Bible Study Formula

The word SPACE can be an anagram for the questions we ask when reading the Bible:

S - Is there a Sin that God wants me to confess?
P - Is there a Prayer that God wants me to pray?
A - Is there an Action that God wants me to take?
C - Is there some Change that God wants me to make in my life?
E - Is there an Experience in my life that God wants me to accept, to forgive, to make peace with, live with?

Have you made SPACE in your heart for God's Word today?

"All Scripture is inspired of God and is useful for teaching--for reproof, correction, an training in holiness" 2 Timothy 3:16.

Bible Study for Teens! - An awesome article by Mark Hart (the Bible Geek)

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.

Mark Hart

Mark Hart is the Executive Vice President of Life Teen. He has been working in youth ministry since 1991, starting full-time youth ministry in 1995. Mark has a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and holds several advanced Certificates in Theology, Youth Ministry, Catechetics and Counseling. A perpetual student, Mark continues to study theology, philosophy, ecclesiology, ministry and catechetics.

Mark’s main focus, however, is his primary vocation. For Mark, it’s God and family. Date nights with his wife, Melanie, and tea parties with his three daughters keep Mark a healthy, happy and humble servant of God.

“…I have a true love for the authenticity and honesty of teenagers. It is one of the greatest joys in the world to see them ‘get it’ and to witness their transformation when they come to believe in God’s love for them.”

The Franciscan Crown Rosary

The Franciscan Crown Rosary, also known as the Seraphic Rosary, is a beautiful devotion that was started in the early 1400s by a Franciscan Friar.
Every day before he entered the Friars Minor, the young man had woven a wreath of fresh wildflowers with which to adorn a beautiful statue of the Blessed Mother. This simple act of devotion brought him great spiritual joy. When he joined the Franciscans, his duties prevented him from continuing, and he fell into depression. He eventually became so discouraged that he was ready to leave the order. But one night, Mary herself appeared to him, and instructed him to pray a new Rosary, dedicated to the seven greatest joys of her life. This, she said, would weave a spiritual crown much more meaningful to her than one made of normal flowers. The young monk obeyed, and soon he was even more joyful than before he entered the order!
The devotion spread rapidly, and is still prayed by many today! The pope even attatched a plenary indulgence (see previous post) to it (when it is said with proper devotion), which is also applicable to a soul in purgatory!
And now, you will learn how as well!

The Seven Joys of Mary:

1.     The Annunciation (Luke 1: 26-38)

2.     The Visitation (Luke 1: 39-56)

3.     The Birth of Christ (Luke 2: 1-20)

4.     The Adoration of the Magi (Matthew 2: 1-12)

5.     Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52)

6.     Meeting Jesus after the Resurrection

7.     The Assumption and Coronation (Revelation 12:1)

Ø Pray the Apostle’s Creed, an Our Father, and three Hail Marys. (just like a classic Rosary)

Ø The mystery to be meditated upon is introduced after the word Jesus of the first Hail Mary of each decade, thus: "Jesus, whom thou didst joyfully conceive", "Jesus, whom thou didst joyfully carry to Elizabeth", and so on for the remaining five decades.

Ø At the end of the seventh decade two Hail Marys are added to complete the traditional number of years (72) that the Blessed Virgin is said to have lived on earth.

Ø Conclude as in normal Rosary (Hail Holy Queen, etc.)

Ø Pray an Our Father and a Hail Mary for the intentions of the Pope!

Indulgences: what and why.

Hi everyone! This post is for those who wish to learn about indulgences.

THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON INDULGENCES

1471

The doctrine and practice of indulgences in the Church are closely linked to the effects of the sacrament of Penance.

What is an Indulgence?

