Comments on: Our Life In Christ http://www.blessedisthekingdom.com/2009/06/26/our-life-in-christ/ Seeking The Kingdom In All Things Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:30:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Fr. Christian Mathis http://www.blessedisthekingdom.com/2009/06/26/our-life-in-christ/comment-page-1/#comment-2009 Fr. Christian Mathis Sun, 03 Jan 2010 02:24:53 +0000 http://www.blessedisthekingdom.com/?p=192#comment-2009 Glad you found the blog Ruth Ann and hope you will return often! Glad you found the blog Ruth Ann and hope you will return often!

]]> By: Ruth Ann http://www.blessedisthekingdom.com/2009/06/26/our-life-in-christ/comment-page-1/#comment-2007 Ruth Ann Sat, 02 Jan 2010 21:16:20 +0000 http://www.blessedisthekingdom.com/?p=192#comment-2007 Thank you for posting this essay about Holy Communion. I do believe my main reason for staying Catholic is this sacrament, which I have cherished since my childhood. I found your blog at the Saturday Night Blog Post, and I'm glad I did! Thank you for posting this essay about Holy Communion. I do believe my main reason for staying Catholic is this sacrament, which I have cherished since my childhood. I found your blog at the Saturday Night Blog Post, and I’m glad I did!

]]> By: Mark G. http://www.blessedisthekingdom.com/2009/06/26/our-life-in-christ/comment-page-1/#comment-469 Mark G. Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:17:18 +0000 http://www.blessedisthekingdom.com/?p=192#comment-469 Father Christian, thank you for the Great Silence after Communion today. It was beautiful. Father Christian, thank you for the Great Silence after Communion today. It was beautiful.

]]> By: Fr. Christian Mathis http://www.blessedisthekingdom.com/2009/06/26/our-life-in-christ/comment-page-1/#comment-466 Fr. Christian Mathis Sun, 05 Jul 2009 04:13:54 +0000 http://www.blessedisthekingdom.com/?p=192#comment-466 Thanks for the continued comments Steve. Yes, it does seem there is a crisis in authority in our church right now that has been playing itself out over the span of decades now. I am attempting to simply turn to the Gospel for help. Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom." Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." He replied, "My cup you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:20-28) Thanks for the continued comments Steve. Yes, it does seem there is a crisis in authority in our church right now that has been playing itself out over the span of decades now.

I am attempting to simply turn to the Gospel for help.

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered him, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My cup you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
(Matthew 20:20-28)

]]> By: s-p http://www.blessedisthekingdom.com/2009/06/26/our-life-in-christ/comment-page-1/#comment-467 s-p Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:39:23 +0000 http://www.blessedisthekingdom.com/?p=192#comment-467 Father, There is an old saying of the Desert Fathers: quot;There is safety in obedience.quot; And yes, there is safety in sacrificing one's self for the sake of the gospel. I recently commented on an Orthodox blog where controversies are flaring: quot;The altar is not the place to quot;make statementsquot; other than what the Church is telling us in the Liturgy. If you have a personal opinion that is at variance with the Church, take it to the parking lot, not into the altar.quot; It is a quot;humanquot; issue to vaunt one's own will and judgment over against what has been ordained by God through the ordained authority of the Church to be the good order of His house. The good order can be changed as the needs of the house changes, HOW that is done determines if we (both Orthodox and Catholic) are a heirarchical Church or just protestants in robes in my opinion. But I think we've moved far from the topic of the Real Presence. :) Father, There is an old saying of the Desert Fathers: quot;There is safety in obedience.quot; And yes, there is safety in sacrificing one’s self for the sake of the gospel. I recently commented on an Orthodox blog where controversies are flaring: quot;The altar is not the place to quot;make statementsquot; other than what the Church is telling us in the Liturgy. If you have a personal opinion that is at variance with the Church, take it to the parking lot, not into the altar.quot; It is a quot;humanquot; issue to vaunt one’s own will and judgment over against what has been ordained by God through the ordained authority of the Church to be the good order of His house. The good order can be changed as the needs of the house changes, HOW that is done determines if we (both Orthodox and Catholic) are a heirarchical Church or just protestants in robes in my opinion. But I think we’ve moved far from the topic of the Real Presence. :)

]]> By: Fr. Christian Mathis http://www.blessedisthekingdom.com/2009/06/26/our-life-in-christ/comment-page-1/#comment-463 Fr. Christian Mathis Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:25:42 +0000 http://www.blessedisthekingdom.com/?p=192#comment-463 No problem at all were he to change the age and that would certainly fall under the small "t" tradition versus the big "T" Tradition issues. Interesting that you bring up infallibility Steve as it might be an interesting future topic for a blogpost. I find it to be one of the most misunderstood teachings of the Church, even among Catholics. The vast majority of what we would call infallible teachings come out of the ecumenical councils of the Church, with only two items being defined in such a way by the pope---and even these were things already widely accepted by the faithful, he wouldn't have the power to define them if this were not the case. Anyway, this continues to be an excellent discussion and has gone places I would not have imagined. No problem at all were he to change the age and that would certainly fall under the small “t” tradition versus the big “T” Tradition issues.

Interesting that you bring up infallibility Steve as it might be an interesting future topic for a blogpost. I find it to be one of the most misunderstood teachings of the Church, even among Catholics. The vast majority of what we would call infallible teachings come out of the ecumenical councils of the Church, with only two items being defined in such a way by the pope—and even these were things already widely accepted by the faithful, he wouldn’t have the power to define them if this were not the case.

Anyway, this continues to be an excellent discussion and has gone places I would not have imagined.

]]> By: s-p http://www.blessedisthekingdom.com/2009/06/26/our-life-in-christ/comment-page-1/#comment-464 s-p Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:04:49 +0000 http://www.blessedisthekingdom.com/?p=192#comment-464 I would agree with Mark that (as an outsider looking in and being raised pre-Vatican II Catholic) I would have an issue with parish priests or even local Bishops unilaterally changing the quot;tquot;raditions. I perceive a crisis of authority in the ranks of the American Catholic Church that grieves me. <br /><br />I also agree with Fr. Christian that quot;infallibilityquot; is grossly misunderstood and caricaturized by Protestants, but also misunderstood by most Catholics, regarding what teachings and practices actually fall under that rubric. Much of this discussion brings up a lot of points and issues that (again, as an outsider looking in), I am very interested to see what happens under Pope Benedict's watch. I believe he is one of the most formidable Christian intellects and dedicated Church leaders on the planet trying to steer a ship with a (hopefully small) mutinous crew and passengers. (But then what Church leader isn't these days....) Lord have mercy on us all.<br />(just plain) steve :) I would agree with Mark that (as an outsider looking in and being raised pre-Vatican II Catholic) I would have an issue with parish priests or even local Bishops unilaterally changing the quot;tquot;raditions. I perceive a crisis of authority in the ranks of the American Catholic Church that grieves me.

I also agree with Fr. Christian that quot;infallibilityquot; is grossly misunderstood and caricaturized by Protestants, but also misunderstood by most Catholics, regarding what teachings and practices actually fall under that rubric. Much of this discussion brings up a lot of points and issues that (again, as an outsider looking in), I am very interested to see what happens under Pope Benedict’s watch. I believe he is one of the most formidable Christian intellects and dedicated Church leaders on the planet trying to steer a ship with a (hopefully small) mutinous crew and passengers. (But then what Church leader isn’t these days….) Lord have mercy on us all.
(just plain) steve :)

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