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The Catholic is a citizen of two worlds—at once
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November 21, 2020Summary: The Catholic is a citizen of two worlds—at once. How to keep these citizenships in balance. Advent is the time of awaiting the Prince of Peace. What can we do to make it REAL.
Our Dual Citizenship as Catholics
By John Galten
Dear Reader,
The Editor is encouraged me to write a sequel to the miniseries on the Social Teachings and the National election. So, we shall offer some thoughts on Advent, our current plague, and intentional Catholic living. Now there is a mouthful.
First, the plague. I have often thought about our frenetic modern culture—“How can we stop this madness and think about things as they should be in God’s plan. How to stop the rat race which is more dangerous than the arms race. Well, wouldn’t you know it, a virulent tiny virus has stopped the world dead in its tracks. If there is any good to come out of this crisis, it just might be that we have some time to really think about the things which really matter—to name a few, Why am I here? Is there a God? Why do I have to die? Why is there evil? What does my religion mean to me? Who is Jesus Christ? It seems to me this is the good to come out of the distressing plague.
So, what does this have to do with Advent? It does no good to complain about Christmas being obscured by it being a materialistic, commercial holiday. This is like spitting into a hurricane—it does no good. But what can we do to recover the essential meaning of this most touching of Christian feasts?
First, we can remember that as Catholics we are citizens of two worlds at the same time—in human history and that of heaven. We inhabit two worlds—the material and the spiritual world of God, the Most Holy Mother of God, Angels and the Communion of Saints. The world has its calendar with its holidays of historical events and we have a calendar of the Church year—a reminder of our true destiny which is heaven.
Second, in the midst of the tense rush to prepare for the worldly holiday (hear “buy gifts”), we can also prepare for the coming of the Savior. How? In the last NCC edition, Bishop Vasa brilliantly encouraged parents to witness the Faith to their children with some very practical suggestions to make the Catholic home a true place of Catholic Culture and a “domestic Church”. Among many things, he mentioned daily Rosary, reading the Holy Scriptures, engaging in conversation. In short, a real Catholic communion of persons as the miniature model of the larger Church.
So what can we do to make Advent “real” in our lives? To gild the lily of Bishop Vasa’s suggestions—How about starting the day at the breakfast table with a short offering of ourselves that day to the Lord’s service? How about saying the Angelus prayer at noon as Catholics have done for millennia? How about an Advent wreath, singing “O Come, Emmanuel”, praying a decade of the Rosary, reading the First Reading from the daily liturgy?
What would be the effect of these simple, pious practices on the family? It would bring to mind what St. Paul says, “Mind the heavenly things.” Second, it would call to mind the REAL meaning of Christmas—“the Coming into the world the long-awaited Savior who frees us from sin and death.”
In case no one has told you, that IS the meaning of peace, the peace that the world cannot give, the peace that is to be found only in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior. He is the Christmas Gift of gifts. Now that is a present! Try it, you’ll like it, and no one can take it from you.
He is not called the Prince of Peace for nothing.
