Theology and an Irish Catholic

Prophets in the 8th Century BCE

2011-11-21T16:04:00.000Z

A Nation Divided:

King Solomon is widely known for his wisdom and his fabulous wealth, but his forty year rule over the people of Israel had caused them hardship and brought dissension within the nation. Solomon’s great building projects and his building of a large army reduced many of his people to forced labour and burdened them with heavy taxation. As King, the anointed of God, Solomon had, in the eyes of many of his people, disrespected their faith by allowing his foreign wives to continue their worship of pagan gods. When the tribes of Israel let their unhappiness be known to Solomon he acted quickly to suppress dissension by re-dividing the land, appointing governors who would be under the direct control of the King. Dissent again raised its head Solomon died and was succeeded by his son Rehoboam. The majority of the tribes and their leaders resided in the northern half of the kingdom and it was to their stronghold at Shechem that Rehoboam went in his effort to resolve the difficulties.

Shechem was known to everyone in Israel as the first place where Abraham stopped to rest when he first entered the land of Canaan, and it was there that the body of Joseph was buried after the people returned from their enslavement in Egypt. The sacredness of the area was strengthened by Joshua, who built worship altars in the area and gathered the tribes there to renew their covenant with Yahweh, uniting them as God’s chosen people. Rehoboam’s intransigence at Shechem, however, failed to reconcile the tribal leaders to his rule and he was forced to flee south to Jerusalem. The ten northern tribes now broke away from the rule of the House of David, appointed Jeroboam to be their king, and became rivals rather than allies. From this moment there were two kingdoms: Israel in the north and Judah in the south.

This story of division was written many years after the events in the “Book of Kings” by authors who wrote of these things from the perspective of Judah. From what is known Israel, the northern kingdom, contained the more fertile land and the greater population, thereby making that kingdom the wealthier of the two. Judah, however, contained the holy city of Jerusalem and the Temple that stood at the centre of the faith of all Israelites, since this was accepted as the place where Yahweh resided among his people. In response Jeroboam and his successors began renovating the old, sacred sites in the northern kingdom in an effort to replace Jerusalem in the affections of his people. There was also, at the same time, a decisive movement back to the tribal roots that governed politics prior to the establishment of the “House of David”. But, despite their hopes, the people of Israel found themselves in a constant state of embattlement for the two hundred years of its existence, which came to an end when the Assyrians conquered it in 722 BCE. Judah was involved to some degree in this terrible end, but preferred to declare that Israel’s troubles were the result of their treachery and rejection of Yahweh. However, though Judah had remained loyal to the “Davidic Line” and, in their opinion, worshipped Yahweh faithfully, they found themselves overcome by the Babylonians.

Former & Latter Prophets:

The “Books of Kings” are the first major source within scripture to record the large number of prophets that were active throughout both the kingdom of Judah and the kingdom of Israel. From these writings we can determine that many of these prophets may have been close to the Kings and their advisors, offering divine guidance on their actions. At the same time we can also determine that a considerable number of the prophets who felt a closer affinity to the ordinary citizens of the kingdoms and were unafraid to condemn the powerful for their injustice. From Scripture the prophets can also be categorise into two distinct groups i.e. “Former Prophets” and “Latter Prophets”. The “Former Prophets” are considered to be those about whom stories have been written while the “Latter Prophets” is considered to consist of those prophets who have actually left their own words to us. Elijah and Elisha are considered examples of “Former Prophets” and many great stories are told about these men and their role in the history of the Israelites. In 876 BCE, fifty years after the death of Solomon, King Omri came to the throne, married a pagan princess and allowed her to establish a temple to her pagan god, Baal. This action angered the people and, with the words of Elijah and Elisha in support, the “House of Omri” finally fell. Unfortunately neither Elijah nor Elisha have left us any written record of their words or actions, and what we know of these prophets is taken from details recorded by later writers. These authors, through their writings, lead us to believe that both Elijah and Elisha considered themselves to be continuing Moses’ mission among God’s chosen people. They defended the covenant made with Yahweh and maintained God’s commandments against any who would question these. It seems the main lesson that God’s chosen people have learned from both Elijah and Elisha is: “...infidelity to God’s Covenant given through Moses will lead to disaster and destruction.”[1]

Amos:

Between 900 BCE and 600 BCE the Assyrians Empire was the major superpower in the region. While some states in the region had avoided being absorbed into the empire, as provinces, they became vassal states, pledging their loyalty and paying tribute. It was not unknown that in times of weak leadership within the empire these vassal states would join together and push to restore their freedom. One such period of weakness occurred at the beginning of the eighth century BCE

Amos was a new type of prophet in Israel, championing the cause of social justice and revealing to all how God will always defend the rights of the poor. For the unjust his condemnation was strong: “... they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes – they that trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth, and turn aside the way the way of the afflicted:”[2] (Amos 2:6-7). Naturally such sins against the poor would be punished by God, and Amos declares that the rise of Assyria and its pressure upon Israel are being permitted by Yahweh as his just punishment: “Therefore, thus says the Lord God: “An adversary shall surround the land and bring down your defences from you, and your strongholds shall be plundered.”[3] (Amos 3:11). From Amos’ words he believed the Covenant with God was not just a simple agreement, but a way of life that involved the highest standards of morality. He was clear that God would no longer just punish the King and the leaders of the nation for the nation’s sins. Henceforth, God would hold every individual responsible for their actions.

Hosea:

Hosea was born, raised and preached in the northern kingdom making him unique among this group of prophets. It has been said that he may have had a painful experience in his life which may be the source of his constant emphasis on God’s love for Israel. In many ways he followed Amos’ example by speaking out about the social injustice and lack of obedience to God that he saw in the kingdom. For Hosea, however, there was emphasis on developing a personal relationship with a God unhappy because he had to punish Israel for its sins. He berated those in authority over the people who should know God’s will and guide the people to obedience. They completely failed in their task, in the opinion of Hosea. But, equally guilty were those who overtly respected the Sabbath and the feast days, but continued to sin against God through their selfishness. As a result of these negative actions, Hosea declared the people had forgotten all the things God had done for them. They had abandoned God and opted for the material pleasures and profits offered to them by the pagan gods and people in their midst, all of which, Hosea warned, would bring Israel to ruin

Hosea had no doubt that Yahweh had chosen Israel to be his people because of the way He protected them at various crises in their history through acts of that showed his overwhelming love for them. This Covenant between God and his people was then a very personal relationship that existed between Yahweh and his chosen people, but that relationship brought with it the obligation for each individual to have the same love and concern for his neighbour. Also, because of this love for his people God would not condemn them out of hand for their transgressions, but always leave open a door to salvation. Hosea urged Israel in this time of sin to turn again to God if they truly wanted to be spared the great ruin that they were about to bring upon themselves.

Isaiah 1:

It appears that Isaiah was active in the southern kingdom of Judah during the years 740 – 700 BCE. It also appears to many scholars that the book under his name within the Hebrew Testament, the largest work of prophecy within scripture, may not be the work of just one man but three.[4] The writing generally agreed to be those of the first Isaiah, known as the Isaiah of Jerusalem, are contained within Chapter 1-39 of “The Book of Isaiah”.[5] From his writings it appears that Isaiah was also involved in the politics of Judah, which suggest that he may have been of noble birth. We also know that he lived through several major crises of this time including the fall of Samaria in 722 BCE. Twelve years previously the kingdom of Israel had joined with the Kingdom of Damascus to overthrow Assyrian lordship and re-establish self-sovereignty. The kingdom of Judah refused to join this struggle and immediately became an enemy in the eyes of the northern alliance; a situation that Isaiah wanted to avoid at all costs and he loudly condemned the King of Judah when he called allied the kingdom to Assyria and called for the empire’s help against Israel. To add to Isaiah’s anger at being ignored he spoke out against Judah pledging its loyalty to the pagan empire and paying a large annual tribute, just like any other vassal state.

Isaiah had seen and warned of the dangers of an alliance with Assyria, but his words had fallen on deaf ears. The nation was now in a very difficult situation under the empire’s dictates and, in 705 BCE, King Hezekiah led Judah into revolt. At this time the empire undergoing a crisis in leadership but within four years the Assyrians attacked Judah in force, capturing all the major cities of the kingdom and laying siege to Jerusalem. Suddenly a plague swept through the armies of Assyria and forced them to return home without taking the city, and the people saw this as vindication of the King’s prayers and Isaiah prophesies. However, Hezekiah was forced to pay a huge sum to the Assyrians to secure his throne and prevent any more attacks on his kingdom. With the Assyrians gone it did not take the people of Judah long to return to the ways that Isaiah had condemned, for they now believed that God would continue to love them no matter what they did. Isaiah knew different and predicted that this time the people of Judah would suffer greatly for their renewed sinfulness in the eyes of God. These dire warnings were, nevertheless, softened a little by Isaiah’s prophecy that one day God would rebuild his nation and it would be faithful and righteous before Him.

Micah

There is something different about the prophet Micah, especially when we realise that within his writings he hardly mentions Jerusalem or the Temple. Micah’s focus appears to be more on the towns and villages of Judah, where he was witness to the same injustice and evils that Isaiah condemned in the city. The wealthy landlords were the main target of Micah’s prophesies, forewarning them that their continued deprivation of the poor would bring God’s divine judgement upon them. He had seen how such men had used their power of wealth and position to steal from those much less fortunate and much weaker than themselves. The poor were forced from their homes or family farms through corruption and greed of landlords and local officials. This sinfulness was, in Micah’s opinion, caused by continued pagan worship within the land and he held out the hope to all that, if all idols and pagan worship in Judah were removed, God would once again look upon them with favour and Zion would be rebuilt much stronger.

Conclusion:

The Tragedy of David’s empire being divided into two kingdoms had seen a new type of prophet arise from among the people. They were not the sole diviners of royal houses but felt responsible only to God, speaking on His behalf to all the people. Amos spoke loudly and with grave concern about the future of the people of Israel while Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah issued warning, but the hope that a change in the attitude of the people would bring back God’s favour. While Israel found itself overcome by the powerful Assyrian empire, Judah’s survival gave its people the confidence that Yahweh would not just abandon them but would always fulfil his promise to King David. They would not listen to the words of Isaiah or Micah which, later writers of scripture would say, would bring about the rise of the Babylonian Empire, the destruction of Judah, and the exile of the people.

[1] Lawrence Boadt, Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction, Paulist Press, New York, 1984; p.301)

[2] The Holy Bible; Revised Standard Version; Catholic Edition, Oxford University Press, New York, 2004.

[3] As above

[4] Barry L Bandstra, Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction to the Hebrew Bible, Wadsworth Publishing Company, USA, 1995.

[5] Lawrence Boadt, Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction, Paulist Press, New York, 1984

A Culture of Death

2011-11-07T15:29:00.000Z

Descending into Madness!

Pride, I know, is a sin. Nevertheless, I am proud to consider that I hold to Christian principles and believe that life, in all its stages, is precious. At the beginning of November 2011 I came across an article by Steven Ertelt, in LifeNews.com, which he entitled “Dutch Doctors Expanding Euthanasia to “Lonely” People.” Ertelt informs us that doctors under the control of the Dutch Medical Association have decided to seek an expansion of the euthanasia regulations current in Holland. Of course none of us should be surprised by the depths into which our scientific community will descend and this effort is just adding more grease to the slippery slope upon which modern society is descending into madness.

Euthanasia is such a vile thing that very few countries in the world “allow” it to happen, because it is identified with the elderly and the terminally ill. They give it gentle names like “voluntary or assisted termination”, “assisted suicide”, “Mercy Killing”, etc. Legally within the U.K. and Ireland euthanasia is illegal, but we have all heard of mercy killings, and the dispensing of large doses of morphine and other drugs which eventually bring death, the end to unbearable suffering. Now, it seems, mercy killing is no longer enough for many. Those countries which have relaxed their laws to allow people to opt for “assisted suicide” now want those options extended. Mercy killing will no longer be restricted to terminal illness patients, or those with unbearable pain and suffering. “Mercy” will now be extended to those who are poverty stricken or on the lower end of the social scale. A poor person with a poor quality of life may now be considered to be afflicted with unbearable and lasting suffering, and a request by such a person, made in a state of despair, for “assisted suicide” may be granted.

Once again the “culture of death and destruction” that continues to infect our society appears to be tightening its merciless grip. Simply stated, if doctors who have sworn to do everything possible to save lives are now campaigning to support voluntary, or involuntary, ending of life then the limits that govern our society’s morals are being cut away. The abortion holocaust, and now the euthanasia holocaust are just the beginning of a very slippery spiral that will sweep all of us into darkness. As the barriers rise then recognition of “unbearable suffering”, and the quality of life, becomes more and more muddied. What next? Poor eyesight, deafness, fatigue, walking difficulties, incontinence may also be considered factors allowing euthanasia, whether voluntary or involuntary. People may fall into despair. They may look at their lives and feel the loss of dignity, status, financial resources, and poor social life to be unbearable conditions. In a world where overpopulation and global warming have become major concerns the elderly, like the newborn, may become vulnerable to the efforts of pro-euthanasia supporters. They may be considered useless to society and a drain on its resources, and there quality of life may be considered to be less than the more “useful” members of society. Maybe the science fiction of “Logan’s Run” is not that distant?

In Ertelt’s article he quotes Wesley J Smith, an American attorney and bioethicist: “Since 1973, when euthanasia was quasi- decriminalised, Dutch doctors have gone from euthanizing the terminally ill who ask for it, to the chronically ill who ask for it, to people with disabilities who ask for it, to the mentally anguished who ask for it – and all legal because the “guidelines” proved so elastic they had no snap back at all. And now they want to target vulnerable and marginalised elderly people.”

So what is the next step? Do we kill those we decide do not have the right to life? Oh, I forgot, we already do this by aborting unborn children in the womb. Now, to these children of God do we add the mentally challenged, the physically challenged, Alcoholics, Drug Addicts, Am I getting carried away? I don’t think so! Like so many others I meet I feel that the scientists and doctors have decided to give up on bettering the human condition. It appears that for such people the best way to remove problems is to kill the patients. The descent into madness continues and it is time to stop the barrier rising by bringing it down again.

Why Care?

2011-10-18T14:03:00.000+01:00

In the last twelve months I have had to spend more and more time looking after my mother, who has now become housebound. Thankfully my family assist me greatly in what needs to be done for her as do the Health Trust Carers. But, I have come to have a deeper regard for those who see their vocation in caring for others. Our parents are our primary carers, we care for our spouses, doctors and nurses care for us through illness and surgery, and there are those who quietly care for others and receive no recognition for their services other than from God. Caring for others is, of course, the essence of human and Christian living for our God is a caring God who wants us to share in his task.

God’s love for us is a love that is totally directed toward us, is selfless and undemanding. It is evident from everything God does for us that He wishes us all well and never acts in any manner that is not for our good, regardless of how we respond to him. We can imitate God’s divine example of loving others to a greater or lesser degree, depending on our commitment to loving our neighbour as Christ taught us. God wants us to reveal his love for the world through our actions. We are to be his hands, his feet, his voice, his smile in this world. We can be assured that it is a caring God who inspires and energises all those who really care for others, and the people who are cared for are truly blessed if they can feel this generous love from us.

Those who care for and about others are very close to God, and His Spirit is always by their side in what they do. Like Jesus they reveal through their love for others just what the Father is like, they become a reflection of him. It is the Spirit that gives strength to always do your best for those who need your ministry, even when those you minister to are frustrating and unkind. We should not look upon these people as “cases” or simply work, but regard them as the “beloveds of God” (Rom. 1:7).

Our service to others does not go unrecognised for it carries the stamp of divine appreciation: “I have seen all that you have done in secret and I will reward you. Because I was sick and you took care of me, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (Matt. 6:6 & 25: 34-36)

The Psalms

2011-10-11T16:21:00.000+01:00

In Hebrew the “Book of Psalms” is known as “Tehillim”, meaning “praises”, and this collection of one hundred and fifty prayer-poems can be said to express the Judaic faith in its entirety. It seems that the word “Tehillim” became “Psalmoi” when the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek, this word meaning “songs sung to the accompaniment of the lyre.” Although this collection gives voice to every type of emotion, from deep sorrow to great joy, each psalm contains a definitive sign of the composer’s trust and confidence in the goodness of God.

In this collection of prayer-poems, better known as Psalter, there are a variety of topics covered, which were important to the Israelites and their relationship with Yahweh. Among the mix are songs of praise and thanksgiving, as well as hymns to be used on Royal occasions. Some of the psalms have been identified more as prayers than songs, and the largest group are called “lamentations”, or complaints made to God and pleas for his help. There are even psalms that contain some measure of instruction to the faithful with their references to the “Talmud” (Law).
No definite date can be given to the composing of these psalms. Many appear to have been written during the early history of Israel, while others appear to have been written after the end of the Jewish exile in Babylon. Furthermore, just as the period of their composition can not be determined, neither can their authorship. Within Jewish tradition it is believed that the majority of the Psalter is the work of King David, while the rest are the work of several authors, many of whom are unknown.
Songs of praise had always been an integral part of Jewish religious rites from the earliest times, though it is David who is thought to be the original composer of the majority of the Psalms as we know them. Within the Jewish tradition the Psalms were usually sung in front of the Tabernacle, or tent which enclosed the ark. However, after Solomon has built the great Temple on Zion they were sung from the steps of the Temple by singers, all of whom were members of the tribe of Levi. The Levites were the priests of the Temple and it was their privilege alone to sing within that area of the Temple while accompanying their songs with various musical instruments e.g. bells, drums, horns, etc.
Although the psalms were used extensively in rites of worship and prayer they may have also had an educational use. As previously stated these prayer poems may have been used as a way of instructing the faithful, particularly with regard to the Jewish Law or “Talmud. Because they were performed publicly the psalms could be used to explain, teach and communicate with the individual listener as well as the wider public. Such was the use of the psalms in Jewish worship rites that they became, and remain, familiar to Christians in the 1^st Century after Christ. Today, within Jewish religious tradition, the reading of psalms is looked upon as a means for gaining God’s favour and are often recited in many synagogues in times of trouble.

The first of the psalms that I have chosen to look at is Psalm 24, recognised as a great processional hymn of praise and only one of several similar psalms within the Psalter. The first two verses outline the basis of Jewish faith in that everything belongs to God because he created everything. First he created the sea and then the earth, envisioned as a great disc resting upon four great columns holding the world above the abyss. For the Israelites the centre of this world was the holy city of Jerusalem, within which stood the “hill of the Lord”[1], Zion.

In the eyes of the Chosen people of Israel the “Ark of the Covenant” was at the centre of their worship because it was within the ark that the one, true God of Israel resided. It was God’s presence within the ark that had assisted their exodus from Egypt and had led them into the Promised Land despite the best efforts of their enemies. Psalm 24 appears to relate to that time when the ark was first brought into Jerusalem and placed in a tent on top of Zion. We find this event described in the Book of Samuel: “... so David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom to the city of David with rejoicing; ... So David and all the House of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of horn” (2 Sam. 6:12-15). Believing that God himself was entering the city in the ark the great crowd called upon the city gates to “Lift up your heads.” (Ps.24:7). Jewish tradition, therefore, assigns this psalm as the processional hymn sung by the people as the ark entered Jerusalem on that great day, and was composed by King David.
My second choice of psalm is a royal song of praise that was, perhaps, written for the marriage of an Israelite King to a foreign princess, and is unique among the collection of psalms. From the manner in which the composer of Psalm 45 addresses the King and his Queen it appears that he may have been a court poet of some distinction. Although there is no idea who wrote the psalm there is some discussion that it was written as a song for “... the wedding of King Ahab of Israel to Jezebel, princess of Tyre.”[2] The song was sung in celebration of the King’s wedding making it a prayer of praise that God would make this union both fruitful and prosperous for all in Israel. For Ahab and Israel this prayer was not to be answered in the way they had expected (ref: 1 Kings 16:30).

[1] Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Catholic Edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2004; Psalm 24, v3.

[2] P&D Alexander, The Lion Handbook to the Bible, Lion Publishing plc., Oxford, 2002: P372.

What does it mean to be a Sinner?

2011-10-03T14:28:00.000+01:00

Each one of us can recall hearing, at least once, someone saying: "We are all sinners!"But how many of us have truly ever believed it. We look upon our actions and comfort ourselves with the feeling that we are really not a bad person after all.Nevertheless, we can be sure that there is one action in our lives which we would not be proud to admit to, though we continue to believe that there are others in the world who have done worse. We may have not stolen from anyone, but have we ever completed a false mileage claim to get just a little more?
Monsignore Roman Guardini wrote: "Earthly sin is likewise directed against the sacred, god-drawn life in man, and it works itself out in the degradation and destruction of natural life." In short, it is our failure to recognise the small light of God's presence in all humanity that lies at the root of our sinfulness. Sadly our failure to recognise God in others leads u to lose respect for others and, not surprisingly, we become numb to the effects our actions may have upon them. Though that wrong action maybe a very small one in our eyes it will take root within us, grow in our hearts and souls, and encourage to pass our sinful attitude on to others. If this is unchecked all society becomes self-centred, envious, direspectful, greedy, conniving and destructive. In fact we can already see these things in our own society at the moment. "Stronger or weaker, overt or clandstine, concious or unconcious, hesitant or determined, its ultimate sense is destruction." (Romano Guardini, quoted in "Magnificat" Oct 2011)

"No man who practices deceit

Shall dwell in my house;

No man who utters lies

shall continue in my presence"

(Psalm 101:7; RSV)

If we are all sinners, but want to enjoy God's presence then what cn we do to achieve this? We should face up to our sinfulness, ask for forgiveness for all the wrongs we have committed, and request the grace necessary to help us not to sin again. But, too often we have a cavalier attitude towards our wrongdoing and believe we are not accountable. "Sammy got me drunk", "Mary told me to take the dugs", "My friends were all doing it". It is always somebody else's fault and in our eyes they should be held accountable. On top of this, in our conceitedness we hold on to a odd sense of fate: "If you are born to drown you won't be hung." There is no consideration that both consequences are equally gruesome.

Surely it is much better for our state of mind to consider spending our lives in happiness and brotherhood with our neighbour in the peace and presence of God. To do this, however, is not just a matter of recognising what we have done wrong and apologising. While this is a good start we must also recognise the hurt we have caused others, try hard to relieve that hurt and repair our relationship with the person we have wronged. Should it be the case that we are the party that has been wronged then it is equally wrong for us to judge the actions of others, and insist upon full justice before forgiving that wrong done to us and repairing the relationship. "What?" you will cry in disbelief. It is not easy to forgive someone who has wronged you, but it is the right thing to do if you want to consider yourself a follower of Christ. While the sinner must seek the humility to seek out grace, the wronged person must show their dignity, freedom and rsponsibility to forgive completely.

"I will look with favour

on the faithful in the land,

that they my dwell with me;

he who walks in the way that is blameless

shall minister to me." (Psalm 101:6)

Forgiveness is Hard!

2011-09-19T21:03:00.000+01:00

Have you ever had something you have always wanted ripped from your grasp? Has someone ever accused you of something to someone in authority, but not given you an opportunity to defend yourself? Has anyone ever put you into a position where you were forced to sacrifice one of your greatest wishes because if you did not make that sacrifice it would seriously effect the dreams of others? If you can answer yes to any or all of these questions then you will know how great disappointment truly feels; the devastation, the emptiness inside; the wondering why someone would do this to you.
Has there ever been an occasion when you have discussed something with your family and gained their full blessing and support for something they knew you had been called to? Has anyone done something that has hurt your wife's feelings, made tears come to her eyes and the eyes of your grown up children because they can see the devastation wrought within you by a complete stranger? Believe me when I say that it is extremely difficult to follow one's christian beliefs and forgive the wrongdoer on these occasions. I think it was St. Paul who said if you have a problem with your "brother" you should go to him and talk it out. There should be love and not animosity between you. This did not happen in my case and that is what saddens me most. He smiled the smile of a friend but did not act as a christian should, and he should have known better.
Through my family, friends and brothers in Christ I have come to learn to abandon my anger and my disappointment. I looke at a crucifix and came to the conclusion that if Jesus can forgive those who lied about him, tortured him and crucified him, then who am I not to forgive something which is so meaningless when set against this. Forgiveness is hard, but it is life-giving when you eventually gain the courage to put all your trust in God, who loves us so much.
That door is now closed. God will open another.

Sebastian Vilar Rodriguez

2011-09-06T19:48:00.000+01:00

I recently received this eMail from an accquaintance, because he thought I might be interested in its content. I passed it on with the comment "Is this where Europe is Heading?" Read it for yourself first and then I will express how I feel...

"EUROPEAN LIFE DIED IN AUSCHWITZ
The following is a copy of an article written by Spanish writer Sebastian Vilar Rodrigez and published in a Spanish newspaper on Jan. 15 2008. It doesn't take much imagination to extrapolate the message to the rest of Europe - and possibly to the rest of the world. IT WAS IN A SPANISH PAPER Date: Tue. 15 January 2008 14:30.

EUROPEAN LIFE DIED IN AUSCHWITZ By Sebastian Vilar Rodrigez
I walked down the street in Barcelona , and suddenly discovered a terrible truth - Europe died in Auschwitz ... We killed six million Jews and replaced them with 20 million Muslims. In Auschwitz we burned a culture, thought, creativity, talent. We destroyed the chosen people, truly chosen, because they produced great and wonderful people who changed the world. The contribution of this people is felt in all areas of life: science, art,
international trade, and above all, as the conscience of the world. These are the people we burned.
And under the pretense of tolerance, and because we wanted to prove to ourselves that we were cured of the disease of racism, we opened our gates to 20 million Muslims, who brought us stupidity and ignorance, religious extremism and lack of tolerance, crime and poverty, due to an unwillingness to work and support
their families with pride. They have blown up our trains and turned our beautiful Spanish cities into the
third world, drowning in filth and crime. Shut up in the apartments they receive free from the government, they plan the murder and destruction of their naive hosts. And thus, in our misery, we have exchanged culture for fanatical hatred, creative skill for destructive skill, intelligence for backwardness and superstition.
We have exchanged the pursuit of peace of the Jews of Europe and their talent for a better future for their children, their determined clinging to life because life is holy, for those who pursue death, for people consumed by the desire for death for themselves and others, for our children and theirs. What a terrible mistake was made by miserable Europe .. A lot of Americans have become so insulated from reality that they imagine America can suffer defeat without any inconvenience to themselves.
Recently, the UK debated whether to remove The Holocaust from its school curriculum because it 'offends' the Muslim population which claims it never occurred. It is not removed as yet. However, this is a frightening portent of the fear that is gripping the world and how easily each country is giving into it.
It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe ended. This e-mail is being sent as a memorial chain, in memory of the, 6 million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians, and 1,900 Catholic priests who were 'murdered, raped, burned, starved, beaten, experimented on and humiliated' Now, more than ever, with Iran , among others, claiming the Holocaust to be 'a myth,' it is imperative to make sure the world never forgets.
This e-mail is intended to reach 400 million people. Be a link in the memorial chain and help distribute this around the world. How many years will it be before the attack on the World Trade Center 'NEVER
HAPPENED' because it offends some Muslim in the United States ?
Do not just delete this message; it will take only a minute to pass this along. Wake up America before it's too late!!!!!!!!"

Well, what do you think? Need to read it again? My first impressions were one of disbelief that any newspaper in the civilised world would allow such an item to be printed. It was unfortunately a sad reminder of the Nazi newspapers that held sway within Germany during the 1930s and 40s. I had to find out who the author was and what was his or her purpose? Thankfully I discovered that this whole article was a hoax played out on the internet; that Sebastian Vila Rodriguez was a made-up personality whosw purpose was probably to heighten anti-islamic feelings in both the U.S. and Europe.
Though a hoax it was extremely sad to see the number of supporters this rant had gained on the internet. One comment stated: "I actually agreed with the content of the article, but it still rang untrue that it came from a Spanish newspaper." It is very unfortunate that so many people continue to forward this rubbish as being an article that should be considered to have merit when all it does is play to the base fears and guilt of so many.
The guilt lies in all of us who recognise the reality of the "Holocaust", and even within those who choose to believe that it didn't happen rather than admit to their own prejudices. The "Holocaust" was a totally horrendous act of genocide committed against the Jews, Slavs, Gypsies, Blacks, homosexuals and those deemed by the state to be unworthy of life. The writer is now almost saying that the "holocaust" against European Jewry was a mistake and it is the Muslims that should have been eradicated. Is this the belief that caused one man to kill so many young people on a Norwegian Island recently and, at the same time, explode a bomb in central Oslo? Does the writer want to see it all happen again? He suggests: "we opened our gates to 20 millionMuslims, who brought us stupidity and ignorance, religious extremism and lack of tolerance, crime and poverty, due to an unwillingness to work and support
their families with pride. They have blown up our trains and turned our beautiful Spanish cities into the
third world, drowning in filth and crime. Shut up in the apartments they receive free from the government, they plan the murder and destruction of their naive hosts." There are of course Muslim fanatics, Muslim terrorists, and Muslims who sponge European wealth and prosperity. But equally there are Christians, Jews, Hindus, and aetheists who are guilty of the same. There are many talented, creative, thoughtful Jews in the world but there are also many equally talented and brilliant Muslims, Christians, etc. This character is simply spouting the same vile filth that Hitler and his racist cronies spread; ultra right-wing nationalists, KKK, White Supremacy.
Christianity means love, Islam means peace, and all believe their origins to be with God and Abraham as told in the Hebrew Bible. There are idiots in all walks of life but we don't suggest that everyone is like them and should be done away with. Fear is often a product of lack of understanding, war is often the product of not trying hard enough for peace. Let everyone work together to eliminate those racist agitators who write such claptrap and have not the decency to put their nme to it. Come on Sebastian Vilar, if you have the faith, delare your identity.

