Are you on the Path to Salvation?
5th Sunday of Lent
“The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.”Ps. 126
Many today believe they are on the path to salvation simply because they are not like Hitler or because they don’t go around kicking dogs. But what did Jesus actually teach us? Are we truly on the path to salvation? Let’s look at key statements from Jesus that show us what the true path to salvation is:
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'”John 14:6
“So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.'”John 6:53
“Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'”John 3:3,5
“Peter said to Him, ‘You shall never wash my feet!’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you,
you have no part with me.'”John 13:8
“‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.'”John 15:4
“‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'”Matthew 18:3
“‘No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.'”Luke 13:3,5
“‘Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; but whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.'”John 3:36
“‘Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.'”1 John 5:12
“‘And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.'”Matthew 10:38-39
As we can see, Jesus never said that we will be saved simply by not being criminals or even by having some religious practices. Jesus showed us the path of obedience to Him, which is the only way to follow Him and be united with Him in order to receive the divine and eternal life that He came to offer us. Only in this true communion with Him will we have salvation.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.'”Matthew 7:21-23
GO, AND SIN NO MORE.
Chaplet of Divine Mercy
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is an intercessory prayer invoking mercy on the world, utilizing words drawn from the text of The Diary of St. Faustina Maria Kowalska. St. Faustina was a Polish nun who received visions of Christ imploring her to spread the message of his Divine Mercy, specifically through the recitation of this chaplet.
Prayed with an ordinary five-decade Rosary, the chaplet opens with a recitation of the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Apostle’s Creed. The beads usually used for the Our Father are used to recite this prayer: “Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world,” followed by ten Hail Marys and the words “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”
Weekly Readings
Sunday: Is 43:16-21/Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6 (3)/Phil 3:8-14/Jn 8:1-11
Scrutiny: Ez 37:12-14/ Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 (7)/Rom 8:8-11/Jn 11:1-45 or 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45
Monday: Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 or 13:41c-62/Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6/Jn 8:12-20
Tuesday: Nm 21:4-9/Ps 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21/Jn 8:21-30
Wednesday: Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95/Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56/Jn 8:31-42
Thursday: Gn 17:3-9/Ps 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9/Jn 8:51-59
Friday: Jer 20:10-13/Ps 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7/Jn 10:31-42
Saturday: Ez 37:21-28/Jer 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13/Jn 11:45-56
Next Sunday: Lk 19:28-40/ls 50:4-7/Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24 (2a)/Phil 2:6-11/Lk 22:14-23:56 or 23:1-49
Observances for the Week
Sunday: 5th Sunday of Lent
Monday: St. John Baptist de la Salle, Priest
Friday: St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr
Next Sunday: Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
