St. Joseph of Cupertino: The Reluctant Saint

 

Happiness Myths

Beware the “Soloists”

Msgr. Charles Pope hits the nail on the head once again . . . and with such an edifying and eloquent analogy! I must also mention that his play on words about "singing solo" is wonderful! This well organized, easy to read, article is a "saver" for sure. The bolded RED words are my emphasis. I have also included my crib notes or "take-aways" at the end of this post.
Beware the “Soloists”  A Concern for the Protestant “Solos”: Sola Fide, Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia Msgr. Charles Pope • June 7, 2018
There are a lot of “solos” sung by our Protestant brethren: 
1) sola fide (saved by faith alone) 
2) sola gratis (grace alone 
3) sola Scriptura (Scripture alone is the rule of faith)
Generally, one ought to be leery of claims that things work “alone.” Typically, many things work together in harmony; things are interrelated. Very seldom is anyone or anything really “alone.”

The problem with “solos” emerges (it seems to me) in our mind, where it is possible to separate things out; but just because we can separate something out in our mind does not mean that we can do so in reality.

Consider, for a moment, a candle’s flame. In my mind, I can separate the heat of the flame from its light, but I could never put a knife into the flame and put the heat of the flame on one side of it and the light on the other. In reality, the heat and light are inseparable—so together as to be one.

I would like to argue that it is the same with things like faith and works, grace and transformation, Scripture and the Church. We can separate all these things out in our mind, but in reality, they are one. Attempting to separate them from what they belong to leads to grave distortions and to the thing in question no longer being what it is claimed to be. Rather, it becomes an abstraction that exists only on a blackboard or in the mind of a theologian.

Let’s look at the three main “solos” of Protestant theology. I am aware that there are non-Catholic readers of this blog, so please understand that my objections are made with respect. I am also aware that in a short blog I may oversimplify, and thus I welcome additions, clarifications, etc. in the comments section.

Solo 1: Faith alone (sola fide) – For 400 years, Catholics and Protestants have debated the question of faith and works. In this matter, we must each avoid caricaturing the other’s position. Catholics do not and never have taught that we are saved by works. For Heaven’s sake, we baptize infants! We fought off the Pelagians. But neither do Protestants mean by “faith” a purely intellectual acceptance of the existence of God, as many Catholics think that they do.

What concerns us here is the detachment of faith from works that the phrase “faith alone” implies. Let me ask, what is faith without works? Can you point to it? Is it visible? Introduce me to someone who has real faith but no works. I don’t think one can be found. About the only example I can think of is a baptized infant, but that’s a Catholic thing! Most Baptists and Evangelicals who sing the solos reject infant baptism. 

Hence it seems that faith alone is something of an abstraction. Faith is something that can only be separated from works in our minds. If faith is a transformative relationship with Jesus Christ, we cannot enter into that relationship while remaining unchanged. This change affects our behavior, our works. Even in the case of infants, it is possible to argue that they are changed and do have “works”; it’s just that they are not easily observed. 

Scripture affirms that faith is never alone, that such a concept is an abstraction.

Faith without works is dead (James 2:26). Faith without works is not faith at all because faith does not exist by itself; it is always present with and causes works through love.  

Galatians 5:6 says, For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith working through love.Hence faith works not alone but through love.  

Further, as Paul states in 1 Corinthians 13:2, if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.Hence faith alone is the null set. True faith is never alone; it bears the fruit of love and the works of holiness. Faith ignites love and works through it. Beware of the solo “faith alone” and ask where faith, all by itself, can be found.

Solo 2: Grace alone (sola gratia) – By its very nature grace changes us. Again, show me grace apart from works. Grace without works is an abstraction. It cannot be found apart from its effects. In our mind it may exist as an idea, but in reality, grace is never alone.

Grace builds on nature and transforms it. It engages the person who responds to its urges and gifts. If grace is real, it will have its effects and cannot be found alone or apart from works. It cannot be found apart from a real flesh-and-blood human who is manifesting its effects.

Solo 3: Scripture alone (sola Scriptura) – Beware those who say, “sola Scriptura!” This is the claim that Scripture alone is the measure of faith and the sole authority for the Christian, that there is no need for a Church and no authority in the Church, that there is only authority in the Scripture.

There are several problems with this.

First, Scripture as we know it (with the full New Testament) was not fully assembled and agreed upon until the 4th century.

It was Catholic bishops, in union with the Pope, who made the decision as to which books belonged in the Bible. The early Christians could not possibly have lived by sola scriptura because the Scriptures were not even fully written in the earliest years. And although collected and largely completed in written form by 100 AD, the set of books and letters that actually made up the New Testament was not agreed upon until the 4th century.

