Polar Express: The Theological Virtue of Faith and The Will to Believe

I grew up on Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas and Frosty the Snow Man. For my money, you really can't beat the lyrics in the Grinch's theme song.


You're a monster, Mr. Grinch,
Your heart's an empty hole,
Your brain is full of spiders, you have garlic in your soul, Mr. Grinch,
I wouldn't touch you with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole!

Kinda reminds me of myself before I turned back to God. Ah, they just don't write them like they used to. By the way, the guy who sang the theme song for the Grinch was named Thurl Ravenscroft. He was also the original voice of Kellog's Tony the Tiger... The're Grrrrreat!

I had occasion this past week to watch the movie Polar Express, which is now near the top of my list of great Christmas specials.

There is a scene in the movie where the main character, I think his name is Billy, is standing amidst a throng of elves and children as Santa's sleigh is being brought forth. The crowd is joyous as the reindeer are hitched up and the sleigh is loaded with toys. The elves then bring out the all important sleigh bells and upon hearing the sound, the crowd goes wild. Billy however, has a forlorn look - he cannot hear the bells.

In this movie, the ability to hear Santa's sleigh bells are a sign. You might say that the bells are sacramental. Only those who actually believe in Santa can hear his sleigh bells and Billy it seems, has just enough doubt about Santa's existence to push him over the edge. The sleigh bells are hooked up, everyone goes wild and Billy - alone in a crowd - is incredibly saddened as he realizes that he hears absolutely nothing. In the depth of his doubt, Billy desperately wants to be part of the joy.

Predictably, one of the bells breaks off and bounces to a standstill right at Billy's feet. Billy picks up the bell, places it to his ear and shakes it but it produces no sound. Then something amazing happens. With his eyes closed, his forehead wrinkled, and his fists clenched, Billy places the bell to his ear and whispers, "I believe." His mouth then drops as he hears the beautiful sound of Santa's bell. Conscious that the crowd has gone silent, Billy opens his eyes and there he is, right in front of him. The big guy himself. Face to face. Santa.

Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us, and (all) that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because he is truth itself. By faith "man freely commits his entire self to God." For this reason the believer seeks to know and do God's will. "The righteous shall live by faith." Living faith "work[s] through charity." (CCC1814)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches the three theological virtues; faith, hope, and charity. The theological virtue of faith is defined as our belief in all that God has said and revealed and all that Holy Church proposes for our belief. We don't believe what the Church proposes because we understand it. We don't believe what the Church proposes based on its convenience or how it fits into our life. We believe everything Holy Church proposes because "He is truth." Through his Holy Church, the Living Truth, God himself, has revealed these things to us and his revelation is why we believe it.

Faith is an act of the will. Like Billy in the movie, we get faith when we make a conscious decision to believe and only when we make a conscious decision to believe do we then receive understanding.

Unless you believe, you will not understand. (St. Augustine, Letter 184A)

The writers of the movie Polar Express understand what the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches and what St. Augustine wrote. Only after Billy made a conscious decision to believe did he receive revelation. Only after Billy made a conscious decision to believe was he able to see Santa.

Secular atheism demands that God's existence be explained before it is believed. The mystery of the Trinity, that God's Word could be conceived in a virgin's womb and become a human being, that this human being could sacrifice himself on a cross and rise from the dead and in so doing offer humanity freedom from slavery to sin, can never be fully explained. Mainstream and Evangelical Protestantism as well as modern feel-good pop-Christianity demand the same of Catholicism. Catholicism is asked who came up with the idea that contraception is a sin. Catholicism is asked what the basis for praying to Mary is. Catholicism is asked where in the Bible the Pope is mentioned. Catholicism is asked when it was that Christ established one true Church. Catholicism is asked how it can be that the Holy Spirit would guide that Church infallibly. Catholicism is asked why in the world we would believe such nonsense.

Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? Explain it to me and then I'll believe it. The Apostle Thomas shared this mindset.

So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." (John 20:25)

Christ's response speaks to the rest of us about making a conscious decision to believe.

Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." (John 20:29)

Through he had to ultimately learn it the hard way, Peter understood what we have come to know as the theological virtue of faith.

Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:67-69)

We have come to believe... and are convinced.

Blessed indeed are those who have not seen and yet have made a decision to believe that which the one true Church established by Christ himself teaches.

-Tim-

Apologetic Short Take #2: Call No Man Father

Anti-Catholics use Matthew 23:9 to assert that addressing priests as Father, the whole of Catholicism is fraudulent. "See" they say, "The pope is a hoax and everything Catholics believe is a sham."

Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. (Matthew 23:9)

One really can't argue that this isn't what Jesus said and yet Catholics address priests as "Father" every day. 

I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. Even if you should have countless guides to Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. (1 Corinthians 4:15)

Must we conclude that Paul is engaged in unbiblical practices in direct violation of Jesus Christ's command? Or did Paul know something that the average anti-Catholic does not?

The smart money is on Paul.

-Tim-

Jehovah's Witnesses Intentional Changes to Sacred Scripture

The Jehovah's Witnesses have their own "Translation" of the Bible. The New World Translation was produced between 1950 and 1961 by a then anonymous committee. Five men were later identified as the producers of the text among which there is a total of two years of formal language study. The New World Bible is not used by any other religious denomination or sect. 

