We had to go early, if we wanted Confession. I feel compelled to say once again that this is the most misunderstood aspect in the life of the Church by outsiders. It is quite simply the second-greatest gift that Christ can give, after Himself. I have no idea how theologically accurate that is, but it's true.
You'll hear people say, "Why do you have to confess to a priest? Why not go straight to God?" If you will forgive me, you do not know what you are asking. And to be honest, I won't give it back. It is a faithful testimony of God's love in the world that He has left to men His power to forgive sins. With apologies, I scarcely need a reminder of God's saving acts in history, as much as I need him to act here and now. To know that I, even I, am the subject of his loving concern is worth more than all the tent-meetings you care to imagine.
So I prayed a decade of the Rosary, as the priest asked me to do. The penance isn't typically as onerous as people think, either. More often than not, its lightness shows you the greatness of God's mercy and love. Most Christians are more apt to hate themselves because of their failures, and so the sacrament has features to remind you.
I could hardly keep still inside. When you haven't received the Eucharist or gone to Mass in 2 weeks, you notice. I have been sick in more ways than one.
But it reminds me to say that I do not understand these "cafeteria Catholics" as they call them. I can't imagine being or doing anything else. Jesus is Life. The rest is just details. That isn't to say I am never enjoying myself in the world. But somehow, I always end up at the Lord's altar. Almost everything I ever did that was important, He was in the background. Even in the days before I was reconciled to His Church. As the days pass, I am more and more appreciative of the time He said, "After I am lifted up, I will draw all men to myself." Draw away, Lord Jesus. I've got nowhere else to be or to go.
I have to think that when Kathryn remembers today, it will be a day she looks through whenever the Lord calls out to her. Sometimes, we get afraid that we've missed the moment for lack of attention. But in God's mercy, that's not usually what happens. He takes you back and says, "Do you remember this? How I whispered to you in the quiet? No, you aren't crazy. I've wanted you to hear me all this time."
Monsignor asked us to remember our first Communion. For me, it was barely two years ago. I didn't cry as much as I thought I would. But I felt the grace of the Lord erasing the pain of separation. You cannot understand this if you do not know. But I do. I had a tremendous openness of heart that night; the Church could have proposed for belief that there was life on Mars, and I would've said, "I knew it!" without another thought. This is why they say, "A thousand difficulties do not make one doubt." When you are in love, you don't care about anything. I still don't care. I can think back to a time when the matters of theology were like a problem to be solved, or like a strange zoo animal. But faith changes everything. I can't just make it make sense to you. You'll just have to trust me. Come and see.
This is only a slight overstatement, but trusting Christ and trusting the Church are the same thing. Everyone gathered around the altar is the proof, all the proof I need, that Jesus came in the flesh. I don't really understand being "ecumenical" in a way as to deny what I know. If you want to believe something other than what we confess, I have to wonder, (and you have to ask yourself) "What's it worth?" Because I see the world moving toward a ruthless simplicity. Satan and his minions don't seem to make distinctions.
"Love Is The Answer."
You'll hear people say, "Why do you have to confess to a priest? Why not go straight to God?" If you will forgive me, you do not know what you are asking. And to be honest, I won't give it back. It is a faithful testimony of God's love in the world that He has left to men His power to forgive sins. With apologies, I scarcely need a reminder of God's saving acts in history, as much as I need him to act here and now. To know that I, even I, am the subject of his loving concern is worth more than all the tent-meetings you care to imagine.
So I prayed a decade of the Rosary, as the priest asked me to do. The penance isn't typically as onerous as people think, either. More often than not, its lightness shows you the greatness of God's mercy and love. Most Christians are more apt to hate themselves because of their failures, and so the sacrament has features to remind you.
I could hardly keep still inside. When you haven't received the Eucharist or gone to Mass in 2 weeks, you notice. I have been sick in more ways than one.
But it reminds me to say that I do not understand these "cafeteria Catholics" as they call them. I can't imagine being or doing anything else. Jesus is Life. The rest is just details. That isn't to say I am never enjoying myself in the world. But somehow, I always end up at the Lord's altar. Almost everything I ever did that was important, He was in the background. Even in the days before I was reconciled to His Church. As the days pass, I am more and more appreciative of the time He said, "After I am lifted up, I will draw all men to myself." Draw away, Lord Jesus. I've got nowhere else to be or to go.
I have to think that when Kathryn remembers today, it will be a day she looks through whenever the Lord calls out to her. Sometimes, we get afraid that we've missed the moment for lack of attention. But in God's mercy, that's not usually what happens. He takes you back and says, "Do you remember this? How I whispered to you in the quiet? No, you aren't crazy. I've wanted you to hear me all this time."
Monsignor asked us to remember our first Communion. For me, it was barely two years ago. I didn't cry as much as I thought I would. But I felt the grace of the Lord erasing the pain of separation. You cannot understand this if you do not know. But I do. I had a tremendous openness of heart that night; the Church could have proposed for belief that there was life on Mars, and I would've said, "I knew it!" without another thought. This is why they say, "A thousand difficulties do not make one doubt." When you are in love, you don't care about anything. I still don't care. I can think back to a time when the matters of theology were like a problem to be solved, or like a strange zoo animal. But faith changes everything. I can't just make it make sense to you. You'll just have to trust me. Come and see.
This is only a slight overstatement, but trusting Christ and trusting the Church are the same thing. Everyone gathered around the altar is the proof, all the proof I need, that Jesus came in the flesh. I don't really understand being "ecumenical" in a way as to deny what I know. If you want to believe something other than what we confess, I have to wonder, (and you have to ask yourself) "What's it worth?" Because I see the world moving toward a ruthless simplicity. Satan and his minions don't seem to make distinctions.
"Love Is The Answer."
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