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Oh Please, what’s the big deal? I am already tired of the Christian protest spam I am getting against the faux threat of the children’s movie “The Golden Compass.” Much ado about not much.

There’s more subversive, damaging material in one violent summer blockbuster or teen sex comedy than in the entire Body of Phillip Pullman’s work. He may wish to “Kill God,” but it’s the wrong God he’s trying to kill. He may want to subvert the Church, but the Church he thinks he’s subverting is the wrong Church. Church done wrong, something all should be against. A teddy bear named “Jesus” would be more threatening than this movie.

I’ve never been in league with the Catholic League. I’m more inclined to agree with the reviewer for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops:

Will seeing this film inspire teens to read the books, which many have found problematic? Rather than banning the movie or books, parents might instead take the opportunity to talk through any thorny philosophical issues with their teens.

Yeah, let me be the one to “protect” my children from evil atheist subversion, please.

I wrote this as a talk I was supposed to give to a group of men in my parish, a meditation of John Chapter 9, “I was blind and now I see.” I figure since I took the trouble to write it up, I’d post it here, especially since it is a message I need to hear fairly frequently:

As is usual when I am supposed do something like this, I prayed over this theme in Adoration.

God chose to start off by showing me the various ways I am Blind:
· Distraction: Focused on something else (ADD child)
· Overload: “Snow Blindness” Too much going on to focus (overwhelmed – unable to pick which voice to listen to)
· Agenda: Confirmation Bias. We see things as we are, not as they are.
· Persona: Masks, Reputation. Wanting to project a persona distorts the way we interact with the world.(wanting to be intellectual or sophisticated blinds me to the wisdom of simple faith)
· Truth itself – Being “Right” can be an insidious source of Blindness. Have a new hammer and everything looks like a nail…

“Seeing” can be a source of blindness.

Jesus said to the Pharisees: “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains.”

Beware of being right. Usually I find that if I am assured of how right I am about something, it is almost certain I am blind to something important that I am missing. Even if it is compassion and mercy for those who are “wrong.”

I was impressed by the lyrics from Steve’s theme song he wrote for us, something like “If I don’t see you then take my sight away.” Wow. That is some wisdom – if it is not Christ we see then it’s better to be blind than be “right.” Sight can only be restored, as with the young man in our reading, via an encounter with the living Christ. That’s why it’s so important to pray. Without prayer I am, we are, all blind.

I was inspired by the discussion from last week, how “blindness” and “sight” is not an either/or proposition. How we can be both blind and see at one time. How “sight” comes in varying degrees, in different ways. We all have our clear and blind spots. That’s the wisdom form this group.

That to me is some deep wisdom. Two apparent opposites held at the same time in harmony and tension.

Jesus was big on giving us such paradoxes to live with. He was always challenging us to hold two seeming opposites in harmony and tension:

Death/Life (paschal mystery)
Master/Servant
Greatness/Humility
Weakness/Strength

And, in John chapter 9, Sight and blindness. At the same time. In harmony and tension.

I want to say two 50 cent words to you and then I want you to immediately forget them. It is the idea behind them that is important:

Kataphatic and Apophatic

Our Catholic faith has a Kataphatic and an Apophatic tradition. The Kataphatic tradition concerns itself with statements of positive belief. It’s where our Church’s Creeds and Catechism come from. It is the source of Doctrine and Dogma and all Church teaching. Insofar as our faith is “right” about God, that comes from the kataphatic tradition.

The apophatic tradition comes from recognizing the overwhelming incomprehensibility of God. It focuses on what we do not know and cannot know about what God does and who He is. It’s closely aligned with the mystical tradition in the Church. When Jesus told us to be like the little children, when he praised the meek and the poor in spirit, he was coming from the apophatic side of things. Insofar as our Church is humble about the “rightness” of its teaching, that comes from the apophatic tradition.

Okay, you can forget the words now. What’s important is that we hold these two ideas as important, at the same time, in harmony and tension. Be blind and see at the same time.

To have one without the other is dangerous. But we like to flirt with danger by having preferences for one or the other.

Some people prefer the kataphatic tradition, Shorthand for them might be “conservative” Catholics. Stereotypically, they embrace all things dogmatic and are quick to proclaim and defend the teachings of the Church. They attend “Fullness of Truth” conferences, go to hear Scott Hanh speak when he’s in town. They trust the Magisterium of the Church and are a little skeptical of the “watered down” Catholicism of the mystics.

Some prefer the apophatic tradition. Shorthand for them might be “liberal” Catholics. They tend to prefer direct experiences of God over “Churchy” experiences. Some describe themselves as “Spiritual but not Religious”. They read Thomas Merton and go to hear Richard Rohr speak when he’s in town. They like a little eastern spirituality mixed in with their Catholicism. They tend to be wary of the structure and rules of the Church and and seek “contemplation”.

