Catholic Café

When we talk about Saints, our Protestant brothers and sisters are generally dismissive about these Catholic teachings. But also, even some Catholics are a little shy or uneasy when you bring up Saints. The Feast of All Saints is a wonderful time to revisit the longstanding and doctrinally sound understanding of the role of the Saints in our spiritual life.

The world definitely needs more forgiveness in it in order to allow God to effect healing for the brokenness that abounds in our daily lives. The problem is that forgiving others can be a serious spiritual challenge and stumbling block. Many times this can be that we do not know the difference between what forgiveness is and what forgiveness is not.

Most folks, Catholic and Protestant, can get many things wrong when it comes to the journey of becoming a saint. Whether it is the assurance of salvation or the concept of total depravity for Protestants, or presuming upon the mercy of God or the temptation to spiritual pride for Catholics, we all need realize we are only human and prone to fall on our way to heaven.

The life of Blessed Fulton Sheen came into inspiring focus recently with his Beatification in St. Louis. He was a holy pioneer of evangelization over the airwaves where he called millions of listeners and viewers into a closer relationship with the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and introduced the teachings of the Catholic Church to the masses.

Many of us have grudges, hurts, and wounds we still hold on to, and yet, we desire to receive forgiveness from God. Jesus is quite clear that to receive forgiveness, we are asked to forgive others. Our own healing in forgiveness is linked directly to our willingness to forgive.

Jesus asks if it is better to say yes to a request but then not show up or to say no and later change your mind and show up. The latter choice is the one that pleases God. This helps us see that God wants us to live a life of continuing conversion, not one of false promises.

To play the long game is to not seek only instantaneous victories, but to remain patient and vigilant, hoping that God will answer our prayer even after a long time of suffering and apparent defeat. The parable of the workers in the vineyard helps us to see the patience of God and the reward at the end of the long game.

Doubt is a natural human trait. It is not always a weakness. It can actually be a healthy and natural thing to do. Especially when it comes to contemplating the very existence of God. Our doubting naturally leads to questions, which can ultimately lead us to answers that bring us closer to God.

It seems a little strange to say that we should embrace our own human brokenness, or that we should welcome the fact that we are sinners. But, in fact, if we realize that we are broken and that we are sinners, then it should follow that we must recognize also that we need a Savior to heal us. That is exactly what is meant by the Good News.

When Jesus chose Saint Peter to be the first of many Popes of the Catholic Church, He knew that he was choosing a faithful, but fallible, human being to work in harmony with the Holy Spirit in leading the divinely instituted Universal Church. Nearly 2000 years later, the gates of Hell have still not prevailed against it.