The New American Bible (NAB) is the basis for the Catholic lectionary from which we take the daily readings at Mass. When you hear a reading at Mass in the USA, you are hearing the New American Bible. The King James Version (KJV) and the later New King James Bible (NKJV) are held up by many Evangelicals as the "Real" Bible. The New International Version is generally accepted as a highly readable natural language translation and is widely used through mainstream Protestantism.

Comparing Matthew 26:26 between these Bible translations and versions yields interesting results. (The literal translation from the Greek Interlinear Bible at the site scriptureforall.com is provided for reference to the original Greek)

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, "Take and eat; this is my body." (New American Bible)

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” (New International Version)

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. (King James Version)

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” (New King James Version)

OF-EATING YET OF-them GETTING THE JESUS THE BREAD AND blessing He-BREAKS AND GAVE to-THE LEARNers AND said BE-GETTING BE-EATING this IS THE BODY OF ME. (Online Greek Interlinear)

As they continued eating, Jesus took a loaf and, after saying a blessing, he broke it and, giving it to the disciples, he said: “TAKE, eat. This means my body.” (Jehovah's Witness New World Translation)

The original Greek agrees with both the most widely used Protestant translations as well as the Bible used by Catholics at Mass. All four render Jesus words as "This is my body" but the Jehovah's Witnesses butchering of the text reads "This means my body."

Another intentional modification of scripture by Jehovah's Witnesses can be seen in the very first verse of the Gospel of John.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (New American Bible)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (King James Version)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (New King James Version)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (New International Version)

IN ORIGINal WAS THE saying (word) AND THE saying (word) WAS TOWARD THE God AND God WAS THE saying (word). (Online Greek Interlinear)

In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. (Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation)

Note as well that God is not capitalized in the Jehovah's Witness version and Jesus is called "A" god instead of "Was" , an allusion (at a minimum) to the Jehovah's Witnesses belief that Jesus Christ is not equal to God.

It is an historical fact that Martin Luther added the word "Alone" to Romans 3:28 so that instead of reading "For we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law." it read "For we consider that a person is justified by faith alone apart from works of the law." What the Jehovah's Witnesses have done is orders of magnitude beyond what Martin Luther would have ever dreamed of doing in his most depraved state.

It is not far from the truth to assume that the vast majority of Protestant Christianity would be revolted at reading some of the intentional changes introduced into Sacred Scripture by the Jehovah's Witnesses. Those who deny the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist however, should ask themselves the New World Translation is not closer to their own doctrines than the Bible which they currently believe is the authoritative source of all religious truth!

Protestantism does not believe what the Bible clearly says. Jehovah's Witnesses have clearly changed the Bible to suit their own beliefs.

Be careful whom your children are discussing religion with.

-Tim-

The Biblical Basis for Catholic Beliefs - Purgatory (Part 3)

This is the third part of a three part series entitled "The Biblical Basis for Catholic Beliefs - Purgatory." In this first two parts of the series we have looked at the objective biblical basis for the doctrine of Purgatory. In this part of the series we will discuss the subjective way in which we experience God's mercy in terms of Purgatory and how the doctrine is consistent with what we already know about God. We will briefly look at prayer for the dead and conclude our study.

Read part 1 here.

Read part 2 here.

CONSISTENT WITH A MERCIFUL GOD

We have thus far considered objective doctrine alone in the Biblical context. As a subjective exercise however, consider the Christian who has sincerely made his best effort to please God throughout his life yet has fallen short as a result of his fallen nature due to original sin. He has not broken God’s covenant, has died without any unrepentant mortal sins (in a state of sanctifying grace) yet he retains residual proclivity to self- love, pride, anger, mistrust, lust, greed and all the other characteristics of fallen man. Can this man be happy in Heaven?

If Heaven is a place of holiness where souls of the dead will be perfectly united to the Trinity, then the answer is a resounding no! It would be akin to showing up at a black-tie affair wearing only underwear or signing up for a college-level math class after having only completed the second grade. The Catholic Church takes the rule “Nothing unclean will enter” seriously and with good reason; those who are not perfectly holy cannot function properly in Heaven. They simply are not ready for heaven and a theology which holds to only Heaven and Hell gives them no place to go.

We come here to a point of truth about Purgatory. Recall that those who are in Purgatory are going to Heaven. Those in Purgatory are saved! If Heaven is a place where only perfect holiness may exist, then Purgatory is a gift of mercy from God who would otherwise not let us in. For those with much self-love, the purification which takes place in Purgatory may be very painful. Insofar as that pain is part of a purification which ultimately leads to Heaven, it is an act of mercy consistent with our view of God as a merciful, loving father.

PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD

Although modern Evangelical theology boasts that one can be sure of salvation, the disposition of the heart of those who have died (and therefor their fate) is ultimately known only to God. Catholics pray for the dead out of charity, confident in the knowledge that other members of the Body of Christ, whether dead or alive, by the virtue of the communion of saints, can pray for us as well and may benefit from our prayers.

Catholics pray for the dead who may be in Purgatory just as we pray for any other living person. We ask God to pardon their sins, to assist them through what is certainly a very difficult time and to shepherd them safely to their final destination which is Heaven. Since those in Hell cannot benefit from our prayers and those in Heaven no longer need our prayers, prayers for the dead do not make sense in a Heaven and Hell only theology. Prayers for the dead make sense only in a theology which contains forgiveness in “The age to come”.

