"Do you have a personal relationship with Christ?":
This question has a way of sneaking up on us Catholics. Maybe it is something we just don't think about? Maybe it is something we take for granted? It shouldn't be. For whatever reason it appears that Catholics are taken aback by this question. However as Curtis Martin (a popular Catholic Evangelist) has said, "a personal relationship with Christ is every bit as much a Catholic issue as it is a Protestant issue, because it is a profoundly human issue." *
What all Catholics need to understand is that every follower of Christ is called to have a deep and personal relationship with our Lord and Savior. As was posted in an earlier blog, you cannot live your faith if you do not know it and also you cannot share with others what you do not know.
Mr. Martin finished his statement: "Yes, as Catholics we do have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ - He is our first-born brother, His Father is our Father and His brother and sisters become our brothers and sisters. And His mother is also our mother." *
So how do we grow in our relationship with Christ?
Read Scripture daily! The Bible is the Word of God and remains an occasion of God's continues Grace and enlightenment to those who take it upon themselves to become familar with its riches.* Scripture should be the center of every Catholics devotion, if it's not, your faith is defiecent and like a body that is not fed suffers, your relationship with God will suffer.
Pray, pray and pray some more. A relationship is a fragile and unfulfilling one (if one at all) if there is no communication.
Partake in the Church's sacraments that were established by Christ for us.
Lastly learn your Catholic faith. There is nothing more fulfilling and rewarding than the study of, and becoming familar with your Catholic faith. Get books written by Catholic authors. We recommend Karl Keating and Scott Hahn as a starting point and they will open you up to an abundance of great Catholic theologians and authors. Of course reading of the Early Church Fathers is a must.
God Bless
*Catholic For a Reason II et. Scott Hahn & Leon Suprenant 2004
This question has a way of sneaking up on us Catholics. Maybe it is something we just don't think about? Maybe it is something we take for granted? It shouldn't be. For whatever reason it appears that Catholics are taken aback by this question. However as Curtis Martin (a popular Catholic Evangelist) has said, "a personal relationship with Christ is every bit as much a Catholic issue as it is a Protestant issue, because it is a profoundly human issue." *
What all Catholics need to understand is that every follower of Christ is called to have a deep and personal relationship with our Lord and Savior. As was posted in an earlier blog, you cannot live your faith if you do not know it and also you cannot share with others what you do not know.
Mr. Martin finished his statement: "Yes, as Catholics we do have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ - He is our first-born brother, His Father is our Father and His brother and sisters become our brothers and sisters. And His mother is also our mother." *
So how do we grow in our relationship with Christ?
Read Scripture daily! The Bible is the Word of God and remains an occasion of God's continues Grace and enlightenment to those who take it upon themselves to become familar with its riches.* Scripture should be the center of every Catholics devotion, if it's not, your faith is defiecent and like a body that is not fed suffers, your relationship with God will suffer.
Pray, pray and pray some more. A relationship is a fragile and unfulfilling one (if one at all) if there is no communication.
Partake in the Church's sacraments that were established by Christ for us.
Lastly learn your Catholic faith. There is nothing more fulfilling and rewarding than the study of, and becoming familar with your Catholic faith. Get books written by Catholic authors. We recommend Karl Keating and Scott Hahn as a starting point and they will open you up to an abundance of great Catholic theologians and authors. Of course reading of the Early Church Fathers is a must.
God Bless
*Catholic For a Reason II et. Scott Hahn & Leon Suprenant 2004
posted by katholicos | 4:30 AM
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