1. Because they do not love God and neighbour.
They only have lust one for the other; and this prevents them from rising up to the love of a spiritual being like God. Let us look at a spiritual principle. It states; one who does not progress will regress.
Everyone is born in the natural level. Though they have a spiritual soul, that is part of the natural state of man.
Because of 'original sin' man tends to descend from the natural level down to the unnatural level. And continues to descend to the level of perversion or bestial level. This is a natural tendency for all men in the state of original sin.
So Christ came to teach man to do otherwise; i.e. to rise up continuously from the natural level to the supernatural level. Baptism is supposed to do that but it often does not work due to lack of proper disposition.
To ascend is possible only through the help of Divine Grace which Christ earned for mankind with His death. Each soul can receive this grace that will enable him to ascend to the supernatural level through the 'plan of salvation' taught by Christ and found in Divine Revelation, and elaborated by the Fathers of the Church.
So, it is either up or down. When a soul stops ascending, he automatically descends. When he stops descending, he does not rise up; he continues to descend. In the spiritual life, no one has a choice; he must continuously rise up to the supernatural level with the help of God's grace, otherwise he will descend.
This is the reason why many souls have descended to the unnatural level and have become homos; because they do not used what will make them ascend, the 'love of God and neighbour,' which can only be done with the help of the grace of God.
2. The soul ascends to the supernatural level with the help of the grace that enables him to Love God and neighbour.
This is taught to all through the Liturgy of the Mass, specifically in the Sunday Gospels and its interpretation from the Fathers of the Church.
Rising to the supernatural level consist is these steps;
First, the soul must have perfect repentance.
Secondly, the soul must begin to believe. This belief must be perfected following the lessons learned through the Sunday Liturgy.
Thirdly, having perfected one's Faith by believing that Christ is Man and God, the soul begins to attain the beginnings of Charity.
Upon attaining from God the beginnings of the theological virtue of Charity, the soul is in the supernatural level.
3. The third stage in the spiritual life is what seminarians, priests and bishops did not undergo.This is the reason they descended into unnatural sins and bestiality. God does not love them.
The first stage of the spiritual life is obedience to the command of Christ 'to repent.' The second stage of the spiritual life is obedience to the command of Christ 'to believe.' The third stage of the spiritual life is obedience to the 'new commandment of Christ' which is 'love one another as I have loved you.'
4. 'As I have loved you.'
Man knows how a husband loves his wife and vice versa. Man knows how parents love children. But no man knows how God loved man. Only God knows how He loved man. And God knows no one knows how God loved man so how can man love God and neighbour as God loved man? No way, unless God loves man first.
God decided to love man first. And learning from this, man may love God and neighbour the way God had loved him first.
Then St. Thomas of Aquinas reminded us that God does not love us because we are good. The other way around. We become good because God loved us. It is God's love for man that makes man holy.
Then man, having been loved by God first, can now love God and neighbour. And in loving his neighbour, man can make his neighbour good with the help of God.
So the sequence must be clear. God loves man first. This love makes man good. And when man, loved by God, loves his neighbour, this makes his neighbour good.
See how God's love for man solves all the above problems.
5. The problem.
But God loves only the humble and hates the proud, Scriptures has it. So to be loved by God and receive all the benefits from that love we have to be humble as Christ commanded; 'learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart.'
So the entire Catholic spirituality which have been lacking in all seminaries and religious houses is the training in humility which should be the only training in spirituality. Christ said so. He did not say learn theology. He said; 'learn from Me.' What? 'Meekness and humility.'
6. The world is proud.
Christ prophesied, the world will be filled with the pride of life that will cause the decay of Faith and the waxing cold of Charity. Christ said so. And the world is filled with all kinds of pride explained by St. Pope Gregory the Great. Being proud, God does not love the people in the world. He hates them. Thus the people in the world cannot be good. This is why most of the pagans in the world, most of the Protestants and most of the Catholic bishops and priests are homos. Because of their pride, God hates them. So God permitted them to descend to the unnatural level and even hit the bottom, the beastial level. In such a situation there was no stopping this lustful trend.
Monday, June 03, 2019
Sunday, May 12, 2019
GIVE US ANOTHER SIGN that we might believe. TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY of the third week of Easter.
1.Two kinds of people.
The Gospels always describes two kinds of people. The unbelievers; these are usually the Jews, the Chosen People headed by the Pharisees and Sadducees. The other are the believers, Christ's disciples and apostles.
The Gospels are instruction on how to become believers of Christ and how to avoid becoming unbelievers. The instructions are very clear so that after one Liturgical Year any soul can know if he is a believer or not. He can know if he is going to heaven or not.
2. The Gospels does not give the complete lessons.
The Gospels tells us what we must do to have everlasting life but it does not state how to do the what. In the Divine commission to evangelise Christ clearly commanded that the how and the what must be taught; what are the commandments and how to do them.
3. The defect of unbelievers.
The unbelievers had this defect; that they could hear what are the commandments but they did not know how to obey them thus ending not even knowing what the commands are.
The deeper defect is this; though what the commands are are found in the Gospels, the how is not found there. It is found in the writings of the Father of the Church, commonly referred to as Tradition. And the even deeper meaning of the how is only available through Divine Revelation. It is not available while studying the Fathers of the Church. It is given, only, when God reveals the entire meaning of the Gospel to the soul. He, ordinarily, does not do this to unbelievers. 'You have seen Me and believe not.'
4. The believers.
The words of the Gospel states; 'And this is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on Him may have everlasting life.
Both unbeliever and believer saw Christ. How come one did not believe but the other one believed? One was proud, the other one was humble.
5. The proud.
The unbeliever saw Christ but did not believe, states the Gospel. How come? Because he is proud. The proud is totally unable to believe. St. Thomas noted that unless the illness is medicated in its very roots, the illness will not disappear. It can change into another symptom but the same illness remains. The root of all sin is pride. As long as pride remains, the illness will persist. The symptom can change. It can be sexual perversion one time, and infidelity another time. But the root remains i.e. pride. Faith cannot grow in an atmosphere of pride. So the unbeliever, like the believers sees Christ. And yet the unbeliever refuses to believe because of pride; while the humble believes.
6. Humility.
Faith is rooted in humility. It grows in the fertile soil of humility.
Thus when the humble sees Christ, it sees an identical spirit in Christ and becomes united with Him by the work of the Father. Thus it is said that the Father who initiates the act of believing in the humble soul draws the soul to Christ.
The Father draws the humble soul to Christ thus giving the soul to Christ. And nothing can take away such a soul from Christ. Such a soul becomes deserving of eternal life.
The action of the Father in drawing a soul to a kindred humble soul which is Christ is a Divine Act that initiates the act of Faith. It is not possible in the natural level. This Divine Act is what enables a soul to believe and the lack of this Divine Act in the case of the proud is what prevents the proud from believing.
