A wonderful message by Fr Cleetus Karakkadan.
Well, I simply want to share my faith. Not to convince you or convert you, but simply to share with you what all of these Catholic traditions and beliefs mean to me, personally. This is not the church's textbook definition or a biblical explanation. This is my description of what living as a Catholic means in my own personal life.
Being Catholic means...
That I get to ask the Saints to pray for me when I'm in need of some extra support. These Saints are people just like me who had to face some of the same experiences and temptations that I do.They are the people I can ask for help, support, and prayers, and the people I can look to when I need an example of what a strong faith and relationship with Christ looks like. They are the ultimate role models.
Being Catholic means...
I have the rosary to help me fall into a state of peace and prayer. The rosary is not simply prayer repetition, but prayerful meditation. It’s when I can sit there and think about whatever I need to, knowing that God is there in that state of peace and prayer with me.
Being Catholic means...
I have a daily reminder to do good in the world because it is my responsibility to not only spread the Word, but to live the Word. While Christ died for us to be with Him in Heaven, He did not make the path to Heaven easy. He filled it with challenges and opportunities to do good in honor of Him. We cannot simply take life for granted the gift of life He has given to us. We must live out what He taught us, to love and care for one another through prayer and good deeds.
Being Catholic means...
That I have a special prayer, the Sign of the Cross, that can be said at any time for any reason. When I'm scared and need to ask for peace and strength, when I hear an ambulance rushing by, when I simply want to pray before a meal. Anytime, for any reason. In just a few seconds, I am calling God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit to be with me or with whoever it is I am praying for in that moment.
Being Catholic means...
I have the Blessed Virgin Mary as a woman I can look up to and honor. Just as she loved her son unconditionally, she loves me, her child, unconditionally. She is the woman who said yes to God even though she was afraid, and she is the one I can look to whenever I am unsure of what God has planned for my life. She is the one who gives me strength and confidence in His plan for me.
Being Catholic means...
I go through the actions of standing, sitting, and kneeling to glorify the Lord every time I go to church. When I stand, I rise in honor of Him out of respect for someone I love. When I sit, I am listening to what He is telling me and reflecting on His message in my heart. When I kneel, I am acknowledging that Christ is my King. We are not nearly worthy enough for Him, and yet He welcomes us in anyways. He deserves to be worshiped and adored mentally, emotionally, and physically because He is truly the King of Kings.
Being Catholic means...
That I have the humbling experience of the Sacrament of Reconciliation in which I must vocally admit that I have done wrong in front of Him. It is not just for me to feel better about myself, it is for me to apologize and ask for His forgiveness because His love and mercy is not to be abused or assumed. It is a privilege that we have been blessed with that should still be respected and asked for.
Being Catholic means...
That I get to attend the celebration of the Mass. It is so much more than simply singing songs and listening to what somebody has to say. The Mass is a celebration of the Eucharist. It is the opportunity for me to hear His word, to feel His presence, and to receive Him in the most spiritually intimate way. It is a constant prayer. It is not a service to remind me of how to act or what to believe, but a time to glorify and worship Him.
Being Catholic means...
That I can come face to face with Christ through Eucharistic Adoration. I can feel Him there, staring back into my eyes and into my heart. It is an experience and a feeling like no other where I lose track of time and of the world around me. I am simply too busy adoring Him, speaking with Him, and feeling Him there with me. It's a state of peace, prayer, and presence that can't be described or compared to anything else.
Being Catholic means...
That I receive Him in the most beautiful and selfless way, through the Eucharist. It is Him, in the flesh. It is Him and His own blood. It is His way of saying "I am with you" in more than just a metaphorical sense. He is physically with me. It is one of the most difficult concepts to explain or understand, and yet that is exactly why it is the most important thing to me. It is a personal experience that can only be felt to be fully understood. Sitting here now trying to write this I cannot find the words to give it justice. It is more than words can describe because it is a feeling. It's like trying to explain love. No words will ever amount to exactly how you feel. Well think of it like this: receiving the Eucharist is the most beautiful and epic feeling of love that was ever created.
Some of these things may not make complete sense to a person who is not familiar with the Catholic faith, and that is okay. There are lots of articles and people who could explain the traditions and beliefs in a textbook definition or biblical explanation.
