The Child-Like Faith of an Adult

A full 70% of Catholics don’t believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. The blame for this lies completely at the feet of our bishops generally, and the USCCB specifically. Agents of darkness who’ve infiltrated the American bishops’ conference since its inception in 1966 are to blame. They’ve done all they can to create the impression in the hearts and minds of the laity that the Eucharist is ordinary bread: Communion in the hand, standing to receive Communion instead of kneeling, altar girls, extraordinary ministers of the Holy Eucharist, and so on. All of these practices have made the Eucharist common in the minds of the laity, rather than making the Eucharist what it really is: the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ, whole and entire, under the appearances of bread and wine. In short, for 70% of Catholics the Eucharist is no more than the “Jesus Cookie”.

Frequently throughout the gospels Jesus talked about us having a child-like faith, and a child-like faith is certainly necessary for all of the mysteries of our faith. (For those who don’t know what I mean about a mystery of faith, that’s something that transcends reason but doesn’t violate reason. We accept it on the basis of who revealed the mystery of faith, who is God Himself.) In my view, the biggest reason the laity don’t rise up and demand the fullness of Catholic truth from our hierarchy is not only because they’ve been left in their ignorance of Catholic teaching, but also because we’ve become so sophisticated in our world of “science” that we’re no longer capable of a child-like faith. No, let me rephrase that. It’s not really that we’re incapable. The problem is that as our society and culture spiral downward into utter chaos we become more and more immature while convincing ourselves that we’re more and more mature. Immaturity is the hallmark of this generation. Men are no longer manly, but act, speak and dress like preadolescent boys. Women no longer attempt to imitate the virtues of Mary in her perfect womanhood, but rather act, speak and dress like giddy teens who idolize Kardashian-types in an evil and superficial culture.

As you know, I’m an adult convert. I’m certain that when you’re a cradle Catholic you take some things for granted, and perhaps even give those things little thought. But for a convert? The Catholic faith is so extraordinary to modern life experience that it’s virtually impossible to take any of it for granted. Catechesis for an inquirer and catechumen not only has to be what the Catholic Church believes, but due to its extraordinary teachings it must include why the Church believes it.

Human logic and reason makes understanding and intellectually accepting the Catholic faith easy once the inescapable logic of the Church’s “why” arguments are presented, but the actual believing—holding it in your very core—requires child-like faith. To be clear, what I mean by child-like faith is the same sort of faith a five-year-old has that Santa Claus will bring him presents while he sleeps on Christmas Eve.

The clincher that helped me understand and learn to have a child-like faith was a story about King St. Louis IX, the king for whom the Missouri was named. This saint, who was perhaps the most benevolent king in the history of the world, had a child-like faith that should be an example to us all.

One day a messenger, breathless with excitement, rushed into King St. Louis’ court. He said, “Your Majesty, hurry to the palace chapel. A great miracle is taking place.”

“What sort of miracle?” asked the king.

“A great miracle, sire! A priest is saying Mass, and after the Consecration, instead of the Host, Jesus Christ Himself is on the altar! Quickly, Your Majesty, before He’s gone!”

The king remained quiet, which surprised the messenger. “Well, aren’t you coming, Majesty?”

“No!” the king replied. “Let them go to see that miracle who have any doubt about the Real Presence of our Lord in the Most Holy Eucharist. As for me, even if I saw Jesus visibly on the altar, touched Him with my hand, and heard His voice, I wouldn’t be any more convinced than I am now, that Jesus is present in the consecrated Host. My faith is sufficient for me! I need no miracle.”

The faith—the child-like faith—of King St. Louis was so strong, so child-like, that he didn’t need any visions of our Lord to prove that the color, taste, and shape were only the appearances of bread and wine (called accidentals in philosophy and theology), but that Jesus, with His body, blood, soul and divinity, was really contained, offered, and received under those appearances. He believed this because Jesus said so (read John chapter 6), and Jesus is the Son of God—the Eternal Truth.

Reinvigorate, or perhaps discover for the first time, your child-like faith. Try to imitate King St. Louis by attending Mass and Communion often, not just on Sunday and holy days of obligation. Visit the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle as often as you can. There are 168 hours in a week. If you’re too busy to spend one of those hours adoring Him with your child-like faith, then you’re entirely too busy. Your actions in this regard will be a proof of your child-like faith, that you need no miracle.