Candy's week in family, temperment, and appearances

Candy has written some interesting blog posts this week. None directly about Catholicism, but several which are ripe for discussion on how Christians should live their life. I am in the middle of several big projects right now, but I'd like to toss up a post so that you guys can discuss if you are interested.

She started off by discussing what to do when your family can't stand your Christianity. Well, I think she said Erik wrote this.

For instance; if some of the lost members of a saved person's family could not accept the saved person's rejection of the Pagan Roman Catholic Religion, non-messianic Judaism, New Age, or Human secularism etc., the lost family members might make themselves into the saved person's enemy. They might blame the spouse and persecute them both, it might be time to part ways. If so, the saved Christian would be honoring their father and mother by standing tall for God's truth and by defending their spouse.


I understand that it is sometimes necessary to separate oneself from one's family. There are some toxic relationships out there, and especially if you have children, you should not let yourselves be subject to verbal abuse. But as Candy posted comment after comment from women who said that after becoming born again, they no longer had any contact with their families, I was so sad at this worldview. I thought of it again this morning, as I listened to this reading from 1 Corinthians at Mass:

¹If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If 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. ³If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. ¹¹When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. ¹²Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

If you have become a Christian, then you should be patient with your family, even if they do not understand. If they seem to attack your beliefs, you should remember that longsuffering, gentleness, and meekness are fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Erik says that Christians will be persecuted by their families, and for this reason they should walk away.

Paul writes in 2 Cor 12:10 that "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." He didn't say he left, he said he delighted in it.

Similarly, going back to the Beatitudes, Matthew 5 tells us that

¹⁰Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Erik actually quotes from Matthew 5:

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." -Matthew 5:14-16

This means being willing to talk about God outside of church, and not wimping out by saying that you will witness simply by being an example. What kind of Christian stands by and says nothing as their family and friends head towards hell? If they reject the Gospel that is one thing, but did you give them the chance to reject it? Every Christian is commanded to spread the gospel.

How is it "wimping out" by setting an example? How can you let your light shine to your unsaved family if they never see you?

I truly do not understand the belief that he and Candy have, that they should run down the list of Bible verses they usually give, "Dad, did you know that Christ died for your sins? All you have to do is believe and have eternal life, etc." Do that once, then leave, knocking the dust from your sandals, and saying "Well, we told them the gospel, and it isn't our fault that they are staying on their path to hell."

How is that going to attract anyone to Christianity? It is when your family sees that you are loving and happy, becoming a better person through striving to live a virtuous life, and most of all, but having opportunities to have low-key conversations about what Christianity means, that their heart will be softened. Giving them a lecture, demanding they make a decision, and then leaving is only going to leave them with a bad taste in their mouth.

Again, I realize that many of these situations are more complex than what I am writing. I am just giving my reaction to what Erik wrote, which seems oversimplified in itself. I am afraid that by he and Candy will give more women the excuse they are looking for by jumping right to separation from their family, rather than seeking the council of their pastor, sitting down and having a heart to heart with their family, or trying to set reasonable boundaries.


Towards the end of the week, Candy took a look at Asperger's Syndrome. She wrote:

1) I'm BLUNT

2) I've hurt people's feelings probably more times than I can count, and most of the time I have no idea what I did or said

She characterized these traits as positives, saying, "Here's more bluntness - I think Aspergers have more of a chance of being saved than non-Aspergers."

Is bluntness really such a positive, especially if it is to the point where she hurts people's feelings, and has lost "countless" friendships?

From the Beatitudes in Matt 5, we find:
⁵Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
⁹Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.

From 1 Cor 13, we learn that Love is patient and kind. It is not rude.

In Galatians 5:22-23, we see that bluntness is not a gift of the Holy Spirit. Gentleness and meekness are, however.

We all have good and bad aspects to our personalities. I have no doubt that Candy is blunt, and does not intent to offend by what she says. I disagree that this should be considered a positive thing. I think that we should be prepared to work to improve our characters, and this is probably something which she should strive to improve through prayer.


Finally, today Candy wrote: The Lord called me to be dresses only in January of 2005, and He has recently called me to cover my head as of December 2009. I have found multitudes of other ladies walking the same path as I.

Wearing dresses only seems to be a big point of pride to Candy. It is something that she writes about frequently, and, as in the case of her most recent e-book, she seems to judge the Christianity of women by whether or not they are dresses only, cooking from scratch, stay-at-home moms. I think that God might call some to dress in this manner, and it is certainly good that Candy is obedient if this is the case with her.

However, I think that focuses too much on the outward appearance to judge the interior.

1 Sam 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

In John 7:24, Jesus warns us to "Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment."

Finally, consider 2 Cor 10:7: "Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's."

Do not define yourself as "A dresses only, head covering Christian." Just be Christ's alone.

Luke 18:9-14
9And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

10Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

13And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that


Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. I'll stop in as I have time.

Anti-Catholic Apologists who don't listen

Kelly and I have felt this way too - frequently!

Biblical Evidence for Catholicism: Proof That Anti-Catholic Apologist Jason Engwer Ignores an Average of 80% of Catholic Opponents"s Arguments (Four Exchanges With Bryan Cross and Dave Armstrong)







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And for folks who would rather watch something more uplifting...

The debate video

Between homeschooling, homemaking, cooking from scratch and exercising for a solid 60 minutes in the middle of the day, I have to wonder when Candy found the time to watch this long video. I fully intend to watch it and will probably have lots to say.

I did watch the first few minutes of actual talk after the opening music dragged on. My first impression is that this is not in any way, shape or form a "neutral" debate. The moderator is not "Moderate" in fact he very clearly has a bias. He also spends a great deal of time "poisoning the well" before the debate even starts, inference being that Catholicism is a "cult" and comparing it to Mormonism etc.

