What is the Catholic definition of a personal relationship with Christ?

[estesbob]

Cradle Catholics have been raised in the faith, no doubt :clapping: , and this is a foreign concept to me…my question is two part:

1. Do you have a personal relationship with Christ?
2. How did that relationship begin and what was the state of your soul up until that point in time?

Thx!

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Mick

I held Jesus Christ in my hands this Morning and then followed his intructions to eat his body and drink his blood. It just doesnt get any more personal than that.

 

[lak611]

I was baptized as a Catholic, received the Sacraments of Penance, Holy Communion and Confirmation, but pretty much did not understand the personal relationship with Jesus. I just went to church because it was a rule that was forced upon me by my parents. So, when I was living on my own, I quit going. I was away for about six years. Then a friend of mine took me to a Christian music festival. There were people from various churches at the festival (Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian). Somebody from the Baptist Church gave me a Bible (KJV). I had never read the Bible, but I felt somehow a reason to read it. I think it was the Holy Spirit telling me to do so, now that I look back, because I actually read it all the way through. Afterwards, I understood what a personal relationship with Jesus is. I repented of my sin, first to God and then to my priest in Confession. Since then I have joined an adult Sunday school class at my Catholic parish (which is Bible study), volunteered at an ecumenical mission meal for the poor, and become an EMHC. I also read the Bible daily. I also have attended a couple of retreats at my parish.

 

[HailMary]

I was baptized as a Catholic, received the Sacraments of Penance, Holy Communion and Confirmation, but pretty much did not understand the personal relationship with Jesus. I just went to church because it was a rule that was forced upon me by my parents. So, when I was living on my own, I quit going. I was away for about six years. Then a friend of mine took me to a Christian music festival. There were people from various churches at the festival (Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian). Somebody from the Baptist Church gave me a Bible (KJV). I had never read the Bible, but I felt somehow a reason to read it. I think it was the Holy Spirit telling me to do so, now that I look back, because I actually read it all the way through. Afterwards, I understood what a personal relationship with Jesus is. I repented of my sin, first to God and then to my priest in Confession. Since then I have joined an adult Sunday school class at my Catholic parish (which is Bible study), volunteered at an ecumenical mission meal for the poor, and become an EMHC. I also read the Bible daily. I also have attended a couple of retreats at my parish.

Praise the Living God!

Glory be to Him and His Church!

 

[FCEGM]

Wow! If all Catholics lived a life in this type of relationship with Christ then imagine what the Christian world would be like…

Thanks for these awesome quotes, I am going to save them for future reference

The funny thing is that I came into the Catholic Church already having a personal relationship with Christ and I really didn’t expect so many people in the Church to not have that relationship…so I always wonder what is the state of their souls if they don’t have that burning love for Christ deep within their hearts? I’m sure that there are many answers to that question but the words that always bother me are the words considering the luke-warm followers of Christ…that they will be spewed out.

While we must certainly pray that all people (including ourselves ) respond to the graces given that will draw us closer to Our Lord, at the same time we have to be careful that we don’t become like the one who thanked God for “not being like one of these.”

 

[mtk76]

Good point pride especially spiritual pride is a deadly sin indeed (I think St. John of the Cross gives a very good overview of this) Humility is important and actions like fasting can help and I want to get more active in both prayer and fasting.

[SIGN]While we must certainly pray that all people (including ourselves ) respond to the graces given that will draw us closer to Our Lord, at the same time we have to be careful that we don’t become like the one who thanked God for “not being like one of these.” [/SIGN]

 

[McKevin]

While we must certainly pray that all people (including ourselves ) respond to the graces given that will draw us closer to Our Lord, at the same time we have to be careful that we don’t become like the one who thanked God for “not being like one of these.”

I have found the attitude of St. Paul, as seen in this verse, to humble a lot of people who think they’re “better” or “holier than thou”. I grew up in a holiness protestant church and our choir director, who was in his 50’s, was absolutely convinced that he never, never, ever, ever sinned since finding Jesus - and boy did he hate to see us other Christians stumble from time to time. The irony - his attitude and self deception in and of itself was a sin

1st Timothy Chapter 1 Verse 15:

This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost.

 

[McKevin]

I held Jesus Christ in my hands this Morning and then followed his intructions to eat his body and drink his blood. It just doesnt get any more personal than that.

I’ve heard this response before, and I can appreciate it as the miracle of the Mass. But, does He penentrate your spirit, dividing marrow from bone? Do you walk with Him and talk with Him throughout the week. Or is the relationship a once a week (or day), special moment in time during the Mass?