Consistent with the belief in the possibility of forgiveness after death, there is crystal clear Old Testament evidence of Jewish tradition of praying for the salvation of those who have already died.

On the following day, since the task had now become urgent, Judas and his men went to gather up the bodies of the slain and bury them with their kinsmen in their ancestral tombs. But under the tunic of each of the dead they found amulets sacred to the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear. So it was clear to all that this was why these men had been slain. They all therefore praised the ways of the Lord, the just judge who brings to light the things that are hidden. Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out. He then took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice. In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection of the dead in view; for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin. (2 Maccabees 12:39-46)

It must be noted that 2 Maccabees is rejected by the vast majority of non-Catholic Christianity as not inspired. It must also be note that the same non-Catholics who reject 2 Maccabees are those who also reject the doctrine of Purgatory.

As the Catholic Encyclopedia at newadvent.com rightly states, “For Catholics who accept this book as canonical, this passage leaves nothing to be desired.” But even if 2 Maccabees is not inspired, it bears ample witness to the religious practices of the ancient Jews and is remarkably similar to the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory.

May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus because he often gave me new heart and was not ashamed of my chains. But when he came to Rome, he promptly searched for me and found me. May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day. And you know very well the services he rendered in Ephesus. (2 Timothy 1:16-18)

The Apostle Paul refers to a man named Onesiphorus in the past tense several times. If this man is dead, as is it appears he may well be, then Paul’s statement, “May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day” is clearly a prayer for the dead. If Onesiphorius is not dead, but merely missing in action, then it is as they say, no harm-no foul.

CONCLUSION

St. John clearly lays out the doctrine of deadly and non-deadly sin in his first letter (1 John 5:15-16). St. John’s doctrine is exactly consistent with the doctrine of mortal and venial sin which has been believed in the Catholic Church for twenty centuries. Matthew 5:22 records the words of The Lord himself as he speaks about three sins, only one of which is immediately punishable by Hell and so Christ’s own words seem to be the basis for St. Johns doctrine.

St. Paul tells us in the Book of Hebrews that there is a requisite level of “…holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” St. John describes Heaven (in part) as a place where “nothing unclean will enter.” Catholic Tradition, consistent with the view of Heaven as a place of perfect holiness, has always interpreted these two verses in the strictest sense.

The reality of venial sin whereby one is a sinner yet still in a state of sanctifying grace along with the strict requirement for perfect holiness in order to enter Heaven leaves no place for the vast majority of ordinary Christians who, far from being saints, die with some remnants of their fallen nature still intact. A Heaven and Hell only theology leaves no place for these people to go. Jesus gives us hope however, in that he speaks of forgiveness “in the age to come” and St. Paul tells us of a place or a process whereby one whose works have been judged as substandard may be able to “suffer loss” yet still be saved.

God’s mercy is evident in the doctrine of Purgatory in that it provides a way for the faithful who, though they have sincerely tried to do their best, have somehow fallen short or still retain aspects of their fallen nature. These are purified by God in Purgatory and are eventually holy and clean enough to enter Heaven.

Intercessory prayer on behalf of other members of the Body of Christ is common throughout all of Christianity. Catholics, by virtue of the Communion of Saints, extend these prayers to all members of the Body of Christ including those who have died. Prayers for the salvation of the dead would make no sense in a Heaven and Hell only theology yet we see clear evidence of the practice in the Old Testament as late as the second century BC. We also see what may be evidence of prayers for the dead in St. Paul’s second letter to Timothy.

The many verses cited in favor of the doctrine of Purgatory do not seem to make sense when viewed in a Heaven and Hell only theology. Some wild intellectual and theological posturing is required in order to interpret these verses in the context of a theology without Purgatory. The obvious inclusion of intercessory prayer for the dead in 2 Maccabees may have been part of the impetus for its removal from the canon of scripture by the progenitors of the so called Protestant reformation.

Twenty centuries of Catholic tradition and belief notwithstanding, the Magisterium of the Catholic Church has taught infallibly the doctrine of Purgatory when it declared the belief to be dogma at the Council of Ferrara-Florence (1438) and reaffirmed it at the Council of Trent (1545-1563). Since Jesus Christ - and therefor God himself – is the guarantor of The Church’s infallibility, the Church has spoken the last word on the subject.

This concludes our study of the Biblical basis for the doctrine of Purgatory.

Return to part 1 here.

Return to part 2 here.

-Tim-

The Biblical Basis for Catholic Beliefs - Purgatory (Part 2)

This is the second part of a three part series entitled "The Biblical Basis for Catholic Beliefs - Purgatory." In this first part we discussed the nature of Purgatory as defined by the Catholic Church and the biblical basis for belief in mortal and venial sin. In this part we In part 2 we will discuss the requirements for entry into Heaven and explore some biblical verses which refer to Purgatory directly.

Read part 1 here.

Read part 3 here.

NOTHING UNCLEAN

In the twenty first chapter of the Book of Revelation, the same St. John who gave us the wonderful doctrine of mortal and venial sin as described above, gives as an equally wonderful description of Heaven.