Both are right. Both are wrong.

Insofar as we prefer one tradition and think the other tradition is a little “wonky,” we are blind. If we see these traditions as “sides” in a conflict in the Church, we are blind.

The correct answer is “both” in harmony and tension. If we are naturally drawn to the one “side,” then our faith demands that we come to know the “other side” as well and work to hold them both in our own lives. In harmony and tension.

I would say I have been and am one of those liberal catholics. I came back to the Church as an adult through the mystical tradition. I started seeking spiritually in my twenties through Buddhism and was directed back to my very own faith via the writings of guys like Thomas Merton. My challenge was to learn enough about my faith to overcome my prejudice against “churchy” things and people and embrace my whole faith. I am still working on it. I used to describe myself as spiritual but noit religious. I now realize there can be no such thing if you follow Christ.

My beloved Thomas Merton, the “patron saint” of liberal Catholics everywhere, says this:

“The Dogmas defined and taught by the Church have a very precise, positive meaning which those who have the grace to do so must explore if they would live an integral spiritual life…”
“The understanding of Dogma is the proximate and ordinary way to contemplation.”
“Everyone ought to breathe the clean atmosphere of orthodox tradition and explain his belief in correct terminology.”

“YET true contemplation is not arrived at by an effort of the mind… God gives true theologians a hunger born of humility, which cannot be satisfied with formulas and arguments, and which looks for something closer to God than analogy can bring you.”
“This serene hunger of the spirit penetrates the surface of words and goes beyond the human formulation of mysteries and seeks intellectual solitude and interior poverty, the gift of supernatural apprehension which words cannot signify.”

That is the key idea – the GIFT of apprehension. Everything God reveals to us through scripture and Church tradition is a GIFT from Him. It would be rude of us to downplay it or refuse it. It is incumbent upon us to study it, to teach it when called, to live it.

Yet God also makes available to us GIFTS of contemplation – direct experiences of Himthat go beyond words and ideas. And we would be negligent to not seek God beyond where our positive statements of belief can take us.

Faith involves holding these two things in harmony and tension. Our Church is built upon mystery, important places in our faith where reason will not help us, where we need to have different ways of seeing and knowing. Insofar as we only have one way of seeing, we are blind.

Insofar as we do not develop our knowledge of church teaching, we are blind. Insofar as we do not develop our capacity to encounter God with different ways of seeing, we are blind.

Good thing we have each other to help each other. All of us have our blind spots.

All this stuff about theology and mysticism, belief and experience of God, is, as Thomas Aquinas said “all straw” if it does not lead us to the person of Christ and transform the world in tangible ways.

The words of our theme were spoken by the blind young man when he was badgered repeatedly by the Pharisees about what he thought the origin of his healing. He said to them: “I don’t know, but I do know one thing — I was blind and now I see.”

Hard to argue with results. The blind man had an encounter with Jesus that transformed him. It was hard to argue that Jesus had power – the results were right there for all to see.

And all these beliefs and all this prayer, all this “being right” and having “direct experiences” of God – if it gives us genuine sight – comes down to results.

I dunno, all I know is that I was blind and now I see…

So I leave you with this: We as Christians are supposed to provide the world a real encounter with Jesus Christ. So how is the world different because of our beliefs and our prayer? Are the hungry fed? Are the lonely comforted? Are sinners and enemies loved and forgiven? Can anyone say by encountering us that they were blind but now they see? At least a little bit more?”

I really try to ignore the fact that, reddit, one of my favorite aggregators on the web has devloved into a community of distinct progressive bias. I tend to be progressive myself, but I like my information sources to be balanced. I don’t mind hearing from the Atheist viewpoint, really I don’t.

But come on. If Christians preached on reddit the way Atheists do, they’d rightfully be run off. I sure wish they’d keep the evangelization of any kind off of my favorite aggregator.

The problem with most Chrsitian/Atheist dialogue is that most atheists have as incomplete an idea of who God is as most Christians do. They argue over the existence of an idea that we expect most Christians to grow out of by adulthood. The “God” they so predictably fight over is a devlopmentally-appropriate version of God for children. We’re supposed to grow deeper in our understanding, but rarely do so.

Personification of God is a convenient shorthand - a way to apply words to something that is way beyond words. A “handle” we use to relate to a transcendant reality. We start with God as a person because we are persons and we relate better that way.

At some point, though, we’re supposed to get beyond the convenient personification of God as “Father in the sky” and experience him in more mature form. God as Love. God as Good(ness). God is not *a* being — God *is* being.

By my faith, God made atheists too and the impulse to love is written on their hearts. Why would we be surprised that a sample of atheists would be more charitable than a sample of Christians? I bet the sampling was not normalized for spiritual maturity.

