Month: January 2020

2 Reasons Why Jesus’ “Failed” Miracle is the Turning Point of Mark’s Gospel

/ chicoinematt

healing of blind man

 My favorite healing story in Mark’s Gospel is the curing of the blind man at Bethsaida. God confirmed this because the lone bookmark in my study bible remained on Mark 8:22-26. I placed that bookmark over 4 years ago!

will wow gif

 Like most of the healing stories in Mark, the curing of the blind man is short. Here is the text,

22When they arrived at Bethsaida, they brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on him and asked, “Do you see anything?”g 24Looking up he replied, “I see people looking like trees and walking.” 25Then he laid hands on his eyes a second time and he saw clearly; his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly. 26Then he sent him home and said, “Do not even go into the village.” (Mark 8:22-26 New American Bible)

I call this Jesus’ “apparent failed miracle” mostly because he has to cure the blind man in stages—the cure does not happen instantaneously.  The man’s statement, “I see people looking like trees and walking”,  is the oddest sentence  I ever read in the New Testament.

It took me a long time to realize the purpose of this story. I give two reasons for why Mark 8:22-26 is the turning point in Jesus’ ministry.

patience

The healing happened in stages

This healing stands unique against Jesus’ other healings because Jesus does not heal the blind man right away. St. Jerome in Homily 79 viewed this passage allegorically to signify mankind’s gradual increase in wisdom. In other words, God’s revelation of truth throughout the Old Testament, New Testament, and current in the age of the Church is incremental.

Peter’s declaration happens immediately after this healing

I previously mentioned the significance of having a contextual reading of the Bible as a whole. Most people tend to see this as reading books in the context of other biblical books. Yet, in the case of Mark 8:22-26 a contextual reading to draw out this passage’s meaning can occur within the gospel itself.

Peter declares Jesus to be the Christ in Mark 8:30. I do not think this was a coincidence on the part of the evangelist. I believe  Mark placed the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida before Peter’s revelation strategically. He wanted to show  how God’s truth is revealed gradually.

From this point of the gospel until the end Jesus starts to ramp up his predictions of his Death and Resurrection. He reveals his identity more and more!

Living out the Gospel

I challenge you all to reflect upon this healing story and ask yourself these questions: At what stage am I at in my faith journey? Do I truly recognize Jesus to be the Christ as Peter proclaims, or am I still partially blind in my faith and seeing “theological trees”?

trees look like people

Do you want to receive regular updates about new posts related to why Catholicism matters in your life, writing tips, or simply want to learn more about the case of the Muffin Miscreant (there will be an update soon!)?

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How to Grow Your Business When You Lack Time— Hire a Social Media Manager!

/ chicoinematt

Looking for help to grow your business

💡💡💡Fun fact: 81% of marketers found that increased traffic occurred with as little as 6 hours per week invested in social media marketing.
The average attention span in 2000 was 12 seconds, this year the average attention span is just 8 seconds. That is less than the 9 second attention span of your average goldfish.

❓How can you grab someone’s attention with so much other competing content?

✅ Invest in making relevant, consistent, and valuable content for your audience or customers.

🕒 Don’t have time or you don’t have the skills?

That’s okay! One option is to enlist the help of a social media manager—someone in charge of developing, curating, and sharing your message on your business page.

❓Do you know that I manage social media accounts for small businesses and entrepreneurs?

✅ Currently, I am managing and creating content for Biblical Principles for Growth’s social media pages and have updated websites for other small businesses.

Why Do I Love Helping  Small Businesses?

I enjoy and find fulfillment in this work because it satisfies my creative and intellectual sides.

  • But most of all I love being able to use my God given talent of writing to help build others up.
  • Owning a small business takes a lot of dedication. I know because my mom has her own cleaning business. I recall countless times my siblings and I helped her with her work.
  • If you know of any small business or entrepreneur who is interested in building their brand and attracting more leads and clients please pass my information on to them.

I am looking to acquire new clients and would appreciate any referrals. 😊

What’s next for your business?

If you are interested in growing your personal brand’s presence on social media email me at chicoine.matt@live.com for more information. I would love to discuss setting up a tailored plan to fit your business needs.

