Archive for July, 2008
And now for something you’ll really like
Since things seem to be pretty serious around here…
My friend John from Grand Rapids happens to be Catholic and has a page on Live Journal.? While I am sure most of it isn’t of any direct interest to you, his most recent post features a nice “Q & A” that clears up any confusion we may have about the Catholic Church.? 
Tags: And now, for something, like, you'll really
An Understanding of Communion 2
Mr. (Bleu) Vane, so nice to have you join us–I like the name! My thoughts as regards your post: I think you leave a bit out when you say that your children don’t receive communion because of “doctrinal differences.” While this is certainly true, it seems a bit incomplete. Issues of doctrine are related to issues of authority, I think, and when we joined the Orthodox Church we put ourselves under its teaching and pastoral authority. Since we believe our Tradition to be guided by the Holy Spirit and it is handed down through our bishops (not only them, I know), a church that is not under this authority is therefore not in communion with ours. I think, therefore, that it is not only doctrinal differences but the underpinning differences in authority that keep your children from partaking in another church.
The Life in Christ
I’m not sure about anybody else, but most of the time I think I know my faith more than I feel it. Since I don’t really know that much, this could be problematic, but anyway…When I’m talking about feeling, though, I don’t mean thoughts of sunshine and whatnot, but rather those moments when something about God strikes me on such a level that I just have to stop and wonder for a moment. Today I had one of those when I finished reading Nicholas Cabasilas’s The Life in Christ.
After discussing, amongst other matters, the sacraments of Baptism, Chrismation, and the Eucharist, Cabasilas goes on to sum up our “Life in Christ” with some general comments. In discussing the fact that we are “slaves of Christ” he points out that Christ
paid the ransom, not in order to enjoy anything from those who have been ransomed, but in order that what is His might belong to them, and that the Master and His labours might profit the slaves, and that he who has been purchased might himself wholly possess Him who has purchased him.
This got me thinking about how much of the world views Christianity (at least I did in the past): namely that we are slaves to some power-hungry God who just wants to tell us what to do. The response to this thought is usually, “No one tells me what to do.”
We all know, however, that everything God does is based on love for us, and this little bit from Cabasilas really emphasized that for me. Christ didn’t empty Himself in order to do anything for His own good; He undertook all He did for our sake, so that we might become partakers of His nature. Sure, this is basic theology, but there are those times when I feel it more than I know it. I’ve come to appreciate them, because, for me at least, they are few and far between.