When Church Strife Makes You Worry About Your Witness

Original Images from Pixabay. (There are two.)

In the last couple of months, we have had some significant conflict among our church-going friends and their families. I don't want to go into detail here, but these events have been a big deal. They have been a big deal in my life, in my husband's life, in the lives of all of our family... but we've been very careful about sharing them with friends.

Why is that?

In a word: scandal.

Christ Joyfully to the Nations

The Feast of the Epiphany

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Ephesians 3: 2-3a, 5-6. The link includes the intervening verses. Be sure to read the other readings for context.

I suspect that the vast, vast majority of the current Christian population is gentile in its origins.

Early in the Church’s history, it experienced growth at an incredible rate - on the order of thousands of people being baptized in a single day. I don’t think any of us are likely to witness conversion on such a drastic scale in our lifetimes.

Sursum Corda: Here, here!

Original image from Pixabay.

I don't know if you saw Bishop James Conley's article, Sursum Corda in the National Catholic Register a few months ago, but I've been dying to write a followup on it ever since I first saw it.

The overall thrust of the the 4-page spread was this:
Reading is a lost art in our culture, and reading is necessary to reclaim our cultural identity.

I have two words to say in response:

Never Underestimate the Power of Your Village

Never underestimate the power of your village.

At our annual Mother's Day gathering this past year, my Mom was playing with Pitter Patter (as per usual), and I was not about to stop her.

When her mom, my Grammy, arrived with my godmother (Nanny), Mom immediately started to show Grammy all of the cool stuff that Pitter Patter knows.

She first started out with the things that I had worked on with her, The ABC's, "what's that letter for", counting, "what sound that animal makes", and then she started into the prayers Pitter Patter knows.

What we can Learn from the Early Church about Loving Other Christians

16th Sunday of Ordinary Time

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Ephesians 2:13-18. I’d suggest reading the other readings. It’s Lectionary #107, if you’re reading from a hard copy.

This section is primarily addressed to the Christians who were once Gentiles. It speaks of how the Messiah is able to reconcile all people in himself, not just the Israelites.

This was kind of a big deal in the early Christian church. The idea that God might have reconciled people from every nation was revolutionary in the Jewish community.

And in some ways we need to take a lesson from this, in the same way as the early Jewish Christians.

The Benedict Option: What We Should Do Instead

Last week, I discussed what is becoming known as “The Benedict Option”, why it’s attractive to some (myself included), and why I don’t think it’s an appropriate option for the Catholic Church.

The question of what should we do instead is a hard one to fully answer, largely because there are a lot of components to it, but we certainly can’t keep banging our heads against a wall like we have been. It leads to the kind of emotional exhaustion that led me to abandon Facebook entirely for over six months.

Something I heard on Catholic Answers recently really touched me. They were taking questions about the SCOTUS marriage decision and where we go from here, and the guest mentioned as part of an answer that before we do anything else, we first have a morale problem to handle.

I immediately knew this woman couldn’t be wrong - because I know that what I have experienced is first and foremost a morale problem.

I don’t think I can fully address the morale problem itself, as I am neither a spiritual director, nor a professional counselor. If you’re frustrated and angry, and really struggling emotionally or spiritually, I would suggest seeing a spiritual or mental health professional to help you dig out of the hole you’ve found yourself in, then I have a few practical suggestions to help keep this from happening again, in addition to whatever they suggest for you.

Unique in the World

 

Original photo from Pixabay.

15th Sunday of Ordinary Time

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Ephesians 1:3-14. I also suggest reading the other readings, but for the first reading, begin at 7:10.

In this section from the beginning of the letter to the Ephesians, Paul gives thanks for the blessings received from God in the community of the Ephesians, and in the Christian community at large.

God made us to be holy before him, to be adopted by him, he’s give us forgiveness of our sins, and given us rich graces by which we are able to do his will in an unfriendly world, he’s revealed to us his will, and given us knowledge of his plan for us.

The Benedict Option: It's Attractive, but We Shouldn't Do It!

Original Photo from Pixabay.

I’ve seen a few posts in the not-too-distant past regarding something called “The Benedict Option.” I was intrigued by the the idea, and I did some reading.

