I am a Catholic... And being a Catholic, I know what the Bible reveals to us: not everyone that says Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of My Father. And since Christ, our Lord, is one with the Father, Christ's commands to His Apostles echoes the commands of His Father. If we believe that, and we have to, then His command to preach, convert, and Baptize all peoples of all nations must be adhered to, not only for those peoples, but for ourselves. For if we do not believe, or deny this teaching, or any other article of faith, then we put ourselves outside of the Kingdom of Heaven -- after we leave this life -- even if we exclaim, at our judgment: Lord, Lord, etc... And to hear those startling, yet just words: And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity, will be terror to the souls of those who thought they were doing the will of the Lord...
Enter, Martin Luther, a former Catholic priest who decided to "protest" the "corrupt" Catholic Church of the early 16th Century...
Was there really corruption in the Church at that time (as there is now!)? The answer is yes, but the mistake that Luther and others made, and still make today, is that they do not separate the corrupt human elements of the Church, from the Church herself: the spotless Bride of Christ. The perfect Christ, could never be the Head of a corrupt Body!
This became known as the Protestant Reformation, but in reality, it was a Revolt, not only against the Church, but also against Christ, as the Church was -- and still is -- the Mystical Body of Christ; Christ and the Church are one and inseparable.
Luther's new doctrine spread like wildfire throughout a good portion of northern Europe, including England. But when it hit the shores of Our Lady's Dowry (England), something unexpected happened: it ran into a buzzsaw by the name of King Henry VIII.
Luther attacked the sacrificial nature of the Mass, including the Eucharist; the real presence; as well as the other sacraments...
Good King Henry decided to put old Luther in his place, and composed a brilliant work: In Defense of the Seven Sacraments (of the Catholic Church)!
Most Protestants believe in only two of the seven: Baptism and Matrimony, but King Henry knew that there were seven. His work was, and still is, very Catholic.
(We all know that Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church because the Pope would not grant the King an annulment form his lawful wife in order to marry another, and hence, formed the Church of England, with Henry as its head.)
But it might be very informative for my Protestant friends to read the King's defense and a critique of his writings; see here: The Defense of the Seven Sacraments; here: “witness to Catholic Tradition.” and here: “Defense of the Seven Sacraments,” by English King Henry VIII.
I would urge my dear Protestant friends to read these articles for the good of those sincere in seeking and finding the truth, and for the ultimate salvation of souls...
Pray for our country...
Gene DeLalla
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