Each of us faces an important decision at least once every day. Aside from cultivating good habits, we must concern ourselves with sticking to these habits, and picking and choosing which habits are good and which habits are bad. We live in the information age, in which almost anything is accessible to us and in which it is possible to immerse ourselves in "virtually" anything we choose.
This, however, seems to only confuse us further. The majority of women used to know what to do with our little lambs because we saw the successes and failures of our parents. Now we read forty books on the subject and debate with other moms on the internet instead of watching our own mother do it.
We used to treat our husbands a certain way because we "were taught" that this way was the right way, now we decide for ourselves whether to accept or reject what we were taught, how to incorporate what we learn in school and in church and on the internet.
We used to know how to run a household, now we spend hours reading about different ways other women run households and plotting and planning online while our house falls to pieces.
This confusion can be helpful if we work through it to sort out what we really believe and stick to it! But more often than not I find myself "solving" a problem and then revisiting it again and again to see where I stand, as if I need some sort of re-enforcement or re-convincing. I am often overwhelmed with all the choices and ideas out there, because though I know the answer, I get sidetracked by the questions and the judgements of the women who disagree with my solution for whatever reason. I find myself wanting to answer to them instead of remembering that I will answer to God for how I have lived.
When it comes to marriage, parenting, family life, liturgical questions, work problems, new technologies, and scientific "advancements" of a questionable nature...."Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. "Do not be swept off your course by all sorts of outlandish teachings; it is good that our souls should gain their strength from the grace of God." (Heb 13:8,9 NEB).
I am confident that the old ways still work! Love God and love people, obey God and serve people-- And all will be well for you!
I realized yesterday during our meeting of the St Gianna Vocation to Motherhood group that we women are always asking ourselves questions upon questions about how to run our homes. Even when we find a method that seems to be working quite well, we re-examine it and spend some time questioning ourselves. I will probably do this long after my little ones have left home... but the more I thought about it, the more I realized than in this tumultous world which is so uncertain and in some ways so frightening, one thing always stays the same: Christ.
Love God, serve people. Jesus says this is the whole of the law.
If you are contemplating a new parenting method...
If you are debating about stopping contraception...
If you are wondering about taking on a new job even though you have children at home.
If you are struggling with your choice of infertility methods...
If you are wondering about homeschooling...
If you are choosing an educational style and philosophy for your little ones...
If you are wondering whether to shop at a certain place or support a certain business...
If you are wondering how much or how little to take on in your week...
Does the choice I'm deciding on demonstrate love for God and His law? Does the choice I'm deciding on serve others, especially those under my care, instead of myself?
Does your question get answered in this way?
"Perhaps this is one of the secrets of life-- to know 'Glory' when we see it..." --Charlotte M. Mason
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Tasty Tuesdays- French and Irish Baking
Many families like to celebrate with a traditional Irish Feast, which can mean anything from Corned Beef and Cabbage to Shepherds' Pie. Long story short, if there are potatoes, go for it. A popular and almost always present side dish is Irish Soda Bread, one of the greatest things ever for those of us who can't have a lot of yeast.
Because it's yeast free bread, we can make it quickly and easily, and it tastes great. Here is our family's favorite Irish Soda Bread Recipe:
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"The batter for this unadulterated soda bread features buttermilk for a special richness."
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups all-purpose flour 4 tablespoons white sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt | 1/2 cup margarine, softened 1 cup buttermilk 1 egg 1/4 cup butter, melted 1/4 cup buttermilk |
DIRECTIONS:
| 1. | Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet. |
| 2. | In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an 'X' into the top of the loaf. |
| 3. | Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 30 to 50 minutes. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes. |
| ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2011 Allrecipes.com |
The other bread we bake almost every day around here is a French Baguette, the crunchy, fluffy amazing bread I was raised eating at every meal. Serve it with jam in the morning, alongside soup or salad at noon, with nutella at teatime, and with a rich, hearty dinner to sop up sauces and finish off dishes. Yum. It's a 24 hour bread, you make the starter early in the afternoon and start baking at 3 or 4 am if you want it fresh for breakfast. But around here, I make the starter last thing at night and then start the process first thing in the morning, which means we usually have fresh bread at lunchtime or snacktime and always with dinner, using leftover first thing in the morning. The recipe I use is from Bread Alone. Total prep and baking time is 6 hours, not including the poolish. Makes 4 baguettes, 12-14 inches long, 1 inch wide.
POOLISH:
Spring Water 1 cup
Dry Yeast 1/4 tsp
Organic all purpose white flour* 1 1/2 cups
(I sometimes substitute half and half whole wheat.)
Combine water and yeast in a large bowl and let stand for 1 minute. Stir with a wooden spoon until yeast is dissolved. Add the flour, and stir until consistency of the thick batter. Continue stirring for 100 strokes until the strands of thick gluten come off the spoon when you press it against the back of the bowl. Scrape down thesides with a spatula and cover with plastic wrap or a clean, damp cloth. put in a modertately warm draft free place until it doubles in volume. (I leave it overnight)
FINAL DOUGH:
Full batch of Poolish
Spring Water, 1 cup
Dry Yeast 1/4 tsp
Organic All Purpose White Flour, 5 cups
Fine Sea Salt 1 tblsp
Measure and transfer one cup of the poolish to a new bowl. Discard the rest. Add the water and yeast and stir to break up until it loosens and foams slightly. Add 1 cup of the flour and stir until well combined. Add the salt, stir, and then add just enough flour to make a difficult to mix. Turn it out onto a well-floured surface and knead, adding more of the remaining flour until dough is soft and smooth, 15-17 minutes. The dough is ready when a small amount pulled from the mass springs back quickly. Shape the dough into a ball and let it rest on the well flooured surface while you scrape and clean the bowl. Lightly oil the bowl, and place the dough inside, turning it once to coat all sides with oil. Cover with a clean damp cloth or plastic wrap and put in a moderately warm, draft free place until doubled in volume and a slight indentation remains after pressing finger into the dough. (2-3 hours)
Deflate the dough by pushing down in the center and pulling up on the sides. Transfer to a lightly floured board. Knead BRIEFLY. Divide into four equal portions. Flatten with the heel of your hand and shape into small, tight ball. Cover with clean damp cloth or plastic wrap and put in moderately warm, draft free place for 30 mins.
Flatten each ball with the heel of the hand and shape into a 14 inch loaf. Place the loaves seam side up in a well floured couche (if you don't have one, just place them on the surface you will be cooking them in, WELL FLOURED and shaped. Cover with cloth or plastic wrap as before and leave in place until they increase in volume and a slight indentation remains when the dough is pressed with a finger tip, about 1 1/2 hours.
About an hour before baking, preheat the oven to 450. If you have a homemade hearth or baking stone, you are awesome and your bread is almost guaranteed to turn out. If you don't (like me) then this is where it gets interesting and practice makes perfect. Once the oven is preheated, spray (or fling, lacking a spray bottle) some water into the oven to steam it up (be super careful not to hit the lightbulb or it will explode if it's lit.)
