"Got Hermeneutic?"

As I left class today, I passed by an older gentleman and a young lady seated at a table full of multilingual Bibles and various brightly colored pamphlets.  They seemed pleasant enough, unlike the "judgement and damnation" types that usually loiter around college campuses, so I stopped to chat.  The couple, it turned out, were father and daughter.  They were Jehovah's Witnesses.

Our differences of theological opinion quite naturally came up.  Our chosen topics of discussion were standard fare for Catholics and fundamentalists.  We talked about the divine inspiration and canonicity of the Biblical books, the origin of Catholic feasts and seasons, the veneration of the Saints, and the veneration of images (icons, statues, etc.).  We even discussed the Eucharist at some length; the JW's hold the curious view that Jesus only intended it to be celebrated once a year, like the Passover.

However, two topics stood out among the others, the divinity of Christ, and the value of human wisdom, i.e. philosophy.

Anyone who knows anything about the Jehovah's Witnesses knows that they do not believe in the Incarnation, the doctrine that God became man in the person of Jesus Christ.  It is precisely belief in this doctrine (along with the attendant doctrine of the Trinity, that there are three Persons in one God) that distinguishes one as "Christian".  Thus, all Christians--Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant--as well as the JW's themselves, are in agreement in that the JW's are not, strictly speaking, "Christian".

And, on some level, the fact that the JW's are not Christian, that they do not believe in the divinity of Christ or in the Trinity, makes sense.  After all, in addition to the aforementioned doctrines, they also believe in an extreme form of "sola scriptura", the doctrine that "Scripture alone" is the source of Christian faith.  This idea, which originated with Martin Luther, has been held by all Protestants in some form or another since the Reformation in the sixteenth century.

For fundamentalists, this doctrine extends even to their method of Biblical interpretation.  If one's method is not itself derived from Scripture, then it is unworthy of consideration.  Thus, the Western (i.e. Greek) philosophical tradition, which has guided the Church in its interpretation of Scripture for centuries, is casually dismissed as "mere human wisdom".  Hence I say that it makes sense that the JW's do not believe in the divinity of Christ or in the Trinity.

After all, Scripture never explicitly says that Christ is divine.  Or, to parse it in philosophical terms, Scripture never says that the Father and the Son, while distinct persons, nonetheless share a divine nature.  Still less does Scripture say that the Spirit is a distinct person from both the Father and the Son, but an equal sharer in the divine nature.  As a Catholic, the ambiguity of Scripture on these essential points does not trouble me.  I rely on reason, on "mere human wisdom", to infer these things from the Biblical texts.

As I have said before, in other places, it seems very much that fundamentalists (and JW's certainly come under the "fundamentalist" umbrella) expend much effort convincing themselves that they do not have a "hermeneutic", a method of Biblical interpretation, beyond "open, read, understand".  If others have a hermeneutic that leads to conclusions different than their own, then they are exalting "mere human wisdom" above the Word itself!  Fundamentalists do not, perhaps cannot, realize that that this attitude is itself a hermeneutic, a method of interpretation.

How to argue with such absurdity?  In the end, you can't, at least not in a compelling way.  Fundamentalism occurs at the intersection of great passion and great ignorance.  And there is no arguing with ignorance.  As Scripture says, "Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself" (Prov 24).  And as Jesus says, "Do not throw your pearls before swine," they don't know what to do with them (Mat 7:6).  It may sound cliche, but all one can do is love them and pray for them.  So when I parted with my new JW friends I smiled, shook their hands, and took their literature with a promise to read it.

Meanwhile, I pray that the Spirit of Truth, who was breathed into Adam, giving him the ability to know and to understand--to philosophize!--may be breathed into them, and into us also, and guide us into all truth.

Check out this video featuring the very lucid and ever-insightful Jimmy Akin on the Church Fathers and Philosophy:

The Gospel According to U2

This past Sunday, which also happened to be the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, known colloquially by its Latin name Corpus Christi, I had the great privilege of seeing U2 live in concert.  The event was rescheduled from last year's original date, which was to bring the Irish rock legends to Spartan Stadium... before Bono threw out his back.  The co-occurrence of this concert and the liturgical fest is of no small import, as I will explain below.

But first, permit me to say that I believe U2 to be one of the most positive forces on the artistic scene today.  Anyone who is even slightly familiar with their music knows that it frequently speaks to spiritual, even explicitly Christian, themes.  Consider lyrics such as "You broke the bonds and you loosed the chains/ Carried the cross of my shame/ O my shame, you know I believe it"?  Or, "The real battle just begun/ To claim the victory Jesus won/ On Sunday, Bloody Sunday"? 

