We do good works because we love God and neighbor

DE MARIA February 10, 2015 at 1:42 pm

ROBERT February 10, 2015 at 12:31 pmThis is the problem, and why as much as some of the other RCs here are trying to say otherwise, justification in the RCism depends on how much I have loved, how much I have trusted, and how much I have done. At the very least, your confessional statements are so poorly written that we end up with this works-righteousness view when the other RCs here are trying to do it.

What?

As for justification by how much we have done, Scripture is perfectly clear:

2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

So RCs, what is it, are we justified because we love Christ

Yes. Those who do not love Christ will not be justified.

or do we love Christ because we are justified?

The justified already love Christ. They do not begin to love Christ because they are justified.

Are we justified because we do good works

Yes. Those who have true faith in Christ will show their faith by their works.

or do we do good works because we are justified.

Those who are justified are already doing good. That is why they are justified. As the Scripture says:

Romans 2:13King James Version (KJV)

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

Because apparently De Maria believes we do good works in order to be justified.

On the contrary, De Maria says that we do good works because we love God and neighbor. That is the Teaching of Scripture and of the Catholic Church:

John 14:21
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

1 John 5:2
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

Only those who do the works of God will be justified by God. That is also the Teaching of Scripture and of the Catholic Church. See Matt 25:31-46.

Daily Readings - February 22, 2015

First Sunday of Lent

Lectionary: 23

Reading 1 GN 9:8-15

God said to Noah and to his sons with him:
“See, I am now establishing my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
and with every living creature that was with you:
all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals
that were with you and came out of the ark.

If you remember, God has just brought about a global destruction by means of a flood, because of the sinfulness of mankind.  The thing I find intriguing is that God is not just making the covenant with Noah, but also with all the creatures that were with him on the ark.

I will establish my covenant with you,
that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed
by the waters of a flood;
there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth.”

God promised Noah that He would never destroy all of mankind nor all creatures, by means of a flood, again.

God added:
“This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come,
of the covenant between me and you
and every living creature with you:
I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign
of the covenant between me and the earth.
When I bring clouds over the earth,
and the bow appears in the clouds,
I will recall the covenant I have made
between me and you and all living beings,
so that the waters shall never again become a flood
to destroy all mortal beings.”

The Rainbow.  What a wonderful teaching tool.  I remember from a child that my parents and all adults would tell me what it meant.  And my parents did not know Scripture.  But who doesn't know the story of the Flood?

Responsorial Psalm PS 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9.

R. (cf. 10) Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

It is upon those who keep His commandments that God sheds His mercy (Exodus 20:6).

Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.

Those who keep God's commandments are they who love God (John 14:15).

R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.

And God will come to them and live with them (John 14:21).

R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

Good and upright is the LORD,
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and he teaches the humble his way.

God loves us and guides us to repentance.  Those who repent, He exalts to eternal life (Matthew 23:12).

R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

Reading 2 1 PT 3:18-22

Beloved:
Christ suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,
that he might lead you to God.

Jesus sacrificed Himself on the Cross, not just to pay the penalty for our sins, but also to give us an example to follow.

Put to death in the flesh,
he was brought to life in the Spirit.

He died in the flesh in order that He might be the Firstborn to eternal life.

In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison,
who had once been disobedient

Jesus descended into hell.  Hell, in the Creed, is a reference to Limbo, where the Patriarchs were awaiting that Jesus would lead them into heaven.

while God patiently waited in the days of Noah
during the building of the ark,
in which a few persons, eight in all,
were saved through water.

The Flood washed away sinful humanity from the earth.

This prefigured baptism, which saves you now.
It is not a removal of dirt from the body

In that sense, it foreshadows the Sacrament of Baptism, the sign which Jesus instituted to show that the Holy Spirit, TRULY, washes our sins away from our soul.

but an appeal to God for a clear conscience,
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
who has gone into heaven
and is at the right hand of God,
with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.

Thus, when we are reborn in Baptism, this is a foretaste of our resurrection at the end of days.

Verse Before The Gospel MT 4:4B

One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

No alleluia before the Gospel during Lent.  But a reminder that the Eucharist is the food of eternal life.

Gospel MK 1:12-15

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert,
and he remained in the desert for forty days,
tempted by Satan.
He was among wild beasts,
and the angels ministered to him.

Lent is here.  And we shall join Jesus in the desert for 40 days.  Voluntarily fasting and suffering for the Kingdom of God that we might be glorified with Christ (Rom 8:17).

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Therefore, let us repent and turn to God, that we too, may be saved.

It is Protestants who sit around saying, “I am justified by my faith”.

DE MARIA February 10, 2015 at 1:33 pm

ROBERT February 10, 2015 at 12:31 pmThis is the problem, and why as much as some of the other RCs here are trying to say otherwise, justification in the RCism depends on how much I have loved, how much I have trusted, and how much I have done…..

You are projecting, Robert. It is Protestants who sit around saying, “I am justified by my faith”. Therefore, it is they who judge themselves justified.

