John Cheng-- P –
1. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within
you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For
you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.”
(1Cor 6:19-20)
Thus, the Process of Salvation is a process in which our body which
is inseparably one with our soul is being transformed into a real
magnificent living palace or dream temple of God, until its perfection
forever and ever in Heaven.
[Note: “It is he (God) alone who has immortality and dwells in
unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him
be honor and eternal dominion.” (1Tim 6:16) Indeed, if God is living
in the unapproachable Heaven of Heaven, God Himself can be
described as the Living Heaven of Heaven of Heaven. What a great
honour it is that our body is to become a real magnificent living
palace of the Living Heaven of Heaven of Heaven, very similar to the
immaculate body of Our Heavenly Mother! That is why the devil
wants to destroy such an indescribable palace of God by tempting us
to commit sins, especially the sins of the flesh.]
2. The Process of Salvation, individually and collectively, is a process of
being invited to join in with God’s everlasting Family Party in Heaven,
partying without end with the Divine Heavenly Family, i.e., the Most
Holy Trinity and all the Holy Angels and Saints, until its perfection
forever and ever.
[Note: Apparently, our heavenly party with the Divine Heavenly
Family in Heaven begins with the celebration of the Holy Mass in
which the whole Heaven is invisible present due to the Real Presence
of God the Son who is inseparable from God the Father and God the
Holy Spirit, surrounded always by all the Holy Angels and Saints.]
3. The Process of Salvation, individually and collectively, is a process of
cooperating with God and letting God the Good Sheppard make us lie
down in green pastures, thus leading us beside still waters (cf. Ps 23:2)
amid all the troubles and challenges of life, until its perfection in
Heaven.
[Note: Blessed are those who believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in
the Blessed Sacrament who has become the Living Good Sheppard for
those who are facing many troubles and challenges of life. “Come to
me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am
gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Mt
11:28-29)]
4. The Process of Salvation, individually and collectively, is a divine
process in which God is leading us in the paths of righteousness for His
name’s sake (cf. Ps 23:3b), until its perfection in Heaven. Thus, it is
exceedingly important to cooperate with God all the time.
5. “Love is patient.” (1Cor 13:4) The Process of Salvation is, therefore, a
process for all individuals and groups to practice holy patience
towards God and others, with respect to God’s providential plan of
salvation or divinization of all people, until its perfection in Heaven.
6. “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard
your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:7) Thus, the
Process of Salvation is a process in which all individuals who
cooperate faithfully and patiently with God in Christ Jesus will be
increasingly filled with the very peace of God which surpasses all
understanding, until its perfection in Heaven.
7. “I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for
your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope.
When you look for me, you will find me, yes, when you seek me with
all your heart.” (Jere 29:11,13)
Therefore, the Process of Salvation is a process in which all
individuals and communities must discern correctly and follow
faithfully God’s plans for them, until its perfection in Heaven.
8. “God’s divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and
godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own
glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and
very great promises, that through these you may escape from the
corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become
partakers of the divine nature.” (2Pet 1:3-4)
Thus, the Process of Salvation is a process in which God is inviting
all individual persons to be partakers of His infinite divine perfections
more and more, until its perfection in Heaven.
9. The Process of Salvation is a process in which the Most Holy Trinity
in Its Uncreated Perichoresis or Interpenetration has reached out from
eternity to create all creatures, in particular the whole humanity,
interpenetrating or interconnecting one another, only to be in eternal
perichoretic union with the Triune God who will be All in all creation
which will have been perfectly divinized or sanctified according to
His divine nature (cf. 1Cor 15:28; etc.).
10. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification.” (1Thess 4:3) The
Process of Salvation, individually and collectively speaking, is a
process of giving God the full permission to do what His divine will
most lovingly, genuinely, and deeply desires in our life for His
purpose of our sanctification.
In other words, all human beings are called to cooperate with God’s
divine will fully, to become more and more sanctified and pleasing to
God, until its perfection in Heaven.
[Note: It is not easy to know exactly the divine will of God in
countless instances of our life. Hence, it is thus exceedingly important
for us to constantly and humbly discern God’s holy will, e.g., through
fervent prayers, meditation of the Holy Bible, going to Holy Mass and
Confession, doing Holy Hours, as well as consultation with some
trustworthy persons like a priest, a nun or an elderly in the Church.
