So, you want to go to heaven, do you?
April 26, 2010 by Patrick Madrid
Filed under Patrick's Blog
Then heed this wise advice from St. John Vianney, as explained and amplified by Father Roger J. Landry of New Bedford, Massachusetts. It might startle you. The message is simple to understand, if not easy to put into practice. St. John Vianney, pray for us!
For a Christian who wants to be saved, charity is not optional. “All of our religion is but a false religion, and all our virtues are mere illusions, and we ourselves are only hypocrites in the sight of God,” he declared emphatically, “unless we have universal charity for everyone, for the good and for the bad, for the poor people as well as for the rich, for all those who do us harm as much as those who do us good” . . . .
The obligation we have to love our neighbor is so important that Jesus Christ put it into a commandment that he placed immediately after that by which he commands us to love him with all our hearts. He tells us that all the law and the prophets are included in this commandment to love our neighbor. Yes, my dear brethren, we must regard this obligation as the most universal, the most necessary and the most essential to religion and to our salvation. In fulfilling this commandment, we are fulfilling all the others”
“Dear Lord, how many Christians are damned through lack of charity! No, no, my dear brethren, even if you could perform miracles, you will never be saved if you do not have love. Not to have charity is not to know your religion. It is to have a religion of whim, mood and inclination. … Without charity, you will never see God. You will never go to heaven!” . . . . (continue reading)
Reach out for love in any direction,.. and expect a hidden agenda!. It is always there, shrouded by all manner of manipulative intent.
To go to heaven we need to be in the state of grace at the moment of our death, and to be in the state of grace we need to have charity in our hearts. We will be judged on how much we loved on this earth.
I try, and sometimes it is very hard, to remember no matter how terrible we might think a person is, and he might be a real villain, that Almighty God LOVES that person and wants them to repent and return to him and I must love that person as well as I am commanded to do so…
Continue reading ….. sorry it's OK I've sorted it out ….. Regards Andy
the continue reading link took me to a page where the article did not continue?
If I could do all those things he requires for salvation I would be perfect already and would have no need of Jesus. I know I cannot do all those things all the time. All I can do is recognize my short comings and confess them to the one only perfect human Jesus Christ who died on a cross in my place because I cannot do it alone. It is the blood of Christ that brings my salvation not the deeds that I do. I then do the deeds because the one who saves me also changes me so that I can do the things he commands. I will fall short but his blood covers my shortcomings. I love others because he loves me not that I have love in me without him. I have salvation because he loves me and I have accepted his teachings and now my my duty is to follow him. As long as I have this body of flesh I cannot be perfect. His love cover a multitude of sin, my sin and that is what I rely on for my salvation, not my deeds.
and Love my neighbor as myself,
I often have asked, what if I do not like myself?
I like his fervor – but wish it would be more about being conformed to Christ and him crucified – we could live a world into being where we actually made Christ believable by what we do because we love him- mostly Americans make Jesus wholly not believable – to be Christ present for the world is our goal and our responsibility – to do something just to save our selves is just sooo – well – it's all about me American
Too many times we are reminded that we are to welcome everyone as Christ, or to be mindful that angels walk among us. I choose to treat everyone as Christ the stranger. Doing this makes the Gospel come alive, think of it as St. Patrick's call to preach the gospel at all times, just at times to use words. Whether bartending a wedding or encountering the homeless on the street, I am mindful of this. Esp. since like most Americans, I am several paychecks away from homelessness myself.
What's it like in the day of a Christian?
Say a prayer. Like God.
Be patient. Like God.
Love your neighbor. Like God.
Go to church. Like God.
Read the Bible. Like God.
Feed the hungry. Like God.
Hope for mercy. Like God.
Avoid sinning. Like God.
Fall from grace. Like God.
Cry deeply. Like God.
Become bread. Like God.
Go out and serve. Like God.
In peace. Like God.
(sing to the tune of Like A Boss)
Of course God doesn't sin, but He did fall three times during His Passion.
You don't have to take abuse from anyone. If they don't accept your charity, you can dust your feet off and walk on..from a priest.
Aaaaaand I'm scared.