Why did I become a Catholic? Discovering the Church as a hospital for sinners.

As I mentioned, Sin is our basic distrust of God, His intentions towards us, the goodness and wisdom of His character, will and plan as our Creator.  Our individual acts of sin are the symptoms of that distrust and unbelief.

God however has a plan for our salvation from sin through Jesus Christ, His son.  And part of His plan is for us to be in community in the Church which Jesus founded during his time here on earth.  God designed it so we can help each other towards wholeness, maturity until we all become like Jesus.

But here's part of the deal, the Church is a hospital for sinners in the recovery process and it is staffed by sinners in the recovery process.  And our salvation is a lifelong process for each of us.  So guess what?  Sin is going to happen in the Church.  On top of that the Scriptures themselves warn that the dragon will also plant his agents in the Church to try to undermine and destroy it and us.  Much of the New Testament was written in part to address problems in the fledgling churches caused by their sinfulness getting out of hand and yet God was their midst ministering through and to them.  And He made some of them shepherds to tend His flock.

As I studied church history, I found it interesting that the Church fairly consistently rejected both licentiousness and perfectionistic legalism down through the ages.  There were darker times and lighter times but the Church has never been nor will be perfect this side of heaven.  As I have heard from numerous sources, "If you ever find the perfect church, don't join it because then it won't be perfect anymore."  As Peter says in 1 Peter 4:18, quoting Proverbs 11:31 from the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, “And if the righteous one is barely saved, where will the godless and the sinner appear?” NABRE

And yet the promise that Jesus made in Matthew 16 still holds true and has down through the ages:

13 When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." NABRE

Over time I came to believe in an inspired church made up of broken people.  How did this help me?  Realistic expectations always help and it gave me more compassion towards the weaknesses and frailties of others and even myself.