Tag: Jesus

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ATC 19 Being a Christian Today

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Hola and welcome to another edition of All Things Catholic. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we are going to explore what it means to be Catholic. If you have a question that you’d like me to address, send it to me. You may use the comment form on the website or by email to rudy@deaconrudysnotes.org. I invite you to share this podcast with everyone you know!

In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about being a Christian today. I think being a Christian today, or more specifically, being a Catholic today, can be rather tricky. There are so many voices out there all vying for our attention. Some of those voices tell us frightful things like how wrong Vatican II was, or how the “signs of the times” should reshape our entire understanding of the faith and the Church’s teachings.

As an ordained clergy with a graduate degree in theology and currently working on a doctorate in ministry, I’ve got to tell you that it’s often challenging for me to determine which voices are authentic and which are not. I realize that I too am one of those voices, but, paraphrasing Horace Slughorn, myself, I always try to walk within the light of faith in Christ shining through His church on earth.

Friends, adding to the tension, are the painful things I’ve witnessed so far during this election cycle on social media. I’ve seen Catholics using social media to tell other Catholics that they’re not Catholic if they vote a particular way or if they hold to certain beliefs. I’ve even seen and heard priests say similar things, which is shocking, to say the very least.

Painful as it is to admit, I think we need to acknowledge that we live in a post-Christian world, and to my way of thinking, that changes many things (Dreher, 4, et al). First and foremost, we cannot assume the people around us are believers, nor can we believe they are tolerant of believers. We can’t even accept that the people standing beside us in the pews at mass, at an appropriate distance, of course, are true believers. But that doesn’t mean we need to adopt a defensive posture, nor does it mean that we need to insult or berate them.

No, I think the task of the Christian in the world today needs to be that of a missionary disciple. I say missionary because the task of evangelization needs to begin much closer to home. To do that, we need to get back to the fundamentals.

Ok, what does it mean to be a disciple? At a minimum, discipleship means three things: accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, deepening our relationship with Jesus through prayer and study, and sharing the Good News with other people.

First, when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, that means we not only accept Jesus, but we believe in all of it: that God created this world and created us in His image and likeness; that He sent His only son born of the Virgin Mary, to suffer and to die for us; that Jesus rose from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of the Father; that the Holy Spirit animates Christ’s church on earth, in the one, holy, universal church founded on Peter and the apostles; that we are forgiven, that the dead shall rise again and that the saved will have eternal life. Sound familiar? When we accept Jesus, then the Creed becomes the foundation of our lives.

Second, what does it mean to grow our relationship with Jesus through prayer and study? Well, have you ever fallen in love with someone? If you never tried to learn more about them and their life story, then you might be in for quite a surprise one day. Right? So, we try to get to know the people we love. The same is true with Jesus. We approach Him in prayer, and we try to learn more about Him through study. Between you and me, I think we overcomplicate the study part. Look, the key to understanding the Ten Commandments and the 613 Jewish commandments is this: they are not merely a list of things to do or to avoid. At their core, the commandments teach us about loving God (Hahn, 235). Once we understand that love is the key, then all the technical stuff is so much easier to understand.

What is love? Well, that’s an uber topic that we can’t possibly address today, but I know this: love has to be shared. If you don’t share love, if you never tell someone you love them, then your relationships will be stunted. That’s the third aspect of discipleship. We are called to share the love of Jesus Christ – the love that is God – with everyone around us. How do I know that? Because Jesus gave us the rubric of judgment.

Read Matthew 25:31-46. I think the sainted Mother Teresa sums it up quite nicely: At the end of our lives, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made or how many great things we have done. We will be judged by “I was hungry, and you gave me to eat. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.”

It’s quite clear that the proof of our conversion is our willingness to dedicate ourselves in service to others. That’s what being a missionary is all about – going out and in love, serve those around us. And by our service, they will know we are Christians, and they will be drawn to the source of our joy. They will be drawn to Christ Jesus.

Being a Christian in the world today means that we need to return to the fundamentals. We need to dedicate ourselves to prayer, study, and service to others, all through the lens of love. That means that if we don’t understand the Church’s teachings, or even if we disagree with the Church’s teachings, we are called to prayer and study so that one day – perhaps years from now – we come to understand. We don’t beat up our fellow Christians on social media. We journey with them. And while we journey, we share Christ’s love in humble service to a world that desperately needs a message of hope.

Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

You’re listening to All Things Catholic. What are your thoughts? Leave a comment – I’d love to consider what you’re thinking. If you’re on the webpage, just click the title of the podcast, then scroll to the bottom and you should be able to post a comment. Do you have a question that you’d like me to address? Please send it to me using the comment form on the website, or send me an email to rudy@deaconrudysnotes.org.

This episode was produced by deacon rudy’s notes. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal. All Things Catholic will be back next month, and don’t forget to tune in for the weekend edition where we break open the Word. Peace!

References:
1. Dreher, Rod. The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation. New York, NY: Penguin Random House, 2017. Kindle.
2. Hahn, Scott W. and Curtis Mitch. Romans. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2017. Kindle.

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Prideful Sin

shadowed picture of a man's eye

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Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass Readings

First Reading: Jeremiah 20:7-9
Responsorial: Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
Second Reading: Romans 12:1-2
Gospel: Matthew 16:21-27

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083020.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus say, “If anyone wants to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Let’s consider what this means for us through the lens Peter’s comments and Jesus’ reaction? Peter has had a rough month! Earlier this month, Jesus tells him, “You man of little faith” (Matthew 14:31). Last week, we heard Jesus proclaim, “You are Rock and on this Rock I shall build my Church and that gates of hell shall not triumph over it” (Matthew 16:18). And today He says, “Get behind Me, Satan” (Matthew 16:23). What is going on with Peter, and why are we asked to consider him?

On one level, we can’t help but to be amused at Peter’s foibles. We might shake our heads and think to ourselves, “poor Peter.” But I think there’s more going on here for us. We’re called to reflect prayerfully on Scripture to see if it has an impact on the way we live our lives as Christians. We call this prayerful reflection, “contemplation.”

As we contemplate Peter, what’s going on here? Well, I think that Peter, like the Jews of his time, had an idea about the Messiah. For many, it was about the hope for a restoration of David’s kingdom and expelling the Roman occupiers. So, on one level, that’s operating in Peter’s mind. But surely Peter has been thinking a lot about Jesus and in particular all the miracles and strange things he had seen, like when we heard from the Gospel when Elijah and Moses appeared alongside Jesus (Matthew 17:3). Maybe Peter had an idea that the Messiah would not only lead a kingdom on earth but also a heavenly kingdom.

But today, when he hears Jesus talk and say that he must suffer and die (Matthew 16:21), Peter can’t handle it. It doesn’t reconcile with anything he’s been thinking. None of it made sense to him. It almost shatters his ideas of the Messiah so much so that he pulled Jesus aside to scold him. It’s easy for us to look back on what Peter has done with some humor. Peter is telling God in Jesus that he doesn’t know what he’s doing. What does that tell you? I think it suggests that Peter had some pride in his thoughts. He knew better.

Now pride is an uber sin. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “Well, now, we have come to the centre. According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind” (Lewis, 121).

Ok, pride is one thing, but why does Jesus call Peter “Satan?” Well, what is Lucifer’s greatest power? Contrary to Saturday Night Live, Satan can’t make us do anything. His greatest power is planting seeds of fear and doubt. For Lucifer to triumph, he needs us to freely turn our back on what’s right and do what is wrong. So, he plants seeds of fear and doubt, which might cause a line of thoughts that, in turn, might cause us to act.

When Jesus calls Peter “Satan,” he is saying that Peter is acting like Lucifer. Peter is unwittingly trying to plant seeds of doubt in Jesus’ head – that Jesus is mistaken about God’s will, and he should change course. Jesus recognizes what Peter is trying to do, and he immediately silences Peter.

Ok, what is the implication for us in the way we live our lives? How many times have we heard Catholic preachers talk about sin and brokenness and the need for reconciliation? Yet, the confessionals seem relatively empty except perhaps during Advent and Lent. Maybe when we hear a priest or deacon talk about sin, we nod our heads in agreement, and in our minds agree that there sure are a lot of people in church who need to go to confession. We might look at the people around us and think to ourselves, “Yep, I think that guy over there is having an affair. And the woman who read the readings takes marijuana.”