       "An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints."⁸¹

       "An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin."⁸² The faithful can gain indulgences for themselves or apply them to the dead.^NT

The Punishments of Sin

1472

To understand this doctrine and practice of the Church, it is necessary to understand that sin has a double consequence. Grave sin deprives us of communion with God and therefore makes us incapable of eternal life, the privation of which is called the "eternal punishment" of sin. On the other hand every sin, even venial, entails an unhealthy attachment to creatures, which must be purified either here on earth, or after death in the state called Purgatory. This purification frees one from what is called the "temporal punishment" of sin. These two punishments must not be conceived of as a kind of vengeance inflicted by God from without, but as following from the very nature of sin. A conversion which proceeds from a fervent charity can attain the complete purification of the sinner in such a way that no punishment would remain.⁸³

1473

The forgiveness of sin and restoration of communion with God entail the remission of the eternal punishment of sin, but temporal punishment of sin remains. While patiently bearing sufferings and trials of all kinds and, when the day comes, serenely facing death, the Christian must strive to accept this temporal punishment of sin as a grace. He should strive by works of mercy and charity, as well as by prayer and the various practices of penance, to put off completely the "old man" and to put on the "new man."⁸⁴

In the Communion of Saints

1474

The Christian who seeks to purify himself of his sin and to become holy with the help of God's grace is not alone. "The life of each of God's children is joined in Christ and through Christ in a wonderful way to the life of all the other Christian brethren in the supernatural unity of the Mystical Body of Christ, as in a single mystical person."⁸⁵

1475

In the communion of saints, "a perennial link of charity exists between the faithful who have already reached their heavenly home, those who are expiating their sins in purgatory and those who are still pilgrims on earth. between them there is, too, an abundant exchange of all good things."⁸⁶ In this wonderful exchange, the holiness of one profits others, well beyond the harm that the sin of one could cause others. Thus recourse to the communion of saints lets the contrite sinner be more promptly and efficaciously purified of the punishments for sin.

1476

We also call these spiritual goods of the communion of saints the Church's treasury, which is "not the sum total of the material goods which have accumulated during the course of the centuries. On the contrary the 'treasury of the Church' is the infinite value, which can never be exhausted, which Christ's merits have before God. They were offered so that the whole of mankind could be set free from sin and attain communion with the Father. In Christ, the Redeemer himself, the satisfactions and merits of his Redemption exist and find their efficacy."⁸⁷

1477

"This treasury includes as well the prayers and good works of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They are truly immense, unfathomable, and even pristine in their value before God. In the treasury, too, are the prayers and good works of all the saints, all those who have followed in the footsteps of Christ the Lord and by his grace have made their lives holy and carried out the mission in the unity of the Mystical Body."⁸⁸

Obtaining Indulgence from God through the Church

1478

An indulgence is obtained through the Church who, by virtue of the power of binding and loosing granted her by Christ Jesus, intervenes in favor of individual Christians and opens for them the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father of mercies the remission of the temporal punishments due for their sins. Thus the Church does not want simply to come to the aid of these Christians, but also to spur them to works of devotion, penance, and charity.⁸⁹

1479

Since the faithful departed now being purified are also members of the same communion of saints, one way we can help them is to obtain indulgences for them, so that the temporal punishments due for their sins may be remitted.

Peter: Pope #1

Here is a great article I found today!

Jesus looked intently at Peter for a moment and then said, "You are Simon, John's son - but you shall be called Peter, the rock!" John 1:42

Some Christians deny that the Pope, as successor of St. Peter, has any special authoritative role in the Church founded by Christ. Some claim that according to the Bible, St. Peter never served as the leader of the Church. Others may recognize his special authority, but deny Apostolic Succession, the passing on of this office by the Church.

This challenge for a Catholic Christian should begin with these Gospel verses:

And I tell you, you are Peter (Petros), and on this rock (petra) I will build my Church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. [Matt. 16: 18-19, RSV]

Through the centuries many things have been written about these two verses; however, only a few points will be considered here.

