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Special Issue #2, 1998 “Watchman, what of the night?” "The hour has come, the
hour is striking and striking at you, DIES DOMINI Page 2 Let’s
Talk It Over Page 7 Editor's Preface In his Encyclical, Ut
Unum Sint - "That All May Be One" - Pope
John Paul II stated clearly the bottom line for that unity from Rome's
viewpoint. He stated: The
Catholic Church, both in her praxis and in her solemn documents, holds that the
communion of the particular Churches with the Church of Rome, and of their
bishops with the Bishop of Rome, is - in God's plan - an essential requisite of
full and visible communion. Indeed full communion, of which the Eucharist is
the highest sacramental manifestation, needs to be visibly expressed in a
ministry in which all the bishops recognize that they are united in Christ and
all the faithful find confirmation for their faith. In another
Encyclical - Tertio Millennio
Adveniente -
"The Coming Third Millennium" - calling for a Jubilee
in the year 2000, the Pope made one reference to Sunday. He wrote - "Every
Sunday commemorates the day of the Lord's resurrection," In this same
encyclical, the Pope suggested dialogue with the world's religions, noting that
"the Jews and the Muslims ought to have a pre-eminent place." It is
well known that both of these religions observe a different day of worship than
Sunday. He indicated that in the Holy Land and Rome this Great Jubilee will be
celebrated "simultaneously." As for Rome, there an
"International Eucharistic Congress will take place." Then he added -
"The year 2000 will be intensely eucharistic: in
the Sacrament of the Eucharist the saviour ... continues to offer himself to
humanity as the source of divine life." This year
in connection with Pentecost, Pope John Paul II sent an Apostolic Letter to the
Bishops of the Church bringing together the Eucharist and the observance of
Sunday, Mary, and the "Most Holy Trinity." His main emphasis was to
establish the "new" theology of Rome in respect to Sunday as had been
set forth in the Catechism of the
Catholic Church released in 1994. Special attention has been given to the
Papal choice of words in their "new" theology of Sunday, and the
warning given in the Writings. See Editorial - "Let's Talk It Over." Page 2 DIES DOMINI An
Apostolic letter was sent from the Vatican, May 31, 1998, "To the Bishops,
Clergy and Faithful of the Catholic Church on Keeping the Lord's Day Holy."
The contents of the letter followed closely and served as an enlargement of the
discussion of "The Third Commandment" found in the new Catechism
of the Catholic Church released in 1994. Gone now is
the bold assertion that the Church "changed" the day of worship from
the seventh to the first day of the week. In place of the claim to have
"changed" the day, the new catechism reads – Sunday is expressly distinguished from
the sabbath which it follows chronologically every
week; for Christians its ceremonial observance replaces that of the sabbath. In
Christ's Passover, Sunday fulfils the spiritual truth of the Jewish sabbath and announces man's eternal rest in God. (Par. 2175) In
beginning his Apostolic Letter, Pope John Paul II seeks to unite the observance
of Sunday as the Lord's day with the Early Church. He says - "The Lord's
Day - as Sunday was called from Apostolic times - has always been accorded
special attention in the history of the Church because of its close connection
with the very core of the Christian mystery." He cites as evidence
Revelation 1:10, and a text from a questionable epistle of Ignatius of Antioch
dating from the same era. The basic
concept upon which the whole letter turns is the fact of the resurrection. The
Pope wrote - "The Resurrection of Jesus is the fundamental event upon
which the Christian faith rests" - citing I Cor. 15:14. Since that event
occurred on the first day of the week, every Sunday, then, is an Easter. Further,
the Day of Pentecost occurred on the first day of the week following the
resurrection. In fact, the Pope chose the Day of Pentecost as the day on which
to release this Apostolic Letter on the theology of Sunday. Thus we face a fact
with double emphasis used to support the observance of Sunday. Throughout
this discussion of the "new" theology of Rome on the observance of
Sunday, there is a constant repeat of "Sunday Eucharist" or
"Sunday Mass." (I counted their use at least 20x) Quoting from the new Catechism,
John Paul II noted - "The Sunday celebration of the Lord's day and His
Eucharist is at the heart of the Church's life." (Par. 32) Using
philosophical reasoning and eisegetical
interpretation of events which occurred on the Day of the Resurrection, he
links the symbols which Christ gave to commemorate His death on Thursday night,
and accomplished in reality in Himself on Friday, to justify the celebration of
Mass on Sunday. The pope wrote: The close connection between the
appearance of the Risen Lord and the Eucharist is suggested in the Gospel of
Luke in the story of the two disciples of Emmaus, whom Christ approached and
led to understand the Scriptures and then sat with them at table. They
recognized Him when He "took bread, said the blessing, broke it and gave
it to them." The gestures of Jesus in this account are His gestures at the
Last Supper, with the clear allusion to the "breaking of bread," as
the Eucharist was called by the first generation of Christians. (Par.
