D
DeiGratia
Guest
First, let me say how grateful I am for this Forum, and the variety of rich material I’m discovering.
A quote that I’ve recently been meditating on is this one from Thomas a Kempis: “At the Day of Judgement we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done.”
I’ve often wrestled with what I am “doing” for God. My life is a pretty normal “every day” life, if you will, and I do try to let my faith speak through my words and actions to the people whom I meet. But, then I think of so many who have stood so fearlessly for their faith even in the face of death – from St. Peter to Becket to St. Joan to Pickering. I’ll still never forget the empty feeling I had many years ago when I compared my life with the story of Father Damien who went to the Hawaiian island of Molokai, thinking nothing of his own life.
Every time a Jehovah’s Witness or a Mormon comes to my door, and I see how unashamed they are of their message, I can’t shake that nagging feeling inside. At the same time, when I see street preachers supposedly talking about the “same Jesus” whom I believe in, yet seemingly so full of condemnation and hatred, I weep over the poor testimony of the loving Christ that they are.
As Catholics, service to the needy in society has often been the doorway to sharing the gospel. Yet, I wonder if that’s enough, and if regular attendance at mass or even deeper involvement in the church becomes just an appeasing of our conscience, when there’s more we will be answerable for (going back to a Kempis’ quote).
Perhaps it’s mere rambling, but if any of you have pondered over this and would like to share your experience, I welcome it.
Soli Dei Gratia
A quote that I’ve recently been meditating on is this one from Thomas a Kempis: “At the Day of Judgement we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done.”
I’ve often wrestled with what I am “doing” for God. My life is a pretty normal “every day” life, if you will, and I do try to let my faith speak through my words and actions to the people whom I meet. But, then I think of so many who have stood so fearlessly for their faith even in the face of death – from St. Peter to Becket to St. Joan to Pickering. I’ll still never forget the empty feeling I had many years ago when I compared my life with the story of Father Damien who went to the Hawaiian island of Molokai, thinking nothing of his own life.
Every time a Jehovah’s Witness or a Mormon comes to my door, and I see how unashamed they are of their message, I can’t shake that nagging feeling inside. At the same time, when I see street preachers supposedly talking about the “same Jesus” whom I believe in, yet seemingly so full of condemnation and hatred, I weep over the poor testimony of the loving Christ that they are.
As Catholics, service to the needy in society has often been the doorway to sharing the gospel. Yet, I wonder if that’s enough, and if regular attendance at mass or even deeper involvement in the church becomes just an appeasing of our conscience, when there’s more we will be answerable for (going back to a Kempis’ quote).
Perhaps it’s mere rambling, but if any of you have pondered over this and would like to share your experience, I welcome it.
Soli Dei Gratia
