The music quieted while the constantly boisterous crowd fell to a noticeable hush as the “men-in-black,” collared Catholic priests and their friends, who were incidentally wearing black, took center-stage. Standing with my right foot about one inch from the stage drop, I looked out on the crowd to see trepidation on faces and looks of curiosity, and even a noticeable pause of breath.
Matteo Calisi, former president of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, was introduced and began to address the crowd in Italian with Dr. Bruno Ierullo translating:
“We are a delegation, a Catholic delegation. … I come from Italy. And, I bring you a salute from 150 million Charismatic Catholics.” As the crowd cheered, Calisi then spoke to the crowd about the influence of the Asuza Street Revival on the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.
Following these remarks, he ceremoniously laid prostrate on the stage and kissed Lou Engle’s feet in an act of reconciliatory love. “We are just in a holy moment right here,” Engle emotionally cried out. Then he continued to call out the other church elders onto the stage while he fell to his knees reciprocally kissing Matteo’s feet.
“Jesus, I thank you!” cried out Calisi while Engle kneeled before his feet, “because you are breaking the spirit of division! You are preparing a great revival in the event of this call, like you did 100 years ago. Do it again! Do it again! Holy Spirit let your Spirit come again for a billion Catholics.”
Source: Jennifer Wing Atencio - "Christians pack Coliseum for revival: Catholics join thousands of believers to mark 110th anniversary of Pentecostal Azuza revival", Angelus News, 13 April 2016
https://angelusnews.com/news/christians-pack-coliseum-for-revival-catholics-join-thousands-of-believers-to-mark-110th-anniversary-of-pentecostal-azuza-revival
"The Catholics are wrong, aren't they?"
We lived in New Jersey, and we went to New York City a lot as tourists — I'm an only child — with my parents, and we went to St. Patrick's Cathedral, just to see it, and I'd never seen anything like that before. I was stunned. It was just like the gate of heaven. It was a different kind of beauty. I said to myself, this is the most beautiful piece of architecture I've ever seen in my life. And I turned to my father and I said, "Dad, this is a Catholic church, isn't it?" And he said, "Yes." And I said, "The Catholics are wrong, aren't they?" And he said, "Oh, yes, of course; they're very, very wrong." And then I said, "Then how can their churches be so beautiful?" And it was the first time in my life that my father didn't have any answer to a question at all; he was just stumped. I saw the confusion on his face. I think I was at the time much more scandalized by the fact that my hitherto-infallible father didn't have the answer to a very simple question than my doubts that the Catholic Church was as bad as I had thought it. Well, sermons in stone: You can argue with thoughts; you can't argue with beauty.
Source: Peter Kreeft - Conversion to Catholicism, Catholic Education Resource Center, http://www.catholiceducation.org/en/religion-and-philosophy/apologetics/dr-peter-kreeft-s-conversion-to-catholicism-part-1.html
The Only Answer for The Amish
[Referring to the 2006 Pennsylvania slaughter of Amish schoolgirls]
But as far as open anger or hostility goes, the Amish hold, as they have for centuries, that it is destructive - a waste of energy that will hold them hostage and ultimately kill them, just as their daughters were held hostage and killed by someone else's anger. To these devout followers of Jesus, the only answer is the one he offered on the Cross: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
Source: Johann Christoph Arnold - Why Forgive?, pp.210
In the New Mexico state capitol building
Vince Torres, Executive Pastor at the Blaze Christian Fellowship, explains it this way, "What happened Sunday was nothing short of historic. Watching Catholics and Protestants come together in worship and prayer to our God was so powerful and unlike anything I have ever witnessed at our state capitol. The gathering served as proof that the gospel message of Jesus Christ has the power to transcend denominations and even politics. It was such an honor to be part of it. To God be all the glory."
