3:32 Are the elements that comprise Catholic mass something or are they biblical?
7:59 Catholics have their mass but is the word “mass” something that can be found in the pages of the Bible, I mean, even a description of Catholic mass?
9:35 Maybe the word mass is not found in the Bible but couldn’t it still be okay to be a legitimate name for the worship of God?
11:52 Is the mass in essence, in accordance with the teachings in the Bible ?
12:52 What or who is being offered allegedly to God during the mass?
18:34 Catholics say that they celebrate Mass for the forgiveness of their sins, but will one truly be forgiven of their sins, if he or she participates or partakes of the Catholic Mass, which is in essence, a repeated offering of our Lord Jesus Christ?
23:05 Is the mass something that was done during the time of the Apostles?
24:41 How is it that the Lord Jesus Christ is supposedly being offered as a sacrifice to God during the occasion of the mass? How is this happening?
25:56 They say that the bread and the wine have now been consecrated or changed into the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, well, then what happens next in the mass?
28:06 What would make a member of the Catholic Church believe that that’s really what’s happening, for example, that that bread and that wine have really been changed into the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ?
30:44 What does our Lord Jesus Christ mean when he says, ‘Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will have an everlasting life?’
34:22 Is there mentioned in the Bible about those who would have false explanations or false interpretations of the scriptures?
36:49 How does the Bible describe those ignorant and destructive people who are giving wrong explanations to the scriptures that are giving false interpretations to the words of God recorded in the Holy Bible?
39:15 How does the Catholic Church go about convincing their members that the mass is really something in accordance with the Bible?
41:35 Would that be accurate to say that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one who instituted the mass at the Last Supper? Would that be in accordance with what the Bible actually teaches?
47:22 What is the right way to worship the Lord God?
[Show Opens]
Brother Johnny Martin: Hi, I’m Johnny Martin and this is the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Johnny Martin
Quezon City, Philippines
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Johnny Martin: Today’s topic: A Closer Look at Catholic Mass. If you remember dear viewers a few episodes ago, we looked at unusual worship trends and practices. Unusual because they may have been unfamiliar to the majority of us. But more so as we discovered in that episode, because those forms of service went against the commandments of God written in the Bible. Today, we’re talking about a more familiar form of worship.
[On screen graphic]
Topic: A CLOSE LOOK AT CATHOLIC MASS
Brother Johnny Martin: And we say familiar because most of us in some shape or form would have come across it, if not having experienced it directly for ourselves and that is the Catholic mass. But what exactly is the Catholic mass? How was it conducted? And is it the proper way of worshiping God? That’s what we’re going to talk about today on INC International Edition.
Brother Johnny Martin: Joining us today, our Brother Glenn David in Sydney, Australia, Brother Solomon Joves in San Francisco, California, and Brother Jojo Bayani in Los Angeles, California. Hello, Brothers.
Brothers: Hello, Brother Johnny.
Brother Johnny Martin: You know, Brothers, today we’re talking about the Catholic mass. Now, to give us an idea about this. Well, let’s check out these videos.
[Video starts]
Male Speaker: This is the center of our faith every day, every Sunday, all around the world, Catholics gather for what we call Mass or the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The Eucharist is another name. But many Catholics don’t understand the various parts of the mass. And as a consequence, they come week after week and go through the motions and say the same things over and over not really understanding what they’re doing and not understanding what the priest is doing. Consequently, they leave with little change in their life.
Priest: Finally, because it coincides with our celebration of the year of Sunday Mass in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Time less because the mass is a gift we have received from Jesus Christ was the same yesterday, today and forever. As the Catholic Church observes the year of faith around the world, we are called to strengthen our relationship with Christ Jesus. A better understanding of the mass is one way to make that happen. My hope is that this video and its companion study guide will be valuable tools for those who teach our Catholic faith.
Male VO: Teaching the Mass. Father puts on vestments for Mass. Father puts on the alb, representing the Sacrament of Baptism.
[Video ends]
Brother Johnny Martin: Well, we can see Brothers and dear viewers that there are those who attend a Catholic mass, but they really don’t understand everything about the mass which they happen to be attending. Well, we can also see here that really there are so many complicated elements of this Catholic Mass that they now have prepared video tutorials to help their members better understand the worship gathering that they are attending. Well, Brothers, let’s go into our discussion now. If we can begin with Brother Solomon, you know, are the elements that comprise Catholic mass something or are they biblical? Are they biblical?
Brother Solomon Joves: Well, to shed some light on that question that you posed Brother Johnny, we need to turn to Catholic authorities. So in a Catholic book, with a title History of the Mass written by Francis Amiot in page 292, this is what we can read:
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Solomon Joves
San Francisco, California
Minister of the Gospel
[History of the Mass, Francis Amiot, Page 292]
“The mass is the center of divine worship, of the homage rendered to God by the Church: it is the Church’s prayer par excellence, Christ’s prayer offered by the Church to God, the perfect praise and thanksgiving, the unique source of the divine gifts and graces of redemption, especially for those who participate in it completely by Eucharistic communion.”