Apparently, life is like driving a car, in which we have to see clearly at
all times and put it into action. ]
11. The Process of Salvation, individually and collectively, is a process
of the Pentecost and descent of the Holy Spirit who is given to all
humanity by God the Father through God the Son and has become
thus “the pneumatic foundation of the Church” (Petro Bilaniuk,
Studies in Eastern Christianity, Vol. III, p. 4) or the People of God,
until its eschatological fulfillment in Heaven.
12.
As we know, Heaven is the time and place when each human being
there will not cease doing perpetual adoration of God, loving our
Creator forever and ever in an ever intimate union with Him, together
with all the Holy Angels and Saints.
Hence, the Process of Salvation is a process in which all human
beings on earth are invited to do perpetual adoration of God, loving
Him in intimate union in and through the Holy Mass and Holy Hour,
until its perfection in Heaven.
[Note: Notably, this is something that each conscientious Catholic is
learning during the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, as
well as during a Holy Eucharistic Hour. As a result, each grown-up
Catholic has a responsibility to share with others such a tremendous
treasure of the Catholic Church.]
13. “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my
church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Mt 16:18)
The Process of Salvation is thus a process of Christ running His
Church for all of God’s people through the Petrine Office, until its
perfection in Heaven.
[Note: Therefore, each practicing Catholic has an awesome sacred
responsibility to be praying for the protection of the Petrine Office
instituted by Christ.]
14. The Process of Salvation, for both an individual or a community, is a
process of choosing freely between two distinct choices, i.e., whether
one is being possessed by God who is the eternal Alpha, Omega, the
Creator of all things (e.g., through following the 10 Commandments
of God, one’s personal relationship with Jesus and Mary, one’s
participation in Confession, Holy Mass and Holy Hour, good works,
etc.) or being possessed by Satan who is the persistent father of all lies,
the god of this secular world, the murderer of all humanity ( e.g.,
through following the atheistic values of the secular world, the
practice of evil self-degrading happiness, worship of one own self,
wealth and the devil) until its point of no return, i.e., either ending in
eternal Heaven or in everlasting Hell.
15. “Seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold,
some sixty, some thirty.” (Mt 13:8) Thus, for all individuals and
communities, the Process of Salvation is a process of cooperating fully
with God the Creator, i.e., letting His divine will and its potentialities
implanted in us grow continuously to the fullest God-pleasing fruition
or realization, until its perfection in Heaven.
16.
“May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely, and may your
spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will
do this.” (1Thess 5:23-24) The Process of Salvation, individually and
collectively, is thus a process of pleasing the faithful God more and
more in whatever we think, feel and do until its perfection in Heaven.
17. “All the ends of the earth will see the saving power of God.” (Ps
22:27) Therefore, the Process of Salvation, individually and
collectively, is a process of seeing the saving power of God more and
more, until its perfection in Heaven.
18. “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!” (Ps 150:6) “Give
thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
for you.” (1Thess 5:18) For all individuals and communities, the
Process of Salvation is thus a process of giving thanks and praises to
God more and more until its perfection in Heaven.
19. Fundamentally, one may say to be a priest means to be a mediator
between God and men for their salvation, e.g., through God-pleasing
prayers, actions, and living a virtuous life. Thus, for all believing
Christians, the Process of Salvation is a process of partaking of the
priesthood of Christ, either in the ordained priesthood or in the
priesthood of all the faithful, until its perfection in Heaven.
20. “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests
upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isa 9:6)
Therefore, the Process of Salvation is a process of continuing
conflicts, struggle and warfare between the two princes or gods, i.e.,
Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince or God of Peace (cf. Isa 9:6; etc.)
and Satan, the prince or god of darkness (cf. 2Cor 4:4; etc.), until its
perfection in Heaven.
[Note: In this process of all-out confrontation and struggle, it is
absolutely important to take the heavenly side of the Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6)
who will never put us to shame, before it is too late. “For our struggle
is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers,
against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present
darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places”
(Eph 6:12) whose only goal is to bring us all into everlasting Hell.]
21. How do we call a son or daughter of a king? Isn’t he/she a prince or
princess? Therefore, insofar as each human person being created as an
adopted son or daughter of God is concerned, the Process of Salvation
is a process of becoming a prince or princess of God, the Almighty
Creator and King of Kings of all creation until its perfection in
Heaven.
[Note: As we know, God is not only our Eternal Father but also the
very King of Kings of all creation. In other words, in and through
Jesus Christ “the King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Rev. 19:16; cf.