First Jesus promises that the destructive "power of death shall not prevail against" His Church. This verse, especially in light of Matt. 28:19-20 and 2 Tim. 2:2, suggests Apostolic Succession, the passing on of the discipleship to faithful men through the centuries, since Christ's original disciples were mortal men. Secondly in verse 19, St. Peter is the only person to whom Jesus promises to give the keys of His kingdom. In the Bible, keys are a sign of authority (Isaiah 22:22; Rev. 1:18; 3:7). If you have ever accidentally been locked out of the house or car, you probably experienced the power of keys! Thirdly in verse 18, Christ gives Simon the name Peter, meaning rock, and promises that His Church will be built "on this rock." In the original Greek text, petra is used for rock, while Petros is used for Peter. In Greek, nouns have gender. Petra, being the common Greek noun for rock, has a feminine gender and thus is not appropriate for a man's name. To make it suitable for Simon, petra is given a masculine ending, resulting in Petros, Peter in Greek.

Elsewhere in the Bible, Simon Peter is also called Cephas (or Kephas). Cephas is from the word for ROCK in Aramaic, the language Jesus and the Apostles commonly spoke. In John 1:42, Jesus renames Simon as Cephas:

"So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter). [John 1:42]

The footnote to this verse in the RSV Bible states: "From the word for rock in Aramaic and Greek respectively." The Living Bible, a Protestant paraphrased edition, actually renders this verse as: "...but you shall be called Peter, the rock!"(see top) If Jesus did not establish St. Peter as the foundation rock of the Church, then it is quite strange that Jesus renamed him ROCK in two different languages!

Jesus and His Apostles were fluent in Scripture. In Matt. 16:19, Jesus is making reference to the rite of succession found in the Book of Isaiah:

In that day I (God) will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and I will ... commit your (Shebna’s) authority to his hand; and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. [Isaiah 22:20-22]

In verses 15-25, Eliakim is succeeding Shebna in the office of prime ministry. Eliakim is not a king but a prime minister under King Hezekiah (Isaiah 36:1-3, 22). The king of the Davidic dynasty had ministers who helped in governing (2 Sam. 8:15-18; 20:23-26). Likewise Jesus, being the King in the house of David (Luke 1:32-33), appoints St. Peter as His first prime minister by giving him "the keys of the kingdom."

It should be noted that Jesus in Matt. 16:18-19 speaks in the future tense, as in a promise. Jesus at this point does not confer authority to St. Peter, so his later denial of Christ does not render it void. Christ actually prays for St. Peter before his denial:

"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren." [Luke 22:31-32]

It is only after this trial that Christ confers authority onto St. Peter in John 21.
The imagery in John 21 is different. Jesus is not referred to as King but as the Good Shepherd. In John 10:16 Jesus speaks of "one flock and one shepherd." From the text it is obvious that the flock is the Church, while Jesus is the shepherd. Now in John 21:15-19, Jesus gives His earthly authority to St. Peter by telling him: "Simon, son of John...Feed my lambs...Tend my sheep...Feed my sheep." Jesus is not telling St. Peter to literally feed a flock of sheep but to guide and care for His Church on earth.

A common objection against Peter's primacy is based on Gal. 2:11-14 where St. Paul rebukes St. Peter (Cephas) for acting insincerely. This rebuke from St. Paul does not undermine St. Peter's teaching authority, since St. Paul did not rebuke him for false teaching but for setting a bad example. (As an aside, St. Paul also set a bad example in Acts 16:3.) It must be remembered that St. Peter was a sinner like the rest of us (Luke 5:8,10). Likewise Nathan's condemnation of King David in 2 Sam. 12 did not undermine David's ruling authority but brought him to repentance. Finally, if St. Paul did not recognize St. Peter's teaching authority, then why did he spend fifteen days with Peter (Cephas) during his early ministry (Gal. 1:18)?

