Crazy Catholic Question #26: Bait & Switch

My kid keeps asking about why Jesus died on the cross.  I’m having difficulty explaining it.  What would you suggest? 

I’m a big Salvation Army shopper and on one trip I discovered one of those big aqua blue “Bible Story” books they used to have in doctor’s offices.  Some of my fellow “Gen-Xers” may remember them.  They had very colorful and intricate illustrations.  And so, for nostalgia, I bought one for my daughter Lauren who was about 4-years-old at the time. 

On the way home she was sitting happily in her car seat flipping through the pages and then all of a sudden I heard her take in a gasp of air and she said “Ooooh mama, this book is not for kids!”

And I immediately had a series of panicky flashes of all the terrible things that could be stuck in the pages of that book from the Salvation Army.  God knows who donated it!  So I pulled over and asked her to show me what she was looking at and she held up the book and pointed to a graphic illustration of the crucifixion.  I had handed a book to my toddler featuring pictures of a violent murder.   

Sometimes I think the striking image of the cross that made my 4-year-old gasp no longer hits us with its full force.  We have become desensitized and dulled to the violence of it all.  The crucifix has been tamed to the point of being a flimsy fashion statement.   Think about it.  Isn’t it rather startling and unnerving that the primary symbol of our faith is an instrument of torture?  Not unlike a modern day religion choosing the symbol of the electric chair or the gas chamber.   

So, how DO we explain Jesus’ suffering to our young children?   I’m not sure I have a full answer to this poignant question, but I can share a bit of what I tried with my older daughters (now ages 12 & 9) when they were younger and continue to try and do with my five-year-old.

My first attempt was always a blatant “Bait and Switch.”  Truth be told, Christianity with its deep and complex soteriology (which many theologically astute adults still struggle to grasp), is a solidly adult endeavor.   My daughter was right, in some ways Christianity is “not for kids.”   So, when they were very young, my first response to my children’s questions about the cross was to attempt to move their thoughts and questions to rather ponder and wonder about what Jesus meant when he described himself as the “Good Shepherd” or “The Light of the World.” 

In particular, the image of the Good Shepherd seemed especially satisfying to my kids.  This image that Jesus himself used to describe his mission and work is a rich and meaningful parable that in no way waters down of the truth at the very heart of who Jesus was and continues to be for us.  But it does avoid, for the moment at least, telling our littlest ones the sad turn that the story takes…about what happened to our true good and faithful shepherd on Calvary because he was courageous enough to love us, even to death. 

Not so slyly directing my kids to this parable was an unapologetic attempt to buy myself some time and some maturing in them before having to explain the significance of the Jesus’ brutal death.   Suffering finds all of us eventually and the cross helps us know we are not alone, but there is no harm in delaying or hurry to introduce some of the more complex aspects our faith to our kiddos. (Check out the “Mini-Lenten-Retreats” on the Good Shepherd parable we are offering for Families with elementary-age children!).

Crazy Catholic Question #25: Trusting God

I have a hard time trusting God.  How can I draw nearer to God? 

The way we conceive of our God; as hostile or loving, “on our team” or “the giant task master in the sky”, judge or defender, etc. effects our whole life. In a substantial way, our image of God will determine our sense of purpose, our capacity for joy and happiness, and our ability to love and connect with others. 

In the terrific little book called Good Goats, the authors (Linns) state that in a very real and concrete way, we become the God we adore. “If we adore a warrior God, we become war-like.  If we know a stern, judgmental God, we become judgmental.  If our God is petty and over-scrupulous, so we too become petty and over-scrupulous.”  It reminds me of that old joke “God made us in His own image and likeness and we have been trying to repay the favor ever since!”   We definitely tend to project our “smallness” onto God, no?

Fr. John Powell in his old gem of a book The Christian Vision tells the story of a man who comes home drunk one night only to observe a thirty-five foot snake on his lawn.  He becomes so afraid that he gets a hoe from the garage and frantically chops it up.  The next morning he discovers, to his immense humiliation, that he has chopped his garden hose into pieces.  This story highlights how much of our behavior is based on our perception.  If you see a hose as a snake, then – to you – it is a snake. 

God is always offering us love and acceptance, like the sun offers light and heat (not because we have earned it but because God IS love…love is God’s essence), and we are either open or closed to this free gift based on our perception of God.  We are either basking in it or unwittingly hiding from this love, and our ability to love and accept others is largely dependent on our openness to receive love and acceptance from God. 

Some of us inherited a skewed image of God that we have lived with our whole life and possibly never questioned - or even felt qualified to question.  If you have been taught to see God has a judgmental, fickle, threatening presence - whether or not this is something based on truth or not - it IS the truth for you…and your behavior will reflect this perception.

Fr. Ron Rolheiser says “The God that Jesus reveals to us is a God of infinite abundance. Inside God there is no scarcity, no stinginess, no sparing of mercy… God’s love and mercy are limitlessness.”  Our job, as Paul Tillich puts it, is to muster the “courage to accept acceptance.”  And sometimes, given the image of God we inherited, this is no small bit of work on our part…a real leap of faith.

