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Just as a living creature underground can have no idea of the richness of human life, and the joys of family life, so an atheist is sadly without any knowledge of the glories of heavenly life, glories shared even now, to some degree, by the faithful members of Christ's one, Holy Catholic Church.
A person who refuses to believe in the existence of God or in the possibility of life in Heaven, leads a life as tragic as that of a little worm, underground, who has no idea of the richness of human life, with the literature of Shakespeare or the courage and aspiration shown by Christopher Columbus.
Christ is Really Present amongst us at every Mass, reaching up to the Father, interceding for sinners - for us - and always heard by His Father in Heaven. We unite our prayers to the great prayer of Christ, and we know that it has been heard.
God is a spiritual fire of love, and all who have become like living flames of love, in earthly life, transformed by God at their consent through prayer and penance, can enter God in peace when they die, because they are like Him. Those who have refused to be changed, are so unlike Him that His nearness brings only torment. Having finally turned away from God they suffer forever, in Hell.
However many 'models' of Church are put forward today, the Church has been founded by Christ as a hierarchy. The Pope has supreme power and authority, after Christ, in the Church, and guides us with the other Catholic Bishops. They are assisted by the men they have ordained as priests, and by the Deacons in Holy Orders. Then we see the laity, living out their union with Christ in the world.
Whoever wants to know about a religion should look at the Founder. Jesus Christ, who founded the Catholic Faith and Catholic Church, came down from Heaven! He proved His claim by rising from the dead, as He had predicted. If we go to His Church we can share His Divine life, and receive forgiveness, light and strength for our journey, and the sure hope of Heaven.
Worldly leaders enjoy displays of riches and power; but we cannot impress God by our extravagant deeds, or powerful displays. He loves everyone, but He lavishly rewards those who approach Him in humility and contrition, and who put their trust in His Son.
When we pray for the living, and for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, we cast our minds over our families and towns, to pray for everyone; and when we do so by accepting our sufferings in patience, as penance for ourselves and for others, we do the powerful work that Christ did on the Cross, as He offered Himself, and prayed to the Father for sinners.
Some people accuse the Church of speaking far too often and too forcefully about sexual immorality. Yet Christ wants everyone to know what is sinful, and to abandon sinful behaviour. Christ is pleased with Clergy and parents who speak truthfully about morals.
A very talented musician can produce work even more beautiful if she listens to the advice of her coach about very tiny improvements she can make; and so it is with people who already love Christ, and have sacrificed much for His sake. They can become even more saintly by following His guidance in even little details that could be improved, or little flaws that could be avoided.
Just as a brilliant musician can improve her musical technique even more if she listens to her coach, in trust and humility, so even mature Christians can advance in holiness if they listen to Christ, their supreme 'coach' who helps them in prayer, through His Church, to conquer their faults, and to grow in confidence, and trust in Him.
It pleases Christ whenever people make known the times of Mass - including the times of Masses in the Extraordinary Form, which are hugely esteemed by Christ for their phrasing, theology and reverence.
Christ is pleased when people make every effort to help priests, and especially to help those priests who wish to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Extraordinary form: in the Traditional manner.
Christ asked me to set a good example as I mixed with the people at the youth Festival at Walsingham. It is Important that adults go to the sacraments and set a good example for the next generation of Catholics, in everyday life and at youth-orientated Church events; and they can be inspired by the example of others.
Through genuine friendships, we can have a good influence on others, witnessing to our Faith. Just as a person who admires the speed of a roller-skater wants to learn the skill, so a person amazed by the joy and perseverance of a practicing Catholic will want to learn about the source of such gifts.
We are engaged in spiritual warfare. When a general in the army chooses a soldier for a special mission he does not choose the tallest man, or the most handsome, but the one most likely to persevere through every difficulty; and Christ, in choosing a person for specially-needed tasks in different times, might choose not a theologian or a public-speaker, but a lay-person with experience in fighting a determined enemy.
A Catholic who is neither noisy nor unloving, but who reads the church newspaper when in church, is lacking the awareness of the Real Presence of Christ, our God. To ignore Christ, there, is like reading a novel whilst in the presence of the Queen and her courtiers in the throne-room at Buckingham Palace.
What counts in a marriage is for each spouse to be willing to forgive the other, just as Christ has forgiven each of them - despite times when one is upset by the other's faults, or even outraged. By the grace of Christ, forgiveness is possible.
We do not need countless new, expensive projects, to achieve renewal. All that is necessary for renewal in the Church is for the Faith handed on through the ages to be preached in its fullness by the Bishops and other Clergy, so that people repent of their sins and are reconciled in Confession and live their faith fully. Then, when people are strengthened by Mass and Communion, there will be a real renewal, and many more vocations.
Every priest in the world has been called to be another Christ in the place where he serves. Whoever dissents from Church doctrine, however, and argues publicly about such things, endangers his own soul and endangers others by perhaps leading them astray. Teachers and preachers have a stricter judgement.
Showing 1141 - 1160 of 1911