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| I have received numerous emails of people asking, "what exactly is it that you do?" My goal with this blog is to save myself and you time as to understand what I do, where I am going in life and what/who I am looking for. For more info, just ask.
I am going to break it down into 3 categories for everyone.
#1 Entreprenuer/Producer
Over the last 3 years I have been developing a company. Privately held and debt free. I am 100% self-employeed, I dictate my schedule and location. I do not have a boss. What I do is a variety of things. Why, many ask? Because I like varierty and I have many goals and dreams in life.
www.prodeji.mychoices.biz
With this I have a distribution aspect in which I endorse, promote and sell (on and off-line) health, fitness and beauty products/services globally. As well as work with numerous major labels.
Prodeji Development, a mentorship-driven Affiliate Marketing company that trains individuals how to be self-employed, fund a goal/dream/project, replace a job or even retire with total financial independence. While training them on business skills and developing their company, we instill God/Family/Country values thru life-coaching methods which are passed down from an amazing system and line of coaches that I am trained by (World Wide Group).
#2 Mentor
I have dedicated my life to helping others. It is my genuine goal and passionate desire to make a difference in this world. My dream is to assist any that I can but focusing on those with aspirations to make a change in the world. I receive more gratification from seeing a person grow, shave off bad habits, polish skills from within and move on from difficult seasons in life then a paycheck. Relationships are my biggest motivation in life.
#3 Server
I feel it is my dutie and purpose to serve common people that are not being influenced, mentored or guided with positive association/values. There is too much negativity and demonic temptations flourishing the hollywood/entertainment worlds and not enough people off-setting the balance. I hope to glory the eyes of the Lord thru my actions and to model by example while influencing in leadership.
I pray for God to put people into my life that seek greatness, that desire balance, that dream of a home-run hit in life but that also want to retain values and ethics. It is hard to find that balance of heart, vision, talent, coolness, nerd, people skills, values, ethics, business-mind, drive. But it is out there and more importantly anyone can develop all of the above. You just have to #1 want it, #2 believe it, #3 speak it, #4 be coachable and #5 find someone that believes in you and is qualified to help you then #6 find a vehicle to get you where you need to go! I am in the driver's seat and already on the road to greatness!
Thank you to all of you amazing people that are already on the team and to those of you that believe in and support me/the vision of Prodeji
Jon McGurran
(*this does not involve my education, which is a whole different story)
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| I'm already saved (Rom 8:24, Eph 2:5-8),
but I am also being saved (1 Cor 1:8, 2 Cor 2:15, Phi 2:12),
and
I have the hope that I'll will be saved (Rom 5:9-10, 1 Cor 3:12-15).
Like the apostle Paul I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phi 2:12),
with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ (Rom 5:2, 2 Tim 2:11-13). | | |
| **I am trying to set up a myspace account** add me www.myspace.com/prodejidevelopment ---- ok, now to the theology.. Do you believe in purgatory and where is that concept seen in scripture? Yes, I most certainly believe in Purgatory. It will be helpful at the onset to define exactly what Catholics believe about it. For this, read articles 1030-1032 from the Catechism.
Now, the logic behind it is this: we have a faulty human nature that causes us to sin, predisposes us to sin, and accounts for our inclination to sin even after we have been "saved" by Jesus Christ. "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate" (Rom 7:15). This quality of our human nature, what we call concupiscence (kon-KYOO-pi-sints), is an imperfection that is always with us.
We also know that some sins have a mortal effect and some do not. "All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal" (1 John 5:17). Catholics call these non-mortal sins "venial sins" (cf. CCC, #1854-1864). Thus, the possibility exists that we can die with these venial sins on our soul and still go to heaven, since these sins are not of the type that have a mortal effect on our relationship with God.
Thirdly, we know that sin has an effect both on our relationship with God and our relationship with man. "We, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another" (Rom 12:5). "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together" (1 Cor 12:26). The Lord forgave David for killing Bathsheba's husband and assured David that he would not die, but his son still had to be taken from him (2 Sam 12:13-14). We must renew friendship with our fellow man before we meet the Judge (Mt 5:25).
Finally, and most importantly, we know that nothing unclean shall enter heaven (Rev 21:27). Without holiness, no one shall see the Lord (Heb 12:14). When we die, we bring with us our faulty human natures, any venial sins we have committed, and responsibility for whatever harm we have done to the Body of Christ that we have not remedied in this life. Although we may have rectified the divine effect of our sin through repentence (in which case heaven is our just reward), if we have not rectified the human effect of our sin, this must take place before we can enter heaven. "Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison; truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny" (Mt 5:25-26). Likewise, our human natures must be restored and any venial sins must be purged. These are all imperfections of our soul, and we cannot enter heaven as long as they persist.
