Built on Rock

Day 22: Living on the Rock

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:32:24 -0500

What is the "Church"? For some, the Church is just a collection of people who happen to believe the same things. For others, it is an institution of rules and regulations. Some don't believe in "organized" religion. Others will say the Church has no real authority because men, not God, created it.

But the Bible tells us otherwise. In Matthew we see Jesus planning a Church, and naming Peter as the head (16:18). In the letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul tells us that it is through the Church we can understand the mystery of God.

Living in a democracy, the way the Church works seems odd to us. We don't vote for our popes. The Church doesn't ask our opinion on various topics. We might think that unfair. Who is the Church to tell us what to do?

Well, the Church is an institution ordained by God to care for God's people and lead us to Heaven. Jesus established the Church, and the Holy Spirit protects and guides her. In each of us there is a visible and invisible reality: We have human bodies, but we also have a soul which cannot be seen. So too, the Church visibly is an organization and hierarchy of people, but invisibly she is the Mystical Body of Christ, and Christ is made present through her. What she teaches is what God commands. What else did Jesus mean when He told Peter, "What you hold bound on earth is held bound in heaven, and what you unbind on earth is unbound in heaven"?

The only alternative of "organized" religion is "disorganized" religion: everybody believing his or her own version of Christianity. That is hardly the vision Jesus showed us in Scriptures when He prayed that we might be one.

Jesus founded the Church and established it through Peter, “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Some say that the only thing they need to follow is Scripture, but it was the Church that gathered Scripture together and validated its use! We believe in what the apostles passed down in writing (Scripture), what passed down through their teaching (Tradition), and in the authority of the pope and bishops that guide us today (the Magisterium).

We can trust in the Church's teachings for guidance. But more than that, we can receive blessings in abundance from the Church that we could never receive on our own (like the Sacraments!). Get a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and look through the index to find real answers to questions that you might have about your faith.

Day 23: Mary

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:31:55 -0500

Our Catholic devotion to Mary is one of our greatest strengths, but also a source of confusion for non-Catholics. You might hear them say, "Catholics worship Mary," or "Catholics believe that Mary created God!"

Let's clear things up. Mary is our guide, our mother, and our friend. She prays for us continually before God, and that is her gift to us. We often ask others to pray for us when we have a need or are struggling, especially if they are holy. As Catholics we believe that the saints and angels pray for us, and are a part of our lives. Mary is the queen of the saints, and so her prayers for us are extremely powerful. In the first reading from John, we see that not even Jesus could deny her request for changing water into wine (even though it seems He did not want to). Mary doesn't have magical powers. She takes our prayers to her Son, and asks on our behalf.

Mary has also played a key role in our salvation. You will notice that in John, Jesus calls Mary "Woman." It may seem odd for a son to call his mother that, but John is trying to make a point. In the Garden of Eden, it was Eve who first took the apple, and then gave it to Adam, who also ate of it. That was how sin entered into the world. Eve said “no” to God, and Adam followed. The name "Eve" is translated into the word woman. Mary is the new Eve, and by saying “yes” to God, she brings Christ into the world. Jesus is the new Adam who submits to the Father's will and dies on a cross for us, gaining our salvation and freedom from sin and death. So Eve’s “no” led to Adam’s “no” and sin and death entered the world; Mary’s “yes” led to Jesus’ “yes” and now we live in grace and truth! Alleluia!

Upon the cross, Jesus gives his mother to the "beloved disciple." The Church has always seen that as a symbol of how Christ has given Mary to us as a role model for our faith. In Revelation we see Mary (again, the "woman") crowned as queen with 12 stars upon her head. God has glorified her and as a Church we celebrate her glory. But we do not adore her in the same way that we adore God, that is something the Church commands us never to do.

“Why not just pray to Jesus?" Well, when we ask Mary to pray for us, that is what we are doing. We do not pray to Mary, but with Mary. Our love for Mary does not remove our focus from Christ, but rather it strengthens it. Mary points us to Jesus. She is a sure guide for us in our spiritual growth. Mary knows the way to Christ better than we do.

Ask her to pray for you by saying the Hail Mary prayer, and learn to pray the Rosary. If you have never prayed with her before, ask for her help and allow her to be your mother,

Day 24: The Bible

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:31:47 -0500

The Bible you own is sacred. The words within it are our salvation. Scripture isn't just a book; it is God's voice to us. By now you have had moments where Scripture has spoken directly to you. That wasn't by chance. God uses the Bible to touch our hearts and souls.

Scripture is one of the most important pieces of "training equipment" you have. If you want to be like Jesus, you must read the Bible! Scripture not only brings us closer to Christ but also protects us from evil. When the devil tempted Jesus in the desert, Jesus answered him only by quoting Scripture. The living Word can set us free from the snares of sin and death.

