It all began when a friend asked me to look at a book (nice phrase, 'look at a book') for his class--what Mizzou was calling Religious Studies 104 at the time--"The Many Faces of Christology" (the study of interpreting Christ and His work). The introduction struck me, because the author said that he had wrestled through doubt in his twenties, proclaiming himself a Marxist. Yet, he continued to receive Holy Communion, saying that it eventually became a confirmation of his identity. The discovery was union with Christ, and it had never been broken truly. (Marxism in truest form is openly hostile to the gospel; incidentally, so is the humanistic basis of some forms of libertarianism, e.g. Objectivism) As I realize that the plain offer of the gospel is manifest in the bread and cup, it is also apparent that the eucharistic celebration is the confirmation of my identity, of my place in the body of Christ, and the heart of our mission. We cannot make disciples if we do not know whether we are disciples. Fellowship, indeed! But the Protestant caveats regarding the Supper are wise; shortcutting the obligation of faith by way of the sacrament is arguably a more damaging error than bare memorialism. Zwingli (and others) should acknowledge their errors, and join us at the card table. Exhibits 1 and 2 in the Church Museum of Destructive Errors should be memorialism, and the Council of Trent. You Catholics out there know very well that the earliest Protestant Reformers weren't heretics! Bother dogma. A certain German friar may have been impetuous, uncharitable, and downright ornery, but he had a point, in doctrine and in practice. (Did you type 'obligation of faith' up there? What sort of Calvinist are you?--ed.) The Arminian kind! Just kidding, Missouri Presbytery! (God-willing, my future colleagues.) Should I start submitting this website to my elders? Crap, I hope not.
Today, you’re 35. Or at least you would be, in this place. You probably know this, but we’re OK. Not great, but OK. We know you wouldn’t want us moping around and weeping all the time. We try not to. Actually, I guess part of the problem is that you didn’t know how much we loved you. And that you didn’t know how to love yourself. I hope you have gotten to Love by now. Not a place, but fills everything in every way. I’m not Him, but he probably said, “Dear daughter/sister, you have been terribly hard on yourself. Rest now, and be at peace.” Anyway, teaching is going well, and I tell the kids all about you. They all say you are pretty. I usually can keep the boys from saying something gross for a few seconds. Mom and I are going to the game tonight. And like 6 more times, before I go back to South Carolina. I have seen Nicky twice, but I myself haven’t seen your younger kids. Bob took pictures of the day we said goodbye, and we did a family picture at the Abbey. I literally almost a...
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