Then I saw a new Heaven and a new earth. The former Heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, a New Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:1-2)

St. John goes on to describe the Heavenly city in various ways, as a “bride, the wife of the Lamb”, having walls of Jasper and being made of pure gold, clear as glass, etc. Verses 8 and 21 however, stand out in stark contrast amidst this beautiful description.

But as for cowards, the unfaithful, the depraved, murderers, the unchaste, sorcerers, idol-worshipers, and deceivers of every sort, their lot is in the burning pool of fire and sulfur, which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)

Catholic interpretation of “The second death” referred to in verse 8 has always been as a reference to a place of damnation. The first death is obviously physical. The second (spiritual) death is that of spending eternity without God. An eternity without God – eternal damnation - is the very definition of Hell and is therefore the “Second death”.

…but nothing unclean will enter it… (Revelation 21:27)

Verse 27 is pivotal, as it gives us a succinct view as to the requirement for entry into Heaven. Nothing unclean will enter. One must be perfectly clean, without any stain of sin in order to get into Heaven. St. Paul agrees with St. John when in the Hebrews 12:14 he states that we must strive “for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”

Early Church fathers such as Origen, St. Augustine, St. Cyprian and St. Ambrose saw a giant loophole here. One may not have committed such “Deadly” sins (or may have repented of them sufficiently) as to be cast into Hell for eternity. Nevertheless, one must in a state of perfect holiness in order to enter Heaven. We must ask where this leaves those who may have died without committing any mortal sin after confession yet who may have committed some lesser venial sins. These will have died in a state of sanctifying grace and as such, do not deserve to be cast into Hell. According to the strict requirement for entry into Heaven set forth in Revelation 21:27 and Hebrews 12:14 however, due to the presence of venial sin, this person does not possess the required holiness to enter Heaven. Does this person go to Heaven or Hell? The doctrine of Purgatory not only gives us an answer but conforms to scripture quite well as we shall see.

Even in the absence of venial sin we run up against man’s fallen nature which, when reflected upon by Church fathers, presented them with the same loophole. A man who drops dead having just stepped out of the confessional possesses residual self-love, lack of self-control, a tendency toward lust and other residual effects of his fallen nature. Although he is forgiven of all his sins, due to his fallen nature, he cannot be described as being perfectly holy. Where does this person go to receive that holiness without which no one will see the Lord?

THE AGE TO COME

St. Matthew records Jesus’ clear statement about the possibility of forgiveness in an “Age to come.”

Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. (Matthew 12:31-32)

Forgiveness in an “Age to come” has profound implications for the doctrine of Purgatory, especially in light of the observation that not all sins are worthy of Hell yet one must be perfectly clean in order to enter Heaven. Recall that there is no possibility of forgiveness in hell and how those in Heaven do not need forgiveness. If the “Age to come” is the afterlife, then “Forgiveness in the age to come” must be a direct reference to Purgatory by the Lord himself! The doctrine of Purgatory renders this passage understandable. A Heaven and Hell only theology struggles to come to terms with this passage.

BUT ONLY AS THROUGH FIRE

If one can be forgiven in an “Age to come” (Matthew 12:32) then one can be granted entry into Heaven (saved) even if he did not die in a state of absolute purity and holiness. Since very few Christians die in a state of absolute cleanliness or holiness, there must be a place where these can go, or a process which they may undergo to receive this holiness and cleanliness – to be “Forgiven in the age to come.”

St. Paul, in the third chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians, discusses the need among Christian in the city of Corinth for personal holiness. Paul uses the metaphor of a workman building upon a foundation and characterizes those with perfect holiness as having built with gold, silver or precious stones. Those who possess less than perfect holiness are characterized as having built with wood, hay or straw.

If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, the work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire (itself) will test the quality of each one's work. If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that Person will receive a wage. But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15)

Catholic tradition has always held “The Day” to be a reference to Day of Judgment. Paul states that the quality of each person’s “workmanship” will be tested with fire. If a person’s work is substandard (burned up), he will suffer loss (loss of sinful nature, pride, lust, venial sin, etc.), yet will enter Heaven (be saved) but only through fire.

Again, the images of receiving a wage for good work versus suffering loss through fire yet still being “Saved” fits the doctrine of Purgatory perfectly. Loss in Hell is absolute. One does not suffer any loss in Heaven. Only in Purgatory will one suffer loss yet be saved.

Having discussed the objective biblical basis for the doctrine of Purgatory, we wil move in part three to an exploration of the subjective nature of how the faithful actually experience God's mercy through Purgatory. We will look briefly at prayers for the dead and will conclude the study.

Read part 1 here.

Read part 3 here.

-Tim-

The Biblical Basis for Catholic Beliefs - Purgatory (part 1)

This is the frst part of a three part series entitled "The Biblical Basis for Catholic Beliefs - Purgatory." In this first part we will discuss the nature of Purgatory as defined by the Catholic Church and the biblical basis for belief in mortal and venial sin.

Read part 2 here.

Read part 3 here.

INTRODUCTION AND DEFINITION

Even among Catholics there are many misconceptions about what Purgatory is and what it is not. In light of these misconceptions, a brief definition of Purgatory is in order.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes Purgatory as follows:

All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of Heaven. (CCC 1030)

The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:

“As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.” (CCC 1031)

It is important therefor, and for the purposes of any discussion about the doctrine, to note the following points;

• Purgatory is a “Purgation” or “Purification.” The Catholic Church has not defined Purgatory as either a process or an actual place.
• Purgatory is not Hell. Souls of the dead in who are undergoing this “Purification” are saved. Souls “In Purgatory” are assured of entry into Heaven.
• The purification process is required for those who die in friendship with God (a state of sanctifying grace) but do not yet possess the holiness and required to enter Heaven.