There are examples of Peter exercising his leadership in the Acts of the Apostles (1:15-26; 5:1-11; 11:1-18); however, the best witness to Apostolic Succession and the Papacy can be found in the early Christian writings. An early witness to papal authority is the Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians. This letter was written 96 A.D. in Rome by Pope Clement to restore order to the church in Corinth. Clement not only interferes with this church, but also apologizes for not acting sooner. In 190 A.D., St. Irenaeus of Lyons lists the Bishops of Rome (Popes) in his book, Against Heresies:

The blessed apostles, then having founded and built the Church (in Rome), committed into the hands of Linus the office of the episcopate...To him succeeded Anacletus; and after him, in the third place from the apostles, Clement was allotted the bishopric...In the time of this Clement, no small dissension having occurred among the brethern at Corinth, the Church in Rome despatched a most powerful letter to the Corinthians...To this Clement there succeeded Evaristus. Alexander followed Evaristus; then...Sixtus (the list continues)... In this order, and by this succession, the ecclesiastical tradition from the apostles, and the preaching of the turth, have come down to us. [Against Heresies III, 3, 3]

In 325 A.D., Eusebius of Caesarea, writes The History of the Church and quotes St. Irenaeus’ list (V, 6). Eusebius also cites 1 Peter 5:13 as proof that St. Peter was in Rome, a.k.a. Babylon (II, 15).

Peter's primacy is evident from the Bible; his name is always first in the lists of the Apostles (Matt. 10:1-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16; Acts 1:13). Apostolic Succession was a fact of life in the early Church, as witnessed by the early Christian writings. The primacy of the present Pope is based on faith in Christ's promise, that His Church built on Peter will not be overcome by the power of death (Matt. 16:18; 7:25).

this article is from http://www.catholicnewsagency.com

Understanding how John 6:35-69 (the Bread of Life Discourse) is about the Eucharist

First of all, let me make sure the definition of Eucharist is clear. RCs believe the Holy Eucharist is the Body, the Blood, the Soul, and the Divinity of Jesus Christ under the appearance of bread and wine. In other words, transubstantiation is literally the bread changing from bread into Christ, while retaining the appearance of bread. This is known as the Real Presence.

John 6 has two major, interconnected themes: 1. Jesus teaching about the Eucharist. 2. Jesus discussion about faith-the unique special faith needed to accept his difficult teaching about the Eucharist.

Indeed, as we read John 6, we will see how many of Jesus’ own disciples lacked the faith required to believe in the Real Presence.  When he walked on earth, it took a great deal of faith to believe Jesus was God, since his humanity veiled his divinity. However, to believe that Jesus is present in the Eucharist requires even greater faith, because the Eucharist veils both His divinity and humanity. This is why Jesus stresses the theme of faith so strongly at the same time as He reveals His teaching on the Eucharist. In John 6:35-69, Jesus clearly teaches that we must consume his flesh and blood as food: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread I will give is my flesh for the life of the world” (verse 51); “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you” (verse 53); “My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink” (verse 55).

It is no accident that immediately prior to these passages, Jesus performs two of his most famous miracles, both of which emphasize faith:

·        The multiplication of the loaves and fishes and the feeding of 5000, where he tests Phillip’s faith (John 6:6).

·        The calming of the storm at sea, where Jesus reprimands Peter for his lack of faith (Matthew 14:31).

There are at least five reasons we know that Jesus is speaking LITERALLY and not symbolically about his real flesh and blood.

1.      This discourse takes place just after the famous miracle of the multiplication of the loaves. Jesus turned five loaves and a couple of fish into a seemingly inexhaustible supply: enough to feed thousands, with much to spare! This miracle prefigures the inexhaustible gift of Christ’s own flesh and blood, which is capable of being received by millions without being divided or diminished. Jesus claims that this miracle of ordinary bread is nothing compared to the miracle he will give us with the extraordinary bread of his own flesh.

