The Sacraments: The Best Things you can possibly do for yourself.

December 2002 Parish Mission Week
Fr. Frank from the Mercies of All Fathers
John 20:21- 23, Jesus said, "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained." (Institution of the Sacrament of Penance)
Receiving the Sacraments Penance, Holy Communion, is the best thing you can possibly do for yourself, "Jesus gave the Church Power to say what is Sin and what is not."
Guilt means that we have an understanding that we have loss grace. Shame is good if it leads you into the confessional. When we commit sin, we have every reason to be ashamed.
Moral sin breaks us from God; confession reestablishes our friendship with God. Venial sin strains the relationship. God creates a close heartfelt relationship with us through confession. Don’t be afraid, Jesus said, "Peace Be With You." Nothing you say will shock the Priest. The Priest at the Pulpit ought to be a Lion, and in the confessional a Lamb healing wounds. Mortal sin causes the life of God in sanctifying grace to leave us, and Hell moves in. That’s why it’s important for us to stay in the "state of grace," the good works you do if not done in the state of grace do zero for you in attaining heaven. When in the state of grace, your works are super naturalized and counts towards merits for heaven, (James 2: 14- 26 "faith without works is dead" "Philippians 2: 12- 13 work out your salvation with fear – awe, reverence, concern – and trembling"). Get to confession as soon as you get into Mortal Sin.
The man who becomes a Priest is a sinful man who becomes another Christ; through ordination he is given the power to forgive sins, and to consecrate the wine and bread into the body and blood of Christ. This is no ordinary man anymore. No matter who bad the sin is, Do Not Be Afraid to confess it. The breathe of Christ reenters the soul through the Priest, through confession. Nowhere do the Scriptures say – confess your sins to yourself – St. Paul in James 5: 16 confess your sins to one another. Everyday of our lives we offend God; tremble when you count your sins. Why would you want to spend time in purgatory when it’s not necessary, it’s laziness? If you didn’t love God you wouldn’t be at Mass, if, you love God, why don’t you want to love God by restoring that love through confession.
Think About It. If you do the minimum do you really think your going to squeeze into heaven? You won’t get there. You’re better to buy an Asbestos fireproof suit, your going to need it where you’re going.
Sin is an illness, a wound that needs to be taken to the Divine Healer as often as we are wounded. Who says he is not a sinner is a liar, and they don’t have Jesus in them 1John 1: 8- 10. Stop being a fool, only the humble will get into heaven.
"Hell exists!" If there is no Hell, then Jesus was a raving lunatic. What was He talking about then? The Netherworld, where there is torment, cast into hell, cast into fire, Matthew 11:23; Mark 9:43- 47, 10:15Luke 10:15, 12:5, 16:23; John 15:6.
Sexual Sin gets more people into Hell than any other, Ephesians 2:1-3 we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, Galatians 5:19- 21 deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing and things like these – those practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. What happens when you don’t go to confession frequently is your mind becomes dull to sin. Our Holy Father Pope John Paul II goes every day, the more holy you become the more clearly you see your sin. Once a month is a bare minimum. With mortal sin you cannot go to communion until you go to confession, 1Corinthian 11: 18- 30, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, ---- for this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number have died.
When you don’t go frequently, you forfeit the weapons necessary to combat sin; you forfeit sanctifying grace to help you fight sin. Sin is a sickness you need to see Christ to be Healed. The Priest works in the very presence of Christ, deny confession, deny speaking with Christ, He is pained when we don’t accept His mercy. Sin doesn’t have to be there, let Jesus take it away; He will take this weight off of you. Jesus took our sins nailed them to the cross and carried them and died for them, the priest does the same thing with the grace of God, and takes the sin and lays it on the Altar on Calvary. We confess our sins because we know Jesus is there, Christ died for this. One day you will face Him; He will say why didn’t you confess your sins.
If we love God we will show it by going to confession, this is true love. Sexual love may only be engaged in Marriage, outside of it, it is hatred because it is sin, (evil hates truth, truth means change). It is also not love if we pollute a woman’s body with chemicals so she can’t conceive, we can kill children in the womb, but not a baby seal or other such animals, this is not love. Real love is giving each other for the good of the other person, to will good things to another even if you receive nothing in return. Real love is not wanting anything in return.
We owe God love and worship simply because He brought us into existence. We love Him by obeying His commandments and the teachings of the church. Jesus said, "Who rejects you the church, rejects Me and Him who sent Me." It is difficult to live the commandments and carry the cross because it goes against society and the world. If we love Jesus, He and God will come and dwell with in us. He will send His Holy Spirit upon us.
