Those who have been given much - Much is expected!

Today at Holy Mass we hear a passage from the Acts of Apostles…Peter once again addresses the Jews…..In doing so he states the following…..”Now I know, brothers and sisters, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did; but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer”…..To sin mortally requires three components: The sin must be grave in nature - The person must be fully aware the sin is grave in nature -The person with full knowledge and consent commits the sin…..Peter tells the crowd that they “acted out of ignorance”….Peter’s words echo some of the last words of Jesus from the Cross - “Forgive them Father - They know not what they do”…….How many people today, who reject our Catholic faith - “Know not what they do?”…And how blessed we are to have been born into the Catholic Church as a result of family ties, education or cultural norms…….Therefore, those of us who have been “give much” - Much will be required!……

What does the the Catechism of the Catholic Church tell us pertaining to this idea about ignorance of Truth?

”Baptism is birth into the new life in Christ. In accordance with the Lord's will, it is necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself, which we enter by Baptism” (1277)……”Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.  This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church. Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation. "Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men." (CCC 846-848)

What does all this mean? - It means in order to be saved we must be Baptized….What else does the Catechism tells us? - That we are also saved by means of the Catholic Church - Why?….Because even after Baptism, we still sin and it is through the Church and the Sacrament of Reconciliation that we are forgiven - We also receive the Blessed Sacrament by means of the Catholic Church, which is heavenly food (i.e. food for the journey), which enables us to live as God’s Holy Will demands of us…..But here is the interesting part and how this teaching from the Catechism relates to the first reading from Acts today at Mass…..If a person, “Through no fault of their own” - Is not Catholic, God will judge that soul and “those too may achieve eternal salvation” - Did you “catch that”?!?…..Today we heard at Mass St Peter tell the Jews that they killed Jesus out of ignorance….Jesus from the Cross says the same thing…..What is our response to secular people we encounter each day? - Do we judge them? - People only know what they are taught - As Catholics, like St Peter, we must be bold and clear in our teaching of the faith…That is “our job” as Catholics! - Why? - Because those who have been given much, much will be expected!

“You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet”

Are you aware that one mortal sin can result in a soul going to hell?……How are we forming our people? - Do our Catholic schools teach the fullness of the faith? - Do Catholic parents prioritize modeling and teaching the Catholic faith to their children?……Once again - People only know what they know!….How can “our people” live as God called them to live if they were not taught the fullness Truth!….Our Church is called to be bold, as were the first apostles in the Book of Acts…..Our job as Catholics is not to “be like everyone else” in society but to be “salt and light” to the world…..“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lamp-stand so that those who enter may see the light”……The word “Catholic” means “Universal” - That means the doors of the Church are open to everyone! - However, if we want to be “in communion”, notice the word “communion” with the Church, we must know and do our very best to live all the teachings as taught by the Church for two thousand years….That means - We can not receive the Blessed Sacrament on Sunday if we only accept “some” of the teaching…But before that happens, the faithful must be properly instructed…..That means - The Church must speak boldly and clearly…..Catholics today are not doing people any “favors” by “watering” down Church teachings…..Jesus himself was very clear on this matter…..“I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth”…..”Lukewarm” Catholicism does not work!…..When we adhere to the “vine”, we will “bear fruit” - Jesus assures us of this - So be not afraid! - Be Bold and Be Catholic!

“In your offspring all the families of the earth shall be blessed”

Today at Mass we hear in the first reading St Peter addressing the crowd…Peter tells it like it is!….He tells the crowd that it was their actions that resulted in the death of Jesus…But he also tells them that they acted in ignorance….But through his instruction, they now “know” the fullness of the Truth…What else does St Peter tell the crowd?…”Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away”…..This same “mission” laid out by St Peter has not changed in two thousand years! - Repent and Believe in the Gospel……….Our “job” as Catholics is to: Know the Truth - Speak the Truth - Live the Truth - And when called too - Suffer for the Truth……Is this your mission?….”The Truth” will set the world free, but if the world does not know the Truth - How will it ever be free?…That task falls to us as Catholics - The Church is an extension of Jesus Christ himself and we possess as Catholics the fullness of Truth…So what does that imply?…….Those who have been given much - Much is expected!…..JMJ