Cristiani Cattolici Romani

From Sacred Scripture (Ezekiel 28:13-15) it seems that before turning against God and becoming Satan, which means “Adversary”, Lucifer was a cherub. According to Diogini, the cherubs are the intermediate order belonging to the first celestial hierarchy, subject only to the seraphim (The Celestial Hierarchy VI, II). However, the first name that was attributed to the prevaricating angel, Lucifer which means “Bearer of light”, indicated his being in charge of all the angelic hosts. It is in fact the higher angels who enlighten the lower angels regarding the divine mysteries. In his writings St. Thomas Aquinas explains that the term cherub means “fullness of science”, while the term seraph means “fiery”. It is therefore clear that the cherub indicates knowledge, which can be together with mortal sin, while the seraph indicates the intense warmth of charity, which is not compatible with mortal sin. Therefore Lucifer, despite being in charge of all the angelic hosts, was not called a seraph, but a cherub (Sum Theological I, q 63, a 7). The ministry of prince of all the celestial hosts was then entrusted to the archangel Michael, from the Hebrew מִיכָאֵל (transliterated: Mika’el), which means “Who is like God?”, Meaning that “no one is like God” (1 Samuel 2:2; Job 40:9; Isaiah 42:8; Psalms 35:10; 145:3; Micah 7:18). The archangel is in fact in charge of defending the dominion of the Almighty (Daniel 12:1). When Lucifer turned against God, Michael immediately opposed him and cast him out of heaven (Revelation 12:7-9; Luke 10:18). Lucifer comes from the Latin Lucifer, which translates the Hebrew הִילֵּל (transliterated: Helel) that we find in the passage from Isaiah 14:12-15, a satire that according to some theologians originally targeted a deceased Assyrian ruler, Sargon II. The fall from heaven of a morning star (Helel, from which Lucifer [Isaiah 14:12]) is interpreted by the patristic tradition as the fall of the prevaricating angel.

Dalla Sacra Scrittura (Ezechiele 28,13-15) sembra che prima di volgersi contro Dio e diventare Satana, che significa “Avversario”, Lucifero fosse un cherubino. Secondo Diogini i cherubini sono l’ordine intermedio appartenente alla prima gerarchia celeste, sottoposti solo ai serafini (La Gerarchia Celeste VI, II). Tuttavia il primo nome che fu attribuito all’angelo prevaricatore, Lucifero che significa “Portatore di luce”, indicava il suo essere preposto a tutte le schiere angeliche. Sono infatti gli angeli superiori che illuminano gli angeli inferiori riguardo i misteri divini. Nei suoi scritti San Tommaso D’Aquino spiega che il termine cherubino significa “pienezza della scienza”, mentre il termine serafino significa “ardente”. È chiaro perciò che con cherubino si indica la conoscenza, la quale può stare insieme al peccato mortale, mentre con serafino si indica l’intenso calore della carità, la quale non è compatibile col peccato mortale. Perciò Lucifero, pur essendo preposto a tutte le schiere angeliche, non fu denominato serafino, ma cherubino (Somma Teologica I, q 63, a 7). Il ministero di principe di tutte le schiere celesti fu poi affidato all’arcangelo Michele, dall’ebraico מִיכָאֵל (traslitterato: Mika’el), che significa “Chi è come Dio?”, a significare che “nessuno è come Dio” (1Samuele 2,2; Giobbe 40,9; Isaia 42,8; Salmi 35,10; 145,3; Michea 7,18). L’arcangelo è infatti incaricato della difesa del dominio dell’Onnipotente (Daniele 12,1). Quando Lucifero si volse contro Dio, subito Michele si contrappose a lui e lo scacciò dal cielo (Apocalisse 12,7-9; Luca 10,18). Lucifero viene dal latino Lucifer, che traduce l’ebraico הִילֵּל (traslitterato: Helel) che troviamo nel brano di Isaia 14,12-15, una satira che secondo alcuni teologi originariamente aveva di mira un defunto sovrano Assiro, Sargon II. La caduta dal cielo di un astro del mattino (Helel, da cui Lucifero [Isaia 14,12]) viene interpretato dalla tradizione patristica come la caduta dell’angelo prevaricatore.