2.      Jesus claims the superiority of his bread over the manna given to the Israelites. “I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die.” (verses 48-50). The miracle of the manna was enormous: each day millions of people received an omer of manna per person. (tens of thousands of pounds of manna raining down daily, except the Sabbath, for forty years! Jesus says he will perform an even greater miracle than the manna. But mere earthly, natural bread serving as a symbol of Christ would be inferior to the heavenly, supernatural manna. The bread that Christ gives us must be more real and more miraculous than even the manna.

3.      Everyone who heard Jesus understood him to be speaking literally of his own body and blood. “How can he give us his flesh to eat?” object the unbelieving Jews (verse 52). “This saying is hard, who can accept it?” demand his unbelieving disciples (verse 60). Many of these disciples had lived, eaten, and walked with Jesus for nearly two years. They spoke the same language and dialect as he did. Day in and day out, they heard him speak symbolically, using parables, allegories, and analogies (such as calling Herod a fox). They also heard him speak literally, meaning exactly what he said. In Christ’s Eucharistic discourse, these disciples heard him “live.” If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a live presentation is worth a thousand pictures. Yet these same disciples, many of whom quit following Jesus, never even asked Jesus to explain himself. They understood perfectly that Jesus meant precisely what he said!

4.      Instead of explaining that his listeners were misunderstanding him, that he was only speaking figuratively, Jesus –using the strongest possible language—emphatically repeats the literalness of this teaching, six times in six verses (53-58)! “Amen, amen I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you” (verse 53). “My flesh is real food and my blood real drink (verse 55). This is NOT the language of symbolism!

5.      Many of Jesus’ own disciples can’t accept the literalness of this teaching and leave him (verse 66). Notice that Jesus doesn’t call them back and explain that he is only speaking figuratively, as he did on previous occasions when they mistook his meaning.  For example, in John 4: 31-34, Jesus says, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” His disciples take him literally, so Jesus explains: “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me.” In Matthew 16:5-12, Jesus says, “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Saducees.” Once again, his disciples think Jesus is speaking literally. Again, Jesus corrects them and explains that he is not talking about real bread. “Then they understood that he was not telling them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and the Saducees.” Jesus doesn’t call the unbelieving disciples back and offer to explain for an obvious reason: they understood exactly what he meant! They just couldn’t accept it. Even the twelve Apostles are shaken. But Jesus doesn’t budge an inch. Instead, he challenges his own hand-picked Apostles: “Will you also go away?” (verse 67). In faith, Peter answers: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (verse 69). We have two choices: we can either doubt like the unbelieving Jews and disciples, or believe like Peter that somehow Christ will accomplish his promise. Notice also that Judas apparently rejects this teaching (verse 70-71).

Most of this is taken directly from Beginning Apologetics 3: How to Explain and Defend the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist by Fr. Frank Chacon and Jim Burnham (published by San Juan Catholic Seminars)

Apostolic Church--The Church can trace it's leadership directly back to Christ!

Here is a list of all of the Popes, starting with Peter, who was appointed by Jesus himself, to the current successor of Peter, Benedict XVI!
No other church can trace it's roots directly back to Christ himself! They were all founded by men. Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Smythe, John Wesley...the list continues until the world now contains tens of thousands of other Christian denominations. No other Christian denominations existed until 1500 years after Christ! Jesus would never have allowed his Church to be led by heretics for 1500 years! It is the very authority that Protestants denounce that first compiled the sacred writings, and determined through the Holy Spirit which were truly God-breathed and were worthy of study and reverence. About 400 years AD, they unveiled what is now known as the Bible, the most widely studied work in history!
So here it is ... a direct succession from Jesus to 2010!

