[Note: VERT "is an online community & resource for Catholic converts, reverts and those sincerely considering converting to the Eastern Rite or Western Rite of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church." Weekly posting topics are suggested; members who wish to participate blog about that topic and link the post at VERT so that all can share. Joining VERT is simplicity itself; I highly recommend it for any "vert".]
This is actually LAST week's topic; I've missed the posting cutoff by one day due to a grandchild's birthday. I don't think our Owen will mind, though.
When I first started going to Mass regularly on Sundays, I was very concerned about whether I'd do something wrong -- or even something right but at the wrong time -- and offend someone. I held the missalette firmly with three fingers serving as place-holders on different pages, a grip I somewhat relaxed to ease the ache in my awkwardly-placed fingers only during the homily. (This, after all, was the part of Mass that was most familiar to someone coming from an evangelical Protestant tradition.)
One problem: I'm left-handed. The digital gymnastics described above were, at first, done with my right hand in order to leave my dominant hand free. So which hand did I use to make the sign of the Cross?
Yep. I did it with my south paw; during Mass, and also at the holy water font. It finally dawned on me that the sidelong glances from others nearby was not because I was following the missalette word-for-word -- inquirers and new converts are not an unusual sight in our parish masses. Rather, I'm sure it was a bit disconcerting to see the sign of our faith made with the "wrong" hand as it looked, well, backward.
I did catch on. Rather quickly, at that. But I'm such a dominant lefty that sometimes I still have to consciously remind myself as I'm leaving the church after Mass to disengage the autopilot, break with the habitual, and really think about what I'm doing. Which, come to think of it, isn't a bad way to approach going out into the world after Mass in more ways than one.
Showing posts with label VERT topics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label VERT topics. Show all posts
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
VERT Topic of the Week: Purgatory
[Note: VERT "is an online community & resource for Catholic converts, reverts and those sincerely considering converting to the Eastern Rite or Western Rite of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church." Weekly posting topics are suggested; members who wish to participate blog about that topic and link the post at VERT so that all can share. Joining VERT is simplicity itself; I highly recommend it for any "vert".]
What do you know or believe about Purgatory or have you had an experience you'd like to share?
Boy, just one mention of Purgatory and RCIA memories come flooding back. As a convert from evangelical Protestantism, this was one of the bricks over which I stumbled. Not all bricks are equal. Some are mostly sand, requiring only a touch of the truth to crumble. Others are hard-fired and not easily broken, but even these are chipped away bit by bit until there's only dust remaining.
Purgatory was a medium-hard brick for me. Call it a small cinder block.
The reason, of course, is that Protestantism teaches there's no such thing -- and no need for it, because if you're "saved" you're going straight to heaven, your ticket is already punched. I was taught that Purgatory was invented by the Catholic church to make money. (All those donations for Masses, right?) The capper, of course, was the ringing denunciation that Purgatory isn't in the Bible. So there. Sola scriptura. If it ain't there, we don't believe it. (And if it IS there and we don't like it, we explain it away; Jesus couldn't possibly have meant us to actually eat his flesh and drink his blood, it was clearly symbolic, wasn't it?)
I had already understood and accepted the need for sacramental confession and reconciliation, and in fact it made more sense to me than the breezy "once saved, always saved" -- mainly because I knew myself to be inclined to sin, as we all are. Protestantism didn't address the ongoing need for conversion/penance so long as we still breathe, but I knew the need existed; just didn't put it all together until I began seriously exploring Catholicism.
From there, it was a little easier to break the Purgatory brick. Reason alone told me that even if heaven is its ultimate destination, how can any soul enter the presence of God with the slightest attachment to even the least venial sin? Can't happen. So there must be a purgation. And if we are all one body -- the church militant, the church suffering, and the church triumphant -- we pray for one another. Including those who suffer but not without hope.
What do you know or believe about Purgatory or have you had an experience you'd like to share?
Boy, just one mention of Purgatory and RCIA memories come flooding back. As a convert from evangelical Protestantism, this was one of the bricks over which I stumbled. Not all bricks are equal. Some are mostly sand, requiring only a touch of the truth to crumble. Others are hard-fired and not easily broken, but even these are chipped away bit by bit until there's only dust remaining.
Purgatory was a medium-hard brick for me. Call it a small cinder block.
The reason, of course, is that Protestantism teaches there's no such thing -- and no need for it, because if you're "saved" you're going straight to heaven, your ticket is already punched. I was taught that Purgatory was invented by the Catholic church to make money. (All those donations for Masses, right?) The capper, of course, was the ringing denunciation that Purgatory isn't in the Bible. So there. Sola scriptura. If it ain't there, we don't believe it. (And if it IS there and we don't like it, we explain it away; Jesus couldn't possibly have meant us to actually eat his flesh and drink his blood, it was clearly symbolic, wasn't it?)
I had already understood and accepted the need for sacramental confession and reconciliation, and in fact it made more sense to me than the breezy "once saved, always saved" -- mainly because I knew myself to be inclined to sin, as we all are. Protestantism didn't address the ongoing need for conversion/penance so long as we still breathe, but I knew the need existed; just didn't put it all together until I began seriously exploring Catholicism.
From there, it was a little easier to break the Purgatory brick. Reason alone told me that even if heaven is its ultimate destination, how can any soul enter the presence of God with the slightest attachment to even the least venial sin? Can't happen. So there must be a purgation. And if we are all one body -- the church militant, the church suffering, and the church triumphant -- we pray for one another. Including those who suffer but not without hope.
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