I have noticed the trend where people believe that having faith means that one is unreasonable. I strongly object to this kind of accusation. I am both reasonable and a person of faith.
The thing I hear most often is that Christians ignore science and think that the world is only a few thousand years old. I can assure you that most Christians do not think this way. That particular oddity arose from people saying that the Bible is 100% accurate. In actuality, that is one of those "yes" and "no" propositions. Is the Bible the word of God and does it accurately relate the things God has revealed about himself to humans? Yes. Is the Bible historically complete and scientifically accurate? No. There are a lot of events in ancient history which were not included in the Bible. The Bible was never intended to be scientifically accurate.
The best way to look at the Bible (scripture) is to consider some important things about the context in which it is written. The first thing to recognize is that it has numerous human authors spread out over centuries and geographical areas. The author of each book wrote based upon his understanding of the world around him, his cultural conditions, the circumstances in which he lived, and with a particular audience and purpose in mind. Thus, we have to ask some questions; Who wrote this? When did this person write it? Who was he writing to? Why did he write it? Where did he live? What was the historical context of this person's life? What style of literature is this?
When we look at the text critically, we can discover the underlying truths that the author wanted us to get at. For example, Genesis was a written account of stories which had been passed down for many centuries. The book is sometimes allegory and sometimes takes a historical tone. The purpose is to set down a narrative of man's relationship to God in creation and specifically to set down a historical sketch of the Jewish people. The essential truth of the creation story is that God created everything from nothing. That does not go against reason, for science has proven that there was a time when nothing existed. The creation story describes living things of increasing complexity coming into existence. This is not counter to the fossil record. Did these things occur in six days as we currently recon them? I doubt we are meant to view it this way, as the literature takes the form common to allegorical poetry of its time. That which is true remains true.
Another thing to remember is that the genealogies in Genesis commonly skipped generations. A person who is listed as 'begat' by someone could be a grandson or great-grandson. Just as we may have a hard time recalling more than a few generations of our family tree, over centuries the most notable would have been the ones most easily recalled. The writer wasn't trying to be evasive or dishonest, he was just listing everyone he could think of from the stories his family passed down. That doesn't make what he said untrue. It is only as complete as the collective memories of centuries worth of ancestors. Even without the full genealogy, we can sense that there was a progression from common notable ancestors to the people the book was written for (the Jewish people).
These are just two examples of ways in which we can make an honest textual criticism of what we read. Considering the context helps us to glean important ideas from the text. The themes of scripture include the important aspects of our faith. We believe that God is an eternal being who is the cause of all existence. We believe He directed creation and designed people to be in relationship with Him. People broke faith with Him. God promised to send a redeemer who would make the way for man's relationship with Him to be repaired. God came to earth as a man in the person of Jesus. Jesus taught people how to live rightly and made of Himself an eternal sacrifice which would give all people peace with God. Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to many people, thus establishing that He was, indeed who He claimed to be. He taught his followers how to be in communion with him and how to bring others into that relationship.
If one studies scripture about these things, one can find the patterns and themes that constantly weave themselves through the Bible. There is a consistent message throughout. Many things that appeared contradictory to me at one time have become easier to understand as I consider the human role in writing scripture.
Yes, I believe scripture is the Word of God. Yes, I believe that truths about God can be gleaned from its pages. No, I do not believe that every word is meant to be taken literally. It seems apparent to me that the writers did not intend this to be so.
With that said, I believe that we have many excellent guides to understanding the scriptures, including the early Church Fathers and historians.
One does not have to ignore his rational side to be a person of faith. Nothing that has been discovered by science reverses the truths I can observe about God by study and by experience. I am certain that faith has made me a better individual. Even if one ignores the spiritual implications, one cannot deny the good that is associated with those who follow their Christian beliefs faithfully. No one can be faulted for being loving, self controlled, charitable, kind and faithful. Individuals who do not display such virtue are not acting the way that Christians should. I hope that we will be judged by those who are striving to live up to the ideals of our faith rather than by those who are Christian only in name.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Monday, September 28, 2015
Commonly Misunderstood
I find myself in an interesting position; I was baptized into the Catholic Church as an infant, spent my formative years and young adulthood in Protestant churches, then came back to the Catholic Church as an adult. Being a Catholic in the United States is an interesting position to be in. So many people have seen the tracts put out by Jack Chick, Dan Brown's books, and numerous other publications that paint a less than glowing picture of Catholicism. Add to that the fact that there have been individuals who have brought public scandal, and an American Catholic finds herself frequently questioned about her beliefs and the Church she is a part of. There are a number of Catholics who do not understand the teachings of the Church and how they are applied to our lives, leaving many questions unanswered.
The most frequent question: what do you actually believe? The best place to go to understand the core of the Church's teachings in her Creed
http://www.beginningcatholic.com/apostles-creed.html
The next most frequent question, or rather accusation, is that Catholics worship Mary. This stems from a near complete misunderstanding of the Old Testament, particularly those pertaining to temple regulations. We find in the Old Testament that the Ark of the Covenant is where God chooses to show His presence. The Ark had to be pure, and if any person who was not pure (right with God and granted permission) touched the Ark, he or she would die because the holiness of God would consume them (I Chronicles 13: 9-10. This is hard to make an analogy of, except maybe if you think about the way that evildoers respond to Ghost Rider if he looks them in the eye. They are actually consumed by their own guilt. Understanding that sets the stage for understanding Mary and her role in the incarnation of Christ. In order for God Himself to dwell within Mary, it was necessary for her to be completely free of sin and of the hereditary taint of original sin. God did something unique with her. God, not being bound by time, granted the effects of salvation to Mary from the time of her conception. She was born without original sin, like Eve had been before the fall. Mary, however, cooperated with God's calling on her life and never fell into sin. Because of this, when Mary consented with God's will to conceive His Son in her through the Holy Spirit,(Luke 1:38) she was a worthy vessel. If Mary had not been a worthy vessel, the presence of God within her would have consumed her, causing her to die. Therefore, if Mary was not a virgin, free of sin, then Jesus could not possibly be God. There is no other way to look at it if one believes that what was revealed partially in the Old Testament was fulfilled and fully revealed in the New Testament. The other side of the coin is this; in order for one to state unequivicably that Jesus was the Son of God from conception, one must believe that Mary was His human mother. That it why she is given the title Mother of God. It is not that Mary preceded or created God; she gave her humanity to the Son of God who was conceived in her. She was Jesus' human mother and God himself was His divine father, thus Jesus possessed humanity and divinity simultaneously. This is a very important tenet of Christianity. Thus, when Catholics state what they believe about Mary, they are affirming what they believe about Jesus' nature.
That now brings me to the frequent charge that Catholics are idol worshippers, worshipping saints and their images. This is another misunderstanding. We do not give worship to any created being, not even a saint. We do believe that those who died in faith are alive in Heaven, however. Such saints are worthy of respect and their lives are worth examining as an example of Christian fidelity. The letters of Paul suggest that Christians on earth are witnessed by those who came before them. Revelation 5:8-10 tells that the saints offer up the prayers of the Church before God's throne. Therefore, since we know that the saints offer our prayers to God face to face, we ask them to pray for us. Human beings are multi-faceted. We have both physical and spiritual faculties. When we see, hear, touch, and taste things, we are better able to comprehend the reality of them. Spiritual realities are represented in artwork and music. The art of the Church helps us to make a more palpable connection to the things we hear and read. Art and music connect our senses and bring us more fully into contemplation and meditation on spiritual truths. Catholics often pray before images, but they are not praying to the images. They are praying to God and asking the saints to pray with them. This is a reflection of a firm belief in life after death for Christians.
