Think I am losing my faith

[JoyToBeCatholic]

I think I am losing my faith

Good indication that God is stregthening your faith

and where I live I feel I am not alone.

the world is filled with faithless people, that doesn’t mean you should become one…

There is just no wittnessing of, or understanding of what Catholicism is in the area which I live

Sounds like you may have a calling there

The parishes here are either declining or stagnating or both, and many former Catholics are joining more zealous and energetic Protestant churches and sects.

Just don’t follow the crowd. Their emotionalism can be interpreted as “zeal” and “energy”, but there is just no depth to their beliefs. What do they do when the going gets tough? Do they truly embrace the cross? Are they striving for union with God or are they preaching the gospel of “prosperity”? Are you ready to abandon your beliefs about Mary? The communion of Saints? The Eucharist? I’m not sure you are truly rooted in your belief of Catholicism, but even if you have all the “intellectual” stuff down, God may be testing your faith in Him and the Church.

Though a good intelectual case can be made for Catholicism, those ideas don’t seem to be making their way on to the streets and the masses. At least not where I live.

And a lot of people simply don’t care either - such is the state of the world today. This might be your calling - or God might just be testing your faith with this also. There are many other things that we can make good intellectual cases about (like abortion) that the world will not grasp. Don’t be tempted to join them in their ignorance.

So why keep my faith if there is no support for it in my community?

Is that what Noah thought? Can we just ignore the truth b/c there is no support for it in the world? You will never be content with what else the world has to offer. “Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee, O, Lord”. Perhaps this is a lesson to be learned (?)

I still have a life I have to live, and to put it bluntly I am tired a feeling like an alien hitched to a set of strange religious beliefs.

Yes, being Christian is not always comfortable or popular, but you will not be content with anything less than these “strange religious beliefs”.

And yes, it has affected my social life, and not in positive ways I must add.

I think Jesus can sympathize with that.

So I ask God or Jesus, to either prove to the world that Catholicism is true, or I am out.

“Do not put the Lord your God to the test”. I’m sure you think you would believe, but I doubt you would. There have been numerous saints who had the Lord APPEAR to them and they still doubted. Remember: “Let me go back and warn my brothers, then they will believe”. “They did not believe Moses and the prophets…”. What will it take you to believe? “Blessed are they who have not seen, and believe”

Be patient with yourself. You’re being tested. God wants to strengthen your faith, and He won’t let you go.
Peace,
~donna

 

[AquinasXVI]

Catholic29:

This is the point in which your depth is being tested and at the same time expanded. When there are no apparent reasons to remain a Catholic there’s one thing that remains, the Most Holy Eucharist…your relationship with Him has to hinge upon this sacred mystery…I’ve experienced something similar to what you’re explaining and what I did was go to Daily Mass and said to Christ: I’m losing it but I’m not going to let you get away from me!!! I’m going to receive you every single day! We’re going to go through this together…From then on, the cross was not lifted off, but I was able to hang on.

So my advice: FIGHT!!! FIGHT!!! FIGHT!!! Stick closer to the Eucharist as opposed to fleeing from Him.

God bless you and may your guardian angel protect you.

in XT.

 

[Mark_Robert]

It’s not a matter of what’s popular but what’s true. Roman Catholicism is the one true apostolic church. The tradition of Christ was handed on to His Apostles and their successors, the bishops and priests. This divine truth has been preserved through the ages without compromise or blemish.
You must stand for the truth even if you must stand alone if need be. Remember what Christ said. “Broad and strait the path that leads to destruction and many there be that travel it”. Expect the truth to be unpopular. This is biblical teaching. The vast majority of people will reject the truth because it entails a change of heart and life; something that is too sacrificial to most people. Most want a religion that condones the pursuit of their own disordered passions. Any teachings that actually require penance and a change of life are promptly rejected. It’s the churches that have sold out that have the largest congregations. Ignore them and follow what you know to be true.

