The COG Catholic

If the Apostle Paul was #Protestant, he would have started his own church.

Jesus did not die as our Substitute; he died as our Representative. He did not suffer, die, and rise again *instead* of us. All of us will suffer, carry our crosses, and die. But we must choose to do so in Christ. Because if we are joined to Christ, then we will likewise be raised *with* him and *in* him.

There is no Christmas without Jesus being born of his human mother, who of her own free will said, "Let it be done to me according to your word." Mary's central role in our salvation must not be undermined.

It's encouraging to hear that the OCIA class at the Cathedral in Toledo, OH, is the largest its been in decades. Young based dudes are coming in.

Use your imagination and consider what it will be like the moment after your death, even when your body is still warm. It's the inevitable time when, ready or not, things get real -- when you know exactly what's up. See yourself approaching your ultimate "Come to Jesus Moment," which is to say, your personal judgment. Will you wish your priorities had been different, even moments before, while you were still breathing? Will you wish for a do-over? At that point, there are no do-overs. No second chances. Hard stop. Your do-overs and second chances are graciously given to you now, in this life. Make use of them, and don't turn back, because you never know when you'll get your toe tag. Repent of sin and be baptized. Look to Jesus and follow where he leads. Not only can you avoid an unbearable eternity of regret and misery, but you can enjoy the free gift of peace and love and joy with your God and Father forever.

In doing good works, Catholics do not suffer from an irrational fear of possibly daring to earn their salvation. They're just trying to do what Jesus said to do. If they falter, they simply confess it and repent, and keep trying to live as Jesus taught us.

Jesus will not be referring to our employer's HR policy handbook when we face our personal judgment.

To me it's odd when I hear Protestant Christians say they love nothing more than talking with each other about the Bible. I understand what they mean, and maybe some really love sharing their biblical studies, which is good. Not to be nit-picky, but I'd say our focus in Christian fellowship ought to be on Jesus, on prayer, on the Church, on the sacraments, on our Christian journeys, etc. In other words, not just a Book *about* spiritual things, but in the spiritual realities themselves. If I'm at a restaurant, I might talk about and refer to the wonderful menu, but what I really want is to share and enjoy dinner itself. Just trying to keep it real.

Stay humble and stack #indulgences.

When people debate the pedantic question of whether Jews and Muslims worship the same God that Christians do (i.e., the one, true God of Abraham), it's easy to get lost in the arguments, the nuances, the gotchas. But no matter where we might land on this question, one immovable fact remains: Islam and modern Judaism are false and evil religions, utterly unable to save. Because Jesus.

It is sobering to realize there are people in hell who have committed fewer and less-grave sins than us. #GoToConfession

If a man of God anoints someone and the person is healed, it's not the minister who healed the person; he was just God's instrument. Every Christian understands this. But many non-Catholics cannot comprehend the idea of receiving forgiveness of sins from a priest. They CAN believe in restoring sight, cleansing leprosy, or raising the dead at the hands of a minister -- but NO WAY the invisible forgiveness of sin (because only God can do that!). Yet it was the resurrected Jesus who delegated his apostles with this authority: * * * * * Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:21-23)

The Church celebrates feast days that highlight plainly the realities of salvation in Christ, which could only be foreshadowed by the feasts of pre-Christian Israel in hidden, shadowy figures. Christ has come! Christ is here! Jesus is the Lamb of God. He is the Bread from Heaven. He has begun the harvest of souls. He is the Judge. He is our High Priest and atonement. He tabernacles with us yet today. Celebrate like a believer, not as one still waiting for the Messiah! #COG

#Hell includes, but is not merely, the absence of perfect happiness in God. It is a place of despair and hopelessness, reserved for those who reject God's love even in his last breath. But some people (many?) genuinely don't want the beatific vision in the next life. They insist they'd be happy enough without it. That's a good reason God also provides, for good measure, the fires of hell -- external flames that cause forever-pain in both soul and body. And even then you're getting off easier than you deserve, considering you're offending your literal Creator, who is infinitely good. While you're still drawing breath, choose wisely.

"No Kings"? Christ is King. All knees, whether in heaven or hell, will bend to him.

About three nights ago I received a phone call lasting 2-1/2 hours from someone with whom I grew up in the quasi-Christian, anti-Catholic Worldwide Church of God. Of course it's going to be a long conversation when the person begins with, "I'm running out of reasons not to become Catholic." I talked to him again last evening. He says he's starting OCIA next Wednesday. Praise God for his mercy.

I would like to ask the Catholic bishops who desire to shut down the traditional Latin Mass a question: Is there anything about the prayers or rubriks of the TLM that is either (1) contrary to the historic Catholic Faith or its Tradition, or (2) inherently misleading -- drawing Catholics away from the beliefs or practices of the Church's greatest saints? And if so, get specific. Let's address it openly through dialogue.

This is my conversion story. And it explains my moniker "The COG Catholic." https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/my-path-to-the-worldwide-church-that-jesus-built

It is normal and OK for a Christian to simultaneously be... (1) happy and joyful, looking forward to the afterlife, and... (2) dissatisfied and feeling uneasy about his own spiritual progress, because nothing but perfect love is owed to our Lord. We don't have to always be giddy with a Joker-sized smile on our face, and neither must we be always be focused on our imperfections and weaknesses. Two things we should NEVER do: (1) Presume God's mercy. (2) Despair of God's mercy.