Stick the bread into the oven on the baking sheet or turn it out from the couche onto the baking stone or whatever you are doing with it, and let it bake for 15-20 minutes. The first ten minutes, open the oven at 0, 5, and 10 minutes to spray water in and add moisture. (NOT on the bread, but around it)
Take them out at 15 minutes and check for doneness. Loaves will be a rich caramel color and crusts will be firm. Turn them over and strike the bottom firmly with your finger. If they are done, it will sound hollow. If they don't sound hollow, bake another 5 minutes.
They are best eaten warm, so don't wait to cool them completely before digging in. Seriously, the best way to eat these is to grab some friends and some quality olive oil, a glass of wine, and just dig in and dip.
Bon Appetit, and Sláinte!
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| St Patrick, pray for us! |
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Mama Mondays- On Catholic Classical Methods and Charlotte Mason
Others, like myself, are sort of boo-hooing about the past year but optimistic about what the future holds. On our end, the Appian Way Teaching Home here in Fayetteville, North Carolina is certainly going to go through some changes, but I'm kind of excited about what I learned NOT to do for my other children and I'm glad I'm only at the beginning of this long journey!
Having been determined to homeschool since the beginning of my first pregnancy and having devoured virtually every book on the subject, I had, even as a protestant, determined that a Classical Education was the way to go for our family. It still is-- my husband is a philosopher and thinker through and through, and both of us are HUGE on virtue and character, and the idea of teaching people to be good thinkers and moral people first, believing that learning follows. We have great admiration for the "ancient " methods and a tendency to be "heavy handed" both academically and in the realm of discipline of the mind and body. A classical curriculum seems the obvious choice. We are even more convinced of this than ever, as the Classical Method is the spiritual heritage of the Roman Catholic Church.... it IS our educational method and always has been.
Last year was the first year I "officially" began schooling my oldest, who is turning five this month. I had been given several wonderful complete sets of classical-oriented curriculae along with books, etc and determined to just go ahead and go for it.
For the first three months, I bravely stacked workbook upon workbook, rounded my kiddos (even the baby) up around the kitchen table and drilled and instructed them in all the things I felt they should be learning. At this point , I had read "The Well Trained Mind" and absorbed most of what it has to say, implementing it as I understood it alongside the complete K Seton curriculum I had been given, along with a daily adaptation of a GREAT book I was given called "First Grade Learning at Home."
We did this for about two hours a day, and it was NOTHING like I had hoped. In fact, I fought my way through the entire experience, my kids backtalking and just generally loathing the entire thing. My oldest, who had been showing an uncanny desire to read at three was now completely disinterested, I was exhausted, and the thought of one more interjection from my non-Catholic father in law as I drilled my tiny pupils in catechism because he always seems to be making toast while we are doing call and response catechism questions was making me want to tear my hair out. I was a mess. A frustrated, angry, dejected, and probably quite depressed mess.
I realized, one morning, after having fought for over an hour with my oldest to get her to write one single "B," and then watching her daddy teach her to write an entire word in the space of five minutes with seemingly no effort at all, that I needed to RELAX and HAVE FUN with this or it wasn't going to take.
(I know, I know, they say it in all the books! But I somehow missed that. Selective hearing, and all that.)
Even though I enjoy more than anything sitting down with a giant, fat reference book and analyzing the heck out of a text, and writing neat lines down a perfectly fresh, lined sheet of paper..... my kids are KIDS. All they want to do is fling mud and eat cheerios. They are in the Grammar Stage of the Trivium... not quite ready to take apart Plato yet. Hah.
Fantasy of homeschool life, meet reality.
What followed was a rather deep depression. Amidst all the other stresses we were undergoing as a family, I could see myself losing touch with my kids and what's worse, having no idea how to correct it. I wanted desperately to homeschool but as my oldest approached five and cared less and less about "doing school" I knew that I was going to have to figure something out or off to my Public School nightmare she would have to go. Terror and depression gripped me, so I turned to God and asked Him for some help.
It came to me in the funniest form. I was upstairs re-organizing stacks of willow house catalogs and decided to dump all the homeschool "stuff" I had accumulated on the shelf that I hadn't touched to make some room. As I took out coloring books and play guides, I came across a box: Saxon Phonics, for K. Inside was a brand spanking new Saxon Phonics set, and I brought it downstairs, determined to use it with my daughter. I thought to myself- "Hey, if ALL I do is teach her to read and count, have fun, and obey me this year, that's ALL that matters."
(Which, hello, is basically the premise of the Classical Method, but again... haha... somewhere in the confusion of learning "how to" homeschool, I missed that.)
Amazingly, as soon as I dropped all the "subjects" and "workbooks" and "units" and just started teaching her phonics, math, and directed play (play that taught her something according to her interests and ideas I gave her) school became AMAZING. And my other two began to be able to participate.
So fast forward a few months as I perfected this method-- here it is early March and I've been "officially" schooling for almost seven months. And I have only NOW begun to really school her, because only now have we come to a system that actually works! ALL we do is three simple programs: Saxon math, (although I'm considering a change to Math U See) Saxon Phonics, and an incredible program called "5 in a Row." (read about it here.) 5 in a Row is the beginnings of a "great books" program for little people... an in itself a complete curriculum, because it teaches science, history, geography, and fine arts all from a story the family reads together. It's perfect.
Even more amazing, as I studied the homeschool options further having put a school year under my belt and with the experience to know what to look for, I came across a method I had encountered only briefly before, a method created by a Victorian Age Englishwoman named Charlotte Mason. And what I found, in her method, was EXACTLY what I had uncovered-- a classical education with a few tweaks to make it more versatile and functional for the YOUNG mind. The more Charlotte Mason I read the more Charlotte Mason I loved, and I felt so drawn to her ideas because I had just TRIED schooling the other way for a year and I knew it just didn't work unless we implemented the very things she was recommending. I think that at the base, ANY Classical method family is already doing most of the things the CM method recommends.
There was something, though, that I found unsettling, and that prevented me (and prevents me still) from completely making the jump from a Classical Curriculum to the Charlotte Mason approach. I continue to ponder this "feeling" of concern, and I would love to know the experiences others have had both Catholic and protestant, using Charlotte Mason or avoiding it and what you might think. My concerns stem from her worldview. First, she was profoundly secular, even in her vision of Christianity (being a protestant herself) and thus she has often written in ways which set of "warning" alarms in my head as I read... often making appeals to the pride of her readers, using, quoting, and admiring historical persons with deplorable lives or pasts as far as the "Christian" character of the virtues she expounds. On the one hand, I admire this, because she has easily been able to draw what is good, right and true from even the most depraved of persons, and this is surely a very "Catholic" approach, and an example of charity in a world where it often lacks. However, I think she just seems to "miss the mark" a little when it comes to the practical application of her techniques and ideas, for example, possibly (and again, I'm not sure because I haven't seen it in practice, but--- possibly) focusing a little too much on the "Self," or on a more child-led than parent-led education, which is of great concern to me.