Certainly part of our deepening our trust in God can be to simply ask for it in prayer.   Henry Nouwen likens prayer as going from clenched fists to open hands.  Our clenched fists represent everything we are clinging to, or angry about, or scared of…our security in the things we can see, all our ideologies, the places where we need to grow in trust that God has our best interests in mind.

Prayer works to open our clenched fists, to let go of those things that are not of God, to open our hands to receive all that God wishes to give us.   Maybe that is our work this Lent - to invite God to gently pull back one finger at a time until we are able to come to God with open hands.

Crazy Catholic Questions #24: Only Catholics Allowed

Why do some priests at funeral and wedding Masses announce that only Catholics in ‘good standing’ can receive Communion?

Those of you who somehow managed to make it to church on Superbowl weekend with the pummeling of “snowmagedon” we received heard a gospel message very much inspired by this heartfelt question (thanks for the inspiration Elaine!).  If you missed it you can still listen to it (short, 10 minutes) for at least one more week on our website at http://www.ctredeemer.org/february-2-2015/

The jest of it is this….

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were obsessed with purity.  The scribe’s advice to maintain purity was to avoid anything unclean.  The scribes set and maintained boundaries.   John Shea says “Jesus boldly crosses this boundary of clean and unclean.  This boundary had become a division, and the division had lead to exclusion.  Jesus represents God’s loving outreach to those whom society, in the name of holiness, had pushed away and whom Jesus, in the name of holiness, draws in.”  Jesus is teaching us that the path of love sometimes requires that we cross boundaries.

The prohibition on meal sharing with the unclean was a particularly deep seated religious, social and cultural boundary and yet Diarmuid O'murchu says “For Jesus, there seems to be no doubt about the fact that the table always had to be open.  Nobody, for any reason, was to be excluded. All are brought in till the banquet hall is full.  Prostitutes, sinners, tax-collectors, the outcasts and marginalized of every type were welcome.  Not merely were they the beneficiaries of some new bold hospitality, but they were the ones who had the primary right to be at table with Jesus.  There is no moralizing or hints of getting all these wayward people to change their lifestyles.    And it’s not some kind of patronizing reassurance or comforting gesture, for those who are oppressed either.  Jesus’ countercultural and subversive agenda is to heal and empower the oppressed.  All of which justifies the observation made by some scripture scholars: that Jesus was crucified because of how he ate.”

At least 5 people in the past 6 months have shared with me how amazed and touched they were when Fr. Joe caught them after Mass and asked them why they were not receiving Eucharist and then after listening to their various reasons encouraged them to come to the table and eat.  I told Fr. Joe how remarkable I thought this practice was and he, of course, being the walking encyclopedia he is, had the name and verse of the encyclical that supports this pastoral practice right at his finger tips.  Here is it, Pope John Paul II’s encyclical entitled Ut Unum Sint reads:

“It is a source of joy to note that Catholic ministers are able, in certain particular cases, to administer the Sacraments of the Eucharist, Penance and Anointing of the Sick to Christians who are not in full communion with the Catholic Church but who greatly desire to receive these sacraments, freely request them and manifest the faith which the Catholic Church professes with regard to these sacraments.”  A source of joy indeed….

On pondering all this, a wonderful CTR woman brought me this brilliant piece written by Fr. Tom Lumpkin that expertly sums up our hopes for our communion here at CTR. 

“We extend a special welcome to those who are 

single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich, dirt poor, y no habla ingles. 

We extend a special welcome to those who are crying newborns, 

skinny as a rail, or could afford to lose a few pounds. 

We welcome you if you can sing like Andrea Bocelli or can’t carry a note in a bucket. 

You’re welcome here if you’re just browsing,” or just got out of jail. 

We don’t care if you are more Catholic than the Pope 

or haven’t been to church since little Joey’s baptism. 

We welcome soccer moms, NASCAR dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, 

latte-sippers, vegetarians, junk food eaters. 

We welcome those who are in recovery or are still addicted. 

We welcome you if you’re having problems, or you’re down in the dumps, 

or you don’t like ‘organized religion,” we’ve been there too. 

If you blew all your money at the dog track, you’re welcome here. 

We welcome those who are inked, pierced or both. 

We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down their throat as a kid, or got lost in traffic and wound up here by mistake. 

We welcome tourists, seekers, doubters, bleeding hearts, and YOU!”

Crazy Catholic Questions #23: What's up for Lent?

So it is February and Lent is fast approaching!   What do we have planned here at Christ the Redeemer? 

In a word: LOTS!   Ash Wednesday is Feb. 18^th  and we have many prayer opportunities planned at different times during the day: 8AM, 11AM, 1PM, 4PM & 7PM.  THEN each Thursday evening in Lent we have something different planned….

FIRST, on the Thursday immediately following Ash Weds at 7PM we begin with a unique theatrical presentation of the Gospel of Mark entitled “Afraid” from actor Frank Runyeon (see detailed ad on page ??).

