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Why Did He Come?

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Why Did He Come?

“Is it true? Is he really coming to visit our facility?” asked one employee. Another person inquired, “Why would the top dog, the CEO, come to this facility?” In anguish, another suggested, “There will be an announcement of layoffs.” Others quickly replied, “No way, our division is consistently profitable! No CEO would commit to layoffs in a profit center.”  Others chimed in with a hopeful, “Maybe he will announce a bonus for all of us.”  That remark brought a series of “that will be the day’ comments. The basic question remained, “Why is he coming to visit us?” There were many guesses and suggestions, but all one could do is wait for the day of his arrival.

He did arrive! History confirms His appearance and life on earth. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Transcendent One, lived as a human being on earth. Considering that Jesus, God, visited and lived on earth….for what purpose. Is it conceivable that God did not have a definitive purpose for His entrance into human existence? Of course not! The CEO in the story above certainly had a specific reason for visiting the business center. If a fallible human possessed the intelligence to form specific reasons for a business meeting, certainly God, the Transcendent One, would possess concrete purposes for His very presence on earth and His mingling with mankind.

Jesus Christ appeared on earth to proclaim the “Good News” of the Kingdom of God and mankind’s salvation. There is hope for mankind after life on earth. But He did more than simply deliver a message; Jesus lived the message for all to witness! He poured out His message of love to the extreme, even to offering Himself on a cross for the forgiveness of mankind’s sins.

With the instructions of Jesus to love God and love our neighbors, Jesus challenged mankind to believe in and achieve eternal salvation. Jesus reinforced His commands by living a life that supported love for God and man. But will mankind accept the invitation to follow Jesus and obey His commandments? Will mankind accept salvation or cast it aside for temporal objects? Jesus came purposely to save all from their sins and provide an avenue to eternal life of happiness.

Will mankind reject its opportunity for forgiveness and love! Or will mankind follow Jesus and His Church’s teachings on faith and morals to eternal salvation? The choice is for each man and woman to make. Choose wisely my fellow humans.

It Cannot Be Killed

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IT Cannot Be Killed

Throughout history, empires have risen and fallen. The Pharaohs’ Egypt, Alexander’s Greek empire, Rome’s empire of conquest, Napoleon’s short lived empire, Hitler’s diabolical Reich, and Stalin’s satanic empire all died , but only after they degenerated into evil that killed freedom and debased human dignity. All political societies carry within them the seeds of descent; a place where failure is waiting, biding its time until it is time to ripe and create change, for better or worse.

Not only do political societies fail or are killed off, so also do philosophies and religions germinate, gain a degree of acceptance, and eventually die. Some continue to exist in new forms at low levels of acceptance, given a nodding assent until people realize it is just a rehash of old, rejected isms of hundreds or thousands of years ago.  Paganism, Arianism, and other isms seem to experience a rebirth only to be dashed upon the stones of reality, though enticing a few, but never again gaining wide acceptance.

Like the human body, anything that is perishable will perish. Occasionally, it might take many centuries to kill an ism, while other organisms may disintegrate in a few years or decades. Yet perish they will.

However, despite frequent and recurring opposition throughout the ages, there is one organization that will not die, because it is not perishable. It has God as it creator, from whom it obtains its permanence and direction. This is the Catholic Church. Despite political and cultural opposition, it has remained unconquered by all types of political and philosophical challenges. It has even survived repeated challenges from slackers within its own ranks. Senior level clergy, theologians, philosophers, and even the laity have tried to kill the church by changing it into their own image. They have all failed and will continue to fail because it is God’s church not theirs. He formed it and will continue to form it according to His will, not theirs.

The Catholic Church can be wounded from without and, mostly, from within, but it cannot be killed. God will not allow it.