Epiphany Homily: The Essential Gospel

In Epiphany we joyously celebrate the sudden appearance and perception of God entering our world. In it we recall what is most essential about our faith, and about our humanity in relation to God and each other. In Epiphany we celebrate the light that is Jesus, and we consider what is most pertinent and most essential to us in our lives today. This is the meaning of epiphany: to see what is what is most essential in a thing—to see what is most essential in our faith.

This last Friday, New Year's Day, my wife pointed out an article to me in the faith section of the Austin American Statesman. The title was, "Lubbock pastor seeks to strip away 'added' rules from Gospel". Perhaps you read it too. The purpose of the article was to highlight a book entitled The Naked Gospel in which the author, a non-denominational Evangelical pastor, advocates a "Jesus plus nothing" approach. In the Statesman article the author says that his book is about "God's grace without the poison of 'religion.'" He says that his intention is to strip away the rules that people have added to Christianity, rules like the 10 Commandments and having to ask God to forgive our sins, which he claims are unnecessary and even harmful.

In the article he recounts his own experience. He says "I found myself lying on the floor of my apartment, begging God for answers: 'God, I'm doing everything they say to do. I'm reading my Bible four or five hours a day. I'm sharing my faith with everybody I meet. I'm at church every time the doors are open. But I still don't feel like I'm growing spiritually. I'm stalled, and I can't explain why. You say the truth will set me free. I'm anything but free!'"

Now certainly this was on my mind as I was driving to confession yesterday. However, I took more than a little comfort in recognizing that what the pastor was presenting was a version of the "faith only" approach, which is nothing new. Actually it's been around for better than 500 years, from the time of Martin Luther, and furthermore it's anything but free from the so-called taint of religion.

So, while it didn't take me long to respond to the article with a clear "no" based on my Catholic formation, I do think that it presents something important to reflect on here at Epiphany. Especially this seems true in light of our reading today from Ephesians in which St. Paul talks about his stewardship of God's grace. People today are hungry for what is essential in a relationship with God. We desire grace because we recognize that grace is essential. What happens is that we as Catholic Christians who are decided and committed in our faith have the responsibility of pointing the way to God's grace in all that we say and do.

Really, in the sense of our longing for communion with God, things haven't changed all that much over the vast centuries from the time of the prophet Isaiah, whom we heard from in the first reading, up to now. We desire that which has the power to bring peace to our lives. However, we should be mindful that discovering the essence of something doesn't involve stripping away and ignoring the details or rules, rather it requires that we take the time to explore the depths of the many facets of our faith. We can do this by reading the bible or by reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church, or perhaps by attending an adult education class. If you're the type to make New Year's resolutions, there would be few better resolutions than to do something in order to learn more about the Catholic faith.

Giving the newspaper pastor his due recognition, it's probably true that there is something unhealthy about becoming overly concerned with our personal sinfulness or perhaps always feeling like no matter what we do we can't please God. It doesn't take a book to teach us that. Actually, if we are concerned with sin or failure the solution is simple. Scripture teaches us to confess our sins. I'm thankful that we have ample opportunities to do this.

While being at inner peace is important, having true religion isn't necessarily so much about looking within oneself as it is about reaching out to others. Again, this is something that scripture teaches clearly. Probably the more we reach out, the more concern we show for others, the less we will have to confess in terms of failure. The outward reach of peacemaking is where the true light lies. Where do we find the essential Jesus? We find him when we work with one another to bring truth, justice, and healing to our world.

On January 1 this year the Catholic Church celebrated the 43^rd World Day of Peace. On the Catholic Bishop's website, usccb.org, there are ample suggestions on how you can help bring peace to the world in 2010. A great resolution this year would be that you will do something to bring about peace in the world.

As the light of Epiphany shines on us we should consider that God really wants us to be happy. God really wants salvation to be easily accessible. In this we thank him for the great gift that the Church is, and for everything that our faith—our religion—is in its fullness. We also recognize that God has invited us into a partnership in which we work to bring the peace and presence of Christ to the entire world.

Comments

[Lightborrower]

Amen. Beautiful.

[Christianity is Dead]

Interesting posts you have, though I think Christianity is dead and will be redeemed and brought to fruition and perfection through Thelema. Check out my blog at http://christianityisdead.wordpress.com/ if you will. Love is the law, love under will. ;)

[Deacon DW]

Concerning the last post, I do not believe that Christianity is dead. My experience proves contrary. Certainly Christianity faces real challenges in the world today. My intuition is that the spirit of times will change and humanity will come to embrace the light and truth of the faith. I think this will prove true especially in light of Christian peacemaking.

While not really knowing a lot about occultism, I find a very interesting parallel in the philosophy of Thelema to some of the claims that were presented in the Austin American Statesman article on Dr. Farley' book. For this I appreciate your bringing your blog to my attention.

Finally, I urge you to pray to God who is everlasting and all good and search your heart concerning the meaning of faith. Ask God to reveal to you the truth concerning Christianity. I am convinced if you do this you will be directed toward truth.

Consider what the word of God says:

Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 ...the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but ... they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths.

2 Corinthians 11:14 ...even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Revelation 1:17-18 Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

[Lightborrower]

Jesus, Who is called Master, also said, "Many will say, 'There He is,' or 'Here He is' -- do not believe them." The whole of the (Thelemic) law is "Do what thou wilt"? Good heavens, that alone is atheist, but to consider yourself equal with God (and AS God) is straight from hell's mouth. We are told to test spirits --that is one thing Thelema's founder did not do.