Full of Questions

[Rbaker]

I am going through a phase where any time I say a prayer ir read scripture, I seem to question it. For example if I prayed the rosary, and said “Hail Mary full of grace” I begin to wonder how/why we believe this. This has happened with other Catholic teachings as well. What is weird about it is that I don’t DOUBT the teaching, I am just curious as to why we believe it, why they took place, or when they came about. Now I didn’t really see anything wrong with it at first, but now it is getting harder to pray BC these questions are becoming a distraction. Like yesterday I didnt pray as much as usual BC I was too busy researching catholic teachings, and I felt better after u got the answers, but the entire time I felt very alone because I felt like I was doubting God.

Also I am thinking about becoming a highschool English and religion teacher, but have been debating it now because I feel as if maybe I cant answer these questions. Does anyone have any advice for me? Maybe this is the devil trying to get me to change my mind? Or maybe the Holy Spirit is molding me into a person who better understand the faith?

 

[Della]

It might be a good idea to jot down your questions that prayer brings up, then go on praying and look up the answers later. Knowing why we believe what we believe is a good thing. You just need the right resources. The Catechism is good, of course. And Catholic Answers has good articles on nearly every subject. Feel free to start threads about your questions here, of course.

Catholicism is both believed and practiced, not simply one or the other. As we practice our faith, we ought to be learning our faith, as we are able to, that is. Not everyone is going to become a Scripture scholar or theologian, but nearly everyone can learn enough to understand their faith and so practice it faithfully.

 

[Crusaderbear]

Be happy your prayers are more than just sounds coming out of your mouth. The rosary is meant to be contemplative! Questions are good! May your answers support your faith! Today I was thinking how the sorrowful mysteries all happened within a 24 hour span, while the rest happened over years!

 

[Trident_H]

I am going through a phase where any time I say a prayer ir read scripture, I seem to question it. For example if I prayed the rosary, and said “Hail Mary full of grace” I begin to wonder how/why we believe this. This has happened with other Catholic teachings as well. What is weird about it is that I don’t DOUBT the teaching, I am just curious as to why we believe it, why they took place, or when they came about. Now I didn’t really see anything wrong with it at first, but now it is getting harder to pray BC these questions are becoming a distraction. Like yesterday I didnt pray as much as usual BC I was too busy researching catholic teachings, and I felt better after u got the answers, but the entire time I felt very alone because I felt like I was doubting God.

Also I am thinking about becoming a highschool English and religion teacher, but have been debating it now because I feel as if maybe I cant answer these questions. Does anyone have any advice for me? Maybe this is the devil trying to get me to change my mind? Or maybe the Holy Spirit is molding me into a person who better understand the faith?

If God knows you want to teach religion maybe He’s fielding you some test pieces. Letting you know you’ve got some learning to do first.

At any rate. It’s never a bad thing to ask questions. God doesn’t mind us being interested in details. I mean we’re talking about a being that made things so tiny that it took us from the beginning of time until just lately to see them. He’s a complicated guy. And He likes hiding things for us in plain sight. I think having us hunt down truths just turns His crank. I think it’s what this whole place is all about in a way.

Peace.

-Trident

 

[Windmill]

Oh if only MORE Catholics actually took the time, like you are doing, to actually learn what they are praying and saying and doing. God bless you!

I went through that phase, myself. What I found was that there are always great answers that go into as much depth as you want to go. Hey, we’ve had 2000 years to think about and expound on received theology. That’s a lot of scrolls and books accumulated on every religious or doctrinal topic imaginable. The faith is like a river on which a simple water bug can skim across the surface or an elephant can drown in. IOW, someone can find joy in simplicity while others can become immersed in the intricacies and depths of the doctrines of Catholicism. The important thing is that you realize that we are not Rationalists. We do not have to understand all the proofs for a particular belief in order to accept that it is true. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to know, but 1000 questions does not equal one doubt. We know that Our Lord has preserved the Church from imposing erroneous doctrine by it’s Divine Constitution by Christ Himself. We can rest assured that a conclusion of dogmatic theology is true because the Church tells us it is. If we want to explore it, we can. If we want to simply live out the conclusions of centuries of Catholic theological thought, that’s fine too.

 

[CB_Catholic]

I am going through a phase where any time I say a prayer ir read scripture, I seem to question it. For example if I prayed the rosary, and said “Hail Mary full of grace” I begin to wonder how/why we believe this. This has happened with other Catholic teachings as well. What is weird about it is that I don’t DOUBT the teaching, I am just curious as to why we believe it, why they took place, or when they came about. Now I didn’t really see anything wrong with it at first, but now it is getting harder to pray BC these questions are becoming a distraction. Like yesterday I didnt pray as much as usual BC I was too busy researching catholic teachings, and I felt better after u got the answers, but the entire time I felt very alone because I felt like I was doubting God.

