Holy Week and the Consummation of Bliss
or Living the Truth While Experiencing the Lie or Living Easter: Changed by the Promise I am not a big chess player, I used to play quite a bit, but not anymore. Chess is a game of combination moves where planning ahead is the key to success. When I look at world history I can see how it can be perceived as a cosmic chess match in which God and Satan are seemingly locked in a close and anxiety-filled series of moves and countermoves. We see it throughout Scripture: God makes a move, Satan counters with his move. God creates angels. Lucifer rebels against God and gets evicted from heaven, taking a bunch of angels with him. God creates people. Satan tempts them to sin, turning the earth over to his control. God responds by providing a sacrifice and assured redemption for His children, Satan sows seeds of doubt and tempts to disillusionment. On and on it goes, through prophets and judges, kings and nations, onward through Incarnation until today. But in truth, this is not a battle between equal forces. Satan is the creature, God is the Creator and God has already announced Satan’s defeat, And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him (Revelation 12:9), but that doesn’t stop Satan from trying to destroy God’s work and His people. Move, countermove, move. After 400 years of silence, the promise of God is realized and God himself enters into human history. Still, Satan counterattacks, tempting Jesus in the wilderness and trying to sabotage His mission. In the end, at least Satan thought it would be the end, he succeeds in destroying the Son of God. After what seems like forever in three years and an eternity in three days, Jesus is crucified. Delusion, Hope and Truth We know the end of the Easter story, of course. We celebrate Easter every year with our Sunday best and the retelling of Christ’s final move. The tomb would be empty, the board reset, the Son of God lives and begins to teach us how to live as well. It seems incredible that, though defeated, delusional Satan still thinks he can win. He is cunning and crafty and does have some success in obscuring the truth, but it is more than that. Satan actually believes that he can take us, re-kill the Son, and claim it all for himself. St. Peter admonishes us to be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour, resist he firm in your faith (1Peter 5:8-9a) as evidence of his efforts, but we know what Satan does not, he is already beaten. Still, we need a more complete understanding of what Christ’s death and resurrection have already accomplished for us and each year we repeat the celebration in the hopes that these truths will remake us in Christ’s image. God’s Love How often do you say, “I love you!”? Maybe it was just this morning, part of the farewell you tossed out as someone left the house. However it happens, you recognize that these words are not the only evidence of your love. Love is best understood when proclamation is backed by demonstration — your ability to meet the one you love where they are is evidence of sacrifice and devotion. We understand love through action as we have learned from our Father in Heaven. God lovingly provides for our needs and lends us His wisdom and direction every day. The Holy Spirit is a constant and unwavering presence reminding us and teaching us as Jesus said, But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you (John 14:26). Satan wants to draw us away from the reality of God’s love. It’s his oldest trick, getting humans to doubt the truth that God loves them. How does he do it? Helping us to believe that we are unworthy, unwanted, or unforgiven. We all know what this is like, don't we? We ask God for forgiveness, but we are unable to accept it because we can't/won't forgive ourselves. Since no one wants to live in a state of guilt, we passively believe that we are too bad to be forgiven and this is proven by God's silence on the matter. The truth is, God has already forgiven us; the lie is, we are too important to be forgiven. Move and counter-move. Easter is the celebration where we embrace the reality of God’s love with renewed excitement and energy. Easter is the celebration that has the potential to change everything for us, even as the Resurrection changed everything for everyone for all time. We are called by the empty tomb, by the new day, by the shining truth to let ourselves die to self and rise to Christ. We can rise with Jesus to a new life of excitement and devotion as we praise Him by serving one another. A New Hope Re-given In our family, we’ll often conclude prayers with “In Jesus’ name.” Do you pray the same way? It’s easy for it to become a reflex, a little tagline at the end of prayer. In truth, we are adding “In Jesus’ name” both as praise and as a cry for help. Implicit in our “In Jesus’ name” is our longing for Jesus to do all that he promised and for the ability to truly accept that as our reality. When you pray “in Jesus’ name,” be aware of the longing you have to die to self (the self that keeps telling you that you are unforgivable) and to be present to the fact that you have called on your Lord to be manifest in your life. The End of the Game The only power Satan has over us is what we give him. We know he is a defeated enemy, crushed by the Cross. We know that Jesus suffered and died for us, that he took on our sin, guilt, trepidation, fear, and longing as his own to set us free. When you hang on to whatever it is that is separating you from Jesus, you are living as if Satan has won. I once heard a story about a father and son back in the pioneer days who were trying to outrun a fast-moving prairie fire. The fire was about to consume their wagon when the father turned the horse around and went to a spot that had already been burned. He told his son to jump out of their wagon and stay put. His son said, “But the fire is all around us!” The father explained: “This spot has already been burned. The fire can’t get us here.” Jesus has already been “burned” at the Cross so that we don’t have to be. He has already won the match and in Him you are safe. There will always be temptations to sin. But Jesus has endured it all — temptation without failure, punishment without cause. The Devil’s fire can’t harm us as long as we are standing firm in Jesus. Immerse yourself in Holy Week and be truly set free at Easter. Satan has no countermove to stop what God has already done. In Jesus Name, Fr. Bill+
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Our opinions are simply the angle of our perspectives.