Child Sex Abuse

2011-08-21T20:39:00.000+01:00

Vatican Conspiracy or not?

It has been several weeks now since the publication of the “Cloyne Report” and the almost rabid-like assault upon the Irish Church and the Vatican that followed. At the same time, however, there has been little or no attention, either negative or positive, concerning the current procedures that have been put in place within the Church in Ireland. These procedures and their implementation have had the wholehearted support of the Vatican, and they have been put into action by huge numbers of Catholics throughout Ireland working with their Bishops and clergy. The Catholic laity in its entirety has and continues to express its sympathy with those brothers and sisters in faith who were victims of this huge sexual abuse scandal. There is, as well, a deep appreciation of the difficult and distasteful work that was carried out by the “Murphy Commission”, which demonstrated the totally inappropriate response by the Church authorities in Ireland to sexual abuse allegations.

At the beginning of the period covered by “The Cloyne Report” there were no national guidelines regarding child protection within which the Irish Bishops were required to work and they had begun development of their own guidelines. While supportive of the idea of child protection guidelines for the Irish Church the Vatican did have some concerns about the “mandatory reporting” included within the guidelines. While not declaring any opposition to the guidelines the Vatican, the “Cloyne Report” suggests, did give comfort to those within the Irish Church authorities who did not support the new child protection procedures, by stating their concerns. From the report, and despite what the politicians and anti-Catholic media, there is no evidence to support any claim that the Vatican authorities attempted to frustrate all or any reporting of child abuse cases to the civil authorities. In fact the Vatican began work on those concerns it had and within four years arrived at a solution through which it insisted the handling of sexual abuse complaints must comply with all civil legal requirements for reporting child abuse. There can be no suggestion of a Vatican conspiracy in any of these things. In fact the Irish State, through its neglect, failed the children of the country by not ensuring that a clear and comprehensive framework for reporting abuse cases were in place prior to the findings of the independent commissions of enquiry. Instead of issuing venomous anti-Church statements the Taoiseach, his government, the Dail and the Seanad should add their voices to those of the Church and plead for forgiveness from the victims of these vile crimes.

Persecution

2011-08-10T21:17:00.000+01:00

It was in 1948 that the Indian sub-Continent achieved its independence from colonial power and became divided into the separate nations of India and Pakistan. At that time the founding father of modern day Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, declared loudly: "You are free; free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other places of worship in the State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion, caste or creed - that has nothing to do with the business of State." Great words that promised moderation and toleration for all citizens of Pakistan. Unfortunately they just became words and have had no true worth in the 63 years of Pakistan's existence. Incidents against non-moslem minorities, particularly Christian, have been continuous and increased dramatically over the last decade. What makes these incidents even more galling is the appearance that these crimes are part of a deliberate state policy. In the west we have had to witness the outrageous neglect of minority issues within Pakistan, which has lead to a deepening sense of vulnerability among the Christian minority. Talking about Christ, public worship, and posession of a bible are all considered serious crimes that are punishable, in many instances, by death under Pakistan's "Blasphemy Laws".

Every year millions of pounds worth of aid is sent to Pakistan by Christian Aid agencies to help the poor, starving, and homeless. Nations support the Pakistan government with even more money. If they are not too proud to accept the Christian Aid that is given with compassion, should that gratitude not be shown by showing compassion and understanding to our Christian brothers and sisters now living in fear inside Pakistan? Christians should unite and use their influence to remove all government aid from the Pakistan State until they revise their attitude to basic human rights of all their people.

If you're not with me....

2011-08-10T16:56:00.000+01:00

I can honestly say that I was never an avid reader or student of scripture until I undertook a theology course in 2008. Now I read a little bit more of scripture, but I am by no means an avid student. Most of what I do read comes from St.paul's letters contained within the "New Testament". From these letters and my studies for the Permanent Diaconate I feel that I have grown greatly in my faith and see now, with greater clarity, that Jesus Christ is the fulfilment of the scriptures.

Considering the long and meandering story that is the "Hebrew Bible" we see that Jesus coming as the "Messiah" brings that "Old Testament" to its rightful conclusion. The Jewish people at the time of Jesus' ministry sought a messiah who would be like a kingly warrior who would free them from Roman oppression. But that was not how it was to be. The birth of Jesus was God's way of announcing the arrival of His Kingdom on earth; to paraphrase T S Eliot: "Not with a bang but a whisper..." If God had chosen to bring his kingdom into existence in the same way as earthly kingdoms were created, through force of arms and military might, there is little doubt that the weak and vulnerable would once again be the ones who came off worse.

We should be grateful that the KIngdom of God is one built upon the foundations of peace and love, shunning any and all forms of violence. The God that I know prefers to use the gentle breath of his Spirit to fan the flames of a faith that lies smouldering within us all. It is through the Spirit and the teachings of Jesus that we receive much needed graces that strengthen us in faith, hope and love. To build God's kingdom around us will, of course, require every ounce of strength and resolve that we can muster. The continous battle against sin, violence and hatred is not an easy one and we must all stand shoulder to shoulder in difficult times. Jesus has said: "If you're not with me, you're against me. Unless you're gathering the flock with me, you're scattering it.
As soldiers of Christ we must prepare ourselves for battle and know that victory is won for peace and love. Let us be a different type of soldier, one that knows the struggle is against violence itself. We must daily struggle against the normal wickedness that is part of being human and shows itself openly in our anger and use of brute force to win victory over others. If you fight fire with fire only fire wins. In the same way, fighting with the attitude of eye for an eye only leaves everyone blind.
Our major resource in this battle will be our ability to recognise the enemy before us. The power of darkness that uses the deadly weapons of deceit, destruction and death. It is the power which we recognise, through scripture, as "Satan", or "The Accuser". This evil power uses many underhand tactics to engage us and overcome us. Lies and accusations may be hurled against us that can be both painful and damaging to endure. Many temptations will be placed before us in an attempt to steer us away from our task, but our struggle will strengthen our resolve and make all our future efforts more fruitful.
Undobtedy there are certain individuals who are sought out by servants of darkness for special consideration. Satan is no fool and cannot be taken lightly. He knows just how damaging a faithful follower of Jesus can be to his efforts, and he will work to sabotage that disciple's progress as early as possible in his faith development. This is the reason we have to be vigilant and be prepared to ring to the fore our powerful weapons of love, peace, truth and light.

Don't expect to hear cheering!

2011-08-08T16:10:00.000+01:00

"Evil has been overcome and death is defeated. There is a seat in paradise prepared and waiting for you to gain it." One would think that good news like this would bring great joy to all of us who receive it. Sadly this is not the case and it never has been. Jesus overcame death through his resurrection and yet he knew that there would always be those who would reject the good news he had brought, because it was not the news they had expected. As he suffered his passion and crucifixion Jesus was rejected by many who saw him because this image did not correspond to their vision of a "Messiah". The wanted a saviour who would give them a kingdom that would support and validate their own personal and national ambitions. When all things are said and done, for many people things are not much different today.
There are a lot of us who would like to be the bearers of news that will bring happiness and jy to every person we meet. If we could do this just think how welcome we would be. After all there is not one of us who does not appreciate a round of applause, the congratulatory pat on the back, and the gratitude of those around us.
In our own way we are bearers of good news to all though not everyone, even those whom we think would be pleased to hear our good news, will make us welcome or even listen to us. It is a fact that not everyone we meet, or know, will be pleased to hear that God is actually already at work in our world and that things are changing. God, through the Holy Spirit, is busy in our world changing it into what Jesus taught and demonstrated it could be. Each day of our lives we are witnesses to the victory that love and peace can gain over violence and hatred. Unfortunately all around us are those people who will consistently reject such a message because personal glory and profit lies within the violence that surround our lives.
Despite all the setbacks that we will undoubtedly encounter we must hold fast to the mission placed upon us at baptism. Christ suffered and died for us all. He did these things because of love, and he overcame death through his resurrection so that we could pass the news of his salvation to others. It was a gift freely given to us and one we are obligated to pass on to others freely. There are, of course, those among modern day evangelists who argue that the "Labourer is worth his wage." This is true, but only up to a point. Jesus did not promise that our task would be easy or well paid. Instead he left us with the knowledge that discipleship would be a vocation that would require hard work, promise an uncertain future and have no monetary reward. As Christians it is our task to transmit a simple message that we know will be rejected by the majority of those we meet. We must also be prepared to accept the sneers, threats and accusations that will be hurled at us because of our faithfulness to the message of Jesus. In all of these tribulations, however, we have three great allies to support us; The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

When the going gets tough!

2011-08-07T20:21:00.000+01:00

Has anything worthwhile been easily gained? The peace and glory that is God's Kingdom is a reward beyond comparison, but it is not going to be acieved easily by any of us. Jesus preached the Kingdom of God, but he never once told his listeners that it was going to be anything but a tough journey. He showed just how much work it would take, with little monetary reward, a definite lack of appreciation, and a very uncertain future. Perhaps the hardest part of passing on "The Good News" that God's Kingdom is at hand, is that most of those to whom we speak will not be open to the message and the possibilthat their livesity might change. We must, therefore, be assured that committing oneself to Christ and to the service of his people is not a choice anyone should make lightly.
Things today are really no easier for Christian disciples than it was two thousand years ago in the Galilee region. Today, as then, people will sneer at what you have to say to them. They will question every part of your background, demanding to know by what authority do you speak of God and his Kingdom. Increasingly more people are viewing Christianity, and its teachings, as a threat to their way of life and they, in their turn, will launch threats and persecutions against those who would disturb their comfort. There will, of course, be those who will choose to recall the recent sins, scandals and crimes carried out by individuals within the Church to its dishonour. Rest assured such people will "tar" all the innocent with the same brush, accusing the faithful of all srts of nefarious things. "Why be a disciple then?" You may ask. "Why commit yourself to Christ and his Church?" All one can say in answer is that we have been offered a great reward for our fidelity to God and to our baptismal promises. If we are to gain that reward then we should toughen ourselves in mind and body for the great struggle that lies ahead of us. "When the going gets tough, the tough get going!"

Jesus Christ, Messiah?

2011-08-02T16:41:00.000+01:00

It appears the older we get the more mellow we become, and more accepting of things spiritual including an acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah; God's anointed one. We, who regard ourselves as the faithful, look to Christ as the Messiah and the bringer of God's Kingdom to reality here on earth. Much of our confusion, however, lies in not knowing just how Jesus will achieve this mission. It is this lack of knowledge that worries us and makes us fear whatever changes may occur. We can, of course, speculate about it like the Jews in the Hebrew Bible who chose to believe that the Messiah would be a heroic figure, like Achilles of old, who would lead his people to victory over those who would oppress them. Perhaps some us will follow the example of the Pharisees, who envisioned the Messiah as a judgemental and strict teacher of the law sent from God to demand strict adherence to that law. If any of us should feel these apply it is probably because we we have chosen to ignore the fact that God's Kingdom here has been established with the Incarntion of Christ.

Let us consider now the story of the prophet who hid from his enemies in an isolated cave and awaited the Word of God to give him courage and guidance. A great wind arose and the prophet heard the great rolls of thunder and saw the blinding flashes of lightning. His fears were increased by the storm and he recognised that God was not in it, just as the Messiah is not an Achilles-type hero leading his people to victory amid the din of battle. The storm is a reminder of those modern day pharisees that constantly preach that "the end is nigh" and we all face hellfire and brimstone. For men such as these the rules are the important thing, and for many of them words are more important than action. The wisest of us will choose not to believe that the Messiah will be among such people, except in working to change their misplaced attitude.
After the storm passed a soft, gentle breeze blew. The prophet covered his head in abeyance because he knew that the Word of God lay within that breeze, caressing him and making him feel secure. It was in such a gentle, unheralded way that Jesus, the Messiah, was brought into our world. There was no need for pomp and splendour, and from his ministry's very first days gentleness and compassion were the virtues that marked him as God's anointed one. Jesus taught by example, demonstrating the joy of freely embracing God's commandments rather than feeling oppressed by them. He announced the fact that God's Kingdom had arrived and was open to all, annoying the self-righteous by mixing socially with the most unlikely of characters.
By accepting Jesus is the Messiah you can put your trust in all he teaches and come to witness God's presence in our lives. Sadly many of us only seem to turn to God when we are in real trouble and we ask him to help us, promising all sorts of things in return for that help. God always listens to our prayers, but when a solution to our difficulties is presented we choose to believe we came up with the solution ourselves and our promises become nothing.Does God abandon us for such behaviour? No! God so loves us that with an infinite patience he awaits the next time we seek his assistance. By making God an intimate member of your family you can talk to Him as you would to a Mother, Father, Brother or Sister. Through his constant presence within your family there is little doubt that you and all your family will find the peace and happiness that marks God's Kingdom here on earth.

Are we ready for Change?

2011-08-02T15:09:00.000+01:00

"Conversion" is just another way of saying "make a change". We quickly learn, however, that there are not too many of us who welcome change into our lives. We all tend to reach a degree of comfort in our lives that we are happy with. A condition in which we no longer have to stretch ourselves physically or mentally, and we don't have to worry about what others do or what happens to them, unless they interrupt our comfort. There is little room in our lives for change because we become attached to the traditional way of doing things. We don't believe in change for change sake, believing that if a thing is not broke there is no need to fix it.
When we attain such a comfort zone we are usually well satisfied, but not veryoften happy with our lot. When we achieve comfort we want more comfort, but we are reluctant to change what we have for what we might, or might not, gain. We do not what to gamble with what we have because such a gamble could bring dissatisfaction where once there was comfortable acceptance. There is little doubt, however, that we would all be willing to accept a better life providing that we didn't have to change our existing lifestyle too much.
There are some, fortunately, who have come to the realisation that God has brought into being a new and wonderful world for all of us when he sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to us. Through Jesus' birth, life, death and resurrection he brought a turmoil into our world which has shaken many out of their comfort zones, leading them to a better life. God overcame both sin and death through thr resurrection of Jesus, and he continues to work in our world through his Holy Spirit. Each and every day God issues an invitation to all of us to change our lives for the better by putting aside our selfishness and shallowness, and replacing them with the love and compassion of Christ. It is said that God has no hands but ours and no feet but ours, and we are being asked to become a reflection of God's love and compassion to others by working to repair a broken world. Are we ready?

My Church in the Third Millenium Part II

2011-08-01T17:48:00.000+01:00

We are all aware that our world is plagued by the evils of commercialism, envy, exploitation, jealousy, suspicion, and hatred. In these days we should, therefore, recall Christ's teaching - "Blessed are the peacemakers." He id not just mean those who were seeking peace with Imperial Rome. It was a message for all the ages since that time and even in our own time those among us who genuinely seek peace should be held in high esteem by us all. The sad reality, however, is that the peace-talks and negotiations that fill our news media stretch for many years and become little more than self-generating talk-shops. Do we ever see any real effort to create a loving, compassionate environment in which each side is open to hearing and understanding the point of view expressed by their opponent? It is at times such as these that the Church has a key role to play in encouraging the creation of a loving, listening and understanding environment within the home, the Parish, Schools, and in places of work. We must take as our motto the Christian message: "If you seek peace, work for justice and forgiveness."

We should never be under any illusion that transmitting the Christian message is going to be anything but difficult. We must be patient and understanding because the scourge of clericalism has dominated our Church for decades bringing apathy to the laity with regard to their role and responsibilities within the Church. St. Paul reminds us that our being baptised into Christ demands that we overcome all religious, social and gender barriers to transmit the good news to all. Our baptism initiates us all into a faith that encourages us to assume and exercise our responsibility for the life and mission of the Church. Every Parish community draws its life from its priest and its laity and if these two groups fail to work in harmony with each other that Parish will decay and die. If the Parish dies so will the Church.
Although other Christian faiths appear to be suffering similar crises as Catholicism, a joint effort to combat these is something we may never bear witness to. many of our separated brethren in other Christian denominations continue to uphold the old reformist cry: "Rome Rule is Home Rule!" They have little time or interest in the prospect of a central authority that resides in Rome. In fact there are still those who would view us as little more than "Papish slaves" without the freedom of choice, controlled solely by the dictats of Rome. While there is some evidence that may suggest that such was the case many decades ago, it is certainly not the case today. The Church has changed albeit slowly. The Church's hierarchy faces increasing demands for the laity have more say within the Church institution, putting into practice their baptismal initiation into the priesthood of Christ. Unfortunately, the current reality is that "traditionalist" voices within the Church hierarchy continue to show a definite reluctance to delegate any authority to the laity, and question all suggestions that giving the laity more responsibility would be beneficial to the Church as a whole. This inflexibility within the leadership of the Church, particularly the Church in Ireland, is the direct cause of so many catholics abandoning the Church and removing themselves from the graces available to them through the Eucharist.
Though one may remain faithful to the Church there is nothing bad about letting your voice be heard. The Church in Ireland cannot continue to allow the current disregard demonstrated by the hierarchy to valid questions posed by the faithful, because this disregard serves only to encourage dissatisfaction and breed a deepening sense of alienation. Much work will need to be done by the Church as a whole if it is ever to encourage those, who have abandoned it, to return. The Church's leadership must show a willingness to introduce change, now. To start with there could be the introduction of those changes proposed by Vatican II which, even after fifty years, have not yet seen the light of day in Ireland. Is it now time for Vatican III?

My Church in the 3rd MIllenium PartI

2011-07-28T21:13:00.000+01:00

Everywhere I hear that our Catholic Church is in deep crisis.The last 30 years have seen a steady decline in attendance at Mass and the Sacraments. The financial and sexual scandals that have swamped the Church have become a scourge to beat the faithful with and cause them to question that faith, and even abandon it. In a world becoming increasingly immoral and relativist in its outbreak an institution that preaches adherence to time-tested moral principles and accountability for one's actions holds little, if any, attraction for our increasingly sexually and commercially exploited youth.
Our Church, as an institution, in deep crisis? Our Church as "The Body of Christ" cannot be in crisis. The gospel message passed dow to us through the millenia is as true today as it was when Christ walked this earth. Our faith now has to reach out to modern society and demonstrate its relevance by suggesting answers to the ecological, political and social challenges that face our world as we head into the third millenium since Christ's birth. Our modern youth have no time to listen to boring holmilies on sin, hell-fire and brimstone because they feel the Church has lost the moral high ground. They don't need to be told how bad a state the world now finds itself in, because they already know! Just look at the increasing numbers of young people who choose to end their lives. Our people need to hear the message of hope and compassion that the gospels contain. They need to hear those gospel passages that empower us as Catholics to do something about global warming, the increasing savagery of modern warfare, and the other problems our frail world is experiencing. They need to experience those words of hope and compassion that encourage and help us to overcome the religious and ideological differences that now threaten the very survival of the human race.

While many faithful Catholics are very much aware of their religious duties, there is always room for improvement in us all. But, when it comes to questions of morality there are still many among us who believe that passivism is a better way to handle it and much less "sinful" than taking action. There are many of us who neglect our responsibility as "Children of God" set upon this world to be stewards of his creation. We are God's caretakers of this paradise that we call earth, and so far we have not done a great job. For all their talk about the solar system and the universe the scientists have yet to find another place like earth. This world of ours is unique ancluding the defenceaall our brothers and sisters within the human family, ind we must, therefore, stop exploitinf and destroying it at will. God created this earth, and all that is in it, for the benefit of all mankind and not just those who can afford to exploit its riches. It is our duty as Church to use our influence to defence and ethical harvesting of the earth's resources to ensure the survival of humanity.

Legalise them all....

2011-07-26T15:47:00.000+01:00

I recently read a report that the "Global Commission on Drug Policy" has finally signalled the formal surrender of the world in the "war on Drugs". James Downey, a reporter for the Irish Independent, suggested, in an article on 13th June 2011, that the last 40 years of struggle by the world's goernments has been both a waste of money and time, resulting in no victory in this "war". The reporter admits that it took him a long time to conclude that de-criminalisation is really the only way to combat the growing criminal drug trade, and points out that his call is similar to that made by many other "sensible people who merely face up to reality." Mr Downey informs his readership that: "One way to demonstrate good sense and grasp reality is to look for precedents and take example from them. It is unfortunate for Mr. Downey that the precedent he chose as an example was Prohibition in America.
It is my recollection that Probition, while banning the sale of alcohol, encouraged already existing criminal elements to supply a need at highly inflated prices. In this era gangsterism grew into organised crime, but it did not disappear when the "Volstead Act" was subsequently revoked.
Even today, when alcohol products are legal commodities, the criminal gangs continue to make huge sums from the illegal alcohol trade. It is fact that criminality continues to grow in our world because when one avenue of profit is closed a new avenue is opened. Prior to the introduction of prohibition the criminal fraternity had developed the art of satifying human vices for profit e.g. prostitution, gambling, "protection", and drugs. When prohibition was revoked these criminal elements maintained their existing activities, developing new ones, and competing in the alcohol business through counterfeiting, etc.
While I agree with Mr. Downey that the war against drugs has been a long one, and one in which the side of right has lost many battles, we have also had our victories and this does not warrant any call to surrender to surrender to criminality. Mr. Downey build his argument with Freud's insight that "it is insanity to keep doing the same things over and over again and expect a different result. One cannot argue with such reasoning, but there is an argument for fixing something that doesn't work. Perhaps governments need to develop much closer coordination and cooperation in tactics, moving with greater determination against those who traffic drugs. Downey's accptance of defeat smacks of appeasement. It makes me wonder if he and his fellow appeasers, in twenty years or less, when another "think-tank" suggests it is not worth fighting the human trafickers, will they recommend legislation to permit the free-trade in the sale of women and children for the purposes of prostitution?

A Learning Curve

2011-07-25T15:59:00.000+01:00

Usually when I sit down in front of a blank page I have some idea what I want to write about because I have spent some time thinking about it. Not being a spontaneous type of person I rarely commit anything to writing without thinking about what I am going to say. My trouble often come in trying to express in words what I want to say.
On this occasion I wish to reflect on my faith journey which has now reached a crucial junction. This summer has brought me to the end of my second year in my studies for the permanent diaconate, with two more years to go. At the end of May I was joined by two of my fellow students in celebrating a ceremony of admission to Candidacy for the Diaconate. For many it probably seemed like a run of the mill ceremony celebrated during Mass, but for me it was something else. In that short ceremony I came to a realisation of just how far I had no travelled in my journey of faith. Like any traveller it was time for me to pause and to quietly take on board what I had learned about my faith and about myself, and to consider how I had been changed.
Three years ago I had the opportunity to study for a certificate in theology and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I achieved my goal. In those studies I found the most difficult subject to be "Moral Theology". I just could not get my head around it and it became both boring as well as confusing. Then I had the opportunity to revisit this subject during my diaconate studies and it was if a veil had been lifted from my eyes. It was now interesting and lively. For the first time I began to see the reality of Catholic moral teaching and its potential for good in this modern and relativist society.
I can almost hear the groans of those reading this, but be patient. From global media reports and articles it is quite evident that the Catholic Church, and Christianity as a whole, is coming under pressure from various extreme minority groups within our society. For a faith that teaches peace, love, compassion and the promise of eternal salvation I had to wonder why my Church should face such vicious attacks. In truth I believe that these minority groups fear the influence for good that Christianity may have in the world. Their fear lies in tha fact that Christianity, and the Catholic Church in particular, has consistently and resolutely refused to abandon its classic moral convictions for those passing, insubstantial relativist ideals that pervade our modern society. It is the Church's resolute refusal to give ground to the growing immorality that is spreading through the world that has caused the great storm of controversy generated by those opposed to Christian moral standards. How often are we, who profess our faith, accused of being caught up in the past and unable to progress with the times in which we live? Some claim that we, as Catholics, have no freedom to express ourselves because we must submit to the Church authorities who lay down what we are alowed and not allowed to do. For us who know better it is a constant strain to ignore such claims from people who, in their ignorance, claim our Church to be an authoritarian institution whose moral standards severely encroach upon our human freedoms. Some suggest that our Catholic morality comes down to a struggle between our will and the will of a severe and judgemental God. In this battle, they argue, the will of God always prevails and our morality becomes more of an obligation than a free choice. We who live within the Church, "The Body of Christ", learn very quickly that our Catholic morality is all about becoming a good person and reflecting the goodness that is Christ. Abiding to a set of moral standards is, for a Catholic, not an obligation but a free choice made in the knowledge that goodness will prepare us for the reward of a happy and eternal existence with God in Heaven.
All Christians learn, through the teachings of Christ, that only through faith, hope and love can a person remain upon the path that will lead to eternal joy with God. No person, with the exception of Jesus and his Blessed Mother, is born with natural goodness. Throughout our lives we learn to grow in goodness through the example of good people around us. There is no obligation in this and the freedom we enjoy as members of the "Body of Christ" is maintained by the way in which we follow the do's and don'ts of Catholic moral teaching. This helps us to develop knowledge that anything we do in life cannot be done without having an effect on the life of someone else. Knowing this should encourage us all to realise that we alone are accountable for the actions we take in life. We find, however, that the prevailing attitude in today's society is one that believes personal freedom can be exercised without accountability.
I am living in fantasy world I can hear people saying. I acknowlege, however, that there is on-going debate within the Church about its moral teachings being bound up within the old, rule-book ideals that were in existence prior to Vatica II. Since Vatican II the Church has been witness to several nasty and fruitless debates between those elements wishing to retain strict rules and those preferring some liberalisation of those rules. Sadly in all these debates the saddest thing is not that there has been no resolution, but that there has been no inclusion of goodness and happiness. The emphasis has always been on "the rules" and their infringement on freedom, because freedom is often seen as basic human wilfulness. Morality, in my opinion, is not jsut a set of rules that can be changed according to circumstances. The rules for living moral life arise from what is inside our hearts, combined with our overwhelming desire to gain our reward with God in Heaven.
The right of free choice is not, in my opinion, the right to make mistakes but the freedom to avoid making mistakes through thoughtless action. To achieve this freedom we must become "better" persons by developing a conscience through which we are attracted to what is worthy of our love and commitment. Personally I see no difficulty in accepting that the Catholic Church is formed by a "Rule of Faith" that is expressed, in practice, in a rule for life. It is this rule of life, I believe, that positively assists to have true compassion for all. It bridges that gap between the person I am and the person I ought to be.

“Time to use the Nuclear Option in the drugs “war” – legalise them all.”

2011-06-15T17:14:00.001+01:00

A response to James Downey’s article in the Irish Independent Newspaper of 13^th June 2011.

Mr Downey concludes that the recent report of the “Global Commission on Drug Policy” has finally signalled the formal surrender of the world in the war on drugs. He also asserts that the last 40 years of struggle against drugs has been both a waste of money and of time since it has resulted in no victory. He admits, however, that it has taken him a long time to come to the conclusion that decriminalisation is the only answer to the growing criminal drug trade. To back up his conclusion he insists that a great many “sensible people” are calling for a similar action because they have come to “face up to reality.”

James Downey states that: “One way to demonstrate good sense and grasp reality is to look for precedents and take example from them.” But the precedent he looks to is “Prohibition” in America. What absolute nonsense! In the “Prohibition Era” the ban on alcohol only encouraged existing criminal elements to turn their expertise to supplying other vices at highly inflated prices. When the “Volstead Act” was revoked there was no overnight reduction in criminal gangs, criminal acts or people abusing alcohol. Street gangs expanded to Mafia gangs under various national guises and their activities continue to grow because when one avenue closes they force open another. Unfortunately criminality is, has, and probably will always be with us. As long as mankind nurtures vice there will be persons ready and able to fill whatever is required.

