Resurrecting Chicago

“Allow me to receive the pure light (because) when I have reached it, I will become a man.  If I succeed in reaching God, then I shall have received true mercy and I shall have become a human being.” (St. Ignatius of Antioch, quoted in the Divine office readings).

Ignatius, martyred during Trajan’s reign in the first century, was bishop of Syria when he was condemned to death.  After his arrest, he wrote seven letters to his flock which have come down to us as testimony to the true Catholic faith.  After the evangelists, Ignatius is considered the first theologian of the Church.

He talks of himself as dying only to rise to the fullness of life, to the Light of Christ himself. Only then will he become “a man.” By God’s mercy he will become a “human being.” What an unusual way to describe his passing from this life to the next!  This “man” is the new human being in the pattern of Him who became man and pitched his tent among us.

At the time, Ignatius had heard talk about rescuing him from his impending martyrdom and Ignatius would tolerate none of this kind of talk.  He pleaded with the Catholic Church (his word) not to prevent him from giving his life for the new one promised by Christ.

Rising to a new life in Jesus is our goal, too. It is a fulfillment of the Father’s plan to recreate us in Christ as His sons and daughters. “Que viva Christo Rey!”

We learn pretty early in life that falling down is OK.  Toddling toward dad in the front room in search of balance, you fall to the floor.  Since the floor isn’t that far anyway, down you go and, then, with both hands pushing up awkwardly and your legs maneuvering for the strength to go top-side again, you find yourself standing.  Weaving to and fro you rush into dad’s waiting arms, the first of many successive falls and rises in your life.

There is a great mystery here.  Why would I fall down and risk another fall by trying to get up? Because that’s what life is.  Through trial and error, we learn how to get up. Our sins are falls. It is God’s love that calls us to get up and walk again. Dying and rising with Christ is real.

Recent research shows that suicides are up, way up among young people. Clinical depression is creeping through our society like a viral culture gone wild.  Young people are technologically more competent than ever before. Yet, in general, the I-generation has no idea of what it was like to have face-to-face relationships.  They don’t usually greet an aunt or uncle with a generous kiss; or, even shake hands with a  friend or acquaintance. They have little experience with the consoling touch of friends. There is no one to encourage them to get up after falling into personal sin; no one to tell them that human weakness is part of the human condition.  No one to look into their eyes and tell them: “Courage, He has overcome the world.”

Of course, millennials and the x-generation are part of this contagion of hopelessness, too. We simply must encourage one another in face-to-face encounter.

We Christians have to go out and preach the gospel and not with words only. Our American society is sick with denial and cover-up of our sins.  It’s a Christian’s job to help resurrect individuals who have fallen.  There is no one else to say, by God’s grace, “Get up! Your sins are forgiven.  Go in peace.”