You ask some really good questions, but you didn't ask me. I wish I had answers anyway. But asking questions can be fruitful even when answers are not forthcoming right away, or even soon. Sometimes answers come much, much later. The Bible has quite a bit to say about waiting upon the Lord, for a reason, I think. So keep asking.
I can comment upon what I have noticed and done, asking similar questions myself, but I think you have already read most of what I have to say. My questions for God are similar because I grew up, from roughly age 12 to 21, in a cult-church that claimed to be the "one true church". It superficially resembled the RCC, even though the teachings were different. It was governed "top down", by a corrupt leader -- the founder -- assisted by his sexual predator son.
I didn't know about the corruption at the time. This church had two redeeming features. It taught from the Bible (though twisting the scriptures 'till they bled), with much attention to the underlying Greek and Hebrew. Also, it was highly critical of the evangelical church, from which it freely plagiarized and "customized" teachings But its criticisms proved to be quite accurate.
I walked away from this church at the all-knowing age of 21, for good personal reasons that don't seem terribly important to mention here, other than that what they practiced and what they preached were far apart, _and_ I saw clear signs that I should leave. I remained as an unchurched believer for about 10 years (marrying a Catholic, by the way, during this time), then going deist for eight or so years more before returning. I briefly sampled atheism, but found it absurd and returned to deism.
That pattern has persisted to the present day, through six more departures, five of them accompanied by signs that I should leave and where I should go. Those five were in response to those churches not practicing what they preached, and the sixth was a reaction to the hopelessly messy evangelical church of which my church at the time was a part, and the realization of how much the lies that that larger body and my earlier church had taught me had wrecked my life. That departure was my second one from the faith, and was not due to what that particular church was doing. I was old enough to know better by then, and I regard the second departure as a mistake, a big one, but perhaps a necessary one anyway.
In my times away from the faith, which represent the majority of my adult life, I explored the other major world religions, finding them wanting as well. I moved to scientism for a while, 20 years ago, which led to discovering how deeply corrupt science is and giving that up too. Why does the book of Ecclesiastes keep coming to mind? Not to mention Reba Riley's _Post Traumatic Church Syndrome_.
All this has taught me the importance of leaving a community when it is on a bad path AND the signs are present that I have done all I can and it is time to go ALONG WITH the signs about where I should go next. But not until then. In my present church community there are serious problems, and some of the problems have problems, but there are also hopeful signs in what is taught, and I have no signs indicating that I should leave. I could potentially say certain things to leadership that could get me kicked out, but that hasn't happened so far, and they're not that easy to reach anyway. So I stick with it, wondering sometimes if I have finally lost my mind.
This particular church, from its founding until last year belonged to a denomination (RCA) that is an American offshoot of the Dutch Reformed tradition. We left because that denomination is being eaten alive by cultural Marxism, and we left quickly because they had a limited window of opportunity to exit while maintaining ownership of the hard-earned property without having to buy it back from the denomination. How "spiritual" is that? We moved to another conservative Reformed denomination (EPC) that is not (yet) being eaten alive, and that other similar local churches had escaped to (one of them having to do the buy-back).
Reformed? Me? Uh, no. But I was led there by signs, the community and its culture are good in many ways, and there is no expectation to profess all that is taught -- only the "essentials" (in which we are in close agreement), and only when becoming a member (which I am). The rest can be discussed, respectfully.
But why bother with a church anyway? Just one reason. To meet and meet with other people of similar faith regularly. There is nothing in the Bible that suggests that I would need to "belong to a church" such as exists today. The NT speaks of "assemblies", and the need to assemble, and I do, three times a week, two of them group Bible studies where we can interact and try to drive the leader crazy (and occasionally question certain aspects of Reformed theology). I'm presently leading one of them, but I can still try to drive the other leader crazy.
