spiritual growth – Flourish Catholic

“Lord, Teach us to Pray”

The apostles watched Jesus praying in some deserted place, and after He finished, they asked him, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). Jesus teaches them the words of the “Our Father.” We call it the Lord’s Prayer because Jesus taught it to us, not because it was how He prayed to the Father.Continue reading ““Lord, Teach us to Pray””

What do Catholics Teach About the Importance of “Self Esteem”?

Catholics are stereotyped as the religion that lays on the guilt trip, that makes people feel that they are never good enough. Catholics, our critics say, go through life wringing their hands in anxiety about whether God really loves them and whether they will go to heaven. Catholics need to embrace the value of “self-esteem”Continue reading “What do Catholics Teach About the Importance of “Self Esteem”?”

How do Catholics Find Meaning in Suffering?

Suffering, especially the innocent suffering we observe in others or experience ourselves, is one of the most problematic issues of believing in an all-knowing, all-powerful, and good God. How do we Catholics make sense of the suffering we endure or observe? By seeing it through the lens of faith: in the light of Jesus’ victoryContinue reading “How do Catholics Find Meaning in Suffering?”

Why do Catholics Honor Saints?

Let’s begin with the key point: Catholics do not worship saints. We honor or venerate saints, but we do not consider saints in heaven to be a kind of god or goddess that we worship. Then why do we talk about praying to saints? In Latin, there are two words that can be translated intoContinue reading “Why do Catholics Honor Saints?”

How do Catholics Understand Spiritual Growth?

The life of a Christian is a life of discipleship—we are apprenticed to the Master, so to speak, and our entire life is a process of becoming more and more like our Master, Jesus Christ. Unlike some Christian denominations that focus more on the initial conversion experience—of being “born again” and giving one’s life toContinue reading “How do Catholics Understand Spiritual Growth?”