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)

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.

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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
+++

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. )

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.

Third Sunday in Lent – 3rd 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. )

Third Sunday in Lent – 3^rd March 2013 (Colour of Celebration - Violet)

Traditional Catholics:

We see Jesus today in open conflict with Satan and his works.  So also during Lent, which is a time when the struggle against the old man is more intense, should we “Live as children of the light”, performing actions good, just and true.

Liberal Catholics:

Intent for this Sunday:  Understanding.

Roman Catholics: (Eight Sunday of the year)

The Lord has been my strength; he has led me into freedom.  He saved me because he loves me.

Commemoration of the Saints

Mar 4^th: St. Casimir, (Confessor):  St. Casimir, son of Casimir III, King of Poland, led an angelic life and excelled in love for the poor and great devotion to the Blessed Virgin.  He practiced the most heroic virtues amid the dangers of his father’s court.  He died in A.D. 1483.

March 6^th:  SS. Perpetua and Felicity (Martyrs).

March 7^th:  St. Thomas Aquinas, (Confessor, Doctor of the Church).

March 8^th:  St. John of God, (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

• On Thursday, at 8 p.m. in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI, will become the first retired pontiff in 598 years. The leader of 1.2 billion Catholics around the globe will leave his seat at the ornate Apostolic Palace and retire to a former gardener's house at the Vatican to lead a life of prayer, likely removed entirely from public life.  Unfortunately, the ongoing scandals concerned with Gay Sexual offenders in the Priesthood around the globe, continue to dominate the publicity, and the Pope ‘s status of Emeritus Pope seems to be taking a back seat.

·       We are grateful to Pope Benedict XVI for bringing back the extraordinary form of the mass, as it was performed in 1962, prior to the second Vatican council.  This mass is also known as the Tridentine Mass.   

Sacred References:

Peter, chapter 3, starting from 8^th verse.

John, chapter 8, starting at the 3^rd verse.

Ephesians, chapter 5, verses 1-9.

Luke, chapter 11, verse 14-28.

Ecclesiasticus chapter 27, verses 4-7.

Corinthians chapter 15, verses 54-58.

Luke chapter 6, verses 39-45.

Homily:

“Lectio Divina” means the prayerful reading of the scriptures.  This is how we should be reading the scriptures, so that we can play with the ideas presented in them, and make the lessons presented in them, part of ourselves.

We see the Pharisees approaching Jesus, accompanied by a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery.  The question they presented to Jesus the Christ was a trick question, because out of this, they would have tried to condemn him as a teacher and a leader.  They presented the Law of Moses to Jesus concerning the regulations of how a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery should be stoned to death.

Jesus was faced with this difficult question, if he agreed that the best way to approach this problem was to follow the law, he would have implied that he had no compassion for this sister in this terrible situation.  If he stood up and protected this woman, he would have gone against the law of Moses, and so discredited himself as a teacher of the scriptures.

Imagine that you were in such a moral dilemma.  You were faced with two choices in your life situation.  If you chose “A”, you would appear to be a person without compassion for their fellow beings.  If you chose “B”, you would discredit yourself in front of your friends and colleagues, and everybody else who would ever come into contact with you.  Which would you choose?

If we look at this question in another way; In this earthly plain where we are living out our allotted time on this earth, we are faced with this question.  Take either this option or that option, there are no other options.  Each option will lead to you being discredited as a person in your personnel life and in your professional life.  There really seems to be no way out of this dilemma.  There is limited time left to answer this question, because as in the case of Jesus, the Pharisees could at any time assume that by not answering he had tacitly chosen either one of the two options.  This tacit compliance would have born the full result of having actively chosen one or the other option.  So the possibility of continuing indefinitely in indecision was not available.

Yet there is another approach to this problem which seemingly has no positive solution.  We are not dealing with purely physical things here, we have access to the Divine.  In other words we have access to things on a higher level or plane that have the power to put the whole question into another context.  Having access to this higher plane enables us to see the question for what it really is, and enable us to answer the question in such a way, that we don’t need to go down either of the two paths.

In this case Jesus was able to address the people who had approached him with this question, which meant that the question that was asked was no longer of importance, but the question of why they had asked him this question was exposed.  As the questioner was faced with the reality of having their motives exposed, they withdraw from the situation, and rendered the question a non-issue.  In fact by withdrawing, they had strengthened the validity of the work of Jesus the Christ, and put themselves in a position of further disrespect.   

Jesus simply said to the Pharisees.  “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her”.  One by one the Pharisees realized that they were not without sin.  So the whole process of trying to bring about the punishment of somebody who could not deny that they had sinned, became meaningless.  By throwing a stone at this woman, would have exposed the Pharisees for what they were, people such as ourselves;  People who although they had tried to live a life devoid of sin, and not managed to reach that goal.  All of their sins would have eventually been exposed had they continued with the exercise.  Eventually the woman was vindicated of the crime, because there was nobody left to accuse her.  Jesus had answered this impossible question, in such a way that had the opposite effect to what was expected.