Point of view or Perspective? Point of view and Perspective are not the same thing. My Point of view is the position from which I view a matter, perspective is the particular attitude or way of considering a matter. They are similar, but the difference is important. My point of view can be implicit and unconscious such as when I observe an event from the standpoint of a Christian versus if I saw the same event as a Hindu. We do not regularly identify our point of view as it is simply who we are. In somewhat the same way, perspective may be as unconscious as point of view. My perspective is the emotional result of my observation from my point of view. While point of view is often fully unconscious, perspective, because it involves emotion, can only remain unconscious by an act of will. In the same way that I can mentally ignore a pain in my hand when my body is telling me to figure out why it hurts, I can ignore the source of my emotional response (perspective) only by mentally engaging it. Perspective and Opinion Perspective: the particular attitude or way of considering a matter. Opinion: a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. (Oxford Dictionary) Once we observe (point of view) and emotionally respond (perspective) we actively engage to form an opinion. As Oxford stated, this process does not require any knowledge on my part, it can be and is most often a “knee jerk” response based on habit rather than reflection. Still, this is not the place where we get into trouble, that comes in the next stage, action. Acting on our opinions based on emotional response without adequate reflection is the quagmire of the devil. Proverbs 14:29 tells us, "Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly," the basis of this is reflected by Proverbs 10:19, “When there are many words, wrongdoing is unavoidable, But one who restrains his lips is wise.” Both of these Proverbs, as well as similar statements made by Job, Jesus, Peter, Paul, and David point to the absolute need to reflect and discern the truth before acting. In all cases the truth referred to here is the knowledge of what point of view and perspective are and to realize our need to move beyond ourselves. In all of these biblical addresses, the key is always a godly focus and dependence. We must challenge ourselves to know from where our perspective comes before we form or (Lord have mercy) act on our opinion. In truth, time-held opinions and actions are often driven by fear. Jesus was rejected, not because He said something completely new, but because those who heard Him did not want to change. Their perspective—the basis of their opinion about Jesus—was formed by their comfort and powered by their desire for self. In a world so fraught with violence and hate, Christians are called to boldly embody the higher standard found only in the divine perspective. Christ’s perspective, NOT mine. Christ calls us to open our spirits to His presence---and our minds to His thoughts. The Holy Spirit guides and challenges us in all that we do, our work is to become less of who we are and more of who Christ is. St. Paul tells us to be more “Christ like” in our living, he is not simply saying we should do nice things like Jesus did. We are to be like Christ—in our thinking, feeling, loving, and living--our perspective is to be from, and have its formation in, Him. Once we reflect in this way, our words and actions will lift others up, project love and concern, and bring glory to God. Striving to see all things through Christ, Fr. Bill+ Thanking God for Christ’s call to serve
