We all come from different backgrounds and cultures. Something that one person might find good, another may find repulsive. I’m from Louisiana and I love crawfish, jambalaya, and red beans and rice, but I never got into sweet tea, grits, or boudin. Sometimes, people do weird things to me, like backing into parking spaces. Although, certain things people do are annoying, differences make for a good flavorful gumbo in the world.
We should try to not let differences divide us, but use the differences to strengthen us. One of the reasons the United States is great is because of the diversity of it’s people. Even within the Catholic Church, there are differences. Some people are drawn to a more contemporary Mass while others prefer a traditional Mass. There are all kinds of Catholic Churches and parishes, but they should all have the same truth at their core. I feel at home in my current church, but I absolutely love the beautiful cathedrals with the big pipe organ, columns, and stained glass windows. Some churches make it easy to feel the presence of God. I do enjoy the consistency in the Catholic Church. I can go to pretty much any Catholic Church in the world and know what is going on.
While we should embrace diversity, we should also embrace that which unites us. Instead of focusing on the things that divide us, we should focus on Jesus and keep Him at the center of our lives. With Him at the center, everything else falls into place. Many different Christian religions have their own traditions and those traditions can each be good in one way or another. We shouldn’t look down on other Christians, but remember that we all ultimately celebrate and love Jesus Christ. I believe that all Christian religions bring people into a relationship with Jesus, but some religions bring us into a deeper relationship with Him.
In today’s society, we also tend to hyper analyze everything and are quick to attack someone who we don’t agree with. There are Catholic people on social media who specialize in controversy and attacking people. While certain leaders in the Church have said and done things that cause controversy, we need to make sure we have the whole story before we go on the attack. Even with the whole story, we need to be Christian when talking about the faults of others. We should try to do more building up than tearing down. If we see something we don’t like in our community, we should work to make a change and make things better instead of complaining and doing nothing. Stand up for what is right, but remember we are all flawed. Even if someone does something wrong, we can’t disregard all the good things that they have done. The media tries to make us all think and look at things in a certain way. We need to be aware of this, and try to keep an open mind and look at situations in a different light.
No matter where we are in our relationship with Jesus, we should always be looking for ways to grow closer to Him. Never stop learning about our faith. Never stop spiritually exercising. If we think we can just become a Christian and coast into heaven, we may be in for a hard surprise. Any relationship requires work and effort to stay alive. When we can look at others, ourselves, and our relationships in a different light, we will find greater happiness.