 

[johnben]

I really feel for you but you MUST pray to God whenever you feel like giving up or when you have doubts, because Jesus will come to you. I’ve been in your shoes many times before, I’m in high school and it’s amazing I’m still Catholic, and I know it’s saddening to see other Catholics falling away so easily. Satan has attacked the priesthood to such an extent that the sheep are going astray. I can’t help but believe these are the end times when the Catechism teaches that the Second Coming is to be preceded by a worldwide falling away. There aren’t too many countries that are still “Catholic”.

I have to tell you though that there is a God and there is no reason to disbelieve. I’ve experienced attacks from the preternatural as well as others in my family and if there are demons out there, then God is also. I started going through a deep conversion this past year and Satan has literally attacked me for doing it. A few months ago I was attacked at night by a demon in my sleep. I woke up and felt an indescribable weight on my chest and felt like I was sinking. The demon literally kept me from crying to my family in my house. I tried to speak but was gagged. Then I thought of Jesus and was able to speak His name when no other words had worked. The demon must have been gagging me because I tried several times to speak beforehand but was unable until I cried the name of Jesus, and immediately the demon left me. The weight came off of me and I was able to speak again.

The name of Jesus is a prayer in itself. When you’re having doubts or whatever your problem, just pray His holy name and He will come to your aid whether you feel it right away or not.

My mom also experienced something preternatural before with a Ouija board. The board began to shake by itself. I’m just telling you this because I don’t want you to think these things are made up and that there is no reason to believe. I’m sure you already know about Fatima, where there were 70,000 witnesses of the sun miracle. It was raining that day and they had been soaking wet and when the miracle had ended, their clothes were dried and they were also cleaned of the mud! First off, any such device with the capability of drying such an audience in such a short time would have incinerated them. Not only that, but no such device has the ability to wipe clothing clean purely from drying!

One of the greatest miracles is that the Church, being 2000 years old, has never issued any conflicting doctrines, despite the heterodox clergymen and even the antipopes that seemingly would have changed teachings if they truly had any power to do so. Catholicism is the only coherent religion that can stand against itself.

The best advice I can give to you is that when you are having difficulty with the faith, just pray to Jesus and tell Him that you trust Him and His mercy, even if you have doubts about the faith, and ask for His grace to persevere. I can’t tell you enough how essential it is to do this. I wouldn’t be a Catholic today if I had tried to rely only on my intellect to persevere. I’ll be praying for you and if you want some company, I could use a little too!

-John in Washington

 

[GoldenArrow]

Catholic 29,

My best advice would be to turn your despair into a work of spiritual mercy. Think of Jeremiah. He lamented the idolatry of the Jewish people of his time. Their sins were so hardened that the threat of divine chastisements no longer had any effect upon them. His feelings of sadness are expressed in Lamentations and in the Book of Jeremiah. This Prophet knew that no work of man would change their hardened hearts, and that it would take Gods acting directly upon the hearts and minds of His people to move them to repentance and spiritual renewal. Thus, Jeremiah prayed for God to pour out His spirit into the hearts of his fellow Jewish countrymen, and he did this for his life. This was his vocation: one of prayer and penance. The people were eventually led into the Babylonian captivity, during which, the people of Israel were purified from their sins. They eventually returned to the Promised Land. Maybe God is calling you to be a modern-day Jeremiah?

Jeremiah speaks of Israel’s Incomprehensible Conduct:
(Jeremiah 8:4-9)

“Tell them: Thus says the LORD: When someone falls, does he not rise again? if he goes astray, does he not turn back? Why do these people rebel with obstinate resistance? Why do they cling to deceptive idols, refuse to turn back? I listen closely: they speak what is not true; No one repents of his wickedness, saying, “What have I done!” Everyone keeps on running his course, like a steed dashing into battle. Even the stork in the air knows it seasons; Turtledove, swallow and thrush observe their time of return, But my people do not know the ordinance of the LORD. How can you say, “We are wise, we have the law of the LORD”? Why, that has been changed into falsehood by the lying pen of the scribes! The wise are confounded, dismayed and ensnared; Since they have rejected the word of the LORD, of what avail is their wisdom?”

