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I have a lot of Catholic apps on my phone but I’ve got to say that my current favorite is called “iPieta.” It’s a great “one stop shop” for Catholics who want to grow in their faith.

The app includes:

• The Bible
• The Catholic Calendar of Feast days along with the daily readings
• Popular devotions and prayers
• Classic spiritual writings of the Saints, Popes and Church Fathers
• Multiple Catechisms
• Papal encyclicals, council documents, Rosary Scriptures and a whole lot more

It’s the perfect app for people who want to grow in knowledge of the Catholic faith or deepen their prayer life. The ability to have so much mobile Catholic goodness on your phone is mind-boggling, and gives you a great way to pass the time when you’re sitting waiting for a friend to show up, standing alone in a line … or you’re bored in a meeting (not that I’ve ever done that).

Our belief as Catholics in the True Presence of Jesus, body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist sets us apart from nearly every other Christian religion because it’s so radical. This one belief is hard to accept; even some of Jesus’ disciples left Him when He said He was truly present in the bread and wine.

However, this is a facet of our faith that has been believed since the very early Christians, some who even died because of it.

We put together a mini-poster PDF for you with quotes about the True Presence from the Catechism, the Bible, saints and early Church Fathers. Go ahead and print it out, share it with your friends or hang it in a place where it will raise discussion.

Download the PDF by clicking on the image.

Quotes on the True Presence

“This is my body.” – Mark 14:22

“If anyone eats this bread he shall live forever; the bread I will give is my flesh” – John 6:51

“And know that I am with you always, until the end of the world!” – Matthew 28:20

The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring: “Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation.” CCC 1376

The mode of Christ’s presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as “the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend.”201 In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained.”202 “This presence is called ‘real’—by which is not intended to exclude the other types of presence as if they could not be ‘real’ too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present.” CCC 1374

Holy Eucharist is the sacrament in which Jesus Christ gives his body and blood – himself – for us, so that we too might give ourselves to him in love and be united with him in Holy Communion. In this way we are joined with the one Body of Christ, the Church. – YouCat 208

“Do not, therefore, regard the bread and wine as simply that, for they are, according to the Master’s declaration, the Body and Blood of Christ. Even though the senses suggest to you the other, let faith make you firm.” – St. Cyril of Jerusalem

“Jesus Christ said over the consecrated elements, ‘This is My Body.’ You say, ‘No. It is not His Body!’ Whom am I to believe? I prefer to believe Jesus Christ.” – Blessed Dominic Barberi

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ instruction and the communal life, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”- Acts 2:42

“I have no taste for corruptible food nor for the pleasures of this life. I desire the bread of God, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, who was of the seed of David; and for drink I desire his blood, which is love incorruptible” (Letter to the Romans 7:3 [A.D. 110]). – St. Ignatius of Antioch

“Formerly there was baptism in an obscure way … now, however, in full view, there is regeneration in water and in the Holy Spirit. Formerly, in an obscure way, there was manna for food; now, however, in full view, there is the true food, the flesh of the Word of God, as he himself says: ‘My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink’ (John 6:56)” (Homilies on Numbers 7:2 [A.D. 248]). – Origen

As this new song by Selena Gomez was playing through my head on repeat – peat – peat – peat – peat it occurred to me “I don’t even know what that means! Does Justin Beiber know what it means? Does Selena tell her boyfriend these kinds of things?”

Now I’ve heard plenty of similes.

I’ve heard “I love you like a fat kid loves chocolate cake” and “I love you like a monkey loves bananas.” But “love you like a love song” is a little vague. So I looked at some of the popular love songs on the radio right now. Here’s what I found.

Drugs, Dirt, Demands and … Aliens?

Even though the guy “might sell coke” Nikki Minaj says he’s got her heartbeat running away, beating like a drum.

“I wanna go all the way, wanna show all the dirt that’s been on my mind” says Britney.

Pitbull is pretty demanding in his love song – “I want you tonight. Give me everything tonight.”

