To the disappointment of many Chicagoans, Pope Leo’s first trip was not back to his hometown, but to a part of the world where Catholics are relatively scarce: Turkey and Lebanon, The centerpiece of his trip at the end of November was an ecumenical gathering in the ancient city of Nicaea, where the Nicaean Creed that we say at Mass was hammered out in 325. Amid much chaos and confusion in Christianity, the creed defined Christian beliefs about God, the Trinity, and the identity of Jesus. In an address at this gathering, Pope Leo pointed out that the Council of Nicaea provides a template for resolving complex issues central to Christianity and  creating unity  He saw this ecumenical gathering as a step toward ending the thousand year breech between the Orthodox and the Latin Church.  

Resolving difference, though, are often more complex that they appear on the surface. For example, one specific item on the agenda was finding once again a common date for Easter, which the Council of Nicaea had established as the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox. If that were not complicated enough, the ecclesiastical full moon is not always the same as the astronomical full moon and the Orthodox churches follow the Julian calendar, whereas the western churches follow the Gregorian calendar. Thank goodness Jesus just rose form the dead and did not wait for us to decide when would be the most appropriate time!

While in Turkey, Pope Leo addressed a gathering of Catholic priests, religious, and lay ministers at the Catholic Cathedral in Istanbul. In his talk, Pope Leo raised a concern directly related to the Council of Nicaea and the Nicene Creed, what he called “a new Arianism.” There were two major theological positions rejected by the Council of Nicaea. One was called “Docetism,” which held that Jesus was truly God but only appeared to be a human being and that his death on the cross was not a real death. The other doctrine, associated with a Arias held that while Jesus Christ should be exalted above all other created beings, he was created by God and therefore not equal to God.

“Nicaea affirmed the divinity of Jesus and his equality with the Father. In Jesus, we find the true face of God and his definitive word about humanity and history. This truth constantly challenges our own ideas of God whenever they do not correspond to what Jesus has revealed. It invites us to ongoing discernment regarding our forms of faith, prayer, pastoral life and spirituality. But there is also another challenge, which we might call a ‘new Arianism,’ present in today’s culture and sometimes even among believers. This occurs when Jesus is admired on a merely human level, perhaps even with religious respect, yet not truly regarded as the living and true God among us. His divinity his lordship over history is overshadowed and he is reduced to a great historical figure, a wise teacher, or a prophet who fought for justice—but nothing more. Nicaea reminds us that Jesus Christ is not a figure of the past; he is the Son of God present among us, guiding history toward the future promised by God.”

I believe that Pope Leo has hit upon a significant pastoral issue that is unconsciously shared by a great many baptized Catholics, especially the 75% who do not attend church regularly.  Many of us do not directly deny the divinity of Christ or the living presence of Christ in our life and in our world but reduce faith to a set of values taught to us as children.  How often have I heard someone say, “I was taught Christian values in Catholic school and a try to live by them” or “I just try to follow the golden rule.” The basic idea is that Christ teaches us how to live and once we graduate from school, we graduate from religion. We do not need prayer or church or sacraments or have to learn anything new as adults. We can learn about faith but not learn faith. We can learn about Christ and never come to know Christ. Values are important, but Christ is so much more than a set of values.

All of this seems relevant as we prepare to celebrate Christmas. Who is the baby we are expecting? Is Christmas just a comforting story for children or does it introduce us to Christ who sometimes made people uncomfortable—and still does today? Does Jesus get left in the manger or does Christ walk with us through life? Was Jesus just passing through or is he with us until the end of time?

                                       Fr Joe