My journey home to Mother Church has been a long and dangerous road. Now after being fully received into the Catholic Church I find a wrangling about political agendas going on between the conservative vs. the liberal camps of thought. Both sides try to display their points of view with experiential argumentation, which raises a big red flag in my face. WOW! Many people are still on a journey trying to find the true Church and may have one foot in the door and ready to leave what they thought was the Church. Is anyone listening to the heart of the Lord Christ in all this? I chose to leave behind all the protestant accusations toward the Roman Catholic Church that had filled my heart with poisonous lies. The self made man approach to Christianity once had a hold on me causing a distorted view in thinking through Scripture alone based on conjecture rather then tradition. The tradition passed down from the Apostles. Holy Church is brought into being by the Father of the universe Himself through Jesus to bring Love to establish Holy relationships based on His Kingship.
"He confirms what has been already said, by the parable of the rich man who went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom; and shows that when the Son delivers up the kingdom to the Father, we must not regard the fact that the Father is said to put all things in subjection under Him, in a disparaging way. Here we are the kingdom of Christ, and in Christ's kingdom. Hereafter we shall be in the kingdom of God, where the Trinity will reign together." Exposition of the Christian Faith; St. Amborse of Milan
Saint Ambrose uses the words "in a disparaging way" pointing towards Christ suffering, and crucifixion on the cross. This obedient heart toward the Father found in Jesus brought Him to the place to lay down His Life. We are all now called into this same obedience of Christ in us His Church.
A kingdom would not be a kingdom without establish order to relationships on earth as it is in heaven. I am learning that the Roman Catholic Church is truly a reflection of that order in heaven through Jesus Christ Himself. She is the only recipient of apostolic secession passed down through Peter by our Lord Jesus Christ.
My embrace of our Mother Mary and all the Saints who are all apart of this Holy Communion called “Holy Church” have encouraged my heart. Now with all these passed down blessings, I am receiving a faith to embrace the cross shared by all the saints and martyrs by letting go of my selfish arguments that separated me from the fullness found in Holy Church passed down through the ages.
“ And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are.” NAB
As a Neophyte, I come into this Blessed communion in need of the Divine Mercy!
His mercy that Mary our Holy Mother witnessed at the cross has captivated my heart and soul to trust in Jesus from the heart not just head knowledge. A real transformation is taking place in my life, and a new found respect for my fellow man, because of the real presence found in the Holy Eucharist. This is the mystery Pope John Paul II spoke about which keeps Holy Church Universally held together by Jesus authority at the right hand of the Father. In his letter called “ The mystery and worship of the Eucharist” to all the Bishops of the Church, the Great Pope John Paul II writes; “It is directed, in the Holy Spirit, to the incarnated Son, in the economy of salvation, especially at that moment of supreme dedication and total abandonment of Himself to which the words uttered in the Upper Room refer: “This is the cup of my blood shed for you….” The liturgical acclamation: “We proclaim your death, Lord Jesus” takes us back to that moment; and with the proclamation of His resurrection we embrace in the same act of veneration Christ risen and glorified “at the right hand of the Father,” as also the expectation of His “coming in glory.” Yet it is the voluntary emptying of Himself, accepted by the Father and glorified with the resurrection, which, sacramentally celebrated together with the resurrection, brings us to adore the Redeemer who “became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.” (11 footnote Phil.2:8) Vatican Translation Copyright @ 1980, Daughters of St. Paul
We are totally admonished by the Holy Spirit to receive His Divine Mercy that flows from the heart of Jesus in full obedience to the Father. This Divine Mercy was first made know in the "yes" of our Mother, the Virgin Mary in full obedience, consummating the Promise of the Father by the Holy Spirit spoken of the Prophets through out the ages. May this same"yes" be made consummated in our hearts, so the formation of Christ in us manifest obedience to the Father. May we all make glad the Father's heart by total dependency upon His Son made know in our lives by the Holy Spirit. May we continue the proclamation that Jesus spoke while on earth , and is still speaking through His Church; "Behold the Kingdom is at hand!". Thank you Father for bringing me home through your Son Jesus by the continued work of the Holy Spirit's grace.