Jeremiah grieves over the conduct of his people (Jeremiah 8: 18-23):

“My grief is incurable, my heart within me is faint. Listen! the cry of the daughter of my people, far and wide in the land! Is the LORD no longer in Zion, is her King no longer in her midst? (Why do they provoke me with their idols, with their foreign nonentities?) The harvest has passed, the summer is at an end, and yet we are not safe! I am broken by the ruin of the daughter of my people. I am disconsolate; horror has seized me. Is there no balm in Gilead, no physician there? Why grows not new flesh over the wound of the daughter of my people? Oh, that my head were a spring of water, my eyes a fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night over the slain of the daughter of my people!”

Jeremiah writes of the promised spiritual renewal through the coming of the Messiah: (Jeremiah 23: 5-6)

"Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; As king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security. This is the name they give him: “The LORD our justice.”

Catholic 29, you mourn for the right reasons. Jesus says, “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.” It is right and good that we mourn for the sins of our people. Don’t miss your calling. Maybe God is calling you to pray for a spiritual renewal in your area.

Be the one Just Man in your Parish. Be the one that says YES to God. If there be but one Just Man who Laments the sins of his brothers and sisters, God will look kindly on such a man and will grant his petitions though the love and mercy of His Most Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus’s sacrifice brought the Kingdom of God to Earth. It is already here. It is finished. This Kingdom is the Catholic Church. If this Kingdom is suffering, please pray for her. Don’t abandon her.

Please, don’t leave the Church. We need you. We love you. Please stay and pray for your bretheren. With time and patience, you can make a difference.

God Bless!

 

[GoldenArrow]

Catholic 29, in the meantime, for your own spiritual refreshment, check out the homilies of Father Robert Altier. He is quite inspiring. What I’d suggest is to start reading the Daily Mass Liturgy and the Homilies of this young, on-fire Catholic Associate Pastor:

desertvoice.org/Written.html

Click on the calendar day. It’ll list the Liturgical readings. Read the Liturgy and then check out Father Altier’s homily for that day. He’s fantastic.

Consider not only praying for your fellow parishioners, but also think about praying for vocations in your parish. If possible, go to daily Mass. Adopt your Parish Priest and pray for him every day. It may take two years of praying, but you pray with firm faith, God will answer your prayer by stirring the Holy Spirit to move your Pastor into becoming more like Christ. I’ll take time and patience though.

I like to pray for our Pastor when he receives Holy Communion. This is the prayer:

"Oh Lord, may Thou find shelter and rest gently within the heart of Thy Priest _________________________. Make him, O Lord, a priest according to Thy Heart: meek, humble, zealous, so that all he does will be for Thine honor and glory. Mold him into a man of prayer and labor, insensible to earthly things, and sensible to Thy love and graces of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

Praying for them really will help.

God Bless!

 

[Catholic29]

Thank you all for your support and encouragment, it is apparent none of you want me to throw in the towel.

But things here are hard for me beyond words, lukewarmness is rampant in my parish and in most others in my community, diocese and state, and people are looking for happiness wherever they can find it. They just don’t understand what sacraments are supposed to do or how they work, and with that ignorance they leave for evangelical or other protestant churches. On top of this Masses are being made up of more gray and white haired folk, and youth is becoming increasingly scarce. And the few youth who do come (often not of their own choice) appear to have little regard for the sacred mysteries presented before them. And orthodox religious instruction and sacramental preparation is for the most part non-existant.

So how am I supposed to appear as a saint and prophet to these people, rather than just a arch-conservative religious fanatic?

 

[Catholic29]

Faith not gone yet, but I am very much questioning and seriously researching everything.

Along with ALOT of prayer…

 

[GoldenArrow]

I started a new book today called, The Song of Songs: A Mystical Exposition by Father Juan G. Arintero, O.P. It’s an exegesis of the Canticle of Canticles. The book is basically all about love. It includes writings from the Saints, Venerables, Blessed and from Fathers of the Church and proceeds line for line through the Canticle. The book is a little flowery, but I find that it’s a GREAT book to read in the silence before God. (Our Church is open during the day). The book is quite long … 571 pages. My only criticism is that there is some Latin phrases thrown in here and there, and I have no clue what these phrases say. HA! The phrases are not the norm, however.

