What do you do with your life if you are a catholic?

[raaucoin]

If Mr. A- the athiest_ is a good guy and does wonderful things for humanity, but does not believe in God, he’s missed the boat. God made us first to love and serve Him. We do that with prayer or even in just recognizing that all good gifts come from Him.

In my own life I often am able to help some folks out. I usually try to offer those acts of kindness to the Lord. Sometimes I do so with no thought whatsoever to God-just because I see an opportunity to be nice. In those times that I stop to realize that it is Jesus in the least of His brothers that I am serving, then my actions are not just “good deeds”- the same as Mr. A. And through those deeds in which my focus is on another opportunity to serve God by serving man, I am lifted up in such a way that I feel even closer to God.

Perhaps in society, there is no apparent difference, but in the Kingdom of God there is a huge one. Before my conversion tried to be a good person. And I continued to try after conversion but my focus is different. People noticed subtle differences. And if asked why I do something, it gives me an opportunity to share a bit of my faith.
I have an interest in sharing my faith. But I am always amazed that as soon as I feel called to reach out to others to bring them closer to the Lord, I soon find that the my answer to that call has brought ME closer to Him.
There are many things many are called to “do”. I have many ideas but first I must ask"Lord, what do YOU want me to do."–Hope that answers your question. God Bless.

 

[JRKH]

Most people are called to be married and have children. Being a mom is a “waste of life”? You comments here are rather rude. Are dads a waste of life too?

Why is it that you don’t think someone in an office job is not serving God or others? All kinds of roles are needed in order for society to function. Do you have a bank account? Have you gone to school? Do you buy groceries? Do you have electricity and water? All of these things require administrative support. As Catholics, we do whatever it is we are called to do and try to do it well, and in the spirit of service to others.

Katie,
You’ve hit the nail on the head here.

I can understand the OP’s concern, especially living in England which is exceedingly secular and even hostile to faith. The desire to see more fully Christian lives lived out is a laudable desire.
the thing that the OP, and indeed all of us, must realize is that,
a) showing Christ to the World must begin where we are, who we are and in what we do. and
b) Just looking at others and and their outward actions does not necessarily give a full picture of that person’s heart, faith, desires, troubles, blessings etc.

We are called to faith. That faith needs to be exhibited in Acts that stem from Love.
Those acts can take place in virually any place, in any calling, at any (and all) times.

Peace
James

 

[larsenl1]

i have considered religous life - since i have grown in faith by myself with no catholic family relatives or friends, i am accustomed to being alone in the faith. but i dont see how being enclosed in a monastry/convent is helpful to God.

i am deciding between studing finance which will hep my career OR not studying finance and instead using my spare time to study Gregorian Chant and Latin. it is an either/or as i dont have time to do both well. any help?

so wait … working in banking and finance is doing God’s work but working in an office or raising children is not? You are derogatory toward the vocation of raising children?

You question people working, you question mothers not working, you question people devoting their life to prayer?!?

Works of mercy are important but that is not the only way to heaven and in and of itself will not get you into heaven unless you are truly serving people in humility.

Methinks you have a lot of growing up to do yet. Please do not insult women who nurse babies or dare to belittle the people living cloistered in a monastery.

 

[larsenl1]

thanks! i love spending time in the Adoration. for a few days i fasted and prayed because at that time everyone was getting married o living with their boyfriends and i was the only catholic that i knew. i was very lonely . so i said to the Lord, i have alot of lust, but apart from that i am cool if You want me to do your will with my life and devote it to healthcare in teh third world or something. but i want to knwo what to do. so i asked to Lord to help me discern my vocation. and the Lord said to me, your vocation is NOW. you are already your vocation. everything you do is already your vocation because your life is your vocation. then i understood that day to day what you do is part of that vocation. but i cant help thinging that people in office jobs arent really serving the Lord in their day to day lives.

also somehow i look about the church and see loads of women all overweight and boring looking nursing small babies and wearing veils. now thats great and everything. but whats the point? why are they having babies and devoting their life to new lives, when they can help those that are already here? what about all those kids that need adopting or fostering? being a mom seems a waste of life. so what. you raise babies that you created. that doesnt help anyone but yourself.

Discerning your vocation takes more than a couple of days of fasting.

You do insult me right after I was welcoming to you. I am a mother. You say that being a mother is a waste of life.

