Back to Basics: What is Apostolic Succession?

Perhaps you’ve heard the term Apostolic Succession.  It’s a very important concept in our Catholic tradition, but what does it mean?  In a way, we are asking how we are connected or linked to what Jesus did and taught 2000 years ago.  Christ was sent to reveal God’s identity as Trinity. He was sent to bring us the Good News that we are called to share in the life of the Trinity. And He was sent to bring us into that communion of life and love through his suffering, cross, and resurrection. Christ entrusted all His words and deeds to His Apostles.  He then sent them out to teach and preach everything He had taught them: “He who hears you, hears me and he who rejects you rejects me” (Lk 10:16).  He gave them authority to teach in His name: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (John 20:21).  Christ also promised that the Holy Spirit would lead them into all truth (John 16:13). 

But what happened as the apostles died?  They entrusted the message to others in their place.  They appointed successors in each local community.  They handed on to their successors what they had seen and heard from Jesus.  This is what Paul wrote to Timothy near the end of his life: “What you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Tim 2:2)  God sent His Son Jesus, Jesus sent Paul, Paul sent Timothy, and Timothy was told to send successors of his own, and so on.

Back to Basics: Why did God become Man?

God taking on flesh and becoming man is known as the Incarnation.  The Second Person of the Trinity, the Son, while remaining fully God, assumed a full human nature.  He took on a true human body, intellect, and will.  He was like us in all things but sin (Hebrews 4:15).  Belief in the true Incarnation of the Son of God is the distinctive sign of Christian faith.  St. John begins his Gospel by proclaiming, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:1,14).  We also proclaim in the creed at Mass, “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.”  So, the creed tells us that God took on flesh and became man for us and out salvation.  But we can ask further, why the Incarnation?  Why did God become man?  Our tradition offers us at least four answers.

First, the Word became flesh for us in order to save us by reconciling us with God.  Being born in original sin, and falling into personal sin, our communion with God was radically ruptured.  On its own, humanity was incapable of making a return to God, since the offense of sin was so immense, against an infinitely loving God.  In his love, God became one of us to make that return on our behalf, to restore communion between humanity and God.  Only God himself could have offered the perfect act of love and sacrifice necessary, but only from man was this act due.  In the God-man, the one person Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, and can thus draw us back to God. 

The “Sanctus”: A Catechetical Signpost for the Mass

A while back, Homiletic and Pastoral Review published another article of mine.  Go check it out there.   It discusses how the "Holy, Holy" at Mass signals what is about to happen in the Eucharistic Prayer.

Back to Basics: What is Faith?

If you’ve ever been in a conversation with an atheist, perhaps you’ve heard something like this:  “Faith is believing in something in the absence of any evidence.”  And certainly, on the face of it, that does make faith sound silly.  Why believe something with no evidence?  But is that what we mean by “faith?”  What is the Catholic understanding of faith?

The Church actually teaches that God can be known with certainty by human reason alone.  There are “proofs” for the existence of God which begin by reflecting on the created world and on the human person.  We can look upon these proofs as “converging and convincing arguments.”  Like evidence accumulating in a court of law, these arguments lead us to the knowledge of God beyond a reasonable doubt.

Our human reason, however, only leads us so far.  Of ourselves, we can know nothing of the inner life of God as Trinity or about His loving plan of salvation for us.  For that we need God’s self-communication to us, which we call revelation.  God’s revelation is an invitation that we might know Him and be received into His own inner life of love.  If revelation is an invitation, our response is faith.  So what then is faith?  Faith is both a gift of God and a human act by which the believer gives personal adherence to God and freely assents to the whole truth that God has revealed.

Today the Church commemorates St. Cyril of Jerusalem.

In the Office of Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours, a reading is given from St. Cyril's Catechetical Instructions.  Given in the fourth century, these instructions are still powerful today for those preparing for the Easter sacraments, and for all Christians.  This is a perfect reflection for Lent, a time the Church sets aside as a period of purification and enlightenment for catechumens, and all the faithful.

