The Church and Charity (part 1)

It is not important that others accept the help nor is their attitude important.

What is important is that we provide the help, and see those whom we help as Jesus.

St. Vincent DePaul reminded us that we should expect every kind of insult when helping those in need, he was speaking specifically of those who live in poverty. God did not say we should expect a reward on earth even so much as a thank you.

We should also expect persecution and rejoice when it comes. The world hated and executed Our Lord and founder Jesus Christ, why would we expect the world to see and to treat us differently. Isn't a grace filled peaceful life and eternal life with Jesus enough of a reward. Many of the Saints did not have such peaceful lives, however the grace that comes from knowing and speaking the truth and through the liturgical year literally walking with Christ.

Knowing the truth, I can never stand down from a discussion with a fundie. Most of their stuff is just comical now. I mean they shout so loudly and they really have no idea nor basis for what they say. They have not apostolic succession, so who can take them seriously, theologically.

They are gnats really, yet they shout as if they were giants.

Take this business of the institution of the Eucharist John 6:60, whenever they say Jesus was speaking symbolically, just as those who shook their heads, said this is a hard teaching who can understand it and followed him no more. See it's this part "and followed him no more." that has my attention today. Rejection by protestants in general and fundies in particular (yes, I always single them our for many reasons, not the least of which is that they shout the loudest "we see, we have the truth, follow us", when what they have is nonsense and often just the opposite of what Jesus taught) of the Eucharist is very serious; they ceased to follow Jesus and yet shout that they are following him and invite and entice others to follow them ... follow them where?

As St. Peter said, when Jesus confronted the 12, to whom shall we go, ie, why would we follow them?. St. Peter went on to say You, You Lord ,have the words of eternal life, you just gave them to us when you said unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood there is no life in you and whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal. We are faced with this question everyday, and we answer as St. Peter did every time we take communion. "What are we going to do lord you have the word of eternal life, what are we gonna do follow the crowd on that wide and roomy road, follow the fundies and lead others to their destruction, parading our own ignornace. We don't understand the Eucharist and as odd as it seems to others we practice it we do it why, because Jesus told us to. Now, who does not follow and understand the word of God the fundies or we who wrote it? and like the first son at first said no and went off and did what his Father asked anyway. The fundies are like the second son in that parable they say yes, but then they don't follow through. Of course they've been led to believe that belief is all they need, led to believe this for centuries, since Luther.And yet, if what they say is true, then why would Jesus have told this parable, their were two sons the father said to them go and do this for me. The first son said no and then went of and did what the father asked and the second son said yes, but did not do what the father asked. Which son did the will of the father.See here in lies the difference between Catholics and others who call themselves Christians, We Catholics do what Jesus said even if we don't understand it showing our humility an dour adherence to the first commandment, the fundies and in fact all protestants do not do what they don't understand. As if the book of Job had never been written, in this since they are not that far from non-beilvers. The atheist believes in a God, but it is the God of their own thinking. Their reason is their God -- if we can't understand it we don't believe it. Protestantism is just a variation on this theme; they say they believe, but they pick and choose what they do based on what they understand, again the missing ingredient is the humility, the humility that is exhibited by a catholic when they having been to confession goes to communion, why, because that is what Jesus said to do. The funides, well they quibble and argue and try to understand but in the end they are like the son that said yes, father and then did not show up to perform the request.It is a very dangerous place to be, particularly for their pastors who are actively engaged in leading others from the truth. It matters little that they are with us on certain social issues like abortion and homosexual marriage, because they are not doing it for Jesus, and that is why the non-Catholics cannot truly love the abortionist and the homosexual while working to stop them.