Please pray for me that the Lord might strengthen my faith. I feel like Catholics have lost sight of the Gospel and its power. Things like that are bound to happen, it just scares me when our faith starts to devolve into legalism on one hand and humanism on the other. I feel like even though the Liturgies of the churches have a lot of reverence at the Gospel reading, it seems like for a lot of us it's almost a dead ritual (not saying it IS, but you know). Alleluia, niceness and clean living. Alleluia, social justice. Meh.

I realize also that part of what's bugging me is the impact the Devotio Moderna had on Latin spirituality. I don't handle that kind of devotional emotion well.

Nebijok!

That's Lithuanian for "fear not!". ALL of us Catholics need stronger faith. Most of us, from time to time at least, lose sight of the Gospel and it's power. I agree with you: things like that are inevitable. Feeling as you express in your post puts you in good company. Many of the greatest saints became saints precisely by means of their inner struggles over the same issues which grieve you. Faith always, sooner or later, involves this kind of wrestling. It's very troubling.

Sometimes I wonder if I have any faith at all; or am I just pathologically addicted to religiosity? Am I "stuck" on Catholicism like Br'er Rabbit on the tarbaby? Only God knows for sure; and He is compassionate and knows we are but dust. He loves us anyway.

By the way, I'm pretty certain the Catholic Church is not the COMPLETELY true Church. I'm also certain that it's the most true Church I can identify at this time in my life.

Onward I lurch, grope and stumble. Along with everyone else in the Church, Pope included.

Nebijok!

HB,

Thanks for sharing this, I can relate to it. It seems that at one point, we are so eager to learn more about our faith, then once we've learned a little bit (esp. Church history!), it starts becoming harder to believe.
"My opinion" is that legalism is the inevitable result of the Church becoming wedded to the state (as it was from the time of Constantine until the end of the Western monarchies in the 19th and 20th centuries). The reason for this is that the state can never be separate from "the world," while the Church must be. The state must impose laws and enforce them, but the Church must be governed by the law of Charity (i.e. the Great Commandment), which is over every other law and by which alone can other laws be understood in a Christian context.

There is a wonderful hymn that is sung on Holy Thursday in the Latin Church: "Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est" (where charity and love are found, God is there). This is what we're about! Faith is supposed to lead us to charity, and if it does not, it ceases to be faith and easily "devolves into legalism on one hand and humanism on the other." The good news, however, is that the more *we* embrace charity, the less we are distressed by others' lack of faith, and the more we become able to build up their faith.

Let us all pray for one another, that we may be united in this bond!


Peace,
Deacon Richard

Prayers that our brother's faith be strengthened and that the Lord lead him in the ways that will give him the most spiritual benefit.