three good articles
This week I read three really inspiring articles that I thought I would share. They are worth printing out and reading/reflecting on prayerfully. I was really impacted by all three, but especially by the second one by Chaput. I believe all three are definitely part of what the “Spirit is saying to the churches.”
Cardinal Offers New Style for Priest-Lay TeamworkWhat struck you in the reading of these articles? How do they encourage or challenge you to live out your Christian faith?
Laity Council President Indicates Dangers for Both Sides
Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko
Archbishop Chaput to Congress on Priests and Laity
"The Prince of This World and the Evangelization of Culture"
Archbishop Charles Chaput
On Francis of Assisi
"The Secret of True Happiness: To Become Saints"
Pope Benedict XVI
Labels: charismatic renewal, devil, evangelization, movements, Pope Benedict, spiritual warfare
posted by Pete Ascosi @ 10:29 AM
2 Comments
2 Comments:
personally, the first article by Cardinal Ryklo is a real encouragement - as ChristLife and Lamb of God community and other "movements" that friends of mine are a part of - are really seen from the Church as providential for the life of the Church and for a fresh impetus to missionary work.
At the same time it is an exhortation to not be separate from the wider Church - but to work together and collaborate for the upbuilding of the body of Christ.
Skipping to the third article by Pope Benedict- I see the same theme come out as he talks about St. Francis-
"In the life of the saints there is no opposition between a prophetic charism and the charism of government and, if some tension is created, they must wait patiently for the times of the Holy Spirit."
Further I love the line:
"Truly, dear friends, the saints are the best interpreters of the Bible; they, incarnating in their lives the Word of God, render it more than attractive..."
Amen to that.
Chaput's article. Whew! When I finished reading this article I got on my knees and prayed. Yeah, it really was intelligent and challenging in a refreshing, true-to-the-Gospel sort of way.
There is a really awesome section on the "knowledge economy" and how we don't rightly perceive reality because of the massive input of data into our lives. Also the wisdom on how to use and not use technology is very much applicable to me.
In fact one of the daily ways Jesus has been teaching me to follow him - has to do with stewarding my time and resources and not wasting time on my computer or emails. Pope Benedict this past week gave a really awesome and insightful message for World Communications Day. Read here http://www.zenit.org/article-28139?l=english
Also, Chaput's discussion of Satan really jumped out at me. It is definitely not vogue to talk about the devil in or out of the Church these days - and he hit the nail on the head. Here are some excerpts:
"many religious leaders are embarassed to talk about the devil"
"Satan was very real for Jesus. He was very real for Paul and the other great saints of history."
"If we do not believe in the devil, sooner or later we will not believe in God."
Finally, all of this talk about the devil concludes to encourage the Church to embrace the mission to go and make disciples. To re-embrace our prophetic calling.
The final section has a great line:
Nothing is more dead than faith without works; except maybe one thing: works without faith."
At the end these three articles really challenged me personally to embrace faith in Jesus and to "go" with Him to make disciples and to "set the captives free."
May we each respond with the grace he gives us. And may we be "faithful" in and out of season in pursuing Him, waiting for Him, and inviting others to meet Him.
The point that he made of
"laity must avoid hostility toward the institution of the Church, being "contaminated by the worldly logic of the struggle for power."
I find myself looking to be with those who are close to Jesus instead of fighting the power structure within our church. I think many people feel comfortable with keeping Jesus in a box. The pews are filled with people wanting to appear as "good Catholics" by thier attendance. It is these people that need our witness,love and prayers the most.
Where the Lord does not seem real present we need to shine that much brighter for him. Often the Priest demand that we come close to the Lord without offering the tools to get there. We at Christ Life have the tools and we must act as wise as the snake and as peaceful as the dove to bring about the kingdom.
Working within the Church structure has the power of the spirit. It is a good trick of Satan to make us want to have hostility toward the institution that gives us the power.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home