Sanctification

“To follow in Christ's footsteps, today’s apostle does not need to reform anything, but even less has he to take no part in the contemporary affairs going on around him. He has only to act as the first Christians did, and give life to his environment.” (Saint Josemaria, “Furrow”, at 320).

The Crucifixion of Christ (Titan)

There is a heresy that was born out of the 4^th and 5^th centuries AD known as Pelagianism.  Pelagius was a British Monk who opposed Saint Augustine of Hippo and claimed that the sin of Adam only affected Adam and that all humans are born neutral and can choose to live sinless lives through their own choice and merit alone.  He argued that Christ was a perfect moral example rather than a necessary Redeemer and that Grace is not essential for salvation.

This is a great heresy that says that we can somehow control our salvation.  Basically, the heresy states that it is through something that we can do that allows us to be saved.

This is untrue and was categorically rejected by the Catholic Church in Council of Carthage (418 AD), the Council of Ephesus (431 AD), and the Council of Orange (529 AD).  And the reason is pretty simple…  Human beings – after the fall of humankind – have been stained by Original Sin.  It really does not matter what we do, every single human being – with the exception of Christ and the Blessed Virgin – is born with sin on their soul.  This means that we are born broken, and in some way separated from God.

Now, when humanity fell, and that sin was cast upon our souls, God was very angry and very sad.  Why?  Simply because His plans for us were ruined in such a stupid way.  He had planned a world where we would be with Him throughout our lives and be with Him forever in Heaven.  There was no suffering or sacrifice or death or disease.  There was only perfection and innocence and beauty.  And out sin grew from that original sin and corrupted that plan of God’s…  So, God had to make a new plan.  And His new plan was to atone for the sin.  Because the sin was so great ad the destruction so far-reaching, there was only one way to proceed, and that was for God Himself to atone for the sin.  And that is why Christ died on the Cross.

This means that our only path to salvation is through the Grace of God.  He chooses us.  All we can do is to consent to His choice and participate in His plan through our surrender to Him.

In this way we can become saints…  “To follow in Christ's footsteps, today’s apostle does not need to reform anything, but even less has he to take no part in the contemporary affairs going on around him. He has only to act as the first Christians did, and give life to his environment.” (Saint Josemaria, “Furrow”, at 320).

And I have been thinking about that today. For it seems to me that there is really no way to do anything at all if it is not for my Beloved.  And I thank God for Him Infinite Mercy for helping me, every step along the way…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.