Monday, April 28, 2008

The Hell with it (edited)

If being Catholic doesn't mean anything -
- If it's about us,
- If it's about our feelings, our egos,
- If it's about making us comfortable,
- If it's about making us feel good about ourselves,
- If it's just some pretty old traditions,
traditions that we can ignore or modify to suit ourselves,
- If it's about being entertained -
or having our emotional euphoria titillated,
- If it's about the convenient,
- If it's nothing more than "social justice" (because even an atheist can be just)
- If our core tenets and liturgical norms can be changed on a whim, meaning that they had no real meaning in the first place,
- If it's all about aesthetics -
- If it's really nothing different, or more, or better than Protestantism -
Then the hell with it.

I want a Faith that matters,
that demand something of me,
that means something bigger than I could create out of my own imagination,
that reaches into history and Eternity with equal power and authority,
that creates real saints,
that brings us Christ, and fits us to enter His Holy Presence -

Nothing else is good enough.

3 comments:

Adrienne said...

Now that just sums up my hubby and I right about now.

We did journey into Spokane for a Mass in the Extraordinary (read Latin) at a very nice parish last Sunday. They will be putting together a schola in time, but for now it was just silent. It was heaven. I was able to actually remember that this was the Sacrifice of the Mass.

I am tired of going to Mass and being so jerked around that I can't focus on the simplest of prayers.

Our new Liturgical committee that we are a part of is driving us both crazy. Add that together with teaching RCIA, which this year is packed with Charismatics and lovers of Eckhart Tolle (of Oprah fame), teaching the 7th - 12th graders, preparing the Confirmation class, and trying to promote the Reach Retreat at Gonzaga Univ. and I think I am headed for a MAJOR burnout.

Oh, whine, whine, whine. I need to go to bed.

Adrienne said...

Oh my gosh - it's growing:)

Elisabeth said...

It's at its max, Adrienne - I found the journal entry I'd been trying to recreate from memory, while my internet connect was down. It won't grow any more... at this post, anyway ;)