We are everyday working out our faith with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12), we are everyday "being saved" (1 Cor 1:18; 2 Cor 2:15). Yet, often times, this life-long process of sanctification does not end with our death. Before a soul enters heaven, it is often necessary of the Lord to make one final act of sanctification. This final act is called Purgatory.
Now that I have stated why purification in the afterlife may be necessary, it is left only to show that the reality of Purgaotry is attested to by Scripture. Now, I have already stated why purification in the afterlife may be necessary. That it is real is attested to by many Scripture passages. Besides the ones I have already provided, we have the following, which would be quite peculiar and difficult to understand were it not for the reality of Purgatory.
Mt 12:32 And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come
The phrase “in the age to come” generally refers to the afterlife (cf., Mk 10:30; Lk 18:30; 20:34-35; Eph 1:21). But, there is no forgiveness in hell and forgiveness is not necessary in heaven. Thus, this must refer to purgatory.
Lk 12:46-48
46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the unfaithful.
47 And that servant who knew his master's will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating.
48 But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more.
The coming of the master is certainly an allusion to Judgment, either once we die or at the end of time. At this time, those who knew His will and did not do it will be put with the unfaithful and punished severely. This is the condemnation of hell. But, those who sinned unknowingly will receive, at their Judgment, a light beating. But, hell is a severe punishment for those who knowingly sin, and there is no beatings (or punishment) for those in heaven. Thus, this light beating refers to Purgatory, where all our lesser sins are purged away.
Lk 16:19-31 (The Story of the Rich Man and Lazarus)
We see that the rich man is in a place of torment, yet he is still able to communicate to Abraham his desire to warn his brothers. But, hell is a place of total separation from the Body of Christ and is devoid of good-will, and there is no torment in heaven. Thus, the rich man is in Purgatory.
Phil 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth
Jesus is not worshipped in hell, and heaven is already mentioned in this verse, so the place (for lack of a better word) under the earth where knees bow at the name of Christ is Purgatory.
2 Tim 1:16-18
16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiph'orus, for he often refreshed me; he was not ashamed of my chains,
17 but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me eagerly and found me--
18 may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day--and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.
Onesiphorus is already dead, yet Paul still prays that he will find mercy from the Lord "on that day", or at the Judgment (cf. Rom 2:5,16; 1 Cor 1:8; 3:13; 5:5; 2 Cor 1:14; Phil 1:6,10; 2:16; 1 Thes 5:2,4,5,8; 2 Thes 2:2,3; 2 Tim 4:8). But, there is no mercy, and nor can we pray for, those in hell, and those in heaven do not need mercy. Thus, Paul is praying for the dead because he knows there's the possibility Onesiphorus is undergoing a purging.
1 Cor 3:12-17
12 Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
14 If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.
15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
17 If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are.
Pay close attention to what is going on here. It is not in every day life that the fire is refining. It is on "the Day" which, as well have already seen, is Judgment Day. It is when we stand before Christ that the perishable works of a man's life will be consumed. "He will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved." This can only describe that last act of sanctification called Purgatory. "For our God is a consuming fire" (Heb 12:29). The flashes of his love "are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame" (So 8:6), and through it are "the spirits of just men made perfect" (Heb 12:23).
Now, I understand that there are responses to all the verses of Scripture that I have used, and I also know that it may seem hard for some to believe that the NT writers had something like Purgatory in mind. But, it is not that far-fetched. The Jews believed in a purging after death. When they celebrate the Kaddish, they are witnessing to this belief. From the entry on the "Kaddish" in the Jewish Encyclopedia, we read: The ṭaddish for the dead was originally recited at the close of the seven days' mourning, with the religious discourses and benedictions associated with it, but, according to Masseket Soferim xix. 12, only at the death of a scholar; afterward, in order not to put others to shame, it was recited after every burial (Naṭmanides, "Torat ha-Adam," p. 50; see Mourning).
In the course of time the power of redeeming the dead from the sufferings of Gehenna came to be ascribed, by some, to the recitation of the ṭaddish.
[. . .]
The idea that a son or grandson's piety may exert a redeeming influence in behalf of a departed father or grandfather is expressed also in Sanh. 104a; Gen. R. lxiii.; Tanna debe Eliyahu R. xvii.; Tanna debe Eliyahu Zuṭa xii.; see also "Sefer Ḥasidim," ed. Wiztinetzki, No. 32. In order to redeem the soul of the parents from the torture of Gehenna which is supposed to last twelve months ('Eduy. ii. 10; R. H. 17a), the Ḳaddish was formerly recited by the son during the whole year (Kol Bo cxiv.). Later, this period was reduced to eleven months, as it was considered unworthy of the son to entertain such views of the demerit of his parents (Shulḥan 'Aruk, Yoreh De'ah, 376, 4, Isserles' gloss; see Jahrzeit).
The NT writers were Jews. It's not hard to imagine that they held this belief. This is even more obvious when you consider that the early Church retained this belief as well.