However, these words were not meant to explain those things. These words were meant to describe the experience and depth behind what it truly means to me to be Catholic.
Note: Shared as it is in Fr Cleetus Karakkadan's FB Page
Being Catholic means...
That I get to ask the Saints to pray for me when I'm in need of some extra support. These Saints are people just like me who had to face some of the same experiences and temptations that I do.They are the people I can ask for help, support, and prayers, and the people I can look to when I need an example of what a strong faith and relationship with Christ looks like. They are the ultimate role models.
Being Catholic means...
I have the rosary to help me fall into a state of peace and prayer. The rosary is not simply prayer repetition, but prayerful meditation. It’s when I can sit there and think about whatever I need to, knowing that God is there in that state of peace and prayer with me.
Being Catholic means...
I have a daily reminder to do good in the world because it is my responsibility to not only spread the Word, but to live the Word. While Christ died for us to be with Him in Heaven, He did not make the path to Heaven easy. He filled it with challenges and opportunities to do good in honor of Him. We cannot simply take life for granted the gift of life He has given to us. We must live out what He taught us, to love and care for one another through prayer and good deeds.
Being Catholic means...
That I have a special prayer, the Sign of the Cross, that can be said at any time for any reason. When I'm scared and need to ask for peace and strength, when I hear an ambulance rushing by, when I simply want to pray before a meal. Anytime, for any reason. In just a few seconds, I am calling God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit to be with me or with whoever it is I am praying for in that moment.
Being Catholic means...
I have the Blessed Virgin Mary as a woman I can look up to and honor. Just as she loved her son unconditionally, she loves me, her child, unconditionally. She is the woman who said yes to God even though she was afraid, and she is the one I can look to whenever I am unsure of what God has planned for my life. She is the one who gives me strength and confidence in His plan for me.
Being Catholic means...
I go through the actions of standing, sitting, and kneeling to glorify the Lord every time I go to church. When I stand, I rise in honor of Him out of respect for someone I love. When I sit, I am listening to what He is telling me and reflecting on His message in my heart. When I kneel, I am acknowledging that Christ is my King. We are not nearly worthy enough for Him, and yet He welcomes us in anyways. He deserves to be worshiped and adored mentally, emotionally, and physically because He is truly the King of Kings.
Being Catholic means...
That I have the humbling experience of the Sacrament of Reconciliation in which I must vocally admit that I have done wrong in front of Him. It is not just for me to feel better about myself, it is for me to apologize and ask for His forgiveness because His love and mercy is not to be abused or assumed. It is a privilege that we have been blessed with that should still be respected and asked for.
Being Catholic means...
That I get to attend the celebration of the Mass. It is so much more than simply singing songs and listening to what somebody has to say. The Mass is a celebration of the Eucharist. It is the opportunity for me to hear His word, to feel His presence, and to receive Him in the most spiritually intimate way. It is a constant prayer. It is not a service to remind me of how to act or what to believe, but a time to glorify and worship Him.
Being Catholic means...
That I can come face to face with Christ through Eucharistic Adoration. I can feel Him there, staring back into my eyes and into my heart. It is an experience and a feeling like no other where I lose track of time and of the world around me. I am simply too busy adoring Him, speaking with Him, and feeling Him there with me. It's a state of peace, prayer, and presence that can't be described or compared to anything else.
Being Catholic means...
That I receive Him in the most beautiful and selfless way, through the Eucharist. It is Him, in the flesh. It is Him and His own blood. It is His way of saying "I am with you" in more than just a metaphorical sense. He is physically with me. It is one of the most difficult concepts to explain or understand, and yet that is exactly why it is the most important thing to me. It is a personal experience that can only be felt to be fully understood. Sitting here now trying to write this I cannot find the words to give it justice. It is more than words can describe because it is a feeling. It's like trying to explain love. No words will ever amount to exactly how you feel. Well think of it like this: receiving the Eucharist is the most beautiful and epic feeling of love that was ever created.
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| Fr Cleetus Karakkadan |
However, these words were not meant to explain those things. These words were meant to describe the experience and depth behind what it truly means to me to be Catholic.
Note: Shared as it is in Fr Cleetus Karakkadan's FB Page
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