How Do We Find The Truth?

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Gary Zimak

But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth (1 Tm 3:15).

Yesterday, we looked at the Biblical passage stating that God wants everyone to be saved and to know the truth.? Now, let’s look at how we go about finding the truth.? As Christians, we know that Jesus is “the Way, the Truth and the Life”, but how does that fact help us to live our lives in accordance with His Will?? We need a set of guidelines to help?us make moral decisions, based?on His truth.

Fortunately for?us, the?Bible?gives us the answer.? While many Christians?believe that the Bible is the ultimate resource for determining the truth,?the Bible actually tells us?otherwise!? In his letter to?Timothy, St.?Paul reveals that the Church is the “pillar and foundation of truth”?(see?verse at beginning).? While that provides us with some useful guidance, it begs the question, “Which church?”? After all, there are thousands of Christian churches that put forth conflicting teachings.? By definition, you can’t have multiple, conflicting “truths”.? What now?

In order to determine which Church will lead us to the truth, we need to investigate further.? Tomorrow, we’ll let the words of Jesus point us in the right direction!

Tomorrow: (John 16:13)

Posted in Bible, Church, Scripture, truth | 1 Comment

Knowing God’s Truth

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Gary Zimak

This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth (1 Tm 2:3-4)

As we begin our journey in search of the one, true Church, let’s take a look at some comforting news.? God wants EVERYONE to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.? Before you say, “tell me something I don’t know!”, let’s take a minute to unpack the wealth of revelation in?Saint Paul’s?”simple” statement.

God wants us?to?be saved – This is GREAT news!? Although it may seem a little obvious, it’s something that should make us very happy.? Additionally, if God wants us to be saved then He will make it possible for us to achieve our salvation.? While this can only be done through the merits of Jesus Christ, we still need to do our part by pursuing and obeying the “truth”.

There is ONE truth -? Since the truth represents reality, it is impossible to have multiple, conflicting truths.? St. Paul’s statement to Timothy affirms that?there exists a single truth.?

God wants us to?KNOW the truth – If God wants us to know the truth than there must be a way for us to do so.? An unattainable truth is not something that the Lord would dangle before us.? However, while it is comforting to realize that knowledge of the truth is attainable, how is it achieved?

The Need To Evangelize -?Easily missed in St. Paul’s statement is the fact that God wants EVERYONE to be saved, not just Christians.? Uh-oh, that means that once we figure out the truth, we have to share it with others!? That statement puts an end to the “one religion is as good as another” and? the “I can’t impose my personal beliefs on others” line of thinking, but it’s a duty that must be taken seriously.? Once we find the truth that will lead to our salvation, why would we want to keep it to ourselves?

Now that we’ve learned that there is a truth and that God wants us to understand it, where do we go from here?

Tomorrow: 1 Timothy 3:15

Posted in apologetics, Saint Paul, truth | 3 Comments

What Is Truth (And How Can We Find It)?

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Gary Zimak

I don’t normally make it a habit to quote Pontius Pilate, but his cynical quote really fits this topic.? “What is truth?” is a question that every Christian should ask himself, as its pursuit should be our main mission in life.? In the dictionary, truth is defined as “conformity with fact or reality”.? When it comes to faith, the Modern?Catholic Dictionary (Fr. John Hardon, 1999, Eternal Life Press), defines revealed truth?as “disclosure by God of Himself and His Will to the human race”.? While that answers the question of “what is truth?”, it still doesn’t tell how to discover the truth.

I recently wrote an article for Catholic Lane entitled, “A Biblical Roadmap To The One, True Church“, in which I presented 10 Scripture passages which take us from Point “A” (There is?ONE absolute truth) to Point “B” (the Catholic Church contains the fullness of that truth).? Over the next?several days, I’ll be discussing each of these passages in detail.

If you’re Catholic, you should be familiar with these passages as they provide a strong validation for our beliefs.? If you’re not Catholic, I recommend that you use them as a standard by which to measure your own church.? As I state in the article, it is my belief that only the Catholic Church fits all of these Biblical requirements.

I hope you’ll join me as we search for the truth in order that we can echo the words of David, “Teach me, LORD, your way that I may walk in your truth (Ps 86:11)!

Tomorrow:? 1 Timothy 2:3-4

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So You Wanna Be A Priest? No Problem!

