The official word from the Catholic Church, the Body of Christ here on earth, is that it exists to continue Christ's mission on earth, the mission of his Incarnation. The mission of love. We're here to proclaim God's love and the good news of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. We're here to make disciples of all nations. It exists to sanctify and teach.
One of the most important things it does is set boundaries. We all need these boundaries, these rules. Without them we tend to go a little crazy. Watch a child that has never been given boundaries or, even worse, one whose boundaries change depending on what kind of day Mom is having. You will find an unhappy, crazy little kid who then is slapped with the label "brat".
Big people need boundaries and structure, too. By following the teachings of the Catholic Church we don't have to start each day wondering where the cheese is hidden. We are free to just get on with the business of life.
6 comments:
Speaking of boundaries, the internet knows none.
I see / read where you 'met' and engaged my nephew.
Have fun ... especially with Bill - he likes playing the antagonist.
oh, and if you're looking in on Adrienne's blog, "Hi, Bill!"
Hey!
Great to find you blog!
Welcome to the blogosphere!
"By following the teachings of the Catholic Church we don't have to start each day wondering where the cheese is hidden."
That is probaby the most profound quote I have read in a long time - thank you!!!
Here's something interesting about boundaries.
The boundaries exist because we're broken. Virtuous persons don't need rules because they have the habitual inclination toward the good.
Tiger Woods doesn't really need someone to tell him to keep his head down and follow-through. He does it without thinking because he's internalized it. Virtue is the same way.
The Catholic Church has a few saints in it, and thank God for them because they can help the rest of us learn virtue. But mostly we're a church full of fallen sinners who need boundaries.
It is really is true that whether child or adult, we all need boundaries or lines drawn. The lines Jesus drew for us are far superior to anything we could come up with on our own. Left to our own devices, it's doubtful we would come up with any at all, whether legal or moral. Our material world has always been that way. We live in an age where secularists keep pushing the envelope in that regard - for them, the fewer boundaries, the better.
In the same way we need boundaries, we also need rituals. A non-Catholic friend recently stated that "all you Catholics ever think about is rituals". I reminded him that his own church had plenty of them, and that without them, we'd all dissolve into puddles, whether in regard to our daily lives, or to our church.
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