You (still) gotta have Faith, Part III
In the beginning we investigate this nagging intuition, this sense of goodness, this openness to truth and beauty to seek out God’s existence (cf. CCC 33). Then we discover how the Creator, God, reveals himself to us, His creation. Now we look at man’s ultimate response to God, which is not with disbelief, but rather with Faith. Remember, the Cradles taught us that Faith ‘is a Divine virtue by which we firmly believe the truths which God has revealed.’ But St Thomas More implores us, “What does it avail to know that there is a God, which you do not only believe by Faith, but also know by reason: what does it avail that you know Him if you think so little of Him?” (from Letter to Margaret)
When God has revealed himself in Truth, because he is Truth itself, it is because he is giving us the invitation to come into his divine company. Our assent, our submission – freely given, mind you – is our fiat, our resounding, “Yes!” “By faith man completely submits his intellect and his will to God who reveals” (Dei Verbum 5). This ‘obedience of faith’ is what St. Paul writes to the Christians in Rome about. “Through him [Jesus] we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles, among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ” (Rom 1:5,6).
Our Fiats have lots of precedence: “Abraham is the model of such obedience offered us by Sacred Scripture. The Virgin Mary is its most perfect embodiment” (CCC 144). St. Joseph, that most chaste spouse, wordlessly gave his ‘Yes’ by the example of his actions; of doing the right thing. To have faith is indeed to be human. “In faith, the human intellect and will cooperate with divine grace (CCC 155), and St Thomas Aquinas adds from his Summa Theologica, “Believing is an act of the intellect assenting to the divine truth by command of the will moved by God through grace.”
So, with faith, we are, and we are cooperating with the divine grace gifted to us by God. And, if we don’t have it (faith), then, it goes to say, then we are not. But that is the Free Will part. In order to be human, our response in faith to God must be freely given. In the Declaration on Religious Liberty, Dignitatis Humanae (The Dignity of the Human Person), the Second Vatican Council, defines this freedom of faith, this freedom of religion, in the light of revelation. “One of the key truths in catholic teaching, a truth that is contained n the word of God and is constantly preached by the Fathers, is that human beings should respond to the word of God freely, and that therefore nobody is to be forced to embrace the faith against their will. The act of faith of its very nature is a free act. The human person, redeemed by Christ the Saviour and called through Jesus Christ to be an adopted child of God (cf. Eph 1:5), can assent to God’s self-revelation only through being drawn by the Father (cf. John 6:44) and through submitting to God with a faith that is reasonable and free. It is therefore, fully in accordance with the nature of faith that in religious matters every form of human coercion should be excluded. Consequently, the principle of religious liberty contributes in no small way to the development of a situation in which human beings can without hindrance be invited to the Christian faith, embrace it of their own free will and give it practical expression in every sphere of their lives” (DH 10).
The act of faith of its very nature is a free act.
Remember, this is Vatican II – the very title of which causes some faithful Catholics to spat in disdain. This is earthshaking in its simplicity! You won’t have faith in God unless you open yourself up to the divine truth of God. Of your own free will. We cannot strong-arm you, even if we wanted to. So when we are talking to you, Mr. Unbeliever, it is not because we are going to lie to you, or force you to do anything contrary to what you believe. Ours is the Great Commission, which is our job. “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, … teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19, 20) and, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel [‘Good News’, people, in case you forgot] to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16: 15, 16). We are going to do our best to present you divine Truth, not relative truth. Truth you can sink your teeth into. We are bringing this good news because of the love we have for our neighbor. Last time for the Cradles to chime in: “Cradles, who is our neighbor?” And the Faithful sing out:
Question 473: Every human being capable of salvation of every age, country, race or condition, especially if he needs our help, is our neighbor in the sense of the Catechism.
And we love our neighbor, because he is our brother created to dwell in heaven with us. In his beautifully written Jesus of Nazareth, Pope Benedict XVI writes, “A new universality is entering the scene, and it rests on the fact that deep within I am already becoming a brother to all those I meet who are in need of my help. … All this is of concern to us, it calls us to have the eye and the heart of a neighbor, and to have courage to love our neighbor, too. The risk of goodness is something we must relearn from within, but we can do that only if we ourselves become good from within, if we ourselves are ‘neighbors’ from within” (Jesus of Nazareth, pp 198, 199).
But you have to come to believe on your own. You gotta have Faith.
Peace & Blessings,
Papa
Pope Benedict XVI’s prayer intentions for March ‘12
First in intention, last in execution. – St. Thomas Aquinas
There is a lot of talk these days about women. How women have the right to do this and the right to do that. If you vote this way this group will despise you, and if you go the other way that group will despise you. This generates a lot of additional discussion – you are pro-this and anti-that. There’s a lot of people on the news and in front of Congress and in my face, telling me if I don’t agree with them, I am spreading hate, and fear. They’re defining my faith for me, too – what I do and don’t believe. How generous of them. But I think we miss the big point all-in-all. So Aquinas said, “First in intention, last in execution.” One could argue this point as Woman, as his final creation, was what he intended all along. The Holy Father’s General Intention this month is to recognize the contribution of women. I like to recognize that Woman, His first intention, shares with the Creator something so grand, no one else shares – she shares in creation. She is vital to creation. Without her there is nothing. God had to come up with something sustainable. It was a good plan – right up until that whole free Will-thing. But it was sustainable. Without woman there is nothing; without Mary, there is no Incarnation, no Redemption. Starting with the First Covenant, the Marriage Covenant, ‘bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh” (Gen 2:23), drawn not from the head to be above another, nor from the foot to be underneath, but from a rib, from the center to be seen as equals. Forever. It is something the man, who throughout time has used more brawn than brain to keep his Domestic kingship, has often forgotten – we were created as equals, one, Man, to protect, and the other, Woman, to create. So I would like to say sorry for all those through time who don’t get it, but now that there are those who wish to elevate the role of Woman to its deserved lofty recognition – ladies, let’s not rely on brawn instead of brain, or disregard God’s planned equality. Don’t ridicule those who wish to esteem.
Not ranting, but it does get a little overwhelming sometimes! Who doesn’t think Rush Limbaugh was way out-of-bounds? But everyone is dwelling on the shock of it instead of what it was: it was rude, unkind, ill-mannered, misogynistic and just bad form. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes the sun rise on the bad and the good” (Matt 5:44,45). I think if we think first in intention, last in execution, this is a good ending. After all – and I say this with all humility and respect - we are God’s gift to our women. Read on – MW
Pope Benedict’s General Intention
Contribution of Women
That the whole world may recognize the contribution of women to the development of society.
