We all fall short. We do not spend as much time as we could praying and helping our neighbors. We do not obey Jesus as much as we could. None of us is Mother Theresa. Still, Catholicism has life. Can Protestantism?
How do we know? Jesus divided humanity into the living and the dead by saying emphatically, over a dozen times, “If you do not eat My Body and drink you do not have life in you.” Therefore, a gap as wide as life and death separates the living from the dead. That gap divides obedient Catholics from those who knowingly reject The Only Church Jesus Founded.
Jesus was clear. Those who “have life in you” must choose to do what is necessary to receive Catholic Communion. Only by obeying His Great Winnowing Instruction are we able to be on the right side of “If you do not eat My Body and drink My Blood you do not have life in you.”
Catholics believe and obey. Sacraments allow us to receive forgiveness. Absolution enables us to receive His Body and Blood from a Catholic priest in living link with the Apostles whom Jesus ordained.
Now, consider the poor Protestant. After five hundred years of fragmentation, they are lost in 44,000 Protestant denominations! Many spend their lives splashing in such shallow water they think it meaningful to repeat “I believe in Jesus and The Bible.”
And, that is a start! Many of us who were once so satisfied were then blessed by realizing, “Wait a minute! Jesus Founded One Church. It wasn’t this one! This denomination has changed doctrines when donors demanded.”
Many are so blessed with The Gifts of The Holy Spirit, Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Knowledge, Fortitude, Piety, and Fear of the Lord that they leave their Marketing Plan masquerading as a denomination and take the necessary steps to have life in them.
Many, not so blessed, rant and rail against those who have, frankly, done infinitely better in life by choosing to obey Jesus enough to “have life in” us.