We can agree with Mr Downey when he quotes Freud’s insight that it is insanity to keep doing the same things over and over again, and expect a different result. There is room for governments to change tactics and make more concerted efforts to crush this criminality. But does Mr. Downey expect that by legalising drugs that we will destroy the culture of drug abuse that surrounds us? I think not. Does he and his “sensible” fellow travellers believe that when some think-tank in the future decides the war against human trafficking proves too difficult that we should legislate to allow the free trade in the sale of women and children for the purpose of prostitution?

Forgiveness:

2011-06-15T15:24:00.000+01:00

This is not, by any means, an easy life for any of us. We all have our difficulties and our problems. There is not one of us who has not been hurt, offended, wounded, slighted or annoyed by others. In response we get angry, seek revenge, strike back in word and deed. But think for one moment and reflect. “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” Do you recall these words uttered by Jesus? Are any of us without sin? How much more have we hurt, offended or slighted God by our words and actions? Still we will pray to him and want Him to be near to us, to hear us, and to forgive us. If we have the temerity to ask His forgiveness should we not be prepared to forgive others?

Prayer:

2011-06-15T15:22:00.000+01:00

How many of us truly pray? How many of us can say we know the power of prayer? Indeed there are many of us who do pray but have not seen its power, or recognised it. Do we believe God listens to our prayer and grant our requests? Of course, God hears our prayers. In fact he is there within all of us already and is, already, fully aware of our deepest thoughts, hopes and fears. He hears and listens to the words we speak. He also, however, hears and knows those things which we cannot put into words but wish to put before Him as well.

The Beatitudes

2011-06-15T15:19:00.001+01:00

Some people look upon the Beatitudes as a set of rules. This is one of the biggest mistakes a believer can make. It is not a set of rules, but a royal proclamation by the Son of God that His Father is acting within the world to establish His Kingdom. Jesus is explaining to all who can hear his words that there is a new way of being God’s people; A new way of being human.

Reconciliation

2011-06-13T21:38:00.000+01:00

Let us look at the words of confession and reflect on what their meaning is. We often hear the words "Offence" and "Transgression" but do we truthfully realise that these mean the choice to break a known command. We also hear the word "Sin" and often say it to others without really being aware that it describes an action that falls short of displaying genuine human kindness or love for another. "Guilt" and "Iniquity" are words that describe that the murky things that are within a person where there should be clarity and openness. "Deceit" is the way in which we often attempt to pretend all is well when it is not; a very real problem in this modern society. We are all guilty of these things in our lives and need confession so that we may earn forgiveness.
Forgiveness, however, is not just a matter of bringing the moral balance back to level, like bringing a debt back to a balance of zero. Confession is an opportunity for us all to hear afresh the word of God. To be in His holy presence and open to his soft whispers of encouragement and gentle nudges to stand and resist temptation. For all of us who call ourselves disciples of Christ the Sacrament of Reconciliation is vital for our own honesty and spiritual survival. It is not a Sacrament established by a harsh God who enjoys finding fault with us or pointing an accusing finger at us. It is a Sacrament established by a loving God who wants us all to know the joy of being cleansed and prepared for all those good things that he wishes to grant us.

Resisting Temptation

2011-06-13T21:18:00.000+01:00

Part of the discipline of meditation is to learn how we can recognise those flashing impulses, those whispering voices, for what they are and replace them with the courage to resist by reading the scripture. All of us are a part of the on-going battle to establish the rule of Heaven on earth. We should rejoice in every successful battle won against temptation because this is another step on the road to ultimate victory over evil.

Embracing God

2011-04-11T15:13:00.000+01:00

The Baptismal Journey

Introduction:

Despite what some people may believe baptism did not originate in the River Jordan with John the Baptist. Rather, it was instituted after the death, resurrection and subsequent visit of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples at Pentecost. Encouraged and strengthened by the Holy Spirit they went out into the streets preaching the “Good News” of Christ’s resurrection without fear, and began to baptise the many thousands who accepted their message of salvation into their hearts. When asked by his listeners, what should they do to be saved, Peter replied: “Repent, and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts.2:38-39)

As the ‘Good News’ spread out into the world its message attracted many from various philosophical, religious and cultural backgrounds. Those who were attracted by the Christian ethos of sharing and caring for one another in an equalitarian way sought out those who could help them to become part of this new faith. But, to become members of this Christian family they would first need to gain the support of a Christian who would sponsor their formation (Catechumenate), which would lead to their eventual presentation for baptism. Taking their role very seriously, the sponsors would play an active role in the formation because they were guarantors of the candidate’s sincerity and gave witness to their lifestyle. After a considerable period of preparation, and only when the time was right for both parties, was the catechumen presented for baptism at the annual festival, usually Easter.

TheBaptismal Journey and its Symbols:

“Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae Spiritualis ianua), and the door that gives access to the other sacraments.” It is through Christ’s love for us that He instituted the sacrament of baptism, planting within us the seed of a spiritual life that will grow and transform us from being creatures of nature to adoption as the sons and daughters of God. It is the beginning of a journey of faith during which we are sustained by embracing all the gifts and love that the Father can give.

The Door of Welcome: Because baptism itself is the beginning of a journey so the rite follows a distinctive path. The first step is the “Door of Welcome”, which can be regarded as a symbol of the door upon which those seeking entry into the Christian family first knocked seeking help. Even today we Christians do not turn people in need from our door. So it is that the priest or deacon, representing the Christian family, greets the child who is to be baptised at the door of the church and welcome them into God’s house. The parents are asked to name the child they wish to be sponsored for membership to God’s family. Then they are asked “What do you ask of God’s Church for your child?” By answering, “Baptism” the parents are reminded that by asking for admittance into God’s family for his child they are accepting the responsibility of training the child in the practise of the faith. It is made clear that they are to raise the child in line with the teachings of Christ and his Church. Only by answering that they understand and accept these responsibilities is the child accepted as a candidate for baptism. On the forehead of the child the priest or deacon traces the “Sign of the Cross”, inviting parents and sponsors to do the same. This is a sign of acceptance, of possession, in which: “Christ, through this sign of victory, laid his hand on the one being baptised, who received the cross traced on the forehead just as in antiquity slaves had a mark of ownership branded on their foreheads”.

The Ambo – The Word of God: In the early Church those who had proved themselves to be worthy, through the witness of their sponsors, now began doctrinal instruction. They were allowed to listen to the words of scripture and hear them being explained alongside other teachings that were an integral part of the church’s tradition. Today, when we celebrate the sacraments, the Word of God is an essential part of the liturgy. Readings with special relevance to the meaning of baptism are selected. The priest, or deacon, then gives a short homily explaining the readings, the importance of baptism and the important role that each participant plays in the child’s life. The “Liturgy of the Word” now ends with a series of “Intercessory Prayers” for those who are to be baptised, their parents, their sponsors, their families and the wider family of the Church. Since we are all called upon, through our baptism to live lives of saintliness, we pray to the communion of saints for their assistance.

The Oil of Catechumens: As part of their preparation for baptism catechumens underwent a series of exorcisms over several Sundays prior to Baptism. The prayers of exorcism were designed to remove evil spirits. They were prayed over, blessed, anointed with oil, signed with the Cross on various parts of their bodies, and blown on by Bishops with the “breath of the Holy Spirit”. The oil traditionally used for this anointing is olive oil and is blessed by the Bishop, along with other sacramental oils, on Holy Thursday and becomes known as the “Oil of Catechumens.”

As well as water, oils are one of life’s essentials, and we use oils for a variety of purposes in our every day lives, especially as protection. “The Oil of Catechumens” is, therefore, a symbol of protection to ward off evil. In the Rite of Initiation for Children the prayer of exorcism is one seeking that the child be freed from original sin, making them a temple of the Holy Spirit. They are then anointed on the chest. But, it is in the anointing of adults that we discover the real meaning of the anointing. The assembly prays that the catechumen will be given the strength of wisdom to understand the gospel and to readily accept the challenges of Christian life. The faith of the Church is then spoken aloud as the parents and sponsors renew their own baptismal vows contained in the Creed.

The Font – Baptism with Water: We arrive now at the point in the baptismal liturgy where the most recognisable symbol is used i.e. Water. The use of water within sacred rites, however, can be traced back to ancient Babylon, Assyria, Egypt, Greece, Rome and many other cultures. Though, from the historical record, these acts of washing were simply acts of purification. This was also true in Judaism, and the Old Testament tells us that any Jew considered unclean, through acts such as the touching of dead bodies, is prevented from active participation in the Worship until washed clean in the “pool of purification” or “Mikvah” (Lev.5:11) . Later, this rite of purification was included in the initiation rites for those “Gentiles” seeking to become Jews, alongside circumcision and sacrifice.

The word “Baptism” is itself derived from the Greek word “Baptizo”, meaning “to wash” or “to immerse in water”. The full immersion of the initiate was the norm at the time of Christ and it is likely that Jesus experienced this method when he underwent baptism from John, prior to setting out on his ministry. But the emphasis of John’s baptism was repentance and preparing the way for the Messiah who was to come. Jesus is that promised Messiah, pure and sinless, yet he chose to undergo this form of baptism to establish: “his solidarity with those who were the objects of John’s preaching, the faithful remnant of Israel.”

The water used for baptism is blessed at each celebration of the sacrament, fresh, pure and ready for the important use it is to be put to. It is the central symbol that creates a union between the one baptising and the one being baptised, as well as with all those present i.e. that God through our action will make present and effective, for the sake of the one being baptised, all of God’s saving actions past and future. The theological importance of this blessing is based in: “the wonderful works of God from the creation of the world and the human race to the mystery of God’s love (Anamnesis); then by calling on the Holy Spirit and by announcing of the death and rising of Christ, the newness of the washing of regeneration by the Lord is taught; through baptism we share in his death and rising and are made holy people of God (Epiclesis)”

After it is blessed the water is poured over the head of the “elect” in baptism. At the same time the use of the correct form of words is necessary to confer the sacrament i.e. “I baptise you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” These were the form of words left to us by Christ through his disciples and attested to in Matt.29:19. The sacrament now validly conferred makes an indelible and spiritual mark upon the soul of the newly baptised Christian. St. Augustine compared this mark to that which was commonly imprinted upon the soldiers of the Roman Legions, reminding the bearer of the duty he had vowed to complete with strength, bravery and honour.

The Oil of Chrism: There is now the second anointing with a Holy Oil; the Oil of Chrism. It is traditionally made from Olive Oil and is scented with a sweet perfume, usually balsam. The name itself is derived from the Greek “chrisma”, designating any and every substance that served the purpose of smearing or anointing, and is used in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation (chrismation) and holy orders. This holy oil symbolises the seal of the covenant of baptism, and God’s promises to the Christian who is anointed. It signals the fact that the gifts of the Holy Spirit have been given to this new member of Christ’s body, the Church. The importance of this baptismal anointing is recorded by several of the early Church Fathers, but it was Pope Innocent I who declared that Chrism is to be applied to the crown of the person’s head rather than the person’s forehead. This latter area is reserved for the Bishops.

The White Garment: In the early Church after the water in the baptismal pool was blessed, and the catechumens renounced the devil and his ways, one by one they were stripped naked. The men were separated from the women and assisted by deacons, while deaconesses took care of the female catechumens. Coming out of the pool they were anointed with Chrism and given a white garment to wear before returning to the congregation. It is a sign that as new Christians (neophytes) their sinful ways were cast off and they now put on Christ. In the secular world, besides being useful for protection and warmth, clothes often express who we are and what we aspire to be. The colour white symbolises resurrection and in dressing in white the neophytes acknowledge the life of the resurrected Jesus, and that his spirit is now within them. The stain of original sin has been washed away and the white garment demonstrates that through this sacrament they have become a new creation; a member of God’s family; an heir to the kingdom of God.

The Candle: With the words, “Receive the light of Christ” a baptismal candle is entrusted to the parents and godparents of the neophyte. This is a special candle, lit from the paschal candle that symbolises the light of Christ in the world, which the parents and godparents are to keep burning brightly. Like the paschal candle, the baptismal candle is a reminder to all that we are baptised into Easter, the death and resurrection of Jesus. The intention is for the parents to take the candle home with them. In many cases our Christian homes are devoid of sacred symbols. The candle reminds everyone that the light of Christ has been lit in the child’s life. It is now the responsibility of the parents and godparents to keep this flame burning brightly by example in word and deed.

The Altar – a family celebrating together: The person who had been brought to the Church for baptism has now come to the end of their journey. They are no longer a child of nature, but have become a child of God and filled with the Holy Spirit. As a new member of the Body of Christ the neophyte is now brought to the altar, which represents the centre of the community’s spiritual life. With other members of their new and wider family they gather to say the prayer which Christ taught us. It is a defining moment in the new life of this child of God and the baptismal journey comes to an end with a series of blessings for the mothers of the children, the fathers of the children, and the community as a whole.

Conclusion:

St. Paul, in his letters to the various new assemblies of Christians throughout Asia Minor, provides the beginnings of the theology behind this important sacrament in the life of the Church. He explains, among other things, that through baptism in water we join Christ in dying to sin, and then arise to a changed and redeemed life: “when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.” (Col.2:12). He also taught that baptism is an act of repentance and faith, which cleanses us for our entry into the greater family of Christ, from whom we will receive encouragement to prepare ourselves and others for the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth. But it is not the pouring of water, nor is it the water itself, that cleanses our souls of sin. They are cleansed of sin only by a combination of the action, the symbol and the word, specifically the words Jesus left us: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”(Matt.28:19). That is the mission of all the baptised.

Trust in God??

2011-03-21T16:28:00.000Z

We are well into the season of Lent, which is our time of preparation for the resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday. It is a time when God speaks to us through a variety of means and asks us to put aside our usual reaction to His requests. God asks us to listen humbly to what he has to tell us and act upon those words without knowing exactly what result our actions will achieve.

There have been times when we have prayed to God for something and it seemed we have received no answer. We have went to the well and found it dry, and some have decided to find another well, while others have persevered for the water to return and refresh them. Persevere then and there will come a time when God will speak to you and in a way that you will least expect. What is more He will ask you to undertake some task on His behalf, after all God has no hands on this earth but yours, no feet but yours and no voice but yours. Our only problem is that our minds and attention is so taken up with the materialistic concerns of this world that they become an obstacle to keeping our minds open for God's word to us.

There are some who believe that they will experience God speaking to them through some great mystical experience in their lives. Nothing could be further from the truth for God speaks to us all in so many ways, especially in the simple ordinary bits and pieces of our everyday life. Don't fill your mind with preconceived ideas of how God may want you to act, or what role he wishes you to play in establishing his kingdom on earth. Find a quiet place, clear your mind, close your mouth and open your ears. God will speak to your heart and invite you to carry out some task for him that will help spread his "Good News". Don't concern yourself with how you can carry out the task, or what other people will think or say about you. Simply trust God knows how his Word and action in the world will be achieved, and provide you with the necessary tools and strength.

I remeber an exercise in team-work in which I had to close my eyes and fall backward, trusting that my partner would be there to catch me. You can see that I had doubts and concerns. I did not want to be made a fool of and fall on my backside, with no support and all around me laughing. With God we don't need to have any of these concerns. He stands behind us and will support us when we fall; He will walk beside us to give us courage in times of difficulty; and he will carry us in those moments when we feel we cannot go on any more. Just trust in God.

Prayer

2011-03-14T15:13:00.000Z

God created all of us in his own image and scripture consistently demonstrates how, as our creator, he makes every effort to bring us closer to Him. In my opinion, therefore, the key points of prayer are those concerning how we can respond to God’s efforts to build a much more intimate relationship with Him. Prayer, conversing with God, is a major means of building this relationship with God, but many fail to use it. This is not surprising when we look at the various definitions of prayer given to us. One definition states that prayer is: “the application of the mind to Divine things, not merely to acquire knowledge of them but to make use of such knowledge as a means of union with God.” The Catechism tells us: “prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God, or the requesting of good things from God.” (CCC2559). However, O’Donnell keeps the definition much simpler by expressing his opinion that: “Prayer is coming before God, as we are to express our situation.” (“The Human Being as Prayer” :“Worship Prayer and Ritual” ; Dublin, Veritas, 2004)

As with any relationship, our relationship with God can be affected by many things including our temperament, our energy, our view of the world in which we live, and our opinion of the person with whom we seek a relationship. We should recognise these facts and understand that one’s situation can change from moment to moment, and affect our relationship with God accordingly and our image of Him. We can be angry because we believe he has let us down; we can see Him as a tyrant or a judge of our lives; or we can be thankful for what he has done for us, or we can have faith that God will grant us what we truly need. Perseverance, however, is the key to opening more intimate relationship with God, even when we feel He is not answering us.

Personally I feel the most important insight in this world of conflict is just how much the teaching on prayer is similar to both Christian and Muslim. We both recognise that God does not need our prayers, because he alone is free from all needs. But God, in his infinite goodness, has given us the gift of prayer to allow us to respond freely to the fulfilment of his promise of salvation, completed in Christ. Christopher O’Donnell has outlined five good reasons within Islam that should encourage the faithful to pray. There is none among those five reasons with which a Christian can disagree. The strengthening of faith in God is vital through prayer for both the Christian and the Muslim. In this the Catechism teaches us: “as God gradually reveals man to himself, prayer appears a reciprocal call, a covenant drama. Through words and actions, the drama engages the heart” (CCC2567).

St. Paul tells us: “Pray without ceasing” (1Thess. 5:17). He knew then, as do the people of Islam know now, that prayer has a healing purpose in that: “it purifies the heart and develops the mind, cultivates the conscience and comforts the soul.” This healing process is greatly helped by the fact that when we pray to God we can free our conscience by confessing that we are greatly in need of his help or extremely grateful for the help he has already given us. The Christian believes, as does the Muslim that constant prayer instils good and decent things in man, blocking any evil or indecent thoughts that want to corrupt us. We are told in the Catechism that the heart is the place of truth, the dwelling place of God and it is where our decisions are made. (CCC2563). Prayer is a two way communication between ourselves and God the Father, encouraged by Christ and inspired by the Holy Spirit.

For those of us who have built a prayer-life for ourselves there are two methods of praying i.e. Vocally or Contemplatively. The majority of the faithful usually pray vocally and, for the most part, use the formal prayers laid down by their faith community, or in various prayer books. It is my experience, however, that many people use reflective prayer or a mixture of both. This method uses a spiritual reading, taken from scripture, or other source, which is reflected upon in the light of God’ intentions for us, and our acceptance of His intentions.

It is our good fortune that we have been left a perfect example of prayer that we can use in its current form, or use it as a template for the creation of our own prayers. The greatness of this prayer lies in the way it shows that: “we can invoke God as “Father” because he is revealed to us by His Son ...” (CCC2780). This, “The Lord’s Prayer” contains all the elements that good prayer requires i.e. Praise, Thanksgiving and Petition. In the "Lord's Prayer" there are seven petitions; the first three directed to God and the last four petitions express human needs. Most importantly, however, “The Lord’s Prayer” is a wonderful example of how prayer initiates and nurtures a relationship with God, for us His children.

A petition is a request to God asking him to fulfil our needs, and the needs of others. We should, therefore, be encouraged not to exclude any part of our lives from prayer. A relationship means that we make the other person an intimate part of our life; to be a part of our joys and sorrows, our successes and our failures, our hopes and our fears. We must be ready to give some praise to the person who wants to be a part of our life and is willing to help us in our need, even if it is only listening to us. One can be sure of quiet times, when God just listens to us, like any good friend or father would. For this reason alone we should offer Him praise, as well as for those times when it is obvious He has answered our needs, though maybe not in the way we expected. In conclusion,then, we should realise that prayer is good for us because: “Just as the life of the body droops and is stunted when the conditions of its growth are not observed, so it is with spiritual and religious life – it sickens, losing its vigour, strength and unity.”

Revelation: A view

2011-02-28T17:49:00.000Z

This is, perhaps, one of the most difficult topics I have yet been asked to write about. There seems to be so many ideas and so many theories, regarding what revelation is, that the entire subject can end up being very confusing to the untrained lay person. The best way, I suppose, is to try and keep it simple and explain my understanding of the term “revelation”, beginning with some kind of definition of the term. There are few, in my opinion, who will argue with Dermot Lane’s statement that: “Good theology is indispensible to the life of the Church,” and, “Revelation is the foundation of theology.” If we can agree with these statements then we must agree that the entire concept of “revelation” requires a very careful study before we can achieve an understanding of it.

It is possible that many people encounter the term “Revelation” more within the pages of the Sunday Tabloids than at Sunday Mass. Sadly for these people the term has come to mean some scandalous event or fact that is opened up to public scrutiny, which would otherwise remain unknown or a mystery. When it comes to Scripture most of these same people think more about the “Book of Revelation” for their definition. The revelation, as it is given to John the Evangelist, is concerned with the end of times and is not the fullness of the term “Revelation”. This book of the New Testament is subtitled “The Apocalypse” which, because of the content of the book, has become associated with great destruction or the final days. “Apocalypse”, however, is a word derived from the Greek word meaning: “to draw back the veil/curtain” and so it is also the meaning of “Revelation.” But “Divine Revelation”, which is the subject of this essay, means something much, much more. “Revelation” on its own can be a drawing back of the curtain willingly or without permission. “Divine Revelation, however, is better defined as: “the communication of some truth by God to a rational creature (“Man”) through means which are beyond the ordinary course of nature.” St. Paul adds: “for he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ.”(Eph.1:9)

“Revelation” then is the foundation of theology (see above) because it is the exploration of those means and methods which God uses to reveal his entirety to mankind. Through this “Revelation” God communicates to us directly in a wide variety of ways or media. He does not just reveal Himself through the Apostles and Prophets who speak to us through the scriptures. Rather God’s “Revelation” is an on-going process that does not end with the experiences of the prophets or the Apostles, but continues through our own personal experiences of God and His continuous communication with our world. We can, therefore, quite readily accept the statement that: “Revelation conveys or attempts to explore the idea that God has chosen to be known and has made this possible through self-disclosure in nature and human history”, and also that: “Knowledge of God gained through revelation is not merely informational it includes that, but is much more.”

The noted Anglican Theologian, Alister McGrath, reminds us: “The concept of Revelation was of central importance to traditional Christian theology. While many theologians (e.g. Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin) recognised the possibility of a natural knowledge of God, they insisted that this required supplementation by supernatural divine revelation such as is witnessed in the scriptures.” Divine Revelation can, then, be defined as a demonstration of God’s desire to save mankind from sin and bring us into his eternal kingdom. While we readily accept that God’s Revelation is expressed by His presence in our world, we must also admit to ourselves that although he reveals Himself by His presence, God still remains very much a mystery to all of us. The question then arises of how we mere mortals can hope to have any kind of a personal relationship with God, and witness His very real presence. The answer to our question lies within our own history. The Bible relates: “No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.” (Jn. 1:18) Even before the Incarnation, the Word of God made Flesh in Christ, the Bible tells us that God chose to communicate with his people through creation and his actions in the every day lives of his chosen people. Dermot Lane explains to us that: “God deals with people as they are. He takes the human condition as it is and draws it to perfection in grace.” But, because we are all created uniquely, we each will undergo our own unique experiences. Nevertheless, these unique individual experiences are essential to God’s Revelation to us because they need to be accepted and acknowledged by the recipient if God’s Revelation is to be successfully communicated to others. Some call these encounters with the mystery of God “religious experiences”, but these are God revealing himself to us in the ordinary, everyday events of our lives that make us aware of truth, beauty, and the reason for our existence. Karl Rahner, an eminent theologian, suggests that these personal revelations give us spiritual renewal because they “can represent a new devotion, exhort us to penitence, communicate certain instructions, put us on guard against some doctrine, recommend a spiritual instruction or a kind of spirituality, etc.”

Having defined Revelation as “the exploration of those means and methods which God uses to reveal his entirety to mankind”, we can now look at the methods God has used in the past as well as those means currently in use. However, before we start our search it is important that we should realise that Revelation “is already complete” but “it has not been made completely explicit.” Put more simply, God’s revelation is complete in his “Word”, i.e. the incarnation of Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the words of God as put into the mouth of the prophet Isaiah: “so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Is.55:11). We see the truth of this in the gospels of the New Testament.

In the years between Vatican I and Vatican II there appears to have been little debate upon the theology of Revelation within the Catholic Church. It was considered that “revelation” was a clear deposit of truths which the Church leadership believed had to be guarded very closely against any possible misinterpretation. At Vatican II, however, there came about a significant shift of emphasis in the understanding of revelation. This shift in emphasis resulted in the Council promulgating “Dei Verbum”, which many theologians, including Dermot Lane and Robert Murray, consider to be, theologically, the most fundamental of the documents of Vatican II. Murray, in fact is of the opinion that “Dei Verbum” is: “a credible account of how God’s word acts in history, from the first formation of human language through the gradual process of understanding, under changing historical conditions, and as the Holy Spirit gives new insights.”

“Dei Verbum” explains to its readers that: “It pleased God, in his goodness and wisdom, to reveal himself and to make known the mystery of his will ... which was that people can draw near to the Father, through Christ, the Word made flesh, in the Holy Spirit, and thus become sharers in the divine nature.” Simply put , Revelation is complete in the person of Jesus Christ, as we have already discovered. But, although complete, Revelation has not ceased and will not cease, because changing conditions constantly encourage the Holy Spirit to give us new insights into God’s revelation to us.

“...the theology of revelation sets out to narrate the story of God’s activity in the world and to describe how people have experienced and responded in faith to this divine presence.” Accepting that this is so then we can also accept the fact that the Apostles of Christ were the first to experience the reality of God’s revelation, and to be entrusted by Christ to spread the “Good News” through their preaching, teaching and, eventually, their writings. In the New Testament we are told that Jesus personally instructed his apostles: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” (Mt. 28:20). In this way the transmission of divine revelation was carried out in the first generation of Christians. But, to ensure that this ‘Good News’ should continue in its original form and become alive for those who make up the Church, the Apostles endowed the bishops as their successors, with the authority to teach the “Revealed Truths” in their stead.

Through the deliberations that were conducted at Vatican II we, within the Church, have come to understand that Tradition and Sacred Scripture support and complete each other in the transmission of divine revelation to the faithful. “What was handed on by the Apostles includes everything which contributes to the holiness of life and increase faith of the people of God.” In this way the faithful come to learn and retain a much better understanding of experiences they have of God in their life. As well as teaching we learn through the preaching of those who have received the ”Truth” as it was handed down from the Apostles i.e. The Magisterium of the Church.

When we consider the term “Tradition” we must always be careful that we do not confuse its meaning with that of “tradition”. Put simply, the former can be said to be that which is handed down through “Apostolic Succession” (e.g. The Immaculate Conception, while the latter can be better described as a disciplinary thing (e.g. Priestly Celibacy), which are always under the influence of “Tradition”, but may be changed, modified or altogether abandoned by the Magisterium. Our submission to the teaching of the Magisterium is derived from our obedience to the Word of God as spoken by Christ to his apostles: “He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” (Lk 10:16).

The institutional Church, for the want of a better word, exercises her teaching authority by defining dogmas which are binding upon all the faithful. These Dogmas have been built up, from the time of the Apostles through the “Apostolic Succession” and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, into a deposit of “revealed Truths”. Thus, by allowing ourselves to be guided in a “Spirit of Truth” by the Magisterium of the Church we are opening ourselves to a much better knowledge of, and a deeper faith, in God. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church we are instructed that: “it is clear therefore that, in the supremely wise arrangement of God, Sacred Tradition, Sacred Scripture, and the Magisterium of the Church are so connected and associated that one of them cannot stand without the others.” . The proof of such a statement as this undoubtedly lies with those questioning souls who would attempt to gain some revelation by using scripture, without the guidance of Tradition and the Magisterium. Revelation, unfortunately, would not be theirs because each would come to their own conclusion and conclusions made in this way are only opinions. Christ, however, is Truth, the Revelation of God in its completeness, and personal opinions do not reflect this Truth.

St Augustine of Hippo and His Time

2011-01-22T17:49:00.000Z

Perhaps one of the greatest voices in the early Christian Church is that of Saint Augustine of Hippo, a prolific writer and theologian. Documents written by Augustine, such as his autobiography “Confessions”, provide us with information about the Saint’s life, and demonstrate the richness of his prose. He was born Augustine Aurelius in November 354 C.E. at Thagaste, which is now part of Algeria, the son of a minor Roman official in the city called Patricius. While his father remained tied to the polytheistic beliefs of the “Old Empire”, Augustine’s mother Monica was a pious and devout Christian, who was determined that her son would be raised in the Christian faith. Augustine recalls this time in his “Confessions”: “From my tenderest infancy, I had in a manner sucked with my mother’s milk that name of my Saviour, Thy Son; I kept it in the recesses of my heart; and all that presented itself to me without that Divine Name, though it might be elegant, well written, and even replete with truth, did not altogether carry me away.”

