The Birthday of ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST

 1. The visitation.
     The visitation is when the Blessed Virgin Mary with Christ in her womb, visited her cousin Elizabeth. And during the visit, John who was in Elizabeth's womb was filled by the Holy Spirit and shared that Spirit with Elizabeth, her mother. So both Elizabeth and John were filled with the Holy Spirit. 
     This is a figure of 'evangelisation.' In evangelising, the Church (prefigured by Mary) with Christ (as the Church's created soul) visits to evangelise a nation (Elizabeth and John). Notice that the Church (Mary) does not preach. Her mere presence with Christ within her was enough to evangelise and sanctify Elizabeth and John. This is the proper way of evangelisation that was most effectively used by the first monks in England, Germany, the Slaves   and the Scandinavians. 
     The modern evangelisation of the missionaries of mercy are unlike Mary. They do not have Christ within them in that they do not have the theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity OR they do not have the four visible marks as mentioned in the Nicene Creed nor the 15 Marks of the Church according to St. Robert Bellarmine. 
     So any one they approach are not filled with the Spirit as John and Elizabeth. Instead, they are filled will adulterous and aberosexual desires, aside from becoming complacent in their atheism, Protestantism, paganism, animism;  and their desire to travel to Europe without visa. 
     So much for evangelisation which everybody is calling 'new evangelisation'  but  is neither new nor old. It is weird. 

2. The birthday of John the Baptist. 
     The visitation showed how John entered the Catholic Church; by the mere presence of Mary and Jesus. His birth showed in more concrete form how he entered.
     The feast contains two steps; first, the circumcision. And secondly, the giving of a new name. 

     The circumcision is a ritual wherein the foreskin is cut. Like all religious ritual this has a deep significance. It means the cutting off from one's life all corporal or physical source of pleasures, commonly referred to as 'the pleasures of the flesh.' After this ritual, John left home and dwelled in the desert; the 'desert' being the symbol of a way of life deprived of all pleasures of the flesh. This is the best place to develop the spiritual life. 
     The monastery was supposed to be a 'mystical desert.' And St. John Chrysostom wrote that any home or room can be transformed into a 'mystical desert.' Thus St. Catherine of Sienna wrote that she always carried her own desert with her every where she went, not to be out of it at any time. 

     For St. John the circumcision was the grace; and his going to the desert to stay there until the public life of Jesus was his way of conquering all the desires of the flesh. It took him about 30 years, too, the same time Christ lived His hidden life. Christ, in His hidden life was, also, showing the necessity of disciplining the desires of the flesh. And it takes about that long to do so. 
     It is the world's inability to do this ascetical practice, St. Paul calls spiritual circiumcision, that makes of them adulterers, killers of babies, killers of strangers, perverts, bad bishops and bad popes. 
     Ask any one of the above; who among them spent 30 years in the desert disciplining their passions and concupiscence? Absolutely NO ONE!!!  So what do we expect? The Church that we have today.....'spiritually uncircumcised.'

3. The giving of a new name.
     After the circumcision of St. John he was supposed to be given a name. Usually the name of a relative. But when they asked Elizabeth d was to be given to the child,  she gave an entirely new name given to her by the Spirit. And upon double checking it with the Father, who by now was still dumb because he doubted the angel, he asked for a tablet and wrote; 'his name is john.'  Everybody was surprised because there was no relative with that name. It was an entirely new name. 

     The concept of a 'new name' is only found in the Apocalypse. It is a new name that God, Himself, gives to one who has reached perfection. It is a new name written in a marble which only the person named can read. Nobody else.  The 'new name' was a sign of predestination. 
     The importance of this ritual was carried over in religious life in that the religious, upon profession, is given a 'new name.' to symbolise that by his profession he has become predestined to go to heaven. But the whole ritual has lost its deeper meaning and the entire liturgical practice is no longer observed. Might as well, Anyway, nobody is being predestined to heaven. 

4. The message of the feast is clear.
     The message of the feast is that unless we completely discipline our concupiscence and passions to be able to grow in Faith, Hope and Charity  OR to enter the Catholic Church, we shall never receive our 'new name' from God. 
     The god of the world is the 'pleasure of the flesh.' Do what your concupiscence want, do what your passions want,  do what your body and senses want, do what your neighbour want, do what the devil want.......do everything except what God wants.

     That 'new name' is a fact and a theological truth. We have to get it before we die and face the judgment seat of God. What is found in Scriptures. We won't get it unless we undergo our 'spiritual circumcision.' His name will be John. But none of your  human relatives have that name. It is a completely new name. Yes, a 'new name' from God and from the angel. 

'Veritatis Splendor,' - Do not be conformed to this world.

 1. The two ways of salvation; the imperfect and the perfect.
     St. Thomas of Aquinas differentiates the two in this way. Both the imperfect and the perfect consist in obedience to ALL the commandments of God, obedience  which is rooted in Love of neighbours. This entire obedience to ALL the commands of God rooted on the love of neighbour is a description of Love of God. Love of God is obedience to all the commands of God rooted on love of neighbour. 
     Imperfect way of salvation is when the above mentioned obedience is done imperfectly. Perfect is when the above mentioned obedience is done perfectly. 
     A soul can know if he is in the imperfect or perfect way by knowing the perfect way that is supposed to be the goal of evangelisation. The words of evangelisation is 'to teach ALL my commands and how to obey them.' Well, basing it on these words we should know if we have obeyed all the commands and have obeyed  them the way it should be obeyed. This should answer if we are treading the imperfect way or the perfect way. 

2. The two ways described. 
     The first way described by St. Thomas as the 'common way of salvation' is for the majority who are desirous to be perfect but were unable to attain perfection. Due to their inability to reach perfection they have to pass purgatory before attaining eternal life in heaven. There are many reasons why this can happen even though the soul is aiming at perfection as the personages in the Gospel showed. They were all seeking perfection. But all didn't make it. As hinted, they passed purgatory; which is salvation in that they would eventually enter heaven.
     Lack of knowledge of the plan of salvation could be a reason for not being perfect. Weakness of the flesh. Unsurmountable temptations from the world, ignorant bishops and parish priests, being too wealthy....etc. There could be hundreds of reasons. 
     The perfect way brings the soul straight to heaven when he dies. The only reason  he is able to reach his goal is the 'grace of God.'

