DISCIPLE OF CHRIST IS A SOLDIER OFCHRIST

 

THE DISCIPLE OF CHRIST IS A SOLDIER OF CHRIST STRICTLY TRAINED IN THE DISCIPLINE OF THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS.

1)-BISHOPS TO JUDGE THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS INADEQUATE FOR OUR SOPHISTICATED AGE IS A FATAL MISTAKE.

To hide dogmas of faith from the people is in no way forming soldiers of Christ.

Bishops and priests profoundly deceive themselves and the people of God when they limit their teaching to sermons with false promises. 

There are 2 ways to limit the teachings of Jesus be in preaching, in diocesan catechisms, or in any other means of evangelization.

THE FIRST WAY is met in the lack of knowledge of the Holy Scriptures in bishops and priests.  In general, seminaries failed and keep failing in their sacred mission to educate and form priests in the image of Christ priest.  Professors with very little faith, sometime no faith at all infiltrate themselves in seminaries to form our catholic clergy.  Such professors have a goal to change the Catholic Church into a cult equal to others.

THE SECOND WAY is seen in bishops and priests who have become functionaries.  They have no love to evangelize teaching catechism to their faithful.

2)-THE SOLDIER OF CHRIST IS RIGOROUSLY FORMED AND EDUCATED IN THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST.

 It is impossible to form a disciple of Christ while ignoring the teachings of Jesus.  Just to yell HAPPINESS makes us saints is a serious mistake in any field of life.  Happiness is a state of the soul.  Catholics happy with the catholic faith found themselves happy as protestant or in any sect!  Therefore, happiness is not a security  to be saved.  

3)-THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS GUIDE US IN OUR JOURNEY TO SALVATION.

In chapter 11 of the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit reveals how to work our salvation.

May we read the Holy Spirit in his own words Acts 11:12-14:

“The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house.  He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called PETER.  HE WILL BRING YOU A MESSAGE THROUGH WHICH YOU AND ALL YOUR HOUSEHOLD WILL BE SAVED.’

Peter’s Successors continue to guide the Church down through centuries until the end of the world.  John Paul II, in CATECHESI TRADENDAE, affirms that Sunday sermons do not replace the all year round weekly parochial classes of catechism. 

Please study CATECHESI TRADENDAE #63-64.

4-OUR BISHOPS AND PRIESTS SIN AGAINST THEIR OWN PRIESTLY ORDINATION WHEN REFUSING TO TEACH CATECHISM.

John Paul II, in his Apostolic Exhortation, THE PRIEST IN THE THIRD MILENIUM, affirms the very first vocation of the priest is TO TEACH catechism to his faithful.  His second vocation is to celebrate the Holy Eucharist and to administer the sacraments.

I met Catholics who had left the Church to convert to sects.  I told them they had lost the sacraments.  They answered “yes, but we have found Jesus!”  Their testimonies help us to understand the importance  for the priest to teach Jesus and his doctrine.

To limit themselves to those who come on Sundays, priests and bishops will have to answer Jesus for their fatal choice.  Knowledge is the only way to introduce people to Jesus and his Church.

4)-MEXICO IN YEAR 1959 HAD 1%  PROTESTANTS. NOW MEXICO IS OFFICIALLY 38% PROTESTANT.

This very unfortunate failure of the Catholic clergy at the hands of Protestant ministers is a proof that failing to teach the faith results in losing the Church. 

A taxi driver gave me a clear fact of the problem of the Church in Mexico.  He told me I am a catholic; however, I am studying the faith with a Christian pastor. I asked him why not studying the faith with your catholic priest!  He answered: show me a priest teaching Jesus and I´ll be right there!     

The situation of the Catholic clergy is much worst in Canada, especially in Quebec!  Psychologists teach the faith to priests and bishops!  Thus, bishops and priests are “pastors lost in the fog of their sinful life,” gave the Church her “coup de grace” in Canada! 

5)-BISHOPS AND PRIESTS YELL THEY HAVE NO TIME FOR TEACHING CATECHISM TO THEIR FAITHFUL.

John Paul II, in his Exhortation to bishops and priests, THE PRIEST IN THE THIRD MILENIUM gives us the very first vocation of bishops and priests: TO THE SERVISE OF THE NEW EVANGELIZATION.   THE PRIEST IS FIRST OF ALL:

1. TEACHER OF THE WORD OF GOD:

a)-The catechesis is configurated to the ministry  which spout from the sacrament of Orders.

b)-To present Divine Revelation as complete and secure  with a permanent and patient catequesis.

c)-With a theological content, spiritual, liturgical and moral in each teaching.

d)-Adapted to your audience with the aim to illuminate the needs of the faithful.

6)-IN  CATECHESI TRADENDAE, JOHN PAUL II CLARIFIES THE VOCATION OF THE BISHOP.