33) There is
no way that the sacrifice made on Calvary can be made an integral part of the
resurrection. On Friday, He finished the first phase of His work for man's
redemption. He rested in the tomb on the Sabbath day. He arose on the first day
to a new work and to a new ministry. This distinction must be kept clear in our
minds. There is
no question but that the resurrection is a fundamental event upon which the
Christian faith rests, and was so emphasized in the New Testament. It is no
accident either in the Divine arrangement of events that the year that Christ
died, both the Resurrection and the day of Pentecost should come on the first
day of the week. The Apostle Paul in proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus in
the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia declared that
this event fulfilled that which is "written in the second psalm, 'Thou art
my Son, this day have I begotten thee"' (Acts 13:33). And for what
purpose? We read - "He that said to Him, Thou art my Son, today I have
begotten thee," also said - "Thou art a priest for ever after the
order of Melchisedec" (Heb. 5:5-6). He that called Him from the dead, and
proclaimed Him His Son, fifty days later inaugurated Him into the High
Priesthood (Acts 2:33). Thus the work for the realization of a new creation
began on a first day - Jesus "was raised for our justification" (Rom.
4:25) - even as the original creation began on a first day. This fact the Roman
Church does not want to recognize, as it substitutes for the Priestly work of
Christ its own priestly orders, denying that there is only "one mediator
between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus" (I Tim. 2:5). That you,
the reader, might sense the full import of what the Pope has written and its
significance as it relates to the immediate future, it will be best to
summarize the five chapters of this letter with the introduction and
conclusion. It also needs to be kept in mind that the Pope's thinking is
focused on the year 2000 as a crucial date in his agenda of events he wants to
see transpire. (That date is not far off!) In the introduction, he wrote -
"The coming of the Third Millennium, which calls believers to reflect upon
the course of history in the light of Christ, also invites them to rediscover
with new intensity Page 3 the
meaning of Sunday: its 'mystery,' its celebration, its significance for
Christian and human life." (Par. 3) In the transition from his
Introduction to the chapter sections of his letter, he added: "The duty to
keep Sunday holy, especially by sharing in the Eucharist and by relaxing in a
spirit of Christian joy and fraternity, is easily understood if we consider the
many different aspects of this day. ... Sunday is a day which is at the very
heart of the Christian life." (Par. 7) Chapter 1 - Dies Domini The
"new" theology of Rome for the keeping of Sunday holy is based by Pope
John Paul II in the Biblical theology of the Sabbath. He begins this chapter
with the text - John 1:3 - "Through Him all things were made." Then
he writes - "For the Christian, Sunday is above all an Easter celebration,
wholly illumined by the glory of the Risen Christ. It is the festival of the
'new creation.' Yet when understood in depth, this aspect is inseparable from
what the first pages of Scripture tell us of the plan of God in the creation of
the world." Supporting Biblically the fact that "all things were
created through Him and for Him" he suggests that "this active
presence of the Son in the creative work of God is revealed fully in the
Paschal mystery," an allusion to the Mass. Considering this a
"Christocentric perspective," the Pope notes that in concluding His
work at the creation of this world, God "blessed the seventh day and made
it holy." "Then was born the 'Sabbath,' so characteristic of the
first Covenant, and which in some ways foretells the sacred joy of the new and
final Covenant. ... In order to grasp fully the meaning of Sunday, therefore,
we must re-read the great story of creation and deepen our understanding of the
theology of the 'Sabbath."' (Par. 8) The pope is not denying the evidence
of the Sabbath as the seventh day, he is simply holding to a concept that
Sunday supplants the Sabbath God originally gave to man. To him the
"new" creation is associated with the resurrection and is confirmed
in the celebration of the Eucharist each Sunday as "Easter" is reaffirmed. Discussing
the Old Testament revelation, John Paul writes: In the Creator's plan, there is both a
distinction and a close link between the order of creation and the order of
salvation. This is emphasized in the Old Testament, when it links the "shabbat" commandment not only with God's mysterious
"rest" after the days of creation, but also with the salvation which
He offers to Israel in the liberation from the slavery of Egypt. (Par. 12) Thus, he
says, "the Sabbath precept, which in the first Covenant prepares for the
Sunday of the new and eternal Covenant, is therefore rooted in the depths of
God's plan." (Par. 13) Again, the old "change" concept from the