I only got to see a little bit of the Catholic opening statement, and to my mind the professor gets right to it- Sola Scriptura isn't scriptural. Game over. But I have to watch the rest and see the Protestant response.

To save you from going over to Candy's and having to live through the noise of her "channel", the link to youtube directly is here.


*************Update*******

I couldn't find much on Larry Wessels. I did come across this:



Whatever anti-Catholicism leads to, it isn't inner peace. Consider the case of Larry Wessels. He used to work with Robert Morey, who has a ministry and radio program based in Austin, Texas. Morey considers himself something of an expert on the errors of "Romanism," and he has debated such defenders of the Catholic Church as Robert Fastiggi, who teaches in the religious studies department at St. Edward's University.

It seems that Wessels and Morey had a falling out. Wessels has been distributing a small-print newsletter that devotes several thousand words (plus photocopies of checks, ledgers, and letters) to the proposition that Morey is a crook. Wessels refers to his "unenviable position of being slandered by national bulk mailouts, threatened with lawsuits, and vilified by telephone by a man determined to assassinate my character and destroy my ministry." His ministry--and we take this as a compliment--is called Christian Answers.

Morey once.aspired to be heir to the late Walter Martin on the "Bible Answer Man" radio program, but Hank Hanegraaff, under Martin the president of the Christian Research Institute, got the job instead. Ever since then it's been one disappointment after another for Morey as his anti-Catholic ministry implodes-- and, apparently, as Wessels takes his own anti-Catholic operation down with Morey's.


I don't want to spend a lot of time on this. I'm guessing this debate is at least 10 years old and I would never have watched it all had Candy not posted it.

Nonetheless, if the purpose of this "debate" was to learn the truth, then it failed miserably.  I didn't learn anything about Protestantism (other than Larry Wessels seems to think it has a lot to do with disagreeing with Catholicism) and none of the Catholic points were made in a presentable clear fashion.

Also the entire forum was slanted towards the Protestant view. I would give the moderator an F.  He did nothing to clarify or moderate the discussion and consequently the two men were all over the map. The entire thing lacked focus.

Here are my notes:

Moderator is not moderate.  He is clearly poisoning the well before the discussion even starts.

 

Interestingly when Dr. Fastiggi opens with prayer the other men don’t pray as well or even nod their heads .They look at him as if he is doing something totally foreign to them!

Fastiggi opens strong:  Jesus would have to make it clear that he intended for scripture alone to be the only authority- this is not clear in the scriptures – he commissions the apostoles to preach.

Bible itself does not give itself the authority.

2 Thessalonians vs. 2 15. ¹⁵So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings^[a] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

More than just scripture alone.

7:50  Who decided what was scripture?

If he holds to only 4 gospels then he holds to a tradition that is not in scripture.

2^nd century church tradition.

8:32 Protestant opening statement.

Theme is on the Gospel message found in

1 Corinthians 15

Faith alone

9:44 What is a consequence in not believing the true gospel

1 Galations- chart – lame   Hasn’t proved that the Catholics are cursed or that the Evangelical gospel is the true one.

Anathema  eternally dammed?   Larry clearly doesn't know what Anathema really means?

Acts 16:30

Per Larry The RCC believes "Keep 7 sacraments and other decrees of the church ordained by the lord Jesus Christ and perhaps I will be saved".   – Interestingly that's not in the Catechism.   More interestingly, neither men has a copy of the catechism on their tables that I can see.  They sure don't ever quote from it.

11:40 – Moderator keeps putting in his 2 cents and continues to poison the well.

12:36   Nothing that   Larry says that Catholics deny.

 

Faith alone Romans 3:28  (Larry admits that alone is implied)

James 2:24 inspired word of God?  See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.  

Only time faith is with alone.

We are not saved by our works. Larry  denies it and then Dr. Fastiggi gets out Trent (I think fondly of Paul and how much he would love Dr. Fastiggi simply because he refers to Trent all the time!)

If anyone says that without divine grace man can be justified by his own works let him anathema sit.

14:48 Vatican II from Larry - no wait - they aren't ready for that yet.  Dr. Fastiggi says:If the bible alone is the only source of authority you have to prove it from the bible and secondly you have to be able to convince me that your interpretation is correct.  Luther and Zwingli disagreed on how to understand This is my Body and This is My Blood.

Reformers  divided on only the elect saved.

16:31  Saved Protestants vs. Lost Protestants on essentials they Protestants agree on apparently.

Not an essential whether JC died for the sins of all mankind.  – still equal brothers in Christ per Larry.

17:29 They're all over the place now.  Larry brings upNew Jerome Commentary  bible contains bibles, fictions myths and evolutions.

18:35 Dr. Fastiggi  explains imprimatur.   Matters still open for discussion.

http://www.ewtn.com/library/SCRIPTUR/DESTBIB.TXT

20:32 Not absolutely necessary to believe that moses wrote the whole 5 books.

21:42 Dr. Fastiggi asks, "Msut every part be interpreted literally?:  Some agreement that  not every word is literal.  So Larry has agreed that some may be symbolic.

23:19 Larry says that according to his sources only 7 verses authoritatively interpreted by the Catholic Churc and seems to delight in only 2 ex cathedra doctrines although I don't think he knows what that means either.

23:28 Spirit of truth guides the tradition 

 Dr. Fastiggi gets to show off his Greek..

Acts 26 verse 22 

24:44- Larry keeps baiting the Dr.Fastiggi and it's annoying and distracting.  Why the moderator doesn't stop it is beyond me.

Larry doesn’t even know the name of the Vatican II document he quotes from. He says he knows Catholicism but if he did he would know that most Catholics refer to Vatican II by the specific documents, not by some conveniently published volumes with page numbers.  But he switches gears now from traditions and scripture to Vatican II and good works.

