Always be Ready to Explain Your Faith

“Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.  Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame.  For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.”

This week’s 2^nd reading from St. Peter’s first letter is an exhortation to us to explain our faith when called to do so and to do it with grace, gentleness, and reverence.  We live in a world that is constantly challenging us to explain our beliefs, especially those the world deems outdated. 

As believers we are challenged on many fronts, ranging from simple belief in God, practicing and following a religion, holding to certain beliefs on the dignity and sanctity of life, marriage, helping the poor and down trodden, to public practice of our religion.  We cannot cover all of those here in the next 5 minutes so maybe looking at just one of those challenges will suffice.

Why don’t we start with the first one, the simple belief in God.  Most people do believe in some type of God, over 90% of the world’s population believes in some form of deity and or after life, be it heaven or some state of nirvana.  Yet, Atheists make a lot of noise, they make sure that they are heard, in some ways I do not blame them, everyone tries to defend their own position, that makes sense regardless if the position itself makes sense, at least they think it does.  It is our responsibility as believers to reasonably explain why we believe in God.  We do this as St. Peter said, “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear.”   

Atheists usually look for some type of scientific proof for belief in anything, they need to prove that something exists or through the means of scientific experimentation and deduction.  A problem already presents itself, since the Atheist makes a claim, “God does not exist.”  If he does make that claim we can respond and ask, “Please show me proof that God does not exist.”  His way out of this will be to say the burden of proof rests on the believer.  But, why, as children will often ask.  If I make a decision to believe in something am I not obligated to use my reason and all the means available to me to come to my conclusion or do I just accept things blindly?  No, the Atheist if he or she adheres to their position they are obligated to provide “proof” for it.

Another approach is to focus on love.  St. Augustine does not provide the same “proofs” as St. Thomas Aquinas.  St. Augustine’s approach is based more on relation, especially love and the idea of God whereas St. Thomas follows Aristotle’s proofs which are based on reason; the ability to use logic to prove that there is a God.

We can ask the Atheist, “What is the difference between a rock on the ground to that of your child or your spouse or your parent or sibling?”  The reason I ask this question is because it is obvious, a parent loves their child, spouses love each other, etc.  However, if no God exists, the rock and the child, or spouse, or parent wind up in the same place, a non-existence, eventually since we may have to wait longer for the rock to dwindle away.  Regardless the rock and the person have the same end, which is nothing.  The Atheist may respond and say, “My child is an extension of me and the rock is not.”  That is true, but it still does not explain love.  The Atheist will respond that love is an emotion which is a byproduct of evolution, I always thought that is such a cold response.  I would argue that love is much more than just an emotion but something present in the very core of our being.  Why do police, fire fighters, and first responders run into burning buildings, burning forests, raging rivers and floods to save another human being, especially if there is no God?  What drives people to do this, to risk their very lives for strangers?  They are no more valuable than a rock on the ground, if there is no God.  But there is, for “God is love.”  That love is imprinted in each and every human being.  It does not come from just simple evolution or by chance, but there is intention there, an intention of the will, i.e. to jump into a raging river to save a drowning child.  It is love that makes that happen.  What caused St. Francis of Assisi to give everything away and live like the poorest of the poor, or St. Paul to give up his own life, or for Mother Teresa to pick up a dying person out of the gutters?  It was love, and not just chance or evolution.

All of us know someone who does not believe in God and like the Apostles before us we are to engage people in dialogue and show them the reasons for our hope and that our hope is not unreasonable, but rather quite reasonable.  The proof for God is just one such example of how to share with others our faith, there are many ways in which we can share what we believe.  In the end we must never shy away from doing so, but when we do that we do so with, “gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear.”   

Trust in Jesus' Promise

Today’s Gospel is often used at funerals.  There are two reasons for that.  Jesus tells us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled” and “I will come back again and take you to myself.”  These are words of comfort for those of us who are left behind, but they are also more than just words to help us grieve, I would say they are actually words to help us not to fear death, either for ourselves or in any one else.

We know that Jesus has conquered the second death, the death that would have left us separated from God unless He underwent His passion and resurrection.  The first death, however still remains (except for a very select few, i.e. Enoch, Elijah, and possibly Mary).

As a person and as a priest I have witnessed many funerals, of people I did not know, others whom I knew somewhat, others who were very close to me.  The one common thread that runs through all of them is the pain of loss.  This pain is natural and it’s due to love.  Our hearts ache when a loved one passes on.  Jesus’ words, however, should help us even when in deep pain over the death of a loved one.  The simple question that arises, is Jesus’ promise a good one, or put in a different way, do I trust His promise? 

