Yesterday, I was listening carefully to a learned Scripture scholar, who is a priest, as he was discussing the hard sayings of Jesus with me. He noted that sometimes we would wish that Jesus had not said some things, but of course, as the Son of God, Christ was teaching us, warning us and loving us through these sayings. Christ meant it when He said hard things-he was not being poetical or metaphorical. Notice, Christ, the Son of God, knows there is a hell and that people are in it. I need to think of such things in my own life, so as not to become complacent.
Here are a few of those hard sayings. I omit the ones on the Eucharist, as this is list is for Catholics and we believe that the Bread and Wine is truly the Body and Blood of Christ. So, that is not a hard saying for us.
This list is all from the Douay Rheims translation:
John 17:12 While I was with them, I kept them in thy name. Those whom thou gavest me have I kept; and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition, that the scripture may be fulfilled.
Luke 17:2 It were better for him, that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should scandalize one of these little ones.
Matthew 23:33 You serpents, generation of vipers, how will you flee from the judgment of hell?
Matthew 5:22 But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, Thou Fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.