Truth, Not Justification

Friends of Faith:

“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”” Mt 16:18-19

If you find yourself trying to justify your beliefs and you haven’t sought God’s design thru the Church teachings to reveal the truth then your truth may not really be the truth, because there is never a real truth from God that needs justification. And although we might be called upon to explain God’s truth, God’s truth will always stand. He will prevail.

Brothers and sisters: Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is fitting among holy ones, no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place, but instead, thanksgiving. Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. So do not be associated with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. Eph 4:32 – 5:8

Over the last 4 years in study with Stan for his formation in the churches diaconate program I have been challenged many times as to why my faith is real, as to why what I believe is true, and if I am going to trust what is being revealed to me. And the more I choose to pray, to read Scripture and Church documents, and to seek good quality Church approved education the more of His truth I have had revealed to me. And the more truth I have had revealed to me, the more I realize God still has yet more to reveal to me. I am not yet complete and I have much to learn.

And then, too, and more importantly, it also becomes my choice whether I believe; or whether I justify my beliefs by what is convenient for me or what I have always believed or what I have always been led to believe.

God gives us many gifts – life itself –the miracle of birth in creation (Genesis), constant and unfailing forgiveness (through his death on the cross), our daily bread (the Eucharist), and a promise of eternal happiness. Yet I am constantly put in a position to justify these truths by choices which require me to pick between eternal happiness and what secularly seem to be “good” cultural norms – freedom to choose, equality for everyone, tolerance and economic wealth.

St. Thomas Aquinas said, “He who is of God has everything which is best.”

I can justify my decision to pray for the elderly while failing to visit them; I can justify my desire to help someone in my expertise/career while failing to see the loneliness of a client who sits across from me; I can justify choosing to honestly pay taxes while failing to give money or shelter to the homeless person on the corner by saying the government will take care of them; and I can justify believing everything I am told by the government because it is “allowed,” or is lawful, while hearing the gospel tell me that power is not in principalities but in Christ.

Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them before our God day and night. They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; love for life did not deter them from death. Therefore, rejoice, you heavens, and you who dwell in them. But woe to you, earth and sea, for the Devil has come down to you in great fury, for he knows he has but a short time.” Rev 12: 7-12

Our way is not God’s way. No matter what happens, God will always prevail. That is his promise to us.

Our responsibility then is to act on the truth by seeking it, by listening to it and by defending it when it is revealed to us. And never to be afraid – of being tested, of our friends ridicule, or even of denying an unjust law.

I can think of hundreds of times when I have been tested or ridiculed for my beliefs. When I have been challenged that my belief is skewed, misinformed or of my own desire. And each one of these times it is my challenge to become further educated, to pray, to ask God if what I am defending is from Him or from the culture or even to educate and kindly share what God has revealed to me to 

others. (Like this video --https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=881aDDE5qFY

God has a unique way of revealing Himself to us – in today’s Scripture, in an encounter with a stranger, or in an answered or unanswered prayer. Our only true “choice” is the choice to believe or not to believe in His Truth.  Truth is revealed in Sacred Scripture and Scripture, “the word” became flesh in Jesus. (John 1:1-14)

When Pilot spoke to Jesus:  Pilot said to him; “What is truth?” (John 18: 38) It is interesting how Pilot was staring into the eyes of the author of truth Himself and Pilot still didn’t recognize its very existence.

Heavenly Father, Almighty God, All Powerful Creator. You are my strength and courage. You are the Truth. Help me never to deny Your gift of Life; Your gift of grace; Your unfailing gift forgiveness and mercy. Help me to be open to the truth that is revealed to me and to follow You without fear. Amen.

The only justification that is important is our faith In God – and the only one that we will be asked to justify this to is God himself on our judgment day.

God is testing us now. Will I pass the test? Or will I justify something less than the truth?

Blessings, 
Charlotte

Definition

Friends of Faith:

I like “definition,” to know right from wrong. I like black and white—not grey, to know that 2 plus 2 always equals 4.

And the laws of the Church have definition: good and evil, or sin and death, or discipline and life.

But faith in Christ is both, and, – it is both head and heart; both law and compassion; both the grace of faith and works because of the grace of faith. It is both Word and Tradition.

I am instructed to pray for my enemies, and to serve the person I love. I am justified in the good works I do BECAUSE I have faith (there is sacrifice in doing for others AHEAD of my own needs). And I am instructed to embrace BOTH the written Word AND the Tradition (example) that Christ intended for me to witness. Sometimes the rules are both black and white—AND the rules always make sense in the light of Christ’s ministry and life.

