Thomas Jefferson once said, “Question with boldness even the existence of a God, for if there be one, He must approve more of the homage of reason than that of blind-folded fear.” This is the big mistake that I made after Life Teen. I wanted to grow and mature, but I didn’t know how. I spent so much time and effort trying to perfectly obey rules that I didn’t understand, only to feel frustrated,
spiritually dry, and unable to defend the things in which I believed so deeply.
I was struggling with this entry at first until I recently had dinner with a friend. While discussing this upcoming work, I asked if she felt Catholics were well-educated on science and reason, which was my original topic. Her response was, “I don’t think Catholics are well-educated about anything, particularly the Church.” Everything fell into place after she said this.
The Catholic Church is entirely dedicated to the pursuit of what Aristotle merely said humans naturally pursue: that which is good. I agree with my friend that the problem is many Catholics, even regularly Mass attendees, receive so much form and not enough substance. What they don’t realize is the untold treasures that the Mass offers us. Understanding why we do what we do is paramount to understanding what leads us to Eternal Life (this is why the Nicene Creed’s text was changed from “We believe…” to “I believe…”, so that each individual would internalize and proclaim the faith in communion with each other). Knowing our faith, however, will not only enrich our own lives, but will enable us to defend it with means other than Scripture, the Catechism, or otherwise religiously-affiliated.
The reverse can also be true. Albert Einstein once said “the more I study science, the more I believe in God.” After writing this paper for another website, I became interested in more deeply studying the Church’s teachings on sex and marriage and have started looking more deeply into other issues related to sex. For example, after posting it, I began questioning even more aspects of
the notion of sexual compatibility, which led to more questions about contraception. I will soon write articles on both of these.
Knowledge of the substance of our faith is what will free us from the prison of conventional wisdom, a freedom especially needed during at time when many Catholics do not oppose premarital sex, cohabitation, or birth control, and in a time when many believe they can be faithful without attending Mass.
I recommend two quick, simple books that would be a great starting point to helping others find the substance they need. Both were written by Dr. Edward Sri, former theology professor at Benedictine College. The first is A Biblical Walkthrough: The Mass. The introductory chapter alone on the Eucharist is VERY eye-opening. The second is Men, Women, and The Mystery of Love, which is a basic background to Love and Responsibility, Pope John Paul II’s earlier work as Father Karol Wojtyla. Take copious notes and answer the discussion questions at the end of each chapter.
If we study and understand it, our faith would provide a variety of tools useful in the defense of our faith and the evangelization to those who need it, like these poor, lost souls. One would be shocked by the level of ignorance and radical simplicity with which many outsiders view God and His Church. The Catholic Church is an untapped gold mine. There is so much that we can share with the world, but it must start with us.