Catholics, Closer Relationship With Jesus

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Hope1960 said:
Protestants have a relationship with Jesus as though Hes’s their best friend
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I don’t want a relationship as though he’s my best friend, in same way I don’t want relationship with my Dad like he’s a friend. I want my Dad to be a Dad, not a friend. I want Jesus to be more like a Father than a friend, to give me guidance, to tell me the uncensored truth of when I’m doing right or wrong. Friend implies equal status on a hierarchial scale or a democracy where I can choose to take or leave the advice the friend gives.
 
Yeah, I think that’s kind of an assumption.

My grandmother spent hours in prayer every day. She catechized all of her kids and grandkids. She read extensively about theology and philosophy. She went to retreats. She was one of the most Christ centered people I know.

But she wasn’t nearly as expressive about this as one of the protestants I know who are very expressive, but not nearly as internally focused.

I’m not saying the evengelicals are bad, or worse, but way different.

If you spent a day with one she might make subtle references to the gospel as she saw fit. Spend it with the other and every other sentence would be about Jesus.

Both could have an equally deep relationship with Christ.
Hope1960 said:
How can a Catholic develop a relationship with Jesus like they have?
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How can you have a closer relationship than going to mass, worshiping him, seeing him actually there, and taking in his body and blood?
 
PapyrusDouay said:
Sadly, I think you are right in that Protestants have a more personal 1:1 friendship with Jesus.
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What does that even mean? I pray every day. I read the Bible. I try to have quiet time with the Lord in my thoughts.

But He isn’t my buddy to go bowling with. And scripture calls on us to worship Him, to be His hands and feet in the World. Not to have Jesus or God as a ‘Best Friend’.

In fact, I think that warps the relationship. God presents himself to us as a Father. Not our buddy.
 
Hope1960 said:
Protestants seem to have a deeper, more personal relationship with Jesus than what I’ve experienced in the Catholic Church. How can a Catholic develop a relationship with Jesus like they have?
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That’s a huge, gross overgeneralization. Both Catholics and Protestants fall all along the spectrum of “relationship with Jesus”. I’ve known many Protestants whose “relationship with Jesus” was limited to maybe praying once in a while when something really big happened like major surgery, a job loss or a death. And many Catholics who had a daily personal relationship and interaction with Jesus.

Certain Protestant denominations consider it important to be referencing their relationship with Jesus constantly and talking about it and generally “witnessing” about it out loud, while most Catholics and some other Protestant denominations will be quieter about the subject so you might not be aware just how deep of a relationship these people have with Jesus.

I myself probably spend at least one to several hours a day engaging in my relationship with Jesus through Mass, prayer, reading the Scriptures, reading other books and articles written about Jesus or related subjects like saints, or just talking to him/ asking him for help. I’m sure this is true of many people on this forum and many other Catholics I see at daily Mass, Adoration, etc.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
Certain Protestant denominations consider it important to be referencing their relationship with Jesus constantly and talking about it and generally “witnessing” about it out loud, while most Catholics and some other Protestant denominations will be quieter about the subject so you might not be aware just how deep of a relationship these people have with Jesus.
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I wonder if there is any correlation between high church and contemplative lifestyle and low church evangelical and a more witnessing lifestyle?

Just as a theory I could see how it might be because without the liturgical life you might replace that with the more external every day life.
 
Hope1960 said:
No, I mean it seems like Protestants have a relationship with Jesus as though Hes’s their best friend. How an I have that kind of relationship with Him?
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Well, I have a “relationship with Jesus as though He’s [my] best friend.” If you’re going to Mass every day and praying for some significant time every day, doing other church stuff like charity or prayer groups or retreats, and furthermore you don’t happen to have anybody else to rely on most days because everybody really close to you passed away, Jesus becomes your best friend pretty quickly. You don’t have much of anybody else and he and his family of saints are always there.

He’ll even go bowling with you if you want.

