Can I Be Christian Without The Church?

Can I be Christian without the Church?

We often hear people say  that they can follow Jesus without being part of a church. They claim that they are fed more by taking a walk in the woods than by going to worship services. Others say that all they need is the Bible to help them pray and teach them about Jesus.

Of course, we can get a sense of God’s grandeur and beauty through nature and there is much to learn about Jesus by reading the Bible at home. However, that does not mean that we do not need the Church.

Consider this. How would the world know about Jesus if Christians did not spread the good news of His death and resurrection? In fact, we would not even have a Bible unless believers like Matthew, Mark, Luke and John sat down and wrote it. Also, the Bible has survived down through the centuries because, before the printing press was invented, many followers of Jesus meticulously copied it by hand so that it would be available for others to read. Without a doubt, if there were no Church, there would be no Bible. And, if there were no Church, we would not know about Jesus.

Furthermore, the Bible itself teaches us that we need the Church. Jesus makes it very clear that He is establishing the Church when He says to Peter, “You are rock and on this rock I will build my Church…” (Mt 16:18). It is also clear in Scripture that Jesus gave His authority to teach and to celebrate the sacraments to His apostles and that He intended them to give that authority to others.

We see that in today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles. Peter gathers the disciples together and explains that they need to find a replacement for Judas. In doing so, he quotes from Psalm 109 - “May another take his office.” Interestingly, the Greek word that is translated as “office” is the same Greek word that is used for “bishop”. Through the sacrament of Holy Orders, the apostles handed on their authority to other men who then handed it on to other men, and so on down to the present day. That is why we call bishops “successors of the apostles” because they have received the authority to teach and celebrate the sacraments which Jesus handed on to the apostles so that His Church can be built up through the centuries.

The Bible teaches us not only that Jesus established the Church but that He loves the Church. In fact, Saint Paul compares the relationship of Jesus to the Church to the relationship of a married couple. When teaching about how married couples should love one another, he writes: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Eph 5:25). If Jesus loved the Church, we should love the Church as well.

We should also love the Church because,  through her, we receive everything we need for our salvation.

We have already mentioned how the Bible came to us through the Church. But it is also only through the Church that we receive the sacraments which nurture our faith, hope and love. Without the Church, there would be no baptism, which initiates us into the life of grace. Without the Church, we would not be able to receive communion which Jesus gave us at the Last Supper when He commanded the apostles, “Do this in memory of me” (Lk 22:19). There is no other way to receive the graces that come from these sacraments than through the Church. No matter how many walks in the woods we take or how many hours we spend praying at home, we can never have the same real and life-transforming encounter with Christ that we experience through the sacraments.

There are also many reasons to be proud of our Church. No other institution feeds as many hungry people, shelters as many poor people or educates as many children as the Catholic Church. Down through the ages, she has stood up for the weak and the vulnerable against the powerful who would exploit them. She has survived many tyrannical and oppressive governments which have sought to destroy her. As Catholics, we should learn about our history, about the great women and men of faith who have witnessed to the love of God and about the great events that shaped who we are as the People of God. In particular, we should learn the truth behind events such as the Crusades and the Inquisition which people often refer to when they want to sully the Church’s reputation. Though Catholics have not always been perfect, there is still much for us to be proud of.

Another claim that we often hear is that all religions are equal and that it doesn’t matter which Church you belong to. How should we respond to those claims?

Because religions have different and contradictory doctrines, they can’t all be true. For instance, some religions teach that Jesus is the Son of God and other religions deny that. Obviously, they cannot all be right. And, if some of them are wrong about Jesus, then they cannot all be true. Doesn’t it make sense that we want to belong to the Church that teaches the truth about Jesus? Does such a Church exist?

We can answer that question by looking at the Bible. Jesus says clearly that he will establish His Church on Peter. There is only one Church which claims to be the one that Jesus founded on Saint Peter. That is the Catholic Church. And, if I cannot follow Jesus without belonging to a Church, doesn’t it make sense that I should belong to the one that makes the strongest claim to being the one He founded?

Pope Francis said recently, “We Christians need to participate in Sunday Mass because only with the grace of Jesus, with His living presence in and among us, can we put into practice His commandment, and thus be His credible witnesses.” The Church is God’s gift to us to make sure that we have everything we need for our journey to heaven. We cannot be true followers of Jesus, then,  unless we make that journey with others in the Church that Jesus established - the Catholic Church.

