John, Cardinal Newman converted to Catholicism in the 1840s. He thought and wrote of God, His Church, our souls, and every theological issue. He said something of great interest to the effect that: “God is unchanging. We, however, rise and fall in God’s estimation (depending on our thoughts, words, and deeds) of us.”
“We rise and fall in God’s estimation.” Some days, God likes us more than others. That thought is rare among Protestants. To Catholics, it is as natural as breathing. Our relationship with Him is like an attentive servant, striving to please.
“We rise and fall in God’s estimation.” is a wonderful opportunity to see how important it is to be Catholic! If we are Catholic, we may receive The Seven Sacraments. When we worthily do so, we rise in His estimation. When we make a good Confession, we receive Absolution. We rise in His estimation.
When Catholics receive Communion, we receive His actual Body and Blood. We obey His “Indirect command”, “If you do not eat My Body and drink My Blood you do not have life in you.” We rise in His estimation.
The poor Protestants may lay claim to “Loving the Lord.” They may say “I believe in the Bible.” And, they may piously and endlessly inquire of those unable to escape the relentless questioning, “Do you know the Lord?”
But, if they do not obey the “Indirect Commands” that Jesus made very clear to those He called His friends, saying “If you obey My Commands you are My friends.”, how can they help but fall in God’s estimation?
Their souls, like autumn leaves drifting downward, grow ever farther from the branch.
