Punishment or tough love?

 

Many Catholics, including some bishops and priests, seem to be divided on the question of whether Catholic politicians who support legalized abortion should be denied Holy Communion.  Obvious to me is the fact that many who attack the Church for even considering this stance do not understand the real issue here.  Democrat Representative Ted Lieu, supposedly Catholic, recently dared the Church to deny him Communion for him supporting access to abortion and same-sex marriage.  Some Democrats want the Catholic Church to be stripped of her tax-exempt status over what they call “politically weaponizing religion”.  Is that what is really happening here?

 

The Holy Eucharist is the actual Body and Blood of Jesus Christ made present under the appearance of bread and wine.  To a non-Catholic, that probably sounds crazy, but if you were to take the time to deeply study the Scriptures and especially John Chapter 6, you might understand why this is belief is true.  Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians in Chapter 11, verses 27 to 30 says, “²⁷ Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹ For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. ³⁰ That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.^”

 

When the Church considers denying someone the Holy Eucharist due to an attachment to serious sin, the purpose is not to serve as a punishment.  Rather, the Church is concerned that the person is profaning the body and blood of the Lord, and therefore placing his salvation in jeopardy.  Being silent and allowing the person to receive Communion without warning would show a complete lack of concern for the person’s soul, and saving souls is the main purpose for the Church’s existence!

 

Another concern is the sin of scandal.  Allowing pro-abortion politicians to receive the Eucharist implies that what they are doing is okay.  If the Church does not take their sin seriously, then the rest of us need not take our sin seriously.  That is not a good message to be sending to a world where moral responsibility is already in decline.  

 

Denying someone the Holy Eucharist becomes a problem for the minister distributing Communion.  In many parishes, lay people called Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHCs) assist in distributing Communion.  They, along with the many priests and bishops, are not in a position to recognize every person who may approach in a seriously unworthy state, even those formally barred.  Even then, is the Communion rail the place to make a scene?  There is also the possibility, albeit unlikely, that the person has repented for his sin and been to confession.  The logistics of denying someone Communion are complicated.  

 

Truth be known, none of us are worthy, but those of us who acknowledge our sins and receive absolution, may approach humbly, asking for mercy.   The best treatment may be education and some tough love.  Pro-abortion Catholic politicians need to understand that they are risking their salvation.

 

Excommunication would send a strong message that repentance is urgently needed.  Our time on this earth is a blip when compared with our time in eternity.  Those who profaned the body and blood of Jesus Christ will be judged by him who they profaned.  They may need to be shocked into reality.

Regarding the upcoming Eucharistic coherence document that the U.S. Bishops are drafting, I am not so concerned with the reported disagreement among the bishops as I am about the amount of publicity about their bickering.  Bishops are not always going to agree with the best ways to deal with an issue.  However, one would think they should keep their disagreements in-house until a consensus is reached.  The letter signed by some sixty-seven members bishops in May calling for the Eucharistic coherence topic to be dropped from the conference agenda was widely reported.   

 

Anytime the secular media reports on faith matters within the Church, they usually misunderstand Catholic theology when looking at these issues from a political viewpoint.  This causes confusion among Catholics and non-Catholics.  Who leaks these discussions to the media?  The U.S. Bishops will eventually release a statement that will bring clarity to the question of who should and should not receive the Eucharist.  How much weight the statement will carry remains to be seen. 

 

Be careful what you say

 

Anyone in the public eye, or more precisely within public earshot, must be extremely cautious about every word that comes from his or her lips these days.  As innocent as any remark may be, someone will try to attach a racist or homophobic connotation.  There must be plenty examples of blatant prejudice out there without having to conjure up ones that do not exist.  Let’s face the facts.  We all have a certain tribal mentality.  It’s part of our nature.  We tend to favor those with similar qualities, looks, likes, thoughts, beliefs and behaviors to our own.  Those who are different may be less favorable, but that does not mean they are automatically disliked or hated.  We should all be able to recognize this fact and accept it, even if we are the ones being less favored at the time.  

