FROM THE SERVANT GENERAL
OUR THEME FOR 2022
(Part 6)
FALSE TEACHERS AND PASTORS
September 10, 2022
Today’s readings:
1 Timothy 1:1-14
Psalm 16:1-11
Luke 6:39-42
“Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” (1 Tm 1:14). Indeed. In Jesus we have the fullness of blessings—grace, faith, love. These are abundant. They abound. We are blessed beyond bounds.
But these blessings do not just happen. They are available, yes. God wants to pour them out upon us, yes. But we need to do our part. We are to respond to God’s call and grow in “love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.” (1 Tm 1:5). But the reality is that “some people have deviated from these and turned to meaningless talk” (1 Tm 1:6). Some? Actually today, very many. Who claim to be Christians. Who are clerics and hierarchs but “teach false doctrines” (1 Tm 1:3c). These “concern themselves with myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the plan of God that is to be received by faith.” (1 Tm 1:4). These are the modernists who have infiltrated our Church. They have deviated from the very plan of God. They have distorted the faith. They have misled the faithful.
What has been the result? “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?” (Lk 6:39). And so many Catholics, while still claiming to be Catholics, even devout ones, have become “godless and sinful, the unholy and profane, …. murderers, the unchaste, sodomites, …. liars, …. and whatever else is opposed to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God” (1 Tm 1:9b-11). These are those who are murderers of the unborn in the womb, those who engage in unnatural sex, those who overturn the truth and turn lies into truth, those who demean Christ, those who profane the sacred Eucharist.
Such Catholics cannot expect to experience the boundless blessings of God. In fact, “they multiply their sorrows who court other gods.” (Ps 16:4a). Catholics today have many other gods, such as the Pachamama idol, such as abortion which they want to elevate as a universal human right and even a sacrament, such as Gaia the earth goddess to be the mother of all life, such as sodomy in the name of love. They need to return to the authentic faith, and to “say to the Lord, you are my Lord, you are my only good.” (Ps 16:2). Truly good things only come from God.
So how is our focus on the one true God manifest? We pray without ceasing. “I keep the Lord always before me” (Ps 16:8a). We give thanks in all circumstances. “I bless the Lord who counsels me; even at night my heart exhorts me. …. with him at my right hand, I shall never be shaken.” (Ps 16:7,8b). We rejoice always. “Therefore my heart is glad, my soul rejoices; …. You will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence” (Ps 16:9a,11a). Only then can we fully enjoy the boundless blessings of God, “the delights at your right hand forever.” (Ps 16:11b).
Only then, with constant focus on Jesus, can we become full and authentic disciples. “No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher.” (Lk 6:40). To be like Jesus is our ultimate blessing.
