to Mary that she was to be the Mother of Christ.

March 25^th:  The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

March 27^th:  St. John Damascene, (Confessor, Doctor of the Church).

Announcements:

·         We are still collecting names for submission as Marriage officers, under Saint Titus.  If you would like to become a marriage officer under Saint Titus, then please contact Fr. Franz  devantierf@gmail.com

News:

Pope Francis urged the West on Friday to intensify dialogue with Islam, and appealed to the world to do more to combat poverty and protect the environment.  He said that richer countries should fight what he called “the spiritual poverty of our times”, by re-forging links with God.

He urged us to keep religion central in public life and promote inter-religious dialogue as a catalyst for efforts to build peace.  (Editor: Perhaps we can all start by repairing petty divisions in our churches of the same religion, or slightly different brands of Christianity)

Sacred References:

Matthew, chapter 21, verses 1-9.

Matthew, chapter 26, verses 36 – 75, chapter 27, verses 1 – 66.

Revelation of John, chapter 19, from verse 1 onwards

Samuel II, chapter 12, verses 1 – 13.

Galatians, chapter 2, verses 16 – 21.

Luke, chapter 7 verse 36 to chapter 8 verse 3.

Homily:

This Sunday is known as Palm Sunday, because great multitudes of people spread palm leaves for the Christ to walk on, as his beast of burden the humble Ass carried him on this triumphant entrance into Jerusalem.  There were not only Palm leaves but branches of different types of trees, and even cloths that people had removed from themselves, and laid down in the path of the Christ.

Now you may say that this was not genuine, because only a matter of a few days later the situation for Jesus the Christ was very different, you could say the opposite.  A matter of a few short days later, and the Christ was headed for his crucifixion.  None of the people who had welcomed the heavenly King to Jerusalem only days before stood up to defend the Christ.  How could this be?  How is it possible for people to change so radically in such a short space of time? 

You see the saying that “as above, so below” is illustrated here.  What this means is that what happens in heaven is reflected onto this earthly plain, even although it may be a week reflection of the true glory in Heaven.  Remember that in heaven time is not necessary completely aligned to our concept of one dimensional or linear time.  We can conceive of one dimension of space, such as a single point or a straight line.  We can conceive of two dimensions of space, such as a flat sheet of paper.  In this second dimension we can create written words and pictures that portray three dimensions of space, for example a two dimensional photograph of a person will portray the image of a three dimensional person.  Then we can describe quite easily three dimensions of space, such as a cube or a ball.  When it gets to four and five dimensions and above it becomes difficult to describe and visualize, because in our reality we only have up to three dimensions of space as our reference.  Think of this for example: in the fourth dimension you could theoretically fold a ball into a flat sheet of material like a sheet of paper.  Although it is flat it is still a ball.  In the fifth dimension you could turn this sheet sideways, so that all you still saw was a line.  In the sixth dimension you could move this 90%, so that all you could still observe was a simple dot, like a dot if you observed the end of a piece of string, perpendicular to your eye.  In the seventh dimension you could turn this dot so that it disappears from view, it is still there but you don’t see it.  How would we describe additional dimensions, when the seventh dimension has already rendered the object invisible?

However when it gets to time, we are stuck in one dimensional thinking.  Linear time, things move forward from point A to point B, at a more or less set speed, and there is nothing that we can do about it.  No matter what we do, we can’t leave the confines of linear time.   Imagine the theoretical possibility of more dimensions of time existing in heaven.  Let’s consider two dimensions of time, which you could illustrate as a sheet of paper, instead of a simple straight line.  Now suddenly in two dimensions of time you could move sideways, instead of just forwards.  Could this mean that linear time would stand still as you moved sideways?  Could it mean that you could spend years in a single moment of time, observing  everything about that moment from unlimited perspectives?  Still in two dimensional time you may not be able to move forward and backwards in time.  Now imagine three dimensional time, a ball of time.  In three dimensional space you can move around in any direction you like, likewise in three dimensional time you may be able to move around in any direction you liked.  I will not go further here, because even three dimensions of time is a pretty difficult concept.

