Daily Reflection: Romans 12:5-16 We, though many, are one Body in Christ and individually parts of one another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them: if prophecy, in proportion to the faith; if ministry, in ministering; if one is a teacher, in teaching; if one exhorts, in exhortation; if one contributes, in generosity; if one is over others, with diligence; if one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Our reading today from Romans is a nice mishmash of a number of passages from Sacred Scripture. We can hear the echoes of 1 Corinthians 12 when it speaks of the oneness and diversity of the Mystical Body of Christ. We than hear a summary of the most well known passage of Scripture, 1 Corinthians 13, when Romans speaks of a sincere love that never fails. After that, we hear the echoes of the sermon on the mount from Matthew 5 when it speaks of blessing those who persecute you, rejoice with those who rejoice and so forth. What emerges from this passage from Romans is a nice summary of what it means to be a member of the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church, and how that reality should shape our identity as a people of faith. This passage points to an important aspects of authentic Christianity that John Henry Newman summarized in his work, An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine. To summarize a rather dense philosophical and theological read, Newman lays out seven principles on how authentic Christian Doctrine develops in the life of the Church. The starting point of authentic doctrine is what is called the Preservation of Type, meaning that, in Christian Doctrine, there is a core understanding of truth that must be preserved, otherwise we fall into false teaching. From this starting point, the remaining six principles support the first. As a doctrine develops, there must be a Continuity of Principles, meaning that even if theological language shifts over time, the core doctrine does not change, but rather our understanding of the doctrine develops and deepens. Authentic doctrine has an Assimilate of Truth, confidently affirming faith outside of the Christian tradtion, but in a way that invites the world to Christianity versus dismissing Christian doctrine in favor of the secular ideologies of the moment. The principles of Anticipating its Future and Logical Sequence go hand in hand, as we see the science of doctrine, pointing to doctrine being reasoned and not based on the subjective feelings and/or opinions of a given person or society. Lastly, the final two notes on Newmans development of doctrine speak to a Conservative Action on its Past and a Chronic Vigor, illuminating how doctrines conserve the truth that has gone before it by examining how truth continually presents itself through history, regardless of how people may try to alter or suppress authentic doctrine. Now, how does this relate to Romans 12? It relates to Romans because a common tendency in Scripture is to have periodic summaries of the core of what Christian belief entails. Over time, this development through Scripture aided to create the early Creeds of the Church, presenting a summary of Christian faith. The summaries are not meant to be a boiled down version of Christianity, but rather points back the full sense of what it means to follow Christ found through Scripture and Tradition. Therefore, Romans 12 can be seen as one of the moments of spiritual seed germination that lead to the later Creeds of the Church. It is a bringing together of core principles that constantly emerge, preserving the type we find in authentic Christianity. This passage is not meant to replace the passages it references, but rather points us back to the fuller texts to remind us of the richness of Christian life. Spiritual exercise, how have you seen authentic faith develop in you over the years? What have been the times of growth? What have been times when there needed to be some pruning of dead wood? Pray today with the notes on Development from John Henry Newman and ask God to develop an authentic Christian life in all of us. For todays video, here is the beginning of the Mass of Beatification of John Henry Newman, celebrated by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. The Mass begins with a nice summary of Newmans life before being officially declared Blessed by Benedict XVI. Enjoy! :) Mass Part One: youtube/watch?v=dK5n70EKnsA Mass Part Two: youtube/watch?v=KYsRi2XElVI Mass Part Three: youtube/watch?v=DYu1EtDq2jw
Posted on: Tue, 05 Nov 2013 13:03:47 +0000
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