From Fox News:

Derek Jeter, Albert Pujols and baseball’s other greats have barely begun spring training, but a mathematician from New Jersey already knows what kind of season they’ll have. And if you’re a Mets fan, never mind what Yogi Berra said. It’s over and it ain’t even started yet. The Amazin’ Mets will come in third in the NL East, according to Bruce Bukiet, an associate professor of mathematical sciences and associate dean of the College of Science and Liberal Arts at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

But, but, where are my beloved Cincinnati Deds??? The nerve of this guy! I don’t care what this dude says, hope still springs eternal. Read the whole disheartening thing.

So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),  yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t they be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.

—1 Corinthians 8:4-13 (TNIV)

Here Paul talks about the essence and nature of Christian love, how believers should act toward one another. The specific context is whether believers should eat meat sacrificed to idols. But the general issue that Paul addresses here is what should believers do with their Christian freedom? As usual, Paul counsels us to look out for the other person before we seek to satisfy our own desires.

For example, there are those Christians who believe that consuming alcohol is wrong, while other Christians believe there is no biblical warrant against drinking alcohol, but rather against drunkenness. So what should the latter do when they are with the former and have an opportunity to have a drink, say when they are out having dinner together? The latter should abstain, of course, not because having a drink is wrong but because it may be perceived as scandalous by those whom we are with. In refusing to exercise our Christian freedom in this matter, we are looking out for the welfare of others so that our actions do not make them stumble and fall in their faith journey. Talk about being counter-cultural in a day and age when the individual and freedom of choice is made king!

I had not yet attained the truth, but I was rescued from falsehood. Then little by little, Lord, with a most gentle and merciful hand you touched and calmed my heart. I considered numerable things I believed which I had not seen, events which occurred when I was not present, such as many incidents in the history of nations, many facts concerning places and cities which I had never seen, many things accepted on the word of friends, many from physicians, many from other people. Unless we believed what we were told, we would do nothing at all in this life. Finally I realized how unmoveably sure I was about the identity of my parents from whom I came, which I could not know [from first hand, empirical knowledge] unless I believed what I had heard. You [God] persuaded me that the defect lay not with those who believed your books [the Bible], but with those who did not believe them. Nor were they to be listened to who might say to me ‘How do you know that these books were provided for the human race by the Spirit of the one true and utterly truthful God?’ That very thing was a matter in which belief was of the greatest importance.

—Augustine, Confessions 6.1.1; 6.5.7

I think Augustine’s experience is representative of many people’s experience of coming to know God’s truth. It certainly is of mine. As a young man, Augustine was obsessed with proving things empirically and refused to accept the validity of knowledge based on beliefs. But as he tells us here, God slowly and gently led him to the realization that a good deal of our knowledge is second hand, which perforce cannot be believed and appropriated without an act of faith. As he reminds us, we cannot even know directly about our parents’ lives before we are born. We have to take them at their word when they tell us about themselves. The insight into this truth apparently laid the groundwork for his acceptance of God’s truth contained in Scripture. May this help you in your own Lenten journey.

There is only one condition previously required of those who desire admission into these [Methodist] societies: “a desire to flee from the wrath to come, and to be saved from their sins.” But wherever this is really fixed in the soul it will be shown by its fruits. It is therefore expected of all who continue therein that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

First: By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind, especially that which is most generally practiced, such as: The taking of the name of God in vain. The profaning the day of the Lord, either by doing ordinary work therein or by buying or selling. Drunkenness. Fighting, quarreling, brawling, brother going to law with brother, returning evil for evil, or railing for railing. Uncharitable or unprofitable conversation. Doing to others as we would not they should do unto us. Doing what we know is not for the glory of God. Borrowing without the probability of paying.

Secondly: By doing good; by being in every kind merciful after their power; as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all men: To their bodies, of the ability which God gives, by giving food to the hungry, by clothing the naked, by visiting and helping then that are sick or in prison. To their souls, by instructing, reproving, or exhorting all we have any interaction with. By doing good, especially to them that are of the household of faith or groaning so to be; employing them preferably to others; buying one of another, helping each other in business, an so much more because the world will love its own and only them.

Thirdly: By attending upon all the ordinances of God; such are: The public worship of God. The ministry of the Word, either read or expounded. The Supper of the Lord. Family and private prayer. Searching of the Scriptures. Fasting and abstinence.

If there be any among us who observe them not, who habitually break any of them, let it be known unto them who watch over that soul as they who must give an account. We will admonish him of the error of his ways. We will bear with him for a season. But then, if he repent not, he has no more place among us. We have delivered our own souls.

—The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church

Here is another little self-check. As you read these conditions for membership, what is your reaction? Do they seem oppressive to you? Do you see them as yet another bunch of rules to be mindlessly followed? As an anachronism in today’s society? As an intrusion into your daily affairs? Something similar? If you do, you likely have some work to do in terms of your human pride.

These rules were promulgated as a means to an end, not an end to themselves. Wesley knew that we are meant to live the life of faith together, not separately. Why? Because he understood we are fallen individuals and ripe for the picking if we do not draw on all the resources we have at our disposal, and that includes the help of other faithful people. These rules help Christians to hold each other mutually accountable. They are designed to keep us focused on God, not ourselves or the world in which we live. Proud people cannot or will submit to these necessary conditions of faithful living.

Who can hurt such a man? In prosperity he makes moral progress, and in adversity he learns to know the progress he made. When he has an abundance of mutable [changeable] goods he does not put his trust in them, and when they are taken away he gets to know whether or not they have taken him captive.

—Augustine, Of True Religion 92

God has given us the greatest gift possible and in profusion. What is this gift? It is the Holy Spirit.

—Chrysostom, Homilies on Romans 9