2. And what need we concern ourselves about terms of philosophy? He to whom the eternal Word speaketh, is set at liberty from a multitude of opinions. From one word are all things, and this one all things speak; and this is the beginning which also speaketh to us. Without this word, no one understands or judges rightly. He to whom all things are one, and who draws all things to one, and who sees all things in one, may be steady in heart, and peaceably repose in God.(1 Corinthians 2:2 For I judged not myself to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ.) O Truth! my God, make me one with Thee in eternal love.(John 17:21 That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me.) I am wearied with often reading and hearing many things; in Thee is all that I will or desire. Let all teachers hold their peace; let all creatures be silent in Thy sight; speak Thou alone to me.

Chapter 3 Of the Doctrine of Truth Happy is he whom Truth teacheth by itself, not by figures and words that pass, but as it is in itself.(Ps. 17:36; Is. 28:26). Our opinion and our sense often deceive us, and discover but little. What availeth a great dispute about abstruse and obscure matters, for not knowing which we shall not be questioned at the Day of Judgment? It is a great folly for us to neglect things profitable and necessary, and willingly to busy ourselves about those which are curious and hurtful. We have eyes and see not.(Ps. 115:5). (Psalms 17:36 And thou hast given me the protection of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath held me up: And thy discipline hath corrected me unto the end: and thy discipline, the same shall teach me.) (Isaias 28:26 For he will instruct him in judgment: his God will teach him.) (Psalms 113:5 They have mouths and speak not: they have eyes and see not.)

Prayer Moderate, O Jesus, my eagerness to know so much, and correct my negligence in doing so little for salvation, since Thou wilt not judge me according to what I have known, but by what I have done, or neglected to do, to obtain it. Can I apply my thoughts to know Thee throughly, and not admire and love Thee? and can I truly know myself, and not despise and hate myself? O life unknown! life hidden in Jesus Christ, in God! what an excellent means art thou of sanctification and salvation, yet how little art thou practiced amongst Christians! Grant, O Lord, that all may know, esteem, and love it, and be directed by it. Amen.

Practical Reflections The thoughts of man, says the Scripture, are vain and useless, if, in them, he does not apply his mind to know and to love God, to forget and to hate himself. The simple and lively faith of a soul which believes all that God teaches, without examination or hesitation, and performs all that He requires for the attainment of salvation, is preferable to all divine and human sciences, which of themselves, without such a faith, only fill the mind with pride, leave the heart dry, and avail naught for salvation.

4. This is the highest science and most profitable lesson, truly to know and despise ourselves. To have no opinion of ourselves, and to think always well and commendably of others, is great wisdom and high perfection. If thou shouldst see another openly sin, or commit some heinous crime, yet thou oughtst not to esteem thyself better: because thou knowest not how long thou mayest remain in a good state. We are all frail: but see thou think no one more frail than thyself.

3.The more and better thou knowest, the more heavy will be thy judgment unless thy life be also more holy. Be not, therefore, puffed up with any art or science: but rather fear upon account of the knowledge which is given thee. If it seem to thee that thou knowest many things, and understandest them well enough, know at the same time, that there are many more things of which thou art ignorant. Be not high-minded, but rather acknowledge thine ignorance. Why wouldst thou prefer thyself to anyone, since there are many more learned and skillful in the law than thyself? If thou wouldst know and learn anything to the purpose, love to be unknown and esteemed as nothing.

Leave off that excessive desire of knowing: because there is found therein much distraction and deceit. They who are learned, are desirous to appear, and to be called wise. There are many things, the knowledge of which is of little or no profit to the soul. And he is very unwise who attends to other things than what may serve to his salvation. Many words do not satisfy the soul; but a good life gives ease to the mind; and a pure conscience affords a great confidence in God.(1 Timothy 3:9). (1 Timothy 3:9 Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience.)

Hi Michael

Hope you are doing good.

OK this is my story. I am a born and raised Catholic. Beyond my duties as a Catholic, I never really questioned why I believed what I believed. There came a point were I started doubting the reasons given for many a Catholic tradition and teaching. While doing research from all different kind of sources, I learned "many" points of view from other Christian faiths. I was one to criticize the traditions and teachings of the Catholic faith. Not so much in public, but in my conscience. The Non-Catholic Christian arguments are very strong. They "obviously" make sense. (Especially with the 99.9% of Catholics who do not even know the basics.) Well, anyway, when I went through many of these arguments with the few Catholics that did know why they were Catholics, and also knew how to explain, "and" took the time or had the time to share, Then, unexpectedly, I was a Catholic, not only by tradition but by conviction. I understood. This was not a simple or short process. Especially, because I am not one to believe "just because.." and especially concerning this matter.

In general, what I have experienced is that the more faithful and knowledgeable a Non-Catholic Christian is, the more likely he is to become a Catholic, and the less knowledgeable a Catholic is in his faith, the more likely he is to become a non-Catholic Christian.

Also, I have noticed that the ones who truly live their Catholic faith, can be recognized in any given situation by the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Michael, the arguments that you present were valid to me at one time, but there is a lot more. It takes a lot of time to go through this arguments. Besides my obligations at home, I am involved in another ministry. I promised someone that I would once in a while write from the "Imitation of Christ" or the "Sermons of St. Alphonsus Liguori" and I have barely had time for that.

I do hope that once in a while you visit and read the "Imitation of Christ". Just because.

Again, keep praying for me, and I'll keep doing the same for you and yours.