7. Asking for a sign.
The Jews had just seen Christ multiply the loaves. And they have just learned that Christ had crossed the sea walking on the water, and yet they did not believe and asked for another sign. Unbelievers will always ask for signs but will continue not to believe because the defect is not in the lack of proofs. The defect is the pride in the heart and mind of the unbeliever,
The believer, on the other hand, is contented to have the proof Christ presented.....i.e. the bread of life.
8. The Holy Eucharist.
The Jews, not only demanded for another sign. They even demanded for a specific sign. The manna that Moses fed the Jews in the desert. Christ corrected them first by reminding them that it was not Moses who fed them but His Father in heaven, Then Christ told them that He would give them a better sign; Himself as the type of the manna from heaven. The world would have the most convincing sign of the Divinity of Christ; the Holy Eucharist, the bread from heaven.
Christ would be present in His Divinity in a tiny piece of bread. Can any one be powerful enough to transform himself into a piece of bread and with great humility remain imprisoned in a tabernacle with no human retinue to serve Him. Absolutely no one can do that. That is how Divine and Almighty God is. He can do it. He did it and He is there for all to see...........and for a few to believe in and attain everlasting life.
9. St. John and the act of Faith.
St. John's Gospel describes the act of Faith thus. A man hears the words of Christ. He does not understand the meaning and the interpretation. But he shows spiritual humility by admitting he does not know what it means and what is its interpretation. With humility he awaits that God may reveal its meaning.
Due to his humility, God the Father draws him towards Christ, i.e. the Father teaches him more doctrines together with its deeper meaning and correct interpretation.
As the soul is drawn by the Father towards the Son, the will of the drawn soul cooperates with the act of drawing by becoming more humble in spirit.
At this point God the Father grants his graces. He cooperates with the grace of God, and the human soul acquires Faith and believes unto everlasting life. Then the Holy Spirit teaches him all things. He would have solved the Church problems during the Vatican Synod on the Abuse. But he was not invited because he did not belong to the group.
The Gospels always describes two kinds of people. The unbelievers; these are usually the Jews, the Chosen People headed by the Pharisees and Sadducees. The other are the believers, Christ's disciples and apostles.
The Gospels are instruction on how to become believers of Christ and how to avoid becoming unbelievers. The instructions are very clear so that after one Liturgical Year any soul can know if he is a believer or not. He can know if he is going to heaven or not.
2. The Gospels does not give the complete lessons.
The Gospels tells us what we must do to have everlasting life but it does not state how to do the what. In the Divine commission to evangelise Christ clearly commanded that the how and the what must be taught; what are the commandments and how to do them.
3. The defect of unbelievers.
The unbelievers had this defect; that they could hear what are the commandments but they did not know how to obey them thus ending not even knowing what the commands are.
The deeper defect is this; though what the commands are are found in the Gospels, the how is not found there. It is found in the writings of the Father of the Church, commonly referred to as Tradition. And the even deeper meaning of the how is only available through Divine Revelation. It is not available while studying the Fathers of the Church. It is given, only, when God reveals the entire meaning of the Gospel to the soul. He, ordinarily, does not do this to unbelievers. 'You have seen Me and believe not.'
4. The believers.
The words of the Gospel states; 'And this is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on Him may have everlasting life.
Both unbeliever and believer saw Christ. How come one did not believe but the other one believed? One was proud, the other one was humble.
5. The proud.
The unbeliever saw Christ but did not believe, states the Gospel. How come? Because he is proud. The proud is totally unable to believe. St. Thomas noted that unless the illness is medicated in its very roots, the illness will not disappear. It can change into another symptom but the same illness remains. The root of all sin is pride. As long as pride remains, the illness will persist. The symptom can change. It can be sexual perversion one time, and infidelity another time. But the root remains i.e. pride. Faith cannot grow in an atmosphere of pride. So the unbeliever, like the believers sees Christ. And yet the unbeliever refuses to believe because of pride; while the humble believes.
6. Humility.
Faith is rooted in humility. It grows in the fertile soil of humility.
Thus when the humble sees Christ, it sees an identical spirit in Christ and becomes united with Him by the work of the Father. Thus it is said that the Father who initiates the act of believing in the humble soul draws the soul to Christ.
The Father draws the humble soul to Christ thus giving the soul to Christ. And nothing can take away such a soul from Christ. Such a soul becomes deserving of eternal life.
The action of the Father in drawing a soul to a kindred humble soul which is Christ is a Divine Act that initiates the act of Faith. It is not possible in the natural level. This Divine Act is what enables a soul to believe and the lack of this Divine Act in the case of the proud is what prevents the proud from believing.
7. Asking for a sign.
The Jews had just seen Christ multiply the loaves. And they have just learned that Christ had crossed the sea walking on the water, and yet they did not believe and asked for another sign. Unbelievers will always ask for signs but will continue not to believe because the defect is not in the lack of proofs. The defect is the pride in the heart and mind of the unbeliever,
The believer, on the other hand, is contented to have the proof Christ presented.....i.e. the bread of life.
8. The Holy Eucharist.
The Jews, not only demanded for another sign. They even demanded for a specific sign. The manna that Moses fed the Jews in the desert. Christ corrected them first by reminding them that it was not Moses who fed them but His Father in heaven, Then Christ told them that He would give them a better sign; Himself as the type of the manna from heaven. The world would have the most convincing sign of the Divinity of Christ; the Holy Eucharist, the bread from heaven.
Christ would be present in His Divinity in a tiny piece of bread. Can any one be powerful enough to transform himself into a piece of bread and with great humility remain imprisoned in a tabernacle with no human retinue to serve Him. Absolutely no one can do that. That is how Divine and Almighty God is. He can do it. He did it and He is there for all to see...........and for a few to believe in and attain everlasting life.
9. St. John and the act of Faith.
St. John's Gospel describes the act of Faith thus. A man hears the words of Christ. He does not understand the meaning and the interpretation. But he shows spiritual humility by admitting he does not know what it means and what is its interpretation. With humility he awaits that God may reveal its meaning.
Due to his humility, God the Father draws him towards Christ, i.e. the Father teaches him more doctrines together with its deeper meaning and correct interpretation.
As the soul is drawn by the Father towards the Son, the will of the drawn soul cooperates with the act of drawing by becoming more humble in spirit.
At this point God the Father grants his graces. He cooperates with the grace of God, and the human soul acquires Faith and believes unto everlasting life. Then the Holy Spirit teaches him all things. He would have solved the Church problems during the Vatican Synod on the Abuse. But he was not invited because he did not belong to the group.
GIVE US ANOTHER SIGN that we might believe. TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY of the third week of Easter.
1.Two kinds of people.
The Gospels always describes two kinds of people. The unbelievers; these are usually the Jews, the Chosen People headed by the Pharisees and Sadducees. The other are the believers, Christ's disciples and apostles.
The Gospels are instruction on how to become believers of Christ and how to avoid becoming unbelievers. The instructions are very clear so that after one Liturgical Year any soul can know if he is a believer or not. He can know if he is going to heaven or not.
