We Often Hear People Say, "They Are Spiritual” . . . "But Not Religious” . . . But , What Do They Really Mean ?
Sep 2, 2018 21:45:30 #
Catholic Mass Readings September 2, 2018
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8,
Psalms 15:2-5,
James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27,
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Sometimes we hear people running down the concept of religion. “Jesus didn’t come to bring us a religion,” they say, “but he wants to have a relationship with us.”
Other times we hear people say they are “spiritual” but not “religious.”
Both of these are based on an impoverished understanding of what religion is — As if it simply consisted of unimportant rituals or arbitrary doctrines.
But real religion involves neither of these.
It doesn’t contain arbitrary doctrines but truths, that have been revealed, "Only by God."
It also involves genuine relationships with God, with Jesus Christ, and with our fellow human beings.
Thus Saint James tells us that, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:
"To care for orphans and widows, in their affliction and to keep oneself un-Stained by the world.”
So, Having a real relationship with God means, not only loving him, but loving our neighbors as well — Especially our less fortunate neighbors.
Yet it is possible to become too focused on external rituals ?
a. This happened with Jesus’ critics, who faulted his disciples for not washing their hands before they ate, in violation of the custom of their day.
b. But this custom, was not based on God’s teaching.
It isn’t found in the Mosaic Law.
Jesus Christ thus rebuked his critics, for “teaching as doctrines human precepts.”
Like the prophets before him, Jesus made it clear that moral values take precedence over mere ritual observances:
Jesus Christ replied to the Sanhedrin Priests . . . and said, "It is from within people, from within their hearts, come evil thoughts:
Unchastity,
Theft,
Murder,
Adultery,
Greed,
Malice,
Deceit,
Licentiousness,
Envy,
Blasphemy,
Arrogance,
Folly.
All these evils come from within and they "Defile” their mind, and "Defile's” the people, that hear and see these evil thoughts and acted upon.
Though is not to say, that human rituals and religious rituals are unimportant.
Rituals appears in every culture, showing that it’s built into the very human nature of people.
Thus God gave Israel rituals, alongside moral commandments in the Old Testament Mosaic Law. e.g. The Ten Commandments.
These Law are a model of wisdom for the people of the ancient near east, and by observing it, the Israelites nation would show the “wisdom and intelligence to all the nations,
who would hear all these Ten statutes and say, ‘This great nation, it is truly a wise and intelligent people.’”
God has ordained different rituals for us today, but ritual — Together with the moral imperatives that flow from the ethos of love — and the important part of how we relate to God.
Rather than talking down religion, we should recognize and embrace the concept of love, for it is a biblical and is recorded in the Old Testament and New Testament.
In doing so, we should embrace the impulse for ritual, that God has built into our very human nature.
But we should also recognize "Jesus Christ's teachings and the importance of transcendent of "Agape Love."
Jesus Christ identified, his the first and second great commandments as "Love of God" and "Love of Neighbor," he was quoting from the Law's of Moses.
The "Golden Rule" "Love one another as I have Loved You."
We thus should “Be Doers Of The Word" and "Not Hearers Of The Word," if not then we only then are "deluding yourselves.”
And we should always strive to be one who, “Walks Blamelessly and Does Justice;
"He who thinks the Truth in his heart,” For “whoever does these things, shall never be disturbed in his heart mind and soul.”
Amen, Let be so, I believe . . .
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8,
Psalms 15:2-5,
James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27,
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Sometimes we hear people running down the concept of religion. “Jesus didn’t come to bring us a religion,” they say, “but he wants to have a relationship with us.”
Other times we hear people say they are “spiritual” but not “religious.”
Both of these are based on an impoverished understanding of what religion is — As if it simply consisted of unimportant rituals or arbitrary doctrines.
But real religion involves neither of these.
It doesn’t contain arbitrary doctrines but truths, that have been revealed, "Only by God."
It also involves genuine relationships with God, with Jesus Christ, and with our fellow human beings.
Thus Saint James tells us that, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:
"To care for orphans and widows, in their affliction and to keep oneself un-Stained by the world.”
So, Having a real relationship with God means, not only loving him, but loving our neighbors as well — Especially our less fortunate neighbors.
Yet it is possible to become too focused on external rituals ?
a. This happened with Jesus’ critics, who faulted his disciples for not washing their hands before they ate, in violation of the custom of their day.
b. But this custom, was not based on God’s teaching.
It isn’t found in the Mosaic Law.
Jesus Christ thus rebuked his critics, for “teaching as doctrines human precepts.”
Like the prophets before him, Jesus made it clear that moral values take precedence over mere ritual observances:
Jesus Christ replied to the Sanhedrin Priests . . . and said, "It is from within people, from within their hearts, come evil thoughts:
Unchastity,
Theft,
Murder,
Adultery,
Greed,
Malice,
Deceit,
Licentiousness,
Envy,
Blasphemy,
Arrogance,
Folly.
All these evils come from within and they "Defile” their mind, and "Defile's” the people, that hear and see these evil thoughts and acted upon.
Though is not to say, that human rituals and religious rituals are unimportant.
Rituals appears in every culture, showing that it’s built into the very human nature of people.
Thus God gave Israel rituals, alongside moral commandments in the Old Testament Mosaic Law. e.g. The Ten Commandments.
These Law are a model of wisdom for the people of the ancient near east, and by observing it, the Israelites nation would show the “wisdom and intelligence to all the nations,
who would hear all these Ten statutes and say, ‘This great nation, it is truly a wise and intelligent people.’”
God has ordained different rituals for us today, but ritual — Together with the moral imperatives that flow from the ethos of love — and the important part of how we relate to God.
Rather than talking down religion, we should recognize and embrace the concept of love, for it is a biblical and is recorded in the Old Testament and New Testament.
In doing so, we should embrace the impulse for ritual, that God has built into our very human nature.
But we should also recognize "Jesus Christ's teachings and the importance of transcendent of "Agape Love."
Jesus Christ identified, his the first and second great commandments as "Love of God" and "Love of Neighbor," he was quoting from the Law's of Moses.
The "Golden Rule" "Love one another as I have Loved You."
We thus should “Be Doers Of The Word" and "Not Hearers Of The Word," if not then we only then are "deluding yourselves.”
And we should always strive to be one who, “Walks Blamelessly and Does Justice;
"He who thinks the Truth in his heart,” For “whoever does these things, shall never be disturbed in his heart mind and soul.”
Amen, Let be so, I believe . . .
Sep 2, 2018 23:59:25 #
Doc110 wrote:
Catholic Mass Readings September 2, 2018 br br De... (show quote)
Good Post Doc. I have always thought that those who claim to be "spiritual" were simply virtue signalling. It is an euphemism for "I'll make it up as needed."
Sep 3, 2018 02:25:20 #
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