 

[William_Pitts]

thanks! i love spending time in the Adoration. for a few days i fasted and prayed because at that time everyone was getting married o living with their boyfriends and i was the only catholic that i knew. i was very lonely . so i said to the Lord, i have alot of lust, but apart from that i am cool if You want me to do your will with my life and devote it to healthcare in teh third world or something. but i want to knwo what to do. so i asked to Lord to help me discern my vocation. and the Lord said to me, your vocation is NOW. you are already your vocation. everything you do is already your vocation because your life is your vocation. then i understood that day to day what you do is part of that vocation. but i cant help thinging that people in office jobs arent really serving the Lord in their day to day lives.

also somehow i look about the church and see loads of women all overweight and boring looking nursing small babies and wearing veils. now thats great and everything. but whats the point? why are they having babies and devoting their life to new lives, when they can help those that are already here? what about all those kids that need adopting or fostering? being a mom seems a waste of life. so what. you raise babies that you created. that doesnt help anyone but yourself.

i dunno mate i converted 7 years ago. **i have no family and no catholic friends or boyfirneds. which is why i need to figureout how best to serve the Lord. **

but my question is, why are there catholics working in offices or as secretaries. if the Lord is the Truth, that is the most importatn thing in life, so you should devote all your life to serving HIm

Look at this maybe it will help: opusdei.org/

 

[LilyM]

I disagree with the comment that people in office jobs aren’t really ‘serving the Lord’.

I have an office job. I serve the Lord in all sorts of big and small ways in this job. For one thing I try to bring Christ into the workplace by patiently bearing with, or patiently setting straight, colleagues and clients when they’re being unreasonable or mean. Or when they simply need empathy, when I really at times feel like being anything but patient and empathetic!

When colleagues engage in locker room (foul) language or unethical behaviour, which they do far too often in my industry, again I make a stand on those issues. Not in a preachy way, but there are usually practical benefits to behaving in a Godly way in the workplace as well as the moral ones.

Or I can serve the Lord simply by trying to put a wholehearted effort into all my work, even the mundane stuff where you’re tempted to cut corners or ‘phone it in’ a bit.

 

[Fogwalker]

C. S. Lewis asked a similar question about Christians and athiests and he went to an even bigger extreme. He asked why there are some Christians who, by all standards, are terrible people, and some athiests, who, by all standards, are wonderful people.

His answer was this: how much worse would the bad Christian be without Christianity? And how much better would the good athiest be if he had God’s love in his life? Making comparisons like that is interesting but it doesn’t establish the value or non-value of a particular religion.

 

[fms]

Unless God is calling you for a vocation out of the world, do exactly the same things you used to do (except sin) but now with love for God and neighbour.

 

[shinytoy]

Most people are called to be married and have children. Being a mom is a “waste of life”? You comments here are rather rude. Are dads a waste of life too?

Why is it that you don’t think someone in an office job is not serving God or others? All kinds of roles are needed in order for society to function. Do you have a bank account? Have you gone to school? Do you buy groceries? Do you have electricity and water? All of these things require administrative support. As Catholics, we do whatever it is we are called to do and try to do it well, and in the spirit of service to others.

i guess so. but in terms of serving the Lord and loving your neighbor, dont you think that doctors and teachers do this more directly than say a plumber, or typist for a plastic manufacturing company?

yeah i guess i was kinda rude to moms. i love my mom. but it seems wasteful. so what, you grow up, procreate then devote your life to furtherance of your own genetics. when there are many unwanted kids out there who need adopting or fostering. and you can surely better serve the lord without kids. i dont see how comes so many women make it their life’s main purpose to be a mom. if that is to satsfy your own bologigal urges, then surely thats selfish.

Katie,
You’ve hit the nail on the head here.

I can understand the OP’s concern, especially living in England which is exceedingly secular and even hostile to faith. The desire to see more fully Christian lives lived out is a laudable desire.
the thing that the OP, and indeed all of us, must realize is that,
a) showing Christ to the World must begin where we are, who we are and in what we do. and
b) Just looking at others and and their outward actions does not necessarily give a full picture of that person’s heart, faith, desires, troubles, blessings etc.

We are called to faith. That faith needs to be exhibited in Acts that stem from Love.
Those acts can take place in virually any place, in any calling, at any (and all) times.

