St. Thomas More argues with Martin Luther, PART II
[Tomorrow is the Feast Day for St. Thomas More in the Catholic Church. Here is part two of an excerpt from his Response in 1523 to Martin Luther’s tract against King Henry VIII. You can read part one here.]
By St. Thomas More
What force has this pronouncement of Christ’s: “The Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, when He comes, will guide you into all truth”? [John 16:13]
He doesn’t say that the Spirit will “write” to you or whisper in your ear, but he will lead you, will form you interiorly, and with His breath will show your hearts the way to all truth.
Was it the Apostles, here addressed by Christ, to whom the way was to be shown? Were they alone told, “I am with you to the consummation of the world”? [Matt 28:20]
Who can question the direction of this message to the Church? Will not the Holy Spirit show her the way to all truth? Was she not told, “Go, preach the Gospel to every creature”? [Matt 28:19]
Did they read the Gospel or preach it? And did Christ cast the new law in bronze or strike it on stone tablets, commanding that everything else be considered valueless and cast out?
[…] [Tomorrow is the Feast Day for St. Thomas More in the Catholic Church. Here is part three of an excerpt from his Response in 1523 to Martin Luther's tract against King Henry VIII. You can read part one here and part two here.] […]