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Listen here!

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www.DiscoverHisChurch.com/defend-your-faith

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Please join us at the League City Catholic Prayer Breakfast this Friday, Feb 8th 7-9 AM.  Men AND woman are invited!

I look forward to seeing you there! Please stop by and say hello!

Blessings,
Troy Guy

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A medical doctor challenges the scientific community to apologize
for the Planned Parenthood scandal.

The profound silence of the entire medical community regarding the sale of body parts by Planned Parenthood is stunning. Through silence, the American medical community at large acts as a willing accomplice to these widespread and horrific crimes. The involvement of highly trained physicians in this scandal, with quiet approval of most of the scientific community, is a testimony of our—the medical community’s—willingness to break the law and resort to inhumane brutality in order to suit our scientific agenda.

There is unanimous agreement in the medical community that the genetically distinct fetus is a living human organism in the uterus of his mother. Hence, it is outrageous to deliver an intact, live fetus and remove its organs in cold blood for purposes of scientific research. If the medical community accepts this ideology due to the inevitable demise of the fetus, then why not apply the same reasoning to death row inmates and start a sale of readily available live human organs for the preservation of life and to further scientific research? Would this be acceptable to the donor or the recipient? Would the academic community call this another “opportunity” for scientific progress? The recent study of organ transplants in China is evidence of what will happen to the United States if physicians are allowed to continue with these morally disastrous practices.¹

Not long ago, physicians swore by the Hippocratic Oath, which prohibits abortion.² This oath and its tenets have been widely disregarded and ignored in recent years. What are we to expect next if we ignore the collaboration of physicians in the murder of live, born infants?

The most dangerous place
for American citizens

The recent protests by several thousands of Americans at Planned Parenthood Clinics show that Americans do not and will not believe our gymnastics of medical terminology. They know that it is not “fetal tissue donation” or “tissue procurement,” but plainly and simply “a dastardly sale of baby organs.”

The never-ending controversy on abortion in the United States ignores the “victims” and looks mainly at personhood, constitutional rights, and women’s rights, while the recent Planned Parenthood medical scandal shows sheer disrespect for the “victims,” namely, the despairing mother and the living vulnerable fetus.

To date, more than 58 million genetically distinct, uniquely created American citizens have been unjustly killed in the wombs of their mothers by the expertise of the medical community.³ This “feticide” is an ongoing tragedy in this country, showing us that the most dangerous place for any American citizen is not Iraq, Syria, Libya, or Afghanistan, but the womb of the pregnant mother.

Take a stand for life

Bowing my head in shame as a physician, I am challenging the entire scientific community to apologize to all the victims of this scandal and for our utter disregard of human dignity. We need to work together as a responsible community to stop this brutal, violent, and criminal medical scandal. We are obligated to treat these cases for what they are: criminal. Our medical boards should immediately revoke the medical licenses of all physicians implicated in these scandals. We owe it to this country to stand up and show our disgust at this manipulation, in the worst possible way, of our medical skills. We must adopt a national medical ethics that clearly condemns these actions and we must swiftly prosecute anyone who violates them.

Planned Parenthood is a private organization specializing in chemical and surgical abortions. At the recent congressional hearings, reports on Planned Parenthood showed profits of $125 million, although the organization continues to claim that it needs another $500 million of taxpayer donation.⁴ Informed Americans such as the President of the USA and the current Miss America have lied about Planned Parenthood providing mammograms.⁵ The other well-woman services provided by Planned Parenthood can be easily provided for all women by other clinics and institutions in their state regardless of financial status.

Most Americans are now aware of these lies and injustices, but only time will tell if this latest movement to defund Planned Parenthood, which started with the release of the Center for Medical Progress videos, will result in David defeating the Planned Parenthood Goliath.

– – – – – – – –

About Author:

Gerard Abreo, MD, Cardiologist

– – – – – – – –

¹Normile, Jocelyn Kaiser and Dennis. Chinese Paper on embryo engineering splits scientific community. April 24, 2015. news.sciencemag.org/asiapacific/2015/04/chinese-paper-embryo-engineering-splits-scientific-community.

