Courageous
Catholics
Can
Cheer
'Cause
Christian
Chronicles
Confirmed
Christ's
Communicated
Consequences
Correctly...
Yes,
Uhhh,
Could
You
Please
Repeat
That
Again?
Catholics!
Are you feeling persecuted? The media, as you have no doubt noticed, takes
great pride in printing and broadcasting everything it can find, that is
of a negative nature regarding the Catholic
Church. Many Protestant denominations appear
to spend the majority of their time attacking us with hatred and lies,
rather than preaching love to their flocks, as Christ commanded all Christians
to do. It is ironic, and whether these detractors realize it or not, they
are helping all Catholics to salvation by their actions. Here is the proof...
"Woe to you when all men
speak well of you."
Luke 6:26
See? If we were not persecuted,
where would we be now?
We would surely be in the THROES
of the WOES.
Want another one?
Okay!
"Blessed are you when men
reproach you, and persecute you, and, speaking falsely, say all manner
of evil against you, for My sake. Rejoice and exult, BECAUSE YOUR REWARD
IS GREAT IN HEAVEN; for so did they persecute the prophets who were before
you."
Matthew 5:11-12
Here
is yet another one for you.
"No disciple is
above his teacher, nor is the servant above his master.
It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher,
and for the servant to be like his master.
IF THEY HAVE CALLED THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE BEELZEBUB, HOW MUCH MORE THOSE
OF HIS HOUSEHOLD!"
Matthew 10:24-25
See? Jesus Christ even
gave us a token of what the detractors would say.
Here are some more Scriptural examples for you to ponder:
The detractors charge: The Catholic
Church has many
scandals...
So? Is it not Scriptural that Jesus Christ said this would happen? So what
is the problem?
Do they not believe what He said?
"Woe to the world because of scandals!
For it must needs be that scandals come,
but WOE TO THE MAN
THROUGH WHOM SCANDAL DOES COME!"
Matthew 18:7
And He said to His disciples, "It is IMPOSSIBLE THAT SCANDALS SHOULD
NOT COME;
BUT WOE TO HIM
THROUGH WHOM THEY COME."
Luke 17:1
These are the words of Jesus Christ Himself.
Did he say the Church is the source, or the cause of the scandals? No,
He said a man
(or woman, to
be politically correct at the time of the Gospel writing) is. Remember,
the Catholic
Church is not
a hotel for saints, it is a hospital for sinners.
Hmmm, I seem to recall a certain man
named Judas, chosen by Jesus Christ Himself. This man
was responsible for the scourging, crucifixion, and death of the creator
of the universe. It was the worst possible scandal ever conceived and perpetrated
by.....none other than a man.
The Catholic
Church itself
is indefectible. It has to be, because it has an indefectible founder.
See Ephesians 5:25-27
Detractors charge:
The Catholic
Church is a cult
founded by Satan...
"The father from whom you are is the
devil.......When he tells a lie he speaks from his very nature, for he
is a liar and the father of lies."
John 8:44
"I write these things to you hoping to come to you shortly, but in
order that you may know, if I am delayed, how to conduct yourself in the
house of GOD, which is the Church of the Living GOD, the PILLAR AND FOUNDATION
OF THE TRUTH."
1Timothy 3:14-15
Well, since Catholics can show that the Catholic
Church is the
Church which was founded by Jesus Christ (see the many files I have posted
on this website which backup what I say*),
it is the "Pillar and Foundation of the Truth". Therefore, how
could it possibly be founded by the "father of lies"?
* See...
The Catholic
Church in the
New Testament,
The Catholic
Church in the
Old Testament,
Lord, That I May See,
The True Church,
Fr. Damen's Homily About the Catholic
Church,,
The Thread of the Catholic
Church as it
is Woven Through Scripture,
The Unbroken Line,
The Papacy is Scriptural,
What Church Fathers Had to Say (the whole section),
Authority (the whole section).
Here is another point on the
same subject:
But the Pharisees, hearing this, said, "This
man does not cast out devils except by Beelzebub, the prince of devils."
And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, "Every kingdom divided
against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided
against itself will not stand. And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided
against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?"
Matthew 12:24-26. See also, Mark 3:22-26, and Luke 11:17-20.
It is well documented that the Catholic
Church has been
performing successful exorcisms for many centuries, beginning with Saint
Peter in Acts 5:15-16, and Saint Paul in Acts 16:16-18. So, with the above
words of Jesus Christ in mind, how has the Catholic
Church stood
for almost 2000 years, while during that same time period, being successful
in casting out Satan innumerable times, if it were a satanic cult? Anyone
with the power to reason can see that this false charge is self defeating.
Detractors charge: The Catholic
Church is not the Church which Jesus Christ
founded, for that primitive Church apostatized soon after the last Apostle
died.
If that is the case then Jesus Christ lied when He said...
"I am with you ALL days, even until the end
of the world."
Matthew 28:20
"...and the gates of hell shall NOT prevail against it."
Matthew 16:18
"...and I will ask the Father and He will give you another Advocate
to dwell with you forever, the Spirit of Truth..."
John 14:16-17
"I will not leave you orphans."
John 14:18
"He who does not believe the Son, makes
Him a liar."
1John 5:10
"He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; HE WHO IS UNBELIEVING
TOWARDS THE SON SHALL NOT SEE LIFE, BUT THE WRATH OF GOD RESTS UPON HIM."
John 3:36
Detractors do not have one shred of evidence to support this false charge.
Just ask them for genuine historical documentive "proof" of what
they say? You will find that they have none whatsoever. However, the Catholic
Church has many
authentic historical writings, which not only do not mention this so-called
"Great Apostasy", but these writings attest to just the opposite.
They show a Catholic
Church growing
and expanding despite the incessant attacks from the Jews, Romans, heretics
and others. See these pages for references to these genuine historical
writings...
Lord, that I May See,
Finding Fathers Faithful Forever,
Saint Ignatius Letter to the Smyrneans
As True Today, as it was Then.
See? Since we have the truth, "We
have nothing to fear but fear itself".*
*A quote from Franklin Delano Roosevelt...
My favorite verse, "What shall we say to these things?
If GOD is for us, who is against us?"
Romans 8:31
What does Holy Scripture say will
happen to those persecutors and purveyors of falsehood?
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like
a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; when
it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into
vessels but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age.
The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, and
throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their
teeth."
Matthew 13:47-50
"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed
in his field; but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds
among the wheat, and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain,
then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the householder came
and said to him, "Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How
then has it weeds?" He said to them, "An enemy has done this".
The servants said to him, "Then do you want us to go and gather them"?
But he said, "No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat
along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest
time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles
to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn."
Matthew 13:24-30
Here is some food for thought for all of those
who persecute the Catholic
Church...
"So now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone.
For if this plan or work is of men, it will be overthrown;
But if it is of GOD, you will not be able to overthrow it.
Else perhaps you may find yourselves FIGHTING EVEN
AGAINST GOD."
Acts 5:38-39
After almost 2000 years of continuous , non-stop persecution,
the Catholic
Church
is still here....and still growing.
How do you account for that other than the promises of Acts 5:38-38, and
Romans 8:31?
GOD is protecting His Catholic
Church
just as He said He would in Matthew 16:18, and 28:20.
©
Written by Bob Stanley, March 6, 2000
Updated June 13, 2001
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