seventh to the first day is now in the "new" theology of Rome
considered as a "supplanting" or to use their word, it "replaces"
the Sabbath, as well as locking into Sunday observance the blasphemous
celebration of the Mass. Interestingly,
the Pope places the Sabbath, and by transition Sunday, as a moral precept of
the Decalogue. In this context, he stated a perception, of which we need to
take note. He wrote: Unlike many other precepts, [the Sabbath]
is set not within the context of strictly cultic stipulations but within the
Decalogue, the "ten words" which represent the very pillars of the
moral life inscribed on the human heart. In setting this commandment within the
context of the basic structure of ethics, Israel and then the Church declare
that they consider it not just a matter of community religious discipline but a
defining and indelible expression of our relationship with God, announced and
expounded by biblical (sic) revelation. This is the perspective within which
Christians need to rediscover this precept today. (ibid.) The Pope
noted that the Fourth Commandment (Third to them) began with
"remember." Then he commented - "It is a call to awaken
remembrance of the grand and fundamental work of God which is creation, a
remembrance which must inspire the entire religious life of man and then fill
the day on which man is called to rest. Rest therefore acquires a sacred value:
the faithful are not only to rest as God rested, but to rest in the Lord."
(Par.16) Then he observes that "remember" is also to be found in the
repeat of the Law in Deuteronomy, where Israel was to recall their liberation
from slavery. Again he emphasizes that these two "rememberings"
"reveal the meaning of 'the Lord's Day' within a single theological vision
which fuses creation and salvation." (Par. 17) "What God accomplished
in Creation and wrought for His People in the Exodus has found its fullest
expression in Christ's death and Resurrection. ... It was in the Paschal
Mystery that humanity ... came to know its new 'exodus' into the freedom of
God's children who can cry out with Christ, 'Abba, Father!' In the light of
this mystery, the meaning of the Old Testament precept concerning the Lord's
Day is recovered, perfected and fully revealed in the glory which shines in the
face of the Risen Christ. We move from the 'Sabbath' to the 'first day after
The Sabbath', from the seventh to the first day: the dies Domini becomes the
dies Christi." (Par. 18) We cannot
emphasize too strongly the "smooth" transition being attempted. Now
no longer the boast: we have power to change the very day of worship. Rather,
it is the very nature of the redemption provided which necessitates the
transference to a new "Lord's Day." Never mind if the redemption was
provided in the work which Jesus completed on the sixth day, it is now forged
together in one service - the Eucharist - on the first day. In a sense it is a
denial of the cross, and a contradiction of their own symbolism in the
crucifix. Page 4 Chapter II - Dies Christi The Pope
begins this chapter with a quote from Pope Innocent I coupled with an
undocumented assertion: "We celebrate Sunday because of the
venerable Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we do so not only on
Easter but also at each turning of the week," so wrote Pope Innocent I at
the beginning of the fifth century, testifying to an already well established
practice which had evolved from the early years after the Lord's Resurrection. (Par. 19) He
continues – In the light of this constant and
universal tradition it is clear, that although the Lord's Day is rooted in the
very work of creation and even more in the mystery of the biblical (sic) 'rest"
of God, it is nonetheless to the Resurrection of Christ that we must look in
order to understand fully the Lord's Day. This is what the Christian Sunday
does, leading the faithful each week to ponder and live the event of Easter,
true source of the world's salvation. (ibid.) Then why
the crucifix? The pope
traces the transition from the "Jewish Sabbath" to the worship on
Sunday, noting that both days were observed at first. Then he comments: A comparison of the Christian Sunday with
the Old Testament vision of the Sabbath prompted theological insights of great
interest. In particular there emerged the unique connection between the
Resurrection and Creation. Christian thought spontaneously linked the
Resurrection, which took place on "the first day of the week," with
the first day of the cosmic week: the day of the creation of light. This link
invited an understanding of the Resurrection as the beginning of a new
creation, the first fruits of which is the glorious Christ, "the first
born of all creation" and "the first born from the dead." (Par. 24) This led
to another "smooth" explanation of a transition previously admitted
in Roman Catholic writings in "uncoated" terms. The Catholic World, a monthly magazine of "General Literature
and Science," describes the transition in these words - "The church
took the pagan philosophy and made it the buckler of faith against the heathen.
