P
Pax
Guest
Egg,
Although I do not know you and cannot read your heart, I have no reason to believe that you do not have a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. As Catholics we recognize that those outside of the Catholic faith are still God’s children and were created in His image and likeness. God does not want his children to spiritually starve to death. He comes to each of us with grace where ever we are in life.
Jesus is calling each of us into a relationship with Him. Once in that relationship, He beckons us to come closer and to grow in love for Him throughout the rest of our Christian walk. As Catholics we believe that the fullness of Catholic teaching and the ultimate gift of the Eucharist are the best and most complete way for Christians to get closer to Jesus and to share more completely in the all consuming fire of God’s love.
Naturally, we want to share this good news with non-catholic Christians, just as all Christians wish to share their faith in Jesus with non-believers. If you look at it from this point of view, you can see why we are not inclined to compromise our position. Surely, you would not compromise your beliefs in Jesus in speaking with a Muslim, a Hindu, a JW, or member of any other faith.
You and I are closer to one another in our faith than you might imagine, and yet we are separated. This is not God’s will for us and we must therefore never compromise the truth. Read the 17th Chapter of John’s gospel. For me, it is the most compelling set of passages in scripture concerning the unity of belief that we are to share as members of the body of Christ. In this chapter Jesus makes it clear that our unity is to be the same as the unity that He has with the Father. Meditation upon the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit gives this chapter in John’s gospel a power that is otherwise unappreciated. After reading John 17 go to:
Eph 4:1-5, Phi 1:27, and Phi 2:1-2. I think these verses say a lot about why we must all accept the fullness of truth and why we cannot be satisfied with anything else.
While we accept you as a Christian, we also want you to enjoy the benefits of the fullness of faith given by Jesus. This fullness includes the incredible gift of the Eucharist which is the source and summit of grace within the Catholic faith.
Although I do not know you and cannot read your heart, I have no reason to believe that you do not have a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. As Catholics we recognize that those outside of the Catholic faith are still God’s children and were created in His image and likeness. God does not want his children to spiritually starve to death. He comes to each of us with grace where ever we are in life.
Jesus is calling each of us into a relationship with Him. Once in that relationship, He beckons us to come closer and to grow in love for Him throughout the rest of our Christian walk. As Catholics we believe that the fullness of Catholic teaching and the ultimate gift of the Eucharist are the best and most complete way for Christians to get closer to Jesus and to share more completely in the all consuming fire of God’s love.
Naturally, we want to share this good news with non-catholic Christians, just as all Christians wish to share their faith in Jesus with non-believers. If you look at it from this point of view, you can see why we are not inclined to compromise our position. Surely, you would not compromise your beliefs in Jesus in speaking with a Muslim, a Hindu, a JW, or member of any other faith.
You and I are closer to one another in our faith than you might imagine, and yet we are separated. This is not God’s will for us and we must therefore never compromise the truth. Read the 17th Chapter of John’s gospel. For me, it is the most compelling set of passages in scripture concerning the unity of belief that we are to share as members of the body of Christ. In this chapter Jesus makes it clear that our unity is to be the same as the unity that He has with the Father. Meditation upon the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit gives this chapter in John’s gospel a power that is otherwise unappreciated. After reading John 17 go to:
Eph 4:1-5, Phi 1:27, and Phi 2:1-2. I think these verses say a lot about why we must all accept the fullness of truth and why we cannot be satisfied with anything else.
While we accept you as a Christian, we also want you to enjoy the benefits of the fullness of faith given by Jesus. This fullness includes the incredible gift of the Eucharist which is the source and summit of grace within the Catholic faith.