²Tyson, Peter. The Hippocratic Oath Today. PBS. March 17, 2001. pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/hippocratic-oath-today.html.

³Statistics. n.d. bound4life.com/statistics.

⁴Mackowiak, Matt. 4 things Planned Parenthood’s president admitted under oath. October 1, 2015. thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/healthcare/255579-4-things-planned-parenthoods-president-admitted-under-oath.

⁵Lee, Michelle Ye Hee. The repeated, misleading claim that Planned Parenthood ‘provides’ mammograms. October 2, 2015. washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2015/10/02/the-repeated-misleading-claim-that-planned-parenthood-provides-mammograms.

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 Your Faith Journey

Just like in the first century, Jesus asks a question that each and every one of us must answer today:  “Who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29). Jesus doesn’t let us avoid His question. CS Lewis once said that Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. Some people would add another option: a myth.

Who would die for a complete lie?  Who would voluntarily be sacrificed and killed over a useless myth? Who would suffer unimaginable pain over a known liar or a crazed lunatic? Conversely, the personal lives of the disciples and eyewitnesses to Jesus’s life, death, and miraculous resurrection were forever changed when they experienced Jesus after He arose from the dead. They felt the nail scars in His hand that had tried to keep Him in the grave. They were forever changed, so much so that when they were challenged to renounce their faith in Jesus they chose to die horrible deaths.

Stephen – First martyr who was stoned to a bloody death.

Peter – He was crucified upside down at his own request.

Paul – He was brutally beheaded.

Bartholomew – He endured the horror of being skinned alive.

Thomas – Pierced to death with spears.

The Question…

They made their choice who Jesus is, and proved it by their life.

But, who do you say Jesus is? Is Jesus truly the Lord of your life?

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Who are the Early Church Fathers and why they matter

The immediate successors of the original Apostles are called the “Apostolic Fathers.” For example, Clement of Rome was a disciple of the Apostle Peter. Likewise, Ignatius of Antioch was a disciple of the Apostle John. Apostolic Fathers, then, had direct interfaces and interactions with various original Apostles. Other “Church Fathers” or “Fathers of the Church” are those that lived immediately after the original Apostles through the first eight centuries. These Fathers of the Church were theologians, writing about early Church life, worship, faith, and practice as it was handed-down from Christ to the Apostles. “Fathers” in the faith are familiar in the Bible. Think about Abraham. He was a “spiritual father” (Luke 16: 24) and the Apostle Paul said, “in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel” (1 Cor 4: 15). Many Church Fathers were Bishops of the Church, for example: Clement was Bishop of Rome, Ignatius was Bishop of Antioch, and Ambrose was bishop of Milan. The early Church Fathers play an absolutely vital role in helping us recognize the Church that Jesus established in Matthew 16:18 in the 1st century, and, which God continues today! These early Church Fathers would find modern Protestantism completely foreign to their faith and the Bible!

Listen to a few of the early Church Fathers

Clement of Rome (d. 100 AD) on Apostolic Succession:

Similarly, our Apostles knew, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that there would be dissensions over the title of bishop. In their full foreknowledge of this, therefore, they proceeded to appoint the ministers I spoke of, and they went on to add an instruction that if these should fall asleep, other accredited persons should succeed them in their office.

Ignatius of Antioch (d. 110 AD) on Apostolic Authority:

In his Letter to the Smyrnaeans, Ignatius writes, “You must all follow the bishop as Jesus Christ follows the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles. Reverence the deacons as you would the command of God. Let no one do anything of concern to the Church without the bishop. Let that be considered a valid Eucharist which is celebrated by the bishop, or by one whom he appoints. Wherever the bishop appears, let the people be there; just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.