3. What is the perfect way that leads to eternal life.
     There will be a time when purgatory will be closed. When? We do not know. So we must be prepared all the time. In fact, Christ instructed the young rich man to be perfect  to attain eternal life. Because when Christ was born, that was described as the 'fullness of time.' Which means that purgatory could be closed down anytime. Purgatory is a purging place for the imperfect before they can go to heaven. If there is no purgatory, then there will be no place for purging for the imperfect. Therefore, those who die, if they should pass the judgment seat of God should be perfect.
      Beginning in the New Testament, the message is to be 'perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect.' That is the reason  why Christ invited the young rich man to be perfect and not to be content with the 'common way of salvation.'

     How to be perfect and deserve eternal life.
     First, you must know all the commands of God, both from the Old Testament and from the New Testament. 
     Secondly, you must learn the correct interpretation of those commands from the writings of the Fathers of the Church.
     Thirdly, then you may start putting those commands into practice as interpreted by the Fathers.
     Fourthly, you must make certain that when you put into practice a command your motive is  love  of God and neighbour. 
     Fifthly, when you have put into practice all the commands,  seeing that your obedience is rooted in love of neighbour,  you will notice that your love of neighbour is  becoming perfect. There, you have obeyed the command that will make you perfect and deserving of eternal life.

      What is perfect love of neighbour. It is the love Christ had for us. He said; 'love one another as I have loved you.'  Let us not describe that now. St.Francis de Sales had a two inch book on 'the treatise on the love of God.' I could put an attachment here but it would be better for you to get a copy for yourself because that book is a treasure. You won't need another book to learn how to love God and neighbour. 
     Imperfect love of neighbour is when you love your neighbour with no inconvenience on your part. Perfect love of neighbour is when you love your neighbour with great inconvenience on your part. 
     Imperfect love is when you give your small pennies to your neighbour, like  to a beggar. Perfect love of neighbour is when you give your neighbour what ever you give  to yourself.  Herein comes the concept of community life as practiced by religious.........in the year 600 AD..... but not now anymore. In community life, whatever I have,  my neighbour also have.  It is more complicated than this and we ill explain it at another opportunity. Let it be sufficient to say that community life is the most reliable sign of the true Church as enumerated in the Nicene Creed....ONE !!! Without community life there is no true Church.

4. Element of perfection
     The most important element of perfection is perfect love of God; that is accompanied by contempt of self and everything in the world. This enable the soul to love God above all things. He ends up loving nothing else except God. This is a long arduous task consisting in a disciplined life which essentially consist, in what St. Paul writing to the Romans said; 'do not be conformed to this world.' This is the content of the entire second part of 'veritatis splendor.'

     After the Bishop's Synod of 2015, the bishops, confused by the just finished discussions, went to Pope Benedict and asked what mistakes Pope Francis was introducing in the Synod. Without being specific, Pope Benedict mentioned all the encyclicals of Pope John Paul II; especially the erroneous concept of mercy and of salvation condemned  in 'veritatis splendor.'
     It is  a well published fact that Pope Francis, controlled by his public relation teams, is gathering worldwide popularity by pleasing the whole world in their worldly desires by conforming to the ways of the this world as condemned by 'veritatis splendor.' It is with good reason that we should rejoice that the Pope is very popular; but not for the wrong reasons, like being a champion of global warming or in welcoming migrants.  That's for politicians. We want the Pope to be popular because he has a deep knowledge of the Word of God. 
     To conform to the world is the sure way NOT to be perfect, thus NOT to attain eternal life. It also prevents anyone from attaining the 'common way of salvation.' In short, by conforming to the world is Satan's most potent weapon in tempting the soul to perdition. It was Adam and Eve's temptation; to have the knowledge of good and evil in conformity to the ways of the world,  called the Pelagian way. Thus St. Paul wrote in Romans; 'Do not be conformed to this world.'

'Veritatis Splendor' - a review of Moral theology.

 1. The encyclical few bishops read and fewer bishops obeyed. 
     This is a special encyclical in that it was exclusively addressed to Bishops only.
     The great crisis in the Catholic Church is in Moral theology. There is dogmatic theology and moral theology. Dogmatic theology is what we must BELIEVE to attain eternal life. Moral theology is what we must DO to attain eternal life. Dogmatic and moral theology go hand in hand.  Dogmatic theology can only help us attain eternal life if it is accompanied by moral theology.
    Dogma is to know God. Morals is to love God. We go to heaven not because we know God but because we loved God. But we cannot love God unless we first know Him.

    Let's take another  example; we should believe in the dogmatic truth that there is a heaven and a hell. Moral theology tells us that if we die in sin we go to hell; if we die in the state of grace we go to heaven.   Then moral theology continues to teach us how to go to heaven, like through repentance, Faith, Hope and Charity. More is needed to learn  morals than  dogma.
      Some dogmas can  be learned even through mere human means. But we need grace to learn the tenets of moral theology and to be able to obey the commands of moral theology. 

2. The main focus of 'Veritatis Splendour' is the young rich man. This is the main focus of our Catholic Religion.   Everything goes around this young rich man. It deals with morals;  what we must do to be saved  and what is more required of us to be perfect.

    The way to salvation is to deny oneself, take up one's cross and follow Christ.  We just discussed this on the 12th Sunday Gospel. To be saved we must reach the third step, the following of Christ. The three men mentioned on the 13th Sunday Gospel, knew this; so they asked Christ if they could follow Him. 
     There are three things that means the same thing; to be saved, to follow Christ and to be perfect.
    In the 13th Sunday Gospel in ordinary time, we see three men who were seeking eternal life by following Christ. Remember, to follow Christ is the third step. The two previous steps are; first, to deny oneself. Second, to take up your cross. And the third is to follow Christ. All the three in this Gospel were disqualified due to some defects, that we mentioned previously.
     In 'veritatis splendour,' the Gospel mentions a fourth, a young rich man, who wanted to follow Christ and attain eternal life. He was also disqualified. 
     Let us see what first qualified him and secondly, what disqualified him. 