It’s not really a bible study, per se, but more of a spiritual vignette. I’m not even sure if this is the proper description. It is a lovely book. The Saints speak of the spiritual life and their love of God and it’s just … breathtaking.

I’d think that such a book might be right up your alley—might be such a thing that might feed your soul. You might find great solace within its pages.

You can get it at Tan Books:
tanbooks.com/index.php/page/shop:flypage/product_id/266/keywords/song,songs/

 

[GoldenArrow]

The Church is in a crisis. It would be a quick fix to jump ship and flee the battle, but is a more difficult task to stay aboard and face the onslaught.

It’s not easy being Catholic. I’m the ONLY one left in my family who is still a practicing Catholic. I returned to the church only 4 1/2 years ago after a life of Atheism. I am a Cradle Catholic who was raised Atheist. (It’s a long story. HA!) I had been searching this world wide for the Truth for my entire life and I finally found that Truth at the beginning, in my Catholic roots.

I was just so grateful to finally find this wonderful source of grace and love. The love I feel for Jesus and His Church are beyond words.

When I returned to the Church, believe you me, my family threw a fit–ALL of them, in varying ways. My mother called me a “Jesus Freak,” in public, during dinner in a restaurant. My Uncle, who is also my Godfather, tried to pull me away from the faith. All my relatives are now Protestants. They’d take it upon themselves to poke fun at the Virgin Mary and would seize the opportunity to make sexual jokes towards the clergy. They were truly awful! It was so bad that I usually left their homes feeling like I wanted to vomit. The harassment made me feel physically ill. I held on though. In fact–being a natural rebel–I reacted in the opposite direction. I started wearing a crucifix and medals of Our Lady openly, so that they could see my Catholicism. I wanted them to know that I AM CATHOLIC and there wasn’t ANYTHING they could say or do to change my mind!

It reached a crescendo when I told my mother, “ENOUGH!” I told her that Grandpa and Grandma (mom’s parents), who were Catholic to the end, would turn over in their graves at her behavior.

As far as the other relatives go—they figured out that I wasn’t going to budge–that I wasn’t going to change. See, my Godfather had numerous opportunities to teach me about Christ when I was a child, and no one did it. No one even gave me a Children’s bible or a book of bible stories or anything! Nada! I grew up thinking Jesus was Santa Claus. I had no clue what the crucifix meant, or who “The Lord” was. I didn’t even know what a “sin” was. I was so clueless that, after watching a Discovery Channel special on Adam and Eve, I stopped eating apples for a couple years because I Discovery channel said Apples were the forbidden fruit. LOL!!! I was totally clueless! My Protestant relatives had plenty of opportunity to evangelize me, and didn’t. They realized their missed opportunity. I told them I was Catholic, and that I would not ever leave the Church.

You just gotta be strong. Don’t be afraid of confrontation, because I guarantee that you’ll have some. More will come. Be ready to face it.

If people are your true friends, they’ll tolerate your Catholicism when they realize that you are NOT going to change. A true friend would rather tolerate your Catholicism rather than lose you as a friend. And if they leave you because of it, they were never your true friend in the first place.

Same goes for family. I assume your family loves you, and true love takes no pleasure in hurting the object of that love. That is, they’ll cease harassing you if you refuse to leave the Church. They’d rather tolerate your Catholicism than lose you.

Remember, tolerance can change into conversion.

In the process, I got my Dad to turn away from Atheism! This is a miracle because Dad is the most bullheaded person on the planet—and he’s not even Irish. LOL!!! He cried during the scourging scene of the movie, The Passion of the Christ. It was just so touching. He was browsing through my satellite TV channels and found EWTN—all by himself—and told me that the religion of EWTN was, “an interesting religion,” and HE told ME to watch EWTN more often! Can you believe that?? I rolled my eyes and tried telling him that the religion on EWTN was Catholicism, and his reaction was, “Well, I don’t know about that, but it is a very interesting religion and you should watch that channel more.” Dad didn’t believe me when I told him EWTN was Catholic. That just cracks me up. Oh, and get this, I got dad to go with me to Midnight Mass two years ago. We were in church for at least 3 hours! You’d consider this a miracle if you knew Dad. Oh man. If my father actually converted, for real, he’d be the next St. Augustine. No kidding! He’d be one dynamite ball of fire!!!