Brother Solomon Joves: According to what we have read, the Mass is the center of worship of the Catholic faith. And the most common parts of the Catholic Mass and rituals found therein are the Introductory rites, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, Communion, and Concluding rites.
[On screen graphic]
Topic: A CLOSE LOOK AT CATHOLIC MASS
Brother Solomon Joves: Now there are only variations of these rites and rituals from country to country, but mostly all follow the same sequence or the same order.
Brother Johnny Martin: Now, Brothers when it comes to the mass of the Catholic Church, and those who attend the mass, I’d like to share with you something that we saw in a newspaper article. This is from the Philippine Star and this newspaper last year reported the following interesting statistic.
[Philippine Star, Helen Flores, April 10, 2013]
Only 37% of Filipino Catholics attend Mass. Filipino Catholics going to church every Sunday have gone down from 64% to 37%, based on a survey by the Social Weather Station.
Brother Johnny Martin: So that’s what we get from that newspaper article regarding Filipino Catholics attending Mass and numbers have gone down. What about in your countries if we can go with Australia Brother Glenn, how about in Austria? What about mass attendance there in Australia?
Brother Glenn David: Not too different to the pattern there in the Philippines Brother Johnny, because, according to a 2011 Australian census, which was just a few years ago, the Catholic population was about five and a half million or 25% of the total Australian population, which is about 23 to 24 million. Now, how many Catholics go to Mass on Sundays? Well, in that same year 2011, about 660,000 people or 12.2% of all Australian Catholics attended mass on a typical Sunday.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Glenn David
Sydney, Australia
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Glenn David: If you compare that to a few years earlier in 2006, about 14% of Catholics attended mass on a typical Sunday. So if you notice that within five years, there was a bit of a drop or decrease in Catholics attending Mass here in Australia.
[On screen graphic]
Topic: A CLOSE LOOK AT CATHOLIC MASS
Brother Johnny Martin: Oh, Brother Jojo, how about there in the United States of America? What about the statistics? Are they any different from Australia and here in the Philippines?
Brother Jojo Bayani: Well, Brother Johnny here in the US, we can find the statistics are very similar to your stats there in the Philippines and Brother Glenn’s there in Australia.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Jojo Agbayani
Los Angeles, California
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Jojo Bayani: In fact, according to a website called the Kara Vision, from 1965 to 2014, almost 50 years, there has been a sharp decline of the population of the Catholic Church that go to Mass regularly. In 1965, they recorded that around 55% of the Catholic people here in the US go to Mass regularly. But in 2014, almost 50 years after only 24% are now able to attend mass on a regular basis. So that’s a 31% decrease in the last 50 years.
Brother Johnny Martin: That’s a really interesting point Brother Jojo so we can see the reviewers in the Catholic Church, they have their mass and attendance as years have gone by seems to have gone down. Now let’s go right into the subject of the mass itself, Brothers. Brother Jojo if we can also continue with you on this one. What about the word “mass” you know? Catholics have their mass but is the word “mass” something that can be found in the pages of the Bible, I mean, even a description of Catholic Mass?
Brother Jojo Bayani: Well, Brother Johnny, the word mass definitely cannot be found in the Bible. In order for us to understand where mass came from, how mass or the word or the term mass originated, we have to go back a little bit in time when it comes to Catholic history.
[On screen graphic]
Topic: A CLOSE LOOK AT CATHOLIC MASS
Brother Jojo Bayani: I’d like to read a book entitled, Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 10, page 6, this is what it states:
[Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 10, Page 6]
“The word Mass (missa) first established itself as the general designation for the Eucharistic Sacrifice in the West after the time of Pope Gregory the Great (d.604)…”
Brother Jojo Bayani: So as we can see, mass is an invented term along with the other term that they use, which is Eucharist or Eucharistic. And when is it that the term mass was invented or first used? It is attributed to one of their popes, his name was Pope Gregory the Great, and he was alive during the time of the turn of the sixth to the seventh century. In fact, this pope was known by the Catholic people as the father of Christian worship. And so let me answer that question once again. Brother Johnny is the word mass found in the Bible? Is it taught by the Bible? The answer is no.
Brother Johnny Martin: Well, you know, Brother, some might be asking a question like this, well, maybe the word mass is not found in the Bible. But couldn’t it still be okay to be a legitimate name for the worship of God?
Brother Glenn David: First of all, is not a legitimate name and it cannot be found in the Bible. In fact, it is prohibited to go beyond what is written in the Bible, as we could read here in the teaching of the apostle Paul, in First Corinthians chapter 4, verse 6:
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Glenn David
Sydney, Australia
Minister of the Gospel
Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.
