Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
1 Corinthians 11:1
Today is the Memorial for St. Ignatius of Loyola. He is best know for founding the Society of Jesus, or, better known to some, the Jesuits. St. Ignatius and his fellow companions had in mind a passion to bring the Gospel of Christ to all peoples. Within the next century of its founding, the Society would reach as far east as Japan, and as far west as the Americas. In fact, the Jesuits were largely responsible for bringing the Gospel to this continent. Much of South America, the northeast United States, and southeast Canada were settled and evangelized by the Jesuits.
Today's epistle is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians. Here, he concludes a paragraph of offering himself as an example to his fellow believers by telling them that they are to imitate him as he imitates Jesus. This can be seen in three degrees.
First, we must imitate Jesus. This is, of course, the fundamental call to discipleship. We become the followers of Jesus. As children, we seek to imitate everything we can about Jesus.
Second, we must imitate other followers of Jesus. This is one of the primary reasons why the Church proclaims various men and women to be saints. They have lived a life of what we call "heroic holiness". Therefore, the Church deems them to be worthy of imitation as we seek to follow Christ. We follow the saints as we follow Christ. We imitate the saints so that we may attain a closer imitation of Jesus.
Finally, we are called to be worthy of such imitation. We are to live in such a way that others may imitate us as we follow Jesus. This is very intimidating. But it is part of the equation. It calls for us to live very close to the Lord, which is what we are to be doing anyway.
Today, we look to St. Ignatius of Loyola to imitate him as he imitated Christ. St. Ignatius was a Spanish soldier of the sixteenth century. He wanted to be well known for his exploits as a soldier. However, he was wounded in battle and required a lengthy convalescence. During this time, he wanted to read about war heroes. Instead, all he had available to him was a Life of Christ and a book on the lives of the saints. He began reading and slowly was transformed. Now he yearned to live the life of a saint rather than that of a soldier. He began to study, was ordained a priest, and founded the Society of Jesus as a missionary organization.
The imitation of our Lord Jesus is the work of a lifetime. It is not some secret revelation suddenly discovered. It is not about a crisis emotional experience. It is about living in, with, and for the Lord moment by moment every day. In this ongoing relationship, we continue to discover more and more of what it means to imitate our Lord. Today, as we ponder the life of St. Ignatius, we are led to imitate a love and devotion to our Lord made manifest in a corresponding love and devotion to the reaching of souls without Christ. We do not need to travel to distant locations. Such people are all around us.
Today, let us think about our own imitation of Christ. Let us continue to draw near to Him. Think about imitating the lives of the saints in those ways that they reveal more of Christ to us. Let us also determine that, by God's grace, we will live lives worthy of imitation so that others who come after us may learn to imitate Christ in their lives as well.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
The Dwelling
Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him. On the first day of the first month of the second year the Dwelling was erected.
Exodus 40:16,17
The Dwelling, or the Tabernacle as it is also known, was designed by God. Moses was given careful instruction in the making of the Dwelling so it would be exactly as God intended. Those particulars comprise a large portion of the book of Exodus. Why was God so meticulous? It is because our God does not just communicate to us through words, but also through pictures. He uses symbolism to draw our attention to deeper truths about Him and our faith.
The Dwelling itself is one such example. God intended for it to be a sign of what heavenly worship looks like. He was also setting the stage for the coming of Christ, and showing us a spiritual picture of the Church. Israel's calendar is now shaped by the finishing of the Dwelling. It will inform much of their concept of God and worship.
In Catholic theology, we also see another meaning. The Ark of the Covenant is at the center of the Dwelling. That is because it houses the Ten Commandments, or put another way, the Word of God. Israel does not worship the Ark. They worship God who has shown Himself through the Ark. Catholics relate this to the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in our faith.
We refer to her by many names, one of which is the Ark. It is because our Lord Jesus, who is the Word of God, was housed (tabernacled) in her womb. Therefore, we ask for her prayers. We do not worship her, but rather we worship the One who dwelt within her. However, this still puts her at the center of so much that we do. It is in this sense that the Catechism states that such devotion to Mary is intrinsic to Christian worship. Just as the Ark which held the Word of God in the Dwelling was so central to Israel's worship, so Mary, who held the Word of God in her, is so central to our worship.
