Top photo caption: Magnific photo
By Erik Schenck, Fiat Ventures
Sixth Sunday of Easter
It’s an exciting time to be Catholic, especially in the United States! We are led by the first USA-born pope, there is a growing trend of young people returning to the foundations of faith and tradition, and the internet is awash with good Catholic content driven by creators who appear to be truly devout, honest, and humble.
To be sure, there are challenges; still more people leave the Church than join, many who remain aren’t properly formed or they hold beliefs opposed to Catholic teaching, scandals continue to surface and damage our ability to spread the Gospel. And yet, I see cause for hope! All these obstacles were there…have seemingly always been there…but the good hasn’t been so obvious.
I wrestled with the readings for this week without any inspiration for a long while. Frustration stole more and more of my focus as the minutes fell away. Finally, I requested an extension (which I hope not to use), closed my computer, said a quick prayer asking for guidance from the Holy Spirit, and picked up my guitar to clear my head. Then, this morning, I was thinking about a conversation I’d like to have with Mr. I-don’t-remember-who about the Church. The excerpt from St. Peter’s letter shot into my mind: “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope…”
THANK YOU, HOLY SPIRIT!
As I said earlier, “…the internet is awash with good Catholic content driven by creators who appear to be truly devout, honest, and humble.” Increasing your knowledge of our faith and the Church created by Jesus Christ has never been easier! I encourage you to make yourself ready, as St. Peter urges, to explain your faith to others. Seek the information and you will find it.
But, I won’t simply lose you into the nether of the World Wide Web without some guidance. And I’m going to pull from St. Peter to help.
First – seek reputable sources. St. Peter says to offer your explanation, “…with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear…” If you view or read something that seems to produce negative emotion rather than provide information, it doesn’t conform to this rule from the first pope. If you are unsure of something, ask your parish priest for guidance.
Second – connect with Christ through what you consume. Again, St. Peter offers guidance here: “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.” Anything you read or watch should help you connect with Christ while equipping you to defend your faith. It should build you up rather than answers to objections, which is valuable, but may not help you connect with your faith. Maybe start with a podcast that explores Sacred Scripture, which will grow your knowledge while exposing you to God’s written word!
I know this post is a bit more practical than my usual entry. But I think this piece of being Catholic is important. Our religion is not just spiritual; it is intellectual and practical too. And I found, the more confident I became in my knowledge, the stronger my desire to follow our Lord…and to follow Him as He commands.