[I Corinthians 4:6 NKJV]
Brother Glenn David: So Brother Johnny, it’s very clear what the Apostle Paul teaches us here, that it is forbidden for us to think beyond what is written. If it is bad to think about going beyond what is written, such as having a mass in this case, how much more to actually put that into action, or the more this will not be counted as worthy worship before the Lord God. And as we have already discussed earlier that even the name itself Mass, although it is a form of worship, however, it is not biblical. If it’s not biblical, it does not come from the Lord God.
[On screen graphic]
Topic: A CLOSE LOOK AT CATHOLIC MASS
Brother Johnny Martin: Well, Brothers, you know, there might be others who would respond like this. Well, it’s just a name. Mass is just a name or a term, but the essence or the intention of the mess, well, that’s biblical. That’s what’s in the Bible. Well, is the mass in essence, in accordance with Bible teachings? Well, Brothers and dear viewers, that’s what we’re going to be talking about next, on the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition, please stay with us.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Johnny Martin
Quezon City, Philippines
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Johnny Martin: Welcome back, everyone to the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. Today we’re talking about the Catholic mass and we’re looking at some very interesting things about this Catholic worship.
[On screen graphic]
Topic: A CLOSE LOOK AT CATHOLIC MASS
Brother Johnny Martin: We’re looking at its practices, its origins, or we’re gonna see if this particular form of worship is really in accordance with the teachings of the Bible. So our question is this, Brother Solomon, if we can begin with you right now, well, is the mass in essence, in accordance with the teachings of the Bible?
Brother Solomon Joves: Well, to answer that question, Brother Johnny, let’s turn to another authority in the Catholic Church, this time a cardinal and the Catholic Church by the name of James Gibbons, he wrote this book entitled The Faith of our Fathers on page 254. This is what he says:
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Solomon Joves
San Francisco, California
Minister of the Gospel
[The Faith of our Fathers, James Gibbon, Page 254]
“This oblation of the New Law is commonly called Mass. The word Mass is derived by some from the Hebrew term Messach, which means a free offering. Others derive it from the word Missa,….”
Brother Solomon Joves: Well, according to this book that we have read, Brother Johnny, the word ‘Mass’ was taken from the Hebrew term or word, Messach, which means an offering. So in essence, what the Catholic Church is doing whenever they conduct mash is they render an offering unto our Lord God.
Brother Johnny Martin: Well, let me stay with you, Brother Solomon, if there’s an offering, well, then something or someone needs to be offered. Well, what or who is being offered allegedly to God during the mass?
Brother Solomon Joves: Well, let’s stay with this book on page 219 to 220. This is what the Catholic priest says.
[The Faith of our Fathers, James Gibbon, Page 219-220]
“The Sacrifice of the Mass is the consecration of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, and the oblation of this body and blood to God, by the ministry of the Priest, for a perpetual memorial of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. The Sacrifice of the Mass is identical with that of the cross, both having the same victim and high Priest- Jesus Christ.”
Brother Solomon Joves: According to Catholic authorities, whenever the Catholic Church offers mass or conducts mass what they’re doing is they offer our Lord Jesus Christ unto our Lord God.
[On screen graphic]
Topic: A CLOSE LOOK AT CATHOLIC MASS
Brother Johnny Martin: Well you know in connection with that, dear brothers and dear viewers we’d like to share with you a video clip regarding the mass. Let’s watch this.
[Video starts]
[Source: YouTube]
Male VO: Father blesses the bread.
Priest: Blessed are you Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you, fruit to the earth and work of human hands here will become for us the bread of life.
Male VO: Father pours wine into the chalice (cup) and adds a drop of water. The wine represents Jesus; the water represents us. Father blesses the wine
Priest: Blessed are you Lord God of all creation.
[Video ends]
Brother Johnny Martin: So according to the video that we watched, and even according to the references we’ve been reading, dear viewers, we can see that it is the position of the Catholic Church that the Lord Jesus Christ is being offered as a sacrifice to God. And this is being done supposedly, every time the mass is being held or every time the mass is being conducted.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Johnny Martin
Quezon City, Philippines
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Jojo Bayani: Brother Johnny, the very same thing is being said here in a book entitled Catholic Catechism Book 2, here on page 179. And let me read:
[Catholic Catechism Book 2, Page 179]
“Jesus left with the Church His sacrifice in the Mass. It is the sacrifice He offered at the Last Supper, the sacrifice of the Cross renewed. It is the same Priest who offers because the apostles, and priests after them, are priests only because they share Christ’s priesthood and use His power. It is the same Victim, Christ Himself offered in a different way, but with all his perfect adoration and love, atonement and petition. Once Christ offered Himself by His death; now, the same Gift is offered.
