Meditation 4: IN DEFENCE OF TRADITION

IN DEFENCE OF TRADITION

AKPAN, Idorenyin Anthony M., OP

(E-mail: rexama4@gmail.com; Tel: +234 81 2533 1847; +234 70 6398 6770)

Many people who attack the Catholic Church either do not have a sense of history and so refuse the use of one common gift given to us all: memory; or they have inadvertently or otherwise relinquished the exercise of yet another gift: common sense. If anything, the Church uses commonsensical arguments in presenting her case before her detractors. Yet, it is for this particular reason that they are her detractors: that her arguments are commonsensical. Evidently, commonsense is not very common.

Of the commonsensical things the Church speaks of is something she calls 'Tradition.' This English word "has come down to us" from the Latin tradere, meaning "to hand down," in the sense of "to pass unto." By the word Tradition is meant that "certain things have been done in certain ways; spoken of in certain ways that have been handed down for generations of the Church's existence." Notice how I highlighted the phrase "has come down to us." It is to show that, even in our language of communication, certain things have been handed down, one of which is to know what the word 'tradition' means. It is instructive to note that the fact of tradition, that is, that things have been done and spoken of in certain ways, is a simple fact of human existence. There is no single human endeavor without a tradition, even thievery. So, if tradition is so commonplace, how come that some detractors of the Catholic Church are particularly and nearly perpetually obsessed with the rhetoric of opposition that builds on tradition?

To further hide their lack of ground in their mindless scuffle with a compact system which the Church is, some claim that by tradition, the Church takes on a more traditionalist and conservative stand on issues. Those who advance this option claim to be 'progressive.' Rather interestingly, I speak under correction on this matter to note that there is no system that can be expressly progressive without a tradition to uphold, even if it is the fact of being progressive. Moreover, the kind of thinking that accuses the Church of being traditional and conservative must be the worst of its ilk. Reason being that there is no system more progressive than the Church, otherwise the Crusades would still be on, and people who say the Church is annoyingly traditional would have been burnt! It must be admittedly stated that the Church is almost always 'slow to change,' but so is the way of the wise: that they do not change by every whim. The wise take time to think through opinions before making any judgments, hence the Thomistic apothegm: seldom affirm. Seldom deny. Always distinguish.

Now, the origin of the proliferation of churches is the break-away from tradition, and consequently, the establishment of novel traditions. This proves the point against the progressive who thinks that in being progressive, she can be away from tradition. The fact of tradition is unavoidable. It is evident then, that to be against tradition simply because it is traditional is self-refuting; for everything that is, has a tradition, trailing behind it, building up with it or going ahead of it. 

Meditation 4: Does it Make Sense to Love God?

Loving God: 

Why and how should I love God?

AKPAN, Anthony M., OP

(e-mail: rexama4@gmail.com; Tel: +234 81 2533 1847; +234 70 6398 6770)

I intend to question myself and examine whether it is reasonable to love God. I am just thinking about it. Does it make sense to love God? And in my thinking, it appears that we love someone with whom we can reciprocate acts of love. Can I reciprocate the love of God? It seems that it is difficult if not impossible to reciprocate God’s love. God seems to be too big for me to be able to satisfy. Hmm…. But, I have a very simple insight here: to love God is to obey him (John 14:15). Wow! But that is not all. Something in me tells me “Hey, nice try. But that is not all.” What more?

The question then comes: why should I love God, that is, why should I obey God? Then I consider that a land owner, who is an architect built a large estate on his land and decides to rent out the flats in the estate to interested persons of the public. Note that the land is his. Because the land is his, he understands the terrain, he paid the workers to work on the plan of the estate which he drew all by himself. If anyone knows the much needed information to keep the estate growing, it is this land owner. Now, consider that many interested members of the public eventually get some space on this estate. Would it be reasonable for them to follow the plan of the land owner in the overall running of the estate? It seems obvious that the sensible thing to do is to follow the plan of the land owner since he best understands how the estate is.

