Any ideas would be appreciated.

(P.S.--Just finished BIble Timeline Greta Adventure. Thank you so much!

My 21 year old !daughter will facilitate the one for teens this summer!)

It is awesome that Jesus is present to you in the way you describe.

I just want to address a statement that you made about confession being a man-made ritual. Only God has the power to forgive sin. When Jesus, the second person of the trinity, became man he had the power to forgive sins. He gave this power to his disciples. In Matthew 16:18 he gave the power directly to Peter when he said: "And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

And in John 20:21-23 Jesus, after His resurrection, gives the power to forgive sin to the rest of the apostles when he says: “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

All the sacraments including confession, or reconciliation as it is also known, were given to us by Jesus. The Church, the same church that Jesus promised in Matthew 16:18 would not be prevailed against by the netherworld, administers those sacraments.

I encourage you to do some more research into the Catholic Church, find out what it really teaches and why. You might find yourself called home to where you began.

God bless you.
Lisa

I disagree with your statement, "The reality of His presence doesn't strike us with the kind of immediacy that the physical presence of a priest confessor does." I go direct to Jesus to confess my sins and in my heart Jesus is very present so you should not make a general statement like that.

I pray for all Catholics that their eyes and heart will open to really get to know Jesus and not follow all the man made rituals -- rituals are NOT from God..

God bless you all. Terry

The Number 3 so many things through out the bible talks in threes but though it does tell us about 6, 7, etc. there doesn't seem to be a reason for why in three's.

Can you tell me if there is any connection to the number three? ( denial 3 times, cock crows three times, in the old testament a number of times refers to threes. Is this a connection to the trinity?

Thank you

Kevin

a gift for you

http://www.livethefast.com/

http://info.breadbeckers.com/ezekiel-bread/

recipe below is not Mr. Lavallee's, I thought it is interesting though.

Ezekiel Fasting Bread Recipe
Ezekiel 4:9 (New Am Std version) "But as for you, take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt, put them in one vessel and make them into bread for yourself; you shall eat it according to the number of the days that you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days."

If you want to order the grains and beans to grind into flour yourself, click here.

Combine the following whole grains:

2-1/2 cups hard red wheat
1-1/2 cups spelt or rye (Biblically spelt was used, Ezekiel 4:9)
1/2 cup barley (hulled barley)
1/4 cup millet
1/4 cup lentils (green preferred)
2 Tbs. great northern beans
2 Tbs. red kidney beans
2 Tbs. pinto beans
Stir the above ingredients very well. Grind in flour mill.
(NOTE: all of these grains and beans can be ground in WonderMill or NutriMill with no problems).

Measure into large bowl or DLX:

4 cups lukewarm water
1 cup honey
1/2 cup oil
Add to liquids:

freshly milled flour from the above mixture of grains
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. yeast
Stir or knead until well kneaded about 10 minutes. This is a batter type bread and will not form a smooth ball.

Pour dough into greased pans. You may use 2 large loaf pans (10x5x3) or 3 med. loaf pans or 2-9x13 brownie pans. Let rise in a warm place for one hour or until the dough is almost to the top of the pan. If it rises too much it will over flow the pan while baking. Bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes for loaf pans and 35-40 minutes for brownie pans.

*For fasting divide bread into 8 equal parts weighing 1/2 pound each. Eat a 1/2 pound cake and drink a quart of water every day. For fasting I do not alter the recipe.

This is a very sweet, moist, cake-like bread. For a more traditional bread texture I have used this combination of grains in The Beckers Bread and Roll recipe. Replacing the 7 cups of flour with the 9 cups of flour from the milled grains in this recipe. You may also add fruits and nuts or use the flour made from this mixture in other favorite recipes. This healthy combination of grains and beans is worth experimenting with. Combining grains and beans makes a complete protein.

"Let us pray"

Allen P. J. Maillet

My daughter attended a non-denominational church service on Christmas Day with her boyfriend's family, and the pastor told this story of the songs of the Twelve Days of Christmas as his sermon. He said that it had originated during the time when Catholics in "England" were persecuted for practicing and the Faith, and was a "mnemonic device to teach the catechism to youngsters". Since she is Catholic, everyone later asked if she "knew this story?!?". She had never heard it before this day. The historical timeline and some other statements did not seem synchronous or logical, so she did some research.

What she found was many articles reciting or restating the story, as well as articles debunking it as myth, hoax and legend. Probably the most "reasonable in tone" was an article acknowledging that "the 'evidence' on both sides is mostly in logical deduction and probabilities". Neither side has true substantive evidence to prove or disprove their story. Then, the article went on to express that it would be unfortunate for either side to use the song as a "crusade for personal opinion".(www.cri.org)

We are practicing Catholics, always eager and thirsty to receive knowledge and understanding of our Faith, and humbly aware of how much we do not know. I admit I too was skeptical when she told me about this, and found comfort in the explanation that regardless of "origin" this song can, like many others, simply provide us an opportunity to celebrate God's grace.

Now, here is the "BUT"...Then I saw this on your site! I consider you a "heavyweight" and would seek your counsel on questions of Scripture, Catechism, practice, custom--all the things I am working to "see" more clearly. So, would you please explain what information led you to accept this story.

Many thanks for all the ways you have shared your personal journey in faith and your extensive knowledge of the Bible and our Church. They have been bright lights and signposts to help me find my way to our Lord.

Lovingly in Christ Jesus,
Tommye Lyons

Tommye Lyons