So in answer to your questions that you didn't ask me, you have to answer them but be careful how you do that and be attentive to the signs before you. You have a personal relationship with God and be very, very wary of those that would presume to interpose themselves in that relationship. Read the Bible, in translation not paraphrase, and in a translation not specifically produced to promote a particular church's views. When you're done, repeat. Again and again.
The Gospel is offensive to many, but that's no reason not to share it. But to share it you have to know what it is and what it says. That would be the first thing to explore when looking for answers to that question.
Great comment CM. It is always interesting to see other people's spiritual and religious journeys through their lives. It seems humans have an innate hunger for God (didn't Musk just say something along those lines?). The questions are how do we get there? Through a Church, through individual spirituality, through something totally different?
It comes down to faith, I believe. When we have faith, the questions end. Obviously I don't have the faith. I have the belief in God, but not the faith in Him. The search continues.
I don't think I have written about my struggle with "church authority", and I won't do so here, but I had one. My old church was self-destructing, and I had moved on to another, but it didn't feel right to have done so. God provided help with that, and I broke free, The help came through the Internet, c. 1996, and a person that helped me walk through the issues.
That help was long in coming, and one of the things I had had to do in advance of being able to receive it was to become quite familiar with the Bible independently of any church or tradition. I had read it once at age 19, but at ages 41-45 I read it through seven times more, by which time the church I belonged to was actively breaking up and scattering. The timing was perfect, to move on and to learn something about church authority.
25 years later, in 2020-21, I would watch the larger evangelical church effectively self-destruct (in the Western world, anyway), falling to the deception of these times. It's still there, but I hardly recognize it. I know outposts where it still survives, and I am at one of them, sort of -- not the best example -- and this one looks at the moment like it has limited time left.
Such are the times in which we are living. Sometimes we might need to "go independent" for a while. But not independent of the Bible, something I can say having made that particular mistake. But not in 2020; quite the opposite. I was without a church for five months that year, and I only grew stronger from it, and from the questions I asked and the answers I received (and the books I read, through which some of the answers came).
Back when I read the Bible seven times in a row in a few years, I did so with a question in mind: "What would this say to me if I hadn't already been taught what it is supposed to say?" I couldn't answer that question, but God did. If you do this, I think you will be shocked. I was.
Careful. That can get you in trouble. And sometimes that's exactly what we need. You probably don't want to start with Genesis, though. That's a lifetime study for sure. Matthew is my favorite (each has its own focus, though). Luke was the "investigative journalist" of the four, and many people start there. His work continues in Acts.
Jesus lived the Jewish religion (although having issues with Pharisees and many of the legalistic traditions). He did say that he didn't come to abolish the Law but to fulfill them. "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law, or the Prophets. I have not come to destroy them, but to fulfill them." He also said that upon the Rock of Peter He would build His Church. What would that Church be? As legalistic as the Roman Catholic Church, the Jewish Religion or the other religions (and all religions are legalistic including atheism and scientism, because humans are involved). Jesus also said "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Is that spirituality? Can you go to the woods and find a non-organized, non-legalistic religion by praying to Jesus individually? So I guess in answer to your question, I don't really know.
"HUMAN MIND I GOD ALMIGHTY that has ENABLED you to SERVE ME and call itself Napoleon on SS don't stop asking the questions that torture you ... I GOD ALMIGHTY will answer ALL QUESTIONS regarding MY PLAN and THE NARROW PATH once the time has come for each one individually. Just keep asking and following on THE NARROW PATH. There is NO ALTERNATIVE - take YOUR CROSS and follow JESUS CHRIST THE ONE AND ONLY SHEPHERD AND SAVIOUR."
If even those having earthly "success" have to put up sacrifice, hard work and sweat how do you expect to be it any different for those yearning for THE HEAVENLY REWARD. Going to church or to the woods is not a crime or salvation in and of itself but spending every waking minute in THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST and THE HOLY SPIRIT.
