Posted on 04/27/2016 8:41:02 AM PDT by Salvation
The second reading from last Sunday’s Mass (5th Sunday of Easter) is very Catholic, and too informative to merely pass up. It presents the Church as rather highly organized and possessed of some of the structures we know today in full form. Granted, some of these structures are in seminal form, but they are there.
We will also notice qualities of the original kerygma that are at variance with what some modern thinkers declare should be the methodology of the Church. The soft Christianity of those who replace the cross with a pillow and who insist on solely inclusion and affirmation is strangely absent in this early setting.
Let’s look the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 14:21-27) and see there the true path of priests, teachers, and leaders in the Church. Four steps are prescribed for our consideration, by noting that they went forth announcing, admonishing, appointing, and accounting.
I. Announcing – The text says, After Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed the good news to that city and made a considerable number of disciples …
Notice that the happiness is linked to the harvest. By proclaiming the Good News, they yield a great harvest. As Catholics, we are not sent out merely to proclaim a list of duties; we are sent to proclaim the Gospel. And the Gospel is this: God so loved the world that He sent his Son, who by dying and rising from the dead has purchased for us a whole new life, free from sin and the rebellious obsessions of this world. He is victorious over all the death-directed drives of this world. Simply put, he has triumphed over these forces and enabled us to walk in newness of life.
God save us from brands of the faith in which rules and obligations are all that is heard by sour-faced saints, dead disciples, fussy Pharisees, bored believers, and frozen chosen. Save us from Pharisaical philosophers who are obsessed with particulars not even commanded by God, who sneer at things they consider beneath than their preferences.
No, we are sent to announce a new life, a life free from the bondage of sin, rebellion, sensuality, greed, lust, domination, and revenge. We are sent to announce a life of joy, confidence, purity, chastity, generosity, and devotion to the truth rooted in Love.
Yes, here is a joyful announcement rooted in the cry Anastasis (Resurrection)! New Life! The old order of sin is gone and a new life of freedom from sin is here!
Did everyone accept this as good news? No. Some, indeed many, were offended and sought to convict Christians as “disturbers of the peace.” Some don’t like to have their sin and bondage called out as such. They prefer bondage, sin, and darkness to light, holiness, and freedom.
As Catholics, we announce what is intrinsically good news, and we ought to start sounding like it by proclaiming it with joy. We must proclaim it without the bitterness and anger that are indicative of those who are more interested in winning an argument than in joyfully announcing something wonderful, freeing, and true.
II. Admonishing – The text says, … they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch. They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”
Preaching/teaching is a process. You don’t just preach or teach once and then move on; you return and reiterate. Paul and Barnabas are retracing their steps back through towns they have already evangelized. They do not just come, have a tent revival, and move on. They return and, as we shall see, they establish the Church.
Notice what they do:
1. Encourage – They strengthened the spirits of the disciples.
2. Exhort – They exhorted them to persevere in the faith.
3. Explain – They explained by saying, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”
Let’s focus especially on the last the point. Paul and Barnabas teach that if you’re not willing to endure the cross, no crown will come your way. If you can’t stand a little disappointment, if you can’t stand being talked about, if you think you should always be up and never down, then I’ve come to remind you: No cross, no crown.
Yes, beware of “cross-less” Christianity. We do have good news to proclaim but there is also the truth that we get to the resurrection and the glory through the cross. There is a test in every testimony, a trial in every triumph. There are demands of discipleship, requirements for renewal, laws of love, and sufferings set forth for Saints.
Good preaching combines the hardship and the happiness in one message. It is a joy to follow in the footsteps of our Lord, who endured hostility, hardship, and the horrors of the cross but still triumphed and showed that the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. Yes, He caught the wise in their craftiness and showed that the thoughts of the wise in this word are futile (cf 1 Cor 3:20). He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them (paradoxically) by the cross (cf Col 2:15).