We are truly blessed by God and enriched in our fellowship by the many people of this congregation who volunteer their time and their talent in small and large ways. Their dedication and efforts witness to love and devotion of our Lord and the advancement of the Gospel of Christ in this place. St. Paul, in his Letter to the Corinthians, tells us that, “there are varieties of gifts and varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit for the common good” (12:4-11), the wonderful variety of gifts reflects the incredible complexity of God’s creation. There is no insignificant work performed here. all efforts--from maintaining our property to cleaning the church to Vestry leadership to visiting the sick to praying for one another in our Parish Family, all are equally received from the God who loves us and calls us to service. When someone responds to God’s call in the name of Jesus Christ, the blessing is twofold. All who receive the gift of their service are enriched in substance and witness and the one called is afforded an intimacy with Christ that can lead to a new depth of relationship and spiritual growth. St. Paul also teaches us in 1st Thessalonians to “give thanks in everything; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (5:18). The thanks we are called to express includes the thanksgiving for the service of others, the witness of fidelity, and the stewardship of the Gospel, but it is also thanksgiving for being called in the first place. In the name of Jesus Christ we gather and serve each other and through our dedication and His intervention, our service is elevated beyond the self as a direct result of His companionship. We serve with the heart of Christ and the mind of the Holy Spirit leading us as we are available for God’s glory. Everyone is called to ministry and services by Christ, time and space are not barriers to God. It is a joy to recognize the work that is done by so many faithful and dedicated people, giving thanks to one another and to Almighty God for making the Spirit manifest among us in such a variety of ways. Where is God calling you to serve and witness in His name? Let us pray. Almighty God, you have called us into fellowship as the Church of Jesus Christ in this place, and you have blessed us and enriched our lives through your Holy Word and Sacraments. You strengthen us and inspire us with your Holy Spirit to live lives of mutual love and service in the world. Blessed Lord, we thank you for all the good people of faith that you have raised up among us for the work of the Gospel. Multiply our gifts by your Holy Spirit. Be in our hands and our minds and our words that we might bring your love to the world. And prosper our work to the glory of your Holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen Responding to Christ’s call to serve, Fr. Bill+ Dear Creator Family:
I pray as we approach the midpoint in Lent, that you have been blessed by your offerings to God. I pray that you have experienced this time of reflection and introspection, not as a time of drudgery and depression, but as a joyful—if challenging—time of drawing closer to God. I am also prayerful that those of you who have experienced the spiritual rewards along with the physical ones. As I said in my Ash Wednesday sermon, the practice of fasting has been much misunderstood in our Christian history, especially in our “modern” day. What should rightly be called a gift to God has often been referred to as “fasting” because it falls within the category of giving something up. I have been as guilty as anyone, in the past, of using the term in this way. I’d like to include this beautiful poster from Pope Francis, printed below, which expresses the wonderful intention to offer to God the fruit of introspection and reflection. Offering to God those things in our lives that we can readily identify and, through some effort and vigilance, act on throughout the day. I commend to you this meditation, as a means of combining a reminder of God’s command for physical fasting with the inspiration to make joyful offerings to God. Offering and fasting to God, Fr. Bill+ DO YOU WANT TO FAST THIS LENT? In the words of Pope Francis
Observation, Realization and AcquisitionLent is a time of abstinence and prayer, self-denial and fasting, devotion and focus; it is a time that we retreat from the routine to re-discover our spiritual center. Often this image is a depressing one in which we imagine self-denial akin to shame and ‘giving-up’ as punishment, this is an unfortunate and incorrect image that gets in the way of true reflection and growth.