Protestants also misunderstand the concept of indulgences. There have been times when indulgences were improperly granted to individuals who made donations, but that only obscures what they truly are. When indulgences are granted, they are granted for making a commitment to prayer and meditation on scripture. These indulgences are not a way to avoid just punishment for wrongs nor a guarantee of skipping Purgatory. Instead, the actions required of a person seeking indulgences dispose that person to a deeper relationship with God.
Many misunderstand relics as well. As a Protestant, I thought that the veneration of relics was tantamount to idolatry. I somehow missed the scriptures that show a precedent for this. In the Old Testament (II Kings 13:21) we see a situation where a dead man is brought back to life when he touches the bones of Elisha. In Acts 19:11-12, we see that handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched the Apostle Paul were being used to heal the sick. Thus, we can see that there is a precedent of God using objects to transfer His healing power to people. It should not be surprising, then that relics are often associated with miraculous happenings. There have been persons, places and things on which God's presence rested powerfully. To encounter these is to encounter the miraculous, to encounter God's presence in a deep way.
As one can see by reading this, most of the misunderstandings that Protestants have with Catholics revolve around the fact that we see God as interacting with us on both the spiritual and the physical level.
The most important way in which this plays out is in regards to Communion. Catholics are not alone in believing this, but many detractors fault us for believing that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. We believe that the spiritual reality of the elements of bread and wine is changed by the blessing in Christ's words, transforming them into His body and blood. In this way, we sense physically the spiritual reality of Christ's presence within us.
God became a man and He understands men. We have need to observe, to touch, taste, hear and see. Our faith is strengthened by the physical presence of Our Lord Jesus as He offers himself to us under the form of wine and bread. That is why He commanded that it be done. An unbloody sacrifice is offered to bring to our present reality the death of Our Lord. Do not forget that He changes the substance of things (John 2:1-12) and that He multiplies things (John 6:1-14). He also promised that He was the Bread of Heaven (John6: 25-69).
I hope that Catholics and Protestants alike will have a better understanding of what Catholics believe and why we do some of the things we do. As a Protestant, I was taught to measure what I was told by the standard of scripture. I have done so, and found that the teachings of the Catholic Church align with scripture.
One further note: the scriptures used as "proofs" against Catholics are frequently taken out of context. As I matured and studied more, I read entire passages rather than just the 'bullet points' speakers pulled out of scripture. I found out that the conclusions drawn did not fit the original writers' meaning in many cases. I found that many Protestant dogmas did not measure up to the scriptural standard they pretend to hold themselves to. If anything seems odd, ask for scriptural proofs to back it up. Open your Bible and read the entire passage. Read the notes on the Biblical author and his audience. If what you read is different from what you are being told, ask yourself why and pray about it. Ask yourself, too, how Jesus taught the Apostles. Would they have taught in this manner in turn? Probably. That leaves us with the fact that Jesus taught His Disciples the new traditions He wanted them to maintain in the Church, and they were passed down by word of mouth, in the rabbinical tradition of their time. The Gospels themselves tell us that they do not contain all of the doings and sayings of Jesus (John20: 30-31).
I hope that Protestants who read this will realize that Catholics are fellow Christians. I hope that the faith of all Christians who read this will be edified by gaining an understanding of some practices they may have misunderstood previously. I hope that all who read and can understand would gain a deeper devotion to Our Lord Jesus Christ, Through Whom and In Whom we have Life.
The most frequent question: what do you actually believe? The best place to go to understand the core of the Church's teachings in her Creed
http://www.beginningcatholic.com/apostles-creed.html
The next most frequent question, or rather accusation, is that Catholics worship Mary. This stems from a near complete misunderstanding of the Old Testament, particularly those pertaining to temple regulations. We find in the Old Testament that the Ark of the Covenant is where God chooses to show His presence. The Ark had to be pure, and if any person who was not pure (right with God and granted permission) touched the Ark, he or she would die because the holiness of God would consume them (I Chronicles 13: 9-10. This is hard to make an analogy of, except maybe if you think about the way that evildoers respond to Ghost Rider if he looks them in the eye. They are actually consumed by their own guilt. Understanding that sets the stage for understanding Mary and her role in the incarnation of Christ. In order for God Himself to dwell within Mary, it was necessary for her to be completely free of sin and of the hereditary taint of original sin. God did something unique with her. God, not being bound by time, granted the effects of salvation to Mary from the time of her conception. She was born without original sin, like Eve had been before the fall. Mary, however, cooperated with God's calling on her life and never fell into sin. Because of this, when Mary consented with God's will to conceive His Son in her through the Holy Spirit,(Luke 1:38) she was a worthy vessel. If Mary had not been a worthy vessel, the presence of God within her would have consumed her, causing her to die. Therefore, if Mary was not a virgin, free of sin, then Jesus could not possibly be God. There is no other way to look at it if one believes that what was revealed partially in the Old Testament was fulfilled and fully revealed in the New Testament. The other side of the coin is this; in order for one to state unequivicably that Jesus was the Son of God from conception, one must believe that Mary was His human mother. That it why she is given the title Mother of God. It is not that Mary preceded or created God; she gave her humanity to the Son of God who was conceived in her. She was Jesus' human mother and God himself was His divine father, thus Jesus possessed humanity and divinity simultaneously. This is a very important tenet of Christianity. Thus, when Catholics state what they believe about Mary, they are affirming what they believe about Jesus' nature.
That now brings me to the frequent charge that Catholics are idol worshippers, worshipping saints and their images. This is another misunderstanding. We do not give worship to any created being, not even a saint. We do believe that those who died in faith are alive in Heaven, however. Such saints are worthy of respect and their lives are worth examining as an example of Christian fidelity. The letters of Paul suggest that Christians on earth are witnessed by those who came before them. Revelation 5:8-10 tells that the saints offer up the prayers of the Church before God's throne. Therefore, since we know that the saints offer our prayers to God face to face, we ask them to pray for us. Human beings are multi-faceted. We have both physical and spiritual faculties. When we see, hear, touch, and taste things, we are better able to comprehend the reality of them. Spiritual realities are represented in artwork and music. The art of the Church helps us to make a more palpable connection to the things we hear and read. Art and music connect our senses and bring us more fully into contemplation and meditation on spiritual truths. Catholics often pray before images, but they are not praying to the images. They are praying to God and asking the saints to pray with them. This is a reflection of a firm belief in life after death for Christians.
Protestants also misunderstand the concept of indulgences. There have been times when indulgences were improperly granted to individuals who made donations, but that only obscures what they truly are. When indulgences are granted, they are granted for making a commitment to prayer and meditation on scripture. These indulgences are not a way to avoid just punishment for wrongs nor a guarantee of skipping Purgatory. Instead, the actions required of a person seeking indulgences dispose that person to a deeper relationship with God.
Many misunderstand relics as well. As a Protestant, I thought that the veneration of relics was tantamount to idolatry. I somehow missed the scriptures that show a precedent for this. In the Old Testament (II Kings 13:21) we see a situation where a dead man is brought back to life when he touches the bones of Elisha. In Acts 19:11-12, we see that handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched the Apostle Paul were being used to heal the sick. Thus, we can see that there is a precedent of God using objects to transfer His healing power to people. It should not be surprising, then that relics are often associated with miraculous happenings. There have been persons, places and things on which God's presence rested powerfully. To encounter these is to encounter the miraculous, to encounter God's presence in a deep way.
As one can see by reading this, most of the misunderstandings that Protestants have with Catholics revolve around the fact that we see God as interacting with us on both the spiritual and the physical level.
The most important way in which this plays out is in regards to Communion. Catholics are not alone in believing this, but many detractors fault us for believing that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. We believe that the spiritual reality of the elements of bread and wine is changed by the blessing in Christ's words, transforming them into His body and blood. In this way, we sense physically the spiritual reality of Christ's presence within us.