I don’t know as I want to recommend how I got to this point with Jesus to anybody else though, it is not a fun process to have had the kinds of experiences that resulted in it. I do think that daily Mass, regular Adoration at least a couple times a week, some type of prayer like Rosary or scripture reading every day, Confession once or twice a month, the First Friday devotion, the First Saturday devotion, some Marian devotions, and doing some works of mercy of your choice on a regular basis can certainly deepen the relationship, if you’re actually serious about wanting to have Jesus for your best friend.
 
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One thing that has helped me is my prayer journal. I write scripture verses and pray them over people depending on the intention.

Also you should pick up a devotion to the Holy Spirit. I’m sure you can find Catholic prayers and books regarding the Holy Spirit and His gifts.
 
I think the evangelicals do tend to talk out loud about Jesus more, especially to people who might not be part of their church or might not be religious. They see that sort of witnessing as an important part of their faith. Some churches will even criticize members who don’t “witness” enough. It may or may not be sincere witnessing depending on the person doing the talking.

A Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian might talk about Jesus to other Jesus-believers or in a religious context, like a church social event, but usually wouldn’t be at the office or the grocery store spouting off about Jesus. They might see that as a form of “praying on street corners” which Jesus told us not to do, or they might think their actions (going to church, giving to the food bank, being kind to people) speak louder than them making a speech about Jesus, or they might just feel like their relationship with Jesus is personal and not something to be discussed with just anybody, or they might be worried about coming off like a “religious nut”.
 
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Non denominational. I think they only rely on Scripture for everything.
 
Hope1960 said:
Protestants seem to have a deeper, more personal relationship with Jesus than what I’ve experienced in the Catholic Church. How can a Catholic develop a relationship with Jesus like they have?
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Our relationship with Christ is one of receiving his grace. I would say, the first place to start, is to do that. If you care to chat about your question in private I would be glad to discuss from a Protestant perspective.
 
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Jimbo said:
What does that even mean? I pray every day. I read the Bible. I try to have quiet time with the Lord in my thoughts.

But He isn’t my buddy to go bowling with. And scripture calls on us to worship Him, to be His hands and feet in the World. Not to have Jesus or God as a ‘Best Friend’.

In fact, I think that warps the relationship. God presents himself to us as a Father. Not our buddy.
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There are many “images” of Christ, and I was describing but only one. If this approach to spirituality does not work for you, that’s fine. It sounds like you lead a solid spiritual life that works for you. That’s Excellent, and in no way am I discouraging that. The image of God as a ‘best friend’ warps nothing. Which Saint was it that described God as a passionate and romantic lover? Therese de Lisieux? Teresa of Avila? I don’t remember, but it sure isn’t how I view God. Nonetheless, that does not warp anything either.

God does present himself as a Father, you’re right. But God also presents himself as man. A, living, walking, talking man…fully human. If he was fully human, then he has experienced the full range of human emotions and experiences, short of sin. Surely Jesus had friends, he probably even had a best friend. I don’t see why anything should stop someone from being his friend now. And as he is God, what on Earth would stop him from reciprocating? Would anything in Heaven stop him? No pressure, but maybe you could try taking Him bowling a couple times.

As for your disparaging “what does that even mean” comment…consider when so many Catholics leave the Church for a protestant denomination. What reason do they usually give? Is it that they don’t believe in what the Church teaches? On occasion, but not usually. It’s usually something along the lines of “I’m not being spiritually fed/ nourished”. What do you think that means? What are they finding at Baptist Church that they’re not finding at a Catholic Church? I don’t think it’s just a poetic way of saying it’s for the better music. I think it has to do with their relationship to Jesus and the community of worshippers.
We have all that and more, but as a whole we’re not very good at showing people.
 
I totally agree with you about being unable to relate to the Saints. I might look for a book from Joni Eareckson Tada.
 
Maybe try a charismatic Catholic Church for a different take on the worship ? I’m a newbie though so perhaps listen to the more experienced folk here
 
I took two Life in the Spirit seminars. I don’t care for the charismatic worship.
 
I think my questions may have offended them and they probably don’t want me at their church anymore, anyway.
 
When I became a Christian I asked the Holy Spirit to fill my life and He did. Maybe try that. This happened before I was even baptised which I now realised is a very special grace
 
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