Legalism Breeds Lifeless Belief

From John Lee John Lee, Johannesburg

Father Ron Rolheiser’s excellent article “Let holiness be hot-blooded” (October 14) refers. Many non-Christians seem to perceive us as sad people.

I am sure the problem is rooted in the fact that many of us are trying to “achieve” our own salvation by our own efforts, with a stiff upper lip. Earthiness and music, even music which is the flavour of the day, as Fr Rolheiser suggests, are not in opposition to a robust faith.

If we are trying to save ourselves by our own efforts (Pelagianism), we will not witness to a joyful faith. Faith will then be a forbidding list of do’s and dont’s. This is called legalism. The fruit of the Spirit, calling us to graced good works, will be absent.

I have found in the Church that many of those who resent change, such as giving the sign of peace, are in leading roles in our parishes, as sacristans, extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, readers and proclaimers of the Word, even lording it over others, with a judgmental and unwelcoming attitude, especially to newcomers.

There can be no enthusiasm for evangelisation here.

As the Russian Orthodox saint Ignatius Brianchanoff puts it (rather harshly, perhaps), even asceticism can become perverted: “Those who do not practise ascetical means, all the actions in church—such as fasting, bowing, praying, without conversion—remain animals. Those who make these ascetic practices the essence of their faith actually become demons.” (See The Catholic Church at the End of the Age by Ralph Martin.)

There is a world of difference between searching for an elusive God and practising the Good News as a way of life.

St Paul lashed out at legalism in Col 2:20-23 and in St Matthew’s gospel we read: “Thus you present to view a holy exterior while hypocrisy and evil fill you within.”

To merely follow the rules results in a dull and lifeless Christianity. Christianity is a passionate (even earthy!) love affair with Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. If that isn’t there, legal observance, even in God’s name, will gain us nothing.