Why do people become so passionate about an issue and lose sight of the big picture, the ultimate goal? Several days ago I went public to my Protestant friends that I was converting (actually going home, but I'll use their language) to Catholicism. Why, one would have thought I was the devil himself. A best friend sticks by you through thick or thin. Mine must not have really been my best friend. Rather than respect for my decision I got chastisement, "you ought to know better."
My friend and I believe that Jesus is the Christ, that he died for our sins, he rose again from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father. We both believe there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved. So why the division of our friendship. I didn't leave. Rather than respect my decision he sought to show me the error of my ways. He also said that the bible was his only authority and that church tradition cannot be taken into account, even going so far as to say the Catholic Church made up their doctrines and THEN found Scripture to support them, which is completely absurd!
If people want to argue they need to make sure they know what they are talking about. But our big picture is our focus on Jesus Christ and ministering to those Christ has called us to help. The big picture is the Kingdom of God here on earth. Why do so many people wait for the Kingdom as if it were not here. Look around the globe. People are hurting and need Jesus, His love, His works NOW! When Jesus comes then it won't be necessary to help the world. Live the Kingdom now. Get off your hands and stop fighting over Protestant or Catholic. Christ knows who are His. He knows where the church He established is. If you want to bring them home trade bickering for humility. Trade vitriol for charity. Love them regardless of the hate they spew back.
Those who wish to call us names or treat us like the devil are just ignorant of the facts or truly don't wish to learn anything. Most who wish to argue with us aren't at all interested in why we made the decision to join the Catholic Church, but only why their position is superior as if we needed to be saved from ourselves. I will never understand this. Therefore, as I stated before I choose not to argue the point anymore. My response will only be to bless them and pray for their peace. Unfortunately my so called friend said he didn't need my prayers for his peace of mind and that my decision did not burden him in anyway. Oh really........
WDTPRS – 5th Sunday of Easter (Novus Ordo): The prayer’s very word order
reveals God’s love
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As we journey from the passion and Easter toward Ascension and Pentecost,
the Church in Holy Mass leads us through meditations on the fruits of the
Resurre...
11 hours ago
I understand so well! I even had a blogpost about this very thing before I ever dreamed I would be standing at the door of the Church wanting to come in so badly!
ReplyDeleteLook around us, Steven..in our area - there are enough different churches for almost every family in our area to have their own building!
Something is wrong with this picture.
Remind me to tell you about the suffering with Christ message I heard. So different from my Protestant days.
Also, it occurred to me that if the Catholic faith is not the early church...but actually it is Protestant....do you think they would be together on anything? These early Christians were a group of believers under their bishops and leaders that told them what the apostles told them...and they died for it.
Why not hide and not die for it if God understood that you were already saved forever? I mean..if it didn't count against you...and you were already saved, just get out of town or even deny and then ask forgiveness of God later for being weak.
Steven...everyone wants to fight with us over sola fide...faith alone. We understand that our initial move towards Our Lord is a gift of His grace that kindles the flame of faith within us. Nothing we do can get us to God - only accepting that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God. But what is it that we have faith in?
We have faith that He is who He says He is...and that if we follow Him and take up our cross and deny ourselves and be united with His body..we will look and act like He did when He walked on the earth. Being compassionate to the poor, oppressed, weak, sick and outcasts....we know that saying we have faith in Him means so much more than a mental assent. That was the same thing the early gnostics taught.
That's scary. They had different ideas depending on which sect...but they believed it was the knowledge of Jesus that opened your eyes to the light and your mind comprehended him but your body didn't matter because bodies were evil anyway.
Great post and I'm going to link to it tomorrow if you don't care. The only problem is you might get alot of traffic from people wanting to argue....
Blessings from your sister in Christ,
Teri
Iknow how you feel, Steven. Stop by my blog someatime and read my conversion story. Meantime, hang in there. Jesus in the Eucharist is worth it all!!
ReplyDeletePatty Bonds
http://abbaslittlegirl.blogspot.com