How do you know when you have a personal relationship with Jesus?

[reteeks21]

I agree Jesus is there. It’s a matter of getting in touch with HIM personally and then feeling HIS presence. But I would also say this. When I hit my knees at night and pray I feel HIS presence. If you allow Jesus to be present HE will be.

PEACE

If it was possible for me to agree more with you I’d burst.

 

[rinnie]

God made so many different types of people and personalities. Some people are “really out there” with their faith, outgoing, talkative, emotional, comfortable talking to strangers about what is going on inside of them.
Other people are quiet and reserved about matters of their faith. They are “good people,” they don’t hurt anyone, and they have the same kinds of sins in their lives that Christians do.

Do they live and breathe Christ? It’s hard for me to judge, because I am that outgoing, “talk to the guy next to me on the plane about my faith” kind of person. My Dad, for example, wasn’t like that.
Did he have a personal relationship with God?

I am Catholic now, and I have a Catholic answer for my question, but what does a protestant say to this question?

Can I have hope that my dad will be in heaven someday?

All i can tell you is only God can make that judgement and truely know a persons soul. What people dont understand the Catholic faith is a gift from God. Maybe the Catholic faith wasnt truely shown to you Dad. But you can bet that If you Dad believed in God and lived out his faith the best of his ability you bet hes with God. I take i you Dad has passed on. And if he did im sure he is happy in Gods love. Keep praying for him. I pray for all my Love ones everyday in this world and the next. I will pray for you also that you can get peace on this. Im sure you will.

 

[rinnie]

All i can tell you is only God can make that judgement and truely know a persons soul. What people dont understand the Catholic faith is a gift from God. Maybe the Catholic faith wasnt truely shown to you Dad. But you can bet that If you Dad believed in God and lived out his faith the best of his ability you bet hes with God. I take i you Dad has passed on. And if he did im sure he is happy in Gods love. Keep praying for him. I pray for all my Love ones everyday in this world and the next. I will pray for you also that you can get peace on this. Im sure you will.

sorry made a mistake didnt read the next to last sentence right. Im not on the ball today.

 

[blossom02]

I understand why you’re asking, as I think about this too.
I was protestant evangelical for nearly 20 years and that was the test to know if someone was going to Heaven or Hell when they died.

My Dad was a baptized Catholic, attended 16 years of Catholic school, and continued to support the University until he died. He was not a “spiritual” man. He didn’t attend Church for most of the last 20 years of his life. He was not “saved” in my protestant opinion.

When I returned to the Catholic Church, he came to Mass a couple of times with me.

One of the reasons he had stopped going to Mass was because he had remarried 25 years earlier and never got his marriage to his first wife (My Bio Mom) annulled. As “Non-spiritual” as he was, he knew he couldn’t receive the Eucharist in his state.

Did HE have enough of a “personal relationship with the Lord” to make it to Purgatory?

His Lutheran wife told me on the day he died, that he would want to have a Catholic funeral. That he would have wanted to have a Rosary said at the funeral Mass. He enjoyed my priest the few times he went to Mass with me, and could I arrange his funeral?

Woah! If I hadn’t converted back to the Catholic faith, that wouldn’t have happened! I am his only daughter still Catholic. He had a completely Catholic funeral. Many people heard the Gospel that day. My whole family was at Mass for the first time in 25 years together. His Lutheran wife made sure that he was buried holding his rosary.

My protestant friend, asked me when he died, “Did your Dad have a personal relationship with the Lord?”

I don’t know the answer to that, other than, if the answer to that question means, “Do I know where he will spend eternity?”

If I’m understanding this correctly, I think that we are not to judge people’s souls. That is God’s justice, not mine.

Thank you for this story. It is very beautiful.

 

[blossom02]

I’m curious how you and Liza think receiving communion constitutes a personal relationship? No disrespect just curious.

Thanks for the question. When we grow to understand that the desire of our Lord to remain amoung us in this way(His total body, blood, soul and divinity) has been fullfilled even in our unworthiness, the feeling is awesome. He remains with us until the end of time in this way and in His Holiness allows us to commune with Him is this way.

