Only On Sunday

 

There was once a man who declared, jokingly of course, that he was a Catholic on Sunday, but the rest of the time he was a sinner; like everyone else. What he meant is that life is busy, and we all have so many things to do to keep up with just living that, more often than not, we forget about God until we go to church on Sunday. That is, if we go to church at all. Over here, regular church attendances every week, (all denominations), is about 5% of the population.

Well frankly, this is not good enough. In fact, not good at all. If we claim we are Christians then our Christianity should be 24/7 for every day of the year and every year we have been granted. 

Christianity is a way of life. Not a badge or a label we use when convenient. We should not only "live" our Christianity for all to see, but we should live it in such a way that others might desire what we have and want it too. We should be the advertising board for Christianity.

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15

There are many ways to do this. We don't all have to be great crusaders filling halls up and down the land with people coming to hear us speak. In our small, slow, steady way, we could do good works just as Christ asked us.

If your Pastor preached a good sermon, why not thank him for it. Also, take the main points of what he said and use them in conversation with others as appropriate. Spread the message quietly, it's more effective. Better still, why not invite this person to your church to hear other sermons. 

If you've read a good Christian book, or article, mention it to others. Put in a good review and encourage others to read them. Promote books by people like Merlin Carothers, R T Kendall, Dr David Jeremiah, Joyce Meyer, Michael Kotch and Father JohnWoolley. I'm sure you can think of others which you have read and would recommend.

Another way of preaching God's Word is by being Christ to someone. We are all a gift to each other. Often, our very presence is a joy and an uplifting experience for someone else. We could well be the answer to someone's prayer. It could be anywhere. In church, the supermarket, the street, at work or wherever; someone is in need of a helping hand and we are there to give it. Just as Christ would do and expects it of us. 

At some point in our lives we have responded to God's call and became Christians. Why keep this gift just to ourselves? Let us share it. Would it not be the greatest gift to God ever if, because of you, someone became a Christian? Think about it for a moment. Because of what you said, or did, someone decided to find out more about God and eventually embraced the Faith. You were the starting point on that person's journey to eternity in Paradise.

God will remind you of it when you meet face to face.

"Well done, good and faithful servant!" Matthew 25:23

Here I Am, Lord (Is the Pope Catholic?)

 

HERE I AM, LORD

CLICK HERE 

 

IS THE POPE CATHOLIC?

Fathers Ignatius and Donald drove back from Bishop’s House after an all-day meeting with the Bishop and several other priests from the Diocese. The Bishop had called a conference to discuss dwindling numbers attending church every Sunday.

It was about seven in the evening and the priests looked forward to a light snack and watching football on TV. England was playing Italy in an important game which they just had to win.

As they entered the kitchen they found their housekeeper, Mrs Davenport, still there with her friend Edna Winterton. Now Mrs Davenport was not exactly the brightest star in the firmament, and Edna was even less so.

“Good evening ladies,” said Father Ignatius, “I would have thought you’d retired to your cottage Mrs D …”

“It is far from being a good evening, Father,” she said, “far from it indeed.”

“Something the matter?” asked Father Donald in his pronounced Glasgow accent with a hint of levity in his tone, as he usually did, “have we run out of milk again? Or is it something more dire?”

“This is no laughing matter, Fathers,” continued the housekeeper, “Edna and I have waited for your return and would have waited all night if needs be.”

“What is the problem?” asked Father Ignatius as the two priests sat down at the kitchen table.

“I’ll let Edna tell you, Fathers,” she replied, “better you hear it from the horse’s mouth … not that you are a horse, Edna; or resemble one. It’s a figure of speaking.”

Edna smiled feebly and started to explain. “It’s my niece Father. She’s a lovely girl. Only eighteen and the apple of her parents’ eyes; and mine too. We love her so, don’t we, Mrs Davenport?”

