Mass, Faith, Being Happy, Friends, & Family

[ironmonk]

"I go to Mass, but I don't know anyone at my Parish."

"I give money to the Church and to the poor, that's all I have time for."

"I don't know many Catholics."

"I'm not happy, I go to Mass, I pray, and I'm faithful, I don't feel like I fit in."

How many times have we felt any of the above statements or have heard others say them?

Some people think that going to Mass is enough. Then they wonder why they do not know many Catholics, feel like their unhappy, don't fit in, etc... .

If Catholics want to live their faith and be happy, then we need to be active in our Parish. Join organizations such as the Knights of Columbus, Prayer groups, youth groups, Education groups, help at the food pantry, etc... An old friend of mine when I was 20, Lisa Suffold, said that she only went to Mass to meet men... she liked me, and I her a lot, but I never dated her because she said that. How many others think they'll meet someone at Mass either for friendship or marriage? Mass is not social time, it's Worship time... when we go for the wrong reasons, it's almost as bad as not going.

Psychology of the last century has been guiding all of us wrong.

People now worry about self and focus on self. "They" always speak of people needing 'self esteem'. "They" always say that 'we must love ourselves before we love others'.

"They" are wrong.

Psychology of today has continued to take God out of the recipe for a healthy psyche. Pschology of today says that "it's good to believe in 'something'". Pschology of today drives us to focus on ourselves. Psychology of today cannot agree why so many people now have so many problems. Psychology of today says fix it with a pill.

The human psyche wants truth, and starves for truth. Partial truths cannot fill the psyche.

Take a look at the great saints, the poor, and people before "psychology" came to be. Depression was not an issue. Knowing self was not an issue.

The happiest people are those who focus on others. Those who help people with their time.

"But I don't have time, I've got family, I've got a job, I need some me time to."

168 hours in a week.

40-50 hrs for typical work.

56 hrs for sleep at 8 hrs a night.

1 Hour for Mass.

That leaves us with roughly 61 hours per week.

Are we using that time the way Christ wants us to?

St. Matt 16:24

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

25 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

26 What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?

27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.

St. Matt 25:34

Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,

36 naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'

37 Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?

38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?

39 When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'

40 And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'

41 Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,

43 a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'

44 Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?'

45 He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.'

46 And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

"But what about my family time."

Why not make it a family project? Teach your children to live for Christ by helping others and you will not be disappointed when they're teens or adults.

"What about the me time."

Focus on helping others and you will not need nearly as much 'me' time.

"I don't know where to begin."

Ask someone. Join the Knights of Columbus, they normally have many community projects going.

"I'm not in a Catholic area."

Help out at a hospital or retirement home. Be a beacon of the Catholic faith, and soon by the seeds you plant, your area could be Catholic.

"I don't know anyone, and I don't feel like I fit in."

That's because Mass is Worship time, not social time. When you get active in the Parish, you will meet others and when you help others you will fit in. When we put other people first, we will always fit in.

"I feel like my life is stagnant and going nowhere."

Maybe God is waiting for you to do something for others. Everything happens according to the will of God, He knows what we need. Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all things will be given unto you. He cares for the birds of the sky, feeding them and sheltering them... How much more does God love you, with your eternal soul and that you are created in his image.

God Bless, Your Servant in Christ,

ironmonk

Edited October 5, 2003 by ironmonk

[Ekilharas]

YES!

Thanks, Ironmonk!

If is were easy, it would not have as much value.

What Jesus did for us wasn't easy!

Can we do less for Him?

*********************************

I am in a new parish, a new town, a new state.

It is NOT easy.

The church I go to is 20 miles away (one way)!

Is it worth the drive? The extra time needed to be there long enough before mass to get settled and prayerfully remember who and what you are?

YES!

But it is NOT easy!

Am I blessed!

YES!

Thanks again, Ironmonk for reminding me to keep up the effort!

Blessings and Prayers!

Nell

[Adam]

I tried being active... usualy I end up with potty mouth teens, or old people... and knights of columbus isn't my thing..

My church is small, not much there except maybe an annual picnick.

[foundsheep]

The knights of Columbus are very active at my parrish(by the way thats my parrish as my avatar,St. Josephs BAkersfield CA,est.1907). I joined a few months ago and Im already meeting a lot of new and very good practicing catholics. Another thing to get involved in is teaching or assist in teaching catachism (theres always a shortage of volunteers).

[ironmonk]

I tried being active... usualy I end up with potty mouth teens, or old people... and knights of columbus isn't my thing.. 

My church is small, not much there except maybe an annual picnick.

Maybe try volunteering at your local hospital or a retirement home. Think of the joy you could bring to people by just visiting them.

Maybe get involved in a prison ministry.

You could be an example for those potty mouth teens... old people could use your company... I'm sure you could still help out with some KOC stuff without joining...

God gives us what us need, not always what we want.

Maybe those potty mouth teens and old people need you.

God Bless, Your servant in Christ,

ironmonk

Edited October 6, 2003 by ironmonk