Monday, May 21, 2007

Works of Mercy and Truth

Convert the sinner

Instruct the ignorant

Counsel the doubtful

Comfort the sorrowful

Bear wrongs patiently

Forgive injuries

Pray for the living and the dead

Truly the majority of Catholics do not know their faith and have no interest in living their faith. It happens for one hour on Sunday and then they put it in a hidden place for the week. To be Catholic, do you really need to accept all aspects of the faith? Where do you draw the line? CINO(Catholic in name only) applies to people I know locally for sure. Why bother? If they do not know a huge part of their faith or accept the social/political ramifications of what being Catholic means, they are on some fringe area. How can you consider yourself Catholic and pro-abortion? Or accept non-Catholic dogma just because "it could have happened"? Just because someone thought it up, does not make it true. I have witnessed such a malaise in local Catholics in this diocese and it is disturbing to say the least. Believe something, be passionate, be fearless and stand up for truth. If you don't know the truth, pray for it, seek it and embrace it. You aren't painted in the pews, you have a mind and a heart, use them!
The suffering that comes with seeking the truth is trying to find the truth when none exists. Truth in liturgy, in song, in tradition, in dogma, in scripture and in the core fundamentals of our faith. I have seen the power of the almighty dollar change the entire landscape of faith. That is not truth, that is capitalism. Anything can be bought for a price. Even at the loss of people's souls? You bet. When the sacramental life of the Church is snuffed out by dollar bills, it is Christ who weeps for the innocent loss of souls. He threw over the tables of the money changers for a reason.

Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those engaged in selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And he said to them, "It is written: 'My house shall be a house of prayer,' but you are making it a den of thieves."(Matt. 21:12-13)


In the end, we are called to know, love and serve God. We are called to bear witness to Him who has given His life for our salvation. Truth will always win in the end. It is always present to those who seek it in earnest. I remember one evening this year during Lent how much it meant to meditate on those words "What is Truth?" from Pilate. A powerful question that through time has given us an example to seek and embrace truth when we have found it. Christ is truth and truth can only be found in His Church. Outside His Church there is only truth mixed with half-truths. Can that ever be considered truth?

As I, a poor wreck of a sinner, continue my journey to seek the truth, I pray that I can be an example to my children. I have had too much re-teaching and correction in the past year. They deserve better. They deserve truth.

1 comment:

Cathy said...

Why bother? If they do not know a huge part of their faith or accept the social/political ramifications of what being Catholic means, they are on some fringe area. How can you consider yourself Catholic and pro-abortion? Or accept non-Catholic dogma just because "it could have happened"?

This is a complex question. There is enough blame to go around on this one.
a) Parents failed miserably at catechising their kids.
b) People have given in to Satan's offer of "Pay homage to me and you can have all the kingdoms of this world." People are selfish (again, parents raised them to be, often) and self-centered and spoiled.
c) Local parishes and priests were either vague in their condemnation of abortion and other sin or didn't condemn it at all. Confession wasn't preached, no one knows what a state of grace is, but by God, they know how to make a felt banner.
d) The Vatican allowed liturgical abuses and creative theology to infect not just parishes and families but Catholic schools, from K-8 on up to Loyola U. I suppose they thought it would 'fix itself.'
Yes, pro-abort Catholics are despicable, but they are tragic, more than anything. They were failed from the top on down.
Remember, St. Augustine was a bad Catholic, too.
People can repent and change, and often those who do become great Christians.
I am sorry about what happened to your brother and his family. That is heartbreaking. I have dealt with this in my own family.
Join the St. Monica Sodality. I'm pretty sure the prayers are available online - go to www.cantius.org and scroll down to "Parish Life." You can even start a chapter at your parish, perhaps.
I'll keep your brother in my prayers.