20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” - Matt 18, 20
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1Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
6Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. - Matt 7, 1-6
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24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
28Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. - Matt 16, 24 - 28
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37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
The Reward of Service
40He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 41He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. - Matt 10, 37-42
WALK IN THE LIGHT THAT THE DARKNESS CANNOT OVERCOME! recognising but not following the shiny copy of THE DARKNESS of earthly satisfaction in THE FLESH
GOD ALMIGHTY IS SPIRIT - THE ONE TIME HE CAME INTO THE WORLD IN THE FLESH HE SACRIFICED HIMSELF ON THE CROSS BY THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST SO EVERYONE THAT BELIEVED IN HIM WILL LIVE!
Thank you One Existence. The answers are always in the Word. God is probably looking down at me right now saying "I'm not telling you again, it's all written down Napoleon!"
Happy Birthday Holy Mary Mother of God! Stay in God’s Will. We are all his beloved creation and his instruments. It’s not easy, but it is worth it, even though it doesn’t seem so in this mortal world. His Kingdom is not of this world. Here is where we were dropped in behind enemy lines! Just keep calling in for the heavenly artillery! Viva Christo Rey
So true Dr! Yesterday before I wrote my letter to God I was working in my garden and wearing my usual brown scapular. It was so hot and humid and when I came inside it felt like the scapular was strangling me. I took it off and said to God "I can't wear this anymore, it doesn't seem to help me anyways!" This morning I spent fifteen minutes trying to find where I left it since I felt like I needed that armor once again. Just another example of "churchy" versus "spiritual." Enemy lines is correct!
If you're on X, one of the very best Catholic apologists I've ever come across is Joshua Charles, a former speech writer for Mike Pence. A curious mind led him to investigate the foundations and teachings of the Catholic Church that he so despised in his years as a Protestant. Reading the church fathers revealed to him the shallowness and error of Protestantism. He's fantastic. Just today he revealed that he spent tens of thousands of dollars on books to research the claims and doctrines of the Church. I highly recommend following him. @JoshuaTCharles
(The belief that the Catholic Church murdered tens of millions over the years is a lie--a Black Legend spread by Protestants to besmirch her name. Charles goes into these Black Legends on occasion.)
Thanks John for the reference, I will look him up. I've been meaning to do a deep dive into St. Augustine's writings. I have this feeling I need to read him. Maybe it's because of his journey from paganism to Christianity. Ever since the Spanish Inquisition, the Church has been shown as a monster. As if all other religions and secular governments have always been saints! I do know that the lie that the Catholic Church murdered thousands of children in Canada has just recently been proven false.
Agree, the church has not murdered millions, it is not icky, gross or useless and it is not filled with paedophiles! These are lies of the devil and in the latter case, infiltrations by the demon possessed. The church is the mystical body of Christ himself, guided by the Holy Spirit. The church is all that is beautiful and good. If you leave the church, you leave the body of Jesus! Simple. ( I am of course not saying that those who claim to be of the church can’t be criticised ).
I enjoyed reading your comments and I assume that most people who are followers of Jesus Christ do become stagnant and have doubts about many things. Going to church is a good thing as you are able to meet up with like minded individuals. Perhaps you should try other churches? I see nothing wrong with that and you will either be glad that you are in the right place now or find a renewed spiritual life in another congregation that meets your spiritual and intellectual needs.
Why can't we have both? Can we be both "spiritual" and "churchy"? That is the eternal question that I have. Was Jesus spiritual and also founded a Church? What is the way to go? Does it even matter as long as we find God in the end?
His new book of Monsignor Dillon’s book “The War of the Antichrist with the Church and Christian Civilization” is my current favorite read. You should see all the post it flags I’ve stuck on nearly every page so far!
"Please wish the Blessed Virgin Mary a Happy Birthday today!"
To answer your questions let the Immaculata answer them for you; via Her apparition at Lourdes.
"I cannot promise you happiness in this life; only in the next'.
