Catholics are frequently confronted by schismatics who are separated from, and hostile to, The Roman Catholic Church.
Many conversations begin with the person encouraging schism making the usual, emphatic announcement that “I love Jesus!” Or, its common variant, “Jesus loves me!” Their approaches are rarely complicated.
If unchecked, the person encouraging schism from The Church will repeat similar sentiments, often for long periods. As they speak, their eyes will be opened widely. They nod vigorously. Sincerity will almost drip from them.
There will be expressions of Christian love for neighbors. But, many schismatics dislike neighbors who, after hearing their “witness”, do not leave The Roman Catholic Church. The hostility for those who remain Catholic is also found in union bosses faced with right-to-work alternatives.
Catholics find it interesting to experiment with the fact that many schismatics have a very hard time connecting two basic Bible passages. You may ask them to consider Matt: 16-18, “Thou art Peter, and on this rock, I build My Church.” They are familiar with that. Then, ask them how that should be connected with John 6:56, “If you do not eat My Body and drink My Blood, you do not have life in you.”
Some have the intellectual honesty to recognize that Jesus did say both of those things. They may be shown that the only place they can have “life in them” is by taking Communion in The Roman Catholic Church.
Other schismatics cannot accept the simple, Christ-originated sentences. If you always return to those sentences, and do not argue with a single other issue, something interesting happens. They will change the subject, quote other scriptures almost at random, and become noticeably angry and frustrated.
They simply will not deal with those two passages. They know, and fear, their logical conclusion: “The Catholic Church was founded by Christ, with Peter as the first Pope. It is the only place on earth where those who believe and obey Jesus more fully may eat His Body and drink His Blood and have life in them.”
When dealing with schismatics, never let them change the subject away from those two passages. “Thou art Peter, and on this rock, I build My Church.”, and “If you do not eat My Body and drink My Blood, you do not have life in you.” must be kept at the heart of the conversation. If they can get us to change the subject, they think they win.
Those two passages are the first steps on the stairway to greater belief and obedience. Those who cannot take those two, simple steps may not get closer to the endless love of God in Heaven.
We may ask: Is “If you do not eat My Body and drink My Blood, you do not have life in you.” also “If you do not eat My Body and drink My Blood, you have death in you.”?
Catholics: Keep conversations with schismatics simple. You will enjoy them. They will not.
