Sep
7
Reflection on the Didache and Clement of Rome
Filed Under Catholicism, Eucharist, Franciscan University, Reflection
As the first two works of this semester, both the Didache and the Epistle of Clement were a great source of encouragement for me. Their subject matter, themes, and concerns are very near to my own thoughts and musings as a Christian. It is especially inspiring to see how grounded and universal the doctrines of the Church were at the time of the apostles and shortly thereafter during the time of Clement.
I was most struck by Clement’s assimilation of the Pentateuch into his own personal heritage even as a gentile. Whenever he cited Scripture in his letter, it came across as a deeply personal utterance in much the same way one might talk about his lineage. He references the Church in Rome as God’s “chosen people,” both Greeks and Jews alike. He cites the promise of God to Abram as a promise which, through Christ, has been fulfilled. He understands that in Christ, the chosen people, the descendants of Abraham, have truly become as numerous as the stars in the heavens – that the Good News has gifted all nations with the opportunity to become part of this heritage of Abraham.
Another striking aspect of Clement’s letter was the way in which he paralleled disobedience with self-assertion and excessive talk. His citation of Scripture in which he asks, “Does a man think himself righteous for his much speaking?” was a deeply personal question for me as was his Scriptural command to “never be a prodigal of words.” Righteous talk, for Clement – and for the Early Church, seems to have been a real occasion of pride and a breeding ground for disobedience. Historically speaking, I can see why that would be the case. The bishops and clergy were the ones entrusted with the tradition of Faith. The faithful, especially at such an early time in the Church, were not catechized anywhere near the extent we are today. For any man to speak of his faith as if he were an authority over it would very likely lead to false conclusions and schisms, as was the case at the time when Clement wrote his epistle. Despite our greater breadth and depth of understanding today, I can’t help but see the lingering relevance of Clement’s words in the Church today. Humility – a lack of self-assertion and authority – is still very important in order to avoid fracture in the Church – a phenomenon we are all too familiar with. Our submission to the Magisterium today reflects well the early Christian’s submission to their bishops.
What struck me most about the Didache, and indeed its relationship to Clement’s Epistle, was the deep respect and primitive formality which had already begun to form around the Eucharistic liturgy. A rather long part of the Didache is devoted to the Eucharistic prayer, and additional time is spent talking specifically about the Eucharist at Sunday Worship. It is very reassuring to know how revered the Eucharist was from the beginning, and how much the Didache discredits those who might claim the Eucharist to be a much later fabrication of the Church.
Comments
Leave a Reply
