I am, in every sense of the celestial Body of Christ, nobody. I’ve been writing a Christian blog for two years and my only readers are the same 10 people that accidentally click on my facebook links while attempting to play Words with Friends or Farmville. I published a book on the spirituality of Teaching and it has sold a whopping seven copies since last November (five I bought to give out as gifts and my Aunt bought the other two). I taught a class on Apologetics in my own parish and only four people showed up to each of the six sessions.
Sure, the reasons for my nothingness are many: I have no formal training in Philosophy or Theology, I’m not a Priest, Deacon, Bishop, Cardinal nor do I belong to any 3rd order religious congregation, I have no marketing expertise and most of the people who I know that actually have a say in the Catholic blogospere hesitate before sharing my posts because of my aforementioned lack of qualifications (not you, Lisa Hendey, Brandan Vogt and possibly Kevin Knight if this is finally New Advent-worthy).
But it is precisely because of my lack of certification that I am dangerous. I count myself as part of the majority of Catholics worldwide who, in every aspect of their life, are expected to live perfectly just as Jesus commanded us to (Matthew 5:48). Who, then, is considered public enemy number one to the relativistic society in which we live? The practicing Catholic who calls out the errors of the mediocre and shadows their claims with an onslaught of truth.
Oh yeh, I’m dangerous alright.
On the other hand, I am even more dangerous if I do not strive to live perfectly. If Christ did found a Church and my entire baptized being has its roots in it, then my lack of study and practice of the doctrines of this Church (whether I agree with them or not) crack its foundation and allow the messiness of the world to leak in. If I am not a perfect example of Christianity, I give Christ’s Bride, the Church, a poor name.
Being unable to give an answer to someone who is curious about Catholicism is one thing, but failing to live up to my Teacher’s expectations in both word and deed is another, more serious issue. Unfortunately, this is where many of my wayward brothers and sisters find themselves in the Catholic Church- uninformed and thus a danger to their own salvation and to the perception of the fullness of Truth.
Since I am probably too “unqualified” to write this, I find solace and rationale to my “dangerous side” in two Biblical heroes that prove that degrees and doctorates are trumped by the sheer desire to learn about truth. John the Baptist, the reed that swayed in the wind of the desert that no one came to see (Matthew 11: 7-9), and the surprise intellectual Giant that came from Nazareth (a.k.a. the land of nowhere), Jesus. Both were given much less education than I have received while on earth and yet, they shaped the world more than any being in the history of the Universe
To the 23 people who will read this post, know that the reason why voices like mine have not been heard is not because of a lack of academic study or determination. Rather, it is because I have not lived my vocation with sufficient zeal to capture the hearts of readers. I may have the same mental capacity for Truth as the Pope, but if I don’t live this truth in every one of my actions, I become a danger to God’s salvific plan.
Like the grassroots instigators of John the Baptist and Jesus, I wait in my digital desert contemplating the perfect lifestyle demanded by God so that when the time comes, I will be ready to carry it out with ardent zeal. Until then, my blog is my camel’s hair cassock, my facebook account is my feast of locusts and my 140 character limit tweets are my wild honey. Through these tools and through my daily routine, I grow in my relationship with Christ by recognizing His presence often.
It is that Power, that Creator of the universe that teaches His people through little ole’ uneducated, unstudied me…
That’s dangerous!
TJBurdick.com 
We dont worship Mary, we just pray to her for everything`
The Cross becomes a part of Our Lady’s clothing in the habit of the Brown Scapular because she shared her Son’s Cross as our Co-Redemptrix. Her Brown Scapular proceeds from her and envelops the whole world as does the grace and mercy of God which she mediates to us.
http://jkmi.com/jkmary.asp
The Lords arm is his saviour. There is no other.
Isaiah 40
Great post! I could have written it myself. I, too, have a dangerous blog with one subscriber, and a few church ladies have found me, oh, and my mother and father think I am the best writer ever, lol. I figure if no one reads it today, that is okay. My kids will appreciate it some day. If someone needs to read what I have written, I leave that up to the Holy Spirit. Thanks for sharing the faith in all your little ways.