Bob Brenly is a former major league baseball player and manager who now is a broadcaster for the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team.  He was recently criticized for an off the cuff comment he made during a game about a black players head covering commonly called a durag.  “Pretty sure that’s the same durag that Tom Seaver wore when he pitched for the Mets,” Brenly said attempting humor on the broadcast.  Several players took offense to Brenly’s remark saying it had racist overtones.

Now, I’m not even sure how to properly spell durag.  In writeups on this story, I have seen durag and do-rag.  I always thought it was a dew rag for the purpose of mopping dew from the brow.   When I first read about the incident, I had to look up d-u-r-a-g because I pronounced it wrong.  The dictionary said durag, so I will go with that spelling.  

Bob Brenly is 67 years old, a little younger than I am.  I was not aware that durags were exclusively black man’s attire.  My first awareness of durags were those worn by welders and bikers, most of whom were white guys.  I can appreciate Brenly’s attempt at humor.  Tom Seaver last pitched for the Mets in 1977. Back then, I doubt that any professional baseball player, black or white, would have been caught with a durag on his head.  Players of that era would have laughed at the appearance of today’s typical ball player with the long flowing hair, ink, chains, and earrings.  Brenly’s remark was simply a commentary on how players’ apparel has changed since Seaver’s day.  At least, that’s the way it appears to me.  Nevertheless, someone took offense and Brenly is now taking a week off for sensitivity training.  What we really need is desensitivity training for those who are constantly offended.  

We will never achieve equality until we acknowledge and accept our natural differences.  Repeated accusations of prejudice fosters more prejudice.  Those who are comfortable in their own skin will not waste time trying. to detect flaws in others.   None of us are perfect, but most of us are well intended.  A little patience and forgiveness can go a long way.  

Just a few questions Mr. President

 

Pope Francis has appointed a new Bishop of Wilmington, the home diocese of President Joe Biden.  Monsignor William Koenig will be ordained at St. Elizabeth Church in Wilmington on July 13.  At his first press conference, Msgr. Koenig did not indicate whether he would favor denying Holy Communion to Biden because of his public support of legalized abortion among other practices condemned by the Catholic Church.  “I certainly pray for him every day,” Koenig said of Biden. “I would certainly be open to having a conversation in the future with him. 

As a Catholic who is deeply troubled when Catholic politicians publicly support legalized abortion, and then present themselves for Holy Communion, I would love to hear that conversation between Biden and the new Bishop.  I tried to imagine how I would handle a conversation with the president given the opportunity for an interview. Catholic apologist Trent Horn is a big proponent of the Socratic method as the most effective way to win over someone with opposing views, so I would take that approach.  Here is a list of a few questions I would love the hear President Biden address.

First of all, why are you Catholic?  What does the Catholic Church mean to you?

Do you go to confession?   How often?

How do you justify accepting church rule privately, but work to oppose it publicly?  Don’t you see a contradiction there?  How do you reconcile your Catholic faith with your policies? 

 

Are President Joe Biden and Catholic Joe Biden two different people?  Are you in conflict with yourself?

 

Do you believe Jesus Christ established an authoritative Church with the power to bind and loose?

 

The Catholic Church claims infallible authority in certain matters of faith and morals.  As a Catholic, do you believe this, and if so, how do you justify promoting policies that contradict Catholic teaching?

 

Are you concerned about your own eternal salvation?  Do you feel any responsibility for the salvation of others?

 

Does your conscience ever bother you?  How do you form your conscience?  Where do you get your sense of right and wrong?

 

Have you ever witnessed an abortion?  Would you be willing to walk into a Planned Parenthood clinic and watch a live baby being killed in the womb?

 

Do you see a correlation between society’s acceptance of killing of babies in the womb and a general loss of respect for human life manifested in mass killings and inner city violence?

 

Do you believe in the Bible?