Lest anybody doubt the Christian commitments of the U2 front man, I recall an excerpt I read recently from his interview-style biop.  When asked about his own religious convictions, Bono responds with candor and no small amount of theological depth: 

I'd be in big trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge. I'd be in deep s---. It doesn't excuse my mistakes, but I'm holding out for Grace. I'm holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don't have to depend on my own religiosity.... The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world, so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death. That's the point. It should keep us humbled . It's not our own good works that get us through the gates of heaven. (From Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas)

Um... wow.  

So what does U2 have to do with the most Holy Eucharist (despite goofy Anglican attempts to integrate their music into worship)?  I would suggest that the lads not only preach a very Eucharistic message, in the form of their music, but live a very Eucharistic life.  


The great gift of the Eucharist is not only the opportunity for real, physical and spiritual communion with Jesus Christ, but also the grace that empowers us to be Eucharist for others.  Christ, in His humility and love, comes to us in the form of bread and wine, to be our spiritual food and drink.  As He did two thousand years ago on Calvary, when He gave up His own life that we might have life, so He continues to do today, wherever the Mass is celebrated.  In the Eucharist, Jesus says to us, "Freely you have received; freely give" (Matthew 10:8).


This message of Christ is also the message of U2.  Bono is one of the greatest philanthropists in the world.  Consider the ONE campaign to cancel Third World debt, and the RED campaign for AIDS relief in Africa, each founded through the magnanimity of Bono.  I would suggest that it is not coincidental that Bono, who is a committed Christian, is also so giving.  Charity is the heart of the Christian life, and Bono has learned that virtue in the school of the Eucharist.  

Come, Lord Jesus

Brothers and Sisters,

This Second Sunday of Advent marks my triumphant return to the blogosphere after more than a year's absence. Much has happened since I last posted. I had a brief sojourn in the seminary, our bishop has ordained four new priests, all good men and true, for the Diocese of Lansing, my best friends have gotten married (many blessings upon Brian and Katie), the mighty Spartans have won the Big Ten title, and I find myself preparing, at long last, to graduate. Spring has turned to summer, and summer to autumn, and autumn to winter... repeat.

And now Advent 2010 is well underway, as we prepare to welcome the Divine Child into our hearts this Christmas. I promise (no, really) to post much more often in the months ahead, but not before term papers and final exams are well out of the way. Until then, please enjoy this stirring rendition of "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence":



Granted, the images are somewhat trippy, and despite the lyrics the video looses the sense of the hymn's Eucharistic origins, but it is still moving.

For something with a bit more Greek flavor, here's the hymn in its original form:



Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!

A Gift for All People

It is lamentably common to hear Catholics admit to the undoubted authenticity of the charismatic renewal, but in the same breath attemt to disassociate themselves from it, saying something like, "It may be alright for them (i.e. the hyper-emotive or, worse, the especially holy), but it's just not my cup of tea." So that's it... You do your thing and I'll do mine, summarily dismissing the immense weight of support for the charismatic experience from Scripture, the Church Fathers, Vatican Council II and three modern Popes, not to mention the lived experience of thousands of charismatic Catholics throughout the world.

But let this be absolutely clear: the Catholic charismatic renewal is more than a spirituality; it is the gift of the Holy Spirit for all believers. But you need not take my word for it; Popes Paul VI, John Paul the Great and, most recently, Benedict XVI, have all lent their support for the renewal, even calling it "a chance for the Church." It is the firstfruit of the Council, and the answer to John XXIII's prayer that the Lord "renew [his] wonders in our day as by a new Pentecost."

The renewal is primarily an experience, an encounter with the living God, but it is also a mindset. A friend of mine has been frequenting a Baptist church on Sunday mornings and our Catholic church on Sunday evenings. Naturally, his Baptist friends have questions about his Catholic faith, which are more or less familiar: Do you believe that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist and, come to that, why is it so important anyway? Or, Why is Mary so important in the life of the Church?

The first question is easily answered with a few key scriptures, John 6 among them. Jesus makes it absolutely (and unapologetically) clear that He is "the bread of life," and that His body is "true food" and His blood "true drink" and that "unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you" (35, 53, 55). Period. Many of His hearers find this revelation so offensive that they leave him. And Jesus, who after all is wont to speak in metaphors (parables, to be exact), does not run after them saying, "Wait, come back... you misunderstood me!" He turns to His disciples and asks, "Do you also want to leave?" (67).

Of course, the next logical question is a "what if". What if a remote island tribe has belief in Christ, but no priest to celebrate the Eucharist? Will they be saved? Well, yes. There are precious few things that are neccessary for salvation, baptism and belief in Christ being the only two that come to mind, and even there we admit exceptions. But a far better question is, If the Lord offers us this extraordinary grace (i.e. the Eucharist), as we know He does, and if this grace is His real and substantial presence in the Eucharist, as we know it is, why would we not take it?

We may apply the same question to the issue of Mary. If God offers us this profound gift of His own mother, as we know He does, why would we not take it? God never ceases to bestow gifts upon us in abundance! And to say, "No thank you, Lord, I have enough, I need no more" is at best unwise, at worst simply blasphemous.

