Exploring the Catholic Theological Tradition

Exploring the Catholic Theological Tradition

Section One

The different meditation experiences evoked feelings of empathy within me. For instance, in my first meditating occasion on verses 13-17, I could relate to the anxiety that the two disciples were experiencing and the uncertainty about the future. I could not help but think about times when things were very uncertain in my life. Verses 18-21 teach us that the disciples had put all their hope in Jesus as their redeemer, but now he had been killed ((New International Bible, Luke 24. 18-21).  While meditating on this part, I could remember numerous times when I felt hopeless.

I learned several lessons from meditating. Normally, it is likely to read verses like any other story. However, meditating allowed me to see the story of the two disciples in a different light and much clearer. It helped me think deeply about the scripture and how it impacts my life. I have also realized that it differed from the other type of meditation commonly practiced in yoga, which I have tried several times to relax. Unlike the yoga meditation, this time my objective was not only to relax but also to learn and relate deeply with the scripture.

Meditating upon this scripture has impacted positively on my life. I feel more spiritually nourished and better connected to the Holy Spirit. It is also comforting to know that despite those hopeless and anxious moments, Jesus will be in the midst of it all. Although there are numerous scriptures that one can meditate upon, Luke 24: 13-35 is suitable because it depicts one of the most important occasions in Christianity: the rising of Jesus Christ. It also contains several teachings that helped me meditate upon my life, such as the issues of hope, anxiety, difficulties in life, and matters of faith. Before meditation, I viewed these verses as just one of the several times Jesus appeared to his disciples after rising from the dead. After the practice, however, I now understand that Jesus’ aim was not only to appear to these two disciples, but also to impact teaching in them, and all of us. The scripture, therefore, acted as a guide in my meditation enabling me to reflect deeply upon my life. For instance picturing the two journeying to Emmaus saddened, anxious and hopeless enabled me to meditate upon a time when I was in a similar situation (Luke 24.13-21).

Loyola Marymount University offers many serene sites suitable for reflection. I chose to perform the practice at different locations including the Fountains on Shea Terrace and the Sacred Heart Chapel. The sound of water at the fountains masks other disruptive sounds that could have hindered my meditation. Additionally, the plants at the sites helped maintain that calm state for even deeper meditation. The other place of meditation, the Chapel, offered a very suitable environment due to its sacred nature. However, I experienced a few cases of distractions as a few activities went on within the premises, but these were minimal. Given these merits, if I had to do the practice again, I would still choose these venues. Regarding the time of meditation, I decided to do some of the occasions in the morning and the rest in the late afternoon. I believe that both times of the day had something unique to offer. The morning hours offered a freshness of the mind, while the late afternoon offered the golden sunset hour which also enabled me to meditate deeply.

Section Two

Some of the foremost theological issues in my mind include the preservation of the gospel in an ever-increasing secular world and the church’s stand on matters of marriage, sexuality, and gender. Regarding the preservation of the gospel, I feel that there are so many issues that threaten the exclusivity of the gospel. We live in a digital age where information of all kinds, which in most cases is secular, is readily available. Also, the church is threatened by greed which hinders the spread of the gospel and goes against the Bible.

The matter of marriage, sexuality, and gender is of deep concern. On one side is the bible which is our guide and is supreme hence cannot be challenged. On the other, is a changing contemporary society that faces emerging issues that might not have been acknowledged during the writing of the scriptures. Balancing these two aspects is a huge challenge for the issue. However, I believe that an amicable solution can be arrived at. Aside from that, if I had the opportunity to study catholic theology further, I would be interested in undertaking Christology to understand better the works and nature of Jesus Christ.

Word Count: 777 words

Work Cited

The Bible. New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984.