True People of the Book

It’s been a crazy week to belong to the People of the Book (a beautiful Islamic term referring to followers of the three major Abrahamic religions). Between the worst attack on Jews in the United States to riots after the release of a Christian woman in Pakistan, there has been ugliness on all sides. It’s nearly an unbroken circle. 

“Christian” man attacks Jewish community.

“Muslims” riot after a Christian is released after being charged with blasphemy (the courts evaluated the evidence and found it contradictory and insufficient). 

All we need is a “Jewish” person to attack some Muslims and the circle of evil will be complete. (Since the internet makes it easy for people to misunderstand... I do NOT want that to happen)

It would be easy to simply put one’s head in one’s hands and hide under a rock. But that would be to miss the other half of the story. 

After the attack on the Pittsburgh synagogue, two Muslim organizations in the USA raised over $200,000 to fund the funerals of the victims. In addition, they have shown support beyond money by offering to protect their neighbors if they felt unsafe. 

Beyond the fact that justice was given to Asia Bibi by the courts, both the government of Pakistan and average citizens have spoken out against the violence. Yes, her situation is not yet resolved, but this is a positive step.

It’s not only Muslims and Jews who have been true People of the Book this week. Christians both in Pittsburgh and across the world have spoken out in support of the Pittsburgh community. In a coincidence that could only be from a higher power, every Catholic Church through out the world will proclaim today, not once, but twice, the words of the Shema, or most important Jewish prayer, from the book of Deuteronomy. How beautiful that our cycle of readings would have this specific text for today. I had the privilege of proclaiming these sacred words during Mass this morning in Guatemala.

"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! 

Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God,
with all your heart,
and with all your soul,
and with all your strength. 

Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today."

This is what People of the Book believe. Whether we call Him Elohim, God, or Allah, we believe He is God, the only God. I am honored to stand with my brothers and sisters, People of the Book, today as we pray for peace and justice.

Because I'm lazy and indecisive and insecure ...

... that's why I'm Catholic.

(inspired by Bible study... if you are part of that group and happen to be reading, I don't intend this as an attack, at all. I'm sorry if it comes across as such. I'm just glad things are a little simpler for me. Also, the title is inspired by a blog that I've been reading -- I'm not actually implying that Catholics are lazy, indecisive, and/or insecure.)

OK...

Another heated debate at Bible Study. This time it was over the 7th (8th) commandment against stealing. We started with a question: "Why is studying the Bible dangerous?" The leader was looking for "because sometimes it challenges you to change things in your life that you don't want to." Another answer, however, could be "because people's personal interpretations can be vastly different and it's easy to get into an argument if there is not absolute authority - aside from the words which everyone is reading and interpreting differently."

I don't want to get into who was right or wrong or what views are correct. Partly, because that's not what this post is about and partly because I'm not sure. But here's the thing. I don't have to make that call. I've got a place I can go to find out. All I need to do is pull out a copy of the CCC (Catechism of the Catholic Church) and it's spelled out for me.

On a related note, confession was touched on tonight. Not the sacrament, obviously, but the fact that it is important to confess to both God and the person you've wronged. And that confession isn't easy. That's true. But, even though I don't go as often as I should, once I get through the hard part, I hear my favorite prayer (outside of the Mass):

God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Yes, in the name and authority of God, I get to hear a human voice tell me that my sins are gone. There is no worrying "did God actually hear my prayer and forgive me?" or "how do I know if I'm really forgiven?" I don't have to wait for a voice in my head to convince me that I'm free. My mind doesn't have to struggle with "did God actually say that or was I just making it up so I'll feel better?" -- because if I couldn't hear an actual person saying those words that's what I would struggle with. But, it's all a moot point, because - for better or worse (but, honestly that's a silly statement here) - I'm Catholic. And I couldn't be more thankful.

Selfishness

There are times when I think everyone has to be a little selfish. Not in an "I don't care about anyone but myself" way but more like "if I don't take care of myself there is no way I can help anyone else." This is why the intention for the first decade of my daily Rosary is for my day, what ever struggles there will be (more often than not... just that I will "get through"), anything special happening, etc. If I don't put my life into God's hands first, how can I offer prayers for anything/anyone else? I know that my classes will suffer if I am cranky from not getting enough sleep. So, I have to be selfish when it comes to spending time with people in the evenings.

Sometimes, it's not easy to tell. There is a situation at one of the English Masses that I'm really struggling with. I've rejoined the choir after singing there five years ago. The "choir" sings every week, they meet an hour (or whenever people show up) before Mass to learn the hymns, of the 6-8 people, two have some musical training (more than being able to read music), two can read music somewhat, and the rest have to learn everything by ear. It's a motley crew to say the least. We just found out that the music director's husband got transferred back to the States. She is leaving before Christmas. That leaves a huge hole in the group. There is no official church leadership, no one who would look for a new director, and no money to pay a new director. If I don't take the position, there won't likely be anyone.

Seems pretty obvious, right? I'm here, have musical training, and therefore am the logical choice to take over. Only, the week before K. announced she was leaving, I had decided that I wanted to explore the possibility of singing with the choir at St. Matyas church. That is a semi-professional group that sings for Sunday Latin Mass at the Coronation Church up at the Buda Castle. Now, I'm stuck. I don't want to be in the new director. Frankly, there is some drama amongst the choir members (people who have absolutely no right trying to exclude others) that I don't want to deal with. Additionally, the accompanist can only be there a couple of weeks a month which means I would be stuck playing (or leading Mass unaccompanied) the rest of the time. My piano skills are poor to say the least and even what I can do isn't appreciated by the choir. When I had to play a few weeks ago, they got on my case because *gasp* I played wrong notes. HELLO! I'm HUMAN. And not a pianist. And I hadn't had access to a piano for four months.

I'm so torn. I feel like I have an obligation to take the position but, at the same time, I would so much rather be singing Schubert's Mass in G at St. Matyas than struggling to teach people to sing some banal OCP ditty by ear. I really wish the two English Masses were blended. It would be on Saturday evenings, either church.. that part doesn't matter, the music from Saturday, the priest from Sunday. Oh well, not going to happen so why dream.

Thoughts? Suggestions? How selfish is too selfish?

Bible Study

On Wednesday's I go to an international English Bible study at the Budapest Christian Library. The pastor that regularly leads it has been out of town the past few weeks so various people have been filling in. Today the pastor from the International Baptist Church of Budapest was there. I'm very very glad he was just a substitute. Rather than the typical discussion (lead by the pastor) it was a lecture... and then at the end he asked if we had comments. Riiight... because I'm going to comment after you "told us how it is" -- at least according to your interpretation of the Bible. One lady commented about some things in Revelations being examples rather than exact things because they were the words of John rather than the words of Jesus. The pastor didn't like that at all. "All of the Bible is the word of Jesus" he said.


I had to restrain myself. Somehow, I don't think Mr. I'm-a-Baptist-so-I-take-the-Bible-literally would have liked my asking his views on John 6! Especially since these are the words of Jesus... not "just" the words Jesus inspired John to write in Revelations.


John 6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.

John 6:51-58
I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."