3. Do the first; and the rest will follow.
    To make it easy for man to be saved, Christ made His teachings simple. In most teachings, just do the first step and God will do the rest; sort of, God just wants us to show our good intention and He takes over. Let us take an example.
     Christ said; 'learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart.' Just do this, often referred to as the first Beatitude, and God will lead you through the rest of the Beatitudes. Another example.
     Christ said; 'repent, believe, have Hope and Charity. Just 'repent' and God will guide you through Faith, Hope and Charity. The same goes with our entire moral life. Just obey one command of Christ and He will see to it that we will live a perfect moral life.  Just obey one command ?  The entire moral life of a Catholic is dependent on obedience to this ONE command and God will do the rest.....i.e. God will lead us to the life of perfection effortless. 

4. Pope John Paul II's 'veritatis splendour.'
    Pope John Paul II was solving a serious problem besetting the Catholic Church since the 12th century. All the previous Popes gave the solution to the problem.  Knowing the solution is not enough. The solution must be implemented. Saints do this but the rest of the people do not follow. So the problem became worse as the century progressed. John Paul II's encyclical seems to be the Church's last attempt to present the solution. Whether it will be implemented or not is another story.
     The splendid encyclical is obviously a joint work of John Paul and Joseph Ratzinger. It is a complete course in Moral theology; the crisis in the Church is always in Moral theology. The devil knows that even if we know perfectly our dogmatic theology we cannot be saved because salvation is based on Loving God, which is moral theology.
     So after this encyclical which is a review on the entire course of moral theology, Pope Benedict declared the 'Year of the priests' wherein he ordered all priest to return to the seminary and review their moral theology. No one did. 

5. Lucifer the Champ.
     Not only did all the seminaries give a defective course in Moral theology; not only did many bishops fail  to study 'Veritatis Splendour', not only did the few bishops who read it did not implement it; not only did concrete plans to reform the seminary not implemented, not only did none of the priest return to the seminary to review their moral theology during the 'year of the priests,' not only do the priests and bishop fail to teach right doctrines...... Worse!  From Pope Francis down to the cardinals, bishops and priests.....they forbade Catholics from going to places where they can learn the truth or forbade good preachers to preach the truth. The treatment of the Franciscans of the Immaculate is an example. 
     As had been observed, the church under the papacy of Francis is treating the Church the way St. Joan of Arc was treated by Bishop Cauchon. A young innocent girl before an utterly insane French traitor bishop who sold his own country to the English. 
     Ten rounds in the boxing ring and Lucifer had been winning on points. Note that the entire Catholic world is now incapable of imitating the young rich man whom Christ found unable to have eternal life. What more of us?

6. Do this and God will do the rest.
    The encyclical narrates the Gospel episode on the young rich man as the centre of the entire treatise on Moral theology. Do this and you will be living according to the morality of the Catholic Church. We shall concentrate on his important point which is man's part in the work of salvation. The rest is God's part. 
     Note that this obligation was addressed to a young man, not to the apostles, though this, also, was required of the apostles. This obligation is for all who wishes to have eternal life. Those who are not interested in attaining eternal life in heaven are not obliged to observe it. Again, this encyclical is addressed to all who wishes to attain eternal life, Popes, cardinals, bishops, priest, laymen and children.

7. The young rich man asked a question. Christ gives a  partial answer. 
     'What good must I do to have eternal life. 
   Note that the young man knew he had to do something good to attain eternal life. And he wanted to know what is that 'good.' He was a better man than most of us who think we can attain eternal life without doing any good, or worse even while doing evil. 

     Christ was satisfied with the young man's concept of good but He corrects him because he had an error. The young man was only thinking of natural good common to all man. Christ shows him a good that comes from God, who is the only good. 
     Christ shows him the good  which God had imprinted in the hearts of man; this good is known to all men but it is not the good common to all man. It is a good that comes from God. 
     Christ does not mention the commands which the young rich man was obviously obeying. But He enumerates the other commands showing the necessity of obeying all and not only a few commands.  
     So Christ enumerates the commandments from the Old Testament to complete what He skipped.  He begins with the negative commands. Do not kill - which is against life. Do not commit adultery - against potential life. Do not steal - against people's goods. Do not bear false witness - against a person. Then He gives an affirmative command - honour thy Father.
     
     Now, watch this because most did not notice this. After the last affirmative command, Christ added one phrase not found in the 10 commandments. He said; 'and love your neighbour as yourself.' This is essential to the list Christ gave to the young man. 
     
     Obedience to all the commands is what Christ considered as 'common salvation,' requirements common to most men. But this is imperfect !! What makes it 'common salvation' for many is the fact that all the commands were obeyed with its root which is love of neighbour. All the commands if not motivated  by love of neighbour is not pleasing to God. 
     What makes it imperfect is the fact that the love of neighbour is imperfect. What is that?  The young man was willing to share with his neighbour what was not inconvenient with him. He was willing to share the small coins he has no use for and the old clothes that does not fit him anymore. St.Thomas described it as a convenient way of loving one's neighbour. It does not hurt at all.

     If obedience to the negative and affirmative commands of the Old Testament is rooted on the imperfect love of neighbour then that is enough for 'common salvation.' 
     Because the young man obeyed the commands, Jesus looked  at him and loved him. But there was something defective both in his obedience to the commands and in his rooted love of neighbours. It was this defect that caused him to reject the invitation of Christ to be perfect and leave with saddened countenance. 

8. Let's stop here for a while.
     The young rich man qualified for 'common salvation,' St. Thomas wrote, but not for perfection. Let us see for a while if we qualify for 'common salvation.' First, it is required that we obey all the negative and affirmative commands of the Old Testament. And our obedience must be rooted on 'love of neighbour.'
     If we commit adultery, fornication, perverted sexuality and murder, these would be disobedience to the commands of God. This, also,  shows  a lack of love of neighbour, the poor wife and children of the husband committing adultery, babies aborted, victims of terrorists and victims of corruption. Lacking both obedience and the motive of love of neighbour,  we sin and deserve condemnation and is unlike the young rich man.  Pope Francis is allowing adultery and sacrilege which makes him an accessory to the sin; and most bishops are following his bad example. Pope Francis and many bishops and priest cannot say like the young rich man 'I have kept these commands from my youth.' The Pope had not observed these commands in his youth especially as a bouncer in a night club. He has not observed them as a pope during the last three Bishop's Synod. He has not observed at this very moment. And he intends to violate them in the next meeting on the Family. He is so far from being like the young rich man whom Christ looked at and loved. Christ cannot love the Pope for his inability to imitate the young rich man. The same goes to those who follow the Popes 'amores laetitia,' that encourages the violation of the 6th and 9th commandment of God. 
     They are not like the young rich man. They do not qualify for 'common salvation.' They cannot be perfect and do not deserve to be bishops and pope since even more is required by the state of their office which requires the perfection that the young man could not accept.

