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   Chapter 9 We Live in Christ 
   and God's Spirit Dwells in Us 

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  Table of Contents

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 Paragraph numbers with topics 

ChapterWe Participate in 
                    the Sacred Mysteries

416  Baptism  
417  Confirmation  
418-420  Eucharist 
421-423  Marriage 
424  Summary 

  Sidenotes

  (1) IGL 91:53
  (2) IGL 157:18-22
  (3) CCC 1227  fn 31  CE
         ⇒ 1 Cor 6:11; ⇒ 12:13. 

  (4) CCC 1300 quote 113
        Paul VI, apostolic 
        constitution, Divinae
        consortium naturae, 663.

  (5) CCC 1296 fn 109 Cf.
         ⇒ Rev 7:2-3; ⇒ 9:4;
        ⇒ Ezek 9:4-6.

  (6) IGL 3:7-10
  (7) IGL 396:21-29
  (8) IGL 172:21-32
  (9) IGL 109:17
  (10) IGL 504:12-17
  (11) IGL 426:28-32
  (12) IGL 60:29-30
  (13) IGL 22:1-3
  (14)
IGL 32:15,20,24-29  
NOTE --- IGL Endnote # 32  This passage is actually repeated again word for word in what would have been number # 418 however a second copy of it is not included. This must have been very important to be included twice.

  (15) IGL 316:29-33
  (16) IGL 433:40-45

How does In God's Love 
written by Janet Hurlow
relate to 
the Catholic Faith ?

  Chapter 8  We Participate in the Sacred Mysteries

416          While six of the seven Sacraments are not mentioned by their common names (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders) in the passages in the book  "In God's Love", they may be alluded to in a few phrases.  Baptism may be alluded to in two phrases.  First, “Bless the day you were born, righteous of God.”(1)   Some people might hold that this could be talking about our natural birth, but as Catholics we believe that we are put in a right-relationship with God, become righteous, when we are baptized. Indeed, we hold this day very blessed.  The second phrase that could be an allusion to Baptism is “Soon, the call is sent, and, in such music, take our spirits, washed in Christ’s, (Spirit) O precious Lamb, sweet bread and wine from Heaven:”(2)   The Catechism states that “through the Holy Spirit, Baptism is a bath that purifies, justifies, and sanctifies.”   These phrases may or may not be a reference to Baptism, but they do affirm that it is a blessed thing to become righteous of God and that the Spirit of Christ does wash our spirits clean.(3)

417           In the Rite of Confirmation, the Bishop uses these words, “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.”(4)   The Catechism states, “This seal of the Holy Spirit marks our total belonging to Christ, our enrollment in his service forever, as well as the promise of divine protection in the great eschatological trial.”(5)   The one possible reference to Confirmation in In God’s Love states, “God blesses within man’s very soul.  God’s kind Spirit inscribes a very special seal on His elect.  This seal places you with God’s saints.  In all ways, very blessed are Earth children who wait.”(6)   The Holy Spirit inscribing a special seal upon the elect’s very soul is profound Catholic Theology, and the only thing lacking is the phrase, “and this is called Confirmation.”  While the phrase may not reference Confirmation, the messengers certainly profess the belief in the ability of the Holy Spirit to place a seal upon our soul and the effect of the seal is being placed with God’s Saints.

418           The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith.  The Mass may be alluded to in three phrases.  When we gather around the altar at Mass, Catholics believe that we, and the bread and wine that we offer, become the Body and Blood of Christ.  The first phrase that may allude to the Mass is the second quote on Baptism that mentions bread and wine from heaven: “Soon, the call is sent, and, in such music, take our spirits, washed in Christ’s, O precious Lamb, sweet bread and wine from Heaven:”  I think that the reference “sweet bread and wine from Heaven” is an identifying reference to Christ who is the sweet bread and wine from Heaven.  He is our bread and our wine that we partake of in the Eucharist.

