Thou Shall Not Commit Adultery

Throughout scripture marriage language is used to describe the relationship between Jesus and his Church. Jesus is the bridegroom and the Church is his bride. This language is used because that is the exact relationship Jesus has with his Church. In fact, it is the perfect marriage and is the greatest example of what a marriage is to be for those of us called to that vocation. The bride is obedient to the bride groom and the bride groom sacrifices his life for his bride. The two are faithful to each other. They live and die for the other. This is the kind of relationship all married people are called to have and is the foundation of every successful and fruitful marriage.

A common thought among non-Catholic Christians is that one does not need the Church. Salvation only comes from faith in Christ so the Church is no longer necessary. All one needs is a personal relationship with Jesus. It is true that we all need to have a personal relationship with Jesus but that personal relationship has to include a relationship with his bride as well. You cannot separate the husband from the wife and expect to get a full relationship out of the deal.

How would that work in your other relationships? Imagine what would happen to your relationship with your best friend if you were to approach that friendship in the same manner. You know Fred, I love you and I like hanging out with you but I really can’t stand your wife. Can’t it just be you and I? Won’t you leave her to be with me? How would Fred respond? I can tell you without a doubt because I have made this mistake in my own life. My friendship, my brotherhood with Fred was destroyed because I had a problem with his wife. Fred and I did not speak for over two years and although we have mended the fence our relationship will never be what it used to be.

Many non-Catholic Christians hate the Catholic Church. There is no limit to the vile words they spew out about her. She is accused of every great evil. How would you respond if someone said such things about your wife or daughter? Would you be forgiving and still have the most intimate relationship with that person? I know you hate my wife with utter contempt and I am ok with that. Let’s head to the bar to watch the game and have some drinks.

I do not know who among us would not be infuriated if someone said the things said about Christ’s Church about our wives. Most of us would be ready to throw down, and with good reason. It is not only justifiable that we defend our wives but it is the duty of a husband to do so. So why should we expect any less from Jesus? If anything he is infinitely more justified to defend his bride from those who hate her. He is God, the creator of everything that is, was, and ever will be. He made all things good. He made the Church and took her as his bride. Who has the right or ability to attack what he has made?

On the other side of the coin we have the multitude of Catholics who have walked away from the Church for any number of reasons. Many go to other non-Catholic Christian churches that they find more appealing. What are they actually doing when they leave Christ’s Church for another? What do you do when you leave your husband or wife for the company of another? That action is called adultery.

The vow a Catholic takes at confirmation and then reaffirms at marriage and every week when they receive the Holy Eucharist is a wedding vow to Christ’s Church. We vow fidelity to Jesus through his Church. We vow to live our lives faithfully to him through Her and to die for them if required. When a Catholic willfully walks away from that vow they commit adultery. That is a grave sin, a mortal sin, which totally severs the friendship between God and man. When a Catholic walks away from the Catholic Church to have just a merely personal relationship with Jesus they end up with nothing for they shut themselves off from having any relationship with Jesus at all. When a Catholic leaves the Church for one founded by a man they lose everything. In the end they end up only with music they like better, or a better sermon, a better “experience”, or something emotional that drew them away in the first place. What they lose is Jesus.

Thou shall not commit adultery refers to much more than just the physical relationship one has with their spouse. It also refers to the covenantal relationship with Jesus and his bride the Church. The two are inseparable.

A Different Way to do Church

Heartland is the local mega-church in my town. Their shtick is - “A different way to do church.” It is not the Catholic way. It is not the Lutheran way. It is not the Baptist way. It is a different way. This is a good thing, right? Everyone should be able to worship in a way of their own choosing. The large membership at Heartland would seem to agree. I am not so sure.

One of the many reasons I am Catholic is 1 Samuel 15. In this story in Scripture God orders King Saul to go and put to death King Agag and the people of Amalek. God is very clear in his instructions to King Saul.

“Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.”

Instead of doing what he was instructed to do King Saul takes Agag alive. He kills all of the people of Amalek but keeps the best animals for himself. Saul only destroys the worthless possessions of Amalek. When God saw what King Saul had done he became angry with him and regretted making him King of Israel. Saul tells the profit Samuel that he brought back these things to sacrifice to the Lord. Samuel tells Saul –

“For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
            And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.
            Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
            He has also rejected you from being king.”

Then Saul was removed as king of Israel and his neighbor was made king. God told Saul how he wanted something done but Saul thought he knew better. Saul did it his way and paid a steep price for it.

             “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.”

Jesus founded the Catholic Church. He set up the leadership of that Church and gave them the authority to rule over it. He taught the Church how he wanted the Church to worship God. 1500 years later a man came along who thought he knew better than the Church on how to worship God. This man’s name was Martin Luther. He was a man after King Saul’s heart. He cast aside what Jesus’ Church taught to implement his own opinion. Martin Luther knew better than the Church about what Jesus wanted. Martin uncorked the bottle and there was an explosion of people who thought they knew better than the person before them. Personal opinion replaced teaching that came directly from Jesus lips.

Today we have almost 40,000 different faith communities, each worshipping the Lord in a way they see fit. There is only one Church that worships in the way Jesus instructed. If God truly loves obedience more than sacrifice then a different way to do church seems like a very bad idea to me. We are called to have a personal relationship with Jesus, not a personal church. Jesus has instructed us on how he wants us to worship so to ignore that and to ignore the Church he founded and gave authority to seems extremely arrogant and dangerous to me.

Go ahead and worship God in your way. As for me, I will worship him in his way.