VI. Do not commit unclean acts

In the Bible we read as the sixth commandment: “You shall not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20.14; Deuteronomy 5.18) However, the Bible lists many other sins of the flesh (Leviticus 20.12-22; Mark 7.20-23; 1 Corinthians 6.9-10.18; Galatians 5.19-21; Ephesians 5,5; 1 Thessalonians 4,3-8), and the Catholic Church had to take this into account. In marriage, sexuality finds its fruitfulness and its natural meaning. But out of wedlock, sexual acts are out of place and objectively sinful. These cause an injury to the very dignity of marriage, in which sexuality has its own context, and therefore in a figurative sense they are adultery. Therefore the Catholic Church has as its sixth commandment: “Do not commit unclean acts”, which includes all sins of the flesh, including that of adultery.

Mortal sin – that by which the guilty separates himself from God, making himself unable to attain eternal life – is such only if the following three conditions are met at the same time:
1) Grave matter, specified by the Ten Commandments.
2) Full awareness of what is being done at that moment.
3) Deliberate consent of the will.
If the three conditions mentioned are not fulfilled at the same time, one does not commit a mortal sin, but a venial one.

Sins against the sixth commandment are all sexual acts contrary to the natural order established by God: pedophilia, rape, bestiality, incest, necrophilia, practiced homosexuality, sodomy, adultery, polygamy, orgies, prostitution, fornication, participation or viewing of pornography in general, autoeroticism or masturbation (i.e. the voluntary arousal of the genital organs, in order to derive venereal pleasure), unclean thoughts to which we consent.

VI. Non commettere atti impuri

Nella Bibbia leggiamo come sesto comandamento: “Non commettere adulterio.” (Esodo 20,14; Deuteronomio 5,18) Tuttavia la Bibbia elenca molti altri peccati della carne (Levitico 20,12-22; Marco 7,20-23; 1 Corinzi 6,9-10.18; Galati 5,19-21; Efesini 5,5; 1 Tessalonicesi 4,3-8), e di ciò la Chiesa cattolica ha dovuto tener conto. Nel matrimonio la sessualità trova la sua fecondità e il suo naturale significato. Ma fuori dal matrimonio gli atti sessuali risultano fuori posto e oggettivamente peccaminosi. Questi provocano una lesione alla dignità stessa del matrimonio, nella quale la sessualità ha il proprio contesto, e perciò in senso figurato sono un adulterio. Quindi la Chiesa cattolica ha come sesto comandamento: “Non commettere atti impuri”, che comprende tutti i peccati della carne, incluso quello di adulterio.

Il peccato mortale – quello per cui il colpevole si separa da Dio, rendendosi incapace di conseguire la vita eterna – è tale solo se si soddisfano contemporaneamente le tre seguenti condizioni:
1) Materia grave, precisata dai dieci comandamenti.
2) Piena consapevolezza di ciò che si sta commettendo in quel momento.
3) Deliberato consenso della volontà.
Se non si soddisfano contemporaneamente le tre condizioni menzionate, non si commette peccato mortale, ma veniale.

I peccati contro il sesto comandamento sono tutti gli atti sessuali contrari all’ordine naturale stabilito da Dio: pedofilia, stupro, bestialità, incesto, necrofilia, omosessualità praticata, sodomia (anche tra marito e moglie), adulterio, poligamia, orge, prostituzione, fornicazione (ossia gli atti sessuali tra persone non sposate), partecipazione o visione di pornografia in genere, autoerotismo o masturbazione (cioè l’eccitazione volontaria degli organi genitali, al fine di trarne un piacere venereo), baci passionali tra persone non sposate (ossia quei baci che eccitano il piacere venereo), pensieri impuri ai quali acconsentiamo.

Matthew 6:7-8
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Does this mean that the repetitive prayers of Catholics and Orthodox are not pleasing to God?

Absolutely no. In reality, no verse in the Bible says that repetitive prayer is not pleasing to God. In the aforementioned Scripture, Jesus does not condemn repetitive prayer at all, but rather warns us against ranting, making prayer cumbersome and inconclusive like that of the ancient pagans. In fact, the Greek verb “battalogeo” has the meaning of “chattering”, “talking nonsense”. During prayers, Catholics and Orthodox do not chatter, do not talk nonsense, but pray with feelings of charity and faith. Repetitive prayer is biblical. Let’s see some examples:

Psalm 136 contains twenty-six repetitions: “For His mercy endures forever.” (verses 1-26)

The prayer of the three young people, in Daniel 3, repeats the blessing to the Lord about forty times (verses 51-90).

