“Catholics Get It”

“Catholics get it. Catholics get the sacraments.” This was the message of the homily I heard this past Sunday. Sacraments connect the things of God with the things of earth. Catholicism isn’t a heady, intellectual faith. It’s woven into our lives, experienced with all of our senses.

As with all good homilies, I’ve been thinking about it in the days since Sunday. Because the other thing that Catholics understand is ritual.  And remembrance. The past and the present are intertwined in a way that mere words can’t explain. Images and gestures come closer.

Another September 11 has come and gone. Each year I think, “This year it will be just one more day.” Then I wake up and recall the way the whole day unfolded eleven years ago. I can’t really explain the ongoing effect. But I no longer try. It’s enough to remember, to honor the moment, to move on. Nothing is lost. Nothing is forgotten. Everything we experience shapes who we are and what we believe.

About the Author

Diane M. Houdek

Diane M. Houdek is Digital Editor for Franciscan Media. She is the editor of AmericanCatholic.org and Bringing Home the Word. She has edited Weekday Homily Helps since 1994. She is an avid knitter and spinner and shares her home with three large and rambunctious dogs and a new puppy who's willing to take them all on. Born and raised in Wisconsin, she has tried her hand at urban farming and a host of other pursuits and hobbies.