I am also ever wary of almost ALL things that came from the Victorian Era, and especially from England, a place and a time period which certainly lacked in every way the interior Catholic and Christian virtues necessary for a good and holy life. I am wary of her "modernizing" effect on the traditional Classical Method.... she preferred English books to Latin and Greek, whereas in our family we believe we must continue to bring these to the center of our children's lives. On the other hand, I have found her methods to be perfectly in line with the Classical Approach and very compatible. I have found them easy to "reorder" in a Catholic sense (for example, her ideas about scripture memory and bible time are PERFECT additions to a regular Catholic catechesis, in which we teach the "correct interpretation" of the Bible reading we have done.In other words, I think the Traditional Catholic "concern" I have seen in homeschool circles over Catholics using the Charlotte Mason Method is not entirely misplaced, but possibly misdirected....let the method be what it is, and accept it's good qualities, for they are many, accepting also its flaws, and perfecting on them the best way we can.
Be aware, then, of a secular and modernist mindset in her work, and look for ways to perfect her ideas so that they conform to true Christian doctrine. But by all means, I think, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater! The Charlotte Mason method seems, to me, to be an easy way to implement a Classical Curriculum for the early years. I don't really have an opinion for the later years as I'm not quite there yet, as you can see. :)
As it is now, we are using an almost ENTIRELY CM curriculum which is adapted to fit the "Trivium" guidelines, with a major emphasis on the great books. Some CM things we do each day (or that we will be doing in the next schoolyear as this schoolyear is drawing to a close.)
1. Focus on habits. Charlotte Mason believed strongly in instilling good habits and this is something we try to do daily. We initially tried to use the Proverbs "Christian Character" chart used by the Duggars, and will continue to use it this year. It is a series of proverbs based virtues and an idea for the implementation of each one.
2. Nature Walks. I avoided these like the plague last year because we live in North Carolina and it's either roasting hell-like hot or freezing cold. I recognize, though, that I have to suck it up, because my kids need it, love it, and want it.... and it's an excellent "teachable moment" I ignore every day.
3. Copywork. Again, this seems so obvious but it never occurred to me until I read it in the Charlotte Mason system: at this age, air writing, writing in rice, sand, etc, writing on poster boards, dry erase boards, and chalkboards. Tracing letters. Etc.
4. Handicrafts and Life skills. This is a department we are already strong in, but I plan on being more "serious" about it--- sewing, knitting, baking, cooking, and other forms of creative housework.
5. Art. There are so many times my kids see a painting and show interest in it and I say "yeah. that IS pretty!" and let the moment go by. The Charlotte Mason method includes Picture Studies, and I will be doing more picture studies with the kids. Ditto for music, especially classical music.
6. Poetry. We already read a lot of poetry in the "Moral Compass" book we do for bedtime stories. But I'm going to add more purposeful poetry.
7. Bible. Again, we already do a lot of Bible reading! But Charlotte Mason teaches parents wonderfully easy scripture memorization ideas, and gives lots of advice for helping children get used to hearing Bible Stories in their original form, not dumbed down. I love that!
Happy schooling, mammas!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Mama Mondays-A Parenting Testimony about CONSISTENCY
I remember a specific day years ago when my oldest three children were still young. I was talking to a friend on the phone, and I remember telling the caller that I could hear my little daughter jumping on the couch in the other room, and that I "really should go stop her...." Then it hit me. Yes, that's exactly what I needed to do in order to begin seeing some lasting results in my efforts to raise godly children. I needed to stop talking to my friends on the phone, and go correct my daughter every single time she needed it. That would be true consistency, and I hadn't been doing it.
So, I decided to change. I resolved to make consistency my top priority. I stopped running unnecessary errands, stopped over-indulging in my hobbies, stopped making excessive social phone calls, and set my mind diligently and consistently, on training my children. I continued with the normal mandatory tasks of life, such as basic housekeeping, laundry, and cooking, but even as I did those things, I kept in mind that my children were my top priority, not a fancy dinner or a spotless house. I gathered my children close to me so I could always see and hear them, then I stopped what I was doing and promptly corrected them, every time they needed it.
At first there were numerous corrections necessary and I had my doubts about the strategy, but very soon there was noticeable improvement in the way they responded to me. The worst was over after only a few days, and hardly any major disciplining was needed after the first few weeks. By the end of the third month, I had a new family. They had, in just that short amount of them, acquired a whole new respect for me and for my words. It was a miracle, produced mostly the simple consistency that God instructs us to use!
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
- I Corinthians 15:58
This post was taken from my favorite parenting book, Raising Godly Tomatoes, which you can -- and should-- read and purchase HERE.
It is the testimony of every parent who at one point or another decided enough was enough and buckled down to actually PARENT their children. I find that whenever I stray from these principles, it is because I have not been diligent to WATCH and CORRECT my children. It's a simple formula, but if I'm posting it today, it's because I needed the reminder... AGAIN. :O)
Saturday, February 19, 2011
The Host
I posted THIS the other day on my facebook, about a Catholic priest in Orange County (surprise!) who concelebrated mass with a protestant minister, allowing him not only to receive communion but to distribute it, too. The outraged parishioners, of course, petitioned the Bishop... we'll see what happens. (Note, this morning, as I finish up this blog, the Bishop has put said priest on leave.) The comments on my post were outraged too... and rightly so. But I had a friend write and ask me the following question, and it made me think that maybe a lot of my non-Catholic friends might have the same question, too:
"Hey! I have a question about the article you posted about the Protestant minister who concelebrated (what does that word mean?) Mass and took Holy Communion.My first question is right there, about that word. Is that something more than just attending Mass? My second question is about Communion, I know that Prottys can't take it in a Catholic church, but I was wondering why?"The answer to the first question is that to "concelebrate" means to co-celebrate the mass. In modern Catholic terminology, the "Celebrant" is the priest. Because now more than one priest can say mass at the same time (not just lead, but officiate) we have what's called a "concelebrant." This is an ordained priest in good standing (they literally have to be card-carrying) who can come up and do the priest thing with the priest who is there. Sometimes, there are literally dozens of priests "concelebrating." There will be one who leads and the other(s) participate in various parts, and always mouth the words of consecration along with the leading priest at the point where the bread and wine are transsubstantiated.
Where they are whaaaaaat???
More on that in a moment.
I remember once having a family member attend mass with us, who wasn't Catholic. He was interested in the experience, since he was working through his opinions and ideas about the Catholic Church. Everything was fine for him, and reconcileable with scripture, until he got to the part where we go up for communion. That's when we reminded him that he was not able to partake of the communion with us, but that he was certainly welcome to come up and get a blessing from the priest. Of course, this threw him for a huge loop and he became indignant, disrupting the serenity and reverence of the mass and storming out. Was he wrong to do so? Of course, but he was also considerably confused and frustrated-- he had just been refused admission to the communion table, when all the time we kept telling him that he and we served the same Lord and Savior. What was up?
First, we believe that the body and blood, soul and divinity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ are LITERALLY there, "disguised" under the appearance of ordinary, unleavened bread and wine, brought there by the action of the Holy Spirit through a properly ordained priest of God's Church. YES. We do. If this is the first time you've heard this, welcome to the absolute core and center of Catholic belief, and the one thing which sets us apart from all other Christians.