Peace
James

James, this is an awesome and excellent answer. i will think about this more. indeed in my church i am the only catholic under age 50 and keep my faith secret from my friends and collegues as i fear ridicule since ‘strong’ or ‘intelligent’ or ‘educated’ people are not seen to belive in the airy fairy world of religion or afterlife, instead they are atheist and believe only in science and the news. religion is seen to be the preseve of immigrants from third world countries who do not know better, or little kids who also belive in Santa.
so to show faith and bear witness is indeed a major thing. i dont even say ‘God bless’ or wear a cross or medal because of the fear. there is immense prejudice against catholics who are seen as paedos and perves, and it doesnt help that the main media representations of caths are the Opus Dei in Da Vinci Code (scary, weird and masochistic), exorcisms, and child abiuse.

also I am vaguely interested in Opus Dei but they seem scary (Da Vinci Code) Bless you son.

so wait … working in banking and finance is doing God’s work but working in an office or raising children is not? You are derogatory toward the vocation of raising children?
…
Methinks you have a lot of growing up to do yet. Please do not insult women who nurse babies or dare to belittle the people living cloistered in a monastery.

if you actually read my post, you would see i did not belittle people in monastries, i simply asked, how is their enclosed community helpful to soicety? try reading my post before you attack me. Methinks YOU have to grow up.

and my point is, i dont see how banking, finance and office work is as directly relating to Gods work as teaching, medicine, theology etc.

wow. just wow. try reading before you go attacking people.

Discerning your vocation takes more than a couple of days of fasting.

You do insult me right after I was welcoming to you. I am a mother. You say that being a mother is a waste of life.

no i prayed for a long time but i also did a few days of prayer and fasting. by fasting i mean water only, not eating. while working full time and studying, this is difficult.

and sorry to have offended you. being a mom is hard work. moms are great. but i cant help thinking its kind of pointelss. so you grow up, have babies and they grow up, have babies, then they grow up etc. and that is your whole purpose. when i see cathlic families, i see women who have no intention of bettering themselves, working, learning or ANYTHING apart from suckling babies. and i see girls at school in their early teens who dont even care to study or look for work, since they just want to be a mom.

do you think the reason i think being a mom is wasteful is because i am not called to be a mom? i

Look at this maybe it will help: opusdei.org/

i will look, thanks

Unless God is calling you for a vocation out of the world, do exactly the same things you used to do (except sin) but now with love for God and neighbour.

best answer.

but i dont see in my example the difference between Mr A and Mr B - doesnt it say that we are called to be set apart? and if Mr A and Mr B have the same lifestyle but A is a Chrisitan and B is atheist, isnt it unfair that A can go heaven and B cannot?

 

[fms]

The greatest (yet humblest) of all God’s Creatures is both Virgin and Mother.

Never disdain any of God’s gifts and callings that in his wisdom, are to make up his Kingdom.

I have come to see that the ones who get the vocation to marriage are those whose calling is to celibacy/virginity and try to live out their vocation. Similarly those who get celibacy/virginity are those called to a life of marriage and try to live out their vocation.

 

[shinytoy]

Perhaps you need to look into Opus Dei. I believe that it might be able to answer some of your questions. Especially the ones about serving God in ordinary life. Just as the Lord told you in answer to your questions.

Here is the YouTube Channel for Opus Dei… there are many video’s for you to look over.

I hope this is helpful to you.

Peace
James

Look at this maybe it will help: opusdei.org/

people that said the Opus Dei - i just looked at this and it was awesome. i thnk the answer i needed was something like this. thank you so much. exactly this. maybe this is my calling.

 

[JRKH]

people that said the Opus Dei - i just looked at this and it was awesome. i thnk the answer i needed was something like this. thank you so much. exactly this. maybe this is my calling.

I’m glad that this helped. At the very least, by looking into the spirituality promoted by Opus Die, you will begin to see how even teh seemingly mundane work of our lives, can be devoted to God.
A couple of other things in your previous comments deserve a response…

i guess so. but in terms of serving the Lord and loving your neighbor, dont you think that doctors and teachers do this more directly than say a plumber, or typist for a plastic manufacturing company?

Certainly there can be professions that are more visibly serving the Lord, but all work and all interaction can serve the Lord equally.

in my church i am the only catholic under age 50 and keep my faith secret from my friends and collegues as i fear ridicule since ‘strong’ or ‘intelligent’ or ‘educated’ people are not seen to belive in the airy fairy world of religion or afterlife, instead they are atheist and believe only in science and the news. religion is seen to be the preseve of immigrants from third world countries who do not know better, or little kids who also belive in Santa.

And yet those same “‘strong’ or ‘intelligent’ or ‘educated’ people” have no problem reading and enjoying things like The Lord of the Rings, or the Narnia books that were written by Oxford Professors, highly intelligent men who were both Strong Christians. Then there is Blessed John Henry Newman and another wonderful English convert by name G.K. Chesterton…
No these folks may want to belittle the faith, but they are dead wrong in thinking only small minds embrace God and Christ.

so to show faith and bear witness is indeed a major thing. i dont even say ‘God bless’ or wear a cross or medal because of the fear. there is immense prejudice against catholics who are seen as paedos and perves, and it doesnt help that the main media representations of caths are the Opus Dei in Da Vinci Code (scary, weird and masochistic), exorcisms, and child abiuse.

