Today, the ninth Sunday of ordinary time, brings us scriptural subject matter that is a great deal less than ordinary. Our readings today invite us to reflect upon the great salvation in which each of us may choose to participate. The readings also invite us to question personally the authenticity of our claim to be among the redeemed of God.
Often when I'm working on a sermon or homily I find it helpful to bounce my ideas off whomever I can get to listen to me. Outside of bible studies—which I rarely have time for—it's sometimes hard to find someone who shares an interest in scripture, theology, or things that have to do with church. Luckily, I recently befriended a fellow at the high school where I work who serves as the social pastor for a local Pentecostal assembly in addition to his work at school, much in the same way as I serve as one of your deacons. Fortunately in this fellow I found just the right person with whom I could discuss today's readings, and just yesterday as we were preparing to work at the graduation we had an opportunity to visit after breakfast.
"The scripture readings for the upcoming weekend," I told him in a quasi-questioning fashion after summarizing what would be in the lectionary, "are all about living the faith in a way that's truly authentic… "Well yes, "he answered, "but isn't it true that as Catholics you believe that you're saved by your personal works?" "That's only part of it," I replied, "the gracious initiative of God has to precede everything, and then there's the personal faith in Jesus that we must all have." I attempted to finish by telling him that I never met anyone who would deny that Christians are to do good works. "But what about repenting of sins Dan…," he interjected, "Isn't it true that Catholics aren't taught that they need to change their lives?" "No," I replied, "quite the contrary—we have a long historical tradition of penance." "Our faith as Catholics," I told him, "demands that our hearts conform to the will of God and that we act or respond accordingly."
"Dan," he said, "I'm not surprised to hear this--coming from you." Now whether his knowledge of my being a former Pentecostal had anything to do with his assertion I'm not sure, but he went on to ask me, "Is the gospel message of personal faith in Jesus Christ is something that you typically would hear on Sunday?" Unfortunately, his assumption, and one that I find to be common, is that Catholics do not typically hear the gospel message on Sundays, and that consequently we, by in large, do not live it—and indeed this is precisely what today's readings ask us to examine in ourselves. Are we what we claim to be? Do we live the gospel life?
Now, before I say anything else allow me to clarify. I know for a fact that as Catholics we have the opportunity to hear the gospel message, and most certainly that practicing Catholics live the faith. Sure enough there's room for to improve—at least if I may speak personally (I'm no angel)—but the official teaching of the Catholic Church clearly and resoundingly instructs us to live the gospel faith from our hearts, and it teaches us that our salvation is nothing less than the great gift of God, which is brought about by the outpouring of the blood of Jesus Christ. Indeed, we all need to be prepared to answer in such a manner when we encounter false notions about Catholicism. However, even more, we need to be prepared to practice what we preach, and again this is the point of today's readings.
When Moses addressed the people he reminded them to obey the commandments of God. The words that he imparted were such that the people were to take them into their hearts and the souls—to serve as a constant reminder and to never be forgotten. "Bind them," Moses says, "at your wrist as a sign, and let them be a pendant on your forehead." We too must observe the same commandments; we must take the words of the lawgiver into our hearts and souls. We must let them be a constant reminder. By our obedience we will receive the same blessing—the blessing of glory—promised to the Hebrew people and by disobedience we will receive the same curse, the deprivation of glory. St. Paul tells us that there is no distinction.
The good news is that we now may stand justified in restored righteousness and obey God from within it. Indeed, it is incumbent upon us that we must, heart and soul, respond to God's holy commandments. The message in which we rejoice year after year though the passing of seasons—the source of all our alleluias—is that God's righteousness is conferred upon us by our believing in and adhering in faith to the Son of God, thus we are made to be righteous actually, through God's grace effective in the work of Christ, and not merely declared to be so only.
In the words of St. Paul in today's reading from the letter to the Romans, God set forth Jesus as expiation—that is, as a total and radical atonement or amendment—for human unrighteousness, through faith, by his blood. The word expiation also directs our attention to the Day of Atonement ritual in which the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant was sprinkled with blood, thus wiping out the sins of the people. St. Paul tells us that we are justified by faith apart from the works of the law, and indeed without Jesus, without his one sacrifice, we can rest assured that there would be no justification. Without Christ in our lives we will stand before the judgment of God—deprived of glory; deprived of the blessing of atonement.
The Lord himself gives us a stern warning, "Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who has acted in accordance to the will of God. He says that those who hear his words and act on them will be like the wise man who built his house upon a rock. The questions for each of us to consider is how do we respond to Jesus? What is the will of the Father that will gain us entrance into the kingdom of heaven? What must we do to peer into such holy things?
In the end I believe that my friend at work actually posed a good and relevant question. It comes from having insight, of which we as Catholics are also aware, that our claim to be Christian must be one that is authentic and that bears the mark of certain proof, namely that our daily living—and even more so our entire being—must reveal nothing less than the righteousness of God.
Deacon Dan, I typed in authentic christian into google search, for I have be feeling rather disillusioned by catholic church and fellow church brothers and sisters. I do not mean to seem cynical, anyhow, I feel Jesus is more radical than people perceive as if people do not really know him. The attitude I pick up from the church and people is that Jesus is going to save us all and everything is going to be okay. I wish it were so. Everyone is too supportive, there is no enforcer.
Another shame is nobody in my entire life has asked me how is my heart doing or have you experienced the holy spirit. I wish I had the faith to heal people and cast out demons or at least see somebody else that would.
Another thing that bugs me is bueracracy and instituitions. The church being a business even a non-for-profit business. I have met people from different denominations who are holy and filled with the holy spirit. I think about Jesus and how he was not apart of an institution or business rather it was just himself. Every one either hated, disliked, was jealous of, betrayed, fell away from him.
I read a short story entitled, "Doer of the Word" I do not know if you a familiar, but basically it is about a simple contented man who lived by the bible and did not believe in churches or pastors, nor institutions. He gave to those in need and loved people. This concept provoked me.
From my own experience I had a trial from God come my way, I did not recognize it as one as I was going through it and neither did my pastor or christian friends. I failed miserably and betrayed Jesus and I ate my words and whole bunch of other unpleasant stuff. So I learned very much from this experience, who jesus is how he works, how he communicates, the holy spirit and what that feels like also what hell feels like. Jesus taught me himself how to love as he fills my heart and mind.
So now I think of the Catholic church and I agree with most of what I know of it, but I feel as if religion is dead. I am 26 years old and I thought about the priesthood and religious life, or being a deacon. But now I feel all I want to do is manual labor and live poorly with the least amount of resources and love Jesus and others all in search of being an authentic christian. I crave authenticity.
Deacon Dan if you could please respond I would appreciate it.
Posted by: Josh | August 19, 2008 at 09:59 PM