Posted on 03/05/2012 6:23:32 AM PST by marshmallow
There is a human need for discipline, which is another word for asceticism.
After almost a decade (if you date the modern priest sex abuse crisis from Boston in 2002 1), the Church seems to be on the defensive. Its response has been limited to reacting to each new revelation, which appears to be unending—with most recent incidences in Ireland, 2 Belgium,3 and Austria. 4 Where to next? There are forces in our modern culture that seem bent on damaging the hierarchical Church. These include, hopefully, well-meaning groups, such as Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) and Voice of the Faithful (VOTF), who seem unable to find anything positive to say about the Church, beyond demanding the removal of bishops, and even the Pope. The issue is not helped by those who benefit financially from finding new, credible or not, and continuing old abuse cases. Legal, and other fees, have cost the Church $2,600,000,000.00 as of 2009. 5
Pope Benedict XVI has done, perhaps, more than anyone else to address and correct this matter. On his recent trip to England, 6 he repeated a litany of public apologies, as well as meeting personally with many of the victims, as he has done in Germany, and innumerable other instances over the past 5 years. Perhaps, it’s now time to change course and be more proactive.
The public action of the Church must change from one of endless apologies to one of resolute, positive action. That action must include a return to the classic asceticism that has been the hallmark of the Church for 20 centuries. We will briefly discuss: (1) What ascetical discipline is: (2) How the practice of asceticism has given the Church its acknowledged holiness over the centuries; (3) What happened over the past 50 years to vitiate........
(Excerpt) Read more at hprweb.com ...
Amen!
For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face,
that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a TRUE KNKOWLEDGE OF GOD'S MYSTERY, that is, CHRIST HIMSELF,
in whom are hidden ALL the treasures of WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE.
I say this so that NO ONE WILL DELUDE YOU WITH PERSUASIVE ARGUMENT.
For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.
THEREFORE AS YOU RECEIVED CHRIST JESUS THE LORD SO WALK IN HIM,
having been FIRMLY ROOTED and now being BUILT UP IN HIM AND ESTABLISHED IN YOUR FAITH, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
SEE TO IT THAT NO ONE TAKES YOU CAPTIVE THROUGH PHILOSOPHY AND EMPTY DECEPTION, ACCORDING TO THE TRADITION OF MEN, ACCORDING TO THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD, RATHER THAN ACCORDING TO CHRIST.
For IN HIM ALL THE FULLNESS OD DEITY DWELLS IN BODILY FORM,
and IN HIM YOU HAVE BEEN MADE COMPLETE, and He is the head over all rule and authority;
and IN HIM you were also circumcised with a CIRCUMCISION WITHOUT HANDS, in THE REMOVAL OF THE BODY OF FLESH BY THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST,
having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, HE MADE YOU ALIVE TOGETHER WITH HIM, HAVING FORGIVEN US ALL OF OUR TRANSGRESSIONS,
HAVING CANCELED OUT THE CERTIFICATE OF DEBT CONSISTING OF DECREES AGAINST US, WHICH WAS HOSTILE TO US, and HE HAS TAKEN IT OUT OF THE WAY, HAVING NAILED IT TO THE CROSS
When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
THEREFORE NO ONE IS TO ACT AS YOUR JUDGE IN REGARD TO FOOD OR DRINK OR IN RESPECT TO A FESTIVAL OR A NEW MOON OR A SABBATH DAY—
things which are a MERE SHADOW; BUT THE SUBSTANCE BELONGS TO CHRIST.
LET NO ONE KEEP DEFRAUDING YOU OF YOUR PRIZE BY DELIGHTING IN SELF ABASEMENT and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, INFLATED WITHOUT CAUSE BY HIS FLESHLY MIND,
AND NOT HOLDING FAST TO THE HEAD, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.
IF YOU HAVE DIED WITH CHRIST TO THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD, WHY, AS IF YOU WERE LIVING IN THE WORLD DO YOU SUBMIT YOURSELF TO DECREES SUCH AS
DO NOT HANDLE, DO NOT TASTE, DO NOT TOUCH!”