Why are so many so afraid of Mary? That is, why do these teachings seem so foreign and even evil to some? The truth is that the Church from its earliest days held such teaching to be a vital part of the Faith. Marian devotion begins early and becomes prevalent much before the Middle Ages. It is because the early Church in Jerusalem began at Pentecost with the coming of the Holy Spirit. Mary was there on that occasion. The Church prayed in her midst. They prayed with her. In the succeeding centuries we hear the Fathers of the Church making numerous pronouncements about her place in the Church. We also hear their prayers as they seek her intercession. It was only after the philosophy of rationalism had permeated the Church did so many draw back from these teachings about Mary.
I must confess that this has been an area of my faith that has been the hardest to deal with. My years of formation as a Protestant severely prejudiced me against her. But I have found in the short time since becoming Catholic that those I know with the strongest devotion to Mary are among the best examples of Christians that I have seen anywhere. It is not that they are perfect, or even theologically brilliant. It is that they lead quiet lives of humble peace and joy. In that, they are a shining example of the light of Christ in their lives. To them, there is no contradiction between a strong devotion to Mary and a vibrant adoration for our Lord.
For my Catholic readers I urge you to a recovery of this aspect of our faith. To those who are not Catholic, I urge you to a prayerful consideration of the teachings of the early Church regarding Mary. You will find in her a true and gentle mother whose only concern is to direct you to Jesus her Son, the Word of God. She is the Dwelling, but we seek the One who dwells within.
Exodus 40:16,17
The Dwelling, or the Tabernacle as it is also known, was designed by God. Moses was given careful instruction in the making of the Dwelling so it would be exactly as God intended. Those particulars comprise a large portion of the book of Exodus. Why was God so meticulous? It is because our God does not just communicate to us through words, but also through pictures. He uses symbolism to draw our attention to deeper truths about Him and our faith.
The Dwelling itself is one such example. God intended for it to be a sign of what heavenly worship looks like. He was also setting the stage for the coming of Christ, and showing us a spiritual picture of the Church. Israel's calendar is now shaped by the finishing of the Dwelling. It will inform much of their concept of God and worship.
In Catholic theology, we also see another meaning. The Ark of the Covenant is at the center of the Dwelling. That is because it houses the Ten Commandments, or put another way, the Word of God. Israel does not worship the Ark. They worship God who has shown Himself through the Ark. Catholics relate this to the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in our faith.
We refer to her by many names, one of which is the Ark. It is because our Lord Jesus, who is the Word of God, was housed (tabernacled) in her womb. Therefore, we ask for her prayers. We do not worship her, but rather we worship the One who dwelt within her. However, this still puts her at the center of so much that we do. It is in this sense that the Catechism states that such devotion to Mary is intrinsic to Christian worship. Just as the Ark which held the Word of God in the Dwelling was so central to Israel's worship, so Mary, who held the Word of God in her, is so central to our worship.
Why are so many so afraid of Mary? That is, why do these teachings seem so foreign and even evil to some? The truth is that the Church from its earliest days held such teaching to be a vital part of the Faith. Marian devotion begins early and becomes prevalent much before the Middle Ages. It is because the early Church in Jerusalem began at Pentecost with the coming of the Holy Spirit. Mary was there on that occasion. The Church prayed in her midst. They prayed with her. In the succeeding centuries we hear the Fathers of the Church making numerous pronouncements about her place in the Church. We also hear their prayers as they seek her intercession. It was only after the philosophy of rationalism had permeated the Church did so many draw back from these teachings about Mary.
I must confess that this has been an area of my faith that has been the hardest to deal with. My years of formation as a Protestant severely prejudiced me against her. But I have found in the short time since becoming Catholic that those I know with the strongest devotion to Mary are among the best examples of Christians that I have seen anywhere. It is not that they are perfect, or even theologically brilliant. It is that they lead quiet lives of humble peace and joy. In that, they are a shining example of the light of Christ in their lives. To them, there is no contradiction between a strong devotion to Mary and a vibrant adoration for our Lord.
For my Catholic readers I urge you to a recovery of this aspect of our faith. To those who are not Catholic, I urge you to a prayerful consideration of the teachings of the early Church regarding Mary. You will find in her a true and gentle mother whose only concern is to direct you to Jesus her Son, the Word of God. She is the Dwelling, but we seek the One who dwells within.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Do You Believe?