Col 1:15-20), the Process of Salvation is a process in which all human
beings without exception are called to become princes or princesses of
God and Creator of the whole universe.
“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called
children of God, and that is what we are. The reason the world does
not know us is that it did not know him.” (1Jn 3:1) Therefore, this is a
very important part of the Good News to tell the whole world
evangelically, i.e., each person, as he or she is, is a prince or princess
of God already and it is absolute vital to keep it up in Christ Jesus.]
22. Apparently, the ultimate goal of prayer consists not only in (1)
increasing partaking of God’s divine presence, nature, grace or energy,
and (2) doing His divine holy will in daily life, but includes also (3)
our ever closer connection and intimate union with God. .
Thus, the Process of Salvation is a process for all individuals to
learn to pray deeper and deeper to God, in God and for God, until our
perfect union with God in Heaven.
[Note: As God is the infinite source of love, peace and joy, etc.,
everywhere, to truly pray, therefore, means to be truly connected with
God who is the infinite omnipresent source of love, peace and joy, etc.
Hence, this is a very good and exciting news to those individuals who
are frequently living without much love, peace and joy in life. Hence,
we may say that the greatest problem of the present relativistic,
postmodern, busy and Godless world today is the lack of sufficient
true connection with God, i.e., the lack of praying sufficiently each
day.
It is also importance to note that to partake of God’s divine nature,
presence, or grace does not mean to become God. According to St.
Gregory Palamas (c. 1296-1359), known also as Doctor of God’s
Uncreated Energy, God’s very divine nature can be distinguished as
two distinct parts, the partakable and the unpartakable. St. Gregory
calls the partakable part as God’s divine energy, and the unpartakable
part as God’s divine essence.
Indeed, for all eternity only God the Son and God the Holy Spirit
can partake of the divine essence of God the Father. All the holy
angels and human beings can only partake of God’s divine energy, not
God’s divine essence (cf. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essence%E
2%80%93energies_ distinction). Otherwise, we will foolishly fall into
the devastating deception of the New Age movement, i.e., pantheism.]
23. The Process of Salvation for all individuals, notably for all Christians,
is a process of learning diligently to possibly reach the highest grade
in prayer, as taught by St. Teresa of Avila, doctor of the church (cf.
https://www.ocarm.org/en/item/3547-st-teresas-teaching-on-the-grades
-of-prayer; catholic-church.org/grace/growing/9grades/9grades.htm),
until its perfection in Heaven.
24. “God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.” (1Jn 1:5) Indeed,
one of the definitions of ‘prayer’ is that prayer is an activation of the
omnipresence of the uncreated omnipresent God and His uncreated
omnipresent divine light, power or energy.
Therefore, the Process of Salvation is a process in which all
individuals are called to prayerfully activate God’s omnipresent divine
light, power or energy within and around them, i.e., via prayers as well
as prayerful thoughts and actions, until its perfection in Heaven.
[Note: While Satan, the prince of darkness ceaselessly seeks to fill and
contaminate this world with diabolic sinful darkness, all Christians
and all Christians-to-be are called to follow the God of light and help
Him fill this world with His divinizing light or energy without
ceasing.]
25. “To pray, as Abba Agatha reminds us, is the hardest of all tasks. If we
do not find prayer difficult, perhaps it is because we have not really
started to pray.” (Fr. Kallistos Ware, The Orthodox Way, St. Vladimir’s
Seminary Press, 1980, p. 151)
Thus, the Process of Salvation is a process in which all individuals
are called to learn to pray better and better, until its perfection in
Heaven.
[Note: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
(James 4:6) As a prayer before prayer, perhaps we need to learn to be
truly humble before God before we pray, asking God for mercy as
sinners who do not know how to pray and do not know how to
concentrate ourselves, etc.
Besides, as we are all easily affected directly and indirectly by our
environment. It is spiritually prudent to create or enter an environment
which provides us with little or no distractions. Among others, the
environment which usually has the least of distractions is an adoration
chapel in which the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for our adoration.]
26. Individually and collectively, the Process of Salvation is a process in
which all human beings are called to learn to pray before God more
and more, better and better, as well as deeper and deeper, in Christ and
through Christ, until its perfection in Heaven.
27. The Process of Salvation for all individuals and communities is a
process of learning to be connecting prayerfully with the holy
presence of the Holy Angels and Saints, just as Our Lord Jesus and
Our Heavenly Mother have done so well, until its perfection in
Heaven. Apparently, this is why the Church has been teaching us
about the mystery of the Communion of Saints (CCC, nos. 954-962).