The promise to us is, “I have prepared many dwelling places for you.”  Jesus has prepared a place in heaven for us.  The promise is solidified when He says, “I will come back again and take you to myself so that where I am you also may be.”  I believe that Jesus’ promise is credible, for anyone who would spread out his arms on a cross for me, a sinner, is a person who is selfless and a person who loves unconditionally, always!

Yet, we still fear death, both of the ones we love and even our own death.  In some ways that is a natural fear, since God has given us both the will and instinct to live, less we give up to easily.  However, that fear and even the pain of loss should never overwhelm us, because as Scripture says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 Jn. 4:18)

You may think that is impossible, to have perfect love, it is impossible for man, but not for God to work that in us according to our cooperation in His grace.  The saints did not fear death, either of their loved ones or even their own.  St. Francis we are told welcomed death as a sister.  Many of the early Christian martyrs went into the coliseum with heads held high, the story of St. Ignatius of Antioch tells us he wrote in his letter, “do not hold me back from my crown, I will be food for the lions.”  In today’s reading we hear of our first deacons, St. Stephen in particular, who also gave up his life and echoed the words of our Lord, “Into your hands I commend my spirit” at his martyrdom.

I want to have faith like that, it is difficult at times because I too fear death, both of my loved ones and my own, part of me wants to live forever, then I realize as St. Augustine said, “death is our way out, our relief from this world which is filled with more pain than joy, who could bear it for an eternity.”  I also realize that the prize that awaits me is to see my Lord face to face, the Lord whom I have been serving to the best of my ability and also to be reunited with those who have gone before me.  All I need to do really is to trust the promise fully, to trust with an open heart that Jesus’ words are true and they are meant for me, “Do not let your hearts be troubled, have faith in God, have faith in me.  I have prepared many dwelling places for you and I will come back again and take you to myself so that where I am you also may be.”  Amen!

The Gift of two Mothers

If you permit me I need to stray off topic a little or actually a lot today from our readings.  As you know today is a secular holiday in our country, we celebrate all of those who are mothers, be they mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers, some even great-great or even if a woman who has been like a mother to a young person.  It is a day that means so much to us.  There is a very special connection we have with our moms.  Obviously we love our dads as well, no question but mama has that special place in our hearts.

When I think of mothers I usually think of two women.   I think of my own mother as I am sure you do as well.  There were two thoughts from today’s readings that reminded me of my own mother’s goodness; the first is when St. Peter spoke about patient suffering and when Jesus spoke about hearing his voice.

It is not just my mother I am sure, but all mothers who have suffered patiently.  I do not mean persecution or someone doing them harm.  Rather I mean the everyday grind and patience of a mother.  There are so many days when mothers sacrifice their own time, pleasure, and happiness for their children.  When I was young I did not understand this or even recognize it so much until the Lord finally starting breaking through this thick skull and I could begin to see and understand the sacrifices my mom made for me and my brothers.  She even bore our pains in her own body if I could borrow a phrase from St. Peter’s first letter.

When Jesus speaks about knowing his voice, think of how true this is also for mothers.  Since the time we are infants we have cried out “mommy,” “ma,” or “mama” when we were in need.  No matter what fear came upon us as soon as we heard her voice a sense of peace and calm would come over of us, knowing everything would be ok.  But it is not just when we were infants, this knowing our mother’s voice we recognize even as adults, it is a connection and bond that never goes away.

I believe the same two notions of patient suffering and knowing her voice also applies to our Blessed Mother Mary.  Reflecting on her life we can see that she pondered many things in her heart even when God asked or warned her of difficult moments ahead.  Think of the anxiety and or fear that she may have gone through when they couldn’t find a place for Jesus to be born.  Think of when the three kings arrive bearing gifts and one of those gifts representing burial, already pointing to the cross.  Think of when they bring Jesus to be presented in the Temple and Simeon says to Mary, “and a sword shall pierce your heart.”  Think of when they lost him for three days and find him in the Temple and he points to doing his Father’s will.  Finally think of the Cross as Mary walked every step with her son and watched the entire crucifixion, finally holding him in her arms.  These are great moments for our reflection on such a beautiful mother.

When it comes to knowing her voice we recognize her voice just as we recognize the voice of our own mothers and I dare to say even more so, because she is a mother to us in the order of grace, as Vatican II would say.  From the Cross she is given to us, “Son, behold your mother, mother, behold your son.”  As Catholics it is instinctual to us to call on Mary.  Think of how when we are in trouble the first words we say are, “Hail Mary full of Grace.”  They come naturally to us.  As Catholics we understand the familial relationships we have with all the saints, especially with that of the Blessed Virgin.

I leave you with this, remember your own mothers today, the one God gave you to raise you, but also remember the one who protects from above with her prayers and her guidance.  We know their voices, we know their patient suffering, so we simply say to them thank you and we love you.  Amen. FJ