Near the end of the homily the priest at Saints Peter and Paul began the first of his "Things we forgot about the Catholic faith" lessons. Using a copy of the Baltimore Catechism, an updated version he assured us, he began with the first of the Ten Commandments. You Shall Worship the Lord Your God and Him Only Shall You Serve
So often, the priest instructed, we let the gods of our disposable culture come between us and loving God or come between us and loving our neighbor. The priest rattled off a familiar list of false gods; mindless consumption, the drive to buy more and more. Loss of value and worth for all we consume and discard. When was the last time you repaired something? Obsessions with gossip, celebrity or personal power. And then a jolt as the priest mentioned one final obstacle, one final false god. Are we too busy comparing ourselves to others, he asked.
Are we too busy comparing ourselves to others? Are we too concerned how others perceive us. Could this really prevent us from having a relationship with God? We paused to reflect on our own disruptions.
It has been many years since the catechism classes of my youth and a refresher course is certainly needed. Perhaps I should mention these weekly lessons at Sts. Peter and Paul to my parish priest. Maybe we could organize a weeknight class for adult Catholics to learn anew what makes our faith so rich and beautiful. A Catholic should reflect on what we believe and why, for it will certainly bring us closer to God. The priest at Sts. Peter and Paul understands this and with a few minutes taken at the end of each homily to teach our faith he is strengthening that love.
When was the last time you read a book about Catholicism? Perhaps this is a good week to select one from your library or bookstore. A beautiful feature of our faith is the wealth of writing available to us. From the ancient Christians writers to those of the present, we are a religion that loves to write!
Suggestions
The Mass: The Glory, The Mystery, The Tradition
Consuming the Word: The New Testament and The Eucharist in the Early Church
The Bad Catholics Guide to Good Living
Fearing the Stigmata (very funny and touching)
The Bible
Confessions- Saint Augustine
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