CHRISTIAN LIFE
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Christian Living, the Central Point of
Catholic Doctrine
Sacraments are useless without Christian
Living. Baptism, through which we received God's life in us, is useless
since we shall lose it almost immediately because of our fallen nature. It
is only useful for those who die while still babies. One can receive all the
sacraments but, without Christian Living, one can lose his soul. Take note
of St. Paul's warning on receiving the Body and Blood of Christ unworthily,
i.e. without the accompanying Christian Life.
Believing all the truths of the Apostles'
Creed is useless without Christian Living. Most Protestant sects recite not
only the Apostles' Creed but even the Nicene Creed. It is said that the
Pharisees knew all the doctrines and truths but it was the good thief, who
was ignorant of most truths, who went to heaven.
The Ten Commandments, being of the Old
Testament, is insufficient for salvation. One can obey the Ten Commandments,
like the young rich man who obeyed them from his youth, and still sadden
Christ.
So, Part III, Section I, of the Catechism
of the Catholic Church, i.e. on Christian Life, is the center of our
Catholic Life. All the rest are helps for the acquisition, maintenance and
perfection of this life.
Through Baptism, we become part of the
Church, the Bride of Christ. Through Christian Living, we become FAITHFUL
Brides of Christ. Without Christian Living, we become spiritual adulterers.
There is only one way of Christian Living.
The seeming differences in the lives of the saints is not in the way of
life. It is, firstly, in the personal defects the saints are overcoming;
henceforth, the specific evangelical medicine would be different for each.
The life of an aspiring saint overcoming drunkenness will be slightly
different from one overcoming anger.
Then, there is the occasion for good works.
The life of one aspiring for holiness amidst the poverty in India will be
different from the life of one in Sweden.
Then there is the role one plays in the
Mystical Body; a Bishop rules, a monk prays, a doctor of the Church
writes.
St. Francis de Sales stated that it is
heresy to say that Christian Life is not for soldiers, mechanics, princes
and married couples. St. Crispin in the workshop, St. Monica the mother,
Sts. Cornelius and Sebastian the soldiers, St. Edward the King--all became
saints by living the perfection of Christian life in their state of
life.
(05-01-03)
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