I, We, Neither is He
Good Sunday morning, Servant Leader. Do you mind if I take a detour this morning to talk about something that isn't directly related to servant leadership, but does pertain to service?
I.
We.
He.
Spirit and spirit.
When someone asks you if you followed the instructions, do they mean the letter of the instructions or the spirit of the instructions? What about the law, the letter of the law or the spirit of the law?
When asked about the most important commandment, Jesus didn't quote the letter of any command. Instead, He boiled them down to the spirit of the commandments.
Jesus said to him, "‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt 22:37-40, NKJV)
There you have it, Servant Leader. All of the Bible, all of the Talmud, all of Jewish law boiled down to two statements that captured the spirit of God's intent - love God, love man.
(Caveat - I am neither sanctioned by any religion or church body nor do I speak on behalf of any earthbound deity or spirit captured in corporeal form.)
However, the Catholic Church is questioning the legal stance of the baptism and sacrament for thousands of Catholics baptized under the Diocese of Phoenix over a legalistic interpretation of the priest's words. Apparently, the priest used the word "we" instead of "I" when baptizing parishioners in the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Maybe my not being Catholic biases my opinion, but if the spirit of the law is to accept baptism as an outward expression of an inward devotion to Christ (a basic Christian tenet whether Catholic or not), then how does the man's use of the word "I" or "we" change the recipient's heart? I remember reading in the Bible where an overly legalistic approach to God's will creates roadblocks that are extremely difficult to overcome.
In Matthew 19, the Apostle recounts the story we've come to call the "Rich Young Ruler." In it, Jesus confronts a man who has kept the letter of the law since birth. This man is perfect in the eye of the law. However, when asked to sell all he owns and follow the spirit of the law (Christ), he balks.
“Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matt 19:23-24, NKJV)
I can't help but to draw parallels between what the Catholic Church is doing now to thousands of churchgoers whose hearts were right, but whose priest said "We" instead of "I." After all, neither "I" nor "We" is "He," who truly baptizes with fire, perfecting His children for eternal service.
At the end of the day, I'm not going to change anyone's mind. Maybe Catholicism is so entrenched in the law that the sect is blind to the spirit. I hope not. What I can tell you is that, as a self-proclaimed Servant Leader, I (or we) can hope (pray) for a spiritual resolution to the conflict that honors God's will without unduly burdening thousands of Catholics whose hearts haven't changed, just their legal status.
At the end of the day, it's about "the Law and the Prophets," not the "I" or the "We."
(Photo: Getty Images and Fox News [see embedded link])
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