“We sure do, Edna; she’s a lovely girl all right. You’ve never met her, Fathers. She lives in Birmingham with her parents; or rather she did. The shame of it.”

Father Donald was getting impatient looking at his watch about the timing of the football game. He was about to say something when Edna continued. “Well … she is no longer with her parents.”

The priests feared the worst. Father Donald changed mode instantaneously and was about to offer comfort when Edna interrupted again. “She’s gone to University in London … you know, London down South. A real den of iniquity it is, for sure.”

“That London?” quipped Father Donald.

“I don’t understand,” asked Father Ignatius gently.

“Well,” said Edna as she wiped tears from her eyes, “she mixed with the wrong kind sadly for her. She said the Catholic Church is boring with all them Latin words in Mass and she now goes to an Anglican Church in London. Can you imagine, Fathers? One of our own going to another church? Her parents would be spinning in their graves at the news, if they were dead that is!”

Father Donald hid a smile and said nothing. Mrs Davenport joined in. “It is terrible news for sure, Father Ignatius,” she said, “Edna and I have been reciting the Rosary all evening waiting for you. We’ve done it six times I think!”

“Seven,” corrected Edna.

“Yes that’s right,” said Mrs D, “it is terrible news. Especially since our Lord was Catholic and all. And Latin was His language was it not?”

“Actually, he was Jewish,” corrected Father Donald having discovered his impatient streak once again.

“What do you mean?” asked the housekeeper.

“The Catholic Church has ancient and common ties with the Jewish religion,” explained Father Ignatius gently, “the Old Testament is full of writings from the prophets and people like Abraham, Moses, Isaiah and so on. They were all Jews. And so were Jesus and the disciples.”

“But the Pope is Catholic!” declared Mrs Davenport.

“He was the last time I checked,” said Father Donald looking at his watch.

“Look ladies … Edna,” continued Father Ignatius in his usual calm and kind manner, “the Catholic Church developed years later, but let us not concern ourselves with that now. You are worried that your niece is going to an Anglican Church, and no doubt her parents are worrying too. But let us look at another scenario. Would you rather she did not go to church at all?”

“Heavens and the Saints forbid,” Edna said, “her parents would …”

“… be turning in their graves,” mumbled Father Donald.

“The thing is,” Donald continued more seriously, “young people at that age tend to rebel against their parents, society, anything. I’m sure you ladies rebelled in some way or other when you were that age; although I cannot imagine how or what you did!

“The fact is, when you come down to it, this teenager has chosen to go to an Anglican Church. Nothing wrong with that, as Ignatius implied. Better than not going to church at all. At least she still is in the faith. In time, she may return to our Church or not. We’ll wait and see. I doubt it really matters.

“Christianity encompasses many denominations. The Catholics don’t have a monopoly on that. There are many non-Catholics in Heaven, you know. Although some Catholics seem to think we’d be the only one’s there!

“But that’s beside the point. What I advise is that you two, and the girl’s parents, should pray about this. Don’t try to persuade your niece in any way as this might push her away from Christianity altogether. And that wouldn’t be too clever, will it?”

“No Father,” the two women mumbled.

“Good,” he continued, “now … is there anything else, because there’s an important football match due to start soon!”

“So it is OK for her to go to another church?” confirmed Edna, as the two priests nodded gently and left the kitchen.

As they sat in front of the TV Father Donald said, “What a state we’re in. We have an ignorant generation breeding another ignorant generation … was Jesus Catholic indeed!”

“We have a lot of teaching to do,” replied Father Ignatius, “maybe an inter-denominational series of Bible studies sessions …”

And that’s exactly what happened. Father Ignatius contacted a number of vicars and ministers he knew from other denominations, and they set up a series of joint seminars for their various congregations.

Little did that young niece know that she was instrumental in encouraging mutual understanding and unity amongst the various churches of this little Northern town.

