.
My mother was Catholic. My aunt and uncle were Catholics, their son is a Catholic,
my eldest brother-- now deceased via cancer --was a Catholic priest 50+ years and
ended his career as a Friar. My father-in-law was a Catholic, as was my mother-in
law. Everybody alive on my wife's side are Catholics; her aunts and uncles, and her
cousins. My sister-in-law was a "religious" for a number of years before falling out
with the hierarchy that controlled her order.
I was baptized an infant into Roman Catholicism and anon enrolled in catechism
classes where I went on to complete First Holy Communion and Confirmation.
One day at work, back in 1968, right out of the blue, a production designer asked
me if I was prepared for Christ's return. Well; I must've been either asleep or
absent the day that the nuns in catechism talked about Jesus coming back because
that man's question was the very first time in my whole life that I can remember
somebody telling me. I was 24 and hadn't a clue what he was talking about.
My initial reaction was alarm because I instinctively knew that were I called on the
carpet for a face-to-face with Christ, it would not go well for me because I had a lot
to answer for. I don't like being made to feel afraid so I became indignant and
demanded to know why Jesus wanted to come back. That's when I found out for
the very first time that it was in the divine plan for Christ to rule the world.
Then the designer asked me if I was going to Heaven. Well; of course I had no clue
because Catholics honestly don't know what to expect when they pass away. I was
crossing my fingers while in the back of my mind dreading the worst.
Then the man said: Don't you know that Jesus died for your sins?
Well; I had been taught in catechism that Jesus died for the sins of the world; that
much I knew; but honestly believed all along that he had been a victim of
unfortunate circumstances. It was a shock to discover that Jesus' trip to the cross
was deliberate, and that his Father was thinking of me when His son passed away,
viz: my sins were among the sins of the world that Jesus took to the cross with
him.
At that very instant-- scarcely a nanosecond --something took over in my mind as I
fully realized, to my great relief, that Heaven was no longer an impossible dream,
rather, well within my grasp.
Long story short; I eventually went with that man to his church and, along with him
and a couple of elders, knelt at the rail down front and prayed a really simple, näive
prayer that went something like this;
"God, I know I'm a sinner. I would like to take advantage of your son's death"
My prayer wasn't much to brag about; but was no doubt the smartest sixteen
words I'd ever spoken up to that time.
* Oddly, though I was confident that the Bible is a reliable authority in all matters
pertaining to faith and practice; I had never actually sat down and read it until that
production designer suggested I purchase a Bible of my own and see for myself
what it says; which eventuated in my departure from the Roman church.
My time with the RCC wasn't a total loss. I have them to thank for instilling within
me an unshakable confidence that Jesus is a man of integrity and someone to
reckon with. Very early in my Catholic youth; I began to believe that Christ knew
what he was talking about and meant what he said.
_
My mother was Catholic. My aunt and uncle were Catholics, their son is a Catholic,
my eldest brother-- now deceased via cancer --was a Catholic priest 50+ years and
ended his career as a Friar. My father-in-law was a Catholic, as was my mother-in
law. Everybody alive on my wife's side are Catholics; her aunts and uncles, and her
cousins. My sister-in-law was a "religious" for a number of years before falling out
with the hierarchy that controlled her order.
I was baptized an infant into Roman Catholicism and anon enrolled in catechism
classes where I went on to complete First Holy Communion and Confirmation.
One day at work, back in 1968, right out of the blue, a production designer asked
me if I was prepared for Christ's return. Well; I must've been either asleep or
absent the day that the nuns in catechism talked about Jesus coming back because
that man's question was the very first time in my whole life that I can remember
somebody telling me. I was 24 and hadn't a clue what he was talking about.
My initial reaction was alarm because I instinctively knew that were I called on the
carpet for a face-to-face with Christ, it would not go well for me because I had a lot
to answer for. I don't like being made to feel afraid so I became indignant and
demanded to know why Jesus wanted to come back. That's when I found out for
the very first time that it was in the divine plan for Christ to rule the world.
Then the designer asked me if I was going to Heaven. Well; of course I had no clue
because Catholics honestly don't know what to expect when they pass away. I was
crossing my fingers while in the back of my mind dreading the worst.
Then the man said: Don't you know that Jesus died for your sins?
Well; I had been taught in catechism that Jesus died for the sins of the world; that
much I knew; but honestly believed all along that he had been a victim of
unfortunate circumstances. It was a shock to discover that Jesus' trip to the cross
was deliberate, and that his Father was thinking of me when His son passed away,
viz: my sins were among the sins of the world that Jesus took to the cross with
him.
At that very instant-- scarcely a nanosecond --something took over in my mind as I
fully realized, to my great relief, that Heaven was no longer an impossible dream,
rather, well within my grasp.
Long story short; I eventually went with that man to his church and, along with him
and a couple of elders, knelt at the rail down front and prayed a really simple, näive
prayer that went something like this;
"God, I know I'm a sinner. I would like to take advantage of your son's death"
My prayer wasn't much to brag about; but was no doubt the smartest sixteen
words I'd ever spoken up to that time.
* Oddly, though I was confident that the Bible is a reliable authority in all matters
pertaining to faith and practice; I had never actually sat down and read it until that
production designer suggested I purchase a Bible of my own and see for myself
what it says; which eventuated in my departure from the Roman church.
My time with the RCC wasn't a total loss. I have them to thank for instilling within
me an unshakable confidence that Jesus is a man of integrity and someone to
reckon with. Very early in my Catholic youth; I began to believe that Christ knew
what he was talking about and meant what he said.
_