Brother Jojo Bayani: So what’s being mentioned here in this book, Catholic Catechism Book 2 is the same gift is being offered. And when they mentioned the same gift, the gift refers to none other than our Lord Jesus Christ, although being offered in a different way, but here’s the point, it is still the same. What remains is the intention that they have during the mass. And what is that same intention? To offer our Lord Jesus Christ.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Jojo Agbayani
Los Angeles, California
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Glenn David: Another interesting point here, Brother Johnny, is how frequently mass is being conducted throughout the world. And we could read that here in a Catholic book entitled Religion, Doctrine and Practice by Francis B. Cassily. On page 173, it says this:
[Religion, Doctrine and Practice, Francis B. Cassily, Page 173]
Mass is offered on every day of the year, except Good Friday. Ordinarily, a priest is allowed to say Mass only once a day, but on Christmas and All Souls Day he may say three Masses.”
Brother Glenn David: So according to this book, mass is being conducted every day, except on what they call Good Friday. And if we consider then that the mass is conducted also in different countries, in different time zones, then it’s happening almost every hour, somewhere in the world, almost 24/7. And still Christ is being sacrificed as an offering then repeatedly again, again and again, Brother Johnny.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Glenn David
Sydney, Australia
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Johnny Martin: And this offering of the Lord Jesus Christ is being done by the priests because they are the ones that are leading in the ceremony or in the observance of the mass.
Brother Solomon Joven: That is correct, Brother Johnny. And some, perhaps would be surprised to know that the repeated offering of our Lord Jesus Christ is in fact not in harmony with what the Bible teaches. Allow me to read what is recorded here in the book of Hebrews chapter seven, verse 27, where it says:
who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
[Hebrews 7:27 NKJV]
Brother Solomon Joven: The Bible teaches us that when our Lord Jesus Christ, offered up Himself on the cross, He did this once and for all for the forgiveness of our sins, and thus, it should not be repeated over and over, like what is happening in the Catholic Church. Each and every time they conduct Mass on the occasion of these masses, they offer our Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly. Now, Catholics say that they celebrate Mass for the forgiveness of their sins, but will one truly be forgiven of their sins, if he or she participates or partakes of the Catholic Mass, which is in essence, a repeated offering of our Lord Jesus Christ?
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Solomon Joves
San Francisco, California
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Jojo Bayani: Well, the answer of the Bible is no. Allow me to read to you here from the book of Hebrews chapter 10. The verses are 10 and 11:
By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all. And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
[Hebrews 10: 10-11 NKJV]
Brother Jojo Bayani: So what does the Bible tell us when it comes to the offering of our Lord Jesus Christ? It is done and it was done just once. Once and for all. When we speak of the term “once and for all,” what does that mean? It means it’s not repeated, it’s done. And once it is done, it is finished, it is completed. And so it is clearly written in the Bible that our Lord Jesus Christ already died for our sins.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Jojo Agbayani
Los Angeles, California
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Jojo Bayani: We can find that in the book of Ephesians chapter five, and the verse is 25. And what is it that we must take note of? That is a stark contrast to what the Catholic Church teaches and what they do because they repeatedly offer our Lord Jesus Christ, every time they perform what they call Mass. Remember, the intention that the Catholic Church has in performing mass is for the people’s sins to be forgiven. Here’s the question, can the sins of the people really be forgiven when mass is performed?
[On screen graphic]
Topic: A CLOSE LOOK AT CATHOLIC MASS
Brother Jojo Bayani: Well, no, not according to the Bible. The Bible tells us in the Book of Revelation, chapter 22, verses 18 and 19. The very important facts, do not add or do not take away from what the Bible teaches. If you add, the Bible says God will add to you the plagues described in the book. If you take away, the Bible says your part in the kingdom of heaven will also be taken away. So if one should happen to add or subtract or change the words of God, written in the Bible, it is not for the forgiveness of sins, the opposite will take place.
Brother Glenn David: And despite this being clearly written in the Bible, Brother Jojo but we should not add or subtract from the words of God, written in the Bible, the official stand of the Catholic Church remains clear regarding their daily offering of Christ. They continue to do that, as we could read here in a book entitled Faith of Millions, by John A. O’Brien here on page 305. This is what we could read:
[Faith of Millions, John A. O’Brien, Page 305]
“…the adorable sacrifice of the Mass has been daily reenacted in all our churches from the days of the Apostles to the present time and will be continued until the end of the world.”
Brother Glenn David: So in spite of the prohibition written in the Bible, the Catholic Church will continue this practice until the end of the world, according to them. And we don’t mean to be harsh, but this is blatant disobedience to God’s clear command written in the Bible: do not add or subtract. And despite these truths written in the Bible concerning the true worship, it is very sad to say that it is still being flagrantly being disobeyed by the Catholic Church.
[On screen graphic]
Topic: A CLOSE LOOK AT CATHOLIC MASS
Brother Glenn David: And all the more sad is that millions of its members still blindly follow because they do not know this truth, which is the reason we are having discussions like these on this program, not to make a personal attack on anyone, but to enlighten them on what we should do and not do if we want our services to be truly accepted by our Lord God.
