Went to Catholic funeral yesterday- "The Invisible Kingdom" (page 2)

StAnn

ChickenNest, one more thing my husband is ranting about now (I should know better than to get him talking about the JWs!).

The JWs don't have any kind of abstract understanding of God. They are too literal. They want his "kingdom" to be a political kingdom that hands out marching orders. The Kingdom of God encompasses a broader understanding of God's love and desire to bring all of humanity into relationship with him.

DH feels the priest was trying to say that God works out, in part, his love and care for all humankind through the love and care shown by mothers.

StAnn

cathyk

Hi Choosing,

That is a beautiful prayer you mention for a funeral. I don't know that much about the Catholic religion, but I used to attend midnight mass on Christmas Eve as a child. Always thought it was beautiful with the candlelight and choir singing. I believe it was in Latin however, so I didn't understand the words. The message of peace and grace still came through.

I think it's actually more beautiful in both the Latin and the more archaic English:

In paradisum deducant te Angeli:
in tuo adventu suscipiant te Martyres,
et perducant te in civitatem sanctam, Jerusalem.
Chorus Angelorum te suscipiat
et cum Lazaro quondam paupere
æternam habeas requiem.
Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.
May the angels lead thee into Paradise; at thy coming, may the martyrs receive thee and bring thee into the holy city, Jerusalem. May the choirs of angels receive thee, and with Lazarus once poor, mayest thou have eternal rest.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them.
Cathy
oldlighthousebooks.blogspot.com
www.oldlighthousebooks.com

Thechickennest

Cathy:

Thank you again for your help. You are correct, some of these questions and answers depend on what I am remembering. I think the preist was making a connection between the Holy Communion and meals. That makes more sense. I need to attend another Catholic funeral now and take some notes!

StAnne:

Thank you for you and your husbands thoughts on this topic. The idea of linking the Kingdom with God's grace no doubt fits. He is further correct in saying JW's cannot grasp the abstract sense of it as they are too literal. 25 years of the Watchtower has messed up my view of things quite a bit. Just when you think you are over the JWism, then something truely spiritual and touching comes along and it gets you to thinking again however, probably in an incorrect sense.

Thanks to you both! Can either of you recommend a good book for me to read to help me understand some of this? This evening I am going to read in the links to Old Light House as well.

Duane

cathyk

You can read more about Catholic practices and beliefs in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, of course, or the simplified Compendium to it. Then there are popular Catholic authors, such as Mark Shea (I link to his site from my blog), and he's got tons of links to other Catholic bloggers in his sidebar. He's written some good books on specific theological topics, including This Is My Body and By What Authority?

As for books with more general information, there's Catholicism for Dummies (http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesTitle/productCd-0764553917.html), and Why Do Catholics Do That? (http://www.amazon.com/Why-Do-Catholics-That/dp/0345397266), which are both good introductions to Catholicism.

Then there's Catholic music, literature, and art which have been inspired by the Catholic liturgy (Bach's Mass in B Minor, Mozart's Requiem; books by G. K. Chesteron, Flannery O'Connor, Walker Percy; art of all sorts from before the Renaissance to Salvador Dali and beyond).

Take your time; it's a big subject. :-)

Cathy

oldlighthousebooks.blogspot.com

www.oldlighthousebooks.com

Satanus

Here is an online catholic encyclopedia http://www.newadvent.org/ It's pretty good.

S

Went to Catholic funeral yesterday- "The Invisible Kingdom"

StAnn

cathyk

Thechickennest

cathyk

Satanus

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