Tuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s first reading is, for me, one of the most challenging. I think of all the ways I knowingly break the commandments for reasons of mere convenience or cultural acceptance. More Sundays than not, myself and most of us do some form of work, rather than resting and enjoying the goodness of God. It’s so easy to tell white lies, or even big lies rationalized to avoid an unpleasant consequence. We often avoid people because they are poor, or because they challenge us in other ways. I could go on, but it’s enough to write these examples.
Of course, in the time of Maccabees, evil forces were deliberately and openly trying to destroy Israel. In our time, there is no openly organized, powerful human or government effort to destroy Christianity here in the United States. When that kind of ‘cleansing’ is happening, religions like Judaism and Christianity resist with great courage. In our time, in a country where Christianity is the dominant religion, the challenges to our faith are more subtle. Because the perceived external threat is much smaller, sins of convenience are openly committed and encouraged by known believers. When one of our fellow brothers and sisters won’t compromise on a law of the Lord, many in the church may say that person is taking the ‘rules’ too seriously, is litigious or a ‘Pharisee,’ or just misunderstands the intention of the Lord’s direction. Others might point out that outward actions aren’t as important as our spiritual relationship with God and our compassion for others. Personally, I’ve been on both sides of that (telling fellow believers they need to not be so serious, and having others tell me I’m taking faith too seriously/ literally).
In our time and place, it’s difficult to know what sort of believer we need to be. Mainstream American culture is becoming less religious and more secular, and this naturally results in conflicts. Our community of faith is transitioning from one that ‘fits in’ with the majority to one that stands apart. Our differences on the dignity of human life from conception to natural death, our understanding of marriage & family life & sexuality, our beliefs about the poor and our obligation to help them, and our concept of social justice and peace all stand in contrast to the prevailing platforms of all political parties and mainstream culture. If we are faithful to all the church teaches, we will find ourselves more marginalized than we are today. Right now, it will cost you something to be unwaveringly faithful. In the future, it will probably cost us more. We will need stories of courageous believers who are willing to endure harsh consequences for following their conscience.
In all times, it’s good to consider how our actions are a model and an evangelistic example for others. Do they see in us the loving heart of Christ? Is it obvious through word and action that we place great value on our faith? Are we willing to seem like we’re afflicted with ‘utter madness?’
Whether our lives today make living as a Christian easy or hard, may we always have the courage to do right, for our own salvation and for the benefit of all those faithful Christians that look up to us. Amen.
-Chris Nieport