Brother Johnny Martin: Now, Brother Solomon, there was something interesting in the quote that was read by Brother Glenn. It made mention about the Sacrifice of the Mass was supposedly done even during the time or the days of the apostles. Now, you know, our Catholic friends who would hear that may then conclude, well, the mass must be okay. Because if it was done during the time or the days of the apostles, well, that must be perfectly alright, for people to hold the mass or to attend the mass. Well, is that really true? Is the mass something that was done during the time of the Apostles?
Brother Solomon Joves: No, Brother Johnny, it cannot be true because based on the last verses that we have read during our discussion, the Apostles themselves are the ones who prohibit such practice that one repeatedly offers our Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, that is against what our Lord God teaches. Therefore, what the Catholic Church says is that the mass or the repeated offering of Christ was being practiced during their time is completely false. So we know that the name and the intention of the mass is utterly wrong. It goes against the commandments of God that are written in the Bible. So if the mass, in name and intention or essence is unbiblical, then one should not practice it or participate at all, in any way, shape, or form in the Catholic mass, because this would not make him or her holy or worthy in the eyes of our Lord God, but just like what Brother Jojo said, one is actually committing the exact opposite. One is committing a grave sin, a serious offense against our Almighty God.
Brother Johnny Martin: Well, Brother Jojo since, we began the show by mentioning we’re going to take a close look at Catholic mass and we just looked at how from these reference books from the Catholic Church, we can see that in the mass they are saying, the Lord Jesus Christ is being offered to God as a sacrifice. But this brings us to the question, how is it that the Lord Jesus Christ is supposedly being offered as a sacrifice to God during the occasion of the Mass? How is this happening?
Brother Jojo Bayani: Well, Brother Johnny, they do it by means of what they call the consecration of the bread and the wine. We can read that from one of their books and title of The Question Box written by a Catholic priest, Bertrand L. Conway, on page 247. And allow me to read from that book:
[The Question Box, Bertrand L. Conway, Page 247]
“…The Holy Synod teaches… that in the august Sacrament of the holy Eucharist, after the consecration of the bread and wine , our Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true Man, is truly, really and substantially contained under the appearance of those sensible things…”
Brother Jojo Bayani: So what the Catholics believe is that after the bread and the wine are consecrated, then the bread and the wine truly, really, and substantially becomes the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is what they call Transubstantiation.
Brother Johnny Martin: Well, Brother Glenn, what then happens, okay, they say that the bread and the wine have now been consecrated or changed into the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, well, then what happens next in the mass?
Brother Glenn David: Well, to be straight to the point they eat it, and that’s what we could read here in their Catholic book, This is Catholicism on page 256. It says,
[This is Catholicism, Page 256]
“For by consuming Christ, the Victim of the Mass, Catholics eat not merely something connected with God; rather, they eat God Himself.”
Brother Glenn David: So according to this official Catholic book, they eat it. But something very unique and bizarre that we really need to highlight here is that Catholics believe that when they eat the bread, they are literally eating the literal body of our Lord Jesus Christ. And since they believe that Christ is God, they admit that they eat God Himself.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Glenn David
Sydney, Australia
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Johnny Martin: And you know, brothers and dear viewers, here’s a video clip a quick video clip of that portion of the mass:
[Video starts]
[Source: Youtube]
Priest: Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sins of the world
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb…
Male VO: Father distributes Holy Communion that can receive Communion by hand or on the tongue
Priest: The body of Christ. Amen.
[Video ends]
Brother Johnny Martin: All right, Brothers after watching that video clip and reading the references that we read a moment ago. Well, let’s go back to this particular point. The Catholic Church teaches that they really believe that that bread and that wine that they have there in their mass well that’s actually been changed into the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. And when they eat their homes, for example, that portion of bread, well, they’re eating God. Well, you know, what would make a member of the Catholic Church believe that that’s really what’s happening, for example, that that bread and that wine have really been changed into the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ? Brother Solomon, if we can have you respond to that?
Brother Solomon Joves: Well, Brother Johnny, what they did was they committed a gross misinterpretation of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, and this is what we can read in The Seven Sacraments, a book written by Francis J. Connel, listen to what it says in pages 73 and 74:
[The Seven Sacraments, Francis J. Connel, Pages 73 and 74]
“What reasons have Catholics for believing that Our Savior gave the Apostles His real body and blood? In the first place, we point to the undeniable fact that his words, both on the occasion of the promise and at the Last Supper, if taken literally, denote a true, and not a merely symbolic presence of himself in the holy Eucharist. He could not have expressed this more clearly and more forcibly than He did: ‘He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has life everlasting… For my flesh is food indeed and My blood is drink indeed… This is My body… This is My Blood!”
