Today's 1st reading reminds me of a teaching in our
Catholicism class entitled, "Rebutting the Principle of Protestantism:
Faith Alone (Sola Fide)" There is no doubt to the truth that Man needs to
be saved because of his "fallen nature" We read in Roman 7:21-24: So, then, I
discover the principle that when I want to do right, evil is at hand.For I take
delight in the law of God, in my inner self, but I see in my members another
principle at war with the law of my mind, taking me captive to the law of sin
that dwells in my members. Miserable one that I am! Who will deliver me from
this mortal body?
Catechism of the Catholic church (CCC) 1949:
Called to beatitude but wounded by sin, man stands in need
of salvation from God. Divine help comes to him in Christ through the law that
guides him and the grace that sustains him: Philippians 2:12-13:Work out your
own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will
and to work for his good pleasure.
The devil has acquired a certain domination in man. Man is
dominated by greed, pride and lust.
CCC 407:
The doctrine of original sin, closely connected with that of
redemption by Christ, provides lucid discernment of man's situation and
activity in the world. By our first parents' sin, the devil has acquired a
certain domination over man, even though man remains free. Original sin entails
"captivity under the power of him who thenceforth had the power of death,
that is, the devil." (Hebrews 2:14)
Ignorance of the fact that man has a wounded nature inclined
to evil gives rise to serious errors in the areas of education, politics,
social action, and morals.
1 John 5:19
We know that we belong to God, and the whole world is under
the power of the evil one.
Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality,
impurity, licentiousness,idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy,
outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions,occasions of
envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before,
that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God
We are engaged in a battle that has been won but does not
stop there since we have to always put on our guard for the enemy does not
rest.He called the whole process of being saved as "justification"
.
"Man is saved by God's grace alone based on CCC 1996.
Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace is favor, the free and
undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of
God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life. (Jn
1:12-18; 17:3; Rom 8:14-17; 2 Pet 1:3-4.)
God has already set our foot to tread on the path leading to
God's kingdom even before we were born.
-The question is how does the grace of God become an active
part of our life or "by what are we justified?" The example he gave
here was a newborn baby who is baptized. A baby has not merited anything yet
but is saved by the mere act of being baptized. He mentioned about Martin
Luther's despair about his salvation which led him to formulate the doctrine of
justification by "Faith alone" He misunderstood the Bible passage Rom
3:28 which mentioned faith alone apart from works of the law. Paul in this
letter to the Romans was pertaining to the Jewish Law which is being practiced
during their time like circumcision, washing of the hands and the like which
are practices that can not really justify a person.
Faith alone doctrine states that justification simply means
being "declared righteous" We can not just be declared righteous but
be made righteous by not continuing to sin.
We are all so blessed for having Jesus as our Savior and Redeemer.
Nothing else should matter more to us than this truth that we have been saved.
Amen. Hallelujah!
Romans 3:21-30
...For there is no distinction; 23 all have sinned and are
deprived of the glory of God...
Certainty of Salvation "Once saved, always saved?"
If we believe in this it tends to put off our guard. (1 Jn 5:13-14)
Epistles against works? I guess there have been some
misunderstanding here of the following bible verses: Rom. 3:28 (Obedience of
faith) We should be aware of the truth that we know we are saved, still being
saved and will continue to be saved as stated by Paul in 1 Cor. 4:3-5, 9:27. In
Phil 2:12 Paul also encouraged us to work out our salvation with fear and
trembling. For the enemy is waging war on us and we need to be very aware of
this and claim God's protection over us at all times. (Eph.6:11-12)
Martin Luther based his belief on faith alone on this
specific verse he failed to see that Paul in addition to what I've mentioned
earlier was attacking the Jews with regards to their ceremonial laws and that
it is not enough to just hear the law but to observe it. (Rom 4:5 Total
adherence) An example he gave was attending the mass not just as an obligation
but with the heart. Consider it a privilege and do it for the love of God. He
said we are saved by grace not by works but we obtain the grace of God by good
works and the motive is mercy (Eph. 2:8-9 and Titus 3:5) as in today's psalm. We all have our faults, failures and shortcomings. No one can deny the
fact that we all have sinned and fallen short of God's standard. It is to our advantage
if we take everything that comes to us most especially the trials and
difficulties as a form of offering to God for His greater glory. Just like what
the song says:
All that I am, all that I have I lay them down before you,
oh Lord
All my regrets, all my acclaims the joy and the pain, I'm
making them yours
[Chorus:]
Lord, I offer my life to you. Everything I've been through.