Source: Vince Torres - Vince Torres, Executive Pastor at the Blaze Christian Fellowship, quoted by Brian Alarid in "Christians Make History With Worship Event at New Mexico State Capitol", Charisma News, 7 March 2017, http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/63470-is-this-historic-worship-gathering-part-of-james-goll-s-prophesied-west-coast-rumble
Identificational Repentance in Ezra
Similarly, Ezra's identificational repentance in Ezra 9:6-15 on behalf of the fifth century B.C. Jewish community of Jerusalem led, in Ezra 10:1-4, to the people being moved more freely to repent of their sins. Nehemiah's confessing his people's sins before God and asking God to forgive them on a corporate level in Neh. 1:6 along with Ezra's identificational repentance in Ezra 9:6-15 also seems to have released God's grace on a corporate level to move the community to weep openly and repent of their sins in Neh. 8:9-11 and 9:1-2, when Ezra read the Law.
Source: Dr. Gary S. Greig - The Biblical Foundations of Identificational Repentance as One Prayer Pattern Useful to Advance God's Kingdom and Evangelism, April 2001
CatholicMom.com
As we endeavor to move forward in the wake of the election, my personal desire will be to continue to live out the sparks that were lit in my heart during this year of mercy. The call for me to personally carry out the corporal and spiritual works of mercy is not impacted by who holds an elective office.
Source: Lisa Henley - Lisa Henley, founder of CatholicMom.com and co-editor of The Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion: A Book of Daily Reflections, As quoted by Kathryn Jean Lopez, Crux, 13 Nov 2016, https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2016/11/13/mercy-can-help-america-heal-bitter-political-season/
The Son of God Refuses To Take Vengeance
When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Source: Bible - Luke 23:33-34
My Biggest Problem ⧣ Demons
It is my own testimony that the victories of my life have always come in the midst of repentance and confession … My biggest problem is not demons. I am my biggest problem. It is only when God has cleansed my own wicked heart that participation in the redeeming work of intercession/reconciliation becomes possible. It is then that the power to change history is released through prayers.
Source: John Dawson - What Every Christian Should Know About Reconciliation, p. 23
A Church Filled Every Week With ...
As we walked back to our apartment, we passed a large neo-gothic building as a couple emerged from a side door. Curiosity drew us inside. To our amazement we discovered a huge ornately-decorated church buzzing with several hundred worshippers. Was there something special happening here? we asked. ‘Oh no,’ we were told, ‘this church is filled every week with Protestant and Catholics worshipping together.’ Over 800 had recently come there for a Christmas meal, we learned.
Source: Jeff Fountain - "A Godly City?", Weekly Word eNewsletter, 5 Mar 2018, https://us9.campaign-archive.com/?e=0b86898e11&u=65605d9dbab0a19355284d8df&id=14bc9e9338
Anglicans & Catholics
In the course of these two centuries, much has also changed between Anglicans and Catholics, who in the past viewed each other with suspicion and hostility. Today, with gratitude to God, we recognize one another as we truly are: brothers and sisters in Christ, through our common baptism. As friends and pilgrims we wish to walk the path together, to follow our Lord Jesus Christ together.
Source: Pope Francis - Address to the Anglican Parish of All Saints in Rome, as reported by Vatican Radio, 26 Feb 2017, http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/02/26/pope_catholics_and_anglicans,_brothers_and_sisters_in_chris/1295193
The Lutheran-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity
In 1517 Martin Luther raised concerns about what he saw as abuses in the Church of his time by making public his 95 theses. 2017 is the 500th anniversary of this key event in the reformation movements that marked the life of the Western Church over several centuries. This event has been a controversial theme in the history of inter-church relations in Germany, not least over the last few years. The Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) has been building up to this anniversary since 2008, by focusing each year on one particular aspect of the Reformation, for example: the Reformation and Politics, or the Reformation and Education. The EKD also invited its ecumenical partners at various levels to help commemorate the events of 1517.
After extensive, and sometimes difficult, discussions, the churches in Germany agreed that the way to commemorate ecumenically this Reformation event should be with a Christusfest – a Celebration of Christ. If the emphasis were to be placed on Jesus Christ and his work of reconciliation as the center of Christian faith, then all the ecumenical partners of the EKD (Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist, Mennonite and others) could participate in the anniversary festivities.