And of course the love song to an alien. Because that makes sense. That’s something every girl’s wishing for – prince charming from Mars. “Infect me with your loving, fill me with your poison”

I guess after listening to those love songs I’m even more confused by what Selena means. That can’t be true love. There’s got to more. There just has to be a better love song.

What is love?

We read in 1 John 4:8 that God is love. At first, that might sound like just another song lyric or simile but what it really means is that all true love is actually an experience of God Himself. So if we want to know what true love is, a great way to find out is by getting to know God better. And we get to know God through prayer, the sacraments and the Bible.

There’s a book of the Bible that’s like the highest love song of all. Which is ironic because it’s called “Song of Songs.” You can read this book as if it’s God’s love song to each one of us. Listen to what He says:

“You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride … How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride. Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm, for strong as death is love, relentless as the nether world is devotion, its flames a blazing fire” (Song of Songs 4:9 – 10, 8:6)

When my girlfriends and I read this, it makes perfect sense. We want a guy who is going to comfort and protect us. Someone who is strong and sees us not only as a bride, but also a true friend and companion – like a sister.

For the guys though, this verse is all about God showing you a picture of the honorable warrior. This is a lover who isn’t out to use and abuse like those other love songs talk about. He’s ready to sacrifice for the one he loves.

I love you like …

When it comes to love and relationships then, I don’t think I want to learn how to love from Pitbull, Britney, Nikki or Katy. When God says “I love you like …” this is how His love is:

“Love is patient,
Love is kind.
It is not jealous,
Love is not pompous,
It is not inflated,
It is not rude,
It does not seek its own interests,
It is not quick-tempered,
It does not brood over injury,
It does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things,
Hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

Do you see what God’s getting at here? This kind of love isn’t just about “me, me, me” like the recent love songs on the radio. That kind of love falls a little short of this “ideal” love of God doesn’t it? His love seems pretty counter – cultural and epic to me!

Now I’m not saying I know what Selena had in mind when she recorded this song. But I think it’s ok if we interpret it this way. So now when it plays on repeat – peat – peat – peat – peat in your head, it can be a reminder of God’s “love as strong as death.” A love that lays down its life for the loved one. (John 15:13)

Can you love the people in your life like that?

For instance: “I heard that the Bible doesn’t say drinking alcohol is a sin.”

“Well, no, the Bible does not say that drinking alcohol is a sin,” I respond. I then go on to explain that it does become sinful (very easily), if any of the following happen:

• If you are not of legal age. (Rom. 13:1-7, Mt 22:21)
• If you fail to do so in moderation – meaning you should not get drunk or even “buzzed.” (1 Thes 5:6-8, Gal 5:21, Rom 12:1-3; 13:13)
• If your consumption leads you to dependence upon it. (1 Tim 3:8, Titus 2:3, Lk 21:34)
• If doing so – in any way – leads others into sin. (Rom 14:21, 2 Cor 6:3, Mt 13:41)

Some young people embrace these truths and accept them with humility as they try to grow in holiness. Others just try to debate, justify, legitimize, or argue their way around them because they don’t like the answer. Here’s where the disconnect usually happens. Where do you want your energy to go: toward the Lord or towards some desired “loophole?”

High school students sometimes argue that they are mature enough to drink alcohol before they’re 21. “I can die for my country, but I can’t buy a beer,” I often hear uttered by seniors.

The question at hand is not your maturity, necessarily. I know plenty of people who are chronologically legal to drink, but far too immature to be doing so. Maturity is about more than age, but true maturity also encompasses humility, and wisdom. Obedience is an even greater sign of maturity than courage; it takes courage (and humility) to be obedient.

Some teens say there’s just nothing fun to do in their town or argue about how stressful their life is and how they just need a drink to relax. If you need alcohol to have fun or to relax – that’s a sad statement about your life, your friends, and a probable sign of a far deeper problem like addiction.

Some people just want an excuse – alcohol – to act like an idiot or to be sexually promiscuous without being held too accountable for it. Drunkenness doesn’t excuse or justify sins – it adds to the sin and often magnifies them even more. You are not held accountable by God only for what you remember… but for what you do.

