Election 2016, Pray and work!

I am so thankful to God!  I believe He is answering our prayer  (See Election Novena 2016).  

Since then, I learned some things.

There are more choices for President.

They need to be included in the Presidential debates in order for the Country to take them seriously.

There’s a website that helps you identify the candidate that matches your issues.

We need to pray and work to make these other candidates known.

Let’s start with the last one.

We need to pray and work to make these other candidates known.

I’m not going to vote for anyone that I don’t trust.  Therefore, I’m not going to vote for Hillary or Trump.  So, I’m asking you to join me in prayer again, that the Presidential Debate Committee will open the debates for third party candidates.  To date, as far as I know, only one third party is being considered.  The Libertarian Party.  And yes, I do trust those candidates more than I trust either Hillary or Trump.  They both sound very honest and have a proven track record as Governors, where they successfully improved the quality of life in their respective states.  I also like their idea that they will run the country as co-Presidents.  It reminds me of the way the Catholic Church was moved to Rome by Sts. Peter and Paul.

But, I have learned that there are other Parties out there, who have not been given attention by the Media.  Letting them into the debates would allow the voting public to be more completely informed on the options that they have for President.

There’s a website that helps you identify the candidate that matches your issues.

Isidewith.com (https://www.isidewith.com/elections/2016-presidential-quiz).

Until I went to this website, I thought I was a one issue voter.  But, they offer a quiz which is very detailed.  You even have the option to write in some of your answers.  I did, on two or three occasions.  It took me about an hour to complete the quiz.  It came up with several candidates in order of which I matched more closely.  I only looked as deeply as the first five and I don’t remember how many choices it produced.  But it was nice to know that we are not necessarily locked in to the two candidates that the Media and the Establishment are trying to shove down our throats.

They need to be included in the Presidential debates in order for the Country to take them seriously.

Folks, we’ve prayed for God to give us candidates worthy of our vote.  God has revealed that there are other people out there.  Now, let’s work to get these people on the Presidential debates and in the News so that we can make an informed decision on who we want for President.  To that end, I ask you to again, join me in prayer.  This time to the Patron Saint of Politicians.

Dear St. Thomas More, in your earthly life, you were a model of prudence. You never thrust yourself rashly into any serious undertaking; instead, you tested the strength of your powers and waited on God's will in prayer and penance, then boldly carried it out without hesitation. Through your prayers and intercession, obtain for me the virtues of patience, prudence, wisdom and courage. Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory Be...

Glorious St. Thomas More, I beg you to take up my cause, confident that you will advocate for me before God's Throne with the same zeal and diligence that marked your career on earth. If it be in accord with God's will, obtain for me the favor I seek, namely that the Presidential Debate Committee be persuaded to permit Third Parties to participate in the Presidential Debates.

V. Pray for us, O Blessed St. Thomas More.

R. That we may faithfully follow you on the hard road that leads to the narrow gate of eternal life.

In Conclusion

Folks, thanks for participating with me.  I hope that you agree with me that the People of these United States deserve better than the two choices which are now being forced upon us.  And I hope you will join me in bringing these other choices to light, so that we can all make an informed decision.

I firmly believe that a vote for someone in whom we don’t trust, is a wasted vote!  Let’s identify good people to vote for.  And let’s vote for them.

What does it mean, to walk worthy of the Lord?

Colossians 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

To walk worthy of the Lord, is to obey the Lord or to conduct oneself (i.e. walk) in a manner which the Lord finds pleasing or meritorious (i.e. worthy).

The statement, to walk worthy of the Lord, has the Judgment strictly in view. The Apostle is admonishing us to do the righteous things which God requires of us if we want to receive eternal life. As it is written:

Romans 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Only those who obey Christ will be saved

Hebrews 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Those who do not want to obey Christ, simply do not love Christ:
John 14: 23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

"For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law," (Rom. 3:28).

Only those who work are justified. But not by their works. They are justified by God because they work in accordance to His Will. Again, as it is written:

Romans 2:13(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

"But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness," (Rom. 4:5).

This is a reference to Abraham. Did Abraham work? Sure he did. By faith Abraham obeyed God:
Hebrews 11: 8By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

That is the obedience of faith. It isn't faith alone. But faith accompanied by works of obedience.

“I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly," (Gal. 2:21).

Righteousness does not come through the Law. But the Law leads us to righteousness:
Galatians 3: 24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
"You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" (Gal. 3:1-3).

The Law justifies no man. But if you don't keep the Law in the Commandments, God won't justify you. Very simple.

If you don't add to faith, virtue and works of charity, God will not save you.

2 Peter 1 5And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Only those who obey Christ receive that salvation which God promised to the righteous

Only those who obey Christ will be saved: Hebrews 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 
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Do we kill Jesus over and over again, in the Mass?

Protestant anti-Catholics like to accuse the Church of killing Jesus over and over again in the Mass. This is due to their lack of knowledge about Old Testament practices. In this case, they don’t understand Old Testament “sacrifice”. 
Read More...

Election Novena 2016

If you're anything like me, you're probably asking yourself, "how could this happen in America?" Yep, folks, I can't bear to choose between Hillary or Trump. I don't want either one of those to be Commander in Chief of our country. 

Read More...

Purgatory described in 1 Cor 3

NC says:
1 Corinthians 3:10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

Love this passage too. Speaks measures about motives, faith and works. God bless.

