Do you find it hard in today's society?

[Midwest88]

You have hit on the 'heart 'of why the Church has , is failing both God and it’s adherants .
Far too much pontificating from AFAR . Far too little charity among people in the parishes ; far too little love, and sharing ,and judging others ,and far too much emphasis on personal affairs while ignoring others in need in your neighbourhood .Charity begins at home in the Church .It is the single most important thing which will get one into the ‘kingdom of heaven’ ,while the Church emphasis ‘sin’ instead of charity she has no chance .
As Jesus taught so much the Apostles were bewildered and in asking Him to be clear on what was the most important lessons to emphasise He said " Love your God and your neighbour as yourselves ".
When you love you help to remedy many ills ,like the 'sins 'which come from neglect or poverty ,or war ,or abuse and so on .when you live comfortably you have no right to point at someone and judge them if you have not helped them to pick themselves up .

Right up till now in France the majority of catholics are seen as snobs ,arrogant , comfortable,and judging ,but not charitable . Frances has changed some minds who had hardened as a result of this seperation of the aristocratic catholics, from the working peasant, or ouvrier .
As a result of seeing that I am happy to be a christian and wear a cross , people see that one can be one, without being a snob ,and they begin to ask questions and open up .

Some of them have never ever had a conversation in their lives about this subject ,because the Church speaks not ‘to’ them ,but 'at ’ them .

Did I read the same post as you? Her barely even touched upon what you wrote.

bold: You sure? Maybe it’s just the rest of France seeing French Catholics as “judgmental” because they don’t want to be told what their doing in their personal lives is, well, wrong and of poor judgment. Which is was most of the secular world thinks of practicing Catholics, so it’s not unique to France.

 

[ynotzap]

So how did you change your approach?

As a result of that “healing experience” I try to have a humble approach, and understanding of human weakness. I try to catch myself when I am tempted to anger at those who are doing wrong, and not to judge them unfairly. I try to employ as much compassion and understanding towards all people as I can. God in His Fatherly love still has to remind me that I’m not employing the lessons He taught me from time to time. You have heard that to get some people’s attention before they obey, you have to hit them over the head first. This literally happened to me, and nothing happens unless God permits it,it’s in His Providence. “What Father does not discipline the son He loves?”
Perhaps relating a true experience will clarify what I mean. One day my wife and I while driving, saw a young women holding a baby hitch-hiking. We pick her up and found out her husband was in prison, and she tried to get around the best she could. We befriended her, took care of some of her needs. She related how she became a Christian. Over time I noticed that there seem to be a lack of integration in her personality with her christian beliefs. After a time, she began to take unfair advantage of us. I found out she was even soliciting sex from men who were being orientated to civilian life after being in prison for a while. I knew the christian owner of the place where this was taking place. I was determined to confront her and to ask her for an explanation of her behavior. (remember this took place after my healing). I said to myself while driving to her apartment, Lord if you don’t want me to confront her, don’t let her be home. I was in my angered self-righteous attitude again, at least to some degree. She wasn’t home so I turned the car around and proceeded home. As I was approaching the familiar stop sign, I noticed a halo of light to my right. I looked, but I could not see any car approaching. I started to cross the street, and all of a sudden my head smashed the rear view mirror, my car spun to the left, I felt a severe pain in my head and neck, and I tumbled out of the car. The police arrived and ask me what happened, I said that I didn’t know. At the hospital the police said that I was charged with running a stop sign, and I knew that I had stopped. I had a headache that lasted more than a year, I had a herniated disc in my neck, and still do, doctors won’t do anything. Some time after the accident (car was totaled) a friend of mine told me that a van was parked in front of the stop sign. Then I realized that the light I saw was a car approaching the intersection, and the van blinded me from seeing it. Then I remembered how spiritually blind I was, before I received my healing, and again how blind I was in not understanding why the young woman did the things she did. She was trying to cope with life, with a child and herself to support, dealing with her lack of love that her husband should be giving her. She was new to christianity, and not very mature.
When I thought of this, all I could say to God,was “Mea culpla, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa” So I have a permanent reminder of my blindness, and what I should do about it spiritually, praise God!

 

[Christ_is_Risen]

Do you find it hard in today’s society?
I am a Catholic in my late twenties who loves my faith and tries my best to follow Jesus. Currently in my country there is a same-sex marriage referendum coming up and the yes vote is pushing the agenda so hard with social media, radio, television etc… Supporting it and painting the no vote in a bad light. I have read comments on social media that have said “your old fashioned if you vote no and to move with the times” or “typical the Catholic Church to appose of it and the sooner the better the church is finished”. It worries me when I read comments like this which is often I guess it’s a fear I have of when will it all end? I feel I’d be laughed at for practising my Catholic faith or praying in public. The world has got so anti God and church and are for everything that offends God. Another thing is if you were to defend the church on social media you would be attacked and bullied so much so that you ended up wishing you had said nothing.

Yes, some people will laugh at you for following Christ. This is nothing new. The Bible is full of accounts of how the follower of God are viewed by the world with scorn. It is part of the “take up your cross and follow me” part of Christianity.

To me, I try to reflect on this reality, and remember that we face the same reality as those in all ages.

***18 For the message about Christ’s death on the cross is nonsense to those who are being lost; but for us who are being saved it is God’s power. 19 The scripture says,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and set aside the understanding of the scholars.”

20 So then, where does that leave the wise? or the scholars? or the skillful debaters of this world? God has shown that this world’s wisdom is foolishness!***

1 Corinthians 1

So, yes, find other Christians to associate with. And use this site as a resource. I don’t come here too often. But, I know I felt better last week when I came on here and asked for advice about my conflict between faith and living in this world.

 

[jimcav]

“Be in the world, but not of the world”

Not easy to achieve, but it can be done, and once done, one can achieve true peace…