Now what has that to do with anything you may ask.  What has multiple dimensions of time to do with Palm Sunday?  Well many years later the was a man named John who had visions of a very similar occurrence, possibly the same occasion in Heaven that was happening on earth that day, but separated by many, many years.  Can you imagine that if time were to become relative, by being two or three dimensional time, instead of linear or one dimensional time; that something that happens close to one hundred years later or earlier, may in fact be the same event.  In other words the event in Heaven may have been reflected on earth about a hundred years earlier.  Does that make sense?

Let’s look at the events again.  Jesus rides in glory into Jerusalem on the back of an Ass.  The crowd cries “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the Highest”.  Beautiful words, and one seems to wonder where it all suddenly came from.  However the words although very beautiful, were missing certain truths that are portrayed many, many years later.  This was just a reflection of something very special happening in Heaven that day.  Something that was happening then, but in fact may still be happening thousands of years later, or may still be going to happen.  You see we can’t properly understand and describe multidimensional time, in linear time terms.  So our words don’t make sense, which does not take anything away from the reality of course.  It is just that with our experience of reality on this earthly plain, we can’t describe what we don’t experience, and what we don’t know.      

Now let’s move many, many years into the future in our concept of linear time.  But did we really move at all, or are we still in the same moment of time, on a spiritual or a heavenly level.  Are we in the same moment of linear time when superimposed on two, three or more dimensions of time?

Now we get a glimpse of what really happened in heaven that day, a glimpse of what was going on, that caused a difficult to understand series of events to occur on Earth.  An event that threw a pale and inaccurate image of itself onto this imperfect earthly plain.

There was a very special person St. John the Divine who had a vision of things to come, and his words are recorded for us in the “Revelation of John”, the last book in the bible.

“I heard a great voice of much people in heaven saying: Alleluia: Salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God, for true and righteous are his judgements.  And again they said Alleluia.  And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the Throne, saying: Amen, Alleluia”.

You see the people who took part in the mere reflection on earth that day, did not know that the Christ was God.  They did not understand the full impact of the Salvation that was offered to human-kind as a gift.  The people there that day were just ordinary people like you and me.  They were not people like Saint John the Divine, who could visualize and see the glory of Heaven when he closed his eyes.  They were ordinary people, who may not have been able to fully explain their actions that day.

The limitations of that day on earth were necessary, in order that the events that started unfolding shortly afterwards, would be able to continue.  If the veil of reality had been removed suddenly for everybody, and they saw the events in heaven taking place; then the possibility of the events leading up to the crucifixion of the Christ, may not have been possible.  

So in a way you could say that the imperfections of this earthly plain, the imperfections of the reflection of the Glory of Heaven down to us; is all necessary.  It is all necessary so that God’s plan which was potentially conceived in at least three dimensions of time rather than linear time, can be played out in linear time.  Here is the difficult part.  If there are no coincidences, and nothing happens without a purpose; then it is our duty to try to understand to the extent of our intellect, to the extent of our potential understanding, the real meaning of the things that happen to us and others around us.

We need to understand as far as possible what is the meaning of the things that are happening around us.  Maybe we may just recognise an image of Palm Sunday, in something that happens in our circles.  We may be fortunate enough to recognise something in ordinary day to day activities, and hold it precious to our hearts.  Recognise something that is special, but defies words or explanations, when you try to explain it to others.

Let us celebrate Palm Sunday, and give thanks, as on that day on Earth two thousand years ago, or as in Heaven, can’t say when.  What we do know is that it is very special.

Prayer:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name:  Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation.  But deliver us from evil.

[Protestants can optionally add:  For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.]

Amen.

Benediction:

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son, Christ our Lord; and the Blessing of God almighty, the Father, + the Son and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you and remain with you always.  Amen.

Love,

Rev. Fr. Franz Devantier of Saint Titus, IOCC, South Africa,

devantierf@gmail.com

Financial support for Saint Titus IOCC (win-win alternative)

Join the carefully selected and tested cash-flow generating program below to support Saint Titus, and at the same time potentially create a residual or annuity type income for yourself.

Traffic Wave - Free Report:  You can maintain unlimited lists, with unlimited members.  No extra costs.  Email marketing or newsletters on steroids.  Nice residual income program built in.