25:10 From the most ancient times in the church good works were always offered to God

25:56 Jumping oer to merits    Prot boy is all over the place .

26:15 RC built on works 

26:33  Dr. Fastiggi " to help one achieve salvation is scriptural.".

Letter of James calls for the conversion of sinners james 5:19. My brothers if any among you should stray from the truth  whoever brings back a sinner will save his soule from death and cover a multitude of sins.

29:03- switching topics.  We’re simply saying that our prayers and good works contribute.

29:35 by understanding biblical theology.

Dr. Fastiggi challenges Larry to tell him how he knows that his interpretation is the right one. Larry won’t answer how his interpretration is right.

31:02  Dr. Fastiggi mentions 2 Thessalonians 1:11 and reiterates that no where does it say that our good works are the foundation for our salvation.  Trent says that faith is the foundation.

The moderator continues to suck.

 Discussion is dissolving into rhetoric about deserived merit and fitting merit. I'm sure Protestants and many Catholics don't even know what the heck they're talkinga about!

34:07 Let’s center on the central issue the Catholic Church - gosh, wish the moderator had said that!

Dr. Fastiggi: "If you are saying that the Catholics believes that the foundation is our own works then you are wrong:

34:48- Classic  as taught by the letter of James.

WE DON’T CARE ABOUT THE PREVIOUS DEBATES!!!!!

PEEING CONTEST AT 35:57   but I persevere to the end of this stupid debate and I'm almost postive that Candy didn't even get this far!

Where is this stupid moderator.

Oh no he didn't!! ROFLOL Larry brings up  Raymond Brown and Hahns Kuhn as credible Catholic authorities...  – what a moron.

37:01  those words are to be understood in the sense  namely that we are said to be justified by faith because faith is the beginning of man’s salvation. The foundation and root of all justification without which it is notpossible to please God and tocome into the fellowship of sons

We are said to be   nothing that preceeds justification neither fiath or works merits the works of Justification for if it is by grace   Grace would no longer be grace.

38:06=   word games according to Larry. 

Well he may think he understands it, but he sure as heck can’d pronounce it.For sheer scholarship Dr. Fastiggi is making Larry look like a novice.

41:15  I hate Larry

42:28  Paul indicates that we need to grow in righteousness, we need to grow holy

Rev nothing unclean can enter heaven.  The distinction between the guilt of the sin and what was call the wound of the sin that needs to be healed by God’s grace. God’s grace working through us heals us.

43:51  where does it teach everyone has to go to purgatory?  Clue- it doesn't.

44:47- Doctor loses it when Prot Boy brings up transsubstatiation.  Push aside scriptures that don’t suit you.

OH GOD WHY DOESN”T THE MODERATOR HELP!!!

46:27 

46:55 Defines anathema. 

47:18 muslims can be saved.  

48:18 inscrutable God   God if he wishes could exempt because of ignorance.

49:21  whore of Babylon comes up – knew it would eventually.Yawn.

50:12   Dr. Fastiggi:  "All you are doing is giving slurs and distortions and if you are really interested in what the church teaches you would listen."

50:32  Carl Rahner Luther wrote a lot of books.  eye roll

I started listening to the closing remarks but Larry is bringing in all kinds of things that weren't in the debate and by this time I don't care about what either of them have to say.  But if you are so interested it starts around 52;40 - where the moderator makes it look like he ws really just the time keeper. 

Oh heck - let's listen to what Larry brings up

Mary like God

Mass

Pope

Necromancy occultism

Universalism

Merit

Super irrigation!  (a farming term no doubt ha ha ha)

Changes in the word of God

Jehovah witness= Catholic Church

55:39 Mr. Fastiggi- very calmly "If the essence of the gospel is that we are saved   by the grace of Jesus Christ and this grace alone, this is what the CC teaches. Mr. Wessel has to show you that his church or his belief system is consistent with what the NT teaches, but he appeals to phrases as dogmas which are contracted by statements in the ible. but then says that is not what it means, that's not what it means...

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FYI - Some Catholic Books of note

Scott Hahn's Ignatius Catholic Study Bible is ready for pre-orders at Amazon. Here's the description:

The only Catholic Study Bible based on the Revised Standard Version 2nd Catholic Edition, the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament brings together all of the books of the New Testament and the penetrating study tools developed by renowned Bible teachers Dr. Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch.

This volume presents the written Word of God in a highly readable, accurate translation, excellent for personal and group study. Extensive study notes, topical essays and word studies provide fresh and faithful insights informed by time-tested, authentically Catholic interpretations from the Fathers of the Church and other scholars. Commentaries include the best insights of ancient, medieval and modern scholarship, and follow the Church s guidelines for biblical interpretation. Plus, each New Testament book is outlined and introduced with an essay covering questions of authorship, date of composition, intended audience and general themes. The Ignatius Study Bible also includes handy reference materials such as a doctrinal index, a concise concordance, a helpful cross-reference system, and various maps and charts.

''With copious historical and theological notes, incisive commentary and tools for study, the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament is outstanding for private devotion, personal study and Bible study groups. It is excellent for evangelization and apologetics as well!''
Stephen Ray, Host of The Footprints of God series; Author of Upon This Rock

Also Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love
debuted at #6 on the NYT Best Sellers list last fall and is still ranking well on Amazon.

The Hail Mary

This was first posted back in May 2008.

The word "pray" and all of its various forms has a number of different meanings. Of course when we pray to God, our prayer can have several different forms - prayers of worship and praise, prayers of petition, prayers of thanksgiving to name a few.

When Catholics talk about "praying" to Mary or the saints, THEY ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT PRAYERS OF WORSHIP. And although I suppose one could point out that many prayers praise Mary or the saints, those prayers are always in reference to God i.e. Mary the obedient, Mary the humble servant, Mary mother of God. We praise the saints and Mary because they give more perfect examples of being a child of God and overcoming their sins, than we do.