Brother Solomon Joves: Brother Johnny and dear friends, this Catholic priest quoted the words of our Lord Jesus Christ that are recorded in John chapter 6 verses 54 to 55. But he misinterpreted our Lord Jesus Christ by taking those words literally, when our Lord Jesus Christ did not mean it literally. And if we read further down in the same book and the same chapter and verse 63, we will fully understand the context of these words of our Lord Jesus Christ. But before reading verse 63, let’s read verses 54 and 55 first:
“Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. “For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
[John 6: 54-55, 63 NKJV]
Brother Solomon Joves: Dear friends, it is clear from these verses that we have read that our Lord Jesus Christ wasn’t talking about His literal blood and flesh, but of the Spirit.
Brother Johnny Martin: Brother Solomon, if we could stay with you within what does our Lord Jesus Christ mean when he says, ‘Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will have everlasting life?’
Brother Solomon Joves: Well, our Lord Jesus Christ was talking about those who believe in Him or those who have true faith in Him, and that they will have everlasting life. Let’s read that here in John 6:47:
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.
[John 6:47 NKJV]
Brother Jojo Bayani: Now, Brothers, I’d like to add that in the same book that we read earlier, entitled The question Box, on pages 254 to 255. They use the instance when our Lord Jesus Christ was able to turn water into wine. Allow me to read that to you from their book:
[The Question Box, Pages 254 – 255]
“The apostles who had witnessed the transubstantiation of water into wine at Cana in Galilee (John ii, 1, 11), and the feeding of the five thousand with five barley loaves and fishes (john vi.1-14) never questioned Christ’s power to change bread and wine into His Flesh and Blood.”
Brother Jojo Bayani: So what the Catholic Church is using, again, as I’ve said, is the instance when our Lord Jesus Christ was able to turn water into wine there at the feast in Cana. And by stating that fact, what they’re now doing is they’re extrapolating. They’re forming an opinion. And what is that opinion? Well, they said, ‘You should not question the fact that Jesus also turned bread, that Jesus also turns the bread and wine into his literal flesh and blood.’
[On screen graphic]
Topic: A CLOSE LOOK AT CATHOLIC MASS
Brother Glenn David: If I can just interject there, Brother JoJo, we can immediately see right there and then that there is a fallacy in that argument. Because while the water was miraculously turned into real wine in Cana, nothing in the Bible says of the bread and wine turning into the literal body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because, yes, our Lord Jesus Christ with the help and power of God, he can certainly do that. But the main point, the main issue here is that it did not happen and nothing in the Bible says that it will happen and this is admitted themselves by the Catholic Church, in their book, The Question Box on here on page 257 to 258, that the bread and wine does not miraculous miraculously, I should say, become the flesh and blood of Christ, and we could read it here.
[The Question Box, Pages 257-258]
“…we see and taste after the Consecration are the accidents or appearances of bread and wine, which have not been changed. The senses tell us nothing regarding the substance of bread and wine before Consecration; they tell us nothing of the Body and Blood of Christ, which is present after Consecration.
Brother Glenn David: So the appearance of bread and wine even after consecration, it doesn’t change. Therefore, it is still bread and wine and has not, it will not and will never miraculously transform or turn into the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ literally.
Brother Johnny Martin: Well, Brothers, as we’ve seen, what is written in the Bible, is clearly being misunderstood by the Roman Catholic Church. And because of this wrong interpretation of Scripture, the Catholic form of worship is not acceptable before the Lord our God. It’s unbiblical. It goes against the teachings or commands of God. Now, Brother Solomon, is there mentioned in the Bible about those who would have false explanations or false interpretations of the scriptures? Is there something like that mentioned in the Bible?
Brother Solomon Joves: Indeed, Brother Johnny, there is and we can read that here. In Second Peter chapter 3, verse 16. It says the following:
This is what he says, In all his letters when he writes on the subject. There are some difficult things in his letters which ignorant and unstable people explain falsely as they do with other passages of the Scriptures. So they bring on their own destruction.
[II Peter 3:16 TEV]
Brother Solomon Joves: According to the apostle Peter, ignorant and unstable people explain passages in scripture or passages in the Bible falsely. And what they do is bring on their own destruction. And what’s worse is that those who believe in them will also be led to destruction rather than salvation.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Solomon Joves
San Francisco, California
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Johnny Martin: But you know, Brother Jojo, some might argue, well, these people are not ignorant. You know, they’re intelligent, they’re highly educated. They’ve even spent a lot of time studying the Bible, or the Holy Scriptures, in their seminaries and religious schools. Well, doesn’t necessarily mean that spending a lot of time studying the Bible will result in one being able to have full knowledge of the truth?
Brother Jojo Bayani: No, Brother Johnny, in fact, this is what the Bible states here in Second Timothy chapter 3, verse 7:
always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
[II Timothy 3:7 NKJV]
Brother Jojo Bayani: So what does the Bible tell us, one can dedicate oneself into learning, one can study for many years, one can even acquire a degree, whether it be a master’s degree, or even a doctorate degree. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that that person with all of his earned knowledge, with his earned degree will ever come to the knowledge of the truth. Let’s remember, the truth is not relative, there can only be one real truth among the many false and lies that are out there.
