WORDS TO THE WHYS

The truth will make you odd. Flannery O’Connor

Eleven Ways You Can Know That You Are A Faithful Catholic

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What is the mark of a Christian?

It is to watch daily and hourly and to stand prepared in that state of total responsiveness pleasing to God, knowing that the Lord will come at an hour that he does not expect. - St. Basil

A true Christian is vigilant, meaning he is ready to hear God’s word and to respond accordingly. - Carl E. Olson (CWR)

You are a faithful Catholic when... .

  1. You can recognize truth and live by the truth. You are capable of discerning between fact and fiction by constantly relying on Church teaching to inform your thinking (Zechariah 8:16) and to form your conscience. Furthermore, you know that the phrase 'my truth' is a mental evasion and a lie.
  2. You know that love is defined by the example of Jesus, not by the strange words and actions of an errant teacher or some misguided social media influencer (St John 13:34-35; 2 Timothy 4:3).
  3. You pray often - every day, morning, noon and night - and pray with a sincere heart to intercede for others, and to dispose yourself to the grace of God that sustains you.
  4. You pray sacred scripture because God speaks through the sacred text.
  5. You habitually act in a way that seeks and actually supports the good of others (St Matthew 25:31-46).
  6. You believe and behave in a manner that honours your dignity as a child of God, i.e., a person made in the image and likeness of God who is saved by Jesus.
  7. You are grateful for Jesus' gift of salvation, and that gratitude finds ways to express generous support for the mission of the Church, which is the salvation of souls (cf. Canon Law #1752).
  8. You serve (attend) Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation, and weekdays as often as possible, because you acknowledge that Jesus is really Present - Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity - in the Holy Eucharist (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1374), and you desire to be close the Lord (St Luke 10:42).
  9. You receive Holy Communion reverently. You cling to His Real Presence - Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity - that is the Holy Eucharist (1 Corinthians 11:27-32).
  10. You keep the commandments of Jesus (St John 14-15).
  11. You have the good sense to stay close to the confessional. We are all sinners given new life by Jesus in the Sacrament of Baptism. When we run off the rails due to mortal sin, we need His gift of the Sacrament of Penance wherein we - penitents expressing to God through His priest real sorrow for sin, accepting our culpability and prepared to do penance - can be restored to friendship with God.
Faith is... .

Letter to the Hebrews 11:1-2
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old received divine approval.

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