church and mother

acts 15; Psalm 67 O God, let all the nations praise you; Rev 21:10-14, 22-23; Jn 14:23-29

This past week I was visiting with a young couple and their family in getting ready for their upcoming wedding. We were talking about all the necessary things to get the wedding off the ground: readings, music, musicians, flowers and all that jazz.

In the midst of the conversation, the young lady, bride to be, asked this question: Why the Catholic Church? She wanted to know why she should choose to stay in the Catholic church, why should she raise her children Catholic, why should she attend Mass on Sunday as oppose to fellowship service somewhere else.

she wanted me to pitch a sale for the Catholic church. The question is a good question. How would we answer that question?

Why the Catholic Church? We look out into the world, there are 26,000 christian denominations and they all think they are right. they all believe they have the authority to teach us and guide us on how to get from here to there. Which one do we follow? Why the Catholic Church?
Hold on to this for a moment.
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THe other day I was visiting mom and dad and the family. When we get together as a family, being one of ten, there are a lot of us around. My nephews and niece are all over the place. Inevitably, my nephews will get together and start playing. During their play time, pushing and shoving usually occurs over a particular toy or game. One of them has it, and the other wants it.

Eventually, crying begins and they coming running from whatever room they were in, in search of their mothers. They will grab their mother's legs and try to climb in to their laps. They want their mothers to finish the fight for them, to take their sides, make it all better.

My sisters, will console their children, but eventually, they set them on the ground and tell them to go to their cousin and say they are sorry.

My little nephews with tears clinging to their little cheeks, will sulk over to one another, give each other a hug, say they are sorry and then everything is fine. THey will go back into the room to play again until the next episode.

every time I witness this event unfolding I am reminded of my youth. My brothers and I or my sisters and I would often get into arguments. Their was one thing that was certain no matter what the argument or fight or dispute. We always knew one thing. No matter what, Mom was going to win.

It was guaranteed. Mothers outside of everything else they do knew out settle disputes. Regardless, Mom always won.
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As we turn to Acts 15 we encounter a dispute in the Church. There was some internal arguments about morals.

There were some teachers who were upsetting the minds and hearts of new converts by their teaching. They were teaching, though they were not given the mandate to do so.

The dispute was between the traditionalist and the liberals. The jewish Christians wanted to make sure to maintain the Jewish customs: circumcision and dietary laws as necessary for the faith. The gentile converts were not sure about those practices.

The question arose, who was right and what needed to be done in order to follow Christ fully. What was the fullness of the faith?

The Church got together, apostles and elders of the church (leaders) and they met to figure it out. We have the council of Jerusalem. After some discussion and arguments about what was what necessary to live the faith fully, follow Christ fully, the CHurch came to a decision: "It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us."

The HOly Spirit is active through the leaders of the church. The church settles the dispute.

Then representative with proper credentials were sent out to deliver the message about what was necessary to follow Christ fully.

The CHurch has done this 21 time sin 2000 years, gathered in councils to settle disputes.

Council of Nicea 325, the church settled the dispute over the divinity of Jesus. EVery SUnday when we say the creed we profess that decision.

Council of Ephesus 431 and council of Chalcedon 451 clarified that not only was JEsus divine but he is fully human. Mary was the mother of God. This is important. Jesus could not redeem what he did not become. Being fully human and fully divine he could redeem all of humanity.

Council of trent in 16th century arose to deal with the teachings of Luther and the protestants. Was there teachings valid. Did they have authorization to teach. Vatican II in the 1960's arose to deal with modernity and how to live our faith given the modern technologies being developed. How does the church truly become global? just to name a few.

TIme and time again the Church, bishops, successors of the Apostles and leaders, got together inspired by the Holy SPirit and sought to guide us in ways of truth in faith and morals, proclaiming the fullness of the faith for all.

As St. Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 3:15, "the church of the living God, is the pillar and bulwark of the truth."

It is the church that God has given us to guide us and settle disputes. We are not left alone to figure it out nor are we asked to decipher the teaching on our own.

There are many so called teachers who seek to guide and lead, but we must asked do they have the proper credentials. Are they teaching what the church teaches? The prosperity gospel sounds good, but is it sound, that is the most important question.


Why the Catholic Church? Because she is our mother. I would not leave her like I would not leave my own mom. I may not like what she says or how she settles disputes but God has given her to us to guide and lead and allowed His Spirit to guide her in guiding us.

Mom knows how settle disputes and in the end we the children are the ones that benefit most of all.

Happy Mother's day!