Comments on: Friday Week 24 Year I

By: Crystal

Crystal — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 18:59:53 +0000

I guess it seems you can’t have one (following Jesus) without the other (religion). But maybe we are like those in the time of Ignatius – the elements of religion are common knowledge even if not practiced and those that just want to focus on Jesus have the liberty to do so, though it may seem irresponcible. Is that mysticism?

By: Rob

Rob — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 11:38:12 +0000

Fran, Crystal… Although I do have a temperamental antipathy to the pastoral epistles I recognise the practical need for the rules and norms any community lives by. How you negotiate through the minefield without it blowing off your feet demands real care and consideration in every age.
Catholic scripture scholar Raymond Brown has a wonderful little book, ‘The Churches the Apostles Left Behind’ that looks at the many different ways the early Christian communities coped with the task of carrying the following of Jesus into an age when the eye-witnesses were dying off. How do you keep the faith alive? Among others he discusses the approach of Luke and the pastoral epistles (and finds both lacking!).
The silent context of the homily was a group of retreatants making the 30-day Spiritual Exercises and at a point where they are praying about the growing up of Jesus and his emergence into ministry. The grace that St. Ignatius asks them to pray for is to know Jesus better, and knowing him to love him more deeply, and loving him to follow him more closely.
Ignatius was primarily writing for people already deeply embedded in Timothy’s world, entangled in those issues of order and money, and trying to find their way. Ignatius’ invitation is to (re)discover the companionship of Jesus and let that lead them. He was well aware of the complications this could lead to–if for no other reason having spent several stints in ecclesiastical prisons under suspicion of heresy–and the Exercises has a difficult section all about ‘thinking with the Church’.

By: Crystal

Crystal — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 06:47:12 +0000

Hi Fran. Perhaps this is one reason some people don’t follow religion, but only Jesus. I find it disconcerting and I like it that Jesus is different with each one of us.

By: Fran

Fran — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 06:21:10 +0000

Unfortunately, all of us who follow religion, not just Jesus’s teaching, have to walk through the minefield. If you find out how to avoid it, let me know.