2015 Booked – Dr James Kottoor

  I saw the CCRInt'l discussion posted  and wrote the following as my comment:
 
I wish to make a few general observations only. Each one is free to make his own assumptions about the church they have been part of for so long, about people who no longer believe in the existing  pyramidal structure, about Pope, cardinal, bishops and their teaching authority, about the sacraments (God-made or man-made) and the way we should behave towards them — slavishly, obediently, critically, rebelliously etc. all for the sake of bringing about change acceptable to all of or most of us.
          

We have to start from right premises to reach right conclusions, not from wrong premises. So is our starting point correct? Are you going to reform the Catholic Church and present it as a model to the over 2000 divided churches? Think of the Pharisee and publican praying in the temple.Aren't we here imitating them?

Our starting point instead should be instead: How  we all can and should  be followers of the MAN or GOD (controverted) called JESUS, not this church or that church, this Pope, My bishops etc. We can have allegiance, respect and obedience to man-made bosses, only to the extend we do not betray Jesus and his teaching. Every time I have to and you have to ask ourselves: "What would Jesus want me to do here and now?  How to  react to this Bishop, this Church rule etc?

 

And for what did Jesus Come? To bear witness to TRUTH, to create a human brotherhood starting with and from the last, least and lost, starting with the sinners, drunkard, prostitutes, drug addicts, the poor on the periphery.. There can be no compromise on these basic principles. 

 

Our mission is not to reform any church, but to build the His Kingdom here on Earth. Think of our Father. How many Churches didJesus buid, how many priests Jesus ordain as priests, bishops etc. NONE. Where did he pray (on mountain tops), didn't go to any temple to offer sacrifice, but said: While offering sacrifice, if you remember etc. leave your bloody or un-bloody sacrifice there and go to get reconciled to everyone you are quarreling with.
       

In short we have to start supporting what Jesus would support in our place, in my place and oppose what he would oppose in your place, in our place. Are we ready to start from this premise  — with Jesus and for Jesus all the way, in desiring, think, speaking, listening, and doing personally and in collaboration with others? It is quite immaterial whether we are with this church or that church. He did not even become a Christian (born Jew, lived Jew and died Jew = INRI), much less join any churches or existing religion.

 

His was the religion of Humanity which included believers and unbelievers. It is this kingdom of God we have to build up starting from our own homes — well married,  ill-married, divorced or remarried etc. —  and similar homes in our neighborhood but in greatest need. Rebuilding them is to be our sacrifice. It alone is the continuation of the churches the Carpenter of Nazareth was building, not with wood, brick and mortar, but with different human beings in various stages of  breakdown — physical, mental, spiritual, social collapse. He was building living temples when he healed sick, fed hungry, comforted the afflicted, pardoned all sinners (we won't pardon divorced and remarried), raising the dead, and went to supper to Zacheus the tax collector and made it the first exemplary Domestic Church.

 

Are we ready to start thinking and acting in this way? This is my humble question to all of you. Please think it over and respond if you like without mincing words. Do  a devil's advocate service, if you please. May His PEACE   be with all of you.