Stuff Catholics Like

Never mind that Thomas the Apostle had to poke the risen Christ before exclaiming, “My Lord and my God!”  It’s no secret that Catholics love mystery. Much of what we hold most dear defies easy, rational explanation – the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection of Christ Jesus, the Ascension of the Lord, the Assumption of Mary, Real Presence. We’ll trot out the doctrine and quote the Catechism of the Catholic Church if we have to, but simply admitting something is a mystery gives our faith more room to expand.

Much of our liturgical piety serves to enhance the ineffable, the transcendent, the divine. Sure we have lots of stuff to satisfy the brainiacs, but even the most cerebral Catholics among us tend to get misty-eyed and goose-bumpy at the sound of church bells and chant, the scent of incense. We kneel, we bow. Dust motes dance in the multi-colored light streaming through stained glass windows.
We recite ancient prayers. Do we actually see the bread and wine become body and blood? Do we need to? We do not. We’re Catholics. We love mystery.

Some observers cynically suspect that “it’s a mystery” is code for “I haven’t a clue.”  But Catholics know it’s just another way of saying, “We believe.”

Guest post from Merideth Gould.