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Good morning, Becky. I'd like to take a moment to thank you for making me think yesterday about something that I hadn't given much thought ... the Body of Christ. You see, I grew up under the impression that since God created us in His own image, then we must all be part of the Body.

Thanks to our conversation, I thought, read and prayed more about this and I can only say that I was wrong.

The Body of Christ = the church
The church = believers
Believers, therefore = the Body of Christ

Blushing in my humility, I stand corrected.

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ALL: And a good morning to the rest of you. Dave and JohnnyM ... the first reading may help clear the air with your "can you lose your salvation" debate.

Wednesday, October 24, 2001
Saint Anthony Mary Claret, bishop - Optional Memorial

First Reading:
Responsorial Psalm:
Gospel:

Romans 6:12-18
Psalms 124:1-8
Luke 12:39-48

When I am before the Blessed Sacrament I feel such a lively faith that I can't describe it. Christ in the Eucharist is almost tangible to me...When it is time for me to leave, I have to tear myself away from His sacred presence.

-- St. Anthony of Claret

From wau.org ...

If there was one thing Paul was absolutely insistent about in his letter to the Christians in Rome, it was this: We have power over sin. No habit, weakness, or pattern of sin need dominate us. We don't have to live as slaves! Too incredible? Too optimistic? Too idealistic? Paul didn't think so. He went to great pains to explain that sin need no longer have dominion over us (Romans 6:17-18). In Christ, we have a choice about what we will yield to and whom we will obey.

On the cross, Jesus won freedom for us in a radical way. He died for us--instead of us--and our old, fallen life died there with him. The whole body of sin was put to death on the cross, and through baptism we are incorporated into that death. We didn't conquer sin. We died to it. Now, raised up with Christ, we are free from Satan's grip. We don't have to be ensnared by the voice of temptation any more.

This is good news. In fact, it's the very heart of the good news of Jesus Christ. Believe it. Embrace it. Put your faith in the finished work of the cross. Rejoice that you are not powerless over sin! The cross is your weapon. It makes available to you all the power you need to put sin to death by rejecting the habits that lead to sin. The more you truly believe this, the easier it will be to obey God. For what is obedience, after all, but faith put into action?

Today, as an experiment, make an extra effort to examine your thoughts. Listen to them carefully. Are they in tune with the reality of your freedom in Christ? Or are they negative, angry, accusing, fearful, or condemning? If so, take them captive in the name of Jesus. As they come up, tell Jesus you want to lay them at the foot of his cross to be judged for what they are. In your thought life, taste the freedom that is yours as a child of God. As you persist, you will see the victory of the cross become reality in more and more of your life.

"All praise to you, Jesus! By your cross, you have redeemed us for the Father. By your cross, you made us a people who are called to reign on earth."

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Have a good day, everybody.

JohnnyM ... stay tuned.