Epiphany
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
finger detached from the body
What do all 3 readings have in common?
Gentiles coming to join the community
world becomes part of Israel
Greatest commandment is love God [the life of body] and neighbor [parts of the body]
true, God foremost (not love your neighbor w/ all)
not just you and God, second half to commandment
see others as other selves
how often do we think of ourselves as a community?
often our faith individually like a finger moving around without connection to the rest of the body
personal relationship
this is not the Catholic teaching
identity
what we are, and what anything on earth is is known by relationships. You have no identity without it.
tree vs air and ground
set of relation life of body
number 1, quantity, limited, positive, whole, etc
but it is not quantity, limit, positivity, only has it by relation
without it, its meaningless
part find use in whole
ear, eye, finger
utterly pointLESS
as humans even our physical body only makes sense in body of humanity
speech
facial expressions
male or female
to think of self as just individual is empty those things into a depressing void of meaninglessness and irrationality
as humans we find some most imp INDIVIDUAL identity by relation to a COMMUNITY
cannot fully define what is a
woman
man
child
citizens
Christian
except by relationships
God who made us in His image (relational Trinity), made us part of community
study social relation happiness
Basic Christianity
anyone followed the tradition, read bible knows
not just about personal relation with God
like finger detached from a body expecting life
OT
prays half the time about israel and city jerusalem
pledge is to the state
NT
continues more truly into Christ
about new Jerusalem
heavenly state, city, citizens
Church
community of believers under Christ
made as and for community
If not, spill that religious community zeal into something less worthy, that, if your lucky will fail you so you dont keep worshiping it
a state
earthly politics (e.g. communism or radical individualism)
even family
dont hear what not saying, patriotism is a virtue, and family is one of the greatest goods on earth, but all secondary to following Christ in community
as Christ says, my mother sisters and brothers are first and foremost those who do the will of God.
because we are made for community, even in the Spirit, for God is a Trinity and we are made in his image.
Ummm, well us Catholics??
Ya, sacraments and hierarchy keep people coming even when their personal relation with God dies out
establish hierarchy since time of David
Saul
Judas
Peter
But that is not enough
sometimes we do a bad job of community, relying on the bare minimum of showing up to Mass with others on Sundays
Shall we live closer to the Gospel then??
well what can I do?
how can we live into the second half of the greatest commandment
live with head and body?
Its a long shot, but heres at least a start...
maybe not living like the apostles with everything in common like in a monastery.. but here is something..
might even find it more fun and fulfilling than simply a white-knuckled duty
Groups
sign up for small groups
we ought not expect to form community without being around each other outside Mass
from these flow community
study groups, dinner groups, prayer groups what it becomes will develop how your group decides
united by the most important thing to unify on: brothers and sisters in God
bear with them as they work themselves out
Conclusions
like the 3 kings uniting under the light of Christ
come together around his light
unite the commandment God above all and neighbor as self
not like finger detached from the body of the community
Notes:
Notes:
Me
“You” promises refer to Jerusalem, not individual
where is the new Jerusalem/community
Church means community, not individuals.
walk by the light of the community
Gentiles are coheirs “members of the same body”
United under something
not community without a head
magi dont come just to hang out
Jews are not united with the gentile world except in the Messiah
2 parts of faith (Love God, neighbor as self)
like chicken with head cut off.
Commentators
“returned by another way” after seeing Christ and the dream.
ADVERTISEMENT