Sin is not the most fun thing to talk about. We are human beings, and thinking about our own flaws and mistakes is never pleasant. It’s easy to listen to lies about ourselves that others have put in our head – “not smart enough”, “not attractive enough”, “not good enough”… but it is hard to look past those and really delve into our own mess and own up to it. The culture today promotes an attitude of “If I’m not hurting anybody, it’s fine to do it”, and tells us that we should have no shame in the things we do. “Just be yourself!” But we as Christians know that truly being ourselves means more than doing whatever we want. We know that it means for us to be exactly who God created us to be – a faithful child to Him. There is a mis-conception about Catholics - that we foster a culture of shame and guilt. Our Lord does not want us to live in shame, but He asks us to bring the things that create our feelings of inadequacy and lay them at the foot of His cross. Only when we truly do this can we find true freedom. Letting go of our shame though the sacrament of Reconciliation brings a deep sense of peace and freedom. You might not leave the confessional jumping for joy, but your heart will change over time. What a beautiful blessing that He has given to us! All around your school, you see people who wear sin as a badge of pride – people who brag about cheating on assignments or impurity or breaking the law like they got away with something great. In our hearts we know that it’s wrong, and yet we brush God aside and go with the status quo. This thing continues into adulthood, and is rampant in the workplace as well. We have to stand up for our beliefs and react appropriately when people do this – lovingly, but with the knowledge that what they are doing is sin. It’s a very challenging thing to do! But God desires only the best for us; He does not want us to live in shame for the things we have done. He calls us gently towards His loving embrace in the sacraments. How have you seen a culture of sin in your school or home this week? What can you do to distance yourself from the things that break your loving relationship with God? I like to say a prayer : “Lord Jesus Christ, King of the world, have mercy on us sinners!” And thankfully, He does. 😊
0 Comments
15 Logical Reasons to Believe in the Resurrection ... as published on Lifeteen.com by Mark Hart10/10/2018 Many people will tell you that “based on human logic” the Resurrection makes no sense. The first thing we need to remember is that “human logic” is not omnipotence. God makes it very clear that “(His) ways are not our ways, nor are His thoughts our thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). What is illogical is to think that “man” is the center of the universe. The truth is that Christianity is far more logical than many people give it credit for, certainly more logical than atheism or agnosticism. The second thing we should remind people is that any conversation about God is going to necessitate a degree of faith. If people are not willing to humbly admit that they don’t have all the answers than the conversation will go nowhere. God’s truth and human pride do not co-exist in the same space; that is the nature of sin. Humility and grace go hand-in-hand, as do pride and sin. So, let’s remember that any conversation about the existence of God or the truth about Christ’s resurrection necessitates a humble admission that “it is possible that God exists” and that “we are not God.” When it comes to Easter Sunday, however, and the glorious truth about the Resurrection, to say that there is no logical truth to this belief, is not only ignorant, it is absurd. Here are 15 very quick facts that point to the truth of the Resurrection. These are not exhaustive or highly detailed; they are quick points that further strengthen what humble-hearted believers take on faith: 1. There was an empty Tomb The founders of other “faiths” are buried in tombs or had their ashes sprinkled over foreign lands. Not Jesus. Modern scholars and directors can claim what they want on their cable specials . . . the truth is that the tomb was empty. 2. The Tomb had a Roman seal Clay was affixed to a rope (stretched across a rock) and to the tomb, itself. The Roman seal was pressed into the clay. Break the seal, you break the law; break the law – you die. 3. The Tomb had a Roman guard stationed there The “guard” was at least four men, possibly more, of highly trained soldiers. These soldiers were experts in torture and in combat, not easily frightened off by a band of fishermen and tax collectors. Had they fallen asleep or left their post they would have violated the law, resulting in their own execution. 4. The Tomb had a stone in front of it Most scholars put the weight of the stone at about 2 tons (4000 pounds), probably at least seven or eight feet high. This was definitely a “team lift” or “team roll,” not movable by just one or two men. 5. There were post-resurrection appearances, to hundreds Over a span of six weeks, He appeared to a variety of groups of various sizes in different locations. He appeared to over 500 at one point – a huge number to be an outright fabrication. Not to mention, the people whom He appeared to didn’t just see Him, but ate with Him, walked with Him, touched Him. Jesus even made breakfast (John 21:9) at one point. 6. The martyrdom of witnesses offers proof Would people leave their businesses, careers, homes and families, go to the ends of the earth, die horribly gruesome and painful deaths and forsake their previous religious beliefs about salvation all to protect a lie? Not one of them, while being beheaded, fed to lions, boiled in oil, crucified upside down or burned alive changed their story. Instead, they sang hymns of trust and praise, knowing that the Lord who defeated death would raise them up, too. 7. There is still a Church If the Resurrection were a lie it would have died off centuries ago. The Christian Church is the largest institution of any kind in the history of humanity. This Church began with the apostles following Pentecost, the year Christ rose. It has conquered empires, withstood attacks (inside and out) and grown in spite of the sinfulness of its members, because it was founded by Christ, Himself, and is guided and protected by the Holy Spirit. The Church, like Christ, is both human and divine. 