Thursday, 5th Week of Easter, Year C (Memorial of
St Athanasius)
Act 15:7-21; John 15:9-11
It was a huge issue in the early Church whether non-Jews
should be allowed to become Christians. The first Christians were all Jews and,
following Jesus’ mandate to them, they felt the compulsion to preach the gospel
to other nations. But what they were not sure of was how to accommodate the new
converts into a new religion that was still very much like a sect of Judaism. The
normal way to become a Jew was to be born so, but this new light brought by
Jesus, how can one become part of it? To resolve this problem, the Church had
to call a meeting of all the Apostles and other principle actors in the early
Church. It was the first of its kind. It held in Jerusalem under the
chairmanship of James who was then Acting Bishop of the Jerusalem Church.
In the First Reading of today, we hear Peter presenting his
argument in favour of the position that Gentiles who wanted to become
Christians didn’t need to go through any Jewish ritual or be made to observe
purely Jewish customs. This position was supported by Paul and Barnabas and in
the end James gave his ruling: We should not trouble Gentiles who are turning
to God. Instead we should write a letter telling them not to eat food offered
to idols and to keep themselves from sexual immorality.
300 years after, the Church was faced with a different kind
of problem. This time around it was not a question of new converts but a more
theological issue regarding the person of Jesus. There were some who believed
and taught that Jesus was not God as God Almighty was God. They held that Jesus
was a righteous man specially chosen by God and endured with so much power that
made Him above all other creatures but yet subordinate to and lower than God.
It was an appealing doctrine which got many sympathisers. It major proponent
was a brilliant priest called Arius. On the other hand, there were those who
upheld the divinity of Jesus. They said that Jesus is God as much as He is man.
He is truly God and truly man. He is of one nature and substance with God and
is equal to Him in majesty and glory. Jesus is in essence, God made man for our
salvation. St Athanasius whose feast we celebrate today championed this
position which was more in line with Scripture. The Council of Nicaea was
convoked so that the two parties can present their argument. At the end it was
Athanasius’ position that prevailed.
From the council of Jerusalem to the Council of Nicaea, it is
the Holy Spirit that is leading the Church. As the society evolves through the
ages, the Church grows with it and the Spirit who is the principal animator of
the Church continues to guild her along the way to understand God’s will
concerning contemporary challenges and issues. We trust the Teaching Office of
the Church because we trust that the Holy Spirit that guilds Her will never
make a wrong turn or decision.
Good night and God loves you.
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