10,000 Difficulties

 "10,000 Difficulties do not make one doubt." -Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman

Being Catholic is HARD I say that to those who I have taught wanting to come into the Church. But it's WORTH IT!

We may have a difficult time understanding all the whys and hows and the PEOPLE of the church (past and present) who make it difficult. I don't doubt that it's not true though.  I've come to believe it's true through my own measly scrutiny and study.  My free will led me here. My mind is not smart enough to grasp all we teach and it's prideful of me to think I can understand it all. Some things are left for mystery.

It's mind blowing to try to understand the Blessed Trinity or how Jesus comes to us is body and blood truly present in the Eucharist. Or how a Church can be full of so many conspiracies and bad people. But I don't doubt it's not true.  I trust my pea brain is not capable of knowing everything.

St. Aquinas, one of the smartest Catholic theologians ever said "it's all straw". Meaning all this theology doesn't mean anything compared to the basic eternal truth that Jesus came to show us another way, died for our sins and we have souls that were made for heaven. Jesus gave us a Church to help guide us on a road map to heaven. Focus on that.

Can you let go of the need to know everything and just believe?

Motives of Credibility and Fr. Mike Schmitz's Catechism in a Year

I realized I didn't post once in all of 2022! I'm surprised this blog is still available for me to use.  Lately, I've been feeling the urge to write again.  My head full of thoughts, writing helps me sort it out.

If you haven't been following Fr. Mike Schmitz's Catechism in a Year podcast, you are missing out on some mind blowing material! One phrase talked about the other day was "Motives of Credibility". I'd like to hash this out in my pea brain, hope someone gets something out of it.

Motives of Credibility

"Motíva credibilitátis" is a new phrase I have learned.  I've always believed this but just now found out there is a word for it.  Our faith is definitely reason and reasonable but it's more than just as the Catechism says 'a blind impulse of the mind' or an idea or philosophy.  Motives of credibility are 'external proofs' of our faith. There are 'facts' or historical evidence of signs and wonders.  These signs and wonders continue to today.  There are credible, scientifically proven signs of Jesus and his powers, not only did He raise from the dead, but he performed miracles of healing and rising others from the dead. Reference the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 156 for more information.

Saints and others have gifts of signs and wonders. Some saints like St. Philip Neri brought someone back to life and many, many saints and lay people have miraculously healed people of ailments. Other signs and wonders from the saints include:

Levitation (lifted in air while praying) St. Joseph of Curpertino and others

Bilocation- (being 2 places at one time) St.Anthony of Padua and others

Reading of Hearts - (not to be confused with psychics) St. Catherine of Siena and others

Stigmatas - (physical, visible signs of Christ's wounds) Padre Pio and others

Marian Apparitions and Exorcisms

There's no denying that our Blessed Mother Mary has came to many different people in many different areas of the world in many different times. Our Mother still cares for us and comes to teach us and to sometimes warn us.  The Blessed Mother appears privately and publicly to many people, not all are recognized by the Church. The most popular apparitions include:

Our Lady of Lourdes in France - appeared in 1858 to St. Bernadette and left us the miraculous healing waters at Lourdes (I pray I get to go there some day!).

Our Lady of Fatima- appeared in 1917 to 3 shepherd children in Portugal to warn us of the dangers, which have come true and maybe not all yet fulfilled. The miracle of the sun dancing was seen by 70,000  people. She urges us to pray for sinners and conversion of Russia.

Our Lady of Guadalupe- appeared in  1531 to St. Juan Diego. The Aztecs, who practiced human sacrifice, reported 6,000,000 in 7 years, converted to Catholicism. 

Our Lady of Good Help- a lesser known apparition appeared in 1859 to Adele Brise in Champion, Wisconsin.  Her counsel was to teach the children their catechism and to pray for sinners.

One other sign and wonder worth mentioning is Exorcisms.  There's a joke that goes 'no one pays attention to the Catholic Church until they need an exorcism'.  It's true though. An exorcism is a prescribed ritual of prayers to cast out evil spirits from the body just as Jesus and the Apostles did.  Not all priests do this. There is supposed to be one exorcist priest in each diocese. They are specifically trained to perform this duty.  Sadly, I have heard more and more exorcisms are being done today. We can only guess why.  Father Chad Rippenberger has put out some outstanding videos on his role of an exorcist.  Evil does exist, many forget.

Scrutiny

Any Marian Apparitions, healings, visions, etc are put under scrutiny from the Catholic Church for scientific and spiritual study because we have rational minds.  We don't want our faith to be all about emotion but to include reason and logic. 

The Eucharist

The most amazing motive of credibility is the Eucharist.  Over centuries, Eucharistic Miracles (google it, I dare ya) have occurred.   Different miracles such as:

A 'cracker of bread'  to many or the "Consecrated Host" for Catholics has floated into the air.

The Consecrated Host has turns into flesh. The flesh was studied to be the pericardium of the heart.

The Consecrated Host beating in the monstrance.

Most common is blood on or running out of the "Consecrated Host". The blood type has been tested from bleeding hosts, passion relics, and an 8th century miracle.  All the blood came back as AB. How can we NOT believe what Jesus told us? "This is my body, this is my blood."

Prophecies and Fruit

Prophecies have come true. Too many to mention. The Church has continued and still bears fruit after 2000 years ( Jesus said "I will be with you until the end of time'). She is stable and holds fast to her teachings regardless of the culture (very difficult these days).

Are not the motives of credibility external proofs that the Catholic Church is true?

How can it be just a mere emotional belief or philosophy or assent of the mind?

Is there enough evidence that something outside of ourselves exists that can only be explained by the supernatural?