Where the Rubber Hits the Road

I like this column from Msgr. Charles Pope of the Washington DC Diocese. I've often remarked that God continues to speak to us in many ways, continually calling us to live better lives and remind us of his gifts to us. The fact that Msgr. Pope was able to see this ad as such a communication speaks well to his 'spiritual radar'! After all... our faith is the best 'insurance' any of us can have as we face the bumps and scrapes of our daily lives. It's a natural analogy. Well done Msgr. Pope! “Hey Darkside, Get Off the Car.” What a State Farm Commericial Has to Say About God and Spirituality | Archdiocese of Washington

I've been having this same debate in the threads of the Holy Post! It seems that many evangelicals believe that ONLY those who believe in Christ will be found in the New Jerusalem. They seem (IMO) to be far too quick to condemn to hell the BILLIONS of souls of people who died without ever hearing of Christ. Further, they condemn those who once had faith, but through the events of life have had their faith stolen from them (think of victims of clergy sexual abuse or people who experienced the horrors of the Concentrations camps) thus (again IMO) victimizing these souls a second time. My understanding of God is very different. I take him at his word when he taught that many who think that they will be saved simply because they claim to be his followers will be shocked to find the way closed to them while 'tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners' are invited in. Personally, I always look at it this way: imagine after death you must stand in one of two lines. The first is...

A thought provoking posting from a friend of this blog, Michael Brandon. His 'Freedom Through Truth' is a must read for anyone interested in Catholic issues. In this post he addresses the long exchanges between another excellent poster, 'Small Town Guy' and the two of us. Check it out! What is the Fruit of Disobedience?

This one really makes you stop and think. God's grace is truly unmerited. God's Grace It is a shame but this message is very true. Hope you are all as blessed as I was by this story. I wonder how many people will delete this without reading it because of the title. There once was a man named George Thomas, pastor in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit. Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak.... "I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright. I stopped the lad and asked, "What do you have there, son?" "Just some old birds," came the reply. "What are you going to do with them?" I asked. "Take 'em home and have fun with 'em," he answered. ...

Wayne has joined in conversation in the comment thread of my post on Reformation Day. Here is my response to him. Faith is a priori the first requirement for salvation. Without it, works, sacraments etc cannot be efficacious. With faith, the invitation of Jesus as Savior, Lord, Redeemer and Sanctifier inspires good works. With faith, Jesus can breathe life into believers through the sacraments. Who are we to say that He could not do so? If our goal is to receive His saving gift won for us through His blood shed on cross of Calvary, and not the empty worship of ritual, how can anyone object to the means that God uses to grace us? So long as we intend no insult, no blasphemy, how could God refuse to meet us wherever and whenever we turn to Him? His word alone guarantee's this divine promise. I acknowledge the presence of Christ within any Church that claims Jesus as its Lord and Savior. How can I deny the promise of scripture that He would be wherever "two or three" are...