Also I am thinking about becoming a highschool English and religion teacher, but have been debating it now because I feel as if maybe I cant answer these questions. Does anyone have any advice for me? Maybe this is the devil trying to get me to change my mind? Or maybe the Holy Spirit is molding me into a person who better understand the faith?

I think you are fine right now as long as your questions don’t lead to other questions which make you doubt the answers so you are continually questioning and doubting to the point where the purpose of the question is lost. This is what my poor granddaughter does , and she has OCD.

But when you are trying to learn the faith, which is complex, and ask legitimate questions in order to learn your faith you are fine.

Please pray for my granddaughter. She is doing better, though.

 

[carefullytread]

I am going through a phase where any time I say a prayer ir read scripture, I seem to question it. For example if I prayed the rosary, and said “Hail Mary full of grace” I begin to wonder how/why we believe this. This has happened with other Catholic teachings as well. What is weird about it is that I don’t DOUBT the teaching, I am just curious as to why we believe it, why they took place, or when they came about. Now I didn’t really see anything wrong with it at first, but now it is getting harder to pray BC these questions are becoming a distraction. Like yesterday I didnt pray as much as usual BC I was too busy researching catholic teachings, and I felt better after u got the answers, but the entire time I felt very alone because I felt like I was doubting God.

Also I am thinking about becoming a high school English and religion teacher, but have been debating it now because I feel as if maybe I cant answer these questions. Does anyone have any advice for me? Maybe this is the devil trying to get me to change my mind? Or maybe the Holy Spirit is molding me into a person who better understand the faith?

When you say considering becoming a religion teacher, do you mean you are a senior in college about to accept a job or do you mean it’s a decision you’d make in a few years and were guiding your studies in that direction?

My advice would be that if you have the luxury of time, don’t worry about your career right now. Don’t confuse the two problems of what to do with your career with what to do with your soul! Those are both serious problems and both deserve to be carefully considered on their own. What you don’t want to do is feel trapped by a decision in one into making a decision in the other. Be as honest with yourself as you can.

Praying for you!

 

[Rbaker]

When you say considering becoming a religion teacher, do you mean you are a senior in college about to accept a job or do you mean it’s a decision you’d make in a few years and were guiding your studies in that direction?

My advice would be that if you have the luxury of time, don’t worry about your career right now. Don’t confuse the two problems of what to do with your career with what to do with your soul! Those are both serious problems and both deserve to be carefully considered on their own. What you don’t want to do is feel trapped by a decision in one into making a decision in the other. Be as honest with yourself as you can.

Praying for you!

Well luckily I am only a freshman in college right now, so I have a little time (At least I hope )

But I am definitely going to take my first education class next year to see what it is like and to see if that is what I am called to do. I have already have a lot of credits in the fields of business (like accounting or Computer Information systems, which both interest me) so if it doesn’t work out I will just fall back on those. Thank you for the prayers! I will pray for your granddaughter as well!

 

[JimR-OCDS]

You need to trust that God has revealed these truth’s to the Catholic Church and they didn’t just think these things up on there own.

The words, “Hail Mary,” are from the Angel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary at the announcement of the coming of the savior Jesus Christ, known as The Annunciation.

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one[Mary]! The Lord is with you. Luke 1:26-28

Jim

 

[Rbaker]

You need to trust that God has revealed these truth’s to the Catholic Church and they didn’t just think these things up on there own.

The words, “Hail Mary,” are from the Angel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary at the announcement of the coming of the savior Jesus Christ, known as The Annunciation.

Jim

Thank you for the reply. I am aware of the Annunciation I was really just using that as an example of how I form questions when praying. I should have been more specific.

But thank you all for the replies, it means a lot and I will keep you in my prayers, especially at Mass tonight

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Thank you for the reply. I am aware of the Annunciation I was really just using that as an example of how I form questions when praying. I should have been more specific.

But thank you all for the replies, it means a lot and I will keep you in my prayers, especially at Mass tonight

If you’re forming questions about the religion, then perhaps you shouldn’t focus so much about religion, but about Jesus Christ’s presence, who is dwelling within you.

Keep this in mind.

Faith, is a gift, it is God’s revelation of Himself to us, however that may happen.

Religion, is our response to faith.

People have religion without spirituality and they struggle with religion.

People who have faith, use religion as a tool to serve their faith.

Jim