Time to Take a Stand
Abuse of our religious freedom continues to escalate under the Obama administration. The Department of Health and Human Services announced yesterday that Catholic schools, hospitals and charitable institutions have been given one year to comply with a government mandate to provide contraceptive coverage to all employees. That means, Catholics will soon be forced to provide abortive forms of birth control, sterilization, and other intrinsically evil procedures. Archbishop, and soon to be Cardinal, Timothy Dolan responded by saying, “In effect, the president is saying we have a year to figure out how to violate our consciences."
We have already seen Catholic adoption agencies close their doors when the government tried to force them to place children with same-sex couples. Now the assault on our Catholic faith sets up a confrontation that will have even greater repercussions. Those that comply with the order should be forced to sever ties with the Church. Those true to the faith may be forced to close or stand firm in civil disobedience. Violating our consciences is not an option.
Obama’s announcement came one day after Pope Benedict warned American Bishops about concerted efforts being made in the United States to deny the right of conscientious objection on the part of Catholic individuals and institutions with regard to cooperation in intrinsically evil practices. In his January 19 address to the Bishops of the United States, the Pope said, “it is imperative that the entire Catholic community in the United States come to realize the grave threats to the Church’s public moral witness presented by a radical secularism which finds increasing expression in the political and cultural spheres.”
At the forefront of this threat is the Obama presidency. The upcoming presidential election is one of the most important events we as Catholics will ever experience. It may serve as a uniting force for all Christians who value religious liberty. In Pope Benedict’s address, he said, “There can be no doubt that a more consistent witness on the part of America’s Catholics to their deepest convictions would make a major contribution to the renewal of society as a whole.” The time has come for Catholics, and indeed all Christians, to take a stand against the erosion of religious freedom being propagated by the present administration.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Are You Hurting?
Last night as a mild toothache kept me awake, I began to contemplate the relationship between pain and suffering. Pain, it seems to me, is a mere sensation and does not necessarily result in suffering. How we respond to pain may be affected by how self-absorbed we are at the time. Granted, the intensity of pain may bear directly on our degree of self-awareness.
For example, it is not unusual for me to be so engrossed in a woodworking project that I can cut myself without being aware of it. Not until I notice blood dripping do I realize I’ve had a mishap. I can guarantee that had somebody made me aware that I was about to cut my finger on a saw blade, my reaction would have been much different. The anticipation of an impending injury and the resultant redirection of focus to oneself can increase the amount of suffering incurred.
If it is possible to incur an injury without realizing it because we are focused elsewhere, is it possible to divert our attention willingly to endure pain that would otherwise cripple us? If we can feel someone else’s pain, is it possible not to feel our own? What is the relationship between pain and suffering? Does one necessarily result in the other? These are just rhetorical questions. Don’t expect to find all the answers here!
We are told pain is the result of original sin. If our first parents had not sinned, we would not experience pain in this life. That idea is difficult to comprehend. If Adam and Eve had not sinned, would it not seem inevitable that someone down the line would have eventually sinned? Is it then possible we could have had two lines of people in this world -- those who descended from sinners and those who did not. Would the sinners have experienced death and others not? I don’t know the answers to these questions. They are things that go through my mind during a sleepless night. I am sure they have all been asked before, and philosophers and theologians probably have answers.
I think about pain and suffering much during this time of year. While many of us are enjoying the Christmas season, others are experiencing suffering to varying degrees, be it physical, emotional or spiritual. We all know people who have been diagnosed with serious illnesses. The news is filled with stories of people who have experienced seemingly unbearable tragedies. Some families are separated from their loved ones by distance or division. Others are simply alone.
Often there is little we can do to lessen physical or emotional pain. The spiritual suffering has remedy, but many fail to take advantage, not realizing that spiritual healing can also help us deal with the physical and emotional side. The problem seems to be that most people do not know they suffer from a spiritual deficiency.
Our church was nearly filled Christmas Eve. We won’t see many of them again until Easter, if then. They are content to live their lives without God, not aware that it is impossible to do so. Spiritual health is determined by our relationship with Our Lord, and that relationship is eroded by our sins. Many people today seem to be oblivious to personal sin, so they fail to see the need for the Church and Sacraments. They have become so engrossed in their daily routine that they do not know they are bleeding.
People cannot see the ugliness of their sin except under the illumination of the light of Christ. A point of reference is needed. In order to call others to holiness, one must first be holy himself. One might look at an MRI of a cancerous tumor not knowing what he is looking at until he sees healthy tissue for comparison. A person who badgers another about his sin without first acknowledging his own sin is wasting his time. In other words, people need to see holiness before they can recognize their own deficiencies.