9. But there was something else wrong with the young rich man. He qualified for 'common salvation,' but did not qualify for perfection.  The young man lived in the New Testament at the time of Christ where perfection is demanded of souls. 
     We are approaching the time where purgatory will be closed, so common salvation will be insufficient. What is needed for salvation is perfection. For the salvation of Catholic souls, some degree of perfection is required. This perfection is on the virtue of Charity and is exhibited in perfect love of God and neighbour.
     This was what was demanded of the young rich man for him to be perfect which he was not willing to do.  To be imperfect he could do. Our Pope and many bishops and priests cannot even be imperfect shown in their continuous toleration of sin to which they become accessories. Not knowing the way to 'common salvation' which is the minimum requirement for salvation, who will teach the world 'how can I have eternal life?' No one.
     But we still have 'veritatis splendor.' The voice of Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI can still be heard. Read and listen to them before their message fades in this world of darkness and sin.
     

INEXCUSABLE EXCUSES !!! 13th Sunday in Ordinary time.

 1. God is bountiful.
     But He does not grant to everyone absolutely and indiscriminately heavenly and divine gifts. He gives, only, to those who are worthy to receive them; to those who are free from the stains of wickedness. 
     There were three young men who wanted to follow Christ. Every thing seems to be in order when the three expressed their desire to follow Christ. Yet not one was considered qualified to follow Christ. This is quite disconcerting in that if these three men who expressed their desire to follow Christ were disqualified, what will  you expect of those who do not express any desire to follow Christ. ......like most of us. 
     Indeed, we must follow Christ. It is a command of Christ who said; deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me (we saw last Sunday, 12th Sunday in Ordinary time.) 

2. First man.
    Someone went to Christ and said; 'I will be your follower wherever you go.'  Unlike the second and third man, this first man was not invited by Christ to follow Him. No one can follow Christ unless he is invited by Christ. No one should be a priest or a bishop without any invitation from Christ. No one can be a Catholic without an invitation. The grace comes from the invitation. Most are priests and bishops by guess work and not by invitation. 
     Secondly,  the situation of the first man is aggravated in that he wanted to follow Christ without first, denying himself and renouncing the affections of this present life;  and secondly, without carrying his cross. He will never make it following Christ. 
     Thirdly, he was presumptuous in that he thought he could follow Christ wherever He goes without Divine help.  Like every one  he can learn the teachings of Christ. But he cannot follow those teachings without grace because His teachings are incomprehensible.

3. Second man.
    This second man was invited by Christ; 'Come after me,' Christ said.   The man gave an excuse, 'let me bury my father first.' The man gave his obligation to recognise human affections to delay his following Christ.  As we have seen in the previous post, mere human affections and obligations are among those from which we must deny ourselves to be able to follow Christ. Even mere human affections towards parents and children must be objects of self-denial. 
     Christ answered; 'let the dead bury the dead.' Meaning to say; if you want to save his soul, then you can stay behind. But if you, yourself, do not have Faith, Hope and Charity....how can you save him. You cannot! So don't bother. Besides, he is dead. There is nothing more you can do except to pray for his soul which you can do while following Me.  If it is just burying his remains, any body can do that. Do more important things like following Me. 
     The obligation towards neighbour, whether parents or children is supernatural Charity.   Not the id, ego and super ego of Sigmund Freud.  Because they are natural feelings and not of Faith, St. Paul wrote, they are  sinful thus the necessity of denying oneself in treasuring such relationships. The acts of  true Charity towards our loved ones are much more superior than the pure emotionalism of the Romeos and Juliets. 
     In Ascetical theology, frequent visits of relatives to seminarians and religious is the first cause of lost of vocations. The usual excuse.

4. Third man.
     The third man, like the other two, merely delayed their following of Christ. But Christ sees the heart and He knows that these delay show deeper spiritual problems that made these three men unworthy to follow Christ. 
     This third man gave this excuse; I will take leave of my people at home. His defect is similar to the second man in that he is attached to pure human relationships. But in his case he recalls all the good times he has with family members and friends, he relives them and would not abandon these past experience.
     In his inability to give up these past pleasant memories he desires to relive it in the present or enjoy fantasising these past good times. So he constantly looks back on the past desirous to relive the past. Thus he becomes guilty of being stuck in the past and constantly regrets leaving it.
     The classical example is Lot's wife who looked back and became a pilar of salt. She looked back regretting leaving behind what she had to leave to be saved from the fire and brimstone that would fall on Sodom and Gomorrah.  In looking back and refusing to go forward, the third man was not worthy to be given the gift of following  Christ.

5. Modern application.
     Let us look at the silliest excuses. The adulterer who says; 'I cannot follow Christ because I just left my wife and I am enjoying my latest sin. Or I cannot follow You because I want to try something new that was last heard in Sodom. Most will not follow Christ for sinful reason. In fact, it has never even crossed their minds to follow Christ. 
     There is the other who would follow Christ because some secret society had paid them to infiltrate the Church and destroy her when he has been made bishop or even Pope.
     
     Some follow Christ just to be a bishop, which St. Thomas said is a mortal sin. You follow Christ to be a saint. Some like to be a bishop just to succeed Pope Francis and finish his work of abolishing hell; which should make many happy........for a short while until they land in hell. Because you cannot abolish hell even through a papal exhortation. 
     But seriously speaking, what are the most popular reason for not following Christ; well, because they are so busy welcoming immigrants destined to destroy their culture, religion and their lives. Others are busy preventing global warming, not knowing  that God is just heating the stove for sinners. Others are busy propagating communism under the guise of building the church of the poor. Others want, first, to make the Mass interesting by making it a vaudeville show. 
     But as the Gospel depicted, the most common excuse that even sounds holy just like the two gentlemen's excuses is love for pure human relationship; love for humans like Tony Palmer, for Pentecostals, for Scalfari, for Jews, for communist and immigrants, for Waldesians, for Castro and Obama, for gays and transgenders......all purely human emotionalism of high public relation value but of utterly no salvific value. 
     He who puts his hands on the plow and distracts himself with a thousand worldly things is unfit for the reign of God. The wife of Lot left all worldly things then looked back....and was punished for it.  We have not left the world at all and  are very much engrossed in it.  In such a state we cannot look forward to following Christ.....we from Pope Francis to the youngest child. Proof? We all do not have the signs of the true Church of Christ. 