Nap; I'm a single male Catholic in my late 50"s and have been celibate since day one. Do you think I am always happy with that? I can ask all of the time how come I never met a Catholic woman who believed as I do; faithful to the teachings. Why does it appear that I've been 'hung out to dry' living a lonely life for all of my days. What did I do wrong to have this fate dumped upon myself/ I ask those all of the time and have no answers nor do I doubt that I ever will. Living the Catholic life is not easy but the rewards are 'heavenly' if one is faithful and remember regards the sins of the Church. It is not the 'Church' per se that committed those sins but rather frail, fragile human beings.
Hi ts. I can truly relate to what you said. Why is it that some people never find that "one" and other people find multiple "ones"? Being single in this world is not easy and especially not easy in the Catholic Church. When I go to Church every Sunday I see everyone with their significant others and here I sit alone. The homilies also only talk about being married or being called to the religious life. What about those of us not called to either path? Where is our path as a single person? I've been meaning to leave a suggestion to the Pastor to do a homily someday on those of us unseen by the Church. Will he do it? Probably not. I pray God sends someone your way soon - as I keep reminding God of His own words in Genesis - "it is not good that man be alone."
Thank you for your kind thoughts abut I doubt that will be the case at 59 years. Paul says in , Corinthians, I believable, if a man has a wife don't seek to separate and if he doesn't; don't look for one. I understand how we're 'wired' but perhaps, as difficult as it is, that might be the truth for some of us. A priest friend of mine said to me that celibacy is a gift for His favorites. Not certain if that be the case as I don't view myself as a favorite but if this is what He wants for my life I imagine I can't debate that. Agree with all of your other points. It is not easy but look at failure rates in marriages; Catholic, also. Perhaps I am spared.
I hear you and agree. We surely can't push the river if it's God will that we go elsewhere. I've been there and done that with disastrous consequences. In the end God knows what will make each individual person happy, even if we don't.
Napoleon, just ten minutes ago, I was thinking I had not "seen" you (or Pug) for some time. Glad to see this letter. I don't know about the Catholic church (which you know I attend) but I am convinced the narrow gate is the place to be. Psalm 91 - God is with us in our troubles, but he does not promise us a life free of trouble. In fact, that free will he gave humans means we have an earthly life of trouble. He promises us that the troubles we have on this earth cannot compare to the glory we will see. Romans 8:18. This road is lonely, I know that, but you are not alone.
I'm still here! Every time I feel like I should write something I then think "geez I really don't have anything to say" and then I go on and do something else, like staring at the wall. Maybe I'm in a recharging mode at the moment. Who knows.
You are right, Jesus said the narrow gate and road leads to life and very few people find it. I still have many questions about exactly what is the narrow gate and road. Is it all the crosses we have to bear? What exactly is it? Every day I read the Gospels and I swear 80% of the time I have no clue what Jesus is talking about in his parables. It seems according to Jesus, more troubles on this earth equals more glory in the next. Suffer now to not suffer later. Nobody wants to live like that. It's one of the reasons I left the Catholic Church for 30 years - it just felt so depressing, with no hope for a better life on this earth. We were always told to wait for the next life. That feeling is coming back again, like a bad penny!
You ask some really good questions, but you didn't ask me. I wish I had answers anyway. But asking questions can be fruitful even when answers are not forthcoming right away, or even soon. Sometimes answers come much, much later. The Bible has quite a bit to say about waiting upon the Lord, for a reason, I think. So keep asking.
I can comment upon what I have noticed and done, asking similar questions myself, but I think you have already read most of what I have to say. My questions for God are similar because I grew up, from roughly age 12 to 21, in a cult-church that claimed to be the "one true church". It superficially resembled the RCC, even though the teachings were different. It was governed "top down", by a corrupt leader -- the founder -- assisted by his sexual predator son.
