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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.

Fourth Sunday in Lent 'A'

Sunday March 6, 2005

Children of the Light

Few of us have the ability to picture in words or frame the actuality of what the naked eye can see. In fact, our eyes can and often do deceive us. We don’t always see with complete objectivity. It has to do with perspective and our ability to appreciate the relationship of one object to another.

Prior to the construction of St Joseph Church in Mendham almost twenty years ago, there was great concern by our building committee that, because of its size, a new church constructed next to the old church would overpower this historic gem. The architect drew sketches but there was still a great deal of skepticism about the accuracy of the drawings. He constructed a small model of the proposed church joined to the old. The architect’s eye could see what many of us could not. One might say that he had the vision and the conviction that the design would work. It did!

Although artists and artisans are allowed by “license” to interpret reality or reconstruct an event from a particular perspective, many of us view life with a linear bias or a peculiar mindset. We see only what we want to see. We are blind to those things that challenge our pre-conceived notions or frozen ideologies. “Don’t confuse me with the facts!”

In what is commonly called the “Prologue”, John the Evangelist introduced Jesus as the “Word” who was “with God from the beginning — the Word that was given for the ‘light’ of all humanity… a light that shines in darkness… a darkness that did not overcome it… He was the real light that gives light to everyone.”

John places the cure of the blind man after the Jewish festival of Booths or Tabernacles at the end of the harvest during which the Jews commemorated their entrance into the Promised Land with singing and dancing. The observance of this feast was also an expression of hope for the coming of the Messiah at the end of the world. The priests would go to the pool of Siloam each day to draw a golden pitcher of water and recite their ritual of prayers.

The man was blind from birth. Jesus assured his disciples that his blindness was not the result of fault or failure on his part or even on the part of his parents. John tells us his blindness would eventually give glory to God because he would gradually come to “see” Jesus and identify him as Messiah while the Pharisees would sink more deeply into their intransigent blindness. It was a lesson for Jesus’ disciples and it is a lesson for us. The blind man received his sight and recognized Jesus as Messiah. The disciples were confused and the Pharisees remained in darkness. It is truly an artist’s dramatization of Jesus’ whole life and mission.

Are you making the connection and getting the point?

We were washed in the waters of baptism and received the potential to walk in the light of faith. It is interesting that the sacrament of Baptism was given the name “illumination” or “enlightenment” by the early Church fathers. The newly baptized were called the “illluminati”. However, it is easy for us to slip back into the darkness of bias and prejudice, which diminishes the light of Christ’s presence within us.

As catechumens preparing for baptism and candidates preparing for entrance into full communion with the Church continue their journey of faith, all of us who claim discipleship with Jesus are challenged to become more and more ‘insightful’ about the implications of faith in our lives. Blindness and bias can still limit our ability to see as Jesus sees. Moreover, as the parents of the blind man feared the loss of status in the synagogue and dodged the questions of the Pharisees, so we may be tempted to dodge the challenge of gospel for fear of the loss of social status, political stature, or economic gain.

How about our blindness toward such life issues even beyond abortion such as torture and war. Children are the prime casualties of modern war. Archbishop Desmond Tutu wrote, “Some two million children have died in dozens of wars during the past decade. This is more than three times the number of battlefield deaths of American soldiers in all their wars since 1776.” Children continue to be the victims of poverty not only in war-torn nations but even within our own borders. There are many other issues blocked by our denial and/or our refusal to see the way things really are. Our children and grandchildren want and need direction and guidance and most of all, our example. We need to guide them in making conscientious judgments and responsible decisions. In a world in which materiality and money are the measure of success, it is easy to push our children into the life careers not of their own choosing or calling. We fear to act courageously in the face of a decreasing sense of integrity in business and the continuing sexual exploitation of women. There are even those within the Church whose compromise with truth, trust and moral judgment have resulted in untold damage not only to the young but to those who would speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. Our silence can easily become complicity.

The challenge of Jesus to the Pharisees is also a challenge to our own blindness. As one commentator observed, “The primary sin of the Pharisees was idolatry. They presumed to know the mind, heart, and will of God better than God!

In truth, Jesus is the best interpreter of the mind and heart of God! He died not because God wanted him to die for us but to live faithfully even if it cost him his life.

Saints became saints because they never ceased to allow themselves to be challenged by the teaching of Jesus. As children of the Light, we can do no less.