Wednesday in the Eighth Week of Ordinary Time
We live in an age when we encounter moments somewhat similar to what Jesus is experiencing in the gospel reading for today. Jesus is questioned about resurrection of the dead. Here is his response to the challenge of the woman who married the many brothers in one family after each of the brothers married her and each on eventually died.
"Are you not misled
because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
Do not we have a similar situation enter our lives when family or friends, work colleagues or even strangers who learn of our faith ask questions about our faith? There is a great difference between a genuine question of inquiry about our faith and a question that either seeks to present embarrassment or an effort to make the faith appear weak or useless.
Take for example the many beliefs we hold because we accept the teachings of Jesus Christ. Likewise, are not the teachings of our Church challenged or ridiculed? Same-sex marriage and contraception are two "hot buttons" that become challenges to Catholics by many who wish knowingly or even unknowingly to mock our faith. Recall the challenges to the faith following the reports of paedophilia and the ridicule and insults thrown at the many priests who labor in the vineyard with fidelity to God, the Church and the people of God.
Sometimes I hear individuals attempt to respond to such genuine questions as well as those that are less than genuine with an answer such as "I really don't know what the Church is teaching now." An answer such as that only demonstrates the individual Catholic's lack of interest in his/her Church. With the Internet so available and two publications of a current Catechism available to anyone who can read, there seems little excuse for Catholics not being well informed about their faith or what the Church seeks to teach her followers. To know precisely what the Church teaches today the Vatican has made remarkable strides in producing many avenues through the Internet for Catholics and non-Catholics alike to know for certain what the Church teaches, what the past and present Holy Fathers have taught.
We might adapt Jesus quizzing response to the challengers as a question to us today when we fail to understand what the Church teaches whether we agree with the Church's stance on issues or not.
"Are you not misled by some public media responses
because you do not know the Scriptures, the power of God
of the teachings of the Church?"