Laws mean responsibility; the laws the Church tells us to obey are based on Divine Law. Love God, love neighbor all is based on these, natural laws have to be obeyed. God is all knowing and has given His authority to the Church. The Church knows what Post Abortion and adultery causes, it knows its consequences, it harms you and society. Jesus said, "Go out to the entire world and teach the Nations to obey all that I have commanded you." He did this so we could get into heaven. The Church points us in the right direction towards God; Jesus said you’re either with me or against me. There’s no gray area with Jesus. The Church has its rights to put its morality on us, for it is God’s morality. Who follows the laws of God has a wider enjoyment of life, it makes us broader, makes us free. Who wants to be slave to sin, there is a difference between one stuck in sin and one who isn’t.
The Commandments were written in stone because God wants them to be our bedrock. God gave us a conscious our conscious welcomes the commandments. The commandments are in our hearts. God is the highest guide and He gave His teaching Authority to the Church. We must form our conscious on the Churches Teaching Authority; we form our conscious on Jesus Christ who can be found in the Catholic Church. If we keep His commandments we love Him.
What happens when we don’t, we sin. Sin – What is it? It is a turning away, an offence against God, IT IS EVIL! Mortal sin has to be a sustained consent, ‘I’m going to do it anyway,’ venial sin is what most people commit. Is it OK to offend God in a slight way? Would we tolerate continued slights from other people? Venial sin is wounding God, they will not put you in Hell, they are dangerous because sin if nothing is done about them can weaken us and we may not be able to fight it. Sin is a sickness; left unconfessed when a mortal sin comes along you’ll be less able to resist mortal sin. Confession allows us to breathe in the grace of God. Do not cast venial sin off as something to not be concerned about; lukewarm ness is the devil in disguise, take care of the little things before they take care of you. If anything is an obstacle to your following Christ get rid of it. If anything causes the lost of graces, get away from it.
Affirmation: - "I will and with God’s graces overcome all sin in my life, I will put out the effort required in this life so I inherit eternal life and heaven."
Christ went through crucifixion to open the gates of heaven, go for heaven. Venial sin is such a problem because people are lazy and don’t want to put forth the effort. Work for it. Sin is an offence against God, if you love someone why would you hurt them.
LYING: - Lying is a betrayal, if a person lies once how can you trust them again. If you lie, how can anybody trust you?
SUPERSTITION: - certain beliefs have no merit at all, doing or saying certain things before a set time etc…it does not make sense. Do you actually think stars are going to tell your future? Brainless people can’t help you – how well will a burned out star. "Avoid It."
IMPURE THOUGHTS: - If they come in your head and you push them out it is temptation, if you allow a brief welcome it is venial sin, if you consent and wallow in it, it is mortal sin. The devil is a good librarian and knows what to bring up to your attention. Soap Operas – they glorify every kind of sin we could think of. Don’t you have better things to do with your time – wasting time is a sin.
ARTIFICIAL CONTRACEPTION: - God gave us the gift of conception to help Him by our being co-creators, it must always be open to conception or it is mortally sinful. God established a covenant with Man and Woman. Naturally family planning works within God’s laws, because it uses self-restraint and causes discussion between the married couple. NFP keeps the marriage holy. Marriage is about loving the other person fully. Artificial Contraception allows people to be used, and only have kids when its convenient to them rather than to God.
HOMOSEXUALITY: - Galations5: 19- 21 these shall not inherit the kingdom of God. There is NO gene for homosexuality, the act is wrong and goes against the natural law.
GOSSIP: - It causes people damage you rip them apart.
ANGER: - Anger is not always sinful, anger is wrong when it is obsessive.
MISSING MASS: - Without a good reason missing mass is mortally sinful, we don’t go on vacation from God. 1Corinthians 11:18- 30 the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same way He took the cup also, after supper saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."
ABORTION: - it is mortally sinful. When you fight for life you fight for Christ, because Christ is in the body. We stand for Life, we don’t waiver but stand our ground for life.
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS: - pride, greed, lust, anger, gluttony, envy and sloth. These failings generate fear, a soul-sickness. As does using the name of God in vain.
Remember who you are, you are baptized men and women, you are royalty, sons and daughters of God, start acting like it, follow Him eagerly – examine How have you followed Him and obeyed Him.
The body is sacred, it must not be used for illicit sexual behavior nor ought it be used as a pincushion nor a canvas for evil art. The body is a temple of the Holy Spirit to be an instrument of grace for God, others and ourselves. Jesus’ body is the only body we are to adore, we respect others and ours.
THE REAL PRESENCE: - Many do not believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Actions betray our thoughts, so one can see these results by peoples approach to communion and conduct in church. Why is it important? Because if Jesus was not present then He was not God, and there’s no Mass, no Church, and one would have to say Jesus was a fraud. We know Jesus is in the Eucharist because He said He is! John 6:11- 68 Jesus says 6 times this is My body this is My blood, 1Cor 11: 18- 30, you can tell Jesus is there because of the effects, look at the people the saints and the effects of the Eucharist in their lives.