In the same way, I did not make myself. I did not make this world. It is God who made it (Genesis 1 & 2; John 1:3). If God made it, then he alone has the best understanding of how it should operate. If he has the best understanding of how it should operate, then it is only sensible that I should follow his plan for how best I should live my life and how I am to take care of the other things around me in this world of his. So, I consider that I should love God, because as God, he made all things and understands all things. And because he understands all things, having made them by himself, he alone can order all things to their best end, hence it is said that “the heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1) and again, “For I know what plans I have for you…plans for peace and not for disaster, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

To therefore answer the question: “why should I love God?” “Why should I obey God?” I simply reason that I should love God because he made me and made all things. Because he is maker of all things, God is preeminent above all things. Because he is preeminent above all things, I owe him obedience. My obedience to him is my love for him. So, as creator, I owe him my obedience, my love. But, would he lose anything if I refuse to obey him? Definitely not! He is all sufficient and can do without me. But I reason that I cannot do without him, since all I have is given by him (1 Corinthians 4:7). So, if I refuse to obey him, I lose. Because he knows all things, if I refuse to follow his direction, I would fail. And hey! I do not want to fail. So, I follow him. I obey him. I love him.

Besides, I should love God because he cares for me. He demonstrated the height of this care when he sent his Son, the only begotten to die for me (John 3:16). So, I love God because he made an irreparable sacrifice for me. He sacrificed for me even while I was still a sinner (Romans 5:8). As our redeemer and savior too, we owe God our obedience, our love. Moreover, he is our friend; he is personally interested in being always with us, hence Jesus says: “I call you friends” (John 15:15) and again “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). Anyone who truly loves someone wants to be always in their company. However, does God love me when calamities befall me? How do I evaluate the care of God in the event of the death of a loved one or the loss of my job? Where is God when I am seriously in need? I reason that God is there with me wanting to share in my pain. Presence is the mark of true love. If you really love someone you would relate with what I am saying here. Just being there means a lot when we talk about love and so, I reason that God as a true friend, just wants to be there, even in difficult times.

Three major reasons why I should love God therefore stand out: because he created me, because he redeemed me and because, as a personal being, he is interested in a friendly relationship with me.

Then, how am I supposed to love God? How is my love for God supposed to manifest in my life?  If I love God, I am to keep the Lord ever at my sight (Psalm 16:8). To keep the Lord ever at my sight is to pray constantly. To pray constantly is to kneel before God always so that I can stand firmly before human beings. It is to submit to his will always. Recall the passion of Jesus at Gethsemane, and indeed, the whole of his life: Jesus prayed. He submitted before God (Matthew 26:39) and so, he could stand the cruelty of human beings. And God, having raised him up, glorified him (Philippians 2:6-11). To keep the Lord ever at my sight is to meditate and reflect on the word of God frequently. Reading and meditating on the word of God is like reading and savoring the content of a text message or letter from a loved one.

Keeping the Lord ever at my sight is seeing the presence of God everywhere and making the presence of God felt everywhere I am, especially to those around me. It is to recognize the dignity of the other person and fight to emphasize their humanity as much as mine. Martin Luther King Jr, for example fought for the recognition of the humanity and dignity of the African-Americans. This recognition of the humanity of the other is a tribute to God the giver of life. Today many of us see people’s salaries being syphoned and people’s wages being stolen by their payers and still keep quiet. Some of us do it ourselves. Some of us treat our house collaborators (maids etc.) as mere rags. We disappoint our employers and employees as it pleases us. To consciously treat another person with disdain is to close our eyes to their humanity and to neglect their humanity is to disobey God – to not love God.   

If I love God, I ought to consciously submit to his will. Many times, God’s will is communicated through spiritual direction from human beings anointed by God to communicate his word to people. I do know however, that many have been led astray by dubious directions given to them by some men and women of God. So, how do I know which person is really a mouthpiece of God? Sometimes such dubious ministers prey on our poor or inadequate orientation toward the divine. One of such orientation is the orientation that God is merely a provider – someone we simply go to in times of need. This should not be. Yes, God provides for me. But above all God wants me to be his friend. He wants me to be around him always. To have him always before me; to feel his presence everywhere – yes, even in difficult times. He wants to be there with me, to shoulder my cross daily with me (Luke 9:23). It is reasonable to prefer the presence of the one who provides abundantly to the abundance he provides.

If I truly love God, I ought to treat my spouse and my children as best as I would sincerely treat myself. Sometimes this may require that you put up with some difficulties and intolerant behaviors.  But in all these, it is and it should be the love of God that impels me (2 Corinthians 5:14). Some children can be very difficult. Patience and prayer are two great missiles for combating such. The case of the great Augustine of Hippo and his mother Monica is a story many of us are familiar with. Monica cried and prayed. She admonished and bore with Augustine. Finally, her perseverance won Augustine over from his unprofitable living. Today, Augustine is the model of many – a teacher of right conduct.

