SMU Catholic Weekly Blogs

Patriarchs and Pagans

For Catholic Christians, "tradition" or "the rule of faith" existed before the scriptures were written, contributed to their composition, and continued as a parallel stream of information about who God is, most readily identifiable in creeds, sacraments, dogma, doctrine, and liturgy. On several occasions the scriptures, especially Paul's letters, reference oral teachings that appear to be a coherent set of beliefs about Christ and the Church. The renowned Dominican preacher and theologian Yves Congar described Church tradition as "the sharing of a treasure, which itself remains unchanging; it represents a victory over time and its transience, over space and separation caused by distance." The story of Christ's descent into the grave and hell, or "hades," is part of early church tradition, echoed in 1 Peter 3:19. The Apostle's Creed, the Nicene Creed, and several local creeds pre-dating any universal professions of faith reference Jesus's descent prior to the resurrection. Why did he make the descent? Medieval commentators suggested Christ's passing through the realm of the dead solidified his identity as completely human, since all people suffer death of the body, while other theologians thought Christ might have made the journey to ransom the Hebrew patriarchs and virtuous pagans. Although church tradition drew the line at emphasizing his descent into the grave, patriarchs and pagans played a critical role in the church's interpretation of the events surrounding Christ's death and resurrection.

Francisco de Vitoria

The conquest of the Americas, the Protestant Reformation, and conflict with the Turks were together upending European society and the Church when Francisco de Vitoria became chair of theology at the University of Salamanca in 1526. Vitoria was born in Spain in 1486, and after becoming a Dominican friar he studied law, philosophy, and theology in Paris. He returned to Spain in 1523 and three years later became chair of theology at Salamanca. In 1532 he penned "De Indis" ("Concerning the Indians"), a treatise in which he argued that, contrary to popular opinion, Indians in the Americas were not necessarily damned by their social structures, religion, or lack of Christianity. De Indis was a crucial landmark in the history of human rights as well as constituting the origins of international law. Vitoria also wrote about the requirements for a just war, asserting that no war was just if it endangered the world or Christendom.

Sources: Richard P. McBrien. Catholicism. San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1994. P 1318.

Hosius of Cordova

In a fourth-century letter describing the unorthodox teachings of Arian Christians--who believed that Jesus was not equal to God the Father--Athanasius of Alexandria referred to a western opponent of the Arians, Hosius of Cordova, as "one who on account of his age, his confession, and the many labors he has undergone, is worthy of all reverence." Hosius was born in Hispania, the Roman province of Spain, in about 256 CE, and during the late third century he became one of many Christian "confessors" who refused to reject their faith during state-led persecutions of the church. In about 295 CE Hosius became bishop of Cordova in southern Spain. When Constantine convened the council of Nicea in 325 CE as a response to the Arians, Hosius was one of only three western bishops who helped forge the Nicene Creed in concert with several hundred Greek- and Latin-speaking bishops from North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia Minor.

Sources: “Hosius of Cordova.” Catholic Encyclopedia. www.newadvent.org

.

Simon Peter

Most Roman Catholics recognize Peter as the first bishop of Rome and favored apostle of Jesus Christ. During the fourth century the papacy emerged as a privileged post with theological authority over bishops in the east and west, and on several occasions, working in concert with the eastern Roman emperor, the bishop of Rome successfully intervened in theological debates to shape the course of orthodox Christianity.

Yet Peter was a Galilean fisherman with a Jewish faith bereft of pageantry and splendor, and his deep struggle to remain faithful to the Good News mirrored the profundity of his humanity. Peter denied Jesus three times after his arrest, and the Gospel of Mark recounts how Peter rebuked Jesus when he told the apostles the Son of Man would die and rise after three days (Mark 8:32). Like the other male apostles Peter fled Roman authorities after the crucifixion. Paul's letter to the Galatians describes how he bickered with Peter over doctrinal matters, motivating Paul to write, "I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong (Galatians 2:11)."