28. “God is light.” (1Jn 1:5). Created in the divine image of God, each
human person is thus a little light himself/herself. Jesus says solemnly:
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in
darkness but will have the light of life.” (Jn 8:12)
Thus, the Process of Salvation is a process of learning to partake in
the omnipresence of God who is Light, in particular in the Real
Presence of Jesus Christ fully present in the Blessed Sacrament as the
Light for the whole world, in order to be increasing filled with the
light of God and become a shining light for the secular world which is
living in untold darkness, until its perfection in Heaven.
[Note: Blessed indeed are the Catholics who do not only believe in
the Real Presence of Jesus, but also attend the Holy Mass and do a
Holy Hour frequently, for they are always filled with God’s radiant
light, not only for themselves but also for the world around them.]
29. Jesus said: “‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple
took her into his own home.” (Jn 19:27) Therefore, individually and
collectively, we may say that the Process of Salvation is a process of
recognizing, receiving and enjoying the loving presence of Our
Heavenly Mother, just as Jesus and the Apostle John did, until its
perfection in Heaven.
30. Jesus said: “The Father and I are one.” (Jn 10:30) Thus, personally
and collectively, our Salvation is a process of realizing, receiving and
enjoying the presence of God, just as Jesus on earth did, until its
perfection in Heaven.
31. Jesus promised us solemnly: “Those who love me will keep my word,
and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our
home with them.” (Jn 14:23) Thus, the Salvation Process is a process
in which Our Lord Jesus Christ is being graciously and evangelically
presented to each human person personally, so that each individual
person may become a living dream temple for God the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit to dwell in intimately, until its perfection in Heaven.
Apparently, all the conversions, prayers, sacraments and
sacramentals, in particular Confession, the Blessed Sacrament, Holy
Hour, Holy Rosary, etc., have been divinely designed to help each of
us reach this very dream of the Creator.
32. “For Saint Augustine, pride is the desire to replace God with oneself.
It is the original sin from which all other sin emerges. Two primary
ways the pride emerges is through the desire for praise and through the
desire to control/dominate the circumstances we find ourselves in
(along with other people).” (https://augustinianspirituality.org/2020/
06/07/what-is-augustinian-humility/)
Therefore, the Process of Salvation, individually and collectively, is
an in-depth process of overcoming or purifying our sinful pride with
the help of God until its perfection in Heaven.
33. Jesus said: “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see
your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Mt 5:16)
Indeed, when Christian leaders and followers lead by saintly examples,
many people would eventually follow.
Therefore, the Process of Salvation is a process in which good
Christian examples, such as those saintly examples given to us by
various Saints, are vitally needed for the evangelization of the Gospel.
Apparently, the greatest thing which a priest, a parent, a leader and a
normal Christian can do for his/her people is to become a truly holy,
prayerful and practicing follower of Christ.
34.
“My brothers and sisters, whenever you face various trials, consider
it all joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces
endurance. And let endurance complete its work, so that you may be
complete and whole, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)
Therefore, individually and collectively, the Process of Salvation is
a process of countless spiritual probations or tests allowed by God, in
order to test and challenge us to grow in our genuine faithfulness to
God as well as in the partaking of His omnipresent divine nature (cf.
2Pet 1:3-4), until its perfection in Heaven.
35.
If everlasting Hell really exists as the true traditional teaching of the
Catholic Church teaches us, then the single greatest problem to solve
in the present temporary life of each human being is the absolute
avoidance of ending up in Hell.
Hence, the Process of Salvation is a process for all living human
beings to avoid ending up in everlasting Hell, in Christ and through
Christ and His Church, until its perfection in Heaven.
[Note: “The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and
its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a
state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the
punishments of hell, ‘eternal fire.’ The chief punishment of hell is
eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life
and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.”
(CCC, no. 1035)]
36. In the postmodern mind of many people today, the greatest problem
to solve is the issue of climate change. However, there are four
dimensions of climate change: (1) climate change on earth; (2) climate
change in Purgatory; (3) climate change in Hell; (4) climate change in
Heaven.
Thus, the Process of Salvation is a process in which all individuals
and communities have to approach the challenge of climate change
wisely and prudently in a well-balanced manner, i.e., not to become
one-sided, but to give appropriate priorities to the four dimensions of
climate change, until its perfection in Heaven.
