Baptism And The Eucharist: You Can't Have One Without The Other...

As you can see by the title of this short article, the main theme is, Baptism and the Eucharist: you can't have one without the other.  But before I make the essential connection between the two, I must mention something that our good and holy priest said in his homily, namely, about ecumenism.

Now, over the years, ever since that mistake of the Second Vatican Council, the idea of ecumenism has taken on a whole new meaning; a meaning that was, in fact, never intended.

If one looks at the history of the Church over the last 2,000 years, you will see that when the subject of ecumenism came up, it referred to the very command of our Lord to preach and baptize ALL NATIONS.  In other words, after the Apostles did their glorious work, then won the crown of eternal life through their sufferings and eventual martyrdom, the "job" of converting others outside the Church was left to their successors -- and us lay folk!

So, no matter how you look at it, it is our job too, to bring others into the Church -- through true ecumenism.  

Look at the breakdown of the word in this sense: you come in-ism = ecumenism!

Getting back to what the moderns think is true ecumenism...  All one hears these days is about "dialogue", not conversion.  In fact, the current pope -- the leader of the Catholic world -- has specifically disparaged those who attempt to convert -- bring into the Church -- non-Catholics!!

Do you see the problem here?

 And yet, when non-Catholics respond to the graces provided them, and they are of good will, they will, come hell or high water, find the truth that IS the Catholic Church: the guardian of all of Christ's teachings through the authentic Magisterium.

I guess we'll just have to buck the trend and do what we have to do: preach, and, if necessary, baptize those who want to find eternal life in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, founded by our Lord, Jesus Christ...

And now let me make the connection between Baptism and the Holy Eucharist...

Just as in the old song, Love and Marriage, you can't have one without the other!  So, too, you cannot receive the Bread of Life, the Eucharist, without being Baptized into the Church, first.  And that is the key!  One cannot "desire" Baptism, and then receive the Eucharist; it doesn't happen that way; never has; never will...

Here's what has to happen: St. John, Chapter 3, verse 5: And Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,  except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

But there is more to the "story" of being saved...

I refer the reader to St. John, Chapter 6 (actually, read all of it!) verses 51-58; here is Verse 53: Then Jesus said unto them, verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

NO LIFE IN YOU!

However, the good news is, is that just the opposite is true, and Christ tells us so in verse 54: Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

As you can see, we have an admonishment, and hope, all at the same time.

First get Baptized, then you will be able to receive the Bread of Life in the Eucharist!   This is almost too incredible to comprehend, but because Christ tells us so, then we can take it to the bank as true.

This is why when we practice true ecumenism, and bring others into the Church, we accomplish two major actions; first, many of our own sins are "covered", and, second; we bring other souls into the one ark of salvation, just as those on Noah's ark survived the flood, but all others perished.

Note: all verses are taken from the King James version of the Protestant Bible, copyright 1897...

Pray for our country...

Viva Cristo Rey!  Fr. Miguel Pro, pray for us...

Gene DeLalla