THE EIGHTH SACRAMENT

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go ... Exodus 9:1

Since it first appeared, this blog carried the banner ‘Religion fails whenever it sees itself as a necessary intermediary to God.’ Although it was originally aimed specifically at the dangers of ‘institutionalizing religion’ I also realized that we have a personal responsibility to ensure that God’s gift of faith is constantly fed and nurtured within the greenhouse of our being. St. Paul calls that our spiritual temple (1 Cor. 6:19). It cannot simply continue to grow if we limit or compare our spiritual growth to others.  Each one of us is a unique individual, with a unique role to play when we pray for the bringing forth of ‘Thy kingdom come here on earth as it is in heaven.’

For some time now it occurred to me that God’s gift of faith can be easily thwarted if we do not challenge our understanding of God’s unconditional love.  How do I limit that gift if I surrender my obligation to an  intermediate? Or should I surrender my obligation directly through the Creator who lives within the depth of each human soul?  Before the ‘institution’ was ever built Jesus simply said “follow me, I am the way”!   Accordingly, the role of the institution, as I see it, is to lead us to Jesus, and then let us go to be part of  an all inclusive community. 

Is it possible that the institution would collapse without our support?  If so, what will it be replaced with?  The familiar aphorism “Nature abhors a vacuum” will no doubt apply in such a scenario.  Who and what would fill that void?  One thing is for certain God will not suspend his grace upon the world.  Does Christian scripture not remind us “that we are ALL children of our Father in heaven?  That He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”? It is our personal response to God's grace and sharing that gift with others that really matters. 

  

The basic problem with institutional religion is that it seems to be pre-occupied with competing with other religions.  Just consider the various Christian denominations.   It is estimated that there are more than 41,000[1] Christian denominations in the world today.  If these communities cannot agree upon which group holds the exclusive rights to ‘Truth’ then how do we ever hope to understand another 42,000 [2]denominations of various non-Christian religions and spiritual beliefs?  Is this a problem for God, or is it simply a problem that ignores the unique understanding of each human being? 

One of Pope Francis’ first homilies, to his flock in May of 2013, warned that “some Christians establish the eighth sacrament “of pastoral customs” when they insist on protocol instead of seeking to meet spiritual needs” [3].  He concluded his homily by asking everyone to think about “the Holy People of God, a simple people, who want to get closer to Jesus and we think of so many Christians of goodwill who are wrong and that instead of opening a door they close the door of goodwill ... So we ask the Lord that all those who come to the Church find the doors open, open to meet this love of Jesus. We ask this grace.”  Surely this God given grace must apply to all people and all of the world’s religious institutions?

 

There is little question that  competing religious institutions continue to divide people and communities.  And, to the extent that it continues to bring much misery and suffering among humankind.   Is it simply because religious institutions seem to demand a common and fixed understanding rather than a shared diversity?   Should religious institutions remain as expressions of an exclusive and competing faith institution rather than that of a universal community reflecting the unconditional love of a Creator who accepts All people were they are – not where others would have them be?  I know its probably a silly dream.  But a dream we will ALL come to realize sooner or later.

In the meantime perhaps it is time for all of the world’s religious institutions to introduce a brand new vision of what it means to love God, our neighbour and especially our self, in the form of a Sacrament that allows people to discover their unique God given diversity rather than any false conformity – so that ALL may become as One!  I would call that, in Roman Catholic terms  the 'eighth sacrament'

  

‘To Let my people go, and let thy Kingdom come,often seems like a bit of wishful thinking  but let us together consider the alternative.

---

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_religions_and_spiritual_traditions

[3]http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/dont-create-sacrament-of-pastoral-customs-pope-preaches/

Good and Bad Catholics



Martin Luther summoned to Rome 

One cannot pretend to be a good Catholic and be a racist, or pretend to be a good Catholic and be pro-abortion” according to a recent statement by the head of Canada’s national pro-life organization of priests Fr. Tom Lynch.  These comments were specifically aimed at Justin Trudeau, son of the late and former Prime Minister to Canada Pierre Trudeau for his pro-abortion stance.

Whether or not you are pro-life or pro-choice is not at issue here.   What is at stake at least from the perspective of  Prof. Lynch is that there are only two types of Catholics – good and bad!  This dualistic approach to religion is often used by fundamentalist to divide and conquer.  How many more people need to suffer worldwide if the major world religions continue to take such an uncompromising position?  In the eyes of God we are after all One. 

Instead of seeking division we need to develop an attitude of forgiveness and understanding.  At the same time what is needed is not more churches, temples, synagogues or mosques but places that minister to the needs of all.  What is needed are not more answers – dogma and doctrine but more questions.  Humility is still the best way to recognize that we don’t know everything about God, as he is still giving birth to each and all creation.  As the universe evolves so must our understanding of God.  So perhaps what is needed is less industrial religion and a greater desire to find God within in ourselves and each human being.  If there is to be peace in this world the world’s religions must clearly stop competing to find favour with God.

