Why I'm Still Catholic In Spite of It All

At first, I thought I couldn't write a post about why I'm still Catholic because my reason is only one word--Eucharist.  It's one word; not even a sentence; certainly not a post.  But I meditated for a few days and came up with lots of reasons.  Let me count the reasons:

1.  Eucharist.  I believe Jesus said what He means.  I don't think He was kidding.  I don't think He was speaking symbolically because He turned a lot of people off.  They left because what He was saying was disgusting.

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life within you.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.  For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.  John 6:53-56

and a few verses later His disciples said: This saying is hard; who can accept it?    John 6: 60

As a result of this, many [of] his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.  Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?"  Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go?  You have the words to eternal life.  John 6: 66-68

2.  Catholic Church.  The Catholic Church is universal and as such reminds me of a mother.  Within the church are conservatives, liberals, those who like Latin Masses, those who like liturgical dance, African music at Mass, quiet Eucharist Adoration, etc.  A mother may have children who are unschooled, well educated, talented, sick, healthy, in prison, exalted, etc.  A mother loves all her children.  Mother Church embraces us all.

3.  History.  The history of the Church is a history of civilization.  It is debatable whether history shaped the church or vice versa.  But it's fascinating, both the good and the bad.

4.  Catholic social teaching.  The Catholic Church educates, treats the sick, and offers more relief services than any other religion or social organization.

5.  Mass.  I love our liturgical ceremonies.

6-7-8-9-10-....sacraments, Mary, saints, traditions, art, architecture, music, poetry, beauty...

Where else could I go?    

Hard Teaching

Upon hearing that Jesus was inside that beautiful gold tabernacle, my four year old granddaughter exclaimed, “In that box?”

To which I responded with my much greater experience and gave a four year old theological explanation: “Yup.”

Upon hearing that the Body and Blood of Jesus was truly inside the bread and wine, a RCIA candidate exclaimed, “Do Catholics really believe that?”

To which I responded with a little more experience and gave a humble reply:

“Definitely! 

It is a hard teaching.  Jesus realizes this Himself.  In John 6: 60-69, Jesus knows that my granddaughter and RCIA candidates and many others will be shocked by this teaching.  (John 6: 61)  He goes on to say that this understanding of the Eucharist is only by grace. (John 6: 65)  The grace of faith allows us to believe that the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus.  If you don’t have that faith, please pray for the grace of faith to be given to you.  This understanding will not only enhance your life but save your soul.

The Eucharist is called a sacred banquet.  It does feed your soul.  Jesus becomes our food.  More than a single meal, the Eucharist gives us a taste of what is to come in eternity.  You see in eating this sacred meal, we are drawn into divinity.  We eat and become one with Jesus.  We get a taste of heaven.”

This hard teaching is what keeps me Catholic.  I believe it.  I believe Jesus when He said, “This is my body…this is my blood.” (Mark 14: 22-24) And I thank God for this blessing of faith.

Choose

The Readings for the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time make me laugh--in a good way.  The first Reading has a list of reasons why the people choose to follow God.  But in the Gospel, Peter can't think of a single reason why he should choose Jesus.  Peter responds with a kind of "I dunno."

The First Reading is from the Book of Joshua 24: 1-2a, 15-17, 18b.  The Gospel is according to John 6: 60-69.

Now from the Book of Faith ;-)

The people give a list of reasons why they choose the Lord:
(1)  The Lord brought them up out of Egypt.
(2)  The Lord brought them out of slavery.
(3)  The Lord performed miracles that they acknowledged.
(4)  The Lord protected the people along the journey.
(5)  The Lord shielded the people from the enemies they passed.

Makes sense to me.

Now in the Gospel, many of the disciples had deserted.  They could not think of a single reason to stay.  Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, "Well?"

I picture Peter hesitating a nano-second, then looking straight into Jesus' eyes, and very gently, softly, and distinctly, affirming, "I will love You forever."