• The Benedict Option: Why the Religious Right is Considering an All-out Withdrawal from Politics By Damon Linker @  The Week
• Is it Time To Hunker Down? by Fr. Dwight Longeneceker @ Standing on my Head
• French Religious History and the New American Intégrisme by David Sessions @ Patrol
• Benedict Option by Rod Dreher @ The American Conservative

What is "The Benedict Option"?

As I understand it, the Benedict Option is to withdraw from politics, just like St. Benedict did when he came to Rome, found its morality crumbling before its ultimate collapse, and established the first monasteries.

It’s mostly a response by some members of the so-called “religious right” to the realization that they might no longer represent the way most Americans think about matters of morality (the “moral majority”), because the country’s morality has “crumbled” just as Rome’s did.

This is only a partial characterization, but these were the details that stood out to me. It means that we would focus our evangelistic eyes inward only, and don’t worry about everywhere else.

Opposition from Within

Original photo from Pixabay.

 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time

This Sunday, the second reading will be from 2 Cor 12:7-10. I’d also strongly recommend the other readings.

God warns Ezekiel in the first reading of opposition in Israel, on account of the Israelites being a rebellious and obstinate people.

In the Gospel, Christ himself encounters resistance in his hometown, which hindered the propagation of the Gospel.

And Paul encounters problem people of his own. There are lots of valid interpretations on what this “thorn in the flesh” was. According to one of my footnotes, it is a similar expression to the English, “A thorn in my side”, which we often use to refer to obnoxious, persistent, and frustrating people.

Out of Love for Us, God Gave Us a Job to Do

Original photo from Pixabay.

12th Sunday of Ordinary Time

This Sunday, the second reading will be from 2 Corinthians 5:14-17. I would recommend reading verses 11-21, and also the other readings for this week. It's Lectionary # 95, if you're reading from a hard copy.

The first reading and Gospel speak of God’s mastery over the sea. He set their boundaries when he made them, and he can speak a word to calm a mighty storm at sea. Clearly, his power is great, and greater still is his love for us.

Transubstantiation: Prefigured in the Old Testament

  Feast of Corpus Christi

Original photo from Pixabay.

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Hebrews 9:11-15. I’d suggest starting at verse 1, for context, and also reading both of the other readings. It's lectionary #168, if you're reading from a hard copy.

Why do we believe in transubstantiation? Logistically, it seems to cause us nothing but trouble, so why is it theologically so important?

This Sunday, the readings point us to one of the reasons as laid out in the Bible. (To my mind, a case based solely on the Last Supper, when Jesus says, “this is my body”, is not a good one, because it doesn’t lay out any evidence that might actually convince a skeptic.)

In John 6, Jesus says, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink,” and at the last supper he says of the bread they shared, “this is my body.”

These (or something like them) is what most Catholics quote when challenged on transubstantiation and think that’s the end of it, but it can’t be. It may be enough for someone who already trusts the Church, but when you’re challenged like this, you’re speaking to someone who doesn’t yet have that trust. You need to show them the Church’s work, so that you can help lay a strong foundation of reasons to trust.

The Baby Whisperer

So, we took a trip Easter weekend to visit one of Daniel’s cousins. His wife had their second little one about… a week before Easter? Something like that? (So… if we’ re being honest, we were really going to see the baby!)

Anyway, Pitter Patter, who talks up a storm, really, desperately wanted to communicate with the new baby - and with the best of intentions, she tried to meet him where he was and talk to him in his own language.

Artists Conception of Baby's response: "It's a monster!!!!"

After all, she still spoke “baby” fluently enough. Hasn’t been all that long since she was one. So she got down in the baby’s face, where he could see her, smiled congenially, and said, “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!”

Love Even Those Who Are Not in Christ

6th Sunday of Easter

This Sunday, the second reading will be from 1 Jn 4:7-10. I strongly suggest that you read the other readings for this week. It’s Lectionary # 56, if you’re reading from a hard copy. I’d also recommend reading John 3:16-21.

We hear the words so often that their impact has almost become lost on us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, that the world might be saved through him.”