WAY TO HEAVEN

 1. The road to heaven.
     The past Masses had been giving us small pieces of the teaching of the Church on what we must do to attain heaven. Today's Mass summarises all the past lessons in two statements. 
     First, whoever would save his life will lose it.
     Secondly, whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

     The first; whoever would save his life will lose it by going to hell.
     The second; whoever would lose his life because he is obeying the commands of Christ (i.e. for the sake of Christ.) will save it by going to heaven.

2. How to go to hell.
    First, let us see how to go hell since the Gospel describes that first. Everyone knows that the way to hell is by disobeying the 10 commandment of God as brought down by Moses from Mt. Sinai. So everybody knows not to worship the Catholic God will bring us to hell. Also, to commit adultery by remarrying, to abandon your wife and children, to be an unbeliever, to lie like the Presidents of most countries, to kill babies or any one else you do not know.
     Everybody knows this; though there is a great movement  in the world to transform these sins into a Bill of Rights with previleges of receiving Holy Communion. And the Catholic Church has become the most popular star in spearheading this movement. In which case we should just be silent.
     But there is a Mass today. And there is a Gospel to explain; and the Mass is in Latin. The explanation of the Gospel must, therefore, be from the Fathers of the Church, as in the ancient practice of the Church. And here it is.

     So you know that adultery, lying, murder, refusal to worship the true God will lead you to hell. You know this but you don't believe it.  Here is the continuation of the Gospel 
      There is another batch of sins that will bring you directly to hell that does not sound like a sin. In fact it sounds like a virtue, but it is not. It is a sin, and this is 'loving to save your life.'  I didn't say that. Christ said that. Look at the Gospel 'he who loves or saves his life will lose it' by going to hell.

     Let us leave sins behind and go to the good things in life. In life there are many good things; in fact lawful things. There is absolutely nothing wrong with these things; a nice house, a good car, a high end computer, an expensive cell phone with GPS, a nice vacation in Fiji, three bank accounts. There is nothing wrong with all these. So many  love  to live in a nice house, with that nice car, with that computer and cell phone. And by all means, they want to maintain and, if it is in danger, to save that kind of life. 
     To love to live a life with these conveniences is something we want to save and keep.  Did you get it?....to love and keep safe that kind of life that obviously  had nothing wrong with it. That is what will bring you to hell. What??? I know everybody is doing it and are enjoying doing it.  Yet Christ said; 'you will lose it.'
     Christ said you cannot love God and Mammon. You will love one and hate the other. If you love to keep or save that kind of living in a nice house, you could lose, not the house, but your soul.
     So St. Augustine wrote that we should teach everybody to love God first. And later wrote 'Love God and do what you want,' which everybody would love to misinterpret.  He continued and states that if a child learns how to love God first, then, he will not love the house, the car, the computer and cell phone. He will just use them. While  his love for God will not be affected
       But if the child  first learns to love living in a nice house, have a nice car and use a nice cell phone ....he will hate God.
     So there is nothing wrong with the nice house and nice car. It is loving to live a life in the nice house that will make the soul totally incapable of loving God. Loving creatures will prevent a soul from loving God. St. Augustine wrote; we must love God and merely use creatures like the nice house. 

3. How to go to heaven.
    Those who will merit everlasting life in heaven are those who lose their lives for the sake of Christ; thus their souls will be saved. How do you 'lose your life?' The same Gospel tells us the answer on how to 'lose your life and become  a follower of Christ.'   First,  by denying our very self. Secondly, by taking up our cross each day.  And thirdly, by following Christ in His foot steps.
     Note, it takes one step to go to hell and three steps to go to heaven...ahh..six steps, all overlapping.
     
 4.    To 'loss you life' is first, to deny oneself; secondly,  take up our cross and thirdly, follow Him. There are two levels of self denial.

     The first degree of self denial is to give up all sinful acts which are against the 10 commandments of God. The second degree of self denial is to give up good or lawful things, like the nice house and nice car. To 'loss your life'  is to loss the love of living in a nice house and having a nice car. 
     Unless you give up your nice house and nice car you will not be able to prevent stealing what belong to others. He who gives up what is his own will never steal what is not his own. He, really, becomes a good man.
     The government officials who steals millions are those who own nice houses and nice cars. If they give up their nice houses and nice cars, they will certainly not steal what belongs to the people. That is, evidently, the way to heaven. 
     
      The giving up of one's sins is not really self-denial. Though we should give  up  our sins. What is meritorious in self denial is the giving up of good things. And there are three levels of good things to give up. I just finished mentioning two degrees of self denial; now we still have three more. These two and three are inter related.
     First, is to give up material resources. Like nice house, nice car, nice computer and cell phone, nice fridge and stove, nice food and vacations. Note, there is nothing bad in these.  This is the important theme of 'Veritatis Splendour,' regarding the young rich man. He had to give up one thing that is still lacking for him to be saved. These are material resources, like those mentioned above.

     Secondly,  we must give up emotional, human affections; human affections towards husband, wife, children, friends, etc...Note, these are human affections and not spiritual affections. Charity or love of neighbour must be maintained at all times. All affections should be in the spiritual level; otherwise it won't last. This is called Chastity.

     Thirdly, you must deny yourself of your own thoughts, ideas and opinions no matter how brilliant they are. This is called obedience. 

     In the act of self - denial he refuses to give in to his sown requests.. It is the complete emptying of oneself of everything  so that the Blessed Trinity  will dwell in the soul, which is the foretaste of heaven. If heaven is tasted here on earth, naturally it will be tasted better in heaven. 

 5.    So what do you do when you have completely emptied yourself of evil and denied yourself of many good things? Now, you cannot cook having given up your stove. You cannot go anywhere having given up your car. Well,  then, find a 6th century monastery and join the community. There they will feed you, so no need for a stove. And you will not be going anywhere because it is on a mountain top; so you won't need your car. 
     Now that you have given up.....or have lose all your plans on how to enjoy living your life, what next? Well, 'taking up the cross.' The 'cross' are the commands of Christ in the New Testament. These are difficult commands both to learn and to put into practice. It is really a cross, but sweet and light; but a cross, nevertheless. 
     You have to deny yourself of your love for a nice way of life because you will need the strict discipline needed to study the commands of Christ in your 'carrying of your cross.' To be distracted with any thing of the world will prevent you from having this needed discipline. To make the story short, then what do you do? 'Follow Christ' by putting the commands you have learned into practice.
     