So the lesson that we can learn here, is that things that seem to have no possible positive outcome can be turned around.  If we apply a higher perspective to it, we may recognise the answer that we had been looking for.  The lesson is to reach up to your higher self, to reach up to the Divine, to reach up to God, because that is where the solution lies.  Jesus had reached up to Divine, the woman had been brought to higher wisdom unwillingly, and the Pharisees had come to the Divine for the wrong reasons.  All of the players in this story received an answer from the divine.

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

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Second Sunday in Lent – February 24th 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 Spiritus Sancti.  Amen   (In the name of the father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen. )

  

Second Sunday in Lent – February 24^th 2013 (Colour of Celebration - Violet)

Traditional Catholics:

“Let the sight of the grandeur of Jesus transfigured prepare us for a brief contemplation of the Humiliation of His Passion.”

Liberal Catholics:

Intent for this Sunday is “Control of Speach”.

Roman Catholics: (7^th Sunday of the year)

“Lord, your mercy is my hope, my heart rejoices in your saving power.  I will sing to the Lord for his goodness to me.”

Commemoration of the Saints

Feb 24^th or 25^th: St. Matthias, (Apostle):  Matthias, one of the seventy-two disciples of Jesus, was chosen as Apostle in the place of Judas.  St. Matthias preached the Gospel for more than thirty years in Judea, Cappadocia, Egypt, and Ethiopia.  He was stoned in A.D 80.

Feb 27^th or 28^th: St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows. (Confessor)

Announcements:

·         We are in the process of setting up the constitution for Saint Titus.

·         We have started looking for people who would like to practice as marriage officers under the banner of Saint Titus.  There are already nine people who have expressed an interest in becoming marriage officers.  If you would like more details about this, then please contact Fr. Franz on devantierf@gmail.com

Homily:

Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, up a high mountain by themselves, and he was transfigured before their eyes.  This second Sunday of Lent is concerned with the mystery of the transfiguration of Jesus, the profound mystery of light.  A very comforting mystery, for Peter, James, and John, and for us too.

Only three disciples with special properties were invited to accompany Jesus on this journey.  Peter was invited because of his deep love for the Master Jesus, John because of his pure heart, and James because of his zeal in defending the faith.  We may feel these very properties within ourselves as we contemplate the mysteries of our Master Jesus the Christ.  These three disciples were about to experience a contemplative meditation, that was elevated above the normal plains of earthly existence.  As they focused on the Christ, his face became a point of light, bright as the sun, his clothes were as made of light.

In that moment the Christ was transfigured into his true being, a being that was the Word, a true reflection of the soul and of the nature of Christ.  For a moment the veil had parted and the true glory of the son of God was manifest as a being of God, as the second aspect of the trinity of God, a clue for deeper understanding of the things that were soon about to happen to the Christ.

What the three disciples saw and explained later of the experience can only and will always remain inadequate words to describe a true glimpse into the glory of truth.  Even the splendour of what they saw was only a mere reflection of the true glory, a mere preview of what awaits us on the other side.

Traditionally people have tried to compare the true glory of God as revealed to them with the light of the sun.  Possibly some brothers and sisters in the past were mistaken for sun-worshippers, because of the difficulties involved in trying to explain such an insight, such an image of God.

Then amazingly the three disciples became aware that there were other spiritual icons/beings with the Christ, in this display of the glory of God.  Moses and Elijah appeared.  These two powerful characters from the Old Testament are depicted as displaying devout homage to Jesus the Christ.  Like a blueprint or an example for true worship of the Christ.

As if nothing could top this experience, a bright cloud appeared and draw closer to the scene.  A voice from the cloud announced “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him”.  The disciples were able to recognize that Jesus the Christ is the Awaited One that God had announced through the prophet Isaiah.  Jesus is recognized as the teacher that we all need to follow.

It is not surprising to see that the experience for these three disciples was almost too much for them, even although they had been carefully chosen to start with.  The disciples wanted this glimpse into the glory of heaven to continue for as long as possible.  After a while the disciples became aware of the presence of the Divine Majesty, God the father, in the cloud.  They became afraid, because it was not easy to explain these things, or to understand what was happening.

Eventually the experience of the Transfiguration was over, and the three disciples were able to meditate on it, and explain the significance to themselves and the other disciples.  These lessons learnt at the transfiguration were invaluable in dealing with the Passion and the resurrection that followed not too long afterwards.  The Christ had given them the tools that they so desperately needed, shortly after this event.

The transfiguration helps us to understand on a deeper level, how Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, gave his life for us, and for our salvation.  The transfiguration helps us to put the Resurrection into perspective.  We are able to recognize how Jesus rose up into heaven to be at the right hand of God the Father.  We are able to recognise that we are really the children of God, and that by implication the brothers and sisters of Jesus the Christ, the Sons and Daughters of God the father, and God the female/mother/comforting aspect represented by the Holy Spirit.

It was our brother that died on that cross, it was our brother who ascended into heaven.  Like our own brother, we too have been given the possibility of ascending into heaven.

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.