Bible Reading and Commentary regarding faith

I’ve been reading quite a few conversion and reversion stories. I’ve always enjoyed reading biographies, but especially autobiographies, because no fiction is as interesting as reality. (Conversation with a real person is even better than an autobiography, of course, LOL). But I am especially interested in and moved by people’s faith journeys. I may not always agree, but I feel affection for the authors. For example, many years ago I enjoyed reading some of the Dali Lama’s autobiographical works, even though I would have never left Tibet if I were him. I would have stood my ground and stayed with my flock. That is the whole point after all. However, this did not mean I would not read his book or have affection for him. Recently with the advent of blogging I’ve become interested in people who have “crossed the Tiber,” which means to join for the first time or return to the Catholic Church. I am also keenly interested in the awakening spirituality of the Chinese people, as I have been for a long time.

I have to say I’ve been agape and open mouthed in amazement at the hostility some have for Catholics (I’m referring to some Protestants and non denominational). I’ve noticed it in some spewing when people cross the Tiber, while reading the blogs and comments sections, and newspaper accounts. I remember the first time someone was hostile to my being Catholic to my face was in college, but goodness, it was a crack about having children and so mild compared to what I see others subjected to. I now realize that people just didn’t say it to my face all these years but more of it than I like was there all along.

Anyone who is genuinely receptive to the Holy Spirit and who examines the history of Christianity realizes that there is a paper and witness trail directly from Christ’s lips through the Apostles and disciples by way of the Catholic Church. Denying that is just plain ignorant and bigoted. However, humans are exactly that and a lot worse. So I honestly don’t even bother to get in dialogue with people like that. I also tend to withdraw from even well motivated people who are accusatory in their dialogue.

For example, I commented on the blog of someone considering crossing the Tiber with the intention of helping to discern when the Holy Spirit is an agent and when he is not. I pointed out that if someone is restless in their heart about their faith, then the Holy Spirit is working on them. I also said that if the person is content in their faith, then let them be, because the Holy Spirit is not working on them in the sense of agitating them to consider a change. The blog author’s response was so harsh I was taken aback. He crammed words in my mouth basically accusing me of mushy faith and so forth. I told him he didn’t have a clue what I was saying and just stopped visiting that blog. People are entitled to their opinion but they are not entitled to shout their version of my opinion at me LOL. I know a lot of Catholics receive this kind of flak. And then people wonder when we just don’t talk about it! However, I want to remind people of two passages said by Jesus on this very matter. These tend to be the only replies I make nowadays before retreating from people having a flipping meltdown.

Mark 9: 37-40

John said to him, “Master, we saw a man who was not one of our followers casting out devils in thy name, and we forbade him.” But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, because there is no one who shall work a miracle in my name, and forthwith be able to speak ill of me. For he who is not against you is for you. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you are Christ’s, amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”

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So when someone who is ignorant enough to think that Catholics are not of Jesus’ Christ’s own Church I tell me, OK, go ahead and believe that, but you are disobeying this admonition of Jesus’, so where is your adherence to his word?

Luke 18: 24-27

But Jesus, seeing him become sad, said, “With what difficulty will they who have riches enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” And they who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?” He said to them, “Things that are impossible with men are possible with God.”

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So when someone persists in saying that “Catholics will not be saved” I just tell them that I trust in what Jesus Christ said, that “Things that are impossible with men are possible with God,” *broad wink* and finish the, um, conversation.

God decides who is saved, not men (or women). And of course this passage applies to all peoples, not just the rich man example that it is spoken in connection with. Christians who state that other Christians or non-Christians cannot be saved are putting themselves in direct contradiction to what Jesus said and worse, are attempting to usurp (in their own heads) God’s role. Ugh!