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 ...
One God.
Why ?
One universal morality.
Why ?
Decency toward others.
Why ?
Deed over creed.
Why ?
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.
Multiple gods, multiple moralities.
Since God is good, the rest follows.
The sermon itself is ridiculous. Saints have no special insight into the mind of God.
I guess I was asking about the bases for these (your ?) principles.
One God. One universal morality. Decency toward others. Deed over creed.
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.
I'm a big fan of the author.
Everything good....
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.
It's a pleasure to share some common ground with you Mr. Spur.
He is.
He's wrong.
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."
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.
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