What is a devout Catholic

 

“Those who preach the Gospel should live by the Gospel” (1Cor 9:14). And who is it that preaches the Gospel. There are those who preach by word, and must live by those words, while others preach from their heart, by their actions and how they live their lives.

 A devout Christian, a devout Catholic believes in every word, on every page in every Book of the bible and is not ashamed of those words. Those words become a person’s character, their principles and values and they let no one tell them differently.

 They truly know Jesus and defend Him wherever they may be, keeping deep in their heart every commandment written in Scripture. It is this very devout person who speaks up for their beliefs, for they believe in every word Jesus has spoken.

 And Jesus said life is so precious, “I have come so you may have life and have it more abundantly”. It is the devout Christian, the devout Catholic who defends that very life, because it is a commandment from God Himself.

 What happens when a person, calling themselves devout, promotes, sponsors, prioritizes, or even approves in the murder of unborn Children, breaking the very commandment of “Thou shall not kill”?

 John in 1jn 2:4 has a word for them. “If anyone says, I know Him, but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him”.

 We pray, dear Lord that you change the minds of the stubborn, the weak of faith, the callous, the liars and save our children from murder. Amen

 

Love and forgiveness

 

Two words that are stressed in almost every Book of the bible, that if followed, can lead us to eternal happiness, are difficult to put into play. Two words that are powerful, words that when become a part of our lives can be world changers.

 Yes, it takes courage, persistence and and the help of Almighty God to live out these two words. Love and Forgiveness!

 There is a beautiful Gospel reading about how many times we must forgive, regardless of the hurt.  As a matter of fact, it is so powerful for us to be able to forgive that Jesus tells us in the prayer that he taught us, the Our Father. Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors. If we don’t forgive, we are not forgiven, and to find our place in heaven we must be forgiven.

 Love is the glue that binds forgiveness. Or is it forgiveness that stirs up God’s love in our soul and radiates that love to our neighbor. Today we celebrate the feast of St. Theresa, the Little Flower, a saint, a Doctor of the Church, who was both love and forgiveness personified.

 Her words are so beautiful, so heartwarming, so full of truth and wisdom. “Love” she says, “I will be love and thus I will be love to all things”.

 

Love and Forgiveness! Two words that could change the world. Maybe not in our time, but if we were to set our minds on practicing these two beautiful words, then maybe we truly could say, someday the world will be a better place. With love and forgiveness the world could be heaven on earth