Do You Have A Personal Relationship with Jesus?
Yes! I am a Roman Catholic. I have been baptized, as Jesus said, In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Mk.16:16, Mt.28:19). I know Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Jn.4:25-26, Mt.16:16).
I love Jesus – He is my Lord and my God. (Jn.20:28) As a committed member of my Christian community, Jesus is my salvation (Jn. 14:6, Acts 4:12) and He is the center of my Christian faith (Jn.3:16).
I am called to imitate Jesus. (Mt.10:24, 38, Jn.13:14-15) I give my life to him (Mt.22:37). From the Bible, I know His great love and constant care for me. I am more important than the birds of the air and grass of the field (Mt.6:26ff, 10:29ff).
Through Baptism, I have been born again (Jn.3:5, Tit.3:5). Through Confirmation, I have received the Holy Spirit (Jn.16:7-15, Acts 8:14ff, 19:1ff). When I confess my sins to a priest, I know they are forgiven (Lk.17:14, Jn.20:23, 2Cor.5:17ff) and I am strengthened in grace (Lk. 15:32, Gal. 5:19ff).
When I receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist (Mk.14:22ff, Lk.22:17ff), I have the most intimate union with Him, because He is truly present in a real and unique way: Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity (Jn.6:36-71).
When I pray, I know Jesus hears me, (Mt.7:7ff, Lk.11:5ff) and I know He speaks to me in the depth of my heart, in the Scriptures, during Mass and adoration of the Holy Eucharist (where Jesus remains because He devised concrete ways to remain with us until the end of time), and through people and events in my life (Mt.4:4, Lk.11:10-14, Jn.14:20-21).
I believe the communion of saints is real. We are surrounded
by a cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12:1) and God allows them to know our situations. Saints have constant union with God. They love to pray with us and for us. We know we can pray directly to God, but we can also ask the help of the saints, just as we ask people on earth to pray for us.
I love the Virgin Mary. She is full of grace and God chose her to be
the Mother of Jesus (Lk.1:26ff). Jesus gave her to us in the person of St. John when Jesus said to Mary: Woman, behold your son.
St. John’s mother was there too, and yet Jesus gave His mother
to St. John saying: Behold your mother (Jn.19:26-27). And, just as she helped those in need at Cana (Jn.2:3ff), and Jesus responded with his first miracle, she hears our prayers by the grace of God, and she will pray for us.
I know Jesus does not want me to ignore His Mother: All generations shall call her blessed (Lk. 1:48). I know I can get even closer to Jesus if I honor His Mother. There is no greater voice that can be joined with ours than the voice of the Blessed Mother who was the first to have the closest,
personal relationship with Jesus that anyone could ever imagine.
Some persons think it is charitable to not speak about Mary to non-Catholics. However, it is a great act of charity to share such Good News with others, because it is a truth about a treasure -Mary- who gave God everything she had (Lk.1:38), and He will for ever give her numerous, special blessings. She was His first disciple and is a great model of obedience and humility. Mary always draws us and our attention to Jesus, not to herself.
I believe in serving others, for Jesus said: As you did it for one of My least brothers, you did it for Me (Mt. 25:40). And I know, A person is justified by his works and not by faith alone (Js.2:24). I also know, Faith without works is dead (Js. 2:26).
Jesus Christ founded the Catholic Church. The Apostles, early Church Fathers, and a constant line of popes and bishops for 2000 years teach the doctrines of Christ. Countless people have died for the Catholic faith. It is universal and everywhere. It is respectful of all other religions. The Catholic Church will endure age after age, until the end of time. Nothing and no one will prevail against it. I love the Catholic Church.
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