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dispense. I have chosen you to be, as it were, the first-born in my institution so that, as the heir, you may be executor of my treasures. I have given you the keys of my kingdom. Behold, I have given you authority over all my treasures" (Homilies 4:1 [A.D. 351]).
Ambrose of Milan "[Christ] made answer: 'You are Peter, and upon this rock will I build my Church . . .' Could he not, then, strengthen the faith of the man to whom, acting on his own authority, he gave the kingdom, whom he called the rock, thereby declaring him to be the foundation of the Church [Matt. 16:18]?" (The Faith 4:5 [A.D. 379]).
Pope Damasus I "Likewise it is decreed . . . that it ought to be announced that . . . the holy Roman Church has been placed at the forefront not by the conciliar decisions of other churches, but has received the primacy by the evangelic voice of our Lord and Savior, who says: 'You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it; and I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven . . . ' [Matt. 16:18-19]. The first see, therefore, is that of Peter the apostle, that of the Roman Church, which has neither stain nor blemish nor anything like it" (Decree of Damasus 3 [A.D. 382]).
St. Jerome "'But,' you [Jovinian] will
say, 'it was on Peter that the Church was founded' [Matt. 16:18]. Well . . . one among
the twelve is chosen to be their head in order to remove any occasion for division"
(Against Jovinian 1:26 [A.D. 393]). "Simon Peter, the son of John, from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, brother of Andrew the apostle, and himself chief of the apostles, after having been bishop of the church of Antioch and having preached to the Dispersion . . . pushed on to Rome in the second year of Claudius to over-throw Simon Magus, and held the sacerdotal chair there for twenty-five years until the last, that is the fourteenth, year of Nero. At his hands he received the crown of martyrdom being nailed to the cross with his head towards the ground and his feet raised on high, asserting that he was unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as his Lord" (Lives of Illustrious Men 1 [A.D. 396]).
Pope Innocent I "In seeking the things of God
. . . you have acknowledged that judgment is to be referred to us [the pope], and
have shown that you know that is owed to the Apostolic See [Rome], if all of us
placed in this position are to desire to follow the Apostle himself [Peter] from whom the
episcopate itself and the total authority of this name have emerged" (Letters
29:1 [A.D. 408]). Augustine "Among these [apostles] Peter
alone almost everywhere deserved to represent the whole Church. Because of that
representation of the Church, which only he bore, he deserved to hear 'I will give
to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Sermons 295:2 [A.D. 411]). Augustine "Some things are said which seem to relate especially to the apostle Peter, and yet are not clear in their meaning unless referred to the Church, which he is acknowledged to have represented in a figure on account of the primacy which he bore among the disciples. Such is 'I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,' and other similar passages. In the same way, Judas represents those Jews who were Christ's enemies" (Commentary on Psalm 108 1 [A.D. 415])
Augustine "Who is ignorant that the first of the apostles is the most blessed Peter?" (Commentary on John 56:1 [A.D. 416]).
Council of Ephesus "Philip, presbyter and legate of [Pope Celestine I] said: 'We offer our thanks to the holy and venerable synod, that when the writings of our holy and blessed pope had been read to you . . . you joined yourselves to the holy head also by your holy acclamations. For your blessedness is not ignorant that the head of the whole faith, the head of the Apostles, is blessed Peter the Apostle'" (Acts of the Council, session 2 [A.D. 431]).
Are you saved?
Therefore, whoever thinks
he is standing secure should take care not to fall. 1Cor 10:12
† Now someone approached him and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matt 19:16-17)
† “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” Luke 10:25-28
† “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life.” John 5:24
† “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” John 6:54
†“You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.” Matt 10:22
† “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:16
†
Jesus
answered, “Amen, amen, I
say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God
without being born of water
and Spirit. John 3:5
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