Cyril of Jerusalem (d. 386 AD) on Peters Apostolic Primacy and the Holy Eucharist:

The Lord is loving toward men, swift to pardon, but slow to punish. Let no man, then, despair of his own salvation. Peter, the first and foremost of the Apostles…

In the power of the same Holy Spirit, Peter, both the chief of the Apostles and the keeper of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, in the name of Christ healed Aeneas the paralytic at Lydda…

For just as the bread and the wine of the Eucharist before the holy invocation of the adorable Trinity were simple bread and wine, but the invocation having been made, the bread becomes the Body of Christ, and the wine the Blood of Christ…

Ambrose of Milan (d. 397 AD) on the Immaculate Conception of Mary:

Lift me up not from Sara but from Mary, a Virgin not only undefiled but a Virgin whom grace has made inviolate, free of every stain of sin.

John Chrysostom (d. 407 AD) on Oral and Written Tradition handed-down:

So then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions that you were taught, whether by word, or by letter of ours.” From this it is manifest that they did not deliver all things by letter, but many things also unwritten, and in like manner both the one and the other are worthy of credit. Therefore let us think the Tradition of the Church also worthy of credit. It is a Tradition, seek no farther.

Jerome (d. 420 AD) on Peter’s Authority:

I think it my duty to consult the chair of Peter, and to turn to a church whose faith has been praised by Paul… My words are spoken to the successor of the fisherman, to the disciple of the cross. As I follow no leader save Christ, so I communicate with none but your blessedness, that is with the chair of Peter. For this, I know, is the rock on which the church is built!

Augustine of Hippo (d. 430 AD) on the Holy Eucharist (Real Presence of Christ):

That Bread which you see on the altar, having been sanctified by the word of God, is the Body of Christ. That chalice, or rather, what is in that chalice, having been sanctified by the word of God, is the Blood of Christ.

What you see is the bread and the chalice; that is what your own eyes report to you. But what your faith obliges you to accept is that the bread is the Body of Christ and the chalice is the Blood of Christ.

John of Damascus (d. 749 AD) on the Holy Eucharist (Real Presence of Christ):

The Bread and the Wine are not a type of the Body and Blood of Christ—perish the thought! — but the deified Body Itself of the Lord, since the Lord Himself has said: “This is My Body.” He did not say a type of His Body, but His Body; nor a type of His Blood, but His Blood…

The Inevitable and Intellectual Honesty

The list of quotes from the early Church Fathers supporting the Catholic Church’s faith and practice is inexhaustible. When I was an evangelical Protestant digging through the early Church Fathers, it was unescapable that the early Church was much closer to the Catholic Church than anything found in my Baptist or non-denominational church! Whether I looked at apostolic succession, apostolic authority, St. Peter’s primacy, the Holy Eucharist, Mary, Oral and Written Tradition, salvation, prayer, fasting, discipleship, sacred icons or anything else, I simply could not avoid the massive amount of Biblical and historical evidence affirming the apostolic Catholic Church. Remembering John Henry Newman (an Anglican convert to Catholicism) who said, “to be deep in history, is to cease to be Protestant” we can see why — when we are honest about what the early Church believed and practiced – the Catholic Church emerges as the apostolic Church established in Matthew 16:18.

Books that helped me

I found these books to be outstanding sources on the early Church and Church Fathers!

Faith of the Early Fathers, Vol 1., by William A. Jurgens
Faith of the Early Fathers, Vol 2., by William A. Jurgens
Faith of the Early Fathers, Vol 3., by William A. Jurgens
The Fathers Know Best, by Jimmy Akin
Early Christian Writings: The Apostolic Fathers, by Andrew Louth
The History of the Church: From Christ to Constantine, by Eusebius and Louth

Troy

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Why do most Christians have crucifixes in their Churches and homes? To help answer this question, another question should be asked: Why did Paul preach Christ crucified? Doesn’t Paul know that Jesus was raised from the dead? Certainly he does! Paul believes that through the crucified and resurrected Christ we have freedom from sin and death. Apostolic Christians follow this Biblical example by displaying both the crucifix and the cross.

The Crucifix – Salvation in Christ

In the First Book of Corinthians, Paul announces that his preaching arises from the crucified Christ!

For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:22-24).

