 |
*1*
 |
| From Behind the Collar with the Richmond Diocese |
It's a great week for vocations (... it's actually National Vocations Awareness Week): A friend recently told us about their call. Joel and Lisa over at The Practicing Catholic shared with us their journey of discernment before applying to be a Deaconate couple.
*2*
Did you see Inception? How many times? Do you have a theory about the "ending?"
*3*
 | |
| I don't own the rights of this SCREENSHOT |
The best part about TOMS (as long as they're honest about where the money goes) is that materialism helps people directly and immediately. Buy more shoes!
*4*
Theology of the Body for Teens is a fantastic resource that I enjoy using when teaching the teens at my church. Just yesterday I discovered that Jason and Crystalina Everet, two of the text's writers, are publishing a book for women titled, How to Find Your Soulmate: Without Losing Your Soul.
It is coming out this Spring! I'm on the list and I'm getting it immediately and sharing it with my sisters, blood sisters and Earth sisters.... I'm not a hippie.
New Mexico residents may soon see outgoing Governor Bill Richardson pardon Billy the Kid. Yes, that Billy the Kid. Update: No they won't, he decided against it. THAT's how the west was won.
This puts boundaries on God's mercy and the Catholic teaching does not. Yes, Jesus tells us that the way to the Father is through Him, Jesus Christ. This means that the only way people get to God's Kingdom of Heaven is through the mercy and forgiveness of Christ.
This does not necessarily mean that only people who believe in, worship, and seek forgiveness from Jesus while on Earth will go to heaven. If that was the case, it would contradict the verses that say those who never heard about Jesus are not responsible for not knowing Him (unfortunately, I walked out of the meeting without writing down the specific verses).
Therefore, a Muslim could go to heaven. An atheist could go to heaven. A bushman in New Guinea who had never heard of Jesus could go to heaven.
If that idea pisses you off: A) ask yourself why that would piss you off, B) take it up with the Big Guy because HE'S the one making that decision. It's not for you to make. Sheesh.
*7*Once again, I listened to Patrick Madrid's radio show this week and a woman called in, asking about the connection between getting abortions and later suffering from breast cancer. There has also been a lot of research about the intersection of use of contraceptives, abortions, and cancer.
It is coming out this Spring! I'm on the list and I'm getting it immediately and sharing it with my sisters, blood sisters and Earth sisters.... I'm not a hippie.
*5*
 |
| I don't own the rights. The guy who does died a long time ago... |
*6*
This week in our Young Adult Club, we discussed something that is a big difference in beliefs between Catholics and Protestants. Many Protestant friends have said the following sentence, "We know that person is not going to heaven," or "They are going to hell."This puts boundaries on God's mercy and the Catholic teaching does not. Yes, Jesus tells us that the way to the Father is through Him, Jesus Christ. This means that the only way people get to God's Kingdom of Heaven is through the mercy and forgiveness of Christ.
This does not necessarily mean that only people who believe in, worship, and seek forgiveness from Jesus while on Earth will go to heaven. If that was the case, it would contradict the verses that say those who never heard about Jesus are not responsible for not knowing Him (unfortunately, I walked out of the meeting without writing down the specific verses).
Therefore, a Muslim could go to heaven. An atheist could go to heaven. A bushman in New Guinea who had never heard of Jesus could go to heaven.
If that idea pisses you off: A) ask yourself why that would piss you off, B) take it up with the Big Guy because HE'S the one making that decision. It's not for you to make. Sheesh.
UPDATE: The host of our meeting wrote me this morning with the verses for which I was searching!
*John 15:22 and John 9:41 show how we are personally responsible without understanding
*Acts 10:4-6 and Acts 10:34-35 talk about Cornelious who knew God as a non-Christian
*"Catholicism teaches 'Invincible Ignorance,' meaning that we are invincible from that which we are ignorant. All know God (our soul and creation shouts of Him) and all must honestly seek truth. With truth comes freedom and resposibility to living it. I think the Catechism serves as a good reference as does this response from Catholic answers."
*7*
Patrick mentioned OneMoreSoul.com and the National Catholic Bioethics Center, two great resources you should check out to arm yourself for these discussions.
9 comments:
I love point your quick take 6!
It's one of the things I had a lot of problems with when I was a protestant: really, Gandhi would never ever be able to go to heaven? Or those people that had never heard of Jesus?
Thanks! It's one of the biggest points of contention between me and my Protestant friends. It's not our choice, nor do we know the expanse of God's mercy, so why do "we" think we know where anyone is going when they die?
That's great that you teach teens about Theology of the Body! I learned all of it on my own or in college, and I know my younger siblings haven't been exposed to it. I try to bring up topics, but it is hard when you are the sister, and not someone interesting and new.
Love your points on who can go to heaven and who cannot. How many people are you in your Young Adult group? The ones I attend here in NY are not flourishing :(
Elizabeth, did you read Peter Kreeft's latest article: http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/philosophy/ph0033.htm
He gave it at the annual Catholic Medical Association conference. Also, thanks for those links-- I am looking for more resources. I have some more I should send you... I've written and researched this topic quite a bit, and will be doing much more in the months to come!
first of all, thank you for coming to my blog and leaving the awesome comments!!
second, thank you for writing in this entry about vocations awareness week! i totally forgot to write about it in my blog...and will have to do so now (especially since my blog is a vocation discernment one!)
in what setting do you teach teens? I've been the youth minister at my church for...about 4 years now...before that being an assistant youth minister.
and i'm rambling.
so i'll stop. ;-)
@Julie - thanks for the link! That's great because I actually have to give a talk on this over the weekend to a crowd of 90 teens... eek!
@Vitaconsecrata - You're welcome! I don't believe in atheists.
And of course you're welcome for the vocations plug! We're all listening to what God's telling us, or trying to, and I'm just happy for those who hear it and find peace.
I teach Theology of the Body for Teens at my church, which is a voluntary class... therefore not very many kids show up. That's great! I would love to be a youth minister someday!
I'm in a book club and we're reading Dante's Inferno, and we were actually talking about this idea of heaven and hell, and how Dante seems to have "polluted" the minds of many people into thinking that the Church condemns people... anyway, kind of related, kind of not, but an interesting point!
I often find Protestants (and a friend who is Catholic but still has a very Protestant mind set) quoting John 14:6 - Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Which is completely true! We ALL need a savior, and Jesus opens up that gate to heaven for us... but it doesn't necessarily mean you have to believe in Jesus or have been baptized... like the virtuous person who lives out in New Guinea and has never heard of Jesus, like you said.
I personally want EVERYONE to go to Heaven...so yes, I try to share my faith with others in a very non-confrontational way... I can't understand why some people don't...
also, do you listen to patrick madrid on catholic answers? because i LOVE catholic answers. I also love the one more soul site.
Thank you for that John verse! That's the one I was looking for... exactly. God wants everyone to join Him in Heaven too!
I listen to Patrick Madrid as often as I can, but not on Catholic Answers... yet!
Post a Comment
Considering commenting? Indulge the urge!