Use it for your glory
Lord I offer my days to you. Lifting my praise to you as a
pleasing sacrifice
Lord I offer you my life
[Verse 2:]
Things in the past, things yet unseen, wishes and dreams
that are yet to come true
All of my heart, all of my praise, my heart and my hands are
lifted to you
We sing this song with all our heart with a hope in joyful
waiting for His redemption. There is no use in denying, covering up, pretending
or doing whatever other defense mechanisms we have before the Lord. We can not
hide anything from the Lord. Sometimes we miss the point when we do things so
that we look pleasing before the eyes of others, but what about in the eyes of
the Lord? We don't have to bother about hiding because the Lord is able to find
us. We might as well get our acts together so that when He finds us He'll like
what He'll see. We continue to believe that God is merciful despite the many
sins we have committed. Though hard, there is a need to turn away from our
wicked ways by always keeping the word of God before us and conducting
ourselves in accordance to it. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Psalm 130:1b-2. 3-4. 5-6ab
R: With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; Lord, hear my voice!
2 Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication. (R) 3 If you, O LORD,
mark iniquities, LORD, who can stand? 4 But with you is forgiveness, that you
may be revered. (R) 5 I trust in the LORD; my soul trusts in his word. 6 My
soul waits for the LORD more than sentinels wait for the dawn. More than
sentinels wait for the dawn, (R)
Here are several bible passages cited to us by Atty Moya
that support the need for us to cooperate and work with God. James 2: 14-22
& 24 say that faith without action is dead. From the gospel of Matthew:
What must I do to be saved? (Mt. 19:16-21) When the rich man asked this
question he was told to keep the commandments and he said he already did so
Jesus told him to sell all his possessions and give to the poor for he is very
attached to his possessions that he has to let go of all attachments. We are
also called to keep our fire burning for the Lord so that we don't end up like
the 5 virgins in the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Mt 25:1-13. The same
principle applies with the Parable of the Talents or Silver pieces that we have
to cultivate the goodness in ourselves and let it grow. It is also very clear
from Mt. 25 31-46 which mentions about the last judgment that we can not just
accept the Grace of salvation but needs to do our part, too since it
specifically stated here that whatever we have failed to do will go to eternal
punishment. Also it is stated in Mt 7:21-27 that we need to live His words
because not everybody who says "Lord" will enter the kingdom of
heaven for there is a need to turn away from our wrongdoings. He said that
there is no dichotomy between Christ and His doctrine. If we really believe in
God then we also need to do what He teaches. We have to do the Works of Mercy
(CCC 2447) The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the
aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities. (Isa 58:6-7; Heb
13:3.) Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of
mercy, as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. The corporal works of
mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless,
clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead.(Mt
25:31-46.) Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief
witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to
God:(Tob 4:5-11; Sir 17:22; Mt 6:2-4) He who has two coats, let him share with
him who has none; and he who has food must do likewise.(Lk 3:11.) But give for
alms those things which are within; and behold, everything is clean for you.(Lk
11:41) If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of
you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving
them the things needed for the body, what does it profit?(Jas 2:15-16; 1 Jn
3:17)
Galatians 5:6:For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. 1 Cor.
13:1-3 If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a
resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.And if I have the gift of prophecy and
comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move
mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.If I give away everything I own,
and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain
nothing. In conclusion: We are saved by God's "Grace Alone" through
Faith that works in Love which is also the message in today's gospel. Amen.
Hallelujah!
Luke 11:47-54
...Woe to you, scholars of the law! You have taken away the
key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to
enter.” ...
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