6.   Today, it is all the opposite.
      Let us briefly review the steps; first, give up your sins. Secondly, give up material things. Thirdly, give up human, emotional affections. Fourthly, give up your own thinking, ideas, opinions, in other words, everything that comes from your mind.
       Fifthly, fill yourself up with the teachings and commands of Christ. Sixthly, put those commands into practice. Now let us see what everybody is doing today, from Pope Francis down to many bishops and further down to the parish priests in the barrio.
       From the fourth, everything they say or write comes from their individual, personal thinking; untested and unproven. This is because (thirdly) they do not want to give up their emotional personal human affections towards the Jews, the Pentecostals, women inmates, married adulterers, same sex attractions, immigrants they do not know, etc. Absolutely no 'Caritas.' Everything is 'Id'. 
     Why are they so emotional and so human? Because they have not read nor obeyed 'Veritatis Splendour,' and have not done what Christ told the young rich man as the 'one thing lacking' to attain eternal life. And because this one thing is lacking, most priest, bishops and even the Pope will not have eternal life, as Christ, Himself said. And why have they not given up the good things that Christ demanded from the young rich man? Because they have not given up their sins. They are even  propagating sins all over by contamination;  adultery, infidelity, pride, ambition, lying, same sex attractions.....to mentions a few. 

7. Using the Gospel of today's Mass, twelve Sunday in Ordinary time, what conclusion can we make?
     Most Catholics do not want to lose their pleasurable way of life for the sake of being able to obey Christ's Command. They love the level of the good life they are living. So they are not willing to deny themselves of whatever they have earned so hard. They will do anything to enjoy life and they love it. Giving up will never enter their minds. Everybody is enjoying life. They will save this life by all means. 
     But one day, someone more powerful will intervene and say; 'Because you love very much this pleasurable way of life and have done everything to save and keep it, you have failed to love Me and because of this ........you will lose your soul. 








   

WHOEVER SHALL BE ASHAMED OF ME........

  1. A state of testing.
     We are all here on earth undergoing a test. Are we for God or against God? And the outcome of this test will decide if we shall merit eternal life with God in heaven or lose our souls for all eternity in hell.
     Like all games there are rules in this test...God - given rules, violation of which is tantamount to failing the test. The test is meant to find out if we are ashamed of God or not. Christ said; 'whoever shall be ashamed of me and my words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed.' Clearly, Christ states that if we are ashamed of Him, He, on His part, will disown us in the judgement seat of God. 
     How do we show we are ashamed of Christ? Well, to go against Christ and His commands is not just being ashamed; it is rebellion. To be ashamed is when we keep silent when someone teaches something  in favour or against Christ and His words.  Ordinarily silence is a virtuous act. But this time silence  in front of the Words of God or on something that is against His Words  is disastrous to our souls. 
     
2. We must make a visible stand. 
     Confronted with the person of Christ or His Words, we are obliged to make a stand in being for Him. Otherwise, we are against Him. 
     In the presence of the Person or Word of Christ, any sign of confessing that you believe in Him is more than sufficient. But a more elaborate response, like expounding more on the Person and on the Words of God will be very beneficial to our souls.
     In the presence of the Person or Word of Christ, any sign of disbelief or disobedience to His Words, is being ashamed of Him. Or worse, a more elaborate objection or show of contempt at Christ or His Words is not only being ashamed of Him but outright  insulting Him. 
     To be ashamed of Christ is a serious sins seeing the punishment attached to it........which is condemnation.  Many bishops do not know that their complacent and silent non-reaction to many things happening today is actually being ashamed to show their stand in favour of Christ. 

3. Take the example of the issue on the remarried receiving Holy Communion.
     Pope Francis had been hinting on this before the 2013 Synod using Cardinals Kasper and Tagle.  Some Synod bishops bravely and unashamedly made their stand and voted against the Pope's proposal, though most of the officers of the Synod, picked men of the Pope were running the show, 
     We had Cardinal Burke leading the majority to stand up unashamedly in favour of the Word of God prohibiting those in mortal sin from  receiving Holy Communion. On the other side we have Pope Francis, Cardinal Kasper, etc. totally ashamed  and embarrassed at the teachings of Christ on adultery.  They would not even mention the word 'adultery'. They use the word 'marginal.' Two very clear stands. 

     Everyday, Pope Francis and his bureau had been showing great embarrassment at the teachings of Christ, the apostles and the Fathers.  They describe  the Church as sickly, old, decrepit that should be euthanised.   They are so ashamed of Christ's teachings that they keep on changing them to make  them acceptable to all sinners. In fact, they are so ashamed of Christ's teachings that they won't even mention or quote them. Christ and His teaching are untouchable leprosy to them. It smells, it stinks. They would not touch those teachings with a ten foot pole. 
     But the worse perverted sins they find acceptable and such are the most favoured guests at the Vatican. 

4. The bishops' different reactions.
     Let us take a concrete example of those who are ashamed of Christ and those who are not ashamed.
     Obviously, Pope Francis is ashamed of Christ and His teachings shown by the fact that he would not touch either with a ten foot pole. If he quotes Christ in his Casa Martha homilies, he immediately misinterpret Christ as if ashamed of what Christ really meant by His teachings.  Pope Francis is ashamed of the entire Catholic Church which he considered to be an old man better destined to be euthanised. 
     Now, Bishop Villegas, President of the Philippines Bishop's Synod believes this, too, as he expressed in his opening addressed to the Conference of Bishops in Pius XII centre.
     So far, none of the other bishops had reacted to that statement. As if they were ashamed of that old, decrepit man called Catholic Church. This is being ashamed of the Mystical Body of Christ; it is being ashamed of Christ, Himself. 
     Maybe, most bishops did not hear what Bishop Villegas said, which is a great possibility. But then, it was widely published and criticised in international circles.  OK. It is still possible that they have not read it. So it can still be invincible ignorance.

