Dcn. Mueller, I can't help but wonder, at times, if the Church's softening of our understanding of possible damnation is a misreading of discernment or reading the times attempting to open the Church to the modern world.
For example, how many parents wait to have their children baptized? And even those who have learned in theology spur the understanding of importance from Saints like Augustine. After all, the Catechism now states there is a hope that unbaptized babies will be saved. And so, what has been the result? The delaying of baptism because the Church has developed its teaching. Perhaps, a loss of faith in what baptism does? It has weakened in our modern world the understanding of the doctrine of original sin, in which most people now agree with Rousseau that people are generally born good.
And as a result, you write, "A discerning heart recognizes that there is no distinction between me or anyone else; “all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) "
The Church has steered many toward the philosophy most are born good and will be saved--the philosophy of the world and folks like Rousseau. It is ultimately a rejection of biblical and traditional Christianity.
Phillip, I completely agree with your comment... I believe that many in the Church in their attempt to be all things to all people lose their way. Why? This was certainly not the way of the cross.
There is clearly a growing rather ambivalent view of the Sacraments. I have had Catholic parents tell me that they want to wait for their child to be Baptized so that the child can make the decision or so that the entire family can be present in a year or two. That is crazy! I have had Catholic parents tell me that Confirmation is not that important, and that their son / daughter will decide. I always ask if they make their children eat their vegetables and force them to go to school when they don't want to? Yet something so important as receiving the grace of Confirmation many just say; "mea".
I have also had Catholics tell me that because God is love and His mercy is infinite that we can presume that Hell is empty. Where is that in Sacred Scripture or Tradition? Yet many hold fast to this notion. It is a clear failure in Catechesis. The Sacraments are instituted by Christ to give grace ... and without grace, there is no Salvation.
You should her the grumbling when I talk to groups about the necessity of the Sacraments (especially Baptism, Holy Communion, and Reconciliation) for our Salvation. Yet, that is what our Lord tells us:
Baptism: John 3:5 - Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit." ...
Eucharist: John 6: 53-54 - Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink."
..... Jesus' "Amen, Amen" are a scriptural foot stomp.
Reconciliation: Luke 12:57-59... “Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
Jesus clearly teaches that there are eternal ramifications for refusing the Sacraments. Yet, many "enlightened folk" decide that well Jesus really did not mean what He said. Really? We should not ever presume that we know better, yet, many do. Jesus in Sacred Scripture and the Church in Scared Tradition clearly teach of the life-giving effect of the Sacraments. We need the grace of the Sacraments for our lives and do depend on them. Many in the Church have been influenced by a protestant view that says that Sacraments are simply an outward sign and convey nothing. Something that may be nice but not necessary. They are necessary!
Now, all that being said. We do not decide who is saved or not saved. That is clearly God's decision, and we should not presume. God does have patience and He is merciful. Yet, before we get too comfortable ... Jesus' warning is clear in todays. Without grace, we are lost. So, if I am asked, How can I be saved? I tell them to Repent, Believe, and be Baptized. If I am asked by parents about delaying Baptism for their child, for whatever reason, I ask why would you delay the life-saving effects of Baptism?
Finally, we should not wonder why people leave the Church. The answer is clear. They no longer understand the necessity of the Sacraments.
In my case, when wanting to get my child baptized asap, I literally had the pastor of the parish ask me, “What are you afraid of?”
I took it the question to mean that in the view that pastor, the sacrament of initiation of the was really a formality. And it didn’t really have a supernatural character to it. I couldn’t believe the question to be honest.
Wow, unfortunately, bad Catechesis is pervasive. I am sure that if your Pastor thought about the question, he would have answered it the same way you have. What are you afraid of? My answer is that this is the wrong question. It should be what do I want for my child? Answer: Divine Adoption as a child of God. Forgiveness of Sins, a life filled with light and the possibility of heaven... all promises of Baptism. Why would anyone want to delay that? I can't count the number of times I have been called to a hospital in order to celebrate an emergency Baptism when a small child is struggling to live. If it is an emergency then, it should be an urgent need at all times. Just my thought.
Thank you Deacon Miller for your reflection on today’s gospel. We can become so saturated by all the noise coming from social media that we forget to listen to the inner voice of Christ. “We are called to help all to discern the signs of the times and seek shelter in the shadow of the cross” really spoke to me today 🙏
Dcn. Mueller, I can't help but wonder, at times, if the Church's softening of our understanding of possible damnation is a misreading of discernment or reading the times attempting to open the Church to the modern world.