What are Christians to make of Peter's inconsistencies coupled with his status as a prominent leader of the first Christian communities in Palestine? The pomp and majesty of later popes is hard to reconcile with the Gospel's image of the impulsive fisherman from Galilee. It is hard to believe that early Christians depended on Peter to settle crucial church matters. Yet it is in the seeming contradictions of Peter's rich humanness that Christians can find strength in weakness, stability in chaos, and faith in hopelessness. If the brash man that the Gospels depict went on to become the first bishop of Rome, then our capabilities to serve God are truly limitless.

Empress Theodora

Christian art flourished in the fifth, sixth, and seventh centuries, resulting in splendid churches, mosaics, and Gospel illuminations in the east and west. Christians in the west generally embraced this renaissance in church art, but beginning in the eight century Greek theologians, clergy, and laity initiated the "iconoclast controversy" in protest against visual representations of Christ and the saints. The iconoclasts claimed that Christ destroyed the power of paganism and idolatry, eliminating the need for idols. Christians who supported the use of images, called "iconodules" ("image-honorers") argued that Jesus Christ was the perfect physical image of God and that images of wood and stone merely echoed the incarnation. Both sides debated the theology underpinning their arguments for over a century, with emperors and high-ranking clergy alternating between positions. On the first Sunday of Lent in 843 empress Theodora, wife of Theophilus, ended the iconoclast controversy by staging a large procession in Constantinople and declaring the restoration of icons, marking the triumph of the images in east and west.

Henry Chadwick. The Early Church. Revised Edition. New York, NY: Penguin Books. Pp 283-284

Cyril of Jerusalem

"If you should be in foreign cities, do not simply ask where is the church...but where is the Catholic Church, for this is the proper name of this holy Mother of all." Cyril of Jerusalem preached these words to his congregation in about 347 CE. Several catechetical texts composed by Cyril survive, including lectures on the mass and the sacraments of baptism, communion, and confirmation. Cyril preached that the sacraments, especially the Body and Blood of Christ, were a crucial sign of Christ's ongoing work in the church and in the world. He engaged in fiery polemics with Christian communities who preached that Christ was not born in the flesh, pointing to the Eucharist as the foundation of Catholic sacramentology in which God is profoundly invested in material reality. God redeemed the visible and invisible world through a human, Jesus Christ, an ongoing work whose fullness continued in the Catholic Church. He attended the Council of Constantinople in 381 CE, which ratified the Nicene creed, and was made a Doctor of the Church in 1883.

Sources: See "St. Cyril." http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04595b.htm

Resources for an informed conscience

    With the Texas primary finally upon us this week, a record turnout is expected. “In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation. This obligation is rooted in our baptismal commitment to follow Jesus Christ and to bear Christian witness in all we do.” (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, No. 13).  In choosing the right candidate, it is imperative that our choices be based on more than first impressions of a candidate’s personality. Rather we must seek out reliable information to evaluate in a systematic way in light of our Catholic social values and principles.  Here are a few online resources to encourage well-informed participation in the political process.

faithfulcitizenship.org – The Faithful Citizenship website is the central repository of information about putting our Catholic faith into action through the political process. The U.S. Catholic Bishops’ statement entitled Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship can be found here  – a summary of the document is available in the back of the chapel after Mass – as well as other resources outlining the principles for making informed decisions about candidates and policies.

www.usccb.org/sdwp – At this URL, you’ll find the homepage of the national Office of Justice, Peace and Human Development of the U.S. Catholic Church. The site is stacked with resources on individual issues and policy debates.  Each is written from a Catholic perspective.  The site links to written statements, transcripts of congressional testimony and policy “backgrounders” on a whole host of international and domestic issues like poverty, the environment, global economics and war. 

www.2008electionprocon.org – This site sorts presidential candidates’ stances on major issues into a simple pro-con format and includes quotes from the candidates themselves to support their position. The site is maintained by a California nonprofit not affiliated with any religioun and claims to exist to promote non-partisan citizen education.  The list of issues addressed by the service is extensive and the site is designed to cut down the time it takes to find out what a particular candidate thinks about a specific topic.