From a catechetical instruction by Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop (Catech. 3:1-3: PG 33, 426-430)

Prepare for the Holy Spirit

Rejoice, ye heavens, and let the earth be glad, for those who are to be sprinkled with hyssop, and cleansed with the spiritual hyssop, the power of Him to whom at His Passion drink was offered on hyssop and a reed. And while the Heavenly Powers rejoice, let the souls that are to be united to the spiritual Bridegroom make themselves ready. For the voice is heard of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord. For this is no light matter, no ordinary and indiscriminate union according to the flesh, but the All-searching Spirit's election according to faith. For the inter-marriages and contracts of the world are not made altogether with judgment: but wherever there is wealth or beauty, there the bridegroom speedily approves: but here it is not beauty of person, but the soul's clear conscience; not the condemned Mammon, but the wealth of the soul in godliness.
Listen then, O ye children of righteousness, to John's exhortation when he says, Make straight the way of the Lord. Take away all obstacles and stumbling-blocks, that ye may walk straight onward to eternal life. Make ready the vessels of the soul, cleansed by unfeigned faith, for reception of the Holy Ghost. Begin at once to wash your robes in repentance, that when called to the bride-chamber ye may be found clean. For the Bridegroom invites all without distinction, because His grace is bounteous; and the cry of loud-voiced heralds assembles them all: but the same Bridegroom afterwards separates those who have come in to the figurative marriage. O may none of those whose names have now been enrolled hear the words, Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment? But may you all hear, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou wast faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
For now meanwhile thou standest outside the door: but God grant that you all may say, The King hath brought me into His chamber. Let my soul rejoice in the Lord: for He hath clothed me with a garment of salvation, and a robe of gladness: He hath crowned me with a garland as a bridegroom, and decked me with ornaments as a bride: that the soul of every one of you may be found not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; I do not mean before you have received the grace, for how could that be? since it is for remission of sins that ye have been called; but that, when the grace is to be given, your conscience being found uncondemned may concur with the grace.
This is in truth a serious matter, brethren, and you must approach it with good heed. Each one of you is about to be presented to God before tens of thousands of the Angelic Hosts: the Holy Ghost is about to seal your souls: ye are to be enrolled in the army of the Great King. Therefore make you ready, and equip yourselves, by putting on I mean, not bright apparel, but piety of soul with a good conscience. 

Toward a Theology of Infertility: The Trinity in Richard of St. Victor

Recently Homiletic and Pastoral Review published my article "Toward a Theology of Infertility: The Trinity in Richard of St. Victor."

Miracles, Faith, and Abandonment

Not too long ago, on the same day, I came across two seemingly different perspectives on the relationship between God's action in our lives and our faithfulness.  This question had been on my mind lately.  After four years of infertility and now some roadblocks in the process of adoption, I'm starting to wonder "What gives?"  I'm sure it's a reflection of my pride (but I'm sure it's at least understandable) when I question God why that person has a baby.  (By that person, I usually mean someone who is ostensibly not living as righteous a life as I am.  As I write this, I am aware that the Gospel for the upcoming week is about the self-righteous Pharisee and the humble tax collector.  I guess I know who I am in that story).  In any case, if even "that person" is blessed with a child, why not us?  What are we doing so wrong?  Why have we not found favor with God?  Why have all of our prayers for a miracle apparently gone unanswered?  And now why all the setbacks regarding adoption?  What did we do to deserve this?  And what can we do to win God's favor?

So there's the question: What is the relationship between God's action in our lives and our faithfulness?  But let's be honest.  What I am really asking is "How can I manipulate God to get what I want?"

And that's where these two readings I encountered come in.

The first, from the Office of Readings in the Divine Office, is from the first chapter of the prophet Haggai.  The people have returned from exile, but instead of setting to rebuild the temple, they're more concerned with rebuilding their own houses and wealth, and have forgotten about the house of God.  So the prophet says:

"Then the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet:
Is it time for you to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies in ruins?

Now thus says the LORD of hosts:

Reflect on your experience!

You have sown much, but have brought in little;

you have eaten, but have not been satisfied;

You have drunk, but have not become intoxicated;

you have clothed yourselves, but have not been warmed;

And the hired worker labors for a bag full of holes."

