Salvation is the efficient cause of corporeal and spiritual works of mercy.
Posted on 04/29/2013 4:18:02 AM PDT by markomalley
The Confessional is not a ‘dry cleaners’ where our sins are automatically washed away and Jesus is not waiting there to ‘beat us up’, but to forgive us with the tenderness of a father for our sins. Moreover, being ashamed of our sins is not only natural, it’s a virtue that helps prepare us for God's forgiveness. This was the central message of Pope Francis’ homily Monday morning during Mass celebrated with staff from the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA) and religious present in Casa Santa Marta. Emer McCarthy reports:
Commenting on the First Letter of St. John, which states " God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all," Francis Pope pointed out that "we all have darkness in our lives," moments "where everything, even our consciousness, is in the dark”, but this - he pointed out - does not mean we walk in darkness:
"Walking in darkness means being overly pleased with ourselves, believing that we do not need salvation. That is darkness! When we continue on this road of darkness, it is not easy to turn back. Therefore, John continues, because this way of thinking made him reflect: 'If we say we are without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us'. Look to your sins, to our sins, we are all sinners, all of us ... This is the starting point. But if we confess our sins, He is faithful, He is so just He forgives us our sins, cleansing us from all unrighteousness…The Lord who is so good, so faithful, so just that He forgives. "
"When the Lord forgives us, He does justice" - continued the Pope - first to himself, "because He came to save and forgive", welcoming us with the tenderness of a Father for his children: "The Lord is tender towards those who fear, to those who come to Him "and with tenderness," He always understand us”. He wants to gift us the peace that only He gives. " "This is what happens in the Sacrament of Reconciliation" even though "many times we think that going to confession is like going to the dry cleaner" to clean the dirt from our clothes:
"But Jesus in the confessional is not a dry cleaner: it is an encounter with Jesus, but with this Jesus who waits for us, who waits for us just as we are. “But, Lord, look ... this is how I am”, we are often ashamed to tell the truth: 'I did this, I thought this'. But shame is a true Christian virtue, and even human ... the ability to be ashamed: I do not know if there is a similar saying in Italian, but in our country to those who are never ashamed are called “sin vergüenza’: this means ‘the unashamed ', because they are people who do not have the ability to be ashamed and to be ashamed is a virtue of the humble, of the man and the woman who are humble. "
Pope Francis continued: “ we must have trust, because when we sin we have an advocate with the Father, "Jesus Christ the righteous." And He "supports us before the Father" and defends us in front of our weaknesses. But you need to stand in front of the Lord "with our truth of sinners", "with confidence, even with joy, without masquerading... We must never masquerade before God." And shame is a virtue: "blessed shame." "This is the virtue that Jesus asks of us: humility and meekness".
"Humility and meekness are like the frame of a Christian life. A Christian must always be so, humble and meek. And Jesus waits for us to forgive us. We can ask Him a question: Is going to confession like to a torture session? No! It is going to praise God, because I, a sinner , have been saved by Him. And is He waiting for me to beat me? No, with tenderness to forgive me. And if tomorrow I do the same? Go again, and go and go and go .... He always waits for us. This tenderness of the Lord, this humility, this meekness .... "
This confidence, concluded Pope Francis "gives us room to breathe." "The Lord give us this grace, the courage to always go to Him with the truth, because the truth is light and not the darkness of half-truths or lies before God. It give us this grace! So be it. "
Technically; you are right. The word KEEP or any of it's permutations have escaped your fingers.
However; you DID state the following @#154:
Where they (works) are absent so too is Salvation.
Therefore, to KEEP your salvation; works are required.
I hear there's an opening on Dancing With the Stars.
I think you are confusing your theologies. Where Protestant theology stresses "Sola Fide", Salvation by Faith Alone, Catholic position on salvation can be summed up thus: We are saved by Christ's grace alone (Sola Gratia), through faith and works done in charity inspired by the Holy Spirit. I can cite you over a dozen articles from the Catechism to corroborate this if you wish.
The parsing of words is incumbent in our faith. Genesis teaches that Gods ideas became words and through words God spoke creation int existence. Even God's concept of Himself is the Logos, the Word. To express a specific idea we need to use a specific word. This attention to detail, described by St. Thomas Aquinas as “Never deny, seldom affirm, always distinguish" is often a criticism of Catholicism. I have no choice but to insist that the exact language be used to exactly express my thoughts.