Every heresy begins in the lack of belief in the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, John 6: 66. (Ungodly Rage – interesting book – they left the faith). If you cannot love the neighbor you can see, how can you love God who you cannot see? If you don’t respect one you can’t respect the other, and then how can a person believe God is in the Eucharist. People are forgetting whom it is they receive.
Calvary is this a casual scene, worship the Lord in Holy attire; the Mass is the sacred banquet, the great wedding feast. Think about this; how can we expect the body of Christ to be worshipped when babies are being aborted and elderly and handicapped are cast aside? See the relationship. It they don’t respect the body of Christ in relatives, how will they in the Holy Eucharist? The environment in which we live influences the way we act, what we put into us we become. When receiving Jesus in the Eucharist do so with great reverence, if you can’t do it correctly don’t, do receive the Eucharist on the tongue, show the body of Christ the respect it deserves. We have to show by our appearance and walk when we enter the Church that Jesus is really there. It’s not a social occasion, what are we teaching the children, that the Mass is a sacred sacrament or a picnic. If you believe it, show it! Respond in proper actions and attire. Mass in not about entertainment, it’s about Calvary – Christ offered Himself on the cross for the salvation of all mankind. Do you think the death of Christ is about being entertained? No it’s not.
Always say "Amen" when you receive the Eucharist; it means "I Believe." Jesus went through an excruciating death to give us His body in the Eucharist. He wants us to be present with Him. 100% of the souls in Hell believe in the real presence of Christ, Satanists believe in the real presence of Christ, they know it; they steal the Blessed Host for their black masses to desecrate it.
Go and pray to Jesus in His presence, what are you willing to give up to show you believe in the real presence? Are you willing to give up your life? You need now to give your life for Him. Give your entire self to show your love, surrender to God with no reserve, no retreat, and no regret. "Give it to God."
DEVOTION TO MARY. Why? Scripture and Sacred Tradition. Sacred Tradition is equal to Scripture and came before it. Jesus did not give the apostles a new testament and say go read to them, they had oral traditions to guide them, and He said go and preach to them. January 1st is the Great Feast of the Solemnity of Mary, we are to be devoted to her, and you can’t consider yourself a Christian without devotion to her. When we read about Mary in the Bible she is at every important event. A compliment to the Mother is a compliment to the Son. This is the attitude of the Trinity to devotion to our Lady, it’s as we are giving to God because God made her. Mary had a major role in our redemption; all mothers have a huge deal to do with the formation of their sons. Mary’s role is necessary; God chose to save us from eternity, to save us through coming into the world through her. She and St. Joseph taught our Lord, and God taught her from all eternity. The Rosary is a reflection of Mary and Jesus’ life; she always points us to Jesus. Mary’s role continues until the end of the world, not until the end will her saving office continue. Jesus said the greatest disciple of Christ is the one who keeps Gods commandments and fulfills them; Mary did this. All scripture is meant to be there and is meant to teach truth. Mary is present at every event that has to do with our salvation. Mary has hatred for Satan; he shivers and cowers at the name of Jesus and Mary’s name. Satan is frightened of Mary, God made it that way, and she has an important role to play in our salvation.
Luke 1 Gabriel said to her, "Hail full of grace," she had the most grace that a human being except Christ could have; she is unique amongst men and women. When she said "Let it be done unto to me according your word," to Gabriel, she needed so much grace because she gave herself fully to God’s will. The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth, she said, "Who am I that the mother of my Lord – God – should come to me." Elizabeth’s scream was the sound they used to use only with the presence of the Arc of the Covenant, God was in Mary, the Holy Spirit told Elizabeth this, Mary was the New Arc of the Covenant. The Holy Spirit told her this and the Church calls Mary this.
Jesus sanctified St. John the Baptist at the sound of Mary’s voice. What will the words of Mary do for us now that she is in heaven with Jesus, at the sound of Mary Jesus’ ministry began with the changing of water to wine. Trust in the Mother of God who can get her Son to work miracles. She says in Sacred Scripture the Word of God, "All generations shall call me blessed." If God didn’t want this He would of destroyed her, God’s will was fulfilled in these words. Mary is the way God chose Jesus to come to us, Luke 1:48 says, "You will call Mary Blessed."
Jesus knew He was God when He was in the womb and throughout His earthly life. St. John said Mary stood at the foot of the cross, her standing shows her participation in the crucifixion with God. Oral Tradition teaches Jesus appeared to Mary first after His resurrection. NOTE: - One of the only events Mary was not at was The Last Supper, because God was saying women were not to be priests. Those men at the First Mass were the first Bishops and Priests of Christ. Mary was not there for a very specific purpose – that women are not to become priests.