I know Atheists that are Good. I know Atheists who Love. I know Atheists who are masters of being who they were created to be. So, they don’t say “Lord, Lord” all the time, but by their fruits I can know them. Some of the best Christians I know don’t go to church.

I know “devout” Christians who are stuck in self-centered modes of being. Sometimes I am one of those Christians. The dividing line that matters is not so much belief/non-belief as it should be selflessness/selfishness. If you live a selfless life, then I call you my brother regardless of what you believe.

And if you are selfish, then I can identify with you too. I just wish I didn’t. So much.

Apparently “Angry Atheist” Authors are Hot Property right now. They’ve simply had it with religious fundamentalists of all stripes and want to “fight back.” They think it’s time for thinking, reasonable atheists to “take back” society from “superstition” and they’re willing to go to cultural battle to do so. Atheism has been around forever but what’s new is the strident and, dare I say it, evangelical tone they are taking.

Does anyone else see the irony here? Their increasingly confrontational rhetoric they are embracing is the essence of the very thing they are fighting against.

Christopher Hitchens famously says that “Religion Kills.” I say ego-driven, self-righteous outrage kills.

Apparently it sells well too. Religious fundamentalists of all stripes have known this forever. And now the Atheists get a cut of the action as well…. Good for them?

Let’s get this straight: Whether it’s Morality or Near Death Experiences, just because there’s a physical explanation doesn’t mean that it’s not a spiritual reality. In fact, for those of us who really believe God was our creator, the evidence of physical basis for religious and moral behavior serves as confirmation of our faith.

I think the problem comes from the mistaken belief, from believers and non-believers alike, that the spiritual world and the physical world are somehow basically separate with a few rare intersections that appear to us as “miracles.”

A quote from the article on NDEs: “People say that because there’s a common thread running through them all there must be a spiritual element… I look at that common thread and I see a biological process.”

Why can’t it be both, pray tell? There is no separating spiritual reality and physical reality.

“The church is like a swimming pool in which all the noise comes from the shallow end.”
— W. H. Vanstone, Anglican Theologian

I wonder if the atheist religion is as embarrassed about their obnoxious proselytizing fringe element as we Christians are of ours?

I am encouraged lately by Ron Rolheiseir’s article from the latest US Catholic called “Knock it Off”. I have been discouraged by how the Church appears to be follwing the rest of society in becoming increasingly polarized between “liberals” and “conservatives.”

Being an Adult Minister of my parish, I have my own leanings, my own preferences, but I am very careful to not let them come out. My job is to represent my Church and help people develop their faith, not lead them down my own path. So I try to stay away from the “partisan” debates about what parts of Jesus’ message we should emphasize and which “sins” are the ones we should crusade against. And when someone brings up this polarization — from either side — I feel a tension between my own natural desire to give my opinion and my need to represent all the Church and not just some points of view.

Until now, I have compromised by always trying to speak for the unrepresented viewpoint. But Rolheiser has given me another thing to say. Forget “liberal” or “conservative”, go deeper. The article is a must read for every Catholic who takes sides as “liberal” or “conservative.”

“So what you’re seeing today inside of the church and inside of society is a fierce and a powerful conservatism. This conservatism actually feeds off an unbalanced liberalism. Excessive liberalism sparks excessive conservatism, then excessive conservatism sparks excessive liberalism, and so on….there has to be a grounding in faith. As Jim Wallis of Sojourners magazine says, ‘Don’t be a liberal, don’t be a conservative, be a man or woman of faith. Don’t turn right, don’t turn left, go deeper.’ It’s simple but it’s true: Don’t act liberally or conservatively, just act out of faith, and that will take you where you should be. “

Everyone should read this article, especially the advice for both Liberals or Conservatives at the very bottom.

I can see that the parts of Christianity I disagree with come from a good place, a good basic idea, however tortured and distorted by polarizing agendas they may be. My job when I am confronted with stuff I disagree with is to find that good place it came from and embrace it. Find the good place. Go Deeper into Faith.

I’d say at this moment, this is my favorite hymn. We sang it in church occasionally for years, and I let it just wash over me and never paid attention to it until I heard it at the funeral of Fr. Walter Sheffield, one of our parish’s most beloved priests. It was his favorite song. It was him to a tee.

Fr. Walter gave of himself right up to the end of his life. Toward the end, he would try to say mass and get confused. But he loved to say mass and loved to be there with people. You’d definitely go to other priests to discuss canon law or theology, but you’d go to Fr. Walter for a friendly chat or for a supportive ear. He was that kind of guy.

When I was younger, I wanted to be the type you’d go to to discuss philopsophy and theology and other heady topics. That’s how I wanted to be known (and still do on my weaker days.) But when I grow up, I think I’d like to be more like Fr. Walter, known for love and service that never gives up. Always a friendly and supportive shoulder to lean on.

