The past weeks attempted a conceptual analysis of spirituality and canon law. The posts also emphasised that the salvation of souls is the absolute guiding principle of canon law and, therefore, divine mercy (Chi di ebere) is an intrinsic part of canon law. Today’s post focuses on the meaning of the spirituality of canon law.
As a recap, Christian spirituality “means one’s entire life as understood, felt, imagined and decided upon in relationship to God, in Christ Jesus, empowered by the Spirit”. The object, origin and goal of Christian spirituality is God, who has called us to holiness. Jesus says: “Be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect” (Matt 5:48). The purpose of the Church is the salvation of souls, which is also the Church’s supreme law (Canon 1752), and salvation at the last day is the culmination of the Christian journey towards holiness.
Christ’s salvation is holistic, involving temporal and spiritual dimensions. Jesus provided salvation to our temporal needs by healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and casting out demons. He enabled spiritual salvation by preaching repentance and, ultimately, through his death and resurrection. He established the Eucharist “in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross throughout the centuries until He should come again” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 47). He also established other sacraments to touch all the stages and important moments of Christian life (CCC, 1210). Hence, Jesus said he came so we might have abundant life (John 10:10).
Therefore, the spirituality of canon law concerns how Church laws serve Christians in their journey towards holiness so that they may save their souls holistically and make heaven on the last day. This means that all Christ’s faithful—clerics and non-clerics, those who govern and those governed—are to consider canon law as an instrument to improve their journey towards holiness and holistic salvation of their souls.
The law has historically been an instrument for spiritual growth. In his ‘The Imitation of Christ’, Thomas à Kempis affirms that contemplative life in the Middle Ages could not imagine spiritual growth without strict observance of monastic rules. In his words: “How do so many other religious who are confined in cloistered discipline get along? They seldom go out, they live in contemplation, their food is poor, their clothing coarse, they work hard, they speak but little, keep long vigils, rise early, pray much, read frequently, and subject themselves to all sorts of discipline.”
The spirituality of canon law finds precedence in Christ’s attitude towards the sabbath law, which emphasises that the sabbath law was made for humans and not humans for the sabbath (Mark 2:27). Jesus defended his hungry apostles, who plucked heads of grain to eat on the sabbath (Mark 2: 23-28). Furthermore, Jesus performed seven miracles on the sabbath, ignoring the Jewish leaders who opposed him for doing such on the sabbath day.
The first and second miracles were delivering a man from an unclean spirit (Mark 1:21-28) and healing Simon Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:29-31). The third was healing a man with a withered hand in the synagogue. In order to accuse Christ, the Pharisees asked him if it was lawful to heal on the sabbath. Jesus responded with the purpose of the sabbath law—saving an individual—and went ahead to heal the man. This infuriated the Pharisees, who sought to destroy him (Matt 12:9-14).
The fourth was the healing of a lame man at the pool of Bethsaida. The Jews queried the man for carrying his pallet after his healing on the sabbath. When they confirmed it was Christ who healed and instructed him to do so, the Jews sought to kill Christ (John 5: 1-18). The fifth was the healing of the man born blind. The Pharisees queried the man and argued that Christ was “not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath” (John 9:1-16).
The sixth was the healing of a crippled woman. The ruler of the synagogue was indignant with Christ for healing her. However, Jesus answered him: “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?” (Luke 13:11-17). Finally, Jesus healed a man with dropsy while dining at a Pharisee’s house. Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees who watched if it was lawful or not to heal on the sabbath. When they remained silent, Jesus healed the man (Luke 14:1-6).
In his 1953 message to the Pontifical Gregorian University, Pope Pius XII affirms that canon law aims entirely at the care of souls so that humans may be possessed by the protection and guidance of the laws of truth and grace of Christ and may live, grow, and die holy, piously, and faithfully. Therefore, the salvation of souls is the guiding principle when one administers ecclesiastical affairs, exercises judgement, assists ministers of the sacraments or provides canonical advice to the faithful. In his 1977 speech to the Roman Rota, Pope Paul VI affirms that all legislation aims to assist in the spiritual life of the faithful, which is to be done from the duty or responsibility of one’s own conscience rather than by force of precepts.
There is a sacramental dimension to the spirituality of canon law. The Church is in Christ a sacrament – a sign and instrument of union with God and of the unity of entire humanity (Lumen Gentium, 1). Therefore, since the purpose of the sacraments is “to sanctify men, to build up the body of Christ, and, finally, to give worship to God” (Sacrosanctum Concillium, 59), the Church is a “universal sacrament of salvation” (Lumen Gentium, 48), that is, “the community of believers both reveals and furthers God’s plan of salvation.”
Pope Paul VI discusses the sacramentality of law also in his 1977 speech to the Roman Rota, which, in line with the purpose of the Church and the sacraments, further explains the spirituality of canon law. Pope Paul affirms that the Church is endowed with a juridical structure, which fosters and promotes the spiritual life. This juridical structure is peculiar because it participates in the sacramental nature of the Church. As a universal sacrament of salvation, the Church offers spiritual goods through the liturgy and administration of the sacraments, which assist the faithful in their journey towards holiness.
Hence, the pope further affirms that the Second Vatican Council exalts the spiritual nature of the Church’s law above all by clearly placing the sacramental foundation and source of hierarchical power in clear light. For instance, Episcopal consecration confers on bishops the pastoral functions of sanctifying, teaching, and governing, by which they become spiritual instruments for their ministry in the communion of the Church. The Magisterium and governance in the Church consist of offices and rights whose nature is supernatural and spiritual. Therefore, the life of the Church is by its very nature spiritual, working for the salvation of the faithful and bringing the peace of Christ to the faithful.
The spirituality of canon law is broadly divided into two: (1) making and interpreting the law and (2) obedience to the law. Next week focuses on the first dimension – making and interpreting the law.
As this is a new journey, criticisms and recommendations will be helpful. Kindly reach me on WhatsApp or through email: chidiebere.obiodu@existentialtheology.com
May God continue to help us🙏🏾
K’ọdị🙋🏾♂️