It amazes me the way God has always is His great mercy and love wanted to be with His people. In His awesome holiness He has throughout time desired to dwell with us in our unworthiness. Even in the Old Testament in the Holy of Holies and now in the form of humble bread and wine.

 

[rinnie]

I can see how communion can be seen as a personal relationship with Christ also, when you receive communion you receive Christ in you heart soul mind and body, I guess how much closer and personal can that get.

 

[blossom02]

I know the standard John 6 answer, but how many times did He say anything like that? Only a few times. But how many times did He speak of faith and belief? Way more times than He spoke of Communion. I am not trying to discount Communion like many others! I am simply trying to point out some other things that Jesus said, especially the things He mentioned the most.

As a Catholic, part of the faith and belief Jesus spoke of, is the belief in the Blessed Sacrament(Communion). We need to believe all that He taught us even the more difficult teachings such as the Eucharist.

 

[NDfan]

I can see how communion can be seen as a personal relationship with Christ also, when you receive communion you receive Christ in you heart soul mind and body, I guess how much closer and personal can that get.

Rinnie I don’t think you receive it in your heart automatically though. Plenty of people go through the motions. I’ve watched so many people receive and then fly out the door in a hurry to leave. Didn’t take time to pray or anything. That’s not making it personal that’s just doing it out of commitment.

 

[rinnie]

Rinnie I don’t think you receive it in your heart automatically though. Plenty of people go through the motions. I’ve watched so many people receive and then fly out the door in a hurry to leave. Didn’t take time to pray or anything. That’s not making it personal that’s just doing it out of commitment.

Yes t his is true but trust me i am speaking from personal experience they will get there.

 

[NDfan]

Yes t his is true but trust me i am speaking from personal experience they will get there.

So am I. For over 40 years I’ve watched too many people young and old just go through the motions. They throw the host in their mouth and that’s it. Many RCCs don’t even offer the wine.

 

[water]

That is when I receive His Body and Blood but much more when He and His Mother let me know really need Them both.

 

[Syele]

Even sinning?

If you are sinning He is there and offended by it. If you don’t care if you are sinning then I would doubt there is a personal relationship with Him at all.

Even after all these posts, I still don’t get what the problem is with it. A Personal relationship with Christ just means Living your faith every day. Not relying on the Church or family or Tradition or whatever ONLY to save you. Its not saying Family, Church, and tradition are not important, its saying that if you follow every tradition, do what your family did before you, follow all the rules of the Church, take the sacraments(note my ex that took communion without confessing… he still took it he was thinking “this is the thing to do at Church”), you still are going to face God at judgment for YOUR choices, for YOUR life. That is what’s “personal” about it. God judges us as individuals, not as a group. You can’t go to heaven just cause your mom did. If you are a person who does not love, does not have faith in God to tell you what to do in life and doesn’t obey God, but you got baptized and confirmed and show up to Mass and took the Eucharist, that isn’t enough to get you into heaven. There is something more to it on a PERSONAL level. Those traditions and sacraments have MORE to them than ritual. YOU personally may believe that, YOU might live your faith. If you do then you have a personal relationship with Christ. If you show up to ANY church (this isn’t a Catholic vs, Protestant thing) and follow all the listed rules and rituals but you don’t commit PERSONALLY then you aren’t really an adherent to that Church are you?

And to the person who asked about Jesus playing pool with you. You Bet He’s there when you are playing pool. God isn’t confined to heaven looking down on us only when we go to church. He is with us ALL the time. He knows your every thought and action. He is there with you and is offended if you behave badly when you are playing pool. Reverence is not limited to church. He is involved in EVERYTHING you do including “non-religious” things you do. If you think playing pool or poker or whatever is excluded from Gods Rule in your life, you are really wrong.

