Catholic Replies

2 years ago

Editor’s Note: This series on Apologetics is based on the book Catholicism & Reason. Please feel free to use the series for high schoolers or adults. We will continue to welcome your questions for the column as well. You can send them either to the postal mailing address or to the email address below, and we will interrupt this series to answer them.

Special Course On Catholicism And Reason (Chapter 20)

Another name for the Catholic Church is the Mystical Body of Christ on Earth. Just as all the parts of the human body are connected and depend on each other, so, too, all the members of the Mystical Body are connected and depend on each other. This means that everything that we do, whether good or evil, affects the whole Church. If we do something good for another person, it puts the Catholic Church in a good light and might influence people to want to become Catholics. On the other hand, if we do something bad to others, that puts the Church in a bad light and might drive people away from the Church. So, we always have to give good example to others.

St. Paul made it clear that whatever we do, or not do, for others, we do, or not do, for Jesus. When he was struck down by a light from Heaven on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians, Paul heard the voice of Jesus saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4). Saul (later Paul) thought that he was only persecuting Christians, but Jesus was telling him that whatever he did to Christians, he did to Jesus. The Lord had said the same thing Himself when He told the people, “Whatever you do for the least of my brothers and sisters, you do for me” (cf. Matt. 25:40).

So, if we help those in need, we help Jesus. If we refuse to help the needy, we are refusing to help Jesus, and He said that those who refuse to help others will be cast into Hell, into what He called “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41).

We can help our fellow members in the Mystical Body on Earth by praying for them and by performing the works of mercy. The Corporal Works of Mercy, which have to do with the bodily needs of others, are to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, and bury the dead. The Spiritual Works of Mercy, which have to do with the soul, are to warn the sinner, instruct the ignorant, counsel the doubtful, comfort the sorrowful, bear wrongs patiently, forgive all injuries, and pray for the living and the dead.

But we are united not only with Catholics on Earth, but also with the blessed in Heaven and the suffering souls in Purgatory. This unity of three groups is called the Communion of Saints. There is a community among the saints in Heaven (the Church Triumphant), those who fought evil successfully on Earth and are now receiving their glorious reward; the souls in Purgatory (the Church Suffering), those who are being purified before they can get to Heaven; and those of us struggling here on Earth (the Church Militant) against the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the Devil. We can pray for those on Earth who need help, but also to the saints in Heaven for their help and for the souls in Purgatory, who need our prayers to get to Heaven eventually.

We often ask friends on Earth to pray for us when we are sick or are looking for a job, for example, so why not ask help from those in Heaven, who know of our concerns. How do we know the saints in Heaven are aware of us? Jesus assured us of this when He said that “there will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance” (Luke 15:7). And don’t you think that all the souls in Purgatory who get to Heaven because of our prayers and good deeds won’t be watching out and praying for us until we join them in Heaven? Sure they will.

As we have said previously, the one thing that can keep us from getting to Heaven is sin. But Jesus has given us a remedy for sin — the Sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation. Confessing our sins to a priest with sincere sorrow and the intention of avoiding sin in the future will make it possible for us to join the ranks of the blessed in Heaven for all eternity.

List of Answers:

CHURCH

COMMUNION

CORPORAL

EARTH

HEAVEN

HELL

MYSTICAL

PAUL

PENANCE

PRAY

PURGATORY

SPIRITUAL

Quiz:

Another name for the Catholic Church is the _________________ Body of Christ.
Everything we do affects the whole ________________.
Jesus told the future St. _______________ that in persecuting Christians, he was also persecuting Jesus.
Jesus warned that those who fail to help the needy will be punished in the fire of ___.
The _________ Works of Mercy call us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, and bury the dead.
Which of these is most important and why?
The _________ Works of Mercy call is to warn the sinner, instruct the ignorant, counsel the doubtful, comfort the sorrowful, bear wrongs patiently, forgive all injuries, and pray for the living and the dead.
Which of these is the most difficult to do and why?
The ___________________ of Saints refers to the connection between the blessed in __________, the suffering in _____________, and those of us who are pilgrims on

_____________.
We should ___________ for each other and for the souls in Purgatory.
The Sacrament of _______________ is Jesus’ remedy for sin.