Augustine’s father sent him to Carthage, still a great and important city within the Empire, to improve his education. Augustine was now sixteen years old and the temptations to be found in such the city were too much to be successfully resisted, and he began to enjoy as many as he could. It was also at this time that he formed a liaison with a woman of Carthage that was to last for fifteen years and who would bear him a son he called Adeodatus. His time in Carthage also brought great pressure upon the faith and morals taught to Augustine by his mother. We learn of his interest in the eastern philosophy of Manichaeism, which indicates a young man seeking out the meaning to his life This philosophy was a creation of a Persian mystic called Mani, who combined both Christian and Gnostic elements into his dualist sect. Mani taught that there was a constant battle being fought between the forces of light and dark, flesh and the spirit. Augustine was only nineteen years of age when he began his fascination with this new philosophy that taught moral irresponsibility was not the fault of the person committing the sin, but was attributable to the battle between good and evil for his soul. In defending such a theory Augustine honed his intellectual and literary talents.

In 370 C.E. Augustine’s father died but had accepted baptism into the Christian faith before his passing. Monica, however, was much poorer than before and thanks to the effort of a neighbour and friend the continuing cost of Augustine’s studies were met. Finishing his studies Augustine decided to teach in Carthage and his reputation in the city grew quite quickly. But he also began to take a fresh look at the beliefs behind Manichaeism, becoming very disenchanted with them. Augustine was now 29 years old and was concerned about his, and he decided to leave Carthage for Rome, where he would open a school of rhetoric. But Augustine was quickly disillusioned by the Imperial city, finding the students untrustworthy because they defrauded him by not paying his tuition fees, although they had attended his classes. Augustine now found himself in financial difficulties and he applied for a vacant position in Milan, which he obtained. Monica joined her son in Milan and pressed him to take a bride from a respected family who would be worthy of his new position. Augustine declined, though he did dismissed the mother of Adeodatus, and sent her back to North Africa,

Augustine began asking himself some heart-searching questions about life, and hearing about the oratorical gifts of Bishop Ambrose of Milan he sought him out. Though drawn to Neo-Platonist philosophy, Augustine also found his interest in Christianity re-awakened. For the next three years, he became a Catechumen of the Church, struggling in mind and soul for the truth to the meaning of his life. It is told by some that, in September 386, Augustine was seated in the garden of a friend when he heard a “voice like that of a child, singing over and over, “Take up and read! Take up and read!”” He took up a book containing the epistle of St. Paul to the Romans and, opening the book, he immediately read: “let us live honourably as in the day, not in revelling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” He felt as though the words were speaking to him and a new light removed the darkness of doubt, that had clouded his heart and mind, to reveal the certainty that Jesus Christ is the only to truth and salvation . Finally Augustine came to accept baptism and received the sacrament with Adeodatus at the hands of Bishop Ambrose during the Easter Vigil service in 387 C.E.

Augustine had, by this time, resolved to return to North Africa and seek a quiet life of solitude and meditation. But, in the autumn of 387, as Augustine was about to leave aboard a ship from Ostia his mother, Monica, took very ill and subsequently died. It was one of the most devastating event in Augustine’s life and delayed his return to North Africa in August 388. He returned to Thagaste, where he spent the next three years in quiet devotion and study. Following the example of St. Anthony the Great Augustine withdrew to his family property with some friends and established a small community of men, leading them in a life of prayer, poverty and study of the scriptures.

It appears that Augustine harboured no ambitions for either the priesthood or the episcopacy and he became increasingly concerned about the possibility of being conscripted into one or other post every time he left his small community. But, in 391, feeling secure enough to accept an invitation from Bishop Valerius of Hippo to speak in the city he left Thagaste. But, as Augustine listened to Valerius’ homily he heard the Bishop announce that the Church at Hippo was in urgent need of another priest. The assembly immediately took hold of Augustine and despite his protestations presented him to Valerius, who ordained him a priest. Valerius then permitted Augustine’s return to Thagaste, providing land and money to establish a monastery from where Augustine could preach to the faithful. As well as preaching, Augustine launched a campaign against Manichaeism, humiliating one of that heresy’s greatest supporters to the extent that he fled Hippo.

Valerius successfully secured Augustine’s consecration as Bishop to assist him in his work and, a short time later, Valerius died and Augustine succeeded to the See of Hippo, where he would remain for the next thirty-four years. His residence in Hippo became renowned as a place of learning, supplying the founders of many monasteries and several future Bishops. But, at the time Augustine became Bishop, he was faced with the problem of a heretical Christian group that called themselves “Donatists.”

One of the major questions being asked in the Western Church at this time concerned sin, and whether a sinner could be pardoned and remain a true member of the Church. There were those who believed they could not remain part of the Church and, for this reason, they refused to accept any member of the clergy who had been suspected of compromise during the years of persecution in the Empire. At that time the Roman authorities had hoped to destroy the Gospel by burning every copy of the scriptures they could find, and they demanded Christian clergy surrender them or die. Some believed martyrdom was something to be sought in the name of Christ and that these martyrs should be held in great honour by the Church, whatever their character or motives. Mensurius, the Bishop of Carthage, had stated he had given the persecutors copies of heretical books, but opponents refused to believe him, condemning his deceitfulness and giving him and others like him the name “Traditor” (Traitor) .Mensurius’ position was unassailable but when he died his successor, Caecilian, was not recognised by these opponents because he had been consecrated by Mensurius. His opponents then elected their own Bishop, Donatus, after whom the heresy was named. Augustine denounced them as schismatics, declaring that there could be no rival Church to the one true church, and that the sacraments were effective through God’s own grace and not because of the purity or otherwise of the priest . This view was to prevail in North Africa, but the “Donatists” still lingered in small numbers for over two hundred years until the arrival of Islam.

Augustine would also face another, much more dangerous, heresy that began to spread through he Church. Initiated by Pelagius, a monk from Britain, who was forced to flee Rome when Alaric seized the city, he argued that people are detached from the will of God and could earn their way into Heaven without the need for grace. They taught man’s nature is not corrupt; that it is nothing the worse for the fall of our first parents; that man can be good by his own natural power without needing any higher help; that men might live without sin and that many had so lived. Augustine argued that all that Christians receive is from the goodness or grace of God. This grace was necessary in the face of so much evil in the world. Humans, Augustine maintained, had a propensity to sin (concupiscence); without God’s grace demonstrated in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus humans continue to do evil and fail to achieve the good of which they are capable. He could speak from experience, having once lived a dissolute life and realising the need for conversion, or change, of heart. His teachings on grace were to influence the future thinking of the entire Church’s because of the clarity of his arguments and doctrine.

There were a great many subjects to which Augustine turned his attention e.g. the theory of “Just War”, in which he seems to abandon the traditional Christian principles of pacifism and endorse the killing of an aggressor when there is no alternative to the defence of one’s legitimate rights. More surprising, perhaps, is his endorsement of sanctions against heretics which involved torture and death. Finally, in June 430, the Vandals laid siege to Hippo and Augustine, knowing he was dying, retired from public life to prepare for his death which came on 28th August 430 when he was 76.

Paul the Pastor

2011-01-22T13:57:00.000Z

In this modern age we look on the role of Pastor as being one who is resident within a community and serving both the spiritual and temporal needs of that community i.e by providing them with leadership in the faith; proclaiming the word of God; and practising the teachings of Christ in both word and deed. To consider Paul as a Pastor in the modern sense we must look beyond his constant travelling from place to place and look at how he maintained contact with those communities he had already established, and guide them along the path of Christ.

Thessalonica was the capital of the Roman Province of Macedonia and a free city. It was a prosperous port on the Aegean Sea and stood along a major land route called “The Egnatian Way”. Thessalonica, then, was an ideal target for Paul’s missionary activity , providing ample opportunity for the word of God to spread out to other places in Greece and farther afield. Unfortunately Paul met opposition within this city and after several weeks he was obliged to leave hurriedly and seek refuge elsewhere, finally settling in the port city of Corinth. He was worried that they would not be confirmed in their faith to face persecution and they would, therefore, abandon this new faith brought to them by Paul. Because he could not return to Thessalonica himself Paul now sent Timothy to assess the situation for him. Timothy was able to report favourably to Paul in Corinth on the situation in Thessalonica and a letter was sent to that Church to encourage them to hold fast against persecution.

In the first three chapters of this first letter to the Church at Thessalonica we witness Paul’s undoubted leadership qualities. We see Paul’s understandable concern that the Church he so recently established may have misunderstood the reason behind Paul’s departure from the city. They may have believed that he left because of fear and abandoned them to their persecutors. Naturally Paul wanted to allay such fears and show his joy and relief at the good news he had received from them through Timothy. He answers questions that had arisen during Timothy’s visit and repeats his teachings on matters where he believes the Church is weak in its understanding. Then, as any good leader would, Paul reveals his innermost feelings for the Church he had established and offers them practical advice on how best they can handle the pressures of persecution. He offers tanks to God for the Church at Thessalonica and its continued growth in the face of opposition: “We give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope.” (1 Th. 1:2-3)

Because Paul’s stay in Thessalonica had been cut short he felt that he had not been able to give the fledgling Church a proper grounding in the faith. He was able to use this letter as a means of answering those questions that had been asked of Timothy during his visit to them. It is an opportunity for us to see how Paul deals with a series of matters dealing with ministry in the Church, particularly the proclaiming of ‘The Word’. He reminds us his readers that he had suffered at the hands of persecutors when in Philippi and knew their pain. Paul also reminds us all that the Gospel of Christ is not proclaimed simply to please people but with a desire to serve God. He praised the Church at Thessalonica for the way they had accepted the Word and hoped it would prove an example to others; “You accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.” (1Th. 2:13)

Timothy had reported that the morale in the Church at Thessalonica was still strong, but, as a good Pastor, Paul felt it necessary to remind them how they should behave as members of Christ’s family. He insists that the followers of Christ should live their lives believing God is constantly with them and should demonstrate this to the world. The best way to proclaim ‘The Word’, Paul taught, was to live an upright and good life, and in this way they would attract others to their fellowship and thereby strengthen the Church. However, there were still some misunderstandings about the faith that Paul felt needed clearing up quickly.

Some members of the Church at Thessalonica had, Paul was told, misunderstood the teachings given about Christ’s second coming and the establishment of the Kingdom of God. They had listened to Paul and believed that this event was imminent, but they became confused and wondered if Paradise was at hand then what was the sense in working? As a result these people had become a drain on the community’s resources and like any good minister Paul tackled this problem head-on. He pointed out that Christ could return at any moment, but none could say when that moment would come. If they were to live as followers of Christ, Paul instructed them, they should show their love for others by their actions as well as their words. Every man, therefore, should work with their hands for the benefit and respect of the community instead being a drain on that community’s resources.

Paul felt it was necessary to allay some fears that the members of the Church had about Christ’s return and the end of all things. He had taught them that Christ would, with certainty, return again at some time and that they should always be in a state of preparedness. Although the community understood this teaching there were those who would be alive at the time of Christ’s second coming and would be brought into the Kingdom. However, they were concerned for those who had died in the intervening period and if they would also receive the benefits and blessing of the “Parousia”. Paul comforts them: “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Th. 4:14)

Paul’s Pastoral skills are demonstrated very well as his closes and he offers advice to the Church to be mindful of the relationships among themselves. He also reassures them that God is eternally faithful and reliable, and that they should no longer be discouraged or frightened by opponents, but be confident in the knowledge that God, in his love, was watching over them: “He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” Finally, in the blessing of a Pastor to his flock Paul commends the Church at Thessalonica to the grace of Christ.

Learning Circle X - Paul and 2 Corinthians

2010-12-17T11:56:00.000Z

Introduction:

Just like many of the great trading centres in our world, 1st Century Corinth was like a magnet to those who sought fame and fortune. Sadly many were to find that in Corinth, as elsewhere in the Graeco-Roman world, the wealth lay in the hands of the selected few and they had to resort to varied means of earning a living. The city became a melting pot for a great number of people drawn from all around the Mediterranean world. It was the ideal place for Paul to attempt the establishment of a Christian Church, especially since Corinth was a major centre of Pagan worship, established within a large temple complex dedicated to Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love. Within this huge complex over one thousand temple prostitutes plied their unsavoury trade, adding to the city’s already unenviable reputation for excess and sexual licence.

Historical Context:

Paul gained employment in the city with Prisca and Aquila, two freed slaves of Jewish origin who had been converted to Christianity in Rome. Alongside Paul they worked to establish a solid group of converts from which a Church could be built. After spending years as a travelling missionary Paul had come to realise that he needed a solid group of converts in each city that was capable of financing and facilitating the establishment of a Church. It was, of course, his intention to make the good news of Jesus Christ available to all, irrespective of education or social standing. Being a practical man, however, Paul knew that to realise his aims he would require financially secure companions to assist him in his task.

Paul and his companions found that Corinth was a fertile ground for their teaching. There were some Jews there who were prepared to follow the teachings of Jesus in the belief that it was a Jewish sect and subject to compliance with the laws of Torah. There were also those Paul called ‘God-Fearers’, gentiles who spoke Greek and had Greek names but admired Jewish monotheism though they would not subject themselves to either circumcision or the rigours of the Jewish dietary laws. There were also the pagans who had no experience of monotheistic teachings but became converted through Paul’s preaching. Such a mix of people took to the new religion because it abandoned normal societal restrictions and this could mean opportunity for those willing to take it. Taking everything into consideration the Church in Corinth was an energetic assembly of people; ambitious, self-centred, and competitive.

Purpose:

After many months in the city Paul decided to leave Corinth in order to give the newly established time to develop its own leadership. But, when Paul eventually settled in Ephesus to establish a new Church there, he received disturbing reports from concerning the assembly in Corinth and the path it seemed to be following. To Paul it seemed that everything that could go wrong had gone wrong since his departure from the city. The ambitious and competitive ethos that had been part of the Church since its establishment was now causing divisions among the people into separate groups of followers for Paul, Apollos and Cephas (Peter), even though Cephas had not visited the city. Paul decided that he should send his trusted associate, Timothy, to investigate the situation in Corinth and report back.

A short time after Timothy left on his mission to Corinth a delegation from the city arrived at Ephesus to meet with Paul. They confirmed all that Paul had heard and they also sought clarity on several issues that were causing difficulties within the Church’s membership. They told him about the ‘Spirit People’, who were asserting their authority over the Church because they claimed to be holders of “The Spirit which is God.” (1 Cor. 2:12) It was upon this group that Paul fixed his attention and became convinced that they were the major cause of all the conflicts in the Corinthian Church. Rashly Paul decided to act against this group without first waiting for a report from Timothy and in his anger wrote a letter in which he outlined the ‘Spirit People’ as figures of fun. Although the letter gave answers to some pastoral problems its main theme was a vigorous defence by Paul of his teachings and his interpretation of the good news of Jesus. Needless to say the letter was not well received in Corinth, but for us it provides a small glimpse into the events in one of Christianity’s earliest Churches.

Paul’s Second Letter:

Within six months Paul felt it necessary to send a second letter to Corinth. Timothy had returned from his mission to the city and Paul was very much concerned about the reception of his first letter. Deciding that a visit to Corinth maybe totally unproductive Paul decided the time had come for him to eat some ‘humble pie’ by writing an explanatory letter to the assembly in Corinth that he had hurt so much by his rashness. Being a much less sombre epistle than the first letter, scholars conclude that Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians is one of his most personal communications.

“Judaizers” from the Church at Antioch had gained a foothold in Corinth and were using Paul’s first letter as a weapon against him. Their main line of attack suggested Paul was a traitor and represented no one but himself. In response Paul worded his letter carefully in the hope that through this letter he could deprive the “Judaizers” of their new found base at Corinth. He answered the charges levelled against him by emphasising his care for all the churches he had established for Christ. Paul also assured the Church of his deep desire to establish much better relations with them and reiterated his authority as an apostle. In the first letter he had sent Paul had explained: “I am an apostle and I have seen Jesus, the Lord, and you are my work in the Lord. Although I may not be an apostle for others, at least I am one for you. You are, in the Lord, evidence of my apostleship.” (1 Cor. 9:1-2) Now he reminds them: “We have been guided, not by human motives but, by the Grace of God, especially in relation to you.” (2 Cor. 1:12)

There is no effort by Paul to hide his own human weaknesses, but relates the joyful privilege he feels at being chosen by Christ as his messenger. Nevertheless, Paul launched his quiet assault upon the “Judaizers” who had been undermining his teachings about the ‘New Covenant’ given through Christ. The ‘Old Covenant’ given to Moses, Paul insisted, had not succeeded in establishing a right relationship between God and humanity, but the ‘New Covenant’ given through Jesus had achieved this relationship: “That Ministry was provisory and only had moments of glory; but ours endures with lasting glory.” (2 Cor. 3:11). Using the image of a veil to the Torah, he suggests that Jewish law has placed a barrier to obscure the relationship between man and God. Jesus, on the other hand, is the one who removes this veil for all mankind.

Paul readily admitted his own human weaknesses, likening us all to fragile vessels of clay that can crack and break under the least amount of pressure. He was making the point that God often carries out his plans for humanity by using even the most inadequate of instruments, including himself. But, he is also alluding to the fact that even when these clay vessels break and pour out their treasure, life in God, then God is there to put them back together.

4:16 – 5:10

In these verses we find Paul in motivational mode as he attempts to encourage the Church at Corinth for those times ahead when things would be tough. He had experience enough to know that when one of the Churches began to achieve a modicum of success it usually faced a backlash of persecution. He wanted them to know that in those tough times God does not abandon us but stands with us to assist us with the hardships we face. For us today, in the face of a tough recession and the apparent collapse of our Church, Paul’s words have meaning for us: “Therefore we are not discouraged.” (2 Cor.4:16).

It is incredibly easy for us to become discouraged and quickly lose heart in this modern world that constantly throws so many obstacles in front us. Paul also had obstacles and setbacks to contend with and did not lose heart in his mission, because he knew what was important in his life and what was not important: “So we no longer pay attention to the things that are seen, but to those that are unseen, for the things that we see last for a moment, but that which cannot be seen is eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:18) Our despair, Paul is reminding us, stems from our concern with the material things of life that are only temporary. Instead we should be more concerned with the ‘unseen things’, such as our souls, because they are eternal. In a way Paul is giving us all a stark reminder that we are one day closer to death than yesterday, one breath from standing before our creator and giving account for our stewardship. We require a total belief in God’s fulfilment of the promises he has made to us if we are to realise the ‘unseen things’ like the Kingdom of Heaven. “Faith is the assurance of what we hope for, being certain of what we cannot see.”(Heb. 11:1)

“We know that when our earthly dwelling, or rather our tent, is destroyed we may count on a building from God, a heavenly dwelling not built by human hands, that lasts forever” (2 Cor. 5:1) Isn’t that a fantastic thing to look forward to? We all know that at some time in the future our physical bodies, or ‘tents’, will die and decay but they will be replaced with new dwellings like that given to the resurrected Christ, in which we will remain with God in heaven. This is what Paul yearned for: “Therefore, we long and groan.” (2 Cor. 5:2) We all want to be in that paradise that God has promised and as proof he will keep his promises: “He has given us the Spirit as a pledge of what we are to receive.” (2 Cor. 5:5) and we can see the Spirit working in our world if we open our eyes of faith and seek him. Maybe we don’t see him because we are too pre-occupied with material problems and no longer wish for the completion of God’s purpose for us.

For Paul, as it should be for us, Heaven is a destination we want to reach. But, for Paul, it was also his motivation and he had complete trust in the promises of God; a trust that he could not separate from total obedience to God’s will. There are many among us though who do not have the same trust and would try and separate faith from works as we strive for place in the kingdom. Such thinking was anathema to Paul who believed completely that we should be: “living by faith” (2 Cor. 5:7) and, therefore, receiving what each of us: “deserves for his good or evil deeds.” Our faith then is a living faith of love, through which we can come to view our problems as only temporary obstacles in the wider scheme of things. Like Paul, we too are tasked with a mission from God to act in ways that will create an atmosphere of confidence in God, encouraging others who face the problems we have faced but remain locked in their lonely self-centredness. Paul spoke to the Church at Corinth two thousand years ago but his words are also relevant to many of us today; although times are tough, and might get tougher still, we should never lose heart but be cheered in the knowledge that our God is with us as we meet the challenges that face us.

Learning Circle IX - John and the washing of Feet

2010-12-17T11:48:00.000Z

According to tradition John’s Gospel is placed last among the four canonical gospels of the New Testament, probably because it was the last of the accepted gospels to be completed. This gospel tells the story of the life of Jesus from his baptism until his resurrection, relating how Jesus revealed himself to his followers as the Messiah. But, close inspection finds that the writer of this gospel made very serious efforts to follow an historical order of events in Christ’s life. He appears to give special attention to determining the exact time frame in which any event took place, ensuring the events fitted into that time frame.

Such is the difference between John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels that many doctors of the early church, including Clement of Alexandria, labelled it “The Spiritual Gospel” It is evident from the beginning that this gospel is much more tightly organised than the other gospels, containing much fewer incidents in the life of Jesus while elaborating much more on their meaning. The construction of the gospel is such that many modern scholars divide it into four distinct parts e.g. The Prologue (1:1-18), outlining the doctrine of the Incarnation; The First Book or ‘Book of Signs’ (1:19-12:50), describing the public life of Jesus from his Baptism until the eve of his Passion; The Second Book or ‘Book of Glory’ (13:1 – 21:23), relating the story of his Passion, Death and Resurrection; and finally the Short Epilogue (21:23-25).

When reading the gospel I found myself being almost directed by the writer to reflect upon the real identity of Jesus. David Barr suggests the gospel’s theme in Book one is centred on “the descent of the Word into the world” and with this in mind one can quickly see that this may have indeed been the intention of the gospel’s author. But from Chapter 13 this theme of the gospel changes, with Jesus recognising that his time on earth had come and the recording of the “ascent of Jesus to the Father”. Naturally the other gospels in the New Testament relate the story of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, but John’s Gospel supplements these by concentrating more on the meaning behind the various events within Jesus’ time on earth. Some consider it to be a more poetic portrayal of Christ’s life, but the main theme running through this gospel is one of unconditional love: “Yes, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in Him may not be lost, but may have eternal life” (Jn. 3:16)

There appears to be agreement that the writer of this particular gospel was undoubtedly a Palestinian Jew, and that he was versed in the Greek used by the ‘Upper Classes’ of first century Middle Eastern Society. From the way he shows an accurate knowledge of the geography and the social conditions in Palestine at this time appears to demonstrate where he came from. From the detailed description of events in his writing there appears to be little doubt that the writer knew Jesus personally, or was at least a first hand witness to these events. All things considered there seems to be agreement among scholars that the author of this gospel is likely to have been the Apostle John though the text of the Gospel does not specifically name him.

While many great scholars, such as Saint Irenaeus, accept John wrote this Gospel while residing at Ephesus, there are some who dispute this authorship. Some biblical scholars in the ‘Age of Enlightenment’ suggested that the Gospel emphasised and clearly demonstrated the divinity of Jesus in its main theme and could not, therefore, have been written by a person in the first century. From my point of view it seems dubious to dismiss John as the author simply because he performed his task too well. Moreover, ancient manuscripts and translations name, without doubt, John as the author. Origen, an important leader within the early Church, knew and recorded the tradition that John was indeed the last of the Evangelists to compose his Gospel, and that it was written sometime in the last decade of the First Century C.E. But, with the Gospels of Mark, Mathew and Luke already in circulation among the Christian assemblies one must ask why John thought it was necessary for him to compose a fourth gospel. In my opinion his reasons did not include seeking self-aggrandisement or money. Instead I tend to accept the intention given within the text of his Gospel: “These are recorded, so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (Jn. 20:31)

Those who first read the Gospel of John were most likely second and third generation Christians living in the Region of Asia Minor. The very fact that most of these were established communities persuaded John that there was no need to initiate these people in the basics of their faith. Instead he appears to have concentrated his efforts in confirming these basics of faith and strengthening them against a growing number of opponents. John was undoubtedly familiar with the other gospels that had been written and, therefore, assumed that these Synoptic stories were already well known within the various Christian assemblies of the region. However, faith in the person and divinity of Jesus was already coming under severe pressure from several movements within the Church which were considered heretical. Knowledge of these heretical teachings was undoubtedly the spark which fired John into action. He must have felt that the spiritual needs of the Christian communities needed to be supplemented by a deeper understanding of Jesus as both God and man. This may have been the reason why John’s gospel takes great pains to relate and dissect the teachings of Christ. John understood his best weapon against heretics was to emphasise the truths concerning Jesus and his teachings; to relate the words and actions through which the Christ is revealed to the world as the Son of God and Saviour.

“On the whole, the Evangelist reveals a close intimacy with the Hellenistic speech of the first century of our era, which receives at his hands in certain expressions a Hebrew turn. His literary style is deservedly lauded for its noble, natural and not inartistic simplicity. He combines in harmonious fashion the rustic speech of the Synoptics with the urban phraseology of St. Paul.”

While the first part of John’s Gospel concentrates on the signs given by Christ during his ministry, the second part concerns itself with Christ’s fulfilment of these signs i.e. the coming of the hour in which his glory would be shown to all. The attention of the reader is immediately attracted to the manner in which John seems to confine his story to those events which occurred in Judea and Jerusalem. Then he continues to differ from the other Evangelists in the events and actions he chooses to relate to the reader. John only relates a few of Christ’s miracles, preferring to devote his attention less to the works than to the actual words of Jesus. From the manner in which he tells his story it is as if this gospel takes upon itself a more theological aspect, centring as it does on the person of Jesus. While still happy to relate at least some of Christ’s miracles John prefers to give a much more profound understanding of the teachings of Christ. This is demonstrated throughout the gospel in the way that each incident begins with an action by Jesus, followed by a conversation with someone who misunderstands the meaning of the action, and ends with Jesus giving the solution in a form of a monologue. It in this manner that the reader learns that Jesus is “The True Bread”, “The Living Water”, “The True Light”, and “The Good Shepherd.”

As previously pointed out the first part of the Gospel speaks more to “light and life”, while the second part emphasises “love.” Jesus’ last meal with his disciples is turned into an occasion on how to demonstrate love to others, and John uses the story to give a prolonged Monologue by Jesus. Then, after telling the story of Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection, the gospel reaches its climax with a general declaration on its content i.e. “There were many other signs that Jesus gave in the presence of his disciples, but they are not recorded in this book. These are recorded, so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Believe, and you will have life through his name!” (Jn. 20:30-31).

“The Book of Signs” the first part of the Gospel of John ends with the death of Jesus’ friend Lazarus, and his restoration to life by Jesus. By using this incident it seems John wanted the reader to be able to relate this story to the way the narrative now begins to tell of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection. In John’s gospel plan the descent of the Son from the Father has been completed i.e. that the Word has become flesh, and through his words and deeds he has demonstrated the glory of God. For John the time has come to relate how the Son returned to the Father.

The second part of the Gospel begins with the farewell teachings given by Jesus to his disciples at their last supper together. This is the section that most interests us in this essay and we find that, as in previous chapters, each of the teachings of Jesus begins with him performing a miracle. On this occasion, however, the miraculous event is replaced by the extraordinary scene of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. It is an unusual gesture even for the time in which it is set, but it can provide two very important lessons to us. Firstly it reminds us of the need to purify ourselves before participate in the Eucharist, much like the Apostles in that upper-room two-thousand years ago. Secondly, the gesture is a lesson to us that no matter how superior we believe our status in society to be we, as Christians, have a commitment to love and we must, at all times, be ready to put that commitment in practice.

Henceforth there are no more signs, in the sense of miracles being performed, though we must remember that all that Jesus says and does is a sign in itself. In an effort to highlight the great importance of this second part of the Gospel John now slows down his narration. The first part of the Gospel covered a time-frame of several years while this second part will cover a period of twenty-four hours in seven chapters. The attention of the reader is drawn to the idea that an act of divine deliverance is about to take place, with Jesus becoming the Passover Lamb, giving his life as a sacrifice for the redemption of the sins of his people. At the start of 13:1 Jesus gathers his closest companions around him in a place where they could share a last meal with each other and he could strengthen their faith for the difficult time ahead. Jesus was fully aware that his hour had come and realised that very soon his disciples would be left to face a daunting future without his physical presence. The surprise for those who have read the other gospels to this point is that John does not mention the Last Supper; the institution of the Eucharist; or the agony as Jesus prayed in Gethsemane. He probably knows that these scenes are familiar to the majority of Christians who have read the other gospels, and he feels it is only necessary to relate the story about the final gathering on the night before Jesus was arrested. He reveals, however, how Judas is shown to be the betrayer as the group eat and celebrate the Passover meal, but instead of the institution of the Eucharist John decides to talk about Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. Through this action Jesus prepares his friends for the betrayal by one of their number, his death and his final departure from among them. John makes this the key to Jesus’ teachings from this moment on, telling his disciples things now which are for their future guidance in the time without him. For us, reading this Gospel John must have intended for us to put ourselves into the place of the disciples and listen to his advice. Leaving out the Eucharist does not mean that John was being anti-sacramental. Rather we should see the loving act of washing his disciples’ feet as being an allusion to the Eucharist because it demonstrates Jesus’ humility and wish to minister to all.