Here you have God's chosen people, focused on their own concerns, forgetting about God, and being miserable for it.  They focus on food, but are left hungry; on clothing, but are still cold.  The spiritual lesson is readily apparent: if we fail to focus on the Greatest Good, even the other lesser goods will lose their savor.  It's a principle C.S. Lewis called "First and Second Things:" "You can’t get second things by putting them first. You get second things only by putting first things first."  Can't we infer, then, that if we place God first, all these other blessings and good things will be ours as well?  Didn't our Lord teach as much?  "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Mt 6:33).

So there's my answer: if only I would focus on God and His will, we'll be blessed with a child. (Theologically, this is a form of Pelagianism - that I can win God's favor through my own actions, unaided by grace.  It is a heresy.)

Then, on the same day I also came across another writing, this time from St. Thérèse of Lisieux's "Story of a Soul."  Thérèse desperately wanted to enter the Carmel monastery at a very young age, and she ran into all kinds of roadblocks.  Surely it must be God's will that she fulfill a vocation which she is convinced comes from Him. She asks for a miracle to enter the Carmel, and no miracle is forthcoming.  What gives? The Little Flower explains:

"To those whose faith is like that of a mustard seed He grants miracles and moves mountains in order to strengthen this faith which is still small; but for His intimate friends, for His Mother, He works no miracles before having tried their faith."

Isn't that the exact opposite of what the prophet Haggai was saying?  Thérèse seems to be saying that it is precisely the faithful, those who are most dedicated to God, who will hear only His silence!

Well, there's a theological no win situation.  Be faithless, no blessings.  Be faithful, well, same story.

So, what is the "solution" to this apparent quandary?  I think first off it confirms that our Pelagian tendencies are truly misplaced.  I cannot earn God's favor; God's favor is freely bestowed according to His good will.  As St. Paul said "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" (1 Corinthains 4:7)  

It also tells us that God is beyond our little manipulations.  Of course He is; He's God.  Imagine a God that could be swayed to change His eternal will due to my petty machinations.  That is certainly not the God of the great Catholic theological tradition.  God is beyond our ready-made categories of either/or.  Will God grant the request of the faithful or will he provide a miracle instead for the one lacking faith?  The very question betrays the misplaced attempt to categorize and control the essentially mysterious, undefinable, infinite God.

So what is the poor sinner left to do in this situation?  St. Therese gives us the answer in one word "Abandonment!" 

Abandonment is the fundamental conviction that God's providence extends to all aspects of life. Nothing ultimately escapes His plan.  As Cardinal Newman said:

"Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about."

Abandonment is the choice, animated by grace, to say that God is God, that His plan is perfect, and though I cannot see it, "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).  Abandonment is an act of the will to accept as good from the hand of God whatever befalls us, either as willed by Him out of love, or permitted by His love to bring a greater good.  Abandonment says both, "If God blesses us with children, blessed be God," and equally, "If we never receive that gift, then, still, blessed be God!"  

Easy to write.  Hard to do.  But what's the alternative?  Job's wife gave him the alternative: "Curse God and die" (Job 2:9).  Abandonment is the conviction, above all, that God is love, His universe has meaning, and God's providential care extends to even the most minute aspects of our lives. St. Thomas Aquinas addresses the objection that God's providence cannot extend to all things, since if it did, He would exclude evil.  He answers the objection:


"...it belongs to His providence to permit certain defects in particular effects, that the perfect good of the universe may not be hindered, for if all evil were prevented, much good would be absent from the universe. A lion would cease to live, if there were no slaying of animals; and there would be no patience of martyrs if there were no tyrannical persecution." (ST I, q. 22, art. 2, reply obj. 2)

Abandonment is the conviction that, though I cannot see the perfect good which God's eternal wisdom has ordered, nevertheless I trust in His goodness and wisdom.  True abandonment would even cultivate a sense of gratitude that our sufferings, the defects we suffer, contribute in some way to the perfect, universal good God has planned.

Some may not be consoled in their suffering by such theology and speculation.  But why not?  Theology is not just an academic endeavor to be confined to the classroom or church. Theology is about reality, even the most fundamental reality.  And our vision of reality and our understanding of God will inevitably effect how we understand out trials, and how we approach life.  Curse God and die, or abandonment to Divine Providence?  With God's grace, I choose the latter.