2. The Gospels does not give the complete lessons.
The Gospels tells us what we must do to have everlasting life but it does not state how to do the what. In the Divine commission to evangelise Christ clearly commanded that the how and the what must be taught; what are the commandments and how to do them.
3. The defect of unbelievers.
The unbelievers had this defect; that they could hear what are the commandments but they did not know how to obey them thus ending not even knowing what the commands are.
The deeper defect is this; though what the commands are are found in the Gospels, the how is not found there. It is found in the writings of the Father of the Church, commonly referred to as Tradition. And the even deeper meaning of the how is only available through Divine Revelation. It is not available while studying the Fathers of the Church. It is given, only, when God reveals the entire meaning of the Gospel to the soul. He, ordinarily, does not do this to unbelievers. 'You have seen Me and believe not.'
4. The believers.
The words of the Gospel states; 'And this is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on Him may have everlasting life.
Both unbeliever and believer saw Christ. How come one did not believe but the other one believed? One was proud, the other one was humble.
5. The proud.
The unbeliever saw Christ but did not believe, states the Gospel. How come? Because he is proud. The proud is totally unable to believe. St. Thomas noted that unless the illness is medicated in its very roots, the illness will not disappear. It can change into another symptom but the same illness remains. The root of all sin is pride. As long as pride remains, the illness will persist. The symptom can change. It can be sexual perversion one time, and infidelity another time. But the root remains i.e. pride. Faith cannot grow in an atmosphere of pride. So the unbeliever, like the believers sees Christ. And yet the unbeliever refuses to believe because of pride; while the humble believes.
6. Humility.
Faith is rooted in humility. It grows in the fertile soil of humility.
Thus when the humble sees Christ, it sees an identical spirit in Christ and becomes united with Him by the work of the Father. Thus it is said that the Father who initiates the act of believing in the humble soul draws the soul to Christ.
The Father draws the humble soul to Christ thus giving the soul to Christ. And nothing can take away such a soul from Christ. Such a soul becomes deserving of eternal life.
The action of the Father in drawing a soul to a kindred humble soul which is Christ is a Divine Act that initiates the act of Faith. It is not possible in the natural level. This Divine Act is what enables a soul to believe and the lack of this Divine Act in the case of the proud is what prevents the proud from believing.
7. Asking for a sign.
The Jews had just seen Christ multiply the loaves. And they have just learned that Christ had crossed the sea walking on the water, and yet they did not believe and asked for another sign. Unbelievers will always ask for signs but will continue not to believe because the defect is not in the lack of proofs. The defect is the pride in the heart and mind of the unbeliever,
The believer, on the other hand, is contented to have the proof Christ presented.....i.e. the bread of life.
8. The Holy Eucharist.
The Jews, not only demanded for another sign. They even demanded for a specific sign. The manna that Moses fed the Jews in the desert. Christ corrected them first by reminding them that it was not Moses who fed them but His Father in heaven, Then Christ told them that He would give them a better sign; Himself as the type of the manna from heaven. The world would have the most convincing sign of the Divinity of Christ; the Holy Eucharist, the bread from heaven.
Christ would be present in His Divinity in a tiny piece of bread. Can any one be powerful enough to transform himself into a piece of bread and with great humility remain imprisoned in a tabernacle with no human retinue to serve Him. Absolutely no one can do that. That is how Divine and Almighty God is. He can do it. He did it and He is there for all to see...........and for a few to believe in and attain everlasting life.
9. St. John and the act of Faith.
St. John's Gospel describes the act of Faith thus. A man hears the words of Christ. He does not understand the meaning and the interpretation. But he shows spiritual humility by admitting he does not know what it means and what is its interpretation. With humility he awaits that God may reveal its meaning.
Due to his humility, God the Father draws him towards Christ, i.e. the Father teaches him more doctrines together with its deeper meaning and correct interpretation.
As the soul is drawn by the Father towards the Son, the will of the drawn soul cooperates with the act of drawing by becoming more humble in spirit.
At this point God the Father grants his graces. He cooperates with the grace of God, and the human soul acquires Faith and believes unto everlasting life. Then the Holy Spirit teaches him all things. He would have solved the Church problems during the Vatican Synod on the Abuse. But he was not invited because he did not belong to the group.
The Gospels always describes two kinds of people. The unbelievers; these are usually the Jews, the Chosen People headed by the Pharisees and Sadducees. The other are the believers, Christ's disciples and apostles.
The Gospels are instruction on how to become believers of Christ and how to avoid becoming unbelievers. The instructions are very clear so that after one Liturgical Year any soul can know if he is a believer or not. He can know if he is going to heaven or not.
2. The Gospels does not give the complete lessons.
The Gospels tells us what we must do to have everlasting life but it does not state how to do the what. In the Divine commission to evangelise Christ clearly commanded that the how and the what must be taught; what are the commandments and how to do them.
3. The defect of unbelievers.
The unbelievers had this defect; that they could hear what are the commandments but they did not know how to obey them thus ending not even knowing what the commands are.
The deeper defect is this; though what the commands are are found in the Gospels, the how is not found there. It is found in the writings of the Father of the Church, commonly referred to as Tradition. And the even deeper meaning of the how is only available through Divine Revelation. It is not available while studying the Fathers of the Church. It is given, only, when God reveals the entire meaning of the Gospel to the soul. He, ordinarily, does not do this to unbelievers. 'You have seen Me and believe not.'
4. The believers.
The words of the Gospel states; 'And this is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on Him may have everlasting life.
Both unbeliever and believer saw Christ. How come one did not believe but the other one believed? One was proud, the other one was humble.
5. The proud.
The unbeliever saw Christ but did not believe, states the Gospel. How come? Because he is proud. The proud is totally unable to believe. St. Thomas noted that unless the illness is medicated in its very roots, the illness will not disappear. It can change into another symptom but the same illness remains. The root of all sin is pride. As long as pride remains, the illness will persist. The symptom can change. It can be sexual perversion one time, and infidelity another time. But the root remains i.e. pride. Faith cannot grow in an atmosphere of pride. So the unbeliever, like the believers sees Christ. And yet the unbeliever refuses to believe because of pride; while the humble believes.
6. Humility.
Faith is rooted in humility. It grows in the fertile soil of humility.
Thus when the humble sees Christ, it sees an identical spirit in Christ and becomes united with Him by the work of the Father. Thus it is said that the Father who initiates the act of believing in the humble soul draws the soul to Christ.
The Father draws the humble soul to Christ thus giving the soul to Christ. And nothing can take away such a soul from Christ. Such a soul becomes deserving of eternal life.
The action of the Father in drawing a soul to a kindred humble soul which is Christ is a Divine Act that initiates the act of Faith. It is not possible in the natural level. This Divine Act is what enables a soul to believe and the lack of this Divine Act in the case of the proud is what prevents the proud from believing.