God became a man and He understands men. We have need to observe, to touch, taste, hear and see. Our faith is strengthened by the physical presence of Our Lord Jesus as He offers himself to us under the form of wine and bread. That is why He commanded that it be done. An unbloody sacrifice is offered to bring to our present reality the death of Our Lord. Do not forget that He changes the substance of things (John 2:1-12) and that He multiplies things (John 6:1-14). He also promised that He was the Bread of Heaven (John6: 25-69).
I hope that Catholics and Protestants alike will have a better understanding of what Catholics believe and why we do some of the things we do. As a Protestant, I was taught to measure what I was told by the standard of scripture. I have done so, and found that the teachings of the Catholic Church align with scripture.
One further note: the scriptures used as "proofs" against Catholics are frequently taken out of context. As I matured and studied more, I read entire passages rather than just the 'bullet points' speakers pulled out of scripture. I found out that the conclusions drawn did not fit the original writers' meaning in many cases. I found that many Protestant dogmas did not measure up to the scriptural standard they pretend to hold themselves to. If anything seems odd, ask for scriptural proofs to back it up. Open your Bible and read the entire passage. Read the notes on the Biblical author and his audience. If what you read is different from what you are being told, ask yourself why and pray about it. Ask yourself, too, how Jesus taught the Apostles. Would they have taught in this manner in turn? Probably. That leaves us with the fact that Jesus taught His Disciples the new traditions He wanted them to maintain in the Church, and they were passed down by word of mouth, in the rabbinical tradition of their time. The Gospels themselves tell us that they do not contain all of the doings and sayings of Jesus (John20: 30-31).
I hope that Protestants who read this will realize that Catholics are fellow Christians. I hope that the faith of all Christians who read this will be edified by gaining an understanding of some practices they may have misunderstood previously. I hope that all who read and can understand would gain a deeper devotion to Our Lord Jesus Christ, Through Whom and In Whom we have Life.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Finding the Right School for My Kids
When I married my husband, we had already decided that we wanted to have as many children as the Lord saw fit to bless us with and that we wanted to home school them. Through the years we have tried a number of options. We did workbook based education early on, then switched to a classical education program, then cyber school, and now we have finally landed at what I think is the best option we have attempted yet. Over the years, I have learned that there are some things which are important to consider when choosing schools and curriculum, and I have discovered what is most important to me and best for our children's happiness and academic success. I realize that our family has its unique challenges and preferences, so please do not assume that I think what works for our family is what will necessarily work for yours.
Our primary goals in teaching our children are to provide a good education, prepare our kids for college and life in general, raise children who can articulate their faith, and train our children in virtuous living. We have found that the things we have tried so far either produced an unrealistic time demand or left gaps in our kids' education. We discussed parochial school, but the costs are too high for our single income household. After praying and researching, we settled on a Catholic Home Study School. The school provides course materials, guidance, grading, testing, transcripts and an appropriate level of accountability. Tuition is very affordable. Lesson plans are very simple and lessons are written in a format which will allow a great deal of independence for the older children. The course work includes English, Math, History, Science, Religion, Music, Art, Health and Physical Education. High School Students have the option of taking electives and advanced level studies. We received the materials, and the more I previewed them, the more excited I became about the coming school year. Everything is perfectly organized. The school obviously wrote the materials with larger families in mind. Despite the simplicity of the lesson plans, the academic level of the materials is excellent. I am truly excited about introducing my children to the authors, scientists and historical figures they will encounter in their studies. Best of all, our precious faith is taught. My children will learn stories of the Bible. They will learn of the example set by the saints. They will receive the teachings of the Church. They will learn to pray. They will learn to praise God with their lips and with their actions. They will be able to connect faith to everyday life and articulate what they believe.
I know, also, that I will be able to keep our family on a schedule which establishes a regular routine for daily life and provides the stability children need. There will be ample time for activities in which my kids interact with other kids as well. As I finish preparations for the school year, I just keep finding ways in which our progress toward those primary goals we have is aided.
I hope all the parents who read my blog are feeling as positive about the coming school year as I am. If you are not, it is never too late to change what you are doing. We only get to raise our children once.
Our primary goals in teaching our children are to provide a good education, prepare our kids for college and life in general, raise children who can articulate their faith, and train our children in virtuous living. We have found that the things we have tried so far either produced an unrealistic time demand or left gaps in our kids' education. We discussed parochial school, but the costs are too high for our single income household. After praying and researching, we settled on a Catholic Home Study School. The school provides course materials, guidance, grading, testing, transcripts and an appropriate level of accountability. Tuition is very affordable. Lesson plans are very simple and lessons are written in a format which will allow a great deal of independence for the older children. The course work includes English, Math, History, Science, Religion, Music, Art, Health and Physical Education. High School Students have the option of taking electives and advanced level studies. We received the materials, and the more I previewed them, the more excited I became about the coming school year. Everything is perfectly organized. The school obviously wrote the materials with larger families in mind. Despite the simplicity of the lesson plans, the academic level of the materials is excellent. I am truly excited about introducing my children to the authors, scientists and historical figures they will encounter in their studies. Best of all, our precious faith is taught. My children will learn stories of the Bible. They will learn of the example set by the saints. They will receive the teachings of the Church. They will learn to pray. They will learn to praise God with their lips and with their actions. They will be able to connect faith to everyday life and articulate what they believe.
I know, also, that I will be able to keep our family on a schedule which establishes a regular routine for daily life and provides the stability children need. There will be ample time for activities in which my kids interact with other kids as well. As I finish preparations for the school year, I just keep finding ways in which our progress toward those primary goals we have is aided.
I hope all the parents who read my blog are feeling as positive about the coming school year as I am. If you are not, it is never too late to change what you are doing. We only get to raise our children once.
Friday, July 24, 2015
Making Connections
I regularly use the Liturgy of the Hours to pray. Much of the content is praying the Psalms. I noticed from the content of Peter's sermon in Acts 2 that Peter makes connections to Psalms as prophetic of Jesus. I discovered a new connection this morning as I prayed. It is a profound reality that I do not fully comprehend (a mystery).
Psalm 51 connects the well-known phrase "A pure (clean) heart create for me, Oh God" to the offering of sacrifices. "then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice, holocausts offered on your altar". How does that mesh with a verse that comes in between, "for in sacrifice you take no delight, burnt offering you would refuse, my sacrifice a contrite spirit, a contrite heart you will not spurn"? It seems like a contradiction, but in fact it is not. The Psalmist make a distinction here; burnt offering versus holocaust. In so doing, he prophesies Christ and the Church. Burnt offering are no longer accepted on the altar, but a holocaust. This holocaust (sacrifice offered whole) is none other than Jesus himself. We believe that Jesus is present to us in Communion, body, blood, soul and divinity, under the sign of bread and wine. Although He is multiplied to us, He is never divided. What does that mean for us? It means that we each receive all of Him, yet we are not complete in Him without each other. There is a profound union of all believers in the reception of Christ. He is truly All in All.
That also means that we are meant to live in love for one another, for we are truly one body in Jesus Christ. What I do to harm another Christian harms me, too. When I deny Christ by word or action, I harm the whole body of believers. I must always remain community with the Church, and I must care for all of her parts. If there is a wound, I should seek healing. If there is good, I should encourage it. I should speak the truth. I should act upon the teachings of the Church in how I live.
When we call ourselves Christian, we are taking on the name of God. It would do us well to remember that, as it says in Exodus 20, "the Lord will not leave unpunished him who takes His name in vain". If I take the name of Christ to myself, I must not let it be in vain. If I receive forgiveness by the holocaust of Jesus offered up, I must reciprocate by offering back the holocaust of my life devoted to Him. I cannot say I am devoted to Jesus without being devoted to His Church, in all its members.
What a profound mystery!
