From now until the end of Lent we ask you to share OBOB with other people
in your life. Share the good news of the Gospel with all you know! We
especially want to get 500 more subscribers to this email list. For
details on how you can help visit:
--> http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obobDrive.asp
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, February 22, 2010, Chair of St. Peter
1 Peter 5:1-4, Psalm 23:1-6, Matthew 16:13-19
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/nab/022210.shtml
POPE-LESS EXPERIMENTS
"Jesus replied, 'Blest are you, Simon son of Jonah! No mere man has
revealed this to you, but My heavenly Father. I for My part declare to
you, you are "Rock," and on this rock I will build My church, and the jaws
of death shall not prevail against it.' " —Matthew 16:17-18
The Holy Spirit is the Source of unity (Eph 4:3). God's plan of salvation
is "to bring all things in the heavens and on earth into one under
Christ's headship" (Eph 1:10). "There is but one body and one Spirit, just
as there is but one hope given all of you by your call. There is one Lord,
one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, Who is over all, and
works through all, and is in all" (Eph 4:4-6). Jesus is praying that we
would be one as He and the Father are one (Jn 17:21).
However, despite the Holy Trinity's insistence on unity, the Church, the
body of Christ, is severely disunited. We believe in the same God, Lord,
Spirit, and Scriptures, but this has not restored our unity. Has the Lord
provided anything else to preserve and restore the unity of His body?
It seems as if we need the pope. Eastern Orthodox Christians have tried to
do without a pope for about 1,000 years. Protestants have gone without a
pope for almost 500 years. These two extended experiments have not been
altogether successful. Eastern Orthodoxy has not grown to evangelize the
world. Protestantism has been fragmented into thousands of separate
groups. We seem to need a pope. We need to accept Peter, the rock on which
Christ promised to build His Church (Mt 16:18).
Prayer: Jesus, Foundation of the Church (1 Cor 3:11), may I accept in
practical ways Your choice of Peter and his successors as leaders of Your
Church.
Promise: "Be examples to the flock, not lording it over those assigned to
you, so that when the chief Shepherd appears you will win for yourselves
the unfading crown of glory." —1 Pt 5:3-4
Praise: "Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, He Who in
His great mercy gave us new birth" (1 Pt 1:3).
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my
permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from
February 1, 2010 through March 31, 2010
†Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of
Cincinnati, August 11, 2009
The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be
free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have
granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or
statements expressed.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
You can find One Bread, One Body archives, the letter to readers, OBOB
eBook edition, and an online donation form at
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 2010 Presentation Ministries
To add your e-mail address to this list go to
http://www.presentationministries.com/general/emailList.asp
To remove your e-mail address from this list go to
http://www.presentationministries.com/general/emailList.asp?mode=r
No comments:
Post a Comment