Does catholic practice trivialize the act of faith?

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This article from catholic revival ministries raises some interesting questions…


excerpt:
"…my primary intention for this series is to enter into a theological dialogue for the purpose of considering Catholic pastoral practice. As such, I want to focus on how I think Catholic practice can benefit from considering the Protestant/Evangelical point of view.

DOES CATHOLIC PRACTICE TRIVIALIZE THE ACT OF FAITH?

One way that I am challenged by Evangelicals like Levi Lusko is in the great weight that they place on that initial act of faith. They recognize this as a momentous occasion, a time when an individual decides to turn away from sin and to place his trust in Jesus.

A great concern of mine is whether Catholic pastoral practice brushes past this moment too quickly…"
 
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Catholic practice discourages people from imposing their own personality and faith journey into every other person in the world.

Some people have a decisive moment of faith, sure. But not everybody. Even in the Bible, we see Peter’s dramatic moments contrasted with the Martha moment - “Of course you are the Son of God, now let’s move on to the next point.”

Many Catholics grow up in the faith, and never have a conversion moment. Things just deepen, without changing radically. And that is a fine and natural thing, one of the graces from Baptism.

Many Protestant groups put up one single kind of religious experience or gift as better than all the rest. You have to speak in tongues. You have to feel a burning in your breast. You have to do this or feel that. But we have the Sacraments, and every parish is full of people with different spiritual gifts and biographies. I think that is a great thing.
 
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observer333 said:
A great concern of mine is whether Catholic pastoral practice brushes past this moment too quickly…"
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Actually, genuine, heartfelt Catholic pastoral practice, to be a positive in one’s life, requires first a total, profound, acceptance of the tenets of the faith, especially the teachings of Christ found in Scripture. The devotional practices of Catholicism are merely an aid to growth in one’s relationship with Christ and his Church. Evangelical “lighting bolt” experiences to my way of thinking are too dependent on continual emotional reinforcement to be effective from a lifelong perspective. A slow, steady growth in the CC and its practices and devotions, IMO leads to a better rooted and grounded faith in Christ and his gospel.
My $.02.
 
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Not that there is anything wrong with a lightning bolt!

But even when that happens, responding to God is the work of a lifetime as well as that first minute.
 
We are a redeemed people in need of continuing redemption so we have a profession of faith called the creed that we repeat like we mean it, and when we mess up and frequent reconciliation because my individual acts rpesent my church, then we “get right with God”.
 
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