Second, we believe that participation in this Sacrament is necessary unto salvation. It is the ORDINARY means of Grace that God has prepared for His people (this doesn't mean that people who don't receive can not be saved, as we know God is merciful, but that the "established, correct, right and proper" way for us to be saved is to participate in the plan of grace by receiving Communion.)
Third, we believe that unworthy (I'll explain that in a moment) participation in this Sacrament is detrimental to spiritual and even physical health, as laid out in the Bible, because it is A, a sign that we are repentant and desire Christ's Salvation and , B, a sign of communion with the Body of Christ, His Church. Therefore a person who receives Communion unworthily (a person who is not in the state of grace and has committed a mortal sin, or alternatively a person who -- though he may be a penitent-- is not in full communion with the Church's doctrine) is lying to himself, the Church, and ultimately God and will be harmed by this decision, whether in this life, in the next, or both, depending on the gravity of his lie.
Therefore out of reverence for Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, we take care not to commit sacrilege with Him, not to "give what is holy" to those we should not. Out of love for the people, we take care not to allow them to harm themselves to the best of our ability. And out of the theological concept of free will and freedom of conscience, we trust God to move people to do what is right with regards to receiving Communion. And he does!
I've shared before how as a soon-to-be protestant who was praying about my relationship with the Catholic Church, I was supernaturally protected from harm and simultaneously made partner in this great truth by the Holy Spirit of God. It was HIM who moved me to refuse to participate in Communion with Catholics at that point in my journey, even though by all "external" signs I absolutely could and was "allowed" to. I didn't know this, but God was protecting ME from harm-- because receiving communion I would have been making a statement which I did not believe. This made the moment I DID believe all the more powerful.... when I came back to the Church through the study of scripture, and realized what a great gift communion was, I wanted to run to receive Him. But I was so thankful that His Spirit had protected me from mocking Him and possibly hurting myself.
The Statement, therefore, which all Catholics make when they receive Our Lord in Holy Communion, whether they know it or not, has two parts.
A. I believe that this truly is Jesus Christ and desire His Salvation. I am sorry for my sins, have repented, confessed, and resolve to do penance and amend my life.
B. I believe all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches to be true, and profess the Catholic Faith in it's entirety, in no way disagreeing with Catholic doctrine. Therefore I am in full communion with the Holy Catholic Church, which I believe was established by God.
This is why a non-Catholic person, even a non-Catholic person who loves our Lord very much, may not-- indeed CANNOT-- receive communion.
The Catholic Mass has two parts-- the Liturgy of the WORD, and the Liturgy of the EUCHARIST. During the Liturgy of the Word, we partake together of the Word of God, by hearing proclaimed several portions of scripture, which change according to the calendar date or situation.
After that, we partake together of the Word Made Flesh, the Holy Eucharist. You see, Communion is, for us, the source and summit of the Christian life. We do not believe that we are receiving bread and wine, but -- pay attention-- the BODY, BLOOD, SOUL, and DIVINITY--- the actual presence--- of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This is transsubstantiation... the actions of an ordained priest with actual spiritual authority to change the bread and the wine into the body and blood of Our Lord, truly present.
We call the Bread the Host. This, of course, reminds us of the Presence within a body. You see, whereas protestants tend to be very focused on the spiritual, often tending towards the belief (heretical, incidentally) that the body or physical material is BAD, evil, or wrong, that physical things are not spiritual things, etc. However the reality of the Eucharist is a perfect example of a way in which Catholics believe we sanctify everything around us... in Catholic theology, it is literally "His Kingdom," here below. While God has, of course, prepared us for heaven, we do not discount or discredit the wonder and glory of the Creation here below, every single cell of which speaks volumes to the wonder of the Creator there above. The Host is a piece of bread, the Cup a cup of wine. But with the blessing of the priest and the work of the Holy Spirit-- cooperation between God and man, it becomes divine.
We believe that the mass is a sacrifice-- that the mass is a mystical rememberance of the ONCE present (this is important, because we do not re-sacrifice Christ) crucifixion of Our Lord. When we assist at Holy Mass, we are ONE at the foot of the Cross of the Savior-- as if time is suspended, in a sense-- and responding to His Words in John 6 and at the last supper.
it looks like this:
And all of us there present, surrounded by the angels and saints (Even those who have gone before) are together, with one voice, worshipping Christ, the lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, to ask Him for mercy on us.
It is literally heaven on earth. It is literally Our Lord.
This should explain a number of perplexing practices to non-Catholics.
1. It explains the nondenominational/charismatic (and possibly other traditions) protestant practice of "the altar call." In which, for the unitiated, a section of time at the end of a protestant service is reserved for allowing people to respond to God's personal call to repentance. The lights and music get low, a prayer is said, and an invitation made to "come forth" and "recieve the Lord." Catholics started that back when protestant theology was Catholic theology. Only instead of coming forth to say "I believe" and "I have repented and trust in your mercy," and leaving empty handed, we literally recieve Jesus Christ. When I watch the long line of Catholics at mass coming up to receive communion, I'm often moved to tears because I know that even if they do not know what they are doing, many of them will recieve graces, and possibly crosses, as a result that will change their lives and indeed draw them to a deeper faith in God. I KNOW they are not leaving empty handed.
2. It explains the old tradition, still practiced by many protestant denominations and outrageously irrespected in many Catholic parishes today, of acting, dressing, and becoming more reserved, reverent, quiet, reflective, humble, and modest when we go to Church. Protestants, again, do this because Catholics started it, and we do it because Our Lord is literally present INSIDE the building. We hear often people say "a building is just a building, and God can reach you anywhere. There is nothing special about this building, so we should not feel like we have to dress up, be quiet, or be respectful." This is true, a protestant church is just a building, and there is nothing special about that other than it may retain a particularly "fragrant" character by virtue of the numerous prayers offered up inside. It is also true that God can reach anyone, anywhere. However, the miracle that occurs at every Catholic mass is that Jesus Christ is made present to us, as we are made present to Him at His sacrifice on Calvary. There IS something special about a Catholic Church-- the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World, is really and actually present there.
Let me share briefly an explanation of what I mean. Because we are given the eucharist as our "Spiritual food" (ever wonder where the expression "I'm not being fed" came from? :P) as a gift of grace, from God, the REAL presence of Christ daily makes miracles inside your local Catholic Church. Miracles of repentance and faith, miracles of healing and deliverance, etc. I realize that He does this elsewhere as well, but no where more powerfully than in His ACTUAL presence. (Because remember, He has said in His Word: "Behold, I am with you ALWAYS, and even to the end of time.) In other words, the Catholic Church will not cease to exist until the end of time. The gates of hell, it was promised in scripture, will never prevail against her. Because when the Eucharist disappears, the end has come. And Jesus Christ will return.
What's more, we can visit Him inside the Blessed Sacrament at any time, day or night because it is the practice of the Church to reserve a consecrated host inside the tabernacle at all times. That's what that lit candle above the tabernacle in every Catholic Church is about... it lets us know: "He's home!"