The Christmas season provides a great opportunity to call others home to the church. I read about one pastor who distributes books as gifts to all visitors attending Christmas Masses at his parish. Tom Peterson’s organization has expanded broadcasting of his Catholics Come Home promotion to major networks in addition to local television. The average TV viewer is estimated to see the video about eight times over the Christmas season. Father Robert Barron’s wonderful Catholicism series has been recently appearing on PBS stations. My daughter gave me the complete ten-hour DVD set for Christmas. The message is getting out there. Spread the Word.
Last night as a mild toothache kept me awake, I began to contemplate the relationship between pain and suffering. Pain, it seems to me, is a mere sensation and does not necessarily result in suffering. How we respond to pain may be affected by how self-absorbed we are at the time. Granted, the intensity of pain may bear directly on our degree of self-awareness.
For example, it is not unusual for me to be so engrossed in a woodworking project that I can cut myself without being aware of it. Not until I notice blood dripping do I realize I’ve had a mishap. I can guarantee that had somebody made me aware that I was about to cut my finger on a saw blade, my reaction would have been much different. The anticipation of an impending injury and the resultant redirection of focus to oneself can increase the amount of suffering incurred.
If it is possible to incur an injury without realizing it because we are focused elsewhere, is it possible to divert our attention willingly to endure pain that would otherwise cripple us? If we can feel someone else’s pain, is it possible not to feel our own? What is the relationship between pain and suffering? Does one necessarily result in the other? These are just rhetorical questions. Don’t expect to find all the answers here!
We are told pain is the result of original sin. If our first parents had not sinned, we would not experience pain in this life. That idea is difficult to comprehend. If Adam and Eve had not sinned, would it not seem inevitable that someone down the line would have eventually sinned? Is it then possible we could have had two lines of people in this world -- those who descended from sinners and those who did not. Would the sinners have experienced death and others not? I don’t know the answers to these questions. They are things that go through my mind during a sleepless night. I am sure they have all been asked before, and philosophers and theologians probably have answers.
I think about pain and suffering much during this time of year. While many of us are enjoying the Christmas season, others are experiencing suffering to varying degrees, be it physical, emotional or spiritual. We all know people who have been diagnosed with serious illnesses. The news is filled with stories of people who have experienced seemingly unbearable tragedies. Some families are separated from their loved ones by distance or division. Others are simply alone.
Often there is little we can do to lessen physical or emotional pain. The spiritual suffering has remedy, but many fail to take advantage, not realizing that spiritual healing can also help us deal with the physical and emotional side. The problem seems to be that most people do not know they suffer from a spiritual deficiency.
Our church was nearly filled Christmas Eve. We won’t see many of them again until Easter, if then. They are content to live their lives without God, not aware that it is impossible to do so. Spiritual health is determined by our relationship with Our Lord, and that relationship is eroded by our sins. Many people today seem to be oblivious to personal sin, so they fail to see the need for the Church and Sacraments. They have become so engrossed in their daily routine that they do not know they are bleeding.
People cannot see the ugliness of their sin except under the illumination of the light of Christ. A point of reference is needed. In order to call others to holiness, one must first be holy himself. One might look at an MRI of a cancerous tumor not knowing what he is looking at until he sees healthy tissue for comparison. A person who badgers another about his sin without first acknowledging his own sin is wasting his time. In other words, people need to see holiness before they can recognize their own deficiencies.
The Christmas season provides a great opportunity to call others home to the church. I read about one pastor who distributes books as gifts to all visitors attending Christmas Masses at his parish. Tom Peterson’s organization has expanded broadcasting of his Catholics Come Home promotion to major networks in addition to local television. The average TV viewer is estimated to see the video about eight times over the Christmas season. Father Robert Barron’s wonderful Catholicism series has been recently appearing on PBS stations. My daughter gave me the complete ten-hour DVD set for Christmas. The message is getting out there. Spread the Word.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Not as Simple as ABC
I frequently listen to the Open Forum for Non-Catholics on the Catholic Answers Live Radio program. Certain questions come up repeatedly. They involve papal infallibility, praying to saints, purgatory, Mary’s role, Sacred Tradition, confessing to a priest, development of doctrine, moral issues, and the list goes on. The regular apologists do a wonderful job charitably explaining the Catholic faith to inquiring callers, but I occasionally find myself thinking that the explanation falls short in convincing non-Catholics of the Catholic position.
