Guidance to Guide

Francis X Maier wrote recently in The Catholic Thing (“The Revenge of Unintended Consequences”) about certain “family rules” which should be applied to life in the Church as the family of God. His assertion that they would greatly increase the chances of a healthy common life is something with which I whole-heartedly agree.

“One of them is preaching Christian truth clearly and confidently, with the goal of converting the world to Jesus Christ. Another is acknowledging the difference between good and evil. Another is naming sin for what it is. Another is welcoming and forgiving the repentant. Another is encouraging, rather than confusing and disparaging, people sincerely trying to be faithful to what the Church teaches, including those teachings that seem hard. Another is showing some patience and prudence in dealing with disagreement in the ranks.”

All of these fall under the encouragement of St. Paul when he wrote the Ephesians: 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (4:15-16). As we LCMS pastors in Peoria begin teaching the 8th grade religion class at Concordia Lutheran School these are great guidelines. God bless all the faculty and staff to help these young minds and young faiths grow and flourish in the lives that are theirs through the suffering, death, and triumphant resurrection of Christ Jesus our Lord.