DEADLY SIN

Consistent with Sacred Scripture, the Catholic Church continues to classify sin according to its gravity. Sins are described as either venial or mortal.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes venial sin as follows:

One commits venial sin when, in a less serious matter, he does not observe the standard prescribed by the moral law, or when he disobeys the moral law in a grave matter, but without full knowledge or without complete consent. (CCC 1862)

Venial sin weakens charity; it manifests a disordered affection for created goods; it impedes the soul's progress in the exercise of the virtues and the practice of the moral good; it merits temporal punishment. Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin. However venial sin does not break the covenant with God. With God's grace it is humanly reparable. "Venial sin does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, friendship with God, charity, and consequently eternal happiness.” (CCC 1863)

Venial sins are often called “Sins of omission” or “Sins of error” because the often arise out of our fallen nature. Venial sin causes injury to God’s covenant but it does not break it. The injury to God’s covenant caused by venial sin is humanly repairable.

A mortal sin on the other hand, is often characterized as a deliberate act of disobedience against God. Mortal sin breaks the God’s covenant entirely; so much so that no amount of prayer and contrition on the part of the sinner is sufficient to bring the sinner back into friendship with God (into a state of sanctifying grace). The injury to God’s covenant caused by mortal sin can only be repaired by a gift of mercy from God. The ordinary and normal way for a sinner in a state of mortal sin to access God’s free gift of mercy and thereby return to a state of sanctifying grace is through the sacrament of reconciliation.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes mortal sin as follows:

For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: "Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent.” (CCC 1857)

Grave matter is specified by the Ten Commandments, corresponding to the answer of Jesus to the rich young man: "Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother." The gravity of sins is more or less great: murder is graver than theft. One must also take into account who is wronged: violence against parents is in itself graver than violence against a stranger. (CCC 1858)

Mortal sin requires full knowledge and complete consent. It presupposes knowledge of the sinful character of the act, of its opposition to God's law. It also implies a consent sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice. Feigned ignorance and hardness of heart do not diminish, but rather increase, the voluntary character of a sin. (CCC 1859)

Most Catholics are aware of the three conditions for a sin to be mortal. The sin must be a grave matter, and must have been committed with full knowledge and with deliberate consent. In layman’s terms, if the sin involves one of the Ten Commandments, you knew it was wrong, and you did it anyway, it was probably a mortal sin. 

If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly. (1 John 5:16-17)

St. John – the disciple whom Jesus loved, the Apostle who rested his head on Jesus’ bosom after receiving the first Eucharist - clearly lays out the Catholic doctrine of mortal and venial sin in his first letter. In this master work of Catholic Theology, St. John states that there are two types of sin; that which leads to death and that which does not lead to death. St. John clearly states that sin which does not lead to death (venial) can be repaired (give him life) through (intercessory) prayer. Deadly sin however, leads to spiritual death. In other words, what we now call mortal sin leads to loss of friendship with God.

And it is here that we need to pause for a moment for the sake of clarity. We cannot afford any ambiguity about this point. Mortal sin, as St. John put it, is “Deadly” in every sense of the word. Those who die in a state of unrepentant mortal sin have opened themselves up to the possibility of eternal damnation in Hell.

LIABLE TO JUDGEMENT

The Sermon on the Mount is a rich source of many Catholic doctrines including allusions to, if not direct references to Purgatory.

But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, “You fool!” shall be liable to the Hell of fire. (Matthew 5:22, NRSV-CE)

Matthew 5:22 records the words of The Lord himself as he speaks about what seems to be a relative gradation of sins. The sixteenth century theologian St. Francis De Sales notes that of the three sins listed, only the third sort of offense is punished with Hell. Sins of lesser gravity do not expose the sinner to the immediate possibility of hell yet they do leave the sinner open to God’s judgment. Christ’s own words seem to compliment John’s doctrine of mortal and venial sin.

That St. John should draw a doctrine of mortal and venial sin from Christ’s own teaching is not surprising. This verse, spoken by the Lord himself, corresponds nicely with the doctrine of mortal and venial sin practiced for centuries by the Catholic Church.

Thus we have the doctrine of mortal and venial sin firmly established in Sacred Scripture.


In part 2 we will discuss the requirements for entry into Heaven and explore some biblical verses which refer to Purgatory directly.

Read part 2 here.

Read part 3 here.

-Tim-

God's Reminder Of Faith As A Gift And The Need For Humility

It was at the get together after the Evening of Recollection for Men by the Prelature of Opus Dei this past Friday that God chose to remind me about the need for humility.

A few men were discussing the challenges of business travel including the merits of various airlines, techniques for quickly passing through security and our favorite and least favorite destinations. I was lamenting the approach to one particular airport where the aircraft drops precipitously onto the runway after having hardly completed a harrowing one hundred eighty degree turn. One of the gentlemen with whom I was conversing perked up and offered some insight as to what the pilots typically do on that particular approach.

Me: Oh, do you fly much for business?

Other Man: Yes, quite a bit.

