Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Unity and fullness of truth in the Catholic Church; come home to her and home to Him!

Despite the many failures and foibles of those humans entrusted with carrying out liturgy, theology, church governance, pastoral remedies, the Catholic Church is just down right awesome.

In no other Christian body does the hope of Christian unification rest.  None!

Our dear brothers and sisters who may be Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical, non-denominational, not sure what they are, none of these will ever be able to unify the Church as Christ demanded it must be; see John 17:21-22.

Catholicism is the living breathing organism that is the Body of Christ here on earth.  She exists in every time and every age since the Crucifixion and Resurrection of her head, Jesus the Christ; see Colossians 1:18, Ephesians 5:23.

Catholicism is the only faith tradition that is bride to the bridegroom, Jesus Christ; see John 3:29, Matthew 25:1-46, Mark 2:19-20 and numerous passages in Revelation.

You see for what ever reason, Jesus Christ, after fulfilling his earthy mission and the will of his Father perfectly, and before ascending back to his Father, established a Church, a hierarchy entrusted to human beings; see Matthew 16:18.  The first bishops of the Church were the twelve and so important was it that the office of bishop be maintained, the Apostles replaced Judas with Matthias after drawing lots; see Acts 1:26.

And the Church grew and grew, with the bishops, and later priests and deacons, preaching Christ crucified and risen.  Despite everything and anything that could stop the spread of the Church, she grew.  As early as the year 107, less than 20 years from the death of the last Apostle, John, it is recorded that the Church was referred to as Catholic.  Previously, the Church was simply known as The Way, but after just the 2nd decade past the death of John the Beloved, it was and has been known as Catholic.

As early as 155 A.D. there exists a manuscript from Justin Martyr, a Catholic Saint now, detailing the celebration of Mass quite similar to today, and the belief that the Eucharist is the real Body & Blood of Jesus Christ. 

And we all know that I could go on and on.  For the Church of Jesus Christ to be the one to claim it's true role as the one left by Him, it would have to exist in every time, every decade and century and continue to exist, grow and prosper to this very day.  Additionally, to be universal and capable of unifying Christianity, it would have to be truly functional in every continent, country, in every time zone from as far as the east is from the west, the north from the south.

To be fully capable of claiming the ability of uniting Christians everywhere and carrying on the authentic teachings of Jesus Christ, it must be able to point to reliance on the Sacred Scripture, which goes without saying, and Sacred Tradition, all that I handed on to you, see 1 Corinthians 15:3 and John 21:25.  Finally, that Church would also need to possess a teaching office; a manner in which to interpret and hand on; an authority.  That only exists in the Catholic Church, called the Magesterium.

Despite wars and rumors of wars, calamities and earthquakes, flood and famine, terrorism, hatred, internal struggles, scandal, disease, pestilence, and more, still she stands. 

The Catholic Church is not for wimps but sure does welcome them.  Following all of Christ's teachings and keeping them real and relevant and hopeful in ever-changing and modern worlds, it takes a Church; not some 30,000 offshoots of this branch and that limb.  The greatest scandal we as world give to Jesus Christ is our brokenness, our division, our rejection of the Body and the Bride he left us.

It is indeed challenging and difficult to break away from how we were raised, brought up, indoctrinated and molded by others.  The Catholic Church welcomes you to break these barriers and chains and come on home.  Yes, some of us may have to change our ways, experience being uncomfortable and even confused, but still she awaits you because Christ awaits you.

Unity and fullness of truth lie within the Catholic Church and Jesus desires you to accept it.  May we be one!!

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