From the Crucifix to the Cross
Thomas C. Perconti
Smashwords Edition
* * * *
Published by Thomas C. Perconti at Smashwords
From the Crucifix to the Cross
Copyright 2010 by Thomas C. Perconti
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.
* * * *
Hey, how did you get this book?!
If you are reading this book, it is either because you know me personally or someone you know knows me. If you don't know me personally, then you may be wondering why you should read this book. Especially on a subject that is very personal. That's a fair question. If someone I didn't know came up to me wanting to talk about the great opportunities selling household products in a pyramid scheme, I too would be skeptical. But I'm not hawking a product. I'm freely sharing the truth... truth that you can and should verify yourself.
You might be thinking, "He doesn't know what I'm going through" or "I'm fine exactly where I am". And you might be correct. But I'll bet that the person who gave you this book does know what you are going through and believes that there is something here that may help.
I'd like to take this opportunity to share with you how Almighty God patiently and in love pursued me throughout my life in order for me to receive what He has already freely given.
"From the Crucifix to the Cross" tells my story… of how I was born and raised in the Catholic faith, worked through the rituals of religion, the trials of life, and ultimately come to a personal relationship with the Living God. It addresses questions that I have asked myself as well as questions that many have asked me from around the country.
You may find that we share common experiences, questions, and concerns. Maybe, just maybe, you'll find the answers to some of the questions you have.
* * * *
Life on my own
"I was born and raised in Brooklyn NY in the Catholic faith. The role that God had in my life was limited to the rules and regulations established by the Catholic Church."
Although I was baptized as an infant in St. Finbar's Church, regular attendance at Sunday mass was not part of my family's routine. We never had a Bible in the house. (well, if we did, it was well hidden and long forgotten). God wasn't something that was talked about in our home. My mom would have different votive candles lit in the bathtub for different patron saints. We had special celebrations at our home for Easter and Christmas but they were primarily social.... not spiritual.
When I was six years old, my parents brought me to the weekly catechism classes in preparation for my first Holy Communion the following year. Soon after I started, my maternal grandparents gave me a large white hardcover "Bible Stories for Children" as a gift. I couldn't yet read all of the words, but I read what I could and was drawn in by the occasional illustrations. It was my earliest memory of seeking after God and learning about Him.
After nearly two years of religious instructions, I was ready to receive my First Holy Communion. In the Catholic Church, receiving Communion for the first time is a big deal.... a VERY big deal. That is because Catholicism believes in the doctrine of Transubstantiation... that is the belief that the unleavened bread wafer literally is transformed into the actual body of Jesus when it is blessed by a priest.
Regular attendance at Sunday mass was a prerequisite to receiving First Communion. So my mother would walk me to church or my father would drop me off. Looking back at it now, it was quite strange. My receiving communion at the church was important to them but regularly attending church themselves was not.
Before a person can receive their first Holy Communion, they must first receive the sacrament of Confession. The Catholic Church would frequently change the name of this sacrament.... Confession, Penance, Conversion, and Reconciliation are just four of the names the church used while I was in it. With each change in name came a change in the definition as to the purpose of the sacrament.
The idea here is that when one receives the sacrament of Confession, their sins are absolved and their heart is temporarily pure enough to receive the Eucharist. Because of the eventuality of sinning after receiving absolution, confessions were heard on late Saturday afternoons.
The day before I was to receive my First Holy Communion I had to receive the sacrament of Confession. Within the church there were small booths that had two doors. These very small booths were joined by a window that contained a sliding screen. The priest would enter one side of the booth, the penitent (that's me) would enter the other side through the other door. The priest would slide open the window revealing the screen but obscuring the faces.
During confession, I would have to tell the priest how long it was since the last time I went to confession. Since it was my first confession, I was "ok". But if it wasn't my first and had been a while since my last confession, the priest would've asked me why it took me so long. I would then tell the priest the list of sins that I had committed (to the best of my memory) since the last time I went to confession.
Sometimes it was difficult to remember all of the things that I did wrong. Other times it was just embarrassing. On those occasions I would actually "make up" the sins that I committed. It was easier to talk about things that I didn’t actually do.
I'd tell him that I was genuinely sorry, he would give me a list of things to do (acts of contrition) and contingent upon completing those things, I was forgiven of my sins. Acts of contrition usually consisted of repeated recitation of certain corporate prayers. "Say five Hail Marys and seven Our Fathers" was a typical act of contrition.
Well, the big day arrived. I had my navy blue suit jacket and pants, white button down shirt, and red tie. Relatives from all over New York City attended the mass. There were 100 other seven yr old boys in blue suit jackets and girls in white lacy dresses who received First Communion that day.
Most of them did not looked thrilled to be there. But that didn’t matter. They had no choice, it was something that they had to do. I remember being excited about it. I would finally be able to partake in communion with the adults and older kids.
We had a huge party at the house afterwards. Food and drink were abundant. And of course plenty of Italian cookies and pastries. This celebration was especially a big deal because I was the oldest grandson (on both sides of the family). Family and tradition were extremely important. And regardless of whether or not their daily observance of Catholicism was at a level that was required, the celebration of someone receiving a sacrament like First Communion was a major event. It was always about appearance and conforming.