7. Asking for a sign.
The Jews had just seen Christ multiply the loaves. And they have just learned that Christ had crossed the sea walking on the water, and yet they did not believe and asked for another sign. Unbelievers will always ask for signs but will continue not to believe because the defect is not in the lack of proofs. The defect is the pride in the heart and mind of the unbeliever,
The believer, on the other hand, is contented to have the proof Christ presented.....i.e. the bread of life.
8. The Holy Eucharist.
The Jews, not only demanded for another sign. They even demanded for a specific sign. The manna that Moses fed the Jews in the desert. Christ corrected them first by reminding them that it was not Moses who fed them but His Father in heaven, Then Christ told them that He would give them a better sign; Himself as the type of the manna from heaven. The world would have the most convincing sign of the Divinity of Christ; the Holy Eucharist, the bread from heaven.
Christ would be present in His Divinity in a tiny piece of bread. Can any one be powerful enough to transform himself into a piece of bread and with great humility remain imprisoned in a tabernacle with no human retinue to serve Him. Absolutely no one can do that. That is how Divine and Almighty God is. He can do it. He did it and He is there for all to see...........and for a few to believe in and attain everlasting life.
9. St. John and the act of Faith.
St. John's Gospel describes the act of Faith thus. A man hears the words of Christ. He does not understand the meaning and the interpretation. But he shows spiritual humility by admitting he does not know what it means and what is its interpretation. With humility he awaits that God may reveal its meaning.
Due to his humility, God the Father draws him towards Christ, i.e. the Father teaches him more doctrines together with its deeper meaning and correct interpretation.
As the soul is drawn by the Father towards the Son, the will of the drawn soul cooperates with the act of drawing by becoming more humble in spirit.
At this point God the Father grants his graces. He cooperates with the grace of God, and the human soul acquires Faith and believes unto everlasting life. Then the Holy Spirit teaches him all things. He would have solved the Church problems during the Vatican Synod on the Abuse. But he was not invited because he did not belong to the group.
Monday, April 29, 2019
The SRI LANKA martyrs, HOLY WEEK AND EASTER.
1. The Sri Lankan Christians killed this Easter are martyrs; therefore, they are all in heaven. A much better place than where they were.
It is this certainty in Catholic teaching that martyrs are surely in heaven that made early Christians desire martyrdom. The certainty that they are martyrs and, therefore, will go straight to heaven is proven by St. Thomas of Aquinas in five articles in the Summa 'On martyrdom,' and Origin's 'Exhortation to Martyrdom.'
The basis for their martyrdom.
First, they were persecuted or killed out of pure hatred for the Church. Evidently, the martyrs had done nothing wrong towards their killers. They don't even know each other and have never met each other. And their killers had no valid reasonable reason for killing them except for an imagined fantasy.
Secondly, the martyrs were performing a 'good work' as defined by theology; either corporal or spiritual.
Thirdly, they were persecuted or murdereded.
The first two qualifies them for martyrdom. The third is a further confirmation that they are truly martyrs.
2. Further proof that they are martyrs is that their persecutors would fall under those punished by God for such heinous acts as described in the book written by Lactantius 'The persecutors of the Church,' wherewith God would punish them with a bad death here on earth and eternal damnation in hell.
In this book, Lactantius gave a list of all the known persecutors of the Church and how they ended their lives here on earth.
3. Lenten Season.
The Sri Lankan martyrdom coincided with the Lenten Season ending with Easter. The circumstances are identical to what happened to Christ during Holy Week. Christ was totally innocent, but He was accused unjustly, judged unjustly and killed unjustly. But He rose on the third day, Easter Sunday.
The martyrs were equally treated in the same way. They were accused unjustly, judged unjustly and killed unjustly like their Lord and Master. And on Easter Sunday they arose in heaven.
4. Only God decides who will be a martyr.
Nobody can volunteer to be a martyr. Martyrdom is an exclusive club and membership is decided by God alone. Martyrdom forgives all past sins and is a sign of the highest degree of love thus martyrs don't even pass purgatory. They go straight to heaven.
All Christians know that, so many chose martyrdom as the surest way to go to heaven. But only to discover that they cannot be because they are not chosen. St. Teresa of Avila tried it when she was a young girl but was not able to go too far because she was not chosen by God. St. Francis of Assisi tried it too, and almost converted the sultan instead. No one can be a martyr unless chosen by God. Only God knows the state of the soul of men that will qualify for martyrdom. And it is God's direct Will to chose someone as a candidate for martyrdom.
Martyrdom is not a victory of evil over good. It is the way that God fools the devil into doing evil so that a much greater good can come out of it. The greater good is the spiritual growth of the true Catholic Church.
Christ is, of course, the first martyr. He was not martyred by the Jews. He died by the Direct Will of the Father. Thus so goes with the Sri Lankans and Nigerians. So when someone is martyred, it is because God has chosen them to die and go directly to heaven.
5. The Church grows through the blood of martyrs.
The blood of martyrs is what makes the Church grow in a time when no one preaches the right doctrine of salvation, like now. It is the only alternative to a non existing evangelization. This means, nobody is evangelising properly today, so martyrdom is the only way in which the Church can grow. People are martyred so that the Church may spiritually grow.
6. Non - bloody martyrs.
Red martyrdom is reserved by God, Himself, for a few. But there is 'white martyrdom.' We have to be martyrs, i.e. witnesses, to Christ. White martyrdom is spiritual red martyrdom in accordance to the words of Christ who said; 'unless you hate your life.' They are the 'confessors' in the Church. Monastic life is 'white martyrdom.'
So it is fit to describe certain people as 'martyr,' i.e. white martyrs. St. John the Evangelist is both a white and red martyr. The Holy innocents are red martyrs. Cardinal Pell had been aptly described as a white martyr. Archbishop Vigano will probably be a red martyr, courtesy of the Vatican.
7. Summary
So the Catholics in Sri Lanka killed by a bomb last Easter are martyrs. When they died they went straight to heaven to behold the Beatific Vision. The same goes to those Catholic in Nigeria and in many Middle East countries. They fulfill the three elements of martyrdom as described by St.Thomas of Aquinas and Origin. And their martyrdom can be reconfirmed if their persecutors die an awful death here on earth and if they are now in the depths of hell. The former can be confirmed. We can check the latter after the General Judgment.
It is this certainty in Catholic teaching that martyrs are surely in heaven that made early Christians desire martyrdom. The certainty that they are martyrs and, therefore, will go straight to heaven is proven by St. Thomas of Aquinas in five articles in the Summa 'On martyrdom,' and Origin's 'Exhortation to Martyrdom.'
The basis for their martyrdom.
First, they were persecuted or killed out of pure hatred for the Church. Evidently, the martyrs had done nothing wrong towards their killers. They don't even know each other and have never met each other. And their killers had no valid reasonable reason for killing them except for an imagined fantasy.
