Wise Words on Wednesday: Cheap Grace

dietrich-bonhoeffer

This last weekend was the Young Adult Christmas Gala in San Diego. My friend and former roommate, Nathan, received an award at the Gala for his service to the young adults of the Diocese. In his speech he read an extended quotation from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German Lutheran Pastor who was killed by the Nazi’s in the waning days of World War II.

I wanted to share a portion of what Nathan shared because I think these words of Dietrich are prophetic for our own times, when many try to construct a cross-less Christianity and presume upon the grace of God and use it as an excuse for sin.

“Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace…

Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Grace alone does everything they say, and so everything can remain as it was before… Well, then, let the Christian live like the rest of the world, let him model himself on the world’s standards in every sphere of life, and not presumptuously aspire to live a different life under grace from his old life under sin….

Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession… Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and self all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble, it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.

Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “ye were bought at a price,” and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God”

– Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost Of Discipleship

Wise Words on Wednesday: Is there another way?

matt

Instead of lecturing people about going to church on Sunday, let’s inspire them to want to go. Instead of telling them to dress more appropriately for Mass, let’s give them something worth dressing up for. Instead of telling them not to sleep around, let’s fascinate them with the pursuit of purity. Instead of preaching that giving is better than receiving, let’s just give.

– Matthew Warner, Messy & Foolish

Wise Words On Wednesday: Never be in a hurry

A couple of weeks ago I shared a quotation which is attributed to St. Francis de Sales and I thought given the events of the American Presidential election, it was time for another quotation…
francis

“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.”

– St Francis de Sales

Today I start walking…

merton

Today I start walking the Camino De Santiago. As I was sorting out my paperwork in my old room at home, I came across a prayer of Thomas Merton which seems appropriate…

“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that, if I do this, You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it”

– Thomas Merton, Thoughts on Solitude

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