When I turned 11, my catechism classes focused on preparing us for the sacrament of Confirmation. The teaching was very clinical and disconnected from anything that had happened in the last 500 years. As it was explained to me, Confirmation was an act of confirming vows taken at baptism by our godparents. Only this time we would recite it ourselves... we were deemed old enough to understand what we were saying and mean it. Confirmation was the point where the individual was making a commitment to be an active and lifelong member of the Catholic Church.
The Sacrament of Confirmation was a very complicated legalistic procedure. We the confirmants (the ones receiving Confirmation) had to write a letter to the Bishop explaining why we wanted to be confirmed and why we believe that we were ready.
We also had to pick a Confirmation name. This name had to have very personal significance. We also had to pick someone to be a sponsor. This person was to basically be a "father/mother in the faith" who would help the confirmant remain true to the teachings of the Catholic church.
The requirements surrounding the qualifications of a Confirmation sponsor and Confirmation name would make a US congressman or IRS agent feel right at home. Today we have supercomputers capable of performing these complex calculations, but back then, we had nothing but paper and pencil to work with.
Because the Confirmation mass was so involved, we had to have a series of practice sessions with all of the confirmants. Trying to keep a bunch of 11 yr old kids on task was like herding cats. Only the threat of being denied receiving the sacrament of Confirmation (and the punishment from parents that would result from the embarrassment) kept the kids under control.
Something very strange happened to me during the last practice on the day before Confirmation. Amid the chatter and fooling around by my fellow confirmants, I had this odd feeling. I looked around annoyed at the poor behavior of my peers. I vividly remember thinking, "what is wrong with these people!? We're going to be confirming our baptismal vows tomorrow! We're going to proclaim that we are followers of Christ. This is serious business, they're all goofing around, and don't REALLY care about this!"
The next day I was confirmed. I recited my baptismal vows. Similar to my feelings when I received my First Communion, now I was excited. To recite those vows and mean them was very important to me. My Uncle Albert (my mother's brother) was my sponsor. He was another adult in my life who had a tremendous influence on me.
Although there is nothing "magical" about the ceremony itself, I believe that was the time that the Lord put a checkmark next to my name with a notation to, "keep an eye on this kid".
One benefit of receiving the sacrament of Confirmation was that religious instructions were no longer required. I had "graduated" at the ripe age of 11. Oddly enough, the OBLIGATION of attending Sunday mass was replaced by a DESIRE to attend (much to the confusion of my sisters). They couldn't understand why I would WANT to go to church if I didn't have to.
Even though I had the desire to attend mass, there were times when I didn't want to "waste" a Sunday morning at mass. My sisters and I schemed to attend the early 7:00am mass. We figured that we'd be out and home by 8:15 at the latest... still plenty of time to watch Wonderama (a kid’s show) on TV. There was one little problem... the 7:00am mass was performed in Latin. We didn't have a clue what was being said. It was only because we had been to mass hundreds of times that we knew the appropriate times to stand, sit, and kneel.
Then I learned that we could attend mass on Saturday afternoon and get "credit" for Sunday. The "early bird special" was perfect for those times when we had nothing going on Saturday. Attend mass Saturday afternoon, then stay home Sunday morning... it was perfect in a pinch!
I learned more about the days of obligation. Such as the days of fasting. My knowledge of Catholicism grew. It sounds silly in hindsight, but movies supplemented my religious education. When films like "10 Commandments", "The Robe", "Ben Hur", and "King of Kings" played on TV (in the days before cable TV and VCRs), those became big events for me. Oddly, reading the Bible to learn about God was never a considered option. Years of declarations by nuns and priests that one must attend many years of seminary training in order to understand the Bible had a deep rooted impact on me.
When I was 18 I met a woman that worked with my mother. Even though she was eight years older than I was, it didn't prevent us from becoming interested in each other. She attended Sunday mass regularly and I began to attend mass regularly again too.
We had been dating for about a year when I asked her to marry me. She accepted and after setting the date we met with the parish priest to begin the process for getting married in the church. We each individually had to fill out a detailed questionnaire with a few hundred questions on various life topics. During the marriage preparation classes we reviewed our answers and compared them for compatibility.
The classes were run by one of the monastic brothers of the church and hosted at the home of a couple who attended the church. For the six months of classes, no scripture was studied. Counseling and advice consisted of secular psychology and popular traditions. "Marriage is a 50-50 deal" and "The key to marriage is compromise" were typical of the advice being offered.
After completing the prerequisites, we were married in the Catholic Church. It was a full mass ceremony. Ushers, junior ushers, bridesmaids, junior bridesmaids, best man, junior best man, matron of honor, junior maid of honor, ring bearer, flower girl, etc. It was a huge entourage reminiscent of the wedding scene in the Godfather movie.
"I discovered that view of God was too limited to accomplish my vision for my life, so I made decisions to ‘pick up the slack’ where God didn’t."
