Faith In Action

The reality of sin and forgiveness

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 12:11:16 GMT

A boggy marsh: This is how Dante imagines the reality of anger in his “Inferno.” Greed looks like the eternal weight of a heavy stone pressing against one’s chest. Our readings for this Sunday present these sins in contrast to the blissful happiness of forgiveness .

Matthew’s Gospel offers us other images. Sin, in Matthew 18, is likened to a debt. Indeed, sin is a lack — it is lacking in love. In contrast, Matthew 18 likens the kingdom of heaven to the forgiveness of all debt, of all sin: “Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan” (vs. 27). This imagery gives us a way to envision sin and forgiveness for what they truly are.

In fact, if we might make a brief scriptural tangent, we could look to the prophet Hosea for an even stronger image of sin and forgiveness, also delineated through a financial transaction. Hosea’s wife, Gomer, leaves him for a life of prostitution (cf. Hos 1:2). The Lord tells Hosea that he should go and purchase his wife back — he must literally redeem her as he returns to purchase her in the place she worked. “So I acquired her for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley” (Hos 3:2). Imagine how Gomer must have felt in response to such an act of forgiveness!

Returning to the readings for this Sunday, we are asked to do likewise. Sirach tells us: “Forgive your neighbor the wrong done to you; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven” (Sir 28:2). And Christ himself teaches us to pray this way: ” [Our Father…] forgive us our trespasses [our debts, our sins!], as we forgive those who trespass [or debt or sin] against us” (cf. Mt 6:12-14).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls this particular petition of the Our Father both “astonishing” and “daunting” (Nos. 2838, 2840). Both of these descriptors are tied to the small word, “as” that connects the two parts of the petition: “Father … forgive … as we forgive.” Indeed, as the Catechism points out, this little “as” echoes across the Gospels: “Love one another as I have loved you”; “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Perhaps, we begin to see the astonishing and daunting character of this petition for forgiveness! This “as” is no small task; it is nothing less than our conversion and our growth in holiness.

To delineate this, the Catechism dramatizes our praying of the Our Father: “With bold confidence, we began praying to our Father. In begging him that his name be hallowed, we were in fact asking him that we ourselves might be always made more holy. But though we are clothed with the baptismal garment, we do not cease to sin, to turn away from God. Now, in this new petition, we return to him like the prodigal son and … recognize that we are sinners before him. Our petition begins with a ‘confession’ of our wretchedness and his mercy. Our hope is firm because, in his Son, ‘we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins'” (No. 2839).

This confession of sin and petition for forgiveness is the first step in “doing likewise.” Returning from the heavy and marshy prodigality of our sin through confession, we desire mercy and forgiveness. We desire God’s kingdom . Thus, we must love “as” the king loves, and so we must forgive “as” he forgives through an imitation of God’s mercy. God’s “outpouring of mercy cannot penetrate our hearts as long as we have not forgiven those who have trespassed against us. Love, like the Body of Christ, is indivisible; we cannot love the God we cannot see if we do not love the brother or sister we do see” (Catechism, No. 2840).

This article comes to you from Our Sunday Visitor courtesy of your parish or diocese.

Big “T” traditions

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 10:35:20 GMT

Traditions are important to families. Singing the family birthday song, making grandma’s banana bread, praying in a special way at holiday meals — traditions are the foundation on which strong families are built. Likewise, the Church was built upon the rituals and traditions of the apostles and the early Christian communities. This body of ritual and teaching is called Tradition (with a capital T), and it serves as a unifying force in the Church today. This Tradition is so important that the teaching office of the Church, called the magisterium, safeguards it.

We believe that that sacred Word of God is found in both Scripture and Tradition. In fact, the Tradition of the Church was in place before the Gospels were even written. It’s true! We practiced our faith long before we wrote about our faith. The first Christians were already meeting together, mostly in homes, celebrating the Eucharist, sharing the teachings of the apostles and encouraging one another at the time the New Testament was written down. This was the beginning of St. Paul addressing his letters to these early Christian communities.

Those who argue that Scripture alone should be the source of Christian teaching fail to recognize that in the first several centuries of the Church there was no “Bible” in the form we have today. Early Christian communities read from the Old Testament writings, the prophets and from the letters from leaders like Peter and Paul. The earliest writings in the New Testament reflect the belief and practice of the early Christians as the Holy Spirit guided the Church and her leaders. If we truly wish to understand Scripture, we must understand the context in which it was written — the Tradition of the Church.

