This is the first week of Lent - starting on Wednesday. Some of the traditions seem to be difficult for my non-Catholic friends to understand. There is a dichotomy of thought - which actually I have never seen as either side being mutually exclusive. One side believes in salvation by profession and the other supposedly salvation by works. Before I talk about this I am reminded of the parable of the fig tree - being a farmer myself. A tree is known by the fruit it bears. If a person has God as their King, their Savior, their Lord, the life and fruits of their life should reflect that. To suggest otherwise would mean it is reasonable to expect to see apples beneath my pecan tree next fall.
When I claim to be a Christian, a Catholic Christian, my claim is to being broken and sinful and in dire need of some direction. I believe that I have been saved as my protestant compatriots define it. I saw the Passion, I saw the price that was paid. And in conjunction with my mouth saying I am a Christian, so should my works say that. Do I give to the poor, do I serve others, do I comfort the hurting, do I try to love even people who have hurt me? yep - though not always as well as I would like - part of that being broken and human thing.
Last year I went on opening day to see Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ in the theater. All I could say afterwards was wow. It is a powerful reminder that it was not accidental - that Christ didn't get "caught off guard" - that he looked Satan in the face and said - you dare me to pay this price? - just watch me. The scene in the garden of Gethsemene makes even the "Governator" look weak.
This week I will go once again on Ash Wednesday to remind myself that I am dust - filled with the breath of God - and someday I will again be dust - better not waste any time. I will choose something in my life to work on - this year it will be my finances, making sure I am paying things down and becoming debt free. This week I will again watch The Passion of the Christ - to remind me of the cost of my freedom. This week I will abstain from meat on Friday - as several generations of us have done - out of respect and because it is a very minimal thing to do, minimal inconvenience to show respect for the price that was paid.
1 comment:
I was brought up as an evangelical protestant. Because of certain teachings that were disageed with, I was almost taught the the pope might be the anitchrist. Evangelicals tend to beleive that you have walk down the sawdust trail, that you have to have a specific moment that you can point to as being born again.
People such as you and others whom I have met obviously point to the silliness of such convicitions. Faith is faith no matter how it comes about. It cannot be reduced to a formula. Forgive your protestant friends. They simply don't relate to the way that you have arrived at your faith.
This is spoken by someone who no longer has any faith but who understands the issues very well.
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