He is there, waiting for us to come to Him. Once a year, however, He is NOT there. Just before easter, we take down the giant crucifix you always see behind the Catholic altar. We place it down on the ground, without the body of Christ on it, symbolizing Jesus, dead in the tomb and not walking among us. We venerate the Cross on which He hung, and at the same time, we strip the altar, open the doors and windows and remove every eucharistic host from the tabernacles so that in no Catholic Church in the world will you find a consecrated host at that time. THIS is the world without Jesus. On that day, and that day only, the Catholic Church becomes just like any other building or church in the world, and on that day, let me tell you, the loss of His presence is tangibly felt. The atmosphere is somber, the inner reflection profound, and the great gift of the Resurrection and of the Incarnation and Eucharist is never more beautifully experienced. I dare you to visit a Catholic Church during Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Holy Sunday. You'll experience the difference, and true JOY at the Resurrection and return of Our Lord. It's thick theology.
3. It explains what makes priests "different" from laypersons, and The Mass different from a "Worship service" and the reason a Catholic cannot, in good conscience, miss Church on Sundays or replace Mass with a regular worship service that does NOT contain the Eucharist. The Mass is a true sacrifice-- it is the perfect Sacrifice, since our Priests offer Jesus Christ, ONCE immolated on the Cross for all time, to the Father each day for the people of God.
In a sense, priests can bring us Jesus in a way that laypersons can't. It doesn't mean that laypeople aren't called to their own particular common priesthood, but the office of the priesthood is definitely that of a man "set apart." We need our priests to be holy because we need the Eucharist, not because they are special people who have any particularly holy qualities all on their own. We need sacraments, so we need priests. Simple as that. The priests, like Melchizedek of Old, who also was a priest forever, offer up our sacrifice, the sacrifices we bring to the altar. YES, the bread and the wine, but also all the week's events and situations and personal issues we bring to the table of the Lord. They offer up the Savior, on the Cross, transfering our curses to Him. And there we receive Him from them and at their hands, and consume Him, thus receiving all the benefits to our bodies and souls of being united, as one, with God, provided we are not in a state of mortal (and preferably not venial) sin.
4. It explains why even on battlefields and in hospitals where people are quarantined, Catholics are calling for priests and priests are willing to brave whatever it takes to get to them. There are countless inspirational and amazing stories about courageous priests LITERALLY bringing Christ to the people who need Him.
5. It explains why little children wear "wedding clothes" to their First Communion-- it is their first day participating in the wedding feast of the lamb and tasting Heaven on Earth.
6. It explains why Catholics literally adore (worship) the Host. Have you ever seen a monstrance? It is a beautiful, large, object made with precious metal that is designed to display and showcase the Consecrated Host. There, it is displayed, and we pray before Him present. This is where most protestants lose me.... We agree that there is a sacred element to Communion. We agree that it draws us to God. We agree that it brings us into community with God's people. We agree that God is "truly" present in the communion bread and wine. But when I say.... I WORSHIP Jesus present in the Communion Host. I lose them. :) Every time.
This makes them nervous, but think about it..... if what I am teaching is true, then what SHOULD we do with the Host? It is not an ordinary piece of bread. That is my Lord! If He were in the form of a man, remember, what honors and love people showed him and His body, especially after he was crucified. Why would I do any less for Him today?
However, you're right, if what I am teaching is false, then Catholics everywhere are committing idolatry and worshipping the Creation rather than the Creator. This is very important to discover. This is very important to explore..... we all want to draw closer to Jesus. What if He were truly present, HERE?
Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
-Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 28:20
"This food we call the Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake except one who believes that the things we teach are true, and has received the washing for forgiveness of sins and for rebirth, and who lives as Christ handed down to us. For we do not receive these things as common bread or common drink; but as Jesus Christ our Savior being incarnate by God's Word took flesh and blood for our salvation, so also we have been taught that the food consecrated by the Word of prayer which comes from him, from which our flesh and blood are nourished by transformation, is the flesh and blood of that incarnate Jesus." Justin Martyr, c A.D. 148-155If all of this sounds, still, totally inclusionary and harsh towards protestants, who we do believe share a large part in our same faith, then consider this:
There are literally hundreds and hundreds of Catholics who DO believe, and yet who do not receive, but only adore Him present in the Blessed Sacrament. They respectfully wait and long for the day they CAN receive Him present in the Eucharist.
Some of them because they are waiting to be fully brought into the Church. Others of them because they are, in some cases, in marriage situations or other types of situations which they know are not pleasing to God but they aren't yet willing to relinquish them or haven't yet been able to. Others because they have sinned, and have not confessed. Others because they are in situations which need still to be remedied. Whatever the reason, they believe, and yet they wait, unwilling to sin against Our Lord even further. So what about you? Are you willing to respect the presence of the Lord in the Eucharist, and abstain without feeling "slighted?" The Eucharist is a gift of grace, and a gift is not something to be taken. It is not something that is owed us. It is something to be recieved with gratitude at the love of the Giver.
To get a glimpse into the absolute joy and amazement which touches the hearts of the people of the Catholic Church who understand this doctrinal reality and benefit from it, I encourage you to watch this video, which, as one who believes, I can not watch without weeping. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your eucharistic, incarnational presence. I love you.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
On Judaizing Catholicism.
Hey!
Sorry for this intrusion, but I am just fascinated with so much of the material you post/blog about. A few weeks ago you were posting about the Jewish roots of the RCC (something I've always been big into as I was messianic at one point) and I was curious as to how/if you incorporate any jewish traditions into your spiritual life/that of your family's? I've been looking into Saint Edith Stein online, and she's been drawing me back to this topic in a way, as it's been a whileeeee since I've practiced "Judaism" as I used to (and in a way I miss it, it's like a spiritual thirst!)
I went to a chabad shabbat service this friday and was constantly thinking of the experience in terms of its meaning in the fulfillment of Yeshua. So yeah, just curious as to where you draw the line as spiritually distracting and what aspects you derive much fruit from in terms of our Jewish roots!
Blessings always :)
N------i
I get a lot of emails asking questions like this based on things I post in facebook, twitter, or on my blog so I thought I would take a moment to respond somewhere where everyone can read it.
I was a messianic at one point too, although not affiliated with the movement by the same name. Rather, I was a messianic by a move of the holy spirit in my life, and all that that entailed was to make an effort to live the gospel through the eyes of a person who understood that Torah was the root and core of what the Gospel's relevance was, and as a person who understood the distinct "set apart"ness that God has for His people and what that entails. I did NOT go to a messianic synagogue or anything like that, and I was never affiliated with other messianic jews, even though I chose to put "messianic" on my dog tags when I got to basic training. Part of that was a personal exploration of my own identity. But most of it, I believe, was a genuine move of the Holy Spirit in my life to help me to see and understand that Jesus Christ really is the TRUE messiah and savior of the world.
