Cause-oriented vs. result-oriented

The Cross atop the Hill of 'Kalbaryo' (Calvary) in Gov. Generoso (Sigaboy), Davao Oriental

Good Friday is out: Easter is in? But, a Good Friday is the CAUSE of a Happy Easter; a Happy Easter is the RESULT of a Good Friday. If the cause is good, then we have a perfect result. If Easter never happened, the sacrifices of Good Friday are futile. As Easter did happen, undergoing a Good Friday is necessary to attain Easter. But, we always think of the "result," trying to achieve it to the point of neglecting its "cause." Be cause-oriented rather than a result-oriented individual to keep always on the right track. Good Friday happens every time the Holy Eucharist is officiated. Easter is perfection. When the Holy Mass is done haphazardly and without faith, love and reverence, can we attain perfection?

Good works vs. groundwork?

A skyscraper is built on a solid foundation as a 'house built on rock.' Without it, the construction of the shaft of a building is impossible. Good works, in the same way, are the result of a good foundation of the Church -- the Eucharist! Why, then, do we jump into good works right away when the very foundation of the Church is neglected? 'No one is good but God alone.' We are not God, and no good work-ers, thus! If goodness were still left in us after the Fall -- or so we are often taught -- that could have initiated human reconciliation with the Divine. Instead, it took the oblation of the Body and Blood of the Son of Goodness to effect Divine reconciliation with man! Recognize, first, the visitation of God in the Eucharist, His Real Presence on earth, with LIVING FAITH to enable God to work within us, or do good works through us. In so doing, we never fall trap of spiritual pride and self-righteousness because of credit-grabbing for good works. The pharisee in a parable, incidentally, boasted of 'good works,' thus the ability to do good while the publican recognized the necessity of God in his life by acceptance of his wrongs and of his capability to err. Both, in the end, were justified -- the publican, by God; the pharisee, by his own self.