The Hail Mary is actually very scriptural.

Hail Mary, Full of Grace the Lord is with you
Blessed art thou amongst women
And Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus

The account of the angel Gabriel announcing to Mary that she is to be the mother of our Savior is familiar to all Christians. We find here the first elements of the Ave Maria. The angel’s words are "Hail, O favored one," (Luke 1:28 RSV), or as Jerome translated it in his 4th century Latin edition, "full of grace."

What does it mean to be greeted as one "full of grace"? At the very least, Mary is highly favored by having been chosen to bear the Son of the Most High. The Latin translation using "full" points to the overflowing abundance and perfection involved. God Himself will dwell in her womb, the Creator will come into the world. The Holy Spirit will overshadow and dwell in her. It is all of grace. By this grace, Mary is special and blessed. The Church’s reflections over the centuries have their root in these words of the angel Gabriel, sent from God. She teaches us to look to Mary for our model of what we ourselves hope to become by God’s fullness of grace.

Mary, and we too, have the next words of the angel to assure us of His help in this. "The Lord is with you" (Luke 1:28). How many times in salvation history have servants of God heard these words? In Genesis 26:24, the Lord appears to Isaac, saying, "Fear not, for I am with you". The Lord God promises to be with Jacob (Gen. 31:3), with Moses (Exod. 3:12), with Joshua (Joshua 1:5), and with Gideon (Judges 6:16). Jesus Himself tells his accusers, "He who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him"(John 8:29). The Lord will be with Paul in the city where He has many people (Acts 18:10). This is His promise to the Church in Matthew 28:20, "I am with you always." And in Revelation 21:3, a great voice tells us, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself will be with them." The Lord is with Mary, according to the angel, and we know He is with us. His assistance in the Old Testament has been brought to great fulfillment by His very presence with Mary in her womb. "The Lord is with you," has been a pregnant phrase throughout salvation history. And now in the Church, His real presence is with us in His Eucharist.

"Blessed art thou among women," says the prayer, in the words of Elizabeth (Luke 1:42). All the promises of blessing in the Old Testament are fulfilled with the coming of the Savior. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, continues, "and blessed is the fruit of your womb". Mary is blessed because of her child, Son of the Most High. Elizabeth recognizes this, saying in astonishment, "And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke 1:43). Both Mary and Elizabeth are pregnant miraculously, by the grace of God, emphasizing to us that our life in God is all of grace, all by His willing and doing. We, too, are totally dependent on His grace, His mighty acts, his fulfilling of promises. In the Incarnation, Mary is blessed to have the God of the universe dwell in her womb. In the Church, we are graced to receive in the Eucharist His presence, His very body, the fruit of Mary’s womb.

The scriptural first half of the prayer ends with the name of Jesus (Luke 1:31). We are told in Acts that "there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Mary rejoices in God her Savior, and all generations shall call her blessed. Like Mary, we are to rejoice in God’s salvation through Jesus. Like Mary, we are blessed in the Son of the Most High. And like her, we are to be conformed to his image. "For those whom He foreknew, He also pre destined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the first-born among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29). Catholics believe that Mary’s sinlessness is due only and completely to the grace of her Savior, her Son. She did not earn this great privilege, but was prepared by His saving grace to shine as a promise of what we will be, when "we shall be like Him" (1John 3:2).

The second part of the prayer is a prayer of petition.

To ask (someone) imploringly; beseech. Now often used elliptically for I pray you to introduce a request or entreaty: Pray be careful.

Holy Mary, Mother of God
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death, Amen


Catholics strongly believe in the community of saints, that those who died in Christ are alive in Christ (who died for us, so that whether we wake or sleep, we might live with Him" (1 Th. 5:10) so we ask for their prayers, just like we ask each other for prayer. In the second half of the Hail Mary, we address Mary as the Mother of God, for indeed she is. We ask her to pray for us, admitting our sinfulness, and asking for those prayers now as we live our lives but particularly at the end of our life when most likely we will need prayer the most!

For more on the Hail Mary see
Hail Mary
EWTN's explanation.

The Crucified Rabbi

Musings From A Catholic Bookstore has an interview with Taylor Marshall, author of The Crucified Rabbi. Sounds as if it will be a very interesting book.

In 2007, I delivered twelve lectures at the Catholic Information Center in Washington, DC on Judaism from a Catholic perspective. The themes examined how Jesus fulfills the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament, how the Messianic kingdom relates to the Church, the papacy, the Blessed Virgin, the priesthood, sacraments, liturgy, vestments, architecture…you name it . . .


When I was an Episcopalian priest doing a hospital visit, I met a Jewish rabbi who informed me that when a fellow Jew is suffering, they often invoke the name of that person’s mother in prayer with the belief that it provokes God’s mercy. This intrigued me, especially as to how it might relate to the Catholic practice of invoking the name of Mary—since she is the mother of the suffering servant Jesus Christ. This breakthrough led to many others. Eventually I was convinced that only Catholicism could truly account for the Jewish heritage of Christ and the Apostles. I renounced my Episcopalian ministry and became Catholic.

Catholic Relief Services Blog

Catholic Relief Services Blog - place to donate for Haiti Earthquake relief.







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Catholic Bible Student

You might want to add this one too!

Catholic Bible Student

Catholic Bibles

Here's an interesting blog you might want to add to your Bloglines or Google Reader!
Catholic Bibles







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Intro to Catholicism

New Reader Sarah has asked for some help in learning just what the Catholic church teaches and knowing a bit about the Catholic church.

I don't think I would send someone first looking into Catholicism directly to the Catechism of the Catholic church because some of the language, rhetoric and footnotes can be a bit daunting. That is a good resource though that every Catholic should have and certainly someone who claims to be doing a deep study of Catholicism ( ahem - Jennie) should have a copy.

