How Catholicism is Helping My Protestantism

Ok, I admit.  That's a clickbait title.  It ought to be How Catholicism is Helping My Christian Walk.

Studying Catholicism has been beneficial to my Protestant walk by reinforcing the truth of the importance of Christ's purpose and work and His reality.  I want to pray more.  I want to read my Bible more.  I want to seek Him more.

Another way is that I have a new view of the importance of Sunday Mass.  While we don't have Mass as Baptists, I have found that I sort of just go to church instead of have a personal and corporate time of worship.  I even struggled with wanting to go to church at all.  It just didn't seem important to me beyond remaining part of the body of believers.  I can do songs, prayers, and sermons at home easily enough.  What was really so special about going to church?  Now, I see its significance more.

I see the spiritual as more...well...spiritual.  Protestantism can be rather...earthy...I guess you could say.  More specifically, the Baptist church is rather earthy.  The AG church was very spirit-driven.  We had tongues, prophecies, and a LOT of prayer and worship.  But, the Baptist church seems much more about the figurative, the here and now, the tangible, the practical.  I've come to not only miss the spiritual, but sort of forget about it.  Studying Catholicism has brought the spiritual back into light for me.

Adoration is another biggie.  Worship, for me, wasn't really worship anymore.  And I don't think I ever really learned how to worship in the sense that it was just like, "yeah, Jesus, thanks!  I believe you're there and you did a good thing for me.  Thanks!  Love ya, man!"  Now, I feel the desire to ADORE Jesus, to really worship Him and meditate on what He has done, what He is doing, who He is!

I am continuing to attend the Baptist church because that is where my husband and young children go, and because it is a good church with good people and good sermons and a good pastor.  But, now I can and want to do more than just warm the pew.