Being a Catholic has always been a central part of my life. Though leaving the Catholic Church has never crossed my mind, explaining why I remain Catholic is a question I have never felt the need to answer. Living as a Catholic does present its unique challenges. Certain values we consider important are constantly being questioned in today’s society. The Catholic Church provides me with the guidance and strength I need to face everyday difficulties and to always trust in Jesus’ consoling presence.
Saints
The saints have always been important both as heavenly intercessors, as well as models of faith. They offer us examples of how to live our faith in different circumstances, but they also help us by their prayers, by being our trustworthy and faithful friends. For me, St. Thérèse of Lisieux is especially important. She has helped me understand that holiness is open to us all, in the context of our everyday lives. It is not the greatness of the action which is important but the love which inspires it. In her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, she stated, “You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them.”
Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta has also been important for me. She not only spoke of God’s love and concern for each of us, but she demonstrated it through her compassionate care for the poor and sick. She saw Jesus in all those she met and understood that by helping them she was indeed helping Jesus (Matthew 25:31-46). Mother Teresa taught us to recognize the poor among us, in our neighborhoods, in our homes. She invited us to reach out to them, even if only with a smile or a word of comfort. Sometimes such a small gesture can make all the difference.
Saints of all ages offer us models to imitate. Their lives and witness to the gospel teach us how to follow Jesus even in challenging situations. St. Paul told the Corinthians, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). St. Paul’s life and those of all the saints imitate the life of Christ, a life of humble service and love. The example of their lives, their writings, and the prayers they offer God for us and for the world are of great benefit to the Church as a whole.
Art
The Church has always invited the arts to visually convey the gospel message, to express the beauty of the faith and depict what words alone could never fully communicate. Michelangelo’s sculptor Pietà depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary weeping over the body of her son Jesus. Giotto’s painting The Kiss of Judas depicts the dramatic moment in which Judas comes face to face with Jesus in order to betray him with a kiss. Caravaggio’s work St. Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy portrays St. Francis at the moment in which he receives the stigmata. Masaccio’s painting Expulsion from the Garden of Eden depicts Adam and Eve, filled with guilt, as they are chased out of the Garden by an angel.
Art continues to convey the gospel message and faith of the Church today. Catholic artists continue to depict what words alone do not adequately convey. For instance, I recently saw the bronze statue Homeless Jesus. This statue by the Canadian Catholic sculptor Timothy Schmalz depicts Jesus as a homeless person lying on a park bench and loosely covered with a blanket. His face and hands are hidden under the blanket, but his feet are clearly visible and bear the crucifixion wounds of Christ. This feature alone reveals the true identity of the figure. This statue visually depicts Matthew 25:40 in which Jesus as judge at the Last Judgement states, “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” It shows us the importance of showing compassion and care for the marginalized.
The sculptor wants to challenge us; he wants us to see Jesus in those suffering among us. This work has been controversial in the past. Its unconventional depiction of Jesus as an outcast of society is unsettling and has not always been warmly welcomed. However, in 2013, Pope Francis blessed a model of this statue. He gently touched the knee of the figure of Jesus the Homeless. He then closed his eyes and quietly prayed. Many churches, schools, and Church offices now house this statue, though it still faces rejection by some. This radical depiction of Jesus helps us return to the gospel and see a startling image of Jesus, one we may have forgotten or which we may not wish to see. This statue visually depicts what Blessed Teresa of Calcutta showed us by her life. It urges us to actively show concern for the least fortunate, recognizing that by doing so we are helping and loving Jesus himself.
The arts continue to play an important role in sharing our faith in the Church. At times, artistic representations may challenge conventional views. However, with time and reflection, they help us have a deeper understanding of the gospel message.
The Holy Scriptures and the Eucharist
After the Bread of Life discourse, a difficult teaching for his listeners to understand, many abandoned Jesus and left. This teaching on the Eucharist, that one must eat Jesus’ flesh and blood to have eternal life, presents Jesus as the source of true life. Those who could not accept these words “returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him” (John 6:66). When Jesus asked the Twelve if they too wished to leave, Simon Peter responded, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Peter spoke for the Twelve and he speaks for us also. Jesus nourishes us with the Eucharist; he nourishes us with his Word and his life. Through the Eucharist, Christ enters our hearts and our lives to renew them and to fill them with his grace, to inspire us to live our lives in accordance with our faith. It is Christ’s gift, who makes himself present there among us, uniting us with the Father and with each other.
As Catholics, we are fortunate to have this gift of Christ offered to us in the Eucharist, as well as the nourishment provided in the Word of God. By reading the Scriptures, both privately and as a community, we follow Jesus as he teaches his disciples, as he performs miracles, as he offers himself on the Cross, and as he is raised from the dead on the third day. We walk in the darkness with Mary Magdalene as she goes to visit his tomb and we rejoice with her when he calls her by name. Jesus continues to be present among us as we gather together in prayer, for he promised, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). Jesus transforms us and gives us the strength and guidance to walk along his path.
I remain a Catholic because Jesus is present in the Church. He is present in the Eucharist and in the Word of God, he is present among us as a faith community, he is present in each of our lives. Jesus teaches us to recognize him in the people around us and he assures us that his loving care and guidance will accompany us always.
