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Question 272

Pater m there is this one women that does horrible things to my family (you wouldn’t believe) yet she is always in church on her hands and knees je kinona. How can someone with so much faith do these things?

 

Answer to Question 272

 

Sadly there are many people who think they are so righteous because they go to church and make big metaneies, they keep the fasts and everything that the Church requires of them, in other words they appear externally as good Christians, very much like the Pharisee in the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee who appeared as a good Jew. They believe that they are righteous and better than other people, yet they lack the one Christian virtue that is above all virtues which is love. Without this virtue they have accomplished nothing with all their going to church. Christ said that by this shall people know that you are my disciples that you have love one for another. She might go to church regularly and she might have regular Holy communion but if she has no love for other people then everything she does believing that she is a good Christian is all in vain and will account for nothing before the great Judgement seat of Christ.