StartUp and An Answer

I had anticipated something a bit different for the first posting of this blog but will just kick things off with New Year's Blessings to all members and friends of the OCB.

At the same time, I would like to offer this response to a query posed by my dear friend, Fr. Gregory, on his blog ( VagantePriest: A Question... ) some time back.
Though a little less than timely, I hope it is still somewhat relevant.

Why is it that we cannot, in all good conscience, say with St. Paul, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ"?

Initially this brings to mind something from the Fathers I read about the advice an old abbot gave the new abbot of a community. When the younger asked how he should guide the brothers, the old abbot said, "Be their example, not their legislator."

As one who occupies such a position, I can definitely attest that it is much easier to legislate than to be an example.

But it is not nearly as effective.

I think perhaps there are a variety of reasons why we do not in good conscience say this with the Great Apostle. And I say do not rather than can not because I think the lack of saying it is born more of fear than of inability.

One reason that comes to mind is that we (clergy), in a constant effort of pretended humility, are so busy reminding people that we are not superhuman, we are not sinless, we are not perfected, etc, that we inadvertantly stifle the mystery and power of the Grace the indelible mark has imprinted upon us.

"Now to Him Who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen (Eph. 3:20-21).

I believe we are exhorted to "fan into flame" the gift bestowed on us through the laying-on-of-hands, not to stifle.

To fully acknowledge what we know we are without pretense or excuse while at the same time not being afraid to speak and act with the absolute power of conviction is a delicate balance and an Apostolic characteristic - one that has been diminished over time.It has not gone away entirely (God forbid!) but it has been diminished, to the degree that the empowerment manifested in the Holy Apostle Peter saying to the lame man, "Look at us ... in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk" (Acts 3:4,6) is in our times rarely to be found and if it is found it is immediately rendered suspect.

Similarly, "Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you ... [ ] Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say." (Philemon 8: 21).

Many deacons, priests and bishops have forgotten the mystery, power, responsibility and authority of their vocation.

We have forgotten a lot of other things too, I think.
And all of these things are simple things, which is exactly why we forgot them.
We either fear simplicity or we mistakenly equate it with reductionism.
"Imitate me as I imitate Christ" is simple, but we do not say it because we have forgotten what it means out of fear for what it means.
It's so much easier to distract ourselves with imitating other things.

Of these other things, there are a few I can readily posit as decidedly distracting if not outright delusional.

Many clergy, especially those of us of the vagante sort, fall into the materialism trap because we allow ourselves to believe that people will not come to our Service/Mass/Liturgy unless there is a climate controlled building with a parking lot and bright, shiny, pretty things to look at. If these things are missing then we are not legitimate clergy in the eyes of the world. So by default we are a church based on whatever passes as the model in public opinion.As someone has already pointed out, ours is a society that values opinion more than truth.
But it is Truth, Love and Goodness from the heart of imitating Christ that will draw people to the church of our presence and His Presence.
If we proclaim the reality of our Baptism and live the Liturgy of our First Love, the need for actual words will become less and less.

Idealism can be a clever trap for many of us - myself included.I should say I refer more to a mis-directed idealism because there is no problem in the tendency to envision things in an ideal form or to regard the ideas of truth, right, goodness, beauty, as attributes and active energies of God. But there is a real and present danger for clergy when one's idealism marries itself to a particular ideology, makes the leap to social activism and directs its energies towards effecting what it idealizes.I say this is a trap because once one makes that leap it becomes all too easy to justify each move - compromise a little principle here, overlook a little there - as long as the subjective 'greater good' is served. And the 'greater good' is always subjective - it is subject to the particular ideology of which it is the end.
The result is that one becomes enmeshed in a virtual web of grey areas where the lines are blurred and simple things are obscured in complexities.
Any ideology, social teaching, personal opinion, etc, religious or secular, that creates an atmosphere or allows for eminent Christian moral principles to be compromised for the sake of the possibility of achieving some perceived 'greater good' is delusion.

As Fr. Jonathan of Second Terrace has brilliantly noted:

"Every modern battle (i.e., fought for policy or ideology instead of morals) is really an incantation."