I didn't know about the corruption at the time. This church had two redeeming features. It taught from the Bible (though twisting the scriptures 'till they bled), with much attention to the underlying Greek and Hebrew. Also, it was highly critical of the evangelical church, from which it freely plagiarized and "customized" teachings But its criticisms proved to be quite accurate.
I walked away from this church at the all-knowing age of 21, for good personal reasons that don't seem terribly important to mention here, other than that what they practiced and what they preached were far apart, _and_ I saw clear signs that I should leave. I remained as an unchurched believer for about 10 years (marrying a Catholic, by the way, during this time), then going deist for eight or so years more before returning. I briefly sampled atheism, but found it absurd and returned to deism.
That pattern has persisted to the present day, through six more departures, five of them accompanied by signs that I should leave and where I should go. Those five were in response to those churches not practicing what they preached, and the sixth was a reaction to the hopelessly messy evangelical church of which my church at the time was a part, and the realization of how much the lies that that larger body and my earlier church had taught me had wrecked my life. That departure was my second one from the faith, and was not due to what that particular church was doing. I was old enough to know better by then, and I regard the second departure as a mistake, a big one, but perhaps a necessary one anyway.
In my times away from the faith, which represent the majority of my adult life, I explored the other major world religions, finding them wanting as well. I moved to scientism for a while, 20 years ago, which led to discovering how deeply corrupt science is and giving that up too. Why does the book of Ecclesiastes keep coming to mind? Not to mention Reba Riley's _Post Traumatic Church Syndrome_.
All this has taught me the importance of leaving a community when it is on a bad path AND the signs are present that I have done all I can and it is time to go ALONG WITH the signs about where I should go next. But not until then. In my present church community there are serious problems, and some of the problems have problems, but there are also hopeful signs in what is taught, and I have no signs indicating that I should leave. I could potentially say certain things to leadership that could get me kicked out, but that hasn't happened so far, and they're not that easy to reach anyway. So I stick with it, wondering sometimes if I have finally lost my mind.
This particular church, from its founding until last year belonged to a denomination (RCA) that is an American offshoot of the Dutch Reformed tradition. We left because that denomination is being eaten alive by cultural Marxism, and we left quickly because they had a limited window of opportunity to exit while maintaining ownership of the hard-earned property without having to buy it back from the denomination. How "spiritual" is that? We moved to another conservative Reformed denomination (EPC) that is not (yet) being eaten alive, and that other similar local churches had escaped to (one of them having to do the buy-back).
Reformed? Me? Uh, no. But I was led there by signs, the community and its culture are good in many ways, and there is no expectation to profess all that is taught -- only the "essentials" (in which we are in close agreement), and only when becoming a member (which I am). The rest can be discussed, respectfully.
But why bother with a church anyway? Just one reason. To meet and meet with other people of similar faith regularly. There is nothing in the Bible that suggests that I would need to "belong to a church" such as exists today. The NT speaks of "assemblies", and the need to assemble, and I do, three times a week, two of them group Bible studies where we can interact and try to drive the leader crazy (and occasionally question certain aspects of Reformed theology). I'm presently leading one of them, but I can still try to drive the other leader crazy.
So in answer to your questions that you didn't ask me, you have to answer them but be careful how you do that and be attentive to the signs before you. You have a personal relationship with God and be very, very wary of those that would presume to interpose themselves in that relationship. Read the Bible, in translation not paraphrase, and in a translation not specifically produced to promote a particular church's views. When you're done, repeat. Again and again.
The Gospel is offensive to many, but that's no reason not to share it. But to share it you have to know what it is and what it says. That would be the first thing to explore when looking for answers to that question.
Any more questions?
Great comment CM. It is always interesting to see other people's spiritual and religious journeys through their lives. It seems humans have an innate hunger for God (didn't Musk just say something along those lines?). The questions are how do we get there? Through a Church, through individual spirituality, through something totally different?