But time passed. We were blessed with children. First a daughter, then two sons, and then another daughter. The church was not helpful in providing guidance on how to raise children. I knew that they had to receive sacraments and attend religious instructions, but for the practical day-to-day issues I ended up relying on how my parents raised me. I made changes based on what I thought was right or wrong about how they raised me.
Dealing with moral issues is a fact of living life. Catholicism didn't truly offer a way to deal with those issues in a consistent and predictable manner. Between things like the weekly bingo games and annual "festa", it was quite confusing.
For those who aren't familiar with "festa" events, they are annual get-togethers, Summer festivals at the church. At these events there would be the type of food that one would find at a county fair, alcohol (both beer and hard liquor) would be served, there were games of chance with money being wagered. It was hard to believe that these events were sponsored by a church.
Then there was the whole Bingo thing. I couldn’t understand how a church any church could run a regular gambling gig. I knew some older ladies who were regular Bingo players. They could tell you off the top of their heads which church had a Bingo game going on which night. They bounced from church to church each night and could play Bingo six days a week.
These women had trouble balancing a checkbook and yet they could memorize the positions of all of the numbers on 25 bingo cards simultaneously!
Honesty wasn’t a position that was absolute and without compromise. It was something that could be fudged depending upon the situation. For example, stating that the kids were a year or two younger in order to get the lower children’s rates on admissions and the like was acceptable. The term "situational ethics" would best describe the approach to moral issues. The Catholic clergy took a laid back and hands off attitude about non-doctrinal concerns. Their guidance was weak and indecisive.
As far as the priests were concerned, as long as I and my family followed the rules and regulations of Catholic obligation and doctrine anything else was fine.
The implication of this was that God didn’t have an opinion/position on certain things. The very clear message was that church and religion were for Sundays and special days of obligation. The rest of the time we were supposed to do "the best we can".
"Over the years my life had become a cheap, plastic imitation of what I desired… love, peace, joy, kindness, faithfulness, purpose, and direction."
As the years rolled by, the lack of clearly defined roles and responsibilities in a marriage began to take its toll. Every decision was a psychological tug-o-war. Negotiate. Compromise. A tactical retreat. A strategic advance. The process of making decisions was quite tiring.
With no authoritatively defined head of the household, every time that I felt tired and not up to the effort meant that my view and preference would not prevail.
Our life was increasing in complexity. Demands of work, the girls’ soccer practices, boys’ baseball games, school activities, family obligation, and home improvement projects required a greater amount of my attention and energy. That left less energy and inclination to engage in the struggles for the family’s decision making.
I had clear ideas about raising our children. But those ideas were based on my "gut instinct" and not an absolute authoritative source. So I felt uncertain about whether or not my ideas were correct. It didn’t seem right to me to push for my positions when I wasn’t sure that my ideas were correct ones.
The goal of not letting the kids see us argue became such a priority for me that I ended up just going along with whatever she wanted. I tried to "keep the peace". It seemed that I was the only one willing to do that though.
Things reached a point where I suggested marriage counseling. She suggested that I go alone because I was the one that thought there was a problem. She thought that things were just fine and that if I didn’t like it, then I should leave. This scene would be repeated throughout our marriage.
By this time, my sisters had encountered marital problems. Some of our married friends were separating and divorcing. It seemed like times were getting tougher for everyone.
Partially out of pride, and partially out of a sense of not wanting to add to the burden of worry my parents were feeling (due to my sisters’ problems) I tried to hide my own marital problems. From an outsider’s perspective, things looked pretty good. We were devoted parents and were caring towards each other in public. It took a tremendous amount of effort to maintain that image.
"The effort to sustain that illusion took a physical toll on me. Stress, anxiety, cynicism, bitterness, hopelessness, and helplessness, were the by-products."
By nature, I’m a soft-spoken, patient, and easy going guy. But years of stress had taken its toll on me. Stress of the responsibilities of being a husband and a father but with none of the authority. Stress of having to face each day on my own. My patience was dramatically shortened. I became cynical, looking for the worst in every person, and in every situation. I felt helpless. Nothing that I tried to do helped the situation. I felt hopeless. I couldn’t see any way for the situation to improve.
"Things became so bad that at the age of 37 I was erroneously diagnosed as having a heart attack."
The emotional stress had affected me physically. Stress caused me to go prematurely bald and gray. It weakened my body’s immunity. In this weakened state shoveling snow caused the sack surrounding my heart to become inflamed and distressed. It exhibited the same symptoms as a heart attack.
An "innocent" trip to the emergency room for a burning sensation in my chest turned into a 5 day hospital stay in ICU, an ambulance trip 90 miles away to Albany Medical Center for arthroscopic examinations.
"It was then that the reality of my situation hit me. The closer that I followed Catholicism, the further away I felt from God. I cried out to the Lord to do whatever it would take to draw me closer to Him."
Laying in a hospital bed for days without the worries of life and the weight of responsibilities, I was able to have some time to think. Think about my life. Think about the scare of thinking (momentarily at least) that I had a heart attack.
A few Sundays after I was released from the hospital I attended mass. It was a cold and dreary February morning. I sat in the pew that I usually sat in. I stared at the large crucifix that hung high behind the altar.
