O
Orionthehunter
Guest
Love4Mary: YingYang has much wisdom in her post. I’d like to add a few points.
You are from the South where animousity to Catholics is higher than in other areas of the country. A friend of mine who has always been quite open about her faith. She and her Catholic hubby moved to Alabama for 10 years before moving back here to the Midwest. She has shared with me that she learned that wearing her Catholicism on her sleeve led to isolation and admonishment for both her and her three young boys. To some degree, you friend learned the same lesson.
Catholics do seem to great percentages live by the principle of St. Francis’ saying. YingYang addresses this as do others. The Holy Spirit is the “converter” of hearts. We are mere instruments. In my mind, this humility is a good thing. God is the source of all good and we need to ALWAYS remember that.
Catholics are the king of subtle. Sometimes we are aware of it consciously and sometimes we aren’t. Let me give a couple of examples.
I had a client a few years back who in meetings was sometimes very negative, condescending and used offensive language. I struggled on how to change the environment knowing he reacted very defensively when confronted. One day during Lent he came to my office unexpectedly. He sat across from my desk for a long meeting and was surprisingly civil in all regards. After he left, I couldn’t help but reflect on his demeanor. All of a sudden, I noticed that I had left my Rosary on my desk in clear sight. He must have seen it. After that, he treated everyone in my presence in a more Christ-like way.
My mother fell in love with and married a devout Methodist who had deep-seated antiphy toward the Catholic Faith. She never outwardly said a word about this issue. If my step-father was going to service, she attended with him but always made sure she made Mass (while not always inviting him, she periodically did but always made him welcome to come with her). When my step-father was out of town, he often times didn’t go to church on Sunday but my Mom always made sure Mass was on her schedule. Over time, he just started attending with my Mom more and more and less and less at his church. While still officially a Methodist, all of his anti-Catholic bias is gone. Subtle and requiring patience, my mother found the formula to change his attitude toward Catholics.
My point is that your bowling friends did share their faith to you by the friendship they gave you that earned your affection even though you were in darkness. And by your learning they were Catholic after your conversion, it is a subtle reinforcement that you are in the right place. The Holy Spirit works in truly mysterious ways.
You are from the South where animousity to Catholics is higher than in other areas of the country. A friend of mine who has always been quite open about her faith. She and her Catholic hubby moved to Alabama for 10 years before moving back here to the Midwest. She has shared with me that she learned that wearing her Catholicism on her sleeve led to isolation and admonishment for both her and her three young boys. To some degree, you friend learned the same lesson.
Catholics do seem to great percentages live by the principle of St. Francis’ saying. YingYang addresses this as do others. The Holy Spirit is the “converter” of hearts. We are mere instruments. In my mind, this humility is a good thing. God is the source of all good and we need to ALWAYS remember that.
Catholics are the king of subtle. Sometimes we are aware of it consciously and sometimes we aren’t. Let me give a couple of examples.
I had a client a few years back who in meetings was sometimes very negative, condescending and used offensive language. I struggled on how to change the environment knowing he reacted very defensively when confronted. One day during Lent he came to my office unexpectedly. He sat across from my desk for a long meeting and was surprisingly civil in all regards. After he left, I couldn’t help but reflect on his demeanor. All of a sudden, I noticed that I had left my Rosary on my desk in clear sight. He must have seen it. After that, he treated everyone in my presence in a more Christ-like way.
My mother fell in love with and married a devout Methodist who had deep-seated antiphy toward the Catholic Faith. She never outwardly said a word about this issue. If my step-father was going to service, she attended with him but always made sure she made Mass (while not always inviting him, she periodically did but always made him welcome to come with her). When my step-father was out of town, he often times didn’t go to church on Sunday but my Mom always made sure Mass was on her schedule. Over time, he just started attending with my Mom more and more and less and less at his church. While still officially a Methodist, all of his anti-Catholic bias is gone. Subtle and requiring patience, my mother found the formula to change his attitude toward Catholics.
My point is that your bowling friends did share their faith to you by the friendship they gave you that earned your affection even though you were in darkness. And by your learning they were Catholic after your conversion, it is a subtle reinforcement that you are in the right place. The Holy Spirit works in truly mysterious ways.