Peace and Blessings Catholic Exchange:
I am looking for a scripture that reveals that if we desire to know God's will, He will be pleased to tell us.” Thanks so much.
Cindy
Dear Cindy:
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5)
Or, more simply, “Ask and it shall be given, seek and you will find, knock and the door shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)
The important thing to remember is that Jesus typically reveals his will *through* the Church, not simply in a Lone Ranger “Me and Jesus” individualism. That's why he tells the apostles “He who listens to you, listens to me” (Luke 10:16). If we think we are “hearing God's will” but that will runs counter to the defined teaching of the apostolic Church, we're wrong. For Jesus cannot contradict himself.
Mark Shea
Senior Content Editor
Catholic Exchange
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Hi Catholic Exchange:
I read Msgr. Clark's homily every day and they are wonderful. I need some guidance on today's homily on the following line: “And he [Jesus] would have lost his soul”. I know this is hypothetical, but would this have been possible, for God to lose his soul?
Thanks,
Mike O'Rourke
Dear Mike:
As St Paul says, “he was like us all things but sin.” Which means he was tempted, as the gospels tell us in multiple places, but he never gave in to the temptations – unlike us. The union of Jesus' humanity with his divinity would have made it impossible, but that doesn't mean Jesus didn't suffer terrible dread at the imminent pain of his passion and death and that suffering shouldn't be underestimated by saying, “well HE was God.” So, the line that troubles you shouldn't be taken literally – it couldn't happen. My intent was to use the idea to probe our own hearts and to see more clearly how we can destroy ourselves by walking away from our commitments and our calling, and to underscore the extent of Jesus' bravery and fidelity, both to his Father and to us.
Hope that helps. Sorry for the red herring!
Fr Clark
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