Too often, we forget the stern warning that comes only two verses later: “Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

The Most Important Thing to do in Marital Interfaith Dialogue

Daniel and I were married in the Catholic Church, but only I am Catholic. He is a Presbyterian of the PCA variety. Our marriage works, in part, because our churches’ values are the same. Even though their doctrines differ in some very significant ways, practice is nearly indistinguishable in everyday life.

Every few months, we have one of those serious religious conversations in which we each learn a great deal about what the other does (or doesn’t) believe about a given subject. They tend to be mostly about doctrine, rather than practice.

One of my posts from a few weeks ago sparked one of those conversations. I will make a post outlining that discussion and its repercussions, but this is not that post.

I want to emphasize that these are not fights. They are serious conversations. No voices are raised, and we are careful not to hurt one another’s feelings.

Some of these are more productive than others.

Eyes to See

Third Sunday of Lent

This Sunday, the second reading will be from 1 Cor 1:22-25. As usual, I’m going to encourage you to read back a little to get some context. I’d start at verse 18, and continue on through the end of the chapter.

The epistle this week forms a bridge between the first reading and the gospel, so I strongly recommend reading them. It’s Lectionary # 29, if you’re reading from a hard copy source.

Paul laments that Jews look for signs, and Greeks look for wisdom, but both fail to see the very thing that they seek in Jesus Christ.

The truly hilarious part (or perhaps it’s tragicomic) is that the Jews who were in the temple when Jesus drove everybody out with a whip, the same ones who were always looking for signs, didn’t recognize one when it flipped over their money tables, scattered their animals, and drove them out of the temple! To those who had been given the Eyes of Faith (the disciples) it was right in front of them.

Our Attitude Toward Evangelization

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

This Sunday, the second reading will be from 1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23.

The epistle this week very much forms the bridge between the first and second readings, so I strongly recommend reading them, and go ahead and read a couple of chapters back on that first reading - just to really get the context. It’s lectionary # 74, if you’re reading from a hard copy source.

So, Job's friends see that he is miserable, and they come to comfort and counsel him about whatever his secret sin might have been, Job said all of the right things. He served the Lord, but he also complained about his burden (if you read on in Job 7 to the end of the chapter).

In the midst of his trials, Job does not serve with a willing heart, so for him, obedience is a heavy burden. Likewise, in this week’s Gospel, Jesus also serves the will of the Father. He works signs, he drives out demons, and then he gets up early enough to sneak out of town so as to ensure that the mission of the Father isn’t impeded by the townspeople’s appetite for signs.

Jesus, like Job, emptied himself to the Father’s will and placed himself at his Father’s disposal, but mark the difference between them in how they carry it out. Job patiently plods ahead, dragging one foot in front of the other, but Jesus is glad to do the work of his Father.

Paul reflects on the character of our obedience in this week’s second reading. By our condition as Christians we are made missionaries, and an obligation has been imposed on us. How do we take up this obligation?

Enthusiastically? (Jesus)

Willingly, but complaining? (Job)

Have to be dragged kicking and screaming? (Jonah) - Yeah, I know we didn’t read Jonah this week, but you know the story, right?

Paul reflects that if we are willing preachers of the gospel, the spread thereof is its own reward, and we do all we can to optimize our lives to further its ends.

We are called to be enthusiastic preachers of the Gospel. Is that what we are doing?

Do we gladly take up every opportunity we get to invite our friends and neighbors to come to knowledge of the truth? Or do we shy away from it? Would we rather send somebody “more qualified”?

Lord, help us to joyfully take up the call to make disciples of all of the nations. Show us where we are missing opportunities to grow your church. Help us to foster in ourselves and in our families a missionary outlook in our lives, so that we might always look for ways to spread the good news to those around us.

Evangelization 101

Second Week of Advent

This Sunday, the second reading will be from 2 Peter 3:8-14.

Somewhat paradoxically, the readings for Advent not only reflect on Christ’s coming at Christmas, but also on his coming back. I remember noticing this for the first time only a few years ago.

We know that Christ is coming back, and we have been told that it will be soon. It is still difficult to reconcile this promise of “soon” with the 2,000 years that have passed since that promise of “soon” was made.

It seems important to me to notice that the remark about delay is immediately followed by, “he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Can it be that what we cannot help but understand as a long delay is actually for OUR benefit? So that the human race might have hope of being ready to meet him when he comes again?

What then must we do?