Meditation ~ The "Catholic Dream"? A Third Way?

The Great Gatsby sums up the "American dream" at it's worst: endless pining for a destination you can never obtain.

The "bright lights, big city" way of living never goes out of style. You start out somewhere, and have places to go. Did you get there?

Protestant Christianity has provided some balance. It especially emphasizes family values and hard work. As a result, there can also be the romanticization of the simple life of "good people," home, and the community left behind.

What if both paths are missing something? "Bright lights" gets us overly focused on temporal results, while staying home lacks the adventure and romance we crave.

Catholicism can provide a third way. It is right that we seek out thrills, challenges, beauty, and mystery. In the sacraments, and in our journey towards them, we experience all these. Prayer and worship are not mere Sunday morning duties, they are portals into a higher realm. Religion isn't just about being "good" (as if we are). It's about encountering God as the love of our life, and having our desires fulfilled; this is supported through the sensuality of our liturgy and art. Through the Church's sacraments, art, the mystical writings of the saints, and our robust intellectual tradition, our minds and hearts have much to feast upon. To be Catholic is to live an extraordinary life, if we are receptive to everything the Church has to offer us.