Amen! A perfect depiction of the state of Purgatory.

Sincerely,

De Maria

Election Novena 2016

My family and I just started praying a Novena to St. Jude that God may provide us with a Godly person to lead our country.  I hope that all of you are praying for the same cause.  Especially considering the top 2 characters which have been nominated this year.

Novena To St. Jude 

Most holy Apostle, St. Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus,  the Church honors and invokes you universally, as the patron of difficult  cases, of things almost despaired of, Pray for me, I am so helpless and alone.

Intercede with God for me that He bring visible and speedy help where help is  almost despaired of. Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive  the consolation and help of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and  sufferings, particularly - that God may grant us Godly men for whom we may vote who will uphold His will.

- and that I may praise  God with you and all the saints forever. I promise, O Blessed St. Jude, to be  ever mindful of this great favor granted me by God and to always honor you as  my special and powerful patron, and to gratefully encourage devotion to you.
Amen

PRAYER

May the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, and loved in all the  tabernacles until the end of time. Amen.

May the most Sacred Heart of Jesus be praised and glorified now and forever. Amen

St. Jude pray for us and hear our prayers. Amen.

Blessed be the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Blessed be the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Blessed be St. Jude Thaddeus, in all the world and for all Eternity.
(say this prayer, followed by the Our Father and the Hail Mary)

Is St. Paul confusing?

Scripture says:

2 Peter 3:15And account that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

In this article, I would like to explain:

1. What, in my opinion, is confusing about St. Paul's theology.

2. How it is different from the theology of the other New Testament authors and

3. What I believe is Martin Luther's misunderstanding.

TWO JUSTIFICATIONS

In my understanding of Catholic doctrine, there are two types of justification:

1. By faith and works

Repentance (i.e. conversion), is the acquisition of faith and the virtues by the grace of God.

1989 The first work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion, effecting justification in accordance with Jesus' proclamation at the beginning of the Gospel: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Moved by grace, man turns toward God and away from sin, thus accepting forgiveness and righteousness from on high. "Justification is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the interior man.

This justification occurs at the beginning of conversion and after and between the justification of the Sacraments.

2. By faith apart from works

This is justification "sacramental is", wherein God washes away our sins according to our faith:

1992 Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holy and pleasing to God, and whose blood has become the instrument of atonement for the sins of all men. Justification is conferred in Baptism, the sacrament of faith. It conforms us to the righteousness of God, who makes us inwardly just by the power of his mercy. Its purpose is the glory of God and of Christ, and the gift of eternal life:

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

Justification in the Sacraments is a work of God. We rest from our works and let God wash away our sins with the washing of the Holy Spirit:

1116 Sacraments are "powers that comes forth" from the Body of Christ, which is ever-living and life-giving. They are actions of the Holy Spirit at work in his Body, the Church. They are "the masterworks of God" in the new and everlasting covenant.

1131 The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions.

That disposition is one of faith:

1127 Celebrated worthily in faith, the sacraments confer the grace that they signify. They are efficacious because in them Christ himself is at work: it is he who baptizes, he who acts in his sacraments in order to communicate the grace that each sacrament signifies. The Father always hears the prayer of his Son's Church which, in the epiclesis of each sacrament, expresses her faith in the power of the Spirit. As fire transforms into itself everything it touches, so the Holy Spirit transforms into the divine life whatever is subjected to his power.

THE BEGINNING OF THE CONFUSION

This is the beginning of the confusion. This is why St. Peter said that St. Paul's teachings were sometimes confusing. And why St. James thought St. Paul was teaching against Moses:

Acts 21:20And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: 21And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. 22What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.

Why? Because St. Paul understood the Sacraments. He preached justification by faith APART from works:

Galatians 2:16Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Notice how he repeatedly says here, "faith OF Christ". He is not speaking about believing in Christ. He is speaking about the observance of the rituals instituted by Christ in His new way. He is speaking of the Sacraments.

THE DIFFERENCE IN PREACHING

This, I believe, is the difference between St. Paul and the other Apostles preaching. Although all parties understood the washing away of sin in the Sacraments and the perfection of faith in works. The other Apostles did not seem to understand why St. Paul seemed to be denouncing good works in one breath (see above) and commending them to the highest degree in another:

Galatians 5:6For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

I'm of the opinion that all the New Testament authors understood Gal 5:6, but only St. Paul understood Gal 2:16.

LUTHER'S ERROR

And this, I also believe, is Luther's error. Except that Luther, lacking the guidance of the Holy Spirit which protected the Apostles from error, did fall because he did not connect the Sacramental teaching of St. Paul. Luther recognized the Sacraments and he recognized the perfection of the sinner. But he applied St. Paul's teaching wrongly across the board. He failed to recognize the difference between the justification (i.e. perfection) that occurs as a result of the effort of the man of God:

2 Peter 1:4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.5And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;6And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;7And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

CONCLUSION

I believe it is very important that we should all understand the Sacraments. Because it is in the Sacraments that we are juistified by faith, apart from works. I've spoken to too many Catholics who speak as though the only way to be justified is by faith AND works. Whereas it is clear, that God justifies us in the Sacraments, without any effort on our part. The Sacraments are God's mighty works.

If we don't understand this difference, we will never understand why brother Luther fell away.

Let me know what you think.