Reflection:
What uniquely feminine characteristics contribute to making a better world?
Links –
- Pope Benedict XVI’s Message to the March 2009 Conference on the theme “Life, Family, and Development: The Role of Women in the Promotion of Human Rights”
- Pope Benedict XVI’s Address to the February 2008 Conference on the theme “Woman and Man, the ‘Humanum’ in its Entirety”
- 2004 Letter from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith “On the Collaboration of Men and Women in the Church and in the World”
Reading:
Then God said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.” God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them, saying: “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth.” God also said: “See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food; and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground, I give all the green plants for food.” And so it happened. God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good. Evening came, and morning followed–the sixth day.. (Genesis 1:26-31)
Pope Benedict’s Mission Intention
Persecuted Christians.
That the Holy Spirit may grant perseverance to those who suffer discrimination, persecution, or death for the name of Christ, particularly in Asia.
Reflection:
How is it true, as a Church Father wrote, that “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the faith”?
Links –
- Pope Benedict XVI’s 2011 Message for the World Day of Peace: “Religious Freedom, the Path to Peace”
- Aid to the Church in Need
- The Voice of the Martyrs
- U.S. State Department’s 2010 Report on International Religious Freedom
- Asia News from the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Mission
Reading:
Do not be afraid of anything that you are going to suffer. Indeed, the devil will throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will face an ordeal for ten days. Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” ‘”Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The victor shall not be harmed by the second death.”‘ (Revelation 2:10-11)
(Reflections and Scripture from the Apostleship of Prayer)
Prayer of the Month
Father, you make your sun to shine on good and bad alike. Your Son Jesus Christ suffered and died for all. He now sustains those who suffer persecution and martyrdom for their fidelity to the Church. May persecuted Christians everywhere remain, like Mary, at the foot of the cross of Christ. Comfort those menaced by violence. May your Holy Spirit of love make fruitful the witness of those who die forgiving. Amen.
—from Aid to the Church in Need
Be sure to take a moment, when you finish reading this, to let your mom, or your wife know how much you appreciate them.
Thanks Mom.
I.X.
Papa
1st Monday of Lent – Reflection on Matthew Ch. 25
Eschatology. Quite literally means “last study;” the discourse on the end of days. This is what the Lord is talking about here before leaving for Jerusalem – the Judgment of the Nations. So, why are we finding the end at the beginning of our Lent?
Because, as Father has been pointing out, Lent is a journey. It is a journey of purification, preparation, submission, and – ultimately – justification with God. Any journey towards something is a journey away from something. In this case, our Lenten journey is one away from the sin in our life, and towards a sanctified life; away from Hell, and towards Heaven. Simple, right? We know we don’t want to end up in Hell. Hell is eternal separation from God, reserved for those who at the end of earthly life refuse to accept God as their shepherd. Sounds like most of us don’t want that, so how do we accept God as our shepherd? How do we follow the path towards Heaven? Where can we get directions for our GPS? In today’s Gospel.
So here the Jesus lays out a roadmap. As in a parable, he lays out the obvious: the Son of Man will come at the end and the righteous will be separated from the wicked, as sheep from goats. Heaven for the right, and for the accursed on the left – eternal fire. But then, it’s not a parable.
Jesus explains – and it bears repeating, “I was hungry and you gave me food, thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, imprisoned and you visited.” Our Lord is setting up the corporal works of mercy, the heart of being Christian.
For whom? Why? This is not a guide for the disciples to follow him to the Father. This is a guide for them to teach. To teach all nations. This is a hint of our great Commission. In Matthew 28:19, we know the disciples are to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” Using these works of mercy as the way to the Father. Remember how the disciples were indoctrinated early in the Gospel, Matthew 10:40 – “Whoever receives you receives me, and who ever receives me receives the one who sent me.” As Jesus fulfills the law, the formula is rooted in the first reading, as the Father told Moses: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord” (Lv 19:18). Yesterday, at a full cathedral, some fifty St. Henry parishioners – catachumen, candidates, sponsors, and catechists – took part in the Rite of Election, giving witness to our living, growing faith. Take heart. We are receiving reinforcements.
You (still) Gotta Have Faith, Part II
In Part I, we talk about Man’s search for God, “who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, and whom no human being has seen or can see” (1 Timothy 6:16). Therefore, He has to reveal himself and give himself, divinely, to mankind.
In the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum (Word of God), we learn that “It pleased God, in his goodness and wisdom, to reveal himself and to make known the mystery of his will (cf. Ephesians 1:9), which was that people can draw near to the Father, through Christ, the Word (Logos) made flesh, in the holy Spirit, and thus become sharers in the divine nature (cf. Eph 2:18, 2 Pet 1:4)… The pattern of this revelation unfolds through the deeds and words which are intrinsically connected” (Dei Verbum 2).
Our Creator, then, has a specific lesson plan, “a specific divine pedagogy: God communicated himself to man gradually. He prepares him to welcome by stages the supernatural Revelation that is to culminate in the person and mission of the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ” (CCC 53).
Paragraph 54 goes back to Dei Verbum, “God, who creates and conserves all things by his Word (cf. John 1:3), provides constant evidence of himself in created realities (cf. Rom 1:19-20). Furthermore, wishing to open up the way to heavenly salvation, he manifested himself to our first parents from the very beginning (DV 3). Ok, so Cradles, “which were the chief blessings intended for Adam and Eve had they remained faithful to God?” Robots:
Question 248: The chief blessings intended for Adam and Eve, had they remained faithful to God, were a constant state of happiness in this life and everlasting glory in the next.
The divine Revelation is unveiled in the person of his only Son, the Word made Flesh. “’In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son’ (Hebrews 1:1-2). Christ, the Son of God made man, is the Father’s one, perfect, and unsurpassable Word. In him he has said everything; there will be no other word than this one” (CCC 65).
The Catechism goes on to quote St. John of the Cross, who comments on the above passage from Hebrews, “In giving us his Son, his only Word (for he possesses no other), he spoke everything to us at once in this sole Word – and he has no more to say… because what he spoke before to the prophets in parts, he has now spoken all at once by giving us the All Who is His Son. Any person questioning God or desiring some vision or revelation would be guilty not only of foolish behavior, but also of offending him, by not fixing his eyes entirely upon Christ and by living with the desire for some other novelty” (St. John of the Cross, The Ascent of Mount Carmel).