It’s easy to judge those around us, but me – I am not doing anything wrong, at least nothing that requires receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I think a lot of us, perhaps, more of us than we realize, suffer some form of pride of thought. We convince ourselves that what we’re doing isn’t sin even if the Church says otherwise. We tell ourselves, “The Church is wrong.” Forget the fact that the church has been prayerfully studying Scripture and these sorts of issues for 2000 years. Forget that the Church has experts who devote all of their professional lives to theology. They are wrong, and I am right. Peter’s sin should make us all feel a little uncomfortable.

What’s worse is when we share our ideas that we don’t think what the Church teaches about something is a sin. In that way, like Peter, we are spreading seeds of doubt. As those seeds take root, people might begin to accept the way we rationalized what is and isn’t sin and agree that the Church can’t possibly be right.

We act like Peter when we place prideful value in our own logic than in the Church’s teachings, and when we share those poisoned seeds with other people. So, the cross we need to carry may very well be our own pride – a pride that needs to be crucified for our redemption. To help us prayerfully reflect on how Scripture is trying to shape the way we Christians live our lives, we need a little homework!

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following two questions this week:

  1. Peter had trouble accepting that Jesus had to suffer. How can I grow in gratitude for Jesus’ suffering?
  2. When do I place my thoughts above Christ’s teachings through His Church?

I think doing our homework today will help us as we carry our crosses and help us be better disciples of Christ Jesus. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit: Artist unknown. No Title. JPEG file.

References:
1. Hahn, Scott W. and Curtis Mitch. Romans. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2017. Kindle.
2. Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity. [Place of publication not identified]: HarperCollins e-Books, 2009. Kindle.
3. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010. Kindle.
4. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Knowledge of Christ, 417-74
2. Suffering Messiah, 440, 607
3. The Cross as the way to Christ’s glory, 555, 1460, 2100
4. Redemptive suffering, 618
5. The Second coming of Christ, 671
6. Christ the Judge, 678-79
7. Common priesthood of believers, 1141, 1546
8. Moral life as spiritual worship, 2031
9. Way to perfection by the way of the Cross, 2015
10. Carrying our cross in daily life, 2427
11. Discerning God’s will, 2520, 2826

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083020.cfm
Lectionary: 124

Reading 1
Jeremiah 20:7-9
You duped me, O LORD, and I let myself be duped;
you were too strong for me, and you triumphed.
All the day I am an object of laughter;
everyone mocks me.

Whenever I speak, I must cry out,
violence and outrage is my message;
the word of the LORD has brought me
derision and reproach all the day.

I say to myself, I will not mention him,
I will speak in his name no more.
But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart,
imprisoned in my bones;
I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.

Responsorial
Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
R. (2b) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
My soul clings fast to you;
your right hand upholds me.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Reading 2
Romans 12:1-2
I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God,
to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,
holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.
Do not conform yourselves to this age
but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,
that you may discern what is the will of God,
what is good and pleasing and perfect.

Alleluia
See Ephesians 1:17-18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our hearts,
that we may know what is the hope
that belongs to our call.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Matthew 16:21-27
Jesus began to show his disciples
that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly
from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.
Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him,
“God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.”
He turned and said to Peter,
“Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

Then Jesus said to his disciples,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay all according to his conduct.”

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21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

picture of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher

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Mass Readings

First Reading: Isaiah 22:19-23
Responsorial: Psalm 138:1-3, 6, 8
Second Reading: Romans 11:33-36
Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082320.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

My brothers and sisters, once again, Holy Mother Church has curated for us an interesting set of readings so filled with meaning that we could easily go off in at least a dozen different directions! But today, I’d like to build on our theme from last weekend, about people who are coming to churches to pray even though they may not be interested or ready to become regulars again.

People are coming – they are coming to churches and chapels to pray, and they are participating in devotions like the rosary online or through social media. But there might be something holding them back from entering into full reconciliation. Maybe they aren’t sure how to begin. Perhaps they’re embarrassed because so much time has passed since they were last here. Or maybe they are still hurt and upset about the clergy sex abuse and cover-up scandal.

What can we do?

