Living in the name of Jesus Christ (1)

The opinion piece by Robert Henry Bugeja entitled Praying In The Name Of Jesus Christ (April 18) could rightly be entitled “Praying in the name of the devil”. The devil knows how to imitate and follow Christ upside down.

Mr Bugeja said that “Jesus is celebrated by the Church as the main founder of the Christian faith but does the Church really practise what Jesus preached?” It is a rhetorical question and so the answer can only be in the positive. Does the writer not know that the “Church is the Mystical Body of Christ” and as such she necessarily has to practise what Christ has taught her? Does the writer not know that Christ sent her the Holy Spirit to confirm her in truth and in holiness and that Christ is with her until the end of time to live and practise what Christ has taught her?

Mr Bugeja continued: “The hard part is actually acting to help the needy and improve the life of others.” That is what the Church has done in her 2,000-year-old history. Read the social teaching of the Church and go in detail through her long history of social assistance of every type, starting from the setting up of deacons to help those in need and you will find exactly how the Church worked and suffered to carry out “this hard part”. St Lawrence is just an example.

Mr Bugeja mistakenly said that Christ “was not a freedom fighter”. Read the first and the last book of Holy Scripture and there you will find the battle that is still going on between God and the devil. We read of the final victory for those who side with Christ and not with the devil.

Christ insisted on every one to avoid sin. He commanded the adulteress “to sin no more”. He accused Pilate of sin and those who had brought Christ to him of a greater sin. Christ said that “whoever commits sin is a slave of sin”. He came to save us from eternal hell through our salvation from sin. And he said that “the truth (that the Catholic Church teaches!) will make you free”. No freedom without this truth!

Mr Bugeja said: “Make a lot of noise in one corner so in another you can commit as many sins as you want.” I tell him to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church and there he will find all the sins of every type and nature. Thus the Church does not teach one kind of sin only! Mr Bugeja penned: “Christian dogmatists” (are) the ones who follow our Church because they believe it is the same one.” Yes, Christ has set up only one Church which is the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, led by the Pope since St Peter and will continue to be so until the end of time. This is the only one Church of Christ.

According to Mr Bugeja “the word ‘Christian’ came into play long after Jesus was crucified. In fact, it was “Roman” emperor Constantine who acknowledged Christianity as a religion. That is why our religion is known as ‘Roman’ Catholic.” Read the Acts of the Apostles and you will find that the disciples of Christ were called “Christians” in Antioch, soon after the resurrection of Christ. Then at the end of the first century the Church of Christ was called also “Catholic” by St Ignatius of Antioch. Nothing new! “Catholic” means universal. Christ himself wanted his Church to be universal, i.e., Catholic!

Following faithfully the categorical prohibition of Christ on divorce, this one true Catholic Church of Christ has never resorted to divorce in her 2,000-year-old history.