Catechism L5-21 Jesus is always present and Heaven our home

 Prayer Before Studying

Incomprehensible Creator, the true Fountain of light and only Author of all knowledge: vouchsafe, we beseech Thee, to enlighten our understandings, and to remove from us all darkness of sin and ignorance. Thou, who makest eloquent the tongues of those that want utterance, direct our tongues, and pour on our lips the grace of Thy blessing. Give us a diligent and obedient spirit, quickness of apprehension, capacity of retaining, and the powerful assistance of Thy holy grace; that what we hear or learn we may apply to Thy honor and the eternal salvation of our own souls.

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Holy Spirit, giver of all good gifts, enter into my mind and heart. Give me the gift of knowledge, wisdom, understanding and the grace to use it wisely. Help me in all my endeavors. Give me perseverance and fortitude. Help my memory, that I may remember what I learn and recall it when necessary. Guide me in my studies. You who are the Way, the Truth, and the Life, let me not be deceived by false teaching. Our Lady of Good Studies, pray for me. Amen.

Topic/Agenda:

• Jesus who actively lives within us on earth

• Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick

• Life after Death

• Heaven, Hell and Purgatory


Jesus is still here with us:

Before He ascended into Heaven, Jesus said “I am with you always, even to the end of time.” Jesus is with us in many ways. He sent us His Spirit to lead and guide us. He is with the Church. He teaches us through our Holy Father, the Pope.  But Jesus is with us in a special way through the Holy Eucharist. At the Concentration, Jesus comes to us under the appearance of bread and wine. After Mass, some of the Concentrated Hosts are put in the tabernacle. You can tell that Jesus is present in the tabernacle when a special lamp, called the sanctuary lamp, is lit. So Jesus lives in every Catholic church in the world. He is there as really and truly as He was in Bethlehem.

Since Jesus gave us so great a gift, we should receive Him whenever we can in Holy Communion. Most churches offer Mass everyday of the week. Maybe you can find a way to go more often. We can visit the church during the week. Jesus is there in the tabernacle. He would love to have you come and talk to Him for a little while. Visits to church are one way to receive much grace. You will be happier. 

Jesus is in Tabernacle

Picture of "Stiftshuette Modell Timnapark" by Ruk7

The Tabernacle (Hebrew: מִשְׁכַּן‎, mishkan, "residence" or "dwelling place"), according to the Hebrew Bible, was the portable dwelling place for the divine presence from the time of the Exodus from Egypt through the conquering of the land of Canaan. Built to specifications revealed by God (Yahweh) to Moses at Mount Sinai, it accompanied the Israelites on their wanderings in the wilderness and their conquest of the Promised Land.

Tabernacle describes an inner shrine (named Holy of Holies) housing the Ark of the Covenant and an outer chamber (Holy Place) with a golden lampstand, table for showbread, and altar of incense.

A tabernacle is a box-like vessel for the exclusive reservation of the consecrated Eucharist. It is normally made of metal, stone or wood, is lockable and secured to its altar to prevent the consecrated elements within from being removed without authorization. The "reserved Eucharist" is secured there for distribution at services, for availability to bring Holy Communion to the sick, and, especially in the Western Church, as the center of attention for meditation and prayer.

A less obvious container, set into the wall, is called an aumbry.

Sanctuary lamp besides Tabernacle

Image by David Ascalon - Ner Tamid

A sanctuary lamp, altar lamp, everlasting light, or eternal flame is a light that shines before the altar of sanctuaries in many denominations of Jewish and Christian places of worship. Prescribed in Exodus 27:20-21 of the Torah, this icon has taken on different meanings in each of the religions that have adopted it. The passage, which refers to prescriptions for the tabernacle, states: "And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. In the tabernacle of the congregation without the veil, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel."

Christian churches often have at least one lamp continually burning before the tabernacle, not only as an ornament of the altar, but for the purpose of worship. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal in the Catholic Church, for instance, states (in 316): "In accordance with traditional custom, near the tabernacle a special lamp, fueled by oil or wax, should be kept alight to indicate and honor the presence of Christ.”

The sanctuary lamp is placed before the tabernacle or aumbry in Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, and Anglican churches as a sign that the Blessed Sacrament is reserved or stored.