Nonetheless a list of good books and resources to refer people too would be quite helpful.

For my high school students I found Introduction To Catholicism: A Complete Course to be very helpful and I learned form it as well!

David Armstrong's e-books in the sidebar are good.

Jeff Cavin's Catholicism 101 is good although I have only heard part of it.

Why Do Catholics Do That? is also a good read.


Suggest some more in the comments and I'll add them to the list.

More nun fun!

Long time readers will remember how Candy loves to post stories about nuns being raped and tortured, even with no documentation to back it up. So from time to time we like to show the bright side of the sisterhood. Over at Overheard in the Sacristy is reporting that four young women entered the convent recently, complete with beautiful pictures.

Salvation by Merit

Defining the terms is very important when you are discussing theology. Do not be scared, just because a word such as "merit" appears in the Catechism. You should not leap to the assumption that it means Catholics believe we earn our salvation. What you should do is see what Catholics mean when they use the term.

The word 'pray' is another example of this. It has come to imply worship, although the older original meaning was to make a request, or to entreat. When you look up the definition of a word in an unabridged dictionary, it lists the Catholic meaning as either "eccl" or "R. Cath" in the definition. The Catholic Church is so old, that it uses vocabulary which is now a bit antiquated.

What does the Catechism have to say about merit?

III. MERIT

You are glorified in the assembly of your Holy Ones, for in crowning their merits you are crowning your own gifts.

2006 The term "merit" refers in general to the recompense owed by a community or a society for the action of one of its members, experienced either as beneficial or harmful, deserving reward or punishment. Merit is relative to the virtue of justice, in conformity with the principle of equality which governs it.

2007 With regard to God, there is no strict right to any merit on the part of man. Between God and us there is an immeasurable inequality, for we have received everything from him, our Creator.

2008 The merit of man before God in the Christian life arises from the fact that God has freely chosen to associate man with the work of his grace. The fatherly action of God is first on his own initiative, and then follows man's free acting through his collaboration, so that the merit of good works is to be attributed in the first place to the grace of God, then to the faithful. Man's merit, moreover, itself is due to God, for his good actions proceed in Christ, from the predispositions and assistance given by the Holy Spirit.

2009 Filial adoption, in making us partakers by grace in the divine nature, can bestow true merit on us as a result of God's gratuitous justice. This is our right by grace, the full right of love, making us "co-heirs" with Christ and worthy of obtaining "the promised inheritance of eternal life." The merits of our good works are gifts of the divine goodness. "Grace has gone before us; now we are given what is due. . . . Our merits are God's gifts."

2010 Since the initiative belongs to God in the order of grace, no one can merit the initial grace of forgiveness and justification, at the beginning of conversion. Moved by the Holy Spirit and by charity, we can then merit for ourselves and for others the graces needed for our sanctification, for the increase of grace and charity, and for the attainment of eternal life. Even temporal goods like health and friendship can be merited in accordance with God's wisdom. These graces and goods are the object of Christian prayer. Prayer attends to the grace we need for meritorious actions.

2011 The charity of Christ is the source in us of all our merits before God. Grace, by uniting us to Christ in active love, ensures the supernatural quality of our acts and consequently their merit before God and before men. The saints have always had a lively awareness that their merits were pure grace.

After earth's exile, I hope to go and enjoy you in the fatherland, but I do not want to lay up merits for heaven. I want to work for your love alone. . . . In the evening of this life, I shall appear before you with empty hands, for I do not ask you, Lord, to count my works. All our justice is blemished in your eyes. I wish, then, to be clothed in your own justice and to receive from your love the eternal possession of yourself.

What this is saying, if you remove the offensive word "merit" is that it is God who initializes that moment where we accept Jesus as our Saviour, thereby obtaining (or meriting) salvation. Read #2007 carefully. It says that everything we merit originates from God.

What is necessary for salvation? God gives us the grace necessary for salvation. Then we turn to Him. Does He do everything? How much of our acceptance is work and how much is God? Can man initiate (semi-Pelagian) or is it only God? Are we co-operating with God, or not?

When we get to justification, is it imputed or infused? What type of grace are we talking here, sanctifying or actual?

To say that faith is simple is to oversimplify. There are a lot of possible variations, that that is why it seems complicated, and why we end up with so many beliefs among Christians.

To read the full section on justification in the Catechism, look here. But I will excerpt a few selections which show that we believed we are saved by God's grace.

#1992

Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holy and pleasing to God, and whose blood has become the instrument of atonement for the sins of all men. Justification is conferred in Baptism, the sacrament of faith. It conforms us to the righteousness of God, who makes us inwardly just by the power of his mercy. Its purpose is the glory of God and of Christ, and the gift of eternal life:

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus.

#1996 Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life.

#1999 The grace of Christ is the gratuitous gift that God makes to us of his own life, infused by the Holy Spirit into our soul to heal it of sin and to sanctify it. It is the sanctifying or deifying grace received in Baptism. It is in us the source of the work of sanctification:

Therefore if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself.

#2001 The preparation of man for the reception of grace is already a work of grace. This latter is needed to arouse and sustain our collaboration in justification through faith, and in sanctification through charity. God brings to completion in us what he has begun, "since he who completes his work by cooperating with our will began by working so that we might will it:"

Indeed we also work, but we are only collaborating with God who works, for his mercy has gone before us. It has gone before us so that we may be healed, and follows us so that once healed, we may be given life; it goes before us so that we may be called, and follows us so that we may be glorified; it goes before us so that we may live devoutly, and follows us so that we may always live with God: for without him we can do nothing.