Psalm 51 connects the well-known phrase "A pure (clean) heart create for me, Oh God" to the offering of sacrifices. "then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice, holocausts offered on your altar". How does that mesh with a verse that comes in between, "for in sacrifice you take no delight, burnt offering you would refuse, my sacrifice a contrite spirit, a contrite heart you will not spurn"? It seems like a contradiction, but in fact it is not. The Psalmist make a distinction here; burnt offering versus holocaust. In so doing, he prophesies Christ and the Church. Burnt offering are no longer accepted on the altar, but a holocaust. This holocaust (sacrifice offered whole) is none other than Jesus himself. We believe that Jesus is present to us in Communion, body, blood, soul and divinity, under the sign of bread and wine. Although He is multiplied to us, He is never divided. What does that mean for us? It means that we each receive all of Him, yet we are not complete in Him without each other. There is a profound union of all believers in the reception of Christ. He is truly All in All.
That also means that we are meant to live in love for one another, for we are truly one body in Jesus Christ. What I do to harm another Christian harms me, too. When I deny Christ by word or action, I harm the whole body of believers. I must always remain community with the Church, and I must care for all of her parts. If there is a wound, I should seek healing. If there is good, I should encourage it. I should speak the truth. I should act upon the teachings of the Church in how I live.
When we call ourselves Christian, we are taking on the name of God. It would do us well to remember that, as it says in Exodus 20, "the Lord will not leave unpunished him who takes His name in vain". If I take the name of Christ to myself, I must not let it be in vain. If I receive forgiveness by the holocaust of Jesus offered up, I must reciprocate by offering back the holocaust of my life devoted to Him. I cannot say I am devoted to Jesus without being devoted to His Church, in all its members.
What a profound mystery!
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Where is that in Scripture?
There are so many sayings and phrases that have become a part of Christian vernacular. Many of them have ascended to being revered on par with scripture, but should they be? I hope to cover several of them in this post. Please comment and mention any I have not covered that you are interested in to allow me to expand this article and cover a good sampling of them. I am not averse to friendly discussion, either. I ask only that anyone who disagrees with me would do so respectfully. I have spent some time researching my topic and will be endeavor to be accurate. Most of my Bible quotes will be taken from the New American Bible (NAB), with possible references to the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), Douay-Rheims Bible (D-R), New International Version (NIV) or King James Version (KJ). There are many good translations of the Bible. My use of specific versions is no slight on the version that any person uses regularly. I am a Roman Catholic, so I often use Catholic translations of the Bible, since they contain the full cannon. I belonged to a Protestant denomination for many years and take no umbrage with my Christian brothers and sisters in those faith traditions. This blog seeks to be as accurate as possible when discussing matters of scripture and exegesis of them. Please read the scriptures I mention and feel free to read the entire passages they are found in to test me on this point. I do not think myself incapable of error and will humbly and thoughtfully consider any comments, suggestions or questions.
The first phrase I want to tackle is "Have you accepted the Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?"
This phrase began to be used to focus on a particular aspect of salvation in Christ Jesus, but is it scriptural or even advisable? No where in scripture will you find a directive to make Jesus your personal savior. The closest scripture comes is in Acts 16:31 which says "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household". Notice that the salvation was for the entire household. Notice also in verse 33 "he and his entire household were baptized without delay". We also see that those who were saved were saved in the context of the Church. Baptism initiates believers into the family of God. Another good reason to avoid this type of phraseology is that it allows for each individual to put Jesus into their own personal mold. Think "Personal Jesus" as sung by Depeche Mode. While God does enter into a personal relationship with each of us, it is on His terms and in the context of His Living Body, The Church. When the focus is one's own personal God, it is very easy to think of God in such familiar terms as to deny the true power of what Jesus did and who God is. He is still God. He created us and has a right to demand that we obey Him. He has revealed Himself to us in specific ways that allow us to understand His character and what He desires of each of us. It goes beyond that as, through His Church, He frees us to be exactly what He created us to be. Each of us has a particular part to play in the life of the Church and in the evangelization of the world. Let us not forget that having a personal relationship does not give us the levity to change God's revealed character to fit our desires and circumstances. Rather, let us humbly seek to be our best selves, the people we can be only by cooperating with God's grace in our lives.
"Cleanliness is next to Godliness". Anyone know where that is in scripture? If you said it is not there, you would be right. Consider the following, however. "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 7:1). Often, we associate the external appearance of a place with the character of the person who cares for it. If a place is poorly kept, we may view the person who keeps it as neglectful or lazy. This is a natural human reaction. The same is true of personal grooming. We are likely to think more positively of the man with clean fingernails, starched and ironed clothing, polished shoes and styled hair than we would of the man with dirty fingernails, wrinkled clothing and messy hair. Even though such external things reveal little about the heart of a person, it reflects well on our character and on the character of God if we are orderly and neat. If we claim friendship with God, we should be good representatives of His kingdom. While there is no particular reference to cleanliness being next to Godliness in scripture, it is a good policy and an orderly home, particularly the wife that keeps such a home, is extolled in Proverbs 31:10-31.
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". This phrase is found in scripture, but lest anyone think that is a standard to attain to, keep in mind it is within the context of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Jesus finishes that particular phrase with "when someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well". Jesus taught us in the Beatitudes and Sermon on the Mount to peacefully resist evil and to literally go the extra mile (Matthew 5:41). This teaching shows us that while we can expect to encounter difficulty, we will receive blessing for responding to difficulties with grace and charity. The way of the world is eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The way of blessing is humility and obedience.
"Jesus didn't come to set up a religion". This is never said in scripture. We see, instead, that Jesus emphatically confirms that He came to fulfill the Old Covenant, not supplant it (Matthew 5:17). What had been revealed imperfectly in the Old Covenant was revealed perfectly in the New Covenant. In the Old Covenant, repeated bloody sacrifices were offered for the atonement of sin and thanksgiving offerings included a meal in the presence of God; in the New Covenant, one eternal sacrifice is offered for all and a bloodless perpetual memorial of that sacrifice is offered for atonement and as a thanksgiving offering in the form of a meal in which the presence of Christ comes to reside in each person. In the Old Covenant, failure to obey God's law resulted in strict punishment; in the New Covenant, God sends His Spirit to give us the grace to avoid sin completely. The law proved that we are incapable in and of ourselves to live rightly; the cross and resurrection proved that God offers us the grace necessary to live rightly. With that said, let us see what Jesus commanded the Church to do through His instructions to the Apostles. Matthew 28:18-20 is the Great Commission in which Jesus says "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." Let's unpack that a bit. Jesus commanded that the Apostles baptize in the Trinitarian formula. That is a Rite of the Church, a sacrament He commanded there. He says He will be with them always. Notice He didn't say the Holy Spirit would be with them in this instance, He said that He himself would be with them. How is that possible? It is possible through the Rite of Holy Communion, which He taught them at the Last Supper. He is literally present in the consecrated bread and wine, a perpetual sacrifice which is brought to bear on our current reality through the ritual of repeating the words of blessing He taught His Apostles. He also refers to other things He has taught them to observe. We know that Jesus taught the Apostles many things that were not mentioned in the Gospels. It was normal to pass down important teachings by oral tradition at the time of Jesus. The scriptures themselves tell us that they are not the complete repository of Jesus' words and deeds (John 21: 23 says "there are also many other things that Jesus did"). The Apostle Paul alludes to oral tradition when he says "take as your norm the sound words that you heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard this rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us" (2 Timothy 1:13-14) It is apparent here that Timothy is being charged with maintaining sacred tradition, which was passed on to him by word of mouth. All of this shows us that from the very beginning there were normal rites or sacraments in the Church, and this because Jesus had commanded and taught them. When Jesus returned to Heaven, He left a visible body, a visible kingdom. That visible body is the Church, and she demonstrates the Gospel to the world in many ways. An important way that she does this is through signs and symbols. The scriptures, the oral traditions, and the signs (sacraments) of the Church combine with the individual lives of Christians to form the witness of Christ on earth. True religion, then, is the giving of ourselves to God. We do so by many means. Religion has been treated as a bad word by many in our society. This should be no surprise to us. Jesus said we would be reviled and slandered for His sake. We shouldn't be ashamed of our religion.