 

1 Cor 11:27-29 says the following:  ²⁷ Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹ For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.   

What does that verse mean to you?

If you were denied reception of Holy Communion to protect you from profaning the body and blood of the Lord, how would you respond?

 

Do you own a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church?  Are you familiar Church teaching in the section on Scandal?  It says the following:

 

II. RESPECT FOR THE DIGNITY OF PERSONS   

Respect for the souls of others: scandal

2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor's tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense. 

2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized. It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."⁸⁶ Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others. Jesus reproaches the scribes and Pharisees on this account: he likens them to wolves in sheep's clothing.⁸⁷

2286 Scandal can be provoked by laws or institutions, by fashion or opinion. 

Therefore, they are guilty of scandal who establish laws or social structures leading to the decline of morals and the corruption of religious practice, or to "social conditions that, intentionally or not, make Christian conduct and obedience to the Commandments difficult and practically impossible."⁸⁸ This is also true of business leaders who make rules encouraging fraud, teachers who provoke their children to anger,⁸⁹ or manipulators of public opinion who turn it away from moral values. 

2287 Anyone who uses the power at his disposal in such a way that it leads others to do wrong becomes guilty of scandal and responsible for the evil that he has directly or indirectly encouraged. "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!"⁹⁰

If you were denied reception of Holy Communion for committing the sin of scandal, how would you respond?

 

Do you understand why the Church, under certain conditions, chooses to excommunicate persons in order to shock them into reconsidering their standing in the eyes of God?

 

Oh how I would love to hear his responses.  Biden’s position on abortion has changed over the years.  In 1974, he was critical of the Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade.  He said, “I don't think that a woman has the sole right to say what should happen to her body," As late as 1983, he voted to prevent federal employees from obtaining abortion services through their health insurance.  He also stated he would not support partial birth abortion.  

More recently during his campaign for the presidency, Biden stated he would favor passing legislation to make Roe the law of the land. He no longer supports the Hyde amendment, which bans the use of federal funds for abortion except in rape cases, incest or life-threatening circumstances.  So, what changed his mind over the years?  How did his respect for human life become less civilized?  Having demonstrated some fluidity of opinion over the years, let us pray that he might regain his respect for life, not only for the sake of the unborn, but also for the sake of his soul. 

 

 

Major League Blunder

After missing out on Easter liturgies last year due to the pandemic, what a joy to celebrate the vigil this year by receiving two new Catholics into the Church at our small parish, along with two others who were baptized Catholic but never completed their Sacraments of initiation. Our Easter Vigil liturgy lasted two hours and forty minutes, which is a long time to breathe through a mask, but we made it. We are so blessed to be back. Things are returning to normal as more and more people are being vaccinated against the Covid virus. Even the baseball season is starting on time. 

I sometimes wonder if some of the craziness going on in our world today has been exacerbated by the pandemic. People seem to be angrier than ever. Unable to enjoy all of our normal activities, many have resorted to insulting one another in social media. The so-called cancel culture has grown to ridiculous proportions. Major League Baseball has pulled the All-Star game out of Atlanta because the state passed a new voting law.  “Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box,” according to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. 

That is a silly statement. So, every American should be allowed to vote without any restrictions? Four-year-old Americans should be allowed to vote? You should be able to cast your vote anytime you want anywhere you want, as many times as you want? No. Obviously, all eligible Americans should be allowed to vote with certain necessary restrictions. Read the Georgia voting law and explain to me how it restricts any eligible voter from voting. It does not. 

Whether the Georgia law is fair or restrictive is a matter for political debate. It is not a question of right or wrong. To cancel a major event based on political ideology is stupid and dangerous. MLB is setting themselves up for scrutiny in all of their business practices now. Anyone can conjure up a connection to some objectionable practice that may be offensive to somebody. Where does one draw the line? At least in the Church, we have an understanding of the difference between formal and material cooperation with evil. In this case, no evil is involved and playing a baseball game in the State of Georgia would not be cooperating even if political evil were involved. None of this makes any sense. 