One of the touchier areas is birth control. The Catholic stance is clear. Even though the number of children can be limited for legitimate reasons, the Church says, “Legitimate intentions on the part of the spouses do not justify recourse to morally unacceptable means (for example, direct sterilization or contraception).” [CCC2399] In this world where vasectomy is routinely performed without any consideration of its moral implications, trying to explain Church teaching often bring incredulous stares.
The commonly used explanation is a reference to the Pope Paul VI encyclical, Humanae Vitae where the conjugal act between a man and wife is expressed as both unitive and procreative, an inseparable connection established by God, which may not be broken by human initiative. Therefore, each and every marriage act must remain open to the transmission of life.
Try explaining this to anyone having little or no fidelity to the Catholic faith. As Catholics, we must accept this teaching as a matter of obedience. Yet, I acknowledge that reasonable people may find this hard to understand and accept, especially when no abortifacient is involved. Their argument is often that the procreative aspect can be nullified by the normal cycle, biological abnormalities, or old age. Even the provisionally acceptable use of Natural Family Planning, abstaining from sexual relations during fertile periods, might seem to be interfering by human initiative. Does lacking the natural possibility of procreation negate the openness to the transmission of life? The Church says no, but the operative word is ‘natural’. If the possibility of procreation is negated by human initiative, we have a problem.
Is it wrong to have relations strictly for a unitive purpose? In the course of a long marriage, a couple may have conjugal relations thousands of times. Even if ten pregnancies resulted, the percentage of fruitful unions is small. So, the vast majority of conjugal relations are unitive and not necessarily procreative even if open to procreation. The problem arises when we take God out of the equation. Yet it is difficult to convince people to put complete trust in God in these matters. God even allows rape victims to occasionally get pregnant. The Catholic answer is that God allows bad things to happen to bring about a greater good, but that argument is a tough sell.
The unitive aspect is important to the marital relationship between husband and wife. Yet, many couples today would say sexual activity need not always be unitive. To them, it can be analogous to occasionally eating a hot fudge sundae strictly for enjoyment absent any nutritional benefit. Our culture bombards us with the idea that anything goes, even outside the bonds of marriage. In this Godless climate, how can we expect people to take Humanae Vitae seriously. To say every marriage act must be open to the transmission of life is a hard teaching. Many married couples would be unwilling to engage in marital relations if any possibility of pregnancy could result. This can put a strain on a marriage, especially if husband and wife are not in agreement.
Families are generally smaller now than they were many years ago. It is difficult to imagine that most couples, even Catholics, are not doing something beyond NFP to prevent conception. A co-worker’s wife recently gave birth to their third child. Talking among a group of guys in the shop, he said he thought they were done and was going to make an appointment to be clipped. As the stories circulated around the room, it turns out I was the only other man who had not had a vasectomy. It is just a part of the secular mainstream now to permanently end any possibility of pregnancy at some point of a marriage. The others in the room were not Catholic, but I wonder how many Catholics in the communion line have been sterilized.
Unless we willingly submit to Our Lord and the authoritative Church He established, the necessity to maintain openness to life is not a consideration for most couples. These decisions tend to be self-centered, based on what we perceive as personal matters between husband and wife. In many ways, we have become estranged from God in deciding these matters. As the scientific community’s invasion into the realm of God becomes more commonplace, the chasm between the secular and the spiritual will continue to widen.
As Catholics, we are bound by the teachings of the Church. In making the case for the Catholic teaching on sexuality, the Catholic Answers apologists often recommend Patrick Coffin’s book, Sex Au Naturel: What it is and why it’s good for your Marriage. Mr. Coffin was a former dissenter who wrote the book “to give orthodox Catholics intellectual ammo in how to understand and explain Humanae Vitae, as well as to challenge dissenters to see the beauty and truth of the teaching.” I have not read his book yet, but I should do so to aid in my own understanding. In the meantime, I defer to the Church, the pillar and foundation of truth, for what I believe.
I frequently listen to the Open Forum for Non-Catholics on the Catholic Answers Live Radio program. Certain questions come up repeatedly. They involve papal infallibility, praying to saints, purgatory, Mary’s role, Sacred Tradition, confessing to a priest, development of doctrine, moral issues, and the list goes on. The regular apologists do a wonderful job charitably explaining the Catholic faith to inquiring callers, but I occasionally find myself thinking that the explanation falls short in convincing non-Catholics of the Catholic position.
One of the touchier areas is birth control. The Catholic stance is clear. Even though the number of children can be limited for legitimate reasons, the Church says, “Legitimate intentions on the part of the spouses do not justify recourse to morally unacceptable means (for example, direct sterilization or contraception).” [CCC2399] In this world where vasectomy is routinely performed without any consideration of its moral implications, trying to explain Church teaching often bring incredulous stares.
