Rules Without Relationship Leads to Rebellion | May 15

Click here to read the daily readings from the USCCB website.

Today we had an interesting situation in which the Gospel is the same today as it was yesterday haha. At first I was at a loss as to what to write about, but I think the first reading speaks really well into what I said yesterday. If you didn't get a chance to read yesterday's blog, find it here! For the "Too long; Didn't read" crowd, essentially I said that through Jesus Christ we have been incorporated into the mystical Body of Christ. Not only that, we have become sons and daughters of God. We share in His Divine Life. As the saying goes, "with great power comes great responsibility." Our baptism gives up the opportunity to enter into that Life, but we must choose it by an active decision accompanied by action.

Remember that God is a Father who loves us, but so often God can be perceived as demanding and a little bit of a kill-joy. That's how He seems to have been portrayed to the faithful in Antioch. The apostles sent them a letter acknowledging that:

"Since we have heard that some of our number
who went out without any mandate from us
have upset you with their teachings
and disturbed your peace of mind."

But they knew that these heavy demands weren't the truth. Rules without relationship leads to rebellion, and people can only be told what to do without feeling the love and care of their leaders before they reject them altogether, effectively throwing the baby out with the bathwater. The apostles added this at the end of the letter:

"It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us
not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities,
namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols,
from blood, from meats of strangled animals,
and from unlawful marriage.
If you keep free of these,
you will be doing what is right. Farewell.“

And the faithful's reaction to the letter:

Upon [the apostles'] arrival in Antioch
they called the assembly together and delivered the letter.
When the people read it, they were delighted with the exhortation.

The people rejoiced to be free of many of the heavy burdens that had been placed on them by their teachers. Please note, though, that this is not the beginnings of "Cafeteria Catholicism." They didn't pick and choose which rules and beliefs they felt like embracing and rejecting the ones they didn't agree with. What the apostles did was sort out those things that weren't true and clarified that they didn't need to carry the heavy Pharisaic burdens that misguided people had placed on them. They rejoiced because they realized that God really was a loving Father who wanted to protect and cherish them. 

What are the heavy burdens and lies you feel like you're holding on to about our faith and about God our Father? Are you unsure if something you believe or do is correct or fair? Please reach out! Our culture feeds us many lies about the spiritual reality. The truth is that not all faiths are created equal. The best thing for us is not whatever feels right. There is objective truth and there is objective right and wrong. The world will tell you to believe your truth and let your neighbor believe theirs, but if Jesus Christ came, suffered, and died for the sins of the world, then we must accept Him and share this saving story with our neighbor! I'd love to walk with you in that journey.

Please, please, please share your story with me! What has been your experience with God to this point in your life? What are the things you struggle with? What are the things that you LOVE about your faith? How do you pray and how do you want to grow? Email me at a.nobis@dbqarch.org. 

 

-Amanda Nobis, Director of Evangelization