Its the Suffering

I am so excited to have one of my blogging crushes writing here today Jenna of Call Her Happy was one of the first bloggers I ever met in person and she's taught me a lot through these awesome classes. Her wit, humor, and honesty are just a few reasons she is one of my favorites to read. Jenna is married and mom-extraordinaire to Ellen, Sam, and baby boy 3#.
With that being said, I'll let Jenna take it from here...


Do you ever wonder why mega-churches are so on fire? People pour into their stadium seats week and after week (and on Wednesday nights too!) to hear a message, fill up and participate in fellowship. But, I suppose you - ideally - can find those things at any community gathering or church, right? So, what is it about these churches? We are a world of sinners looking for solace. We want to know that it is ok. We want to know that we are good people. And we want to feel that we are doing good deeds. But, these churches promise these feel-good messages in bulk. And, they are often able to do so without what many have coined "Catholic Guilt." Who wants to feel bad about themselves when deep down we know we are full of error? Isn't Jesus supposed to make us feel better? Well, yes.

 
But.

The reason I am Catholic might be the reason that many stay away. Catholicism has the entire package, and it all makes sense. And, while I truly believe that many non-denominational churches are doing wonderful things in the world, by belonging to one I would feel that I was missing out on a lot of important truths.

 I'm not here today to write a long apologetics post. That is another day or days or years. But the message that I want to convey is that the Catholic church all adds up. Everything we believe is rooted in biblical truth and Christian tradition. And nothing contradicts itself. The many traditions and Sacraments we follow aim to amplify these principles. And, more often than not, the consistent nature of Catholicism means that we have to take the feel-good messages along with the ever present and maybe even more important Passion of Christ.

We live in a world of suffering due to our sinful nature, and ignoring that fact can only cause disappointment. We need to recognize that suffering is a part of life in order to fully understand why Jesus came to save us from this world. So, I will say it again: I love the energy and attractiveness of a large church communities, but it is the suffering and Passion of Christ visible in our lives that draws me to being Catholic. Yes, we are an Easter people, but suffering must come first.




Call her Mommy. Call her Wifey. But always, always call her happy. Thanks again Jenna!!