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The Little Number of Those Who Are Saved
Our Lady of the Rosary Library ^ | St. Leonard of Port Maurice

Posted on 03/17/2004 11:49:07 AM PST by johnb2004

Now let us consult the Latin Fathers. You will hear Saint Gregory saying clearly, "Many attain to faith, but few to the heavenly kingdom." Saint Anselm declares, "There are few who are saved." Saint Augustine states even more clearly, "Therefore, few are saved in comparison to those who are damned." The most terrifying, however, is Saint Jerome. At the end of his life, in the presence of his disciples, he spoke these dreadful words: "Out of one hundred thousand people whose lives have always been bad, you will find barely one who is worthy of indulgence." The Words of Holy Scripture But why seek out the opinions of the Fathers and theologians, when Holy Scripture settles the question so clearly? Look in to the Old and New Testaments, and you will find a multitude of figures, symbols and words that clearly point out this truth: very few are saved. In the time of Noah, the entire human race was submerged by the Deluge, and only eight people were saved in the Ark. Saint Peter says, "This ark was the figure of the Church," while Saint Augustine adds, "And these eight people who were saved signify that very few Christians are saved, because there are very few who sincerely renounce the world, and those who renounce it only in words do not belong to the mystery represented by that ark." The Bible also tells us that only two Hebrews out of two million entered the Promised Land after going out of Egypt, and that only four escaped the fire of Sodom and the other burning cities that perished with it. All of this means that the number of the damned who will be cast into fire like straw is far greater than that of the saved, whom the heavenly Father will one day gather into His barns like precious wheat. I would not finish if I had to point out all the figures by which Holy Scripture confirms this truth; let us content ourselves with listening to the living oracle of Incarnate Wisdom. What did Our Lord answer the curious man in the Gospel who asked Him, "Lord, is it only a few to be saved?" Did He keep silence? Did He answer haltingly? Did He conceal His thought for fear of frightening the crowd? No. Questioned by only one, He addresses all of those present. He says to them: "You ask Me if there are only few who are saved?" Here is My answer: "Strive to enter by the narrow gate; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able." Who is speaking here? It is the Son of God, Eternal Truth, who on another occasion says even more clearly, "Many are called, but few are chosen." He does not say that all are called and that out of all men, few are chosen, but that many are called; which means, as Saint Gregory explains, that out of all men, many are called to the True Faith, but out of them few are saved. Brothers, these are the words of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Are they clear? They are true. Tell me now if it is possible for you to have faith in your heart and not tremble.

(Excerpt) Read more at olrl.org ...


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Charismatic Christian; Ecumenism; Evangelical Christian; Mainline Protestant; Moral Issues; Orthodox Christian; Other Christian; Religion & Culture; Theology
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To: onedoug
One God.

Why ?

One universal morality.

Why ?

Decency toward others.

Why ?

Deed over creed.

Why ?

101 posted on 03/18/2004 12:14:50 PM PST by Quester
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To: Maximilian
...like a vision in which out of 33,000 who people who died on a particular day, 2 went right to heaven, 3 went to purgatory, and the rest went to hell.

Those sound like pretty ridiculous odds to me. So, you can be practically all your ancestors are in hell? I don't think God would have bothered sending His Son to die on the cross for those kinds of results.

102 posted on 03/18/2004 1:43:46 PM PST by Barnacle (There’s a wee bit of Irish in everyone... Everyone, but John Kerry that is.)
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To: Quester
No God, no morality, except that made up.

Multiple gods, multiple moralities.

Since God is good, the rest follows.

103 posted on 03/18/2004 1:57:03 PM PST by onedoug
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To: Barnacle
Those sound like pretty ridiculous odds to me.

The sermon itself is ridiculous. Saints have no special insight into the mind of God.

104 posted on 03/18/2004 2:01:14 PM PST by sinkspur (Adopt a dog or a cat from an animal shelter! It will save one life, and may save two.)
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To: onedoug
I guess I was asking about the bases for these (your ?) principles.

One God. One universal morality. Decency toward others. Deed over creed.

105 posted on 03/18/2004 2:04:18 PM PST by Quester
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To: Maximilian
I think your polls overstate how bad things are, but I do agree with your conclusion.
106 posted on 03/18/2004 2:30:30 PM PST by dangus
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To: PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain
So, Big Mack, you think it is OK to commit mortal sin?
107 posted on 03/18/2004 2:31:25 PM PST by dangus
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To: Barnacle
I don't think God would have bothered...