All that "jewishness" was CRAAAZY relevant for me in my conversion process because I realized just how important both "jewishness" and "christian-ness" was. Like, ridiculously important-- there is such a delicate balance between the two. Judaism formed Christianity. Christianity completes Judaism. Therefore in order to be an "authentic" or "true" Christian, we must necessarily retain both some elements and some culture of biblical Judaism.
I think it was Pope Benedict XVI who said: "One cannot encounter Christ without encountering Judaism." The entire structure of the Catholic Church is based on biblical Judaism. We are the true fulfillment, in the Messiah, Yeshua, of God's plan for the earth. If you are a protestant, and reading this, you're probably gasping for air right about now.... but read on to see what I mean when I say that.
I guess the first thing to keep in mind with the question of "how much is too much" is to understand the GLORY of the Church as she is today. God's establishment of the Church and his system of governance of it is exactly the way He intended it to be.
The value of obedience is largely misunderstood in the world at large. In obedience to the Church lies all we need for salvation and sanctification. The Church is exactly as she should be, and is constantly being formed towards perfection.
There is a LOT of talk today, especially in messianic jewish circles, about the tension that existed (and still exist, in some ways) between the Catholic Church and the Jewish People/Religion. Messianics use this as leverage to claim that the Catholic Church is an evil deception and they are the "TRUE" Church. (Because it becomes increasingly evident, theologically, to ANY Christian who studies the Bible that Judaism has a very significant role to play in Salvation History.)
Messianics aren't all wrong. There IS and has been a tension present between Christians and Jews at all times. These tensions are for a reason. Catholicism is FULFILLED Judaism, which inherently applies that there is something that lacks in Judaism. And there is! That "something" is Jesus, the source and foundation of our Catholic faith. Without Jesus, our faith is incomplete, we are only seeing part of the picture, and a rejection of Him when we KNOW Him and have everything at our disposal to glorify and honor Him is without a doubt a portion of the "unforgiveable sin" described in scripture as "Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit."
To know Jesus and love Him, and yet to turn away from Him because of the desires of our hearts to identify with Jews? This is nothing less than blasphemy. Every action of our bodies, minds and souls should be directed at him, which is why we it is not good enough for us who love judaism to be "just jews," as great and wonderful and inspiring and amazing being Jewish actually IS. This is because Christ is the source and foundation of our faith.
The form of the Church, her governance, her liturgy, and her teachings, exist the way they do for a reason. There are endless theological and mystical connections to be made in observing the incredible bonds between these things, revealed to us in the deposit of faith which includes the Holy Scriptures and Holy Tradition. To sit through a mass as an observer can be confusing. But to study the ceremonies and rites outlined in scripture as they were presented to God's people, the Jews, and then to observe the mass through the lens of judaism and salvation history---it is breathtaking! It is the reason bible-believing protestants convert every single day!
In liturgy especially, our "completed jewishness" is made even visibly evident. Therefore, a person does well to know and study biblical (I keep stressing the word biblical, and I'll explain why in a moment) Judaism as a Catholic Christian and even as a protestant Christian, for it can only strengthen one's faith.
The tension I described, however, comes when the Church apprehends the fleshly tendencies of our broken world to "JUDAIZE" the faith more than it already is. There are many reasons, vast and varied why people do this. Some out of attachment to traditions and objects and "things we do." Others out of attachment to people and culture and identity. I'm as guilty as the next person of these things.... Mea Culpa. If I knew how to "leave everything behind" for my Jesus, whom I love above all things, I would have no more use for this pilgrimmage on earth and God would soon call me home to heaven. I DO struggle with over-judaizing the Christian faith and always have. However, no sooner do I catch myself doing that when God tends to slap me right back to reality by reminding me of two things--- the jewish REJECTION of messiah Yeshua and the Gentile ACCEPTANCE of messiah Yeshua.
This tension is right and proper. When we are reprehended for acting/being/living/speaking/etc "too jewish," we are gently being reminded that CHRIST must remain the focal point. For without the messiah, we are nothing, and our religion, whether jewish or Christian, is meaningless. There are those who say that the Catholic Church has been unfair towards Jews and Judaism. I disagree. The threat of Judaizers, those who wanted ALL nations to live, act, and observe those things prepared for the Jewish people alone, was very real. Kept unchecked, it would have meant certain death to the Christian religion, and God knows this.
Gentiles needed the Jews to illumine their path.... without them they would have never seen the truth. But Gentiles did not need to BE Jews. They needed to be followers of the Jewish Messiah, the light of the WORLD, not just the Jews, who for reasons of spiritual deception (this is where the talmud comes in) were a threat. The threat of Judaizers was not restricted to the biblical times of Christ. We still have this threat today-- and their error is visibly present in Messianic Jews today, who, in their zeal to incorporate all elements of Judaism into their faith in Christ miss the point that Christ is the point, to a degree that becomes more evident as time goes by and their theological structure becomes more clearly and officially defined. (for example, modern messianic theologians are now doing things like rejecting the doctrine of the trinity.)
Another thing to keep in mind is that Judaism as it exists today is only a shadow of a shadow of the BIBLICAL religion it was intended to be. The Talmud is the core of modern judaism, even the most orthodox of orthodox judaism, and the Talmud, at it's root, is of the devil. In fact, the entire system of freemasonry, and many other satanic sects and occult groups, is based on talmudic principles. Among other choice things, the talmud states that Jesus Christ was illegitimate (based on the Blessed Virgin Mary's adulterous affair) and was conceived during menstruation (rendering him unclean), was foolish and insane, a conjurer and magician, and simultaneously an idol and idolater. Christians are called "dung" in the Talmud, fornicators and idolaters, murders and magicians, differing only in form from beasts. Christians are also called followers of the devil and unclean, and are to be harmed both indirectly and directly. (for more information, you can start here:)
When John Chrysostom, a Catholic Saint and Doctor of the Church, who was famous for his incredible and accurate preaching, called "golden tongued," and whose TONGUE remains incorruptible to this day, said: " The festivals of the pitiful and miserable Jews are soon to march upon us one after the other and in quick succession: the feast of Trumpets, the feast of Tabernacles, the fasts. There are many in our ranks who say they think as we do. Yet some of these are going to watch the festivals and others will join the Jews in keeping their feasts and observing their fasts. I wish to drive this perverse custom from the Church right now. My homilies against the Anomians can be put off to another time, and the postponement would cause no harm. But now that the Jewish festivals are close by and at the very door, if I should fail to cure those who are sick with the Judaizing disease. I am afraid that, because of their ill-suited association and deep ignorance, some Christians may partake in the Jews' transgressions; once they have done so, I fear my homilies on these transgressions will be in vain. For if they hear no word from me today, they will then join the Jews in their fasts; once they have committed this sin it will be useless for me to apply the remedy."