We don’t. We hope in God. It is He who judges and He who decides whether we have done enough. We simply obey:

Matthew 10:38
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Are you brave enough to go deeper?

DE MARIA February 10, 2015 at 1:29 pm

ERIC February 10, 2015 at 12:24 pmDe Maria–We are justified by faith in Christ apart from works–and evidently apart from everything else since nothing else is mentioned. So IT’S THERE, clear as the nose on your face, if you’re brave enough to look without your comfortable glasses.

Scripture also says we are justified by works (James 2:24). Are you brave enough to go deeper?

Note:  Apparently not, since I never got a response to that invitation.

What? So, even faith no longer saves you?

DE MARIA February 10, 2015 at 12:19 pm

ROBERT February 10, 2015 at 11:55 amAre you being obtuse? I didn’t say that my love for Christ is what saves me. I said that Christ saves me and my love is the fruit of that. Heck, even faith is the fruit of that.

What? So, even faith no longer saves you?

James, are you justified by your love for Christ or not?

Are you being obtuse? How many times do we have to tell you that it is God who judges whether we love enough, have enough faith or have done enough to merit salvation?

1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. 4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

God justifies those whom He judges worthy of justification.

Again, you’re being obtuse. When God offers his final justifying verdict on the last day, it will be because of Christ. Not because of my love for Christ. Not because of my works done in Christ’s name.

That goes against Scripture:

2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

James, are you justified by your love for Christ or not?

The Catholic Church teaches that Christ is our Judge:

Romans 14:10
But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

And once again, you ALL continue to miss the point. No one is denying that God’s love is poured in our hearts. No one denies that the saved have love for God. What we are denying is that our love for God is the reason why He justifies us.

John 14:21
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Show me the verse that denies that one must love God in order to be justified.

Exodus 20:6
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

I notice that you simply can’t answer the question as to whether we are declared righteous because we love Christ or because of Christ.

The reason we can’t answer that question is because you have made a false dichotomy. God is love. Jesus is God, therefore Jesus is love.

If it’s because of Christ and only Christ, the answer is easy.

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

What I’m asking is if anyone is saved in Scripture apart from special revelation. All of the examples that you give either spoke to Christ or heard the gospel. None of them were saved by the general revelation. Rome says otherwise. You can be saved by the actual grace given which motivates you to love God the best way you know how. Which means you can hate the God of the Bible and still make it to heaven.

You’re understanding our explanations with Protestant presuppositions.

1st. Whether anyone who hates God can be saved, is between God and them. The Catholic Church does not judge anyone outside the Church.

1 Cor 5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

However, if you insist that the Catholic Church teaches that one can be saved who hates the God of the Bible, show me the teaching from an official Catholic Document.

Heartbeat’s Peggy Hartshorn on 'The Gospel of Life' Tuesday

Sorry, I was a little late posting this one.  But you can still catch most of the programming.

February 16, 2015

We often hear of people who not only talk the talk, but walk the walk as well.
Peggy Hartshorn is one of those people, and she will join hosts Janet Morana and Father Frank Pavone on Tuesday’s “The Gospel of Life” show at 6 p.m. ET on Radio Maria. For a list of stations or to tune in online go to the Radio Maria website.
Peggy answered the call to become involved in the pro-life movement when she heard the Roe v. Wade decision announced on the radio on January 22, 1973.
She and her husband Mike began housing pregnant women in their home and then established the first pregnancy resource center in Columbus, Ohio. In 1993, after 20 years as a college English and Humanities professor, Peggy left her career to lead Heartbeat International, the first life-affirming pregnancy help network founded in the United States and the most expansive in the world with nearly 2,000 locations on every inhabited continent. It is a Christ-centered association of pregnancy help centers, medical clinics, maternity homes, nonprofit adoption agencies, and abortion recovery programs.
Peggy has traveled throughout the United States and all over the world helping people start and strengthen ministries providing alternatives to abortion.
Peggy’s book, Foot Soldiers Armed with Love, is a personal history of the first 40 years of the pregnancy help movement.
In early 2015, Peggy was named a “Defender of Life” by Students for Life of America and has been the recipient of numerous awards.
Peggy has been married for 45 years and has two children, adopted as infants in 1976 and 1979, and five grandchildren.
“The Gospel of Life” is re-aired at 2 a.m. ET Thursday and midnight Sunday. All the shows are archived at www.priestsforlife.org/radiomaria.
Please tune in to our other TV and Radio shows and special appearances this week:
Defending Life TV/Radio (Brand new Defending Life episodes begin on March 4)

Airing on EWTN: Wednesday, February 18th at 2:30am and and Thursday, February 19th at 11:00pm

. Listen on EWTN Radio every Saturday at 6:30pm ET and Sunday at 5am and 1pm.  (All times Eastern)

Topic: Diversity in the Pro-Life Movement.  Janet Morana and Fr. Denis Wilde discuss the Church's approach to pro-life strategy.

The Catholic View for Women

Airing on EWTN: Wednesday, February 18th at 11:00 pm

Topic: Beyond Sunday: Becoming a 24/7 Catholic.  The trio welcome Anthony DeStefano, author of Travel Guide To Life and how you can change from being a lukewarm Catholic to one who is on fire for the faith.