Lue 18:18-30

18A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'a]”
21"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
23When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. 24Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
26Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”
27Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
28Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”
29"I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”

Here is a man who had obeyed every one of the commandments. “**All **these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. He was following all the rules! Is that not significant? We all try to follow all the rules but here is a man who knew and followed all of the rules but he still put his wealth ahead of God. Jesus told him he had give that up and actually follow Him. That man was fine with following the rules but not with giving everything to follow Jesus. Not fine with putting God first. The thing that has to be 100% most important to you cannot be wealth or home or spouse or brothers or parents or children or anything else.

From what I read here at CAF and in the CCC I see that Catholics agree with this, but you get all riled up about the term “personal.” The thing is our relationship with God IS personal. God took care to make us each individually an uniquely and He will judge us individually. You will not stand before God for judgment as a group with all the people in your Parish. You will not stand before God for judgment based on your parents faith. It is Personal.

The Church is important. Sacraments are important. Obedience is important. Family is important. None of them **alone **are enough.

A little conversation:
“Do you have a personal relationship with Christ?”
“I take the Eucharist at Mass every Sunday”
“Sorry, that alone doesn’t answer the question, Do you have a personal relationship with Christ?”
“I obey all the commandments.”
“Sorry, that doesn’t answer the question, Do you have a personal relationship with Christ?”
“I don’t play pool with Him.”
“God is with you always, even the way you play pool matters.”

If you are living your faith, then you should be able to say yes you are in a personal relationship with Christ. It’s not that hard.

 

[rinnie]

So am I. For over 40 years I’ve watched too many people young and old just go through the motions. They throw the host in their mouth and that’s it. Many RCCs don’t even offer the wine.

You know believe it or not. As a kid i cant really remember it in church. Then i would say about (im guessing now) the last 15 years its in all of them that i go to now. Wonder why? Did something like change to take it out and bring it back or what?

 

[rinnie]

Something just hit me, Remember they used to dip the bread in the wine and place it in your mouth. I remember in a Catholic school we were not able to even touch the Bread. Then it seems they just quit dipping it in. then next thing you know they handed it to you. I will have to ask my Dad. He will know why they changed it, he told me once but i forget. Something about germs or something or diseases. i forget

 

[NDfan]

You know believe it or not. As a kid i cant really remember it in church. Then i would say about (im guessing now) the last 15 years its in all of them that i go to now. Wonder why? Did something like change to take it out and bring it back or what?

Yes the Pope declared that the host was sufficient enough. That it contained both body and blood. But we know Jesus taught differently. The cup is the new covenant and Jesus said as often as we drink from the cup and eat the bread we proclaim his death. I’ve always had a problem with this.

 

[rinnie]

Yes the Pope declared that the host was sufficient enough. That it contained both body and blood. But we know Jesus taught differently. The cup is the new covenant and Jesus said as often as we drink from the cup and eat the bread we proclaim his death. I’ve always had a problem with this.

well its back now. thank goodness. But i myself always take the wine also. The only thing i can say is i do believe if the Pope said its ok though then its ok.

 

[NDfan]

well its back now. thank goodness. But i myself always take the wine also. The only thing i can say is i do believe if the Pope said its ok though then its ok.

Well I guess I feel differently. I go back to what Jesus said and I don’t think we should change it. Anyway PEACE and GOD Bless.

 

[rinnie]

Well I guess I feel differently. I go back to what Jesus said and I don’t think we should change it. Anyway PEACE and GOD Bless.

Thats okay i understand, thats one thing i say we cant help how we feel. God Bless you too have a wonderful day.

 

[blossom02]

Then why did Jesus mention faith before He mentioned Communion? In John 6, before ever even mentions eating His flesh He says that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. How can you assume that that fact follows Communion? If you continue to say that Christ meant His words literally, then why can you not acknowledge that He said these other things 1.) first, and 2.) literally?

We believe that our Lord was wanting us to **believe in **this communion(Him) with Him. That is why He stresses belief so often.

 

[Lampo]

Rinnie I don’t think you receive it in your heart automatically though. Plenty of people go through the motions. I’ve watched so many people receive and then fly out the door in a hurry to leave. Didn’t take time to pray or anything. That’s not making it personal that’s just doing it out of commitment.

So that goes for all Catholics then?