She took the pagan Roman Pantheon, temple of all the gods, and made it sacred
to all the martyrs; as it stands to this day. She took the pagan Sunday and
made it the Christian Sunday. She took the pagan Easter and made it the feast
we celebrate this season." (March, 1894) Now note John Paul's explanation
under the heading of "The day of Christ-Light": This Christocentric vision sheds light
upon another symbolism which Christian reflection and pastoral practice
ascribed to the Lord's Day. Wise pastoral intuition suggested to the Church the
christianization of the notion of Sunday as "the
day of the sun," which was the Roman name for the day. ... This was in
order to draw the faithful away from the seduction of the cults which
worshipped the sun, and to direct the celebration of the day to Christ,
humanities true "sun." (Par.27) Closing this chapter, John Paul refers to
Sunday as "an indispensable day." Observing that "what began as
a spontaneous practice became a juridical sanctioned norm" by the
beginning of the third century. Inasmuch then as "the Lord's Day has
structured the history of the Church through two thousand years," he asks,
"How could we think that it will not continue to shape her future?"
Therefore, he concludes - "Given its many meanings and aspects, and its
link to the very foundations of the faith, the celebration of the Christian
Sunday remains, on the threshold of the Third Millennium an indispensable
element of our Christian identity." (Par. 30) Here and
there throughout his letter, the Pope lets historical fact escape his
manipulation as in this concluding paragraph of Chapter II. Sunday observance
was a "spontaneous" practice without any Divine authorization, and
not until the Third Century were any laws made, civil or ecclesiastical,
demanding its observance. Further, the Apostle Paul himself had warned what was
coming and which had already begun in his day - apostasy from the truth for
personal exaltation (Acts 20:29-30; II Thess. 2:7). Chapter The
subtitle of the Chapter is - "The Eucharistic Assembly: Heart of
Sunday." The first paragraph declares - "As the day of the
Resurrection, Sunday is not only a remembrance of a past event, it is a
celebration of the living presence of the Risen Lord in the midst of His own
people." The pope indicates that those who have received "the grace
of baptism are not saved as individuals alone, but as members of the Mystical
Body ... They have become 'one' in Christ." "The assembly of Christ's
disciples embodies from age to age the image of the first Christian
community" who "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and
fellowship, to the blessing of bread and the prayers." (Par. 31) To the
pope, the use of the terms in Scripture, "the breaking of bread" or
"the blessing of bread" means the Eucharist. Immediately in comment,
he declared "The Eucharist is not only a particularly intense expression
of the reality of the Church's life, but also in a sense its 'fountain-head.'
