Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Deacon Robert Banet
You look pretty down, Charlie.
Oh. My wife’s nephew just announced that he is leaving the Church.
That is something to be down about, to be sure. Many young people seem to be doing that or on the verge of it. Does he give any reason?
He says he just can’t believe the things the Church teaches. He’s in college, you know.
I thought he was going to a Catholic college.
He is. But sometimes they’re the worst for undermining the faith.
Too true. What specifically does he have doubts about?
Oh, many things. But the miracles, Transubstantation, the Virgin Birth, I don’t know, many things.
You know, it may be that he does not really have doubts.
Oh? What do you mean?
Cardinal Newman talked about this very thing. He said there is a great difference between a doubt and a difficulty.
Hmm. A doubt and a difficulty?
Yes. He said you could have a thousand difficulties about believing something and it would not amount to a real doubt.
You have to explain that.
The Blessed Mother had a difficulty in believing that she would conceive, being a virgin, that is.
Yes, I recall that. She asked the angel how that could be. She did indeed have a difficulty.
Yes, but she did not doubt that God would find a way.
Her relative Zachariah did have a doubt about his wife’s conceiving, she being past the age when women could have children.
Yes, and God punished him by striking him dumb.
So that’s the difference between doubting and having a difficulty. Maybe your wife’s nephew is in the same boat.
Maybe. I’ll have to get in touch with him.
Cardinal Newman has been declared Blessed. I wouldn’t doubt if he is declared a Doctor of the Church.
I wouldn’t be surprised. Praise God.