Fifth Sunday in Lent or Passion Sunday – 17th March 2013

Dear Readers,

My name is Fr. Franz Devantier of Saint Titus, Independent Old Catholic Church (IOCC) of Africa, operating in South Africa, and also creator of this blog.  My background was that of a liberal Catholic Priest, and a Traditional Catholic Priest in South Africa, and then an independent Priest in the Catholic tradition.  I was incardinated into the IOCC by Archbishop-Primate Emeritus Maurice McCormick founder of the IOCC of America.  

IOCC of America

Primate Archbishop George Le Mesurier,  IOCC of America
Primate Emeritus Archbishop Maurice McCormick, IOCC of America
+++

IOCC of Africa

Bishop George Otieno Odhiambo, IOCC of Africa

+++

Saint Titus IOCC South Africa

Saint Titus IOCC Newsletter

Father. Franz Devantier, IOCC South Africa

In nomine Patris, et Filii, + et Spititus Sancti.  Amen   (In the name of the father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen. )

Fifth Sunday in Lent or Passion Sunday – 17^th March 2013(Colour of Celebration – Violet)

Traditional Catholics:

If he who is of God hears the word of God, and he who is not of God cannot hear His words, then let each one ask himself:  “Do I take the words of God to heart”? (Saint Gregory the Great).

Liberal Catholics:

Intent:  Humility

On this Sunday the altar cross and the processional cross are veiled in violet gauze.

Roman Catholics: (Tenth Sunday of the Year)

The Lord is my light and my salvation.  Who shall frighten me?  The Lord is the defender of my life.  Who shall make me tremble?

Commemoration of the Saints

March 17^th: St. Patrick, (Bishop, Confessor):  The Holy Bishop Patrick is the Apostle and Patron of Ireland.  He used with profit the talents received from God to convert the whole Irish people which, thanks to him, has always been strongly loyal to the Holy See.  He died A.D. 464.

March 18^th:  St. Cyril of Jerusalem, (Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church).

March 19^th:  St. Joseph, (Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Confessor).

Announcements:

-> We are still collecting names for submission as Marriage officers, under Saint Titus.  If you would like to become a marriage officer under Saint Titus, then please contact Fr. Franz  devantierf@gmail.com

News:

Pope Francis I

-> Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 76, from Argentina was elected as the Catholic Church's new pope Wednesday night. He is taking the name Francis. Thousands of Catholics gathered under umbrellas outside St. Peter's Basilica, eagerly listening to the church's 266th pontiff, who addressed the faithful from the balcony.

"As you know, the duty of the conclave was to appoint a bishop of Rome. It seems to me that my brother cardinals have chosen one who is from far away, but here I am," said Pope Francis, who is now the first pope from Latin America. He then recited the Lord's Prayer.

The new pope replaces Benedict XVI, whose surprise resignation last month prompted the 115 Roman Catholic cardinals to initiate a conclave, a Latin phrase meaning "with a key," to pick a new leader for the world's almost 2 billion Catholics.

Francis, a Jesuit, is the first pope ever elected from Latin America, a region of the world with 480 million Catholics.

Sacred References:

Romans, chapter 12, second verse onwards.

Luke, chapter 18, ninth verse onwards.

Hebrews, chapter 9, verses 11 – 15.

John, chapter 8, verses 46 – 59

Kings chapter 17, verses 17 – 24.

Galatians, chapter 1, verses 11 – 19.

Luke, chapter 7, verses 11 – 17.

Homily:

This Sunday we think of the coming events for our lord.  We think of how he will be blessed by having palm leaves thrown down for him to walk on.  Not long afterwards, he will be accused and hung on the cross to die.  A little further along we see our Lord being resurrected, and some time later ascending into heaven.  This Sunday is really an opportunity to rethink our own relationship with Jesus the Christ.  An opportunity to examine ourselves, and decide where we are; and where we would like to be with regards to our relationship with the Christ.

We have the opportunity to transform ourselves, by renewing our minds.  Ok the above consists of two big and grand concepts in one sentence, so I will break it down.