     But when Pope Francis issued the Apostolic Exhortation 'Amoris Laetitia,' on 'Amoris laetitia' Sunday, it was very clear that Pope Fracis' idea of the Joy of Love is contradictory to the Gospel's notion of the Joy of Love. Now, everybody who said or attended Mass should notice this contradiction and should have made a stand; not to be ashamed of what the Gospel explained and to be ashamed of what Pope Francis wrote. 
     But the spirit of the world understood both very well; and the world was ashamed of what the Gospel taught and rejoiced at what Pope Francis wrote.      
     The exhortation is available for all to read. Countless commentaries both pro and critical  of the exhortation filled up the international press. To be unable to make a stand is inexcusable. This time Bishop Villegas, President of the CBCP announced that the Philippine bishops will immediately implement the exhortation.
     Wait now. There is a provision in the document  that goes against the Word of God. Will no one stand up and make a stand on it? Though most of the Bishops said that they cannot implement that provision of allowing remarried to receive Communion because they have not yet discussed it; though the news gave the impression that the entire CBCP had approved it for immediate implementation.

5.  The issue is this. The fact that an issue for Christ or against Christ had been presented publicly (and the bishops should have read it by now) and many are already discussing it around the world,  had put each bishop in a situation to make a stand; to be ashamed of Christ's teachings on adultery or to be brave to be counted as one against the provision and, therefore, against Pope Francis, as those against the provision will turn out to be. 
     Cardinal Muller of the CDF had described the idea in 'amores laetitia' as heretical. This should give everyone a hint what stand we must take. 
    Yet  most bishops had stood silent. This is to be ashamed of the Word of God and to implicitly connive with those who are rebelling against Christ. 

6. Most bishops  in the world are in this situation. A situation that could spell the salvation or damnation of their souls, according to the Words of Christ; 'I will be ashamed of you before My Father.' 
      'You are either ashamed of Me and My Words... or you are not.'  It is like saying; 'you are either for Me or against Me.' We can see that salvation and damnation is the consequence one's choice. 
     Fortunately, it is the laymen who are making all the noise clamouring 'SHAME ON YOU'  that Pope Francis finds irritating. He should be ashamed that he is spending more time pleasing transgenders, adulterers, migrants, atheist, protestants, Jews, Pentecostals rather than Christ in His Mystical Body which he is not only neglecting  but is thoroughly destroying by encouraging them to sin. 
     Imagine how Pope Francis discouraged his friend Tony Palmer, an Anglican, from being a Catholic because of his wrong belief that Palmer could convert more by remaining an Anglican.  Where did he get that idea? Now that Palmer is dead, where is his soul, since there is no salvation outside the Church.  He should be ashamed of the advice he gave. No,  instead, he was ashamed to preach the truth that 'outside the Church there is no salvation.' 

THE ART OF HUMAN REASONING

  1. The Art of Human Reasoning
      God made man into His Image and Likeness.  What made man like God? The fact that he has an intellect and a free will. The intellect is akin to God the Son. While the free will is akin to God the Holy Spirit. Thus St. Augustine took effort in showing that man with his intellect and free will is akin to God the Father with God the Son and  God the Holy Spirit. This is referred to as the Mystery of the Blessed Trinity whose image and likeness is reflected in man. 
     So man, himself, is the proof that there is a God with three persons and that the God of the Catholic Church is the true Church because its God is the only true God. Both proofs being within man himself. No other proof is needed to prove which is the true Church and which is the true God. 
     As the saying goes; if you want to know the true Church and the true God, which always go together, just look at the mirror.  There is the proof. Unless the mirror is blurred, stained and distorted. This is what happened because of original sin. 
     Though original sin caused great destruction in man, God saw to it that his intellect would remain unscathed. Man can, still, think rightly and slowly rediscover the way to perfect truth and the perfect good. 

2. Common sense and the intellect.
     This unscathed intellectual faculty can be seen in the functioning of the 'common sense' or its more sophisticated term 'Philosophy.'  Philosophy and common sense are identical; Philosophy uses more sophisticated language to give the impression of being sophisticated. 
     All men had been endowed with common sense or this unscathed intellect. And with this faculty alone man can know all natural good and the true God of nature, the true natural religion and get a hint on the way to go to heaven. Not to know these  natural things is utterly inexcusable. 

3. So why are so many people in the wrong?
    Many are in the wrong religion, in the wrong church and doing everything wrong because they refuse to think. Gilbert Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc had clearly seen this during their century; that no one is thinking right. 
     Not to think right is the punishment for all who do not have the supernatural virtue of Faith. Without Faith everything done is sin, St. Paul wrote.  To think badly and wrongly is the punishment for being proud and being in the state of mortal sin.   
     Faith  can be attained by having the right disposition, a disposition that is naturally attainable through a mature act of the intellect. The road to Faith is to think rightly, which all man can do. 

4. An example on how to think right.
    A man is riding a car and somewhere ahead he sees a 'closed road' sign blocking the road. Now, let us see the behaviour of a thinking man.
     First, there is a sign giving a command; 'to stop' because the road is closed. 
     Secondly, it does not give a reason 'to stop.' But the intelligent man will say, 'there is a reason for the instruction to 'stop.' So he will stop and then find out the reason for stopping. Maybe there is a large sink hole in front of the road that could cause his death. He does not know the reason and because he does not know the reason he uses his intelligence and stops.
     Thirdly, he tries to find out the reason for the 'stop' sign. He should. He cannot just remain motionless in the road, otherwise he will not reach his home. He does this by walking and looking around or he may ask someone around in the know why the road is closed. But the intelligent man will find out the reason why the road is closed. 
     Fourthy, if he finds the reason for the 'closed road' he will now find out if the reason is reasonable or not; is the reason for the 'closed road' valid enough to make him stop. Or is it invalid and that he should go through the sign. The reason for stopping is valid if there is a large sink hole ahead. The reason is invalid if the sign was just placed there by some drunkard who thought the road led to hell. 
     Fifthly, then the intelligent man should make a conclusion. If, indeed, there is a large sink hole then he should turn and take another route home. If, on the other hand, there is no sink hole and the sign was just placed there by a drunkard who thought the sign was a fired hydrant, then he can continue on his journey ahead towards his home. 
     Sixthly, he will continue ahead the same blocked road if he is convinced this road is better than if he took another detour route on his way home. But if he is not convinced that a drunkard put up the sign and that there is still a danger that the large sink hole is further ahead and cannot be seen or checked, then the wiser thing to do is play save and take the detour road him. The latter is the wiser decision. 

