[Greek] λατρεύω (latreuō), [Latin] servire, [Latin] deservire, [Latin] adorare, [Latin] obsequium, [French] implorer, [French] adresser: to worship, to serve, to worship idols (idolatry), to offer, to minister (to God), to do service, to render religious homage, to serve in religious duties, to pay homage, to render service; 21 scriptures
The Traditional Latin Mass: bowing down before the Eucharist
Background information:
Secular/Greek Hellenism: This term means to serve.
- Serving may involves slavery, serving freely, and serving with an expectation of a reward.
- A servant may work in the service of a king. Any such obedience may lead to punishment or death.
- A servant may work in the service at a temple. This hired servant is called a latreia.
- Helpers (acolytes) were also employed to assist in worship at the temple.
- It was considered a great honor in serving the state in some compacity.
- Serving the state may include: a civil servant, soldier, and govt. official (politician).
- Outsiders, farmers, and rustic villagers, not interested in serving the state, were subtly looked down upon by the city dwellers.
The temple at Delphi: bowing down before gods
Greek Hellenism: This term means to work for hire, to be subject to, to be enslaved, to be devoted to, to obey, to render service, to be devoted to the gods.
Xenophon’s Cyropaedia 3.1.36: “Tell me how much would you pay to get your wife back? I would give my life to keep her from slavery.”
Xenophon’ Agesilaus 7.2: “The greatest service he rendered to his fatherland was that he was clearly a devoted servant of the laws.”
Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus 105: “I seem to lowly, enslaved as I am to woes the sorest of earth.”
Old Testament: This term mean to serve, to work, to be a slaved (indentured), and to help others.
New Testament: This term means to worship and to serve.
Scripture:
Mt.4:10: “Jesus said to Satan, ‘It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and Him alone shall you serve.'” (The Holy Spirit led Jesus to be tempted by the devil. Satan sought to test and make a bargain with Jesus. The devil offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in return for His worship of him.)
Acts 7:42: “Then God turned and handed them [Israelites] over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the books of the prophets.” (God abandoned the Israelites to their own desires: idol worship. The host of heaven refers to the earthly and worldly realm [Amos 5:26: carrying away the gods that you have made for yourselves])
Acts 24:14: “But this I admit to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I [Paul] worship the God of our ancestors and I believe everything that is in accordance with the law and written in the prophets.” (Paul ties together the worship of Jesus with the worship of God of the Old Testament. Jesus comes to fulfill the promise of the Old Testament.)
Rom.1:25: “The idolators exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshipped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever.”
- God’s wrath is evoked upon every impiety and wickedness of those who suppress the truth.
- There exists a close association of idolatry and immorality.
- God’s wrath goes into action at each present moment in human history
- Idolators become vain in their reasoning. Their senseless minds become darkened.
- Idolators claim to be wise but become fools and exchange the glory of God to other images.
Heb.8:5: “They worship in a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, as Moses was warned when he was about to erect the tabernacle.” (Jesus is the high priest and minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle. Jesus offers Himself as a sacrifice. Jesus’ ministry in the heavenly sanctuary is that of a superior covenant.)
Heb.10:2: “Otherwise, would not the sacrifices have ceased to be offered, since the worshippers, once cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?” (If the Old Testament sacrifices has actually effected forgiveness of sin, there would be no need for their constant repetition. Jesus offers Himself in a perfect singular sacrifice for all for the forgiveness of sins.)
[Greek] λατρεία (latreia): worship, ministry, service to God; 5 scriptures
Jn.16:2: “They will expel you from from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God.” (The Jews had made a law that those who confessed that Jesus was the Messiah, should be cast out of the synagogues.)
Rom.12:1: “I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.” (The gospel invites people to use their gifts and talents to serve others and to do good works. This involves dedicating our bodies to God.)
How did the practice of receiving Eucharist in the hand start?
- This was a movement (not approved by the Church) started by the Netherland bishops during the second Vatican Council.
- This was intended to change the traditional manner of reverence in receiving the Eucharist.
- This movement had spread throughout Europe. Yet, this practice was forbidden by the pope.
- The majority of bishops around the world had rejected this new practice of the potential liturgical problems and abuses: loss of Eucharistic fragments and decreasing reverence (devotion) Shocker!
- In 1969 the pope gave permission for these bishops to permit this practice of receiving the Eucharist in the hand.