If I truly love God, I ought to follow the instructions of my parents. Obviously this excludes instructions that run contrary to God’s commandments. But parents ordinarily command obedience for what is right and godly. If my parents let me survive those delicate months I was in the womb without killing me; if they groomed me as a toddler up until whoever I am today, then they love me and I ought to respect them. And in respecting them, I am obeying God’s command. In doing so, I show that I love God.

In sum, I note that it is reasonable for me to love God because he made me, redeemed me and because he wants a personal relationship with me. And the way to show this love is to submit to his will – to obey him, in spite of challenges here and there. I hope you also find reason to love God too with the insights I have shared with you.

Meditation 3: The Kpim of the Catholic Creed

The Kpim[1] of the Catholic Creed

The word, 'church' likely comes down to us from the German word kirche, which derives from the Hebrew qahal Yaweh - the Assembly of God, used to refer to the house of Israel in the O.T. This meaning, is what the Latin, ecclesia connotes. 

So, the Church is the Assembly of God's people. In the dispensation of the law, circumcision was the criteria for admittance into the qahal. But in the dispensation of grace, Faith in Jesus, the Christ, is the criterion. So, to belong to the Church, which Jesus refers to as "My Church", faith is what is required. However, this criterion of faith, is more than just 'I believe in God'.

Faith is a whole package of itself, having as constituents all of the following, and even more:

1). belief in the Triune God, that is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, hence Peter declared "you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God". Note that he word "Son" implies more than one person in the Godhead.

 2). Belief in The Word that became flesh, the Son, who stood before Peter when he made the declaration of Matthew 16:16.

3). Belief in the fact that the Word, the Son really became flesh (John 1:14), having taken real flesh from the Virgin Mary.

4). Belief in the fact that the Son suffered, died, was buried and rose. All for our sake (Hebrews 2:10).

5). Belief in the Holy Spirit, the Lord the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son

6). Belief in that community of faith that is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. One because Jesus prays for our unity, which must reflect the Trinity (John 17:11). Holy because Hebrews 12:22-23, as well as 1 Peter 2:9-10, and Apostolic because 2 Peter 1:16-20.

7). Belief in the baptism that saves and belief in the resurrection of the dead, for if the dead do not live again, of what use is our faith?

So, what Jesus calls "My Church" is no human institution or organization, though it has the human aspects. It is the community of God's people led by Christ to the Unity of the Trinity, in and through the Trinity.

The Christian foundation is Christ in the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Our destination is Unity in and with this Trinity.

---

[1] Kpim is a word that refers to the heart, or core of something. The origin is probably locatable in the Igbo tradtion in Nigeria. It was popularized in academic circles by Pantaleon Iroegbu (1951-2006).

Meditation 2: Why you are

Humans?

As children, they will (love) like you for what you can give them.

Give it to them, provided it does not undermine human dignity

And it promotes harmony in life.

As adolescents, they will (love) like you for the things you allow them to do.

Let them do these, provided these do not undermine human dignity

And it promotes harmony in life.

As young adults, they will (love) like you for the time you spend with them.

Let them have your time, provided it does not undermine human dignity

And it promotes harmony in life.

As middle aged persons, they will (love) like you for the meaning you put in their lives.

Put it, provided it does not undermine human dignity

And it promotes harmony in life.

As old people, they will (love) like you for what they have and can put into or remove from your life.

Let them do so, provided it does not undermine human dignity

And it promotes harmony in life.

In this, O fellow human, does that virtue of love for one another lie!

That you do that and only that which you can do, provided it does not undermine human dignity

And it promotes harmony in life.

AT .R. Amadeus.

                                                                                                                               ©

                                                                                                                                  March 2014

                                                                                                                       rexama4@gmail.com

Meditation 1: On The Mystical Evolution of the Christian

A Priest: A Christian, A Mystic

By Akpan, Anthony .M. OP

 

Thomas Merton and Karl Rahner shared the conviction that if Christians are to be effective witnesses to the Gospel in the twenty first century and beyond, they must be at once mystical and political.

(The Modern Catholic Encyclopedia, edited by Michael Glazier and Monika K. Hellwig).