#2002 God's free initiative demands man's free response, for God has created man in his image by conferring on him, along with freedom, the power to know him and love him. The soul only enters freely into the communion of love. God immediately touches and directly moves the heart of man. He has placed in man a longing for truth and goodness that only he can satisfy. The promises of "eternal life" respond, beyond all hope, to this desire:

If at the end of your very good works . . ., you rested on the seventh day, it was to foretell by the voice of your book that at the end of our works, which are indeed "very good" since you have given them to us, we shall also rest in you on the sabbath of eternal life.

#2003 Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church. There are sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning "favor," "gratuitous gift," "benefit." Whatever their character - sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues - charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church.

That was the section immediately before the Catechism begins to discuss merit. So we are back to that topic. There are two kinds of merit in Catholic doctrine, condign merit and congruous merit.

See Catholic Encyclopedia for more information, but here is what I feel is the important part:

Condign merit supposes an equality between service and return; it is measured by commutative justice (justitia commutativa), and thus gives a real claim to a reward. Congruous merit, owing to its inadequacy and the lack of intrinsic proportion between the service and the recompense, claims a reward only on the ground of equity.

Christian faith teaches us that the Incarnate Son of God by His death on the cross has in our stead fully satisfied God's anger at our sins, and thereby effected a reconciliation between the world and its Creator. Not, however, as though nothing were now left to be done by man, or as though he were now restored to the state of original innocence, whether he wills it or not; on the contrary, God and Christ demand of him that he make the fruits of the Sacrifice of the Cross his own by personal exertion and co-operation with grace, by justifying faith and the reception of baptism. It is a defined article of the Catholic Faith that man before, in, and after justification derives his whole capability of meriting and satisfying, as well as his actual merits and satisfactions, solely from the infinite treasure of merits which Christ gained for us on the Cross.

So, to the best of my understanding, God gives us the grace that we need to turn to him, and cooperate. It is through this free response that we might say we merit our salvation, which is due entirely to Christ. To avoid the prohibited word "merit" we might instead say "accept the free gift of salvation by our faith."

As I said before, this is about vocabulary.

Works are bad, but bearing fruits is good.

Accepting/believing is not an action, despite being a verb, because actions are works, which are bad.

Meriting salvation is bad, but obtaining or being giving a salvation after an action is good.


I believe we are expressing the same idea, but in different words.

Conversation with a Catholic friend

I'm bumping this up to the top because I have added a record of Candy's comments section.

Who knew Candy had a Catholic friend? Perhaps he is more of an acquaintance. At any rate, Candy posts about their conversation today:

Good News Ahead

Yesterday, I had a conversation with a friend who is Roman Catholic.
He said some things that I'd like to address on this blog, in case
anyone else thinks or says the same thing. That conversation was
great, and I think we both walked away having enjoyed a thorough
theological conversation. :-)

My Catholic friend said that he believes that if a person thinks they
are "saved," then they must not sin, because if they sin, they are not
"saved."

I submitted the following comment, which was approved by Candy:

Did this friend actually use the phrase "earn my salvation"? Because I have never heard a Catholic use that phrase.

Many Catholics mistakenly believe that in order to go to heaven you must "be a good person." So do many Lutherans, Baptists, Methodists, etc. It is a very common idea floating around among lukewarm Christians at the moment.

Candy responded:
My friend knows I'm a Bible believing Christian, so he used terms I'm familiar with, I'm sure. :-)

I think the problem with this comes down to defining the terms. Catholics and Baptists look at things very differently. Bear with me while I repeat a story for the 100th time.

I grew up in a predominately Baptist area. I went to school with many people who told me that they were "saved" and were sure that they were going to heaven. I, being a Catholic, was surely hellbound. These people were often the who lied, cheated, stole, and slept around. From my point of view, how could these people think they were going to heaven living a life like that?

It wasn't necessarily that I believed they were failing to earn their salvation. Rather, I thought that they were lacking faith because of their actions. Faith without works is dead, and all that. We discussed this in depth when Candy was studying John 5.

My friend also said that he believes that one has to earn salvation
via good works, and that the person must work hard, every single day,
to be a good person, and do good works, or they have not earned their
salvation.

It sounds to me as if her friend was familiar with the importance of perseverance in Scripture.

Heb 3:13-14 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end

1 Tim 19-20 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Heb 10:36 For ye have need of endurance, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

1 Cor 4:4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

And one of my favorite verses in the Bible, 2 Tim 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished
the race, I have kept the faith.

Candy certainly feels that works are important in the life of a Christian.

I don't know anything about Candy's Catholic friend. Odds are that he doesn't know much about his faith. However, I think that they were probably having a conversation where neither one really understood what the other meant.

I submitted a follow-up comment:

I don't know anything about your Catholic friend, how much he knows
about what you believe, or his own faith. However, it is very
possible that you were both reading in your own understanding to what
the other was saying.

I grew up in a predominately Baptist area. I went to school with many
people who told me that they were "saved" and were sure that they were
going to heaven. I, being a Catholic, was surely hellbound. These
people were often the who lied, cheated, stole, and slept around. From
my point of view, how could these people think they were going to
heaven living a life like that?

It wasn't necessarily that I believed they were failing to earn their
salvation. Rather, I thought that they were lacking faith because of
their actions. Faith without works is dead, and all that.

According to the Catholic Catechism, the Catholic Church affirms the
necessity of faith. (see above quotes)

Also, working hard every single day is very Scriptural. (see above quotes)


Candy replies:
Kelly - I've seen it from the other angle. I've seen some people, professing to be Catholic, go out drinking, breaking the law, and living a riotious life, but then they go to confession and mass, and they think that makes it alright.

A saved Christian, regardless if they're Baptist or something else, is only truly saved, if they put their trust for salvation in Christ, and in Him alone. We don't have to follow traditions of man or "church." We only need to follow Christ, and Him alone.

