Continuing off of my last post, these are the questions that I left untouched:
- Has our culture become more a part of religion than the other way around?
- How does love overcome cynicism?
- Why does God take certain things out of your life and leave others?
Culture and Religion
If we stripped down the religious constructs that the American Church has raised over the last few years, would it still be enough for us. Would we still be committed to our church or the community of believers that surround us? Why do we join the American Church? Is it to be a part of a movement or group? Is it to have a label that people recognize? Is it to have good morals? Is it because we recognize talent in music or a speaker? Does it make us feel good or bad so we gravitate towards the emotional swing?
Culture has begun to influence the Church more than the Church influencing our culture. We gravitate to the norms that so easily sway us one way or another, whether good or bad. The traditional ways of life in the Church have come to life for me over the last few months. Communion, silence/meditation, and the examen are beginning to slowly be grafted into my weekly life. It allows for a new sense of perspective. We lose perspective as we embrace too much of culture and turn away from traditions in the Church. Tradition is about remembering. The life of Christ is about remembering. God knows how forgetful we are and set these practices up to keep our eyes on Him. I find hope in that.
Love in Cynicism
This is hard for me. I have become a rather cynical person over the last couple of years and in some ways I think it was needed. However, I do not want to dwell in this process of analyzing life. I overanalyze everything that I come across, especially if it has any sort of religious significance that has the potential to impact me or others for the better or for worse. Cynicism has played a role in the numbing of my emotions. This is when I began to notice it as a problem. I do not want to see the worst in things. I want to seek out hope.
I have a problem analyzing church services. My mind spots statements or actions that it sees as wrong and presses them to the forefront of my thinking. I hate it. I would fixate on these things to where I could not focus on the truth that was being stated. Church had become a time of battling my mind for so long, until recently. I began to try a new church in Cleveland. My mind is clear there and therefore, I have been attending services there. As I stated earlier, tradition has become painstakingly relevant to me. This church has taught me the importance of such practices. I think tradition breaks through cynicism in hopes of restoring an accurate picture of the love of God towards His people. At least that is what I hope He is doing. That is what I see Him doing in my life.
Thorn in the Flesh
This question pains me. Why does God take certain things out of your life and leave others? I ask this in many forms almost everyday as I battle the same sins and hardships that I have for years. I have seen miraculous deliverance in areas of my life and in other people’s lives. However, why do some things stay? It seems like no matter my petitions, the most hated parts of my life stay intact and waiting for the perfect moments to infiltrate my actions.
I think sometimes faith can play a role in this. I think that the American Church has dulled the transformational power of the cross of Jesus Christ. Maybe this plays a role, but I also think we have a theological problem in the Church with this. I feel like we have downplayed the “after conversion” life. It is not all wonderful afterwards. Life gets harder and takes more from you. However, the source of who we are changes, which allows for a more fulfilling life and a life of true joy. This does not mean that there will not be a “thorn in the flesh” as Paul puts it in the New Testament. Hardships and sin will follow us for the rest of our days on this earth. Christ is there in the midst of it with us as we put our broken trust in Him. This is what love is all about.
Good Shepherd, You have a wild and crazy sheep in love with thorns and brambles. But please don’t get tired of looking for me! I know You won’t. For You have found me. All I have to do is stay found.
(Thomas Merton)