Firstly let’s get to grips with transforming ourselves on a physical level.  Transforming yourself on a physical level is related, because everything that we are and stand for forms part of who we are.  So following a balanced diet, and doing a prescribed amount of exercise per week, is a good way to start the transformation.  We don’t want to spiritualize the specific foods that you eat, so we will not get down to specifics.  Some people become vegetarians for religious or spiritual reasons, and others don’t.  Some people eat meat and vegetables, and seem to be able to develop spiritually as well as those who have restricted their diet to vegetables only.  Let’s agree that the content of the diet is not what is the issue, but the balance of the diet.  A diet should give you a balanced intake of nutrients in order to allow your body to operate at its optimum for your specific situation.  The way that your relative physical well-being affects your spiritual well-being, is that if your body is in better balance, then you may be able to focus better on the spiritual aspects of your makeup.  So in other words a healthy body says nothing about your spiritual well-being, but may just make it easier to focus on, if your body is in better shape.

Now when we come to looking at ways to transform ourselves, look at this illustration.  A human body is simply just a collection of flesh, bone and internal organs, that perform certain actions according to the instructions it receives from an intelligence that is you.  So the same body can be found doing good things, just as easily as the same body can be found doing bad things.  That intelligence that we speak of is you, it is your soul, your immortal spirit.  All the pieces that make up who you are from the temporary physical body all the way up to your immortal spirit, form the complete you.  It is the complete you that you will be transforming in some way.  So eating a balanced diet and doing exercise has addressed things on the lowest physical level, but has not transformed you in any meaningful way with regards to any of the higher levels of who you are.

Ok, so we need to transform the controlling part of you, so that the actions that you perform into the future are of a different nature.  To simplify things, we will just speak of transforming the mind or renewing the mind.  How do we transform the mind or renew the mind?

If we look at a very basic mind map, we find the answer.  The sub-conscious mind stores a record of everything that happens to you.  Some of those things that happen to us, form programs in our sub-conscious mind.  Those programs will be realized or come into fruition at some point in time.  So we need to re-program our sub-conscious mind, in order to renew our mind.  Renewing our mind will transform all that we are and stand for.  So the question is really “How do we change the programs in our sub-conscious mind”?

The answer is: By reading carefully, contemplating, and meditating on the words of the sacred writings; we will eventually cause a whole new set of programs to be installed in our sub-conscious mind.  When this happens our mind will be renewed, and all that we stand for will be transformed.  We would have transformed ourselves from who we were, to who we wanted to be.  So the answer is that simple.  Read your bible every day, and spend time during the day thinking about how the specific passage that you have read, can be applied to your own life.

If we think in terms of transforming ourselves by renewing our minds in a group situation, then we can offer these comments:  Firstly doing bible study and prayer and meditation sessions together can make things a lot easier to execute, then if you are working by yourself.  Secondly when there is a group, you will find that nearly everyone is good at something that others in the group are not good at.  In a group situation you will find people on nearly every aspect who are good at that aspect.  So as a group you can perform very well overall, whereas as an individual, you will have your areas that you are good at, but will have to make do with the areas that you are not good at.

Consider this:

Two righteous men went to the temple to pray, a Pharisee and a Publican.  The Pharisee prayed like this, standing where everyone could see him and hear him with his arms lifted up symbolically:  “God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortionists, unjust, or even as this Publican in the temple with me.  In fact I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.”

The publican on the other hand stood in a corner where he could not be seen, and with his head held low he said this prayer in a much softer voice:  “God be merciful to me, a sinner”

Do you agree, that if God were to choose one of them to justify, it would be the Publican rather than the Pharisee.  You see the Publican demonstrated with his words, that his mind had been renewed, whilst the Pharisee demonstrated with his words, that there were still many areas in his life that needed work.  The Publican had transformed himself, whilst the Pharisee simply tried to justify who he was.  Keep in mind that the Pharisee was not specifically a bad person, be we are looking at the next level here, the level of renewing the mind.  He that exalteth himself is abased, he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

To further illustrate how transforming yourself by renewing your mind works, we look at a more advanced step in the process.  We find Jesus the Christ sitting and receiving and healing people in need.  Some people brought in Infants for the Christ to touch, and obviously the disciples needed to learn this lesson, because the Christ said to the disciples:  “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.”  This final lesson speaks to us of to what extent the renewal of the mind needs to be taken to.

Prayer:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name:  Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation.  But deliver us from evil.

