We, as Old Roman Catholics, maintain and perpetuate the Catholic Faith as it had been received from the Apostles, without addition. We maintain the Traditional Liturgy that in word and action expresses that Traditional Faith. But we also, my dear people, as Old Roman Catholics, continue to perpetuate the Pauline prophecy that “faith, hope and charity will always remain.” [I Cor xiii:13] This is the main purpose of our witness and continued existence.
The maintenance of the Faith and the Liturgy serves the Faithful to remain in “faith, hope and charity.” The Sacraments of The Church sustain us, the doctrine of the Apostles teaches us, the Liturgy informs us and reflects the desire of our souls and the Divine Will for us. All these three things together are provided us to enrich our understanding, inform our consciences and make present to us the abiding presence of the Most Holy Trinity in our lives. “Faith, hope and charity” are the characteristics which our lives should express in our thoughts, our actions and most importantly in our hearts.
It must be, dearest brethren, our goal, both individually and corporately, together, as the Body of Christ [I Cor xii:27] in this place to manifest these attributes of faith, hope and love. If the Tradition that we have sought to maintain and that still invites and draws people to itself is to continue, it is necessary for us to live out our faith, hope and charity.
Our Mission then must seek not only to offer the Traditional Liturgy, as we are fortunate enough to do daily now at The Annexe, but also provide opportunities for us all to put the Faith it expresses into action. As your Pastor I have tried to facilitate ways in which together we can express our faith, hope and charity in practical application.
For almost the past year as Chair of Churches Together in Central Brighton I have immersed myself in “what's going on” in the City where we are based. Attending the Citywide “Hub” meetings has given me a wider sense of where and how Christians are needed to serve Christ in the people living in the communities around us. I hope that one of the differences that defines us as Old Roman Catholics from most Traditional Catholics is that our apostolate, our reason for being, is more than just serving God in the Liturgy but in each other and most especially in others.
Beloved, if our offering of Liturgy and maintenance of Tradition is to accomplish anything, it must transform our lives, our selves, our very being. In Gesima and Lent we reflected in the daily homilies on the Divine Charity and of how love demands to be expressed – if we love someone, we have to tell them otherwise they won't know – similarly with the love we have for God and of God, we needs must express our love towards Him and His love towards each other as well as ourselves.
The homepage of our website carries a slogan: “Veritatem facientes in caritate”. “Veritatem” refers to “truth” for us this means the Truth, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, about God and His love for us, expressed by the Catholic Faith; “Facientes” means to seek, to witness, to make, to do - here it refers to our hope in Christ, to our hope in the Truth that calls us and motivates us; “In caritate” means simply “in love” in that true charity which must be expressed outwardly towards God and each other.
We have entered now the Post Pentecost season, the “green” season or “Ordinary Time” as it is referred to in the modern liturgical calendars. But this season is far from “ordinary”. Holy Mother Church has prepared us through Advent and the rememberance of the end times and of the Incarnation at Christmasstide, in the Epiphany season of the revelation of the nature and person of Christ, in Gesima and Lent of our need to live in charity with God and with each other, in Holy Week the rememberance of the manifestation of God's love for us in Christ by His passion, death and resurrection, in Eastertide of the hope that we have in Christ, in Pentecost the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in the life of The Church of His people, at Trinity of the nature of the Godhead and even in the latter observances of the octaves of Corpus Christi and the Sacred Heart, the abiding presence of Christ with His people manifested in the Sacrament of His Love. All this she has done to embolden, encourage and enthuse us to live life in the Spirit, to live life in charity, to live life in Christ, to give our lives to God that we may ultimately receive that eternal life with the Godhead.
Consider these words of St Paul;
“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” [Phil. ii:1-11]
“Kenosis” is the theological term used to describe Christ's “emptying” of Himself. Consider, if we would be Christ-like, if we would be “Christian,” how we might empty ourselves in emulation of Him. Surely in the service of others we might find such expression?
Following this letter are some suggestions as to how you might consider emulating Christ in the context of our mission to fulfill and perpetuate the Apostle's prophecy. For each and everyone of us as members of this Parish Mission have been brought by God to our fellowship, it is no accident that you and I have found faith, hope and charity together as Old Roman Catholics. I am certain, knowing the various backgrounds and circumstances of us all, that it is God's will and purpose that has brought us together. If then, we would seek the Truth, if we believe we have found that Truth in Christ and the most ancient expression of the Catholic Faith found in Old Roman Catholicism, then we ought to seek to live out that Truth together in the service of others, in the service of Christ. Afterall, “omnia vincit amor,” [love conquers all] and as the love of Christ has conquered our hearts, so let His love through us conquer others.
Published in "Carissimi" Summer 2011
Published in "Carissimi" Summer 2011
