It makes me sad to think there are still fellow Christians who believe Catholics are not true Christians. I have purchased many head coverings over the past several months, as I feel I have been called to cover. (haven't figured out why yet, but the tug was very strong...too strong to ignore) I have purchased head coverings from Mennonites, Protestants and I even have an Islamic woman I shop from who now refers to me as her "Catholic Sister"...
One particular shop I have enjoyed is called Garlands of Grace. I have recommended her items to fellow Catholics and Protestants, alike. Well, no more. She recently posted on her facebook page something that really bothered me. It says,
"In response to several ladies who have wondered and many others who have presumed, I am compelled to share: Garlands of Grace in NOT a Catholic run business. I am burdened for
all who stand with the Catholic Church and would plead with you to come
out and believe the Word of God.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Getting Rid of the Stains
This was today's reflection from the daily readings...
If we've fallen into sexual sin, Satan may have robbed us of good relationships, self-respect, innocence, or peace of mind. We can repent, confess our sins, despoil him, and get back what we've lost to sin. We can feel as pure and innocent as when we were little children. We can get rid of guilt and regain peace. Knock the weapons out of Satan's hand and repossess all your stolen property. In Jesus' name, quickly crush Satan under your feet (Rm 16:20).
Did you know that by having premarital sex (even if you are married to that person NOW) causes problems? Most people nowadays see sex as something we just do...it's widely accepted. Turn on the TV and a woman is dressed like she's on the prowl. Billboards on the side of the road show men and women barely dressed. Even the magazines you see when standing in line at the check out counter show pictures of women looking like they WANT sex. How can we NOT think sex, even casual sex and non-marital sex isn't ok? Society tells us it's just fine!
But, guess what? It's NOT God's design for us...NOT his plan.
Sex is something I have always seen as "dirty and bad"...men use women for sex, for their own pleasure, ONLY...women are just play things. This is exactly how I have grown up believing. Why? Because I didn't follow God's plan. From my first experience after being raped at 14 years old, I saw sex as something us women HAVE to do to get a guy and keep them happy. Give them sex, and they will love you back. WRONG!!!! Sex is something you save for the person you will spend the rest of your life with. God gave us a wonderful gift to share in marriage. When we misuse this gift outside of marriage, it leaves scars on us that seem to never go away. You become a part of that person, no matter how many, because God says once you have sex with someone, you become one. If this is true...I have become "one" with many and now I am left with feeling used and feeling guilty about all my sexual sin.
BUT, God WANTS me to ditch these feelings. There is hope. I am learning to let go of the guilt. Guilt is from Satan...Satan wants us to hold on to all those horrible feelings because, by doing so, we stay further away from God.
I now spend my mornings talking to God. I am studying and praying and working through all of these horrible feelings, and in doing so, I am feeling CLOSER to God. I'm stained...but God wants me to get as close to Him as possible. My prayer time is like using Tide with Bleach...LOL. Getting rid of all the horrible stains, one wash load at a time.
I am trying desperately to teach my children the right things where sex is concerned, but in today's society, it is so hard. They look at me like I'm nuts. But, I am planting the seed, with hopes that when decision time comes, they may do the right thing. All I can do is pray...and if they think I am being "too old fashioned"...so be it.
If we've fallen into sexual sin, Satan may have robbed us of good relationships, self-respect, innocence, or peace of mind. We can repent, confess our sins, despoil him, and get back what we've lost to sin. We can feel as pure and innocent as when we were little children. We can get rid of guilt and regain peace. Knock the weapons out of Satan's hand and repossess all your stolen property. In Jesus' name, quickly crush Satan under your feet (Rm 16:20).
Did you know that by having premarital sex (even if you are married to that person NOW) causes problems? Most people nowadays see sex as something we just do...it's widely accepted. Turn on the TV and a woman is dressed like she's on the prowl. Billboards on the side of the road show men and women barely dressed. Even the magazines you see when standing in line at the check out counter show pictures of women looking like they WANT sex. How can we NOT think sex, even casual sex and non-marital sex isn't ok? Society tells us it's just fine!
But, guess what? It's NOT God's design for us...NOT his plan.
Sex is something I have always seen as "dirty and bad"...men use women for sex, for their own pleasure, ONLY...women are just play things. This is exactly how I have grown up believing. Why? Because I didn't follow God's plan. From my first experience after being raped at 14 years old, I saw sex as something us women HAVE to do to get a guy and keep them happy. Give them sex, and they will love you back. WRONG!!!! Sex is something you save for the person you will spend the rest of your life with. God gave us a wonderful gift to share in marriage. When we misuse this gift outside of marriage, it leaves scars on us that seem to never go away. You become a part of that person, no matter how many, because God says once you have sex with someone, you become one. If this is true...I have become "one" with many and now I am left with feeling used and feeling guilty about all my sexual sin.
BUT, God WANTS me to ditch these feelings. There is hope. I am learning to let go of the guilt. Guilt is from Satan...Satan wants us to hold on to all those horrible feelings because, by doing so, we stay further away from God.
I now spend my mornings talking to God. I am studying and praying and working through all of these horrible feelings, and in doing so, I am feeling CLOSER to God. I'm stained...but God wants me to get as close to Him as possible. My prayer time is like using Tide with Bleach...LOL. Getting rid of all the horrible stains, one wash load at a time.
I am trying desperately to teach my children the right things where sex is concerned, but in today's society, it is so hard. They look at me like I'm nuts. But, I am planting the seed, with hopes that when decision time comes, they may do the right thing. All I can do is pray...and if they think I am being "too old fashioned"...so be it.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Misconceptions About Catholics & Heaven
I am asked all the time about how Catholics get to Heaven. There are so many misconceptions that Catholics believe you get to Heaven by doing good works, etc. Guess what peeps...you are all wrong!