Our spiritual journey mirrors the via dolorosa -- The Way of Grief (The Way of the Cross), through which we enter into a state of self-assessment in which we honestly address the true motivations and actions of our lives. In this we recognize and name the obstructions to our faith journey, grieve over our participation in them, and appeal to God for comfort in and renewal. But, while The Way of the Grief delivers us to the Tomb where we are buried in our sin and self-awareness, the via aevum --The Way of Life (The Way of Eternity) resurrects us to live anew a life free from the sins of the past. This freedom, while it is a gift from God, requires a process through which we are voluntarily transformed; Lent is not just a time to realize the past/present, it is time to prepare for the present/future. Our Lenten Series this year is a quick, but deep dive into observation, realization and acquisition. We live in a media culture where film and video serve as a retreat from the hectic and pressured lives that we live. These films, both secular and religious, can provide us with valuable insights and the opportunity for renewal. In our Lenten Series we are watching Risen, the story of a Roman Tribune searching for the body of Jesus to disprove the resurrection, only to find the very much alive Jesus who calls him to account. We are learning a bit about Roman history, a bit about geography and tradition, and lot about belief and skepticism. Our Lenten Series is skipping this week, but that does not mean you have to. If you were not able to join us for the first meeting, you could rent, buy, or check out from the library, the movie and watch it. Or, you could watch small bits of it on YouTube; they will be “highlights,” but there are a few that focus on the first half of the film and are useful for reflection. If you are watching for the first time or you were with us last Wednesday night, we stopped at the 25-minute mark, and asked ourselves some questions. If you were there, these are worth going through again, and if you are watching now, these will get you started:
I hope to see you next Wednesday night as we continue to observe (watch), realize (become aware), and acquire (own) ourselves on our Lenten journey. Oh Most Holy God! Enable me to understand! For to truly embrace the New Dawn of Easter morning--I must know myself to be truly different from who I was on Friday night! Observing, being aware, and taking responsibility in Christ, Fr. Bill+ Dear Creator Family,
As we continue to roll into 2024, we are already planning for major events in our Parish Calander. Looking ahead, we are currently planning for the 53rd Annual Arts in the Park, Richmond VA Saturday, May 5th, 11am – 6pm Sunday, May 6th, 11am – 5pm Held in Byrd Park – 1301 Blanton Avenue, Richmond, VA We have been blessed to participate in Arts-in-the-Park, Richmond’s “award winning…nationally-rated juried art show…showcasing more than 350 exhibitors from around the country who will be offering their work for sale” as custodians of all things parking for over 25 years. The Creator Parking Crew has been a constant and confidence-building presence at the show for over two decades and we are recognized by vendors and visitors alike. In addition to the fun and comradery of the event, the opportunity to interact with hundreds of people, and the fact that we all get to play with walkie-talkies, Creator receives $4,500 as a gratuity for our service. Because of this last part (the $$ part) other organizations are always nipping at our heels trying to steal our position away. Our Vestry has been calling each of you this week to establish a solid number of volunteers to confirm our service with the Arts-in-the-Park Association this Thursday! Don Lafoon, our illustrious Creator Parking Crew leader and liaison to the Association, needs right away the count of the number we have that are going to serve. There are several ways to notify Don of your commitment or your questions, you may email or call Don directly (804-347-3680) or contact your Vestry Person, email or call the Church Office, or come by the Office and leave us a note. Shifts at Arts-in-the-Park include 4-hour blocks morning and afternoon on Saturday and Sunday. You can volunteer for one or all shifts as you feel called. Shift work includes: Directing cars to the parking areas, directing cars to parking spots, managing traffic flow and general community interaction (a smile and kind word witnessing to the love of God!) There are two locations for parking, Dogwood Dell--at the Carillon, and at City Stadium--a satellite parking lot. There are positions where you can sit, stand, point, walk or run, and all in the company of your Creator Brothers and Sisters. It is imperative that we affirm this Thursday our willingness and ability to staff this function. Please reach out to everyone you know, family members, friends, next door neighbors, perhaps members of an organization you belong to or a club you attend, teenagers and young adults are welcome! Remember, we need to band together to affirm our participation and secure our historic place in this event. Based on your response, we will fill in our sign-up boards which will be posted in the Church Narthex. We look forward to hearing from you and preparing for our service at the “largest event in Richmond!” I’ll be Parking in May at the… 53rd Annual Arts in the Park, Richmond VA Saturday, May 5th, 11am – 6pm Sunday, May 6th, 11am – 5pm Held in Byrd Park – 1301 Blanton Avenue, Richmond, VA Fr. Bill† Dear Creator Family,
