If it isn’t for (at?) me, write it off to my hyper-vigilance (paranoid?) tendencies.

Baptists would say people need to get really saved rather than just making mental assent and “feeling good” about it. As Catholics we say the answer is some mix of frequent Confession, frequent Eucharist and maybe even frequent Adoration. But why?

Is that sufficient? Is there more? I keep thinking if we Catholics upped the emphasis on relationship with God without giving up our emphasis on sacraments, we’d be ahead in addressing the problem. We’d see the sacraments are the way to understanding/deepening/ experiencing/reaffirming the relationship rather than a “boring” ritual Father does on Sunday at the end of Mass before we go home. And what we do once a year at a penance service because we’re supposed to, though we’re not sure why.

(I know, I know, Christ is present in the sacraments, but that isn’t selling well or seizing folks sufficiently with revelation, or the wouldn’t be racing for non-denominational groups. Also it seems even good Conservative Catholics talk about Christ’s presence, but it doesn’t affect us much. If I really believed it, I wouldn’t be able to do anything in Mass but to focus on Him in the tabernacle, in the Eucharist, in the proclaiming of the Word, in the priest. I wouldn’t read the bulletin before Mass, touch base with my friends in the sanctuary after Mass, or leave before Father finishes processing.)

Seems Catholics may have become just as guilty as Protestants in emphasizing good feelings about self and others and being seeker sensitive. Psychological flim-flam has apparently ascended over every group whether we call it church, denomination, or separated brothers. Oprah and Ellen and Dr. Phil are our real priests whether we are Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox. They are the one’s from whom we seek absolution.

They teach us “I don’t have sins, I have issues.”

If we are really the True Church (which I believe with my whole heart), what do we do to recover a sense of Sin if we don’t start emphasizing the gap that exists between me and God? I need to know more than it’s sad people don’t go to confession like they did in the 50’s or that we should stand up against social oppression and against same sex marriage, and.., and…,and….I need to know that sin is real, and God isn’t my buddy.

My pride and self-centeredness are my problem. I don’t have problems with my view on capital punishment. I struggle with being convinced my prayers make sense. I struggle with worry and envy and doubts about what makes sense in my life. And most days I don’t care much if the language is English, Latin, or the Aramaic Jesus used. I want desperately to get a closer grasp on the hem of his garment, but more importantly, I want Him to have more of me

Is that anyone else’s struggle?

The two priests that speak most into my life have both spoken of some behaviors send us squarely into Hell unless we really confess and have real contrition as we appropriate the merits Christ died to get us. They both have trounced the belief that we ought to feel good because it feels good to feel good. I can feel good about myself in God. Otherwise, I’m a fool.