FAITH AT HOME

Traditions that are handed down through the generations serve not only as the foundation for our faith historically, but are also a vital part of our faith today. Especially through the family, called the “domestic church,” we pass the teachings of our faith on to the next generation, in the words we say, as well as our family rituals and the way we live our daily lives. Today it is important that children and adults alike learn and experience the teachings of our faith in context — in the Christian community of the parish and the home.

Cultivate your family’s faith at home by practicing Sabbath. Make it known that Sunday is a day devoted to family. Be intentional about planning a day of rest and renewal together. Begin with Mass. Prepare a meal together. Share prayers and conversation. Turn off the television (and the computer and MP3 player) and listen to each other. Leave room for silence. At the end of the day, thank God for your family’s blessings.

This content comes to you from Our Sunday Visitor courtesy of your parish or diocese.

September 13, 2023

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 10:29:57 GMT

Wednesday | September 13, 2023 | 03:00 AM

Lk 6:20-26

Though different, the Beatitudes in both Matthew and Luke’s Gospels point the disciple to complete dependence on God and loving service to others. The “woes” stand in stark contrast to the four blessings in Luke’s Gospel. They are those attitudes and behaviors that need to change in order to find joy on the journey.

St. John, pray for us that we come to understand what it means to serve the poor justly as you did.

This content comes to you from Our Sunday Visitor courtesy of your parish or diocese.

Hear the cry

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 10:26:51 GMT

"Let us hear the cry of the victims and those suffering. Let us allow them to teach us a lesson in humanity.” — Pope Francis

Reflection: What do victims and those who suffer have to teach us about being human? What have you learned about the dignity of the human person through personal suffering?

This content comes to you from Our Sunday Visitor courtesy of your parish or diocese.

Pope Francis Reflections

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 10:26:49 GMT

“Let us hear the cry of the victims and those suffering. Let us allow them to teach us a lesson in humanity.” — Pope Francis Reflection: What do victims and those who suffer have to teach us about being human? What have you learned about the dignity of the human person through personal suffering? This content comes to you from...

The Good News leads to seeing with eyes of faith

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 12:00:00 GMT

What really matters? Most of us have had an experience that causes us to ask this question. Our lives are filled with activity, much of it necessary, some of it surely not. On most days many of us feel we have little time for anything beyond a quick prayer, a fast-food meal, and then total collapse at the end of the day (yet statistics indicate we seem to find endless hours to watch television). And then something happens: a death or diagnosis of serious illness; a natural disaster that takes with it human life and property; unemployment or underemployment affecting physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. That “something” may happen to us, to someone near us, or to someone around the world, but in that moment, as circumstances suddenly change, our perspective is changed as well, and we may ask, “What really matters, after all?”

The Good News of Jesus Christ focuses our attention beyond the mundane, toward that which is of lasting value. When our lives are directed by our relationship with the God of Love, we order our actions, words and attitudes to reflect that Love. That is the real meaning of our life in Christ, and the call of disciples and stewards. By seeing with the eyes of faith, we gain holy perspective and realize that our stewardship of life, time and resources is the means by which we show Christ’s love in the world.

This article comes to you from Grace In Action ( Our Sunday Visitor ) courtesy of your parish or diocese.

Work is intrinsic to Catholic stewardship

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 12:00:00 GMT

“Work is a fundamental aspect of the human vocation. It is necessary for human happiness and fulfillment. It is intrinsic to responsible stewardship of the world.”
—Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response
U.S. Catholic bishops’ pastoral letter on stewardship

When you meet somebody new, do you find yourself immediately asking, “What do you do for a living?” Jesus Christ worked as a carpenter. The “king of kings” and “lord of lords” may have had a callus or two on His holy hands. We are called to respect the dignity of workers, regardless of title, status or income. Work — whether vocation or a vocation — dignifies the human person. God gave each of us the gift of life and talents to bear for the Kingdom. We are obliged to contribute to the common good, whether we work for a paycheck, within the home or as a volunteer. Ideally, we must discern work that holds meaning for us. And we cannot confuse making a living with being alive.

“Lord Jesus Christ, bless the work of our human hands.” Amen.

Do you balance work and recreation? Does your job allow you to apply your God-given gifts and talents? Are you enthused about your work in the world? If not, check out the book “This Time I Dance:Trusting the Journey of Creating the Work You Love,” by Tama J. Kieves (J.P. Tarcher, 2003).

This article comes to you from Grace In Action ( Our Sunday Visitor ) courtesy of your parish or diocese.

