Church as Sacrament

Prior to this reading, when I thought of the word sacrament I always thought of the seven sacraments of the church. I was not aware of the wide scope of our lives that are a part of sacramental theology. This reading has really opened up for me the meaning of sacrament in the Church. In speaking of how the idea of sacrament has changed in the church Mark Searle writes "From speaking of sacraments as a 'means of grace' to speaking of them as encounters with Christ himself; from thinking of them primarily as acts of God to thinking of them mainly as celebrations of the faith community; from seeing sacraments as momentary incursions from another world to seeing them as manifestations of the graces character of all human life" (Johnson 29). This quote really summarized for me what I had read in the first chapter of Vorgrimer. A sacramental theology or view of the world means that we see God's presence in every person, every being, everything we encounter in God's creation. Seeing the world in this way brings about a new respect and awe for creation and all that God has created to show God's love and draw us closer to God's self.  "That means that not only the 'official' high points of this life are realization and expression of the presence of God, God's love and God's salvation, but that God is also expressed in the tiniest and most humdrum parts of life" (Vorgrimer 17). This is such a beautiful reminder of the way we are called to see the Divine presence in all that is around us, something I needed a reminder of this week. I think about what this means for me on days when I feel stressed out, in those moments I need to realize and reflect on all the symbols of God's love that surround me. This reminds me of a song that was one of my father's favorites, he said it helped him to "see the extraordinary in the ordinary". I think that is what sacramental theology calls us to do. What other themes of sacrament did you draw from the readings?

Watching and Waiting

Dear Class,
Check out these online resources as we experience the papal transition.
America Magazine's Page on the Papal Transition
Vatican News 
All Things Catholic Blog on NCR by John L. Allen Jr.
Papal Interregnum (Vacancy in the Holy See) by EWTN

Good Stuff!

Blessings,
Daniella

The Church is Apostolic-

Hi everyone!
Thank you Walter for a great start to this week and deep thoughts from each reading!

Having grown up part of my life in a Pentecostal church, the word apostolic has definitely been part of my vocabulary.  Yet while studying, I do not think I understood the true meaning of this word.  In all honesty, I thought of an "apostolic" church as one that baptizes in Jesus name and believed in the gift of tongues and prophesying as revealed in the book of Acts... literally. I too along with Sullivan was concerned with the reasons that justify our profession of faith in the church as "apostolic."  It was not until the reading in Sullivan that I came to a deeper revelation of this term, apostolic, and to who and what it was referring to.  Apostolic is defined in Sullivan's reading as, "the expression of a relationship to the apostles, whether it be origin, similarity, fidelity, succession or some other way that persons or things would be "of the apostles" or "like the apostles" (152).   One who called himself an apostle of Christ, Paul, amazes me in so many ways.  Paul not only taught, but exemplified how we are to become an apostle and become like Christ in all our ways.  He was the strongest persecutor, yet passionate and so committed to Christ.  As stated in 1 Corinthians 15, "But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain."  His strength of conviction is compelling in a personal way of "Oh God, that I might recognize and act on my conviction."  Paul lived apostleship.  In 2 Corinthians, Paul speaks of the true signs of an apostle. 

The apostolicity of faith and of the church's ministry were interrelated bringing about the quality of the whole church and the responsibility of those who had the official ministry of teaching in the churches.  From this, we can appeal to the following factors.  First, the church clearly understood that the pastoral charge given to the apostles of "making disciples, baptizing, teaching people to observe all that Jesus had taught them" (Matthew 28:19-20), was to CONTINUE to the END of the age. 
"For in many ways, the original apostles roles were unique and intransmissible, but their pastoral ministry was to continue, others had to succeed them, and therefore their mandate, and the authority to carry it out, had to be transmitted to others" (Sullivan, 183).

Within my ministry praxis, Paul's call is brought to my life in a very simple, yet powerful way. Three main points in recognizing and distinguishing the call to apostleship involves: (1) the call is from God; (2) it involves being a recipient of divine revelation; (3) it is a call and mission to preach Christ.
This call is to you and me... together, WE are to carry out the one and only message of Jesus Christ to all.  We are apostles!
So Yes, Walter, seems like all of the tools and resources ARE freely given to us... I am ready!  More so than I ever have been... Truly-