The necessity of obedience to God for human flourishing
The notion of living as Cafeteria Catholics—those who choose which of the dogmas and doctrines are agreeable and reject the rest—first came to the forefront of the American Church 30-40 years ago. We want happiness, peace, joy, flourishing. But on our terms. The irony is that the fear and self-protection which drives our self-reliance can only be fully healed by our Divine Healer from whom we hide. A life obedient to our Lord is one lived most fully.
His name is Faithful and True
How do we define being ‘faithful’? Is it merely on the externals—people who look and act like us, and talk the same lingo—even though they have left the Church for a schism? Or is the faithful heart the one still partaking in the mysteries of the Holy Mother Church but casually?
Grafted
Contrary to the claims of Messianic Judaism, Jesus did not establish a Jewish-only Church (The Way) and then later inspire a gentile church (Christian). Jesus established one Church, the Catholic Church into which His believers, both Jews and Gentiles, are grafted. Just like the hybrid apple tree with all its grafts remains one apple tree, so too the Holy Catholic Church.
We dare to say
In the mass, the priest prays: “At the Saviour’s command, informed by Divine teaching, we dare to say..” How dare we say anything to our almighty, all powerful God?