So the Servant song was his his favorite song. And I guess I want it to be my favorite song too. I sing it for morning prayer often. As a reminder.

Brother let me be your servant.
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I may have the grace
To let you be my servant to.

We are pilgrims on a journey
We are brothers on the road.
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and share the load.

I will hold the Christ light for you.
In the nighttime of your fear.
I will hold my hand out to you,
Speak the peace you long to hear.

I will weep when you are weeping.
When you laugh, I’ll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
‘Til we’ve seen this journey through.

When we sing to God in heaven
We will find such harmony
Born of all we’ve known together
Of Christ’s love and agony.

— Richard Gillard

The Washington Post tried to make him look as stern as possible — “Pope Warns About Loveless Sex”. Can’t blame them too much because that’s what I expected his first encyclical to be like.

Haven’t read it all yet, but from the summaries it looks like a back-to-basics look at the nature of love and the mission of the Church. It’s said that a Pope’s first encyclical letter is supposed to set the tone for his papacy. Okay.

He’s kind of surprised me. I have to admit that before he became Pope Benedict XVI I didn’t like him that much. Now he has my sincere benefit of the doubt.

First Anne Rice, then Naomi Wolf. Curiouser and curiouser…

“Now, there are many, many people in the world, but relatively few with whom we interact, and even fewer who cause us problems. So, when you come across such a chance for practicing patience and tolerance, you should treat it with gratitude. It is rare. Just as having unexpectedly found a treasure in your own house, you should be happy and grateful to your enemy for providing that precious opportunity.”

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama

I’ll try to remember this. In our new position in our parish, many of our fellow parishoners are very happy and supportive. And some, I understand, are less so. So what an opportunity to practice patience, tolerance, and not being defensive. When we accepted the Adult Ministry position, we promised to minister to all adults, not just the ones who like us back. So His Holiness’ words above will be a useful reminder.

As companion piece to my previous post, I’ll blog the recent USCCB call to abolish the death penalty:

“It is time for our nation to abandon the illusion that we can protect life by taking life. When the state, in our names and with our taxes, ends a human life despite having non-lethal alternatives, it suggests that society can overcome violence with violence. The use of the death penalty ought to be abandoned not only for what it does to those who are executed, but what it does to all of society.” — US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Nov 16th.

The Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty has a newly launched website with advocacy resources.

Okay, so I’m not updating much. Life is has been tumultuous lately. It will take a little while to get back into some kind of equilibrium, some kind of routine that is sustainable. Right now we are renegotiating the routines of our family life and our marriage.

But it’s a good thing. Ultimately good news. Heidi and I have a new job. Or two depending on how you look at it.

Heidi and I agreed to take on the youth ministry staff position at our parish which was in desperate need after the former youth minister left suddenly. We aren’t exactly Mr. and Mrs. Right for this position, but we were Mr. and Mrs. Right Now (and willing to help.) So for the past six weeks or so we’ve been playing catch up and rearranging our lives to make up for the fact that Heidi is no longer a stay at home mom anymore.

And then we were hired to fill the adult and family minsitry position at our church. The youth ministry is a temporary stop gap. This other is our passion. Heidi and I have had a couple vision of working together at something we love for years now. The opportunity to do so this early in our lives is a source of joy.

But the fact that the new new job overlaps the old new job is a source of chaos. At least until Heidi and I get remarried.

Yes, remarried. I plan to ask Heidi to remarry me for, like, the tenth time or so. Every time our lives change in some significant way — a new child, a new job, a new house — it’s a new marriage. All the routines, the plans, the expectations, the commitments need to be revisited, restated, and recommitted.

We have a lot of work to do, preparing for this new marriage, for this new life. Last night I was talking to the teens at bible study about Advent and how we need to prepare our hearts for the new life Christ brings into the world. I see the relationship work before us as just such a necessary preparation. And a joyful one!

I have several activites that are my barometers of life. Art, poetry, reading, exercise, prayer, and, yes, writing here in Overflow, are all activities that I have as part of my personal life if the rest of my life is to be sustainable. Right now it’s just not sustainable, but we’re doing the work to get there.

I hope not too many of today’s Catholics find this story to be surprising. That the bible is not to be used as a historical or scientific record has been taught to me since day one in my Church.

Though I find the headline to be a bit misleading:

“Catholic Church no longer swears by truth of the Bible”

It’s not like we’ve tossed it out the window altogether or anything. In fact, in terms of history, most Lay Catholics are just now discovering the Bible, especially compared to our Protestant brethren.

This is another example of the disintermediation of our faith. Priests and ministers have to get used to not being the sole providers of religious information and instead act as guides as individual believers navigate their own paths through the marketplace of ideas that is often mistaken for spirituality.