"I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
John 11:25,26
Today is the memorial for St. Martha. Martha was the sister of Lazarus and Mary of Bethany. Today's Gospel is taken from the well known incident in which our Lord raised Lazarus from the dead. Mary is often thought of as the more loving, or worshipful of the sisters. Martha is known for being busy with work. But today we see Martha's faith.
When she heard that Jesus was coming she went out to meet Him (v. 20). While she lamented that if Jesus had come sooner He could have saved her brother, yet she adds, "even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you," (v. 22). She struggles to believe even in the midst of her deep grief. Our Lord's response to her is the verse above. He is not promising a resurrection, but rather asserting that He Himself is the resurrection. He is asking Martha if she truly believes He is the Messiah. Martha gives as good a profession of faith as Peter did in Matthew's Gospel: She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world," (v. 27). We know the rest of the story. Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. But what has transpired in this conversation? Jesus reveals Himself uniquely to Martha and she responds in faith.
It's important for us to grasp the meaning of this conversation. We often ask God to help us with the various issues we face in life. We are looking for answers. However, Jesus is telling us that He did not come to provide the answers, but that He Himself is the answer. His statement about being the resurrection and the life has specific meaning to our salvation. But for us that statement could just as easily look something like this: "I am your finances; I am your job, I am your health care; I am the solution to your marriage problems", etc. Instead of looking for solutions, the Lord wants us to look to Him. In that we will find all the answers we need.
When Jesus had finished this statement, then He asks Martha, "Do you believe this?" It's the same question He's asking us. He wants to know if we think He is all sufficient for every need. Because when we say, "yes", we are showing that we truly believe in Him. This was Martha's response. Is it ours?
If we continue to rely on Jesus and our various strategies, then we do not truly believe. We are, in effect, saying that our Lord is not sufficient. We are really trusting in our own strength and ingenuity. God does need any such props. If we will abandon it all and trust Him fully, then we will see the miracles of "resurrection" in our lives as well.
The question, again, remains: "Do you believe this?" May our Lord find us all answering with a hearty, "Yes, Lord, I believe."
John 11:25,26
Today is the memorial for St. Martha. Martha was the sister of Lazarus and Mary of Bethany. Today's Gospel is taken from the well known incident in which our Lord raised Lazarus from the dead. Mary is often thought of as the more loving, or worshipful of the sisters. Martha is known for being busy with work. But today we see Martha's faith.
When she heard that Jesus was coming she went out to meet Him (v. 20). While she lamented that if Jesus had come sooner He could have saved her brother, yet she adds, "even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you," (v. 22). She struggles to believe even in the midst of her deep grief. Our Lord's response to her is the verse above. He is not promising a resurrection, but rather asserting that He Himself is the resurrection. He is asking Martha if she truly believes He is the Messiah. Martha gives as good a profession of faith as Peter did in Matthew's Gospel: She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world," (v. 27). We know the rest of the story. Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. But what has transpired in this conversation? Jesus reveals Himself uniquely to Martha and she responds in faith.
It's important for us to grasp the meaning of this conversation. We often ask God to help us with the various issues we face in life. We are looking for answers. However, Jesus is telling us that He did not come to provide the answers, but that He Himself is the answer. His statement about being the resurrection and the life has specific meaning to our salvation. But for us that statement could just as easily look something like this: "I am your finances; I am your job, I am your health care; I am the solution to your marriage problems", etc. Instead of looking for solutions, the Lord wants us to look to Him. In that we will find all the answers we need.
When Jesus had finished this statement, then He asks Martha, "Do you believe this?" It's the same question He's asking us. He wants to know if we think He is all sufficient for every need. Because when we say, "yes", we are showing that we truly believe in Him. This was Martha's response. Is it ours?
If we continue to rely on Jesus and our various strategies, then we do not truly believe. We are, in effect, saying that our Lord is not sufficient. We are really trusting in our own strength and ingenuity. God does need any such props. If we will abandon it all and trust Him fully, then we will see the miracles of "resurrection" in our lives as well.
The question, again, remains: "Do you believe this?" May our Lord find us all answering with a hearty, "Yes, Lord, I believe."
