I am sitting here on the floor of my living room as we experienced a severe first world problem last night. Our Wi-Fi router seems to have gone kaput. I feel like it’s 1998 again as I am tethered to the Ethernet cord rather than being able to cart my lap-top everywhere around our apartment. But at least it’s not a dial-up modem.
The irony that today is Ash Wednesday is not lost.
I just finished reading the chapter on Spending in 7 and there were a few sections that really resonated with me, thus strengthing my resolve for a serious Lent:
I think the early church would cover their heads with ashes and grieve over the dilution of Jesus’ beautiful church vision… If the modern church held to it’s biblical definition, we would become the answer to all that ails society. We wouldn’t have to baby-talk and cajole and coax people into our sanctuaries through witty mailers and strategic ads… The local church would be the heartbeat of the city, undeniable by our staunchest critics.
Instead the American church is dying… We made it acceptable for people to do nothing and still call themselves Christians, and that anemic vision is not holding…
This is the result of a church that only feasts.
When the fast, the death, the sacrifice of the gospel is omitted from the Christian life, then it isn’t Christian at all.
It may be helpful to note, for my Catholic readers, that the author is evangelical Christian. I make that note, because we (as Catholics) often hear that works and faith are not linked. That all you have to do is believe in Christ to be saved. I am not going to argue that point because it does have merit, Jesus did not say, “Believe in me, and do good works, and you shall never die.” But think about all that Christ did. He was a man of action and taught his apostles and disciples to do the same. He did not tell his disciples,
“Hey, you believe in me as the Son of Man! Cool. Well, sweet, go along your merry way.”
No, he commanded us to go out and clothe the naked, feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, house the homeless, visit the prisoner, care for the widow and orphan, visit the sick, bury the dead, teach the uninformed, council the doubtful, admonish sinners, bear wrongs patiently, forgive offenses willingly, comfort the afflicted, pray for the living, sick and dead.
So, as we embark on this 40-day journey into the desert, be happy and be light. Shake off whatever has been burdening you in your life and tackle the addictions that are holding you down. Go to confession. Emerge on Easter Sunday as a new creation.
_______________________________________________________________
Special Intentions of Pope Benedict XVI (from the back of The Word Among Us, handed out at our Parish for Lent)
Dear Heavenly Father,
During this holy season of Lent, we pray in gratitude for women throughout every land. Lord, may the whole world recognize the genuine contribution of women to the development of society.
We also pray for all persecuted Christians. Father, may your Holy Spirit grant these brothers and sisters the perseverance that they need as they endure discrimination, persecution, or death for the name of Christ. We particularly pray for persecuted Christians in Asia
Our Father…
Please continue to pray for my friend Kim E. On Feb. 18, at an American Heart Association fundraiser, she went into Cardiac Arrest and was rushed to the hospital. She is a wife to Tony, and mom to three littles (Isaiah, Elijah and Trinity) and underwent heart surgery 4 months ago.
You brought up a interesting point that I’ve been thinking (and praying) about the last few days. I must admit that I was born into the Catholic faith and have sorely taken that fact for granted most of my life. It is only in the past few years that I’ve yearned to know and understand my faith (rather than mindlessly and thoughtlessly go through the motions).
And as I learn and grow, I can’t help but also grow in understanding of all Christianity and faith in general. I’m curious (because you seem incredibly faith filled and you seem to have a variety of readers, as well) if you might be able to clarify/explain something for me.
I read on someone else’s blog the other day that even though she is southern baptist and doesn’t really “get” Lent she likes the idea of it. But she clarified that she does not think she needs to give anything up or do anything extra as penance or sacrifice because she is already saved. I read that and it really felt like I’d been suckerpunched. She was in no way undermining my faith, she was just explaining hers. I have no doubts that she is a Godly and Christian woman and strives to put Christ first. However, I couldn’t help but really wonder:
a.) If she doesn’t have to give up or add anything to her life, then why should I (and thus I questioned my own faith)?
and b.) At the end of the day, when she thinks about all the ways she came up short, she (and anyone for that matter) doesn’t have to change her behaviors because she is “saved?”
Does that make sense? I just thought you posted something so timely to what I’ve been pondering. Perhaps if you don’t have an answer, your readers do? And I am in no way trying to disrespect other people’s beliefs. This is me searching for the truth.
Oh, L!
That so makes sense and I am glad that you asked those questions! I agree, the more that I have learned about my faith, the more I’ve wanted to seek out and find out about other aspects of Christianity. So, I am going to shift my blog plans around a bit and write more in depth on your questions tomorrow.
But short answer for A, for me is: If fasting was good enough for Moses, Elijiah, Jonah, and Jesus (among others) why wouldn’t it be good enough for me? Fasting is not about salvation. Fasting is not a requirement for salvation btu what fasting DOES do is to put me in such an uncomfortable state that I will turn to God for comfort. We can only learn and grow when we are uncomfortable. If all is good and nice around us, why would we ever want to change?
Your B question is the hardest concept from the evangelical church for me to understand. Humans are sinful in nature and I get that evangelicals confess their sins right to God (as we do as well, we just use a human form who can then offer consolation and council in our fight) but does being “saved” give you a free pass for any short comings? To me, that’s just as bad as a Catholic planning on committing a sin just because they can go to confession and confess it and be forgiven (which is the sin of presupposition, I think.)
I need to think and organize thoughts for tomorrow! Thank you for the inspiration.
YES! Service, service, service! I could say the word ’til I’m blue in the face. Faith without works IS, in fact, dead – that would cause the Church to die.
We’re called to serve the Church – I’m so glad you included the Corporal Works of Mercy! – because, as St. Teresa said, “Christ has no body on Earth but ours, no hands but our hands.” He died, and left the mission to us!!
Amen, great post, thank you!
It reminds me of the quote often attributed to Gandhi about Christianity: “I like your Christ, but I don’t like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
Haha, I love that quote, too. And we, as a group, do have a tendency to be pretty damn wretched.