11:17 p.m. - Saturday, Jan. 24, 2004
The Law and Prophets.
It's been too long. I'm very sorry for the lack of entries. It's been a busy week.
I'm still thinking a lot about all things Catholic. I received an email from my uncle that gave me a lot to think about. I guess this entry is kind of my response to that.
I had a thought last night (I know, congratulations are in order!). I could debate in my own mind about all kinds of theological questions, but what do they all add up to? If all of these points of theology do not bring me to a place of loving Jesus more than I did when I started, then what was the point? I guess I've inadvertantly paraphrased St. Paul. "If I can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, but have not love, I am nothing."
So let's look at some 'what ifs'. What if I take catechism? What if I become convinced that Mary remained a virgin and was bodily taken to heaven, as Catholicism teaches? What if I die and find out I was completely wrong?
What the heck will that matter?
What if I let worry over believing every detail of theology keep me from being involved with something that will make me fall deeper in love with the person of Jesus Christ? Wouldn't that be a far worse mistake to make? I'm not saying that it's not important to have a clear understanding of what you believe as a Christian, but what is the ultimate point of it all if it is not loving God?
Here is what Christians believe, Catholic and Protestant. God created the human race so that He might have friendship with us and we might have friendship with him. Through our own selfish choices, we broke that friendship. God came to earth in the form of a human, Jesus, and re-established this friendship through the love he showed during his life, his death , and his resurrection. He lives and rules by his Father's side. He sent us his Holy Spirit so that we might imitate his love and become "little Christs."
Apart from those facts, I may get things wrong. In fact, I definately will. That's okay. You are also definately going to get things wrong. I just don't need to worry about getting everything right.
All of the Law and the prophets (and theology) is summed up in two simple commands: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength; and love your neighbour as you love yourself.
Amen?
Amen.
