Recently I wrote an article about how confused young Catholic adults must be when considering their religion. Deluged with secular influences—in the media, in their universities, in their careers, and in politics—they must be shaking their heads and wondering who is right? Why should I be a Catholic in a world that clearly finds Catholicism contrary to present cultural views?
I didn’t address why in my last article. I focused more on the reasons why parents want their children to follow their faith, to not be ashamed of it. But that wasn’t fair. I played on emotion and loyalty more than I did on hard, true facts of why being a Catholic is worthy of loyalty and devotion.
So here are just a few reasons:
- Most important is the gift of the Eucharist. The heart of our Roman Catholic faith is the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. It is the most important of all seven sacraments because in receiving the Eucharist, we are embracing the very body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ and we become one with Him. Through this act of love and unity, we receive innumerable graces. If you don’t truly understand the magnificence of this sacrament, you need to educate yourself about it. You may misunderstand just how perfect a union this creates between us and our loving Lord. The Eucharist is God’s continuing physical presence to us, and rooted in scripture, it is a true testament to Christ’s love for us and His desire for each of us to have a personal relationship with Him.
- The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass...which, although spoken in different languages, is the same world-wide. You will always know what’s going on when you attend a Catholic Mass. Mass is not a show we’re meant to enjoy, it’s an active participation in worship. The Mass places us mystically at the foot of the cross to witness Jesus’ self-sacrifice. We hear his Word, receive the Eucharist, and join together in Christ’s love and peace as Christians have for more than 2,000 years, in the way that Jesus Christ himself gave to the Apostles. The Holy Mass is the culmination of our need—our right—to worship Jesus in the way in which He instructed us. Are there hypocrites in our pews? Yes. Wherever there are human beings, there will be hypocrisy. Don’t allow the hypocrites to steal away your right to worship in your Catholic faith.
- Confession is a sacrament that many people dismiss as useless. It is anything but useless. When Jesus returned to the Apostles after His resurrection, He breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit! If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained "(John 20:22,23). If you have ever done anything in your life that needed forgiveness, then you’ll understand the tremendous feeling of having the burden of guilt or shame lifted from your heart. The presence of Christ's forgiveness is a powerful gift. Priests understand our need for the Lord’s mercy, and they sit in the confessional in the person of the forgiving and merciful Christ. Don’t ever be afraid of confession. Receive this grace that our Lord gives freely and lovingly.
- Charity...did you know that every day the Catholic Church feeds, clothes, shelters, provides healthcare, and educates more people than any other organization in the world? And keep in mind that whenever there is a major natural disaster, Catholic-run hospitals, doctors, nurses, and social workers are working tirelessly to help the victims long before the Hollywood stars and media cameras arrive in their airplanes with water and food, because more often than not, they were there to provide care before the natural disaster occurred. Catholic organizations too many for me to list in this article have been at the forefront of social justice, and offer people opportunities to assist. No other organization has done as much for the world and has had so strong a commitment to justice—in foreign lands and in our own neighborhoods.
- The Blessed Mother, the Saints and the Martyrs. Yes. They are part of our beautiful faith, and our veneration of them is profoundly misunderstood. There is only one mediator between God and man, and that is Jesus Christ; but we are members of the Body of Christ, and He allows us to share in His mediation. Catholics do not worship Mary or the saints. But we do venerate them, because it is through their example, through their teaching and wisdom, that we can find our way to Christ when we are lost. Mary is our spiritual mother, the first disciple. Her “yes” to God allowed the Incarnation to be possible. She is full of grace, and absent of sin, and it is not idolatry to ask for her—or any saint’s—intercession. They are one of us—human beings who have suffered, experienced joy, and loved God. And I urge everyone to educate themselves about this, to understand it clearly and embrace it.
- Apostolic succession, the Sacraments, Sacred Tradition, consistent doctrines, and stewardship of God’s creation (read Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si.) And the Church has the courage to stand strong—even against its own members—and claim that human life is precious at every stage.
Educating ourselves about our Catholic faith is the key to truly embracing it. You do not let your life’s choices dictate your faith; you let your faith dictate your life’s choices. Understanding your faith makes it easier.
Below are just some of the resources, in addition to the Catechism and the Catholic Encyclopedia, which may open the Catholic Church to you.
http://www.religionfacts.com/veneration-of-saints
http://www.catholicscomehome.org/two-minute-answers/
http://catholicclimatemovement.global/statements-on-climate-change-from-the-popes/
http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html
