Death, not now, not ever

From a letter…

I know that Christ saves us, all of us, in spite of ourselves, and more damage, sometimes irreversible and eternally fatal, is done when Christians try to ‘purify’ the Church of error. I really do believe that is the job of the angels, not of men, at least not of this man. Our part is to bring and to be the good news to the lost world around us: to bring and to be the good news, as I have written, we are the Message. This isn’t my personal teaching, but what was handed over to me by the Church fathers.

If it isn't for your or my interaction with a lost soul today, he or she may never get another chance to experience, face to face, the love of a sacrificed and forgiving God. We cannot lose this opportunity. We cannot derail the hope of God for that soul's salvation by disputing, judging or condescending. We have to just be what and who God made us when we were joined to His Holy Church, and affirm the good, the faithful and the true. As for the rest, with Christ, people can learn to deal with it; without Christ, they haven't half a chance.

Sometimes you can feel unhappy with something, with a lot of things, in your spiritual life. But you already have possession of the Kingdom; you are already one of His little flock, and the Shepherd is the Faithful and the True Witness, Jesus Christ. Now the Kingdom for you is open anywhere you go or stay, even in the Church, where you can ‘go near, so you can hear,’ and not pay any attention to ‘fools who are unaware that they are doing wrong,’ because ‘the Sacrifice is most valuable’—He it is who is your food, your clothing, your home, in short, your life eternal, for whoever believes in Him does not see death, not now, not ever.