I believe that I have mentioned Be Formed on reflections in the past. To refresh your memory: Be Formed is a form of Adult Catholic Education set up by Father Burke Masters in the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois. It is open to anyone, anywhere in the world via in-person small group meetings or via Zoom. The basic idea is to increase one’s understanding of the Catholic Faith, personal growth, and fellowship. For me, the key aspect of Be Formed is the weekly small group meetings in which the group discusses weekly videos on a variety of topics related to the theme of the season of Be Formed we are on. For example, this season we are covering The Creed. Taking each aspect and a speaker, usually a priest or a religious Sister, reviews what the Catechism says about that part of the Creed being covered that week. Click here if you would like more information about Be Formed.
This past week we covered the part of the Creed where it says that “He shall come again to judge the living and the dead” In the video regarding this line, the key theme was the struggles we all have as we go through life. Struggles with personal issues such as finance and relationships. And the tensions we can feel as we navigate through these difficulties. But also struggles related to our faith lives. Attacks on us personally or on our beliefs from those who do not share what we believe. In our small group discussion we considered how those who believe deal with these struggles versus those who do not have a faith life. Particularly those that are atheist but also Non-Christians.
In Judaism there is a phrase called Tikkun Olam: it is the Jewish concept referring to “repairing the world”. It represents a religious obligation to take action—through social justice, charity, and ethical behavior—to improve the world, mend its brokenness, and bring it closer to a state of wholeness, justice, and peace. It is the recognition that struggle and tension exists and it is our responsibility to repair things to relieve that tension (my words here).
But I think that is not necessarily how we, as Christians, see the world. I think we recognize that struggle and tension have existed since the beginning of time and will continue until Christ’s second coming. In fact, some believe that at some point Christ will say. “OK. Enough is Enough. You have had your chances. You have either chosen to believe in Me or not. It is time” And this will be when He returns. Sort of a law of diminishing returns. The dichotomy between Good and Evil will have played out and the battle lines hardened. Reminds me of the line in the song “In the Year 2525” by Zager and Evans”
“In the year 7510. If God’s a-comin’, He oughta make it by then / Maybe He’ll look around Himself and say / ‘Guess it’s time for the judgment day'”
It is with this background that I read today’s first reading from the book of Jude. Not much is known about Jude but it is clear that he was writing to the general Christian community in the first century. Apparently, there had been an influx of false teachers leading many new convers to the faith astray. Criticism, mockery and scoffing of Christianity by these false teachers caused some to undergo apostasy…denial of the faith. He is encouraging his readers to hold onto the faith that they were given through Grace and the teachings of the Apostles.
Build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit.
Keep yourselves in the love of God
and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ
that leads to eternal life.
Do not let the those sowing division undermine what Christ did for you in his death and resurrection. To stay close to God through prayer and worship. And even though you may feel the pain of struggle and the tension it produces, know that this journey will end and we will be with Jesus through eternity. That is the hope we have as Christians that enables us to bear up under the struggles of life. We know that it is irrelevant compared to Jesus’ promises.
What about the Non-Believer? Without hope in Christ and life with Him forever, what does the person not holding these beliefs do when faced with these pains? I think we see the result when we see the many ways some people choose to try to cope. Mostly addictions to food, drinking, drug use, alcohol, etc. Or as Father Burke likes to say, we substitute honor, power, pleasure and wealth in place of our belief and hope in Christ.
We can trace back throughout history, almost decade by decade, and see issues that each generation had to deal with. And often that time was described as the most difficult in history. We see this today as well. Many say we live in the most tumultuous time in history. Of course the people living through the Civil War and the Great Depression may beg to differ. Struggles will come and go but if we, as Jude says in his Doxology, focus on God then all else is pale by comparison.
to the only God, our savior,
through Jesus Christ our Lord
be glory, majesty, power, and authority
from ages past, now, and for ages to come. Amen.
