Not Being A Catholic

 

From Wikimedia Commons, used by Creative Commons Attribution permission

"A mission of compassion for the world"

It is not easy not being a Catholic. You see, we do not have a priest we can confess to and lay all of our sins in his ear. He would then give a Catholic a number of things to do, and absolve the parishioner of all confessed sins. Then they are ready for the next Mass.

Non-Catholics have to confess their sins direct to our Father. Oh, He knows them anyway, but He has requested we acknowledge them, with remorse, too. There are no "Hail Mary's" and we've already spoke directly to our Father, which means in most cases we already know what we were - and are -  supposed to do.

The important thing is, our sins are gone. The ones we prayed to Him about, that we regret that have caused a separation between Him and ourselves. We can do this any time, any place, just as a thief on a cross could call across to the man in the middle:

And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. (Luke 23:42)

A bit further back in the Bible, King David was speaking directly to God after a reminder from his pastoral authority figure, the prophet Nathan:

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. (Psalms 51:2-4)

Oh, we all need an intercessor - someone who speaks for us before a higher authority - but as not being Catholic, ours is God:

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (1 Corinthians 2:12)

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

There are other verses, but no need to fill pages here - the message is simple, as long as scripture is where we find God. Bereans did:

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. (Acts 17:10-12)

I believe scripture is of great importance - partly because the Bible says so. But, not being a Catholic, this comes easily:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Oh, yes, not being a Catholic, I'm not confined to fish on certain days, and our pastors know what family life is like because they live through it, too:

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. (1 Timothy 4:1-5)

Peter had his own experience with changes in dietary laws that opened his heart to non-Jewish believers:

And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. (Acts 10:13-15)

There is much to learn in Acts 10. The story of Cornelius and Peter has great depth, and comes to me when I'm reading other verses as confirmation that God speaks to those who speak to Him.

No - I have not had any specific experience where I believe I heard God's voice. But - I could spend pages here showing His hand in where and how I am now. As Paul, I've kicked against the pricks that are designed to lead me on the right path, but I learned better before I took a road to Damascus:

And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. (Acts 9:4-5)

Few have such a direct meeting with our Lord. And that's fine with me. His judgment seat is enough for me to consider. Not the first one - I know I'll make it through that because I believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who died as prophesied, and rose again on the third day - as He told His disciples. They forgot. They didn't have the gospels, the letters to the churches, the Revelation to John. But, they had Jesus for another 40 days, then received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and they turned the world upside down. Or, at least people tlhought so.

Spend time with your Bible in prayer to our Lord. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. We've been given instructions on how to deal with wrong spirits:

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:1-4)

Why? Because reading the Bible brings us closer to our Father. In fact, look beyond the verses here. read chapters especially John, who tells why he wrote:

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13)