Using the name of JESUS in vain.

There is this large group of different “religious” movements growing here in the Philippines (and has apparently flourished in other parts of the world) which uses the Name of Jesus Christ. And yet, when you look at their religion- its interiors, first of all, what is it all about? 

USING THE NAME OF JESUS IN VAIN.

It is changing- “restructuring” the REAL ESSENCE of Christianity. Reformatting the boundless depth and height of the religion Jesus Christ established to fit the modern man. 

Oh no, mortifications are not needed. We’re saved by grace already. Jesus undertook for Himself all that should be undertaken by us. 

Did not Jesus say, “UNLESS THIS GRAIN OF WHEAT FALLS INTO THE GROUND AND DIES, IT REMAINS ALONE, BUT IF IT DIES, IT BEARS MUCH FRUIT.”

Then He said,

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:25)

And what is it that separates a PROTESTANT (They may say they are “born- again” or “Christians” after being dipped in the pool, but they are PROTESTANTS- they shoud know that they protested against the TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST.) from a REAL CHRISTIAN?

 He did not say, “Make sure to read the Book (Bible)!” Because there was NO BIBLE THEN! The Bible was written by the apostles! And even then, not all can be written! “Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.” -John 21:25

What separates a FALSE Christian from a REAL follower of Christ then is that, the TRUE Christian follows Christ. How? By renouncing everything. By letting our Heavenly Father’s will be done to us rather than our own will.

Do not go bashing our priests then, FALSE followers of Christ! Renounce everything first, then we shall see if you do not realize your own stupidity.

BUT, I am not finished.

A true follower of Christ has the Love Christ has for His Blessed Mother, Mary, the Theotokos, the Mother of God. 

Ah, Mama Mary, gladly and lovingly will I prostrate myself at thy feet in front of all these people and say that it is YOU who saved me from the clutches of Satan! YOU! For so much that I attribute all to You, so much the more will You attribute EVERYTHING to JESUS.

Oh Mystical City of God, House of Gold, Ark of the Covenant, Gate of Heaven, Morning Star!

Who will be bewildered by this statement rather than be inflamed with the Holy Spirit for love of you, Dearest, Purest Mother?

By honoring you, would I be dishonoring Jesus? Are you Jesus’ rival? Are you not the one who first followed and first died to yourself, the one who first conformed your will- your everything- to the will of God? Was it not you, who said, “Behold the hand maid of the Lord, be it done to me according to Thy word.”?

How would someone who loved God- who loved Jesus- this much lead someone away from Him?

We are a wretched people, we love out of NEED. And yet by GRACE, by UNIQUE GRACE bestowed ONLY on the Blessed Virgin Mary, she loved as much as God was willing to be loved by any other human being.

Was it not in your womb that God made flesh desired to be hidden, to be imprisoned for 9 months? Oh Help of Christians, help your children that you may be glorified in us and Jesus may be glorified in You!

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy! Hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry poor banished children of Eve, to you do we send up our sighs, mournings and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, O Most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, that after this, our exile, show unto us the Blessed Fruit of Thy Womb, Jesus!

O Clement, O Loving, O Sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us O holy Mother of God, that we be made worthy of the promises of Christ!

The more the world converts to secularism, the more does the Church need to cry out "Mercy!"

The more the human conscience succumbs to secularization, loses its sense of the very meaning of the word “mercy,” moves away from God and distances itself from the mystery of mercy, the more the Church has the right and the duty to appeal to the God of mercy “with loud cries.” (Mt 15,23) These “loud cries” should be the mark of the Church of our times…

Modern man often anxiously wonders about the solution to the terrible tensions which have built up in the world and which entangle humanity. And if at times he lacks the courage to utter the word “mercy,” or if in his conscience empty of religious content he does not find the equivalent, so much greater is the need for the Church to utter his word, not only in her own name but also in the name of all the men and women of our time. She must utter an ardent prayer, a cry that implores mercy according to the needs of man in the modern world.

May this cry be full of that truth about mercy which has found such rich expression in Sacred Scripture and in Tradition, as also in the authentic life of faith of countless generations of the People of God. With this cry let us, like the sacred writers, call upon the God who cannot despise anything that He has made, the God who is faithful to Himself, to His fatherhood and His love.

*Encyclical - Dives in misericordia , ch. 8, §15 -Pope John Paul II

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