One of the most beautiful parts about the reformation, in my opinion, is the ability to reform practices that do not accord with Scripture and catholic teaching. This is actually one of the primary reasons I believe in the heart of reformational theology.
When a Church sets itself up as being unable to err, it simultaneously sets itself as being unable to reform. This poses a problem as all churches are made up of men who wrestle with concupiscence. Granted, these men are in-dwelt by the Spirit who promises to lead into all truth, but it is equally true that we don’t always listen to that truth.
The great chief apostle, St. Peter, was rebuked by St. Paul for falling into the error of the Judiazers. St. Paul and St. Barnabas were in conflict with one another, eventually parting ways, agreeing to disagree. These are a few examples of apostles who, though pursuing truth, found themselves in a conflict with other Spirit led leaders. Should St. Paul have not have corrected his brother, the chief of the apostles? Should disagreement never have happened? Here, I see an example of truth seekers failing to follow the voice of the Spirit in the way they should. Why else would Paul command the Church to walk by Spirit unless it was possible to fail to do that?
The Church is the pillar and foundation of the truth, but that doesn’t mean that the Church is protected from all error. An honest man can be called truthful without also having to concede that he is unable to tell a lie. In the same way, one can acknowledge the Church, led by the Spirit, as the keeper and defender of Holy Scripture, while also acknowledging that at times, reform will be a necessary part of an institution that is not yet in its glorified and perfected state.
We move towards that; we seek that end; but God forbid that we look for an eschatologically perfect Church, forgetting that we have a perfect Saviour. Why would we look to the bride for perfection when we have a perfect bridegroom? Why look to the Moon for the light that can only come from the Sun?
I have a high view of Church authority. But I want to maintain that my view of the Church and its authority is never one of usurping the perfection and indefectibility that belongs only to Christ.
May we never grow weary of seeking to be perfected like Christ (Semper Reformanda), and may we never grow arrogant, looking to the Church, instead of Christ, as the perfect, spotless, Lamb of God.
This is the first video reflection for the Great Fast.
Welcome to the Mere Catholicity Locals Community! Here, you will find like-minded Christians with a desire to live ecumenically and pursue Christ in all things.
The Mere Catholicity movement runs only through listener support. The work that I (Jonah) do requires time and money. Without the financial support of my Locals community, I would not be able to continue making content. Simple as that. It is only thanks to this group that I can continue providing you with content that (hopefully) both edifies and challenges!
The good news for you is that joining the community itself is completely FREE! Once you sign up, you will be able to see most posts, live streams, and even content posted by other users. However, you will only be able to observe. You will not be able to comment, post, or see any exclusive content. This might be a good way to see if you want to support later down the line. So please join! Even if you cannot afford to give at this time!
Now, for those who do wish to give ...
Friends - as I consider the various platforms that I operate, I find Substack to the most conducive to the model of online ministry that I am aiming for. Though I still plan to post here, as many of you still support me through this platform, Substack is where I will be focusing the majority of my time. If some of you wish to move your subscription from here to Substack, you are welcome to do that. Those who continue to support here, I will continue to post here — mostly the stuff that is behind the paywall on Substack so that you are getting the exclusive content regardless of where you are subscribed.
Hope you all are doing well. Lord bless you.
- Rev. Jonah
I've been gone again for a time preparing for my ordination. I was ordained a Deacon in the Holy Catholic Church on March 8th, 2025.
It was a joy beyond words. I am now back in full swing with ministry, media, and work.
I hope you all have been doing well. More to come soon.
Good morning everyone. I wanted to quickly update you on the Mere Catholicity Podcast. I’ve been posting videos on my channel, but it has been quite sometime since my channel has had a podcast episode release.
With my new job as a classical teacher, scheduling interviews has been a challenge. However, my plan is to use my summer breaks as time to double down on planning and recording new podcasts. The idea will be to record a ton of interviews that will then slowly release throughout the school year, expiring around the time the following summer arrives. This will ultimately result in a consistent once a month interview.
All that to say, the podcast will resume here in May or June of 2025 with some excellent interviews lined up!
Blessings on your Sunday!