Secondly, the martyrs were performing a 'good work' as defined by theology; either corporal or spiritual.
Thirdly, they were persecuted or murdereded.
The first two qualifies them for martyrdom. The third is a further confirmation that they are truly martyrs.
2. Further proof that they are martyrs is that their persecutors would fall under those punished by God for such heinous acts as described in the book written by Lactantius 'The persecutors of the Church,' wherewith God would punish them with a bad death here on earth and eternal damnation in hell.
In this book, Lactantius gave a list of all the known persecutors of the Church and how they ended their lives here on earth.
3. Lenten Season.
The Sri Lankan martyrdom coincided with the Lenten Season ending with Easter. The circumstances are identical to what happened to Christ during Holy Week. Christ was totally innocent, but He was accused unjustly, judged unjustly and killed unjustly. But He rose on the third day, Easter Sunday.
The martyrs were equally treated in the same way. They were accused unjustly, judged unjustly and killed unjustly like their Lord and Master. And on Easter Sunday they arose in heaven.
4. Only God decides who will be a martyr.
Nobody can volunteer to be a martyr. Martyrdom is an exclusive club and membership is decided by God alone. Martyrdom forgives all past sins and is a sign of the highest degree of love thus martyrs don't even pass purgatory. They go straight to heaven.
All Christians know that, so many chose martyrdom as the surest way to go to heaven. But only to discover that they cannot be because they are not chosen. St. Teresa of Avila tried it when she was a young girl but was not able to go too far because she was not chosen by God. St. Francis of Assisi tried it too, and almost converted the sultan instead. No one can be a martyr unless chosen by God. Only God knows the state of the soul of men that will qualify for martyrdom. And it is God's direct Will to chose someone as a candidate for martyrdom.
Martyrdom is not a victory of evil over good. It is the way that God fools the devil into doing evil so that a much greater good can come out of it. The greater good is the spiritual growth of the true Catholic Church.
Christ is, of course, the first martyr. He was not martyred by the Jews. He died by the Direct Will of the Father. Thus so goes with the Sri Lankans and Nigerians. So when someone is martyred, it is because God has chosen them to die and go directly to heaven.
5. The Church grows through the blood of martyrs.
The blood of martyrs is what makes the Church grow in a time when no one preaches the right doctrine of salvation, like now. It is the only alternative to a non existing evangelization. This means, nobody is evangelising properly today, so martyrdom is the only way in which the Church can grow. People are martyred so that the Church may spiritually grow.
6. Non - bloody martyrs.
Red martyrdom is reserved by God, Himself, for a few. But there is 'white martyrdom.' We have to be martyrs, i.e. witnesses, to Christ. White martyrdom is spiritual red martyrdom in accordance to the words of Christ who said; 'unless you hate your life.' They are the 'confessors' in the Church. Monastic life is 'white martyrdom.'
So it is fit to describe certain people as 'martyr,' i.e. white martyrs. St. John the Evangelist is both a white and red martyr. The Holy innocents are red martyrs. Cardinal Pell had been aptly described as a white martyr. Archbishop Vigano will probably be a red martyr, courtesy of the Vatican.
7. Summary
So the Catholics in Sri Lanka killed by a bomb last Easter are martyrs. When they died they went straight to heaven to behold the Beatific Vision. The same goes to those Catholic in Nigeria and in many Middle East countries. They fulfill the three elements of martyrdom as described by St.Thomas of Aquinas and Origin. And their martyrdom can be reconfirmed if their persecutors die an awful death here on earth and if they are now in the depths of hell. The former can be confirmed. We can check the latter after the General Judgment.
The SRI LANKA martyrs, HOLY WEEK AND EASTER.
1. The Sri Lankan Christians killed this Easter are martyrs; therefore, they are all in heaven. A much better place than where they were.
It is this certainty in Catholic teaching that martyrs are surely in heaven that made early Christians desire martyrdom. The certainty that they are martyrs and, therefore, will go straight to heaven is proven by St. Thomas of Aquinas in five articles in the Summa 'On martyrdom,' and Origin's 'Exhortation to Martyrdom.'
The basis for their martyrdom.
First, they were persecuted or killed out of pure hatred for the Church. Evidently, the martyrs had done nothing wrong towards their killers. They don't even know each other and have never met each other. And their killers had no valid reasonable reason for killing them except for an imagined fantasy.
Secondly, the martyrs were performing a 'good work' as defined by theology; either corporal or spiritual.
Thirdly, they were persecuted or murdereded.
The first two qualifies them for martyrdom. The third is a further confirmation that they are truly martyrs.
2. Further proof that they are martyrs is that their persecutors would fall under those punished by God for such heinous acts as described in the book written by Lactantius 'The persecutors of the Church,' wherewith God would punish them with a bad death here on earth and eternal damnation in hell.
In this book, Lactantius gave a list of all the known persecutors of the Church and how they ended their lives here on earth.
3. Lenten Season.
The Sri Lankan martyrdom coincided with the Lenten Season ending with Easter. The circumstances are identical to what happened to Christ during Holy Week. Christ was totally innocent, but He was accused unjustly, judged unjustly and killed unjustly. But He rose on the third day, Easter Sunday.
The martyrs were equally treated in the same way. They were accused unjustly, judged unjustly and killed unjustly like their Lord and Master. And on Easter Sunday they arose in heaven.
4. Only God decides who will be a martyr.
Nobody can volunteer to be a martyr. Martyrdom is an exclusive club and membership is decided by God alone. Martyrdom forgives all past sins and is a sign of the highest degree of love thus martyrs don't even pass purgatory. They go straight to heaven.
All Christians know that, so many chose martyrdom as the surest way to go to heaven. But only to discover that they cannot be because they are not chosen. St. Teresa of Avila tried it when she was a young girl but was not able to go too far because she was not chosen by God. St. Francis of Assisi tried it too, and almost converted the sultan instead. No one can be a martyr unless chosen by God. Only God knows the state of the soul of men that will qualify for martyrdom. And it is God's direct Will to chose someone as a candidate for martyrdom.
Martyrdom is not a victory of evil over good. It is the way that God fools the devil into doing evil so that a much greater good can come out of it. The greater good is the spiritual growth of the true Catholic Church.
Christ is, of course, the first martyr. He was not martyred by the Jews. He died by the Direct Will of the Father. Thus so goes with the Sri Lankans and Nigerians. So when someone is martyred, it is because God has chosen them to die and go directly to heaven.
5. The Church grows through the blood of martyrs.
The blood of martyrs is what makes the Church grow in a time when no one preaches the right doctrine of salvation, like now. It is the only alternative to a non existing evangelization. This means, nobody is evangelising properly today, so martyrdom is the only way in which the Church can grow. People are martyred so that the Church may spiritually grow.
6. Non - bloody martyrs.
Red martyrdom is reserved by God, Himself, for a few. But there is 'white martyrdom.' We have to be martyrs, i.e. witnesses, to Christ. White martyrdom is spiritual red martyrdom in accordance to the words of Christ who said; 'unless you hate your life.' They are the 'confessors' in the Church. Monastic life is 'white martyrdom.'