Others think that drinking alcohol in some way validates and legitimizes them, or makes them more of an adult. This is just stupid. Your worth comes from Jesus Christ, not from drinking. Your dignity comes from God. And while the Bible does not overtly say that drinking alcohol is sinful, it is very, very clear in warning about the dangers and problems that often come with alcohol.

As we focus on Integrity, it’s important to point out that our holiness is not measured by what we want but by what God wants for us. Obedience and humility make us holy. An openness to God’s grace makes us holy. Allowing that grace to make us more virtuous makes us holy.

The cup that Christ offers us to drink from is not being passed from a keg – it is a cup of sacrifice, a cup of suffering that comes with putting God’s will ahead of our own.

For those of you still reading, I’m proud of you. I’m very proud of you, because your heart is open – maybe more open than you realize – and the Lord wants to speak to that openness.

For those who have gotten angry while reading this – I’d invite you to pray about this more in the Lord’s presence. Go before the Blessed Sacrament with your arguments and philosophies and see if the Lord is as supportive of them as your friends are.

God wants us to be pure. God wants us to live for Him. God wants us to be examples. God wants us to lead others to holiness, not to sin. St. Paul called this “the law of love.” It basically meant that we should avoid anything that could cause one of our fellow brothers or sisters in Christ to stumble or fall on their walk toward Him.

So where do you want to spend your energy – seeking the Lord or the loopholes?

So if you’ve ever wanted to go deeper into God’s Word but haven’t known how to approach it, allow me to suggest a few tips (so you can learn from my mistakes).

Like anything else, if you want to build something – in this case, your knowledge and love for the Scriptures – you don’t just grab a hammer and some nails and start pounding. To ensure that you don’t just jump in and then quit out of frustration or confusion, there are certain things you can do to be more successful.

We’ll attack this on three levels – the tools, the blueprint and the construction. By the end you’ll have ten total steps to help you build your bodily temple into a Biblical fortress, able to resist anything the devil can throw at you.

THE TOOLS

Let’s start with three things you should do before you start studying.

1. Pick a time, but not just any time. Commit to a daily time that you’ll open God’s Word but be sure it’s an intelligent time. If you’re really tired, for example, than reading the Bible once you’re in bed probably isn’t the best time. Pick a time when you’re totally awake so you can give your full attention.

2. Pick a Bible that you can understand. Get yourself a good Catholic Bible (that way you have all 73 books), but if you don’t have one right now, that shouldn’t keep you from reading. The best translation today is the one that you already have. It’s important that your Bible is comfortable to read, light enough to take with you, durable enough to really use, and inexpensive enough that you don’t feel bad writing or marking in it. If you haven’t seen it – I highly recommend the Life Teen Catholic Teen Bible. Remember, your Bible is meant to be used.

3. Have other books that help you understand the BOOK. There are some great resources out there designed to help you understand the Bible better. You Can Understand the Bible by Peter Kreeft is a great resource, as is the Ignatius Bible Study series by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch. There are other resources like Sword of the Spirit that highlight specific books (like St. Paul’s epistles, in this case). It’s also great to have The Catechism of the Catholic Church handy, so you can use it as you study.

THE BLUEPRINT
Next, we’ll cover three things you can do as you study.

1. Pray, and then pray some more. Before you open God’s Word, ask the author of that word – the Holy Spirit – to be present in a bold and fierce way. Quiet yourself, spend some time in silence, and hold the Bible in your hands as you pray. Ask God, through the power of His Spirit, to open your mind, your eyes and your heart to His truth. Thank Him for the gift of His Word, a gift that millions have given their lives to defend and offer you the freedom to read and pray. It doesn’t have to be a long prayer but take some time – this is the most important step in Bible study.

2. Have a plan. If you were planning on reading the Bible cover to cover – don’t. The Bible isn’t a novel; it wasn’t designed to be read from Genesis straight through to Revelation. After you have studied it for a while, if you want to go back and read it cover to cover, go for it. Until then you’d be wise to attack it from a different angle. Pick one book that you are going to start in and make that book your focus for a while. If you are starting from scratch, I’d suggest the Gospel of Mark. St. Mark’s gospel is the shortest and easiest to understand.