As our illustrious RCIA Director discussed, we are living in the end times: there will be no further Revelation. In Part III, we will discuss how we respond to this revelation with… Faith.
(continued…)
Pope Benedict XVI’s prayer intentions for February 2012
Pope Benedict XVI’s prayer intentions for February ‘12
Today, we celebrate the birthday of George Washington, Soldier, Statesman, and President – the Father of Our Country. It was because of his strength that this Republic survived all the tempests surrounding it, and is still a beacon of liberty to many of the world’s peoples even today. He writes in his Farewell Address:
Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Certain unalienable rights. Marvelous words to this day. How exciting it must have been to have witnessed all that was beginning? And yet, Two hundred and thirty six years later, many around the world have none of these essentials, and are in fact still striving for food or even fresh water – something we often take for granted and matter-of-fact.
Pope Benedict’s General Intention
Access to Water.
That all peoples may have access to water and other resources needed for daily life.
Reflection:
In what ways do I value and conserve the water that I consume every day?
Reading:
Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh. Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine. (Ezekiel 47:9, 12)
Pope Benedict’s Mission Intention
Health Workers.
That the Lord may sustain the efforts of health workers assisting the sick and elderly in the world’s poorest regions.
Reflection: What are some of the qualities that you have appreciated in health care workers who have cared for you or a loved one?
Reading:
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:25-37)
(Reflections and Scripture from the Apostleship of Prayer)
Prayer of the Month
God our Father, you sent your Son Jesus to reveal the great love you have for each one. Look upon the world’s health care workers—doctors, nurses, administrators, and all who serve our brothers and sisters who are sick. They share in your Son’s ministry of healing. May they continue his work with respect for the sacredness of life and with the compassion that filled the Heart of Jesus when he met anyone who was sick.
Amen.
I hope you took today, this President’s Day celebrating the birthday of George Washington, and instead of having a day off (if you did), and be proactive in the face of injustice, contemplative in the way you can make a positive difference in the world. As my friend Richard Lane says, this is a day ON, loving and serving one another.
It has always been my creed that we should not be left as an awful monument to prove that Mankind, under the most favourable circumstances for civil liberty and happiness, are unequal to the task of Governing themselves, and therefore made for a Master.
George Washington to Lafayette, June 19, 1788
Happy Birthday George.
I.X.
Papa
You (Still) Gotta Have Faith, Part I
I thought I would bring back this post, because, well, there is a lot going on these days. Not just in the world – where politicians are scrambling for a toehold, and Catholics are being mandated what is or is not to be believed as matters of conscience and Faith, or sectarian violence is begetting more sectarian violence, or even whether or not Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is actually Dr. Strangelove (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Strangelove for you younger readers). Personally there is a lot as well – my oldest daughter is going through RCIA (for which, as I observe her and field her questions, I have an even more growing respect and understanding for her growth as a pretty good person). And I have a colleague who joined us this year as well – who finds himself at the crossroads (and crosshairs) of his professional life – with a lot of unknowns ahead – as do we all. As a volunteer for RCIA – Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults – at my parish, I thought it would be fun to dive into, and cultivate some knowledge. I wrote this post originally post Christmas last year and I thought I would bring it back for a second pass – mostly for the benefit of the two aforementioned students, but hopefully all will have a little fun learning. So, as we approach Ash Wednesday, and contemplate the What – as in what am I offering up for Lent – let us revisit the Why.
If one were to ask my cradle-Catholic friends, schooled by Sisters for a dozen years, the question, “What is Faith?”, their blank-stared, Rote-conditioned, Pavlovian response would be right off their Baltimore tattoo on their forearm:
Question # 465: Faith is a Divine virtue by which we firmly believe the truths which God has revealed.
(Baltimore, meaning the Catechism transcribed for this country in 1885 from the old English Penny Catechism, which came from the Catechism of the Council of Trent. Baltimore was the first Diocese in the United States, where all the Catholics were shipped to ‘Mary Land.’)
Over one hundred years later, Pope John Paul II would promulgate the Catechism of the Catholic Church. In it one finds, “Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because he is truth itself” (CCC 1814). Very nice. This recent Catechism is very organized, and starts off right away with The Profession of the aforementioned Faith – which is the foundation why we are even meeting at least once a week as Church at all. I will state it verbatim from the book:
Paragraph 26 starts, “We begin our profession of faith by saying: “I believe” or “We believe” (which Credo has been correctly translated as just ‘I believe’ now). Before expounding the Church’s faith, as confessed in the Creed, celebrated in the liturgy, and lived in observance of God’s commandments and in prayer, we must first ask what “to believe” means.” Here comes what today’s reflection was for me: “Faith is man’s response to God, who reveals himself and gives himself to man, at the same time bringing man a superabundant light as he searches for the ultimate meaning of his life.” Ooh, Cradles?: “Why did God make you?” Robots:
Question # 150: God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in the next.
I, of course jest in camaraderie, because in the military I found that some of the best, in-grained learning is through repetition.
The Cradles give a great answer: God made me to know, to love, and to serve Him. “The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for” (CCC 27). If you have thrown or heard the words, “Second Vatican Council” with disdain, I implore you to actually read the documents. They will knock your socks off. From the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes (Joys and Hopes), the Catechism explains further: “Human Dignity rests above all on the fact that humanity is called to communion with God. The invitation to converse with God is addressed to men and women as soon as they are born. For if people exist it, is because God created them through love, and through love continues to keep them in existence. They cannot live fully in the truth unless they freely acknowledge that love and entrust themselves to their creator“ (Guadium et Spes 19). Paragraph 19 continues, “Many however, of our contemporaries either do not at all perceive, or else explicitly reject, this intimate and vital relationship with God. Atheism must therefore be regarded as one of the most serious problems of our time” (GS 19).
(Continued…)
The Challenges of Mixed Faith Marriages
In Hollywood, there are countless images of fairytale nuptials with careful planning, and flawless execution, and virtually all of them end – in some form or another – happily ever after. My favorite celluloid image is from The Princess Bride, where the Impressive Clergyman (with an equally impressive speech impediment) pronounces, ‘Marriage. Marriage is what brings us together today. Marriage, that blessed arrangement, that dream within a dream… Then love, true love, will follow you forever… So treasure your….’ (Reiner, 1987) It is a metaphor for something that appears to look perfect, but usually is not if you scrutinize closely. All grooms, and fathers giving their daughters away, recall the awe and splendor of heaven brought back to earth by the last-minute changes, gaffs and missed cues, followed by the reality that life does not have a storybook ending, but a constant journey of adjusting to one another each and every day.
