The Catechetical Review - Communicating Christ for a New Evangelization

The Way of Bethlehem: A Spirituality for Catechists Pt II

From the beginning of time, God has revealed himself to humanity through his judgments, his laws, which are true and righteous and emanate from the heart of love and goodness in the Trinity. As Pope Benedict XVI writes: ‘The law is the visibility of the truth, the visibility of God’s countenance….’ The relationship to God and to his judgments that once came through the law and the prophets now comes in greater fullness through personal relationship in Jesus Christ who fulfilled that law. It is important for us as Christian catechists to understand about God’s judgments in our own lives. As we learn to identify these judgments of love and discipline and then come to trust and love them, we draw nearer to our Father and share more completely in the mission of the Son. In Part I of this article we saw how important it is for Christians to learn how to line up with God’s judgments by ‘agreeing’ with them quickly and so allow them to purify and make us more like Christ. In this second part, we’ll further consider the form God’s judgments may take in our daily lives. God uses every circumstance, every person, and every aspect of life to communicate with his children. No evil or difficulty is greater than his ability to transform it and work it—sometimes in the form of discipline necessary for growth in humility and love— for the good of those who love him. The Scriptures give us many examples of God’s judgments coming to whole peoples as well as to individuals. These inspired accounts, particularly those about individuals such as David and St. Paul, greatly aid us in our struggles to identify and come to grips with God’s way of speaking directly into our own lives. The stories of the saints also supply these helps, for here also are real human beings who have also obviously found the secret of loving God’s life-changing judgments.

The rest of this online article is available for current subscribers.

Start your subscription today!


This article is from The Sower and may be copied for catechetical purposes only. It may not be reprinted in another published work without the permission of Maryvale Institute. Contact [email protected]

Articles from the Most Recent Issue

Editor’s Reflections: Eucharistic Communion and Seeing Those in Need
By Dr. James Pauley
Free The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that receiving the Eucharist “commits us to the poor” (1397). Why is this so? Receiving the Eucharist means that we enter into union with the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. And being in Holy Communion with Jesus himself means something profound. Let’s consider one facet of this great mystery.... Read more
The Anawim and the Kerygma
By Colin and Aimee MacIver
Sarah: aged and barren. Joseph: rejected, betrayed, and enslaved. Moses: desperately cast afloat in a basket. Daniel: sent to death by lions. Mary: unknown, unmarried, unbelieved. Salvation history is the story of the poor ones, the bowed down, the lowly—the anawim , as they are named in Hebrew. In both the Old Testament and the New, God tends to... Read more
The Spiritual Life: Poverty, Purity of Heart, & Eucharistic Living
By Sr. Alicia Torres, FE
Free This article is part of a 3-year series dedicated to promoting the efforts of the National Eucharistic Revival in the United States. “The Body of Christ.” “Amen.” Each time we participate in Mass, we have the opportunity to encounter the Lord Jesus in the most intimate way through the reception of Holy Communion. This moment is the most practical... Read more

Pages

Watch Tutorial Videos

We've put together several quick and easy tutorial videos to show you how to use this website.

Watch Now