Finding help

To whom do we turn?

·°•·

As Catholics, in whom should we seek counsel? If we are not in an area where we can get a spiritual director, where do we turn? Who do we seek for counsel? What if there is no one? God is there, yes... but in what person to we entrust our thoughts, concerns, worries, confusion, and spiritual health?

Many people accuse bloggers of being holier than thou or casting rocks at others as "less than, Catholics"... but for myself, and many others, that simply isn't true. Many bloggers I know are so torn with pain inside... that this is their only outlet. It is horrifically difficult to be a Catholic in today's world. Try having a conversation with other Catholics about birth control, homosexuality, or even the idea of using latin at Mass. You will be vilified, yelled at, and de-friended. Try seeking counsel in Church leadership regarding veils, kneeling, confession, or explanation regarding traditional practices... you may be corrected, brushed-off, ignored, or outcast. Use words like, hell, Satan, spiritual warfare, battle against evil, or weapons of the faith... you will be laughed at, yelled at, and cast-off as extreme and archaic. 

If this happens... to where, or to whom do we turn?

casting stones

·•°·

I was asked the other day by a friend if I receive negative comments on my blog. For the most part I do not... I am humble enough to know that most people wouldn't waste their time correcting my foolishness, my brazenness, my outlandish comments, my ignorance, or my unfortunate uncharitable judgments. Then they asked me why I blog, and I answered them.

"It is my spiritual outlet. I live where I don't have a spiritual director, regular confessor, or even a pastor to discuss things with. I have no ministries, no groups, and almost no avenues to actively participate in functions of the Faith. If I had a men's group... I would need to make one less post a week. If there was a young adults group, a theology on tap, a bible study, or any type of ministries or apostolates at our parish... I wouldn't need to make a lot of my posts.

They say God gives us everything that we need. He gave me the idea to blog. I am not perfect at it... nor am I close. But since I have no one to guide me personally... this becomes my guide. The friend then asked how it improves me as a Catholic... or spiritually, especially if I make mistakes or accuse others of faults? That questions was hard... but then it came to me: maybe I am meant to make mistakes... so that others with correct me, and thereby guiding me on a path closer to God. Maybe one day, a priest will get so fed up reading my heretical mistakes and rants... that he will be convinced that he must correct me and guide me. I continue to pray.

seeking truth

·°•·

I don't want to seem ungrateful. God is good and provides me with this avenue of learning and faith. I am not always right. Sure I write with an authoritative attitude sometimes, but when one believes something, they should be convicted. I try and espouse the teachings of the Church, and not simply my opinion of it. My opinion shouldn't matter, and neither should yours. What matters is the truth... that which we should all be seeking... constantly. 

But how do we know the Truth? How can we discern what we should do in life to live the Truth of God, given to us as the Word made flesh? Where do we find help...to find God?

The world is attacking us constantly, and we, along with our Guardian Angels, are locked in spiritual warfare with an enemy hell bent on destroying our souls and damning us forever in a lake of fire. You would hope that there might be someone out there to guide you... but who is that person? Where do we find them? Whom do we trust.

I pray... that I find that help.