In Medio Stat Veritas

 Most of what is wrong with the world occurs when people cling to an extreme on either side of a spectrum regarding behaviors or belief. On a practical level, I have a friend who can tell you the exact day and hour he will retire. He virtually has his entire life mapped out in his daily planner. If something unforeseen changes his schedule, he is visibly upset for days. I have another friend who makes no provisions for his future, doesn't know what he'll be doing from one day to the next, and when life throws him a problem, he runs to me for help. Neither is a good way to live.

 One Protestant preacher, Mr. Barger, recently commented that Antipope Francis' June prayer meeting with the Jews and Moslems was "ecumenism's finest hour." He meant it as a condemnation, and he is correct. Barger later goes on to discuss his "reckless statement" about atheists going to Heaven. ("Reckless" is far too charitable a word). Then, Mr. Barger's own heresy comes forth:

... if I were a Roman Catholic I would be most disturbed by the pope's comments. After all, why should a Catholic strive to carry out all of the works-oriented ordinances that Catholicism demands just to hear their leader, the alleged mouthpiece for God in the world, announce that, like them, the atheists are redeemed (i.e. "saved")? Won't many Catholics take it that, by adding enough good works to their life's portfolio, in reality he or she could have lived like the devil and still have made it through the Pearly Gates in the end? Isn't Pope Francis signaling that Catholics can actually indulge in any and every worldly pleasure, vice, or conceivable darkness and ignore all the RCC rules? Just add enough good works and like the atheists, pagan Catholics can make it to Paradise in the end? Why toe the line in abiding with the many rules and rituals that Romanism has saddled its people with? Though I can imagine that the confession booth might be noticeably empty as a result of the pope's May 22 sermon, let's pray that Catholics abandon the rituals of Rome and come to true saving faith that depends solely on Jesus' substitutionary sacrifice for them.

I can't blame Mr. Barger, a life-long Protestant, for thinking the Vatican II sect is the Roman Catholic Church. His big mistake is thinking that you can "live like the devil" and yet get to Heaven with "good works."Which is it? How can one be a self-serving heathen, yet have meritorious good works? What Mr. Barger doesn't realize is that Francis and his Modernist brethren have emptied the traditional rules of the Church of all their substance. "Who am I to judge" if sodomy is a sin? Let's give "communion" to notorious adulterers. Good works in Francis-speak means being a "nice guy/gal." Nice by the world's standards, so as not to get bogged down with "narrow-minded rules."

Mr. Barger doesn't appreciate that his "justification by Faith alone" (sole fide) is the real licence to sin. He exhorts Catholics (sic) to "abandon the ritual of Rome" and rely on "saving faith that depends solely on Jesus' substitutionary sacrifice for them." If my faith in Jesus as "my personal Lord and Savior" is all I need, I can't lose my place in Heaven no matter what I do. As Martin Luther said, "Sin boldly, but believe more boldly." Here, you can actually know something is evil, choose to do it (the requirements for mortal sin) and yet get to Heaven because you believe in Jesus ("Do I hear Amen, my brothers and sisters?"). Of course, Mr. Barger will counter by saying if someone TRULY believes they would not want to offend God.  Nice try, but if someone is intellectually convinced that Jesus is Lord, they are impeccable? Where does their private interpretation of Scripture teach that doctrine? Since they jettison all distinction between venial and mortal sin, wouldn't the mass murderer be just as "saved" as the one who tells "little white lies" provided they both believe in Jesus?

 One Protestant told me God would "chastise" a Christian who habitually sins by cutting short their life. I asked him, "But they still go to Heaven because they believe, right?" "Of course, once saved always saved," was his response. "How then is that a 'chastisement' since being in Heaven is better than being on Earth? Isn't it a reward? If no sin can cause you to lose salvation, why not commit suicide and get to Heaven faster?" He had no response. The bottom line is that Protestantism, by its heretical notion of faith, gives the green light to doing whatever you please without consequence. Conversely, Mr. Begoglio, by denigrating the True Faith and replacing true morals with "being nice" has the same effect. Having too much sugar in your blood (hyperglycemia) and having too little (hypoglycemia) both have the same end result---death.

 There's an old Latin adage, "In medio stat veritas", i.e. "in the middle is the Truth." In the middle of Mr. Barger's "salvation by faith alone" and Mr. Begoglio's "just be a nice guy" lies the Truth of the Catholic Faith where the role of True faith and role of good works is spelled out in the Council of Trent. Stay in the middle with the Truth or else you will inevitably get pulled into the extremes where awaits the Father of Lies and your eternal demise.