Given the fact that the history of the Reformation was marked by painful division, this is a very remarkable achievement. The Lutheran-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity has worked hard to produce a shared understanding of the commemoration. Its important report, From Conflict to Communion, recognizes that both traditions approach this anniversary in an ecumenical age, with the achievements of fifty years of dialogue behind them, and with new understandings of their own history and theology. Separating that which is polemical from the theological insights of the Reformation, Catholics are now able to hear Luther’s challenge for the Church of today, recognising him as a “witness to the gospel” (From Conflict to Communion 29). And so after centuries of mutual condemnations and vilification, in 2017 Lutheran and Catholic Christians will for the first time commemorate together the beginning of the Reformation.
Source: Vatican - "Resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2017", Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/weeks-prayer-doc/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_20160531_week-prayer-2017_en.html
"Lord, Have Mercy"
Just before nine o’clock on the morning of Friday, January 13, I was kneeling in one of the pews of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral, praying Morning Prayer from Magnificat. It was cloudy and dark outside and the Cathedral was still chilly inside, but the lamps were lit in front of the iconostasis and the icon murals on the walls and ceilings glowingly told the story of our Redemption in the Life of Christ. Third Hour Prayer was about to begin.
Around me, Orthodox Christians, other Catholics, and Protestants from various denominations joined in the prayer in different ways, either reciting the prayers along with the priest and reader, or silently joining in the doxologies, the Our Father, the repeated plea “Lord have mercy”—three times, 12 times, 40 times—and hearing the psalms of the day. Each time the doxology invoked the Trinity (Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and until the ages of ages. Amen.) the Orthodox Christians bowed and crossed themselves. This was the first day of the seventh annual Symposium offered by the Eighth Day Institute in Wichita, Kansas.
Source: Stephanie Mann - "Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox in Wichita, Kansas" blog entry, National Catholic Register, 20 Jan 2017, http://www.ncregister.com/blog/stephaniemann/protestants-catholics-and-orthodox-in-wichita-kansas
Even to Non-Jews!
15) As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on these non-Jews just as he came upon us Jews on the day of Pentecost. (16) Then I remembered what the Lord told us, ‘John baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’ (17) So if God gave non-Jews the same gift of the Holy Spirit that he gave to us Jews who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could resist the ways of God?” (18) When the Jews heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “God has also given repentance to non-Jews that leads to eternal life.”
Source: Peter - As quoted by Luke in Acts 12:15-18 (IEB)
Mr. Pentecost
As I lay there in the nighttime, with the lights off … I saw how wrong I had been. I had been expecting Jesus to use me, as a Pentecostal, to shake the churches. I thought I would pound home the truth, tell them just where they were wrong, shake them in righteous indignation. But the Lord sais, no, that's not the way. "The revival will occur if you forgive. If you fight - nothing."
During that time the Lord sent me again and again into chapter 13 of the First Letter to the Corinthians, the most powerful words ever written about love. I read, and I prayed, and I thought. "Can this really be?"
Love is so important that it is beyond our understanding as ordinary human beings. It is more important than talking in tongues to God. More important than talking directly to God. It is more important than prophesying, than receiving a word of knowledge or a word of wisdom directly from God. It is more important than healing the sick, than moving mountains. "Can this really be?"
It is more important than selling all you have to feed the poor. It is more important than giving your life in the cause of social justice. It is more important than your devotional life, than your preaching ministry. All is meaningless without love. "Can this really be?"
In that room of green walls, white ceiling, bedsores, bedpans, and endless hours, the Lord spoke: "You must love those people you minister to. Don't ever minister to anyone unless you love him."