A heaviness fell over my heart. I stared at the image of Jesus on the cross. In my heart I asked Him, "Lord… why is it that the more that I follow the rules of the Catholic Church, the further away from You I feel. It feels like there is a glass partition separating me from You. I want to get closer to You. I need You. I don’t know what to do. Please do whatever it takes to bring me closer to You."
"Almost immediately doors began to close and the facades of my life came crumbling down. Wife, children, extended family, social acquaintances, community service opportunities, all were taken away from me."
Suddenly, things started to happen. Subtle things at first. I became less tolerant of the disrespect that my spouse had exhibited towards me. I explained to her that we had serious problems in our marriage. I suggested that we attend counseling. Her reply was as it always was, "then YOU go to counseling since YOU are the one who feels there is a problem. And if you don’t like it then you can leave." It would be the last time I would make that suggestion.
The distance that I felt from her, my children, my extended family grew larger. Like the attractions at a county fair, things seemed to shut down, fold up, and be carted away.
By November of that year, I came to the conclusion that the only thing left to do was to leave. And if I was going to leave, it would be final. But the Catholic Church’s prohibition against divorce under any circumstances prevented me from actually leaving. The stress once again became unbearable. With my immune system extremely weakened, I ended up catching a cold.
That common cold turned into the flu. A week after that, the flu brought on a bout of bronchitis. The bronchitis graduated to full-blown pneumonia. It didn’t stop there though… Pneumonia gave way to a collapsed lung and severe difficulty breathing. There was a period of 72 hours where I felt myself slowly suffocating to death.
The infections that raged through my body caused my lymph nodes to become swollen and devastatingly painful.
It was then that I informed my spouse that I would be leaving. She blamed me for the situation. She didn’t offer to work things out. I had to break the news to the children. It was the most difficult and painful thing that I ever did in my life.
I rented a studio apartment a few miles away. I visited with the children every day but I felt entirely alone. I felt isolated. The hopelessness reached a new low for me.
* * * *
A new life
"It was at this low point in my life when I was reacquainted with a childhood friend from my old Brooklyn neighborhood."
After an interesting and seemingly coincidental series of events, I ran across a childhood friend from my old Brooklyn neighborhood in the least likely of all places… the internet.
We exchanged emails, catching up on what had happened in our respective lives in the 25 years since we last saw each other.
"She was in town visiting friends and invited me to attend a church service with her. It was then that I heard the Gospel message for the first time."
It turned out that she was going to be in the general area visiting friends and suggested that we get together to catch up on things. She then invited me to attend a church service. It was a small non-denominational Christian church. It was the first time that I heard the Gospel message and the first time that I attended a non-Catholic service.
I was intrigued by what I heard. I enjoyed spending time with my old friend. I wanted to spend more time with her. The feeling was mutual.
"A few weeks later I came out to Arizona for a visit and heard the Gospel message for the 2nd time. I didn’t know what it all meant, but I liked what I heard and knew that I wanted to move to Arizona."
I arranged to fly out to Arizona, where my friend lived. I stayed with her neighbors during my visit. I attended a church service while I was there. I heard the same Gospel message for the 2nd time.
I wasn’t sure what to make of it, but I liked what I heard. What I DID know was that I wanted to move to Arizona. So I made the necessary arrangements and three months later pulled out of the driveway of my studio apartment…my car filled with the last of my possessions, bound for Arizona.
"It was during this time of solitude while driving out to Arizona on the flat and straight highways of New Mexico that it all became clear to me."
The drive cross country was wonderful. It was the first time that I had seen these parts of the country. I spent 13-14 hours a day driving. That is plenty of time to think.
But something happened to me while driving on a 400 mile stretch of straight highways in New Mexico.
Images came bursting brightly to my consciousness and slowly faded away…like a series of old fashioned flash bulbs going off. The enormity of my sins. The emptiness of my life. The power and simplicity of the Gospel. The reason why the things in my life were taken from me.
"I repented of my sins and I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior right there in the middle of I-40. My only desire was to do those things that pleased Him."
It was a powerful moment. With tears streaming down my face, I gave my life to Jesus. I was born-again. Reborn in God’s Holy Spirit.
It was the answer to my prayer 18 months earlier. The rules and regulations of Catholicism were in part the reason why I felt distant from Jesus. In spite of an entire lifetime in the Catholic Church, I knew that it was time to leave that too.
10 months later I married that childhood friend and we have been abiding in Christ, living the abundant life, and serving Him ever since.
* * * *
That childhood friend is…
…Eva Marie Martini. The same Eva Marie who lived a few blocks away from me in our old Bensonhurst neighborhood. The same Eva Marie who I first met in Mrs. Schimmel’s 3rd grade class at P.S. 200. The same Eva Marie who was in the same classes with me from 3rd grade right on through to 9th grade. The same Eva Marie who I had a childhood crush on. The same Eva Marie who, as a teen, I dreamed of marrying one day.
It turns out that she had a crush on me back then too. She had similar dreams as well. But because of youthful awkwardness, neither one of us knew how the other felt.