Mom has been acting more Catholic lately, too.

See, if people actually KNEW what the Catholic church teaches, at least half the world would instantly convert without a second thought. If you hang in there, you may convert some of your skepical friends and family.

Hope this helps.

God Bless!

 

[Catholic29]

Wow, what an awesome witness!

You may be GoldenArrow but you sure have an Iron Will, I have never met a Catholic with such conviction in all my life. In Oregon it must be especially hard with it being such a liberal state and all. But I don’t know if I could ever be as strong.

I want to talk with you more in private…

 

[wjp984]

not much easier in California

 

[JoyToBeCatholic]

Or Massachussets!

 

[Flopfoot]

Sydney is pretty bad too although I’m not sure what it’s like compared to USA. Very few priests, don’t hear about Catholics doing much, although we got a good Cardinal (Geroge Pell). There are some suburbs (Inner West) that have stronger Catholic faith, but mostly it’s pretty weak around here. Still, the numbers at weekend masses are good and even more so at Christmas.

 

[Mike_D30]

Catholic29:

I think I am losing my faith, and where I live I feel I am not alone. There is just no wittnessing of, or understanding of what Catholicism is in the area which I live. The parishes here are either declining or stagnating or both, and many former Catholics are joining more zealous and energetic Protestant churches and sects.

Though a good intelectual case can be made for Catholicism, those ideas don’t seem to be making their way on to the streets and the masses. At least not where I live.

So why keep my faith if there is no support for it in my community? I still have a life I have to live, and to put it bluntly I am tired a feeling like an alien hitched to a set of strange religious beliefs. And yes, it has affected my social life, and not in positive ways I must add.

So I ask God or Jesus, to either prove to the world that Catholicism is true, or I am out.

Catholic29,

I advise yout to do exactly what you are thinking about. Go to these “more lively” Protestant Churches. Listen with your ears wide open, to what they actually preach. They give a pass to adulterers still living an adulteress lifestyle because ‘Jesus saves’. You will come across so much wishy washy teaching’s that you won’t know where salvation lies.

I’ll give an example, I got Joel Osteen’s “Your Best Life Now”, and all I can describe this book is meism. If you want that big house, pray and be faithful to God and you’ll get that big house. Joel also goes on to tell a story about how his sister had a failed marriage and then divorced. Joel went on to say his sister remained faithful so God blessed her with a wonderful second husband. I was like what? She’s an adulteress, as simple as that, why would God be blessing her? It’s funny they love to go by the Bible alone, Sola Scriptura, until the Bible contradicts what they actually practice. I know people re-marry after divorce and that’s a personal choice. However at least we have a Church that takes a stance, and a scriptural one at that. You won’t get that out there. I said in another forum, in 50 years 60% of Churches will accept Gay marriages, in 2000 years the Catholic Church will not.

I grew up a luke warm cradle Catholic. I ventured out and what happened was exactly what I was told would happen. I would come back to the Catholic Church. My mini-quest lead me back to the Church with a renewed vigor I have never felt. My life is Christs to do what he wishes with. I tell you this to save you the trouble. Immerse yourself in the teaching’s of the Catholic Church instead of worrying about what other’s think. Rely on God and your faith to get the most out services, and pray there will be a renewed ferver in your Catholic community.

 

[Doreen]

They give a pass to adulterers still living an adulteress lifestyle because ‘Jesus saves’. You will come across so much wishy washy teaching’s that you won’t know where salvation lies.

EASY Mike! Though shalt not judge! You are packaging a whole lot of people into one basket. Not a fair move at all. :tsktsk:

at least we have a Church that takes a stance, and a scriptural one at that. You won’t get that out there

I am only checking you because I had some pretty harsh ideas about the Catholic church after feeling it failed me…and I did as you are doing, at first…assuming everyone in the church was compromising, etc…but I am thrilled to find this is not the case.

Remember…with the measure you use, it shall be measured unto you. We do a lot more for our “side” when we demonstrate grace, no?