It comes down to faith, I believe. When we have faith, the questions end. Obviously I don't have the faith. I have the belief in God, but not the faith in Him. The search continues.
Some hunger for God, and some hunger to BE God. Watch out for the latter.
Dr. Tenpenny posted a piece this morning about waiting for the Lord: https://open.substack.com/pub/tenpennywalkwithgod/p/waiting-with-grace
That seemed timely.
I don't think I have written about my struggle with "church authority", and I won't do so here, but I had one. My old church was self-destructing, and I had moved on to another, but it didn't feel right to have done so. God provided help with that, and I broke free, The help came through the Internet, c. 1996, and a person that helped me walk through the issues.
That help was long in coming, and one of the things I had had to do in advance of being able to receive it was to become quite familiar with the Bible independently of any church or tradition. I had read it once at age 19, but at ages 41-45 I read it through seven times more, by which time the church I belonged to was actively breaking up and scattering. The timing was perfect, to move on and to learn something about church authority.
25 years later, in 2020-21, I would watch the larger evangelical church effectively self-destruct (in the Western world, anyway), falling to the deception of these times. It's still there, but I hardly recognize it. I know outposts where it still survives, and I am at one of them, sort of -- not the best example -- and this one looks at the moment like it has limited time left.
Such are the times in which we are living. Sometimes we might need to "go independent" for a while. But not independent of the Bible, something I can say having made that particular mistake. But not in 2020; quite the opposite. I was without a church for five months that year, and I only grew stronger from it, and from the questions I asked and the answers I received (and the books I read, through which some of the answers came).
Back when I read the Bible seven times in a row in a few years, I did so with a question in mind: "What would this say to me if I hadn't already been taught what it is supposed to say?" I couldn't answer that question, but God did. If you do this, I think you will be shocked. I was.
"What would this say to me if I hadn't already been taught what it is supposed to say?"
What a great way to read the Bible. I'm going to start doing that.
Careful. That can get you in trouble. And sometimes that's exactly what we need. You probably don't want to start with Genesis, though. That's a lifetime study for sure. Matthew is my favorite (each has its own focus, though). Luke was the "investigative journalist" of the four, and many people start there. His work continues in Acts.
Jesus didn't believe in organized legalistic religions, true?
Jesus lived the Jewish religion (although having issues with Pharisees and many of the legalistic traditions). He did say that he didn't come to abolish the Law but to fulfill them. "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law, or the Prophets. I have not come to destroy them, but to fulfill them." He also said that upon the Rock of Peter He would build His Church. What would that Church be? As legalistic as the Roman Catholic Church, the Jewish Religion or the other religions (and all religions are legalistic including atheism and scientism, because humans are involved). Jesus also said "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Is that spirituality? Can you go to the woods and find a non-organized, non-legalistic religion by praying to Jesus individually? So I guess in answer to your question, I don't really know.
"HUMAN MIND I GOD ALMIGHTY that has ENABLED you to SERVE ME and call itself Napoleon on SS don't stop asking the questions that torture you ... I GOD ALMIGHTY will answer ALL QUESTIONS regarding MY PLAN and THE NARROW PATH once the time has come for each one individually. Just keep asking and following on THE NARROW PATH. There is NO ALTERNATIVE - take YOUR CROSS and follow JESUS CHRIST THE ONE AND ONLY SHEPHERD AND SAVIOUR."
If even those having earthly "success" have to put up sacrifice, hard work and sweat how do you expect to be it any different for those yearning for THE HEAVENLY REWARD. Going to church or to the woods is not a crime or salvation in and of itself but spending every waking minute in THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST and THE HOLY SPIRIT.