1. St. Peter (32-67)
2. St. Linus (67-76)
3. St. Anacletus (Cletus) (76-88)
4. St. Clement I (88-97)
5. St. Evaristus (97-105)
6. St. Alexander I (105-115)
7. St. Sixtus I (115-125) Also called Xystus I
8. St. Telesphorus (125-136)
9. St. Hyginus (136-140)
10. St. Pius I (140-155)
11. St. Anicetus (155-166)
12. St. Soter (166-175)
13. St. Eleutherius (175-189)
14. St. Victor I (189-199)
15. St. Zephyrinus (199-217)
16. St. Callistus I (217-22) Callistus and the following three popes were opposed by St. Hippolytus, antipope (217-236)
17. St. Urban I (222-30)
18. St. Pontain (230-35)
19. St. Anterus (235-36)
20. St. Fabian (236-50)
21. St. Cornelius (251-53) Opposed by Novatian, antipope (251)
22. St. Lucius I (253-54)
23. St. Stephen I (254-257)
24. St. Sixtus II (257-258)
25. St. Dionysius (260-268)
26. St. Felix I (269-274)
27. St. Eutychian (275-283)
28. St. Caius (283-296) Also called Gaius
29. St. Marcellinus (296-304)
30. St. Marcellus I (308-309)
31. St. Eusebius (309 or 310)
32. St. Miltiades (311-14)
33. St. Sylvester I (314-35)
34. St. Marcus (336)
35. St. Julius I (337-52)
36. Liberius (352-66) Opposed by Felix II, antipope (355-365)
37. St. Damasus I (366-83) Opposed by Ursicinus, antipope (366-367)
38. St. Siricius (384-99)
39. St. Anastasius I (399-401)
40. St. Innocent I (401-17)
41. St. Zosimus (417-18)
42. St. Boniface I (418-22) Opposed by Eulalius, antipope (418-419)
43. St. Celestine I (422-32)
44. St. Sixtus III (432-40)
45. St. Leo I (the Great) (440-61)
46. St. Hilarius (461-68)
47. St. Simplicius (468-83)
48. St. Felix III (II) (483-92)
49. St. Gelasius I (492-96)
50. Anastasius II (496-98)
51. St. Symmachus (498-514) Opposed by Laurentius, antipope (498-501)
52. St. Hormisdas (514-23)
53. St. John I (523-26)
54. St. Felix IV (III) (526-30)
55. Boniface II (530-32) Opposed by Dioscorus, antipope (530)
56. John II (533-35)
57. St. Agapetus I (535-36) Also called Agapitus I
58. St. Silverius (536-37)
59. Vigilius (537-55)
60. Pelagius I (556-61)
61. John III (561-74)
62. Benedict I (575-79)
63. Pelagius II (579-90)
64. St. Gregory I (the Great) (590-604)
65. Sabinian (604-606)
66. Boniface III (607)
67. St. Boniface IV (608-15)
68. St. Deusdedit (Adeodatus I) (615-18)
69. Boniface V (619-25)
70. Honorius I (625-38)
71. Severinus (640)
72. John IV (640-42)
73. Theodore I (642-49)
74. St. Martin I (649-55)
75. St. Eugene I (655-57)
76. St. Vitalian (657-72)
77. Adeodatus (II) (672-76)
78. Donus (676-78)
79. St. Agatho (678-81)
80. St. Leo II (682-83)
81. St. Benedict II (684-85)
82. John V (685-86)
83. Conon (686-87)
84. St. Sergius I (687-701) Opposed by Theodore and Paschal, antipopes (687)
85. John VI (701-05)
86. John VII (705-07)
87. Sisinnius (708)
88. Constantine (708-15)
89. St. Gregory II (715-31)
90. St. Gregory III (731-41)
91. St. Zachary (741-52)
92. Stephen II (752) Because he died before being consecrated, many authoritative lists omit him
93. Stephen III (752-57)
94. St. Paul I (757-67)
95. Stephen IV (767-72) Opposed by Constantine II (767) and Philip (768), antipopes (767)