(WHICH ALL REFER TO THINGS DESTINED TO PERISH WITH USE)—IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMMANDMENTS AND TEACHINGS OF MEN?
These are matters which have, to be sure, THE APPEARANCE OF WISDOM IN SELF-MADE RELIGION AND SELF-ABASEMENT AND SEVERE TREATMENT OF THE BODY, BUT THEY ARE OF NO VALUE AGAINST FLESHLY INDULGENCE. (Colossians 2:1-23(NASB) Emphasis added)
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will FALL AWAY FROM THE FAITH, PAYING ATTENTION TO DOCTRINES OF DEMONS, by means of the HYPOCRISY OF LIARS SEARED IN THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE AS WITH A BRANDING IRON, MEN who FORBID MARRIAGE and ADVOCATE ABSTAINING FROM FOODS WHICH GOD HAS CREATED TO BE GRATEFULLY SHARED IN BY THOSE WHO BELIEVE AND KNOW THE TRUTH. For EVERYTHING CREATED BY GOD IS GOD AND NOTHING IS TO BE REJECTED IF IT IS RECEIVED WITH GRATITUDE, for IT IS SANCTIFIED BY MEANS OF THE WORD OF GOD AND PRAYER. (1 Timothy 4:1-5 NASB Emphasis added)
"But this kind is not cast out but by prayer and fasting."
Matthew 17:20
Contrary to the verses I posted, the verse you improperly cited has been taken out of CONTEXT and has nothing to do with asceticism or abstaining from foods.
Contrary to the verses I posted, the verse you improperly cited has been taken out of CONTEXT and has nothing to do with asceticism or abstaining from foods.
Contrary to the verses I posted, the verse you improperly cited has been taken out of CONTEXT and has nothing to do with asceticism or abstaining from foods.
As for Matthew 17:20, the verse has nothing do do with asceticism but with spiritual warfare and the casting out of demons. It should also be noted that the verse is questionable; early mss do not contain this verse at all.
I know Pat through the office I hold in the Catholic Medical Association. He is a fine man. It’s a shame to have people come on these threads and cut and paste looking to start disagreements. It’s one of the reasons I almost never post to them any more. Would it be better to post it to a Catholic Caucus thread?
LOL.........who knew?
Scripture counsels against false asceticism. That asceticism which was practiced by certain Jews of the Pharisaical persuasion. However, as the verses which I posted indicate, fasting and self denial are very much a part of the Christian Gospel.
Lest you mistakenly think that this implies some sort of deficiency in the sacrifice of Jesus, it doesn't. This is about imitating Jesus as He Himself counseled us to do in taking up our crosses. What is the cross but a symbol of suffering?
"For this is thankworthy, if for conscience towards God, a man endure sorrows, suffering wrongfully"
1 Peter 2:19
marshmallow:
Setting aside this thread, don’t you love how some folks think that when they post scripture texts, they are posting them in context, but of course when somenone else posts them, and they contradict what was posted earlier, they then tell you you are posting out of context.
Of course, fasting and Leten disciplines go back to the early Church and clearly supported in Sacred Scripture. St. Ireneaus of Lyon clearly notes [circa 180 AD] of a “Fast that is to be kept” before the celebration of Pascha [Easter] although the length of the Fast was debated.
By the time of the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, the Church Canons defined the Lenten Discipline of the 40 Day Lenten period which mandated Prayer, Fasting and Alms.
If one reads the FR Religion forum one might gather that American Fundie Protestants founded Christianity, LOL.
Thus, in our works of charity, or in our fasting, God might become angry because He might get the idea that we're trying to steal His glory. Or in our reverencing of images of Jesus and His Mother, He might become enraged instead, like a spouse might become enraged and jealous at a picture of him or her which one carries in one's wallet as a symbol of one's love.
There's a huge irony here that in supposedly protecting the glory of God, they actually make Him very small and venial, instead.
Whats funnier than the context defense is the “verses are questionable” argument! In the tradition of Luther its the “epistle of straw” argument. LOL
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