I think protestants are onto something by stressing a personal encounter with the Lord.
Yes, we definitely have that in the Eucharist. But I’m talking about a “I surrender all” type encounter…a come to Jesus moment where you realize your ways have failed and are ready to do things God’s way, type encounter. Jesus always knocks at the door, but it’s often not until we are broken that we actually listen to and answer that door.
Just talked to a great Catholic Christian at Church. He told me he went to a ACTS retreat and it changed his life. He experienced such a encounter and it shows.
Then on the other hand, you have protestant Christians who think Catholics don’t know the Lord. That isn’t true either. A valid Eucharist will transform you and make you more like the Lord. It’s the greatest gift to mankind…it’s spoken of in Hebrews 6:4 as a “heavenly gift”. But since not enough Catholics actually believe it themselves, they hinder the power of God with their own doubt. And so the anti-Catholics see this of so many Catholics, who just appear to be running on a spiritual treadmill and going nowhere, and they come to the conclusion that the Church is false. And I think the Church has to do a better job of catechizing it’s own on several issues to include these two here that were mentioned.
In short, surrender your life to Jesus personally…listen to His voice. And don’t be like the folks in John 6 who couldn’t accept Transubstantiation. Accept it by faith just like you accept other mysteries like the Holy Trinity and trust in God.
