Sermon for Sunday after Assention "Heaven"
Fr. Benoit Wailliez, FSSPX
“Who can be saved then?
With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God” (Mk 10:26b-27).
The Council of Trent (Denz, 805) has declared that we cannot have on earth certitude of our predestination without a special revelation. Aside from this special revelation no man can know if he will persevere in good works to the end.
Nevertheless there are signs of predestination which give a kind of moral certitude that one will persevere.
SIGNS OF PREDESTINATION
1. Virtuous life (in the spirit of the beatitudes)
“Blessed the poor in spirit, blessed the meek, blessed those who weep, blessed those who hunger and thirst for justice, blessed the merciful, blessed the pure of heart, blessed the peacemakers, blessed those who suffer persecution for justice. These possess the kingdom of God”.
1. humility;
2. continuous prayer; “Ask and you shall receive…”
3. love of enemies / mercy toward those who suffer;
4. patience in adversities for love of God;
“To bear patiently and perseveringly a heavy cross is a great sign of predestination” (Garrigou).
2. Indefatigable zeal for souls
“He who causes a sinner to be brought back from his misguided way, will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:20).
3. Holy Eucharist
•We ought to receive OL in H. Euch. in order to be saved;
“Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you” (John 6:54).
All are bound to eat it at least spiritually (i.e., to have the desire or yearning for receiving this sacrament), because this is to be incorporated in Christ (III 80, 11).
•Moreover, pious and frequent reception of H. Euch. is a sign of predestination.
This sacrament does not at once admit us to glory, but bestows on us the power of coming unto glory.
It is called Viaticum, a figure of what we read in III Kgs. 19:8: “Elias ate and drank, and walked in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights unto the mount of God, Horeb” (III 79, 2).
“O sacrum convivium, in quo Christus sumitur, recolitur memoria passionis ejus, mens impletur gratia, et futurae gloriae nobis pignus datur.
O sacred banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of the passion is recalled, the soul is filled with grace, and a pledge of future life is given to us”.
“The chief effect of a worthy Communion is to a certain extent a foretaste of heaven, in fact the anticipation and pledge of our future union with God by love in the Beatific Vision” (Catholic Encyclopedia).
The Eucharist is the “pledge of our glorious resurrection and eternal happiness” (Council of Trent, Sess. XIII, cap. ii), according to the promise of Christ: “He that eats My flesh and drinks My blood, has everlasting life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (Jn 6).
•Nine 1st Fridays in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Confession and Communion.
“O sacrum convivium, in quo Christus sumitur, recolitur memoria passionis ejus, mens impletur gratia, et futurae gloriae nobis pignus datur.
4. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary
“Love of Mary and devotion to her are a sure sign of obtaining eternal salvation” (St. Bernard).
“Whoever bears the mark of a servant of Mary is already enrolled in the Book of Life” (St. Bonaventure).
“Devotion to our Blessed Lady is necessary to salvation.
It is an infallible mark of reprobation to have no esteem and love for the holy Virgin;
on the other hand, it is an infallible mark of predestination to be entirely and truly devoted to her” (TDM 40).
“True devotion to Blessed Mary is one of the surest signs of predestination.
But the devotion must be true; for if it is false, it will not serve the purpose. One can compare it with money which, if not genuine, if counterfeit, is worth nothing.
To prevent any misunderstanding or deception in an affair of such surpassing importance, you should reflect very carefully to see if your devotion to Mary has all the requirements needed in order for it to be worthy” (St. A.M. Claret).
“True devotion to Mary leads effectively to salvation, for Mary can obtain the grace of final perseverance for all those who pray faithfully to her for it. For this reason true devotion to Our Lady is commonly looked on as one of the signs of predestination.
This firm hope rests on Mary's great power of intercession and her special love for those who invoke her.
- According to St Alphonsus (The Glories of Mary, Part I, ch.viii), it is morally impossible that they should be lost if who have the desire to amend their lives and who honor the Mother of God faithfully and commit themselves to her protection.
- Those who have no serious desire to amend their lives cannot, of course, look on the fact that they keep up a certain appearance of devotion to Our Lady as a probable sign of predestination.
- But a sinner who tries to give up sin and turns to Mary for assistance will find that she will not fail him” (Garrigou).
• “Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination” (Given to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan).
• Scapular. To die wearing it.
• Five 1st Saturdays in honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Confession and Communion.
CONCLUSION
1. Predestination is a mystery.
No one is in heaven unless he has died in the state of grace. No one can go to hell except by his own fault.
2. No absolute certainty of salvation, but moral certitude – 4 signs of predestination.
3. Predestination does not make superfluous our own efforts because adults must merit eternal life.
“One day when a certain man who wavered often and anxiously between hope and fear was struck with sadness, he knelt in humble prayer before the altar of a church.
While meditating on these things, he said: ‘Oh if I but knew whether I should persevere to the end!’
Instantly he heard within the divine answer: ‘If you knew this, what would you do? Do now what you would do then and you will be quite secure’” (Imitation of Christ, Bk 1, chap. 25).
Working out our salvation with fear and trembling
“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Apoc. 2:10).
Contemplation of heaven, longing for it:
“When shall I come and see the face of the Lord?” (Ps. 41:3).
“Eye has not seen ear has not heard, nor has the heart of man conceivedwhat God has prepared for those who love Him” (I Cor. 2:9).
