“Being a catholic can seem quite easy to a mormon”
I don’t want you to think I am lashing out at you WhyMe I am not, take this from my heart. (Thinking outside of the box) Easy to be Catholic? This may be true in some sense but we should not stereotype, or be fixed in our own thought to the point of boxing ourselves in. Many of us live in a very tiny glass bubble.
It depends on what Catholics you are speaking about, there are at least a Billion. If your speaking about the Parishioner who has never volunteered for anything other attending weekly Mass. Or the Parishioner who may have given twice as much as he or she gave last week. Or the one who teaches RCIA or works with the youth groups. All good stuff that does require sacrafice.
Or the Priest who gave up his world to go to South America, Africa, India. . As a Catholic I think about our 12 Apostles, most of who were martyred. They are of our Church along with the thousands and thousand of Martyrs. My Patron Saint can be found at my site here:
utahmission.com/pages/cJouges_page.html (Easy?)
Peter who was hung upside down on a cross because he did not feel worthy to be upright as Christ was. It depends on what Catholic life you are speaking about. Do you know Oscar Romero?
I know you know Mother Teresa who once went to a garbage dump to tell a women that was moments from death that her son who left her there to die needs your forgiveness, your last bit of love. She lived this daily. Many of her order live this today as I write. Do you know how many other orders all around this world are living worse experiences and giving it up to God and His works for others? Many devout Catholics who have been transformed by the Eucharist, those that get it and are dying today in China, in Iraq, Rev. John Prakash killed in Nepal a few months back, Father Thomas Pandippallyil tortured and killed in India in August, Father Karunaratnam in Sri Lanka… on and on and on. Easy? Depends on where you are coming from again who you are speaking about. These died for there love of Jesus and those that killed them. Happens all the time. 2000 years of Crucifixion in one form or another. How about all the good Priest who give up all things that we have come to cherish, our families in order to further the Kingdom of God? Priest all around the world some in good places some in very bad. It is easy to be Catholic if one looks for easy. It is free agency without peer pressure for the most part. Keep in mind that when the Mormon Missionaries are being pulled out the Catholic Missions remain. Not to boast as that would be sin. When you understand the concept of Trinity you understand what it means to be a vessel for God. He will make it hard if we ask with an honest heart. He alone truly understand hard. If I feel that I have it to easy as a Catholic I am reminded why as the focal point at Mass is the Crucifix as you well know.
Jesus has many who love his heavenly kingdom, but few who bear his
Cross, Many want consolation, but few desire adversity. Many are eager to share Jesus’ table, but few will join him in fasting. Everyone would be glad to rejoice with him, but not many are willing to suffer for him. Many will follow Jesus as far as the breaking of the bread, but few will stay to drink the cup of his passionate self -sacrifice. Many are inspired by his miracles, but few accept the shame of his Cross. Many love Jesus as long as they have no troubles. Many praise and bless him as long as they receive some comfort from him. But if Jesus hides himself, leaving them even for a brief moment they start complaining and become dejected.
But those who love Jesus for Jesus’ sake, and not for any special privileges, bless him in all difficulties and anguish, as well as in times of great comfort. Even if he should never comfort them again, they would continue to praise him. What astonishing power rests in the pure love of Jesus that is not corrupted with self-interest or self love!
