Spiritual but Not Religious

A current phrase I hear often is “I am spiritual but not religious.”  This is usually uttered in response to any mention of Jesus. I believe that these people are consciously or unconsciously trying to avoid having anything to do with organized religion.  I think that what they are actually trying to avoid are the demands that a real involvement with Jesus would place upon them. They would rather have a vague and shallow numinous feeling about the universe and the self-congratulatory feeling that since they feel “something” they are good people and that they are justified in living their lives in any way they wish. This is a rejection of God and the glorification of the Self.

Pope Francis

The Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church have chosen the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the new pope.  He will be known as Pope Francis.

Bergoglio, of Italian ancestry, was born in Argentina in 1936.  he is a Jesuit intellectual who is known to eschew private limousines and to travel by bus.  He is said to have a great compassion and burden for the poor and places great emphasis on spirituality and personal holiness.

Though many Catholics, especially in the United States and Europe, had hoped for a "progressive" pope, Bergoglio has made known his opposition to the legalization of same-sex marriage, the adoption of children by homosexuals, abortion, euthanasia, and liberation theology.

What Do You Have To Offer?

As saints indwelled by the Holy Spirit, we, each one of us, have been given spiritual gifts for use within and for the Church.  Each gift is a manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit.  Some of the gifts may be obviously supernatural (such as speaking in tongues or healing), others may seem to be more mundane (such as an always ready willingness to cook for the group or to maintain the church facilities or to lovingly tend to the small children and infants while their parents attend a worship service.)  Each of these gifts has been given to us for the good of the Christian community and for our own good and all of the gifts are equally important.  What we have been given we are expected to immediately turn and give to the Church. What do you have to offer?

"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal."  1 Corinthians 12:7

"As every man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1 Peter 4:10

Self Understanding

"I have to work hard on spiritual things because I'm a stinking, wretched, monument to self-absorption." Russell Brand (b. 1975, England) English comedian, actor, columnist, author.