Wednesday, September 10, 2003

Dead Ritualistic Catholicism: Report from the Trenches

I just received a letter from a young man who was confirmed this past Sunday. For the benefit of our friends, who are constantly telling us how our dead and lifeless ritualism won't bring us closer to Jesus, I thought I'd share it after "anonymizing" it:
It was like the time you said you were praying the sorrowful mysteries and you remembered that stuff about the Roman army. . . I was meditating on the [fourth joyful] mystery [of the Rosary], then it just hit me, it is kind of cool how when our Lord was born he was brought to a Simeon, and then another Simeon was the "rock" for his church, and his head apostle: the first Pope. Anyway, I have never felt so moved before, I just want to pray alot, and go to mass every breathing second. When I went to bed last night, I felt so secure, as if I was surrounded by angels, or even the Lord himself. If I am boring you with this, then I am sorry, I have never felt this much joy, love, and urge to pray before in my life. By the way, I am up to about page 120 in the book. It is really starting to get good, I can barely put it down, I think it was a good first book to use with our little Catholic novel club.
Boring? That's probably the most touching thing in the letter, the idea that anyone would find this boring! Please pray for this young man, he has a great future in the Church, in the love of Jesus Christ.

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