Hey Folks,
Just a reminder that this Saturday is another Fidei Defensor Meeting. 8-9:30a at the Gehl Center (right behind the Cathedral in Green Bay) The group that was there in Oct. decided that we should still hold a meeting in Nov. but take Dec. off.
Last month we had a guest host: my wife, Tricia. She is a convert to Catholicism from the Reformed tradition (very similar to Presbyterian). She walked us through a memorization visualization on how to remember why we believe Peter was made the first Pope by Christ.
A very good and important question was brought up: why is this important to salvation? Shouldn't we just focus on helping people believe in Jesus?
Again this is a very good and important question. Let me try to answer in part by analogy. Let's say we wanted to travel to Madison. First, we need to know which Madison we wanted to get to (WI? GA? MN? AL?) because it makes a difference. (I once booked a hotel at the wrong "Maryville". I wanted IL, but I booked it in MO, 300 miles away...) We'd have to consult something to find out which Madison it is we're trying to get to.
Next, we need to know how to get there. Even if we have a rough idea of which way to go (Southwestern WI)we'd have to consult something in order to find the correct way to get there. In addition to all that, we have to rely on the assumption that we have traffic laws and everyone else is going to obey them as well - if people were driving on both sides of a highway, or across fields, lawns etc; were not obey traffic signals and speed limits we'd have a lot tougher time getting to Madison wouldn't we?
It's the same in the Spiritual life. We want to know Jesus. But which "Jesus"? I could say, "I've met Jesus and he's changed my life! I want you to meet him too. He's a Hispanic guy living down the street and prefers if you pronounce it "Hey-Zeus."
Mormons say he's an "exaulted man" but not the same as "God the Father". Jehovah Witnesses say he's St. Michael the Arc Angel. Many people today say he's "just a good moral teacher". Is he God? Is he Man? Is he both?
Some Christian denominations say he wasn't "God" until his baptism. Some say it was only "the Human Jesus" that died on the Cross, not "the Divine Jesus."
Some Christian denominations over emphasize his help of the poor and say "He's only about Social Justice." Some say we shouldn't mention "sin" ever because Jesus didn't condemn the woman caught in adultery. Some Christians over emphasize Jesus' overturning of the tables in the temple and say "We need to be asking 'Who would Jesus Whip?'" - I read a whole book about this when I was Protestant. Some take his condemnations of the Sadducees too far and start a conversation by telling everyone they're going to hell! (Anyone remember the "One Sorry B_stard" signs?)
Which Jesus are we to follow?
It has been the Authority of the Church, led by the Holy Spirit, through the Apostles and Bishops - with Peter and the Popes at their head - who have told us "which Jesus" we need to follow.
So now we know where we're going.
But HOW do we follow him?
Some say we start with Baptism which is necessary for salvation and open to infants. Some say if you baptize an infant it "didn't count" and you could be going to hell for it. Some say we must receive the "Lord's Supper" to get to heaven; some say we do not. Some say we must believe only and everything else is all set - we could murder 100 times a day and still get to heaven. Some say we can lose our salvation by sinning. Some say we must do good works. Others say if you do good works, you're going to hell - yes you read that right.
Some say, none of this matters. Just have a "good heart" - whatever that means - and Jesus will understand.
In a sense, we have people going in every direction saying they're headed to Madison (and all claiming to read the same map)!
It has been the Authority of the Church, led by the Holy Spirit, through the Apostles and Bishops - with Peter and the Popes at their head - that interpret the Scriptures correctly and tell us the correct way to follow Jesus.
This can be said also of the Traffic Laws.
We can only "Triangulate" our proper position and destination using the Scriptures, the Tradition and the Authority of the Catholic Church.
I hope this helps answer the question.
God Bless, hope to see you at the meeting!
