Colossians Confusion

[YoungCatholic86]

Colossians 2:16-17, if I am reading it correctly, states that we are not to judge people in how they eat or on mass attendance. But I’m pretty sure Canon law states that we are to abstain from meat on fridays (yes still even in the 21st century) and that we are to attend mass every sunday. How do we reconcile the Scripture verse and Catholic teaching, for if we miss mass deliberately, it is a sin.

 

[runningdude]

Saint Paul speaks of participating in worship on the Sabbath. This was a Jewish observance fulfilled by Christ on the Cross. The Catholic Church’s rule on Sunday mass is a distinctly Christian tradition, based on Catholic law, not Old Testament law.

Eating and drinking here probably refers to Jewish dietary law (“kosher”). This was overturned in a vision given to Saint Peter, documented in the Acts of the Apostles (See Acts 11). Saint Paul advices his followers to not fear causing offense by eating pork or otherwise not keeping kosher. Catholic abstinence from meat, again, derives from Catholic law rather than Old Testament law.

In both these cases, Saint Paul is advising his followers that they no longer need to follow Jewish law. Sunday mass and fasting/abstinence are part of Catholic law, and thus not addressed in this passage.

 

[TimothyH]

Colossians is about people who came into the Christians community in the city of Colossae and began teaching incorrect doctrine, adaptations of paganism to Christianity.

The introduction to Paul’s letter to the Colossians in the NAB has this to say.

Problems, however, had arisen, brought on by teachers who emphasized Christ’s relation to the universe (cosmos). Their teachings stressed angels (Col 2:18; “principalities and powers,” Col 2:15), which were connected with astral powers and cultic practices (see the note on Col 2:16) and rules about food and drink and ascetical disciplines (Col 2:16, 18). These teachings, Paul insists, detract from the person and work of Christ for salvation as set forth magnificently in a hymnic passage at Col 1:15-20 and reiterated throughout the letter. Such teachings are but “shadows”; Christ is “reality” (Col 2:17).

-Tim-

 

[Rainaldo]

Colossians 2:16-17, if I am reading it correctly, states that we are not to judge people in how they eat or on mass attendance. But I’m pretty sure Canon law states that we are to abstain from meat on fridays (yes still even in the 21st century) and that we are to attend mass every sunday. How do we reconcile the Scripture verse and Catholic teaching, for if we miss mass deliberately, it is a sin.

The Colossians were being influenced by mystical Judaizers who insisted that the kosher and the calendar laws in Leviticus still had spiritual value in spite of their culmination in Jesus.

The Catholic Church prescribes abstention from meat on certain days as an act of self-discipline for spiritual growth, but that has nothing to do with Leviticus.

As proof of this, consider the “New Moon” issue in verse 16. The Jewish calendar is defined by the Torah as starting a new month on the first night of a new moon. When was the last time you saw a new moon on the first day of the month? Why not? Because Pope Gregory understood Colossians and unhooked our calendar from Levitical laws.

Further, the Sabbath runs from Friday at sunset to Saturday evening according to Jewish law. When do we observe the sabbath? Sunday day.

However, setting aside every seventh day to discharge our religious obligations to God is part of Natural Law, so the Church mandates going to Church once a week. Which day? Sunday, best choice, since that’s the day Jesus rose.

So the reconciliation of Scripture and Church teaching is basically boils down to drawing a line between what is profitable and what is in Natural Law, versus what is a noble, God-given, but technically obsolete lifestyle-framework that was relevant when Man lived in this world, an alien dominion out of which we are eventually going to emigrate.

Which is why Paul says, “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins”.

Hope that helps.

 

[Prayer_Warrior]

Colossians 2:16-17, if I am reading it correctly, states that we are not to judge people in how they eat or on mass attendance. But I’m pretty sure Canon law states that we are to abstain from meat on fridays (yes still even in the 21st century) and that we are to attend mass every sunday. How do we reconcile the Scripture verse and Catholic teaching, for if we miss mass deliberately, it is a sin.

So, are you confused about how you are not supposed to judge others who appear to be failing in the requirements of the Church? First of all, we can’t judge a person’s soul. I think that might be what you are getting at. If you know that they aren’t coming to Mass on Sundays, then they must be in mortal sin, right? Well, not so fast. Mortal sin has three requirements: grave matter, full knowledge, and complete consent. You are not necessarily in the position to know if those three conditions exist. Additionally you do not know if they have a repentant heart. It is certainly ok for you to judge right action from wrong action. You should be able to identify sinful behavior and we are called upon in the Scripture to help our brothers and sisters back to the light. We should provide them with good counsel on matters of the faith. But remember, all things in charity. We don’t always have the full story. So a good plan is not to approach someone with a judgmental heart, but approach with a heart of compassion… they may not even know they are committing a sin. Is this what you are asking about?

Also, I don’t know what country you are in, but in the United States, it is not mandatory to abstain from meat on Fridays. Other countries still have the Friday abstinence. The Bishops have been allowed by the Holy See to make a slight change in the requirement. We are still to do something that is penitential, every Friday, but it is up to us what that is. Abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent is still mandatory in the US.

Yes, you are required to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation unless you have a good reason not to attend.

Like others have said, that is not exactly what this passage is about, but there are other passages which talk about not judging someone. If I’ve misunderstood your meaning, I’m sorry!

 

[christianme]

Colossians 2:16-17, if I am reading it correctly, states that we are not to judge people in how they eat or on mass attendance. But I’m pretty sure Canon law states that we are to abstain from meat on fridays (yes still even in the 21st century) and that we are to attend mass every sunday. How do we reconcile the Scripture verse and Catholic teaching, for if we miss mass deliberately, it is a sin.