96. Adrian I (772-95)
97. St. Leo III (795-816)
98. Stephen V (816-17)
99. St. Paschal I (817-24)
100. Eugene II (824-27)
101. Valentine (827)
102. Gregory IV (827-44)
103. Sergius II (844-47) Opposed by John, antipope (855)
104. St. Leo IV (847-55)
105. Benedict III (855-58) Opposed by Anastasius, antipope (855)
106. St. Nicholas I (the Great) (858-67)
107. Adrian II (867-72)
108. John VIII (872-82)
109. Marinus I (882-84)
110. St. Adrian III (884-85)
111. Stephen VI (885-91)
112. Formosus (891-96)
113. Boniface VI (896)
114. Stephen VII (896-97)
115. Romanus (897)
116. Theodore II (897)
117. John IX (898-900)
118. Benedict IV (900-03)
119. Leo V (903) Opposed by Christopher, antipope (903-904)
120. Sergius III (904-11)
121. Anastasius III (911-13)
122. Lando (913-14)
123. John X (914-28)
124. Leo VI (928)
125. Stephen VIII (929-31)
126. John XI (931-35)
127. Leo VII (936-39)
128. Stephen IX (939-42)
129. Marinus II (942-46)
130. Agapetus II (946-55)
131. John XII (955-63)
132. Leo VIII (963-64)
133. Benedict V (964)
134. John XIII (965-72)
135. Benedict VI (973-74)
136. Benedict VII (974-83) Benedict and John XIV were opposed by Boniface VII, antipope (974; 984-985)
137. John XIV (983-84)
138. John XV (985-96)
139. Gregory V (996-99) Opposed by John XVI, antipope (997-998)
140. Sylvester II (999-1003)
141. John XVII (1003)
142. John XVIII (1003-09)
143. Sergius IV (1009-12)
144. Benedict VIII (1012-24) Opposed by Gregory, antipope (1012)
145. John XIX (1024-32)
146. Benedict IX (1032-45) He appears on this list three separate times, because he was twice deposed and restored
147. Sylvester III (1045) Considered by some to be an antipope
148. Benedict IX (1045)
149. Gregory VI (1045-46)
150. Clement II (1046-47)
151. Benedict IX (1047-48)
152. Damasus II (1048)
153. St. Leo IX (1049-54)
154. Victor II (1055-57)
155. Stephen X (1057-58)
156. Nicholas II (1058-61) Opposed by Benedict X, antipope (1058)
157. Alexander II (1061-73) Opposed by Honorius II, antipope (1061-1072)
158. St. Gregory VII (1073-85) Gregory and the following three popes were opposed by Guibert ("Clement III"), antipope (1080-1100)
159. Blessed Victor III (1086-87)
160. Blessed Urban II (1088-99)
161. Paschal II (1099-1118) Opposed by Theodoric (1100), Aleric (1102) and Maginulf ("Sylvester IV", 1105-1111), antipopes (1100)
162. Gelasius II (1118-19) Opposed by Burdin ("Gregory VIII"), antipope (1118)
163. Callistus II (1119-24)
164. Honorius II (1124-30) Opposed by Celestine II, antipope (1124)
165. Innocent II (1130-43) Opposed by Anacletus II (1130-1138) and Gregory Conti ("Victor IV") (1138), antipopes (1138)
166. Celestine II (1143-44)
167. Lucius II (1144-45)
168. Blessed Eugene III (1145-53)
169. Anastasius IV (1153-54)
170. Adrian IV (1154-59)
171. Alexander III (1159-81) Opposed by Octavius ("Victor IV") (1159-1164), Pascal III (1165-1168), Callistus III (1168-1177) and Innocent III (1178-1180), antipopes
172. Lucius III (1181-85)
173. Urban III (1185-87)
174. Gregory VIII (1187)
175. Clement III (1187-91)
176. Celestine III (1191-98)
