HOW TO AVOID BECOMING A LUKEWARM CHRISTIAN - 11/15/22 (Memorial of Saint Albert the Great)

Luke 19:5b

“Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.”  

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111522.cfm

Blessed Memorial of Saint Albert the Great! The reason why Jesus ascended to heaven was not merely because He wanted to look at us from above. Rather, He is giving us the hope of entering His heavenly kingdom. All of us are invited by Christ, but many are not able to accept the gift of salvation because of being a lukewarm Christian. A lukewarm Christian is someone who may believe or do just some of the teachings of Christ, but not all of them. They may think that there is nothing really wrong with not following God's commandments. As such, they are endangering themselves because lacking the knowledge of their sins will lead them to not repent of them. Zaccheaus was a tax collector. This meant that he was a grave sinner because he was corrupt that brought him to richness. And yet, when he truck desired to see Jesus Christ. Our Lord saw the genuine faith and repentance in the heart of Zaccheaus. It's not enough for people to pray and to go to Mass if they are in the state of mortal sin. This is the state when one breaks their relationship with God due to doing knowingly and willingly such grave sins. If we are aware of the grave sins in our souls, let's remember that Jesus is giving us hope because He is inviting us through the sacrament of confession. Through this sacrament, Jesus will be able to dwell in our hearts that are purified from all sins, including grave sins. 

Another aspect that we can see in the danger of lukewarmness is the lack of devotion to God. It happens when the actions, even those that are good, are done without any diligence, perseverance, and love. When Jesus called Zaccheaus, He did not just say that he should come down. Rather, Zaccheaus should come down "quickly." Zaccheaus was overjoyed, and he even told the Lord of his willingness to share his properties that he had due to corruption. Although life is full of difficulties, what our Lord is reminding us is that we still should be joyful and motivated to do the will of God. Why? It's because God dwells in our hearts. If Zaccheaus became inspired to follow Jesus when he realized that Jesus would enter his house, how much more should we persevere since our Merciful Savior dwells within us? St. Albert the Great was the teacher of St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Albert was known for his deep knowledge in every subject and science. This was one of the reasons why he was called the "Universal Doctor." He did not just teach. But, he served others, wrote many influential works, preached sermons, and above all, deepened his relationship with God. St. Albert the Great was filled by God's love in everything he did. The Father sends us His only begotten Son for our salvation. May we accept His offer by choosing to do God's will with perseverance, hope and love. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

Life of St. Albert the Great:

https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/november-15---saint-albert-the-great-bishop-and-doctor/

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/