"Personal relationship" with Jesus

[JohnnyReb]

I tell my evangelical friends and family that in Catholicism, my relationship with God is more personal. I experience the grace of God at mass in the liturgy-as Scott Hahn pointed out, is heaven on earth, have access to the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, directly experience the grace of God when I confess my sins to a priest in reconcilation, I mediate on the life of Christ in praying the Rosary, which makes it all the more real to me.

I’m not intending to mock anyone, but what I find in Catholicism and liturgy is far more meaningful than standing and clapping to some modern rock/country tunes for 30 minutes, then hearing a long winded sermon, and having a cracker and grape juice twice a year.

 

[Nicea325]

Good post. My wife was raised Methodist and is always telling me that she doesn’t understand why Catholics need to confess their sins to a priest since priests are human,. too. She also doesn’t get the whole using Saints and Mary as intercessors since we’ve got Jesus and God right there, so no need to pray to anyone else.

What are good ways to answer these questions?

Ahhhhh…because Jesus said so! Because as most most Protestants,they do not have a vaild priesthood. In regards to confessing one’s sins to a priest? Ask your wife why she goes to the doctor when she ill or might break her arm? Why not do-it-yourself? No need to pray to anyone? Your wife is wrong again. She needs to read scripture again,because St.Paul says to pray for each other and I believe James as well.

 

[brb3]

Matthew 6:6
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

(See no Mary and no Saints, if you continue reading the passage there you will find a complete guide to praying:thumbsup: like Jesus himself!)

Yes, Matthew 6:6 supports our ‘personal’ conversation [relationship] with God.

But, it in no way discredits group prayer. In fact, the Lord’s Prayer is taught here by Christ in 6:9-13 … and it uses the plural words US & WE. We are being taught to pray collectively by Christ … not just for ourselves, but especially for others.

So, both an ‘individual’ relationship to God via Christ is taught … and a ‘collective’ body-of-believers relationship is taught.

Saying no Mary [or Saints] allowed ---- is nonsense ! Every Protestant knows how to ask another to pray for them … and should readily be able to accept the Catholic desire to invoke Mary and great saints to pray to Christ on our behalf.