Jesus teaches us that when we pray we must say: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:9-13)

In Gethsemane, Jesus himself prayed, repeating the same words: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39.42.44)

The four living beings, before the throne of God, day and night do not cease to repeat: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8)

Therefore repetitive prayer is by no means condemned by God, but it is pleasing to him.

“O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You!” (From the Diary of Sister Faustina Kowalska)

1 Corinthians 11:3
But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

If Jesus is one of the Trinity, and therefore one God with the Father and the Holy Spirit, why does the Apostle Paul say that God is the head of Christ?

The Son of God hypostatically united to himself a flesh animated by a rational soul, becoming man (John 1:14; Galatians 4:4) remaining God (John 20:28; Acts 20:28; Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 1:1). Therefore Jesus Christ is true God and true man in the unity of the divine Second Person of the Trinity. In him the two natures, divine and human, exist without confusion or change or division or separation. Therefore Christ is not a demigod, nor a man inhabited by the divine Logos, nor is the divine Logos converted into flesh. Both natures, in Christ, I keep their integrity. Two natures: divine and human. The subject is one: the divine Second Person of the Trinity (Matthew 28:19), the Son (John 3:17; 5:18), the only begotten of the Father (John 1:14.18; 3:16.18), the eternal Logos for through which all visible and invisible things were made (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:2; 1 Corinthians 8:6). Now, the words of Paul: “The head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:3), must be referred to the human nature of Jesus, for which he is inferior to the Father and is subject to him, and not to his divine person, for which he is equal to the Father (John 16:15) and is with him only one God (John 10:30; Romans 8:9; Galatians 4:6; 1 Peter 1:11). One God, because he participates fully in the same and indivisible divine substance of the Father, and for this he can say: “All that belongs to the Father is mine.”

1Corinzi 11,3
Voglio però che sappiate che di ogni uomo il capo è Cristo, e capo della donna è l’uomo, e capo di Cristo è Dio.

Se Gesù è uno della Trinità, e quindi un solo Dio col Padre e con lo Spirito Santo, perché l’apostolo Paolo afferma che Dio è il capo di Cristo?

Le parole “capo di Cristo è Dio” vanno riferite alla natura umana di Gesù, per cui è inferiore al Padre ed è a lui sottomesso, ma non alla sua Persona divina per cui è uguale al Padre (Matteo 28,18; Giovanni 16,15; Colossesi 2,9) ed è con lui un solo Dio (Giovanni 10,30; 14,9-11; Romani 8,9). Cristo, vero Dio e vero uomo nell’unità della Seconda Persona della Trinità, come uomo è il servo di Dio di cui parla Isaia 52,13-53. Ma in quanto Dio partecipa pienamente, senza divisione, all’essere stesso del Padre, e per questo può dire: “Tutto ciò che il Padre possiede è mio” (Giovanni 16,15), e: “Io e il Padre siamo Uno” (Giovanni 10,30). E dello Spirito santo è detto che egli è, ad un tempo, lo Spirito del Padre (Matteo 10,20) e lo Spirito di Gesù Cristo (Atti 16,6-7; Romani 8,9; Galati 4,6; Filippesi 1,19; 1Pietro 1,10-11). Il Padre non è il Figlio, e lo Spirito santo non è il Padre né il Figlio. Ma sia il Figlio che lo Spirito santo partecipano pienamente e senza divisione all’essere stesso del Padre, per cui i tre, pur essendo distinti (ma non divisi) per le loro relazioni d’origine, sono il medesimo e indivisibile Dio.