The commonly used explanation is a reference to the Pope Paul VI encyclical, Humanae Vitae where the conjugal act between a man and wife is expressed as both unitive and procreative, an inseparable connection established by God, which may not be broken by human initiative. Therefore, each and every marriage act must remain open to the transmission of life.
Try explaining this to anyone having little or no fidelity to the Catholic faith. As Catholics, we must accept this teaching as a matter of obedience. Yet, I acknowledge that reasonable people may find this hard to understand and accept, especially when no abortifacient is involved. Their argument is often that the procreative aspect can be nullified by the normal cycle, biological abnormalities, or old age. Even the provisionally acceptable use of Natural Family Planning, abstaining from sexual relations during fertile periods, might seem to be interfering by human initiative. Does lacking the natural possibility of procreation negate the openness to the transmission of life? The Church says no, but the operative word is ‘natural’. If the possibility of procreation is negated by human initiative, we have a problem.
Is it wrong to have relations strictly for a unitive purpose? In the course of a long marriage, a couple may have conjugal relations thousands of times. Even if ten pregnancies resulted, the percentage of fruitful unions is small. So, the vast majority of conjugal relations are unitive and not necessarily procreative even if open to procreation. The problem arises when we take God out of the equation. Yet it is difficult to convince people to put complete trust in God in these matters. God even allows rape victims to occasionally get pregnant. The Catholic answer is that God allows bad things to happen to bring about a greater good, but that argument is a tough sell.
The unitive aspect is important to the marital relationship between husband and wife. Yet, many couples today would say sexual activity need not always be unitive. To them, it can be analogous to occasionally eating a hot fudge sundae strictly for enjoyment absent any nutritional benefit. Our culture bombards us with the idea that anything goes, even outside the bonds of marriage. In this Godless climate, how can we expect people to take Humanae Vitae seriously. To say every marriage act must be open to the transmission of life is a hard teaching. Many married couples would be unwilling to engage in marital relations if any possibility of pregnancy could result. This can put a strain on a marriage, especially if husband and wife are not in agreement.
Families are generally smaller now than they were many years ago. It is difficult to imagine that most couples, even Catholics, are not doing something beyond NFP to prevent conception. A co-worker’s wife recently gave birth to their third child. Talking among a group of guys in the shop, he said he thought they were done and was going to make an appointment to be clipped. As the stories circulated around the room, it turns out I was the only other man who had not had a vasectomy. It is just a part of the secular mainstream now to permanently end any possibility of pregnancy at some point of a marriage. The others in the room were not Catholic, but I wonder how many Catholics in the communion line have been sterilized.
Unless we willingly submit to Our Lord and the authoritative Church He established, the necessity to maintain openness to life is not a consideration for most couples. These decisions tend to be self-centered, based on what we perceive as personal matters between husband and wife. In many ways, we have become estranged from God in deciding these matters. As the scientific community’s invasion into the realm of God becomes more commonplace, the chasm between the secular and the spiritual will continue to widen.
As Catholics, we are bound by the teachings of the Church. In making the case for the Catholic teaching on sexuality, the Catholic Answers apologists often recommend Patrick Coffin’s book, Sex Au Naturel: What it is and why it’s good for your Marriage. Mr. Coffin was a former dissenter who wrote the book “to give orthodox Catholics intellectual ammo in how to understand and explain Humanae Vitae, as well as to challenge dissenters to see the beauty and truth of the teaching.” I have not read his book yet, but I should do so to aid in my own understanding. In the meantime, I defer to the Church, the pillar and foundation of truth, for what I believe.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Stop, Look and Listen
For the past ten years or so, I have made a serious attempt to evangelize. Granted, my personality does not render itself to a bold approach. Rather, I trust the Holy Spirit to send prospective Catholics in my direction. Email exchanges with sometimes anti-Catholic Christians have been cordial and gratifying, but not necessarily fruitful and opportunities have been rare. Since becoming a catechist in my parish, my efforts have been concentrated on the faith formation of existing Catholics whose prior catechesis has been weak or non-existent. I want to share my enthusiasm for the Faith with others, but lately I have felt a bit frustrated.
Getting Catholics to spend time working on Faith formation outside of weekly Mass can be difficult. People become preoccupied with the secular lifestyle of the twenty-first century where the daily routine dominates minds all waking hours. Rarely does anyone schedule time for spiritual reflection and enhancement. The challenge is in getting Catholics excited about their Faith.
