I was informed regarding my post on fasting that there are other\u00a0Catholics\u00a0who fast in the classical understanding of fasting. \u00a0Of course I know that. \u00a0Again, my point wasn\u2019t to say the hub of holiness spins on me. \u00a0It was to point out that a requirement put forth by the Church for giving up is actually something that many today would be hard put to achieve. \u00a0If the majority were eating three rounded meals a day, I could see it. \u00a0But why have such a limit at all? \u00a0Why not say: do without. \u00a0Yes, for medical factors there can be exceptions. \u00a0There were in most materials I read in the day. \u00a0But to fast like that? \u00a0Many\u2019s the day I can barely boast a full regular meal in a day. <\/p>\n
Perhaps pushing the limit. \u00a0Just like the minimum requirements for being a faithful Catholic. \u00a0Maybe, just having minimum requirements at all. \u00a0Sometimes I wonder about that. \u00a0Why say \u2018minimum\u2019? \u00a0Why not say maximum? \u00a0Why not push for the stars. \u00a0I am not alone in noticing that when it comes to the overall Church, fealty to the Church is at times\u00a0lacking, and sometimes in numbers greater than other\u00a0religious\u00a0traditions, whether\u00a0Protestantism\u00a0 Judaism, Islam, Atheism. \u00a0Catholicism frequently scores pretty low in the devotion scale. \u00a0Yes, I know that Catholics nail it when it comes to charitable giving, and few other traditions can hold a candle to the generosity that come from the Catholic world.<\/p>\n
But with that said, time after time when studies are done, it is found that Catholics as a group lag behind. \u00a0It\u2019s something that Catholics\u00a0involved\u00a0within the\u00a0Church\u00a0 through education, ministries, discipleship often lament. Perhaps one reason, just a thought, is this idea of the minimum. \u00a0The idea of the least I can do. \u00a0Perhaps pushing a little more. \u00a0Saying that we should strive for the most. \u00a0Give it all up, unless there are reasons we can\u2019t. \u00a0I think of my own boys. \u00a0Usually I don\u2019t tell the the least I expect from them. \u00a0I usually try to push them and tell them the most of what I expect. \u00a0It\u2019s probably not for no reason that God didn\u2019t tell the\u00a0Israelites\u00a0\u2018any lamb will do, but one without blemish would be better.\u2019<\/p>\n
Maybe, just maybe, if the Church turned around and said it expected weekly\u00a0attendance,\u00a0 giving it all up for fasting, monthly confession, and on and on, it would be seen as setting the bar higher. \u00a0Even if folks couldn\u2019t always make it, failing to make it 100% might result in 80%. \u00a0But being told 5% is the minimum goal might end up being 5% at tops, or even less to fail for far too many. <\/p>\n
Just \u00a0a thought, as I kick things around this Ash Wednesday.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I was informed regarding my post on fasting that there are other\u00a0Catholics\u00a0who fast in the classical understanding of fasting. \u00a0Of course I know that. \u00a0Again, my point wasn\u2019t to say the hub of holiness spins on me. \u00a0It was to point out that a requirement put forth by the Church for giving up is actually […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2805,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n