May we read the Pope in his own words in # 63:

“ To begin with, I turn to my brother Bishops:  The Second Vatican Council has already explicitly reminded you of your task in the catechetical area,  and the fathers of the fourth general assembly of the synod have also strongly underlined it.

Dearly beloved brothers, you have here a special mission within your Churches: You are beyond all others the ones primarily responsible for catechesis, the catechists par excellence.  Together with the Pope, in the spirit of episcopal collegiality, you too have charge of catechesis throughout the Church.  Accept therefore what I say to you from my heart.

I know that your ministry as Bishops is growing daily more complex and overwhelming. A thousand duties call you: from the training of new priests to being actively present within the lay communities, from the living, worthy celebration of the sacraments and acts of worship to concern for human advancement and the defense of human rights. BUT LET THE CONCERN TO FOSTER ACTIVE AND EFFECTIVE CATECHESIS YIELD TO NO OTHER CARE WHATEVER IN ANY WAY. THIS CONCERN WILL LEAD YOU TO TRANSMIT PERSONALLY TO YOUR FAITHFUL THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE. But it should also lead you to take on in your diocese, in accordance with the plans of the episcopal conference to which you belong, the chief management of catechesis, while at the same time surrounding yourselves with competent and trustworthy assistants. Your principal role will be to bring about and maintain in your Churches A REAL PASSION FOR CATECHESIS, a passion embodied in a pertinent and effective organization, putting into operation the necessary personnel, means and equipment, and also financial resources. You can be sure that if catechesis is done well in your local Churches, everything else will be easier to do.”

John Paul II admits teaching catechism is the first and foremost way to save souls.

7)- ALL BELIEVERS HAVE A RIGHT TO CATECHESIS; ALL PASTORS HAVE THE DUTY TO PROVIDE IT.

In Catechesi Tradendae, John Paul II clarifies also the vocation of the priest in his priestly ministry.

May we read the Pope in his own words in  # 64:

“For your part, priests, here you have a field in which you are the immediate assistants of your Bishops. The Council has called you "INSTRUCTORS IN THE FAITH"; there is no better way for you to be such instructors than by devoting your best efforts to the growth of your communities in the faith. Whether you are in charge of a parish, or are chaplains to primary or secondary schools or universities, or have responsibility for pastoral activity at any level, or are leaders of large or small communities, especially youth groups, THE CHURCH EXPECTS YOU TO NEGLECT NOTHING WITH A VIEW TO A WELL-ORGANIZED AND WELL-ORIENTED CATECHETICAL EFFORT.  The deacons and other ministers that you may have the good fortune to have with you are your natural assistants in this. ALL BELIEVERS HAVE A RIGHT TO CATECHESIS; ALL PASTORS HAVE THE DUTY TO PROVIDE IT.

Priests, we have no excuse to withdraw ourselves from teaching catechism to our faithful.  When we yell we have no time to teach catechism, we affirm ignoring the very heart of our priestly consecration.  The Pope teaches that teaching catechism spout from our very priestly ordination.  To organize a bingo or build a school do not spout from our very priestly ordination.

However, we must understand that priests leave the seminary with absolutely no preparation to teach.  The CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH is not studied in seminaries.  It is being left to little girls and grandmothers to teach the most important doctrine in one’s life.  

8)-JESUS WAS NOT AFRAID TO TEACH THE ORIGINAL SIN IN ALL IT RIGOR AND VIGOR.

In his letter to the Romans, saint Paul reveals the disastrous consequences of the original sin in the human heart.

May we read saint Paul in his own words Romans 7:15-24:

“ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.   And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.   As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.   For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.   For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.   Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.   For in my inner being I delight in God’s law;   but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.   What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?”

A priest, who teaches this doctrine to a youngster, frees this person of his ignorance concerning his concupiscence and helps him on his peregrination to salvation.  This person never forgets the priest who taught him Jesus’ doctrine.  He will always remember his inclinations to evil are natural to him.  Jesus offers him his divine means to cope with his evil inclinations, which are the sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist.

9)-THE DISCIPLE OF CHRIST IS FORMED TO BE THE SOLDIER OF CHRIST.

He is a catholic who knows Christ and also the enemies of Christ which are his enemies.  The original sin is our most important enemy.  First of all, it is an enemy within us, penetrating the most intimate of our human being.  It has a terrible influence on our thinking, our decision making, on our very life.  However, the more we know ourselves with our inclinations to evil, the more we equip ourselves with the sacraments, our divine means  to work our salvation, Philippians 2:12.

May Jesus help our bishops and priests to understand the doctrine of the original sin and  to teach it not as a curse but as the doctrine to enlighten the dangers on our peregrination to heaven.

The professor.