Our goals in the church

[billcu1]

It’s our job if I am right to stay out of sin and take the Mass. And work on developing virtues. That will take faith. How do we develop that. More than just going to Mass. Did any of the saint reveal how?

 

[TheLittleLady]

Our goal is to get to heaven and to help others get there.

The things you list are all ways we achieve our goal.

VERY good new book “Little Sins Mean A Lot” is about overcoming vices (vices are the opposite of virtues!)

https://g.co/kgs/58sTxB

Each of the Saints demonstrated heroic virtues!!

 

[hergratefulchild]

Pray the Rosary every day

 

[AndrewAxland]

It’s our job if I am right to stay out of sin and take the Mass. And work on developing virtues. That will take faith. How do we develop that. More than just going to Mass. Did any of the saint reveal how?

St. Athanasius put our goal as Christians quite succinctly, “For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.” (St. Athanasius, De inc. 54, 3: PG 25, 192B.)

And St. Thomas Aquinas put it this way: "“The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.” (St. Thomas Aquinas, Opusc. 57, 1-4.)

If achieving mystical union with God is not your ultimate goal, there is little point in being a Christian at all, and you are just wasting your time. Everything else flows from this.

 

[ComplineSanFran]

St. Athanasius put our goal as Christians quite succinctly, “For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.” (St. Athanasius, De inc. 54, 3: PG 25, 192B.)

And St. Thomas Aquinas put it this way: "“The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.” (St. Thomas Aquinas, Opusc. 57, 1-4.)

This sounds very much like Mormon theology.

 

[AndrewAxland]

This sounds very much like Mormon theology to comment.

Perhaps. I am not well versed in Mormon theology.

 

[ComplineSanFran]

If achieving mystical union with God is not your ultimate goal, there is little point in being a Christian at all, and you are just wasting your time. Everything else flows from this.

I agree with this, Andrew. If we do not actively love God - and seek to unite with God - then nothing else can happen. For all who have implied that there is a check list of things to do, I wonder if that is all backwards. How can we be in love with God when we are worried about ‘doing’ the things to get to heaven? Didn’t Augustine say, ‘Love God and do as you please?’ Just some thoughts.

 

[AndrewAxland]

The full passage reads:

“See what we are insisting upon; that the deeds of men are only discerned by the root of charity. For many things may be done that have a good appearance, and yet proceed not from the root of charity. For thorns also have flowers: some actions truly seem rough, seem savage; howbeit they are done for discipline at the bidding of charity. Once for all, then, a short precept is given you: Love, and do what you will: whether you hold your peace, through love hold your peace; whether you cry out, through love cry out; whether you correct, through love correct; whether you spare, through love do you spare: let the root of love be within, of this root can nothing spring but what is good.”

 

[billcu1]

I agree. One cannot know what is external. We know him by his manifestations. But God’s everywhere including here. Where is the teacher? Always been here. When will we know all. We already do. But we need help clearing the sinful veil. Getting rid of the ego.

 

[fhansen]

It’s our job if I am right to stay out of sin and take the Mass. And work on developing virtues. That will take faith. How do we develop that. More than just going to Mass. Did any of the saint reveal how?

Have a heart for God. Seek Him in whatever way you can: sacraments, Scripture reading, studying Church teachings, prayer and fasting. He’ll guide you. The more you seek, the more you’ll find.

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

He can and will work with the smallest amount of faith. Humility is the key. It’s a give and take kind of process; He’s already initiated it so our part is to respond

 

[CelticWarlord]

work on developing virtues. That will take faith. How do we develop that.

I would start by studying the beatitudes. Think of this process as one that transforms you into a person whose default position is always to show mercy and compassion. It takes effort but is a marvelous end to work toward.