WWJD?

We have started to go through the book of Matthew Sunday mornings and it has been quite interesting so far--especially hearing a perspective on the Christmas story that is slightly new and different to me. The part I tend to struggle with though is how things are delivered from the pulpit. For example....any reference of Mary Jesus' mother in the scripture usually leads to a comment about Catholics. The comment about Catholics usually leads to some joke (which the majority of our congregation seems to find humorous), and before you know it there is a Catholic bashing session going on. This is just unacceptable. Couldn't help but think about if there was a Catholic sitting in our sanctuary for the first time and how offended that person might be. This is not how Jesus reached out to people. He did not make fun of their sin. He confronted the sin in a loving manner. And how is the sin of raising humans to a deity status any worse than supposed "believers" putting others down in a spirit of haughtiness? What kind of a witness is it when we act as if we have it "all right" and others have it "all wrong?" I can tell you I've had enough of the mindset in our fellowship that we can go around putting down and making fun of the traditional denominational churches. I know for a fact that it is not pleasing to the Lord. We all are sinners, and those of us who have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior are only sinners saved by grace.

Some may find it hard to believe, but the Lord is able to work within the Catholic church and there are some Catholics who are born again believers. And for those of us who have been raised in the Catholic church, He is able to use that background as well. It was a saved Catholic that He used to first get my attention that there was more to this "religion thing" than just sitting in church each week. And some of the most humble and gracious people I know are Benedictine monks I use to work for. Instead of making fun of people shouldn't we be praying for their salvation? If Catholics (or anyone for that matter) are going to come to Christ, it is certainly not going to be by the works of a haughty spirit. Sometimes it is real easy for me to see why some people view born again Christians as being hypocritical. This whole situation grieves my heart--how thoughtless we can be with our words--quick to speak and slow to think. Lord have mercy.