This past Sunday we successfully concluded the Annual Meeting for 2023. Keeping the treasurer’s report in mind, perhaps the most significant action we took during the meeting was the election of your Vestry for 2024. The Vestry is an invaluable part of our life as a parish. So important, in fact, that the establishment of the Vestry is required by church canon. As administrators of parish business and overseers of parish finances, the Vestry provides continuity from year to year as the parish strives to live into God’s call. If these were the sole responsibilities of the Vestry, they would surely be enough; but they are not. The Vestry is so much more than the canon requires and of greater importance than most realize. The roots of the title “Vestry” date back to the Middle Ages. Before there were grand parish halls, classrooms, and conference rooms, simple parish churches consisted of a nave, a chancel, and a vestry. The vestry was a simple room that often doubled as the sacristy where sacred vessels, robes, and altar hangings were stored. Weekly, in the room, priests would vest for services, and from this room, the chancel would be prepared for worship. The vestry was a sacred space unto itself where prayers were made in thanksgiving to God for the provisions to serve God and petitions were made to make the unworthy clean to lead the congregation in worship. The vestry, due to the lack of other spaces, was also a place often used by the clergy for meetings and counseling. During this time, based on the ancient model, men were elected from the brethren to the sacred duty of care and oversight of the church, God’s house of worship. The actions of this committee were, as they are today, a mixture of the secular and the sacred. Over time, the committee that met in the vestry to safeguard the house of God began to be referred to by the title of the room in which they met. The committee, now the Vestry, continued in its sacred duty bearing the name of a place of sacred action. The role of the Vestry was much more far-reaching than it is today in one area: community care. Since the church and state were merged in England, the Vestry was also in charge of municipal health and they were tasked with maintaining roads and providing for the common good. Perhaps it was here, where the church and state merged, that the sacred call to church governance began the long dilution process. Now responsible for actions outside the specific arena of the worship and adulation of God, the role of the Vestry began to be regarded as more of a job than a calling. It is not so today. In the USA, where church and state are separate (thank God), the church has striven to recapture the image and understanding of the Vestry as a call to ministry and a sacred responsibility. All too often I hear the horror stories of corrupt vestries and the wounds they inflict on congregants and fellow vestry members alike: members served for selfish reasons and brought their own agenda to the vestry along with their quest for power. With this type of experience in the memory of many and these stories heard by all, it is no wonder that parishioners fear serving on vestries. Thanks be to God; at Creator, we have been all but spared the kind of debasement so many parishes suffer. Aside from a short period many years ago, our parish has been blessed by members whose service is truly dedicated to God and who seek to answer the call to this sacred ministry. This is the Vestry God has raised up here at Creator. Many a year I have been told by an outgoing Vestry person that their prior bad experience of Vestry service had been redeemed by their service here. Our Vestry meetings have been more like family gatherings than business meetings. Laughter has been our expression and good humor and godly presence, our focus. The Vestry is integral to our life as a parish family and a faithful answer to God’s call towards our mission and ministry. In recent years, we have had fewer and fewer seek to serve God on the Vestry. This year we have only four parishioners answering the call to serve God on the Vestry. While we will persevere in our sacred duties, how much more might be possible if we were joined by additional godly hearts and voices? If you were wounded in the past by your service on a Vestry, consider serving again so that God may redeem your experience and replace your horror story with one of love and filial devotion. It’s never too late. Serving with the Vestry, Fr. Bill+ In the past several years I have taken to telling people that they are kind, as in “Thank you, you’re very kind.” Of course, I say this, not frivolously, but as an observation of kindness. But often I receive a shocked or surprised look in return.
You don’t have to be a Christian to be kind. In fact, “kindness” was culturally popular a few years ago. “Be kind!” was on bumper stickers and t-shirts and I heard it more than once proclaimed in public. Kindness evokes images of tolerance, affirmation, and peace and seems to supersede “good deeds” or simple “help.” Still, as popular as that slogan was (is?), our culture seems to be moving farther and farther away from kindness and civility. St. Paul, in his Letter to the Galatians, identifies attributes of the flesh from which behaviors are born; cultural kindness is one such behavior. Lacking in depth, it pretends to do and be good while unable to produce any real change. Flowing from a purely subjective source (the flesh) cultural kindness is subject to our cultural trajectory of individual sovereignty and personal rights. Sadly, as we all have experienced, when we disagree with someone it is no longer seen as an opportunity for dialogue and mutual understanding, but as a threat to personal worth. The best cultural kindness can offer is bland tolerance, and at its worst is hatred with a smile. Perhaps the blank stares and shocked expressions I receive betray cultural kindness at its core: kindness fueled by individual perspective and defined by personal opinion. As people of faith, Christian Kindness is at odds with cultural kindness. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word chesed, which means loving-kindness, is used to describe how God relates to his people. It’s also this loving-kindness that God expects from his people in response to his own. God proclaims through the Prophet Hosea, “I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” Burnt offerings, as a cultural practice in response to God, and sacrifices that go through the motions of devotion without love—were rejected. Chesed captures the steadfast and sacrificial love of God who refuses to abandon a people who are radically different from him; who anger him and who fail him again and again. Christian Kindness must be rooted in this kind of covenantal love that endures at all costs. Our kind God doesn’t merely tolerate us or endure us with distaste. He loves us with a fierce kindness that’s more committed to our own well-being than we are. Christian Kindness is not based on personal opinion, ideas of self-worth, or observations of likeness (or difference). It is founded on God’s faith in us and call for us to be like him. Through the sacrifice of Christ, God has forgiven our sins even though we do not deserve to be forgiven. We have been given much as “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). The light of Jesus’ sacrifice for us and his gift to us shines through his command to “love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil” (Luke 6:35). To empower us, God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). To guide us to a deeper understanding of Christian Kindness, St. Paul lists Kindness as the fifth of the nine attributes of Christian life inspired by the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control. Christian Kindness flows supernaturally within the soul of someone who is saved, redeemed, born again, justified, and forgiven. God has “put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (1 Corinthians 1:22) to be the foundation of how we live our earthly life. It is from this foundation of the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit that true Kindness flows. God the Father sent Jesus Christ to extend to us the ultimate kindness: our salvation (Titus 3:4). And in Christ, we are set apart to be transformed into his likeness through the Holy Spirit who produces godly fruit in our lives--fruit like Kindness (Gal. 5:22). This is the calling placed on God’s chosen people: to put on godly Kindness that we might be filled with love in all our interactions, caring about the well-being of others, and speaking the truth in love in the same manner that our heavenly Father does. In our culture, we all encounter those who care nothing of our forgiveness or our kindness. But God calls us to extend mercy and Kindness just the same. We are able to do this because Christian Kindness is a gift from God, not our own product. Perhaps our witness of true Kindness will help others to seek the source of such radical behavior and make shocked or surprised looks a thing of the past. Kindly encountering culture, Fr. Bill+ On YouTube, there are funny videos of people being startled by a man dressed up as a bush. Yep, I said a bush. This guy has a “bush suit” and he sits in a BIG pot on a busy sidewalk and stands up quickly as people walk by. That’s it. He just stands up (okay, once in a while he will reach out) and passersby will jump, yelp, and scream! I think some of what makes it funny is what the viewer realizes about themselves: we would jump and yelp as well. The key to the “bush guy” success is not his incredible bush suit, though that is nice; but rather the fact that the people passing by don’t see a sitting man, they see a bush. No one expects a bush to jump up or a man to inhabit a bush. Their (our) perspective excludes these possibilities, so they don’t see him.
The perspective from which we look at things has a huge influence on how we see them. Friend or foe, useful or trash, lovely or disturbing, determination of a thing is a product of our perspective. By the same token, that we can see a thing at all is also based on our perspective. Living as a Christian, how we follow Christ in today’s world is all about perspective too. It’s about the way we choose to see ourselves and the world around us. It’s about looking at the world through the lens of Christ. And while other lenses may distort or mislead us in what we see, viewing the world through the lens of Christ, corrects our natural distortions and helps us to see life more clearly as it truly is. St. Paul traveled with young Timothy on his second and third missionary journeys teaching and mentoring him in the faith. As Paul prepared to leave Ephesus after living there for three years, he appointed Timothy as overseer (bishop). No matter the distance, though, Paul would remain Timothy’s spiritual father and would write him about matters of faith. Paul wrote his second Letter to Timothy to encourage him and remind him of the reason why he (Timothy) was there: “He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began” (1:9). St. Paul was pointing out that Christ’s plan and sacrifice was in place before time even existed! Paul reminded Timothy that only with this perspective could he maintain his life and ministry. Looking at life through that lens transforms everything. “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” John 9:1-3 In this Gospel lesson, Jesus uses a blind man to give true sight to those who can already see, kind of. The man referenced in this passage was born blind. From infancy, it became clear that he didn't have the capacity for natural vision. This man did not have any perspective on the world through sight; his ability to consider and understand was severely