“Catholic” is not just one among many acceptable religions,
philosophies, or even Christian denominations. To think a person’s church or
religious affiliation is unimportant, as long as he is generally “good,” is to
overlook stark incompatibilities between the Catholic Church and other
religions.
Consider
Protestant and other non-Catholic Christians. While through their connection to
Catholic Tradition, they have inherited sacramental baptism, possess the
apostolic writings (the “New Testament”), and desire to follow our Lord, they
have serious deficiencies and obstacles due to their imperfect union with the
Church. There are real, practical consequences when one rejects the full
deposit of Christian faith.
During
Eucharistic adoration I often marvel, “Wow. Right now I am three feet away from
my Creator. The one featured in the New Testament and foreshadowed in the Old,
the one who preached the Sermon on the Mount, who healed lepers, who forgave
the adulterous woman—who forgives me!—I’m looking at Him right here,
right now! My Lord and my God!”
I assure my
Baptist friends that I don’t worship Mary, despite the high regard in which we
as Catholics hold her, even as we offer her our petitions in prayer. I’m
careful to differentiate between reverence and worship. In fact, I point out,
the Church explicitly condemns the adoration of any person or thing other than
God. But I also say (to their shock) that when I’m at Eucharistic adoration, I
fully worship the Blessed Sacrament before my eyes! That round,
bread-like thing inside the monstrance is actually Jesus Himself!
Here’s the
deal: If the Church is wrong about the Real Presence, then we are to be pitied
for our primitive, unenlightened, stupid idolatry; we are guilty of worshiping
the creation rather than the Creator. If, however, the Church has simply
transmitted what Jesus taught her—that the Communion Host actually becomes His
body, blood, soul, and divinity—then our Protestant brethren are missing out on
a ton of life-giving graces that Jesus offers through the Mass.
Our beliefs
have consequences, and we cannot afford to be indifferent toward them. Truth
corresponds to reality; therefore, truth really matters.
There are
other examples.
Due to sin
and distraction and weakness, our prayers can be hindered. But we know that
“the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much,” and we know we
have recourse to Mary and the Saints—our family of “prayer warriors.” They will
intercede for us. I know some of my prayers have been answered because of
saints joining their prayers to mine. But, due to incorrect beliefs,
Protestants generally don’t ask for saintly intercessions.
If we don’t
believe in prayers for the dead, we’re not going to pray for our deceased loved
ones. Consequently, if they are suffering in purgatory, our incorrect belief
may delay their entrance into heaven.
Where
certain Christian denominations reject baptismal regeneration—the belief that
baptism actually restores new life—it’s not uncommon to postpone one’s baptism
until his teens or twenties. That’s dangerous behavior based on wrong belief.
Rejection
of the Church’s moral teachings (about marriage, contraception, homosexual
unions, in vitro fertilization, self-abuse, etc.) leads to untold
human suffering. It demonstrates the truth of Natural Law.
Examples
could be multiplied all day long to illustrate the same point. The dogmas of
our Catholic Church are not arbitrary. They are not her “best guesses.” They
are not denominational flavors, subject to our spiritual palate’s taste.
No, she is
tenacious about her teachings precisely because they are true—because they are
the full deposit of faith entrusted to her by Jesus and the apostles.
So be sure to conform yourself daily in mind,
body, and will to the teachings of Christ’s Church. By regularly cultivating a
Catholic conscience, you will be equipped to share the unabridged gospel with
confidence and conviction, with humility and genuine love toward others.
Being truly
Catholic matters in real ways. It’s our sure salvation.
No comments:
Post a Comment