Unbelief of Believers

Unbelief of believers

 Who are those that have a difficult understanding of the many doctrines of the Catholic Church, especially Roman Catholics?.  We know that it is simple to be Catholic and follow rules of abstaining from food during fast days, or using that as another way of preparing for special feasts in the church ennsuring we are registered in our local parish, assisting in everything and supporting activities if it is possible.  

Beyond that we find obstacles that the average parishioner has difficulty in essential theological premises such as the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.  Unless those people take a course of instruction on the theology of the Eucharist they just automatically receive communion without the slightest belief as to the action of the Consecration and perhaps just do as most when receiving the host.  There is a period of time, maybe just a minute, after the reception of the host  thanking God for the opportunity to be able to share in the Easter Triduum which is what we celebrate at every Mass.

Teaching this truth is very important so the average parishioner realizes this is not as many protestants celebrate their communion rites as a memorial and do not reserve the left-over species as we do.  To many of them this is just a reflection of the 2,000 year old sacrifice reminding what Jesus did at Calvary and then go on to something else to fill time.

Remembering without sharing the actual event on Good Friday leaves an empty feeling if our understanding doesn’t do more than listen to the words of Consecration and know we are not sharing a past event, but living in a past that is present at each Mass when the priest raises the host saying; “This is my Body”  Not a past thought but being there the moment Jesus was crucified.  As the priest raises the chalice and says the words; “This is my Blood  given for you” as Jesus hands his spirit over and dies. 

As I have alluded to in other articles this is the Collapse of Time; where with God there is no past and when the sacrifice of the Mass occurs Christ becomes present at the words of the priest, in the place of the priest and Jesus at the Last Supper.

Try as we might, this is very hard for many to understand and accept.  The other similar extraction is the belief that when the bread and wine, the Body and Blood of Christ remain forever intact when reserved in the Tabernacle.  We usually do not reserve the precious blood.

In addition to truth regarding the Eucharist and real presence is the doctrine of the Blessed Mother.  We do not worship her, but we do honor her.  Unfortunately the many misunderstandings regarding her perpetual virginity has turned the thoughts of this and the children she is supposed to have birthed becomes a real problem.  If all these people with anti-beliefs in church doctrine and the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception would take time to examine the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding so many misconceptions we would have many unbelievers turning to evangelists within our own ranks.

Ralph B. Hathaway