Monstrance – Adoration of Jesus’ Body

A monstrance, also known as an ostensorium (or an ostensory), is the vessel used in Roman Catholic, Old Catholic and Anglican churches for the more convenient exhibition of some object of piety, such as the consecrated Eucharistic host during Eucharistic adoration or Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. It is also used as reliquary monstrance for the public display of relics of some saints.

Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament, is a devotional ceremony, celebrated especially in the Latin Catholic Church, but also in some Anglican, Lutheran and other churches, whereby a priest or a deacon blesses the congregation with the Eucharist at the end of a period of adoration.

Anointing of the Sick

The 7th Sacrament

7. Anointing of the Sick (formerly known as Extreme Unction or Last Rites): Extreme Unction is the Sacrament which, through the anointing and prayer of the priest, gives health and strength to the soul, and sometimes to the body, when we are in danger of death from sickness. We should receive Extreme Unction when we are in danger of death from sickness, or from a wound or accident. We should not wait until we are in extreme danger before we receive Extreme Unction, but if possible we should receive it whilst we have the use of our senses.

The effects of Extreme Unction are:

• To comfort us in the pains of sickness and to strengthen us against temptation;

• To remit venial sins and to cleanse our soul from the remains of sin;

• To restore us to health, when God sees fit.

• Their souls are strengthened to face death without fear.

By the remains of sin I mean the inclination to evil and the weakness of the will which are the result of our sins, and which remain after our sins have been forgiven. We should receive the Sacrament of Extreme Unction in the state of grace, and with lively faith and resignation to the will of God.

Biblical references: Mk 6:12-13; Jm 5:14

When do we need this sacrament?

•In danger of death from sickness or accident

•Getting ready for an operation or becomes very sick à priest will go to a hospital

•The priest will anoint the person’s head and hands with a special oil.

•The priest will also hear his confession and give Holy Communion if that I possible.

•When the person dies after receiving the sacrament of anointing of the sick, he dies in the peace of Jesus, and it is He who comes to take him to heaven.

Death – Are you ready to die?

Death, Judgment  and Resurrection

•After we die, our bodies will decay but our souls lives forever  and will brought face to face with Jesus.

•After death the person is judged by Jesus.

•The decision is made then whether the person goes to Heaven, Hell or Purgatory.

•Jesus looks at the person to see if it is someone who has tried to follow Jesus throughout his life.

•The more the person tried to be like Jesus the more Jesus will reward him.

•But if the person did not love God and refused to obey Him and rejected Him, then that person chooses not to be with God and goes to Hell.   Satan and his devils are in hell also.

•Souls who is not yet ready to go to heaven stayed in Purgatory to be cleansed with purification fire.  He will suffer great to make up for his sins.

•While we are on earth we can pray and make sacrifices for the souls in Purgatory in order to help them get out sooner.

•Once those souls go to heaven they will pray for us that we may also come to heaven.

•At the end of the world (last day) the bodies of all those who have died will rise form the dead and join their souls in either Heaven or Hell.

•Everyone will have a perfect body. There will be no pain or sickness in heaven. People will not get sick or hurt in heaven.

After death, where would you go?

Life Application: Prepare for the eventuality

•Since we don’t know when we will die, we should always be ready!

•Go to confession frequently and pray for a happy death.

•We should die from our sins and imitate Jesus Christ.

•While living on earth, we should do acts of love such as:

–Corporal Works of Mercy

–Spiritual Works of Mercy

•Share the Good News to your Neighbor. Much is expected from you.

•Always pray the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet

Prayer for the Help of the Holy Spirit
O God, I thank you for this day and the lessons that we have learned today.  May You send forth your Holy Spirit and stay forever into my heart that I may perceive and understand You more, into my mind that I may remember, and into my soul that I may meditate.  Inspire me to speak and behave with patience, piety, holiness, tenderness and mercy. Teach, guide and direct my thoughts and senses from beginning to end. By Your grace, we may live and preach on the Words that You spoke to us today. May your grace ever help and correct me, and may I be strengthened now with love and wisdom from on high, for the sake of your infinite mercy. Amen.

References:

• Holy Bible (New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition)

• Catechism of the Catholic Church

• Wikipedia

• New Advent (www.newadvent.org)

• www.vatican.va

• http://www.tldm.org/

• Pictures I got from the internet...