The Eucharist feeds and forms the Church." Thus "the mystery of the
Church is savoured, proclaimed and lived supremely in
the Eucharist." While the "ecclesial dimension intrinsic" to the
Eucha- Page 5 rist is realized in each such service, "it is expressed most
especially on the day when the whole community comes together to commemorate
the Lord's Resurrection" - Sunday. Because
"the obligatory presence of the community" is required, "the
Sunday Eucharist expresses with greater emphasis its inherent ecclesial
dimension. ... In celebrating the Eucharist, the community opens itself to
communion with the universal Church imploring the Father to 'remember the
Church throughout the world' and make her grow in the unity of all the faithful
with the Pope and with the Pastors of the particular Churches, until love is
brought to perfection." (Par. 34) It is in this sense that John Paul
perceived of "dies Domini" as also "dies Ecclesiae." He
emphasized that nothing "is as vital or as community-forming as the Sunday
celebration of the Lord's Day and His Eucharist." (Par. 35) "The
Sunday assembly is the privileged place of unity: it is the setting for the
celebration of the sacramentum unitatis
which profoundly marks the Church as a people gathered 'by' and 'in' the unity
of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Par. 36) At this
point, we need to pause and consider the significance of what the pope has
written. He uses the word, "community." The question is, Is this term
used as synonymous with "parish" which he also uses in these
paragraphs which clearly indicates the local Roman Church, or is he giving it
an "ecumenical" meaning? If the latter, then the Apostolic Letter is
plainly stating that the Eucharist is perceived as the basis of unity with
Rome. This concurs with the position taken by Cardinal Edward Cassidy,
President of the Vatican Council for Promoting Christian Unity, at the seventh
Assembly of the World Council of Churches in 1991, when at a press conferece he declared "that sharing the Eucharist is
the 'ultimate sign and seal' of church unity." (EPS 91.02.74) Further,
in the "unity" envisioned is a "unity" in the central
doctrine of the Roman Church. In the Handbook
of Today's Catholic, one reads - "The mystery of the Trinity is the
central doctrine of Catholic Faith. Upon it is based all the other teachings of
the Church." (p.11) Much more than merely an urging by the Pope for Roman
Catholics to give more personal attention to Sunday observance, this Apostolic
Letter has overtones of moving the Christian community into full doctrinal
unity with the Papacy. The pope
affirms that "at the table of the Bread of Life, the Risen Lord becomes
really, substantially and enduringly present." (Par. 39) "The Mass in
fact truly makes present the sacrifice of the Cross. Under the species of the
bread and wine, upon which has been invoked the outpouring of the Spirit who
works with absolutely unique power in the words of consecration, Christ offers
Himself to the Father in the same act of sacrifice by which He offered Himself
on the Cross." (Par. 43) In this
description of what supposedly happens at the Roman Eucharist is a
"softening" of the previous teaching. The "new" theology of
Rome is stating that "the Spirit" works with "unique power in
the words of consecration" to turn the "bread" into the actual
body of Christ. The "old" position of Rome as stated by Augustine is
"He that created (if I may say so) gave me the power to create Him; and He
that created without me is Himself created by me" (Dignity and Duties of the Priest, p.33). Biblically, the
once-for-all time sacrifice of Christ was accomplished "through the
eternal Spirit" (Heb. 9:14). However, when He arose, Christ was enthroned
as the High Priest who "ever liveth to make intercession" in the
presence of God (Heb. 7:25). The papal position of a non-bloody sacrifice in
the Mass is retained. The Pope quoted - "In this divine sacrifice which is
accomplished in the Mass, the same Christ who offered Himself once and for all
in a bloody manner on the altar of the Cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner." (ibid.) In this
declaration is the clearest evidence that there is no salvation available in
the Roman Eucharist. The Scriptures clearly teach that "without shedding
of blood is no remission" (Heb. 9:22). The celebration of the Roman Mass,
no matter how John Paul wishes to re-word it, is still blasphemy against God,
His name, and His tabernacle (Rev. 13:6). The issue
of the Sunday Eucharist has other overtones which involve a perceptive
understanding of what is involved in the seal of God and the mark of the beast.