You ought to be devoted to Mary, demonic activity is at it’s peak, don’t think the devil is not going to go after you, you are one of his targets. The devil wants souls. How does he deceive people? It may be done through false apparitions of Mary. Pray to her daily and you will not be lead to believe in false apparitions. Matthew 16:18- 19 Jesus gave the Keys of the Kingdom to Peter and the Church, so listen to them and follow your Bishop, don’t run off on your own or following others who are not loyal to the Church in Rome and Peter and the Bishops. Ask Mary to help you understand the Catechism and the Bible. Thank God for giving us Mary and for the help you receive for your defense from the devil’s attacks. Amen. God is giving you graces, live as a person lifted up by God.
SUFFERING: - Pain. The idea of suffering is redemptive, Jesus has made it that way, and suffering in this life makes up for sin. God allows suffering to make up for future purposes. Suffering humbles us, suffering moves us from one spiritual plane to another, and moves us closer to the cross, and on the other side is Paradise. St. Peter says might as well get used to suffering, we are all called to suffer for the Faith sometime, some are giving their lives for the Faith in Muslim and Communist countries.
PRIDE: - It is not sinful when we remember where the gift we are proud of comes from. We are proud to profess our faith in Christ Jesus, so we will want to become better Catholics. Ephesians 2:19- 20 we are part of the One True Church founded upon Jesus with the Apostles as the Pillars. All religions are not alike, only Catholics have to go to church on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation, only Catholics are to remain married once unless the spouse dies, all religions are not alike, only Catholics can’t use birth control or abortion. There must be a reason why the Church forcefully keeps these rules and opposes society in these regards, it is because this is what Christ wanted and it goes back to Christ’s Teachings.
ROCK: - This term was used in Scriptures for God; God was showing the special place of Peter when He called him Rock. The Protestants are not built on Rock. They left the Church. Matthew 16:18- 19 Jesus said to Peter, on you I will build my Church, one Church, One Shepherd, One Faith. Peter was not first among equals; He was primacy, the Bishops cannot rule without Peters consent. This is not a new thing, there is no fluff in scripture, and the early church knew Peter was the head of the Apostles. Jesus knew Peter had a special role to strengthen the faith of his brothers, Peter always comes first in scripture, Peter makes the decision and that’s it.
The Gates of Hell will not prevail against the Church, Peter was the one who never wavered and never got caught up in Heresies. Peter had other successors even before all of the other Apostles died, they were Peters and made the decisions and ruled despite other Apostles still being alive. The Holy Spirit keeps the Pope from committing any heresy, when the Office of Peter is taken the Holy Spirit comes upon the Pope and Truth will only be taught. Infallibility has been with the Church from all times.
The Teaching Authority is the Pope with the Bishops in union with him. He speaks on his own authority on Faith and Morals, the Holy Spirit protects and guides so he won’t make any errors. Be thankful our Church only has this point of unity in the Pope, what ever Peter is saying that’s what you follow, be proud we have it – others have abandoned it. The Catholic Church is the one true Church – not a denomination run by the Laity or people. There are elements of truth found in protestant churches. They took the truths from the Catholic Church. The Protestants took our one baptism when they left so they in this sense are catholic at baptism and choose their denomination after. We have the founder of the Sacraments Jesus Christ Himself; you can come to Him in the Tabernacle of the Church and be with Him every day. We have sacramentals, medals, scapulars, (Acts 19:11- 12 objects used), Holy Water. Holy Water is used to repel Satan, yes it reminds us of our baptism, but it is very powerful, exorcists use it, sprinkle it wherever you go and memorize the St. Michael the Archangel prayer. "St. Michael the Archangel defend us in this day of battle, be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. And may God rebuke him we humbly pray and do though Oh Prince of the heavenly host by the power God cast into Hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin souls." Amen. Are you plagued by demons at night or other times, St. Anthony of Padua started wearing a wooden cross around his neck and used this prayer and it can be said while making the sign of the cross on self, in the air or on where your at. "Behold the cross of the Lord, be gone you enemy powers, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David has conquered, Alleluia." Appreciate what Holy Water and the Sign of the Cross is, it is a way to heaven and a way to beat down Satan, it’s an instrument of our salvation. When these are used Hell trembles and Heaven rejoices. These things are not superstitions, they remind us of God, reminds us of who we are, and the devil who we are.
Catholics have the virtue of hope, because we have all the means of salvation, and all the teachings of Jesus Christ. Our hope is in that Jesus will straighten the problems of the world out. The Blessed Sacrament will turn the tide of the destruction that is going on around us. Hebrews 9:27 all men die once, and then judgment. The time for judgment has come. What will happen to those who are not proud to be Catholic? Be thankful be proud for the Church, the Pope, the Bishops, Prolife, and for the one true Church Jesus Christ founded.
Amen