The term purgatory, from the Latin purgatorius meaning “that purifies”, was coined in the twelfth century to give its name to this reality of purification of souls. According to the doctrine of the Catholic Church, “all who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.” (Catechism 1030) In fact, into the kingdom of heaven “nothing impure can enter.” (Revelation 21:27) “The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent.” (Catechism 1031) The doctrine of purgatory finds its foundation in the Bible. In the Second Book of Maccabees we read that “Judas the Maccabee had an atoning sacrifice offered for the comrades who fell in battle, so that they might be absolved of their sin.” (2 Maccabees 12:38-45) “From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God.” (Catechism 1032) In the Gospel, Jesus states that there are sins that can be forgiven in this world, others that can also be forgiven in the future world, and another – that is, the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit – that cannot be forgiven either in this world or in the future one: “And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” (Matthew 12:31-32) There is therefore the possibility of being absolved of some sins, not mortal, even after this life, through a purification. We find a reference to this purification in a letter from the apostle Paul: “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:10-17) Speaking of things concerning eternal life, Jesus says: “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the guard, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last quadrant.” (Matthew 5:25-26) With “prison” Jesus makes use of an allegorical image in reference to a temporal punishment. The image of the prison cannot be referred to heaven, since heaven is a state of supreme and definitive happiness, not of temporal pain. It cannot even be referred to hell, since the punishment of the damned is not temporal, but eternal. This prison refers to purgatory, and the “debt” (verse 26) refers to the temporal punishment due to sins committed in this world, which must be totally remitted, through a purification, before one can enter the joy of heaven. For the payment, Jesus’ choice falls on the image of the dial, a coin with a negligible value (therefore some translations have “penny” or “cents”) that anyone can discount. Elsewhere, instead, Jesus’ choice falls on ten thousand talents (Matthew 18:23-24), equivalent to sixty million denarii (one denarius was the daily wage for a laborer), a debt that the ruthless servant who was given into the hands of the torturers (Matthew 18:34) could never have served. The gravest punishment of souls in purgatory is constituted by the delayed beatific vision of God. When we talk about purgatory, we can give the impression that we are talking about a place rather than just the condition of the soul. The Magisterium, however, has never pronounced itself on the question. Since spiritual things in the Bible are described by means of sensitive images, the sacred writers make use of the element of fire as an image of purification (Zechariah 13:9). Now if the fire associated with purgatory is only a symbolic image we do not know. Let’s leave it to the Magisterium to have the last word on the matter. For Catholic Christians, the existence of purgatory is a dogma, a truth of the faith, not a questionable reality. In fact, the Council of Trent decreed: “If any one saith, that, after the grace of Justification has been received, to every penitent sinner the guilt is remitted, and the debt of eternal punishment is blotted out in such wise, that there remains not any debt of temporal punishment to be discharged either in this world, or in the next in Purgatory, before the entrance to the kingdom of heaven can be opened (to him); let him be anathema.” (Session VI, Canon XXX) And again: “Whereas the Catholic Church, instructed by the Holy Ghost, has, from the sacred writings and the ancient tradition of the Fathers, taught, in sacred councils, and very recently in this oecumenical Synod, that there is a Purgatory, and that the souls there detained are helped by the suffrages of the faithful, but principally by the acceptable sacrifice of the altar; the holy Synod enjoins on bishops that they diligently endeavour that the sound doctrine concerning Purgatory, transmitted by the holy Fathers and sacred councils, be believed, maintained, taught, and every where proclaimed by the faithful of Christ.” (Session XXV) Let us therefore pray for the poor suffering souls in purgatory, and let us help them. The Church also recommends almsgiving, indulgences and works of penance in favor of the death.

A cura di Giuseppe Monno

Il termine purgatorio, che significa “purificare”, compare per la prima volta nel VI secolo, nel quarto libro dei Dialoghi, un’opera di Papa Gregorio Magno. La Chiesa cattolica afferma che le anime di coloro che muoiono nella grazia e nell’amicizia di Dio, ma non sono perfettamente purificate, sebbene siano certe della propria salvezza eterna, vengono però sottoposte a una purificazione, al fine di ottenere la santità necessaria per entrare nella gioia piena del cielo.

Un momento decisivo nella formulazione ufficiale della dottrina del purgatorio fu la promulgazione della bolla Laetentur Caeli, emanata da Papa Eugenio IV il 6 luglio 1439, nell’ambito dell’unione con la Chiesa greca. Più tardi, in risposta alla Riforma protestante, il Concilio di Trento riaffermò con forza questa dottrina. Il 4 dicembre 1563, nella XXV sessione, venne approvato un decreto che ribadiva l’esistenza del purgatorio e l’efficacia dei suffragi per le anime che vi si trovano.