I would love to hear Rob Manfred explain in detail what part of the Georgia voting law he finds so objectionable that it deserves a boycott. He may have fallen for the absurd claim that the law is racist. Does he believe particular citizens of Georgia are not capable of obtaining a proper ID? How many innocent Georgia residents are going to be financially impacted by his action? 

MLB plans to move the All-Star game to Denver. Colorado is one of only seven states that permits abortion at any point in pregnancy, and women in their second or third trimester consistently go there for the procedure when they can’t find a provider in their home state. So, MLB is taking their game away from a state that wants to codify laws to ensure a fair election and move it to a state where it is easier to kill its future fans. Georgia, by the way, has tried to enact restrictive abortion laws only to have them thrown out by a federal judge. Georgia is safe and MLB is charged with an error.

A Little Testimony

At the end of our RCIA class a week ago, one of the young women candidates asked us life-long Catholics what our faith means to us. I had a week to think about it before answering, but still found it difficult to put into words. Those of us who grew up in the faith sometimes take it for granted. Our religion is so ingrained in us that it becomes automatic. We seldom give it much thought, and that is not a good thing. 

I decided to make some notes on what my Catholic faith means to me. Telling some soon-to-be Catholics why I love my faith seemed of critical importance so I didn’t want to leave anything out. I wanted to do it justice. How does one speak of something so central to one’s life without falling short? After writing down a few thoughts, I tossed my notes aside. When the time comes, I will just speak from my heart and hope the Holy Spirit helps me find the words. 

The time came last Wednesday. My fellow teacher, a very spiritual woman, went first. She gave a beautiful explanation of her faith journey, starting many years ago in a poor neighborhood in Chicago. She began attending retreats and her love of Jesus and the Church grew over time. Today she attends Mass daily and leads a very prayerful life despite some tragedies including the loss of a child in an accident years ago. 

When it was my turn, I told of my upbringing with a Catholic mother and a non-practicing Methodist father. Religion was not talked about much in our household. I went through eight years of Catholic school, taught by nuns from the Order of Saint Francis. We attended Mass before school every morning, religion class each day, I was an altar boy, and a good one I might add. i learned what the Church taught, but not always the reasons for the teachings. 

My last year of Catholic school was 1964. The Beatles were the latest thing and the Second Vatican Council was session. The world was changing. The Church was changing. Many of my former Catholic school classmates would soon drift away from the faith. I never did. I continued going to Mass with my mother and sister through high school. 

By the time I went off to college, the sexual revolution was going on. Woodstock, hippies, long hair, and free love were the common denominators among people my age. I never fit in with that crowd and continued Mass attendance every Sunday. It was the way my mother and the nuns had raised me. Yet, I had my doubts about the authority of the Church to rule over our lives. I became what some call a cafeteria Catholic. I liked to pick and choose what teachings I would follow and which ones I would ignore. I thought the Catholic Church was just one of many Christian denominations. That attitude continued after college and into my married life. 

I had a friend at work who belonged to the Church of the Nazarene. He knew I was Catholic and would occasionally hit me with accusations that many Catholic teachings were non-biblical. Jesus had brothers, Mary was not sinless, we have graven images in our churches. I did not know how to refute his arguments. In fact, most of the time, I didn’t even know what he was talking about. My response was silence and a shrug. 

In the mid 1990’s (I wish I could remember the exact date), everything changed in the span of about ninety minutes one evening in our church basement. Out pastor at the time invited a young apologist from Saint Joseph Communications to speak, not just to our congregation, but to anyone in the community who wished to attend. He mailed handbills to every household on our postal routes telling of this former Baptist minister who would speak about his conversion to the Catholic Church. The speaker’s name was Tim Staples. 

 I remember thinking at the time that this guy is probably setting us up. He is going to come here under false pretenses to point out all these non-biblical Catholic teachings my friend had told me about. I decided to go hear what he had to say. 

