One Of the Hardest Things

One of the hardest things I have had to do in life is to speak my faith to people I love and who don't agree with me. I live the life I am taught and when I make mistakes I owe up to them and ask for forgiveness. So many people have met Christians/Catholics and the person they meet is rude or condescending or judgmental. I'll say right now on behalf of my brothers and sisters in faith that I am sorry if one of us has acted out of turn towards you.

As I have been taught my faith and the discipline that I follow called Catholicism teaches that we should love and accept not judge and discriminate. Keep in mind though that following this faith there are beliefs that we follow and are passionate about.

My faith teaches me to not murder so I don't believe in abortion. If you ask me my thoughts or they come up in casual conversation I will not sell out those feelings to make you feel okay. I will speak my opinion and explain my point of view in a respectful manner. I wish others would do the same, but all I can is control me and lead by example. Just because I may not agree with you on an issue though doesn't mean I hate you. It just means we disagree and I still love you and will help those in need even if we disagree.

Things such as these are especially hard when I disagree with someone I love and share my life with. However, I refuse to throw down a holier than though attitude a judge someone and claim that they will "burn in hell". I just don't think that is how Jesus would want me to react.

So with my faith I have found myself in houses divided. I do not sway with the fad ideas of the current day. When I don't understand something I hold thought and pray and research before I act and speak out. And when I do speak out, I do it with loving words and compassion.

For I believe it is my responsibility to love and teach but to sell off aspects of my faith because they are unpopular makes me just as weak and guilty as those who stand strong for a belief that I may think is wrong and hold fast to their ideals.

If I every time my children attempted to do something dangerous I said, "No stop you shouldn't do that", and they replied, "No I am going to do this anyway because I want to and its fun", what kind of father would I be if I went ahead and let them do what they want? I would be a terrible father. I am here to nurture and guide them. To keep them out of harms way, how to notice danger and stay clear of it. So does God do for me. He has spoken his rules yet has given me free will to choose to do what I want. If I follow I can enter his house for all time and know peace if not, thats okay, but I will dwell elsewhere.

Luke 12: 49 - 53
49 "I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled!
50 I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished!
51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division;
52 for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three;
53 they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."