I am beginning to wonder if there is something special about Thursdays: It seems that whenever I check Facebook and other social media on a Thursday, I often come across a bold, “let’s see if the Christians can answer ‘this one'” meme or post. And from there — now including today, Thursday, 07/01 — I must post a short response. Call the coincidence a bit peculiar. I think so too. And no, I don’t think there is something necessarily mystical about it. What’s most important is that I — and fellow Catholics around the world — address questions meant to stump Christians, while hopefully leading skeptics to Christ.
Today’s topic: “If you have a ‘personal relationship’ with God, why do you need a pastor or the Bible to tell you?'”
Let’s start with some questions for skeptics who ask the “personal relationship with God” question:
If you are in a relationship with someone — or even with your family– do you go into it knowing everything about relationships?
If your relationship has challenges, do you mean you can fully handle them on your own and need no help at all?
*Who taught you right from wrong?
*How did you learn how to read and write?
*Do you believe it is necessary for parents to raise their children properly?
Do you believe that a baby could raise himself or herself entirely without any help or relationships?
*Do you ever ask anyone for advice?
The point is this: Talking with a pastor, partaking in Sacraments, and attending Church on a regular basis, is not about needing a crutch, nor because we need moral coddling. It’s about nurturing relationships: the relationship with God, the relationship with your peers and family, the relationship with your self worth, and also your humility.
The Christian faith is also about responsibility and accountability — to yourself and the people around you.
Now, we can certainly try to focus much more on our own rights and privileges — though we here in Western society have been running that experiment for the past 50 to 60 years: And so far, the experiment has failed miserably. With an over 50% divorce rate, an over 60% rise in single parents, a close to 30% increase in suicides since 1999, and that over 50% of murders are committed by people under the influence of alcohol — the core problem is not Christianity. All the cheap shots and snarky criticisms in the world won’t change that.
In the Catholic Christian faith, for example, the priest’s role is to help lead people to the truth of the Gospel — as well as learn how live a very fruitful, productive life, without focusing on the question, “What’s in it for ME?”, or “Why can’t I just do it all on my own”?
The clergy teaches — via the Bible and the Churches adherence to Scripture — how to live a life of deeply caring for fellow human beings and all creation. When I go to Mass, I am not thinking about, “I could just pray at home”. Rather, Mass is an expression of saying, “God, I want to build the most meaningful relationship possible with you — just as I do with my friends and family. And I believe your Real Presence is in the Mass and the Sacraments we take to honor the greatest act of love ever given to humanity”.
In other words — and as much as this makes doubters want to vomit — Christianity is entirely based on love. It’s why Jesus even tell us that the most important commandment is to love one another.
And because love does require nurturing it — so that we know it is an authentic love — so is the case with having a religious belief in God. And when we realize there are people out there — priests, deacons, and other clergy — who devote their lives to helping people nurture their relationship with God, it’s no longer about, “Why can’t just do what I want?”, or “Why do I need pastors?”
Why do you need *anybody* for *anything*?
Because we are human beings who need and thrive on meaningful relationships.
Or show me a person or society that 100% doesn’t need that.
Lastly, when we put the words “personal relationship” together, here is a video that well explains why it’s valuable to have a personal relationship with God, what exactly it means, and how all of this is rooted in the Bible and in Church teaching: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w2KZDQSxwF4
Peace and God Bless!