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BBC listeners read the Pope's discussion of faith and reason
After a powerful experience with Jesus and the healing of my voice after not being able to talk for three years, I now sing for the Lord and I am often invited to play events with Christians from many backgrounds. I love praising Jesus with all Christians. He said "wherever two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." (Mat 18:20).
Evangelicals often come up to me and say something like "that was Spirit filled kickin' praise and worship, what church do you attend?" I say "I'm Catholic." Then there is a ... loooong ... pause... and uhhh ... the questions start. "Are Catholics Christian? ... Is the Catholic Church Bible based? ... Why are you guys so into Mary? ... Isn't Jesus about relationship and not religion?...and so on..." Some of these good Christians are surprised to learn that the Catholic Mass is all Bible, that the Rosary is a meditation on the life of Jesus, and that we have an Altar Call at every Mass. (Communion).
My Evangelical friends see that I have had a life changing experience with the Lord and that I have surrendered all that I am to him. They say I am "born again" and they know I love Jesus. Some have trouble reconciling the life they see in me with what they've been told about the Catholic Church. Bishop Fulton Sheen said:
There are not over a hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions, however, who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church, which is, of course, quite a different thing.
Here I simply lay Catholicism at the feet of my Evangelical friends. There are many causes where we need to work together such as the protection of marriage, the family, youth who are into sex/drugs/violence, and the precious unborn. We will be better able to work together if we understand each other.
I am not an apologist. I am simply a Catholic guy responding to Jesus' prayer for unity "that they may all be one, as you Father, are in me and I am in you." (Jn 17:21) I am not trying to gloss over differences. However, I hope through it all we will love one another as He has loved us. (Jn 13:34). "Let us not give up meeting together... but let us encourage one another." (Heb 10:25)
I have a dream...when we let freedom ring... all of God's children... Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands... (Martin Luther King, "I have a dream" speech, Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. August 28, 1963.)
Lord Jesus, let Your prayer of unity for Christians
become a reality, in Your way, we have absolute confidence
that you can bring your people together,
we give you absolute permission to move, Amen
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