Good works alone cannot save us, for "even the pagans do the same" -Matthew 5:47.
Even atheists have charitable institutions!
Good works must be borne out of faith in God.
Done without God, good works become works of self-righteousness.
Because the natural consequence of "doing" good works all by ourselves is "taking ownership" of these good works as products of our own deeds.
This is easy trap for self-praise.
Or: self-idolatry!
Thus, good works should be preceded by faith in God so that it is God Who does good works through us as a result of our faith in Him.
All good works, then, are thus given credence to God.
By our "living faith" in the Holy Eucharist, our hearts become vessels of the living God Who is Mercy so that, at the knowledge of a person who is in need of help, we feel the restlessness of Mercy within us until Mercy is expressed through us to who stir that Mercy.
In this way, we "do not let the left hand [represented by 'self'] KNOW what the right hand [represented by good works] is doing" -Matthew 6:3, lest "self" claims those works as its own.
In this way, we "do not let the left hand [represented by 'self'] KNOW what the right hand [represented by good works] is doing" -Matthew 6:3, lest "self" claims those works as its own.
"You see, although there appears to be no trace of life in Me, in reality, it is present in its fullness in each and every Host. But for Me to be able to ACT UPON A SOUL [OR: to be able to bestow gifts, do miracles or good works through a soul], the soul must have faith. O how pleasing to Me is living faith!" [living faith in the Holy Eucharist!] (Our Lord Jesus said to Sister Faustina as recorded in her Diary, #420.)
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