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The gospel speaks of an eternal judgment against the rich man for ignoring the suffering of the poor man Lazarus. Jesus is not condemning wealth, but rather the miss-use of it. The prophet Amos speaks of judgment against the complacent wealthy of Bethel. There were archeological digs done in that area of Israel nearly eighty years ago. They found fixed scales which were used in commerce, beds with intricate engraved ivory, and wine goblets the size of bowls. They found a great disparity between the “haves and have nots.” Do you believe in an eternal judgment?
At death we will see the great treasury of our Catholic faith more clearly than we see it now. My fear is that we will lament on how we took it for granted, did not use it as we should have. “Do I have to take my children to Mass and to Religious Education?” “I always take off from church in the summer.” “During my life I could have been much stronger instrument for the Lord! I blew it.”
What are you willing to give of yourself for the truth? Especially since we live in a world where people work hard for a lie. Just listen to the six o’clock news.
Did you know the average Catholic in America spends one point two hours a week in service for the Church; this includes Mass. The average Jehovah’s Witness spends five hours a week in their Kingdom Hall and five hours a week going door to door. The average Mormon goes to their ward (that’s what they call their parish) three hours a week and spends five hours a week in missionary work. What are you willing to give of yourself for the truth?
Our teenagers and young adults are told, “You need to be a Southern Baptist. We rock!” “No, you haven’t heard the gospel unless you come to Calvary Community Church.” “You need my non-denominational Church. We cut to the chase and just preach the gospel.” “You’re not really a Christian unless you’re a Pentecostal.” So our youth are left thinking, “Which way do I go? There are so many churches, so many truths.
I Corinthians says God is not the author of confusion. John’s gospel says God is the author of unity. Because no where in the New Testament is a Christian given the authority to start a denomination. There is no “denominalationism” in the New Testament. All twenty seven books scream unity. It’s unbiblical to have the disunity among the Christian churches and deep down all Christian religious leaders know it.
Why do we have an ecumenical movement that works on dialogue toward unity? The Cardinal for the Catholic church who heads the Ecumenical Office happens to be German. When he was asked, “Why do you labor so hard for this work of unity while there is so much that divides us? Isn’t it fruitless?” He responded, “If you asked any West Berliner on the morning of November 9, 1989, ‘Do you think you will ever see the Wall come down?’” They would have told you, “Perhaps in my great, or great, great grandchildren’s day!” The Cardinal reminded the interviewer, “That was the day the Wall came down in Berlin! It will be the same with Christian unity. One day it will happen.”
Two important points for my kids!
Your friends will tell you they don’t believe the Catholic Church was started by Jesus. Tell your friends to use secular resources, not Catholic ones: Encyclopedia Britannica, National Geographic put out a book on world religions, and “The Handbook of Christian Denominations.” All secular resources that speak of the Roman Catholic Church as existing for 1500 years before any Protestant sects. It is the only branch of Christianity that traces its leadership back to the apostles. It closes the issue.
Your friends will tell you the New Testament is just myths and fables. Fables grow over time. Remember George Washington cutting down the cherry tree, “I can not tell a lie.” That really happened to another figure in history but over time became attributed to President Washington. The story of “throwing the dollar across the Delaware River.” Fables become embellished over time. Matthew, Mark, and Luke site hundreds of miracles by Jesus. John, the last gospel to be written contains only seven. The opposite of all other fields of literature following the history of fables. Remind them there were thirty two popes (Bishops of Rome) from St. Peter to the time Christianity became legal in the Roman Empire. Twenty seven of them were martyred for this faith. Do men die for a fable or a myth? Perhaps once in time for a cult leader but not over three hundred years. That is unheard of. What will you give of yourself for the truth?
St. Paul told Timothy in the second reading today to compete for the faith.
One hundred years ago, John Henry Newmann wrote a book, “The Development of Christian Doctrine” to prove that the Roman Catholic Church as it existed in his day was not the church founded by Jesus. He was a successful Oxford scholar. When he finished the book he joined the R.C.I.A. and entered the church. Over his life time he brought into the Church seven hundred scholars. What an instrument for God.
Those who are spending your lives for the church - sometimes you get tired, frustrated, lonely. You have doubts and questions. I want to end with this prayer from John Henry Newmann because it fits your lives.
“My Vocation”
God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught.
I shall do good. I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place while not intending it - if I do but keep His commandments.
Therefore, I will trust Him. Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. Amen.