And yet, how are these false notions to be dispelled if normal, everyday catholics don’t step up and display their faith. The need for personal witness is even greater now than before the scandals. The need for witness and the readiness to accept ridicule is something that should be considered especially during this coming holy week as we watch how Christ was humilitate, ridiculed, tortured, and eventually killed.
Should we do no less?
To many of us are like the disciples who scattered, and like St Peter who denied Him three times and then repented bitterly…
I believe you have great courage and when you come to grips with these matters you will step our and become a great witness for Christ in the World.

Peace
James

 

[Garyjohn2]

Being a parent is way more than serving biological urges, and is perhaps the most unselfish thing a person can do. I explained this in detail in an earlier post in this thread. It’s important to know!

 

[JRKH]

Being a parent is way more than serving biological urges, and is perhaps the most unselfish thing a person can do. I explained this in detail in an earlier post in this thread. It’s important to know!

Well said. Of course, in support of one of the OP’s points, I think that this is just as unselfish an act whether through adoption or childbirth.

Peace
James

 

[Garyjohn2]

Well said. Of course, in support of one of the OP’s points, I think that this is just as unselfish an act whether through adoption or childbirth.

Peace
James

That is true. Adoption is very noble, and important. However, I would suggest that creating a baby ushers yet another new soul into this world, with all the potential for greatness and holiness that comes with it, and adoption does not. Although adoptions gives new hope to an already created child, and this is wonderful as well!

 

[Katie966]

i guess so. but in terms of serving the Lord and loving your neighbor, dont you think that doctors and teachers do this more directly than say a plumber, or typist for a plastic manufacturing company?

yeah i guess i was kinda rude to moms. i love my mom. but it seems wasteful. so what, you grow up, procreate then devote your life to furtherance of your own genetics. when there are many unwanted kids out there who need adopting or fostering. and you can surely better serve the lord without kids. i dont see how comes so many women make it their life’s main purpose to be a mom. if that is to satsfy your own bologigal urges, then surely thats selfish.

A doctor or a teacher could be a poor witness to the Catholic faith, and a plumber or typist could be better at serving God and neighbor. A person’s profession, generally speaking, doesn’t necessarily speak to their moral life or how good of a person they are.

Serving God and neighbor is not limited to specific professions, nor are people good Catholics simply by virtue of what they do to earn money. You have to take a person’s life in totality, and consider the many subtle ways people are in service to others throughout the day. It is offensive for you to consider a plumber’s work less valuable than a doctor’s. Would you prefer to get your water from a creek or use an outhouse? Talk about a profession of serving others. People aren’t always sick and don’t always need a doctor, but people always need safe, clean water.

So do you suggest that people stop procreating, since you consider it to be so selfish? Then where are all these people you are supposed to serve going to come from? You cannot “better serve the Lord without kids”; you can serve him in a different way without kids. The sacrifices parents make for their children are endless, and frankly, your comments about mothers are very ignorant.

 

[BrushedByAngels]

hi guys.

im new to this forum. im catholic, 25 years old from the UK. i did the RCIA when i was 18 and am the only catholic that i know under the age of about 50.

anyhow. i have thought about this a long time. i very much love the Lord. i have since converted 2 other people to the Faith. I often attend EF mass. and obviously i do belive in the Lord’s Word.

but i am not sure what the consequence is of being catholic.

what does the Lord require of us other than not to sin, and to try to convert others? i mean, does the Lord require us to learn loads of knowledge, learn Latin, learn church history, study theology and have great knowledge about Him?
or does the Lord require us to sing in fine voices, create beautiful art and speak wonderful things to convert as many others as possible?
or does the Lord need us to serve others with our lives, and if this is the case then why dont we all work for charities, as doctors, nurses, teachers? why are there catholic plumbers or bankers if the main purpose is to serve the Lord and serve others?

what im getting at is, if you love the Lord, how comes is your whole life and vocation not aimed at the Lords works? if i have any free time does the Lord require me to use it all in prayer, singing in Latin, and evangalising or charitable works? if not, then what is the purpose of life?

God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in heaven.

By talents and careers you are helping to serve Him…as well as prayer and charitable works. Through mass and reading of scripture we are getting to know Him and therefore love Him. We are only here a short time to live the best we can for our Lord, and we know eternity last forever.

 

[larsenl1]

I am a mother of two teenaagers and I work and would you believe it I can fast too!

Yeah that means I can go to work all day and come home and feed my kids even when they are grumpy with me and then come to a forum trying to help someone only to be told that being a mother is a waste of time.

I have taught my kids reverence for God and how to work and be productive in society and also hopefully how to raise their own children. That is important.