I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:15-16)
Are you a lukewarm Catholic? Well, I don’t know. What constitutes that?
Several things, but let’s focus on some Main Street lukewarmness. Do you claim to be a Catholic, but rarely if ever go to Mass because God is everywhere, therefore I do not need to go to Church. Sounds lukewarm. He may spit you out.
Yes, God is everywhere. That same God told us to keep Holy the Sabath. It is the Third Commandment, not the third suggestion.
Do you go to Mass most of the time, but miss when it does not fit your schedule? Sounds lukewarm. He may spit you out.
Your tee time, the little league double header, the summer block party you have to make a jello mold for are not more important than your Sunday obligation. Nothing you do on a weekend short of being scheduled for work, not optional overtime but ordered to work or significant disability or illness allows you to skip Mass.
Pretty simple barometer: if you would not miss work or an important social event for a given reason, it is not a strong enough reason to miss Mass.
Do you vote Democrat or for Republican candidates on board with killing unborn babies, sodomy and pedophilia? Maybe there are still some pro-life Democrats serving somewhere in public office. If there are, they are hidden.
It’s funny. I spoke last week about a close friend who does not buy into the Catholic faith but is more of a witness for Christ in many ways than those who claim to be Catholic.
He actually claims to be pro-abortion for the fiscal reason of not wanting to pay for children born into welfare. We have had many arguments over this.
However, he ALWAYS votes for the pro-life candidate. Who is doing better work for the Lord? This guy, or the “Catholic” who takes that cowardly road of I wouldn’t get an abortion, but who am I to say what a woman should do with her body?
Uhm…it’s not her body being chopped up. It’s the baby’s body. She knows this and so does every man out there who endorses the killing of his child.
The Lord talks about us being judged by our fruits, not our words. He also gave a parable of two sons who were told by their father to work in his vineyard.
One son tells the father he will, but never gets out there and does it. The other refuses, but later does the right thing and obeys his father by working. Jesus makes it clear that the one who begrudgingly did the work is the better son.
My friend is not lukewarm. He is the son who begrudgingly does his father’s will. His full conversion is inevitable through the power of my daily prayer even if he does not currently see it.
The pro-abortion “Catholic” though, who votes democrat is being rocked to sleep by Satan.
If you vote for abortion, sodomy, etc. because you don’t like the pro-life candidate’s hairdo while calling yourself Catholic, you are in a state of mortal sin. I do not say this to be judgmental, but from a position of love.
I say it for your salvation. In fact, if you are lukewarm in any of these regards, you are in a state of mortal sin.
Worse is the politician who claims to be Catholic while advocating for the genocide of the unborn, sexualization of children and sodomy. Even worse than that is the priest who knowingly gives this politician Holy Communion without their Confession, penance and public renouncement of these abominations.
But here is the good news. You can wipe all of this away by getting to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In minutes, you can be freed from this.
If you had some man-made virus and could enter a booth to get rid of it, you would be there early so you could stop coughing ASAP. Will you really allow your soul to be in jeopardy to avoid the humility of confessing your sins?
Many dioceses have extra Confession on a weeknight during Lent. Look into it and take advantage.
This is not a medicine I am unwilling to take. It is my plan to attend Confession weekly during Lent.
If we stay lukewarm, He will spit us out.
Let’s all get hot for Jesus Christ now rather than getting hot in the fires of Hell for eternity. Talk soon.
-Marksman