Second, until recently most people could not read.

Given this, it seems strange that God would make, as the sole rule of faith, a book that people had to read on their own. Even today, large numbers of people in the world cannot read well. Hence, Scripture was not necessarily a read text, but rather one that most people heard and experienced in and with the Church through her preaching, liturgy, art, architecture, stained glass, passion plays, and so forth.

Third, and most important, if all you have is a book, then that book needs to be interpreted accurately.

Without a valid and recognized interpreter, the book can serve to divide more than to unite. Is this not the experience of Protestantism, which now has tens of thousands of denominations all claiming to read the same Bible but interpreting it in rather different manners?

The problem is, if no one is Pope then everyone is Pope! Protestant “soloists” claim that anyone, alone with a Bible and the Holy Spirit, can authentically interpret Scripture. Well then, why does the Holy Spirit tell some people that baptism is necessary for salvation and others that it is not necessary? Why does the Holy Spirit tell some that the Eucharist really is Christ’s Body and Blood and others that it is only a symbol? Why does the Holy Spirit say to some Protestants, “Once saved, always saved” and to others, “No”?

So, it seems clear that Scripture is not meant to be alone. Scripture itself says this in 2 Peter 3:16: 

 . . . our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, also wrote to you, Our Brother Paul speaking of these things [the Last things] as he does in all his letters. In them there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures. 

Hence Scripture itself warns that it is quite possible to misinterpret Scripture.

Where is the truth to be found? The Scriptures once again answer this: you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth (1 Tim 3:15).

Hence Scripture is not to be read alone. It is a document of the Lord through the Church and must be read in the context of the Church and with the Church’s authoritative interpretation and Tradition. As this passage from Timothy says, the Church is the pillar and foundation of truth. The Bible is a Church book and thus is not meant to be read apart from the Church that received the authority to publish it from God Himself. Scripture is the most authoritative and precious document of the Church, but it emanates from the Church’s Tradition and must be understood in the light of it.

Thus, the problems of “singing solo” seem to boil down to the fact that if we separate what God has joined we end up with an abstraction, something that exists only in the mind but in reality, cannot be found alone.

Here is a brief video in which Fr. Robert Barron ponders the Protestant point of view that every baptized Christian has the right to authoritatively interpret the Word of God.

Some quick "take-aways" for me:

Attempting to separate them (the 'solos') from what they belong to leads to grave distortions and to the thing in question no longer being what it is claimed to be. Rather, it becomes an abstraction that exists only on a blackboard or in the mind of a theologian.

SOLA FIDE: faith alone is the null set 

SOLA GRATIA:  By its very nature grace changes us. Again, show me grace apart from works. Grace without works is an abstraction. It cannot be found apart from its effects. 

SOLA SCRIPTURA: It was Catholic bishops, in union with the Pope, who made the decision as to which books belonged in the Bible. The early Christians could not possibly have lived by sola scriptura because the Scriptures were not even fully written in the earliest years. 

Until recently most people could not read. Given this, it seems strange that God would make, as the sole rule of faith, a book that people had to read on their own. Even today, large numbers of people in the world cannot read well.  

If all you have is a book, then that book needs to be interpreted accurately. If no one is Pope then everyone is Pope! 

Scripture itself says that it is not meant to be alone. 2 Peter 3:16

You should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth (1 Tim 3:15). Read it again . . . and what is the pillar and foundation of truth? The church!

Thus, the problems of “singing solo” seem to boil down to the fact that if we separate what God has joined we end up with an abstraction, something that exists only in the mind but in reality, cannot be found alone. 

http://blog.adw.org/2018/06/beware-soloists-concern-protestant-solos-sola-fide-sola-scriptura-sola-gratia/

Recording of Leo XIII Singing the Ave Maria

Yes, there exists a recording of Pope Leo XIII singing the Ave Maria! 

This makes him both the oldest born person to be recorded (b. 1810) and the first pope in history to have his voice recorded.

Pope Leo XIII, born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, reigned as Pope from 20 February 1878 to his death in 1903. 
Born:  March 2, 1810, Carpineto Romano, Italy 
Died:  July 20, 1903, Vatican City 
Successor: Pope Pius X  
Predecessor: Pope Pius IX 
Books:  Aeterni Patris, Immortale Dei, Graves de communi re, and more
Encyclicals: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_encyclicals_of_Pope_Leo_XIII
Sibling: Giuseppe Pecci 
Cool Facts:

• Under Leo the Catholic Faith made great progress; during his pontificate two hundred and forty-eight episcopal orarchiepiscopal sees were created, and forty-eight vicariates or prefectures Apostolic.
•  Historical scholars are indebted to him for the opening of the Vatican Archives(1883)
• Civilization owes much to Leo for his stand on the social question. As early as 1878, in his encyclical on the equality of all men, he attacked the fundamental error of Socialism.