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
The "Whole" God
“The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God,slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity,continuing his kindness for a thousand generations,and forgiving wickedness and crime and sin;yet not declaring the guilty guiltless,but punishing children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for their fathers’ wickedness!”
Exodus 34:6,7
Here is a great contrast! God reveals Himself to Moses, and to us by extension, as being simultaneously merciful and just. This usually presents an incongruity in our minds. We tend to gravitate to one or the other side of this equation. God is either merciful, or He is just. Since our view of God shapes our view of ourselves and of the reality surrounding us, we find ourselves responding in the same way as we view God. If we see Him as merciful, then we tend to be more easy-going, forgiving, and merciful. If we see Him as just, then we usually want justice both for ourselves and others around us.
Yet, here we find that God is both of these things at the same time. There is no contradiction. He is not a compromise of these things. That is, He is not partly merciful and partly just. He is completely merciful and completely just. How is He both at the same time?
While God has revealed Himself to us in many powerful ways, there are still a multitude of things that we cannot possibly comprehend about Him. He is beyond us because He is God and we are finite human beings. We only have the capacity to understand a very small part of who God is. We need only ponder for a moment the mysteries of the Trinity, or the Incarnation, to see that there are many mysteries of God far beyond our grasp.
But we do have a small piece of the puzzle in this passage. God responds to us according to our response to Him. If we seek Him, believe in Him, and work to obey Him, He is merciful. As the Psalmist says, "As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on the faithful. For he knows how we are formed, remembers that we are dust," (Ps. 103:13,14). However, if we reject Him and choose our own sinful ways, then He will be just and bring the just punishment upon us.
Can we live with a God like this? Absolutely! Who would have it any other way? We innately know there must be a just rendering sometime. It wouldn't be fair to see the wicked prosper and never pay any price for their wickedness. We all have an innate sense of justice that tells us there must be justice in the end. However, we know that we all want mercy, because we do not always get it right and we hope that God will forgive. So we find that this is, indeed, exactly how God treats us.
To believe in God requires a proper perspective of God. We must believe in Him as He is, not as we think He is, or hope He may be. We can only truly know Him if we will accept this fact. God is indeed fearful to those who choose to live in sin. But to us who believe, He is merciful far beyond our understanding. Let us then draw near to come to know this great and awesome God we serve. Let us be content to live with the mystery and choose to believe to the salvation of our souls.
Exodus 34:6,7
Here is a great contrast! God reveals Himself to Moses, and to us by extension, as being simultaneously merciful and just. This usually presents an incongruity in our minds. We tend to gravitate to one or the other side of this equation. God is either merciful, or He is just. Since our view of God shapes our view of ourselves and of the reality surrounding us, we find ourselves responding in the same way as we view God. If we see Him as merciful, then we tend to be more easy-going, forgiving, and merciful. If we see Him as just, then we usually want justice both for ourselves and others around us.
Yet, here we find that God is both of these things at the same time. There is no contradiction. He is not a compromise of these things. That is, He is not partly merciful and partly just. He is completely merciful and completely just. How is He both at the same time?
While God has revealed Himself to us in many powerful ways, there are still a multitude of things that we cannot possibly comprehend about Him. He is beyond us because He is God and we are finite human beings. We only have the capacity to understand a very small part of who God is. We need only ponder for a moment the mysteries of the Trinity, or the Incarnation, to see that there are many mysteries of God far beyond our grasp.
But we do have a small piece of the puzzle in this passage. God responds to us according to our response to Him. If we seek Him, believe in Him, and work to obey Him, He is merciful. As the Psalmist says, "As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on the faithful. For he knows how we are formed, remembers that we are dust," (Ps. 103:13,14). However, if we reject Him and choose our own sinful ways, then He will be just and bring the just punishment upon us.
Can we live with a God like this? Absolutely! Who would have it any other way? We innately know there must be a just rendering sometime. It wouldn't be fair to see the wicked prosper and never pay any price for their wickedness. We all have an innate sense of justice that tells us there must be justice in the end. However, we know that we all want mercy, because we do not always get it right and we hope that God will forgive. So we find that this is, indeed, exactly how God treats us.
