The Book of Sirach on sin

I found this in John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, in his audience of September 10, 1980. (The link to the full audience in English can be found below)

“The soul heated like a burning fire / will not be quenched until it is consumed; / a man who commits fornication / will never cease until the fire burns him up; / to a fornicator all bread tastes sweet; / he will never cease until he dies. / A man who breaks his marriage vows / says to himself: 'Who sees me? / Darkness surrounds me, and the walls hide me; / no one sees me. Why should I fear? / The Most High will not take notice of my sins.' / His fear is confined to the eyes of men; / he does not realize that the eyes of the Lord / are ten thousand times brighter than the sun; / they look upon all the ways of men, / and perceive even the hidden places. / So it is with a woman who leaves her husband, / and provides an heir by a stranger” (Sir 23:17-22).

But fornication is not the only sin that can be applied to this Scripture quote. Rather, any sin can be applied here. And that sin will only continue to burn you up because no sin can ever find fulfillment. It only keeps growing and growing until it is recognized and pushed it out. The only way to extinguish the fire is repentance and confession.

http://www.theologicalclowning.org/039.html

Today's Mass found in 1st Century

Back over the summer, Bishop Thomas Rodi of the Diocese of Biloxi published an article showing the origins of the normal form of the Sacred Mass of the Roman Catholic Church found in today’s Missal. Specifically, Bishop Rodi uses the liturgy described by St Justin Martyr in his First Apology (155 A.D.) to show the parallels between today’s Mass and that of the second century. Below is the portion of Bishop Rodi’s article where Justin’s words are in bold and parallels are made parenthetically by Bishop Rodi.

On the day we call the day of the sun, all who dwell in the city or country gather in the same place. (We call this day Sunday.)
The memoirs of the apostles and writing of the prophets are read, as much as time permits. (Justin refers to the “memoirs” of the apostles and “writings” of the prophets. The word “bible” would not be used for another 300 years until the Catholic Church collected all these writings into one book.)
When the reader has finished, he who presides over those gathered admonishes and challenges them to imitate these beautiful things. (We call this the sermon or homily.)
Then all rise together and offer prayers for ourselves … and for all others, wherever they may be, so that we may be found righteous by our life and actions, and faithful to the commandments so as to obtain eternal salvation. (We call this the General Intercessions or Prayers of the Faithful)
When the prayers are concluded we exchange the kiss of peace. (We call this the sign of peace. It has been moved in the modern Mass to just before sharing Communion.)
Then someone brings the bread and a cup of water and wine mixed together to him who presides over the brethren. (We call this the presentation of the gifts or the offertory procession.)
He takes them and offers praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and for a considerable time he gives thanks (in Greek: eucharistan) that we have been judged worthy of these gifts. (We call this the Eucharistic Prayer, the core of which is the words of consecration.)
When he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all present give voice to an acclamation by saying: “Amen.” (We call this the Great Amen which is at the end of each Eucharistic Prayer.)
When he who presides has given thanks and the people have responded, those who are called deacons give to those present the “eucharisted” bread, wine and water and taken them to those who are absent. (We call this Communion. After Communion the consecrated or “eucharisted” bread is reserved in the tabernacle so it may be brought during the week to those too sick to come to Mass.)


Bishop Rodi then points out how today’s Mass is shown in documents as old as this, but ultimate dates back to the Last Supper, which was the first Mass. Every Mass ever celebrated since the Last Supper has been living out the charge of Christ to “do this in memory of me”, reliving the Last Supper.