We each individually have experienced the worst that marriages could be. But now, we have the opportunity to spend the rest of our lives in a marriage the way that God intended marriage to be.
We have a deep, affectionate, and selfless love for one another. We also have a great appreciation for one another. We have seen the Lord do amazing things in our lives and in bringing us together.
The Lord Jesus Christ is at the center of our lives individually and in our marriage. His Word contains the framework for it. We each have different roles but these roles are equal in importance. The Christian life isn’t one of perpetual sunshine and angelic choirs singing. We still have the issues and trials of life to deal with.
But those issues never get in between us. By the power of God’s Holy Spirit that lives in us, those issues don’t seem as big, or appear to come as often, as they might have before accepting Christ. And we get through them together. We abide in Him, seeking His will, studying His word, loving each other, loving others, and seeking to live a life that is pleasing to Him. As a result, we’re living an abundant life… of peace, contentment, joy, security, growth, and love.
All of the things that I had been seeking and trying to create on my own, I now have. What was artificial and illusionary has been replaced by the real thing. When I compare what I thought was "good enough" with the "real deal" I am greatly humbled and grateful for all that God has done for me.
It is out of a sense of gratitude that we seek to serve Him in any and all ways that He wills for us.
In the few short years that we’ve been married, we have been given an abundance of opportunities to teach God’s word, care for His people, and share His love with others.
"The life of a Christian is no walk in the park. The price is free, the cost is high, the rewards are eternal."
I want to reiterate that life as a disciple of Jesus Christ is not easy. I am held to more restrictive limits in action, thoughts, and speech than non-believers are. Scripture sets the bar higher than any local, state, or federal law. The new life that all believers receive when they are born-again brings with it an "attitude of gratitude" and a desire to live to that standard. (This is difficult for a non-believer to understand)
Abiding by what God's word (the Bible) commands does help avoid unnecessary drama and danger. God's word brings clarity to life situations that would otherwise be confusing.
Christians have God’s Holy Spirit living within them. He (the Holy Spirit) provides assistance in living a life that is pleasing to God. He gives all believers the tools that they need to overcome hurdles that stand in the way of living that life.
Accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior immediately put distance between me and my family and friends. My biological children and extended family didn't understand what had happened to me. Nine years after accepting Christ, they still do not understand.
As they see me deal with situations in life, they don't understand why I make the decisions that I do. It doesn't make sense to them. It is quite a challenge to explain to them why I make those decisions. They are unable to see that what makes sense to them is often logically inconsistent with their own moral worldview.
That emotional and spiritual separation from my biological children and extended family is a burden that I must carry.
Now that I know the truth of the Gospel, I also know what will happen to those who aren't believers. This is a tremendous burden for me. People that I love dearly are going down a path that will lead to eternal separation from God.
I have shared the truth of the Gospel with them... repeatedly. As of this writing, only my oldest son Frank had accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. It was on Christmas Eve Dec. 24 2006. That was a reason to celebrate! That date took on even greater significance when Frank (23 years old) was killed by a drunk driver just a few 100 yards from his home on July 16, 2010.
My heart was crushed and broken by the news. In the midst of my grief and devastation at my loss, there was a strength and peace that I received that could only come from God. His word says that He will give us a peace that surpasses all understanding. And true to His word, as He always is, He did give me that peace.
In the days following the tragedy, I was able to reach out and comfort others even while dealing with my own grief.
It is times like these that challenge Christians... "Do you really believe what you say you believe?" The answer for me is a resounding "Yes!". There was never a shred of doubt.
Although I don't know why God allowed this to happen to my son, I DO know: God is sovereign over all things, His character (through what I read in His word), that ultimately He works all things for good, that Frank is in Heaven, and that I'll see him again. That's a great list of things to know!
* * * *
Questions? Don’t worry if you don’t have any, I have enough for the both of us!
I had plenty of questions about Catholicism and Christianity before I accepted Jesus. I have been asked many questions by others. Maybe you have questions too. Far too often we don’t really understand why we believe the things that we believe. But we should.
As you read these questions and answers, please take them in the spirit in which they are intended. It is not my intention to insult anyone. But there are serious doctrinal and practical issues that contradict the Bible. That is no big deal if one views the Bible as "just another book", but for those who believe that the Bible is the inerrant word of God, they are serious.
I have this burden to share these concerns with others. To let others know that these issues are important… that if you have questions or doubts too, that you are not alone.
I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind. These are spiritual issues and must be dealt with in spirit. But if you DO have doubts, perhaps these answers will provide you with the substance on which to seek further on your own.
* * * *
About Catholicism
Isn’t Catholicism based on the Bible?
Ask the average Catholic, and they would say "yes". That is what I believed. It is a reasonable assumption. But technically, the rituals and doctrines of Catholicism are based on both the Holy Scripture AND the Sacred Traditions of the church. Both play an equal role in defining Catholic beliefs and practices.