Which is explained more clearly when he said: "But do not be surprised that I called the Jews pitiable. They really are pitiable and miserable. When so many blessings from heaven came into their hands, they thrust them aside and were at great pains to reject them. The morning Sun of Justice arose for them, but they thrust aside its rays and still sit in darkness. We, who were nurtured by darkness, drew the light to ourselves and were freed from the gloom of their error. They were the branches of that holy root, but those branches were broken. We had no share in the root, but we did reap the fruit of godliness. From their childhood they read the prophets, but they crucified him whom the prophets had foretold. We did not hear the divine prophecies but we did worship him of whom they prophesied. And so they are pitiful because they rejected the blessings which were sent to them, while others seized hold of these blessing and drew them to themselves. Although those Jews had been called to the adoption of sons, they fell to kinship with dogs; we who were dogs received the strength, through God's grace, to put aside the irrational nature which was ours and to rise to the honor of sons. How do I prove this? Christ said: "It is no fair to take the children's bread and to cast it to the dogs". Christ was speaking to the Canaanite woman when He called the Jews children and the Gentiles dogs."
His concern is right on....and what the people of the day absolutely needed to hear. Over time, in the population, perhaps, unworthy and obstinate as we are to understand lofty theological concepts AND live them in a manner that pleases God, went too far in the other direction, something which has been noted by our present Church leaders and is being remedied today. Balance must be achieved. We must both honor the system and way by which God revealed himself to the world, and not idolize it or hold it in a higher position than it has been given. The system is not God. God is God.
Our end is attachment to God and detachment from the world, our means is the grace of attachment to God and detachment from the world. We can not be simultaneously attached to something (in this case, Judaic traditions/practices, etc) and detached from them. Judaism is not a sacramental religion. It is a religion of sacred tradition which foreshadows a sacramental religion. Attachments to the Sacraments of the Catholic Church, however, ARE attachment to God. The Holy Eucharist IS Jesus Himself, body, blood, soul and divinity.
What does this mean? It means that many people, myself included, can find themselves guilty of idolatry with regards to means and methods God has set in place. We aren't worshipping Golden Calves, we are worshipping the Ark of the Covenant, the people who carried it, and the ceremonies in the temple. We are worshipping the prayers God gave us instead of God Himself. We are worshipping still a creation rather than the creator. And it has to stop. As a mother, I've been in places before where I was addicted to prayer and Bible study. This is wonderful and a worthy pursuit, no doubt. but I was guilty of idolatry in it, and DEEPLY guilty of neglecting my duties in life through it, and this is because God has planned for me that I will be sanctified not only through the study of His Word and a relationship with Him but through mortification, the putting to death of my flesh through work and other not-so-pleasurable endeavors. Judaizing is like that-- it is good that we love jews and jewishness. But it is harmful that we love them so MUCH that we ignore something even MORE important. But why is it SO detrimental?
Most Christians today wax poetic (I'm one of them) about the nation of Israel and the protection and love God has shown the Jewish people. But let us never forget the great harm the Jewish nation and people have done for the cause of Christ. Let us not forget, for example, that when Jews who believe in Jesus go to make Aliyah and live in the place that is rightful theirs, they must sign a paper that claims they do not believe in Jesus. To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ is both illegal and infuriating to the authorities in the State of Israel. As hard as it is for some of us to face, there have been GRAVE injustices against the palestinian arab people. Further, unusually vehement disdain exists among today's jewish people for the person of Jesus Christ and his followers.
Even more frightening, perhaps, is the extraordinary manner in which Satan is using God's chosen people to demolish and destroy society and our culture. It is a well known fact that Hollywood, the music industry,the media and the television industry, and the fine arts, all of which are perpetually pouring satanic ideas and images into the minds of willing listeners under the guise of "entertainment," are run in the vast majority by jewish persons. This is not an accident, nor is it a statement about judaism. It is simply a sign pointing to the reality of God's Gospel, to the spiritual reality around us. Throughout history, we find that frequently, some of the worlds' most unsavory characters have been born of Jewish blood. Also, in the world of big money and big corporations (and nothing smells corruption and immorality like big money, we know) many, many Jewish names and faces pop up. And lastly, one need only look at the face of the new "moral" state of the world--- with regards to politics and theology, there were liberal jews before there were liberal Christians, and that is a sign we must be aware of as well.
All this, of course, not to malign Israel or the jewish people in any way. The Jews are our brothers, our friends, and our common inheritors in the love of God. Insofar as I have here shown only a few examples of ways in which we must be careful not to "overdo" our enthusiasm about all things jewish, I will also point out that some of God's brightest lights have been of Jewish blood. Our Lord Jesus Christ, His Blessed Mother and Ours, Mariam, and His most chaste and pure Foster Father Yosef, of course, come to mind. But what about some of our most incredibly gifted saints.... John of the Cross, and Teresa of Avila? St Edith Stein? Certainly the Church herself has been quilted from the moral and ceremonial laws of the jews and pieces of truth present in the gentile nations, a masterpiece that only God would have the time, foresight and patience to create, one which I give him glory and credit for daily. I love the Roman Catholic Church, and I see in her all truth, all beauty, all goodness, all hope for peace in the world. This is how I know she comes from God.
So what does all of that mean, practically speaking? How would YOU answer the email questions above?
In my own family it has been a constant struggle. A healthy struggle! I met my husband in basic training. We were in the same unit, but I paid very little attention to him until I noticed that he too attended the Jewish services instead of Christian services, even though I knew he was a Christian. I formerly kept a kosher home and observed Shabbat and the other feasts of Israel. of course, marrying a Southerner meant that my life changed in many ways when "two became one," but probably most in the style of life I had and in my religious observances. Southerners like pork, for example. I can tell you that just the other day I was skyping with a dear friend and like-minded thinker about all things pork (ew) when my husband came gleefully in waving a spoonful of PORK BRAINS in front of my webcam and at my face for me to try. I was horrified, but you know, dutifully gave it a try. I'm praying I didn't get a parasite. :P BUT I digress...... the point is that my husband and I don't really see eye-to-eye on the Jewish issue. Whereas I find it important to persist in creating a specifically HEBREW christian culture around my kids, for many reasons of which the primary one is that the Holy Family were observant jews and I model my family life around theirs. He, on the other hand, views the Jewish thing as a step on his way to Catholicism and leaves it at that. Whereas I find (and have found my whole adult life) great peace and comfort in lighting the shabbat candles, he sees it as an unnecessary "Addition" to an already full wealth of ever-meaningful family traditions we already have. I have often sought out fellowship with like minded Hebrew Catholics, but been deterred by the fact that many of them see the Talmud as an equally interesting and viable collection of works which they don't mind assimilating into their own family cultures.
The Church's official position is that she IS the fulfillment of Judaism. St Edith Stein echoed this sentiment by saying at her conversion from judaism to Catholicism: "I finally feel jewish again." It follows, then, that the best way to incorporate judaism into your family life is to be the best Catholic you possibly can be. I didn't come to this conclusion on my own-- I was forced into it by my husband's constant blocking of any of my attempts to "judaize" our Catholic practices. (incidentally, he is right to do so. The Catholic Church recommends participation in jewish life insofar as it does not become a pathway out of the Church but rather as a means of seeing the richness and fullness of the Catholic faith. In the same way, it recommends that when we do Jewish things, such as hold or attend a Passover Seder, for example, we do so according to the Jewish liturgy and NOT adding our own "Catholic"-isms to it and changing it however we see fit. Again, for good reason.)