20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” - Matt 18, 20
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1Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
6Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. - Matt 7, 1-6
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24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
28Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. - Matt 16, 24 - 28
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37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
The Reward of Service
40He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 41He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. - Matt 10, 37-42
WALK IN THE LIGHT THAT THE DARKNESS CANNOT OVERCOME! recognising but not following the shiny copy of THE DARKNESS of earthly satisfaction in THE FLESH
GOD ALMIGHTY IS SPIRIT - THE ONE TIME HE CAME INTO THE WORLD IN THE FLESH HE SACRIFICED HIMSELF ON THE CROSS BY THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST SO EVERYONE THAT BELIEVED IN HIM WILL LIVE!
Thank you One Existence. The answers are always in the Word. God is probably looking down at me right now saying "I'm not telling you again, it's all written down Napoleon!"
NO - GOD ALMIGHTY is long-suffering and every of HIS CREATIONS in need HE WILL remind it as long and as often HE IS ASKED WHOLEHEARTEDLY ....
Happy Birthday Holy Mary Mother of God! Stay in God’s Will. We are all his beloved creation and his instruments. It’s not easy, but it is worth it, even though it doesn’t seem so in this mortal world. His Kingdom is not of this world. Here is where we were dropped in behind enemy lines! Just keep calling in for the heavenly artillery! Viva Christo Rey
So true Dr! Yesterday before I wrote my letter to God I was working in my garden and wearing my usual brown scapular. It was so hot and humid and when I came inside it felt like the scapular was strangling me. I took it off and said to God "I can't wear this anymore, it doesn't seem to help me anyways!" This morning I spent fifteen minutes trying to find where I left it since I felt like I needed that armor once again. Just another example of "churchy" versus "spiritual." Enemy lines is correct!
Amen.
If you're on X, one of the very best Catholic apologists I've ever come across is Joshua Charles, a former speech writer for Mike Pence. A curious mind led him to investigate the foundations and teachings of the Catholic Church that he so despised in his years as a Protestant. Reading the church fathers revealed to him the shallowness and error of Protestantism. He's fantastic. Just today he revealed that he spent tens of thousands of dollars on books to research the claims and doctrines of the Church. I highly recommend following him. @JoshuaTCharles
(The belief that the Catholic Church murdered tens of millions over the years is a lie--a Black Legend spread by Protestants to besmirch her name. Charles goes into these Black Legends on occasion.)
Lots of stuff here for people not on X, like me:
https://www.joshuatcharles.com/becoming-catholic-series
Thanks John for the reference, I will look him up. I've been meaning to do a deep dive into St. Augustine's writings. I have this feeling I need to read him. Maybe it's because of his journey from paganism to Christianity. Ever since the Spanish Inquisition, the Church has been shown as a monster. As if all other religions and secular governments have always been saints! I do know that the lie that the Catholic Church murdered thousands of children in Canada has just recently been proven false.
https://nypost.com/2023/08/31/still-no-evidence-of-mass-graves-of-indigenous-children-in-canada/
Charles references Augustine very often. He was a great mind.
Lies--the coin of the realm for those attacking the Church.
Agree, the church has not murdered millions, it is not icky, gross or useless and it is not filled with paedophiles! These are lies of the devil and in the latter case, infiltrations by the demon possessed. The church is the mystical body of Christ himself, guided by the Holy Spirit. The church is all that is beautiful and good. If you leave the church, you leave the body of Jesus! Simple. ( I am of course not saying that those who claim to be of the church can’t be criticised ).
I left the “church” and FOUND GOD!
I enjoyed reading your comments and I assume that most people who are followers of Jesus Christ do become stagnant and have doubts about many things. Going to church is a good thing as you are able to meet up with like minded individuals. Perhaps you should try other churches? I see nothing wrong with that and you will either be glad that you are in the right place now or find a renewed spiritual life in another congregation that meets your spiritual and intellectual needs.
All good advice Charlotte. No matter what, all Christians are followers of Jesus, and that is the place to be.
Why can't we have both? Can we be both "spiritual" and "churchy"? That is the eternal question that I have. Was Jesus spiritual and also founded a Church? What is the way to go? Does it even matter as long as we find God in the end?