At this time in history it was common for poor to walk barefoot, while only those who could afford to do so wore sandals. In the Jewish households it was traditional for the head of the house to call the servants to wash the feet of travelling guests: “Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.” (Gen. 18:4) The apostles did not have servants, but on that night Jesus chose to serve them. After he had washed their feet he explained his reasons to them in a simple manner. It was not his intention to just make the disciples feel clean and comfortable. For Jesus this was a sacred act symbolising purification, in the same way water at Baptism does. The disciples were already in a ‘state of grace’ because they had already received the faith from the hands of Christ, which had purified them. But they needed further purification before they could share the physical and spiritual meaning of the “Bread of Life” at the Lord’s Table.

These verses remind us today of the sacraments of Baptism and Penance, in which the bonds of humility and mercy are linked together for our sake and the sake of our God. Because of what he did he gave us a perfect example of service to follow in the ministry to which we are assigned by God. It is the perfect illustration of Christ as the “Servant King” teaching us all not to be judgemental of each other, but to give a helping hand to those who wish get back on their journey of faith. For me the act of washing the feet of the disciples shows me just who my Lord and God is i.e. A Supreme Being exercising total authority, but exercising that authority in a loving way by serving his creation rather than dominating them.

Learning Circle VIII - Ministry

2010-12-05T23:09:00.000Z

“Paul as Pastor in 1 Thessalonians”

In today’s world when we consider the role of Pastor we think of him/her being resident within one community serving both the spiritual and temporal needs of that community i.e. providing that community leadership in faith; proclaiming the word of God; and practising the teachings of Christ in both word and deed. To consider St. Paul as a Pastor, as we understand that role today, would not be totally accurate. Paul was much more a travelling teacher eagerly moving from place to place in an unceasing effort to create assemblies of believers in Christ as widely as possible. Thessalonica was just one of many places, the largest city in the Province of Macedonia, and was evangelised by Saint Paul during his second missionary journey (re: Acts. 17: 1-14). Unfortunately, because of persecution in the city Paul was only able to saty there a matter of weeks before he was obliged to feel, seeking refuge elsewhere before finally settling in Corinth by way of Athens. Concerned that his new converts in Thessalonica would abandon their new found faith, because of the persecution against them, Paul sent his close companion, Timothy, to see how things were progressing. After Timothy’s return to Paul, at Corinth, a letter was sent by emissary to the Church at Thessalonica in an effort to encourage them to hold fast.
In the first three chapters of this letter we witness Paul’s pastoral talents in the way he unloads his deepest feelings with regard to the relationship he feels he has with them, and then follows this with practical advice on how they should act in the middle of all the pressures they were experiencing in his absence. The reader can see Paul’s understandable concern that the Church in Thessalonica may have misunderstood his departure and possibly thought he had abandoned them to the evils of persecution. Then, after offering thanks and praise for the remarkable growth of the Church in the city and the extent to which its reputation has spread, he began outlining the message contained within his letter: “We give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope.” (1 Th. 1:2-3)
Paul’s stay in Thessalonica had been a brief one and he was unable to minister to the needs of the fledgling Church as he had been able to do elsewhere. This letter, then, is Paul’s opportunity to put into writing some of the points he believed needed to be made, particularly after hearing Timothy’s report. In the first section of the letter, for example, we can see how Paul deals with a series of matters dealing with ministry in the Church, and particularly the proclaiming of the ‘Word’. Paul reminded them of the suffering that he and his companions had faced in Philippi, making it absolutely clear that the gospel is not proclaimed simply to please people but with a desire to serve God. It was this attitude shown by Paul and his companions that brought to the Thessalonians a similar attitude: “For you remember our labour and toil brethren; we worked night and day that we might not burden you, while we preached to you the gospel of God.” (1 Th. 2:9) and he goes on to say, at later stage; “You accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.” (1Th. 2:13)
The letter clearly shows the relief Paul felt at the favourable report given to him by Timothy. The morale in the Church at Thessalonica was very good, as were their memories of Paul’s preaching. Like any good Pastor he now turns to deal with ethical matters, stressing the need for right conduct at all times. Paul points out that without faith it is impossible to please God. He insists that only by living a life believing that God is with you, and showing this to the world, will please God. Being a major seaport and trading centre Thessalonica, Paul was fully aware, was a city full of every kind of vice that could tempt the uncommitted. He, therefore, tells them that by living an upright and good life they will attract others into their fellowship and strengthen the Church.
From Timothy’s report, however, it appears that some members of the Church in that city had misunderstood the teachings concerning the second coming of Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom. These people believed, like Paul, that this was an imminent event, but they, unlike Paul, believed that if this was the case then what was the point of working. Such had become the idleness of these people that they had become a drain on the community’s resources. Like any good minister Paul tackled this problem head-on. He pointed out to the faithful that indeed Christ could return at any moment, but none could say when that moment would come precisely. At the same time he reminded them that the practical demonstration of Christ’s teaching was to show their love for one another, and that every man should get busy working with his hands, thereby retaining the respect of his community by not being a drain on its resources.
As he nears the end of his letter Paul takes the opportunity to explain some other aspects of Christ’s teachings, especially about the end of all things. With the absolute certainty that some time in the future Christ will return Paul told his new converts they should always be prepared for this event. At this time many in the Thessalonica Church were convinced that when Christ did return to establish the ‘Kingdom’ those who were alive at that time would enter the kingdom with him. However, they were troubled by the very real fear that those who died in the meantime would somehow miss out on the benefits and blessing of the “Parousia”. Paul comforted them: “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Th. 4:14) And yet, despite this assurance, confusion remained among some and this would cause Paul to write a further letter in an effort to explain any misunderstanding.

The Pastor in Paul is shown, as his letter reaches its close, in the way he offers advice with regard to relationships within the Church. He also reassures them that God is eternally faithful and reliable, and that they should no longer be discouraged or frightened by opponents, but carry on their lives confident that God in his love was looking after them: “He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” After asking that the letter be read aloud in the congregation, Paul commends those who will read his words to the grace of Christ. It is the blessing of a Pastor to his flock.

Learning Circle VII - Mission of the Church

2010-12-02T20:41:00.000Z

Recently I read a book valled "Ministry" by Richard P. McBrien. I know that he has many critics, but I did like his definition of what Church is: "I define the Church as the whole community (assembly) of baptised persons called by God the Father to acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus, the Son of God, in word, in worship, in witness, and in service, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, to share in Jesus' historic mission for the sake of the Kingdom of God. In short the Church is the Body of Christ." (Richard P. McBrien, Ministry - A Theological, Pastoral Handbook, Harper and Row Publications; New York, 1988)

The Church is neither Catholic nor Protestant, neither is it an Institution or a Community, because it is all of these things and much more. When we are baptsed into this "Body of Christ" we immediately become a vital part of that 'Body' and should we neglect the role assigned to us then the body cannot work as it should. Saint Paul has told us this in his letters, but much have we heard? Like an eye allows a body to see and a leg allows a body to walk, so must we carry out our assigned task to allow the "Body of Christ" to fulfil the mission for which it was created. The Church "receives the mission to proclaim and to establish among all peoples the Kingdom of Christ and God." (Vatican II Documents, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Abbot-Gallagher; New York 1966)

What an absolutely awesome task: "to establish among all peoples." The Church cannot permit itself any boundaries that would confine or limit its mission, and each one of us has been given a vital role to play if that mission is to successfully completed. God has given us all the power to good for others and provide unselfish service to our fellow man. And to help us in this task he sends us the Holy Spirit as our guide. But before we can know our role we must reflect on this important role of the Church as a whole. As a first step we must recognise that the Church was instituted by God and the mission he has given it is one of outreach. Primarily we are sent by God to proclaim his Kingdom by word i.e. preaching, teaching and catechesis. Secondly, we must show our complete faith in this Kingdom by participating in Christ's worship of the Father, especially through the Eucharist, the other sacraments and a good general prayer life. Thirdly, we each have to bear witness to the world about the teachings of Christ and the best way to do this is to practice hat he has taught us. Finally, each of us must place ourselves at the service of those in need, whether they be inside or outside the Church. Only by carrying out all these tasks can we demonstrate to the world that the kingdom of God is a kingdom where justice, peace, holiness and grace reign.

The mission of the Church is not limited to the liturgy and it needs so many people with the willingness to come forward and exercise its ministries. These are not limited to the Eucharist and the other Sacraments alone, but are more varied and a practical way of putting the meaning of the Eucharist and sacraments to others e.g service to the handicapped, the poor, and the politically and socially oppressed. These are ministries valued as much as those of preaching, teaching and Catechesis. Thankfully I have a fair idea of what God wants me to do, but have you asked him what ministry of the Church he has assigned you? Maybe it is time you did!

Learning Circle V - Isaiah 61:1-4

2010-11-29T22:06:00.000Z

Having never read the ‘Book of Isaiah’ in its entirety I thought it was best to attempt to gain at least some understanding of the book, its writer and the historical context in which it was written. Because it was called the ‘Book of Isaiah’ it was a natural assumption on my part that the entire book was written by the biblical prophet Isaiah. It came as something of a surprise, therefore, to find that the material contained within the book covers two centuries of Jewish history and could not be the creation of one man. Research into this told me that : “A nucleus of material is attributable to Isaiah of Jerusalem, a citizen of Jerusalem in the eighth century B.C.E. But the remainder comes from the hands of a series of anonymous disciples.”
It my understanding that most biblical scholars agree that the ‘Book of Isaiah’ consists of three collections, the first of which contains the material that can be attributed to Isaiah of Jerusalem. It concerns the break-up of the Davidic Kingdom of Israel and the invasion of the Assyrian Empire in the eighth century B.C.E. The second collection, considered to cover chapters 40-55, has been attributed to a disciple of Isaiah who actually lived during the ‘Babylonian Exile’ in the sixth century B.C.E. Within these chapters of the book there is reference to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians as being a past event and, this being the case, points to someone other than Isaiah who was a witness to these events. We are told that God withdrew his presence from Jerusalem and allowed the city’s destruction by the Babylonians. However, the people are also given hope that God will return and lead them back to the promised-land in the same manner as the exodus led by Moses. The third collection, covering chapters 56-66, which includes the verses I have chosen, appears to have been written in that period when the exile had ended and the people were struggling to rebuild the land of Judah.
Those who had returned to Judah found the land to be in poor condition and almost incapable of sustaining them. This was definitely not “the land of milk and honey” they had hoped for, or been promised. The cities were ruined, the land had not fully recovered from its devastation, and what there was of value belonged to others i.e. those who had not been forced into exile. The aim of the writer, therefore, was simply to keep the faith of the people alive and to encourage hope by raising the spirits of a distressed and discouraged people. Jerusalem, the once proud city of the Jewish people lay in ruins and there were various conflicts among the fragmented community. The author of ‘Third Isaiah’ appears to have been attempting to encourage unity in faith though the temple, the centre of their faith and the dwelling place of God, was destroyed. The message to the people was, therefore, that God was already present among his chosen people even if there was no grand building ready to house his presence.
In the chapter 60 of the ‘Book of Isaiah’ you can read how the prophet attempted to raise the spirits of the people: “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD will arise upon you,” (Is. 60:1) The prophet has seen how the great city of God has been humbled and how the people appear to be in no hurry to rebuild it to its former glory. Depression has set in and the prophet decides to give voice to a vision of bright new future that he has received from God with regard to the city. It is as if he is relating word for word the message from God, assuring the people that their days of turmoil have ended: “for in my wrath I smote you, but in my favour I have had mercy on you.” (Is. 60:10). The promises made to the people in their exile are repeated i.e. that glory will once again come to them as they rebuild their cities and the economic infrastructure. Again the Lord promises His people that they will grow into a great nation with the Holy City of Jerusalem at its centre, and within which God will once again reside as their source of hope, happiness and protection. The verses reminded me of a future prophecy outlined in the ‘Book of Revelations’ i.e. “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband;” (Rev. 21:2) Again, after a period of devastation, the prophet sees Jerusalem as the place in which all the faithful will gather and receive all they dreamed of.
In the chapter 62 the prophet simply re-states what was said in Isaiah 60 i.e. that Jerusalem was the ‘bride’ of God with whom he would reside and give her all the joy and riches the people could ask for. At the same time the prophet insists that the people constantly press God to fulfil the promises he had made to His people: “and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth.” (Is. 62:7). But, there is a warning that God is watching and that the people need to fulfil their part of the bargain by rebuilding Israel from its ruins. They were not to concern themselves about anything other than rebuilding the city and the land, because through this work of faith they would be putting God back once more into the centre of their lives, assuring their salvation and their recognition as the redeemed children of God.
There is a slightly different approach from the prophet in Isaiah 61:1-4. Here he informs the people that he has been especially chosen by God to bring this message of hope and salvation to them. “because the LORD has anointed me”, is a phrase telling his listeners that he is not just any messenger but is an anointed prophet of God, a ’messiah’, tasked with repeating the actual words of God. He states his mission is announce to the Jewish people, who have returned to Jerusalem from exile, that God would bless their efforts in rebuilding the new nation of God. The majority of those who had returned from exile were apprehensive about their futures, because many were without any resources, widowed or orphaned. These are the meek, afflicted or poor mentioned in the passage, depending on what translation is being used, to who he is to carry God’s message of hope. The prophet has been charged to proclaim liberty to those people caught in poverty, depression and anxiety y about what is to happen now that they have left everything behind them in Babylon. Their exile had been for so many years that very few if any could remember the life they had lived as a people in Israel. They only had the images and promises given to them by the prophets, and like most things reality does not often match their dreams. In their disappointment many had become blind to the opportunities open to them and the very real possibility of a brand new start in life, no longer enslaved to any conqueror. It is to these people that the prophet has been sent to unlock the prison of a mind closed to the possibilities of a new future.
Within these verses the prophet attempts to build a foundation of hope among a nation in which all hope is fast disappearing. Now it is the time for God’s return among them and his assistance in overcoming the devastation caused by his anger. The people are told that the protection of God is now in place and that he will deal harshly with any who prevent his people from renewing the kingdom he desires. They are reminded that the Lord’s compassion for his people has also returned and that he will give comfort to those who mourn what they have lost or left behind them. The message contained within these few verses is to have faith and hope. The time of penance and sorrow for what has passed are now to be replaced with joy and celebration for the great things that are to come. There is no attempt by the author to deny that hardships and tough times lie ahead of the people, but they are to be comforted in the knowledge that God is with them to assist them in overcoming all the difficulties the shall encounter.
It is made clear to all that only through adoption of this positive attitude toward the future will the nation once again become steadfast in their faith and demonstrate the presence and action of God in their lives. In some translations the trees of righteousness,” are used, while in others the words “oaks of righteousness are used.” Although I doubt many big strong oak trees grew in the land of Israel I prefer the latter translation because it gives one a stronger image of what was expected of the people i.e. that they would stand firm and resilient in their faith, and the translator must have been very aware of the Hebrew preference to speak in images.
But what, if anything, do these verses from Isaiah have to say to us living in the twenty-first Century. Recall the opening words of this chapter one recognises the words spoken by Jesus in the synagogue in Nazareth, and after reading these words from the text he told those who were assembled : “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke. 4:21) These words caused great consternation because Jesus was declaring himself as the anointed of God. In just a few words Jesus had announced that he had been sent by his Father in Heaven to initiate a new age, in which God becomes present among his people and reconciles them. It was to be a time when the promises and prophecies were to be fulfilled through God revealing himself to his people i.e. “Jesus reveals the Father and the Father reveals His son through the signs and miracles he performs.” In our modern world numerous people, including some who would deem themselves to be believers, are puzzled that if Christ brought salvation to the world over two-thousand years ago why do we still await the liberation promised to us in the Gospels of “The Good News”.
The Jews had just come from a terrible exile in Babylon with great hopes that were soon turned into despair. Their world was in ruins and the future looked bleak. It was if God had abandoned them to their fate and all hope was gone. How often do we look at our society and wonder the same. We appear to live in a society where human life has become almost valueless, where the citadel of family values lies in ruins and the main driving force of life is self, self, and self. All around us we bear witness to people in pain, poverty, sorrow, illness and being constantly hit by bad fortune. There is plenty of unnecessary death, broken-heartedness and despair. We are proud that the advance of communications has made our world a global village, but we are far from the close knit community that the word village suggests. In our hopelessness we think ourselves trapped in a godless society where the world of Christian love has been defeated by the sin which has beset us, and we ask if we can survive its rigours.
But, every day we are witness to various signs that God has not abandoned us and is indeed ready for us to put him back into the centre of our lives. We who are baptised in Christ have been anointed by him to preach the good news to those who have forgotten it and to demonstrate that God is already dwelling among His people. The mission we have been given will not, however, always be an easy one, or a clean one or even a pleasant one. Nevertheless, it is the same mission Jesus accepted and he had to undergo great tribulations to see it completed, releasing us from the bondage of sin and despair. We are asked to minister to our brothers and sisters and show them by our words and actions that God is with them. It is in the way we serve others that we can help bring others out of the darkness that ignorance of God’s love can bring, into the light of knowing that God loves them and is with them. By the sacrifices we undergo in our service we can bring back the smiles of joy to our brothers and sisters rather than the tears of despair many are now experiencing. When they ask where is God we can point to the Doctor, to the charity worker, to the donor, to the person who gives that helping hand and say, “There he is”.
As I consider the ministry that lies ahead of me the words of these verses give me hope and make me more secure in the service to my fellow men and women. I have a faith that he will guide me and give me the fortitude to see the tasks that lie ahead to completion despite any hardships I will encounter. In all my efforts I will have the example of Christ to follow and in trying to be like him, his example will become my garment of praise and my crown of joy. I have been a witness to the ‘Good News’ in my own life and the life of others that I have known. In choosing to study for the permanent diaconate I am secure in the knowledge that Christ wants me to be his hands, his feet and his voice in bringing the good news to those who are poor in spirit, and to assist those broken by despair. It is the Holy Spirit who will guide my footsteps in this ministry but I have faith that he wants me to join with others to ‘shepherd’ his people for him and to care lovingly for his ‘garden’.

Learning Circle IV - Making Revelation Real

2010-11-18T19:30:00.000Z

This expression of what “Diakonia” means struck me as being rather an awesome responsibility that I had undertaken. Probably for the first time I came to see just what being a Deacon in today’s Church represented. In fact I began to wonder just how I could achieve such an awesome task and felt rather inadequate for the role. Then, as I contemplated the meaning further, I was comforted by the knowledge that God would not call me to carry out work for which he would not prepare me and I knew I was called to do this work. Nevertheless I was sure that success in my service would most certainly depend on the three things we had learned about dialogue i.e. my attitude to myself, my attitude to others, and my attitude to the task assigned to me.

My attitude to self was dependent largely upon my awareness of the task to which I had been assigned. This included being open to and aware of the things revealed to me by God in my life, and the being ready to accept the revelations yet to come. I was comfortable in the knowledge that He had already changed my spiritual life for the better which, in turn, had improved and strengthened my temporal life. It is my task to demonstrate Christ active in my life every day and pray that my example and service to others may encourage others to experience the same feelings in their own lives. Success, of course, is dependent upon my attitude and interaction with others. Some time ago, working in the Parish with the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, I learned to lose any idea of superiority, selfishness and smugness. Each one of has experienced such feelings when encountering those less fortunate than ourselves. Feelings that are matched with inadequacy, envy and anxiety when encountering those we deem to be much better off than ourselves. Feelings and emotions like these are hard to change but by learning to treat all as equals we can achieve some success, though each day will bring us a struggle. We must accept that we do not and cannot exist alone. We need others to help us through life and search for the truth, though it is often hard for us to accept assistance from others. But if we can learn to accept assistance in the love with which it is given then dialogue with others is much easier and greatly beneficial.

My Parish work to date has helped me greatly to become aware of my own abilities and limitations. Yes, we all have limitations whether we want to recognise them or not. Recognition of these limitations, I have found, helps to nurture close co-operation with others as we continue our faith journey together. From them we gain a healthy self-respect for the tasks we have achieved and a confidence to face the tasks that lie ahead. It is not a plan to obtain fame and self-enhancement but builds a wonderful feeling of satisfaction in being truly of service to others.

In the various roles I have undertaken within my Parish, and further afield, I have been privileged to have aspects of my faith explained and demonstrated to me in plain and simple ways by others who have had these things revealed to them. Each of us is at a different stage on our faith journey, but we are all on the same road. As we gain knowledge of the road ahead it right to pass that knowledge to others to make their journey that much easier. It is a great moment when those to whom you have been of service express their gratitude. “I never saw it like that before!” “That is so much easier and simple to understand!” For me that is “ making revelation real” and we all can do it.

Knowledge is power and it is our task to ensure that it is a power for Good. Again this is dependent on our attitude to others, ourselves and the task we are given. In all these things prayer and the sacraments are vital allies. For myself it only through God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit that I have the strength to achieve what I do in life and hold a respect for others. It is a revelation to me and I try every day to make real to others Christ’s actions in our lives.

Learning Circle II - Servants of the Kingdom

2010-11-18T19:27:00.000Z

Reading the article “Vatican II: A Matter of Style” by John W O’Malley for the “The Western Jesuit School of Theology” persuaded me to consider the idea of mission through the documents of Vatican II and later. It appears that in the years prior to Vatican II the entire subject of mission was not understood to be the essential nature of Church, as the whole people of God. Instead, the powers that be saw mission more as an activity of the Church as an institution rather than an integral part of a wider theology of Church. In their opinion, it seems, there was a twofold motivation for mission i.e. the salvation of souls and the establishment of the visible Church around the world. Fortunately Vatican II changed such thinking by declaring that all the baptised, whatever their state of life, are to be regarded as Christian missionaries in their own right. It was a huge change in style from clericalism to involvement of the laity in responsible roles within the Church. The document “Lumen Gentium” explained: “The faithful are by baptism made one body with Christ and are established among the people of God. They are in their own way sharers in the priestly, prophetic and kingly functions of Christ. They carry out their own part in the mission of the whole Christian people with respect to the Church and the world.”

Through these words the Vatican Council clarified the position that the Church is indeed the people of God and that, as the people of God, we are obligated to collaborate with God in His continuing mission in the world. This mission, as seen from scripture, was already under way long before the idea of Church came into being. “The Church on earth is by its very nature missionary since, according to the plan of the Father, it has its origin in the mission of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” St the same time new boundaries were set by the Council when it declared that paternalistic and superior attitudes were to be replaced by mutuality and respect. The new style Church was to move away from its old model of mission, which was a reaching down to ’save’ and ‘help’ another person, and assume a new model that would incorporate humility and mutuality i.e. the development of recognition and respect for how God is already present in others. Mission today, therefore, can be seen as a service of God’ Kingdom. It is witness to living the Gospel and its virtues of Justice, forgiveness, peace, compassion and right relations. These were the virtues made present by Jesus and our mission, the mission of the Church, is seen as proclaiming through word and action. This is the service of God’s Kingdom and we are the servants of that Kingdom.

Being servants of the Kingdom it is our task to minister to our fellow man. The central purpose of that ministry is “to bring people together in hearing the Gospel, in fraternal communion (means to be of one heart and soul) establishing fellowship from every point of view: human, spiritual, and material.” Through our words and deeds we are to encourage this communion to grow in the world so that it is a visible and living organism. Wherever that communion is lacking or broken is where God is not known, God’s Spirit is denied and God’s word is not heard e.g. divisions between nations and races, people of differing religions, men and women, rich and poor, majorities and minorities, etc. We seem to have a huge task ahead of us, but we know God is with us in this.

Learning Circle III

2010-11-02T21:06:00.000Z

Discipleship and Me

In study notes I read: “Discipleship ... describes the daily activity of Christians in family, community and society, through which they fulfil the mission in heir own time and place.” It is said that one must have a calling to be a true disciple; a call to love God, Our Lord Jesus Christ, with all our heart, soul and mind, and try to become more and more like him through a life of faith and obedience. With regard to me many of my feelings in younger years were far from holding a deep regard for faith and obedience. For me the Church was there to serve me rather than for me to serve the Church, or anyone else. You could say it was concern for my own well-being, and a lack of respect and understanding for others, which played the major role in my youth. Thankfully I was to change and become not just one who takes, but one who was willing to share and to give.

How did such a conversion come about? I still truly cannot say. Never being one to accept anything
that even remotely resembled “Bible-bashing” I usually avoided any Church activity. Maturity and marriage mellowed my anti-Church feelings and some years after I was married my wife asked me to accompany her to an evening of “Guided Prayer”. In that two hours of quiet reflection and meditation I experienced something that changed my life. My personal relationship with Christ was renewed and it was almost like a veil had been removed from my eyes and my heart was uplifted. So wonderful and peaceful was the experience that I wanted to experience it time and time again. Moreover I wanted to share that experience with everyone else so that they too could the happiness I had discovered. But was it this that called me to discipleship? I cannot say. Does leading a person to Christ represent an end in itself? Can the world be won over to Christ simply by telling as many people about Him as possible? “What to do?” and “how to do it?” were the questions I began to pose for myself. The only thing that I was sure of was that I had found God in my life again and I wanted to repay his unconditional love for me by becoming more and more like our role model, Jesus Christ. There was no big booming voice or a quiet whisper in my ear, but a deep feeling of wanting to do something for God and his people. I felt a need to become more involved in the lives of my community to demonstrate by my actions his love and thereby multiply his message many times over.
For the first time I began taking an interest in my faith and my Church. I joined the St. Vincent de Paul, was trained as a “Prayer Guide”, trained in “Family Ministry”, undertook “Alpha”, took up a theology course through MDI & DCU, became a Minister of the Word, an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, and a member of the Parish Baptism Team. Through all these outlets I began to read, study and attempt to put into practice the Word of God, which is not at all easy. Jesus told us to love all men, but this is extremely difficult for the ordinary human when it comes to those who have hurt or angered us in some way. I still find it difficult and wonder if I will ever overcome my difficulties, but prayer and trust in the Holy Spirit is a wonderful aid in times of need for they give you strength and persistence. The greatest problem, however, is to discern where best your god-given talents and abilities can be best used, because once you become a servant to others it is a job that never stops because there is so much to do. Feeding the Hungry, satisfying the Thirsty, clothing the naked, visiting the imprisoned, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick, burying the dead; all are Corporal Works of Mercy and all are obligations to be undertaken by the Christian disciple. It is a big list, which becomes even bigger when combined with Spiritual Works of Mercy like admonishing the sinner, instructing the ignorant, counselling the doubtful, comforting the sorrowful, bearing wrongs patiently, forgiving all injuries, praying for the living and the dead. Our task as disciples is to live these Corporal and Spiritual Works before we can consider passing them on to others. It takes commitment and I pray constantly that the Triune God that I love will guide and help me to fulfil my obligations to both Him and His people.

A Learning Journal I - Pastoral Ministry

2010-10-26T18:12:00.001+01:00

To begin this “Learning Journal” on Pastoral Ministry I thought it was better for me to look at the first part of our module and discuss what I have gained from it and how it relates to what I have already experienced in my Parish. In this first module we were asked to consider what we believe the mission of the Church to be. Prior to this my definition of the mission would have simply been taking an active role in God’s outreach to the world, through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This, I would learn was discipleship and ministry rather than mission. I learned that the mission of the Church was simply its purpose for being, the why it exists. Considering what this purpose may be I saw the Church’s mission as being one of proclaiming the Word of God to the whole world and demonstrating God’s unconditional love as He has shown in his past deeds, particularly when he allowed His only son to be sacrificed for the salvation of the world.

Through our baptism into the Church we take upon ourselves the obligation to play our role in the mission of the Church as Disciples of Christ, following his teachings and example. As disciples we are called to serve the Church, which is the entire family of Christ, to endure its mission continues unto its ultimate fulfilment in the creation of the Kingdom of God. When one discovers this reality then a decision has to be made on just how one feels about assuming this obligation and the responsibilities it places upon the Disciple. One has to consider the wide variety of ministries open to each of us within the Church and the way that they are inter-connected one with another. Personally, this realisation showed to me the amount of effort one would have to put into ministry to carry it out effectively. Once it was undertaken then it could not be laid down. It was a 24/7; 365 day task and one that could cause burn out very quickly if not undertaken correctly.

