Faith Primer
Getting God Wrong
The common Christian belief that God required Jesus’s death as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind is a fundamental misunderstanding. Instead, God does not demand sacrifices. Jesus’ death was not orchestrated by God but was a result of human rejection of Jesus’ teachings. The true nature of God, as presented by the life, death and teachings of Jesus,, is one of unconditional love, forgiveness and mercy. “For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:7-8)
For more detailed explanation, please read this blog post.
“When God Ran” was written by Benny Hester and John Parenti in 1985, performed here by Phillips, Craig, and Dean conveys the powerful message of God’s unconditional love and forgiveness. It tells the story of the prodigal son, emphasizing that God eagerly welcomes back those who have strayed. The song depicts God running to embrace the repentant, highlighting His boundless grace and mercy.
Phillips, Craig, and Dean are a contemporary Christian music group known for their heartfelt worship songs that often explore themes of faith, redemption, and God’s love.
When the Pharisees heard that he [Jesus] had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” [At the time of Jesus, the Torah contained 613 commandments.] He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
(Matthew 22:34-40)
What the Bible teaches about Love:
The Gift of Love (1 Cor 13):
13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; 5 it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; 10 but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. 13 So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Fr. Mike Schmitz created the Bible in Ten Minutes which has became his most viral video yet, garnering over 358,000 views in its first 24 hours. Fr. Mike begins the video by saying,
“The Bible is amazing, but sometimes confusing and hard to read. This is because it’s not just one book, but a collection of books written over thousands of years in lots of different styles, all inspired by God “ . . . Schmitz speaks of the “narrative throughout the Bible that tells a single story: the story of God’s plan for our salvation. Once we understand that story, we can understand the context of every book in the Bible.”
Fr. Mike also produced “The Bible in a Year ” which consists of daily podcast episodes in which Fr. Mike guides viewers through the entire Bible in 365 days. Each episode includes a Bible reading, reflection, and prayer, offering listeners a structured and insightful journey through the Scriptures. Fr. Mike, known for his engaging and relatable teaching style, helps deepen understanding and connection to the Bible, making it accessible and meaningful for modern audiences. This series is ideal for anyone seeking to grow in faith and knowledge of God’s Word.
For more details, please visit the playlist here.
100% Orthodox Catholic Faith Formation
At the Institute of Catholic Culture, we dedicate ourselves to providing comprehensive education in the Catholic faith through an array of lectures, live seminars, and a wealth of resources. Our mission is to foster a deep and nuanced understanding of Catholic tradition and culture, equipping individuals with the tools for lifelong learning and spiritual enrichment.
We emphasize the importance of historical context, theological depth, and practical application, striving to enrich the lives of individuals and communities. By nurturing a robust and informed Catholic faith, we aim to support and inspire Catholics in their journey towards a deeper relationship with God.
For more details, visit Institute of Catholic Culture.
History
In the early years of the Cold War, having discovered Our Lady of Fatima’s message, Msgr. Harold V. Colgan partnered with John M. Haffert to create the “Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima”.
Members of this “Blue Army” were the spiritual force standing against the atheistic policies of the Soviet Union and their Red Army. They pledged to offer their daily sufferings and difficulties for the conversion of sinners, to pray the Rosary daily, to wear the Brown Scapular as a sign of consecration to Mary’s Immaculate Heart, and to practice the Five First Saturdays devotion.
The pledge, which Sister Lucia herself helped formulate, quickly gained popularity throughout the United States and soon became a worldwide movement, with between thirty and forty million people having signed the Blue Army Pledge.
In the early 1950s Msgr. Colgan, together with John Haffert, established the Ave Maria Institute on John Haffert’s farm in Washington, New Jersey. The farm served as the administrative center for sending and receiving new Pledge cards, handling correspondence, publishing Soul Magazine, and coordinating travel for the Pilgrim Virgin Statue. Around this same time they also purchased land in Fatima and built Domus Pacis hotel and conference center, which continues to house pilgrims and serve as headquarters for the International World Apostolate of Fatima.
John later donated his farm to the Blue Army, building a large shrine with a towering roof and 24′ bronze statue of Mary on the property. Today, this site is known today as the National Blue Army Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima officially became the World Apostolate of Fatima and on October 7, 2010 was named a Public International Association of the Faithful. Today we serve as the Church’s official voice on the authentic message of Fatima.
For further information, please visit the World Apostolate of Fatima, USA website: https://www.bluearmy.com/