Today's homily...there is a 'cost to pay' for salvation

[whatevergirl]

I really like the new parish we are now members of, and the priests are all so humble and have great senses of humor, too!

Sometimes, in Catholic homilies, like today, I have heard this thought of…‘there is a cost for obtaining salvation on all of us.’ While I understand what today’s priest meant during his homily, I was struck that in some ways, he could have been implying that we need to go beyond what Jesus did for us, already. The only way we can have salvation, or eternal life, is by Jesus’ shed blood from dying for our sins on the Cross. Granted, if we say we are followers of Christ, we must show through our actions, that we are as well. But, do you find anything wrong with the way this priest phrased that? My husband and I both thought that it implied or inferred that we somehow control our destiny, when it’s really Christ’s death and God’s mercy that afford anyone heaven.

Going with that–remember the thief who hung next to Christ, and he was forgiven and told by Christ that he would see ‘Paradise.’ He didn’t go to Church, or even follow Christ during His life…so even if one lives a life of sin, if on his/her deathbed, he/she embraces Christ–then, salvation can be had.

Just curious if I’m reading into this too much–what do you think?

 

[mark_a]

Just curious if I’m reading into this too much

Yes.

what do you think?

Your priest was speaking within Catholic understanding. You know, take up your cross, avoid sin, and all that kind of thing.

 

[Mark_Robert]

Salvation is a cooperation between God’s free gift of salvific grace and human will. It’s completely gratitious insofar as every sin forgiven and good work performed is the fruit of God’s grace. However, there is also a choice we must make every moment to accept the grace that Christ won for us on the cross. Salvation is purely a gift from God but it’s also a struggle for us to accept that gift. Is there a ‘cost to pay’ for salvation? Yes, absolutely, at times a daunting price. Fighting against our fallen human tendencies is difficult and downright painful at times. If a person wants to follow the path of least reisitance than the spiritual life is not for them. Eternal life, in a sense, is a reward for suffering for righteousness sake in this life even though the desire, ability and good action were all God’s doing.

 

[InLight247]

I hope we don’t misunderstand like many Protestants do, that since Jesus died for our sins once and for all, as long as we believe in Jesus, there is nothing more we have to do ── it doesn’t matter if we never do any good deed, it doesn’t matter if we sin big time, we are done, we are guaranteed directly to heaven. Many Protestants use what you used ── the thief on the right ── to support their theory, that “believe in Jesus” is a license to do whatever freely.

But the thief on the right repented on the cross and endured his purgatory on the cross. People can repent at the very last minute of their lives and be granted to purgatory, but not directly to heaven. The right thief served his purgatory on the cross.

In today’s Gospel, there are two parables, both talked about how precious the kingdom of Heaven is. When we find the kingdom of Heaven, the most precious thing in the world, we ought to give up anything that may weigh us down and follow Jesus whole heartedly. As a Catholic, we believe faith without work is dead. We work our salvation with fear and trembling.

When we accept Jesus as our Savior and are baptized, it is like to get an admission to His kingdom, but not a graduation diploma. Yes, what Jesus did for us is once and for all, without that, no one can even obtain an admission. For the admission, we just need to accept it, there is nothing else we have to do. But for graduation, we have to do the Father’s will : "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.( Mt 7:21 )

We should put every thing behind and do the Father’s will ── sell everything we have, pay the cost to purchase the field or the pearl.

 

[Augustine]

Not only is there a cost, but also, if I may use Jesus’ analogy of the merchant, a profit. For, as the pearl merchant, we see that that precious pearl, Heaven, is worth more than everything that we have, so we must shed our selves, our idols, for the Kingdom of Heaven is worth much more than anyone of them.

It was indeed an illuminating passage.

 

[whatevergirl]

Not only is there a cost, but also, if I may use Jesus’ analogy of the merchant, a profit. For, as the pearl merchant, we see that that precious pearl, Heaven, is worth more than everything that we have, so we must shed our selves, our idols, for the Kingdom of Heaven is worth much more than anyone of them.

It was indeed an illuminating passage.

Were we at the same mass in Lutz, FL, this morning? Yes, very similiar analogy to what the priest today indicated.

I absolutely agree…we have a reponsibility as followers of Christ, to be ‘doers of the Word,’ as much as hearers. Perhaps, he could have added that to today’s homily.