Fr Peter’s newsletter notes - January 2009
Posted on January 19th 2009 in Weekly messages
Issue No 541
The interpretation of the Scriptures must involve a dialogue between believer and the Church. There is probably very little in common politically between Mrs Margaret Thatcher and Mr Gordon Brown, other than having held or holding the office of Prime Minister of Great Britain. However, they both saw fit to use the parable of the Good Samaritan to justify their economic policies. Gordon Brown could not bear to walk on the other side (implying he was neither the Priest nor the Levite in the parable) while Margaret Thatcher emphasised that the Good Samaritan had the financial wherewithal to provide for the injured traveller (the triumph of private initiative rather than reliance on state support). The fact that two such disparate interpretations look credible must make many secular minded individuals wonder whether the Gospel, or indeed the Bible, can be given an authoritative interpretation. If it can mean anything it might as well mean nothing.
Ever since the time of the Reformation and the personal style of exegesis (the process of extracting meaning from the biblical texts) undertaken by Martin Luther, the question of private judgement has been a recurrent one for the Church. The Catholic Church has always taught that the Scriptures need to be read within the Church and as a whole since they cohere together. The same Holy Spirit that descended on the Apostles at Pentecost also inspired the evangelists and other writers both of the Old and New Testaments. The action of the Holy Spirit has two aspects, within the Church and within the individual. Where one is excluded then an imbalance will lead either to a faith without inner fire, or to a faith of inner fire without real direction.
This Sunday’s Gospel epitomises this very point. The conversation between Jesus and the disciples, as recorded by John, contains the dialogue, ‘Where do you live’ to Jesus and His reply, ‘Come and see’. This need to know where Jesus lives recurs throughout the Gospel. Later, after washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus emphasises to them that He is going to prepare a place where they can remain or live together forever. The ability to remain or live with Jesus Christ, beyond the barrier of death will become the wellspring of their evangelistic enterprise. The Church will become the new place to abide, as it does today. The invitation to ‘Come and see’ accepts the honest enquiry of the nascent disciples, an enquiry verbalised externally by Jesus. It also carries within itself the need to learn, and ultimately to be formed by Jesus. What is seen of Jesus is not easily understandable in its entirety. Indeed, just before the above dialogue, John the Baptist describes Jesus as the ‘Lamb of God’, a description whose full meaning will not become apparent until after the Resurrection.
The search for personal meaning within the Scriptures is an essential part of the Christian faith, but that search only finds its conclusion within the interpretation and tradition of the Church. Otherwise one is left with the situation whereby anybody can interpret the Scriptures to suit their own purposes, as can be seen, for instance, in the individuals mentioned above. The invitation to ‘Come and see’ has resonated with both our personal search for faith and meaning, and with the desire to find a solution to these questions that is not simply a reflection of ourselves.
Third Sunday of the Year
Sunday 18th January 1 Sam 3:3b-10.19 Ps 39; I Cor 6:13-15.17-20; Jn 1:35-42
Monday 19th January Hebrews 5:1-10; Ps 109; Mk 2:18-22
Tuesday 20th January Hebrews 6:10-20; Ps 110; Mk 2:23-28
Wednesday 21st January St Agnes Hebrews 7:1-3.15-17; Ps 109; Mk 3:1-6
Thursday 22nd January Hebrews 8:6-13; Ps 39; Mk 3:7-12
Friday 23rd January Hebrews 8:6-13; Ps 84; Mk 3:13-19
The Sixth Commandment: Thou shall not commit adultery. CCC2380-2386
The positive presentation of the Church’s teaching on the vocation of marriage, the birth of children and the gift of human sexuality, are followed by a section on those offences against marriage. These are much better known than the first section as outlined above. However, this second section bears little meaning without the first; the prohibitions mentioned in this section protect the human goods stated in the first.
The first of these offences is adultery itself. The inspiration for much adultery is the attempt to rediscover the joys of a new relationship unencumbered by responsibility, but, like treason, ‘it does never prosper’ because it is an artificial construction based on secrecy and deception. The tragedy is that if adultery goes further and leads to divorce and remarriage then the new relationship more often than not takes on the form of the previous one.
Divorce like adultery attacks the heart of marriage which is the covenant between spouses. The covenant between two baptised persons cannot be dissolved by any human authority. The process of annulment is not a ‘Catholic divorce’ but, through the competent administration of the Church, deems the original marriage never to have been valid or sacramental in nature. The Church recognises the great difference between those spouses who seek to maintain the original marriage bond, and those who seek divorce and remarriage. The tragic situation of being divorced is not in itself sinful. The ubiquity of divorce is a tragic consequence of the modern inability to grasp that freedom is discovered through commitment and not through the fragmentation of families. The consequences of divorce can run through families for generations, and causes terrible harm to children. The vocation to marriage is not easy, and the Church in its pastoral practice is sensitive to this issue without forgetting that marriage is written into what might be called the spiritual DNA of creation. Marriage is the divinely chosen instrument for sanctification for the vast majority of the human population.
PARISH NOTICES
Thank you
Christmas may seem a long way off psychologically but this is the first time I have had to thank you all for your generosity over the Christmas period. May I wish you all the comfort of God’s love in the year ahead despite the economic difficulties facing everyone.
Ecumenical Pilgrimage to Rome
Fr Peter will be away from Wednesday 21st January to Monday 26th January leading an ecumenical pilgrimage from St Joseph’s, Bunhill Row to participate in Papal Vespers on the Feast of the Conversion of St Paul. The pilgrimage includes members of St Giles, Cripplegate, Wesley’s Chapel and St Anne’s Lutheran Church. During this period different priests will be saying Mass. Unfortunately it will not be possible to provide before mass Confessions on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Monday. There will be confessions after Mass.
Marriage Preparation Course
The next available Marriage Course is due to take place on Saturday May 16th. Further dates include Saturday June 6th and June 27th. Further information from Fr Peter.
Mass intentions
Sunday 18th January 10.00am For you the People
Monday 19th January 8.05am Pearl Kosky RIP 1.05pm Theodora D’Souza’s Ints
Tuesday 20th January 8.05am Louise Kelly RIP 1.05pm Bridie Geoghegan RIP
Wednesday 21st January 8.05am Tony Wright RIP 1.05pm Intentions of Luciano
Thursday 22nd January 8.05am Fr Martin Heal’s Ints1.05pm Rebecca Taylor Ints
Friday 23rd January 8.05am Kathleen Woodcock RIP 1.05pm Intentions of Luciano
(Mass also held at St Joseph’s, Bunhill Row, five minutes’ walk from here adjacent to the Barbican, Sundays 11.30am, Weekdays at 12.05pm. St Andrew by the Wardrobe: Thursdays 12.30pm (suspended till February 5th); St Bartholomew the Less (inside hospital) Sundays 4.00pm, Mondays and Thursdays 12.30pm
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION (CONFESSIONS): Mon to Friday 12.30-12.55 pm, and 1.30-1.50 pm.
BENEDICTION: Monday and Thursday after Evening Prayer.
ROSARY: Monday to Friday 12.30 pm and 5.40 pm.
MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER: Monday to Friday 7.45 am and 6 pm.