[On screen graphic]
Topic: A CLOSE LOOK AT CATHOLIC MASS
Brother Johnny Martin: Well, Brother Glenn, how does the Bible describe those ignorant and destructive people who are giving wrong explanations to the scriptures that are giving false interpretations to the words of God recorded in The Holy Bible? How does the Bible describe them?
Brother Glenn David: Well, if they’re teaching false interpretations or false teachings, then of course, they are false teachers, or false prophets. And that is written here in Second Peter chapter 2, verse 1, it says here:
But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who brought them and bring on themselves swift destruction.
[II Peter 2:1 NKJV]
Brother Glenn David: So those who misinterpret the holy words of God written in the Bible, or explain it falsely, they cannot be true prophets or messengers of the Lord God because they are not sent by Him. Rather than bringing people closer to the Lord God, they lead them to their own destruction. That’s why we have to be careful, we have to be truly careful by scrutinizing the teachings that we hear and don’t just blindly follow them.
Brother Johnny Martin: Okay, Brothers and dear viewers, so we cannot find the word Mass in the Bible. And the practice of offering Jesus Christ with each mass is against the commands of God are the words of God in the Bible. But you know, this is the question, how does the Catholic Church attempt to prove that their mass is indeed biblical, and that’s what we’re going to talk about next as the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition continues, please stay with us.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Johnny Martin
Quezon City, Philippines
Minister of the Gospel
[On-screen logo graphic]
INC International Edition
Brother Johnny Martin: Welcome back, everyone to the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. Today, we’ve been taking a look at the Catholic mass, a close look at the Catholic mass. And so far, we’ve learned a few things like number one, the word mass is not really in the Holy Bible or the Holy Scriptures.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Johnny Martin
Quezon City, Philippines
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Johnny Martin: Number two, even the purpose or the intention of Catholic mass is really not something supported by the Bible where they claim in the Catholic Church, that our Lord Jesus Christ is being offered as a sacrifice to God, every time that the mass is said but Brothers, this brings us now to this question if we could begin with you, Brother Solomon at this part of our study, well, you know, how does the Catholic Church go about convincing their members that the mass is really something in accordance with the Bible?
Brother Solomon Joves: Well, let’s read what they have to say Brother Johnny, dear friends, in this book entitled, My Catholic Faith, written by Louis Laravoire Morrow in pages 274 to 275. This is recorded:
[My Catholic Faith, Louis Laravoire Morrow, Pages 274-275]
“What is the Holy Eucharist? -The Holy Eucharist is a sacrament, the supreme gift of our Savior Jesus Christ, which really and truly contains His body and blood, soul and divinity, under the appearances of bread and wine… “When did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist? -Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist. at the Last Supper, the night before He died… “How did Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist? –Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist in this way: He took bread, blessed and broke it, and giving it to His Apostles, said, ‘Take ye and eat; this is My body; then He took a cup of wine, blessed it and giving it to them, said ‘Drink ye all of this; for this is My blood of the new testament which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins; finally, He gave His Apostles the Commission ‘do this for a commemoration of me.”
Brother Solomon Joves: Dear friends, the Catholic Church teaches that the Holy Eucharist or the part of the mass were in the bread and wine are consecrated was instituted, allegedly by our Lord Jesus Christ himself during the Last Supper when He instructed His apostles to eat the bread and drink from the cup. Therefore, they say that the mass or the Holy Eucharist is biblical, because our Lord Jesus Christ was the one who instituted it Himself during the Last Supper and the ceremony of the mass, or the celebration of it as Catholics would term it is done in keeping or in obedience with a commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ, to do it in memory of Him.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Solomon Joves
San Francisco, California
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Johnny Martin: But Brother Jojo, if I could ask you this question, would that be accurate to say that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one who instituted the mass at the Last Supper? Would that be in accordance with what the Bible actually teaches?
Brother Jojo Bayani: No, Brother Johnny, it wasn’t the Mass that Christ instituted during the Last Supper, it was entirely different. Allow me to read to you from the book of Matthew, here in chapter 26 and the verses are 26, through 28:
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.” For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
[Matthew 26:26-28 NKJV]
Brother Jojo Bayani: As we can see from the Holy Scriptures, our Lord Jesus Christ was specific in what He did, and what He instructed His disciples to do. So during that last supper, what was actually instituted was not the mass, but the Holy supper. How did that go? Our Lord Jesus Christ took bread, He blessed it. And then He distributed to His disciples, and what was His specific instruction? Eat. And then afterwards, what was part of that holy supper instituted during the Last Supper, He also took the cup and then He also blessed it. And then He gave it to His disciples, and what was the instruction? He said, ‘Drink from it.’ And what was the purpose of the holy supper instituted during the Last Supper? Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the end said, for the forgiveness of sins.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Jojo Agbayani
Los Angeles, California
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Jojo Bayani: And so it was not the mass, definitely not the mass that was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ during that time. And take note, during the holy supper, the purpose of eating the bread, and drinking the juice of the fruit of the vine, was for the forgiveness of sins. We would also like to quote what was stated by Apostle Paul in First Corinthians chapter 11, verses 24 to 25. What was also the purpose of doing or performing the holy supper? Our Apostle Paul said, ‘Do this in remembrance of Me,’ referring to our Lord Jesus Christ, for the intent of being forgiven of one’s sins. Let’s compare that to the mass. Mass is something that is not found in the Bible. Mass is something contradictory to what the Bible teaches. So when one actually takes part in what the Catholic Church calls mass, the people’s sins are not forgiven. On the contrary, something else takes place. They commit a sin, they transgress the law and commandments found in the Bible.
