Bulletin Week September 12, 2021

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Letter from Fr. Mac Hill

I’d like to begin by honoring those who lost their lives and those whose lives were upended in the September 11 attacks 20 years ago. Also, to the dedicated military personnel who have made sacrifices – some, the ultimate sacrifice – for our country and the people in the Middle East, thank you.

For the last several weeks we’ve been hearing from the letter of St. James. This Sunday we are in chapter 2: Faith and works. It is one of the biggest dividing points between Protestants and Catholics. But is it as big a divide as we typically imagine? It’s a hugely important subject, and one that merits our attention, because it’s talking about our justification, i.e., how are we saved?

Unfortunately, like almost all debates nowadays, the debate about justification (being right with God) between Protestants and Catholics can turn into oversimplified slogans. “You Catholics think you have to earn your justification before God,” or, “you Protestants think once you’re saved you don’t have to do anything.” We often hear it characterized as “faith alone” vs “faith and works.”

But in several aspects, we have more common ground than we may realize. For example, in 1999 the Catholic Church and Lutherans created a document called the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification. We are in agreement, stating, “By grace alone, in faith in Christ’s saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works” (15).

We agree that justification is a gift from God and is not something we can earn. Our good works are a response of faith, or faith working through love (Galatians 5:6). What causes confusion for much of the debate about faith and works between Protestants and Catholics about justification is simply centuries of misunderstandings and polemics. That being said, when dealing with such an important topic, after all we’re talking about our eternal salvation, it is wise to know what we actually believe as Catholics.

I realize that I can’t give a full explanation in this short letter, but if you’d like to know more, I recommend reading the Catechism paragraphs 1987-1995 or this excellent article from Catholic Answers: https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/faith-and-works-0

Know that you are all in my prayers daily. May God continue to pour out His love upon you.

In the Sacred Heart,

Fr. Mac