Thanksgiving

You might note that recently my blog posts have been more conversational and less informational. I think that's because I am trying to go through a stage of spiritual growth, and I need input and thoughts about how to better grow as a faithful Catholic Christian. It also allows me to blog when I might otherwise pass on blogging for the day, and I believe this blog benefits me immensely and hopefully others. Anyhow, here are some of my daily thoughts:

One thing I have never been very good at is giving thanks at the right time. I always try to give God thanksgiving at the appropriate times, and of course by making the sign of the cross and asking for God's blessing at meal times. However, I've noticed that sometimes when things go really well for me, it takes me an hour or two to let it sink it before I say a prayer of thanksgiving. I'm on top of asking for help, guidance, etc. But the thanksgiving part is always delayed. We all need to remember that all good things come from God the Father through Christ and the Holy Spirit. Giving thanks for these things is important, and I'd love if anyone has anything to share about how they remind themselves to constantly give thanks for everything. At the very least, we should always remember to say a quick Act of Thanksgiving after mass for His Body and Blood.

From the depths of my heart
I thank You, Dear Lord,
For Your infinite kindness in coming to me.
How good You are to me!
With Your most holy Mother and all the angels,
I praise Your mercy and generosity toward me,
A poor sinner.
I thank You for noourishing my soul
With Your Sacred Body and Precious Blood.
I will try to show my gratitude to You
In the Sacrament of Your love,
By obedience to Your holy commandemnts,
By fidelity to my duties,
By kindness to my neighbour
And by an earnest endeavour
To become more like You in my daily conduct.

Mother Teresa

So I was listening to an episode of the SaintCast and they were talking about Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. It was mentioned how much the main stream media and other individuals want to try so hard to prove that she had lost her Catholic faith or that she was an agnostic of sorts. Many times they try to refer to her writings about spiritual struggle that were recently published (and they obviously have not read any of the book at all, just running on their own suppositions). I wondered why they feel the need to do this, and then I realized it.

Mother Teresa is someone who proves God exists in a way. She shows us as well as anyone the true nature of Christianity and what it means to love our neighbor. Grappling with the fact that such immense good comes from our Faith means that we have to grapple with the idea that that is how God really wants us to live. You never hear anything about Catholics who do negative things "losing their Faith" or not being good Christians, but the one woman in recent years we can look at and say she absolutely and beyond a shadow of a doubt had a true Faith needs to be attacked, because it would be scary to admit the Love of God.

Even I, when I was Protestant had to try to demonize Mother Teresa in some way. I couldn't grasp the fact that such a wonderful and pure person could be Catholic. It didn't make sense how she would be going to hell after such a life. I'm just thankful that God has given me the graces to come to a better understanding of Faith and Christianity now.

Salvation only in Christ

I've noticed a lot of blogs have been posting and commenting on an image that states that salvation is in Christ alone.  I just had a couple thoughts to blurt out about this idea.  In many ways, it reminds me of the discussions I've had here and elsewhere about salvation being in the Catholic Church alone - which makes since since the Church is the Body of Christ.  

Again we have to put into perspective exactly what this might mean though.  Does that mean that only those who are publicly practicing and self-acknowledged "Catholics" can get to Heaven?  Absolutely not.  First, because the sacraments are how we draw closer to Christ.  Many can draw closer through the sacraments in other Churches - notably the Orthodox Church, but also in Protestant Churches they have access to two.  

But, on top of that since we have a merciful and loving God, we cannot exclude, and we can actually hope that those outside of the Christian Faith altogether might have access to Christ in some mysterious way that we might not fully understand.  The native in the jungle who has never been evangelized, for instance, might have his own connection with the one true God which allows him access to the grace of Christ and perhaps Salvation.  

So, yes, I believe Salvation is only in Christ, but I also think it's a complicated issue that probably requires more thought and explanation than we sometimes put into it.

Penance

Many times in the Gospels, Jesus teaches us that we have to give up things.  In doing so, we lay up treasure in Heaven.  He tells people to sell all they have, to fast, to give up their families, and all kinds of things.  

Some individuals literally have a calling to do this.  St. Francis, for instance, gave up everything he ever had in order to follow Christ.  Many of us are called to a different life - one of marriage, Children, or even the single life.  When we are called to this, we have to try and figure out how Christ's message applies to us.  One way we as Catholics do penance - or offer reparation for our sins in order to help negate temporal punishment associated with them - is to give up certain things.  Most famously, we abstain from meat on Fridays during the Lenten Season, and fast on certain Holy Days of Obligations.  Many will go on to extend that abstention to all Fridays in the year, or give up other things.

We are definitely called to give up the pleasures associated with sin when we follow Christ.  That is not an option.  But, I encourage you to go even further.  Think of something that you depend on, or use as a crutch, or just really enjoy.  Give that up on one day a week or for a month and dedicate that saved time or money to Christ.  In doing so, you will draw closer to him and lay up treasure in Heaven.

Daily Mass

Joseph once vocalized to me when we had waited until a Sunday to attend again "It feels like I haven't been to Mass in forever!"

Unfortunately, do to my more tumultuous schedule this semester, my Daily Mass goings have been much less frequent. However, I do make the time to still try to go at least once in the week, and whenever I do I can't help but feel so much more in harmony with the rest of my life. It allows me to take just a half an hour and completely focus on spiritual things.

I am digressing. Perhaps a post on this at a later time.

What I wanted to post for everyone is a homily spoken by one of our parish priests. It was in reference to the readings on Thursday, November 6th, 2008.

Today's parables include the theme of repentance, but they change the way repentance sounds. We often think of repentance as a change of direction in our lives - and that's a good picture of what it means. But, we lose a deeper sense of this change if we begin to badger ourselves, or others, with the notion that sinners must abandon their sins before God will forgive them; and the lost must figure out a way to get themselves found before a heavenly search and rescue effort begins. As St. Augustine pointed out, that's like waiting to get healthy before you go to the doctor and deal with what ails you. Today, our Lord shows us that repentance is the deep trust that our Good Shepherd has already come to us and gathered us in his arms; that God, pictured as a searching woman, has sought us out and found us. After all, a lost sheep doesn't have to prove it's the one with the wooliest coat before the shepherd goes after it, and a lost coin can't make sincere prayers to get the woman of the house looking for it. But, because the sheep is precious, the shepherd searches; because the coin is valuable, the woman picks up the broom and won't rest until it's found. Repentance is the joy of being found and refusing to wander away, the deep trust that we are sought after by God and brought home safely in the life of Jesus Christ.

Even as I type this out I can't help but heave a sigh of relief. Perhaps so much time in a Fundamentalist Protestant Church made me doubt the ability God's grace and occasionally, I need to be reminded of its far reach.

Glory to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - Amen!