Gospel of Life TV

Airing: Watch on  National Religious Broadcasters network (NRB), Wednesday, February 18th at 4:30 pm ET. The NRB Network is on DIRECTV, channel 378. Gospel of Life is archived on the NRB Network Roku channel for seven days from the original air date. Also airing on SkyAngel 2 on Friday, February 20th at 6 am. ET. 

This Week on NRB: Lost Fatherhood

This Week's Topic on SkyAngel: Supreme Deception

Defendiendo La Vida  

CAMPAñA NO MáS SILENCIO - EUGENIA HADLEY
Serie conducida por el Padre Víctor Salomón, de la Asociación de Sacerdotes por la Vida en que entrevista a diferentes personalidades comprometidas en la defensa de la vida humana. La invitada de hoy, Eugenia Hadley habla de la "Campaña no más Silencio"

Watch on EWTN

martes, 17 de Febrero a las 20:30
miércoles, 18 de Febrero a las 1:00

Other special appearances this week...
Hear us on EWTN radio on Catholic Connection with Teresa Tomeo.  Fr. Frank will be on with Teresa, February 20 at 8:35 a.m.  Call-in to the live show with questions at877-573-7825. For more information and to listen to the live show on the internet, go to http://www.avemariaradio.net/hosts/teresa-tomeo/.
Go to our online media schedule for more details and special appearances and the very latest programming information.
Priests for Life
PO Box 141172
Staten Island, NY 10314
Phone: 888-PFL-3448
718-980-4400
Fax: 718-980-6515
Email: mail@priestsforlife.org
www.PriestsForLife.org

Calvinists are saved by a faith alone which is not alone

DE MARIA February 10, 2015 at 11:57 am

ERIC February 10, 2015 at 8:42 amJim and Lane and whomever else:As I’ve said before, the whole faith/love separation is really not all that abstract or artificial. Genuine faith is a gift. It is always accompanied by the gift of love. We are saved by the gift,….

So, not by faith alone. But by a faith which is always accompanied by love.

not by the application of the gift…..

Where is that in Scripture?

What did you give up for Lent?

I gave up debating on other people's blogs and websites.  I'll be managing my own blogs, but nothing else through the next 40 days.

It may not seem hard to you, but my wife appreciates it.  I quite enjoy wrangling for the faith all over the internet.

So, what did you give up?

I don't see Him forbidding prayer to Saints.

Lovita:
I do not see God making a distinction when His word says who to pray to in heaven.

I don't see Him forbidding prayer to Saints.

If you weren't ever beating your husband you wouldn't have to worry eh?

I'm married to my wife, 27 years and counting. And no, I don't beat her.

Talking about prayer, not adoration

You're accusing us of adoring the Saints by our prayers to them. 

And don't tell me you don't adore mary...catholic prayers say so

 I adore Mary in the sense that I adore my mother or my wife. In the sense of extreme love. Not in the sense of worshipping a deity.

I already told you no one prays to them

Good. Then what are you complaining about?

No it is not.
I showed you why.
You can believe what you want, but you are in error.

Again, I will let all compare our arguments. You are presenting a man's argument vs. the Scripture which I present.

Holy ground is not created by an angel.

Where does that say that the Captain of God's host created the holy ground?

Verse 15 shows holy ground. Read it

I see it. Where does it say that the Captain created the holy ground?

As I said
You are interpreting what justifies you disobeying God and directing prayers to those other than God
I am not.
I pray to God only in ALL things.

I pray to God in all things as well. But I also pray to God through the saints.

No I am not satisfied with error thank you.
God did not tell you to define it further, but you are going above God and guessing what HIS definitions are

I am doing the same thing as you. I am reading God's word in English. But God's word did not come upon this earth originally in English. Therefore I am using the definitions which are provided to me by those who came before all of us and developed the language. And established definitions of the words. Which, you are twisting to your own destruction.

He did not direct us to pray to anyone in heaven but God. That is the simple truth that you can't get around. To say anything else is to call God a liar.

On the contrary, the simple truth is that He did not forbid us praying to anyone else in heaven and Scripture bears it out:

Mark 9:4
King James Version (KJV)⁴ And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.

If it were a sin to communicate with those in heaven, Jesus would not have communicated with Eijah and Moses.

Alive saints, no. Saints in heaven yes as He said to direct prayers in heaven to God

And by example He communicated with the Saints in heaven.

Many things are not requested of Mary in the bible. Hogwash.

But we know that Christ is her son, born of her womb and which she fed at her breast. Logic tells us that Jesus cried for nourishment. Cried for comfort. And that Jesus, like any young child had to request many things of His mother. Unless you don't believe that Jesus was a human child who relied upon His mother. In that case, you'll have to prove it to me. From Scripture please:

Luke 2:51-52
King James Version (KJV)⁵¹ And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

Even THERE Jesus told them NOT TO PRAY TO THEM.

Show me.

Sincerely,

De Maria