When Paul began speaking about his desire to reach the Corinthians for Christ, he did not come with eloquence or wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:1). What did he come proclaiming? Christ and Him crucified !

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? (Galatians 3:1).

What do our eyes see in this publicly portrayed crucified Christ? The parallel between this passage and the crucifix are self-apparent. The crucifix is an image not easily dismissed by the human mind and a powerful display of historical truth. Christians believe the crucifixion and the resurrection are both decisive events. These truths are to be shared with boldness, not reduced, hidden, or ignored. The fullness of the Gospel, despite being repulsive and hard to gaze upon, is an integral part of apostolic Christian faith. Catholic Christians and Orthodox Christians boldly portray the horrendous torture our Lord went through, so that we may be free from wrath.

He Himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed (1 Peter 2:24).

The Crucifix – Suffering for Christ

In some sects of Protestantism, a “health and wealth” gospel seems to prevail (name it and claim it preaching). In these Protestant traditions, suffering has no place in the life of the Christian. On the contrary, apostolic Christianity understands suffering much different. We are called to sacrificially follow Christ whether we are in good health and abundant prosperity, or, in poverty and painful suffering. When we visually observe the crucifix, we are reminded of the Biblical reality we are called to; which is a life of suffering. Ratzinger says:

A worldview that is incapable of giving even pain meaning and value is good for nothing. It falls short precisely at the hour of the most serious crisis of existence. Those who have nothing to say about suffering except that we must fight against it are deceiving us. It is, of course, necessary to do everything one can to lessen the suffering of the innocent and to limit pain. But there is no human life without suffering, and he who is incapable of accepting suffering is refusing himself the purifications that alone allow us to reach maturity. In communion with Christ, pain becomes meaningful, not only for myself, as a process of ablatio in which God purges me of the dross that conceals his image, but beyond me, for the whole, so that we can all say with Saint Paul: “But now I rejoice in my sufferings for you and so complete in my flesh what is still lacking in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of his body, the Church” (Colossians 1:24).

The crucifix calls to mind that suffering is a unifying experience with Christ as we “take up our cross” and follow Jesus (Matthew 16:24). Christ suffered, was crucified, buried, and resurrected for our transgressions. Not everyone will be called to suffer in an extreme way, but when we suffer we surrender completely to Christ’s mercy and grace. The crucifix is a reminder of our unity with Christ through whatever suffering we will endure in this life.

…but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance… (Romans 5:3).

Peter did not consider himself worthy to be crucified as Christ was, so he requested crucifixion upside down. Thomas, known as “doubting Thomas,” was speared to death in India. John the Baptist was beheaded. Likewise, the Apostle Paul was beheaded. Christians are called to suffer, at times, and we should never forget the suffering that our Lord endured. Early Christians were willing to suffer and give their life for Christ. The crucifix is a visual reminder of this reality.

The Crucifixion and the Resurrection

Common objections to the crucifix are centered on the idea that, since Christ was resurrected from the dead, we should not display the crucified or suffering Christ. In this way, Protestant fundamentalism inadvertently pits the crucifixion against the resurrection. This interpretation leads to an “either/or” theology. Consequently, if one displays a crucifix, the assumption of neglecting the resurrection is silently assumed. The apostolic Christian understanding is more complete based on a “both/and” theology. In other words, both the crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ are decisive and celebrated events in salvation history. Paul tells us that if Christ was not resurrected, our faith and hope are useless (1 Corinthians 15:17). This is precisely why Paul can say he was “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:19) and simultaneously proclaims a “living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:3).

Therefore, apostolic Christians humbly display both the cross and the crucifixion! We could never celebrate Resurrection Sunday without first having Good Friday! There is simply no crown without the cross! The empty Cross reminds us that we are to pick up our cross each day and follow Jesus (Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34) and the crucifix is there to remind us of the price God paid for you and me!

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 Your Faith Journey

Just like in the first century, Jesus asks a question that each and every one of us must answer today:  “Who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29). Jesus doesn’t let us avoid His question. CS Lewis once said that Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. Some people would add another option: a myth.

