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Challenges of faith in the new millennia.
By FrankTilley in Ojos Verdes
March 12, 2009

Wow, when did loving GOD become so complicated? The Body of Christ= GOD. Pretty simple and straight forward. Why complicate the essence of love, hope, and faith?

The body of Christ and the Catholic Church go hand in hand. Catholics celebrate the mass with the blessing of the gifts by the power of the Holy Spirit who descends upon the altar.

 For over 2000 years taking the body of Christ through the Eucharist carries on the same ritual of the Last Supper, where Christ told the 12 disciples that,  “this is my body which will be given up for you.”
Again he proclaimed, “take this all of you and drink from it: this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new covenant. It will be shed for all of you and for all so that sins maybe forgiven. Do this in memory of me.”

Atcoffey>>…Many of my very good friends have bailed on organized religion for a variety of reasons--some good--others not so good.
I guess what I have begun to see over the years is that this rejection of organized denominational Christianity or religion is more an American/Western trend connected with the "Walmartization" of our culture, than maybe a Biblical or historic or even non-western phenomenon.

Atcffy, you nailed it on the head. Culturally segments of our population want a religion that doesn’t require much of their own participation or examination of conscience. I want to hear what makes me feel good. But is God teaching you how to live a better life, or some that just spins the good word.

God reaches out to us everyday, blessings us with such an abundance of love, mercy and the path to salvation and eternal life. We are the ones who can’t seem to find just an hour to show our adoration and praise for his great love for his children. The clergy are wonderful men and women who sacrifice their earthly life to serve the Lord and his flock. The lamb of GOD. How humble has he shown himself to mankind demonstrating his fathers great love for us?

The church is a holy place where you can pray and be in the presence of GOD at the tabernacle, that’s as close to being in heaven as possible while still living this temporal life, which is merely a preparation for the true beginning of eternal life with the father, angels, saints, etc.
True Life begins in heaven.

You can’t there without the support and guidance of the church, which is a shining light upon the path to salvation. I love and cherish my relationship with our priest and brother and sisters at Our lady of Sorrows. The parish is alive and serving the community. Bringing the WORD of the LORD to our parishioners each Sunday is fundamental to understanding the Lord and his father’s wishes for us. Helping the needy and poor are expressions of love to one another, but most importantly, by giving thanks to GOD for forgiveness and receiving his body and blood, we are a part of him and he is a part of us.

If you are focusing on the religion as a machine or cultural experience, then I would invite all of you to experience a mass at OLS, then reevaluate your convictions,

God bless!