The Catholic Culture Corner: December 18, 2008
Remember one of the key components of the definition of culture: that knowledge and practices are passed from prior generations to subsequent ones. The opposite of that trend, to cease to pass on knowledge and practices to subsequent generations, would certainly mean the death of culture. This column (in general and specifically this edition) is aimed at preventing that death.
A single phrase found in today's Morning Office brought about a keen awareness that a vital aspect of Catholic culture (indeed, culture in general) is dying in the modern era. "Let everything within you watch and wait," the prayer said. At that moment, Divine Wisdom was granted. It became abundantly clear that the sense of delayed gratification, even temporary suffering, has been eroded from the minds of many Catholics.
Wait? Why wait? Shouldn't we all seek to be fulfilled immediately? I don't want to suffer!
Such are sentiments expressed far too frequently within conversations of faith and morals. No longer do many people, including Catholics, understand the value of suffering, waiting, and vigilance. In recent decades, those virtuous practices and ideas have been replaced by a desire to indulge in pleasures without any delay.
Yet, that is not what the Holy Catholic Church has ever believed or taught, even from apostolic times. One of the earliest written expressions of that truth came from St. Paul: "we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:6-7). The Apostle meant to remind readers that our earthly experience is never more important than things unseen; that physical and emotional fulfillment are not substitute for the Truth, Beauty, and Goodness that will come later.
[Image from http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/stp12004.jpg]
The Church has protracted St. Paul's teaching, and placed it in a modern context: "The world we live in often seems very far from the one promised us by faith. Our experiences of evil and suffering, injustice, and death, seem to contradict the Good News; they can shake our faith and become a temptation against it" (CCC 164). In the midst of such supposed contradictions, the natural reaction would be to alleviate our bodily homes from all physical or mental discomfort. However, the Church has declared that to do such would be opposed to the virtue of faith.
Rather, Catholics "must turn to the witnesses of faith." We must take hope in the examples provided by Abraham, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Jesus Christ, each of whom patiently endured suffering and knew that something better lay beyond earthly life (CCC 165). The author of the letter to the Hebrews perfectly expressed such an idea when he wrote that believers ought to "lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely;" that they must "run with perseverance" the race that is set before them (Heb. 12: 1-2).
"No pain, no gain" was the axiom taught to many youth (including yours truly) while playing sports. The same is applicable in the life of faith. There will, without a doubt, be trials and suffering. But, the prize to be gained, the fulfillment of all the Heavenly promises, is sure to exceed every expectation. Indeed, pain and discomfort of all kinds will cease to exist.
In His Divine Wisdom, the epiphany granted by God this morning was also applicable to the present Advent season. During these present moments in the liturgical year, we wait with anticipation, even anxiety; we long for something that can overcome our natural, fallen condition. Thankfully, we know that the Nativity of Our Lord will bring many new opportunities for grace and personal improvement. Later, we know that His Second Coming will inaugurate a condition of perfect charity, celebration, and pleasure.
Let us take hope, even pleasure, in enduring certain pains and sufferings! Let us unite those imperfections to the saints who have gone before us in faith; to the Blessed Virgin Mary; to Christ. Let us believe, like St. Paul, that "my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12:9).