NEXT, join us on Thursday, Feb. 26^th at 7PM as Fr. Joe breaks opens all the "secret" features of the fascinating and complex Gospel of Mark. A perfect Lenten evening, especially on the heels of Runyeon's performance…

THEN, for the following three Thursday evenings, March 5, 12, & 19 we are VERY blessed and grateful to have Fr. Vic Clore skillfully lead us through Pope Francis’ current signature work entitled The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium).   This apostolic exhortation is a thought provoking, challenging and insightful work that basically lays out Pope Francis’ vision for his papacy and the future of the Catholic Church.

Fr. Clore is truly a gifted, brilliant priest/presenter with a deeply pastoral touch.   He has been a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Detroit since 1966. He holds degrees in Systematic Theology (STL) and Psychology (PhD), with specialties in faith development and the integration of psychology and spirituality.  His formation in spiritual direction is rooted in the Jesuit Institute for Retreat and Spiritual Direction at Colombiere in Clarkston, MI, and in Jungian analysis.  Fr. Vic is currently pastor of Christ the King Parish in Detroit and is also on the staff of the Dominican Center for Religious Development where he directs retreats and is on the faculty of the Internship in Spiritual Direction Program.   We will no doubt be enlightened and edified by his presentations and presence! 

Interested to know more about where we, as Catholics, are headed?  Join our study and discussion with Fr. Vic – you won’t be disappointed!    We will begin with a soup supper at 6PM, Fr. Vic at 7PM.  Childcare provided!

Also, if you have the time & inclination, A FREE printable version of The Joy of the Gospel is available at:  http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium.html

AND a FREE and convenient audio podcast (great for your commute to work!) at :  http://www.fullycatholic.com/evangelii-gaudium-audio

Lastly, as I mentioned in the Gospel Reflection last weekend the brilliant theologian & poet Diarmuid O'Murchu is presenting at the parish I used to work at, St. John Fisher, right across from Oakland University March 26-29, more info at Retreat with O'Murchu Schedule

So, again, LOTS of opportunities to deepen our faith, understanding and draw nearer to God this holy season of Lent!  I look forward to ‘being church’ with you!   

Crazy Catholic Question #22: What's in a Name?

"Why did God/Jesus sometimes change a person's name in the Bible?"

Name changes in our scriptures often mark profound turning points in one’s journey of faith and establish a new identity.  Abraham (Abram), became "father of a multitude," Sarah (Sarai) became “mother of nations,”   Peter (Simon) became “the Rock” and of course the dramatic story of how Saul went from his great Hebrew kingly name to the self-effacing gentile name of Paul, which means “small” in Greek, to mark his becoming a humble servant of Christ to the gentiles.   We are told Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was very purposeful when choosing his Papal name of Francis…

Being called by our name also satisfies our shared deep human longing to belong.  Genuine “affection, tenderness, compassion and care rarely happen in the nameless, faceless abstract.  Our Christian tradition speaks not of a distant, aloof deity far removed from our daily existence but of a incarnate, living, loving, communal God—a mysterious God beyond all names, who chose to take a name, Jesus, and so enter into an intimate relationship with all of creation.” (Kramer, America Magazine)  We are comforted when Jesus identifies himself as the Good Shepherd who knows each of “his own” by name, and feel affirmed when God says “I have called you by name: you are mine” ( Is 43:1).  Being called by our name helps us feel like we belong, like we are more than just another cog in the wheel, just a number, but rather a unique and valued part of the whole.

Next weekend in Fr. Joe’s “State of the Parish” address he will introduce a new idea; requesting that each and every CTR member (including the kiddos) purchase permanent, reusable, magnetic nametags and wear them each time we come to CTR for Mass or any other event so that we may grow deeper in our relationships and common union with one another.  This practice of regularly using nametags was profoundly effective in fostering connectedness at my previous parish.  It was SUCH an IMMENSE relief to finally have everyone’s name at a glance - because it’s really awkward and embarrassing to not know someone’s name after sitting next to them at Mass for the past 15 years!  (I’m rather sure I’m not alone in this predicament).

Some expressed reservations that nametags will make for an “insider/outsider” feeling in our community.  This was a serious concern at my last parish too (that we researched and debated for an exceptionally long time), but virtually everyone agreed after 6 months of regularly using the nametags that the effect was quite the opposite.  Not only were we able to address one another by name but we were also better able to recognize and welcome any newcomers – so this new “nametag initiative” goes hand-in-hand with our new welcoming efforts!   Our parish staff & council both think it’s worth a try, and we sincerely hope you agree…

To order your CTR nametag ($6.50 each) go to: www.naagtag.com/christtheredeemer
When prompted, choose "Option 1" (which simply means it’s NOT a rush order) and if you order before March 31st the shipping cost will be waived!   Choose "Customer Pick-Up" as the method of shipping (even though it says Salt Lake Area only).  Paypal/Credit Cards accepted.  After April 1st there will be an extra $4.50 in shipping cost.  If you have any questions call Kirby Bayles at 1800-242-6224 or email sales@naagtag.com.   

Based on my experience and all the research we did at my last parish, I can say with a very high degree of confidence that if we all back this idea and get on board - after just a few short months of regular use - the results will be quite positive and noticeable!