I've heard that the Catholic church professes faith in Christ,but then that begs the question as to why the unbliblical doctrine of purgatory? If Christ paid it ALL, then there is no need of purgatory.

The closest thing to purgatory you'll find in the Bible, is that there was a holding place where all the dead went, and after Christ died and rose again, those who were saved went to heaven. That holding place no longer holds any Christians.

It would take too much to get into it, but there are three heavens - the third being where God dwells - the heaven. There are also three compartments of hell - the holding cell, which is now empty, the outer darkness, and the lake of fire, which no one is in yet. All who go to hell are currently in outer darkness, and all who are saved, go straight to heaven, as the Bible says - "absent from the body, present with the Lord." Amen.

I reply:
Kelly - I've seen it from the other angle. I've seen some people, professing to be Catholic, go out drinking, breaking the law, and living a riotious life, but then they go to confession and mass, and they think that makes it alright.

Certainly, there are a lot of Catholics who are lukewarm just as there are in any group of Christians. My point was that Catholics tend to focus on the works which show our faith, as well as the importance of perseverance, while you tend to focus on the moment of profession of faith. They are two sides of the same coin.

You often write of the importance of bearing good fruit if you are truly saved. You wouldn't say that this is earning your salvation. We are all saved by God's grace.

Purgatory is too much of a topic to get sidetracked on in your comments section. I will only say that the Catholic Church affirms that Jesus paid all of our debt.

CCC #613 Christ's death is both the Paschal sacrifice that accomplishes the definitive redemption of men, through "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world", and the sacrifice of the New Covenant, which restores man to communion with God by reconciling him to God through the "blood of the covenant, which was poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins".

#614 This sacrifice of Christ is unique; it completes and surpasses all other sacrifices. First, it is a gift from God the Father himself, for the Father handed his Son over to sinners in order to reconcile us with himself. At the same time it is the offering of the Son of God made man, who in freedom and love offered his life to his Father through the Holy Spirit in reparation for our disobedience.

#615 "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience many will be made righteous." By his obedience unto death, Jesus accomplished the substitution of the suffering Servant, who "makes himself an offering for sin", when "he bore the sin of many", and who "shall make many to be accounted righteous", for "he shall bear their iniquities". Jesus atoned for our faults and made satisfaction for our sins to the Father.

Candy did post this comment, but has so far not replied. How nice that she has posted all of my comments, and with Catechism quotes and all!

An Anonymous commentor said Kathy--Why don't you show support for your argument from the Bible, the one true word of God? That, in my estimation, is the problem with the Catholic religion (in general, mind you)...reliance on man's "interpretations." While I understand the Catholic belief in the infallability of a pope, I don't believe it. There is only ONE way to the Father, and that is through Jesus Christ, his Son. Man does not need an intercessor (which is the purpose of the pope). Therefore, your continued referal to the catechism in an argument about faith is not sound.

My response:
Well, we have two Anons, a Kathy, and a Kelly. One Anon, referring to
Kathy, wrote Therefore, your continued referal to the catechism in
an argument about faith is not sound.

As Kathy had not yet written on this thread, I think you must be
referring to me, Anon. I don't see that there is any argument about
faith taking place. I agreed with Candy that there is only ONE
Mediator, and that is Jesus. I can certainly provide Scripture verses
for that if you like, although Candy has already provided several.

Candy feels that the Catholic Church teaches salvation by works, and
that more than one Mediator is needed for salvation. I quoted from
the Catholic Catechism, which is the statement of faith for the
Catholic Church, to show that we are in agreement on these matters.
Most churches have a statement of faith, and it is helpful to refer to
it to clear up exactly what a particular church teaches.

Sorry, but I'm not what the Pope has to do with the discussion.

Candy has now replied to my previous comment.

Kelly, if you are trusting in Christ alone, then why be a Catholic? Why not just be a Christian, as the first Christians in Antioch called themselves?

According to the Roman Catholic church, Mary is the mediator:

"Mary places herself between her Son and mankind in the reality of their wants, needs and sufferings. She puts herself "in the middle," that is to say she acts as a mediatrix [mediator] not as an outsider, but in her position as mother."

The above is quoted from the Vatican's Holy See, here:

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25031987_redemptoris-mater_en.html

The Bible says that there is only ONE mediator, and that mediator is not Mary:

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" -1 Timothy 2:5


I reply:
Candy, my husband needs the computer for the evening, so I won't be able to post a response after this one until tomorrow. But I'd like to say that I appreciate that you have let me post comments.

Considering Mary as mediatrix does not negate Jesus as the One Mediator. This is a difference in understanding what is meant by mediatrix. When Catholics refer to Mary as Mediatrix, we saying that God entered the world through her. Jesus was physically born by a woman, and that woman was Mary. Because she cooperated with God, by saying yes to him, Jesus was able to enter the world. Because she cooperated with God, God worked through her (mediated). To deny that she cooperated with God would be to deny Mary free will.

The word Catholic means "universal." I am a Catholic Christian because I am a part of the one church of all believers.

As a last note, a search on the online Catechism shows that it refers in 12 places to Jesus as being "the Mediator," "the unique Mediator" or "the only Mediator."

Defining the terms is so very important in discussion such as these.

In the quote you posted from the Vatican website, it states "that is to say she acts as a mediatrix [mediator] not as an outsider, but in her position as mother."

This is not Mary occupying the place of Jesus, but an affirmation of the miracle of the Incarnation. God took flesh through the body of Mary. She mediated the event of the Incarnation.


Candy's reply:
Kelly, I have been enjoying our conversation. :-)

The original "Catholic," or Universal church was not Roman Catholic. That came years later. The first place where the Catholic church veered from the Scriptures, was when they started placing bishops in charge of large groups of churches, however the Scriptures say that there is supposed to be one Bishop per church, or what non RC Christians refer to as Pastors, which is also a Scriptural term.

