Being Catholic is both perfectly natural and perfectly reasonable for me. There is an abundance of literature on the history and traditions of the Church. My faith is both reasonable and challenging.
Books have always entertained me. Books require patience and scheduling. A good book is always a private pleasure.
My adventures in reading serious Catholic books has reminded me of one quiet, understated truth. Reading is interactive. The entire brain and maybe even the soul has to be turned on. The entire being has to be willing to immerse itself in the text, willing to trust the text, willing to reflect on the text impartially.
How books and articles are chosen is not important. How the text is approached is very important. The basic questions that we are dealing with today were asked one hundred years ago, two hundred years ago, a thousand years ago. They will be asked again one hundred years, two hundred years into the future.
The nature of God has not changed. The nature of man has not changed. Books teach us that fact. There is nothing original. Originality is a great concept or idea casually placed in movie reviews and on dust jackets.
My faith helps me to be a reasonable, intelligent person. Literature pleases me.
Faith challenges me, gives me compassion, helps me understand duty and sacrifice.
The danger in modern life is to much emphasis being placed on the individual and too much emphasis being placed on material things. There is the understated steady downbeat of weakness, vulnerability which can be prevented or avoided if something is purchased. Faith tells us to resist this. This is a time when abstinence should be applied to all areas of modern life. Visits to coffee shops, visits to gyms, extended internet surfing, watching television all these should be reduced, and more time be devoted to performing good works, serving God. There are too many diversions. Modern life easily prioritizes diversions.
For many people faith is like any spectator sport. They know their roles. They show up, watch, and leave. Attending church is added to their calendar before brunch or shopping.
Faith allows us to experience something divine and beautiful.
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