An accumulation of books, DVDs, and CDs sit idly on my shelves, largely because no one seems interested in taking the time to use them. I have a subscription with Lighthouse Catholic media where they send me five copies of a spiritual talk each month. My intent was to keep one copy for myself and give the others away. I occasionally offer them to those who attend faith formation classes at our parish. They are ideal for popping in the car player during daily commutes. I suspect some take them to be polite, but prefer other entertainment on the car radio. Books and videos are rarely returned, probably not due to continuous use. Seldom do I get any feedback.
In an attempt to attract inquirers to our RCIA class, I placed a classified ad in a local paper for four weeks. It simply said, “Ever thought of becoming Catholic? Call (my cell phone number) to speak with a Catholic or email (address) with your questions.” The response was underwhelming. I received no calls or emails. RCIA has been advertised on the sign in front of the church and explained on the webpage. Still no new potential catechumens have come forward this year.
Last Sunday, I went into the church where Eucharistic Adoration was taking place to get a missalette to show my CCD class. We were studying Benediction and I wanted to show them where to find the prayers. As I entered, a parishioner was helping her stroke-impaired husband exit the church. She asked if I could stay for Adoration because she had to get her husband home. There was no one else in the church with the Blessed Sacrament exposed on the altar. I returned to my class long enough to place someone else in charge and then went back to Eucharistic Adoration where I was alone until another person arrived ten minutes later. Adoration began after the first Sunday morning Mass, meaning many healthy parishioners left an already burdened couple alone to stay until someone else arrived. I knelt there thinking how can I teach young people about the privilege of being in Christ’s real presence in the Blessed Sacrament when adults in the parish stay away. I did bring the students in for the final minutes of Adoration and the Benediction.
We seem to be surrounded by religious indifference. Has our secular world pushed God completely out of our lives? Are we so wrapped up in the daily routine that we no longer have time to be spiritual? I certainly hope not. We do have a small group meeting on Tuesday evenings. One young woman’s interest in joining the Catholic Church is enough to keep my hopes alive this year. Another couple attending the class keeps the discussion interesting and lively. I just wish more people would realize what they are missing.
For the past ten years or so, I have made a serious attempt to evangelize. Granted, my personality does not render itself to a bold approach. Rather, I trust the Holy Spirit to send prospective Catholics in my direction. Email exchanges with sometimes anti-Catholic Christians have been cordial and gratifying, but not necessarily fruitful and opportunities have been rare. Since becoming a catechist in my parish, my efforts have been concentrated on the faith formation of existing Catholics whose prior catechesis has been weak or non-existent. I want to share my enthusiasm for the Faith with others, but lately I have felt a bit frustrated.
Getting Catholics to spend time working on Faith formation outside of weekly Mass can be difficult. People become preoccupied with the secular lifestyle of the twenty-first century where the daily routine dominates minds all waking hours. Rarely does anyone schedule time for spiritual reflection and enhancement. The challenge is in getting Catholics excited about their Faith.
An accumulation of books, DVDs, and CDs sit idly on my shelves, largely because no one seems interested in taking the time to use them. I have a subscription with Lighthouse Catholic media where they send me five copies of a spiritual talk each month. My intent was to keep one copy for myself and give the others away. I occasionally offer them to those who attend faith formation classes at our parish. They are ideal for popping in the car player during daily commutes. I suspect some take them to be polite, but prefer other entertainment on the car radio. Books and videos are rarely returned, probably not due to continuous use. Seldom do I get any feedback.
In an attempt to attract inquirers to our RCIA class, I placed a classified ad in a local paper for four weeks. It simply said, “Ever thought of becoming Catholic? Call (my cell phone number) to speak with a Catholic or email (address) with your questions.” The response was underwhelming. I received no calls or emails. RCIA has been advertised on the sign in front of the church and explained on the webpage. Still no new potential catechumens have come forward this year.
Last Sunday, I went into the church where Eucharistic Adoration was taking place to get a missalette to show my CCD class. We were studying Benediction and I wanted to show them where to find the prayers. As I entered, a parishioner was helping her stroke-impaired husband exit the church. She asked if I could stay for Adoration because she had to get her husband home. There was no one else in the church with the Blessed Sacrament exposed on the altar. I returned to my class long enough to place someone else in charge and then went back to Eucharistic Adoration where I was alone until another person arrived ten minutes later. Adoration began after the first Sunday morning Mass, meaning many healthy parishioners left an already burdened couple alone to stay until someone else arrived. I knelt there thinking how can I teach young people about the privilege of being in Christ’s real presence in the Blessed Sacrament when adults in the parish stay away. I did bring the students in for the final minutes of Adoration and the Benediction.