Of course! I was being subjective. For me, I cut out the “middle man” and go straight to the Source.
His new book of Monsignor Dillon’s book “The War of the Antichrist with the Church and Christian Civilization” is my current favorite read. You should see all the post it flags I’ve stuck on nearly every page so far!
I'm going to look that up. Thanks for the reference.
Thanks. I purchased it a couple of weeks ago, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
He is a fantastic apologist/evangelist.
"Please wish the Blessed Virgin Mary a Happy Birthday today!"
To answer your questions let the Immaculata answer them for you; via Her apparition at Lourdes.
"I cannot promise you happiness in this life; only in the next'.
Nap; I'm a single male Catholic in my late 50"s and have been celibate since day one. Do you think I am always happy with that? I can ask all of the time how come I never met a Catholic woman who believed as I do; faithful to the teachings. Why does it appear that I've been 'hung out to dry' living a lonely life for all of my days. What did I do wrong to have this fate dumped upon myself/ I ask those all of the time and have no answers nor do I doubt that I ever will. Living the Catholic life is not easy but the rewards are 'heavenly' if one is faithful and remember regards the sins of the Church. It is not the 'Church' per se that committed those sins but rather frail, fragile human beings.
Hi ts. I can truly relate to what you said. Why is it that some people never find that "one" and other people find multiple "ones"? Being single in this world is not easy and especially not easy in the Catholic Church. When I go to Church every Sunday I see everyone with their significant others and here I sit alone. The homilies also only talk about being married or being called to the religious life. What about those of us not called to either path? Where is our path as a single person? I've been meaning to leave a suggestion to the Pastor to do a homily someday on those of us unseen by the Church. Will he do it? Probably not. I pray God sends someone your way soon - as I keep reminding God of His own words in Genesis - "it is not good that man be alone."
Thank you for your kind thoughts abut I doubt that will be the case at 59 years. Paul says in , Corinthians, I believable, if a man has a wife don't seek to separate and if he doesn't; don't look for one. I understand how we're 'wired' but perhaps, as difficult as it is, that might be the truth for some of us. A priest friend of mine said to me that celibacy is a gift for His favorites. Not certain if that be the case as I don't view myself as a favorite but if this is what He wants for my life I imagine I can't debate that. Agree with all of your other points. It is not easy but look at failure rates in marriages; Catholic, also. Perhaps I am spared.
I hear you and agree. We surely can't push the river if it's God will that we go elsewhere. I've been there and done that with disastrous consequences. In the end God knows what will make each individual person happy, even if we don't.
Napoleon, just ten minutes ago, I was thinking I had not "seen" you (or Pug) for some time. Glad to see this letter. I don't know about the Catholic church (which you know I attend) but I am convinced the narrow gate is the place to be. Psalm 91 - God is with us in our troubles, but he does not promise us a life free of trouble. In fact, that free will he gave humans means we have an earthly life of trouble. He promises us that the troubles we have on this earth cannot compare to the glory we will see. Romans 8:18. This road is lonely, I know that, but you are not alone.
I'm still here! Every time I feel like I should write something I then think "geez I really don't have anything to say" and then I go on and do something else, like staring at the wall. Maybe I'm in a recharging mode at the moment. Who knows.
You are right, Jesus said the narrow gate and road leads to life and very few people find it. I still have many questions about exactly what is the narrow gate and road. Is it all the crosses we have to bear? What exactly is it? Every day I read the Gospels and I swear 80% of the time I have no clue what Jesus is talking about in his parables. It seems according to Jesus, more troubles on this earth equals more glory in the next. Suffer now to not suffer later. Nobody wants to live like that. It's one of the reasons I left the Catholic Church for 30 years - it just felt so depressing, with no hope for a better life on this earth. We were always told to wait for the next life. That feeling is coming back again, like a bad penny!
Poetic, dear Jennifer.