January 15, 2017
JESUS, THE SERVANT AND SON, was sent to lead a new exodus that is to awaken the tribes of Israel, to gather and
restore them to God. More than that, He was to be a light to the nations, so that God's salvation could reach to
the ends of the earth.
Just before the first exodus, a lamb was offered in sacrifice and its blood sprinkled on the door posts of the Israelite’s homes. This symbolic blood of the lamb was a sign to the Angel to “pass over” that house in Egypt.
Jesus is the "Lamb of God," who is sacrificed for us, His people, and His precious blood is ‘sprinkled’ on us that
we may be saved by God. Today's Psalm reminds us that He has come to offer His body -- that is, to offer his
life ‘as a ransom for many’, as a true sacrifice to bring salvation to us who are sinners.
The sacrifices and the offerings of the Old Testament could provide forgiveness and blessing for a time, but the
sacrifice Jesus offers is once for all, and has the power to take away our sins forever. When Jesus offers himself
for His people, He also calls us to learn self-sacrifice, that we may worship God and offer ourselves freely to do
the will of God.
Jesus, by making that perfect offering of Himself, has made us children of God baptized in the blood of the Lamb.
Let us join our sacrifice to His, to offer our bodies, our live, as living sacrifices in the spiritual worship of the Mass!
Fr. Michael
JESÚS, EL SIERVO E HIJO, fue enviado para guiar a un nuevo éxodo, que es despertar a las tribus de Israel, reunirlos y regresarlos a Dios. Más que eso, Él estuvo aquí para dar luz a las naciones, para que la salvación de
Dios alcanzara hasta los confines de la tierra.
Poco antes del primer éxodo, un cordero se ofreció en sacrificio, y su sangre fue “esparcida” en las puertas de
las casas de los israelitas. Este símbolo de la sangre del cordero fue una señal para el Ángel para “El paso del
Señor” en la casa de Egipto.
Jesús, es el “Cordero de Dios”, quien se sacrificó por nosotros, su pueblo, y su preciosa sangre es “esparcida”
sobre nosotros para que podamos ser salvados por Dios. El Salmo de hoy nos recuerda que Él ha venido para
ofrecer su Cuerpo – eso es, ofrecer su vida como rescate por muchos, como un verdadero sacrificio para traernos la salvación a nosotros pecadores.
Los sacrificios y las ofrendas del Antiguo Testamento pudieron haber proveído perdón, y bendición por un tiempo, pero el sacrificio que Jesús ofrece es solo una vez y por todos, y tiene el poder de llevarse nuestros pecados para siempre. Cuando Jesús se ofrece así mismo por su pueblo, Él también nos llama para aprender a sacrificarnos nosotros mismos, para que adoremos a Dios, y nos ofrezcamos nosotros mismos libremente para
hacer la voluntad de Dios.
Jesús, al hacer el ofrecimiento perfecto de El mismo, él nos ha hecho hijos de Dios bautizados en la sangre del
Cordero. Unamos nuestros sacrificios a los de Él, ofrezcamos nuestros cuerpos, nuestra vida, como sacrificios
vivos en la adoración espiritual de la Misa!
Padre Miguel
Faith Series:
CATECHISM THROUGH
THE
YEAR
SIN, continued
Q. Is masturbation a mortal sin? If it is, why?
First, we must understand that our sexual organs are good and beautiful because they were given to
us by God for the noblest purpose of continuing the human race. Genesis 1:27- 28 says: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created
them. God blessed them and said to them. 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and
subdue it.'" (NIV) Our sexual organs were given to us by God; his for her and hers for him so that
this command can be fulfilled.
Second, the sex act in marriage is also good and beautiful because of its twofold and God-given
purpose: for the generation of children, and as an expression of true mutual love between the spouses.
God performed the initial act of creation when He formed Adam and took the woman from his side.
In the sex act in marriage, the couple is complying with God's command and is in essence performing
an act of re-creation; with God's help they are creating a new life.
Masturbation is the deliberate stimulation of the sex organ in order to derive sexual pleasure. As
such, it is an act of recreation rather than re-creation and is ordered toward self rather than toward
God. The 6th Commandment is "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18) and
this prohibits any sexual activity except with one's lifelong partner in the Sacrament of Matrimony.
Even if you are not married, the teaching of the Catholic Church has always been that the 6th Commandment encompasses all sexual activity. After all, Jesus said that the greatest commandment was
that you shall "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30, NIV) and self-centered recreational sexual activity violates this command.
Whether masturbation is a mortal or venial sin depends upon the criteria for a sin to be mortal
which were given in the answer to the question on mortal and venial sin. Now that you know that it is a
grave sin and why, it is a mortal sin.
FURTHER READING:
Catechism of the Catholic Church – No. 2352
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AREA NEWS
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Catholic Schools — Because of the inclement weather,, Marist High School’s Preview Day has
been changed to Jan. 21st, at 12:30; http://www.marisths.org/preview-day.html. The Open
House @ O’Hara (Elementary & Middle School) is Jan. 29th (Sun.), 1-3:00pm; www.oharaschool.org
for more info.
CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS (OF THE AMERICAS) — Monthly meeting will be Thursday, January 19th, in the St.
Mary Parish Center, following the 12:15pm Mass. ALL Catholic women are invited for this potluck
lunch meeting. The Catholic Daughters is one of the oldest and largest organizations of Catholic
women in the Americas. Questions? Call Julia at 541-344-6851, or email to: [email protected], or go to website at: www.cdacourtoregon118.com.
Eugene Catholic Young Adults meet every Thursday night and review the following weekend’s readings … a great way to prepare for Mass, and become part of a community of
young Catholic adults, with joys and struggles just like yours. Next meeting is January 19th
(2017), 6:45pm,
6:45pm at St. Mary in downtown Eugene. ECYA is for adults ages 21-39, single or married ….
Inquiries: [email protected] or 541-270-9329 or facebook.com/EugeneCYA. …….