I will come back to this post periodically to add sayings and explanations. Please comment.
The first phrase I want to tackle is "Have you accepted the Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?"
This phrase began to be used to focus on a particular aspect of salvation in Christ Jesus, but is it scriptural or even advisable? No where in scripture will you find a directive to make Jesus your personal savior. The closest scripture comes is in Acts 16:31 which says "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household". Notice that the salvation was for the entire household. Notice also in verse 33 "he and his entire household were baptized without delay". We also see that those who were saved were saved in the context of the Church. Baptism initiates believers into the family of God. Another good reason to avoid this type of phraseology is that it allows for each individual to put Jesus into their own personal mold. Think "Personal Jesus" as sung by Depeche Mode. While God does enter into a personal relationship with each of us, it is on His terms and in the context of His Living Body, The Church. When the focus is one's own personal God, it is very easy to think of God in such familiar terms as to deny the true power of what Jesus did and who God is. He is still God. He created us and has a right to demand that we obey Him. He has revealed Himself to us in specific ways that allow us to understand His character and what He desires of each of us. It goes beyond that as, through His Church, He frees us to be exactly what He created us to be. Each of us has a particular part to play in the life of the Church and in the evangelization of the world. Let us not forget that having a personal relationship does not give us the levity to change God's revealed character to fit our desires and circumstances. Rather, let us humbly seek to be our best selves, the people we can be only by cooperating with God's grace in our lives.
"Cleanliness is next to Godliness". Anyone know where that is in scripture? If you said it is not there, you would be right. Consider the following, however. "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 7:1). Often, we associate the external appearance of a place with the character of the person who cares for it. If a place is poorly kept, we may view the person who keeps it as neglectful or lazy. This is a natural human reaction. The same is true of personal grooming. We are likely to think more positively of the man with clean fingernails, starched and ironed clothing, polished shoes and styled hair than we would of the man with dirty fingernails, wrinkled clothing and messy hair. Even though such external things reveal little about the heart of a person, it reflects well on our character and on the character of God if we are orderly and neat. If we claim friendship with God, we should be good representatives of His kingdom. While there is no particular reference to cleanliness being next to Godliness in scripture, it is a good policy and an orderly home, particularly the wife that keeps such a home, is extolled in Proverbs 31:10-31.
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". This phrase is found in scripture, but lest anyone think that is a standard to attain to, keep in mind it is within the context of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Jesus finishes that particular phrase with "when someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well". Jesus taught us in the Beatitudes and Sermon on the Mount to peacefully resist evil and to literally go the extra mile (Matthew 5:41). This teaching shows us that while we can expect to encounter difficulty, we will receive blessing for responding to difficulties with grace and charity. The way of the world is eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The way of blessing is humility and obedience.
"Jesus didn't come to set up a religion". This is never said in scripture. We see, instead, that Jesus emphatically confirms that He came to fulfill the Old Covenant, not supplant it (Matthew 5:17). What had been revealed imperfectly in the Old Covenant was revealed perfectly in the New Covenant. In the Old Covenant, repeated bloody sacrifices were offered for the atonement of sin and thanksgiving offerings included a meal in the presence of God; in the New Covenant, one eternal sacrifice is offered for all and a bloodless perpetual memorial of that sacrifice is offered for atonement and as a thanksgiving offering in the form of a meal in which the presence of Christ comes to reside in each person. In the Old Covenant, failure to obey God's law resulted in strict punishment; in the New Covenant, God sends His Spirit to give us the grace to avoid sin completely. The law proved that we are incapable in and of ourselves to live rightly; the cross and resurrection proved that God offers us the grace necessary to live rightly. With that said, let us see what Jesus commanded the Church to do through His instructions to the Apostles. Matthew 28:18-20 is the Great Commission in which Jesus says "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." Let's unpack that a bit. Jesus commanded that the Apostles baptize in the Trinitarian formula. That is a Rite of the Church, a sacrament He commanded there. He says He will be with them always. Notice He didn't say the Holy Spirit would be with them in this instance, He said that He himself would be with them. How is that possible? It is possible through the Rite of Holy Communion, which He taught them at the Last Supper. He is literally present in the consecrated bread and wine, a perpetual sacrifice which is brought to bear on our current reality through the ritual of repeating the words of blessing He taught His Apostles. He also refers to other things He has taught them to observe. We know that Jesus taught the Apostles many things that were not mentioned in the Gospels. It was normal to pass down important teachings by oral tradition at the time of Jesus. The scriptures themselves tell us that they are not the complete repository of Jesus' words and deeds (John 21: 23 says "there are also many other things that Jesus did"). The Apostle Paul alludes to oral tradition when he says "take as your norm the sound words that you heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard this rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us" (2 Timothy 1:13-14) It is apparent here that Timothy is being charged with maintaining sacred tradition, which was passed on to him by word of mouth. All of this shows us that from the very beginning there were normal rites or sacraments in the Church, and this because Jesus had commanded and taught them. When Jesus returned to Heaven, He left a visible body, a visible kingdom. That visible body is the Church, and she demonstrates the Gospel to the world in many ways. An important way that she does this is through signs and symbols. The scriptures, the oral traditions, and the signs (sacraments) of the Church combine with the individual lives of Christians to form the witness of Christ on earth. True religion, then, is the giving of ourselves to God. We do so by many means. Religion has been treated as a bad word by many in our society. This should be no surprise to us. Jesus said we would be reviled and slandered for His sake. We shouldn't be ashamed of our religion.
I will come back to this post periodically to add sayings and explanations. Please comment.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Letting Things Happen Organically
When speaking with church leaders about the need for more spiritual development/ scripture study opportunities for adults, I often get the answer "we just want to let things develop organically". On the surface, it sounds like a great idea. We will just encourage folks and possibly facilitate things when people decide they want to do more. There is a huge problem with this attitude: The organic state of things tends toward decay. Just as a field which is never tilled, planted, and actively nurtured will never produce food, a church in which leaders never discipline themselves to offer spiritual growth encounters and encourage personal discipline in those under their authority will never develop a strong community of growing, active members.
No person has ever grown spiritually without adhering to spiritual disciplines. In order to grow spiritually, a Christian must take personal responsibility for that growth. These are some of the most important spiritual disciplines: 1) Prayer- deliberate, regular, daily prayer time as an individual and with immediate family as well as regular attendance of mass or church service at least weekly. 2) Scripture Study- deliberately making time to read, proclaim, and meditate upon scripture; listening attentively when scripture is proclaimed in mass and applying the lessons of the homily or sermon to one's life. 3) Obedience- Considering one's actions and the potential consequences first, and choosing to do the right thing even when it is difficult. 4) Confession and Pennance- Confessing one's sins to God in the sacrament of Reconciliation, making amends, and doing pennance when one errs. 5) Reception of Communion- One of the most poignant and meaningful ways to accept Jesus and His grace in one's life is to receive Him in Communion. Regularly receiving His sacrifice on your behalf in the way Jesus commanded aids you in cooperating with His daily grace to you. 6) If you are not baptized or have not joined a local parish ( congregation), you must do so. Baptism is how every person is initiated into the Christian faith. it was commanded by Jesus Himself. 6) Fellowship and Celebration- We are all made for relationships. Having strong relationships within the Church body is an important aid to spiritual growth. Friends lift us up when we fall, assist us when we are in need, grieve with us when we grieve, encourage us in worthy goals, work alongside us, and celebrate victories with us. We all need Christian friends. Prayer and Bible Study groups can offer a way to foster these important friendships.
