Today’s Reading has six saving sentences. Just six. John 2: 1-5 is a reminder to Catholics and a very strong message to Protestants, schismatics, and the world from He Who fulfilled the prophecies.
1. “My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin.” 2. “But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one.” 3. “He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.”
Nearly all Christians believe the first three of the six saving sentences. The most beloved Disciple tells us that we must not sin. If we do sin, we have Jesus as an advocate. He is expiation for our sins and the sins of the whole world. They are the “first rungs” of Jacob’s Ladder. They get us off the ground. Maybe.
Will those first three rungs get us high enough to enter Heaven? St. John answers that in #4. “The way we may be sure we know Him is to keep His commandments.”
#4 is higher above #3 and a more difficult stretch to reach. Many stop at #3, from where some come crashing down. Why? One of Christ’s commandments that we are called to obey is His bizarre statement in John 6: 53. “If you do not eat My Body and drink My Blood you do not have life in you.”
The only way we may obey that command and have life in us is to receive Communion in a Catholic Church, each Mass a re-presentation of The Last Supper at which bread and wine were transformed into His Body and Blood.
Many say they are “Christian” but do not obey that command to “eat My Body and drink My Blood”. #5 tells us what St. John, the beloved Disciple, tell us about those in the schisms? “Those who say ‘I know Him.’ but do not keep His commandments are liars, and the truth is not in them.”
Those are strong words! They are among the commands to “Be Catholic!” that are scattered throughout Scripture. #6 reaffirms them: But whoever keeps His word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.””
Who would let vanity lead to such foolishness as to ignore that statement? Wiser to heed the six saving sentences. Just six.
What keeps people from doing whatever is necessary to receive Catholic Communion? Their own vanity convinces many to believe “I can get to Heaven my way.”
Reread Johns’ warning of the dangers in do-it-yourself salvation in #5. ‘Those who say, “I know him.’ but do not keep His commandments are liars, and the truth is not in them.” Corrupting viruses encourage that suicidal choice: “I’m going to do it my way!”
Thrown onto the burn pile for choosing to ignore the First Commandment and worshiping one’s own vanity instead of God!
A tiny poem sums up: “It’s enough to make you cry/knowing that they’ll fry/They don’t like God as much as they like I.”