Fr. Benoit Wailliez, FSSPX
“Who can be saved then?
With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God” (Mk 10:26b-27).
The Council of Trent (Denz, 805) has declared that we cannot have on earth certitude of our predestination without a special revelation. Aside from this special revelation no man can know if he will persevere in good works to the end.
Nevertheless there are signs of predestination which give a kind of moral certitude that one will persevere.
SIGNS OF PREDESTINATION
1. Virtuous life (in the spirit of the beatitudes)
“Blessed the poor in spirit, blessed the meek, blessed those who weep, blessed those who hunger and thirst for justice, blessed the merciful, blessed the pure of heart, blessed the peacemakers, blessed those who suffer persecution for justice. These possess the kingdom of God”.
1. humility;
2. continuous prayer; “Ask and you shall receive…”
3. love of enemies / mercy toward those who suffer;
4. patience in adversities for love of God;
“To bear patiently and perseveringly a heavy cross is a great sign of predestination” (Garrigou).
2. Indefatigable zeal for souls
“He who causes a sinner to be brought back from his misguided way, will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:20).
3. Holy Eucharist
•We ought to receive OL in H. Euch. in order to be saved;
“Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you” (John 6:54).
All are bound to eat it at least spiritually (i.e., to have the desire or yearning for receiving this sacrament), because this is to be incorporated in Christ (III 80, 11).
•Moreover, pious and frequent reception of H. Euch. is a sign of predestination.
This sacrament does not at once admit us to glory, but bestows on us the power of coming unto glory.
It is called Viaticum, a figure of what we read in III Kgs. 19:8: “Elias ate and drank, and walked in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights unto the mount of God, Horeb” (III 79, 2).
“O sacrum convivium, in quo Christus sumitur, recolitur memoria passionis ejus, mens impletur gratia, et futurae gloriae nobis pignus datur.
O sacred banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of the passion is recalled, the soul is filled with grace, and a pledge of future life is given to us”.
“The chief effect of a worthy Communion is to a certain extent a foretaste of heaven, in fact the anticipation and pledge of our future union with God by love in the Beatific Vision” (Catholic Encyclopedia).
The Eucharist is the “pledge of our glorious resurrection and eternal happiness” (Council of Trent, Sess. XIII, cap. ii), according to the promise of Christ: “He that eats My flesh and drinks My blood, has everlasting life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (Jn 6).
•Nine 1st Fridays in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Confession and Communion.
“O sacrum convivium, in quo Christus sumitur, recolitur memoria passionis ejus, mens impletur gratia, et futurae gloriae nobis pignus datur.
4. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary
“Love of Mary and devotion to her are a sure sign of obtaining eternal salvation” (St. Bernard).
“Whoever bears the mark of a servant of Mary is already enrolled in the Book of Life” (St. Bonaventure).
“Devotion to our Blessed Lady is necessary to salvation.
It is an infallible mark of reprobation to have no esteem and love for the holy Virgin;
on the other hand, it is an infallible mark of predestination to be entirely and truly devoted to her” (TDM 40).
“True devotion to Blessed Mary is one of the surest signs of predestination.
But the devotion must be true; for if it is false, it will not serve the purpose. One can compare it with money which, if not genuine, if counterfeit, is worth nothing.
To prevent any misunderstanding or deception in an affair of such surpassing importance, you should reflect very carefully to see if your devotion to Mary has all the requirements needed in order for it to be worthy” (St. A.M. Claret).
“True devotion to Mary leads effectively to salvation, for Mary can obtain the grace of final perseverance for all those who pray faithfully to her for it. For this reason true devotion to Our Lady is commonly looked on as one of the signs of predestination.
This firm hope rests on Mary's great power of intercession and her special love for those who invoke her.
- According to St Alphonsus (The Glories of Mary, Part I, ch.viii), it is morally impossible that they should be lost if who have the desire to amend their lives and who honor the Mother of God faithfully and commit themselves to her protection.
- Those who have no serious desire to amend their lives cannot, of course, look on the fact that they keep up a certain appearance of devotion to Our Lady as a probable sign of predestination.
- But a sinner who tries to give up sin and turns to Mary for assistance will find that she will not fail him” (Garrigou).
• “Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination” (Given to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan).
• Scapular. To die wearing it.
• Five 1st Saturdays in honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Confession and Communion.
CONCLUSION
1. Predestination is a mystery.
No one is in heaven unless he has died in the state of grace. No one can go to hell except by his own fault.
2. No absolute certainty of salvation, but moral certitude – 4 signs of predestination.
3. Predestination does not make superfluous our own efforts because adults must merit eternal life.
“One day when a certain man who wavered often and anxiously between hope and fear was struck with sadness, he knelt in humble prayer before the altar of a church.
While meditating on these things, he said: ‘Oh if I but knew whether I should persevere to the end!’
Instantly he heard within the divine answer: ‘If you knew this, what would you do? Do now what you would do then and you will be quite secure’” (Imitation of Christ, Bk 1, chap. 25).
Working out our salvation with fear and trembling
“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Apoc. 2:10).
Contemplation of heaven, longing for it:
“When shall I come and see the face of the Lord?” (Ps. 41:3).
“Eye has not seen ear has not heard, nor has the heart of man conceivedwhat God has prepared for those who love Him” (I Cor. 2:9).