So it is fit to describe certain people as 'martyr,' i.e. white martyrs. St. John the Evangelist is both a white and red martyr. The Holy innocents are red martyrs. Cardinal Pell had been aptly described as a white martyr. Archbishop Vigano will probably be a red martyr, courtesy of the Vatican.
7. Summary
So the Catholics in Sri Lanka killed by a bomb last Easter are martyrs. When they died they went straight to heaven to behold the Beatific Vision. The same goes to those Catholic in Nigeria and in many Middle East countries. They fulfill the three elements of martyrdom as described by St.Thomas of Aquinas and Origin. And their martyrdom can be reconfirmed if their persecutors die an awful death here on earth and if they are now in the depths of hell. The former can be confirmed. We can check the latter after the General Judgment.
It is this certainty in Catholic teaching that martyrs are surely in heaven that made early Christians desire martyrdom. The certainty that they are martyrs and, therefore, will go straight to heaven is proven by St. Thomas of Aquinas in five articles in the Summa 'On martyrdom,' and Origin's 'Exhortation to Martyrdom.'
The basis for their martyrdom.
First, they were persecuted or killed out of pure hatred for the Church. Evidently, the martyrs had done nothing wrong towards their killers. They don't even know each other and have never met each other. And their killers had no valid reasonable reason for killing them except for an imagined fantasy.
Secondly, the martyrs were performing a 'good work' as defined by theology; either corporal or spiritual.
Thirdly, they were persecuted or murdereded.
The first two qualifies them for martyrdom. The third is a further confirmation that they are truly martyrs.
2. Further proof that they are martyrs is that their persecutors would fall under those punished by God for such heinous acts as described in the book written by Lactantius 'The persecutors of the Church,' wherewith God would punish them with a bad death here on earth and eternal damnation in hell.
In this book, Lactantius gave a list of all the known persecutors of the Church and how they ended their lives here on earth.
3. Lenten Season.
The Sri Lankan martyrdom coincided with the Lenten Season ending with Easter. The circumstances are identical to what happened to Christ during Holy Week. Christ was totally innocent, but He was accused unjustly, judged unjustly and killed unjustly. But He rose on the third day, Easter Sunday.
The martyrs were equally treated in the same way. They were accused unjustly, judged unjustly and killed unjustly like their Lord and Master. And on Easter Sunday they arose in heaven.
4. Only God decides who will be a martyr.
Nobody can volunteer to be a martyr. Martyrdom is an exclusive club and membership is decided by God alone. Martyrdom forgives all past sins and is a sign of the highest degree of love thus martyrs don't even pass purgatory. They go straight to heaven.
All Christians know that, so many chose martyrdom as the surest way to go to heaven. But only to discover that they cannot be because they are not chosen. St. Teresa of Avila tried it when she was a young girl but was not able to go too far because she was not chosen by God. St. Francis of Assisi tried it too, and almost converted the sultan instead. No one can be a martyr unless chosen by God. Only God knows the state of the soul of men that will qualify for martyrdom. And it is God's direct Will to chose someone as a candidate for martyrdom.
Martyrdom is not a victory of evil over good. It is the way that God fools the devil into doing evil so that a much greater good can come out of it. The greater good is the spiritual growth of the true Catholic Church.
Christ is, of course, the first martyr. He was not martyred by the Jews. He died by the Direct Will of the Father. Thus so goes with the Sri Lankans and Nigerians. So when someone is martyred, it is because God has chosen them to die and go directly to heaven.
5. The Church grows through the blood of martyrs.
The blood of martyrs is what makes the Church grow in a time when no one preaches the right doctrine of salvation, like now. It is the only alternative to a non existing evangelization. This means, nobody is evangelising properly today, so martyrdom is the only way in which the Church can grow. People are martyred so that the Church may spiritually grow.
6. Non - bloody martyrs.
Red martyrdom is reserved by God, Himself, for a few. But there is 'white martyrdom.' We have to be martyrs, i.e. witnesses, to Christ. White martyrdom is spiritual red martyrdom in accordance to the words of Christ who said; 'unless you hate your life.' They are the 'confessors' in the Church. Monastic life is 'white martyrdom.'
So it is fit to describe certain people as 'martyr,' i.e. white martyrs. St. John the Evangelist is both a white and red martyr. The Holy innocents are red martyrs. Cardinal Pell had been aptly described as a white martyr. Archbishop Vigano will probably be a red martyr, courtesy of the Vatican.
7. Summary
So the Catholics in Sri Lanka killed by a bomb last Easter are martyrs. When they died they went straight to heaven to behold the Beatific Vision. The same goes to those Catholic in Nigeria and in many Middle East countries. They fulfill the three elements of martyrdom as described by St.Thomas of Aquinas and Origin. And their martyrdom can be reconfirmed if their persecutors die an awful death here on earth and if they are now in the depths of hell. The former can be confirmed. We can check the latter after the General Judgment.
Friday, April 19, 2019
THE 'MANDATUM' OF Maundy Thursday.
1. The commands of Christ.
To merit everlasting life, we must love God. To love God we must obey His commands.' This is the love of God that you keep His commandments.'
The commandments of Christ are laid down in the whole of the Liturgical season from Advent to Christ the King. It's first instalment is from Advent to Easter. The second instalment is from Pentecost to Christ the King.
These commandments are repeated during the three cycles of the Liturgical season, Cycle A, B and C. Perfect Faith means keeping these commands in mind and treasuring them in one's heart. So the zealous soul cannot forget any among the more than 80 commands of Christ. These are all found in the Gospels.
2. Summary of the commands.
But every now and then, after the Gospels enumerate a few commands, it summaries the commands. Today, Maundy Thursday, Christ summarises all His commands. He knew He will be crucified soon and will soon return to the Father, so He completes His instructions on what must we do to have everlasting life. And then, summaries all His commands into one command; the celebration today is referred to as 'mandatum' i.e. 'the command.' Here Christ gives a summary of all His commandments and reduces it into one command; symbolically to wash each others feet.
3. How Christ teaches.
Whenever Christ teaches He follows three steps.
First; He performs the command He will teach. Like in today's Gospel, He washed the feet of His Apostles. People learn better if they see the teacher perform the act He is teaching rather than just hear how to do the act. The example of the teacher is more effective than his teaching.
Secondly, He commands His listeners to do the same. 'Just as I have done, do ye likewise.' Christ tells His listeners not only to listen to the teaching but to put it into practice. To listen and to act on what they have learned. St. James wrote, he who hears a command but does not act on the command commits sin. But he who listens and obeys is like the wise man who built his house on rock.
Thirdly, Christ explains how this washing should be done.
