Word to the Wise
Wednesday, November 6, 2024 - Wednesday in the 31th Week in Ordinary Time
[Phil 2:12-18 and Luke 14:25-33]For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work. Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life....[Philippians] "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion....."[Luke]
In my years as an itinerant preacher of parish missions I have often spoken of the difference between "accidental" Catholics and "intentional" Catholics. [This distinction could hold true for other Christian denominations.] An "accidental Catholic" is one who is born into a family that professes to be Catholic and does all the ordinary things that Catholics are expected to do in regard to sacraments and some parish participation. The reason they do this is because they were born and raised Catholic and have never given a thought to being any other kind of Christian or even non-Christian. The "intentional Catholic" is one who enters fully into the theological and liturgical traditions of the Catholic faith and embraces it as a deliberate choice among other possibilities. This can be seen in those who have gone through the program now known as OCIA [formerly RCIA]. They have chosen to become Catholics.
This does not make anyone superior to anyone else in the Church. Both "accidental" and "intentional" Catholics can be wonderful disciples. But, the danger in "accidental" Catholicism is in taking discipleship as a NOUN and not a VERB! Discipleship means action as well as faith. The actions should testify to the faith. Love of God without love of neighbor is empty. Love of neighbor is not simply a benign sentiment of good will. It requires concrete behavior. This is why Jesus warns in today's gospel that discipleship requires intentional discernment of the requirements and deliberate action. One cannot be a disciple in name only. God will do God's part, but we have to do ours, too!! AMEN