- These bishops’ doctrinal rationale was that we should be able to receive the Eucharist in the hand “like adults”.
- This new practice eventually became internationally ACCEPTED and NORMALIZED throughout the Church.
What has been the consequences of this? Liturgical abuses (dropped hosts, loss of Eucharistic fragments, and decreased reverence and devotion.)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/I2PCpXugy8A
Conclusion:
Idol, idolatry, adore, adoration, serve, servant, deserve, implore, address, obsequient
The king’s place: the acolyte bows down to the king saying, “Yes, your Majesty. It will done.”
Temple grounds: the acolyte assists in worshiping services at the Delphi Oracle.
City government: the acolyte is a civil servant.
Mass: acolytes assist in carrying books, gifts, chalices, and crosses
Eucharistic adoration: worshipping, praying, and sitting before Jesus in the tabernacle.
Letter of Cornelius, Bishop of Rome to Fabius of Antioch (251 A.D.):
“Yet he (Novatian) was not unaware–how could he be?–that in it there are 46 presbyters, 7 deacons, 7 subdeacons, 42 acolytes”
Update: The modern “spirit of the age of Vatican II” clearly has contributed to Eucharistic liturgical sacrilege and decreased belief and reverence in the Eucharist.
Yet in this Holy-Spirit inspired movement toward Tradition and reverence, there has been increased calls among the laity for altar rails and receiving the Eucharist on the tongue!
Many of us all are often tempted with fame, celebrity, money, “likes”, wealth, busyness, distractions, temptations, and sin by this world.
We can only speculate about how many celebrities, stars, and politicians who have actually “sold their souls” to the devil for their notoriety and fortune in the world. We will never probably know this.
Like Pharaoh, The Modernists’ and Synodalists’ “hard-hearted” efforts to squelch Tradition and the TLM are on full display. In response to this, there continues an organic Holy Spirit-inspired counter-movement LED BY THE LAITY toward Tradition and reverence. God does work in mysterious ways.
Protestants are also seeking to find deeper meaning in their faith. Protestants are looking deep in Church history (looking at the early Church and early Church Fathers) and are becoming Catholic.
Many of us are already acting like “little pagans bowing our heads down” to our electronic devices. There is actually a medical condition called “tech neck” (neck and shoulder strain and tightness).
Satan does not necessarily need to possess us. All Satan needs to do is to MAKE US FORGET ABOUT GOD!
Synodality (lived experiences) is becoming raised up like an IDOL (over Church teachings, doctrine, Jesus’ statements, Truth, sin, and scripture). Jesus’ divine Church is now being remade into a worldly Church made in the image of man and his lived experiences.
Immorality follows idolatry (synodality/lived experiences): paying lip service to Church teachings [against homosexuality and sin] ==> more sin.
The LGBTQ “outreach” has continued to increase because:
- The Vatican continues to appoint pro-LGBTQ cardinals and theologians questioning Church teachings.
- The Vatican continues to pay lip service to and refuses to follow Church’s teachings against homosexuality.
- The LGBTQ community continues to exert great influence in the world and on the Church.
- The Church is more concerned with inclusion, tolerance, and false compassion rather than with intolerance [being faithful to Church teachings], forgiveness, true compassion, scripture, and Church teachings.
- Lived experiences takes precedence over all else.
- If Church teachings were actually followed (Church teachings against homosexuality) ==> more forgiveness, repentance, and conversion of heart ==> more people moving away from this lifestyle ==> less need for this LGBTQ “outreach” ==> But No. This LGBTQ “outreach” continues to grow! ==> more sin
Catholic Mass: the Eucharist in the Mass is the re-presentation of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice at Calvary.
Catholic Mass: the priest acts (in persona Christi) changes the bread and wine (calling upon the Holy Spirit) into the Body and Blood of Christ.
Unfortunately there have been priests cancelled, deposed, removed, laicized, persecuted, and martyred for defending traditional Church teachings. Bishop Strickland has become a white martyr (removed from office by the Vatican) for SUPPORTING TRADITIONAL CHURCH TEACHINGS! (This is more of an indictment against Pope Francis, Modernism and Synodality!)
“Let us then, from our hands, and feet, and mouth, and all our other members, yield a first-fruit unto God.” St. John
“The Mass–and I mean every single Mass–is heaven on earth. Literally.” Scott Hahn