One section of this chapter involves, "The Sunday obligation." John
Paul declares that "the Eucharist is the very heart of Sunday." He
cites the history of the Church's attitude toward a faithful obligation to
celebrate the Eucharist on Sunday. He then noted that the Code of Canon Law of
1917 gathered the tradition of the previous centuries into a universal law. It
states that "on Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful
are bound to attend Mass." "This is the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and it
is easy to understand why, if we keep in mind how vital Sunday is for the
Christian life." (Par. 47) We do not
worship a day; we worship on a day. On Sabbath, we worship the God who
created. This is the very essence of the First Angel's Message, as he announced
the commencement of the end-time struggle (Rev. 14:6-7). The Pope is calling
for a renewal of worship on Sunday. But what is worshipped? A piece of man-made
bread blasphemously declared to be God. The issue is more than a day. It is who
we worship on that day. The earthly powers may enact laws forbidding
"work" on Sunday (this presents an opportunity to witness), but when
they seek to enforce the "obligation" of the Roman Code of Canon Law
that "the faithful are Page 6 bound to
attend the Mass," then the line is clearly drawn "between the laws of
men and the precepts of Jehovah, between the religion of the Bible and the
religion of fable and tradition" (Great
Controversy, p.582). Chapter IV - Dies Hominis In this
chapter the pope again relates Sunday to the Sabbath. After stating that
"the Christian Sunday [is] a true 'time of celebration,' a day given by
God to men and women for their full human and spiritual growth," he
declares: This aspect of the Christian Sunday shows
in a special way how it is the fulfilment of the Old
Testament Sabbath. On the Lord's Day, which - as we already have said - the Old
Testament links to the work of creation and the Exodus, the Christian is called
to proclaim the new creation and the new covenant brought about in the Paschal
Mystery of Christ. Far from being abolished, the celebration of creation
becomes more profound within a Christocentric perspective, being seen in the
light of God's plan "to unite all things in [Christ], things in heaven and
things on earth." The liberation of the Exodus also assumes its full
meaning as it becomes a remembrance of the universal redemption accomplished by
Christ in His Death and Resurrection. More than a "replacement" for
the Sabbath, therefore, Sunday is its fulfilment, and
in a certain sense its extension and full expression in the ordered unfolding
of the history of salvation, which reaches its culmination in Christ. (Par. 59) In this perspective, the
biblical theology of the "Sabbath" can be recovered in full, without
compromising the Christian character of Sunday. (Par. 60) It is the duty of Christians therefore to
remember that, although the practices of the Jewish Sabbath are gone, surpassed
as they are by the "fulfilment" which
Sunday brings, the underlying reasons for keeping "the Lord's Day"
holy - inscribed solemnly in the Ten Commandments - remain valid, though they
need to be reinterpreted in the light of the theology and spirituality of
Sunday. (Par 62) What does
this mean? "This is why Christians [Note the "new" reasoning,
"Christians" not the Papacy] called as they are to proclaim the
liberation won by the blood of Christ, felt that they had the authority to
transfer the meaning of the Sabbath to the day of the Resurrection." (Par.
63) What next?
"When through the centuries, she has made laws concerning Sunday rest, the
Church has had in mind above all the work of slaves and workers, certainly not
because this work was any less worthy when compared with the spiritual
requirements of Sunday observance, but rather because it needed greater regulation
to lighten its burden and thus enable everyone to keep the Lord's Day holy. In
this matter, my predecessor Pope Leo XIII in his Encyclical Rerum
Novarum spoke of Sunday rest as a worker's right
which the State must guarantee." (Par. 66) "Therefore,
also in the particular circumstances of our own time, Christians will naturally
strive to ensure that civil legislation respects their duty to keep Sunday
holy, in any case, they are obliged in conscience to arrange their Sunday rest
in a way which allows them to take part in the Eucharist, refraining from work
or activities which are incompatible with the sanctification of the Lord's
Day." (Par. 67) Little, if
any comment, is needed to note the import of these words of the Pope. Further
the use of the terms, "fulfilment," and
"replacement" are not without significance. Chapter V - Dies Dierum The intent
of this chapter is to relate Sunday to the Roman Liturgical Year. To the pope
Sunday is "the natural model for understanding and celebrating these feast
days." In connection with the "Solemnity of Pentecost," he noted
that it "takes on special importance, celebrating as it does the coming of
the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles gathered with Mary and inaugurating the
mission to all peoples." (Par. 76) Conclusion John Paul II concludes that "the
spiritual and pastoral riches of Sunday, as it has been handed to us by
tradition, are truly great." Because of this, "the faithful should be
convinced that they cannot live their faith or share fully in the life of the Christian
community unless they take part regularly in the Sunday Eucharistic assembly.
The Eucharist is the full realization of the worship which humanity owes to
God, and it cannot be compared to any other religious experience." (Par.
81) Here the line is again clearly drawn. We worship either Him who made all
things, or a "god" created by man. We will receive either the
"seal of God," or we will receive "the mark of the beast." As to be expected, the pope entrusted "this Apostolic Letter
to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin" because for one reason,
"Mary is always present in the Christian Sunday." Why? "It is
the mystery of Christ itself which demands this: indeed, how could she who is
Mater Domini and Mater Ecclesiae fail to be equally present on the day which is
both dies Domini and dies Ecclesiae?" Therefore,
as "the word [is] proclaimed in the Sunday assembly, the faithful look to
the virgin Mary, learning from her to keep it and ponder it in their hearts.