[Protestants can optionally add:  For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.]

Amen.

Benediction:

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son, Christ our Lord; and the Blessing of God almighty, the Father, + the Son and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you and remain with you always.  Amen.

Love,

Rev. Fr. Franz Devantier of Saint Titus, IOCC, South Africa,

devantierf@gmail.com

Financial support for Saint Titus IOCC (win-win alternative)

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Forth Sunday in Lent - 10th March 2013

Dear Readers,

My name is Fr. Franz Devantier of Saint Titus, Independent Old Catholic Church (IOCC) of Africa, operating in South Africa, and also creator of this blog.  My background was that of a liberal Catholic Priest, and a Traditional Catholic Priest in South Africa, and then an independent Priest in the Catholic tradition.  I was incardinated into the IOCC by Archbishop-Primate Emeritus Maurice McCormick founder of the IOCC of America.  

IOCC of America

Primate Archbishop George Le Mesurier,  IOCC of America
Primate Emeritus Archbishop Maurice McCormick, IOCC of America
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IOCC of Africa

Bishop George Otieno Odhiambo, IOCC of Africa

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Saint Titus IOCC South Africa

Saint Titus IOCC Newsletter

Father. Franz Devantier, IOCC South Africa

In nomine Patris, et Filii, + et Spititus Sancti.  Amen   (In the name of the father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen. )

Forth Sunday in Lent - 10^th March 2013  (Colour of Celebration – Rose or Violet)

Traditional Catholics:

Rejoice.  This Sunday offers us a break in the midst of Lenten observance.  We are soon to rise again with Jesus through confession and Easter Communion.

Liberal Catholics: (Refreshment Sunday)

Intent for this Sunday:  Spiritual Refreshment.

Roman Catholics: (Ninth Sunday of the Year)

O look at me and be merciful, for I am wretched and alone.  See my hardship and my poverty, and pardon all my sins.

Commemoration of the Saints

March 10^th: The Forty Holy Martyrs:  Under Licinius, forty soldiers of the garrison of Sebaste (Armenia) were exposed on a frozen pond for refusing to sacrifice to idols.  All persevered but one, whose courage failed him, and perished in a bath of tepid water prepared for him.  But their guard, inspired by grace, took his place and died with them, so there were forty martyrs still.  They suffered A.D. 320.

March 12^th:  St. Gregory I (Pope, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church).

Announcements:

·         We are still collecting names for submission as Marriage officers, under Saint Titus.  If you would like to become a marriage officer under Saint Titus, then please contact Fr. Franz  devantierf@gmail.com

News:

Pope Benedict XVI

·         Normally, the College of Cardinals is not allowed to select a new pontiff until 15 to 20 days after the office becomes vacant. However, Benedict amended the 500-year-old policy to get a successor into place more rapidly.  The cardinals may be able to do so before March 15.  If this does happen, the new pontiff will have more than a week to prepare for the March 24 Palm Sunday celebrations

Sacred References:

Galations, chapter 4 verses 22 to 31

John, chapter 6 verses 1 to 15.

Philippians, chapter 4 from 11^th verse.

Kings, chapter 8 verses 41 to 43.

Galations, chapter 1 verses 1 to 2 and verses 6 to 10.

Luke, chapter 7 verses 1 to 10.  

Homily:

We think of the one subject that many people on a spiritual path are concerned with.  By spiritual path we refer not only to Christians, but to all the available disciplines that offer spiritual paths.  Perhaps an example of a very well known spiritual path is the book “Pilgrims Progress”.  The character “Pilgrim” gets onto the path and undergoes all manner of adventures, some pleasant and others not so pleasant.  Each adventure along the path teaches the pilgrim additional lessons, until we see the Pilgrim at the pearly gates of heaven, and ready to pass through the gates.

This is really refreshment Sunday.  Many people on the spiritual path have told me that it is a requirement to live in poverty, in order to move through the gates of heaven.  The one quote that is often thrown as a reason is:  “It is harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, then it is for a camel to move through the eye of a needle”. 