Why Marriage?
So what is this blessed arrangement called marriage? In Genesis, “God created man in his image, in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1: 27 (NAB), and, “The Lord God said: ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him’.” Genesis 2: 18 (NAB) So marriage is instituted by God and “a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.” Genesis 2: 24 (NAB) In liturgical churches – Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Coptic, Lutheran, Anglican/Episcopal – marriage is called a sacrament. A Sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace; a visible sign of the hidden reality of salvation that is Christ Jesus. It is a mystery.
Title VII of the Code of Canon Law, for both Latin rite and Eastern rite of the Catholic Church, eloquently states,
The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life and which is ordered by its nature to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring, has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament between the baptized. For this reason, a valid matrimonial contract cannot exist between the baptized without it being by that fact a sacrament. The essential properties of marriage are unity and indissolubility, which in Christian marriage obtain a special firmness by reason of the sacrament. The consent of the parties, legitimately manifested between persons qualified by law, makes marriage; no human power is able to supply this consent. Matrimonial consent is an act of the will by which a man and a woman mutually give and accept each other through an irrevocable covenant in order to establish marriage. (The Holy See, 2003)
The code of Canon Law traces its beginnings back to the Didache – the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles – at the end of the first century. So, for over 1,900 years, an ‘irrevocable covenant’ called marriage has been made between a man and a woman. And man and woman, being human and flawed, can complicate anything they get their hands on – even “unity and indissolubility.”
Mixed Marriages
One of the ways a man and woman can complicate this arena is by entering into a mixed marriage. Sixty years ago, Judson Landis, a professor at (then) Michigan State College defined mixed marriages “as marriages in which there are significant, obvious and unusual differences between the spouses, other than sex. Differences in faith, race, and nationality are usually the ones usually considered as falling under the definition of mixed marriages.” (Landis, 1949, p. 401) The purposes of this article will concentrate on the differences in faith. Professor Landis goes on to explain that there was very little research on this subject to determine if a mixed faith marriage had any positive or negative effect on the success of a marriage. He was involved in the studies of marriage for many years afterwards, and went on to write many books with his wife Mary including Personal Adjustment, Marriage, and Family Living in 1960 and Building a Successful Marriage in 1977. But in 1949, he stated that “Catholics, Protestants, and Jews have frowned upon mixed marriages and have done much to discourage their young people from entering mixed unions.” (Landis, 1949, p. 402) Landis explained that while families felt that this was “largely a battle for souls,” the young looking at their potential relationships were just wondering if they had a chance for success.
If the words of Truman’s America sound discouraging, then examine Old Testament language in Ezra regarding mixed marriages: “Do not, then, give your daughters to their sons in marriage, and do not take their daughters for your sons.” Ezra 9: 12 (NAB) And in Chapter 10, Ezra himself stands before the people and said, “Your unfaithfulness in taking foreign women as wives has added to Israel’s guilt. But now, give praise to the Lord, the God of your fathers, and do his will: separate from these foreign women.” Ezra 10: 10-11 (NAB) Whoa. Ezra is very orthodox in his presentation. But this is a very strict representation of Mosaic Law – one that Jesus was to remind the Pharisees of, that “[b]ecause of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.” Matthew 19: 8 (NAB)
But as it was in post-exile-Restoration Israel, and even in America sixty years ago, it is a point of debate today. So examine mixed marriage in today’s climate. The Catholic Catechism breaks down the definition even more. It defines a mixed marriage as one between a Catholic and a baptized non-Catholic, and recommends careful examination should be taken by pastors and couples. It goes on further to differentiate that a marriage between a Catholic and a non-baptized person is called a disparity of cult and needs even more caution. Christian disunity itself is a tragedy and can cause problems and tension down to the very heart of the marriage. Yet, it is not impossible for the man and wife who loves and respect each other “when they succeed in placing in common what they have received from their respective communities, and learn from each other the way in which each lives in fidelity to Christ.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church (Second Edition), 1994, CCC 1634) There, at least, is the hope that a mutual love for Christ shall foster the unity and dissolubility looked for in matrimony. It goes on to point out that through “ecumenical dialogue” many geographic areas in this country have been able to establish a “common pastoral practice… to help such couples live out their particular situation in the light of faith… and encourage the flowering of what is common to them in faith and respect for what separates them.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church (Second Edition), 1994, CCC 1636).
In regards to disparity of cult, the Christian spouse has the most important job, “[f]or the unbelieving husband is consecrated through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is consecrated through her husband.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church (Second Edition), 1994, CCC 1637 Cf. 1 Cor 7: 14) It is through such consecration that the joy of unity can be achieved, as well as the potential for conversion.
Factors to Consider Regarding Mixed Marriages
It can be said that attitudes have gone from ‘Don’t do it!” to ‘Better not do it!’ to – arguably – ‘What-ever.’ There has been a change in perceptions. Perhaps common factors can attribute as to why mixed marriages may occur in the first place. William Sander, Ph.D., Natural Resource Economics (Cornell), Professor of Economics at DePaul University, Federal Reserve Bank consultant, and author of The Catholic Family: Marriage, Children, and Human Capital, highlighted a study suggesting four central factors – or “determinants.” First, “opportunity affects the odds of intermarriage.” (Sander, 1993, p. 1038) Dr. Sander uses the example that Jews are more likely to enter into a mixed marriage, if their population is fewer. The same could be said for any small demographic. Second, “the disposition of others toward one’s group.” If a denomination or faith is shunned or rejected, then it is likely that they will not intermarry. Conversely, and the third factor, “the disposition of one’s own group toward other groups” may show that few are willing to cross over that religious line to intermarry. And finally, the fourth factor, “socioeconomic background also affects the probability of intermarriage.” (Sander, 1993, p. 1038) Again, Hollywood abounds with images here from Rich Man, Poor Man to, once again, The Princess Bride.
It is important to note that Dr. Sander, a Catholic Professor at a Catholic University, states that “[i]t is not clear how attitudes of Catholics and non-Catholics toward intermarriage have changed over time. He also believes that “Catholic effects on family behavior have declined,” but also notes a study by sociologist and author Fr. Andrew Greeley, Ph.D. (Chicago), that “mixed marriages by Catholics have stayed at a relatively low rate – about 1 in 5.” (Sander, 1993, p. 1038) Certainly all four of the aforementioned determinants could be considered here to analyze both ends of this spectrum.