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Gary Zimak

In my work as a Catholic lay evangelist, I often run into people who?criticize?the “restrictive” nature of the Catholic priesthood.? We often focus so much on the fact that women and married men (with some exceptions) aren’t eligible for this vocation, that we miss a key point…We are?ALL called to participate in the priesthood of the faithful.??By?virtue of our Baptism and Confirmation, we are not only priests, but prophets and kings!

Don’t?believe me???Here’s what the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)??has to say about the topic:

Christ, high priest and unique mediator, has made of the Church “a kingdom, priests for his God and Father.”? The whole community of believers is, as such, priestly. The faithful exercise their baptismal priesthood through their participation, each according to his own vocation, in Christ’s mission as priest, prophet, and king. Through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation the faithful are “consecrated to be . . . a holy priesthood.” (CCC 1546)

The whole Church is a priestly people. Through Baptism all the faithful share in the priesthood of Christ. This participation is called the “common priesthood of the faithful.” Based on this common priesthood and ordered to its service, there exists another participation in the mission of Christ: the ministry conferred by the sacrament of Holy Orders, where the task is to serve in the name and in the person of Christ the Head in the midst of the community. (CCC 1591)

Pretty neat, huh?? Although lay Catholics are not members of the ministerial priesthood (reserved for the clergy), we are all called to be not only priests, but prophets and kings as well.? While this should make us feel?really good, we have to remember that we are allowed to participate in these roles only through the merits of Jesus Christ.

So now that we’re all priests, prophets and kinds what does it mean?? Is there something that we’re supposed to do?? In reality, it’s relatively simple.??Let’s take a brief look at our three-fold role:?

Priest – Unite ourselves with the Lord as He offers the perfect sacrifice to the Father.? All of our works, all of our suffering, everything we do should be brought to Mass, united with the Lord’s sacrifice and given to the Father.

Prophet – We must proclaim the word of God to everyone.? We do this not just with words, but also by our actions.?

King -? If we follow the commandments of the Lord as taught by His Church, we will one day live with Him in the Kingdom of Heaven.?

There you have it…Not only can you be a priest, but also a prophet and king!

Feel better now?

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How You Can Help To End Abortion!

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Gary Zimak

Earlier today, my family and I had the pleasure of participating in a Walk-A-Thon to raise funds for?Good Counsel Homes.? This organization was?founded in 1985 by Fr. Benedict Groeschel and Christopher Bell to provide residential care for homeless, expectant and new mothers and their children.? I have met Chris Bell and consider him to be one of the finest and most caring human beings I’ve ever encountered.? Although I’ve never met Fr. Groeschel, I have the utmost respect for him and would place him in the same category.

What many people don’t understand is the pressure?often felt by women to abort their babies.? Once becoming pregnant many women are threatened and deserted by their husbands or boyfriends unless they abort their children.? They are often left homeless, impoverished and have?no way support their child.? As a result,?many mothers?feel that they have no choice but to have an abortion.

As Catholics, we?must speak out against the?evil of abortion.? We must also support pro-life candidates at the voting booth.? In addition, we need to do our best to support these women financially.??Doing so can literally?save a baby’s life and I am not being dramatic…It is THAT important!

I know that these are difficult times, but if at all possible, I strongly encourage you to visit Good Counsel’s web site (link appears below), read about what they do and consider making a donation.? Even if you can only give a dollar, it would be greatly appreciated.? Also, please keep their work in your daily prayers.? By doing these things, YOU will be helping to end abortion!

Thanks in advance for anything you can do!

Visit the Good Counsel website at http://goodcounselhomes.org

Make an online donation at http://goodcounselhomes.org/donate

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What Does It Take To Be A Catholic Apologist?

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Gary Zimak

 

It’s simple…

Facial Hair!!!

Gary "I Have A Beard" Zimak

I feel so much better now that I qualify!

Here’s the full story:

http://actsoftheapostasy.blogspot.com/2011/05/so-you-want-to-be-catholic-apologist.html

 

Posted in apologetics | 2 Comments

How Much Do I Love Jesus?

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Gary Zimak

“Every time I hear anyone speak of the Sacred Heart of Jesus or of the Blessed Sacrament I feel an indescribable joy. It is as if a wave of precious memories, sweet affections and joyful hopes swept over my poor person, making me tremble with happiness and filling my soul with tenderness. These are loving appeals from Jesus who wants me wholeheartedly there, at the source of all goodness, his Sacred Heart, throbbing mysteriously behind the Eucharistic veils… I love to repeat today ‘Sweet Heart of my Jesus, make me love You more and more.'” (Blessed Pope John XXIII, Journal of a Soul)

I ran across the above quote from the autobiography of Blessed Pope John XXIII, and I couldn’t help but ask myself a question…

“Do I feel the same way?”

