The Catholic Letters: Universality
Friday, October 4, 2019
The New American Bible explains the inclusion of the letters of James, Peter, John and Jude in the canon of the New Testament saying that “early Christians saw the New Testament as the depository of apostolic figures to whom they are attributed”. That being said, there is ambiguity about the authorship of some of these letters; however, they were all written during the early “apostolic age” and as such are important to us – the apostles of the twenty-first century. What lessons can we take from them?
Scholars tell us that these letters demonstrate the true meaning of the word catholic. They underscore the idea that Christ came for all. Christ heals all who seek him. Christ loves all. Christ answers all who call upon him. So it follows that if we are Christ we, too, must have a universal view of humankind.
When I think of James, I love that he reminds us to be doers of the word and not sayers only. We cannot be saved by faith alone.
When I think of Peter, I remember that his letters did not make much sense to me until I had suffered greatly. Peter, Cephas the Rock, writes so beautifully of the way to suffer properly, of how to make our suffering holy and thus unite ourselves with Christ through the cross so that we become co-redeemers with Christ.
John’s letters, and in particular the first two, are beautiful anthems to love. They are surfacing as first readings at Mass this week and I am always struck by how they amplify the message of John’s lyrical Gospel, and how they give us a clear understanding that God is love and that love is God.
Jude’s one simple letter tells us how to live in a Christian community, how to beware of false teachers, and how to admonish one another properly.
Taken together or separately, there is much to be gained by sitting with a commentary and an epistle or two on a quiet afternoon to understand the allegory and the message meant for us . . . the modern apostles.
We seek God. We seek union and intimacy with God. This cannot be done unless we follow in the footsteps of those who shared bread with the Master. Jesus came as God’s expression of love to us, his creatures. He comes to us each day in the persons with whom we interact. He calls us to be the universal church.
God seeks us. He seeks union and intimacy with us. This cannot be done unless we allow our hearts to be open to the potential planted in us. We go to Jesus each day as we demonstrate our faith by loving God our creator fully. We go out to Christ each day as we unite with Christ, becoming co-creators of love. We become the universal church.
Jesus, breath of God, abide with us as we rise, become us as we go about our day, dream with us as we put our head upon the pillow at night. Jesus, we seek you even as you seek us. Amen.
Adapted from a reflection written on January 11, 2008.
Image from: https://jooinn.com/old-letter-rolls.html
Investigate the Letters of the New Testament at: http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/SFS/an0400.asp
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