ABC STARS Inspires

  On the Mystagogy of Baptism Sacraments are signs instituted by Christ to bestow Grace. Regardless of the merits and disposition of the minister or the recipient, but because of God’s goodness and generosity, the Sacraments, as instruments of God, effect Grace. This is the principle “ ex opere operato ”. That is why in Infant Baptism, even if the faith of the child is not ascertained, and regardless of whether the baby is awake or asleep, calm or crying, the efficacy of the Sacrament of Baptism is certain: the child is cleansed from original sin, born in the Holy Spirit, given a new life in Christ, made a child of God and heir to the Kingdom of Heaven, and incorporated into the Church which is the Mystical Body of Christ. By Baptism too, the recipient is imprinted with an indelible spiritual mark or character, that seals her/his belonging to Christ that cannot be removed nor erased even by sin. The essential Sign of Baptism in the Roman Catholic Church is water poured on the hea...

 

      Ascension Press   and   Ascension Presents         in collaboration with  Inspires give you this riveting magnum opus.‎.. Condensed Reflection By James Z. Carpio Father Mike Schmitz suggests or rather explains that we should like to foster a "Correction Culture" than a "Cancellation Culture". Two things: 1. Truth 2. Grace If these two are absent then these two prevail: 1. Utility 2. Preference Father Mike's explanation is superb. The salient points that I would like to elaborate on is to rephrase them into "Hate the sin, yet still, love the sinner." Thus, correcting our brother or sister. Teaching him or her which is a grace-truth-filled culture. Upholding the objective truth or standard. A restoration and reconciliation bringing him/her back home to Our Father's loving arms. May you be inspired by the Holy Spirit and God Bless!

  On the Lamb of God In every celebration of the Holy Mass, a crucifix is always present whether on the altar table itself or at the Sanctuary because the Holy Mass is a memorial of the ultimate sacrifice offered by Jesus on the Cross for the redemption of mankind. In Genesis, we read of Cain and Abel offering sacrifices to God. Cain offered from the fruits of the land while Abel offered a lamb, the best firstling of his flock. Seeing the heart of the one who offers, God found favor with the offering of Abel. In Exodus, we read of Moses being told by God to instruct the Israelites to choose lambs without blemish to be sacrificed and whose blood was to be painted at the lintels and doorposts of their homes. This saved them from the tenth plague. In Leviticus, we read of God appointing the Tenth Day of the Seventh Month to be the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). As an act of expiation and propitiation, the community offers a bullock and two goats as a sin-offering and a ram as ...

 

Pons Carpio

  On the Most Blessed Sacrament Around the year 750, a Basilian Monk was celebrating Mass at the Church of St. Longinus in Lanciano, Italy, and as he had said the words of consecration, the host and wine physically changed into flesh and blood. That monk was more into science than faith and had doubts on the doctrine of Transubstantiation and the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Until the present time, the flesh and blood have remained incorrupt even without refrigeration and preservatives. The flesh, which is of human cardiac tissue, and the type AB blood, are placed in a beautiful silver and glass monstrance at the Church of San Francesco in Lanciano. The dogma of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist states that at the words of consecration during the Holy Mass, Jesus becomes truly present, flesh and blood, in the eucharisted bread and wine. Not just symbolically nor metaphorically, but Real Presence. Not that the presence of Jesus in a congregation gathered in...

 

Pons Carpio

 

  On the Holy Mass: On Being Punctual at Mass “All of the Mass is important. Don’t be late!” Pope Francis. “It is not a good habit to look at the clock and say: I am on time, I will arrive after the sermon and with this fulfill the commandment,” he further said. Before Vatican II, there was a clear demarcation line defining tardiness. If one arrives after the Offertory Rite, Sunday obligation is not fulfilled and therefore must not receive communion. But after Vatican II, because of the importance of all parts of the Mass, we are told not to be late. I remember when I was still in the seminary, we were taught that to be late at Mass is a venial sin and it is a grave sin to miss a Sunday Mass. To be habitually late tells on how we value the Holy Mass itself. And if we continually say to ourselves, “It is okay to be late, God understands anyway,” we have to reevaluate the importance of the Holy Mass in our lives. If we can be punctual, even early at social functions, seeing mov...

 

  On the Holy Mass: Receiving Communion Once when I was in third grade, our family attended the funeral of a relative. When my turn came to receive Communion, the priest, as he held the host, asked me: Ano ini?  (What is this?) I replied, “ Hostia ”. And he exclaimed, “ Layas! ” (Be gone!) and did not give me Communion. Canon 912 of the Code of Canon Law states, “Any baptized person not impeded by law can and must be admitted to Holy Communion.” The primordial requirement for receiving Communion is the reception of the Sacrament of Baptism because it is the doorway to all other sacraments. Secondly, a baptized person must have attained the use of reason for him/her to be admitted to Holy Communion. One must be able to distinguish from ordinary food that what he/she is receiving, is the Body of Christ. Needless to say, Communion is given to persons and never to animals. It is grave sacrilege to feed pets with the sacred species. There were cases that hosts were given to roost...