In doing so, you will see (as I have) that what the Church teaches is true-- we really are the fulfillment of Judaism. I have rambled enough here and don't need to go into detail, but let's just give a couple of examples. I've blogged before about how Christ is the fulfillment of all the jewish feasts (and will be, of course, at his second coming-- like the feast of trumpets) But how about how similar observant Catholic and Jewish culture can be? What's more Jewish than mother guilt? And what other culture has mastered the art of guilt? Yep, Catholics. What else do Jews and Catholics have in common? How about a deep rooted belief in action to heal the world? How about liturgy, prayer styles, and prayer books? How about headcovering? How about holy water fonts at the entrance to our homes, just as jews have mesuzahs at the entrance of their homes? How about a literary tradition and a culture of "study," particularly bible study? We are a people of the book, both of us. How about a home life that sanctifies the world? How about a traditional fascination with home-cooked food? How about a Sabbath that starts and ends at Sundown with strict rules of observance? A liturgical calendar? Blessings after meals? An entire culture of blessing and sanctifying the world around us? A culture where tradition and family are the core and bulk of who we are?
The deeper we think, the deeper it goes. For example, Jews often talk about the feminine nature of Shabbat, and how it is like welcoming another soul to be with us during that special time. Could it be that Catholics, who by revelation of the Virgin Mary set aside our Saturdays as a special way to honor her and spend time with her, knowing she will always lead us to her Son, enjoying what's called the "Sabbatine privilege." Why did God choose a BLUE thread for the tzit tzit? Could it be because it is in seeing the Virgin Mary, whose color has always been blue, that we are reminded of God's commandments? Is this why wearing the Miraculous Medal is so miraculous for conversion? I could go on forever.
Needless to say that while all this is true, some of you may, like me, still feel a "tug" to observe the feasts of the biblical year in addition to our Catholic ones. You may feel called to devotion to a particular saint which does not get much attention from Catholicism in itself and yet has been affirmed as a saint by the Church (such as our Old Testament heroes.) You may feel drawn to a certain observance or practice that is more "Jewish" in nature than "Catholic." And to that I say.... pray. Pray and ask God to reveal areas in your heart that are still walking in confusion or darkness, first. There could be any number of reasons why this impulse towards judaism might be a perfectly legitimate gift from the Holy Spirit.... for example, because you live in a Jewish community and will be respected and befriended more easily and therefore better able to evangelize (although, as we have said, it is not so much necessary to evangelize Jews OUT of Judaism as it is to get them to truly LIVE their jewish faith, by which they will be saved. This statement is perplexing to many, but true on many levels and believed and taught by the Church, as well as being vastly misunderstood. Hint: it does NOT mean that they don't need Jesus to be saved.) Another reason might be because you actually ARE Jewish, that somewhere in your blood and genetic makeup jews are your people. This might be known to you, in which case you desire to celebrate that in order to identify with other Hebrews, and that's perfectly fine. Or perhaps it is unknown to you, and simply a quiet desire to *connect* with other Hebrews, again, which is perfectly fine.
On the other hand, there could be many reasons why this impulse is not an acceptable offering of worship to Our Lord. Perhaps because it has become a stumbling block, keeping you from Jesus, or because through it you are being exposed to Talmudic teachings or other occult phenomena which can harm your soul. Because your SOUL is at stake here, not Jesus Christ.
Is it ok to observe Pesach or Sukkot, or to Light Shabbat Candles, or to read the weekly Torah portion, or to avoid work on Saturdays? Is it ok to visit services at synagogue? To hang a mezusah on our door? To have a menorah in the house or bake challah? To recite the rosary in Hebrew or send your kids to Hebrew school? Sure, I would say, as long as it's ok with the authorities that be over your head (husband, parents, whatever) and AFTER you have examined, REALLY examined the reasons behind that desire. Obedience is the path to sanctification, and if you are really convinced in your heart that these things are good and right, obeying the powers that be around you is FAR more important to God than lighting a couple of candles or saying a certain prayer.
In my experience, the spiritual benefit to a person who is 100% committed to Christ of choosing a hebrew life is profound. However, I would caution you in two ways:
First, the heart of the Catholic (and Hebrew) religion is lived out in the HOME. Let your home silently point to your faith in Christ and in His Church. Do not neglect to make the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary the CENTER of your family life. enthrone them in your homes. People should enter your house and KNOW they are in a Catholic home... possibly wondering why the Votive Candles with Hebrew letters are even there on the mantle and what in the heck your beautiful feast day spread is doing with the addition of a kiddush cup and a challah board. :) But let it be a CATHOLIC home.
Second, in your association with and your relations with the Jewish community, be upfront about who you are: you are not considering conversion to judaism, but neither are you there to evangelize jews. You are simply a person who sees a great value in biblical Judaism and seeks to affirm that great value. By all means, celebrate life, feast and fast with the jews around you (again, if you are allowed to do so under obedience) but do not seek to "fit in" so much that you do not slightly "stand out." Take to heart the Catholic Church's teachings to, when participating in a rite or ritual that belongs to the jews, LEAVE it to the jews and not transform it to your own liking or add to it to make it more complete. Your Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church already has a liturgy and a Roman ritual and a way of doing things that is, in itself, ALL that you need for sanctification. The whole point of our participation in Jewish liturgy is that it is supposed to remind us of Christ, of the lack and need and "hole in the heart of" Judaism without Messiah. Therefore be who you are-- a daughter or son of the Roman Catholic Church, the Church founded on and by Messiah, a completed jew. But have a quiet, vibrant faith which is not founded on words but actions, the chief of which should be love for your neighbor and respect for his human dignity, in which free will reigns supreme.
The sweet soul who wrote me the email at the top of this blog is so much like me! I hope that in her life, as in mine, the resounding joy of being a Catholic who sees, lives and understands the relevance of the Hebrew people, culture and religion in salvation history and in the eyes of the Most High God will be felt and cause waves in the world that will, when unified with the requests of Our Lady, especially at Fatima, help the cause of world peace. Amen!
I leave you with this analogy. As a Catholic, I have often blogged about how I am a "completed" protestant... all of the things I did and said I believed as a charismatic protestant are still present within me, but transformed from being OPPOSED to the Catholic Church (having once considered it an impediment to truth) to embracing it as THE fulfillment of all that I was seeking as a protestant. I MISS being in a worship environment where there was a strong current of faith and which lived and breathed Spirit-led prayer. I miss worshipping God with all my voice and strength. I miss vibrant preaching and on-fire, bible-breathed intercessory prayer. But guess what? All of those things are still mine as a Catholic, mine to practice, mine to participate in, and mine to share. What I cannot do is impose those things at Holy Mass, or during Adoration. I cannot interrupt the recitation of the Rosary. I cannot alter the liturgy of the hours to include them. They are no less a part of my faith experience, only some things are holier than others-- the Eucharist above all.
And so it is with Judaism. Catholicism completes what lacks in every religious experience. This is why it is the truth. Amen.
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