Contributing Clergy: Bishop Kevin W. Vann, Father Glenn Baaten & Deacon Jim Merle
Nicodemus, a Pharisee, leader and teacher among the Jews, is confused by an itinerant preacher from the province of Gallilee named Jesus. Instead of confirming the covenant God made with Moses some 1,513 years prior as the only way to have salvation, Jesus talks about a new covenant in which He will suffer, die and rise from the dead to provide the chosen people with everlasting life.
Every writer, worth his or her salt, comes to the conclusion that other writers are better at explaining certain aspects of life. I was reminded of that 23 years ago during Lent when I was reading my morning prayers from Volume II of the Liturgy of the Hours.
“All have
sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.” Rom.
3:23
I, an ordained deacon in the Roman Catholic Church, am a sinner. I write this not as a boast, but out of humility for regrettable personal decisions I have made in denying God’s love. In essence, I have at times placed myself first and God second because of my need or want for instant gratification.
It is interesting to me that those who say they believe in answered prayer, also complain how difficult it is to pray at times. They seem to be caught up in making sure their phrasing is so correct that whatever they are praying for or about will convince God that not only is it important but that He will not be confused by what is being said. Below is a Scripture passage from St. Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians from the New Testament of the New American Bible which I believe answers their trepidation.
For those of us who frequent the Sacrament of Reconciliation, it is how we begin to ask God for forgiveness for those times we have offended Him in sin through our thoughts, words and/or deeds or by omission. It is our hope through our sincerity in going to Confession that God, through the priest, will give us absolution if we are truly repentant.
‘Trust me, I’ve got your back.’ How many times have you heard someone in good faith tell you that? A dozen, two dozen, more? How many times have you agreed to do just that? And, how many times did the promise of protecting you work? How many times did it not work?
“I
am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through
me.” John
14:6
In seeking a relationship of love with God through wisdom and faith, we begin to look for the truth of what all this means to us now and for the future. As we search, we are provided with numerous paths that take us in multiple directions; many away from God and His ways. Often, this will confuse us because what we are learning is that there are many truths that can provide us with positive outcomes with or without God. It is then that we need to focus on the path which directly connects us with God, avoiding any and all distractions which can lead us toward a life of purpose and meaning.
“Faith
is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews
11:1
Of all the topics indexed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Faith has the most references to provide the clearest picture of all aspects of our theology. For purposes of this blog, I will refer to Paragraphs 26 (Profession of Faith) and 150 (Belief in God).
For those who want a relationship of love with God, it requires wisdom to understand what is required to follow His ways. The Book of Proverbs, in its introduction tells us it is a book of an anthology of didactic poetry, and has as its primary purpose to teach wisdom. The book covers a wide field of human and divine activity, ranging from matters purely secular to most lofty moral and religious truths beginning with “fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Proverbs 1:7.
Belief in a Supreme Being such as God is based on one’s acceptance that such an entity has one’s best interest in mind. This God, therefore, would have the ability to provide one with a life of peace and joy on earth and eternal happiness after death if he or she follows His ways provided in a plan with parameters for that purpose.