These disciplines do not just happen organically. They happen by deliberate effort. At first they are difficult and may feel forced or done of obligation. The good news is that the more they are done, the more habitual they become. As they become habits, they become something we enjoy and miss if we fail to do them. Developing any good habit is easier when we are meeting regularly with others who will hold us accountable for those habits. Within Bible Study groups and/ or prayer groups we can develop accountability as we share our lives with each other and encourage one another.
Will these groups form organically? I would say that is rare. People do not usually decide to form a group and commit to it by themselves. A catalyst is required as well as continued nurture. If people sense that their leaders are not committed to a thing, they will not remain committed either.
If you are a leader in a church, do not let the phrase "we'll see how things happen organically" fall from your lips. We all know that is a cop-out. It is a lazy person's way of saying " I do not want to take responsibility for this" in away they hope makes others think the opposite is true.
Positive change does not happen organically. It is earned by personal and corporate discipline and hard work. The results are worth the effort, though. If you want your parish to come alive, it is time to get your hands dirty, preparing the soil, planting seed, actively nurturing growth, and eventually reaping a harvest that is ten and twenty fold of your efforts!
No person has ever grown spiritually without adhering to spiritual disciplines. In order to grow spiritually, a Christian must take personal responsibility for that growth. These are some of the most important spiritual disciplines: 1) Prayer- deliberate, regular, daily prayer time as an individual and with immediate family as well as regular attendance of mass or church service at least weekly. 2) Scripture Study- deliberately making time to read, proclaim, and meditate upon scripture; listening attentively when scripture is proclaimed in mass and applying the lessons of the homily or sermon to one's life. 3) Obedience- Considering one's actions and the potential consequences first, and choosing to do the right thing even when it is difficult. 4) Confession and Pennance- Confessing one's sins to God in the sacrament of Reconciliation, making amends, and doing pennance when one errs. 5) Reception of Communion- One of the most poignant and meaningful ways to accept Jesus and His grace in one's life is to receive Him in Communion. Regularly receiving His sacrifice on your behalf in the way Jesus commanded aids you in cooperating with His daily grace to you. 6) If you are not baptized or have not joined a local parish ( congregation), you must do so. Baptism is how every person is initiated into the Christian faith. it was commanded by Jesus Himself. 6) Fellowship and Celebration- We are all made for relationships. Having strong relationships within the Church body is an important aid to spiritual growth. Friends lift us up when we fall, assist us when we are in need, grieve with us when we grieve, encourage us in worthy goals, work alongside us, and celebrate victories with us. We all need Christian friends. Prayer and Bible Study groups can offer a way to foster these important friendships.
These disciplines do not just happen organically. They happen by deliberate effort. At first they are difficult and may feel forced or done of obligation. The good news is that the more they are done, the more habitual they become. As they become habits, they become something we enjoy and miss if we fail to do them. Developing any good habit is easier when we are meeting regularly with others who will hold us accountable for those habits. Within Bible Study groups and/ or prayer groups we can develop accountability as we share our lives with each other and encourage one another.
Will these groups form organically? I would say that is rare. People do not usually decide to form a group and commit to it by themselves. A catalyst is required as well as continued nurture. If people sense that their leaders are not committed to a thing, they will not remain committed either.
If you are a leader in a church, do not let the phrase "we'll see how things happen organically" fall from your lips. We all know that is a cop-out. It is a lazy person's way of saying " I do not want to take responsibility for this" in away they hope makes others think the opposite is true.
Positive change does not happen organically. It is earned by personal and corporate discipline and hard work. The results are worth the effort, though. If you want your parish to come alive, it is time to get your hands dirty, preparing the soil, planting seed, actively nurturing growth, and eventually reaping a harvest that is ten and twenty fold of your efforts!
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Why Communion is Important
I remember, as a child, deeply longing to receive Communion in church. I had a simplistic view of it, taking literally Jesus' words "this is my body.... this is my blood". I wanted to touch Him, and to receive Him in every part of my being. As I got older, I learned the theological views of others in my denomination and began to see communion a a symbolic reception of Christ, but still important as something commanded by Jesus. I trusted the take my pastors had on it, and somehow missed some very poignant passages in scripture, even though I read the Bible through numerous times and studied it regularly. God is gracious. He is patient. He displayed those qualities to me in abundance. Looking back, I can see that.
Communion is what I so simplistically accepted it to be as a child. In my sophistication (or so I thought), I lost sight of the miracle that is the Eucharist. As an adult, God began to challenge me. He used my husband's search for what the Church should look like to challenge me to understand the spiritual realities of what the Church does. I became uncomfortable. I desired to meet the demands God was placing on my life. I desired to be obedient to Jesus. That led me to examine the scriptures differently. What I discovered about communion rocked me.
The Gospels have much to say about the significance of Christ's sacrifice and about Communion as the remembrance of it. The Gospel of John contains few of Jesus' miracles, but each one has great significance. Two of them speak directly to what we are to believe about Communion. The first of these is the turning of water to wine at the wedding in Cana.(John 2:1-11) We see in this miracle that Jesus can turn one thing into another. The second is the feeding of the five thousand( John 6:1-14). In this miracle we see that Jesus can multiply things. These are an important precursor to the Last Supper, in which Jesus instituted the rite of Communion. Right after Jesus fed the five thousand, we find Jesus' famous Bread of Life Discourse. (John 6:22-69) Here Jesus says "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you". After Jesus was resurrected, these words, together with Jesus' words at the Last Supper, would resonate with the Apostles. They would understand the mystery of Jesus' presence in the elements of communion. The significance of the memorial which would bring Christ's sacrifice to the present for all believers became real to them. How seriously did the Apostles take this command of Jesus? We need only look at the words of Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians (11:17-37) to see that they regarded taking Communion unworthily as a sin against Jesus Himself. If Jesus was not being literal when He said "this is my body....this is my blood", this would make no sense.
As it is, Jesus commanded His disciples to receive Him bodily in the Eucharist. He makes the spiritual reality of the elements his very self offered to us. He multiplies himself to us in this miraculous truth. Remember, Jesus revealed this as his public ministry unfolded; first he showed that he can change the very substance of things, then he showed that he can multiply things, then he declared himself to be the bread from heaven by which we all receive spiritual life. Lastly, he taught his disciples how to offer him to all who would believe. We know that this reality was understood because the men who travelled with Jesus to Emmaus first recognized him in the bread He broke and blessed.
For this reason, Communion is very important. Every Christian should regularly receive Jesus in this way. He wants us to know His presence in a very real way. He wants us to remember that He goes out into the world in us. He has chosen to do His work through His people, who cooperate with the grace He gives them to overcome sin in their lives. This Easter season, repent of those things which hold you back from full cooperation with God's grace, and begin to receive Jesus often in the sacrement by which He gives us His very self.
As it is, Jesus commanded His disciples to receive Him bodily in the Eucharist. He makes the spiritual reality of the elements his very self offered to us. He multiplies himself to us in this miraculous truth. Remember, Jesus revealed this as his public ministry unfolded; first he showed that he can change the very substance of things, then he showed that he can multiply things, then he declared himself to be the bread from heaven by which we all receive spiritual life. Lastly, he taught his disciples how to offer him to all who would believe. We know that this reality was understood because the men who travelled with Jesus to Emmaus first recognized him in the bread He broke and blessed.
For this reason, Communion is very important. Every Christian should regularly receive Jesus in this way. He wants us to know His presence in a very real way. He wants us to remember that He goes out into the world in us. He has chosen to do His work through His people, who cooperate with the grace He gives them to overcome sin in their lives. This Easter season, repent of those things which hold you back from full cooperation with God's grace, and begin to receive Jesus often in the sacrement by which He gives us His very self.
