“We are…but tot children…finding our way around indecision…”

Being pop music, generally, there’s not a whole lot of “depth” that I expect, but as a “child of the eighties” and an intellectual”honeybee”, I’ve always tried to pick up sweet “nectar” of truth wherever it may be.

I just want to commend you for perceiving what is often a great stumbling block for many well meaning and well intentioned Christians, i.e. the need for the Church and her tradition to inform the interpretation of the Scripture.

I have a friend who is a “Bible Christian” and he sums up his faith as, “If it’s in the Bible we believe it, if it’s not we don’t”. As a Catholic, I pray for him and for Christians like him.

I think what’s refreshing about your situation is your awareness of your situation, your “child-like” disorientation in the realm of decisions. I think your period of discernment now is very healthy.

Between the two poles of certainty and indecision in the time of discernment, I think that experience bears witness to the fruitfulness of a little bewilderment and obfuscation.

Blessings to you on your journey and may the Lord make straight your path.

James

–Dan

I don’t want to indulge in debate on the Orthodox vs Catholic question, but I spent maybe ten years circling Rome and then Constantinople before finally landing in the latter. It’s been a few years since then; I’m still shocked sometimes to realize that I actually ‘chose’ one at all. But here I am. I have my reasons for ending up here rather than there, of course, but I don’t pretend to any great wisdom on the matter (I hereby disavow any claims to wisdom!). Most of the time I play at being functionally ignorant of the distinction. Both are historic, apostolic communions, and we share a single great inheritance. I pray for reunion. But the situation is confused and confusing. The choices are by no means easy. I can only imagine that God as perfect, compassionate Judge and Lover of Mankind will find here an opportunity to demonstrate His great love and mercy toward us, that He will judge the motives of our hearts and have compassion on all those who prayerfully act or choose in this regard, or fail to do so, when they do it for His sake and the hope of their salvation. If it’s not presumptuous of me to do so, I might suggest a variation on St Cyprian’s famous statement, then: “He who has God for his Father, has the Church for his Mother, whether he knows it or not.” Though there is room to praise the strong-willed child, rebellion is not an unlimited virtue. So let us not be estranged from our Mother forever.