Grace and peace to you all!
You'll understand the title of this thread in a moment. It's something I've had to deal with a lot in my life. While God has given me a gift of drawing people to me (I get total strangers confessing sins to me, asking about God, telling their life stories to me, etc., from out of nowhere) and drawing the truth out of them, and I think that I have been (Praise Jesus!) an instrument for God's glory who has helped bring a lot of people to know the Lord.
However, sometimes, people do perceive me as "so holy" and "pure" that I frighten them. People "get to know me" and still have these pre-conceived notions that I am "holy" and it makes them feel unconfortable to be around me, as if they are "ashamed" of their sin (these are few people, but nevertheless....) and feel that in my "holiness" I will look down on them or something. I don't know.
But when I entered the Capuchin order, a few very good friends even began to keep their distance from me, because, to quote a Mexican friend of mine, "You're... like a nun! I feel like you're untouchable, like you're so pure and consecrated to God and I can't even be near you!"
I don't know. Becoming a priest, I find it both fascinates and frightens people. Many people are drawn to the fact that such a "nice, friendly, normal" guy, who shows such compassion and love to all would be a priest -- that priests maybe are people too!!! And we're not all the monsters that the media portrays them to be! My very presence in their lives has caused them to take another look at Christianity, and even as Protestants, to take a look at the Catholic Church, for I am not someone easily "swayed" into following trends or foolishness. So what the Church claims MUST have some sort of solid foundation, otherwise why would I be part of her?
But I guess you just have to be yourself, as you can't guess the reactions of other people. Sometimes my "truth" and discernment abilities bring to the surface a lot of fears that people were burying down deep and are afraid to confront...
I guess the way I can compare it is like, well, being a mutant. But in a good way I guess. Some people don't know how to deal with the fact that I've given my life to God, that I am never going to have sex, never going to get married, but my days and nights are devoted to worshipping God and praying incessantly for the world. And only in this do I find my joy, my raison d'etre, my exhilaration!!!
Well, as I mentioned on my thread about the gym, there was this homosexual who was "cruising" me but he was a nice guy. After my workout (where he basically followed me around like a puppy) we did go for coffee, at which time I discovered he was raised Methodist, doesn't go to church, doesn't read his Bible, but he does have a spirituality from being in A.A.
But the look of astonishment on his face when I told him about myself, my life, and my calling, really showed that he probably was scared of me after that. That look, that gaping mouth, the studdering and shock... yet at the same time an awe and admiration. Yet I noticed the entire dynamic in our conversation changed after I told him about my calling (he was probably sad to know I am not gay and he had no chance with me... but I give him more credit for having a kind heart and good mind; besides I kept the conversation focused on the Lord and kept asking him, "Well, why don't you read your Bible? Do you own one?")
I guess I've rambled enough, but I will not give up being me. I treated this guy with kindness and understanding, not judgment, and I treat everyone with equal respect and dignity. It is showing the Love that IS our God, that we bring people to Him.
We don't just believe the Gospel -- we LIVE it!!!! And in living it, we witness to the multitudes who do not... and faced with this, they are confronted with God, face to face with Him. And we must be there to edify and hold them up, guide them, and love them, no matter who they are.
Praise be to Jesus Christ, now and forever.
You'll understand the title of this thread in a moment. It's something I've had to deal with a lot in my life. While God has given me a gift of drawing people to me (I get total strangers confessing sins to me, asking about God, telling their life stories to me, etc., from out of nowhere) and drawing the truth out of them, and I think that I have been (Praise Jesus!) an instrument for God's glory who has helped bring a lot of people to know the Lord.
However, sometimes, people do perceive me as "so holy" and "pure" that I frighten them. People "get to know me" and still have these pre-conceived notions that I am "holy" and it makes them feel unconfortable to be around me, as if they are "ashamed" of their sin (these are few people, but nevertheless....) and feel that in my "holiness" I will look down on them or something. I don't know.
But when I entered the Capuchin order, a few very good friends even began to keep their distance from me, because, to quote a Mexican friend of mine, "You're... like a nun! I feel like you're untouchable, like you're so pure and consecrated to God and I can't even be near you!"
I don't know. Becoming a priest, I find it both fascinates and frightens people. Many people are drawn to the fact that such a "nice, friendly, normal" guy, who shows such compassion and love to all would be a priest -- that priests maybe are people too!!! And we're not all the monsters that the media portrays them to be! My very presence in their lives has caused them to take another look at Christianity, and even as Protestants, to take a look at the Catholic Church, for I am not someone easily "swayed" into following trends or foolishness. So what the Church claims MUST have some sort of solid foundation, otherwise why would I be part of her?
But I guess you just have to be yourself, as you can't guess the reactions of other people. Sometimes my "truth" and discernment abilities bring to the surface a lot of fears that people were burying down deep and are afraid to confront...
I guess the way I can compare it is like, well, being a mutant. But in a good way I guess. Some people don't know how to deal with the fact that I've given my life to God, that I am never going to have sex, never going to get married, but my days and nights are devoted to worshipping God and praying incessantly for the world. And only in this do I find my joy, my raison d'etre, my exhilaration!!!
Well, as I mentioned on my thread about the gym, there was this homosexual who was "cruising" me but he was a nice guy. After my workout (where he basically followed me around like a puppy) we did go for coffee, at which time I discovered he was raised Methodist, doesn't go to church, doesn't read his Bible, but he does have a spirituality from being in A.A.
But the look of astonishment on his face when I told him about myself, my life, and my calling, really showed that he probably was scared of me after that. That look, that gaping mouth, the studdering and shock... yet at the same time an awe and admiration. Yet I noticed the entire dynamic in our conversation changed after I told him about my calling (he was probably sad to know I am not gay and he had no chance with me... but I give him more credit for having a kind heart and good mind; besides I kept the conversation focused on the Lord and kept asking him, "Well, why don't you read your Bible? Do you own one?")
I guess I've rambled enough, but I will not give up being me. I treated this guy with kindness and understanding, not judgment, and I treat everyone with equal respect and dignity. It is showing the Love that IS our God, that we bring people to Him.
We don't just believe the Gospel -- we LIVE it!!!! And in living it, we witness to the multitudes who do not... and faced with this, they are confronted with God, face to face with Him. And we must be there to edify and hold them up, guide them, and love them, no matter who they are.
Praise be to Jesus Christ, now and forever.
