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Brenda, Encouragement for Catholics
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I am a Catholic by birth. I’m also a Eucharistic minister in my church. About 15 to 20 years ago, my brother became a born-again Christian and quit the church. He lived in the opposite side of the state from the rest of the family. When he came home for visits, he was relentless in trying to get us to believe as he did. I heard his story so many times over the years that even I began to understand and believe as he does. But, I still chose to stay in the Catholic Church.
I am caught between two worlds of belief now. My heart breaks when I see that my Catholic friends distrust me as if I’m out to get them. My heart also breaks from the other side because I will never feel like I fit in totally with all my born-again family members. My deepest desire is to help Jesus bridge the gap between the two groups. When this all started, God gave me a vision. I saw Jesus cradling a small Catholic Church in His arms as a father holds his new born baby. He showed great love and tenderness on His face. I took great comfort from this vision.
You see, at the time, I was in crisis about my faith and about the true eternal destiny of the ones I loved, my friends and relatives who were Catholic. Years later, I wonder if Jesus meant that Catholics are as new born babies who need much nurturing, and loving care to begin to grow spiritually. I don’t know.
Over the years, from pressure from my family, I’ve considered leaving the church, just to fit in. Every time I made plans to leave, God pulled me back. And now He has pulled me back again in the past week or two. He wants me there. I am now willing to help His church as best as I can.
I have a few issues that really bother me. Why do Protestant churches have communion services only once a month? If I were to have changed churches, I would have hungered for that. Also, I can’t understand why Catholics only “talk” about reading the Bible. Why don’t they have regular Sunday adult Bible study classes? Yes, we can run to Pittsburgh for special classes or to some distant parish who’s doing something “special” once in 10 year program. That’s not what we need. Catholics need to share their spiritual beliefs, and I don’t mean the study of dry church doctrine. These are strong problems in both churches for me.
I admire how the born again Christians are always working to spread God’s word and His kingdom. The Catholics are always working for God’s kingdom, too. It’s mainly to help the church financially, though. I k now I’m not totally correct on this, but it seems that the people depend totally on the priests to spread the gospel. But, ask any priest, and he’ll tell you that, the people much spread the Word. Not many even talk about God during the week to friends or family. Although, there are probably more than I’m aware of.
The born-again people are always cooking up ideas to help spread the Good News themselves. They’re not just co-workers at a church picnic, but soul mates working for Jesus.
These are the few points of difference that seem to stick in my side. How I would love to be a helper in bringing and combining these two belief systems!
I recently completed a nine-month Bible study where we covered 80 percent of the Bible. I had to go to a Methodist church for this. I’ve grown spiritually in more ways than I ever thought I could. My heart aches for that kind of commitment to the Bible in my own church. But, “a starving person will go somewhere else to get fed if his needs aren’t met at home.”
I was very pleased to find that these Methodists were respectful and very interested in our Catholic Bible and the extra books it has. I shared what I knew about them and I could see that they wanted to read them for themselves. They were not only interested, but respectful of my beliefs. I really appreciated that.
In my church, I was one of two people who started the Summer Bible School for kids. I saw that protestant churches had it, and I was envious. So I made a simple suggestion and the CCD coordinator agreed. That was 15 years ago. Changes can be made in a church very easily if you are willing to help them happen.
Now years later, I have an 11-year-old son. I didn’t send him to my church’s summer program. He went to the summer Bible school at West Minister Presbyterian Church on Main Street in Butler. He receives the salvation message there. You see, my faith has grown over the years and I now realize how very important that is. The Catholic summer Bible program which I helped start so many years ago neglects to teach it.
This is what is so important to me. “YOU DON’T TRY TO BE GOOD ENOUGH TO COME TO GOD; YOU COME TO GOD TO BE GOOD ENOUGH WITH HIS HELP.”
EXPLANATION: It takes being perfect to get to Heaven. No one on Earth is perfect, not a single one. We need someone to be our hero, to help us. It’s impossible to do it ourselves. We can do every good deed in the book, but if we get impatient, or say an offensive word, something as small as that, we’ve lost our perfection. Fall short of perfection just once, and you can’t make it to heaven. “The penalty for sin is death.” So we need Jesus as our hero. He earned the right to take anyone who asks Him to Heaven. This is because he suffered and died to pay the price for our sins, our imperfections. We have to ask Him to save us, then trust or believe that He will. He promised that He would save us and he never breaks a promise.
You can choose to go to confession over and over and over again like a hamster in a wheel, until you go crazy and want to give up. Or you can simply ask Jesus to cover your sins with the merit of His death and they will be covered once and for all. When I fail, I just say, “Sorry, but I can only do better with Your help.”
I know I’ve been forgiven for all my failings -- God loves me as a parent who forgives instantly and always. Now that’s freedom! I have it and so can you!
Jesus came into the world to help us with our “Human Condition,” never being able to be perfect. That’s why He died for us. Mary suffered too, yes, but it’s only Jesus who did the saving work. Mary wants Catholics to honor and love Jesus -- her Son. She wants Catholics to put Jesus first in their lives, and to just acknowledge her as the first Christian in the New Testament. I promise you that it would please her if you would. Pray to God and Jesus and depend on them only. Giving Mary most of the attention is like only listening to the Vice President and ignoring the President. The Vice-President is just a back up and supporter to the President. The President is the most powerful and influential man in the United States. And Jesus is the most powerful influential God-man. Do the same for Jesus. It’s hard to break loyalties, I know; BUT MARY IS ALL FOR IT! I promise you that it’s true. Just as in the story of Martha and Mary, choose the better portion as Mary did.
We can all do something to further God’s Kingdom. Wherever you work and wherever you are, you are there for a reason! Just live the Christian life and you’ll be a witness. Always ask yourself, “What would Jesus do in this situation?” And you have your guide. Follow the Holy Spirit’s promptings and, yes, even Mary’s example, and you will be a worker for God’s Kingdom.
Born again believers are not our enemies or people to run from. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ. And know this: They can’t hurt us, and we can’t hurt them. We can only help each other grow into a deeper love and appreciation for Jesus. A real Christian is one who never attacks another, but shares his faith with mercy, love, understanding, and respect. The gap could be bridged in this way!
If you find that your beliefs have changed after listening to a born-again believer, that doesn’t mean you have to quit the Catholic Church! Stay and enjoy the Holy Eucharist on a new higher level! You’ll be a
“born-again Catholic.” There are millions of the, all afraid that someone will reject them or persecute them. I certainly won’t, will you?
Thanks for taking the time to read this. Maybe read it again to understand things better.
Only because I care,
Brenda