Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
Not that anyone has seen the Father
except the one who is from God;
he has seen the Father.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes has eternal life.
Salvation comes to us from Jesus Christ. Every book of the New Testament begins and ends with that understanding. Saint John's Gospel teaches us that the Father has sent his Spirit to draw us to Jesus, for he is the only one who has seen the Father. Accepting the invitation, we go to Jesus to believe in him and receive eternal life.
Since the earliest days of Christianity there has been that other opinion that those who are saved need only a spiritual connection to God and they too will be saved. They need neither Jesus nor the Church for they are "good people" and that's sufficient.
While some Catholic theologians have conceded that, theoretically, "anonymous Christians" who have never heard the Name might be saved because they are decent human beings whose attitudes and behavior conform to natural law, the same theologians urge us to cling to the Lord.
The revealed mystery which the notion of "anonymous Christian" skirts is the Incarnation.
Etymologically the word signals the wonder of God's Word which is made flesh, but it also points to the reality -- the facticity -- of history. God's presence, plans, and mercy are revealed in our world, and not just in some mythical, imaginary (i.e. "spiritual") place. Jesus, the Son of God, really lived and died in present day Israel. His disciples, animated by his Spirit, have brought his physical presence to the world, most obviously in the Eucharist, but also by our the thousands of Christian congregations and millions of people who believe in Jesus.
There may be "anonymous Christians" who still live in remote places that have not heard the Word of God; or through tragic historical circumstances, places that have lost the Word and its living traditions. But for those who live within the ambit of God's word, the Father's merciful, gathering grace should be palpable.
There lies the challenge for every congregation. We must be ready to welcome everyone -- regardless of race, ethnicity, class or politics -- to communion with us. Through the rites of Christian Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation) adults and children come to the Lord and his Church.
I grieve for the baptized Catholics who fall away from the faith. Their descendants will pay the price of not knowing the Lord because their parents failed their responsibility.
Hopefully, the Father will continue to call to them, inspiring them in ways beyond our comprehension ("anonymously") to discover this grace which is ever ancient, ever new.
A few weeks ago we welcomed a new class of catechumens into our dioceses and parishes. I'd like to think some of them were inspired by our works of mercy and by our sacred ceremonies to join us. They found us worthy of their confidence. Through them we can expect that many generations will come to know the Lord.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.