Bulletin Fluff Trumps Scripture's Substance

Photo by Raphael Koh on Unsplash

Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

-Matthew 18:5-6

Certain persons by swerving from these have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make assertions.

-1 Timothy 1:6-7

Then there's this bit of tripe from last Sunday's bulletin:

"As Christians our ultimate goal is to be Christ-like, to reflect the dazzling glory of Christ in all of our interactions, and so bring honor to God. In pursuit of this goal, the more clearly we see the way to our own transformation in Christ."

Obviously, this is supposed to tie in with Sunday's Gospel reading about Christ's transfiguration in Luke 9:28-36. Christ transfigured and "the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became dazzling white" (Luke 9:29). The three Apostles, who accompanied him, didn't "reflect the dazzling glory of Christ." In fact, "Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep" (Luke 9:32). Nowhere in the New Testament do Christ or the Apostles call us "to reflect the dazzling glory of Christ in all of our interactions" or equate that with being Christ-like. Christ's raiment became dazzling white as a reflection of his divinity. Christ dazzled at the transfiguration, because He is God. We are neither God nor gods. We are human. The Word of God became Man and divinized our humanity allowing us for the first time to become fully human through the grace available to us from Christ's Passion, Death, and Resurrection. In opening ourselves to the grace of God and by embracing the Will of God for our lives, we shed the masks we've fashioned in sin, the old man, and become fully human as "children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him" (Romans 8:16-17).

To suffer with Christ is how we become Christ-like. Eight days before His transfiguration, Christ taught exactly that: "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23). Christ, in His Sermon on the Plain, explains exactly how we are to interact with others to bring honor to God: "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your cloak do not withhold your coat as well. Give to every one who begs from you; and of him who takes away your goods do not ask them again. And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them" (Luke 6:27-31).

Christ's teaching is so much more specific than reflecting "the dazzling glory of Christ in all of our interactions" and incredibly more difficult. No, the incomprehensible vagueness of the phrase makes it certain no one will even try to reflect the dazzling glory of Christ in all of their interactions, but we can all feel good about being dazzling like Jesus.

"I dazzled like Jesus this morning at coffee. Joan, though, more of a sparkler."

And that's just the first sentence.

There's the second sentence.

"In pursuit of this goal, the more clearly we see the way to our own transformation in Christ."

Is this a sentence? What is the author trying to say? In the form of a sentence, then: Our pursuit of this goal allows us to discover the way to our own transformation in Christ? Translation: The more we dazzle, the more we know how to transform ourselves in Christ?

Any other interpretations of this second sentence will be entertained in the comments.

This phrase is as vague as the first sentence. Does "our own transformation in Christ" mean we transform ourselves or are we transformed by Christ? How does dazzling in our interactions show us "the way"? If I am being more Christ-like, aren't I already transforming? What is transforming? Is it repentance and reform? Does transforming in Christ include "love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful" (Luke 6:35-36)? This little piece of inspiration inspires more questions than answers.

This piece from last Sunday's bulletin was meant to be inspirational and to prompt reflection and discussion. Instead, it's a pile of insipid feel-good phrasing into which went no real thought and no orthodox theology. It is an excellent example of the type of catechesis, which betrays an almost unforgivable laziness and disregard for the spiritual welfare of others in the attitude of the catechist. The author could have pulled inspiration from the same chapter in Luke in which the Transfiguration appears, but opted instead for unintelligible excretions from the top of her head,. After all, telling Catholics to take up their cross every day may be too clichéd or too harsh or too negative. Well, "For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels" (Luke 9:26).