📊 I specialize in LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

🙏 Thank you for any help you can give and hope you have a blessed week! 🙂

 

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3 Reasons Why Jesus was Baptized

/ chicoinematt

In 2019, Bishop Joseph Tobin tweeted a questionable statement about Jesus’ Baptism,

“Christ stood with all of us sinners seeking redemption” and that “the sinless Redeemer was reborn in grace”.

Whether his intention was heretical or if it was simply loose and careless theology could certainly be up for debate, I wish to write to clarify the reasons for why Jesus was actually Baptized.

Jesus' Baptism

Did Jesus Require Baptism?

Contrary to the cardinal’s statement,  Jesus did not require Baptism for salvation. Christ also did not need to be “reborn in grace”.  Jesus entered the waters of the Jordan as an example for his disciples to follow.

In John 3:5 Jesus taught Nicodemus [and later us] of the necessity for Baptism when he declared, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church recognizes the importance of this passage as well:

 Baptism is the sacrament of faith. But faith needs the community of believers. It is only within the faith of the Church that each of the faithful can believe. The faith required for Baptism is not a perfect and mature faith, but a beginning that is called to develop. The catechumen or the godparent is asked: “What do you ask of God’s Church?” The response is: “Faith!” (No. 1253).

Along with modeling the importance of Baptism, though Jesus himself did not require cleansing from sin, three additional lessons may be learned from the Event of the Baptism of Our Lord.

Fulfillment of Old Testament

Noah's Ark Baptism

Several key events in the Bible relate to water. Here are a few examples of Baptismal events foreshadowed in the Old Testament:

  • The Great Flood in Genesis 6-8
  • Moses leading the Israelites across the Red Sea
  • Joshua Crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says,

Christians therefore read the Old Testament in the light of Christ crucified and risen. Such typological reading discloses the inexhaustible content of the Old Testament; but it must not make us forget that the Old Testament retains its own intrinsic value as Revelation reaffirmed by our Lord himself. Besides, the New Testament has to be read in the light of the Old. Early Christian catechesis made constant use of the Old Testament. As an old saying put it, the New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New (CCC 129).

The Baptism of Jesus is a feast to help us realize the fulfillment of God’s promises from long ago.

Prefiguring the Death of Jesus

Jesus’ Baptism foreshadowed his Death on the Cross. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI describes this perfectly in his work Jesus of Nazareth,

Looking at the events (of Christ’s baptism) in light of the Cross and Resurrection, the Christian people realized what happened: Jesus loaded the burden of all mankind’s guilt upon his shoulders; he bore it down into the depths of the Jordan. He inaugurated his public activity by stepping into the place of sinners. His inaugural gesture is an anticipation of the Cross. He is, as it were, the true Jonah who said to the crew of the ship, ”Take me and throw me into the sea” (Jon. 1:12) . . . The baptism is an acceptance of death for the sins of humanity, and the voice that calls out “This is my beloved Son” over the baptismal waters is an anticipatory reference to the Resurrection. This also explains why, in his own discourses, Jesus uses the word
“baptism” to refer to his death (18).

Death to sin [original] gives way to a new life in the sacrament of Baptism. A new life of grace occurs through the waters of Baptism.

Door Way to Adoption

According to my favorite reference book– the thesaurus, synonyms for adoption include the following: acceptance, confirmation, ratification, and support. While each of those words convey a strong and position sense of adoption the synonym that stood out most to me was embracing.

Adopted Children of God

Biological birth occurs through the profound act of sex. Unfortunately, not every child is welcomed as a gift. Sometimes unplanned pregnancies occur. Tensions arise. But people who desire adoption more often want to be parents. In the adaption process, parents actively seek out their soon-to-be children.

The Catholic Church teaches in the Catechism in paragraph 1265, “Baptism not only purifies from all sins, but also makes the neophyte “a new creature,” an adopted son of God, who has become a “partaker of the divine nature,” member of Christ and co-heir with him, and a temple of the Holy Spirit.”

Enter New Life

Original sin tarnished the biology of humanity. Humans naturally seek their own will over the Will of the Father. Through the waters of Baptism original sin is destroyed. One enters into sacramental life of the Church.

Baptism of Jesus

Jesus didn’t require rebirth into the sacramental life of grace. John baptized Christ in fulfillment of the Old Testament. Christ’s baptism also prefigured his Death and Resurrection. He modeled the sacramental life in allowing himself to be baptized. German Catholic philosopher Josef Piper declared, “Adoption is the visible Gospel.” The graces received via Baptism bring new life. Baptized Christians become adopted children of God!

