Peter’s Denial, by Michael D. O’Brien
From a reader:
My concern and question is within myself. I have been raised Catholic and have also done the same with my daughters. I have tried to go to church practically every Sunday and have tried to be involved with activities at church and in my community too. I have tried to be "good." I go to Confession and Communion and pray the Rosary occasionally. My concern and sadness is that I find that I am so far from Christ according to everything I read. It’s so hard to live up to Christ’s expectations. I love Him so much, but I’m not even close to what He wants from me. I try to be like the saints, but it only seems to last a second or two, and I’m back to being my mediocre self. I can’t concentrate when I pray or when I’m at Mass. I do many things wrong. In your news letters you talk of the coming of [Christ’s merciful judgment], chastisements etc… You talk of how to be prepared. I’m trying but, I just can’t seem to get close. I feel like I’m going to be in Hell or at the bottom of Purgatory. What do I do? What does Christ think of someone like me who’s just a puddle of sin and keeps falling down?