Christ gave His apostles a command, to wash each other's feet. This is supposed to summarise all His commands and, therefore, if obeyed is sufficient for salvation. Christ said so in today's Gospel. 'If you wash each other's feet, you shall be blest on earth as in heaven.'
The washing can be physical or spiritual. Natural washing is what everybody can do; wash the feet. Christ was referring to spiritual washing of the feet of one's neighbour and this consist of three acts. The first two are for everybody while the third is for priest only.
We wash each others feet, first, by forgiving all our enemies, those who have sinned against us. Not those who have hurt us because they correct our sins or prevent us from doing evil. Our enemies are those who have sinned against God and against us. Secondly, by praying for our enemies. Forgiving our enemies does not necessarily take away their sins. We must pray for them that God may give them the grace to be repentant, which will forgive their sins. The third can only be done by priests, i.e. to absolve the sins of our the enemies.
The above 'mandatum' or command is a summary of all the commands of Christ. He who obeys this command obeys all the commands of Christ and, therefore, worthy to have everlasting life.
4. Added lesson.
The Gospel gives us this command; to wash each other's feet. The three acts that make up washing of our neighbour's feet are the highest forms of Charity which make them sufficient for the salvation of our souls. But Christ adds a lesson. Though Christ had washed the feet of His apostles, not all were clean. And here Christ shows His divinity to His apostles in that He knew the secrets of men. 'One of you will betray Me.'
Even after Christ had done many spiritual favours for Judas, still he betrayed Christ. How can this be? 'That Scriptures may be fulfilled.' The deeper reason lies secret in God's heart.
The added lesson is this; even if you forgive your enemies, even if you pray for your enemies, even if you absolve your enemies.......doing these will make you worthy of everlasting life.....but your neighbour might not still go to heaven because of his free will. Thus was the case of Judas.
5. Thus Christ concludes.
If you obey this command, you will be blessed. If you wash the feet of one with perfect Faith, that would be like washing, also, My feet. And if you wash My feet, then you have, also, washed the feet of My Father.
Remember 'washing the feet of our neighbour' is in fact 'loving one's neighbour with the highest form of Charity. Thus washing the neighbour's feet is tantamount to loving your neighbour, loving Christ and loving the Father......the requirement to attain everlasting life.
To merit everlasting life, we must love God. To love God we must obey His commands.' This is the love of God that you keep His commandments.'
The commandments of Christ are laid down in the whole of the Liturgical season from Advent to Christ the King. It's first instalment is from Advent to Easter. The second instalment is from Pentecost to Christ the King.
These commandments are repeated during the three cycles of the Liturgical season, Cycle A, B and C. Perfect Faith means keeping these commands in mind and treasuring them in one's heart. So the zealous soul cannot forget any among the more than 80 commands of Christ. These are all found in the Gospels.
2. Summary of the commands.
But every now and then, after the Gospels enumerate a few commands, it summaries the commands. Today, Maundy Thursday, Christ summarises all His commands. He knew He will be crucified soon and will soon return to the Father, so He completes His instructions on what must we do to have everlasting life. And then, summaries all His commands into one command; the celebration today is referred to as 'mandatum' i.e. 'the command.' Here Christ gives a summary of all His commandments and reduces it into one command; symbolically to wash each others feet.
3. How Christ teaches.
Whenever Christ teaches He follows three steps.
First; He performs the command He will teach. Like in today's Gospel, He washed the feet of His Apostles. People learn better if they see the teacher perform the act He is teaching rather than just hear how to do the act. The example of the teacher is more effective than his teaching.
Secondly, He commands His listeners to do the same. 'Just as I have done, do ye likewise.' Christ tells His listeners not only to listen to the teaching but to put it into practice. To listen and to act on what they have learned. St. James wrote, he who hears a command but does not act on the command commits sin. But he who listens and obeys is like the wise man who built his house on rock.
Thirdly, Christ explains how this washing should be done.
Christ gave His apostles a command, to wash each other's feet. This is supposed to summarise all His commands and, therefore, if obeyed is sufficient for salvation. Christ said so in today's Gospel. 'If you wash each other's feet, you shall be blest on earth as in heaven.'
The washing can be physical or spiritual. Natural washing is what everybody can do; wash the feet. Christ was referring to spiritual washing of the feet of one's neighbour and this consist of three acts. The first two are for everybody while the third is for priest only.
We wash each others feet, first, by forgiving all our enemies, those who have sinned against us. Not those who have hurt us because they correct our sins or prevent us from doing evil. Our enemies are those who have sinned against God and against us. Secondly, by praying for our enemies. Forgiving our enemies does not necessarily take away their sins. We must pray for them that God may give them the grace to be repentant, which will forgive their sins. The third can only be done by priests, i.e. to absolve the sins of our the enemies.
The above 'mandatum' or command is a summary of all the commands of Christ. He who obeys this command obeys all the commands of Christ and, therefore, worthy to have everlasting life.
4. Added lesson.
The Gospel gives us this command; to wash each other's feet. The three acts that make up washing of our neighbour's feet are the highest forms of Charity which make them sufficient for the salvation of our souls. But Christ adds a lesson. Though Christ had washed the feet of His apostles, not all were clean. And here Christ shows His divinity to His apostles in that He knew the secrets of men. 'One of you will betray Me.'
Even after Christ had done many spiritual favours for Judas, still he betrayed Christ. How can this be? 'That Scriptures may be fulfilled.' The deeper reason lies secret in God's heart.
The added lesson is this; even if you forgive your enemies, even if you pray for your enemies, even if you absolve your enemies.......doing these will make you worthy of everlasting life.....but your neighbour might not still go to heaven because of his free will. Thus was the case of Judas.
5. Thus Christ concludes.
If you obey this command, you will be blessed. If you wash the feet of one with perfect Faith, that would be like washing, also, My feet. And if you wash My feet, then you have, also, washed the feet of My Father.
Remember 'washing the feet of our neighbour' is in fact 'loving one's neighbour with the highest form of Charity. Thus washing the neighbour's feet is tantamount to loving your neighbour, loving Christ and loving the Father......the requirement to attain everlasting life.
THE 'MANDATUM' OF Maundy Thursday.
1. The commands of Christ.
To merit everlasting life, we must love God. To love God we must obey His commands.' This is the love of God that you keep His commandments.'
The commandments of Christ are laid down in the whole of the Liturgical season from Advent to Christ the King. It's first instalment is from Advent to Easter. The second instalment is from Pentecost to Christ the King.
These commandments are repeated during the three cycles of the Liturgical season, Cycle A, B and C. Perfect Faith means keeping these commands in mind and treasuring them in one's heart. So the zealous soul cannot forget any among the more than 80 commands of Christ. These are all found in the Gospels.
2. Summary of the commands.
But every now and then, after the Gospels enumerate a few commands, it summaries the commands. Today, Maundy Thursday, Christ summarises all His commands. He knew He will be crucified soon and will soon return to the Father, so He completes His instructions on what must we do to have everlasting life. And then, summaries all His commands into one command; the celebration today is referred to as 'mandatum' i.e. 'the command.' Here Christ gives a summary of all His commandments and reduces it into one command; symbolically to wash each others feet.