3. Get the background. If you do start in a Gospel, take the time to learn about who the author was, who he was writing to, and what the basic themes are of his Gospel account. Ask yourself what makes that specific account different than the other three. Don’t just jump into a letter of St. Paul without knowing what is going on in the city to which he is writing. If you are reading a prophet, know what was going on in his world at the time.

“Where do I learn these things?” you might ask. Read the Introduction to the Gospel on the pages preceding it. Use one of your additional books or resources to help you. When you know what is going on with the author and the audience, the words will jump out at you in a much different way and you will have a far greater insight.

THE CONSTRUCTION

Finally, let’s hit four things you should remember, while reading the Bible and beyond.

1. Less is more. Don’t just open up the Gospel and read until you get tired or “for fifteen minutes” because that’s what you committed to doing. Most Bibles break down the chapters into subchapters. If you began in the Gospel of Mark, for instance, you shouldn’t just start in verse 1 and continue through verse 45 (the end of the chapter). Instead, take verses 1-8 and spend 15 minutes meditating on them. Take just verses 9-11 and ruminate (chew) through them. That first chapter (the 45 verses) should be broken down into about 10 different studies alone. Studying the Scriptures is not like driving across country – it’s not about how much distance you cover in a set amount of time. Enjoy the time, roll down the windows and take everything in.

2. Periods are there for a reason. The periods at the end of each sentence are almost as much a gift as the words that precede them. Each little “dot” is an invitation to take a breath and reflect on what you just read and prayed. At each period, take a moment to envision the story that’s unfolding. If you are reading about the Baptism of Jesus (Mk. 1:9-11), don’t just say “Hey cool, Jesus is getting baptized.” Go deeper. At each period, put yourself more deeply into the story – at His baptism, where are you? Are you on the shore, on the mountain overlooking the scene or in the water right next to Christ? Is it hot out? Does the water smell bad? Is it noisy or peaceful? Let the story come alive.

3. Journal. As you are writing and verses confuse you or questions arise, write them down in a journal. Don’t allow yourself to get hung up on “tough verses.” Scribble down the verse number with a question mark and keep moving. Later on you can search the footnotes, other books, this website or just ask someone knowledgeable in the Bible for more help. The journal isn’t just for questions, though. You should also use it to write out reflections that the verses stir within you. Write down images God gives you in your imagination. Record key verses that stand out to you spiritually. God will reveal a great deal about yourself to you when you let Him.

4. Put the Book down. Don’t become a Bookworm, who never takes their eyes off of the page. The Bible is the Living Word (Jn. 1:1-5, Heb. 4:12). It lives and breathes well beyond the page that contains it. Share what you learn. Write out passages and post them up in your room, locker or office. Email verses to people. Put them on the fridge. Just like the Eucharist, the Word should be taken, blessed, broken (down), and shared. The greatest gift you can give someone is to live a life that mirrors the Gospels – reflecting God in all you do. The second greatest gift is to invite others to peer into that mirror.

IN CONCLUSION

Okay, so that’s a substantial start. Get the tools, pull together your blueprints, and start building your love for God’s Word. There are several ways to begin reading Scripture – these are just what I’ve found over the years to be the best, most realistic steps to begin and keep reading it daily.

And don’t just think that you have to “study” every time you open the Bible. It’s great if you set aside 30-45 minutes every day to begin studying, but that doesn’t mean you can’t flip the pages in other books like the Psalms, Proverbs, Sirach, Wisdom, Ecclesiastes, or in St. Paul’s letters – you’ll be blessed by all of them.

I also strongly recommend the Book of James in the New Testament. Romans is a gorgeous and extraordinarily well-written book but is sometimes a little “too deep” for the Biblical beginner. While Romans teaches us how to get to Heaven, James teaches us how to live on Earth (with people who might annoy you and try your patience). It’s great.

