I recently got a job at Subway. Around my third day working, I overheard my manager talking about the bible to another employee. I jumped in and told them I was Catholic. The other employee stared and said "Catholic is Christian?" The manager replied "haha...no..Catholic isn't Christian.".
Don't get me wrong, he is a really great guy and a darn good Christian (he is an Adventist), but the mere thought of such a misconception about Catholicism really got to me. I prayed about it and this is my response to that argument.
"You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?" -Matthew 7:16
I like to believe you will know a Christian when you see one. If a self-proclaimed Christian goes around spreading a message of hate then how can he be talking about a God of love?
Parable of the Vineyard-owner's Son
If you didn't understand that parable, the Vineyards son is Jesus, the tenants are the Pharisees and the grapes in the vineyard are us (the good fruit and the bad fruit).
"I am the true vine, my Father is the vine-dresser Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear fruit...I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from him you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in Me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the blades are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned." -John 15:1-6
Now the reason that Christ is the Vineyards son in one parable, but the vine in another was to prove the point that no one can bear good fruit but through Him.
That being said, I don't believe all other Christian religions can't bear good fruit, for all who believe in Christ are part of the true vine. I do, however, believe that Catholicism makes us more fruitful.
If Christ is the vineyard-owner's son, then the Pope and all the clergymen are like the newly hired tenants of the vineyard. Catholic doctrine and scripture are like the fertilizer because they are useless without their application through the tenants and under the breath of the Vineyard-owner and His son.
Other forms of Christianity are then like different types of fertilizer; they can also bear good fruit. I just think that Catholicism, under the proper care, is the fertilizer that makes the harvest most fruitful.
So the next time I am faced with the never-ending question "Is Catholic Christian?" I will respond in my best sassy black girl voice: "Look at my fruit!"
Don't get me wrong, he is a really great guy and a darn good Christian (he is an Adventist), but the mere thought of such a misconception about Catholicism really got to me. I prayed about it and this is my response to that argument.
"You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?" -Matthew 7:16
I like to believe you will know a Christian when you see one. If a self-proclaimed Christian goes around spreading a message of hate then how can he be talking about a God of love?
Virtues
The Catholic Church teaches us about the 7 Cardinal sins: Lust, Gluttony, Wrath, Greed, Sloth, Envy and Pride. However, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the capability to counter these desires.
"I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." -Galatians 5:21-23
Humility- This is the most important virtue because it counters pride. It is also important because without humility, we can't receive any other virtues. Just as pride was the downfall of Satan, pride was also the downfall of man. To be humble before God is to recognize his power and love.
Generosity- The counter for greed. This is to give up desire for worldly things and to freely give without expecting something in return.
Chastity- The opposite of lust. This is the desire to remain unblemished, until marriage, and treat sex with holiness and respect.
Patience- This is the opposite to wrath, or unjust anger. To be patient is to be kind and to be gentle.
Temperance- This is the opposite of gluttony. Gluttony is the opposite of self-control. It is the over-indulgence of something. For example, alcohol or food.
Kindness- The counter for envy. Envy is jealousy for another's well-being. Envy is the opposite of love because it is self-serving. To be kind is to be selfless.
Diligence- The virtue that counters gluttony, or laziness in matters of faith. It is important to remain zealous in faith in order to live it out.
On a side note, here is some practical dating advice for men:
The next time you see a girl you are interested in at Church, just casually sit next to her in the pew and whisper in her ear, "I like the fruit you're bearing." You might as well stop at a men's apparel store after church because you're getting married.
Generosity- The counter for greed. This is to give up desire for worldly things and to freely give without expecting something in return.
Chastity- The opposite of lust. This is the desire to remain unblemished, until marriage, and treat sex with holiness and respect.
Patience- This is the opposite to wrath, or unjust anger. To be patient is to be kind and to be gentle.
Temperance- This is the opposite of gluttony. Gluttony is the opposite of self-control. It is the over-indulgence of something. For example, alcohol or food.
Kindness- The counter for envy. Envy is jealousy for another's well-being. Envy is the opposite of love because it is self-serving. To be kind is to be selfless.
Diligence- The virtue that counters gluttony, or laziness in matters of faith. It is important to remain zealous in faith in order to live it out.
On a side note, here is some practical dating advice for men:
The next time you see a girl you are interested in at Church, just casually sit next to her in the pew and whisper in her ear, "I like the fruit you're bearing." You might as well stop at a men's apparel store after church because you're getting married.
Parable of the Vineyard-owner's Son
“Listen to another
parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it,
dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants
and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves
to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and
beat one, killed another, and stoned another.
Again he sent other
slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he
sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants
saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him
and get his inheritance.” So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard,
and killed him.
Now when the owner of the
vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will
put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other
tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.” Jesus said to them,
“Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our
eyes’?
Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God
If you didn't understand that parable, the Vineyards son is Jesus, the tenants are the Pharisees and the grapes in the vineyard are us (the good fruit and the bad fruit).
"I am the true vine, my Father is the vine-dresser Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear fruit...I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from him you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in Me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the blades are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned." -John 15:1-6
Now the reason that Christ is the Vineyards son in one parable, but the vine in another was to prove the point that no one can bear good fruit but through Him.
That being said, I don't believe all other Christian religions can't bear good fruit, for all who believe in Christ are part of the true vine. I do, however, believe that Catholicism makes us more fruitful.
If Christ is the vineyard-owner's son, then the Pope and all the clergymen are like the newly hired tenants of the vineyard. Catholic doctrine and scripture are like the fertilizer because they are useless without their application through the tenants and under the breath of the Vineyard-owner and His son.
So the next time I am faced with the never-ending question "Is Catholic Christian?" I will respond in my best sassy black girl voice: "Look at my fruit!"
