“Take note: if the Church is alive, she must always surprise.
It is incumbent upon the living Church to astound.”
I will never forget the words I heard at the EASTER VIGIL on 30 March 2013 during the homily of Pope Francis at the Vatican Basilica. His words surprised me and gave me a glimpse of his own, inner spirituality.
The pope understands Christianity is a vibrant relationship with the Living God.
Yes, Catholicism has dogma, teachings, rules with roots back to St. Peter but rules do not define our faith. A Catholic is a son of God The Father, a brother to Christ and a person whose constant companion is the Holy Spirit. This is not a static life, a routine of monotonous prayers and ritual. Ritual is merely a way to interact with the Living God who constantly draws us closer to His heart.
We cannot control the Almighty by forcing Him to act according to our rules. Quoting Pope Francis from his homily.
“Newness often makes us fearful, including the newness which God brings us, the newness which God asks of us. We are afraid of God’s surprises. Dear brothers and sisters, we are afraid of God’s surprises! He always surprises us! The Lord is like that.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us not be closed to the new. Let us not close our hearts.
Let the risen Jesus enter your life, welcome him as a friend, with trust: he is life! If up till now you have kept him at a distance, step forward. He will receive you with open arms. If you have been indifferent, take a risk: you won’t be disappointed. If following him seems difficult, don’t be afraid, trust him, be confident that he is close to you, he is with you and he will give you the peace you are looking for and the strength to live as he would have you do.
These words still bring tears to my eyes.
Toby, at The Overlord Bear’s Den is a devout Catholic whose stories and doodles are creative and uplifting. He has tagged me for the Three-Day Quote Challenge. Thank you, Toby, for your constant support.
The rules of this challenge:
- Nominate 3 other bloggers to participate per post.
- Post one quotation a day for three days (they can be from other sources or one of your own).
- Thank the blogger who nominated you.
Eileen Frank The way to nourish life
Brian Gill A Catholic Citizen in America
joy of nine9 
A God of surprises, indeed! And what a lovely surprise your tag was to me here, Melanie. I apologize for not seeing it sooner. Thank you!
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no pressure- just if you want to do it
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