This was the type of burn-out I had experienced in my own Parish by trying to put so much effort into several ministries that I had undertaken. I forgot that there was a time when one should be on ministry and a time to be off ministry. In my efforts I had neglected to realise that every task undertaken in ministry expends energy and needs a period for rest and restoration of energy before continuing. Personally, therefore, the first valuable lesson I learned was an understanding of the fact that I have limits and that I must develop a knowledge of when I can be active and when I should rest. For some time now I have realised that I have a calling to be a minister and to serve the Church in its mission, in whatever capacity the Holy Spirit guides me to. I know that I care deeply about my fellow man, Christian or not, and would like to be of service to them in whatever way I can. Having discerned this, then the next important step in my journey towards effective ministry will be the act of learning what my role can be and how effectively I can carry that role out.

“Mission as God’s Love Enveloping the World”

2010-10-26T18:06:00.001+01:00

When considering this theme one should first consider the definition of the Church’s mission today compared to that which existed prior to Vatican II. In general terms the “Christian mission is simply taking part in God’s outreach to the world through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.” For many hundred years before Vatican II the very notion of mission for the Church was governed by the Church’s own vision of itself. The idea of mission became almost like empire building with all the effort being concentrated upon bringing as many souls as possible into the Catholic fold, believing totally in the maxim that there is no salvation possible outside the Church. As R. Schroeder states: “The two-fold motivation for mission was the salvation of souls and the establishment of the visible church around the world.” There are many of us alive today who remember when our school classes collected for the “Black Babies” in Africa, and there were black and white photographs of small black infants being held by white nuns and priests to encourage our charity. This was the time when, as Schroeder explains: “The why, who, where, what and how of mission in pre-Vatican II days were quite clear and straightforward. “Pagan” babies (or adults) needed to be saved from the fires of hell by the act of baptism that would bring them safely on board the Church – that is, the Roman Catholic Church, the Ark of Salvation.”

Since Vatican II, however, the Church’s thinking on mission has changed quite dramatically. The documents of the council direct us that mission is God coming into our world with His divine love and asking us to respond to this act. “It is God’s love enveloping the world; it is God’s embrace of the world in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.” The mission of the Church now is one of proclaiming the Word of God to the whole world, demonstrating the love of God shown in past deeds and, particularly, the sacrifice of his only son for the salvation of the entire world. This change has been brought about, at least in part, by the huge socio-economic and political changes that have occurred since the mid-1960s. The exploitation of colonialism has ended and the much greater encounter with other cultures and religions has encouraged an increased respect for these cultures and faiths.

Within our modern society people appear to find meaning in their lives through community rather than through institutions. Despite all the conflicts that exist in modern society people appear to need community because it can open up a loving relationship and communication for them. The Church, for its part, has come to the realisation that if it can become this community then it will be enthusiastically welcomed. In this effort the Church is well assisted by its on-going relationship with Christ, who continues to guide and direct it through the action of his spirit: “From the Father, I will send you the Spirit of Truth. When this Helper has come from the Father, he will be my witness.” (Jn.15:26) .

When we receive the Sacrament of Baptism we become members of the Christian community and in that family Christianity is represented not so much as a faith, but as a way of life in which one follows Jesus, who declared himself to be the Way: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but through me.” (Jn. 14:6). It is in our belief that we have a personal relationship with Christ that makes him central to our lives, which makes us his disciples ready to carry out the mission he has assigned us i.e. to go and make disciples of all nations. He described His own ministry: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and new sight to the blind; to free the oppressed and to announce the Lord’s year of mercy.” (Lk.4:18-19). Jesus instructed his disciples: “and teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” (Mt. 28:20) This holds for all Christians today and is the source of our mission as Church.

As Christ’s disciples there is but one way to demonstrate His love to the world. It is said: “The Champions of Faith prove the truth of their teaching no less by the holiness of their lives than by the force of their arguments. Never forget that to convert others you must first see to your own soul.” In short, we must accept that besides proclaiming “The Good News” we have to replicate the works of Jesus. By practising what we preach we can physically demonstrate Jesus’ message of life, love of the poor, distaste for injustice and sharing of material and spiritual wealth. When among us Jesus healed illnesses and cast out demons, demonstrating in practical terms the unconditional love that the Father had for His people. In the same way we, the Church community, must gather our strength to combat poverty and disease as they arise, as well as show compassion for those fellow human beings who are sick and dying, and provide unconditional assistance to anyone who needs it. “When you see anyone standing in need of your assistance, either for body or soul, do not ask yourself why someone else did not help him, but think to yourself I have found a treasure.” Although the obligation of every disciple to show mercy and compassion has been recognised throughout the age, in the last fifty years the social dimensions of discipleship have also come the fore and we must be prepared to serve our neighbours just as Christ is servant to us all.

Jesus is the servant of God and not of men, and in the same way we are called to be the servants of God. By His actions Christ shows us that the true servant of God is one who works out of love and, therefore, for the true benefit of others. As servants of God it is our task to keep alive the hope and aspirations of all men for the Kingdom of God and its values. As disciples of Christ it is our duty to promote the mutual reconciliation of men and invite them to enter upon their journey along various paths to the Kingdom of God. The fulfilment of these journeys will bring about the continuity of the values of human dignity, brotherhood and freedom and our world is the place where these values are to be realised.

A Culture of Death

2010-10-06T01:17:00.000+01:00

I have heard it said: "When you see anyone standing in need of your assistance, either for the body or the soul, do not ask yourself why someone else did not help him, but think to yourself that you have found a treasure." It seems that the way in which our society is heading could very well mean that such 'treasure' will soon be all around us. As a christian man living in the United Kingdom I have, for a number of years, felt a growing shame within me. This shame is not caused by something I have done, but more not doing something. It is a shame for the enormous passivity that has been encountered with regard to the "Culture of Death" which appears to have taken a tight hold on the society in which we live. There will always be some who will dispute that a "Culture of Death" exists, but we should all consider the evidence.

It is a very regrettable fact that Britain allows embryonic stem cell research and is the only country in the entire world to have legislated in favour of hybrid human/animal embryo research. (2008, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act.) Members of the Labour Party, when seeking re-election give voice to their 'passion' for family values and protection of the socially weak, were not allowed by their leadership to vote their conscience. The reason is simple. Gordon Brown and the Labour leadership wanted to force all their MPs to vote in favour of the legislation so that the 'Bill', supported by David Cameron and his Conservative Party members, would pass into law. Where were the family values then, or the voice of the unborn children who would be added to the silent holocaust wreaked by abortion. The 'Act', for the first time, also allowed single women and lesbians to have treatment in fertility clinics, for which the tax payer would pay. It was but one more in a series of attacks that have been mounted upon the sanctity of marriage and the family unit by so-called 'enlightened liberals' over the last five decades.

It is fact that these 'enlightened liberals' have already gained influence enough to bring almost total ruin upon our society by their unenlightened political correctness crusades, which are putting further pressure upon the many good things that have survived the previous attacks. Our faith schools and charitable institutions, recognised for their positive role in society, have been targeted, through a programme of increasing pressure, to provide information on abortion; to provide explicit sex education, even to primary school infants; and to accept homosexual activity as something normal while, at the same time, ignoring the value of marriage and the family unit to society as a whole. Through civil partnership legislation, that was introduced in 2004, the United Kingdom government gave same-sex couples rights and responsibilities that are comparable with heterosexual couples in civil marriage. The government tried to mollify the huge number of critics of this legislation by insisting that it is not marriage and that marriage of same-sex couples remains prohibited in the UK. Absolute nonsense. The civil partnership ceremonies are widely seen to be marriages of same-sex couples in everything but name. It is simply another opportunity to undermine the importance and unique status of marriage, which has always been and remains a major support for the individual, children, and society as a whole.

It is hard to stand fast in the face of a maelstrom, but we should recall these words : "Would you die the death of the just? There is only one way to secure the fulfilment of your wish. Live the life of the just. For it is impossible that one who has been faithful to God in life should make a bad or unhappy end." And one way of living the life of the just and being faithful to God id to unfearingly speak out for those, without a voice of their own, who have been unjustly murdered. I, as a father of four, was deeply disturbed by the terrible fact that the UK has the highest number of abortions than any other country in Europe, with an average of 60 unborn children killed every day in the womb. More disturbing still was the fact that the proportion of induced abortions as a percentage of pregnancies was almost 50% higher than that in the USA. The terrible reality of what is happening is brought home to us by the fact that in the United Kingdom unborn babies with disabilities can still be aborted right up to birth. (SPUC - Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child). Nine out of every ten babies diagnosed with Spina-Bifida are aborted, which is also true of those unborn babies diagnosed with 'Down's Syndrome.' Now we face continuing pressure to accept further proposals extending the legal time limit for abortions and we must start making the voice of the 'unborn' heard in this society. Is the basic human right, the right to life, no longer applicable? How many geniuses like Professor Stephen Hawking are we to lose because of their physical disabilities? The great silent holocaust continues in growing numbers despite the 'hard-sell' for contraception, the free dispensing of condoms and the explicit sexual education. It seems to be the new motto of our modern society: "We don't want to be responsible for it, so let's just get rid of it!!" Already, within weeks of the election, the new Conservative-Liberal Coalition Government in the UK has announced proposals for a new maternal health initiative, which contains an unprecedented focus on family planning for the developing world. The initiatives of successive governments in family planning have been so successful at home they are now exporting them? The developing world is now to face an onslaught of material promoting abortion and increased "sexual rights" for children, and the supply of countless free condoms. The latter strategy has been in effect for some time now, but HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases have increased in the developing countries of our world. Is that success?

There is a continuing attack on those who are not yet born, but this is now mirrored by the emphasis being placed upon the legalisation of euthanasia. 'Passive Euthanasia' is already permitted and occurs when treatment the patient has not consented to, i.e. water and food, is withdrawn. 'Active Euthanasia', at least for the moment, remains banned and is the administration of treatment with the intention of ending the life of the patient. Society has seen, and continues to bear witness to, the many efforts by certain groups to achieve the legalisation of abortion. While many can empathise with the feelings of total despair experienced by some people with a terminal illness one should never forget that the legalising of euthanasia is but the thin end of a terrible wedge. Who's next? The old, those who are different, those who don't agree, those of different faith, WHO? The euthanasia clinics and death camps of Nazi Europe are still within living memory.

Having stated all the negatives of UK society it is not all doom and gloom. There are certain aspects of our society that demonstrate to many a "Culture of Life". The peoples of the British Isles are noted for their generous charitable donations to causes bot at home and abroad, as well as their sincere if somewhat misguided concerns for social justice as demonstrated by successive governments. Within rural Britain and Ireland there remains a deep sense of community, and the population considered to be both kind and well-intentioned. Sadly, though, the British Isles has become the home of society wherein value and usage mean everything. This utilitarianism has caused the people to view possessions as being all important in a society where the people do not want to recognise responsibility for actions taken. The new society has developed a doctrine in which if something offends get rid of it; if it is the way move; and if it challenges then suppress it. Recently Pope Benedict said of modern society: "Justice and generosity are secondary to the main business of life, which, in the utilitarian view, is business."

Seeking a Second Chance

2010-09-29T23:11:00.000+01:00

This is a picture of Saint Pio with words of great promise to us all, but how many of us will take these words on board and believe they apply to us? Let us consider the number of times we recite "The Lord's Prayer" and mumble our way through: "Forgive us this day our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us". There are, I am sure, many of us who neither forgive nor forget those who have done hurt to us by word or deed. Some would say I can forgive but I cannot forget, failing to recognise that there is no true forgiveness possible if we hold on to the hurt. God through his unconditional love for us all is always willing to forgive and forget those hurts we commit against Him. In the scriptures we are told: "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in mercy." (Ps. 103:8). God is always willing to give us a second chance, but we are all too often unwilling to give a second chance to those who we believe have sinned against us.
Our Heavenly Father encourages us to always follow the example set for us by His son, Jesus Christ, and show unconditional love and mercy to our fellow men. From His heavenly throne God has witnessed the way sinners given a second chance can change their lives, and those of others around them, for the better. As followers of Christ we know that, despite the seriousness of our sins, if we make an earnest request to our Father in Heaven from our hearts His limitless love and patience brings forgiveness. This, in turn, gives us both time and space to change our hearts and make our lives better. We know that as long as we remain in this world hope and prayer makes change a real possibility, and we don't have to worry because repentance for sins is never too late for God.
Because we are God's children we know that He will never ignore our requests to Him. Jesus tells us: "Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full." (Jn.16:24) However, we behave just like children, asking for things we think we need and sulk on those many occasions when we feel God has not answered our prayers. We fail to realise that God, like any good parent, only answers our requests when it is for our own betterment, morally and spiritually. He has also given us a very powerful weapon to add to our spiritual arsenal and that is the power of persevering prayer said in the spirit of faith. There are, however, those who constantly rail against the efficacy of prayer, likening it to desperate begging.
We can look at this viewpoint by considering what are undoubtedly the greatest ever series of prayers written i.e. the Psalms. Careful reading and reflection on the Psalms shows them to be earnest requests for healing in time of sickness, for the relief from the burdens of life's tribulations, for victory over the enemies of God's people, for God's love, and for His protection from all things evil. Reflection on what is "The Lord's Prayer" shows that this is a list of requests made to God. Indeed Jesus personally demonstrates that there is absolutely nothing demeaning in asking the Father for help; Jesus did it himself on many occasions and told his followers that they should do likewise. Jesus knew that God only wants good things for us and prayer, rather than being a plea for Him to change His will, is a request for to bring His will to its fulfilment.
In our modern society it is almost impossible to persuade people to accept responsibility for their actions without trying to encourage them to repent. We, who believe and have faith, know that repentance for the wrong we have committed is but the first step on the road of spiritual growth and renewal that can lead to great changes in our lives. We have witnessed the way repentance can bring us into a life in which we can live in the spirit of Christ, loving God and our neighbour. Through our prayers, said in this spirit of faith, we can all become more united with God, and keep ourselves in a close and loving relationship with each other. As we achieve this change in our lives then our lives rapidly take on the aspect of reparation for our past failures and sins, as well as those of others. Through repentance and prayer, therefore, we can regenerate our lives by bringing healing of the grave wounds inflicted by sin.
Our faith assures us that our prayerful requests to God never go completely unanswered. We know that we will receive, if not exactly the thing that we asked for, something which is of great benefit to us. Our prayers can bring us healing to body, mind and spirit, but our greatest source of healing remains in the graces given to us through the sacraments. The sacraments instituted by Christ to be for all time His channels of renewal and life for us all. However, we must always keep in mind that if God, through His love,is willing to give us this second-chance then we must be willing to show the same love to others. By doing so we will quickly realise that forgiveness received and given is truly a beautifully liberating experience and brings a healing and regeneration to our lives. Prayer, repentance and reparation for our sins is vital to our ability to love God and our neighbours and we should never tire of these. Blessed Cardinal John Newman reminds us: "Let us not grow weary in our prayer. For the salvation of the world is in our hands ... Therefore, let us pray."

Keeping the Faith

2010-09-23T21:02:00.000+01:00

One can quickly lose track of the occasions when people question your beliefs. "Why do you believe all that God andJesus clap-trap?" is one way the detractors might put their question. There are, however, occasions when even the most devout believer can become disillusioned and, even for a moment, question, "Where is the loving God we pray to?" How many times have we borne witness to the terrible inhumanity of mankind towards their fellow human beings through uncontrollable greed, envy, lust for power and illicit pleasure.
In recent decades we have been overcome by a society in which we have become almost passive witnesses to a continuing genocide of chldren in the womb. It makes true the saying that: "All it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing." For many men and women these horrors are completely beyond comprehension and some ask, "Where is God in all this?"
There are those among us who have a firm faith and know exactly where God is. In prayer men of faith can discover a place where a peaceful quiet exists. In this place a person can spend hours, or just a few minutes, talking to God and telling to Him all your thoughts and concerns. It is in that quiet place with God that you need not have any fear, or try to hide, because it is a place in which you can be totally with God and with yourself. For you whose faith is not so firm the good news is that this place of peace exists, deep down, in all of us waiting to be discovered. It is just beyond our senses; the place where the Blessed Trinity, which we all received in baptism, resides.
Among the first things we need to do is to stop blaming God for all the bad things that occur in our lives and in the world, because when you search deep enough you will see that man himself is the real cause of wrong in this world. In his wisdom God saw fit to give us, weak as we are, the gift of free will, allowing each of us to choose between good and evil in the actions we take each day and through our lives. But, whether good or evil, right or wrong, we remain responsible to God for each and every action we undertake. No matter what we may think God has not left us totally alone and unaided in our efforts to choose between right and wrong. Through his son and the Holy Spirit, God has left us with ample guidance to help find our way through the mysteries of life and the vagaries of the human will. All the teachings of the gospels are open to us and they remain true and constant. The holiness of the Church remains inviolable in the person of Jesus Christ, who is its head, as well as the Mass and sacraments which he instituted and which he uses to remain involved in our lives.
Over the last three decades or more there has been a growing number of liberal, secular detractors who have established within modern society what can only be described as a 'New Theology.' It appears the sole aim of this 'new theology' is to destroy any faith in God by attacking the sacrifice of the Mass and our bleief in the Real Presence of the Lord in the Tabernacle. Their main weapon is the spread of a new liberalism that removes any responsibility we may have to God for our actions in life. It is their suggestion that if there is no responsibility then there can be no sin and, therefore, no need for confession, repentance and reconciliation. In essence it is the teaching of this 'new theology' that we can do what we like without concern. This has, in turn, led to a rapid growth in pornography, drug abuse, and alcohol abuse within our society. Alongside this has grown the destruction of chaste living, the sanctity of marriage and the safety of the family unit.
Despite our faith in Christ we could never attempt to convince another person that living according to His teachings is an easy option. Even when he was on earth himself, Christ realised that there were many who could not grasp his teachings and follow him. "I am the living bread which has come from heaven; whoever eats of this bread will live forever. The bread I shall give is my flesh and I will give it for the life of the world." (John 6:51) Hearing these words many who had followed him were confused and offended, and they walked away from him having decided they could follow him no more. Jesus quietly watched them go. He did not call out to them to return, and he did not revise or explain his words any further. Those who had remained were just as bewidered and mystified as those who had left. "Will you also go away?" (John 6:67) Jesus asked his apostles, who were unsure for a moment as to how they should answer. It was Peter who spoke up, quickly realising how empty life would be without Jesus in it. "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We now believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:68-69).
We should honour the teachings of Jesus and believe as Peter did. He may not have fully understood the meaning of the words, but he believed in Jesus and what he said. In the same way we must believe that the Risen and glorified Jesus is present for all of us, body, blood, soul and divinity in every tabernacle throughout the world where consecrated hosts are reserved. Through this knowledge and our faith in it we, as Catholics, must sctively fulfil our role as members of Christ's family and defend our Church against all who wish it ill.

Camilla's Story

2010-09-18T17:09:00.000+01:00

"A Kiss from God"

I recently read a "testimony" by a young Polish girl calling herself 'Camilla'. She talked about the many things that confront our young people in these modern times, particularly pornography and image conciousness. The spread of the internet sites displaying all sorts of pornographic material has spread like a disease in our nation. Open your own e-mail account and be sure that you have received several if not more e-mails inviting you to sample the wares on one pornographic site or another. Sadly, even writing a blog will inevitably bring comments, within which are links to a variety of depraved sex sites. However, the internet is but only one channel through which these pernicious sellers attempt to recruit new customers, even encouraging the participation of these customers in their depraved trade. Just lift a newspaper or a magazine and you will discover various advertisements for "Massage Parlours", "Escorts", "XXX Films", "Hardcore Videos", etc. Consider a normal nights viewing of television or a film theatre and consider how many of these depict scenes of gratuitous sex and violence, for the most part at the same time. There is supposed to be a 9p.m. water-shed for T.V. and a guidance rating for film, but these seem to matter little to the production companies. Modern music is replete with violent and sexually motivated lyrics, with even the videos accompanying them becoming ever more explicit.
'Camilla' talked about her efforts to try and put an end to her teenage habit of watching pornographic material, but found it to be extremely difficult. In ways similar to addiction the habit took hold of her being so much that she began looking for stronger experiences to satisfy her increasing need for satisfaction. Not surprisingly this addiction led to a growing lack of self-respect and an increasing dimunition of confidence in her own self-image. The barbed jibes of so-called friends did not help ease 'Camilla's" situation but only encouraged her to crawl deeper into those dark regions that despair can bring a person to. 'Camilla's' situation was to find someone she could trust and in whom she could confide her deep problems.
The young girl took her problem to the confession box, where she was able to confide and trust in an elderly Parish Priest. Through these discussions she came to realise how rapidly one sin could lead to the commission of another, and another. 'Camilla' realised just how easily she could fall into a vicious circle of sin and she decided to do something to rectify her situation. It was not a "Road to Damascus" moment but a progressive realisation that a person needs to have God's love to be able to love oneself. Her first task was to build a renewed relationship with her parents, and through this new relationship of trust came a rebirth of her faith in God. 'Camilla' became comforted in the knowledge and faith that our loving God is with us and supports us in all the twists and turns of our lives. He is not an invisible being but can be seen as active in the bits and pieces of our every day life. Through Him we can learn to accept ourselves just as we are, because he accepts us just as we are. Let 'Camilla' conclude her experience: "Holy Communion for me is like a kiss from God. I can actually feel Him embrace me. I feel warm and safe in His arms. The Eucharist is an encounter with the Bridegroom!"
(excerpts taken from "Love One Another" Magazine")

Telling it Straight

2010-09-07T15:07:00.000+01:00

"In the sight of God all men are equal."

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Make no mistake about it: those who lead sexually immoral lives, or worship idols, or who are adulterers, perverts, sodomites, or thieves, exploiters, drunkards, gossips or embezzlers will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven." (Cor. 6:9, The Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition) This is what St. Paul taught for he saw the main cause of society's degeneration as being sexual immorality, and in particular homosexuality. His views still ring very true today, two thousand years later, in a modern society torn apart by the sexual depravity that seeps from almost every facet of its existence. Many have forgotten about God, morality and truth; replacing them with idols, lack of responsibility and lies. As Paul told the Romans: "They know God's judgement which declares worthy of death anyone living in this way; yet not only do they do all these things, they even applaud anyone who does the same." There are those reading this will, naturally, attack me as a christian fundamentalist who condones the slaughter of all homosexuals and others I would consider depraved. This is not at all true, but is an easy way of ignoring what I am saying. I remind you all that there are more than a single way to die and I speak of spiritual death that closes the door of salvation to them because of their sinfulness, which we are told in Leviticus 18:22: "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; it is an abomination." Those of us who believe in a loving God know that he wants to give all sinners the opportunity of salvation. We also know that continued sinfulness will only lead to divine condemnation and catastrophic results.

As Catholics we must look at the teaching of the Church and its continued condemnation of sexual irresponsibility and the homosexual act. Such teaching is clear in the new "Catechism of the Catholic Church" sections 2357-2359 and 2396. These sections make it clear that homosexual tendencies are not sinful in themselves, but they are an obstacle against which the person must strive continuously to overcome. The sin occurs in the submission to such tendencies, but we as Christians must be prepared to give those sinners whatever assistance we can, treating them at all times with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Today our society, already ailing, is beset with the legalisation of homosexual unions or "marriages" and we must do everything we can to oppose this terrible assault on the sanctity of marriage and the family. The words of Mother Theresa of Calcutta remind us: "We must live in accordance with the plan by which we were created. Homosexual practice is unnatural."

It is to be expected that those who would oppose me might say, like they have said in the past, that the Catholic Church has lost the moral high ground in recent years. We shouldn't be afraid to stand up and admit that our Church has undergone a tragic experience that has shook it to the very foundations. The entire world knows and condemns the child abuse scandals that have rocked the Church in various countries. Meanwhile the media have had and continue to have a feeding frenzy on the still very much alive body that is the Catholic Church. They see the results of the scandal, but fail to look at the real cause. Headlines proclaim "Depraved Priests" and "Priests preying on the young", but they conceal the fact that ove 80% of the acts of abuse were of a homosexual nature. In fact the same is true of acts of sexual abuse outside the Church.

The Church has in the past and continues to condemn sodomy wherever it is practised. Its fault lies in the lax selection processes employed by the various seminaries, and initial investigations in to these acts of clerical sex abuse suggest the Church authorities put too much faith in certain psychologists. As a result, for many years, candidates with same sex attactions were overlooked and subsequently were ordained. This error, in due course, was compounded by the fact that many of these priests then were given too much responsibility. Thankfully, though some would say much too late, Church authorities have moved quickly to strengthen the seminary selection process. Still the media insists the Church by means of imposed celibacy is responsible for driving their priests to carry out such gross sexual abuses. They continue to defend homosexuality and consistently pt forward the premise that there is no link between homosexuality and sexual abuse. Surely the current scandals have shown the error of such thinking. Furthermore, despite evidence to the contrary, there are still those who would put homosexuality on a par with that of heterosexuality, even when it results in epidemic conditions. (It has been shown that in Germany, for example, homosexuals are 73 times more likely to contract AIDS). There are others who will suggest that same-sex orientation is irreversible, when there appears to be several notable exceptions where therapeutic successes have been shown that such a belief is mistaken.

Despite the signs and the evidence our modern media continues to tirelessly peddle the propaganda of "sexual freedom" and homosexual success, except when it is profitable to "out" a prominent Premier League footballer, or a prominent politician who may have homosexual tendencies. The old idol of money takes precednce there. Meanwhile the "Gay Pride" movement and similar supporters constantly seek undeserved privilege for the homosexual lobby. In this cause every possible means are used to achieve success, including modern marketing techniques. The aim is to make the image of homosexuality more acceptable, while promoting the homosexual lifestyle as something all should aspire to.

Still the marketing of homosexuality has not been an overnight success. It has taken many years to bury resistance to it under an avalnche of pro-gay propaganda. Its success has been seen in the way that homosexuality is viewed as something normal and acceptable to society, to such a scale that now the pro-gay lobby wish to reduce the age of consent to fifteen and under. The campaign has begun and pity the persons or groups who would oppose them and fail to portray gays in a positive light, for they shall surely be marginalised and excluded from public discourse. Such critics are quickly labelled "homophobes", repugnant, boted and hate-filled. Under such attacks some may cower and be silenced, but not the faithful. They will recognise the amazing truth that those who have cried out so loudly for tolerance have become an influential group who would deny tolerance to others. Sadly in a society where free speech and tolerance is seen as a human right, the demand for tolearnce and equality has been turned by some into the persecution of Christians or other groups who oppose homosexuality and the disorder it creates.

Against Tabloid Press

2010-09-07T00:01:00.000+01:00

Stand Fast and Be Heard

I am sure that you too have heard it said that "A vocal minority will always win out over a silent majority no matter how large the latter is!" If you haven't heard this then consider the sentence carefully and I am sure that you will agree with its sentiments, because it has been proven time and time again over recent history. In political strife, religious strife and social strife. How often have we seen one man speaking sense and saying the right thing being drowned out by the voices of opposition. Its similar to the old customer service adage that if you get good service you may tell two or three others, while if you receive bad service you will definitely tell everyone you meet, though your experience maybe rare. We tend to steer away from good news these days, and right minded people tend to remain silent in the face of vocal opposition from people who don't want to hear any good news. Remember the history books and how dictators and tyrants ensured the means of communication to the people were in their hands and under their control. Look around you and see who controls the media that feeds you and ask yourself what is their agenda; to help you or help themselves. Good News is not profitable when compared to scandal and bad news for it is these things that people apparently want to learn about, or is it because the media preys upon the base instincts of man?

Let us consider what is happening to our Church today. The slightest hint or innuendo that might bring the Church into disrepute is immediately seized upon by our modern, "liberalist" media and like ravenous dogs they attack the entire body for their sustenance. It doesn't really matter if a person is actually charged with a crime, or even guilty of any wrong-doing to encourage the media to press for that person's removal from society along with anyone even remotely associated with that person. The Church has always been a target for the media because it has stood fast against the spread of "liberalist relativism" preached by the modern media. The Sex Scandals that have rocked our Church in various countries over the recent years have been a great weapon for those media outlets to use in their constant attacks. While we must all be sensitive to those who have endured the pain of clerical abuse, both physical and mental, one must always remember that evil thrives when good men do nothing. For many, many years our Church leaders hid their heads in the sand and did little or nothing to combat the very real possibility of such an event occurring.

Thankfully, and better late than never, our Church leadership have gathered themselves together and no longer hide in shame, but speak loudly in the face of hostility. They have put their heads above the battlements, but we need to join them if we are not to see our Church wiped away in a storm of "collective punishment". Any person related to or seen to be friends with someone deemed guilty of a crime are to be offered up as sacrifice on the altart of modern media judgement. They will hold court and find judgement. An entire Church, faith group, or family associated with the "guilty", though bearing no guilt themselves, will find condemnation. The Church as the major obstacle and opponent of the growing movement toward total social liberalisation without accountability will be crushed. If this happens to our Church what will happen to the weaker organisations that stand in the way of the media's progress to such a liberal society.