All I can tell you from my own experience is that the Word of God has changed my life. It has deepened my experience of the Eucharist, both at Mass and in Adoration. It has deepened my love for our Mother Mary and my gratitude for intercessory prayer and the communion of saints. It has deepened my love for the Church, the Papacy, and basic human dignity. It has fueled a fire within me for truth, the need to proclaim it, defend it, and uphold it – especially in this morally relative culture. I pray it will do the same for you.

A: Well I am probably going to get into a bunch of trouble for not referring a bible question to the “Bible Geek,” but I am answering this question.

Alright, in the particular passage you mention there is not a contradiction present at all. In fact, it shows how the scriptures illustrate the development of God’s plan through time. You see, if we look where the passage, “eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” from the Book of Exodus 21:24 comes from the Old Testament we see that it’s in the passage called “The Law of Talon.” And if you read the whole chapter it’s basically telling you to respect people and their property or else suffer an equal amount of pain or injury that you would have inflicted on them (and after reading it through, I was pretty convinced). However as God’s plan unfolds and his son Jesus Christ comes to establish a new law of love this position changes, so that when you read “An eye for eye, tooth for tooth’ in the Gospel of Matthew 5:38 it doesn’t end there. Jesus goes on to tell them that the old “Law of Talon” no longer applies to His followers because they are called to love their enemies and pray for their persecutors. Which means there is no contradiction at all, one law passes away to make room for the greater law…it’s a sign of spiritual growth and development.

Thanks for the question, hope my answer helps and know that I am praying for you.

So here we are, in the week that brings us Christmas. Even though we’ll be at Mass twice in three days, this is a week where it’s easy to forget to actually pray. I’m no sage of spirituality but as my Christmas gift to all of you, I’ll share a prayer exercise that’s been tremendously fruitful in my own life. It’s called ‘Lectio Divina,’ which literally means ‘Divine Reading.’ Although it’s a way to pray with Scripture that’s ancient, Pope Benedict has said it “will bring to the Church… a new spiritual springtime.”

Before you get started, you need to find a place to pray. Hopefully there’s a perpetual Adoration chapel somewhere near your house – I mean, where better to pray than next to Jesus? If that doesn’t work out, find a spot where you won’t be distracted. You’re going to need to spend some time in silence. It seems awkward at first, when you realize just how loud it is inside your head… but after a while (for me it’s usually half an hour) you’re actually in a place where you can listen to God as much as you talk.

Quiet enough? Okay, now it’s time to read your Bible… yes, dust it off and crack it open. Read the Nativity story in Luke 2:1-20. Don’t just skim through it because you know the story, but read through and linger on each sentence. Maybe read it a few times, and try to notice different words or phrases as the jump out to you. This is the first step, called ‘Lectio.’

What does it feel like in that stable? What are your senses? Is it cold? Stuffy? Can you hear the animals, or are they quiet in the presence of the Creator? What about Mary and Joseph? A manger wasn’t their first choice for a place to stay tonight.

Take a few minutes to sit and be in that moment. Pray through what you experience and let God speak to you. It’s a lot more about listening than about talking, and about seeing what God wants to show you. There – in that stable – is God Himself. What is he like as a newborn? How does creation itself react at the Incarnation? How do you react? What goes through your heart as you look into the manger and look at Jesus? What are your emotions? What prayer is on your heart? As we place ourselves in this moment, we are in the second step called ‘Meditatio.’

Now – that prayer that’s on your heart? It’s time to pray it, to turn it towards God and respond. The emotions and thoughts that have come out of meditation easily move us into authentic prayer – conversation with God. This is ‘Oratio.’

Finally, it’s time to contemplate… a heavy word that really just means to sit and think. Take a few closing minutes to sit with God. What did He show you? What did you say to Him? Something I like to do is journal in this time so that my thoughts don’t get lost once I’m back out in daily life. ‘Contemplatio’ is the last step.

I’m going to challenge myself to take some time for these four steps during the holidays. If you’re looking for a new prayer experience, I’d encourage you to try it too.