In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks the disciples who they think he is. Simon correctly identifies Jesus as the Messiah, and for that, Jesus calls him “rock” and says he will build his church on Peter the rock.

That’s awesome!

In this short scene, we see the foundation of the Church, the primacy of Peter, who we consider the first pope, and the authority of the Church to bind the people through its teachings. Indeed, the Catholic line of thought is that in this passage from Matthew, we find one of the bases for the sacrament of reconciliation. Whatever Peter (and his successors) bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever he forgives will be forgiven. Period.

Unfortunately, the Gospel proclamation ends a little early. We will hear the rest of this passage next Sunday. But I want to look ahead just for a minute. In the very next part of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus explains that he must suffer. Peter pulls Jesus aside to scold him. “Don’t talk like that!” What is Jesus’ response? “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23).

I think it’s important to consider this with today’s Gospel because Peter has had a rough month! Jesus invites him to walk on water, but Peter sinks. Jesus says, “You man of little faith…” (Mt 14:31). Today, Jesus compliments Simon and calls him “Peter” or rock. Next weekend, Jesus will call him Satan! Isn’t that interesting?

What does that tell you?

It tells me that Jesus entrusted his Church to fallible and sinful people. Let’s face it – when the Church fails, she fails spectacularly. And yet, the Church persists. Why? Well, the success of the Church is not dependent on sinful humans. The Church prevails in time and space solely by the will of God! That’s important to remember.

When people come back to church, we need to remember that they might be hesitant or they might express anger, uncertainty, or frustration. Whatever the reasons why they left, it’s ok to remember that while God’s Kingdom is perfect, the Church isn’t. It’s ok to apologize for shortcomings on behalf of the Church and to invite them back in. Like Peter, our bishops – our leaders need a little help. If you stand outside the community, how can you help? Better to come home, roll up your sleeves, and help make this a better place for all of God’s people. The Church need the expertise of the laity. Our shared experiences – the good and the bad – will help our leaders guide the Church through these tumultuous times.

In an ever-changing world where nothing seems sacred, the Church stands as a public symbol of faith. The Church calls people outside themselves to something bigger than this world. The Church invites people to have an encounter with Jesus Christ. But you and I cannot minimize our role in helping the Church to reach out to those who are hurting – those who are scared – those who need a word of comfort and peace now more than ever. Are you ready?

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following two questions this week:

  1. Am I ready to welcome people back to church without judgment?
  2. How can I help my pastor and my bishop?

I think doing our homework today helps clarify our mission as missionary disciples. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit: Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Artist Unknown. JPEG file. Creative Commons. Unported license.

References:
1. Hahn, Scott W. and Curtis Mitch. Romans. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2017. Kindle.
2. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010. Kindle.
3. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Grace of faith, 153
2. Christ the builder of the Church, 424
3. Christ the divine Son, 441-45
4. The Keys of the Kingdom, 551-53
5. Primacy of Peter, 552
6. Power of binding and loosing, 553, 1444
7. Peter the first Pope, 800-82
8. Foundations of unity: the college of bishops with its head, the successor of Peter, 880-87
9. Prayer of praise, 2639, 2649
10. Doxology, 2641

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082320.cfm
Lectionary: 121

Reading 1
Isaiah 22:19-23
Thus says the LORD to Shebna, master of the palace:
“I will thrust you from your office
and pull you down from your station.
On that day I will summon my servant
Eliakim, son of Hilkiah;
I will clothe him with your robe,
and gird him with your sash,
and give over to him your authority.
He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and to the house of Judah.
I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim’s shoulder;
when he opens, no one shall shut
when he shuts, no one shall open.
I will fix him like a peg in a sure spot,
to be a place of honor for his family.”

Responsorial
Psalm 138:1-3, 6, 8
R. (8bc) Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple.
R. Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.
I will give thanks to your name,
because of your kindness and your truth:
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.
The LORD is exalted, yet the lowly he sees,
and the proud he knows from afar.
Your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.

Reading II
Romans 11:33-36
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!
For who has known the mind of the Lord
or who has been his counselor?
Or who has given the Lord anything
that he may be repaid?
For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be glory forever. Amen.

Alleluia Matthew 16:18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Matthew 16:13-20
Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and
he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Then he strictly ordered his disciples
to tell no one that he was the Christ.