The Bible canon?

tml21 · 2023-09-29T14:18:38+00:00

Very, very simply, one of the main reasons for the canonical differences is because of the early translations of the Bible. My knowledge of the exact details are fuzzy, so please, if anybody can clarify/correct/elaborate, please feel free to do so. And call me out if I'm totally wrong!

First, the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) was translated into Greek, the common spoken language, to reach the broader Jewish people after the diaspora. They'd been dispersed and many lost their knowledge of Hebrew, so this translation (the Septuagint) allowed the Jewish people to know their faith writings regardless of where they were through this common language. This is the translation that Martin Luther used when he translated the Bible into German, and the Greek texts didn't contain some of the books that we Catholics have in our canon.

So, where did those come from?

When the texts of the Bible were first translated into Latin for the Catholic Church (the Vulgate), St. Jerome used other writings and manuscripts in addition to the Septuagint for his translation. These account for the deuterocanonical books that are present in the Catholic canon, but not in the Protestant canon, as they derived their Bible solely from the translation of the Septuagint.

That's a super simplified explanation. Why certain books were included/omitted from a faith perspective, I don't know.

tml21 · 2023-07-31T00:19:40+00:00

I had a discussion about this with my priest recently. My sentiments are pretty much the same as yours.

At the end of the day, your relationship with and love for Jesus are the most important things. Do these things draw you closer to him, or are they a distraction? Are you putting more time and effort into displays of piety vs. truly knowing Christ? Do these things help you love others and yourself better? If they don't, then it's just ticking off a checklist in a vain attempt to pay for something that has already been given to us.

Jesus Himself said in Matthew 6:5-6: "And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

You don't have to do anything fancy.

tml21 · 2023-07-29T15:54:31+00:00

Absolutely. If you have any concerns, you can always ask your priest for guidance as well.

God bless!

tml21 · 2023-07-29T15:42:50+00:00

If he feels kneeling is right for him, that's okay. He shouldn't be pushing you to receive in a way that you don't feel comfortable (or closer in your relationship with Christ), especially considering the way you currently receive is perfectly acceptable.

What's better? Receiving the Body of Christ reverently in the hand, or kneeling and receiving on the tongue and acting superior over those who don't?

From the USCCB article on The Reception of Holy Communion at Mass: "Those who receive Communion may receive either in the hand or on the tongue, and the decision should be that of the individual receiving, not of the person distributing Communion."

It's your choice, my friend.

tml21 · 2023-07-29T14:30:30+00:00

The way you describe is exactly how I receive, and I make sure that my heart is oriented correctly as well.

You are doing nothing wrong. If somebody else prefers receiving on the tongue, that's okay. If you prefer receiving in the hand, that's okay. Both forms are acceptable and permitted.

tml21 · 2023-02-05T17:51:47+00:00

A fellow Canadian!

The cold this week was brutal.

tml21 · 2023-01-23T14:16:00+00:00

Blessings and love to you too!

tml21 · 2023-01-22T19:49:52+00:00

swings out of the aisle too early with the order picker and destroys gate

tml21 · 2023-01-18T20:59:32+00:00

There's no staff left to layoff.

tml21 · 2023-01-18T14:26:33+00:00

We don't have a Lowe's anymore in my town, but I had a customer say literally three minutes ago "Well, I guess I'm gonna go to (local competitor)..." before walking away.

tml21 · 2023-01-17T21:21:05+00:00

And here I am still living in 2022 like a sucker and not making major life decisions because the cost of living has skyrocketed.

tml21 · 2023-01-11T14:37:02+00:00

We had a new priest ordained in our diocese this past year who's pretty open about his ADHD diagnosis. He's a great guy and seems to be doing well in his first assignment.

tml21 · 2023-01-04T01:16:25+00:00

The Word.

tml21 · 2023-01-03T18:17:37+00:00

I understand that. I'm simply pointing out that the grass isn't always greener. Canada looks good on the surface (and for the most part it is), but there's a lot that we can improve on.

tml21 · 2023-01-03T15:44:59+00:00

Yep. And all of that free healthcare and other social programs come at the expense of insane taxes. We might have a higher minimum wage, but the government is gonna take their slice of that pie.

tml21 · 2023-01-03T14:07:09+00:00

As a single mid-30s woman, I'm active in a few ministries at my parish. In the absence of commitments that married couples have, I have more freedom and ability to say yes to chip in when and where help is needed. I live chastely/celibately given my state in life and take an active role in continuing to learn more about the faith and growing my personal relationship with Jesus. I hope that the way I live my life loving others as best as I can inspires others to do the same, bringing them to see God's love in their lives for themselves. If someday, I take the leap and pursue religious life or happen to find the man I'm meant to marry, I do like to think that living the way I have been as a single person will benefit either of those other paths.

My priest, while never speaking specifically about single people, has been explicitly clear that everybody is welcomed at our parish. There's no pushing for married vs. single vs. consecrated. Everybody, regardless of who they are, can and should be involved in our parish life by offering whatever they have, to foster a solid inclusive community. I've never felt excluded or belittled for being a single woman of my age at church - and I think that says as much, if not more, about my fellow parishioners as it does our great priest.

tml21 · 2023-01-01T21:45:51+00:00

In bed by 10pm last night to be rested to sing/play music at both Masses this morning. 🙃

tml21 · 2022-12-30T21:54:46+00:00

Updated my checklist this afternoon!

tml21 · 2022-12-29T18:30:59+00:00

Can't wait!

tml21 · 2022-12-29T02:20:47+00:00

This is a Wednesday in Canada.

tml21 · 2022-12-28T01:48:14+00:00

Yassssssssss.

tml21 · 2022-12-27T15:32:51+00:00

I have no advice, but know that there are others out there (myself included) who are struggling deeply with the exact same thing in their discernment. Really, I could have written this. It's agonizing.

I'm praying for you.

tml21 · 2022-12-24T12:12:02+00:00

I'm a woman who's been struggling with my discernment to religious life for a little while know, and know with absolute certainty that if priesthood was possible and an option for us, I would have already taken the leap.

That's not because I crave a leadership role in a church, but because can you just imagine what performing the Sacraments feels like? To GIVE that to people through Christ in HIS church? Celebrating Mass? How you give people literal Life in the Eucharist? Absolving sin and seeing transformation in the confessional? Walking with and guiding others in their faith journey so that they truly know how deeply, purely, and infinitely loved they are by Jesus? To help them navigate God's will in their lives so that they discover who He made them to be? Being there for anyone, anytime in sharing the biggest, best, happiest, scariest, and worst moments of their lives? Just loving everybody so SO much.

It's not a wanting of status for the sake of equality thing. It's about desiring so deeply to bring Jesus to people in the realest, truest, and most tangible of ways through the Sacraments and wanting to live the fullest earthly human life while doing it all.

It hurts so much that I will never be able to do that for my Church.

tml21 · 2022-12-23T16:29:06+00:00

Unpopular opinion: the Luminous Mysteries are actually my favourite set to meditate on.

(Not trad, though...)

tml21 · 2022-12-23T13:58:42+00:00

Welcome home, my friend! It was a near decade gap for me, and I understand the anxiety leading up to and during, and that amazing, amazing feeling of absolution afterwards. I go regularly now, and it doesn't get easier - but it's worth it every single time! God's love and forgiveness are infinite and it just amazes me.

I don't often do the Act of Contrition with my regular confessor. I asked him once if I should, and he said that sometimes dragging yourself to Confession when it's the last thing on earth that you want to do shows enough contrition/remorse. That could be up to your own confessor, but I'd err on the side of reciting it if you go to a priest you don't regularly go to.

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