A Faith Of Gold Not Leaden Ideology

[ 5 minute read time ]

1. Consistency

Does someone sitting in the pew require consistent doctrine? He does if he’s to truly understand his need for salvation. In other words - duh, yeah, he does!

Philippians 2:12 | Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

To learn any subject, be it math or a language or music or what-have-you, a student (a disciple!), if he is to rise and enact his potential, is well assisted when provided a precise vocabulary, consistent delivery of true content, and the encouragement and opportunities to apply the content of a lesson.

• Romans 12:12: Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
• Without commitment, you never begin. Without consistency, you never finish.
• James 5:12: But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath, but let your yes be yes and your no be no, that you may not fall under condemnation.

The Gospel message must be delivered in a clear and coherent way. How many seminary programs actually offer courses on advanced communication? Of course, homiletics courses are usually part of the curriculum. There are some programs that include seminars in social media. And what of diplomacy?

2. Constancy

Repetition of concepts with nuanced variation to help with application of information fosters understanding and formation. A compass that never stops spinning is useless. Accurate navigation depends on a steady north and a clear view of the stars. In the present era, an unreliable GPS signal or other digital service can severely hinder the journey to the destination.

• Hebrews 13:8 | Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
• 1 Corinthians 15:58 | Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
• Constancy in virtue binds people together in lifegiving relationships.

Picture a relationship grounded in consistency, with genuine care for another’s happiness and well-being. Now contrast that with one ruled by controlling behavior that erodes a person’s dignity and peace. Conscious of the need or not, we all long for contentment, for peace. True contentment must rest on something real and good, or the mind can unravel and fall prey to harmful influences.

John 14:27 | Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Today, we see many in the Church embracing traditional expressions of the Faith in ways that allow them to experience continuity with the saints and deep spiritualities inspired by the Holy Ghost, while others remain stuck in clichéd practices that, in previous times, would have been suppressed because of the threat they posed to unity and the salvation of souls.

Why is there a large increase of people converting to the Catholic Faith, specifically the Latin or Roman Church? They are seeking and finding reality in Christ. The Latin Church, or a part of it, is mired in shabby liturgies and questionable takes on morality. In spite of wolves among the sheep and tragically undignified Eucharistic liturgies, technology is enabling seekers to locate the beautiful truth of Catholicism and those disciples committed to Jesus Christ and his Church.

3. Clarity

Without clear and precise communication, misunderstandings can take root and lead to chaos.

• Proverbs 3:5-6 | Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
• James 1:5 | If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
• Clarity of mind means clarity of passion, too; this is why a great and clear mind loves ardently and sees distinctly what it loves. Blaise Pascal

One of the most troubling aspects of life in the modern Western world is how often people’s words are taken out of context and twisted from their true meaning, often to push an agenda or stir up unnecessary controversy. Ironically, even essays, news reports, and books discussing the manipulation of intent and language end up being distorted themselves, whether to deflect criticism and neutralize a message, or to bolster an opposing viewpoint.

Public communication needs to be handled carefully to mitigate malicious attempts to twist or misuse Church teaching. It’s clear, from the numerous examples, how easily secular media and outspoken voices within the Church can take off-the-cuff papal interviews and spin them to serve their own agendas.

4. Communion

Where parishes are enamoured in entertainment or spectacle, to borrow a popular word these days, disciples are more spectators than worshippers despite a flurry of activity that pretends to be authentic participation in the Sacred Liturgy.

We have great need to recover the sense of mystery that remains alive in your (Eastern Rite Catholic) liturgies, liturgies that engage the human person in his or her entirety, that sing of the beauty of salvation, and evoke a sense of wonder at how God’s majesty embraces our human frailty... It is vital, then, that you preserve your traditions without attenuating them, for the sake perhaps of practicality or convenience, lest they be corrupted by the mentality of consumerism and utilitarianism. Pope Leo XIV

Pulchra liturgia sanctos facit. Spectaculum meras spectatores facit. A beautiful liturgy makes saints. A spectacle makes mere spectators.

Moreover, the Church should resist the temptation to believe that it can compete with modern mass media by turning the sacred Liturgy into spectacle. Here again, Church fathers such as Tertullian remind us today that visual spectacle is the domain of the saeculum, and that our proper mission is to introduce people to the nature of mystery as an antidote to spectacle. As a consequence, evangelization in the modern world must find the appropriate means for redirecting public attention away from spectacle and into mystery. ibid.

We’ve been reminded that spectacle doesn’t fit with the spirit of the Liturgy. The Sacred Liturgy embodies the grand story of God; it celebrates the mystery of salvation in Christ. The Church’s rituals come from Christ through his apostles, guided by the Holy Spirit to draw people into communion. The Sacred Liturgy is the one and same Institution of the Eucharist, the Sacrifice of Calvary, and the Resurrection of Jesus.

5. Charity

Love turns on the wheel of trust and truth. Love thrives on the foundation of trust and truth. Every genuine relationship is built upon truth, which is essential for trust to grow. Disciples require true doctrine, not illusory societal experiments designed to ensnare us in the pursuit of power and control over others.

2 Timothy 4:3 | For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings.

2 Thessalonians 2:15 | So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.

1 Corinthians 13: 1-2 | If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

1 John 4:7-12 | Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.