We Catholics belong to the Global Christian Church and are charged by God to bring the "Good News" to everyone. We, of course, are not perfect because we are just human beings. We have undoubtedly committed wrongs ourselves and, perhaps, looked the other way when others did wrong. We have been guilty of over-protection when we should have been more honest. We have built barricades when we should have been more open. We now cower in fear and hide from the media's machinations, which we should be employing ourselves in God's service. Whenever we do not fulfil this important task we are leaving a gap which is filled quickly by the voices of the minority and agenda-setters who have little or no time for the our Church and what it stands for in this increasingly confused world. As members of the Catholic Church we should support our Catholic media and ensure that it gets a wide dispersal within our own families, parishes and dioceses. We should actively encourage others to read Catholic papers and magazines, listen to Catholic radio, and view Catholic Television like EWTN, internet sites and blogs. Honour your baptismal vow to pass on "The Good News" that Jesus has overcome death by his resurrection and is ready to give us all our rightful share of his saving grace.

"What to do?"

2010-09-01T20:22:00.001+01:00

Many Catholic commentators remind us tat Church Law states that there should at least be "a realistic hope that a child will be brought up in the Catholic Religion" if the sacrament of baptism is to be conferred. Canon Law informs us that baptism is to be deferred and the parents advised that this is due to such a hope being truly lacking. How many times have we seen Catholic children beginning school in these modern times who know the words of the latest pop tune but canot make the sign of the cross, or recite any simple prayer.
I have been an active member of the Parish Baptismal Team and Family Ministry Team, preparing parents for the responsibilities their children undertake through these sacraments. Sadly, and all too often, parents present their children for Baptism and after the ceremony never darken the door of the chapel again until First Communion. There have even been occasions when parents have presented their children for First Communion unaware of the fact that their children needed to be Baptised first. What else can we expect in a society where parents temselves fail to attend Mass regularly, and show absolutely no desire in raising their children in the faith?
"What to do?" that is the dilemma facing the Church today. Should the Church continue to be a part of this charade that sees non-religious parents come forward and present their children for the sacraments? Or, should the Church now draw a line in the sand and insist that parents wishing their children to receive the sacraments should be seen to practise the faith? Sadly there appears to have been a general reluctance within the Church to defer or refuse the sacraments when parents request it. While we can understand that many families would be upset by having their request refused or deferred, surely we cannot continue to permit them to view the sacraments as a non-religious ritual that will pacify their parents or grandparents. We cannot allow the sacraments to be just regarded as something that is done as a matter of form; to be something that is a non-religious rite of passage for a child.
The question remains, "What to do?" As the Church we must, of course, be sensitive to the needs of people to mark the significant events in their lives. Where possible we should seize that human requirement and employ it as a tool to encourage people to enquire more deeply into their faith; to experience God's actions in their lives and to feel his unquestioning love for us. In these relativist days we must consider that the time has come for the Church to be much more pro-active with regard to those upon whom it confers its sacraments. The sacraments are not, and should not be seen as, one-off private family celebrations but a serious decision that involves the entire Church. Why can't there be a scenario in which parents and children are obliged to make a formal application requesting the conferrment of the sacrament and the appropriate catechesis. I realise that there will be some who would support such a move and plenty that would oppose it. Those in opposition to this move would argue that it would serve only to encourage less parents to present their children for baptism and the other sacraments of initiation. Personally I am of the opinion that such an obligation on parents would result in a situation where those parents who put forward their children for the sacraments would be making a positive decision to bring their children up within the faith.

Spiritual Advice from Padre Pio

2010-08-31T13:20:00.000+01:00

"Do not ask why you are suffering; do not seek the answer (to this question), but go resolutely forward. Jesus will not allow any harm to come to you or allow you to perish, so long as you do not become engrossed in yourself and linger over your decisions. So hold your head high! Though the world turn upside down, though darkness cover everything, and the world be ablaze and in chaos, nothing should fill your soul with anxiety, for God is with you and His strength will hold you up in battle. ("Love One Another" Magazine, No.15, Society of Christ, Poznan, Poland, 2010.)

Will Only a Few be Saved?

2010-08-23T15:40:00.000+01:00

I was listenig in Mass to the Gospel and the homily that followed it. It made me think and looked again at the question that an unidentified person asked of Jesus i.e. "Will only a few be saved?" When I considered this question a lot images and ideas began to spring into my mind. As I tried to to make some sense of my thoughts one particular image stood out. It was an image of the world as a mass of people preparing to enter a huge stadium, like any crowd entering a venue where they expected to see their favourite artiste or team.
Have you ever been to a concert or major sporting event? Do you remember the excitement as the event came nearer and you joined with friends and others heading for that venue. Do you recall the laughter, the joy, the celebration that you were among the few? You had done things right, saved your hard earned money, spent it on that special ticket and now you were about to reap the reward for your endeavour. I envisioned the Kingdom of God to be like a huge stadium into which we are all invited, but we need to get a ticket. We don't spend worldly riches on this ticket but increase our spiritual riches through the sacraments, prayer faith and charity. Then, at the end of our days, we can spend these spiritual riches on the ticket that will help us reap our reward from God.
Unfortunately there are some who lapse from their faith in God for one reason or another. They have stopped praying and may not be as charitable as they should be. What happens to them? Outside all major events there are people selling tickets or pointing us to people who have tickets for sale. Some of these people are good people selling tickets that can no longer be used by them or their friends, or maybe the organisers have made the unsold ones more available. There are of course the sellers whose goods are not good and they want us to squander what riches we have to buy their false promises. In my vision I see these sellers as people we meet on our faith journey in life. Some are good; showing example, speaking the truth, and bravely standing up for what is right and just. They show us where we can buy the ticket and help us to gather what spiritual riches we have to purchase that ticket. The others spout lies, pander to our materialist sense and make us think evertything is easy and we are accountable to no one. Their directions help those unfortunate ones to spend what spiritual riches they have on the very things that will keep us out of the stadium.
In my vision the Kingdom of Heaven is like a major stadium. It has wide doors because it invites all peoples into its confines. Stadiums have defined capacity determined determined by the number of people who can fit into it, and so does the Kingdom of Heaven. A stadium welcomes all those who have followed the right pth and gained for themselves a valid ticket. Likewise the Kingdom of Heaven welcomes into its vastness those who have obeyed God's word, followed the example of Christ, and put their trust in the Holy Spirit. We ahve to consider the question: "Do we have the right ticket?"

The Knights Templar: HIstory and Myths of the Legendary Military Order

2010-07-26T16:04:00.000+01:00

"The Knights Templar: The History and Myths of the Legendary Military Order" by Sean Martin; Pocket Essentials, UK; 2004, ISBN 1904048285. This is a small book of only 160 pages, but it packed full of interest for anyone who wants to know anything about the Knights Templar. At one time the Knights Templar were the most powerful military religious order of the Middle Ages and had a fearful reputation for their military prowess. But they were also the inventors of modern banking, explorers and great engineers. They held sway over mush of Western Europe and the Holy Land for over 200 years and their fall from grace was both dramatic and bloody. Some have read the "Da Vinci" code, or heard about lost Templar treasure in a huge treasure fleet that disappeared almost overnight. Some authors have seen them as evil doers, occultists, arrogant, userous and sexually depraved.If you want an insight into the Truth then read this book. I found it most useful and entertaining, encouraging me to find out more and more.

The book is available on Amazon and can be purchased through the link on this blog... Let me know what you think of it

The Jesus Relics by Joe Nickell (A Review)

2010-07-26T15:30:00.000+01:00

"The Jesus Relics: From the Holy Grail to the Turin Shroud" by Joe Nickell, (published by the History Press, 2008. ISBN:9780752445984) is a book which has recently come into my possession. Joe Nickell is an 'investigative historian' with several "revelatory" books to his name and has appeared on several major talk shows in the U.S. In this book Mr. Nickell considers some of the most revered religious artefacts in the world today, including the Shroud of Turin, The Spear of Destiny and The Holy Grail. In the prentation blurb on the front jacket of the book it declares, "Joe Nickell examines the authenticity of numerous Christian Relics, investigating not only the objects themselves but also the methods that were used to substantiate these purported treasures." In my opinion it is 'poppycock', for it appears that Mr Nickell is anti-Christian and simply wishes to undermine anything that encourages people to believe in Christ.

There can be few of us who disagree with Mr. Nickell's amazing revelation that those who wish to study the historical Jesus have little to work on and that the primary source of our information is the four Canonical gospels. To thee books, some give credence to the apocryphal gospels and some non-christian writings. Christians know that these books were written seventy to hundred years after the birth of Christ, and some even later. However, Mr. Nickell appears to doubt their veracity and even to suggest that they were simply made up to fulfill some of the prophesies of the Old Testament. But the Old Testament books are much older again than the New Testament books and there is even less proof of their veracity. Thus, we cannot use the 'truth' of one to prove or disprove the truth of the other.

Then of course there is the old stand-by that few of Jesus' contemporaries took notice of him and that Jesus played a very provincial and limited role in His own lifetime. This should surprise us? A nomadic preacher in a rural area of a Roman Province talking about loving God and loving they neighbour should not make an impression of the geat historians and writers of the age? Why should he have done?
Joe Nickell puts his arguments well and structures them well because he writes well and so he should with a PhD in English Literature. But that is no recommendation for his efforts in historical investigation. Any scientist who disagrees with his finding is written off as a Christian, if not Catholic, propagandist. I am in no way saying that all relics are true relics and for some there is doubt. But Mr. Nickell is far from objective in his investigations and his subsequent declarations. For me the book is not a revelation experience. It is my deeply felt opinion that Mr. Nickell wrote the book to be provocative and simply to earn money from notoriety. However, read it for yourself and come to your own opinion.

You can get it from Amazon books through the link on this blog.

The Sign of the Cross

2010-05-25T00:01:00.000+01:00

I must admit that I do enjoy the feast of Pentecost. For me it seems to mark the beginning of summer when new life abounds on the earth. It is also a reminder of how God's Holy Spirit came upon the disciples of Christ fortifying and equipping them for the difficult times they would face as they wandered the earth bringing the 'Good News' to those who had not yet heard about Jesus and his teachings. But, this Pentecost Sunday something quite different grabbed my attention. As I listened to the priest begin his homily he reminded us that he had just come back from Lourdes, where he had been part of the pilgrimage. The priest told us in passing that one of the themes of the pilgrimage this year had been concerned with the "Sign of the Cross" and its usage. He wondered just what the "Sign of the Cross" means for many Catholics and Christians in these modern times, and this caused me to wonder also.
The "Sign of the Cross" with which I bless myself is so much more important than a simple ritual that must be performed. When I use "The Sign of the Cross" I am identifying myself as a Roman Catholic and a Christian, who believes firmly in the power and presence of the Triune God. It demonstrates my unshakable faith that God will guide and assist me through every facet of my life if I only put my trust in him. Unfortunately, and all too often, I see many of my fellow Catholics bless themselves in a manner which neither represents a "Sign of the Cross" or a pride in what God has already done for us.
There are those who will say I am being judgemental without knowing what is in their hearts. This is true to a certain extent, but I believe that if someone had an attitude of respect and thankfulness in their hearts then it would also show in their actions. There are those among my fellow Catholics who simply wiggle their fingers just below their noses as if spreading a scent and then tap themselves gently on their chests several times, as if trying to clear a blockage in their airways. There are others who touch their forehead in a way that would remind you of someone tugging their forelock, before smartly bringing their hand down with a quick wave before any person could see them. To be frank none of these movements even remotely resemble the "Sign of the Cross" that I was taught at my mother's knee. It is a lazy, sloppy and disrespectful action that is so common in these days, and it is carried out without any thought about its meaning or its power. That is a terrible shame.
Let me share with you what I was taught as a child, concerning the "Sign of the Cross". In the first place it is an open acknowledgement of my faith as a Christian rooted in the Roman Catholic tradition. It is a sign of my firm belief in a Triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - and the sacrifice made for me upon the the Cross by Jesus Christ. Yes, it is fair to say that not all Christians use the "Sign of the Cross", but we in the Roman Catholic tradition do use the sign as a recognition of our love for God in this consumerist world. Throughout this world secular governments are doing everything within their power to remove the influence of Christianity, and to oblige people of faith to forgo any public demonstration of adherence to the faith. Already many people have been prevented from wearing the Cross in the workplaces in case it offends non-believers. There is no thought given to the comfort it gives to the believer. As Christians we are all called upon to proclaim Christ and the 'Good News' to all men and we cannot be forced into not showing public respect for our faith in our actions. If we do nothing will the next step be the banning of the 'Sign of the Cross' in public when a Catholic passes by a Church in which it is known the Eucharist, the Real Presence of God, rests? May be they will enforce a ban on making the "Sign of the Cross" as a funeral passes since that is a means of prayer for the soul of deceased member of our human race, whether Christian or not.
When I begin to make the "Sign of the Cross" my first action is to raise my hand to touch my forehead. Through this action I am recognising God as the head of the universe in which I live. I am reminded by this action that I should always endeavour to keep the Word of God foremost in my mind, knowing that my adherence to the Word will bring salvation. In our head lies our brain, the steering mechanism of our lives and what better helmsman can we call upon to steer us in the right direction but Almighty God.
This movement completed I slowly bring my hand down to the centre of my chest. Through this movement I recognise that from God came Christ, my saviour. It is also an acknowledgement that I should hold the Son of God, the Christ, at the very centre of my being. Within my chest beats a living heart that with every beat pumps life into my body. So it is with Christ. By keeping him at the centre of my life his every word, passed to us through the Gospels, beat new life into my being and existence on earth. In keeping Christ close we are helped to the attainment of our promised reward in heaven.
From the centre of my being I reach out respectfully to my left shoulder then to my right. This action describes the arm of the Cross on to which Jesus was nailed and hung for all to see. It is also a reminder of the two thieves who were crucified with him that same day. The one who doubted and the one who believed Jesus was the Son of God. In this action we can align ourselves with the the thief who believed and was promised he would be in heaven with Jesus that very day. But it reminds us of love, peace, faithfulness, courage also. In fact all the gifts which God can bestow upon us through the Holy Spirit. It is through the Holy Spirit that all things are possible for us. With his help we can overcome any difficulty that life may throw at us. All we have to do is have faith and simply ask for his guidance.
"Iesus Nazareus Rex Iudaeorum" - INRI - "Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews" - the sign placed above Christ's head when he was brutally nailed to the Cross. He gave his life in atonement for all our sins. It was an act of pure love for us and in response we must be obliged to show respect for Christ's actions on our behalf. The "Sign of the Cross" is not a complicated maeouvre. It is a simple act, but one full of meaning. The next time that you perform it just take a moment to reflect upon your action.

Defence against Media Onslaught.

2010-05-13T16:43:00.000+01:00

I found this quote from Avery Cardinal Dulles' book "Models of the Church" and I thought it was something we should all take on board.

"The Penitential Liturgy expresses an essential aspect of the Pilgrim Church. While the Church is made up of sinful men, from its highest officers to the most humble of the faithful, it is not related in the same way to sanctity and sin. It promotes the one and combats the other."

Matthew 10:24-28

2010-05-04T23:03:00.000+01:00

When I first saw this picture and the scripture verse it seemed to say something to me that I just could not grasp. I read it several times and finally decided to look it up in my bible. Like so many things in the Scriptures, taken on its own the verse brings one thing to mind, and then brings something else to the fore when the same verse is read in context with the verses that precede and follow it.

On its own it is a picture of a lighted candle which, whenever I see one, reminds me of Christ, the light of the world. The words that accompany this picture were words spoken by the Christ, according to the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus was telling them that they should proclaim his teachings from the rooftops. It is Christ and his teachings that make up the "Good News"; the light of the world bringing new life to those who have not heard of Christ's sacrifice for our salvation.

Then, when I read the passage in context those verses that went before I began to visualise a different scene. This is when Jesus, having gathered his disciples around himself, commissions the twelve to go out into the world to heal the sick, raise the dead and proclaim the "Good News". Jesus told them that they should expect to face persecution for their beliefs, in the same way many of our fellow christian brothers and sisters do today, both at home and abroad. When we see what Jesus suffered for his teaching, should we expect to be treated any better for proclaiming the same message. We, and the disciples, are told: "The student is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master."(Matt.10:24).Because we are spreading the Truth about the Kingdom of God then we can expect persecution, but we shall gain our reward and we should be happy. "A student should be glad to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master." (Matt.10:25)

"There is nothing covered that will not be uncovered; and nothing hidden that will not be made known. What I am telling you in the dark, you must speak in the light. What you hear in private proclaim from the the housetops." (Matt.10:26-27) The disciples have been told that they should not worry because they who carry God's word do not carry it alone. The more that they are persecuted the more assistance they shall receive from the Holy Spirit. However, Jesus also warns them in these verses that they should be wary of becoming like the pharisees, knowing God's word, interpreting it and thinking theselves better than others because of their knowledge. He tells us that we are proclaimers of the "Truth" and, as such there is nothing secret that cannot be made public to others. In speaking this "Truth" we are unable to hide things from others because the Holy Spirit is working within us.

Jesus knows, and explains to his disciples, that his words can only reach a small circle of people and it is through them that the "Word" will spread to a much bigger audience. Some Christians may think that the words "not hidden" imply that Jesus taught a secret doctrine to the disciples besides the public doctrine. But this is not the case. The words in these verses mean that Jesus knew that only a very limited number of people would hear the words from his own lips, but his disciples and their successors would spread that word throughout the world. In these few word Jesus presents the disciples, and the future Church, with their central mission i.e. to spread the word of the Kingdom of God. This is the same mission all christians are given at baptism and we are sustained by his promises of assistance. God does not give anyone a task without also giving him the talents and assistance he or she needs to complete that task. We are further sustained in our task by the knowledge that there is a life after our earthly life. In the end those who persecute us can do no more than kill the body, they cannot kill the soul. It is our soul which is the most important part of our being and through that soul we shall receive our reward from God when we carry out the mission assigned to us by Christ.

Undermining the faith

2010-05-03T21:46:00.001+01:00

This is a good article I found and I pass it on to all of you. It is from LA Times 2nd May 2010.

Catholic bashers like to refer to priests as ‘men in dresses.’ It’s just another in a growing number of media cheap shots directed at Pope Benedict XVI.
"Men in dresses." That's who columnist Maureen Dowd blames for decay in "our religious kingdom."

Which men in dresses is she referring too? The ballerinas-in-drag of Les Ballets Trockadero? The Marilyn Monroe lookalikes marching in gay pride parades? Nope. She's talking about Catholic priests.
Lately Dowd, along with half the other columnists in America, has been speculating about what Pope Benedict XVI knew or didn't know concerning clerical abuse of minors back when he was Josef Ratzinger, acting as archbishop of Munich or as head of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. And she and her gang seem to find it hilarious that Catholic priests and bishops often wear cassocks or other long traditional robes, especially on formal religious occasions and when celebrating Mass.
It's odd that no one ever uses the word "dresses" to describe the ankle-length liturgical garments worn by Episcopal priests. Nor are Protestant ministers or Jewish rabbis derided as cross-dressers when they don long robes for religious services. Has anyone ever called the Dalai Lama "a man in a dress"? Or Genghis Khan? Not unless you wanted to see your ribcage sliced into salami by a scimitar.
For most of human history long robes on men — whether the togas of Roman senators, the kimonos of Japanese samurai or the black gowns worn by judges and academics today — have been associated with status, dignity and, in the case of the clergy, the sacral separation of religious ritual from the ordinary activities of daily life. Indeed, so redolent of masculinity are those garments that when women enter the professions for which they are worn, they often soften and feminize them. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, for example, wears lace collars with her judicial robes
Catholic priests alone are mocked as ecclesiastical Lypsinkas in the media and elsewhere when they dare to wear the traditional garb of their calling. There is a reason for that. The latest round of abuse allegations, only one of which can be said to have occurred on Ratzinger's watch, aren't really about supposed Vatican cover-ups of sexual exploitation of children by clerics. They are yet another effort to discredit the Roman Catholic Church wholesale by people whose beefs with Catholicism rest on entirely different grounds — namely that it forbids abortion and homosexual conduct, it doesn't allow women to be priests, and it requires men who enter the priesthood to remain celibate.
If you can undermine the Catholic Church and its theologically conservative current pope with a cheap shot by calling its clergy a bunch of drag queens, the thinking seems to go, all well and good. Far better, though, to reach into your quiver for a more expensive and deadly shot, which is the best way to describe the current campaign, based on flimsy to nonexistent evidence, to implicate Benedict in a sinister conspiracy to shield Catholic clerics from the consequences of their sexual rapacity.
Eight years ago, in 2002, the media performed a valuable, if painful, service to the church by exposing a large number of instances in which Catholic bishops in the U.S. acted in ineffectual, dilatory and self-serving ways during the 1970s, '80s and '90s so as to permit Catholic priests who were known child and teen molesters to continue serving in parishes.
The revelations resulted in a drastic and salutary overhaul of the U.S. church's procedures for handling accusations of clerical sexual abuse of children. Even before then, in 2001, Ratzinger, as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under Pope John Paul II, had centralized and toughened standards for the Vatican's then-piecemeal system for disciplining abusive priests. As pope, he has issued apologies to U.S. and, most recently, Irish victims of systematic church mishandling of their cases.
This year is essentially 2002 repeated as farce instead of tragedy, as journalists scramble to locate some microscopic shred of evidence that might connect Benedict to the handful of now-hoary abuse cases they have unearthed. The offenses enumerated in those cases are appalling: molesting deaf children; soliciting sex from the confessional. But it's not exactly the Vatican's fault that the diocese of Milwaukee, for example, waited 20 years, until 1996, before initiating proceedings to defrock a notorious, now-deceased priest-pederast, or that the diocese of Oakland never even tried to defrock Steven Kiesle, who pleaded guilty in 1978 to charges of fondling boys in his church rectory, Instead, the diocese relied on Kiesle's slow-moving voluntary petition to the Vatican for laicization while he continued to work as a parish youth minister in Contra Costa County.
The German priest, Peter Hullerman, accused of having oral sex with an 11-year-old boy in 1979, was allowed by Ratzinger to move to Munich for psychotherapy in January 1980 (those were the days when people believed that counseling could cure sex offenders). Ratzinger's deputy allowed Hullerman to live in a rectory and help out in a parish during the therapy — a bad idea, but it's unclear whether Ratzinger ever read the memo authorizing that move. The Munich archdiocese subsequently allowed Hullerman to return to full-time parish work — a reprehensible idea, but the decision was made in September 1982, seven months after Ratzinger had left Munich to assume his Vatican post.
That's all there is, folks. But that didn't stop Dowd and others from calling for Benedict's resignation from the papacy. Atlantic blogger and gay-marriage advocate Andrew Sullivan used the abuse cases as a platform to press for an end to priestly celibacy and the ban on homosexual activity. "I don't believe … that you can tackle this problem without seeing it as a symptom of a much deeper failure of the church to come to terms with sexuality, sexual orientation and the warping, psychologically distorting impact of compulsory celibacy," he wrote on April 1.
Professional atheists Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins went a step further, demanding that British law enforcement arrest Benedict on his planned visit to Britain later this year and turn him over to the International Criminal Court to be tried for "crimes against humanity." In a March 28 blog post for the Washington Post, Dawkins expressed his hope that "the whole rotten edifice [i.e. the Catholic Church] — the whole profiteering, woman-fearing, guilt-gorging, truth-hating, child-raping institution" would "tumble … amid a stench of incense and a rain of tourist-kitsch sacred hearts and preposterously crowned virgins." He also called Benedict a "leering old villain in a frock." Yes, it's "men in dresses" one more time.
The anti-Catholic media frenzy has gotten to the point that even the staunchly nonreligious Brendan O'Neill, editor of Spiked, denounced what he called a "secular inquisition" aimed at the church. As the insult "men in dresses" that typically accompanies the attacks signifies, the new round of supposed revelations about Benedict has little to do with vindicating abuse victims or punishing clerical pedophiles. It has everything to do with discrediting and destroying the Catholic papacy and the Catholic Church as we know them and replacing them with something more to the bashers' liking.

Charlotte Allen is the author of "The Human Christ: The Search for the Historical Jesus" and a contributing editor to the Minding the Campus website of the Manhattan Institute.
Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times

A Biased Media in Ireland

2010-04-01T22:40:00.000+01:00

In recent weeks the Pope sent a Pastoral Letter to the people of Ireland with regard to the clerical sexual abuse of children that has come to light in recent years. Speaking as an Irish Catholic I find this to be a shameful episode in the life of the Catholic Church in Ireland and my prayers go out to those who have suffered and continue to suffer from this abuse. These clerics were members of the Church, but they were a minority of that membership and by no means represented the Church as a whole. Yes, I am angry at these few who have blighted the reputation of my Church and all the good, honest and caring clerics that continue to continue their pastoral duties in the face of terrible criticism. I agree with those who say that the role of the media in society is to strive for truth, accuracy and fairness in reporting. It is vital that those in positions of leadership in all areas of society should be held to account for their actions. The emphasis should be on truth and fairness, but in Ireland today it is becoming increasingly impossible for anyone to have a rational, cool-headed discussion about the church in Ireland.

It must be dais that I am still making my way through the Murphy Report's findings, but I wonder how many have actually read it or are reading it. I would say that the majority of the people in Ireland have relied solely on the media to present the report's findings to them accurately, truthfully and fairly. While the report itself is factual the media have a way of twisting facts to meet their own agenda. How fair has media coverage been? I agree with journalist and commentator, David Quinn, when he suggests that the only way we can gauge the fairness of the media is to look at the coverage they give to other organisations when its members are guilty of not protecting children. (Reality Magazine, Redemptorist Communications, March 2010) There is no way that I would condone being soft on child abusers and those who covered for their actions, but if we are to harsh on these people let us be harsh on all of them equally. Why is it that when the issue of abuse comes up it is only the Roman Catholic Church which seems to dominate the headlines? My sense of fairness and justice in the media is shaken when they appear to pick out the Church for special blame, and continue to give the public the impression that this child abuse remains current. If the media's coverage of the scandal was fair and balanced then these things would not be felt by me and other Catholics in Ireland.
For weeks and months there was continued coverage of the Vatican not responding to the scandal in Ireland. There was anger that the Papal Nuncio did not appear before the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee as invited. But there was o coverage of the Israeli Ambassador's refusal to do the same. The Vatican is a State and the Papal Nuncio its Ambassador, like any other Ambassador. When the Bishops went to Rome to see the Pope with regard to the scandal the only talk in the papers was the fact that the Bishops smiled for a photograph. Did they want them to stand there in sack cloth and ashes with a long face to prove that they felt very badly about what had happened to the victims of clerical child abuse? Then, when the Pope sent his Pastoral letter the reports from the media were that it didn't go far enough. No one was sacked! No one was publicly humiliated! Nobody was nailed to the cross and crucified to satisfy the press! How many reported the statement of the Irish Survivors of Child Abuse (SOCA) which said: "We welcome the letter with guarded optimism and it would be churlish not to accept there are positive aspects to it." There was no front page headline stating that SOCA considered the letter represented "a highly emotional and overdue apology from the Pope and the Curia in Rome." And that they viewed it as "an unambiguous acknowledgement that the Irish Church had sinned grievously against the young over many decades." The attitude of the media in this case reminded me of the line from scripture: "The wicked men said: let us oppose the just man, since his ways are contrary to ours." (Book of Wisdom).
It is my belief that many journalists and commentators are more anti-clerical than anti-catholic because many still have a view of the Church which is outdated and wrong. They still believe it is a huge intricate bureaucratic and clerical machine lording it over society. There may have been a time when such a perception was not altogether wrong, but that Church is long gone. Nevertheless, I believe that many of those writing in today's media are only too happy to see the Church suffering because they have always seen it as a barrier against the modern lifestyle of irresponsible, non-judgemental attitudes to sex and other vices, as well as a firm champion of condemning divorce, abortion, contraception, homosexual activity and all the fetishes of what our media calls a liberal society. They would much rather we didn't oppose such things and wish to destroy any influence we, as a church, may have with the people of God. Let the Church get its message across. Let us discuss these things openly, truthfully, fairly and rationally. Instead of giving special blame to the Catholic Church in Ireland for child abuse, for which some of our trusted members have been guilty, let us all join together to ensure the future safety of all children irrespective of whose care they may be in.