We seem to be surrounded by religious indifference. Has our secular world pushed God completely out of our lives? Are we so wrapped up in the daily routine that we no longer have time to be spiritual? I certainly hope not. We do have a small group meeting on Tuesday evenings. One young woman’s interest in joining the Catholic Church is enough to keep my hopes alive this year. Another couple attending the class keeps the discussion interesting and lively. I just wish more people would realize what they are missing.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Batten Down the Hatches
Being a catechist to sixth, seventh, and eighth graders is proving to be a challenge. They are attentive, but lacking a strong Catholic foundation. I am concerned that many of them will likely abandon the Catholic Faith at some point. Some of their parents have already done so. We are following a good Catholic text book appropriate for their grade level, but I sense a major disconnect between spirituality and their everyday lives. I have talked to them about praying every morning and evening and at other times in between. I have talked to them about reverent behavior in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. They listen, but I have yet to sense any change.
I suspect they view the Catholic Church as just one of many denominations, one that many consider old-fashioned, boring and impossible to understand. I want them to know that the Catholic Church is THE Church and the others are knockoffs. I mean no disrespect in using that term. Sometimes knockoffs can look more attractive than the originals, but we should not be fooled. In what might be considered an act of desperation, I have tried to impress upon them how fortunate they are to be Catholic. If they get nothing else out of this class, perhaps I can convince them that the safest place to be if you want to get to heaven is in the Catholic Church. I told them the following story.
Imagine a huge ship crossing the ocean sailing toward its home port. Onboard is a captain and crew along with thousands of passengers. For a while, everything is fine on the ship. Despite the long voyage, passengers are patiently content to know they will reach their destination safely. But after a time, some of those onboard grow restless. They begin to murmur about certain conditions on the ship. Some do not like taking orders from the captain. Others complain that they are not being fed properly. Still others think they should not have to do any work.
One night, some of the protestors decided to leave the ship and set sail on their own. They commandeered materials and supplies from the ship’s hull and loaded them into a lifeboat. When they got everything they thought they needed, they boarded the lifeboat and cut themselves loose from the ship. At last, they were free of having to follow the orders of the captain and crew. By dawn, they had drifted some distance from the ship, but could still be heard singing merrily of their newfound freedom.
Everything was good on the lifeboat until it came time to divvy up chores. Disputes arose among those onboard, only this time, there was no one with the authority to resolve them. The biggest and loudest got their way and others became disgruntled. One night, the malcontents fashioned a raft from materials in the lifeboat, loaded it with necessities and broke away. A few took life preservers and actually set out by themselves.
All were doing okay until they encountered rough seas. The sky darkened as an approaching storm took aim on the homebound vessels. The huge ship battened down the hatches and maintained full speed ahead. Those safely inside were barely aware of the storm as the massive ship held its course. Some who chose to ignore the captain’s warning stayed on deck, and were swept overboard and lost.
Those in the lifeboat held on for dear life as the vessel yawed in the heavy seas. As they were tossed about, some lost their grip and were thrust overboard. Others managed to hang on until calmer waters prevailed. Very few of the raft dwellers survived and no one knows what happened to the others.
The Catholic Church is like that huge ship. Jesus commissioned the ship and gave authority to its captain and crew. He promised us that rough seas would not prevail against his ship. For a very long time, that ship was the only vessel. Much later, some did not like what they captain and crew were doing and rather than help fix the problems, they elected to jump ship. In doing so, they had to leave the sacraments behind. Now they are bobbing along in rough seas without a captain to lead them safely. They claim they have everything they need to survive, but do they? And where did they get it? Everything they have came from the ship. If they do not trust in the captain and crew, how do they know what came from the ship is trustworthy?
How fortunate we all are to be Catholic! We do not need to worry about being in peril if we stay onboard. Today, many swimmers are trying desperately to get back on the ship. We are already there. All we have to do is listen to what the captain is telling us. He speaks in our best interest. Those who remain firm will arrive safely. We pray that others may too. We would joyfully welcome them aboard.
Being a catechist to sixth, seventh, and eighth graders is proving to be a challenge. They are attentive, but lacking a strong Catholic foundation. I am concerned that many of them will likely abandon the Catholic Faith at some point. Some of their parents have already done so. We are following a good Catholic text book appropriate for their grade level, but I sense a major disconnect between spirituality and their everyday lives. I have talked to them about praying every morning and evening and at other times in between. I have talked to them about reverent behavior in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. They listen, but I have yet to sense any change.
