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Daily Scripture

+ Ascension Thursday

There is no proof; there are only witnesses.

Readings: Acts 1:1-11 Ephesians 1:14-23 Luke 24:46-53

You are witnesses of all these things. And now I am sending down to you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city then, until you are clothed with the power from on high. [Luke 24:50-51]

In an age of technology and scientific progress, we have an explanation for everything or at least the promise of the same. Yet, there are still truly human experiences – both positive and negative—that defy human explanation. Death is one such experience. Doctors know the medical reasons for death but an autopsy doesn’t tell the whole story. Conversely, who can explain the field of energy that binds lovers for life?

During his life on earth Jesus created a field of energy that changed the course of history and it did not cease at his death or even at his resurrection. It continues to this day – locally and globally. Or else how explain the heroism of the saints of yesterday and the saints of today? Women and men, energetic witnesses who have said ‘yes’ to unconditional love under any and all circumstances continue to change the course of history in the face of those who attempt to chain the Word of God. No, most of them are not formal preachers or even religious teachers per se, but people who live the message of the Gospel of Jesus day in and day out.

The gospel today is typical of the departure of a hero. We might even consider it the conclusion of a hero story. Jesus assures his disciples that he is not abandoning them. Not only that but he will send an advocate who will empower them to continue his mission. “You will be clothed with power from on high.” They will be clothed with the mantle of Christ just as the ancient Elijah was clothed in the mantle of Elias before Elias departed in his chariot to the heavens. It’s metaphor and allegory, of course but the underlying truth of Jesus mission will continue to be proclaimed as Good News for all.

But hang in there until Pentecost when the gifts of the Spirit will be renewed and we will be empowered once more to preach the Good News—using words only when necessary.

Twenty-Seventh Sunday C - October 3, 2004

Sunday October 3, 2004

Faith is Caught, not Taught… Getting it Right

As a pastor, I enjoyed many opportunities to work with young candidates for Confirmation. They are a vibrant and enthusiastic group of teens. As some would describe them, “they are still wet behind the ears;” as far as their faith goes. In many ways they are naïve about life and innocent of the wrongs that can derail travelers on their earthly sojourn. It’s not that they are not believers or incapable of wrongdoing. They are just neophytes in the ways of God. Their faith is simple and their religion is basic. However, just as they are challenged as adolescents to develop physically, intellectually, psychologically, and emotionally, so too they need to be challenged to mature in faith and religious practice; challenged, not hassled! Otherwise their faith will remain childish rather than childlike and their religion simplistic rather than simple. Unfortunately, there are many adult Catholics for whom faith and religious practice has remained unchallenged and therefore, childish and simplistic. Faith development and religious practice have been abandoned by too many Catholics at their 8th grade graduation or perhaps after high school.

How do we begin to explain or define faith for young people who are able to find a rational explanation for everything through technology? The key of course, is not to explain it or define it at all. Faith is caught, not taught; and it ‘ain’t’ for the fainthearted! Faith comes from hanging out with believers. Think about your own early experience—who had the greatest impact on you as a child… as a teen… and now as an adult?

The people who had the greatest influence on me as a child were those who believed in a God and whose experience with God was real, i.e., very personal. God was not simply a transcendent reality, detached from their human experience. The old catechism definition did not turn me on to God. Question: “Who is God?” Answer, “God is the supreme being, infinitely perfect, who made all things and keeps them in existence.” It certainly was an accurate statement, worthy of belief but hardly adequate to explain the nature of God and our relationship with God.

Ultimately, faith is a gift. The theological and more “traditional” word for gift is grace! A people who are gracious are gifted people who are in touch with the rhythm of God’s life. They know and accept who they are in God’s sight. They are comfortable with themselves and with God but not complacent.

It is within this context that I invite you to dive into the Scripture readings today.

At first hearing, it sounds as if Habakkuk is holding the people of Israel responsible for the devastation that has been inflicted upon them. He was ruthless in his chastisement. But then he moved quickly to words of reassurance: that God would hold them up and they would not be conquered by evil. The righteous live by faith, not by sight. They needed to look beyond the present moment to see the hand of God not in evil but in goodness.

Timothy is urged by Paul to “stay with it!” i.e., to stay the course, to remain faithful. Faith is a “high maintenance” gift. It doesn’t grow on trees and it doesn’t grow on its own. It has to be nourished in a very personal way by prayer, worship, and service. Actually, God nurtures it. We just need to open the window of our souls. Authentic faith empowers us not just to believe, but to live our beliefs. One author put it this way: “A true believer is faithfulness in overhalls!” How true!

Luke’s gospel is a collection of sayings. We need to be careful about its interpretation. If we live in God and God lives in us, then we will take on the words and deeds of Jesus because God will also have become incarnate in our own lives. When we live life from the center, we are just doing what is second nature to us—or should I say, first nature. We do not expect or need to be thanked.

Faith is indeed caught, not taught. We catch it from people who run into burning buildings to rescue other people. We catch it from people who walk for hunger or for AIDS or work in soup kitchens; people who live integrity in the marketplace and who know what it’s like to be bread blessed and broken for others; we catch it from people who know are persistent in their response to evil, never giving in to hatred but always finding a way around defeat, sustained by the vision of glory that comes to us by living in Christ.

Presidents and presidential candidates may quote the Bible and speak many words about what they believe but words are empty without the testimony of patient and persistent practice.

I wonder what would happen if we were to invest our minds and hearts and money into a world wide bank for human progress and the elimination of poverty and exploitation? Then we might be end the game of King of the Mountain and even religious empire building. Faith moves us to compete for peace instead of competing for war.

The steaks are high for those who base their initiatives on faith.

“The Apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ The Lord replied, ‘If you have faith the size of a mustard see, you would say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you.’” [Luke 17:5]

Faith defies logic but bears fruit with patience and endurance. Faith is caught not taught!

Father Lasch
Pastor Emeritus
St. Joseph Parish, Mendham NJ
KEL77@aol.com