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When I was a teenager and was fighting one time with my mom about having to go to church, I said, “Everybody there is a hypocrite! Why would I want to go some place filled with a bunch of hypocrites?”
“Do you think you’re going to find a church not filled with hypocrites? Are you so perfect that you can’t be around sinners? That’s part of the point of church, Amy, is to find healing from God for your sins.”
I had no answer.
The incredibly pathetic thing was that while I was looking down on my fellow parishioners, I was NOT in any fashion leading a squeaky clean life. You wanna talk about a hypocrite, well, I was example número uno.
Today, is the Feast Day of St. Matthew, a one-time sinful tax collector.
After he is called by Jesus, the Pharisees stand around horrified that Jesus was eating with him and other sinners. If Jesus didn’t eat with sinners than He would have only ever eaten with His mom or by Himself.
You have to wonder at the Pharisees game plan for helping sinners not be sinners. Never engage with them in a merciful way? Ignore them? Refuse to help them?
I was just like the Pharisees when I was a teen, thinking myself too good to be around the “riff-raff” of the church I belonged to.
Jesus is the Great Physician. He transformed St. Matthew’s life, He can transform any sinner’s life, but it certainly doesn’t always happen at the speed of light. I’m living proof of that.
The truth is, in this life, we are all a work in progress, Catholic Pilgrims, and we will be until we are no longer here. Our churches will never be filled with only lily-white saints, but we still need to go because the Eucharist, Confession, and the other Sacraments are our best hope for transformation.
You’ll see the purity you desire once you get to Heaven.
St. Matthew, pray for us!
*St. Matthew’s Cathedral, Washington DC
Back when we were living in Turkey, we discovered that our 15-year old daughter had scoliosis. It needed a corrective operation and, to make a long story short, we found an amazing doctor in Istanbul. The operation was 11-hours long which was utter torture for my husband and me. When it was over, she had a long road to recovery. After 10-days in the hospital, we finally got to bring her home, but she was very uncomfortable--mostly she could only sit. Lying on her side was impossible. Her lungs were weak and everything hurt. At night, she would get tired of lying on her back and would want to move out to the recliner in the living room. She couldn't help herself, and so I told her to call for me in the night and I would come get her and help. Because her lungs were weak and her torso hurt, she couldn't call very loudly, but no matter what, I always heard her weak voice call out, "Momma?" I could be dead asleep and I never failed to hear her and get up. I'd go to her room, help her up, walk her to the living room, and get her settled in the recliner. When her dad would get home from work, he would take her for a walk around the large 6th floor patio area of our apartment building. Slowly, slowly she would walk in circles, hanging onto her dad's arm, getting stronger with each lap. Today, she is wonderfully healed and healthy. I was thinking about this yesterday. My daughter calling out to me in the night reminds me of how we can call out to Our Blessed Mother for help, prayers, and love. She will always hear us no matter how weakly we call out. A mother always hears the voice of her children when they need her. My husband's actions reminds me of the Father's love--there to give strength and encouragement through difficulties. Always knowing that we are capable of more than we think we are. The love of God always heals us if we trust Him with our pain. We are so blessed, so very blessed, Catholic Pilgrims, to be so loved and wanted by God. We are also blessed that He gives us such a beautiful Mother to call on, as well. Live the Faith boldly and travel well this Monday.
Continue ReadingBack when my girls were in high school, I was teaching them about what St. Thomas Aquinas had to say about government. Initially, when I was learning this, I was surprised that Thomas believed that a pure monarchy with a just, charitable, and wise king would be optimal. This was surprising to my American eyes. Yet, he knew that humans were prone to tyranny and so, in reality, he knew that a mixed government--a central ruler kept in check by others was probably best. Humans are weak and power is intoxicating. There have been good kings, but too many struggle to not be overwhelmed by the power. Christ, though, is our perfect King. Everything we understand about our Faith is understood through Christ. Mary is only the Queen Mother because Christ is King. We are only heirs to the Kingdom because Christ is King. He is the most beautiful, perfect, excellent, glorious King and I think we forget sometimes that He is King. We try to rule Him by making Him into what we would like, instead of letting Him rule our lives. We run around looking for salvation from worldly powers and always and forever wind up disappointed. The One Who truly saves is Christ. Welcome to the end of the liturgical year, Catholic Pilgrims. May we praise, glorify, and revere our King. Have a blessed Sunday.
Continue ReadingYou've all heard me talk about my friend from college who became an atheist. After becoming an atheist, she told me stories about what it was like growing up in a Pentecostal church. It did not sound good. She told me that growing up, she and her siblings were not allowed to have toys, because toys were from the devil. "How could simple toys be from the devil?" she asked me. "Well, they aren't. That's just superstitious nonsense." This belief was one of the reasons that she abandoned Christianity. To her, it was fear-mongering, controlling nonsense that had no basis in reality. I can't say that I blame her for feeling that way. It wasn't logical for her to then conclude that God doesn't exist, but when your whole foundation of Christianity is built on weirdness, superstition, and, sometimes, abusive practices, you can see why people give up on it. Lately, I've been seeing more and more people--including many Catholics-declaring that certain toys are diabolical or portals for the demons. Honestly, this has been going on for a long time. Care Bears are evil. He-man is evil. Unicorns are evil. Each decade has "evil" toys. This is superstition and we are forbidden to be superstitious. Inanimate objects do not have power in and of themselves. You may counter with, "Well, what about an Ouija Board?" Yes, an Ouija Board is bad because of the action that is intended to be done with it. The board itself has zero power. Sitting there using it to conjure spirits to gain information is opening yourself up to bad things. That is dangerous. New Agey people assign power to objects--this is superstition. We cannot be like this. Toys are toys. They hold no power in and of themselves. The Church does not condemn toys--except very specific ones like Ouija Boards. If we are unreasonable and nonsensical about this stuff, children will eventually figure out that it's just a bunch of superstitious nonsense and, consequently, this will cause them to question actual truths about the faith. Now, yes, can people become obsessed with toys and idolize collecting them. This is wrong and generally comes from a place of trying to fill your life with stuff in order to satisfy your heart's desires rather than seeking God. Do not be led astray by people, even within the Church, who are setting up their own rules for you to follow. Trust in Christ, trust in your baptismal mark, trust in what the Church teaches. Have a blessed day, Catholic Pilgrims.
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