ICTHUS Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 (edited) Many of you have seen my last thread "Doubting my faith". Well, I thought that the best way to allay my doubts is to assume the position that I am leaning towards, debate it (even if I may not necessarily agree with it yet) to the best of my ability, and (hope) you guys are able to refute me with convincing evidence. Kinda like what Scott Hahn did when he converted to Catholicism, except in reverse. Just to let you guys know, if I became a prot, I'd lean towards either the Presbyterian or Episcopalian church. Who would be up to it? Also, I am abstaining from the Blessed Eucharist until my doubts are allayed, or...well, let's hope it doesn't come to the other option! Edited October 24, 2003 by ICTHUS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLAZEr Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 NOOOOOOOOO!!!! as long as you are not in mortal sin, please receive the Eucharist!!! Christ will work powerfully through the grace of the Sacrament . . . Please, please, please reconsider this decision!! Let God do his part, don't just rely on yourself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
far from being worthy Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 DON'T abstain from receiving Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament [ to abstain from Him, would be the work of the evil one ] I'm praying for you. Ave Maria! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.SIGGA Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 I said on your previous thread that continuing to go to mass and recieve the Eucharist was one of the only things that ''kept me Catholic'' when I was going through doubt and trials when I wanted to leave the Church. The Holy Spirit comes to us in a unique and powerful way in the Sacraments and you need Him right now more than ever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICTHUS Posted October 24, 2003 Author Share Posted October 24, 2003 (edited) NOOOOOOOOO!!!! as long as you are not in mortal sin, please receive the Eucharist!!! Christ will work powerfully through the grace of the Sacrament . . . Please, please, please reconsider this decision!! Let God do his part, don't just rely on yourself! *edit* In hitting upon the first Catholic apologetics website I could find on the Real Presence, I found an excellent explanation of Augustines view of the Real Presence. I had forgotten that we as Catholics believe a Sacrament to be both a sign which points to a reality, and the reality itself. Augustines assertions, therefore, that the Eucharist is a symbol, in no way negate his statements in other writings that It is the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. 2. Purgatory, and its existance 3. Infused vs. Imputed Justification 4. Sola Fide vs. Non-Sola Fide 5. The Council of Trent - Did it Deny the Sufficency of Grace? So, who would like to take me on? Edited October 24, 2003 by ICTHUS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasJis Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 What are your trying to do? What are you trying to accomplish? Did you even read other's posts in the Doubting thread? Quite simply. Do you refuse to believe that Graces are transmitted through Sacraments despite one's developmental status of Faith? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleflower+JMJ Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 a priest told us once in a sermon... "when you seem farthest away from God (be it doubts), THAT is when He is the closest!" do not separate yourself from God's grace by not taking the eucharist...for it is in there that we will find our strength and will to always have that burning of faith for Him when nothing else can. its essential! only God can piece those missing pieces in for us....He is who we trust1 can a flower grow without water? NO! it needs the sun and water to survive and grow to flourish! and God in the eucharist is both!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Wednesday Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 If I abstained from the Eucharist until all MY doubts and thoughts were gone, I'd probably never be receiving it my whole adult life. I couldn't live like that! :o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p0lar_bear Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 (edited) Icthus, Choose a topic and I will discuss it with you. I can't always get to phatmass on a daily basis, so it may take a while, but I will do my best to help you. Keep praying and ask God what He wants you to think about all these things. Also, keep receiving and praying before the Eucharist. "I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus" (Phil 1:6). Have hope, He will not abandon you. Edited October 24, 2003 by p0lar_bear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EcceNovaFacioOmni Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 Read scripturecatholic.com and catholic.com and come back with any doubts you have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theologian in Training Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 Many of you have seen my last thread "Doubting my faith". Well, I thought that the best way to allay my doubts is to assume the position that I am leaning towards, debate it (even if I may not necessarily agree with it yet) to the best of my ability, and (hope) you guys are able to refute me with convincing evidence. Kinda like what Scott Hahn did when he converted to Catholicism, except in reverse. Just to let you guys know, if I became a prot, I'd lean towards either the Presbyterian or Episcopalian church. Who would be up to it? Also, I am abstaining from the Blessed Eucharist until my doubts are allayed, or...well, let's hope it doesn't come to the other option! Icthus, I mean this with all due respect but abstaining from the Eucharist is foolish. Yes, you may have doubts, so be it, welcome to the club. Yes, you may feel as though your faith is slipping, again, nothing new...we were all and still can be at anytime there again. To give up the Eucharist while you search though is quite foolish and highly unrecommended. Man, you are a Catholic, do not forget that. Protestants have their good apologists too, however, that does not mean they have the fullness of Truth. Rather, they have people who can debate well. I too was in a similar situation way back when, what did I do? I grew sad, because these people attacked those people I loved the most. They attacked my Mother and Father in Heaven. I was saddened because I could not make an account of the faith within me. I didn't give up, I didn't lose my faith, no. I spent many long, treacherous hours educating myself in the faith. I read the CCC, the Baltimore Catechism, the Catechism of Trent, and a myriad of apologetical books. Did these help? Undoubtedly. Did they alleviate my doubts and fears? Not a chance. The only thing that did that was constant prayer, and more prayer. The Devil exists, don't forget that. He sees, rather, He KNOWS you are weak, you are doubting, and you are starting to lose your faith. He is taking advantage of that. St. Escriva said something pretty difficult to swallow at times, something I cannot find at the moment, but it was to the effect that just as our salvation is planned in Heaven so is our destruction in Hell. On the one side, you may have the angels and Saints fighting for you, and on the other, the demons vying for your ultimate destruction. No, not a pretty insight to have, but a reality nonetheless. The less you receive Jesus, the less and less life you have within you. Remember, "it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives within me." Do you really want to deprive yourself of that self-same life? In essence, by denying yourself the Eucharist, so long as you are not in a state of mortal sin, you are telling God that you know better what to do than God Himself. Never forget we are creatures of a Creator, to pretend any different is to make a mockery of God. Yes, you have doubts, fears, difficulties, and temptations. You are human, you are not an angel, you are not a saint. You are merely human. You need the life of Christ to be anything more than human. Saints don't become saints on their own merit, nor can you understand the mysteries of faith on your own merit as well. Apologetics is only good if it is fostered by a strong prayer life. Otherwise, why bother defending anything related to God? I am telling you, if you give up the Eucharist, you will live to regret that decision. Believe me when I tell you it may seem like something great, but just wait until the darkness you experience now gets even darker, more confusing, and you don't even know who God is. That, my friend, is quite painful. Just my .02, take it for what it's worth. You are in my prayers God Bless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 The more you doubt the more you need the Eucharist.!!!!! Faith is an act of will, not a feeling of satisfaction. THe feelings are a gift God sends you at his will. A 1000 difficulties do not make up one single doubt. What reason can you think of ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeraMaria Posted October 25, 2003 Share Posted October 25, 2003 Hang in there, prayers goingb your way. Don't deny yourself the Eucharist, the Eucharist is what'll see you through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foundsheep Posted October 25, 2003 Share Posted October 25, 2003 The eucharist is like a direct connect telephone call for you ,especially right now. When you praying during mass think about those doubts but also think of all the good things God has given you. You will get your answers in due time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleflower+JMJ Posted October 25, 2003 Share Posted October 25, 2003 The eucharist is like a direct connect telephone call for you ,especially right now. When you praying during mass think about those doubts but also think of all the good things God has given you. You will get your answers in due time. yeah so please! don't hang up!! :unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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