Discussion on the Biblical basis for an “Egalitarian” view of Male/Female relationships

2010-03-28T19:17:00.000+01:00

Christian Egalitarianism is a sincere belief that all people are equal before God and in Christ. It is further considered by these people that the true biblical view of marriage is that it is a state of full and equal partnership between husband and wife. There is a view that all men and women have an equal responsibility to put their gifts to good use within the marriage as a sign of obedience to God’s will. Husbands and wives are persons of equal value in the eyes of God and there can be, therefore, no priority of one spouse over the other. This is the basis of the idea that the two become one in the sight of God.

In contrast to the “Complementarian” view of male/female relationships the Christian Egalitarian view is that the scriptures tell us clearly that gender neither improves nor degrades a Christian’s ability to serve and/or minister within the home or in the Church. Egalitarians are assured that, in both his manner and his teaching, Jesus did away with all forms of discrimination and that the Gospels demonstrate the equality of all believers irrespective of race, colour, gender, ethnicity or class. Equality of husband and wife within marriage, it is believed, produces the most intimate, wholesome and mutually fulfilling of marital relationships. What is more, egalitarianism supports the view that the main principles of biblical teaching state that men and women are created equal in God’s image i.e. They are equally responsible for sin; equally redeemed by Christ, and equally gifted by God’s spirit for service; and equally held responsible for putting their God-given gifts to good use. This sense of equality is best described by St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians – “Here there is no longer any difference between Jew or Greek, or between slave or freed, or between man and woman: but all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”(Gal. 3:28)

“We believe in the equality and essential dignity of men and women of all ethnicities, ages, and classes. We recognise that all persons are made in the image of God and are to reflect that image in the community of believers, in the home, and in society.
We believe that men and women are to diligently develop and use their God-given gifts for the good of the home, Church and society.” Groups who have the same basic ideals endeavour to spread their message far and wide, using the Bible for their inspiration. They would certainly argue that the Mosaic Laws used in the Israel of the Old Testament were egalitarian at their core and use , as their proof, quotes such as – “ Do not be influenced by anyone when you judge, but listen to the poor and the rich alike, to the powerful as well as the weak, and do not be afraid of anyone because you act in place of God.” (Deut. 1:17) At the same time they look to Jesus and the way in which he, as a Jewish male, refused to conform to the ideas of a male dominated society, but reacted against any inequalities that were based on gender. By calling women to follow him Jesus showed that his teaching went beyond the customs and outlook of the environment in which he lived.

As a further step to strengthening their case for equality the egalitarians turn to Genesis – “That is why man leaves his father and mother and is attached to his wife, and with her becomes one flesh.” (Gen. 2:24) They suggest that this passage from the beginning of the Bible presents the human couple as an authentic image of Triune God. Because they are both God’s creations the coming together of couple allows us to gain at least some understanding of the mystery of Christ. St. Paul tried to clarify this idea further by writing – “because we are members of his body scripture says: “Because of this a man shall leave his father and mother to be united with his wife and the two shall be come one flesh.” This is a very great mystery, and I refer to Christ and the Church.” (Eph. 5:30-32) By recalling this passage from Genesis St. Paul is pointing out to Christians what is essential in conjugal love. At the same time, however, he is careful to apply the passage’s meaning to God’s union with humanity through Christ.

We Christians call matrimony a sacrament i.e. an outward sign of an inward grace instituted by Christ. There is, in effect, a mystery contained within marriage that is a treasure given to us from God and which we cannot truly understand without having the presence of Christ in our lives. When we call Marriage a “sacrament” it does not mean that there must be a church ceremony to bestow it upon a couple. The man and woman bestow this sacrament upon each other equally because marriage signifies that this couple are prepared to live a life of love. By carrying out this sacrament before the priest the couple are demonstrating their commitment to living this life of love in Christ’s presence for the mystery that is the love of God is consistently being manifested among us i.e. through marriage we see the sign of the covenant God made with all humanity when he sent his only son among us. The husband and wife, like Christ, undertake a covenant of love, fidelity and fruitfulness. Jesus himself commented on this union, also by incorporating the passage from Genesis. “Jesus replied, “have you not read that in the beginning the Creator made them male and female, and he said: Man has now to leave father and mother, and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one body? So they are no longer two, but one body. Let no one separate what God has joined.”” (Matt. 19:4-6)

Complementarians believe that the male should be the leading party in society, while egalitarians that such ideas are contrary to the teachings of Christ and that equality is the main teaching of the Bible. There is much to commend both points of view and just as much that can cause protest. However, this is too complicated a matter to go into briefly and I will leave it simply by stating that there is nothing in either point of view to make them mutually exclusive and that the best view may be one that incorporates something of both.

A Discussion of the Biblical Basis for a “Complementarian” understanding of male/female relationships.

2010-03-23T15:58:00.001Z

In the dictionary “Complementary” means simply completing something; supplying mutual needs or offsetting mutual lacks. These definitions are not far from the meaning of “Complementarian” when it comes to discussing male and female inter-relationships theologically. This “Complementarian” view of male/female relationships may be best described as being the “traditionalist” understanding of these relationships i.e. it is a view which maintains that male leadership within the marriage is a requirement established by biblical guidance. Those who believe in this view look to the scriptures for justification and interpret the text to state that, although husband and wife are considered to be of equal worth before God since they were both created in God’s image, they have completely different functions and responsibilities within the marriage. The people that adhere to such views insist that biblical teaching infuses the husband with the ‘God-given’ responsibility to provide, protect and lead the family. They further believe that it is incumbent upon the wife to respect the ‘God-given’ authority of their husbands and willingly submit themselves to that authority. Some groups would take such views further by insisting that the same biblical texts would suggest that women should be forbidden from holding positions of authority over men in religious and/or political spheres of life. Consider the following view from a modern Christian faith denomination: “A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the Church willingly submits to the Lordship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation.” This statement does not seem to equate to the definition of “Complementary” i.e. “supplying mutual needs or offsetting mutual lacks.”

Those who stand-by the traditionalist view of husband and wife relations use biblical passages such as Col. 3:8-9 – “Wives, submit yourselves to your husband, as you should do in the Lord.” – to strengthen their case. However, in my opinion, they seem to neglect the fact that when Paul wrote these words to the Colossians the society in which he lived was so much simpler than the society we find ourselves living in today. The world of the early Christian church was a society in which there were those who were enslaved or free, and men held sway over women. It was a patriarchal society whereas our modern society views things in a very different way and marriage, political and sexual relationships between men and women are considered in a more egalitarian way. In this modern society traditionalist views are considered dated, anti-feminist and blatantly chauvinistic by the majority of people, even Christians. But, despite this difference there still remains much good advice that can be gleaned from the scriptures that is not always detrimental to females in their relationships with men. Perhaps one slice of such good advice lies in 1Peter 3:3-4: “Do not be taken with outward appearances: hairstyles, gold necklaces and clothes. There is something more permanent that shines from within a person: a gentle and peaceful disposition. This is really precious in God’s eyes.”

In his letter Peter is speaking to married couples of his time and includes the line: “They put their trust in God and were obedient to their husbands.” (1 Peter 3:5). I feel that Peter fully recognised the very important role that women played within the family structure and society as a whole, but he nevertheless had to consider the norms of the Jewish society in which he lived i.e. men occupied the leading role in all things. Peter, however, also talked to the men and instructed them: “Husbands in your turn be sensible in your life together. Be considerate, realising that the woman is of a more frail disposition and that you both share the gift of life.” (1 Peter 3:7). The important word in this passage for me is “share”. As one of Jesus’ Apostles, Peter would have heard the Lord’s revolutionary ideas on society, especially those ideas suggesting that husbands and wives have the same rights in marriage. Peter, however, was also only too aware that he and the other Apostles lived in a male-dominated society and such revolutionary teachings would find little support. He was speaking to women accustomed to being obedient, a fact which is not in vogue today. But many groups would like such obedience to continue and supporting their cause they often quote Paul: “Nor did God create man for woman, but woman for man” (1 Cor. 11:9) and: “Let a woman quietly receive instruction and be submissive.” (1 Tim. 2:11). There are other interpretations that can be taken from these passages and I feel it is sad they are used to support male domination.

In today’s society male domination is still very apparent in many Third World Countries and strict Islamist societies. Even in some Christian societies the obedience of women to men is seen as the ideal and in line with teachings of Paul i.e. “Let all kinds of submission to one another become obedience to Christ.”(Eph. 5:21) But instead of seeing wifely obedience as a biblical requirement they should realise that Paul was only reflecting the norms of the society in which he lived and taught. Paul understood that marriage between a man and a woman was truly a covenant rather than a contract. Although he undoubtedly spoke in a way that reflected the culture of his day regarding marriage Paul continued to also reflect his support for feminism and the idea of “unitive” marriage i.e. where two have come together as one.

Over the many centuries since Paul’s time there have been, and there continue to be, a variety of developments regarding the relationship that exists between husband and wife. In our modern and more open society it is better that each married couple should be allowed to develop their own unique relationship so that neither partner will feel superior or inferior to the other. The “Complementarian” view of male/female relationships is of a time that is past and should remain in the past.

John 20:19-31

2010-03-15T17:05:00.000Z

Doubting Thomas ?

We have heard in today’s gospel that Jesus appeared to his disciples on the evening of his Resurrection. Over the previous few days these simple fishermen had been totally traumatised by the events they had experienced. From among this small group he had been brutally taken in the night, beaten, bloodied and forced to carry his cross through the streets of Jerusalem like a common criminal. Now he was dead, but his body had disappeared though Mary Magdalene had said she had seen him alive in the Garden. These frightened men could not be sure what was happening. How could a dead man be alive again? They had seen what the authorities had done to Jesus and were now concerned about what they had in store for them. In the meantime they had gathered together in a small, dark room lit by oil lamps because all the windows and doors were locked to keep the authorities out. They were most probably huddled together and busily whispering about what had happened and what they should do now. In fact they became so involved in their own problems that they didn’t notice that Jesus had come among them until he spoke to them saying – “Peace be with you.”

How many of us have shut ourselves away in our own dark place trying to resolve our difficulties while keeping the rest of the world shut out? Confused, afraid and wondering what to do next, and not being able to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Many of us experience times when we are sure that God has gone from us and he no longer listens to us, or answers our prayers. Maybe it is because we become so involved in our own problems that we fail to notice God is standing by our side and saying: “peace be with you.” This is God’s way of saying “Stop Worrying, don’t let your mind be troubled with doubts or questions for I am here to help you.” It is his way of reminding us quietly that he told us he would be with us always until the end of time, and he is here fulfilling that promise. Maybe it is our human weakness that allows the troubles of our life to lessen our faith in the Easter message.

Then John tells us that one of the disciples missed all the excitement. Where was he and what had he been doing? Maybe he had decided that it was much too dangerous to join up with the rest of Jesus’ disciples. Perhaps, when he had heard that Jesus was still alive, he had gone out to seek the truth. Maybe, because Judas was no longer among them, he had been given charge of the group’s purse and went out to get foodstuffs for what might well be a long time in hiding. We don’t know the reason but we do know that for whatever reason Thomas was not present to witness the appearance of Jesus, and he didn’t believe the other disciples when they related the other disciples when they told him that Jesus had come among them. It could have been anger or even envy, but whatever his reason Thomas doubted the assurances of the other disciples and I wonder how many of us would have done the same? It reminds me of a friend I knew who had a car accident and was taken to hospital. The injuries proved not to be too serious but required a few days in hospital for observation and tests. My friend’s wife told the whole family what had happened and kept everyone aware of his progress. But, my friend’s brother, who lived in England, took the first plane to be at his bedside. No phone call and no words could reassure that man that his brother was well. He just had to see with his own eyes to satisfy himself that all was right.

Thomas wanted proof and he also wanted to make his own personal connection with Jesus. He may even have felt some guilt about the way he had abandoned him in the Garden of Gethsemane and just wanted to ask his forgiveness in person. Then, when Jesus appears in the same closed room seven days later, Thomas witnesses the risen Jesus for himself. Can you imagine how he felt? He was probably excited but also nervous that he would be rebuked for his disbelief of the others. But Jesus offered no rebuke and gave Thomas leave to place his hands in the wounds on his body as proof that he was real living flesh. Thomas needed no further proof that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead and all that he had been taught by Jesus suddenly fell into place – “My Lord and My God” Thomas exclaimed with the joy of a blind man whose eyes had just been opened up to the wonders of the world. It was the doubter who had made the most complete affirmation of Jesus’ nature to be found on the lips of anyone in the Gospel. He was indeed true God and true Man. But from this episode we can take hear that we who have doubts or questions will not be rebuked by God. Thomas’ story demonstrates to us all that a demand to see proof is not doubt, but it can be love. It can be an act of faith because it is faith and not doubt that helps us to continue to seek out our own very real experience of Jesus.

Liberation Theology

2010-03-09T23:11:00.000Z

Key Themes of Liberation Theology

Theology we are told is simply "faith seeking understanding" but when speaking of Liberation Theology we can add, according Leonardo & Clovis Boff (Introducing Liberation Theology, Tunbridge Wells; Burnas and Oates, 1987. Chapt.4) - "the revelation of God to the poor as a lived experience." In simple terms this means that we as christians support our words with action in the same way Christ did. We are taught by St. James that faith without good deeds is of absolutely no use, writing "For just as the body without the Spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead."
Boff assures us that as long as the scandals of poverty and oppression exist, and as long as there are christians who live their faith, then liberation theology and its struggle for justice and equality of life will exist. The reason why this should be so is the fact that liberal theology is a practical theology which has the potential to offer hope to the poor and oppressed struggling to live in this world. This is best done by demonstrating how Christ and his teachings, when actively pursued, can effectively create a new society in which poverty is no more, where oppression and exclusion of our fellow man has gone, and where life and dignity can be pursued with success.
This is christians working together to bring "the Kingdom" to reality here on earth. "The Kingdom," Boff declares, "is God's project in history and eternity." In recent times the spread of liberaion theology has helped this cause by expanding our concept of "the poor and oppressed." Instead of just seeing these as a result of economic conditions alone we can now realise the role that race, culture and gender have to play. Thankfully there are many persons working for justice, reconciliation and the promotion of life in their efforts to bring "the Kingdom" to fruition.
In the struggle to liberate unfortunate people from poverty and oppression we christians have to be prepared to undertake what could be dangerous and life-changing actions. To faithfully follow in the footsteps of Jesus we must be willing to speak out with courage and act with courage. Jesus openly spoke out fr the poor and marginalised in the society of those days but his words and actions were seen to be dangerous by the authorities. Then, like today, the powerful wanted to maintain the status quo and sought to remove him. As christians we must be prepared to continue the work of Jesus, carrying on with his cause and be ready to undergo persecution as a result of our words and actions.
To help us find the strength we have the suport of the Holy Spirit whom Boff describes as the "Father of the Poor". When we consider the lives that the poor and oppressed people of this world have to undergo we marvel at their ability to survive. But they know that the Holy Spirit is present for them, providing the gifts they need to assist them in their daily struggle to survive. It is from the Holy Spirit thet they derive their wisdom, understanding and constant hope that things for them will get better. He is in their solidarity, hospitality, strength and courage in the face of constant adveristy.
Yet another asset for the poor and oppressed people of the world is their vision of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as the epitome of the perfect caring mother. In many Latin American countries she is held up as a "prophetic and liberating woman of the people."(Introducing Liberation Theology, Tunbridge Wells; Burnas and Oates, 1987) It is an image strengthened by the lowliness of her position within the society of her day. Nevertheless, she is seen as a strong woman of faith, ready to obey God's will, and a person who shows concern for others before herself.
There is little controversy in the themes so far outlined but controversy has arisen in the theme that the Church is a sign and instrument of liberation. There is little controversy in the idea that it is the duty of christians to support the rights of the poor. The controversy arises from the increased use of liberation theology as an apologia for much of the revolutionary upheaval that has swept the 'Third World'. A revolution that tries hard to link christian charity with the dogma of the Marxist struggle class-struggle. Such action flies in the face of those who visualise the role of the Church as creating a community made up of people of faith who actively live their christian teachings through deeds of sharing, caring and service to others.
The fact that many christians see it as their duty to support the rights of the poor and oppressed has seen the Christian Churches, over the last decade, develop their efforts to promote and defend human rights. There can be little doubt that the spread of capitalism, alongside consumerism, has seen a definite widening of the division between the "haves" and the "have-nots". It is because of this widening gulf that the christian churches put much emphasis on the dignity of human life and the evils of poverty, hunger and injustice.
It comes as no surprise then that the downtrodden and oppressed have come to believe that the "rights of the poor are God's rights." (Introducing Liberation Theology, Tunbridge Wells; Burnas and Oates, 1987) But, undeniably, liberation theology is a practical action which can have immediate effects on our attitudes and morals as christians. There is a major challenge to our faith which can question our real desire to follow the example of Christ in showing love to our neighbour. It questions our commitment to being non-judgemental; to showing unconditinal love to our fellow man irresepective of their race, colour, creed, culture, socio-economic standing, or gender.
Liberation theology, particularly in Latin America has initiated a process that is changing the Church. But whether this change will be for the better is something that challenges us all. One can easily agree that "the Kingdom" is always present when people work for justice, friendship, forgiveness and the dignity of life. The challenge is encouraging people to forgive and seek forgiveness, to be reconciled rather than seek revenge.
At the same time we can all recognise the wisdom within the statement, "all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to stand aside." This challenge lies in the validity of using violence to achieve social change. In many situations Catholic clergy and lay persons have involved themselves in "Liberation Movements" that have used violence to achieve political goals, under the auspices of "Liberation Theology". The challenge lies in the christian divesting himself of all political ideology and work solely for the betterment of their fellow man through peaceful means. One can have little doubt that the future path of liberation theology is inseparable from the future of all human beings on earth. It is for this reason that liberation theology must be spiritually grounded in the life and teachings of Christ as liberator.

"Blessed are those who hunger ..."

2010-03-01T14:32:00.000Z

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Mt.5:6)

When I was a child I was often mesmerised by the story of the three wise men that came from the east in search of the baby Jesus. What caught my attention was that these men put their hope in a bright star, which they believed was an omen of something really good. They left everything behind to follow that star and were rewarded by discovering truth, love and God. Many of us are constantly on a journey to find something that may improve life or just give meaning to the life we live. It is to these people that Jesus speaks as they search for something great, for true justice and for real good.

When Jesus spoke to the people on the mount he told them that those who are not content with things as they are, and want a closer relationship with God are blessed. These are the people of faith who refuse to listen to negative trends that attempt to stifle their restless hearts. It is their hunger and thirst for a much closer relationship with God that points them always towards something that is greater and keeps him on track to reach that goal, much like the wise men from the east. The hungry man will seek out crumbs to survive and lap at water drips to slake his thirst. In the same way those who hunger and thirst after righteousness are sensitive and open to even the most subtle signs sent by God. Their eyes are keen and their ears always open for any crumb or drip of God’s love for them.

"Blessed are the Meek ...."

2010-03-01T13:37:00.000Z

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth" (Mt.5:5)

Sometimes it is hard to believe that our world exists only because God wanted to create a special place of response to his love. It is a place where those he has created in his own image can live in freedom and obedience to him. It is a place where aggression does nat have to hold sawy and love can be the overwhelming ethos. When Jesus walked in Galilee he was fully aware that the people who inhabited this land of God's were from the ideal that was envisaged. During the sermon on the mount he blessed the "meek", the lowly ones who could not bring themselves to show aggression. It was to these people, the ones who would always turn the other cheek, to whom he referred.

Often when some speak about freedom the ideal of freedom is land; a space in which one can live in peace and to be unafraid. In the Jewish Tradition, under which Jesus lived, the land belonged to God and placed into the custodianship of men. The land, therefore, was to be a place of worship to God untainted by anything that may be sinful and detract from that worship. From such ideas was born the Judaic vision of the right ordering of the earth and the concept of freedom under God's protection.

In a time when the earth is afflicted with war, violence, destruction, pain and starvation the ideal of peace aims to overcome these obstructions to the freedom we should enjoy under God's loving guidance. This ideal of land, freedom, peace - the kingdom of God ultimately belongs to the meek, the non-aggressors. In the final days this earth of ours will again return to the "King of Peace" and Jesus is telling us in simple terms that we should re-order our lives, be meek and obtain our inheritance.

Blessed are those who mourn...

2010-02-23T19:45:00.000Z

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted" (Mt. 5:4)

When first reading this Beatitude I wondered why "crying" people would be included in such a teaching and why they would be singled out to be blessed. It was then that I discovered that there are two kinds of mourning which effect our lives. The first kind of mourning is the type which comes when one has lost hope or when one has been betrayed by love or truth. It is this type of mourning that can infect a person's being and spirit, eating away at the person and destroying him from within. However, one can also experience a mourning which is brought about by an encounter with reality. Often this encounter can be so shattering upon the person that one can undergo a complete change in their lives, abandoning those things that caused them to do wrong. It is to such as these that Jesus speaks, calling them blessed and assuring them that they will receive comfort from God.

The people who have a life-changing encounter with truth are the one's who open their hearts to the pain and need of others. They are the people who stand against the wrongs and unfairness that are experienced in this world, reflecting the love and selflessness of God. It is these persons who carry the light of Christ before them as they confront the evils that exist in this world. Naturally the powerful and selfish that hold sway in the world cannot allow such a stand against them to go unchallenged and they use every possible method to attack and undermine these people, causing them to mourn further, in the hop that they will conform. It is the promise of Christ that sustains them and they are sure that they will be comforted.

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit...

2010-02-23T19:20:00.000Z

"Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." (Mt. 5:3)

Sadly those who find themselves in a state of poverty, either financially, materially or spiritually, are bound by a condition that is discomforting and degrading. These people are usually on the lowest rungs of the social ladder and are generally defenceless against exploitation by those who are richer and more powerful than they. But those who suffer poverty have the ability to come together and help each other without conditions, and in this work they find themselves close to God. The poor are, for the most part, a humble people who know the pain of their poverty and realise that they cannot progress without divine help in their lives.

Although a person may be economically and materially rich that person can still find that they are poor in spirit. In the same way a person who is materially and economically poor may remain poor in spirit because that person may feel he can progress without divine help. Arrogance and pride are not the sole characteristics of the rich because there are poor people who have as much pride and arrogance and choose not to allow God into their lives to change them. Those persons who know they need God are the poor in spirit and they come to Him with empty hands asking for His help and grace. Pope Benedict wrote that such people come to God, "not with hands that grasp and clutch, but with hands that open and give and thus are ready to receive from God's bountiful goodness." This is why Jesus told us that it is the poor in spirit who will gain the kingdom of heaven.

Visiting my Brothers in Christ

2010-02-15T12:49:00.001Z

As Roman Catholics one was always taught that we alone were members of the “One true holy and apostolic Church”, as handed down through generation to generation from the time of Christ and his apostles. In Northern Ireland, for example, the very idea of trying to understand, never mind tolerating, the belief of another Christian denomination was never top of one’s agenda. They were different to us and our mutual idea of social interaction was to call each other vile names, throw missiles at one another, or even engage in mass brawls. The sectarian history of this Province gives witness to this intolerance and we have lived with it for decades, if not centuries. There are undoubtedly many of us, from all Christian traditions, who have been challenged by this assignment and have been obliged to reflect on our own Christianity: our love for those we perceive as enemies, as well as those we count as friends.”
As a first step in my journey I decided to look first at the Roman Catholic Church’s “Decree on Ecumenism” as propagated by the Vatican Council in November 1964. In this decree the Church encourages all Catholics to look upon members of other Christian denominations as our brothers and sisters in Christ: “For men who believe in Christ and have been truly baptised are in communion with the Catholic Church even though this communion is imperfect ... all who have been justified by faith in baptism are members of Christ’s body, and have a right to be called Christian, and so are correctly accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church.” It was an invitation for us all to find out more about our “separated brethren”; what separates us and what unites us. As my first step into practical ecumenism and for the purposes of this assignment, therefore, I chose the Methodist Church of Ireland.
As one of the Protestant Reformed Churches the Methodists appear to focus their attention on three matters of belief i.e. the supreme authority of the scripture, salvation by grace through faith in Christ, and the priesthood of all believers. It was in these three that I decided to try and discover what our differences were. With regard to the first of these I discovered that the Methodist Church strongly believes in the supreme authority of the scripture and are comfortable in their belief that the scriptures contain all that is necessary for salvation. Within Methodism the Bible is effectively God’s own plan of salvation as shown through the ministry of Jesus Christ. The founder of the Methodist Church, John Wesley, described himself as a “man of one book” but this did not deter him from reading widely and learning of the world that surrounded him. It is said that Wesley encouraged others to do the same as he, “affirming that we must view the bible through the windows of tradition, reason and experience.” Within the Roman Catholic Church we accept that Methodists hold to the view of the divine authority of Scripture. However, we hold a somewhat different view i.e. we believe scripture to be the inspired word of God, but we also believe that “the authentic teaching authority of the Church has a special place in the interpretation and preaching of the written word of God.” Ecumenically the scriptures do provide both sides with an opportunity for dialogue and possible agreement in many fields.
The second area of separation between our Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Reformed Churches is their belief that salvation is obtainable through a faith in Christ. In this outlook your sin is against God and, therefore, can only be forgiven by God. Salvation then is a product of God’s grace alone and cannot be achieved by good deeds or religious practices alone. To be certain of salvation then you need nothing but complete faith in God through Christ. Within the Catholic Church we have “The Sacrament of Reconciliation” in which Jesus announces to us, through the Church and its ministers, that our sins are forgiven and that we are loved by God. Every day our daily newspapers show us just exactly what we humans are capable of doing to one another and “The Sacrament of Reconciliation” is an opportunity for us all to take a good and honest look at ourselves to see how our actions and words affect others negatively and to speak about ourselves to another, the priest, without any mask or excuse. Yes we have sinned against God, but our sinful actions do have a detrimental affect on our community. The Priest represents our community and Christ’s presence among us, and from him we hear the voice of Christ: "Go in peace, your sins are forgiven...” In this Sacrament we as sinners are healed of any self-evasion and delusion; we accept responsibility for our own sins and like the people who followed John into the desert, we confess our sins and we are washed clean. While ecumenically we can agree that salvation is a product of God’s grace, it can be strengthened by sincere religious practices and good deeds which actively demonstrate Christ’s teaching of loving God and loving our neighbour.
Finally, we have the area of belief that the Church is a priesthood of all believers. There can be some agreement in the wording of this since we, in the Roman Catholic Church, consider ourselves to be baptised priest, prophet and king i.e. to act with love according to the words of Jesus, to preach the word of the Lord, and to behave in such a way that we achieve our inheritance of a place in the Kingdom of Heaven.
We are a clerical and Hierarchical Church governed by the Pope and Magisterium of the Church. Methodism, however, believes that the whole Church exercises a priestly role and that every Christian can approach God directly without any human intermediary (Priest). Moreover, they believe that all Christians share the responsibility of others into a personal relationship with God. This latter area is something in which most Catholics would agree since we see the Roman Catholic Church as a missionary Church and all members have a responsibility to bring others into a closer relationship with the Father. But one major area of disagreement seems to be the importance of the “Mass” and Catholic belief in the “Real Presence”. Methodism sees no need for a sacrifice to be made by our priests since the Highest Priest, Christ, has made the perfect sacrifice. The Eucharist is, for Methodists, a “memorial” act whereas Catholics believe it to be a real sacrifice because of the “Real Presence” of Christ in the bread and wine. Nevertheless, we both agree that the best thing we can do is follow the caring and sacrificial example of Christ.
With knowledge I thought it would be good to get more encouragement for my participation in an act of worship and, again, consulted the “Decree on Ecumenism”. In this document I read: “Nor should we forget that anything wrought by the grace of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of our separate brethren can be a help to our own edification. Whatever is truly Christian is never contrary to what genuinely belongs to the faith; indeed it can always bring a deeper realisation of the mystery of Christ and the Church.” Thus, I attended a worship service in High Street Methodist Church, Lurgan on 14th February. Despite my nervousness the welcome was a warm one from the minister, who immediately noticed I was a stranger. The service itself was led by Glengormley Methodist Youth Choir, with a selection of modern hymns of praise and thanksgiving, the words of which were displayed to make it easier for us all to join I if we so wished. Such was the good feeling and spirit among everyone there that I found myself singing along to many hymns I had not heard before. The young people led the prayerfulness through testimony, urging everyone to listen for the word of God and not to waste time by putting off until tomorrow what we should be doing today. Although old and sound advice, it was extremely refreshing to hear a young voice express it in a down-to-earth manner. In many ways the worship service put me in mind of a charismatic service that I had once attended, but on this occasion I rather enjoyed it. Before I left I thanked the minister for his warm welcome to me and accepted his invitation to return to another service at some future occasion. Being frank the evening was a nice and comfortable way to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday evening, and to enjoy the company of my brothers and sisters in Christ.