The entire Mass is from Scripture

February 21, 2026

For most of my Christian walk I have attended Protestant churches. These included Baptist, Church of Christ, Uniting and a Pentecostal churches. Bear in mind these may be very different in Australia to other parts of the world.

The services usually opened with prayer, then had some songs, communion and offering, some more songs, a sermon and closing with prayer and a song. This is what I was used to and did not know any different.

Several years ago I started to attend a local Catholic church during the week. On weekend I would go to my local Protestant church. One thing that really surprised me is how much of the Catholic Mass is taken from Scripture.

Straight away I was saying to myself is from John, this is from James and that is from Jude. The prayers, the responses, the blessings were straight from Scripture. And even though I did not know when to stand, sit or kneel, I recognised the Bible.

To be honest this really surprised me about the Catholic Mass. Being Protestant I had no idea it was so Scriptural. In the video below you can see a description of the Mass and all the Bible references. It is really worth watching.

Link to video on Breaking the Habit YouTube channel.

Fasting ideas for Lent

February 20, 2026

Fasting does not always need to be about eating less food, it can be about fasting in attitudes or fasting by not doing this we normally do.

Here are some ideas for fasting this lent. They are from Pope Francis.

Fast from hurting words and say kind words.
Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.
Fast from anger and be filled with patience.
Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.
Fast from worries and have trust in God.
Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.
Fast from pressures and be prayerful.
Fast from bitterness and fill your hearts with joy.
Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.
Fast from grudges and be reconciled.
Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.

I really like this list as it helps us to think about our attitudes we hold or the negative thought patterns we can fall in to.

Sinners and hypocrites at church

February 18, 2026

I heard this saying today. It is a great analogy…

Saying you do not go to church because people there are sinners and hypocrites, is like saying, I do not go to the gym as there are people that are out of shape.

The reality is there are sinners and hypocrites at church. It is the best place for us to be, myself included!

We should be in a place where we can pray, hear the Bible read, listen to homilies, receive forgiveness and partake in the sacraments. These are what sinners need to be made holy.

The reality is that like people who are out of shape at the gym trying to improve, there are also many people who are in shape to inspire us. The same goes for church.

When we go to church there are people there who are further along the journey, who are more holy, more learned in the Bible, who pray with a closeness to God that we can aim for.

When I go to church I focus less on people’s sin and more on the areas where they shine. I try to come alongside them and learn from them. That keeps me growing.

Remember there is no perfect church full of perfect people, just sinners and hypocrites who need the love and grace of God to keep growing closer to Christ.

The 21 church councils explained

February 14, 2026

I just watched a really good overview of the church councils over the past 2000 years. These councils were called to make decisions on doctrine, heresy, church life and leadership and responding to an ever changing world. The 15 minute video below gives a really good explanation of them all and why they were called.

If you are interested you can find it here on YouTube.

Refiner’s fire song

February 10, 2026

When I first became a Christian the Refiner’s Fire song was just released. It quickly became a favourite and a prayer of my heart.

I have not heard it for years, but I started singing it during my devotions this morning. Many years later it still speaks to my heart. It is still a prayer for me.

Looking back I can see how it shaped my life. In church I could hardly get through it without crying. Even now it is hard to fully sing it through.

If you are interested you can find it here on YouTube.