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“Reality tells us there are only two religions in the world. There is the religion of human achievement, the religion of works, the religion of the flesh, the religion that says you can be good enough, holy enough, religious enough, spiritual enough. And there is the one other option, the religion of divine accomplishment, the religion of faith, grace, mercy and not of the flesh but of the Spirit and they do not mix.

The scribes and the Pharisees were the architects of and the purveyors of and the exemplars of a religion of human achievement. Their salvation and acceptance with God, their hope of eternal life in heaven depended upon what they did, what they did morally and what they did religiously and ceremonially.

The Lord, however, offered a completely different religion, a religion of faith and grace, depending upon the Holy Spirit, a religion of divine accomplishment where salvation and acceptance and heaven depended on what God did...not what men do. Certainly most of humanity vastly is committed to the religion of human achievement, that men can be good enough, religious enough to gain heaven if they just have a measure of goodness, think good thoughts occasionally, do good deeds. Better yet, if they believe in God, attend some religious services, go through some religious acts or rites or ceremonies...this religion comes in many names and many forms but it is all the same. It is all the wrong choice. It is all Satan, just packaged differently.” ~ John Macarthur

I think the key thing about "ecumenical" conversations is that it's good to try to find areas in which all the parties agree. Of course there are differences and those differences are not unimportant. But sometimes it's good to spend a little effort on the areas of agreement.

One reason for this is that we are sometimes surprised to find that there is more agreement, though viewed with different eyes, than one thought.

For example, recently I was told that what I thought certainly was not Catholic thought. My interlocutor was so emphatic that I finally checked with a priest. He agreed with me that it is God who calls us and enables us to see the good in Him and in His gospel and it is He who enables us to respond. His way of saying it was, "The only thing WE can contribute is sin."

My guess is that a lot of Protestants would be surprised to hear us say that. But I think that might be a good thing. We may talk about "merit", and that may push some people's buttons. But our prayers suggest that merit is not something we earn, but is a further gift from God. So for example, we pray for Mary's intercession, that she might ask God to make us worthy. we don't expect to be worthy on our own, but with God's help and with the prayers of the whole Church, well, who knows what might happen?

We don't think "worthiness" is something we can attain on our own toot. We eagerly praise God because every good gift comes from Him, every one, including our good deeds (if any.) At the end of the Rosary we ask God to make our meditations on various aspects of our Lord's life and His favors to Mary .. we ask Him to make all that a way He can conform us to Christ. We don't think praying a Rosary does that UNLESS God generously gives us that unmerited gift.

So, if I may, rather than taking us to task, which might be appropriate in another venue, share with us your vision of how God blesses us, undeserving as we are, with knowledge of His Truth, because of His Love which He gives to us not because we are good but because He is.

Surely, in an ecumenical setting, we can put off arguing for a while and join in praise of God for His generosity which always provides more than we can imagine or pray for. I know I will be happy to hear how God revealed His love to you.