Simply stated: A Christian steward

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 05:00:00 GMT

“Who is a Christian steward? One who receives God’s gifts gratefully, cherishes and tends them in a responsible and accountable manner, shares them in justice and love with all, and returns them with increase to the Lord.”
— “Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response”

This article comes to you from Grace In Action ( Our Sunday Visitor ) courtesy of your parish or diocese.

Take the path to freedom and joy

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 05:00:00 GMT

When we hear the word “sacrifice” most of us think of giving up something, like the things we give up during Lent as a joining with Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. That is certainly part of what it means to sacrifice, but reflecting deeply on this word can help us to think more accurately about the ways in which we are called to live as stewards. To sacrifice means to make holy. In the Gospel of Matthew, we hear of the multiplication of the loaves and fish. Jesus took the little the people had and made of it a banquet. Their sharing of the bread and fish was certainly a sacrifice — they did not know what was going to happen with what they gave!

We are invited to give of our very selves, our lives, time, attention and resources. But we are called to more than simply giving from our excess. We see and hear much that tells us that we should hold on to what we have, that having much is a sign of success. Christ’s way tells us something different. We must cultivate within our hearts the willingness to give more fully than we might want, and to ask God to bless our sacrifice and make it holy.

St. Paul says it this way: “Do not conform yourself 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” (Rom 12:2). In this way, living sacrificially — giving when we might think it difficult or impossible — is a way of freedom and joy, a way that leads to holiness and to sharing Christ’s love with the world through our stewardship.

This article comes to you from Grace In Action ( Our Sunday Visitor ) courtesy of your parish or diocese.

Faith fact: "All who wander are not lost"

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 05:00:00 GMT

For every problem in life, there is at least one way out. Labyrinths have been a vital method of resolving problems for almost 2,000 years. Though originated in ancient Egypt and popularized in Greek mythology, many cultures include variations on the labyrinth pattern. Christians adapted labyrinths and included them in cathedrals as spiritual tools. A labyrinth differs from a maze in that one walks without hazard of wrong turns designed to confuse. A labyrinth leads one from beginning to end, cultivating a moving meditation. By putting one’s body in a walking motion to achieve a specific goal, the labyrinth allows an individual to focus and contemplate a problem or question while walking the labyrinth with the hope of arriving at more clarity by the end of the walk. Traditionally, labyrinths include four simple steps: Releasing, Receiving, Returning, and Exiting. Americans have rediscovered the labyrinth; more than 4,000 public and private labyrinths across the nation provide sacred paths to prayer, introspection, and quieted minds.

This article comes to you from Grace In Action ( Our Sunday Visitor ) courtesy of your parish or diocese.

New parable: What good is it to profess faith without practicing it?

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 05:00:00 GMT

There was a woman drawn to the mystic. This woman lived a contemplative life of prayer and meditation. She burned incense and votive candles, walked labyrinths, prayed Rosary after Rosary, novena after novena. She wore scapulars and blessed medals. She kept holy water in her home, listened to sacred chant and read the writings of the mystic saints. This woman made every conscious effort to keep her life simple, and she avoided many of the snares of consumerism.

Yet this woman so consumed herself with all of her rites and rituals that she had no time or energy left for charitable works in the world. Sequestered away in her solitude, she failed to realize she spent many hours contemplating justice and peace, yet never actually engaged in efforts to support justice and peace. And because of her inaction, her prayers always felt a bit hollow and unanswered.

There was another woman blessed with a contemplative nature. This woman, too, expressed her soul through rites and rituals, sacramentals and prayers. She, too, read the writings and biographies of the mystic saints. She, too, lived a simple life rich with devotion.

Yet this woman recognized the need to be involved in the world more directly. She understood how to respond to the New Testament’s query, “What good is it . . . if someone says he has faith but does not have works?” (Jas 2:14)

She understood that she could not cloister herself from the world. This woman believed that contemplating justice and peace was not enough; she knew her call to holiness meant she must act for justice and peace. And because this woman’s direct experience of the world deepened her empathy, her prayers were fervent and bore much fruit.

This article comes to you from Grace In Action ( Our Sunday Visitor ) courtesy of your parish or diocese.

New parable: Small kindness makes huge difference

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 12:00:00 GMT

There was a woman with a watermelon. As she stood at her counter, slicing the melon, she saw the outdoor thermometer. The mercury had reached 90 degrees, and it wasn’t yet 9 a.m.

