Are You a Contractual Catholic-Christian?

Every week, we celebrate the Lords day. We attended the mass not due to compliance and wishes. Our desires inspire us to keep moving, yet there are more reasons on how we should live our everyday lives with our Creator. 

QUEZON CITY, PH - One Sunday afternoon, in our humble Parish Church the Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Cubao, I attended the mass and I was filled with longing and excitement. The reason for that was a guest priest was invited to celebrate the mass and share his insight for the homily that day. I have noticed his strong will and  firm grip of Christian theology he struck me, when he let go of these questions:

'Are you a contractual Catholic-Christian?' and He raised another questions, 'Do you attend the mass and sin after? Do you read the bible? Do you live for Him?'

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These questions pulled our faces to the ground. The brunt was seen on how people listened in an intense manner. He explained what it was like to be contractual Catholic-Christians. He identified it with the people who regularly attended the mass with a simple single minded agenda, they have their desires. Those people that had answered prayers will vanish like thin air. That after their contract had expire they were gone. Moreover, after a few weeks or months or years they return to God begging and asking for forgiveness again because of certain wishes they wanted to lift. Imagine their faith like a yo-yo. Contractual Catholic-Christians were just conformists. They conform in their own way of believing and living.

For many people to stand for their faith is like crossing a hanging bridge their motivation comes with prizes. They believe because they needed to see. I would like to quote what Jesus said to Peter on Matthew 14:28-32:

28 Peter answered him, 'Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.' 29 He said, 'Come.' So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he noticed the strong wind,[e] he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, 'Lord, save me!' 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, 'You of little faith, why did you doubt?' 32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.'

Will we only believe because we can grasp some things? Will we not be thankful for every second of the day? Are we not going to read his scriptures and put to life for realization? Truly it's hard to be Christians, but we can do it when we seek God in our hearts. We put our faith into actions.

Remember the parable of the Good Samaritan on Luke 10:25-28:

25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus.[j] 'Teacher,' he said, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?' 26 He said to him, 'What is written in the law? What do you read there?' 27 He answered, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.' 28 And he said to him, 'You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.'

From the time that we have chosen our own beliefs and practice of our religion, we already know what to do, yet we are avoiding it. We choose to be contractual servants yet we can choose to be permanent children of God. Love God because you do, not because he gave you things you thought you needed, when in the first place you needed him. Everything you desire, in his ways, in his time, He will give you. Be faithful. Have a childlike faith.

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Andee de Jesus is a freelance writer, blogger, church choir member, and poet. A graduate of bachelor of science in Psychology at Far Eastern University, Philippines and a former professional government staff. Visit her writings and share insights on Brave Soul Scribe* Filipina blog at andeedejesus@wordpress.com and converse your happy-inspiring tweets at Twitter. :)

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