Catholics are smart

Catholics are smart, we have found an easy way into heaven - through purgatory. What I mean is that we no longer try to get directly to heaven - it is hard, and there is no certainty that anything that you do will take you straight to heaven. We understood what Jesus meant when He said, "Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I will tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough" (Luke 13:24). We understand perfectly that it is easier to go to hell than to get to heaven. And we know this because we have been told so by our parents, catechism teachers, and every other grown up that we ever met who had the good fortune of getting a healthy dose of baptismal water on their forehead. Catholicism we know is a religion of do's and don'ts, a lot more don'ts than do's. 

Looking back at my religious education in a town where 90% of the population was Catholic, I don't remember anybody ever talking about what one should do in order to enter heaven. We were all taught about ways to avoid hell. Churches were overflowing on Sundays and nearly empty on other days - to avoid hell you need to attend Sunday mass. Sacraments were of utmost importance - neither the parents nor the nuns at the local convent want to go to hell for not enrolling or preparing the kids for Holy Communion or Confirmation. As Catholics, we believe that observing sacraments, along with avoiding cardinal sins, will keep hell away. We also have learned from our experience that lying, gossiping, cheating, tax evasion are all part of being a decent Catholic. We know that there are consequences for those things, but they don't land you in hell. Hell is for serial killers and rapists, my little transgressions will guarantee me a place in purgatory, and purgatory is not bad, it is only a temporary place of stay before entering heaven. We have accepted it as a reality that the teachings of Jesus Christ are a bit too much for an ordinary human being to follow; life according the Word of God is no fun. It is impossible to follow Christ in His path, so I will just be a Catholic and go through with the actions - keeping the rules and regulations of the Church. 

Evangelization is somewhat of an unfamiliar word for Catholics. When we hear evangelization, we think of missionary priests or the obnoxious Pentecostal preacher who keeps knocking on your door. But what really is this evangelization? "Evangel" is nothing but another word for the Good News, and what is the Good News? Again the answer is simple, Jesus Christ is the Good News. Evangelization is hearing Jesus Christ, and knowing Him in a personal way. Now that's not Catholic way dealing with Jesus, one might argue. But what is it that Pope Benedict XVI talks about when he say things like, "new evangelization for the transmission of Christian faith ... to help these people encounter the Lord, who alone fills our existence with deep meaning and peace; and to favor the rediscovery of the faith, that source of grace which brings joy and hope to personal, family and social life” (Homily for the Eucharistic celebration for the solemn inauguration of the XIII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Rome, 7 October 2012). Could it be that the Pope is trying to remind us that Catholic faith is not about rules, regulations and set devotions, it is about the encounter with Christ - in this life, not just after life? 

Salvation begins when we welcome Jesus into our lives as our Savior. It begins on earth when we are alive. The good news of salvation as narrated in the gospels are about encounters of people with Jesus, and how their lives were changed after the encounter. When you meet Jesus with an open heart, the change is profound - it is meeting God at wherever you are, and Him guiding you to wherever you should be. And Jesus envision all of us to be in the Kingdom of God, "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace and joy in holy spirit" (Romans 14:17). God didn't send His only begotten Son to us as a sacrificial lamb so that we all could gather around the bonfire at the purgatory, He wants us to enjoy the freedom that His Son bought us with His own blood, in this life and in the afterlife, into eternity. We are called to be saints, to live the gospel in our everyday life. We are to lead others to Christ by transforming our lives in a radical way, and compelling others to seek righteousness, peace and joy of the Holy spirit by leading the way. Purgatory is not our hope, and we don't put our trust in the prayers of our family members to get us out of purgatory; instead we "strive to enter through the narrow door". We put our hope in our encounter with Jesus Christ himself, for "I am the door. Whoever enters through me will be saved" (John 10:9). 

"By your stubbornness and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God, who will repay everyone according to his works: eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness." (Romans 2:5-8)