Question: Father Andrew,
is it possible for a Christian person who always prays at home to be saved even
if he seldom goes to church for some reason? Thank you. Helena.
Answer
by Fr. Andrew Lemeshonok: Of
course, he can be saved. The Lord came to this world to save the sinners, and
I'm the worst of them all. The fact that an individual rarely goes to church
for some reason, although he continues to pray at home and does his best to
avoid sin, doesn't mean that he won't be saved.
However, that person possibly needs to realise that
church services, the Sacraments of Confession and Communion, are essential for
our salvation as Christians. If he doesn't go to church at all, it's
problematic but if he does, albeit rarely, it's okay. Hopefully, he will attend
church more frequently thanks to your help. If there are justifiable excuses
which preclude that person from attending church, it's a completely different
story. People fall ill and aren't always capable of doing everything that
healthy people can do. Most importantly, you should pray for your loved one. Don't
lose hope for their salvation. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the
life of the world to come.
August 6, 2018
St.
Elisabeth Convent
CONVERSATION