"As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honoured with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence." (Catholic Catechism - Art. 2, sect. II, 82)
Holy Scripture is set… it doesn’t change. But the "Sacred Tradition" is added to over time. It changes over time. It is expanded over time. The result is that as time goes by Scripture plays a smaller and smaller role in the overall doctrines of the church.
There are many Catholic beliefs and practices that are NOT found in the Bible. Every Catholic should be aware of that. Especially since the Bible says that Scripture alone is all that one needs for guidance in living a life that is pleasing to God.
(NKJV, 2Ti 3:16-17), "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
"Thoroughly equipped for every good work" is pretty clear and direct. Whenever a religion uses the "Bible plus…something else" it always strays from God’s plan for mankind. Jehovah’s Witnesses use the Bible plus the publications of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Mormons use the Bible plus the Book of Mormon. Catholics use the Bible plus Sacred Traditions.
The Bible is sufficient. Now you might hear someone claim that one can make the Bible say anything they want it to. While it is possible to do that, there is only one interpretation that is correct (or "most likely correct" for those uncertain verses).
The Bible should be read and interpreted in a literal, historical, and grammatical method taking into account figures of speech and common usage of words at the time they were written. When Jesus quoted Old Testament Scripture, He interpreted them in the same manner.
I know that the Bible is NOT the Word of God... but a REPRESENTATION of God's Word. I know that God's Word is true and without error. If there is a discrepancy in my copy of the Bible, then I know it is because of a translation error from the original language, a transcription error over the ages, or makes reference to a tradition (practice or custom) whose meaning has changed since it was first written.
Is the doctrine of Transubstantiation wrong?
The doctrine of transubstantiation states that the unleavened communion wafer becomes the literal body of Christ when blessed by a priest.
This is an issue that came to a boiling point nearly 500 years ago. Sacred Tradition supports the doctrine, but Scripture does not.
(NKJV, Mat 26:26) "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body." The Greek word for "eat" in that verse is "phago" which means "to (figuratively or literally) eat meat". Whether or not Jesus intended His statement to be literal or figurative is not definitive based on that verse alone. The plain sense interpretation of that verse is that it is figurative, a metaphor.
In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians (1Co 11:23-28) Paul retells the events of the Last Supper. When quoting Jesus’ words exactly, he uses the word "phago". But when referring to the eating of bread in remembrance, he uses the word, "esthio" which is used to describing eating non-meat items.
If the doctrine of transubstantiation was Biblical, then Paul would’ve used the word "phago" to describing eating bread during communion because it was transformed into the body of Christ.
Because Paul used "esthio" instead of "phago", he is saying that the bread eaten during communion is still bread.
The Greek word for "which is broken" in those verses is "klao" and refers specifically to the breaking of bread. If the Catholic doctrine of Transubstantiation was Biblically correct, then one of the other Greek words, "suntribo", "sunthrupto", "sunthlao", etc. would have been used.
So when Paul is retelling the Last Supper, his use of the word "klao" for which is broken" is an acknowledgment that "this is My body" is symbolic and that the bread is still bread.
Where in the Bible is the concept of "Limbo"?
For those who don’t know, according to common Catholic beliefs, Limbo is a place where babies go if they die before being baptized. Those babies never go to Heaven but are kept in this happy peaceful place for eternity. Limbo is not formally included in the Catholic Catechism, but it is a widely held belief by Catholic laity and clergy.
The fear of a newborn dying before being baptized is so strong that parents rush to get their babies baptized within days or weeks of being born. These newborns typically don’t leave the house unnecessarily before being baptized for fear of a fatal accident.
The concept of a place called Limbo is NOT found in the Bible.
But what is found in the Bible are various occasions where Jesus went out of His way to make Himself available to children. (See Mat 19:13-14, Mar 9:35-37, Luke 18:15-17)
What about Purgatory? Where is that in the Bible?
Purgatory is a place where Catholics go when they die before going to Heaven. It is a place of purging and cleansing. Catholics who die need to be purified before entering Heaven and Purgatory is where they go first. The length of time that a deceased Catholic must spend in Purgatory depends upon the severity of the sins that they committed while alive. This time can be shortened by friends and loved ones of the deceased purchasing indulgences from the Catholic Church. This essentially "buys God’s grace" for the departed.
The concept of a place called Purgatory is NOT found in the Bible. However, the Catholic Church uses 1Co 3:13 as the Scriptural basis for a place called Purgatory.
(NKJV, 1Co 3:13), "each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is."
On the contrary, Paul’s 2nd letter, 2Co 5:8 says that for believers, to be absent from the body is to present with the Lord. It is an instantaneous transfer.
(NKJV, 2Co 5:8), "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord."
Why do Catholics pray to Mary? Do Catholics worship Mary?
Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus has a central role in Catholicism. Over the last 50 years there has been a serious movement within the Catholic Church to declare Mary as co-redemptrix. That means that they believe that Mary had a role in Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross. The Catholic clergy will claim that coredemptrix does not mean she is co-equal with Jesus. But the fact that they believe that she had ANY role (other than giving birth to Jesus) in salvation is in direct contradiction with Scripture. The New Testament is filled with dozens of verses declaring that Jesus, and Jesus alone, is the savior.