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Interpreting Scripture
The best thing I ever did in seeking to interpret scripture was to stop. Stop. Rather than seeking to interpret scripture, which was really only an exercise in trying to make it mean what I wanted it to mean, I quit. I stopped looking through a denominational lens. I put aside the study Bibles and commentaries and just prayerfully read the scriptures unvarnished, unglossed. I simply read the scriptures and sought to understand exactly what they were saying rather than seeking some hidden meaning.
I was surprised how many things that are explicitly put in scripture that I had either entirely missed or taken to mean something else. Like a swimmer that has finally come out of the chlorine fog, I could suddenly see what was right in front of me clearly.
As I opened my mind to the words of scripture and immersed myself in them, I discovered that I needed to make some difficult changes. Not only did I have a great deal more personal growth to undergo than I had previously imagined, I needed to join a different church. This was a painful decision, and I thought I would lose friends over it. Fortunately, many were running a parallel path of seeking to mature as Christians. They understood that I had to go where I had been led by the Holy Spirit, and they have cheered me on as I have grown up spiritually in many ways.
If you want to grow spiritually, if you want to imitate Christ, stop. Read the gospels without all the study guides at hand. Spend some time reading and thinking deeply about exactly what the scriptures say. St. Benedict called this Lectio Divina. Prayerfully reading scripture and stopping to meditate on the words that really strike us. When the Holy Spirit teaches you something in the scriptures, put it into practice. Each day, as you do this, little by little you will take on the qualities of Christ in your everyday life. I can assure you of this because I have experienced it.
In addition to this, it is important to understand scripture as it was meant. Ask yourself these questions: What was the cultural atmosphere in which this was written? Who wrote it? Who was the intended audience? What was the author's intention? If you understand the context in which scripture was written, it will take on its intended meaning. There is great treasure stored in the words of scripture. Properly understanding them can greatly enhance your spiritual life and allow you to engage your intellect in tandem with your heart. It is a truly amazing, enlightening experience.
I am not finished growing and changing and perfecting my faith; I am still on
that journey. One day I will reach the perfection I have been called to by the Lord Jesus Christ, and see Him face to face. Until then, I will be on the journey of learning how wide and how deep and how high the savior's love for me is. Keep journeying! :-)
I was surprised how many things that are explicitly put in scripture that I had either entirely missed or taken to mean something else. Like a swimmer that has finally come out of the chlorine fog, I could suddenly see what was right in front of me clearly.
As I opened my mind to the words of scripture and immersed myself in them, I discovered that I needed to make some difficult changes. Not only did I have a great deal more personal growth to undergo than I had previously imagined, I needed to join a different church. This was a painful decision, and I thought I would lose friends over it. Fortunately, many were running a parallel path of seeking to mature as Christians. They understood that I had to go where I had been led by the Holy Spirit, and they have cheered me on as I have grown up spiritually in many ways.
If you want to grow spiritually, if you want to imitate Christ, stop. Read the gospels without all the study guides at hand. Spend some time reading and thinking deeply about exactly what the scriptures say. St. Benedict called this Lectio Divina. Prayerfully reading scripture and stopping to meditate on the words that really strike us. When the Holy Spirit teaches you something in the scriptures, put it into practice. Each day, as you do this, little by little you will take on the qualities of Christ in your everyday life. I can assure you of this because I have experienced it.
In addition to this, it is important to understand scripture as it was meant. Ask yourself these questions: What was the cultural atmosphere in which this was written? Who wrote it? Who was the intended audience? What was the author's intention? If you understand the context in which scripture was written, it will take on its intended meaning. There is great treasure stored in the words of scripture. Properly understanding them can greatly enhance your spiritual life and allow you to engage your intellect in tandem with your heart. It is a truly amazing, enlightening experience.
I am not finished growing and changing and perfecting my faith; I am still on
that journey. One day I will reach the perfection I have been called to by the Lord Jesus Christ, and see Him face to face. Until then, I will be on the journey of learning how wide and how deep and how high the savior's love for me is. Keep journeying! :-)
Monday, March 16, 2015
Celebrating St. Patrick's Day Differently
With St. Patrick's Day arriving tomorrow, and with his patronage of my parish, I decided to look a little closer at his life. I wondered, "how would he want us to spend the day in his honor?". He lived so very long ago, and so much legend has been attached to his name that it is sometimes difficult to discern fact from fiction. This is where his writings come in handy.
We see by what he wrote that St Patrick was a man of prayer and a man of action. He asked Christ to be in him during every moment and in every circumstance of his life. His work among the Irish is credited to the conversion of more than 14,000 people. He was known to have lived in poverty even as a bishop. One of the places that is enshrined in his honor is a hilltop where he was said to have spent the forty days of Lent fasting.
What all of this tells me is that St Patrick would not spend his day carousing like the pagans he converted.
The secularization of the holiday together with the legendary status of the saint has brought about a tradition of drunken revelry upon his feast day. This is certainly a long-held tradition. I do not think the man himself would consider it an honor, however.
For this reason, I choose to celebrate St. Patrick's day differently. I plan to spend a little extra time in prayer and contemplation, do something to benefit the poor, and refrain from drinking alcohol and eating rich foods and from overeating.
My parish will be holding a special mass in his honor, offering a simple meal of Irish stew and bread, and contemplating Christ's sacrifice with the Stations of the Cross. I find this a fitting way to commemorate a saint who spent the majority of his life seeking the good of others.
We see by what he wrote that St Patrick was a man of prayer and a man of action. He asked Christ to be in him during every moment and in every circumstance of his life. His work among the Irish is credited to the conversion of more than 14,000 people. He was known to have lived in poverty even as a bishop. One of the places that is enshrined in his honor is a hilltop where he was said to have spent the forty days of Lent fasting.
What all of this tells me is that St Patrick would not spend his day carousing like the pagans he converted.
The secularization of the holiday together with the legendary status of the saint has brought about a tradition of drunken revelry upon his feast day. This is certainly a long-held tradition. I do not think the man himself would consider it an honor, however.
For this reason, I choose to celebrate St. Patrick's day differently. I plan to spend a little extra time in prayer and contemplation, do something to benefit the poor, and refrain from drinking alcohol and eating rich foods and from overeating.
My parish will be holding a special mass in his honor, offering a simple meal of Irish stew and bread, and contemplating Christ's sacrifice with the Stations of the Cross. I find this a fitting way to commemorate a saint who spent the majority of his life seeking the good of others.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Worthy Because of Whose I am
When I was much younger, I had a very immature and selfish view of faith, but that couldn't prevent me from feeling unworthy of God's love. It is an odd paradox that those who would most liberally use (or abuse, as it were) their liberty in Christ Jesus are also those who find themselves most insecure in their faith. 'Sola Fide' did not work for me. To say that faith alone ensures salvation sounds good on the surface, but misses the fact that faith and salvation are many-faceted things. I grew up on a steady diet of being told that as long as I believed in Jesus, everything would always be a-okay. Well, it wasn't. I kept getting the nagging feeling that the Apostle James was speaking directly to me and telling me lipservice was not going to do it. I made some huge mistakes, eventually coming to the point of truly being repentant for my sins. I asked for forgiveness and started living differently. Unfotunately, many around me could not look past my sins, nor see that my entire way of life had changed. I was officially shunned by my church, with my older brother being one of the harshest on me. Months after I had changed my ways, he was still looking for me to show visible signs of being sorry for what I had done. Aparently, public apology and changing my whole mode of living were not evidence enough of repentance as far as he and others were concerned.
God had different plans. I had to move out of state to find work. I was treated with such love and kindness at my new church that I began to heal. My friendship with a good friend developed into courtship and finally marriage. We found a good church to go to and were quite involved. Then my health took a major downturn. We were newly married with a growing family and faced financial difficulties. During this time we encountered many lovely, helpful, loving christians. We also encountered an attitude that pervaded the church we were attending; they believed that if a christian was experiencing difficulty, there must be something wrong with their spiritual life. Once again the refrain "Unworthy" sounded in my ears.