Well done Shiela, stay dangerous. I’m realizing more and more that some of my favorite writers were actually never known until well after their death. Perhaps that is just another one of God’s zingers He tells when we reach the pearly gates? We can only hope 🙂
ok, thanks to Kevin Knight, even Jude—another dangerous Catholic from Kampala-Uganda (East Africa) is reading your blog now…. By the way, I was once disinvited from giving a talk to a group of Catholic youth about Catholic devotion to the Saints in heaven because of my obvious lack of theological qualifications!
Amazing, Jude, simply stunning. Perhaps we should write a book about it, there’s obviously a market out there.
I think many of us feel the way you do. We are unknown to the world, but we do our small bit. I have taught a catechism class for years, home schooled, and instructed Altar Servers at our parish. Our voice is limited, but we still attempt to do what Our Lord asks of us. Some days we feel we have not made a dent, and only God knows if we have accomplished anything.. still we continue to keep at it–not for ourselves but for love of God. God bless you!
With great pleasure we press on. Thanks for your kind and encouraging words Patt.
With great pleasure we press on! Thanks for your kind and encouraging words, Patt.
I love this! Keep it up, as we need you badly. The Pope has said we must blog, and so we blog! God bless your work.
Agreed! Now on to visit yours 🙂
These statements; “I am, in every sense of the celestial Body of Christ, nobody.
Who, then, is considered public enemy number one to the relativistic society in which we live? The practicing Catholic who calls out the errors of the mediocre and shadows their claims with an onslaught of truth.
Oh yeh, I’m dangerous alright.
On the other hand, I am even more dangerous if I do not strive to live perfectly.”
are well worth pondering.
I feel these sentiments very strongly in my own life. In a very real and certain sense, I think “Ole Hairy Legs” as Barbara McGuigan calls him is responsible for this illusion of “nothingness” you allude to. I cannot count the times, I have been called “holier than thou” or had people turn their back, walk away or roll their eyes – not at anything I say per se, but because of my way of being – simply because I am trying to life a faithfully authentic Catholic life; trying to follow the command to “become perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect.”
I have led a bible study with similar results as you; and as the current Chairman for the Abba, Father Chapter of Catholics United for the Faith, I find it particularly difficult to reach the ordinary individuals in the pew.
I am not a writer, although I do have a book idea. I enjoy writing and do have a blog, but have neglected it for a few years and most of the recent posts are reposts from other bloggers. My commitment of service to the Office for Pro-Life Ministry in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis will be lessening toward September of this year at which time I hope to again begin sharing some of my journaling meditations. I would however, like to share with you the following post, http://stmonicastears.blogspot.com/2008/11/consecrated-for-battle-as-missionary.html. I think in many ways it correspondes well to this post of yours.
I have come to realize that it is far more necessary that I speak to and implore Our Lady’s intercession for people, than it is for me to speak to people about God or the truth of the Church Christ established. As long as I am faithful, humble and obedient; I have every reason for assurance that those I have placed in Our Lady’s hands and those she has placed in my path cannot and will not escape her loving and motherly intercession – she will pick them up, wipe them off and place them in Our Lord’s hands. It is ALL in God’s timing, not mine.
Thank you for your post, it has given me the opportunity to once again meditate on these awesome truths of our great and holy God!
With great pleasure, Patty. As Mother Teresa once said,”God doesn’t require that I be successful, He demands that I be faithful.”
As yes, laypeople are called to be dangerous…
“Being unable to give an answer to someone who is curious about Catholicism is one thing, but failing to live up to my Teacher’s expectations in both word and deed is another, more serious issue. Unfortunately, this is where many of my wayward brothers and sisters find themselves in the Catholic Church- uninformed and thus a danger to their own salvation and to the perception of the fullness of Truth.”
This is where I find myself…
Thank You. Thank you for your Inspiring and Encouraging words…They fill one with Infinite Hope. Now if only I can…well…I Must try…
Adoration… that’s all I can say. Y por cierto, me gustó bastante su blog. A lo mejor te gustaría juntar conmigo como autor/a en mi otra misión digital- feycelo.net/faithandzeal.net? Buscalo y dime si te interesa.