St. Dismas, the Good Thief The Danger of Being Catholic <http://stephenhand2.blogspot.com/2009/05/danger-of-being-catholic-to-whom-much.html>http://stephenhand2.blogspot.com/2009/05/danger-of-being-catholic-to-whom-much.html
To whom much is given, much is expected. - Luke 12:48 The fathers of the Church in faithfully interpreting scripture made it very clear that we must abide in true doctrine if we are to save our souls. Because doctrine points us to the fullness of salvific Reality. Indeed, St. Paul went so far as to attach anathemas to those who preached another Gospel (Galatians 1:7,8). In his letters the apostle also makes it very clear that an episcopacy existed from the beginning and was passed on from generation to generation via "the laying on of hands" (1 Tim 5:22). We see, then, that in the earliest Christian community there was already an indispensable body of doctrines and apostolic Church structure which gathered around the one "breaking of the bread" (Acts 2:42-47). I Timothy 4:16: "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers" 2 Thess 2:15: "Stand Fast & Hold the Traditions" "He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.---Jn 20:21-23 And there is no New Testament ecclesiology without Peter at it head under Christ (Mt. 16:18,f, Jn 21:13-25, etc, etc). It is an incomparable blessed grace to see and recognize this, and to see that Protestantism with its chaos of doctrines does not fit the bill, so to speak. Dangers But are there not dangers if we trust in that fact alone? St. Paul and all the fathers make it very clear that we are far from Christ if we take a smug pride in being called to the mystical Body of Christ, but do not let the gift change and work Christ's sanctification in us, to conform us to the image of Jesus. "If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing".---1 Corinthians 13:2-3 <http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SC_870azdTU/SiG2iLXZkQI/AAAAAAAARG0/o-SpSIVJfUM/s1600-h/Good+Samaritan2.jpg> Good Samaritan In Matthew 25, the Lord lays down the great doctrine of the heart which will decide for or against our salvation: whether we conform ourselves to the <http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025:34-41;&version=31;>corporal and spiritual works of mercy. No, we are taught it is a fearful error to trust smugly in the fact that we are Catholic. We must make sure we allow the graces we find to change us, and give us hearts of compassion for all others, as He is Compassionate, the Sacred Heart. There is absolutely no room for pride, as if finding the Church was the result of our own intellect and lights. "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."---Luke 14:11-14 Being Catholic is the beginning, not the end of salvation. To whom much is given, much is expected. God forbid that we allow the obstacle of pride to kill the Love that is infused within us, the Love which can only consume sin and selfishness when we "fan the flame" of that grace into a great burning love for God and our neighbor. Some with far less grace than we have received may ultimately be saved despite <http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%202:14-15;&version=31;>invincible ignorance of the Catholic Faith, while we who possess many graces may be altogether lost if we do not conform to Him and "walk, even as He walked" (1 Jn 2:2) in compassion, mercy and fleeing from the vanities and lusts of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17). And it is never enough, we are taught, to denounce those things we know to be wrong, if we do not pray for the enlightenment of the wrongdoers. Yes, it's real postage! <http://holypostage.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=46> A Wedding to Always Remember + <*}}}>< <http://holypostage.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=46>A Wedding to Always <http://holypostage.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=46>Remember <*}}}>< --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Please note that I do not send or open attachments sent to this list. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Catholics on Fire" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Catholics-on-Fire May the blessing of Jesus and our Blessed Mother be with you -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
