Indifferentism

We are living in an age of indifferentism, in an era of cynicism toward God and religion.

In the book of Revelation or the Apocalypse, the author, St. John the Evangelist is commanded by God to write letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor. To the church in Laodicea he says: “I know thy works. Thou art neither cold nor hot. I would that thou were cold or hot, but because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to vomit thee out of my mouth.”

Laodicea was a wealthy city and the people were being rebuked for their self satisfaction and laziness that closed them in within themselves so that the gifts of Christ and His grace would not be realized.

This warning is contained in the first reading from the Prophet Jeremiah and in the responsorial psalm.
In the Gospel of Luke Jesus repeats the Beatitudes as found in the 5th Chapter of Mathew. But now He states them differently. The first four are blessed are you and the last four are stated as woe to you.
In Scripture today we are told how to live and how not to live. We are a barren bush in the desert or a tree planted beside the waters. Happy the man who walks not in the way of sinners but rather delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on His law day and night!

Indifferentism today is caused by confusion about what the Church teaches. People hear different things and receive conflicting statements sometimes from priests and bishops. I hear it myself and it troubles me because our souls are at stake.

In St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he raises the question of the resurrection. Paul says: “if Christ did not rise from the dead your faith is worthless and you are still in your sins.”

In our midst today is a group of so called Christian Scriptural Scholars calling themselves the Jesus Seminar, one of whom is an ex Catholic priest who was a monk. We see them and their ideas prominently displayed on the ABC Television Network at Christmas and Easter telling us that there was no resurrection, no virgin birth etc. ABC is owned by Disney who is opposed to the truth of the Catholic Church.

How can we be sure in our own minds, how can we avoid indifferentism in the face of these authority figures whose sole aim is to try to discredit the Church and Christ Himself? Listen to the Holy Father, to the fathers of the Church, to the Saints. “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Paul says: “If Christ did not rise from the dead, your faith is worthless.” and so, are not those who succumb to the false statements of the Jesus seminar in danger of losing their souls?

It is a serious matter, don’t allow yourselves to be confused or led astray. We are made in God’s image and likeness. That likeness is in the soul. Christ came to liberate us from sin. The human body is dignified by the second person of the most Holy Trinity taking it as His own by living our life. So we could have the grace to live His life.

When the priest celebrant at the offertory pours a few drops of water into the wine in the chalice, he says: “By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled Himself to share in our humanity.”

In Genesis we read, “Yahweh God fashioned man of dust from the soil. Then He breathed into his nostrils a breath of life, and thus man became a living being.” God’s breath is our life, our soul. Our spirit is God’s spirit. St. Paul says: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit?”

Our soul is the form of our body, and is meant to grow in the goodness of God, to be full of grace like the soul of Mary who was conceived without sin.

Jesus died and was buried and on the third day He rose from the dead, body and soul.

At the last moment we will all rise in our bodies, but what about the judgment? What about our eternal destination?

How will indifferentism and adhering to false teachings affect Christ judgment of us? God said to the Church in Laodicea “You are neither hot nor cold, you are lukewarm and because you are neither hot nor cold, I will begin to vomit you out of my mouth.”

In medicine we have organ transplants, heart, liver, kidney… But the organ must be compatible with the body it goes into. Lest it be rejected.  It is the same with God.

In the 5th chapter of John Jesus says, “Amen, Amen, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is here, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear shall live, for as the Father has life in Himself, even so He has given to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He has granted Him power to render judgment, because He is the Son of Man.”

Do not wonder at this, for the hour is coming in which those who are in the tombs shall hear the voice of the Son of God.

And they who have done good shall come forth unto resurrection of life. But they who have done evil unto resurrection of judgment. “of myself I can do nothing, as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.”

Jesus has given us the victory but we must remain in him and He in us.
Put aside indifferentism and doubt. Listen to Christ and His Church.

Paul writing to the Corinthians knowing the Olympic games of that day said: “All run in the race but only one wins the crown. They chastise their bodies and deny themselves many things to win a crown of laurel, I run to win eternal life.”

Run therefore so as to win. If our hopes in Christ are limited to this life only, we are the most pitiable of men!