Perhaps you’ve been on the fence. Maybe you’re thinking, “All that Catholic stuff sounds nice, but I just can’t see myself as a Catholic.” Or perhaps you just don’t think you’re ready to take the plunge. Well, we have good news: you are eminently qualified and don’t have to wait. Here are the top 7 reasons you should be Catholic.
Reason 7: You have an immortal soul
Unlike the animals, human beings have immortal souls. While our bodies die in this world, our souls will not die. Death is but the separation of body and soul. One day the body and soul will be reunited. Every one of us is destined to spend eternity somewhere. God will not save us without our consent, but he desires what is best for us, namely God Himself. To go to heaven means to see the Beatific Vision, to behold God as He is, and to be perfectly happy with Him and fulfilled by Him forever. If we will not choose this, we doom ourselves to an eternity of the loss of God, knowing we could have been eternally happy.
Reason 6: The hardest part has already been taken care of
God the Son did most of the work for you.
Reason 5: You have the best Mother ever
Jesus emptied Himself out for us so completely, yet he was not satisfied until he gave us also His mother. While hanging in agony on the cross, He entrusted us to Mary, St. John being our representative. That means we have a filial relationship with the absolute best mother there ever was or ever could be. We have a totally awesome mother, and she is all about getting her children to heaven.
“He who has not Mary for his mother has not God for his Father.” St. Louis de Montfort.
Reason 4: Intercessors are standing by
No, this is not a joke. As a Catholic, you have access to the best help there is. All of the angels and saints, including God’s own mother, constantly behold the face of God. They pray for you. They want you to get to heaven.
These are real people who have been here and done this. Some were great sinners before they became great saints.
Reason 3: You have access to the sacraments
You also have the best help this side of heaven: the sacraments. The sacraments are the very channels of grace that Jesus established to save us. Through baptism, we become children of God and coheirs with Christ. If we fall after baptism, we have frequent and readily available access to the sacrament of confession. Most important of all, we have the greatest sacrament of them all, the Holy Eucharist, Jesus Christ Himself present on our altars under the appearances of bread and wine. Though we see Him with the eyes of faith, as through a veil, we are able to possess Him now in this life in the Holy Eucharist.
Reason 2: You were made for love and God is love
Let’s face it. We all have a God-sized hole in us that cannot be filled by anyone or anything other than God. No matter how many riches we accrue, friends we have, or good times we enjoy, all of these things cannot make us happy. The need for God is infinitely large because God is infinite. All the creatures in the universe, indeed, the universe itself is not enough to fill that hole.
Reason 1: God desires it
You read that right. Becoming a Catholic is God’s will for you. If for no other reason, become Catholic to please God, knowing this is what God wants. God created us, manifesting His goodness. Let us make a return to Him of all we have.
Bonus Reasons
Honorable Mention: Catholics have some of the best music there is
Now, you wouldn’t know this necessarily. Anymore, it seems to be the Church’s best kept secret, but there are real music composers who wrote some amazing stuff down through the centuries for the Mass and for the love of God. Sadly, though not surprisingly, the Church’s great musical heritage is not in vogue during this particularly sinful era that glorifies noise and vulgarity over music and beauty.
Here’s a taste.
About the Images
The featured image is The Assumption by Francesco Albani. The Crucifixion is by Andrea Mantegna. Both are in the public domain.
To become CATHOLIC, not a chance!! Forget Mary, where is the holy Spirit in all of this!? Hail Mary? not a chance! GOD dos not desire I BECOME Catholic!!
Hi Byron. Why are you so angry about Mary, the spouse of the Holy Spirit, whom the Holy Spirit overshadowed in the incarnation of God the Son? Where would we be without her “yes” to become the mother of our savior Jesus Christ?
“Just as in the natural and corporal generation of children there are a father and a mother, so in the supernatural and spiritual generation there are a Father, who is God, and a Mother, who is Mary. All of God’s true children have Him for their Father and Mary for their Mother. He who has not Mary for his Mother has not God for his Father. This is the reason why heretics, schismatics and others, who hate our Blessed Lady or regard her with contempt and indifference, have not God for their Father—they have not Mary for their Mother. For if they had her for their Mother they would love and honor her as a true child naturally loves and honors the mother who has given him life.” – St. Louis de Monfort