A reflection on being Catholic

[fisherman_carl]

What does it mean to be Catholic?

Is it a philosophy? A way of life? A belief?
What sets him apart from anyone else?
Does he think differently?
Does he live differently?
What does he expect of himself? Of others?
What are his hopes? His fears?
What does he love? Hate?
A Journey is his thing.
From dark to light.
From ignorance to understanding.
From hate to love.
From self-absorption to self-denial.
From the plain to the ideal.
From the ordinary to the unexpected.
It is a pilgrimage too grand for any of us to grasp.
A play written by a master writer.
And, in the words of the Apostle John:
“Beloved, we are God’s children now;
What we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
For we shall see him as he is.
And every one who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”*

• 1 John 3:2-3

 

[Latias]

What does it mean to be Catholic?

Is it a philosophy? A way of life? A belief?
What sets him apart from anyone else?
Does he think differently?
Does he live differently?
What does he expect of himself? Of others?
What are his hopes? His fears?
What does he love? Hate?
A Journey is his thing.
From dark to light.
From ignorance to understanding.
From hate to love.
From self-absorption to self-denial.
From the plain to the ideal.
From the ordinary to the unexpected.
It is a pilgrimage too grand for any of us to grasp.
A play written by a master writer.
And, in the words of the Apostle John:
“Beloved, we are God’s children now;
What we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
For we shall see him as he is.
And every one who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”*

• 1 John 3:2-3

I now do not see anything particularly transcendent in the Church. I find it so concerned in mundane things, and it is only capable of galvanizing people on abortion and gay marriage. I do not even try to try to go to Mass anymore.

At least I see Carson Palmer today, and the Panthers losing.

 

[fred_conty]

I now do not see anything particularly transcendent in the Church. I find it so concerned in mundane things, and it is only capable of galvanizing people on abortion and gay marriage. I do not even try to try to go to Mass anymore.

At least I see Carson Palmer today, and the Panthers losing.

You may chose to focus your thoughts on Christ and your relationship with him, then it might have some meaning for you. Build your life around him.

 

[fisherman_carl]

I now do not see anything particularly transcendent in the Church. I find it so concerned in mundane things, and it is only capable of galvanizing people on abortion and gay marriage. I do not even try to try to go to Mass anymore.

At least I see Carson Palmer today, and the Panthers losing.

You are focused on the wrong things. You are focused on yourself and what you want. Why else would you post in this thread and try to take the focus of it and put it on yourself. I realize my poem is not that great. But do you have to smear your hatred all over it?

Maybe some of us do like the church. Did you ever think of that? Perhaps you opinion is not king? And people who like the church don’t care if you like the church or not.

The church is not full of perfect people. But I don’t think you will find any church is perfect.

 

[Latias]

You are focused on the wrong things. You are focused on yourself and what you want. Why else would you post in this thread and try to take the focus of it and put it on yourself. I realize my poem is not that great. But do you have to smear your hatred all over it?

Maybe some of us do like the church. Did you ever think of that? Perhaps you opinion is not king? And people who like the church don’t care if you like the church or not.

The church is not full of perfect people. But I don’t think you will find any church is perfect.

I apologize for any perceived disrespect towards your work.

I am aware, perhaps destined to be shunned. They don’t care about me. Thank you for reminding me about that.

It reminds me for this passage from the Koran:

If you do not go forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment and will replace you with another people, and you will not harm Him at all. And Allah is over all things competent.

At-Tawbah 39

God is competent over all things, he does not need me, and he is impervious to whatever I could muster. I am already replaced by another people.

If faith is something personal, then how one perceives the Church is entirely relevant. Perception is inherently subjective. Many people experience disillusionment. I do experience some frustration and contempt for the Church.

But I simply said that I do not see what you see in the Church. I just see it now as an earthly institution that could politically galvanize people on abortion and gay marriage. It does not arouse my passions. I do not know why you would say that is “hateful”; it is just how I see. I speaks mostly out of despair and alienation and apathy, not a desire to spout calumny against the Church. The reference to the NFL was actually meant to be pathetic (not contemptuous towards the Church) since it reflects that I could not find consolation in the Church, so I have to settle with broadcasted NFL games.

I guess you offered me a rebuke instead of consolation or empathy, but as you said, the Church is fine without me, and there is no need to console or edify me. I doubt I will ruminate anymore on what you have said to me in your reply, but I will not go on to my objective of Leyte Gulf and instead retreat through the San Bernardino Strait since it is not productive for me to continue. The magnificent Yamato cannot harm God and if I continue, I will be annihilated for a dubious and futile objective.

 

[fisherman_carl]

I apologize for any perceived disrespect towards your work.

I am aware, perhaps destined to be shunned. They don’t care about me. Thank you for reminding me about that.

It reminds me for this passage from the Koran:

At-Tawbah 39

God is competent over all things, he does not need me, and he is impervious to whatever I could muster. I am already replaced by another people.

If faith is something personal, then how one perceives the Church is entirely relevant. Perception is inherently subjective. Many people experience disillusionment. I do experience some frustration and contempt for the Church.

But I simply said that I do not see what you see in the Church. I just see it now as an earthly institution that could politically galvanize people on abortion and gay marriage. It does not arouse my passions. I do not know why you would say that is “hateful”; it is just how I see. I speaks mostly out of despair and alienation and apathy, not a desire to spout calumny against the Church. The reference to the NFL was actually meant to be pathetic (not contemptuous towards the Church) since it reflects that I could not find consolation in the Church, so I have to settle with broadcasted NFL games.

I guess you offered me a rebuke instead of consolation or empathy, but as you said, the Church is fine without me, and there is no need to console or edify me. I doubt I will ruminate anymore on what you have said to me in your reply, but I will not go on to my objective of Leyte Gulf and instead retreat through the San Bernardino Strait since it is not productive for me to continue. The magnificent Yamato cannot harm God and if I continue, I will be annihilated for a dubious and futile objective.

You are the one who is focused on mundane things. My poem is about the transcendent. It does not even mention the church or its views on moral matters. I am not sure why you even brought it up. Unless my poem struck a nerve. And yes sometimes we need a rebuke. It’s not that people don’t care about you. But your opinion is your opinion. Not shared by all.

“He who refuses correction despises his own soul, But he who listens to reproof gets understanding.” (Proverbs 15:32)

 

[chris62]

What does it mean to be Catholic?

Is it a philosophy? A way of life? A belief?
What sets him apart from anyone else?
Does he think differently?
Does he live differently?
What does he expect of himself? Of others?
What are his hopes? His fears?
What does he love? Hate?
A Journey is his thing.
From dark to light.
From ignorance to understanding.
From hate to love.
From self-absorption to self-denial.
From the plain to the ideal.
From the ordinary to the unexpected.
It is a pilgrimage too grand for any of us to grasp.
A play written by a master writer.
And, in the words of the Apostle John:
“Beloved, we are God’s children now;
What we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
For we shall see him as he is.
And every one who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”*

• 1 John 3:2-3

I think these words are very, very good.
It shows tremendous understanding of the faith.
Well done.

 

[chris62]

I now do not see anything particularly transcendent in the Church. I find it so concerned in mundane things, and it is only capable of galvanizing people on abortion and gay marriage. I do not even try to try to go to Mass anymore.

At least I see Carson Palmer today, and the Panthers losing.

Catholics go to Mass because they know Jesus is there waiting for them. Among other reasons.