Judeo-Christian Marriages
While Dr. Sander’s studies centered around Catholic perspectives, a different study had been conducted – twice – regarding Jewish-Christian marriages. The first National Jewish Population Survey (NJPS) was in 1971, and Bernard Lazerwitz, PhD, D.Sc (Michigan) was running the public opinion survey unit and sample design while teaching at the University of Missouri. Dr. Lazerwitz remarkably integrated survey data for American Jews with equivalent data for Catholics and Protestants, while concentrating on the consequences of religiosity – or being excessively or sentimentally religious. He joined the Sociology Department at Bar-Ilan University near Tel-Aviv, Israel soon afterward. In 1990, the NJPS was conducted again with interesting results. Dr. Lazerwitz compared the two surveys in the journal for the Sociology of Religion. He wrote that “a religiously homogeneous family is more able to pass on to offspring the ethnic feelings, identification, culture, and values that help perpetuate a group.” (Lazerwitz, 1995, p. 433)
But shifts were being made. Dr. Lazerwitz points out that now “the shift to marital choices based on individual preferences, such as romantic love, weakens the ability of the parents to control marriages.” (Lazerwitz, 1995, p. 433) Plus many ‘new’ adults not only rely less and less for their parents for economic support, but likely live elsewhere because of their career, hence they distance themselves from their parents. Sociologically, they take on an entirely new heterogeneous culture and identification. But even more fascinating demographics were occurring.
The first data table of this article breaks down marriages as homogeneous – same faith/denomination marriages – or ‘convert-in’ – or those who converted at the marriage – and heterogeneous – or mixed faith/denomination marriages. For the 1989 General Social Survey (GSS), there were the percentages were – as Dr. Lazerwitz put it – “as would be expected” – 87% homogeneous, 5% convert-in, and 8 % mixed marriages. Catholics fared 72% homogeneous, with 13% converting, and 15% mixed marriages. In 197, the NSPS had Judaism at 93% homogeneous, only 2% converting, and only 5% mixed marriages. By 1990, though, that had changed. Homogeneous marriages dropped to 70%, converts went to 5%, and mixed marriages skyrocketed up to 25%! An increase to 5 to 1 – clearly the most among the three religious groups. (Lazerwitz, 1995, p. 436)
Dr. Lazerwitz concludes with more interesting trends. Among them:
- Conversion to another religion was still rare among Jews.
- Those who intermarried had a higher divorce rate.
- Those entering a second marriage had a higher intermarriage rate than first marriages.
- Conversions into Judaism were successful, and both spouses were more religiously involved than Jewish-Christian or Jewish-none/other marriages.
- By 1990, being a Jewish woman was no longer an intermarriage barrier.
- Most converts to Judaism were still non-Jewish women married to Jewish men. (Lazerwitz, 1995, pp. 441-442)
And lastly, Dr. Lazerwitz noted that the longer the family had lived in the United States, generationally, the more likely intermarriages were to occur. He called this ‘Americanization.’ If nothing else, the surveys have shown that by and large homogeneous marriages are the norm and mixed marriages are the exception. It is the trend that all the sociologists are trying to track, in order to guess what direction America is heading, in short, and what is happening in the civilized world at large.
Why Convert?
Marc Musick, PhD, D.Sc (Duke) and John Wilson , PhD, D.Sc (Oxford) teamed up to wonder that though religious switching – that is moving from one denomination to another – occurs largely in connection with marriage, why there was no accurate measure of the extent that this occurs. They also look to Fr. Andrew Greeley, Ph.D. (Chicago), who terms the switching from one’s denomination of origin as ‘disidentification’ and that he finds the following for analysis:
- Disidentification is five times as high in exogamous [homogeneous] marriages as it is in endogamous [heterogeneous, or mixed marriages].
- 15% of those who undergo disidentification migrate to the faith of their spouse
- 40% of marriages between individuals of mixed marriages become homogamous through conversion. (Musick & Wilson, 1995, p. 257)
It is a thorough and exhausting study that covers a tremendous number of variables. But in the end the likelihood of religious switching is influenced by the denomination of origin and how retentive they are. And switching is influenced by how attractive to others they are. One fact that was not a surprise was that “liberals are indeed more likely to switch to more moderate or conservative Protestant groups if the reason is marriage,” (Musick & Wilson, 1995, p 268) But one of the statistical surprises was that conservative Protestant churches would have more “pulling power” compared to liberal Protestant churches, when the reason was conversion due to marriage. As an explanation, they offer that “conservative churches have stronger socioreligious group attachments” and “emphasize communal involvement.” (Musick & Wilson, 1995, p 269) Because of these attachment and involvements, it is actually easier to find a homogenous marriage arrangement within the denomination, hence, the need for conversion is less.
Fostering Hope
Earlier in this discussion, the Catechism spoke of the hope that the unbelieving spouse would be consecrated through the witness of the believing spouse. Rosalind Birtwistle, M.A., herself in an interfaith marriage, writes that both ancient Hebrews and early Christians recognized the dangers of weakening the faith community, but that “their leaders also hoped that through intermarriage new converts might join the Church.” (Birtwistle, 2006, p. 340)
The story of the faithfulness of Ruth comes to mind. Both widowed, Naomi implores Ruth to go back to her own people, the Moabites. But she will not listen. Ruth said, “Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you! For wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” Ruth 1: 16 (NAB) Ruth knew that to do so meant certain death for Naomi. So the strength of the group attachment and communal involvement held her true. And when she had met Boaz, she placed Naomi’s needs above her own. Such integrity and power is rarely displayed today.
Conclusion
It is difficult at best to try to determine why people do what they do, let alone find logic in such a decision. In early times we have seen that it is best due to the uncomplicated nature of marrying homogeneously – within the same faith community. We have also seen the sociological need to branch out to embrace mixed marriages due to the averaging of ‘Amercanization.’ But we have also seen the hope of Ruth, and what redemption it can bring to a nation of believers.
My own personal conclusion is that love could very well make the world go round. But it should be a love of communication and honesty that enters the murky waters of a mixed marriage. And then, we hope that it is indeed,” twue wuv…” as the movie shows us.
References
Birtwistle, R. (2006, July). Daylight and darkness: Images of Christians in mixed marriages. Islam & Christian-Muslim Relations, 17(3), 331-342. Retrieved June 27, 2009, doi:10.1080=09596410600795001
Catechism of the Catholic Church (Second Edition). (1994). United States Catholic Conference, Inc. New York: Doubleday.