limited by his affliction. Jesus tells us that, though we have physical eyesight, we may still be spiritually blind and unable to see his presence in our lives. Everyone everywhere sees their life through a particular lens. We all have a worldview that influences how we interpret our circumstances and surroundings. Our worldview impacts the way we value other people. Our worldview also influences the way we choose to make use of the time we've been blessed with. At one time in our lives, we lived in ignorance. We were ignorant of some of the deepest realities that we were surrounded with all the time. It's likely that we lived in ignorance to who we were really created to be. We lived in ignorance about the purpose of our experiences. We lived in ignorance toward the suffering of others. In general, we lived in ignorance to the bigger picture of God's divine plan. But Jesus came to offer us the privilege to begin to see things in a new light. Through faith in Jesus Christ, our eyes are opened to things that we didn't have the capacity to gain a full understanding of through natural means. Jesus enables us to see things differently, and as He does so, the manner in which we choose to live our lives can't help but be impacted as well. 24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” 25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” 26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?” 28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” “The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” John 9:24-33 There were real consequences for this man who trusted in Christ and obeyed Him: he was excommunicated from the synagogue. But that shame was nothing compared to the joy of knowing and worshipping Christ. This man who had been blind could now see things, not only physically, but on a deeper spiritual level as well. He had come to know His Creator and Savior in a personal and permanent way. He would never see things the same again. Christ offers us the privilege to see things in a new way, even though we're continually bombarded with messages and influences in this world that try to keep our hearts and minds anchored in lesser things. We can see our sources of discomfort and trouble in a new way. We can view the time we've been given from a new perspective. We can continue to trust Jesus even if He asks us to do something out of the ordinary, and we can cooperate with Him, instead of trying to resist Him when He stretches us in new ways so we can adopt His manner of seeing things as our manner of living. He has given us spiritual sight to see Him with us as we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28 Live every moment seeing Christ and knowing you are blessed. But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. Matthew 13:16-17 Seeing, Fr. Bill+ Recently, I was asked if it is moral to support the war in Ukraine or the war in Israel. Here is my short answer.
To address the topic of moral responsibility we must first define what “moral” or “morality” is. Merriam-Webster defines Morality as: 1 A: a moral discourse, statement, or lesson B: a literary or other imaginative work teaching a moral lesson 2 A: a doctrine or system of moral conduct B: moralities plural : particular moral principles or rules of conduct 3: conformity to ideals of right human conduct Discerning the nuance of the question, I believe 2 A, a doctrine or system of moral conduct; and 3, conformity to ideals of right human conduct; are the most applicable. Deeper in, as this question seeks the underlying structure from which we can make our decisions, I am going to focus my answer on 2 A, a doctrine or system of moral conduct. As we struggle to make sense of the conflicts in the world, physical, political, and philosophical, we are relying on our experiences and our understanding of right and wrong. While it is true that our experiences are “all we have” to draw from, we are aware that as extensive as they might be, they are still singularly ours. All our experiences are subjective; experienced and remembered through the lens of our lives. I am reminded of this very often as I share memories of my childhood with my sister who, often enough, has a different opinion of the same “experience.” Historically, knowing that our personal experiences are inadequate to deal with most issues that involve a greater gathering of humanity, schools were created. Schools were originally simple gatherings to share information and knowledge with the goal of establishing common ground from which topics of concern could be addressed. The value of common ground cannot be overemphasized; common ground is the foundation of dialogue and makes resolution possible. To answer the specific question above could lead us into a study of Thomas Aquinas and Just War Theory. Starting with Aquinas, we would then sample the thousands of pages discussing the application of Just War Theory in the hopes of matching it to the specifics of our conflict of concern. While this would be fun, it is well beyond what we can do here. Rather, I hope to simply provide a starting point of common ground. Politics, economics, society, discourse, conflict, ecology; all of these concerns are bolstered by schools of moral thought. The application of moral though is called ethics, and ethical considerations are always informed by the specific situation of moral discussion. In other words, Ethics is based on well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues. (Markkula Center for Applied Ethics) Every discipline has a corresponding school of ethics and moral thinking. To establish common ground, the ground of ethical consideration must be established. For people of faith, all areas of consideration, politics, economics, society, discourse, conflict, ecology, etc., should