@fathershane / fathershane.tumblr.com
Pope Benedict's last words at his last General Audience, today
Saint John of the Cross
Saint Teresa of Avila
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Henri Nouwen
Saint John of the Cross
"Whether we realize it or not, in our hearts we yearn for God, and so when we come into contact with someone close to God, our hearts are moved."
-- Fr John Bartunek, LC
Jeremiah 20:9
Isaiah 40:8
Romans 12:2
Question:
I was taught that when Jesus died on the cross a new covenant was formed. I thought this meant that everything before no longer holds true. If that is right, then why does the church enforce Lev 18? If its wrong, why don't they enforce Lev 11?
Answer (made rebloggable by request):
Wow, I wish more people would ask this question!
It's often one of the basic misunderstandings that leads some of the New Atheists to assume (incorrectly) that believers in Christ treat the minor dietary prescriptions of the Law of Moses with the same reverence as the New Commandment to love one another as Christ has loved us. So much would become clearer were they to pay attention to what the Church says about the Bible... (sigh).
Read all the way through Matthew 5, and you can see how Jesus really surprised his contemporaries. First he talks about not abolishing the law but bringing it to completion (verse 17), but then goes on to give a completely new (more intense) interpretation of some of its precepts (verses 21-22, verses 27-28) and then apparently completely reverse some others (verses 31-32, verses 33-34, verses 38-39, verses 43-44). Most importantly, and this has bearing on your question about Leviticus 11's dietary regulations, Jesus will at one point specifically declare that all foods are clean and that those dietary regulations are now superseded (Mark 7:19; the whole section is worth reading for context).
Hello Father! Any books to recommend to a young adult who was never was proactive in his faith, but recently wants to try again? I have a lot of friends who were just "Catholic" because their parents were, but stopped going to Mass as soon as they went to college. God bless!
Sure! The YouCat, and anything by Peter Kreeft with a topic that interests you. Then Edward Sri on the Mass and Fr John Bartunek on prayer. Plus the saint who might inspire you most and maybe even this.
May God bless you abundantly!
- Father Shane
Brother Elias (a Trappist quoted in Henri Nouwen's "The Genesee Diary")
G. K. Chesterton
"I struggle with distractions when I pray..."
"How can I improve my prayer life?"
