THURSDAY HOMILY: Let Us Build Our Lives on the Rock of the Catholic Church

By Deacon Keith Fournier
12/6/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Let us build our lives on the Rock of the Catholic Church and open our doors to the men and women of our age who seek stability as the world is being shaken

Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.

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CHESAPEAKE, VA (Catholic Online) - On Thursday of the First Week of Advent our readings invite us to build our houses on Rock. Jesus tells his disciples: "Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined." (Matt. 7)

In the first reading the Lord spoke through the Prophet Isaiah reminding Israel to "Trust in the LORD forever! For the LORD is an eternal Rock." (Isaiah 26) Advent is a time to make an honest assessment. We should ask a question, "On what foundation are we building?" We are living in turbulent times. There is a shaking underway. All one has to do is access any front of the integrated media to hear that the United States will soon go over a "fiscal cliff". There is little doubt that we went over the moral cliff long ago.

However, Christians need not be afraid. Our life together in the Church is meant to provide a place of shelter, not only for us, but for others who seek stability as the shaking continues all around. Yes, the Church is also being shaken. However, that shaking is for her purification, fortification and reform. The Apostle Peter reminded the early Christians undergoing persecution that judgment begins in the household of faith. (1 Peter 4:17) So too does shaking (See, Heb 12).

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us "we who are receiving the unshakable kingdom should have gratitude, with which we should offer worship pleasing to God in reverence and awe." (Heb 12:28) Through our Baptism we now live in the in the Church founded upon Jesus Christ, the only place of safety.

On Monday, May 21, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI held a luncheon with members of the College of Cardinals to thank them for their kindness in wishing him a Happy 85th Birthday on April 16, 2012. In addition, he wanted to thank his friends for wishing him a happy seventh anniversary of his election to the Chair of Peter on April 19, 2012. Vatican News reported that the Holy Father reminded the brothers upon whom he relies for advice and counsel that "The Church, the Mystical Body, exists on this earth, and is called the Church militant, because its members struggle against the world, the flesh and the devil."

He shared many of his moments of joy during his apostolic ministry as the successor of Peter, as well as insights into the struggles, telling the Cardinals, "(I) especially thank the Lord for the many years He has given me, years with many days of joy, wonderful times, but also dark nights. But in retrospect it is understood that the nights were necessary and good. We see evil wants to rule the world and it is necessary to go into battle against evil. We (see) it does in so many ways, bloody, with various forms of violence, but also disguised with good and thus destroying the moral foundations of society.We're in this fight and (in) this fight it is very important to have friends. I am surrounded by friends of the College of Cardinals: they are my friends and I feel at home, I feel safe in the company of great friends who are with me, together."

The use of the phrase "Church Militant" to describe the Church on earth used to be common. However, for lots of reasons, including a possible misunderstanding of the term, it fell out of use since the Second Vatican Council. It needs to be revived. In 1953, the Pope Pius XII, who had led the Church through two decades of darkness in a world besieged by war, stated "We belong to the Church militant; and she is militant because on earth the powers of darkness are ever restless to encompass her destruction."

As we face growing hostility it is important to hear the words the Apostle Paul spoke to the Ephesians: "We do not wrestle against flesh and blood; but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Eph. 6:11,12)

In 1969, then Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger wrote a small book entitled "Faith and the Future". In it he spoke of what might be ahead for the Church. Little did he realize then that he would occupy the Chair of Peter. Here are a few excerpts for reflection today:

"The church will become small and will have to start afresh more or less from the beginning. She will no longer be able to inhabit many of the edifices she built in prosperity. As the number of her adherents diminishes, she will lose many of her social ...

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1 - 5 of 5 Comments

Anthony lluobe Okhumheode
5 months ago
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Joseph
5 months ago
We need to embrace the reality of being members of the Church Militant. All of us, as members, are engaged in spiritual warfare (another term that fell out of favour post vatican II which needs to be recovered), warfare that is both internal and external, against the forces of darkness within and without. The Church offers man a chance to live the good life, the happy life - based on the 3 theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity and the 4 Cardinal Virtues of Prudence, Justice, Courage and Moderation. The latter were long taught in Church history and formed the bedrock of Christian action in the everyday real world we all inhabit, and they too have been downplayed since Vatican II. In those 4 Cardinal Virtues we have the core of the Christian message to all men and women: The good life is based on Faith and Reason and Reason, Man's highest attribute, is expressed through the 4 Cardinal virtues. This is the kind of catechetical teaching that can grab the attention of both young and old, perhaps especially the young: practical, down to earth, challenging, optimistic and effective. We do not have to be saints to live the Christian good life. It is within the reach of every man and woman, if they are told about it. But is the Church telling them? Sentimentality and gushing emotionalism won't cut it. The plain, bold, positive, realistic truth, on the other hand, is what everyone is secretly looking for. And we, the Church, have this jewel of God-inspired rational wisdom in our treasury. It's time to bring it out once again into the clear light of day, dust it off, and tell the people about it, let the people see it, understand it, let them see that Christianity is not about guilt, and fear, and darkness and tedium. It's about the Good Life, inherited from the Graeco-Roman world, passed on down the centuries as part of God's good and salvific message for mankind. It's time we, as members of the Church Militant, passed that chance of the truly Good Life on to a civilization which, without realising it, is actually desperate to hear it, if only we have some of the courage of those spiritual warriors who went before us, the courage to state that truth boldly and clearly to all men and women, without fear or favour.
Tom McGuire
5 months ago
The quotes at the end of the homily are priceless; oh, if there were more homilies with such depth. However, as I reflect on your encouraging a return to the use of the word militant. Be careful, as you say there were good reasons for it being abandoned. There has been much militancy in the response to your articles. I picture many of the responses as coming from those who would stone to death the woman caught in adultery. In contrast, Jesus asks who is free of sin, let that one cast the first stone. A judgmental militancy is a counter sign to the reign of God which we as disciples are called to proclaim.

Also when referring to the Church, your references to the present day seem limited to the experience of some in the Church of the United States. Think of the Catholic Church in China. Just yesterday I read a paper written by a Chinese priest studying in the United States. He is filled with a passionate joy of life in Christ. He describes living in the light of Christ as dancing with joy even in the midst of pain and suffering. We here in the United States could benefit much from the witness of the faithful Catholics in China.
Robert Burford
5 months ago
Unbelievably prophetic ! I have new respect for our Holy Father and his Papacy. It reinforces God's plan for his Church when He picks leaders He picks them with the vision to lead His Church for the future. It is scary to think that the Church faithful will be a remnant just like the remnant of the faithful in Israel. These are indeed wicked times and personally causes me to reflect if I have done enough to strengthen the faith of my relatives and friends and Church community. As the Pope suggests, man will search for the truth when man does not find solace and peace in sin. Hopefully sooner and not later we as a nation and world faithful will wake up to God's truth. Wow!
abey
5 months ago
Spiritually ,Christ is the unwavering Rock upon which is the Church build with St.Peter as the seat. St Peter 'cause it was unto Him that the revelation was given to the words of Jesus "Blessed are though Simon for it is not flesh & blood but My Father in heaven who revealed (me) unto you" again to his words "Only them who are drawn to me by My Father will I receive" which is to say unconditionally.

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