As Peter says: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” 1 Peter 3:15

By the way, if someone came into the church I attend, we would lovingly welcome them and then guide them into ALL truth…helping them to recognize their sin, and showing them the way to overcome it through Christ…not telling them simply “Jesus saves!”

D.

 

[GoldenArrow]

You may be GoldenArrow but you sure have an Iron Will, I have never met a Catholic with such conviction in all my life. In Oregon it must be especially hard with it being such a liberal state and all. But I don’t know if I could ever be as strong.

I don’t know if I’m deserving of such compliments, as I’m a sinner just like everyone else. I just keep trying and keep going on that narrow path, no matter what. That is, I fall often, but I get up often. One might say I’m a bit of a spiritual clutz. HA!

Do you remember the Dr. Seuss story called The Elephant Faithful? The Church is the elephant. I’m sitting on some egg. Don’t know what in the egg, exactly. It’s raining on me. The Sun burns me. The wind howls. Everyone else is having fun–partying. I’m ridiculed. But here I am sitting on this egg. Sometimes I wonder whether it’ll hatch, but eventually it does, and the creature that emerges is beautiful beyond earthly description, and in the end, I learn that all the suffering is worth my prize. (The creature represents the beatific vision). Anyway—that’s what it’s like to be a Catholic in Liberal America in 2006.

Remember that book I told you about? I was reading it this afternoon and found a passage that might inspire you. It’s a meditation on the BOLD verse of the Song of Songs. I’ll include the rest of the preceeding poem for context:

The Bride:
Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth;
for your love is better than wine
more fragrant than the best ointments.
Your name is as oil poured forth:
that is why the maidens love You.
Draw me: we shall run after You
following the scent of Your ointments
The King brought me into His mansions.
We shall be glad and rejoice in You.
Praising Your love above wine.
The upright love you!
I am black but lovely, daughters of Jerusalem
like the tents of Kedar
like the pavilions of Salmah.*

• The Kedar Arabs were nomads who lived between Arabia and Bablylonia; their tents wre make of goat’s skin that were nearly always black. The inside of the tents, however, were considered luxurious in decorum for that time period.

These are a couple of meditations on the text highlighted in bold:

“I am black, says the Church,” writes Maria de la Dolorosa, “because I walk in the darkness of faith, but am beatifiul as the pavilions of Soloman because I am enriched with every grace and because I have Jesus, both as God and as man, hidden within the Blessed Sacrament.” Song of Songs: A mystical Exposition page 97.

"The reason, writes Fr. Luis de Leon, “why the Church, that is, the company of the just and any one of them has a dark and ugly outward appearance is quite clear, because of the little attention and importance or rather, because of the very bad treatment the world gives them, for it would seem that there are none poorer, more beaten down and forsaken than those who have to do with goodness and virtue, when in fact they are loved and favored by God and their souls are filled with incomparable Beauty.” Song of Songs: A mystical Exposition page 97-98.

“The Church’s persecutions, heresies and scandals,” observes Scio, “give it a very gloomy outward appearance; but inside it is seen to be full of wealth, magnificence and beauty, for it is adorned with the most sublime virtues and contains within it a large army of just men and saints.” Song of Songs: A mystical Exposition page 98.

You are, Catholic 29, a member of the “large army of just men and saints.” Please stay.

God Bless you, and PM me anytime.

 

[tdandh26]

Remember Jesus said “In those days many will be deceived and if it were possible even the elect”.
I would be very careful about telling God you need a sign to believe something He has given to you, others did this as well and He said “No sign will be given except for the sign of Jonah” meaning, if you do not believe the ones I have sent then you will believe nothing. Remember what it means to follow Jesus. Pick up your cross and follow me. If they have done this to me what will they do to you, a servant is not greater than his master. We are the servants and if Christ suffered and carried His cross, then so shall we.

 

[GoldenArrow]

The Dr. Seuss book is actually called Horton Hatches the Egg. This site gives a summary:
bookhelpweb.com/authors/seuss/039480077X.htm

Horton, that wonderful elephant, demonstrates two wonderful qualities:

• He is true to his word
• He works hard even when the task is unpleasant

Lazy Mayzie takes off for Palm Beach and decides never to return. So poor Horton is left sitting on the egg. The weather turns fierce and then his friends turn out to laugh at him. Then they run off to play, leaving the wistful Horton to watch. Finally, three hunters come sneaking through the bush and are ready to shoot him dead. Does Horton run? Of course not!

