Learn by Topic: Judgement

Martin Luther initiated the Protestant Revolution, sowing discord and divide in Christendom.  Luther’s wounds to the Body of Christ continue to fester today, separating millions from the full union with the Body of Christ in the Eucharist.

At the core of Luther’s error, was the belief that deeds have no impact on the destiny of a soul who professes “faith.”

Jesus Christ, in today’s Gospel from the Mass (John 14:23-29) makes it clear that each soul must act to keep the words of Jesus.  An excerpt:

[23] Jesus answered him, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. [24] He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

Of course, the Catholic Church as always taught that souls can only be saved by the Grace of God, but that what we do on earth has a great impact on our destiny:  Mortal sin, no matter what one professes to believe, leads to death.

“We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him. But we cannot love God if we sin gravely against him, against our neighbor or against ourselves: “He who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:14-15). Our Lord warns us that we shall be separated from him if we fail to meet the serious needs of the poor and the little ones who are his brethren. To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God’s merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called “hell” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1033).

Pray for Jesus Christ to enter all hearts and minds, that Catholics might love Jesus with the same intensity as so many of our Protestant brothers and sisters do.  Pray that the Holy Spirit will sweep clean the errors of Luther and that all Christians may be united in full communion with the Body of Christ, the Catholic Church.

And pray for Luther, he surely still needs it.