1/25/2019

   Q: Why did just eating an apple make everybody sin?
 
Elizabeth Harold
Steubenville
 
   A: Many people envision that the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil was an apple when, in fact, we just are not sure what kind of fruit it was. But, more importantly, we do know for certain that the transgression by Adam and Eve of eating the forbidden fruit brought into the world original sin. You asked the question of why just eating an apple would make everybody sin?
   Our faith instructs that at the moment our first parents disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit, they chose to follow their own will rather than God’s will, consequently introducing original sin into the world. 
   At the introduction of original sin, our first parents and every one of us offspring after them lost the grace of original holiness, became subject to death and sin, became universally present in all the world. Another way of looking at original sin is that as soon as our first parents sinned, sin became contagious among the entire human race of which there was no inoculation.
   Moreover, the new Adam, Jesus Christ, destroyed original sin through his suffering, death and resurrection and ascension to the Father, known as the paschal mystery. At baptism, you and I receive the supernatural gift of God’s grace, which removes original sin from our hearts. How blessed we are to have warranted such a gift from God!
   Q: If God doesn’t send people to hell, then how is it decided who goes where?
 
Eli Hubal
Cambridge
 
   A: We presently live in a culture in which we seem to wish ourselves to certain locations, such as to heaven, in that God being all merciful, he would not ever send one to hell. However, God is a merciful and just judge. Jesus more than once in his teachings reminds us there are consequences to our actions and hell is very real.
   Jesus is quite clear in his teachings that how we conduct ourselves toward one another, whether or not we visit people in prison, share our food, care for the sick, or honor our parents has a direct effect on where we will spend our eternal life. You and I have been given a choice, and we answer God’s invitation to heaven or hell with our lives.
   Our faith teaches us that we cannot love God if we gravely sin against him, or against our neighbor, or even against ourselves. We possess the ability through God’s grace to be eternally united with him in heaven or, by our own choosing, we condemn ourselves in front of God through our own evil acts. We condemn ourselves by being unrepentant and give God no other choice than for us to be eternally separated from him.
   This topic, of course, should be frightening to all our readers, and yet at the same time, we are aware Jesus has our best interest in mind, especially through the eyes of eternity. Jesus wants us to come to him and to be faithful. What say you?
 
   Q: How many popes have been canonized as saints?
 
Helene Landon
St. Clairsville
   A: It seems best for us to conclude the “Ask the Bishop” on an eternally positive note, namely those in heaven and more specifically the popes who are present in the heavenly kingdom with God. Had I answered this question six months ago, I would have given a number one person less than today. Our most recently pope saint is St. Paul VI. This St. Paul VI is lauded for his great prophetic work “Humanae Vitae” (“of human life”).  He also performed extensive holy works as the vicar of Christ.
   Of course, you are probably asking right now, that is all good bishop, but how many popes? Eighty-two. This number is a tad less than one-third of the popes throughout the history of the church. The largest concentration of canonized popes were among the first popes in the Catholic Church, beginning with St. Peter. The martyrdom of each one of these popes provided substantial evidence of their inwardly and outwardly holiness.
   Remember, God makes the saint. The church recognizes the sainthood of the person. How fortunate we are to have had so many vicars of Christ, successors of St. Peter, who have been recognized as saints.  Each pope has been entrusted with the keys of the kingdom, beginning with the very first pope, as Jesus entrusted him with the responsibility to be the head of the apostles.
 
May this extraordinary Ordinary Time be one of rich blessing to you and your family as we together celebrate Our Lord Jesus Christ’s presence among us, especially in one another.