    And because, we don’t just need to be steeped in information, but are called to pray unceasingly for our world and our place in it, here is a prayer for those preparing to cast a vote this Tuesday:

Gracious and loving God, let your Spirit be with me today. Hear my prayers, and increase in me the will to follow your Son Jesus. Help me to draw on the resources of my faith as I use the opportunities of our democracy to shape a society more respectful of the life, dignity, and rights of the human person, especially the poor and vulnerable. I ask this through Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

Confession: Homecoming & the Fattened Calf

Lent is a time when many choose to go to confession in anticipation of Easter.  At SMU, we offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation before the 5:00 p.m. Mass. Below are more details on how it works at Perkins Chapel as well as information about confession times at nearby parishes.  But in addition to reminding us of the time and procedure for confession at SMU, I wanted to offer some thoughts on the sacrament and what it means to the whole community as well as the person seeking the sacrament.  I found this helpful reflection by Fr. Tom Richstatter, O.F.M., a popular writer and professor at St. Meinrad’s Seminary:

"Think…of the parable of the prodigal son. The boy who had cut himself off from the life of the family was now to be readmitted to the daily family table. He admitted his fault and asked forgiveness. Yet to restore the son's place, a special celebration of reconciliation and homecoming was needed. "Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found" (Luke 15:23-24).

For those Catholics who have cut ourselves off from God and the Church by serious (grave, mortal) sin and now wish to return to God's table (many Catholics find this situation rarely happens in their lives), the Church offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation to celebrate their "homecoming." This is the only time when Catholics are required to celebrate the sacrament. But we celebrate Reconciliation not merely because we have to, but because it is a sacrament—a sign and celebration of God showing forth his mercy "by reconciling the world to himself in Christ and by making peace for all things on earth and in heaven by the blood of Christ on the cross"—as we read in the very first words of the Rite of Penance.

The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is not merely a time for spiritual direction (as wholesome as that is), or a time for seeking moral guidance (as necessary as that may be at times). Reconciliation is primarily a sacrament—an act of corporate worship which builds up the Body of Christ. The Church affirmed this understanding in the first document of Vatican II, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy: "Liturgical services are not private functions, but are celebrations belonging to the Church" (#26), and "Whenever rites, according to their specific nature, make provision for communal celebration involving the presence and active participation of the faithful, it is to be stressed that this way of celebrating them is to be preferred, as far as possible, to a celebration that is individual and, so to speak, private" (#27).

That is why, in addition to a rite for Reconciliation that is individual (one penitent and one priest) the new rite offers communal rites for the celebration of the sacrament. Communal celebrations show more clearly that Reconciliation is a sacrament, a corporate act of worship. When we celebrate together as a parish family, we are reminded of the social nature of sin—that every sin, even the most private and personal sin, has implications for the larger community. In addition, when we celebrate Reconciliation with others, we are more clearly reminded of our obligation to "forgive those who trespass against us" even as we ask God to forgive us our trespasses.

Interpersonal forgiveness and reconciliation are part of the hoped-for outcomes of this sacrament. Christianity stresses the relation of the "horizontal" and the "vertical"—interpersonal forgiveness and divine forgiveness. "Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (Mt 5:23-24)."

Fr. Richstatter's entire article can be found at www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/ac0800.asp

The Sacrament of  Reconciliation is available at Perkins Chapel each Sunday prior to the 5:00 p.m. Mass. Here’s how it works: At 4:30 p.m., Monsignor Duca will be in the bridal room which is located through the double doors that are to the left of the altar when facing it.  Since the room is not designed as a confessional, we’ve had to get a little creative to make the sacrament available either face-to-face or anonymously.  When you enter the room, Monsignor Duca sits with his back to the door.  Sit in the chair in front of him if you want make your confession face-to-face; otherwise, sit in the chair behind him to remain anonymous.