To believe in God requires a proper perspective of God. We must believe in Him as He is, not as we think He is, or hope He may be. We can only truly know Him if we will accept this fact. God is indeed fearful to those who choose to live in sin. But to us who believe, He is merciful far beyond our understanding. Let us then draw near to come to know this great and awesome God we serve. Let us be content to live with the mystery and choose to believe to the salvation of our souls.
Monday, July 27, 2009
The Work of God
"You have committed a grave sin. I will go up to the LORD, then; perhaps I may be able to make atonement for your sin."
Exodus 32:30
Someone once said about the Christian life that we should work as if everything depends on us and pray as if everything depends on God. I think most of us understand the first part. I'm not as certain we are truly grasping the second.
In today's first reading we hear the story of how Moses received the Law from God. As he came down from the mountain, he found the Israelites were engaged in an idolatrous party with the golden calf. It is this incident which leads to the verse above. Moses realizes that the people will die if he does not plead for God's mercy. So he goes to pray.
A portion of this conversation is preserved for us. Moses asks to bear the punishment of the people. God tells Moses that each person must answer for himself (v. 33).
Still, let us look back at what Moses says to God: "Ah, this people has indeed committed a grave sin in making a god of gold for themselves! If you would only forgive their sin! If you will not, then strike me out of the book that you have written," (vv. 31,32). I don't honestly think I would have prayed a prayer like that. But it's actually in keeping with what we find elsewhere.
Our Lord prayed that his persecutors and executioners would be forgiven. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church, did the same. St. Paul echoed the same sentiment when he wrote, "I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brethren," (Ro. 9:3). The heart of the true intercessor is the heart of God. It is the willingness to give up one's own life in order to save the guilty party. Such prayer requires one to live close to God, share His heart, and have a deep and lasting compassion for sinners.
We have all sinned. We are all in the same boat. This alone should keep us on our knees pleading for those we know and love who yet remain in danger of the judgment. Yet, as I mentioned, we often find ourselves doing just about everything else. We think that through conversation or work they will be saved. There is some truth to that. As I mentioned, we also need to work. But the greater work is on God's part. We cannot do this. We must have His grace and it is imparted through such intercessory prayer.
Who's on your prayer list? How often are you mentioning them before the Lord? How fervently do you pray for them? Do you believe God will indeed answer? Let us heed the Scripture which says, "The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects," (Jms. 5:16). Then let us turn to continuous, fervent, faith-filled prayer. God has promised to listen and He will do the work.
Exodus 32:30
Someone once said about the Christian life that we should work as if everything depends on us and pray as if everything depends on God. I think most of us understand the first part. I'm not as certain we are truly grasping the second.
In today's first reading we hear the story of how Moses received the Law from God. As he came down from the mountain, he found the Israelites were engaged in an idolatrous party with the golden calf. It is this incident which leads to the verse above. Moses realizes that the people will die if he does not plead for God's mercy. So he goes to pray.
A portion of this conversation is preserved for us. Moses asks to bear the punishment of the people. God tells Moses that each person must answer for himself (v. 33).
Still, let us look back at what Moses says to God: "Ah, this people has indeed committed a grave sin in making a god of gold for themselves! If you would only forgive their sin! If you will not, then strike me out of the book that you have written," (vv. 31,32). I don't honestly think I would have prayed a prayer like that. But it's actually in keeping with what we find elsewhere.
Our Lord prayed that his persecutors and executioners would be forgiven. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church, did the same. St. Paul echoed the same sentiment when he wrote, "I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brethren," (Ro. 9:3). The heart of the true intercessor is the heart of God. It is the willingness to give up one's own life in order to save the guilty party. Such prayer requires one to live close to God, share His heart, and have a deep and lasting compassion for sinners.
We have all sinned. We are all in the same boat. This alone should keep us on our knees pleading for those we know and love who yet remain in danger of the judgment. Yet, as I mentioned, we often find ourselves doing just about everything else. We think that through conversation or work they will be saved. There is some truth to that. As I mentioned, we also need to work. But the greater work is on God's part. We cannot do this. We must have His grace and it is imparted through such intercessory prayer.
Who's on your prayer list? How often are you mentioning them before the Lord? How fervently do you pray for them? Do you believe God will indeed answer? Let us heed the Scripture which says, "The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects," (Jms. 5:16). Then let us turn to continuous, fervent, faith-filled prayer. God has promised to listen and He will do the work.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Super-Abundant Love
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, "Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted."