Colossians Chapter 2:6-7

So, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him and built upon him and established in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

 

[McKevin]

The Sacraments;
The Mass;
Personal Prayer;
Mortification and Fasting;
etc.

My question is, and its a naughty one, what is a non-Catholic Protestant definition of a personal relationship with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit? They never seem to ask that question; I find it perplexing.

That’s because we weren’t redeemed by the sacrifice of “God the Father” or the sacrifice of the “Holy Spirit”, but by the Son, Jesus - who lives in our heart by faith (Ephesians 3:17)

We are called Christians, not “Fatherites”, or “Spiritians”, it is Christ who gave His life for us to bring us to God. In that light, our relationship with Christ is on an entirely different level than is our relationship with God (which is fatherly) and the Holy Spirit (which is the comforter).

Galatians Chapter 2:20

yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me.

John Chapter 3:16-17

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

2nd Corinthians Chapter 13:5

Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?–unless, of course, you fail the test.

In “Christ”!

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PS: This isn’t a point of contention between Catholics and Protestants that I am aware of. I hope it helps shed a little light on the question at hand.

 

[SORROWS]

As a lifelong Catholic (cradle) I was fortunate enough to grow up in the Catholic Church. My mother was dedicated to our growth and understanding of Our Lord so we never missed Mass.

I love My Dear Lord so much that even as a child I was in awe of the Mass and the reverence of receiving Jesus in the Euchrist. I’ve never to this day bit hard on the Host for fear of hurting Him whom I was receiving. My faith has always been strong and I’ve never left Him.

Jesus Christ is my life. I pray and keep Him in my thoughts all day thanking, praising and also pleading in desperation through hard times. “Thy will be done”. I never walk alone because my relationship with Christ is so strong. Never has He let me down.

It would be easy to let pride, resentment and rage take over when I feel defeated with others, but my great love for Jesus Christ keeps me humble and to think before I act. I always want Him to be proud of how I handle situations in His Name.

:angel1: ALL SAINTS DAY! I love you!!

 

[HailMary]

Sounds like a what a typical Catholic should be.

Jesus Christ is my life. I pray and keep Him in my thoughts all day thanking, praising and also pleading in desperation through hard times.

Psalm 1:2:
Rather, the law of the LORD is their joy; God’s law they study day and night.

 

[water]

It will take forever to answer this question.

In addition to others’ responses, one of the ways I feel I have a personal relationship with Jesus is to be able to see Jesus in each one of us.

 

[mrs_abbott]

This is good stuff! May I ask what was said on that Teens Encounter Christ retreat that got through to you?

We had other young adults and even a few older adults run the retreat, which made it more personable to start with. There is a priest there too that helped facilitate and answer any questions we had over the course of the weekend about the faith, which was a good check-point if someone raised a question that needed a theologically-rooted answer.
The talks given by the young adults and older adults were about life experiences they had had that brought them closer to the Catholic Church and to Christ. Some were really powerful and left the audience in tears. Others made you examine your life in comparison.
We had adoration in a room sitting on large pillows and nothing but candles surrounded the host. We had confession everyday of the retreat and started each morning out with the Mass and ended everything with a “praise and worship” session.
Plus, we were totally segregated for three days from the world around us. There was no TV, radio or telephone. It was just us 100% focused on deepening our relationship with Christ so it was almost impossible NOT to get personal.
I think the whole weekend combined with fellowship from those close to your age and just relating and getting to know people that you probably wouldn’t have otherwise, made me realize that God is alive and working through the person of Jesus Christ to draw us to Him. Jesus was human, just like us, so He understands our trials. Jesus is also divine, so He can take our problems to the Father and ask for His help on our behalf.
That’s how I came to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!

 

[mrs_abbott]

WOW! so TEC is still up and running. I went to a TEC retreat back in 74. I was also involved with TEC up tell 1981. Great program back then.
McKevin,
Google for Teens Encounters Christs. See if there is a program in your Diocese. As I recall it was run at the Diocese level.

I don’t know if TEC is still running in our diocese. I attended three TEC weekends and it was the years 1998 and 1999. I highly recommend that program to anyone, especially 17-19 year olds, if it’s available in your diocese.

 

[BlestOne]

I don’t know if TEC is still running in our diocese. I attended three TEC weekends and it was the years 1998 and 1999. I highly recommend that program to anyone, especially 17-19 year olds, if it’s available in your diocese.

There are blurbs in our Sunday Bulletin about TEC weekends…they must be still going on…