Standing strong as pillars of truth

Good News ReflectionWednesday of the 24th Week in Ordinary TimeSeptember 16, 2009
Today's Memorial: Saints Cornelius and CyprianPray for your friendships:http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Cyprian.htm
Today's Readings:1 Tim 3:14-16Ps 111:1-6Luke 7:31-35http://www.usccb.org/nab/091609.shtmlUSCCB Podcast of the Readings:http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_09_16.mp3
Standing strong as pillars of truth
Today's first reading speaks of God's household, the Church, which is the "pillar and foundation of truth." This is the Catholic Church. Remember that originally there was only one Church, one Christianity. It wasn't until relatively recently that we began to call ourselves "Catholic" to emphasize the original, universal nature of our Church and to differentiate ourselves from those who are separated from this Church.
As Timothy points out, this original Church is the foundation of Christian religion, responsible for holding the truth up for all the world to see. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, this Church has retained the fullest body of truth, protected for 2000 years through the unbroken succession of ordination to the priesthood. Even when popes and bishops were corrupt or politically controlled, the Church Magisterium continued to protect true doctrine.
Remember, too, that Jesus IS the truth (and the way and the life). Due to retaining the original practice of the transubstantiation of bread and wine into the miraculous Eucharist, the Catholic Church is the pillar that holds Jesus up – in the fullest possible way – for the world to see.
However, for the world to recognize the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and in the other six sacraments and in the teachings of the Church and in our parish communities, we – each individual Catholic – must behave like Christ. When we don't, we build a false image of the Church using walls that block others from seeing the truth.
Conversely, when we repent and let others see us change, we reinforcing the wall that protects people from the falsehoods that would otherwise keep them away from Christ.
Being a Catholic Christian is not for wimps. It takes Godly strength to stand firm as a pillar of truth. And from where do we get this strength? From the Eucharist, which is the full embodiment of Jesus the Truth, and from the other sacraments.
Holiness is not easy, nor is it convenient. It's a choice, actually a series of choices that we face every day. This choice is what makes us either "like children" complaining to their playmates, as described by Jesus in today's Gospel reading, or mature Catholics who accept the wisdom of God.
By growing more mature in the use of the sacraments, we are purified so that we can live as pillars of truth. And by growing more mature in the understanding of the Church's teachings, we become part of the strong foundation of the Church; our personal pillars won't crumble under pressure, attacks, or the earthquakes of confusion. There is no good excuse for failing to educate ourselves in the teachings of the Catholic Faith, especially today when the Catechism is online and the documents which explain Church teachings are easily available.
Let us not be complaining children who reject the authority of the Church and its protection of the truth. If we have any objections to its teachings, it's only because we've not researched what is really being said and we've not asked the Holy Spirit to help us understand it. May our lives, our Church leaders, and our parishes always be witnesses of the truth! Amen!
The online Catechism is found on the Vatican's website: http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htmOr look up any topic in its index:http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/index/a.htm
Would you like me to walk you through the Church's documents? See my easy online courses! http://catholicdr.com/e-Classroom/index-courses.html
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