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This is Laodicea, the last church community written to in the Book of Revelation. It is perhaps my favorite. Look at how the clouds made the perfect backdrop for a reflective mood. Part of the Silk Road runs through this ancient town. In its day it would have been teeming with people, horses, and carts. Alongside the main road through town there are stone tables where backgammon was played. You can just imagine two old men playing as they grumbled about politics or aches in their bodies. Now, it’s just an ancient ghost town. "To the angel of the Church in Laodicea, write this: ‘I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything, and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.’” To interesting things to point out: 1. Laodicea was known for optometry. They actually had eye doctors there and that’s why the references to blindness and eye ointment. 2. In the mountains in the picture, there is a place called Pamukkale. It has hot springs and the minerals in the water make it look like there are permanent fluffy clouds up there. Pamukkale means “cotton castle.” As that hot water flows down the mountain, it becomes lukewarm. Hence the reference to being lukewarm. It’s something the people would understand. It is easy to slip into a lukewarm faith, Catholic Pilgrims. Especially with all the comfort and ease many of us experience on a day-to-day basis. A lukewarm faith is no faith at all, So… Live the Faith boldly and travel well.
Continue ReadingThis is the Church of Mary at Ephesus. “To the angel of the Church in Ephesus, write this: I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate the wicked; you have tested those who call themselves Apostles but are not, and discovered that they are impostors. Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name, and you have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first.” Here at the end of the liturgical year, we get a lot of readings from the Book of Revelation. Living in Turkey afforded me the opportunity to visit all seven churches that were written to in the Book of Revelation and I hope to share them over the next several days, as the letters written to those church communities contain valuable information. Ephesus would have been incredibly impressive in its day. It’s still impressive though it is in ruins. So many saints moved through this area: St. Paul, St. John, St. Polycarp, St. Justin Martyr and more. Our Mother Mary lived not far away from Ephesus. If you read the letter to the Church in Ephesus, you see that they are doing many things right. The Christians there are praised for their endurance, hard work, and discernment. But…they’ve lost the love. This is something we Catholics need to careful of, myself included. If we simply strive to be a bulwark against the ways of the world without doing it for love of God and neighbor, we will become bitter, negative people. If we seek to tough it out in this life without asking for grace, we will become joyless. Where there is no joy, there is no love. We must suffer well, endure hardships well, be on our guard, and be prudent, Catholic Pilgrims. But, to try and white-knuckle it, means love will be lacking and nobody will hear the Good News of Christ. Love makes the Christian life very attractive. Live the Faith boldly and travel well this Monday.
Continue ReadingOver the years, I’ve had a few people on here that like to play the part of the extremely objective and indifferent wise sage. Basically, all religions are the same for these people and they’ll dabble a little here and dabble a little there. What I always find interesting is that in their quest to appear balanced, they always over-praise religions that aren’t Christianity and nitpick to death Christianity. Always with these kinds of people, the aim, whether intentional or not, is to show that Christianity isn’t that big of a deal. “It’s just like all the rest you see? See all the similarities? Nothing special here.” While it is true that in all religions there is at least a kernel of truth just in the fact that they are man’s search for God, but it doesn’t follow that they are all equal or basically the same. I know, I know, in our modern world of moral relativism and denial of absolute truths, we don’t like to say anything is better than something else. However, nobody lives their lives believing that is actually true. With Christianity there is one huge, immense, incredible difference and that is love. God is love and He wants a relationship with us. Christ—God—died for us, unworthy as we are because of love. Not only does God love each one of us and desires our goodness, He gives us numerous helps to assist on our path to Heaven. He is not a God that is distance and ambiguous. He’s not just the universe. He’s not elements of the world incapable of relationship. He’s not lording up in the clouds sneering down at humans. He’s not cold and indifferent to us seeing us as slaves. No, God is love and His love for us is eternal and limitless. This is unlike anything else and doesn’t even compare. Because if God came and died for us to save us so that one day we might be with Him, well, that right there is the most true, good, and beautiful spiritual reality out there. Those that call themselves Christians but play the indifferent game, have sadly not fallen in love with God yet and have not allowed themselves to be loved by Him. Because once you do, nothing can compare, Catholic Pilgrims. Have a blessed Friday.
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