John 6:12
Beginning today and running for the next several weeks, the Church reflects on the sixth chapter of John's Gospel in the Sunday Mass readings. This chapter is so critical to us because it is so full of the doctrine of the real presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. We begin the passage with the story of our Lord miraculously feeding the 5,000 with the five loaves of bread and two fish.
This story is recorded in all four Gospels. It highlights its significance. Very few stories outside of the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord are recorded in all four Gospels.
Here we find the crowds following Jesus. He has them sit down. Then He uses some bread and fish brought by one of the boys there. He blesses them and they feed the whole crowd. That's where the story ends for most of us. It is indeed a miracle. But what's interesting is what is said at the end of the story: Jesus directs the disciples to gather up all the fragments so that nothing is lost. When it is done, they have 12 baskets left over. It would be enough of a miracle to feed the 5,000. But Jesus goes beyond that to give them more than enough. Why?
I borrow from the priest who said Mass this morning at our parish. He noted that it is indicative of the fact that God always gives more than enough. He is showing us that His love for us is not only enough, it's more than enough. He invites us to come and sit at His feet, listen to His teaching, and receive of Himself. He will always give us more than we can ever comprehend.
Our problem is that we often don't believe this. Our Lord reaches out to us with this super-abundant love, but we are usually refusing it to seek love elsewhere. This is the essence of sin. We try to find what is legitimately offered to us in a way that is outside the bounds of what God has provided.
Today, I am trying to allow this super-abundant love to find a home in my heart. I am guilty of turning the Lord away in unbelief. I am caught in the snare of the enemy who is always trying to convince me that he has something better. But the Lord is still on the hill offering me more than enough bread. I will go and receive what He offers, and there will be plenty left over.
John 6:12
Beginning today and running for the next several weeks, the Church reflects on the sixth chapter of John's Gospel in the Sunday Mass readings. This chapter is so critical to us because it is so full of the doctrine of the real presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. We begin the passage with the story of our Lord miraculously feeding the 5,000 with the five loaves of bread and two fish.
This story is recorded in all four Gospels. It highlights its significance. Very few stories outside of the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord are recorded in all four Gospels.
Here we find the crowds following Jesus. He has them sit down. Then He uses some bread and fish brought by one of the boys there. He blesses them and they feed the whole crowd. That's where the story ends for most of us. It is indeed a miracle. But what's interesting is what is said at the end of the story: Jesus directs the disciples to gather up all the fragments so that nothing is lost. When it is done, they have 12 baskets left over. It would be enough of a miracle to feed the 5,000. But Jesus goes beyond that to give them more than enough. Why?
I borrow from the priest who said Mass this morning at our parish. He noted that it is indicative of the fact that God always gives more than enough. He is showing us that His love for us is not only enough, it's more than enough. He invites us to come and sit at His feet, listen to His teaching, and receive of Himself. He will always give us more than we can ever comprehend.
Our problem is that we often don't believe this. Our Lord reaches out to us with this super-abundant love, but we are usually refusing it to seek love elsewhere. This is the essence of sin. We try to find what is legitimately offered to us in a way that is outside the bounds of what God has provided.
Today, I am trying to allow this super-abundant love to find a home in my heart. I am guilty of turning the Lord away in unbelief. I am caught in the snare of the enemy who is always trying to convince me that he has something better. But the Lord is still on the hill offering me more than enough bread. I will go and receive what He offers, and there will be plenty left over.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
St. James
We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.
2 Corinthians 4:7
Today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. James. St. James was the elder son of Zebedee. He and his brother, John, were among the first disciples of our Lord. St. James was the first apostle to be martyred.
The verse above is from the first reading of today's Mass. It tells us that we hold within us the wonderful treasure of God Himself. God has chosen to work this way to bless us, restore us to His friendship, and show His immeasurable glory and power to a world still in doubt of Him, but desperately in need of Him. St. James was a man who was a great example of the truth of this verse.
He and his brother, along with their father, were fishermen. These were not educated or eloquent men. They are not what we would think of as being ideally suited for the job ahead. We would look for seminary trained men, men of high education, men of charismatic personality, and skilled in logic and rhetoric. We have no indication that James was any of these things. In addition, James and his brother were known as the Sons of Thunder. This presumably indicates that he was a man of deep passion and a quick temper. This does not sound like a good candidate for beginning the kingdom of God. But Jesus thought otherwise.
