My sister Shannon is a great soccer player, but only if you are on her team. When playing against her (especially one-on-one), you will find yourself frustrated by her speed, stamina, sharp elbows, and uncanny ability to eject you from the ball despite the fact that she is smaller than you. You will also lose.
I love when Stephen Colbert talks about Catholicism because he “plays” apologetics like Shannon plays soccer. He doesn’t let those who debate him articulate their argument (which can be frustrating), but I suppose that those who debate him expect him to do that, and they have fun anyway. I marvel at how bluntly and good-naturedly he points out the truth.
Also, this:
I love when Stephen Colbert talks about Catholicism because he “plays” apologetics like Shannon plays soccer. He doesn’t let those who debate him articulate their argument (which can be frustrating), but I suppose that those who debate him expect him to do that, and they have fun anyway. I marvel at how bluntly and good-naturedly he points out the truth.
Also, this:
My two sisters and I spent years playing soccer on the same teams, and we played well together. There was another trio of sisters on our club teams, and in high school, all six of us played varsity together. Because we knew one another’s game so well, we required very little communication to know where on the field the field one another would be. We were at our best when were all on the same page.
As a Church, we should live and communicate our faith just as harmoniously. Being the universal Church means of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing, no matter who or where we are. To competently communicate our faith, it helps to learn as a team, from the same coaches and the same play books. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is one of many publications that gives straight answers about what the Church believes. Our beliefs are no secret. Anyone can look them up, if they can distinguish between official Church teachings and some guy who has gone rogue.
Saying, “I’m Catholic,” is a concise way of saying that I believe everything the Catholic Church teaches. When I encounter a Church teaching that I struggle to understand or accept (and this has certainly happened), I have two options: A) Judge the truth on my own, or B) Trust that Holy Mother Church knows best, obey her even when it’s a tough concept to swallow, and seek an understanding of what she says, one step at a time. As a member of this team that’s been playing together for almost 2,000 years, I choose the latter.
We must ask questions, but questioning is not an end in itself. Even the greatest mysteries can be known and understood to an extent. God has revealed such love to us. How will we respond? The Church offers us the tools we need to get answers for ourselves and work as a team to echo them to others.
Play on.
Written by: Kelly O’Brien
As a Church, we should live and communicate our faith just as harmoniously. Being the universal Church means of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing, no matter who or where we are. To competently communicate our faith, it helps to learn as a team, from the same coaches and the same play books. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is one of many publications that gives straight answers about what the Church believes. Our beliefs are no secret. Anyone can look them up, if they can distinguish between official Church teachings and some guy who has gone rogue.
Saying, “I’m Catholic,” is a concise way of saying that I believe everything the Catholic Church teaches. When I encounter a Church teaching that I struggle to understand or accept (and this has certainly happened), I have two options: A) Judge the truth on my own, or B) Trust that Holy Mother Church knows best, obey her even when it’s a tough concept to swallow, and seek an understanding of what she says, one step at a time. As a member of this team that’s been playing together for almost 2,000 years, I choose the latter.
We must ask questions, but questioning is not an end in itself. Even the greatest mysteries can be known and understood to an extent. God has revealed such love to us. How will we respond? The Church offers us the tools we need to get answers for ourselves and work as a team to echo them to others.
Play on.
Written by: Kelly O’Brien