Unlike our politicians, God doesn't take opinion polls. He doesn't consult surveys before he acts. He doesn't care what you think or what your opinion is. God's ways are not our ways. Read the article, and either believe what is the universal teaching of the Catholic Church, or don't believe it.

108 posted on 03/18/2004 2:41:25 PM PST by Maximilian
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To: Quester
TORAH! You might find this interesting....

Ethical Monotheism

I'm a big fan of the author.

Everything good....

109 posted on 03/18/2004 2:42:09 PM PST by onedoug
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To: Maximilian
Are you saying this article is the universal teaching of the Catholic Church?
110 posted on 03/18/2004 3:00:02 PM PST by spunkets
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To: Maximilian
Apparently you agree with the assertion that "..."out of 33,000 who people who died on a particular day, 2 went right to heaven, 3 went to purgatory, and the rest went to hell."

Based on these odds you believe that practically everyone of your ancestors have been condemned to hell. And, almost without doubt, you are going to hell.

All I can say is, speak for yourself.

111 posted on 03/18/2004 3:13:47 PM PST by Barnacle (There’s a wee bit of Irish in everyone... Everyone, but John Kerry that is.)
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To: sinkspur
The sermon itself is ridiculous.

It's a pleasure to share some common ground with you Mr. Spur.

112 posted on 03/18/2004 3:32:02 PM PST by Barnacle (There’s a wee bit of Irish in everyone... Everyone, but John Kerry that is.)
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To: spunkets; Maximilian
Are you saying this article is the universal teaching of the Catholic Church?

He is.

He's wrong.

113 posted on 03/18/2004 3:37:12 PM PST by sinkspur (Adopt a dog or a cat from an animal shelter! It will save one life, and may save two.)
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To: spunkets
Are you saying this article is the universal teaching of the Catholic Church?

After you have read it for yourself, and seen the quotations from virtually every great saint and Father of the Church, as well as the testimony of Jesus Christ Himself, then you can decide for yourself whether this is not the very definition of a "universal teaching."

114 posted on 03/18/2004 3:57:07 PM PST by Maximilian
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To: Barnacle
All I can say is, speak for yourself.

I'm sure that when St. Leonard of Port Maurice gave this sermon there were large numbers of people who reacted exactly as you have done, "Speak for yourself." But by doing so, weren't these people placing themselves among the number of the reprobate, and weren't they demonstrating the very lack of remorse and fear which the saint was deploring in his sermon?

115 posted on 03/18/2004 3:59:49 PM PST by Maximilian
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To: dangus
Its all sin, if you steal a paper clip or murder someone they ain't no difference in Gods eyes.

Have you ever been to the school master of the bible and understood it?

BigMack
116 posted on 03/18/2004 4:03:05 PM PST by PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain (Proud member of the Lunatic Fringe, we love Spam, Uzi's and Jesus)
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To: Maximilian
I'm sure that when St. Leonard of Port Maurice gave this sermon there were large numbers of people who reacted exactly as you have done, "Speak for yourself." But by doing so, weren't these people placing themselves among the number of the reprobate, and weren't they demonstrating the very lack of remorse and fear which the saint was deploring in his sermon?

Give it up, Max. Saint Leonard was giving his own opinion, which opinion is no more valid than yours or mine.

The idea that Christ died for a miniscule fraction of the human race is ridiculous on its face.

117 posted on 03/18/2004 4:07:47 PM PST by sinkspur (Adopt a dog or a cat from an animal shelter! It will save one life, and may save two.)
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To: Maximilian
I think it has been pointed out that Christ said the road to hell is easy and the gate wide, many shall pass. I guess the Catholic lite crowd prefers to water down Christ's words in favor of a more...liberal...interpretation. Now, I hope all can be saved and we should pray for that, but to read how often Christ spoke of hell and how much that has been preached about it until recent times and then to deny it all is to Oprah-like for me.

No wonder the confession lines are minimal and Catholics in poll after poll show that we Catholics believe no differently than our pagan brothers at large in the culture. I guess we need more kumbaya and hand holding.
118 posted on 03/18/2004 4:09:06 PM PST by johnb2004
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To: sinkspur
Yes, I know that. It's amazing that with the magnitude of forgiveness Jesus displayed and with the focus He put on forgiveness in His teaching, Christians could take such a proposition seriously.
119 posted on 03/18/2004 4:09:09 PM PST by spunkets
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To: sinkspur
The idea that Christ died for a miniscule fraction of the human race is ridiculous on its face

And that is Church teaching?
120 posted on 03/18/2004 4:10:18 PM PST by johnb2004
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