. Christ’s Holy Saints, Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy took the “keys” that Jesus gave to Peter all the way to Greece!
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Question 1: “What did St. Paul, St. Silvanus and St. Timothy ask the Catholics of Thessalonia to do for them?”
Answer: “These great Catholic Saints made a humble request! 3:1-2 ‘Finally, brothers, pray for us; pray that the Lord’s message may spread quickly, and be received with honor as it was among you; and pray that we may be preserved from the interference of bigoted and evil people, for faith is not given to everyone.’”
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Question 2: “To what people is faith not given?”
Answer: “‘Faith’ is never given to people who won’t ask for it!”
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Question 3: “If we sincerely ask The Lord for the gift of ‘faith’, will He grant it?”
Answer: “3:3-4 is clear. ‘But the Lord is faithful, and he will give you strength and guard you from the evil one, and we, in the Lord, have every confidence that you are doing and will go on doing all that we tell you.
In 3:5, Christ’s Holy Saints ask God to intercede on behalf of all the world. ‘May the Lord turn your hearts towards the love of God and the fortitude of Christ.’”
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Question 4: “Do God’s Saints warn about dangers to our souls?”
Answer: “In 3:6-10, we are clearly told to be ‘Against idleness and disunity’!” ‘In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we urge you, brothers, to keep away from any of the brothers who refuses to work or to live according to the tradition we passed on to you.’”
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5. “Are the Catholic ‘brothers and sisters’ supposed to work for a living?”
Answer: “Yes! ‘You know how you are supposed to imitate us: now we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we ever have our meals at anyone’s table without paying for them; no, we worked night and day, slaving and straining, so as not to be a burden on any of you.’”
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Question 6: “Why did The Apostles set an example of hard work?”
Answer: “Jesus Christ used His Life to set an example, so did His First Catholics! ‘This was not because we had no right to be, but in order to make ourselves an example for you to follow.’”
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Question 7: “Were The Three Saints clear about the need for hard work?:
Answer: “Yes! St. Paul hates lazy and self-righteous pretenders! ‘We gave you a rule when we were with you: not to let anyone have any food if he refused to do any work. 3:11 Now we hear that there are some of you who are living in idleness, doing no work themselves but interfering with everyone else’s.'”
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Question 8: Does St. Paul tell lazy and self-righteous people to cleanse themselves of sloth and vanity?”
Answer: “He does in 3:12-15! ‘In the Lord Jesus Christ, we order and call on people of this kind to go on quietly working and earning the food that they eat. My brothers, never grow tired of doing what is right. If anyone refuses to obey what I have written in this letter, take note of him and have nothing to do with him, so that he will feel that he is in the wrong; . .’”
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Question 9: “Should we look at a vain and lazy person as an ‘enemy’?”
Answer: “No! ‘. . you are not to regard him (them) as an enemy but as a brother in need of correction.’”
This Wonderful Book of 2 Thessalonians ends with The Saints’ best hopes and prayers for us! ‘Prayer and farewell wishes. May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace all the time and in every way. The Lord be with you all.’”
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Question 10: “How does St. Paul let us know that he has written this?”
Answer: “He put it in his own handwriting and ends with his Blessing in 3:18. ‘From me, PAUL, these greetings in my own handwriting, which is the mark of genuineness in every letter; this is my own writing.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.’”
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