Do you want to receive regular updates about new posts related to why Catholicism matters in your life, writing tips, or simply want to learn more about the case of the Muffin Miscreant (there will be an update soon!)?

Become an email subscriber (enter your email address in the Subscribe to Blog Via Email box and hit the Subscribe button. It’s that easy! Soon you will be receiving joy in your inbox to brighten your day or week.

Thank you for reading and hope you have a blessed day!

Related Links

Remember Your Baptism

Why Jesus was Baptized

Why Catholics Must Have Bible A.D.D Part 6- Destructive Waters

The Sacrament of Baptism: Gateway to New Life

US Cardinal, Jesus Was “Reborn in Grace” – What?

 

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3 Qualities the Best Leaders Possess

/ chicoinematt

True leadership is never self-proclaimed—instead, it is recognized by others.

What are the top three qualities in a leader?

Here is my list 👇

Gratitude

Excellent leaders thank the people they work with and for often. You can never be too grateful as long as it is sincere.

Empathy

Utilizing this ability workplace makes anyone you interact with instantly more at ease.

Consistency

Being consistent in character and work ethic is essential for a leader. Having that predictable behavior makes you a cornerstone to build a culture around and helps mitigate frustrations on days when everything goes haywire.

What do you think of my list?

What top three qualities would you consider a requirement to be a leader?

Let me know in the comments below. 😊

Thank you for sharing!

5 Astonishing Facts about Your Guardian Angel

/ chicoinematt

Guardian Angel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on October 2nd, 2019.

October 2nd is the Feast of the Guardian Angels. These messengers of God played pivotal roles throughout the events of the Bible. In fact, the word angel derived from the Greek word angelos which meant “messenger”.  Angels visited Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and  Gideon to name a few examples. In the New Testament, the angel Gabriel visited Mary recognizing her holiness and that God called her to be the mother of Jesus.

Growing up I was fascinated with the topic of angels. My parents always had us recite the Guardian Angel prayer before bedtime.  This tradition has continued in my family and my kids even say that prayer that before school. Catholics believe in spiritual beings, yet on a practical level and in “adult” conversations I have to admit this has been a teaching of the Church that I need to be better at living out and believing in myself.

Unfortunately, life gets busy, stress-inducing, and chaotic. It gets easy to forget out spiritual matters when all your troubles are tangible. Mortgage payments, hospital bills, strained family dynamics, or dissatisfaction at work are things people often battle. These are definitely pain points in my life. We crave truth, peace, and joy. Catholics live in the world while dreaming and hoping for the world to come. St. Augustine wrote, “Our hearts are restless until it rests in You (God)”.

The Feast of the Guardian Angels is a reminder that we should never give up hope. We always have someone to help us out even if our eyes cannot see.

An Angel for All

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 336, “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. “Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.” Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.” You. Me. Everyone now, in the past, and who will live in the future has a guardian angel to protect them from harm.

We Don’t Transform into Angels

It is common for people to post in reaction to the death of a love one: “He/she just received their angel wings in Heaven!” Angels are separate beings from humans. If you go to Heaven in Union with God after you die, you will remain yourself. You will receive a gloried body, but you will not become an angel.

Continue reading →

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Why I Became a Writer

/ chicoinematt

Why, How, What

 

 

 

 

 

 

🔷 Everything we do in life is a process or a journey. It takes time, patience, understanding, willingness, collaboration, humility, and gratitude.

🔶 Writing has been my passion forever. Made me a better person

    —a more patient parent,
    —an empathetic employee,
    • —a forgiving friend

the more I write and share with the world.

🔷 Our world is impatient, angry, assuming, unforgiving, and divided. I imagine a world where more people know how to communicate with both TRUTH and CHARITY.

🔶 I believe it is my purpose in life to provide content that provides real unity that goes beyond the screen of our phones.

🔷 As a Catholic, my Church has been scandalous. This resulted in the world and many members of the Body of Christ losing trust in an institution that is meant to lead to Truth!

🔶 I am here to help earn that trust back—not for any personal gain, but because I need to share my gift as a means to thank God for every blessing in my life!

❓Do you have any genuine questions or concerns about Catholicism you want me to address in future posts/articles.

