Showing your catholic?

[Chuck1]

Hi I was wondering how can you be catholic everyday of your life ?
What do you do? How can you show it ? U know what I mean

 

[Zacdecat]

well…I guess you can call it a lifestyle. It ain’t hard. Your day revolves around God rather than the world.

Prayers on arising
Mass If possible during the week
Grace before Meals and After
Meditation
Rosary
Night prayers

Acting towards others with charity, attending your duties of state. Being a good citizen.

Part of your question was about "Showing " ones catholicity…by your actions is much more suitable than proclaiming it from the rooftops.

 

[choliks]

Also…

If you put to heart Christ’s teaching through the Catholic Church, your life will show it even unconsciously. Live it; don’t show it.

 

[Anathama_Sit]

Greetings Chuck1,

Live mindful that everything you do or say or think you do or say or think in the Presence of God.

[This pretty much sums it up, becuse if you do this, you will keep all the Teachings of the Church and go to Mass and so forth. I like simple answers.]

God Bless.
Anathama Sit

 

[robert7685]

Know the Faith, and you’ll know what to do.

 

[Catholicguy100]

I have a strong dislike for overt displays of religion. I know lots of people that do it and I guess it works for them, but I dislike it. I wore a St. Christopher medal around my next for years, but under my shirt. Nobody needed to see it. I don’t anymore, but that doesn’t have to do with the medal. I don’t wear my wedding ring either. They are dangerous in certian environments.

Is that what you are asking or are you asking about how to be “Catholic” every day?

 

[Chuck1]

@ catholicguy 100 - I guess both thanks for all of your posts

 

[TrueLight]

I have a strong dislike for overt displays of religion. I know lots of people that do it and I guess it works for them, but I dislike it. I wore a St. Christopher medal around my next for years, but under my shirt. Nobody needed to see it. I don’t anymore, but that doesn’t have to do with the medal. I don’t wear my wedding ring either. They are dangerous in certian environments.

Is that what you are asking or are you asking about how to be “Catholic” every day?

Ha ha. This is my first time wearing my medals to work. I have a tiny crucifix, a St Benedict medal and a St Michael medal. I asked my kids if they are too much and they said no. I tend to wear funky costume jewelry anyway, so maybe this will pass for that.

How do you act Catholic?

When asked which are the two greatest commandments, Jesus said,

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” [Matt22:37-40]

He also said:

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.[Matthew 5:16]

Follow these commandments and people will ask you if you’re “religious”. You can then say, “Yes, I’m a Catholic Christian.”

 

[Evan]

If you mean how do you display your faith in a public way, I would include such things as

Wear clerics if you are a priest.
Wear a habit if you are a nun
Make the sign of the cross before and after meals, even in restaurants.
Decorate your office (if you are allowed) with holy images:
Icons
Parish calendar
Crucifix
Say a rosary when walking to/from the office.

Generally, just do what you would do if all the world were Catholic.

 

[hosemonkey]

If you were hauled into court and accused of being Catholic, would there be enough evidence to convict you beyond the shadow of a reasonable doubt?

 

[perro_sarnoso]

Hi I was wondering how can you be catholic everyday of your life ?
What do you do? How can you show it ? U know what I mean

This is what I do personally:

1. Sign of the cross whenever I pass or drive in front of a Catholic Church.
2. Sign of the cross and prayer before any meal anywhere - regardless of how big or small the meal may be.
3. Wear a sacramental or carry a sacramental. Some people wear a rosary around their neck - be that as it may I carry mine in my pocket but I pray it everyday.
4. I have a life of prayer and a life of the spirit that is nurtured by the sacraments.
5. Confession at least every month or every other month.
6. When asked what religion or faith you are…say it clearly, " I am Catholic". This will usually bring about a conversation concerning christianity. Catholics are the original Christians. That’s why saying “I am catholic” is sufficient.
7. Be prepared to give a simple answer to whomever should ask why you believe what you believe. You don’t have to be a theologian or an apologist… I am catholic and just because I don’'t know the answer to an objectiion - doesn’t mean that suddenly I’m going to cease to be a catholic.

Remember: The catholic church is the one true church that Christ intended to exist after His ascension into heaven and of which He left Peter as it’s first pope…264 popes later to Pope Benedict XVI, and the gates of hell have not and will not prevail against her.

Show your devotion and your reverence when speaking or when someone is speaking about Mary Mother of God…refer to her as “the Immaculate, Perpetual Virgin, Mother of God”. So that all who hear your words understand that you are serious about what you believe.

I have been told by protestants, " your not like other catholics I know". I take it as a compliment and smile.

Don’t compromise; don’t water down; don’t deny and be not afraid…just be catholic.

 

[Catholicguy100]

We do pray before all meals, even with non catholic guests and at restaurants. Other than that I believe that leading a good and holy life is what is required. I strongly dislike people that try to evangelize me, maybe it’s because it comes across as “judging.” So, I don’t do it. At my work I believe displays of religion are inappropriate. They don’t pay me to evangelize. I even go to mass on ash wednesday after work because people say it’s wrong to wipe the ashes off…??