One In Christ

                                                                                                             

Some of the world’s problems are so immense that we wonder how individuals like us can make a difference. Issues like poverty and racism are so deeply ingrained that we doubt that any one of us can make a lasting change in the culture. The sheer enormity of these dilemmas can tempt us to throw our hands up and become indifferent to the struggles of our brothers and sisters around the world.

One such problem that has been with us for centuries is the disunity among Christians. For many complex historical reasons, Christians have split into thousands of denominations, each pursuing  its own understanding of what Jesus taught. The situation is nothing short of tragic. Not only has it caused confusion about the Christian message, it also has weakened our witness to the world of what Jesus taught. If instead of loving one another we are bickering and fighting, then how can anyone believe the truth of what we profess?

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus is praying for unity among His disciples. He prays “...that they may be one…” His intention is that all those who are baptized and claim Him as their Lord and Savior not only profess one belief but also live in loving communion with one another. Sadly, we have let Jesus down. We are not one in belief, one in practice or one in love as Jesus prayed we would be.

What can we do about it? Are the divisions too deep for any one of us to overcome them? Are the wounds too painful for any one of us to heal them? Perhaps. However, we can take steps to repair what has been broken. The disunity among Christians is the result of thousands of individual acts of disrespect, misunderstanding and even violence. Our return to unity will only come about through thousands more acts of respect, mutual understanding and forgiveness. We cannot change history but we can change ourselves. And history shows that changes in attitude and behavior can make all the difference.

What steps can we begin to take today to make Jesus’ prayer that we be one a reality?

The first step is to acknowledge the harm that all Christians, including Catholics, have caused and ask for forgiveness, first from God and then from other Christians when appropriate. Many times when we share about our faith others will bring up the usual litany of wrongs committed by the Church over the centuries. Even though they often misunderstand or exaggerate the harm that was caused, we should not become defensive. Rather we should simply acknowledge that injustices were committed and ask the person we are speaking to for forgiveness. Such an attitude will go a long way toward healing the divisions among us.

The next step would be to be careful about the way we talk about people who do not share our faith. It goes without saying that any slurs against them are absolutely inappropriate and sinful. Even though they may differ from us in their understanding of Scripture or the way they celebrate their faith, we should always speak respectfully of their traditions. When we are called upon to defend our Catholic faith, we should never speak down to others as if we have all the answers. We should always avoid coming off as aggressive, arrogant or offensive. Remember it is often unlikely that we will convert anyone solely by our intellectual arguments in favor of our faith. However, we can change attitudes, create friendships and also learn from one another. Even if we continue to have different beliefs and practices,  we can achieve closer unity through friendship and mutual respect.

Another step we can take is to follow Jesus’ example and pray. Ultimately, Christian unity is the work of the Holy Spirit. It is He who opens minds to the truth of the gospel message. It is He who inspires our hearts with a desire for communion not only with God but with one another. It is He who breaks down the walls of division and discord between people. Prayer makes a difference. We may not always see the results but our faith assures us that all things are possible for those who believe.

The final and perhaps most important step is for each of us to look within ourselves and resolve to live the gospel of love. The more each of us is like Christ in our attitudes and behaviors the closer we will become to one another. It is love that creates unity and peace. If we are more loving, then there will be more unity and peace in the world and among Christians. This is where the Sacrament of Confession can really help us. By working to root out sin in our lives through the power of God’s grace, we become more effective instruments of His peace.

We constantly look to Jesus to answer our prayers. This is one way in which we can return the favor and answer His prayer by working for unity not only among Christians but among all people of good will. The task can seem insurmountable. However, each one of us through the power of the Holy Spirit can make a difference by seeking forgiveness when it is appropriate, speaking respectfully of one another, praying for unity and changing our hearts to make them more like Jesus.

We call the sacrament we are about to receive “Holy Communion” because it unites us not only to God but to one another. Like all sacraments, it actually achieves what it signifies. It creates unity among us. As we receive, let us ask God to open our hearts to the action of His Spirit so that we can become instruments of His peace in this world until we reach the fullness of union with Him and one another in the Kingdom of Heaven.