Being a Good Example: Part One

I love being Catholic.  It really is great.  Except when it's not.  I'm not saying that things would be easier if I were agnostic or an atheist, but particularly during Lent, Advent, Easter, Christmas, Holy Days of Obligation, and Days of Penance, lines to the confessional, lines to Communion, paperwork for sacraments, Church office secretaries and paper work, paper work, paper work, I sometimes wonder how much easier it would be to embrace individual expression of devotion over the "order" of the Church office.  And then I cringe and go back to being a good Catholic, shamed with the thought that I actually thought that again.  Cause really, is it so hard?  I mean you only have to...

* Obey the Ten Commandments
* Follow the Beattitudes
* Recieve the Sacraments regularly
* Pay attention during Mass
* Not ponder how funny a priest looks on a bicycle
* Tithe
* Read the Bible, on your own, in your spare time
* Be charitable to the old lady at the end of the aisle who never stops talking
* Remember the things you gave up for Lent
* Take the hand of the small child who just sneezed in his hand right before the kiss of peace
* Don't take the "I can't hear you- I can't see you" approach to the people who want to "volunteer" your time, treasure, and talent
* Avoid kicking the cat down the stairs (or up the stairs, or across the stairs, or anything involving the cat and the stairs) 

And if that is not enough to ask of a perfectly crazy human being, we are also supposed to emmulate the Life of Christ.  Whew!  It's a work out just to THINK about it.  Honestly, it's enough to make a person who is trying REALLY HARD go stark, raving mad!  And THEN- then they have to go and add another thing to the list of things to do. 

"Preach the Gospel at all times.  When necessary, use words." Saint Francis of Assisi


"They will know we are Christians by our love." John 13:35

"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." Matthew 28:11-13

Being Catholic means not only being a good Christian (by following all those rules), but also (and perhaps more importantly) being a good example to others.  For instance, I try to go to Confession every couple months, but some days I go kicking and screaming, dragging my heels, praying that something will get in the way so that I won't feel guilty about not being there.  This is not because I feel self conscious about going or that I particularly mind recalling my sins and promising to do better or even that it takes all that much effort- I just feel that there are other things I'd rather do with my time. I know this is wrong because my time is really His time and therefore our time is all for the great glory of Him. And yet, I sometimes wonder why spending time in a cold, musty broom closet is really a glimpse into eternity?  This is a great example of being a bad example. 
 This brings to my point for the day.  I believe that most sin is not a result of direct defiance to God, but rather of extreme laziness.  

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matthew 26:41

I am lazy so I shall not tell the truth.  I am lazy so I shall not rejoice in my suffering.  I am lazy so I shall not go to visit Jesus in Adoration.  I am lazy so I will be distracted during Mass.  I am lazy and so I will not read my Bible today.  I am lazy so I will not engage the old lady at the end of the aisle who probably has no one else to talk to today.  I am lazy so I will not attempt to remember the things that I know I should.  I am lazy so I will forget to volunteer my time, talent, and treasure.  (I won't say that my laziness is to blame for kicking the cat, because really, it takes a great deal of effort to get the cat to hold still anywhere near the stairs.)  I am lazy.  I don't like defining myself as such but I am.  And maybe I'm not the only one. 

My point is that perhaps we should battle our laziness?  During this great season of rejoicing we should temper our laziness and instead do what we are called to do as Christians.  Maybe then I will be reminded of what I'm supposed to be doing instead of wishing I was doing something else.  Maybe if we move towards Christ together, we can carry each other to greater things?  Maybe.  I'm willing to try; how bout you?