Watermelon was the woman’s favorite food, yet that day the fruit of summer saddened her. Her old dog had loved watermelon, too; and the woman missed her furry friend, recently deceased. The woman also had shared watermelon with an elderly man who had lived across the street, but he had been moved to a nursing home near his daughter, far away.

The act of carving the melon stirred the woman’s memory and made her melancholy. “I have too much of a good thing,” she said to herself. The fruit that had all her life symbolized the carefree joys of summer now seemed bittersweet. “What will I do with all this sticky, drippy, pink melon?”

Then, she heard the usual Friday morning roar as the lawn crew arrived with their mowers, blowers and weed whippers. Deeply tanned, covered in dust, grass clippings stuck to their sweaty skin, they worked quickly. The woman’s property was not an easy job, given her corner lot and steep banks. It occurred to the woman how delicious and welcome a slice of cold watermelon might be to these young men on a morning already so hot and getting hotter. She hesitated. Would they consider it some sort of bribe? Was it improper? Would they, like some children these days, grow suspect, having been taught not to accept gifts — especially food — from strangers? She censored her altruistic instinct. Fearing rejection or misunderstanding, she tossed watermelon rinds in the compost container and put the sliced melon into the refrigerator.

At her window, she watched the guys finish the mowing. One wiped sweat from his brow with his T-shirt; the other paused a moment in the shade of a maple. Maybe they don’t even like watermelon, she considered. Maybe they’re allergic. And the nonsense of her line of thinking struck her as she said aloud, “Who doesn’t like a cold slice of watermelon on a hot summer’s day?”

She grabbed two thick slices of melon and two paper towels. Based on their response, the pink fruit might have been gold.

This article comes to you from Grace In Action ( Our Sunday Visitor ) courtesy of your parish or diocese.

The present of presence

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 12:00:00 GMT

What is the greatest gift we can give another person? When we really reflect on this question, our true response most certainly will be “presence.” To give another the gift of our attention, care and love is a present that is never outdated and is everlasting. Our presence is a share of ourselves, as Christ’s love is a share of the immense love of God. We who have been baptized into Christ offer that love to others through our presence as stewards of all we are and have and will be.

Through participation in the Eucharist, we are given all we need in Christ’s gift of presence with and for us. “Here people enjoy a unique union with Christ and, in him, with one another. Here, his love — indeed his very self — flows into his disciples and, through them and their practice of stewardship, to the entire human race” (“Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response,” p. 34). Our prayers, our gifts of time and talent, and our material resources are signs of our awareness that we are blessed beyond measure. Recognizing that we are “fearfully, wonderfully made,” the gift of self, our presence, is a true sign and blessing that cannot be diminished over time.

This article comes to you from Grace In Action ( Our Sunday Visitor ) courtesy of your parish or diocese.

How we can see more clearly

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Have you ever looked through a pair of binoculars and marveled at how close something in the distance can appear? This impression is even stronger when we gaze at the stars through a telescope or view images recorded from satellites that are many miles above us in space. Suddenly, we find ourselves able to focus on something that was previously unapproachable. The object was there, we just could not perceive it without help.

Perhaps this is a good image for us to consider when we think about our faith in Christ. Without the vision of faith, God seems distant and unapproachable. When we develop eyes of faith, we see the world and all who dwell in it, and then perceive God’s creative hand. We interact with others and recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit; we experience love, forgiveness and mercy through another or in a special way in the sacraments, and we know Christ in our midst.

When we keep our sight fixed on Christ, God is closer than we dare imagine. Such vision is a matter of faith, and of commitment. It is easy to lose this vision, due to difficult life circumstances or through simple indifference — we become numb to the glory of God and more readily see the things of the world, the activities of our lives, the mundane. Living in this way, we play it safe. When we are numb to God’s grace in our midst, the Gospel will not challenge us. We are more likely to be dissatisfied and unsettled in our lives, always seeking something that is beyond our grasp.
This month, think about how you might develop “binoculars” for your spiritual life — ways that will help you to fix your sight on Christ while keeping God’s love and the call to share it closely in your vision.

This article comes to you from Grace In Action ( Our Sunday Visitor ) courtesy of your parish or diocese.

Be the change you seek

zrowe@osv.com (Zach Rowe) — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 17:01:27 GMT

Learn to see differences and embrace them.

It is not easy to see the world through another person's eyes, and we must strive to do that every day.

Make it happen

zrowe@osv.com (Zach Rowe) — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 17:00:13 GMT

Change your life and the world will thank you.

Use your voice and live by your actions. It is not an easy path, but it is the right one.