The Catholic Defender: A writing from friend Luke Haskell

Donald HartleyActually, a consecrated priest most certainly can forgive sins. St. Paul calls this the "Ministry of Reconcilation." Jesus is forgiving in the action of his priest. We are given a judgement in the confessional, a judgement of Mercy that the Lord will honor when we do stand before Him to face His Justice. What a deal from Heaven! Luke HaskellI have noticed a pattern in the tradition of how Protestantism denies confession and the priesthood. In the process of separation from the church through man’s lower nature, over the last 500 years they have separated from the spiritual reality of Christianity.

They choose not to see more than one application for each of these topics.

When Paul tells us to confess to each other, he does so for the peace of the church so that we clear our hearts with our brothers in faith before we bring our gifts to the altar. The laity brought the bread and wine to be consecrated. It is the same 2000 years later.

Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother: and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift.

Matthew 5:24

This is different from the confession to the priest for the absolution of sins. For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and shouldest ordain priests in every city, as I also appointed thee:

Titus 1:5

He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you.

22When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. 23 Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them: and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.

John 20:21

Protestants quote the Pharisees that only God can forgive sins while they ignore the words of God. Protestantism limits its capacity for faith in scripture by rationalizing away Catholic concepts. It’s a Judeo Catholic book.

At the beginning of Mass the church has general confession and during Holy Mass is spiritually sprinkled with the blood that speaks better than that of Able for atonement of venial sins ( Hebrews 12:22) so that Jesus presents his bride to his father without spot or wrinkle.

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church and delivered himself up for it: 26That he might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life: 27That he might present it to himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing.

Ephesians 5:23

We began the Holy Mass with…

“I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.”

Protestantism ignores the ordained priesthood by trying to say that because Christ is our High Priest there is no more ordained priesthood.

First , this goes against clear scripture, exegesis and historical record.

For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and shouldest ordain priests in every city, as I also appointed thee:

Titus 1:5

Etymology

priest (n.) Middle English prēst, "cleric ranking below a bishop and above a deacon, a parish priest," from Old English preost, which probably was shortened from the older Germanic form represented by Old Saxon and Old High German prestar, Old Frisian prestere, all from Vulgar Latin *prester "priest," from Late Latin presbyter "presbyter, elder," from Greek presbyteros "elder (of two), old, venerable," comparative of presbys "old Historical Irenaeus of Lyon

And all the apostles of the Lord are priests, who do inherit here neither lands nor houses, but serve God and the altar continually (Against Heresies 4:8:3 [A.D. 189]).

Second they use a false understanding of Hebrews 9 and 10 to do it.

When Paul refers to priests in Hebrews 9 and 10 he is referring to those of the Old Covenant who continuously offered Bulls and Goats as types for Christ. He is not referring to the New Covenant ordained priesthood. He refers to Christ as high priest in the mystical nature of the Fulfillment of Yom Kippur where Christ brings his very body into the Holies where the Spiritual reality of the Holy Mass occurs with the hosts of heaven. Where Christ is our mediator in Mount Sion the New Jerusalem. There would be no High Priest without a subordinate priesthood.

19Having therefore, brethren, a confidence in the entering into the holies by the blood of Christ: 20A new and living way which he hath dedicated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh: 21And a high priest over the house of God: 22Let us draw near with a true heart, in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with clean water. ( Baptism now saves you)

Hebrews 10:19

In spiritually entering the veil through the laver, we are given the graces to celebrate the true Passover through our high priest with the hosts of heaven. ( Nothing unclean can enter it) Therefore in Hebrews 10, Paul shows us how we entered the veil. In Hebrews 12, he shows us our heavenly reality we come to in every Holy Mass where through our high priest we offer the true Passover for the world. Not by the works of justice which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us, by the laver of regeneration and renovation of the Holy Ghost.

Titus 3:5

The meeting tent holds the mystery of salvation through Christ and his body, his bride, his church.

The laver before entering the veil is baptism into the flesh of Christ.

But you are come to mount Sion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of angels, 23And to the church of the firstborn who are written in the heavens, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect, 24And to Jesus the mediator of the new testament, and to the sprinkling of blood which speaketh better than that of Abel.

Paul says spiritual things need to be spiritually examined and the sensual man perceive not these things. He says, if our gospel be veiled it is veiled to those who are perishing.

It is veiled to those who do not live scripture. Those who do not live the religion and ritual of the New Covenant. Christ is sacrificed once and for all and the New Covenant ordained do not continuously offer Bulls and goats. A Jewish sacrifice is two main parts. The slaying of the victim and the offering up of the fruit of the sacrifice to the Father in heaven.

The offering up of the fruit is the true Passover for the world in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The offering prophecied in Malachi 1:11

“For from the rising of the sun even to the going down, my name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to my name a clean oblation: for my name is great among the Gentiles, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Hebrews is written to baptized Jews who were falling back into the Jewish rituals of the second legislation of Mosaic Law. It is written to show the heavenly reality of Yom Kippur through Christ, inside the true Holy of Holies in the New Jerusalem that we come to spiritually at every Holy Mass for the general redemption of the world . For as often as you shall eat this bread and drink this cup you will show the death of the Lord until He comes again.

1 Corinthians 11:26

Show the death of the Lord to the Father through our High Priest and mediator where we offer prayer, supplication, intercession, and thanksgiving ( Eucharistasis) for all men.

Let the priest who rules well be worthy of double honor especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 1 Timothy 5:17