 

            A Catholic priest is a Christian and a mystic. He is a Christian because he is a follower of Christ and more so, because he is Christ’s other, alter Christus. He is a mystic because his life is a sacrament of the immanence of God; a God who is inside and outside, within and without his creation; a God who is also transcendent. This mysticism is indicative of that spiritual permutation which explains how such a mighty God writes straight with the crooked lines of our lives, especially, the life of a priest. It is little wonder, he is a high priest taken from among human beings and appointed to act on their behalf in relationships with God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins; he can sympathize with those who are ignorant or have gone astray, because he too is subject to the limitation of weakness (Cf. Heb 5:1-2). The mysticism we here refer to is not much of an extraordinary phenomenon characterized by stigmata, visions, levitations locutions, raptures etc. Of these, there are special cases. It is not something so esoteric and far removed from our day to day living. We speak of a mysticism that underlies the action of God’s grace in the life of a Christian; in the life of a priest. It is the life of grace; a life in Christ (Cf. Rom 6). It is that life of constant renewal unto God (Cf. Col.3:1-4, Eph. 1:3-10). It is the living relationship between the Christian and the Trinity; a life of union with the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit. It is eternal life. It is a life of consciousness of the spiritual and the divine. It is a mysticism characteristic of a life consciously lived in the presence of God. It is a life of grace lived in the community of grace – the Church. This grace is properly communicated in and through the sacraments.

The sacraments have their efficacy from the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross. By His incarnation, passion, death and resurrection, Christ opened the flood gates of God’s grace to men. This grace is for our recreation unto God, thus, our divinization, the immediate corollary of Christ’s humanization. This recreation; divinization; deification is a process caused by, and under the influence of God. It is what the Very Reverend John Arintero OP, calls “the Mystical Evolution.” It is what St. Thomas Aquinas best captures in his exitus-reditus schema: coming from God- returning to God. This entire process of deification by the power of grace communicated through the sacraments is the mysticism we refer to.

In a special way, the Christian is journeying back to God aided by Him. In this regard, the sacraments are truly outward signs of inward grace. In this journey, there is yet another sacrament of God’s presence with His people, the priesthood. By his ministry, a priest is a reminder to the faithful that God is uniting all things in Christ (Cf. Eph 1:10). The life and ministry of a priest is an eloquent testimony to this great reality. By administering the sacraments, he takes part in a ministry that at once transforms him and the one upon whom the sacrament is administered. In the sacrament of baptism, for instance, he cooperates with God to make mystics of men; for by baptism, eternal life begins in the recipient (incohatio vitae aeternae). Through baptism, a Christian is introduced into the community of grace, the mystical body of Christ. In the sacrament of reconciliation, a priest, in persona Christi, performs the fourfold duty of father, judge, healer and teacher. By administering this sacrament a priest bears testimony to the truth that the evolution of a Christian is also a constant metanoia: change of heart/ conversion. The sacrament of reconciliation is at its best at the service of the Eucharist, the source and summit of the Christian life, the kpim (highest point) of Christian initiation. In celebrating the Eucharist, a priest, in persona Christi, offers Christ as food to the faithful. When we eat this food, we become like Christ fully aware that the risen Christ is exemplar as well as agent of the true humanity God intended for human beings from the start (Brendan Byrne SJ). The Eucharist is a testament to the real presence of Christ. By this sacrament the evolution of a Christian is presented as a configuration unto Christ; a reconstitution in Christ, so too are the other sacraments.

At the heart of the administration of these sacraments and being a sacrament of God’s presence in the Church is the ministry and identity of a priest. This honour is given to him. He does not take it upon himself (Cf. Heb 5:4). It is a gift of grace. And to this gift, there is a task. The task consists in being that mystic he is: always conscious of God’s presence. It also consists in loving the celebration of the sacrament and receiving them too, especially, the sacrament of reconciliation; for reconciliation is essential to the evolution of every Christian, insofar as they are frail humans. More so, he has a task to announce God’s presence to God’s people by words and actions. The Christian has to be made to understand that the sacraments are outward expressions of their renewal and regeneration. He has always to make the faithful know that they are becoming like Christ, provided they cooperate with God’s grace and avoid sin. He has to make known to Christians that they are mystics and that this mysticism involves a constant renewal unto God; a reconstitution unto Christ, through the same Christ in the Holy Spirit.