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.

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! :-)

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.

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!

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"!

Come to Church and Be Entertained

I have seen a lot of posts about what attracts or turns off first time visitors tochurches lately. I must admit that I am confused about the focus. One article spoke of doing a survey to find out top turn-offs to visitors. The results of the survey were all related to very superficial things such as poorlydone websites, signage, volume of music, perceived friendliness and maintainance of facilities. I simply don't believe that these are the types of things we should be most concerned about offerring. This list could easily be applied to a restaurant chain or gym. Having read several articles and seeing no mention of anything spiritual, I have to wonder what churches are hoping to offer.
First, I think that how people are attracted to church to begin with needs to be explored.
Are people simply showing up because the church is well advertised and looks like a fun place to go? Is that going to bring people in with a mindset that encourages faith?
Are people showing up because churches are promising to be accepting? Does this tend to bring people who are prepared to repent and allow God to change their lives?
 Are people showing up because of an air of affluence? Does this tend to bring people who are generous?
I may be wrong, but I believe people should come to church because they have a desire for Christ. Church members should be living godly lives. Christians should be kind, generous, patient, honest and hospitable. They should be the kind of people who draw their friends and family to the church by drawing them to Jesus who is living through them. Discipleship should happen organically as christians share their lives with their friends and family. In short, people should walk through the doors of a church for the first time because a christian friend or family member has evangelized them.
While I realize that some people will show up out of curiosity, that should be the exception rather than the rule.
People should be choosing to stay or go based upon sound doctrine and authentic christian love. The superficial reasons only guarantee that visitors have been entertained and made to feel good about themselves. This is no guarantee that they have been attracted by the gospel of truth.

What We Agree About

It has often occurred to me that Protestants and Catholics seem to be in perpetual conflict. What exactly do we have against each other? To put it imprecisely, the majority of things we come into conflict about are either misperceptions or semantic disagreements. The truth of the situation is that the majority of theological values are beliefs we hold in common.
Let's start with a little ancient history. When Jesus was resurrected, He spent forty days teaching his disciples how to be His Church. These first century Christians, who called their movement The Way, carried on the work that Jesus had begun. News of the gospel spread far and wide, and soon the church Jesus established began to be referred to as Christianity. The Church had as its head Peter, whom Jesus had given the authority to preach, teach, heal, forgive sins and to lead. The rest of the twelve, with the exception of Judas, had received all of the gifts Peter had except for the position as head of the Church. As word spread and more and more people converted to The Way, the Apostles appointed faithful men to teach the new christians how to be The Church. There were issues that had to be settled when misunderstandings about doctrines and practices arose, and Peter had the final word. After the death of Peter in Rome, the Bishop of Rome (a man who had learned directly from Peter or one of his students) held the position of  primacy in the Church. Thus each successive Pope (Bishop of Rome) is the successor of Peter. The Church is a human institution as well as a divine one, and through the centuries there have been good and bad, sinful and holy men and women in The Church. Regardless of the personal sanctity of its members, the core teachings of The Church and the Holy Scriptures have remained intact for two thousand years. When the Protestant Reformation began, these teachings were intact within the Church, though they may have been sometimes obscured by leaders who behaved badly. The most famous of the reformers, Martin Luther, was actually in agreement with The Church's magisterium. In fact, he had been a vehement supporter of orthodox teaching. Initially, his primary bone of contention was with the selling of indulgences. Church scholars of his day were apt to support his contention. Martin Luther lost his temper, and then his supporters within the church when he refused to submit to the authority of those over him. This made him a vow-breaker. From the point of his excommunication forward, his anger toward the leadership of the Church foments. He worked at revising the Bible and removing passages and even whole books that did not fit his personal views.
Fast-forward nearly five hundred years, and there is still the Catholic Church, still teaching the core Christian principals and still observing the worship described in the New Testament, but there are also tens of thousands of Protestant denominations. What Martin Luther could never have guessed or foreseen is that once the interpretation of scripture becomes an individual exercise, the Church is no longer unified. When scripture is proclaimed and studied within the context of the Church, it is more difficult for errors in understanding to persist. Someone who correctly understands is prone to say "that is not how the Church has always taught it".

With that said, there are things which every mainstream christian church hold to be true. The Apostles' Creed is one important example. The canon of scripture that Protestants use comes entirely from the Catholic canon. The practices of Communion and Baptism are common. The belief that christians receive the assistance of the Holy Spirit is also held in common.  The understanding that we foster an intimate relationship with God through prayer, scripture study, obedience and meditation on scripture is also a common belief. These common beliefs in the gospel mean that at the core, we hold the most important concepts of the faith in common.
We agree on far more than we disagree. Here is the bottom line: Jesus said that He was leaving one Church. If we cannot agree to be unified into a single Church, let us at least agree to be unified enough to stop tearing each other down!