5.  I think all would agree that this is an intellectual decision. Now, let's see the behaviour of an unthinking man. And this is important because this is how all men are behaving today according to that monster Chesterton-Belloc, who like to eat up unthinking men. 
     First, he is driving home and sees a 'closed road' sign. And he says, I am going home, this sign will not delay me. I am going through. Unthinking he crashes through the sign and ends up in a sink hole or running over a drunkard. Now, he has plenty of time to think....... in jail.
     Secondly, the driver sees the sign; he looks around and sees no reason for the sign. He, also, sees no police to flag him down so he goes through the sign in his desire to reach home on time for the basketball games. Because he is not intelligent enough to look for reasons for the 'closed road' sign, he thinks he is so intelligent. I do not see any reason so there is no reason. Fine, until he sees himself in the sink hole being buried alive or he sees the face of a man flat on his front windshield, well there is the reason but it is too late. Now he knows but it is too ate. 
     Thirdly, the driver sees the sign but the sign does not give a reason for stopping. He looks around and cannot find any reason either. So he says; if I do not see the reason, therefore, there is no reason! He is acting believing that other people do things without a reason, like the one who put up that sign.  He refuses to wait and goes ahead. After a few feet he finds the reason, whatever it is. But it is too late. 
     Fourtly, the non-intellectual does not look for reasons, so he cannot evaluate if the reason is valid or not. He does not reach this stage of reasoning. This stage is important in evaluating dogmatic and moral issues. This stage is reserved for a very few naturally intelligent people. Even in Greece, only a handful were able to reach this stage. The majority of men are not-intelligent that is why Democracy is the rule of the unintelligent majority. 
     Fifthly, everybody makes a choice but not according to the wise workings of the intellect. Man with his fallen nature always chooses what he likes no matter how stupid the choice is. Thus the unthinking man who is in a hurry to watch the games will rush through the 'closed road' sign. While the drunkard will, also, rush like the unthinking man except he will crash  through the 'closed road' sign. No difference.
     Sixthly, so finally, the unthinking man is one who does things, like changes, without thinking if the change is for better or for worse. 

6. The sin of the world. 
     St. Thomas of Aquinas wrote that the most common sins of men are  ignorance and pride. The two go together. Man, because of pride, thinks he knows everything when he really knows nothing. What a death dealing combination for the soul  
      In an age of mass easily available information?  Well, man knows all the 'curiositas,' i.e. informations that purely satisfies the curiosity of man, like, are there people in Mars?  But nothing of the information of what is essential, the object of 'studiositas,' like the salvation of his soul. Ignorance of what is important is a grievous sin.  With pride it is a deadly mortal sin. 
     Of the six stages of reasoning, man is unable to do even the FIRST.  Like the unthinking or drunken driver, they do not even stop at the stop sign. The only difference is that the unthinking man drives around the sign while the drunken driver goes through the sign. 
     CHANGE! This is the cry of politicians and this is what makes people vote. For change. Without first finding out the reason for the first sign saying 'closed road.' And they want a change and go through. Sign of the times; both political leader and voters do not think. Where will they end? The bottom of the sink hole. 
     The ten commandments of God are stop signs saying 'stop worshipping idols',  'stop telling lies,'  'stop committing fornication,'  'stop committing adultery,' etc..etc. See how everybody just goes through the signs and worships money and high positions, tells lies in national TV, commits fornication and gets killed in bed, changes wives and children as if they were socks.  And they are encouraged and led by Pope Francis in his 'Amoris Laetitia' and followed by leaders of Bishop's conference like in the Philippines; as they have just announced. 

7. Sins of religious congregations.
     In the Catholic religion, there are many 'closed road' signs. Adultery, receiving Holy Communion in mortal sin, same sex marriage, Pride, ........these are all 'closed road signs' that Catholics cannot enter. 
     In the religious life too much talking , visiting relatives, having worldly visitors, owning your own things, gossiping, masturbation, talking off the religious habit, dressing like laymen, .......all these are 'closed road' signs religious should not enter. And they are all going through these signs. Pope Francis is crying out; take out all  'closed' signs, remove barriers leading to cliffs, open doors to the devil and new religions.  And this is echoed by Bishops like Tagle and Villegas. 
     They call it freedom to drive your car anywhere you want, including to sink holes with large signs 'Do not enter'. Today, almost all religious orders have disregarded the 'close road' signs of their  Holy Rules. So that, today,  no Catholic religious order have the four signs of the Catholic Church mentioned in the Nicene Creed. None of them is Catholic. 
     Religious change their Rules without asking the true reason for the rule; why it is there in the first place. And cannot prove that the change is better than the original reason given by the Holy Rule. Is is change, change, change, ...for the sake of change.  The same goes with Pope Francis and other bishops who came from these seminaries. 

8. Sins of Pope Francis and the Bishops.
     Pope Francis did not even stop. When he became Pope he just rushed without even reading the 'stop sign' leading to adultery made by God, Himself. He, also, did not know God's reason for putting up that sign.  He did not go neither through the first nor second stages of thinking.
     Bishop Villegas, in his opening remarks at the 2016 Bishops  Conference in Pius XII centre said that the 'old religion' of St. Augustine and St. Thomas of Aquinas is old, feeble and sickly. But he gave no proof to it. Then said that the new protestant sect of Pope Francis is better without proving it either. That conclusion is supposed to be the sixth step and yet he did not go through the six steps of reasoning.  Most of the bishops did not object to the irrationality of the statement. 
     They don't think. They are reckless drivers at the expense of thousand of souls.  They have not even done the first step of common sense or Philosophy. And still show pride as if they are right and knowledgeable. Not realising that because of their absence of Faith, which is the first step after the six stages of thinking, all their decisions are wrong and bad. This is a punishment of God for their pride and ignorance. 
     What do we do in a situation where both Pope and Bishops don't think?  Well, we have to think. We have to, because Faith, the first supernatural virtue needed for salvation is an Act of the Intellect. Nobody goes to heaven without using their heads. In the event that our spiritual heads are not using theirs we have no choice. We must use our heads and reason out.........correctly. Use our common sense or a sound philosophy. It's 'common', so you and I have it. No excuse.