177. Innocent III (1198-1216)
178. Honorius III (1216-27)
179. Gregory IX (1227-41)
180. Celestine IV (1241)
181. Innocent IV (1243-54)
182. Alexander IV (1254-61)
183. Urban IV (1261-64)
184. Clement IV (1265-68)
185. Blessed Gregory X (1271-76)
186. Blessed Innocent V (1276)
187. Adrian V (1276)
188. John XXI (1276-77)
189. Nicholas III (1277-80)
190. Martin IV (1281-85)
191. Honorius IV (1285-87)
192. Nicholas IV (1288-92)
193. St. Celestine V (1294)
194. Boniface VIII (1294-1303)
195. Blessed Benedict XI (1303-04)
196. Clement V (1305-14)
197. John XXII (1316-34) Opposed by Nicholas V, antipope (1328-1330)
198. Benedict XII (1334-42)
199. Clement VI (1342-52)
200. Innocent VI (1352-62)
201. Blessed Urban V (1362-70)
202. Gregory XI (1370-78)
203. Urban VI (1378-89) Opposed by Robert of Geneva ("Clement VII"), antipope (1378-1394)
204. Boniface IX (1389-1404) Opposed by Robert of Geneva ("Clement VII") (1378-1394), Pedro de Luna ("Benedict XIII") (1394-1417) and Baldassare Cossa ("John XXIII") (1400-1415), antipopes
205. Innocent VII (1404-06) Opposed by Pedro de Luna ("Benedict XIII") (1394-1417) and Baldassare Cossa ("John XXIII") (1400-1415), antipopes
206. Gregory XII (1406-15) Opposed by Pedro de Luna ("Benedict XIII") (1394-1417), Baldassare Cossa ("John XXIII") (1400-1415), and Pietro Philarghi ("Alexander V") (1409-1410), antipopes
207. Martin V (1417-31)
208. Eugene IV (1431-47) Opposed by Amadeus of Savoy ("Felix V"), antipope (1439-1449)
209. Nicholas V (1447-55)
210. Callistus III (1455-58)
211. Pius II (1458-64)
212. Paul II (1464-71)
213. Sixtus IV (1471-84)
214. Innocent VIII (1484-92)
215. Alexander VI (1492-1503)
216. Pius III (1503)
217. Julius II (1503-13)
218. Leo X (1513-21)
219. Adrian VI (1522-23)
220. Clement VII (1523-34)
221. Paul III (1534-49)
222. Julius III (1550-55)
223. Marcellus II (1555)
224. Paul IV (1555-59)
225. Pius IV (1559-65)
226. St. Pius V (1566-72)
227. Gregory XIII (1572-85)
228. Sixtus V (1585-90)
229. Urban VII (1590)
230. Gregory XIV (1590-91)
231. Innocent IX (1591)
232. Clement VIII (1592-1605)
233. Leo XI (1605)
234. Paul V (1605-21)
235. Gregory XV (1621-23)
236. Urban VIII (1623-44)
237. Innocent X (1644-55)
238. Alexander VII (1655-67)
239. Clement IX (1667-69)
240. Clement X (1670-76)
241. Blessed Innocent XI (1676-89)
242. Alexander VIII (1689-91)
243. Innocent XII (1691-1700)
244. Clement XI (1700-21)
245. Innocent XIII (1721-24)
246. Benedict XIII (1724-30)
247. Clement XII (1730-40)
248. Benedict XIV (1740-58)
249. Clement XIII (1758-69)
250. Clement XIV (1769-74)
251. Pius VI (1775-99)
252. Pius VII (1800-23)
253. Leo XII (1823-29)
254. Pius VIII (1829-30)
255. Gregory XVI (1831-46)
256. Blessed Pius IX (1846-78)
257. Leo XIII (1878-1903)
258. St. Pius X (1903-14)
259. Benedict XV (1914-22) Biographies of Benedict XV and his successors will be added at a later date
260. Pius XI (1922-39)
261. Pius XII (1939-58)
262. Blessed John XXIII (1958-63)
263. Paul VI (1963-78)
264. John Paul I (1978)
265. John Paul II (1978-2005)
266. Benedict XVI (2005—)