“Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St John Jesus addressing the religious leaders of his day……"Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also”…Jesus Christ was God and he was perfectly obedient to the Father…What should that say to us in terms of the need to be obedient?…..Both inside and outside the Church - Far too many people believe to have “great” ideas” that conflict with Catholic teaching…This is the mistake of our first parents in the Garden of Eden….Our job is to be obedient - To listen to the word of God - To adhere to the timeless teachings of the Church - And if we do that - We surely will “bear fruit that will last” - How do I know this? - Because Jesus Christ said so!……“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing”…….We see this passage from St John lived out in the lives of the saints - The saints take Christ at his word - That should tell us all something!….The collective “we” do not have “better ideas” that conflict with the Gospel and Church teaching….And if we as Catholics “stick with the program” - We too will become a holy people that impacts the world, just as the saints have done for two thousand years…..Jesus today in the Gospel from Mass goes on to tell the religious leaders who oppose him that if they do not “hear” his voice, they will not enter into eternal life……This very clear message holds true to this very day….Jesus Christ is the only means of salvation - There is “one door” that leads to eternal life - Jesus was very clear about this reality and so must we be clear…Catholics are not doing the world “any favors” when in the name of “ecumenicalism” do not make this message very clear - Just as Jesus did…..That the salvation of mankind comes only through Christ…..And for those, through “no fault of their own” who do not know Christ - God in his mercy will judge them…And God if perfectly merciful and perfectly just…In the mean time - Catholics must be crystal clear……..“Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came [before me] are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep”…The message is crystal clear

“I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; whoever believes in me will never die”

Over the past hundred or so years the Catholic Church has engaged in what is commonly referred to as ecumenicalism….We have seen this play out in many different forms, some effective and some not so effective…..Ecumenicalism practiced on the part of Catholics should never make concessions when it comes to Church teaching….A proper interpretation of ecumenicalism is simply developing a friendship with those who you do not agree with and when subjects come up in that friendship where there are deep disagreements - The two parties simply say to each our - “Let’s agree to disagree” - And continue to be friends and allow the Holy Spirit to work…..If Catholics took this approach  - Never “watering down Church teaching - Extending a hand of friendship to all people of different religions - Always giving a good example filed by Sacramental grace….In time, our witness will be “speak volumes”…This is how we are to evangelize the non-Catholic world…We are never going to argue people who are not Catholic into the doors of the Church - But our uncompromising witness of the Gospel and Church teaching will make the world “stop and think long and hard”…..I have watched this play out over the years of serving with Mother Teresa’s sisters….The Missionaries of Charity are uncompromisingly Catholic - But they never preach - The sisters do all “their talking” by their actions…..And the witness of a an uncompromising Catholic life “stops traffic” - Even in New York City!…And nothing stops traffic in New York City

“I will cut a road through all my mountains, and make my highways level”

St John’s Gospel is crystal clear and the message today from Mass instructs us to be crystal clear as well….So the question we must ask ourselves as Catholics should be…In the name of “Not offending” others - Of being “political correct” - Are we diluting the Gospel message and Church teaching?……It appears to me that Jesus never did this and in turn Jesus had enemies…We are also told in the Beatitudes that if we follow Christ as we are told to - We too will have enemies…This is reality!…..The doors of the Catholic Church are open too all - But the Church is not “ours” to manipulate and Church teaching is not ours to change…..Catholics, while well intentioned are not doing anyone any favors by not being clear when it comes to what the Church professes to be true and has taught for two thousand years….We need to tell it like it is!….We need to teach it like it is and like me mean it!………This is the only way forward - Be a friend to all but fear none!……..”Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven”…..Its all about clarity with charity….There is no mercy without Truth  - Catholics are not doing the world any “favors” by “watering down” Church teaching - Its all written down - Read it as it is and proclaim it from the roof tops!….. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’…..JMJ