Brother Johnny Martin: Well, you know, Brother Glenn, some might have a little bit of an issue with what Brother Jojo was pointing out very clearly for us, because they might say, well, all right there in the verses of the Bible that were read, in the holy supper instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ, well, you had the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, eating bread and also drinking juice of the fruit of the vine. Well, aren’t those instructions being followed? Isn’t that what’s being done in the Catholic Church when they’re having their mass in which their members are receiving Communion? Isn’t that taking place?
Brother Glenn David: Well, according to this book, What They Ask About The Church, by J.D. Conway in pages 75 and 76, they only partake of the bread. And I quote this, it says here:
[What They Ask About The Church, J.D. Conway, Pages 75-76]
“There were various reasons for the gradual growth of the custom of giving Holy Communion under the form of bread alone, the danger of spilling when it was given under the form of wine; the unsanitary and repugnant practice of all communicants drinking from a common chalice; the time-consuming process of distributing under both forms, which became quite impractical, as the number of communicants increased and crowds filled the great cathedrals. And finally, the difficulty of reserving the Blessed Sacrament for Communion under the form of wine.”
Brother Glenn David: So according to this Catholic book, during the Mass or Holy Eucharist, as they call it, the brethren ate, however, only one drink, they only partake of their bread and not the wine whereas our Lord Jesus Christ commanded us to do both.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Glenn David
Sydney, Australia
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Glenn David: Now, why did they change or modify it? Well, according to their book, they omitted the drinking because of convenience sake, because of sanitary reasons, it was much cheaper because of practicality. Now, if that is the case, well, they are subtracting from the words of God written in the Bible. And because the instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ is not being completely followed, well, the Catholic mass is not the holy supper that our Lord Jesus Christ instituted. It is not biblical, and therefore must not be observed and followed.
Brother Johnny Martin: So dear friends, we’ve learned today that the mass of the Roman Catholic Church is really not a form of worship that is in accordance with the words of God recorded in The Holy Bible. Even the word mass itself, it’s not in the Bible, the intention or purpose of mass. It’s not only not in the Bible, but it goes against what is recorded in the Bible. Well, then, what is the right way to worship the Lord God? We would like to share this with you here, dear friends, by reading what it says in John 4:23:
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
[ John 4:23 NKJV]
Brother Johnny Martin: The proper form of worship that we should be rendering to God is the true worship being done by true worshipers. Now we’ve said many times in the past, about true worshipers of God and who were they? They’re the ones who have been redeemed by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, or they are the members of the true Church Of Christ. And that is the kind of worship done by the members of the Church of Christ true worship, pleasing and acceptable to God.
So friends, we invite you to come and join us some time to attend our congregational worship services in the houses of worship that are nearest to you. So you can see for yourself how worship is being done, true worship inside the Iglesia Ni Cristo.
Brother Johnny Martin: We would like to thank Brother Solomon Joves in San Francisco, California, Brother Jojo Bayani in Los Angeles, California, and Brother Glenn David in Sydney, Australia for participating in our discussion today and for giving us Bible based answers. So that as the Apostle Peter said to the members of the Church, ‘you will be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are,’ as we do read them First Peter 3:15.
Well, that does it for us here on the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. We hope you’ll join us again next time. This is Johnny Martin, and thank you so much for watching. But before we go, we’d like to invite you to join us for a short prayer
Brother Solomon Joves: Our Heavenly Father, we bow our heads and offer some sincerest thanksgiving for all of the many blessings that you shower upon the lives of your children, each and every day of our lives. Thank you for providing us this wonderful opportunity to be able to study your words of truth once again. We say a prayer for all of our viewers. Help them to fully understand your words, oh God. Help them to see that our intention is never to hurt anybody’s feelings, but to share with them your truths oh Father, that they may be inspired by you, oh God, to search for the truth. And if it is Your will, they will all join us and the proper way of worshiping you and serving you inside your nation. We believe that you will continue to bless this program, that it may reach as many people as possible or father, that they too may be enlightened by your truths. All of us will obey your teachings in your commandments. Live a life based on obedience to your will, giving praises and glory and honor to your highest name. We believe that you’ve heard our humble prayers in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
INCTV
All rights reserved
©2015
[Show Closes]