Who would die for a complete lie?  Who would voluntarily be sacrificed and killed over a useless myth? Who would suffer unimaginable pain over a known liar or a crazed lunatic? Conversely, the personal lives of the disciples and eyewitnesses to Jesus’s life, death, and miraculous resurrection were forever changed when they experienced Jesus after He arose from the dead. They felt the nail scars in His hand that had tried to keep Him in the grave. They were forever changed, so much so that when they were challenged to renounce their faith in Jesus they chose to die horrible deaths.

Stephen – First martyr who was stoned to a bloody death.

Peter – He was crucified upside down at his own request.

Paul – He was brutally beheaded.

Bartholomew – He endured the horror of being skinned alive.

Thomas – Pierced to death with spears.

THE Question…

They made their choice who Jesus is, and proved it by their life.  But, who do you say Jesus is? Is Jesus truly the Lord of your life?

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Brothers and sisters in Christ,

We welcome you to watch the The Journey Home show tonight on EWTN at 7:00 PM CST / 8:00 PM ET.

I will be sharing my conversion experience with TV host Marcus Grodi.  The Program will air the following days/times:

Monday, October 22 at 7:00 pm (CST)

Tuesday, October 23 at 5:00 am (CST)

Thursday, October 25 at 12:00 pm (CST)

Saturday, October 27 at 2:00 pm (CST)

The full Biblical and historical evidence that led to my conversion is detailed in my book, Evangelical Catholic!

I pray this book and our ministry leads you closer to Christ and His Church, whether you are Catholic, considering becoming Catholic, or a Protestant Christian!

Your brother in Christ,

Troy Guy

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YOU are called!

Every one of us is called to be an evangelist. Jesus never leaves it an option for you or me. In fact, it is a command straight from His lips. Jesus invites us to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth.  Jesus said:

“Go into the entire world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

We are to proclaim the Good News of His love and forgiveness to all people, everywhere, and at all times. The purpose of evangelization is simply to lead people to a personal encounter and acceptance of Jesus Christ. Saint Paul was convicted to preach and could not help but share what God had done in his life:

“Woe to me if I do not preach!” (1 Corinthians 9:16).

Jesus, Peter, Paul, Matthew, John, and all the saints tell us to be evangelizers for Christ. Popes tell us that the greatest mission of the Church, whether priest, religious, or laity, is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone in our words and through our life.

Pope Paul VI said:

The Church “exists in order to evangelize, that is to say in order to preach and teach, to be the channel of the gift of grace, to reconcile sinners with God, and to perpetuate Christ’s sacrifice in the Mass, which is the memorial of his death and glorious Resurrection.”

Pope John Paul II said:

“… the moment has come to commit all of the Church’s energies to a new evangelization and to the mission. No believer in Christ, no institution of the Church can avoid this supreme duty: to proclaim Christ to all peoples.”

Pope Benedict stated:

“Evangelization is not an option but the vocation proper to the People of God, a duty incumbent upon it by the command of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.”

The New Evangelization – What is it?

“The New Evangelization calls each of us to deepen our faith, believe in the Gospel message and go forth to proclaim the Gospel. The focus of the New Evangelization calls all Catholics to be evangelized and then go forth to evangelize. In a special way, the New Evangelization is focused on ‘re-proposing’ the Gospel to those who have experienced a crisis of faith. Pope Benedict XVI called for the re-proposing of the Gospel “to those regions awaiting the first evangelization and to those regions where the roots of Christianity are deep but who have experienced a serious crisis of faith due to secularization.” The New Evangelization invites each Catholic to renew their relationship with Jesus Christ and his Church.” – United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

“But I preach Christ with my life – not words”

