by Margaret Gaines

Created on: September 15, 2009   Last Updated: September 21, 2009

The Challenge to be a Better Catholic

The heart of being a "better" Catholic lies in listening to your heart and recognizing where your talents and spiritual gifts lie and then using those gifts to affect the world. The challenge to be a better Catholic is the challenge to recognize your imperfections and to working to make them perfect. By definition people are not perfect, and each person has unique abilities and short comings. However, we have the capability to reflect on ourselves and God so that we can learn what our limitations are and then work to improve on ourselves.

The first step to becoming a better catholic is to take the time to reflect on yourself. To look at the things that you find difficult or would like to do better, as well as looking at the things you are good at. After identifying your personal challenges and gifts, comes action. Each person must determine what they can do to improve on their weaknesses. They must also find a way to use their talents and gifts. Moving forward in your faith is only possible when you look at the work through the eyes of someone who wants to be dynamic in the world.

For some of us, the challenge to be a better Catholic lies in understanding the rules of the church and following them. To improve themselves and move the church forward, people in this group focus their attention on being able to attend Mass, pray, participate in the sacraments and learn and understand the catechism. They express themselves and their faith by learning, understanding and participating in the church. They may set an example of active participation in the church or teach the catechism to children or people participating in RCIA.

Other people may focus their attention on transforming the world. Their heart leads them to focus their attention out in the world to make it better. They may have a passion for social justice and speak for those whose basic human rights are violated. Some people may find their gifts lie in writing, painting, teaching, or giving or raising money for organizations that make the world a better place.

The bottom line for being a better catholic is to recognize that you can be or do more, to find those issues that touch your heart and then to take action. Without action, there is no way to become better. Action can be taking time to pray a few minutes each day, attending daily mass, donating time or money to a charity or working in a field where your talents are best put to use. It could also be as simple as setting the best example as you can for your children and spouse of how to live your life as you can.

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