But even the devil quoted Scripture, and tried to use it for his own evil purposes. Many people hear a "fragment" of Scripture, and make their own judgments about it. There are three things to look at when we are interpreting Scripture. They are the three C's: context, consistency, and Church. The first question we have to ask is "What was the context of this verse?" Context refers to what was written before and after it. If someone told my friend that I said, "I hate you," but what I actually said was, "It isn't that I hate you, but I really love you," then that person would be quoting me out of context.

The second thing is consistency. The truths that Scripture teaches never contradict each other (sometimes details seem to be at odds with each other, but never the message). If you find passages in Scripture that seem contradictory, then you need to look at the context in which they were written.

Finally, we can also look to the Church. Our Church is built upon Scripture. Scripture does not contradict Church teaching in fact, we get most of our Church teaching from it. Unlike non-Catholic Christians, Scripture is not our only authority, but that doesn't mean we hold it in any less esteem. When you hear people quoting Scripture that seems to contradict the Catholic faith, do not despair. They are misinformed.

But you must be informed about your faith. Read the Catechism and other books, and learn from others who know what the Church believes.

Scripture should be meditated upon, and memorized. Each week you have been challenged to memorize a verse. Do you remember? If not, go back over them. Here's another one to memorize: Philippians 4:13. And here's a helpful phrase to write inside the cover of your Bible: "THIS BOOK WILL KEEP YOU FROM EVIL, AND EVIL WILL KEEP YOU FROM THIS BOOK."

Day 25: Prayer and Fasting

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:31:30 -0500

Fasting is a form of prayer. Isn't it interesting that Jesus said, "When you fast" as opposed to "If you fast"? Fasting is when we sacrifice or give up things to draw closer to God. As Catholics, there are many times we are called to fast together. We fast during the forty days of Lent. We are also called to fast every Friday before Easter and after Pentecost. But what's the point?

We fast to detach ourselves from the stuff of this earth so that we can cling more tightly to Heaven. We will never grow in holiness if we don't understand this simple thing: Not all pleasure is good, not all pain is bad. Things that feel great can kill. Things that cause some pain or discomfort can be the best in the long run. Athletes know this. So should we.

This world encourages us to eat all we want, drink all we want, watch all we want, and play all we want. This is known as gluttony, being enslaved to the desires of our body. If our stomach grumbles, we immediately feed it. If we want something, we get it immediately. This leads us into sin.

Materialism is when we become overly attached to "things" in this life: clothing, TVs, computers, cars, music, etc. Lust is when we look to satiate our sexual desires in activity, pornography, fantasies, etc. Debauchery is when we eat and drink as much as we can, which includes drunkenness and drug usage.

We fall into these sins when we can't say no to our bodies. And that's why we fast. Fasting builds up the virtue of temperance or moderation. The virtue of temperance helps us keep things in order, not overdosing. Fasting not only helps keep our desires in check, but also draws us closer to God. We can offer Jesus any suffering we feel, and share in his suffering for us. You don't need to fast only from food. You can fast from TV, radio, the phone, or other things you may be attached to.

Don't get carried away. The Church asks us to fast in some way once a week, on Friday. In Lent, we are called to fast for a longer time, and in addition to our Lenten fast not to eat meat on Ash Wednesday or Fridays. The goal is not to kill ourselves, but to detach ourselves!

Think of what you can give up this Friday and join in the prayerful fast of the Church. Fast weekly, but you don't have to do the same thing each week. Maybe one Friday you give up TV, internet, meat, candy, etc. Or you can try to do something special instead- extra prayer, cleaning for your mom, etc.

Day 26: Fellowship

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:31:13 -0500

This is not a journey for lone rangers. Though you have committed yourself to a personal relationship, you should not commit yourself to a solitary one. I know many people who adopt the attitude, "It's just me and Jesus"

I used to think that way myself, until I realized that my youth leader was a big part of my spiritual journey. So I thought it was just me, Jesus, and my youth leader. Then I reflected on how important my parents were in supporting my faith, and how my parish priest had been encouraging me since I was young. So then it was just me, Jesus, my youth leader, my parish priest, and my parents. But what about my teachers, my grandmother, and my sister who first took me to youth group?

Then I realized that it never was just “me and Jesus”. My decision to follow Christ was not an isolated moment. It was preceded by the prayers of my grandmother, the words of my priest, the support of my parents, the friendship of my youth leader, and even the encouragement of all the saints and angels.

As a family now, we are called to fellowship. Fellowship is like friendship, only deeper. We are united not only by hobbies and personalities, but by Jesus Christ himself. He has given His life for us, and He has given us to each other. The gift of Christian fellowship is another tool that He has given us to live out our faith.

