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     The  Luke 11:9  series: Love your neighbour as yourself Previous   Next   The Greatest Commandment  When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus responds by quoting from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 : " Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. Love your neighbour as yourself ." Jesus said that these two commandments sum up all the law and the prophets. The command to love your neighbour is central to the Christian life; this means treating others with the same care, kindness, respect, and compassion that you would want for yourself. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus expands our understanding of a neighbour beyond the traditional limit of proximity or human bonds to anyone we can show love, kindness, and mercy, even those who may be part of a different background, ethnicity, social or religious group. " This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this than t...

   The  Luke 11:9  series: Life after death Previous   Next   When someone dies, the universal Christian prayer is: ' Eternal rest grant unto him/her O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him/her, and through the mercy of God may his/her soul rest in peace . Amen ' What the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches us The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) on life after death states that though the body decays after death, the soul never ceases to exist (CCC 366-368); in the afterlife, the soul experiences eternal communion with God (Heaven) in perfect peace, joy, and fulfilment (CCC 1023-1029); or temporary separation from God for purification (Purgatory) before joining him in Heaven (CCC 1023-1029); or eternal separation from God (Hell), not as a punishment but rather as a consequence of a person's free will to turn away from God's love by living a life of sin without repentance (CCC 1033-1037).  Upon death, each person goes ...

  The  Luke 11:9  series: Communion of Saints Previous   Next   What the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches us All Saints' Day, celebrated annually on November 1st, honours all saints, known and unknown, who have attained a place in the Kingdom of Heaven, enjoying the beatific vision of direct communion with God (CCC 946-962).  The Church honours and venerates the saints through practices like feasts, devotions, and relics ( CCC 1171 , CCC 1184 ), it does not worship them since worship is a distinction due to the Triune God alone ( CCC 828 , CCC 829 ). The saints serve as models of holiness and offer an example of how to live a life of faith. They lived according to Christ's teachings and can inspire others to live virtuous lives. Their examples help Catholics to grow in grace, charity, and devotion to God. The Saints received the Gift of the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven St Paul in his letter, Romans 8:15-18 spoke about the eternal reward for...

   The  Luke 11:9  series: The Good Shepherd Previous   Next “ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him ." [ John 3:16-17 ] Psalm 23: The Lord is My Shepherd The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. He makes me lie down in pastures green Near restful waters, he leads me to  revive my drooping spirits He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil For you art with me; your rod and you staff they comfort me. You have set a table before me in the presence of my enemies You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. What the Catechism ...

  The  Luke 11:9  series: Role-playing Scripture Previous Next Introduction This post introduces a way to immerse yourself in Scripture using role-play, to get a deeper understanding of the word of God.  During the 'Seeds of Contemplation' retreat held at St Simon's Church in October 2024, the pastor Fr Brendan McGuire introduced us to the understanding of scripture through the instrument of role-play.  What the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches us The Catechism teaches that Sacred Scripture is the Word of God revealed to humanity. Scriptures are divinely inspired, meaning that God worked through human authors to communicate His message. It is considered inerrant in matters of salvation, meaning that it is free from error when it comes to what God wants to reveal for the sake of our salvation ( CCC 107 ). Sacred Scripture is not just an ancient text, rather it is living and active, meaning that it continues to speak to the faithfu...