What If

[Apotheoun]

The Church is holy because she is the body of Christ.

[Saint Therese]

[quote name='CatherineM' post='1742434' date='Jan 3 2009, 10:35 PM']I've heard our church described as a hospital for sinners, not a repository of saints. Don't get me wrong, we have lots of martyrs and saints, but most of us fall down a lot.[/quote]
Iawtc. If you're a sinner then the Catholicism is the religion for you.

Edited January 4, 2009 by Saint Therese

[CatherineM]

[quote name='Saint Therese' post='1742455' date='Jan 3 2009, 10:04 PM']Iawtc. If you're a sinner then the Catholicism is the religion for you.[/quote]

Definitely for me. They should put decontamination showers at the entrances like they have in buildings they are removing asbestos or mold from.

[Saint Therese]

[quote name='CatherineM' post='1742478' date='Jan 3 2009, 11:25 PM']Definitely for me. They should put decontamination showers at the entrances like they have in buildings they are removing asbestos or mold from.[/quote]

Same here. It blows my mind that I'm called to be a nun. It feels bizarre to sit in choir with people who are saints compared to me, srsly.

[LouisvilleFan]

[quote name='Saint Therese' post='1741118' date='Jan 1 2009, 11:32 PM']Your resolution for 2009 was to become a Saint? How would you go about it? What would you change about your life?
Shouldn't we all be working towards that goal? [/quote]

Any true resolution -- and more importantly, following through with it -- brings us a little closer to sainthood. I just read the part of "Rediscovering Catholicism" where Matthew Kelly profiles the lives of St. Francis of Assisi, Blessed Mother Teresa, St. John Vianney, St. Thomas More, and John Paul II, so I'm freshly encouraged right now to pursue sainthood. Specifically, reading the part of St. Vianney's story about going days without food and for several years eating only a boiled potato each day, and the graces his sacrifices won for himself and the people of Ars reminded me that I've sensed a nudging from God on several occasions to make some kind of ongoing food-related sacrifice.

So, while chillin' with Jesus in a nearby Adoration chapel, I was debating what kind of sacrifice would be materially significant without going so overboard that I wouldn't remain committed. Some people can give up meat entirely, but I feel like it would be good to enjoy a good steak once in a while. Thought about giving up desserts entirely, but felt that would more burdensome than joyful at times. What kind of witness would it be if I'm gritting my teeth? So... I arrived at a happy medium: giving up meat and dessert/sweets for breakfast and lunch.

That's enough that I need to consciously remember my sacrifice every day, but I can still enjoy and give thanks for a mouth-watering steak at dinner The harder part will be the other penance I offered: to offer a prayer of thanks with whoever I'm eating with every time I eat. Sacrificing a sausage biscuit or hamburger are nothing compared to sacrificing pride. Still, any material or physical sacrifice is the preparation we need to make spiritual sacrifices.

[Vincent Vega]

[quote name='CatherineM' post='1742434' date='Jan 3 2009, 11:35 PM']I've heard our church described as a hospital for sinners, not a repository of saints. Don't get me wrong, we have lots of martyrs and saints, but most of us fall down a lot.[/quote]
Fall down alot? I don't remember the last time I stood all the way up!

[Lil Red]

[quote name='Saint Therese' post='1741118' date='Jan 1 2009, 08:32 PM']Your resolution for 2009 was to become a Saint? How would you go about it? What would you change about your life?
Shouldn't we all be working towards that goal? [/quote]
+J.M.J.+
my Church new year's resolutions were:

-pray LOTH more often/daily
-go to Mass more often/daily
-read more - especially the 20 or so books that i've bought that i haven't read (mostly religious books)
-pray the rosary more
-get back to being more in-tune with what God wills for me and my life

right now i'm 1 for 5.