I hope that helps. For more information on Purgatory, go here http://catholic.com/library/Roots_of_Purgatory.asp http://www.phatmass.com/directory/index.php/cat/159 | | |
| Scriptural Basis of the Mass as Sacrifice
ROME, SEPT. 26, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
Q: Where are we commanded to have a sacrifice in our formal worship of God? Protestants, for the most part, worship with singing, some collective prayers and long sermons. Where in the Bible does it say that proper worship contains a sacrifice? Also a review of where in the Bible the Mass parts come from and why we include them in Mass would be useful. Again, it will come down to convincing a "sola scriptura" believer that Scripture says we must do it. Any help would be appreciated. -- J.C., Leavenworth, Kansas
A: A full answer to this question exceeds the possibilities of this column. There are, however, many worthy resources available online. Web sites such as Catholic Answers contain, among other elements, Father Mitch Pacwa's "Is the Mass a Sacrifice?"
The Old Testament contains many divine commands to perform sacrifices. All of the complex liturgical rituals described in Leviticus, for example, are ostensibly commanded by God through Moses.
Perhaps the most important sacrifices commanded by God in the Old Testament were those in which the Almighty sealed a covenant. This includes the one with Noah after the flood, the pact made with Abraham, and above all the sacrifice of the paschal lamb in Egypt, a covenant that was completed 50 days later with another sacrifice at Sinai.
It was this covenant that was renewed each year at the Passover by means of a sacrificial ritual that was a "memorial" ("zikkaron" in Hebrew). It was not a mere recalling but rather one that ritually made present and ratified and renewed the saving events that had occurred so many years before.
For Catholics, the central divine command to worship, using a sacrifice, came from the lips of Christ when he told the apostles at the Last Supper, "Do this as in memory of me."
In doing so, he specifically recalled the Jewish Passover as a memorial and applied it to himself and his upcoming sacrifice on the cross, with a totally new and definitive meaning.
In this context Our Lord's words "This is my body, which is given for you" (Luke 22:19) correspond to those of Exodus 12:27: "[This ritual] is the sacrifice of the Passover in honor of Yahweh" when he freed Israel from slavery in Egypt.
The words "For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28) echo those of Exodus 24:8 when Moses says: "This … is the blood of the covenant that Yahweh has made with you."
We are thus before a unique sacrifice, the memorial sacrament of Christ's paschal sacrifice. Through it he has brought salvation to all mankind and sealed a new and eternal covenant in his blood.
Although the apostles probably did not immediately grasp the full meaning of Christ's gesture in the cenacle, their reflection on his words and actions and their familiarity with the Passover as a memorial quickly led them to understand that Our Lord had commanded them to repeat the ritual that he had established.
They understood that this ritual was the definitive paschal sacrifice which made present Christ's unique sacrifice on Calvary and in doing so ratified and renewed the new and eternal covenant.
Therefore, God has commanded us to worship with a sacrifice, his own unique sacrifice.
All other forms of ritual sacrifice have fallen by the wayside as Christ's sacrifice has an infinite worth that absorbs all the values and intentions expressed in the ancient sacrifices.
The Mass is a sacrifice insofar as it is the memorial that ritually renews and makes present to us, in time, Christ's once-and-for-all sacrifice on the cross.
The personal prayers and sacrifices of Christians reach their fulfillment when they are united to Christ's sacrifice through full, devout and active participation at Mass.
As to where in the Bible the various parts of the Mass are found, the answer is less clear. In a way it is everywhere and nowhere.
Everywhere, because the entire Mass is animated by Scripture. Almost all of the prayers and texts have a scriptural background and the entire rite is developed as a fruit of Christ's command to continue his actions.
Nowhere, in the sense that we will not find explicit commands to say, "Sing the Sanctus after the preface." Rather, the ritual has developed over time as a response to the scriptural exhortation to pray, to repeat the sacrifice, etc.
In this case even a Protestant would have to accept that the details of his worship (songs, psalms and long sermons, etc.) are found in the Bible only in very general terms. An interesting reference... Also, the word in Our Lord's words of institution "anamnesin" in the Greek means only one thing: to make truly present (the Sacrifice of Calvary) again. The Latin commeratio has exactly the same meaning.
Also, in the Old Testament, the commands for the purity of the paschal types of the Sacrifice made once for all time -- (and this perpetual Sacrifice made pesent again as noted above) empasize the Holiness of this All Holy Sacrifice with a worshipful total reverence, even in the Old Testement types, that cannot be equated with simply singing a song or such.
Also, this Sacrifice which was made by Christ to ransom us from pagan bondage to the devil isn't at all on the level of sermons where the Protestant minister is the center of attention. Which brings to mind, I think, a related subject: if even where a baptised Christian (a Protestant in this case) is normally not invited to partake of the Catholic Eucharist, shouldn't we all be careful about interreligious assumptions and statements that would defame the Holiness of Our High Priest's (Jesus Christ) singular Sacrifice?
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