Re: Orthodox Catholisism

Charles Martin (cmartin@REGENT.EDU)
Thu, 30 Jan 1997 08:00:10 -0500

I've been thinking about this Orthodox Catholocism stuff. Wonder if any of
you could help me with these few passages I found in a book on my shelf?

"I, for example, am a Roman Catholic; albeit a bad one. I believe in the
Holy Catholic Apostolic and Roman Church, in God the Father, in the election
of the Jews, in Jesus Christ His Son our Lord, who founded the Church on
Peter his first vicar, which will last until the end of the world. Some
years ago, however, I stopped eating Christ in Communion, stopped going to
mass, and have since fallen into a disorderly life. I believe in God and
the whole business but I love women best, music and science next, God
fourth, and my fellowman hardly at all. Generally I do as I please. A man,
wrote John, who says he believes in GOd and does not keep his commandments
is a liar. If John is right, then I am a liar. Nevertheless, I still
believe." ("Love in the Ruins" 6)

A few pages later he says:
"The best of times were after mass on summer evenings when Samantha and I
would walk home in the violet dusk, we having received Communion and
rejoicing afterwards, caring nought for my fellow Catholics but only for
myself and Samantha and Christ swallowed, remembering what he promised me
for eating him, that I would have life in me, and I did, feeling so good
that I'd sing and cut the fool all the way home like King David before the
Ark." (11)

And on the last page, while "Barbecuing in his sackcloth" he says:
"I'm dancing around to keep warm, hands in pockets. It is Christmas Day and
the Lord is here, a holy night and surely that is all one needs...On the
other hand I want a drink. Fetching the Early Times from a clump of
palmetto, I take six drinks in six minutes. Now I'm dancing and singing old
Sinatra songs and the 'Salve Regina,' cutting the fool like David before the
ark or like Walter Huston doing a jig when he struck it rich in the Sierra
Madre." (343)

Let me know what you think

Charles Martin