With Mary, they learn to stand at the foot of the Cross, offering to the Father
the sacrifice of Christ. ... From Sunday to Sunday, the pilgrim people follow
in the footsteps of Page 7 Mary, and
her maternal intercession gives special power and fervour
to the prayer which rises from the Church to the Most Holy Trinity." In the
pope's Letter, there is found the suggestion that the Eucharistic Sunday is
linked to the second coming of Christ. He writes that "the Christian
Sunday ... springing from the Resurrection ... cuts through human time, the
months, the years, the centuries, like a directional arrow which points them
towards their target: Christ's Second Coming. Sunday foreshadows the last day,
the day of the Parousia." (Par. 75) In the
Conclusion, the pope affirms - "From Sunday to Sunday, enlightened by
Christ, [the Roman Church] goes forward towards the unending Sunday of the
Heavenly Jerusalem," and Rev. 21:23 is quoted. (Par. 84) One cannot escape
the conviction that the groundwork is being laid in this Apostolic Letter for the
coming of Satan as Christ with the declaration that he merely transferred from
the Sabbath to the day of the Resurrection, its sacred obligations. LET'S We have
not been left in darkness as to the order of events that will mark and are marking
the close of the age. While the second coming of Christ has been declared to be
as a thief in the night even by Jesus Himself (Luke 12:39-40), Paul says that
as children of light, "that day should not overtake you as a thief"
(I Thess. 5:4). The Messenger of the
Lord in an article captioned, "Let the Trumpet Give a Certain Sound"
(R&H, Dec. 13, 1892), outlined a series of events and
connected them with conjunctive adverbs of time. (The paragraph in context will
be reproduced facsimile in the October issue of WWN, p.6) Suffice for now, will
be a brief listing of the events given there, in order: 1) "After the truth [Context would indicate that
truth to be the Sabbath] has been proclaimed as a witness to all nations, every
conceivable power of evil will be set in operation, ..." It is not saying
that all nations will accept the Sabbath, but the evidences of its binding
claims will be given in witness to all nations. 2) "Then there will be a removing of the landmarks,
and an attempt to pull down the pillars of our faith." 3) "A more decided effort will be made to exalt the false
Sabbath and to cast contempt upon God Himself by supplanting
the day He has blessed and sanctified." 4) "This false Sabbath is to be enforced by an oppressive
law." Event # 1: That which confirms the fulfilment of
this beginning point is the fulfilment of Christ's
own prophecy as given in Luke 21:24. For detailed documentation, see the
manuscript, The Hour and the End. Event # 2 is affirmed in an event of 1967, the date for the beginning of #1,
which gave recognition to the Association of Adventist Forums. This Forum has
been foremost in questioning the fundamentals of the Truth committed in trust
to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It was from their podium that Dr. Desmond
Ford launched his attack on the Sanctuary teaching. Event #3: It is difficult to conceive of any greater contempt to be cast on
God than the Eucharist as perceived and emphasized by Rome. This current
Apostolic Letter, while admitting the binding claims of the Ten Commandments,
and the establishment of the Sabbath by God Himself, even inferring that the
Lord's Day of the Old Testament was the Sabbath, seeks to justify the
"new" Lord's Day as a "replacement" of; "fulfilment" of; "reinterpretation" of; and
"surpassing" the original Sabbath. Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary gives as the single
synonym for "supplant" the word, "replace", the exact word
used in the new Catechism of the Catholic
Church (Par. 2175). Event # 4 follows - an enforcement of this "supplanted" Lord's
Day. Are we
prepared to meet the subtlety of the Pope's reasoning; to meet his questionable
Scriptural eisegesis? It should be clear to the most casual reader that the
cornerstone of this "new" theology is the uniting of the sacrificial work
of Jesus on the Cross with its Eucharistic celebration of the Resurrection.
This strikes directly at the Sanctuary truth given to Adventists as a sacred
trust. Much study remains to be done so
that every ray of the advancing light of truth may be incorporated into
"the righteousness of Christ which is pure unadulterated truth." In
the final conflict upon which we are now entering none will be victorious
unless robed in that righteousness. whg |