How I Became Mrs. Watts ✓

How I Became Mrs. Watts (22)

CHAPTER 22

I didn't want to bother Andrew for a ride to Mass on Sunday morning, so I walked to the church down the road. I remembered the note he left me the last time. I didn't expect one this time.

After Mass I emerged myself in Courtney and Blake's story, because at least they had a happy ending coming. I knew my happy ending would be coming too, in Heaven, but I wanted a happy ending on earth as well. Maybe I was just being selfish.

I looked over the note Taylor sent to me. She still sent her letters in the mail. I liked it better that way because it was my update and I needed a hard copy of that. Since I couldn't be there myself, Taylor sent me notes, because their story had to be written. Maybe I should just write about their daughter from now on, I thought. I didn't know what I was going to do yet. Taylor had written, “Hey, Ella! Everything is well here, but I know you want specific details, so here we go. Their baby girl (my niece!) was born a few days ago. They named her Mahogany, rather Courtney named her that, after she was born. She was named that because her hair is exactly the shade of mahogany red. She is so cute, even to me, and you know how I don't like children. Also, I think Courtney and Blake's story is all written out already. I think you should wait for the baby to grow up and write about her. Did I mention she's adorable? Probably. But anyway, I hope all is well with you, and you need to write me back more often girl! Love ya like a sister, Taylor Murphy.”

Well, she certainly answered my question for me, now didn't she? Taylor had a way of doing that, and her letters always came at exactly the right time. I smiled, thinking of baby Mahogany. I wondered what her middle name was. What could they possibly put after Mahogany? I'd have to ask Taylor that. I started my reply right away, “My dearest Taylor, wait, why did I even write that? Anyway, I bet you'll get a kick out of that. I miss you dearie, we should meet up again for Christmas. I want to meet Mahogany too, do you think you could manage that? What is her middle name, by the way? I was stumped thinking of what it could be. I still have no ideas for it. I think I agree with you, about just writing Mahogany's story. What do you think about Simply Enchanted for the title? All is not well here, there's this guy who told me he liked me, then he said it's best if we weren't even friends practically in the same sentence! I can't be mad at him, but it's awkward when I see him around. Any advice? Love ya, Ella Fitzgerald. P.S. Be nice to Blake (I know you, girly, don't even try to deny it).”

Very soon it was time to go to Andrew's class. I couldn't wait, but I could at the same time. He was making things so confusing that he made me even more confused than I already was before. See? See what he did? I thought, proving my point.

I waited until the rest of the class entered, then I took my seat. “Today we are discussing why our Church isn't a 'Bible-only' church,” Andrew began. “If confronted by a Fundamentalist Christian about this some may be led to wonder, 'Since there's lots of Catholic stuff that's not explicitly mentioned in the bible, and some of it that even seems to be forbidden by Scripture–and the Bible should be the source of Christian faith–is there indeed something wrong with and somehow less-than-Christian about the Catholic Church?' But notice I said 'seems.'

“Now let's be logical about this. How could that be true? The Catholic Church has been around for two thousand years, after all. And would people like Saint Francis of Assisi and Mother Teresa be so foolish as to be taken in by some nefarious claims of a non-biblical religion cleverly masquerading as Christianity?

“If they're asking you this question in the first place, they believe that the Bible is the only source of what a Christian should believe. Nothing else–the teachings of Church councils, the wisdom of hundreds of years of Church experience and thought–none of it means anything in terms of basic Christian teachings. God spoke through the Bible and nowhere else. It's in the Bible or it's out. Do you see the problem with that?” We nodded.

“The question you should be asking them is this: 'Where, exactly, in the Bible does it say that?' The answer is nowhere. There is no such Bible verse, anywhere in the Bible.

“Sure, there are verses that say the Bible is a source of faith, wisdom, inspiration, and the Word of God, but it never says it's the only source of faith for a Christian, or the only way that God has revealed Himself.

“You might get 2 Timothy, chapter 3 verse sixteen quoted to you. It says, 'All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness.'

“Monsignor John J. Glenn wrote this in his book, Apologetics, 'If the Bible alone is God's word, God's only revelation of supernatural character, then the Bible will surely say so.'

“Catholic Christianity isn't a Bible-only church. That's because the Scriptures make it clear that God has revealed Himself through both the Bible and the Sacred Tradition of the Church. There's not a single place in the Bible that says the Bible should be the only source of faith for Christians, either. Jesus didn't leave the Bible behind when He ascended into heaven. He left us the Church, in the ministry of His apostles. The Bible emerged from the Church, not the other way around.'”1

1Prove It! Church, chapter two