Holy Bible (1992). Saint Joseph Edition of The New American Bible. New York, NY: Catholic Book Publishing Corp.
The Holy See. (2003, November 4). Code of Canon Law: Title VII – Canons 1055 – 1057. Retrieved June 27, 2009, from The Vatican: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P3V.HTM
Landis, J. (1949, June). MARRIAGES OF MIXED AND NON-MIXED RELIGIOUS FAITH. American Sociological Review, 14(3), 401-407. Retrieved June 27, 2009, from Women’s Studies International database.
Lazerwitz, B. (1995, Winter95). Jewish-Christian Marriages and Conversions, 1971 and 1990. Sociology of Religion, 56(4), 433. Retrieved June 27, 2009, from MasterFILE Premier database.
Musick, M., & Wilson, J. (1995, Fall95). Religious Switching for Marriage Reasons. Sociology of Religion, 56(3), 257-270. Retrieved June 27, 2009, from Religion and Philosophy Collection database.
Reiner, R. (Director). (1987). The Princess bride. [Motion picture]. United States: Turner Productions,
Sander, W. (1993, November). Catholicism and Intermarriage in the United States. Journal of Marriage & Family, 55(4), 1037-1041. Retrieved June 27, 2009, from Women’s Studies International database.
Pope Benedict XVI’s prayer intentions for January 2012
Pope Benedict XVI’s prayer intentions for January ‘12
One day the South will know that when these disinherited children of God sat down at lunch counters they were in reality standing up for the best in the American dream and the most sacred values in our Judaeo-Christian heritage, and thus carrying our whole nation back to great wells of democracy which were dug deep by the founding fathers in the formulation of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. – Martin Luther King, Jr.
On this, the day set aside to honor Dr. King’s birthday, for all that he was able to accomplish in the name of peace and nonviolence, and to take notice of the justice, respect, and citizenship that can be metered out to every person in America today – if we try together – because of the actions of brave, just, and a dedicated cadre of peace-loving men and women.
In recognizing the victims of natural disasters, the Pope keeps fresh in our minds, to give aid and comfort to those who have none. In the absence of a Japanese tsunami, or a Haitian earthquake, let us tend to the little disasters we have nearby: the homelessness, the despairing addict, the victims of gang violence, the foreclosed. Yes, Job reminds us, bad things happen to good people, let us be prayerful and hopeful as we look forward to the greater good that God will provide.
General Intention
Victims of Natural Disasters.
That the victims of natural disasters may receive the spiritual and material comfort they need to rebuild their lives.
Reflection:
Have you ever experienced a natural disaster? How was that disaster an opportunity to respond with love?
Reading:
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared to the glory to be revealed for us. For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; for the creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance. (Romans 8:18-25)
Mission Intention
Dedication to Peace.
That the dedication of Christians to peace may bear witness to the name of Christ before all men and women of good will.
Reflection:
In what ways can you express the peace of Christ in the ordinary events of your daily life?
Reading:
For he is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims, that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile both with God, in one body, through the cross, putting that enmity to death by it. He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. (Ephesians 2:14-18)
(Reflections and Scripture from the Apostleship of Prayer)
Prayer of the Month
This month’s prayer is – from Catholic.org:
Mary, Model of Christian love, we know we cannot heal every ill or solve every problem. But with God’s grace, we intend to do what we can. May we be true witnesses to the world that love for one another really matters. May our daily actions proclaim how fully our lives are modeled after yours, Mother of Perpetual Help.
I hope you took today and instead of having a day off (if you did), and be proactive in the face of injustice, contemplative in the way you can make a positive difference in the world. As my friend Richard Lane says, this is a day ON, loving and serving one another.
I hope this letter finds you strong in the faith. I also hope that circumstances will soon make it possible for me to meet each of you, not as an integrationist or a civil rights leader, but as a fellow clergyman and a Christian brother. Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.
Yours for the cause of Peace and Brotherhood,
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Happy Birthday Martin.
I.X.
Papa
The Camoflauge of Islam – an Examination of Worldviews
Pick up any newspaper on any given day, in any number of the countries in Christendom – i.e., that portion of the world in which Christianity prevails, or which is governed under Christian institutions – and readers should be able to read about, in some degree or another, acts of terrorism perpetrated by fanatical followers of Islam. Conversely, do the same in any of the forty-nine countries that have a predominantly Muslim population and the storyline will read of the imperialistic intentions of the Infidel Christian. One could not find two greater diametrically opposed populations on the planet. According to the US Census Bureau, current, estimated world population is 6,738,645,331. [1] Of those six billion plus, 33% are Christians, 21% are Muslims, and 0.23% are Jewish.[2] And each group is trying to be right as ‘People of the Book.’ So who is right?
Islam is the latest major religion to appear on the world stage. In A.D. 570, Muhammad was born near Mecca in Arabia. Depending on the source accessed (ReligionFacts 2005), (Oussani 1911), his father died either just before or just after his birth. His mother died soon after, so that by the age of six years old, Muhammad was an orphan being raised by his uncle. At age twenty-five, he married Khadija, a widow fifteen years his senior. By all accounts, they enjoyed a marriage devoted to one another. Muhammad took no other wife, though polygamy was commonplace, until after her death twenty-four years later.
In A.D. 610, at the age of forty, Muhammad had what was described as an epileptic seizure, fell into a trance, and received a message from the angel Gabriel. The message said, “Proclaim in the name of your Lord who created! Created man from a clot of blood. Proclaim: Your Lord is the Most Generous, who teaches by the pen; teaches man what he knew not.” (Qur’an 96:1-3). Khadija was his first convert. And she convinced Muhammad that these were messages from God, and that he was God’s messenger and prophet. The visions continued for years, and, recorded, became what are known as the Qur’an – the holy book of Islam. For the first three years of his ministry he had only converted forty people to his prophetic message. The persecution and ridicule that they received mirrored Christianity’s own troubles centuries earlier. But by A.D. 630, Muhammad and his followers marched on Mecca and conquered it. Two years later, at his death, the Muslims controlled most of the Arabian Peninsula. In A.D. 634 it controlled all of Arabia. One hundred years later, Islam had spread west to the Atlantic Ocean and east to China.