This being the age of reason, the age of Aquarius we find ourselves questioning everything.  So a little research on Google or similar methods is in order.  It turns out that the “eye of the needle”, is a gate in the wall of Jerusalem on the back wall of the city.  Merchants sometimes entered the city through this gate, instead of travelling around to the front of the city to the main gate.  The thing with this gate is that it is rather low.  So in order for a Camel to enter through “The eye of the needle” it had to get onto its knees.  The Camel could walk through the gate on its knees.  So the lesson seems to be, that in order for a rich man (or any other human being for that matter), to enter the kingdom of heaven, he needs to enter on his knees.  So we need to enter heaven on our knees, which is a form of worship and adoration for Jesus the Christ, the Father and the Holy Ghost.

The lesson was never meant to be that Rich people could not enter the kingdom of heaven, but that we all need to enter heaven in a certain frame of mind, regardless of our earthly abundance or lack thereof.  In fact some of the richest people ever to grace this earth with their presence were keen followers of the Almighty.  For example Job, who was described as the richest man on the earth.  King Solomon who was not only exceptionally rich, but also the wisest man on the earth.  When you read the stories you find that these people indulged in a ritual on a regular basis.  The ritual consisted of prayers, contemplation, meditation and the study of the nature of God.  So across the sands of time, ritual has probably been more important, than a persons worldly possessions or lack thereof.  Here is a thought:  If you are entrusted with a certain amount of talents on this earthly plain, and demonstrate your ability to the Christ, to the Father to the Holy Ghost, that you can not only look after them, but nurture them, and  cause them to multiply. 

When you pass through the gates of heaven, and the records of your life are opened to judge your worthiness to pass into heaven; do you think activities on this earthly plain according to your abilities is taken into account?  As we know there are many mansions in heaven.  Do you think that your status, your function, and your purpose in heaven will be determined to some extent, by what happened on this physical plain?

So it seems that the various stages of poverty, of abundance, of middle class, of lower class, of upper class; are all just various stages along the spiritual path that we are all supposed to walk along.  The actual physical reality not being as important as the actual lessons learnt.  So for example one who earns enough to look after himself and his immediate family, may have learnt the lessons of the richest of the rich.  The lesson’s being of more importance than the physical reality.  However because we are stuck in physical reality, there are many times when we base or restrict our spiritual progress upon the reality of what is around us.

So when we are experiencing poverty and want, although we should be working to overcome it; at the same time we should embrace the experience with all our heart and learn the lessons that we need to learn.  Once we have learnt the lessons, then we are ready to move on to other lessons, which may or may not, involve being a middle class type of person for example.

There are times when we are happy, and times when we are sad.  There are times when we don’t know how we will get through the day.  There are times when we literally continue living one breath at a time.  There are times when everything is going our way and we feel on top of the world.  All of these experiences should be embraced, so that the lessons can be learned.  You know what they say, if you don’t learn the lesson, then the lesson is presented to you again, and again, but in a different way each time.  Each time you are presented with the same lessons, they tend to be of a more severe nature.    

The Holy Trinity can and probably does use our physical needs and experiences in a symphony of different ways to try to impart inner spiritual knowledge to us.  Many of us resist the process, and the shortness of our lifespan catches up with as far too soon.  Very sad would you not agree?

Let us look at one such spiritual lesson that was presented to a group of five thousand men about two thousand years ago.  Although if you think about it, it may have been more specifically targeted at a mere twelve disciple’s; who had already learnt many other lessons.

Jesus is on a high mountain with his disciples, and a large group of people approach, to hear what he has to say.  All keen to learn from the wisdom of his words.  The Christ gave them what they came for that day, but also used the limitations of physical reality to teach some far more profound lessons to all present that day.  Lessons that could not have been expressed in words, with the general understanding of the Universe amongst the average man there that day.

After some hours of teaching it turned out that the crowd of 5,000 were hungry.  Nobody had brought any food with them that day, except one young boy.  This young boy’s mother had packed lunch in for him.  His mother had packed in five small barley loaves, and two small fishes.  Enough for one small boys lunch.  This young boy demonstrated an advanced level of spiritual development and understanding, when he offered to share his lunch with the crowd of 5,000. 

