Unpacking the Mass with Keith Nester

Episode: May 22, 2022 Readings - "If I Had a Dollar For Every Time I Hear This"
Date: May 21, 2022

Episode Overview

In this episode, Keith Nester leads a deep dive into the Catholic Mass readings for the sixth Sunday of Easter. The central theme revolves around the Church's authority, the exercise of discernment in community, and the unity and peace found in following Christ and His Church. Keith emphasizes not just doctrinal knowledge but also practical application: how these readings affect personal conduct, our approach to Church authority, and our relationships with others, especially regarding scandal and charity.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Acts 15 and the Jerusalem Council

(00:45–19:40)

• Context: Keith explores the early Church debate over whether Gentile converts must follow Mosaic Law, especially circumcision (Act 15:1-2, 22-29).
• Church Authority:
  • The apostles gather in the first ecumenical council, the Jerusalem Council, to resolve controversy—not everyone interpreting for themselves.
  • “What you don’t see in this text are a bunch of people that gather around, open up the Bible, and everybody goes, ‘Well, this is what it says to me...’ That’s not at all what we see.” — Keith Nester (06:15)
• Resolution: Church leaders, through discernment and the Holy Spirit, bind and loose disciplines for new believers.
• Disciplinary vs. Dogmatic Teaching:
  • Circumcision is replaced by baptism as the sign of entrance into God's people.
  • Dietary restrictions and laws regarding meat sacrificed to idols, blood, strangled animals, and unlawful marriage are contextual, meant to avoid scandalizing Jewish Christians.
    • “This wasn’t given as like God has ultimately decreed for all time and all places that you can’t have meat sacrificed to idols… The point was to avoid scandal.” — Keith (17:35)
  • These rules were later officially changed (Council of Florence), illustrating the Church’s authority over disciplines.
• Modern Parallels:
  • Keith draws a parallel to alcohol consumption in Christian circles, emphasizing the principle of not scandalizing others, even in things permissible to us.
  • “Sometimes we have to be loving and motivated by love in an attempt to not scandalize people. And that's kind of the principle here.” — Keith (21:10)

2. The Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 67

(19:45–20:35)

• Universal Praise: The psalm calls on all nations to praise God, reflecting the movement in Acts toward including Gentiles.
• Key insight: This universal invitation underpins the theme of unity—God’s salvation and blessing are for all, not just for a single group.

3. Revelation 21: Vision of the New Jerusalem

(20:40–24:28)

• Imagery and Fulfillment:
  • The new Jerusalem represents both fulfillment of the old covenant and the new, with foundation stones named for apostles and gate names for tribes.
  • “God is the God of the old covenant and the new covenant. It isn’t like the old covenant has been wiped away. It’s been fulfilled, friends.” — Keith (22:10)
• Apostolic Foundation: The Church, and ultimately salvation history, is built on the foundation of the apostles.
• Unity of Jews and Gentiles: The merging of the 12 tribes and the 12 apostles in the city structure is a symbol of God’s inclusive plan.

4. Gospel: John 14 – The Promise of the Holy Spirit and Peace

(24:32–35:32)

• Jesus’ Teaching:
  • Love = Obedience: “Whoever loves me will keep my word.”
  • The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, will teach and “remind you of all that I told you.”
• Church and Authority:
  • The Church depends on the Holy Spirit—not the wisdom of men—for authoritative teaching.
    • “The Catholic Church understands that it could never do that because left to its own devices, it would completely fall apart. But because the Church is illuminated and filled with the Holy Spirit, that’s why the Church has been given the ability to bind and loose, to teach authoritatively.” — Keith (27:50)
• Obedience to Church & Christ:
  • To love Jesus is to keep His words, as taught by the Church through apostolic authority.
  • Cites St. Ignatius of Antioch: “Obey your bishop as the Lord.”
• Unity and Division:
  • Keith laments the divisions in Christianity (denominations), tracing them back to lack of unity and obedience.
  • “What if it was 2,000 [denominations]? Is that too many?... They’re supposed to be one.” — Keith (31:35)
• Peace of Christ vs. Worldly Peace:
  • Christ’s peace is internal, transcendent, not dependent on worldly circumstances.
    • “The peace of Christ surpasses understanding. It goes beyond our worldly circumstances. It goes into our heart.” — Keith (33:05)
  • Obedience to Christ and the Church brings this peace; disobedience leads to spiritual unrest.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• (On early church disagreement)
  “There wasn’t this loosey goosey understanding of what the Christian church was supposed to be back in the first century, where everyone just did whatever they felt like doing…” (07:20)
• (On Church authority/discipline)
  “Because what we’re talking about is the church given to the world by Jesus Christ, who can bind and loose in these matters of discipline and doctrine.” (18:40)
• (On modern application)
  “Why do that? Why scandalize people intentionally?... Sometimes we have to be loving and motivated by love in an attempt to not scandalize people.” (21:10)
• (On Catholic Church’s claim)
  “When you recognize that this is the Church built on the foundation of the apostles, this is the Church promised by God that would not have the gates of hell prevail against it…” (28:35)
• (On peace and obedience)
  “You want to know how you let not your hearts be troubled? Obey Jesus Christ. You receive his peace. Boom. That’s the bottom line.” (34:04)
• (On common objections)
  “If I had a dollar for every time someone said to me, ‘Oh, well, Keith, if you want to understand the truth and why Catholicism is evil, just read the Bible...’” (30:25)
• (On unity)
  “Jesus prayed that we would be one, that we would be unified in doctrine, in discipline and in peace and in love.” (32:20)

Important Timestamps

• Acts 15 Discussion / Church Authority: 00:45–19:40
• Practical Application on Scandal (alcohol, music, etc): 16:50–23:00
• Psalm 67 Reflection: 19:45–20:35
• Revelation 21 & Unity of Old/New Covenants: 20:40–24:28
• John 14 & the Promise of the Spirit, Obedience, Peace: 24:32–35:32
• Unity in the Church & Division: 29:30–32:30
• Peace of Christ vs. Worldly Peace: 33:00–34:35

Tone and Language

Keith’s tone is warm, conversational, and pastoral, blending scriptural exegesis with practical examples and personal anecdotes. He invites listeners to deeper obedience, humility, and reflection on unity, punctuating his teaching with humor and real-world analogies (“If I had a dollar…”; “Boom. That’s the bottom line.”).

Summary Takeaways

• The readings highlight the Church’s authoritative discernment, especially in resolving disputes and binding/loosing disciplinary practices.
• Unity within the Church comes from obedience—both to Christ’s word and to the visible, Spirit-led teaching of the Apostles and their successors.
• Peace, as Jesus gives it, is rooted in relationship and obedience, not circumstances.
• We are called to apply these truths by avoiding scandal, living charitably, and seeking unity in faith and practice.

For further engagement, Keith suggests reading the full Acts 15 and meditating on what the Spirit may be saying through these texts and the community of faith.

Final Encouragement:
"Let not your hearts be troubled, nor be afraid... We can find peace when we're unified in our doctrine, can't we? But when everyone's trying to do his or her own thing, everyone thinks they can decide what Christianity teaches... Obey the words of Christ. Obey the words of the Church that he founded, that he has given the Holy Spirit to, to remind him of everything he taught, to bring us peace—not as the world gives, but as he gives." — Keith Nester (34:04)