419           The second phrase may set before us the Eucharistic Bread of Christ as it proclaims, “In Christ Jesus, start your love song.  Unite in this wonder of all wonders.  Sit at His table. Seek His bread.  Cast your fears away.  Is any fear seen in this gentle Lamb?  Where is your fear when you behold your God on Earth teaching among men?  Sit at His table.  He is a kind Host.”(7)   When do we sit at table?  When do we seek His bread?  When do we hear our God’s teaching word?  It is when we gather for the source and summit of our faith, the Eucharist.  Yes, we need to unite and commune with this “wonder of wonders”.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone realized that Mass was the “wonder of wonders”.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone left Mass with their fears cast away? 

420           The third phrase may set before us the Eucharistic Blood of Christ as it proclaims, “Bitter is the cup set before the wicked.  Would you drink from such a bitter chalice when the sweet wine is passed?  Would you choose the bitter?  This is foolish.  Such is the wickedness of man.  The wise choose the sweet wine which is the chalice of God and the saints.  Such a blessed cup.  Wise are all who drink from the chalice of the Lamb and do not pass it up.  In this is wisdom.”(8)    Until we read “The wise…” this looks like a simple phrase of ultimatum, like, “I place before you, life and death”.  The words, “sweet wine”  “chalice of God and the saints” “blessed cup” “chalice of the Lamb” indicate we are talking about something much more than choosing a holy life over a sinful life.  It is a small step to go from the “chalice of the Lamb” to the “blood of Christ.”  Indeed, it is partaking in the Chalice of the Lamb that enables us to live the life that is not bitter, or foolish.  While never using the words, “Mass”, “Eucharist” “Communion” or “Body and Blood of Christ”, the messengers certainly have thoughts that sound very "Eucharistic.”  They profess that we should “drink of the cup of the Lamb of God”, “sit at the Lord’s Table,” “hunger for His bread,” “listen to His instruction,” and be people without fear.  So while the messengers may not use the titles of the Sacraments of Initiation of the Church, they are certainly in harmony with much of these Sacred Mysteries.

421           The topic of marriage and family life is present in the book, In God’s Love.  The messengers tell women to “remain virgins until you take a righteous husband”(9)   With humor they say we mislabel “peace” as the ceasing of hostilities between countries, like the ending of a war between spouses or children becoming quiet.(10)   They encourage us to pray about our marriage and our children. (11)  The messengers give advice on child rearing such as “start (training) while the twigs are young and tender.  It is hard to bend old limbs set and warped.”(12)  

422           They, like the Church, are concerned about the holiness of the children.  They write, “Make all your children sing blessedly to God by serving God with perfect love, setting an example in all ways.”(13)   In a passage that was so important they repeated it, they write, “Teach them (your children) of God…. While you wait, sing blessed songs to your little ones.…keep your children in God’s spiritual beauty.  Sign their names in Heaven.  Make very wise children on God’s Earth.  Choose for your little ones.  Bless them among the saints, children in God’s Spirit. Amen.”(14)   They are saddened that some parents choose foolishness for their children: “man seeks not to eat ashes.  It is not in him to crave darkness and dust.  Why do you lay away these things for yourselves and your children? Take, in God’s Spirit.”(15)   And they write that many holy parents “weep for their own, dear children, lest they have made a grave mistake of giving birth to souls who will suffer eternal damnation.  This is the time for children to understand parents who weep and pray for their souls.  Come, they cry, come.”(16)  

423           Some of the above citations on marriage and family life are observational, some read more like advice, while some are more theological. Their theological statements (which can also be advice) are in perfect harmony with the Catholic Church.  They are the following: remain virgins until marriage, pray for our  marriage and our children, be a good spiritual example to our children, teach our children of God, and choose the wisdom of God for our children and not foolishness that leads to damnation for them.  While the messengers may not write much about the theology of marriage, it is clear that families and raising up of holy children are extremely important to them.  What they write is in harmony with the Church’s view on marriage and parenting.   

424           In summary, while the messengers may not use the titles of the Sacraments of Initiation, what they do write is in harmony with much of the theology of the Sacraments of Initiation.  What they write about marriage and family life is also in harmony with what the Church would teach.

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