37. St. Paul said: “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace
toward me has not been in vain.” (1Cor 15:10) Thus, individually and
collectively, the Process of Salvation is a process of dealing with the
problems or challenges in life effectively by the ever sufficient grace
of God, until its perfection in Heaven.
38. Jesus is “faithful and true” (Rev 19:11) At the same time, He has
promised us: “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the
age.” (Mt 28:20)
Indeed, one of the most exciting truths of the Good News is that
Our Lord Jesus has always kept each of His promises faithfully and
truly. Therefore, individually and collectively, the Process of Salvation
is a process of the very fulfillment of Christ’s promises given to us as
revealed in the Holy Bible, until its perfection in Heaven.
39. ‘Propitiation’ fundamentally means ‘expiation’ or ‘atoning sacrifice’
as the Holy Bible reveals to us that Our Lord Jesus Christ “is the
atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the
sins of the whole world.” (1Jn 2:2)
Hence, the Process of Salvation is a process of propitiation in which
Jesus Christ the Son of God has become the atoning sacrifice of our
sins and the sins of the whole world, until its perfection in Heaven.
[Note: There is a story of St. Jerome (c. 347-420), the Latin translator
of the Holy Bible, a doctor of the Church. Accordingly, the baby Jesus
was once talking with St. Jerome, asking him for a birthday gift. In
response, St. Jerome offered to give the baby Jesus all his translations,
even his wealth and years of prayers and fasting. However, the baby
Jesus refused to take them. Finally, the baby Jesus said to St. Jerome:
“I want you to simply give me all your sins for my birthday gift.”]
40.
God said: “Here is my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved,
with whom my soul is well pleased.” (Mt 12:18) Thus, the Process of
Salvation is a process of learning to become like Jesus who cooperates
with God faithfully, and thus let God become ever proud of who we
are, until its perfection in Heaven.
41. “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord
as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.” (Ps
146:1-2) Thus, individually and collectively, the Process of Salvation
is a process of becoming ever more proud of God, our Creator and
Saviour, with unceasing praise and trust, until its perfection in Heaven.
[Note: Eph 1:3-10 reads: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing
in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the
foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.
He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ,
according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious
grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses,
according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all
wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will,
according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for
the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven
and things on earth.”]
42. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be
called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1Jn 3:1) The
Process of Salvation is thus a process of becoming ever more proud of
who we actually are (1Jn 3:1-2), i.e., being created and adopted as the
beloved children of God, in God-pleasing prayers, words and deeds,
until its perfection in Heaven.
43. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” (Ps 23:1) “We know
that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are
called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28)
Therefore, the Process of Salvation is a process of learning to
cooperate with God and trust in the faithful providential care of God
without ceasing, until its perfection in Heaven.
44. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, St. John of the Cross and St.
Theresa of Avila, etc., in our spiritual growth and journey to Heaven,
there are generally three basic stages which God must lead or let our
souls pass through, in order to draw us effectively to deeper union
with Him, i.e., the Purgative, the Illuminative, and the Unitive.” (cf.
Jordan Aumann, O.P., Spiritual Theology, 1980, pp. 114-115)
Therefore, the Process of Salvation is a process in which each
individual person has to be spiritually purgated, illuminated, and
become united intimately with God, again and again, until its
perfection in Heaven.
[Note: As so many Christians today are talking about the possible
chastisement of the postmodern humanity by God, the three stages of
spiritual growth listed above are vital to bear in mind. Indeed, if God
is to chastise humanity in the current ungodly postmodern and
relativistic age, people today must bear in mind that they have to be
duly purgated and their consciences have to be properly illuminated,
so that they would wake up spiritually and enter into an intimate
union with their Creator.]
45. As a whole, as the Old Testament, New Testament, as well as the
human history afterwards have informed us, the Process of Salvation
is a process of continuous purgation, illumination and union with God
for all individual and communities, until its perfection in Heaven.
46. “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves
from every defilement of flesh and of spirit, making holiness perfect
in the fear of God.” (2Cor 7:1)
The Process of Salvation is therefore a process of purification or
Purgatorization of all individual souls, allowing God to cleanse,
purgate or purify us spiritually, until we are perfectly purified or
sanctified as living Saints in Heaven.
Apparently, if this process of purification or Purgatorization is not
done well on earth as the first class Purgatory, we as individuals have
to enter either into the real Purgatory or into everlasting Hell.