Già nella Bibbia si trovano alcuni riferimenti impliciti al purgatorio. Nel Secondo libro dei Maccabei, Giuda Maccabeo fa offrire un sacrificio espiatorio per i soldati caduti, affinché fossero liberati dai loro peccati (2 Maccabei 12,38-45). Gesù, nel Vangelo, accenna a una possibile remissione dei peccati nella vita futura: «Ogni peccato e bestemmia sarà perdonata agli uomini, ma la bestemmia contro lo Spirito Santo non sarà perdonata… né in questo secolo né in quello futuro» (Matteo 12,31-32). Da queste parole si deduce che alcuni peccati possono essere assolti anche dopo la morte, tramite una purificazione.

A questa realtà fa riferimento anche l’apostolo Paolo (1 Corinzi 3,10-15), che descrive l’opera di ciascuno come sottoposta al fuoco, il quale proverà la qualità dell’opera stessa. Chi ha costruito bene sarà ricompensato; chi ha costruito male sarà punito, ma si salverà come attraverso il fuoco: un’immagine potente della purificazione post mortem.

Anche Gesù utilizza immagini simboliche per descrivere la realtà della vita ultraterrena. In Matteo 5,25-26, parla di una “prigione” dalla quale non si uscirà «finché non avrai pagato fino all’ultimo quadrante». Questa prigione non può riferirsi né al paradiso, condizione di gioia eterna, né all’inferno, luogo di dannazione irrevocabile. L’unica realtà compatibile con una pena temporanea è il purgatorio. Anche il “quadrante”, moneta di valore irrisorio, simboleggia una pena saldabile, in contrasto con altre parabole in cui Gesù menziona debiti enormi, come i diecimila talenti, pari a sessanta milioni di denari (un denaro era il salario giornaliero per i braccianti), immagine del peccato mortale, irreparabile umanamente.

Sebbene si parli talvolta del purgatorio come di un luogo, esso è inteso soprattutto come una condizione dell’anima. La pena più grande per le anime purganti è la ritardata visione beatifica di Dio, desiderio ardente che ancora non si realizza. Poiché nella Bibbia le realtà spirituali sono spesso espresse attraverso immagini sensibili, è frequente l’uso del fuoco per indicare la purificazione (Zaccaria 13,9). Se questo fuoco sia solo un’immagine simbolica, non possiamo saperlo con certezza.

Per i cattolici, l’esistenza del purgatorio non è un’opinione teologica, ma un dogma di fede. Il 13 gennaio 1547, il Concilio di Trento decretò nel Decreto De Iustificatione (Canone 30): «Se qualcuno afferma che… non gli rimane alcun debito di pena temporale da scontare o in questa vita o in quella futura in purgatorio… sia anatema». Inoltre, nella sessione del 4 dicembre 1563, Papa Pio IV stabilì che la dottrina sul purgatorio, insegnata dalla Chiesa in conformità alle Scritture e alla Tradizione dei Padri, fosse creduta, insegnata e predicata ovunque, e che le anime in purgatorio siano aiutate dai suffragi dei fedeli, in particolare dalla celebrazione del santo sacrificio dell’altare.

According to the doctrine of Jehovah’s Witnesses, God chooses a limited number of faithful Christians who will be resurrected to life in heaven after death, while the rest of the faithful – the second-class Christians – will live forever on earth, in an earthly paradise.

So will only a few privileged Christians go to heaven?

Absolutely no. In one of his prophetic visions, John of Patmos saw before the throne of God and before the Lamb who stands in the middle of the throne, an innumerable multitude that no one could count, of every nation and race and people and language (Revelation 7:9.15.17). Where is the throne of God located? Here is what the Scripture says: “At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it” (Revelation 4:2), that is, God (verses 9-11). And also: “The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all” (Psalms 103:19). Again: “But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne” (Matthew 5:34). Therefore the innumerable multitude is found in heaven before God and before Jesus, the Lamb. In his writings Paul says: “But our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). And also: “After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). And again: “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands” (2 Corinthians 5:1) In his letter Peter says that “we will be raised to eternal life in heaven” (1 Peter 1:3-4).

But then why is it written that the meek will inherit the earth? Matthew 5:5

The earth they will inherit is not this world, but figuratively it is God himself: “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.” (Psalms 16:5) “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” (Psalms 27:4) “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalms 73:26) “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8) “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)