Word to the Wise
Saturday, October 20, 2007 - Twenty-eighth Saturday in Ordinary Time
[Romans 4:13, 16-18 and Luke 12:8-12]It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.
The subject of faith and works is still hanging around in Christian theology. Words like "justification" and "righteousness" have a long history, especially from the period of the Protestant Reformation. Catholics are often accused of believing that they can "earn" salvation by doing good works. This belief is called "Pelagianism, or, in its more subtle form in Catholic circles, "Semi-pelagianism." (It's named after a heretic, Pelagius, who taught that the human person was responsible for his/her own salvation.) Luther became incensed (for good reason) at the practice of selling indulgences which turned salvation into a commodity that could be bought and sold. He found theological grounds for his feelings in the Letter to the Romans, especially in the verse, "The just person will live by faith!" (Rom 1:17). For St. Paul, it was a matter of attributing "righteousness" to the observance of external legal observance of the Mosaic Law. He taught that one must have a personal relationship with God by faith and this is what would "save" a person. Abraham is the model to which he appealed since Abraham preceded the giving of the law to Moses. Luther and others felt that the Catholic Church had substituted their own form of "laws" in place of that personal relationship in faith. This is not, in fact, the teaching of the Church, but it certainly appeared that way because of corruption in the church at that time. We Catholics understand that our commitment in faith, lived out in a Catholic heritage, finds expression in particular forms of moral and spiritual conduct. Occasionally we get the idea that if we do these things, we will be rewarded by God. A pre-existing commitment in faith sometimes escapes our notice and we appear to be attempting to gain heaven by "brownie points." God's love, like that of a friend or parent, is not something that can be "earned." It is a gift. We may act in such a way as to be worthy of that gift or to show respect for that gift, but we don't receive that gift because of our conduct. We receive it because we acknowledge the gift in faith. We are free to reject the gift, as well. Salvation is not for sale or redeemable by green stamps. It is first and foremost love of God and neighbor. AMEN
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