Me: What do you do?

Other Man: I fly the plane.

There was a brief moment of tension on my part before everyone started laughing. There I was going on about the intricacies of landing an aircraft at New York's LaGuardia Airport to a man who actually does it regularly. Like I said, God has a way of reminding me to be humble. Thank you for being gentle with me this time, Lord. 

And God's gentle reminder came to me one other time this week as someone mentioned this blog in a very positive light.

I'll soon begin facilitating a small-group of men as part of the Great Adventure Bible Study which our parish is rolling out. This blog was mentioned by the leader of the effort at our parish as a resource where one can go to learn the biblical basis for Catholic beliefs. Not expecting the positive comment, I was actually quite humbled, at least for the moment, and fumbled a little as I tired to come up with a suitable response. I mentioned that at one point not too long ago, I was -this- close to leaving the Catholic Church, all for want of a few minutes of explanation about the biblical basis for Church authority or any one of several other doctrines. Then, with foot-in-mouth form that would make an olympic gymnast proud, I said something about going "Toe to toe" with Baptists or something like that.

A brief discussion ensued about apologetics in general and God's first hint at my need for humility came when the only other male present stated that he used to be a Baptist. (Note to self: suburban Atlanta is still the buckle of the Bible-belt. Know your audience and don't assume anything)

Then Diane spoke.

In a few short words, God used her to remind me that my faith is a gift and had it been left up to me, I would now be a member of the non-denominational RiverWater Church on highway 92 where the coffee is free, the rock band is awesome, and the baptism and communion are only symbolic.

Many of these (Protestants) are people with great gifts. When the Churches of the world finally unite, they will come into the Catholic Church and we will not be diminished one bit. The Church will be built up by their gifts.

God brought a few things to mind as I reflected on Dian's words...

Southern style Evangelical Christians have a burning love for Jesus in their hearts. Insofar as that love mistakes strong emotion for the presence of the Holy Spirit or good times for God's grace, that love is somewhat blind, or at least in need of strong contact lenses. Nonetheless, for many Evangelical Christians this "Consuming fire" is very real. I know this because I've experienced it in my own soul and by the grace of God, still have it. I pray frequently that it never goes away and like the song on the sickly-sweet generically Christian radio station, I sometimes pray, "God, remind me what it was like on that day when I first met you."

Secular society often views this enthusiasm for Jesus as cartoonish. We have all heard of, or perhaps even used some derivative of the term "Bible thumping Jesus freak". Again, I was almost one, until I gained the quiet confidence that comes with receiving the very real body and blood of Jesus Christ himself. It is impossible to explain to non-Christians and to some Catholics alike however, the very real love for Jesus which would make one follow him off a cliff or through a raging inferno.

...or the love for God which would cause one to leap with joy wearing almost nothing.

Then David, girt with a linen apron, came dancing before the LORD with abandon, as he and all the Israelites were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouts of joy and to the sound of the horn. As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Saul's daughter Michal looked down through the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart. (2 Samuel 14-16)

It's not that many Catholics don't have this burning love nor that many Evangelicals are not simply going through the motions, joining "happy-clappy" Buckhead Church or some other fashionable worship center because they have the best valet parking, but Protestantism, especially the more Evangelical forms, has a certain willingness to embrace public displays of faith without the slightest concern for what society or the neighbors might think. Putting aside the cartoonish Jesus freaks we have all experienced, I recall how, early in my Christian walk, I had struck up a conversation with a man who although clearly younger than I, was more mature in his faith. I voiced my wish to have his type of faith and his response was to drop his computer bag, grab me by both shoulders and say, "Let's pray about it. Father in heaven, we come before you..." There we were, two men standing not twenty five feet from the main entrance to IBM's Southeastern headquarters, one Catholic - embarrassed and nervously looking about while a Southern Baptists prayed over him with his eyes closed as ladies in high heeled shoes walked by and smiled.  

I had studied scripture for about a year with a typically southern mix of non-denominational "Bible Christians" and Southern Baptists. Although it was their pastor's mistaken doctrines about baptism which started my turn back toward Rome, these Christians had a love for scripture as deep as my love for the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I believe that the Catholic Church was established by Jesus Christ himself, with the mission, the authority and means to bring all men to salvation. As the authority of the Church is Jesus Christ himself, my love for the Church is inseparable from my love for God. This belief infuriates one of my friends but it is really not very different from his belief that the Bible is the ultimate authority on matters of religious truth and the love he has for the Bible which results.

This deep love for God's word is testified to by the way in which many Protestants seem to have memorized almost the whole Bible. Attempts to understand individual verses outside of their greater sense in terms of the rest of scripture and literalist interpretations of these individual verses in the absence of historical, economic, political and social context under which the authors of scripture and their audience operated has resulted in some very wild interpretations of scripture indeed - one has only to watch an hour of just about any TV Evangelist in order to see this in action. But it is this deep love for and knowledge of scripture which many Protestants have is undeniable.

It is difficult to imagine what will happen when this deep knowledge of scripture is integrated with the fullness of truth which only the Catholic Church possesses. It is impossible to underestimate the effect on secular society which the integration of a willingness to publicly profess faith with true Catholic doctrine will have. The implications of so many "Jesus freaks" coming to the Eucharist is unimaginable.

