SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR: THE FULLNESS OF LIFE IN CHRIST (COLOSSIANS 2:6-14)

Have you ever seen a counterfeit one-cent coin? Probably not. A cent is so cheap that it is not worth counterfeiting. Have you ever seen a counterfeit $100 bill? Sure. Why? Because it is worth so much. The existence of a counterfeit is testimony that a thing is precious. Anything that is truly precious is sure to have counterfeits. The Christian faith is very precious. And from the beginning it has always had counterfeits. A counterfeit of true Christian doctrine is called a heresy. Paul wrote to the letter to the Colossians to combat heresies that were developing there and corrupting the true faith they received in the beginning. Paul did not personally found the church in Colossae. He never even visited the Colossians. But when he heard of the corruption of sound doctrine that was brewing there, he could not restrain himself from writing to them to point out the counterfeits of Christian doctrine that were circulating among them.

Paul does not give a name to the heresy of the Colossians. But from his response and the things he emphasized in his letter it is possible to make out certain tendencies of this heresy. His principal advice to the Colosssians in today’s second reading is: “As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (2:6). From this we can see that the heresy of the Colossians has to do with belief in Christ. Paul urges the Colossians to keep living their lives in Christ. Using the image of a house, Paul urges the Colossians to sink their foundation on the solid rock of Christ so that they can be firmly built up in him. Departing from Christ would mean building their house on sand, and such a house cannot stand (Matthew 7:24-27).

Paul gives three reasons why he urges the Colossians to centre their lives on Christ. The first is because “in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (2:9). Apparently the heresy claimed that Christ was not fully God but shared in some aspects of divinity as do many other spiritual “rulers” and “authorities” in whom they believed. But Paul is quick to point out that in fact the whole fullness of deity dwells in the man Jesus and that he is “the head of [i.e, above] every ruler and authority.” (2:10b).

The second reason Paul gives to the Colossians why they should remain steadfast in Christ is because “you have come to fullness in him” (2:10a). Many heresies thrive by promising their devotees a deeper knowledge of God which will bring their Christian experience to a new level of maturity. Paul tells the Colossians that in Christ they have already attained fullness as daughters and sons of God. In other words, they have no need for additional, esoteric beliefs and practices to bring them to Christian maturity.

Finally, Paul reminds the Colossians that “In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ” (2:11). The Colossians were mainly Gentiles. Part of the heresy could be that Jewish extremists were telling them that their membership as God’s covenant people was deficient because they were not circumcised. Paul reassures them that the baptism they had received was a spiritual circumcision, the circumcision of Christ.

We can see that in all his arguments Paul was trying to make one point, namely, that for Christian believers, Christ is all-sufficient in their relationship with God. This includes their redemption, their ongoing sanctification and their eternal salvation. Like the first temptation in the Garden of Eden, heresies often promise you that “your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). But as we know, that promise is false.

There are many New Age religions today who adulterate sound Christian teachings with esoteric doctrines. Many of these base their teachings on the “Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ,” an admixture of Christian and oriental religious beliefs. Many well-meaning Christians who desire to deepen their knowledge and experience of God often fall prey to these modern day heresies. We will do well to heed Paul’s message to the Colossians that the sound teaching of Christ which has been handed down to us in Christian Tradition and the Bible is all that we need for full and authentic Christian life. Nothing more.

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR: PRAYING AS JESUS TAUGHT (Luke 11:1-13)

A businessman who needed millions of dollars to clinch an important deal went to church to pray for the money. By chance he knelt next to a man who was praying for $100 to pay an urgent debt. The businessman took out his wallet and pressed $100 into the other man’s hand. Overjoyed, the man got up and left the church. The businessman then closed his eyes and prayed, “And now, Lord, now that I have your undivided attention….”

Robert A. Cook, president of The King’s College in New York, once spoke at the Moody Bible Institute. Cook said that the day before, he had been at a gathering in Washington and had talked with Vice President George Bush. Two hours later he spoke briefly with President Ronald Reagan. Then smiling broadly, he said, “But that’s nothing! Today I talked with God!”

These examples of two men at prayer, a businessman and a college president, can teach us a lot about Christian prayer. Positively, it shows us that even top-level executives and professionals still make time to pray. But in a very subtle way they also highlight the problem that today’s gospel seems to focus upon, that of the right disposition for Christian prayer. In both instances we see that God is portrayed as the big boss or the CEO of a corporate establishment. Is that the right disposition for Christian prayer? The request of the disciples to Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1) can be understood as a quest for the proper disposition for Christian prayer. The reply that Jesus gives them can be summarised in one sentence: the right disposition for Christian prayer is the disposition of a child before its father.

The gospel reading, Luke 11:1-13, consists of the request of the disciples in verse 1 and the long response of Jesus in verses 2-13. The response of Jesus begins in verse 2 with the words, “When you pray, say: ‘Father’” and ends in verse 13 with the words, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father.” We see immediately that prayer, according to Jesus, is a child-father affair. In other words, it is a family affair based on a relationship of familiarity and love. Jesus uses the imagery of father here in order to correct the dominant image of God as the boss or the king who is to be revered rather than loved. Speaking of God as father has practically the same force as speaking of God as mother. Both images speak to us of a relationship based on tenderness and intimacy and not on power and authority.

To pray as Christians is to put ourselves in the situation where we see God as father (or mother) and speak to Him as His children. When children speak to their parents, there is hardly a right or wrong way. They simply focus on one thing, to put into words and body language what they feel in the heart. I know a man who took issues with his pastor for using the wrong prayer formula. His pastor had said “Almighty and ever-loving God” instead of “Almighty and ever-living God.” One wonders what kind of image this man has of God. Maybe he thinks of God as the Chief Judge or the Law Enforcement Officer before whom one must use the “right” words. Certainly he does not think of God as “Abba” (Daddy) before whom there are no correct formulas.

Children trust their parents to always do what is in the children’s best interest. “Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion?” (verses 11-12). God’s children should likewise come to God with a spirit of trust and expectancy, knowing that God will always do for them whatever is in their best interest. Children, like the friend at midnight, refuse to take no for an answer. Say no to them and tomorrow they are sure to come back with the very same request. Jesus teaches us, as God’s children, to show the same spirit of perseverance in prayer. He makes this point with the Parable of the Friend at Midnight who refuses to take no for an answer.

Speaking of prayer as a father-child affair finally reminds us that prayer is an activity that flows out of a relationship. We do not learn how to pray better, we become better women and men of prayer when our relationship with God becomes more intimate like that of father and child. If you want to improve your prayer, focus on improving your personal relationship with God, our Father.

Note: The example of Robert Cook was a reflection I listened to on Youtube.