“He held his head high
And he threw out his chest
And he looked at the hunters
As much as to say:
'Shoot if you must
But I won’t run away!
I mean what I said
And I said what I meant…
An elephant’s faithful
One hundred per cent!”

Fortunately for Horton, the young readers, and the rest of the story, the hunters don’t kill Horton, but they haul him off on a boat in a cage. They sell him to the circus in America where Horton is dragged all around the country. Finally, they arrive in Palm Beach, where our lazy Mayzie comes to see the fun. Then the egg cracks and Mayzie reclaims her egg.

The pages where Mayzie returns are some of my favorite. For when she accuses Horton of stealing her egg and demands that he give it back, Horton shows his true colors. He doesn’t rage, he doesn’t accuse, and he doesn’t argue. He simply climbs down with a sad, heavy heart. He’s ready to relinquish the egg despite the fact he got only criticism instead of praise for all of his hard work.

But of course, Seuss is not so cruel as to leave it there. Horton does get his reward*, and we close the book feeling happy and content.

• If I remember correctly, Horton’s reward is that the creature that hatches from the egg LOVES him, and not Mayzie.

 

[Crumpy]

There’s a lot of truthful advice here about staying in the Church.

Kark Keating’s Catholicism and Fundamentalism shows a lot of errors in non-Catholic Churches. When I lived in the Chicago area, I listened to a lot of non-Catholic but Christian radio – bible studies and sermons and the like. It was very interesting up to a point. I didn’t find any thing that would break my Catholic beliefs.

So, the point is, you’d be leaving the Catholic Church for some other group that you know is in some sort of error regarding Christian faith – if your experience was anything like mine.

Your lament sounds a bit like Jesus on the cross “My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?” which is the first line of a psalm. I just recently learned that it was common for a rabbi to say the first line of a psalm and then have the congregation recite the remainder of the psalm (song). Perhaps that is what Jesus is telling us when we feel abandoned – to pray – talk with God.

I have felt alone in my life in various ways such as when my father passed away when I was a boy. Spiritually which is to say “really” God is our Father when we are in the faith.

I’m reading a Bible meditation book by Damasus Winzen, a priest. He makes the point in the first chapter that God’s Word was expressed in various way:

1. in creation (He said, let there be light, etc.) and so in His infinite generosity all that we see was brought into existence, including mankind.
2. in scripture – God has given the covenant – the promise that He cares and will care for us, here specifically not abandoning us to condemnation, but sending a Saviour for us.
3. in Jesus Christ – “the Word was made flesh” (John’s gospel). So, God’s generosity was made incarnate, in Jesus’ presence.

and, maybe this is not Winzen’s idea but mine,

1. God’s word was expressed when Jesus said “this is My body” and “this is My blood.”

We have heard the care and concern of God for us in everything around us, but particularly in our faith and in the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

Recall that the Jews sacrificed an animal during the Passover, and then they consumed the flesh of the animal during the Passover meal.

It could not be clearer to me and I hope to all Catholics that we consume the body of Christ, the perfect passover, in our celebration. Like the passover lamb, it is not a symbol of the victim, but the body of the victim itself.

No one can offer you anything like that in another Christian church. And, no other religion such as Islam offers you a communion with God, a personal God, like this.

During the Second Vatican Council, the Bishops issued a document on religious liberty. This document explains in great detail not that we have the cafeteria choice of what we want to believe in, but that we are bound to what we know in conscience is the truth. I suggest that you look deeper and deeper into the Truth which is not something but somebody (as fr.corapi says). I pray that that Truth will fill you up. Jesus is the eternal water from which we no longer thirst and the eternal food from which we no longer hunger.

I suspect that you’re fairly young and you want to fit in with your peers and be accepted by them. As you mature into adulthood (which goes on your whole life) you realize that you must make your own choices. You cannot just follow the crowd, and certainly not in something this important.