I found a wonderful explanation on CatholicAnswers.com that may help a non-Catholic understand exactly what Catholics believe...
The teaching is basically that any person who is baptized in a Christian faith, who tries to be a good person, and feels guilt when they fail, goes to confession, and receives the Eucharist and other Sacraments will go to heaven, eventually. Catholics are taught that very few people go directly to heaven when they die, -that is a privilege reserved for only the most saintly people, someone like Mother Teresa for example. Most Catholics will go to Purgatory before going to heaven. The idea is that only a perfect soul can be admitted to heaven, as nothing imperfect can exist in the presence of Almighty God. There are a lot of different ideas about what exactly Purgatory is, but basically it's a place the soul goes to be cleansed from all the effects of sin and made perfect.
Catholics believe that anyone who dies with no mortal sin on their soul will go to heaven, eventually. If there are still imperfections and venial sins, these will need to be cleansed in purgatory, but there are only two destinations: heaven or hell, and the only determining factor is if you die in a state of mortal sin or in a state of grace. If you die in a state of grace, you will go to heaven, with or without the purgatory, if necessary. The leading a good life, praying, frequenting the Sacraments, etc. are all preparation for that last battle when you are dying and the devil is putting forth all his efforts: you need all the strength and grace that you can muster, with God's help, to face that final battle. Bottom line? Catholics believe you get to heaven by the grace of God given you through His Son, Jesus Christ - it is only through His Strength, and His Grace, that you will make it through this life, and the final battle to arrive victorious. Baptism is the necessary groundwork for this life long battle.
What about the rapture?
The Catholic Church from the very beginning has understood and professed that Jesus Christ will return at the end of time.
As for the "rapture", there is no universal agreement among Protestant Churches on this subject. In fact, they've got so many variations on that issue, that you can't find agreement even amongst those who profess a rapture.
The Catholic Church rejects the heresy that Christ will "rapture" the Church prior to the Second Coming. This doctrine is a relatively new invention that dates back to the early to mid 1800's. It is based on a complete misreading of scripture and has no historical roots in Catholicism or Protestantism.
That said; the Church believes what Scripture actually teaches. That is, at the end of time Christ will return. At that time, the dead in Christ shall be raised and those Christians still living will be transformed in the "twinkling of an eye". Immediately following this event there will be the last judgment. Now if you want to call the transformation of the living, at the time of the resurrection of dead, a rapture, that's fine. But the term isn't found anywhere in Scripture or in the writings of the Early Church.
The bottom line is this; since the beginning, the Church has faced various times of persecution and tribulation. It is said, in the last century more Christians were put to death for their faith than in the previous 19 centuries put together. So idea that Christ is going to take His Church out of the world to spare them persecution is not only unbiblical, it's unhistoric.
I found a wonderful explanation on CatholicAnswers.com that may help a non-Catholic understand exactly what Catholics believe...
The teaching is basically that any person who is baptized in a Christian faith, who tries to be a good person, and feels guilt when they fail, goes to confession, and receives the Eucharist and other Sacraments will go to heaven, eventually. Catholics are taught that very few people go directly to heaven when they die, -that is a privilege reserved for only the most saintly people, someone like Mother Teresa for example. Most Catholics will go to Purgatory before going to heaven. The idea is that only a perfect soul can be admitted to heaven, as nothing imperfect can exist in the presence of Almighty God. There are a lot of different ideas about what exactly Purgatory is, but basically it's a place the soul goes to be cleansed from all the effects of sin and made perfect.
Catholics believe that anyone who dies with no mortal sin on their soul will go to heaven, eventually. If there are still imperfections and venial sins, these will need to be cleansed in purgatory, but there are only two destinations: heaven or hell, and the only determining factor is if you die in a state of mortal sin or in a state of grace. If you die in a state of grace, you will go to heaven, with or without the purgatory, if necessary. The leading a good life, praying, frequenting the Sacraments, etc. are all preparation for that last battle when you are dying and the devil is putting forth all his efforts: you need all the strength and grace that you can muster, with God's help, to face that final battle. Bottom line? Catholics believe you get to heaven by the grace of God given you through His Son, Jesus Christ - it is only through His Strength, and His Grace, that you will make it through this life, and the final battle to arrive victorious. Baptism is the necessary groundwork for this life long battle.
What about the rapture?
The Catholic Church from the very beginning has understood and professed that Jesus Christ will return at the end of time.
As for the "rapture", there is no universal agreement among Protestant Churches on this subject. In fact, they've got so many variations on that issue, that you can't find agreement even amongst those who profess a rapture.
The Catholic Church rejects the heresy that Christ will "rapture" the Church prior to the Second Coming. This doctrine is a relatively new invention that dates back to the early to mid 1800's. It is based on a complete misreading of scripture and has no historical roots in Catholicism or Protestantism.
That said; the Church believes what Scripture actually teaches. That is, at the end of time Christ will return. At that time, the dead in Christ shall be raised and those Christians still living will be transformed in the "twinkling of an eye". Immediately following this event there will be the last judgment. Now if you want to call the transformation of the living, at the time of the resurrection of dead, a rapture, that's fine. But the term isn't found anywhere in Scripture or in the writings of the Early Church.
Will there be a period of tribulation and persecution prior to the end?Scripture seems to imply it, as does Church teaching, but the seven year period some Protestants get hung up on, may well have already been fulfilled just prior to 70 AD.
The bottom line is this; since the beginning, the Church has faced various times of persecution and tribulation. It is said, in the last century more Christians were put to death for their faith than in the previous 19 centuries put together. So idea that Christ is going to take His Church out of the world to spare them persecution is not only unbiblical, it's unhistoric.
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