Faith Formation
Father Prince's Weekly Reflection
Reflection for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time:
During the final hours of the siege of the Alamo, Colonel William B. Travis assembled the men under his command. General Santa Anna was flying the red flag of “No Quarter,” announcing that no prisoners would be taken, that every rebel would be killed when the mission turned fortress was taken by the Mexican army. Colonel Travis drew his sword, and with it etched a line in the sand of the Alamo’s courtyard. Only those willing to face certain death if they failed, were called to cross the line and join him for the final battle. After a tense moment of silence, Colonel James Bowie, bedridden from a wound sustained in an early skirmish of the siege, asked for men to carry his cot across, for, as he reportedly said, “Gentlemen, I appear to be on the wrong side of the line.” “A line in the sand,” clearly marks who is to be included because they support us, and who is to be excluded because they are against us. And it underscores our resolve to maintain that distinction.
Jesus’ disciples were drawing lines in the sand. John had proudly announced to Jesus, “Teacher we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus’ fame and reputation were spreading, and there were people who, in the disciples’ eyes were trying to freeload on the bandwagon. If they would not recognize the disciples’ authority and greatness by following them, then those freeloaders must be stopped. It was time to draw a line in the sand. Those who cross it to follow the disciples would be for Jesus, and those who would not cross would clearly be against him.
Now, if John had actually taken a staff and drawn a line in the sand, I think we can conclude from what Jesus said in response that he would have taken his sandaled foot and rubbed it right out of the dirt, “Do not prevent him. For whoever is not against us is for us.” Jesus stands John’s logic completely on its head. It is not, as our aphorism so clearly states it, that “Whoever is not for us is against us,” but rather, “Whoever is not against us is for us.” If anyone is drawing lines in the sand to mark off exclusion and opposition, it better not be the disciples. And just how much evidence is required to demonstrate that someone is not against Jesus and his followers? Well, if knowing that “You bear the name of Christ” – in simple terms, that you are a Christian – if that is not enough to keep someone from withholding from you the simplest hospitality of providing a cup of water, then that person is not “against us” and so must be considered “for us.”
Yet, Jesus concedes the sad and painful truth that there really are those who will draw lines of opposition in the sand against the reign of God in Christ. They put a stumbling block before those who want to follow Christ in an effort to destroy their faith. They demonstrate in obvious ways that they are in fact against what God is doing in the world. They openly oppose the work of the community in spreading the Gospel of God’s grace. Such people pose a mortal threat to the eternal life of the Body of Christ. Like a hand or foot riddled with gangrene, they must be amputated, cut off from the community of believers before the poison can spread, dragging everyone with them into the eternal death of the fires of Gehenna. Yet so great is Jesus’ desire that there should be no lines of exclusion in the sand that he presents even these necessary separations as the painful cutting away of what should be essential parts of the body. Even the loss of those who flagrantly oppose the divine is viewed as injuring, indeed maiming the community.
We must be ever careful that our attempts to preserve the church according to our standards of inclusion do not cause others to stumble. For if our attempts at preservation exclude those who are not against us, then we ourselves become people whose actions so endanger the community that they must be cut off. The call of the Gospel is a challenge to each of us to determine on which side we wish to take our stand. But should we (the church) join with Colonel Travis in drawing lines in the sand?
Documents that (still) Matter
Dei Verbum
The phrase "Dei verbum" is
Latin for "Word of God".
Dei verbum was promulgated by Pope Paul VI
on 18 November 1965. It is one of the principal documents of the Second Vatican Council.
It is in hearing the message of Christ that people believe, and in believing, we hope, and through hope, we learn to love more perfectly. As Catholics we believe that Divine Revelation is the Word of God expressed in the words of man. We have access to God through Scripture and that helps us to share in God's nature.
To read the document,
click here. To learn more, join us on October 13, 2021 at 7:30pm for a presentation by Kathi Bonner via zoom. You can
register here.
Kathi Bonner is a life-long Catholic and lover of Sacred Scripture. She is the Director of Faith Formation at Saint Catherine of Siena Parish, West Simsbury, CT (20 years) and holds a BA in Theology from Holy Apostles College and Seminary and an Advanced Certificate from the Catholic Biblical School.
Join us once, or join us once-a-month to unpack a new Church document and learn more about the implications for the faithful of today. Every second Wednesday evening at 7:30 pm, we will gather virtually to learn a bit more. Each document will be available in advance online. Future dates are scheduled for: Nov 10, Dec 8, Jan 12, Feb 9, Mar 9, Apr 13, May 11, and Jun 8.
Catechism Corner
Catechism of the Catholic Church420. What is the New Law or the Law of the Gospel?The New Law or the Law of the Gospel, proclaimed and fulfilled by Christ, is the fullness and completion of the divine law, natural and revealed. It is summed up in the commandment to love God and neighbor and to love one another as Christ loved us. It is also an interior reality: the grace of the Holy Spirit which makes possible such love. It is "the law of freedom" (
James 1:25) because it inclines us to act spontaneously by the prompting of charity.
"
The New Law is mainly the same grace of the Holy Spirit which is given to believers in Christ." (Saint Thomas Aquinas)
Further reading: CCC 1965-1972, 1983-1985421. Where does one find the New Law?
The New Law is found in the entire life and preaching of Christ and in the moral catechesis of the apostles. The Sermon on the Mount is its principal expression.
Further reading: CCC 1971-1974, 1986 These excerpts are from the Compendium of the CCC. Get your own copy
here. Copyright © USCCB - Shared with permission.
Respect Life
"I know without a doubt, that abortion is a violent act of murder and exploitation.
And I know that our responsibility is to work and pray without ceasing for its end."
Denver Archbishop Samual J. Aquila
In and Around the Diocese
Are you a Vendor or a Crafter?
St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish's 29th Annual Fall Festival will be held on Saturday, November 6th, 9 am-4 pm. Vendor Applications are now available at
stmarguerite.org under “Breaking News”. Questions? Email
fallfestival@stmarguerite.org or call 203-775-5117, x215. St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish is located at 138 Candlewood Lake Road in Brookfield.
News and Views
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