EXCERPT FROM "HERE I AM, LORD"

 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8868253072

Available in Paperback and KINDLE versions from AMAZON

CLICK HERE

Divisions

 

I've been blogging for a few years now, and been on other social media websites too. I met a number of  kind and interesting people through the Internet and exchanged views, opinions, and thoughts ... learnt quite a bit from them too.

One thing that has intrigued me though, as a Catholic, is the number of times people have written to me saying that Catholics are not Christians. 

I did not expect that. I expected people writing against Christianity, or mocking it even. This is quite common in the UK. You see it on TV all the time. Comedians and others mentioning God or Jesus in a mocking way to attract laughs and applause.

But I did not expect attacks against a particular denomination within the Christian family.

Now I'll admit, Catholics can be a bit weird at times, (maybe often). They have what appear as peculiar habits and beliefs and dogmas set out by people high up on the managerial tree. Also, a lot of times lay Catholics misunderstand what they are taught by the Church and as a result project the wrong image of their Faith.

But in basic terms, Catholics believe the same things that other Christian denominations do.

We believe in one living God, His Son Jesus, the Holy Spirit, what is taught in the Bible and lots of other things Christians believe in. I wrote about this earlier in a post called CREDO. Check it out here and see where we differ in opinions and beliefs. 

Now (some) of the peculiar bits about the Catholics:

LATIN - There was a time when Mass was celebrated in Latin. This was stopped (generally) years ago and now Mass is celebrated in the language of the country where it is said.

STATUES, CANDLES AND FLOWERS - Yes, Catholic churches have statues of Christ and other Saints. This is to help the faithful to visualise how these people may have looked. Very much like you having a photo of a loved one in your wallet or on your desk. It is WRONG to worship these statues made of stone or whatever. Some Catholics get this bit wrong, they light candles and place flowers in the hope the Saint will answer their prayers and do them favours. This is also WRONG. You cannot buy God's favours, or the Saints', with candles, flowers, prayers or anything else. Perhaps the Church should re-teach this message which seems to have been misunderstood by some.

PRAYING TO MARY AND SAINTS - Yet another source of confusion. We do not (should not) pray TO the Saints but ask the Saints to pray FOR us. Imagine when someone is ill and you pray to God to heal him and care for him. You are in effect pleading with God for some help on behalf of this person. This is good. It shows charity and generosity of spirit on your part. When we pray to Saints, we ask them to plead for us with God and His Son, Jesus. To put in a good word for us. A good reference. I know I need as many prayers and pleadings for me; so any prayers from the Saints, or from you, would be welcome. Praying to Saints does not by-pass God, or Jesus, it is an extra channel through which some people like to channel their needs and requests. 

When we pray to Mary, yet again, we are not by-passing God. Or worshipping her. We only worship God and no one else. The way I see it is this:

God must have favoured Mary to have chosen her as the mother of Jesus. Jesus must have loved her and honoured her as He grew up. I guess God still honours her for saying YES when the Angel Gabriel visited her. Do you think God will be angry with me for honouring and loving Mary too?

FISH ON FRIDAYS - Years ago, the Church leaders suggested that, as a sacrifice and to honour Jesus, Catholics should not eat meat on Fridays, (the day Jesus died). It was in fact a mortal sin to eat meat on Fridays. This means if you die, having eaten meat on a Friday and not confessed and been forgiven of that sin, then you'd be going down without a parachute.   

This practice was because meat in those days was expensive. So people got in the habit of eating fish instead, which was cheaper. It is not compulsory to eat fish on Fridays. In fact it is not compulsory to eat, or not eat, anything. The practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays has largely faded away. Some still do not eat meat on Fridays, others abstain. It's a personal choice.

This has been a quick tour of what may be seen as different between Catholics and other Christians. If there are any other differences or questions you'd like explained please mention them in the comments box below, or write to me privately at enquiries@holyvisions.co.uk  Your e-mail comes to my desk and no one else. I shall respond, either privately, or by posting another article here.