Originally posted by NeonTetra:
[b]finally got some time to spare to post some difference between
Catholic Jesus and Biblical Jesus:
[quote] 1. Catholic Jesus has been widely portrayed as one with his
heart exposed. What normally known as Sacred Heart of Jesus. No
where in the Bible did Jesus told ppl to honour his heart. The 12
promises of honoring the heart is not biblical..it keeps on
emphasizing exposing the image of the heart to obtain grace and
blessings when one honours the picture.
Firstly, we do not honour the Sacred Heart of Jesus as if it
were "exposed" or separate from the Body of Jesus. It is honoured
not in and of itself but b/c it is the heart of (and in!) Jesus.
Secondly, devotion to the Sacred Heart is not really devotion to
the heart itself as much as it is devotion and thanksgiving for the
overwhelmingly selfless love that Jesus Christ revealed through His
Passion and Death. Love is often associated w/ the heart, so
devotion to the heart of Jesus is devotion to the love he had for
us.
2. Catholic Jesus appear in several occassions revealing images
of himself for ppl to venerate. The Divine Mercy image is one of
the occassions in which 'Jesus' told ppl to make a painting of him
and honour it to obtain grace and mercy. Biblical Jesus before His
ascension pray for His followers and gave the command about
preaching the good news and wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit,
the Helper. He didnt give instructions to make paintings and hang
and honour them.
Matter conveys grace all over the place in Scripture: Baptism
confers regeneration: Acts 2:38, 22:16, 1 Pet 3:21 (cf. Mk 16:16,
Rom 6:3-4), 1 Cor 6:11, Titus 3:5. Paul's "handkerchiefs" healed
the sick (Acts 19:12), as did even Peter's shadow (Acts 5:15), and
of course, Jesus' garment (Mt 9:20-22) and saliva mixed with dirt
(Jn 9:5 ff., Mk 8:22-25), as well as water from the pool of Siloam
(Jn 9:7). Anointing with oil for healing is encouraged (Jas 5:14).
Then there is the laying on of hands for the purpose of ordination
and commissioning (Acts 6:6, 1 Tim 4:14, 2 Tim 1:6) and to
facilitate the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17-19,
13:3, 19:6), and for healing (Mk 6:5, Lk 13:13, Acts
9:17-1
. Even under the Old
Covenant, a dead man was raised simply by coming in contact with
the bones of Elisha (2 Kings 13:21)!
This is the sacramental nature of the world we live in. God has
desired to come to us, to meet us half way, and to use the physical
world that we live in to bring us closer to him.
3. Catholic Jesus is believed to reside in the tabernacle. That
is why catholics when entering a catholic church will genuflect to
show respect to the presence. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is
when catholics believed that the consecrated host become real flesh
and blood, soul and divinity of Christ. When placed in a receptacle
known as monstrance, catholics are to kneel before that bread and
worship it as if Christ is really there. Biblical Jesus celebrate
the Last supper and insititute it as a remembrance for all of us.
He never ask ppl to place that bread in a photo frame and worship
it. Worship God in spirit and in truth.
You already reject the sacramental nature of this world, so I
believe you too reject the Real Presence. Let me explain. In the
Incarnation, our glorious and spiritual Father in heaven chose to
take upon himself the physical matter of a human body. No
analytical exercise of the five senses can prove this reality. But
the eyes of faith reveal to us that in the seeminly ordinary body
and person of Jesus Christ is our divine God. Likewise, through
Transubstantiation, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ takes upon
himself the physical matter of bread and wine. No analytical
exercise of the five senses can prove this reality. But the eyes of
faith reveal to us that in this seeminly ordinary bread and wine is
our divine God.
Conclusion: Catholic Jesus reveal many things in which is
contrary to the teachings of the Bible and in no way is the same
Jesus as we read about in the Bible. According to readings, worship
of organs such as Heart is a babylonian cult practise.
Also, as w/ the devotions to the Sacred Heart and the "Divine
Mercy image" you are stuck on the external realities (what these
devotions show you, what you see) and cannot get beyond this to the
underlying premises. Eucharistic Adoration is not about putting
Jesus in a picture frame! It is about worshipping our Lord and
Savior! We don't worhship an organ. We honour and revere the love
of Jesus Christ. This is an important distinction. The "Catholic
Jesus" IS the "Biblical Jesus."
And a word of caution, whoever mocks the Mother of Christ is
mocking Christ himself!