When challenged to share the love of God with people, many Christians (especially Catholic Christians not typically driven to share the Gospel by word) will respond: “I do not need to preach by word, or, share my faith verbally. I simply let my life reflect Jesus.” This attitude derives from a saying attributed to St. Francis: “Always preach the Gospel, and, if necessary, use words!” There is of course nothing wrong with that, in general, except that St. Francis never said it, and, the Bible never affirms this. Instead, St. Francis used words and his life to reflect the Gospel. He never relied only on good deeds to preach the Gospel, but deeds and words. Thomas of Celano wrote this of St. Francis: “He filled all the earth with Christ’s Gospel, so that often in one day he would make the circuit of four or five villages or even towns preaching to everyone the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.” Clearly, St. Francis used words to preach the Gospel. Remember St. Paul? He reminds us that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of God” (Romans 10:17). How can people hear unless we speak? Peter and John said: “For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Indeed, the New Evangelization is not a “silent, wordless” evangelization (see for example Scott Hahn’s book, “Evangelizing Catholics: A Mission Manual for the New Evangelization”, Our Sunday Visitor, 2014).

So it is here that the words of Pope John Paul II ring loudly to our hearts:

“there can be no true evangelization without the explicit proclamation of Jesus as Lord.” He further states empathetically that “evangelization as the joyful, patient, and progressive preaching of the saving death and resurrection of Jesus Christ must be your absolute priority!”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of this great privilege we have in participating in evangelization:

“Lay people also fulfill their prophetic mission of evangelization, that is, the proclamation of Christ by word and the testimony of life” It further encourages us that “this witness of life, however, is not the sole element in the apostolate; the true apostle is on the lookout for occasions of announcing Christ by word, either to unbelievers…or to the faithful” (CCC 905).

He died for you.

Jesus was unjustly arrested, falsely imprisoned, endured unfair trials, suffered painful scourging, was beaten bloody, underwent public mockery, had sharp thorns driven into his head causing blood to flow and was crucified by soldiers who drove nails into His hands and feet. Finally, a spear was thrust into His side where blood and water flowed. Yes, this is what Jesus endured for you. Jesus paid a price for your sin and my sin so we can have eternal life with Him in Heaven.  St. Paul reminds us that “God demonstrates His love for us in this, that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). This is the joy of the Gospel!

What’s stopping you from sharing His love?

“How are men to call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14). So… what’s stopping you from telling the story of what God has done in your life? Will you get out of the boat, like Peter, and share the glorious and life changing Good News of Jesus Christ with those you meet? The eternal destiny of people is at stake. What else is important enough to ignore this great command of Jesus?

“The Holy Spirit will teach you
in that very hour what you should say”
(Luke 12:12)

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What is his message? First, that God loves you and has a plan for you. What a beautiful truth! Second, we have all done bad things, which the Bible calls “sin” and the result of this sin is death or spiritual separation from God (Romans 6:23). So, what is the “Good News?” Jesus died in our place so we can have a relationship with God and be with Him forever. The Bible says that “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). We can’t earn salvation by good works; we are saved by God’s grace when we have faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. No amount of good works can do this. When we turn from our sin (called repentance), we can then begin to know, love, and follow God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Every man, woman, and child needs to receive this truth, including me!

In a book I still have today (among many others) written in 1991 called “Hope for the Troubled Heart,” Billy Graham outlined how we can handle pain, frustration, stress, loneliness, illness, depression, and even death. From time to time, I have referred back to this little manual on Christian life and faith. Billy Graham’s sermons always lifted me up, strengthened me, and most importantly pointed me to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The love that Jesus has for me, and you, coupled with what Christ did on the Cross of Calvary for each of us, is forever ingrained deep into my soul.

God Bless you, Rev. Billy Graham!

Troy

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I shared the five well-known, widely-disseminated scenarios that I believe should be pondered by everyone when navigating the sensitive topic of abortion.

What would you do?

(1) There’s a preacher and wife who are very, very, poor. They already have 14 children. She finds out she’s pregnant with number 15. They’re living in tremendous poverty. Considering their poverty and the excessive world population, would you recommend she get an abortion?

(2) The father is sick with syphilis, the mother has tuberculosis. They have four children. The first is blind, the second has died, the third is deaf, and the fourth has tuberculosis. She finds she’s pregnant again. Given the extreme situation, would you recommend an abortion?

(3) A white man raped a 13-year-old black girl, and she got pregnant. If you were her parents, would you considering recommending abortion?

