found and lost?
"It is the will of Him Who sent Me that I should lose nothing of what He has given Me." —John 6:39
"Indeed, this is the will of My Father, that everyone who looks upon the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life" (Jn 6:40). God the Father wants all "to be saved and come to know the truth" (1 Tm 2:4). He even sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross that all may be saved.
However, the Lord does not force us to accept His love and salvation. Otherwise, we would not be loving Him, since love must be freely accepted and given. Therefore, we can reject the Lord with His love and salvation. We can be lost forever in the hell and damnation of everlasting separation from God's love and of isolated fixation on ourselves.
Even those who have already accepted Jesus as Lord can be lost. Paul warned: "Let anyone who thinks he is standing upright watch out lest he fall!" (1 Cor 10:12) Paul warned himself: "What I do is discipline my own body and master it, for fear that after having preached to others I myself should be rejected" (1 Cor 9:27).
Repent of all compromises with the ways of the world. Return to your first love (Rv 2:4). "Be solicitous to make your call and election permanent, brothers; surely those who do so will never be lost. On the contrary, your entry into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for" (2 Pt 1:10-11).
Prayer: Father, make me faithful forever.
Promise: "There were many who had unclean spirits, which came out shrieking loudly. Many others were paralytics or cripples, and these were cured." —Acts 8:7
Praise: Catherine received the stigmata — the wounds of Jesus in her hands, feet, and heart. Within a few years, she had succeeded in uniting a divided Church. She died to herself to gather God's children together (see Jn 11:51-52).
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, July 26, 1997
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July 29, 1997