For example, how many parents wait to have their children baptized? And even those who have learned in theology spur the understanding of importance from Saints like Augustine. After all, the Catechism now states there is a hope that unbaptized babies will be saved. And so, what has been the result? The delaying of baptism because the Church has developed its teaching. Perhaps, a loss of faith in what baptism does? It has weakened in our modern world the understanding of the doctrine of original sin, in which most people now agree with Rousseau that people are generally born good.
And as a result, you write, "A discerning heart recognizes that there is no distinction between me or anyone else; “all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) "
The Church has steered many toward the philosophy most are born good and will be saved--the philosophy of the world and folks like Rousseau. It is ultimately a rejection of biblical and traditional Christianity.
Phillip, I completely agree with your comment... I believe that many in the Church in their attempt to be all things to all people lose their way. Why? This was certainly not the way of the cross.
There is clearly a growing rather ambivalent view of the Sacraments. I have had Catholic parents tell me that they want to wait for their child to be Baptized so that the child can make the decision or so that the entire family can be present in a year or two. That is crazy! I have had Catholic parents tell me that Confirmation is not that important, and that their son / daughter will decide. I always ask if they make their children eat their vegetables and force them to go to school when they don't want to? Yet something so important as receiving the grace of Confirmation many just say; "mea".
I have also had Catholics tell me that because God is love and His mercy is infinite that we can presume that Hell is empty. Where is that in Sacred Scripture or Tradition? Yet many hold fast to this notion. It is a clear failure in Catechesis. The Sacraments are instituted by Christ to give grace ... and without grace, there is no Salvation.
You should her the grumbling when I talk to groups about the necessity of the Sacraments (especially Baptism, Holy Communion, and Reconciliation) for our Salvation. Yet, that is what our Lord tells us:
Baptism: John 3:5 - Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit." ...
Eucharist: John 6: 53-54 - Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink."
..... Jesus' "Amen, Amen" are a scriptural foot stomp.
Reconciliation: Luke 12:57-59... “Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
Jesus clearly teaches that there are eternal ramifications for refusing the Sacraments. Yet, many "enlightened folk" decide that well Jesus really did not mean what He said. Really? We should not ever presume that we know better, yet, many do. Jesus in Sacred Scripture and the Church in Scared Tradition clearly teach of the life-giving effect of the Sacraments. We need the grace of the Sacraments for our lives and do depend on them. Many in the Church have been influenced by a protestant view that says that Sacraments are simply an outward sign and convey nothing. Something that may be nice but not necessary. They are necessary!
Now, all that being said. We do not decide who is saved or not saved. That is clearly God's decision, and we should not presume. God does have patience and He is merciful. Yet, before we get too comfortable ... Jesus' warning is clear in todays. Without grace, we are lost. So, if I am asked, How can I be saved? I tell them to Repent, Believe, and be Baptized. If I am asked by parents about delaying Baptism for their child, for whatever reason, I ask why would you delay the life-saving effects of Baptism?
Finally, we should not wonder why people leave the Church. The answer is clear. They no longer understand the necessity of the Sacraments.
In my case, when wanting to get my child baptized asap, I literally had the pastor of the parish ask me, “What are you afraid of?”
I took it the question to mean that in the view that pastor, the sacrament of initiation of the was really a formality. And it didn’t really have a supernatural character to it. I couldn’t believe the question to be honest.
Wow, unfortunately, bad Catechesis is pervasive. I am sure that if your Pastor thought about the question, he would have answered it the same way you have. What are you afraid of? My answer is that this is the wrong question. It should be what do I want for my child? Answer: Divine Adoption as a child of God. Forgiveness of Sins, a life filled with light and the possibility of heaven... all promises of Baptism. Why would anyone want to delay that? I can't count the number of times I have been called to a hospital in order to celebrate an emergency Baptism when a small child is struggling to live. If it is an emergency then, it should be an urgent need at all times. Just my thought.
Thank you Deacon Miller for your reflection on today’s gospel. We can become so saturated by all the noise coming from social media that we forget to listen to the inner voice of Christ. “We are called to help all to discern the signs of the times and seek shelter in the shadow of the cross” really spoke to me today 🙏