Isaiah
Chapter 49 3 1 You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory. 5 For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! 6 2 It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
Second Reading:
1 Corinthians
Chapter 1 1 1 2 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 to the church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Third Reading:
John
Chapter 1 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, 1 who takes away the sin of the world. 30 2 He is the one of whom I said, 'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.' 31 I did not know him, 3 but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel." 32 John testified further, saying, "I saw the Spirit come down like a dove 4 from the sky and remain upon him. 33 I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.' 34 5 Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God."
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Catholic Fundamentalism Interpretation:
The Programmer told one of his most beloved Programming Assistants, "You obey My Operating Instructions for the nation, through whom I show My Programming Power." So The Programmer has spoken to me, whom He programmed as His Assistant in my mother's womb. He did that so Jacob and his descendents would download His Program, and I am honored as a good servant in the eyes of The Programmer. I've downloaded so much that He is now my strengh, and with that knowledge, He tells me that just saving the Israelites isn't enough. I am going to help ALL THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD to download His operating instructions!
I, Paul, was called to share knowledge about The Program because that's the way The Programmer wanted it. Sostehenes, another Programming Assistant, and I have been instructed to the community that downloaded information about The Program in Corinth, and to you who have been made acceptable to The Program (Jesus Christ is, to Catholic Fundamentalists, The Program, in perfect, loving, human form.) and to those everywhere who even call on the name of The Program, their Lord, and ours. May the invaluable downloads of grace and peace be installed in all of you who fall into the above three categories of Programming Access (for all time).
The next day, John (the returned Elijah?) who had downloaded more about The Program than anyone, saw Jesus Christ, The Program in loving, perfect, human form coming toward him, and said, "Behold, He is The Program Who is willing to be painfully erased for us, the One Who will take away programming errors. He's the One I was told about, and is the reason I told you, 'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because His Program had no beginning.' I didn't know Him, but I came to introduce His coming to the Israelites." Then, John said that "I saw The Holy Wireless Connector take the form of a dove, come down from the sky, and stay upon him. I didn't know Him, but The Programmer who told me (maybe through an angel, a spiritual Programming Assistant) 'On whomever you see The Holy Wireless Connector come down and remain, He has the programming power to allow people to download The Holy Wireless Connector.' Now, I have seen, and testified that He is The Program, the perfect son (implied also, perfect sacrifice) The Son of God in human form. |