I flounder when I try to explain why I am Catholic.
Here is a blog, which made my heart leap in recognition and gratitude... The details, the prompts may be different (Thomas Merton, St Augustine, C.S.Lewis, Medjugorje, the Rosary, TLIG) but the falling in love analogy is quite touching... I couldn't understand why I'd cry sitting watching and not participating in receiving the Eucharist.
http://badcatholicblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/whats-it-like-being-catholic.html?showComment=1317347911563#c5388734663377845653
And then of course, there was a throw-away comment from a beloved Jewish philosopher, Gilbert Main: "You should read the Bible like a novel - its quite a good read!" So I did (took a year), from Genesis to Revelations, like a novel. Surprised by the stirring stories, drank in the poetry, skimmed the tedious bits, until I came to the gospels... The jewels in the crown! Matthew- so muscular, Mark - so dry, Luke - so poetic, delighting in the women, and John - the jewel of jewels, dark, humble, deep waters, filling out the other gospels with heart-rending details. Through Acts, as Peter and Paul argued about circumcision, etc. I almost wanted to shout at them, "You've already forgotten your Lord's simplicity in your petty squabbles!" Traced the journeys of the Acts on maps, skimmed uncomprehending the Letters, and marvelled at the pulsing time-warp of Revelations.
Now I read the Bible with the Church, daily readings which beautifully link all three parts, Old, New and Acts/Letters. Daily readings which take me on a more leisurely three-year cycle through the Good Book. I read around the prescribed texts, read a whole book in a sitting, drinking up again, delving deeper. And the Lord whispers sound counsel, reveals during the day, during Mass, informs my life. What does this mean? I ask. And the answer comes, in reflection, in the detail of the day.
God bless.
Here is a blog, which made my heart leap in recognition and gratitude... The details, the prompts may be different (Thomas Merton, St Augustine, C.S.Lewis, Medjugorje, the Rosary, TLIG) but the falling in love analogy is quite touching... I couldn't understand why I'd cry sitting watching and not participating in receiving the Eucharist.
http://badcatholicblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/whats-it-like-being-catholic.html?showComment=1317347911563#c5388734663377845653
And then of course, there was a throw-away comment from a beloved Jewish philosopher, Gilbert Main: "You should read the Bible like a novel - its quite a good read!" So I did (took a year), from Genesis to Revelations, like a novel. Surprised by the stirring stories, drank in the poetry, skimmed the tedious bits, until I came to the gospels... The jewels in the crown! Matthew- so muscular, Mark - so dry, Luke - so poetic, delighting in the women, and John - the jewel of jewels, dark, humble, deep waters, filling out the other gospels with heart-rending details. Through Acts, as Peter and Paul argued about circumcision, etc. I almost wanted to shout at them, "You've already forgotten your Lord's simplicity in your petty squabbles!" Traced the journeys of the Acts on maps, skimmed uncomprehending the Letters, and marvelled at the pulsing time-warp of Revelations.
Now I read the Bible with the Church, daily readings which beautifully link all three parts, Old, New and Acts/Letters. Daily readings which take me on a more leisurely three-year cycle through the Good Book. I read around the prescribed texts, read a whole book in a sitting, drinking up again, delving deeper. And the Lord whispers sound counsel, reveals during the day, during Mass, informs my life. What does this mean? I ask. And the answer comes, in reflection, in the detail of the day.
God bless.
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