Thus so with the charisms. The Scriptures are abundantly clear on this too: "Strive eagerly for the spiritual gifts," says Paul, "especially that you may prophesy" (1 Corinthians 14:1). Paul takes personal prophecy as a given among the Corinthians, along with word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, discernment of spirits, miracles and even tongues (glossolalia), of which he says, "I would like all of you to speak in tongues" (1 Corinthians 14:5).

Docility, docility, docility! With Mary, Mother of charismatics, let us be docile to the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, that we may be able to say with her, "May it be done unto me according to your word" (Luke 1:35).



In His peace.

Chatter

I love World Youth Day. I mean, alot. Every third summer I sit at home, glued to my television or computer screen, lamenting the fact that I have neither the time nor the means (or, in my younger days, the parental consent) to be there, wherever "there" may be, with the Holy Father and the youth of the world. This summer is no different.

Again, the youth of the world gather around the Supreme Pontiff, around Cardinal Pell and the bishops of the Universal Church, to proclaim to cynic and skeptic alike that their hope is in Jesus Christ, who sends us His Spirit, giving us power to "be [His] witnesses... to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8, WYD08 theme). One could say that this is, implicitly, the theme of every World Youth Day, a theme that never fails to perplex secular commentators. As many an adolescent has complained of his or her parents (or teachers, or coaches, et cetra), "They just don't get it." In the case of the secular media, such a complaint is usually justified. What's worse, they don't get that they don't get it.

Such was the case with the Australian media commentators charged with covering the opening mass with Cardinal Pell. The mass was, as expected, spectacular. Not in the artificial, commercial sense of "showy". It was spectacular in the sense of awe that only the Catholic Church in all her glory, her unity-in-diversity, gathered in a single place, always inspires. Here in Sydney were gathered youth from every language and nation to worship the Lamb (Revelation 7:9). Now I can understand the tendency to speak of such occasions in political terms, as a sign of international cooperation, fraternity and peace.

In that respect, I do not blame these well-intentioned Aussies for not getting it. They are in good company. I would simply remind them and every other media commentator that these World Youth Days are more than political theatre, more than a jumping on the peace train, with Pope Benedict in the part of Cat Stevens. These youth are gathered with a common purpose, the worship of God, specifically in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is both the sign and sacrament of Christian unity (CCC 1396, 1398).

Just what don't these blissfully oblivious pundits get? They don't get that the incessant chatter they insist on imposing on the ancient ritual of the Mass... just doesn't matter. They don't get that, perhaps thousands of miles away, thousands of Catholics, young and old, are glued to their television or computer screens, lamenting the fact that they can't be there and shouting, "SHUT UP ALREADY!" They didn't get that their chatter is so profoundly different from the gift of the Spirit on Pentecost, the gift that empowered the Apostles to be the witnesses of Jesus to the ends of the earth.

In His peace.



Coming soon... "The Barque of Peter".

The Eucharist: Power and Presence

Add to World Youth Day another momentous event this summer, the forty-ninth Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City, Canada. The theme: "The Eucharist, gift of God for the life of the world". Though not as high-profile as World Youth Day, Eucharistic Congresses serve an important purpose, the renewal of Eucharistic devotion, a renewal desperately needed in our day.

The theme recalls (to my mind, anyway) the "Bread of Life" passage from John 6:

I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world (48-51).

This is just a small part of the discourse in which our Lord, in every way possible and often repeating ideas, enunciates the doctrine of His presence in the Eucharist. And the more I read this passage the more my belief in this Presence is confirmed; scholars even note that the Greek verb meaning "eats" (as in "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, etc.", which occurs later) is not the verb commonly used to describe human eating but animal eating, being alternatively translated as "munch" or "gnaw". So long before Dane Cook successfully marketed Christchex, our Lord invited us to "munch" on Him!

Now since Vatican Council II, much of our discussion of the Eucharist has emphasized the missionary dimension of this sacrament; we are sent forth (Latin "missa", from which we derive the term "mass") to be Christ for others (CCC 1332). In a society that generally lacks the vocabulary to engage in serious theological discussion, our conversation about these issues often devolves into questions of "emphasis" (e.g. "We must not emphasize sacrifice over meal" or "adoration over communion", etc.). Such familiar expressions are unhelpful, and long past their expiration date. The presence and power of the Sacrament, which is the subject of this post, are inseparable. We can only be Christ for others because we have received Him (Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity) in the Sacrament; in the Eucharist we are conformed to Christ, thus receiving the grace necessary for Christian witness.

And that is an awesome gift.

As with World Youth Day, EWTN will provide full coverage of this event.

Here is another excellent video, which captures a Eucharistic procession for vocations in NYC. Listen well to the words of John Paul the Great.



In His peace.