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Daily Scripture

+ 7th Week of Easter

Much ado about nothing or, is there something to it?

Readings: Acts 19:1-8 Psalm 68:2-7 John 16:29-33

Paul traveled through the interior of the country and down to Ephesus where he found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They answered him, “We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” [Acts 19:1-3]

Depending on one’s sacramental theology and pastoral practice, this text has been variously interpreted. For example, those who work with the RCIA (catecheumenate) hold that the sacrament of Confirmation should be administered with Baptism as it was in the early Church. It is one of the sacraments of initiation—Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. The Eastern Rite of the Roman Catholic Church has retained the tradition of administering all three at Baptism. Yes, the infant receives a small piece of the Eucharist bread. And so in the Eastern Rite, there is no formal celebration of First Holy Communion at the age of reason or Confirmation by the bishop at whatever age the local diocese has determined the age of maturity appropriate for Confirmation. All three sacraments are administered shortly after birth.

Others feel that the celebration of First Communion and Confirmation at a later age ensures the participation of youngsters in parish religious education programs – at least until Confirmation. In this case, many Catholics view Confirmation as the completion of or graduation from religious studies.

In recent years I have become convinced that the RCIA folks and the Eastern Rite Catholics have it right. All three sacraments of initiation should be administered together. First Holy Communion and Confirmation have become more social than spiritual. I do not mean to suggest that there is no connection or that there should be no celebration after sacramental ceremonies but for many, the accent is on the wrong syllable.

The path from Baptism to Christian maturity is life-long and the benchmarks for progress are not easily measured by grouping children by age or grade level for a period of preparation that is largely academic.

This is not to suggest that religious education is optional. Faith development is unique to each person within the context first of family and then of parish. Religious education / formation is intended to provide insight into faith development at an age-appropriate level.

Catholicism has become ‘child-centered’ the result of which, we have an adult population whose religious and spiritual development stopped at Confirmation.

The celebration of Eucharist is the primary setting for faith formation. Religious education is a necessary component but detached from Eucharist, it remain just another subject to master.

Of course this all assumes that the parish celebration of the Eucharist is truly inclusive and meaningful rather than just an empty ritual. The parish at worship should be a rendition of a community of faith that strives to live its faith ‘in the town square’ as I mentioned in Sunday’s homily.

Notwithstanding my commitment to religious dialogue, I do believe that effective dialogue is based on the assumption that although both parties are knowledgeable about the topic. Though they may have different perspectives, they are not based on ignorance of the subject.

Feast of Christ the King 'A'

Saturday November 22, 2008

“ I’ll Do It Myself ”
Only so that you will know how

I used to ‘dilly dally’ as a kid when asked by my mom to do a chore or two but after some cajoling on her part, with exasperation she would say, “Alright, I’ll do it myself.” Of course that would motivate me to ‘get the job done.’ Other times she would indeed do it herself as I watched so that the next time I performed that task, I would do it right. There’s something to be said for that. I’m thinking of the millions of dollars that could be saved in this country if the job were done right the first time around!

In his book, “A World of Stories,” [XXIII Publications] Father Bill Bausch shares this wonderful story about Fiorello LaGuardia who was the mayor of New York during the great depression and World War II. “The Little Flower,” as he was called because he always wore a carnation in his lapel, would ride the fire trucks and raid speakeasies with the police. He also took orphans to baseball games and read the Sunday “funnies” to the kids on the radio whenever the newspapers were on strike.

On a bitterly cold night in January of 1935, he turned up in a night court that served one of the poorest districts of the city. Dismissing the judge for the evening, he took over the bench himself. Within a few minutes, a tattered old woman was brought before him, charged with stealing a loaf of bread. She told LaGuardia that her daughter’s husband had deserted her, her daughter was sick, and her grandchildren were starving. But the shopkeeper, from whom she stole the bread refused to drop the charges. “It’s a bad neighborhood, your Honor,” the man told the mayor. “She’s got to be punished to teach other people around here a lesson.”

LaGuardia sighed. He turned to the woman and said, “I’ve got to punish you. The law makes no exceptions — ten dollars or ten days in jail.” But even as he pronounced sentence, the mayor reached into his pocket, took out a bill and tossed it into his famous sombrero, saying, “Here’s the ten-dollar fine which I now remit, and furthermore, I’m going to fine everyone in this courtroom fifty cents for living in a town where a person has to steal bread so that her grandchildren can eat. Mr. Bailiff, collect the fines and give them to the defendant.”

Word got around fast that forty-seven dollars and fifty cents was turned over to a bewildered old woman who had stolen a loaf of bread to feed her starving grandchildren, fifty cents of that amount being contributed by the red-faced grocery store owner. The mayor received a standing ovation.

Ezekiel describes God as one who takes matters into his own hands because those who were designated to represent him as “shepherds” fed themselves instead of feeding the sheep.

“I myself will search for my sheep; I will seek the lost; I will bring back the strayed, I will bind up the injured; I will be the shepherd of my sheep; I will feed them with justice.”

Because no area of human experience is beyond the interest or concern of God, the prophet brought the word of God to bear on social issues, economic concerns and political affairs as well as on religious and spiritual matters. No person is beyond the pale of divine scrutiny, not even kings, presidents, priests, bishops and the Pope himself.

The gospel story describes in metaphoric but graphic language what we might call the divine audit. Jesus became the shepherd to show us how to shepherd one another. We really don’t know what the divine judgment will be like but it is clear not only from this text but also from so many other Gospel stories that the quality of our Christianity is measured by the quality of concern for others. And this concern is to be reflected in justice and charity.

At the heart of the Gospel is the goodness, indeed the ‘Godness’ of Jesus Christ demonstrated by specific examples of concrete actions. At the heart of the Gospel is the fact that each of us is personally responsible for the well-being of others — not just in extending our hearts and hands at special times of the year but also by using our power of persuasion and political action to initiate changes in political, economic and yes, even in ecclesiastical systems that oppress.

The great religious reformer and mystic, who was eventually declared a doctor of the Church, Teresa of Avila was a cloistered nun for twenty years before she experienced a true conversion to the way of Christ. Among her many prayers she has shared with the world through her writings is this one:

Christ has not body on earth but yours;
No hands but yours;
No feet but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which
Christ’s compassion is to look out to the world.
Yours are the feet with which Christ is to go about doing good.
Yours the hands with which Christ is to bless all people now.”
[St. Teresa of Avila]

If not your hands, whose hands?
If not your feet, whose feet?
If not your heart, whose heart?
If not now, when?

This is our faith; it is the faith of the Church; it is the faith that has come to us in Christ Jesus our Lord. To him be glory and praise forever and ever.

Let God’s people say, “Amen!”