I suspect they view the Catholic Church as just one of many denominations, one that many consider old-fashioned, boring and impossible to understand. I want them to know that the Catholic Church is THE Church and the others are knockoffs. I mean no disrespect in using that term. Sometimes knockoffs can look more attractive than the originals, but we should not be fooled. In what might be considered an act of desperation, I have tried to impress upon them how fortunate they are to be Catholic. If they get nothing else out of this class, perhaps I can convince them that the safest place to be if you want to get to heaven is in the Catholic Church. I told them the following story.
Imagine a huge ship crossing the ocean sailing toward its home port. Onboard is a captain and crew along with thousands of passengers. For a while, everything is fine on the ship. Despite the long voyage, passengers are patiently content to know they will reach their destination safely. But after a time, some of those onboard grow restless. They begin to murmur about certain conditions on the ship. Some do not like taking orders from the captain. Others complain that they are not being fed properly. Still others think they should not have to do any work.
One night, some of the protestors decided to leave the ship and set sail on their own. They commandeered materials and supplies from the ship’s hull and loaded them into a lifeboat. When they got everything they thought they needed, they boarded the lifeboat and cut themselves loose from the ship. At last, they were free of having to follow the orders of the captain and crew. By dawn, they had drifted some distance from the ship, but could still be heard singing merrily of their newfound freedom.
Everything was good on the lifeboat until it came time to divvy up chores. Disputes arose among those onboard, only this time, there was no one with the authority to resolve them. The biggest and loudest got their way and others became disgruntled. One night, the malcontents fashioned a raft from materials in the lifeboat, loaded it with necessities and broke away. A few took life preservers and actually set out by themselves.
All were doing okay until they encountered rough seas. The sky darkened as an approaching storm took aim on the homebound vessels. The huge ship battened down the hatches and maintained full speed ahead. Those safely inside were barely aware of the storm as the massive ship held its course. Some who chose to ignore the captain’s warning stayed on deck, and were swept overboard and lost.
Those in the lifeboat held on for dear life as the vessel yawed in the heavy seas. As they were tossed about, some lost their grip and were thrust overboard. Others managed to hang on until calmer waters prevailed. Very few of the raft dwellers survived and no one knows what happened to the others.
The Catholic Church is like that huge ship. Jesus commissioned the ship and gave authority to its captain and crew. He promised us that rough seas would not prevail against his ship. For a very long time, that ship was the only vessel. Much later, some did not like what they captain and crew were doing and rather than help fix the problems, they elected to jump ship. In doing so, they had to leave the sacraments behind. Now they are bobbing along in rough seas without a captain to lead them safely. They claim they have everything they need to survive, but do they? And where did they get it? Everything they have came from the ship. If they do not trust in the captain and crew, how do they know what came from the ship is trustworthy?
How fortunate we all are to be Catholic! We do not need to worry about being in peril if we stay onboard. Today, many swimmers are trying desperately to get back on the ship. We are already there. All we have to do is listen to what the captain is telling us. He speaks in our best interest. Those who remain firm will arrive safely. We pray that others may too. We would joyfully welcome them aboard.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
God’s Hospital
People who leave the Catholic Church often cite sin within the Church as a reason for leaving. The sex abuse scandal did tremendous damage to the reputation of priests, even though a very small percentage were involved. Our own parish priest was the recipient of a verbal insult from a stranger while walking down a street in New York City. It’s no wonder some priests do not like to don the collar in public.
People who abandon the Church because of sin within the Church need to think about the reason Christ established a Church in the first place. If it weren’t for sin, we would not need a Church. As disease is to the body, sin is to the soul. The Church is like a hospital for sinners. We turn to the Church to maintain our spiritual health and to be healed when our health has failed. As preventive medicine for our spiritual health, we need to go in for treatment at least once a week.
Our bodies need regular nourishment to thrive. Likewise, our souls need regular nourishment too. Weekly infusions of grace are necessary to maintain and enhance spiritual growth. Without it, we become weak and prone to failure. The Sacraments provide us with life-sustaining grace needed to maintain spiritual health.
Even doctors occasionally get sick. They may be so consumed caring for other patients that they ignore their own symptoms. Doctors are just like the rest of us, and even though their knowledge of the human body should enable them to take better care of themselves, their health can still fail. When this happens, we do not assume the hospital is at fault. And so it is with the Church. Even though priests should have superior spiritual health, they can still fall into sin, even grave sin. When it happens, it is foolish to use their sin as a reason to leave. One should not reject Peter because of Judas.