In his early travels, Muhammad was exposed to polytheism, paganism, Judaism, Christianity, as well as Coptic Christians. Dr. Ergun M. Caner, Dean of Seminary at Liberty University, suggests that “this erroneous teaching radically affected Muhammad’s misunderstanding of Christianity” (Caner 2006). This certainly could be considered as a source of many apparent similarities between the two faiths. Like Christians, they respect Jesus – called Isa – and even name him a Prophet – but not divine. Christians refer to him as Christ the Lord. Muslims refer to Jesus in the Qur’an as “The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was a messenger of GOD, and His word that He had sent to Mary, and a revelation from Him. Therefore, you shall believe in GOD and His messengers” (Qur’an 4:171). As a Muslim, salvation is determined by professing the Muslim creed of shahada: “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger.” Before his death, the troubled pop-singer, Michael (now Mikaeel) Jackson did just that. Christians receive salvation through a profession of their faith: “[Jesus] said to them, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16).[3] Salvation, and sin as an obstacle to salvation, will be discussed later on. But first, look at the interesting similarity between the five Precepts and the Five Pillars.
Catholic Christians follow the five Precepts of the Church as an essential “minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor” (Catechism of the Catholic Church (Second Edition) 1994).[4] For the Muslim, the shahada is not enough – submission to Allah is a duty. There are five acts of worship that strengthen faith and obedience – the Five Pillars of Islam. First look at the Precepts of the Church:
- “You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.” The faithful are called to sanctify the day of the Lord and obligatory feast days, and avoid activities which could prevent such sanctification.
- “You shall confess your sins at least once a year.” The faithful receive the sacrament of reconciliation as necessary to prepare one’s self for the Eucharist, to receive God’s mercy and absolution which began with the sacrament of Baptism.
- “You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.” The faithful shall receive Holy Communion at least during the Paschal feasts, as the Passion is the heart of Christian worship.[5]
- “You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.” The faithful fast for self-discipline to focus more intently on the spiritual, for self-denial to do penance, and abstain to be reminded of Christ’s sacrifice.
- “You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.” The faithful are obligated to aid the Church and her needs, considering their time, treasure, and talent.[6]
Now compare them to the Five Pillars of Islam (Bloom, Blair and Gardner 2008):
- Belief – Iman. “There is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His messenger.” This Profession of Faith – the shahada – is the heart of Islam, “for it affirms both God’s oneness and the central role of the Prophet.”[i]
- Worship – Salat. The faithful worship Allah five times a day. In addition to the five daily prayers, all male believers are to congregate on Friday for the noon prayer and listen to a sermon – khutba – by the community leader.[ii]
- Fasting – Sawm. The faithful abstain from food, drink, smoking and even sex, between sunrise and sunset during the month of Ramadan [7] to achieve consciousness of Allah’s presence and to give thanks and praise for what He has provided. It serves to heighten a sense of community among believers as Muslims around the world join together in the performance of this ritual.”[iii]
- Almsgiving – Zakat. Give alms to the poor. The faithful donate to charity a fixed (1/40th) amount of their worth every year.[iv]
- Pilgrimage – Hajj. The faithful go on a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their life, at the beginning of Dhu’l-Hijja [8] and are associated with the Prophet Abraham.
Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. A profession of faith. And hajj ends with Eid al-Adha – the Great Feast: the Feast of the Sacrifice of Abraham in which the poor and needy are fed. Whereas, the Catholic Christians are commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord, first and foremost, by participating, if one is able, in the Eucharistic – the Thanksgiving – Celebration. And “[Jesus] said to him, ‘Feed my sheep’.” (John 21:17). Striking. Striking similarities. And there are many more. But there are not enough to overshadow the differences.
The believer who follows that straight path is a Muslim.
Now, remember that salvation, for a Muslim, begins by professing the creed of shahada: “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger.” They repeat it often, and well. It is printed on money, flags, even buildings. It is paramount to their way of thinking. A Muslim must submit to the will of Allah “as revealed in the Qur’an, and recognition of Muhammad as the Messenger of God who in his daily life interpreted and exemplified that divine revelation which was given through him. The believer who follows that straight path is a Muslim.” (Morgan 1958). One of the ninety-nine names of Allah is Al-Muqsit: The Judge who sets the scales. And he judges much like western civilization’s Lady Justice: wearing a blindfold holding scales in one hand and the sword in the other. “And if you disclose what is in your minds, or keep it secret, Allah calls you to account for it. Then he protects whom He pleases, and He chastises whom He pleases. For Allah is Possessor of power over all things.” (Qur’an 2:284). So a Muslim, following the Five Pillars, as he sees his sin weighing down one side of the scales, must balance the scales by obeying Allah’s laws and doing good works. [v] They must do more good than bad. And hope on Allah. For a Muslim, sin hurts only the individual, not Allah.
For a Christian, sin is defined as “an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is a failure in genuine love for God and neighbor…. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity.”[9] Sin is an offense against God. Like David’s lament – his Miserere – mourns the all too real consequence of sin and elevates what our relationship with the God who loves us should be: “Wash away all my guilt; from my sin cleanse me. For I know my offense; my sin is always before me. Against you have I sinned; I have done much evil in your sight (Ps 51:4-6b). Sin is locked in a battle with God’s love for us, turns our hearts away from that love until as St. Augustine writes in De Civitate Dei, “love of oneself even to contempt of God.” [10] Sin separates us from ourselves because it destroyed our self-respect. Sin separates us from the people we love because we can never be at one with them if we hurt them or use them. And sin separates us from life because it makes us self-centered. Sin separates us from God. But because Jesus “humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross,” (Phil. 2:8) the faithful are justified to God and reconciled from sin. It allows God to love us, and us to love him back.
Who is my neighbor? It is the person other than self.
That justification also allows Christians to profess their greatest Commandment: [Jesus] said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). Being a teacher, Jesus brings lessons from the Old Testament – Deuteronomy (“Therefore, you shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deut. 6:5)) and Leviticus 19:18 (“Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Lev. 19:18)) – and presents them in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. And he leaves his audience thinking, “Who is my neighbor?” It is the person other than self. It is the Muslim, the Jew, everyone.[vi]
In comparison, it is the Islamic self is to be examined, under the context of jihad – the struggle. The personal jihad – the Jihadun-Nafs – “is the ultimate struggle to purify one’s soul of evil influences – both subtle and overt. It is the struggle to cleanse one’s spirit of sin.” (Robinson 2003). “O you who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for protectors if they love disbelief over belief; whoever of you takes them for protectors, such are wrong-doers. Say: if your fathers, and your children, and your brethren, and your spouses, and your tribe, and the wealth you have acquired, and business for which you fear shrinkage, and houses you are pleased with are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His way: then wait till Allah brings His command to pass. Allah does not guide disobedient folk” (Qur’an 9:23, 24).