“And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Mt 17: 2-4

I am transformed by staying connected to the obedience of BOTH the Law of Moses AND having the Spirit of Elijah. My connection to prayer AND fasting; listening AND witnessing; believing AND acting on my belief is what transforms me.

To have one without the other will give us the grace of faith, but no one to share it with, no one to be connected with. There is no such thing as a community of one—only if I live to give others life can there BE life. I can be the example of Christ without being Christ, but I cannot be like Christ without doing something for Christ.

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble. Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called “the friend of God.” See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route? For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” Js 2: 14-26

I won’t truly be able to abide by the law, without being led by the Spirit. I am asked to be connected by grace AND justified by the thoughts, words and actions which reflect that grace.

It is the reason we have priests and the single life—so that they will reflect  for us the visible sign of Christ AND marriages—so that thru a marriage which is open to new life we will have a visible sign of a Christian community (the domestic church), a family. Both vocations serve the other AND both vocations give love to the other.

It is the reason we are connected and transfigured by BOTH His death AND His Resurrection.

“May the road rise up to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, And the rain fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand” ― Irish Blessing

Faith is connected—to BOTH AND: To Christ, to the path of His road, to the words in the silence of the winds, to the warmth of the “son” and to the healing in the tears of the rain.
Blessings,
Charlotte

Competing Well

Friends of Faith:

I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. 2 Tm 4: 7
I will start where I left off a week ago: “it must be okay, because everyone else is doing it.”

If I am obeying a law, because it is the law and everyone else is doing it, but not because it is right by God, then maybe the law is unjust. Maybe I am not competing as well as I should.

Or maybe I am looking at the wrong finish line—social status, the number of “friends” I have, wealth or even health...

Maybe the law is one I shouldn’t be obeying—maybe the law was made by man (myself, a friend or a politician) and not by God.

When I finish, will I be at the true finish line? Will I have kept true to the one God, the one faith?

The way to know whether the law is God’s or man’s is to pray, read scripture, and to ask for God’s will (to listen to and be aware of the Spirit of God within us), and then to seek the advice and guidance of the Church’s interpretation. How does the Church of God speak about the “law” in question?

For he is a God who always repays and will give back to you sevenfold.  But offer no bribes; these he does not accept! Do not trust in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion. For he is a God of justice, who shows no partiality.  He shows no partiality to the weak but hears the grievance of the oppressed. ....  Those who serve God to please him are accepted; their petition reaches the clouds. Sir 35: 13-16, 20

To compete well—but not to bribe or be part of the pity party:  don’t do just what is required (a job for pay), or serve on a committee because it is a part of the job (obligation), or obey just because the law/commandments say we should or shouldn’t (to avoid punishment).  Compete Well—Serve  instead because it is right to visit a shut-in you don’t know (someone besides your grandma)....the thankful smile and warm hug are a well won competition.

To finish the race—to be rewarded not because we did the right thing, but because we did the right thing  for the right reason. It is not about the “how” we did it, but the “why” we did it.

To keep the faith—to know Him, to love Him and to serve Him—because it is the right way, not because it is the way we will get what we want. To pray for God’s will and then to trust that God knows what is best for us—even if it means we will have to be patient,  do without, suffer, or give up what we have “earned.”

After all, everything we have is a blessing from him—nothing is really ours, he is not showing us partiality because we have “done” nothing extraordinary.

In yesterday’s gospel:  “Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.  "Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.  The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, 'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity -- greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.' I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Lk 18: 9-14

Is the competition to win justification here on earth (health or wealth or friendships), or is it to win justification in heaven?

Am I the Pharisee who thinks he is impressing God by doing better than everyone else? Or am I the tax collector willing to admit my wrongs, praying with my heart and soul to know God’s will, doing what he asks of me, and asking for God’s mercy and compassion when I fail?

Heavenly Father: You have promised to rescue me from every evil threat and to bring me safely to your heavenly kingdom. (2 Tm 4: 18) Help me to open my heart and listen to the Spirit within so that I may not “just” finish, but that I may compete wisely and keep the faith always. To Him be the glory, forever and ever, Amen.

I want my finish to be by thanking God for the blessings He pours out on me; offering Him any suffering with acceptance and true sacrifice; holding true to HIS truth even when it is unpopular with conventional wisdom; and unselfishly giving to the beggar, the “least,” the lonely and the broken hearted my earthly riches (time and talents).

Compete well, Finish strong, and Keep the faith,
Charlotte