The Sacraments and Human Nature

The sacraments correspond with human nature in many ways. First, the sacraments physical effects ensure that their signs can be spread across humanity and give us the grace necessary to live a life in Christ. The sacraments in a sense ‘perfect’ our human nature because they give us the graces necessary to try to avoid sin and also become Christlike figures. This is significant because our Christian mission is to adopt these principles and Love our Neighbor.

Specifically, the sacrament of penance allows us to enter into an ever-present life of closeness to God. As humans, we are all subject to the temptation of sin and through the sacrament of penance our relationship with God is restored. In this case, our human nature plays a big role in the life of the Sacraments- we are all tempted to sin because of this nature and through the Sacrament of penance this nature can be ‘perfected’ so we can be Christ-like figures.

The Sacrament of Eucharist also allows us to perfect our human nature. The Sacrament of the Eucharist is the receiving of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, thus when we partake in this Sacrament we are elevating our human nature to another level- a transcendental level- and we receive the body and blood of our Savior.

-atohme

Miracles

A miracle is defined as an event that surpasses the laws of nature, and is attributed to a divine origin. There are many miracles that have happened throughout the course of human history: the most important being the Resurrection of Christ. How many times have you seen a dead person come to life again? Never. That's what makes the Resurrection significant and also the centerpiece of the Christian Faith. A couple famous miracles include:

1. The Shroud of Turin

This is more than your ordinary Shroud. According to the Bible, this is the Shroud that was used to wrap the body of Christ when he was laid to rest in the tomb. However, recent scientific evidence proves that this could truly be the Shroud that covered Jesus as he lay dead. Carbon dating has shown an outline of a male body with wounds that seem as if the man suffered crucifixion. Furthermore, dirt particles on the Shroud match those from ancient Jerusalem. More than just a coincidence.




2. The Crossing of the Red Sea

According to the Old Testament, the Pharaoh of Egypt kept the Israelites in captivity for many years. After firmly denying to let them leave and after Ten Plagues, the Pharaoh remained firm in his decision. So, Moses (a prophet) split open the Red Sea and led the Israelites out of captivity and into the Promised Land. According to the Bible, Moses lifted his staff and the sea parted in half. After the Israelites had crossed, Moses closed the seas and drowned the Egyptian army. What a guy.



-atohme

The Catholic Church: Hate It or Love It, You Need It

Scandals constantly hit the Catholic Church. Recently, priests have been caught touching and talking to children inappropriately, which are absolutely tragic and gut-wrenching events. Numerous other sex scandals have been exposed over the years. Even more prevalent in the Catholic Church is the corruption. Money-hungry Church officials exist in every generation, abusing the Church for his own personal gain. There were times between 1000 and 2000 AD that the Church was so corrupt it is a miracle in itself that she still exists.

Events such as these are what have inspired videos such as "Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus." You may believe in Jesus Christ and love him, but not be so crazy about the Church. I'll now offer a defense of the Catholic Church, despite its corruption.

First of all,  you still need the Church. Jesus Christ specifically instituted the Church as the means of the salvation he won for us by His Paschal Mystery. The Eucharist and all other Sacraments are celebrated solely through Jesus Christ's Mystical Body; there are no loopholes to this fact. Even if Church officials are corrupt and you do not particularly like them, the fact remains that the Church is the only way for you to be saved.

Second, human corruption does not detract from the Church's authority and holiness in the slightest. Humans are naturally corrupt due to our corrupted natures from Original Sin. It makes sense that the humans within the Church are corrupt and scandalous. In fact, it can almost be expected. However, the Holy Spirit still guides the Church and protects it. Jesus Christ still instituted the Church, so the Church is still Holy. No matter what the people within the Church community say and do, the Church's divine origin maintains its holiness and authority.

Last, the fact that the Church is so corrupt and still exists is a testament to its divine origin. Any typical, human organization would crumble under scandals and corruption as severe and widespread as the Church has withstood. However, the Church has withstood them all, and continues to today. This can only add to your confidence that the Church is truly Jesus's Church.
-Shoe

Why Is There Evil in A World Created by A Good God?

Two weeks ago tomorrow, two men mercilessly bombed the Boston marathon. Armed with makeshift pressure-cooker bombs, these two disrupted a normally fun-filled and blessed day, killing three and injuring hundreds more. Surveillance video shows one of the suspects placing a backpack with a bomb in it right next to an 8 year-old boy. This attack was pure evil.

How could God allow such evil to enter our world? This is a question that I'm sure troubles many intelligent grad students trying to discern their faith. If God is truly good, and if he is omnipotent, he wouldn't allow such evil things to happen to us, right?

God works in mysterious ways. Although this is a common cliche, it is entirely true. At first glance, it may seem as if nothing good came from the Fall. Only evil, sin, and death. But this is not true at all. Through the Fall, God has produced an even greater good (produced is an awkward verb here, but I cannot think of a better one). It is because of the Fall that Jesus Christ was made incarnate to forgive us of our sins. And it is because of the Fall that Jesus Christ will come a second time.  The greatest thing that has ever happened to mankind, Jesus Christ's coming, would not have happened without the Fall.

Superficially, this contradicts the Church's generally means-based philosophies. God is allowing evil in order to create more good, seemingly an ends-based approach from the All-Knowing One. However, this does not contradict means-based philosophy. God does not cause the evil; He merely allows it. In other words, evil was not created by God directly, but rather by the absence of the good God created. Because God takes no action, it cannot be said He violates any sort of Kantian rule. 

Philosophical discussion aside, this idea of creating more good from evil through Jesus Christ is known as the Felix Culpa, or Happy Fault. St. Augustine, an Early Church Father, wrote about this while justifying God's failure to stop sin. 

As bad as sin and evil are, we are better off with it because of Jesus Christ. God would not allow such darkness to enter our world if this was not true.

-Shoe

Protestantism and Ecumenism

This is a continuation of Shoe's post on Schisms in the Catholic Church.


Our last section in Theology class was largely over Protestantism and Ecumenism. Protestantism, given its name by the Protestant Reformation, happened predominantly in the 15th century and was started by Martin Luther. Martin Luther started this Reformation because he was fed up with the Catholic Church's selling of indulgences. In turn, he created a new Church the "Protestant" Church. Nowadays, this Protestant Church has over 30,000 different Churches and continues to splinter.

Therefore, Ecumenism, or bringing back all of the Churches into the one true Church is necessary. One of the Four marks of the Catholic Church is its Oneness, meaning Christ created one True Church on Earth. However, this does not mean we call Protestants "Non-Christians". These generations of Protestants are called "separated brethren" meaning they were born into the Protestant faith through no fault of their own.

 

Currently, the Church is closest to bringing back the Eastern Orthodox Churches. Some Anglican Churches (parts of the Protestant Churches) have come back to the Catholic Faith. However, the end goal is 100% coexistence in the one Truth.

-atohme