Thus, St. Paul and Barnabas announce the cross, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles (cf 1 Cor 1:23). Many today insist that the Church soft-pedal the cross, that she use honey, not vinegar. No can do. We joyfully announce and uphold the paradox of the cross. We must be willing to be a sign of contradiction to this world, which sees only pleasure and the indulgence of sinful drives as the way forward, which exalts freedom without truth or obedience, and which calls good what God calls sinful.
Too many so-called Christian denominations have adopted the pillow as their image and have a “give the people what they want” mentality. That is 180 degrees out of phase with the cross.
The Catholic Church does not exist to reflect the views of its members, but to reflect the views of its founder and head, Jesus Christ. As He went out to die, Jesus announced the cross without ambiguity, saying, Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to me (John 12:31-32).
And so we announce the cross not merely as suffering, but as life, power, and love. By the power of the cross, it is possible to live without sin, to overcome rebellion, pride, lust, and greed; it is possible to learn to forgive and to live the truth in love.
The world will hate us for this. But such hardships, such crosses, are necessary preludes to the hallelujah of Heaven. The Church can do no less than to point to the cross. The center of our faith is a cross not a pillow. And the cross is our only hope (Ave Crux spes unica nostra (Hail, O Cross, our only hope).
Yes, the Church announces the cross and admonishes a world obsessed with pleasure and with passing, fake happiness.
III. Appointing – The text says, They appointed presbyters for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith. Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
And thus we see the ordination of priest leaders in every place. “Priest” is just an English mispronunciation of the word “presbyter.” Paul and Barnabas did not simply go about vaguely preaching and then moving on. They established local churches with a structure of authority. The whole Pauline corpus of writings indicates a need to continue oversight of these local churches and to stay in touch with the priest leaders established to lead these local parishes.
Later, St. Paul spoke of the need for this structure in other places when he wrote (to Titus),
This is why I left you in Crete, that you might amend what was defective, and appoint presbyters in every town as I directed you (Titus 1:5).
This appointment was done through the laying on of hands and is called ordination today. It was a way of establishing order and office in the Church to make sure that the work continued and that the Church was governed by order. This is why we call the sacrament involved here the “Sacrament of Holy Orders.”
Note, too, that a critical task for leaders in the Church is to develop and train new leaders. Too many parishes depend on individual charismatic and gifted leaders whose inevitable departure leaves a void, not an ongoing ministry or organization. This should not be so. Good leaders train new leaders.
IV. Accounting – The text says, From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now accomplished. And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Note that Paul and Barnabas are now returning to render an account for what they have done. Accountability is part of a healthy Church. Every priest should render an account to his bishop, every bishop to his metropolitan and to the Pope. Today’s ad limina visits of bishops to the Pope is the way this is done. Further, priests are accountable to their bishop through various mechanisms such as yearly reports and other meetings.
A further background to this text is that Paul and Barnabas are returning to Antioch because it was from there that they were sent forth by the local bishops and priests on this missionary task.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off (Acts 13:2).
Thus St. Paul was not the lone ranger that some think him to be. He was sent and was accountable.
But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days (Gal 1:15-18).
Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up by revelation; and I laid before them (but privately before those who were of repute) the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, lest somehow I should be running or had run in vain (Gal 2:1).
The preacher and teacher must be accountable: For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.” So each of us shall give account of himself to God (Rom 14:10-12).
And thus we see some paths for priests, preachers, teachers, and leaders. We must announce the Gospel as good news, with joy and confidence. We must admonish a world obsessed with pleasures to embrace the cross as our only hope. We must continue to develop, train, and appoint leaders to follow after us. And we must be accountable to one another.
A nice and quick portrait of some healthy traits for the Church!
ping to you, also ...
A very good friend died this morning, a true brother in Christ. He had been suffering from diabetes for many years and had lost both of his legs. A group of us visited him in his hospital room Saturday morning for our monthly fellowship; and we knew that the end could be near. We talked to his sister outside the room before we left. She was of course very distraught, but she told us that she firmly believes that God knows in advance the day we are born and the day we will return to Him.
