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Thursday, September 29, 2016

HATE THE SIN AND LOVE THE CHURCH OF SINNERS - One Bread, One Body, 9/30/2016

The latest issue of My People Newspaper is now online. Articles include:

Aim High, Love Jesus
Prayer For Peace
Key Questions On Migration
Pope Reports On World Youth Day
Youths Work Hard To Make A Difference
Forgiveness Is Direct Route To Heaven
Can A Christian Use On-Line Dating?
Author Focuses On Transformation

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Friday, September 30, 2016, St. Jerome

Job 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5, Psalm 139:1-3, 7-10, 13-14, Luke 10:13-16
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/093016.cfm

HATE THE SIN AND LOVE THE CHURCH OF SINNERS

"Then Job answered the Lord and said: 'Behold, I am of little account.' " -Job 40:3-4

God's ways and thoughts are as high above our ways and thoughts as the heavens are above the earth (Is 55:8-9). Even the wisest people know nothing compared to God. We all must say with Job: "Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer You? I put my hand over my mouth" (Jb 40:4).

Nevertheless, the infinite, all-holy, almighty Lord has decided to speak through His Church made of weak, limited human beings. Moreover, He amazingly exalts His Church by announcing: "He who hears you, hears Me. He who rejects you, rejects Me. And he who rejects Me, rejects Him Who sent Me" (Lk 10:16). The Lord has made His Church "the pillar and bulwark of truth" (1 Tm 3:15). He has even made the Church His Body (see Eph 1:22-23) and His bride (see Eph 5:25ff). The Lord loves the Church, gave His life for the Church (Eph 5:25), and exalts the Church.

The Lord expects His disciples also to love the Church, live in the Church, and die for the Church. We are naturally turned off when we see the Church so full of sinners. The Church on earth is anything but naturally lovable. Nonetheless, the Holy Spirit graces us to do the humanly impossible - to love a very human Church instituted and exalted by God. Do the required and the impossible. Love the Church.


Prayer: Father, like St. Francis, grace me to love and rebuild the Church.

Promise: "O Lord, You have probed me and You know me; You know when I sit and when I stand; You understand my thoughts from afar." -Ps 139:1-2

Praise: St. Jerome loved sinners so much he promoted Scripture, piety, martyrs, relics, clerical celibacy, and refuted heresies. He fiercely spent his energies for love of God and the Church.


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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from August 1, 2016 through September 30, 2016
?Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 23, 2016

The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.

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