Your sister in Christ,
Naira

P.S. - Thank you for considering my feelings regarding Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Chapter 2 Of Having an Humble Opinion of One's Self All men naturally desire to know, but what does knowledge avail without the fear of God? Indeed an humble husbandman, that serves God, is better than a proud philosopher, who neglecting himself, considers the course of the heavens. (Ecclesiasticus 19:21) He who knows himself well, is mean in his own eyes, and is not delighted with being praised by men. If I should know all things that are in the world, and should not be in charity (Romans 13:8;1 Corinthians 13:2), What would it avail me in the sight of God, who will judge me by my deeds? (Ecclesiasticus 19:21 Better is a man that hath less wisdom, and wanteth understanding, with the fear of God, than he that aboundeth in understanding, and transgresseth the law of the most High.) (Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another. For he that loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law.) (1 Corinthians 13:2 And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.)

Prayer What will it avail me, O Jesus, to study and to know in part Thy supreme greatness, and the most sublime of Thy mysteries, if I endeavor not to derive advantage and merit from them, by cherishing Thy disposition and copying Thy virtues, since, to save my soul, I must not only know, but practice what Thou hast taught me by Thy word, and manifested in Thy life for my imitation-I must know and practice my religion? This, my Saviour, is the grace which I now ask of Thee, with a firm hope that Thou wilt grant my petition. Amen.

First Letter of John 3,22-24.4,1-6.
and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit that he gave us. Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh belongs to God, and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus does not belong to God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that, as you heard, is to come, but in fact is already in the world. You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them, for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They belong to the world; accordingly, their teaching belongs to the world, and the world listens to them. We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us, while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us. This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.

Practical Reflections If we would really honor Jesus Christ, we must apply ourselves to know Him, to love Him, and to follow Him in the practice of every Christian virtue. This is absolutely necessary for salvation, as we cannot become true Christians, but by knowing, loving, and following Christ. To pretend to please our Blessed Saviour by a profound knowledge of His divinity, without endeavoring to follow His example, without living as He lived, would be most dangerously to delude ourselves.

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5. Often remember that proverb: "The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear filled with hearing." (Ecclesiastes 1:8). Study, therefore, to withdraw thy heart from the love of visible things, and to turn thyself to things invisible. for they that follow their sensuality, defile their conscience, and lose the grace of God. (Ecclesiastes 1:8) All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing.

I think is great that you are visiting this site. I hope you keep coming back. There are so many misconceptions that you have about what the Catholic church teaches, I just wish you knew what you are missing out on. By this, I mean a personal relationship with Jesus. TRULY. Not only spiritual but physical. It is ongoing process... Please pray for me and I'll also pray for you and everybody reading the Imitation of Christ.

If one goes to daily mass for 3 consecutive years, than one has heard the entire Bible.

What came first, the Bible or the Church that Christ founded to whom its members Jesus Himself taught?

Matthew 16:18-19
And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.

Matthew 28:19-20
Going therefore, teach ye all nations: baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.

1Timothy 3:15
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

2 Thessalonians 2:15
Therefore, brethren, stand fast: and hold the traditions, which you have learned, whether by word or by our epistle.

The Church Jesus Christ founded was already an active and organized community "before" its members wrote the New Testament.

John Paul II is Pope Number 264…the 263rd Successor of Peter

Also, with what authority does someone interpret what the first members of the church wanted to convey when they wrote the New Testament?

Until recently there were 33,830 Christian denominations “inspired by the Holy Spirit”.

2 Peter 1:20
Understanding this first: That no prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation.

4. It is vanity, therefore, to seek after riches which must perish, and to trust in them. It is vanity also to be ambitious of honors, and to raise one's self to a high station. It is vanity to follow the lusts of the flesh, and to desire that for which thou must afterward be grievously punished. It is vanity to wish for a long life, and to take little care of leading a good life. It is vanity also to mind this present life, and not to look forward unto those things which are to come. It is vanity to love that which passeth with all speed, and not to hasten thither where everlasting joy remaineth.

The Imitation of Christ can be found at TAN books and publishers

Imitation Of Christ By: Thomas a'Kempis After the Bible, The Imitation is the all-time favorite book of Catholics for over 500 years. And this translation of Bishop Challoner, who revised the Douay-Rheims Bible in the 1740's, is the most beautiful and edifying we know of. Speaks to the soul of every Christian, reminding him of the shortness of time, the length of eternity and the brevity of earthly joy vs. the eternity of happiness with God. Belongs in every Catholic's library.

3. What doth it avail thee to discourse profoundly of the Trinity if thou be void of humility, and consequently, displeasing to the Trinity? In truth, sublime words make not a man holy and just: but a virtuous life maketh him dear to God. I would rather feel compunction, than know its definition. If thou didst know the whole Bible by heart, and the sayings of all the philosophers, what would it all profit thee without the love of God and His grace? "Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity" (Ecclesiastes 1:2), besides loving God and serving Him alone. This is the highest wisdom, by despising the world to tend to heavenly kingdoms. (Ecclesiates 1:2 Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes: vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.)

2. The doctrine of Christ surpasseth all the doctrines of the saints, and whosoever hath the spirit will find therein a hidden manna. (Apocalypse 2:17). But it happeneth that many, by frequent hearing of the Gospel, are very little affected: because they have not the spirit of Christ. But he who would fully and feelingly understand the words of Christ, must study to make his whole life conformable to that of Christ. (Apocalypse 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches: To him that overcometh I will give the hidden manna and will give him a white counter: and in the counter, a new name written, which no man knoweth but he that receiveth it.)

Let us now consider, in the first point, the different appearance of the just and the unjust; in the second, the scrutiny of consciences; and in the third, the sentence pronounced on the elect and on the reprobate.