If this time is not convenient for you, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is also offered weekly at nearby parishes.  Christ the King Catholic Church offers Reconciliation each Saturday from 4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. The church is located north on Preston Rd. just south of Northwest Highway at 8017 Preston Rd.  At St. Thomas Aquinas parish confessions are heard at the following times: Tuesday: 8:45 to 9:30 a.m., Thursday: 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., Saturday: 2:45 to 3:45 p.m. The church is located at 6306 Kenwood Ave., a few blocks south of Mockingbird Ln. off Abrams Rd.

Paul of Tarsus

"I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Gal 2:20)." St. Paul of Tarsus penned these lines to the Christian community at Galatia soon after the resurrected Christ confronted him on the road to Damascus, an event he wrote about as the moment when "Christ Jesus...made me his own (Phil 3:12)." After his conversion Paul committed himself to preaching the Gospel to Jews and gentiles in Europe and the Mediterranean, leaving detailed written accounts of his travels which the Church later included in the New Testament canon. In his letters and preaching Paul returned again and again to Jesus's death on a cross: "We preach Christ crucified (1 Cor 1:23)." Paul focused on the crucifixion because as a pious Jew he knew that if Jesus was the messiah, then Jesus had not been bound to accept death as all other humans must do. Jesus had chosen to die, making his death the key to his life and the new life of all baptized Christians.

Sources: Jerome Murphy-O'Connor. Paul: His Story. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. Pp 36-37.

 

Because God doesn't leave voicemail

    I heard someone tell this story once about being at a Quaker prayer meeting: A group of Quakers was meeting at a YMCA gym. It’s typical for Quaker prayer meetings to have long stretches of silence, broken only by someone inspired to offer a word or prayer.  During one long stretch of silence, a phone began to ring inside a nearby office.  The phone rang and rang unanswered by neither person nor machine. After nearly a minute of ringing, it finally stopped. No one said anything. A few seconds later, it happened again. After nearly a minute of unheeded ringing, the phone and the room fell silent again. A few more minutes of silence followed, until someone, seemingly prompted to reflection by the ringing phone, asked of no one in particular, “How do you know when it is God calling?” The questioner received only more silence in response from his fellow prayers. Then, out of the silence, came his reply: “When it’s God calling, the ringing never stops.”
    It would be nice if we got calls from God on our cellphones, calling with clear instructions for what we should do in life.  That would make things so much more efficient and effective, wouldn’t it? Instead, we live with a persistent restlessness, wondering if we are following “God’s plan” for our life.  But it would be a mistake to presume that when God calls, the call is to a place way outside of our everyday reality.  In other words, God’s call most often consists of the unique "ingredients" of our life: our talents, our passions,our relationships, our dreams.  College is often the place where the "ingredients" of our life take shape. So much of what we encounter in the normal course of life at SMU contributes to our emerging dreams for the future: deciding on majors, studying abroad, meeting people with diverse experiences, encountering new ideas in and out of the classroom. But how can we know if what is coming together as dreams for our life sync up with what God is calling us to rather than just being a set of self-serving goals? 
    Since God isn’t leaving us voicemail, we need a way of testing the dreams we’ve come up with so far.  Ask yourself these five questions (adapted from Mary Manin Morissey) :

1)    Does this dream give me life? Does it enliven me?
2)    Does this dream align with my values and beliefs?
3)    Do I need help from God and others to make this dream come true?
4)    Will this dream challenge me to grow into more of my true self?
5)    Will this dream ultimately serve others?

    The place where God calls you to, Frederick Buechner once wrote, “is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”  Working toward a definitive “Yes” for each question will guide us with confidence to the place God is calling us. This kind of testing of God’s call takes time to reflect, contemplate and think critically about our experiences, so be patient with yourself. But when God does call, you won’t need to check the caller ID to be sure.