Fellowship with other Christians helps us to overcome sin. This is known as accountability. We can watch each other's back, and encourage each other to holiness. Our fellowship with other Christians also makes Christ present. By joining together in fellowship, Jesus becomes more present than if we were on our own. He lives among us when we gather in his name. This happens not only at Mass, but also at youth group meetings, or even prayer over a meal at school.

Finally, fellowship allows us to be a true witness to our faith. When our Christian family is united in love, we get noticed. One person living a Christian life may be considered odd. Five, ten, or twenty people make quite a statement.

Think about all of the people who have drawn you to Christ, and thank God for them. Pray for your friends who are trying to follow Christ, and pledge to do so every day. Find a "prayer partner" who will pray for your needs, and who you can pray for. It could become a prayer group at your school.

Day 27: Love

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:30:56 -0500

Love, like faith, is not an intellectual thing. It is a verb. It is active. It is also the greatest virtue that we can possess. Our language has only one word for love. The language Scripture was written in had four. The greatest love of all was called agape (ah-gah-pay). It was a total self-giving of oneself to another. This agape love is what Christ showed us on the Cross, and what He commands us to give to each other.

Whereas the three other words for love in Scripture deal with emotional feeling, agape is an act of the will. It is a choice, a decision. There is nothing especially virtuous about "falling in love" with someone (in an emotional sense). But to choose to love them is what makes us Christian. Jesus said, "If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for that?" (Matthew 5:46) It is easy to be nice to people who are nice to us, to love those who love us. The challenge of Christianity is to love the unlovable.

"But how am I supposed to love someone I hate?" You are forgetting that the agape love that Jesus calls us to is not just emotional. The virtue of love (also known as charity) is a decision to give of ourselves to another. We see that in Luke 10. Jesus showed us not only who our neighbors are, but also how to love them. We are called to love all people, even people who we look down upon (like the Jews did with the Samaritans).

Without love, everything we do is meaningless. But love gives not only real purpose to our actions, but also power to perform them no matter how great the pain. Think of all the mothers who have endured the pain of childbirth out of love for their children, or the soldiers who have died out of love for their country. These extraordinary feats were accomplished by the power of love. The greatest example of this is Christ dying on the Cross for us.

Faith is what we do. Hope is why we do it. Love is how we get it done. The greatest of those is love. Love is so incredible that the first letter of John sums up by saying, "God is love." We can love only because God loved us.

A popular meditation goes something like this: I looked up to Jesus and asked, "How much do you love me?" "This much," He answered. And He stretched out his arms and died. Reflect on 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Go over each description of love, and think of the opposite (kind vs. mean, etc.) to find out what love isn't. Do you act in love? If you inserted your name every time it said "love," would that describe you? If not, what do you need to work on?

Day 28: The Body and the Blood

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 12:19:59 -0500

God said, "Let there be light," and there was. He didn't have to do anything other than say it. The power of his Word made it so.

In the beginning of the gospel of John, we read about how the second person of the Trinity, the Word that created the universe, became flesh and dwelt among us. He was named "Jesus" which means "God saves". He always existed in God, but in coming to earth He became fully man while remaining fully God. He was not half God, half man. He was not God in a human suit. He took on our humanity. He wept, He was tempted, He suffered, and He died. He was like us in all things but sin. He was true God and true man.

In John 6 we see this God-Man arguing with the men of the time. He made it clear that they needed to eat his flesh and drink his blood to have eternal life. He says it over and over again, making such a point of it that many of his disciples leave Him! There are those who try to say that He was using a parable, but would Jesus lose disciples over a confusing parable? And whereas Christ would usually turn to the apostles and explain what He really meant, He instead asked them if they were going to leave as well.

It all made sense at the Last Supper. The second person of the Trinity, the living Word, in the fullness of his humanity lifted up bread and said, "This is my body". He did the same with the wine and said, "This is my blood". This was the same Word that cried out, "Let there be light" at the beginning of creation. By the power of his Word, it happened. And when he pointed to his disciples and said "Do this," they were immediately given power to celebrate what we now call the Eucharist, the real body and blood of Jesus Christ, made present in the consecrated bread and wine at Mass.

The Eucharist is the central sacrament of our faith. We gather together every week to celebrate it. At Mass we have a chance for the most intimate moment with God on earth as He come to dwell in us in Holy Communion. It is not just symbolic. It is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ. When we treat it like just eating bread and wine, we sin against Him, as Paul talked about in 1 Corinthians.

Have you heard the phrase, “you are what you eat”? At Mass, we have a chance to become more like Jesus through the Eucharist. We can also worship the Eucharist outside of Mass, whether He be exposed or in the tabernacle. Ask for God's mercy on all the times you "casually" received Him. And next time you are at Mass, reflect more deeply on the miracle before you.