While my first answer was a resounding “Yes!”, I started to think of all those occasions when I’ve daydreamed while at Mass, of the all the times I passed up stopping in at the adoration chapel to pay a visit to Jesus who gave up His life for my salvation, of those times when I sinned and caused disappointment and sadness to be felt in Our Lord’s Sacred Heart.

While I do love Jesus and try to visit and receive Him frequently, I still think that I?have some work to do.? I’m going to take the late Holy Father’s recommendation and make that last line my frequent prayer.?

Sweet Heart of my Jesus, make me love You more and more.

Posted in Blessed Sacrament, devotion, Eucharist, Jesus, papal | Comments Off on How Much Do I Love Jesus?

The Miraculous Medal

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Gary Zimak

Today I had the pleasure of being given a guided tour of the Miraculous Medal Shrine located in Philadelphia.?? I was invited?by Lizanne Magarity Pando, the Director of Communications at the Shrine. I was touched by the genuine devotion and kindness of Lizanne, Debbie and all of the other employees that I met.? It was obvious that working at the Shrine is not a job to these folks, but a vocation.? I don’t?believe that?my invitation was a coincidence, but?rather a reminder that I need to get closer to the Blessed Mother.? In doing so, I’ll be led closer to her Son, Jesus.

Rather than attempt to explain the story of the Miraculous Medal myself, I’ll direct you to a video by Father Carl Pieber, the Director of the?Central Association of the Miraculous Medal.

For more information or to become a member of the Miraculous Medal family, visit the Central Association of the Miraculous Medal website.

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Missing The Point

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Gary Zimak

I have to hand it to the Pharisees.? In fact, I’d like to nominate these guys for the “Missing The Point Award” (just assume, for the sake of argument, that there is such an award).? When Jesus healed the man with the withered hand (Mt 12:9-13, Mk 3:1-6, Lk 6:6-11), the Pharisees?got so bent out of shape that the healing took place on the Sabbath that they completely ignored the miracle!? How could they be so blind?

Unfortunately, friends, you and I do the same thing each day.? While the Pharisees may have been a lot more radical about their positions, we all manage to overlook Jesus’ work in our life on a daily basis.? How so?? Let me give you a few examples:

“That guy?? He’s a jerk…I’m glad I’m not like him.? He?doesn’t even?go to church?on Sunday.”

“Boy, am I lucky that I got that new?job.”

“I know I’m a Catholic, but no?pope can tell me what to do in the bedroom.? Thank God for birth control pills!??If I listened?to that old man, I’d have so many kids that I’d go broke!”

The problem with the above statements is that they exhibit the same kind of?blindness practiced by the Pharisees.? Despite having some major flaws,?Mr. “Jerk” could be very?kind and loving to his elderly parents.? The?”luck” involved in getting your new?job very well may have come about due to the prayers of your deceased relatives and God’s providence.? Jesus can and does continue to speak directly though that “old man” (who I like to lovingly and respectfully refer to as the Holy Father).? By choosing to be closed- minded, we?often miss the actions of the Lord in our lives.

The moral of the story is, if you’re going to be like the Pharisees, choose to imitate their love for God’s law.? However, unlike them, make sure you LIVE that law.? That includes loving your neighbor and always trying to see good in them.? It also includes obeying the voice of Jesus in His Catholic Church, even when you may not fully understand all of her teachings.

For more observations about the healing of the Man with the Withered Hand, listen to today’s Following The Truth podcast:

Listen to internet radio with Gary Zimak on Blog Talk Radio
Posted in Bible, miracles | Comments Off on Missing The Point

Hello, Amarillo!

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Gary Zimak

Today at 12 Noon Central, I’ll have the pleasure of visiting with Sister Miriam Grady on her radio program, Catholics In Action.?? I’ve been on the show in the past and I’m looking forward to catching up with Sister Miriam and sharing the “Good News” of the Catholic Faith with my brothers and sisters in the Amarillo area.

We’ll speak about my transformation from a lukewarm Cradle Catholic to someone “on fire” for Jesus Christ, how I’m actually mentioned in the Bible (sort of…Rev 3:15-16), my encounter with the Lord on the road to Emmaus (I was the unmentioned 3rd disciple who walked beside Jesus and never knew it!) and my advice for getting closer to Christ.

For more information about Saint Valentine Catholic Radio and the good work they do in the Texas Panhandle, visit their website.

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