(NKJV, John 3:16), "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
(NKJV, John 14:6), "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
(NKJV, Act 4:12), "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Catholicism teaches that not only was Mary a virgin when she conceived Jesus (see Mat 1:23), but that Mary herself was born without sin. There is no Scriptural support for the sinless nature of Mary at all.
Catholics pray to Mary because they believe that Jesus desires to please His mother and that if we pray to Mary then Jesus will be more likely to grant our request out of a desire to please her. Again, there is nothing in the Bible to support this. Actually it contradicts Scripture…
(NKJV, John 8:29), "And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him."
Jesus did only those things that pleased the Father… not the mother.
Nowhere in the Bible does Jesus even address Mary as "mother". And when someone ELSE referred to Mary as Jesus’ mother, He corrected them…
(NKJV, Mat 12:47-50), "Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You." [48] But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?" [49] And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers! [50] For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."
Of course Jesus loved Mary (His earthly mother). Of course He was respectful and considerate. But the belief that Mary should be elevated to god-like status completely contradicts the Bible. The basis for Mary worship can be traced to a single verse.
(NKJV, Luke 1:28), "And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"
Catholics DO pray to Mary. Some may attempt to draw a distinction and claim that they are merely asking Mary to pray on their behalf, intercessory prayer just like we intercede for one another. The problem with that thinking is that to believe that Mary can hear all prayers implies a belief that Mary is omnipresent. Only God (all three persons of the Trinity) is omnipresent.
Jesus is our intercessor. (NKJV, 1Ti 2:5), "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" This "ask His mother to convince Him to answer your prayer" seems a bit petty.
There are a few differences between asking Mary to intercede and asking one another to intercede.
1) If I ask you to pray for me about an issue, I ask you and you acknowledge that you will. When Catholics ask Mary to pray for them, there is no acknowledgement by Mary that she will.
2) One reason for intercessory prayer is for the edification of those who are praying and to bring glory to God. When a prayer is answered, we all praise God and our faith in Him is increased. We don’t praise each other. But if one asks Mary to intercede, when the prayer is answered, thanks and praise go to Mary.
3) When we ask one another for prayer, we do so knowing that we are all equal in the eyes of God. But in praying to Mary, Catholics believe that there is a greater probability of having their prayers answered in the affirmative by going through Mary. They believe that Mary has greater influence and stature.
There is so much more regarding Mary worship in Catholicism, but hopefully this section provided a starting point.
Are the use of statues a form of idol worship?
Catholics (laity and clergy alike) will state that statues of Mary, Joseph, and the Saints are no different than photographs that we have around our home.
But that is not entirely true. When approaching a statue of Mary, particularly in a church, one is to genuflect in front of it or while facing it. Depending upon the situation, one must make the sign of the cross as they approach the statue. There is often a padded kneeler in front of such statues where people can pray to the person represented by the statue.
These statues are treated as the local representation of the person that the statue depicts. That is NOT the same as the photographs of family that sit on the living room mantel. When we are conversing in the living room, we don’t suddenly turn to the photo of "Uncle Joe" and address the photo as if he himself were present.
The statues are treated differently too. When it is necessary to dispose of a statue there are some specific rules as to how that is to be done.
"Once a religious object is blessed and dedicated for divine worship or veneration, it must be treated with reverence and not be used in either an improper or profane way" (cf. Code of Canon Law, no. 1171). "A broken rosary or religious statue normally would be buried. In all, the underlying idea is that what has been dedicated to God should be returned to God. Never should one just ‘throw out’ what has been dedicated to God."
We have no such ceremonial processes for disposing of old family photos.
Historically, idols of ancient gods were treated as local representations of that god. That is how ancient Egyptians treated the idols in their temples and homes.
Are there "shortcuts" to going to Heaven?
Although not part of official Catholic doctrine, there are a few common beliefs shared by Catholic laity and clergy.
Nine First Fridays - the promise of Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1699:
"To all those who, during nine consecutive months, will receive Holy Communion on the first Fridays of every month, I promise the Grace of final perseverance. They will not die in My disgrace, but will receive the Sacraments (if necessary), and My Heart will be sure shelter for them in that extreme moment."
The Brown Scapular - consider the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the garment which Mary gave to St. Simon Stock along with her promise. Right on the Brown Scapular it is generally written: "Whosoever dies wearing this Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire." It is belief in this promise that causes many Catholic parents of young children to attach a brown scapular using a safety pin to the child’s undergarments.
In these two "shortcuts to Heaven" Jesus plays no part.
Why are priests called "father"?
The actual reason for using the title "father" is elusive. There is no official Catholic reason FOR using the title "father", only attempts to explain why those who oppose the practice are wrong. This is especially puzzling since Jesus Himself admonished us against calling anyone "father".
(NKJV, Mat 23:9), "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven."
Catholic apologists will claim that this verse is taken out of context. They claim that to take it literally would mean that children couldn’t call their biological father, "father". That is a ridiculous argument. A biological father is a far different issue than a priest being addressed by the title "father".
