Mr. J. I see the point, Father. Even such people as are good in their own way might not benefit by Christ’s merits, because they have not complied with all the terms which He Himself has laid down.
Father S. Exactly; and doctrine which contradicts this forms one of the greatest errors of our day.
Mr. J. I myself have been like a house wired for electric light, but never connected with the line which brings the current from the power-house. The house might just as well never have been wired as far as benefit goes.
Father S. You grasp the idea well. The world is filled with people who contend that they can work out their own salvation in their own way. They fail to recognize that heaven is a supernatural reward — one which can be attained only by works having supernatural value from grace. The best works of man have only a natural value unless the person performing them is in union with God by grace.
Now Mr. Jackson, I should like to know whether you understand in what manner the Savior provided for the instruction of us who live in America in this twentieth century?
Mr. J. Well, the impression I have received is this: Christ came not only as Redeemer, but also as a Teacher. He had a message which He wanted to teach all people until the end of the world, even though He Himself only taught in the little country of Palestine. And if I understand it rightly, He spent most of His time instructing twelve men, whom He intended to send to other nations with His message. Am I correct, Father?
Father S. As far as you have committed yourself; you have told how the people of the first century might come into possession of the teaching of Christ. But how would it come down through the centuries to our day with the stamp of absolute genuineness on it?
Mr. J. Well, the twelve apostles instructed by Christ wrote down what they were taught and left it for future generations in the Bible, didn’t they, Father?
Father S. No, Mr. Jackson. I feared that you might have a wrong idea here, as most non-Catholics have. Because Protestants constantly appeal to the Bible only in support of their personal beliefs, those who have given no extensive study to religion get the impression that the Founder of Christianity wrote this book Himself, or ordered His apostles to write it for the instruction of all future generations everywhere.
Mr. J. That was my impression, Father.
Father S. It is wrong. Christ did not write a word of the Bible, nor did He order His apostles to write; and as a matter of fact, only six of the twelve did write. Mark and Luke were not apostles. But all these men were inspired by God Himself to write what He wanted written, so that He is, in reality, the author of the Bible. However, it was never intended that the nations should be taught and saved by it alone.2
Mr. J. What do you mean by saying the Scripture writers were “inspired by God?”
Father S. I mean that the Holy Spirit moved and directly assisted them to write what He wanted written.3
I do not want you to get the impression many people have, namely, that the Catholic Church makes little of the Bible. I suppose you have heard this, have you not?
Mr. J. Yes, Father, I have heard that Catholics are not even allowed to read the Bible.
Father S. I have heard worse than that; I have been told that priests burn Bibles. Any student of reliable history should know that the Catholic Church gave the Bible to the world; that only on her authority the world knows that this book contains inspired writing; that her most learned sons for many centuries spent their lives copying by hand the whole Bible and translating it into different languages.4
But we shall come back to the subject of the Bible later. For the present I want you to have the right idea of God’s plan for the salvation of all people. You were right, Mr. Jackson, when you said that for three years Christ trained the apostles whom He chose from the rank and file of His disciples, in order that they might be able to present His true teaching to the people of other lands in their day. But these twelve men were the first teachers for the real and visible organism, society, or kingdom, which was to have continued existence until the end of the world: “Of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Lk 1:33). Christ called this kingdom His Church: “I will build my Church” (Mt 16:18), and promised to be ever with it: “Behold I am with you all days, even unto the consummation of the world” (Mt 28:20).5 You see, Mr. Jackson, the Church was to represent Christ not only as Teacher; it was to perpetuate all His works — which the Bible would be incapable of doing. The Church produced the Bible, and not the Bible the Church. The New Testament was written only after the Church was fully organized and hard at work.
Christ organized the “body” of the Church during His three years’ ministry, then ten days after His return to heaven, the Holy Spirit in accordance with Christ’s promise was sent to animate it, to be the source of its divine life, to protect it from error, etc.6 Well then is this kingdom of God upon earth spoken of by Saint Paul as: “The Church of the living God” (1 Tm 3:15). How plain that it must be “the pillar and mainstay of the truth” (Ibid)? How plain that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18)? How reasonable: “If he refuses to hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican” (Mt 18:17)? How reasonable too: “He who hears you, hears me” (Lk 10:16)?
How could this “Church of the living God” with Christ’s identical mission, have less authority to teach than Christ Himself? Or less power to remove sin? How could it lack divine helps to sanctify man? “As the Father has sent me, I also send you” (Jn 20:21).
Mr. J. You leave no room for argument. Now let’s see if I grasp it all. Christ was to continue His work of teaching, forgiving sins, and sanctifying man through an institution, which would be divine, not only because He started it, but because the Holy Spirit would dwell in it. He Himself would ever abide with His Church as its invisible Head, operating through successors of His original apostles.
Father S. Yes, you have a good hold on the fundamental outline, Mr. Jackson. The Church would be international, and hence its teaching, guidance, and divine helps would be extended to all people; on all would rest an obligation to become members and comply with her requirements, and in return they would enjoy her divine helps and be led to eternal salvation.7
Mr. J. Of course, all that does not tally with the present-day state of religion. Most people talk as if all the religious denominations are the Church. Could that possibly be?
Father S. No, Mr. Jackson; the Church of Christ today must be in nature, in power, in teaching, what it was when it served men through the twelve apostles. It is to this Church that all are obliged to belong in order to be saved.8 Those people who through their own grave fault do not know the true Church, or, knowing it, refuse to join it, cannot be saved.9
Mr. J. What about those who, through no fault of their own, remain outside the Church?
Father S. They can belong to the soul of the Church, because they can be in the state of grace and can save their souls by making use of the graces which God gives them.
Mr. J. Cannot the charter of Christ’s Church be stated clearly enough to remove all doubts about its nature, its commission, its authority and its powers?
Father S. It is stated most clearly by Christ Himself: “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and behold I am with you all days, even