Too many Christians and clergy alike have allowed themselves (perhaps unwittingly) to imitate an ideology in the name of Christ rather than Christ Himself.

I think now of a profound statement I heard from an Anglican bishop from Kenya (his accent was very thick so please forgive my typing it as I heard him say it): "We hear and speak of this culture and that culture; of diverse cultures and multi cultures and how we must respect these things ... but I say to you ... we are Christians! For us there is only one culture and that is Christianity ... that is our culture."
The good bishop's words positively resonated with me; they resonated with absolute conviction and apostolic authority; as one who has a firm grasp of his unique and authentic Christian cultural identity.

I think also of David Barton, a notable American historian who has remarked on many occasions that Americans do not know their own history - specifically the role Judeo-Christian tenets and values played in its foundation - and that what is being taught in modern schools is largely revisionist. I have only to recall the comment of my 18 year old nephew at Thanksgiving dinner who said he thought the greatest thing about America was it's technology, to agree with Mr. Barton's assessment.

America, through complacency and ignorance, no longer recognizes what has always made it unique so it has bought into the lie that it can imitate every other thing and ought to become just like everything else; "The grass is always greener over the septic tank" syndrome.

Christianity, to a great degree, has followed the same pattern: sacrificing its own unique cultural identity by meddling in worldly schemes and trying to effect the outcome of history under the guise of implementing a perceived "Christian" goal.
Whatever perceived leveling effect on the playing field this may have is imaginary and one loses a little of one's Christian identity in the process.
Active involvement in all this multi-culturalism/ socio-political/ideology mishmash malarky only serves to put one Grand Inquisitor after another in the seat of Caesar.

I do not suggest that we not be informed or that we cannot have a particular set of opinions (is it even possible not to have a particular set of opinions?)
But there is a fine line between this and allowing oneself to be reduced to a receptacle for modernity.

I believe the old adage, 'Shepherds don't make sheep; sheep make sheep' is a true one.
We shepherds must be willing to let go of all that distracts us from He Who is our Life, our identity. We must be willing to allow Him Who is our Peace give us peace amidst all those social problems that trouble so many.

Do we Christians care about the poor? Of course we do.
Do we care about justice? Of course we do.
Do we care about the country we live in? I should hope so.
What, then, is our response?
Fr. Stephen remarks, "... the Christian response is not a response to the actions of man; it is a response to the actions of God."
"God matters and what matters to God matters. [ ]
There are many things that do not matter - because they do not matter to God. Knowing the difference between the two - what matters to God and what does not requires that we know God. And this is theology - to know God."

St. John of Damaskos writes: "All human affairs, all that does not exist after death, are vanity." (Philokalia Vol. 3).

It is vanity, folly and arrogance to be so sensitive to social symbols and "issues" such that it colours our theology and degrades our conduct.
If we cannot maintain a balance and a clear distinction between our opinions and our doctrine, between modern social constructs and authentic Christian Tradition, we risk becoming harbingers of sentimentality rather than heralds of the Gospel.

If the shepherds do not stay the course, maintaining a certain distance - a certain detachment from social affairs, the sheep will not be able to distinguish what exactly it is they are expected to imitate and will go astray, as indeed they are doing and have already done.

We shepherds are human indeed. And we are weak.
But we are not spiritually disabled nor unable to reflect something that can be imitated.
In fact, I believe we are imitated, more than we would care to admit and such that it renders the question of actually saying it with St. Paul, somewhat moot.
People will imitate what they recognize about us as reflecting qualities of Christ, whether we are aware of this or not. They will also imitate our less than desirable qualities.
It behooves us, therefore, to be attentive to how we reflect Christ and make sure, inasmuch as it depends on us, that we do not taint that reflection with vain ideologies and agendas, be they 'progressive' or 'conservative'.

I am not an advocate of 'resolutions' because they are usually of a selfish nature and are rarely kept, but if I had one it might be this:

Be True - to our Faith and our origins;

Be Simple - it's easier to imitate;

Be Real rather than correct.

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