Religious fundamentalism is rife, not because people do not believe in God but because people think that they have to do battle for the Creator and defend him from competing and conflicting belief systems.  If that were true our God is not only completely impotent but weaker than most human beings.  The challenge for religious institutions is to help all people to awaken to the Holy and precious creations we are in the eyes of God.  This will no doubt require a very large dose of God’s humility.  A  humility that acknowledges that we don’t have all the answers. A humility that thrives on not knowing. A humility that accepts and encourages human diversity.  And finally a humility that replaces dogma and doctrine with mystery.

Modern scholars tell us that the word ‘religion’ was probably derived from the Latin term ‘ligare’ meaning “to bind” or “connect”.  What is that we are bound to or reconnect with?  Is it an institution or God?  The role of the religious institution is hopefully the latter.  Jesus, who was never a Roman Catholic or Protestant, was born, raised and died as a Jew and never insisted that anyone should join his Jewish faith.  Jesus taught by example how we could live in harmony with each other and as One – not separate  due to our religious belief systems.  When we as adults depend on or the trade the love for God for  the love for Church than perhaps  the institution has failed us.  At that point we will have entered into a dangerous form of co-dependency.  As any parent would, the institution must guide us to trust in God and ourselves above all other things.  Remember God’s promise he will never leave us an orphan.  According Jesus told us:  ‘The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you’ – John 14:26

As for  Justin Trudeau and his pro-choice  belief, perhaps he is simply re-acting to the militant tone or absolute terms so often expressed by some self-righteous defenders of the faith.  A gentler way to convince people to understand pro-life is to include and honour all life from the Alpha to the Omega.    

A World without Religion

The pages of history are filled with violence orchestrated by various religious groups seeking to impose their beliefs on others. Violence remains with us today on a world wide scale as religious organizers continue to make claims that their religion represents the absolute truth over all others. The recent gathering in Assisi hosted by Pope Benedict XVI   included some 300 representatives of world religions as well as a small group of agnostics gives rise to the hope that maybe someday we will find common ground albeit probably without the support of organized religions.

The idea that such meetings could prove to be cathartic was vividly illustrated when Benedict used this occasion to finally apologize for events such as the Crusades or the use of force to spread the faith in the New World. Pope John Paul apologized in 2000 for Christianity’s historical failures. In recent years an increasing number of awakened and informed people have rightfully become suspicious and alarmed about the real aims of some institutional religions. 

While in Assisi   Benedict suggested that these suspicions may have caused people to doubt in God’s existence.  But this argument, if it was intended to support the institutional hierarchy,   may be rather ill founded. It is far more likely that more people today believe in a loving God but do not see the need for a heavily politicised and dogmatic religion that does not serve their particular needs or sympathies. This rejection or disappointment is clearly reflected in the number of Catholics who have left their beloved church in droves in the last two decades.  Sadly the Church hierarchy continues to  avoid meaningful dialogue with the people they serve.      

Competing religions are still found to be among the chief causes for  much pain and suffering in this world. Surely God never intended that we should be separate from and hate one another?  Surely not one religion can   claim that they have exhausted all that there is to know about God.  The greatest heresy that can be committed by anyone one or any group is to lay claim that their religion alone possess the ultimate truth.  Is not the ultimate truth about our common Creator far beyond all human knowledge and understanding? And, just what makes us think that the Creator’s work is completed or finished? Faith exists in the unknowing, in our questions, in our trust of something beyond our reach, and most certainly in something other than readymade answers.

Acts of violence in all its forms carried out in the name of God can never be justified.  God does not make demands, punish, or reward or ask us to act as his soldiers or martyrs.  Our common deity does not need our help to accomplish his work.  We merely need to treat each other as we would like to be treated ourselves. God simply loves us unconditionally regardless of our beliefs. We need to embrace a new way of understanding one another.  We must free ourselves from rigid beliefs and rid ourselves from some of the trappings which institutional religion has brought us.

We now share the planet with more than 7 billion inhabitants all with unique and separate qualities or abilities.  More significantly our technological advances continue to bring us closer and closer together resulting in the inevitable clash of differing cultures. While we may celebrate our individual cultural differences they must never be used as means of establishing a cult of superiority.  Such displays and attitudes will only hasten conflict and hatred. Exterior religious signs and symbols cannot  serve as a substitute for the much more needed interior expression of the heart.                 

 In the meantime world peace will remain elusive perhaps until the divisions and separation between the world’s religions are finally resolved. In God’s realm there are no institutional religions, or separate levels of equality. Man or woman, In the eyes of God we are all equal and holy creations. This Creator desires to save all, not some, not just Catholics, but all!

If the world's religions cannot bring us the peace we all deserve and desire we may have to look for it in our hearts instead and live in a world without religion.

Readers are invited to view a similar theme in my blog posted on Dec. 12/09 which may be found here

IMPORTANT NOTE

This brief essay was never intended to suggest that we should abandon organized religion.  Nor is it a call to close the doors of all the world's religious institutions.

What I am suggesting is that all competing religious groups finally recognize that God resides in every human being in a diverse and unique way - far beyond our understanding at this time!

 The challenge for religious institutions is to help human beings awaken to the holy and precious creations who we are.  This will no doubt require a very large dose of God's gift of humility.      A humility that acknowledges that we don't have all the answers.  A humility that thrives on not knowing! A humility that accepts and encourages diversity.  A humility that does not insist on making  artificial demands or impose certain pre-conditions. A humility that replaces dogma and doctrine with mystery!