Think of what it will be like when seventeen million Southern Baptists come to the realization that Mary is the Mediatrix of all graces and begin praying the rosary to end abortion. Think of what it will be like to have an army of former Jehovah's Witnesses going door to door to encourage people to accept Jesus and go to confession. Think of what what can be accomplished in the world when organizations like Samaritan's Purse and the Salvation Army unite with Catholic Charities. Think of the blessings we will all receive when the members of twenty five thousand non-Catholic denominations all gather for Eucharistic adoration. Think of the parking problems. Think of the shortage of priests!

Years ago, a priest said to me, "These terrorists wouldn't be able to touch us if all Christians united under the Pope." The statement seemed odd to me at the time but now seems oddly prophetic and something for which I long.

Stephen Ray, in his talk about the Gospel of John, interprets Chapter 21 as a story of the end of time. In painting this picture of the end of time, Stephen Ray notes that they disciples are fishing and at Jesus' direction, catch a net full of 153 fish. St. Jerome said that 153 represents all the nations known at the time so that the net, which represents the Church, catches people from every nation, race and tongue. Peter the Pope then single handedly drags the net to shore and hands it to Jesus who is cooking a meal - the marriage supper of the lamb - for the disciples.

So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come, have breakfast." And none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they realized it was the Lord. (John 21:11-12)

 
Stephen Ray correctly notes that the Greek word for tear is "Scism." At the end of time, the Church will be placed at Jesus' feet and all men who are saved through that Church will dine with Jesus. That Church will be united - without scism. This is how St. John ends the story and as Stephen Ray says, "It's good to know the end of the story because we win."
 

I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me. (John 17:20-23)

Jesus prayed for unity. How it will happen on earth is not clear but united Church at the end of time is a certainty. I long for the day, and hope I live to see it, when I can stand in line to receive the Eucharist with my friends who are now Protestant and to see the Church renewed by the gifts they will bring.

Reminded that my faith is a gift which I have done nothing to merit, I'm grateful for Dian's words and for God having shown me humility through them.

-Tim-

The Invisible Spiritual Union of All True Believers

A friend of mine insists that Jesus Christ did not institute a visible Church. He says that Jesus intended the Church to be only an invisble spiritual union of all true believers.

But I get up on Sunday, eat breakfast, brush my teeth and get in my car. I drive to a building where I worship. If someone asks me where I am going, I tell them, "I am going to Church." But if the Church is only an invisible spiritual union between true believers, how can I go there? Is the place to which I go not Church?

Perhapse the Church I go to is only a "Church building."  If the place I go to for worship is only a "Church building" and not a "Church", can we say who it is that owns the Church building? If I ask the Priest who pesides at the Church building where I go, he tells me that the Church building is owned by the Church. If the "Church" is only an invisible spiritual union between all true believers, can they even own a "Church building?"

I'm very confused.

If the Church is not visible, but only an invisible spiritual union between all true believers, then when I "Go to Church", I can go to any "Church building" where true believers gather and I will be in "Church". For clarity's sake, I could say that I will be at a Church but in The Church. This is very comforting to know! All Churches are the same as long as it is a place where true believers gather!!!

Now, some Baptists say that Catholics are going to hell because they don't believe in the true beliefs of Christ. Some Catholics say that there is no salvation outside of their Church.  So if different groups of believers believe in different things, this must mean that not all groups of believers are true believers. Maybe some groups of believers are false believers or some groups of believers don't believe in the truth as much as other groups of believers do. So which group are the true believers?

I need to find the true invisible group of true believers. I need to find out where this true invisbile group of true believers meet an what time their invisible meetings start. I wonder what the address of their "Church building" is and if they have enough parking. I wonder what their building will look like. I hope they have comfortable seats.

I'm so excited! Once I discover who this invisible group of true believers are and where they meet, I will have found the true Church - the invisible spiritual union of all true believers!!!

Now my friend says some other things. He says that the Bible is the only place to go for the truth about God, that Jesus really isn't physically present in the Eucharist and that the Pope is...

-Tim-

Apologetic Short Take #1: Elizabeth on the Mother of God

In the first chapter of Luke, Mary goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth and upon her arrival, Elizabeth exclaims...

And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (Luke 1:43)

Elizabeth did not ask how it was that the Mother of her nephew had come to her. Elizabeth did not ask how it was that the mother of Jesus of Nazareth had come to her. Elizabeth did not ask how it was that the mother of an ordinary human being had come to her. Elizabeth asked how it was that the mother of "HER LORD" had come to her.

No, Elizabeth did not understand how it was that the mother of her Lord should come to her but she she undersood this much; the mother of her Lord, the Ark of the New Covenant, had just come to her.

Elizabeth knew this - God himself was inside Mary's womb and the Mother of God had just walked through her front door.

-Tim-

On Holy Orders

First and Second Timothy and the book of Titus make up what are often referred to as the "Pastoral Epistles." Written by St. Paul, these three letters are not addressed to congregations at large but to shepherds of congregations directly. Paul’s intent in these letters is instruction for pastors - Timothy and Titus - as to how to properly care for the congregations entrusted to them. These letters deal with subjects such as the need to teach correct doctrine and proper church organization.

