Question Title | Posted By | Question Date |
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aversion to the secular | Bob | Friday, January 6, 2012 |
Question: Life history made short: cradle Catholic, never really made much of an attempt to really learn the Faith (although I went to CCD), but grew up sort of subconsciously assuming I was a decent Catholic. Never really strived for holiness (didn't have a clue). Became immersed in sexual sin as I grew older. Had a profound conversion experience when I was 25 and started on a "crash course" in actually learning about the Catholic Faith. |
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Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), L.Th., D.D.
Dear Bob: St. Paul made his living from a secular job — tent-making. He actually refused to accept support from the Church. St. Paul accomplished great things, traveled the Roman world evangelizing, but he had to stop in one place for a while to make tents to support his evangistic work. As a layman, Bob, God has given you a great and holy task — to sanctifyand bring dignity to world. This is a mighty and wonderful task. Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, makes a clear and serious connection between the laity's life as Catholics in the temporal world and their eternal destination:
Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, asserts the importance of the laity's life and work within the temporal order in relation to eternity:
John Paul II, in his Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici addresses the very issue you raise. The late Holy Father stated:
The laity have a specific and unique role in the kingdom of man, as John Paul II explained:
I understand the strong desire to want to work for the Church instead of a job in the world. I use to have that desire of longing. But, while I had that desire I did not neglect what I needed to do in the world — to sanctify the world by share my faith with others and doing my secular work for the greater glory of God. St. Paul tells teaches us:
Bob, there is a place for you to work for God. That place may not be as an employee of the Church or in some apostolate that pays a salary. But, God has given you gifts to use in the world. Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman said:
This extreme desire that seem to be hindering your ability to work is most like connected to your scrupulosity. Scrpulosity is the religious form of Obessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). I would recommend you talk to your doctor about that. There are medications that can help to alleviate the symptoms of OCD. All of us must accept our lot in life. We are all called to resign and abandon ourselves to the will of God otherwise we find outselves in bondage to our desires. I would advise you to read our pamphlet, Christian Resignation as a Prerequisite to Feeedom (pdf file). As for an aversion for things secular: As a layman, you need to be in the world. This means that it is proper to be passionate about your life and work. We are all to detach ourselves from material things, but for a layman that does not mean detachment to the point avoiding all property ownership and secular activities. You need to see that secular activities is given to us by God to sanctify for the greater glory of God. Secular work is also to be done for the greater glory of God. Think what would happen if everyone had this desire as you do that cause an impotence to work a secular job. The entire world would fall into chaos, people would not be feed or sheltered, disease would kill off the plant. I know, this is an exaggeration, but I am making the point that we all have our work to do no matter what it is. In doing that work, even secular work, we glorify God. When you say, "I just can't get excited or passionate enough about it to see myself making a career out of it, or anything else secular for that matter", you are robbing God of His glory. He made the material world and He gives us this world to take care of. YOu need to come to realize that secular God is a work of God. This is even true in the monastery. Contrary to popular opinion, monasteries are not supported by the Church. Each monastery must support itself. Some monasteries do this by farming, baked goods, winery, or even making coffins all sold to the public. This work is the same as in the secular counterparts. If you can understand that all work is to glorify God, it does not matter what job you have. When I first converted to the Catholic Faith I was interested in joining a Benedictine community. I explained to them that I wanted to serve God and it didn't matter how that was done — priesthood, brotherhood, or garbage collector. The Father Superior said, "That is an excellent position to be in." We need to be open for whatever place God wishes us to be. We do that by working in whatever job we find in order to support ourselves. Then as we travel through life God may direct us elsewhere, but He cannot do that if we are standing still. Our lives are like a ship. The course a ship takes is controled by the rudder. But, if the ship is dead in the water and not moving the rudder can do nothing. The only way for the rudder to change the course of the ship is for the ship to be moving. God cannot direct you to a different course that He has for you unless you are already moving. This means getting a job and keeping it with joy that you can do that job for the greater glory of God. We will be praying for you. God Bless, Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum
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