Ice Ice Baby and other random thoughts.

Day 3 has hit of the fantabulous midwestern round of ice storms.

I survived my daughters sleepless over though I'm not sure Cass did. She's home sick with a sore throat and temp today. I have sent her to bed with some herbal tea. Emily is so thrilled that someone is here sharing her morning boredom, she has spent her time bugging Cass and not me. YAY! Outside it is dripping and slippery. Since Saturday, rain and ice has plagued my little world. I went to Menard's to grab some salt for the driveway. Kris dumped 20 lbs onto the driveway to no avail. On the driveway is frozen salt. On Sunday morning, I got up and out, chipped ice off my car and risked my life to get donuts for the posse of girls downstairs. That's love I tell ya.

I'd like to vent about something that chaps my hide. As I get older, it bugs me every time I hear it and I hear it at least 3 times a year especially around the Christmas season. I am Catholic! I have been Catholic my whole life though I'll admit I am terrible about going to church. As a child, I went to church practically every week at school and then with the family on Saturday nights. I went to Catholic grade school. I went to Catholic High School. I studied Religion formally and not formally. I know the basics. Though I couldn't match anyone quote for quote, I am well versed in the teachings of Jesus and what He wanted of me. That's right, the teachings of JESUS. So why the heck do I hear every year that Catholics are not CHRISTIANS?? I would like to set the record straight. Catholics ARE INDEED followers of Christ. We are the ORIGINAL followers of Christ. The Catholic Church was established/founded by St. Peter the Apostle. We were Christian when Christian wasn't cool. Yes, I know all about the history of the Catholic church. The Brothers and Sisters didn't gloss over the corruption that occurred in the Church oh what..1000 years ago!! Yes, there are some bad Priests but please Mr. Pentacostal et al, you are not immune to corruption of your own. The Catholic church is big and is a great target. Most of the Fathers, Sisters and Brothers I dealt with lived an ascetic life and were good role models. It is unfair and wrong to bash an entire Religion for the actions of a few idiots.

When I was in college, I worked with a small town girl who's dad was a preacher or big wig in the church of the Pentacostal persuasion. The first thing she asked me was, "What religion are you?" I said I was Catholic. The FIRST THING she said was..."Oh, I'm sorry. You're going to Hell!" Uh excuse me?? Where in the world does anyone get off making that determination? "Judge not lest ye be judged" "Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord." <------- two quotes I do know. She then went on to list a list of grievances she had with Catholics and though I hate discussing these things, I felt it necessary to defend my faith. And again yesterday, I had to convince a Southern Baptist close family friend that I was indeed a Christian just like they were. Oh No, only SOME Catholics are Christians, she said. "No," said I, "we all are. " I'd like to say that no one faith owns Jesus. As a Catholic school girl, I was taught we all are brothers and sisters. Jesus was sent here for everyone, the Muslims, the Jews, the sinners and the righteous. Jesus was born of humble beginnings. Jesus' spent his time teaching. He spent his time with the sinners and the outcasts of society and proclaimed that God wanted them too. God wants us all. God wants the Jews with Him. He wants the Hindus. He wants the Buddhists, Muslims and the African bushman. He wants the sinners as much as He wants the Righteous. If we are to take anything from the teachings of Jesus, it is that. In all faiths is that message. We are all ONE. We are all facets of God. Among the Christian faiths, there are differences in semantics that is all. THe core is that we are all followers of Christ and it is Christ that we as Christians have found our path to God. I've heard that others seem to think that Catholics have a different Bible. HUH? When Catholics need a new Bible, the probably go to the same Christian book store as their Methodist neighbor and get one. The Abbey Press and other specifically Catholic stores sell what they call a Catholic Bible and I honestly couldnt' tell you what the difference is. There is a new Testament and an Old Testament with the same Noah, the same Moses and the same Jesus.

1) As a Catholic, we revere Mary. Yes, as a child I prayed the Hail Mary like any Catholic child. But we did not see Mary as God. We saw her as someone worthy of respect. She was chosen by God to do something so important, raise Jesus. Mary didn't have to. She could have said "NO". Mary didn't. She risked being stoned to death as was the law for those that were with child without a husband. On the same plane, we revere Joseph. He took Mary anyway. He as well could have told God no. When your Father wants you to raise His Son, that is well... a very large undertaking. Obviously, they did a good job. Jesus was a good son and a good Jew. When you think of Mary, you think of the ultimate Mother. Sometimes, there are things you want to discuss with Mom and not Dad. Thus, we Catholics sometimes talk to Mary as well. Her benevolent apparitions have appeared at Lourdes and Guadalupe. She has also appeared in Egypt and in Yugoslavia to children and adults. (the jury is still out on whether she really appeared on that tortilla or underpass in Chicago but...) Because of her appearance to St. Juan Diego, Christianity has flourished in Latin America. The water at Lourdes has resulted in so far, 65 certified miracles. Many more uncertified ones.

2) We are NOT icon worshippers. Catholic churches are well decorated with religious depictions but please, we were never worshipping the idols. That's just ludicrous. Our depictions are Art that stems out of reverence, not idolatry.

3) Yes, we believe in Transfiguration. When we take the Eucharist, we believe that it is Jesus' literally and figuratively.

4) We believe in works. Practice what you preach. If you are a follower of Christ, you will do his works.

5) We do not believe that abortion is just the expelling of a few needless cells. We respect life in all its forms.

6) We do not view the Pope and our clergy as "Infallible." If the Pope says something "infallible", he will note that before he speaks. He does not do that willy nilly. To declare something infallible requires much soul searching and would require taking much responsibility. I don't think there has been an infallible statement in my lifetime.

Nowhere in my teaching as a Catholic was I ever told we were RIGHT and all the other faiths were WRONG. We were never told to go out and tell people that disagree that they are going to Hell. WE were never taught to be exclusionary. We were never told that we alone own Jesus and his teachings. I frankly have no idea who is going to Heaven and who is going to Hell and it is not my place to make that determination. God loves all His people whether their path to him is through Jesus, Muhammed, the Buddha, Krishna, Judaism etc. God is complex and if we are in His image we are as well. I believe God knows us and speaks to us in language we understand. If there is more than one way to fry an egg, there just has to be more than one way to Him. The right Religion is whatever religion brings you closest to Him and of course does not harm another. And for God's sake, Catholics are CHRISTIANS.

EDIT TO ADD: My views are solely my own. Jesus may be my way but I don't think there is any harm in questioning and talking and debating and accepting that my way is not his way or her way nor is it my place to decide which way an individual chooses to go. The Bible is full of choices. Mary made a choice. Jesus made a choice. Neither was obligated or forced by God to do anything.
I was taught to question. To think things through and to look for answers. I don't think that makes me less Christian or even less Catholic.

POST SCRIPT:

Here is an example of what I'm talking about: http://www.born-again-christian.info/catholics.htm

This person is seriously MISINFORMED. I, of course, am not offended by what he wrote here. I am saying that whoever wrote this is seriously guilty of some very Un-Christian behavior and some largely erroneous assertions about the Catholic church and he therefore made a judgement that is not his to make. I did a Google search on "Are Catholics Christian" and came upon some very creative answers. One woman said Catholics were guilty of Crucifying Christ because Pontias Pilate was a Roman. Roman Centurian vs. Roman Catholic..get it? I had a very hearty laugh with that one.