Maybe that makes me a bad Catholic, but I’ve talked to anyone that’s asked about the church and believe I am leading a good life in pursuit of a relationship with the Lord. My kids are being raised the same way. I hope that’s good enough!

 

[Evan]

SInce I spend half of my waking hours at work each day, and my religion is why I work, and since the founders of the country in which I live (USA) have put protection to practice my religion as the first right in the Bill of Rights.

I will invoke that right, and make my work space conducive to practicing my religion. It is not a one day a week or weekend and evening activity. It is the driving force behind who I am.

Q: “Why did God make me?”
A: “God made me to know him, to love him, and to serve him in this world and to be happy with him forever in the next.”

If you encounter me, I hope and pray that you have had an encounter with the Body of Christ, of whom, I am a small part.

I do not proselytize but I do leave my light for all to see.

 

[Qwikness]

Some religious sisters wear a cross on their blouse or lapel. A cross of St. Damaino would be nice. At work I have a name tag/badge attached on a zip string thingy, on the opposite side of my badge I have an icon of Jesus. Folks often look at it or ask me about it. Some people have never even seen an icon before. At my desk I change a little picture every so often. I had the Theotokus, the Holy Family, currently I have Saint Francis and a rosary. I wear some sacramentals around my neck but don’t show them off. Matthew 6:6
The could be used to witness, to evangelize, and for personal spirituality.

 

[PennyinCanada]

Give thanks to God in all situations, even those that are a headache and burdensome. That is a very different way of living compared to most who stub their toe and swear their head off. When we stub our toe and say Praise you God! it trains our minds to turn to him and to prepare for when the difficulties of life come our way.

 

[TimothyH]

You all understand that what makes you holy is not your outward appearance to others but how you treat people, right?

You guys know that signing yourself a million times before every meal in public, all the medals in the world and decorating your office like the sistine chapel doesn’t make you as holy as if you gave a crumb to a homeless person or pulled over to give a ride to a guy walking in the rain, right?

You guys know that Jesus gave us a new law in Matthew 5 that defines holyness as how you treat each other, right? You all know that Jesus changed all that in Matthew 5, right?

"You have heard that it was said… But I say to you…"

Personally, I prefer to pass unnoticed. Like Mary.

You see how simply she said it? Ecce ancilla, ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord!’ — And the Word became flesh. That is how the saints worked: without any outward show. What there was, was in spite of them.
- St. Josemaria Escriva

When the time comes, God, if it is his will, will give you an opportunity to show the world who you are. And then they will stand in agapsp, wondering where you got the strength.

All the medals in the world won’t add up to that.

-Tim-

 

[Evan]

You all understand that what makes you holy is not your outward appearance to others but how you treat people, right?

You guys know that signing yourself a million times before every meal in public, all the medals in the world and decorating your office like the sistine chapel doesn’t make you as holy as if you gave a crumb to a homeless person or pulled over to give a ride to a guy walking in the rain, right?

You guys know that Jesus gave us a new law in Matthew 5 that defines holyness as how you treat each other, right?

-Tim-

Quite right Tim. And don’t think any of us would deny part of our life is living a Christian life and following in the footsteps of the Lord. Jesus was also said

Jesus:

"nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. "

My office has Icon of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help, of St Anthony, of my Dad (deceased) of my daughter and wife, stations of the cross, a crucifix, my degrees, my professional affiliations, a catholic calendar, the ASCII codes, employee phone numbers and my donation pins from the blood bank, along with my perfect attendance certificate from Baker Junior High. No sistine chapel but it shows who I am. I also found out, after 30 years, that I was listed as employee 001 in our database. So I’ve spent, literally, over 9 years at my desk. To survive I need to know there is life outside work. Any my life, includes my faith, family, and friends.

One does accumulate

 

[dconklin]

I work for a parish. Enough said!

 

[MissRose73]

I do wear a pendant that shows my faith like a cross or a saint’s medal. I do have a calendar from my childhood church at my desk at work. I don’t openly talk about my faith at work all that much.

I do have a few saint medal visor clips in my car that state in case of accident, call a priest, the car owner is Catholic.

I just don’t flaunt the fact I am Catholic to others in case they may be offended.

 

[TheCathGiftShop]

Forgive me for sounding like my mother here “Actions speak louder than words”. Remember as a kid singing the hymn “They will know we are Christian’s by our love”… I think I was singing this long before I was living it.

I can and do wear a Crucifix Necklace, use Rosary Beads and have a pocket full of prayer cards. These are reminders to me of my daily choice to love the Lord but they are not meant to “show my Catholic”. I’d like to think I show my Catholic in my deeds. How I love? Am I kind? Do I treat others as I wish to be treated? These I think are how I am able to Show I am Catholic. At least I hope so…

Thanks for thread it’s a good one.