Jesus the Christ welcomed the boy, took his five loaves and two fishes and started giving thanks for the food and sharing it amongst the five thousand.  To the amazement of everyone there that day, they all ate their full.  One small meal which was just enough for a small boy, was also enough for five thousand people; when passed through the hands of the Christ.  This act was a lesson in poverty, abundance, physical reality, and pointed towards the different stages of the spiritual path.  You would think that this would have been enough, the lesson to embrace and give thanks for what you have.

The Christ wanted to teach some far deeper concepts that day, by no co-incidence, the specific type of food, and the number of pieces of that food told a far deeper story.  From the scraps collected after everyone had eaten there full, there were twelve baskets full.  There were twelve baskets of bread, symbolic or representing the twelve disciples.  You see the disciples are symbolic of the bread of life, they were to provide the bread of spiritual life to us, if and when the Christ was no longer physically available to do it.  The Disciples were all trained personally by the Christ, and so were representatives of the Christ when they brought the teachings to the people, and ultimately to the rest of the world.  The twelve disciples are and always will be the twelve baskets of bread, symbolized in the disciplic succession by the bishops who carry the disciplic succession.  The Bishops are the only ones who can confer the disciplic succession to others.  Everybody else is able to receive the disciplic succession from the Bishops.  Two thousand years later the Bishops are the ones who are bringing us our share of spiritual bread, directly from the Christ.

The significance of there being two fish, is that the sign of Pisces is represented by two fish.  However this has nothing to do with the sun sign, it was symbolic of the age.  The two fish in the little boys lunch represented the “Age of Pisces”.  The various ages are represented by the 24 thousand year wobble that the earth undergoes.  The poles describe a circle around the band of sky known as the zodiac.  Again there are twelve disciples, and so there are twelve signs of the zodiac, which again is no co-incidence.  Each age lasts for two thousand years, and takes on the properties of the specific set of galaxies associated with the age.  For example the age of Pisces which was just starting, was a legalistic age in which you did what you were told to do, mainly without question.  Now we are at the beginning of the Age of Aquarius, which is the age of reason, the age of knowledge, the age of questioning, the age of personnel freedom.  Just look around you; can you see any evidence in the world today of this?  From a spiritual perspective, the most important thing in the Age of Aquarius is ritual.

So the Christ was speaking to us in symbols those two thousand years ago, about how the limited number of Clergy members would be able to provide the entire world with spiritual bread.  The Christ was symbolically telling us that the ages would change, in this case from the Age of Pisces to the Age of Aquarius; but the bread of heaven, the bread of spiritual knowledge would not change.  In other words, the Ages would change, but the Christ would not change.

In my specific linage I am connected through my bishops, all the way back to Saint Peter, and to the Christ himself.  Many of the protestant churches have lost the disciplic succession.  It is my earnest desire that a sympathetic bishop will one day restore the disciplic succession to the protestant churches.

So the lesson for us is to look to the spiritual level, the higher level, the level of the divine, the level of the Almighty, to grant us refreshment today.  Refreshment is not specifically coming from the physical side, although it might do.  A refreshment that typically has nothing to do with the physical reality of what is actually around us.  A refreshment that can be both spiritual and physically refreshing.

Earlier on I mentioned the importance of ritual in this Age of Aquarius. What is the one ritual that most of us can do on a regular basis, despite the limitations on this temporary physical plain?  Well, we can say a prayer, even the one prayer that was taught to us by the Christ himself, and carries volumes of spiritual lessons hidden in its apparently simple words. “The Pater Noster”.

Instructed by the sacred words of scripture and following the tradition of holy church from old, we now say:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name:  Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation.  But deliver us from evil.

[Protestants can optionally add:  For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.]

Amen.

Benediction:

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son, Christ our Lord; and the Blessing of God almighty, the Father, + the Son and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you and remain with you always.  Amen.

Love,

Rev. Fr. Franz Devantier of Saint Titus, IOCC, South Africa,

devantierf@gmail.com

Financial support for Saint Titus IOCC (win-win alternative)

Join the carefully selected and tested cash-flow generating program below to support Saint Titus, and at the same time potentially create a residual or annuity type income for yourself.

Traffic Wave - Free Report:  You can maintain unlimited lists, with unlimited members.  No extra costs.  Email marketing or newsletters on steroids.  Nice residual income program built in.