In verse 8, Jesus refers to Rabbis, and verse 10 He refers to Teachers, so the context has to do with those who are in positions of religious/spiritual authority and their titles.
Catholics will point to various verses in Paul’s New Testament letters where Paul refers to himself as a spiritual father, or Abraham as father. Again, there’s a difference between a personal relationship (such as Paul with the believers of the church that he himself founded) and with the title of a person in the clergy. That’s the key.
If "Joe" leads his neighbor "Jim" to accept Jesus as his Savior and Lord, it is acceptable to refer to "Joe" as "Jim’s father in the faith". THAT is far different than referring to Joe as "Father Joe".
Paul was the father in the faith to those he preached to in Corinth, but they never referred to him as "Father Paul".
Where are the corporate prayers to Jesus?
A corporate prayer is one that has standard wording and is recited on particular occasions. There is the "Our Father" (the Lord’s prayer) to God the Father. There is the "Hail Mary" (a prayer to Mary mother of Jesus). "Glory Be" (to the Trinity), and the Apostles’ Creed (a statement of faith prayer). There are numerous prayers to the patron saints. But where is the corporate prayer directly and solely to Jesus?
(NKJV, Heb 12:2), "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Jesus is the center of a Christian’s faith. He is our one mediator. We can only go to the Father through Him. He is the one who paid the price for our sins. Why are there prayers to everyone else EXCEPT Jesus?!
* * * *
About Christianity
What is "speaking in tongues" all about?
There are various New Testament verses describing how believers spoke in a language (language of angels) that they didn’t understand. There are also references to them speaking languages that they themselves didn’t understand, but the hearer did.
The gift of tongues is a spiritual gift given to some believers by God’s Holy Spirit. Not all believers have that gift. I don’t have the gift of tongues.
(NKJV, 1Co 12:7-11), "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: [8] for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, [9] to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, [10] to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. [11] But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."
It’s sole purpose is for personal edification. (NKJV, 1Co 14:4), "He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church."
Contrary to what some Christian churches believe, the gift of tongues is NOT a requirement for being born-again. Scripture says that this gift should not be exercised in public unless someone is present who has the gift of interpretation of tongues.
What does it mean to be "born-again"?
The term "born-again" is taken from Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus. (NKJV, John 3:3), "Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
It describes the process of a person acknowledging that God is holy and demands payment for sins. That the payment for one’s sins is death. That they themselves are a sinner and that they cannot pay that debt. That Jesus is fully man and fully God and that His death on the cross and resurrection was sufficient payment for their sins. That they purpose in their heart to turn away from that sinful behavior and turn toward Jesus. That they accept the gift of pardon made available by God through Jesus’ sacrifice. And with that, God’s Holy Spirit takes up residence in their heart.
What is being "slain in the spirit" mean?
Some Christian churches believe and teach the notion of being "slain in the spirit". It is an involuntary action of falling down as a result of being overwhelmed by the power of God. They point to certain verses like, Acts 9:3-4, Acts 26:14, and Revelation 1:17 to support that belief.
What they neglect to acknowledge is that in each of those instances, the person falling down had a personal and physical encounter with Jesus Himself! It is far different to fall down because one encounters the King of Kings and quite another to fall down because of an encounter with a slick-haired suit-wearing televangelist.
There is no Scriptural support for being "slain in the spirit".
Isn’t salvation by grace simply a license to sin?
One of the more common arguments used against the doctrine of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone is that once born-again, the believer can willfully sin and still go to Heaven when they die. Chapter 15 of the book of John describes the ongoing responsibility of those who accept Jesus as Savior and Lord…
(NKJV, John 15:4-6), "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. [5] "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. [6] If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned."
Only the Lord knows who is truly saved. But believers are called to abide in Christ… to seek His will, to do His will… knowing that life will not be perfect.
The Christian life is not about perfection, but about direction. Christians are to be moving in the direction of being more Christ-like.
There are so many different Christian churches, how can they all be right? And if they’re not all right, how I know which ones are?
Another argument used against Christians is the fact that there are so many different churches and denominations. Their thinking goes that if some of them are wrong, then they must all be wrong.
The bottom line is that there are a large percentage of churches out there that call themselves a Christian church but do not adhere to basic Biblical Christian doctrines. There are 5 basic beliefs that a Christian church must have to be considered a Bible-believing Christian church….
The triune nature of God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit…the trinity)
The deity of Jesus (Jesus was fully man and fully God)
The bodily resurrection of Jesus
The atoning work of Christ on the cross
Salvation by grace through faith
Ultimately, a Christian church should espouse, "Jesus. Nothing more, nothing less, nothing else."
If a church doesn’t have those 5 then it isn’t a Christian church. There are some churches that DO believe those 5 elements but believe in some stuff that isn’t Biblical or takes Biblical doctrines and teachings out of context. It is only through prayer, study, and research can one determine if any of those churches are a good match for the individual.
Other churches/movements such as Calvary Chapel and Harvest Bible Chapel adhere to solid Biblical doctrines. They preach and teach the full counsel of God’s Word and only God’s Word.
So what is the Gospel?