Opening Prayer
I petition Thee today for an industrious energy in pursuing the technical details of theological truth. Help me to realize that no detail of Thy nature is minor, for even the smallest letter of Thy Law is a seed of great importance. Like the mustard seed, let these small theological points grow within the garden of my soul until they reach a height that honors Thee.
I petition Thee for the prize of our calling: the grace to become more like Thee through the careful examination of the truths Thou hast revealed. Let me never shrink from the labor of understanding Thy Word, but rather find in every phrase the hidden meanings that serve as the masonry of a holy life.
Amen.
Luke 14:16-24
16But he said to him: A certain man made a great supper, and invited many. 17And he sent his servant at the hour of supper to say to them that were invited, that they should come, for now all things are ready. 18And they began all at once to make excuse. The first said to him: I have bought a farm, and I must needs go out and see it: I pray thee, hold me excused. 19And another said: I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to try them: I pray thee, hold me excused. 20And another said: I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21And the servant returning, told these things to his lord. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant: Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the feeble, and the blind, and the lame. 22And the servant said: Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23And the Lord said to the servant: Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24But I say unto you, that none of those men that were invited, shall taste of my supper.
St. Basil
St. Basil, a prominent Church Father, insists that seeking theological knowledge is a “mark of all who pursue the prize.” He compares theological details to a “mustard plant”—small seeds that, when cultivated, rise to “considerable height.” This precision is vital for the Sacramental life; for instance, understanding the “True Body and Blood” requires more than vague sentiment. In the Mystical Body, we are called to “become like God,” which requires an accurate understanding of His nature. This intellectual rigor is how we “pursue the prize of our calling” within the Universal Church.
St. Basil commends those who trace out the “hidden meaning in every phrase” regarding the Divine. He refutes the idea that theological discussion is unimportant, noting that “to count theological details as of primary importance” is the distinguishing mark of those who seek the prize of Christ.
“To count theological details as of primary importance… is a characteristic lacking in those who are idle in the pursuit of true religion.”
— St. Basil
Mary and the Magisterium
Mary is the “Mirror of Virtue” who was “wise in thought” and “earnest in study”. She pondered the “mysteries” in her heart with great care. The Magisterium, through the Bishop and Priests, are the “ministers of the Sacraments” who must be “clean” in “heart and soul and mind” to handle the details of the Divine Mystery. The Office of the Bishop ensures that the “small letters” of the faith are not lost to the “scorn of those who think theological discussion is unimportant.”
- Am I impatient with people who want to debate theological issues?
- If I am eager to seek the truth, do I approach these details with a spirit of "true religion"?
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, you’ve told us that you yourself are the truth. Help me to seek and find the truth, even when the search is uncomfortable.
Amen.