Tell me in the comments ⤵️

Thank you for sharing!

 3 Reasons Christians need to be Bridge-builders

/ chicoinematt

I love random facts! I find they are great conversation starters and help me to trigger and bridge past and seemingly unconnected memories together. Speaking of the subject of bridges, I recently learned that the world’s longest bridge is over 102 miles! Carrying trains this incredible engineering feat connects the cities of Nanjing and Shanghai.

largest bridge

Aside from being massive architectural projects and accomplishments, the daily function of a bridge is a little more mundane—it serves as a connection between two points that otherwise could not meet or communicate. All Catholics, and Christians in general, are called to act a bridge between God and humanity. Examining Scripture, Tradition, and evidence from a strictly logical standpoint, I put forth three reasons why all Christians need to be bridge-builders

For the Bible tells Me So

You do not have to look far in the New Testament before you discover examples of Jesus promoting unity and building relationships with traditional 1st century outsider groups. In John 4, Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman at the ancient water-cooler, the well of Jacob. He reached out to a Samaritan who Jews ostracized during ancient times. Despite this, Jesus provides her an offer of everlasting water.

She readily exclaims, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water” (John 4:15).

The Gospel of St. Luke abounds with examples of Jesus ministering to outcasts and “building bridges” to all of humanity. I will list just a few: shepherds being invited to witness the birth of Christ (Luke 2:15-20), call of Levi the tax collector (Luke 5:27-32), forgiving the sinful woman (Luke 7:36-50, and sending out of the seventy-two disciples to minister to others (Luke 10: 1-10).

Finally, I want to share the instance in the Acts of the Apostles where possible discord over whether followers of Christ needed to be circumcised in the custom of Judaism. In Acts 15 the Council of Jerusalem took place and God provided unity in this affair by bestowing authority to Peter through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Follow Francis—Pope is the Bridge from Christ to Us

Continuing on the theme of unity promoted by papal authority, Pope Francis on the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall told Christians to, “Build bridges of understanding and dialogue.”

In the pope is a visible sign of the unity of the Catholic Church. Catholics look to the pope with honor and as a leader of the faith not because he tells us but because Jesus gave us the gift of the papacy.

pope francis 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like Francis, the late Pope John Paul II promoted ecumenism [fancy word for promoting unity J) The Polish pontiff tells us in his encyclical letter Ut Unum Sint [On Commitment to Ecumenism],

Together with all Christ’s disciples, the Catholic Church bases upon God’s plan her ecumenical commitment to gather all Christians
into unity. Indeed, “the Church is not a reality closed in on herself. Rather, she is permanently open to missionary and ecumenical endeavor, for she is sent to the world to announce and witness, to make present and spread the mystery of communion which is essential to her, and to gather all people and all things into Christ, so as to be for all an ‘inseparable sacrament of unity’…The unity of all divided humanity is the will of God (nos. 5-6).  

Brains, brains, brains

I was binge watching an episode of The Walk Dead [YES I DID JUST TRANSITION FROM THE POPE TO ZOMBIES!!] a couple summers ago and took an important lesson from the show. In dire situations humans will work together to survive despite coming from various backgrounds.

Police officers, farmers, and pizza delivery boys were able to unite for a common objective [avoid being turned into a zombie]. I came away from the show thinking: should all people, in particular Christians unite?

Be a Bridge-Builder

From a strictly logical standpoint people tend to be happier when working together as a team. This is true for me. At work I am more fulfilled when I work to serve the rest of my co-workers and assist throughout the day as opposed to having a self-serving mentality. Moreover, the old adage “two heads are better than one” is true when it comes to uniting and forging improved relationships.

zombies.jpg

Please do not interpret my urging for all Christians to be bridge-makers as a full on endorsement of compromising your Christians values completely. There are some non-negotiables I hold as a Catholic-Christian. I will not sell out my faith and I believe in the value of life at all stages.

That being said, when it comes to me interacting people with completely different world outlooks from myself I need to exercise patience, clarity in my thoughts, and charity in my dialogue to help others see the value in my positions. I also need to be humble enough to see things from others’ perspectives as well.

Bridge-building is not an easy process—it is long and toilsome. With the gift of understanding and patience from the Holy Spirit such dialogue is possible!

Related Links

Importance of Unity

Ut Unum Sint

 

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