1) The Catholic Church invites us to enter the MYSTERY OF GOD- to journey into the "DEPTH, BREADTH, and WIDTH" of Truth. God, being bigger than us, must always have a mystery to us. It is not so much that He doesn't want to reveal Himself to us totally, it is just that our own nature cannot contain it. The Catholic Church is like an ocean of truth, so many took buckets of water from the ocean and claim to have the truth. Others stayed on the seashore and judge the ocean and throw stones at it. To be a Catholic is to enter the ocean and become a part of it. To become partakers of God's Divinity and co-workers in Truth. It is an inexhaustible ocean which brings a wide array of Catholics in the journey. Some may never make it deeper but we see also the great saints immersed and one with the ocean of truth.
2) The Catholic Church is about FAMILY. Even the imprint of God is a family - Three Persons in One God- Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. We have our Holy Father, the Pope. We have a spiritual mother in Mary. The Catholic Church is called the Mother Church and the Groom is Jesus. The saints are like brothers and sisters to us whom we revere and look up for guidance in our pilgrimage. God said He will never leave us orphaned and with the Catholic Church we can not be.
This sense of family in the Catholic Church is also reflected in the biological family. St. Augustine lovingly calls the family a "domestic church". Divorce is not recognized by the church.
3) The Catholic Church is UNIVERSAL.
God is just and fair, the Creator of all; Thus, it is natural that His Church is universal and not defined by geographic boundaries, color, or economic status. At the same time, it becomes supernatural because our humanity alone can not handle the differences between us. It must be God who holds it all together and gather everyone to Himself.
4) The Catholic Church shows that everything is CONNECTED. The New Testament is the fulfilment of the Old Testament. There is the Apostolic Succession which continually links the present to the Apostolic teachings. There is no dualism bringing into fruition the importance of the Flesh and the Spirit. Likewise with Faith and Reason, feasting and fasting, sacrifice and healing, bible and tradition. The Communion of Saints connects heaven, purgatory, and earth. Everything is connected in this life. The Church, thus, is manifesting the mission of Jesus - to have life in abundance (fullness of life).
5) The Catholic Church is FAITHFUL to JESUS. The church recognizes as valid the baptisms and marriages of other religions for as long as the formula remains. It shows that it is the teachings of Christ which is of greater importance than just solely the Church as an institution. While many religions had allowed divorce, the Catholic Church maintains that "what God had put together, no man can put asunder".
6) The Catholic Church is HOLY but it does not depend on the holiness of its members. Its claim for being a Holy Church comes from being founded and instituted by Jesus Christ who is God. It shows God is ever faithful. Very much the same with His relationship with the Chosen people that goes through cycles of faithfulness and unfaithfulness, but God remains constantly faithful. Human institutions, though usually off to a good start tend to lose out and change depending on its leaders and members. On the other hand, the Catholic Church being Divine in its institution had remained the same Catholic Church, in spite of, the leaders and members it had through the years. This is also a manifestation of God's Divine Justice that the truth and salvation will always be available to all, in spite of, the vicissitudes of the times.
7) The Catholic Church is TRANSCENDENTAL. The church shows that there are things in life that is beyond time and space. The teachings of the Apostles and Church Fathers remain valuable to the present times. It shows that there is an Unchanging Truth in the ever-changing world. It is amazing, too, that the lives of the saints like St. Maximillian Kolbe or St. Therese could have passed by unknown to us but divine intervention allowed their lives to live through beyond the confines of time and place. It shows that God is always present and ever participating in this tapestry of life. The lives of the saints also show how God works BEYOND our limitations. Peter, the fishermen becomes pope. Mother Angelica started a global catholic television network. Mother Teresa began an international network of charity. When we look at the saints, they are just like us and we couldn't imagine them being able to do the things they do. But they did because they were responding to God and allowed the Holy Spirit to do the work with them and through them.
8) The Catholic Church shows a God of JUSTICE. It is not about predestination, or else that would be unfair. We won't have a choice. It is not about the Bible Alone. That would exclude those who can not read - the poor, the children, or those who simply do not like reading. It is not about a specific number for an elite, secret group. Reincarnation, too, seemed unfair that my life was dictated by a previous life I had no knowledge or choice.
9) The Catholic Church has the SACRAMENTS. The sacraments having a formula, these allows the sacraments to be operative of grace, in spite of, the people administering it. These sacraments allow us to have a touch of God, an intimacy with Him. We don't have to depend on a good preacher, good music, or a wonderful place. It is efficacious because of Jesus and the degree to which how we want Jesus to touch us. The highest form of worship one can have is to accept Jesus in these sacraments for we truly allow God to be God. We allow God to be the ultimate Giver.
10) The Catholic Church makes MORAL STAND. It is not confined to biblical teachings as if it were a history book or a novel. It concretizes the teachings to the present time and to the practical side of what God wants. With this, we can endeavor to be Christians with every breath whether we be in the bedroom, or at the office. Whether we are doctors, housekeepers, students, the teachings of Christ has relevance. Ultimately, it shows that salvation is not just about words, works, or faith, but about a life lived in love.
11) The Catholic Church honors FREE WILL. The sacraments most esp. confession do not force us into the faith but invite us. This allows us the free will to respond to God's invitation. It is so easy to dissent, so easy to apostasize, so easy to backslide. Honoring our free will is not so easy after all, because it requires as to work hard in fear and trembling to respond and keep focus on God and journey to the depth, width and breadth of His truth and Love. Still, it is beautiful.
