For most people, I suspect, the social connections they make at work or in the family are sufficient.
As Catholics, we should know that the entire Deposit of Faith is given to us by God to save our souls from everlasting condemnation in hell. It isn't just an individual thing, but individual it is. Becoming a follower of Christ or a disciple is a sign of that saving of one's soul.
The Holy Bible, both Testaments, ultimately point to the need for people to be saved from God's wrath and eternal condemnation. Both Testaments prove there is a True God and what our True God expect of individuals and communities. There is always a moral and ethical dimension both individually and collectively.
Our unworthiness, save for the grace of God, is emphasized over and over again. The ancient Order of the Mass emphasizes it more than the new Order of the Mass. In fact, the ancient Order of the Mass tends to form more humble Catholics who know who they are and what their unworthiness should gain them if not for the grace of God compared to those formed exclusively by the new Order.
The Church is meant to teach individuals what it means to be saved by God. Her moral teachings lead to the perfection in heaven. It begins with the individual and touches the very core of who we are, our sexuality and leads from there to an authentic love for God and neighbor, especially service to the poor, not just those without money or material possessions but those who are poor in faith and morals.
There are fringe benefits apart from the saving of one's soul but these are icing on the cake, not the core of Catholicism such as fellowship and fun activities, things to do in other words.
But when fellowship, fun activities and things to do become the most important, then Christians become Country Club Christians which boils down to consumers of religion.
Saving one's soul is the reason for being a Christian.
2 comments:
Yes, I agree...
Mostly. With one caveat: I think priests need to be on the look out for those who are, for whatever reason, 'isolated'. You know, the ones who probably don't say more than a few words? The Church should be a shelter for them; somewhere they, I dare say more than others, can feel safe.
The icing on the cake is needed and there are ways to accomplish this through active involvement or simply attending this, that or the other. In the past when parishes had a rich devotional life (sometimes having a full church during the week or on Sunday night for novenas and Benediction) this satisfied the category of which you speak.
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