Have you ever noticed that people tend to enjoy talking more about the negatives than the positives? We seem to find some kind of enjoyment in pointing out the errors and faults in things. We love making suggestions about what we would improve or do differently to make everything run better. We always seem to have a list of complaints on hand.
In terms of our faith, I’m trying to overcome this personal vice of constant negativity. Instead of complaining and pointing out what’s going wrong, I want to focus on the positives as much as possible to remind myself of the gift that I have in being Catholic.
There are so many things that I love about being Catholic that it was difficult to make a top 5 list. In fact, even as I’m typing this, a part of me wants to make it a top 10 list instead, but I’m restraining myself and keeping it at just 5.
Why? Well, I want you to share your top 5 with me! The Body of Christ is so diverse. I know that each of us will have different aspects of the Catholic faith that help us to grow deeper in our faith. I would love for the comment section on this post to fill up with the top 5 things that others love about being Catholic.
The 5 Best Things About Being Catholic (IMHO)
5 Things I Love About Being Catholic
As much as I love cute pictures of nuns, donuts after Mass, and the smell of incense, these things didn’t land in my list of top 5 Things I Love About Being Catholic.
The Bread of Life Present in Me
The Eucharist is what has kept me Catholic. At a time when I was teetering between the Catholic and Protestant worlds, someone suggested to me to read John 6 (The Bread of Life Discourse) and learn more about the Eucharist. Oh, and I also started going to Adoration. Changed my life forever. “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” has been the prayer of my heart for many years now. Each time I receive Communion or sit in the presence of our Lord, my belief increases. I desire Jesus in the Eucharist and all the graces that flow from this beautiful Sacrament.
So Much Grace and Forgiveness and Mercy
I hear people critically use the term “Catholic Guilt”. I’ve never felt that in my life. I’ve only felt the call to fully accept the forgiveness and mercy that God gives us when we repent from our sin. This is another gift that I need often. I love that our faith gives us a sure method of returning to God. There is something healing about acknowledging my sins aloud to a priest and then hearing his prayer of forgiveness for my wrongs. There’s something different about it than asking God’s forgiveness in my own prayer time. It’s difficult to explain. It’s a grace that can only be experienced through Confession. In addition to all that is offered through the Sacrament, we have other devotions like that of Divine Mercy to provide us with even more blessings, mercy and grace. The Catholic Church is just overflowing with it.
Tradition and Unity
If you’ve ever been to Mass in a foreign country and did not speak the language, you can appreciate why I love this about our Faith. There is something so comforting to me that all around the world those of the Catholic Church recite the same prayers, follow the same order, and read the same readings every day. Thinking about how many different Masses are going on all around the world each day is so powerful. We are truly the Body of Christ.
Babies (and How they Get Here)
Another aspect of the Catholic Church that I love is that they value babies – and all life! They see the God-given value and dignity of all human beings, even those that the world might have us throw away. The Church is an advocate for these little miracles. Not only does the Catholic Church protect the unborn, there is a deep regard for the process of how those babies come about in the first place. The Church teaching on sex and sexuality is profound. If you haven’t studied it, I encourage you to find time to do so.
The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20)
The Catholic Church lives out The Great Commission to the fullest. There are Catholic missionaries, Catholic emergency services, Catholic hospitals, Catholic schools, and Catholic social service agencies throughout the entire world. We bring the Gospel to others by serving them – from the poorest of the poor to the very wealthy. So much joy can be found in sharing the message of Christ in this way.
If you’re looking for a few more reasons to love the Catholic faith, check out Dr. Peter Kreeft’s Forty Reasons I’m Catholic . This talk takes things a bit deeper by citing C.S. Lewis, Thomas Aquinas, and great theologians.
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Becky Roach lives in Ohio with her husband and six children. When not doing laundry or making memories with her kids, Becky enjoys diet coke and date nights with her husband.
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