The Catholic Church is authorized to speak for God and everyone in this world ought to listen if they are seriously interested in spiritual health. Not only is that a tough statement for non-catholics to stomach, but also for many Catholics who prefer to make their own judgments. Any extensive apologetic dialogue with a Protestant or lukewarm Catholic will eventually get around to defending Church authority, and all Catholics need to be well versed in understanding this biblical truth.
This past Sunday, we heard readings from Isaiah 22:19-23 and Matthew 16:13-20, two of the most often cited bible passages concerning the origin of Church authority. In the first reading, the office of master of the palace in the Kingdom of David is being passed from Shebna to Eliakim. Kings and queens typically have prime ministers authorized to run the day-to-day operations of the kingdom. In this case, the Lord says, “I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim’s shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open.” This office in the kingdom of David pre-figures the authoritative office given to Peter in Matthew 16 when Jesus said, “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." This authority to bind and loose was later given to all the apostles, but only Peter was given the keys to the kingdom, and that primacy of authority was passed on to his successors continuing to Benedict XVI today.
Those of us who dabble in Catholic apologetics are very familiar with these Bible verses. I wonder how many average Catholics in the pew would be able to explain Matthew 16 where Jesus says, “You are Peter and upon this rock . . .”? How many understand the common objections to Peter being the rock, and how to explain the passage correctly in light of the translation from Aramaic to Greek and to English? For the typical cafeteria Catholic, coming to an understanding of Matthew 16 can be a real eye-opener. If you are a regular listener to the Catholic Answers Live radio program, you probably hear this explained frequently in response to caller’s questions. Sadly, I don’t think I have ever heard it explained from the pulpit.
People who leave the Catholic Church often cite sin within the Church as a reason for leaving. The sex abuse scandal did tremendous damage to the reputation of priests, even though a very small percentage were involved. Our own parish priest was the recipient of a verbal insult from a stranger while walking down a street in New York City. It’s no wonder some priests do not like to don the collar in public.
People who abandon the Church because of sin within the Church need to think about the reason Christ established a Church in the first place. If it weren’t for sin, we would not need a Church. As disease is to the body, sin is to the soul. The Church is like a hospital for sinners. We turn to the Church to maintain our spiritual health and to be healed when our health has failed. As preventive medicine for our spiritual health, we need to go in for treatment at least once a week.
Our bodies need regular nourishment to thrive. Likewise, our souls need regular nourishment too. Weekly infusions of grace are necessary to maintain and enhance spiritual growth. Without it, we become weak and prone to failure. The Sacraments provide us with life-sustaining grace needed to maintain spiritual health.
Even doctors occasionally get sick. They may be so consumed caring for other patients that they ignore their own symptoms. Doctors are just like the rest of us, and even though their knowledge of the human body should enable them to take better care of themselves, their health can still fail. When this happens, we do not assume the hospital is at fault. And so it is with the Church. Even though priests should have superior spiritual health, they can still fall into sin, even grave sin. When it happens, it is foolish to use their sin as a reason to leave. One should not reject Peter because of Judas.
The Catholic Church is authorized to speak for God and everyone in this world ought to listen if they are seriously interested in spiritual health. Not only is that a tough statement for non-catholics to stomach, but also for many Catholics who prefer to make their own judgments. Any extensive apologetic dialogue with a Protestant or lukewarm Catholic will eventually get around to defending Church authority, and all Catholics need to be well versed in understanding this biblical truth.
This past Sunday, we heard readings from Isaiah 22:19-23 and Matthew 16:13-20, two of the most often cited bible passages concerning the origin of Church authority. In the first reading, the office of master of the palace in the Kingdom of David is being passed from Shebna to Eliakim. Kings and queens typically have prime ministers authorized to run the day-to-day operations of the kingdom. In this case, the Lord says, “I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim’s shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open.” This office in the kingdom of David pre-figures the authoritative office given to Peter in Matthew 16 when Jesus said, “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." This authority to bind and loose was later given to all the apostles, but only Peter was given the keys to the kingdom, and that primacy of authority was passed on to his successors continuing to Benedict XVI today.
Those of us who dabble in Catholic apologetics are very familiar with these Bible verses. I wonder how many average Catholics in the pew would be able to explain Matthew 16 where Jesus says, “You are Peter and upon this rock . . .”? How many understand the common objections to Peter being the rock, and how to explain the passage correctly in light of the translation from Aramaic to Greek and to English? For the typical cafeteria Catholic, coming to an understanding of Matthew 16 can be a real eye-opener. If you are a regular listener to the Catholic Answers Live radio program, you probably hear this explained frequently in response to caller’s questions. Sadly, I don’t think I have ever heard it explained from the pulpit.
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