The Sacraments
Posted by: tony on 04/28/2007 09:11 PM
Updated by: tony on 04/29/2007 06:05 PM
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Expires: 05/29/2007 12:00 AM
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Like Catholic Mom, sometimes I read something that just opens my floodgates. Father Jim Tucker wrote the most recent article that has accomplished this.
This is not about whether or not someone is worthy. None of us is worthy of grace. That's the whole point of grace: Christ gives it freely before we can deserve it, and we are free to take it or leave it. What this is about is discipleship. To ask for the Church's Sacraments is a way of saying, "I want to follow Jesus. I want to receive His grace, through this particular Sacrament He has given to His Church. I accept Him and His law upon me. And I am determined to seek to follow His Word." How can I do that, if I don't know His Word? How can I do that, if I don't know His law? How can I do that, if I don't know Him? Or, knowing Him, if I don't particularly care to follow Him? By virtue of the Sacrament given, we know that grace is poured out by God, independent of the minister's worthiness (ex opere operato, as the theologians say). But the negative disposition of the recipient can prevent the grace from having an effect, and if that is done with malice or willful negligence, it entails the sin of sacrilege.
Since my reversion, I have noticed this a lot more. There once was a time when I walked up the aisle at Mass on Sunday to take the host in my hand like everyone else, not acknowledging that this was the real and living presence of my Lord and Savior. I try never to judge the state of someone else's soul, but the way some people approach their Lord leads me to believe that they just don't get it.
The lack of catechesis in the Catholic Church caused my wandering in this sort of spiritual desert until the devotion of a certain new pastor brought it all home to me very swiftly and powerfully. Unlike St. Paul who was struck blind on the road to Damascus, I was struck sighted.
When I was confirmed, I was 12 years old, and the only thing I really remember about it was the gold watch I received from my confirmation sponsor (I still have that watch, by the way). Now I see confirmation classes spend their time on "service projects". They spend all their time cleaning up highways, and bring gifts to the orphanage, and singing Christmas carols to the elderly in the local nursing home.
These are worthy pursuits, but I tend to believe that like the Kumbaya Catholicism of the "spirit" of Vatican II, these people are being taught that you get closer to Christ, by getting closer to each other, instead of desiring to help other people because of your relationship with the risen Christ.
How do we follow Christ if we don't know Christ? I believe that is why we have such ambiguity with regards to the sins of abortion, sexual unchastity, artificial birth control, etc. People have not heard the voice of their Lord, who they are endeavoring to love tell them the truth.
Our pastors are in persona Christi. They are required to teach their flocks these things. But many priests shy away from teaching these truths because they are afraid of alienating parishioners. Maybe they will. When our new pastor gave the infamous "abortion homily", he says that he lost 3 families who left our parish (probably for a shepherd who lets them wander where they may).
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