be grounded in Moral Theology. Moral Theology is, according to Juliet Mousseau, RSCJ, Doctor of Historical Theology, Professor and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of San Diego; [Christian] Moral Theology is a field of theological studies that applies central Christian beliefs to the problems of the world we live in. This approach to faith informs the day-to-day lives of the faithful, guiding their choices, decisions, actions, and reactions to events and challenges, from grand to minuscule. In short, moral theology provides principles for living in accordance with God’s word. She continues, …moral theology establishes the behaviors and attitudes that allow us to live in union with Christ. These general life principles are meant to help followers make the right decisions according to their faith — but this is by no means an easy feat. … morality addresses such complex and nuanced topics as marriage, sexuality, medicine, social justice, wealth, business, war and more. Traditionally, this standard may have been used to answer the question, “What should I do or believe?” However, [Christian] moral theology is grounded in virtue ethics, so the question becomes: “Who am I becoming as a result of this action or affection?” Since our faith journey is a wholly personal one, approaching daily decisions and choices with this question in mind helps us strengthen our relationship to our faith from within, rather than allow it to be shaped by external forces. We all formulate our opinions of the war in Ukraine or the war in Israel, the behavior of the next-door neighbor, or the decision concerning saving the rare Bowhead Whale from the ground of our own experience. But that is not Common Ground. Our moral compass is not directed by our study of political ethics, economic ethics, ecological ethics, etc. but by our devotion to God and our growing understanding Christian Moral Theology. All and every concern must first be illuminated by the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and all moral and ethical consideration must conform to the biblical witness. The standard question, What did Jesus teach? is not simply applied to the war, but to every action and issue of the war. This is the common ground on which all our decisions are made.
The study of moral theology gives us powerful tools with which to understand and share the Catholic tradition with others. Here, we explore the principles, teachings, and challenges that accompany Catholic moral theology, and provide a few helpful suggestions for living a moral life. What Is Moral Theology? Moral theology is a field of theological studies that applies central Christian beliefs to the problems of the world we live in. This approach to faith informs the day-to-day lives of the faithful, guiding their choices, decisions, actions, and reactions to events and challenges, from grand to minuscule. In short, moral theology provides principles for living in accordance with God’s word. Our ability to study and adhere to moral teachings is, in itself, a gift from God. God bestowed upon us intelligence and reason to help us understand the world of creation, while also giving us free will to choose what we consider true and good. Each of us is made in God’s image and therefore we are good. At the same time, our free will allows us to choose to do things which are fundamentally not good. Moral theology gives us a standard by which to measure truth and goodness as God sees it. Traditionally, this standard may have been used to answer the question, “What should I do or believe?” However, Catholic moral theology is grounded in virtue ethics, so the question becomes: “Who am I becoming as a result of this action or affection?” Since our faith journey is a wholly personal one, approaching daily decisions and choices with this question in mind helps us strengthen our relationship to our faith from within, rather than allow it to be shaped by external forces. Teachings of Moral Theology “Conscience is a judgment of reason by which the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act.” –Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1796 Whether in or outside of a religious context, all moral acts comprise three elements:
To be morally good, both our actions and our intentions need to align with the moral code. To that end, a morally bad intention leads to an inherently bad action, while a good intention cannot result in an objectively bad action. However, this does not give us carte blanche to act in any way we please as long as we “mean well” — there are acts that are fundamentally wrong, regardless of intention or circumstance. Examples include murder, adultery, deceit, or other destructive actions that compromise human health and well-being. Catholic moral theology is grounded in the concepts of freedom, truth, natural law, human law, and human conscience (the general ability to know what is good and right, as it is willed by God). The moral framework built upon this foundation — the way in which we interact with or respond to these concepts — is shaped by principles from divine revelation, the interpretation of Scripture, and the tradition of the Church. The principles of Christian morality are not arbitrary; they are among God’s divine gifts to humankind…Christ granted his disciples the authority to heal the sick, cast out demons, and proclaim God’s word — essentially, to keep his love alive (Matthew 10:1). Christ’s disciples have tried to live out his call to love ever since, leaning on both Scripture and tradition as the basis for additional moral guidance that addresses contemporary challenges. Peace in Christ, Fr. Bill+ |
AuthorFather Bill Burk† Archives
March 2024
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