Question: What is Pentecost? Answer: Most people only know Pentecost as a Christian holiday, one that commemorates the day when the Holy Spirit fell on the apostles and disciples of Christ as they gathered in the Upper Room after the Ascension. While the apostles and disciples remained in Jerusalem out of obedience to Christ (cf. Acts 1:4-5), Scripture tells us that Jews from many different … Continue reading
Question: Does the Bible support the Catholic belief that, in the Mass, the bread and wine become the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ? Answer: It certainly does! Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper when he said of the bread, “Take, eat, this is my body,” and of the wine, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of … Continue reading
Question; Where does the Bible support the authority of the papacy? Answer: The passages that support papal authority all center on Peter. This is because Peter was the first pope of the Church, and every pope who comes after him receives the same power and authority that Peter first held. I don’t have room to provide each passage, so you’ll have to look them up … Continue reading
Question: What are the four marks of the Church? Answer: A mark is a characteristic that identifies or distinguishes a thing from among other things. The Church Jesus founded is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. These are the characteristics that identify His Church from among the hundreds of ecclesial communities, or “churches,” that exist today. The Catechism contains an excellent exposition of all four of … Continue reading
Question: Am I showing a lack of faith if I take medication? Answer: I don’t think that there is anything inherently “anti-faith” about taking medication. Wine, oil, balm, figs, leaves and similar things are all utilized in Scripture to cure various ailments, and such use is laudable and encouraged: 2 Kings 20:7 And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and … Continue reading
Question: Why does the Bible say that Jesus had brothers if Mary was a virgin her whole life? Answer: There are several verses in Scripture that refer to the “brothers” of Jesus (cf. Mt 12:46; 13:55-56; Mk 3:31; Lk 8:19; Jn 7:1-10; Acts 1:14; Gal 1:19). However, it is not necessary to believe that these “brothers” were actually His siblings. Remember, the New Testament was … Continue reading
Question: In Mass recently, I noticed that some people bow during the Creed. Why do they do that? Answer: Well, the first reason is because that is what we are supposed to do. There is a Church document called the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (or “GIRM”) that outlines the basic structure of the Mass. In para. 137 we read: “The Creed is sung … Continue reading