Some people stayed with the Universal/Catholic church, even though they veered a bit with the Bishops. But some groups decided to splinter off. Little by little more dogma was picked up by the Catholic church, which was not Scriptural, and more groups splintered off.

Fast forward many years, and you have the New Testament church, who were originally in the Universal/Catholic church, and you have the Roman Catholic church, which hardly resembled the original Universal/Catholic church.

We agree that Jesus is the only way to heaven, yes? You and I agree also, that salvation is through faith in Christ, and in Christ alone, correct?

Then why does the Catholic church teach Catholics to pray to Mary:

"The members of the Rosary Sodality, therefore, do exceedingly well in weaving together, as in a crown, so many salutations and prayers to Mary."

The above is quoted from the Vatican Holy See, at:

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/leo_xiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_12091897_augustissimae-virginis-mariae_en.html

To pray to Mary brings the assumption that she can actually hear and be an aide in your prayers getting answered. Yet, nowhere in the Bible are we told that Mary had the omnipresence, omniscience, etc of God. She would have to have these properties, or she 1) wouldn't hear a single prayer, but if she somehow did, 2) she wouldn't be able to hear millions of people, all over the world, praying to her at the same time.

The Bible tells us that we are to direct our prayers straight to God. We now go to God through Christ.

Some Catholics teach that Mary is the mediator between Catholics and Christ. This is adding to the Word of God.

I posit the strong possibility (which I believe to be an actuality) that the Roman Catholic Church adds to the Word of God via the traditions of man:

"For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do." -Mark 7:8

"Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye." -Mark 7:13

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." -Colossians 2:8

If the Roman Catholic church believes that Christ is the only way, and that Christ paid it all, then why have unScriptural doctrines of purgatory? Why have a pope? Why elevate Mary higher than the Bible does?


I think I'm going to let the conversation rest for now. She's at the point where she's throwing the full list of Mary/Pope/purgatory at me, so there is no short response available. Plus, I don't want to press my luck. I'm very happy with the conversation.

Candy's Catholic "Friend"

Today Candy Writes:

Yesterday, I had a conversation with a friend who is Roman Catholic. He said some things that I'd like to address on this blog, in case anyone else thinks or says the same thing. That conversation was great, and I think we both walked away having enjoyed a thorough theological conversation. :-)

My Catholic friend said that he believes that if a person thinks they are "saved," then they must not sin, because if they sin, they are not "saved." I would like to show the error in this belief via Scripture:

1 John 1:

"7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

My friend also said that he believes that one has to earn salvation via good works, and that the person must work hard, every single day, to be a good person, and do good works, or they have not earned their salvation. I would like to show Scripture that shows that that doctrine is also in error:

Ephesians 2:

"8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9Not of works, lest any man should boast."

It doesn't matter what church you attend. Attending, or being the member of a certain church will not get you into heaven. Neither will doing good works. Doing good works does not erase the sin we've committed. This is like a person who murdered his best friend, and then decided that they were going to be good, from then on out.

Should they then not be punished for the crime they committed, or should it be forgotten, because now he's a "good guy?" Obviously, no matter how good the person has become, they still need to pay for the sins they committed.

Being good, and doing good works will not and cannot cleans or cover our sins. We still need to pay for what we did wrong, or justice has not been served.

You are probably not a murderer, but lying is a sin, as well as impure thoughts. You are probably guilty of those, at the least. The Bible tells us that everyone is a sinner. The Bible also tells us what has to be done to pay for those sins:

I personally do not believe that Candy has a Catholic "friend." She's not tolerant enough for that. I also think that her "friend" was either messing with her or was another uncatechized Catholic.

We have tackled Salvation on this blog before.
October 6, 2009
September 19, 2009
February 10, 2009

For a complete listing see here.

Here is what the Catechism (which Candy apparently still ignores - which is odd for someone who thinks she knows so much on the topic) says: (Please note the catechism citations also reference scripture!)

169 Salvation comes from God alone; but because we receive the life of faith through the Church, she is our mother: "We believe the Church as the mother of our new birth, and not in the Church as if she were the author of our salvation."55 Because she is our mother, she is also our teacher in the faith.

183 Faith is necessary for salvation. The Lord himself affirms: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mk 16:16).

620 Our salvation flows from God's initiative of love for us, because "he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins" (I Jn 4:10). "God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself" (2 Cor 5:19).

621 Jesus freely offered himself for our salvation. Beforehand, during the Last Supper, he both symbolized this offering and made it really present: "This is my body which is given for you" (Lk 22:19).

622 The redemption won by Christ consists in this, that he came "to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mt 20:28), that is, he "loved [his own] to the end" (Jn 13:1), so that they might be "ransomed from the futile ways inherited from [their] fathers" (I Pt 1:18).

623 By his loving obedience to the Father, "unto death, even death on a cross" (Phil 2:8), Jesus fulfills the atoning mission (cf. Is 53:10) of the suffering Servant, who will "make many righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities" (Is 53:11; cf. Rom 5:19).

1697 - a catechesis of grace, for it is by grace that we are saved and again it is by grace that our works can bear fruit for eternal life;

1821 We can therefore hope in the glory of heaven promised by God to those who love him and do his will.92 In every circumstance, each one of us should hope, with the grace of God, to persevere "to the end"93 and to obtain the joy of heaven, as God's eternal reward for the good works accomplished with the grace of Christ. In hope, the Church prays for "all men to be saved."94 She longs to be united with Christ, her Bridegroom, in the glory of heaven:

Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one. Dream that the more you struggle, the more you prove the love that you bear your God, and the more you will rejoice one day with your Beloved, in a happiness and rapture that can never end.95