Fortunately, God had other plans once again. He brought an old friend back into my life by a small miracle. She and her mother could see how much I was struggling with everything in my life. I was simply overwhelmed. They rolled up their sleeves and opened their hearts and their schedules to me. They helped me accomplish what I could not have done alone and I was able to restore order to my home. As they shared their faith and themselves with me, and as I looked at the scriptures afresh, I knew where I truly belonged.
They came along with us as our family came home to the Catholic Church.
Finally, I knew what it was to know that my past was truly behind me. I was cautioys at first, that refrain "unworthy" still quietly ringing in my mind, but I decided that worthy or not, I would submit to my church leaders, and do what they asked of me with a humble heart.
Since then, I have had opportunity to share the scriptures and the tenets of the faith with the children of my parish, I have joyfully entered the sanctuary to lead my church family in singing the Psalms, I have worked with some wonderful people to organize the parish picnic, and I have recently been asked to direct our parish bell choir.
I had once only dreamed of singing solo in a cathedral. I once only dreamed of being a conductor, but by humbling myself and following Jesus, I have come to a place where it is the reality of my life.
I share all of this to tell you something you may not realize. You are worthy because of whose you are. If you are a believer, baptized into God's family, then you belong to the maker of the universe and He made you for great things!
God had different plans. I had to move out of state to find work. I was treated with such love and kindness at my new church that I began to heal. My friendship with a good friend developed into courtship and finally marriage. We found a good church to go to and were quite involved. Then my health took a major downturn. We were newly married with a growing family and faced financial difficulties. During this time we encountered many lovely, helpful, loving christians. We also encountered an attitude that pervaded the church we were attending; they believed that if a christian was experiencing difficulty, there must be something wrong with their spiritual life. Once again the refrain "Unworthy" sounded in my ears.
Fortunately, God had other plans once again. He brought an old friend back into my life by a small miracle. She and her mother could see how much I was struggling with everything in my life. I was simply overwhelmed. They rolled up their sleeves and opened their hearts and their schedules to me. They helped me accomplish what I could not have done alone and I was able to restore order to my home. As they shared their faith and themselves with me, and as I looked at the scriptures afresh, I knew where I truly belonged.
They came along with us as our family came home to the Catholic Church.
Finally, I knew what it was to know that my past was truly behind me. I was cautioys at first, that refrain "unworthy" still quietly ringing in my mind, but I decided that worthy or not, I would submit to my church leaders, and do what they asked of me with a humble heart.
Since then, I have had opportunity to share the scriptures and the tenets of the faith with the children of my parish, I have joyfully entered the sanctuary to lead my church family in singing the Psalms, I have worked with some wonderful people to organize the parish picnic, and I have recently been asked to direct our parish bell choir.
I had once only dreamed of singing solo in a cathedral. I once only dreamed of being a conductor, but by humbling myself and following Jesus, I have come to a place where it is the reality of my life.
I share all of this to tell you something you may not realize. You are worthy because of whose you are. If you are a believer, baptized into God's family, then you belong to the maker of the universe and He made you for great things!
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Ora Et Labora
I have decided not to make resolutions this year. Instead, I want to live by the rule of St. Benedict, "Ora et Labora" (pray and work). Rather than making resolutions, I want to simply do what is before me each day. Certainly, there are things I must plan to do, things I must schedule, goals I must attain to. What I want to avoid is becoming negative.
I began my year with a clean slate. I am keeping the past where it belongs. I went to confession and received merciful forgiveness and inspiration for the days to come.
I am setting out to keep my thoughts pure. I will have to be careful what I feed my mind and what I allow myself to dwell upon. I am attempting to pray for those who irritate, offend, or frustrate me rather than being critical. This would be an exercise in futility if I did not receive grace from God. Since I do receive that grace, I know that I can do better.
I am setting out to act more quickly, not to procrastinate, but to simply start doing what needs to be done. If something requires planning, I must plan efficiently and then start taking the steps I plan rather than getting bogged down in details.
I am also setting out to get my body down to a healthy weight. I am going to be honest about what that requires and I am going to work diligently towards my goal. If I want to get to a healthy weight and stay there, I am going to have to be self-disciplined. I will have to exercise regularly and consistently make good dietary choices. Many of us want to believe there is a shortcut, but there is not. Exchanging good habits for bad ones is the only way to maintain a healthy weight.
I am not setting out to do these things under my own power. I would surely fail. Instead, I am relying upon the Holy Spirit to give me prudence which will bear the fruit of self-control. Father John, a priest at my parish, is a fine example of this dependence on the Holy Spirit for self-control. He enjoys food as much as the next person, but he does not overindulge. He carefully controls his portions so that he can enjoy everything. As a result, he maintains a steady weight. Because he is a healthy weight and he does not overdo any of the foods he enjoys, he is free of many health issues and he is able to serve the Church to his fullest abilities. I believe that, depending upon the Holy Spirit's help, I can accomplish all of the things that God wants me to do.
The most important part of every day is prayer time. I have discovered that I am most productive, most creative, and most inspired when I am spending time each day in prayer. Morning and evening prayers are essential if I wish to accomplish my best each day. I use the Liturgy of the Hours for my prayers (praying the scriptures) and sometimes supplement with the Divine Mercy Chaplet or the Rosary if I have extra time for reflection. I have learned great deal by contemplating the scriptures that accompany the mysteries as I prayed the Rosary, and have received many unique insights.
I strongly believe that the best way to live is by praying and working. Prayer gives life perspective, work completes its purposes. My motto in 2015 will be "Ora et Labora"!
I began my year with a clean slate. I am keeping the past where it belongs. I went to confession and received merciful forgiveness and inspiration for the days to come.
I am setting out to keep my thoughts pure. I will have to be careful what I feed my mind and what I allow myself to dwell upon. I am attempting to pray for those who irritate, offend, or frustrate me rather than being critical. This would be an exercise in futility if I did not receive grace from God. Since I do receive that grace, I know that I can do better.
I am setting out to act more quickly, not to procrastinate, but to simply start doing what needs to be done. If something requires planning, I must plan efficiently and then start taking the steps I plan rather than getting bogged down in details.
I am also setting out to get my body down to a healthy weight. I am going to be honest about what that requires and I am going to work diligently towards my goal. If I want to get to a healthy weight and stay there, I am going to have to be self-disciplined. I will have to exercise regularly and consistently make good dietary choices. Many of us want to believe there is a shortcut, but there is not. Exchanging good habits for bad ones is the only way to maintain a healthy weight.
I am not setting out to do these things under my own power. I would surely fail. Instead, I am relying upon the Holy Spirit to give me prudence which will bear the fruit of self-control. Father John, a priest at my parish, is a fine example of this dependence on the Holy Spirit for self-control. He enjoys food as much as the next person, but he does not overindulge. He carefully controls his portions so that he can enjoy everything. As a result, he maintains a steady weight. Because he is a healthy weight and he does not overdo any of the foods he enjoys, he is free of many health issues and he is able to serve the Church to his fullest abilities. I believe that, depending upon the Holy Spirit's help, I can accomplish all of the things that God wants me to do.
The most important part of every day is prayer time. I have discovered that I am most productive, most creative, and most inspired when I am spending time each day in prayer. Morning and evening prayers are essential if I wish to accomplish my best each day. I use the Liturgy of the Hours for my prayers (praying the scriptures) and sometimes supplement with the Divine Mercy Chaplet or the Rosary if I have extra time for reflection. I have learned great deal by contemplating the scriptures that accompany the mysteries as I prayed the Rosary, and have received many unique insights.
I strongly believe that the best way to live is by praying and working. Prayer gives life perspective, work completes its purposes. My motto in 2015 will be "Ora et Labora"!
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