Having trouble with the faith

[NewsTheMan]

I was originally going to post this in the Liturgy and Sacraments section, but I ended up going a bit off track and this seemed the best place to post this.

I’m having a bit of a hard time with the faith at the moment. I don’t exactly understand why. I might be extremely selfish and controlling and I might be serving me instead of serving God. But so many things trouble me and it’s making it harder and harder to remain a happy, joyful, proud Catholic.

It starts on Sunday mornings when I go to Mass. Now, on CAF people just think saying “mind your own business” solves things, but not for me, I try hard to mind my own business. But all around me it pains me to be at Mass. People are having conversations in the pews as they walk in, people are chewing gum at Mass, our Priest adds his own words to the liturgy, we have EM’sHC unecessarily and giving blessings etc, we have people running up and down during the Mass. I so want to be at Mass but I find it a struggle with these things going on.

Then I have weekly meetings with other Catholics who are meant to be the leaders in our community but don’t really know much about their faith or care for that matter. I ask that we have weekly prayer meetings, that we have talks about big issues, that we make some noise as Catholics in a liberal community, when I brought up promoting the sacrament of confession… nothing.

I know I cannot blame anybody else for my lack of faith - and I don’t. I try hard to set an example in many ways and I am always learning about my faith and I want to be more for God. But there are so many distractions within my own Catholic community. It’s frustrating that I can’t even praise God without knowing that something is being omitted or changed, or that something shouldn’t be done.

I don’t know how to explain it, and typing this I suddenly feel as if I am being overly judgemental and filled with pride - though I am not filled with any pride at all, perhaps less pride than I actually should have. I always say my faith as that independent flag waving in the face of all that is changing in the world - and there we stood, firm in our convictions and boldly doing what is right. I’m starting to see a lot of us as merely plodding along waiting and hoping that Jesus can come one day in the near future… but [to misquote St.Augustine] not yet.

I’ll probably get flamed for a lot of this post with people saying stop blaming others etc etc which I understand. Perhaps it’s the way its written, and perhaps it’s my mood right now, but I don’t blame any body or particular person, and I have nothing that I want to put the blame on. It’s just a general feeling of… well, just having some trouble with the faith. I’ve started finding it harder to even learn more about the faith because after that, things seem to disappoint me. I find it hard to now pray my Rosary every day. I don’t know. Sigh.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

I so understand where you are coming from! :sad_yes:

Some of the things you relate are the same ones that I struggle with.

I wish I had some answers, but I am seeking those myself!

Just know that I empathize, and will pray for all of us who feel the same way!!

 

[bnbkaine]

I would suggest reading St. John of the Cross’s Dark Night of the Soul. You could perhaps be going through something similar. I will pray for you either way. Just keep going; it will get better.

 

[JRKH]

I will not “Flame you” - I think that there is much in your post that is good and healthy.

I wonder if you would receive comfort from reading of St John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila. They struggled to reform their communites against terrible odds. I believe that there was even an attempt to poison St John…Though I might be mistaken on that.

You are as John the Baptist…A voice crying in the wilderness.

Unfortunately it appears that your options are somewhat limited. You can try to change parishes, to find one more condusive to you. You can simply continue to live your faith as best you can where you are. Or you could try to build a core group within your parish - but outside the “normal bunch” - from likeminded individuals.
In other words you may need to start a new “prayergroup”. One that is more action minded.

Naturally the last is the most difficult and you should pray for guidance in what God asks of you in this situation.

God Bless you and encourage you in your faith.

Peace
James

 

[basinite]

I got three words for you;

“Traditional Latin Mass”

Problem solved.

 

[JRKH]

I got three words for you;

“Traditional Latin Mass”

Problem solved.

This is indeed an option, but it is not necessarily a “solution”.
Yes it would place the OP in a better and more reverent atmosphere, but it also abandons his home parish even more to the forces of liberalism.

Christ came to, worked in with and for, and ultimate died for (was killed by), a corrupt humanity.
He then sent his disciples out to those were lost and needed salvation. He did not send them out to set up cloistered communites but to reach out to those who had lost their way, to be lights in the darkness. And so should we all be…:idea:

Perhaps for the OP, participation at an EF parish or at lest one that is more conservative would provide support for him in ways that he needs, but I question whether it should be entirely substiuted for participation in his home parish.

Peace
James

 

[Andre1000]

In my region it is the same story, but we all live in a modern society and many who want to be good Christians get confused (even priests) and so behave often not very well.
Just trust God! It is the only way…