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Thinking about indulgences (which are beautiful ways for to God pour out His extravagant love that I’m all about) and wondering when the focus of Christian practice switched from “being a disciple of Jesus/functioning member of His body” to “saving my soul.” (1/4)
While indulgences entice us to very balanced and basic practices (like praying for the dead or reading Scripture), there is a temptation to let the Christian life devolve into indulgence-chasing for the sake of our own salvation,..(2/4)
Instead of following Jesus, glorifying God, serving our neighbor... the saving of our own soul being a happy result of this life of discipleship, a work accomplished by Jesus & received by a life lived in conformity to His Spirit. (3/4)
No intention of being negative about indulgences, which usually guide us to very normative/healthy practices & let God pour out wild grace! Just reflecting on my faith life & how we can mistake means for ends.
Anyway let’s pray for our dead, especially in November!
(fin)
Anyway let’s pray for our dead, especially in November!
(fin)
Now I’m thinking about St Paul “work out your salvation in fear & trembling” so I don’t want to downplay the goal of our own salvation either. It’s always part of the mix of motivations, and rightly so.
