Today’s Reading helps us see The Light of God as clearly as St. Paul did!
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Question 1: “What lets us see the joy of being Catholic in Today’s Reading?”
Answer: “First of all, it’s short! In Gal. 5:1-6, St. Paul shines The Light of God upon Catholics in Galatia who are thinking about leaving The Catholic Church.
‘Brothers and sisters: For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.’”
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Question 2: “How do lapsed Catholics lose freedom?”
Answer: “They become ‘slaves’ who are ‘yoked’ to laws that profit law-makers.”
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Question 3: “What kind of ‘laws’ do that?”
Answer: “Those ‘laws’ are symbolized by the sin of believing: ‘I am circumcised, so I am as good as I need to be’. St. Paul specifically tells us that Faith in Jesus has replaced those kinds of laws: ‘It is I, Paul, who am telling you that if you have yourselves circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you.'”
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Question 4: “What does St. Paul say next?”
Answer: “He repeats himself, as he did when telling them twice in Gal. 3:1-2 that not being Catholic is “stupid”: ‘Once again I declare to every man who has himself circumcised that he is bound to observe the entire law.’
Then, St. Paul speaks to all who put anything before Jesus: ‘You are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.’”
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Question 5: “Incredible! Is St. Paul, who spread Christ’s Word, Body, and Blood to more groups of people than anyone, telling every Victim of Protestantism that: ‘you have fallen from grace’?”
Answer: “Even the most self-centered Profiteers of Protestantism can understand that simple fact if they ask God to let them understand Today’s Psalm 119:41-48 which includes ‘Let Your mercy come to me, O Lord.’”
Catholics thank God for St. Paul and The Bible! We strive to walk in His way and let our beloved neighbors see how important it is to obey The Call to Catholic Communion that Jesus Christ repeated 12 times in John 6 and twice more at The Last Supper: “If you do not eat My Body and drink My Blood you do not have life in you.”
We know That Holy Food gives life to all who meaningfully respect The Church-Creating Word of Jesus Christ to The First Catholic Pope in Mt. 16:18-20: “And I say unto you thou art Peter and on this rock I build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I give you the keys to The Kingdom of Heaven.”
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Question 6: “What did Jesus say about people like the Pharisees who made a big deal out of obeying ‘laws’?”
Answer: “Luke 11:37-41 includes His Teaching on the hypocrisy of avoiding ‘Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.’ !
‘After Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited Him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat. The Pharisee was amazed to see that He did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.
The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil.
You fools!
Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.’”
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Question 7: “What more does anyone need to know to be Catholic?”
Answer:
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