3. How Christ teaches.
Whenever Christ teaches He follows three steps.
First; He performs the command He will teach. Like in today's Gospel, He washed the feet of His Apostles. People learn better if they see the teacher perform the act He is teaching rather than just hear how to do the act. The example of the teacher is more effective than his teaching.
Secondly, He commands His listeners to do the same. 'Just as I have done, do ye likewise.' Christ tells His listeners not only to listen to the teaching but to put it into practice. To listen and to act on what they have learned. St. James wrote, he who hears a command but does not act on the command commits sin. But he who listens and obeys is like the wise man who built his house on rock.
Thirdly, Christ explains how this washing should be done.
Christ gave His apostles a command, to wash each other's feet. This is supposed to summarise all His commands and, therefore, if obeyed is sufficient for salvation. Christ said so in today's Gospel. 'If you wash each other's feet, you shall be blest on earth as in heaven.'
The washing can be physical or spiritual. Natural washing is what everybody can do; wash the feet. Christ was referring to spiritual washing of the feet of one's neighbour and this consist of three acts. The first two are for everybody while the third is for priest only.
We wash each others feet, first, by forgiving all our enemies, those who have sinned against us. Not those who have hurt us because they correct our sins or prevent us from doing evil. Our enemies are those who have sinned against God and against us. Secondly, by praying for our enemies. Forgiving our enemies does not necessarily take away their sins. We must pray for them that God may give them the grace to be repentant, which will forgive their sins. The third can only be done by priests, i.e. to absolve the sins of our the enemies.
The above 'mandatum' or command is a summary of all the commands of Christ. He who obeys this command obeys all the commands of Christ and, therefore, worthy to have everlasting life.
4. Added lesson.
The Gospel gives us this command; to wash each other's feet. The three acts that make up washing of our neighbour's feet are the highest forms of Charity which make them sufficient for the salvation of our souls. But Christ adds a lesson. Though Christ had washed the feet of His apostles, not all were clean. And here Christ shows His divinity to His apostles in that He knew the secrets of men. 'One of you will betray Me.'
Even after Christ had done many spiritual favours for Judas, still he betrayed Christ. How can this be? 'That Scriptures may be fulfilled.' The deeper reason lies secret in God's heart.
The added lesson is this; even if you forgive your enemies, even if you pray for your enemies, even if you absolve your enemies.......doing these will make you worthy of everlasting life.....but your neighbour might not still go to heaven because of his free will. Thus was the case of Judas.
5. Thus Christ concludes.
If you obey this command, you will be blessed. If you wash the feet of one with perfect Faith, that would be like washing, also, My feet. And if you wash My feet, then you have, also, washed the feet of My Father.
Remember 'washing the feet of our neighbour' is in fact 'loving one's neighbour with the highest form of Charity. Thus washing the neighbour's feet is tantamount to loving your neighbour, loving Christ and loving the Father......the requirement to attain everlasting life.
To merit everlasting life, we must love God. To love God we must obey His commands.' This is the love of God that you keep His commandments.'
The commandments of Christ are laid down in the whole of the Liturgical season from Advent to Christ the King. It's first instalment is from Advent to Easter. The second instalment is from Pentecost to Christ the King.
These commandments are repeated during the three cycles of the Liturgical season, Cycle A, B and C. Perfect Faith means keeping these commands in mind and treasuring them in one's heart. So the zealous soul cannot forget any among the more than 80 commands of Christ. These are all found in the Gospels.
2. Summary of the commands.
But every now and then, after the Gospels enumerate a few commands, it summaries the commands. Today, Maundy Thursday, Christ summarises all His commands. He knew He will be crucified soon and will soon return to the Father, so He completes His instructions on what must we do to have everlasting life. And then, summaries all His commands into one command; the celebration today is referred to as 'mandatum' i.e. 'the command.' Here Christ gives a summary of all His commandments and reduces it into one command; symbolically to wash each others feet.
3. How Christ teaches.
Whenever Christ teaches He follows three steps.
First; He performs the command He will teach. Like in today's Gospel, He washed the feet of His Apostles. People learn better if they see the teacher perform the act He is teaching rather than just hear how to do the act. The example of the teacher is more effective than his teaching.
Secondly, He commands His listeners to do the same. 'Just as I have done, do ye likewise.' Christ tells His listeners not only to listen to the teaching but to put it into practice. To listen and to act on what they have learned. St. James wrote, he who hears a command but does not act on the command commits sin. But he who listens and obeys is like the wise man who built his house on rock.
Thirdly, Christ explains how this washing should be done.
Christ gave His apostles a command, to wash each other's feet. This is supposed to summarise all His commands and, therefore, if obeyed is sufficient for salvation. Christ said so in today's Gospel. 'If you wash each other's feet, you shall be blest on earth as in heaven.'
The washing can be physical or spiritual. Natural washing is what everybody can do; wash the feet. Christ was referring to spiritual washing of the feet of one's neighbour and this consist of three acts. The first two are for everybody while the third is for priest only.
We wash each others feet, first, by forgiving all our enemies, those who have sinned against us. Not those who have hurt us because they correct our sins or prevent us from doing evil. Our enemies are those who have sinned against God and against us. Secondly, by praying for our enemies. Forgiving our enemies does not necessarily take away their sins. We must pray for them that God may give them the grace to be repentant, which will forgive their sins. The third can only be done by priests, i.e. to absolve the sins of our the enemies.
The above 'mandatum' or command is a summary of all the commands of Christ. He who obeys this command obeys all the commands of Christ and, therefore, worthy to have everlasting life.
4. Added lesson.
The Gospel gives us this command; to wash each other's feet. The three acts that make up washing of our neighbour's feet are the highest forms of Charity which make them sufficient for the salvation of our souls. But Christ adds a lesson. Though Christ had washed the feet of His apostles, not all were clean. And here Christ shows His divinity to His apostles in that He knew the secrets of men. 'One of you will betray Me.'
Even after Christ had done many spiritual favours for Judas, still he betrayed Christ. How can this be? 'That Scriptures may be fulfilled.' The deeper reason lies secret in God's heart.
The added lesson is this; even if you forgive your enemies, even if you pray for your enemies, even if you absolve your enemies.......doing these will make you worthy of everlasting life.....but your neighbour might not still go to heaven because of his free will. Thus was the case of Judas.
5. Thus Christ concludes.
If you obey this command, you will be blessed. If you wash the feet of one with perfect Faith, that would be like washing, also, My feet. And if you wash My feet, then you have, also, washed the feet of My Father.
Remember 'washing the feet of our neighbour' is in fact 'loving one's neighbour with the highest form of Charity. Thus washing the neighbour's feet is tantamount to loving your neighbour, loving Christ and loving the Father......the requirement to attain everlasting life.
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