(4)  A newly married couple are told that their child had a significant chance of being born with down syndrome.  The couple was advised by their medical doctor that the best course of action would obviously be an abortion.  Would you consider the abortion?

(5) A young girl is pregnant. Her fiancé is not the biological father of the baby. Would you consider recommending abortion?

Why would it matter?

In the first case: you have just killed John Wesley, a great Protestant evangelist in the 19th century.

In the second case, you have killed Beethoven.

In the third case, you have killed Ethel Waters, the great black gospel singer.

In the fourth case, you just killed my fifteen year-old son, who has no medical problems.

If you said yes to the fifth case, you have just declared the murder of Jesus Christ.

Scriptures that have guided my faith

“God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).

“Truly children are a gift from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward” (Psalm 127:3).

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13)

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14)

“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:16)

“You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13)

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Abraham was very old.
Elijah was scared, fearful and suicidal.
Joseph was abused.
Job went bankrupt.
Moses had a speech problem.
Gideon was afraid.
Samson was a womanizer and had prostitutes.
Rahab was a prostitute.
The Samaritan woman was divorced.
Noah got drunk.
Jeremiah thought he was too young.
Jacob was a cheater.
David was a murderer and adulterer.
Jonah ran from God.
Naomi was a widow.
Peter denied Jesus three times.
Martha worried about everything.
Zacchaeus was small and loved money.
Paul persecuted Christians, then became one.
You . . . ?

We heard Jesus ask “What are you looking for?” When the disciples followed Jesus, He simply responded “Come, and you will see.” This is what God is asking of you and me. Let us offer our flaws and imperfections up to God, knowing He deeply loves us (John 3:16), will forgive us (1 John 1:9), and has a plan for our life (Jeremiah 29:11) despite our imperfections.

Listen to God, and proclaim “Your servant is listening.” Come, and you will see!

Troy

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Rejoice

Jesus is here indeed

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When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior’s first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming. By celebrating the precursor’s birth and martyrdom [St. John the Baptist], the Church unites herself to his desire: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

The liturgical color used at Advent is purple. It’s a visual reminder of our redeemer and the repentance required of us before receiving Christ at Christmas.  The color purple calls us to repent and turn to God in preparing the way of the Lord for His coming. The color used on the third Sunday of Advent is rose, which reminds us of the utmost joy and rejoicing we receive when Christ comes again! Rose is a lighter color, calling to mind that Christ is “the light of the world.” Rejoice, Jesus is coming again! The Advent wreath is a circle that has no beginning or end, as God is eternal and His love for us is everlasting.

1st Sunday of Advent – Reminds us Jesus is coming (“Prophets Candle”).

2nd Sunday of Advent – Reminds us of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem (“Bethlehem Candle”).

3rd Sunday of Advent – Experiencing joy at the coming of Christ (“Shepherds Candle”).

4th Sunday of Advent – The angel’s message, Peace on Earth and Good will toward men (“Angels Candle”).

There is a third coming of Christ. This is Christ in our hearts, being aware of His Presence in us. This is a perfect way for families to celebrate Christ and share Him with each other at the domestic church, our individual homes! It is a time when parents and children gather and experience Christ together. One of the greatest things fathers can do is introduce their family to Jesus Christ and celebrate the Lord’s Coming within the family.

Here are some practical ways that can help us all during Advent:

1. Spend time in prayer and listen to God (“be still and know that I AM God”).
2. Read the Bible to yourself and with your family.
3. Spend quality time away from ‘commercialism’ and deeply contemplate Jesus.
4. Make time to teach your family and children about Christ (parents #1 responsibility).
5. Be an example and live the life God has called you to live (“by your actions, they will know you are disciples of Jesus”).
6. Light the Advent candles at dinner with your family, pray, and explain the meaning behind each candle.
7. Most of all, prepare your own heart for Christmas!

How are you celebrating Advent this year? What are you placing your hope in? Make this year the year of repentance, salvation, and joy with Christ!

Troy

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