The Catholic Church often seems like a lone voice crying out in the wilderness of the culture of death (see Mt 3:1ff). The Catholic Church consistently speaks out against the use of contraception, defends marriage as a union between one man and one woman, defends the poorest of the poor, condemns abortion as murder, and stands against capital punishment and for other social justice issues. Many teachings of the Catholic Church are attacked by the world. However, the Church will not submit to such attempts at intimidation (see Mt 10:26).
So often, the Church is the voice of God on this earth. Praise God for the Church, which is a marriage between the divine and human (see Eph 5:25, 32; cf Rv 19:7). Though the Church is made up of sinners, she strives to have the mind of Christ, her Head (see Mt 16:23; 1 Cor 2:16). Therefore, listen to the teachings of the Church. These teachings are readily presented in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Invest the time to read the Holy Bible and the Catechism. In so doing, you will make good progress (1 Thes 4:1) in learning these teachings. Seek to follow them, for Jesus speaks through His Church today, as He did two-thousand years ago (see Acts 2:42; Lk 10:16).
| PRAYER: | Jesus, You said that those who hear Your apostles (and by implication their successors the bishops) also hear You (Lk 10:16). May I seek Your voice through the voice of Your Church. |
| PROMISE: | "I will place My law within them, and write it upon their hearts." –Jer 31:33 |
| PRAISE: | St. Dominic brought many back into the Church by preaching the truth and praying the rosary. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College