You are going to have to claim ONE of these statements as correct.
Works are not an input to the process of Salvation, but rather a necessary response to Salvation. Where they are absent so too is Salvation.
I do not see that you could logically conclude that BOTH are.
I have neither said or implied that. I do not know how I can be any more clear. To repeat; Salvation is the efficient cause of corporeal and spiritual works of mercy. I apologize if Catholic teaching does not comport with the fabrications about it you may have been taught.
Peace be with you
Then it should be quite interesting to see how you 'parse' two opposing statements into being the same. (#184)
I then need to apologize for re-posting the very things you have typed in this thread.
If there are your foot prints in the snow it is evidence you walked there. Absent your passing, there would be no foot prints.
Father Guido Sarducci is always needed and always funny. And yes I know who he is. ;) Thank you and fun.
Catholic teaching is from you that the need to apologize is warranted? It doesn't matter what man says through their man made teachings - It only matters what God says in His Word as HE is the FINAL Word on what is 'from HIM'.
Any one who follows man and their 'man made teaching/traditions gets only what man can give which is 'nothing' which equates to deception/destruction'.
To repeat; Salvation is the efficient cause of corporeal and spiritual works of mercy
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the GIFT of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." Eph 2:8,9
There is no need to reword it - receive the Gift The Way It is Written or one doesn't have it at all.
Please then explain why you feel the need to post anything other than Scripture.
Peace be with you
Projecting. Ask yourself for you posted To repeat; Salvation is the efficient cause of corporeal and spiritual works of mercy
I posted : "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the GIFT of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." Eph 2:8,9
Learn what is of God and it is in His Word alone - then hear and obey It.
Nope...not confusing theologies at all. And...you just proved it here. If Catholicism says we are "saved by grace alone" (Solo Gratia) but then says both faith AND works are how this grace is "retained" (kept), then salvation in the Catholic world is NOT a gift nor is it by grace. Scripture clearly says we are saved by grace APART from works and also that if we are saved by grace then it is not by works because grace would not BE grace. God used the specific word "grace" (charis in Greek) and it means unmerited favor. It is because of God's grace and mercy that we can be saved because we cannot save ourselves.
If this gift of God which is eternal life in Jesus Christ is given by grace - the words "gift" and "grace" having clear connotations of unmerited favor - then our works CANNOT factor into that. Our works of righteousness do NOT in any way merit salvation NOR God's grace. It HAS to be by faith that we receive this gift, otherwise it would cease to BE grace.
I know you enjoy the study of deep thinking theologians of Catholicism and I understand why some Catholics reject the idea that we are saved by grace alone THROUGH faith alone. You can go into all the Thomistic and Augustinian explanations and reasonings, but just think about this...those first Christians that believed in Jesus and were willing to die horrible deaths rather than reject him, did they have to study and grasp all that deep intellectual musings before they could be saved? No, I don't believe they did. A simple jailer, after seeing an angel miraculously free Peter from the Roman dungeon, asked him, "What must I do to be saved?". Peter told him, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." (Acts 16:31). It is SO simple, yet SO very profound, but even a little child can understand it. It doesn't have to be so complex, God wants all to be saved - even the simple thinkers.
That statement just makes no sense at all. Are you sure that is how it's supposed to read? If you are feeling so flustered and picked on that all you can do is spit out unintelligible jargon and doublespeak, then please don't think you have to continue this dialog any further. Pretending we all are too ignorant to grasp the deeper principles and concepts centuries of sessions and council wranglings of the theological elite managed to pull together, won't work very well here. The Gospel is really a simple message. It's designed especially that way so that we are without excuse if we reject it. God's grace offers eternal life through Jesus Christ and we receive that gift by faith - believing God to do what He said He would do. We don't honor Him by mucking it up with our musings.
Absent your justification of your very own statements; I must conclude you have no valid explanation.
Goodbye
If there are your foot prints in the snow it is evidence you walked there.
This from someone who will not explain HIS own words...
PRICELESS
Salvation is the efficient cause of corporeal and spiritual works of mercy.
I know. Perhaps, it was the late hour that caused such a response. It happens.
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