Tag Archives: grace

Christmas Day 5: Walk the walk

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TODAY’S READINGS

The first reading is from 1 Jn 2:3-11. A challenge and a promise.

The way we may be sure that we know Jesus
is to keep his commandments.
Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments
is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps his word,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:
whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked. (v. 3-6)

“For St John, knowing God is not merely an intellectual exercise nor does he mean that the immensity of God can be grasped by man’s limited understanding. It refers to something much simpler and more important: knowing God means being united to him by faith and love — by grace…

“‘Keeping his commandments’ (vv. 3 and 4), ‘Keeping his word’ (v., 5), ‘walking in the same way in which he walked’ (v. 6): keeping the commandments is absolutely necessary, because there is no room for faith without works (cf. 1 Jn 3:17-18; Jas 2:14ff; Gal 5:6). Similarly, one must keep the work of God, that is , accept all revelation docilely (and idea found very often in John : c.f., e.g., Jn 5:38; 8:31, 51; 1 Jn 2;14). But, above all, Christians must identify their life with Christ’s….” (The Navarre Bible: Catholic Epistles, 168)

Christianity does not espouse an “easy believism”: “I’ve accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, so my ticket to heaven is stamped.” No, Jesus in the Gospels makes it clear, over and over, that the demands are great and the path is narrow. Our faith is not for the weak of heart or the weak of spirit. The good news, straight from the Lord, in times of temptation:

My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Cor 12:9)

We can do nothing without grace. But grace through faith allows us to move mountains — if only we accept these gifts.

JESUS AND THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS

I just finished Dr. John Bergsma’s book. If the subject of the Dead Sea Scrolls is unfamiliar to you or seems uninteresting to you, this book will enlighten and interest you. The primary importance of these documents for Christians is how they enlighten our understanding of the sacraments and the early Church, being written approximately contemporaneous to the New Testament. Bergsma makes it interesting and accessible to the engaged reader — q worthy effort that I can highly recommend without reservation.

ST. THOMAS BECKET

Article: St. Thomas Becket

Pray for us!

God bless.

Advent Day 4: We can get satisfaction!

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TODAY’S READINGS

The Gospel reading is from Mt 15:29-37. It ends this way:

They all ate and were satisfied.
They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets full. (v. 37)

“It is interesting to note that in both miracles of multiplication of loaves and fish Jesus provides food in abundance but does not allow anything to go to waste. All Jesus’ miracles, in addition to being concrete historical events, are also symbols of supernatural realities. Here abundance of material food also signifies abundance of divine gifts on the level of grace and glory: it refers to spiritual resources and eternal rewards; God gives people more graces than are strictly necessary. This is borne out by Christian experience throughout history. St Paul tells us that ‘where sin increased, grace abounded all the more’ (Rom 5:20); he speaks of ‘the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us’ (Eph 1:8) and tells his disciple Timothy that ‘the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus’ (1 Tim 1:14).” (The Navarre Bible: St Matthew, 148)

It should be difficult for Catholics to not think about the Eucharist with the miracle of the loaves. The insight above reinforces this connection. The ‘supersubstantial‘ bread of the Eucharist presents to us the supernatural gift of grace in superabundance — if we are open and disposed to receive it and digest it.

God bless.