As you remind us, verga, the Father alone knows. All we can do is be always alert as the wise virgins were and the good servant was.
Peace,
Rich
Q.E.D.
Are you studied in the difference between the Luke Temple Discourse and the Matthew and Mark Olivet Discourse?
And agree, no man knows the hour except the Father. That is also a parallel to the Jewish Wedding process, because even the bridegroom does not know the hour the Father of the Bridegroom will tell the Son to go get the Bride. And when the Son approaches, the bride comes out to meet Him so He does not come all the way to the bride's houme. The Son / bridegroom takes the Bride back to the Father's House for the rest of the wedding process ... 1 Thess 4:13-17 'to meet the Lord in the air', not on the ground.
As to the events in the Tribulation and how to know the beginning, Scripture is very plain on that and we are able to know, and Jews will know the exact hour The Messiah returns to set foot upon the Earth at the end of the Tribulation/ seventieth week of Daniel's Prophecy to Israel/ Time of Jacobs Trouble. But that return of Messiah is The Second Coming, not the snatching away of the bride/ the body of Christ before God pours out His wrath upon the Earth to redeem Israel. The Tribulation period is not about The Church, the Bride of Christ, it is about Israel and as Daniel put it, make an end to sin.
See you in the rapture bro. Maybe it will be soon.
You did well to visit him.
I can identify with the struggle with diabetes, and I don’t have it as bad as some (type 2) but it is no fun at all. I hope God comforts all who knew your friend.
I will include your friend in my evening prayers. My condolences on your loss.
I am not looking to get into a protracted discussion about the end times, but all he offered was his opinions on the meaning of various scriptures. As soon as he started talking about the pretrib rapture and multiple second comings I knew he was way off base.
If you want to start a separate thread on the topic great more power to you, but I will not be discussing it further on this thread.
The Age which ends with the Rapture is the Age of the Church, in which there is no differentiation between Jew and Gentiles. Peter used the keys to he kingdom to open it to all (The Day of Pentecost and the House of Cornelius).
The seven years of Tribulation are not about the Church Age. It is all about Israel. The evangelizing of the remaining world after the Rapture takes the Bride away to the Father's House (John 14 Discourse) will be done by Jews. At the end, the Trumpet sounds to Angels to gather the elect. To start the Rapture the Trumpet of GOD sounds to alert the Bride to the waiting Bridegroom Who has come from Heaven to the heavens above the Earth, to call out the Bride to go back to the Father's House in Heaven (beginning of Rev 4). Then the events of Rev 4&5 are occurring in Heaven. Then from Rev 6 to Rev 19, the events are focused upon the Earth dwellers left behind of the Rapture. The Church Age ends with the 'Come up hither' (Rev 4:1)
The Revelation of John is chapter one, the past; Chapters 2 & 3; 'the present' / the Church Age; Chapters 4 to the end the future. The 'present' ends with the snatching away of the Ekklesia.
May I ask of you whose opinion is it that the Rapture is at the end of the Tribulation? Did you come to that conclusion on your own, or is it teaching you've had on the Revelation of John, 1Thess 4:13-18, 1Cor 15:51-56, John 14, and 1Thess 1:10?
If you want to start a separate thread on the topic great more power to you, but I will not be discussing it further on this thread.
I understand. Have A great evening, verga. I appreciate your patience.
Do you suppose that he might have meant those INDIVIDUALS who think that they are able to interpret scripture on their own??????(they aren't)
Most of us aren't at the foot of the cross....think of how much more convenient it is for Him to have the seven Sacraments administered in hundreds of thousands of Catholic churches around the world on a daily basis.
Yeah...sigh....if only we all could have been crucified next to Christ how easy it would have been......even Baptism wouldn't be necessary.....oh well.....
I'll list your post under intellectually questionable, John Smythe, the founder of your "denomination" probably didn't have the whole truth.....but like other revolutionaries, he brought us his interpretation of God's truth........kind of.
The "rapture".......sigh.....that theory is just slightly older than the Navigators...
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