----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, March 01, 2004 7:42
AM
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] The passion of
Christ
Terry wrote: making me wonder how the full moon figured in the
story.
How could you miss the significance of the SIGNS in the heavens?
And as the moon at its full she shines. The blessed Mary is said to be
the full moon, because in every way perfect. The moon is imperfect when a
half-moon, because it is stained or horned. But the glorious Virgin neither
in Her birth had any stain, because sanctified in Her mother's womb, guarded
by angels, nor in Her days had She the horns of pride. Hence, She shone
fully and perfectly. She is said to be light because She dispels the
darkness.
And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with sun,
and the
moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of
twelve stars. And being with child . . . she brought forth a male
child, who is to rule all nations with a rod of iron; and her child was
caught up to God and to his throne. . . . And the dragon was angered at the
woman, and went away to wage war with the rest of her offspring, who keep
the commandments of God, and hold fast the testimony of Jesus.--Revelations
12:1-2,5,17.
I [the Lord] will put enmity between you [the serpent] and the woman, and
between your offspring and hers; He [and/or She in Hebrew] will strike at
your head, while you strike at his [and/or her in Hebrew] heal.--Genesis
3:15.
Perhaps it has to do with the purification of our lady?
fr. Neil Ferguson O.P. teaches church history at Blackfriars, Oxford
and at Allen Hall, the seminary of the Archdiocese of Westminster. He is
also assistant chaplain to the University of Oxford.
Accordingly, in this month, about the fourteenth day of the
month, when the orb of the moon is usually about to become
full, the public universal feast of the Passover is celebrated,
which in the Chaldaic language is called pascha; at
which festival not only do private individuals bring victims to the altar
and the priests sacrifice them, but also, by particular ordinances of this
law, the whole nation is consecrated and officiates in offering sacrifice;
every separate individual on this occasion bringing forward and offering up
with his own hands the sacrifice due on his own behalf. Therefore all the
rest of the people rejoiced and was of joyful countenance, every one
thinking that he himself was honoured by this participation in the
priesthood. On the Life of Moses II:224-225.
This served as a model for what Jesus did on the night of
the Last Supper. While, as St Peter reminds us in his first letter, we are
all part of a consecrated nation, a royal priesthood, a people set apart (1
Pet 2:9; Ex 19:6), on Holy Thursday night Jesus instituted not only the
sublime sacrament of the Eucharist but also the sacrament
of Order.
The Gospel
accounts of Christ's passion link His death and resurrection to the Jewish
Passover, a commemoration of the Mosaic covenant. The early church fixed the date to
coincide with Passover annually, but not to celebrate the old covenant holy
days of Passover. A restriction was laid in the canons for the
universal celebration of Easter. Easter, it was decided, cannot be
the same day as Passover.
To ensure compliance, the Sunday following the High
Holy days of Passover - which is always the first Sabbath, Friday
night/Saturday, after the full moon of the Jewish month of Nissan, which is
the month of spring - would be closest Easter could ever be to
Passover.
To separate Easter from Passover further,
the canon of date determination specifies astronomical events rather than
Jewish calendar dates: the Sunday following the first full moon that
following the vernal equinox. March 20/21 is that date in both western
calendars (Gregorian - new - and Julian - old -). The Julian calendar (or Old
Calendar) resistance to restoring March 21st (after drifting later and
later) to the actual vernal equinox means that March 21st happens 13 days
later than the New (Gregorian) Calendar. The Gregorian Calendar is the
modern calendar used throughout the world today. So, the Julian March 21st
is 13 days later in the first week of April (New Calendar). The first full
moon following that is April 28 (a Sunday). So the following Sunday, Easter,
is May 5th. This is one of the most disparate years between the calendars -
March 31st and May 5th.
Maybe it is just ASTROLOGY?
On February 20, the Sun enters the sign of Pisces for its annual
sojourn. On February 25 (Ash Wednesday) Mel Gibson's controversial movie,
The PASSION
of the Christ premiers.
That day, Mercury is in Pisces at zero degrees, the beginning of the sign
and a power point, since zero of any sign is referred to as a "critical
degree." The Passion has been
reported to be shocking in its treatment of the crucified Christ, with torture
being prominently and excruciatingly displayed in the movie. . . .
Greek Orthodox Moon searching
Or maybe it has to do with good old PAGANISM
Wicca?
Nowcomes theVernal Equinox,and theseason ofSpring reaches it's apex,
halfway through its journey from Candlemas to Beltane
Her chief symbols were the bunny (both for fertility and because
her worshipers saw a hare in the full moon) and the egg
(symbolic of the cosmic egg of creation), images which Christians have been
hard pressed to explain. Her holiday, the Eostara, was held on the Vernal
Equinox Full Moon. Of course, the
Church doesn't celebrate full moons, even if they
do calculate by them, so they planted their Easter on the following Sunday.
Thus, Easter is always the first Sunday, after the first Full Moon, after the Vernal
Jer 10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen,
and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at
them.
Terry Clifton
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
-----
Original Message -----
From: "David Miller"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday,
February 29, 2004 6:55 PM
Subject: RE: [TruthTalk] The passion of
Christ
> Terry wrote:
> > Went to the movies today
for the first time
> > in about twenty-five
years.
>
> Wow! I bet you never expected to break your long
movie fast with an "R"
> rated film. :-)
>
> Terry
wrote:
> > making me wonder how the full moon figured in the
story.
>
> It is historically accurate that there was a full
moon on that night.
>
> Terry wrote:
> > As He
finishes praying, a large snake crawls up
> > to him and He
stomps on it's head. At that point,
> > I was ready to walk out,
but I am glad I stayed.
>
> Interesting. It was at this point
that I was satisfied that the movie I
> was now seeing would be a
very good and Biblical movie. I was greatly
> moved and blessed by
Gibson putting such a thing into the movie because
> prophetically,
this is exactly what Jesus did. For a man to portray the
> prophetic
along with the historical like this was a very good indicator
> to
me. Besides, the way he made Christ first simply without any fear
as
> the snake crawled upon him, then after resisting temptation and
reaching
> some resolve, he quickly stomped the snake with little
hesitation or
> carefulness, all this struck a chord with me. I
guess I simply related
> to it and how temptation and the victorious
outcome comes about.
>
> Terry wrote:
> > My next
thought was that "This goes far beyond
> > my definition of love"
Only God could love that
> > much and only God could make such a
sacrifice."
> > I came out of that movie with a new view. I
now
> > see sin more clearly than ever before, and the
>
> things that were once fun and exciting are now
> > so ugly.
The price He paid for the fun I had
> > was way too high. The
suffering was too much.
> > None of us are worth it. See the
movie.
> > You will understand better than you have ever
>
> understood before.
>
> Very thought provoking comments,
Terry. One day I would enjoy meeting
> you and spending an evening
talking about the things of the Lord. I
> think I would learn a
lot.
>
> Peace be with you.
> David Miller, Beverly
Hills, Florida.
>
===============================
David:
Thanks for telling me about the full moon that night. I was not
aware
of that before now.
I also thank you for the kind comments, but I doubt
that you would be much
impressed. I am common as
dirt.
Terry>
>
----------
"Let your speech be
always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to
answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org
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