It is the love of God and the fear of Allah that creates the chasm of difference between the two ‘People of the Book.’ Qur’an 2:284 showed that Allah could go either way. Dr. Caner explains that Muslims “deny the fatherhood of God… the deity of the Son… the person of the Holy Spirit.” (Caner 2006). Whereas, it is the facets of the Triune God that nourish and encourage Christians to develop a loving relationship with God the Father, justified in faith through God the Son, and maturing our purpose through God the Holy Spirit. “The necessity of faith: Believing in Jesus Christ and in the One who sent him for our salvation is necessary for obtaining that salvation. (Mark 16:16, John 3:36, 6:40) “Since ‘without faith it is impossible to please [God]’ and to attain the fellowship of his sons, therefore without faith no one has ever attained justification (Reconciliation with God), nor will anyone obtain eternal life ‘but he who endures to the end.’ (Matthew 10:22, 24:13, Hebrews 11:6). [11] Caner reminds us with Romans that Salvation is available to anyone (Caner, Philosophy 104: Supplemental Notes to Lecture and Reading for Liberty Univsity DLP n.d.) “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Rom. 10:13).
Pope Benedict XVI writes, “One thing is clear… deep within I am already becoming a brother to all those I meet who are in need of my help.” (Benedict XVI 2007). Perhaps the chasm is already narrowing?
[1] U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division 2008
[2] Central Intelligence Agency – The World Factbook 2008
[3] The New American Bible
[4] Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), Para 2041
[5] CCC 2042
[6] CCC 2043
[7] the ninth month in the Muslim calendar
[8] the twelfth month of the Muslim calendar.
[9] CCC 1849
[10] CCC 1850
[11] CCC 161
[i] Compare the shahada to the Apostle’s Creed or even the Glory Be, which focus on the Trinity rather than the absolute monotheism of Allah
[ii] Compare the schedule of salat five times a day to the Catholic Liturgy of the Hours – the Divine Office – of prayer seven times a day
[iii] Compare Ramadan to Lent in Liturgical Churches
[iv] Compare zakat as one-quarter of the western tithe
[v] The Straight Path brings to mind the verse in the Katha Upanishad “Arise! Awake! Approach the great and learn. Like the sharp edge of a razor is that
path, so the wise say—hard to tread and difficult to cross.” (Katha Upanishad I.iii.14)
[vi] In the Declaration Nostra Aetate, in 1965, Pope Paul VI wrote, “The Church regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all-powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth, who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion. In addition, they await the Day of Judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting. Since in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and Moslems, this sacred synod urges all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding and to preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom. (Paul VI 1965)
Benedict XVI, Pope. Jesus of Nazareth. New York: Doubleday, 2007.
Bloom, Jonathan, Sheila Blair, and Rob for PBS Gardner. Islam: Empire of Faith. 2008. http://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/faithpillars.html (accessed November 22, 2008).
Caner, Dr. Ergun Mehmet. “Philosophy 104: Supplemental Notes to Lecture and Reading for Liberty Univsity DLP.” Lesson Nine: The Worldview of Islam. www.liberty.edu (accessed November 22, 2008).
—. When Worldviews Collide: Christians Confronting Culture. Nashville, TN: LifeWay Press, 2006.
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Does your Momma still wear combat boots?
I am sorry I have been off of writing. My May was quite a busy pace, with work demands and end of school year stuff with the kids.
So our evangelized Catholic hearts have been a little piñata’d this weekend. That faithful servant, that “your momma wears combat boots” preacher, firebrand, conversion story-to-beat-all conversion stories, self-proclaimed black sheep, bass-voiced, smoothy, Fr John Corapi dropped a tactical nuke on his faithful. Keyboards have been worn out on this topic in just mere hours. My first reaction – which I am willing to bet would be the same as a million others – is one that will remain private with an achy heart. This was the voice of the Catechism, wrapped in an unwavering, conviction that no one could look away from, like so many moths heading for a patio light. My own heart leapt courageously at the sound of his voice, and even my wife had to admit she likes his sense of humor and delivery. I will probably wear out his Easter Triduum series. Many intelligent points have been made already. As a break topic of many conversations at yesterday’s Real Catholic Men Conference in Vancouver, Washington (terrific job, David, BTW!), some friends offered me their garded opinion, and even the better summary: no one knows.
My take is brief, but I think yet another vantage point. I think of all the terrific Catholics on the speaking tour now. Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, Richard Lane, Hector Molina Jr, Fr Larry Richards, Michael Cumbie, Fr Don Calloway, Jesse Romero, just to rattle off a few. Fr Corapi paved the way in a lot of respects to his on the air evangelizing (taking nothing away from Archbishop Fulton Sheen, or Mother Angelica!). He was charismatic. An ex-bad-boy.
It would be presumptious and sinful to guess as to all the whys. The Lord said, in his Sermon on the Mount, “Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.” (Matthew 7: 1-2) That alone has to be a little intimidating; even terrifying!
Here is my idea. The greatest evangelist has to be St Paul. At the end of his days, he sent out Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, and others, encouraging yet more evangelizing; the work is never done – until He comes. It takes nothing away from Paul’s work or status. It takes nothing away from Fr Corapi’s recorded work. His preaching was good, and saved souls to be sure. May God bless and protect him and us always.
I leave with a particular verse I have been reading over and over. Near the end, Paul gave some advice to Titus. “I want you to insist on these points, that those who have believed in God be careful to devote themselves to good works; these are excellent and beneficial to others. Avoid foolish arguments, genealogies, rivalries, and quarrels about the law, for they are useless and futile. After a first and second warning, break off contact with a heretic, realizing that such a person is perverted and sinful and stands self-condemned.” (Titus 3:8-11). This is not a reflection on him at all, I only think that all should be careful to – as stern Polonius reminds us - ’tender yourselves more dearly’ and leave the facts to be as they are. Life will continue. The ship will self-right itself, and Christ will remain Christ. After all, I am Christocentric, not Corapi-centric. The only regrets I have is that I hadn’t sent him a thank-you-card for his good work that helped me in my journey.
Perhaps I will still have a chance to.
God bless you all.
I.X.
Papa
ps: here is the announcement http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBlackSheepdog1
