This is only tangentially related to your 3rd discussion question. I've been really wrestling with the tension between "there is a correct way to do Faith" and "there is no wrong way to do faith". I had a conversation recently with some folks about TLM (I know, I know) and the point I was trying to get across was that there's nothing wrong with the LITURGY it's the attitude that "this is the only correct path" that I don't like. There's lots of good things about the TLM. And acknowledging those good things doesn't invalidate the parish that is closest to me that doesn't offer a TLM. I have been bristling lately at certain hot spiritual takes or the way people talk about catholicism, and then I realized that I am doing the same thing: "my way is the only correct way" and that's NOT TRUE.
I listened to a Manly Saints Project podcast on St. Brendan and got a lot out of it. St. Brendan was heralded from before even his birth as a gift to the Irish Church. And yet, on his 7 year voyage he learned humility. That's what brought it all home for me. I think, especially for anyone--actually, no, let me just speak for myself. I think, especially for me as someone trying to hold myself out as a kind of teacher (teaching a "peasant style" approach to Catholicism), there is a real danger in pride. I'm not saying I'm St. Brendan, but LIKE St. Brendan I need to remember I am an eternal student. My reaction to listening to people talk about faith shouldn't be "this is the wrong way", it should be "what can I learn from this". I need to double down on the quiet parts of my faith, and worry a little less about what people do with the advice I give them. The Church will never ever be perfectly homogenous, except for in the most important ways. Everything else is details, which I would do well to observe and ponder more than I diagnose and prescribe.
I guess that's where it ties in to #3. Things are interiorly messy right now as I sort through all this. Not in danger of slipping away, but--trying to put on the correct attitude about public faith.
Scoot I had to digest this comment for a whole day! First, you would probably like the #2 Quick Take from last week's post. It covers a bit of what you are saying here about liturgy and attitudes. https://mandymazzawi.substack.com/p/weekly-wildflowers-10
Second, YES! The more I have been writing, and diving deeper into topics, the Gospel, saint's lives, the smaller I feel, and I sometimes even question why I'm writing at all when there are clearly more eloquent, intelligent, and better educated people to share the Gospel, and thoughts surrounding it as it relates to daily and family life. My pride takes a big hit every time - which is a good thing. One of the things that keeps me going is that we ARE in fact all so unique that we benefit from each other's experiences in relation to the Church and her teachings, then sharing those experiences with others. Which is why we are all called to be priest, prophet, and king by our baptism. You never know when your experience and living out of your faith helps lift another person up, because they too are in the same situation. We each have a beautiful way of expressing ourselves, and have to stay focused on that, not on what other people do well wishing we were the same as them, but focusing on what we do well.
It won't look the same - definitely not homogenous.
It is an incredibly messy process because it means not only wrestling with your own proclivities and sin, but welcoming in others with all their own baggage and difficulties too. This is the tension we must live in if we wish to hold ourselves out as teachers of the faith, or at least that's been my experience. It is rarely a clean and simple process, and I do wish more who place themselves in a role of "teacher" would not only acknowledge that but share about it too.
This is only tangentially related to your 3rd discussion question. I've been really wrestling with the tension between "there is a correct way to do Faith" and "there is no wrong way to do faith". I had a conversation recently with some folks about TLM (I know, I know) and the point I was trying to get across was that there's nothing wrong with the LITURGY it's the attitude that "this is the only correct path" that I don't like. There's lots of good things about the TLM. And acknowledging those good things doesn't invalidate the parish that is closest to me that doesn't offer a TLM. I have been bristling lately at certain hot spiritual takes or the way people talk about catholicism, and then I realized that I am doing the same thing: "my way is the only correct way" and that's NOT TRUE.
I listened to a Manly Saints Project podcast on St. Brendan and got a lot out of it. St. Brendan was heralded from before even his birth as a gift to the Irish Church. And yet, on his 7 year voyage he learned humility. That's what brought it all home for me. I think, especially for anyone--actually, no, let me just speak for myself. I think, especially for me as someone trying to hold myself out as a kind of teacher (teaching a "peasant style" approach to Catholicism), there is a real danger in pride. I'm not saying I'm St. Brendan, but LIKE St. Brendan I need to remember I am an eternal student. My reaction to listening to people talk about faith shouldn't be "this is the wrong way", it should be "what can I learn from this". I need to double down on the quiet parts of my faith, and worry a little less about what people do with the advice I give them. The Church will never ever be perfectly homogenous, except for in the most important ways. Everything else is details, which I would do well to observe and ponder more than I diagnose and prescribe.
I guess that's where it ties in to #3. Things are interiorly messy right now as I sort through all this. Not in danger of slipping away, but--trying to put on the correct attitude about public faith.
Scoot I had to digest this comment for a whole day! First, you would probably like the #2 Quick Take from last week's post. It covers a bit of what you are saying here about liturgy and attitudes. https://mandymazzawi.substack.com/p/weekly-wildflowers-10
Second, YES! The more I have been writing, and diving deeper into topics, the Gospel, saint's lives, the smaller I feel, and I sometimes even question why I'm writing at all when there are clearly more eloquent, intelligent, and better educated people to share the Gospel, and thoughts surrounding it as it relates to daily and family life. My pride takes a big hit every time - which is a good thing. One of the things that keeps me going is that we ARE in fact all so unique that we benefit from each other's experiences in relation to the Church and her teachings, then sharing those experiences with others. Which is why we are all called to be priest, prophet, and king by our baptism. You never know when your experience and living out of your faith helps lift another person up, because they too are in the same situation. We each have a beautiful way of expressing ourselves, and have to stay focused on that, not on what other people do well wishing we were the same as them, but focusing on what we do well.
It won't look the same - definitely not homogenous.
It is an incredibly messy process because it means not only wrestling with your own proclivities and sin, but welcoming in others with all their own baggage and difficulties too. This is the tension we must live in if we wish to hold ourselves out as teachers of the faith, or at least that's been my experience. It is rarely a clean and simple process, and I do wish more who place themselves in a role of "teacher" would not only acknowledge that but share about it too.
Team Substack onlyyyyyyy
Yes! It's definitely a process and I've not been perfect at it, but excited for how this time away will help me grow!