Universalis

Sunday, August 18, 2002

The things Catholics do (and no, I don't mean the backbiting or the bishop baiting!)

Feed the hungry.
Give drink to the thirsty.
Clothe the naked.
Visit the imprisoned.
Shelter the homeless.
Visit the sick.
Bury the dead.
Admonish the sinner (but themselves first).
Instruct the ignorant.
Counsel the doubtful.
Comfort the sorrowful.
Bear wrongs patiently.
Forgive all injuries.
Pray for both the living and the dead.

These are the things Catholics do. In my experience, the best way of finding the people who have right faith is to look for the people who have right behaviour.

Orthopraxy is as important as orthodoxy, and is a major (though not infallible) sign of orthodoxy ---- orthodoxy is not found without orthopraxy. In fact, orthopraxy can even bring one to more complete orthodoxy if one's not already there, for the Lord honors even the tiniest first halting steps to please and obey him, and pours out his grace plentiously. There is truth to the old saws "Behave as if you believed" and "Fake it until you make it."

Or, even sassier for early on a Sunday morning, the formulation of one of our more recent famous late catechumens:

Faith without works is like a song you can't sing,
it's about as useless as a screen door on a submarine. (Rich Mullins, "Screen Door")
.

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