More than probably any other denomination, Catholics get scrutinized and deemed “non Christian” by our fellow brothers and sisters, mostly due to preconceived notions, misunderstandings, and the traditions and rituals that go along with the religion. With over 68 million Catholics in the United States alone, it’s not difficult to come by someone who’s had a bad experience in the Catholic Church or with a misguided Catholic. Unfortunately, these experiences often lead to the judgment of an entire group of Christians. Positioning ourselves in that role of judge is always a dangerous spot because, well, we don’t belong there.
Personally, I don’t get offended anymore when I hear comments or remarks blatantly or indirectly questioning Catholics. This is because I know in my heart who I serve (and that answer’s not man). I know in my heart I’m a Christ-follower and am in love with a Lord who has freed me from sin. Would I still consider myself Catholic? Yea, I would. Does that denominational title change my identity in Him? Not a chance.
Our identity as Christians does not come from the denomination we claim. Baptists are no more “Christian” than Catholics are. What differentiates us from the world we live in is not what church we attend, but what God we serve. I once heard it said that Christian is a terrible adjective but a great verb. If we live a life as Christ followers, we are living a Christian life.
With that being said, I do want to address my Catholic readers and say this… While the Lord can and does work within religion, that’s not where truth lies. Truth lies within relationship. One of the biggest reasons Catholics get a bad rap is because there are a whole lot of us out there living a life of religion, neglecting to feed that yearning in our souls for relationship with our Creator. Rituals and traditions serve no value if we’ve lost the meaning behind them. This is true for people of every denomination, but I mostly want to address my Catholic brothers and sisters because of the judgments that are made against them. Perhaps our brothers and sisters would judge us less if we lived lives that reflected Christ more. My challenge to each of you is to examine your life and see, am I living a life of religion or am I living a life of relationship, passionately in love with the one who created me?
For those of you who are genuinely living out of this relationship, I want to apologize on behalf of all of our brothers and sisters. True freedom, however, comes in not letting that affect you. You know where your identity lies and nobody can take that from you. Guard your hearts, however, from any hardening and bitterness because we, too, need to keep off that seat of judgment.
