I think today’s reading from the Book of Revelation sums up the problem with the Catholic Church in the US today:
“I know your works;
I know that you are neither cold nor hot.
I wish you were either cold or hot.
So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold,
I will spit you out of my mouth.
For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’
and yet do not realize that you are wretched,
pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich,
and white garments to put on
so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed,
and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see.
Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise.
Be earnest, therefore, and repent.” (Rev 3:14-19) The problem, as I see it, that too many Catholics are lukewarm in their faith. Sure, they might go to Mass once in a while, maybe, but most who were baptized Catholic don’t even do that. Many Catholics don’t even know what the Church teaches, or have received and accepted a false understanding of what Jesus teaches through His Church, and do nothing to correct that serious problem. Danny Abramowitz, former NFL wide receiver and coach, has developed Crossing the Goal, a ministry to encourage men in living and developing their faith. He was on EWTN Bookmark with Doug Keck last Sunday morning, where he said (roughly paraphrased), “Men will work hard at sports, and encourage their children in sports and academics, but won’t do a thing with their faith.” Being lukewarm in the faith is not only a male thing, but men seem to be more susceptible. More women work in parishes than men. More women volunteer in parishes than men. More women attend Mass than men. Some women even attend without their husbands because their husbands aren’t man enough to attend Mass just once a week, but that’s another post for another time. For both men and women, being lukewarm is dangerous. Seriously dangerous, as in spend-eternity-in-Hell dangerous. Practicing the Catholic faith is about as urgent as breathing. We can go a couple days without food or water, but can’t go more than a few minutes without oxygen. Living our faith in Christ must be that serious. As Catholics, we need to WAKE UP! We spend more time worrying about our stuff (something I’m very much guilty of doing) and taking our salvation for granted. We must not take the promise of salvation for granted. Contrary to the opinion of many Christian denominations and preachers, salvation is not a one-time-good deal. It’s something we seek every moment of our lives. We stop striving, we run the risk of not entering into salvation. It’s that simple. As St. John recorded in the Book of Revelation, “Be earnest, therefore, and repent.” Don’t wait, do it now.
I know that you are neither cold nor hot.
I wish you were either cold or hot.
So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold,
I will spit you out of my mouth.
For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’
and yet do not realize that you are wretched,
pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich,
and white garments to put on
so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed,
and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see.
Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise.
Be earnest, therefore, and repent.” (Rev 3:14-19) The problem, as I see it, that too many Catholics are lukewarm in their faith. Sure, they might go to Mass once in a while, maybe, but most who were baptized Catholic don’t even do that. Many Catholics don’t even know what the Church teaches, or have received and accepted a false understanding of what Jesus teaches through His Church, and do nothing to correct that serious problem. Danny Abramowitz, former NFL wide receiver and coach, has developed Crossing the Goal, a ministry to encourage men in living and developing their faith. He was on EWTN Bookmark with Doug Keck last Sunday morning, where he said (roughly paraphrased), “Men will work hard at sports, and encourage their children in sports and academics, but won’t do a thing with their faith.” Being lukewarm in the faith is not only a male thing, but men seem to be more susceptible. More women work in parishes than men. More women volunteer in parishes than men. More women attend Mass than men. Some women even attend without their husbands because their husbands aren’t man enough to attend Mass just once a week, but that’s another post for another time. For both men and women, being lukewarm is dangerous. Seriously dangerous, as in spend-eternity-in-Hell dangerous. Practicing the Catholic faith is about as urgent as breathing. We can go a couple days without food or water, but can’t go more than a few minutes without oxygen. Living our faith in Christ must be that serious. As Catholics, we need to WAKE UP! We spend more time worrying about our stuff (something I’m very much guilty of doing) and taking our salvation for granted. We must not take the promise of salvation for granted. Contrary to the opinion of many Christian denominations and preachers, salvation is not a one-time-good deal. It’s something we seek every moment of our lives. We stop striving, we run the risk of not entering into salvation. It’s that simple. As St. John recorded in the Book of Revelation, “Be earnest, therefore, and repent.” Don’t wait, do it now.