8. Jesus prophesied that it was going to happen Jesus told people that it was going to happen. It didn’t take Him by surprise. And He didn’t just say “I’m going to be killed” (which others might have seen coming) but also that “I’m going to rise on the third day.” Those details aren’t ironic, coincidental or fortune-telling — they’re called prophecy and true prophecy comes from God, Himself. 9. It was prophesied in the Old Testament It was foretold centuries before Christ, Himself, was born or lived it out. Hundreds of prophecies about the Messiah, what He would say, do, live like and how He would die… they were offered centuries apart by people God selected (most of whom never met one another, by the way). Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zechariah, Hosea, and Micah (just to name a few) all pointed to Christ’s death and resurrection hundreds of years before they occurred. 10. The day of worship changed Following the Resurrection, tens of thousands of Jews (almost overnight) abandoned the centuries old tradition of celebrating the Sabbath on the last day of the week and began worshipping on the first day of the week the day on which the Lord, the Christ, beat death sealing the new and final covenant with God. 11. The practices of sacrifice changed Jews were always taught (and taught their children… Deuteronomy 6) that they needed to offer an animal sacrifice once a year, to atone for their sins. After the Resurrection, the Jewish converts of the time, throngs of them, stopped offering animal sacrifices to God. 12. It is unique among other world religions No other religious leader of any consequence ever actually claimed to be God, except Jesus. No other religious leader ever did the things Christ did. No other religious leader ever backed up their “religious voice” with Resurrection. Confucius died. Lao-tse died. Buddha died. Mohammed died. Joseph Smith died. Christ rose from the dead. 13. The message is self-authenticating This proof goes back to the original point, namely, that a humble heart is enlightened and illuminated by far more than logic or reason. A true believer doesn’t need all the facts to believe in the Resurrection, because the Holy Spirit reveals Christ to us, intimately and powerfully. St. Paul talks about this in 2 Corinthians 4. Blind and hardened hearts will never see God, not until they acknowledge that they are not Him. 14. The miraculous ending fits a miraculous life You want logic? Christ healed the blind, the deaf and the dumb. He fed the masses, cured the lepers, and forgave the sinners. He made the lame walk and brought others back to life. He multiplied food, walked on water, and calmed storms with His mere voice. The miracle of Good Friday is that He didn’t call on a miracle. He died. The miracle of Easter Sunday is that He rose from the dead – a miraculous “end” to a miraculous life. What else should we expect? 15. (and the only answer we really need) . . . Jesus is still the answer The world cannot offer any cure for suffering. The world can ignore it, berate it, debate it, bomb it, and medicate it . . . but there is no cure or point to suffering separated from Jesus Christ. In Christ, our suffering has a point and it has worth. Apart from Christ, suffering is pointless and fruitless. There is no fountain of youth. There is no miracle drug. There is no cure for death except Jesus Christ. What is illogical is to think that the God of life would not want us to live eternally. The only reason to think the Resurrection is illogical is if you believe this life is your only one. This blog is not intended to begin debates or tear people apart. This is a very quick reminder to all of us Christians who might get too “logical” from time to time (myself included) that the resurrection is not illogical. That being said, all of us who do tend to be too logical might want to take a deep breath in contemplative prayer this weekend and really lean back in to the beautiful truth and reality of the crucifixion and Resurrection. ”How can some among you say there is no Resurrection? If Christ has not been raised, then empty is our preaching; empty, too, your faith; if Christ has not been raised than your faith is in vain; you are still in your sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:12-18) Brothers and Sisters, because of what happened in that Upper Room, on that cross, and in that tomb 2000 years ago, we know God the Father intimately, we walk with Christ daily, and we are guided by the Holy Spirit eternally. That’s the truth, and what a beautiful truth it is. (John 8:32) “It’s a miracle!”. How many times have we heard that term used for a wide range of occurrences – from getting an A on a test you didn’t study for, to having someone recover from a seemingly incurable disease? We looked at many of Jesus’ miracles this past Sunday, but we ran out of time before we could share instances of when we or those we know experienced a miracle. I am not sure if I will ever get to see or experience a miracle like the cure of a man with a with the withered hand, or the calming of the storm on the sea. I am sure that I have seen incredible miracles through my time working in ministry. I remember one time on a retreat, a young person convinced her friend to talk to one of the adults about her struggles. I was blessed to be that adult, and I learned that this teen was in an incredibly dark place and was contemplating taking her own life. That one conversation started a path of recovery that eventually led to healing and peace. That one situation had miracles throughout, and all miracles were by and pointed to God. There was the miracle of the timing of the retreat given this teen’s state of mind. There was the miracle of her reaching out to a friend, and that friend knowing that this was serious. There was the miracle of God’s healing and loving embrace surrounding the situation. Most of all, there was the miracle of her healing. I would guess that all of you have experienced something that seemed pretty miraculous. At our table, Carlos shared a story of his sister’s quick recovery from a torn Achilles tendon. Like Kathleen said in class, Jesus used his miracles to show us something about the nature of God. In the miracles I have been blessed to witness, they have also shown me the love of God. Keep your eyes and ears open to God working in your world, and I promise you that you will witness the miraculous! “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) In Christ, Eric |
AuthorYour confirmation teachers - Kathleen, Eric, Sophia, and Valerie, and with contributions from 410 alumni Archives
September 2021
Categories |