Is It Me.....

[WorkNProgress]

Sometimes I see our Catholic brothers and sisters as being depressed. I would like to know somebody who is Catholic and yet is upbeat about their relationship with Jesus.Maybe it is just me but sometimes the Catholic religion can really bum me out. I have been Catholic all of my life. I can become scrupulous if I am not careful. I guess sometime I get real tired of trying so hard and just want to let go, cut through all of the, what seems like, “Catholic redtape” and just be Jesus and me…
Any suggestions…
Thanks

 

[SianTeresa]

Hiya WorkNProgress,

Welcome to Catholic Answers Forums.

I am a very happy Catholic. For one thing, I am blessed to be able to receive Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament every morning. It is kind of hard to be unhappy knowing that, and meditating on just how great God’s love and mercy is!

It is not a new thing you say, and certainly in the ways of the world Catholicism can look a little melancholy. I would recommend you read some of the words of the great Saint Pio. padrepiodevotions.org/index.asp?pagename=wordsoffaith . St. Pio was a very happy soul who trusted completely in Divine Providence. But he also said things like “The Mother of Sorrows is my confidant and teacher”. The world really cannot understand how our joy could be made complete through the Cross. It seems everywhere I turn, there are Catholics leading lives that are difficult in the eyes of the world, but who have a lightheartedness that the world just cannot give. If you receive Our Lord frequently, experience His mercy in the Sacrament of Penance, and pray often then these things will become clearer.

Remember Our Lord said that “my yoke is sweet and my burden light”. This, too, can only be penetrated with the light of grace. Remember that the priest prays God to “protect us from all anxiety” during the Mass. Nothing is a burden if we let go and discipline our passions in order that we may be freed from anxiety. I love the Prayer of Abandonment by Charles de Foucauld:

"Father,
I abandon myself into Your hands;
do with me what You will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you:
I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only Your will be done in me,
and in all your creatures -
I wish no more than this, O Lord.

Into Your hands I commend my soul:
I offer it to You with all the love of my heart,
for I love You, Lord, and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into Your hands without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,
for You are my Father."

Another thing that St. Pio said was “If You are happy, then I am happy.” This is a great attitude! It has been my experience that unless we abandon ourselves to His will then we are beset by trials, and yes, then our Catholicism can seem a very heavy burden. Please persevere in the True Faith. I sensed that your desire to “go it alone with Jesus” might have alluded to a Protestant temptation. Don’t go there - that kind of “happiness” is false and full of presumption and error. Everything you need is here, in the Catholic Church, and the Church, in its catholicity, embraces all the faithful, including those who are happy!

God bless you,
Sian

 

[blessedtoo]

Sometimes I see our Catholic brothers and sisters as being depressed. I would like to know somebody who is Catholic and yet is upbeat about their relationship with Jesus.Maybe it is just me but sometimes the Catholic religion can really bum me out. I have been Catholic all of my life. I can become scrupulous if I am not careful. I guess sometime I get real tired of trying so hard and just want to let go, cut through all of the, what seems like, “Catholic redtape” and just be Jesus and me…
Any suggestions…
Thanks

It can seem that way, especially if you’ve been spending a lot of time here at CAF! A quick review of some of the thread titles might make a newcomer think we are all suffering from chronic depression!

This forum represents a certain population of Catholics that are concerned - and those concerns are varied and comprehensive. MOST Catholics are simply out there in the world, living their lives, happily or not. But the specific type of Catholic that comes to an internet forum may be troubled by something in the Church, or their lives, or curious about their faith. They come here for support, information, and camaraderie. Some are definitely dogged by scrupulosity but many others are seeking to deepen their faith.

I’m not sure what you mean by “Catholic red tape”. As a Catholic, I adhere to the teachings of my Church. It is through Her that I have been blessed to develop a “Jesus and me” relationship. Since I believe, as all Catholics do, that Christ established our Church, then I am confident that this is where I will find Him.

 

[Paul2274]

“Catholic Red Tape” ?? I take it you may think there are “too many rules” and you just want a relationship byself with God.
Well, you should have a relationship with God and you need the Church to help foster that reationship.

Rules and laws are like train tracks. They keep the train “on-track”
without the track the train would not be able to move forward.
So the train is truely FREE when it is “on-track” and following the rules and laws.

Peace Be With You,

Paul

 

[whatevergirl]

Sometimes I see our Catholic brothers and sisters as being depressed. I would like to know somebody who is Catholic and yet is upbeat about their relationship with Jesus.Maybe it is just me but sometimes the Catholic religion can really bum me out. I have been Catholic all of my life. I can become scrupulous if I am not careful. I guess sometime I get real tired of trying so hard and just want to let go, cut through all of the, what seems like, “Catholic redtape” and just be Jesus and me…
Any suggestions…
Thanks

I’m an upbeat Catholic. I think that the ‘rules’ of the CCC, knowing that our Lord loves us that much that He imparted our Church with a blueprint of how exactly to live out our morality, is what is so worth rejoicing about. Even in the suffering, we unite it with Christ’s. I think that in many non Catholic faiths, suffering is sort of kept out of the equation…something that is not mentioned as -part of the Christian experience. But, we see our own Savior being tortured, when we relive the dark days before Easter. Our faith is worth rejoicing and being pious knowing that we have a God who loves us this much! I have my down days, but because I’m human, not because I blame it on the Church’s teachings. Now if we become all about admonishing sinners, and reciting the CCC–but show little charity or love to our brothers and sisters in Christ, we miss the mark. Maybe that is what you are speaking of?

I live by this…His ways are not our ways–so I have but only to rejoice and be glad…

 

[glenaitken]

Sometimes I see our Catholic brothers and sisters as being depressed. I would like to know somebody who is Catholic and yet is upbeat about their relationship with Jesus.Maybe it is just me but sometimes the Catholic religion can really bum me out. I have been Catholic all of my life. I can become scrupulous if I am not careful. I guess sometime I get real tired of trying so hard and just want to let go, cut through all of the, what seems like, “Catholic redtape” and just be Jesus and me…
Any suggestions…
Thanks

i think i know what you mean. i work for a church, and i can tell you that there are a lot of people out there that are not bummers, though. i think we all get a little burnt out sometimes, especially if you do ministry for a living. the red tape does have a purpose- instead of trying to cut it, try grabbing hold od it and see where it leads to.