Christ told us “One there is who is good” and yet the Modernists and modern culture insist almost everyone is a “good person,” and for that reason, we don’t have to worry about eternal salvation. But is that right? Am I a good person?
I recently attended a novus ordo funeral Mass. It was the typical canonization process where the priest told everyone who attended the Mass that the deceased was already in Heaven with her husband and pre-deceased siblings, and we could look forward to that day when we would join them all in Heaven. I just made a recent video about this which you can access on my Catholic Lamp YouTube Channel.
The problem, of course, is that we really don’t know who is in Heaven or not (other than canonized saints) and, after all, “who am I to judge?” Oh wait, we can judge who is Heaven but not who is in hell? According to the typical novus ordo priest, that seems to be the case.
But what stood out to me about the priest’s homily, beyond his canonization, was the reason why he thought the deceased was in Heaven. And the best reason I could decipher from the homily was that she was “good person.”
The Modern Definition of a “Good Person”
Now, this really got me thinking—especially because we are deep into Lent now. Many of us think we are good people. It’s not uncommon that we also believe our closest friends and family members are “good people.” But what does that mean—to be a good person?
It seems the definition of a “good person” in modern culture is that first, and foremost, you do not murder other people—unless it’s an unborn baby—and then you are still a good person.
A “good person” in the modern culture is someone who does not cheat on his or her spouse—unless a civil court judge grants a divorce—and then you can find a replacement spouse.
A “good person” in the modern culture is someone who does not harm or abuse children—unless you inject them with untested, abortion tainted poison—and then it’s charitable because Dr. Fauci says so.
A “good person” in the modern culture is someone who takes care of their elderly parents and the sick—unless the elderly parent or the sick person is near the end of life—then it’s okay to kill them to speed up the process out of compassion.
You see, the idea of a “good person” really isn’t all that straight forward in our modern, post-Christian culture. Sadly, how many Catholics do you know that adopted the modern cultural definitions of a “good person?”
Modernist Lies About Our Worthiness
This wouldn’t be a big deal if Catholics understood their own faith, free from Modernist influence that tells us we are all “good people” and deserve to go to Heaven when we die. But we are not free from that Modernist poison—as is obvious in almost every novus ordo funeral Mass conducted in the United States today. But how does this play out practically?
On one hand, we tend to lie and talk ourselves into the idea that our sinful acts are somehow good or justified. “It’s okay if I cut off my comatose Grandma’s nutrition and hydration to speed up her death in order to relieve her suffering,” just for example.
On the other hand, we also tend to do good acts with the wrong intention. I’ll give you one personal example of this.
Every Lent I attempt to give alms or do more corporal works of mercy. Even though I am doing a good work, I often find myself doing it for the wrong reason. I do it out of a feeling of obligation with a slight hint of annoyance, rather than love. Or, I make sure others know I am doing it, in order to make myself feel better about being a “good” person. Even though I am doing what appears to be a good work on the outside, I am not always doing it for the greater glory of God or the love of neighbor.
“One There Is Who Is Good”
All of this should remind us of the rich young man in the Gospels. Recall the story:
And behold, one came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which?” And Jesus said, “You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have observed; what do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. Matthew 19:16-22.
Notice a couple things. The rich young man’s attitude about this. He asks Our Lord what good deed he must do, thinking he had done them already. Christ rebukes him for even asking the question, noting “one there is who is good.”
But the young man persists, proudly telling himself that he had this eternal salvation stuff all wrapped up. Then Christ points out he should sell his possessions, and “follow me.” How did the young man respond? Nope—that’s too much—I would rather keep my stuff and “went away.”
Clearly, the young man was not serious when he asked the question in the first place. He didn’t really want to know what he needed to do because when he received an answer, he rejected it. Why was he asking the question then? It seems to me he wanted confirmation that he already was a good person and was guaranteed a ticket to Heaven.
Is this not the same attitude we have about ourselves, and even our deceased loved ones, when they die? We like our ears being tickled. We crave confirmation from priests that we, and our loved ones, are such good people that we will surely go straight to Heaven when we die.
But just perhaps—just maybe—we actually are not perfect, even if we have done some good works in the past?
Lent: A Time to Reflect on Whether “AM I a Good Person”
As creatures made in the image of God, we are indeed good because God created us—yet we remain tainted by Original Sin and our personal sins. In my last Lenten reflection, I touched on that distorted view of sin the Modernists have sold the world. Now, perhaps we should reflect on whether we are good, bad, or somewhere in between.
The reality is that most of us want to be good and strive to follow the Commandments and precepts of the Church, yet fail miserably. Many of us fall into that trap of assuming we are good people, while conveniently blocking out those moments when we fall short. In our minds, we try to sell God a bill of goods about ourselves, despite knowing the product is faulty. As if God doesn’t know!
An important purpose of Lent, it seems, is for us to take an honest look at ourselves and examine our lives as objectively as possible. This is not easy to do.
One way to do this is to reflect on Christ’s Passion, His suffering and cruel death on the cross—but not just His physical suffering. Reflect on His humiliations, the insults and personal offenses He endured from miserable creatures. Surely, after making this honest reflection, we cannot conclude we are “good” people in the way the world and the novus ordo priest tells us. We can, and must, do better.