The Dome In Rome...

Is Really Our True Home. Hey, that can be sung to the melody of "The Rain In Spain!" (So...TJ, my friend, it seems there's another song in the making. What say you, bro?)

And as we know HOME is where the SACRED HEART is! The Blessed most Merciful Sacred Heart of Jesus! Calling us all, wooing us all, loving us all, showering grace on us all, lavishing tender mercy on us all. Tender and Divine Mercy! Please, if you've harbored angst and or anger toward the Catholic Church, please just quiet yourself and as Jesus said, "Ask and you will receive." That does not always mean a material blessing, you know. In America, you'd think our Lord was a Giant Vending Machine, constantly giving us our every craving. But He is not! He IS LORD. He also built a Church. The Church He built is 'on Peter'..."Rock." Not only on his [Peter's] "spoken words of faith" as so many Protestants/Evangelicals believe, but on him, himself i.e. his physical body/mind/soul. Upon this rock I will build My Church.

I don't want to belong to any other "church" any more. "Church hopping" is not (never was) for me! It's not because I'm "holier" than anyone else, or that I've got all the answers pouring out of my mouth and onto a blog. I don't. But what I do have, is a gift. The "gift" of faith, faith that brought me "back Home" to Rome. Pure. Simple. Faith. Some don't acknowledge it. Some ignore and don't even ask me about it. They keep 'that topic' at arms length or farther. Some might think I've "lost my way"... and some probably don't give a rat's hind end. No matter what others think or say about me and my journey to the Catholic Church doesn't really matter any more to me, either. For in the Gospels Jesus said to those he sent out 'two by two.'
Jesus said to them,
“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

What do I mean quoting that verse in St. Mark 6? It sounds harsh. It is harsh, but Truth is harsh. Truth confronts us all 'where we are.' Every day we have to confront truth. But I don't think Jesus is talking about pagan houses they might enter, as much as 'religious' houses of those who think they know or have all the 'truth.' (And don't need anymore, "thank you very much.") Those who are comfortable with the status quo, so that if they disagree with the disciples about the 'good news' they're telling them, then the dust must be shaken off the sandals. Not with "hate" but with a firm as resolute resolve to "follow Jesus, (and His Church for they are ONE) no matter who is against us. No matter the 'uncomfortable' silence.

As I said above, I love and respect my Protestant/Evangelical friends, and hope to meet with them as often as we're able. We can and do have a lot of fun, but when it comes to sharing more on a spiritual level, it's very difficult. Understanding my decision to 'be Catholic' seems to be the proverbial...

I would welcome a honest question or two from my friends/family. I'd like to hear something along the lines of: "How are you doing in the Catholic Church?" "How did you really end up there, Susie?" "I don't understand how you could be "Catholic, can you help me understand?" But I never get one question of the sort. Only silence.

Either they don't care, or they don't want to ask and 'rock their own cozy theological boat.' Or they're too comfortable where they are with the 'status quo.' I used to be comfy there, so I get it, yet they don't care to even find out more about my walk with Jesus any more. It seems the waters are too choppy now. They don't want to delve any deeper or question their own faith walk because it is scary. Maybe they don't want the hassle other members of their family finding out about their own curiosity? Maybe they've come to believe the lies and misinformation about the Catholic Church that their parents or family were probably taught, believed and handed down to them? Any number of reasons. Any number of excuses, but what it really comes down to is just plain "fear." Fear of all of the above, or just one thing whatever it might be. Fear.

But Perfect Love casts out fear. Perfect Love is Jesus. Perfect Love is His Church, (not that the Church is perfect) for it is where sinners dwell ...but also Saints! Heroes and heroines of the Faith who've worn a path for us, where we can walk in their ancient and not so ancient steps to learn how to become holy. Where the sick are healed and made perfect, through all SEVEN Sacraments. Not 5, not 2 or none. I can only pray for us all, and hope my family & friends - even or especially those that are 'Catholic' but perhaps not "fully" practicing, will be more deeply converted, and fall more deeply in love with the history of the ONE TRUE CHURCH/FAITH. We all need more deep conversion, every day. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I love you...save souls! Some could even comment here and ask me why I ended a post calling on "Jesus Mary and Joseph" to save souls. What's THAT all about? Isn't there only "ONE" Mediator between God and man? OK...I'll wait. Please go ahead and ask. I'd be more than happy to answer. ... Or is that only crickets I hear?