When I was a boy, my family practically lived in church. I'm not complaining, I'm simply stating a fact. If the church doors were open, the Trecos were there. In fact, most of the time, we did the honors.... or at least my dad did!
Honestly, there were a few times that I wished I could sleep in. No matter, unless I was at death's door, that wasn't an option. So every Sunday morning I would be awakened and we would head off to church. Resistence was futile!
Mom and dad got us up earlier than most kids for two reasons: First, they had the church keys. And, second, they ran the
Grace Gospel Chapel Sunday Morning Jitney Service, too! If you wanted a ride and didn't have a car, then my parents would have gladly added a few extra minutes to their Sunday travel schedule and would be there to pick you up!
I can't tell you how many graces came to me through this Sunday morning liturgy!
I met people of every possible shape and size and color and race. I shared my parents' cars with both the
perpetually poor and
soon-to-be-wealthy poor as well. I learned how to speak with people who barely spoke English ~ even though it was supposed to have been their native tongue ~ and with people who rellished the language of the Empire. I also picked up a few tips about personal hygeine along the way.
And while I wouldn't trade my experience with the
Grace Gospel Chapel Sunday Morning Jitney Service for anything, our family's frenetic Sunday schedule afforded me a far more important gift: The opportunity to hear story after story about the power of the Gospel! My childhood memories are filled with personal testimonies about the remarkable transformations that occured in the lives of men and women ~ and, yes, even boys and girls ~ who heard, believed and embraced the Good News
"that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19).
The Christian people who taught me the faith believed two things with all their hearts: That (1) men were sinful (Romans 3:23)) and ~
except for the grace of God ~ without hope (Ephesians 2:12), and that (2) the Gospel was the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). And...because they believed these things, they half-expected that people who gave their lives to Christ would experience a radical change in their experience of sin's oppressive power. And, truth be told, many did!
If you are a cradle Catholic, you might be wondering if I am simply recalling stories, half-remembered from my childhood. Or, perhaps you're saying to yourself, "That sounds just like the kind of fanciful (and false) claims that those Charismatics like to make." Now, I am not prepared to vouch for every conversion story that I heard in my youth, but this I can say, "Mine eyes have seen the glory" of lives transformed ~ almost in an instant.
Todays reading from the Acts of the Apostles reminded me of the tens and hundreds of conversion stories that I heard when I was growing up. As I read of Peter and John's strange courage before the Sanhedrin, I could not stop thinking about their cowardice during Jesus' interrogation and scourging. I was caught up again in awe over the "wonder working power of the blood."
As I reflected on the experiences of these two Apostles ~ the Rock and the Disciple whom Jesus Loved ~ and upon the stories that filled my youthful years with hope, I was made to wonder if somehow, some of us have embraced a truncated version of the Catholic Faith, a form of Catholicism that no longer has a place for these kinds of personal miracles... miracles of remarkable transformations.
BEFORE: "Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus at a distance" (Cf. Matthew 26:58; John 18:15).
AFTER: "Peter and John, however, said to them in reply,...It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:19, 20).
Lord, rescue me from anything that would cause me to disbelieve your power to save with immediacy, even as the Gospel works its power to transform me through a long obedience in the same direction. Amen.
Today's Readings:
Saturday, April 22nd, 2006.
"The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way, and how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of bread." (Luke 24:35)
The Second Vatican Council opened the windows and doors wide to an enriched experience of the Church's liturgical life. But the lofty vision of the Council for the flourishing of the Church's liturgical and musical patrimony accompanied by an embrace of the vernacular languages of the People of God has not yet to be realized.
"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life..." (John 3:36)
"God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish, but might have eternal life." (John 3:16).
"I write you this briefly through Silvanus,
"What a coward! Just look at him, the big shot religious and governmental official sneaking around at night. It's not like Jesus was hard to find during the day. For goodness sake, take a hike to the Sea of Tiberius and you'll find him easily enough. But there he goes again, catching up with the Master at night!"
"In this way we know that we love the children of God
When I was a boy, my family practically lived in church. I'm not complaining, I'm simply stating a fact. If the church doors were open, the Trecos were there. In fact, most of the time, we did the honors.... or at least my dad did!
Is it not astounding that we spend billions of dollars every year in order to gain what we can get for free? We'd prefer to squander all that we possess chasing ephemeral joys, rather than confront the reality in the silvered glass.
Yesterday, one of the members of the Plymouth Brethren Discussion Forum, stated that tradition's fundamental conviction regarding the biblical witness to the Church with such simplicity and clarity that I was compelled to respond. Although my response was in the form of a series of questions, I believe that it can serve as a goad to a fuller appreciation of the New Testament witness to the Church.
There seems to be a pervasive instinct within Evangelical Christianity. You might call it an instinct for reinventing church.
At no other time does God seem more alien to us than at the Triduum. Almost at every turn we find Him behaving oddly.
"What are you willing to give me
Throughout the ages, as Catholics have been buffeted by the weaknesses and wickedness of popes, cardinals, bishops, priests and deacons, they have gained much consolation from the realism of our Lord's words: 
Since my conversion to Catholicism two questions have been asked of me more than any others! The first and most popular has been, "Why did you become a Roman Catholic?" After hearing my response, many have followed it up with, "Does the Charismatic Episcopal Church have a valid priesthood and Eucharist?"
Some time back the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith published Dominus Jesu (The Lord Jesus). The theological and political firestorm that it set off was incredible. Yes, I actually mean "incredible," that is, "So implausible as to elicit disbelief" (see Dictionary.com).
The next time I hear someone say, "All religions are alike," I think I'm gonna scream! I just don't get it! How have so many intelligent men and women of faith allowed this drivel to become the accepted wisdom of the day?
Complain as we might about suffering, the fact is that most of us would remain blissfully unaware of life's purpose without it. Pain might be God's megaphone to a dead world (C.S. Lewis). But it is the thing that we discover after the noise has diverted our gaze that really matters: In our suffering we are most like God himself.... And, we are not alone.
