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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.

First Sunday in Lent 'A'

Sunday February 13, 2005

Return to Original Blessing

Can you remember a time in your life, which you might call now a time of blessing—original blessing? Perhaps it was in your childhood years, if they were happy times, during which you felt loved by mom and dad and by all who called you friend. Or perhaps it was in your teen years, when you were breaking out and away from what you may have considered an oppressed childhood.

For others, it might be the first love or the lasting love to which you committed yourself in a mutual exchange of eternal promises, an enduring covenant never to be broken.

Of course, the good ole’ days are good in part, because our memories hold only the blessings and though our lives have moved beyond them, the memory of these original blessings sustains us in the challenges that sometimes cloud our memories of ‘paradise lost,’ and weaken our resolve to remain faithful to original blessings. But happy memories remind us of what is yet possible.

The author of the first reading from the book of Genesis was not a scientist or an historian, but a wise sage with a creative mind and a rich imagination,
who was able to describe the original blessing of the human race before sin and human warfare invaded humanity; to explain, in part, the chaos that followed paradise: sin and death; self-centeredness and unfaithfulness,
through many centuries.

Original sin, we have come to name it an act of disobedience toward God by our first parents tempted by the evil one, dressed in the skin of the serpent,
clever creature of the earth, who deceived two originally beautiful people into thinking that God was their jealous rival, not their undying friend.

Their temptation was not about eating fruit from a forbidden tree
but about usurping God’s place in creation and expropriating God’s plan for humanity, denying the beauty of the God in whose image they were created.
It was about suffocating the breath of God thinking that they could breath on their own.

The garden did not belong to them. It was created by God to be shared by all of humanity, to be used to enrich and enhance life, not to be abused for exploitive interests.

Their shame was not about sexual attraction or their embarrassment about nakedness, These were merely indicators that human pride in the face of uncreated love is doomed to humiliation.

But the original sin did not completely destroy the original blessing. The wise sage did not leave his audience without hope that God would abandon what he had created but instead would restore the original blessing, and not only that, but would empower humanity making it possible for every man and every woman to overcome sin and be reborn anew; to co-create with the Creator and renew the face of the earth.

In the words of St. Paul, “Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us all into trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life! One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one man said yes to God and put many people in the right.”

Jesus is the one who set things right but he didn’t do it as an outside agent or guest as one unfamiliar with the way things are in humanity, with you and me. Instead he did it by assuming the very human nature that moved Adam and Eve to listen to the serpent. And so the God man was led into the desert, to be tempted and tortured by the devil.

His hunger disposed him for the test and the devil was ready to give it. The temptation was not just about bread but about spiritual sustenance, and so Jesus responds by quoting Deuteronomy: “It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.”

But one temptation was not enough; it never is, and so Jesus was given a second opportunity to fail. “Since you are God’s Son, jump. The angels will catch you…” but Jesus countered with another quote from Deuteronomy:
“Don’t you dare test the Lord your God.” God is not a magician or a fool. And then a third encounter to test his thirst for political power: “Look around you, all the earth’s kingdoms, they’re all yours—lock, stock and barrel. Just kneel down and bow before me and they will be yours.

And Jesus responded,“Beat it, Satan.”and again in the words of Deuteronomy: “Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with an undivided heart.” and you will have all you need to be happy.

These scripture readings remind us that we were not created for sin and death but for goodness and life. God is not our rival but our friend.

Lent is a time for us to be reminded of our original blessings, not original sin; that we are called to revival by the breath of God’s Spirit which still pervades the universe and is available to us whenever we pray;

Lent is a time of remembering the power of God’s love manifested in the Holy One of Israel, who clothed himself in our humanity that we might be clothed in his divinity.

Lent is a time to recall that the earth is not ours to possess or exploit, but ours to enjoy and shape in such a way that all people may enjoy its fruits.

Lent is an opportunity to go into the desert not to be tortured by temptation
or punished by the memory of past failures but to be uplifted by the holy angels of Godwho are always at our side and to know the forgiveness of the God of endless compassion and love.

We fast from food and little pleasures not to punish ourselves but to free up time and talent and resources for those whose hunger knows no end.

We are called to remember our original blessings and celebrate the goodness that Jesus came to proclaim. We do this in solidarity with one another. So let us continue to hunger for the Word of God that we might satisfy the hungers of the world.

Let us know ourselves as we are known by and trust more fully in his tender mercies so that we might extend that mercy to others. And let us open ourselves the abundant graces of this season so that we might become a channel of grace for all those who are searching for a God with skin.

There are many such people, and some of them may be among us.