Youth Ministry: May 2011

Glass Half Full

By Mary Lou Rosien

As I have mentioned before, I belong to several Christian prayer groups that are not exclusively Catholic. Most of the time I feel accepted and part of a unique brother/sisterhood of fellow believers. This week at a prayer meeting, someone inadvertently hurt me by making a negative reference to Catholicism. A few others noticed the comment and reached out to me following the meeting, expressing their love for me and asking me not to judge to harshly. I made a conscious decision to forgive and not to take offense.

The incident has made me ponder what the others in the group really think of me and of Catholicism in general. It is so easy for others to misunderstand the Church and her teaching, but it is also difficult for me to see why others only see faith as half full. I would never judge these Christians, I am impressed with their love and devotion to the Lord. I trust God to bring them where ever they need to be on their faith journey … but still I do wonder.

We are blessed to possess the fullness of faith. I marvel at the miracle of the water turned into wine, but after that miracle it seems clear to me that it was just a precursor to the wine which the Lord would turn into his blood. Why is it so easy for Christians (even many Catholic Christians) to accept the first half and then reject the second half? Similarly, everyone accepts that the Word was made Flesh (in Jesus), but some ignore that the Flesh was made, “True food” (see Jn 6:55). Why is the first so easy to accept and the second so difficult?

Although my Christian friends accept me because I love the Lord, serve him and believe in the Trinity, I sometimes wonder if they believe deep-down that I am worshiping an idol?

One of my favorite Scriptures for me is John 6:66. It explains that when Jesus explained the teaching of the Eucharist, many left. He did not call after them and say, “You misunderstood, it was supposed to be a metaphor.” He let them leave. John: 23-69 is my explanation for remaining Catholic. I cannot leave because the teaching is difficult. That is where faith comes in.

When I researched Scripture that supports and explains the teaching on the Eucharist, I encountered an article that goes methodically through many Biblical references about the Bread of Life: “The Eucharist in Scripture,” by Marty Barrack. If, as Catholics, our youth are struggling with the concept of the Eucharist, or defending it, resources such as this may help. God Bless.

Mary Lou Rosien writes from North Chili, NY. She is the author of Managing Stress with the Help of Your Catholic Faith (OSV Publishing). Email her at mrosien@rochester.rr.com.