Our Lord saw in James a true diamond in the rough. He called both sons to follow him and they did. They literally left everything to become the disciples of Jesus. They spent 3 years with Him learning of His teaching, observing His example, and training to take over upon His ascension. We see a number of times when they failed. Once they asked for the most prominent positions in the kingdom. On another occasion they, along with the other disciples, contended as to who would be the greatest. James is not at the cross when our Lord dies. He is among the others who fled. Yet, there came a point when James finally became the man our Lord knew he could be. He was filled with the Spirit along with the others on the day of Pentecost. He obeyed the commission of our Lord by joining with the other apostles to preach the Gospel of our Lord. Finally, there came a day when he needed to lay down his life for what he believed. The Scripture tells us very little about this. We read only that Herod killed James the brother of John with the sword, (Acts 12:2). What the Scripture has summarized, tradition has filled in. We have recorded for us the following story from Eusebius, an early Church historian. He cites Clement of Alexandria, a second century catechetical teacher as his source.
The man who brought him (James) to trial, on seeing him bear his testimony, was moved, and confessed that he was now a Christian himself. Accordingly, he says, they were both led away together. On the way, the other man asked James to forgive him. And after brief consideration, James said, "Peace be to you," and kissed him. And so both were beheaded together.
Though he did not possess the essential qualities for such a task in himself, once our Lord was living in him, he was transformed. This does not mean that he was perfected, but it does show the surpassing power of God.
It is the same for us. God will inevitably call us to do things we are not naturally qualified to do. But as we rely on Him, He will show His surpassing power through us so that the glory may be to Him and not to us.
2 Corinthians 4:7
Today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. James. St. James was the elder son of Zebedee. He and his brother, John, were among the first disciples of our Lord. St. James was the first apostle to be martyred.
The verse above is from the first reading of today's Mass. It tells us that we hold within us the wonderful treasure of God Himself. God has chosen to work this way to bless us, restore us to His friendship, and show His immeasurable glory and power to a world still in doubt of Him, but desperately in need of Him. St. James was a man who was a great example of the truth of this verse.
He and his brother, along with their father, were fishermen. These were not educated or eloquent men. They are not what we would think of as being ideally suited for the job ahead. We would look for seminary trained men, men of high education, men of charismatic personality, and skilled in logic and rhetoric. We have no indication that James was any of these things. In addition, James and his brother were known as the Sons of Thunder. This presumably indicates that he was a man of deep passion and a quick temper. This does not sound like a good candidate for beginning the kingdom of God. But Jesus thought otherwise.
Our Lord saw in James a true diamond in the rough. He called both sons to follow him and they did. They literally left everything to become the disciples of Jesus. They spent 3 years with Him learning of His teaching, observing His example, and training to take over upon His ascension. We see a number of times when they failed. Once they asked for the most prominent positions in the kingdom. On another occasion they, along with the other disciples, contended as to who would be the greatest. James is not at the cross when our Lord dies. He is among the others who fled. Yet, there came a point when James finally became the man our Lord knew he could be. He was filled with the Spirit along with the others on the day of Pentecost. He obeyed the commission of our Lord by joining with the other apostles to preach the Gospel of our Lord. Finally, there came a day when he needed to lay down his life for what he believed. The Scripture tells us very little about this. We read only that Herod killed James the brother of John with the sword, (Acts 12:2). What the Scripture has summarized, tradition has filled in. We have recorded for us the following story from Eusebius, an early Church historian. He cites Clement of Alexandria, a second century catechetical teacher as his source.
The man who brought him (James) to trial, on seeing him bear his testimony, was moved, and confessed that he was now a Christian himself. Accordingly, he says, they were both led away together. On the way, the other man asked James to forgive him. And after brief consideration, James said, "Peace be to you," and kissed him. And so both were beheaded together.
Though he did not possess the essential qualities for such a task in himself, once our Lord was living in him, he was transformed. This does not mean that he was perfected, but it does show the surpassing power of God.
It is the same for us. God will inevitably call us to do things we are not naturally qualified to do. But as we rely on Him, He will show His surpassing power through us so that the glory may be to Him and not to us.
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