What is culture? That question prompted much discussion at our gathering of priests a few years ago. Our keynote speaker defined culture as a collection of shared ideas that enable us to better understand who we are. We are shaped by the culture we live in. Certainly there is much difference between the culture that shapes America and the countries of the Middle East. You could even argue that here in the Pacific Northwest we have a different outlook on life than those who live in the Midwest or New England.
The first thought that comes to mind when I think of the culture of the Pacific Northwest is what I call radical individualism. Other traits include a respectful religious relationship with nature, suspicion of authority outside of self and a desire to live free from unnecessary social restraints.
In the midst of our beautiful outdoors, especially when the mountains are out, as the expression goes, we are inclined to “get away from it all,” and seek peace and God elsewhere.
I would not be surprised one bit if my sister and her husband spend this afternoon sailing out in Puget Sound. Being outdoors whenever possible is the creed for many who live in the Pacific Northwest.
Judging by the drop in attendance at Mass when summer rolls around, I suspect many Catholics practice this creed as well. They excuse themselves from the responsibility and obligation to attend Mass each week, claiming that along with their neighbors, they prefer to find God in nature.
That brings to mind a question. Can a Catholic also be an individualist? As Catholics, we belong to another culture, one in which the community is an important trait. Consider this. A brick by itself remains just a brick, but when placed along side other bricks, it has the potential to become a cathedral!
To approach God solely as an individual is to overlook the two key elements stressed in today’s readings; covenant and sacrifice. To ignore either of them is to ignore what being a Catholic is all about.
In biblical times, covenants were sealed with sacrifices to symbolize the total commitment of the parties involved to one another. That would then be closed with a meal, symbolizing that the covenant was intended to nurture and protect everyone involved.
The passage from Exodus recounts for us how the Israelites entered into a covenant with God at Mt. Sinai, sealing it with a ritual sacrifice. In response, the people all proclaimed, “We will do everything that the Lord has told us.” In return, God provided them with protection, guidance, and freedom from slavery.
Shaped by the culture of his times and the tradition of the Jewish Passover, Jesus used the Last Supper to enter into a covenant with his disciples. What he did was unusual in that after he enacted the covenant, he then gave his life on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice to seal this new relationship between God and his followers.
Each time we celebrate the Mass, we continue to celebrate the meal Jesus first shared with his disciples. Offered to nourish our spiritual lives, the Eucharist is a reminder that our relationship with God is more than just a friendship. When we receive Holy Communion, we reaffirm our commitment to Jesus Christ and the faith we profess as members of the Catholic community.
What makes keeping our end of the agreement difficult for some of us is not only the individualism that colors our culture, but also the fact that few of us really understand what a covenant is. Simply put, a covenant is a binding agreement. Even though God designed marriages to be covenants, many couples treat their marriages as a contract. Just in case their union does not last until death do they part, some couples even sign prenuptial agreements.
If the terms of a contract become too inconvenient or are not met, people will find a way to end the relationship. Marriages that are crumbling often end in divorce. Some employers treat their employees in the same way. Gone are the days when a company would retain an employee until retirement. Instead, some employees never know if they will be getting pink slips when they receive their paychecks.
In contrast to the me-first mentality of a contract, a covenant is an agreement in which the parties involved agree to share their lives with each other. Jesus shares his life with us in the Eucharist, giving us his body and blood to feed us. In return, how willing are we to share our lives with him?
A covenant is a very close relationship built on love. It was Jesus’ sacrifice, made real for us in the Eucharist that has made this covenant between God and us a reality that has stood the test of time. Do we really care or are we drawn instead to find God elsewhere on our own terms?
Fortunately this covenant with God is ours forever. God has no intention of negating this covenant, but if we want to benefit from all that it has to offer, then we have to let go of our inclination for individualism and strive to make the faith community an important part of our lives. When we allow our Catholic faith to be part of the culture that shapes our lives and times, we honor our side of the covenant.