Sources

EpicPew.com 
YouTube
Link to the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9Pv-UuGUDM
Wikipedia
New Advent

Fr. Robert Barron on "The Shack"

Good commentary . . .  Some really nice comparisons, a fun watermelon analogy, and easy to understand philosophical information to boot!
I particularly like the explanation of the Lutheran v Catholic view of "the law."
Well done, Father!

Wasting Your Life - Venerable Fulton Sheen

A Tough Teacher's Alter Ego

You just never know. . . . but that doesn't take away one single bit of the charity that is shared.

@ St. Francis High School
     Math Teacher, Jim O'Conner

Patrick Madrid Goes into the Lion's Den

The Eucharist - Scott Hahn You Tube

Video - Scott Hahn

Psalm 51 - Renaissance Polyphony

This piece is Psalm 51, but first set to music by Allegri around 1630. It is one of the finest and most popular examples of renaissance polyphony. It is often heard in Churches of the apostolic Christian tradition on Ash Wednesday, immediately following Shrove (or pancake) Tuesday, marking Christ's return to Jerusalem. Beautifully performed here by The Sixteen, listen out for the simplicity, humility and reverence.

PSALM 51

¹ [For the choirmaster Of David When the prophet Nathan had come to him because he had gone to Bathsheba] Have mercy on me, O God, in your faithful love, in your great tenderness wipe away my offences;

² wash me clean from my guilt, purify me from my sin.

³ For I am well aware of my offences, my sin is constantly in mind.

⁴ Against you, you alone, I have sinned, I have done what you see to be wrong, that you may show your saving justice when you pass sentence, and your victory may appear when you give judgement,

⁵ remember, I was born guilty, a sinner from the moment of conception.

⁶ But you delight in sincerity of heart, and in secret you teach me wisdom.

⁷ Purify me with hyssop till I am clean, wash me till I am whiter than snow.

⁸ Let me hear the sound of joy and gladness, and the bones you have crushed will dance.

⁹ Turn away your face from my sins, and wipe away all my guilt.

¹⁰ God, create in me a clean heart, renew within me a resolute spirit,

¹¹ do not thrust me away from your presence, do not take away from me your spirit of holiness.

¹² Give me back the joy of your salvation, sustain in me a generous spirit.

¹³ I shall teach the wicked your paths, and sinners will return to you.

¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodshed, God, God of my salvation, and my tongue will acclaim your saving justice.

¹⁵ Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will speak out your praise.

¹⁶ Sacrifice gives you no pleasure, burnt offering you do not desire.

¹⁷ Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, a broken, contrite heart you never scorn.

¹⁸ In your graciousness do good to Zion, rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹ Then you will delight in upright sacrifices,-burnt offerings and whole oblations -- and young bulls will be offered on your altar.

5 Changes for a Better Life

There are some important changes being made in the way I handle the business of my life:

1) Anger - I am giving him his pink slip because he has lost his job today.
2) Stress - I have decided that his assignment is terminated.
3) Despair has been replaced by Hope.
4) Negative Conversation is banned from my house.
5) Discouragement has been ousted but I understand that he will try to sneak back in. I will be diligent in giving him no room for re-entry

I am ridding my life and home and business of these intruders.
Taking a lesson from the Philippians 4:8 . . . 

"And now, dear Brothers and Sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."

I will give You all my worship
I will give You all my praise
You alone I long to worship
You alone are worthy of my praise

I will worship with all of my heart
I will praise You with all of my strength
I will seek You, all of my days
I will follow, I will follow all of Your ways

Contraception - You Deserve to Know

John Stossell Report on Guns (Jan 2013)

An interesting report.  John Stossell is a unique journalist - you just do not hear these things very often! Facts are stubborn things.
What do you think?

To Whom Shall We Go?

Glenn Beck

Bishop Lori's testimony durign the House Committee on Oversight's hearing on Religious Liberty

Father Barron's Comments on "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus"

and . . . stick with this one. There is a pause or two in it.

Go Fish and Sally

My friend, Sally's 2011 show! She is so talented!
Music by Go Fish


TisTheSimpsons 2011: Joy To The World from Sally Simpson on Vimeo.

Our Lady of the Star - a Small Community of Young Men in France with Down Syndrome

SOURCES:
fndle.org English Abstract
Our Lady of the Star
The Deacon's Bench

Salvation History Like You Have Never Heard It

Salvation History Bible Saga - 2011 Life Teen Training Convention from Life Teen on Vimeo.

Source: http://www.lifeteen.com/blog/learn-about-your-faith/salvation-history-bible-saga