 If you have never heard Tim Staples’ conversion story, please search his name and find it. He did bring up all of those so-called non-biblical Catholic teachings during his talk, but Tim had a friend in the Marine Corp who actually knew his Catholic faith and was able to refute every anti-Catholic misconception he raised. I learned there were Catholic answers to all of the objections to which my friend had challenged me. Tim had converted to the Catholic Church and I was inspired that night with a new confidence in my faith. He lit a fire in me that still burns today. 

 I realized the Catholic Church is not just one of many Christian denominations. She is the original Church instituted by Jesus Christ. The other Christian denominations are offshoots and offshoots of offshoots. Christianity is like a tree where the trunk represents the Catholic Church and the branches are those who have split away. Some are like twigs far removed from the original source. They sway with the winds of the world, but the trunk remains unrelenting and solid. She may not be as pretty as some of the foliage, but she is true and trustworthy and I will cling to her. 

 In the Bread of Life Discourse in John Chapter 6, many of Jesus followers left him when He told them they must eat his body and drink his blood. Jesus asked the twelve, “Will you also go away?” Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:66-68) I too will always remain in the Catholic Church. Where would I go? Anywhere else is going out on a limb.

Identity Crisis

I recently caught an episode of Catholic Answers Live (January 25) when the guest was Joe Heschmeyer on the topic, “Who does Jesus say that you are”  Joe Heschmeyer is an author and cohost of the Catholic Podcast Weekly.  One of his books is titled, “Who am I Lord?: Finding your identity in Christ.”  

The book description on Amazon.com says:  

The question "Who am I?" is on the minds and hearts of people of all ages. And for good reason: The answer is important! Who we are - or who we think we are - drives our actions and shapes our relationships.

While we are asking the right questions about identity, the world is busy feeding us the wrong answers: We are our political party, job title, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity - and the list goes on. But until we know why we were created, by whom, and for what purpose, we can never be truly satisfied.

Heschmeyer’s point is that we are created in the image and likeness of God.  Our identity is modeled on His identity.  Therefore, the more we know God, the better we know ourselves.  I found his presentation on Catholic Answers Live very thought provoking and would highly recommend listening to the download or getting his book.  

As our society tends to grow more distant from God, we see more people, especially the young, going through an identity crisis.  We have a natural yearning to know who we are.  Why are we here?  How do we identify?  If we do not know our creator in whose image we are made, we must create our own identity. That identity is often determined by what we are rather than who we are.  It becomes an open-ended question that can lead to confusion and uncertainty.  As Heschmeyer puts it, we settle for something less than the reality of who we are.  We should live in the identity of being a son or daughter of God.

Identity is important.  In the broadcast, Heschmeyer mentioned how Adam’s first job in Genesis was to name the animals, and that created a relationship with them.  He said we tend not to name the animals we eat.  If we name an animal, our relationship with it changes.  Today we live in a society where identity has become somewhat fluid.  Meanings change and foundations are weakened.  

In Matthew 16:15-19, Jesus names Simon Peter, the Rock, but not before He first asks Simon, “But who do you say that I am?”  Simon is not identified as Peter, the Rock, until he first acknowledges Christ.  Similarly, we cannot know our true identity until we know Christ. Jesus is God and we created in the image and likeness of God.  Knowing God is a prerequisite for knowing ourselves. 

How do we get to know God?  How does God speak to us?  He makes Himself known to us through His Son, His Church and the Scriptures.  He speaks to us through the Magesterial authority given to the bishops in union with the Pope.  But, do we really listen?  We cannot do it as a casual observer.  Going to Mass once a week and saying a few Hail Marys doesn’t get us there.  It takes time, effort and desire.  All close relationships must be nurtured in order to grow.  Prayer, study, adoration, discipline, spiritual and corporal works of mercy -  All of these things help us grow closer to God, to know Him better, serve Him better, and to better know ourselves.