The fourth chapter of the first letter to Timothy deals directly with the need to teach correct doctrine. Timothy is reminded of the "Living God", instructed to "command and teach" true doctrine and is told that he is to read, exhort and teach until Paul's return. Paul continues his general theme of proper pastoral care for the flock and includes Timothy's need for dilligence and how he is to set the example for others.

It seems rather predictable at first glance.

Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. Until I arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was conferred on you through the prophetic word with the imposition of hands of the presbyterate. Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them, so that your progress may be evident to everyone. (1 Timothy 4:12-15)

If one slows down just enough to remember that this is the inspired word of God, something begins to stand out. One verse seems oddly out of place. In the midst of reminding Timothy about the "Living God", that he is to adhere to the faith, to read, to teach and to set an example, Paul inserts the following line.

Do not neglect the gift you have, which was conferred on you through the prophetic word with the imposition of hands of the presbyterate. (1 Timothy 4:14)

What are we to make of this verse? What "Gift" was Timothy given and how can this gift be conferred through spoken words and the imposition of hands of presbyters? Why was this statement placed in the context of being a good pastor? Paul gives us very strong clues, if not a direct answer itself, in his second letter to to the same Timothy.

For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. (2 Timothy 1:6)

Paul again exhorts Timothy to make good use of his "Gift", this time identifying himself as having personally imposed hands upon Timothy. Paul is called an Apostle elsewhere in the New Testament; that he was a presbyter is without question. This time however, Paul clearly identifies the gift as the "Gift of God."

Non-Catholic Christians who object to any interpretation of scripture with even the slightest hint of agreement with Catholic doctrine will no doubt argue semantics - that the gift is "of" or from God and that God himself is not the gift. I'll leave proper grammar and the translation of ancient Greek to those with much more patience and time than I and simply note that all but the most radical non-Catholic sects (Jehovah's, Mormons, etc.) believe in a triune God - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit - three persons but one God. The Father is God. Jesus Christ is God.

The Holy Spirit is God.

Consistent with Catholic beliefs, it is the receipt of the Holy Spirit in a special way, through the laying-on (imposition) of hands by other priests as well as the bishop, to which Paul is referencing. The "Gift of God" which Timothy recieved is the Holy Spirit - God himself - in a special way.

The thirteenth chapter of the book of Acts records how hands were imposed upon Barnabas and Saul and how they were subsequently "Sent forth by the holy spirit."

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off. So they, sent forth by the holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. (Acts 13:1-4)

Earlier in Acts we see more hands being imposed during the ordination of the first deacons.

The proposal was acceptable to the whole community, so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the holy Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them. (Acts 6:5-6)

The ritual of imposition of hands, and the very real effect it had are testified to in the Old Testament.

Now Joshua, son of Nun, was filled with the spirit of wisdom, since Moses had laid his hands upon him; and so the Israelites gave him their obedience, thus carrying out the LORD'S command to Moses. (Deuteronomy 34:9)

The Book of Deuteronomy clearly states how one human being (Joshua) was "filled with spirit of wisdom" through the imposition of hands of another human being (Moses). The Book of Wisdom calls Wisdom itself a gift from God, to be cherished more than silver and gold. Catholics view impostion of Mose's hands onto Joshua as sacramental - ordinary words spoken and ordinary actions taken which effects actual changes in a human being relative to God. Note the authority which was originally given by God to Moses being passed down to Joshua through this same imposition of hands.

The Apostolic Constitution Pontificalis Romani, issued by Pope Paul VI on June 18, 1968 describes form to be used in the rite of ordination of Priests as follows:

In the ordination of presbyters, the matter is likewise the laying of the bishop's hands on the individual candidates that is done in silence before the consecratory prayer; the form consists in the words of the consecratory prayer, of which the following belongs to the essence and are consequently required for validity:


Almighty Father, grant to these servants of yours the dignity of the priesthood. Renew within them the Spirit of holiness. As co-workers with the order of bishops may they be faithful to the ministry that they receive from you, Lord God, and be to others a model of right conduct.

Catholics believe that through special prayers and the imposition of hands of the Bishop and other priests, the ordained are given a special gift of the Holy Spirit. The use of words and actions by one human being to effect a very real change in status in another human being relative to God is what makes the action a sacrament. As the Baltimore Catechism famously stated, "…an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace."

One can rightly ask, if the "Gift of God" brought about by the "imposition of hands of the presbyterate" is not a reference to the reception of the Holy Spirit during the sacrament of Holy Orders, then what is it? But the onus to answer this question does not rest on Catholics. To those who deny the sacrament of Holy Orders, the onus is on you.

-Tim-

A Funny Bible Site...

The International Society of Bible Collectors has a fun page where they document some of the wierder Biblical mistranslations and typographical errors throughout history.

1682 — “Cannibals” Bible. In Deut. 24:3, a KJV Bible reads “if the latter husband ate her” instead of “hate her.”

1600s — “Fool” Bible. In a Bible edition printed during the reign of Charles I, Psa. 14:1 reads, “The fool hath said in his heart, there is a God” instead of “no God.” The printers were fined 3000 pounds for this error and all copies were suppressed.

1795 — “Child killer” Bible. Mark 7:27 reads in the King James Version “Let the children first be killed” instead of “be filled.”

And my personal favorite...

1638— “Vexing wives” Bible. In a KJV Bible at Num. 25:18 it reads “for they vex you with their wives” instead of “with their wiles.”

Read More...

-Tim-