Source: David du Plessis - From "A Man Called Mr. Pentecost", as told to Bob Slosser, Ch. 18, p. 159
Martin Bucer
These efforts came to a culmination in the 1541 Imperial Diet at Regensburg (Ratisbon). Henry VIII sent Bishop Stephen Gadiner of Winchester, Rome sent the irenic Cardinal Contarini. MacCulloch writes, “When introduced to Bucer, [Contarini] observed, ‘How great will be the fruit of unity, and how profound the gratitude of all mankind’. Bucer replied equally graciously: ‘Both sides have failed. Some of us have overemphasized unimportant points, and others have not adequately reformed obvious abuses. With God’s will we shall ultimately find the truth.'”
Not everyone wanted Regensburg to succeed: “some of the Emperor’s own princes were not anxious to see the Habsburg family’s problems solved, even less so the King of France, who would have been a necessary party to any final agreement.” But the politicians weren't the cause of the failure; the theologians were: “Contarini could not give ground on the eucharistic doctrine of transubstantiation; the Protestants were not prepared to say that confession to a priest was necessary. Their measure of agreement on justification in the Regensburg Book was therefore irrelevant. Then messages from both Rome and Luther in Wittenberg made it quite clear that even that would not be accepted.”
Source: Martin Bucer - Martin Bucer, Regensburg Diet, 1541, as quoted by Diarmaid MacCulloch in "Europe's House Divided", as quoted by Peter Leithart, "Ecumenism in the Sixteenth Century", First Things, 6 Feb 2017, https://www.firstthings.com/blogs/leithart/2017/02/ecumenism-in-the-sixteenth-century
John Armstrong
My name is John Armstrong. I live in Chicago, Illinois. My spiritual journey took a decisive and memorable turn one Sunday morning.
It was an ordinary Sunday morning worship service. We were reciting the words of the Apostle’s Creed, words I had said hundreds of times before. As an adjunct professor of evangelism at Wheaton College, I knew the words. As an evangelical (Reformed) Protestant, I believed them. But I had never been particularly moved by them. They were just words recited in a service.
But on this Sunday things unfolded very differently. As I said the creedal words, “I believe in the holy catholic church,” something stopped me. At that moment, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart: “Do you really believe these words? If you believe them, then why don’t you act like it?”
Source: Wittenberg 2017 - "John's Story", from the Wittenberg 2017 (US) website
http://www.wittenberg2017.us/johns-story.html
Worthy of Honor
(15) You know that the household of Stephanas were the first believers in the Roman province of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the Lord’s people in Corinth. I exhort you, my brothers and sisters, (16) to respect (submit to) such people and to everyone who joins in the ministry and works hard at it. (17) I was very happy when Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus arrived in Ephesus from Corinth, because they supplied the fellowship that I lacked from you. (18) They refreshed my spirit and yours also. Men like this deserve to be honored.
Source: The Apostle Paul - 1 Corinthians 16:15-18 (IEB) - with inline notes by Dr. Andrew Jackson
Catholics & Baptists Sharing a Building
A warm and friendly relationship between the two faith communities has developed. All agree that respect has been key. The Baptist and Catholic communities work hard to share the building and to be good neighbors. The Catholic congregation keeps the necessary items for Mass on carts at the back of the church. They set up for Mass and then meticulously return the space to its original configuration so that it’s ready for Baptist Sunday School and worship.
The Catholic and Baptist communities share more than just a church building. Friendships have been formed and strengthened. They pray for each other regularly and assist each other when needed. In January, the Catholic community treated their Baptist hosts to an afternoon meal and social time in appreciation for their hospitality.
“It’s [the fire] bringing the (larger) community closer together,” remarked Pastor Buck. “It has really been a blessing.”
Source: Frank Lesko - "After the Fire", Posted 3 Jan 2017 on Glenmary Home Missioners, http://www.glenmary.org/after-the-fire/
God's 1st Question
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?”
Source: Bible - Genesis 3: 8-9
Substitution? Or Identification?
I found it also very important, that one pastor made very clear, what exactly we were doing.
it is not possible to substitute in repentance those who did evil.
But it is possible to identify with the guilt of the past and bring it before the Lord.
Source: Unknown - Personal (unofficial) report on the Reformation Commemoration Tour of Austria, August 16-26, 2016